The following is an interview with the Belgian electronic musician Maurice Engelen (genius), also known as Praga Khan, the creator of Lords of Acid and many other musical projects (Digital Orgasm, Channel X, The Immortals — to name a few). As the band prepares to hit the road on their upcoming Cheeky Freaky Tour and release their first new studio album in eight years, Acid Reign, Praga graciously took the time to talk about the past, present, and future of Lords of Acid.
Editor’s note: This interview is part of the upcoming American Vulgaria 5: The Extreme Fun Issue, coming soon. Stay tuned.
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Can you tell me about the Acid Queen persona? What do you look for when scouting for an Acid Queen? Also, maybe I imagined this, but was the title Acid Queen originally inspired by The Who’s “The Acid Queen”?
Praga Khan: The name Acid Queen actually didn’t come from The Who, although I get why people make that connection. Ours comes from a track called “Acid Queen” that I released back in 1988 under one of my side projects, Major Problem.
It was right in the middle of the Acid House explosion, on the KAOS label, and let’s just say… it wasn’t exactly a polite song. The track was built around sampled moans and phrases lifted from a porno film, and every few bars you’d hear this deep male voice saying: “She’s an Acid Queen… if you know what I mean.” Which, of course, everyone did.
That record became a bit of a cult hit in clubs worldwide. Then the next release on the label was “I Sit On Acid” by Lords of Acid… and from that moment on, the DNA was set.
Since then, every frontwoman of Lords of Acid has carried the title Acid Queen.
For us, the Acid Queen is not just a singer, it’s a character. She’s a strong, unapologetic woman who knows exactly what she wants and doesn’t take nonsense from anyone. A bit of a femme fatale… but with a microphone and a very dangerous sense of humor.
And of course… she has to be able to sing like hell.
I love Lords of Acid and I love Carla Harvey. How did Carla come to be the new Acid Queen?
Praga Khan: Our drummer, Galen Waling, actually knew Carla and told me she was a huge Lords of Acid fan. That’s how the connection started… and sometimes that’s all it takes, one person opening the right door at the right time.
What I loved immediately was her story. Carla told me she’d been a fan since she was very young, even sneaking around with friends to listen to our early albums, like Lust and Voodoo-U. Back then, those records were quite groundbreaking, mixing techno with alternative rock, and of course… being very unapologetic about sexuality.
In the early ’90s, that was still a bit shocking.
These days, you hear much more explicit things everywhere, but back then, we were definitely raising a few eyebrows… and probably lowering a few inhibitions too. 😏
Carla is honestly the perfect Acid Queen for us. She has an incredible presence, a fantastic voice, and a lot of experience from touring all over the world for many years. She knows exactly how to own a stage.
And on top of that, she’s just great to work with, which is not a small thing.
We’ve already finished recording the new album, and her voice fits Lords of Acid perfectly. It’s like she was always meant to step into that role… she just arrived fashionably late.
Are there any initiation rituals to join Lords of Acid?
Praga Khan: No official initiation rituals… we try to keep it somewhat legal.
But let’s just say there are a few unwritten requirements.
First, you need to survive a Lords of Acid rehearsal without blushing. That already eliminates about 50% of candidates.
Then there’s the music test: can you handle the mix of electronic chaos and rock ’n roll energy without losing your mind? If you can still smile while everything is pounding at full volume… you’re getting close.
And finally, the most important one: attitude. You have to be open-minded, a little rebellious, and definitely not afraid of a bit of… tasteful madness.
If you pass all that, you don’t need a ritual. You’re already one of us.
Although… I won’t deny there might be a ceremonial first shot after the show. Strictly for artistic purposes, of course
The moment I first realized that Lords of Acid is next level was when it hit me that “The Crablouse” has found a way to make pubic lice sound sexy and fun — something not seen since John Donne’s “The Flea.” I’ve always wondered: What’s the story behind this song?
Praga Khan: In the late ’80s, there was a big sexual awareness campaign on Belgian radio and TV. It was aimed at educating young people about all the possible risks of sex… and they really didn’t hold back. Every possible disease was mentioned—gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, pubic lice… the full horror menu.
The campaign was so effective that it almost felt like people became afraid to have sex at all. Which, of course, is the opposite of what you want when you’re a band like Lords of Acid.
So I thought, what if we flip that completely?
Instead of presenting something like pubic lice as this terrifying, disgusting thing… why not turn it into something playful, even sexy?
That’s where “The Crablouse” came from.
The song tells the story of this tiny, unexpected “passenger” that gets caught up in a very intense love scene and ends up going on quite an unusual journey. Let’s just say… things don’t go exactly as planned.
And if you want to know how it ends… well, you’ll have to listen carefully to the lyrics
It was really about taking something taboo and turning it into something fun, which is kind of what Lords of Acid has always done.
In your El Garaje de Frank interview, on the question of censorship, you mentioned a sheriff entering your tour bus before a show in San Diego in the ‘90s with a list of 60 things you couldn’t do on stage. Do you still have that list, and do you remember any of the wilder items on it?
Praga Khan: I don’t have the list anymore, unfortunately… maybe that’s for the best. It was almost like a piece of surreal art.
Of course, there were the usual rules: no nudity on stage, no encouraging public sex, no inviting fans on stage, the standard “please behave yourselves” package.
