KDOG Himself

If it wasn't for Kenton KDOG Lee, there would be no band - or Geezer Rock Blog. It's cetainly nothing I could accomplish on my own. Kenton thinks big. As Nick "Sewer Boy" Ciani says, "KDOG has a vision and he does not let reality or ojections get in the way. KDOG eats objections like Cheerios." The dog worships Gov't Mule and especially Mule drummer Matt Apts. Kenton also declaims "Warren Haynes is a God" so often that his fiancee vows to kill him if does in her presence one more time. As the big KDOG Uber Jam on Friday Feb. 16 at the legendary Hilltop Tavern approaches, I got the man who has no idea how many drums sets he actually owns to set still for an interview.
Do you still enjoy having your own band?
I love the band. It’s a way for you and I to express ourselves. I think we’re finally starting to play good music, music that people will enjoy. It’s always been a dream of mine to play in a band where we created the type of music that we wanted to and weren’t limited to people telling us what we need to play.
How old were you when you started playing the drums?
Four. I used to grab the pots and pans everyday when I was watching I Love Lucy. I’d get two wooden spoons and start playing them. My mom and dad both looked at me said, “He’s got rhythm!” They took me down to a music store that was still on San Pablo Avenue in Richmond until a few years ago. It was called Diaz Music. They started giving me lessons. By the time I was five I could read drum music. By the time I was 7 I had a union card and was playing professionally. We would play twice a month behind a big band. What they would do is roll me out and I would play a drum solo and play with the other drummer, two or three songs. It was a bunch of older gentlemen. This was in 1956 and 1957.
When did you start with rock and roll bands?
I played in rock and roll bands from the time I was 10 until I graduated from high school. In junior high school, the band was named the Immortals. We used to play gigs all over Sacramento. It was a surf band. Then in high school, I got into The Doors, The Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Messenger Service. I got married really young and I had a son, but, I hung around with David and the Foreskins, I don’t know if you’re familiar with them, or the Skin. They were probably one of the better bar bands in Sacramento and My high school buddies were in that band. They all moved to L. A and I couldn’t move to L.A. We played all the Allman Brothers and Eric Clapton tunes. I used to play casual gigs. I played in rock bands, country bands - anyone who needed a drummer.
Have there ever been times when you didn’t play very much?
Yep, when I met (ex-wife) Mrs. (Debbie) Lee in 1990. I put the drums in the basement. But then, a few years ago, Nick heard me play and asked me to play in The Bittermen. (Director’s commentary: Nick is Nick “Sewer Boy” Ciani, the current harp player and dynamic male vocalist of KDOG. Although Nick and Kenton had been acquaintences for years though our common friend, Dave Mering, we’d never rmade a musical connection. This meeting took place at Dave’s engagement party, hosted at the home of Susan Fobes. The Fobes household featured a music room with an upright bass, a grand piano and an electronic drum kit. I played a little bass with Kenton, who hammered the drums for quite awhile. Kenton said, “Hey man, we ought to get together and jam sometime.” I promised we would, never imagining where this would lead. Nick heard Kenton playing, which resulted in an invitation to join The Bitterman Blues Band, a group of childhood pals who played publicly maybe two times a year.)
(Bitterman bassitst) Tom Andrews called me and said, “Hey we’re gonna start the Bittermen again. We’re gonna play at the Club 2-Me. We need a drummer. Would you like to audition?” I played one song and they said, “You’re hired.” We rehearsed twice a week, which was a lot for them but, I said, “Hey, if we’re gonna go do this, we gotta get something down.” So, we, we The 2-Me gig on August 14. God, it might have been 2004 . Nick’s house was the band house. When his son moved back in, we needed a place to rehearses, so I got the Dojo.
The Bittermen dissolved after that gig Tommy (Dunbar) and I played with you guys. A lot of people say you broke up the band by pushing everybody too hard.
Right. Well, I think that everybody was ready to do other things. Jim has two daughters amd had to coach soccer. And Tom and Jim basically wanted to race cars.
You guys made a CD though.
We made our CD in December of 04 at Nick’s, house.
Who recorded it?
Jim. On a little computer with the three mikes we used for singing.
I really liked Nick’s original tunes a lot. When the Bittermen broke up, all that was left was you and Nick, with me waiting in the wings.
But then (Kenton’s friend and bassist) Steve Garland started sayingn to me “Hey –see if Dean will play lead guitar.”
Yeah, so we started rehearsing with Steve Garland, right after that, that December and January and February. Then Steve started to lose interest. I wasn’t good enough. He didn’t want to rehearse. We just weren’t making any progress.
I think the thing that really blew him out is, when Nick blew up that one night. (Director’s Commentary: I remember Nick yelling and complaining, the theme being "We're a blues band, man, not a rock band!" but I can’t remember what set him off. We'll find out when Nick does is Geezer Rock interview.)
After you guys left that night, Steve just said, “Kenton, I’ve played for many years, I don’t need this.” I thought it would work. But he bailed. But I always felt from the minute, you and I started playing together, that we would be a life long brotherhood as far as music goes.
Then I got you into the church band.
That polished up my playing a lot. I mean, years ago, I had some opportunities. I auditioned for Craig Chaquico just to tour with the Starship and I could have gotten that gig, I chose not to because of my son. But the thing they said was I was gonna have to really polish up on my meter, my time. I almost had the opportunity to jam with Greg Allman one night - almost being that we were in his bus talking for two or three hours. He could tell I knew about music and we kind of hit it off. He wanted me to come jam but, I was freaked out, cause, I wasn’t playing very much at the time and it’s probably better that I didn’t.
