KEVIN K
We are proud to present the longtime New York City rocker Kevin K. This underrated word-of-mouth legend has been playing and recording since the beginning and has released over twenty-five different albums, singles, and DVDs. He has toured in every part of the world, but unfortunately, Kevin is still underappreciated here in the United States. Hopefully that will all change! Kevin K is one of the best kept secrets in the world of rock 'n' roll, a powerful shot of power pop and punk smash-up in the spirit of Johnny Thunders, Iggy Pop, Nikki Sudden, and Jeff Dahl.
Kevin K’s music is about as real as you can get today to
the NYC old school, and he is still here rockin’ to make
sure you do not forget. Kevin, in the dark way he does best, brings
you his version of rock ‘n’ roll history. This is
back alley guts with pop star heart. Get in line, lessons start
here.
PRESS:
PORTFOLIO WEEKLY – ABOUT HOLLYWOOD:
Who? Punk purveyor continues to blaze the trail. Sounds like? It’s eternally 1977. Is it any good? This dude has been around. Singer/songwriter Kevin K is one of the holdouts from the late 1970s punk scene that refuses to believe the era is over. His nasally voice, tattered Stiv Bators looks, and L.A.M.F. written on his guitar all point toward it. That is good news to folks like me that still like to wallow in the glam of that scene from time to time but get tired of listening to the same albums. This release is relatively simple and straightforward, beginning with the lyrics from opener “Story of a Girl”: “Here’s a story / it’s nothing new / it’s a story of a girl / I wish I knew.” The remaining 14 tracks vary from acoustic ditties “Heartbreak Comedy” to garage rockers like “Hook Me Up” to more comber stories of years past with “Joey and Dee Dee”.
BUBBLEGUM SLUT – ABOUT HOLLYWOOD:
Kevin K is a name that has been doing the rounds for so long in underground rock 'n' roll circles, it sometimes seems he's been in this rock 'n' roll game since the phrase was first coined! This latest recording, his fifteenth, sees the archetypical NY barfly pack up his guitar and head out west to give us fifteen songs inspired by the sunnier climates of Los Angeles, a logical follow-up to 2004's New York, New York. This occasion provokes a subtle softening of Kevin's hard-edged, hard-living persona with a few warm touches of Cheap Trick or even the Beach Boys seeping in next to the ever present Dolls influence. This is not a one dimensional portrait of a city though. There’s a more sensitive mood on the mournful acoustic number "Heartbreak Comedy", and Kevin scratches beneath the skin of the city with "Joey and Dee Dee", a tribute to Dee Dee Ramone focusing on his final days spent in Hollywood, is an undeniable touching moment.
EAR CANDY – ABOUT ROCKIN ROLL DYNAMITE:
Kevin K is rock ‘n’ roll dynamite in every sense. The guy eats, drinks, and breathes rock ‘n’ roll. I would say he sleeps rock ‘n’ roll, but I doubt he does much sleeping. Kevin kicks his latest disc off with one down and dirty track titled “Down In the Sewer”. The song is a great example of how Kevin has perfected his sound over the years. The title track is a tense rocker with an ominous beat. I’m really digging the high octane hard rockabilly sounding “For You My Love” and the driving “All Fixed Up”. Old school rock ‘n’ roll in the same vein as the Dead Boys.
NO FRONT TEETH – ABOUT HOLLYWOOD:
The unstoppable Kevin K returns with another gem of a record. This is a man who truly represents everything great about rock ‘n’ roll – pure honesty, absolute passion, and fantastic songs. This is a man who gets my soul in the same way that Joey Ramone, Stiv Bators, and Joe Strummer do. There’s this deep familiarity and an instant bond from the first time I ever heard him that I can never shake off. He’s so important and I’m so thankful for his prolific ness because I can never have enough of this guy.
On Hollwood, Kevin is accompanied by several of his bands – The Hollywood Stars, The Real Kool Kats, The St. Pete Allstars, and The Lower East Side Band, and there are some fantastic solo acoustic cuts on here, too. Hollywood is everything you could possibly want from Kevin K. It’s got his unique and distinctive songwriting that fuses spit, melancholy, and raw openness with grief, humor, and power, but it’s way more then a fantastic Kevin K record. It’s an absolute rock ‘n’ roll diamond! It’s fucking perfect and Kevin has just got that flowing – he’s a fountain of rock ‘n’ roll genius and he can’t help but let it pour out of him so naturally and effectively. Thank God someone’s recording this! I love this guy!
BIG TAKEOVER – ABOUT HOLLYWOOD:
Kevin K is back with another blast of Ramones-inspired bubblegum punk and Johnny Thunders-style pop ‘n’ roll. Hollywood is a loosely structured “concept album”. Here, Mr. K takes an introspective turn, examining the opportunistic dreams that lead one to the palm trees and scum-laden sidewalks of Hollywood, CA, as well as the insatiable male lust for the iconic media starlets that bombard us everywhere we look and what happens when these two elements collide. In “The Final Damnation”, he meditates on a slide show of faces come and gone and what these people have meant in his life to a tune that sounds strikingly like “One In a Million” by Guns ‘N Roses. Overall, the album is softer in tone than previous discs, but it’s not without its chugging rockers like “Way Out West” and others!
PSYCHOTROPIC ZONE – ABOUT HOLLYWOOD:
Kevin K is a guitarist and singer originating from New York, and he has been part of the city’s underground circles for a long time. The guy sent me three of his recent albums. You can clearly hear the US punk of the Ramones, the Dead Boys, and The Stooges in his music, but there are also influences from the New York glam scene and a bit of hard rock. At times it’s pure rock 'n' roll. The dude’s music has nothing to do with psychedelia, although some of the tracks would be quite close to stoner rock if the sound was heavier. The songs are rather simple but effective, and some of them rock pretty hard. Kevin has a high-pitched and rather nasal voice, and somehow I like it. The guy also understands the meaning of a guitar solo, which is a nice thing. Roughly half of the lyrics are about girls, and there sure are worse things to write about. The guy has gigged a lot in Europe as well, and he might be coming to Sweden soon.
