King Kong Company
{{short description|Irish dance band}}
{{EngvarB|date=December 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}}
{{notability|music|date=September 2016}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = King Kong Company
| background = group_or_band
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| alias =
| origin = Waterford, Ireland
| genre = Electronica
| years_active = {{flatlist|
- 1996–2000
- 2011–present
}}
| label =
| associated_acts =
| website =
| current_members = Bob McGlynn
Mark White
Colin Hoye
Trish Murphy
Tom Stapleton
Aaron Mulhall
Owen Corrigan
| past_members = Alan Aylward
Hazel Downes
Kevin O'Shanahan
Mark Graham
John Loftus
}}
King Kong Company is an Irish dance band based in Waterford in Ireland. Although most of the members are not from Waterford, they met while attending Waterford Institute of Technology.{{Cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/king-kong-company-the-hedonists-choice-31285984.html|title=King Kong Company – The Hedonist's Choice – Independent.ie |newspaper=The Irish Independent|accessdate=5 November 2016}} In June 2016 they released their self-titled debut album.{{Cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/king-kong-company-album-review-1990s-vibes-with-21st-century-swagger-1.2687265 |title=King Kong Company album review – 1990s vibes with 21st-century swagger |newspaper=The Irish Times |accessdate=5 November 2016}}
Overview
King Kong Company was conceived when two college friends, Alan Aylward and Mark White began experimenting with dance music using effect laden guitars and drum machines. They recruited college friends and expanded into a five piece. King Kong Company recorded a session for Dave Fanning on RTÉ 2fm, and despite having some of their tracks edited, they were announced as the most popular radio session for that year. King Kong Company played at Ireland's first dance festival, Homelands. Other artists on the bill included Underworld, Orbital and Paul Oakenfold. The band split after finishing college in Waterford Institute of Technology.
In 2011 the band reformed with the idea of producing one new music video every month. Before the band played a gig, the video for Acetate won the Viewers Choice Award at the Irish Music TV Awards in 2011. The popularity of the videos resulted in the band playing a one off sold-out gig at The Forum in Waterford in 2012. This resulted in subsequent festival offers including Life Festival, Body & Soul and Electric Picnic. Their first international gigs followed in the United Kingdom in 2014.
They released their debut self-titled album in June 2016. The album was produced by Neil McLellen and was well received in the Irish media. The album reached the top 10 in the Irish Albums Chart.
In September 2016 they were nominated for two awards at the [https://www.puremzine.com/2016-pure-m-awards/ Pure M Awards]. The first nomination was for Best Live Act where the other nominees included Hermitage Green, The Strypes and Aslan. The second nomination was for Best Music Video for 'Scarity Dan'. King Kong Company won the Best Live Act award.{{Cite news |url=http://www.puremzine.com/puremzine-music-art-culture-magazine/2016-pure-m-awards/ |title=2016 Pure M Awards {{!}} Pure M |newspaper=Pure M |accessdate=5 November 2016}}
In November 2016 the band's debut album made the Choice Music Prize long list. Other nominees included All Twins, September Girls, Bell X1, Katie Kim and Two Door Cinema Club.{{Cite web |url=http://choicemusicprize.ie/2016-album-list/ |title=2016 Album List {{!}} Choice Music Prize |website=choicemusicprize.ie |accessdate=1 December 2016}}
In January 2017 King Kong Company played their first mainland Europe gigs in the Netherlands.{{Cite web |url=https://www.evensi.nl/echotape-at-eurosonic-groningen-altersonic-festival-drie/196216986 |title=Echotape at Eurosonic Groningen – Altersonic Festival – 14/01/2017 |last=Echotape |website=Evensi |accessdate=4 March 2017}} On 28 February, their debut album was released in the Netherlands to positive reviews.{{Cite news |url=http://muzine.nl/recensie/albums/king-kong-company-king-kong-company |title=King Kong Company – King Kong Company |work=Muzine.nl |accessdate=5 March 2017 |language=nl}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.keysandchords.com/reviews-bubbling-cds-blog/king-kong-company-king-kong-company |title=King Kong Company: King Kong Company |website=Keys And Chords |accessdate=5 March 2017}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.mpodia.nl/content/king-kong-company-%E2%80%93-king-kong-company |title=King Kong Company – King Kong Company {{!}} Mpodia |website=www.mpodia.nl |accessdate=5 March 2017}}
In April 2017 it was announced that King Kong Company would play the Silver Hayes stage at Glastonbury Festival for the first time in June,{{Cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/glastonburyofficial/photos/a.10150183961960964.301221.40513090963/10154318573800964/?type=3&theater |title=Glastonbury Festival (official) |website=facebook.com |accessdate=5 May 2017}}{{Primary source inline|date=December 2017}} they followed this up with gigs at Boomtown, Beautiful Days, Amsterdam Dance Event and their largest ever gig in front of 10,000 people at Electric Picnic.{{Cite news |url=https://lovin.ie/news/watch-this-fan-footage-from-a-tent-at-electric-picnic-looks-absolutely-nuts |title=WATCH: This Fan Footage From A Tent At Electric Picnic Looks Absolutely Nuts |accessdate=3 November 2017}} The band were also invited to play for a specially invited audience with the President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins in July 2017.{{Cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/KingKongCompany/photos/a.220202951387532.51502.101481579926337/1546837935390687/?type=3&theater |title=King Kong Company|website=facebook.com|accessdate=3 November 2017}}{{Primary source inline|date=December 2017}} In October 2017 they played their biggest headline show when they sold out the 1,250 capacity Cork Opera House.
