May 9, 2023 • 39 mins
Kenny Olson is a multi-platinum guitarist from Detroit, Michigan, who has performed with Aerosmith, Metallica, Run DMC, Sheryl Crow, Billy Gibbons, Mick Mars and more. He was Kid Rock’s lead guitarist for eleven years performing around the world with dozens of television appearances, including Super Bowl XXXVIII. He has a new project with singer Aaron Letrick called Letrick Olson that just released a new single titled “Willow.” He has many other projects we discuss as well as some stories from the old days!
00:00 - Intro
00:36 - Life In Michigan
02:02 - Project with Stephen Perkins
03:15 - Letrick Olson
08:03 - Music Documentary - "Beautiful Mistakes"
10:25 - Creating Music For the Right Reasons
13:25 - Pack of Wolves with Chris Van Dahl
17:03 - Co-Writing Music with Kid Rock
20:25 - Guest Spots & Creating New Music
21:23 - Music Industry Changes
26:23 - Music Memories
28:45 - Staying Busy, Recording & Playing Live
31:35 - Big Venues Vs. Little Venues
35:05 - Upcoming Projects
37:01 - Charities
38:45 - Outro
Kenny Olson website:
https://kennyolson.com/
Letrick Olson website:
https://letrickolson.com/
St. Jude's Children's Hospital website:
https://www.stjude.org/
Chuck Shute website:
https://chuckshute.com/
Thanks for Listening & Shute for the Moon!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Chuck Shute (00:00):
Okay, guitarist Kenny Olson is my guest today
and you may remember him is theguitar player for Kid Rock up
until around 2005 When he left,and he's since been involved in
some really cool projects,including his latest one called
Electric Olsen with singer Aaronelectric. And they have a new
song out. We're going to discussthat plus we'll talk other
projects Kenny has been involvedin and we talked about the Kid
(00:22):
Rock days as well enjoyso where are you at? I'm in
Scottsdale, Arizona. Are you in?
Are you still in Nashville or?
Kenny Olson (00:42):
No, I'm up in Michigan right now.
Chuck Shute (00:44):
Are your Michigan okay. Yeah. You've kind of
bounced back and forth betweenthose two?
Kenny Olson (00:50):
Yeah, I grew up.
You know, Originally, I'm fromDetroit area. And, you know, I
was living down in Nashville ifyou're saying for these last 12
years, I think. And then COVID.
You know, I've been commuting toLos Angeles quite a bit as well.
doing kind of a supergroup thingout there with the think X
(01:11):
project like Steve Perkins fromJane's Addiction in Norwood.
From Fishbone over Fisher andScott Page, Floyd, Roberta
Freeman seven started commutedout to LA quite a bit doing that
when I was still in Nashville,and then COVID kind of have fun,
and then ended up quitting, youknow, we got a big building in
(01:33):
Detroit area and are putting anew recording studio in there in
a live multimedia center TV,everything. So in the midst of
producing a bunch of new stuffand recording a new album and a
documentary and doing thisproject called the beautiful
mistakes, bringing in all thesespecial guests, old school
legends and new talents and ondeveloping as well. So yeah,
(01:59):
yeah.
Chuck Shute (02:00):
Yeah, a lot of stuff going on why? So tell me
about this thing with StevenPerkins. Yeah, I've heard you
kind of meet briefly mentionedthat. What is the band called?
And when? When did that albumcome out? Or?
Kenny Olson (02:11):
Well, that was something we've been doing. It's
called thick x. And we weredoing we do like Norwood. And
Steve and I years and years ago,started working on just a bunch
of our own stuff. And that'salso intertwine with some of the
stuff we're doing for beautifulmistakes. But then we start, you
(02:31):
know, working with Scott Pageand Pete Floyd, and we start
doing this whole thing Xproject, and we were doing a
sing at the wisdom in LA. And wehad like, a residency thing
there. And we went over toEastern Europe to quite a few
things, got a little recording,but, you know, COVID just kind
of, you know, change thingsaround, everybody gets busy,
(02:52):
like everybody involved in thesesuper groups. We all have so
many different things going on,that it's, you know, kind of,
you know, but it's fun tobecause I get to bounce around
and, you know, love all kinds ofmusic. So I get to, you know,
just kind of get you know, I getto get my creative flow, you
(03:13):
know?
Chuck Shute (03:14):
Yeah, well, so tell me about the latest thing
because the thing you're doingnow is with Aaron electric
called metric Olson. Yeah. Yeah,I mean, I only Aaron Sorry.
Yeah. I was just gonna say Iheard two songs the willow and
(03:34):
the and the Led Zeppelin coverThank you. But yeah, great and
obviously the willow song isabout Aaron's girlfriend or wife
that died in a car accident hitby a drunk driver so it's really
obviously really emotional anddark
Kenny Olson (03:50):
Yes, definitely.
You know, Aaron Aaron's an olddear friend of mine and the
group that came together to youknow make the song happen was
kind of an all star Detroitgroup Jimmy bones from you know,
my solo band member that threeyears and Kid Rock into suburban
charter band. He's so as Jimmysilicate rock, and Jimmy and
I've been always doing differentthings on the side for as long
(04:13):
as I remember. So we Jasonheartless and Kevin shine who
also played on track whichrecorded years ago so I mean, it
you know, kind of started out asa project and you know, Aaron
had came to me with this, youknow, the psalmody with roughly
kind of had outlined and youknow, we went in there and
(04:36):
really tweaked and arranged itand I did all the guitars Jimmy
everybody did all their partsand everything and it came out
to be quite a you know, it's oneof those songs that it was just
meant to be kind of thing whenwe even the whole process of
recording it. You know, I tookguitar solos everything was like
one take, right? Yeah, thesekind of out of body experiences
(05:00):
because it is one of thoseemotional songs. And I'm used
to, you know, I love all kindsof music. And I like songs that
are really deep and emotional.
But I also like, stuff that'sreally groovy and funky and
trippy. And or just classic justsimplified, you know, rock and
roll as well, you know, and I'velike, I think, you know, it's
(05:21):
just, it's one of those songsthat you know, that every time
we've all got together andcollaborate, it's been some
really awesome. And I think thatthat song with a lot of people
like we did, for example, onlyGod knows why it was Kid Rock
that was more of a slow thumbValley song. And a lot of people
would come to me through theyears and say, Well, you know,
(05:41):
you're thinking about, you know,with your guitar solo you're
doing on on the God knows why,and the song, what you guys did
got me through our familythrough this, or this, that and,
you know, songs like this,that's, you know, they, if they
help people get through stuff,you know, it's a good feeling on
a partisan, you know, we've, youknow, been able to create
(06:04):
something that got them throughit all. So,
Chuck Shute (06:06):
yeah, I would think it would help Aaron get through
that. It would be cathartic forhim to write that song and
perform it.
Kenny Olson (06:13):
Yeah, yeah, it was.
We performed it a couple times,you know, with the supergroup in
Detroit. And, you know, we'vegot some other ideas and stuff
to that, and I've got so muchmusic, especially through COVID,
I don't even know, I can't eventell you how many songs are, you
know, are at least in completedwith close to completed songs
(06:33):
that I created. And so this, youknow, this year coming up now
with our own new studio, and wehaven't a playground to really
finish and hone in on all theserecords. I've got a lot of stuff
that's going to be coming outhere in the very near future. So
I'm excited.
Chuck Shute (06:53):
So electric Olson, is that going to be kind of your
main focus? And do you guysalready have some other songs
recorded or written?
Kenny Olson (07:01):
Well, I mean, right now, you know, it's more of a,
you know, Aaron, you know, kindof, you know, we came to the
song as it's like, a sense ofDetroit supergroup, they kind of
that came together for theselast couple songs that we've
done. And, you know, you know,we're always open or whatever,
you know, and everybody's gottheir schedules, but we've been,
(07:22):
there's definitely more music, Imean, kind of rising for with
that lineup. And, you know,we're already like, gone and
rocked out a few shows, it wasamazing. And, I mean, as far as,
like, my main thing, I've just,I got so much stuff going on,
even with my own record, anddocumentary and other stuff, so,
(07:44):
and then the guys, you know, outwest, I'm still going down in
Nashville, doing stuff too, withkind of the same similar thing
with a bunch of badass dudesdown there. So you know, I'm
just doing what I can within thetime that I can do everything
in. So
Chuck Shute (08:00):
yeah, what told me about the documentary, I wasn't
aware of that.
