Jamie Hince, one half of the Kills, is calling from his hotel in Tampa and sounds a bit taken aback by the scene at the golf resort that’s also popular lodging for guests at Walt Disney World and other attractions in that part of Florida. “It’s just kind of bizarre for an Englishman,” said Hince talking about music played in various theme-park-like venues. “It’s just a very different vibe, one I haven’t really experienced much before.”
His bewilderment is both charming and understandable. After all, Hince and musical partner Alison Mosshart have the Kills solidly planted in the best punk rock tradition. Although the two formed the band a decade ago — after a random meeting in a London hotel lobby — they are still very immersed in that scene.
Perhaps that laser-like focus on their very particular style of music — even though both have taken forays into other musical projects including Mosshart’s stint with Jack White’s Dead Weather — is one reason that fans and critics still can’t get enough of the band.
| Onstage |
| The Kills |
| When: 7 p.m. Thursday |
| Where: 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW |
| Info: Sold out at presstime, but tickets might be available via resellers; 9:30.com; 800-955-5566 |
Reading through a myriad of reviews of the band’s latest tours, journalists can’t help keep the excitement of the Kills’ shows out of the stories. And why should they? After all, the Kills are one band that has seemingly never done anything musically except what feels right to them.
“I feel really very blessed,” said Hince. “This year, the shows have been exceeding our expectations. It can be hard for a band like us. We’re not about being virtuoso musicians. For us, it’s always been the attitude and we have always found that works best in small, intimate environments. That’s the best [type of club] for us to be in.”
Of course that means fans have to hustle to get tickets for gigs, especially now that the band’s latest album “Blood Pressure” has won so much acclaim arguably due in large part to the musical adventures the band takes, melding piano and mellotron to the group’s throbbing rhythms.
When asked if the songs the group is beginning to write for its next album — which Hince predicts may be out in 2013 — one wonders how the duo will reinvent itself once again. After all, they are likely quite different people than they were 10 years ago when the Kills were born.
“One of the smartest things we ever did was not plan a single thing,” said Hince. “It’s almost like if you think too much about it, you will probably screw it up. We just hopped on. We’ve never really seen this as a career or a job. I know a lot of bands talk this kind of talk, but honestly, we only do this because we love it. We are not the kind of people who check record sales or venue sizes or marketing ploys. We grew up with Sonic Youth [and loved the attitude in which] you turn your band into your life and your life into your band. We are as close as we can get to that.”
