Milk Kan

Blaggers, chancers, punks and urban poets – Milk Kan began as a two-piece acoustic band in 2003 as Scrappy Hood and Jimmy Blade. Playing their mothers’ guitars at the back of London’s night buses Milk Kan crafted their wizard mix of Guthrie storytelling, punk energy and old skool hip hop, busking to spellbound travellers.

They recorded their debut EP in Scrappy’s bedroom and went on a busking holiday to New York in the winter of 2004 playing small enues and open-mic haunts.

One year later and strengthened by their drummer Loz Vegas, who they originally met at school, Milk Kan's debut single 'Bling Bling Baby' (PIAS Records) hit No. 13 in the independent charts, enjoyed national radio airplay from BBC’s mega DJs Chris Moyles, Steve Lamacq, Jonathan Ross and Mark Radcliffe bouncing Milk Kan into major league live performances, supporting the Violent Femmes at Shepherd's Bush Empire, the Strokes at Hyde Park’s Wireless Festival, Babyshambles at East London's Rhythm Factory and UK tours supporting ska punks The King Blues.

Following Milk Kan’s signing to Blang in November 2007, a collaboration with the legendary Dolly Parton was released as a limited edition vinyl to critical acclaim (BBC Steve Lamacq’s “single of the week”). They then took to the studios to record their debut album and released God with an Ipod in December 2008 which hit No. 10 in the UK independent charts and resulted in a session for BBC Radio 1 DJ Huw Stephens which was broadcast in January 2009.

Following the release of their debut album in March 2009, Huw Stephens made the album Record of The Week on his In New Music We Trust radio show. Later in July 2009 Milk Kan played the BBC Introducing stage at Scotland’s T in The Park festival after making a huge impact on their first headline tour of Scotland and an appearance at the Sound City Festival, Liverpool. They ended the year with a YouTube hit with their video for “Who Broke Susan Boyle?” – the B side to their summer single “Don’t Panic”.