King Adora

When King Adora emerged onto the scene at the end of 2000 they did so in a whirlwind of sex, drugs n rock n roll with stories of on tour antics following them wherever they went. However, despite a devoted following, the Brummie quartet were dropped at the end of 2002 after their label, Superior Quality were taken over. On the day that comeback single, ‘Drag’, was released I caught up with lead singer Matt ‘Maxi’ Browne to see if the bite and swagger was still there…

“I think ‘Drag’ kind of personifies he band,” he begins, as we sit in a corner of Manchester’s Roadhouse, “I wanted something that was glamorous and exciting lyrically as well as musically. Whether it’s representative of the new stuff I’m not sure. The album’s kinda indicative of where we were, where we are and where we’re going. As a song, it’s (‘Drag’) probably more where we’re going to as it’s a little bit heavier.”

“The plan is to have the album out by the end of February in order to get the festival bookings and a tour to go with that. I’ve still got to come up with an album title by the end of the week! Hopefully we’ll get a single out mid summer and then possibly the first single from a third album at the end of the year. We’re hoping for a quick turnaround.”

Quieter than on previous meetings and wearing an oversized leopard print coat, you would assume that the thought of rebuilding a career would be somewhat daunting,

“I don’t think much has changed from when we were first starting, other than that the fans are there. A lot of bands that have been dropped aren’t so lucky but thankfully we have a wonderful fan base behind us. We’re very lucky like that.

"Nothing’s changed with King Adora; all it’s about is originally. If you’re on a major record contract then you’re obviously being put out here, there and everywhere, so more people find out what you’re doing. With us it’s a little bit more difficult as it’s harder to get played on the radio, it’s harder to get into the major press. Obviously you have to try and gig it. However, if you look at bands like The Darkness and stuff, they weren’t played on Radio 1 and NME hated them to begin with but they just toured and toured and toured. We’re a live band, that’s what we’re going to do until people take note.”

The conversation comes round to the band’s reputation and whether Matt views it as a help of hindrance? “And what reputation would that be then, Holly?” he asks, with raised eyebrow and Cheshire cat grin across his face.

I decide against reciting the review of a few years back that claimed ‘King Adora are he sort of boys who’d try knob you on the back seat of the bus on the way home’ and instead quote from the new single with it’s chorus of ‘sex and drugs and money’.

“Well read into it what you will but hypothetically, if we had a reputation,” he says, smile widening, “it’d be a bit of both depending which way you looked at it. I think at the end of the day it helps that we’re not boring. It’s a lot of talk, a lot of hype. Part of which we helped to create and part of which was other people. It becomes like Chinese whispers.”

Of course with the Chinese whispers it’s hard to get any real view of how the band have viewed the last few years which as well as seeing top 30 singles and packed out festival slots, has also seen them without a record deal and a return to venues they were playing three years ago.

“Well the lowlight was obviously the end of 2002/ start of 2003 – that was pretty shit but the highlight you could say was when we were in Japan and up on stage at Reading but at the same time it was very hard for us personally. At the moment the highlight is now, the way the tour’s gone – we’ve done six gigs and every one’s been good. We’ve enjoyed this more than the last tours, we’re a lot happier in ourselves as a band, a lot more confident with who we are and where we’re going.

"Granted we’ve had some bad press but it doesn’t bother me. Whether they’re in the press or the local newsagent’s there’s always going to be somebody scared of something different, I’m not surprised by some of the things out there. Personally what we’ve been through in the last year and a half, a lot of bad stuff, so if someone makes a flippant comment about how we look or something it’s not going to hurt us really. I’ve heard a lot worse.”

As our conversation draws to a close we turn to the subject of Christmas number one. With ‘Drag’ a pretty safe bet to be not in the running, who would Matt put his hard earned cash on?

“Who do I tip? It’ll probably be something shit like the Pop Idols or fucking Cliff. I know The Darkness are releasing but I haven’t heard it. It’d be good if they did it but I think the reality will be something crap,” finishing his cigarette and heading off to sound check he concludes, “my favourite Christmas record has got to be Wham, ‘Last Christmas’ which is an absolutely outstanding piece of song writing and I mean that sincerely. I’d quite like to cover that.”