King Blues_Trafalgar Square_Cameraman_Barry Zee
Stop The War Coalition
The King Blues are a British punk rock band from London, England, credited for fusing punk and hip hop together with influences from ska and spoken word. Tariq Ali described the band's sounds as "rough, radical music that should unsettle the rulers of this country. A new generation of musicians are challenging war-monger politicians and their courtiers". Influences include Public Enemy, The Clash and The Specials. Lead singer Jonny "Itch" Fox describes the band's sound as 'rebel street music.'
The King Blues began as a solo project of Jonny "Itch" Fox on vocals and ukulele, the first The King Blues EP All Fall Down was recorded solo by itch who also played the music on it. The band later expanded to include a 2 acoustic guitarists and bassist, before again expanding to include two full-time percussion members. Their sound was initially described as "soulful ska with raw folk and a punk rock attitude". or "conscious rude boy ska"
In 2004, they self-released a demo EP titled All Fall Down featuring five tracks. The cover and CD body art was a stencil of a fuse bomb and the band's logo; each one was hand sprayed by itch.
On 25 November 2015 The King Blues announced they had reformed on their official Facebook page, with the words "Guess who's back and pissed off again".
Under the Fog (2006–07)
In June 2006 their debut album, Under the Fog, was released on Household Name Records, and coincided with increased gigging. Recorded in the band's flat in Hackney in 5 days, the record became an underground phenomenon. In November of the same year, "Mr Music Man" was released as a CD single, also on Household Name. The single was enhanced with a video chronicling the band's attempt to play more gigs in a 24-hour period than Status Quo's record-breaking four gigs in one day. The King Blues managed seven. Their single "Mr Music Man" was voted Best Punk Song of 2006 by BBC Radio 1.[citation needed]
A 12" vinyl version of Under The Fog was released on Tartan Records Tartanrex in 2007. Limited to 1000 copies with the added bonus track of "If Genghis Khan, then Why Can't I", the vinyl was a hefty 180 g and hand-printed.
In 2007, the band was signed to Field Recordings, a label co-owned by Rollo Armstrong and backed by Island Records. Under the Fog was partly re-recorded and re-issued in March 2008, and was preceded by two singles, "Come Fi Di Youth" and a new version of "Mr. Music Man".
In 2007, Jonny "Itch" Fox provided additional vocals for Faithless on their album To All New Arrivals and And Now We're Even's first single "Youmii, Hawaii".
Save the World, Get the Girl (2008)
In May 2008, the band released a single from their forthcoming second album called "Let's Hang the Landlord" to those signed up to their email list. The lyric is autobiographical, detailing Itch's life as a homeless teenage punk. The track was also released on a split 7" single, alongside "Mayday", the debut UK single by Flobots.
Save the World. Get the Girl was released on 20 October 2008 in the UK. The album was produced by Peter Miles, who produced Under the Fog, and Clive Langer (producer of Elvis Costello, Madness, Dexy's Midnight Runners, Morrissey). The album received positive reviews.
"My Boulder" was released as a single on 13 October 2008 in the UK. Zane Lowe played this track several times on BBC Radio 1 and recommended it on air to Noel Gallagher. "My Boulder" includes an excerpt from a reading of the poem The Pied Piper of Hamelin by Robert Browning. Other tracks from the album, including What If Punk Never Happened, received airplay on Radio 1, from Rob da Bank, Mike Davies, and Zane Lowe, and on the Xfm punk show (X Punk) hosted by Pete Donaldson and Phil Clifton. The band have also received considerable airplay in Australia courtesy of Triple R's punk program Bullying the Jukebox.
"I Got Love" was released on 4 May 2009 as the final single from the album; its first air-time was on BBC Radio 1. The band also performed a cover of Dizzee Rascal's "Bonkers" on Radio 1's Live Lounge in June 2009.
The band used their poster budget to hire an empty billboard in the middle of London's financial district and spray painted an open letter to the then Prime Minister Gordon Brown
Post Save the World, Get the Girl / new line-up (2009–10)
Over late 2009 and early 2010, The King Blues continued to tour their second album, adding songs such as "Headbutt", "Sore Throat" and "Five Bottles of Shampoo" to their setlist.
