LORRAINE ALI: Did your manager explain what we’re doing?
KID ROCK: An interview?
Not exactly. I review the album, and you listen. Then you tell me if I’m right, wrong or totally clueless.
Oh, I had no idea. I just got this sheet here that says, “Call NEWSWEEK between 10 and 12, Lorraine Ali.” But I’m sure whenever this story comes out, my dad will bring it right over. He’ll say, “That’s big time, Bob, when you’re in NEWSWEEK!”
OK, well, here’s your chance to impress your dad and talk back to a critic.
Oh, perfect. So?
I’ve got to say your new album has far more to do with the Allman Brothers than Run-DMC. I was surprised. I knew you were going to do more country-rock stuff, but this is full-blown monster-truck-rally music.
I just thought it was time for someone to bring it back. I just love ’70s rock and roll, when music was basically ugly–and good.
OK, but the Bad Company cover. I’ve got to ask you: why? Of all the Bad Company songs you could have picked, “Feel Like Makin’ Love” is the worst. I can think of five better ones.
Yeah, I can too. I just thought it would be a really fun cover. I know, the lyrics in it are… they’re horrible! [Laughs] But the melody is great. Its simplicity kind of sums up the record. I think the video is what’s going to sell it. It’s over the top. I wear big Greg Allman pork chops and wash up in the future with a big beer belly and an American-flag guitar. We’re on Larry Flynt’s Hustler jet, you know, with girls in the bathroom–the whole ’70s rock thing.
But when I’m listening to the song, I’m not thinking, “This is a funny tongue-in-cheek thing.” I’m thinking, “Kid Rock is a little too into the whole if-the-van’s-a-rockin’-don’t-bother-knockin’ thing.”
I’m definitely not making fun of the song, but I’m not being entirely serious either. I really love Bad Company, and I respect them so much.
“Black Bob” is the best blend of all the things you’ve done as Kid Rock. You mix rock, rap, country into a really melodic song. It’s got substance, and it’s fun.
That might be my favorite song.
Mine, too. I think it’s great.
Thank you.
The only screwed-up thing about that song is that you actually say, “I’m ripping rhymes to make your mom s–t in her pants.”
No, it’s “ripping a f–ing rhyme that will make your mother s–t her pants, bro.”
That is so immature! [Laughter] You talk about wanting to grow with your music, but this feels like a step backward. You’re still one of the most defiantly immature artists around.
Though I’ve definitely grown a lot with the music–I’m 32 years old and been making records since I was 18–there’s something that just won’t go away. It’s like, “Oh, just say it, who cares what people think?” I stop the tapes half the time when I’m recording, because I’ll hit the floor laughing, or the band will, or the engineer. Everyone will go, “You can’t say that.” And I’ll be like, “Come on, it’s funny. Just open a couple beers, and it’ll sound really good.”
There are some ballads on the album, like “Cold and Empty.” The problem I have with them is that it’s hard to let go of the old Kid Rock image and get into your sensitive side. You’ve always had this great sense of humor about yourself in your songs, and I think that’s helped sell you as a white rapper with very little flak from the hip-hop world. But that also makes it hard to believe the more sensitive moments here. Plus, your older songs were like a pinball game: there were lots of lights, bells, whistles, lots of animated stuff going on. These new ballads, on the other hand–it’s hard for me to believe them.
Yeah, well, you’re entitled to that opinion. But, you know, I am 32 years old. I think you do have to grow with your music. It’d be a horrible mistake for me to try to be that pinball machine my whole life. I don’t see myself jumping around on “TRL” anymore. It’s not where I’m at musically, or where I want to be, or where I think my band is. I’m trying to step up a level. We’ve got away with being what you said, a fun pinball game. We could flub notes, and if I couldn’t hit a note I would scream. Now I’m very confident as a singer, the band’s playing very well. So let’s step it up. I want to be able to play on the level of Tom Petty or Bruce Springsteen.
Your voice really does work in some spots, and it’s surprising–the fact that you can actually sing. I think a lot of people aren’t going to believe it’s you.
I sang “America the Beautiful” at the Pistons opener the other night. It sounded great, and I got 10 or 12 phone calls from people like my mom who were like, “God, I didn’t know you could sing like that. It sounds so great.” I’m like, “Man, have you listened to any of my records?” It’s a nice compliment, but it’s like when girls come up to me and say, “You’re so much better looking in person.” It’s like, “Thank you, but God, do I look that f—ed up on TV?!”
You’re out of key a couple of places on the album. It doesn’t sound intentional.
Well, it doesn’t bother me. It’s part of the performance. I won’t touch my voice, even when I sing a little out of key. I’m like, “No, leave it.” Let’s talk about “Cadillac P—y.” I think this song is actually more offensive than that song where you sing, “Take off your shirt, b—h, and cut me a line.”
Right. It is, but it’s still just fun, though.
Not really. I actually think it’s the weakest song here. It’s just so… not funny.
“Cadillac P—y”?
Yeah.
Oh, wait till you see it live. [Laughs] You’ll love it.
I don’t know if you’re going to like this, but I hear a Bob Seger influence all over this album.
Oh, totally.
You’re a big fan?
A hundred percent. He wrote “Hard Night for Sarah” in the ’70s and never used it and, you know, offered it to me. He’s never done that for anybody. He really keeps to himself. I mean, it’s just mind-blowing. It made me feel warm inside and so good and just like “wow.” There’s just nothing sweeter than that, you know?
Can you see yourself in 10 years singing the Dodge “Like a Rock” jingles?
Oh, I’d love to make a hundred million dollars. And hopefully I can continue my relationship with Coors Light–they’ve been great to me. I mean, I get paid to drink beer–that’s really what it boils down to. I put it on my son’s emergency card at school, you know–father’s occupation: professional beer drinker. And they said I’d be nothing in high school.
