Das Kope

Musician — Los Angeles

01Profile

A Das Kope Photo

03Interview

Name, where are you from?
Das Kope (my real name is George) I was born in São Paulo, Brazil, but I moved to Los Angeles a long time ago.

Describe your style in three words?
Dreamer, improviser and...

What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds at the Forum in LA. I don’t really like to see shows in big venues, but the show was so good that it didn’t matter. Warren Ellis' out-of-control/controlled violin feedback is one of the most powerful raw things I have ever heard live.

If you could be on the line up with any two bands in history?
MGMT and Ty Segall. Cause I dig their music, and who knows maybe they’ll read this.

Which Subcultures have influenced you?
Punk rock started it all for me, but post-punk opened my mind and made me curious about a bunch of other subcultures like '60s psychedelic, 'krautrock', hip hop and electronic.

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
25 minutes with Jim Jarmusch. I love his films and his taste in music.
25 minutes with Charlotte Gainsbourg, I’m a fan.
10 min with Andy Warhol, his work has influenced me on a sonic and visual level. It would be nice to hear his bored monosyllabic answers at first hand.

Of all the venues you’ve been to, which is your favourite?
Fremont Theater in San Louis Obispo, cause I played one of my best shows there, great energy in the room. I was direct support for STRFKR, good times.

Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
I can’t think of my greatest unsung hero. But a lot of artists I listen to deserve more credit. John Maus comes to mind. Is he the Glenn Gould of punk? I think the sonic contributions of Link Wray, Wendy Carlos, Ron Mael and John McGeoch should also be more widely recognized.


Das Kope writes and produces his music himself, he also makes his own cover art and music videos. Check out his debut album 'Where I Live' below.

Find out more at www.instagram.com/daskope and www.daskope.com

04Playlist Notes

The first track you played on repeat?
'Close to Me' by The Cure. My parents gave me a cheap tape recorder/radio combo when I was 8 or 9. The radio didn’t work too well, maybe because of where we lived the transmission was bad. One night I was trying to find a station and from white noise ‘Close to Me’ slowly started fading in. The transmission got good, I thought that tune was the weirdest thing I ever heard. I started recording it but before the song ended I lost the transmission. That was my introduction to cool music, as my parents never listened to rock and roll. Even though I didn’t record the beginning or the end of the track, I played that recording over and over, I used to think I was the only one that knew about that song. Thank you, Mr. Smith!

A song that defines the teenage you?
'Commando' by the Ramones. In my world, growing up in Brazil, the Ramones seemed bigger than Carnaval. 'Commando' was the first Ramones song I learned. I think I was thirteen or fourteen.

One record you would keep forever?
'Talkie Walkie' by Air.

A song lyric that has inspired you?
"A girl with kaleidoscope eyes..." 
From 'Lucy in The Sky with Diamonds' by The Beatles. 

"In an act of contrition, I lay down by your side..."
From 
'I Should Have Known Better' by Wire.

A song you wished you had written?
'#9Dream' by John Lennon.

Best song to turn up loud?
'Nightclubbing' by Iggy Pop.
'Apocalypse Dreams' by Tame Impala.
'Bedtime' by Samiyam.
'Alright, Alright, Alright' by Mungo Jerry.

A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
'Daybreak' by Barry Manilow. 

The song to get you straight on the dance floor?
'Blue Monday' by New Order.
'Bang a Gong' by T Rex.
'Holidays in the Sun' by Sex Pistols.

Best song to end an all-nighter?
'Errare Humanun Est' by Jorge Ben.
'Goin’ Out of My Head' by Vincent Bell. 
'The Big Ship' by Brian Eno. 
'Mostre Sacre' by Stereolab.
'Wrong Hand' by Jessica Pratt.

03Interview

Name, where are you from?
Das Kope (my real name is George) I was born in São Paulo, Brazil, but I moved to Los Angeles a long time ago.

Describe your style in three words?
Dreamer, improviser and...

What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds at the Forum in LA. I don’t really like to see shows in big venues, but the show was so good that it didn’t matter. Warren Ellis' out-of-control/controlled violin feedback is one of the most powerful raw things I have ever heard live.

If you could be on the line up with any two bands in history?
MGMT and Ty Segall. Cause I dig their music, and who knows maybe they’ll read this.

Which Subcultures have influenced you?
Punk rock started it all for me, but post-punk opened my mind and made me curious about a bunch of other subcultures like '60s psychedelic, 'krautrock', hip hop and electronic.

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
25 minutes with Jim Jarmusch. I love his films and his taste in music.
25 minutes with Charlotte Gainsbourg, I’m a fan.
10 min with Andy Warhol, his work has influenced me on a sonic and visual level. It would be nice to hear his bored monosyllabic answers at first hand.

Of all the venues you’ve been to, which is your favourite?
Fremont Theater in San Louis Obispo, cause I played one of my best shows there, great energy in the room. I was direct support for STRFKR, good times.

Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
I can’t think of my greatest unsung hero. But a lot of artists I listen to deserve more credit. John Maus comes to mind. Is he the Glenn Gould of punk? I think the sonic contributions of Link Wray, Wendy Carlos, Ron Mael and John McGeoch should also be more widely recognized.


Das Kope writes and produces his music himself, he also makes his own cover art and music videos. Check out his debut album 'Where I Live' below.

Find out more at www.instagram.com/daskope and www.daskope.com

04Playlist Notes

The first track you played on repeat?
'Close to Me' by The Cure. My parents gave me a cheap tape recorder/radio combo when I was 8 or 9. The radio didn’t work too well, maybe because of where we lived the transmission was bad. One night I was trying to find a station and from white noise ‘Close to Me’ slowly started fading in. The transmission got good, I thought that tune was the weirdest thing I ever heard. I started recording it but before the song ended I lost the transmission. That was my introduction to cool music, as my parents never listened to rock and roll. Even though I didn’t record the beginning or the end of the track, I played that recording over and over, I used to think I was the only one that knew about that song. Thank you, Mr. Smith!

A song that defines the teenage you?
'Commando' by the Ramones. In my world, growing up in Brazil, the Ramones seemed bigger than Carnaval. 'Commando' was the first Ramones song I learned. I think I was thirteen or fourteen.

One record you would keep forever?
'Talkie Walkie' by Air.

A song lyric that has inspired you?
"A girl with kaleidoscope eyes..." 
From 'Lucy in The Sky with Diamonds' by The Beatles. 

"In an act of contrition, I lay down by your side..."
From 
'I Should Have Known Better' by Wire.

A song you wished you had written?
'#9Dream' by John Lennon.

Best song to turn up loud?
'Nightclubbing' by Iggy Pop.
'Apocalypse Dreams' by Tame Impala.
'Bedtime' by Samiyam.
'Alright, Alright, Alright' by Mungo Jerry.

A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
'Daybreak' by Barry Manilow. 

The song to get you straight on the dance floor?
'Blue Monday' by New Order.
'Bang a Gong' by T Rex.
'Holidays in the Sun' by Sex Pistols.

Best song to end an all-nighter?
'Errare Humanun Est' by Jorge Ben.
'Goin’ Out of My Head' by Vincent Bell. 
'The Big Ship' by Brian Eno. 
'Mostre Sacre' by Stereolab.
'Wrong Hand' by Jessica Pratt.

 

05Videos

Ready For The Summer (Official Video)

Das Kope - Tiger (Official Video)

Das Kope - L.A.X. (Official Video)

'Where I Live' by Das Kope