RAZORCAKE – ABOUT ROCKIN ROLL DYNAMITE:
Kevin K is consistent as hell and always great. Same cool Johnny Thunders meets Ramones sound and same great tunes that stick in your head. And a cool looking cover, which is nice to see. Great re-working of "Call", by the Road Vultures (Kevin K's old band) off their Fire It Up album. The song "Old School" might be the best tune he has ever done.
UNDER THE VOLCANO – ABOUT HOLLYWOOD:
If one name is synonymous with the authentic energetically swaggering spirit of rock ‘n’ roll, it’s Kevin K without a doubt. On his latest sonically smooth endeavor, Mr. K takes a casual stroll through several powerfully riveting graffiti-sprayed Bowery rock rave-ups and a clenched handful of stridently heartfelt inner-city acoustic ballads. With his snotty nasal-whine vocals and his invigorating propensity to unleash some of the most spectacularly killer guitar licks known to man, Kevin K conjures a rhythmically refreshing array of endearingly tough songs in the scruffy, gutter-stumblin’ tradition of Johnny Thunders, the Ramones, and Nikki Sudden. Hollywood is ultimately the rebellious intoxicating sound of shattered dreams, broken hearts, tattoos, leather, substance abuse, and true street-savvy grit amplified to perfection.
NOW WAVE – ABOUT HOLLYWOOD:
The women I date always ask me the same three questions. First it's, "Isn't it a little early in the day for you to be drinking?" Then it's, "Do you really expect me to gain 15 pounds just to please you?" And finally it's, "Don't you ever get tired of reviewing Kevin K albums?" To which I reply "no", "yes", and "no". Strangely, it's the final response that usually elicits the strongest look of disbelief.
Officially, Hollywood is listed as Kevin K's 15th album. If you count cassettes and such, it's actually his 22nd. Either way, he's put out an awful lot of music over the past twenty-some years. And what's so great about Kevin K is that he never really changes, yet each new release is a delight to behold and as refreshing as a PBR draught on a 90 degree day. "Well-crafted songs with killer choruses" are his thing, and it never gets old. He's just a flat-out great songwriter. To us old punk rockers, he's our Tom Petty. The guy is incapable of writing a bad song, and half of the numbers he throws out would be good enough to make most bands sick with envy. He's Johnny Thunders, Joey Ramone, Nikki Sudden, Stiv Bators, Brian Wilson, and Iggy Pop all rolled into one, and we are blessed to have him as one of our most prolific punk musicians.
The title of Hollywood was inspired by "stories of Paris Hilton blowing people, Britney Spears wearing no underwear, and Nicole Richie stoned on pills and alcohol driving the wrong way". It's a homage, if you will, to all the dysfunction, decadence, and bad behavior that have supplanted high-class glamour as Hollywood's defining motif. And fittingly for an album called Hollywood, this disc is practically cinematic in scope. It's got tonal arc – opening with an upbeat, sunny pop vibe, segueing into reflective, melancholy ballads, and heating up into sleazy, streetwise bravado. It's got everything you might want from a Kevin K album. "Story of a Girl" and "Jennifer Love Song" are blissed-out pop punk gems in the much-missed Beat Angels/Trash Brats mold, while "Hook Me Up" and "Another Pretty Face" are consummate shots of trashy CBGBs punk. The ballads are great too, and benefit from warm production redolent of 1970's AM radio. "Single Girl" suggests America covering The Only Ones and the Ramones tribute "Joey and Dee Dee" is beautiful and poignant, but not at all schmaltzy. "Life In LA" combines everything you love about Kevin K: a catchy melody, rockin' guitar leads, and a simple riff that's bound to hook you. All in all, this is another rock-solid batch of songs about pretty girls, broken hearts, and drug abuse.
We've all heard of certain rockers who have a woman in every town. Well, Kevin K just about has a band in every town, and they're all featured here. He's backed on this album by the Hollywood Stars, the Real Kool Kats (France), the St. Pete All-Stars, the Lower East Side Band, and an unnamed German duo featuring Christian Schmid and Andy Hill. And one track, "Circle of Thieves", is a demo from 1988 featuring Kevin's late brother Alan on vocals, guitar, and bass. In collaboration with all of the above, Kevin K has made what could very well be his best album yet. Doesn't it seem like I say that every time he puts out a new record? Don't know how he does it, but this fella gets better and better with age. By the time he turns 70, he just might turn out the best record ever!
LA WEEKLY – ABOUT THE KEVIN K BAND – LIVE AT MR. T'S BOWL, HIGHLAND PARK, CA, 03/11/07:
Like a sailor, the prolific Kevin K seemingly has a band in every port. He’s based in Florida but tours constantly, especially in Europe, where he’s relatively popular. For this local stop, he’s assembled an L.A.-specific all-star back-up band that includes the late, great Excessories rhythm section, drummer Roy Morgan and bassist Dino Everett. Mr. K has an obvious affection for Tinseltown – both the mythical, glittery version and the seedy reality – on his latest CD, Hollywood (Full Breach Kicks), which includes the Johnny Thunders-style rocker “Life In LA” (where the star-struck singer declares, “I can’t wait to get to L.A.,” without irony) and the sentimental acoustic ballad “Hollywood High”. He strums another unplugged ode, “Joey and Dee Dee,” a reflective tribute to his heroes the Ramones, although most of the album rocks harder with up-tempo tracks like “Story of a Girl” and “Jennifer Love Song”, which combine New York Dolls energy with Kevin K’s melodically yearning vocals.
HIGH BIAS – ABOUT HOLLYWOOD:
Inspired by childhood faves like Alice Cooper, the Ramones, and the New York Dolls, and by contemporaries like Johnny Thunders, Nikki Sudden, and Jeff Dahl, Kevin K is a rock ‘n’ roll true believer. Having knocked around professionally since the early ‘80s, the New York native kicks out urban rock that’s as much power pop as it is punk, as much classic rock as it is contemporary. Hollywood revels in catchy melodies, easy hooks, and the sound of K’s Gibson Les Paul Special, taking some time out for acoustic introspective as well. The latter stay sweet without being saccharine, especially the bittersweet Ramones tribute “Joey and Dee Dee”. But it’s the former that deliver the best cheap thrills – “Hook Me Up”, “Way Out West”, “Story of a Girl”, and “No Ice in Paradise” vigorously scratch the itch for old-fashioned, gut-level rock ‘n’ roll. I’ll admit to wishing K’s voice was a bit more robust, but one works with what one has, and his songwriting and performance strengths make up for it in any case. Mmm…satisfying.
