Ten Questions with Bret Mitchem

1. Welcome to Kick Acts. Tell us a little about yourself and your band and were you can be found at on the web. My name is Bret Mitchem. I am a starving artist, musician and writer. I have no qualifications for any of these but I never let that deter me. I have been playing in bands for many, many moons. Including Ugly Babies, Space Cake, Forkskin, menSana, 2G,  Gorilla Monsoon, 138, Calling Corners, and Goldy lockS.

2. Who are your musical heroes, influences & why? As a child, KISS was pretty much my whole life. They planted the seed of wanting to be onstage and rock out for people. As a teen, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and specifically Flea inspired me to a new level bass assault. A few years later I discovered GWAR, who continually inspire me to be creative and to carve a path of originality.

3. Do you have any advice for someone just getting started in playing music? Any pitfalls they should avoid? Playing music is probably the most pure joy I have found in life. It is a complete cathartic and creative release for me. If you feel it in your soul like I do, then by all means live your dream! But making a living at this is an extremely difficult task to pull off. It takes much more than talent or good looks. It takes endless devotion, sacrifice and a whole lot of luck to be successful. But I truly believe that anyone that sets their mind to a task can and will eventually accomplish their goals.

4. Do you have a greatest gig story you’d like to share? Well, I have more than a few great gig stories. A few would include playing at Mesker Amphitheater, Jimi Hendrix once played on that stage. Also getting to play onstage at the Gathering of the Juggalos with Rev. Fang Gory was a great experience. But most recently I would say playing for the troops in Kandahar, Afghanistan on the 10th anniversary of 9-11 was an unbelievable experience. We caught a Taliban rocket attack midway through the show. It was during band intermission when world class comedian Andy Hendrickson was onstage performing. The warning sirens went off and the crowd of 3,000 plus all simultaneously hit the dirt. Thankfully no one was hurt and after about 45 mins of taking pics and signing autographs in the bunker with folks, we got the all clear. Someone asked me if I was scared to go back up onstage? I replied I was scared that they would not let us. Luckily they did and we did. We got back up and finished the show, even though the huge crowd had greatly diminished by then.

5. On the same token as the above question. How about a “worse gig” ever story. Well, everyone has had their share of “not so great” gigs I’m sure. The kind where anything that can go wrong, does. It is a horrible feeling to be up there, in the zone, only to have your gear cease working for no reason. But shit happens. You just have to know how to roll with it.  Also getting drunk before getting onstage is never a good plan, lol.

6. Do you have any other hobbies other than playing music? Collect stamps? Collect hats from off the side of the road? Draw pictures of boobs? I love creativity! I enjoy drawing, designing, painting, printing, writing and doing just about anything that involves being creative. I am also an avid video gamer. I regularly kick ass in the name of the Horde in World Of Warcraft. And still play the occasional game of Worms.

7. What do you think about the present music scene or lack of? Care to address that? I almost always reject present day popular music for no reason other than I hate having anything forced on me. But I have found that if you dig deep enough, you can find truly great music being made at any given time. Especially on the local level. Currently I find myself listening to more and more rap. I can’t get enough Tech N9ne. And as far a current band, I really like Silversun Pickups. I enjoy their albums more and more each time I listen to them.

8. Tell us something about each of your band members that we would not expect to hear… Like their hobbies or something like that… After a very busy year of touring, traveling and adventuring, I am currently taking a few months off to reset. So I am in between projects at the moment. However I would like to take this opportunity to give a shout out to some of my past band brothers and mention their current bands. Everyone should check these guys out: Sideshow Romance, Tenn Pound Hammer, Honey Roy, Old Union, Hen Tooth, Wedge, Gorgantherron. Also shout out to Aegaeon who are about to go on tour again. Oh and Austin Leslie, you beautiful bastard. Wherever you are…

9. Hypothetical situation. You’re stranded on Gilligan’s island and you get to hook up with only one of the girls… Is it Ginger, Mary Ann or Mrs. Howell and why? Ummm, Mary Ann. She was the brunette right? Also while on the island I would await the day that the Harlem Globetrotters arrive so we can get a pickup game going. Curly rules!

10. #10 is called “Shout It Out Loud”. It’s were you get to talk about whatever you want to talk about. So go ahead and “SHOUT IT OUT LOUD”! Ahhh, this question is pretty much the sole reason that I dropped my cherished veil of privacy. I wanted to bring attention to our troops that serve every day across the globe. Regardless of your opinion of the war, we need to support our brothers and sisters who spend years working and living in very difficult environments. At this time of year when familes all come together to enjoy the holidays, so many people have to spend it on the other side of the world, far away from their loved ones. I met so many awesome people on my tour overseas. And I found that a lot of them joined the service for no other than the are no other jobs available in their area. Whole squads of troops would be from the same town. And words just can’t do justice to what they go through and live with everyday. I’m not even going to mention the Poo Pond at KAF, lol. I was very happy to work with the Armed Forces Entertainment and the USO. It was truly an eye opening experience. We should all give thanks to these amazing people. And if you like like to help out in some small way, I encourage you cantact the USO. I know they have some great stuff going on right now. Like the Wishbook and the 10 Million Minutes program. Please check it out.

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Bonus Questions

Without looking up it on the internet, do you know who “Rita Repulsa” and Lord Zedd” are and how do you know? I do not. Sorry.

Should singers and bands also be political too or just make music and keep  their opinions to themselves and not go “Bono” on everyone? I think it is a very fine line for artists to express their particular views on politics. On the one hand, most people listen to music for a care free release, and do not want to have someones views dumped in their laps. But on the other hand, artists and musicians are people and have just as much right as anyone else to share their opinions. I think it can be accomplished in a tasteful way. bands like System Of A Down and Rage Against The Machine have made a career of it and remain relevant to this very day. Another great band is MUSE. They have done a terrific job of not only being a top notch rock band, but have opened many minds to various topics the world over.

