What inspired the name of the band? What are your influences and are they the same as when you started out?
We wanted something that combined energy with confidence, and Adrenaline Kings seems to do the trick. Our main influences are 80s rock. It’s not the only thing I listen to, but it’s the only thing I can play, so as the main songwriter in the band, that’s the direction we go in!
How and why do you write what you write?
Every good song has to start with a good idea: a catchy riff or hookline, and you can’t force that. It has to come from divine inspiration. Once you have that, you can work on it or put in the vault for later, but the rest of the song is simply crafting it in a workmanlike manner. Lyrically I write about whatever happens to be on my mind. That could be news, world events, relationships, a drunken dispute at the bar. It’s all fair game!
I started playing guitar in 1989 and that’s what stuck with me. The other guys are a little younger but somehow latched onto more or less the same genre, so it’s a foregone conclusion that we play 80s rock!
How and why do you write what you write?
Every good song has to start with a good idea: a catchy riff or hookline, and you can’t force that. It has to come from divine inspiration. Once you have that, you can work on it or put in the vault for later, but the rest of the song is simply crafting it in a workmanlike manner. Lyrically I write about whatever happens to be on my mind. That could be news, world events, relationships, a drunken dispute at the bar. It’s all fair game!
I started playing guitar in 1989 and that’s what stuck with me. The other guys are a little younger but somehow latched onto more or less the same genre, so it’s a foregone conclusion that we play 80s rock!
How do you decide what to play live?
Really whenever we have a new song, we play it live to test it out. If the response isn’t as good as we’d like, we gradually weed out the chaff. You also want a live set to be a bit varied: different tempos, different keys, different time signatures if possible. And finally, you want a live show to be energetic, so not too many ballads obviously. So all that influences the setlist.
We don’t really record anything we can’t play live. And even if it doesn’t sound exactly like the recording, that’s fine. I prefer a live version to sound different from the recording anyway – otherwise you can just stay home and listen to the recording, right?
How do you decide what to play live?
Really whenever we have a new song, we play it live to test it out. If the response isn’t as good as we’d like, we gradually weed out the chaff. You also want a live set to be a bit varied: different tempos, different keys, different time signatures if possible. And finally, you want a live show to be energetic, so not too many ballads obviously. So all that influences the setlist.
We don’t really record anything we can’t play live. And even if it doesn’t sound exactly like the recording, that’s fine. I prefer a live version to sound different from the recording anyway – otherwise you can just stay home and listen to the recording, right?
What plans do you have for the future?
Just to keep writing, recording and releasing new material. It’s more of a labor of love at this point anyway, and since recording isn’t expensive any more, the obstacles are quite surmountable. Check out our newest song “The Grand Tour” by the way… especially if you like the Gran Turismo video game!
https://youtu.be/z5yeRK2-ZnA?si=-qLgpcz04vrHt-FW