Kevin Martin (Candlebox singer)

Episode 129- Kevin Martin from Candlebox! This was fun as I’ve been a fan of Candlebox since their debut and they are from my hometown of Seattle. Their debut sold over 7 million copies worldwide. Tours with Metallica, Rush and Aerosmith followed. Kevin tells the story of how the band formed and the early club days in Seattle. We discuss the Seattle scene, the new album “Wolves”, dealing with haters, and the infamous Courtney Love feud. 

0:00:00 - Intro
0:01:43 - Early Musical Beginings
0:03:25 - Shoe Store & Seattle Bands 
0:06:57 - Midnight Oil & Peter Garrett 
0:08:56 - Forming Candlebox 
0:10:42 - Humble Beginnings 
0:13:10 - Seattle Bands: Lack of Camaraderie
0:16:30 - Candlebox Debut Album Artwork 
0:18:55 - Sweet Water & Green Apple Quick Step
0:20:45 - My Sister's Machine & Ethical Dilemma 
0:23:25 - Gruntruck & Dealing with Hate
0:25:02 - Deserving Success
0:26:05 - Rockstock '94 with Tool 
0:28:30 - Candlebox's Genre 
0:29:55 - Gift from Layne Staley 
0:31:34 - Second Album (Lucy) 
0:32:56 - Third Album (Happy Pills) 
0:36:20 - Drummer Shannon Larkin 
0:37:55 - "Gracious Few" Supergroup
0:39:36 - "I Want it Back" Song 
0:42:43 - Flirting with Velvet Revolver 
0:44:16 - Love of Music 
0:45:45 - "Wolves" Album Theme & Country Divisiveness
0:48:50 - Music Brining People Together & Making Changes
0:53:05 - New Singles From the Album 
0:53:31 - "Let Me Down Easy" Co-Written with Pete Cornell 
0:54:55 - Drums, Singing and Side Projects 
0:57:15 - Courtney Love Feud 
0:59:25 - Kevin's Podcast 
1:01:30 - Breast Cancer 
1:02:25 - Wrap Up

Candlebox Website:
https://www.candleboxrocks.com

Breast Cancer Research Foundation:
https://www.bcrf.org

Chuck Shute Podcast Website:
http://chuckshute.com

Transcript

Chuck Shute: 0:13

This is a big one today, Kevin Martin from a band candlebox. I've been a huge fan of theirs for a long time. I remember seeing them in Washington state of thing called rock star. And they had a tool opening actually for them in 1984. And then I saw them again when they opened for Metallica and Seattle. But their first album, that self titled debut, and they sent me three was huge, 7 million copies worldwide. It's interesting though, when researching the band, finding out how many other bands did not like candlebox, including suicidal tendencies, who were with them on a Metallica tour, and some of the other Seattle bands. And we'll get into some of that, but they persevered. And I think they continue to make really great music, including, including their newest album wolves. And we'll talk about that one and all this stuff all the way from the beginning. So it's a great story. Enjoy it. Welcome, Kevin Barton of candlebox. How you doing?

Kevin Martin: 1:11

Well, I mean, obviously pretty bad.

Chuck Shute: 1:14

Palm Springs on life. weather's nice.

Kevin Martin: 1:17

It means 103 today.

Chuck Shute: 1:19

Oh, that's like hot. I'm in Phoenix. I don't think we're in 100 jet. That's crazy.

Unknown: 1:24

You're in Phoenix. You

Kevin Martin: 1:24

were in a Seahawks jersey.

Chuck Shute: 1:25

I know. I know. I'm one from Seattle. And we'll talk about Yeah, I'm from Seattle. I lived there my whole life. And I moved here like 12 years ago, just because of the weather. And probably same as you you live in LA now. So you did the same thing. You left the weather.

Kevin Martin: 1:38

That's true. I ran as far away from as I could.

Chuck Shute: 1:40

Yeah. So I guess I mean, there's I don't know where to start with your story. But you grew up in San Antonio, then you moved to Seattle when you were 14. Despite about what some people think that you move there in the 90s. You moved there in the 80s. And your first show you play you actually played the drums for a band called radical youth penis brigade. So tell me about that first show was that like when you knew this is it? This is what I'm supposed to do is play music. Well, I

Kevin Martin: 2:06

don't know. I mean, I think for me, it started really, when I was young, I my father was a jazz musician. My mother was a singer, the standards and classics and stuff. So music was kind of always in my family. My first instrument was French horn, and then I moved on to clarinet flute, you know, went from a large instrument to a small instrument, and then back to a large instrument with the drums, which I picked up when I was like, 12. So I guess really, the first time I started playing drums, that's when I knew that's exactly what I wanted to do is to be a musician. I don't think I ever really thought that it would end up being you know, that I would have a career 30 years later and still be doing this. But you know, that first show, you know, in a friend's basement in front of you know, 10 and 15 of your, your high school friends and you play in punk rock music. There's nothing more thrilling. You know, I'm still kind of reluctant lead singer, I would much rather be a drummer in a band. So it's something that I've been chasing, you know, going on. Whatever I'm 52 Now, so, you know, 40 years I've been chasing that dream of being a drummer and a rock and roll band. And I'm still you know, it's it's the downside of being, you know, who I am from Seattle and singing in Canada box. Yeah,

Chuck Shute: 3:18

it's not the worst thing to get stuck with though. And there's people that get stuck in government jobs and all sorts of terrible thing. So

Kevin Martin: 3:23

true story.

Chuck Shute: 3:25

And speaking of bad jobs, so tell me about this shoe store that you worked at as a teenager so it was owned by Susan silver who managed Soundgarden and Allison chains. So all these Seattle band people are just popping in like Andrew wood from other love bone and Chris Cornell and, and is that where you made a lot of these, uh, musicians, other musicians?

Kevin Martin: 3:44

Yeah, well, the relationship Susan didn't own it. She just managed it. Okay, sorry. It was called john john fluevog shoes. He was a he was a shoe designer that came down from Canada, initially at a company called Fox and fluevog, which was Peter Fox and john fluevog. And they were just kind of pushing the, you know, the boundaries of kind of that British punk rock rock and roll shoe where everybody was wearing creepers and pointy shoes and, and the platform boobs and Doc Martens and stuff. So it was a place in Seattle where you would get those. And Susan was managing it and, and at the same time, she had an office behind the shoe store that she managed the bands out of, and that was Soundgarden, Allison chain screaming trees. A lot of that kind of historical great grunge that came out of Seattle. Susan was the original manager. And the bad guys would come in to get flyers, she would put the flyers up and say stop by blue box and grab your flyers because Seattle's you remember, it's one of those cities where you can actually still tag a telephone pole. Yeah. So that's kind of how that started. And that's where I met all the guys. Where was

Chuck Shute: 4:52

the shoe store though? Which part of Seattle I mean, probably most people don't know Seattle, but I mean, we I used to go down there all the time. We take the bus and go to downtown Got it. Was it in Queen Anne or were?

Kevin Martin: 5:02

No no, he was right on First Avenue. I think first and in Pine first and piner What's the one that's z z club was next to whatever street that was wall maybe. Okay. So it was right across the street from like, z club is in Pike Place Market

Chuck Shute: 5:21

by the fish thing. Yeah.

Kevin Martin: 5:23

Yeah. So it's right down there. And it's now like a coffee shop or a delicatessen or something. But yeah, so I was living down on First Avenue at Stewart. So I would just walk up to, to work everyday, which is great. You know, I

Chuck Shute: 5:37

mean, so So you were living like in the heart of it. You weren't in the suburbs, or something?

