King King

Right now, King King are a band breaking into a swagger. There’s no denying the momentum of the Glasgow rockers saluted as “the best blues-rock band in the world” (Blues Rock Review). But for Alan Nimmo (vocals/guitar), Lindsay Coulson (bass), Wayne Proctor (drums) and Jonny Dyke (organ/piano), it’s far from mission accomplished. “We’re not stopping to smell the roses,” says Alan. “We want to take this band as far as we can.”

If the year ahead weren’t so busy, King King might allow themselves a moment to reflect on the triumphs of 2017. In another year of quantum leaps, perhaps the main event was Exile & Grace. Mixed by Chris Sheldon (Foo Fighters, Feeder, Therapy?), this fourth album was released October 13th, unveiling a tracklisting that bristled with sharply observed lyrics and blues-rock firepower. “There’s an underlying theme on the new album,” explains Alan. “Some of the main songs are about the state of the world, y’know, this beautiful blue planet that’s turning into a battlefield. There’s an edgier, rockier feel this time around, but you’ve got the soulful ballads as well. It’s still King King. It’s just what we’re doing now.”

For a band with press plaudits to burn, it was no surprise to see Exile & Grace saluted by the rock media and crowned as Classic Rock’s Blues Album of the Year. Likewise, it was business as usual as the album stormed to the top of the iTunes and Amazon Blues charts. But this time around, there was no mistaking the sense of a band making its commercial breakthrough, as Exile & Grace hijacked the official UK album charts (at #31), putting King King amongst the A-list and firmly onto the mainstream radar.