Going ‘Mad’ with Olly Corpe of The King’s Parade
Words by Audra Tracy
Meet your next favorite UK imports, The King’s Parade, a London-based four-piece set to drop a very promising new EP this week. It’s easy to connect with the Mad EP in just one listen – the songs have so much heart and alt-soul charm, you can already picture The King’s Parade touring with American acts like The Revivalists or Alabama Shakes in the future.
For now, the band is staying local, kicking off their biggest European tour to date next week in Madrid. We got a chance to chat with lead singer Olly Corpe as he prepares for a very big year…
Tell us about your new EP, Mad. Is there a message you hope to convey through the songs?
OC: I think with every EP we put out we want our listeners to take away their own messages. We’d rather people hear what they want / need to hear if that makes sense. Obviously all our songs have themes and stories that we can relate to but at the end of the day, one of the best things about music is that one song can mean something completely different to someone else.
What was it like recording at RAK Studios? That spot has some rich musical history!
OC: RAK studios is still one of our favourite spots. Everyone who works there makes you feel at home and despite that rich music history, egos are well and truly left at the door. Everyone has the same attitude that the studio is a place to work and have fun. You end up never wanting to leave!
Do you envision fans enjoying the EP in a certain setting? Can you paint us a picture of an ideal listening environment?
OC: Interesting question! I’d never really thought of that because I know people have their own listening environments that suit them. With this EP though, when we were picking the song order, I went on a long drive and chucked it through the car speakers. I was driving through some pretty amazing scenery and the sun was just setting which added to the vibe (lighting is super important to me). I listened through the whole thing and when it came to an end it almost made me cry. I guess for me I was hearing the full stop at the end of a project that we’ve worked so hard on. It’s always hard to let go of a recording because you feel like you’re never quite finished. Going back to your question though, I’d say dim the lights and have a good old listening session with your music buddy.
Would you say the energy of London living has influenced your sound? How so?
OC: I think anywhere you live will influence the music for sure. London is such a high octane city. Nothing ever stops and your work ethic follows suit. I guess it has pushed us to get our voices heard and has affected the music in that way. You also experience something new everyday which always helps for inspiration! You’re definitely never short of a story…
You’ve spent some time busking over the years – have you learned any valuable lessons from those experiences?
OC: We have done a lot of busking in the past and I feel like you learn a new lesson every time you play! An important one is to be ready to have some pretty heated arguments. We’ve had arguments with other performers, passers by and we’ve even been arrested for playing in the street. Even if you’re pretty peaceful like we are, there is always someone who’s up for starting a fight! You’re pretty exposed to all of that when you’re in the middle of the street.
The King’s Parade is about to embark on your biggest tour yet – what can fans expect at the shows?
OC: I can honestly say I’ve never been so excited to head out on tour. We’ve worked so hard to take our show to the next level and I think our fans are going to be stoked. We’ve stepped it up and I don’t want to ruin anything so you’ll have to come see us to find out 😉
