Feature image credit: Luciano J. Bilotti/All images courtesy of Kyle Vincent

All images courtesy of Kyle Vincent

Recently, we caught up with veteran singer/songwriter Kyle Vincent. Among other things, we touch on what he’s been up to during the lockdown, his origins in music, the formation of Candy, the early days of the LA Hair Metal/Glam scene, his work as a solo artist, joining the Bay City Rollers, and a whole lot more.

If you would like to learn more about Kyle Vincent, the link to his webpage is here. Once you’ve checked those out, dig into this interview with Kyle. Cheers.

Andrew:
Kyle, thank you for taking the time. How have you been holding up?

Kyle:
Hey, thanks for the interview. Well, I definitely miss traveling to play concerts for my friends and fans around the planet, so that’s been disappointing, but I’m healthy, have food, and a roof over my head, so I have nothing to complain about.

Andrew:
As a young musician, what were some of your early leanings?

Kyle:
Early on, it was AM radio, and Casey Kasem’s American Top-40. I was never without a radio glued to my ears, and, except for when the Giants game was on, it was tuned to one of the local San Francisco music stations. Fortunately, I grew up at a time where Pop radio was rather eclectic — Pop, Soul, Country, and Rock all co-existing on one station. The common thread was melody, and since then, it’s melody that’s always been my guiding force.

Andrew:
You’re well known in the world of Pop, and Rock, but early on, Jazz was a big deal for you. How did your love for Jazz influence your later career?

Kyle:
I think I may challenge the premise of your question — I’m not sure how well known I am, but we’ll let that go for now! [Laughs]. As I said, my early music love was Pop like The Beatles, Jackson 5, The Carpenters, and also crooners that my parents would listen to. But in the fourth grade, they were experimenting with a Jazz program at my elementary school in Berkeley, California, so I jumped at the opportunity. The saxophone seemed like the sexiest instrument, so that was my pick. It was an incredible indoctrination into music theory, improvisation, and performing. My older siblings had typical crusty old grumpy music teachers, and so they quickly dropped out, but our Jazz program was such a blast, which is why I stuck with it. We’d tour around California like we were Rock Stars, playing at schools, and other events. I would get mobbed for autographs on the way to our school bus. I was ten! So I definitely was a Jazz boy, playing Charlie Parker solos, going to Jazz clubs, practicing my horn for hours each afternoon, until I kinda got all jazzed out. Like any other genre, there’s good Jazz, and there’s really bad Jazz. It started to get too busy and “sophisticated” for my melodic Pop stylings, so I took a serious left turn and started playing bass guitar in a Punk/Pop combo I started with a buddy of mine.

All images courtesy of Kyle Vincent

Andrew:
Around the time of the formation of Candy, you moved to LA early on. If you can, paint a picture of the scene, and how things began to take shape for you.

Kyle:
I moved to LA for the sole purpose of joining Candy. My high school chum, Jonathan Daniel, coaxed me into moving down there to start the band. LA was so different from Berkeley. Some of that was exciting, new, different, but as I now have the benefit of being able to look back on it, I’m not sure I would’ve made that move, at least not at that young age. I never really felt completely myself in LA. Almost instantly, that town takes hold of you. But that’s not to say it wasn’t fun. It was amazingly fun most of the time, especially early on. Every single night I’d go to a music club. I saw so many bands before they were famous. I saw Mötley before and after they discovered the devil! I was at W.A.S.P.’s first show at The Troubadour where Blackie [Lawless] nearly burned the place down and threw raw bloody meat all over the front row. He was the Gallagher of Metal! I saw Poison with about two other people at Wong’s West. On and on. It was so exciting in the early 80s. The Rainbow parking lot at 2 AM. Oh my. That’s a book to be written.

Andrew:
Candy was an influential Power Pop/Glam band formed with Jonathan Daniels and Gilby Clarke. Take me through the formation of that band.

Kyle:
We started Candy with the idea of being a new blend of The Raspberries and Bay City Rollers. Those were two of my fave bands, so that sounded good to me. We were very young and innocent in the early stages. We wore pink hearts and white Capezio’s. We worked like crazy to build a following, thirty years before social media, where it was hand-to-hand with no cellphone, face to face with no Facebook. It was inspiring and rewarding.

Andrew:
Candy’s only record, Whatever Happened To Fun…? is an underrated gem. What do you recall about the recording and reception of the album?

Kyle;
We recorded the album in Miami with Jimmy Ienner (Raspberries, Eric Carmen, Rollers, etc.) producing. It was our first record, and we certainly weren’t polished by a long shot, so sometimes the sessions would drag on. I’m glad people like that record — I go back and forth on it. I love the youthful energy. It was so long ago that I don’t really think about it much now, but as long as it made people happy, I’m cool with that. That’s what music is all about.

All images courtesy of Kyle Vincent

Andrew:
Given Candy’s pedigree, ultimately, why didn’t the band hit? What led to the demise of Candy?

Kyle:
Well, politically we had zero chance. Our A&R man at the label was let go just as the record was being released, so that pretty much killed our chances. But also I think we were about a year or so too early. Poison essentially did Candy, but with more makeup and simpler, catchier tunes. We were too smart for our own good. Also, the LA music scene was changing. It seemed to get dark and serious. My Candy bandmates, probably correctly, wanted to change to fit in, whereas I was still craving pure Pop songs. It just was no longer a fit.

Andrew:
What was to be your debut solo record, Trust, went unreleased for a number of years. Tell us the story of the writing, recording, and eventual release of Trust.

