“You might want to remove those large hoop earrings at the beginning,” suggests boxing coach Stuart Lawson from Paragon Boxing Gym, gesturing towards my ears. “Honestly,” musician Miles Kane adds, “your hoops, leopard-print shorts, and Beatles socks are exactly what I’d wear to a boxing lesson.” So, we both agree: the hoops are staying.
The London-based musician and I are in the gym on a Monday evening. As an enthusiastic boxer himself, he's here to teach me the fundamentals in preparation for his upcoming album release. He swaggers over to the speaker and plays ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Star’ by Oasis. He’s just seen them perform live, and it’s clear he’s still riding high from the experience. He provides me with some leopard-print wraps to complement my shorts, and we put on our gloves. I appreciate that he chose the leopard print wraps for me, as anyone who's seen him live knows it's his signature style. We begin with the basics: throwing punches, ducking, and weaving. He has me doing star jumps (ladies, take it from me and wear a sports bra), and suddenly, he instructs us to drop to the floor for ten push-ups. As I lie there in a pool of sweat, Miles demonstrates the correct form. Then we climb into the ring.
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Miles “The Hurri” Kane vs. Jazz “Hands” Hodge. What could possibly go wrong?
Clearly, Miles is ‘miles’ ahead of me in skill. He’s been at it for a decade. As I repeatedly hit his stomach (which are known as ‘body shots’), he takes them like a champ. “I got into boxing in my early twenties while living in North London. I’ve always loved boxing and wrestling; they’re my favorite sports. I was a fan of them since I was a kid. One day, I just hit the pads with a friend. It feels like a workout, but you don’t feel like you’re working, you know? I find the art of it really fascinating.”
The gym serves not only as our workout space but also as the backdrop for a discussion about craft, discipline, and obsession—traits that define his entire career. He reminisces about music video for ‘Cry on My Guitar,’ where he ends up in a fight with WWE star Finn Bálor, which also partly influenced this shoot. He explains how their relationship formed: “Finn messaged me a couple of years before that video, saying, ‘I’m in the gym listening to ‘Inhaler.’ We met a year later. It was just the three of us having drinks, and I asked him, ‘Can you bodyslam me on the bed?’ So he did. We left about six in the morning, and my friend said, ‘I’ve never seen you so happy.’” He laughs, and his smile feels genuine. “I take a lot of inspiration from wrestling and boxing in terms of attitude and style. There’s a similar mindset. And as for the leopard print... I have a tendency to get very obsessed with things like that. I'm an all-or-nothing kind of person.”
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Beginning his musical journey in school bands at 17, Miles has now released his 11th album (including projects like The Last Shadow Puppets and The Rascals). His latest album, ‘Sunlight in the Shadows’ (now available), is a true reflection of the Miles I see in the gym: focused, introspective, yet still exuding flair. But for him, boxing has evolved into more than just a workout; it's become a mindset. That clarity and discipline? It now permeates his music as well. “I think it cleanses your soul and mind to help you move forward,” he shares. “And I believe that translates creatively as well.”
He describes his writing as ‘selfish writing’ since it stems from his own experiences, and this upcoming album is no exception. “Each album represents a chapter of my life,” he explains. “They touch on themes like family, love, worry, stress, drinking, and the struggles of life. I’m very much a ‘live in the moment’ kind of person.”
“There are specific emotions from each album that you may still feel or might not. You could have moved on. But I don’t really like to dwell on the past.” However, something has shifted with this release. “You’re always focused on what comes next,” he says, “but I’m trying to appreciate this album without rushing to the next one, something I’ve never done before. I feel a sense of comfort. You care less about what others think.”
But his origin story is classic: starting with scrappy band experiences and learning over time. “The first real band I was in was called The Little Flames. I joined at 17 as just a guitarist. I didn’t begin singing until I was around
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“You may want to remove those large hoop earrings first,” suggests boxing coach Stuart Lawson from Paragon Boxing Gym, indicating my ears. “To be