Join us in a rock and roll journey as Rob, the creator of
Rich Kid Express, shares tales of inspiration, diverse influences, and the
essence of timeless music.
1. 1.Rob, could you share with us the story of how Rich Kid
Express came into existence? What motivated you to create this one-man circus
act?
I played drums in various rock
bands over the years and just decided I wanted to get away from the
"band" thing and try my hand at writing and recording on my own. I
love being creative and the idea of putting something together from scratch all
by myself became interesting. I started Squib Kick Records (label) in 2016 and
then went to work on putting out the music I created.
2. Your music is often described as a fusion of seventies-style glam rock
and eighties-era hard rock. What drew you to these specific musical eras, and
how have they influenced your sound?
As a kid, I was knocked over by
the seventies era KISS days! I mean where else could it be like the 4th Of July
and Halloween all at the same time! Fireworks, costumes and loud music!! I
started getting into other bands in the early eighties and the hard rock scene
was just exploding! I was just a young teenager, too young to yet be in a band,
and too young to go the concerts. But, not too young to buy the music which is
what I did. I always had a soft spot for "Bubblegum" style rock music
also. So as I began putting the ideas together for RKE, I knew I wanted to add
elements of glam and bubblegum, and incorporate it with my love of eighties
hard rock. Some say hair metal....(and think that's a negative term) But I
don't mind that description. After all, everyone had long hair and the scene
was all about goodtimes and parties! What's not to like about that? I decided I
was going to write in both styles and sort of mold them together. I like to
just say, "retro flavored hard rock!"
3. You've listed several influential artists, including KISS, The Sweet,
AC/DC, W.A.S.P, Joan Jett, and even Spinal Tap. Can you pinpoint a song or
album from one of these artists that has had a profound impact on your musical
journey?
Absolutely, KISS ALIVE II set me
on my road to ruin! (haha!)....seriously, anything KISS did from '73-'78 just
knocked me sideways. As I began to explore other bands in the early eighties,
the debut W.A.S.P. album took me to a whole different place. I was like a kid
in a candy store wanting to eat everything up. "I Wanna Be Somebody"
is my favorite hard rock/metal song to this day. I loved the movie "This
Is Spinal Tap" and became a huge fan of the "pretend" band. I
used to spend hours in record stores thumbing through the albums to find new
things. It was a great time for music.
4. Your music spans a range of genres like Bubblegum, Glam, Hair Metal, and
Heavy Metal. How do you manage to incorporate these diverse styles into your
music while maintaining your unique sound?
I don't know how unique my sound
is....after all, I kinda re-hash a lot of what was probably already previously
done. But the kicker is, I try to combine elements of all those styles and try
to add a little humor and a little attitude to it all. Keep it fun and upbeat.
(nothing like Nineties grunge music)
I try to add different elements to the songs to keep them a bit modern, but
with a very retro feel. Something that folks can say "sounds
familiar" but still has a style or flavor all it's own.
5. Your music is all about fun and catchy rock and roll. Could you share a
memorable moment from your music-making process that embodies this spirit of
enjoyment?
That's kind of hard to pinpoint.
Let's just say, I don't take it too seriously. That is what I enjoy the most
about it. I like to have fun, try weird sounds, maybe use instruments that are
a little different once in a while. I believe rock and roll is meant to be a
silly trainwreck sometimes. There are moments for attitude and roughness and
times for joking and silliness. I try to see both sides of it. In previous
recordings, "Bubblegum Radio" EP from 2020, my kids sang on that song
with me. They were only six and nine at the time and that was a lot of fun! I
try to just not take things too seriously with music and
that helps to keep the entire project fun. Besides, I surely don't expect it to
make me any money! (haha! - cause it doesn't!)
6. You've described your music as "music to help make your beer go down
easier." What role do you think music plays in enhancing our experiences,
especially in a live setting?
When you go out to hear a band,
or if you are at home just listening to music, you want to feel good. You don't
want to think about work, problems, money, house payments, bills, your ex
girlfriend...whatever. You want to enjoy the moment! You want a song to take
you away and make you tap your foot, bang your head, raise your glass!
Sometimes, people like to drink to feel good. If my song helps your beer taste
better, that's a win for both of us!! If I wanted to be sad, I'd watch a sappy
movie or listen to some awful pop music.
7. You've released the "Bubblegum Radio EP" (2020) and the
"Psychodelic LP" (2021). Can you take us through the creative journey
behind these projects and highlight a track or two that you're particularly
proud of?
Those two releases were a lot of
fun for me. As I mentioned earlier, my kids were on the song "Bubblegum
Radio" and I was writing like crazy trying to come up with new things. It
was my starting point and in a creative sense, just the tip of the iceberg so
to speak. I put both of those releases out within just about a year of each
other and I was working hard. Any riff I had or catchy chorus, I was writng a
song around it. I wrote about my dog, "Just A Dog" - I just had all
sorts of ideas flying around. Rich Kid Express was just getting on it's feet.
Now, I'm a bit more understanding of what works and what doesn't, what feels
good and my songwriting is becoming a little better as time goes along. (and
for being just a drummer originally - my instrument skills are improving on ALL
instruments) I'm sure there is a joke there somewhere.
8. Being a multi-instrumentalist and the sole performer in Rich Kid Express,
how do you handle the various aspects of your one-man circus act, from
songwriting to live performances?
