74 Kings are the four piece from South Western Victoria who have a passion for fat fuzz grooves with hard hitting riffs and evocative vocals that elevate the soul to another level. Developing their sound from a variety of diverse influences, for the Kings, the journey into the world of rock and or roll has begun. We chat to Brendan Laidler ahead of their EP launch this month.
Hey guys, thanks for chatting to Forte Mag! Tell us a little about the band – how did you come together?
Well, it started as a jam down at Greenman in Ocean Grove between Chris and Brendan (bass and drums) a couple of years ago, who after a little while put the feelers out for a guitar player. We had some amazing players come through but we settled on Old Salty. After a little bit of honing the three piece sound we went on the search for a vocalist, with the intention of remaining a one guitar band. The first night Jake turned up, a decision was made instantly by Chris that he was in! I think after two weeks Jake had managed to strap the guitar on during a jam and we all realised at once how much the second guitar really added to the dynamic the band was looking for.
You guys are launching your EP this month at The Workers Club. What can people expect from the EP?
It’s a blend of heavy in your face guitars with a big low end, to some goovier laid back sounds and dynamics. We think it’s just a good representation of what 74 Kings are all about.
Describe the process of how the EP came together – have you been working on this for some time?
We headed to Coloursound Studios in Altona for the drums around 12 months ago, then managed to do the rest ourselves at our homes. We had the help of a good friend David Lauritsen engineering, with Matt Robins of Coloursound providing the final mixes. It was a long slog to get it all together, but we are rapt with how it came out and cant wait for people to hear it.
You performed at the venue early last month – what do you love about live performances? Is this something you guys will aim to do more often?
For sure, we’ve all been playing for years but it was the first time that we had played at The Workers Club. It’s a great live music venue and as it only has the two spaces, it helps channel people into the main room which really increases the energy of the show.
You’re also performing at Aireys Inlet Open Mic Music Festival, which is exciting. Are there any bands you’re looking forward to seeing?
It’s so great to have been accepted, we have been heading down the last couple of years as punters, Jake has played there in various forms over the years and we think the best part about Aireys is the dynamic range of artists and the surprises you get venturing around the different venues, hearing all the amazing performers just doing their thing! It’s such a great vibe. We really want to catch Om & the Pea who is opening for us at our EP launch on the 23rd and it’ll be cool to catch Deaformites, who are really starting to find their sound!
What’s planned for the rest of 2018?
At the moment, we are super focused on the EP launch and the release of the Mr Black video clip, but it’s always important to keep looking ahead, so we have started pre-production for the next recording. Hopefully that will be released later this year, along with our next single release and clip, and of course we are looking forward to playing plenty of shows in and around Geelong and Melbourne.
Thanks so much for chatting! Any words of wisdom for punters coming to the gig?
Get on down early, it’s going to be a great night of local Geelong music, with some really cool supports; Om & the Pea and Chromatic Addict. Oh and when we hit the stage… be ready!
When & Where: The Workers Club, Geelong – March 23