KIX!: C or D/S and D?

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KIX!
All I've heard is "Yeah Yeah Yeah" and the spoken word break in the middle slays me. He lisps!

― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Monday, 28 February 2005 18:30 (twenty-one years ago)

heh heh.....

― chuck, Monday, 28 February 2005 18:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Apologies if we've done this, Kix don't show up on a search.

― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Monday, 28 February 2005 18:32 (twenty-one years ago)

this shd have been a WHERE IS THE LOVE!!

― mark s (mark s), Monday, 28 February 2005 18:33 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/030680817X/102-8909106-2131317?v=glance

― chuck, Monday, 28 February 2005 18:33 (twenty-one years ago)

"No matter what the 'subject' is, it's ALWAYS really about sociopolitics"

― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Monday, 28 February 2005 18:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Kix are Chuck's Killing Joke.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 28 February 2005 18:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Ah. No one told me.
Well, I sure do like "Yeah Yeah Yeah".
What else should I dig up, Chuck?

― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Monday, 28 February 2005 18:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Everything! (Except maybe the live album; that one's up to you.)

― chuck, Monday, 28 February 2005 18:37 (twenty-one years ago)

I saw them open for a Dead Boys Christmas reunion show at the old Ritz once. I drank while they posed.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 28 February 2005 18:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Chuck, I'll bet that guy doing that review on that page has never actually heard the Pink Fairies!

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Monday, 28 February 2005 18:45 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm pissed that _I_ didn't think of "A! E! I! O! YEEEEEEEEAAAAAH!"

― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Monday, 28 February 2005 18:46 (twenty-one years ago)

they're from Baltimore, aren't they? they do reunion shows around here all the time, don't think I've ever actually heard them, though.

― Al (sitcom), Monday, 28 February 2005 18:50 (twenty-one years ago)

(there are usually cheaper copies of stairway to heaven on barnes and noble)

― artdamages (artdamages), Monday, 28 February 2005 18:54 (twenty-one years ago)

I bought Hot Wire at a boot sale last year for 50p, but still haven't god round to listening to it. I will try to make time this week to do so.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Monday, 28 February 2005 19:01 (twenty-one years ago)

As someone whose listened to a lot of Kix because of Chuck's books, but isn't quite as... enthusiastic about them, I urge you with all speed to find the first album because it's one of the best things I've ever heard. Also "Girl Money" off Hot Wire is fantalistic!

― dr. phil (josh langhoff), Monday, 28 February 2005 19:07 (twenty-one years ago)

ahem... "who's"

― dr. philth (some local loser) (josh langhoff), Monday, 28 February 2005 19:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Chuck, did you ever read this interview at Metal Sludge with Steve Whiteman from a couple of years back?

http://www.metalsludge.tv/main/index.php?module=subjects&func=viewpage&pageid=222

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 28 February 2005 19:11 (twenty-one years ago)

I used to really like "Blow My Fuse" way back in the day.

Just got all nostalgic and listened to Kix on Itunes. Man, the production on some of those albums was awful, IMHO.

― darin (darin), Monday, 28 February 2005 19:34 (twenty-one years ago)

I swear I started a thread about these guys once. I got into them through guess-who's book and found their first four albums cheap and new at this cool record store in Altoona (I think) that's all vinyl. I prefer the first two albums to the latter two, which are kind of tainted by the fact that Pyromania happened and they had a very specific mold they could follow. The first two are this hysterical mix of new wave and glam metal whatever. If I had them on CD I'd send you some tracks, Forks!

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 28 February 2005 19:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Nothing beats "Yeah Yeah Yeah" though. Did you hear the track through my Fluxblog guest post, dude? I hope so!

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 28 February 2005 19:44 (twenty-one years ago)

But of course!

― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Monday, 28 February 2005 19:50 (twenty-one years ago)

So great was my faith in Chuck's opinion that I just HADDA check 'em out after reading "Stairway To Hell". And when I bought the first one I spotted ("Hot Wire") and found only two really enjoyable tracks ("Girl Money" and "Luv-a-Holic"), I assumed their earlier stuff would be better. So I bought their debut - at a fairly high price for a US import - and it was better, but I still only liked about half of the songs, the CD transfer sounded terrible, and Steve Whiteman's lisp was as irritating as ever. I figured, if this is the best they've got (#11 in "Stairway"!), I'll just give Chuck the benefit of the doubt, assume I'm missing something, and forget about 'em, proclaiming Uncle Sam or Faster Pussycat or somebody to be "my Kix". And I did.

