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Interview with iTCH - Formerly of The King Blues

After the disperse of the mighty King Blues, frontman iTCH decided to take his music solo. With 2 EP’s already under his belt he’s just finished showcasing them at Warped Tour in both America & England as well as undertaking his own headline tour of the UK. We spoke to him before he hit the stage at his recent Leeds gig.

How did UK Warped compare to the American Warped?
Well they were both so much fun. There’s always the same sort of atmosphere at Warped shows wherever they are, it’s the same sorta kids, same sorta music; these people are often people who feel they don’t really fit in anywhere but for one day they can all come together as one and just take over. It makes me a bit emotional! But at this one it was especially buzzing since it’s pretty much a hometown show for me!

What do you think of Warped Tour starting to expand out of America and into the UK?
I’m really digging it; it’s a great festival with so many different bands and genres. I hope it fully catches on over here soon.

How does the creative process differ for your solo material than those songs wrote in a band?
When I write for myself I don’t have to bear in mind what the rest of the guys are going to want to be doing. I have the freedom to make it how I like. When I write lyrics there’s no issues with thinking about where someone wants to put a guitar solo or a drum fill or whatever.

Are there still strong political influences with your solo work?
Yeah of course, there always will; it’s a big part of me. It’s probably not as much as it was for The King Blues but it’s still there. 

How do your solo shows compare to those of The King Blues
I’ve still got a live band with me so it’s not too different. I always go out and give everything I can regardless of who I’m playing with anyway.

Are The King Blues completely over now then?
Yes. 

What advice would you give to any aspiring rappers out there?
From what I’ve seen in the industry, the people that succeed the most are those who don’t tend to follow trends and do something just because it’s cool at that moment in time. You need to try and figure out who you are as a person and do your own thing. Don’t just try and get your 15 minutes of fame, try and make something more substantial that you can be proud of.

What rising artists should people be looking out for?
I’ve just toured with Hype Theory and Ghost Town who were great. There’s a band from London called ANiMAL-MUSIC who I really like at the moment and want to try and work with at some point.

What’s next for you then?
I’ve got some more live dates at the start of next year with Dan Le Sac vs Scroobious Pip tour. My album should be coming out around March/April too.

Check out all you need to know about iTCH on his site http://www.itchsmixes.com.

Interview by Nathan Simm.