I first heard of Belgian band K's Choice when they were featured on the hit cult show 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer', with their track 'Virgin State of Mind' making it onto the Buffy album. They've come a long way since then. To commemorate their 10th anniversary of being in the band, they have released both a CD and DVD simply entitled '10'. I decided it was time to ask lead singer Sarah Bettens and brother Gert about their successful music careers so far.

What's been the highlight of 2003 for you?

Gert: We had an awesome show with K's Choice in Leuven, and I had a wonderful studio-experience producing for Venus in Flames. I also had numerous unforgettable moments together with my wife, but those are private, and besides; children might read this.
Sarah: I can't think of one specific event that transcends all the others. I just had a good year. We had some awesome shows and I'm happy with my family. Basically, countless precious little moments all added up to a great 2003.

What is the band currently up to?

Gert: Not too much basically; our DVD was released fairly recently, but we're basically all working on our own thing now.
Sarah: Gert just produced a record for another band called Venus In Flames and he's working on songs for his solo project now. Koen played on that record and he always has millions of other things going on, including teaching at a music school. Jan teaches too and also joined another band in Belgium. Eric works a lot on his 'magic' when he's home. We all spend a lot of time with our families when we're not playing and for some of us, that takes up most of the day. I'm halfway through recording my solo record and so far I'm really happy with what we've done. I'm hoping it will be released before the summer.

You've released an album and DVD entitled '10' to celebrate your 10th anniversary as a band. What can be found on them and how did you decide on the content for both the CD and DVD?

Gert: The DVD is there for people who wanted a summary of what we've experienced over the last ten years, so we in the band are quiet happy with it, too. We went through days of footage, and what's left on the DVD are the images that are most relevant and/or have the highest entertainment value.
Sarah: For the CD, Gert and I each made a list of songs we wanted to be on there and when we compared, we realized we were pretty close. Most songs are the obvious ones that were on the radio and then we also added some personal favourites, some of which were never on a full album. For the DVD, we went through hours and hours of footage and talked to our producer about what we wanted. He basically took it from there and managed to give a really fun and personal look into the history of K's Choice.

Over the 10 years have there been any major problems within the band that you've had to overcome?

Gert: Not really. We're not Oasis. We're all very close friends, and fortunately our musical preferences were always close enough not to become an issue.
Sarah: Being on the road for months at a time with the same small group of people in the same tour bus obviously creates some tension here and there and we definitely had our moments. Overall, I think we managed to keep the drama out of our lives most of the time.

What are the main events that stick in your mind when you look back on your career so far?

Gert: Touring all over the world, each recording of all 4 albums, and just the thought that I'm an extremely lucky bastard.
Sarah: Big shows like the first Pinkpop festival in Holland, opening up for Alanis Morrissette in the States or headlining in front of 8000 people in our home country stick out. Then there were some really bad ones that stick out too, where there were almost more people on stage than in the crowd. Some tours were exhausting and intense, so we had some amazing days off that stick out too, like water-skiing on a lake in Tennessee or snorkelling in Florida.

Has your relationship with your brother/sister improved since being in the band? Is there ever any sibling rivalry?

Gert: It hasn't changed too much compared to our relationship the way it was before being in a band together. She's my little sister, and I love her. There is no sibling rivalry whatsoever. (My songs are better, though.)
Sarah: We were always friends, even before we started the band, but I think being on the road together made us even closer. We basically spent most of our adult lives so far together and shared millions of experiences. There's no rivalry between us. We joke about who writes the most successful songs and stuff, but it's always in good fun (it's me by the way).

You've been praised for your live performances in many countries. Have you had a favourite tour or show? Are there any bands or artists that you'd really like to tour with?

Gert: Unfortunately, most artists/bands I would love to tour with are either dead or split. (Elliott Smith, Crowded House, The Beatles, The Smiths.) So I guess have to settle for U2.
Sarah: Touring and playing live has always been a huge part of what K's Choice is about. We love the interaction with our fans and travelling around the world to spread the message. One of our favourites tours was the Lilith Fair in the States. We played in front of enthusiastic and open minded people every day, we got to sing with the Indigo Girls every night and got to experience some amazing music. There was a very positive vibe there that made it very easy and relaxed. We've been very lucky with our tours and the bands we've been on the road with. I hope we continue to be that lucky. I can't think of one specific person I would like to tour with, I just hope we can do something that exposes us to a lot of people and that's fun and relaxed.

What would you say are your main musical influences?

Gert: The bands I just mentioned, and more recently David Gray.
Sarah: Singer/songwriters like the Indigo Girls, Shawn Colvin and Tracy Chapman. Before that, Annie Lennox and Abba.

What kind of music are you into at the moment?

Gert: David Gray!
Sarah: Skin, John Mayer, Indigo Girls, Shawn Colvin.

What advice would you give to someone just starting out in a band?

Gert: Write down 3 reasons why you are in a band. If "because I just love music" is not one of them, please sell your instrument immediately.
Sarah: Stay at it if you're good. Just do it once a week as a hobby if you're bad. Have fun.

What has the band got planned for 2004?

Gert: Nothing, I'm afraid. But if all goes well, Sarah's album will be out soon, and hopefully, so will mine.
Sarah: Gert and I are both making solo records. Eric and Koen will play in my band. Jan will be doing shows with his new band, called Monza.

Thanks a lot to Gert and Sarah for taking the time out to do this interview. You can find out more about the band members and what they're currently up to at www.kschoice.com.