David Kilmer
David Kilmer plays acoustic guitar, electric guitar, keyboards and upright bass, sings harmony vocal on and is co-producer of Songs From Shannon. A long-time veteran of the Birmingham music scene, David is probably best known as keyboardist for Birmingham's favorite glam/alternative/punk band The Sugar La La's. Before the La La's disbanded, David acquired yet another skill to add to his overflowing resume: "able to apply eye-liner while driving to a gig."
David's incredible talent is equally matched by a keen sense of humor, both of which were abundantly apparent during recording sessions for Songs From Shannon. He could have you laughing until you cried one minute--with stories from his years working at the lumberyard; or crying until you laughed the next--in disbelief during a moment of recording, such as the yearning baritone guitar solo on the song, Shannon. When asked by Leslie to send biographical information for the web site, this was David's humorous reply:
"Although born in suburban Washington D.C., David Kilmer (pisces) was raised in the hinterlands of North Alabama. A gruesome accident involving his 12-year-old bride and a backhoe left him with only three good fingers on his left hand and four children to raise (two were hers by a previous marriage). Overcoming these hardships, he became a virtuoso on the guitar and the swinette, playing to capacity crowds at Punkin's Bar in Pinesap, Alabama and the now defunct "Eat" in Bluff City. Despite his notoriety, fame has continued to elude him and he remains employed during the day as a squirrel inspector at the Sweet Sue poultry plant in Athens, Alabama."
Leslie says of David: "I know David Kilmer from his band The Amazing Live Sea Monkeys. I wanted an additional guitarist for the CD and I thought David's playing (that smokes!) might lend a nice contrast to Luke's (which is prettier, softer). David can flat out bring fire out of a guitar if he wants to. Or maybe that was just the lit cigarette he stuck under the strings... Anyway, I had no idea what it would mean to my songs to have both Luke and David play, but there wasn't a thing that David tried that didn't make me weak. He's the one who arranged Hattiesburg. Before he got his hands on it, Hattiesburg was just this plain little duckling. He suggested the sound for Dark Cloud--I was going to throw that one out because I couldn't figure out what to do with it. I loved the song, just didn't know how to give it life. Also, David (and his baritone guitar) gave Shannon that beautiful ride."
David's 'real' and complete personal bio follows in its entirety, with only one part censored:
Your Name: David Kilmer
Your Birthday (optional year): 3/14/52, I mean 68
City/State of birth: Cheverly, Md. BUT raised in Florence, AL (you know, street cred.)
What instruments do you play and how long have you been playing them? Guitar--37 years (yikes!), Bass (off and on) 30 years, Keyboards (poorly) 30 years. I have also played and completely abandoned the clarinet, fiddle, and flute-o-phone. I was often accused by my supervisor (upper yard boss) at the lumberyard of playing the swinette. " You play the swinette, boy? Huh? You know what a swinette is? It's a hog's ass with a hair stretched acrost it!" Then we'd all laugh and laugh. Later the height-impaired seventh grade dropout got fired for stealing.
Who are your influences? My father (Victor Kilmer) Eldon Shamblin, Django Rhinehart, Chet Atkins, Paul Barrere (sic?), Lowell George, Rick Lovelady and Milton Moats, Mots Roden, Albert King, Ry Cooder, Steve Earl, Dave Alvin, Cesar Rojas, They Might Be Giants, and everybody whose playing/writing I love, but whose names I can't recall or don't know. I consider myself to be, for better or for worse, a musical sponge.
Talk a little about Songs From Shannon (favorite moments, favorite songs, how you got involved, funny stories, etc.) I got involved in the project when Rick said, "Leslie's thinking about doing a CD, would you like to be involved?" I said sure, because I try to accept every opportunity for growth as a musician. To my horror, the project actually became a reality and I was forced to honor my commitment. I probably could have weaseled out if they hadn't made us all sign "pledges" and give them $1500 as a token of our commitment, to be refunded upon completion. Frankly I have yet to see a CD or my money.
OR
I had heard some rough demos of Leslie's songs and I saw a rare combination of very competent writing and unfettered emotional expression. The songs were obviously personal, but without sounding autobiographical. I was hooked from the beginning and was honored to be asked to participate. I knew Leslie's songs better than I knew Leslie at the beginning of this process, but getting to know her made it all the more worthwhile. In the beginning it felt like a project; toward the end it became a mission. We all talk about wanting to go back in and tweak things in the mix, but I think a lot of that is just wanting to go back and continue to build this affectionate, dedicated, personal/working relationship.
My favorite songs are "Shannon, Dark Cloud, and If You'll be My Home" for their stylistic variety. "House on Fire" for its creepiness, and "I Found You" for its honesty.
Funny Stories: I remember laughing my ass off about something every night. I just can't remember what. (Editor's note: the rest of this paragraph was censored.)
Other musical projects you have worked on: A Dixie Beer jingle that remains in the can somewhere (I guess the slogan "Light Supremacy!" wasn't nearly as amusing as we first thought). I got to work with Mitch Easter while recording the Sugar La La demos--a very positive experience.
Current band(s): The Amazing Live Sea Monkeys
Other hobbies: Motorcycling, home renovation, and cat-wrangling
Anything else you'd like to add: I want to do this again. Anytime.