Kevin Martin: 5:41

No, my parents took when we first moved to Seattle moved to Mercer Island, which, you know, I couldn't stand which is, you know, suburban between the East side and Seattle.

Chuck Shute: 5:50

It's an upper class, I guess you would say for people don't know, the area. It's like the Beverly Hills of Seattle. Right?

Kevin Martin: 5:57

Yeah, it really is. I mean, Mercer is incredibly wealthy. The funny thing is, is, you know, obviously, I lived right across the street from the school, so not on the wealthiest part of the island. But, you know, it did have it, it did have its its projects, if you will, the lower income housing, you know, not not low income housing in the sense of like the Bronx or something like that, you know, but, but really, it had it had a part of the island, it was affordable. And it was right across from the high school. So which was nice, because I could just walk to school every day. But as soon as I got the chance to get downtown, I did, I think I that was I left high school middle of my senior year, in 87, and was moved downtown and I took the bus if I needed to go back to class, but I really didn't really finish school, I got my degree, my high school diploma from basically work, I really didn't have any school to finish up. So I was one of the lucky ones that was able to leave, you know, high school at the age of 17. And start working downtown.

Chuck Shute: 6:56

Yeah, so it was around this time around age 1887. You kind of had a pivotal moment that changed the course of your life forever. I think you stole money from your parents to buy drugs. And but you went to go see this concert, it was midnight oil. And the singer Peter Garrett floored you so much that you quit you kind of dependent on drugs, he said you you quit your dependency on drugs, not necessarily you still smoke weed or do mushrooms but you quit. You didn't want to be like dependent on that. So what was it about that performance? That made you quit drugs is I don't know his backstory? Is he a former addict? Or was it what something about the music or what was it?

Kevin Martin: 7:35

Not I don't know, if he's a former addict or not. I think it was just the sense that he was so commanding. And so such a force to be reckoned with, as a lead singer of the show was the beds of burning Tour, which of course was, you know, huge, hugely successful record for them. And, and they were touring the states on it, and it just, it scared the shit out of me to the point where I was like, that's what I want to do. And if I'm going to do that, I need to stop, you know, running away from what it is that I want. And these drugs, that's what they do. So I did actually quit drugs entirely. Except, you know, I, I occasionally do mushrooms. And you know, like you said, smoke pot, because I believe that that's it, it comes from the ground should be put in your body. But

Chuck Shute: 8:25

so what were you doing at the time that you'd like we're doing like ecstasy and coke or something? Yeah,

Kevin Martin: 8:30

a lot of a lot of that bad psychedelic stuff, acid and whatnot, you know, which was just, which was just not good. It wasn't benefiting me in any way. Which shape whatsoever. So yeah, that was it. I mean, that show changed my entire direction. And that's why I named the band candlebox. Actually, after one of his lyrics as well. I mean, he just, he was such an important part of my life at that moment. Just by being who he was.

Chuck Shute: 8:54

Yeah. So then yeah, so when you form candlebox, again, you were a drummer, but somebody asked you to eat Can you sing on these demos? And you're like, I'm not a singer, but they must have heard something because I heard you do backup vocals or something? How did they know that? You could sing that? Well.

Kevin Martin: 9:10

I don't think they knew I could sing. Well. You know, Rick was an interesting character. He His name is refined. He was he was actually just a guitar player that was running reciprocal studios in Seattle, as well as an engineer. And he'd heard me singing like at a friend's party or something like just, you know, hanging out and playing acoustic and we're just singing you have black crow songs and stuff. And he's like, Man, you should come sing. And since then, we've got this kind of bluesy thing, Dylan, which was called uncle Duke. And that was with Scott Mercado. candlebox his original drummer and bass player named Perry alkalinize. And I was like, Sure, so I started seeing a lot of stuff and that was what became candlebox that was the rest of my career.

Chuck Shute: 9:51

Did you guys have any other names you tossed around before? I mean, obviously uncle do But was there anything else before you decided on? candlebox? or?

Kevin Martin: 9:58

Yeah, we We just had that day where we had hired our bass player Bharti. We had some shows that we were starting to book, and we had to commit to something as a band. None of us were crazy about uncle Duke. Rick had already left the band at that point, and Perry had left as well. So Scott, Pete, Marty, and myself, just sat down and started going through lyrics and our favorite songs. And I came across this lyric iluminado also unboxing my candles, because he's speaking about the Aboriginal tribes in Australia. And I thought that was a really beautiful imagery, that he was trying to metaphorically speak to these people that you can't just put in this box, you know, they're way too bright for that. And so I said, What about Candy Box? And I was like, that's great.

Chuck Shute: 10:41

There you go. So then the first couple shows, I mean, it's, you're not selling out arenas. And the first shows like, it's like six people showing up. But then I think was there some girl that kind of helped you out like she was either a fan or girl you're dating, and she brought her friend's girlfriend at the time. So she brought her friends. And then it just kind of grew. And then you start playing all by 92 you're playing some of the biggest clubs in Seattle. But so for those first few years before you guys got signed, like talk about the scene, at that time playing the clubs in Seattle, that's got to be a lot. You're smiling. You must love this time.

Kevin Martin: 11:15

No, it was awful, man.

Unknown: 11:16

I mean, it was awful. Really. We

Kevin Martin: 11:18

we we were you know, we were considered and I think probably if you ask a lot of the bands, you know, from Seattle that were successful or had some sort of minor success. They I think they all would tell you that they didn't know where we came from, we kind of came out of nowhere. Pete and you know, Scott had a career and history, you know, with metal bands and Seattle myth and realms, you know, Jeff Tate's first band, no, but that really wasn't the scene in the 90s it was this kind of, you know, grunge rock and roll whatever you want to call it. I call it acid rock that was happening. So you know, here comes these guys from, you know, the east side, playing this kind of big arena rock style of music, in friends basements, and we couldn't get a gig in any of the clubs in Seattle. No one would would let us play. Then we produce this tape. We recorded on Easter Sunday of 92, which that's what far behind and you came from those demos that those are the actual the demos that are on the album. And we had that tape and we started shopping it around. And then our friends in a band called Sweetwater gave us their very first kind of big sold out gig. They were headlining rock candy, and they had us open and that was it. That was what kicked it off for us. But we couldn't get a gig. In any of the clubs in Seattle. To save our lives. We had to play space called mad dogs, which was like North Seattle, we had to play West Seattle, like some sports club. No one would give us a gig in any of the major venues in the city.

Chuck Shute: 12:47

So what year was that when Sweetwater gave you the gig?

Kevin Martin: 12:51

9297 92

Chuck Shute: 12:52

that's when you started playing the big clubs So then I'm assuming you're playing like rock candy and crocodile and deviate and farside and all those great clubs that people from Seattle I don't know but

Kevin Martin: 13:04

okay hotel did Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Okay,

Chuck Shute: 13:06

hotel forgot about that place. So yeah, I heard you saying that. There was no camaraderie in Seattle like Kurt Cobain hated everyone. You know, Pearl Jam and Allison chains. There wasn't much love between them. But maybe the melvins everybody loved them. They seem to get along with everyone right?

