KILL, THE ICON! • Headliners #69

On this episode of HEADLINERS Greg is joined by NISHANT JOSHI of KILL, THE ICON.ABOUT KILL, THE ICON:KILL, THE ICON! is the synth-punk passion project from London-based doctor Nishant Joshi. Joshi made national headlines during the pandemic, being the first frontline NHS doctor to go public with concerns that staff were not being protected. In true punk rock style Joshi and his wife then launched a legal challenge against the government. They won the case, making huge change and were recognised by The FA and England's football team. Fueled with frustration, in the summer of 2020 KILL, THE ICON! was born as an extension of Joshi's activism.'Your Anger Is Rational' is the debut punk-fuelled EP from KILL, THE ICON! released on Blaggers Records. 'Your Anger Is Rational' is as much of a musical endeavour as it is a thoughtful interrogation into the power structures that underpin modern Britain. The EP explores Britain's relationship with fascism, and how it changes shape via slippery politicians and skinheads alike.Joshi views the band as a conduit for the nation’s anger therapy: 'There is a sense of helplessness and hopelessness in modern Britain, which seems to only be getting sharper and sharper by the day. Workers across industries are going on strike. People have been simmering in misery for the last decade of austerity, and now they’re suitably furious. So we’ve embraced the spirit of punk, and we’re using our platform as a positive act of rebellion.' The opening track 'Heavy Heart' confronts the guise of racism in Britain. Joshi says 'brazen racism has retreated into the shadows, and subtle racism has taken over.' He asks racists to 'say it loud, say it proud. Come out of the shadows, and into the light once again where we can all see you.''Deathwish' is inspired by Joshi's parents and their experiences of overt racism in England in the 70s compared to his own experiences of more subtle racism. Joshi says 'I wanted to show the contrast between the subtle racism that I've faced all my life - being passed over for jobs, and ahem, gigs - compared to my parents who were actively shunned while they were settling in.' 'Danny Is A Hate Preacher' is written from the point of view of a narrator explaining the rise of a young, hapless boy who's transformed into a fascist hate preacher. Speaking about the track, Joshi says: 'This is about my belief that most hatred is actively seeded through generational trauma. I grew up in East London, surrounded by skinheads in bomber jackets, at a time when racist murders were depressingly common. This is a story about how hatred manifests and passes throughout generations.' 'Protect The Brand' is loosely based on David Fincher's Fight Club. The film is reimagined through the lens of an overworked and underpaid office worker tasked with mind-numbing, repetitive jobs until he finally engineers his own sacking. The worker stumbles through a crisis of realization, as he starts to question the purpose of work within a capitalist framework. The surreal neo-noir artwork was conceived and designed by the band, as part of a set of themed digital art that is set to accompany the EP release. KILL, THE ICON!'s protest punk has been supported by the likes of