These pages are updated exhaustively and often, and with the active
participation of RAW Kinder. OK, they weren't for a while, but that's
because we were busy putting out our first album! We'll stay on it from now
on. Promise. Don't be surprised by major changes in look and content ... on
the other hand, don't be surprised if there aren't major changes either. The
Net is like that (road to hell is paved with unbought stuffed dogs, etc.).
This is the page here that's likely to change most often, so if you want
a one-bookmark high-speed line in to RAW Kinder info, now would be
the time to press that there button.
Big Ongoing News: The first commercial RAW Kinder recordings are out now on "Burner," our Home Office Records compilation CD of music by a few exceptional artists who work at, drink at, hang out at or are otherwise connected with the East Village beer bar d.b.a. That's where HO first encountered Renée and RAW Kinder, and it's been a constant source of friendship, exchange and productivity for us and many others: it's one of those places where the sun is always shining, even when it seems dark.
Now, this can go two ways -- you can sit around and wait and catch up with
this music later, when your Cool Friends tell you about it, or you can Be
That Guy/Gal and order "Burner" now
from our nifty little HO on-line store ... which is, while you're
there, full of choice goodies from other indie acts too, and the odds are
that you can't get 'em near you. If you live in New York City you can get
some of them (only some!), but you'll have to look real hard. Remember: we
don't carry it if we don't like it! If they tell you that at your nearby
FacelessMega CD Emporium, they're lying. You can tell 'em HO said so.
Carpe Diem: be the one to tell your friends! Lead, don't follow.
Friday June 13, 1997: A lot is percolating, but the coffee isn't ready yet. We're still trying to get RAW Kinder up to Cape Cod at the Beachcomber in Wellfleet first week of July, but they're playing hard-to-get. Trying to book Hootie in that slot, or something. We hope to have the band on the road to Providence and Boston in early August for their first out-of-town run. The first of many, of course.
Renée is just back from a two-week bliss in Puerto Rico, and is
suntanned her usual amazing summer crême brulée color -- her reflective,
grounded calm is infectious. She brought back at least one fascinating new
song with her, which may or may not be called "Guru Om" and breaks into yet
new territory. Ian is using his new second KORG keyboard now, and
looks quite the Steve Nieve/Emerson figure behind the stack; he tells us that
he is sequencing more and more of the basic tracks, which frees him up to
layer the sound deeper and to add textures and effects when needed. Word has
it that soon he will be the entire Rochester Philharmonic, all by himself.
Charlie is a fountain of energy and inspiration of late, and some of
his recent guitar work has impressed people who used to be wowed by the
old guitar work: he is weaving lines that would be solos for other
players in as background, or as brief splashes of complex, controlled sound.
RAW Kinder's last gig on the 12th at the Internet Cafe on Third Street was a sparsely-attended glory. They did two full sets, debuting the rocking new "Indian River" (which has "single" written all over it) and other unheard stuff. Renée's rethinkings of "Annabel" and a couple of other Kinder chestnuts were ample measure of how far they've come in the last couple of years. Still, we missed "Jezebel." Hope it will come back to the set list soon. The gig had the feel of a reunion, what with the players separated for a whole two weeks prior -- as if they had come back to what they had been doing all their lives. Don't miss them at their next dates! Confirmed: July 27th at Luna Lounge on a double bill with Pawnshop, and then August 15th at CB's Gallery with bluecowboys ... bands that HO together, grow together.
Between the Last Update and Now: Strange little birds on strange
little walls assure us that RAW Kinder is a lock to play the Intel
New York Music Festival this July at their staunchly supportive venue,
CB's Gallery. The festival runs July 16-19, and as soon as we have
booking information available we'll let you know.
On one of her junkets upstate, Renée ran across some manner of vintage Mercedes camper for sale, with chrome and air horns and things like that (we're picturing a blimp with wheels). As it happens, Home Office Records is in the market for such a vehicle to whisk the bands to their out-of-town appointments ... we'll have a mechanic look it over, and start the dickering. Now the real question -- what should we name it?
Reconstructed, briefly, from May 18, 1997: What a party we had on "Burner" release night at Luna Lounge! It looked to us like about 120 people packed in on a Sunday night, to catch joyous sets by RAW Kinder and all of the other HO artists, including Mark Stewart, who had been playing at Lincoln Center all day long (leave Alice Tully Hall, head down to Luna Lounge -- that must be making some kind of musical history, right there). RAW Kinder played their four album tracks, bringing them to just about their 30 allotted minutes, and having HO jazz cousin Rob Schwimmer guest in on Theremin for "Back to the Lemon Garden" was electrifying and then some. All three of the Kinder outdid all of what has gone before, driving the music with a wonderful ecstasy and ending with a packed room of whooping, happy people. It was, quite simply, The Best. God bless us, every one.
If you'd like an electronic reminder for the above RAW Kinder gigs, and all and sundry other Kinder dates, be sure to join the mailing list!