In 2018 the band announced a headline gig at 1,600 capacity Olympia Theatre in Dublin in October. In June they released a mini-documentary 'One Small Little Thing To Do' about their 12-hour trip from the stage of Body & Soul to the stage of Glastonbury, a journey undertaken the previous June.{{Cite news|url=https://www.broadsheet.ie/2018/06/19/body-soul-glasto/|title=Body, Soul & Glasto|date=2018-06-19|work=Broadsheet.ie|accessdate=2018-08-05|language=en-GB}} July saw the release of the band's most critically acclaimed single My Name Is Now.{{Cite news|url=https://www.hotpress.com/music/festival-favourites-king-kong-company-return-single-name-now-22750137|title=Festival Favourites King Kong Company Release Video for Single, 'My Name is Now' {{!}} Hotpress|last=Porzio|first=Stephen|work=Hotpress|accessdate=2018-08-05}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.joe.ie/music/joes-song-day-631-king-kong-company-name-now-634582|title=JOE's Song Of The Day #631: King Kong Company 'My Name Is Now' {{!}} JOE.ie|work=JOE.ie|accessdate=2018-08-05|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.imro.ie/news/king-kong-company-back-with-a-bang-with-new-single-my-name-is-now/|title=King Kong Company Back With A Bang With New Single 'My Name Is Now'|website=www.imro.ie|date=5 July 2018|language=en-US|accessdate=2018-08-05}} In August the band were added to the line up for Electric Picnic{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishmirror.ie/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/electric-picnic-announcement-the-prodigy-13026789|title=Huge acts announced as latest Electric Picnic headliners as full lineup revealed|last=McSorley|first=Anita|date=2018-08-03|work=irishmirror|accessdate=2018-08-05}}
In 2023 the band released the brand new single "The Machine", featuring top YouTube diorama artist Bobby Fingers. Following the release, the band played their biggest show to date, performing on mainstage at Electric Picnic.{{Cite news|url=https://www.electricpicnic.ie/artist-az/king-kong-company/|title=Electric Picnic Artists A-Z| accessdate=2023-09-10}} This was the culmination of playing at the festival for ten consecutive years.
