Kid Dynamite — группа из города Филадельфия, штат Пенсильвания. Была основана в 1997 году. Состав группы: барабанщик Дейв Вэгеншатц, гитарист Ден Йемин и вокалист Джейсон Шевчук, а также первоначальный басист Стив Фарэлл и следующий басист Майкл "Паук" Коттермен. Группа выпустила два студийных альбома, перед тем как вокалист Джейсон Шевчук покинул группу, чтобы закончить обучение по специальности монтаж фильмов; на данный момент группа считается распавшейся. Они также являются бывшими участниками влиятельной мелодик хардкор группы из Нью-Джерси — Lifetime. На данный момент являются участниками групп None More Black, Armalite, Paint it Black, Higher Giant и The Loved Ones.
В 1998 году выходит дебютный одноименный альбом. В 2000 году вышел второй альбом - "Shorter, Faster, Louder". Лэйбл группы, Jade Tree Records, в 2003 выпустил сборник под названием Cheap Shots, Youth Anthems состоящий из редких песен и концертных записей который сопровождался DVD с тизером к будущему DVD с концертными записями, который будет включать фотографии с концертов для Syrentha Savio Endowment, датируемых 2003 годом.
Группа сыграла один концерт 22-го августа 2005-го года в честь New York City's historic CBGB venue. Открывали концерт группы Take My Chances (экс-The Backup Plan), Voice in the Wire и Grey Area (чей солист присоединился к Kid Dynamite во время записи песни Birthday, которая являлась кавером на песню Token Entry, бывшей группы солиста Grey Area). Группа шутя появилась с новой песней в течение саундчека, названной Whoa Dave Can You Hear Me; в то время как они проверяли их инструменты и оборудование перед концертом, Джейсон Шевчук кричал в микрофон Whoa Dave Can You Hear Me снова и снова.
Four Years In One Gulp, докуметальный DVD о группе, был выпущен 21-го февраля 2006-го года. Кроме комментариев и истории группы, он включал в себя 25 выступлений времен активной творческой деятельности группы.
"Carry the Torch: A Tribute to Kid Dynamite" выпущен лейблом Get Outta Town Records в 2009-ом году. Альбом содержит кавер на каждую песню Kid Dynamite, записанную другими панк и хардкор группами.
В 2010 году группа снова возобновляет свою деятельность, но в 2013 снова прекращает существование.
Дискография:
Kid Dynamite LP (Jade Tree, 1998)
Split EP [w/ 88 Fingers Louie] (Sub-City, 1999)
Shorter, Faster, Louder LP (Jade Tree, 2000)
Cheap Shots, Youth Anthems LP (Jade Tree, 2003)
Four Years In One Gulp DVD (Jade Tree, 2006) Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.
There are a minimum of 3 artists who share the name, Kid Dynamite:
1. US Philadelphia band formed in 1997
2. US A Steve Miller Band spin-off group from the 1970s
3. NL Kid Dynamite (Lodewijk Parisius) 1940s 1950s Dutch jazz musician
1)Kid Dynamite was a Philadelphia-based melodic hardcore band formed in 1997, consisting of drummer Dave Wagenschutz, guitarist Dan Yemin, and vocalist Jason Shevchuk, as well as original bassist Steve Farrell and eventual replacement Michael "Spider" Cotterman. The band put out two full-lengths before lead singer Jason Shevchuk left the band due to the wear on his voice from touring; the act subsequently disbanded in 2000. They also featured former members of highly influential New Jersey melodic hardcore outfit Lifetime, and future members of a number of acts including None More Black, Armalite, Paint It Black, and The Loved Ones.
The band's flagship label, Jade Tree Records, also put out a compilation of rare and live material, Cheap Shots, Youth Anthems, in 2003, which also featured a teaser DVD for a forthcoming live DVD that will include footage from the band's 2003 reunion shows for the Syrentha Savio Endowment charity.
The band played a reunion show in 2005 as a benefit for New York City's historic CBGBs venue on August 22, 2005. The opening bands were Take My Chances (ex-The Backup Plan), Voice in the Wire, and Grey Area (whose lead singer joined Kid Dynamite for the song "Birthday" which is a cover of a song by Token Entry, the singer from Grey Area's old band). The band jokingly came up with a new "song" during the soundcheck called "Whoa Dave Can You Hear Me"; in which they tested out their equipment to see if everything was set up properly while Jason Shevchuk screamed "Whoa Dave can you hear me" over and over. The shirts sold at the 2005 reunion show benefitted the Syrentha J. Savio Endowment (SSE).
"Four Years In One Gulp", a DVD documentary on the band, was released on February 21, 2006. Along with commentary and history of the band, it includes 25 live performances throughout the band's lifetime.
2) KID DYNAMITE is another one of those ultra mysterious bands whose story is murky at best. It is known that the band emerged in 1975 when two former members (bassist Dicky Thompson and drummer John King) of the STEVE MILLER BAND decided it was time to strike out on their own. Vocalist Val Garcia and guitarist Michael Mallen were later added and Kid Dynamite was born. Opting for a label who would allow the band total control over their direction, the band signed with Alvin Bennett's Cream Records in late 1975 and began working on their self-titled debut with producer Hal Winn at the helm. "Kid Dynamite" was released in January of 1976, but flagging sales and little label support abruptly killed the band at the conclusion of the year.
*Confusingly, Flightstream Records also released an album by Kid Dynamite that same year. Also entitled "Kid Dynamite", this 9 song album had a black & white sleeve featuring a design incorporating boxing gloves, and although it duplicated two songs from the other record, these were different versions.*
Very little is known about the members post-split activities, though Michael Mallen is rumoured to be teaching guitar in California.
This elusive gem is one that is often discussed in collector circles, but rarely ever recognized as a musically viable effort. I beg to differ. "Kid Dynamite" is a dynamic exercise in genre splicing which works effectively from start to finish. Blending blues, hard rock, soul and funk, the band shows off their musical chops throughout, with a notably scorching effort from Dicky Thompson in particular. Sounding quite similar to Joey Newman's hard soul act, BANDIT, the band merges the groove and conviction of classic funk with the forcefulness of 70's hard rock. The outcome is pretty spectacular and it's a real travesty that Kid Dynamite were merely a blip on the radar. Though this band is undoubtedly anonymous in all respects, some listeners may recognize the track "Uphill Peace of Mind", which was sampled and used by Dr. DRE (Nuttin But a G Thang) and ULTRAMAGNETIC MC's (Feelin' It) almost twenty years ago.
This one comes highly recommended for fans of soulful hard rock. This tweaked and cleaned vinyl transfer should satisfy ardent lovers of obscure 70's rock. Dig it...
Review by J. Richter Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.