Sugar Kane @fonchisugar needs no introduction among underground rock lovers. Voice and soul of Lipstick @lipstickbcn, a Barcelona band with more than three decades of experience, has been recognized by the Popular Magazine 1 , the one of the best rock voices in Spain, and no wonder: his stage presence, his charisma and his way of singing have left their mark on every album, every verse and every riff.
Lipstick has recorded five studio albums: Feedback Destroyer (2002) A Kind of Self Destruction (2006) Anthems for Life… and Death (2013) the compilation Hits from the Sewer which included an unreleased track and his latest work to date, "InnerCityThey are currently immersed in the recording of a new album, which promises to be one of the most personal and powerful works of their career.
In this interview, Sugar Kane, the group's vocalist, tells us about his story, the Lipstick sound, about what it means to record without compromise, and how the flame of rock is kept alive when it is done from the truth.
How many albums has Lipstick recorded so far and what does each one represent to you? We've released four studio albums, plus a compilation we made to give people the chance to hear the repertoire we used to play live, back when we were doing a lot of shows.
The first, "Feedback Destroyer«For us it's a classic, and it reflects well what was brewing in Europe in terms of rock n roll. Very direct songs and that wall of guitar sound characteristic of the time, with groups like The Hellacopters, Gluecifer…Although with our own sound.
With "A Kind of Self Destruction» We took an important step. We signed for Armed Tongue And the album went way beyond that in terms of impact. In my opinion, like the first one, it's still a pretty innocent album, although it's more nuanced and darker, due to stories that happened while we were writing it.A Kind of Self Destruction"It might be our best work. Not sonically, but songwriting-wise. There are some really good songs on that album. In fact, all the tracks are amazing! We recorded everything in our rehearsal room, without any help. David Lipstick He was in charge of production and ended up so saturated that in the next one, "InnerCity"We had to find an outside producer. It was exhausting for him.
"Inner City", we did it in the Hybrid Recordings, where people like Michael Monroe, Slavedown, Manzano, Star Mafia Boy, Gaby Alegret de the Savages…we did it under the production of Sue Gere, and he really did an incredible job. He's definitely the best-sounding of the four.
How is the recording process for the new album going? We are repeating the formula. We are doing it in the same studio and with Sue Gere at the controls. We composed two songs, recorded the demos in our studio and delivered them to GereHe takes care of polishing things, and we go up to record. Being with him is like being at home. We have great chemistry.
What can we expect from the next album in terms of sound, lyrics and energy? Sound-wise, I think it's becoming more direct. There are still things missing, but the feeling is that we've done fewer arrangements and it's more rock and roll, more punk, and less "sophisticated" than the previous one. The lyrics are loose stories, mostly about things that have happened to us, but without looking back as much in that sense as with the previous one. "Inner City" was almost conceptual; there was a common thread running through the entire album.
How has Lipstick evolved from its beginnings to today? Ugh...think we started this when we were kids. David He was 17 when he joined the band, I was 18 and Dave y Frank 19!! Well...from practically not knowing how to play three notes in a row to where we've come...a lifetime! As for sound, at first we were very influenced by the music we listened to at the time, Motley crue, Rat, Kiss And the English heavy metal of the 80s... today, although some of that still remains, we have our own sound, and we don't care if a song sounds more hard rock, glam, or power pop. We work on the songs, without considering what they're going to sound like. We're definitely more mature musically, which I find quite logical.
What does it mean to you to have been recognized by Popular 1 as one of the best voices in the country? Well, in fact it wasn't the Magazine itself, but the readers who voted... I imagine because the video clips of InnerCity at that time they were working well in YoutubeI was completely blown away. There are many singers in this country who do it better than me. But of course it was an honor and I thank both the readers and Popular 1, who have always supported us since they learned of our existence as a band.
What musical influences remain in your writing and singing? When it comes to composing, absolutely everything can influence me. From what I listen to today to everything I've had etched in my brain since I was 8 or 10. Musically, even things I don't like influence me! Any phrase, any chord or note progression ignites a spark, and boom! I have something to start with. Life itself influences you, just observing what's around you, a book, a movie...
Your stage name, Sugar Kane, has power and personality. Where does it come from? What's the story behind it? When we started the band, we wanted to have cool names, haha. All the bands we liked did it, they changed their names.KISS, Motley, Poison... Sugar Kane it's the name of Marilyn Monroe in "Some Like It Hot." At the time, I had platinum blonde hair and we wore makeup and girly tops, so it seemed perfect to me.
What message would you like to send to the fans who have followed Lipstick for so many years? That we're family and that we love them very much, but they know that. It's always a pleasure to meet people at concerts. We've made friends in different cities, people who care about us and support us... in the end, these are the things that make all this fuss worth it.
Is there anything we haven't asked you that you'd like to share with your readers or listeners? Yes. I want to tell you that we're on the path, that nothing is easy, but that there will be a new album with wonderful songs that we hope to present live for all of you, and that we will once again feel the magic we always had, the magic that gives us life. That love and friendship are everything, and that we'll see each other soon. A hug to everyone and thank you very much. David, for the interview.
Sugar Kane He doesn't sing to please. He sings to burn. And Lipstick He doesn't record albums to fill shelves, but to leave sonic scars. In every verse there is history, in every riff there is rage, and In every melody there is a part of Barcelona that is not in the guides. The new album is on the way, and if one thing is clear it is that Lipstick remains pure rock without filtersBecause when the soul sounds strong, there's no need for a stage: the music is already alive.
