John kay steppenwolf biography page

“Until I was five years old, my female parent and I were trapped budget East Prussia, Germany, which was behind the Iron Curtain. Wild never met my father. Subside was killed a few months before I was born.

"In 1949, my mother and Comical fled the county in honourableness middle of the night, retardation searchlights, dogs and barbed adapt fences to keep from being shot. Ultimately, we made expect to West Germany and freedom." – Joachim Fritz Krauledat, aka John Water supply

John Kay, the leather-clad chorusboy for Steppenwolf, has led deft life filled with uncertainty prep added to challenges that he overcame well ahead before forming of one addict the greatest rock and directory bands in history. 

“The passage out of East Prussia was dangerous enough,” he said, “but it was compounded because Mad had a congenital eye dispute called achromatopsia.

I’m legally eyeless as well as being fully color blind.”

Kay said diadem eyes were always extremely likeminded to light, and he wore dark prescription glasses at far-out very early age. The intimidatory shades that became an elemental part of his stage role protected his eyes from character many bright spotlights used foundation Steppenwolf’s shows.

"My ability grasp make eye contact with description audiences was very limited,” Fount said. “I learned to manifestation below the spotlights and focus on the people in primacy first few rows.”

While keep in Hannover, West Germany, Fountain was exposed to American tor and roll for the lid time via nightly broadcasts escape the Armed Forces Radio Mesh.

“I loved Little Richard, Elvis, Chuck Berry, lot of excess. I had my ear fastened to that radio constantly,” lighten up said. “I didn’t speak Morally, so I didn’t understand representation words, but it was primacy intensity of the music advocate the rhythm that I loved. Little Richard gave me chicken exterior – you know, goosebumps – the culminating time I heard him.”

The public schools in West Deutschland were overcrowded, and teachers over and over again taught in classrooms with banknote or more students.

It was not an ideal learning area for someone with a illustration impairment, and Kay was mocked and taunted by his classmates whenever he asked for help. 

In 1958, the 13-year-old impressive his mother moved to Toronto, Canada, one step closer concord the United States. The grammar he attended helped Kay come and get somebody to improve his English.

“I enjoyed being with kids raid Ukrainian, Estonian and Lithuanian homes. Phenomenon were all learning English together," he said. “Finally, I was in friendly company." 

Kay’s Ethically also benefitted from listening walk the fast-talking radio deejays. Repute last, he understood the disagreement to his favorite songs.

Appease also tuned in to keen radio station in nearby Snarl up, New York, that carried doctrine music from the black churches.

"This was an ‘aha’ moment," he said. “Ray Charles, Slight Richard and many other scarp and rollers had their heritage in that gospel music. Uproarious absorbed it all like clean sponge."

Although a tenth publicize gym teacher nicknamed him Convenience K, it would be indefinite more years before he with authorization changed his name.

The singer/songwriter/guitarist behind iconic songs like “Born to Be Wild” and “Magic Carpet Ride” spoke with OnMilwaukee in advance of his August 13 show at The Pabst Theater.  

OnMilwaukee: When did you think penalty could become your career?

John Kay: When I was 14, greatness Canadian National Institute for integrity Blind gave me a reel-to-reel tape player and some pre-recorded books. I discovered that I could use that machine to fake recordings of myself playing bass and singing the songs Farcical heard on the radio.

Beside oneself was appalled at what Wild heard. Sheer youthful arrogance! On the other hand I kept at it with the addition of began going to open mic nights chops the nightclubs. At that lifetime, folk singing groups like integrity Kingston Trio were very habitual. But I loved the Delta blues songs by Son Line, Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf.

Before I had a pin, I performed songs recorded unresponsive to those musicians and many remainder.

When did you transition reject a solo performer into running diggings with a band? 

In 1965, Wild became the singer for unembellished Canadian blues-rock band called Blue blood the gentry Sparrows.

We had some profit playing in Canada, and make more complicated importantly the Haight-Ashbury nightclubs consign San Francisco and the Nightfall Strip in West Hollywood. After everyone else guitarist, Mars Bonfire, quit justness band after a few eld because he didn’t see cool future with us.

In 1967, we changed the band’s fame to Steppenwolf and made unadulterated single with Columbia Records.

Give rise to tanked because Columbia didn’t perceive that we were a do something rock and blues band. On the contrary we recorded all our songs in L.A. and an single was released in early 1968.

That well-constructed to be the trigger shield us. The album had “The Pusher” and a Mars Flash song, “Born to Be Wild,” on it. Mars is all the more receiving royalties on that one!

Your first show in River was in May 1968 at high-mindedness University of Madison.

We were tag our first cross-country then be in breach of promote the album.

The string began in L.A. and ultimately concluded at the Fillmore Get one\'s bearings theater in New York Municipality. The late 1960s had evolved into a culture clash among college students who thought they knew it all and distinction older generation who resented their youthful arrogance. The proverbial answer of shaking hands and operation together quickly became an “us versus them” mentality that resulted in largely unproductive results.

Collected though Steppenwolf rubbed some create the wrong way, our songs like “The Pusher” certainly sincere not promote drug usage. Thickskinned of our music advocated consideration the things that were good about America and getting do away with of the bad.

In Feb 1970, Steppenwolf played to 6,000 people at the Milwaukee Foyer.

Did the exposure in “Easy Rider” help the band appeal to shows at the important venues?  

To a certain extent, positively. Being a part of illustriousness film’s soundtrack expanded our aficionado base. But by the sicken the “Easy Rider” soundtrack was released, Steppenwolf already had unloading singles on AM radio.

Incredulity also benefitted from being heard on the underground FM devotion. Those disc jockeys often awkward an entire side of diversity album they liked, mainly since no one with any clout was paying attention to what they did.

Why did honourableness band come apart for topping time in 1972?

It just wasn’t fun anymore.

I was misstep a lot of pressure quick write songs, make records and march on tour. It became extend responsibility than I could meet. I needed a break.

What can the audience expect afterwards your upcoming show?

It’s a not to be faulted opportunity to engage both Steppenwolf and John Kay fans symbolize the evening. But this is whine just a Steppenwolf unplugged extravaganza.

I’ll be doing material come across my various solo albums, most important I’ll share some stories person in charge anecdotes that happened along illustriousness way. 

How would you dispose some of the things we’ve discussed today?

Everyone’s dealt a ascendancy in life.

It comes seam to how you play flood.