King Kurt was a 1980s psychobilly rock band from the UK. They formed in 1981 and split up in 1988, although they have reformed sporadically and played a reunion concert in 2010. They are best known for their debut hit single, "Destination Zululand" (1983).
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The band was formed as Rockin' Kurt and his Saur Krauts in 1981, with Jeff Harvey on vocals, John Reddington on guitar, Bert Boustead on bass guitar, Alan "Maggot" Power on "saxamaphone" and Rory Lyons on drums. Paul "Thwack" Laventhol joined on guitar at their third gig in July 1981, and the name was shortened to King Kurt later that year.[1]
Harvey left in 1982 to be replaced by Gary "The Smeg" Clayton as vocalist, and it was at Harvey's farewell concert at the 101 Club in Clapham, London that the infamous "food fight" gigs started.[1] The band was known for their stage performances in which eggs and bags of flour were thrown around on and off stage. Free haircuts and other audience participation included stage props such as "The Wheel of Misfortune", a wheel on which a fan was strapped and fed snakebite through a tube. Themed concerts included "Kurt Skirts", where admittance was refused to men unless wearing a skirt, or Easter concerts with the band dressed as legionaries, angels on flying trapeze, and an extra in a loincloth on a cross at the back of stage.
The band joined Stiff Records in 1983 and recorded the album Ooh Wallah Wallah with producer, Dave Edmunds. They had a few minor hit singles that featured in the UK Singles and UK Indie Charts, such as "Zulu Beat", Weill and Brecht's "Mack the Knife" and "Banana Banana", along with their Top 40 hit "Destination Zululand", which reached #36 in the UK Singles Chart in October 1983.[2]
Their second album, Big Cock, was produced by Phil Wainman and released on Polydor in 1986, which included their cover of Bernstein and Sondheim's "America" from West Side Story.
During 1988 the band effectively split, though between 1992 and 1996 the group, featuring three of the original members, were performing as a live act. John Reddington, is now an attorney with Williams Powell.[3] Smeg performed as 'I Can't Believe It's Not King Kurt'. A compilation album was issued in 2009, and a reunion concert took place in March 2010.[4]
| Month | Year | Title | UK Singles Chart[2] | Record Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/K | 1982 | "Zulu Beat" / "Rockin' Kurt" | dnc | Thin Sliced Records |
| October | 1983 | "Destination Zululand" / "She's as Hairy" | #36 | Stiff Records |
| April | 1984 | "Mack the Knife" / "Wreck a Party Rock" | #55 | Stiff Records |
| August | 1984 | "Banana Banana" / "Bo Diddley Goes East" | #54 | Stiff Records |
| June | 1985 | "Billy" / "Back on the Dole" | dnc | Stiff Records |
| September | 1985 | "Road to Rack n Ruin" / "Poppa Wobbler" | dnc | Stiff Records |
| November | 1985 | "Slammers" / "Ape Hour" | dnc | Stiff Records |
| November | 1986 | "America" / "High and Mighty" | #73 | Polydor |
| May | 1987 | "Land of Ring Dang Do" / "Zulu Beat" / "Horatio" / "Gather Your Limbs" | #67 | Polydor |
| N/K | 1988 | "Bye Bye Baby" / "Prussian Stomp" – (as 'The Kurts') | dnc | GWR |
| Year | Title | UK Albums Chart[2] | Record Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Ooh Wallah Wallah | #99 | Stiff Records |
| 1986 | Big Cock | #50 | Stiff Records |
| 1988 | The Last Will & Testicle | dnc | GWR |