On the Radar: Kings Destroy
Steve Murphy, who’s also a member of New York hardcore mainstays Uppercut, sent me an email a couple days ago to check out his new project with members of Killing Time, a stoner/doom band called Kings Destroy. They’re brand new and haven’t really started playing out yet, but apparently the dudes in Kings Destroy have been stoner rock fans all along (hey, who isn’t?). The old adage of stoner music just being punk grown up comes true again. Here’s what Murphy had to say:
We have been listening to stoner/doom for a long time and finally decided to bite the bullet and start playing the stuff. We saw Saint Vitus in the ‘80s and Melvins in the very early ‘90s. We played with Kyuss in the early ‘90s at CBGB (one of our old bands did that is).
Kings Destroy has made a four-song demo. We have released one of the songs from it. Our other band Killing Time is dropping a new album [this] week so we have not started playing out or anything in Kings Destroy. However, come April/May there will be a lot more happening.
Well hey man, I’m more than willing to see what a bunch of guys who’ve been playing a different style of music for a long time can bring to the stoner sound. Judging by the track “Old Yeller” on the Kings Destroy MySpace, they know a thing or two about riff worship topped with Ozzy-style vocals, and dammit if that isn’t more than half the battle when it comes to this genre. Check out the track and see if you don’t agree.
The whole point of On the Radar is to discover new and worthwhile bands, and that being the case, I think the pedigree Kings Destroy bring to the fold, and the inherent straightforwardness of the riffing style they show on “Old Yeller,” certainly qualify them for coverage. I’m not sure why they wouldn’t post the whole demo right away, but I’m looking forward to hearing it one way or another, as NYC is an area that needs more bands like this and less bands in tight pants. Rock and roll, gentlemen.
Tags: Brooklyn, Kings Destroy, Unsigned bands
