Did Steve Kimock Help Jerry Garcia Learn to Play His Guitar Again After His Coma

Steve Kimock is a very dynamic person who has a lot of things to say and a lot of cool groundwork and stories, and then it's actually fun to be able to pick that stuff out of Steve Kimock'southward brain. To have a conversation with him was really candid and existent fun. I actually capeesh everybody who was involved. Thanks again to Marking, June, Dennis, and Steve Kimock for helping the states out here today to brand WZRD's airwaves a footling more than special. It's WZRD Chicago 88.three FM the Wizard, Chicago's home for Freeform radio since 1974.

Nothing like talking to an artist who y'all accept followed for years who is simply so humble, so hardworking, and just really selfless in the sense of not looking for fame or coin or women or any of those things that sometimes rock stars are looking for. Steve Kimock is someone who can play, who tin improvise, and continues to make that hard work function of why he does information technology. I've got the Naught record sitting here ready to be spun. This is chosen Here Goes Null, that's the record, and the tune nosotros're going to hear is called Straitjackets. It'due south hither on WZRD Chicago, 88.three FM. Special thanks to Grateful Spider web for making this happen!

MP: You are listening to WZRD, Chicago, 88.three FM, The Wizard. Chicago'south dwelling for Freeform Radio since 1974 and I have on the line Steve Kimock, how are you lot doing, Steve?

Steve Kimock: I'chiliad good. Are nosotros over our technical hurdle?

MP: We are. You know, things sometimes are non always easy, but nosotros made it work.

Steve Kimock: No, I merely got a new iPad and I got information technology so I could use this slow downwards your program for music. And every bit presently as I fired it up, it merely sort of flashed it, didn't it? Oh yeah. What could perchance get wrong, correct?

MP: I mean, it's a brand new iPod. I meant to say iPad. I'm dating myself here. Only yeah, did yous go to figure information technology out?

Steve Kimock: I think so. See, I needed a fourteen-year-erstwhile!

MP: Totally. I was thinking the same affair. I'm like, Who can I call here? But y'all know what? It was simply a couple of buttons that were non pressed. So we are pressed, we are ready, and we're so excited that yous are coming to Chicago, Steve Kimock and friends. Tell us a picayune bit about this lineup and what you lot plan to do here in Chicago for the states.

Steve Kimock: Oh, well, nosotros intend to become slightly nuts because for the three days preceding will be supporting Hot Tuna. So opening up for Hot Tuna, for the outset of the week. So it'll be, playing shorter sets and more contained. Then by the fourth dimension we get to Chicago and information technology's our own evidence, nosotros'll be chomping at the flake to accept our own testify.

MP: That'south awesome.

Steve Kimock: For four of the two sets and the whole matter, anyhow, it's me and my son, John, on the drums. Who, I yet don't understand how information technology worked out this way, merely he's the all-time drummer I've ever played with. And he's my son. He'due south and then good.

MP: That'south amazing.

Steve Kimock: That's similar a giant... You know, I don't... I can't... I still can't procedure what a blessing that is for the firstborn to exist that into music and to be that practiced because he just literally kicks my barrel every night. So good. Anyway, so Johnny'southward on drums, my dearest oldest friend, Bill Goodman, a vocaliser, songwriter, slide guitarist who I went from Pennsylvania to California with the Goodman Brothers Band back in the 70s. He's on the gig.

MP: Oh, wow.

Steve Kimock: I couldn't go more trust or support from any ii people right at that place. Then that'south two guitars and drums. And there's a bass player, every bit you would imagine. Kenny Aaronson, a veteran of just too many famous acts to even mention, although I like to mention the Yardbirds because that'due south where all the practiced guitar players came from beyond the pond. Was Peter Light-green in the Yardbirds? He was for a minute. Anyway, we normally think of information technology as Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, but anyhow and our own here in Pennsylvania, a skilful friend and local treasure, Mike Barofsky on Keys and Vocal. So that'due south the entire routine unless because in Chicago, somebody comes in and sits in, you never know.

MP: Exactly. That's the all-time role virtually doing a friend show and but putting people together.

Steve Kimock: Yeah. Yes. It's the best part about doing a friends show in an actual city.

