The Kickdrums


The Kickdrums is singer-songwriter and record producer Alexander Fitts, originally from Cleveland, Ohio. It was formerly a production duo also including DJ Matt Penttila.

Career

Indie rock singer-songwriter Alex Fitts started off as a Cleveland-based record producer, working with local hip-hop acts but took off when his music caught the ears of big-name rappers, looking for production that blended hip-hop and indie rock styles. He and his production partner, Matt Penttila, found work with artists such as 50 Cent, John Legend, and Kid Cudi, and did remixing for Kanye West, Adele, Ben Harper, and Peter Bjorn and John.
At the same time, the duo began working on their own hybrid of indie rock and hip-hop, releasing an EP titled Just a Game in 2009, and continued with an album titled Meet Your Ghost in 2011 with Last Gang Records.
Penttila left the band after this release and Fitts struck out on his own, turning The Kickdrums into a one-man band and trading in any vestiges of hip-hop for electronic-tinged singer-songwriter-influenced indie rock. After signing with Hopeless Records, an EP titled Still Logic was released in July 2013, followed by an album titled Thinking Out Loud in October of that year.
Fitts' music has been used in a variety of TV shows, movies and games including The Sims, Teen Wolf, The Wire, Suits, Bloodline, Chuck, Cougar Town, Lovesick, Demoted, Famous in Love, The Unicorn, Temptation Island, ESPN, the BBC as well as ads for Ralph Lauren and Beats by Dre.
Albums including The Kickdrums' production have sold over 7.5 million copies worldwide. Fitts has cited The Prodigy, Wu-Tang Clan and Trent Reznor as influences.

Production discography

2005

  1. "Smokin' & Leanin"
  2. "She A G"
  3. "Dope Game"
  4. "Here I Stand"
  1. "Keep on Pushing"
  2. "Hello World"
  3. "Get It Girl"
  1. "We Major"
  2. "Good Morning"
  1. "Thieves In The Choir" featuring Casey Veggies
  2. "Want My Blood" featuring DZ Deathrays & Rockie Fresh
  3. "My Life" featuring Machine Gun Kelly
  4. "Naked"
  5. "The Way It Goes" featuring Big Pooh
  6. "The Last Goodbye" featuring Backwood Jones
  7. "Traces"
  8. "Death Wish" featuring Maluca Mala & Mr. Muthafuckin eXquire
  9. "Safer Than Heaven"
  10. "Whatever You'd Like featuring
  11. "Come Come by Hot As Sun - featuring Freddie Gibbs
  12. "Come And Go" by Alan Wilkis featuring The KickDrums

    2013

  1. "No Where "
  2. "Magic Bullet"
  3. "Indica La Roux "
  4. "Naruto"
  5. "Psycho"
  6. "N O W H E R E"
  7. "Lambo, Pt. 1"
  8. "Lambo, Pt. 2"
  9. "Unagi"
  10. "Skank"
  11. "Bandcamp"
  12. "I Got A Lazer"
  13. "Now Here "

    2016

  1. "Euphoria"
  2. "Stun Gun"
  3. "Spectrum"
  4. "Chemicel"
  5. "Hospitals"
  • "Lights Out" B-Sides EP - Shiny Wet Machine – of Diet Punk Records
  1. "Breakfast"
  2. "Coma"
  3. "Spine"
  4. "Gash"

    2018

  • "Sentimental Porno" –
  1. "First Time"
  2. "True Romance"
  3. "Barbara Walters"

    2019

  • "Grow EP" – Mia Gladstone – 22Twenty Records
  1. "Baby Dont Worry"
  2. "Hold It Down"
  3. "Revolutionize"
  4. "Love U"
  5. "Feel It"
  1. "Alone"
  1. "All My Heroes Are Dead "
  2. "Golden Oldies"
  3. "Angelic Boy"
  4. "Living Through a Screen "
  5. "The Slayers Club" "

    2022

  • "Losing Sunlight EP" – Oh Bummer! – If This Then Records
  1. "Mirrors"
  2. "Beautiful Day"
  3. "Going Out Of My Mind"
  4. "It Felt Real"
  5. "The Right Thing"
  6. "Losing Sunlight"
  • "Nite Therapy II EP" – Nite Therapy – Indie Sonics / Warner Chappell Music
  • "Ride The Wave" – Doc Robinson

    2023

  • "Psych Indie Pop" – Alexander M. Fitts – The Home Of Happy / BMG Production Music
  • "The Color EP" – Doc Robinson & The Kickdrums –
  1. "The Color"
  2. "The Otherside"
  3. "Ride The Wave"
  • "Pretty Orange EP" – Werdperfect & The Kickdrums
  1. "Pretty Orange"
  2. "Potato Chip"
  3. "No Vacancy"
  4. "Wrong Number"
  • "Stupid EP" – Oh Bummer –
  1. "Swimming"
  2. "The Bird and the Dog"
  3. "Listen Up"
  4. "Talk About It All The Time"

    Discography

Studio albums

  • Meet Your Ghost
  • Thinking Out Loud
  • Blurred Colors
  • The Ghost Tapes
  • ''ZigZags''

    Compilations

  • ''Smash the System''

    EPs

  • Just A Game EP
  • Inspiration For Conversation EP
  • Still Logic EP
  • Breathe Again EP

    Videography

  • "Just A Game" by Rik Cordero
  • "Things Work Out" by Rik Cordero