Rock Bottom bring a taste of San Franicsco’s Mission District to the Caravan tonight (May 10th) with their brand of “sleaze rock ‘n’ roll.” We caught up with singer/guitarist Alex Kieth for an interview before the show.
According to your bio, “Rock Bottom is comprised of six mature seasoned musicians ranging from age 30 to 50.” That sounds very exciting. Could you elaborate, maybe share the names of the band members and what kind of music you play?
A: Not sure what website you are talking about, but we are a three-piece beer/skate/sleaze rock & roll band from San Francisco’s Mission District. I sing and play guitar, “Delaware” Adam Benson plays bass and sings backup, and Jack Given plays the drums like a man. As for our sound, the best one I’ve heard was from an older dude who was at one of our shows in Santa Cruz awhile back, he said “You guys have it just right, you have the Chuck Berry and the Motorhead sound but all together.” He seemed like he was on some weird Santa Cruz drugs but it was a great compliment to me.
Is this your first time playing The Caravan? How many times have you had the opportunity to party in San Jose?
This will be our first time playing the Caravan and our first time in San Jose, for that matter. We go down to skate in San Jose every once in a while because the parks are rad, and there’s backyards going sometimes, but I’ve never actually been down there just to party. I hope there’s some major babes there. We party in the Mission like Axl Rose in 1987, every day! I hope San Jose is ready (laughs).
Some people call San Jose the Milan of the South Bay, some people call it the Las Vegas of the North Valley, others call it the Atlantis beyond the Peninsula, which one of these monikers do you agree with most and why?
I have never heard San Jose referred to as the “Milan of the South Bay,” but that’s the one that made me laugh the hardest so I’ll back that one.
Once you’ve played The Caravan, you will have played 36 percent of all live-music venues in San Jose (not including HP Pavilion). How does that make you feel?
Well, once we are finished with the Caravan, I guess the next step is to start selling out the HP Pavilion some time around Christmas, hopefully. We have a summer tour lined up called the “Rock Bottom Delusions Of Grandeur Tour” that is going to make us world famous.
Speaking of feelings, how would your ex-girlfriends describe you?
Oh god, ex-girlfriends! Well if they say I’m no good in bed they are lying, and after that it would probably be them complaining about how I didn’t like their weird friends and how they hated me only wanting to sit around and drink beer and listen to Dayglo Abortions and Motorhead all the time. They love how rough-edge I am in the beginning, but then realize that it’s all too real after a few months. Then I’m back at the bar singing about the one that got away.
On a scale of one to infinity, how excited are you about playing in San Jose?
To tell you the truth, I’m really looking forward to playing San Jose, and were bringing our favorite band to play with (also from the Mission in SF) Vanishing Breed, the kings of power partying. On a scale of one to infinity, I would say about 9 million.
Q: Final thoughts?
Listen to Rock Bottom via it’s Bandcamp page.
.Rock Bottom are Ready to Party Like Axl Rose Tonight at The Caravan