At what point should someone that hasn’t made it give up on their dream and get over it or should they ever give up? As I said above, If you are doing something that you truly love to do, then that is all that really matters. If you are only in it for superficial reasons: Money, girls, fame, etc… then your path will not only be difficult, but ultimately fruitless. With that said, if you have a dream, NEVER GIVE UP! Fight for it, live for it, die for it!

Ten Questions with “Our Hospitality”

1. Welcome to Kick Acts. Tell us a little about yourself and your band and

where you can be found at on the web.

We are an old school rock and roll trio forged in steel and Los Angeles. Nature hates a vacuum, and there was a black hole, void of the all important dirty, sexy rock and roll. So we came together, forming something much bigger than our separate parts, with the singular purpose of saving your soul through the medical spiritual application of the drug that is rock and roll. We can be located on the interwebs @ www.OurHospitality.com & www.facebook.com/OurHospitality & www.youtube.com/OurHospitalityMusic

2. Who are your musical heroes, influences & why?

We are informed and inspired the rock gods of the past- The Beatles, Hendrix, The Who, Led Zeppelin, The Stones, Ronnie James Dio, The Band etc. We are influenced by Eagles of Death Metal, Nirvana, Weezer, Rush, Andrew Bird, The Beatles, and Led Zeppelin. We are also inspired in general by post-humanism, futurism, dirty sexy rock and roll, sports, and alcohol.

3. Do you have any advice for someone just getting started in playing

music? Any pitfalls they should avoid?

Recording your gigs is a great way to get better. In the heat of the moment, it’s easy to think you sounded great or terrible depending on a crowd’s energy- listening back critically and always improving is the key. Other than that- practice, practice, practice!!

4. Do you have a greatest gig story you’d like to share?

Our favorite gig was opening up for Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters) and the Coattail Riders. Taylor is a goddamn rock and roll God, and playing on the same bill as him was an absolute dream. There were lots of cool folks in the audience like Flea, Chad Smith and Pat Smear. To top it all off, Jesus of the Sunset Strip was even in attendance.

5. On the same token as the above question. How about a “worse gig” ever

story.

So far we’ve had an amazing string of great gigs. Wish we had some killer story but the rock gods have been on our side and have blessed us with some kick ass experiences.

6. Do you have any other hobbies other than playing music? Collect stamps?

Collect hats from off the side of the road? Draw pictures of boobs?

Libby and Dash are filmmakers. Libby has her MFA in Directing and Editing from USC, and Dash is an Emmy Award nominated TV producer and an aspiring writer. Phil brews his own mead (honey wine), plays dominoes, and does scrimshaw. We all are really active and believe that hiking, running, and exploring nature is a great way to feed the soul and help inspire our musical endeavors.

7. What do you think about the present music scene or lack of here in the area? Care to address that?

No matter where you are and no matter what scene is around you, you have the power to create and share music with those around you. We believe any opportunity to play live is as important as the next whether 5 people or 300 people are there to listen. So whether a scene is over-saturated with bands or under-saturated with opportunities there is always the chance to be heard, have fun and make a difference.

8. Tell us something about each of your band members that we wouldn’t

expect to hear… Like their hobbies or something like that…

Libby was on the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team staff for the 2010 (South Africa) World Cup and was on the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team staff for the 2011 (Germany) Women’s World Cup as a team videographer. Phil brews mead (honey wine) in his apartment. Dash is currently producing a documentary about The Tea Party.

9. Hypothetical situation. You’re stranded on Gilligan’s island and you get

to hook up with only one of the girls… Is it Ginger, Mary Ann or Mrs. Howell

and why?

Luckily for us, we all have different tastes.

Phil- Ginger “she’s a movie star, duh.”

Libby-The Professor “smart is sexy”

Dash – Mrs Howell “older women are experienced”

10. # 10 is called “Shout It Out Loud”. It’s were you get to talk about

whatever you want to talk about. So go ahead and “SHOUT

IT OUT LOUD”!

Rock n roll is here to stay. Plug in and turn it up – if your parents yell at you just pop in your headphones but keep it rolling.

Ten Questions with the Mighty Mike “The Sandman” Sanders from 103WGBF

You know him as “The SandMan”. He can be found at 103.1 on the FM dial. We all have welcomed his voice into our homes, factories, backyard grill outs  and drunken naked beach parties. Hell, he was probably  there when  a few legs have been “tapped” too in some of your backseats. He kicks ass and is above all the others. The # 1 voice on the radio . And…

KICKACTS PROUDLY PRESENTS

1. Mike, welcome to KICKACTS. To the three or four people out there that have been locked in a closet with no radio for the past 20 years. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I have been on air doing radio in Evansville since Dec. 1979. Most of my time has been with 103.1, either as KC103 which it was in the early 80’s or in it’s current incarnation of 103GBF. I have also been the station program director since 1996

2. You have been a part of the # 1 Rock station in this market since its debut as KC103 back in the day. How has radio changed since then?

Technically it’s been a quantum leap. From vinyl to digital. As far as being a dj, it’s still pretty much the same. Try and cut through the b.s. and get the listener back to the music asap.

3. In your spare time, what do you like to do other than radio?

Spare time? That’s funny!! I like getting tattoos, hanging out with chicks, listening to music, watching movies and sports.

4. Do you have any way of knowing how many people call in each time you open up the phone lines for a call in contest?

Nope. No way of knowing that.

