C-Lekktor is a Mexican Band: feasting over a career of 20 years! I saw them on stage in the early years, supported the band whenever I could. I also did an interview in the early years and felt the need to re-connect and look back for a while and finishing with a look at the future. Enjoy! Fans of Suicide Commando, Hocico, ... will enjoy this one!
I interviewed you for the first time in the beginning of your career, just before your gig in Antwerp. Do you remember anything from that gig and meeting Johan Van Roy (Suicide Commando)?
Hello, yeah of course I remember VAMPIRE PARTY in Antwerp! It was a blast and I’m still filled with good memories and good times over that period in Belgium! A few days before the show in VP Johan wrote me about doing this duet again (oh yeah we did it first in Mexico City on his first time ever show in my country) we had fun and we decided to do it again. I’m very happy with that.
A lot of things have changed since then, can you tell a bit about it all?
Well actually lot of things have changed indeed! After covid, and also in my personal life! Reality is that I have less and less time for me to be active with the band. Also I think this kind of music has started to get lower and lower attention by new audiences, perhaps it’s a personal impression. I feel not much is happening within this scene. I might be wrong.
You moved on to Alfa Matric, how was it to take that step?
I think great! Seba, Benoît and all Alfa Matrix crew are always doing it great, putting a lot of effort and hard work in what they do for me. I can’t complain about anything from them. I like to work with different people and in different ways each time when I can. I think this gives you a good perspective and that is always good indeed.
You also had the chance to get several times on the same stage as Suicide Commando, you even worked together delivering remixes (and honestly, it’s really 1+1=3). Please drop the tracks’ names. How do you look back at it and is there more coming?
What can I say that I haven´t said before? Suicide Commando has been a great influence on my music, even before I started to create music. When you have the chance to work with them or even just talk, it is pretty much to get rewarded for all the work you have done before. Unfortunately it’s never enough but hey we might in the future work in some more projects and songs. My favourite one is the remix we did for the "the pain that you like" remix for Suicide Commando.
Am I right to say you never worked with Hocico? With who else would you love to work with?
No we have never done anything together. There is a big list in my head, but honestly most of the names that come out for me are from long time ago. I don’t know, I love AMGOD,YelworC, SPLATTER SQUAL … but a collaboration with them seems to be so far from real life.
I always loved you music for the modern touch, the energy, the innovative elements, can we say that this is your trademark and how hard is it to keep it going for 20 years?
I always try to keep an eye (more like both ears) on current music, especially electronic genres in and outside mainstream music as it’s evolving fast and I always like to keep a fresh sound in my music. An example of this is our new anniversary album. I tried to update some of our classic songs to a more recent sound from our latest albums. The idea was to get them ready to perform them on stage with an actual sound. But I was also thinking: hey It’s my 20 years anniversary I should do something, so for the rest you can listen to this special album.
In our first interview you told me it’s pretty hard to live and work in Mexico, has anything changed in these past 20 years? How much has the local music scene changed since then?
Nope still the same hahaha, I’m not complaining, but you know some things never change. I think our country has a lot of good things and a lot of beautiful places but our corrupted system will never change. It makes me feel so sorry about it.
Animals is a very sexy track, genre Closer (NIN), was that intentional? What had you in mind whilst creating this track?
No actually I never had the idea to get any sound reference with NIN. I mean we do different stuff, but what I can tell you and I really believe it is true that sometimes musicians can have the same ideas and creativity without knowing each other. I truly believe that´s what happened with our "animals" track.
How was it to cover Depeche Mode (Always You) and who else would you love to cover if you had the chance?
Everyone close to me know that I’m a huge Depeche Mode fan and when they released MEMENTO MORI, I really re-connected with them in a form that has not happened in a long time listening to Depeche Mode. Definitely this new album from them has become one of my favs and I wanted to pay respect by covering what is for me the best song of the album.
One of the best recent tracks are (according to me) God Killer & Are You ready For The Bass. You use a lot of snippets from movies, can you tell from where these snippets are on these tracks? Are these 2 also fan favourites?
mmm if I’m not wrong I took movie samples from the DEVIL´S ADVOCATE for the GOD KILLER song, and for ARE YOU READY FOR THE BASS we took from a sample sound library. I love movie samples on my songs but sometimes I think I’m abusing of this. Maybe?
Last one and a hidden track is called Fire In The Hole (a smashing dancefloor filler). What do you remember of the first creative settings from this track?
War and not in an offensive way but much more like a defensive statement. Life is always hitting us with shit and other bad things, so you always need to be ready to respond. Isn’t life like that? For me it is.
You toured a lot, what can you tell us about funny stories, nice place you went to (crazy crowds), …
Ooh no, no, I can’t, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Wink wink.
If you look back, would you change something? Or do something more?
No I don’t consider myself as a person who is always regretting my own actions and decisions, I actually think I had the most wonderful life I could even have had and I’m not complaining about it. Some might say, you did nothing with your life, but for me I did all I want when I was able to do it, isn’t that the purpose of life? I feel satisfied with everything I have done.
Are you working on new material?
Oh yes the new C-Lekktor album is already getting real as we speak!
Any last notes towards the fans and compadres from Mexico?
Thank you for the enjoyable interview and we might see you all again in the future, thank you for 20 years supporting my shit! GRACIAS!
Check the review of the album here:
SNOOZECONTROL - C-LEKKTOR - 2.0 (alfa matrix)
