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Shhhh…. I have a confession to make… Many of you have known me for my absolute LOVE and ADORATION of Heavy and Hard Rock and Roll but I must confess…..Long ago, there was a time in my wonderful teens and 20’s where I would take breaks from my Hard Rock life to head to San Francisco and catch my fix of Alternative Rock/Grunge-Punk. Oh how I miss those days, but you know what??? I have found a band that just brings all those great memories back…. No, they are not trying to make a comeback from the late 70’s or reinvent themselves from the late 90’s. The best part is they are a current band and you are going to LOVE them!!!

Hailing from West London is the effervescent trio of Katalina Kicks! These three guys pack a punch of energy, attitude and just pure raw fun. You can’t help but move to them and just let the energy flow through your veins. Their music just catapults to the next level of adrenaline which is reminiscent of my love for The Clash, The Kinks, Material Issue, White Stripes, etc. Take a listen and watch their video for their new song that I just can’t stop playing!!! “National Hero”

How about we get to know more about Katalina Kicks with an interview:

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Music Junkie Press: How did you all meet and form Katalina Kicks?

Jay: Ian and J were in the West London band scene at the same place/same time and started jamming together in late 2008 and the band came out of that.

Jase joined recently after a string of drummers self combusted as they couldn’t handle the pace and fury of the kicks.

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Music Junkie Press: Can you remember what was your first album you ever bought? and who are your musical influences?

Jase: I think it was Anthrax ‘Among the Living’. I love all types of music, anything with a good beat just inspires me to play better. From Iggy Pop to Hendrix, Kravitz to QOTSA.

Jay: The first album I ever bought was Milli-Vanilli – I was so distraught when they were ousted that I threw it away in disgust. My sister got me into Nirvana when I was 11, In-Utero & Bleach were thereafter played at ear-drum-bursting volumes. (And still are) I had a ‘dubbed’ cassette of In-Utero, and pinched the original cover from a local music store, thinking I had gotten away with it… 6 months later while walking by, the owner of the shop clocked me as the thief and chased me down the high-road. I got away, I could run fast. Black Sabbath, Nirvana, The Beatles, The Stones were all very early influences.

Ian: I was given some crappy compilation chart hit album when I was about 8 and played that to death but also was pretty obsessed at a very early age with my dad’s Beatles albums (Sergeant Pepper & White Album) and Through the Past Darkly by the Stones. I stole the latter album and still have it!

Ian: Nirvana changed my life, as did discovering The Clash and the Kinks for the first time. I’ve been listening alot to QOTSA, Arctic Monkeys, The Libertines & Iggy and the Stooges too lately.

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Music Junkie Press: Do you have any specific song writing rituals or who does most of the writing?

Jay: I generally come up with some ideas while pssing about on guitar, trying to take my mind off my hangover. I record them on a little dictaphone, cause my memory is like a Goldfish’s. Every now and then Ian and I will get together and go over them. He takes my shtty little riff, and transforms it into a complete song. I’m no good at finishing things.

Ian: Yeah I’m ok at moulding ideas so it works well – and I also come up with some ideas that I jam out with the guys and go home to develop into tracks too. Sometimes I’ll wake up at 4 in the morning with an idea and have to get up and record it so I remember it.

Jase: Ian and Jay write most of the tracks and I pitch in when needed its a great mixture of styles where all members come together for the good of the tune, not to fluff their own egos.

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Music Junkie Press: Your new song, “National Hero” just delivers a punch of adrenaline and energy. What can we expect from you guys at your live shows?

Jase: Loud, energetic and we take no prisoners – it’s high energy antics all the way.

Jay: I like to feed off the audience, if they’re enjoying themselves, so will I. We sometimes like to trash the stage towards the end of the set, I’ve smashed a few guitars/basses – and always regret it. Loud & offensive in parts, sweet & sexy in others.

Ian: yeah that’s about it. Fast, frenetic & loose.

