Welcome back to yet another “Band Chat” blog. This time I have for you the stunning frontwoman of The Kut, Princess Maha!!
The Kut are a ‘basement rock’ band who are based in London, England. They have very recently rocked Download & Camden Rocks with queues of people outside the venue trying to get in to see the girls! They are currently on their UK tour, dates will be linked down below.
I was lucky enough to get to put on a show with this three piece all girl band as they were supporting Marco Mendoza on a few of his UK Summer Tour dates including my show at The Anvil. They are a girl band to keep an eye on for sure, a real crowd pleaser and just absolutely down to earth musicians in general that are super easy to get on with – always a must in this industry!
What got you into music?
I started to get into music at home when I was a few years old. My mum used to play piano before her hearing was damaged in an operation – so there was always a piano in the house – in fact my dad single-handily carried the piano down the street to put it in the house for my mum, getting quite a few reactions from the neighbours! I used to play on it quite a bit because I just loved making noise. My parents used to make up and sing lot of nursery rhymes and my dad used to write great poems and bedtime stories… so I guess it was just a part of the environment I was in. My sister also used to write songs and I think I wrote my first song at 4. The song comes up sometimes around Christmas, usually in the context of making fun of me : ) it was called ‘one a din’ and basically meant nothing, except it was about ‘music’ who had a baby and vanished.. XD
Do you have any advice for other young girls looking to start a band and be a front woman?
I’d say just go for it. I don’t think women get as much support to play instruments as early as men do unfortunately, which is probably the reason that there’s a big gender mis-match when it comes to the ratio of girls to boys in the big acts and on the big festival bills. If you want to play music, there’s room for everyone and it’s not a competition. If you want to play music, then just do it, and don’t let anyone put you down for doing it. When we first used to turn up to shows, people would ask if we were the girlfriends of the band XD and while that kind of stuff has been fading out over time, the only way to rectify gender bias against women, is for the young girls to believe in themselves – pick up instruments and then give it 150%. It doesn’t do anyone any favours to just use gender as a way to get a leg up though. If you are going to represent females, make sure that you work 3 times as hard so you are the best – because you and women in general deserve no less than that. Other than that, go for it, oh and keep your clothes on. Music is music, it’s not about how many hits you can get online from people drooling over your body. Anyone can do that. Keep it credible.
You’re a multi-instrumentalist. What other instruments besides guitar do you play? Which is your favourite and why?
Aw yeah! I started on piano, violin and clarinet, but those are really the furthest from where I’m at these days. Oh, I also played the recorded at school, but let’s face it – the recorder sounds pretty horrendous and would be better represented as some kind of torture device. I think my first serious instrument was drums… I remember finding a kit at a school music club at about 11 and just loved playing them whenever I could. It wasn’t really my instrument though, mainly because I was already writing a number of songs by then, and wanted something that could accompany my vocals. I do still play drums though and have recorded on other albums and in other projects, for example the Argonaut self-titled album that came out a few years back on Criminal Records. I actually own three kits, so I’d say that besides guitar, my favourite instrument has to be the drums. I found guitar at about 13 though. I knew that’s where I was at really. My sister had a guitar she didn’t really get into playing, and I used to play on it – often til my fingers were bleeding, but I just loved it. Over the years I also took up bass because it was just easier to put down a recording when all those instruments were sorted. It wasn’t really until I was about 18 that I started playing lead. I was moving to London and I was trying to find a lead guitarist to jam with, when someone I knew just said ‘oh why don’t you play it yourself’ and it made a lot of sense! I guess that being a multi-instrumentalist is quite handy though, especially when it comes to auditioning band members and giving input on mixes at gigs or in the studio. I guess it also makes me kind of picky with who I work with.
You have played festivals such as Rebellion, Camden Rocks and Download. Which have been your favourites and why?
