KIX CURRENTLY ON THE ROAD PLAYING DATES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND HEADLINING M3 ROCK FESTIVAL JULY 2
New York, NY – June 18, 2021 – For the first time in his 35+ year history of as the lead singer and front man of KIX, Steve Whiteman will release his first ever solo album, You’re Welcome, on July 2, 2021. The 12-song album was co-produced by Whiteman along with his trusted collaborators Brad Divens, Jimmy Chalfant, and Bob Paré; it was recorded and mixed by Divens at Fixintogetmixin Studio.
Though the recent pandemic essentially derailed the last year-plus of KIX’s touring plans, it gave Whiteman the chance to settle in at home for a critical period of time and vocal rest, the results of which he was able to channel directly into writing and recording You’re Welcome. “Not being able to play for over a year gave me the opportunity to get together with some friends and make an album of these songs,” said Whiteman. “It was great having something to do during COVID. We all had a great time making this record and I’m very proud of it!”
Steve Whiteman. Photo Credit: Mark Weiss
You’re Welcome is chock full of hard-rock gems. “I knew pretty early on this music wasn’t KIX music and that it was definitely going to be for my solo thing,” says Whiteman. Whether it’s the harmonica-splattered conflict of “Bad Blood,” the bluesy strike of “Lightning Bolt,” the instantly catchy “Do Me Like You Done Me Before,” the heartfelt and somewhat melancholy “Kid Dynamite,” a tribute to Ronnie Younkins [KIX guitarist], who’s been going through another bout of rehab, or the lusty wink-nudgery of “Tug of Luv” (one of the artist’s personal favorite tracks), You’re Welcome adds yet another exciting chapter to Whiteman’s storied recorded legacy.
If Whiteman’s loyal KIX fanbase feels like the album title sounds familiar, they’d be right. “It comes from a bit I do during KIX shows where I ask our crowds for a response. I demand they reply, ‘You’re welcome’ every time I say, ‘Thank you,’” Whiteman explains. And if the cover art gives them an incredible sense of déjà vu — it depicts Whiteman’s signature at the top, and a large, self-drawn stick figure underneath it, they’re exactly right. “Yeah, that started when KIX’s first album came out and the label had us do all these local in-stores,” Whiteman recounts. “It was madness, because we would be sitting there for like two or three hours just signing albums. People were always saying things like, ‘Write something special to me’ or ‘do something special,’ and I just ran out of ideas.
KIX has released seven albums over their career including last year’s Midnite Dynamite Re-Lit, released on the 35th anniversary of the release of Midnite Dynamite. KIX will be on the road for the rest of the year, including headlining the M3 Rock Festival at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD on July 2. See all KIX tour dates HERE
