Steve Kimock

Steve Kimock
Background information
Born (1955-10-05) October 5, 1955
Origin Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, United States
Genres Rock, psychedelic, instrumental
Occupation(s) Musician, songwriter
Instruments Guitar, steel guitar
Years active 1974–present
Labels SCI Fidelity
Associated acts Rhythm Devils
Zero
Steve Kimock Band
KVHW
Heart of Gold Band
Goodman Brothers
Martin Fierro
RatDog
Website kimock.com

Steve Kimock (born October 5, 1955) is an American rock musician and guitarist.[1][2][3][4]

In San Francisco and with Zero

Kimock was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, United States. In the mid 1970s, Kimock moved from Pennsylvania to the San Francisco Bay Area, to play guitar with the folk-rock group The Goodman Brothers. In 1979, after a stint with Martin Fierro in the salsa band the Underdogs, Kimock joined the Heart of Gold Band featuring Keith and Donna Godchaux plus their drummer Greg Anton.

In 1984, along with Anton, and John Cipollina formerly of Quicksilver Messenger Service, Kimock co-founded the psychedelic rock ensemble Zero, through which he became known nationally.[5][6][7][8] With the addition of Judge Murphy in 1991, Zero departed from their largely instrumental format and recorded Chance in a Million, their most successful album to date, featuring songs penned by Grateful Dead lyricist, Robert Hunter. Zero continued to tour and release records until 2000. Keeping with their improvisational theme, various lineups included many notable musicians such as Chip Roland, Melvin Seals, Liam Hanrahan, Pete Sears, Bobby Vega, Nicky Hopkins and Vince Welnick.

In January 1998, Kimock along with Zero band mate Bobby Vega, joined with Ray White and drummer Alan Hertz to form the band KVHW. This band toured nationally until their December 1999 breakup.

In February 2000, Kimock formed the Steve Kimock Band. In November 2000, the Grammy Award winning drummer, Rodney Holmes, joined the band.

In March 2006, Anton and Kimock re-formed Zero, and toured until the death of Zero member Martin Fierro, in March 2008. In March 2011, Zero reunited for the 20th anniversary of the Chance in a Million recording sessions at the Great American Music Hall, as a benefit for Judge Murphy, who was battling cancer, and awaiting a transplant.

Grateful Dead connections

Kimock has toured and recorded with many Grateful Dead-themed bands, including Keith and Donna Godchaux's Heart of Gold Band (1979–80), Bob Weir's Kingfish (1986), Merl Saunders and the Rainforest Band (1990–91), Vince Welnick's Missing Man Formation (1996–97), Phil Lesh and Friends (1998–99),[9] and The Other Ones (1998–2000).[10] He was also a member of the Rhythm Devils in 2006, a supergroup formed by Grateful Dead drummers Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart, also featuring Mike Gordon of Phish. In July 2007, Kimock was asked to fill in for a few months for Mark Karan in Bob Weir's RatDog. Karan was undergoing treatment for cancer of the throat at the time. Kimock rejoined Ratdog in 2013.

In addition to those affiliations, Kimock also toured and recorded with Jerry Joseph's Little Women (1988), with Henry Kaiser and Freddy Roulette as The Psychedelic Guitar Circus (1993), and as Steve Kimock & Friends (early 1990s). In 2001, he recorded with Pete Sears on his album The Long Haul. Kimock featured on two recordings by Bruce Hornsby (Big Swing Face and Here Come the Noise Makers), and toured as featured guitarist with Hornsby and his band in 2002. Kimock was also featured along with Bobby Vega and Jimmy Sanchez in the Pete Sears written soundtrack for the film, The Fight in the Fields: Cesar Chavez and the Farmworkers' Struggle.

The Steve Kimock Band was Kimock's primary musical focus from 2000–2006, while he continued to play other outlets, such as acoustic performances that allowed him to play some of his favorite and diverse instruments publicly, including custom guitars, vintage lap steels and arch tops, Hawaiian guitars and an octave mandolin.

Kimock launched his new band, Steve Kimock Crazy Engine, in 2009. The band features Melvin Seals on B-3 organ, Trevor Exter on bass and Kimock's son John Morgan Kimock on drums.

References

  1. Jarnow, Jesse. Steve Kimock at Allmusic
  2. Shayman, Steven. "The Ancillary Artist? A Conversation with Steve Kimock", Jambands.com, May 29, 2004
  3. Tennille, Andy."Used with Steve Kimock", Jambands.com, September 20, 2004
  4. Ray, Randy."Harmony Past and Present with Steve Kimock", Jambands.com, June 5, 2006
  5. Metzger, John. Chance in a Million review, The Music Box, January/February 1996
  6. Metzger, John. Zero review, The Music Box, April 1998
  7. Metzger, John. Nothin' Lasts Forever review, The Music Box, March 1999
  8. Metzger, John. Concert review: Zero at the Chicago House of Blues, September 18, 1997, The Music Box, October 1997
  9. Sullivan, James. "Phil's New Zone", San Francisco Chronicle, April 13, 1999
  10. Selvin, Joel. "Other Ones Reunite", San Francisco Chronicle, December 1, 2002

External links

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