The Fun Never Stops - Kid Koala Hits Beijing

There’s a time to joke and there’s a time to be serious, but for Kid Koala, the difference is none. That’s what makes him an amazing DJ – the fun never stops. Before his show tonight (October 29 ) at Yugong Yishan, the master turntable manipulator, comic book novelist and illustrator, and (pending) solver of the world financial crisis breaks it down for Lisa Liang.

Who is your favorite DJ?
Sly Stone. I heard he used to be a DJ before he started Sly and the Family Stone. Small Talk, Fresh and There's a Riot Goin’ On are among my favorite albums in the world.

Who is your favorite non-living musician?
Thelonious Monk. That guy played an instrument that had been around for hundreds of years and he completely reinvented it.

DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist. Between them, who would win a hand wrestle?
Maybe Shadow, because Cut's on his phone all the time.

You are Asian. But do you like Chinese food?
Really, have you ever met anyone who doesn't like Chinese food? I just read that Billie Holiday was a fan of Chinese roast duck.

What kind of dish would you cook for an Emperor as his main course?
Maybe something he hadn't tried before. There's a place in Canada that serves a hot dog with peanut butter, jam and Cap'n Crunch cereal. That's pretty advanced.

“Moon River” is your mother’s favorite song. What’s the story behind this?
Both my parents are heavy into old Hollywood Musicals. I think when they were kids that's how they practiced their English, by learning all the lyrics and singing along. That tune is great. Mancini and Mercer were a genius combination ... as were Rogers and Hart. That stuff was always playing in the house when I was growing up.

What is the key to matching the perfect sample to the perfect beat?
Having fun.

You’re not just a DJ – you’re also an illustrator. In fact, you make soundtracks for your comic books. What links your music and your drawings? Where do your artistic (as opposed to musical) inspirations come from?
I'm a big fan of cinema. I like the work of directors like Wong Kar Wai and Jean Pierre Jeunet. Their films are such great visual experiences. Watching their films makes me want draw for some reason. Unfortunately, I can't draw very well so my books always looks much sillier than their films.

You once opened for Bjork. Is she also crazy in person?
The real opener was supposed to be Dolly Parton, but she cancelled for some reason. I was told that Bjork got a hold of my Nufonia Must Fall book around the same time and apparently enjoyed it enough to invite me to do the show. I met her after the show. She's cool.

Who would you still like to open for?
Tom Waits! That'd be amazing.

What is the biggest misconception about Canadians?
That we're “nice.”

What is your most Canadian trait?
How nice I am.

Name three elements/instruments you would use in a song that would solve the financial crisis.
Wine glass, celery and a blade of grass. Those are three of the cheapest instruments I can think of ... You can get a nice tone from playing a wine glass, [and] I once saw someone make a flute out of a celery stalk. You can also make a loud whistle by putting a blade of grass between your thumbs. That would help the economy because they're cheap instruments and could double as a meal after the show. On the other hand, it may not help the economy at all since a song made from combining those three sounds would totally suck.

Have you ever held a live koala before?
No... They scare me.

Why Koala?
‘Rock' was already taken.

If koala’s became extinct, you would be Kid___________?
Pterodactyl. No, wait, they're extinct too.

You can catch Kid Koala tonight, Thursday, October 29 at 9pm, Yugong Yishan, RMB 50/30 (advance).