Kenny Olson (08:05):
That's kind of the beautiful mistakes. And it's,
you know, just the making arecord with a lot of just
amazing people and letting themtell their stories. And some of
the players on it are peoplethat, you know, us like people
like you and I are people, youknow, there's a lot of people
that know who they are. Butthere's a lot of people that
(08:26):
don't know, and all thedifferent stuff that they've
played on. And intertwined withall of our creative process, a
lot of great stories have beenbeing told, and just a lot of
education of the recordingprocess. Just people's, you
know, story, you know, it's thiskind of a, and when I call the
(08:46):
beautiful mistakes, it's becauseit's all nothing's really to pre
thought out, you know, of allit's everything that I've been
striving for is more that notoverthought first take kind of,
it's all vibey stuff,everybody's just kind of coming
into this vibe, and togetherand, and we're taking what we
(09:07):
get from that.
Chuck Shute (09:09):
And who are some of the people involved in that? Can
you say?
Kenny Olson (09:13):
Well, there's a couple I gotta wait till there's
the big announcements for thefinal thing with some of the
singers that are coming in. Youknow, some of it we're doing
within the core group and stufftoo, but like I said, like
Steven and Norwood are, youknow, on some of the tracks and
a lot of my other fellow peersthrough the years dance and, you
(09:34):
know, legendary stuff when I wasdoing the experience Hendrix
tours, you know, having a chanceto tour with like, Mitch
Mitchell and Bill, like, sharksand body miles and you know,
Paul Rogers Bootsy Collins.
There are so many people thatyou've heard someone that, you
know, it's it's just amazing tohave these opportunities. And
(09:58):
while you know some of the we'restill here, true artists until
you know, we can't even playanymore usually want to just
keep creating, I mean, you lookat like someone like Keith
Richards, I mean, Keith is atrue definition of rock and
roll, because he does a imic thevan they do for the love of what
they do, you know, obviouslythey don't need need it for
(10:21):
money or anything, it's I'm allabout making music for the right
reasons. Just like the song, youknow, with Aaron, when he came
to the idea, it was veryemotional song that was, and we
took it there, you know, we getwe dove right into it. And, you
know, I didn't even know hisgirlfriend personally. And I
feel like I've known her quite abit now. And I've met her whole
(10:44):
family, and they're verygrateful and in tune of what
we've been doing with it all. Soit's, you know, like, with
certain projects, you neverknow, you know, what can happen
in the future with it. But, youknow, that's kind of how it's
really started out was justtaking a bunch of old friends
(11:05):
from Detroit and, and makingsome music with it. You know,
we're hoping for it to be heardby the masses.
Chuck Shute (11:17):
Yeah, I mean, so are you at that point, like, you
don't have to worry about money,you can just make music for fun.
Like you don't I mean, are youhave enough from like, the other
stuff you've done with Kid Rock,and everything that you can just
give enough to pay the bills atleast? Or do you still have to
kind of worry about at leastbeing able to, like pay the
bills?
Kenny Olson (11:34):
Well, you know, the music industry has changed quite
a bit. And, you know, a lot ofmoney has been taken from all us
artists, you know, with no onepaid for us. So, what we thought
was, would continue to come in,for a lot of artists has
changed. So, you know, and Ijust No, no better anyways, I
(11:57):
mean, I'll always do what I do.
And I don't even think that I'veeven let think that, you know,
as many records as I've playedon the stuff that we did to the
Kid Rock a day, and you know, myown stuff, I don't even think
that I've put out my best stuffyet by by any longshot. So as an
artist, I'm really lookingforward to, I mean, there's
(12:21):
hundreds of songs I've recordedover the last decade since I
quit good rock. And I think it'sthe best stuff I've ever done.
But in his new age of music, andputting songs out, you know,
it's always like, there's thesepros and cons of everything, and
you're basically giving yourcontent away in this world, kind
(12:42):
of, you know, and then the throweverything out there all at
once. Because this is worldwhere no one really has that
attention span to really listento whole album by selling
anymore. It's all like, Okay,let me you know, and then a
judge, and how many seconds orminutes, someone listens to a
song when it's put out there.
(13:02):
But they made it through 80% ofthe song. And I mean, it's 100%
of the song, you know, it's it'snot like the old days when we
were younger, and we put on agreat album that was
anticipated, and it was madelike a work of art, and sat back
and listened to how it playedfrom beginning to end. It's, you
know, it sucks that it's notlike, you know,
Chuck Shute (13:24):
yeah, I heard that.
When you left Kid Rock was partof the reason it was because
you've had this band called packof wolves with Chris Van doll.
And I still have not heard that.
But I've heard that the albumis, the rumor is that it's
really good. And that's whatChris told me. I had Chris on
the show. And he said, Oh, thatstuff is amazing. And I was
trying to find it. I don't seeit on Spotify, or YouTube or
(13:47):
anything, Will that ever bereleased?
Kenny Olson (13:50):
Yeah, that's one of those prices. Sitting there, and
it's, I think, you know, whenyou listen back to those tracks,
and the way we did them, youknow, what's great about them is
I wouldn't go back and redoanything. You know, even at this
present moment, as long as wedid, even though songs, you
(14:11):
know, maybe a little bit oftweaking in the mixing stuff,
but as far as the parts thatwere played, the vocals that
were put down, everything is itwas quite magical. It was like
how you know, even when we didlike that without a cause, for
example, we just went in thereand we wrote the record. And
that's how we did with thepacket will sing and then that
turned into the flask and EddieKramer did that record and
(14:34):
everything's kind of you know,all this music that I created in
that time period, which I wasgoing through a lot you know,
deciding to quit a van as big asKid Rock to go out on my own and
then the music industry goingupside down. The economy going
upside down. So you know, andbeing a man with a family and
(14:56):
everything like that it's youknow the the highs have been
high and you know, lows havebeen gay. Your highs and lows
and in betweens are forever.
Yeah.
Chuck Shute (15:08):
So was that that was the reason that crazy,
right? Yeah. But that was thereason that you left Kid Rock
was just to form the pack ofwolves. That's what was going to
be your, your prot your mainproject after leaving Kid Rock?
Kenny Olson (15:22):
Yeah, there was, you know, yeah, I mean,
unfortunately, the business sideand the music industry can have
its negative effect on people'srelations and stuff. And, you
know, that was something that westarted doing. And, you know,
for different reasons and peopleinvolved, we, you know, haven't
(15:44):
put it out yet. And it'speople's paths and their journey
in life, you know, and that was,like I said, it was right at a
time when I was, you know, Istill was in the band with Kid
Rock when we started doing that.
And at that point, it was aproject, you know, but then once
I decided to leave, you know, wewere going to be gung ho about
it, but then the music industrykind of went upside down too.
(16:05):
And we even went through a phaseback then, where they all said
rock and roll wasn't hip, it wasall about bro country and all
this crazy shit that was gettingput out. So you know, and then I
eventually I was down inNashville, and getting caught in
that grind, playing on otherpeople's records, making other
people rich. So, you know, I'mall about, you know, I love
(16:27):
playing on other people's stuffand being featured, but I am,
you know, right now, it's, youknow, writing, you know, you
know, besides just being a leadguitar player, and and I'm
really, writing is one of myfavorite things to do and
creating and producing songs.
And, you know, right now, we'vegot an outlet now that we've,
(16:52):
you know, have a plan of actionto get all these songs out
there, you know, in somewhat ofa timely matter, so that they
can be heard.
Chuck Shute (17:02):
Yeah, that's interesting, because, like, when
I look back, at your time withKid Rock, you didn't write a lot
of the songs I think there wassome like, I think the song
Devil Without A Cause you had aco write on that, maybe, you
know, some stuff here and there.
Was that, why why was he notallowed you allowing you to co
write music at that point withhim?
Kenny Olson (17:23):
We collaborated and most all that stuff was a lot of
efforts from people in the roomand all that kind of stuff. It's
just kind of a, the nature ofthe beast is sometimes what
names they want to put down oncertain songs, too. So that
seems to happen a lot in a lotof different occasions where
what people see, you know, evenon their songs on those records
(17:48):
that I actually do get, youknow, even calculator, they
forgot to even put my creditunderneath the thing where I'm
still actually a songwriter inits, but it's the nature of the
beast.
Chuck Shute (18:03):
So there were songs that you co wrote that you
didn't get credit for. And youdidn't fight with Ford or
anything or
Kenny Olson (18:10):
No, I mean, they just didn't listed on the
album's I mean, I have yeah,there's, there's stuff that I
wrote that I actually am listedas a co writer when the
publishing and writing worldthat they just didn't put it on
the record.
Chuck Shute (18:25):
That's weird. You still get the money then for
that? Right.
