Quick & Dirty: Kite Thief Field a List of Fun, Frivolous Questions

Kite Thief is taking the bull by the horns in 2024. The band released their latest EP, Ambiviolent, in December, and since then, they have had their collective foot firmly on the gas pedal. They just completed a run of eight dates that took them through their native England, with another run through the UK scheduled for May. Some of the upcoming May dates will be alongside the fiery grunge pop act Exit Child. It’s been one of the most productive runs for the Bristol band, and they promise to keep it going throughout the year with more tour dates on the horizon.

Although the band is stationed in Bristol, none of the members are from there. They all just happened to move there from different cities and, through luck, met each other. They quickly bonded over a love for similar types of rock and metal. Each member came into the group with a lot of prior experience in music. They initially formed to audition for a live showcase, which they all thought would be a one-off event. Instead, a spark was lit during their first performance, and it just felt right. As a result, they decided to give it a shot, and over five years later, here they are.

Joining us today for a Quick & Dirty interview are the members of Kite Thief. Learn more about them as we fire off random questions about anything and everything.

Must have on your rider?

Josh Bailey (guitar): “As a band, we are very much not your stereotypical heavy band, or just touring band in general! Very often, a venue will assume you want crates of beer/cider. In reality, three of us share driving on tour, and the other two are really anal about looking after their voices! Plus, when we do drink, beer is not really anyone’s go-to. It has only been recently that we have been in the privileged position of being asked for a rider ahead of time, and so far, they have mainly featured bourbons, humus, wraps, crisps, and ice. Personally, I would much rather sandwich building materials than a crate of beer. Pictured is the G.O.A.T pre-gig food.”

Kite Thief – Sushi

Wii, Xbox or Playstation?

Bailey: “I’ll take this one for sure. I think there is a correct history to this. My order growing up went: PS2, Wii, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS5/Xbox Series S/Switch (you can tell when I got grown-up money). Ultimately, the best option is just whatever you enjoy! But the 360 was the best in my experience, definitely has the best memories! Early GTA 5, Modern Warfare 2, Black Ops 2, all the memories there. Elin (Allan) has recently got a Switch so I look forward to playing Mario Kart on tour with her, perhaps it might become a bit of a new tour tradition!”

What toppings do you like on your pizza?

Elin Allan (vocals): “OK, so, I rarely find anyone that agrees with me here. But I LOVE pineapple, jalapenos, and sweetcorn on a pizza. Honestly, just put pineapple and jalapenos on everything, in my opinion. However, when we were recording Ambiviolent, one night, me, Max (Harris) and Henry (Stone) made the most incredible pizza topping discovery. Ok, just hear me out. Nongshim shim noodles, add miso and peanut butter. Then, BBQ jackfruit pizza. Put the noodles on top of the pizza. I swear to god, one of the best meals I have ever had (although slightly heart-attack-inducing).”

Kite Thief – Noodles & Pizza

Must-have non-musical items when you’re on tour?

Allan: “I will never, ever stress enough the importance of pillows. We bring many different kinds of pillows. You never know when you’re going to need one, and on tour, you have to take advantage of any spare time and get your naps in! People often think touring = partying, but for us, touring = tired = naps.”

A prime example of pillow use:

Kite Thief – Van Sleep

Count the sheer amount of pillows we brought with us (also notice Josh mid-hurting himself on the top bunk):

Kite Thief – Loads of Pillows

Top 3 songs of all time?

Henry Stone (bass): “TRC, ‘#TeamUK.’ TRC makes super motivational hardcore music, and this one makes me proud to be a UK band. Plus all of their music is great for a gym sesh.

“Gustav Holst, ‘Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity’ (The Planets, Op. 32). Hands down the finest orchestral headbanger, this tune goes off HARD. No one writes riffs with a celestial brass section like Gustav, and that breakdown at the end? Masterpiece.

“Baz Luhrman, ‘Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen).’ If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists. This song’s message is timeless.”

What are three words that describe you?

Stone: “Peanut butter spreadsheets.”

What quote would you put on your tombstone?

Zac Lever (drums): “‘Here lies Zac Lever, and he’s bloody annoyed.’”

If you could have anything as a pet, what would it be?

Lever: “Henry. He’s incredibly clean, has a great temperament, and knows how to use a litterbox.”

Favourite movie?

Max Harris (guitar): “We collectively as a band absolutely love Hot Fuzz, as our song ‘Judge Judy & Executioner’ off of our debut EP Ambiviolent was named after a quote from the movie. However, we are also tied in joint first with the Anchorman movies, which hold a special place in our hearts. Both of these are constantly quoted on tour, and whenever we’re together, really, they’re almost part of the band’s lore now.”

Kite Thief – Judge Judy

What’s something you know isn’t real but wish existed?

Harris: “Hoverboards, specifically the ones from Back To The Future, who the hell wouldn’t want a hoverboard really? And if not, then the time machine for sure!”

What do you think is your greatest accomplishment?

All: “I think we had two of our biggest accomplishments last year as a band for sure. Firstly was being asked to play 2000 Trees festival; I think I can speak for the whole band when I say that playing Trees was the best gig we have played in the band’s career so far, it was an emotional one for myself for a few reasons too, but the sheer volume of people who turned up to see us and just the feeling that we had gotten to a new level was out of this world! Photo by A Life Well Productions

“And releasing Ambiviolent has to be on there, too. After years of just releasing singles, it felt so good to finally work on a body of music. We worked tirelessly for about two years on these songs; we rented out an Airbnb in the countryside with a hot tub and got super creative, filmed our own music video for ‘Judge Judy & Executioner,’ and shot all our own promo as well.

“It was a proper DIY job, not to mention writing with the wonderful Jon Worgan from Poltergeist Productions and the guitarist of Superlove, and working with our trusty producer Joe Marsh in the studio, who always manages to pull out the best performances. The whole experience was exciting, nerve-racking, intriguing and full of discovery. We really feel like the new record has taken us to a new level and in all sorts of different directions, and we are immensely proud of it.”

Kite Thief, photo by A Life Well Productions