Introduction
You may be wondering what a die-hard Elvis fan and an Indie/Alternative Rock band have in common. When I first received Nina’s message, I wondered the same thing. Besides sending some wonderful photos of her home that is decorated up to the hilt with Elvis Presley pictures and memorabilia, Nina said that I should check out the video with “the men wearing monkey masks”. I was intrigued.
The Story
Nina Wedge, aka Nina Elvis, and The Luka State band members, Conrad Ellis, Sam Bell, Jake Barnabas, and Lewis Pusey, are all from the town of Winsford in northern England. The Luka State song, “Kick in the Teeth” which contains the following lyrics, is the band’s tribute to Nina:
Nina “Elvis” Wedge. Photo courtesy Nina’s FB page.
What a kick in the teeth
But you wear it so well
Stuck in a working class routine
Elvis ain't dead
She's living in slow town
And every time you see her
Smile like you do
It happens all the time
All the time
Smile like you do
It happens all the time
I'll be a kick in the teeth for you
She's raising the kids
And playing the weirdo
I know she's not the only one
Like a kick in the teeth
It's in the way that she wears it
So every time you see her
In response to my email requesting information about the inspiration for the song, I received the following informative and much appreciated reply from the band’s lead singer, Conrad Ellis:
“The inspiration for “Kick in the Teeth” came about from being in our surroundings. We’re from a small working class town in northern England where there isn’t much going on. It’s about the people that make up this town and the stories we share that makes us who we are as people. Nina was featured in the video as one of lyrics in the song is “Elvis ain’t dead; she’s living in salt town” and that’s a reference to Nina living in Winsford where we are from. Nina is a legend in our small town. She puts a smile on everybody’s face when they see her happy face blasting our classic Elvis songs in her Elvismobile. I can tell you one thing Elvis would be proud.”
Video
Nina can be seen at 1:07 driving one of her two “Elvismobiles” around town.
I wish to thank Nina for sharing her photos and story with SIDEBURNS Magazine followers. I am grateful to The Luka State for their pleasant and informative emails, and wish them continued success with their great music. Thank you to both Nina and the band for keeping the memory of Elvis alive and well in photos and song lyrics. Yes, indeed, “Elvis would be proud!”
Slide Show of Nina’s Amazing Tribute to The King
Article on The Luka State
by Fred Perry, 2014
Cheshire based indie-rock trio The Luka State, consisting of Conrad Ellis (Lead Vocals/Guitar), Sam Bell (Bass) and Jess Whitmore (Drums), return with their new single ‘Rain’, which was released 7th July 2014.
This bittersweet track’s epic production is down to Sam Williams, who has worked with the likes of Supergrass, The Go! Team and The Noisettes, and was written in one evening when Conrad walked home in the pouring rain after finding out about a family tragedy. From an initial sombre mood there is a lightness and comfort within the music, which is spelt out by Conrad's raspy emotive vocals, a pounding rhythm section and upbeat guitar playing. This is raw, honest rock ‘n’ roll.
‘Rain’ is the follow up single to ‘30 Min Break’ the video for which starred actor Thomas Brodie-Sangster, well known for his role as Jojen Reed in HBO series Game of Thrones. To date the video has racked up a whopping 89k YouTube views.
Following suite tackling a difficult issue in a short film style ‘Rain’ also has a cameo role from Thomas Brodie-Sangster and is directed by Yurena A De Dios, who has also worked with Fierce Panda’s most recent signing Longfellow. Conrad has described the video in his own words as: “tackling real issues like 30 Minute Break did. As a band we’re all obsessed with film and again like using our music as an opportunity to create short films. We like to make you think and hopefully this video will do the same thing.”
Although The Luka State formed just over a year ago, all the members have been playing in bands since the tender age of 12 and have already toured North America, Germany and Canada. Catch the Luka State at a town near you very soon. https://www.fredperry.com/subculture/article-the-luka-state
Tour Dates
For more about the band: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Luka_State
For more on the town of Winsford: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winford