TOUR: The Mercy Kills
By Walter Price
The Mercy Kills have been extremely impressive since their start but even more so this past year with the release of the band’s exceptional Happy To Kill You. Not just for their face melting post-punk-power-pop blend of garage rawk but also in the way they work tirelessly to get their music heard. TMK are true DIY souls with the sounds to back up all their efforts.
All this work has paid off in an avalanche of coolness for the Australian four piece (Nathalie Gelle, Jen X Costello, Josh Black & Mark Entwisted); soundtrack work, killer videos, solid fanbase and a slot on Courtney Love’s Australian leg of her You Know My Name Tour.
The GTC’s Alle Royale says; “Part glam, part punk, part Royal Trux, part Suzi Quatro, The Mercy Kills sounds fresh and refreshing; like a rare balance of pop accessibility and post-punk noise, all tied up with the guitar strings and the glamour of a Thunders-Richards inspired electric army.”
Beat says, “The album (Happy To Kill You) promises a four shot sensory cocktail that will mix two parts dirty rock with two parts sleaze punk. “
SF Media said this of a TMK gig, “They ripped through a set of killer tunes from the get-go. Even their last song, ‘Waiting On You’ was delivered with the same ferocity as their first.”
So if you haven’t checked out The Mercy Kills outstanding and highly recommended Happy To Kill You, do it and try to catch the band on the road w/ America’s Sweetheart Courtney Love.
I contacted the TMK’s Mark Entwisted for fast 5 questions.
Congratulations on a busy and successful year. Are you worn out yet?
Thank you GTC.
Yes, it has been a busy year for us. No, we’re not worn out. We like to keep things moving forward. We have been focusing on our live show and building our audience.
One of the big payoffs of all the work is that TMK is opening for Courtney Love, how did that come to be? What happened to Perth?
Yes, opening for Courtney Love is a real shot in the arm for us. The promoter Aldo Lennard made contact and requested our press kit. Courtney had stipulated that she wanted a strong female presence in any support act chosen.
The Mercy Kills are a two girl/two guy rock outfit with all four members on vocal duties resulting in a layered but raw energy.
As long time Hole and Courtney Love fans, we were thrilled to hear that we had been chosen for her Australian tour. We were offered all eight shows including Perth but unfortunately the travel costs were too high to fly over and back from Melbourne. Local band Tommy Hawks scored the Perth support.
Any special surprises you can let us in on about the tour?
Ha ha, there’s always a surprise waiting with Courtney Love. I’m not going to give anything away. You’ll just have get to a show or follow the tour online.
I had to fit this one in, the movie Murderdrome, what can you tell us about that? It looks cool as hell.
Murderdrome is a gritty new Australian feature length movie produced by Daniel Armstrong and Strongman Pictures. The films genre is slasher/zombie/rollerderby and it’s released through Monster Pictures. It’s a blood spattered rollerderby riot.
The film makers asked us if they could use the song ‘Can’t Stop’ from our EP ‘Say You Do’ to feature on the Murderdrome soundtrack. We said yes, sounds great, and in turn asked them if they would produce a video for the song. This resulted in a fast action rock’n’rollerderby video for ‘Can’t Stop’.
Besides the big tour news what else is coming our way from TMK?
We have just finished recording a new four song EP titled ‘Paradise Motel’ and have released it to coincide with the tour. It is available at all shows along with all our other merchandise and will be officially out in mid-September through MGM Distribution and iTunes.
Courtney Love w/ The Mercy Kills
18 AUG -HOBART WREST POINT ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
20 AUG -BRISBANE EATONS HILL HOTEL
22 AUG – NEWCASTLE NEWCASTLE PANTHERS
23 AUG – CANBERRA UC REFECTORY
24 AUG – SYDNEY ENMORE THEATRE
The Mercy Kills: Website / Facebook / Reverberation / Interview