5. You are the #1 rated DJ in this area, in fact you are a local celebrity in your own right. Do you get recognized in public with your voice?

Yeah, I do. It’s very flattering. I just consider myself a dude with a cool job.

6. Where is radio heading? Will it all be automated eventually?

In small markets, it is to a large degree. I think people in towns our size and larger still want local air talent who can give them local info.

7. Most baby boomers associate the life of an on air personality to the lives portrayed in the TV sitcom “WKRP in Cincinnati”. Is it anything like that at all? Are there any Doctor Johnny Fever’s or Venus Flytrap’s not forgetting to mention Bailey Quarter’s or Jennifer Marlowe’s?

Oh yeah. That show is definitely based in reality. I’m probably a more hyped up, tattooed version of Dr. Johnny Fever myself.

8. What is the craziest contest stunt you have ever seen in your career.

We had a guy walk down the median on Green River Road in front of the mall in a thong to win concert tickets. That was cool. Attracted lots of attention.

9.You probably have the southwest wing of your house dedicated to rock and radio memorabilia that you have collected over the years. What is the coolest thing you have?

I’m not really too much into saving stuff like that. I do have a few platinum album awards from bands we’ve broken over the years like Creed and Godsmack. I have a few autographed items as well. Mostly it’s good memories.

10.# 10 is called “SHOUT IT LOUD”. It’s where you get to say whatever you want to say… So go ahead Mike, and “SHOUT IT OUT LOUD”!!

Talk about Perks... Mike having another "HARD" day at the office 🙂 ed.

Bonus Question:

Are radio personalities like Howard Stern, Bob and Tom,and John Boy and Billy still relevant today?

Yes. Howard Stern is of course on satellite radio which is fading into the sunset to a large degree. But syndicated personalities have the power to attract big name stars onto their shows, which is something a station in a market our size couldn’t do on it’s own. I’ve never enjoyed John Boy and Billy personally. Too southern…too NASCAR for me. Bob and Tom offer comedy which has universal appeal.

Thanks for giving me the opportunity, Chuck!!

to contact The sandman

sandman@103gbfrocks.com

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1195064207

http://www.myspace.com/sandman103gbf

Listen live @ www.103gbfrocks.com

Interview with Ed Collignon’s of “Strolling Tones”

1. Hello Ed Collignon and welcome to Kickacts. Tell us a little bit about
yourself and your band.

Hello Chuck and “Hello” to all of the Kickacts readers. First off, I’d like to say just how much I’ve enjoyed Kickacts magazine. It’s been a real treat and I’ve been going online to read past issues too!
To tell you a bit about the band, my partner Dan Beyl and I have been playing music collectively for well over 60 years. While we’ve both been played in tri-state bands for years, we’ve never played together in any bands other than an occasional gig to temporarily fill-in for an absent band member. I’ve always enjoyed Dan’s playing and his approach to music. He is quite the professional in all aspects and it’s such fun to work with him. We’ve often mentioned the possibility of playing music together someday but our timing has just never lent to it. It seemed that we were never “un-busy” at the same time! Early in 2009, I contacted Dan to see what he was doing musically and he indicated that he might be free to do something soon. He asked what I had in mind and I talked about my interest in taking an acoustic approach to music. I probably didn’t tell him that the “acoustic approach” also SCARED the hell out of me too! I’ve always been an electric guitar player and playing an acoustic guitar is a whole different approach to a gig. I’m so used to being part of an ensemble that the thought of being just two acoustic guitars/two voices was pretty new to me. I have a great amount of respect for musicians who do it with just one person. I take my hat off to all of them! While Dan has primarily been a bass player in previous bands, he has always been quite the closet guitarist. He often downplays his abilities on guitar but he is a very solid guitar player with a tasty technique. Please don’t tell him I said that! Anyway, we got together and ran through a bunch of song charts that I had been accumulating. It felt really natural to us and fun too. So, we started learning tunes and weeding out the less favorite ones. Thus, Strolling Tones was born. This has been the most fun I’ve had musically in a very long time.

2. You guys play everything, from the Beatles to ColdPlay. Do you have a
favorite type of music?

You know, we actually like ALL kinds of music. Now, I realize that sort of
statement sounds pretty cliché but it’s really so true. Pop, rock, reggae, metal,
country, jazz, eastern… there is usually something to appreciate and enjoy in any
genre. Some types of music just seem to offer a bit more to me than others. “To
each his own”.
My particular favorite type of music would be the blues. I found my love of the
blues through Eric Clapton when I was barely a teenager. Obviously, the blues was a
big influence to Clapton and he has performed many blues covers throughout his
career. Whenever I would encounter one of these covers on his albums, I’d go check
out the original artist and subsequently found that I liked what I heard! Through
Clapton, I gained a deep appreciation of Elmore James, Albert King and Freddie King
and others. The blues is such a huge part of American music. Music today would be
MUCH different and almost unrecognizable without it.
Now, Dan is a bonafide Beatle-maniac. Like me, he enjoys so many styles of music
but the Beatles have clearly been a big part of his musical upbringing. Seriously,
the following statement is true. Dan has a room decorated in “early Beatle”!! If
any of your readers get a chance, approach Dan at one of our gigs and ask about his
Beatle wig and boots. Yep, he has them! If the Beatles brand offered Underoos, Dan
would have those as well.

