Alan Nimmo of King King talks to Rockgig





















Photo Credit: © John Bull

Rockgig had the recent pleasure to catch up with Alan Nimmo vocalist and guitarist for King King. 

Rockgig What was your musical influences when you started?

Alan When I was very young I heard Fire & Water by "Free" when I heard Paul Kossoff's guitar tone and the passion and flair he put in to his playing I was hooked! I started listening to bands like  Bad Company, Thin Lizzy, early Whitesnake along with Peter Green, Clapton Muddy waters. I could go on all day!

R What age did you start playing guitar?Self taught?

Alan I think I started playing guitar at around age 12! I loved to just play along to my favourite records until it sounded like what I was hearing! I never had any lessons or tutoring of any kind.

R How would you describe your style of playing?

Alan I would describe my playing as classic rock, Blues, very simple and honest! I play from the heart!

R How and when did King King come together?

Alan  Lindsay Coulson (bass player) and I have been friends for a long time and played together in a different band many years ago! (The Nimmo Brothers). We wanted to put our own group together and had our own ideas about what we wanted it to sound like and how we wanted to progress! So 5 or so years ago we put together King King!

R Where does the name King King come from?

Alan One of our favourite bands was a Blues band from California called "The Red Devils"
They had one live album before the singer and front man sadly passed away due to drug and alcohol abuse and the band came to an end! However, the album became this amazing cult record.. A one off classic... The album was titled.. " King King" which is also the name of the club that it was recorded in.
We loved the name and the sense of connection to our blues roots so it was the obvious choice for the name of the band!

R Who do you look up to from today's artists?

Alan I'm an old fashioned Blues/Rocker so I tend to stick to the classics like the bands I mentioned before and others like ACDC, Thunder, The Faces etc.. But there are a few new artists that I really like. Chris Stapleton, Amos Lee, Blackstone Cherry are just a few!

R 3 albums into King King's career you seem to have had a natural progression into people's psyche along with a huge amount of hard work.How do you look back at those 6 years?

Alan It has been a lot of hard work but it's been really exciting too... It's really nice to see the fruit of your labour and what's more important is that we continue to keep on making music that our fans will love and support us with! Every day is s new learning day when it comes to song-writing and producing albums and it's a massive challenge to keep coming up with something better each time but, it's a challenge I really enjoy! It still feels like we're just getting started so there's plenty more to come! 

R You have had an amazing few years with plenty of awards what has been your personal highlight?

Alan There have been so many highlights over the last few years and all for different reasons. From touring with the legendary John Mayall to simply watching our audience grow each time we go on tour! I think though that the best moment so far has to be when we were given the honour of touring with o e of my all-time favourite bands - "Thunder" in February this year and we got to play and London Wembley Arena! To walk out on to that stage in front of seven thousand people, most of which by then had become King King fans was just breath taking!

R As a band what do you think you bring to the table as a band and what is your stamp of originality?

Alan I think the thing that sets us apart from others and what people like about us is that we play with absolute honesty and passion. In all honesty.. King King aren't breaking any new moulds but we are keeping the standard and traditions of good old fashioned rock n roll music intact and hopefully we give the people that come to our concerts a great time and they will want more!


Photo Credit: © Laurence Harvey

R Reaching For The Light has been amazingly received by critics and fans alike.Now 10 months after it's release how do you look back at the finished product?

Alan As an artist and performer then you will always look back at something and wish you'd done this or that a little different or better but honestly, we are very happy with how "Reaching for the light" turned out. If you can produce an album that you can't find some kind of fault with then, it's probably time to try a new career!

R How long did it take to write Reaching For The Light?

Alan Due to the heavy touring schedule we have it's very difficult to write an album quickly or all at once.. But we work tirelessly In between shows and sleep to get everything done.. I think we spent a total of 20 days recording but the songs cMe together fairly quick... Just all at different times!

R Do you write individually or together?

Alan  I am the main song writer but everyone contributes to the end result!

R Can you tell me the inspiration behind any individual tracks?

Alan I would be here all day if I did that! One track that is special to me is the song "you stopped the rain" I wrote this about my older Brother Stevie Nimmo when he went through a period of illness. I just wanted to talk about how proud I was of how he handled the whole situation and wondered whether or not I would've been able to be the same if it were me!

R Do you demo the material before recording?

Alan Yes, we do demo the material before recording... I find it's the best way to really fine tune the detail before we finalise an arrangement. It's a very exciting process.

