Three Kings High floated through our crosshairs last week so we fired off a volley of questions in their direction. They responded with the following barrage…
Simple things first – where are you guys from?
We’re based in Bristol but individually we’re from all over the shop; few scattered around the South West, one from Kent and the singer’s from Newcastle.
How did you meet?
The band first consisted of just three of us and we originally met on the hip-hop scene in Bristol, where we all made music and played live for a good few years before coming together to try something different. The rest of the band were recruited along the way. We met the bassist and drummer at a peep show in Germany, we recognised them from the flight and laughed at how weird it was to meet up again at such a sleazy dive all the way from Bristol. We talked about home and music and mutual friends and met up again to jam when we returned.
How long have you been playing as a band?
We’ve been playing live for about four years. The first two were more like public rehearsals and we only really found our sound with our debut album HAIL in April 2015, so I count that as the start of it all really.
Before you get sick of being asked… where does the band name come from?
Well I wish I could tell you something else but it’s honestly named after the original three members who were in a musical nativity playing the three kings… but we got really stoned and Vee was sick on the baby Jesus. We just thought it was a homage to the greatest story never told.
What are your influences?
Chemical and rhythmical. No, but we all have our own unique tastes and influence although I think the majority of us all agree on the old indie Britpop scene, 90s hip-hop and modern Americana.
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
Alternative rock and/or roll. I’d hope what marks us out from the crowd is that we’re unpretentious, working class, inclusive and catchy. Plenty of the ‘cool’ bands make drab, hokey, over-emotional tripe, whereas we just have fun and make what we feel is great sounding tunes. If there’s a message in there, then it’s a bonus, but were not trying to change the world with our music. If anything we’re trying to say it’s ok to be normal and at times manic, elated, sad and ugly. We’re confident in what we do and that comes across.
Do you have any particular lyrical themes?
They change with the weather I suppose. Our frontman writes most of the lyrics so we keep sabotaging his life to keep it interesting. It ranges from themes of leaving home, to unrequited love to going to peep shows and sometimes backstabbing friends who keep fucking your life up. Who can’t relate to all of those things?!
What’s your live show like? How many shows have you played?
We’ve been told that we’re a band best seen live, perhaps there’s a freakshow element to us? I’m not sure but we have fun and a laugh on stage, and I think we have a big sound that comes across well on any size stage, whether that’s a dive bar in Hamburg or a summer festival in the UK.
What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?
Wild, you say? Jesus, I dunno, we’re not that wild. I’d love to say we defecated on the front row or something that a cool rock band would do, but we haven’t. Each gig is different and we react to the crowd. Our frontman once punched a heckler from the stage who was pawing at our backing singer. I guess that would be pretty rock and roll if he didn’t have a cry about it later that night. These arty types, right!
What kit do you use / guitars do you play / etc.?
We’re a fan of Vox and Orange Amps, Les Paul Guitars and Yamaha Basses. Also been using the Shure SH55 retro mics for the last few years.
What are your plans for the rest of 2017?
We’re headlining our favourite Bristol venue, Mr Wolf’s for this year’s DOT TO DOT festival on the 27th of May and we have some cool gigs planned for the end of summer, playing alongside some classic British acts such as The Animals and The Yardbirds so were pretty hyped about that. Also we have some Northern gigs planned soon. The singer is Geordie and we have a good following on those shores. It’s annoying it’s over 300 miles away but needs must!
We also just released a brand new video for our track “Margins” [see below – Mosh] from our latest release They Think They’re People and are hoping to put out a brand new song with a video this summer too. Spinning plates!
If you were second on a three-band bill, which band would you love to be supporting and which band would you choose to open for you? A chance to plug someone you’ve toured with, or a mate’s band we’ve not heard of before!
Personally speaking I’d love to support Mac Demarco. The guy just looks like he’d be a laugh and fun to hang out with. We’d get our mate from Newcastle, the very talented ghetto superstar Rick Fury to support or our Kent comrade Tom ‘The Bomber’ Birch! Check them both out if you’re so inclined
Courtesy of previous Band of the Day artist Ruben Hultman: What phase of the creation process do you find most difficult and how do you cope with that?
Probably when we’ve finished recording and we’re all deciding on the final mix of a track. It rests to one or two of the guys behind a desk for weeks but obviously everyone has an opinion. Maintaining diplomacy can be hard when everyone has a vested interest.
Can you give us a question to ask our next Band of the Day?
Can we borrow your drum kit? Or more seriously, ‘what’s the best online resource for getting your music out there in your experience, and how do you use it?’
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