Kenny Olson (18:28):
Yeah, I mean, so that's theirs. But, you know,
sometimes they is the one totake this, but, you know, it's,
you know, everybody, you know,he, you know, he had an idea and
he had a direction or songs andwhether it was, you know,
contributing guitar riffs andconsiders what, you know, part
of the songwriting but I thinkwhen everybody's in a room
(18:48):
creating a song, and throwingtheir two cents, and there's,
that's part of the wholeprocess, you know, even the
group that is being laid downand just taking ideas, but is
awesome. You know, it's, youknow, we, you know, we had it
was, you know, it's a wholedifferent long story. With the
(19:09):
business side of things, youknow, it's, it's a lot it's a
tough business.
Chuck Shute (19:17):
Yeah. Didn't know, did you when you left Kid Rock?
Are you still cool with him? Oris it thing where like, you
haven't talked to him since youleft.
Kenny Olson (19:24):
Now we once in a while, we'll run into each
other. We've known each otherfor a long, long, long, long
time, even long before we evenstarted, foot started playing
together in the mid 90s. So, youknow, it's, instead of the
business side of the musicindustry can get in the way of,
you know, old friendships andstuff too. So it's kind of it's
(19:49):
a long, long story, but I justtried to, you know, taking the
high road with it all andlooking forward to put a bunch
of music out, you know,
Chuck Shute (19:58):
ya know, it's exciting. mean that you're doing
all this other stuff? I mean,you just, it's such a big part
of your career. And thenobviously you did all like you
said, You did all these guestspots on other albums like Run
DMC and Eric gales and big andrich and tantric. And I mean,
that's just exciting things. Butnow you want to focus more on
being the songwriter, and guitarlead guitars having your own pro
(20:22):
having more creative control,right?
Kenny Olson (20:24):
Yeah, and I mean, I've always been in that
situation. Throughout my wholecareer, I've been primarily, you
know, even all my differentbands. So that was my things.
Besides just being a lead guitarplayer, I love writing riffs,
you know, and arranging music.
And it's been a big part of whatI do and how I get paid and
stuff too. But you know, and Ilove playing on other people's
(20:49):
records. I mean, I do a lot ofr&b albums, too. I've been I've
been blessed to have cameos andLes Paul's record from the jazz
scene at Chaka Khan, faith,Evans, you know, even a lot more
hip hop records to that. I mean,I love doing that kind of stuff.
And I'll always, you know,continue to do that. That's a
lot of fun. But I'm also lookingto looking forward to getting a
(21:13):
lot of this music out that'sbeen brewing up inside. And I'm
excited for the world to hearit.
Chuck Shute (21:23):
Yeah. Now, how do you release music now? Because
it's so different than say, inthe mid 90s, early 2000s, when
you had to basically be on amajor record label now, so many
artists are releasing itindependently? Or do you have
some sort of label? Or is itjust going to be self released?
Kenny Olson (21:42):
Um, yeah, that's all been there's a lot of stuff
behind the scenes beingmasterminded excellent numbers.
I'm excited about but you know,you have to think really outside
of the box these days. I mean,there's a lot it's, it's like
the wild wild west and musicindustry. It's kind of like,
where the internet is, it'salmost like if you were at a
(22:04):
football game, and professionalfootball game, and all these
guys worked their whole lives,and dedicated their lives since
they were youngsters to become aprofessional athlete. And now
it's like, everybody from thestands was able to go down in
the field as well and be like,Here I am, here I am. And it's,
it's overwhelming.
Chuck Shute (22:25):
That's an interesting way to look at it.
You're right, though. Yeah, itis. It's like, the people in the
stands are just getting them towalk down to the field. And
Kenny Olson (22:34):
that's it. I mean, there was a time when you want,
yeah, back when, like, verygrateful. I mean, like, I, you
know, going back to even the KidRock stuff, you know, I'm very
grateful for the times thatwe've had, you know, you're not,
it's not like, I'm no more thananybody, you know, I love all
those guys in the band. And, youknow, we've had amazing, amazing
(22:57):
times together. But I mean, toget, you know, to get there, and
what we accomplished, you know,those are cherished memories,
but nowadays, you know, thismusic industry, it's, it's just
so different. And I'm sograteful that I got in every
part of the music scene in thatlast hurrah where you'd actually
go get a record deal and like uswith Atlantic and, and they get
(23:20):
behind you, and you rise to thetop by building it up and start
opening up for this person, youknow, do the work to rock my
bootcamp, next year, I wouldopen up for this thing and then
Woodstock and and we had like a,it was a very, you know, as I
guess, the last way, because notlong after that, even like, when
(23:40):
a lot of us did, you know, dealswithout labels and stuff. We
weren't trying to figure out howit was gonna break down with
downloads and all that stuff.
Because that stuff didn't exist,then. You know, and it's like,
time has just flown by likethat. And now it's like
everybody, it's all about likesthere has given their content
away just to get, you know, afew likes, and it's like, and
(24:04):
where's the money? I mean, youbreak down, you know, these
releases and what's been dividedbetween people, it's, it's Penny
pennies being divided up versusdollars. And that was only not
that long ago. So how it allworks, you know, even when you
get it all figured out. At thisera, it's like, everybody's on
(24:25):
their own. And you got theseyounger kids that are so good
and computer and technologysavvy. So they know how to go
out there and get the followers.
I mean, now you got theseagencies and stuff looking and
seeing how many followers anartist has before they book. You
know, we have all thesegenerations. I mean, I remember
(24:48):
back you know, when you metsomebody really famous, you
know, that you looked up to andhe shook their hand started
talking to him. If you want aminute you went to go and do a
selfie. with them, you know,just, you know, out of like for
your own little promotion, youwent from friend to fan kind of
thing where it was more of arespect thing. We didn't walk
(25:10):
around with cameras and have Imean there's so many there's so
many amazing famous people Idon't moments with my journey.
And I don't even have photos ofall that because it wasn't like
oh look at this opportunity tohave it was more part of your
journey as an artist and notabout what the rest of the world
Oh, they you know that wholename drop you think goes viral?
(25:30):
We're sharing something withinand being part of that journey
and appreciating it that wayversus, you know, doing it for
all the wrong reasons. Like lookat me, look what I did. Just
like somebody who you look at itlike a beautiful soul, like a
valley partner, somebody likethat these people they go do
things for charity, no oneanybody even know that they did
(25:53):
it. They're anonymous, you know,donators to help these things?
Because they're doing it becausethey, for those reasons, not
very liquid. I just did youknow, and unfortunately, the
music industry is so there's,it's such an add world now it's
all about, we'll see who we canattach ourselves to get as many
(26:14):
likes as you can for that briefmoment. That's like gone in the
wet. Where's the timeless music?
Chuck Shute (26:22):
Well, you had I mean, you talk about these
experiences that you had, Imean, in the in the 90s, and the
2000s, like touring with limp,biskit and Aerosmith, and Run
DMC and Metallica. I mean,that's gotta be a lot of you
might not have pictures of it,because there's got to be a lot
of cool memories from all thatstuff. I mean, even if you
didn't tell me just having thoseexperiences must have been fun.
Kenny Olson (26:44):
Yeah, it was in there. There's pictures of it.
So it's hard. Nowadays, becausea lot of them were I remember we
used to, none of us really hadanything really nice high tech
cameras. We buy those littledisposable, Kodak's you know,
because we knew we were going tothese tops, and when we swing by
the truck stop when the gas hasbeen filled and going by helpful
(27:08):
disposable cameras to have inyour access. He's like, Oh,
we're gonna be around so and sotonight, or, you know, those
things you got? I mean, I mean,the first time I hung out with
Keith Richards I was so happythat there was people there
taking photos or like kind ofHendrix tours, you know, like
cat, you know, but there's a lotof times you know, some there
(27:29):
wasn't a camera. You just had toseize the moment for yourself
and know as part of your journeyand got a little tall tale to
share with, you know, thegrandkids and so forth. are
different friends, you know,because it's hard. It's hard to
even remember it all. Everythinghappens so fast that you don't
really have a couple of dayseven let it register in your
(27:52):
head. It was like for us in theKid Rock heyday. It was like,
just on to the next thing. Itwas like we didn't even have
time to keep a journal. As Iwent by when do I have time to
go on my bunk for 45 minutes andwrite out what happened that
day. It's like I remember it myhead and all sudden, before you
(28:12):
know it, you're like looking atyour tour books, and you're
laminates from boxes of him likewow, I don't remember that
place. I was there. Oh, I didn'teven know I remember I went to
that country. Oh my god, youknow, you don't. And so some
jars with memory. And I've beentrying to do a lot of that as
you know, I'm still young andgot a lot of years left to me.
(28:32):
But I'm also live a lot of lifeand living that a lot of people
so I'm trying to exercise mybrain to keep it all remember.