Kevin Martin: 13:23

Yeah, I mean, the Melbourne Sydney and mudhoney Green River if you will, those are kind of the you know, the founding so the camaraderie thing is interesting because mud, honey and the Melvin's really the as you know Martini Mark arm being from Green River Green River was kind of that real foundation of what was happening with the punk scene up there, of course, and then when Nirvana came along and the success of bleach everybody kind of thought that was going to be the real movement although Soundgarden had the stronghold on like the real rock and roll thing that was happening and how it's changed was kind of up and coming really it was that kind of mark arm had kind of established that sort of relationship and all these bands so they all kind of ancestrally played together each one of those musicians from you know Jeff and stone from from Pearl Jam we're in Green River with Mark and and i think that King buzzer and Mark had something happened before Green River so you know, it all was kind of like every buddy had played in the same band. But the interesting thing is is like with Allison chains, Pearl Jam goes out with Allison chains as Mickey Blaylock and I think for like three or four weeks something like that. But Pearl Jam is never taken Allison chains on the road ever.

Chuck Shute: 14:42

But didn't didn't Pearl Jam and sound or Pearl Jam and Soundgarden formed temple the dog and then mad season was members of Pearl Jam Allison chains in screaming trees. So isn't there some connections there like you said, like?

Kevin Martin: 14:55

Well, that's that's actually Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. Didn't do a couple of days. Chris Cornell did template dog and Eddie better sang on it. And that was before. Pearl Jam is Pearl Jam. That's when they were Mookie Blaylock. And of course, if you're talking about the relationship with Chris and Jeff in stone that all comes from the Green River days. Right? So that's what I was saying earlier because it's so incestual. So it just kind of seemed like even though there were those kinds of relationships, just Pearl Jam's never really kind of, I don't know been super supportive of really the kind of anyone from the Seattle scene. Mad season is Mike McCready, with Layne Staley and Mark Lanigan from screaming trees and Barrett Martin from screaming trees. But again, it's it's not the same thing like those relationships had had, you know, had been spawned years before. But it didn't really it wasn't like everybody was talking about one another's records and interviews or like saying, Oh, you should buy the new house and change record, you know, or any better saying God that you know, the new Alice records brilliant lane sounds amazing. There was not there was none of that. And, and it was a very, it's a very cliquey scene in Seattle. And so we were always kind of considered the redheaded stepchild of that scene. Like I'd mentioned earlier, you know, if you're asking you the bands that hadn't kind of success, they would say, well, we didn't even know where the fuck candlebox came from.

Chuck Shute: 16:30

Hmm, well, somebody must have liked you because they signed you and then you so you get this the debut album. I love it. I love the album then and I love it now, but the artwork, I mean, there are some iconic artwork albums, you know, like Don McLean from American Pie that thumb you know, I was at I had him on the show. I was asked him about that. And even the Seattle bands like Nirvana, nevermind the baby and Allison chains, dirt, but your guys's cover cover that's the one thing I never understood. It's the band. It's a picture of the band's not a bad picture. But you guys are going to feel the flowers. What was the story behind that?

Kevin Martin: 17:06

Those are the Disney tulips that they have that they grow every year for the tulip festival that happens in Washington State.

Chuck Shute: 17:12

Oh, yeah, yeah. Okay.

Kevin Martin: 17:14

So we went out we went out to Bainbridge Island or not Bainbridge Island we go to I can't remember one of the orcas islands up there. Okay, we're, most of the flowers are shot. We wanted something that kind of represented the band in the sense that we're not like this, you know, heavy, you know, dark melancholic band where there's something light to what we do. And there's, there's beauty to the rock and Kevin kurz, like who shot the pictures for us. He it was all that was all his idea to go out there and shoot and of course the iconic drive thru theater or driving theater that's out there on the orcas islands and, you know, all of it kind of, there's a mausoleum out there which a lot of people don't know about that that's out there as well. So it really was about kind of establishing the band in our kind of our own world rather than you know, kind of going along with a lot of the other imagery that was happening with kind of the album covers at the time up there are Kevin Westlake right I'm sorry, Kevin curse, like are saying his last name wrong. Anyways, but it Soundgarden and abusing him on the Superunknown record, and he shot a lot of their a lot of the footage for their album and videos and stuff in the same place that he shot us. So it I think it kind of you must say a little bit about you know, what people think of the band rather than you know, we're just a couple knuckleheads that some guys getting paid take pictures of

Chuck Shute: 18:54

Yeah, so I think this is just talking about the back to the camaraderie thing like you talked about, you know, that there wasn't that kind of, you know, people weren't trying to help each other out. But you guys you make it I mean, you got this album that's doing well. And so you offered to take out your peers on the road Sweetwater, the band Sweetwater and green apple Quickstep who are both great Seattle bands. People don't know they should check them out. But they actually turned you down because I was there some resentment that they thought they should have been the ones that did, you should be opening for them.

Kevin Martin: 19:26

Well, Sweetwater didn't turn us down. They actually came out with us, and they're still really great. We were still really great friends with him. But it wasn't so much the green apple Quickstep guys didn't want to go out with us. He was management. They were managed by Kelly Curtis who manages Pearl Jam. And, and Kelly's, I guess the girl who was there, Krishna was their manager. She just didn't think it was the right fit for green apple. years later when I asked Ty you know, why did you never went out on the road with us? He's like, you never asked us like Dude, we've been asking you to tour this the past three records and You know, that kind of upset him to do that his management never bothered to tell them that we had invited him, you know? But we did take goodness out with us Carrie aakhri, who was in a band called hammer box back in the day and Chris and Rick Friel are in goodness with Danny Newcomb, Chris and Rick, of course, we're in shadow with Mike McCready. So, you know, we were able to take some of the bands that we were, you know, good friends with on the road, and some of them would go out with us, you know, we, we liked, you know, touring with our friends, you know, and that was the thing that we wanted. And it was, you know, it was difficult to be candlebox from Seattle wasn't wasn't an easy. It wasn't an easy process at all. Being those those kids that, you know, nobody really wanted to see succeed.

Chuck Shute: 20:44

Yeah, and it's an interesting, it's kind of like this ethical dilemma that you faced, at one point, you're doing a show in Boston. And there's a Seattle band, I won't say the name, you can say if you want, but there's a Seattle band, my sister's

Unknown: 20:55

machine, okay. And his name was Oh.

Chuck Shute: 21:02

Okay. So anyway, so your, your equipment breaks down. And these guys talk shit, or I'm sorry, their equipment breaks down. And these guys have talked shit about you for years. And you know, the, I don't know what they said, they talk shit about you. And, and so that, but then, you know, they said, Oh, well, we'll just use candlebox equipment. We we know them. We're both from Seattle. So don't let us use it. It'll be fine. And I'm thinking of this as an ethical dilemma. Now, this is the chance for candlebox to take the high road and step up. And then I rethought and I go, Wait a minute. No, because you know why? If you did that, and you let them use equipment, you're basically enabling them and say, and letting them talk shit and get away with it. And now you're kind of I think you're kind of teaching them a lesson, because basically, you told them to fuck off, right? Well, no,

Kevin Martin: 21:47

we did what we did let them use, we did want it to do they wanted to swap places with us on the show. And they wanted and we were direct support at the time of mighty mighty bosstones. And it was WTF radio show in Boston. And our single change, and you they were, you know, going gangbusters in Boston. So like, Oh, well, our gear will arrive, you know, in time press. So, you know, maybe we'll just we'll just swap a candle box. And, you know, they can take our slot. We're like, that's not happening, you know. And, and it wasn't really us. It's and it was our tour manager, Mark, who had been the tour manager for the chili peppers for years. I had been in the punk scene for a long, long time. And he knew he knew what was going on. And he went to them and he said, Listen, I know what kind of shit you talk about the band in the this isn't coming from them, this is coming from me. And we're not gonna let you do it. I'm not gonna let you use a gear. They're not even going to know about this. And we didn't know about it until, honestly, about a year later, when we ended up getting drunk with with Owen, the guitar player at a bar in Seattle. And he was like, yeah, your tour manager came in said, you know, you guys go fuck yourself. And he said, and he was right, you know, we were being dicks about the whole thing. But, you know, it's sometimes that you know, that happened to us a lot. And sometimes you do have to take the upper hand and say, you know, you sleep in the bed you made and we're sorry, your gear is not here, but you're certainly not going to take our fucking time slot. But we let them use our gear. And, and, and, and they had a good show. We never played with him again. But you know, it's it's just one of those things. You know, I I don't know if you know, the band Gruntruck from

Chuck Shute: 23:28

Yeah... The song tribe is so good.

