Jack Kansas is lead singer with Kentish Town-based fourpiece Damn Vandals, who release their second album, Rocket Out Of London, in April. Their live shows have earned them a bit of a reputation, and you can decide for yourself this Thursday when they play a Save Earl’s Court benefit gig at the Troubadour (starts 8pm). A new single, Twist Up and Tangle, is out March 17th.
When were you happiest?
Due to a moment of DIY madness which sparked a catastrophic chain of events involving leaking water, I’ve been spending a lot of time at the dump on Regis Road recently. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of climbing those metal steps and flinging a heavy load of ruined smelly matter into one of those giant skips. Bliss!
Where would you like to live?
Anywhere on Regis Road would be sweet, in order to cut tip-run journey times down to a minimum. Also, it’s handily near the car pound for when the tour van gets towed – it would be like having your own personal (but mind-blowingly expensive) car park.
What is your favourite sound or smell?
Ah, I’ve an interesting K-Town sonic fact that few know. It’s best observed in the dead of night and you have to be prepared to stand beneath the entrance to Poundstretcher for a while. Due to the concave curvature of the road at this point and the cross-echo created by the angle of the glass windows of the opticians on the opposite side of the road, police sirens sound six times louder here than anywhere else in the whole of London. Cold fact.
What is your greatest life achievement?
I once won a body popping competition at Brent Cross Shopping Centre.
What is the most important lesson life has taught you?
To stay on the happy side of crazy.
Walking down Kentish Town Road and saying “Mummy, what’s that smell?” I joke. It’s trick or treating with Kevin Boyd who lived behind the fire station. He knew all the best doors to knock on and had a thing for setting fire to poo wrapped in toilet roll on people’s doorsteps. Great kid. He liked to keep all his neighbours busy.
What makes you unhappy?
Watching the news on TV.
What simple thing would improve your quality of life?
A decent toilet brush would be a start. Word to the wise, don’t purchase your bathroom utensils from Tiger – the thing I got from there breaks in two and you end up having to fish the brush bit out every time. Madness.
What is your most unappealing habit?
At the moment, myself and our producer Julian are addicted to these Chicken Royale wraps that we score in Limehouse, where we’re recording. It’s getting to the point where all other food tastes wrong in comparison. Beginning to feel a bit guilty in regard to our treatment of chicken-kind. If we go to hell, it’s an eternity of being slowly pecked to death by a thousand vengeful hens for us.
Tell us a secret.
I’m only wearing my socks.
What has your career taught you?
It’s a long way to the top if you want to rock’n’roll.
What did you do today?
Today we were in the studio. Adam the bassist got annoyed with himself and went a bit red in the face trying to nail one particular number. At break time we got eyeballed by some gangster dudes. After that some old guy gave us some free peanuts. Then we listened to more bass lines. Then it was home time. The fun we had!
Funny thing, I was in Gorilla Kingdom at London Zoo the other day – there’s this sign that says something like: “Look at the gorillas, aren’t they just like you? How many common features and expressions can you see?”
I turned around to study the giant Silverback sitting a foot away from the re-enforced glass with his arms and legs crossed. He was just staring out at everyone, looking angry and depressed. “I’d be feeling that way too if I was locked up in this insult of a kingdom day after day,” I thought. So, by London Zoo’s standards, I guess I’m a happier, less caged, less hairy gorilla – who just happens to occupy his time by singing in a band called Damn Vandals.
Listen to tracks and find out more about Damn Vandals here
