Interviewed by Brian Rademacher
Date: October 2009
Brian Rademacher: Hello Bobby and welcome to RockEyez.com
Before I even start I want you to tell the fans 5 things that they would not know
about you?
Bobby Kidd:
- ‘I hate flying’ lol (I’m terrible)
- 'I’ve never been overseas’ (TRUE)
- 'I can play the Piano Accordian’ (Not very Rock ‘n’ Roll lol)
- ’I’m a Professional Photographer’
- ’I used to coach an under 16’s Basketball team’
Brian Rademacher: We recently reviewed your EP "Breaking Me Down" that was excellent. Have you been getting any label interest?
Bobby Kidd At this stage I haven’t received interest from any major labels (both Here in Australia or internationally). I’ve had quite a few magazines and radio stations all over the world show a lot of interest though. Truth be told it’s hard getting your material out to the right people, (especially if you don’t have and can’t get to the right contacts) so while things seem to be going well for me, there’s still a lot of work to be done and a lot more doors to be opened. All I can do at this stage is continue writing and performing and doing what it is I love to do and with a bit of luck and timing, the Major Labels will take notice….
Brian Rademacher: Tell us about your younger years… How were you in school?
Bobby Kidd School lol…now there’s an interesting question. To be totally honest with you, I have only have one regret from my school days. ‘I wish I focused more in English classes’ lol…would’ve come in handy with my writing lol…but seriously school and I didn’t mix. I think getting a great education is very important, but it wasn’t the thing for me. I spent as much time as I could in the music room, before classes, after classes etc etc… My whole school life was focused on one thing and one thing alone…MUSIC.
Brian Rademacher: Did you play any sports?
Bobby Kidd Yeah I love sport. Be it watching it or playing. I love playing tennis. (Wish I could play more often lol). And I used to play soccer and cricket in my very early years. Also love going to Basketball games. Can’t wait to watch some live NBA action over in the U.S.
Brian Rademacher: When did you first learn that you had musical talent?
Bobby Kidd Well the first instrument I played was the piano accordian and after a few years of lessons my teacher thought that I had great potential. But it wasn’t until I was in my teens and my music teacher asked my to sing and play the keyboard for a class assignment that I really thought wow, I’m actually good at this lol…he pulled me aside and suggested that I join the school band ‘cause he heard something there...
Brian Rademacher: Did you use to imitate anyone singing?
Bobby Kidd Yeah, for sure. Who didn’t? I’m a big fan of KISS and love Paul Stanley. I think he’s such a great singer and a fantastic entertainer. I remember on numerous occasions when I was younger standing in front of a mirror with a guitar strapped around me singing and dancing to KISS songs, thinking I was Paul (well it was funny to watch lol)
Brian Rademacher: What was the song that sticks in your head as a child that you use to play over and over again?
Bobby Kidd: That’s a tough question as I had many songs that I would play over and over again. I grew up in the 80’s so there was plenty of great tunes to listen to and like I said I’m a big KISS fan so a lot of what Paul did definitely stuck in my head as did songs from BON JOVI and who can forget Richard Marx…. absolutely love his work. He’s the reason I wanted to play the piano. Those ballads are fantastic. So as you can see it’s quite hard to narrow it down to one particular song.
Brian Rademacher: Do you remember your first concert experience?
Bobby Kidd: Most definitely…It was 1993, KISS at the Sydney Entertainment Centre. Man what a concert. It was loud, it was bright and all I could do was imagine me up there shaking my ass like Paul lol… Great experience! You see prior to that year for whatever reason I wasn’t into concerts. I don’t know why and I certainly missed out on a lot of great shows but I didn’t like going to ‘LIVE’ concerts. Go figure lol
Brian Rademacher: Have you ever tried smoking or drinking before?