Kevin Martin: 23:32

Yeah. And, and that lead singer, was a total dick to me, at the Off Ramp. One night when he asked me, How the hell did you guys sell out three nights in the Paramount? And I said, I I go honestly, man, I don't know what to tell you. I don't really have an answer for that. He's like, Yeah, I don't know, either. That's kind of the shit. That's the shit we got in Seattle. But you know, it made us a better band. And at the end of the day, we're still here, we're still making music. And, you know, people can say what they want and talk the kind of shift they want. But at the end of the day, it's it's really about your music and who you are inside that that matters.

Chuck Shute: 24:08

So how do you deal with that? Like, mentally? Does it piss you off? Does it make you sad? Or do you just laugh it off? Well,

Kevin Martin: 24:16

I mean, with Ben, because I loved Gruntruck so much, and, sadly, he passed away of leukemia, I think a couple years ago. It got really hurt because I thought for sure, he of all people would, be the one it's a matter of congratulations. But, I mean, there just was people were bitter in that city. Because like I said earlier, nobody really knew who we were and where we came from. people assumed we're there to get signed, even though I'm the only one who moved to Seattle- Bardi and Pete Scott were all born there. I laugh it off now, but of course at the time, it probably broke my heart. Especially Ben just because I respected him so much. But I mean, it's it's all good. I mean, we're still here and life moves on.

Chuck Shute: 25:02

Do you feel like you deserve your success?

Kevin Martin: 25:06

I don't know. I don't know if deserved is the right word. I think we worked really hard as a band to get where we are. You know, the rapid success of the band certainly I don't think what helped at all. I mean, it was it was just too fast. We couldn't really balance the success with you know, our responsibilities and musicians. But I think we certainly worked hard enough for it. deserved i think is a rear is a really weird word when it comes to art. You know, I think if you work hard enough, and you cheat what it is that you set out to accomplish then then that's your success. deserve. I don't know if you think about the word it's, it's there's just a lot of negative and deserving. And I just would rather not use that word I think with with Candlebox's success.

Chuck Shute: 26:05

Fair enough. Okay. So 95th 1984 you guys did a show called rock stock. And if you remember that one, I was there. My buddies, were there in a tool open for you guys. I I'm not a huge tool fan. But I like to add a tool hat actually. But I have a couple buddies who are diehard tool fan. So I'd be I got to ask, Is there some sort of memory or tidbit or anything about tool? Do you have any interactions with them at the show? or?

Kevin Martin: 26:31

Yeah, well, I mean, I think you know, Adam, is it Adam? The guitar player is originally from the tri cities or up in the tri cities. So we had friends that were, you know, friends with them, I guess? How many bands in their lifetime can say the tool open for us? Yeah, to be honest with you. I think it was a co headline, Bill, but well, you

Chuck Shute: 26:55

know, I remember technically,

Kevin Martin: 26:57

yeah, and Radiohead was on another one, we did Radiohead, open for us, right, so I got that going, that's cool. But, you know, they were great, guys. I mean, listen, I first saw them, they came through when we were making our first record, they came through Seattle, and played the rock candy. And there were about 15 people in the audience. And that was just after oak Bay had come out the EP, so Seattle wasn't really keen on who they were at that point. And, and I was one of those people, one of those 50 people that shows amazing. Oh, so to watch that growth of undertow to what it became I mean, and what's tool has become since then is mind blowing. And I think that band is, you know, next to traffic and and, you know, cream and you know, any of those kind of prog rock rush bands, you know, stuff like that. Tools is every single records mind bending, I don't know how they do that. And I certainly don't know how Maynard, you know, waits until the records done to do his vocals. I mean, it's, I think, a really interesting thing. He does the same thing with perfect circle. The band's finished a record and he goes in and sings his parts. I think the only band that he actually writes the music and the lyrics at the same time as possible. So he's opacities a fascinating human being and yeah, really nice guy.

Chuck Shute: 28:16

I'd love to have him on the show someday. He's, he'd be a tough interview though, too, because he's kind of an introvert.

Kevin Martin: 28:21

Yeah, yeah. Super. And he's having trouble because he had COVID. And he's having a lot of trouble with his lungs. Oh, terrible.

Chuck Shute: 28:28

But yeah, so you guys, it's interesting. I feel like maybe they didn't really know where to place you as a band. Like cuz you guys open for rush, and Metallica. And, and then I remember night 24 metal edge magazine said you guys were the best new band. Were you flattered by that? Or did you kind of want to stay away from the the heavy metal label? Oh,

Kevin Martin: 28:52

I mean, of course you don't. Nobody wants to be labeled metal. Unless you're a metal band. We were you know, for us. We were just like an alternative pop rock band. Very similar to Pearl Jam, you know, just an arena rock band that wrote big soaring songs. You know, I've often compared us to, you know, the journey of Seattle. And Pearl Jam, in my opinion. You know, it's kind of like the Def Leppard of Seattle. Just with big great big rock Marina rock songs, that Pearl Jam 10 album is, you know, just full of sweeping melodies and big solos and, and great rock songs, you know, and we always kind of compared ourselves to just an arena rock band, blues based rock and roll. The metal thing was something that Maverick tried really, really hard to stay away from our label. And, you know, it was inevitable because we all had long hair and played rock and roll. I mean, Pearl Jam was on metal that you know, it's sure it's Spin Magazine takes you under their under their wing, then all of a sudden, your alternative. They didn't happen to us.

Chuck Shute: 29:54

Yeah, so you did kind of have a little bit of a friendship with Layne Staley from Alice In Chains, right? Didn't it? Tell me the story about he gave you like some sort of Mad Season album cover that or album was like an Etching of the album cover that- it was kind of a special gift you still have that?

Kevin Martin: 30:11

I do. He gave me three of them. He did etchings for that album and and they ended up using the one of him and Demri as the album cover and I was at his apartment with my buddy, Johnny backless and Aaron Serato and, and Mike McCready was there and and we were all hanging out and Lane had just gotten out of rehab and was doing well and just we were catching up and and I was looking through the etchings. He's like, hey, man should take a couple of those. And I was like, dude, I can't do that. And he's like, Oh, please take as many as you want. And he's like, bring them over here. I'll sign them. And so I did. And then McCready was like, do you made me pay for mine? And Lane's like, Yeah, but you're not a singer. And that was kind of- we all kind of laughed with them. It's really the first time anybody and in the Seattle music scene kind of recognized what I was doing as a musician. It was nice. I mean, Layne was such a sweetheart, he was the kindest, most gentle rock star I'd ever met and known and and it's sad to learn of his passing the day my mom called me woke me up when when he passed, and I had just seen him a couple weeks before in Seattle at a coffee shop, and he looked really good and healthy. So, you know, everybody was cheering for him. But there's demons as those heroin demons are a motherfucker.

