Kicking Howard
Virus: Kicking Howard was a solo project from the start, what was the final push to form a band?Kevin: Me just wanting to rock out I guess. I was really tired of playing by myself.
Virus: =P
Kevin: No pun intended.
Virus: How did you all find each other?
Kevin: I found my brother living above me in my apartment complex...I found Sam on the weezer.com message boards, and I found Steve at church, I had gone to high school with him for a year in Birmingham.
Virus: Kicking Howard sounds very cohesive, was that click instant, or did it take time?
Kevin: We don't practice all that much, but we all get along super well and can focus when its time to focus. Its pop music, not that hard.
Virus: Tell me about recording the demo.
Kevin: Well, right now we are recording demos for an upcoming album. Just tying to see what sounds good, what sucks, etc.
Virus: How's that going?
Kevin: We are really happy with what we are putting down so recording the album should be really great. Al Bennett has been helping us a lot with production and stuff.
Virus: Are you looking for label support?
Kevin: Um...yes, very much so, but if it doesn't come then we wont wait for it. We are just trying to get a loyal following, so I guess we are paying our dues.
Virus: Do you think it is possible to achieve success through DIY?
Kevin: Not the kind of success that we think we deserve, but after we get established, i think DIY yourself works much better. Look at weezer, their whole new album was DIY, with no support from the label.
Virus: So what's your plan for world domination?
Kevin: Ha, record an album early this summer, release it, and make every 13 year old girl in America fall in love with us.
Virus: Good plan.
Kevin: Then marry one of the girls that the songs are about. Which one, we donut know yet.
Virus: (has faith in you)
Virus: Who are your favorite local bands to play shows with?
Kevin: We are good friends with Upside Drown, who we shared a drummer with in the beginning stages, also Martha from an hour away, they are punk bands. Loyal Frisby is the best band ever, they are from g-ville, we played a show with them last sat......amazing.
Virus: there aren't many DIY pop bands around lately, does that affect you?
Kevin: Yes, it makes us sad..... nah, we signed to a booking agency and are apparently making a buzz so... only time will tell. We aren't the typical pop band, just play really poppy music, we pretend to be punk.
Virus: Favorite local clubs?
Kevin: Wow, local clubs...if they let original bands play there we would probably have one. Right now, playing at the coffee house cafe is where we pull our crowd. The big radio station has shown lots of support as well though.
Virus: Really? Is it that hard for original bands to get a gig there?
Kevin: In the bigger clubs it is, auburn is a big redneck frat boy Dave Matthews listening-to town, but we are trying to change that.
Virus: May the force be with you.