KIX

Underrated to the hilt. I know most of you guy's like the later AC/DC hair bandish stuff from these perennial underachievers but as far as Kix and Me are concerned this is the album were it's at.

Hard Rock/New Wave crossover unlike anything at the time (Close to what my fave ravs Candy did 2 years later), kinda like AC/DC, Van Halen, The Ramones, Elvis Costello and Cheap Trick piled into the Cars with slight detours towards Japan and Duran Duran territory.

Gotta love the whole bubblegum punk urgengy of the thing and it's insanely n' innanely catchy childlike melodies and ganged backing vocals.

And oh yeah i got 3 words for ya.....Brian 'Damage' Forsythe!

Anyway you can make this into a Kix thread now....just needed to get that outta me.

Won't get any argument from me, they were a local band and it was IMPOSSIBLE to ignore them during this period.

Note of interest: Brad Divens plays guitar on this album (he filled in for Ronnie Younkins who was in rehab)...Brad later became the bass player/vocalist for Wrathchild (America) and Souls At Zero.

Anyway, Cool Kids is probably my least favorite of the first 3 records, but it's still got some great tunes on it. Loco-Emotion was played on the radio CONSTANTLY in the D.C. area back in the day. There's also a couple of their most rockin' tunes in Mighty Mouth and Restless Blood. First time I saw the band was on this tour and they always put on a spectacular show, just a total party.

Kix existed in that nether-region of bands like Cheap Trick that were neither pop..nor hard rock...but a bit of both and ALWAYS catchy as hell.

I still view their debut album as the absolute pinnacle of their career, but I've got a soft spot in my heart for most of them.

Hearing Kix always reminds me of standing with my friends outside a 7-11 trying to talk someone into buying us a case of beer.

An album I've never been able to find, despite being a huge Kix fan. =(

In stock at Amazon for under $10....

http://www.amazon.com/Cool-Kids-Kix/dp/B000002IGA/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1218609782&sr=8-1

I am definately a Kix Kid!

Been a fan since I heard Contrary Mary and followed and filled my Kix catologue up.

As stated very underated and just under the radar for 20+ years.

I've got 'em all!

Midnight Dynamite is still my favorite Kix disc.

Eyesore wrote:

An album I've never been able to find, despite being a huge Kix fan. =(

You can get it for around $6 at Amazon.

I agree RP,this is a great album.I still like their later stuff too.

I like all eras of Kix.

No bad KIX material...ever..

I agree with Detuned...KIX-s/t is the top...but it's all good,

"Heartache" is my fave tune by these guys...

Spectre, "Cool Kids" is still in print and cheap....get on it!!!

I don't like Kix. Eyesore is the one who wants the album.

I've never updated the few Kix tapes I had to compact disc, except for Blow My Fuse. I should add them to my want list. It's been too long since I've heard them. Good band.

These avatars are confusing me too...

I've always liked this band. Great songs, got to see them once back in the day open for Tesla. Cool I'll need to listen to them again, it's been a while.

tohostudios wrote:

Eyesore wrote:

An album I've never been able to find, despite being a huge Kix fan. =(

You can get it for around $6 at Amazon.

So I see. I'm not so thrifty online, huh? I have a handful of sites I use and that's it. Haha.

Thanks, guys!

I don't believe KIX ever put out a bad disc. LOVE em' ALL!!!
My FAV?? It's a toss-up between Midnight Dynamite and Blow My Fuse.

I have Blow My Fuse, Hot Wire, and Kix Live. The rest are on my want list. Peace.

Nothing better than the live version of Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!!!!
Quit, Quit throwing up- Don't, Don't tell me no, tell me yeah yeah yeah!!!!

Like I said in another thread, the first 4 Kix albums slay. My prefence goes in chronilogical order, but enthusiatically enjoy every thing they touched. And Funny Money was great too.

All Kix is good Kix in my opinion. COOL KIDS is a product of its time (early 80s) ... the band hadn't quite figured out yet if they wanted to go totally hard rock or dip into the new-wave pool a little (hence the synthesizers and even some saxophone!)

I love that "Cool Kids" video -- it's like "Rock N Roll High School" meets an episode of "Square Pegs"

SAXON1500 wrote:

Nothing better than the live version of Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!!!!
Quit, Quit throwing up- Don't, Don't tell me no, tell me yeah yeah yeah!!!!

Like I said in another thread, the first 4 Kix albums slay. My prefence goes in chronilogical order, but enthusiatically enjoy every thing they touched. And Funny Money was great too.

CORRECTION... Funny Money IS great too. They are still ALIVE & WELL... and touring.

Interesting tidbit of info on Blow My Fuse:

1. They were playing alot of this material live for a few years prior to the album coming out, there was not nearly as much of an AC/DC sound at that point.

2. Alot of the guitar & drums on the finished album aren't even played by the band members...at one point Ronnie & Brian showed up at the studio to lay down guitar tracks and the studio was locked...the producer had hired session guitarists to complete many of the parts. Never heard "why" this occurred but I'm assuming substance abuse problems had something to do with it. Most of the drums were played by Anton Fig (who performed similar duties on Midnight Dynamite).

3. There is a far superior version of "No Ring Around Rosie" on the soundtrack to the film "Johnny Be Goode" recorded quite a while before the Blow My Fuse sessions.

4. None of the albums (even the live ones) EVER quite duplicated what these guys could do on a headlining gig. Steve Whiteman was a raving lunatic, he played saxophone on some tracks...never heard on the albums. Donnie Purnell (the real mastermind behind the band) was also a whirling dervish on stage. I remember seeing them once in Cumberland MD and during the first song he cut the side of his foot open on something sharp at the front of the stage...it was bleeding like crazy. He didn't skip a beat, after the first track he grabbed one of Whiteman's scarves, wrapped it around his foot and played the rest of the gig. At the end of the night there was blood all over the stage.

Kix brings back alot of memories....

detuned wrote:

4. None of the albums (even the live ones) EVER quite duplicated what these guys could do on a headlining gig. Steve Whiteman was a raving lunatic, he played saxophone on some tracks...never heard on the albums. Donnie Purnell (the real mastermind behind the band) was also a whirling dervish on stage. I remember seeing them once in Cumberland MD and during the first song he cut the side of his foot open on something sharp at the front of the stage...it was bleeding like crazy. He didn't skip a beat, after the first track he grabbed one of Whiteman's scarves, wrapped it around his foot and played the rest of the gig. At the end of the night there was blood all over the stage.

Kix brings back alot of memories....

Amen brother. I saw Kix about a half dozen times between 1988 and 1995 and they always owned the place. They're still one of the best live bands I've ever seen, and I've seen my share!

Does anyone remember or own the side project that I believe was put together by the 2 guitarists from Kix? It was called the Slimmer Twins, a play on Glimmer Twins (nicknames for Mick & Keith of the Stones). I've never heard it myself, in fact, I don't know if they ever even released a cd. I think it was supposed to be a more laid-back Rolling Stones kinda rock album.

Anyone?

MetalGuy71 wrote:

Does anyone remember or own the side project that I believe was put together by the 2 guitarists from Kix? It was called the Slimmer Twins, a play on Glimmer Twins (nicknames for Mick & Keith of the Stones). I've never heard it myself, in fact, I don't know if they ever even released a cd. I think it was supposed to be a more laid-back Rolling Stones kinda rock album.

Anyone?

Heard OF it, but don't believe I ever HEARD it...

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