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Music Junkie Press: If Katalina Kicks was a new SuperHero what would be it’s secret powers be?

Jase: The power to create peace and harmony in the world. I’m tired of the war mongrels and others that thrive off ripping off the next man.

Jay: I’d like to be invisible.

Ian: I’ve always wanted to fly.

So collectively an Invisible Flying H (armony) Bomb.

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Music Junkie Press: Have you played in the US yet and if not, when will you be coming out?

Ian: Yes we played a few shows on the East Coast and Canada last year as we had a successful sync in an ABC TV show and our debut album ‘The Return of Montague Rotter’ did ok in the CMJ charts. We hope to be coming over this year – if you’ll allow us back in the country.

Jay: We loved it over there, people were up for showing us a good time, and the girls liked us because of our pale skin & British accents.

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Music Junkie Press: Where can we get your music? Itunes link, etc?

Jase: They’re all available on our websitewww.katalinakicks.com – it’s full of fruity goodness!

And feel free to check our Facebook and Twitter for our ramblings.

www.facebook.com/Katalinakicks

www.twitter.com/Katalinakicks

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Music Junkie Press: What does Katalina Kicks have in the works right now?

Jase: Shed loads me old mate.

Ian: We’re currently working with a great organisation called Specialized which raises money for the Teenage Cancer Trust charity and have recorded a single for that, called The Limits We Set – the original was by an 80s ska / 2tone band called The English Beat. We turned our version up to 11 and are pretty proud of what came out!

Jase: We also are part of Stummerville – an organisation set up in memory of the late, great Joe Strummer of The Clash – and are in their mixtape charts at the moment with the song National Hero.

Jay: Then we have some great gigs coming up and will be releasing another single in early May which we have just shot an awesome video for – it’s called Forever Young.

Ian: After all this and a summer doing some festivals we should be putting out second album out later this year – we have a record label, promoter and p.r manager all in negotiations at the moment, so watch this space – it’s all go!!

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Music Junkie Press: Rig Rundown: What is the gear that you currently use on your shows?

Jase uses DW drums, Zildjian cymbals, Evans skins and Travis barker signature sticks.

Jay uses a vintage Rickenbacker 4001, he went hungry for. Ampeg Bass Amps through a SansAmp NYC Pre-Amp.

Ian plays a beat up U.S Fender Telecaster through a Fender Hot Rod Amp, & a Mesa Boogie Pre-Amp.

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Music Junkie Press: It is great to see Katalina Kicks bringing the fun and energy back into music. With that in mind, what is the craziest thing that has happened at one of your shows?

Jase: What goes on tour, stays on tour – what we have done can’t possibly be printed!! I once inserted a full bag of sticks into a ……

Jay: We got very loose in Canada. J forgot about the whole driving on the right (wrong) hand side of the road for a little while. We got kicked out of the hostel we were staying in for having too much fun… nudity, drinking & shagging – standard stuff… we also got banned from ‘The 100 Club’ on Oxford St. London (the birth-place of Punk) for trashing our own equipment!!

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Music Junkie Press: Lastly, if you were to describe Katalina Kicks to someone using only food terminology or as a meal, what would it be?

Jase: Fish and chips. British as they come

Jay: I would describe us as a Carrot Cake… healthy on the inside, with a liberal coating of cream cheese on the outer – and good to enjoy morning, noon and night!

Ian: Guinness. It fills you up, smacks you in the guts and gets you off your head. And is good for you. Supposedly.

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Well now I am sure to hear some more of them, right? How about watching their video for another one of my favorite songs, “Me”

Isn’t that just pure awesomeness??? If you are just about as hooked as I am, head over to Itunes and you can buy their music from their album “The Return of Montague Rotter” as well as their new single, “National Hero”. I can’t wait for what Katalina Kicks has in store for us and I really can’t wait to see them live here in the States sometime soon. We need their energy and antics! We need their “Life, Love, and Debauchery”!

~ Enjoy, Marisol