by Len Lear

PART TWO

As Richard Brody wrote in the New Yorker magazine recently about Elton John, “Creation is both a black box and a miracle, suggesting transcendence and ecstasy, possession and abandon, even if the physical action that it involves is comparatively plain and simple.”

I thought of this quote recently when interviewing Kenn Kweder, 67, Chestnut Hill resident and rock star whose joint is always jumpin' when he's on stage. Kweder's business card reads “Kenn Kweder, ROCK STAR,” for a reason.

Kweder has written at least 200 songs during his half-century career. He has recorded three vinyl singles, seven albums, three greatest hits collections, two EPs and one cassette, all on Pandemonium Records. Two biographical movies have been made about him as well.

“I still play four or five nights a week. Non-stop!” Kweder said last week. “Just last week I did seven full gigs in six days. Some nights I do all Kenn Kweder songs.

“Other nights I do Bruno Mars, Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, the Killers and maybe some Johnny Cash, Taylor Swift and Bob Dylan. And other nights I do just strictly old-time Irish tunes! Other nights I simply play instrumentals. But my favorite gig on a weekly basis is my folk show at Winnie's restaurant in Manayunk. I perform outdoors in the summer time each Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m.! Love it!”

Although Kweder, who just performed at Mermaid Inn on June 21 with Barry Wahrhaftig & Friends (and will be there again on July 19), has always had a legion of fans who would walk barefoot on hot coals to see him perform, he is the first to admit he is not a household name.

“I had a couple close calls with big-time success years ago,” he said. “For whatever reason, it never worked out. One of the biggest problems was that when we got to the negotiating table, I realized MY philosophy was totally different than the record company's philosophy, and neither one of us would ever yield. And then there was the Clive Davis incident when I apparently poured an entire picture of beer over the top of Davis’ head during our meeting. That did not go over well with his Arista Record Company.”

In an earlier interview, Kweder faced up to the issue of his alcoholism quite frankly, calling it a combination of "bad choices" and circumstances. Referring to legendary alcoholic writers like Ernest Hemingway and William Faulkner, Kweder said that alcohol “has always fueled creative types” and that being a well-known imbiber adds “romance” to his persona, but ... “it's not an addiction. I'm not going to take the easy way out and blame my central nervous system for a bad habit.

"A lot of people do that. They go, 'Oh, I have an addiction problem.' I'm not sold on the addiction thing. If I want to burglarize someone's house, that's a bad decision. I'm not addicted to being a burglar. I was just taking responsibility for my drinking, and I just wish more people would take responsibility for theirs … I don't go out every night thinking I want to get blasted. Everywhere I go, people want to buy me drinks, though. It's difficult to turn that stuff down."

• What is the best advice Kweder ever received?

“Follow your heart, NOT your head! Listen to your instinct. Anytime I disregarded that advice, things did not work out. Sometimes incredibly badly.”

• What superpower would Kweder most like to have?

“I wish I had the superpower to fly to and from my gigs without having to drive a darn car! I hate driving!”

• What talent would Kweder most like to have?

“I'd like to be a Jaguar specialist (the car, not the animal). I'd like to be a gifted auto mechanic who could solve any problem a Jaguar might have!”

• What is the most difficult thing Kweder ever did?

“It was firing one of my first bands. I feel like I committed some sort of biblical betrayal to the players way back then. It still hurts and nags me.”

• What was his biggest thrill on stage?

“Having the opportunity to open up for Kris Kristofferson half a dozen times. He was a huge influence on my early writing style.”

• What is his strongest personal characteristic?

“Stick-to-it-iveness, persistence. I never quit. Ever. Regardless of the resistance to my musical plans.”

• If he could live anywhere on earth, where would it be?

“I would choose Iceland. It’s not huge, and it’s beautiful there.”

• If Kweder could spend time with anyone in history, who would it be?

“I would enjoy knowing and hanging out with Bob Dylan in the 1960s! When he WAS Bob Dylan!”

• What is Kweder's most unusual habit?

“When I lived on South Street many years ago, I was always writing poetry in every bar on South Street. I wrote poetry at the bars for friends, bartenders and strangers. I obsessively wrote poetry on all the walls inside the bars.”

For more information, visit KennKweder.com. You can reach Len Lear at lenlear@chestnuthilllocal.com