Steve Kimock
Encyclopedia
Steve Kimock is an American rock musician
and guitarist
.
to play guitar with the folk-rock group The Goodman Brothers. In 1979, after a stint with Martin Fierro
in the salsa band the Underdogs, Kimock joined the Heart of Gold Band
featuring Keith
& Donna Godchaux
and drummer Greg Anton.
In 1984, along with Anton,and John Cipollina
formerly of Quicksilver Messenger Service
. Kimock co-founded the psychedelic rock ensemble Zero, through which he became known nationally. With the Addition of Vocalist, Judge Murphy in 1991, Zero departed from their largely instrumental format and recorded 'Chance in a Million', their most successful album to date, featuring songs penned by Grateful Dead lyricist, Robert Hunter. Zero continued to tour and release numerous acclaimed records and hundreds of live recordings until 2000. Keeping with their improvisational theme, various lineups included many notable musicians such as Chip Roland, Melvin Seals, Liam Hanrahan, Pete Sears, Bobby Vega, Nicky Hopkins of the Rolling Stones, Vince Welnick , and many special guests.
In January 1998, Kimock along with Zero band mate Bobby Vega, joined with Frank Zappa alumnus Ray White and drummer Alan Hertz to form the band KVHW
. This band toured nationally until their December 1999 breakup.
In February 2000, Kimock formed the Steve Kimock Band. In November 2000, Grammy-award winning drummer Rodney Holmes joined the band.
In March 2006, Anton & Kimock re-formed Zero, and toured until the death of Zero member Martin Fierro, in March 2008. In March 2011, Zero reunites for the 20th Anniversary of the "Chance in a Million" recording sessions at The Great American Music Hall, as a benefit for Judge Murphy, who is battling cancer, and awaiting transplant.
(1986), Merl Saunders
and the Rainforest Band (1990–91), Vince Welnick
's Missing Man Formation
(1996–97), Phil Lesh and Friends
(1998–99), and The Other Ones
(1998–2000). He was also a member of the Rhythm Devils
in 2006, a supergroup
formed by Grateful Dead drummers Bill Kreutzmann
and Mickey Hart
, also featuring Mike Gordon
of Phish
. In July 2007, Kimock was asked to join Bob Weir's RatDog
, filling in for Mark Karan
, who was undergoing treatment for cancer of the throat.
In addition to those affiliations, Kimock also toured and recorded with Jerry Joseph’s Little Women (band) (1988), with Henry Kaiser and Freddy Roulette as The Psychedelic Guitar Circus (1993) and Steve Kimock & Friends (early 90s). There is no definitive list of Kimock's collaborative efforts. A seminal version of "It's Up To you" appears on "Everybody Slides" (1996). In 2001, he recorded with Pete Sears
on his album The Long Haul. Kimock has also been featured on the two most recent recordings by Bruce Hornsby
("Big Swing Face" and "Here Comes the Noisemakers"), and toured as featured guitarist with Bruce Hornsby and his band in the fall of 2002. Steve is also featured along with Bobby Vega and Jimmy Sanchez in the Pete Sears written soundtrack for the movie "The Fight in the Fields: Cesar Chavez and the Farmworkers' Struggle".
Steve Kimock Band (SKB) was Kimock’s primary musical focus from 2000–2006, while he continued to play other outlets such as acoustic performances that allowed him to play some of his favorite and diverse instruments publicly, including custom guitars, vintage lap steels and arch tops, Hawaiian guitars and even an octave mandolin
. These special performances continue to offer Kimock the opportunity to connect with his folk roots and with old musical friends.
Kimock launched his new band, Steve Kimock Crazy Engine, in 2009. The band features Melvin Seals
on B-3 organ, renowned cellist/singer Trevor Exter on bass and Kimock's son John Morgan Kimock on drums.
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
.
In San Francisco — From Zero to Infinity
In the mid 1970s, Kimock moved from Pennsylvania to the San Francisco Bay AreaSan Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
to play guitar with the folk-rock group The Goodman Brothers. In 1979, after a stint with Martin Fierro
Martin Fierro (saxophonist)
Martin Fierro was a tenor saxophonist who played in the jazz, freeform rock, and avant-garde traditions. Fierro played with the Sir Douglas Quintet, Legion of Mary / Jerry Garcia, James Cotton, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Loudon Wainwright III, Queen Ida, Jazz Is Dead, The String Cheese...
in the salsa band the Underdogs, Kimock joined the Heart of Gold Band
Heart of Gold Band
The Heart of Gold Band is an American rock band formed by Keith and Donna Jean Godchaux in 1980 following their departure from the Grateful Dead. The band took its name from a line in the Dead song "Scarlet Begonias."-Original Run:...
featuring Keith
Keith Godchaux
Keith Richard Godchaux was a musician best known for his tenure in the rock group the Grateful Dead.-Biography:Keith Godchaux was born in Seattle, Washington and grew up in Concord, California...