Chuck Shute (28:43):
Yeah, do you like being busy like that, like with
Kid Rock where you're on to thenext thing because it sounds
like that's what you're doingnow is that you're, you're
talking about all thesedifferent projects that you're
just staying really busy. I knowfor me, like I'm much happier
when I'm busy. Like when I'mwhen I'm not busy. I feel like
worthless and bored.
Kenny Olson (28:58):
Yeah, and especially after, you know, the
couple years we all spent duringCOVID Like going like, you know,
even if I had like all thesemusical ideas, it's like okay,
yeah, we're sharing some filesyou know, from this part of the
CompTIA the other but even thatis you know, which I do and it's
(29:19):
cool because I don't always wantto get on a plane I do like no
mind that traveling but there'sa certain point where you have
to have your your downtime torecharge and but um, there's
been a lot of sessions you doyou send the files and, and it's
even like, there's some of thatintimacy. That's why I'm like,
(29:41):
love what I'm doing with thebeautiful mistakes project
because everything is there.
There's no cameras around makingpeople feel uncomfortable. It's
just people doing what we do andwe're just capturing the moment.
Yeah,
Chuck Shute (29:56):
do you like performing? Do you like for
forming live better? Or do youlike writing and recording in
the studio?
Kenny Olson (30:06):
Wow, well, they're both like I think recording
studio is like, in making songsis it's like making a painting.
So it's like, it's so much thatthe system amazing but then
playing live is like theultimate drug of just it's not
(30:31):
even the being paid the moneywe've you know, when you finally
get to that point, it's all thetraveling and everything in
between that really feels morelike the work because the that
moment when you're on stage thatobviously there's nights where
if you tour long enough, you'regonna have to perform on a few
different nights for your mighthave the flu or not feel good.
(30:53):
And eventually people you know,most people have to been
enrolled, even the younger yearsin rockville boot camp where we,
you know, burn the candle atboth ends, I should say, in a PG
way of saying thanks, buteventually become friends of the
road and and learn that, youknow, even going on that stage
(31:15):
at the level we were, you know,Kid Rock, it was a two and a
half hour show. You know, we hadto like get ourselves all pumped
up and you know, and have somerest and especially as we get
older. You know, the rest isfarther and receive between
Yeah, when you're when you're
Chuck Shute (31:35):
when you're doing those big shows like with Kid
Rock when you guys put likeWoodstock and like the Vans
Warped, like those huge arenas?
Is that a huge difference fromplaying in a in a club or a
theater? I mean, is it does itreally feel that much different?
Or is it once that there's acrowded room? It doesn't really
matter? It's all the sameenergy?
Kenny Olson (31:56):
Yeah, I mean, it's, you know, I, in both in both
situations, I think it's like,like live in a big lot. Huge
audience like Woodstock. We'reinto Metallica, speedways it's
such a rush, just to walk out infront of all those people and
just be like, Yeah, you know,it's like, there's no highlight.
(32:18):
But to go into like a placelike, like going to Hendrix
tours and break it down todynamics and playing at like the
Fox Theater in my hometown inDetroit, where, you know, or you
play these places where when youblues guys that bring it way
down, you can hear like a pindrop, because everybody's just
listening, you can hear theresidents of the theater and
(32:39):
just, you can hear all thesubtle nuances. So to me, and
whether 20 people or fivepeople. If you take them to
another place or a millionpeople, it doesn't really
matter. Because you're you know,it's a moment in time where
you're, you're translating whatyou do, I guess it's not really
(33:02):
to me. I like both, but I liketo intimate gigs, because I like
the dynamics of it, and howintimate it feels. But I also
love the big rock and showswhere you're just like, you
know, there's there. There aredifferent kinds of highs I
guess. They're both they're boththey're both a great buzz but
(33:22):
they're different.
Chuck Shute (33:24):
Now that makes sense. I just as a fan, I love
the smaller gigs. So like, ifit's a band you really like and
you're you can get like 10 feetfrom them. Like that's arenas,
like as a fan, if you're on theback, it's like you can't even
hardly see anything. You'rewatching the TV screen. So like
Aerosmith. I know if you sawtheir latest piece out to or the
it's like 300 bucks or three or400 bucks for the nosebleeds.
(33:46):
It's crazy.
Kenny Olson (33:47):
And I right there with you because myself, you
know us me, you know, I wasthought as before because I
don't, a lot of times, you know,go see still love to see shows.
But if it's a big show, and Igotta get in a whole, the whole
craziness of it, it's like,versus going and seeing somebody
(34:09):
that I've been dying to see orjust love what they do. And see
it in their in a theater or asmall club. Like you. It's like
you're saying it's just for memyself. You know, maybe you
know, when I was younger, I wasa little different. But I enjoy
that much more to reallyexperience it versus being like
(34:29):
masses of people. And in theevent the sound is so much
louder that you can't reallythere's no even when you're on
stage playing. And you want tobring it way down and you're in
front of all those people. It'sstill you can do it dynamically
but it's different. You stillhave but like I said they're
just two different kind ofbuzzes to me. But I like them
(34:51):
both.
Chuck Shute (34:52):
Yeah, no, that's what I think.
Kenny Olson (34:53):
I think he got more. You got your like your
Indigo kind of gigs, your sativagigs and then your hybrids.
Chuck Shute (35:02):
There you go.
That's a good way to put it.
Absolutely. Very cool. Well,lectric Olson is a couple songs
out now and maybe more fromthat. You got all these other
projects, so people need tofollow you on social media to
keep up with everything thatyou're doing. I'm sure you'll be
posted about it, right?
Kenny Olson (35:18):
Yep, everything we, cuz like I said, we're gonna be,
you know, like, we were all, youknow, had a lot of metal out to
everybody to create a song wehave. And I'm glad that, you
know, everybody's kind of onboard to put it out there. And
for it to be heard, which, youknow, it was like, awesome. And,
you know, already that I've donea, you know, we've got other
(35:42):
songs, and we've that supergroup that went out and played,
we've already done it a fewshows, but everybody in these
super groups that I'm playingwith all have their own
schedules. And, you know, andI'm always doing my own thing
that's like, that's never eventhrough the years with Kid Rock.
I've always, you know, had myown studio and just always been
(36:02):
writing and it's, there's somuch stuff that people haven't
heard. And then when they hearthey go, What did Jesus do this.
And I was like, now I'm justlistening to the stuff. And it's
like, sometimes it's like ablessing and a curse, because
you have all this stuff. Andit's like creating your own
little bit, you know, like yourown little family and all these
sounds and emotions that I'vegone through the highs and some
(36:24):
lows and whatever, and what wasgoing on at the time and have
captured it. But you want themasses to hear, you know, you
never know like, it's like a lotof stuff to the masses, here are
things that you know, the powersthat be are getting behind. So
I'm definitely going to becranking out a lot of stuff.
(36:45):
That's my plan and my goal, andI'm having fun doing it. So.
Chuck Shute (36:51):
All right, very cool. Well look forward to that.
I always am promoting a charity.
Is there a charity that you'veworked with that you want to
promote here at the end?
Kenny Olson (36:59):
Well, you know, that's, I love that I've done
stuff through the years with,you know, St. Jude's and make a
wish and I do a lot of stuff,even the local communities too,
because you know, like my littlecousin Halle passed of ovarian
cancer a few years back and I doa golf outing every year in
(37:19):
honor verf foundation that she'scalled Halley's hearts, and that
raises money for women withovarian cancer. So I've been you
know, but I've done stuff forthe with the military stuff to
one year with my golf outing.
We've had so many, but I've sentthe Yeah, just there's so many.
Chuck Shute (37:47):
Okay, no, that's good. How these hearts and I
love giving back. Absolutely.
We'll put that in the notesalong with your website. And
like I said, the electricalsun's out now. And I look
forward to all this other stuff.
I hope I can hear the pack ofwolves too. Someday, I'd love to
hear that. It sounds amazing. Imean, sounds like a sailor.
Kenny Olson (38:03):
Definitely stay in contact and make sure you keep
my info and I get all yours andstuff I got you know, as we come
up with new stuff, whether it'syou know, Electricals and but
also I've got all these newprojects, I'd love to come back
on the show. And really, youknow, share everybody all this
stuff as it's coming out becauseI got a lot of secrets up my
(38:24):
sleeve of some pretty amazingstuff. There's so much of it. I
just want to throw it alleverybody all at once.
Chuck Shute (38:31):
All right, yeah.
Come on back. Well, let's stayin touch.
Kenny Olson (38:35):
All right, so much.
Looking forward to it. Allright. Thanks,
Chuck Shute (38:40):
Kenny. I'll talk to you later. Okay. Thanks,
brother. By all right, I reallyenjoyed this interview. I hope
you guys enjoyed it as well. Youcan let me know by liking,
commenting or sharing theepisode on YouTube and social
media. And make sure to followKenny on social media as well.