Bobby Kidd: Lol…Well there’s a story I’ve got about my first smoking and drinking experience. I believe it was when I was 17 or 18 I think. Anyway a group of us went on a vacation up to the Gold Coast (Queensland) and before that I had no intention of ever touching a smoke or a drink. But one night everyone was getting into the drinks and smoking away (cigarettes) and I thought, well I’m away from home. Let’s see what the big deal is with all this drinking and smoking stuff lol, so I started drinking that night and had my first cigarette (which ended up being the whole packet lol). Needless to say I got smashed and got kicked out of a club (too drunk lol), it was a great evening though. But the next day I hated cigaret tes and saw absolutely no point in it and never touched one again, and as for drinking I do enjoy a bit of social drinking every now and then lol… (A good glass of red always goes down well lol)
Brian Rademacher: What is a role model for you?
Bobby Kidd: Someone who NEVER gives up and/or NEVER gives in. Be it in sport or music or work or just LIFE in general. Keeping the Faith, keeping the belief alive. That’s such a great quality that people should look up too. And most definitely someone who is POSITIVE, I have NO time for negative people (they bore me lol).
Brian Rademacher: What was the first band you were in and how did it work out?
Bobby Kidd: Well, it was back in school. But it was only an acoustic duo, so I’m not sure whether that is classified as a band as such, but it was a great experience. I wasn’t popular at school. Well I wasn’t unpopular, I was just Bobby, somewhere in the middle. But as soon as I started singing at school, well that quickly changed lol People started to notice me a lot more lol…and we started recording and writing our own songs, so somewhere out there there’s all these songs with me singing on them lol…(It would be interesting to hear them now lol)
Brian Rademacher: When you first started working as a solo artist did anyone give you advice?
Bobby Kidd: Yeah…IT’S hard work lol. It was a tough call for me to leave the band that I was in at the time of going solo. We had an album out and had management and things were going well for us. But something inside me said that it was time to break away and do it alone. I was the keyboard player  and backing vocalist and had a ball doing that and learnt as much as I could from the boys, but I wanted to be the singer and play the guitar and do my own thing and write my own songs etc. I think the hardest thing for me going solo has been finding loyal and dedicated guys (who can play) for the backing band. Man have I got some stories lol.
Brian Rademacher: Ya know it’s really refreshing to have a guy like you with the clean cut image that shows a sensitive side that plays music that the kids love. A lot of the kids are listening to songs with lyrics let’s kill this M****R - F****R, and things like that. Your music is uplifting with direction that kids should appreciate it. Was that your intention to be a positive figure?
Bobby Kidd: Well thank you for your kind words. All I ever wanted to do was write and sing the kind of songs that I would want to hear from other bands. It’s that simple. It’s about entertaining the people, the fans. After all it’s the fans that get you there and hopefully keep you there. As for being a positive figure, All I can hope is that people can relate to the songs and find something in the lyric that touches them in some way, shape or form that is positive, be it a sad song or uplifting song as you put it. Every experience should be a positive one even if you’re sad. There’s something to be learnt even from that.
Brian Rademacher: What does religion mean to you?
Bobby Kidd: Well everyone has his or her own beliefs and everyone believes in something or someone. I believe in the ‘power of music’. That’s my religion. It speaks every language and breaks down barriers and the power it has is absolutely phenomenal and in same cases can even turn your life around (literally).
Brian Rademacher: If you could rid the world of one thing what would that be?
Bobby Kidd: Violence…Stop all the killings, abuse etc. What’s the point?
Brian Rademacher: What was it like the first time someone asked for your autograph?
Bobby Kidd: Lol…Well it was at Tamworth (country music festival) here in Australia (yes I know I’m not a country artist) but I was in a duo and had a female singer who was quite country. Anyway she was younger than I and wasn’t used to the attention and every day after our show we had guys and girls coming up to us and asking for our autographs. It was great. To think that people loved what we were doing so much that they wanted our autographs. We were no bodies. That was very rewarding. It was a good feeling.
Brian Rademacher: What was your favorite birthday present given to you and why?
