Posted on 09/19/2023 3:31:08 PM PDT by DoodleBob
Kix will play their final show this month — and according to vocalist Steve Whiteman, not a moment too soon.
The Maryland rockers are set to end a 45-year career with a Sept. 17 hometown gig at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia. "I don't want to go out sucking — I want to go out being pretty good," Whiteman said on a recent episode of SiriusXM's Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk (via Blabbermouth). "But age takes its toll," he added, citing drummer Jimmy Chalfant's 2021 heart attack and subsequent onstage collapse last November as contributing factors.
The vocalist also admitted he's been struggling to perform fan favorites, such as the Top 20 power ballad "Don't Close Your Eyes." "I had a four-octave range and I never struggled hitting anything, [but] I've had to pretty much totally change the way I sing," he explained. "Luckily, I was a vocal coach, so I knew how to — I don't want to say 'fake' things, but change things so the fans really wouldn't know that I'm not singing like I used to."
How He Knew it Was Time to Quit
"There are nights, out of the past couple of years, where I've come offstage just humiliated because I can't sing 'Don't Close Your Eyes' like I used to, or I can't sing 'Cold Blood,'" Whiteman added. "These are the songs that the fans are out there waiting for. And that's when I started to think I don't want to do this if I can't do it well anymore."
A Warm Farewell
Whiteman said he's humbled by the overwhelming fan response to their farewell show. "We didn't know how it was gonna go, 'cause Merriweather is about a 15,000-seat venue," he said. "We thought, well, if we can draw four or five thousand people, that would be great. And I think we're over 10,000 at this point. It's for the hometown fans and it's a big shebang to say thanks for all the years, for the memories, for the support. And [we] love you guys, but we're tired."
“It is criminal that CTS never achieved massive success.”
They were just WAY over peoples’ heads.
Damn good though!
I grew up with these guys (yep, personally knew them) during my early teen years, My sister dated one of them in the early 80’s. They were a very fun band to hang out with. I still have all their albums on both vinyl and cd.
My college roommate from Baltimore was a big fan of theirs back in the 80s. All he ever played was Kix and Crack The Sky.
Don’t worry they live on in my man cave lol
“ still listen to classic rock radio online, and I’ve never heard any station play anything by Kix.”
They aren’t really classic per say more like 80’s Hair
Hard rock heaven plays them quiet often online day after day
I said Quisp not Quest.
Jammed out to Kix plenty of times in the 90’s!
“Out all night, it’s time to get started! Saving all week for a bang, boom party!”
Just an attempt at humor. Quangaroos eh? Haven’t had the pleasure. Figures the Aussies would come up with something like that though they did run with the Falcon for a while. Nice car. Wouldn’t mind coming across one of those old classic muscle cars.
♫ 80s shiley acres bump ♪
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