KIX FRONTMAN STEVE WHITEMAN DISCUSSES HIS NEW SOLO ALBUM, “YOU’RE WELCOME” AND THE STATUS OF NEW KIX MUSIC, STATING, “I DON’T THINK ANYBODY ELSE IS INTO IT AT THIS POINT”

Ruben Mosqueda of KNAC.com spoke with Kix frontman Steve Whiteman, portions of the interview appear below.

KNAC.com: When I last spoke with you, it was when you were doing press for the Midnite Dynamite Re-Lit release. Toward the end, I asked you about new KIX music and you mentioned you were working on a solo album.

Whiteman: Yeah, that’s right. I will add that while You’re Welcome  is my first album as a solo artist, I did do some records with Funny Money after Kix. I wrote those two Funny Money albums, but this is the first solo thing that I have done.

KNAC.com: So what has it been like for you to be stepping out all on your own like this?

Whiteman: This all just started when Jimmy Chalfant our drummer [Kix] and [guitarist] Brad Divens got together and recorded some cover songs in the studio. Jimmy mentioned to Brad that I had a bunch of songs that I was sitting on. I didn’t know when and if Kix would have gotten ready to record or if they would even be used. Jimmy suggested that we record some original stuff. I went to Brad with some songs, we sat down with all 12 songs that are on the record. My thought was that we’d pick the best 9-10 songs, but Brad suggested that we record them all. Brad said, ‘Sounds like you’re making a solo album.’ I looked at him and replied, ‘I guess so.’ [laughs] That’s how it happened. Then we got Bob Pare [guitar] involved and then Dean Cramer [guitar], Brad, Jimmy and myself. What great players. I’m happy with their performances. On the demos, I played everything, on the album having these guys brought the songs to the next level.

KNAC.com: There’s a couple of tunes where you’re playing everything. I was not aware that you were this skilled outside of your vocal abilities and your harp playing.

Whiteman: I really wanted to make sure that I played everything on at least a couple of tracks. I played rhythm tracks on the album along with Bob. I said to Jimmy, ‘Hey Jimmy, I know you’re a great drummer, but I have to play at least two songs on this album.’ [laughs] I was once a drummer too. In fact, Jimmy replaced me as the drummer in Kix. When it came to guitar solos I left that up to Bob and Dean, because they know how to do that. I have limitations. There’s stuff on the record where I play harp, I had that on the demos, because I don’t solo. When it came time to record the songs for the record, I figured they could put in a solo in its place. The guys were like, ‘Oh no, keep that. It sounds great on there.’

KNAC.com: Since the completion of You’re Welcome, have there been more songs written for later use?

Whiteman: Yes. There’s more songs that can be used for a later time.

KNAC.com: Going back to the new Kix music thing, is there potential for new Kix tunes or are you in the same place as you were back in December?

Whiteman: I’d love to do it. I don’t think anybody else is into it at this point. I never say never, but it’s not taking place in the foreseeable future. If we’re going to do it, we need to do it right, we need to have Taylor Rhodes on board for it to make it work, I think. We’re going to be putting a lot of money into it between the producer, studio and other production costs. We’re in a spot where we don’t have a label, so we’d have to find a label or put it out ourselves, which I don’t need to tell you how expensive that can be.

Read more at KNAC.com.

To learn more about Whiteman’s solo album, You’re Welcome, please go here.