Kunt and the Gang#Discography
{{short description|British musical comedian}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Kunt and the Gang
| birth_name = Wayne Clements
| image = Kunt 2024.jpg
| caption = Kunt, frontman of Kunt and the Gang and The Kunts, performing in York in December 2024.
| image_size = 200
| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1973}}{{cite web|url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=UXJs8wsMwVI&t=258|title=Kunt's Korona Klub ep. 01|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=21 July 2020}}
| alias = The Kunts,{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/The-Kunts-Kunts-Punk-In-Your-Face/release/15706881|title=The Kunts – Kunts Punk In Your Face|website=Discogs}} Kunt and the Gang Presents, Little Kunt, Mr. Tuppence, Künt, The Krown Jewelz, The Krackpots
| origin = Basildon, Essex, England{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/aug/21/edinburgh-festival-brexit-europe|title=Poor Rudolf Bing must be spinning in his grave |newspaper=The Guardian |last=Lee |first=Stewart |date=21 August 2016|accessdate=26 November 2018}}
| genre = {{hlist|Synthpop|comedy|novelty|punk rock}}
| years_active = 2003–2016, 2019–present
| label = Disco Minge, Direct Action, Radical Rudeness
| website = {{URL|kuntandthegang.co.uk/}}
| current_members = Kunt
Little Kunt (hand puppet)
Rubber Jonny (as the Kunts)
Fucksticks (as the Kunts)
Carsehole (as the Kunts)
| past_members = Skidmark (as the Kunts)
}}
Kunt and the Gang is a British dark musical comedy project from Basildon, Essex.{{Cite book|title=i, Kunt: How I became (and remained) a minor internet hit singer|last=Kunt|date=19 December 2018|publisher=Eichel|language=English}} Despite the "and the Gang" in the stage name (a reference to the American funk band Kool & the Gang), the act comprises a single performer: Wayne Clements, a comedian and singer-songwriter.{{cite web |title=Let's Have a Wank for England 2010 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wupbgnZQ6sM |website=youtube.com |access-date=21 February 2024}}
Clements is also known for founding the spin-off project The Kunts, who have had four top-twenty hits in the UK Singles Chart including the controversial track "Boris Johnson Is a Fucking Cunt" and its follow-up "Boris Johnson Is Still a Fucking Cunt", which reached number five for Christmas 2020 and 2021 respectively. These were followed by "Prince Andrew Is a Sweaty Nonce" (no. 20) and "Fuck the Tories" (no. 7). A fifth hit, "Scrap the Monarchy" was released as "The Krown Jewelz" and reached number nine.
Kunt and the Gang has also released music under the pseudonym of his hand puppet sidekick, Little Kunt, and the moniker of Kunt and the Gang Presents (for Shannon Matthews: The Musical, a comedy musical based on the faked kidnapping of Yorkshire girl Shannon Matthews).
Kunt and the Gang rose to prominence making crude synthpop songs related to sexual intercourse and controversial public figures, and was initially active from 2003 to 2016. In 2010, Clements first achieved chart success when his single "Use My Arsehole as a Cunt (The Nick Clegg Story)" reached number No. 66 in the UK Singles Chart at Christmas time.{{Cite web|title=Use My Arsehole As A Cunt by Kunt and The Gang – Music Charts|url=https://acharts.co/song/59558|accessdate=21 July 2020|website=Acharts.co}}{{Cite web|author=nick|title=Anti-Simon Cowell Songs Spread Throughout U.K. Chart|url=https://www.prefixmag.com/news/anti-simon-cowell-songs-spread-throughout-uk-chart/47153/|accessdate=21 July 2020|website=Prefixmag.com}}{{Cite web|date=23 December 2010|title=Kunt And The Gang reach Number 66 in the chart | mINtSOUTH.com|url=http://www.mintsouth.com/2010/12/kunt-and-the-gang-reach-number-66-in-the-chart/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101223102514/http://www.mintsouth.com/2010/12/kunt-and-the-gang-reach-number-66-in-the-chart/|archive-date=23 December 2010}} The following year, another single, "Fucksticks (Royal Wedding Souvenir Version)", also entered the same chart, this time at number No. 63.{{Cite web |date=24 April 2011 |title=Official Charts – Singles 24/04/2011 |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/20110424/7501/ |publisher=Official Charts}}
He released ten studio albums before retiring his main act in 2016, and published an autobiography, iKunt, in December 2018.{{Cite web |title=Goodreads – iKunt (How I became and remained a minor internet hit singer) |url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43305042 |access-date=29 August 2023 |publisher=Goodreads |language=en}}
History
Kunt and the Gang's live show initially generated popularity through numerous years playing at pubs and smaller venues, and building a niche audience. He would then make content for early social networking platforms, predominately MySpace and then YouTube; and proclaimed himself a "minor internet hit singer"{{Cite web |title=Goodreads - iKunt (How I became and remained a minor internet hit singer) |url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43305042 |access-date=29 August 2023 |website=Goodreads |language=en}} who used social networking "before the thought police took it over".