I-94 BAR – ABOUT HOLLYWOOD:
It might be a truism that Kevin K is rock ‘n’ roll’s best-kept secret. If you’re a regular here you’ll no doubt be sick of hearing it (and I’m sick of writing it). But I have to say it again: Kevin K is rock ‘n’ roll’s best-kept secret. So if you’re in the dark, just go with the flow and get acquainted. Trust me – it'll all be for the best.
This is glam-inflected, gritty, honest-to-goodness, mid-tempo rock ‘n’ roll of the sort that white bread mainstream radio won’t touch with a whip and a stool with very long legs. So you know it’s good. Hollywood (like the real place) is populated by stories about partying, being fucked up and down and out, in a way that ensures this is an album that can’t be tamed and doesn’t want to be.
It’s studio album number fifteen for the New York City-raised, card-carrying alumnus of The Bowery School of the Streets, and it’s right up there with the recent run of trash punk gems. The difference this time out is there’s a re-visited emphasis on semi-acoustic ballads. Three of them – “Single Girl”, “Hollywood High”, and “Heartbreak Comedy”, sit at the center of the album.
Most of the tunes are played with four different bands or with Kevin on all instruments. Joining in are The Hollywood Stars (Streetwalking Cheetah’s Dino Everett on bass and Roy Morgan on drums), dirty French rock ‘n’ rollers The Real Kool Kats, an un-named German band (a track apiece), The St. Pete All Stars (from Mr.K’ semi-permanent base of Florida),and The Lower East Side Band (no prizes for guessing where they’re from; producer Patrick Klein on bass and the enigmatically-named Nolan Ramone on drums). The result is a varied but uniformly excellent output.
A couple of songs are re-heated from the past, but that shouldn’t trouble too many people. “Jennifer Love Song” (a tribute to Ghost Whispering Ms. Hewitt) outdoes the original, and I can live with another take on “Hook Me Up”. There’s the odd clunky lyric (“The Final Damnation”) and while hankering for the good old days (“Joey and Dee Dee”), it won’t bring them back but it sure is fun.
The credited closer, “Circle of Thieves”, is a 1988 Hollywood demo with Kevin on drums and his late brother and Road Vultures band mate Alan K on bass, guitar, and vocals. It’s a curious, trippy tune with treated tape loops and a scorching solo – a nice final statement. There’s actually an un-credited bonus track that’s pretty cool too.
Punk rock might be your staple but don’t worry about there being an acoustic centerpiece to this album. My money’s on them and the other (amped-up) songs being written somewhere on a train or tour van in Kevin’s second home of Europe or in his more recent stamping ground of the Midwest. It’s all in the delivery and the guy imbues everything he plays with heartfelt honesty. While I can’t concur with Mr. K’s self-description of loser, I want to take him at his word that he’s happy. The bus for rock stardom might have left the terminal years ago when the Road Vultures were jostling with all those other potential “next big things” back in New York City, but there’s still an audience for music that means it. If you’re switched on enough to be part of that crowd, look no further.
UNDER THE VOLCANO – ABOUT ROCKIN ROLL DYNAMITE:
I really dug the previous Kevin K album I heard, Perfect Sin, for its dirty Lower East Side rock ‘n’ roll sound (think Thunders and the Ramones). The overall sound is reminiscent of Iggy Pop’s Instinct, but where Instinct had a lot of shortcomings that made the album mediocre, Kevin K’s songs are fully realized hard rocking blasts of head bobbin’ riffage and ass shakin’ downbeats.
SUGARBUZZ – ABOUT ROCKIN ROLL DYNAMITE:
LAMF! Heir to the throne!? Having served the high priests of NYC rock 'n' roll for centuries, it is about time Kevin K is recognized for his contributions and output. Johnny Thunders saunter and a Stiv infected kiss surrounded by rings of smoke blown by Keef. King of blissful sewer rats and teenage pigs serving you plates of salmonella infested rock 'n' roll produce. Convulsions of Iggster and hammered on MC5 moonshine. Kevin K will not stand for bowdlerization and will blast cavities wide open with his rock 'n' roll speculum. Shop naked and buy Kevin K’s releases.
VEGLAM – ABOUT HOLLYWOOD:
Another Kevin K album! I couldn't even tell you how many albums he has released to this day! Without being what you can call a concept album, the title of this new CD suggests it has a theme: Hollywood. Just look at the cool cartoon cover that will remind you of Sunset Boulevard or the songs “Life in LA”, “Hollywood High”, and “Hollywood”, and you'll get the idea. Kevin K still plays this Johnny Thunders kind of rock 'n' roll with catchy pop melodies that the Ramones would never deny. By the way, every Ramones lover has to listen to “Joey and Dee Dee”! The last part of “Jennifer Love Song” (anyone with Jennifer Love Hewitt’s phone number please get in touch with Kevin asap!) or the picture with David Johansen and Sylvain Sylvain in the booklet only confirms the influence of another legend from NYC: The New York Dolls. As a world citizen, Kevin recorded this album with different backing bands in various places like California, New York, Florida, France, and Germany. These are all places where Kevin likes to rock and sing the blues like on “The Final Damnation” or on “Heartbreak Comedy”. Kevin doesn't have his own star on Hollywood Boulevard yet, but he already belongs to the real rock 'n' roller’s Hall of Fame.
NOW WAVE – ABOUT HOLLYWOOD:
Kevin K continues to dish out some great Ramones/Heartbreakers style punk 'n' roll on his fifteenth studio album, Hollywood. This album contains everything that makes an album great and interesting to listen to. It seems to have music for every mood, from upbeat punk rock ‘n’ rollers like "Life In LA", much darker and gloomier songs like "Final Damnation", acoustic ballads like "Joey and Dee", and high-energy pop punk gold like the amazing "Jennifer Love Song".
