King Size (band)

History

1989 - after Life Wire disbanded - Major Tom Proll founds the band King Size with the former Life Wire bassist Chris Peter. After the demo release „It’s a dirty job“ and a few member exchanges the band settled into a first stable line-up with Peter Patek (Guitar), Gordon McMichael (Bass) and Peter Wagner (Drums) in 1990. Chris Peter exchanged his bass for a microphone and showed awesome front man qualities. In 1992 the sample LP „Steyr schmiedet Töne“ was released in which King Size released the song „Hot Stuff“. In the same year the band released its first album on CD „No Message“ which showed the band in its most ferocious form. This album shot right into the first class of Austrian Rock and Austria’s most important radio station Ö3 played songs from „No Message“ and invited the band for an interview. In the end Ö3 elected „No Message“ into the list of the ten best albums of the year! Sadly it is unthinkable that Ö3 will promote a band like King Size back in the day again as it has changed to a dull generic radio station.

After a long tour the charismatic but often socially problematic vocalist Chris Peter left the band in 1992. The new vocalist Roman Dolezal came from Budweis (CZ) and had been vocalist for the band Harlem. As a new had been planned the decision was made to record the CD „Timeless“ which shot straight to the top with the #1 hit „Don’t Say Goodbye“. In 1994 the album „Time & Message“ was released as a double CD with both of the earlier releases. This album was only purchasable as Special Tour Edition and could only be bought on concerts of the band. 1994 drummer Peter Wagner changed to Alkbottle and was replaced by the top drummer Mario Brodtrager. In the same year King Size released the CD „Here I Go Again“ and the title song was also released on the „Cover Me“ sampler. 1995 was a tour year with no time for studio recordings, so it was decided to release a few rare songs and out-takes in form the album „Rare Tracks“. This was followed by years of tours and line-up changes (Mario Brodtrager first changed to the metal legend Kingdom Come and then to the Berlin Skew Siskin) and only in 1997 the band managed to place new songs on three samplers. Finally in 1999 King Size released the long awaited album „Greatest & Latest“ with the hot song „Show Me The Way“. In the same year the band could be found on another sampler and published the live album „Live Stuff 101258“. When on a flea market the bootleg „King Size - Live in Minsk“ was found, the song thieves were set dry by simply releasing the same live recording themselves.

Roman Dolezal left the band and moved to Boston (US). „Reverend“ Klaus Niederhuber replaced him excellently. The year 2000 started with three samplers before the release of the album „Arms And Around“ was released in August. The album contained the chart busters „Machinery“, „Change Your Mind“, „Could This Be Love“ and of course „Second Skin“. At the end of the year King Size released the compilation „Rare Tracks 2“. In 2001 the band toured around the world and recorded a song for the sampler „Die besten auf dem Wilden Westen - 2001 Edition“ on which even songs from Motörhead, Joni Madden, Zakk Wylde, No Bros, Lynyrd and many more famous artists could be found. In 2002 King Size could be found on one sampler and in 2004 they released the live album „Around The World“. In 2006 King Size released the album „Live Archive 1: Live At Vienna“ and one year later the album „Live Archive 2: The Lost Tapes“. 2008 was a dark year as the vocalist of the founding line-up died due to an overdose of drugs. His drug addiction was a reason for him having to quit the band in 1993… The line-up started to break apart, the radio stations had become a generic formless sludge and the record companies were facing a financial crisis because they had underestimated the internet (Napster, Limewire, YouTube, Download…) and several event hosts filed for bankruptcy. Major Tom Proll decided to pause the band’s activities for the time being… Sporadic concerts, TV and festival gigs were realised but a new album was unthinkable for a long time. A new line-up practised the new songs which Tom Proll had written but the line-up did not even make long enough to record the planned album „Size Does Matter“. In 2012 Tom Proll paused the band’s activities again, this time due to health issues. In the meanwhile the guitarist and „Mr. King Size“ have released 4 solo albums and a few band members of King Size even helped with the album „Daydreams & Fairytales“ (2011). Now in 2014: 25 year jubilee, the double CD „Dangerous Girls & Beauty Queens“ was released, a new record deal with NRT-Records, re-releases with bonus tracks and load of new plans and even more ideas. Tom Proll is working on two new solo albums which will be released with NRT-Records and a new special King Size best of album with remixes, rare songs and surprises will be released under the name „Greatests Tits“ soon.

Discography