Interview: Kavus Torabi (on Knifeworld, Cardiacs, Monsoon Bassoon and that snooker bloke)

After my bizarre dream about Kavus Torabi the other day, I figured it was time to badger him into sitting down to answer a few questions. On the off-chance you’ve forgotten who he is, he’s the wild-haired guitarist from Cardiacs, Knifeworld, Guapo, The Monsoon Bassoon, Chrome Hoof and a dozen other collaborations.

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I figured I’d start with asking him how he wound up working on The Interesting Alternative Show, a weekly prog-rock indulgence co-hosted by Steve Davis. Dare I ask he wound up doing a radio show with some bloke famous for playing snooker?

KT: Well, it was fairly straightforward. Steve is a massive music fan and has impeccable taste. We met at a one month residency Magma were doing at this wonderful venue, Le Triton, in Paris. We pretty much hit it off straight away. He came to a couple of Cardiacs shows, we started hanging out quite a lot, he had me as a guest in The Interesting Alternative Show which he had been doing for a couple of years or so. It was such fun he suggested, if I was up for it, perhaps I could come in on a more full time basis … which ended up being every week.

#musicmonday : Guapo – Tremors From the Future

I had the weirdest dream that I interviewed Kavus Torabi. I’ve known him since I was 16, but we lost touch for many years. In my dream, he told me everything I’d missed – a tale by turns witty and warm, touching and inspiring – and I woke up with a profound understanding, not just of my candyfloss-haired pal but of life and our place in the universe.

10 ways to totally make your day

I’ve had a great day. Follow these simple steps, and you’ll have a great day, too.

1. Sugar and spice and all things nice

You might recall my campaign to Starbucks from a couple of years back? It seems to have paid off (Yes, I credit my three stupid emails for their national change-of-heart): today, I bought my first Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks. Worth the wait. 

The Interesting Alternative Show

Funny how these random tweets keep panning out. This one was via The Quietus to Knifeworld‘s twitter, in which Kavus Torabi urged us all to tune into The Interesting Alternative Show on Phoenix 98 FM. It’s actually an Essex-based community radio show, but it streams here and every Monday plays some pretty spellbinding stuff. This is this week’s playlist: 

#musicmonday : Thinking Plague – Behold The Man

I’m nicking this from JG Thirlwell’s Tumblr page. I bought his recommendations of In Extremis and A History of Madness without hesitation after hearing this. They are, of course, great.