MP: Yeah, an bodily city.

Steve Kimock: As opposed to some hamlet tucked back in the hills, which has its ain charms. But it's not like you're going to expect it. Hey, in that location's this great tenor player in boondocks...

MP: Right?

Steve Kimock: And that works in Chicago. Information technology doesn't work in lots of other places.

MP: That's awesome. Thanks for sharing it. Nosotros're excited. And I mean, the Goodman Brothers, that's kind of what you lot went from Pennsylvania to San Francisco for the beginning, right?

Steve Kimock: Yeah. Exactly. That was the Hot Tuna connection, considering that was our starting time gig in California, though, information technology's a adept match with we've had to announce anyway, then that was fun.

MP: That'south nifty. That'southward actually cool to hear that information technology'due south all kind of coming dorsum. And yep, Chicago is this music boondocks where things can just collaborate and role in a different fashion than every other identify. So I'1000 excited for you lot to get to come off of the Hot Tuna bout and come here considering you're going to have that energy in that that real experience of like, let's play our own music and I'm excited to be at that place for that.

Steve Kimock: Are you going to go far to the show? I promise so.

MP: I'chiliad actually trying to. I got to work until most 9:30, but I'm going to try to rush it over there as soon as I tin.

Steve Kimock: No, you should. You should, I call back. Which is the venue?

MP: This is a City Winery in Chicago here.

Steve Kimock: City Winery, right? Yeah. No, I have played at that place with Hot Tuna at some indicate, played there with with with Jerry Joseph as well, while the Expressionless did their Fare Thee Well shows.

MP: Oh yep, you're right. I think I saw your show there, really, at present that I think about information technology.

Steve Kimock: I've been at that place. I remember that show specifically for the storytelling. At that place was some bang-up storytelling that night.

MP: Yeah, absolutely. Totally.

Steve Kimock: I call up.

MP: I think you did like an early prove and a late show.

Steve Kimock: It'south sort of a lost art for the rock and roll affair. But all of the earlier acoustic musicians, folk and blues musicians maybe non and so much bluegrass, but a lot of folk inclusions, there is lots of storytelling. Maybe one-half the nighttime was music, and the rest of the night was like anecdotes.

MP: Aye, which being an audience member, information technology's really dainty.

Steve Kimock: Yeah, it's entertaining and information technology's crude for me because some nights it comes naturally to speak to the people, and and so some nights it's really difficult. And I call up I finally figured it out after lx years. Information technology'south just the lights are right in my optics and I tin't see the people and I tin can't talk to them, I talk into the light and go, you know? I tin can talk to y'all considering it's on a phone. If there was a light in my optics right at present...

MP: It would be harder.

Steve Kimock: Yes, I'd exist similar, I'm not saying anything!

MP: So what do you lot practise in those situations? Do yous ask the lighting guy to cut back or you just don't talk?

Steve Kimock: Well, I squint and effort and get information technology together. Sometimes you can't do anything about it, you know? I hateful, they're there literally rooms. I don't know if you're ever on stage, only there are rooms yous become on phase and you meet the crowd and y'all go, Aye, and at that place are rooms you get on stage and y'all don't see annihilation. It's really weird.

MP: And it'south got to be difficult.

Steve Kimock: That'south difficult to make a connection nether those circumstances.

MP: Yes, it's like, OK, I'm speaking to the light, and I hope you guys empathize, but you can't see me. Exactly. I love information technology.

Steve Kimock: Yes, you tin can't actually stare into the spotlight and get, "But commencement, a joke!"

MP: Yep, correct? 'Well, nobody's laughing because I can't see them, are they mad or are they happy?'  Well, of course, yous're connected with the Grateful Dead. You've been in multiple bands that accept been around the Dead, the Other Ones, and unlike facets. What really got you lot into information technology or what was your start peek into that life?