In mid 2010, The King Blues were dropped from Field Recordings. This coincided with the departure of band members Fruitbag, and session players Johnny Rich, Al Gunby and Jim Parmley. A controversial message explaining the departures was posted on the Punktastic forum by Fruitbag with a reply written by itch.[ However, the band quickly found a new record label, Transmission Recordings, and new members. Only a few weeks later, the new King Blues line-up went on tour supporting Enter Shikari.
On 23 March, Zane Lowe aired "Headbutt" as his "hottest record in the world" on his Radio 1 show, and Itch stated on the show that the band had completely finished recording five or six new songs. On their UK tour it was announced that "Headbutt" would be released on 16 May 2010 and that Rou Reynolds of Enter Shikari had remixed the track for free download.
The King Blues departed on their "London Brawling tour" (10 April until 5 May) along with four different support bands: Mouthwash (all gigs), Moral Dilemma, The Meow Meows and Dirty Revolution. Most nights of the tour the band invited a speaker on stage, including Sophie Lancaster's mother speaking for the S.O.P.H.I.E. foundation. (The King Blues had S.O.P.H.I.E. bands available on this tour.) The band also played gigs for Love Music Hate Racism. On 8 August 2010 they played at the Hevy Music Festival near Folkestone. During this time, the band showcased songs planned for the forthcoming album Punk & Poetry. However, much of this material, such as "Kissing Frogs" and "We Will Never Grow Old" was shelved due to the band finding inspiration from the UK's anti-cuts protests and riots, and the Arab Spring, which led to them writing new material such as "I Want You", "We Are Fucking Angry" and "Set The World On Fire".
On 29 August, The King Blues released their single "Holiday" along with "I Got Hate" and an acoustic version of the previous single "Headbutt" as B-sides. On the same day, the King Blues played the main stage at Reading Festival.
The King Blues took their "Lil Bast*rd" soundsystem to one of Tony Blair's speeches and drowned out the sound in the building.
King Blues_Trafalgar Square_Cameraman_Barry Zee
Stop The War Coalition
The King Blues are a British punk rock band from London, England, credited for fusing punk and hip hop together with influences from ska and spoken word. Tariq Ali described the band's sounds as "rough, radical music that should unsettle the rulers of this country. A new generation of musicians are challenging war-monger politicians and their courtiers". Influences include Public Enemy, The Clash and The Specials. Lead singer Jonny "Itch" Fox describes the band's sound as 'rebel street music.'
The King Blues began as a solo project of Jonny "Itch" Fox on vocals and ukulele, the first The King Blues EP All Fall Down was recorded solo by itch who also played the music on it. The band later expanded to include a 2 acoustic guitarists and bassist, before again expanding to include two full-time percussion members. Their sound was initially described as "soulful ska with raw folk and a punk rock attitude". or "conscious rude boy ska"
In 2004, they self-released a demo EP titled All Fall Down featuring five tracks. The cover and CD body art was a stencil of a fuse bomb and the band's logo; each one was hand sprayed by itch.
On 25 November 2015 The King Blues announced they had reformed on their official Facebook page, with the words "Guess who's back and pissed off again".
Under the Fog (2006–07)
In June 2006 their debut album, Under the Fog, was released on Household Name Records, and coincided with increased gigging. Recorded in the band's flat in Hackney in 5 days, the record became an underground phenomenon. In November of the same year, "Mr Music Man" was released as a CD single, also on Household Name. The single was enhanced with a video chronicling the band's attempt to play more gigs in a 24-hour period than Status Quo's record-breaking four gigs in one day. The King Blues managed seven. Their single "Mr Music Man" was voted Best Punk Song of 2006 by BBC Radio 1.[citation needed]
A 12" vinyl version of Under The Fog was released on Tartan Records Tartanrex in 2007. Limited to 1000 copies with the added bonus track of "If Genghis Khan, then Why Can't I", the vinyl was a hefty 180 g and hand-printed.
