While their London peers thrived, Knats faced dwindling funding. But after a Proms appearance and as they release a new album produced by Black Midi’s Geordie Greep, their confidence is high
“It’s kind of a silly story,” says King David-Ike Elechi, grinning as he explains the origins of his jazz band Knats. At school, in year seven, he became friends with classmate Stan Woodward after a silent game of passing a giant pink novelty rubber back and forth to one another. Elechi suggested that Woodward should join a local School of Rock-style music club with him. “Then we had a Whiplash moment, where the teacher is really mean,” says a now 22-year-old Elechi, huddled in a booth in the cafe of Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle.
The breaking point was being told they weren’t good enough to cover Arctic Monkeys’ R U Mine? Woodward, also 22, is stuck on a train during our interview, but later confirms the story over a video call. “We were like: f*** this guy, let’s leave this club and do it ourselves.”
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