Boston friends #25

Along my quest for Jonathan Richman in Boston, I met this incredible guy, Kenne Highland one of the vets of Boston rock scene. In fact it was again through Gordon's Jonathan list that I had exchanged a few mails with Linda, who was then Kenne's wife. Visiting Boston, I was invited at their home and stayed there a couple of days. Kenne must be the most friendly musician I ever knew. A true living legend going all the way back to Bloomington, Indiana, Gizmos who had a single of the week selection in the NME , chosen by Julie Burchill herself.. Kenne is a true garage music fan and his consecutive bands from Africa Korps, Johnny and the Jumper cables, Kenne Highland Klan, the Psycho daisies and nowadays Kenne Highland and his Vatican sex Kittens have always kept to the right punk/garage line. Kenne showed me how Lou Reed's riffs in many velvet songs were coming directly from Bo Didley.. yes even "white light white heat".

KH, originally uploaded by zapcomix.

The man did not hesitate to bring out his guitar and sing for me "rosalyn" (Pretty Things) at 3 am out in the streets of Sommerville.. those memories, one never forgets. Of course his last CD shown above is his best for ages, I have a weakness for "Punjabi Daba" which can be heard on the related Kenne page of the Stanton park records web site
http://www.stantonpark.com .
Kenne is reminding me of Lester Bangs when he writes and he is also, according to Jeff Monoman, the guy who does himself 365 tributes a year. He is also definitely my friend on the East Coast.