“I have solid background in wedding band work,” he said.
The suggestion was prompted by the song’s attributes. Anyone who has heard the song knows that in addition to being catchy and having a party vibe, the chorus is a natural invite to group participation.
“It’s a song that keeps popping up like Whack-A-Mole,” King said. “Major League Baseball asked to use it. The NFL has been using it. It’s a stadium song now. It’s a pretty good notch on our belt. We’re happy to hear it on the radio all the time.”
It can be heard live on Sunday, Nov. 20, when the band plays the Madison Theater, in Covington, Ky.
King is a co-founder of the band and a multi-instrumentalist.
For Fitz and the Tantrums, he plays saxophone, keyboards, flute, percussion and guitar. Before becoming part of a popular pop band, he was enrolled as a jazz student in an expensive California arts school, where he found himself one of many overqualified talents competing for a small amount of jobs. King said he didn’t stress out as much as some of his classmates.
“Some were debating whether to go to New York,” he said. “Me, I just wanted to play. I wasn’t too caught up with being on the cover of Downbeat Magazine. That took some of the pressure off. I still play jazz professionally. I never wanted to be in just one niche. I was happy with anything that came along.”
Ultimately, that “anything” was Michael “Fitz” Fitzpatrick, an old college friend who approached him with a new project inspired by his purchase of an old Conn electronic organ.
“It was very comfortable,” King said. “I didn’t have to put on a new suit, so to speak. I just called upon my skill set.”
The last piece of the puzzle was when Fitz asked King if he knew any singers. King recommended Noelle Scaggs, who would eventually become Fitz’s co-harmonizer.
“I just come off a tour (with Noelle), so asking her was a no-brainer,” King said. “At the time, it was just a recording project. It wasn’t a star search for a touring band. We all had other studio gigs. But then the stage dynamic turned out to be really special.”
Now, it’s eight years and three albums later. Fitz and the Tantrums make a point to do something different on each album. After experimenting with soul and 1980s synth-pop, they decided to go for full-on modern pop for their third (self-titled) album, released last June.
“We just get restless,” King said. “We all have our influences, and I play everything and anything. Everyone could relate to the soul record; we had three generations of family members enjoying it. For this record, we just wanted a big sound. We’re proud of having one of the more diverse audiences out there. The young people are down in front, the older people are up in the wings and the Grandmas and kindergarteners can dance to ‘HandClap’ at weddings.”
How to go
What: Fitz and the Tantrums, with opening act Barns Courtney
Where: Madison Theater, 730 Madison Ave., Covington, Ky.
When: 8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 20
Cost: $28.50 advance, $30 door
More info: 859-491-2444 or www.madisontheateronline.com
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