Well, unfortunately....Rich Kid
Express is really just a recording project. I won't say I'll never play LIVE
anymore, but it's not a priority at the moment for me. I've done years of
playing in clubs on a local and regional level. I don't see the music scene as
a whole, being very receptive to a lot of live gigging. Between lack of crowds
sometimes and the costs involved. It's hard to tour. So that being said, I am
open to opportunites to play live, pending on the situation, but it's mostly a
recording thing. As far as doing the multi-instrumental thing, I'm learning all
the time and getting better on all the instruments I play. I'm learning to use
harmonies better, chord structures and the whole recording/mixing process is
like a different world all unto itself. I'm slowly getting better at that too.
It's all about small steps and growth.
9. Your music often carries an attitude and swagger. Can you share some of
the sources of inspiration for your lyrics and the themes you explore in your
songs?
I write about girls. (haha!) 80%
of the time I write about girls, or rocky relationships. I don't know why?
Maybe I'm a shallow thinker. I've been married for 30 years and have a great
relationship. But it feels like rock and rollers always need to sing about bad
girlfriends or awful boyfriends. You broke my heart now I hate you type stuff.
Cause that's easy. We've all been there. I believe the music carries the
attitude and swagger. It's a vibe. A feel in the song. The way it hits you!
That's the most important thing. The way a song makes you feel. If a song is
upbeat and happy - you smile. If a song is heavy and dark - you are probably mad!
So it's just a vibe. I try to think mostly of topics I can relate to, and ideas
that are belivable. I'm not going to sing about things I can't somewhat imagine
or relate to.
10. For those who haven't experienced a Rich Kid Express show, could you
paint a picture of what a typical live performance is like and what the
audience can expect?
I can paint the picture...loud,
obnoxious and lots of fun! High energy tunes, great atmosphere! An exciting
show with lots of rock and roll pizazz! Unfortunately, no live shows planned at
the moment as it's more or less just a recording project, but we can always
pretend. And if RKE does get the opportunity to play live one day - it'll be a
blast! Until then, the music lives through your speakers.
11. Given the retro rock and roll influences in your music, do you notice
different reactions from listeners of different generations? How does your
music bridge generational gaps?
YES....big difference. The older
crowd seems to be the predominant audience. Rich Kid Express music caters to
the folks who like classic rock, arena rock and of course all the seventies and
eighties stuff. The younger newer audiences are more into pop/rap and such. I
try to incorporate some pop elements at times and some more
"youthful" sounds - but really the age I focus on is the ones who
lived the years when guitars were the main instrument and long hair ruled the
day.
12. Can you share some of the most memorable feedback or reactions you've
received from fans and listeners of Rich Kid Express?
I will say, the fan base is
growing and the reactions have been super! I don't have anything negative to
say about the growth of Rich Kid Express. The ones who like RKE feel a sense of
songs being familiar and styles they loved in years past. It's a nostalgic
thing I believe. And that works for me. If I can fill a new music void with
styles they've always loved, that works just fine. Some of the reviews in
magazines have been splendid! At least people "get it" and understand
what I'm doing.
13. We've heard about your latest release, the "Under The Purple Lights
EP" (2023). Could you give us a sneak peek into this new project and what
listeners can anticipate from it?
Under The Purple Lights is my
brand new EP, just released on Sept. 15, 2023. There are five songs of slight
different styles. One song is very Alice Cooper meets Judas Priest
like...another is very much like a 70's KISS feel. The styles are all
different, but gel together very well. An exciting release with some nice riffs
and hooks to the songs. I even have my one glam rock style song that I like to
try and include on each of my releases. It was a fun project to work on and my
buddy Jake Branscome is a guest on it. He plays the lead guitar on "U
Never...." and he really does a knockout job!
14. In the spirit of your music, what's one piece of advice or philosophy
you'd like to impart to aspiring musicians or fellow rock and roll enthusiasts?
For Musicians: Do it because you
love it. Don't expect any rewards or even anyone to pay attention. do your own
thing and enjoy your musical ideas. For Fans: Just try to continue to support
new artists and appreciate the old ones still around and being able to make
music. Music is still a thing! It's not just background noise. Pay attention to
those bands when they are performing. For Everyone Else: to quote Spinal Tap -
"Have a good time, all the time."
15. How do you personally define the essence of rock and roll, and how does
Rich Kid Express embody that essence?
It about self expression - good,
bad or otherwise. Rock and Roll is a feeling. It's a little about how you look,
a lot about how you sound and mostly how you feel and present it! Rich Kid
Express is just an extension of that. It's a feeling and a vibe, with a sound
to match. (I don't look nearly as good as I used too.) haha!
16. Lastly, if you could collaborate with any musician, past or present, who
would it be, and what kind of song or project would you envision working on
together?
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I would love to work with my
Grandfather. (Raymond Richardson) He was a musician long before I was born and
he was the leader of his orchestra/big band. He played in the Army Band (WWII)
He also played in New Jersey back in the fifties forming his own band: The
Commodores, (not the Lionel Richie version) and played throughout the
seventies. He never got to see me play or perform, never got to hear me write
and record my own songs, but he bought me my first drum set when I was
thirteen. I would love to have a chat with him now and maybe us work on a song
together. I'm sure it would be quite different than what I'm used to...but I'd
love to hear his ideas and talk music with him. He was a multi-instrumentalist as
well but mostly played the trombone. Could play a variety of instruments and
hand wrote all the music for his group. I bet he'd have some interesting
stories to tell.
Rob Richardson (@squibkickrecords) • Instagram photos and videos
(26) Squib Kick Records - YouTube
Music | Rich Kid Express (bandcamp.com)
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