Kim Talon Of Kino Kimino

Photgraphed By Thomas Ignatius

WHERE ARE YOU RIGHT NOW AND HAVE YOU ALWAYS LIVED THERE?
I'm in my childhood bedroom in Winnipeg, Manitoba. However, I live in the U.S.

WHAT'S THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR PRESENT LOCATION OR HOMETOWN?
The best thing about my present location/hometown is the quiet and the clean air.

WHAT HAS BEEN A SEMINAL EXPERIENCE?
Being raised in an environment that encouraged creativity without judgement. I have no recollection of ever feeling shame (in my family) while experimenting with different artistic mediums. Exploration was encouraged. The freedom to create without speculation conditioned me to write freely, without beating myself up the whole time.

WHEN DID YOUR INTEREST IN MUSIC START?
Infancy.

WHEN AND WHERE DID YOUR BAND FIRST GET TOGETHER?
We met through friends in Brooklyn, we’ve been playing together for about a year.

WHERE'S THE BAND'S PRIMARY LOCATION?
Brooklyn.

HOW WOULD YOU CLASSIFY YOUR SOUND?
Hmm… It’s been described as melodic post-punk.

WHAT OR WHO HAS HAD THE GREATEST INFLUENCE ON YOU?
My mum and dad.

WHAT'S THE DIVISION OF LABOUR WITHIN THE GROUP?
Jordyn Blakely plays drums, Melissa Lucciola plays bass, Tarra Thiessen plays guitar, I play guitar and sing.

HOW DO YOU GET STAGE READY?
Most of us are pretty girly and all have our individual rituals. When it comes to fashion, my first rule is comfort, both on and off stage. To get ready for the stage, I search out light weight pieces that move easily and won’t get caught in my guitar strap. Stage lights can get really hot, so I try to wear as little as possible without breaking the law. The goal is to feel physically free, open to my audiences and completely unrestrained by what I’m wearing. I’m usually playing an instrument on stage, so I always pull my hair back before a show. I can’t be bothered with hair in the face even though hair down seems to work better for rock’n'roll.

HOW DO YOU RETURN TO CENTER?
After a show it’s always hard to wind down, especially on tour. If we’re on tour I’ll take melatonin before bed to strip away the spinning thoughts/caffeinated feeling that lingers after being on stage. For New York shows, I’ll try to get home and into pyjamas as soon as possible and attempt to relax with carbohydrates. A shower always helps melt away the energy picked up from other people at the shows. I find that water and eucalyptus salts kind of washes away the ambience of other people’s sweat glands, alcohol and psychic noise. That said, it’s never easy to sleep after a show. One thing I try to avoid is listening to any more music before going to bed, that seems to ignite insomnia.