Interview: Boom Boom Kid - New Zealand Tour

Kit Walker caught up with Argentine artist Carlos Rodriguez from Boom Boom Kid who are about to hit these shores. They are currently in Australia performing shows with the Hard Ons. Formerly of hardcore punks Fun People, Carlos Rodriguez aka Boom Boom Kid is an artist, a poet, a performer, a vegetarian gourmet, an archivist, and a DJ!

UnderTheRadar proudly presents...

Boom Boom Kid

Tuesday 11th July - One One Six, Whangarei*
Wednesday 12th July - Haruru Falls The PhatHouse Brewery Bar (free show)
Thursday 13th July - Whammy Backroom, Auckland w/ Ratso
Friday 14th July - Ding Dong Lounge, Auckland w/ Ratso
Saturday 15th July - The Yot Club, Raglan
Monday 17th July - Valhalla, Wellington
Tuesday 18th July - Pluto, Blenheim
Wednesday 19th July - Space Academy, Christchurch
Thursday 20th July - The Crown, Dunedin
Friday 21st July - Southland Musicians Club, Invercargill

Tickets available HERE via UTR
*Tickets via eventfinda

Kit Walker: Hola Carlos! Tell me - what was it like growing up in Argentina in the '70s / '80s?

Boom Boom Kid: Hey, hola. Okay, I'm born in the countryside in 1972. Was nice but you know what happens in 1976... 30,000 people disappear, killed by military government at that time. People was persecuted just to have long hair you know… Hard times to be yourself in Argentina.

How did you discover punk rock and start your musical journey in Argentina?

Good question. I very curious guy, always I read about punk rock in a magazine my father have in the house. The name of the magazine was Perfil and they show photos of punk rockers from UK and also from Argentina. I like the look, so my parents go to visit a friend in Uruguay, so Uruguay I dunno why, but they are more open to different music, so I go to the record store ask for what's the new? And they bring me the PiL record and also Sex Pistols so I buy those two records. I love PiL more than Sex Pistols, but you need to know, Sex Pistols record in Argentina go out in the 1986 / 1987 crazy! The Stooges record appear 2022...

Do many Argentines move to Italy? Is that where you live now? Is it easy to be Boom Boom Kid in Europe?

Hmmm, I dunno many people from Italy move to Argentina from 1883 till the second war end. Part of my family comes from Italy. I live in Buenos Aires. I think it is not too hard to live anywhere if you have good fellas and true love everywhere.

What is the punk / alternative music / rock and roll scene like in Argentina and the rest of Central and South America? Broad question I know.

Uff... I can write thousands of thousand hours about that! It's a big, big scene. Good music BUT bad government always. We have the music like our tool weapon to fight and survive, so thousand of punks hardcore and good rock and roll around here.

As a kid, I knew very little about Argentina until 1978 when I watched the World Cup Final and was late for school — it was an amazing spectacle to watch as an eight year old in NZ. Kempes!!!

Oh, sadly I'm not into football. I know yes Kempes, but I don't know if you know the military government at that time use that World Cup to show Argentina it's a good country to live in Buenos Aires but it's not true, they are killing thousand of people at the same time.

I know they are not from Argentina but are you a fan of Los Saicos? (Peruvian punk rock progenitors from 1964— forgive me BUT you have to hear this from 1965 — insane).

Yeah I love Los Saicos, I used to have a record store in Buenos Aires and when Inigo Munster from Munster Records put out the ten inch record. I'm in Madrid play on tour with my old band Fun People, so I buy 10 records and then bring to me to show Los Saicos in Argentina. Also I book two shows for Los Saicos in Argentina, you know? If you find Los Saicos in Argentina, they used my guitar, drums, equipment to play. I love those guys.

Did Argentina have any '70s glam rock bands?

Yeah, but not too much glitter. But we have Caballo Vapor. Good band, sound closer to that.

What food do you like to eat while travelling?

Every local vegetarian and vegan food. I don't like kill animals to survive.

The artist... What piece of art have you made in recent times that moves you — raises your vibe? And why?

This guy (Ron Asheton) is a piece of art, always to me.

The archivist... Another Chilean friend called you a Preservador of music. I recently saw the series of Argentinian music from the '60s / '70s you have curated through Muster Records in Spain. Can you give me a little background? What is one of your favourite tracks?

Uff oh... lot tons of music bro, but you can find those five LPs with 16 songs each of my selection. Try to find The Crazy World Of Music Hall Vol 1, 2, 3 and Locura Tropical.
This is my favourite. It took six years on making. I made the selection as a DJ, also the art work and the inner notes. I enjoy to share music.

The cover art for this series is wonderful. Did you colourise the cover images yourself? I do love reissues, but I find the soul has been sucked out of a lot of releases by the bland presentation. Yours are beauty to the eye. Your hand drawn posters and Instagram posts are great. Tell me how important personal art is with your music compared to digital (boring!) art.

Yes, I make the art, thanks a lot. I think every expression with colour or not if coming from the soul of heart of people it's good, doesn't matter if it is computer or hand-made. I like make art with my hands but I'm 51 you know… I'm born with pencil and paper in my hands.

The performer... Boom Boom Kid in NZ — What can we expect???

We expect everything beautiful. We can't wait to play there and meet more people, have new adventure to tell to our family all over the world.

The traveller... You travel A LOT. What do you like to get most out of travelling? What do you like to leave in the places you have been?

When I back to my house in Argentina I like to stay in silence. A lot of yoga, drink a lot of water and sleep a lot. I put all my love and soul in everything I do so this is all I have to leave. Nothing less, nothing more.

The cook — What are you like in the kitchen ? What's your speciality?

Always vegetarian, also vegan. I LOVE HUMMUS. I eat every morning a fresh garlic teeth!

Lunfardo is the slang of Rio de la plata and we used a lot. It's everywhere and very different from Spain too.
Hacer pizza means jam in between musicians.
Chavon means boy, chavona means girl.
Chamuyar means talk a lot, also tell liar.
Al cohete means do.
Nothing un fato — means affair.
Una cosita — means you start to be in love with somebody etc etc etc.

The selektor... DJing — my Chilean friends have told me how you mix up rock (and roll) styles when DJing, sometimes from metal to soul to whatever. Are you willing to share with us, let's say, three tracks you mix together in a BBK way? That might surprise our readers ....