Steve Kimock: Oh, I was taking care of a friend's house in Lagunitas, California, dorsum in the late 70s. And I got a telephone call. I didn't fifty-fifty know how he found my number. This was not like cell telephone fourth dimension, you know? But the phone rings and I choice information technology up. I am house sitting and a lady on the other end, 'Is this Steve Kimock?' And I said, Aye. 'Kimock, similar the guitar player?' I'm like, Yeah, who's this? Donna Godcheaux. And I was like, No, information technology'due south non and I was like, I'one thousand convinced that it was, you lot know, some of my friends pranking me with some crap, and I was not amused. And so I kind of chewed her out. And then she goes, No, really! Will yous come up and play? And I estimate this was right after they got out of the Grateful Dead for reasons that I will not become into. Merely they bailed or were shown the door, or however, that work was washed and they were right away playing with people that I knew: John Chipolina, George Molina was playing. And I was similar, Yeah, I'm coming! So anyway, that was the commencement and it wasn't too long after that I got that weird call. That was the early on 80s and then just, I mean, I was in town, and merely kind of like a new guy in town staying. And it's hard to explain what a small community that was and at the same time, how many musicians and how fertile a musical community it was. It'southward just north of San Francisco in the 70s when everybody was there, Ali Akbar Khan for crying out loud, great, y'all know, Indian classical music, great jazz musicians Joe Pass was picking upwards trash on the side of the highway. It was, it was like everybody at that place was a musician, a piddling record store in town, a little tiny boondocks. It was Fairfax, California. It was where I lived. It was Van Morrison's mom and dad who owned the record store. It was like that.

MP: That's amazing!

Steve Kimock: Phil Lesh would choice me up hitchhiking. It was like, everybody was right in that location. So information technology wasn't like I was some child who came from Texas to New York Metropolis. Information technology was just impossibly big and information technology would take years to kind of get into. I landed and met everybody almost instantly. It was kind of crazy, all the crew, the people and the guys in the band, and and so forth.

MP: Wow.

Steve Kimock: But anyhow, that's where it started. Information technology was circumstance. It was just a very close-knit community. And I happened to wander into information technology at the right fourth dimension and I was young enough to be crazy plenty on the instrument that attracted some attention.

MP: Yeah, that's wonderful, thanks for painting that picture. I hateful, Joe Pass on the side of the highway and Van Morrison'southward parents! Nobody's ever given me that kind of intimate details of everybody was merely there and I knew that. But I didn't know how intimate and how connected it was.

Steve Kimock: It was a small town. Y'all would come across these guys at the deli. You'd see Jerry Garcia coming out of the fiddling breakfast place and stuff similar that.

MP: Yeah, I love that. So obviously, the community itself has resonated with yous all these years, and I'm sure that part of the way you play and what you do echoes that community. What is it about the Grateful Dead community that's worthwhile and worth spanning time?

Steve Kimock: That's kind of a flim-flam question. I don't want to answer this in a way that ruffles anybody's feathers, merely those are contrary sides of unlike glass. Gathering and community and fellowship is its own thing apart from the Grateful Expressionless. People gather for lots of reasons. Most of them are adept. I like to keep information technology that way. And it'southward kind of crude for me because I'thousand a musician, and so I didn't get the whole gathering thing at all. At first, as I was growing upward, coming from a footling steel town in Pennsylvania and so the Goodman brothers. I remember the get-go time somebody said something about a ring having a vibe or a room having a vibe or a crowd having a vibe. I was like, What's the vibe? Practice y'all know? What does information technology hateful for at that place to exist a feeling associated hither? I had no idea! So it took me a while to capeesh what was going on on the other side of the glass and then what I figured out, I was similar, Oh, expert grief! The gig is actually 99% social! The function where my olfactory organ is to the grindstone kind of gets me in the door once in a while. Simply that'south non what it'south most. It really actually is about the people and the fellowship and the dancing around the burn down thing that we all accept been doing for a one thousand thousand years. That'due south what it's about. No. Again, because I'one thousand a musician, the Grateful Expressionless affair to me is about the music and how did they exercise their thing correct? That's a different affair, and that's a really specific thing that's Jerry's songwriting with Robert Hunter and stuff like that, where that'southward coming from. It's a production that they had mounted over the years and the innovations that they created. Both with technical stuff and how they did business. And so. Yeah, both those things are worth talking about. Only yeah, the Grateful Expressionless to me is nearly what those guys did specifically, apart from the parking lot.

