Kings Never Die: Good Times, Bad Times And A Band Reborn
KINGS NEVER DIE are a band whose members can count time served in DOG EAT DOG, BIOHAZARD, MURPHYS LAW, MUCKY POP, ROBOTS AND MONSTERS and SHEER TERROR on their musical resumes so they definitely have the pedigree when it comes to hardcore punk music. The band specialise in rousing hardcore with an upbeat feel to it and this is typified by their latest EP release The Good Times And The Bad. We had a chat with guitarist Dan Nastasi and vocalist Dylan Gadino to hear all about the EP and new music, the band’s new lineup and how important it is for them to be back playing live music again.
Having been away from the action for a few years for obvious reasons, KINGS NEVER DIE are over the moon to be back and releasing new music and it’s not just the EP as Dan tells us. “I feel like we’ve been dying to get music out, because we have the EP, and we also have an entire full-length record already recorded. It really came down to, how do we get the music out? Fast Break! Records were able to find a way that we could at least get the EP out as fast as possible. That was really important because we’ve had tons of shows booked.” This is a sentiment that Dylan definitely agrees with. “I’m super excited, like Dan said, we’ve had some really great opportunity and played some really great shows, I’m super excited about getting the music out. We love playing live, and what I’m most excited about now is people actually recognising the songs, just seeing that like look in their eye and seeing people singing along. I’m really looking forward to it. I like the stuff we’ve released. I like the the the older stuff, that stuff is great, but I feel like we’ve evolved really well. I think we’re way better than we ever were.”
The rousing Rally was the first track that KINGS NEVER DIE brought out from Good Times And The Bad and is such a positive song which is an an inspired choice to reintroduce their new music. “Rally was the obvious choice to release as a first song”, says Dan. “We didn’t do a full video for it, we did a little lyrical video, but just having even that one song out, like Dylan was saying, you could see that there’s people that have heard it, and they react to it live. It’s always exciting when you work so hard on something and now people can openly and easily listen to it anytime they want.” Dylan adds, “it is like you said, it is a positive song and I think that is important. I think it’s a good cross section of what KINGS NEVER DIE sound like lyrically.”
This something that Dan agrees with, “I think the same thing. I think we are a positive band, we’re not dummies, we’re not burying our heads in the sand, we know there’s bad shit out there, but I think we’re trying not to dwell on the negatives and maybe promote the positives from it. It’s refreshing, I’m not the most positive person. I am a pretty dark soul, so the songs make me feel better. I hope they make the people that listened to them feel better, so yeah you’ve hit the nail on the head with that one.”
Jotham Oliver from WISDOM IN CHAINS features on the title track of The Good Times And The Bad and Dan and Dylan were very pleased with his contribution and working with him on the song, and guest appearances are something that KINGS NEVER DIE really appreciate as Dan explains. “We did a song, Raise A Glass on our first EP with Vinnie Stigma and Mike Gallo too. When we were putting the song together, I wrote parts of it as it was being put together and then the band had the input. When you’re getting to a point where you feel like a song is coming to completion, that’s when you really start to see it as a story, or a positive message. The content of the music is serious and for the most part, it’s very uplifting. It’s a positive message. and when we were finishing The Good Times And The Bad, lyrically, it’s very busy. There’s a lot of vocals on the song but I could really hear Jotham Oliver‘s voice on this song and Danny just called him up and was like, ‘hey, we’re finishing this track and we think it’s really a good track to have somebody featured’.”
Dan disclosed that the band’s forthcoming full-length album is all KINGS NEVER DIE though. “The full-length record has no guest vocals, or anybody featured, but this song, we felt like it just needed a little bit of something more. I think The Good Times And The Bad might be the best song on the EP. Personally, I think Side By Side is going to be the song that people can really get a grip to, but in terms of a complete song, The Good Times And The Bad is the story of young people’s lives as they reflect from their adulthood, back to their youth, and as they grow up through their youth to adulthood.”
The positive vibes with making this new music has reinforced the band as a unit and the positivity with creating it has resulted in an uplifting atmosphere as Dan continues “Honestly, it’s the music right now that we love to make, me personally, I’ve written a lot of stuff through the years and this is by far, I feel the most accomplishment in these KINGS NEVER DIE songs. I think it’s personally my best work. I also think it’s just like in 1994 with Dog Eat Dog, where we have five people who all really love each other, and everybody respects each other, and everybody wants to see each other do better and do well, not just in music but life, their families. When you have five people that really care about each other and are open to making these songs better. I think you wind up with the Good Times And The Bad EP, and in the end, the album is every bit as good. Probably much better. It’s a bigger picture for sure.”
