Pleased to meet me:K-Man & The 45’s
Montreal ska-punk lifers K-Man & The 45s bring it all home with Heed The Call, their most complete and hard-hitting album to date, out October 9 via Stomp Records. Built on years of relentless touring across Canada, the US, and Europe, the record locks together two-tone ska, punk grit, and rock and roll swagger in the spirit of The Clash, The Specials, and Mad Caddies. It’s a loud, unfiltered, road-built record, the kind that feels less like a studio project and more like a night already in motion, horns up, bodies packed in, and just one chorus away from blowing wide open.
Introduce yourself… (Where are you from, what band do you play in etc..)
K-Man: Heya, Kristin “K-Man” Daniel here. I play guitar and write songs and words and
deliver them to ya.
Why do you play music?
K-Man:You know I never thought of it like that. For me it is just something I do. I wrote
songs when I was really young and everyone around me either played or was
involved in music. I guess I just thought, as a kid, that’s what you did to express
yourself.
What was a major influence on you as an Artist/Band? What’s a favourite book orfilm? K-Man: There were many major influences on me as a child. Mostly thought it was
the creative adults around me. There was also the record player with
headphones in the living room. I tended to put those on when there were people
around me. As outgoing and spoken as I can be I think I am truly an introvert at
heart. On the record player The Clash, The People, Bob Marley and all kinds of
more random stuff. My sister would play the 80’s hits a lot as well so they kind of
got soaked up as well.
Do you prefer the recording process or performing live?
K-Man: I love both processes, but they are definitely different. I like the creative space of
the studio, but the live playing is what I live for.
What would be a dream collaboration? K-Man: A dream collaboration for me is with the crowd in front of us. When they are all
hyped and involved, they become a part of the energy, music and memories. I
would love to do a track with Damien Marley or Nattali Rize. I would love to bring
my voice to that mix or write a few songs together. They are punk rock!
Describe a favourite album.
“This is a public service announcement, With Guitarsss!” This got me going from
the get-go and brought me “Straight To Hell” “Let me tell you bout the blood
bamboo kid. It ain’t Coca-Cola its rice’. Combat Rock by The Clash. It came out
at the right time for my growth.
What’s your favourite local haunt?
Sadly, they are fading out. I used to love the Miami. I like Turbo Haus, Le
Mutoïde, and all concert venues. Oh, and record stores!
…tracks like “Working in the Sun,” inspired by both K-Man’s friends in Jamaica and the street youth he works with, grounding the record in real-world experience and hard-earned perspective. It’s a reminder that beneath the chaos, the hooks, and the sweat, there’s something human holding it all together. This isn’t escapism for its own sake. It’s release, reflection, and resilience all tangled up in the same breath.
What’s your strangest experience while performing live?
Probably a punk with a well maintained mohawk licking my leg while I was
playing at the Cabaret in Montreal. At least that’s the first thing that comes to
mind. There are probably a million more.
If I were pursuing anything other than music it would be…
If I wasn’t pursuing music, I would be doing a job that helps people. I cannot just
work for money. I have worked on farms, I have worked with people with all sorts
of disabilities, and I currently work with youth living in extremely difficult
situations.
What are some of your favourite aspects of being a musician in Montreal?
Well, we travel so much and see so many cities and now countries that I don’t
want it to be focused solely on Montreal, the love of my life. One of my favourite
aspects of being a musician is that it is my ticket to travel and see people and
places that I would never get the chance to see or meet.
If you weren’t playing music in (your city here) where would you be ?
Banging my head again the wall with frustrations the world is putting on me.
Expressing myself with me music has allowed me to function while still carrying
my feelings. Music has saved me.
Any sage advice for young musicians?
Just be true to yourself. This is not a job it is a passion. If it is treated as a job or
a “gig” it will remain cold, empty and meaningless.
Thank you for your time gang.
Recorded and mixed by Ryan Battistuzzi at Le Stuzzio in Montreal, Heed The Call captures K-Man & The 45s at their most immediate, raw, and fully realized. The horns don’t just decorate, they drive. The rhythm section doesn’t sit back, it pushes forward. Everything feels locked in but ready to spill over, like a live set teetering right on the edge. In a landscape built on singles, trends, and short attention spans, K-Man & The 45s are still doing it their way, on the road, in the room, and loud enough that you don’t get to ignore it.
Heed The Call is out now via STOMP RECORDS.
