KIDS ICARUS
Interview with Derek (bass), Brian (vocals), Dave (drums), and Adam (guitar)
By Stephanie Dubick
Who knew that a mixture of garbanzo beans, olive oil, and tahini could be the driving force behind one of pop punk’s best-kept secrets? To Connecticut’s own, KIDS ICARUS, this yummy, vegetarian delight renders lovingly in the hearts of all five of its members, just as much as punk and metal. But a discussion of the deliciousness that is hummus will not be had right now (sorry hummus enthusiasts), instead I’d rather venture forth and tell you about five New Englanders who have perfected the art of pop-punk to a fine T. With a prolific amount of transmittable hooks and sing-a-long choruses, (“It’s on Me”/ “Monster”), that’ll stick in your head like super glue or swallowed gum to your insides, you really can’t escape the fact that when it comes to writing melodically versatile music, KIDS ICARUS hits it out of the ballpark in a way that’s unique and like nothing that we hear in any other ilk-minded bands today. With the recent release of their self-titled debut off of Creator-Destructor Records, they’re getting there name out there, and what’s been said so far is a dream come true for any new band just making their mark in a competitive industry. So, without further due, please sit back, relax, and learn a little bit about the kids of KIDS ICARUS….
What I find striking right off the bat is the artwork to the album. It appears that the photo on the cover was taken in the Midwest. Who shot this and where was it taken?
Adam: The photo was taken by our bassist, Derek Andersen. When I was putting together the artwork, I knew that I wanted to go with a photograph of some sort. Luckily, Derek had quite the selection to choose from.
Derek: I took this shot a few years back in Northern California while on tour with my previous band, WRENCH IN THE WORKS. It’s the “back yard” of a gas station.
Being a fellow New Englander, (I’m from Boston), Connecticut has always been received as the more well-to-do of the six states. Did you guys grow up in the ‘burbs or were you closer to Hartford? If in the suburbs, then did you find it a bit difficult in starting a punk band? Is there really even that big of a punk scene in CT?
Adam: All of us grew up in fairly suburban areas. Derek, Dave, and myself are from the northwestern corner of Connecticut, Brian is from the southwestern chunk, and Marco is from north central Connecticut. Starting the band wasn’t all that difficult due to the fact that all of us have been a part of the music scene since we were kids, and have all played in various bands together. As for the local punk/hardcore scene, there are a lot of really cool bands that call this state their home, most notably HOSTAGE CALM, MAKE DO AND MEND, AMBITIONS, THE FLAMING TSUNAMI’S, LIFE IN YOUR WAY and MY HEART TO JOY.
How did you discover punk rock and metal? Who are your influences?
Adam: I grew up listening to mostly metal, but always appreciated the honesty that punk rock provided. Personally- and some of these won’t make any sense, however, for the sake of honesty, I’ll mention them- I’m very influenced by bands like SHAI HULUD, CANNIBAL CORPSE, DEFTONES, METALLICA, FAILURE, OPETH, ENSLAVED, PROPAGANDHI, KATATONIA and MOGWAI.
Brian: I think for the most part we all grew up playing and listening to heavy music. I think hardcore and metal bands are definitely a big influence on our sound, but we are also definitely influenced by punk bands such as PROPAGHANDI and A WILHELM SCREAM.
The track, “It’s On Me”, is the one of the heaviest tracks off the new EP. There’s a bit of a breakdown in the middle where it felt that maybe you could have gone even heavier, but you don’t. I’m kind of wondering why. Were there moments when maybe you wanted to explore that metal side even deeper but didn’t feel comfortable?
Brian: I will first say, in my opinion, there is a very fine line between heavy and cheesy. To me, heavy isn’t just about breakdowns and low tuned, chugging guitars. In my mind, “heavy” music is such a broad spectrum, from bands like CROWBAR or RINGWORM to bands like FAILURE. We definitely draw from all spectrums of it.
Dave: Going back to the previous question, it’s not necessarily that we wouldn’t have been comfortable with putting more of a metal edge on these songs, but rather it was about the vibe we wanted the songs to produce. The songs are certainly heavy and edgy at times, but there’s always an underlying, almost carefree feel that we wanted to maintain. Making that particular breakdown in “It’s On Me” heavier almost would have been the easy way out for us, considering our background in metal. I think what we were shooting for was just a section to groove in an otherwise fast paced song.
When describing the sound of KIDS ICARUS, you have called it (and I quote) “Boner Inducing Quality.” I laughed so hard when I read this. Do you think this EP should come with a pre-warning for those who are easily excited??
Brian: (laughs) Yes! That was the absolute best compliment we will ever receive, and yes, if you don’t enjoy being sexually aroused, then please take precaution before listening to us!
Going back to “It’s On Me,“ (which is the best song on the album in my opinion), you scream out, “I want to be forgotten/ I want to fade away.” Is that how you truly feel? What exactly is this song about?
Brian: Thanks! The song is basically about how badly we want to give up our jobs and daily routines to tour and write music. I didn’t necessarily mean that I want all my friends and family to forget me, I just wanted a change and wanted to “fade away” from all of the meaningless bullshit in my life and live a life on the road playing the music I love to play.
In the genre of pop-punk, (with the exception of a few bands), it’s been slowly fading out of the way, making room for the more popular screamo/emo friendly bands. What are your feelings on emo and do you think it’s just a passing fad?
Brian: When I hear the term “emo,” I think of bands like RITES OF SPRING or SUNNY DAY REAL ESTATE. I feel like the term has been marketed to such an extent that the word “emo” is meaningless. Music shouldn’t be about acting or dressing a certain way and today the majority of people think that that is what “emo” stands for. The same can be said for punk and hardcore as well.
So being that this is your first EP, ever, off of Creator-Destructor Records, are there plans of making an LP in the near future?
Adam: Yes. We are currently in the process of working on some new material. I’m not too sure as to whether all of the material we’re working on will end up on our full-length being that we’ve discussed trying to put together some split EP’s in the future, however you can rest assured knowing that we fully intend on releasing a full-length LP within the next year or two.
Talk a little bit about the T-shirts that you have for sale. I think they’re pretty cool looking. I especially like the one with the red blocks with the one block missing and the white dripping down, almost like blood. Who designed the shirts and what is the meaning behind the artwork?
Adam: I designed the shirt designs that we currently have for sale. As for the meanings behind them, they’re intentionally abstract so as to allow the viewer to interpret them as they may. I think it’s a bit more fun that way. We do, however, have a shirt that we are currently selling both online and at shows, which all of the proceeds received will be donated to Mercy Corps, a non-profit organization working to provide relief in Japan.
Can we expect an upcoming tour around the States? I know you guys play in NY a lot, but can we see outside of that region?
Derek: Yes! We plan on doing an East Coast tour in July with our good friends in HALF HEARTED HERO, and a full U.S. tour in August, possibly meeting up with HEARTSOUNDS out West.
Lastly, is there anything you’d like to add?
Adam: Eat hummus and listen to HALF HEARTED HERO.
Brian: Support Creator-Destructor Records. Listen to HALF HEARTED HERO and CANVAS. Eat more hummus.