When I first got you into the church band at St. John’s, some people in the worship band were saying, “Well, I don’t think this is working.” I had to admit you had some musical issues, but I said you’d work on it and learn the new style.”
I wasn’t aware of that actually.
Yeah. We had a meeting. I had to acknowledge that there were issues, but that you'd find the groove.
It’s really helped me discipline my drumming and it’s helped with our band.
Has the band turned out liked you’d hoped so far?
I’m surprised we played the Stoney Inn as much as we have.
So what have you learned about yourself in this process?
That if you put your mind to something and you really want it and believe in it that you can make it work. Sometimes, it isn’t what you want, but you always get what you need. (Laughs.)
What do you want to do in the next year?
Play a couple of times a month. Try to record a CD.
How old are you – 55? This is your last chance to do this, isn’t that true?
I would think.
If we're not playing in a band now - we don't have our whole lives ahead of us.
Well, I plan to be doing this when I’m 70 and you’re 60.
What do you remember about our first gig? You were so uptight. Was it that we had to assemble the stage ourselves?
I was worried about setting up my drums. It takes time and it’s intricate. Now that I have C. J, I don’t worry about it. If you noticed I’m much more relaxed. Anyway, the stage had to be set up, my drums had to be set up, it was our first gig, Dave came rolling in late. (Director’s Commentary: Dave was our second bassist who lasted through two rehearsals and one gig. We never heard from him again. He had a cool Fender Bass covered in real snakeskin, which he said smelled funny when it got too warm. He and Kenton were butting heads all night.)
You guys fought about doing “The Wind Cries Mary.”
Right, he just did not want to play it and I don’t understand that.
He didn’t feel like he knew it. He just had one or two rehersals. How did you get us that gig?
We got paid 500 bucks for it too, I think. It was this guy who sells medical supplies to all these doctors. He wanted to have a big blow out party and said “I need a band.” My friend Ernie said, “I got the perfect band: KDOG.”
It turns out that at we were not exactly the perfect band. Do you remember much about that night after we started playing?
He wanted us to play bar tunes, covers. Lynnyrd Skynnrd and like that.
We played “Black Magic Woman”for like 10 minutes while everybody like sang and danced on the stage and played percussion.
I knew they were gonna do that but, I told them I didn’t want them on the stage, they could do it in front of the stage. Then Dave invited them on the stage.
No, Dave didn’t invite them on the stage. The host of the party did. Dave just said, to you, “Don’t worry about it, it’s his party. If they wanna come up here that’s it. You just gotta let it happen.”
You know that party was kind of fun and we learned a lot Somebody was parked behind us and we couldn’t find out who it was and we couldn’t leave.
Do you remember your last conversation with Dave? Where he said, “I’m and asshole. I’m the first one to admit but, you’re an asshole too.”
Oh, yeah, yeah. Well you live and learn.
Do you practice at home? New songs and stuff?
No, I don’t practice learning songs. I practice the fundamentals to keep my hands loose. I’m working a lot on doing para diddles with both my feet and my hands together, the opposite so, like when I’m hitting with my right foot, it’s my left foot and then the visa versa so I can get a little more musical with my feet and my hands and it’s starting to really pay off good dividends.
You’re always joking about being compulsive. Are you really?
Oh, I’m O.C.D. Not to the point of a fault but, I like things in order. If you watch when I set my drums up, I can feel if a cymbal is an inch off.
What advice do you have for other guys who are in their 50’s and want to start a rock band?
Make sure that your significant other supports you, that you have patience, that you have determination and that you do it for the right reasons. The right reasons would be to have fun and to express yourself in a very positive way. Thinking that you’re gonna become a professional and go on tour is just absolutely ludicrous. If I wanted to do it, I probably would have done it in my 20’s because, I had, the opportunities. But I think we should we should try to book, you know, two or three week gigs on the road somewhere, rent a bus and let Nick room with Pablo and you and I’d room together cause, I’d absolutely kill Nick if I roomed with him. You and I are a good fit. It’s a brotherhood of music for you and I. As I always close out when I talk to everybody, we’re just gonna rock on.
What’s with all the drum sets, how did that happen?
Oh, that’s very simple. When I was a child my parents bought me a beautiful Slingerland set and then when I got older, they wouldn’t let wouldn’t let me buy another drum set with my own money I’d saved. So I always swore that when I wanted a drum set I’d buy it and that’s what I’ve done most of my life. Now, I’ve made a little money on buying and selling drums and it’s gotten me to a point where I have an infatuation with good quality drum sets.
Now, also music’s been important to you because you worked in the radio industry and you also managed Tower Records on Watt.
Right.
How long did you work at Tower?
Mr. Lee: I worked at Tower from 71-79 and then from 79-81, or from 79-80, I worked at Dimple Records, I actually start, helped open Dimple Records. Then in 80, I got into radio and I worked at K-L-Y-O radio, a little county station out of Davis. I was there for 6 months and then I got a job at K-S-F-M, which was the top 40 station. I worked there from 80-89. Then in 90, I started a radio station with my friend Jeff Holden, K-R-F-D. When KZAP when under we started a new station. I was there until 94 and then I went to work at The Mix. I was at the Mix until 2000, when I went to work at V-101.1 and then from there I went into the advertising industry.
Favorite drummers?
Michael Shrieve, Lenny White. Butch Trucks, Jaimo, Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa. And then my very, very favorite is Mad Apts (of Gov't Mule). There’s not a drummer alive like Matt Apts.