Chuck Shute: 31:31

Yeah, tell me about it. But so you guys, you know, I don't think anyone in the band did heroin. But you kind of this is around the time that you started to kind of get it into the some people got into the drugs a little too much. Is that kind of, because I always wondered what that second album like I don't even know. And again, I lived in Seattle. I don't even remember hearing the songs on the radio. And I was like, wondering, like what happened? And then I kind of did some research and it sounds like not only the drug thing, but also it's like the perfect storm because Maverick Records, they had just fired all there was this. No, it was it was a happy pills where they fired all their promotions. People

Kevin Martin: 32:04

know, yeah, Lucy was a record where they were focused on Alanis Morissette, the Deftones Deftones.

Chuck Shute: 32:09

Right.

Kevin Martin: 32:10

That that's why, you know, a lot of his record come out while we were recording in the Deftones was coming out the fall or the spring of next year, the following year, rather. So we were kind of we were kind of thrown in on the backburner by the label. And then, of course, there was a, you know, a lot of issues within the band going on that made it very difficult to record that record. So did you play

Chuck Shute: 32:33

drums on some of the songs? Yeah, play

Kevin Martin: 32:36

drums and sing the song play guitar and a lot of stuff. And, and yeah, we just we struggled to, to get that record done. I ultimately kind of said to the label, I think we need to put this record away and revisit it give us a little more break, because I don't think we're ready. But they kind of forced to put it out. And it was, you know, wasn't the best record for us to do at the time.

Chuck Shute: 32:58

Yeah, and then so then the third album, The Happy pills, the single. It's all right. I love that song. It's like so brilliant. But this is kind of the point where now you guys you want to be done with Maverick Records. And I think this is when they fire the promotions team. And so tell me this story like you're actually see, I always thought I know Madonna owned Maverick Records, but I thought she was more like a silent partner. But you like talk to her on the phone and shit. Like you're arguing, arguing with her trying to get out of the contract? Yeah, we

Kevin Martin: 33:26

had a really long argument. Freddie demand who had started the label, Madonna, they were buying him out of the label. They didn't want him running it anymore. And, and it was just kind of, it seemed like it was a runaway train. At that point, it was on a track that was really, really wobbly. And they didn't really have any direction. And they didn't know what they were doing. That was our opinion. Of course, you know, what did we know, we were just, you know, three or four guys in a band playing rock and roll, but we could feel that things were slipping. and. and Freddie actually, the owner of the label just said, Listen, don't don't make this record. Just try and get out of your contract because they're buying me out. It's not gonna be good. And and of course, it wasn't. I mean, there was it's a right was a single that. I don't even know if it reached the top 10 on any format.

Chuck Shute: 34:17

I think it was two on rock songs.

Kevin Martin: 34:20

Or was it? I think so. And then we, we tried to follow that up with sometimes, but I always felt that the first singles should have been happy. So you know, we're going to be a rock and roll band. And that's where our foundation in the music business was. That's what we're going to live we should release a rock song called, you know, which is happy pills, which is my favorite song on that record. And they bought us on it and of course, they went with it, right because they were trying to crossover like, I think train had done with, you know, like, they were batch release drops of Jupiter. Okay, we're gonna just come out. So they thought that we were gonna cross over like that and and it didn't happen. You know, it was a again, you know, record I think now it's just about to go gold. You know, you think our first record sold 7 million copies worldwide for in the States. Our second record sold a million worldwide, not their records only, you know, only about to go gold. It's a it's quite a decline.

Chuck Shute: 35:17

Why and why do you think that was? Because I hear this new stuff. You're making it, it's really good. So I don't understand the music business sometimes.

Unknown: 35:25

Well, you know,

Kevin Martin: 35:26

I mean, we weren't, we weren't media darlings. There was an, you know, an interview with the band, every record that came out there wasn't, you know, a Rolling Stone album cover or magazine cover, there wasn't a spin magazine cover, there wasn't, you know, reviews of our records. I mean, it just it people thought that far behind was that was going to be it for us. And, and they left us alone. Now. Our fans, of course, have kept us alive for 30 years now. But yeah, you know, your fans, don't your fans don't keep you in the public eye. You know, like a marketing team does, you know, and I think that was the real fall was with the band was, you know, Maverick lost this entirely great marketing team from Warner Brothers. And, you know, we lost in that process, our image, if you will,

Chuck Shute: 36:17

yeah. Okay. Well, so I mean, Around this time, you, you still had to do some I think you had a throat issue, and you had to cancel some shows. But then you got an offer to open up for Aerosmith. I mean, so it's still even 98 you say the records not doing as well. But you're still opening for Aerosmith. That's pretty cool. So I think there was a short time around this time that Shannon Larkin was in the band. I'm just curious, because that guy's been a part of three iconic band, three of my favorite bands, ugly kid, Joe candlebox. And Godsmack. Like, what is the secret to his success, I mean, obviously, he's a phenomenal drummer. But he must be really like a joy to work with to to continue to get that kind of work and be invited to these projects.

Kevin Martin: 36:56

And Shannon's a credibly talented drummer. But more than that, he's a beautiful human being. He's got a great soul. He's a kind, kind person. And he's just a lot of fun to be with Manny he when he digs into songs, and the writing process and playing I mean, it's it's just a joy to watch. And he was managed when he was in snot. We were managed by john Reese, during the happy pills record. And, and john had managed not when Shannon was playing that, and then ugly kid, Joe, ugly kid, Joe as well. So when Dave cruzan left, in 1999, john Reese just called into this, and I managed his kid Shannon, who played in stock and ugly kid Jones. Like I love them. He came down to rehearsal, and we just hit it off right away.

Chuck Shute: 37:47

Yeah. Okay, so then he did some more shows. And then eventually, the band kind of falls apart, you do some solo stuff. And then you did this band called the gracious few with his like, basically, like a super group with you and some candlebox members and members of live Tell me about that group did that. What happened with that one?

Kevin Martin: 38:06

That was a labor of love, man. That was a record that made no money cost us a fortune to make. But you know, we're all the best of friends. And that, you know, that's kind of why we did it. Ed was on the outs with the guys. They were looking to work with somebody that maybe they could enjoy working with a little more and, and Chad Taylor called me up said let's do something I was like, I'd love to, you know, we talked about it for years. I've known them since 1992. But you know, we had no record deal. We had no label, we just made this record and put it out and went out on the road in a tour bus. And we basically we played shows for whatever the door, you know, whatever the door collected is very punk rock. And it was a lot of fun to do. And, and I think, you know, we all kind of teased that we were dying to do it again, just because it's such an outlet for the five of us. Really, yeah, to make music that there's no real, you know, there's no strings attached to it. It's whatever we want to do. And it's my go jazz fusion. You know, No, I'm just kidding. But it's, it's really just, we make what we want to make, you know, and I love those guys. And, and we talk, you know, constantly on the phone, and we keep in touch with one another at least once a month because we just really, we really love one another as brothers. That's awesome. So

Chuck Shute: 39:27

then yeah, and then you get back with together with candlebox you guys do a best of record, you do a record called into the sun. That was a tough one and then put the 2016 album, not your latest one but the one before that disappearing in airports you say that was your favorite record that you made? And I have a credit This is just a total selfish question. Because I think I'm the weirdo. I really like the song I want it back. I feel like it's so catchy. I love the backing vocals. It's got a great baseline and a chorus. This song wasn't even released as a single. Like you got to give me something about that song. I can't stop. Listen. An angel. I love that song. How I mean, how would you describe it to the listener, I'm terrible at describing music, but I just I think it's such a good song.