3. You guys have been in some really cool and popular bands over the
years. Care to fill us on some of them?

Well, Dan has been in Evansville for more years than me and has been in countless
bands. Probably, some of his more recent bands have been Open Road and Flashback.
He was a founding member of both bands. Dan was in Flashback for years and they
played EVERYWHERE. They were always playing at local clubs, private parties, and
festivals. Flashback is still playing.
I’ve played in a few local bands but had the good fortune of playing in M.B. & The
Flips for many years. We were the house band at the old Casa Gallardo (now Hacienda
east) for years and we played all over the Tri-State area. Anyone remember D.C.’s
Lounge? We played there a bunch. If we weren’t playing in your favorite club, you
just needed to wait a day or two and we would probably be there.

4. What is your “best gig” ever memory?

Personally, my favorite gig of all time would probably be a night with M.B. & The
Flips at the Executive Inn Showroom Lounge here in Evansville. We were playing for
a large national organization of women representing the oil industry. The room was
packed and very lively. These ladies came to party and didn’t bring their men
folk. I have never seen such revelers. The late former Texas Governor Ann Richards
was the event’s keynote speaker. I got to hang out with her that night at an after
party and she was a hoot. Quite an interesting lady!

5. And in the same frame, how bout the worst horror gig ever?

You know, I’ve been blessed with some pretty sweet gigs and audiences in my
lifetime. However, years ago there was a wedding reception where the bride’s father
had way too much to drink, became thoroughly obnoxious and wanted to fight one of my
fellow band members over some songs we had played. No kidding!! I’m not making
that up. It was like watching a train wreck in slow motion. The guy kept
threatening him. I really thought that we were going to come to blows. I’m
thankful that it didn’t come to that. Luckily, some of his family members were able
to get him out of there.

6. Do you guys do any original music too?

Dan and I both write music but we hadn’t begun writing any “Strolling Tunes” until
recently. We’re currently working on a few tunes and hope to debut them soon!

7. You guys are really talented. What inspired you to play in the first place?

I’ve always been deeply moved by music and particularly live music. Dan is much the
same. My mother’s family was very musical. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to play
with them much at all due to age and geographical distances. I can remember the
very first time that I heard some people playing music together. The hair on my
neck stood straight up. So, you know that if hair was involved with me… it must
have been a very long time ago!
Dan had a very musical family and an uncle who was pretty inspirational to him. The
uncle cut him a sweet deal on a brand new Fender Jazz bass and Fender Bassman amp.
It was very cool gear for a young man and gave Dan an extra push into his musical
future.

8. Hypothetical situation. Your stranded on Gilligan’s island and you get
to hook up with only one the girls… Is it Ginger, Mary Ann or Mrs. Howell
and why?

“Only ONE”??? Well, I had a major crush on Mary Ann when I was a boy. Since I’ve
gotten older, I see things from a different perspective. Mrs. Howell or “Lovey”, as
she was so affectionately referred to by Thurston, obviously made the old boy pretty
happy. Being rich and famous, I’m sure that beautiful women were constantly
throwing themselves at him. But, he was crazy about HER. A woman of experience for
sure!

9.Where can find you on the web at?

We don’t have a dedicated webpage but you can find us on Facebook. “Like” us,
please!!. It’s always kept up-to-date with gigs, etc. Also, some demo covers and
our schedule are listed on the Evansville Courier & Press webpage too…
www.courierpress.com/bands/Strolling-Tones/
Both of these places are great places to find us but Facebook allows for more
interaction and such.

10.# 10 is called “SHOUT IT LOUD”. It’s where you get to say whatever you
want to say…So go ahead Ed, and “SHOUT IT OUT LOUD”!!

Okay, here’s a rare moment of seriousness for me… Any future isn’t a realistic
promise. At best, it’s simply a hope and a dream. Let’s be careful in each moment
we live. Treat others and our environment with courtesy and respect. We may not
survive today but waves of our essence can go on as our legacy. Make it a powerful
and good force!

Ten Questions with Fred from Gonzo’s Toybox

1. Tell the readers a little bit about yourself and your musical background.

Well, I’ve been playing guitar since I was ten. That’s enough to say that I’ve been playing a LONG time…HA! I grew up around country and gospel, but, that all changed when dad bought me my first KISS record… “Destroyer”, if memory serves. From that point on, it was all about the “ROCK”! (no, not the wrestler…)

2. How did you come up with the band name?

I was in a band many years ago where the guy whose house we practiced at had this little dog named “Gonzo”. It used to leave chew toys all over the practice area and one day, in frustration, I just blurted out “Gonzo needs a toy box…” and that was it. I thought it was a cool name. The rest of the band didn’t agree and shot it down. That project never made it out of the basement, but, the name stuck with me over the next several years till GT was born.

3. Who are the members of the band and who plays which instrument?

I play guitar and backup vocals. Mark Goines is our lead singer and, along with myself, is the only other founding member left. Glen Foust is on drums and backup vocals. He was our sixth drummer in two years, but, has been with the band since 2003, I believe. Stuart Martin on bass and Ed Sein on lead guitar have both been with us for just over two years now. They came aboard during a time of upheaval and uncertainty in the band and really gave us the kick in the ass we needed to move forward. We really have become like a family and when we’re on stage together, it’s best to just stand back, cuz we’re gonna bring it!

4. What kind of gear does each of you use?

Ed uses Bogner amps with Mesa Boogie cabinets, and plays Gibson, Godin, and PRS guitars. Stuart and I both use Mesa Boogie amps and cabs exclusively. He plays Music Man and Carvin basses. I play a Gibson Les Paul and have recently been playing a brand of guitars called “Flaxwood” which are made in Finland and are just incredible instruments. To be honest, I’m not really sure what kind of drums Glen plays…all I know is they sound great miked up. I think we all use Shure microphones. Mark tends to go through a lot of mics. He’ll deny it, but, he’s always blowing them up somehow.

