Guitarist Brian Forsythe recently checked in with Bravewords.com and spoke to correspondent Deb Rao about the upcoming RHINO BUCKET release Hardest Town, the KIX reunion, and performing at Rock Gone Wild in August. The complete interview appears below.

Q: Kix recently performed at the Wolf Den at the Mohegan Sun. The Kix reunion shows have been going on since 2003. Who was responsible for Kix getting back together? Did you remain in contact with the band since the break-up?

Brian: "I stayed in contact with Ronnie throughout the years but had only recently spoken to Steve about eight months prior to us reuniting at the end of 2003. At that time Jimmy was playing with Ronnie in THE BLUES VULTURES and they were doing shows with Steve's band FUNNY MONEY. At the end of the night Steve, Jimmy and Ronnie would come out and jam on Kix songs together which proved to be a big hit with the audience. Both Ronnie and Steve called me and asked if I would be interested in being a surprise guest one night and joining them on stage. It was a long way for me to travel to just sit in on a few songs so that didn't happen but it got us talking about actually putting Kix back together to play a few gigs. That idea seems to have worked out rather well."

Q: Last year Kix performed at Rocklahoma and will be returning to the festival this summer. Are you looking forward to performing at Rocklahoma again this year?

Brian: "Well of course! Hopefully this year it won't be raining while we're playing."

Q: In general, do you see the return of 80's music once again becoming popular?

Brian: "Yeah, not only are the people who were there the first time going back to revisit it but I see a whole new generation of young kids who are into it. It's like when I was growing up and discovered Chuck Berry."

Q: 2008 marked the 20th anniversary of the release of Blow My Fuse. How did it feel to be performing these classic hits to a whole new generation of Kix fans at Rocklahoma last summer?

Brian: "I guess it was cool now looking back. I was so into playing at the moment that that was the furthest thing from my mind."

Q: Blow My Fuse was one of Kix's best selling albums? What was it like working with producer Tom Werman and what was it like writing this record. GUNS N' ROSES has just broke big, and the metal scene was booming with up and coming bands vying to make a name for them selves. What was it like being part of all this hysteria going on during the '80s genre?

Brian: "Tom was a lot of fun to work with. I think his strong point was mixing the record. He was able to bring out little subtleties in the mix that most people wouldn't have even noticed. There was an excitement in the air at that time. I remember a subconscious feeling that we were on the verge of something, like the universe was behind us like a tail wind."

Q: During the MTV video age, one video that was played heavily on MTV was 'Don't Close Your Eyes'. What positive impact did this song play on the fans dealing with thoughts of suicide?

Brian: "We used to get all kinds of fan mail from people who were contemplating suicide until they heard this song and related to the lyrics. So I guess if it stopped a handful of people from killing themselves then that's a good thing."

Q: Any plans to go into the studio and record new a album with Kix?

Brian: "We've talked about it but at this point it's only talk, no solid plans or anything."

Q: How has the meaning of the songs from Blow My Fuse changed over the years and what are your favorite songs to perform live?

Brian: "You know, sometimes I'm such a guitar player that I don't even think about the meaning, I just deal with the music. My favorite song to play live would have to be 'Cold Blood'. It's a simple groove that's fairly easy to play and it always sounds good."

Q: Kix had this unique sound that combined metal and blues. How do you think you have evolved as a guitar player over the years?

Brian: "I'm definitely the blues influence in Kix's music. My background is blues and southern rock. During the '90s after I left Kix and moved to LA I played with a bunch of different bands with all sorts of different styles including a country band called THE SNAKEHANDLERS. After all those years in Kix playing with the same guys and the same style of music my experience during the '90s really expanded my playing."

Q: These days you are very busy performing with Kix and Rhino Bucket plus your own band The Snakehandlers? What is new on the horizon with Rhino Bucket?

Brian: "I haven't done anything with the Snakehandlers in over a year but we haven't officially broken up so we may still play again at some point. Rhino Bucket on the other hand has been very busy (between Kix gigs). We have a new CD coming out May 5th on Acetate Records called The Hardest Town. It features Simon Wright (AC/DC, DIO) on drums. Here's a link to check it out.

Q: Both Kix and Rhinobucket will be performing at Rock Gone Wild in August. Do you find it a challenge to juggle both bands onstage?

Brian: "I took Rhino Bucket with me back east to open for Kix in 2006 after the release of ...And Then It Got Ugly! and that was hard. Not so much physically but mentally trying to prepare for two different shows was tough. I think it took away from my performance with Kix that year. The Rock Gone Wild festival was originally scheduled with Rhino Bucket ending at 6:00pm on stage #2 and Kix beginning at 6:00pm on stage #1 which was physically impossible for me to pull off. It has since been changed with Rhino Bucket scheduled for Friday and Kix scheduled for Saturday. That makes much more sense!"

Q: What is the status on the upcoming Rhino Bucket release, Hardest Town? Will it be released on May 5th?

Brian: "That's the plan! So far so good!"

Q: How would you describe the sound of the album and does it have an AC/DC vibe to it?

Brian: "Only in the drums! Actually it has a little of that AC/DC vibe of course but there are a few other surprises as well. We definitely strayed off the path on a few of the tracks. It still rocks though!"

Q: What was is it like working with Simon Wright on the album?

Brian: "Simon is like a drum machine with feel! He's also a lot of fun to hang out with."

Q: How would you describe the creative writing process for Hardest Town? You have been performing over 20 years in the business. How did this reflect the writing of the album? Did you go back into the mindset of the early 90's for this release?

Brian: "Most of the initial ideas came from Georg and my specialty is putting the icing on the cake. But after we got into the groove Reeve came up with a couple of really good songs (including Hardest Town) and I came up with a couple myself. I didn't find myself going back in time, I think I stayed in the present and did what I do best. I can't speak for the other guys but there's nothing dated sounding about this record, to me it sounds fresh."

Q: What does the title Hardest Town denote to you?

Brian: "Surviving in Hollywood."

Q: What is your favorite track off of Hardest Town?

Brian: 'Hardest Town'.

Q: Brian, is there anything else that you would like to add? Thank you for taking time out to do this interview.

Brian: "Yes if you're a Kix fan come out and see us if we're playing anywhere near you! Also if you're a Kix fan buy the new Rhino Bucket CD The Hardest Town you won't be disappointed, in fact you'll be pleasantly surprised!"