Kevin Martin: 40:08

Thank you, I, I love that song as well we run it, we wanted to label to release it as a single they just didn't have the marketing budget to do it. Because that's you know, I'm I have a distribution deal indeed deal with payment entertainment. So, okay, if they don't, if they don't have the marketing money to do it, we can't go out to the single. But that song was inspired by Ryan Adams cover version of out of the woods, by Taylor Swift off of her 1989 record. And I had, I had been listening to Ryan Adams, his 1989 album, and his version of out of the woods felt so desperate and alone, and I just put myself in the position to imagine, you know, if I fucked up my relationship with my wife and my son, like, you know, how that must really? How would destroy me, and I wanted to write a song around that. So that's kind of where I came up with that, you know, lyrical process of that record, you know, it's like, you know, I fucked up and, you know, let me let me fix it. And then you know, how many guys go through that or how many, you know, women or men get an opportunity for a second chance that they do something like that, you know? And that's really where it came from. And it's, it's it's got a you know, huge Kings of Leon influence. Yeah, as well, which I love the Kings of Leon. But yeah, it was it was a really easy song to write, you know, once I was able to put myself in the perspective of, of that, you know, character of losing everything and trying to repair it.

Chuck Shute: 41:41

Okay. Yeah, cuz that makes sense then, yeah. Cuz that's, like, emotionally I feel like I hit me and also just so catchy. So I'm surprised that Thank you. I feel like you could put that song on like a either 90s rock or today's rock hits playlist, and everyone would say this fits right in with every other like, great song. So yeah, thank you for those hidden gems. That is funny. I asked Vinnie Dombroski, you've toured with sponge and I asked him a question one time I said, you know, of the album's that you've made since the big one. What song there was like one song that he thought should have been a hit. And I went back and listened to it after the interview. And I was like, this is a really good song. I don't remember what it was now, but there's so many songs like that. That should be huge that aren't I hate that makes me mad. But yeah, sponges, a sponge a great band, man. Yeah,

Kevin Martin: 42:26

he's a hell of a hell of a songwriter, great singer. And, you know, and I think it acquired taste for a lot of people. That's probably why sponge didn't do better because it was so eclectic. And Mini's lace is so eclectic. That's, you know, Rock and roll is a weird place, man- years ago, when they were forming Velvet Revolver.... Matt(Sorum) and I are great friends. And he had produced some demos for me back in 96. And we've been friends ever since. When they were looking for a singer, Matt had asked me to come down and Slash said, "I'm not a fan of his voice." So that's kind of like... what you've got really when it comes to rock and roll music is as much as some people love you. There's gonna be somebody that doesn't like what you do or what you sound like. And, that's a hard thing as a singer, and I think in Vinnie's (Dombroski, singer of Sponge) case, great songwriter, I think he's a great singer. And he's got such an eclectic interesting voice. But that's a hard thing for some people to to, to, to stomach sometimes... that kind of singing even like Myles Kennedy, a lot of people love his voice. But there's a lot of people that don't like that kind of operatic rock thing. And but in Slash's case, it works so well with what he's doing. And of course, Alter Bridge and what Miles has done over the years. Yeah. Again, great, great singer. acquired taste for some people.

Chuck Shute: 43:49

That's crazy. I think that's the headline right there that- Kevin Martin almost tried out for a Velvet Revolver. I think that would have been cool.

Kevin Martin: 43:57

When Scott(Weiland) didn't show up for one rehearsal. They couldn't find him for about a week, Matt said, Can you get down to the studio? And I got my car started driving down, he called me back and said, "He just showed up, I ll call you back." And that was it. That was my one s

Chuck Shute: 44:11

So close. That would have been cool to play with those guys. But yeah, somebody is back to the candlebox story. In 2018 the founding members of the band leave to do these like day jobs. And then this is an interesting interview a lot of bands and I hear these stories. Bands leave to do day jobs. I think you said Barney is an attorney. So just for you, I mean, you can't answer the question for them. But for you Why have you never left? Why have you never gotten burned out on the music business or tried something else? Or

Kevin Martin: 44:43

maybe because I don't have a college degree at Bharti

Chuck Shute: 44:47

Okay, fair enough.

Unknown: 44:48

No, man

Kevin Martin: 44:49

i think it's it's mainly just because I it musics been it's been my soul since I I can remember man. I mean, honestly, it's really been the only thing I've thought about since I was You know, walking at the age of one, I mean, music has been in my life since the beginning of my being and, and it will be in my life. When, when my being ends, you know, it's, it's all I want to do and no, it is all the time. It's gonna be the last year and I'll give it up in like two years or something. But, you know, I certainly I will tell you this when I hit 60 I will not be doing this because I know that my voice won't be at that level that I want it to be at. And I'm not Robert Plant, and I'm not you know, Ozzy Osborne, I don't have their careers, I don't have the longevity in history that they have. So I'm prepared to shut things down in about eight years. So get it while you can.

Chuck Shute: 45:41

Okay, that's good to know. Definitely to see you guys see it three times. We'll have to see another time. Um, so let's talk about the new album is actually it's interesting because the theme is about division and last direction. But it was actually recorded in 2019 before 2020. So I mean, I guess this is just the way things have kind of been going in the world. But I mean, you tell me I don't want to blab on anymore. But you tell me about this album's about?

Kevin Martin: 46:04

Well, You're exactly right. I mean, you know, we saw it starting, right around the time that Trump started running for president, when he started to just campaign, this rhetoric of divisiveness and it's, it's classic. I gotta be careful with his word. He's gonna have fans that aren't gonna agree with me. But it's it's it's classic narcissism. It's classic sociopathic behavior.

Chuck Shute: 46:31

Well, if you look up the definition of narcissistic personality disorder, I mean, I'm sorry. But yeah, he fits that definition for showing up. I think even his fans would have to agree. He's a narcissist for sure.

Kevin Martin: 46:43

Well, and you and you keep telling the story. And you keep feeding that line. People believe it. And that's been going on, I'm certainly Donald Trump's not the first person to do that. I mean, that's how our government's been running, the country for the past 300 years. That's how most governments run. That's how most societies run. There's a constant misinformation that's being fed. And, that's what allows them to get what they desire. And that's what this record is really about is, is this divisive nature, that society has accepted and become, and these lone wolves. I mean, you think about the number of murders by guns that have happened since January 1 of this year. It's insane, man. It's crazy. What's happening right now. And, and this does not come, just out of the blue, this has been burnt, it's it's been burning its way through our bellies for a long, long time. And, and people are losing their minds. And it's, it's incredibly, incredibly disturbing. And I and I just I wanted to write a record that kind of tells those stories tell you I've got a song in here called "Nothing Left to Lose", which is my favorite song and it's inspired by Ace of Spades by Motorhead wanted something that felt that way. But really, this song talks about, these lone wolves that are out here right now, like, fuck it, man, I don't care. And, and that's scary. It's really scary. I can't believe that this is what's happening in the United States right now. And it seems to be in its boiling point right now. And I don't even know when this is going to explode. If it can get any bigger. It's really disturbing. But wolves is about who we become what we become. And in all facets. There is the wolf pack, there is the lone wolf. There's the hurt wolf. There's the angry wolf. I mean, there's all sorts of things out there. And that's kind of why I decided to call the wolves. Hmm.