= Commotion Lotion =
In June 2017 the band released their own beer called Commotion Lotion. The beer is infused with Buckfast, a tonic wine that features in the band's live show and in lyrics, as well as strawberries, raspberries and pineapple. The beer was produced by YellowBelly Beer, a craft brewery based in Wexford, Ireland. The beer has received mostly positive reviews{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/food-and-drink/how-about-some-buckfast-in-that-beer-1.3144367|title=How about some Buckfast in that beer?|newspaper=The Irish Times|accessdate=3 November 2017}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.joe.ie/life-style/buckfast-beer-drink-592396|title=Introducing Buckfast Beer, the greatest drink ever invented {{!}} JOE.ie |work=JOE.ie|accessdate=3 November 2017}}{{Cite news|url=https://lovin.ie/travel-food/psa-buckfast-infused-beer-now-exists-just-in-time-for-festival-season|title=PSA: Buckfast Infused Beer Now Exists Just In Time For Festival Season|accessdate=3 November 2017}} with a 3.5 rating on beer review site Untapped.{{Cite web|url=https://untappd.com/b/yellowbelly-beer-ireland-commotion-lotion/2154389|title=Commotion Lotion – YellowBelly Beer (Ireland) – Untappd|last=Team|first=The Untappd|website=Untappd|accessdate=3 November 2017}}
Members
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
;Current
- Bob McGlynn - Lead Singer (No information)
- Mark White – bass guitar (1996–2000, 2011–present)
- Colin Hoye – trumpet (1996–2000, 2011–present)
- Tom Stapleton – keyboard (1996–2000, 2011–present)
- Trish Murphy – Dancer & Choreography (2011–present)
- Aaron Mulhall – Drums (2021–present)
- Owen Corrigan – Guitar (2022–present)
{{col-2}}
;Former
- Hazel Downes – Dancer & Choreography (1996–2000)
- Kevin O'Shanahan – drums, percussion (1996–1998)
- Mark Graham – Lead vocals, drums, percussion (1998–2000, 2011–2021)
- Alan Aylward – guitar (1996–2000, 2011–2022)
- Lofty – Artist & VJ (2011–2018)
{{col-end}}
Discography
{{Infobox artist discography
|Artist = King Kong Company
|Image =
|Caption =
|Studio = 1
|Live =
|Compilation =
|Video =
|Tribute =
|Demo =
|EP =
|Singles = 1
|Music videos = 13
|B-sides =
|B link =
|Soundtrack =
|References =
|Box sets =
}}
=Studio albums=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Album details ! colspan="1"| Peak chart positions |
|---|
| style="width:3em;font-size:85%"|IRL {{Cite web|url=http://irish-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=king+kong+company|title=irishcharts.com – Discography king kong company|last=Hung|first=Steffen|website=irish-charts.com|accessdate=3 September 2016}} |
| 2016
| style="text-align:left;"| King Kong Company
| 45 |
| colspan="3" style="font-size:90%"| "—" denotes a title that did not chart. |
=Singles=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |
| rowspan=2|Year
! rowspan=2|Title !colspan="2"| Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2"| Album |
|---|
| style="width:3em;font-size:85%"|IRL
!style="width:3em;font-size:85%"|UK |
| 2016
| style="text-align:left;"|"Scarity Dan" | — | — | King Kong Company |
| colspan="5" style="font-size:90%"| "—" denotes a title that did not chart. |
=Music videos=
References
{{Reflist}}
- {{cite web|url=http://www.waterford-today.ie/waterford-entertainment/15187-imtv-winners-king-kong-company-play-live-show-15187.html |title=IMTV Winners King Kong Company Play Live Show! |date=11 January 2012 |publisher=Waterford-today.ie |accessdate=12 January 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120124232902/http://www.waterford-today.ie/waterford-entertainment/15187-imtv-winners-king-kong-company-play-live-show-15187.html |archivedate=24 January 2012}}
- {{cite news |url=http://www.munster-express.ie/entertainment/music/imtv-win-for-king-kong-co/ |title=IMTV win for King Kong Co |date=8 December 2011 |newspaper=The Munster Express |accessdate=12 January 2012}}
- {{cite web |url=http://www.waterford-today.ie/waterford-entertainment/11144-king-kong-company-11144.html |title=King Kong Company: 10 Years & Waiting |date=9 February 2011 |publisher=Waterford-today.ie |accessdate=12 January 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120420215808/http://www.waterford-today.ie/waterford-entertainment/11144-king-kong-company-11144.html |archivedate=20 April 2012}}
- {{cite web|url=http://www.waterford-today.ie/waterford-entertainment/12511-king-kong-company-s-i-pop-12511.html |title=King Kong Company's I Pop |date=4 May 2011 |publisher=Waterford-today.ie |accessdate=12 January 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120420215816/http://www.waterford-today.ie/waterford-entertainment/12511-king-kong-company-s-i-pop-12511.html |archivedate=20 April 2012}}
- {{cite web |url=http://www.puremzine.com/pure-m-awards-2016/ |title=Pure M Awards 2016 King Kong Company Best Live Act |date=12 September 2016 |website= |publisher=puremzine.com |accessdate=12 September 2016}}
- {{Cite AV media |date=27 September 2016 |title=King Kong Company - Donkey Jaw|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwAmAweO8eE|archive-url= |archive-date= |accessdate= |website=YouTube}}
External links
- [http://www.goldenplec.com/news/king-kong-company-release-i-pop/ King Kong Company release ‘I POP’]{{spaced ndash}}from [http://www.goldenplec.com Goldenplec.com]
{{Authority control}}
Category:Musical groups from County Waterford
Category:Irish electronic music groups
Category:Irish dance musicians
Category:Musical groups established in 1996