Up They Rise: Lukas Kasperek from Warsaw

WHAT IS IT YOU DO, WHATS YOUR THING?

My name is Lukas. In 2005 I started a thing called Warsaw City Rockers. It’s a cult, a gathering, a community. Basically Warsaw is not a good place to live in if you enjoy good rock’n’roll music. (And by rock’n’roll I don’t mean crap retro bands, pretending that it’s the 50s again. I use this term in a much wider perspective, as a whole guitar driven, alternative thing – punk, garage etc.) So we’re booking shows of bands we like. We are DJs and we play music we like. What is important is that there is a cult following for stuff we do, almost like in Jonestown.But I guess we’d still be doing the same thing even if no-one cared. Doing it just for ourselves. For fun.
But with the people it’s more fun, obviously. So awesome, huh?

HOW HAS THE PASSING OF TIME INFLUENCED YOU?

Doing what we do down here in Warsaw; capital city of Poland, is still as hard as it was 10 years ago when we were starting out. Getting cash for all of it is a pain in the ass, still no one helps us. And probably that’s what makes it so great. The moment when u do something cool and u realize that u did it on your own. And the passing of time helped us to improve these skills. Venue owners know us so it’s easier to book a club and stuff. I’m a little bit smarter. I became a Dad so I got extra motivation to do more and greater shows that I could tell my daughter about.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON HEROES AND IF YOU HAVE ANY, WHO ARE THEY?

To be honest, I don’t care much about it.
If it’s about putting on a show or whatever I’m totally DIY attitude.
No gods, no masters. I’m not narcissistic; I got a lot of respect for people and my surrounding world. I just don’t have anyone that I need to call my hero.

WHAT ARE YOU NO GOOD AT AND DO YOU HAVE VICES?

I’m not good with people. So it’s strange that I do what I do. My social skills are pretty low. Probably music environments, gigs etc is the only social situation I can handle. But I’m trying to do my best and work on it. Maybe one day…
I’m also trying my best to be a good father, that’s what’s most important of all. All the other things I’m doing in my life lead to this point.

HOW DO YOU HAVE FUN AND WHAT SPOILS IT?

I’d like to answer this question like I should and give a long list of people and situations I hate. But as I decided I wanna be PMA I can’t do it. So let’s stay with it and I’d rather say I’m working pretty hard to stay calm all the time, no matter what.
OK, I hate when people I don’t know touch me. When they come too close when talking to me. Basically I got a lotta problems with my social skills man… But I gotta stay calm, remember?
To relax I love to spend time with my baby girl, go for a walk, or just watch how our beans grow in our window garden.
Also the moment during a show when everything is good, the crowd is going crazy like snake worshippers when the band is playing. Yes, this is also nice. A job well-done is a good feeling.