The Steel Guitar Forum

The single most profound influence in my life is the music of Steve Kimock. He is truly a virtuoso in the world of improvisational, soulful music and a true master of tone from the inside(electronics of his rig) out (his fingers/phrasin/attack). Although he is mainly a 6-stringer, his fender lap steel is a flame thrower and very versatile indeed. Truly an innovator, deeply steeped in the traditions of jazz and indian classical music, he really is in the mofo class. I was just wondering if any one else knows of this guy and would like to hear his music. I have A LOT of his music, all live shows, and would be happy to send some out to anyone interested. Cool. If I could turn even one person on to him, this post was worth it.
James
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by James Winwood on 09 October 2001 at 01:42 PM.]</p></FONT>

I saw him with Zero, a band where my old buddy John Cipollina used to play in, about eight years ago in San Francisco. Last thing I heard was that he played with the remaining members of the Grateful Dead. I listened to some tapes of that and he sounded great. He really plays like nobody else. One of the most original and underrated guitar players of our time. Never heard him on lap steel, though.

I worked with Steve at Mesa/Boogie in the early '80's. He was instrumental in the design of their amps back then.

Last time I saw him was in January when the Campbell Brothers came to town. Not on stage - he was just another Campbell fan like me. We sat together and enjoyed the show.

Steve's a good blues player on the lap steel, but electric guitar is his main instrument. He's a true master of guitar improvisation. One of the best, IMHO.

------------------
<small><img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (E7, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (F Diatonic)
Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6)

He does play lap steel very well, although I've only seen him use a Supro lap steel, not a Fender. He was the backup guitarist to Freddie Roulette when Freddie opened for David Lindley at the Fillmore in San Francisco last year, and a very sympathetic listener too.
According to his web site's Gear Section:

Black & White Supro Lap Steel:
"A gift from my dear friend Banana, back in the Zero days when John Cipollina was still with us. John was a blazing slide player. Literally, he would play with a "Bic" plastic lighter, Hawaiian style, his Les Paul perched on his knee, his foot up on a monitor. John's gift of music and his extraordinary soulfulness as a person are an inspiration to me every day. I named my first born after him. John Cipollina and Banana, thank you both.

Credit where credit is due... I would have never have gotten anything together without the benefit of David Lindley's live shows during the El Rayo-X days…early 80's? David Lindley is a true master, and I owe him a huge debt of gratitude for his inspiration. There is no part of my playing, production or musical philosophy that doesn't lean on his example. Anyway, still my favorite lap steel player."

Somewhere I have a MP3 of him playing "Steel Guitar Rag" and taking off into a flight of fancy. Not quite Leon McAuliffe's direction, but lots of fun!
------------------
Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Brad Bechtel on 09 October 2001 at 05:39 PM.]</p></FONT>

I have seen him playing a Fender Stringmaster. Mainly through twins but he tweaks his stuff himself so there is no formula it seems. I have many live versions of Steve playing Steel Guitar Rag, Sleepwalk, Mercury Blues, and a bunch of his own compositions on lap steel. I've seen pictures of him behind a sho-bud psg but, unfortunately, never heard any of it. Steve is into the steel guitar world. I had dinner with Bobby Vega (his long time musical partner on bass) out in Boulder Co not too long ago, and he was telling me of how Steve would love to go to Scotty's Int. and check out the talent. It's nice to hear you know him Bobby Lee, as I have met him but haven't gotten the chance to sit and chat. One day I hope.

I grew up with SK, in Bethlehem,Pa. I was a year ahead of him in High School, we often jammed. (Cream, Hendrix, Butterfield, etc) There was a time that I was a better guitarist. Then he got a Gold Top Les Paul, and did serious (15hr/day) woodsheding.
The rest is history.

Jesse Gress (Todd Rundgrin, Guitar Player Mag Music Editor)was also one of us. circa 1970.

There's a mural at the old Fullerton Fender parking lot that has forumite Jody pictured on. There's a guitarist on that mural that I suspect is SK. The other guitaist is Jimi.

memories......

-j0e-

Joey, was Steve playing with the Goodman Brothers back then?

Hey Joey Ace, That is waaaay cool... It's great to see a forumite grew up and played with him when he was my age. Your post makes me smile

The Goodman Bros was a hot local band, members were about 4 years older than us.

Steve joined the band, late in his teens. After doing the local scene they decided to pack their stuff and head to the West Coast. I then lost touch.

I've been told he doesn't use a computer. He did have a web site.

Steve was always a kind person. He was highly focused on one thing, music.

-j0e-
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Joey Ace on 11 October 2001 at 07:30 PM.]</p></FONT>

Still is.