Kunt and the Gang's early work is best known for its simple electronic production and controversial lyrical content, dealing with such taboo subjects as masturbation and sexual fantasies. Kunt and the Gang's later work took a darker turn, following the Operation Yewtree police investigation, often touching on the subject of paedophilia and featured several ironic tributes to recently deceased celebrities.{{Cite web |title=Kunt And The Gang – Jimmy Savile and the Sexy Kids |url=https://genius.com/Kunt-and-the-gang-jimmy-savile-and-the-sexy-kids-annotated |access-date=30 August 2023 |website=Genius}}
Until 2008, when his touring schedule became too intense, he was a council worker in Basildon.{{citation needed|date=January 2021}} His early musical efforts included a Comedy Punk band called Serious Problem and a Synth-pop duo Pubic Cube. In the year prior to forming Kunt and the Gang, under the name Wayne Clements, he co-wrote and produced a number of songs for The Glambassador, an album by DJ and alternative scenester Boogaloo Stu, and also wrote and produced Synth-pop albums under the guise of Mister Midi and Macondo. He also put together a compilation of contemporary electronic pop music, Robopop: Volume I.
= The Kunts =
In December 2020, Kunt, performing with his newly formed punk band, The Kunts, joined the race for the Christmas number one single again, with a short song about Prime Minister Boris Johnson called "Boris Johnson Is a Fucking Cunt". Its rivals in the 2020 race were "Don't Stop Me Eatin'" by LadBaby (a parody cover of "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey, which also featured Ronan Keating on some versions),{{Cite web|url=https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/local-news/ladbaby-in-pole-position-3rd-4818801|title=LadBaby collabs with Ronan Keating in Christmas number 1 bid|first=Ben|last=Reid|date=21 December 2020|website=NottinghamshireLive}}{{Cite web|date=13 December 2020|title=When LadBaby announce their surprise 2020 Christmas Song!!|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECm3VjRmmj0&ab_channel=LadBaby|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=13 December 2020|website=YouTube}} Russ Abbot's "Atmosphere",{{Cite web|url=https://www.chesterstandard.co.uk/news/18941836.students-bidding-get-russ-abbot-song-atmosphere-christmas-number-one/ |date=14 December 2020 |first=Gary |last=Porter |title=Could Chester comedian Russ Abbot land this year's Christmas number one?|website=Chester and District Standard}}{{Cite web |first=Rob |last=Copsey |date=18 December 2020 |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/christmas-number-1-2020-the-contenders-revealed__31728/|title=Christmas Number 1 2020: The contenders revealed|website=www.officialcharts.com}} former chart toppers Justin Bieber and The Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Choir (teaming up for a version of Bieber's "Holy"), Liam Gallagher's "All You're Dreaming Of" and Ed Sheeran's "Afterglow".{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/ed-sheeran-releases-new-single-afterglow-as-a-christmas-present-for-fans__31906/ |date=21 December 2020 |last=Copsey |first=Rob |title=Listen to Ed Sheeran's new single Afterglow|website=www.officialcharts.com}} The band were backed in the race by Black Mirror's Charlie Brooker,{{Cite web |first=Will |last=Lavin |work=NME |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/charlie-brooker-wants-boris-johnson-is-a-fucking-ct-to-be-christmas-number-one-2806554|title=Charlie Brooker wants 'Boris Johnson Is A Fucking C**t' to be Christmas Number One|date=1 November 2020}} as well as Glen Matlock of the Sex Pistols{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/official-christmas-number-1-update-ladbaby-retains-strong-lead-with-dont-stop-me-eatin-while-boris-johnson-protest-song-climbs-into-top-10__31917/|title=Christmas Number 1: LadBaby retains strong lead, Boris Johnson protest song enters Top 10|website=www.officialcharts.com}} and like LadBaby, also released additional versions of the song, including a censored sausage roll based version.{{citation needed|date=January 2021}}
The song about Boris Johnson was revealed on BBC Radio 1 by Vick Hope and Katie Thistleton on 20 December 2020.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000qhw0 |title=The Official Chart: First Look on Radio 1 With Vick and Katie |date=20 December 2020}} During the show, the presenters did not mention the song's title or play it on air because of the offensive language in it, stating: "Now at 19 we've got a track about Boris Johnson that has so many bad words in it we can't play it on daytime Radio 1."{{Cite web|date=21 December 2020|title=Kunt's Boris song in Christmas chart race despite Radio 1 censorship|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/news/6136/kunt-boris-song/|access-date=23 December 2020|website=British Comedy Guide|language=en-GB}} The record was a new entry at number 19, with LadBaby at number 1,{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/ladbaby-makes-a-flying-start-in-the-race-for-the-2020-official-christmas-number-1-with-don-t-stop-me-eatin-__31904/ |first=Jack |last=White |date=20 December 2020 |title=LadBaby makes a flying start in the race for the 2020 Official Christmas Number 1 with Don't Stop Me Eatin'|website=Officialcharts.com|accessdate=20 December 2020}} climbing to number 8 the next day.