In 2007, the band was signed to Field Recordings, a label co-owned by Rollo Armstrong and backed by Island Records. Under the Fog was partly re-recorded and re-issued in March 2008, and was preceded by two singles, "Come Fi Di Youth" and a new version of "Mr. Music Man".
In 2007, Jonny "Itch" Fox provided additional vocals for Faithless on their album To All New Arrivals and And Now We're Even's first single "Youmii, Hawaii".
Save the World, Get the Girl (2008)
In May 2008, the band released a single from their forthcoming second album called "Let's Hang the Landlord" to those signed up to their email list. The lyric is autobiographical, detailing Itch's life as a homeless teenage punk. The track was also released on a split 7" single, alongside "Mayday", the debut UK single by Flobots.
Save the World. Get the Girl was released on 20 October 2008 in the UK. The album was produced by Peter Miles, who produced Under the Fog, and Clive Langer (producer of Elvis Costello, Madness, Dexy's Midnight Runners, Morrissey). The album received positive reviews.
"My Boulder" was released as a single on 13 October 2008 in the UK. Zane Lowe played this track several times on BBC Radio 1 and recommended it on air to Noel Gallagher. "My Boulder" includes an excerpt from a reading of the poem The Pied Piper of Hamelin by Robert Browning. Other tracks from the album, including What If Punk Never Happened, received airplay on Radio 1, from Rob da Bank, Mike Davies, and Zane Lowe, and on the Xfm punk show (X Punk) hosted by Pete Donaldson and Phil Clifton. The band have also received considerable airplay in Australia courtesy of Triple R's punk program Bullying the Jukebox.
"I Got Love" was released on 4 May 2009 as the final single from the album; its first air-time was on BBC Radio 1. The band also performed a cover of Dizzee Rascal's "Bonkers" on Radio 1's Live Lounge in June 2009.
The band used their poster budget to hire an empty billboard in the middle of London's financial district and spray painted an open letter to the then Prime Minister Gordon Brown
Post Save the World, Get the Girl / new line-up (2009–10)
Over late 2009 and early 2010, The King Blues continued to tour their second album, adding songs such as "Headbutt", "Sore Throat" and "Five Bottles of Shampoo" to their setlist.
In mid 2010, The King Blues were dropped from Field Recordings. This coincided with the departure of band members Fruitbag, and session players Johnny Rich, Al Gunby and Jim Parmley. A controversial message explaining the departures was posted on the Punktastic forum by Fruitbag with a reply written by itch.[ However, the band quickly found a new record label, Transmission Recordings, and new members. Only a few weeks later, the new King Blues line-up went on tour supporting Enter Shikari.
On 23 March, Zane Lowe aired "Headbutt" as his "hottest record in the world" on his Radio 1 show, and Itch stated on the show that the band had completely finished recording five or six new songs. On their UK tour it was announced that "Headbutt" would be released on 16 May 2010 and that Rou Reynolds of Enter Shikari had remixed the track for free download.
The King Blues departed on their "London Brawling tour" (10 April until 5 May) along with four different support bands: Mouthwash (all gigs), Moral Dilemma, The Meow Meows and Dirty Revolution. Most nights of the tour the band invited a speaker on stage, including Sophie Lancaster's mother speaking for the S.O.P.H.I.E. foundation. (The King Blues had S.O.P.H.I.E. bands available on this tour.) The band also played gigs for Love Music Hate Racism. On 8 August 2010 they played at the Hevy Music Festival near Folkestone. During this time, the band showcased songs planned for the forthcoming album Punk & Poetry. However, much of this material, such as "Kissing Frogs" and "We Will Never Grow Old" was shelved due to the band finding inspiration from the UK's anti-cuts protests and riots, and the Arab Spring, which led to them writing new material such as "I Want You", "We Are Fucking Angry" and "Set The World On Fire".
On 29 August, The King Blues released their single "Holiday" along with "I Got Hate" and an acoustic version of the previous single "Headbutt" as B-sides. On the same day, the King Blues played the main stage at Reading Festival.
The King Blues took their "Lil Bast*rd" soundsystem to one of Tony Blair's speeches and drowned out the sound in the building.