Chris Kirkwood of the Meat Puppets Interview for AMEHOF on December 6. 2016 at Premier Studios in Phoenix, Az. The band was inducted into the Arizona Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame on August 17, 2017.
Cris talks about loving Arizona, how it's in his bones....well one of my favorite things about the Meat Puppets is how it (the music) FEELS like the mountains and the streams and the cactus and the sun 🌞 and the rain and the 🌙 moon. There's not much I enjoy more than riding my motorcycle through Arizona or Texas with the Meat Puppets coming through my speakers.
Fascinating stuff. I moved to Tempe in 1986 to attend ASU and was very into music, especially the Grateful Dead. I remember seeing the Meat Puppets and being intrigued by their sound. I definitely remember seeing them play on multi band bills, and sometimes they would literally clear the room. I would be one of the few people remaining to watch their set. Everyone else would go out to the parking lot to smoke weed when they went onstage. A lot of people in Arizona didn't "get" the Meat Puppets and what they were trying to do.. I love them to this very day. I got into Dinosaur Jr. because of the puppets musical style and they are also one of my favorite bands to this very day as well. I used to try and talk to Curt, but he was kind of intimidating. Great insight into the band. Thanks for posting.
Wow, what a great interview. Cris is really well spoken and comes across as a lot more intelligent than you might expect from a wild and crazy punk rocker. I was fortunate enough to meet him and his bro before a gig and they were super nice and fun to talk to. Who knew it was Deliverance of all things that got him started, LoL! It was interesting hearing him talk about the early records and explain why they don't play that stuff, though I would LOVE to witness all of In A Car and Meat Puppets 1 live! I once shouted out a request for "dolpin field" and the expression of shock and mock horror on Cris' face was priceless. I hope they tour again and record some more music before too long. Rock on!
Reeling in the years, huh buddy. Paul Murphy here reliving the past with you. Wish I never saw Deliverance but that kid could play a mean banjo, your right there. Take care good to see you.
I sincerely do not want to be cruel, but he and his brother have not taken care of themselves. I wish they would, I'd like to see them around a bit longer still. I started seeing them right after UOTS came out, and have been a diehard fan ever since, although I admit I haven't seen them since around 1991. When they opened for the Chili Peppers, I backed off. I hated seeing them open for others. They were so good, and so crazy, putting them in an opening slot for anyone just neutered them. They did a lot of opening slots in the 90s. Anyway, I wish he and Curt would work on keeping their health and make the most of these years, now that Derrick is back, even more so. Derrick was always so blunt and sarcastic, I'd be surprised if he hasn't said something to them about laying off the Taco Bell three times a day. Still, Cris is a great guy. Seeing them so many times every time they showed up in the DFW area, they got to know my face. Cris would always make it a point to find me before or after a show and talk. We even swapped shirts one night. I had this weird tie dye he really liked, and I wanted a Puppets shirt from the tour, so he gave me the one he was wearing, and I gave him mine. Fair enough!
