Kings Of The Mountain - I Am Austin

Last week Gigwise crowned I Am Austin Kings of the Mountain after a fiercely fought final at Snowbombing in Austria. A week after their triumph we caught up with the two piece from North Wales to see if the ein had sunk in and to talk a little about how their first year as a band has gone.

How does it feel to be Kings of the Mountain?

Mitch & Adam: It feels amazing!, We didn’t think we were going to go all the way, but we did. We always put 110% into every performance. The standard of the competition was very high this year.  It was an honour to meet some of the people that we did, and it was all thanks to us winning King of the mountain.

How are you planning to spend the prize money?

Mitch: I am completely skint and I need every penny to fuel my reckless student lifestyle.

Adam: Beer.

You've only been together a year, how has the first 12 months gone?

Mitch & Adam: Our first year has zoomed past in the blink of an eye, one minute, we were just jamming, trying to create a sound, a feeling of passion through our instruments, the next, we have our first demo on iTunes, playing national festivals such as In The City 2008 in Manchester and Huw Stephens’s Swn Festival in Cardiff. Achieving regular airplay on BBC Radio 1 Wales, generating a huge underground fan base. Oh and of course, winning King of the mountain 2009, the pinnacle of our music career so far, hopefully, a stepping-stone towards much greater things.

Did you have any plan of how you wanted to sound when you first started?

Mitch: I had only been drumming for a few months; this was my first drumming project. I just wanted to hit them as hard as I could, whilst making some really phat beats, with added raw heart filled vocals.

Adam: Not really. I just played what sounded good to me. Most of the time when I come up with a riff it only sounds good if I can imagine people dancing to it. It’s also the only time I’ve been completely free in a band to play what I want. I dont have to play in tune with anyone else which is cool.

Do you worry that being a two piece of drums and bass may mean big comparisons with DFA 1979?

Adam: We’re not going to deny we weren’t influenced by DFA 1979, I have got them tattooed on my left arm. People are always going to compare us. We do have the same set up but we still think we have are own sound. I’d say we are more dance and less punk than them. Plenty of bands  the same set up but still manage to have their own sound.

Mitch: I love DFA 1979!

What bands influenced the sound which I Am Austin creates?

Mitch: I come from a background of mainly black music. I grew up with the sounds of soul and funk. I have been performing all my life, singing, dancing and acting. I used to sing in an indie band for about 4 years, before I.A.A was born. My singing influences are the like of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gay, Al Green, Brendon Boyd, Gavin Degraw, and Chris Cornell to name a few. Drumming influences are the likes of Dave Grohl, Brad Wilk and Tony Royster Jr.

Adam: DFA 1979, Queens of the Stoneage, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Eighties Matchbox B Line Disaster, Nirvana, And You’ll Know Us By The Trial Of Dead, Late of the Pier, Cooper Temple Clause, Arctic Monkeys etc.

What are the bands plans for the rest of the year?

Mitch & Adam: Soon we will embark on recording our first studio album, but mainly we just want to gig, venues, festivals, whatever, we want to perform everywhere. If we generate enough exposure from winning King of the Mountain, then festivals will be our next stop. There’s nothing quite like playing to huge crowds who are into your music. Book us!!

What has been your favourite live show so far? And Why?

Mitch & Adam: We had a really explosive gig in Wrexham’s Central Station recently, we were playing The Red Stripe Music Awards against some top local talent. We smashed it, everything was perfect, the sound, the lights, the vibe! We loved every minute of it. Even though that was amazing, nothing really compares to playing in a different country like Austria, and especially in a Snowboarding/Music Festival, Quite possibly the best time of our lives.

If you could support one band – past or present – who would it be?

Mitch: Audioslave. They made me want to put everything into the music.

Adam: Nirvana. They were the last great rock band. Just to be part of there short band life would have been amazing.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?

Mitch & Adam: Hopefully, headlining the 20th Anniversary show of Snowbombing. But realistically, we would like to have achieved a high status in the music industry, released a few albums and have enough money to live a good life, to provide for our families.

I Am Austin Win King Of The Mountain