Hard-rock/grunge band Kicksound are plotting their debut album and are drawing larger and larger crowds every time they play. This band hit our Top 10 Bands to Watch list last week and now we bring you a bit more insider information.
Tell me about Kicksound – how did you start and who are your members?
Olly: We’re a hard rock trio that was formed in Dubai last year. I’d say our songs are melodic but based around heavy riffs and grooves, with a nod towards the American alternative/grunge bands of the 90s. In true Dubai style, we’re very multicultural. I’m from England and play guitar and vocals, Gabriel (bass) is from Colombia and Branislav (drums) is from Serbia.
Are you all trained musicians and what kinds of bands have you been in before?
Gabriel: Yes we are trained musicians. I used to run two kilometers everyday and do lots of sit ups. I also do a lot of beer and whiskey lifting.
Branislav: We are trained to avoid all of life obstacles, play music and feel good about it! I started playing music in the Belgrade underground in 1989, and I like to play anything with lots of balls to it!
Olly: Aside from his beer and whiskey lifting, Gab is the most musically trained member of the band. He’s a music teacher by profession. Gab and I used to play in Fatiniza‘s band – that’s how we met.
How have your gigs been received so far?
Gabriel: Well it’s been great. Every time that we play, the people seem to react right away. We don’t have a demo or CD out there, we’re just building this like the old school bands did – playing our hearts out every gig.
Branislav: I’m happy there are people with the same taste in music that cheer for Kicksound and always ask for more.
Olly: The crowd reaction has definitely got better as our set has grown and we’ve become tighter as a band. At the last couple of gigs we’ve had people jumping around in front of the stage, which is fantastic. The next step is to get them singing along. Hopefully this will happen after we have released our record.
Can we expect an album or EP any time soon?
Olly: Actually, next week we’ve got the first studio session for our EP. We have eight original tracks and we’re aiming to record them all. Once it’s finished we’ll try to promote the band a lot more. We’ve kept it quite low-key so far because we wanted to build up a full set of originals and record a decent demo.
Where did the band name come from?
Olly: We booked our first gig without a name so we had to come up with something quickly. On the evening of the gig we were having dinner in a pub and we were bouncing our ideas around. After a couple of pints we reluctantly settled on Kicksound. I guess it was the idea that everyone hated the least!
Tell me one thing about each of you that your mother does not know.
Gabriel: I dunno, my mom knows it all.
Olly: Yeah, I tell my mother everything – probably stuff I shouldn’t!
Branislav: My mother still thinks that playing music is just a phase…bless her!
If Kicksound could play in a line-up with any bands in the UAE – which bands would you choose?
Gabriel: That’s a tricky one because there is so much talent here that it would be hard to choose. Riff Raff, Fatiniza, Nikotin, Sandwash, Kaz Money, Swerte and all the guys from that crew, Xceed, Juliana Down, also Sho? if they were still around. The list is just way too big.
Olly: There are a lot of good bands in the UAE and we shouldn’t forget to mention the likes of Absolace, Abri, Nervecell, Eye, Beat Antenna and Anuryzm. But if I had to pick one it would have to be Fatiniza. Gab and I played a lot of great gigs with her and the band. We’re still good friends and her new songs are really cool.
What is your favourite thing about playing in a band?
Branislav: The free beverage at the gig. Sometimes we even get two!
Gabriel: The jokes, especially the bad ones.
Olly: Yeah, we have plenty of bad jokes, mainly involving food. My favourite thing is when a complete stranger comes and says that they enjoyed the set. It’s even more satisfying if they’re not stumbling all over the place and reeking of booze!
You are each stranded on a desert island – a genie pops down and allows each of you to choose one item to have with you. What would your item be?
Branislav: A cold beverage.
Olly: A luxury yacht with a full tank of fuel and a full fridge of beverages. An idiot’s guide to sailing would be handy too.
Gabriel: Can I get a genie bottle with endless wishes?
Keep an eye on their Facebook page here to catch details on their upcoming gigs and EP!
Radio Metality UAE