MP: Absolutely. And I think, even outside of the parking lot, information technology's this mentality to a lot of us, in my generation, maybe aren't as religious, maybe more secular. And information technology'southward like, Oh! At that place is this vibe or thing happening that you lot can still feel customs and accept people lean on your shoulder or lean on theirs and be able to have that feeling that you may non accept because you're not part of a church building or a community kind of thing in your boondocks. So I feel that is resonating and that is, still as stiff every bit it was 50 years ago, and beyond that.

Steve Kimock: Oh yep, no. Information technology'southward as strong every bit e'er because people genuinely demand that, you know? I hateful, that's why there is stuff like church. That'south why there are tribes. That's why there are families. On some level, we become to option our own, pick our ain spots for that, and we always did. That information technology's apart and all nearly it makes me happy. It's just like knowing how far back this whole routine goes because it's getting the kids to bed and then dancing around the fire a little right? All that jazz. That goes all the way back, right?

MP: Actually far back.

Steve Kimock: Information technology'south funny, likewise, considering only as a human activity, you know... When I'm out there in Montana or whatever Utah or something like that, you lot get to sit downward with some of these guys and all they do is work with horses and stuff like that. And you're similar, Oh, yeah, your job goes fashion dorsum also. It'southward similar that.

MP: Totally, thanks for expanding on that. I appreciate that. I want to know about young Kimock. When you were a kid, who was inspiring you lot in your tribe and your family to get into music or to pursue it?

Steve Kimock: Obviously, it's the people closest to you lot, you lot know? I think my mom said, yous should play an instrument!

MP: Give you something to do?

Steve Kimock: Well, yep! I remember that she saw that I was otherwise attracted to looking at the world as things that I could light on fire and things that I could not light on burn down, going around the universe with a pack of matches. She said, 'Do something else.' So I said, I want to play the violin. And she says, get across the street from Grandma's house to Paychecks house. The Paycheck's kid just got a violin. So I was like 12 or something like that, so I walked across the street and I could see through the screen door, I could run into like the fender amp, I remember to this day a fender amp upward on a chair, so similar ane coil cord going one way and ane curlicue cord going the other fashion. The guy had electric violin and he was on the phone and he says, I got a new electric violin! You should hear this! The amplifier pointed right at my head, hit the violin and I went, screaming back to my Grandma'south business firm in tears. It was and then loud. So. I immediately went to the guitar because I knew it couldn't exist possibly as loud as the violin. My Aunt Dottie was a folk vocaliser, she got me into it and my cousin Kenny actually played electric guitar. Back and so, he had a gilt summit Les Paul, I have that Les Paul still. It's coming with me to Chicago, it'south my favorite guitar. I'k playing the guitar that was my cousin'south guitar that got me into it. And so that'southward gone full circle. But it was people closest to me, family, that got me into it. And so information technology was the people who I was closest to in those formative years, like Billy Goodman, for example, who'south also on the gig along with my cousin Kenny'southward Les Paul, all those people are the biggest influences, really. People will say, who did you listen to when you were a child? Oh, Blackness Sabbath! I was a huge Sabbath fan as a child. You know, but honestly, equally big an influence equally somebody similar Eric Clapton might have been Cream was a big deal when I was a kid. That's non a bigger influence on me than my cousin, Kenny. He was a direct influence, every bit you lot know, as a hero. Equally much as as as I enjoyed all the residuum of this stuff that I was listening to, whatever information technology was, Allman Brothers, Santana, none of it was as personal as what came from family or close friends.

MP: That's really awesome, that's cool to hear. And it'south absurd that you lot equate both of those things just as of import, something like Black Sabbath and your cousin Kenny could be but every bit important to your journey into how you got there. Aye, it has to practice with that tribe.

Steve Kimock: I call back a lot of times when that... Because I mean, that'southward a standard musical question. It's similar, Well, what were y'all listening to, correct? And there are people that are enormously influential just because they're musical giants. You know, plain, I'thou influenced by John Coltrane. Y'all know, manifestly, influenced by Bach, you know? Yeah, I mean, it's a large question. Yep, there are peachy musicians, you know, Ali Akbar Khan or my friend Debbie Bhattacharya. Of course, I'm influenced by those people, only the closer they are to you lot, the bigger influence they're going to have, in more profound ways.