Chuck Shute: 48:47

Well, do you think that you know, part of its being locked down? Everyone's kind of going stir crazy. Do you think now that hopefully, concerts are coming back? People can come together? Because when I go to a Candlebox concert, or, Guns and Roses or whatever, I mean, I'm, I'm sure there's people that are fans of Trump, people that hate Trump, people that like this or that, I mean, everyone just comes together and goes, Okay, we're a fan of this. And you're like, Seahawks- you go to a Seahawks game. I mean, everybody's just a fan of the Seahawks. And that's, like, some of that brings people together. I feel like we've kind of lost that. Don't you think? That's a big piece of it?

Kevin Martin: 49:16

Yeah. And I mean, let's hope that that's what happens. So let's hope that it's music that actually, brings this this country back together the world back together, because I think music has brought the world together so many times. And if we can forget our differences, and just agree to disagree and accept that there's something wrong, how do we fix it, that the constitution begins. We the People, and we, we run this country, and it is our tax dollars, that are paying for everything that's happening, and we have a right to speak up and we have a right to protest - looting and all that other shit is just opportunist. And that's unfortunate. But you have opportunists in everything, and you can't change that, and people that feel that they deserve something, again is that word are the ones that are causing a lot of the problems. But at the same time, we need to respect one another and we need to respect one another's human rights and black lives do matter. And, and there is, you can go back to World War Two, when these GIs came back, and you look at New Jersey, or Long Island, rather, where there's a, there was a law written in that black GIs, we're not allowed to buy homes in certain neighborhoods, that's systemic racism, and it's been going on for a long, long time. And, and it's unfortunate, and, people gonna disagree with me, that's fine. Agree to disagree, but accept that something is happening and something is wrong. And and it's got to change, man. And we have to come together and make that change happen. We have to respect one another's human rights. You know,

Chuck Shute: 50:58

I don't think anybody can argue with the history there. But do you think it's gotten better? Or maybe now it's getting worse again? I don't know.

Kevin Martin: 51:07

It hasn't gotten better. Because once you start with systemic racism and redlining neighborhoods, it's it stays that way. It's okay, maybe people are starting to understand that there's a problem, but the laws haven't changed. You know, Redlining illegal, isn't it? Yeah. And early in the early 1900s. And they just It's illegal now. But those neighborhoods are still redlined. I mean, every one of them, it still, it still exists gave it back. And this property is worth $72 million. You know, that way, and that's why you have the Bronx, that's why you and it was owned by a black family, and it was taken from have the projects in Cabrini green and places like that, them by that city. Because they wanted it. And, and, and it's because of that. And, in Los Angeles, I don't know if you just now changing. So if that's what's occurring, then yeah, know, this, but they just gave back $72 million property in let's make that change happen. Now, you're gonna have some pe Manhattan Beach, because they stole it from a black family.

Chuck Shute: 51:46

I heard about that. ple that are listening to this a e going to disagree with me, and it's fine, but do the resea ch. But yeah, you're talking abo t why I think just having these conversations sometimes and talking about it, I like hearing, I like hearing both sides. Actually, I really like hearing both pitch. I'm probably in the middle somewhere. So I like hearing both sides in both perspectives, and then kind of making up my own mind going okay, well, this is what you should do for me. Yeah. I don't like to fuck, I don't you talk about Trump, or you can talk about Biden or what I don't like any politicians, to be honest. I mean, there's very few that that I go, oh, that guy's actually like really smart. I like what they say. So I think that's where we get into trouble too, is like people just following the, you know, not even politicians. But people in the media, they say, Oh, they just agree with everything that person says and that's, that's dangerous for both sides, really. So. But yeah, anyway, we got off on a huge tangent, which is fascinating. I like hearing your opinions on this stuff. But yeah, so your album is, is kind of about that theme. It's got some great songs. And that's tough sometimes when you're interviewing bands, and they have new stuff. And you know, you have to talk about it, but I really like the song. I like this the two songs I've heard my weakness, which is you said it's kind of like an 80s pop. Bryan Adams inspired song. I really liked that one. You didn't write it, but it was written about you. Is that right? About?

Unknown: 53:28

JOHN wrote it for me. Okay.

Chuck Shute: 53:30

But the one that you did right was, uh, let me down easy. That was the first thing that was actually written with Chris Cornell's brother Pete

Kevin Martin: 53:38

Yeah. Peter Coronel Yeah, he wrote that song for me. I told him I wanted something that was swampy and bluesy and, and dark. And, and we had reconnected a couple years ago, back in 2018. We haven't seen one another 20 years at least, and, and I was like, man, how are you? I'm sorry about what happened, Chris. And you know, it was great to catch up and see him. And as a man would love to have a song from you on my next record, if you're up for it. And time came by and I said, Listen, you got something can you send it to me? He sent me that track on acoustic and we made the full band version feel exactly like his acoustic version belt. And I was so jazzed when that song was done. I love it. So dark, swampy, bluesy, rock track about, about, I guess, redemption, you know, in some way, shape or form?

Chuck Shute: 54:26

Yeah. Are you going to be doing a full album with them? Maybe?

Kevin Martin: 54:30

Oh, I would love to. I don't know. I mean, he sent me a couple of songs since then. He and I've actually talked about maybe putting, you know Mark Cornell Martin record out or Martin and Cornell record. Absolutely. You know.

Chuck Shute: 54:41

Yeah. So you you've toured with all these big bands like we talked about Metallica and rush and you sold millions of record records. So I find it fascinating that you say you don't like your own voice like you don't listen back to recordings that you've sung on you just trust the producer. Is that is that really true? Is that something you just say to sound modest and interviews or did I'm gonna tell you did someone tell you what a good singer where does that idea? Why don't you like your own voice?

Kevin Martin: 55:06

No. I mean, he asked any producer to work with Viola Yeah, he doesn't really want to listen back to it. It's just,

Unknown: 55:12

I think that

Kevin Martin: 55:14

I don't like how my voice sounds. It's not what I wanted it to sound like when I sing songs, you know, I would much rather sound like somebody like, uh, you know, Caitlyn Paul was really great, you know, dark whiskey, timber, you know, to their voice or, you know, Michael McDonald, or, you know, or Van Morrison or, you know, or Mick Jagger or Robert Plant, you know, these kind of, or Chris Robertson, for that matter, you know, is just really, there's so much in their voice, and I don't hear it in mine. So, you know, that's, I guess that's where it comes from, you know, but get me behind a drum kit, and I want to hear exactly what I did, because that's what I love. I guess. I love singing and I love being a singer in a band. But I'm a reluctant lead singer, because I would much rather be a drummer. And that's probably where that comes from. It's like, if you feel that you've got what you think the song needs as a producer, which is what I'm paying you for. Then let's be done with it. Move on. Okay,

Chuck Shute: 56:07

so do you think that maybe you'll switch back to the drums? You send an age 60 you can't sing anymore? So you go back to drums then?

Kevin Martin: 56:14

Yeah, who am I gonna play drums for at the age of 60? Oh, no. Like.

Chuck Shute: 56:20

I'm sure you can start with a group of some Seattle guys or someday somebody will play with you.

Kevin Martin: 56:25

Oh, wow. I don't know my dad.

Chuck Shute: 56:27

Just do it for fun. I don't know. What are you gonna do after you retire from singing?

