SoundClick artist: Rik King - Rik King - singer, guitarist, songwriter, performer, quiz & jam night host from Bedford, England.

Rik King is a primarily a songwriter from Bedford, England writing in a variety of musical genres. He was also the singer / guitarist for UK bands Chicken Inspectors, Rubberneck(UK) and Jets2June.
Now solo, and performing mainly covers around the country he presents a live show that is versatile and entertaining with songs from the 50's to present day, each delivered with power, emotion and more than a little humour!
His heart still lies with his songwriting and he has released 3 self-penned solo albums: Dreamchaser, Inside Out and Pop By Backular Demand. He is currently working on a new concept album, and will be recording some CDs of his favourite covers towards the end of the year.
There are also albums featuring Rik available: Chicken Inspectors - In Brief, Rubberneck - Paved With Gold & The Gentleman's Relish, Jets2June - J2J & Unspoken.
You can visit Rik's main website at
www.rikking.com

Why this name?

Previous band names were conscientiously calculated, thrown in a bucket and selected by a large newt called Jeremy (RIP). My name was given by my mum and dad. I don't think Jeremy was involved.

Do you play live?

I play live around the country, and have had the privelege of playing in front of tens of thousands over the years, like the Millenium Festival and River Festival, and even prestigious venues such as Hope & Anchor, London. My favourite gigs are the local ones, the home crowds, smaller and more intimate with friends - we always have a good laugh.

How, do you think, does the internet (or mp3) change the music industry?

Completely. When I started out we recorded in a 24 track studio onto 2 1/2 inch tape and spent weeks redording and mixing. I remember a session where we spent about 4 hours to get the correct sound for a gong!! The albums were released on cassette tape and it cost a packet! Now, most of us have our own home studios and with mp3 & the internet can reach more people than ever before, and can find more music than we ever dreamed of. And it's considerably cheaper!

Would you sign a record contract with a major label?

If it happened then great, but being realistic there are younger, fitter and more gullible people they can take advantage of for a short time to maximise their profit than me. And, let's be honest, they are a business and have to make money and times are tough for them, so I'll stick to writing, selling my songs and performing live for fun (and a small fee).

Your influences?

Influenced by music. Period. If it's good I like it, if it's special I'll be influenced by it. Good melodies, harmonies, creative soundscapes, imagination. Music is about expression and passion, so if it's there, chances are I'll be influenced by it.

Favorite spot?

Bedford is a dive. No bones about it. But I love the people here and would miss them if I moved. I love Norfolk & Suffolk - great coastline and gentler pace of life.

Equipment used:

Studio - running Cubase through DAW and using all the peripherals that go with it.
Live - Line6 Variax guitars, POD, PA and speaker setups vary.

Fans

I'm a fan!