KINGS OF THE SUN

Hard rock and an uber cool attitude fuelled the bad boys from Australian band Kings of the Sun.

 

Flamboyant vocalist Jeffrey Hoad and his brother Clifford Hoad were playing with the Young Lions until guitarist Bob Spencer left to join the Angels in 1986. With the dissolution of the Young Lions, the Hoad brothers formed Kings of the Sun and signed to Mushroom Records. As Kings of the Sun, their debut single, "Bottom of My Heart"/"Bad Love," would prove to be the bands biggest Australian hit, eventually reaching the national Top 20.

 

Kings of the Sun almost disbanded at the end of 1986 before RCA executive and talent scout, Simon Lowe signed the band after seeing them perform in their hometown of Sydney.   Simon Lowe happened upon a live Kings of the Sun show at the Kardoma Cafe in Kings Cross - he was struck by the connection this young Australian front man had to the burgeoning rock scene in LA & New York.  He knew he'd struck gold and whisked Jeff and his band mates directly to the USA where they promptly were signed by RCA and delivered to Freddy De Mann for management (of Madonna/ Michael Jackson/ Billy Idol/Shakira fame).  History followed.  The band toured the U.S. during 1987 before beginning work on their debut album with producer/engineer Eddie Kramer (Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones). Guitarist Ron Thiessen had left the band and Jeffrey Hoad's guitar work appeared on their self-titled debut, released in October 1988, before guitarist Glenn Morris joined. The album produced the singles "Serpentine"/"Wild Cat" (July) and "Black Leather"/"Bad Love" (October).

 

The band toured the U.S. supporting Joe Satriani, followed by Europe supporting KISS, and returned to Australia at the end of 1988.  Supporting the touring Guns N' Roses at the Sydney Entertainment Centre proved less than favourable for Kings of the Sun, with Axl Rose taking offence over light hearted comments made by the band.  However, they continued touring overseas both in the United States and Europe with some of the world's biggest artists such as Iron Maiden and Aerosmith to name a few. In 1989 Kings of the Sun entered the recording studio and shortly after released their second album, Full Frontal Attack (August 1990). Two singles were released: "Drop the Gun"/"Haunt You Baby" and "I Get Lonely," before the band returned to the U.S. to support Lita Ford.  

 

An Australian tour with the Screaming Jets followed in early 1991 before Morris and Ragg left the band in 1992. American bassist Brad Spurr joined the now three-piece Kings of the Sun for the band's third album, Resurrection (May 1993). It produced the singles "Trapped Inside Your Heart" (April) and "Road to Nowhere" (July) and they supported Jimmy Barnes on national Australian tour that same year.  Dean Turner replaced Spurr for their 1995 single "Bombs Away."  Kings of the Sun supported Sammy Hagar's Australian tour in May 1998.

Kings of the Sun produced three major label studio albums collaborating with Eddie Kramer, Mark Dearnley and Dave Thoerner recording in land mark locations such as Electric Lady Studios in New York City (Jimi Hendrix's studio), The Record Plant NYC, Bearsville (Woodstock) and A&M studios in LA.   Every fairy tail has a twist, and the twist was GRUNGE - it hit the 90's like Disco hit in the 70's and stalled the progress of rock as we know it. In hindsight - it was all just rock all along.  And we like it, yes we do.

 

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