Belgian psychedelic blues rock upstarts Mojo & The Kitchen Brothers have a good thing going on. They have nailed their own style within the retro rock spectrum quite nicely, landed a cool vinyl deal with Dutch underground rock boutique label Laybare Recordings, and they are playing some cool shows as well. It’s a good thing we could get a hold of them in the midst of all these happenings to ask them to introduce themselves and what moves them as a band…
Hi guys, can you please introduce Mojo and the Kitchen Brothers to the Weirdo
Shrine audience?
We are Mojo and the Kitchen Brothers. Warre Brits on drums and lead vocals,
Mathijs Van Meensel on Bass and backing weirdness, Luca Fazioli on guitar and
backing vocals, Jules Meyvis on Guitar, synth and backing weirdness, and last but
not least Jon on guitar: A 5-headed omnium gatherum of eclectically inspired music
freaks from Belgium cooking up a late 60’s early 70’s minded mix of heavy progrock
soaked in psychedelia. The smells emanating from our kitchen recall bands like
Black Sabbath, Wishbone Ash and Pink Floyd. However, M&TKB is more than a
nostalgia trip. Firmly tuned into the spring of our contemporary psych rockers, Mojo
& the Kitchen Brothers’ catchy tunes, proggy riffs, deafening drums, roaring
basslines and spacy, triple-guitar jams take the listener on a Janus-faced journey
through the limbo between past and present.
What is the biggest trigger for you to do what you do with this band?
Wanting to play what we are a’wanting to hear.
What are your musical backgrounds? And what was the first time you knew you
wanted to play rock music?
2 of of the 5 have somewhat of a higher education in music, the rest are hobbyists. There
was no definite first time, only the unceasing temptation of going out there and beyond.
What music do you listen to in the band bus? Any weird tastes among you?
Our bassist loves to entertain the bus with his exquisite taste in Italian cinematic Modernism soundtracks like those Nino Rota composed for Federico Fellini for example. Also, there’s nothing like driving home victorious from a gloriously played show while listening to the Wallace and Gromit soundtrack. I suppose we just really enjoy soundtracks.
What would be the ideal line up for the ultimate Mojo and the Kitchen Brothers
show, and where would it be held?
In no particular order; Gong, Grateful Dead, Black Sabbath, Songhoy Blues, Acid Mothers
Temple, Allman Brothers. Either at Pompeii or some cool observatory.
What is the best thing that happened to Mojo so far, and would would you still like
to happen in the future?
The best thing that happened to Mojo so far is a thing that luckily keeps happening. Namely, the continuous connections that we and our music manage to make with all the lovely people in the scene surrounding us. From industry people like Jan Viggria (The Guru Guru, our faithful producer), Daan and Henri (Daan Agency) and Desirée Hanssen (Lay Bare
Recordings), to our families and fans, everything that we’ve achieved so far is thanks to this
amazing group of people that came together thanks to this connecting force. And this ties in smoothly like a glove to the next part of your question: all we hope is to keep connecting.
Where do you live and how does it influence your music?
We all live in Belgium. This fact doesn’t influence our music too much however. We can’t
really be placed among the “typically Belgian” performers, whatever that might mean.
Nonetheless, the Belgian music scene appears to be quite receptive to non-typical bands. In our experience, Belgium provides many great chances for those willing to take them, and
most importantly a willing audience with a taste for the bizarre.
What is/was the best era of (rock n roll) music in your opinion?
The best era of music has and will never come. The best thing about music is that it is not
bound by the silly nostalgic dreaming of people, only people are.
Where can we see the band play in the near future? Any other plans/schemes you’d
like to share?
In the foreseeable future we’ll mostly be playing shows in Belgium, if you’re interested you
can always check our socials for more info. In other news, we’re working on our next
albums. So keep your eyes peeled and your ears eagerly gaping.
What should the Weirdo Shrine readers do immediately after reading this
interview?
Tell those near to you that you love ‘em! Give ‘em a hug, buy them a beer or perhaps some
flowers, we don’t do those things nearly enough. Oh and also, go buy our merch at one of
our upcoming shows or at laybarerecordings.com.
Weirdo Shrine 