Exploring the Sound: King Size

King Size is a local rock band that’s beginning to make a name for itself after forming a few months ago in November. The five-member band includes lead singer Ian King, bassist Albert Bermudez, guitarists DonWayne Gallego and Alex Sanchez, drummer Omar Huweih and Chuck Borges on bass and back-up vocals.

Patch had the chance to chat with Ian King and hear about the band’s musical goals. Check out what he has to say, below.

Gilroy Patch: There’s quite an age difference between you and your band mates. We have you, at 18, on one end of the spectrum and then Chuck, at 50, on the other end. Do you think this age difference works in the band’s favor?

Ian King: The age difference is definitely a positive. Since Chuck has started jamming with us we've learned a lot and he has a lot of experience to bring to the table. And I would say that our music inspires people of all ages because of the broad age range, but we're all young at heart!

Patch: Is there a dominate theme in your songs?

King: I like to base my songs off of experiences or write about my feelings toward something, and some of our songs are just about rocking out. Our first original song 'Welcome to My World' is about an average day in my life. Some of my favorite songs are the ones we're playing at the show. We’ll be playing six songs and three of them are originals that I wrote. But the other guys added and changed a few things here and there, so overall it was a collective effort.

Some of the songs we’ll be covering are 'Walk this Way,' 'Sweet Child O' Mine' and 'Welcome to the Jungle.' We’re big fans of Guns 'N Roses and Aerosmith, so we like to cover their music.

Patch: What would you say separates King Size from other bands?

King: One thing that makes us stand out is a three-part harmony in the chorus of one of our songs. I used to be in a barbershop quartet in high school, and when I told Chuck he was so excited because he loves harmonies and so do I. Harmonies, when done right, just sound amazing. They have the power to give you chills, and that's when you know your music has an effect on listeners. Chuck and I have great pitch and our voices blend well together, which is essential for harmonies. And we’re also great rock singers and aren't shy.

Patch: King Size formed in November of 2011. Do you think your newly-formed band status could work against you in the competition?

King: Our band may be new, but all of us have experience in other bands. And we all play well together, so I don't think it will be a factor.

Patch: Would you mind telling me about your guys' experience?

King: Well, our cumulative amount of experience is all over the place. Starting with me, I have the least experience with one prior band. Omar and Alex have been in three or four prior bands, and DonWayne has been in several bands and is very knowledgeable of music theory. And then we have Chuck, who describes himself as a ‘band junkie’ because he’s been playing in bands for over 20 years. Chuck has a passion for playing in bands.

Patch: How did King Size form?

King: I was looking for band mates at the beginning of the summer and posted a flyer saying I wanted to start a rock band. DonWayne called me the very next day, but it wasn't until November that we got together with Alex and Omar. Omar saw my flyer after a week or so and wanted to join, and he knew Alex from a previous band they performed in together. After a couple jam sessions, DonWayne invited me to join a band class at , and that's where we met Chuck. Then we had our band!

Patch: What made you decide to start a band? Has music been a large part of your life?

King: I was introduced to music when I was about 7 years old by my parents. They forced me to play piano, and after several months I began enjoying it. Then, during my freshman year in high school I took guitar lessons and started liking rock ‘n roll. My junior year I took choir, learned how to sing and decided I wanted to start a band. Playing music is what I love to do, it's what we all love to do. I definitely hope to make a career out of it one day.  

Patch: Do you think performing in Gilroy will give you an advantage over the competition?

King: Performing in our hometown is convenient. And it gives us more time to get in a little last-minute practice to make sure everyone is on the same page when it comes to showtime, so in that sense it helps.

Patch: Why did you choose to name your band King Size?

King: We came up with King Size because we thought it would be a great name to spark innuendo-type jokes, which we’re hoping will help people remember our name and give them a good laugh. Also, since my last name’s King and I’m the front man who also happens to be the shortest guy in the band, we thought it was an ironic name. We couldn't help but come up with a name that we could all laugh about.

Patch: Do you think King Size has a good chance of moving on to the final round in April?

King: I think we have a great shot. We have two great singers, awesome guitar solos and everyone in the band gets along well and enjoys rocking out in front of an audience. Our strategy for success is practice, practice, practice. We’ll also bring a fun atmosphere to Battle of the Bands because our music is something that the crowd can jump around to, clap to, or sing along with, and just have a great time. We all wanna have fun first, and if we do the crowd and the judges will see it and we'll probably move on.

Patch: If you win the final round, what will you do with the winnings? You get $500 cash and recording time. How valuable is that for your band?

King: The most valuable part of winning would be the recording time, because that's how we get our songs out to people who can't come see us. I believe I’m the only one in the band who hasn’t officially recorded any songs. All the other guys have at one point in their music careers, but my goal is to release at least one album with this band.