Country Singer Kenn Coutu
I was a big fan of Kenn’s band, Armchair Cynics. I first heard him while visiting my island up in Canada. Now let me clarify. I don’t actually own an island, but so many of my American friends are clueless about our northern neighbors that I find it funny to call Vancouver Island mine, as if the 31 thousand square kilometers, (Google kilometers if you’re confused), and the roughly 344,000 citizens are my subjects.
Sadly, some of my friends believe me. So while cruising down MY boulevard one day, I heard the Armchair Cynics on the, alternative, beaver-powered radio station called The Zone. I was surprised that they were a local band because normally the word local means bad. After inquiring about them from the nearest polar bear, who informed me they were, in fact, from Victoria, British Columbia, I bought their CD, Killing the Romance.
I tracked down Kenn to help me with a project and he was great! It didn’t work out, but we became friends, so I guess it did work out. And when I’m visiting my loyal subjects, I always make it a point to drag Kenn to my favorite coffee shop, where we pick up a conversation, now several years old, as if we just spoke yesterday.
And I have to admit, that just like his “local” band, Kenn is also a bit unexpected. A little too good looking for his own good, he says things that should come out of the mouth of an old, bald, fat university professor in a brown blazer and leather loafers. He has insights on religions, politics, and the human condition – with a strong yearning for people to just be better. Like many of us, he is searching for a better way to live, a better way to look at each other, and the human condition as a whole – a way for people to stop using religion as a vehicle for justifying horrors.
Armchair Cynics aren’t around anymore, but I still listen to them. However, Kenn has a fine country project going on with his wife that is called Bucko & Toad and it is gaining traction in Canada. Go give a listen to Any Excuse. Kenn sings along with his wife, Toad, but don’t take the nickname too seriously. I’m not sure which one of them is prettier, Kenn or his wife.
In the meantime I wonder what Kenn has to say…
Q: What is your favorite sandwich and who makes the best one?
K.C. My favorite sandwich is from the Red Barn Market on Vancouver Island and it’s whole wheat, cucumbers, smoked turkey, and sprouts, everything has to be fresh except for the condiments. I have a hard time judging because really, what is mayonnaise anyway?
Q: What is your favorite meal your mom makes?
K.C. My mom hand-makes pirogues and she also makes this delicious cabbage‒ it’s like a sweet cabbage and then she throws in farmer sausage and it’s really good, but I’ve given up red meat so I haven’t had that in a year or so, but it used to be my favorite.
Q: How did you meet your best friend?
K.C. I met my best friend when I was eight years old playing soccer and he dyed his hair and I thought he look stupid, so I really bugged him and we fought each other, but after that we became best friends and still are.
Q: When or how did you find what you wanted to do?
K.C. I used to sing everywhere when I was little kid. I sang Christmas carols in the neighborhood trying get my friends to join me. It wasn’t until high school when I would sing and all the girls would love it and gather around – and I realized, hey, maybe I’ve got something here.
Q: How did you pursue it?
K.C. I pursued it by not stopping. I mean, when you find something that you love to do so much, you don’t need to be convinced to do it all the time‒you just do it, and that’s true to this day. I can’t stop making music; it’s what I do.
Q: Did you have a mentor or mentors in pursuing it? Who were they and what did they do for you?
K.C. I did not have a mentor. I would just voraciously listen to music and try and mimic it and it was those moments that shaped who I am as a singer.
Q: What do you dream of doing or are you doing it? If so then what is the goal?
K.C. I do live my dream right now, part time (lol), and one day I would like to be a full-time songwriter. That’s the big goal – buuuuuttt a balanced, happy life is the biggest goal.
Q: What would your 15-year-old self say to you now?
K.C. My 15-year-old self would probably say thanks for not giving up on me. That and Dammnnn, we age well!
Q: If life were a person what would you say?
K.C. If life were a person? Life is a person! We are living people.
Q: If you were in charge of the world and you had no restrictions, real or imagined, what is the one thing you would give it?
K.C. I would give everybody everything they ever wanted, unless they wanted to hurt someone or something.
Q: Has morality disintegrated to the point that we now need Yelp for people?
K.C. No, I don’t think society’s disintegrating. I think society is pretty good in Canada. We need to raise people up. I’m an optimist.
Q: How is society getting things right?
K.C. See our different strengths; include, engage, involve. But you know, not everyone wants to be a boss; some people are perfectly fine being employees.
Q: Do we still need religion?
K.C. I certainly don’t need religion. I get why they wrote the Bible way back; they saw a need and filled it. People have questions about waking up on a ball in space. I always wonder how long must a story go on…until it moves into the “myth” category.
Q: Do you have hope for the future?
K.C. I love the future!! Yes, because good people are out there trying to do good things. Fear is debilitating and it rears its head, but we must speak up and point out injustices around the world. Silence is what we should fear.
Q: Hot topic of the week: This is an open discussion. Could be Gay marriage or Confederate flag, Donald Trump, for example.
K.C. I don’t think Donald Trump is good for anyone but Donald Trump. But man his manipulation of media is effective! I hear good people talk like Donald will restore things back to greatness, but we can’t go backwards. Our answers to modern problems need to be inclusive and creative.
One more thought-provoking question:
1: Do Americans have the right to complain about immigration?
Do Americans have the right to complain about immigration? Sure! I mean I don’t agree… but, yes! Because then you’ll know who thinks what and you can stop hanging out with them (lol).