5. Do you do cover tunes, original tunes, or both?

We all write in this band and there are a few “Gonzo’s” originals floating around somewhere. However, there’s not much of a market for original music in this area, which is a shame because are a lot of great local artists out there. Our stock in trade has been playing covers, but, we try to do them in a way that is uniquely ours. We get told a lot by fans that they like our versions of certain songs better than the original artist’s…which always makes us feel great!

6. Who are some of your influences, musical or otherwise?

Wow! There are so many, it’d be impossible to even narrow it down. Although, I tend to gravitate away from what’s popular or trendy. I like artists who aren’t afraid to show who they are and what they’re about to the world. I’m also very impressed with great musicianship and thoughtful lyric writing. A great song is just a great song and will reach out and grab you no matter how it’s presented.

7. Tell us about some of the greatest and worst gigs you’ve experienced.

Playing the Freedom Festival in 2007 was off the hook! So was the Friday Concert Series in Owensboro before they tore down the the old Executive Inn. We miss that gig. The Haubstadt Bierstube is always a good time, as well. New Year’s at the old Woody’s was a great show as is nearly every New Year’s gig we’ve ever played. As for the worst, I really can’t think of any that stand out. The way I see it, the worst night of gigging is better than the best day of work!

8. Tell us about your impressions of the local music scene. What do you think could be done to improve it?

Well, I think that new clubs need to do a little more market research before sinking too much time and money into a concept that doesn’t have much shelf life. I’ve seen a lot of venues come and go because they try to come in and change the way people want to party. New ideas are great, but, know the limits and listen to what people want…and that means more than just a select few. Also, I’d love to see the local radio and television stations do more to promote homegrown artists. New music scenes pop up in the strangest places sometimes. Who would have thought Seattle would explode the way it did when Grunge came in?

9. What do the members of this band do when they’re not rehearsing or gigging?

We all have families and jobs. That, combined with band business and rehearsal, doesn’t leave time for much else, unfortunately…

10. This one really isn’t a question. This is the part of the interview where we ask you to say what’s on your mind or to give a shout out to whomever you want.

I would just urge musicians to stay true to themselves and maintain direction. It’s so easy to get caught up in what goes on around a little bit of success. There is nothing like buying into your own hype to bring down everything you’ve worked for. Most of all, remember this: the band you’re talking shit about today, may be the band you’re auditioning for tomorrow…this is especially true in our little neck of the woods. Aside from that, I just want to say “Thank you” from the bottom of our hearts for all the support and continued success that we in GT have been blessed with! May we be worthy! See y’all at the show!

Ten Questions with Kenny Bird

1. Hello Kenny Bird, welcome to KICKACTS.Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Born and raised along highway 60 west in a town called Corydon Ky, 3 brothers and 1 sister,my father started ( Brantleys Pest Control ) in 1969 an is still working in it today at the age of 80.  My friends, family and roots come from that little town and I’ll never forget the good times I had growing up there.

2. You perform a very popular weekly show at En El Rio’s. Tell us about that and how it all got started.

I had a couple friends who learned to play guitar when they where only like 13 and they liked for me to sing ( Only Make Believe ) by Conway Twitty, and from then on my name became Kenway Birdy. I knew from a early age I could make people laugh and enjoy themselves when they heard me sing. En El Rio let’s me do it any way I want to and believe me , I don’t like rules when it comes to being a entertainer. Anything goes, it’s always the peoples show and the people make the show. I’m just there to say it out loud and entertain. Always do your best to read the crowd and keep them smiling and laughing and you’ll always have a good show.

3. Who are your musical hero’s?

 Conway Twitty, Randy Travis , Hank Williams , David Allen Cole , Merle Haggard , Travis Tritt, Waylon Jennings . Willie Nelson, George Jones and of course the king Elvis Presley.

4. Any advice for someone just starting out in the music business?

I think to be a big player in the business you must put on the kind of show that is fun for everyone there. The kind of show that they tell others about and sing the songs the people can relate to. Remember their looking for something different and entertaining. Always and I mean Always bring your ‘A” game. Never stop once you start a song , no matter what, your best times can happen by accident .

5. You’re a natural born entertainer but do you have any other hobbies too?

I’ve been traveling the roads on a Harley since 1995 with good friends. I collect guitars, ride horses, enjoy making music and helping others learn to play guitar .

6. Do you remember your first real time performing in front of an audience?

The first time I ever played live was so great, people who knew me all my life was surprised to see what the kid could do. I was probably around 17 or 18 on my first gig and there were only like 12 people there that night but we all knew each other. Believe me Chuck, I gave them all I had and they loved it. So we got to go  back in like 2 weeks, and the house was packed.  That was a big deal because the owner couldn’t serve the drinks fast enough and hired a waitress which was the first time we ever saw that, because he never had one. Entertainment just got very interesting for me, I did’nt realize the power I had to keep a crowd entertained until that night. What A Night It Was.

7.Tell us about the first concert you went to.

I think it was a Bob Seger concert in the late 70s I always feel like there’s so much more I should do on stage after watching a great show like Bob Segers.

8. What can the people expect at “Kenny Bird’s Big Show” at En El Rio’s?

 I’ve always said , When you come to see a Kenny Bird Show, you’ve come to see a guy who loves to entertain and he never leaves home without his “A” game. It’s always the peoples show. What ever makes them laugh, what ever makes them remember something about the show. What ever it takes to make them want more. I respect the people and I listen to what they want to hear, so I’ll do what ever I can to see they get their fix. I guess my answer to your question would be, One heck of a good show.

