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Kingfly Biography
 The original KF press photo, 1997
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Kingfly was formed in New York City in 1997, when Doug Davis, a recently-transplanted guitarist and songwriter from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, responded to a Village Voice ad placed by Anand Gan, a recently transplanted drummer and songwriter from Poolesville, Maryland.
Anand had begun dabbling with computer-based recording gear that he'd purchased with his last funds from his job as a production editor at "A Current Affair," and the duo immediately began immersing themselves in the art of recording. Their first demo's became the band's first CD, "Stock Music," recorded entirely in Anand's 4'x10' room in an
Upper West Side 3rd-floor walkup. Doug had to remember to stand at an angle when tracking bass guitar, as the room was narrower than the length of the bass. Two years of toughing it out in Manhattan clubs followed, as well as a move to a larger Brooklyn apartment that allowed them to consolidate their growing list of recording gear. The band's second CD, "Aquamarine Scene" -- their first "proper" album -- was released in October of 1999. As opposed to the eclectic, demo-ish feel of "Stock Music," "Aquamarine Scene" was a much more focused effort, highlighting both the newly focused songwriting sensibility of the duo and the interest in studio-craft that computer-based work allowed a traditional pop/rock band. Solid critical response for "Aquamarine Scene" led the band to buy a van in the spring of 2000 and hit the road, and they continued to tour throughout the year. Frequent trips back to Doug's hometown and the rising costs of touring in the northeast led the band to consider a southern move, where the costs of maintaining both a recording studio and a base of operations for touring promised to be much more affordable. Halfway through the recording of the third Kingfly CD, a number of happy coincidences led to the band's finally being able to make that move. In October, Kingfly and Flytrap Studios were comfortably moved into an ideal new home -- the former address of HNBC Studios, a studio run by John Pfiffner where Doug had recorded a number of previous projects nearly ten years before. And so, in April, 2002, Kingfly was able to release "elevatorup," their most upbeat power-pop effort. Doug and Anand have recruited long-time friend Jerry Chapman of folk-popsters Life in General (guitar, mandolin) and new friend Brian Pugh (bass), and the new lineup will be on the road throughout the rest of the spring and summer promoting the album. |