MP: Absolutely. And I feel like, with your son, well with all your kids, I've heard that y'all've just supported them in whatever it is that they're interested in and non effort to push anything, simply back up. And I think that, similar you lot just said, it'due south probably a large deal that his father is then into music and actually just enjoys information technology and isn't in it for the commercial or the corporate vibe, is just there to play because it feels expert.

Steve Kimock: At present the youngest, who is 14 has come up to me every mean solar day going, Hey, testify me something, show me something, bear witness me something! We're playing some blues and trying to work on the little beginnings of some Allman Brothers stuff. It feels really adept. Hopefully, we'll just keep, I don't even know if, hopefully, is the right word. I'g just happy to have gotten to the betoken in a musical life where I feel like I'm passing forth stuff to the next generation because I think that's the gig in a larger sense. Exercise your best to digest what's what so that you tin larn from what you lot can listen to and Pass It On.

MP: Absolutely, and you do information technology in such a humble way in which you're like, Hey, y'all don't accept to exercise this at all! I'm hither for y'all if you want and I'll support you in whatever you practice. That's really cool that it'south come around full circle from family to another generation of the family.

Steve Kimock: Yay!

MP: Yeah! That gave me goosebumps thinking of the youngest i coming, Hey, dad, testify me this! Within, you lot're like, I'm honored, but I don't want to exist too excited. Yeah, cool! Let'due south do this! It'south very cool.

Steve Kimock: Right? Well, it's in the proper context in betwixt Marvel movies or Angry Birds...

MP: Normal kid stuff.

Steve Kimock: Yeah, there'due south still normal kids stuff there. My normal kid stuff evaporated really apace around maybe 16, and I was similar, I'm just going to play the guitar. I don't care if I have to alive in the gutter, And so I did! I lived in the gutter and played guitar for almost 40 years before I made whatsoever money.

MP: I dearest it!  So is it all boys that you have or how many kids do you accept?

Steve Kimock: Oh aye. Iv. It'due south four boys.

MP: Wow, that's awesome. That'south very cool. I actually just found on our shelves, WZRD Chicago has been hither since 1974, a Goose egg record, Here Goes Nothing.

BIG LAUGH

MP: It's probably from when it came out. I know! Isn't that funny?! I love it. I was similar, I bet we have some, some Kimock or Zero in here. And certain enough, we did so and Relix Records, which I didn't even know was a label at that time. Very, very cool. 1987, looking at all the pictures of you guys, just totally different fourth dimension.

Steve Kimock:  My goodness, information technology was such a different time!

MP: Such a dissimilar time! But that's coming dorsum a niggling fleck, right? Aren't you going to exercise something with Naught coming up in February?

Steve Kimock: Yeah, I hope so. Nosotros never actually know what's going on. We just did a gig and we're working on some more. I know that. And from the Bully American Music Hall sessions, we have a whole other batch of material that'due south set up to exist released presently. I'chiliad very excited about it considering there are and so many great musicians in that band at the time on that project who are no longer with us, who were love friends of mine and I miss him. Anyhow, Martin Fierro is on saxophone, main among them.

MP: Yeah

Steve Kimock: There's and then much great Martin on this new tape. Nicky Hopkins is on information technology and John Kohn and Estimate who was our singer the entire fourth dimension. It's only like and so many bang-up players and people, so close to my heart, and I miss them. There they are on the record. And so we keep that all alive in our memory.

MP: That'due south the way to do it. It's really cool that this project was going on for so many years and information technology's coming back or that you lot're keeping it fresh and doing new things. According to Facebook, I think you've got a show at the Fillmore coming up in Feb 2022.

Steve Kimock: That's correct.

MP: Absurd. That'southward very cool.

Steve Kimock: Yeah. Are you coming to this? Come on, get upwards. Arrive the car.

MP: Hey, information technology's time for me to get back out at that place. It's been a while. Maybe I will. Thanks for the invite!

Steve Kimock: Oh, you know, speaking of getting back, I will not hesitate to remind you lot that there's no... You tin can't go back.  That stuff was a time and you can't go back in time. There'due south stuff happening now, I don't know where it is, but it's non, it's not where information technology was. It moved on.

