King Tuff Interview @ CMJ in NYC

I'm backstage at the Sup Pop Showcase at The Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, trying to find King Tuff and feeling very out of place. It's dimly lit, hardly anyone is around and I expect someone to tell me to get the hell out at any moment. None of the doors are labeled so I try each one - bathroom, equipment storage, people hooking up, an interview room sans the Vermont rocker. One door leads to the stage and I go up to hear Daughn Gibson croon country licks over expertly crafted Ableton beats.

I saw him under the neon lights of a corner bar, crying like a child...

I came back down from the stage, turned the corner and heard the wheezy laugh of Kyle Thomas, nom de plume King Tuff, decked out in a double-breasted, painted-up leather jacket, the shoulders of which covered with big, brown hair. I talked to Kyle about King Tuff, the new record and the taco of his dreams.

 I shoot for weddings too.

KRTU How did King Tuff come together over the past few years?

Kyle I’m not sure it came together yet [laughs]. It’s something I’ve been doing for ten years now, but only started touring a couple years ago so I’m still trying to get my band together. I’ve had a different band on every tour pretty much. I’ve gone on four separate tours since the record came out and every tour has been a different band. It’s only been like 3 months [laughs].

KRTU How is that for consistency night to night?

Kyle It makes it interesting, but it’s exciting. I’m used to having a different thing going on so it’s cool, I like it. But I think it’ll get to be the same people after a while.

KRTU Have the songs on the record been in your head awhile?

Kyle The songs on the record were written in February 2011. So at this point they’re getting to be old.

KRTU A new single just came out too.

Kyle Yea, that was written back then too. We recorded it at the same time as the record. So I’m already sick of everything [laughs].

KRTU That being said, do you have a favorite one to play?

Kyle I love playing "Wild Desire", which is this song that came out on a seven inch before the record.

KRTU What are some records you’ve been digging recently?

Kyle I just got into this Tom Petty album released a few years back called Highway Companion.

KRTU My mom has that.

Kyle It’s awesome, it has some really good songs on it. He plays drums on a lot of it. A lot of stuff on Burger Records. I love Natural Child, good friends of mine from Nashville.

KRTU Are you playing FunFunFun Fest in Austin?

Kyle It’s one of the night shows so –

KRTU Oh yea, it’s real late on Sunday.

Kyle It’s really late?

KRTU 2 I think

Kyle Is it really that late?

KRTU Do you have a curfew?

Kyle 10 O’Clock.

KRTU My friends came up with these questions on the train. What’s your dream taco?

Kyle Chaco Taco.

KRTU Dog breed?

Kyle Mutt.

KRTU Cat?

Kyle Hate ‘em. Allergic. I think they’re beautiful creatures but they’re stupid.

KRTU What are you going to be for Halloween?

Kyle That remains to be answered. We’re playing a show so with Man or Astro Man? so we gotta do something real good. But it’s still in the works, I can’t release that information.

KRTU And what’s your spirit animal?

Kyle Bunny Rabbit? It’s a mix between a bunny and a bat. A bat-bunny.