Sydney-based garage rockers Before The King returned last week with the rousing new single ‘Cold Shoulder’, a taste from the band’s forthcoming new EP.
With a powerful team behind the song – it was produced and mixed by Chloe Dadd (Polish Club, The Buoys) and mastered by Christian Wright (Fontaines D.C.) – ‘Cold Shoulder’ is a delicately wistful anthem that harkens back to The Strokes or early Kings Of Leon.
“‘Cold Shoulder’ was the last song I wrote about one of my ex-girlfriends,” vocalist Dean Smusko explains about the song’s origins. “The relationship was traumatic, and often toxic – releasing this song is like a full-stop for that chapter of my life.”
‘Cold Shoulder’ is included on the band’s upcoming EP All That You Know, set for release on Friday, August 5th. To mark the EP’s release, the boys will be performing a special launch show at Sydney’s iconic – and thankfully still open – Lansdowne Hotel on Saturday, August 27th (find tickets here).
To celebrate ‘Cold Shoulder’, we caught up with Before The King as part of our Get To Know series to discuss their lives, music, and burritos.
Before The King’s ‘Cold Shoulder’ is out now.
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How did your artist name come about?
We used to be called Fall By The Wayside which was, well, awful to say the least. Dean (our singer) came up to us one day and said, “What do you think of the name Before the King?” We said, “That’s pretty cool, what does it mean?” He didn’t know, but we went with it anyway, and the rest is history.
How would you describe your music to your grandma?
Well, the only rock band my nan likes is The Beatles, so I’d probably say, “Kind of like them, but louder, less good, and we don’t hate each other yet.”
Tell us about a few of your tracks; their titles and what they’re about?
We’ve got ‘Fast Machine’, the OG – that’s the first song we wrote together, seven years ago. It’s a deeply
political song about the Nicaraguan coffee industry in the 1960s.
‘Low Expectations’ is our homage to The Strokes and captures half of our band motto: “low expectations, high effort”.
If you’ve ever been to one of our live shows, you would have heard Dean describe ‘Argentina’ as a “song about a girl that broke my heart… but it’s a happy song”. And finally, ‘Cold Shoulder’ – the last song Dean wrote about that same girl.
What do you love about your hometown?
We love the bin chickens. Pigeons too. Basically all the scavenging, omnivorous birds that give the city its gritty character. Also, every Beach Burrito branch is just top-notch – we’ve been to them all.
Career highlight so far?
Convincing Beach Burrito to name a burrito after us was legendary. Organising a sold-out charity fundraiser for the NSW Floods was a special experience too – and just an awesome night. Oscar (our guitarist) once convinced a security guard at the Courthouse to follow us on Instagram if he could down a beer in 3 seconds – not really a career highlight but pretty impressive.
Fave non-music hobby?
There are hobbies that don’t involve music?
What’s on your dream rider?
The usual really – food, beer, and a crew of top-notch Aunty Donna impersonators for pre-show entertainment. Normal stuff, you know?
Dream music collaboration?
Lil Nas X. Or Lionel Richie. Possibly on the same track.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Either in a mirror or by taking a selfie. That’s generally the only way we get to see ourselves. Maybe reflected in a pond or something.
What’s your go-to karaoke song?
‘Bodies’ by Drowning Pool. Except we try to put a reggae spin on it.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
“If it works, it works. If it doesn’t, f*ck it” – some drunk British guy at Bar 34, c. 2018.
What’s one obsession you have that no one would guess after listening to your music?
Peanut butter. Fair play, that’d be a pretty hard thing to pick up on from our music, but it fuels the band. There would be no Before The King without peanut butter, and that’s a fact.
