It's been a long time since Kevn Kinney called Milwaukee home. Growing up on the northwest side, Kinney was active in Milwaukee bands, the most famous (locally) of which was The Prosecutors, one of the first punk outfits in Brew City.
Kinney -- currently living in Brooklyn -- moved to Atlanta in 1982 and formed Drivin N Cryin, one of indie rock's most respected bands during the ‘80s and ‘90s. That band came to Milwaukee often and even as a solo performer, Kinney has performed often in the city where his mom and sisters still live. Kinney, who underwent throat surgery last year, is back performing and comes to town for a one-off show this week. We took that opportunity to ask how he's doing.
OMC: Do you still feel pretty connected to Milwaukee?
KK: Well, you can take the boy out of Milwaukee, but not Milwaukee out of the boy. Yeah, my three sisters and my mom -- whose birthday is on the 18th -- still live there and I visit quite often and roam around the old neighborhoods. Milwaukee is a very specific American town; the working class 'land of things that used to be' when I was growing up has been a huge influence on my songwriting. It's been great seeing some things about it evolve and some things I really miss, like the old Uptown Theater.
OMC: Are the gigs different for you here, since you might still have family and friends here? Is there a different vibe?
KK: Well, I am a little more conscious of the fact I have people I know out there and I try to impress them always, but the hardest part is when someone from your family will bring someone who has been to the East Side maybe twice and it is interesting to see what their take on it is, the whole scene and whatever.
OMC: Do you keep up with what's going on in Milwaukee -- musically or otherwise?
KK: Not as much as I used to. I have been to see a few acts when I visit but I've really just kind of been enjoying family time ... shopping for cheese curds and smoked fish and such.
OMC: How has the city changed since you left?
KK: It is has little more sparkle than I remember it. But that's what's great about living in and leaving a town as a writer, everything has a more romanticized glow around it. To me, the ‘60s in Milwaukee still carry a pretty surrealistic memory for me. It is strange to go back and drive around 76th and Capitol where I grew up and it's a lot like my neighborhood here in Brooklyn. Since I left Atlanta, the South has a different feel to it, as well. I don't feel the heat as much as I remember and the kudzu is beautiful again
OMC: Is this a strictly solo tour or will you travel and perform with a band?
KK: It is just a solo show. Me, a lamp and a chair. This is just a special show for Shank Hall and mom's birthday weekend.
OMC: Can folks expect to hear new material?
KK: Well, it's my first Milwaukee show in a couple of years so most of it will be new to the crowd, but I will and can play anything from any record and will take suggestions if you see me roaming the bar before the show.
OMC: That said, is there a new record due soon?
KK: I had a record out (in 2006), only available in the Netherlands, called "Comin Round Again." I sang it when my voice was pretty raspy and I just thought it was the way my voice was starting to get but I turned out to be a cyst on my larynx. I had surgery for it in March and my voice is back and stronger than ever. So I think I am going to re-sing that album and put it out in America over the next year. And I just finished a spoken word and solo acoustic record here in New York (that's) coming out in spring.
OMC: Maybe you'll toss in an old Prosecutors tune for the trainspotting punk fans in the crowd?
KK: Absolutely ... the prosecution rests.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
