King Tuff, aka Kyle Thomas, lives up to the expectations of his name. The fuzzed-out proto-metal rocker plays with the kind of garage band intensity that blends a 60s pop sensibility with loads of harmonized leads, and an acerbic wit to boot. King Tuff is part of the lineup this weekend at Forecastle (Port Stage, Sunday, 8:15 p.m.), so we caught up with him to dig into the fundamentals of his sound and history and his answers dont disappoint.
LEO: How did you start as King Tuff? How did your band come together?
Kyle Thomas: I started using the name King Tuff when I was writing pop songs as a teenager. It wasnt until many years later that I got an actual band. It came together by magnets.
LEO: How does the recording of Black Moon Spell differ from your previous efforts?
KT: It was the first record we made together as a band. Its different because we were all older and chubbier then. We are young and hot now.
LEO: How did you come to work with Burger Records? What about Sub Pop? What obligations do you have working with a record label? How does working with a record label affect your work if at all?
KT: I just followed the magic rabbits and they led me to all these wonderful people.
LEO: Do you enjoy recording? Do you use the studio to help you write, or do you try and have everything planned out going in?
KT: I love it, and it also makes me want to chop my own head off.
LEO: How do you compose music? Do the lyrics come first, or does the music? How do you balance the two?
KT: First, I make some cinnamon raisin toast and I put a lot of butter on it so it melts in nice and deep and then I squeeze some OJ with one of my giant man hands and then I wink at the rats and raccoons in my yard and then the song is done.
LEO: What constitutes a good live show?
KT: Bodily fluids.
This article appears in July 15, 2015.