KING BROTHERS – Barbed Wire Blues
Written by: Tom Wilson @thetomwilsonexperiment -
Monday 26th August 2024
Blues played with the ferocity of hardcore punk, KING BROTHERS are bringing their blistering live show to Australia, and I recommend stretching beforehand, because you won’t be the same once they’re done with you. We talked some SENSE with Keizo.
What are the biggest differences between the Japanese music scene, and the rest of the world? What makes Japanese audiences unique?
The current Japanese music scene feels like it has its own unique movement, rather than being synchronized with global trends. The mainstream is dominated by commercial songs made to generate profit for corporations, along with music performed by TV personalities and idols. This has been a system for decades that benefits major entertainment production companies and record labels. As a result, real music fans have the challenge of finding music that suits their tastes on their own. For us Japanese, who don’t understand English, the act of catching on to global movements, liking them, and trying to understand them is already somewhat unusual. It seems like a difficult task unless you have a certain level of passion, which is why Japanese audiences might appear unique in that respect."
The KING BROTHERS live show looks absolutely intense. What kind of injuries have you had to endure over the years?
After every show, our bodies are always battered, and our black suits are constantly torn or ripped, but fortunately, we've somehow managed to avoid serious injuries. Maya, with his guitar screams, has even hung upside down from heights equivalent to several stories during performances and jumped from those heights as well. At outdoor festivals, he has appeared on stage standing on the roof of a van that drove in from the audience area, and even as it drove away, he was playing guitar without getting injured. During performances, it feels like a massive amount of adrenaline is released into our brains, turning us into superhumans. However, I believe a large part of this is due to the energy and support we receive from the audience.
Who were some of your influences that shaped how you perform live? Who are your idols?
It’s the Japanese rock band, GUITAR WOLF. When I was in high school, I happened to witness a GUITAR WOLF live show, and it felt like an enormous bolt of lightning struck my brain with incredible power. It was similar to the scene in the movie The Blues Brothers where the protagonist receives a revelation from God. Right after that, I started looking for bandmates and formed KING BROTHERS.
What were the albums that changed your life, and why?
Along with GUITAR WOLF, another incredibly important band for me is the New York band JON SPENCER BLUES EXPLOSION. Their 1994 album Orange was encased in a shiny silver record cover, like a gleaming rocket, and it contained a kind of rock 'n' roll that I had never seen or heard before—like it came from the future. Up until that point, I had been haunted by the ghost of Kurt Cobain, but the moment I hopped on this rocket, I finally broke away from the past and set off towards the future.
KING BROTHERS started in 1997. What advice would you give to your younger self?
Tell your younger self, “You’ll eventually share the stage with GUITAR WOLF and Jon Spencer, so make sure to build up your tolerance for alcohol and study English well enough to express your gratitude.” Also, let him know that staying independent, keeping your feet on the ground, and steadily continuing what you can do on your own is the healthiest path for KING BROTHERS.
Who do you think are some of the best live bands in the world, and why?
Of course, GUITAR WOLF and Jon Spencer are among the best, but I would say THE ROLLING STONES, who are still going strong. Embarrassingly, when I first started making music, I didn't understand the greatness of The Stones. But as I became more immersed in music and explored a wide variety of it, there came a moment when the brilliance of The Stones suddenly hit me while I was deepening my understanding of rock. Since then, I’ve loved their latest work as well, and I believe they are undoubtedly the best rock 'n' roll band in the world, still leading the way as the oldest and most cutting-edge active band."
You’re releasing a limited edition LP called Hell Oh! Oz. What can you tell me about it?
The title of this album is a play on words, greeting everyone in Australia with “Hello! OZ.” It’s a collection of 12 tracks, spanning from our first album in 1998 to the present, that we’ve been playing live for years. We recorded them anew in a live setting, capturing the energy as we rush through these songs. As I mentioned in other interviews, I was deeply impacted by the recent Australian movie Mad Max: Fury Road, and that influence was present in our previous work Wasteland as well. I believe that influence is also present in this album, so I’d be thrilled if you could listen to it while imagining yourselves racing through the Australian wilderness, revving up your own V8 engines.
What stand out as the proudest moments of your career to date, and why?
I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to travel the world while playing rock 'n' roll. Even though I'm not fluent in English, it's amazing that just by playing rock with all my might, I’ve been able to make friends all over the world.
I would be thrilled if you could come to the KING BROTHERS' live show this time. And while you're there, I hope you’ll grab our limited vinyl and rock 'n' roll with KING BROTHERS all year round. Also, during the show, make sure to shout the important word, “Nishinomiya!”
KING BROTHERS tour Australia in September. Tickets
