TURTLE TEMPO

TT: First of all, how have you guys been doing?

Luke: Yeah, we’re doing alright. It’s quite tough when you’re starting up a band because  nothing seems like it’s happening at all until you actually start launching it. So, it’s all very much behind the scenes, but we’re ready to burst onto the scene now, aren’t we?

Ben D: Yeah, I agree with Luke because it’s been frustrating, especially with family members, because you go round at Christmas and Christmas is a horrible one sometimes because they’re like, “What you doing now with the music?” and it’s like, “Not much to be honest with you, just with my mates writing some average tunes” haha. Even though it’s been frustrating, it’s nice that it’s finally all coming out and I’m excited to play.

Matt: Choosing what clothes you wanna wear is the main bit.

TT: And we have got a new band member, introduce yourself.

Ben H: I’m Ben, nice to meet you. I’m good yeah, haven’t played much music for a while so it’s nice to get back into really.

Matt: He’s always complaining about how loud it is, saying it’s too loud and that.

Ben H: I like serenity and that.

Ben D: He thought he was joining like an acoustic trio.

Matt: Acoustic blues band haha.

Ben D: That’s how we advertised it!

TT: What prompted the new project?

Ben D: Well yeah, it was getting sort of internally quiet and stale and we felt that we just needed a bit of a refresh so I think we decided before everyone else knew that we were ending [Idle Frets]. When we decided, we knew we were going to do something else, we didn’t know quite what but we just thought give it a bit of time and it’ll sort itself out. And then we got Mr Ben here, younger brother of RIP Dave Hennessy (previous band member). So we just sort of let it happen, rather than push it and rush it. Obviously there was no point us going to do a reset if we didn’t know what we were getting into.

TT: Is there any family resemblance between Luna Kings and Idle Frets?

Luke: I think for anyone who has listened to Idle Frets, will hear hints of it because obviously it’s the same songwriter, same vocals but we’ve packed more of a punch I’d say. Like people that we’ve shown it to can tell it’s the same background but it’s a bit more heavier.

Ben D: We’ve got more balls to it!

TT: What inspired the name?

Ben D: It’s a strange thing to think of, a band name, because it’s like, ‘What do you call it?’. Because some things can sound really naff and like out of context, unless you’re a really big and cool band. So whatever we were coming up with, we were like, ‘Oh we don’t like it’. And I think it got to a point where it was like, the idea behind it was Luna – being the greek goddess of the moon. So the theory of that was, was that the moon always follows the sun, so we thought this is the project [Luna Kings] that’s going to follow the sun, being our first project [Idle Frets]. That’s where the Luna bit came about, I wanted to just call it Luna.

Matt: But there is also a really good artist already called Luna

Ben D: So we thought we’d make it a bit more masculine and add ‘Kings’ on the end, that’s the only reason it’s on there really. It’s not ‘cause we think we’re royalty!

TT: Are there any artists that take credit for the influence towards Luna Kings?

Matt: Idle Frets haha.

Ben D: I think the general basis, when we were in Idle Frets when that question was presented, was kind of like we all just like different things. Like we brought to the party, what we all liked to the party. So I guess it’s still that theory in mind, but just a bit more ballsier, more focused on the live scene and getting a bit more party atmosphere. More of the pop side of indie-pop than indie-rock, so it’s all leaned back the other way now.

Luke: With Idle Frets, I think we were always continuing to find our sound, but now we knew what it is we wanted to do and every song sounds a bit more coherent now. Because you listen to the old stuff and you would listen to one sound and it would sound completely different to the next.

Ben D: The new songs do go off like.

TT: How would you say you have evolved in this new project?

Ben D: How have you evolved Matt, you’ve been very quiet in the corner?

Luke: He used to be a Pikachu and now he’s like a Raichu

Matt: Basically, I’m just the same person. On a real note, it’s all fresh stuff so when I came to Idle Frets I was playing a lot of Erin’s (previous band member) old parts as well. So it’s kind of like the freedom to do my own stuff without the restriction because the songs were already released. So now this is all kind of my works. The only restriction is Ben [D] saying that’s s*** haha.

Luke: It’s alright, he says it to everyone.

Ben D: To be fair, I’ll say that to myself to get a bit of confidence back in my writing.

TT: Are there any local influences you have?

Luke: I can think of 2 straight of the bat: Clean Cut Kid and The Night Cafe.

Ben D: Yeah not that we want to sound exactly like that but the atmosphere and the environment that they create at their live gigs. They’re light-hearted but still upbeat, everyone is like fully into it. We’ve been trying to write songs that creates that sort of environment I guess. You always go to a gig of theirs and everyone is fully into and the reason for that is quite upbeat songs and really energetic and quite honest with the audience. I think we’ve always tried to do that with Frets and we want of keep that going.

Luke: Also the real aim is to have someone say, ’Oh that sounds like Luna Kings’, not that it sounds like a bit of everyone.

Ben D: Yeah because I think some guitar bands have fallen off the radar a bit.

TT: Yeah you can make the same riff 10 times over but it’s how to make it your own riff]

Matt: That’s deep that, I like that.

TT: Is there anything you guys are nervous about going into Luna Kings?

Luke: Just hope it doesn’t fall flat on it’s a*** I think haha. Back to the day jobs boys!

Ben D: I’m quite nervous for the in between songs for sets because when we were doing the old stuff, I almost knew what I was going to say because we’d done it so often. Tonight is going to be a bit of an enigma, I have no idea what’s going to happen, I could just curl up and be like ‘Erm next song is this…’. So yeah I’m a bit nervous about getting back and trying to speak to an audience. I have got loads of dad jokes lined up though.

Luke: The less said the better.

TT: And for the final question, are you excited at all?

Ben D: So excited!

Luke: Yes!

Matt: Can’t wait.

Ben D: I’m excited because no one knows the songs and it’ll be good from people not knowing the songs because I know I’m going to mess up at some point but nobody will know! If I remember 50% of the words tonight, I’ll be happy. There’s a song we were writing and rehearsing yesterday and there’s not a chance in hell I’ll remember the words.

Luna Kings are fresh off their debut live concert in the Shipping Forecast and are ready for the world to see what they’ve got. With their live show going off with such immense reception, we can’t wait to see what else they’re going to hit us with next.

Make sure to keep updated on their social media for any upcoming shows, news and events!

Twitter: @Luna__Kings

Facebook: Luna Kings

Instagram: @Luna__Kings