He stands at the end of a long road, littered with things we once held dear, but must leave behind: The myth. For every generation he wears a different face: James Dean, Marlon Brando, James Cagney and Johnny Cash have borne his smile, his patience, his wisdom. Through his songs, his images, his ceremonial rites, we see the permanent strength in ourselves, and something magic is born within. We know what we can bear: The broken heart, the loss, even the joy that vanishes as quickly as it appears. The myth defies time, its ravages and sorrows; and with his model before us, so can we.
Shaun Kama has walked his road. Hes gathered those things: The love letters tied with faded ribbons, the scratched record of a wedding waltz, the photographs of better times. With this new project, Kings of the Wild Frontier, Kama has occupied the place of myth. Hes commanded the ritual alter on which these memories of heartbreak are transformed into melody, song, and the will to carry forth. I like hearing stories from other people, Kama says. Everything, every day, I use to help write. You just dont know when one of these is going to touch you in a way. Not everything is a golden nugget, but sometimes you pinnacle. I cant imagine writing some of the stuff Im writing now even ten years ago, cause I didnt have the experience, or the emotions. I hadnt lived through certain things. Youve gotta live through adversity.
Kama has this to say about his new music: I could be 60 or 16, and it wouldnt matter, as long as the songs are there. Its about the songs. Ive lived in Los Angeles for a long time, Ive been in the industry, and people may or may not know who I am, whatever. This is a whole, big giant new deep ocean for me, with a lot of new experience. I would hate to obscure peoples vision of this new music by saying, this is Shaun Kama, he was in all those bands. I want people to walk into this with an open mind, and if they love the songs, they love it and if they dont feel it, they dont feel it.
Shaun Kama's Kings of the Wild Frontier summons the primal stuff of Western pop culture: The debut album Dear Scarecrow is a Western-y, soundtrack-y, Spaghetti Western, David Lynch, Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, that kind of feel.. I sometimes describe the music as being a combination of Western surf, Folk and American rock. In the industry, they always want to put some kind of label on it. I had somebody say its kind of alternative country, and I suppose thats true, because when you look at what country music is these days, basically its pop songs with mandolins and violins. Thats not roots-y enough for me. Its not premeditated, but its inspired and its timely.
When I see a grandmother and grandfather, a 16-year-old kid with a Mohawk, a guy that has a family and works construction, a redneck guy that loves the most bluegrass shit in the world down in Tennessee, all the way to a guy thats into Cannibal Corpse from San Antonio, Texas, and they all come to me and they say, That song Bastard Son touched me. I generally dont like this kind of music, but there's something that make me want to buy your album. When I hear that from that diverse amount of people, it makes me realize that Im on the right path, Im doing the right thing, and Im going to make some music thats going to live long after Im dead. Im trying to set a legacy up.
When were ready, Shaun Kama is waiting for us. His songs resonate with the experience of working people, people who have felt, lived and loved in ways youll never see on prime time TV. Songs with heart, made of the stuff of legend. Real Western music.
WOMAN FROM BEYOND MUSIC VIDEO
Directed by Giovanni Zelko
Shaun Kama & The Kings of the Wild Frontier "Thirteen"
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Shaun Kama & The Kings of the Wild Frontier "She Will Survive"
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Shaun Kama & TheKingsOfTheWildFrontier "Hold On For Blue Skies"
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