King Tuff

Overview

Underground, garage-rock royalty don't come much royaler than King Tuff. With a CV that includes psych-folk pioneers Feathers, Sub Pop's Happy Birthday and the melodic metal of Witch, the man born Kyle Thomas has made a career out of crafting awesomely dirty and scuzzy guitar licks.

Having decided to go it alone, King Tuff's debut solo album, Was Dead, showcases a performer who knows a thing or two about the blues. Sitting somewhere between a lo-fi version of the Black Keys and Wolfmother on an acid trip, the album is a filthy cocktail of straight-up guitar rock, stoner vocals and shout-along choruses.

And then there's the man himself. With his matt of unkept hair and his fuck-the-system attitude, King Tuff is a beguiling and charismatic stage presence, with the ability to rouse a crowd into rabble and mayhem with little more than one of his Zeppelin-esque solos.

Check him out when he heads to Australia later this month.