He is a titan in the music and entertainment industry, with a name recognition that is seemingly unrivaled. The evolution of Kid Rock has been something to see, to be sure. From DJ'ing parties for beer money, to selling CDs from the trunk of his car, his ascent to superstardom has been rocket-like. From dating and briefly marrying Pam Anderson, to clocking Tommy Lee, to masterfully — if not entirely organically — reinventing his sound from one unbelievably successful record to the next, Kid Rock has sold out venues in a matter of minutes and has created a name so powerful, it's brilliance could rival the sun.
In the shadow of his 40th birthday, as well as the upcoming sold-out shows at Ford Field, Kid Rock's legacy has unfolded before our eyes, especially in the pages of Real Detroit Weekly.
1999
On his best "Hollywood moment" at that point in his career:
"It was in Park City, Utah. A few months ago we were on the road and the guys from South Park invited us to a party they were having. It was an anti-Sundance film festival party called Lap Dance. So, after this party, I went up there and dropped Ecstasy with Trey Parker and then this busload of porno girls rolls up from a company called Metro. It was Claudia Chase, Coral Sands – they just did the Houston 500 and I guess they dug me and asked me to go back to Salt Lake City with them and hang out. So while I'm on Ecstasy, we go back there, walk in — all our clothes are off — and there's this big orgy going on in the back of the bus. We all ended up in the hot tub together. I got Polaroids."
Giving a preview to a then-upcoming 1999 show at the State:
"Pure solid rock 'n' roll ... It's not going to be too crazy; very focused on the music nowadays. My band's sounding good, my voice is getting better every show. I'm going to do a lot of unique things ... It's been said a million times, I know, but there is no better f**king rock n roll audience than Detroit anywhere. It's safe to say because I've been everywhere now and it's totally true."
2002
On his future:
"I don't know. I'm still a puppy. I eat my Purina Puppy Chow every day and just hope that every day I can grow up to be a pitbull or a great Dane. At this point, I'm just happy working."
Cocky had been released the year prior:
"My goals aren't always revolving around music," Kid Rock commented on his way from an airport in Georgia, just arriving after he presented an award at this year's Grammys. "Sure, I try to keep on trying to make music that comes from the soul, but I also continue to try to be a good father to Junior and be a good person in general. It's funny, all the things you mentioned that I've done, I'm very grateful for, but I haven't really thought about them. It's just been great to have so many amazing opportunities with people I truly respect and admire."
2003
Self-titled album Kid Rock is released, with the track "American Badass."
On being asked if he thought a rock record would alienate fans of his early hip-hop sound:
"No, it's really no choice. I think to try to hang on to something like some of the successes of my early songs and try to be that guy at 32 years old — how many years later, 12, 13 years later — would just be kind of silly. I have to grow with the music, and if I don't, it's just going to come off as very fake. I think to grow with the music is the only natural thing to do and hopefully my audience grows with me. But if they don't, I'm sorry, but that's all I can really do."
On living close to DTE Energy Theatre (fka Pine Knob) and having national recording stars stop by his house:
"A lot of people play Pine Knob, so that makes it easy. Usually when anyone is in town or at Pine Knob I just give them a call. Even if I'm not here. I think one of the funniest ones was when I wasn't even there and f**king Justin Timberlake and his girlfriend showed up and hung out all day."
2006
"I'm at Hank's (Williams Jr.) farm in Alabama doing some fishin' ... We're gonna keep the brim tonight and cook 'em up. We're gonna try to shoot us a hog tonight. They have 400-pound fucking hogs down here. It's insane."
On Bob Seger joining him on stage:
"Oh, yeah, I don't know how to describe that. That was a dream come true. If there was one person I always wanted to jam with, it was him. If there's one person I haven't jammed with, it was him."
On a sex tape scandal that was reportedly brewing in 2006:
"How great is the timing on that? They e-mailed me and I was like, 'Oh, that's the best thing I've ever heard.' They're like, 'What's your quote on the tape?' I go, 'My record comes out February 28. You want another quote? I'll tell you: Rock 'n' roll is still alive and it lives in Clarkston motherfuckin' Michigan!'"
2007
On working in the studio with producers:
"I walk around the studio twirling an old Civil War black powder pistol and reading the Bible so I think I freak people out enough as it is. Bible in one hand, pistol in the other, like 'Sounds good! You like it?'"
On being invited on Larry King Live:
"I've been trying to figure out if I'm gonna wear suspenders on there and fuck with him or not. That's my dilemma with Larry King. I'm thinking of putting on a pair of Hank's suspenders and fucking with him."
2008 (Auto Show party)
If there ain't no party like a Detroit Party, then there ain't no way to end it without Kid Rock who roused the crowd into a frenzy when he said, "Welcome to Detroit — we don't buy shit, we build it!" And not only did we have Kid close out the show, but he was joined by none other than Run DMC's Rev. Run. As Rock's Made In Detroit line (available at Incognito) flooded the stage with Motor City pride and a gang of gorgeous girls and boys, NASCAR star Jeff Gordon drove up the new '08 Corvette ZR1 while a group of female models gyrated every which way to a lil Bawitaba Da Bang Da Bang Boogie ...
2009
On maturing:
"You know when you were young, we have a new line in a song, 'Hole in our jeans/pocket full of dreams/and the future was Friday night.' And that was pretty much all I thought about when I was young. I think I'm just kind of progressing with age and I've always really talked about the things that are important to me and tried to speak the truth. It just happens to be that when I was 16 the only thing that was important to me was money and pussy. Probably pussy being the first in the sequence of the two."
On playing Comerica Park in his hometown:
"That's where everything started. All the big clubs we played were in Detroit when we were playing little bars everywhere else. Everything I have done has started in Detroit and I don't see any reason to change that now.
Photo Credit: RealDetroitWeekly
SOURCE: RealDetroitWeekly.com
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