It’s that time again, when our man on the ground Desh Kapur Editor/Photographer All Music Magazine UK/Europe spotlights a bands or artists he thinks are going to have a big 2021 ; bands and artists we think you should check out to stay ahead of the curve
Misery Kids are hook-laden anthemic band, melding the sensuous allure of The 1975 with the infectious charm of Panic At The Disco. Overflowing with dreamy synths, silky guitars, driving drums and a huge chorus, it’s the perfect introduction to the band as they gear up to take 2022 by storm.
With a style incorporating elements of synth-rock and emo-pop, delivered with a signature dual vocal, Misery Kids were straight out of the blocks and their live presence supporting WSTR and Cute Is What We Aim For. The band’s first singles, ‘Never Enough’ and ‘Strays’, earned them support slots on UK tours in 2019 with The Dangerous Summer, Free Throw, Area 11 and October Drift.
The band dropped two more singles, ‘Nerve’ and ‘All or Nothing’, and performed their first headline show at The Crofters Rights, Bristol in early 2020. The show sold-out with fans travelling from all over the country and the energy in the room was electric. That ecstatic response surged through Misery Kids and spurred the band to take the nationwide lockdowns in their stride and write a huge amount of new material.
FOR FANS OF PANIC AT THE DISCO AND THE 1975
So we decided it was time to have a little chat with Nic Matthews, to see where they came from, what they have been up to and what their plans for the future are.
What is the story behind your name?
I had the name Misery Kids in the locker for a while and really wanted to use it for the right project. Misery is a mood that we can all empathise with and its meaning fits perfectly with the themes and messages we portray. Misery Kids is a collective which includes both us and our fans and we hope to inspire each other.
What first got you into music? or Who inspired you to make music?
Music was always playing in my childhood home. My mum was a dance teacher and encouraged me towards the performing arts. After a brief spell of acting, my focus turned towards music and in particular the alternative scene. This interest inspired me to take up drums, guitar and vocal lessons.
How did you all meet?
The two of us met 10 years ago. Both of our previous bands were playing the same stage at Hevy Fest 2011.
How would you describe the music that you typically create?
It’s poppy and highly melody focused. We pride ourselves on writing big catchy hooks accompanied by honest lyrics and feel-good music. MK takes inspiration from both 80’s synth-pop as well as alternative bands from labels such as Drive-Thru Records and Fueled By Ramen.
What is your creative process like?
We tend to start with a vocal melody or hook over an acoustic guitar. Keeping things stripped back in the early stages allows full focus on the melody and lyrics. We then build our sound with guitars, bass, drums and synth layers to support and compliment the vocals.
If you could go open a show for any artist who would it be?
LANY
What is one message you would give to your fans?
Be true to yourself, have faith in yourself and do your best to stay positive with whatever life throws at you.
What is the most useless talent you have?
I can make an exceptional owl noise…
Do you sing in the shower? What songs?
Yes… a lot haha, I don’t exactly have a set-list of shower songs, it just tends to be whatever is stuck in my head at the time.
What would you be doing right now, if it wasn’t for your music career?
I’d like to think I would have pursued my other passion, Snowboarding – maybe as an instructor. I love spending my time in the mountains.
Where have you performed? What are your favourite and least favourite venues? Do you have any upcoming shows?
We’ve toured the UK several times in recent years. Our favourite venues include The Joiners in Southampton and The Crofters Rights in Bristol, both have so much character and atmosphere. To be honest, we don’t really have a least favourite venue. However, we’ve certainly come across some difficult sound engineers on our travels!
What is your favourite song to perform?
Turn Off The Lights
Which famous musicians do you admire?
Michael Jackson, Dave Grohl, Paul Klein and Frank Turner
What is the most trouble you’ve ever gotten into?
Hmm… I’m not sure where to start with this one so I will keep it PC… but something that sticks in my mind was when I got a little too intoxicated one day after school. My friend had to call his mum to take me home where I proceeded be violently sick all over the white leather interior of her brand new BMW. Talking of my school days, I actually remember wetting my pants in primary school and I heard the stain on the carpet still remains to this day!
What is the best advice you’ve been given?
A friend told me about the circle of influence. It’s about focusing your energy and taking action on what’s actually controllable in your life. Stop wasting time on worries outside of this circle when you can’t change the outcome.
What’s next for you?
We are getting ourselves geared up to release our next batch of singles in 2022. We also have a couple of live dates in the works for February and will be announcing details on these soon.
FOLLOW MISERY KIDS
My life is a soundtrack, i track my life through music, photography is my passion, my escape, my expression. Without both i have pieces missing, thankfully i’m blessed and get to combine both.
Born in Manchester, lived in Australia for 22 years where i was heavily involved in the Australian Music Industry, firstly in bands (Singer) and then managing bands (all original), I moved back to the UK, Wales specifically 10 years ago and married my childhood sweetheart and life is good.
