In a landscape of whitewashed politically correct automatons, 70-year-old Kinky Friedman continues to present a one-finger salute.
He’s currently pushing for the legalising of marijuana, the growing of hemp in his campaign for Texas Ag Commissioner.
‘I can’t think of any elected officials I respect and admire, they are all dead. All my political heroes are dead,’ says Kinky.
‘All we are left with are the bad people who go into politics. The hall monitors. What we need are the musicians. We could run the country a lot better. Sure, we wouldn’t get much done in the morning, but we’d be honest and we’d get the creative work done all through the night!’
Musician, author, politician, entrepreneur, animal saviour… Kinky Friedman has worn many hats over his long career that began in 1966 with the almost obligatory obscure, one-off single with his university band, King Arthur & The Carrots.
Since then, Kinky has left his indelible brand on the Texan and global landscape with nuggets such as Sold American, Autograph and They Ain’t Makin’ Jews Like Jesus Any More entrenched as cult classics in the American songbook. He’s toured with Dylan and written books with Willie Nelson and Billy Bob Thornton; a tribute album Why The Hell Not featured Kinky tracks covered by Nelson, Lyle Lovett, Dwight Yoakam and Asleep At The Wheel.
Kinky’s own literary career has been almost non-stop since he embarked upon that path in 1986 with close to 30 titles, both fiction and non-fiction, bearing testament to his boundless and close to maniacal energy.
He’s had a tilt at politics with a very respectable run for governor of Texas (He Ain’t Kinky, He’s My Governor! and Why The Hell Not? being two of his campaign slogans) as well as dabbling in consumables. The cigar that is omnipresent in photos, on stage, on screen and even on planes is generally going to be a Kinky Friedman brand cigar, while he has recently dipped his toe into the tequila market with The Man In Black being the Kinkster’s personal brew. Then there’s the coffee and hot sauce…
Kinky’s lesser-known work as founder and patron of the (no-kill) Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch in Texas rounds out a fairly big personality that isn’t slowing down as he closes in on his 70th birthday in 2014.
Kinky Friedman returns to Australia for his Bi-Polar World Tour to celebrate the release of his new Live From Woodstock album. A mix of the hits, his comedy and spoken-word pieces, Bi-Polar Live From Woodstock also features The Ballad of Kevin Barry, a previously unrecorded (live or studio) track. Kinky is one of the very special international guests at Mullum Music Festival, one night only, Friday at the Civic Hall. Come and be inspired by this irreverent living legend.
Mullum Music Festival 21–24 November, 2013
For tickets & info go to www.mullummusicfestival.com | Festival Hotline is 02 6684 6195.
Find this and many other great gigs in Echonetdaily’s North Coast Gig Guide.
