Name: Urban Surf Kings

Genre: Surf & Twang

Geographical Area: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Interview with: Rev Hank by email on 1/28/11

Last Interview date: 2/25/04

Band formed: 1995

NESMA member since: 2003

1. What is the current line-up of your band?
Rev Hank - guitar

Crash Flagg - bass

Spunky - drums

2. Has your line-up changed since your last interview?

Our long time drummer, Inky retired a couple of years ago at the ripe old age of 29.  As luck would have it, our original drummer Spunky (1995-97) had returned home.  It's seemed like the obvious choice.

2a. Did the change in line-up affect your sound or the direction the band was moving in?

It was weird in the way it brought back some of the early style of the USK and grafted onto where we were heading.  When we started, we played and wrote much simpler music.  As time went on, as a result of having a stable line up for 11 years, the music started to bring in influences from different styles, and the songs became more complex.

3. Since your last interview has your music taken on new or different directions? If so, how?

It's still surf.  The band has a looser feel than before.  That's not a slight to Inky or Spunky.  Playing with the same guys for 11 years, you develop a certain language and tightness. The arrangements are a lot looser, and there is a lot of improvising going on, all framed in the surf genre.

4. What NESMA bands have you had an opportunity to perform with, or share a show with?

9th Wave.  What a great bunch of folks and an awesome band!

5. What bands of any genre have you played with or networked with?

We've played with a tonne (Canadian - ed.) of bands over the last 15 years.  Whiskey Kisses (country), Straight 8 deLuxe (rockabilly), Brad Conrad (surf/blues), the Great Scots (1960's R&R), the Stolen Minks (garage), Big Sugar (Blues/dub), King Konqueror (ska)...

6. What is the break down of cover vs. original material in your live shows and/or recordings?

We play mostly originals live, and with the exception of a song or two, the same is true for our recordings.

6a. Has this changed since your last interview? If so, how?

No change.

7.  What recording have you done since your last interview?

Hmm, let's see:

8. Where does your band typically practice?

Honestly, we haven't practiced since the return of Spunky (3 years ago).  I come up with a set list, everyone reviews the tunes on their own and we see what happens live.  Any new material gets introduced at soundchecks or via email.   Hence the loose feel of the band.  It bothered me at first, until I embraced the unpredictability of the new live show.  Now it's a lot of fun.  The performance takes some really cool turns that we couldn't plan.

9. What does your band typically wear for a performance?

Anything to look sharp!

    
10. Do you ever have additional performers on stage with you?

Occasionally we'll have some people sit in, but they are usually loosely associated with the band.  Brad Conrad (guitar), Dave Page (bass), Inky (drums).

11. How do you continue to get gigs?

We've been around so long that I've developed a tonne of contacts.

12. Approximately how often do you perform out?

We like to play once a month, but the local scene has slowed down a bit lately.  These things go in cycles.

13. What have you found to be the single most effective promotional tool you’ve used to further your band’s musical path?

The internet.

14. What’s the most interesting performance experience you’ve had since your last interview?

Personally I have 2.  I played at Surfer Joe Summer Festival in Livorno Italy in July 2009.  Niki & Lorenzo from the Wadadli Riders played a set with me, and it killed.  The crowd ate it up...and we had no rehearsal.  I got to meet and hang out with a lot of cool bands there too: the Madeira, Pollo del Mar, Kilauleas, Wadadli Riders, Psycho Surfers, Los Twang Marvels, the Hangee IV and more.  What was really cool was that a lot of people knew who I was.

The other big moment was last April's tour of Antigua with the Wadadli Riders (again).  I was the first international "surf star" to play the island.  the crowds were large and loud.  The 3 of us recorded an EP, Rev Hank meets  Wadadli Riders, for the tour.

As far as USK goes, celebrating 15 years with a career retro-spective CD, and still having fun playing is a huge highlight!

15. What have you gotten out of being a NESMA member so far?

I've met some really great people, and found out about groups I wouldn't have known about.  Plus getting Unsteady Freddie to come up and host my Guitar-Fest one year was big fun!

16. Have you had opportunities to promote NESMA? If so, what have you done?

Not as much as I should.  I have pointed people in the direction of the website.