R And play live together in the studio?

Alan We demo the stuff live but when it comes to tracking then we record one thing at a time but sometimes we can be playing guide-tracks as a band along with whoever is recording their part just to get the best feel!

R You are never off the road it seems how was the recent Mahindra Festival in India?

Alan What an amazing opportunity we were given to go all the way to Mumbai! The festival was fantastic.. There is a real thriving and still growing blues/music scene over there and it was wonderful to be a part of it all! The difference in culture was at times overwhelming but the people of India are simply amazing.. We were looked after so well.. I also got to meet the wonderful Joss Stone and one of my musical heroes.. Keb Mo!


R Straight back to the UK and support to Thunder.How was that?

Alan It was just amazing to get to go on tour with Thunder who are one of my all-time favourite bands... I've been a huge fan for many years and they have been a massive influence on me.. In particular Danny Bowes who is one the best vocalists I've ever heard. So to get to chat and hang out with the guys a little bit on tour was like a dream come true.. What was even better was how complimentary they were about King King! They very much enjoyed what we did and I even think a few of the guys watched our set almost every night!

R We saw you in Bristol and the reception from the crowd grew with every song,Was every venue like that?

Alan We've been so lucky on this recent tour and indeed every tour so far.. The audience have been so supportive and I would like to say a huge, huge thank you to all of the Thunder fans who were willing to come in early and give us a chance.. We've made so many new fans and friends from this and we're chuffed!

R Wembley Arena too.Did you approach an arena show differently?

Alan I think we've been waiting for a chance like this for so long and when it came it would've been understandable if the lads and I had cramped up a bit with coming from such smaller venues to an arena show... But, all I can say is that all 4 of us just loved it.. For me it was like coming home! I really don't want that to come across like I'm being arrogant.. That's not how I mean it.. I just feel like we're ready to take the next step as a band and for me personally.. Playing at Wembley only made me more determined to get back there by ourselves!

R And what is planned for the rest of 2016?

Alan Well, there's lots of things happening this year.. We continue to tour and we will be recording our first "Live" album as well as recording our 4th studio album.. We're writing, rehearsing and getting demos done In between being on the road! It's non-stop but we wouldn't have it any other way!

Rockgig would like to thank Alan for his time and to Peter Noble of Peter Noble PR for setting up the interview.

King King embark on a nationwide UK tour on May 12th with very special guest Dan Patlansky


KING KING
MAY 2016 UK TOUR
WITH SPECIAL GUEST DAN PATLANSKY

ALL TICKETS: £20
24 HOUR BOX OFFICE – 0844 478 0898
BOOK ONLINE – www.thegigcartel.com


MANCHESTER ACADEMY
THURSDAY 12 MAY
Tickets: 20 / Box Office: 0161 275 2930
Book Online: www.thegigcartel.com
Oxford Rd, Manchester, M13 9PR

GATESHEAD SAGE
FRIDAY 13 MAY
Tickets: £20 / Box Office: 0191 443 4661
Book Online: www.thegigcartel.com
St Mary's Square, Gateshead Quays, Gateshead, NE8 2JR

GLASGOW o2 ABC
SATURDAY 14 MAY
Tickets: £20 / Box Office: 0844 477 2000, 0844 478 0898
300 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3JA

SHEFFIELD CITY HALL
SUNDAY 15 MAY
Tickets: £20 / Box Office: 01142 789 789
Sheffield City Hall, Barkers Pool, Sheffield, S1 2JA

GLOUCESTER GUILDHALL
WEDNESDAY 18 MAY
Tickets: £20 / Box Office: 0844 478 0898
Book Online: www.thegigcartel.com
23 Eastgate Street, Gloucester, GL1 1NS

CRAWLEY HAWTH
THURSDAY 19 MAY
Tickets: £20 / Box Office: 01293 553 636
Book Online: www.thegigcartel.com 
The Hawth, Hawth Avenue, Crawley, RH10 6YZ

SALISBURY CITY HALL
FRIDAY 20 MAY
Tickets: £20 / Box Office: 01722 434 434
Book Online: www.thegigcartel.com
Salisbury City Hall, Malthouse Lane, Salisbury, SP2 7TU

BIRMINGHAM TOWN HALL
SATURDAY 21 MAY
Tickets: £20 / Box Office: 0121 345 0600
Book Online: www.thegigcartel.com
Birmingham Town Hall, Victoria Square, Birmingham, B3 3DQ

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