Now you know: Kids in Heat

Mikey Belknap’s helium-spiked vocals ended up at Kids in Heat’s lead microphone almost randomly. “My brother Stan was always playing guitar in bands. I wasn’t a musician, just really into skating. I was in Texas when Stan and our bassist, Kong, called from California, saying it was time to go for it. Two days later they arrived, threw my stuff in the truck, and drove me back to Murrieta.”

Are punks born that way, or does it develop somehow?

“It’s a natural course that comes with being 13. Seeing these guys in leather jackets, or Stiv Bators blow snot at bologna and eating it? I got caught in a vortex I didn’t want to escape. I’m a Misfits fan, especially the song ‘Children in Heat.’”

The Philippine-born Belknap moved to Murrieta in the early 2000s, where they met Kong, who says, “We raised hell at punk shows, skating, and doing what bored kids do in a small town during high school.”

The band’s quest for traction has ignited some sparks. Belknap laughs, “At the Tower Bar, a homeless lady proceeded to get fully naked and dance in the middle of everyone. People moved away from her but they ended up chanting her on, too. When the cops arrived, I said I’d last seen her running full speed, butt naked, down the alley.”

“Lolipop Records is releasing a cassette of our first album, High Energy, Low Income, in January. We’re stoked that this Portuguese internet show, Cat Nouveau, has been playing ‘I Got Beat Up.’ We’ll start recording a new record at the Til-Two on January 3.”

I don’t think three years is that long a wait for momentum.

“Umm...no. And playing punk is kind of amazing. After our set at the Knockout Bar in San Francisco, this six-foot-five guys pulled me offstage. My heart was pounding — I thought, This guy’s gonna rip my head off. But he rips his shirt off, then mine...then gives me a hug, saying it was one of the best San Fran shows he’d seen. We ended up hanging with him and some other friends. Kong’s outside drinking when we hear him yell, ‘Someone’s breaking into our van!’ They didn’t get anything important — just all of Kong’s clothes.”

Kids in Heat plays Sunday, January 10, at the Soda Bar with Nobunny and Stalins of Sound.