Knockout, a band that was previously very successful in the UK charts, has reformed over a decade after breaking up. The band members, Mason, Sofia, and James, met up in their hometown of Brighton at a memorial concert for David Bowie. There, they reconnected and began writing new music together. While they considered touring internationally, they decided a tour of England would be better so they could keep their daughter Esme with them more easily. Fans can now look forward to the return of this reunited band.

1. 12/2/16 LibbyO’Connor
KNOCKOUT,the bandthat threweveryone off the kerrangchartsstayingnumber1for 2 monthsin
2004 have re-formedandclaimstheircomebackwillmake history!Sincethe bandsbreakupin2007
the band leadsingermasonand backupsingerSofiagotmarriedhad a babyand Jameswas
completelyoutof the picture until 1monthago when the trioclickedagainand begancreatingthe
musicwhichthroughouttheirreignpeoplecalled inspiring,relatableandmind(andear) blowing.
As soonas theywalkedinthe cafe,the oldtraditional cobblestone café onBirmingham’squieterend
of citycentre,the atmosphere changed.Theylookedincrediblyoutof place intheirdarkclothing,
checkedshirtsandrun downall-starconverse trainers yettheyactedcompletelynormal.Theirfirst
actionssurprisedme the most,insteadof comingstraighttome theyall ordered,masonhada
traditional cupof tea,Sofiathe same and Jameshad a double choccamocha. Mason saysit “calms
hisnerves”whichwasone of two thingswhichsurprisedme,one thatthishard-core,intense
character actuallygetsnervousandanotherthathe still likesagoodold’cuppatea.Theysat the
same arrangementastheycame in,Mason beingat the front,he was directlyopposite me onthe
circularshabbywoodentable,asthoughthat leadrole he hasin the bandfollowsintotheireveryday
life.
You’dexpectthese 3rock legendstobe followedaroundbycrowdsteenagerswholistentotheir
past records,butat the time of knockoutspopularitytheyweren’tevenoldenoughtolistento
musicsoundingfull of suchangerand intensitywithlyricsthathave tobe relatedto,to thoroughly
understand,butnotheycome completelyalonetoa place full of elderlypeople whowouldlookat
themindisgustif theylistenedtothe screaminglyricsthatcome outof these 3 artistsmouths.“This
isall we wantedbackin2007” saysmason,withSofiaandJamesslightlysmilingandnodding.“being
constantlyfollowedaroundfeelingharassedbutfeelingguiltyforitbecause these peopleare
shoutinghowmuchthey‘worship’youbutjustwantingtorun awayfrom themall and have peace,
getsquite hard” addsinJames,“especiallywhenmasonandIgot togetherwe wantedprivacy,we
didn’twanteveryone knowingourbusinessandthat’sthe price youhave to payin thisindustry”
Sofiastateswhilstgrippingontohertea.Hearingall of thisdoesmake me sympathise forthemyet
createsconfusionasto whytheywantit all back afterfinallygettingthe peace they’dalways
wanted.
What us at VOLT wasmost intriguedtoknow waswhyand how theycame back together,asback in
May 2008 rumourshitthe newsthat on a nightoutin Londonmasonand Jameshad a fightand
witnessesatthe clubsaidtheyheardJamesshout“we’re done”andthere wasno recordsof them
beingtogethersince,upuntil now.“whenwe heardthe newsof ourinspirationDavidBowiesdeath,
we all wentto the same memorial tribute concertinourhometowninBrightonheldatan oldbar we
usedto go to witha bunchof friendswhoall lookeduptohim, ashe wassuch a unique ‘dowhat
makesyouhappy’kindof character we all lovedhim, andit wasa daywhere we wantedno
confrontation”Masonsaidafterhislast sipof tea and a cheekywinkshowingthe firstslightsmile he
had the whole discussiontothe ladyat the counteraskingfora new one.“me and masonwalkedup
to James,theyshookhandshe gave me a harmlesssofthitonthe shoulderhe alwaysusedtodoand
conversationstartedflowing”Sofiasaidincludingaslightgiggle.“we spokeforhoursabout
memories,ourfavouriteconcertsandtourstogether,the secretsonlyus3 knew andinside Imissed
us,us all beingtogether,withmydistraughtfeelingsfromthissadnewsof ourrole modelsdeathI

2. justwantedto scream,intoa microphone,withthe amazingvocalsof my2 favourite peoplewith
me”mason struggledtosayas forhimit wasa bitsoppy,andfrom that theyreunited.Afterafew
beers,andGuinness’sinSofia’scase we came tothe ideawe shouldmeetupandtry out a new song
Jameshad writtenandthe verynextdaywe did…and it all wentfromthere I suppose!”Iwason the
edge of my seatwithexcitementhearingthatcome fromMason’s mouthitnearlymade me forget
aboutthe fact SofiadrinksGuinness,we all know she’shalf IrishbutIhadher downformore of a
vodkagirl.
NowI knewthiswasall true,knockoutare back togetherIwantedto findouttheirplansforthe
future,assurelythey’re boundtobe big.I wantedtofindoutall of the detailsandthese 3 just
wantedsome of the chocolate fudge cake theysaw an elderlycouple sharingacrossthe room, so of
course the conversationwasslightlydelayedastheyinsistedonordering,alongcame one chocolate
fudge cake,one lemondrizzle andaVictoriasponge,astheyall tuckedin,havingbitesof each
other’scake theyfinallygotbackon track. “we consideredstartingoff withatourin Englandand
America,asthat was where ourbiggestfan”were the wordsI thinkIheard Jamessaywitha full
mouthof cake,I rememberedwiththe birthof masonandSofiababygirl Esme theywouldfindthat
prettyhard. “yeswe realisedatthismomentintime atour like thatwouldbe hardfor us and Esme
and we neededsomethingsmallerso we’re planningona tourof Englandrightnow therefore we
will neverbe farandshe can be withus a lotof the time.
So that’sit,we knowit all nowand youheard ithere first,thishard-core bandthat lefteveryone
distraughtwhentheybroke upandare now back and betterthanever!We lookforwardto seeing
what’sto come of these coffee andcake lovingheavymetalband…