King Kong Company
| Company type | Music group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Founder | Alan Aylward, Mark White |
| Headquarters | Waterford , Ireland |
| Products | Dance music |
King Kong Company is a dance music group originating from Waterford, Ireland. The majority of its members first connected while studying at Waterford Institute of Technology.[1] Their debut album, which shares the band's name, was launched in June 2016.[2]
Overview
The origins of King Kong Company trace back to college friends Alan Aylward and Mark White, who initially experimented with blending guitars and drum machines to create dance music. The duo soon evolved into a five-member ensemble, recorded a session for Dave Fanning on RTÉ 2fm, which was voted the most popular radio session that year. They also appeared at Ireland’s inaugural dance festival, Homelands, sharing the stage with renowned acts such as Underworld and Paul Oakenfold. After completing their studies, the band disbanded.
In 2011, the group reunited with the objective of releasing a new music video every month. Their video for "Acetate" earned the Viewers Choice Award at the Irish Music Television Awards that same year. This achievement helped them sell out a show at The Forum in 2012 and secure slots at major festivals including Life Festival, Body & Soul, and Electric Picnic. Their initial performances in the UK took place in 2014.
Their self-titled album released in 2016, produced by Neil McLellen, garnered favorable press coverage and entered the top 10 of the Irish Albums Chart. In September 2016, they received two nominations at the Pure M Awards, winning Best Live Act against contenders like Hermitage Green and The Strypes. Later that year, their album was longlisted for the prestigious Choice Music Prize.
January 2017 marked their first performances on mainland Europe soil in the Netherlands, where their album was met with positive critical reception.[2] By June, they took to the Silver Hayes stage at Glastonbury Festival for their debut appearance,[3] followed by sets at Boomtown, Beautiful Days, and their largest audience yet—10,000 attendees—at Electric Picnic. In July 2017, they performed for an exclusive audience that included Irish President Michael D. Higgins.[4] October saw them sell out Dublin’s 1,250-capacity Cork Opera House.
In 2018, King Kong Company announced a headline performance at Dublin’s 1,600-capacity Olympia Theatre scheduled for October. That June, they released a short documentary highlighting their swift progression from performing at Body & Soul to appearing on Glastonbury’s stages.[5] July featured the launch of their critically praised single "My Name Is Now,"[6] with August bringing their inclusion in Electric Picnic’s lineup.[7]
In 2023, the band unveiled the single "The Machine," which includes collaboration with YouTube diorama artist Bobby Fingers.[8] Following this release, they performed on Electric Picnic’s mainstage—representing their largest show to date and marking a decade of consecutive appearances at the festival.[8]
Commotion Lotion
In June 2017, the group introduced Commotion Lotion, a beer blended with Buckfast, a tonic wine frequently referenced in their performances and song lyrics, combined with flavors of strawberries, raspberries, and pineapple. Crafted by YellowBelly Beer, an artisanal brewery located in Wexford, Ireland, this beverage garnered generally favorable feedback and maintains a 3.5 rating on the Untappd beer review site.
Members
- Current
- Bob McGlynn – Lead Vocals
- Mark White – Bass Guitar (1996–2000, 2011–present)
- Colin Hoye – Trumpet (1996–2000, 2011–present)
- Tom Stapleton – Keyboard (1996–2000, 2011–present)
- Trish Murphy – Dancer and Choreographer (2011–present)
- Aaron Mulhall – Drums (2021–present)
- Owen Corrigan – Guitar (2022–present)
- Former
- Hazel Downes – Dancer and Choreographer (1996–2000)
- Kevin O'Shanahan – Drums, Percussion (1996–1998)
- Mark Graham – Lead Vocals, Drums, Percussion (1998–2000, 2011–2021)
- Alan Aylward – Guitar (1996–2000, 2011–2022)
- Lofty – Artist and VJ (2011–2018)
Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| IRL | ||
| 2016 | King Kong Company
|
45 |
| "—" indicates the album did not enter the charts. | ||
Singles
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IRL | UK | |||
| 2016 | "Scarity Dan" | — | — | King Kong Company |
| "—" signifies the single did not chart. | ||||
Music videos
| Year | Title | Director | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | "Dr. Whom" | Lofty | King Kong Company |
| "Acetate" | |||
| "Uncle Trouble" | |||
| "Damn You Dorothy" | |||
| "Zoids" | |||
| "Panic Button" | |||
| "I Said Posse!" | |||
| "Cannibal Country" | |||
| 2012 | "Eamonn Devalero" | ||
| "One of These Days" | Alan Aylward | ||
| "BagPuss" | |||
| 2015 | SpaceHopper | Lofty | |
| 2016 | Scarity Dan | Jamie O'Rourke | |
| 2023 | The Machine | Shane Serrano |
- King Kong Company unveil ‘I POP’ – sourced from Goldenplec.com
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