Hello. Hello. I'm here with the Ks. How are y'all doing?

We're all good. Yeah. We just played in New York. Fantastic. Piano bar, and it's yeah.

It was mega.

Can you introduce yourself?

I'm Ryan. I'm the lead guitarist of the Ks.

I'm Dexter. I'm the bass player.

Wonderful. So this is your first time in New York?

This is our first time with yeah. It's our debut. Every single member has never been here before. So and I don't wanna go home. I wanna move here.

Like, I genuinely love it that much. Like, I've been all over the world, this is my favorite city by far. Really? Yeah.

Really. I'm from Oregon, and we have Portland, Oregon. Have you guys?

I've been to Portland.

Yes. Okay. You don't like you like New York more?

No. I love Portland was actually my first choice.

Oh, right.

Yeah. No. I went to Portland, Oregon. Yeah.

Okay. For music? Okay. Wonderful. For the K's or a different A

different one. Yeah.

Okay. Wonderful.

For Laundry, it was amazing.

Yeah. Love it there. What about New York do you like so much?

I think the people are so we were saying before, like, the people are so, so nice. And just the vibe, like, we're in the East Side, and it's just a cool vibe. And then we went to, obviously, the Empire State, Statue Of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge. We did all the I suppose that's the touristy stuff for you guys. Like, London is like London Bridge and Big Ben and stuff like that.

So I suppose that's what we're doing here. But it's just weird because in England, like, not many people get to come over here, I suppose, where we're from, and we see it in films, and then we get to see it in real life. It's it's really, really cool. But the people, the music vibe, the history of New York, everybody who's around us greets us well. So we love we love it.

But nothing beats an English bar. Right?

An English bar. An Irish bar is better.

Irish bar.

Irish bar.

Wasn't gonna say it, but I also agree. I was actually just in London this past August, and then we went to Ireland right after, and I was like, this is

Ireland is this

is awesome. Oh, really? Okay. Cool. Your album, the new one that just came out, it is very different in tone compared to the rest of your music.

It feels like a lot more mature and like you guys have really developed.

Nail on the edge, I like that.

Yeah. Nail on the edge. So what experiences kind of transformed your music in that album?

I don't think it was experiences. I think it was like our own professional development. We wanted to make something that wasn't a copy of the first album. Mhmm. We wanted to develop as musicians.

We wanted to bring in like other instruments and other ways of recording and stuff like that. So it wasn't so much anything that inspired it other than like our own professional development. We wanted to make something slightly different, slightly better with like more more instruments and a bit more sonically different. So I think that's what caused the slight mark

a life, you naturally get better like, if you was a builder or a Brit leader, you'd naturally get better about doing that job over time. And I think we just kind of had that, and we wanted to take it in a different a little bit of a different direction, more mature, like you say, and you hit the nail on the head the way you say it developed.

You. Thank you. You guys were really popular, obviously, in The UK, like huge. And then it's so weird to see you guys in a small venue when you've opened up for like the Kooks and stuff like that. Is it do you like it better a smaller venue or do you like larger venues?

I like this we always like going back to the grassroots venue because like the best gigs if I think back now in my career, the best gigs have always been the little sweaty, like, underground kind of scene. Yeah. Because like you can smell the breath of the person in front of you. See what I mean? And it's like I think having that intimacy and having that kind of you're you're enjoying the gig, light the crowd out.

You're getting that experience because you're so close as opposed to like and arena arenas are brilliant. Like, obviously, we never sort of get away from that, but there's always a big gap and you can't really get in it. But in these little venues, you're you're in it and you're an experience and feel

the energy just so much more when you're in a tighter space, I think.

I think when there's less separation I'm much further.

Okay.

Yeah.

Who is your dream artist to open for?

You said David Bowie the other day, which was brilliant.

David Bowie. Would say David

Bowie. Prince.

So do you have somebody that you look up to as far as, like, stage persona?