You know this is going to be a great album when you pop the CD in the player and hear "Story of a Girl", a great rock ‘n’ roll gem and story of a girl that just about any guy could relate to.
"Jennifer Love Song" is possibly the best song on the album. A very catchy song about a sexy television star. Hearing this song always puts me in a good mood. It makes me wanna drive really fast on the highway on a hot summer day and crank the stereo up!
The song "Joey and Dee" is the best song about the Ramones I have heard since "Johnny and Dee" by the Eastern Dark. The rock ‘n’ roll world will never be the same without the Ramones. This well written acoustic ballad actually brought a tear to my eye upon the first listen. But then again, a world without the Ramones is something to cry about. Other great acoustic songs on this album include "Heartbreak Comedy", "Hollywood High", and "Single Girl". I really like "Single Girl"; it is a very peaceful sounding and relaxing song. These acoustic songs add some nice variety to the album. "The Final Damnation" is the darkest, gloomiest song on the album. It's a blues inspired song with some harmonica playing that fits the song very nicely.
Another great album by Kevin K! There isn't a bad song on the album, and it’s a good listen from beginning to end. I probably listened to this album close to ten times in the past two days. Also, Kevin K will be touring everywhere in 2007.
Rock on Kevin K!
GLITZZINE – ABOUT ROCKIN ROLL DYNAMITE:
Looking like a cross between Andy McCoy and Keith Richards, Kevin K is back once again with his harmonious backing to produce yet another album full of chain smoking, beer swilling, down and dirty songs to rock your socks off. Kevin K is a true old-style rocker with a loveable rogue charm. If you are lucky enough to have passed his way before, then this album has a darker and more diverse sound to previous albums, although at times adding in and playing around with the same style he achieved with previous New York punk band The Toys (later becoming the New Toys) back in the late '70s. Yes this guy has been going a while, but the experience and hard working talent shines through effortlessly and with an amazingly graceful and youthful voice.
There's endless familiarity throughout, a touch of Alice Cooper, a hint of the New York Dolls, a splash of the MC5, and many moments to reminisce to the times when this scene was widely accepted.
"Down In the Sewer" and "Hillbilly Man" have a dirty sleaze-filled influence, while "Call" has a Ramones-filled vibe throughout. The darker sounds infiltrate towards the end of the album, only lifting momentarily for the pop punk style love song "She", which you can imagine being used in years to come as some naive advert theme, with kids everywhere writing in to Points of View to ask who on earth sings this rocking tune. It's a shame to think this album is as wildly known as it may get, as unfortunately it isn't the time for real honest speaking music from the heart anymore.
Finally a great cover of Iggy Pop's "Death Trip", done deliciously well, and a superb end to a superb album. It's covered many times, but this version is perfect to the note.
MAXIMUM ROCK ‘N’ ROLL – ABOUT ROCKIN ROLL DYNAMITE:
At this rate, Kevin K is gonna outlast us all. Sleazy Johnny Thunders-y rock ‘n’ roll? Yes. Original? Not really. Better than the new New York Dolls record? You betcha.
NOW WAVE – ABOUT ROCKIN ROLL DYNAMITE:
On his 21st album Rockin Roll Dynamite, Kevin K continues to do what he's done for years - mix Thunders/Iggy/Jeff Dahl style streetwise punk 'n' roll with a melodic pop sensibility. After so many years and so many releases, you'd think he'd be simply phoning it in by now. But ole' Kev is honestly sounding as good as ever! Rockin Roll Dynamite is as strong (and rocking!) as any Kevin K album I've heard. Once you start listening to it, it quickly becomes evident how much fun Kevin still has playing rock 'n' roll. This old fossil brings it with an enthusiasm and vitality that would put most punk rockers half his age to shame! And the dude sure knows how to write a catchy song! For a guy who's so remarkably prolific, Kevin manages to deliver a surprisingly high ratio of hits to misses. This time through, there are some respectable stabs at a darker, more mature sound ("Down In the Sewer", "Life In a Ditch"), but Kevin remains most effective when he ups the tempo and just rocks. "She" and "Call" are vintage Kevin K fare: super-catchy, Dolls-meet-Cheap Trick pop gems. If you've never heard Kevin K but remember the almighty Trash Brats, that's who these songs will remind you of. "Going Nowhere Fast" is in a similar vein but lifts the guitar riff from AC/DC's "Rock 'n' Roll Damnation" (hell yeah!). Other choice cuts include "For You My Love" ("Ballroom Blitz" filtered through Chuck Berry) and the high-spirited balls-out rocker "I Was a Teenage Pig".
Even when the material is a little better than generic junkie punk type stuff ("Old School", "All Fixed Up"), Kevin K and his Real Kool Kats sell it with a charm and flair that are impossible to resist. Sure, this sort of sound has been done to death, but when Kevin plays it, it seems as fresh, fun, and invigorating as if it were just invented yesterday. There's often a fine line between timelessly appealing punk rock 'n' roll and a boring regurgitation of the old-punk formula. Kevin K, as always, walks the good side of that line.
It's tempting to say that after decades of toiling in near-obscurity, Kevin K has finally made his "breakthrough record", the one that will finally earn him the recognition, adulation, and sales figures he so deserves. But let's get real - nothing's going to change. There's no big money market niche for music like this. It gets released because there are label guys like Josh at Full Breach Kicks, who love the music enough to put it out there. And Kevin K loves the music enough to keep on playing it. He doesn't need recognition, adulation, or sales figures. He'll probably still be at it ten years from now, long after half of today's punk musicians have quit the game. Between now and then, he'll probably make 15 more albums. And they'll all be good!
BUCKETFULL OF BRAINS – ABOUT ROCKIN ROLL DYNAMITE: Rockin Roll Dynamite is Kevin K’s newest release from 2006, and still big on catchy sounds like the great “Call” and “Going Nowhere Fast”, but now with a slightly darker and harder edge. “Rockin Roll Dynamite”, “Life In a Ditch”, and “Death Trip” best exemplify this stylistic change owing to the darker sounds of The Stooges and The Cramps! Also throw in a good dose of vintage rockabilly like on “For You My Love”, and you have all the elements of what makes rock ‘n’ roll so great and able to stand the test of time!
