| 
Feature: Jack Foley
WHEN Radio One’s Zane Lowe played the Alterkicks demo in
November of 2004 little did he know that, for once, he wasn’t
the first in the queue.
Through a year of shows in their native North West, Alterkicks
had quietly gone about building a solid and widening fanbase without
any notice from the rest of the country.
Once the demo was played, that soon changed and the record companies
also pricked up their ears.
In tandem, more and more fans registered with the site and started
a campaign for the band to play in the South of England - a request
that was finally fulfilled when they supported Thirteen
Senses at Shepherd's Bush Empire on Monday, March 7.
So far this leads us to Alterkicks debut single through the internationally
renowned first home for all decent talent, Fierce Panda.
Released on March 14, Do Everything I Taught You along
with extra tracks, The Cannibal Hiking Disaster and
Do Me A Favour will be the starting point for the band.
Alterkicks were formed through adverts in shops in Merseyside
and Cheshire.
|
 |
Though now based in Liverpool, the
band are drawn from far and wide.
Now jobless as the pressures of the band overtook their first
chosen careers, the five are currently becoming experts on the
interest free loopholes of credit card introductory offers.
"You can change them every six months and transfer the debt,"
according to vocalist, Martin Stilwell. The working population’s
loss is Capital One’s gain it would seem.
The band has also been fighting their way through the usual appalling
early shows.
"We once did a charity gig in Croxteth Park to old ladies
and dogs. We were on after the raffle," confesses guitarist
and co-vocalist, Gareth Padfield.
However, the band has continued to hone their sond, until hitting
upon something that drew as heavily from the melodic intricacy
of Love as the sheer noise attack of Pixies to create a set that
is, for a new band, full of stone cold classics in waiting.
With a strident musical ability linked to Martin’s surreal
yet intimate lyrics, Alterkicks were keen to play outside of the
system until they were personally sure that they were ready.
When Zane Lowe nailed his colours firmly to their mast, that
time had come.
Based on the continued good reaction to their material so far,
expect to be hearing plenty more from the Alterkicks this year...
The Alterkicks full line-up is Martin Stilwell (Vocals);
Gareth Padfield (Rhythm Guitar, Vocals); Mike Oates (Guitar, Vocals);
Mark Karin (Bass) and Oliver Hughes (Drums).
|