Aw I’ve loved playing at all these festivals for different reasons. Having grown up in Blackpool, the first gig I ever went to was in the Empress Ballroom, so having now played there at Rebellion last year (and soon to be again this year) was literally a dream come true. When I lived in Blackpool I’d always wished it had the music scene it does now. Having Rebellion there now is such an asset to the strong music scene in the North West. Some of my friends’ bands like The Polyesters, The Dropout Wives and Du Pig are smashing it there, and it’s great to have a world class festival right on their doorstep. Darren brings some great acts through, including international acts that just don’t get over as much. So it gives bands like our Australian mates The Mis-Made a good reason to come and tour too. Camden Rocks is such a great one for us too – we always get billed clashing with our friends unfortunately, and this year is no different as we are literally clashing with 4 bands we know – our close mates Black Sixteen as well as Colt 45, La Fountains and new mates Weekend Recovery, but it’s got such a great vibe and is really well attended. I know even with the clashes that all band shows will be excellent and packed. Camden is pretty much my second home, so playing there is awesome, and Chris totally has his ear to the ground. It’s a great line up year on year. Download of course is going to be a huge highlight for us this year. I was blown away that we pulled off the secret set there in 2015, and to be invited back to play the RIP Campsite this year is another dream come true. Download is the holy grail of rock festivals, and just to be able to get in, play and then watch all the awesome bands on the bill is enough to make it a highlight every time. That said, there’s so many awesome festivals with their own communities, and it’s always amazing to be a part of that, even for one day. I guess that’s what we do this for. This weekend gone at Strummercamp Festival, Oldham and Nice n Sleazy, Morecambe was brilliant, and because we’ve played at both festivals before it was so great to be back, see old friends and make some new ones.
Do you feel that it is harder to get recognised as an all female trio?
Probably yes. I guess there is a preconception that female musicians actually just might not be that good! The bias is broadly a part of a phenomena in psychology called ‘The Halo Effect’. I’ve got a PhD in Psychology, so excuse me while I nerd out here for a second.. In the traditional sense, it just means that people are judged as being good or better at certain things based on their attractiveness! It’s obviously not true, but the halo effect definitely affects things like interviews or first impressions. However, there is also a gender effect that is related to this instant stereotyping. For example, if a person saw a female going for a stereotypically male role, then there may be the bias belief that the female might not be as good for the role, even if their qualifications and experience are the same. So I guess this bias also applies to music because it’s traditionally thought that rock music is a man’s game. However, when we get in a venue and get a chance to show what we can do, it’s always a good feeling. I know it’s been said a thousand times, but you can’t judge a book by its cover. Courtney Love once said that there can only be one woman in music at any one time – and while I don’t think that’s the case now, there does seem to be more of a cutthroat rivalry between female fronted acts than I’ve seen from the guys. I’ve had to block quite a few female musicians from my facebook for example, for either copying our posts, imagery or adding all our friends, fans and even our parents, presumably by mistake. It’s just not a good look really. I’ll give people a couple of chances, because I realise how difficult and competitive it can be for females in music, but then I’ll just kick people to the curb because life’s too short to play fake friends with copycats.
Which is your favourite song to play live and why?
Oh wow, well I love playing all of the tracks and I love playing live. That said, I Want You Maniac has overtime become one of the big hitters. I was so blown away that it was selected for both the UK Songwriting Contest and the USA’s International Songwriting Competition in the last few months. Everyone sings along to it at shows and we get to jump about and make shapes XD So yeah, if I’d have to pick one, it would be that one. That said it’s been great to be able to add in new tracks from the debut album, and I’m looking forward to playing Love in the Rush Hour and X-Ray Eyes out on the tour dates in the summer.
What has been your favourite show you’ve played with the Kut to date?
Ah honestly, I don’t know. I’ve loved so many shows for different reasons, but a recent one was the album launch party at Hard Rock Café, London. The show actually sold out before we’d got chance to announce it, and luckily so many of our close friends and family had got tickets. We got the mid-week chart news just before the show, and to find out we were in the Top 200 was a mind blowing experience. We got to announce it there and to our nearest and dearest. It was an amazing night and we played a 19 song set. If you’d have said to me then that the album would be in the Rock Top 10 by the end of the week I wouldn’t have believed it, but it was truly an incredible feat on the part of all our supporters. I’d love to hug each and every person who got a copy. We had such a great night that night.
Do you believe that image is an important part of performance? If so how do you incorporate this yourself?
