Interview with Guitarist Brain Forsythe of KIX

April 26, 2021

Interview with Guitarist Brain Forsythe of KIX

By Mick Michaels

COSMICK VIEW: Hello, Brian! Welcome to The Cosmick View. Thank you for taking some time out of your day to chat with me, it's greatly appreciated.

CV: KIX is celebrating the 35 Year Anniversary release of the 1985 album “Midnite Dynamite” with an all new re-mastered edition entitled “Midnite Dynamite Re-Lit.” Tell us a little about coming back to a project more than three decades later. Did it have the same feeling it did while cutting the record in ’85?
Brian Forsythe: Beau Hill remixed it the same way he had done the Blow My Fuse Reblown remix, so it freshened up the sound and brought out things that were previously hidden in the mix. A remix isn’t quite the same experience as actually recording an album the first time through but it is nice to hear it in its enhanced form.

CV: “Midnite Dynamite Re-Lit” also includes a “demo disc.” Was the addition of the demo disc a way for the band to preserve history and offer fans some internal nostalgia or more of a way to add greater value to an updated reissue...or could it be a bit of both?
BF: Definitely a little of both. It’s a way to make the package a little more special for the fans. It does give an insight as to how the songs developed from demo form to the final product.

CV: There are always fans who express the sentiment to “leave well enough alone” when it comes to their favorite bands and performers reissuing older albums in their catalog. It’s like the old saying, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Did the band feel the album didn’t live up to initial expectations or that it just wasn’t holding well enough up over time?
BF: Actually, when Beau initially offered to do the remix, our first thought was, “how can you improve on that?” but Beau felt he could beat the original mix.

CV: Producer Beau Hill was brought in to rework the album’s original track listing. Hill stated that he jumped at the chance, giving him the opportunity to remedy some choices he made back then, which he felt may have detracted from the album’s overall sonic potential. The re-mastered version has things such as the guitars and vocals tightened up thus, bringing back many of the dynamics of the initial recordings. Do you agree with his assessment? Does “Re-Lit” pack more punch?
BF: I believe so. He got rid of or lessened certain effects which cleared up some of the muddiness. He brought up the vocals slightly and brought out the guitar solos & fills a little more.

CV: Is change something you look at as an inevitable piece of the puzzle being as an artist or is it something that you try to avoid when possible?
BF: Change is usually a good thing although I usually resist it. I’m basically lazy and would rather stay comfortable than change. But when forced to, I’m usually glad I did in the long run.

CV: Classic is defined as being “judged over a period of time to be of the highest quality and outstanding of its kind; a work of art of recognized and established value.” How would you define “classic” as it refers to music and would you consider KIX as being a classic band?
BF: When I think of something as classic I think of it as standing up to the test of time. I think we’ve done that. Or maybe it just means we’re old now!

CV: Do you see online streaming events becoming a staple performance option for artists even after restrictions are lifted? Or are they something just to fill the gap at the moment?
BF: That’s a good question. I think a lot of things we’ve come up with to adapt to the pandemic will stick around. Such as online concerts & Zoom meetings. It has expanded the way we think about and do things now.

CV: 2020 was definitely a year for the history books...everything was turned inside and out and back again. As a band, has the strategy on how to go about day-to-day business and planning for the future greatly changed? Or has it become a matter of just waiting out for the storm to pass before making any definite plans?
BF: It has definitely created a “let’s wait and see” attitude. Nothing seems definite anymore. I used to book my flights months in advance and now I wait until the last minute. And even then half the time I end up having to cancel them because a show will be postponed or canceled.

CV: Will fans see any new music from the band in the near future, following up 2014’s chart topper, “Rock Your Face Off?”
BF: I wouldn’t say the near future but we’ll eventually get to it.

CV: What more can fans expect to see coming from KIX as 2021 marches on?
BF: Hopefully a bunch more live shows! We have a year’s worth of lost time to make up for!

CV: Thank you again Brian for spending some time talking and sharing with our readers. It was a pleasure. I wish you all the best and continued success.

Check out KIX at:
Official: http://www.kixband.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialKIX
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KIXtheband
Instagram: http://instagram.com/kixband

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My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, show host, dreamer and guitarist for the traditional Heavy Metal band Corners of Sanctuary. Writing has always been a creative outlet for me; what I couldn't say in speech, I was able to do with the written word. Writing has given me a voice and a way for me to create on a multitude of platforms including music and song, articles, independent screenplays, books and now, artist interviews. The Cosmick View is an opportunity to raise the bar and showcase artists in a positive and inspirational light. For me, it's another out-of-this-world adventure.