DIG IT – ABOUT ROCKIN ROLL DYNAMITE:
Après Perfect Sin, Full Breach Kicks vient d’éditer Rockin Roll Dynamite de Kevin K, son sixième album studio avec ses complices français the Real Kool Kats, son vingtième et quelque au total. Le K y fait gicler son cocktail punk éternel Heartbreakers/The Stooges/Ramones, riffs implacables et martelés, voix impavide et traînante, solos rock’n’roll, paroles bien senties dans le registre du chat de gouttière qui en a vu d’autres, refrains lancinants, mid-tempos bulldozer, et des covers du frangin Alan K, des The Stooges (“Death Trip”) et d’un vieux R&B chanté par Larry Darnell en 49, “For You My Love”.
NO FRONT TEETH – ABOUT ROCKIN ROLL DYNAMITE:
Well, I could keep this review super short and just say that the record title says it all. Do you really need to know more that that? Do you want more then rockin roll dynamite???!!! Well if you need more incentive than that you don’t deserve this because you just don’t get it. But listen up, because you got one more chance to get it right. Kevin K represents everything punk rock is supposed to be: fun, sinister, simple, sleazy, decadent, exciting, and honest. No bullshit gimmicks. He’s been rocking for years and can sure as fuck teach any of these new fucking bands a whole bunch of shit that would make them leave with their tales between their legs, embarrassed they ever thought they might be punk rockers. The way he mixes menace with melody is fantastic and truly on par with the Ramones, but with the added squalor of The Heartbreakers. He truly does rock, and I don’t throw that word around because these days it seems that everything apparently rocks. Getting a fucking cup of coffee rocks. Going to the mall rocks. Fuck that! Only real rock ‘n’ roll rocks and Kevin K truly fucking rocks and he’ll never stop rocking. Convinced yet?
VEGLAM – ABOUT ROCKIN ROLL DYNAMITE:
Here is the new episode of the Kevin K serial, probably the last one of the saga recorded with Jack O. Leroy and Vincent Price III. As far as I know, Kevin K has never released any bad albums. Like Jeff Dahl, Kevin could be described as a workaholic when it comes to writing songs and recording them, and like his peer from Arizona, quality is a key word. That’s why it seems improbable that a fan will ever regret buying this new CD. Of course, Rockin Roll Dynamite is in the tradition of its predecessors, but we can find a musical evolution with songs like “Down in the Sewer”, “Rockin Roll Dynamite”, and “Life in a Ditch”, which offer heavier riffs and a darker mood than what we have been used to. That doesn’t mean that our New York gentleman suddenly fell in metal craziness! The two Road Vultures cover songs (“Call” and “She”), implicit tribute to his brother (as well as “Life in a Ditch” written by Alan), are just a few pearls in this punk, pop, and rock treasure. Uncle Kev (that’s how Jack O. likes to call him) has been carrying his guitar on his frail body for a long time now, and he will still be here when others will remember their old glory. Rockin Roll Dynamite ends with a pretty good Stooges cover and is nothing but an excellent album. Is it surprising?
3RD GENERATION NATION – ABOUT ROCKIN ROLL DYNAMITE:
Das musste ja mal passieren! Man kann eben nicht immer auf hoechstem Niveau spielen. Rockin Roll Dynamite ist zwar ein musikalischer Einbruch, der uns jetzt aber nicht in Panik versetzen sollte. Leider nicht mehr ganz so stark praesentiert sich Kevin K auf seiner aktuellen Errungenschaft, leichte Abnutzungserscheinungen fallen da ins Gewicht. Aber alles, wie erwaehnt, halb so dramatisch. Neben zehn neuen Songs hat Kevin mit seiner europaeischen backing band the Real Kool Kats auch zwei alte Songs der Road Vultures mit “Call” und “She” neu ins Programm aufgenommen, die aber leider nicht an die alten Fassungen heranreichen, da sie mir einfach einen tick zu schnell eingespielt wurden. Unterm Strich bleibt Kevin selbstverstaendlich seinem alten New Yorker Rock ‘n’ Roll-Motto treu. Also, alles wieder aufatmen! 4 stars!
NO BRAINS – ABOUT PERFECT SIN:
Wow, wow, wow, this is something I really like. ‘70s style glam punk 'n' roll played pretty modern and loud with a slight ‘60s garage touch and horror moments. And what's most important are the great songs! Because the songs are pretty melodic, some may call this power pop, but Kevin K and the Real Kool Kats are too raw, primitive, and dirty to be pop at all. Such great bands are not very often. Well, The Misfits or the Ramones have that genius combination of melody and rawness. Not that Kevin K and the Real Kool Kats sound like them, but their music kicks you straight in the head too! I like the lyrics. Kevin K and the Real Kool Kats sing about today’s problems and not some stupid stuff like – I don't know what – but that doesn't matter. I specially like "American Nightmare" with the cool sax where they sing about the bad side of things politicians try to hide. But don't worry – this is not a political album in some hardcore punk style, this is just great rock 'n' roll done the way it should be! And I like it!!! A lot!
I-94 BAR – ABOUT ROCKIN ROLL DYNAMITE:
Mr. Prolific is back and for the last time with his French band The Real Kool Kats. It seems the demands of incessant touring and putting out four albums a year (without any diminution of quality) convinced everyone it was time to de-convene. While that’s a pity, this album is a fine postscript that stays true to their collective Kool Kats creed of dirty punk rock delivered with the precision of a well-oiled switchblade.
Mr. K himself slips behind the kit for almost half the tunes, but the core of this is a return to the familiar lineup of twin guitars, bass, and drums, with the band leader handling vocals in his own distinctive style. If you don’t know what the deal is, this is as good as anywhere to start. Kevin K sits firmly at the place where punked out glam meets street punk sleaze. Mostly straight-up and occasionally on the rocks, it packs a wallop that’s on a par with anyone else staking this turf.
