New Kingdom a memory

A memory....

A little story.
When packing up after a Moonshake show in Vienna around 94/95, the "indie' disco" started.
The DJ played a track that immediately got my attention, it turned out to be a song from the debut album Heavy Load, by the band New Kingdom.
The groove, the use of samples and the dirty sound drew me in.
Later on after returning to London, I picked up a vinyl copy in either Sister Rays, Soho or the record shop by Camden Lock (?)
Fast forward to 1996, and Moonshake are again on tour in the good ol' US of A. 
This time we are playing a triple headline bill with a NY based hardcore band called Ultra Bide and, would you believe it ?, New Kingdom.

Starting the tour and meeting the guys for the first time was a bit nerve racking, after all they were a super hip Brooklyn, New York band, both loud of sound and of character…

Eventually relationships between the groups sufficiently defrosted and we started hanging with the guys, as all of us were staying in "edge of town cheap motels" (think bullet holes in the paper thin walls)  
After this point on several occasions I was invited to join them onstage with my sax and replicate, add and improvise around some of their great new tunes from Heavy Load and their new plater, Mexico or Bust.

Around this time, one memory stands out. 
Playing in Philadelphia and before the gig being taken to a record store to browse the Sun Ra stuff - many limited run vinyls, 50 to 100 copies for sale 10’’/ 12’’and 7’’ mostly in hand made sleeves which blew me away…
- the Sun Ra house was not far from the shop and band members would often drop off records for sale on a regular basis apparently.
Unfortunately as a member of a low key left field “indie” band on a shoestring budget USA tour my funds would not even stretch to a small 7”, so no Sun Ra treats for me..
(I still regret this to this day)

Another point of interest on this tour was having some time off in NY and needing somewhere to store the backline.
We were staying with friends in Brooklyn - this was early to mid 90’s Brooklyn not the Brooklyn as it is now… and as Scott Harding (Scotty Hard) Guitarist / Producer of New Kingdom had worked with the Wu Tang Clan, and they had quite a sizeable rehearsal / recording unit, after some negotiation we were able to store our gear at their place…
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Let me say it was an interesting time hanging in Brooklyn with Scott and New Kingdom..
Writing this a few more memories come back form this eventful time, but possibly for a later occasion.
As a sidetone, albeit an important one.
Scott Harding was involved in a road traffic accident, paralysed from the chest down, he is wheelchair bound but continues to work in music. 
There is a trust set up in his honour to provide some financial support.
Details can be found here 
LINK : scottyhardtrust.org/

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