And of course, check out theirlatest project electric Olson
have a new single out now calledWillow to check their website
(39:02):
for more details and my guestsappreciate your support. And of
course, I appreciate thatsupport as well for the show. So
please make sure you subscribe,wherever you watch or listen. We
have some great guests comingup. And I also have some really
cool ideas for some YouTubeexclusive only videos. So make
sure you're following theYouTube channel. I know he said
I said subscribe wherever youwatch or listen but you better
(39:25):
be subscribed to the YouTubechannel because there's some
cool stuff on that one. Sothanks so much. Have a great
rest of your day and shoot forthe moon.
Okay, guitarist Kenny Olson is my guest today
and you may remember him is theguitar player for Kid Rock up
until around 2005 When he left,and he's since been involved in
some really cool projects,including his latest one called
Electric Olsen with singer Aaronelectric. And they have a new
song out. We're going to discussthat plus we'll talk other
projects Kenny has been involvedin and we talked about the Kid
(00:22):
Rock days as well enjoyso where are you at? I'm in
Scottsdale, Arizona. Are you in?
Are you still in Nashville or?
Kenny Olson (00:42):
No, I'm up in Michigan right now.
Chuck Shute (00:44):
Are your Michigan okay. Yeah. You've kind of
bounced back and forth betweenthose two?
Kenny Olson (00:50):
Yeah, I grew up.
You know, Originally, I'm fromDetroit area. And, you know, I
was living down in Nashville ifyou're saying for these last 12
years, I think. And then COVID.
You know, I've been commuting toLos Angeles quite a bit as well.
doing kind of a supergroup thingout there with the think X
(01:11):
project like Steve Perkins fromJane's Addiction in Norwood.
From Fishbone over Fisher andScott Page, Floyd, Roberta
Freeman seven started commutedout to LA quite a bit doing that
when I was still in Nashville,and then COVID kind of have fun,
and then ended up quitting, youknow, we got a big building in
(01:33):
Detroit area and are putting anew recording studio in there in
a live multimedia center TV,everything. So in the midst of
producing a bunch of new stuffand recording a new album and a
documentary and doing thisproject called the beautiful
mistakes, bringing in all thesespecial guests, old school
legends and new talents and ondeveloping as well. So yeah,
(01:59):
yeah.
Chuck Shute (02:00):
Yeah, a lot of stuff going on why? So tell me
about this thing with StevenPerkins. Yeah, I've heard you
kind of meet briefly mentionedthat. What is the band called?
And when? When did that albumcome out? Or?
Kenny Olson (02:11):
Well, that was something we've been doing. It's
called thick x. And we weredoing we do like Norwood. And
Steve and I years and years ago,started working on just a bunch
of our own stuff. And that'salso intertwine with some of the
stuff we're doing for beautifulmistakes. But then we start, you
(02:31):
know, working with Scott Pageand Pete Floyd, and we start
doing this whole thing Xproject, and we were doing a
sing at the wisdom in LA. And wehad like, a residency thing
there. And we went over toEastern Europe to quite a few
things, got a little recording,but, you know, COVID just kind
of, you know, change thingsaround, everybody gets busy,
(02:52):
like everybody involved in thesesuper groups. We all have so
many different things going on,that it's, you know, kind of,
you know, but it's fun tobecause I get to bounce around
and, you know, love all kinds ofmusic. So I get to, you know,
just kind of get you know, I getto get my creative flow, you
(03:13):
know?
Chuck Shute (03:14):
Yeah, well, so tell me about the latest thing
because the thing you're doingnow is with Aaron electric
called metric Olson. Yeah. Yeah,I mean, I only Aaron Sorry.
Yeah. I was just gonna say Iheard two songs the willow and
(03:34):
the and the Led Zeppelin coverThank you. But yeah, great and
obviously the willow song isabout Aaron's girlfriend or wife
that died in a car accident hitby a drunk driver so it's really
obviously really emotional anddark
Kenny Olson (03:50):
Yes, definitely.
You know, Aaron Aaron's an olddear friend of mine and the
group that came together to youknow make the song happen was
kind of an all star Detroitgroup Jimmy bones from you know,
my solo band member that threeyears and Kid Rock into suburban
charter band. He's so as Jimmysilicate rock, and Jimmy and
I've been always doing differentthings on the side for as long
(04:13):
as I remember. So we Jasonheartless and Kevin shine who
also played on track whichrecorded years ago so I mean, it
you know, kind of started out asa project and you know, Aaron
had came to me with this, youknow, the psalmody with roughly
kind of had outlined and youknow, we went in there and
(04:36):
really tweaked and arranged itand I did all the guitars Jimmy
everybody did all their partsand everything and it came out
to be quite a you know, it's oneof those songs that it was just
meant to be kind of thing whenwe even the whole process of
recording it. You know, I tookguitar solos everything was like
one take, right? Yeah, thesekind of out of body experiences
(05:00):
because it is one of thoseemotional songs. And I'm used
to, you know, I love all kindsof music. And I like songs that
are really deep and emotional.
But I also like, stuff that'sreally groovy and funky and
trippy. And or just classic justsimplified, you know, rock and
roll as well, you know, and I'velike, I think, you know, it's
(05:21):
just, it's one of those songsthat you know, that every time
we've all got together andcollaborate, it's been some
really awesome. And I think thatthat song with a lot of people
like we did, for example, onlyGod knows why it was Kid Rock
that was more of a slow thumbValley song. And a lot of people
would come to me through theyears and say, Well, you know,
(05:41):
you're thinking about, you know,with your guitar solo you're
doing on on the God knows why,and the song, what you guys did
got me through our familythrough this, or this, that and,
you know, songs like this,that's, you know, they, if they
help people get through stuff,you know, it's a good feeling on
a partisan, you know, we've, youknow, been able to create
(06:04):
something that got them throughit all. So,
Chuck Shute (06:06):
yeah, I would think it would help Aaron get through
that. It would be cathartic forhim to write that song and
perform it.
Kenny Olson (06:13):
Yeah, yeah, it was.
We performed it a couple times,you know, with the supergroup in
Detroit. And, you know, we'vegot some other ideas and stuff
to that, and I've got so muchmusic, especially through COVID,
I don't even know, I can't eventell you how many songs are, you
know, are at least in completedwith close to completed songs
(06:33):
that I created. And so this, youknow, this year coming up now
with our own new studio, and wehaven't a playground to really
finish and hone in on all theserecords. I've got a lot of stuff
that's going to be coming outhere in the very near future. So
I'm excited.
Chuck Shute (06:53):
So electric Olson, is that going to be kind of your
main focus? And do you guysalready have some other songs
recorded or written?
Kenny Olson (07:01):
Well, I mean, right now, you know, it's more of a,
you know, Aaron, you know, kindof, you know, we came to the
song as it's like, a sense ofDetroit supergroup, they kind of
that came together for theselast couple songs that we've
done. And, you know, you know,we're always open or whatever,
you know, and everybody's gottheir schedules, but we've been,
(07:22):
there's definitely more music, Imean, kind of rising for with
that lineup. And, you know,we're already like, gone and
rocked out a few shows, it wasamazing. And, I mean, as far as,
like, my main thing, I've just,I got so much stuff going on,
even with my own record, anddocumentary and other stuff, so,
(07:44):
and then the guys, you know, outwest, I'm still going down in
Nashville, doing stuff too, withkind of the same similar thing
with a bunch of badass dudesdown there. So you know, I'm
just doing what I can within thetime that I can do everything
in. So
Chuck Shute (08:00):
yeah, what told me about the documentary, I wasn't
aware of that.
Kenny Olson (08:05):
That's kind of the beautiful mistakes. And it's,
you know, just the making arecord with a lot of just
amazing people and letting themtell their stories. And some of
the players on it are peoplethat, you know, us like people
like you and I are people, youknow, there's a lot of people
that know who they are. Butthere's a lot of people that
(08:26):
don't know, and all thedifferent stuff that they've
played on. And intertwined withall of our creative process, a
lot of great stories have beenbeing told, and just a lot of
education of the recordingprocess. Just people's, you
know, story, you know, it's thiskind of a, and when I call the
(08:46):
beautiful mistakes, it's becauseit's all nothing's really to pre
thought out, you know, of allit's everything that I've been
striving for is more that notoverthought first take kind of,
it's all vibey stuff,everybody's just kind of coming
into this vibe, and togetherand, and we're taking what we
(09:07):
get from that.
Chuck Shute (09:09):
And who are some of the people involved in that? Can
you say?
