I conclude their longevity is due to the sardines.
They and their lead singer are a beautiful story of redemption...they have a movie, too...oh, and the music is still some of my favorites...Carry on My Wayward Son.
My first concert was seeing Kansas in Tulsa, OK when I was in high school. Some band no one had ever heard of was the warm-up band, an outfit called Cheap Trick.
Here, at about 3 minutes. Yes, I'm in there somewhere.
I saw them once in the 90s at a free outdoor gig (and hear them on radio while growing up).
>>Kansas sold a creditable 100,000 copies the album made the lower reaches of the Billboard chart.
A few thousand record/CD sales in a week can now put your band in the top 200 easily. Even higher if you look at a niche chart.
>>Ehart views it differently: “The band comprised a Catholic, a Baptist, a part-Jew, an agnostic and an atheist. Kerry’s religion was fine, but he wanted to make Kansas a sounding board for his beliefs. That sort of pontificating just didn’t sit comfortably with us, especially Steve who had to sing with conviction.”
Do the bands that sing about demons, dragons, or what not have conviction in their own lyrics?
>>Ehart views it differently: “The band comprised a Catholic, a Baptist, a part-Jew, an agnostic and an atheist. Kerry’s religion was fine, but he wanted to make Kansas a sounding board for his beliefs. That sort of pontificating just didn’t sit comfortably with us, especially Steve who had to sing with conviction.”
Where did Chuck Berry find the conviction to sing “Ring Ring Goes The Bell” about kids in school (School Day)?
Or the midwestern Trashmen singing about the King of the Surf?
Nothing happens in a vacuum, these were the MTV years. AOR radio was drawing a line in the sand on new bands and even sliding towards “classic hits” rather than even the new tracks from bands they were playing. MTV originally was open to all sorts of music, requirement “is there a video we can use for free” but it soon became the network of Michael, Springsteen, Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, and Boy George.
Who stole the lick?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5TlHv6UdIIM
The comments on the video are illuminating.
Interesting article. I know some of their music but not a lot.
I don’t recall ever seeing so many references to sardines in one piece of writing. King Oscar is a good brand. I especially like their smoked kipper snacks.
Seriously, what was the deal with the hair in the 1970s?
It’s unsettling.
I think it was in 1982 or so, a couple buddies found out Dave Hope and Kerry Livgren became born again Christians. They were Kansas fans and attended a concert. At one point they held up a sign that said Jesus Loves You or something like that.
Dave Hope saw it from stage, during a song called a roadie over and pointed out my friends. They were given backstage passes and met Dave and Kerry.
For several years after that, whenever Kansas came to town, Either Dave or Kerry would call my buddies and ask how many tickets they wanted. I was away at college and only got to go once. What a rush. We were in the first few rows and had backstage passes to hang with the band after the show.
The instrument room was really cool. Plenty of backup instruments ready for instant deployment.
It was toward the end of their big run. John Elephante was lead singer.
He and his brother are very successful Christian music producers now.
Kansas’s first three albums were/are awesome! I was/am a fan from the beginning. After those three, they went to “commercial” for me!
I thought the article was about the state. Sardines in “Steak territory”? My bad.