Meet the Band: Shotgun Jimmie

Jim Kilpatrick is a pretty cool guy. Not only has been played with such notable names as Shotgun and Jaybird and Attack in Black, but he also has a confident new record for all of us to enjoy. Transistor Sister maintains Kilpatrick’s signature jovialness and its songs feel spontaneous, breathing signs of improvisation that suggest each song is going to sound different every time you listen to the record.

But how about we stop gushing and let the man behind Shotgun Jimmie speak for himself?

How do you describe your music to someone who hasn't heard it before?

I would describe my music as that feeling you get when you hear a song but you can't remember what band it is; it drives you crazy but you just can't remember the name of the band. It's on the tip of your tongue, "What's the name of that band?"

What was the craziest live show you've ever seen?

Alvin and the Chipmunks. Honestly—chipmunks that can sing!

What was the craziest live show you've ever played?

Skydiving acoustic guitar, drums, even bass amp and bass guitar, free-falling, 5,000 feet. It was for charity, and it was worth it. I was a lot more carefree when I was younger.

What's your favourite song to play live? Why?

My favourite song to play live is "Today" by the Smashing Pumpkins—I love the opening guitar riff. It's simple, but it says so much.

What was the first record you ever bought? When was the last time you listened to it?

The soundtrack to Cocktail was the first record I ever bought; it was on cassette. My favourite tracks were "Tutti Frutti" and "Rave On". The last time I listened to it was probably around 1989—one year before Fear of a Black Planet by Public Enemy came out.

Who was your favourite band (or artist) when you were 12 years old? Do you still like them?

I turned 12 years old exactly one year after Fear of a Black Planet came out. I also liked Symphony In Effect (Maestro Fresh-Wes), but I had to choose my moments; there were lots of swears on the record, so I could only listen to it around my cousin Bruce.

If you could only listen to one band or artist for the rest of your life, who would you pick?

I would probably start my own band to listen to for the rest of my life. The band would have Lenny Kravitz, Joni Mitchell, and that woman who sang the song "What If God Was One of Us". I always wanted to be in a supergroup, and if I could only listen to one band for the rest of my life, it would probably be M.K.O.K. (Mitchell, Kravitz, Osborne & Kilpatrick).

Say, for some strange reason, all the music in the world is going to be destroyed, but you can save all the songs from one decade. Which decade's records would you save?

I would save the records from the 2020s. I already know what's happened; what's happening next seems more important at the moment.

If you could switch places with another musicians in some type of "Freaky Friday" type incident, who would you want it to be?

It would be pretty awesome to one minute be having a sandwich in a restaurant, and then all of a sudden find myself dancing onstage in the new version of New Kids on the Block. I mean, if I was actually inside one of those guy's bodies, dancing, but it was my brain, and I would have no idea what the actual choreography it was for whatever song was playing at the time—pretty funny situation to find yourself in, don't you think?

Beatles or Rolling Stones?

Ladyhawk.

If you absolutely had to get a face tattoo of album art from one record, which record would you want to have on your face for the rest of your life?
Face Value by Phil Collins. I'd like to have it tattooed over my entire face—Phil and I both have fat-ish heads, and I think that with some clever tattooing, I could easily be mistaken for Mr. Collins.

If you could have one musical superpower, what would you want it to be?

Autotune anus?

If you were going to be a roadie for one band, who would it be?

The Harmonicats.

If you were going to be a groupie for one band, who would it be?

The Zit Remedy.



Photo: Jim Killpatrick