Kenny Olson (09:13):
Well, there's a couple I gotta wait till there's
the big announcements for thefinal thing with some of the
singers that are coming in. Youknow, some of it we're doing
within the core group and stufftoo, but like I said, like
Steven and Norwood are, youknow, on some of the tracks and
a lot of my other fellow peersthrough the years dance and, you
(09:34):
know, legendary stuff when I wasdoing the experience Hendrix
tours, you know, having a chanceto tour with like, Mitch
Mitchell and Bill, like, sharksand body miles and you know,
Paul Rogers Bootsy Collins.
There are so many people thatyou've heard someone that, you
know, it's it's just amazing tohave these opportunities. And
(09:58):
while you know some of the we'restill here, true artists until
you know, we can't even playanymore usually want to just
keep creating, I mean, you lookat like someone like Keith
Richards, I mean, Keith is atrue definition of rock and
roll, because he does a imic thevan they do for the love of what
they do, you know, obviouslythey don't need need it for
(10:21):
money or anything, it's I'm allabout making music for the right
reasons. Just like the song, youknow, with Aaron, when he came
to the idea, it was veryemotional song that was, and we
took it there, you know, we getwe dove right into it. And, you
know, I didn't even know hisgirlfriend personally. And I
feel like I've known her quite abit now. And I've met her whole
(10:44):
family, and they're verygrateful and in tune of what
we've been doing with it all. Soit's, you know, like, with
certain projects, you neverknow, you know, what can happen
in the future with it. But, youknow, that's kind of how it's
really started out was justtaking a bunch of old friends
(11:05):
from Detroit and, and makingsome music with it. You know,
we're hoping for it to be heardby the masses.
Chuck Shute (11:17):
Yeah, I mean, so are you at that point, like, you
don't have to worry about money,you can just make music for fun.
Like you don't I mean, are youhave enough from like, the other
stuff you've done with Kid Rock,and everything that you can just
give enough to pay the bills atleast? Or do you still have to
kind of worry about at leastbeing able to, like pay the
bills?
Kenny Olson (11:34):
Well, you know, the music industry has changed quite
a bit. And, you know, a lot ofmoney has been taken from all us
artists, you know, with no onepaid for us. So, what we thought
was, would continue to come in,for a lot of artists has
changed. So, you know, and Ijust No, no better anyways, I
(11:57):
mean, I'll always do what I do.
And I don't even think that I'veeven let think that, you know,
as many records as I've playedon the stuff that we did to the
Kid Rock a day, and you know, myown stuff, I don't even think
that I've put out my best stuffyet by by any longshot. So as an
artist, I'm really lookingforward to, I mean, there's
(12:21):
hundreds of songs I've recordedover the last decade since I
quit good rock. And I think it'sthe best stuff I've ever done.
But in his new age of music, andputting songs out, you know,
it's always like, there's thesepros and cons of everything, and
you're basically giving yourcontent away in this world, kind
(12:42):
of, you know, and then the throweverything out there all at
once. Because this is worldwhere no one really has that
attention span to really listento whole album by selling
anymore. It's all like, Okay,let me you know, and then a
judge, and how many seconds orminutes, someone listens to a
song when it's put out there.
(13:02):
But they made it through 80% ofthe song. And I mean, it's 100%
of the song, you know, it's it'snot like the old days when we
were younger, and we put on agreat album that was
anticipated, and it was madelike a work of art, and sat back
and listened to how it playedfrom beginning to end. It's, you
know, it sucks that it's notlike, you know,
Chuck Shute (13:24):
yeah, I heard that.
When you left Kid Rock was partof the reason it was because
you've had this band called packof wolves with Chris Van doll.
And I still have not heard that.
But I've heard that the albumis, the rumor is that it's
really good. And that's whatChris told me. I had Chris on
the show. And he said, Oh, thatstuff is amazing. And I was
trying to find it. I don't seeit on Spotify, or YouTube or
(13:47):
anything, Will that ever bereleased?
Kenny Olson (13:50):
Yeah, that's one of those prices. Sitting there, and
it's, I think, you know, whenyou listen back to those tracks,
and the way we did them, youknow, what's great about them is
I wouldn't go back and redoanything. You know, even at this
present moment, as long as wedid, even though songs, you
(14:11):
know, maybe a little bit oftweaking in the mixing stuff,
but as far as the parts thatwere played, the vocals that
were put down, everything is itwas quite magical. It was like
how you know, even when we didlike that without a cause, for
example, we just went in thereand we wrote the record. And
that's how we did with thepacket will sing and then that
turned into the flask and EddieKramer did that record and
(14:34):
everything's kind of you know,all this music that I created in
that time period, which I wasgoing through a lot you know,
deciding to quit a van as big asKid Rock to go out on my own and
then the music industry goingupside down. The economy going
upside down. So you know, andbeing a man with a family and
(14:56):
everything like that it's youknow the the highs have been
high and you know, lows havebeen gay. Your highs and lows
and in betweens are forever.
Yeah.
Chuck Shute (15:08):
So was that that was the reason that crazy,
right? Yeah. But that was thereason that you left Kid Rock
was just to form the pack ofwolves. That's what was going to
be your, your prot your mainproject after leaving Kid Rock?
Kenny Olson (15:22):
Yeah, there was, you know, yeah, I mean,
unfortunately, the business sideand the music industry can have
its negative effect on people'srelations and stuff. And, you
know, that was something that westarted doing. And, you know,
for different reasons and peopleinvolved, we, you know, haven't
(15:44):
put it out yet. And it'speople's paths and their journey
in life, you know, and that was,like I said, it was right at a
time when I was, you know, Istill was in the band with Kid
Rock when we started doing that.
And at that point, it was aproject, you know, but then once
I decided to leave, you know, wewere going to be gung ho about
it, but then the music industrykind of went upside down too.
(16:05):
And we even went through a phaseback then, where they all said
rock and roll wasn't hip, it wasall about bro country and all
this crazy shit that was gettingput out. So you know, and then I
eventually I was down inNashville, and getting caught in
that grind, playing on otherpeople's records, making other
people rich. So, you know, I'mall about, you know, I love
(16:27):
playing on other people's stuffand being featured, but I am,
you know, right now, it's, youknow, writing, you know, you
know, besides just being a leadguitar player, and and I'm
really, writing is one of myfavorite things to do and
creating and producing songs.
And, you know, right now, we'vegot an outlet now that we've,
(16:52):
you know, have a plan of actionto get all these songs out
there, you know, in somewhat ofa timely matter, so that they
can be heard.
Chuck Shute (17:02):
Yeah, that's interesting, because, like, when
I look back, at your time withKid Rock, you didn't write a lot
of the songs I think there wassome like, I think the song
Devil Without A Cause you had aco write on that, maybe, you
know, some stuff here and there.
Was that, why why was he notallowed you allowing you to co
write music at that point withhim?
Kenny Olson (17:23):
We collaborated and most all that stuff was a lot of
efforts from people in the roomand all that kind of stuff. It's
just kind of a, the nature ofthe beast is sometimes what
names they want to put down oncertain songs, too. So that
seems to happen a lot in a lotof different occasions where
what people see, you know, evenon their songs on those records
(17:48):
that I actually do get, youknow, even calculator, they
forgot to even put my creditunderneath the thing where I'm
still actually a songwriter inits, but it's the nature of the
beast.
Chuck Shute (18:03):
So there were songs that you co wrote that you
didn't get credit for. And youdidn't fight with Ford or
anything or
Kenny Olson (18:10):
No, I mean, they just didn't listed on the
album's I mean, I have yeah,there's, there's stuff that I
wrote that I actually am listedas a co writer when the
publishing and writing worldthat they just didn't put it on
the record.
Chuck Shute (18:25):
That's weird. You still get the money then for
that? Right.
Kenny Olson (18:28):
Yeah, I mean, so that's theirs. But, you know,
sometimes they is the one totake this, but, you know, it's,
you know, everybody, you know,he, you know, he had an idea and
he had a direction or songs andwhether it was, you know,
contributing guitar riffs andconsiders what, you know, part
of the songwriting but I thinkwhen everybody's in a room
(18:48):
creating a song, and throwingtheir two cents, and there's,
that's part of the wholeprocess, you know, even the
group that is being laid downand just taking ideas, but is
awesome. You know, it's, youknow, we, you know, we had it
was, you know, it's a wholedifferent long story. With the
(19:09):
business side of things, youknow, it's, it's a lot it's a
tough business.
Chuck Shute (19:17):
Yeah. Didn't know, did you when you left Kid Rock?
Are you still cool with him? Oris it thing where like, you
haven't talked to him since youleft.
