Hello Rockstars! Today I would like to talk to you about our Artist of the Week: Alternative-Rock Band K.E.W.K! Here’s their story in their own words, Enjoy! 🙂 Photo’s Courtesy of Avila Image.
VMS: “When did you start writing and performing your music. What’s your backstory and current lineup.”
K.E.W.K: “I have memories of writing songs as early as 1st grade. My first “performances” were around 6th grade when I would gallivant around the middle school playground with my friends with whom I was in an R&B/pop group. We sang our original songs on the jungle gym and pretended we were in a music video. Then, around a year later, I would busk in front of our local rec center with my best friend at the time. We didn’t make any tips, but we sure had fun. My first performances as an adult in our local scene were circa 2015, when I was about 20.
The idea for K.E.W.K. was originally spawned in 2019, after I left a cover band that I was playing with full-time. Things ended in a sour way with them, and I was also creatively sapped from playing other people’s music all the time. The situation I was in inspired me to write some songs after I hadn’t focused any energy on my own material in a few years. The original members were Spencer (myself)(guitar/vox), Nick Boswell (bass), and Nick Strader (drums) We played one show at Ferguson’s along with Sergio Adame (trumpet). Ultimately, we had different intentions with the band, and we parted ways. Then the pandemic happened. Eventually, in 2023, I met Patrick “Angel Bear” Webster (drums), and we joined forces with Christian Chavez (guitar) to get this era of K.E.W.K. off the ground. We performed without a bassist for several months before being joined by Mister Stoner. Eventually, I switched out the guitarist and drummer for Fez Reyes and Joe Kennedy. The four of us played together from February to May of this year. Fez is no longer with us now for personal reasons; we’re all still cool with each other though.”
VMS: “What is the meaning behind your name K.E.W.K. What does it stand for.”
K.E.W.K: “The meaning of K.E.W.K. is Kill ‘Em with Kindness.”
VMS: “What artist or bands inspire you and your sound.”
K.E.W.K: “Everyone that has been in the band from 2023 forward has had an impact on the sound, and we all have really eclectic influences. I personally take a lot of influence from Muse for their drama, elaborate instrumentation and song structures. I would say there’s some Mars Volta, Paramore, and Circa Survive influence sprinkled in as well. As far as big heads in my mind, that’s mostly it; but I take so much inspiration from so many places.”
VMS: “What’s your writing process and inspiration for your lyrics.”
K.E.W.K: “Whenever I want to write an instrument part, I sit down with the instrument and just fiddle around until I find something that I like or matches my vibe. My lyrics typically come organically whenever I’m going through something, something’s angering me, or something’s on my mind a lot. Sometimes I’ll match up some verses I’ve written at a separate time and match with an instrument idea I have. Sometimes the lyrics will come right after or during the writing of the instrument part.
I write a lot about love and sex, disillusion with life, distrust of the government and transformation through hardship. Lately I’ve been trying to expand upon the topics I write about. Recently, I started writing a song from the perspective of my mom watching me grow up and fuck up through adolescence and young adulthood. “You’ve got it down, don’t you Little One? You don’t need me, do you?” There’s some sarcasm in that, because I would never ask for help, even when I needed it.”
VMS: “I love your song “Compulsory Heterosexuality”. What is the inspiration or story behind this song.”
K.E.W.K: Thank you! It’s very personal actually. “Compulsory Heterosexuality,” or “Comp Het” for short, was born out of a time of withdrawal from romance. I had realized I didn’t always engage in certain relations because I wholly wanted to. Sometimes I did it because that was the “progression” of things and what was expected. I don’t typically have that issue when I engage with femmes, so I had to take a step back and sit with that. The culmination of my inner findings resulted in the chorus “I’m moving on from this – hand my gold, get nothing back. This regret is bound to last longer than an exchange of breath.” Basically, I’m saying I’m not doing things that don’t give me “FUCK YEAH” energy, because the regret is going to last longer than it was even worth. And the second chorus is an evolution: “This respect is bound to last longer than a displaced hope.” I’ve changed at this point in the song; I have more respect for myself and I recognize that maybe I was searching for something in the wrong places.
Listen To K.E.W.K on Spotify:
VMS: “What do you want your audience to feel and experience at one of your live shows.”
K.E.W.K: “I want my audience to be enraptured and swept up into another world of feeling. I want them to feel rage, arousal, inspiration, sadness, and love. I am beginning to realize that a majority of the songs I write are not necessarily boppers to dance to, but cinematic stories to tune into and sink your teeth in.”
Watch their cover of “War Pigs” on Youtube:
VMS: “Which local artist would you like to work with and why.”
K.E.W.K: “I’d like to work with Ronnie Wylder. She’s another powerhouse vocalist stepping onto the scene. Her music is accessible but still has attitude and personality, which I love, and I feel we’d make some crazy harmonies together.”
VMS: “What’s your overall theme or message of your music.”
K.E.W.K: “Be yourself. Feel your feelings. Fuck the government.”
VMS: “Do you have a favorite song that you like to perform.”
K.E.W.K: “Hmm, right now it’s either “The Line” or “Flying Lessons.” “
VMS: “Do you have any crazy or interesting stories from working in the music scene.”
K.E.W.K: “Once, I randomly opened for members of Boyz 2 Men at a private party at Backstage Bar & Billiards.”
VMS: “What does the future hold for K.E.W.K.”
K.E.W.K: “We want to put an album together. We have a lot of material already, but I think we’ll write some more so we have more songs that were written collaboratively, rather than having mostly songs that I completed myself and shared with the band. We will also be playing an out-of-state show later this year.”
Vegas Music Scene Thoughts: The interesting thing and what I love about K.E.W.K, is their passion behind everything they do. Every note they play, every song they sing, every genre they bend, the love they have for what they do is so magical, I wish I had a better way to explain the magnetism that you experience in their live shows. Their brilliant musicianship, mixed with those absolutely killer vocals, the possibilities for wherever they choose to take this band is endless. Whether it’s their amazing cover of “War Pigs”, The Gritty Explosiveness of “Black Hole Carousel.” or the dark ethereal vibe of “Flying Lessons”, the journey they take me on with their music is an amazingly complex evolution, and I’m excited to see what the next level will be for them one day. Just keep being the beautifully unique bad-asses that you are! And this is why I am proud to have them as my Artist of the week.
—–Vegas Music Scene.
For More Information on K.E.W.K, please visit their Instagram:
