KIX was founded in 1978 in Hagerstown, Maryland. They were considered one of Maryland’s top cover bands prior to their signing with Atlantic Records in 1981, when they debuted with their self-titled album “KIX”. With this album, the tongue-in-cheek rock & roll style of KIX was established.
Their 1983 follow-up, “Cool Kids” showcased a slightly more commercial side of the band featuring the title song and the single “Body Talk.” KIX then partnered up with Ratt and future Warrant producer Beau Hill and, in 1985, released the hard rock power house album “Midnite Dynamite,” featuring a hard rock single by the same name and the funkier rock songs “Cold Shower” and “Sex.” The music video for “Cold Shower” quickly gained popularity and was put into regular rotation on MTV. The band headed west to continue to make a name for themselves in such places as the Sunset Strip, where Mötley Crüe and other glam metal bands rose to stardom. KIX was quickly becoming a formidable live band like no other.
In 1988, KIX released “Blow My Fuse,” and finally achieved fame as it went platinum. The slow ballad “Don’t Close Your Eyes” — containing anti-suicide lyrics — led the way and other popular cuts followed. The album featured singles such as “Cold Blood” and “Blow My Fuse” with videos showing the band in concert at the now legendary Hammerjack’s Concert Hall, and as a result Whiteman and Forsythe were asked to host a memorable edition of the MTV show Headbanger’s Ball. As KIX finally graduated to arenas, they regularly opened for such artists as Aerosmith and KISS and were on successful tours with Whitesnake, Ratt and Tesla. The album “Hot Wire” finally arrived in 1991 with the single, “Girl Money”. While on tour in 1992, they made a live album, titled “KIX Live” recorded at the University of Maryland, College Park. With the arrival of the Seattle grunge scene in 1995, the band released their final album “Show Business,” on CMC records before splitting in the same year.
Steve Whiteman would re-emerge as the singer for Funny Money together with Mark Schenker and Jimmy Chalfant. Ronnie Younkins moved to L.A.to start a collaboration with singer Jeremy L. White in 2000. In 2002 he founded The Blues Vultures. Brian Forsythe plays in The Snakehandlers and has been on tour and has recorded several albums as the guitar player of Rhino Bucket.
Marking the re-emergence of KIX in mid-2000’s, Steve Whiteman, Jimmy Chalfant, Ronnie Younkins, and Brian Forsythe had teamed up a few times a year (with Mark Schenker on bass) to test the waters with KIX reunion shows in the Maryland/Pennsylvania which were very well received. Then in the summer of 2008 KIX performed at two of the biggest rock festivals in the US. Rocklahoma in Pryor, Oklahoma and Rock the Bayou in Houston, TX. KIX was hailed by many music websites and attendees as “Best Performance” at both festivals. Since then KIX has been performing more and more shows at festivals, casinos and biker rallys across the country, impressing promoters and fellow musicians with their top notch and highly entertaining performances.
In the interim – a first-ever for KIX – a long-awaited live DVD and CD is out on Frontiers called “Live In Baltimore” showcasing the bands legendary live performance. It is packed with fan favorites and a choice catalog of great hard rock KIX songs recorded live in Baltimore MD. KIX fans everywhere rejoice! As the demand from the fans for new KIX music has never subsided and in fact has only increased over the last few years, band members have decided that they can no longer ignore the overtures from the fans and are writing new KIX songs for a new album due out on Frontiers Records in 2013.
Produced by Mark Schenker
DVD Directed by Dave Streicher
Tracklisting: CD: No Ring Around Rosie; Atomic Bombs; Lie Like A Rug; Don’t Close Your Eyes; Girl Money; Cold Blood; Cold Shower; She Dropped Me The Bomb; Blow My Fuse; Kix Are For Kids; Midnite Dynamite; Yeah, Yeah, Yeah.
DVD contents: No Ring Around Rosie; Atomic Bombs; Lie Like A Rug; Sex; The Itch; Don’t Close Your Eyes; Hot Wire; Same Jane; Girl Money; Ronnie “10/10” (Solo); Cold Blood; Jimmy “Chocolate” (Solo); Cold Shower; She Dropped Me The Bomb; Blow My Fuse; Kix Are For Kids; Midnite Dynamite; For Shame; Brian “Damage” (Solo); Yeah, Yeah, Yeah.
Digital Edition: No Ring Around Rosie; Atomic Bombs; Lie Like A Rug; Sex*; The Itch*; Don’t Close Your Eyes; Hot Wire*; Girl Money; Cold Blood; Cold Shower; She Dropped Me The Bomb; Blow My Fuse; Kix Are For Kids; Midnite Dynamite; For Shame*; Yeah, Yeah, Yeah.
*Bonus Tracks.
KIX:
Steve Whiteman – Vocals
Ronnie “10/10” Younkins – Guitar
Brian “Damage” Forsythe – Guitar
Jimmy “Chocolate” Chalfant – Drums
Mark Schenker – Bass
Recorded live in Baltimore, MD at Rams Head Live!