While the focus was on working in Europe, I reckon Kevin K’s music became more abrasive. The melodic touches of his past records with his ‘80s crew the Road Vultures, are played down on Rockin Roll Dynamite, and this is a musical world away from the solo Magic Touch album of the early ‘90s. The grit’s most evident on the title track "Lie in a Ditch", where a grinding rhythm locks in with the savage meshing of six string gears. On others like “Going Nowhere Fast”, there’s a renewed commitment to a Ramonesian wall-of-sound with a light dusting of vocal harmonies – although without da Bruddas’ latter-day speedcore pacings. Now what’s the saying about taking the boy out of New York?
Native New Yorker that he is, it’s no surprise then that Mr. K and his U.S. band recently hosted a Johnny Thunders tribute night at a venue in his current home state of Florida. The Thunders association is a blessing or a curse, but the message here is that the guy holds up in his own right while still carrying a musical torch for J. Genzales.
For you, "I Was a Teenage Pig" is a cute song title, but for Kevin K, it's a rocking throwback to Staten Island. "Hillbilly Man" incorporates scarifying slide guitar to drop a hint that Kevin's been borrowing country records from his mate Brian "Trash Brats" Oblivion's collection. "Old School" takes it away from the back roads and back to the streets with a driving metal feel and a declaration of proud rock dog curmudgeon understood.
There are ten originals and two covers for your money (one of the latter a sprawling but still potent regurgitation of “Death Trip”, The Stooges’ ode to shuffling off this mortal coil). I'm not counting "She", a co-write with his late brother Alan K reprised from the Road Vultures days. There’s also a hidden extra that veers into shockabilly territory. Like Johnny T, Kevin K knows from what side of the ditch his musical inspirations sprang and launches into a roughhouse cover of 1950s Louisiana rock ‘n’ roll pioneer Paul Gayten’s “For You My Love”. Rockin' and I give this four and a half stars!
UNDER THE VOLCANO – ABOUT PERFECT SIN:
Kevin K is an old-school New York punk who’s onto his twelfth album and will most certainly be putting out his thirteenth in the near future. Apparently, he’s got quite the following in Europe and Japan, like so many other underrated musicians. Folks into Johnny Thunders-style CBGBs punk with Iggy-type “Search and Destroy” vocals will dig it.
LA WEEKLY – ABOUT THE KEVIN K BAND – LIVE AT ALEX'S BAR, LONG BEACH, CA, 03/01/06:
These days, there aren’t many lipstick traces of the late Johnny Thunders. Sure, you can see ghost shadows of his larger-than-life, swaggering persona in his partially reunited old band the New York Dolls and in the rudely insistent attack of Joe Perry, Slash, and many punk guitarists. But no one really captures Thunders’ sense of yowling alley cat, Noo Yawk soulfulness. His old pal Kevin K comes close, blending those fat and juicy power chords with a contrasting romantic yearning that’s somewhere between the styles of fellow Thunders acolytes Jeff Dahl, Paul Westerberg, and Dee Dee Ramone. Unlike his hero, though, Kevin K has been fairly prolific, cranking out an endless series of underrated punk and roll albums, such as Rule the Heart, Sealed Works, and the greatest should’ve-been hits collection, New York, New York. On this tour (former Road Vulture Kevin K’s first visit to L.A. in five years) his backup band includes Trash Brats guitarist Ricky Rat and such local scene luminaries as The Excessories’ drummer Roy Morgan and The Bell Rays’ Tony Fate.
POCKET FULL OF CHANGE – ABOUT PERFECT SIN:
What can I possibly say about Kevin K that hasn’t been said already? Perfect Sin is the kind of album that would appeal to old punks or people who are longing for that late ‘70s drug and booze-fueled pre-punk sound. You can’t really avoid the Heartbreakers and Stooges comparisons, but Kevin and his Kats incorporate some nice touches like acoustic guitars, and a few songs even sound a bit country. It’s all very well done, as it should be given Kevin’s long history.
NO FRONT TEETH – ABOUT PERFECT SIN:
Kevin K has been thrashin’ around for nearly thirty years and personifies the original punk rock spirit – the spirit of fun and danger delivered through simple rock ‘n’ roll and heaps of style. This is his twelfth full length and it continues in that fervent spirit. Kevin K is pure passion – a lifestyle and an obsession – not like the bands and kids of today who switch scenes and lifestyles at the drop of a hat. This is commitment. There’s more excitement and enthusiasm in this record than 99% of newer stuff coming out and that’s because this is honest. This is what Kevin K knows and what he is and what he’s always been, and he doesn’t even have to try to excite you, because it’s all natural. He’s not trying to redefine punk rock or push the envelope – fuck that. This is just pure time-tested rock ‘n’ roll that stimulates me no end.
EAR CANDY – ABOUT PERFECT SIN:
Kevin K gets my vote every damn time. He's a throwback to 1977 and all that was magic during that period. Bands like the Heartbreakers, the Dead Boys, and the Ramones. All the good shit without any of the glossy, polished, over-hyped bullcrap that radio shoves down our throats. You can always count on Kevin to come through with the goods. Nothing fancy, just stripped down rock 'n' roll. No overzealous lead breaks, no gimmicks, no studio control room magic tricks, just down and dirty rock 'n' roll. My Kevin K collection just keeps growing and growing. Four stars.
RAZORCAKE – ABOUT KEVIN K:
This is down 'n' dirty Bowery-style rock 'n' roll crunch with a colorfully descriptive lyrical content about drugs, heartbreak, boredom, decadence, and barely surviving the sleazy seduction of the dog-eat-dog mean streets of NYC. Kevin K and his deviant duo of musical sidekicks sound as if they just crawled out of a garbage dumpster in a rat-infested back-alley on the Lower East Side after a long night of substance abuse, drunken debauchery, and high-voltage sonic sinfulness at Max's Kansas City. Damn shootin', it's the swaggerin' gritty sound of hookers, heroin addiction, cheap tattoos, and booze-filled inner-city vagrancy. With snotty nasal-whine vocals, ball-bustin' Johnny Thunders-style guitar riffage, and a clattering out-of-control subway train rhythm section.
