The K's on debut album I Wonder If The World Knows?: "To say we're in a chart battle with The Libertines is mental!"

Having already impressed the likes of Liam Gallagher, James and DMA'S, this week sees breakout Earlestown export The K's release their debut record I Wonder If The World Knows?

Things are off to a very strong start, too.

The lads - Jamie Boyle, Ryan Breslin, Dexter Baker and Nathan Peers - currently sit at Number 2 in this week's Official Albums Chart Update, just behind their 'biggest inspiration' The Libertines and their latest studio LP All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade.

Today, we catch up with Jamie and Ryan as they deliver the 'perfect' introduction to the band.

MORE: This week's Official Albums Chart Update

Hello, lads! I Wonder If The World Knows? is finally out - how does it feel?

Jamie: We’re absolutely buzzing, this has been such a long time coming. If anyone asks if we’re nervous because there’s so much anticipation around it, absolutely not! We’re just so proud of it and couldn’t wait for people to hear it. There are no nerves at all, we’ve already achieved everything we wanted to achieve with it.

We wouldn’t change a thing about this album. We took our time with it and made sure that we released what’s, to us, the perfect debut record. It’s just the perfect The K’s record. We released it at the right time, and we’re just so excited for people to hear it.

How long was the writing and recording process, from start to finish?

Jamie: We signed our record deal in August, started demoing and the last mixes were finished this year. Everything since last summer’s been building towards to this album.

When you initially set out to make the album, what themes did you want to cover on the record?

Jamie: It covers quite a wide spectrum. There’s the soppier songs, as I’d describe them, then there’s the coming-of-age songs about growing up in a normal English town.

Songs like Hometown; just about growing up in a town like ours. Then there’s No Place Like Home, about the mistakes you make growing up there. It’s a very true to life journal of our lives over the past couple of years. Life in a normal, British working town. It’s about trying to find your feet and trying to be a musician in these towns.

Who were your biggest musical inspirations growing up?

Ryan: I think our sound’s so unique because we like such a mix. Jamie like a lot of funky stuff like Paul Weller and The Jam, I like a lot of rockier stuff like The Rolling Stones and Chuck Berry. More guitar-led stuff. Dexter and Nath have their own influences, as well, so that variation just works.

Jamie: My favourite band ever are actually The Libertines, who’ve released the same week as us. It’s bittersweet – if we do get pipped to Number 1, at least it’s my favourite band that are doing it!

They’re my favourite band ever, I was obsessed with them growing up. They’re probably the biggest influence on why I’m in a band now. To even say that we’ve released an album at the same time is crazy.

I remember sitting in a caravan with my mum and dad in Wales, watching their comeback show at Reading Festival.

Ryan: That’s one of the best gigs I’ve ever been to. And now, we’re up against them in release week! It’s mental.

Which tracks from the album are you most excited to perform live?

Ryan: Every single interview we say a different song. For me, I think it’s Icarus; the opener on the album.

Jamie: I’m going to say No Place Like Home. As soon as that bassline starts, people are going to have their flares out. But people are going to have to bring double flares; we can’t lose the usual flares in Sarajevo. People will have to bring two!

At festival season last year, near enough every song people were setting flares off. Sounds great in theory, until you’re trying to sing through it! I wouldn’t change it for the world, though. It’s so cool when people do it.

Ryan: That’s what we’re best at. Because we’ve been crafting the live scene and building up a following, that’s where we’re best; on those big stages. It isn't daunting to us, the bigger the stage, I just think ‘that’s more space for us to run around!’

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Being a band from, as you say, a working class British town, what would your advice be for aspiring musicians from a similar background?

Jamie: You’ve got to stick it out, and I know it’s becoming more and more difficult for these bands. We were lucky in a way, as there were more grassroots venues. Every month, every week there are more and more closing. Sound Control in Manchester, where we had our first-ever gig, has gone. These venues are closing.

You have to work really hard on that front, but the main thing is you need to be doing it with people you like. You spend so much time around each other that if you’re not really close, it’s not going to work. That’s why it works for us, we were so close before the band and [new drummer] Nathan’s like our brother.

Ryan: Adding to that, I remember playing to my dad and two of his mates who weren’t even watching us. Don’t get disheartened playing gigs like that. Those people there will tell their mates, and that’s how we built up our core following.

‘Posh practice,’ we used to call those shows. Even if nobody was watching, we were practising on a stage and getting better at playing live. That’s the attitude we had, and thank God we stuck at it through those times. If you believe in what you’re doing and love it, f**king stick at it!