Kyle:
After Candy, I hunkered down and worked on my songwriting and recording chops. Every single day I would work from morning to past midnight. Seven days a week. Essentially, I created a one-man Pop music school! Then I began collaborating with Tommy Dunbar of The Rubinoos, and other writers. I had so many demos I could’ve demolished LA! [Laughs]. Ironically, it was Gilby who helped me get that record deal. He was signed with a management company that also handled Rod Stewart. He told them about me, brought them my tape, and that was that. No audition, no nothing. I got signed to MCA and went on the road as Barry Manilow’s opening act. It was so funny — there I was touring with Barry, while Gilby is on tour with Guns N’ Roses! How were we ever in the same band?! The recording of Trust was a blast. In fact, I videotaped many of the sessions. I recently transferred some of those old tapes, and it was incredible to see all the historic talent that I was lucky enough to employ for those dates. Gerry Beckley of America. Louis Johnson of The Brothers Johnson. legendary drummers Johnathan “Sugarfoot” Moffett and John “JR” Robinson, Clif Magness, on and on.

MCA spent a mint on that record, but as it sometimes happens, perhaps more often than not, once it was completed, they didn’t know what to do with it. Al Teller, the president of MCA at the time, said, “I don’t know if he’s George Michael or Bryan Adams.” Gee, what a problem to have! [Laughs]. The release date kept getting pushed back and back and back until it was pushed off the cliff into the chasm of the never-released. Years later, I called MCA and asked them how much they would charge me to buy back the master tapes. They wanted $450,000, or a package deal of $700,000 for Trust, and the Candy album, which they then controlled. I said, “Sure thing!” and gave them my credit card number. Oh, wait, no I didn’t. [Laughs]. I laughed and released it myself. I’m still waiting for them to sue me.

Andrew:
As a solo artist, you’ve achieved a great level of success over several years. What do you attribute your continued success to?

Kyle:
Well again, I’m not sure how we’re judging success, I have no gold records on my walls, but it’s nice of you to say that. I suppose I’ve just never stopped, and hopefully, I’ve made some music that some people seem to like. I never intended for this to be my career, I just sort of got into it on a lark, and haven’t stopped yet. As long as people want to hear my songs and voice, I’ll keep going.

All images courtesy of Kyle Vincent

Andrew:
Ultimately, why have you chosen to remain solo, as opposed to forming another band?

Kyle:
Bands are too complicated. You take on the idiosyncrasies, drama, and life stories of your bandmates. It’s exhausting. I can barely take on my own drama let alone those of others. But at this point in life, I wouldn’t be opposed to joining the right band. I keep waiting for BTS to call, but I think they lost my number. [Laughs].

Andrew:
What’s your songwriting process like? Do your lyrics come from a deeply personal space, or are they more stories, so to speak?

Kyle:
Both, and it’s evolving. I’m definitely cutting down on the overly personal, maudlin crap. I don’t know if it’s because I’m overall a happier camper these days, or I just visited that well too many times. So, I’m trying to write better songs that I personally would like to hear. There’s so much great stuff out there right now. You just have to look for it. I love discovering a new song that moves me because it makes me up my game and do better. One big change is that I’m not finishing every single song idea like I used to. Early in the process I weed the garden and stop myself if I think the song isn’t going to be great and fresh sounding, or if the subject is something I’ve previously run into the ground. I’m getting better at editing myself. I’ve got about forty new songs in some form or another at the moment, but I’d guess about thirty-five will never be heard by anyone but me.

Andrew:
Looking back, you were on the inside track to the burgeoning LA Glam and Hair Metal scene, but ultimately, you went in another direction. Looking back, do have any regrets about not ingratiating yourself to that scene, and being a part of its history?

Kyle:
Good question. I’ve never really thought about that, but if anything, it’s probably more the opposite. I have wondered how different my life — music and otherwise, would’ve been had I not moved to LA when I did. The Hair/Glam/Rock scene was never my scene; I was just kind of an honorary member. I never really fit in, except for the huge hair, of course! Again, it was a lot of fun at times, especially when you’re a kid, and a packed club is screaming for your band. That’s a pretty amazing feeling. But after those crazy gigs, I’d go back to my apartment, and play ballads on my piano. I needed the balance.

All images courtesy of Kyle Vincent

Andrew:
I wanted to touch on your brief history with the Bay City Rollers. In 2007, you joined a reformed version of the band, with Ian Mitchell, and you toured through 2008. How did you get the gig, and where do things stand today?

Kyle:
I got a call from their manager asking if I’d be interested in auditioning to be their new singer. I was so thrilled since I had been a big fan from when I was a teen. Ian was the only “real” Roller in that group at the time, but all I cared about was the songs. I seem to be the go-to guy when some wayward 70s band needs a new frontman. I’ve also done many gigs singing for Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods. I just love all those great songs of my youth, so I usually jump at any chance to perform them. The BCR gig was so much fun. Playing incredible songs at every concert. We did a month-long engagement at the historic Riviera in Las Vegas before it was imploded. In fact, I believe our shows may have caused the implosion. [Laughs].

Andrew:
What are some of your proudest achievements in music?

Kyle:
The fact that I’m still doing it.

Andrew:
What’s next on your docket, Kyle?

Kyle:
You mean other than washing these dishes? [Laughs]. Getting back out on the road as soon as possible. I miss my fans, and friends so much. I can’t wait for the next curtain to rise.

All images courtesy of Kyle Vincent

Interested in learning more about Kyle Vincent & Candy? Check out the links below:

All images courtesy of Kyle Vincent

Dig this interview? Check out the full catalog of VWMusic Interviews, by Andrew Daly, here: www.vinylwritermusic.com/interviews

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