An Interview with PANTIES’ Konstantin Iakovlev (playing This Sunday June 30th)

Sunday Night, HOT DOG celebrates the ever expanding and resurgent ‘No Music’ scene with A… bit of noise (Facebook Event).  Joining local Experimentalists Staph, The Economy, Suangi, Hooray For You, Clinica Psychosis and a DJ Set from Cheddle’s Fast’n'Bulbous is Russian-Haligonian Konstantin Iakovlev aka Panties.   This will be Konstantin’s fourth time through town, and judging by the expansion of sound each time ’round, this will very likely be his most dense and captivating performance yet.  Earlier this week we had a chance to catch up with our friend Konstantin to discuss…

Mike Bot: Hey ma man! You’re coming to us from Halifax, how is living in Halifax and playing this form of experimental music?

Konstantin Iakovlev: There is a small noise community out here, that I’m an outsider to.  I seem to have a very polarizing effect on people here, they either go out for a smoke as soon as they see me setting up, or a handful ofthem will watch and sometimes cheer, sometimes heckle me. hecklers are the best though.

How does your native RUSSIA influence your music?

The spirit of DIY is the biggest lesson I got. In USSR there was a black market of western music (Beatles, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, etc.) lathe cut on old x-ray film.  So dubbing releases in my room, and block printing covers seems pretty darn natural to me.

Can you share with us some of your experiences, both the ups and downs, traveling your work?

London is number 1.  No comparisons.  To the point that I usually play more shows in London than I do in Halifax.  Last year it was 8 shows in LONDOOM versus 5 in Halifax.  Some of the lows would have been having a show cancelled as I’m getting on the Inter City bus to get to that show (Ottawa). The highlight would be being treated like noise royalty in Easthampton Massachussetts – to the point that i almost missed my bus the next day because the hosts would not take ‘no’ for an answer tomore shots of cheapest vodka available.

How would you describe the music or sound you make to the unitiated?

Lately equal parts power electronics, crappy digital hardcore, and Sesame Street songs. What music, which artists or songs or albums, inspire your work? The single biggest influence would be Iron Bitchface (formerly from Kitchener, then Toronto). They bridged the gap for me between Digital Hardcore, Grindcore, and Noise. After hearing them, noise suddenly made sense (check out their album ‘Pulse Pounding Cyberslam’). Other than them, my influences are usually people I have played with, or in contact with, so – Breakdancing Ronald Reagan, Isolation Order, D/A A/D, The Economy, Goiter, Cop Car Bonfire, Fossils, etc.

As far as non-acquaintance noisicians go, my favourite releases would either be Gruuthaagy ‘Terror Agenda’, or Fckn’Bstrds ‘Sylvester Im Knieschussclub’.

(Staph/Disleksick/Isolation Order/Curb’s David Cereghini (pictured left with Staph/Disleksick bandmate Andrew Disleksick) joins in the conversation…)

David Cereghini: How important is your position as the head conductor on the J train?

As Ralph Wiggum would put it, I smell like Otto’s jacket.

Thanks Konstantin. 

Be sure to join us at the APK this Sunday Night.  Show begins at 9:45pm.  Cheddle of CHRW’s Fast’n'Bulbous closes out the evening with a DJ set bridging the gap between music for your head, and music for your feet.