Photo by M.A. Baratta
I first became
familiar with Kepi’s existence back in the mid 1990’s when I bought the Groovie
Ghoulies masterpiece World Contact Day
LP on Lookout! Records. I was taken by not only the music, but the whole mood
the music created: it was dark, fun, and just had an all around charming
atmosphere. It was like watching my favorite Hanna Barbera cartoons if they
starred the Ramones. After 2007, when the Groovie Ghoulies broke up, Kepi’s
solo material picked up musically pretty much right where his former band left
off. Since then he’s kept himself busy not only releasing solo records, but
touring relentlessly, creating original artwork, and more I’m sure. Kepi
Ghoulie not only inspires with the music that he writes that’s catchier than a
hangnail on a knit sweater, but with the sheer longevity of his career. Like
his anthem states, the man does in fact “Bleed Rock n’ Roll”!
Interview
by J Castro
Can you remember as a child,
what or whom inspired to want learn to pick up an instrument and play/write music?
KEPI:
I think I always liked music... It kind of went Johnny Cash, Elvis, Beatles,
Stones, etc. I took a few lessons in high school and finally started a band. The
Ramones were really the ones to inspire that "DIY/anyone can do it"
thing, but they still had their own magic!
Tell me a bit about the Kepi for Kids LP you put out a couple of
years ago? What led to the
decision to do a kids record?
KEPI:
Well, Mike
Park just asked me to make a kids record saying: "your songs are already
pretty kid friendly" so I did and he was right! I just tried to write
songs that wouldn't drive parents crazy with insipidness and I think I did all
right.
You always seem to have such
a positive attitude. Did you
always have an optimistic outlook on life? If not did something happen in your
life that changed your disposition?
KEPI:
So.... my positive attitude... I don't really know what to say... I think I've
always been a fairly happy person, and somehow I seemed to have gotten happier!
Think I am just grateful for my friends, that my parts all work, and that the
rent is paid this month! I also feel that anybody who gets to be an artist for
a living should be pretty thankful!
Another project you have
coming up with a band called The Accelerators. Can you tell me a bit about
that?
KEPI: Yes, The Accelerators are big fans of "Fun in the
Dark" by the Groovie Ghoulies, so they re-recorded their own version of
it, and I threw vocals on top! We are going to do that with the Copyrights and
"Re-Animation Festival" and then who knows what else? More, I bet! I
will re-issue the old records too, so you don't HAVE to listen to these
re-imaginations, but you CAN, if you like music and friends and fun!
When writing lyrics, what
kinds of things typically inspire you? Are there any subjects you try to steer
away from?
KEPI;
I don't have a certain way of writing lyrics. It used to be I just wanted to
avoid cliché. I just scribble all kinds of things down and hope to be able to
find it when the time is right!
I hear so many musicians say
that writing and playing music is therapeutic to them? Do you feel this way?
KEPI:
I love to play music and I guess there is a therapeutic aspect to it, but it
can also be stressful and challenging on occasion! Therefore I run and meditate
too and then it doesn't have to be all about the music!!!
We’ve come to the lightening
round segment of the interview: You may elaborate on the following 4 questions
as much or as little as you see fit.
Lets begin:
1. What’s the first concert you attended without your parents?
KEPI: the
Cars/Marshall Tucker Band/Thin Lizzy/Journey! It SO rocked! I love the Cars and
Thin Lizzy still.
2. What’s the first band T-shirt you ever wore?
KEPI:
probably
Kiss... my freshman year photo has a Ted Nugent shirt on it, and sophomore year
Aerosmith!
3. What was the first
band picture or band poster you had pinned up on your childhood bedroom wall?
KEPI:
most likely
Kiss but maybe Bob Dylan too!
4. What was the first record you purchased with your own money?
KEPI: The first record I ever picked out
myself was the Monster Mash, which I find wildly amusing considering my path, but
my Mom bought that for me. My parents also got me Johnny Cash at San Quentin for my third grade birthday upon my
request: HIGHLY influential in my life, but the first record I bought with my
OWN money was Paul McCartney: Wings over
America, 3 LPs, gatefold magic!
You have played with so many
people in your career. If you
could hand pick an ultimate Kepi Ghoulie band from musicians throughout rock n’
roll history, who would it be and why?
KEPI:
What's
funny is, I am CURRENTLY playing with some of my favorite musicians of all
time! At a recent Aquabats show my backing band was Lucy and Gwen from Dog
Party on drums and guitar, Kevin Preston from Prima Donna on guitar, and
Eaglebones from Aquabats on bass! I just toured backed by Mean Jeans and have
also done this with Sons of Buddha, Accelerators, Copyrights and Miss Chain from
Italy! I just played acoustic backed by PETS and David Houston on Percussion,
Lucy Dog Party on drums and vocals, Dan Potthast (MU330) on lap steel, and
Brendan Thompson on stand up bass! You really can't beat these folks! RIGHT NOW
is the place to be! I am the luckiest person in the world! (and they all love
my music... BONUS)
What lies ahead for you in
2015?
KEPI:
I already have shows booked in Idaho; have a Euro tour offer, working on Hawaii
and more surprises! Two records on the way, more Groovie Ghoulie re-issues, new
shirt designs and merch; go, go, go, go, go!! Happy 2015!
Links:
http://www.kepiland.com/
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