King Krule - The prodigy of post-dubstep

King Krule is the stage name behind which the very young singer and musician Archy Marshall hides, who at just nineteen years old released his acclaimed debut album “6 Feet Beneath The Moon“. The red-haired English artist will soon be in our country for a single date: he'll play on April 7th on the stage of Circolo Magnolia in Segrate (Milan). While waiting to see him live, we had the chance to have a long phone chat to find out more about him and his music. With a marked cockney accent, Archy told us about his first tours around the world, his distinctive way of singing, his creative process and the main influences that led him to his unique and varied musical genre.

Let's start by talking about your stage name. I've read that King Krule takes its inspiration from the film “King Creole”, in which Elvis Presley stars. Why did you decide to choose it? Is there a particular inspiration tied to the film's images and soundtrack, or did you choose it mostly because it sounds (undoubtedly) really good?

Exactly, “King Creole” by Michael Curtiz. I really love this film, and I think one of the main reasons I chose the name King Krule is precisely because I adore its soundtrack. “Crawfish”, for instance, is one of my favorite songs from the soundtrack. But it's also true that I chose it because it actually sounded really good as a stage name.

You've just come back from a tour in the United States, and in April you'll play here in Italy for the first time, stopping first in France. How has the reception been so far at your live shows? And what are the main differences you've noticed between the various countries you've performed in, particularly between the two continents?

There are definitely huge differences between the various countries. I just got back from a tour in Southeast Asia, before that I was in Australia, and well, they were different experiences, but both incredible. In Australia people seem very attentive to music, to its meaning, the audience was really eager to see me play live, probably also because that land is so far from Europe. When we arrived we got a fantastic welcome. In Japan too the audience is very attentive during the performance; in this respect I found some similarities with what I encountered in Paris, really calm and respectful, they have a very particular and different approach to listening to live music. America was a continuous succession of states, I played in so many places very different from one another. For example, in university towns like Berkeley and Boston I got an amazing reception. As you can see, it changes every time, every show is different from the last, and I admit that's why I'm always nervous before performing. The audience is a really important element for me.

So you'll soon be playing in Italy. Is this the first time you've visited our country?

Yes, it's my first time ever in Italy. I really can't wait to play in Milan. I'm very curious about it.

Now let's talk a bit about you and your music. You have a very distinctive voice, with a low and well-defined tone. When did you realize you had this amazing potential? And where does your way of singing draw its inspiration from?

I started singing when I was very young, and naturally since then my voice has gotten lower and lower. The influences on my way of singing come from a lot of artists; Chet Baker, for instance, was very important to me, I love the way he controls his dynamics. Several influences also come from the punk scene, for example from Malcolm Owen of the Ruts, and from the rock scene, from singers like Frank Black of the Pixies. I also drew inspiration from various funk and soul artists like Donny Hathaway, George Benson, and even from dub and reggae singers.

The artists you just mentioned are also among your favorites, right? I've read that you've always loved bands like the Pixies, the Style Council, the Damned, the Talking Heads. You're very young, and these are all artists of a certain age; how did you come to discover their music?

I discovered most of them on my own, when I was still very young, mostly through the internet. But a lot of what I know I also owe to the music my parents and my older brother used to listen to.

So many different influences that led you to a very varied musical style of your own, and definitely a very personal one…

Yes, absolutely. I think music has to be, first and foremost, something personal. I mainly make music for myself, because through it I can release a lot of emotions, talk about myself and about things that have happened to me. And it's also thanks to music that I manage to feel good about myself, that I can sing, stand on a stage and be the guy I've always wanted to be.

And what about contemporary music? What do you like listening to?

Lots of artists, of different kinds. Mount Kimbie, for instance, I listen to a lot, I've always followed them. There's so much music coming out of South-East London right now, all really solid, interesting stuff. Lately I've been listening a lot to Madlib and Freddie Gibbs, artists in that vein, along with Ratking and Metro Zu, who I've been following pretty much forever. There's really so much great music around right now.

Your songs often breathe a dreamlike atmosphere, marked by strong chiaroscuro, almost expressionist. There's a sense of being immersed in a waking dream, a vision that transfigures the reality around you. In the past you've said you had serious problems with insomnia; how much did that shape this particular sensibility of yours?

It's true, for a long stretch of time I lived my life by moonlight, never seeing daylight, a bit like a vampire. And yes, that habit really shaped the way I saw the world. Living at night, I saw a different face of it. The empty streets and the silence make everything look different, they make you think differently.

The lyrics of your songs conjure evocative images, especially through descriptions of bare, desolate urban landscapes that seem to reflect a kind of inner darkness of yours. Can you describe your approach to writing lyrics? 

I almost always carry a notebook with me, where I jot down various observations and poems that come to mind during the day. I write them down without worrying too much about which words to use. Then, once I've got a melody that convinces me, I start listening to it over and over, trying to match it with lines from my poems. I place enormous importance on lyrics, paying attention to every single word I use.

You started releasing EPs very early on, back in 2010, when you were only sixteen! When did you start making music?

I think I've always wanted to be a musician. Yes, that's definitely always been what I wanted to do with my life. I started making music when I was eight, I was already writing my own songs… which weren't necessarily any good. Let's just say I hope I've improved since then.

What's it like growing up on the outskirts of a big city? And do you still live there?

I like where I grew up. And yes, I still live there, in the house I was born in. Last year I moved out for eleven, twelve months, but now I've come back to live here. The house is empty at the moment though, neither my mother nor my brother live there right now. It's great because, having the whole house to myself, I've been able to set up the rooms the way I wanted, and I've turned a lot of them into music rooms. 

Do you think that without the experiences you've had to face in your life you would have become a musician all the same?

I can't say for sure, but I think all the experiences, both good and bad, that I've been through so far were essential in bringing me to where I am now. I don't know where else I might be right now. Maybe I'd be making carpets.

Earlier, talking about your favourite artists, you mentioned Mount Kimbie, with whom you've recently collaborated. How was it working with this electronic duo?

Like I said before, I love them. I really love their music, and I loved it even before I knew them personally. It was a really important collaboration for me. They're excellent at what they do, I think they're brilliant, and we worked really well together. It was a great period, a wonderful experience.

Is there any artist you'd like to collaborate with in the future?

Yes, I'd like to work with Shakira. I don't know what would come out of it, but I imagine it would sound really good.

Finally, I want to ask you: what are your short-to-medium-term plans? Are you working on new songs? 

I write new songs pretty much every single day of my life, so let's say my plans for the near future are to keep doing what I'm doing.

So when can we expect a follow-up to "6 Feet Beneath The Moon"?

Soon.

Thank you so much, Archy, that was the last question. See you in Milan then!

Thank you, see you soon!

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