The final 'End Of The Year' interview with the crew from The Sea Kings are Joe Holtaway (Vocals/Mandolin). Still the same set of questions as we get to find out about their highlights of this past year, the band’s plans for next year (first full-lenght album..) & last but not least; What's on their Christmas dinner menu?

And check out the fabolous Christmas Present Giveaway that we're doing right HERE - You can get your hand on the following:

A 'digital copy' of 'An Introduction To The Sea Kings' EP sent to your inbox.
Christmas card in the post from the Sea Kings to include:
-a photograph
-a signed Sea Kings flyer
-Handwritten lyrics to songs from the ep

Back to business...

Thanks for doing this! How was the year 2011 for you?

JH: Working as a band has been a good journey this year, learning from each other, bringing our album together and travelling - from warm summers playing beside our tour van to rooms in our houses this winter and everything in-between.

2012: What plans and high hopes do you have in store for next year?

- Looks like our first record will be done next year. All our old friends, family, bands we've played with and new friends we've made along the way are all part of it I feel and being able to share it with them is something special.

What are your favourite band at the moment? Any lesser known bands you want give a shout out?

- I recently heard this song called 'Up Up Up' by a band called Givers from the states - just really fell for it, will be spending sometime with them for sure.

What was your Musical Discovery of the year?

- A band out of Toronto called 'Wildlife' they have this album called 'Strike Hard, Young Diamond' - I've been listening to it a lot while cycling - love it.

Are there any bands/artists or albums that you have high hopes and are particularly excited about in 2012?

- I'll say Givers again and maybe Bon Iver will make some more magic for us.

If you had to pick one Experience and put it above the rest, what would that be?

- Jake and I, and some friends went to see Bon Iver when they came to London a few months ago - to be there with a room full of people opening up to these songs was moving; from his winter shed to this indie pop star I feel his journey is honest and if you like his music, it's as though you're there with him like he's a friend. I still have no idea really what all his songs are about, at least in my mind - though my heart knows exactly!

Your Album Of The Year?

- Some nice albums out this year, hey - I'll go with 'Smart Flesh' - by Low Anthem

Your Song Of The Year?

- I really fell for 'Old Pine' by Ben Howard a few months ago

Your Book Of The Year?

- Not current by any means but I've been really soaking up Buddhist teachings this year - one Zen guy called 'Thich Nhat Hanh' still alive living in the South of France, wrote a book called “True Love”, I've read it many times these last 12 months.

Your Movie Of The Year?

- Went to a screening of a film called 'I am' recently, due for DVD release in January, I understand. The film is a documentary made by a Hollywood comedy producer - he suffered a accident on his bike that almost ended his life - as part of his recovery he took a film crew to visit a list of world leaders and writers to ask them what they thought about life.

What are your own personal favourite The Sea Kings song or songs?

- Hard to say about your own songs - there are parts in all the songs I particularly love playing and those parts change and shift each time we play them.

If you could pick anybody from the present or past to collaborate with, who would that be?

- Just now I'd say Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsburg; they was more of a jazz fans I think but maybe if I played some mandolin tunes they would start rolling out some poetry about love and brotherhood over the top.

If you could choose from all the songs in the world and make it your own, which one would you have liked to have written?

- The other day was listening to 'Heart of Gold' by Neil Young and feeling like it was the most beautiful song I had ever heard, today it happened with Tom Waits 'Ol'55' - it changes but there's two for you.

And finally as Christmas are sneaking up on us. What will be on your Christmas Dinner Menu?

- vegetables put a smile on my face: so any of the following; 

Potatoes, Beetroot, Parsnips, Sprouts, Carrots, Parsnip - I leave to my mum to decide which.

Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year!!

First out in my series of 'End Of The Year' interviews with the crew from The Sea Kings are Jake Alexander (Vocals/Percussion/Cello). We get to find out about their highlights of this past year, the band’s plans for next year (first full-lenght album..) & last but not least; What's on their Christmas dinner menu? 

And check out the fabolous Christmas Present Giveaway that we're doing right HERE - You can get your hand on the following:

A 'digital copy' of 'An Introduction To The Sea Kings' EP sent to your inbox.
Christmas card in the post from the Sea Kings to include:
-a photograph
-a signed Sea Kings flyer
-Handwritten lyrics to songs from the ep

You know you want it!! Well, back to the interview...

Thanks for doing this! How was the year 2011 for you?

JA: It has been a very busy and productive year. We've worked incredibly hard on the album and still managed to squeeze in a couple of tours. It's been brilliant.

2012: What plans and high hopes do you have in store for next year?

- If we continue the way we're going, I'll be very happy.

What are your favourite band at the moment? Any lesser known bands you want give a shout out?

- A singer-songwriter from Brighton called Woodpecker Wooliams - check her out!

What was your Musical Discovery of the year?

- I started listening to The National for the first time last spring and fell in love with their latest album, High Violet.

Are there any bands/artists or albums that you have high hopes and are particularly excited about in 2012?

- I'm hoping that Billie The Vision And The Dancers will finally come and play a show in the UK this year.

If you had to pick one Experience and put it above the rest, what would that be?

- There have been so many wonderful experiences that it's impossible to pick out a single one. Perhaps the most surreal moment was when we were busking in St Ives, playing a cover of Chasing Cars, and a car started pulling into the driveway in which we were standing, quite literally chasing us across the tarmac. I'm proud to say that we didn't stop playing.

Your Album Of The Year?

- PJ Harvey's Let England Shake.

Your Song Of The Year?

- The second song from Bon Iver's album, whatever it's called. "Never gonna break, never gonna break..." Very special.

Your Book Of The Year?

- A French textbook called French Demystified. I'm learning French, so it's perfect.

Your Movie Of The Year?

- Trollhunter. I mean, I haven't actually seen it yet but the trailer looks amazing.

What are your own personal favourite The Sea Kings song or songs?

- Each song has at least one moment that makes me delirious with joy.

If you could pick anybody from the present or past to collaborate with, who would that be?

- Bach - J.S.

If you could choose from all the songs in the world and make it your own, which one would you have liked to have written?

- That's very difficult... I'm going to go for Point Of Disgust by Low,

closely followed by Bless Your Tombstone Heart by Low Anthem

and Massive Attack's Teardrop.

And finally as Christmas are sneaking up on us. What will be on your Christmas Dinner Menu?

- Potatoes, Beetroot, Parsnips, Sprouts, Carrots, Parsnip - served with bread sauce.

Merry Christmas!!