1. The Kingpins ar… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least two bands called The Kingpins.
1. The Kingpins are a "road-tested, consumer-approved" rock quintet from Montreal, Canada, with a past as a ska unit with a brass section, organ, spy-flick guitar licks and rock-steady rhythms. The first Kingpins single, 'On the Run', won a MiMi (Montreal Independent Music Industry) award for 'Best Single' in 1995. The following year saw the dawn of their own label Stomp Records and the first Kingpins full-length, 'Watch Your Back?'. By 1997 the band was on newspaper covers and national TV, trapped between grunge and techno. The band's second album, 'Let's Go To Work' (1999), got them nationwide mainstream airplay, headline gigs all over Europe, NorthAmerica and Japan, as well as breakout slots on packages like the Warped Tour. Their third full-length, 'Plan of Action', saw them make choices. The line-up was stripped down to a five-piece, with Lorraine taking up vocal duties full-time. While maintaining solid ties to the rhythms and positive energy of ska, they explored punk, pop, new wave, moving balladry, even breakbeats. The album raced to the top of the Canadian college charts.
2. The Kingpins were a young and wild garage beat band from South London, United Kingdom, in the mid-1960s, fronted by Ray Neale. They made a handful of recordings, but never released a record at the time... not under the moniker The Kingpins anyway. They did masqurade as Those Fadin' Colours for a single on the Ember label and as Orange Seaweed for a single on Pye. Some of their recordings as The Kingpins popped up in later decades on some compilations of 1960s garage beat, freakbeat and mod proto-psychedelic mod beat, notably 'You're My Girl'.
Matchbox
The Kingpins Lyrics
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Boots and Crombies hanging on the other side
All the Westmount Parkas are down at the Matchbox
They're gonna drink until they're stupid
Gonna shout it like it's punk rock
Late at night in Montreal
Out on the streets and off the wall
Digging for some change or bumming for a smoke
Everybody's sparking up to share a joke
It's just a matter of time before they're closing down the Matchbox
All the kids think it's so funny till their fun comes to a full stop
Late at night in Montreal
Out on the streets and off the wall
Lining up to break their,
Lining up to break their,
Lining up to break their fall
The Kingpins' song "Matchbox" is a tribute to the punk scene in Montreal. The song talks about various aspects of the city's punk culture, starting with the opening lyrics that describe the teenage angst and pain that leads some to contemplate suicide. The lyrics also touch on the punk fashion, with "Boots and Crombies hanging on the other side," and references the Westmount Parkas, a punk band from Montreal that was popular in the 80s.
The main focus of the song is the Matchbox, a popular punk club in Montreal during the 90s. The club was notorious for its rowdy atmosphere and for being a hotspot for underage drinking, which is referenced in the lyrics: "They're gonna drink until they're stupid / Gonna shout it like it's punk rock." The song describes the club as a place where people could come together and be themselves, where they could drink and joke around, and where they could find comfort in one another, particularly in the face of the struggles of the punk lifestyle.
Overall, "Matchbox" is a tribute to the punk scene in Montreal, specifically during the 90s. The song captures both the energy and the struggles of the scene, and it paints a picture of a community that found a home in the Matchbox.
Line by Line Meaning
John Hughes junkies contemplating suicide
People who are obsessed with the movies of John Hughes are considering committing suicide
Boots and Crombies hanging on the other side
People wearing boots and Crombies (trench coat) are on the other side
All the Westmount Parkas are down at the Matchbox
Everyone wearing Westmount Parkas (a specific type of parka) is at the Matchbox (a bar)
They're gonna drink until they're stupid
They plan to drink excessively until they become unintelligent (drunk)
Gonna shout it like it's punk rock
They will shout loudly like they're in a punk rock band
Late at night in Montreal
It's late at night in Montreal
Out on the streets and off the wall
People are out on the streets and acting crazy (off the wall)
Lining up to break their fall
They are standing in line to prevent themselves from falling (possibly getting too drunk)
Digging for some change or bumming for a smoke
Some people are looking for change (coins) or asking for a cigarette
Everybody's sparking up to share a joke
Everyone is lighting up a cigarette to share a joke
It's just a matter of time before they're closing down the Matchbox
The bar is going to close soon, it's just a matter of time
All the kids think it's so funny till their fun comes to a full stop
All the young people think it's funny until their enjoyment ends abruptly (when the bar closes)
Late at night in Montreal
It's late at night in Montreal
Out on the streets and off the wall
People are out on the streets and acting crazy (off the wall)
Lining up to break their,
They are standing in line to prevent themselves from falling (possibly getting too drunk)
Lining up to break their,
They are standing in line to prevent themselves from falling (possibly getting too drunk)
Lining up to break their fall
They are standing in line to prevent themselves from falling (possibly getting too drunk)
Contributed by Madison V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.