NEXT OF KIN
A year after Simon Fuller ceased managing the Spice Girls he is about to re-enter the pop arena with British boy band Next Of Kin. But before you turn the page, this is a boy ~band with a difference. The three Essex teenage brothers, who signed to Universal in a worldwide deal in September, proved on the opening night of the Smash Hits Road Show in Brighton last Wednesday not just their enviable vocal worth, but their ability to play instruments, too. Universal head of A&R Alfie Hollingsworth says, “It sounds weird, but being the only ones with instruments was something unique. These guys remind me of the Eighties, when you were expected to fall in love with the song and then the band. That’s what we want to get back to with Next Of Kin.” Three years after he picked up his first guitar, Mark Bass ‘ remind me (15) was discovered in Birmingham’s Musical Exchanges They music shop. The Bass family had been on a daytrip to the of tIle Eighties, city’s Music Show only to find it had been cancelled. As the teenager brought the shop to a stand still with his when you were playing, owner Gary Chapman called his friend lan Allen to let lull him hear the young virtuoso over the phone. Allen (who expected to In manages Sean McGuire, Riverdance cast members worldwide, love with the song Geffen’s North Star and 19 Productions’ Teenage Rampage) shot down to the store and was further enthused on hearing and then the about the prospect of a band. Nathan 118) had been drumming for six years and Kieran (13) quickly got to grips with the bass. — It wasn’t long before Allen was also managing Next Of Kin. After shopping them around he attracted Fuller’s interest, which led to the pair jointly setting up the Kindred Music production company. They then got on board producer Gary Stevenson, in whose Big Village studio in Oxford they record, and writers including Richard Drummie, David West and Cathy Dennis. Mark, who douses guitarists such as Joe Satriani and Steve Vai and whose voice broke during recording, says, “Everyone’s just so helpful. We come up with the ideas on acoustic guitar and lyrics and then Gary takes us in his studio and makes it into a proper song.” Such is the climate for pop, anything involving Fuller is obviously hot news — 10 or 11 labels including Columbia and Parlophone wanted Next Of Kin — but in the end it was Hollingsworth and Universal who scooped the deal. Next Of Kin’s debut single, 24 Hours, is released mid-February 1999 and demonstrates their pop sensibilities and each member’s ability to take lead vocals. Comparisons with Hanson are likely to change to the Osmonds and Bros with a campaign that accentuates their Britishness. Next Of Kin’s future looks assured even with impending restructuring of Universal after the company’s merger with PolyGram. Allen says, “We knew about the changes as we were doing the deal.” Add to that Fuller’s wealth of international experience with the Spice Girls and Next Of Kin look as sure a bet as you find in the pop market.
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