Robex Lundgren virkblogg.

Have any of you played in other bands? 

Before Sin Kings Filthy & I (Spud) played in a Punk band called Humbug that we started in 1996. Gino played in a Punk band called Gallows Humour.

I’ve also moonlighted with other bands on the Psychobilly scene such as Norm & The Nightmarez & Bastard Sons of Cavan. 

How is it that you started playing music?I can’t really remember! It was such a long time ago! Haha! For me personally it was after seeing the Ramones in concert & I decided that’s what I wanted to do! So I called Filthy the day after & asked if he wanted to start a band. 

What are your names? / Who plays what? / How old are you?

My name is Spud & I sing & play Upright Bass. 

Filthy sings & plays Guitar. 

Gino plays drums... & is ridiculously tall! Seriously he dwarfs the rest of us! 

We’re in our 30’s Gino’s not, he’s  the baby of the band! But he’s not far behind! 

Have you had other previous members?Yes, when we started out we had a different drummer but the current lineup is the definitive Sin Kings line up. 

Did you make music even when you were young? Yep, All 3 of us have been making music since our early teens. Filthy & I released our first album when we were 13. Gino released something with his old band too. Those records are still floating around somewhere.

Where are you from? We are from Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey in the United Kingdom. It’s just South of London on the River Thames. 

What year did the band form? We started in 2009 but didn’t really start Touring properly until 2014

What's your style of genre? We describe our sound as Punk Rock n’ Roll but we also fall into the Psychobilly category. 

What inspires you? Serial Killers, Horror, Punk Rock, Rock n’ Roll & Good Times! 

How often and where do you reherse? We Rehearse every week in a Studio called Crunch in Carshalton, Surrey. It’s run by a great guy called Gaz Milsom, he’s become a close friend of the band over the years. He’s a great bass player too! 

How have you developed since you started with the music? Over the years we’ve managed to create our own style within the genre of Psychobilly. By no means are we traditional but I like to think we’re pushing the boundaries. 

Do you have other interests of work outside the band?

I (Spud) am a keen boxer, I love boxing. 

Gino loves his Motorbike & rides a lot. 

Filthy teaches Guitar & has pet Rats which he loves. 

Are you looking for a booking agency, and what are your thoughts around that?We’ve never really used a booking agency before as we always did our own booking for tours of the UK & Europe but I definitely think we could benefit from a booking agency.

Are you looking for a label, and what are your thoughts around that?

Actually, we’ve just Signed to Western Star Records who are releasing our new album “Chelsea Smile” in the next month or so. 

I (Spud) actually have my own Label called Lucky Devil Records. We released our first album “The Devil Makes Three” on it. 

What made you decide to make this music?

After our previous bands we decided to pursue something different, but we always liked the old school Rock n’ Roll sound but we wanted to try & throw a bit of punk in there. Psychobilly was the Answer! 

We’d been listening to Psychobilly for years anyway. 

What are your songs about? We have a vast array of subjects from Serial Killers & mutant Canninbal Creatures who love on the London Underground to Psycho Ex Girlfriends & careless Cadillac Drivers! It’s all fun! 

Who does the composing and writes the lyrics?

I (Spud) write all the Lyrics, Sometimes Filthy will add something or rearrange them. 

All three of us compose the music & arrangements. We’re a really close unit & write so well together. 

Do you start with the music or the lyrics? That’s a good question! It differs from song to song. Mostly I think it’s the music. One of us will bring a bit of music to the room & we’ll play around with it & I have loads of lyrics in a book, so we’ll look through that & see what fits.

Do you compose in a certain inviroment? 

We always put everything together in the rehearsal room, but for me personally I write at home with a guitar. There have been times where I’ve been in a different country & had to sing the tune into my voice recorder on my phone. 

For example: I wrote the words to “one more round” from our first album in a hotel room in Prague after drinking Absinthe all day... 

Have you done any covers live? Yeah, we’ve done a couple. We play “Ace of Spades” by Motörhead & “Blitzkrieg Bop” by the Ramones. 

What language do you sing in?We sing in English

What are the least and most people to attend one of your gigs?It really Varies depending on whether it’s a festival or not. But I can safely say we’ve never played to an empty room! 

What ages are most of your concert attendants? Probably 18+!? Not sure! Old enough to drink for sure

Do you always play the same songs live, or do you vary? We always try to mix it up from gig to gig. Try to keep it interesting both for us & the audience. 

Do you have a regular place you play live often?

We’re very fortunate to get invited back to most venues, we’ve met some fantastic promoters & landlords of some great venues across the country that we continue to work with. 

I guess the place we’ve played the most is our local venue called The Fighting Cocks in Kingston. 

What was your first gig like?

Y’know, I can’t actually remember! I think it was in Croydon!? 

Gino’s first gig with us was Headlining the Pre party at Bedlam Breakout festival in Northampton. Poor Sod had a trial by fire but he smashed it! 

What was your latest gig? Our last gig was Supporting Batmobile in our hometown, that was great. Next one is in Norwich 

Have you had to cancel a gig? Unfortunately, yes we have in the past due to Circumstances out of our hands. We don’t make a habit of it as we don’t like to let people down. It’s always a last resort. 

Where have you played live this year? We haven’t played as much this year as we’ve been away recording our new album. But now we’re going to tour the hell out of it! 

Where do you plan to gig the comming year? We’re gigging up & down the country this year maybe hit Europe? 

When did you start to sell merchandise, and what do you have for sale? We started to sell shirts back in 2013, we still sell them & have some new designs coming. We also have our first album “The Devil Makes Three” for Sale too. 

Where can people buy your merchandise? Either at Gigs from our merch stand or online at www.sinkingsmerch.bigcartel.com 

What do you think about people downloading music instead of buying records now a days?

I used to hate the idea as I personally like to have the physical copy but since becoming a Label owner I realised its the way the 21st Century listens to & markets music. 

Spotify & iTunes are our biggest earner! 

How do you think the music industry have changed because of this? I don’t think the music industry had a choice with all the internet piracy. I mean, I don’t it’ll ever put an end to music piracy but with the sites like Spotify, Deezer & iTunes it was a real “if you can’t beat em, join em” approach, but from my experiences with these sites it shows there are still decent, honest people who still pay for music. 

What do you think of my work? I support anyone who promotes good music! 

How do you think and know that this interview will help you in the music business? I hope it will introduce Sin Kings to new people. 

Do you have any role models or idols? Too many influences! I always looked up to Fat Mike from NOFX as a musician & Label owner. Also love the Ramones & Motörhead. 

Is it easier to find inspiration from older bands, or bands that are more active today? I think from anywhere, good music’s good music! 

What have been your biggest obstacles?I think the biggest obstacle for any band is getting out there, getting the first gig & money will always be a pain. Merch, Recordings it all adds up! 

What advice would you give other bands or artists? Have Fun! Always make sure you’re enjoying yourself! 

How do you get psyched for a gig? We just chill together & get in the zone. Which normally consists of teasing Gino! 

Do you have any new material? Yep, a whole new album called “Chelsea Smile” coming out in the next couple of months on Western Star Records. 

What are your web sites?

www.facebook.com/SinKings09

www.sinkingsmerch.bigcartel.com

How can people reach you? Through the Facebook page. 

What are your plans for the future? Mainly Touring & having fun! 

Do you have something to add? Thank you for the interview Robex!