By the way, I've been in touch with Billy Goodman lately. He's in Germany, and has a new CD out. His web site is www.billygoodman.com


------------------
<small><img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (E7, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (F Diatonic)
Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6)

Also, Frank Goodman is now in Nashville, where he publishes a web-zine called Pure Music. He wrote a review of Steve's "Live From The West Coast" CD for the magazine, and it references a few sound clips on this page.

The clips don't include any lap steel, though. I wonder if there's any on the CD.

Steve's web site is www.kimock.com

There's a live video of the Steve Kimock Band at www.tipitinas.com/Insider/relive_fess.htm which has Steve playing lap steel starting at about the 12 minute mark.

------------------
<small><img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (E7, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (F Diatonic)
Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6)<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Bobby Lee on 11 October 2001 at 02:18 PM.]</p></FONT>

I am a new member although I have lurked some.

I am a guitar player who dabbles in slide and lap steel. I played in a couple of decent outlaw country bands with forum member Jack Stanton in the late 70s, early 80s.

I attended Steve Kimock’s guitar camp at Fur Peace Ranch a few weeks back and learned enough about Steel guitar in a couple hours to get me interested at a higher level.

I will only play for myself as I do identify as a guitar player. E7 tuning.

Glad to second the other comments about Steve, brilliant player, so much knowledge, and so generous with info.

I look forward to “playing around” with steel and reading the info here.

How about that. Wouldn't expect to see anything posted about Steve Kimock on this forum.

However, glad to see it as Steve is a monster player. Certainly one of the most unique, talented, and tasteful players.

Very intelligent. Knows about much, much more than music, and can discuss at a high level.

Steve lived literally a few blocks away from me for years and never knew it until a month before he moved back to the east coast. He brought over an almost mint condition Fender 400 with the silver frame. He was hoping I could help him troubleshoot it. The lowers were returning sharp. It sounded amazing. We chatted for a bit....nice guy, great player with a great musical background.

I am always amazed at all of the overlapping limbs of this community. What a wealth.

Yes, Steve Kimock can really play. He has a melodic and fluid style. There is large support for the jam band scene here and he is popular, especially with the 20 and 30 year olds.

rick andrews wrote:...he is popular, especially with the 20 and 30 year olds.

Good to hear 20/30yr olds somewhere dig him. Sure wouldn't have thought so.

Bobby Lee wrote:Also, Frank Goodman is now in Nashville, where he publishes a web-zine called Pure Music. He wrote a review of Steve's "Live From The West Coast" CD for the magazine, and it references a few sound clips on this page.

The clips don't include any lap steel, though. I wonder if there's any on the CD.

Steve's web site is www.kimock.com

There's a live video of the Steve Kimock Band at www.tipitinas.com/Insider/relive_fess.htm which has Steve playing lap steel starting at about the 12 minute mark.

------------------
<small><img>Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (E7, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (F Diatonic)
Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6)<FONT><p>[This message was edited by Bobby Lee on 11 October 2001 at 02:18 PM.]</p></FONT>

Happened to stumble across this thread looking for something else. A little update. Frankie is now in Potland, OR, with his own "Buzz Holland" band.

And Steve has actually reunited with Billy for some shows. He's got one coming up at Stanhope House in Stanhope, NJ on July 10 and Ardmore Music Hall August 7. Most relevant is that he has actually pulled his pedal steel out of storage for the gigs. He was actually a very competent PS player when he was very young, but gave it up for lap (he traded his PS for his now famous white strat).

https://kimock.com/

Thanks Mike,

That's pretty cool, first is that the Stanhope house is still alive, I had read that they were done last year, good that they survived last year, second that Steve is playing there, I saw him about 15 plus years ago at the Bowery Ballroom in NYC and was very impressed, I have some Cd's of that show somewhere that my buddy got, I'll dig them up!

Looks like Steve is getting back to some pedal steel. In this 2021 summer tour promo video we see a nice little blonde Shobud.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4vsAt1lKgw

Also he’s posing with the Shobud in this Jambase article tour announcement
https://www.jambase.com/article/steve-k ... dates-2021

I saw some shows including David Bromberg and the band Kingfish at The Stanhope House, back in the 80's. I agree it is cool that it is still going!
Steve Kimock had a cool Gear Dsicussion page on his website that I was into following a few years back.
Besides cool Fender tube amps and speaker discussions, etc, he was very into the Lexicon LXP-1 reverb unit. He reccomended a mod from a guy named Richard Lingenberg who does vintage MuTron and MXR rehabs in CA.
I happened to get one of those modded LXP-1's and use it with my Stereo Steel rig (it has stereo in's/out's). It really sounds lush! I still have it mounted in a racktray in a rack with my Stereo Steel head.
I saw Steve with his band here in Portland (he had alot of local fans), and know he was in the national Jam Band scene that had spun off from the Grateful Dead scene, but he never really caught fire like some others, for some reason.
Best of luck to him!