Originally in St. Louis CitySearch

Why did you choose the name Solex?
I think it’s catchy, and it’s also the name of my cat. I gave her the name Solex because her mother’s name was Harley because she snored so loud. When I was looking for another name for myself, I took Solex because it sounds good.

What’s your musical background?
I started playing classical guitar when I was eight — for six years. I was in my first band when I was 16. After that, I was in several bands as a singer and drummer. There was an all female band, kind of a Velvet Underground kind of band, but the lead singer in that band changed her tastes and started to like heavy metal. I don’t really like heavy metal, and for heavy metal you need a really good drummer. I’m not that good of a drummer, so I quit.

How would you describe your music?
It’s pop music containing only samples or almost only samples. That’s a straightforward way to describe it, and I guess I could be more poetic, but then people still wouldn’t know what I was talking about. “Solex vs. the Hitmeister” got rave reviews.

How is “Pick Up” different musically?
“Hitmeister” was made on analog 8-track recorder, and this one was made on a digital 16-track recorder, so I could structure the songs a little bit more easily. I could also play around with structure because it’s digital, and you can make edits easier. On the analog recorder I had to erase parts, and if you erase too much, the chorus will sound a little different, longer or shorter. It’s more risky. There are also more possibilities to experiment with 16 tracks.

You sample a lot from discarded, cheap-o CDs. Do you ever get tired of listening to those. What’s the last CD you paid full price for?
Sometimes, That’s the main difference between the two albums. It’s always a hassle to get clearances for the samples, so on the first album, I asked musicians to play the sample fragments for me again, and I recorded that. That takes a lot of time, but you do save money. So I thought there must be better way, so I went to a lot of concerts and made bootlegs because there are no copyrights on bootlegs. Of course it’s illegal to make bootlegs, but I would rather get caught making bootlegs than playing an illegal sample. That’s a good question. That’s a really good question. It’s an Italian album called “Stroboscopia” (Plastic). It’s all instrumental and is kind of like movie music. It’s really good.

Walk me through how you create a song.
First I make a drum loop. That also has the function of a click track, and on the other tracks, I record separate samples by pressing the key by hand. I don’t use sequencers. I reserve two tracks for the vocals. But before I do the vocals, I structure the tracks into more of a verse-chorus structure by editing and erasing. When the structure is there, I come up with the melody line and write the lyrics.

How did you go from basement, 8-track recorder to Matador?
Well, by accident. Well, not really by accident. I came across this old 8-track recorder at an auction in Amsterdam, and I just played around with it, and before I knew it, I had eight songs. I put four on a demo tape, and I sent that out to 20 record companies in the U.S. and England. There were five companies that gave me a call. I only had eight songs at that time. Matador gave me a call, and said they wanted to hear more. They wanted me to come to New York. We all went out to eat, and we talked a long time and it really clicked. Then they said that they wanted to sign me. Three months later, I gave them the artwork. It really happened very fast.

Do you write your lyrics in Dutch first?
No. I watch a lot of English and American TV shows, and I write a lot of the catchy phrases down, so I have a bundle of those. Then I try to match some of those to the feeling of the songs and fill in the rest of the sentences myself.

What are your favorite shows?
Well, talk shows are really good. David Letterman is really good for that. Then I use stuff from a lot of cheesy soap operas.

Why do you think so many Dutch are so good at English?
All of the TV programs are subtitled, so by the time you get to school, you already have a lot of practice.

Just for clarification for those who have never been to Holland, is it really all tulips, wooden shoes and big fat spliffs, or is there something more? What else is good about it?
The most striking thing about Amsterdam is that there are coffee shops on every street. Flowers are really cheap in Holland. It’s very liberal, so you can do anything you want to do. That’s also kind of depressing because nobody really gives a shit.

What don’t you like about it?
Dutch people tend to have this attitude that you should act normal. They don’t want to make a fuss about anything. They are too cool. They are never really enthusiastic about anything. That’s really the opposite from Americans who are very enthusiastic. Sometimes I really like it. It’s very clear. That’s why American talk shows are very popular because they will talk about anything. I like that. It’s hilarious. One of the lyrics on “Pick Up” is about Jerry Springer’s sister. “Athens-Ohio” is about how she’s married to Jerry, and it describes what kind of lady she is.

What other musicians appear with you on stage?
A drummer and a guitarist. The drummer is Robert Lagendijk and the guitarist is Geert de Groot.

How have the crowds responded to your music?
Very well. Sometimes it’s a little surprising that some people know some of the songs and sing along since we are the supporting act. It’s a good match with Cibo Matto.

Are you popular in Holland, or has most of your success come overseas?
Yes. Well, I am not complaining. I am not mainstream music. People who are more into other kinds of music all know Solex, and they buy records, so that’s good.

I’ve heard that the music scene in Holland is a bit bland. Do you agree, and why do you think that is?
Yeah. I mean there are several scenes. You’ve got a huge guitar pop scene. There’s a dance scene, but that’s anonymous because everyone works at home on the computer. In Amsterdam, there are lots of places you can rent to practice, but the bad thing is that each one seems to be popular within one genre.

I’ve read that you prefer to work alone. If you could collaborate with one musician, living or dead, who would it be?
Hmmm. When I make a song, I sometimes think it’s a shame that I have to sing the song since I am not that great of a singer. I think the most beautiful voice is Chet Baker, but he’s dead, so I really like the voice of Catpower 2 for my second choice.