MP: Yeah, information technology's unlike now, but it's out of the aforementioned vein or the same idea, merely totally unlike, totally revamped, and a totally dissimilar identify. It's non the same identify, that'south for certain.

Steve Kimock: I don't like information technology, just there was a before time - before the virus, before the pandemic, correct? At that place was a scene all over the globe, at that place was entertainment. Bands and musicians and gigs and coiffure and venues and everybody- agents, everybody that was doing everything - and then everything folded upwardly for long enough for people to wander off. Now, we go to run across the extent to which there was tremendous interconnectedness and interdependence and a chaotic effect. There's no mode that things were going to reassemble in the way that they were. And so now that things are starting to get dorsum together... The bad news is that unless yous were actually at the top of the matter, the very top bands are notwithstanding the very meridian bands, only everything underneath - all the venues, the promoters, everything is just similar trying to figure out where it'due south going to exist again. The upside to that is it gets to exist new. Nosotros get to all have a new relationship to the scene and to each other. Let's do a good job of information technology, is what I'm saying. Practise a skilful job with our music. Do a skilful job with our community because we accept an opportunity now postal service-pandemic to renew that, to brand it new.

MP: Yeah.

Steve Kimock: Yeah. Let'south practise this. Let's practise that only out of respect for each other, for our elders, for our kids, for the music. All that jazz.

MP: Yeah, totally.

Steve Kimock: Aye, nosotros're doing a skillful job.

MP: We are. A year and a half ago, nosotros probably were not certain what this would look like. So now we should only use it and take it and make it new and fresh and exciting and pave the way for the side by side generation of musicians and audiences combined. Exactly. That's really absurd. I like that

Steve Kimock: As much as in that location's always been work to exercise. We really do have actress work. Nosotros accept extra work nosotros demand to do right now.

MP: Totally.

Steve Kimock: And yeah, that's the responsibility that is thrust upon us past the times we live in. Yeah, you're role of that too. A big office of it. And all the people that are listening, you know, if you can get out to to see music or play music yourself or... Things are a little screwy. Let's make information technology nice.

MP: Aye, let'southward make it resonate throughout and change the perspective of what the current time is. The more music, the more than community, the freer nosotros feel because I think a lot of united states of america have felt so trapped for a while. This is a great way to break back out into this.

Steve Kimock: Exactly right!

MP: Mail-pandemic or later. Pandemic world, nonetheless, nosotros want to put it. Y'all know, I was playing a melody Tongue In Groove before you called, and someone from one of the Nix groups hither on Facebook was maxim that that jam or that that really came out of a zippo jam session with John Kahn?

Steve Kimock: Sure.

MP: Tell me virtually that. If y'all know the story or if this is right. Sometimes I bring this stuff upward and the artist is like, What are yous talking about?!

Steve Kimock: We had a place where we apposite out on this ranch, we had this barn out in the hills in Westward Marin by Samuel P. Taylor State Park. At that place was a horse barn for the cavalry. It looked like the Our Gang Clubhouses, information technology was a lot of fun. As you said people were going there to play, John Kahn was over and he wanted to play, Sexual Healing. So he starts playing those changes, right? And then he got to the span.

MP: The Marvin Gaye'southward Sexual Healing bridge is what you're talking about?

Steve Kimock: Yep, that part was cool. Then the 2nd office of that, da da da da, then I was similar, Oh, this is kind of cool. But the first office of those chord changes they're the same changes to Beast of Burden or Talk to the Lawyer, fairly stark changes. I idea, oh, expect a minute, permit'southward keep this part, merely I'll treat it like a Linley kind of a tune. The side by side B role then that we came up with, I think, was some kind of riff on another David Linley affair merely to meet, for me, so. You know, John Kahn riffing on Sexual Healing and me not liking information technology.

MP: I love it! Then it morphed and morphed into that!

Steve Kimock: Period of war, and I wrote another melody for it and made some other stuff. That's where it started. That's non atypical, really. Everything starts with something else, something that you heard or something that yous like, simply you lot're going to move it around a footling bit.

