The Kings of Nuthin'

The founding members of The Kings of Nuthin' were the core group around Torr Skoog (bass), Liam Crill (drums) and Chris "Necro" Wilkinson (washboard) that began performing under the name The Saturday Night Specials between 1995 and 1997.{{cite web |title=The Big Truth Podcast #120 - Slick : The Kings of Nuthin' |url=https://de.everand.com/podcast/723863112/120-Slick-The-Kings-of-Nuthin-In-this-episode-Truth-talks-with-Slick-former-saxophonist-of-the-rowdy-raucous-Boston-punk-rock-n-roll-legend |website=Everand.com |date=April 17, 2024 |access-date=April 1, 2025}}{{cite web |title=The Kings Of Nuthin' – Get Wrecked With... (Demo Tape '99) |url=https://www.discogs.com/de/release/12765341-The-Kings-Of-Nuthin-Get-Wrecked-With-Demo-Tape-99 |website=Discogs.com |access-date=April 1, 2025}}

From 1998 to 1999, the band performed under different names (e.g. The Boston Bootleggers{{cite web |title=The Old Days |url=https://anaffordablewardrobe.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-old-days.html?m=1 |website=Blogspot.com |first=Joe |last=Ferraro |date=June 10, 2013 |access-date=April 1, 2025}}{{cite magazine |title=Torr je mrtev, ať žije Torr! |first=Tony |last=Youngfield |url=

https://www.kidsandheroes.com/torr-je-mrtev-at-zije-torr/ |magazine=Kids&Heroes Rock'n'roll webzine since 2003 |language=Polish |date=May 6, 2014 |access-date=April 3, 2025}} but mostly The Boston Blackouts{{cite web |title=PAST CLIENTS PAGE |url=http://www.7awest.com/pastclients.html |website=7AWest.com |first=Mike |last=Caglianone |access-date=April 1, 2025}}{{cite news |title=Go cat, go! - Lance up your saddle shoes and grease back your pompadour - rockabilly's back |url=http://www.rockabilly.net/articles/boston.shtml |work=The Boston Globe |first=Christopher |last=Muther |date=November 1998|access-date=April 5, 2025}}) and the line-up changed several times: Slick initially played second guitar and the experienced bassist Spike Katz was convinced to join the band by Torr Skoog, who consequently switched from bass to vocals.{{cite news |title=Heavy Dates |url=

https://worcesterphoenix.com/archive/music/98/08/28/HEAVY_DATES.html |work=Worcester Phoenix |first=Carly |last=Carioli |date=August 28, 1998 |access-date=April 5, 2025}} Afterwards, they made a name for themselves in rockabilly and psychobilly circles.{{cite web |title=The Kings Of Nuthin’ – Sänger verstorben |first=Felix |last=Segebarth|url=https://www.visions.de/news/the-kings-of-nuthin-saenger-verstorben/ |website=Visions.de |language=de |date=June 12, 2013|access-date=March 30, 2025}}{{cite news |title=Interviews {{!}} Kings of Nuthin' |url=https://www.ox-fanzine.de/interview/kings-of-nuthin-1692 |work=Ox-Fanzine #64 |language=de |first=Lauri |last=Wessel |date=February 2006|access-date=March 30, 2025}}{{cite web |title=Midnite Monster Hop! {{!}} Mike Decay |url=

https://ponyboymagazine.com/midnite-monster-hop-mike-decay/ |website=PonyboyMagazine.com |date=2017 |access-date=April 7, 2025}}

Playing increasingly outside Massachusetts, they changed their name to The Kings of Nuthin' in the fall of 1999{{cite web |title=Kings Of Nuthin' |url=http://www.laut.de/Kings-Of-Nuthin |website=Laut.de |language=de |access-date=March 30, 2025}} naming themselves after the Kings A’ Nuthin’ jacket club from Orlando, Florida, where Spike Katz was touring with the Racketeers and thought the name would be perfect for the band.{{cite web |title=the Kings A’ Nuthin and the Kings of Nuthin' |first=Stone |last=Slick |url=https://www.kingsanuthin.club/kings.html |website=KingsANuthin.club |date=2018 |access-date=April 3, 2025}} Subsequently, there were members who contributed to both groups, e.g. the interlude in the song "Kings of Nuthin’" was spoken by a member of the Kings A’ Nuthin’

They recorded their first demo tape at Boston's 7A West Studio in 1999 with the following band members: Torr Skoog (vocals), Justice Hubbard (guitar), Zack Brines (keyboards), Spike Katz (upright bass), Danny Edge (baritone sax), Liam Crill (drums), Chris "Necro" Wilkinson (washboard). Studio owner Caglianone described their early style as 50's roots rock with a punk edge.

