The Auckland-bred, Melbourne-based band King Cannons have broken up.
The news arrives just 12 months on from the release of their well-received debut album, The Brightest Light, with the six-strong outfit breaking the news of the band’s split in an email sent out to fans, as FasterLouder points out.
“It is with sadness that we announce that King Cannons have decided to call it a day,” beings the King Cannons statement. “Musical difference is a boring description for a band’s breakup, but in this case it is the truth.”
The band, fronted by 27-year-old Luke Yeoward, explain that increased changes “behind the scenes” have “been increasingly more dramatic and have split the passions internally.”
First forming in 2007 in Auckland, New Zealand after Yeoward met guitarist Rob Ting and bassist Jono Smith at a screening of the Joe Strummer doco The Future Is Unwritten, King Cannons eventually bolstered their lineup and relocated to Melbourne (following visa issues to settle in Strummer’s homeland of England). Their King Cannons EP was released in 2010, gaining them attention for their vintage attitude to rock and roll combined with a punk spirit and attack.
The Brightest Light was recorded at Melbourne’s Sing Sing Studios under the auspices of producer Tom Larkin (of Shihad fame) and engineer Steve Schram (San Cisco, Eagle & The Worm), which captured their visceral live show on tape and released to positive buzz in June last year. “A successful undertaking mixing old rock ‘n roll with a new sound and blending a little punk, reggae and soul to provide a solid debut album,” wrote our Tone Deaf reviewer.
After much touring and a slot at last year’s Queenscliff Music Festival, the sextet – Yeoward, Smith, Ting, Dan Mckay, Mike Ting, and Lanae Eruera – played Bluesfest 2013 on a bill that featured Iggy & The Stooges, Wilco, Ben Harper, Paul Simon, and many more, but turned out to be the band’s final show.
The King Cannons statement announcing their break-up notes that despite drawing a close to their six year journey, the bands’ members “are musical lifers and still remain inspired to create. All of the members are busy writing, recording, performing with new and old projects, the fruits of which will be with you shortly.”
The band’s manager, Graham Ashton of Footstomp Music tells TheMusic: “King Cannons and Footstomp Music had a very intense ride both professionally and personally and we loved almost every minute of it. In a landscape where music is more about style than substance, Cannons had it all and then some,” he says. “The reason they were great is the same reason that they have called it a day. They challenged themselves and the people around to the limit and we wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.”
Meanwhile Luke Yeoward took to the King Cannons Facebook page to offer this parting message:
Unfortunately the news is true, gang… Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the support over the years. So many great experiences, great people, and great laugh’s along the journey. Life changing stuff, really. Massive love and respect to each and every one of you. Honestly. Onwards and upwards.”
