VIA PRESS RELEASE | File under Rank and File. File under The Dils. File under Blackbird or Cowboy Nation.
Brothers Chip and Tony Kinman fronted some of the most influential bands of the last quarter of the 20th Century. Don’t believe us? After forming the seminal California punk band The Dils in 1977 (and even scoring an appearance in Cheech & Chong’s Up in Smoke), the brothers became cowpunk pioneers with their next band, Rank and File (whose early line-up included Alejandro Escovedo). They took a more industrial turn with their next band, Blackbird, and returned to more traditional country with Cowboy Nation.
For the first time, 22 previously unissued performances from all four bands are gathered on Chip & Tony Kinman: Sounds Like Music, due out June 28, 2019 on Omnivore Recordings. Selected by Chip, and taken from the brothers’ archives, these restored and remastered tracks trace their journey like no other collection has, or could. Featuring photos, ephemera, and new notes from Chip, the release takes listeners from the DIY aesthetic of L.A. punk to cowboy songs that feel like they’ve been around forever.
Sadly, Tony passed away in 2018, but Chip & Tony Kinman: Sounds Like Music solidifies the brothers’ legacy, adds to their already beloved body of work and is a fitting tribute to the music they made together.
According to Chip, “When Omnivore Recordings asked me if I had any unreleased music, I replied, ‘I don’t think so but I’ll check.’ As it turned out I had plenty. Listening to these tracks brought back many memories. Not just memories of the songs but also the times they were created in. This record is full of our revolutionary fervor, full of our resistance to trends and more importantly to what we had done before, musically that is. Sounds Like Music is the proof, if needed, that ‘we do as we please.’ It has become my favorite Chip and Tony record, revolution has never sounded so musical!
“So, I’ll leave you with a quote from Tony: ‘If you want to make a good record, record something good.’ We did just that.”
Track Listing:
1. Real Style, Blackbird
2. Folks Say Go, The Dils
3. Me Too, Blackbird
4. Liberation, Blackbird
5. Jersey Girl, Blackbird
6. Dope, Blackbird
7. Rank And File (Alternate Version), Rank and File
8. Candy, Blackbird
9. Amanda Ruth (Alternate Version), Rank and File
10. Lucky Day (Alternate Version), Rank and File
11. Paniolo (Alternate Version), Cowboy Nation
12. Citizen, Rank and File
13. Revolution Is Rising, Blackbird
14. Dream On, Blackbird
15. Restless, Rank And File
16. Landslide, Rank And File
17. Old Paint, Blackbird
18. Blue Hair, Blackbird
19. Perfect Day, Blackbird
20. She’s Real Gone, Blackbird
21. Rebel (Alternate Version), Cowboy Nation
22. All The Same, Blackbird