DIGGIN FOR DIRT – ABOUT PERFECT SIN:
This CD is a well played romp through solo-Thunders, down and out blues, raunchy Heartbreakers-style punk, and at their best, sugary power pop. The title track “Perfect Sin” certainly falls in the latter category, and it's the best song on the disc by far. “LXXS” is much in the same vein, and while it's not quite as good, it's a close contender. The Thunders-style songs can tug at the heart stringers with their Prozac with drawl poeticism and the Heartbreakers-style songs are done as well as I guess any band is doing them nowadays. This is surely worth an hour's wage to anyone with a collection of silk suits and a William S. Burroughs anthology waiting for them at home. Ooooooooh. Aaaaaaaah.
NOW WAVE (RR) – ABOUT PERFECT SIN:
This is good stuff. The album in general reminds me of Johnny Thunders and The Stooges, but it also contains very pop stuff like “Sometime” (a very cool pop acoustic song) and the semi-country “Hanging On the Eightball”. My fave moments are the first three songs (the more Stooges stuff and the best songs of the album for me) plus “I Want Some Drugs” and “LXXS”. The end of the album is also nice with the cover of “Secret Agent Man”.
VICIOUS KITTEN – ABOUT KEVIN K:
Allow me to introduce to you the best kept secret in the world of rock 'n' roll anywhere today. This guy rocks! It's a series of consistently strong melodic punk tunes, each with its own poetic, lyrical edge. Bitching rock 'n' roll classics with no hint of filler anywhere and only consisting of vital, memorable tunes. Kevin K rocks my world and I strongly recommend you discover his world. Essential! I never could keep a secret.
NOW WAVE – ABOUT KEVIN K:
If Johnny Thunders and The Beatles had ever gotten together, it probably would have sounded an awful lot like Kevin K and the Real Kool Kats. Mr. K has been around forever and possesses the tenacity of a cockroach. He's a true survivor and a hero to beat-down rock 'n' roll romantics the world over. He's pulled a Jerry Lewis and found adulation in France. He's not young and good-looking, so don't look for him on the cover of your favorite trendy rock magazine. But this mofo can play guitar and write a song better than any over-hyped, flavor of the month, pretty boy rock star you care to name. Those of you who realize that the music is what really matters will want to put any Kevin K release near the top of your “albums to buy” list. Basically, this is power pop played like old school CBGB's punk. Back alley guts with pop star heart.
ROCK ‘N’ ROLL, ALCOHOL, AND FUCKING IN THE STREETS – ABOUT PERFECT SIN:
New Yorker Kevin K is out with another album. Just like Jeff Dahl, he’s got too many out there that I can keep track of! On Perfect Sin he is again joined by his Real Kool Kats, like he was on the brilliant Addiction album from 2004. This is a pretty creative and busy guy, which makes it none the less more impressive, the very high quality of this record. Perfect Sin is a complete album stuffed with new rockin´ gems. Firing away like the Ramones on speed in the opening track “Lovespell”, even Marky Ramone would’ve had trouble keeping up with the pace! There’s really not one bad track on this disc, and I enjoy them all greatly. My favorite and an outstanding track is the acoustic hillbilly rocker “Hanging on the Eightball”, with a very cool saxophone added on top of an amazing cool beat. If you’re a fan of the Heartbreakers and the Ramones, I’m sure you’ll find a new favorite in Kevin K!
VEGLAM – ABOUT PERFECT SIN:
After having been around Freddy Lynxx for a long time, Kevin K, from New York, has decided to explore the French network again and get the very experienced Real Kool Kats as a backing band. That was a judicious choice since I got lucky enough to see them live, and I can tell you that there's a real cohesiveness in this band and that the machine really works at its full!!! Whereas Kiss of Death was considered as their best release so far, Perfect Sin (third album of the band) seems to be even more achieved and explores more musical fields than before. The Stooges, the Ramones, and Johnny Thunders (Kevin’s solos are always a real treat) influences as well as this incredible ability to write harrowing ballads (“Sometime” – an introspective song – is a real jewel), are still the band's trademark, but we found out on this new album some unprecedented incursion in the country music universe with “Hanging on the Eightball”, some tough power pop on “LXXS” (a real hit), but also quieter atmospheres and some saxophone parts that could have been on Alison Gordy’s “Blonde & Blue”.
I-94 BAR – ABOUT PERFECT SIN:
Here is another album gushing out of the pipeline, courtesy of the one-man music industry that is Kevin K. Like London buses, it seems there'll be another one along any minute. Of course the important distinction is that the ride with Kevin K is much more interesting. Lesser rockers would be fearful of diluting their, uh, market through unleashing (excuse the clumsy Dolls pun) “too much, too soon”. Not so for Kevin K, who not only doesn't appear to give a rat's arse, but manages to maintain the quality. Some people we could name would be happy to own outtakes that rock this well. Referencing the Ramones, the Heartbreakers, and his own Road Vultures, Kevin K drags willing fans on a trip through the underbelly of street life. There's the odd lyrical borrowing from the Heartbreakers as well as The Stooges (“What it Takes”), as well as odes to recreation (“I Want Some Drugs”), old friends (“Hey Is Dee Dee Home?”) and ex-girlfriends (“Perfect Sin”). File under Melodic Punk. The Real Kool Kats are still K's French backing band and they sound better with every studio outing. Seemingly now restored to a four-piece, twin-guitar line-up, they blast out these 13 rockin' tunes with the dexterity that only living in the same cramped tour van can bring. It's an un-buffed, hip-shaking and timeless attack, lightened by the mid-disc acoustic “Hanging on the Eight Ball” and a sax-enhanced, R&B cruiser “Life After You”, that's so lean you can see its ribcage. Be warned: The closer (and this album's cover) is a reverb-clouded but volatile take on Johnny Rivers’ “Secret Agent Man” that dances up a shit storm. It's becoming a tired theme, this contention that Kevin K is underground rock ‘n’ roll's best kept secret, but it's a freak flag we'll continue to fly until we punch our card for the last time, hang up the keyboard and turn to fertilizer. Like us, they might be a small deal in the multinational scheme of things, but full marks to US label Full Breach Kicks for showing the same degree of faith and releasing this in Kevin’s homeland. Now go and order a copy from them and see if I'm wrong. Four and a half stars!
