Exclusive Interview with THE CURSE OF K.K. HAMMOND

Your favorite misanthropic hermit plays dirty swamp blues from the dark side. Slide guitarist and singer-songwriter K.K. Hammond infuses her unique brand of the blues with the gritty, ominous energy of the swamp. She draws inspiration from the early Delta Blues musicians of the 1930s, such as Skip James, Leadbelly, Robert Johnson, Son House, and Charlie Patton. K.K. developed an early love for the guitar, Americana, and the Blues and spent some time traveling and exploring the back country of the USA. She eventually made her way back to the rural area of Southern England where she works with horses. K.K., a self-described hermit who resides on a remote farm, likes to explore the nearby woods in search of songwriting inspiration. K.K. is passionate about resonator guitars and is well-known for her uniquely customized steel National resonator guitar, dubbed “Dark Sister.” She also plays a steel tricone and a Mulecaster hollow steel body electric with pride and is a huge fan of Mule Resophonic Guitars. Her song The Ballad of Lampshade Ed, which features her close friend and fellow blues musician David & the Devil, debuted at the top of the UK iTunes Blues chart shortly after its release. For 2022, K.K. is currently composing an album.
Horror marries the blues. A female slide blues guitarist from the UK who resembles a hermit combines her two passions to produce a singular, one-of-a-kind sound. Check out the exclusive Interview with K.K. Hammond and her single The Ballad of Lampshade Ed below:

1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how it all got started?

K.K. HAMMOND: I grew up in London, England though have travelled around a lot throughout my life and lived in several countries in both rural and inner-city locations. I had a very keen interest in music and just about any instrument I could get my hands on as a kid! My dad and siblings were very musical so it was a no surprise that I got inspired to follow in their footsteps and pick up a guitar! I played in quite a few bands as a teenager and was always drawn to listening to musicians that came way before my time, which eventually led to a fascination with the early Blues music.

2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?

K.K. HAMMOND: I’m self-taught on the guitar and have always felt a pull to playing by ear and feel. My Dad would play flamenco guitar for me growing up and I enjoyed this immensely. Though he never gave me lessons, he always let me mess around on his guitar and I tried to replicate what I had seen him play.

3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘THE CURSE OF K.K. HAMMOND’?

K.K. HAMMOND: When I was a kid I listened to a lot of 60’s blues rock such as Led Zepplin, The Rolling Stones, The Velvet Underground and The Doors and then branched out into metal bands such as Alice in Chains and Slayer, and also a bit of 70’s punk and 80’s industrial. A love of older roots music soon followed. Skip James, Son House, Robert Johnson, Charlie Patton and Blind Willie Johnson as well as Woody Gunthrie, Tom Waits, Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, Ry Cooder and Ennio Morricone. I loved hunting down the more obscure murder ballads of folk music past. I think a lot of these influences are evident in my music today.

My moniker “The Curse of K.K. Hammond” is just the result of my dark humor and a nod to the old tales, myths and legends of blues history really! As far as I know there is no curse hanging over my head and I’ve never signed my soul away in a contract with the devil, at least not consciously! Haha!

4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?

K.K. HAMMOND: My songs have a faithful feel of the old, acoustic blues about them which traditional blues fans tell me they appreciate and enjoy but I also deliver my music in a style which I am told is unique to me.

I would call my sound ‘Contemporary Delta Blues’ and have also heard it coined as ‘Horror Blues’ due to my vibe and tendency to write dark tales of woe with my lyrics, ever inspired by the old folk murder ballads I so enjoy!

5. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style, which is known as horror blues?

K.K. HAMMOND:

I have always been mindful of not sounding like a blues tribute act of sorts, the shoes of the old blues masters are too big to fill! Instead, I borrow from their formulas, styles and techniques but tweak them to deliver them in my own unique way. I’ve always been very lucky in that ideas for new songs and riffs tend to come to me quite readily and consume my thoughts so I’ve never spent a lot of time playing covers, though I do enjoy doing so on the odd occasion! I do listen to a great deal of blues but I also enjoy sitting in silence or walking in nature and thinking. Strangely, I feel that silence triggers my brain to fill in the gaps with new musical ideas, perhaps even more so than listening to music does!

6. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative, and entertainment?

K.K. HAMMOND:

Without a doubt music can carry with it some very strong messages and sentiments and is a powerful tool. Certainly, some themes arising from my personal beliefs find their way in some of my songs but essentially, I would say my music is more of an expression of artistry that comes from deep in my soul. I do like to tell stories with my lyrics (often peppered with a little dark humor to entertain people and give them a little escape from the daily grind!) more so than push any particular message.

7. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it or are you expecting something more, or different in the future?

K.K. HAMMOND:

Really, I do music for the love and sheer passion of it and it brings me so much pleasure and relief from the, often, mundane nature of daily life. I am fortunate to have an incredibly enthusiastic and supportive fan base and for that I am immeasurably grateful! Bringing people enjoyment and sometimes solace via what I do is incredibly fulfilling and satisfying. I don’t feel I could ask for much more, I am amazed to have even gotten to this stage as I didn’t expect it! That being said, I am gradually shifting away from my day job and towards music full time and of course that makes some elements a little more challenging! Working hard on promotions, keeping up with my social media and staying organized can feel a little bit more like work as I am currently doing my own physical music (vinyl/CD) sales. Promoting an album can be a lot of hard work but I can hardly complain as I’m doing what I love with such a deep passion!

8. Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?

K.K. HAMMOND:

I tend to noodle away on my guitar honing in on little hooks and riffs and what tends to happen is that a random word or two, or line, will pop into my head. Using that as a basis for the song, I will write the rest around it. To date I have written all my own songs but I have invited my friend and fellow blues musician “David & the Devil” to do supporting vocals and play some beautiful slide guitar solos on several of my songs such as on the track “Death Roll Blues” on my debut album of the same name. I am currently working on a new single with my good friend Kaspar “Berry” Rapkin and am excited to have his input! He is an excellent blues guitarist and visionary and I think it’s going to be a great deal of fun working together!

9. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?

K.K. HAMMOND: I’m a profoundly private person, introverted and a self-professed hermit who lives very remotely in the woods so doing something which involves being in the public consciousness and eye is extremely challenging for my nature at times. I’m not a fan of playing live for this reason and get asked when I will be touring on an almost daily basis. I’m running out of excuses! Haha!

10. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?

K.K. HAMMOND: Getting multiple spins on the BBC radio 2 Blues show presented by Cerys Matthews has been absolutely amazing! I really have to pinch myself when hearing my music being played amongst the greats. I’m still working on shaking my imposter syndrome! I am profoundly grateful to have the fan base I do and honestly couldn’t ask for much more. It seems to be growing all the time which really has stunned me, I never expected any of it. When someone tells me I am their favorite artist it simply blows my mind and humbles me. I don’t feel worthy but am certainly honored beyond imagination when people say they enjoy my music.