Katalina Kicks is a quintessentially West London band, first fashioned in the clatter and fume of Shepherds Bush. Even if they’ve changed postcodes since, their sound – urgent, questioning, loud and fierce – has never lost the urban beat of W12. Singer and guitarist Ian George is the last man standing from Katalina Kicks Mk I, once a punkish quartet who released an album named after their cat, stray moggy “Montague Rotter”, and found themselves accidentally sound-tracking a straight-to-DVD horror Z-Movie directed by the son of James Bond. “I’ve never watched it!” grimaces Ian of Jason Connery’s 51. “When we started we had an American publishing deal and that was one of the weird things that came of it. We got all of £3.50 for having a song in a crap film. So it’s taken a long time, and a lot of changing line-ups to get to where Katalina Kicks are today. I’ve always believed in the band. It’s just been a waiting game to find the right people.”
One such right person finally surfaced in the beard and flexing tattoos of Jase Wilkinson. Not so much born as smelted in Manchester, as a kid he’d wait for his stepdad to leave the house so he could sneak a listen to his Led Zeppelin vinyl. “And getting a whopping for it when he came home and found out.” Between John Bonham and hip hop, he fell in love with the drums, later moving to London, instinctively settling westwards off Ladbroke Grove, first blurring his limbs behind the kit of a ska band until a chance audition with Katalina Kicks. Which he failed. “Because he wore these dodgy heavy metal black leather fingerless gloves,” laughs Ian. “My first thought was, no way am I having THOSE in the band. But then a few weeks later I called him back. Before Jase our drummers had mostly been arseholes, mentally ill, drug addicts and glory-grabbers. He was none of those. He had the passion and the power I’d always needed… so long as he kept those bloody gloves off!”
In the meantime, bassists continued to fall by the wayside until a long-time friend of the band Conor Cotterill came on board after jamming with Jase and Ian through some new material. ‘It just clicked straight away’, says Jase. ‘Con was the missing link and brought a massive low-end rumble, swagger, bounce and musicality to the table, a bass that is both forceful and fluid, twisting in the lull between my rhythmic thunder!’
Katalina Kicks have been a formidable core trio ever since. Together they play simple and direct heavy garage rock’n’roll: power chords and pummelling rhythms, fuzzy guitar and throbbing bass, big riffs and shouted choruses, pin-balling between grunge, punk, and heavy blues. In Ian, they’ve also a songwriter who can’t help but use his band as a platform to air his anxieties about the world around him. “I would never pigeonhole us as a ‘political band’,” he explains. “I just write about things I see and hear that upset me. We’re not preaching at anyone or trying to change the world. We’re just saying these are the things that affect and worry us. They’re too important not to talk about, whether in conversation or in rock’n’roll. That’s all we try to do.”
SOURCE: Official Bio
Katalina Kicks are:
Ian George (vocals/guitar)
Conor Cotterill (bass/backing vox)
Jase Wilkinson (drums/backing vox)
LINKS:
http://katalinakicks.com
http://facebook.com/katalinakicks
http://instagram.com/katalinakicks
http://twitter.com/katalinakicks
http://soundcloud.com/katalinakicks
http://youtube.com/katalinakicks
-
Just Tommy – Playing for Likes
Just Tommy has dropped his new video for the track titled ‘Playing for Likes’. Social media has defined us long ago, so its more than fitting to have that definition captured in music by a member of that generation that bests utilizes social media. Having said that, this song is catchy. I mean really catchy. And that is the best way to capture that audience and get the message out.
ABOUT JUST TOMMY
Just Tommy, from Tempe, AZ., has a new video for his kick-ass single, “Playing for Likes”. The song and video have a message that highlights avid users of all social media platforms.
The song, “Playing for Likes” is loosely about social media and the role it plays in our lives today, but it could be applied to other aspects of life as well” says Just Tommy, and “The concept started with a question: What drives us to share the things we do on social media with our friends, family, followers, strangers, and the world?
Just Tommy says, “The inspiration behind the video for “Playing for Likes” is in the name. Originally, I’d planned on having a bunch of people submit tiktok-style videos, and then my dude would stitch them together and make a sick video. Because people are people, that plan zero percent worked, so I went to plan B and just shot a music video and had some fun with my family. The kids in the video are my cousins.”
The “Playing for Likes” video was shot in Phoenix, AZ. The single was produced by super Producer/Engineer Chuck Alkazian (Pop Evil, Soundgarden, Tantric) at legendary Pearl Sound Studios (Asking Alexandria, Eminem, Filter).
