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Kharma 45 have the honour of being actively pursued by Gigwise. We first caught them down at the HiFi festival earlier this year, where they made a favourable impression. Now at Hyde Park Calling, they find themselves supporting The Who, as you do. As a result, we have tracked them down through some thorough investigative journalism (OK, so we asked their PR at their new home - Warners!), who are good enough to book us in with the boys for a quick chat during Ocean Colour Scene’s set (Thank god for that!).
In fact we are introduces to two of the palest boys Gigwise have ever seen. At first, it seems they have stage make-up on, but after careful scrutiny you realise that they are in fact completely white. Gigwise has a good mind to pack them off to St Tropez right now, but first we had better have a natter.
Glenn (vocals) and Peter (guitarist) are two very modest self-effacing chaps, who are quite bowled over by being signed to Warners. In fact they are very complimentary about the label.
“They’re letting us do our thing, and find our sound,” muses Glenn. “Just by gigging and experimenting.” Indeed the band don’t quite look like they’ve been remoulded by the major yet, especially with the album not due til early next year. On stage earlier in the day, Peter looked like a member of Mystery Jets, Glenn like a member of a Busted hybrid, and bassist Shane like he’d stepped straight off a stage at Download. Are the band confused? “We cross so many genres that it doesn’t matter.” States Peter, gently gesticulating with his hands. "We’re a mix of dance and rock, and we’re proud of that.”
Kharma 45 have been compared to many a crossover band and in some ways can be likened to the bastard child of 'Xtrmntr' era Primal Scream mixed with early Oasis. Their fusion of heavy basslines and electronica with their guitarwork, and track 'Ecstasy' seems inspired by dance music from an earlier era. Peter is quick to reassert this. “Oh yeah. I mean bands like Chemical brothers and Muse are amoungst our biggest influences!” Glenn chips in with with a more left field influence; “and Mars Volta.”
Ah yes, the musicians favourite. The two boys have a nice repertoire going, and are clearly very excited about some of their gigs like their time supporting Milburn, and T in the Park. They also have support gigs with Kasabian and Faithless coming up, showing their influences with rock and dance music, and how they really do want to pitch themselves in the middle of all this. Their delicate North Derry accents even touch on a hooker called Olga, but that’s for another website. Instead we lie back and sadly have to listen to the end of Ocean Colour Scene. Gigwise dithers over handing the boys some fake tan but decides better of it.
