Did this interview even happen, if there weren’t any technical difficulties, says Torry Rosso – one half of Kid Cali’s principal songwriters, jokingly as he hops back into the call hosted on google meets for the second time. 

This seems to have become an over-arching theme during these unprecedented times. Which ultimately leads one to look at the notion of not taking things too seriously in a whole new light. 

Dedicated musicians who don’t take themselves too seriously!? 

Where do they do that at?

Tanner James, Kid Cali’s co-founder, can attest to the importance of this wildly underrated virtue.

At the beginning of this pandemic, other bands scattered to release music, and lots of it. While Kid Cali, opted to play the long game. A strategy that came about due to the bands extensive experience playing on the road.

We’ve put our time in and made our bones, says James, this project was handled with as much care as any art project would.

Kid Cali, a Calgary-based alt-country/country noir band – as they say themselves, is made up of six members on any given day. Torry Rosso & Tanner James on vocals & guitar, Del Monte providing vocals & bass, Mitch Cooper on the drums and Dylan S Keating supplying the pedal steel. 

Their lead single Third Eye was recorded on to tape by Chris Dodge featuring pedal steel remotely tracked by Keating out of Montreal, with Monte & Cooper rounding out the rhythm section.

James & Rosso recently met with Big Kitty Magazine to provide some insight into the band’s history and the vision Kid Cali has for the fictitious star-crossed lovers all of their songs are about.

BK: Hey fellas, thanks for taking the time to talk with us!

KC: No problem, thanks for having us.

BK: Tell us a little more about Kid Cali and its humble beginnings.

James: Yea, Torry and I actually played in different bands. In fact, it was at a three-week songwriter residency at the Banff Centre where Kid Cali first came to life.

BK: It’s always serendipitous like that!

James: We had individually been on the road and so it only made sense that we went together now.

BK: How long have you now been road warrior-ing together now? Is that even a word?!

Rosso: I’ve spent a few years now playing sideman to Tanner’s storytelling and now we’re redesigning the band for the digital age.

BK: We love it! Kid Cali’s songs are quite unique, can you share a little more about that?

James: Of course, the songs are connected and centre around fictitious star-crossed lovers navigating the tail-end of the Summer of Love, searching for Kerouac’s American Beauty, filtered through the lens of Easy Rider.

BK: Wow! If that isn’t & doesn’t stand-out, we don’t know what is or will! What a great hook!

KC: Thank you!

BK: You’ve opened for Bobby Tenderlin Universe, made it to Ship & Anchor’s contest finals, and are even noted to have had former Alberta Premier; Rachel Notley out of her seat and grooving to the vibes of Kid Cali. What’s next for the band and where can we hear the lead single Third Eye?

James: http://kidcali.band.bandcamp.com/ is our website, we had the song out for a limited release from Jan 26 -Feb 5th and are going to re-release it on March 19th for mass consumption. And, as for what is next, we are just going to keep doing what we have been doing; playing the long game. The rest will work itself out.

BK: Now, that is a winning attitude!

Rosso: There really isn’t any winning or losing here, just learning & growing. 

BK: We couldn’t have ended on a more profound note, Torry. Thanks fellas again for taking the time to chop it up with us.

KC: No, the pleasure is ours. Bye!

Kid Cali’s lead single Third Eye will be out March 19th. For more information on bookings, you can email Kid Cali, kidcaliband@gmail.com