Following a killer EP release and a recent string of shows through Melbourne and Sydney, Kids Without Bikes have caused a lot of ears to prick up. Throwing off the normal shackles of tradition labels and pigeonholing, KWoB are just making music they love, and in turn seem to be gaining a lot of love in the process.
Music Feeds: What’s your name and what do you do in the band?
Tom Carroll: Tom Carroll and I play guitar. I also sometimes yell at the microphone, but that’s Carla’s job … I like to think it makes her look better
MF: How did this all start?
TC: Basically, Carla Piccione (vocals), Matt Granato (guitar, crotch stuffing) and I have been friends for a while and ended up having a bit of a jam with a couple of guitars one day – accidentally wrote a song and then we learned some covers. We started gigging, went through an acoustic phase, two drummers and a bass player and then this year it all just clicked!
MF: Digging the name; where did that come from?
TC: A heated phone conversation between me and Matat where I informed him (about 3 weeks into forming) that we have a gig soon and that we need to have a name for me to write down, RIGHT NOW. I think he’d just sold his bike that day, so Kids Without Bikes got thrown out there and it stuck.
MF: What’s been the highlight of the band so far?
TC: Seeing Declan the bass player run at Matt on the side of a freeway, and perform the ‘jumping turkey slap’ successfully while Joe (drums), Carla and I looked on in horror/amusement …
Unless you mean career wise … For me, that would be working with Sam Panetta on our first record and getting out to play our first tour.
MF: You recently played some shows around Australia; how did the band go on their first tour together?
TC: Awesomely! Due to poverty/cheapness we ended up camping in Sydney for a few days, which we actually enjoyed. The shows were pretty awesome, especially The Gaelic Theatre. One of the coolest venues we’ve played to date. In Adelaide for a show as of the 15th October, so looking forward to that too!
MF: Tell us a bit about your EP Violent Lies and Bleeding Lips
TC: It was heaps of fun to write! We drew on personal experiences for a few songs and wrote the other two almost like they were screenplays, which lent itself to some pretty interesting stuff coming out. Musically, it sounds somewhere in between early Living End and No Doubt, but with plenty of our own edge to it and a couple of curve balls thrown in there.
I’d say lyrically it deals a lot with themes of deception, of the self or otherwise. It’s available on iTunes now too!
MF: How would you describe Kids Without Bikes in 2 words?
TC: edgy, infectious.
The members … fucking ridiculous
MF: When and where can we catch you next?
TC: 15th October in Adelaide at the Grace Emily and also November 11th at Cherry Bar in Melbourne for the video launch party for The Heist single.