Kenny Olson (19:24):
Now we once in a while, we'll run into each
other. We've known each otherfor a long, long, long, long
time, even long before we evenstarted, foot started playing
together in the mid 90s. So, youknow, it's, instead of the
business side of the musicindustry can get in the way of,
you know, old friendships andstuff too. So it's kind of it's
(19:49):
a long, long story, but I justtried to, you know, taking the
high road with it all andlooking forward to put a bunch
of music out, you know,
Chuck Shute (19:58):
ya know, it's exciting. mean that you're doing
all this other stuff? I mean,you just, it's such a big part
of your career. And thenobviously you did all like you
said, You did all these guestspots on other albums like Run
DMC and Eric gales and big andrich and tantric. And I mean,
that's just exciting things. Butnow you want to focus more on
being the songwriter, and guitarlead guitars having your own pro
(20:22):
having more creative control,right?
Kenny Olson (20:24):
Yeah, and I mean, I've always been in that
situation. Throughout my wholecareer, I've been primarily, you
know, even all my differentbands. So that was my things.
Besides just being a lead guitarplayer, I love writing riffs,
you know, and arranging music.
And it's been a big part of whatI do and how I get paid and
stuff too. But you know, and Ilove playing on other people's
(20:49):
records. I mean, I do a lot ofr&b albums, too. I've been I've
been blessed to have cameos andLes Paul's record from the jazz
scene at Chaka Khan, faith,Evans, you know, even a lot more
hip hop records to that. I mean,I love doing that kind of stuff.
And I'll always, you know,continue to do that. That's a
lot of fun. But I'm also lookingto looking forward to getting a
(21:13):
lot of this music out that'sbeen brewing up inside. And I'm
excited for the world to hearit.
Chuck Shute (21:23):
Yeah. Now, how do you release music now? Because
it's so different than say, inthe mid 90s, early 2000s, when
you had to basically be on amajor record label now, so many
artists are releasing itindependently? Or do you have
some sort of label? Or is itjust going to be self released?
Kenny Olson (21:42):
Um, yeah, that's all been there's a lot of stuff
behind the scenes beingmasterminded excellent numbers.
I'm excited about but you know,you have to think really outside
of the box these days. I mean,there's a lot it's, it's like
the wild wild west and musicindustry. It's kind of like,
where the internet is, it'salmost like if you were at a
(22:04):
football game, and professionalfootball game, and all these
guys worked their whole lives,and dedicated their lives since
they were youngsters to become aprofessional athlete. And now
it's like, everybody from thestands was able to go down in
the field as well and be like,Here I am, here I am. And it's,
it's overwhelming.
Chuck Shute (22:25):
That's an interesting way to look at it.
You're right, though. Yeah, itis. It's like, the people in the
stands are just getting them towalk down to the field. And
Kenny Olson (22:34):
that's it. I mean, there was a time when you want,
yeah, back when, like, verygrateful. I mean, like, I, you
know, going back to even the KidRock stuff, you know, I'm very
grateful for the times thatwe've had, you know, you're not,
it's not like, I'm no more thananybody, you know, I love all
those guys in the band. And, youknow, we've had amazing, amazing
(22:57):
times together. But I mean, toget, you know, to get there, and
what we accomplished, you know,those are cherished memories,
but nowadays, you know, thismusic industry, it's, it's just
so different. And I'm sograteful that I got in every
part of the music scene in thatlast hurrah where you'd actually
go get a record deal and like uswith Atlantic and, and they get
(23:20):
behind you, and you rise to thetop by building it up and start
opening up for this person, youknow, do the work to rock my
bootcamp, next year, I wouldopen up for this thing and then
Woodstock and and we had like a,it was a very, you know, as I
guess, the last way, because notlong after that, even like, when
(23:40):
a lot of us did, you know, dealswithout labels and stuff. We
weren't trying to figure out howit was gonna break down with
downloads and all that stuff.
Because that stuff didn't exist,then. You know, and it's like,
time has just flown by likethat. And now it's like
everybody, it's all about likesthere has given their content
away just to get, you know, afew likes, and it's like, and
(24:04):
where's the money? I mean, youbreak down, you know, these
releases and what's been dividedbetween people, it's, it's Penny
pennies being divided up versusdollars. And that was only not
that long ago. So how it allworks, you know, even when you
get it all figured out. At thisera, it's like, everybody's on
(24:25):
their own. And you got theseyounger kids that are so good
and computer and technologysavvy. So they know how to go
out there and get the followers.
I mean, now you got theseagencies and stuff looking and
seeing how many followers anartist has before they book. You
know, we have all thesegenerations. I mean, I remember
(24:48):
back you know, when you metsomebody really famous, you
know, that you looked up to andhe shook their hand started
talking to him. If you want aminute you went to go and do a
selfie. with them, you know,just, you know, out of like for
your own little promotion, youwent from friend to fan kind of
thing where it was more of arespect thing. We didn't walk
(25:10):
around with cameras and have Imean there's so many there's so
many amazing famous people Idon't moments with my journey.
And I don't even have photos ofall that because it wasn't like
oh look at this opportunity tohave it was more part of your
journey as an artist and notabout what the rest of the world
Oh, they you know that wholename drop you think goes viral?
(25:30):
We're sharing something withinand being part of that journey
and appreciating it that wayversus, you know, doing it for
all the wrong reasons. Like lookat me, look what I did. Just
like somebody who you look at itlike a beautiful soul, like a
valley partner, somebody likethat these people they go do
things for charity, no oneanybody even know that they did
(25:53):
it. They're anonymous, you know,donators to help these things?
Because they're doing it becausethey, for those reasons, not
very liquid. I just did youknow, and unfortunately, the
music industry is so there's,it's such an add world now it's
all about, we'll see who we canattach ourselves to get as many
(26:14):
likes as you can for that briefmoment. That's like gone in the
wet. Where's the timeless music?
Chuck Shute (26:22):
Well, you had I mean, you talk about these
experiences that you had, Imean, in the in the 90s, and the
2000s, like touring with limp,biskit and Aerosmith, and Run
DMC and Metallica. I mean,that's gotta be a lot of you
might not have pictures of it,because there's got to be a lot
of cool memories from all thatstuff. I mean, even if you
didn't tell me just having thoseexperiences must have been fun.
Kenny Olson (26:44):
Yeah, it was in there. There's pictures of it.
So it's hard. Nowadays, becausea lot of them were I remember we
used to, none of us really hadanything really nice high tech
cameras. We buy those littledisposable, Kodak's you know,
because we knew we were going tothese tops, and when we swing by
the truck stop when the gas hasbeen filled and going by helpful
(27:08):
disposable cameras to have inyour access. He's like, Oh,
we're gonna be around so and sotonight, or, you know, those
things you got? I mean, I mean,the first time I hung out with
Keith Richards I was so happythat there was people there
taking photos or like kind ofHendrix tours, you know, like
cat, you know, but there's a lotof times you know, some there
(27:29):
wasn't a camera. You just had toseize the moment for yourself
and know as part of your journeyand got a little tall tale to
share with, you know, thegrandkids and so forth. are
different friends, you know,because it's hard. It's hard to
even remember it all. Everythinghappens so fast that you don't
really have a couple of dayseven let it register in your
(27:52):
head. It was like for us in theKid Rock heyday. It was like,
just on to the next thing. Itwas like we didn't even have
time to keep a journal. As Iwent by when do I have time to
go on my bunk for 45 minutes andwrite out what happened that
day. It's like I remember it myhead and all sudden, before you
(28:12):
know it, you're like looking atyour tour books, and you're
laminates from boxes of him likewow, I don't remember that
place. I was there. Oh, I didn'teven know I remember I went to
that country. Oh my god, youknow, you don't. And so some
jars with memory. And I've beentrying to do a lot of that as
you know, I'm still young andgot a lot of years left to me.
(28:32):
But I'm also live a lot of lifeand living that a lot of people
so I'm trying to exercise mybrain to keep it all remember.
Chuck Shute (28:43):
Yeah, do you like being busy like that, like with
Kid Rock where you're on to thenext thing because it sounds
like that's what you're doingnow is that you're, you're
talking about all thesedifferent projects that you're
just staying really busy. I knowfor me, like I'm much happier
when I'm busy. Like when I'mwhen I'm not busy. I feel like
worthless and bored.
Kenny Olson (28:58):
Yeah, and especially after, you know, the
couple years we all spent duringCOVID Like going like, you know,
even if I had like all thesemusical ideas, it's like okay,
yeah, we're sharing some filesyou know, from this part of the
CompTIA the other but even thatis you know, which I do and it's
(29:19):
cool because I don't always wantto get on a plane I do like no
mind that traveling but there'sa certain point where you have
to have your your downtime torecharge and but um, there's
been a lot of sessions you doyou send the files and, and it's
even like, there's some of thatintimacy. That's why I'm like,
(29:41):
love what I'm doing with thebeautiful mistakes project
because everything is there.
