MARCUS KING - PRESS CONFERENCE 2024
May, as we all should know, is a month of many spectacular things. It’s obviously the last month of school for a majority of students, it’s Women’s Health Care month, Aapi Heritage Month, my birthday month (sorry, I couldn’t help myself), and last though certainly not least, it is Mental Health Awareness Month. It is a time where we shed light on various mental illnesses to better educate ourselves and it is also a time where we work to normalize those illnesses and the ups and downs it holds.
As a writer, mental illness can actually be used as a great tool when it comes to thematic inspiration. Certain aspects of depression in specific have really helped me explore my emotions and express them in ways that I never quite understood beforehand and to my great surprise, Marcus King would agree with me.
Marcus King. The 28 year old musician has been around the block a few times, as he’s the son of popular blues guitarist Marvin King. Marcus began playing alongside his father at the age of 8 and over the years, he’s truly blossomed into his personal style with The Marcus King Band and now his own solo act. On April 5th of this year, King released his sixth album titled Mood Swings and his main writing partner is unofficially credited as none other than mental health. His own, that is.
Mood Swings in itself is an amalgamation of songs derived from King’s heartache, his experience with substance abuse, and his past of mental illness. It mainly revolves around a time in his life when he truly wanted to give up, to end it right then and there, but rather than throwing in the towel he channeled that darkness into the music we are now graced with off of the album.
On May 1st, mere days before his Mood Swings World Tour was due to kick off, King held a press conference to discuss the album and his journey as an artist. I had the honor of attending it alongside several other journalists and representatives and though I wasn’t able to personally speak with him, the entire experience was truly moving in itself.
A majority of the questions King was asked were related to the album and the backstory behind specific elements of it. He discussed the dark period that sparked Mood Swings, explaining how at the time it felt like there was no hope but now in retrospect he sees how vital that period became. He also honed in on Cadillac, the closing number of Mood Swings, detailing how emotional and significant the song is to him, especially in a live setting. He shared stories of his time on the road, gave shoutouts to fellow musicians such as Sierra Ferrell, and even reminisced on the time he was in the studio during the pandemic when he saw the members of The Red Hot Chili Peppers but due to social distancing, he wasn’t able to actually speak with any of them.
My biggest takeaway from the entire press conference, however, was the immense love King seems to hold for his wife, Briley. He mentioned her several times, always in a high regard, and even gushed about how much he loves to hear her sing despite her own insecurity about it (though he got her to sing with him on Cadillac!). It was a heartwarming reminder that there is love all around us and that it serves as a concrete pillar within art whether it be the soul-melting music King creates or something else entirely.
As of publishing, King is on the road for his world tour to play and promote Mood Swings for crowds in cities such as Reno, Des Moines, Denver, Grand Rapids (see you there!), and several more both in and out of The United States. Along with this tour that’s sure to pack a punch, King is hosting The Marcus King Band Family Reunion this August in Simpsonville, South Carolina, at the CCNB Amphitheater. King will be joined by The Avett Brothers, Richy Mitch and the Coalminers, and a handful of others for a night of unity and music in his home state.