Taking Names Time With ALEX LASKA From KINGSWOOD Backstage At KICKASS FESTIVAL 2023

Interview by Kris Peters & Kyra-Jade Coombs
KickAss Festival successfully completed its second year last
weekend with a bumper show at Kenilworth Showgrounds that
emphatically proved rock music is alive, well and thriving.
Held over two days with local acts appearing alongside established
bands such as James Reyne, Kingswood, Dragon and the Choirboys,
KickAss Festival did just that and more with thousands of music
lovers taking advantage of the camping facilities on offer to spend
the weekend in rock paradise.
HEAVY was granted exclusive media access to backstage interviews on
the Saturday, and we managed to corner Kingswood, Choirboys and
Lecia Louise for some up close and personal time.
After speaking to Alex Laska from Kingswood several times via zoom,
it was long overdue that we finally got the chance to talk with him
in person, and it didn't disappoint.
Kingswood are currently riding the crest of a musical wave that is
steadily building to a tidal wave. Following the release of their
country inspired album Home earlier this year - an album that has
since seen them secure ARIA Awards in that genre - and a massive
Australian run of shows, Kingswood are now only days away from
heading overseas for another European tour. It seems everything
they touch is gold. Until they said yes to this interview.
Kyra-Jade Coombs and Kris Peters drew the short straws for the
day.
Kyra kicked things off by bringing up Kingswood's ever changing
sound and whether it is a planned progression musically or more a
matter of circumstance.
"To be honest it's so weird," Alex replied. "You would think there
would be a distinct conversation and then there's a strategy behind
it where we say we should do this, but honestly Fergus and I love
so much music and always have done. We've been musical around each
other since we were 12 years old. There are so many different
influences. These things happen where we eventually just go 'this
is inspiring at the moment, what do you think of this?' And there's
so much mystery that has made us who we are musically that at some
point, once you've exhausted something, you feel like you become
accomplished in it…"
Nothing is off limits in the ensuing 30 minutes as we cover
everything from touring to festival survival tips. Strap in and
enjoy the ride.
*note due to the live recording of the interviews some background
noise and comments can be heard intermittently. Keep an eye on
HEAVY over the coming weeks for the full video interviews, uncut
and (mostly) uncencored *