Kong

Kong is an Amsterdam-based band formed in 1988 by guitarist/synth programmer Dirk de Vries, guitarist Aldo Sprenger, bassist/synth programmer Mark Drillich, and drummer Rob Smits, whose daughter is one of the co-founders of the fashion label Cherry Red. The band's music can best be described as avant-garde containing elements of noise, electronica, and industrial. Furthermore, nearly all of Kong's music was instrumental with the only vocals being an eclectic blend of sampling.   The band is perhaps most notable for the quadrophonic approach to their shows: live performances are played in a quadraphonical live set-up, an idea that came from one of Kong’s very first gigs. On the opening-night of an art exhibition in a squatted Amsterdam bathhouse there was too little space for the band to play together, so each band member took his/her own independent stage and P.A.-stack by his/her side to one corner of the club. It proved an interesting set-up for the band and created a strange experience for the audience. They followed the same approach for their next gig at Melkweg in Amsterdam and since then hardly ever played together on one stage again.   Despite modest promotional efforts and releasing a music video for the song "Stockhouse" in 1992, the band never achieved significant commercial success. Consequently, Kong went on an indefinite hiatus in 2000.   On May 22, 2007, a news post on the band's website announced that bassist Mark Drillich was looking for musicians willing to revive the band. According to the post, a collaboration with guitarist Tijs Keverkamp followed, yielding a number of songs. A follow-up news post on June 20, 2007, said that rehearsals with a new drummer Mandy Hopman had begun. In 2009 the album What It Seems Is What You Get was released.   Kong's website remains one of the few internet resources available for information on the band. Additionally, much of the band's discography can now only be purchased directly from them.   Kong are not to be confused with the Manchester based Noise Rock band of the same name.