For a band that started out as merely a side project the Adelaide-born, Melbourne-based duo King Of The North are busier than ever. Catching up with vocalist and guitarist Andrew Higgs in between shows it is clear that no one is more surprised or delighted than him about the attention King Of The North gigs are receiving. Forming over a two-week break during Christmas of 2010, Higgs and drummer Danny Leo look to be in for their craziest year yet.
“We recorded our demo in a friend’s garage over Christmas when I went back to Adelaide in 2010. The band wasn’t actually a band at that point… The story sort of went that my drummer left my solo band and Danny wasn’t too doing much. Basically he found out I was coming home for a few weeks and said, ‘Hey, let’s do that duo idea that you had’. We got back to my studio in Adelaide, locked ourselves in there for a week and recorded some tunes. A mate of ours came around, heard us and booked us a gig at the Grace Emily. Another mate came to the gig and suggested we come around to his place and record some tunes. It was just a matter of hanging out and after two weeks we came out of it with a CD, a gig and songs,” says Higgs. “We have been really, really lucky. We both toiled in other bands for years and years. The reason we pursued King Of The North was because all of the gigs we have gotten in regards to residencies, the festivals that we have played and what we have coming up, we have been invited to do.”
Considering the current wave of bands with extended lineups (the Biggest Lineup award currently going to Velociraptor with 12 members), why the choice to remain a duo? “From a logistical point of view, from an artistic point of view – and so many other points of view – having fewer people in a band means fewer personality clashes. Fewer everything. We have had people come up and say, ‘Hey, man can I be your bass player?” and we’re like, “We don’t need a bass player.”
While the band are building following a strong following for their energetic performances, their love for all things loud have often been at odds with the residents passion for quiet surrounding venues King Of The North have played. The passionate live music advocate, Higgsy, remembers one such pest in particular: “There used to be a guy when we played back in the 90s who would be out the front of the venue at midnight, on the road with his portable house phone watching his wristwatch. If there was music going at one minute past midnight he would call the cops. That sort of shit really pisses me off.”
Having finished residencies at The Retreat and The Espy already this year King Of The North are just amping up with more gigs in the works including a mainstage appearance at Melbourne rock institution House Of Rock (and a freshly announced Cold Chisel support – Ed).
The high-energy two piece are also set to blow the roof of Lucky Coq during the week long Best Of Both Sides festival which runs from the 2nd of April until the 9th of April. “It’s pretty funny, King Of The North playing at Lucky Coq. I didn’t think they had rock bands,” laughs Higgs.
“For a two piece band we are probably one of the loudest bands in Melbourne and it is mainly because of Danny,” says the singer of his wrecking-ball-armed drummer. “He hits his drums so hard that you have got to turn everything else to make the mix balance. The fact we are playing at Lucky Coq… we are just going to rip the place in half. I think a lot of people are going to run downstairs that’s for sure!”
See King Of The North play the Lucky Coq on Wednesday 4th April, ahead of their Cold Chisel support slot at Festival Hall. Check out our review of the last gig we saw King Of The North play.
Image © Annie Hutton
