It was great to get a visit from one of the premiere talents in rock Myles Kennedy, who came through Detroit to promote his upcoming solo album, The Art Of Letting Go.
What does that title mean? Myles explained. “I think it just kind of represented where I am in life at, as many years I’ve been on the planet, which is just trying to learn the art of kind of chilling out, you know, and not being so attached to things. And I like a lot of times I find when I’m attached to something and want something to turn out a certain way, you know, you become reactive. And I just, I just like I’m over it. I just want to be I just want to be happy and just learn to, go with the flow.”
It always intrigues me when guys right solo material. I’m always curious about what makes the album and what doesn’t. Myles said you have to trust your instincts.
Myles Kennedy’s Big Detroit Connection
Some may know, but Myles and former Detroit Lions kicker Jason Hanson went to school together in Spokane, Washinton. “You want to be this great, but it was hard to keep up with Jason in every way, not just with sports. He was also a great soccer player. But here he was, an incredible student and he and he also played trumpet. I played trumpet as well, so he was always first chair. I was always second chair, second or third. I could never beat. One time, I beat Jason in auditions. He’s super-human.”
You can watch the entire interview below…
Myles also told me about the first time he met some legends: Slash, Eddie Van Halen, and even the Zeppelin guys.
Myles Kennedy Jams With Led Zeppelin
During the filming of the movie Rockstar, he met Jason Bonham and proclaimed his love for his father John’s work. Through that friendship, he got a chance to play with the legendary band.
He spoke to meeting Jimmie Page and John Paul Jones. “It was amazing. And the other thing also was just John Paul Jones, because when I got to that little, it was just a little studio, it wasn’t like a full-on recording studio, if I remember correctly, was kind of a rehearsal studio. And I just remember walking in after Jason drove, he got us there and I hear somebody playing just awesome piano somewhere, actually, I think I thought it was a record and I was like, that sounds like almost like Bill Evans, some fancy jazz stuff. And then I walk in this room, and there’s John Paul Jones at the piano, and he gets up, and he’s just the nicest guy.”
It’s a very fun conversation.
Check out the audio-only interview with Myles on my Talkin’ Rock with Meltdown podcast. Pictures from his visit to WRIF and the Oak City Grill are below.
