| Kix | |
|---|---|
Kix performing in 2009 |
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | The Shooze The Generators The Baltimore Cocks |
| Origin | Hagerstown, Maryland, USA |
| Genres | Glam metal Hard rock |
| Years active | 1978–1995 2003–present |
| Labels | Atlantic East West CMC International |
| Associated acts | Funny Money The Blues Vultures The Snakehandlers Rhino Bucket Jeremy and the Suicides Deep Six Holiday Jeremy L. White Souls at Zero Wrathchild America |
| Website | kix-band.com |
| Members | |
| Steve Whiteman Jimmy "Chocolate" Chalfant Brian "Damage" Forsythe Ronnie "10/10" Younkins Mark Schenker |
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| Past members | |
| See: Former members | |
Kix is an American hard rock/heavy metal band who achieved popularity in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Band members continue to tour, recently appearing at the Rocklahoma festival in 2008 in Oklahoma and the M3 Rock Festival in May 2011 in the band's home state of Maryland.
Contents |
Kix was started by Ronnie Younkins and songwriter Donnie Purnell in Dec. of 1977 in Hagerstown, Maryland.
In 1981, they released their self-titled debut album, Kix, featuring "Atomic Bombs", "Heartache", "Contrary Mary", "The Itch", 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 ("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 lead vocalist Steve Whiteman, of Piedmont, WV. With this album, the tongue-in-cheek rock & roll style of Kix was established.
In 1982, guitarist Ronnie "10/10" Younkins was fired and replaced by Brad Divens (Souls at Zero/Wrathchild America), Their 1983 followup, Cool Kids, showcased a markedly more commercial side of the band, featuring the title song, and the single "Body Talk".
In 1983, having been gone for slightly less than a year, Ronnie "10/10" Younkins returned to Kix, reuniting the "classic" lineup.
Kix then partnered up with RATT, Warrant and Winger 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 album also included the song "Bang Bang (Balls of Fire)", which was co-written by Purnell and Kip Winger. Outside players such as session drummer Anton Fig who played on two tracks,as well as Mike Slamer (Streets/City Boy/Warrant) who receives credit for additional guitars helped redefine the band's sound. With this new sound Kix would now be at the forefront of the Hair Metal genre alongside contemporaries Warrant,Poison and Winger. Kix went back into the studio to record more of Donnie Purnell's songs. In 1988, they 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 (peaking at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100) and other popular cuts followed. The album featured the popular singles "Cold Blood" and "Blow My Fuse", along with popular videos showing the band in concert at Hammerjack's. In 1989, the band released Blow My Fuse: The Videos, with their now-popular videos and behind-the-scenes footage. As Kix finally graduated to arenas, they opened for such popular artists as RATT.
The album Hot Wire arrived in 1991, with the single "Girl Money". In 1992, guitarist Jimi K. Bones replaced Brian "Damage" Forsythe. While on tour in 1992, they made a live album, titled Live at the University of Maryland, College Park. This album, internally referred to as Contractual Obligation Live, was released in 1993. In 1994 Atlantic dropped the band from that label. In 1995, the band released their final album, Show Business, on CMC International.
In 1996, Steve Whiteman formed a band called Funny Money In 1998, Brian "Damage" Forsythe teamed up with ex-White Sister and Tattoo Rodeo drummer Rich Wright, and erstwhile Rhino Bucket members rhythm guitarist/lead vocalist Georg Dolivo (George Dolivo) and bassist Reeve Downes to forge Deep Six Holiday. Ronnie "10/10" Younkins relocated to Baltimore City, and would be located in rock 'n' roll act Jeremy and the Suicides.
In 2001, guitarist Brian "Damage" Forsythe joined Rhino Bucket, being announced as so in early 2002.
Jimmy "Chocolate" Chalfant joined Funny Money as their drummer in 2003. Ronnie "10/10" Younkins moved to L.A., then wrote, recorded, and released the album The Slimmer Twins: Lack of Luxury, as a collaboration with vocalist Jeremy L. White in 2000. Back on the East Coast, he founded the Blues Vultures in 2002, maturing into the lead vocalist and primary songwriter, and in 2005, released the album The Blues Vultures: Cheap Guitars & Honky Tonk Bars. Brian "Damage" Forsythe Is now with Rhino Bucket, joining the band in 2001. Brian performs lead guitar on Rhino Bucket's 2005 release And Then It Got Ugly.
A new version Kix reformed in late 2003 sans songwriter and band leader Purnell. Kix then lined-up reunion shows for September 2004, the lineup consisting of Steve Whiteman (lead vocals), Ronnie "10/10" Younkins (guitars), Brian "Damage" Forsythe (guitars, backing vocals), Jimmy "Chocolate" Chalfant (drums, backing vocals), and Funny Money bassist Mark Schenker (bass, backing vocals) in place of Donnie Purnell.
| (1978) The Shooze |
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|---|---|
| (1978) The Shooze |
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| (1978–1979) The Shooze |
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| (1979) The Shooze |
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| (1980) The Generators |
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| (1980–1982) Kix |
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| (1982–1983) Kix |
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| (1983–1988) Kix |
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| (1988–1992) Kix |
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| (1992–1993) Kix |
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| (1993–1994) Kix |
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| (1994–1995) Kix |
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| (1995) Kix |
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| (1995) Kix |
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| (1995–2003) |
(Kix disbanded) |
| (2003–2004) Kix |
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| (2004–present) Kix |
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| Year | Title | Chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billboard Hot 100 | Mainstream Rock Tracks | |||
| 1983 | "Body Talk" | – | – | Cool Kids |
| 1985 | "Midnite Dynamite" | – | – | Midnite Dynamite |
| "Cold Shower" | – | – | ||
| 1989 | "Get It While It's Hot" | – | – | Blow My Fuse |
| "Don't Close Your Eyes" | 11 | 16 | ||
| "Cold Blood" | – | – | ||
| "Blow My Fuse" | – | – | ||
| 1991 | "Girl Money" | – | 26 | Hot Wire |