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Monday, 28 February 2005 21:00 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't like them (or Loverboy or Jimmy Castor) nearly as much as Chuck does but I'm definitely grateful to be made aware.

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 28 February 2005 21:02 (twenty-one years ago)

I remember liking "Midnight Dynamite," actually....and one of the guitarists (the one who'd later become a billboard plasterer, as seen on a MTV special about washed up has-beens) rocked the face-obscured-by-jet-black-hair aesthetic way before Mr.Top Hat in G'n'R.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 28 February 2005 21:05 (twenty-one years ago)

they're from Baltimore, aren't they?

Actually, they're from Fredrick originally. Same as Barbara Fritchie.

― J.D. Considine, Monday, 28 February 2005 21:30 (twenty-one years ago)

I have the very first album from 1981 or 1982(?).. in any case, it is kinda underrated in that pop fusion of punk and metal (for its time.) Vocally they're very different, but if you like early Van Halen, you really should check out the first Kix album. I'm not saying Kix and Van Halen sound alike, but liking the latter means you'll probably enjoy the former's first album.

I also do have the album from 1988 with "Blow My Fuse"(?) on it, and it's less unique and a bit weak, but "Blow My Fuse" is a great song.

― donut debonair (donut), Monday, 28 February 2005 21:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, I'd say. I listen to Kix way more than Van Halen. Kis didn't exist almost solely because of a guitar player. "The Itch" and "Atomic Bombs" were always favorites of mine. "911" and "Ball Baby," too, on "Show Business"?

― George Smith, Monday, 28 February 2005 21:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Kis didn't exist almost solely because of a guitar player.

Are you suggesting that Alex Van Halen, DLR and...er...well...Mike Anthony were somehow expendable in the equation? Fuck, Michael Anthony's harmonies are the VOICE of Van Halen. And Alex is no fuckin' slouch.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 1 March 2005 00:12 (twenty-one years ago)

i was gonna say if the guitarist was all then why would we bitch about Van Hagar?

― miccio (miccio), Tuesday, 1 March 2005 00:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Weedly-Wee ain't nothing without Tarzan Shriek, Oooh-Baby and Diddlybopdiddlybop

― miccio (miccio), Tuesday, 1 March 2005 00:35 (twenty-one years ago)

as seen on a MTV special about washed up has-beens) rocked the face-obscured-by-jet-black-hair aesthetic way before Mr.Top Hat in G'n'R.

yeah but Slash just stole his thing from the cover of The Slider by T Rex, right?

Kis didn't exist almost solely because of a guitar player

WHAT??? DLR is the soul of Van Halen..."songwriting" be damned!! He's like Bob Stinson was in the Replacements...he might not have been the musical genius, but he WAS the band, in spirit.

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Tuesday, 1 March 2005 00:41 (twenty-one years ago)

i was gonna say if the guitarist was all then why would we bitch about Van Hagar?

You don't bitch about Van Hagar much. How many Van Halen albums do you listen to a lot? First album Montrose is better than anything by Van Halen and it's not a be-all-and-end-all heavy metal record, either. First album Van Halen was rather obviously modeled on Montrose down to the producer and engineering choices. Montrose was a more balanced band than Van Halen and Bill Church was a more rock and roll bass player than Michael Anthony. And I'll take Denny Carmassi over Alex. Denny actually tries to get in with the bass player -- imagine that [!] Alex follows Eddie. It worked for Van Halen but is retarded in terms of rock and roll.

But Montrose only got as far as the developing metal audience. Lack of any hit singles and subsequent follow-ups before Ronnie went off into jazz-land killed them.

WHAT??? DLR is the soul of Van Halen..."songwriting" be damned!! He's like Bob Stinson was in the Replacements

In the sense that he had a personality, a trait no one else seemed to value. Comparison to Bob Stinson is like damning with faint praise. David Lee Roth is very entertaining but Van Halen is the Eddie show. Without "Eruption," nothing. You should hear a boot I have of Van Halen in Pasadena in their prime. B-o-o-r-i-n-g.

Buy a copy of Black Oak Arkansas' "Raunch 'N' Roll" and listen to Jim Dandy's performance. David Lee won't mean so much to you after it.

Kix didn't depend on technical legerdemain like Van Halen. They took Gibsons and plugged them straight into Marshalls and went for it. They also have a far more "rock and roll" vibe. Kix boogied often. Van Halen very rarely boogied.

yeah but Slash just stole his thing from the cover of The Slider by T Rex, right?