LOWCUT MAGAZINE – ABOUT PERFECT SIN:
New York punk veteran Kevin K hung out in CBGBs in the late '70s and played along side the Ramones, and his love for that pre-MTV classic gutter r'n'r really shines on Perfect Sin. Fat, juicy, Thunders riffs meets melodic choruses, sometimes divine ("Hey Is Dee Dee Home?" and "What It Takes"), other times somewhat mediocre ("American Nightmare" and "I Want Some Drugs") but always done with sincerity. "Hanging On the Eight Ball" and "Life After You" are exciting stabs at roots-rock with some neat sax playing, and the album ends with a neat cover of "Secret Agent Man". If you dig the Ramones, Jeff Dahl, or The Stooges. Three stars!
BMO’S WORLD – ABOUT PERFECT SIN:
Damn, this is good. Kevin K’s a long time veteran of the NYC punk scene, and the Real Kool Kats are one powerful band (although, they might be the ugliest collection of musicians you've ever seen). Musically, Kevin and the Kats cover a range of styles from Ramones-style 1, 2, 3, 4 punk to some sort of weird synthesis of country swing and urban-fire-escape-saxophone-jazz, which probably isn't really a genre, but I don't care. Lyrically, he covers the standard rock 'n' roll fare of "I want that girl" to "that girl doesn't want me", and the standard drug themes of "I want some drugs" to "do you wanna go get some drugs with me" (this in "Hey, Is Dee Dee Home?"). Initially, Kevin’s voice is a bit irritating, being a bit on the thin and whiny side. But, like mold on bleu cheese, it grows on you. By the way, for what it's worth, bleu cheese is my favorite salad dressing. So to sum up, whiny voice, moldy cheese, good salad, very good songs, powerful band, and a splendid time guaranteed for all. Buy this one.
OX FANZINE – ABOUT PERFECT SIN:
Neulich berichteten wir noch im Ox über Kevin K und seine non-stop-punk rock maschinerie, da hat selbige bereits wieder ein neues album produziert. Die Real Kool Kats sind seine französische tour band, mit denen war er auch im studio, und das ergebnis sind dreizehn neue melancholische punk smasher, die ganz klar im New York der siebziger verwurzelt sind, auf Ramones, Johnny Thunders und Co. verweisen. Ein bruder im Geiste von schrägen individualisten des schlages Jeff Dahl und Sonny Vincent, um nicht zu sagen Stiv Bators, wenn der nicht genauso tot wäre wie Kollege Thunders. Ein grandseigneur des punk rock, keiner der nassforschen jungen typen, wie sie vorzugsweise kalifornischen teenie combos vorstehen, sondern einer, den das leben gezeichnet hat, der punk und rock 'n' roll lebt, auch wenn sich das nach billigen klischees anhört. Die dreizehn Songs von "Perfect Sin" sind dabei das Beste, was Kevin in den letzten jahren aufgenommen hat: Die produktion ist perfekt, denn wo typische punk songs schrammeln sollen und müssen, ist bei einer countryesken Nummer wie "Hanging On the Eight Ball" oder einer schmusigen ballade(!) wie "Sometime" ein perfekter sound kein fehler. Auch sonst tut die transparenz der produktion den songs ausgesprochen gut, erscheinen diese poppiger als gewohnt und sind durchweg verdammt eingängig. Insgesamt ist zu sagen, dass Perfect Sin das abwechslungsreichste Kevin K – album bislang ist, mal ramonesk, mal akustisch, mal kickend. Und wer dem meister bislang noch nicht verfallen ist, der wird spätestens hiermit Blut lecken. Eight out of ten stars!
SLAM ROCKS – ABOUT PERFECT SIN:
Giusto poco tempo fa, durante una chiaccherata con il buon Kelly dei crack house venne fuori il nome di questo personaggio, tra aneddoti del tour italiano e del suo passato, uscirono cose molte divertenti e a tratti grottesche. Sta di fatto che il rocker americano è ritornato con i Real Kool Kats, dopo aver girato il mondo con band come Trash Brats e Hollywood Teaze, giusto per citare un paio di nomi.
Per chi non lo conoscesse... Kevin K cresce a New York dove inizia a suonare con il fratello Alan (Grimm Reaper, The Toys), e nel 1989 rispunta con i Road Vultures dove ha l'oppurtunità di suonare con Sylvain Sylvain e Jerry Nolan e dopo una serie di album sotto il nome di Kevin K Band arriva nel 2005 con questo cd dal titolo Perfect Sin per la Full Breach Kicks, mentre dovrebbe uscire a breve un'altro tassello della sua discografia: Rockin Roll Dynamite.
A dir la verità non è che mi abbiano mai esaltato le sue produzioni salvo qualche isolato episodio e così anche Perfect Sin non riesce a farmi cambiare idea... Se siete fan di Johnny Thunders dateci un'ascolata, potreste apprezzare "What It Takes", "Perfect Sin", Hanging On the Eightball", o "I Fell For You", se no potete andare tranquillamente avanti ad ascoltarvi "L.A.M.F.".
DIG IT – ABOUT PERFECT SIN:
Enième album pour Kevin K et son backing band français, The Real Kool Kats. On sait que le New Yorkais privilégie parfois le côté pop parfois le côté plus dur et stoogien, on rangera Perfect Sin de celui-là. Que dire que vous ne sachiez déjà sur Kéké (point d’irrespect de ma part, c’est comme ça qu’ils l’appellent du côté de Nîmes !) ; on navigue entre Detroit, New York (celui des Heartbreakers et de Blondie) et le Londres grand teint d’un Nikki Sudden par exemple. Peu de surprises sur ce disque, mais une plage acoustique très sympathique avec la ballade, “Sometime”, et le countrysant “Hanging On the Eightball”. Pour le reste, on retiendra “I Fell For You” et sa mélodie envoûtante et le pamphlet anti-américain “American Nightmare”.