& Donna Godchaux
Donna Godchaux
Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay is an American singer best known for having been a member of the Grateful Dead rock group.-Biography:...
and drummer Greg Anton.
In 1984, along with Anton,and John Cipollina
John Cipollina
John Cipollina was a guitarist best known for his role as a founder and the lead guitarist of the prominent San Francisco rock band Quicksilver Messenger Service...
formerly of Quicksilver Messenger Service
Quicksilver Messenger Service
Quicksilver Messenger Service is an American psychedelic rock band, formed in 1965 in San Francisco.-Introduction:Quicksilver Messenger Service gained wide popularity in the Bay Area and, through their recordings, with psychedelic rock enthusiasts around the globe and several of their albums ranked...
. Kimock co-founded the psychedelic rock ensemble Zero, through which he became known nationally. With the Addition of Vocalist, Judge Murphy in 1991, Zero departed from their largely instrumental format and recorded 'Chance in a Million', their most successful album to date, featuring songs penned by Grateful Dead lyricist, Robert Hunter. Zero continued to tour and release numerous acclaimed records and hundreds of live recordings until 2000. Keeping with their improvisational theme, various lineups included many notable musicians such as Chip Roland, Melvin Seals, Liam Hanrahan, Pete Sears, Bobby Vega, Nicky Hopkins of the Rolling Stones, Vince Welnick , and many special guests.
In January 1998, Kimock along with Zero band mate Bobby Vega, joined with Frank Zappa alumnus Ray White and drummer Alan Hertz to form the band KVHW
KVHW
KVHW was an American rock band that was active and toured nationally from January 1998 through December 1999. The band's name came from the last names of its four members: Steve Kimock , Bobby Vega , Alan Hertz , and Ray White...
. This band toured nationally until their December 1999 breakup.
In February 2000, Kimock formed the Steve Kimock Band. In November 2000, Grammy-award winning drummer Rodney Holmes joined the band.
In March 2006, Anton & Kimock re-formed Zero, and toured until the death of Zero member Martin Fierro, in March 2008. In March 2011, Zero reunites for the 20th Anniversary of the "Chance in a Million" recording sessions at The Great American Music Hall, as a benefit for Judge Murphy, who is battling cancer, and awaiting transplant.
Grateful Dead
Kimock has toured and recorded with many Grateful Dead-themed bands, including Keith and Donna Godchaux's Heart of Gold Band (1979–80), Bob Weir's KingfishKingfish (band)
Kingfish is an American rock band led by Matthew Kelly, a musician, singer, and songwriter who plays guitar and harmonica. Kelly co-founded Kingfish in 1973 with New Riders of the Purple Sage bass player Dave Torbert and fellow San Francisco Bay Area musicians Robbie Hoddinott, Chris Herold, and...
(1986), Merl Saunders
Merl Saunders
Merl Saunders, was an American multi-genre musician who played piano and keyboards, favoring the Hammond B-3 console organ.-Biography:...
and the Rainforest Band (1990–91), Vince Welnick
Vince Welnick
Vince Welnick was an American keyboardist, best known for playing with the band The Tubes during the 1970s and 1980s and with the Grateful Dead in the 1990s.-Music career:...
's Missing Man Formation
Missing Man Formation (band)
Missing Man Formation was a band put together by former Grateful Dead keyboardist Vince Welnick, featuring Welnick and an ever-changing group of musicians, including Steve Kimock on guitar , Prairie Prince on drums , Bobby Vega on bass...
(1996–97), Phil Lesh and Friends
Phil Lesh and Friends
Phil Lesh and Friends is an American rock band formed and led by Phil Lesh, former bassist of the Grateful Dead.Phil & Friends is not a traditional group in that several different lineups of musicians have played under the name, including groups featuring members of Phish, Little Feat, and the Zen...
(1998–99), and The Other Ones
The Other Ones
The Other Ones was an American rock band formed in 1998 by former Grateful Dead members Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, and Mickey Hart, along with part-time Grateful Dead collaborator Bruce Hornsby. In 2000, Bill Kreutzmann, another Grateful Dead alumnus, joined the group, while Phil Lesh dropped out. In...
