Matthew K. and I have know each other for a long time…
We both grew up in the Coal Region of Pennsylvania, and I consider Matthew K. to be one of my best friends. Matthew K.’s musical tastes have always been on the darker side of music. I’m talking industrial, Goth, noise, experimental, etc. Matthew K. went onto write and create his own music as well. We’ve known each other since the mid 90’s and both have grown an interest in Tiki. I actually didn’t even know Matthew K. had an interest in Tiki until a few years ago. If anyone would be an Unlikely Tiki, it would be Matthew K. I’ll let him take it from here…
What brought you into the Tiki lifestyle and how long has it been part of your life?
Matthew K.- It’s hard to say exactly where or what or when the interest in this ‘lifestyle’ started. However, my earliest Tiki memory was as a young child and it involves a great old toy store and what I can recall as a strange façade of a place I still know almost nothing about.
I grew up in what’s sometimes referred to as a ‘patch town’ in the ‘coal region’ of Pennsylvania. Only miles away was a larger town called Mt. Carmel. Along the main street was a great toy store called T&T Toys. It was the kind of curious place with shelves upon shelves and boxes piled to the ceiling. I can’t imagine how many of my birthday and Christmas presents came from that place. They had a huge stock of some of the best Star Wars collectibles in the (first) heyday of it all.
Along that same street was what I can remember as a Tiki bar. My mom would park our big Ford LTD wagon nearby and my brother and I would walk past these strange carved masks along the street. There were no windows and only a dark entryway. I’ve not been able to find much, if any, information about this establishment other than my parents’ memories of the ‘strong drinks’. I don’t know that Mt. Carmel would’ve ever been considered a ‘Mecca’ of bar culture even if nearly every one of those coal region towns had at least a few watering holes on every block… bars were as plentiful as the churches. I suppose the fact that I still remember these places over 30 years later has got to say something about ‘impressions’ on my life.
So, you’re saying that your first Tiki impressions occurred as a child?
Matthew K.- Well, long story short, in a way, I suppose so. That’s the earliest memory I have of anything that would be considered part of Tiki anything. That and those Orange Julius places you’d find in the shopping malls back then.
‘Orange Julius’? Seriously? Do tell.
Matthew K.- Yes. I still fondly remember those blended fruit drinks and that was most definitely my first taste of something that put pineapple and coconut together. Granted, it was in a waxed paper cup and not that I’d consider that ‘Tiki’ per se, but those flavors… fresh fruit juice blended up on a hot summer day after long sessions of Spy Hunter in the arcade. That certainly made an impression on my taste buds.
In fact, and maybe equally strange, Tastykake ‘Coconut Cream’ pies as well. You remember those, right? I really had a thing for that coconut flavor. Little did I know that later in life I’d realize how delicious that flavor paired with good rum.
As life passed me by I eventually moved away from the area, first for school and later for work and love and all of those things that life throws at you. Unlike most of my peers, I actually didn’t ‘indulge’ in alcoholic beverages until much later in my life. And, I think partly because of that choice, I also never did that youthful ‘binge drinking’ thing.
As for the drinking, what is your favorite Tiki drink recipe?
Matthew K.- That’s a tough one. I might be inclined to say a Zombie. Although it’s designed to be potent, I think it’s a good test of how a bartender can make it taste like something far more than high octane race fuel.
While there’s certainly a lot to be said for those classic Donn Beach or Trader Vic recipes, I also love when a bartender can make it their own in some way, even if it’s just a subtle twist on something familiar. There are times when something very ‘spirit-forward’ allows the alcohol to shine… the ‘Leaf & Bean’ at Hidden Harbor in Pittsburgh comes to mind. It’s rye with cacao, coffee, allspice and tobacco flavors and it’s that kind of drink that’s a real treat for your senses.
What do you think makes the perfect cocktail?
Matthew K.- Balance and complexity. I like a drink that takes you on a little adventure. The kind of concoction that gives your nose a hint of what’s to come. The first sip dances across your tongue like the hip swirls of a hula dancer. As it rolls around in your mouth, there’s more than sweet… there’s spice, there’s age, there’s experience, maybe sometimes a little heat and then it leaves something in your nose and on your tongue as you let it fall down the back of your throat. There can be so much to it. Something really special has a way of changing its character on the second sip where you’ll usually start to notice things you didn’t initially recognize. I’m sure there’s a lot of complicated stuff happening in your mouth to make that happen and I really love when it does.
The ‘hip swirls’? That sounds dangerous.
Matthew K.- Well, maybe ‘danger’ is also a part of it. Aren’t we all looking for a little danger?
It’s about good spirits, exotic spices, fresh juices and syrups. And, let’s not forget the presentation. There’s nothing like those drinks that get the person next to you asking what you’ve ordered. It’s fun when that intrigue leads to conversation because, after all, we’re all there to share an experience.
What is your favorite Tiki bar? Outside of a good bartender, what do you think are essential elements in creating the perfect environment?
