KIX frontman Steve Whiteman recently guested on The Chuck Shute Podcast. Topics of discussion included his new solo album titled You’re Welcome, the possibility of a new Kix album, the band's early days, and more. Check out the interview below.

On making his new solo album

Whiteman: "I never really intended to put out a solo record. I mean, it just kind of just fell into my lap. Jimmy Chalfant, our drummer, and Brad Gibbons, who produced it, were getting together at Brad's studio at his home during COVID, just for something to do. And they were they were doing cover songs and putting them out on Facebook and wherever, collecting clicks and likes and all that. Jimmy just said to him one day 'Steve's sitting on a pile of of originals that I don't know if they're KIX songs or not, maybe we get him over here and record a couple of them.' I was just trying to get more experienced in his studio, so they invited me to come over and I took my little pile of songs and we sat and listened to all 12 of them. And Brad said, 'Let's do all of them.' And I said, 'Well, I looks like I'm making a solo album, doesn't it? He goes, 'Yeah, why not?' 

Chuck Shute: Those songs, you presented them to KIX, and KIX didn't like any of them?

Whiteman: "I got crickets when I sent them out to them. I mean, I literally got crickets from them. So I just realized, okay, then this stuff... I can't write KIX songs, but I can write Steve Whiteman songs. So that's what I did."

Whiteman's 12-song solo album, You’re Welcome, was co-produced by Whiteman along with his trusted collaborators Brad Divens, Jimmy Chalfant, and Bob Paré; it was recorded and mixed by Divens at Fixintogetmixin Studio.

Though the recent pandemic essentially derailed the last year-plus of KIX’s touring plans, it gave Whiteman the chance to settle in at home for a critical period of time and vocal rest, the results of which he was able to channel directly into writing and recording You’re Welcome.

“Not being able to play for over a year gave me the opportunity to get together with some friends and make an album of these songs,” said Whiteman. “It was great having something to do during COVID. We all had a great time making this record and I’m very proud of it!”

You’re Welcome is chock full of hard-rock gems. “I knew pretty early on this music wasn’t KIX music and that it was definitely going to be for my solo thing,” says Whiteman. Whether it’s the harmonica-splattered conflict of “Bad Blood,” the bluesy strike of “Lightning Bolt,” the instantly catchy “Do Me Like You Done Me Before,” the heartfelt and somewhat melancholy “Kid Dynamite,” a tribute to Ronnie Younkins [KIX guitarist], who’s been going through another bout of rehab, or the lusty wink-nudgery of “Tug of Luv” (one of the artist’s personal favorite tracks), You’re Welcome adds yet another exciting chapter to Whiteman’s storied recorded legacy.

If Whiteman’s loyal KIX fanbase feels like the album title sounds familiar, they’d be right. “It comes from a bit I do during KIX shows where I ask our crowds for a response. I demand they reply, ‘You’re welcome’ every time I say, ‘Thank you,’” Whiteman explains.

And if the cover art gives them an incredible sense of déjà vu — it depicts Whiteman’s signature at the top, and a large, self-drawn stick figure underneath it, they’re exactly right. “Yeah, that started when KIX’s first album came out and the label had us do all these local in-stores,” Whiteman recounts. “It was madness, because we would be sitting there for like two or three hours just signing albums. People were always saying things like, ‘Write something special to me’ or ‘do something special,’ and I just ran out of ideas. Finally, I just started doing this little stick man as a portrait — and it kinda stuck. When people ask for my autograph now, they want my stick man — and now everybody can get it on the cover of my album.”

Cover art by Steve Whiteman.

You’re Welcome tracklisting:

"Easy"
"Talking Bout Luv"
"Get The Wild Out"
"Shock"
"Prick Teaser"
"Bad Blood"
"Kid Dynamite"
"Lightning Bolt"
"Strip"
"Tug Of Luv"
"Do Me Like You Done Me Before"
"Shook Me In My Shoes"