It’s hard to impress us these days but Kevin Lester, frontman of hip hop band Sixx, has been shaking up the otherwise staid local music industry with some daring feats, including the viral “Rockstar” video (check it out on YouTube) and his latest release “Kidhood.” We cozy up to Lester for a little têtê-à-têtê as he gears the group up for Roktober.

Fame or fortune? Fame. As a musician, all you want is for your great sounds to always be remembered. Money can just disappear.

Favorite local acts? I’ve got diverse favorites, including Sonofa, Dharni, Michaela Therese and DJ J-Stylez.

Favorite gig? Definitely Sunburst KL, where I got to hang out with Korn. It was one of those times when I felt very appreciated as a musician. People brought me around and all I had to do was think about my music.

What’s your biggest pet peeve? Crocs—I hate them. Nobody can tell me they look nice in Crocs. I’m sure they’re comfortable but man, socks and Crocs suck.

Favorite thing ever? A cold glass of Heineken.

I hate… Durians. I can’t take it at all. I’ve done the whole travel-to-Malacca-just-for-durians thing and I still can’t do it. My aunt grows a durian tree and I don’t go near it.
 

I love… being a full-time musician. I just made the leap. I was a marketing manager for an IT company but I gave that up. It’s a bit difficult and it’s rarely been done but the support has been amazing. It wasn’t a calculated risk that I made but sometimes you just have to enjoy what you do. That’s the important thing.

I’m ashamed to admit that… I know how to sing the chorus to “Everybody” by the Backstreet Boys.

Sixx will hit the stage at Roktober from Oct 22-24, 6:30pm. Timbre@Substation, 45 Armenian St., 6338-8277.