Photo by Sacha Griffin
Taking time out after delivering a birthday present for his granddaughter and wrangling his four dogs, in a rambling conversation Kevn Kinney talks about a new album, a book of lyrics, his paintings and the return of the livestream series Free Parking, which draws from the over 250 songs he has written.
How has the lockdown affected your creativity?
It’s been an acceleration period actually. I think I lasted about a week in denial than then said, ‘Here I go!’ I started by transcribing all my lyrics into book form called Songs You Heard Tonight and Most You Didn’t. It might be something to sell at the merch stand. I’m still working on that. Out of context of playing them live, it takes a while to remember them. I’ve also been painting a series called Kevn Kinney’s Glorified Autographs in A Minor. When I get enough done it will look somewhere between a children’s book and a Kitchen Sink comic. Its not fine art, more like idea sketches with lyrics on top of it.
After about two months of lockdown, I was talked into doing a webcast called Free Parking. It is exciting and challenging and really makes you think. You’ve got no audience (in front of you), and you hope someone is listening. It really gives me respect for WMZF DJs like Downstairs Dan and Bob Reitman—you are just broadcasting, and hope people are listening. I ramble, just like I’m rambling with you now.
I also started a record last January in Athens, GA and just finished it last Tuesday. I worked with producer David Barbe (Drive-By Truckers) – it was a fun way to make a record. The drive from Atlanta to Athens is like Milwaukee to Madison so I had time to think about it after each day’s work.
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I wrote a couple songs that are on this record that I started before the pandemic. It is hard to write in this climate. I remember playing at Irene J’s when Reagan was elected. When Jimmy Carter lost everyone thought the world was going to end. I try to write about overall feelings of people trusting each other. I try to talk about broader issues – the politics of being a working person. People issues.
Do you have a routine or schedule for staying in practice or working on new material?
Practicing for the Free Parking shows has been helpful. Working on the record has given me time to think about songs and recording. My daily routine? My dogs get me up and we walk about a mile and a half, have coffee with my wife, then I go upstairs and tweak a painting I’ve been working on or type out song lyrics.
I make sure that I sit on the back porch, taking advantage of the South and listen to music—whole records. I listened to the new Flaming Lips, Bad Company and a collection of early Stiff Records singles from when I was a kid. Also Whips, from Milwaukee—we had been using their song “Dominate” as our walk-on music for the last year. I try to cook and listen to music between 6 and 9 p.m.
Are you making plans for when you can resume playing in front of people again?
We recently did a benefit for Amplify My Community (the Decatur, GA organization whose mission is to fight poverty at the local level), where we played four 40-minute neighborhood shows on the back of a flatbed truck. It was a three-piece: me, Bryan Howard (Cracker bassist) and drummer Dave Johnson (Drivin’ N Cryin’)—that was a lot of fun.
After Thanksgiving we are playing a COVID-safe show at theater where they will only sell about 10% of the tickets so there will be about 200 people there. It takes the wind out of your sails and feels like you are bombing. It is hard when you don’t get the feedback from as many people.
When I was a kid, I saw Thin Lizzy with Graham Parker and the Rumour at the Riverside Theater. It was like January 19, freezing out, 20 degrees below zero and there was 300 people there. I’ve thought of that show recently. Luckily, I have enough merit badges from the first fifteen years of my career when no one came to see us play—I remember what it’s like!
You can watch Kevn Kinney's livestream on Friday, November 13 here.