I guess like all the influences growing up and musicians and stuff you kind of follow come out of you in a little bit and stays like bands. I don't know. I grew up on like a vast cosigner like loads of different genres of music, like, from Irish folk music to pop punk to rock to all kinds of things. And I think it shows. So I don't know if, like, Chuck Berry was one of my big guitarist, Jimi Hendrix, and Prince, and all the people like that.

So I guess it kinda does, but I don't know. You kinda become your own character on stage and your own kind of artist. I think a cocktail of all different people make you who you are. So I think if you're trying to just copy someone straight out, it's a little bit you can see through it. The crowd can see through it.

You kinda need to become your own artist. Mhmm.

I'm a bass player, so I need to stand still. I need to stand still. I just play the bass.

No. But I love when bass players have, like, something about them.

I've seen it before, and didn't you? Did it really?

Yeah. Yeah. So, like, when when I was younger, like, I used to be obsessed with Michael Jackson, and he made me want to be a performer. But I mean, I can't be playing the bass and doing the fucking moonwalk, can I?

What song would you want people to start with when they're first discovering you?

Oh, that's such a good question. That is really good. I've never been asked that before. What would I say? I'd say maybe Gravestone.

Yeah. Gravestone or the bends.

All the bends. Yeah. Because that gives the kind of new mature vibe, but also the roots of what the Ks are. So I think, yeah, maybe one of them too.

My favorite is Oh, Hell and I.

Yeah. That's my favorite on the album.

Oh, really?

That's my favorite on the album. I just didn't wanna say it.

Hell and I though, not Oh, Hell and I.

Oh, I'm so sorry.

We've never done anything like that before. Really? The song develops into a different way that we've kind of Yeah. Never experienced. So, yeah.

Absolutely. What is your favorite song to perform in live? And does it change depending on where you are?

Oh, was. Oh, it's Helen, but now it's gravestone.

Yeah. Mine's gravestone. Mine's gravestone.

And Or throw it all the way, actually.

Throw it all the way.

That is a really good one. Do you do you like that you're maturing at this rate that you are, or do you kinda miss being silly and fun?

I think you've got to mature, you've got to move forward, and you've got to develop with the times, but also, like, it's nice to kick back to what, like, the the roots of who we are. Like today, for example, or, like, any other kind of grassroots venue or underground venue when we're playing, we're kind to go back to our roots because we've not got, in The UK, we have, like, the big production, the lights, the stage crew, the session musicians. And here, it's just like we've got to go back to basics. And I think I really like that element of it, but obviously, we've got to develop and we've got we've got to keep moving. I think if you churn out the same shit all the time yeah.

I think you've got to keep moving. You've got to keep developing, and you've got to keep kind of changing with the times and Uh-huh. Keeping it fresh. Yeah. Think it's important to keep keep it fresh, keep it changing, keep moving with the times.

Absolutely. You like smaller venues, and I read that the smaller venues are kind of what kept you, you know, going with your personas and stuff like that. Do you think that's essential for, like, formation of, like, a band, of, like, a good band that has good live sessions.

I I think

you've kinda got to go through that stage to become a good live band. Yeah. Definitely. You've gotta go through all, the rocky road, haven't you?

Mhmm. To get to go. From nothing to the big sort of, like, starry lights and arenas.

What you need to be. It's too distant from what you need

to be. You can tell watching a van. I can tell anyway. I don't know if anyone else got

They're called industry plants. That's what we call them.

No. But you can. Yeah. I think you've gotta go through the shit. You've gotta go through shit going wrong.

You gotta go through fucking we played gigs where it was just my mom and my fucking little sister watching. Do you what mean? So you've got to go through that shit to make because that's where you get your craft. That's where you get your stage presence. It's so important.

That's why we should keep grassroots venues alive. Absolutely. Yeah.

How do you feel about college radio?

I don't even know what college radio is.

Oh, well, that's what I am. That's what I

am. College radio.

We don't have that in The UK, don't think.

Really? College radio is brilliant. I

love love it. It. Yeah.

No. That's what that's what they paid you to say. Don't listen.

Think do we start, like, university student union radio? Or

Yeah. Like like, uni radio?

