Talking his latest release, Songs For The Living // Songs For The Dead, and his signing with Marshall records, Kid Bookie is tearing up the rulebook for modern music.

“I am the orgasm that won. I am here due to hate f*cking or an act of love,” Kid Bookie says to me. These words, spoken just two minutes into our video call, come across as blunt, maybe even shocking to some — but every delivery from Kid Bookie intends to rattle and push some boundaries. It’s clear from the outset that this is not going to be your standard PG-friendly, polite back-and-forth interview; he claws at the questions, shredding them to pieces with a menacing playful energy. But what else can you expect from a bold south east London punk musician signed to the legendary Marshall Records?

 

Starting off with a career in grime but distancing himself from the association as he got older, Kid Bookie refuses to be trapped or caged by any genre. He draws inspiration from places far beyond what one might expect from his music. While he acknowledges bands like Good Charlotte and Slipknot as major influences, he surprises by saying: “My biggest influence is In the Hall of the Mountain King from Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46 by Edvard Grieg.” Though many might not recognise the Norwegian composer’s work by name, the piece’s fast-paced finale is instantly identifiable upon hearing it. A masterpiece in tension and momentum, its chaotic crescendo feels like a perfect reflection of Kid Bookie’s own explosive, boundary-pushing approach to writing.

 

Speaking to Kid Bookie, it is easy to see why Marshall welcomed the musician onto their roster, joining rockstars like Therapy?, Nova Twins, and Gen and the Degenerates. Marshall, founded in 1962, has always been in the very DNA of rock history, bringing together artists and fans from around the world with a shared love for all things that are badass. You can’t walk into a rock venue without seeing a Marshall cab at the back of the stage with its unmistakable gold-casing, or spotting their logo on the t-shirts of fans.  When you think of Marshall, you think of the legends in the game, Lemmy Kilmister (Motorhead) leaning against his signature bass amp, or Slash (Guns N’ Roses) wielding a guitar on stage in his top hat.

Kid Bookie sees himself as part of that long tradition. “I’m proud to be where I am,” he shares, reflecting on his work with the iconic label. “I was signed to Marshall because of who I am.” It’s a partnership for Kid Bookie that aligns with the rock and roll lifestyle Marshall has always stood for — a connection between artist and audience, past and present. Marshall Records are committed to helping the next generation, with their most diverse line-up yet of noise-making punks and leather-wearing rock’n’rollers. Providing them with the best platform to do so, Marshall offers a sense of community that allows musicians to express themselves freely, and take part in a legacy that supports them.

 

As a musician, Kid Bookie is determined to continue his own rock and roll journey. He rips things up, lights them on fire, buries the ashes and hopes that something new grows from it. His old-school punk ethos, inspired by those that came before him, shows that he enjoys the destruction. Yet, he then turns chaos into an untouchable creativity. “I like knocking down the barrier of fear and making people feel uncomfortable,” he says with a slight Joker-esque grin widely stretching from cheekbone to cheekbone.

His energy is pent-up with aggro, fire, and frenzy, but not in the way most musicians have — but more in a cool, larger-than-life way. He’s covered in tattoos, piercings, and delivering one-liners straight into the camera with a charming ease, reminding me more of a wrestler or a film actor than your typical indie artist. “I was a massive wrestling fan growing up. Jeff Hardy was my muse,” he admits, a hint of nostalgia in his voice as he lists off the WWE heroes. “I might have character, but in no way am I a character, ” he says, repulsed at even the suggestion that he could be putting any of this on. “This is real,” he warns.

 

He establishes the ground rules immediately, “If I ever come across as a jester to anyone, it’s because I’ve had to learn to be a bigger character than everyone else. This isn’t a game. This is rock and roll. I have nothing to lose and the whole world to gain,” he shares. And, with those words, Kid Bookie sets the mood for his latest anthemic album release, the genre-crushing: Songs For The Living // Songs For The Dead.

 

This is his manifesto, (or hit list), — a statement of what it means to be the realest in the game and who he’s coming for next. The riff-laden album certainly doesn’t ease you in, it grabs you by the collar and demands you to listen up. ‘AI (Save Yourself)’ is a call out to the rise of artificial intelligence, unleashing a guttural scream with the lyrics, (“Everyone’s in a dream / Guillotine to the f*cking motherboard / Off with their heads / Cut it all.”) It’s a furious cry paired with filthy riffs, spewing acid-tinged vitriol directly at the digital age controlled by machines and algorithms. Kid Bookie passionately rejects any sort of numb complacency or passive acceptance.

When explaining his approach to writing music and fusing rock and metal with rap, creating light and dark, balancing yin and yang, Kid Bookie puts it simply: “Be a scientist, and understand your own chemistry. Make a concoction until it goes ‘whoosh,” his hands expanding outwards in the video call, creating the impression that something is bursting apart. “Everyone around you will collapse when they see that because it’s real.”

 

The following track on the album, ‘Purgatory’, softens the edges, revealing that underneath the battle-worn armour — he can be vulnerable. When asked about the change of direction, he expresses: “Purgatory is a break-up song about self loathing and sadness.” A softly strummed acoustic guitar carries his thoughts, as he sings: (“I’m so deep in my head / Frightening / Thinking, when does life end? / No sleep, hold me, closely”). ‘Purgatory’ is the first point in the album which shows that maybe for Kid Bookie, it is less about destruction, and more about survival.

Even though Kid Bookie comes from a world that feels miles apart from many of the Hollywood rock and roll artists he’s worked with, he shows genuine appreciation for community and being adopted in the rock game, and he’s proud of the respect he’s earned along the way. Kid Bookie has ticked off some major milestones as an artist, collaborating and sharing genuine friendship with rock royalty Corey Taylor, casually mentioning Detroit hip hop collective D12 as his ‘big brothers’ in conversation, and signing with the famous Marshall Records. “Corey Taylor is my brother. Without Corey Taylor, I wouldn’t even be on the phone to you,” he laughs.

 

At the end of our interview, it becomes clear: perhaps more artists like Kid Bookie are exactly what the music needs – unafraid to tell it like it is, raw and unfiltered. In a world where many tread carefully, he walks right through it, kicking down the walls of conformity with every step in his leather-tied boots. He’s a reminder that punk always existed to challenge and ignite conversations, and he’s certainly good at it.

 

“Do you thrive in chaos?” “Mate, I love chaos.”

Kid Bookie is wearing Marshall Monitor III ANC headphones, shop them here.