Interview with To Kill a King
There's lots to catch up on, as I chat with frontman Ralph Pelleymounter about new tours, live EPs and asking Charlie Barnes and FOURS to support them
To Kill A King were one of the first bands I interviewed back in my student magazine days and it’s always a pleasure to catch-up with Ralph (Pelleymounter, frontman), whether it’s in the bar of The Bodega in Nottingham or via Zoom, as it was in this instance.
Now that they have announced a new six-date tour for Jan/Feb 2024, after more than three years away, and surprised everyone with a new live EP, there is a lot to catch everyone up on!
Ralph is “really excited” about the tour and I have to do a bit of fangirling and admit that, I too, am very excited not least because the support acts that have been announced (Charlies Barnes and FOURS) are phenomenal, too. The venues they picked, such as the Brudenell Social Club in Leeds, were ones they “really love” and also serve as a “trip down memory lane”.
To Kill A King are going on tour in 2024 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the release of ‘Cannibals with Cutlery’. Getting together to play the songs has brought a “certain freshness” to the songs. “We are all just loving playing [the songs] again. We never got to the point where we weren’t but, I think, sometimes, you take it for granted and also the fact that together, we can make that sound. We’re going to do the whole first album and then we’re going to do a few songs at the end. So it’s a bit different and it’s a long time since we played some of those songs from the first album. Like years and years and years.”
Ralph mentions that they won’t be playing the re-released version of ‘Cannibals with Cutlery’ with the bonus tracks. They will be playing the original version.
To Kill A King have been working out how to have rehearsals together as not all the members are based in London, so Ralph has been travelling to see Ben Jackson (keys) and then rehearsing with the rest of the lads who are in London. “We’re giddy with excitement, because it reminds us of the old days. We also haven’t all really hung out in the same way in years and years so it’s great. We’re really looking forward to it.”
Meanwhile, the ‘Unplugged in Berlin’ EP brings back fond memories for Ralph and the band, and features six stunning performances - with guest vocals from Charlies Barnes and Bastille’s Dan Smith on the final track, ‘Choices’. “We have never released a live album or EP before so it was really nice and it was a great tour. We were supporting Bastille, Reorchestrated tour, and we also love playing in Berlin.” Germany is a country which has a strong TKAK fanbase so this EP must be an extra nice surprise for Berlin-based TKAK fans as a “little snapshot of that time”. Ralph adds: “Hopefully people will have a listen and have a taste to come and see us again.”
Ralphs described being in an independent band was “tricky”, bu said they had always planned to reconvene and work on the fourth album after a short break. The Covid-19 pandemic “disrupted everything” and meant the fourth album hasn’t emerged. “That just pushed everything back and it kind of got to the point where it had been so long, I didn’t really know if everyone was going to be on board with it…That was the nice thing, I think, that everyone was suddenly really excited to do it.”
As mentioned, Charlie Barnes and FOURS are supporting To KIll A King on their upcoming tour. “We’re so pleased and it was just lovely. We reached out to those two. Charlie, wonderful to have him. He’s a joy on any tour that you’re on and then, FOURS, are kind of reforming for it which is the biggest honour you can have. It’s just amazing.”
Ralph’s favourite track on the ‘Unplugged in Berlin’ EP is ‘Bloody Shirt’. He says: “I just think it’s played really well. One of the things is listening back, I was just really pleased with how well everyone played. Sometimes, when you’re quite close to doing something, you can be quite hyper-critical of how you play and what you do, but then - because it’s been a number of years since that gig now - I can listen back. I guess, I’m just not as close to it, so I can be like, ‘Actually, it does sound pretty good.”
To Kill A King will be touring in Jan/Feb 2024 (UK) and ‘Unplugged in Berlin’ is available now.
So cool that you know the band! I'll be seeing them in Brighton!