Bringing pop sensibilities to stirring rock songs without diluting them, Foxton Kings have meticulously created an EP that they'll be showcasing around the country this month and beyond to make 2019 their biggest year yet.
Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.
Joel Stevens - vocalist and visionary.
Alex Barker - drummer and manager.
Chris McKenzie - guitarist and morale leader.
Dan Rose - bassist and tour manager.
For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to Foxton Kings? How long has the band been around?
Joel - Wolf Arrow (solo)
Alex - Randa & The Soul Kingdom, Toby Beard, Grace Sanders.
Chris - Hunting Birds, Georgia Reed.
Dan - In League.
Foxton Kings began in 2015.
What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?
Joel grew up on Foxton Drive, south of Perth. We've rehearsed there a lot and wrote most of our material to date. When the band got started Joel had developed this alter ego, Harry Foxton, that he wanted to bring out on stage. However, the band name had to reflect the whole band, thus Foxton Kings.
Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs and do you think these topics will change over time?
Our most recent EP 'With Love' was written collaboratively over a 6 month period. Our process was:
improvise/jam/record
listen
hone
repeat
Joel writes the lyrics and they tend to exist between fantasy and reality. Themes on the EP include unrequited love, heartache, vengeance and murder among others. We find inspiration in personal experience as well as folk lore and history...so, our topics will change from song to song, etc.
What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?
The Hives, Jack White and a bunch of cheesy 80's rock/pop haha
Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?
A few artists...
Rage Against The Machine, Johnny Cash, Guns N Roses.
What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, ect …
Dan and Alex are 30, so there's a lot of stretching and swearing. Chris and Joel will either throw up or have a little boogie. Actually, if Joel has time he likes to watch an old film like Casablanca or something...
What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?
Being nominated for a West Australian Music award for best video ('Mookaite' 2017)
If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?
Queen, because I saw Bohemian Rhapsody and it looked pretty good. Also Dr Dre (etc) on the Up In Smoke Tour, that would have been rowdy.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
We'll be touring nation wide for the rest of 2019 with plans to head overseas soon!