The anecdotes and humour of Kinky Friedman’s life precede him. Most people who have heard his name or his songs once usually don’t forget who he is. Friedman is the most famous Jewish cowboy on this planet hailing from the Lone Star State more commonly known as Texas.
The fuzzy haired raconteur has just celebrated his 69th birthday. Or, as he put it, “I kind of slept through it like a bad dream. It’s good though. I am 69 but I am reading on the 71-year-old level.” Friedman is a bit of a walking sound bite at times, but when you have one-liners as snappy as he does, you’re best to keep using them until they stop laughing.
This Texan had his rise to music notoriety with the Texas Jewboys back in the early 70s. His classic songs like ‘Sold American’ and ‘They Ain’t Makin’ Jews Like Jesus Anymore’ among others displayed his political nature and his cutting sense of humour. Coming from a wild past, Friedman then appeared on the second season of Saturday Night Live, toured with Bob Dylan on his tour the Rolling Thunder Revue, and made records that would reach people in America and beyond.
“When you write a song, or sing a song, you never know who it is going to touch or reach. For example, ‘They Aint Makin’ Jews Like Jesus Anymore’ was Joseph Heller’s, the author of Catch-22, favourite song,” said Friedman.
“The other thing that amazed me was when I went to South Africa about twelve years ago. There was a guy named Tokyo Sexwale who was an anti-apartheid activist. He spent 17 years in prison with Nelson Mandela. He was the one who told me that Mandela used to play ‘Sold American’ and ‘Ride ‘Em Jewboy’ repeatedly in his cell. This was a record I recorded in Nashville many years ago and I was just flabbergasted by this fact,” reminisced Friedman.
“When you write a song or sing a song, you never know who it is going to touch or reach. For example, ‘They Aint Makin’ Jews Like Jesus Anymore’ was Joseph Heller’s, the author of Catch-22, favourite song”Friedman does believe that creativity in the music field may have stalled after the 70s. We talk about his 1976 record Lasso From El Paso, which had Lowell George, Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, and many others from The Band included within the tracks. He reflects on that period of time.
“That was quite an era. I don’t know why it is but if you want true inspiration you have to go see a geezer. You know what I mean? A really old person, like Willie or Bob or Kris Kristofferson, or someone like that,” Friedman muses.
“I am not saying the younger generation do not have talent, but they are more American Idol types. Music has deteriorated and it has become very derivative. You wonder why, in that short period in Nashville during the late 60s and early 70s, so much great stuff came out of there via Willie, Shel Silverstein, Merle Haggard, Roger Miller and the like. There has not been anything out of Nashville in decades. They have these big publishing houses where three guys sit in a room and try to write. The results have pretty much been a dishful of horseshit,” Friedman states.
With a flick of his cigar and a quick turn, Friedman compares the lacklustre output from Nashville and beyond to the political stage. His view is not one of optimism.
“There will have to be some real leadership before we get America back on some sort of true direction. It’s just like what I said about music before. The sounds have gotten shitty and there are some talented kids coming up, but do you see a young Johnny Cash or John Lennon in their ranks? I don’t, and I don’t see or hear much that is original. These guys in politics lack courage and imagination and common sense. You don’t see any of that. There is no doubt that America is in trouble and I cannot think of anything more disheartening than the state of politics in America,” he says.
Politics may disappoint Friedman, but this has not stopped him from throwing his hat in the ring. Inspired by JFK as a youth to join the Peace Corps, his political engagement has not stalled with time. He acted locally by starting the Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch near his home in Texas, but has also reached for bigger rings while riding the political merry-go-round.
In 2006 he ran for Governor of Texas and received over 12% of the vote. This year, he has started to campaign for the Agricultural Commissioner of Texas. This is a very important role in a state filled with farms and ranches, and he may be running against some very right wing and conservative candidates. As a matter of fact, Nolan Ryan, a retired legendary Major League Baseball pitcher, may be amongst them. The race could turn into a media circus.
The sounds have gotten shitty and there are some talented kids coming up, but do you see a young Johnny Cash or John Lennon in their ranks? I don’t, and I don’t see or hear much that is original.The laws around water conservation, feral pigs, and the decriminalisation of marijuana are all part of his political platform that looks at what is best for Texans.
“Ryan has spoken about running. He is a very establishment guy and he is kind of throwing a curve ball here in Texas. See, we don’t have medicinal marijuana here in Texas, and if you have someone in your family dying very painfully of cancer you might think twice about casting a ballot for someone like Ryan. Legalising marijuana is good for Texas.”
“We are not talking about pot-smoking hippies here. We are talking about castrating the Mexican drug cartels and having the money and the ability to fund things like education. We’re talking about improving and removing a number of our border problems. We are talking about fixing the criminal justice system and stopping the arrest of 21-year-olds for marijuana use and throwing them into the private prison chain for two or three years, and messing up their lives forever.”
“I am finding all kinds of people, even the folks in law enforcement, who are realising finally that we are losing the war on drugs. I have asked Texans to make up their mind, do they want to secede or do they want to lead? If they want to lead we better do this now and not wait 20 years. If we wait 20 years we will be the caboose on the train. For any of your younger readers, the car is the last car on the train,” Friedman pronounced.
Friedman may be filled with wit and satire, and that is a good thing in politics – and, of course, in entertainment. He will be bringing his Bi-Polar tour to Australia this November and December to preach, sing, and make his fans smile.
“By the time I hit Sydney I will be running on pure adrenalin. The show will be in the spirit of Johnny Appleseed, Woody Guthrie, and Jesus Christ in a random and haphazard order where I will create a nearly Judy Garland-like rapport with the audience. It works, and as Willie Nelson once told me, If you are going to have sex with an animal, always make it a horse. That way if things don’t work out, at least you know you have a ride home,” Friedman laughed.
Any final words of wisdom for his fans and soon-to-be fans in Australia?
“Jesus loves you can be very comforting words, unless you hear them in a Mexican prison,“ he drawls.
Kinky Friedman Tour Dates
Tue 19 – The Brass Monkey, Cronulla
www.brassmonkey.com.au
Wed 20 – The Clarendon Guesthouse, Katoomba
www.clarendonguesthouse.com.au
Fri 22 – Mullum Festival, Mullumbimby
www.mullummusicfestival.com
Sat 23 – Live At Joe’s, Eumundi
www.liveatjoes.com
Sun 24 – Blackbear Lodge, Brisbane
www.blackbearlodge.com.au
Tue 26 – The Gov, Adelaide
www.thegov.com.au
Wed 27 – The Toff In Town, Melbourne
www.thetoffintown.com
Thu 28 – Caravan Club, Oakleigh
www.caravanmusic.com.au
Fri 29 – The Vangaurd, Newtown
www.thevanguard.com.au
December Sun 1 – The Vanguard, Newtown
www.thevanguard.com.au
