By Jeffrey Pierre / Staff Writer
Perhaps it was the long hours spent touring down the California coast with Gabriel Alcala, Danny Gonzales and Diego Monasterios of the Jacuzzi Boys the summer of 2013 that made Kyle Thomas–– the frontman for King Tuff –– a believer in the three-piece Miami based band, and, moreover, the city that fostered their inception.
That summer, King Tuff and the Jacuzzi Boys were opening shows for the San Diego punk and surf-rock band Wavves, who was touring under the success of their fourth studio album, Afraid of Heights, which peaked at number 81 the Billboard 200— the band’s highest charting album to date.
Thomas says his bandmates and the Jacuzzi Boys got very close during those weeks together.
“There was a lot of deep bonding during that tour,” Thomas said. That August, band members were swapped around and a Hall and Oates tape, for Thomas, was considered the retaliatory weapon of choice during any on-the-road disputes— once, he threw a tape at JB after they “stole his drummer” for a day. Thomas calls the boys “sweethearts,” none the less. “It was pretty much the best tour any of us have been on,” he said.
Thomas has been touring on and off since September, and has yet to play a show in South Florida under the name King Tuff. The garage-rock, power pop band from Los Angeles is still enjoying the chart topping performance of their third and most recent album, “Black Moon Spell.”
Dan Monick / Courtesy of King Tuff
On Saturday, Jan. 17, King Tuff will take on the Churchill’s stage for the first time making this his Miami debut.
“It’s going to be full on, buck-wild,” said Thomas, while navigating his tour van through the Texan desert en route to South Florida.
The show will feature the Jacuzzi Boys and D.C.-based band Ex Hex, lead by front-woman and songwriting veteran Mary Timony, whose past projects include Wild Flag, Helium and Autoclave.
King Tuff’s South Florida debut is welcomed by many— KT has earned quite the reputation in Miami’s garage and punk rock community.
With three albums under his belt, Thomas has seen the band take off rather quickly. Shortly after its Wednesday, Sept. 24 release, “Black Moon Spell,” was CMJ’s “most added” album on college radio the week of Sept. 23. Later, it debuted at number one on Billboard Heatseeker’s “Hot Shot Debut” chart the week of Oct. 11. It also took the number one spot on CMJ’s College Radioplay chart for the week of Oct. 14.
“It seems like every record we put out gets a little bit more attention,” Thomas said. “Over the years it’s just been, you know, snowballing, which is nice.”
With bands like King Tuff deciding to visit South Florida, Rob Budowsky, the owner of Strutter USA Productions, says Miami is experiencing its own snowball effect— it’s finally getting the attention it deserves.
Strutter USA, the booking agency that put the King Tuff and Ex Hex show together, was conceived in October of 2013, and since then, has worked to dispel the idea that rock and roll music doesn’t have a place in South Florida.
“I think agents and bands are reluctant to come down here because it’s the first time for a lot of them and they don’t know what to expect,” Budowsky said. Budowsky managed the Jacuzzi Boys’ 2013 California tour where he was introduced to Magic Jake, the bass player for King Tuff. On that same trip, Budowsky spent a few days at Old Gary’s San Francisco home. Old Gary is King Tuff’s drummer.
Despite Miami’s unsupportive reputation with rock bands, Budowsky says the city is coming around. Future projects for Strutter USA include La Luz and The Shivas, two veteran bands hailing from the Pacific Northwest, which are scheduled for sometime later this Spring.
“Every show helps the next show,” Budowsky said. “It’s all a network of friends. When King Tuff and those guys go back to California, and they talk to their friends about what a great time they had in Miami and how well they were taken care of, those bands will start to say, ‘Hey we want to go to Miami. Book us shows down there.’”
Budowsky says that local friends-helping-firends element is giving his cause legs. It also makes his job that much more enjoyable.
“These guys that I can call my friends are creating this wonderful music. Its like another level of fandom when its your friends making the music,” said Budowsky, who declares that King Tuff’s “So Desperate” song to possibly be “the greatest pop song of all time.”
The show will begin at 9 p.m., and tickets will sold at the door.
-jeffrey.pierre@fiusm.com
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