LINKS:
http://www.iamjusttommy.com
https://twitter.com/iamjusttommy
https://www.facebook.com/imjusttommy
https://www.instagram.com/imjusttommy -
Stereo Satellite – Glass Houses
Stereo Satellite plays hard rock music that flirts with alternative rock influences. By melding hook-filled melodies with heavy guitar riffs and hard beats, the band shows their ability to compact a vast array of influence and experience into a signature sound with substance, style, and spirit. Mike Orlando and Lukas Rossi are the key architects behind the band’s vibrant, modern rock-inspired sound – powered by seamless songwriting adeptness that combines a story of both the joys and heartaches of life.
Mike Orlando is no stranger to heartaches, having recently been involved in a tragic accident on July 14, 2017, while on tour in Florida with his former band Adrenaline Mob. The crash occurred when a tractor-trailer veered off Interstate 75 and struck the band’s RV, van, and trailer, which resulted in the death of Adrenaline Mob bassist David Zablidowsky, tour manager Jane Train, and seriously injuring six others.
“Over the past recent months, I have learned a lot about how cathartic music can be, especially after going through such a heinous life-changing tragedy”, said Orlando. “It’s been a complete uphill battle in even trying to begin to heal physically and mentally. I have a long road ahead for sure and will have to undergo many more procedures and ongoing therapy.” Orlando adds, “I don’t think I’ll ever fully heal mentally but I’ve been moved to write songs again with my brother Lukas who I feel is an amazing songwriting partner, and start this new band along with my brothers John Moyer and Jordan Cannata. I find it really helps me to cope and I can’t wait to share all the music we’ve written and started touring again full-time.”
John Moyer admits to having mixed feelings about the band being dubbed a supergroup. “We hate the supergroup thing because it’s a new band in its own right,” Moyer says. “But I think it’s important for us to say we’ve been around the rock music scene for a long time and in various ways. Stereo Satellite is a new beginning for us all, and I’m looking forward to sharing our new music with the fans very soon.”
Lukas Rossi concurs, saying, “I can’t wait to release our new songs and perform them live with these awesome guys. Regarding the supergroup thing, look I don’t care what you call us, just call us!”
You can Pre-Order the band’s street single “Glass Houses” and their upcoming radio single “My Last Words” on iTunes before the official release date on January 23, 2018. The band will also make their live debut on the ShipRocked cruise on January 23rd.
Furthermore, Stereo Satellite is running a PledgeMusic campaign where you will have access to EXCLUSIVE PLEDGE-ONLY items, such as signed albums, VIP tickets, bundles, one of a kind signed instruments, lunch with the band and/or have the band come to your house for a show especially for you! Plus, the band will give fans an exclusive insight into the process of making the new album with behind the scenes videos, photos, rehearsals, streamed sessions, and live Q&A. Visit their Pledge store and sign up to keep updated on the band’s progress and the making of their new Album!
For all things Stereo Satellite, including upcoming tour dates and news on the band’s upcoming album, check out the links below.
Stereo Satellite’s new album is tentatively set for an April 2018 release and the band will hit the road in full support worldwide.
LINKS:
http://www.stereosatellite.com
https://www.facebook.com/pg/stereosatelliteofficial
http://www.twitter.com/stereosatellite
http://www.instagram.com/stereosatellite -
Rev Rev Rev – Adrift in the Chaosmos
Named as ‘One of Europe’s finest ’gazer bands of the last decade’ [Daily Bandcamp], Rev Rev Rev metabolize shoegaze and psychedelic rock elements in a loud, woozy, fuzz-driven way.
Since the debut, their signature wall-of-sound has inspired rave reviews, with single “Catching a buzz” spun on BBC6 (Steve Lamacq, Radcliffe, and Maconie) and sophomore album ‘Des fleurs magiques bourdonnaient’ praised by influential webzines like Drowned in Sound, Clash Music, Sounds better with reverb.
Their live set at Manchester’s Cosmosis Festival, headlined by The Jesus and Mary Chain, Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Raveonettes and WIRE, kick-started a 44-date tour touching UK, France, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy, during which the quartet shared the stage with The Telescopes, Ringo Deathstarr, and Gonjasufi. In Italy, the band was ranked among the best live shows by 200 Italian promoters of the KeepOn Live indie network.
The new album, produced by James Aparicio (Spiritualized, Cult Of Dom Keller, Dead Vibrations), has been released in September 2019 on cult indie psych label Fuzz Club.
Their set at SXSW 2019 impressed, among others, Bob Boilen of All Songs Considered and earned them a feature on NPR’s festival wrap-up as well as airplay on the network’s radios. The band has been invited to play Eurosonic 2020.
Featured image by Salvatore Giorgio.
LINKS:
https://revrevrev.bandcamp.com
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0osv6JQzCfTjwPAOKZlSBP
https://www.facebook.com/revrevrev.band
https://www.instagram.com/rev.rev.rev
https://twitter.com/revrevrev_band
http://www.revrevrev.org