Fun Facts

Alex King took a word or two of advice from Travis Barker of Blink 182. They met while Alex was living in Los Angeles, and discussed drumming techniques.

While attending Oklahoma University, Richard King played with the dance band. They once did a gig with Dinah Shore, who was just getting started as a singer.

One of the bands that Alex King is in, Mazinga, boasts a former drummer that now plays for the Von Bondies.

Richard and Patricia King are long time friends of William Bolcom and Joan Morris. Mr. Bolcom, an esteemed American composer, has been commissioned by some of the greatest institutions in the country, including but not limited to the orchestras of Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore, Boston, and Chicago. His wife, Joan, is a well-known soprano who often sings her husband's works.

...the Kings are also acquainted with Joseph Maddy, who founded the Interlochen Center for the Arts, and his son Richard.

When Jim King was in his band King Cool (with Bill Cool on guitar) their song "You Make It Hard" was aired on the relatively new MTV. The year was 1986.

When King's Keyboard House first opened, promoters at Hill Auditorium asked Richard for an eight-foot grand piano. Why? The Philadelphia Orchestra was coming to town, and U of M needed a name they could trust and a piano with a top-notch sound. But his only grand had just been sold, and he had to ask to borrow it back!

In 1971, John Lennon came to Ann Arbor and performed in Crisler arena. Richard King was called once again, and supplied the piano for the concert.

Old Habits never die: Jim King traveled with various bands for twenty years, often staying in hotel rooms while on the road. To this day, his bedroom is set up like a hotel room, with the tables on both sides of the bed, lamps on both tables, a telephone on one table, a dresser in front of the bed, and a TV on top of the dresser. And, of course, the air conditioner. At night, "I have to have some kind of noise," Jim says, because there was always so much noise in and around the hotel.

Rob King was a member of a band Destroy All Monsters, whose membership included Mike Davis of the MC5 and Ron Asheton of the Stooges.

When Rod Stewart came to Ann Arbor, Richard King was again the man to call to obtain a piano. But Stewart smashed the piano to pieces as part of his act, and Mr. King had to sue for damages.

The bar Necto, formerly The Nectarine Ballroom, used to be a music venue called the Second Chance, or just The Chance. Destroy All Monsters frequented this venue quite often, and the owner, John Carver, was always bugging Niagara (lead singer of DAM) to create a logo. Niagara got John to agree to "unlimited drinks forever" in exchange for her creative skills. About two seconds after this verbal contract was made, Niagara took out an eyebrow pencil, grabbed a napkin and jotted down the infamous scrawl of the Chance logo. She then immediately ordered a Vodka Martini, the first of many in years to come. To his credit, Carver stuck to the drink bargain, and used the logo on the Marquee and all of his promotions. The Chance" was a famous new wave club that hosted many famous acts: The Ramones, James Brown, The Dead Boys, The Sonics, Patti Smith, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, and Destroy All Monsters.

WATCH The Ramones play at Second Chance

See pictures of Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis at the Second Chance

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