{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart-update/|title=Official Singles Chart Update Top 100 | Official Charts Company|website=www.officialcharts.com}} On 23 December 2020, it was reported that a number of bookmakers had put odds on the record being the Christmas number one at 8/1, after it had become the second most downloaded song on iTunes and Amazon.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/the-kunts-boris-johnson-is-a-fucking-ct-is-in-the-running-to-be-uk-christmas-number-one-2844307|title=The Kunts' 'Boris Johnson Is A Fucking C**t' enters Top 10 in race for Christmas Number One|website=NME|date=23 December 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/boris-johnson-the-kunts-christmas-no-1-b1777470.html|title=An explicit Boris Johnson attack song is battling for Christmas No 1|date=22 December 2020|website=The Independent}} The song ultimately reached number 5 on the Christmas chart, after accumulating 45,119 sales,{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/boris-johnson-is-a-f**king-c**t/|title=Boris Johnson is a F**king C**t|website=Officialcharts.com|accessdate=25 December 2020}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-55436050|title=LadBaby bags third straight Christmas number one|work=BBC News|date=25 December 2020}}{{cite web |url=https://chart-watch.uk/xmas-no-1 |title=Xmas No.1 |website=chart-watch.uk |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201123112735/https://chart-watch.uk/xmas-no-1 |archive-date=23 November 2020}} and unlike many of the other Christmas campaign singles (such as rivals LadBaby) made the Official Audio Streaming Chart as well.{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/audio-streaming-chart/|title=Official Audio Streaming Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company|website=www.officialcharts.com}}
In November 2021, the Kunts launched an online campaign to get their single "Boris Johnson Is Still a Fucking Cunt" to Christmas number one. The song was released on 17 December 2021.{{Cite web|date=17 December 2021|title=The Kunts return with 'Boris Johnson Is STILL A Fucking C**t' and tell us about their Tory-toppling bid for Christmas Number One|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/the-kunts-boris-johnson-is-still-a-fucking-cunt-listen-video-interview-christmas-number-one-3120965|access-date=17 December 2021|website=NME|language=en-GB}} The song reached number 5 in the Christmas midweek chart.{{Cite web|date=19 December 2021|title=The Kunts' 'Boris Johnson Is STILL A Fucking C**t' lands at Number Five in Christmas Number One midweek charts|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/the-kunts-boris-johnson-is-still-a-fucking-ct-number-five-christmas-midweek-charts-3122220|access-date=20 December 2021|website=NME|language=en-GB}} During this campaign the band made numerous references to similarly subversive act the KLF, including in the music video (based, along with the song, on "Doctorin' the Tardis") and in promotional imagery, which shows Kunt and the band reading The Manual, a book written by The KLF as "the Timelords".[https://www.nme.com/news/music/the-kunts-boris-johnson-is-still-a-fucking-cunt-listen-video-interview-christmas-number-one-3120965 The Kunts return with 'Boris Johnson Is STILL A Fucking C**t' and tell us about their Tory-toppling bid for Christmas Number One] NME. 17 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021. Similarly to their previous hit, The Kunts song for 2021 had several different versions, many of which were remixed by guest artists such as Cassetteboy and B3ta founder Rob Manuel. Again the song had a radio-friendly versions with no foul language, substituting the phrase "sausage roll" for "fucking cunt." It is believed this is made in reference to LadBaby, who have had three previous number one Christmas singles based around sausage rolls. While the 2020 single had 23 different mixes, the release for 2021 has scaled this back to 13.{{Cite web |url=http://www.kuntandthegang.co.uk/kuntshop.html |title=Kunt Shop}} The song reached number 5 in the Christmas chart.{{Cite web|title=boris johnson is still a f**king c**t {{!}} full Official Chart History |publisher=Official Charts Company|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/boris-johnson-is-still-a-f**king-c**t/|access-date=24 December 2021 |language=en}}
On 27 May 2022, to coincide with the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II The Kunts released "Prince Andrew Is a Sweaty Nonce",{{cite web |date=11 May 2022 |title=The Kunts to return with new Jubilee single 'Prince Andrew is a Sweaty Nonce' |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/the-kunts-to-return-with-new-jubilee-single-prince-andrew-is-a-sweaty-nonce-3223084 |website=NME}} with the aim of matching the Sex Pistols' achievement of getting a protest song about the British royal family to number two in the Jubilee charts.{{Citation |title=Official Chart Flashback 1977: The Sex Pistols anti-monarchist anthem God Save The Queen misses out on Number 1 during Silver Jubilee celebrations |date=1 June 2022 |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/official-chart-flashback-1977-the-sex-pistols-anti-monarchist-anthem-god-save-the-queen-misses-out-on-number-1-during-silver-jubilee-celebrations__36499/ |access-date=30 August 2023 |language=en}} It peaked at number 20.
