No More Kings rock. It is easy to sum up the whole thing right there. No, really. They rock. Their new video for the first single off their self-titled debut album, "Sweep the Leg," is getting thousands of hits on YouTube and MySpace and will be showing up on VH-1 shortly. The band is already zipping around the country touring as the album gears up for launch. They rock, you see, and if you haven't heard of them before this, I'm pretty sure this won't be the last time you hear their name.

They were good enough to sit still for a quick interview with the footnote, which certainly makes them even keener in our eyes, if that was possible.

How would you classify the sound of No More Kings?

Tim calls it "Muppets meets kung fu," but basically it's pop-rock-funk.

What moved you to create an album full of 80s references?

I actually didn’t set out to create an album full of 80s references; I just wanted to write a bunch of silly stories. I think the 80s references came because that’s where my influences were. I was pretty much raised by a television set.

How was the idea for the "Sweep the Leg" video born?

The video is completely the work of Billy Zabka's geniusly twisted brain. I think he just sort of ran with it!

After you conceived the idea for the "Sweep the Leg" video, how did you go about getting your dream cast? Did you think you could, or were you prepared to use look-alikes?

Thankfully, it didn't come to that. I'm not sure if we would've settled for look-alikes or if we would've re-thought the concept. We got extremely lucky in that everyone was very willing to get on board.

Just looking at your track listing: "Sweep the Leg" is your Karate Kid song, done from the POV of Johnny. "Michael (Jump In)" is a Knight Rider song from the POV of K.I.T.T. I sense a trend. What are some of the other tracks about?

It's funny, 'cause that trend actually ends there. The other songs are about zombies, Gulliver, a lovesick bumblebee, and a mermaid. So, really, the album is a smorgasbord of silly stories about quirky characters.

What is the band’s writing process, both lyrically and musically?

The process changes from song to song. Sometimes Neil [Robins, of Dirt Poor Robins] and I would sort of jam with an acoustic guitar and a rough idea. Other times, I would bring finished lyrics to him. But usually we'd start with a kernel of a song, a rough idea of verse and chorus, and then I would go off and fit lyrics to that framework.

Who are some of your favorite bands to listen to?

Right now I’m really getting into Spoon, the Feeling, and Sufjan Stevens. But I always have a soft spot in my heart and iPod for Radiohead, the Beatles, the Beastie Boys, and Michael Jackson.

Addressing Pete Mitchell specifically for a second: you worked for Disney and the Henson Company for a while, animating. What projects did you work on in particular, if you can tell us?

At Disney, I worked on what was called "edu-tainment." Half video game, half learning tool. Some of the titles I worked on were The Lion King, Tarzan, and A Bug's Life, as well as a drawing program called "Disney's Magic Artist." At Henson, I mostly did websites, but I did work a little on the games Muppet Race Mania and Muppet Haunted Mansion.

Also to Pete, why the change back to music?

Well, I never really left music. I just sort of shifted my focus. I mean, when I came home from work, I still picked up my guitar and booted up Cubase. But the moment I got the call from Neil that Adam [DeGraide, CEO of Astonish Records] wanted to sign me, my life instantly changed.

How do you envision your art and your music combining as you release additional material?

Well, even now, I am able to use my love of visual art. I got to do all the album art for this first album, as well as drawing and animating most of the nomorekings.com website.

How has technology changed the way you interact with your fan base and how you promote yourselves?

We are in a very interesting time in that regard. I think a band can have a much more intimate relationship with its fans, now more than ever before. With forums like myspace.com or even blogging on the band's own website, it creates a real two-way communication line. In terms of promotion, it allows us to post video-journal stuff that we shoot on the road, as well as behind-the-scenes content from the "Sweep the Leg" video. It allows us to reach much further than we could have if we had to physically travel to every town in America.

How has working with Astonish Records been so far?

Without sounding cliché, it has felt like we are part of a family. All five bands on the label get along really well. We’re very supportive of each other. Adam is an extremely accessible person, which is rare for any CEO. As I said before, I have been very lucky to be able to do my own artwork, T-shirt design, and website direction. So I can't imagine a better band-label relationship.

You seem to be on tour in preparation for the album release, which is great! How have crowds reacted so far, have you seen a lot of people who weren't prepared for what you bring to the table, lyrically, and if so have you rocked their worldview some?

Haha, wow! I hope I have rocked some worldviews. That reminds me of Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. Hmm... I feel another song coming on.

Where do you see No More Kings going, with future releases?

I think we are definitely going to build on what we have, sonically and conceptually. I think our next album will continue to be character-driven story-songs that are upbeat and funky.

Some bands, like Barenaked Ladies, found problems when they tried to break out of their "funny rock" days into more serious fare. Do you foresee this being a problem No More Kings, and if so, are there any plans in place to deal with it?

Well, even this album has a bit of both funny and serious. Songs like "Umbrella" or "This" tend to be a bit more introspective. But I think even those songs, even our more serious stuff, will always be seen through a childlike lens. You know, with a wink. So I’m not sure if we are really going to run into any problem, because the tone is consistent, even where the subject matter is different.

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So there you have it folks, No More Kings. You can visit them at their immensly fun website: http://www.nomorekings.com to pre-order the album, watch the video, and more. Thanks also go to Christina Rudy for her help with this interview.