“There’s just an indescribable feeling when you strike an A Major chord on a Gibson SG that really transports you to another place. I felt it when I got my hands on my first one at 14 years old and I, still to this day, get it when I hit the stage,” Matt Harrison, or Harri as he’s better known, from Palace of the King tells me.
“I remember back in the day when I went to see The Black Keys when they were still a duo and Dan was playing this vintage white SG with gold hardware and that really took my breathe away. I always loved the SG though. I idolised Angus Young when I was a kid and my dog will really hate me saying this, but they are up the top of the list of things that would be saved in a house fire.”
‘Beyond the Valley’ is the first taste of the new record, Valles Marineris, which will be released on July 29 and immediately follows on from where their debut White Bird/Burn The Sky left us; wanting a hell of a lot more. It’s psychedelic rockin’ blues that takes no prisoners and makes you feel in the mood for dancing. Since forming POTK have been set for superstardom and having recently returned from playing some showcases in LA, the band is turning their attention to rocking local stages with shows in both Geelong and Melbourne in the lead up to the big day of album #2.
“We are really excited about the opportunity to get up on stage to play and I think that Geelong is going to be the turning point for the upcoming tour,” he says.
“’Beyond The Valley’ is a song that has so many melodic grooves to it and little niches that is going to make it very fun to play live. I’ve just come out of the rehearsal room and we are sounding so tight as a band – we can’t wait to jump up and play some live shows.”
In a unique tactic, POTK are going to be playing two big sets at the Black Hatt on the 18th and it is going to be a big night of rock. “It’s a captivating thing to see and something bands don’t really do anymore. It’s like a cricket test match when you play two sets in a night and you have to be on your A game, that’s for sure. It’s got to flow with elements of light and shade and the Geelong show is going to be the first opportunity for us to develop a serious show as a band.”
It’s hard to ignore, but everyone remembers ‘Do It With Madonna’ right? Well that’s Tim Henwood’s classic track and led to POTK nearly not getting off the ground. “When we were starting the band with the vision of where we wanted to go, we were unsure whether things would work out,” Harrison says.
“He is an amazing songwriter and has an extensive back catalogue and the stuff in POTK is completely different to what has come before. He’s really grown into the role of frontman really well and this is the first band that has allowed him to focus on singing rather than his guitar playing.”
Get down to the Black Hatt because who knows, with two full sets of music you might even get to partake in a cheeky chorus or two of ‘Do It With Madonna’.
Written by Tex Miller
When & Where: Black Hatt, Geelong – June 18 & Cherry Bar, Melbourne – August 3