On 16 December 2022, the Kunts returned with "Fuck the Tories" in a third attempt to claim the Christmas number-one; the song ranked seventh in the chart.
On 5 May 2023, the Kunts released "Scrap The Monarchy" under the name of the Krown Jewelz. The song reached number 9 in the singles chart.{{cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/news/7282/scrap-the-monarchy-song/|title=Künt releases anti-monarchy song via The Krown Jewels|publisher=British Comedy Guide|date=6 April 2023|access-date=6 April 2023}}
Another Christmas number-one attempt was released on 8 December 2023, titled "Proper Christmas", and released under the name "The Krackpots". The song missed the top 100 of the official chart, but did chart at number 2 on the Official Singles Sales Chart.{{cite web|url= https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-sales-chart/20231215/7509/ |title=Official Singles Sales Chart on 15/12/2023|publisher=Official Charts|date=15 December 2023|access-date=16 December 2023}}
= ''Shannon Matthews: The Musical'' =
Theatre troupe Tuppence Ha'penny performed Shannon Matthews: The Musical (based on the 2010 album) at the 2022 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. In September 2022, a film version was crowdfunded via Kickstarter. The funding goal was reached within 24 hours.{{cite web |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/film/news/7025/kunt-funds-shannon-matthews-movie-via-kickstarter/ |title=Künt's Shannon Matthews movie funded via Kickstarter |last=Wolf |first=Ian |date=1 October 2022 |website=comedy.co.uk |access-date=1 October 2022}}
Discography
=Charted singles=
=Other songs=
| class="wikitable"
|+ List of other songs !Year !Title | |
| |2004 | "Santa's Sack" |
| 2006 | "Fucksticks" (First Release) |
| 2006 | "This Christmas" |
| 2007 | "All I Want For Christmas is You (To Bring Me Off)" |
| 2008 | "Jesus (Baby With a Beard)" |
| 2008 | "Men with Beards (What Are They Hiding?)" |
| 2009 | "I Sucked Off a Bloke: 2 New Songs Tour Souvenir" |
| 2009 | "Kuntish Christmas" |
| 2011 | "Jesus (Baby With a Beard)" (reissue) |
| 2014 | "The Wrong Ian Watkins" |
| 2022 | "Fuck Off Boris You Cunt" [The Kunts] |
| 2023 | "Rishi Sunak is a Rat-Faced Cunt" [The Kunts] |
| 2023 | "Rolf Harris and the Sexy Kids" |
| 2023 | "Bum the Runner" [The Kunts] |
| 2025 | "Is the Pope Gonna Croak?" |
=Albums=
| class="wikitable"
|+ List of albums !Year !Title | |
| 2004 | I Have a Little Wank and I Have a Little Cry |
| 2007 | I Have Another Wank and I Have Another Cry |
| 2008 | One Last Wank and One Last Cry |
| 2010 | Kunt and the Gang Presents Shannon Matthews: The Musical |
| 2011 | Hurry Up and Suck Me Off Before I Get Famous |
| 2011 | Kiss You Under the Cameltoe (The Christmas Singles) |
| 2013 | Kuntrarian (Little Kunt's Solo Album) |
| 2014 | Japs iTunes |
| 2016 | Blue ROFL |
| 2019 | Bite Ô Ma Bite |
| 2020 | Kunts Punk in Your Face (as The Kunts) |
| 2021 | Korona Klub Klassics Volume 1 |
=Compilation albums=
| class="wikitable"
|+ List of compilations !Year !Title | |
| 2009 | Here's One I Knocked Out Earlier |
| 2010 | Complete Kunt: The Greatest Minor Internet Hits of Kunt and the Gang |
| 2012 | Sloppy Seconds: More Titbits from the Kunt Archives |
| 2013 | Fresh Kunt (download only Greatest Hits) |
| 2015 | Kunt'll Fix It (a mixture of greatest hits and new songs) |
| 2021 | NSFW: The Very Worst of Kunt and the Gang & The Kunts |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.kuntandthegang.co.uk/ Official website]
- [http://www.b3ta.com/interview/kuntandthegang/ Interview on b3ta.co.uk]
- [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/40f7fdb1c2/kunt-and-the-gang-use-my-arsehole-as-a-c-nt-the-nick-clegg-story Use My Arsehole As A C*nt (The Nick Clegg Story) video]
{{The Kunts}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:British comedy rock musical groups
Category:English synth-pop groups
Category:English punk rock groups