About King Mob

KING MOB BIOGRAPHY

Stephen W Parsons (vocals) • Chris Spedding (guitar) • Sixteen (guitar) • Toshi Ogawa (bass) • Martin Chambers (drums)

King Mob steps out from the shadows and cautiously looks to the left and right. His pockets are stuffed with the sacred mysteries: Hoodoo Swing, Petro Jive, Radiation Mambo, Back-Way-Beat and all the eerie charms of the Sweat God. This restless man sniffs at the wind – there’s a Force 9 coming up out of the West. The omens are good.
Some place close is a party going on and he has the means to attend.

KING MOB isn’t a group built on reputations (although those are formidable). It is about something far more relevant and enticing – KING MOB represents the vital, timeless, immeasurable spirit of rock ’n’ roll.

KING MOB began life when vocalist Stephen W Parsons approached his old friend and ex-Sharks colleague Chris Spedding with the idea of forming a new band. Following a highly successful film and advertising career, Stephen had taken time out for a while and found himself DJ-ing at The Axe club on Hackney Road. Every Friday and Saturday night from midnight until 6am, the joint jumped to Stephen’s old school music in the form of Led Zeppelin, The Doors, Ike & Tina et al. Realising that these pre-1977 sounds were going down a storm with the younger crowd, Stephen’s passion for the sheer excitement and energy of R&B was re-ignited and happily Chris Spedding agreed to come on board to form a new combo of talented like-minded musicians

The group’s debut album, Force 9 brings the raw power of the ‘Spirit of ’69’ into a contemporary setting. It is thrilling, visceral stuff and it comes as no surprise that SPV/Steamhammer were quick to sign an exclusive recording deal for the World (excluding North America) with KING MOB.

KING MOB comprises five musicians of excellent pedigree, some already household names and some who soon will be. Age is of no consequence to the group with talented twenty-somethings, Sixteen (guitar) and Toshi Ogawa (bass) giving it their all alongside relative veterans, Chris Spedding (guitar) and Martin Chambers (drums).

Guitarist, Chris Spedding has worked with some of the biggest names in the music business during a career that goes back over 40 years. He has carved out a path that has taken in Harry Nilsson, Sharks, John Cale, Roxy Music, Elton John and Paul McCartney and he was a crucial part of the iconic musical version of The War Of The Worlds by Jeff Wayne. His distinguished solo career included a hit single in 1975 with Motorbikin’ and he remains one of the finest guitarists of today and the past four decades.

Drummer Martin Chambers is best known for his work with The Pretenders, whom he joined in 1978. He left them in the mid-1980s but returned to the fold in 1994 and has been there ever since. He has also worked with Mott The Hoople keyboard player Verden Allen and was behind the kit for the Mott The Hoople reunion shows in October 2009. He is, unquestionably, one of the finest rhythm players of his generation.

The vocalist is Stephen W. Parsons. Alongside Chris Spedding, he was a member of Sharks, the band formed by bassist Andy Fraser following his departure from Free in 1972. Parson followed Sharks with a spell in The Baker Gurvitz Army and later released two albums under the name of Snips; Video King (1978) and the highly acclaimed La Rocca! (1981). Ever since he has been heavily involved in composing music for films and TV and his credits include The Piano Player, 9 ½ Weeks 2 and Charlie. He is regarded as one of the most creative in the field.

KING MOB’s other lead guitarist is a relative unknown who goes by the name of Sixteen. Something of a local legend in London, this talented young guitarist’s rockabilly credentials and dynamic style has led to some exciting musical sparring between himself and Spedding. Sixteen is set to become one of the big guitar names in the years to come.

Last but most certainly not least is KING MOB’s latest recruit, the exciting young bass player from Japan, Toshi Ogawa. Toshi met the other Mob members in one of London’s vintage guitar shops. Liking his style, it became clear that Toshi was the best and obvious choice to take up bass duties in the group.