Pistol Kings have been tearing up London’s underground music scene over the last few months, and their hard work certainly isn’t going unnoticed. With their debut EP freshly minted, a music video in the works, and plenty of gigs booked, the trio are only set to increase their workload, as well as their success. I sat down with the guys and asked them a few questions.
So who the hell are you?!
Hey! We're a three-piece stage ripping, chord slamming, rhythm kicking rock band from London called Pistol Kings! We kind of all met each other on the London gig circuit, and we were all looking to be in a working band, so we decided to have a beer/ jam session. Tom moved to London two years ago from Stafford, Jake is a Londoner born and raised, and Ben travelled between the oceans and through the sands from New Zealand, haha!
What’s the London music scene like right now then? How difficult is it for a band such as yourselves to get recognised?
The music scene is thriving! Open mics are aplenty, and it's full of musicians. We kind of got lucky because a lot of promotion companies started getting in touch with us once we'd released our EP. If we had to recommend one thing to a new band, it would probably be to make sure you have a strong website and an equally lively web presence, and make sure you connect with your fans!
Are there any unsigned bands that you’ve played with that you think might make it big?
That's such a hard question because we've met so many great musicians on our way so far. At the moment, we'd say to keep an eye out for a band called 'Dive Exit'. They're good friends of ours and they have some really strong songs and their live shows are completely off the scale!
Your self-titled debut EP, ‘Pistol Kings', is a quirky, and relatively eclectic, little number. Do you make a concerted effort to produce music that is diverse and varied in itself, or is this something that just happens?
Well, all three of us come from quite different musical backgrounds. Something quite unique about us is that both Tom and Ben are primarily drummers, but also songwriters as well. We think that really contributes somewhat to the diverse sound we create. And obviously having Jake on bass to bind our rhythms together kind of makes Pistol Kings what it is. We help each other out, it's a really good environment to be in. It definitely comes naturally!
You remind me quite a lot of Queens of the Stone Age. Is there a band or artist that have particularly influenced you, or that you model your sound upon?
That's really cool that you see elements of their sound in ours, as they're a band we really respect! Individually, yes. For example Tom admires Foo Fighters, Ben likes Arcane Roots, and Jake is a Chilis guy. But as a band, we think we all combine our favourite music into one Pistol Kings sound.
Great taste! Dave Grohl is the man, and Flea is also the man. Dave Grohl and Flea are the men.
So how has the EP been received so far? What’s the reaction to it been like?
It's really incredible! We're all really chuffed with its reception, and we're all really grateful for the positive feedback from our fans! We're really proud of it, and hope more people will grab a free copy!
I understand that you’re currently 6th in the ‘Richer Unsigned’ monthly standings. Tell us about the competition, and tell us why people should vote for you.
Richer Unsigned helps unsigned bands to emerge and gain more exposure. One of the great things about it is that if a band is successful, they get studio time and a feature in Q magazine. People should vote for us because we want to give our fans more music, it's as simple as that!
Finally, do you have any new projects on the go? Anything that we should keep ‘em peeled for?
Yes! We are incredibly busy at the moment, balancing work on some really cool new material with a load of London gigs. We're also in pre-production for our debut music video, but we don't want to say too much at the moment. But keep your eyes peeled online, just in case.
Well thanks a lot for your time today guys, it has been a pleasure!
You can grab your free copy of Pistol Kings' self-titled EP by visiting their deviously swanky website. The three intangibly charming tracks blend elements of folk rock with more contemporary influences, and feature engaging vocal melodies, with a catchy hook or two thrown in for good measure. Fans of Queens of the Stone Age, The View, and Reverend and the Makers should enjoy it.
You can also catch Pistol Kings live at The Islington on October 10th. It’s sure to be a “stage ripping, chord slamming, rhythm kicking” night, so don’t miss it!