In October 2000, they released their first EP Get Busy Livin' or Get Busy Dyin' signed to Reckloose Records. It was described as ground breaking punk rock rhythm & blues by one of the most unique and wildest rock & roll ensembles.{{cite web |last=O'Sullivan |first=Seán |title=The Kings Of Nuthin' "Get Busy Livin' Or Get Busy Dyin'" |url=https://the-oprez.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-kings-of-nuthin-get-busy-livin-or.html?m=1 |website=Hellacious Harmonies |date=November 27, 2016 |access-date=March 29, 2025}}

After the death of saxophonist Danny Edge in November 2000,{{cite web |title=The Dead Rock Stars Club - 2000 |url=https://thedeadrockstarsclub.com/2000.html |website=TheDeadRockStarsClub.com |access-date=April 1, 2025}} the band added Tommy Bellevue (tenor sax) as a new member and again Slick (now on baritone sax).

The band was invited to the annually held Hometown Throwdown music festival, hosted by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, featuring local Boston-area acts, and played at the Axis (now House of Blues) in Boston in December 2000.{{cite web |title=The Kings of Nuthin' {{!}} Fight Songs... for Fuck Ups (2002) {{!}} Disaster |url=https://www.punknews.org/review/1390/the-kings-of-nuthin-fight-songs-for-fuck-ups |website=Punknews.org |date=November 8, 2002 |access-date=April 20, 2025}}

The Kings of Nuthin' was a finalist in the Rock & Roll Rumble of 2001, which begun in 1979 as a Greater Boston “battle of the bands” co-sponsored by WBCN-FM, and is the longest running event of its kind in the US.{{cite news |title=The Billboard Spotlight {{!}} Boston |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/00s/2002/BB-2002-02-16.pdf |work=Billboard |first=Brett |last=Milano |date=16 February 2002|access-date=March 30, 2025}}{{cite news |title=Wheel deals {{!}} Six Going On Seven and Piebald, plus the Rumble final |url=https://bostonphoenix.com/boston/music/cellars/documents/01655684.htm |work=The Boston Phoenix |first=Sean |last=Richardson |date=May 31, 2001|access-date=March 30, 2025}}{{cite web |title=Boston Band Crush Archived Article: Information Crush: WBCN’s Rock n Roll Rumble |last=Epstein |first=Michael J. |url=https://blog.mikeandsophia.com/2009/03/httpwww-mikeandsophia-com200903boston-band-crush-archived-article_4017-html/ |website=blog.mikeandsophia.com |date=March 8, 2009 |access-date=March 30, 2025}}

In September 2002, their first studio album Fight Songs for Fuck-ups was released on Disaster Records. The style of the album is described in an AllMusic review as follows: "The mid-20th century roots elements are supplied by the saxes, piano, washboard, and standup bass. The punk comes across in the manic fast tempos, fuzzy guitars, singer Torr's gruff half-or-more grunt-shouted vocals, the hardcore-like trade-offs between the lead singing and backup anthemic choruses, and abrasive lyrics."{{cite web |last=Unterberger |first=Richie |title=Fight Songs for Fuck-Ups Review |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/fight-songs-for-fuck-ups-mw0000662103 |website=AllMusic.com |access-date=March 29, 2025}}

In 2003, famous for their out of control life sets including burning instruments, they set off on their first tour in Europe.{{cite magazine |last=McCarthy |first=Brendan |date=April 2003 |title=The Kings of Nuthin' |url=http://www.soundcheckmag.net/pages/cover1.html |archive-url=https://archive.org/details/soundcheck_73/page/18/mode/1up |magazine=Soundcheck Magazine #73 |location=Malden, MA |publisher=William F. Restuccia, Jr. |access-date=April 6, 2025 |archive-date=April 13, 2003}}{{cite web |date=May 2008 |title=the KINGS of NUTHIN |url=http://www.kingsofnuthin.com/bio.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080524061536/http://www.kingsofnuthin.com/bio.html |access-date=April 6, 2025 |archive-date=May 24, 2008}}

In February 2004, the tracks "La Chupacabra", "Where do We Go?", and "Drive All Night" appeared in the soundtrack of the PC version of the video game Crazy Taxi 3.

In March 2004, the band released a split with LA's The Briggs.{{cite web |title=The Kings Of Nuthin' / The Briggs |url=https://www.discogs.com/de/release/3349215-The-Kings-Of-Nuthin-The-Briggs-The-Kings-Of-Nuthin-The-Briggs |website=Discogs.com |access-date=March 29, 2025}}

In June 2004, the band contributed the song "Cry, Cry, Cry" to the album "Dear Johnny...A Tribute to Cash".{{cite web |title=Dear Johnny...A Tribute to Cash |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/dear-johnnya-tribute-to-cash-mw0000142342 |website=AllMusic.com |access-date=March 31, 2025}}