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

So that's what everyone hooks up to. Did you do that in The UK? No. You need to get with The Times. See what I'm on about, though?

We keep moving with The Times. Yeah.

It'll just be you I now. Yeah. Okay.

I'm sorry. See you later.

I'm kidding. I'm kidding. Kidding. Kidding. I gotta ask.

And I know there might this might be a yelling match question. I'm so sorry. Oasis or blur?

Oasis. Oasis. It's not even a fucking question.

I'm so sorry. Blur. I am.

Oh, no. Right.

I meant I'm not blur. Blur. I'm only joking. No.

That's you, Gordon.

Oasis Oasis because Oasis is so influential to us. If I'm from Manchester and Yeah. Like Yeah. We kinda we kinda grew up with that and that's a loads of like anyone who anyone's lying who said that they've not influenced them to get in band. And they've influenced us to get in the band.

This is my deal with Oasis. Okay? Too obsessed with the Beatles. Too obsessed with the Beatles.

No. No. No. I do agree I with with that. Too obsessed with the Beatles.

I know. I know. And I love the Beatles. And I love the Beatles. But there's gotta be I mean, there's like five songs from them that sound exactly like a Beatles song.

Well Probably

five songs from loads of other artists as well that sound like

the Beatles.

Yeah. That They

are a very influential band.

How would you describe your music in three words? Can only be three.

Really fucking good. No. Like, indie, rock, pop, pop. I'd say them three.

Okay. Relatable, indie, and catchy.

What was, like, the biggest show you've ever played?

Maybe one of the fest ivals. Glastonbury Glastonbury was amazing to be asked to do that. Reading and Leeds Main Stage, that was like a pinch me moment for me. So, like, when I was, like, 16, I went watching Leeds festival, and I think Libertine's headlined it. And I said, I'll be on that fucking stage one day to be friends.

And then, however many years later, we got to play it. So that was like a pinch me moment. But there's loads of like any this tonight, I'll go with this tonight. This was the best. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah.

This is tonight for me.

This tonight? This tonight. Okay.

Being in New York City.

In New York City. It can be as complex or as light as you want it to be. If you were to go back in time, any time, what artist would you see? Dead or alive?

Mine would be Chuck. No. I'd say Muddy Waters.

John Lennon.

Yeah. That's okay.

Muddy Waters because he I'm David I'm Bowie. Bowie. I'm David Bowie. But they like came from I went really back in time in my head, like Chuck Berry and, like, all of Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Albert King, all them guitarists, Jimi Hendrix and stuff all came from that kind of era of Muddy Waters.

Do you think that this is the album that you're definitely gonna blow up with or was it the past one? And internationally, because you guys are already super huge in England, but as far as like in The US, do you think this is the album like this is it?

Which album do you mean album two? Yeah. Yeah. Well, it's it's obviously a natural progression. I think that album's gonna do us great everywhere we go, hopefully.

And then we just see how it goes with with anyone who likes it or don't doesn't like it. And then album three will come after it, and we'll just keep on we'll just keep on plugging away until Yeah. Something sticks.

Not enough musicians are going back to the acoustics, which is why I really like this album because I love the acoustic versions. So

we tried to do something different, but I think I don't know. We don't write for anyone else. We kinda do an album based on what we're feeling or what we wanna put out. We don't do it for, like, certain, like, markets or anything like that. We just do what we wanna do and what we feel is right.

And people like it, people like it. People don't like it, people don't like it. Like, take take it or leave it kind of thing. And it's been received really well and we're buzzing with it and then we'll get on to the next one as well.

I think your next one should be a live album.

Yeah?

You guys are ridiculously good live. You're great in studio, but I feel like when people find a band that sounds really good in live sessions, they're after it. So do a live session, please.

We'll do a live session.

Quick. Can I get a legal ID? So just say, we're the KAs. You listen to KBVR Corvallis. You guys can say it together.

K b v r Corvallis.

We are the k's and you listen to KBVR with Alice. No. Corvallis. Corvallis.

Alright. Thank you.

Alright. Cheers.