Kid Rock‘s Roller Coaster

July 13, 2005

D
etroit’s Kid Rock decided after being out on the road for eight years non-stop that he would slow it down for 2005 and take a little break. For the past six months, Rock (as his friends and fans call him) has been hanging out at what might best be described as a reality theme park where the admission price is simply just being “cocky.”
While at the “theme park” there is no question that he got on a roller coaster ride called the “American Bad Ass,” and it seems there is no way off for him, but then again maybe he doesn’t want off.
While Rock isn’t touring this year, he instructed his manager to entertain any concert offers that looked intriguing. One he couldn’t pass up was July 17 at Boyne Mountain.
“I love it up there, and I am only doing six shows this year, and we printed up t-shirts because we are calling it the Lazy Mother F*ucker Tour,” said Rock. “After the show I am staying for a week to go tubing with my friends from France. I told them it is beautiful and that northern Michigan is the best kept secret in the world. Plus they love me up there.”
That might be a bit of an understatement as the concert sold out in a couple of days; with a crowd of about 10,000 expected, Kid Rock will be the largest music event this summer in Northern Michigan.
Boyne Mountain is exploring the possibility of creating a summer concert series and if things go well with the Kid Rock show, look for five to six major shows next summer.
“Kid is a hometown boy no matter where he plays in this state,” said promoter Dave Clark of Cellar Door Productions. “We didn’t view our decision to have Kid Rock a big risk and by the sell-out I think we made the right call. We are already thinking about options for next year, but no comment on that at this point, as right now our focus is putting on the best event possible for the Kid Rock fans.”

KENNY M.I.A.
Missing from the stage will be Rock’s longtime guitarist Kenny Olson, who grew up in Traverse City. Olson just left the band a month ago to pursue other interests (see side bar). Both Olson and Rock are unwilling to discuss the departure with the media at this time, citing their friendship and issues that need to be worked out between them. Both have essentially said “only God knows” if Olson will return in the future In the meantime Hemigod/Reefermen guitarist Bobby East is taking over the responsibilities.
Back to Rock’s roller coaster ride.
As 2004 came to a close, the Kid Rock tour was the seventh most attended in the nation. With almost a million fans going out to see him, he was among the top-grossing acts for the year. Rock found himself being asked to perform at the Kennedy Center 2004 Honoring of Elton John.
“Elton John was the first concert I ever went to. I was around five and only vaguely remember it,” said Rock. “But he impacted me and so it was an honor. It was wild to see President Bush and Vice President Cheney up dancing.”
It has been rumored that President Bush is a Kid Rock fan. During the Inaugural ceremony week the President’s daughters requested that Rock be one of the performers for the “youth” bash that they were hosting. When Christian conservatives caught wind of this they squelched it. Instead, Rock was replaced by the band Fuel who took the stage and said, “Isn’t this the greatest f*cking country in the world?”

FIGHTING WORDS
Rock shrugs it off and is proud of his support of Bush.
“What pisses me off are all these Hollywood types that don’t know their head from their ass, coming out and commenting on the war. They don’t know shit. I don’t know shit about it,” said Rock. “You take a look at President Bush’s background and those that work with him and they know their shit. That’s why I want him making the decisions.”
So it is a safe bet that you didn’t see Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 9/11?”
“Hell no, some friends of mine tried to take me to it. No way was I going to see that,” said Rock. “It is just a bunch of propaganda. People have to understand what we have in this country we got from fighting for it.”
Speaking of fighting, it seems Kid Rock has been doing a little bit of that lately. During the now famous Pistons/Pacers brawl, Rock was ready to rumble but was restrained by Red Wings star Chris Chelios. Then he got in a scuffle with a fan during the Pistons game four against San Antonio. He recently pleaded no contest for punching a DJ in Nashville and received a year’s probation. He had to pay $180 restitution for new glasses for the DJ and must attend eight hours of anger management classes.
Legend also has it that early in his career Rock learned after a concert in Big Rapids that his manager was ripping him off. On the highway to Grand Rapids Rock ordered the driver to stop the tour bus and then preceeded to physically throw his manager off the bus. His idol Bob Seger connected Rock with current manager Punch Andrews.
Rock insists that he doesn’t have an anger problem and refuses to comment on anything due to a pending lawsuit that the DJ has filed, seeking over $500,000 from the rocker.