9. If you could perform with one entertainer, wether they are alive or deceased… who would it be and why?

I would have loved to be on stage with Elvis Presley. He’s always been a favorite of mine.  He got away with anything on stage. he was a great entertainer and the crowd cheered him on until he couldn’t sing another note. Who wouldn’t dream of being apart of something that great? He invented a style of singing, moves, and his clothes, which will be around til the end of time. He said once that if his singing sucked, at least he looked good in his outfit. I believe that to be what helped set him apart from other musicians. I love to dress up when I go on stage, I know the people like it , cause they ask where I got my clothes at. Dressing up for a show  shows people you came to have a good time, and believe me, I do.

10. Is called “shout it out Loud”. It’s where you get to talk about what ever you want to talk about. So go ahead Kenny and “SHOUT IT OUT LOUD”.

Thanks for tha interview Chuck, I really can’t  think of much to add to what I’ve already talked about. Hope your magazine is a big success and if there’s anything else I can do just ask.

Thanks
Kenny Bird!

KICKACTS interviews Travis Dillion

1. Hello Travis, welcome to Kick Acts. Tell us a little about yourself.

Sure, I’m currently a student at ISU studying the most random mix of disciplines, theater and geology. Music is my first love however. I started playing in high school and actually started out on the drums and later moved to guitar and other instruments. These days I play out two or three times a week and give lessons on drums and guitar. When I’m not playing or studying, I’m outside. I’m always hiking, kayaking, camping, or down with whatever the boys are doing that weekend.

2. The “tree song” is a catchy tune. What was the inspiration for that one?

A couple of years ago I got very interested in the art of story telling. A good friend of mine, who is a professional story teller, really started to rub off on me. I loved watching how he could keep the attention of an audience with the use of different characters and doing things as simple as changing the pitch of your voice. The art of it just seems magical to me. My style has always been that of the story and when I started getting influenced by this style specifically, I decided that I wanted to push the story telling genre in my own music and thus the cautionary tale of a boy that climbed too high.

3. If you had to pick your # 1 song writer or story teller of all time, who would it be and why?

Paul Simon has always stuck with me through all of my musical phases. His music has been a strong influence for me. This is a man that has had an amazing musical journey that spans and connects so many generations and a great role-model for someone like me that is putting around with my own musical career.

4. Where can we find you on the web and do you have any CD’s out?

You can find me on facebook and myspace of course and soon on reverbnation.com. As far as having CD’s out, I usually just make my own in my room and give them out for free at shows or to friends. I love to record a few songs that I’ve recently written throw a CD together and hand it out to anybody that will listen. I am currently in the studio recording my first “official” solo album that is tentatively set to be released in August of this year.

5. We ask everyone this question and it always brings out some cool answers. Worst gig of all time?

That is a great question! I’ve done shows that have had bar fights, drug deals, racial outbursts, fires, and so on. But, the worst gig of all time, my band was playing in this little run down bar outside of Terre Haute. The night was going good until we had a request for a slow song, which we did. No big deal, right? Wrong! When we started to play, a very run down 60+ year-old woman came up with her mullet-toting son and thus began a 4-minute long sexual, grinding session that sent the band into a series of laughing/crying/gagging. A gig with incestuous overtones just takes the cake.

6. Best gig of all time?

Best gig…I would have to say was a frat party I played last year. It was an end of the year beach party which I played solo with my acoustic. I was skeptical about it because a frat party didn’t seem like the place for a singer-songwriter but this was by far the most responsive crowd I had ever played for. I actually led a sing-a-long that was so loud the cops came! I made some lasting friends in the fraternity and they’re actually bringing me back for more parties which I’m very much looking forward too.

7. Are you familiar with folk singers like Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, Harry Chapin, John Denver, Bobby Gentry or OZZY (LOL)? If so, what are your opinions of them?

I am familiar with them and have high opinion of them all. Nothing says “solid folk singer” like biting the head off a bat! I love the genre and all the artists in it. I don’t think any other genre of music contains quite so much variety in sound and subject matter.

8. Ever been to Haight Ashbury? If so, what was it like? If you haven’t been,why not?

Have I ever been? Maybe…I have no clue what that is. You caught me, I am not hip.

[Editor: It’s the birth place of the 1967 “Summer of Love” movement and  folk music, songs like, “San Francisco ( Be sure and wear  flowers in your hair),” The Mama’s and Papa’s.etc…]

9. So, according to your Myspace page, you’ve been in college far longer than you should have been. What’s up with that and what is the best way to prepare mac & cheese?

I can’t stop learning. I started out as a theater student and after taking many additional classes in music and anthropology, I started my second degree in Geology which I’m nearly finished with. It’s a vicious cycle because I feel there are many other things I will end up studying! As for the mac and cheese, I wouldn’t know. That’s high class college food and I’m on the ramen diet.

10. # 10 is called “Shout It Out Loud”. It’s were you get to talk about whatever you want to talk about. So go ahead Travis, and “SHOUT IT OUT LOUD”!

STOP TEXTING AND DRIVING! FOR REAL PEOPLE!

Ten Questions with the BuzzKill Mofo’s

1.Hello and welcome to Kickacts Buzzkill Mofo’s. Who are we talking to and
tell us about the band and how did you come up with the name and where can
we find you on the web at?

ans. by Gina, Helson Management

Band members are as follows: Matt Allinger – vox
Shane Holt – guitar, backing vox/harmonies
Travis Beals – bass
Jeff Bockhold- guitar, backing vox
Steve Nelson – drums, backing vox/harmonies
The band started out as a 4-pc in Sept. of ’08 and started playing out the end of
Jan ’09.  Matt, Travis and Jeff used to play with Wasted Dayz, Shane toured with
Loveletter Effect, and Steve played with Undone among others. Jeff was brought into
the band summer of ’09. Steve came up with the name by researching 90’s
catch-phrases and found the title to be ironic and humorous. The rest of the band
had no objections so the name was born. It seemed other bands were either “classic
rock” -covering the 70’s and 80’s –or “new rock” –covering the 2000 to today–so
we thought we would capitalize on the forgotten 90’s. Steve manages the Myspace site
( www.myspace.com/thebuzzkillmofos ), and I manage the Facebook site. Myspace has
the most info on it.

