Interview with Kevin K, July 2006

NB - Please introduce yourself.
KK - Im Kevin K from New York City..musician,songwriter..touring and recording for over 20 years..

NB - I see you're with St. Pete Allstars now. What happened to Real Kool Kats?
KK - The St Pete Allstars is my Florida based band. I still tour with the Kool Kats but the original band broke up..Vincent the 61 year old drummer was to old..and Jack Leroy didn't want to tour anymore...Ritchie Buzz still is my bass player and a new drummer Fabian..plus Ricky Rat on guitar.we will tour 3 weeks in February 2007 maybe to Holland..

NB - I'm not very familiar with your biography and you seem to be in the bands for long time. Can you tell me a short story about your punk rock life?
KK - Well im in the process of writting my book..Kevin K "How To Be A Successful Loser".All my life details will be in it. 1980-83 I was in aband called New Toys..we opened for Johnny Thunders in 1981 at a club called Zappas in Brooklyn..1983-88 Lone Cowboys..we played more than 40 shows at CBGB..opened for Cheetah Chrome and many other great bands..1988-96 Road Vultures..we opened for Jerry Nolan and Sylvain Sylvain 15 shows..Dee Dee Ramone,The Waldos,Cheetah Chromes and The Ghetto Dogs..Road Vultures stopped when my brother Alan died in 1996..Peter Cain the bass player died in October 2005..So I started the Kevin K band in 1996..I have had at least 35 different band members...I have over 20 CDs out..and have done 11 European tours in the past 6 years..So everything is going great..I'm out to Los Angeles tomorrow for 4 shows..My band will be Roy Morgan(Lazy Cowgirls) on drums and Dino Everet ( Street Walkin Cheetahs) on bass..

NB - What do tou think about punk rock today, specially if you compare it with old days - not only music itself, but also people involved in scene, bands, labels, gigs...?
KK - NO COMPARISON AT ALL !!..I saw the Dead Boys in 1978 and 79..Johnny Thunders ,The Damned and Plasmatic's in 1981..Those were the days !!..Today all you have to own is a computer and you can have a cd out..Yellow.orange.purple hair its all been done..WAY WAY to much technology today I hate it..I'm happy to be old..because I was a part of the best music scene I think..The CBGB in 1981 was still exciting and great..Today there is to many bands..Even doctors play guitars!!

NB - Punk rock - are this kind of records the biggest part of your collection, or you also like to listen to other stuff, or maybe you're not a big collector?
KK - Blues...I listen to a lot of blues..My favorites are Cedell Davis,Robert jr. Lockwood and R.L.Burnside..The Mississippi Delta blues is fantastic !!

NB - Tell me about song "American Nightmare".
KK - That came from watching to much news on tv.I think our country needs to mind its own business..We are heading in the wrong direction for sure ..Paranoid about everything and everyone...

NB - Tell me about yourself. Things you like, things you hate, how you spend your free time...?
KK - I like Jennifer Love Hewitt and baseball..I hate politics..I really have no free time..If im not touring..then im writing ,recording or playing locally at a club..I don't like time off..Its when all my demons in my head start to bother me !!

NB - 5 things you hate most?
KK - 1. Politics..2. doctors..3. getting up before 10 am..4. delayed plane flights..5.hot looking girls who wont say hello to me..

NB - Not so long ago you toured Europe. What place did you like most? Can we expect you in Holland this or next year?
KK - Germany is ALWAYS GREAT !!!..the most rocking roll country I play..I really would like to live there but the winters last for 8 months..I like warm weather in Florida..Iggy Pop lives in Florida and loves it..He says the weather makes him feel like a snake..It makes me feel like a lizard.

NB - Anything you want to say to readers of No Brains zine?
KK - well maybe I might play in Holland in February..I start the 3 weeks tour in February and I know were in France and Germany and Switzerland..And my new cd..Rockin Roll Dynamite on Fullbreach Kicks from Chicago is great !!! Check out the website..Oh girls check me out at ...www.myspace.com/mrkevink