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KIX |
Submitted By Cassie on 06/13/06
Link to Kix Discography
The band was founded in 1978 in Hagerstown, Maryland as The Shooze, then changed its name to The Generators before eventually settling on Kix. They were considered one of Maryland's top cover bands prior to their signing with Atlantic Records in 1981.
In 1981, they debuted with a self-titled album “Kix,” featuring infectious tunes and live favorites like "Atomic Bombs," "Heartbeat," "Contrary Mary," and "The Kid." "Love at First Sight" instantly became a concert favorite. "KIX Are for Kids" creatively merged the name of the band with two popular cereals of the 1960s and 1970s, KIX (that featured an atomic bomb commercial) and the Trix Rabbit (i.e., "Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids!"). "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah" became the band’s most popular concert song, always with a unique ad-lib performance by Whiteman. With this album, the tongue-in-cheek rock & roll style of Kix was established. It has been said that, of all the bands to get lumped in under the "hair metal" tag, Kix was the one of the most unique and adventurous. In fact, the "glam metal" tag was unfair to the band since its pop-metal stylings drew as much inspiration from bubblegum pop and new wave as it did from hard rock.
Their 1983 follow-up, “Cool Kids,” showcased a slightly more commercial side of the band featuring the title song and the single "Body Talk.” Somewhat overlooked but a favorite with female fans was the ballad "For Shame."
Kix then partnered up with Ratt and future Warrant producer Beau Hill and, in 1985, released the album “Midnite Dynamite,” featuring a hard rock single by the same name and funk rock songs “Cold Shower" and "Sex." The band now had a stable of popular and catchy songs.
The band headed west to begin to make a name for themselves in such places as the Sunset Strip, where “Mötley Crüe” and other glam metal bands rose to stardom. Unfortunately, Whiteman’s stage act was stolen by Bret Michaels, lead singer of Poison. With a better-looking singer and a focus on MTV, Poison would forever become the image of the 1980’s hair band and glam rock.
Kix went back to the studio to write more songs. In 1988, they released “Blow My Fuse,” and finally achieved the fame, if not the fortune, for which they had worked so hard. The slow ballad "Don't Close Your Eyes" -- containing anti-suicide lyrics -- led the way and other popular cuts followed. The album featured popular singles "Cold Blood" and "Blow My Fuse" and widely played videos showing the band rocking hard in concert at Hammerjacks nightclub (actually specially filmed during the day with hundreds of audience fan volunteers, including female regular patrons dancing on the bar). "Blow My Fuse" went on to become a Platinum selling record. In 1989, the band released “Kix, Blow My Fuse, the Videos” with their now popular videos and behind-the-scenes footage at Hammerjack’s. As Kix finally graduated to arenas, they opened for such mammoth metal artists as AC/DC and Aerosmith. It only seemed a matter of time before Kix became the next great hard rock band.
Then financial disaster happened by way of their original deal with Atlantic Records. For the next great band, they had a contract that gave them relatively nothing. Contract disputes and changes delayed their next album for three long years.
The album “Hot Wire” finally arrived in 1991 with another catchy single, “Girl Money" in the fine Kix tradition. But it was too late. Grunge rock arrived out of Seattle, replacing hair and glam bands. While on tour in 1992, they made a live album, titled “Kix Live” at the University of Maryland, College Park. This album, internally referred to as "Contractual obligation Live", was released in 1993. By agreement with Atlantic, they were also released from their contract with that label. In 1995, the band released their final album “Show Business,” finally switching to CMC records. The album tanked. As Steve Whiteman says, "the music industry started a new party and KIX was not invited." Kix broke up in 1995. Hammerjack’s Concert Hall was torn down in June 1996. It was all over.
Steve Whiteman would re-emerge as the singer for local Baltimore band Funny Money, with whom he continues to work. Jimmy Chalfant has also joined Funny Money as the full time drummer. Steve also teaches voice at The Musician's Institute in Baltimore and Wray's Music in Harrisburg. Steve Whiteman, Jimmy Chalfant, Ronnie Younkins, and Brian Forsythe have teamed up a few times a year for the last few years to do "4/5 Kix" reunion shows in the Maryland / Pennsylvannia area that have been very well received. To date, Donnie Purnell has refused to participate in any of the Kix reunion shows. Hammerjacks is gone, but the memories of Baltimore and east coast fans will live on.
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