Emerging alt-rockers Kid Kapichi aspire to create a sense of relief from the modern struggles of a generation. Their latest single, ‘2019’ serves as a call to arms to take control of our destinies. Nevertheless, the quartet’s purpose to provide an upbeat form of escapism with dystopian elements scattered throughout.
The single comes off the back of a prosperous period for Kid Kapichi, following notable support slots with Rat Boy, Fat White Family, Fizzy Blood, Queen Kwong and Pretty Vicious. And while they’ve crafted out a reputation as a euphoric live band with the blend of punk and BritPop, they have a fondness for their hometown of Hastings.
While the South East coast town is known by many for the Battle of Hastings in 1066, Kid Kapichi represent a thriving cultural core that allowed the quartet to cut their teeth, following the likes of local natives Slaves.
To give us an insight into life in Hastings, we spoke to Kid Kapichi vocalist and guitarist Ben Beetham about its people, the local music scene and the impact its had on his band.
The City:
We’re from Hastings.
Its People and Culture:
If you’re talking ancient history it’s 1066, but if you’re talking modern day it’s definitely making a name for itself as a hub for music, arts, and festivals that involve all sorts of weird pagan shit.
It’s definitely known for its live music and party culture. You bring anyone here from out of town, even once, and they’re hooked on the town for life.
One of the best things about Hastings is the number of mental characters that fill the streets, literally hundreds. I think that there’s not much ego in Hastings, and people feel free to be themselves without fear of being overly judged. People of all ages and backgrounds are really close and there are no real barriers within the community when it comes to socialising.
The Music It Inspires:
To be honest, Hastings isn’t associated with any one genre. They span all over from like massive fisherman shanty choirs, to world famous Jazz singers, to heavier rock and a thriving dance music scene; and literally so much more.
The thing that ties it all together is that every act gives insane live performances. It’s just the norm here, we grew up watching all the older lot do it and just thought that’s what all gigs are like, so it’s definitely fed into how we play live.
The Local Music Scene:
The scene is one of a kind. People feeling free to be themselves really translates over to the music, there’s not that thing you sometimes get in cities of everyone trying to mimic whoever’s hot at the moment.
Each different act or band has its own unique spin, and audiences are always ready to celebrate things they haven’t seen or heard before – as long as the quality’s good.
Its Unsung Heroes:
You could honestly talk all day, but to name a few there’d be:
Dr Savage
Bob Tipler & Adam Daly
Andy Gunton
Sonny ‘Melinki’ Symes
Paul Osmond (Tublord)
The Bands To Watch Out For:
Again, a list that could go on and on, but Alibi are friends of ours who are making great music.
Another band called The Kiffs are definitely destined for big things. It’s worth mentioning that at the age of 14, they’ve managed to get their tune played on BBC6 Music.
The Venues We Visited and Played:
The venue where Kapichi cut our teeth was called The Tubman (RIP). It was grotty and loud and beautiful. Again it was no ego, no rules, anything goes type vibe and it just meant we could push our limits but also never be shocked or put off by things that happen in live scenarios after learning to gig there and seeing gigs there.
The Influence Home Has on Our Songs:
We kind of paid tribute in our song ‘Revolver’. It’s about how the town centre of Hastings is like the wild west on the weekends. The main lyric is “Too young to die, but I’m gonna try”.
Funnily enough, we were walking down the street that the opening line is about a few weeks after writing it, we got jumped and got our heads kicked in by a bunch of guys in the exact spot. At least we know we’re onto something with the tune haha.
‘2019’ by Kid Kapichi is out now on AWAL
Kid Kapichi links: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
March (with Calva Louise)
2nd Think Tank, Newcastle
3rd Garage, Glasgow
5th Oporto, Leeds
6th Night People, Manchester
8th Jacaranda Records, Liverpool
10th Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham
13th Prince Albert, Brighton
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