The Almighty Defenders

Formed by players drawn from the Black Lips and King Khan & BBQ Show, the Almighty Defenders function as a garage-rock supergroup with loose gospel underpinnings. During the Black Lips’ 2009 visit to India, an especially chaotic concert ended with one member kissing another and exposing himself onstage, prompting the band to leave the country abruptly amid swirling arrest rumors. With the remaining dates canceled and no lodging secured, the musicians took shelter at the Berlin home of Erick Khan, better known as King Khan. There they began informal jamming and, over eight days of characteristically liquor-fueled Black Lips sessions, recorded eleven songs alongside Khan and his bandmate Mark Sultan, also called BBQ. On June 17 the complete lineup gave its first public performance, appearing in choir robes at the North by Northeast festival, after which Vice Records scheduled the release of the group’s self-titled debut for September 22, 2009.