PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF FOR US WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH YOU AND YOUR MUSIC AND TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF.
Jes Beveridge (Vocals). I’m Beveridge from The Rockit King. We are a Michigan based Rock ‘N’ Roll band that formed in late 2001. We released our 4th studio album Fourth Turning in May 2021.
Q. TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR NEW ALBUM OR SINGLE?
JB. Our latest single is Take My Hand. It’s about helping someone you love when they’re down and conversely, how a loved one can rescue you from a given situation (or even from yourself), pulling you out of the darkness both literally and figuratively…with love and kindness. As strong as we might think that we are, we all need a good word, a reminder of our worth or simply a helping hand from time to time.
Q. WHAT INSPIRED THE ALBUM OR SINGLE?
JB. The overarching idea behind the album was to keep things simple…and analog. No computers. Just four dudes in a room, a Big AMEK console and one of Elvis’s old tape machines.
The single Take My Hand was an exploration into PopRock a-la Cheap Trick or Aerosmith.
Q. CAN YOU SUM UP THE ALBUM IN A FEW WORDS?
JB. “Solid, power pop metal recorded with excitement and distortion, bleeding from the guitars to the drums and back again.
Jes Beveridge is a star on vocals, so it’s smart business that he’s so far up in the mix, although everything just pops to the fore anyway, from the stacked chords, the riffs and the tight snare to the very electric high lead textures.
Cheap Trick meets The Darkness meets the NWOBHM.
Cool band – I don’t think there’s anything out there like this.”
Martin Popoff
Author - Music Critic
Q. WHAT RECORD CHANGED YOUR LIFE AND WHY?
JB. Faith No More, The Real Thing. That album changed everything for me. It was the beginning of “Anything is possible.” I was not an “80’s” guy so that album in particular was a bridge for me between the 70’s and the 90’s which were much more in my wheelhouse. Living Colour’s Vivid was another one.
Q. DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE MUSIC VIDEO FILMED BY YOUR BAND OR ANOTHER ARTIST?
JB. Those live Willie Nelson “Teatro” era clips where it’s him, Emmy Lou and Daniel Lanois and his band. Killer.
Q. WHAT WOULD WE FIND YOU DOING WHEN YOU'RE NOT MAKING MUSIC?
JB. Working hard. As hard as I can. Always busy.
Q. DO YOU GET NERVOUS PERFORMING LIVE, IF SO HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THAT?
JB. A little. That goes away after the first tune or two. Before that, it’s autopilot. You play like you rehearse.
Q. HOW DID YOU FORM THE BAND?
JB. TRK was formed as a kind of West Michigan supergroup with the idea of writing a record that was a cross between Thin Lizzy and Boston. A sort-of throwback to 70’s GuitarRock in the era of NuMetal. Things evolved naturally from there.
Q. HOW DO YOU WRITE? - DO YOU HAVE A KEY SONGWRITER, OR DO YOU ALL WORK TOGETHER?
JB. One of two ways. Either Anthony (Mannino, Guitar) and I flesh out a song first OR the whole band jams something out at rehearsal. Everyone is respectful of the creative space.
Q. WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
JB. Real stuff. Real life experiences.
Q. WHAT IS NEXT?
JB. There are a few contenders for the next single off of Fourth Turning. After that a 7” in April ‘22. With regards to roadwork, let’s hope we’re able to get after it hard next year. This COVID bit has really turned the live aspect of this business into a real pickle.
Q. PLEASE TELL US ANY SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS SO WE CAN SHARE.
JB. https://linktr.ee/therockitking