Interviews : “It’s a pretty heavy show” – An interview with Kin Etik (Twelve Foot Ninja)

Melbourne’s genre-smashing gentlemen of rock Twelve Foot Ninja are set embark upon what will actually be their very first extensive tour of outer suburban and regional Aussie venues, places like Newcastle, Mulgrave, Fremantle and so on, and charismatic frontman Kin Etik has a rather lurid description of what uninitiated fans in those areas can expect from the cathartic explosion that is a Twelve Foot Ninja live show.

“It’s a pretty heavy show,” he describes, “we’re pumping out the hits, hit after hit, they just keep coming at you. We’ve got laser light shows, we set each other on fire, there’s so many things that happen during the show. I think we cater to everyone’s taste.

“I’ll be interested to see how well we’re doing in the suburbs.” He adds.

In fact, the band are very much looking forward to getting out beyond their usual inner-city haunts. “Feeling good about it, it’s good to spread out,” he enthuses, “I think in Victoria alone, we’re doing four shows all up, we did our first show on the 7^th of January at The Corner, which was an awesome way to kickstart the tour, but we’ve got another three outer suburban shows as well. I think it’s the first time we will have ever done that, I think the most we’ve ever done is two.”

The band’s most recent album, the ridiculously well received Outlier, has only been out for five months or so, so beyond this Aussie tour the band have massive plans for the rest of 2017, although much of it is in the planning stages at this point.

“We’re looking at some more touring,” he reveals, “because we’ve really only started the album cycle for Outlier. We’re in negotiation stage at the moment, and we’re assessing our options. Which is a really good place to be. It’s like, the world is open and the options are endless. So we’re feeling really positive about the year ahead, we think it’s going to be a busy one. We’ll get through this tour first and then come what may.”

That touring is definitely looking like being further sojourns into markets abroad, and expanding upon their already burgeoning international profile. “We’ve been discussing America, we’ve always been talking about a foray into Europe, which should be great. We’ve done Europe once, but it was a really quick tour, and I wouldn’t say we’ve really explored Europe, there’s so many countries I’d love to visit and I know the other guys would love to visit.

“So we’re looking at that as well, and we’re talking to a promoter over there. But we’ll see what happens, everything’s in conversation mode at the moment.”

The band are also very keen to ensure that their fans across Australia and across the globe don’t have to wait as long in between albums as they did between Silent Machine and Outlier, a wait that extended out to almost four years. “We’re looking at writing some new music as well,” he states, “I think it’d be a really good thing if people didn’t have to wait as long this time.

“We’re all really keen to jump into a third album, we want to bring something out a little bit quicker this time.”

The band’s rise, since their inception almost a decade ago, has been strong and steady rather than an explosive overnight sensation type of situation, and this is exactly how Kin and the band wanted it. “Overall, it wasn’t like we had a smash hit, and we haven’t had that overnight shoot into the stratosphere kind of phenomena that some bands experience. But I think our fanbase is growing steadily, and the more exposure we receive from radio and media, the better it is for us, the more it seems to gather momentum.”

This slower rise has prepared them more effectively for the success that they have achieved in their career so far, as opposed to other bands who’ve experienced a meteoric rise and not been able to handle it. “When people get a taste of money, it can change perceptions, it can change perspectives, and I’m sure in some bands’ cases, the money has been a great factor in not having the longevity you need in order to sustain a successful career. They therefore become a flash in the pan, one album shoots up to the top of the charts and then you never hear from them again.

“The money can divide a band. And priorities shift over time too. Some people, if they’re not prepared for success, when the success comes and it hits them so quickly, all of a sudden they decide that they don’t like it, that it’s too overwhelming for them. I think that can also be a deciding factor in the downfall of an overnight success.”

Twelve Foot Ninja 2017 ‘Sick’ National Tour

Saturday, 7th January
Corner Hotel, Melbourne
Tickets: Ticketscout

Thursday, 2nd February
With Ecca Vandal & Osaka Punch
Commercial Hotel, Melbourne
Tickets: Moshtix

Friday, 3rd February
With Ecca Vandal & Osaka Punch
Chelsea Heights Hotel, Melbourne
Tickets: Moshtix

Saturday, 4th February
With Ecca Vandal & Osaka Punch
Village Green Hotel, Melbourne
Tickets: Moshtix

Thursday, 16th February
With Osaka Punch & Humality
Miami Tavern, Gold Coast
Tickets: Moshtix

Friday, 17th February
With Osaka Punch & Humality
Villa Noosa Hotel, Sunshine Coast
Tickets: Moshtix

Saturday, 18th February
With Osaka Punch & Humality
The Zoo, Brisbane
Tickets: OzTix

Friday, 24th February
With Sparrow & Nucleust
Newport Hotel, Fremantle
Tickets: OzTix

Saturday, 25th February
With Sparrow & Nucleust
Amplifier Bar, Perth
Tickets: OzTix

Sunday, 26th February
With Sparrow & Nucleust
Dunsborough Tavern, Dunsborough
Tickets: Moshtix

Saturday, 4th March
With Colibrium & Japam
The Gov, Adelaide
Tickets: OzTix

Wednesday, 8th March
With Troldhaugen & Na Maza
The Basement, Canberra
Tickets: OzTix

Thursday, 9th March
With Troldhaugen & Hemina
Uni Bar, Wollongong
Tickets: Moshtix

Friday, 10th March
With Troldhaugen & Hemina
Manning Bar, Sydney
Tickets: OzTix

Saturday, 11th March
With Majora
Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle
Tickets: Ticketbooth

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