2. So, what do you think about the current music trend of today with acts
like Taylor Swift to Avenged Sevenfold?

Steve: I think it is based more on looks instead of talent. Basically i hope this
decade will be more like the 90’s where the talent was more important than a certain
look. The 80’s focused more on the look, and I feel the last decade did too,
although I’m very excited that A7X has brought my favorite drummer in the world —
Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater–on board.

(editor) Hold on here….We got to stop for a moment and put this car in neutral … “The 80’s focused more on ‘the look” and the 90’s on “talent”???  Did I read that right? I was around and playing in the 80’s and there were a lot of amazing and talented guitar players from that time. It wasn’t all about “the look”. I can easily name probably twenty  guitar players from the 80’s that could play and play well. I might be able to name two 90’s guitar players, one being Jerry Cantrell and the other one is not Dave Navarro…

In fact, I posted this question on a popular message board. Here are some of the responses…

well yes the 80s had great guitar players, but it was also more about the look than at any other point in time, ever where as the 90s was about the music, not about the look i think this is what he meant…he probably should have used a different word instead of “talent” to explain what he was trying to say because the 90s didn’t have as much talent as in the 80s. from “Heenan Snuka”

The 90’s “anti look” was as much a look as the 80s with flannel jeans, unwashed hair in the face and looking at their shoes while playing. It was just a reaction to the glammed up look of SOME of the 80s metal bands. And the talent level went way down un the 90s, most of those guys can’t play a guitar in standard tuning at all. It’s Drop D and the bottom 3 strings, played with index finger primarily and no solos. Not exactly inspiring. It’s funny how those guys always made lame excuses for not soloing like it was too indulgent and such. Fact is they never progressed on the instrument enough to be ABLE to play solos.a lot of grunge bands were glam a few years before. Two I can think of are Nirvana, who did it kinda halfassed but did have the Aquanet thing going on, and Alice in Chanis, who looked like Poison in 1989. Go see “Exposed” on the main page and you’ll see them and bands like Pantera all glammed up.Not that I blame them for doing what they had to to be successful, but I bet they had no clue that the then-infant Internet would blow their grunge street-cred covers one day. Nirvana being the most sainted band of grunge and its “honesty”, it just kinda cracks me up. I dig Nirvana, but the Exposed section of Sludge blows the whole myth the later grunge kids bought that they were revolutionaries. They were trend jumpers, which is fine, but cop to it and admit your grunge gods have feet of clay. Doesn’t mean they didn’t write some cool songs, but the sense of superiority is funny. from “lerxstcat”

Lerxs hit it right..Many of the 90’s band’s were guilty of “the look” and their playing and songwriting ability was mediocre.. I laugh my ass off when these band’s attempt to act like their look and music were genuine when it was nothing more than part of the trend and it reminded me of what the Sunset Strip would look like after the water got shut off..Also many grunge band’s were doing the glam thing before they changed over when the trend started to end..from “Luminiferous”

and one more…

I don’t really give a shit about guitar solos. All I know is no one in the 90s put any effort into their presence and personality (well, Manson I guess) that intrigued me enough to want to hear more of their music. from “HMJ”

(editor) OK, I think my friends have made some fine arguments here and in the court of Rock and Roll, I believe the 80’s have won on talent. So let’s put the car back in drive and keep going 🙂

Jeff: There is a lot of cool stuff going on right now.  However, the most
interesting things are a little under the radar and have to be sought out. Blogs,
myspace, internet radio, etc, are  the best places to find new music. Mainstream =
Lamestream. (<— good point…editor)

3. You guys play alot of 90’s grunge music. That was a period of gloom in
the music world thanks to Cobain and every other flannel shirt wearing
band out of Seattle. Everyone seemed down and depressed. So does the band
take antidepressants before each show to get through it?

Travis: Grunge was only one genre of music that was popular in that decade.  We
cover a wide range of genres from the 90s, grunge included, of course.  I wouldn’t
be surprised if a few of us are taking anti-depressants recreationally, but not
because of the music we’re playing.
Jeff: Well, we try to cover the whole spectrum of the ’90’s. So, we try to balance
out the “grunge” with some r&b/hip-hop, ska, and some pop-rock.  We like to put out
a party vibe and stay away from anything too depressing…

4. Tell us about your best gig so far.

Jeff: There have been a few stand-out shows where everything came together, but
anytime the crowd is really into it, it’s a good show.

Steve: That would have to be the day after Christmas at the Cantina in Tell City
because it was an assholes and elbows kind of party.
5. And one the same ticket, how about the worst gig in your life so far
story?

Steve:Possibly the Calumet in Jasper. We didn’t even make enough to pay for the PA
because it was a huge venue w/ only a handful of ppl and it wasn’t promoted
properly. It was …crickets…crickets…crickets….

Jeff: I try to block out the bad ones

6.I see where you guys are playing Casino’s. I see a lot of professional
bands do that too. How are the crowds? Do they treat you or receive you
differently than say, a gig in a local bar?

Shane:. i personally thought the crowd was just as cool and responsive as a bar or
anything like that. it was a good time!
Travis:  The only casino we’ve played thus far had a crowd similar to what we’re
used to. However, the atmosphere lent itself to more listening rather than dancing
and going crazy for the music.

