The King Blues biography
The King Blues were a punk rock band from London, England, credited for fusing ska and folk together with influences from punk rock and hardcore punk. 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, The Specials, Black Flag and Minor Threat. Their third full length album, Punk and Poetry, was released on 17 April 2011. Lead singer Jonny 'Itch' Fox describes the music as 'a mixture of reggae, hip hop, folk, doo wop, punk rock.'
They announced their breakup on the 3rd of April, 2012.
History
The King Blues began as a two man ska outfit, consisting of Jonny 'Itch' Fox on vocals and ukulele and Jamie Jazz on acoustic guitar and additional vocals. The band later expanded to include a second acoustic guitarist 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 5 tracks recorded by Itch on guitar and vocals. The cover and CD body art was a stencil of a fuse bomb and the band's logo; each one was hand sprayed.
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. 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.
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, Johnny 'Itch' Fox provided additional vocals for 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 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 October 20, 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, Teardrop Explodes, Bush and The Holloways). The album received positive reviews.
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