After years of balancing touring, recording with full-time jobs, and even cancer, the members of Future Kings of Nowhere are just happy to be playing music whenever they want.
Durham residents Mike Hacker, Allison Zirkel , Dan Kinney and Shayne Miel have played music in separate projects regularly for the past decade. Reaching from their Triangle stomping grounds to Seattle, the members of the band have experienced the extremes and radical spectrum of the musician lifestyle. Now, they’ve settled in.
But while other artists strive for ambitious label deals, Future Kings of Nowhere are comfortable with playing music for their own satisfaction. Any shows or records coming out of it are spontaneous decisions.
They play when they’re not at work or with family.
”We don’t do anything like touring anymore,” Kinney said. “We have full time jobs.”
With all the members pursuing careers outside of music, and the band no longe r being fueled by wanting fame, the creative side now seems more genuine. This time last year Shayne Miel , the lead vocalist, was just pronounced cancer free. After going through a year of chemotherapy, a bone marrow transplant, and frequent radiation, Miel is glad to be back playing.
“Two and a half years ago I was diagnosed with stage four lymphoma in my heart, lungs, pancreas and brain,” Miel said. “We were still playing although I had moved to New York before I got cancer, for the band it was unclear what we were doing then.”
What should have put a halt on the band proved to restructure the band in a positive way. They refined their artistic motivations and decided to play for nothing but what they get out of it.
“It’s a thousand times more satisfying,” Miel said.
Playing for the sake of playing has united the musicians and lifted the pressure that can break up bands.
“Knowing that we’re not going to tour…and you’re not trying to play every weekend makes it easier,” Kinney said.
Zirkel said the band’s only goal is “creative release.” “We’re all grown up,” Miel said. “We’re fine with writing and recording albums and playing a few shows a year.”
The release for their next EP, Pirates, is expected to be in April, and the band will be performing the album in the Triangle area.
One of the closest shows for Future Kings of Nowhere is this weekend for WKNC’s Double Barrel Benefit show. Today, they will be headlining the show at the Pour House. With the relationship between the band and N.C . State’s student radio, the team was more than happy to play the show.
Miel said WKNC General Manager Molly Matty planned them to play for the second time in Double Barrel history.
“Molly [ Matty ] was putting it together and asked us,” Miel said. “We’ve had a really good relationship with WKNC for a really long time. We played Double Barrel five and WKNC has tirelessly played our music. So anything they would ask of us we would happily do.”
Besides doing it solely by the stations request, the band members said they are excited about the line up for the two-day festivities and to see the other artists play too.
“It’s gonna be a fun show,” Miel said. “The Pour House is a great venue and I’m a big fan of Organos , Birds & Arrows and Make. They’re great plans to play with. It’s probably been three years since we played in Raleigh.”
