Wednesday 31 December 2014

An Interview With... King of Cats

Earlier this week I announced that King of Cats' debut album Working Out had made it to number three on my list of 2014's best albums. I asked the man behind King of Cats Max Levy some questions and here are the results.


What made you want to start making music?

I am not quite sure. I think I was about 14, and was writing pretty terrible poems on a daily basis. It must have started as an extension of that. Certainly not an improvement. I started king of cats before I had begun learning an instrument.


Where did the name King of Cats come from?

I used to fancy myself as a sort of cat whisperer. I used to incite little hoards of them to follow me about. They don’t listen to me any more.


How long did it take to make your debut album?

It only took three days to record, but a year to release! I am not good at concluding things.


Are there any tracks on the album that you are particularly fond of?

I think ‘ulcers’ has always been a favourite of mine. I like melodies. There is something inherently satisfying about a song tied up with melody.


Is there a story behind the album's title and artwork?

Not a story as such. I found myself pre-occupied with the ol’ body for years and years, and it seemed to me to be a rational gravitation towards releasing an album with my butt in the centre of the record. Also, I felt like I had been exploring bodily themes pretty constantly and pretty unhealthily for far too long. I am trying to stop, and the album was necessary for me to do that.


Your record has been released on Art Reeks, whats it like working with a collaborative label rather than just one?

The people that run Art is Hard and the people that do Reeks of Effort have been friends for years now. Releasing on a collaborative label doesn’t seem so different from releasing on a regular label other than for being slightly more confusing. The thing about small labels is that you have to understand how much of an undertaking it can be to release a record whilst getting on with the rest of your life. The process can be reasonably haphazard, but it feels a nice way to put out a record. I’d do it again. In fact, I will do it again very soon.


If you could invite anyone (alive or dead) to sit and listen to your album with you who would it be?

Hmm, well if you are giving me the ability to play God I think I would go into a graveyard, throw a dart up into the air and then resurrect the person closest to where the dart falls. I guess I would reluctantly let them sit and listen to the record with me, but we would certainly both be thinking of other things. I think I would see if they would let us into any megaclubs.


What can we expect from King of Cats in the future?

Loads! I am doing a split with Shunkan and recording a new album in a couple of weeks.

I have also started yelping in another band, lower slaughter. We are going to release our first record verrrry soon.




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