Get Your Kix Here!
Longevity in the music business is a much-mooted topic. Who will stumble? Who will crumble? Whose Rock ‘n Roll train will trundle along merrily, loading up with new passengers and delivering devilishly good tunes along the way.
Kix are in party mood; and well deserved too as they prepare to re-release their brilliant “Blow My Fuse” album to mark the 30th anniversary. Refreshingly titled “Fuse 30 Reblown” and due for release on 21st September, this humdinger of a record has been remixed by Beau Hill (Warrant, Alice Cooper), and remastered by Jay Frigoletto (Tesla, Alice In Chains).
Here, guitarist Brian Forsythe takes some time out to speak to Original Rock.
What are the high points and low points of your career for you?
My whole career overall could be considered a high point! I’ve definitely been blessed to be able to play music as a career! But to be more specific, of course things like having “Don’t Close Your Eyes” go to number 11 on the charts was a high point. Pretty much every time I step out on stage and see all the faces looking up at us, is a high point. Maybe my highest point hasn’t happened yet! As far a low point, for me personally it was at the end of the 1990s when I found myself in jail as a result of drug addiction. But even that turned into something good, and I’ve been sober since April Fool’s Day 1998!
How do you feel about downloading music? I know it is new technology, but I feel there was an anticipation waiting for the release date, then going in person to buy records/cassettes, for me that sentiment has been diminished.
Yes, things have changed! The downloading thing definitely takes the fanfare out of a release date. It’s also harder to keep track of everything as far as the business side of things. When I get my BMI statement and see a song has been played close to 12,000 times and then look and see that I got paid 11cents for that, it’s disheartening. I’ll still buy the physical CD if I really like a band. I like having the artwork and song info which you don’t get when downloading.
Name a song that you wish you wrote, mine is “America” by Razorlight.
Wow, there are so many! But if I had to pick just one… today I would pick “BrownSugar” – The Rolling Stones.
If your band didn’t exist, which of the bands that are around now would you want to be in?
Blackberry Smoke!
The 80’s rock scene with the big hair and make-up was always ridiculed. What are your thoughts on this?
It happens all the time with fashion trends. When you look back on an era there is always something to cringe at. We were caught up in it and it seemed natural, at least for me, at the time. There were some bands that had no clue and had to have a stylist dress them and you could tell they weren’t being true to who they really were. There are always trend setters and trend followers, the trend setters tend to be the cool ones (most of the time).
How do you write songs? Do you prefer to work alone, does the melody come first, the lyrics or the song title?
I have no idea! I haven’t stumbled on to any kind of formula, it happens differently every time, but I usually start with a guitar riff or cool drum beat. I work best with another person, that seems to spark ideas within me. I work even better on other people’s initial ideas. I like taking someone’s raw idea and making it into something cool.
Is there a subject matter you would never write about, or you would find difficult to write about?
Not that I can think of. I’m pretty open about most things.
What is your favourite dream and your worst nightmare?
I think some of my favorite dreams were nightmares! I view dreams as a form of entertainment.
If you were to be immortalised, what would you have done? For example, oil painting, marble statue, waxwork, engraving etc.
A solo record (someday) might do it! My father actually did a painting of me years ago that I have on the wall upstairs along with a big 4’x4’ painting of the first KIX album cover that my older brother painted. I also have several “Brian Damage” Japanese dolls that were given to me on our first trip to Japan in 1989.
Are you cat or dog people? Me, I’m the crazy cat lady!
I love all animals, but I lean more toward dogs. I don’t have a dog at the moment but between my girlfriend and I, we have four cats.