But then there were some more creative restrictions. One of my favorites was that we were not allowed to use the microphone in a “suggestive way.” Which immediately raises the question… what exactly is suggestive? And who decides that? Because with Lords of Acid, that line gets blurry very quickly.
The funny part is, they actually made me sign that list. But realistically, how can I be responsible for what other band members do… or even more unpredictable, what the audience does?
So we went on stage a bit nervous, I have to admit. There were police officers standing on both sides of the stage, watching everything very closely. It felt like we were about to perform in court.
But as the show went on, something changed. You could see the officers relaxing… then smiling… and by the end of the night, some of them were actually dancing along.
After the show, even the sheriff came up to us and complimented us on the performance.
So in the end, we didn’t just survive the list, we converted it.
A line that stood out to me from that same interview, relating to the Mortal Kombat soundtrack: “I’m a gamer myself.” As a gamer, I have to ask: what are your favorite games?
Praga Khan: I’ve always had a soft spot for games. I still remember when the very first arcade machines started appearing in Belgian cafés, Pong, Space Invaders, Donkey Kong, Pac-Man. I must have spent a small fortune on those machines. I was completely addicted… No shame.
Then came the home consoles. On the Nintendo NES, Super Mario Bros. was a big one for me simple, but dangerously addictive. And on Sega, Sonic the Hedgehog really grabbed me by the collar and didn’t let go.
During the ’90s tours, my Game Boy was always one of the first things in my bag. Tetris was – and still is – a masterpiece. You think you’ll play for five minutes and suddenly it’s two hours later.
When we worked on the Mortal Kombat soundtrack, we actually spent a couple of weeks just playing the game to really get into the characters and the atmosphere. That was “research,” of course… very serious work.
These days, I still have an arcade cabinet at home loaded with all the classic games, so I can time-travel whenever I want.
And on the PS5, I still enjoy diving into things like Call of Duty, Resident Evil, and Grand Theft Auto. So yeah… once a gamer, always a gamer.
The schedule for the upcoming Cheeky Freaky Tour looks massive. Lords of Acid’s live sets are iconic and, I’m sure for many, life-changing. What’s the vision for this run?
Praga Khan: A lot of people hear the name Lords of Acid and immediately think it’s all about sex. And yes… there’s definitely some of that.
But it’s always been much more than that.
Musically, we’ve always tried to be creative and forward-thinking, mixing different styles, pushing boundaries, and not just repeating the same formula over and over again. That’s a big part of the DNA of Lords of Acid.
At the same time, it was also important for us to talk about sex openly, especially in the early ’90s, when a lot of young people had questions that simply weren’t being answered anywhere else. By approaching those topics with humor, we made them more accessible. We broke taboos… but always with a smile.
That sense of humor has always been essential to what we do. And for this tour, I really want to bring that element to the front again.
The Cheeky Freaky Tour is about fun, interaction, and not taking yourself too seriously while still delivering a powerful live show.
That’s also why I chose support acts that share that same spirit, artists who aren’t afraid to push boundaries, but who also understand the importance of entertainment and connection with the audience.
So the vision for this run? A high-energy, slightly outrageous, very interactive experience… where people don’t just watch the show, they become part of it.
And hopefully walk out with a big smile… and maybe a few stories they won’t tell everyone.
Likewise, there’s a new album coming out: Acid Reign, the first new LoA studio album in eight years since Pretty in Kink. What can you share about the new album?
Praga Khan: The new Lords of Acid album, Acid Reign, is almost finished… and I have to say, it turned out to be a very diverse record. We really gave ourselves complete creative freedom this time. No compromises.
What if I told you there are vocals in four different languages on the album? That already gives you an idea of where we’re going.
For me, the album really reflects the current times. Today, people don’t listen to just one genre anymore, they build playlists with all kinds of styles mixed together. You see the same thing at festivals, where completely different artists share the same stage. I love that.
I’ve always been interested in all kinds of music, and I think it’s great that the new generation doesn’t think in boxes anymore. I mean… why shouldn’t someone who loves metal also enjoy a dance track?
That mindset is definitely part of this album. It sounds very 2026.
We’ve also worked with a few guest artists, which is something new for Lords of Acid… so that adds another layer to the whole thing.
But I won’t reveal too much just yet.
Let’s keep a little mystery alive
What song would you like to contribute to this issue’s mixtape?
Praga Khan: I’d probably go for “Blue Monday” by New Order.
It’s one of those tracks that perfectly blends electronic music with attitude, and it had a huge influence on me. It still sounds fresh today, which is always a good sign.
What advice do you have for the kids?
Praga Khan: Musically, I would say: stay open. As open as possible.
I’m kind of the living proof of that. When I was young, I started out listening to progressive rock. Then disco came along, and suddenly there were drum machines, synth sounds, a completely new groove… it felt fresh and exciting.
After that came punk, and I loved how raw and direct it was. That energy could hit you straight in the soul.
Then New Wave arrived, with those beautiful songs combined with amazing synths and sequencers… and from there, I naturally drifted into electronic music, where experimenting with sound is everything.
What I’m trying to say is: every genre has something special to offer.
A lot of people limit themselves to just one style of music, and by doing that, they miss out on so many incredible songs.
And that’s really a shame… because music is this huge universe. Why would you only explore one corner of it?