TABLOID FODDER
What about female problems?
Rock isn’t interested in talking about that either. He was tired of his relationship with Pam Anderson being tabloid fodder and was able to keep a relationship with a Traverse City woman secret. Rock appears to not be dating anyone in particular and has shown up to several events with porn stars and models. In England he was spotted out with Paris Hilton and also seen hanging with Serena Williams during Wimbledon (though both camps say there is nothing to any of it). He was spotted with several actresses and models at Cannes Film Festival and he showed up with two dates at a Kentucky Derby.
Then there is the music.
Rock has been on the topside of the industry. His “Devil Without A Cause” CD has sold 14 million copies, yet critics said when he decided to reinvent himself and released “Cocky,” he was all done. In fact, Rolling Stone Magazine labeled him as the person “most likely all done with his 15 minutes of fame.” But Rock is having the last laugh as “Cocky” has sold nearly 5 million copies.
“That’s the problem with the industry today -- those guys don’t know shit,” said Rock. “They are running around to malls, having singing contests, trying to find the next American Idol.”
What about new music for you?
“I expect a live album to be ready to be released later this fall,” said Rock. “Look for a new album with straight up rock and roll material next spring and a tour to support it.”

THE REAL IDOLS
Speaking of American Idols, it seems like you have been hanging with a few of them, in particular Jerry Lee Lewis and Bob Seger.
“Those guys are the real deal, the real American Idols,” said Rock. “Yeah, I finished recording with both of them. I have should be on Seger’s new album (due out in November). It has been great hanging with Jerry Lee and he has been passing on some pointers to me. We were recording The Stones song Honky Tonk Women with Keith Richards. Lewis had his way and Richards kept saying ‘that’s not how we do it.’ Lewis didn’t give a damn and said we re ‘going to do this way and what do you think Rock.’ I said your the boss let’s do it your way. I don’t think enough of us young guys are going and seeking advice from the guys that made it all happen.”
While Rock is in the prime of his career, he also has other priorities in his life like fatherhood.
“I have sole custody of my son. He just turned 12, and like any child, what he needs is time with me. That is what all parents need to give to their kids; things will never replace time, and quality time spent with your kids is what they want.
When you tour you normally do five to seven shows a week. I don’t, and I tell my fans that I won’t. We do two to three shows a week when we tour. It means giving up a lot of money but I need to be there for my son and I want the band to be there for their families. I have parent-teacher conferences, soccer games to attend just like everyone else. It is about choices and my choice is to be involved in my son’s life, so that means being a full-time dad and everything else comes second.”

ROLLER COASTER
At 34, Kid Rock shows no signs of slowing down and no interest in getting off the wild “American Bad Ass” roller coaster ride he is on. He remains one of the music business’s most colorful characters and popular acts. His track record shows that he has the ability to defy critics, but at the end of the day it really is all about the music and staying connected with his fans.
“It is why I do these interviews; you guys in the media don’t sell one CD for us. Touring sells the music. I have had to become guarded with the media because in the beginning I was a trusting person and I got burned,” said Rock. “But you can’t talk to every fan so you are forced to talk to the media, but I prefer to let my music do the talking.”
That is exactly what rock music’s bad boy will do on July 17 at Boyne Mountain. Rock has a reputation for having one of the best stage shows on the circuit. At $40 the concert is a real value -- in fact Rock has a reputation of taking less money and keeping ticket prices down for his fans.
If there is a downside to the concert it is the many fans from Northern Michigan who hoped to see Kenny Olson tearing up the guitar on stage with Rock. But as they say, the show must go on, and with or without Kenny, this is definitely the concert to see this summer.