Our hero, Kevin Thomas’s, story begins in Battleboro, VT where meets a like-minded artist in the record store he works at. Kurt Weisman, and Thomas would collaborate on some songs and then seemingly by magic the two would start what indie rock critics label as a cult-like folk ensemble, by the name Feathers.
While gigging with Feathers Kevin, would attract the attention of Sub Pop legend, and Dinasour JR front man J. Mascis (Maskis). Mascis had the idea to lay off the guitar and sit behind a drum set, in the band Witch. A band Mascis had started with longtime friend and bass player Dave Sweetapple. The sound was an early 70’s version of heavy metal with Kevin on lead guitar and vocals.
A marriage of these two sounds would birth King Tuff: A persona taken on by Thomas when recording an album in his house. Even if it didn’t catch on right away word of mouth helped distribute this recording, and grow Thomas’s popularity in the deep-deep underground, indie music scene.
While working with his new project, Happy Birthday, Thomas says that people started asking about King Tuff. The word of mouth and popularity had grown so exponentially that the decision to go back to his old band seemed almost subconscious. Although not much of a stretch from Happy Birthday, four years later Kevin has created his second album with King Tuff. This self-titled effort was released on Sub Pop Records. Does the distribution come with help from former band mate Mascis? If not then I like to think that his Bob Dylan/ Mic Jagger vocal baby of a voice got him the record contract.
This is King Tuff.
Tracks Heard In This Podcast:
Feathers – Come Around
Witch – Seer
King Tuff – Sun Medallion
Happy Birthday – Subliminal Message
King Tuff – Keep On Moving
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