Matthew K.- I’m more of a ‘hobbyist’ when it comes to all of this so I don’t have a list of a hundred Tiki bars that I’ve been to. At this point, I’d probably say Tacoma Cabana. When I first made my way to the Pacific Northwest, I wasn’t expecting to find those flavors, but Jason Alexander is the kind of person who takes his job very seriously. It’s so fun when a seat at the bar means being able to watch that alchemy in action… eyedroppers, unknown syrups, fresh fruit and an obsessive (in all of the good ways) knowledge of spirits.
They’ve also really done an amazing job at creating the perfect surroundings. Just steps from the street and you’re taken away. Somewhere I’ve really enjoyed the few times I’ve been lucky enough to visit. The music has also always been right on point.
Years ago, I also had the pleasure of visiting Mai-Kai in Ft. Lauderdale. I looked it up on a whim and didn’t realize at the time that I was visiting one of the best Tiki bars in existence. Truly a spectacle and something that definitely set the bar pretty high for future experiences.
On the subject of music, there seems to be a lot of crossover into certain music-related subcultures like Goth and rockabilly. Why do you think that is? Do you see an influence in other genres or scenes?
Matthew K.- I don’t think it’s just ‘Goth’ and ‘rockabilly’ where you see crossover. Some of my earliest exposure to the exotica of Martin Denny was through interviews with someone like Boyd Rice and early ‘industrial’ bands like Throbbing Gristle have also paid Denny homage. I also remember the ‘Fred’ album by Fred Giannelli on Wax Trax! Records that included a track called ‘Mr. Denny’ featuring samples of a conversation with Martin Denny himself and a ‘Macadamian’ remix.
When you start to read about the influences of certain artists and musicians you’ll find there are more than you might realize who are heavily influenced by these ‘exotica’ artists of years past. It was, after all, about creating a certain level of ‘escape’. The same goes for some of these music scenes. It’s about getting away from the day to day routine. Many of us work 9 to 5 in order to do what we love outside of those hours… Tiki is a way to travel without traveling.
Music is a big part of your life. Do you have any musical projects of your own?
Matthew K.- I’ve had a sort of ‘hobby’ studio for years. I used to just record for the sake of putting things together for my own enjoyment. I’ve played out a few times, also with some friends when the opportunity presented itself. It’s always just been for the fun of it. Most of my friends in life are people I’ve met through music scenes or record collecting. I’ve also had the chance to DJ a few events here and there over the course of my non-illustrious musical career.
Do you feel that music has an important, if not essential role in the Tiki lifestyle and in creating the experience?
Matthew K.- Music is essential in my life… period. CDs, records, cassettes, music gear. I’d say that it’s also absolutely necessary as part of what you’d call the ‘lifestyle’. I’ve probably spent more time thinking about drink / music pairings than I have drink / food pairings. Good music has a way of taking you somewhere. I absolutely detest televisions in bars these days. It’s like a big flat disgusting artificial light source that has a way of making the patrons ignore each other. I suppose, with the right source material, it could be cool if they’re showing an old movie or something, but no TVs and good music are a way of creating the perfect experience.
Do you have a favorite Tiki-themed or Tiki-influenced band?
Matthew K.- Classic exotica ala Martin Denny, Les Baxter, Arthur Lyman and their contemporaries… it’s hard to beat those guys. And they were all so prolific and truly masterful at what they did. It’s hard to say ‘favorite’ because there’s so much good music out there. You’ve also got a ton of really great ‘surf’ music that can really work in the right environs and, as was mentioned earlier, rockabilly with Tiki and surf-tinged themes. I really love so much music and that makes it difficult to put a finger on ‘favorite’. I know you understand where I’m coming from.
What about any of the ‘revival’ bands that have come in more recent years?
Matthew K.- It’s fantastic to hear anyone doing that style of music, but I’m a purist and get wary if someone uses the word ‘fusion’. I’ve heard both ‘Don Tiki’ and ‘Kava Kon’ and think they’ve been able to capture the magic of the originators. I’m certain there are many bands that I’ve yet to hear.
I don’t know that there’s a ‘formula’ for the right music. It’s far easier to feel it in my gut if it’s the wrong music. There’s a certain mood, an aesthetic that has to be there and when it is… magic. It doesn’t always need to be ‘exotica’ the same way I don’t need to be wearing a Hawaiian shirt to enjoy the perfect Painkiller. It’s about the mood, the getaway.
If you could make it to any Tiki destination next, where do you think would be the next place on your list?
Matthew K.- I don’t usually travel out of my way to visit a bar or restaurant, but when I’m in a new area, I’m on the lookout for a place that knows cocktails. The word ‘craft’ can sometimes be cause for concern, but an extensive whiskey list, tends to make it a safe bet. It can be fun to find bartenders in non-Tiki places who know their way around some of those classic recipes… the Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar across the river from Cincinnati comes to mind.
Back to the Tiki subject, somewhere in a city I’ve never been to like Frankie’s Tiki Room in Las Vegas or Tiki Ti in Los Angeles, which always seems just out of reach when I’ve been on the left coast. I’d love to make it back to Mai-Kai now that I’m a more ‘informed’ consumer. It’s difficult to prioritize, but I enjoy being able to take advantage of an opportunity… that always makes it feel like more of an ‘adventure’, doesn’t it?
