New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Tim
David Kelly (lead vocals, guitar), Bret Domrose (bass) and Michael Odabashian (drums)—is a group of modern rock alchemists, and the operative word is "modern." They synthesize hard rock, alternative, metal and dance-pop elements, and generate radio gold. However, this isn't some hollow sleight of hand. Their fifth album, RED LIGHT DISTRICT, was released January 20 on their own Ultradose
Music label, which boasts 12 expertly sequenced potential singles poised to erupt on multiple platforms.
The album's first single, "Kill You," originally appeared on the band's 1996 MCA Records debut, UGLY & FESTERING. Due to spools of red tape that would strangle a lesser band, the fan favorite has long been out of print. Luckily, singer/guitarist Tim
Kelly conceived a novel solution: re-recording and modernizing "Kill You" as RED LIGHT DISTRICT's centerpiece single. A video for the song features an appearance by adult film star Mary Carey and has already racked up over 45,000 views since its November 2014 debut.
"I wanted to re-track 'Kill You' to give something back to the original fans who can't get it anymore, and also use it as kind of a rebooting of the franchise for new fans, as they say,"
Kelly laughs. "People still love this song and we still play it live, so it made sense to give it some new life and a really cool new video as well."
Fans of auto makeover reality show "Overhaulin'" (originally on TLC, recently revamped on Velocity/Discovery) will recognize the song "
Gasoline" from 2002's SPACE AGE BREAKDOWN album as the show's main theme music, making it an unexpected sleeper hit by generating millions of YouTube views and spiked sales of the single.
RED LIGHT DISTRICT offers the perfect balance of classic and contemporary. Kelly's love for the dancier elements of new groups like Young the Giant and Shiny Toy Guns, as well as his taste for the big grungy riffs of '90s rockers
Stone Temple Pilots and
Alice In Chains is heard throughout.
"I have always tried to make albums where you have pretty, acoustic things next to really heavy, riffy stuff, so there is a broader range of material,"
Kelly says. "I like heavy music, but I am also very attached to melodies. I try to put the two together to get it as rocking as I can, while never losing the hooks, the pop part."
That explains RED LIGHT DISTRICT's lone cover: the band's unique take on INXS' sultry 1987 smash "Need You Tonight," which explodes with auto-wah attitude. "I felt like their songs were made to be done heavier—they always sound like heavy riffs to me, just done with clean guitar,"
Kelly says, going on to underscore KICKING HAROLD's winning philosophy: "I learned from a producer a long time ago that if you're gonna do a cover, do a #1 song, because it'll always be a #1 song."
According to a recent
Music Connection magazine live review, KICKING HAROLD "has a high octane formula; tight little packages of rock with similar melody lines and rhythm patterns. The band categorizes itself as alternative pop for this very reason: short and sweet songs with a little dash of alternative flavor."
Stay tuned for new KICKING HAROLD tour news in the coming weeks...
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