MP: Yeah. So it's not necessarily copying if yous start there and you just try to apply that to get to somewhere else and to observe your path.

Steve Kimock: Oh!

MP: I mean, I guess it depends on the...

Steve Kimock: I don't know. That's a skilful question. I mean, I have no aversion to imitation or mimicry, or merely simply doing it like that, playing the piece as written, whatever it is, I think it's OK. I think information technology'southward OK to commencement there and get in your own. I don't think information technology'southward possible to start entirely from scratch. Even the folks that are sort of like Harry Partch or you know, microtonal. Microtonal is an American composer who invented his own musical system. They created these instruments to play and everything like that, fifty-fifty that was a reaction to existing music.

MP: Oh, that's that's cool, that's a bully way to put it.

Steve Kimock: Even the more modern composing of a timeline in a computer and stuff similar that, it'due south all the same... I don't think anybody can distance themselves from their performative listening or to the audience'due south expectation that, the cultural expectation for music. Nosotros think certain things are in tune are pleasant or dissonant. Just basic concepts like that, constants and dissonance, tuning, stuff like that, those are all just constructs and we tin can't escape them. If we attempt to, then that'due south notwithstanding where we start from. I'm using the same 12 notes, correct? Everybody else does pretty much the aforementioned iii chords, you lot know?

MP: Yeah.

Steve Kimock: Everybody does their ain way. That's that. I'll put it to you this way, music, I think, is a succession of feeling states. You hear it and you resonate with it in a certain way. Information technology plays on your emotions in time and that'southward that. It's just how we hear and how nosotros feel, how we perceive that part. It doesn't require a specific origin from the art or any similarity or difference. It's just it's your emotional country relative to the resonances that yous had at the fourth dimension, you know, it's you.

MP: Aye, absolutely. How you react to that or how y'all feel. A question I had for you - when you're figuring something out on guitar, you're kind of stuck or you're having trouble figuring something out or just can't get that sound right?

Steve Kimock: BIG LAUGH

MP: Which I'k not saying you lot specifically! Everybody gets in those...

Steve Kimock: Oh, yes!

MP: Yes, y'all know?! Like it'southward just kind of at a standstill on, like, what the heck am I doing?! Does that resonate in your life sometimes? Do you feel that when you figure something out on the guitar, then you can figure out something y'all've been contesting in your personal life?

Steve Kimock: Oh, that's a good question! I never continued those two things! Oh, I finished this song. Now I don't feel bad nearly this thing that happened to me. I think they're all different. There's a peachy Brian Wilson, Beachport, in that location's a thing, actually, I recollect is on a Telly on one of the specials where he's trying to figure something out on the piano. He just wants one lilliputian change, 1 little voice leading one little part like just i discussion. And it only needs a chord and he can't become it. He only goes berserk on the keyboards in place, like utter, cacophony, nonsense, crazy stuff for like five minutes, and and then stops and he plays the correct chord. Information technology's like, go all the residual of the possibilities out of his system. So when you get stuck, that's one thing that you can do. I've done that. But mostly, I think the answer is whether it'south in your life or in the music, my own approach to it is that I merely practice, with no sense of advantage. I don't crave that I go anything from information technology. I simply accept to do the work.

MP: Right.

Steve Kimock: If there'south something there, then slap-up! If there's zero there, and then proceed with no thought of advantage and that I'm supposed to become something from it. I'chiliad supposed to do information technology. If I get something from it, then that'due south a souvenir, thank yous. I don't get it without working for it, so I can't end working.

MP: Aye, that is a good manner to look at information technology. That is something I've idea well-nigh with playing for so long and existence able to... you get stuck. You can't shell yourself up every time. I similar the way you say, if I go something from it and I feel good, it's a gift. If not, then there's naught...

Steve Kimock: Oh, yep! That's the thing! People remember that I'm going to do this, and so I get this, and it'southward similar, No!

MP: Y'all're expecting the advantage. So then you're not going to become the reward.

Steve Kimock: You get Nothing! (laughter)

MP: Yes. Really! (laughter) Take you not learned anything?!

