KANSAS: Major new interview on Innerviews exploring 1979-2015, including new lineup

[Innerviews]

Hi Everyone,

I'm pretty stoked to let you know about a new Phil Ehart interview over on Innerviews. My goal was to create an accompaniment for the new documentary that covered the years it did not.

It's an interview I've thought about for 20 years, but finally got to do it.

It covers quite a bit of territory, including *all* the studio albums from Monolith onwards. You'll also hear about the new lineup, why Steve Walsh left, and some details about a forthcoming studio album.

I admire Phil's ability to tell a story without trashing anyone. He is a careful speaker and tries to ensure balance in the story.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did putting it together.

Check it out: http://www.innerviews.org/inner/kansas.html

[Garion81]

Thanks! That was a great informative interview.

[zeprogmeister]

Great interview, thanks

[proggy_jazzer]

Really well done. As much as Ehart has always impressed me as a drummer, his candor and tact here really shine. Kudos to him for all he's done and to you for bringing it out.

[calyx]

Wonderful read, thanks ! A perfect complement for the doc.

[frippster]

Enjoyed reading about some of the less-heralded years/albums. Ehart really seems like an all-around good guy. Great job, Anil.

[Vic2012]

Good interview .

[Scott Bails]

Excellent interview, as always, Anil. Thanks.

Phil Ehart is such a classy, impressive guy.

[Innerviews]

It was an interview highlight for me. He is definitely a class act, and a real professional. I think the next Kansas album will be something to look forward to. After 15 years and a new lineup, I think they understand what they deliver has to be really good.

[dgtlman]

Fan-freaking-tastik!!!! Lots of good info

[Innerviews]

I have to admit surprise that no-one has latched on to the Steve auditioning for Yes part... :-)

[Scott Bails]

I have to admit surprise that no-one has latched on to the Steve auditioning for Yes part... :-)

Don't take this the wrong way, but that's relatively well-known.

[frippster]

Well, now that you mention it. When was this Yes audition? Reading your interview I just assumed this was in between BG and Union when Rabin/Squire were working with Roger Hodgson. But now actually thinking of the timeline Ehart says, i.e. before Power, that would suggest it was in between 90215 and BG. If that's the case, perhaps there's an interesting story there.

And with that, I'll sit back and enjoy the next 40 pages of Yes speculation.

[Scott Bails]

Apparently, it was between Big Generator and Union.

[Innerviews]

It was before the Power album was recorded, so we're in 1985, before Big Generator.

[sdavmor]

That was an excellent read. Thanks, Anil.

[DarthVander]

Very interesting interview, thanks for that.

I've always thought Walsh auditioned for Yes while Jon Anderson was doing ABWH, before Union came about. I think that's how Walsh himself tells the story in that interview quoted on the Progarchives forum.

I quite like the 'Power' album but find it a bit surprising Ehart says they had a lot of success with it. I don't think it was the hit they were hoping for at the time - 'All I Wanted' did make the Top 20 but wasn't exactly a smash.
I'm always surprised by the love 'In the Spirit of Things' seems to get - that album never did anything for me. It didn't sound like Kansas at all, but then neither do 'Power' or 'Freaks of Nature' and I enjoy those two a lot more. I just don't think the songs are there on 'Spirit', plus Walsh's voice was already starting to show signs of wear.

I hope they can come up with some quality new material, and that the new band makes it over to Europe soon.

[Innerviews]

Very interesting interview, thanks for that.
I've always thought Walsh auditioned for Yes while Jon Anderson was doing ABWH, before Union came about. I think that's how Walsh himself tells the story in that interview quoted on the Progarchives forum.

If you look at Progarchives, it is the interviewer that sets up the time frame, not Walsh.

There was a lot of turmoil before Big Generator. I do believe there was a point when it crumbled to bits and then reconstituted. We'll probably never know the specifics.

[Gerhard]

Fantastic read, thanks Anil.

I was completely surprised to read that Walsh had auditioned for Yes (and Bad Company, for that matter). I had never heard that before. From Phil's description it certainly sounds like that happened before Big Generator, which didn't come out until 1987.

[undergroundrailroad]

I want to hear the song with 4 endings and 7 middles.

[TheH]

Fantastic read, thanks Anil.

I was completely surprised to read that Walsh had auditioned for Yes (and Bad Company, for that matter). I had never heard that before. From Phil's description it certainly sounds like that happened before Big Generator, which didn't come out until 1987.

He toured also with Cheap Trick and was in a Trio with Vince DiCola and Doane Perry (Jethro Tull)

[Harry's Hand]

I too think something is possibly wrong with the notion that Walsh auditioned for the Yes gig before Big Generator (unless he auditioned twice, which is possible). I was lucky enough to get on Rockline when Yes was on (during the Union era) and Rabin confirmed that Walsh tried out when Anderson went off to do ABHW. The Bad Company audition was in the same era (early 90's).

It sees silly of me to contradict Phil but I think it's possible after all these years some of those events became a blur.

And by the way, that was one of the best Kansas interviews ever - completely "scratched the itch" that the documentary wasn't able to cover. Much appreciated.

EDIT: Just re-read the interview and I think I can state with certainty that Phil was getting his dates mixed up. He references the Bad Company audition as something that Walsh did before Power. Simply not true - I still have the magazine (Metal Hammer?) clippings reporting the audition, and subsequent news of him not getting the gig (he sounded "too American") and this was 90 or 91 (Kansas was actually active at the time, which suprised me.)

[TheH]

Walsh's audition with Yes happend 1990 in California. They worked for a day on a new song (which is unkown).
The record Company didn't want an American singer in the band, so that was it.

[Innerviews]

The band has seen the interview, so unless they correct it, I'm going to leave it. It's a minor nit if it's off.

[Innerviews]

Also, given how bad Walsh's vocals were by 1990, how could he possibly have been considered to sing Jon Anderson-related songs?