Forty years ago, Robert Lloyd and his band, the Prefects, emerged from the first wave of UK punk, even featuring in The Clash’s “White Riot Tour”. Times have certainly changed since then, including the name of Lloyd’s band, but the one thing that has remained is the group’s passion for making music.
Days before their 2026 tour kicked off, I spoke to Fliss Kitson, drummer for The Nightingales since 2010, about their new music, today’s punk, their upcoming hometown gig in Birmingham, and everything in between.
Fliss Kitson, drummer for The Nightingales.
THE ALBUM THAT DID NOT GET ITS TOUR
Despite the 2025 release of The Awful Truth, the band have not yet been able to tour the album due to unforeseen circumstances. “I’m sad it never got to see a tour. It got a bit forgotten which is a shame,” Fliss tells me, explaining how excited the band are for the songs to finally appear on a touring setlist and get the attention they deserve.
“It’s interesting because we recorded the album without being able to play the songs live. And when you play the songs live they develop organically in a different way. You think, well why did I write it like that? Playing it live is very different because your body moves differently to how it would in the studio, or at least that’s how it is for me as a drummer.”
WRITING UNDER PRESSURE
The Awful Truth was a collaborative effort, lyrically led by Robert Lloyd. “We wrote in the studio, which was the first time we did that. I think we all quite like that bit of pressure. We don’t have loads of money to be able to go to the studio again, so we have to write in those ten days and that’s it.”
The record contrasts Lloyd’s captivating growl delivering dark and punchy lyricism with powerful, and at times chirpy, instrumentals. Accordion numbers, complex drumming sequences, guitar crunching, and viola, courtesy of the newest Nightingale, Natalie, make The Awful Truth an album that absolutely deserves to see the stage.
“We still do exactly what we do whether there’s eight people there or 300 people there.”
PUNK AS AN ATTITUDE
I ask Fliss how she thinks punk has evolved since its first wave in the 70s. “I think it’s more of an attitude than a musical genre. You can be punk at work, you can be punk in the band, your attitude of life can be punk. I think it’s more of a broader thing, which I suppose it always has been, but it started with expressing yourself within music.”
“Rob’s lyrics are that attitude but the music is a different tone.”
THE “MISFITS’ MISFITS”
The Nightingales have notoriously been nicknamed “The Misfits’ Misfits”. “We’re very much an outsider band, an underdog band,” Fliss tells me. She credits a boost from Stewart Lee and his film
King Rocker, while staying matter-of-fact about the band’s place
in the world: “Ultimately we know we’re not going to be the most popular band of all time.”
The Nightingales.
COMING HOME TO BIRMINGHAM
The band have their first show on home ground in three years coming up at the Castle & Falcon in Birmingham. Fliss has great memories of Birmingham: “It’s a very supportive crowd.” She reminisces about earlier gigs and the feeling of playing for whoever shows up, whether it’s eight people or a packed room.
“Relentless, visceral, and intense.” These are the three words Fliss uses to describe The Nightingales’ live performances.
In the words of Fliss Kitson: “Don’t get complacent about your favourite bands coming back all the time. If you’re free and you can go, go.”
Alice Charlton is a contributor to Brum Radio covering live music.
