Rock Kills Kid - Paralyzed Video

Rock Kills Kid
Paralyzed
Video Stream

Unlike most musicians, Jeff Tucker wasn't one of those bright-eyed kids who begged his parents for guitar lessons at age 3. He didn't sing along to Queen in front of a mirror, using a shampoo bottle as a microphone, at age 12. He never played Danny Zucko in his high school production of Grease. His family didn't urge him to follow his dreams of being a rock star. Because he didn't have any. He picked up his first guitar when he was 16 but it didn't occur to him to be a musician. Jeff hooked up with a couple of punk bands and began to write songs because no one else was.

Instead, Jeff Tucker, now lead vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter for Los Angeles-based alt-rock quintet Rock Kills Kid, was a socially withdrawn, barely employed, directionless 19 year old. Writing songs saved him. You can hear it all over the 10 jagged tracks he wrote for Rock Kills Kid's debut Are You Nervous?. The album's emotional tension recalls some of the most angst-filled recordings of the late '70s and '80s by U2, The Cure, Joy Division and The Smiths.

In February, the five members went into Hollywood Sound in Los Angeles with producer Mark Trombino (Jimmy Eat World and Blink-182) to record Are You Nervous?. With its echoing, nervy guitars, driving rhythms, and new wave synths, the album slots in nicely alongside some of Rock Kills Kid's contemporary post-punk peers, such as the Killers and Interpol. Songs like "Paralyzed," "Hideaway," and the dancefloor friendly "Midnight" are highly addictive, dark-edged, atmospheric tracks. Think a young Bono fronting a more raucous version of The Cure and you're not far off.

While recording the album, Rock Kills Kid also performed several shows and eventually signed with Reprise Records in June. Once it became clear that the band were going to be touring frequently.

Rock Kills Kid also appear to own a video camera. Contactmusic have managed to our hands on some of the footage, check out some of the behind-the-scenes video clips.