Jeff:  It is definitely a different atmosphere.  You get a mix of people, some are
just there to gamble and don’t pay much attention, and others are there for a night
of entertainment who really want to see a show.

Steve:Good but different crowd. Casino, you are playing for the ppl getting drinks
while gambling. They might stay for a couple of songs, but… the ppl that were
hanging out gave us a good reception. We had our “fans”, but the majority are using
us for background music.

7. Are you guys currently working on an album or planning to in the near
future?

Travis:   There are a few original projects going on behind the scenes by a few of
the members, however, the mofos project, being just cover songs, has no album in
it’s future.

Jeff: The short answer would be that we are a cover band, so I don’t see a “Mofo’s”
album in the works. However, for most of us, this is the first serious, full-on
cover band we’ve done in a while.  We all cut our teeth in various original
projects over the years and that’s kind of how we all knew of each other to begin
with. I think everyone still has their own separate projects, so there could be 3-4
different albums in the works at anytime

Steve: They’ve already been recorded once! With us being a cover band, we are
basically just having fun playing the stuff we love listening to. There will not be
a Mofo album so if you wanna hear us, you gotta come see us live.

8.Tell us something about each of your band members that we wouldn’t
expect to hear.. Like your hobbies or something like that..

Shane:  well, i love to play video games, specifically survival horror games like
silent hill.
Jeff: I’m an information junkie, and I hate reality TV, except for the news, which
is close to being a game-show/popularity contest/rumor mill these days…

Steve: I  am in the works to run for President. I can’t be any worse than those
other guys lately. …And I like peanut butter.

9. What are your goals for the band? Are you looking to tour the United
States or just keep it local until the wheels fall off it?

Shane: my goal is to be booked all year around with this band, which we pretty much
are! so i guess im pretty set. 🙂

Jeff: You always have to start local and just see what happens from there, but
again, being a cover band kind of limits your options in that reguard.

Steve: Personally would like to see a mixture of the two. would like to tour
regionally until the wheels fall off.
10. # 10 is called “Shout It Out Loud”. It’s were you get to talk about
whatever you want to talk about. So go ahead BuzzKill Mofos’, and “SHOUT
IT OUT LOUD”!

Jeff: Buy local, bottled water is a scam and a poison to our environment, and the
record industry as we’ve know it is dead.

Steve: STEVE NELSON FOR PRESIDENT 2012 …and Chinese food rules!
Bonus Question for Gina the Band Manager:

This one is for you..
I noticed you are a band mom and there is another band mom in the
band too. Nothing wrong with that, or a band dad for that matter, my
parents supported me too but they weren’t “a part” of my band.They showed up
for gigs every once in awhile.. So are you a “Joe Jackson” type of
manager where its all business and nothing else or are you a band mom that
brings them water to the stage and takes up for them when the business turns
bad? (here’s an example. I few years ago I was running sound for a young
band and the lead singer/guitar player was up there being rock n roll with
all the expensive gear his parents bought for him and right in the middle
of his set when the chicks were really digging him he says over the
mic..”mom, would you bring me a bottled water”..and she did..In an
instant, he lost his street cred and any chance of getting laid from
that gig. His rock n roll card should have been taken away at that
point..lol) So are you moms’ a Joe Jackson type, or the other type or maybe a
somewhere in the middle type?

OH DUDE! I’m gonna HAFTA be long winded in order to straighten THIS out!
LOL

We are moms because we have given birth to their sons! Marcy is the
23-yr-old WIFE of guitarist Shane, and they have a 3-yr-old son together.
I started out as “the drummer’s girlfriend”, then graduated to manager
(story to follow), and we now have 6 mo-old twin boys together. Do we LOOK
old enough to be their MOMS?! LOL

Just to cover everyone’s personal lives: Jeff is getting married to Sarah
in October, and Matt and Travis are single. I have a Facebook picture of
the “band wives”.

So originally Steve was trying to book for the band, but he’s a bit of an
asshole so, one day, I wore a low-cut top and walked into a place I was
familiar with, and got their first gig. Since then, Steve would make up
the press kits, but have me do the talking. So I unofficially became the
manager. After the first year, the guys came to rely on me, and I earned
enough respect to where they decided to pay me a %. So now I am officially
the manager and have them pretty much booked solid for the rest of the
year. I do their promo photography, and stuff like talk to the magazine
guy! 🙂

I don’t get to go to many of the shows now b/c we have my 3 kids from a
prev. marriage plus the twins so you can imagine how hard it is to find a
Sat. nite sitter for 5 kids!

I’m not all business. I guess I’m a paid monogamous groupie! I DO get the
guys water, collect the money at the end of the night, get people on the
dance floor if the crowd is shy, take some action photos (as does Marcy),
and am guaranteed to go home with the drummer! Steve and I have also
invested alot of money into this band by purchasing our own huge ass PA
and a trailer to haul it in! That’s how much we love this shit!!

To be fair to you, I am older than the band members (by 2 or 3 yrs) and
with the way they act sometimes, I do have to assume the mom role!

(editor) Oh man do I feel like a dumb ass..I usually do a lot of homework on the bands but I only
assumed the same last names meant “moms’ of the guys in the band not wives or girlfriend’s :(, …so I will
gladly eat the crow sandwich for this mistake of mine..I busted the guys in
band balls about 90’s being talented and 80’s being looks and it looks like
you busted mine about band mom’s..lol…:(

In closing, these guys got a lot of good things going for them. I hope we all had fun busting each others balls here but these guys are booked solid at a lot of really great places to play too so if you get a chance, Check them out!!

chuck