Kevin Martin: 56:31

Oh, I've got tons of other business things I'm involved with my wife has a clothing line and starting a men's swimwear line with her on that. Why

Chuck Shute: 56:37

don't you have a whiskey company to or something like that? That I hear

Kevin Martin: 56:40

that was we're starting one but bourbon was to kick off last year. bourbon. Yeah. And it got you know, these 2020s put everything on hold for a lot of people. So that's a that's on hold press. But that said that's gonna happen as well. That's me and Adam, my bass player.

Chuck Shute: 56:53

Okay, that's super cool. Did you ever meet the Do you ever end up meeting the singer of Midnight Oil? Peter Garrett to tell him? I haven't.

Kevin Martin: 57:01

I haven't met him. I can't you know, I cannot wait to tell him. I'm sure he's heard the story but or maybe not. But I certainly can't wait to meet him and tell him. Thank you for giving me my my career. Yeah,

Chuck Shute: 57:13

yeah, it'd be amazing. Okay, I apologize in advance for this question. Cuz I'm sure you're probably sick of the Courtney Love stuff. So I'll just I won't even make you tell the story. I'll just summarize it. But I did have a question about the end. So because basically, she talked all the shit about you. And then you guys did this magazine cover for the rocket, which is a Seattle magazine. And you kind of like spoofed her album cover. And she talked to a bunch of shit. And then she found your number somehow through a mutual friend or some. She calls you to talk shit and tell you off. This is the part of the story. I don't understand. She talked to you for two hours. Why didn't you hang up the phone? Why did you let her shoot you out for two hours.

Kevin Martin: 57:50

She didn't call me she a friend of mine. called her he's friends with and he's like, and he's like, What's your problem? You know why you busted my buddy's balls? And she's like, Yeah, but back when she was still doing a lot of drugs. Sure. Sure. out of her skull and and, and he's like, hang on a second to put him on the phone. So I got on the phone with her. And I was like, Listen, I don't understand is like I'm a huge fan of yours. You know, I've got you know, every record you released I love you know, pretty on the inside. It's my favorite whole record. And I don't understand I mean, I don't even know you. And she just rambled and rambled and rambled. And, you know, and then of course, when the drugs take over in a conversation, I don't think half the time she knew what she was talking about. But my you know, my buddy ended up sending me his cell phone bill, because, you know, I think it was like $1,000 that was back when cell phones cost a fortune. is like you're gonna pay this. I'm like, I didn't call her you called. Yeah, she, I still never met her. I have my drummer Robin. Australia, and I said don't don't you tell her that you play in candlebox? Because you'll get kicked off the off the tour, you know. But yeah, I don't know. I don't know what that was about. But she just certainly did not like us at all. That's weird. Yeah. It's

Chuck Shute: 59:01

it's weird that I hear all these stories about people not liking you guys because I definitely remember like people not liking Stone Temple Pilots, which is really funny because now I feel like they're revered as this great band. But I remember the time a lot of people thought Stone Temple Pilots was a rip off ban, but I don't remember the hate about candlebox as much so it's kind of interesting.

Unknown: 59:20

Yeah, yeah.

Chuck Shute: 59:22

So let's see. Do you start a podcast? Is that started yet? Are you gonna start?

Kevin Martin: 59:27

I'm starting to I'm, I am starting a podcast. It's called rock and roll and look it up. Okay. And that's the name of the podcast.

Chuck Shute: 59:33

It's called what?

Kevin Martin: 59:35

It's called rock and roll. Look it up.

Chuck Shute: 59:37

That'll come up. That'll bring up like 3000 different podcasts on it. Yeah, it's called a or it's a you're gonna do like nine songs are gonna be like deep research into the songs like stuff that's not on Wikipedia. Yeah, okay.

Unknown: 59:52

No, I don't want to you know,

Kevin Martin: 59:54

I really my concept behind it is, you know, it's a saying that I came up with years ago. It's called rock and roll looking at it. What that means is, is you know, people have kind of forgotten, you know, what makes rock and roll, you know, rock and roll, it's dangerous and it and it needs, it needs an outlet. And people have to give it space. And, and the concept behind the podcast is really the people that I'm going to interview, you know, I want them to pick the songs and we're going to we're going to go into them deep, these aren't going to be, you know, they'll probably pick one or two popular songs, but it's, it's really going to be let's find out about this artist, you know, why? why he chose a song and what it represents to you and, and what that artists maybe was going through when they wrote that track. And these are going to be you know, an hour long podcast and you know, probably won't even get to the nine songs because we'll probably end up talking about that too much. But yeah, that's the concept behind it and, and really kind of digging into what makes musicians tick. You know, I've got a lot of friends lined up to do this, that are better musicians and, and rock stars alike and looking forward to picking their brains about, you know, the songs that inspire them. And then there's also the good, the bad and the ugly, and that's, you know, the ugly is going to be what they the song would absolutely hate and don't understand why anybody bought I mean others like, that'll be interesting to find out of their own songs. of anybody's Oh, Carolyn or somebody else's. Do you?

Chuck Shute: 1:01:21

Do you have what are what are yours? What are the songs for you that are like that?

Kevin Martin: 1:01:24

I can't give you that because then you're gonna you're gonna get my podcast. Damn it.

Chuck Shute: 1:01:28

Okay. Well, I tried. Well, thank you so much for doing this. I do like to end that. We I think we covered everything. I do like to end each episode with a charity. I think you work with a breast cancer charity

Kevin Martin: 1:01:38

as Breast Cancer Society.

Chuck Shute: 1:01:39

Okay, I can put that in the notes. And then people should check out your website. You guys. I couldn't see. I think you did have some shows lined up for the future shows in Seattle in November. Are those still happening? One of the crocodile repairman?

Kevin Martin: 1:01:53

Yeah, we start up in August. We've got three shows in August and then we start touring. I think September 2, all the way through November 10.

Chuck Shute: 1:02:00

Okay, and so those dates locked up. Are you still working on that?

Unknown: 1:02:05

No, they're locked. Yeah,

Kevin Martin: 1:02:06

we'll be releasing all the dates I think in about three or four weeks.

Chuck Shute: 1:02:10

Okay, cuz I think I only saw like three on the website. So are you coming to Phoenix?

Kevin Martin: 1:02:16

I think we are. I just don't be I think we're playing the Van Buren,

Chuck Shute: 1:02:21

Van Buren.

Kevin Martin: 1:02:21

That Van Buren.

Chuck Shute: 1:02:22

Okay, that's it. Cool. I'll try to check that off. I'm around so awesome. Well, thanks so much for doing this. Kevin. I really appreciate it.

Kevin Martin: 1:02:28

You gotta check. Thanks, man. All right, talk to

Unknown: 1:02:30

you later. We'll see ya.

Chuck Shute: 1:02:32

Bye. Thank you to Kevin Martin of candlebox. Again, the new album is called wolves. Check it out. See the band live if they come to your city. I've seen him three times and they're great. Make sure to follow Kevin on an candlebox on social media to keep up with tour dates. And check out their website. They have some really cool merch on there. Thank you so much for listening, and making it all the way through this interview. If you enjoyed this one, check out some of the other episodes on my show. I got one with Vinnie Dombroski of sponge who we referenced that interview earlier. I've also interviewed Dale crover from the melvins Robin woollen Wilson from Gin Blossoms, Jeremy pop off of lit and many more. So if you want to support the show, you can like share or comment on YouTube or social media that helps me out and make sure to subscribe or follow me on social media so you don't miss any of the future episodes. And if you want to go above and beyond, you can write me an iTunes review of the show. That will help a lot. Have a great rest of your day. And remember to shoot for the moon.