A force on the Australian music scene for nearly 20 years, Kingswood are ushering in a new era with the release of their seventh studio album Midnight Mavericks today. Their first album with ABC Music, it pays homage to their love of vintage rock, country soul, and storytelling. The band is currently on the road to support its release, but I found time to catch up with frontman Fergus Linacre to chat about Midnight Mavericks, life on tour, and what comes next for Kingswood.
You’re currently out on the road playing shows in regional centres and capital cities. What can music lovers expect when they come out to see you?
Well I sure hope they experience a tremendously enthralling and life-changing evening of high-octane, yet soulfully romantic country rock’n’roll. I’m told we spend more time on the road than any other, so I expect we are in pretty good shape to perform our pants off for y’all.
So many bands fly around the country, but you do it old school and drive around in your tour bus, Peggy. Even now with petrol prices sky high! Why do you prefer the road trips?
We absolutely prefer to tour on Peggy. She is our second home and we miss her whenever we return to our first home. On the bus, we can get to people and places that it’s difficult to on plane, hiring a van etc. Peggy’s gone up through Alice, across to Broome, down the west coast, and the Nullarbor. She’s a beast.
You’ll be headlining those shows, but I saw you in March supporting the Counting Crows. What was it like to tour with those guys?
We had a ball. They’re a great band who’s been at it for a long time, so they provided many words of wisdom. It’s great to see a band that still loves touring, loves their fans, and is addicted to the feeling of being on stage. It feels familiar. I think we gained a few more fans along the way too.
How do you approach gigs like that, where people are there to see another band and may not be familiar with your music?
With no disrespect to whoever we are supporting, our approach is always to try and blow them off the stage and steal their fans. It sounds mad, but it’s a good mindset to have when you walk out onto someone else’s stage. And it hurts no one; there is plenty of love to go around and the better you hype up the crowd, the better the headline show will be.
You’re promoting your new album, Midnight Mavericks,on these shows. What can you tell me about it?
I’ve never been more excited to play new songs. When we were recording, I just knew they would translate to the stage in a way that would enhance each song. The album is packed full of romance, longing, heartbreak, and resolution. It’s an album that celebrates different emotional states. I think people will connect differently with each song and some will resonate with their own experiences. That’s when music can become really powerful.
The songs I’ve heard from Midnight Mavericks remind me so much of music from the greats my dad raised me on, like Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. What is it that you love about that Americana sound?
I think it’s timeless. It’s music we grew up on, from Dolly to Cash and many more, it’s never been a phase, it’s music we’ve always listened to. And, in a state of total freedom of musical expression, it felt right to embrace the warm hug that is this pocket of Country Rock’n’roll.
So if we were to jump in the Kingswood tour bus, would we be hearing those classics or more modern music? What are you all listening to right now?
One of the benefits of time on the bus is being able to listen to so much music together, whether diving into a deep dive appreciation of Vince Gill, or debating the worthiness of hype listening to the new Geese record. And sometimes we listen to Disney classics. If you stepped onto the bus, you could find yourself listening to any genre from any time.
After this tour wraps up, what’s next for Kingswood?
We have a pretty busy year ahead with the album being released. Lots of festivals, a trip to the States for CMA festival, and we’ve actually already recorded a few tunes for the next record.
You’ve been making music together for nearly 20 years. What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned along the way?
One of the great lessons I’ve learned is to find appreciation in as much of your life as you can. I remember playing Splendour and we had some technical issues and I was so pissed off I didn’t realize I’d just played to 20,000 people on the Splendour main stage. It was a wake-up call. So now I appreciate everything now, every moment.
Finally, do you have a message for your fans out there?
I’m eternally grateful for the support we have and have had over the years. It’s not lost on me that we still have so many fans along for the ride, coming to shows and supporting us. They keep Kingswood on the road!
Midnight Mavericks is out now. Listen to it on your favourite streaming services or get a CD or vinyl copy from Kingswood’s website. And make sure you catch them live at one of their upcoming shows.
22 May 2026 – The Corner Hotel, Naarm/Melbourne
23 May 2026 – Savannah Sounds Festival @ Rex Smeal Park, Manjal Jalunbuy/Port Douglas
28 May 2026 – Lefty’s Music Hall, Meeajin/Brisbane
29 May 2026 – The Factory Theatre, Eora/Sydney
30 May 2026 – Full Throttle Ranch, Wonnarua/Hunter Valley
19 June 2026 – Tanks Art Centre, Gimuy/Cairns
20 June 2026 – Cooktown Discovery Festival @ Endeavour River, Gangaar/Cooktown
Image used with permission from Lime Tree Music