(1998–2000). He was also a member of the Rhythm Devils
Rhythm Devils
The Rhythm Devils are a band led by founding Grateful Dead drummers Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart.-Grateful Dead:The Rhythm Devils had their origins as an informal but frequent fixture in the Grateful Dead concert repertoire...
in 2006, a supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
formed by Grateful Dead drummers Bill Kreutzmann
Bill Kreutzmann
Bill Kreutzmann is an American drummer who played with the rock band the Grateful Dead for their entire thirty-year career...
and Mickey Hart
Mickey Hart
Mickey Hart is an American percussionist and musicologist. He is best known as one of the two drummers of the rock band the Grateful Dead. He was a member of the Grateful Dead from September 1967 to February 1971, and from October 1974 to August 1995...
, also featuring Mike Gordon
Mike Gordon
Mike Gordon is a bass guitar player and vocalist most noted for his work with the rock band Phish. Gordon is also an accomplished banjo player, and is proficient at piano, guitar, harmonica and percussion...
of Phish
Phish
Phish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
. In July 2007, Kimock was asked to join Bob Weir's RatDog
Ratdog
RatDog , is an American rock band. The group began as a side project for Grateful Dead rhythm guitarist Bob Weir and bassist Rob Wasserman. After the Grateful Dead disbanded in December 1995, following the death of Jerry Garcia on August 9, 1995, RatDog became Bob Weir's primary band...
, filling in for Mark Karan
Mark Karan
Mark Karan is an American guitarist and singer, best known for his ongoing work with Bob Weir & RatDog. He also leads the band Jemimah Puddleduck.-Career:...
, who was undergoing treatment for cancer of the throat.
In addition to those affiliations, Kimock also toured and recorded with Jerry Joseph’s Little Women (band) (1988), with Henry Kaiser and Freddy Roulette as The Psychedelic Guitar Circus (1993) and Steve Kimock & Friends (early 90s). There is no definitive list of Kimock's collaborative efforts. A seminal version of "It's Up To you" appears on "Everybody Slides" (1996). In 2001, he recorded with Pete Sears
Pete Sears
Peter 'Pete' Sears is an English rock musician. In a career spanning more than four decades he has been a member of many bands and has moved through a variety of musical genres, from early R&B, psychedelic improvisational rock of the 1960s, folk, country music, arena rock in the 1970s, and blues...
on his album The Long Haul. Kimock has also been featured on the two most recent recordings by Bruce Hornsby
Bruce Hornsby
Bruce Randall Hornsby is an American singer, pianist, accordion player, and songwriter. Known for the spontaneity and creativity of his live performances, Hornsby draws frequently from classical, jazz, bluegrass, folk, Motown, rock, blues, and jam band musical traditions with his songwriting and...
("Big Swing Face" and "Here Comes the Noisemakers"), and toured as featured guitarist with Bruce Hornsby and his band in the fall of 2002. Steve is also featured along with Bobby Vega and Jimmy Sanchez in the Pete Sears written soundtrack for the movie "The Fight in the Fields: Cesar Chavez and the Farmworkers' Struggle".
Steve Kimock Band (SKB) was Kimock’s primary musical focus from 2000–2006, while he continued to play other outlets such as acoustic performances that allowed him to play some of his favorite and diverse instruments publicly, including custom guitars, vintage lap steels and arch tops, Hawaiian guitars and even an octave mandolin
Octave mandolin
The octave mandolin is a fretted string instrument with four pairs of strings tuned in 5ths, G, D, A, E , an octave below a mandolin. It has a 20 to 23 inch scale length and its construction is similar to other instruments in the mandolin family...
. These special performances continue to offer Kimock the opportunity to connect with his folk roots and with old musical friends.
Kimock launched his new band, Steve Kimock Crazy Engine, in 2009. The band features Melvin Seals
Melvin Seals
Melvin Seals is an American musician, best known as a long time member of the Jerry Garcia Band.-Early life and career:...
on B-3 organ, renowned cellist/singer Trevor Exter on bass and Kimock's son John Morgan Kimock on drums.
Personal life
Kimock was married to Jennifer Brunner on May 30, 2000. They have two sons together, Skyler Joe and Ryland Cazadero. He also has two sons John Morgan and Miles from previous relationships. In 2002, Kimock returned to his home state of Pennsylvania to be closer to his family.External links
- Steve Kimock's official web site
- Steve Kimock collection at the Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
's live music archive - Steve Kimock Band collection at the Internet Archive's live music archive
- Psychedelic Guitar Circus collection at Internet Archive's live music archive
- Steve Kimock performing "Bad Hair", San Francisco, April 3, 1999
- Kimock List, Unofficial Fan Forum