Steve Kimock: You simply have to do the work. Just keep working on it. Yous keep your nose to the grindstone. Later 50 years later, something happens nice or non. That's no reason to lose, in music particularly, if you think y'all're going to become something from it. Just don't carp!

MP: Things in general, right? If you lot recollect yous're going to do it to get something out of information technology, some ulterior motive, then maybe it won't be pure and it's non going to exist worth it.

Steve Kimock: Yeah, I call back it's okay to exercise things because you dear to practice them or you tin can't assist yourself. Y'all're compelled, you lot know? I hateful, which is generally my matter with the instrument. I simply did not know what else to do. I had to practice information technology. I was never really talented or anything similar that. I felt like I needed to piece of work on it. Equally long as I kept working on information technology, that is doing something. I'thou sure in that location are other kinds of people, I run into them all the time. I think it's obvious when somebody is then much a class A personality that they're bursting out of their peel with some kind of functioning energy. It wouldn't matter if they could play or not, They're then whoo-who! that everybody's reacting with whoo-who! simply that's non me. I'm the guy that works on it.

MP: I similar that. I think that's skilful advice, especially for people who are getting into music and just don't empathize. Anything that yous really desire in your life and you don't see immediate results because nothing is that easy. It's worth doing. It'southward worth the hard work and being humble almost it because then you terminate up having something you lot're proud of at some betoken. The importance of exercise and standing to learn your craft and hone your craft is something that you definitely embody.

Steve Kimock: Thank you, I intend to go along it upwards.

MP: Good piece of work! I'm loving the beard, did you cut it or are we going to see you in a full-fledged beard out here?

Steve Kimock: Every couple of weeks when I get in front of the mirror, accidentally, because I really do not like the mirror, and go, 'Good Lawrd!'

MP: Me too!

Steve Kimock: I'll take scissors and I'll take a petty snip over here, a lilliputian snip over there and go, is that better?! I don't know. It's withal at that place. When stuff shut downward, I was like, all right, screw information technology, I'm growing a bristles and I'm going to shave it off when they finally get a vaccine for this crap. And and then they got a vaccine and nobody took it. I was like no! That's not fair! At present I'1000 going to shave information technology off and everybody takes the vaccine.

MP: No shave November is at present turned into a no-shave vaccine. No vaccine.

Steve Kimock: Pitiful!

MP: Sorry. Oh, I like that. Well, that'southward your visual component. Hey, if yous don't similar it, you improve practice what you got to exercise.

Steve Kimock: Yeah. You don't similar information technology, get the shot.

MP: Yeah, maybe two. Maybe a booster. Then I'll shave my head. Oh, man. Well, this has been really fun, Steve. I hope you're excited to come up to the Windy City. Nosotros're very excited to have yous here,

Steve Kimock: And I am just super looking forrard to information technology because I've had some neat really unique musical experiences in Chicago. I actually feel like this is going to be another one. I'm looking forward to it. I'm looking forrard to the travel and I'thou looking forward to the timing of information technology, particularly insofar as information technology volition be a release for the whole band from the support part, which I love because I love the Hot Tuna guys, but we'll be ready to throw down when we get there.

MP: That'due south awesome. There's nothing like having a actually good experience right before that and being on the side, non the chief event, only now you go to take over the room.

Steve Kimock: It'southward like taking the ankle weights off!

MP: Now go swim, you're going to dear it! City Winery is such a beautiful place. It'southward so intimate. So hopefully we'll get a little commentary also and perchance even hear nearly some of the musical experiences you've had here in Chicago. I remember that's pretty crawly to take in your back pocket. I'm looking forward to seeing John on the drums. I think that's a really absurd Father-Son thing. Keep up the expert work with being a good father and taking care of your kids. It'southward a good thing. Nosotros're happy to meet you guys in activeness. So that is the tenth that's coming up real quick. Friday, Dec 10th at viii pm. We'll come across you lot there at City Winery.

Steve Kimock: Exist there or be square. As we used to say!

MP: We actually appreciate it, and I volition come up and say hello if I make it out to the testify.

Steve Kimock: Ok, you better!

MP: I volition, for sure. I can't not!!

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Source: https://www.gratefulweb.com/articles/interview-steve-kimock-wzrd-883-fm-chicago

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