Recovering. Issue #112

The title says it all! San Diego was great, but to be honest...I've got nothing but sleep ahead of me. However I do have this kick ass video that a friend sent me a while back that I've been meaning to share so here you go...



Next week the blog will be back in regular form with a big trip wrap-up that I think will be a really fun read so I hope to see you then!

Also if your house is as hot as mine is remember to eat a lot of Popsicles...

Stay cool (literally)!

KS

Off To See The Wizard. Issue #111

I'm sitting here on my deck sipping a Red Hook Longhammer IPA, enjoying some quiet, and relaxing before I fly Wednesday to San Diego for the world's largest comic and pop culture convention, San Diego Comic Con. There I will know no such thing as calmness or quiet so I'm trying to enjoy it in spades. I say this because it will be 5 days of selling and performing and sharing a hotel room with six people...and two beds. Late nights, early mornings and talking all day to fans is a great thing, but from all accounts I've heard people think about quitting comics afterward all-together. Oh yeah, that's how we do it...



Jim and I get back in convention mode for KIRBY KRACKLE fresh off the heels of a great show at The Showbox and a great turnout from Seattle based "Krackleheads" as they're called (if you didn't know). The show felt really different to me, and in a good way. The demographic of folks was different than what I usually see at solo shows/Collider, and the crowd danced/sang along with the band and I for almost the whole set. The majority of the faces I didn't recognize, and as a performer who's been doing this for a long time, that's a special treat and validating for how I feel KK is something that is really moving into the next level. It's such a freaking blast playing these songs and I'm really excited about the future.




Mandi and I celebrated our 5-year anniversary last weekend by heading for a night to "The Kennedy School" in Portland. It's an old abandoned school house started in the 1930's that had been bought and reconstructed into a hotel/movie theater/restaurant/grouping of bars while keeping the initial structural integrity/design of the school. It's really a trip and I highly, highly recommend it to anyone looking for a close but seemingly far away destination getaway for the night. I felt like I was in a world within a world; almost Disneyland-esque as walking around the schoolhouse as we were greeted with a variety of bar/eating options.

Complimentary movies?

Swimming in the salt water pool?

It was up to you and it was great all-in-all. Call me easily spooked, but I got the creepiest feeling I think I've ever had as after we arrived and started walking the halls we saw a huge old blown up black-and-white picture on the walls of a guy in a motorcycle outfit with a girl on the back...that looked like me (the guy, not the girl...hopefully). Anyways, it was freaky as hell and spooked me. Maybe doesn't look like me exactly right now, but enough to make me see that's exactly what I looked like in high school. You be the judge...


Because I love this Twitter thing, I'll be keeping up to date on the convention happenings and adventures via my Twitter blog at www.twitter.com/kylestevensband for all interested in following my slow but sure to happen mental breakdown. We love to watch them fall...and by fall I mean little kids. Not really.

Thanks for reading and see you on the other side!

KS

Does This Cape Make My Butt Look Big? Issue #110

I'm assuming not, but you never know...


Last week, the issue of SEATTLE SOUND featuring a story on "Geek Music" written by Seattle Geekly's own Matt Hammond hit stands. A month ago when we did the photo shoot I said I'd share some pics from the day so here you go!








If anyone wants to find a physical copy of the issue you an do so in Seattle by heading to your local Easy Street Records or Sonic Boom Records retail spot.


The Friday, July 17th, show at The Showbox(Market) with KIRBY KRACKLE is something I'm really looking forward to as we slowly expand from the convention showrooms to playing in front of people who don't necessarily know anything about comics/games. It's a good challenge to convert the non-believers and The Showbox is always a great time.


Speaking of which, for those interested in going tickets are $12 at the door but if you email me your name and ticket needs we can put you on a will call list for the $10 advance price. Just reach us at kirbykracklemusic@gmail.com.


As if you haven't already heard enough about Michael Jackson these past few weeks, I find I'm unable to stop from at least commenting on it despite risks of a collective *groan*. I'm not one of the "I'll always miss you Michael" people, nor have I been playing his records in constant rotation since the news came across the feed. I just wanted to share a good memory that I think probably led me in some ways to do what I do today.

Of the few memories that my little 4 year-old brain could store away tightly and pass through to to the present was when I saw Michael Jackson perform the Moonwalk for the first time on the Motown 25th Anniversary special. All I remember was the light shining off his sequined jacket, his twitchy and tight leg and shoulder moves and the fact that I think it was the first time I got chills watching any kind of entertainment. Pretty powerful stuff for a little dude, and so much in fact that weeks later my mom enrolled me in break dancing lessons.

Red/Silver and zipper-laced coat? Check.

Silver Shiny Glove? Check.

Rat-tail? Oh yeah, baby.

I was serious.