In December 2005, the album titled Punk Rock Rhythm & Blues was released on People Like You for the European market{{cite web |last1=Westenfelder |first1=Jan |title=Review: Punk Rock Rhythm & Blues (Kings Of Nuthin') |language=de |url=https://www.metalinside.de/review/kings-of-nuthin/punk-rock-rhythm-blues |website=Metalinside.de |access-date=March 29, 2025}} and in April 2006 under the different name Over the Counter Culture on Sailor's Grave Records for the American market. It was described as a really fun and high-energy mix of 50's rock & roll, swing and big band music, channeled through vintage street punk influences that doesn't lack serious songwriting.{{cite web |last=White |first=Adam |title=The Kings of Nuthin' {{!}} Over the Counter Culture (2006) {{!}} Sailor's Grave |url=https://www.punknews.org/review/5283/the-kings-of-nuthin-over-the-counter-culture |website=Punknews.org |date=May 16, 2006 |access-date=March 29, 2025}}

Between 2006 and 2007, they shared the stage many times with the U.S. Bombs during their extensive European tour.{{cite web |title=Kings Of Nuthin'—Tour 2003 - 2007 |url=https://www.livegigs.de/kings-of-nuthin |website=Livegigs.de |date=2025 |access-date=April 7, 2025}}

The album Old Habits Die Hard was released in May 2010 on Sailor's Grave Records.{{cite web |title=The Kings of Nuthin' {{!}} Old Habits Die Hard (2010) {{!}} Sailor's Grave |url=https://www.punknews.org/review/9467/the-kings-of-nuthin-old-habits-die-hard |website=Punknews.org |date=July 20, 2010 |access-date=March 29, 2025}}{{cite web |last1=Westenfelder |first1=Jan |title=Review: Old Habits Die Hard (Kings Of Nuthin') |language=de |url=https://www.metalinside.de/review/kings-of-nuthin/old-habits-die-hard |website=Metalinside.de |access-date=March 29, 2025}} It was recorded as the previous two albums at The Outpost studio, Stoughton, MA (Dropkick Murphys, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, The Ducky Boys, The Unseen, Blood for Blood), and well received by the specialist press: "Like a fine wine aging its way to perfection", the band, including "one of the tightest brass sections of Boston", "has never felt so cohesive". Their "50's rock & roll hybrid with punk" was described as more complex containing interesting tempo shifts and time signatures.{{cite web |title=The Kings of Nuthin’ – Old Habits Die Hard |first=Cole |last=Faulkner |url=https://www.thepunksite.com/reviews/the-kings-of-nuthin%E2%80%99-old-habits-die-hard/ |website=ThePunksite.com |date=February 27, 2013 |access-date=April 2, 2025}}{{cite web |title=The Kings of Nuthin’ – Old Habits Die Hard |url=https://upstarter.com/reviews/punk/kings-of-nuthin-old-habits-die-hard.html |website=Upstarter.com |date=May 28, 2010 |access-date=April 2, 2025}}

In June 2013, the body of singer Torr Skoog was found by police and firefighters after a three-day search at his home in Quechee Gorge, southern Vermont. Investigations concluded suicide and The Kings of Nuthin' disbanded subsequently.{{cite web |title=Kings of Nuthin’ Vocalist Torr Skoog’s Death Ruled a Suicide, Police Find His Body in Vermont’s Quechee Gorge |url=https://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/index2.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.verbicidemagazine.com%2F2013%2F06%2F12%2Fkings-of-nuthin-torr-skoogs-dead-suicide-vermont-quechee-gorge%2F#federation=archive.wikiwix.com&tab=url |website=Verbicide Magazine |date=June 12, 2013 |access-date=March 29, 2025}}

Until April 2014, Torr Skoog was part of the exhibition “This Is Boston Not LAme”, referencing to the landmark 1982 Boston punk compilation “This Is Boston, Not L.A.” and showcasing “four generations of Boston punk rock” in photos by Gail Rush, Tara Feely, Nicole Tammaro and Dave Tree.{{cite web |last=Cook |first=Greg |title=A Brief History Of Boston Punk Rock In 18 Vintage Photos |url=https://www.wbur.org/news/2014/04/23/boston-punk |website=WBUR.org |date=April 23, 2014 |access-date=April 8, 2025}}

• Get Busy Livin' or Get Busy Dyin' (2000)
• Fight Songs for Fuck-Ups (2002)
• Punk Rock Rhythm & Blues (2005) /
  Over the Counter Culture (2006)
• Old Habits Die Hard (2010)

• Shit out of Luck (2002)
• ''The Briggs / The Kings of Nuthin' (2004)

{{Reflist}}

• {{official website|https://web.archive.org/web/20080531140016/http://www.kingsofnuthin.com:80/|Official website}}
  (Archived on May 31, 2008)
• {{AllMusic |id=mn0000100298 |title=The Kings of Nuthin'}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kings of Nuthin', The}}

Category:1995 establishments in Massachusetts

Category:2013 disestablishments in Massachusetts

Category:American punk rock groups

Category:Musical groups from Boston

Category:Musical groups established in 1995

Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2013

Category:Punk rock groups from Massachusetts

{{#interlanguagelink:fr|Kings of Nuthin}}