Kid Kapichi’s debut album makes UK Top 40
BIMM Institute London Songwriting alumnus Ben Beetham has entered the UK’s Official Albums Chart at Number 28 with his band Kid Kapichi. The band’s debut release This Time Next Year is a new entry above Dermot Kennedy’s Without Fear (29) and Eminem’s Music to be Murdered By (30).
NME Magazine recently described the self-produced album as “smart, emotional and fearless”; high praise from one of the UK’s most prominent online music publications. The album oozes defiance with punk influences and themes prevalent throughout; most notably, perhaps, are the harsh realities faced by those from small working-class towns. The album does this whilst not straying too far from Kid Kapichi’s pop and rock melodies and sounds, creating a feisty-but-approachable debut that’s on course to do great things.
About Kid Kapichi
The Hastings-based rock titans are best known for their explosive riffs, unique melodies and duel-lead vocalists. Jack Wilson and Ben Beetham (joint lead guitar/vocals), George Macdonald (drums) and Eddie Lewis (bass) have shared the stage with punk royalty such as Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, FIDLAR and Slaves, with their live shows described as being “as ferocious as they are bone-crushing”. It’s safe to say that the group have made a bit of a name for themselves on the UK touring circuit.
Their debut track “2019” tackles tough subjects; the group speak on topics including social and political affairs, and their impact on this ‘voiceless’ generation. Subsequent singles “Glitterati” and “Death Dips” received strong support from Jack Saunders, Annie Mac, Steve Lamacq, Huw Stephens, Phil Taggart and Tom Robinson. “Glitterati” was BBC Radio 1’s ‘Hottest Record in the World’ while “Death Dips” featured on the BBC Radio 1 playlist.
The band released their highly anticipated EP Sugar Tax in July 2019. They ended 2019 with a Reading & Leeds Festival appearance and sold-out headline shows in London and Brighton.
Ian Sillett, who taught Ben for three years, had this to say on his recent success:
“I taught Ben through his degree, and from the outset, I knew he had phenomenal talent. I still have a recording of a verse-chorus edit song sketch he put together in one of my classes, as a first-year, and it’s so good!”
“I’m so delighted to hear about Ben’s success with his band and wish them all every success! Well done, Ben! We’re really pleased and very proud of you.”
– Ian Sillett, Deputy Course Leader and Head of Year Four, Songwriting.
Wow, congrats to Ben and Kid Kapichi! You can check out more of our Student Success Stories here.