I don't think I stuck with it very long, but I remember being in the middle of a break circle testing out my "moves" that I would practice on my Grandmother's green linoleum kitchen floor. I remember people laughing (in a good way...I think), and I can still smell the coat if I try hard enough. Obviously, I didn't go on trying to emulate him in my music (he knew more chords than I do) but I do cover "Billie Jean" now and then as a selfish enjoyment of a good memory. Despite whatever your opinion is on how the rest of his life played out, he truly was a performer's performer. Slick, unapologetic, and undeniably special when you watch him smile through the screen at his boyhood Ed Sullivan performances. Little Soul Man.

I never did learn how to moonwalk. It takes massive coordination and for someone who literally almost trips himself on stage every show he does, it was probably a good idea.


Truth.

KS

ZOMBIE WALK 2009! *or* The Closest I've Been To A Civil Rights Rally. Issue #109

Last week I had mentioned I would be participating in the 2009 ZOMIBIE WALK after Kirby Krackle was invited to play due to the closing song on our debut album entitled, "Zombie Apocalypse"; a social commentary on what it would be like after the undead fallout and delivered via ukulele.

Makes sense right?

With Jim busy with out of town guests, Mandi accompanied me as my infected assistant down to Fremont and for what turned out to be one of the more surreal experiences of my yet to be played out life....


In the weeks prior to the event I was told that the organizers (Fremont Outdoor Cinema) had expected about 2500 for the event and that they were hoping to to break the Guinness record for biggest Zombie Walk, AND largest "Thriller Dance" which came about as a tribute to the now late Michael Jackson. When M and I showed up the line was a couple hundred people long and an hour later after sound check we walked by the line again to see it was now at least over a thousand.


Having some time to kill before we wanted to see the first leg of the walk (about 5 total), we set up at a local outdoor seating restaurant and chuckled at the "Zombie Plate" now listed on the daily menu. It was getting to be obvious everyone was getting in on the fun and a great mood was in the air. As it got closer to walk time (7:30-ish) you could see zombies arriving en masse and seemed to be from all walks of life. There were families of zombies, dwarf zombies (yes that's the PC term so lay off), zombies in wheel chairs, almost nude zombies and the below pictured "Ronald McDonald" zombie. Disturbing and a destroyer of my childhood...thank you, sir.


As with any socially conscious movement, there were the zombie organizers. Standing on raised up tables and preaching to a sea of what was seemingly now thousands of undead infected, the chants of "What do We Want?!" were followed with the perfect rouse of "BRAINS!!!". My favorite chant of the night? The unifying battle cry of, "Zombies Are People Too!"...


Once the 1st leg of the walk started, there is really nothing I can tell you that you can't determined from the video below. I almost wish I didn't know about the walk so I could be one of the hundreds of Fremont citizens that stood wide-eyed with bewildered smiles maybe partially wondering if running would be the better action of choice instead of the omnipresent look of folks taking cell-phone pics. The most priceless thing I saw was hundreds of zombies walking by the "Nectar" club which has a huge iron fence and all lunge towards it with arms sticking through grasping at the patrons inside. From the other perspective it would seem almost too real. So cool!



After the walk the massive horde (reported to be now 4500+) shuffled their way back to HQ to try to break the THRILLER dance record. I'm not sure if it's been reported if they did yet, but I don't know how they couldn't with the sea of inhumanity in the picture below. You be the judge, and I hope it turns out they did.


After doing the dance 3 times (too much) it was my turn to play. I was originally told I had 4 songs to play but as they were way behind schedule I was told the set had been cut back to two. I chose "Naked Wii" and the before mentioned "Zombie Apocalype", which was why we were invited in the first place. I had fun, but barely had a chance to get the crowd primed as I was competing with the massive crowd noise and gathering of folks getting ready to watch SHAUN OF THE DEAD after my performance. I was pretty burnt by that point and didn't stay for the movie, but it was a great time, appreciated the professionalism of the organizers and I think everyone had an awesome night playing rotting make-believe.

Also, make sure you notice the love from Super-fan Irene. You can't buy that kinda loyalty (I've tried) and she made my night just with that. :)


In other KK news, we launched the email list only summer-single exclusive song last Tuesday and were overwhelmed with the response, online coverage and love from COMIC BOOK RESOURCES (the comic industry CNN). They did a fantastic piece on us and you can read it here!
That article, combined with the hundreds of email list members we had join who wanted to get the free song and the excitement that went along with it was all that we could ask for and more. I will say however that I need to figure out some kind of automated entry system for entering the addresses because the amount of hours I spent doing it makes no sense. Didn't think ahead on that one...

The other big news, at least to me, is the fact that I finally stepped up and got an iphone. Being an Apple everything guy except for the iphone had left me a this productivity limbo in some ways that I never escaped while always being jealous of what could be. "Jesus phone" it's not, but really is great when it comes to all the web 2.0 promo/communication I do with fans of KK and my solo stuff and I'm looking forward how the new video aspect of it can be integrated into what I already do. Instant filming and then uploading on Twitter/facebook? Unbelievable. Ok, I'm done... *snort, snort* (pushes up glasses) *untucks shirt from boxers* (Urkle Dance)....

"Did I do that?",

KS