Damn right, I think! The other prime candidate is Luther Bender in Mott the Hoople. Dig "Mott Live" which was in everyone's bedroom. Sold a lot more than "The Slider" in the US. Mott was also seen a lot more on US stages. Fifty/fifty it was either Luther or Bolan, possibly both, who lit the lightbulb over Slash's naked noggin.

― George Smith, Tuesday, 1 March 2005 02:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Ariel Bender, surely. (And both are prime candidates -- god I can't wait for the Born to Boogie DVD.)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 1 March 2005 02:35 (twenty-one years ago)

>Dig "Mott Live" which was in everyone's bedroom. Sold a lot more than "The Slider" in the US.<

Speaking of which, Kix were quite fond of wearing Ian Hunter shades!

― chuck, Tuesday, 1 March 2005 02:38 (twenty-one years ago)

not from Baltimore, but they were big and famous in Baltimore. same with Crack The Sky.

― eman (eman), Tuesday, 1 March 2005 02:41 (twenty-one years ago)

When I interviewed Kix, they told me that Crack the Sky were their favorite Maryland band -- they didn't know how to classify them, so they said it was "fish music, because it swims all over the place."

― chuck, Tuesday, 1 March 2005 02:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Search (through 1988):
"Atomic Bombs"
"Scarlet Fever"
"Cry Baby"
"Red Lite, Green Lite, TNT"
"No Ring Around Rosie"
"Body Talk"
"Blow My Fuse"

They did some equally good stuff after '88, but none of the track names come to mind, except the excellent "Girl Money."

― Frank Kogan (Frank Kogan), Tuesday, 1 March 2005 03:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Crack the Sky were their favorite Maryland band -- they didn't know how to classify them,

And you will surely remember John Palumbo is in the fine print on "Show Business." Can't remember, aided in a song or two or just a shout out.

― George Smith, Tuesday, 1 March 2005 07:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Man that first Montrose album ROOLZ! (and I never really dug VH)

Ariel Bender (Mott) = Luther Grosvenor (Spooky Tooth)

― lovebug starski (lovebug starski), Tuesday, 1 March 2005 12:01 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah but Slash just stole his thing from the cover of The Slider by T Rex, right?

This is true, actually. Brian Forsythe (the Kix guy) seemed to be aping more of a Johnny Thunders aesthetic.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 1 March 2005 15:32 (twenty-one years ago)

a dozen very entertaining tracks i think nobody has mentioned yet:

kix are for kids
contrary mary
mighty mouth
get your monkeys out
for shame
sex
cold blood
cold chills
same jane
9-1-1
book to hypnotise
if you around

― chuck, Tuesday, 1 March 2005 17:50 (twenty-one years ago)

oops, "if you RUN around" i meant

― chuck, Tuesday, 1 March 2005 17:51 (twenty-one years ago)

"Walking Away"
"Burning Rubber"
"(Bang Bang) Balls Of Fire"
"Don't Close Your Eyes" (NATCH!)
"Cool Kids" (potential fans might remember this from Beavis & Butthead)
"The Itch"
"Loco-Emotion"

― miccio (miccio), Tuesday, 1 March 2005 18:23 (twenty-one years ago)

"Yeah Yeah Yeah" is indeed pretty great but the spoken-word part's not as funny as the one in The Godz' "Gotta Keep A-Runnin'".

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Tuesday, 1 March 2005 18:49 (twenty-one years ago)

seven years pass...

shirtlesss sax!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qianQbC5xIU

LET IT NEVER BE SAID THAT THE KIX CAME TO TOWN AND LET AN AUDIENCE BE SEEN BUT NEVER BE HEARD!

― da croupier, Thursday, 23 August 2012 19:48 (thirteen years ago)

they still play Baltimore a few times a year, have caught a couple shows and they were awesome

― some dude, Thursday, 23 August 2012 19:50 (thirteen years ago)

Long legged Rosie from Baltimore
Took me farther than I've been before
Oh she loved me for those diamonds & pearls
Took me for a ride
Took me around the world

― how's life, Thursday, 23 August 2012 19:51 (thirteen years ago)

four months pass...

I interviewed Steve Whiteman! http://citypaper.com/music/pumped-up-kix-1.1421083

was a little surprised/disappointed that he's never read xhuxk's stuff about the band.

― fanute me or shoot me (some dude), Friday, 28 December 2012 02:46 (thirteen years ago)

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