There's no cameras around makingpeople feel uncomfortable. It's
just people doing what we do andwe're just capturing the moment.
Yeah,
Chuck Shute (29:56):
do you like performing? Do you like for
forming live better? Or do youlike writing and recording in
the studio?
Kenny Olson (30:06):
Wow, well, they're both like I think recording
studio is like, in making songsis it's like making a painting.
So it's like, it's so much thatthe system amazing but then
playing live is like theultimate drug of just it's not
(30:31):
even the being paid the moneywe've you know, when you finally
get to that point, it's all thetraveling and everything in
between that really feels morelike the work because the that
moment when you're on stage thatobviously there's nights where
if you tour long enough, you'regonna have to perform on a few
different nights for your mighthave the flu or not feel good.
(30:53):
And eventually people you know,most people have to been
enrolled, even the younger yearsin rockville boot camp where we,
you know, burn the candle atboth ends, I should say, in a PG
way of saying thanks, buteventually become friends of the
road and and learn that, youknow, even going on that stage
(31:15):
at the level we were, you know,Kid Rock, it was a two and a
half hour show. You know, we hadto like get ourselves all pumped
up and you know, and have somerest and especially as we get
older. You know, the rest isfarther and receive between
Yeah, when you're when you're
Chuck Shute (31:35):
when you're doing those big shows like with Kid
Rock when you guys put likeWoodstock and like the Vans
Warped, like those huge arenas?
Is that a huge difference fromplaying in a in a club or a
theater? I mean, is it does itreally feel that much different?
Or is it once that there's acrowded room? It doesn't really
matter? It's all the sameenergy?
Kenny Olson (31:56):
Yeah, I mean, it's, you know, I, in both in both
situations, I think it's like,like live in a big lot. Huge
audience like Woodstock. We'reinto Metallica, speedways it's
such a rush, just to walk out infront of all those people and
just be like, Yeah, you know,it's like, there's no highlight.
(32:18):
But to go into like a placelike, like going to Hendrix
tours and break it down todynamics and playing at like the
Fox Theater in my hometown inDetroit, where, you know, or you
play these places where when youblues guys that bring it way
down, you can hear like a pindrop, because everybody's just
listening, you can hear theresidents of the theater and
(32:39):
just, you can hear all thesubtle nuances. So to me, and
whether 20 people or fivepeople. If you take them to
another place or a millionpeople, it doesn't really
matter. Because you're you know,it's a moment in time where
you're, you're translating whatyou do, I guess it's not really
(33:02):
to me. I like both, but I liketo intimate gigs, because I like
the dynamics of it, and howintimate it feels. But I also
love the big rock and showswhere you're just like, you
know, there's there. There aredifferent kinds of highs I
guess. They're both they're boththey're both a great buzz but
(33:22):
they're different.
Chuck Shute (33:24):
Now that makes sense. I just as a fan, I love
the smaller gigs. So like, ifit's a band you really like and
you're you can get like 10 feetfrom them. Like that's arenas,
like as a fan, if you're on theback, it's like you can't even
hardly see anything. You'rewatching the TV screen. So like
Aerosmith. I know if you sawtheir latest piece out to or the
it's like 300 bucks or three or400 bucks for the nosebleeds.
(33:46):
It's crazy.
Kenny Olson (33:47):
And I right there with you because myself, you
know us me, you know, I wasthought as before because I
don't, a lot of times, you know,go see still love to see shows.
But if it's a big show, and Igotta get in a whole, the whole
craziness of it, it's like,versus going and seeing somebody
(34:09):
that I've been dying to see orjust love what they do. And see
it in their in a theater or asmall club. Like you. It's like
you're saying it's just for memyself. You know, maybe you
know, when I was younger, I wasa little different. But I enjoy
that much more to reallyexperience it versus being like
(34:29):
masses of people. And in theevent the sound is so much
louder that you can't reallythere's no even when you're on
stage playing. And you want tobring it way down and you're in
front of all those people. It'sstill you can do it dynamically
but it's different. You stillhave but like I said they're
just two different kind ofbuzzes to me. But I like them
(34:51):
both.
Chuck Shute (34:52):
Yeah, no, that's what I think.
Kenny Olson (34:53):
I think he got more. You got your like your
Indigo kind of gigs, your sativagigs and then your hybrids.
Chuck Shute (35:02):
There you go.
That's a good way to put it.
Absolutely. Very cool. Well,lectric Olson is a couple songs
out now and maybe more fromthat. You got all these other
projects, so people need tofollow you on social media to
keep up with everything thatyou're doing. I'm sure you'll be
posted about it, right?
Kenny Olson (35:18):
Yep, everything we, cuz like I said, we're gonna be,
you know, like, we were all, youknow, had a lot of metal out to
everybody to create a song wehave. And I'm glad that, you
know, everybody's kind of onboard to put it out there. And
for it to be heard, which, youknow, it was like, awesome. And,
you know, already that I've donea, you know, we've got other
(35:42):
songs, and we've that supergroup that went out and played,
we've already done it a fewshows, but everybody in these
super groups that I'm playingwith all have their own
schedules. And, you know, andI'm always doing my own thing
that's like, that's never eventhrough the years with Kid Rock.
I've always, you know, had myown studio and just always been
(36:02):
writing and it's, there's somuch stuff that people haven't
heard. And then when they hearthey go, What did Jesus do this.
And I was like, now I'm justlistening to the stuff. And it's
like, sometimes it's like ablessing and a curse, because
you have all this stuff. Andit's like creating your own
little bit, you know, like yourown little family and all these
sounds and emotions that I'vegone through the highs and some
(36:24):
lows and whatever, and what wasgoing on at the time and have
captured it. But you want themasses to hear, you know, you
never know like, it's like a lotof stuff to the masses, here are
things that you know, the powersthat be are getting behind. So
I'm definitely going to becranking out a lot of stuff.
(36:45):
That's my plan and my goal, andI'm having fun doing it. So.
Chuck Shute (36:51):
All right, very cool. Well look forward to that.
I always am promoting a charity.
Is there a charity that you'veworked with that you want to
promote here at the end?
Kenny Olson (36:59):
Well, you know, that's, I love that I've done
stuff through the years with,you know, St. Jude's and make a
wish and I do a lot of stuff,even the local communities too,
because you know, like my littlecousin Halle passed of ovarian
cancer a few years back and I doa golf outing every year in
(37:19):
honor verf foundation that she'scalled Halley's hearts, and that
raises money for women withovarian cancer. So I've been you
know, but I've done stuff forthe with the military stuff to
one year with my golf outing.
We've had so many, but I've sentthe Yeah, just there's so many.
Chuck Shute (37:47):
Okay, no, that's good. How these hearts and I
love giving back. Absolutely.
We'll put that in the notesalong with your website. And
like I said, the electricalsun's out now. And I look
forward to all this other stuff.
I hope I can hear the pack ofwolves too. Someday, I'd love to
hear that. It sounds amazing. Imean, sounds like a sailor.
Kenny Olson (38:03):
Definitely stay in contact and make sure you keep
my info and I get all yours andstuff I got you know, as we come
up with new stuff, whether it'syou know, Electricals and but
also I've got all these newprojects, I'd love to come back
on the show. And really, youknow, share everybody all this
stuff as it's coming out becauseI got a lot of secrets up my
(38:24):
sleeve of some pretty amazingstuff. There's so much of it. I
just want to throw it alleverybody all at once.
Chuck Shute (38:31):
All right, yeah.
Come on back. Well, let's stayin touch.
Kenny Olson (38:35):
All right, so much.
Looking forward to it. Allright. Thanks,
Chuck Shute (38:40):
Kenny. I'll talk to you later. Okay. Thanks,
brother. By all right, I reallyenjoyed this interview. I hope
you guys enjoyed it as well. Youcan let me know by liking,
commenting or sharing theepisode on YouTube and social
media. And make sure to followKenny on social media as well.
And of course, check out theirlatest project electric Olson
have a new single out now calledWillow to check their website
(39:02):
for more details and my guestsappreciate your support. And of
course, I appreciate thatsupport as well for the show. So
please make sure you subscribe,wherever you watch or listen. We
have some great guests comingup. And I also have some really
cool ideas for some YouTubeexclusive only videos. So make
sure you're following theYouTube channel. I know he said
I said subscribe wherever youwatch or listen but you better
(39:25):
be subscribed to the YouTubechannel because there's some
cool stuff on that one. Sothanks so much. Have a great
rest of your day and shoot forthe moon.
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