This Is the Kit

This Is the Kit

This Is the Kit is a British folk band from Winchester, formed in 2003 and still active. The group centres on Kate Stables, who performs lead vocals, banjo and guitar. Other members associated with the band include Jesse D. Vernon on bass, guitar, violin and percussion; Jamie Whitby-Coles on drums; Neil Smith on guitar; Rozi Plain on vocals and guitar; and Philip Sirop on batterie.

Style and line-up

The band is identified with alternative rock, indie folk and indie rock, and is also described as a folk act with a frontwoman in Kate Stables. It often performs as a two-piece, with Stables and Vernon handling vocals, strings, guitar, bass and percussion between them.

Releases and collaborators

The band’s early releases include the album Krülle Bol, produced by John Parish, and the single Two Wooden Spoons, issued on Rob da Bank’s label Sunday Best. A later album appears on Dreamboat Records in 2010. Wriggle out the Restless develops from a slower, more extended working process and draws in musicians from the band’s wider circle, including Rozi Plain, Jim Barr of Portishead, Francois of Fence and The Liftmen.

Working method

The band’s approach is collaborative and informal, with Stables describing the value of playing with people whose work she likes. The music is shaped through exchange with friends and fellow musicians, contributing to a fuller ensemble sound while retaining a delicate character.