Bobby Kidd: Uh…my favourite b’day gift so far has to be one of my tattoos. It was given to me by a very special person and means the world to me. Which one I hear you ask? Lol it’s the tat on my left forearm ‘Vous Et Nul Autre’.
Brian Rademacher: Are you working on new material now and when will the fans get to hear more?
Bobby Kidd: Well, here’s an exclusive for you. I’m about to start Pre-Production on 3 new tracks. (Not Demo’s) It’s quite exciting, as I’ll be working with a new producer down here in Melbourne, Australia by the name of Paul Wiltshire. So we’re looking forward to getting into the studio and rocking out lol. As for when the fans can expect to hear them, well I’m hoping to have the songs recorded, mixed and mastered by mid to end of December (if all goes well). Could be a great x-mas present lol ☺
Brian Rademacher: How hard was it to get where you are in your music career and how much has Myspace, and other forces like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube helped?
Bobby Kidd: Well, I still have a long way to get to where I’d like to be in my music career, but technology has certainly played a major role and has been a great friend to me lol. Sites such as those you mentioned like, Myspace, YouTube, twitter, facebook etc are absolutely essential to the up and coming unsigned artist. Even to the already established artist it’s a great tool. I mean if it wasn’t for Myspace, I wouldn’t be chatting with you right now and I certainly wouldn’t have as many fans as I do and most certainly wouldn’t have the many radio stations who play my songs on air and then there’s the magazines who do these interviews and reviews etc. so Myspace has been brilliant for me as having YouTube and facebook. And the best thing about them all is ‘It’s for free lol’ Always a plus when you’re a struggling musician ☺
Brian Rademacher: I see you have street teams now, USA, European & Brazil. How can others help pass the word about Bobby Kidd?
Bobby Kidd: Yeah the Street teams have been such a great support system for me and my music. They definitely spread the BK love lol…The girls that run the street teams have became such great friends of mine and they certainly know how to get the word out. You know word of mouth is such a powerful tool and very underrated in my opinion, so if anyone out there reading this wants to help spread the word about Bobby Kidd, please tell all your friends and family and get them to do the same and before you know it, it starts the snow ball effect and labels have to notice the attention that an artist is getting with so many fans. Plus you can also request all the radio stations to play my songs and even email the Television shows to get BK on there. Plus you can tell them to check out all the latest songs, news, reviews, videos etc @ the following links:
Brian Rademacher: Bobby it seems you’re off to a good start and the new CD is killer. A lot of fans say you have vocals on the style of Jon Bon Jovi are you happy about that?
Bobby Kidd: Lol…Well are you asking if I’m happy that fans or people in general are using my name and Jon’s in the same sentence? Are you kidding me lol. That’s a compliment man. Look, everyone sounds like someone and looks like someone. It’s what people do, they pigeon hole you in a category, cause it’s easier that way. And If I’m been compared to Jon Bon Jovi’s vocal style somewhat, I’ll take that as a major compliment. However I’ve got to say that some fans have said that I have similar tones to the old Jon not so much the new style of Jon . I tend to agree, yeh sure I have a similar tone to the great man, but it’s his earlier work Slippery, New Jersey, Young Guns etc that people are referring to, not so much what he sounds like now. But like I said, he’s a great singer so it’s an honor to be even mentioned in the same class as him if that’s what people are saying. It doesn’t bother me one way or the other. The response to my Debut E.P ‘Breaking Me Down’ has been fantastic and the reviews have been great, so I’m very grateful for that. You know you put your heart and soul into a project and at the end of it you just hope that people like what it is that you do. You can’t please everyone and nor should you.
Brian Rademacher: In ending would you like to say anything to your fans or thank anyone?
Bobby Kidd: Well firstly I want to say a big thank you to all the street teams and thank ALL my loyal and fantastic fans. It’s a long way to the top if you want to rock ‘n’ roll, but we’re getting there lol…see you all on the road. BK ☺
Brian Rademacher: Best of luck and thanks for taking our questions and continued success.
Bobby Kidd: Thank you Brian and everyone at Rockeyez.com for all your support.
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