Oh wow, well yes and no. I mean, I wouldn’t rock up to a gig in something that I’d just been out to the gym in, but it’s definitely something organic too. Every gig is a special occasion for us. Fortunately, being an independent label band we get to have a lot of control over our appearance. I have way too many clothes and so gigs just get the full impact of my wardrobe XD I guess you can tell we like rock just based on how we dress, and luckily that comes together pretty well on stage.
What first inspired you to be in a band and perform?
By the time I was about 14 I was already writing songs with guitar and just thought it was the logical progression to play with a band really. I’d seen my first gig by the age of 8 and I guess I was just wowed by the lights and action. James were a huge band too, in the number of members as well as fan base. I got to see behind the scenes, so I met the technicians, roadies, merch managers, lighting crew, engineers as well as the band and their families – all travelling together to put on shows. The idea of being part of a huge travelling collective to an 8 year old me was just amazing. My parents were really supportive too – I used to sing songs in the bar of the hotel in Blackpool from the age of 4. I just loved performing and writing, so I always just thought I’d be in a band and play. I didn’t really plan for anything else. I was in a couple of bands that never rehearsed, but then I was in a band called Substance from the age of 14 to about 19 before setting up for uni in London.
What has been your greatest achievement so far musically?
I’d say definitely the chart position for the debut album, Valley of Thorns, although I also can’t take credit for that because it was all thanks to the love and warmth of the people we’ve met in the last decade. Getting the album in the Top 10 of the Rock Albums Chart was just an incredible feeling – it just felt like the hard work saving up for the album recordings, rehearsals, recording and touring was all worth it and had become something so much bigger than me, the band or our immediate circle. I still have to see the real impact that it might have on us in the upcoming 12 months or so, but the phone has not stopped ringing so to speak. The album also hit number 6 in the UK Indie Breakers Chart, number 18 in the UK Independent Albums Chart and 4 other UK Charts. It’s really mind blowing, and I never thought we’d be at this point right now.
If you could be in any band, who would you choose?
Oh wow, probably Deftones! Either that or the Lunachicks! They were an awesome all female live project and I’d have loved to be in that band to be honest!
What do you enjoy most about performing live?
Aw all of it really – well aside from the setting up and packing all the gear down. I mean, sometimes performing can be a logistical nightmare, working out what you need and then the worst bit of all – carrying it – haha! But the minute the set starts, it’s just all good times. I guess I like to make people feel happy, so it’s great to be able to do that while also enjoying myself and making a huge sound. We have some great interactions with our crowd too, as well as with each other on stage, and then get to hang out all together after the gig. It’s all good times.
Do you have any upcoming projects/announcements people should keep an eye out for?
Aw yeah, I guess the next up for The Kut is the tour. We’ve got some awesome dates come up with Marco Mendoza (Dead Daisies / Thin Lizzy / Whitesnake / Black Star Riders) – so we will be heading to play shows with him and his band in Bournemouth, Manchester and Sheffield. We’ve also got a huge stack of festivals on the way – some of the best in the UK – and we’ll also hit the road for 3 consecutive weeks in July and August. It’s going to be really full on, but we all can’t wait. After that the vinyl is coming out for Valley of Thorns, also on Cargo Records, so that’s going to be really exciting too.
Name 3 bands you think other people should check out.
I’d say Sons (Brighton), The Himalayas (Cardiff) and The Virgin Marys (not sure where they are from). They’ve all got great song writing and I can see them doing well if they give it some effort. I’d also add a fourth in The Smokin’ Prophets (Southampton) – Jayke has toured with us before and they are just a quality live act. Love them!
Make sure you check out myself, Maha and The Kut out on social media and keep spreading the word of awesome music!!
INSTAGRAM – JodieBowie
INSTAGRAM – The Kut
FACEBOOK – JodieBowie
FACEBOOK – The Kut
TWITTER – The Kut
WEBSITE – thekut.co.uk
I hope you’ve enjoyed this Band Chat, The Kut are a girl band with power so please so make sure that you check them out and show them some lovin’.
Check here for my previous Band Chat featuring Matthew Ward of Mason Hill.
Much love rockers! ❤
Jodie x ❤ x
JodieBowie 