Talking of the album, Dan and Dylan enthused about it and told us about the recording process for it. “The EP songs were recorded at the same time that we recorded the entire album. We recorded 15 songs total, so the EPs got 4 songs, and the record will be the other 11 songs. We probably will write some other songs and then be like, oh, let’s put this on!”
Before that though, the EP acts as a new beginning for KINGS NEVER DIE and the addition of BIOHAZARD‘s Danny Schuler on drums only adds to that. “That’s what the EP is about, really relaunching the band, we’ve been stagnant for two and a half years, we’ve done nothing and this is really like a fresh start, especially with Danny on drums, the whole band, the feel of the band, the sound is different with him on drums, and not just on drums, his creativity, his writing, working together, again, it’s like we said, it’s about the people that are together, you take a piece out and you put a new piece in, and it’s going to be different, and honestly, it’s been beautiful.”
This is a sentiment that Dylan wholeheartedly agrees with. “Yeah, I mean, he’s just solid in in all ways, obviously, his playing is solid, you never have to worry about like, oh shit, is he going to get this part?, he’s reliable and serious and wants to get better and better, that’s not always super easy to find. We had what we thought were permanent drummers, I guess, but It just didn’t work out. I’m slightly younger than the rest of the guys, so I grew up watching these guys play like as a fan, DOG EAT DOG, MUCKY PUP and BIOHAZARD and when he’s sat behind the drums, I’m like ‘yeah, that’s Danny Schuler from BIOHAZARD that’s playing and now I’m singing to his playing!’ He’s a solid dude.”
As well as being excited about the new music, KINGS NEVER DIE also cannot wait to get back on the road and playing live shows where they can play the material, and their recent shows have all been positive as Dan tells us. “Our shows have been EP songs and albums songs with a little of the older stuff mixed in. The first shows that we played with Danny on drums live. We basically played all new songs. It was almost like we were really trying to perfect the band live and there’s no doubt about it, playing live is our absolute best attribute. I honestly think that, the record and the EP, I love the way it sounds, but live. I really think we’re 10 times better because it’s raw! A lot of bands say that it’s hard to go out live and duplicate what you recorded but the reality is we recorded everything live and what we do on the record we definitely pull off live.”
We continue our chat with KINGS NEVER DIE by further delving into the euphoria of playing live gigs again as when asked how they felt being back onstage, Dan enthused. “Like a rat out of the cage. I’m enjoying playing live more than at any other time in my life. When I was younger, I felt like it was an obligation like we had to go do this tour and do that tour but when you start a new band from scratch, there’s a grind that’s involved in that. Nobody really gives a shit what you did 15/20/25 years ago. Nobody really cares, so I love the fact that what we’re doing is new, and we got off to a really good start two or three years ago, but the pandemic obviously stopped that dead in its tracks, but rebooting and starting over again, I love the people that that were playing with me. KINGS NEVER DIE is like a family, I love these people, so when you get to go out with your family, with people you love and do something, isn’t that awesome?!”
“Every time we go out and play live, I’m enjoying playing live more than any other time in my life. I mean, if it was up to me, we would play consistently all the time but let’s face it, it’s hard to get the opportunity. We’ve been really grateful to get some unbelievable opportunities to play live but all of that has basically happened in the last three, four months leading up to the release, now that the EP is actually being released. Now it’s like, okay, now we need to get on the road and we need to just continue to just keep slamming away at it.”
This is something that Dylan wants as well and tells us exactly what KINGS NEVER DIE are going for with both their music and their live show. “I agree with everything Dan said, personally for me, it’s a different experience, yes, I’ve been in bands all my life, but not at the level of literally everybody else, so, now when we go out to play, it’s a new band and KINGS NEVER DIE does not sound like the other bands we were in, I think it’s more of a straight up old school/crossover hardcore sing along. Big sing along choruses. It’s a different sound and we’re just grateful and appreciate any and all opportunities that we get.”
Rounding off, Dan discusses the possibility of the UK and Europe getting the chance to experience KINGS NEVER DIE in their natural live habitat. “With all this talk of live shows, when it comes to getting over to the UK, or to Europe, it really is just going to come down to who’s going to give us the opportunity to do it. I feel like after this EP comes out, our opportunity will come and we would love to open up on any compatible tour that’s offered to us. I feel when people hear what we’re doing, I think people will gravitate to it, only because we love it. I love what we’re doing. Dylan loves what we’re doing and when you believe in something, naturally, you’re gonna think other people will love it too. The market is saturated. I just don’t think the market is saturated with a lot of bands like us with a very new school approach but an old school singing along sound. I think it’s something different. In my opinion, it’s just a matter of time. I think people will, will gravitate to something that’s original and thank you so much for talking to us, man. We really appreciate it, and everybody at the mag, we are super grateful that you took the time to to speak with us.”
The Good Times And The Bad is out now via Fast Break! Records.
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