A Conversation With
by Melanie Hulick
HULICK: It’s great but it’sKC even stronger today than it to be talking to you was in the 70s. Even hip-hop artists today. I have to tell are doing dance music now. So when you that at the office I was creating the music, I was just whenever one of your creating songs to make people feel songs comes on the ra- good and to bring happiness into dio, and that happens people’s lives. You know, you nev- several times through- er think about the outcome so any out the day, somebody outcome is another reward in the will yell out, “There’s whole process. the man!” HULICK: Your big break came with KC and the Sunshine KC: (Laughs) That’s great! the song “Get Down Tonight.” You about showing people that I wasn’t have said that when you finished re- stuck in this one thing, that there was Band set to HULICK: Let’s get right into your cording that song you knew it was go- more depth to me than “Shake Your awards. You’ve won three Grammys, ing to be a hit. Booty.” ‘Shake, Shake, Shake’ up which include Album of the Year and Producer of the Year, for your work on KC: Yes, right. HULICK: Makes sense. It’s amaz- Seneca Allegany Casino the “Saturday Night Fever” soundtrack. ing when you look back to the decade Does it get any bigger than being part of HULICK: What was so different of the 80s, when they said it was the by Melanie Hulick “Saturday Night Fever”? about that song versus your debut “death of disco,” and now seeing how song, “Blow Your Whistle,” that made popular it is today. It is just incredible. Everything turns retro on Saturday, May 22, at KC: (laughs) I don’t think so. you think, “This is the one that’s go- The fact that you had a hand in creat- Seneca Allegany Casino when KC and the Sunshine ing to be the hit”? ing something that will go on forever Band take to the stage and start the party. HULICK: You also won a Grammy for must be a wild feeling. The 1970’s most progressive and popular band, songwriting for “Where is the Love,” KC: They all had something special, led by Harry Wayne Casey, KC for short, will have recorded by Betty Wright. Which one but “Get Down Tonight” had a feeling KC: Yes, it is an incredible feeling. them dancing in the aisles with their hits “Shake Your of these awards meant the most to you: that was just like the first time I heard Booty,” “Get Down Tonight,” “That’s The Way (I the validation as a songwriter or, as a “Rock Your Baby.” There was some- HULICK: What’s your favorite song Like It)” and “Boogie Shoes.” producer? thing hypnotic about it, something like to do live? Playing more than 100 shows annually all over the an out-of-body experience that when I world has not only kept fans from the 70s coming KC: Well I’ve had nine nominations heard it, it seemed like everything was KC: I enjoy the whole show. I enjoy back time and time again, but has also garnered a and so just being nominated was vali- perfect about it, that certain feeling. everything I do. I don’t think I have whole new following of younger fans who are finding dation for me because this is by your a favorite. They’re all fun to do for out what the Disco Era was all about. peers. To win the awards is like icing HULICK: You are well known all me. It’s hard to say. I guess if I had With three Grammy Awards, an American Music on the cake. You have all these dreams around the world as a “dance party to choose one I’d say “Get Down To- Award and the National Academy of Recording Arts when you’re writing and creating, and king,” if you will, when it comes to night” because it was my first big hit and Sciences’ top honor, the Governor’s Award, KC wanting to become an entertainer. So your sound and your music. You’ve here in the U.S. But they’re all spe- is not one to rest on his laurels. He continues to write winning those awards solidified the said that you didn’t particularly cial. music and released an album of all new material answer to the American like albums that had up-tempo and in the fall of 2001 and the proceeds from the title Dream for me. slow songs mixed together. You HULICK: We’ve talked about your song, “I’ll Be There For You,” were donated to the thought that was a downer. concerts, which I hear are insanely Sept. 11 relief effort. HULICK: Did you al- fun. How does it feel to look out at the A staple of pop culture, KC and the Sunshine Why then the decision ways want to be in the to record “Please Don’t audience and see people getting down Band can be heard everywhere from your radio to music business, KC? to your music three decades later? your TV in commercials for Old Navy, Burger King Go,” which was not and General Motors, as well as in hit TV shows KC: I did, as far as I can the norm for you, even KC: Well, again it validates what I “American Idol,” “Dancing with the Stars” and remember, clear back though it is a terrific did and what I set out to do. There’s “Desperate Housewives.” You have probably even in elementary school. song. no better feeling than to see people recognized their undeniable sound in feature films Each year going through KC: (Laughs) What I being happy with something you do, such as “Forrest Gump,” “Rush Hour,” “Carlito’s school you had to fill out whether it’s sending someone flow- Way” and “Austin Powers in Goldmember.” Don’t said was…first let me this questionnaire and put say I like all kinds of music. I like slow ers during the day or singing them a forget all the times we’ve rung in a new year with down what you wanted your occupation song that makes them happy. So when KC and his band, as they hold the distinction of songs, ballads, mid-tempo, country, to be and I always put entertainer. I’m I’m on the stage…I feel like I’m con- having made more appearances on “Dick Clark’s classical. I love every type of music tributing to making someone’s day a New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” than any other artist in sure they thought, “We’ve got a winner there is. I’m not a huge rock ‘n’ roll the show’s history. here (laughs)—class clown or some- fan, but I like rock ‘n’ roll music. Cer- little brighter than it might have been When I talked to KC recently, we touched on his thing—hey, this guy wants to be class tain things I latch onto that I like…it’s before they got there (laughs). There Grammy Awards, the occupation he hoped to have clown when he grows up!” (Laughs) the whole range of the spectrum of is no greater reward than to see that since elementary school, his contribution to the Disco happen. HULICK: (Laughs) Funny! You are music. I remember when I was getting Era and his live shows. I asked the singer-songwriter credited with the song “Shake Your ready to put my album together, I was if he had a message to the readers of The Orchard thinking about the times I would love Park Press, to which he replied, “I’m just looking Booty” being among the first songs that launched the Disco Era. Did you think a great up-tempo song, then get the al- forward to coming there and having a good time bum and find that 90 percent of it was Melanie Hulick of Springville has with everyone and reliving some old memories and at the time that it would be something slow tunes. So I just wanted to create interviewed more than 70 stars since her creating some new ones.” that would define an era? first, Enrique Iglesias, in February 2004. For ticket information, visit www.TheSenecaCa- something that was non-stop up-tem- sinos.com. KC: Well, I think when they started po songs from side A to side B. Then The stars often seek Hulick out when For more information on KC, visit www.kcsbon- emulating our music it’s what became (laughs) when I decided to record they come to the area for performances. line.com. the Disco Era, which has not died. It’s “Please Don’t Go,” which was the op- Her interviews are now exclusively gone through a lot of name changing, posite of all that thinking, it was more featured in The Orchard Park Press. Summer Rocks at the Seneca Allegany Casino
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