PLEASE READ THIS DOCUMENT, AT LEAST THE FIRST PAGE OR TWO UNTIL YOU FIND HOW TO UNSUBSCRIBE. Please, I'm begging here... This document was last updated on 02/18/2002. Any changes, corrections, updates, or suggestions for this document should be sent to me at rew@potsw.org. Please put something in the subject line to indicate that this is related to the Starter Kit. I have looots of mail to sort through every day, and good subject lines mean that I get to stuff quicker. Welcome to the People of the South Wind, a mailing list dedicated to discussion of Kansas (the band) and closely related topics. The list is set up as a mail reflector, which means that all mail sent to kansas@potsw.org gets immediately reflected back out to everyone on the list. To subscribe to the list, send email to majordomo@potsw.org with the message body: subscribe kansas To unsubscribe from the list, send email requests to majordomo@potsw.org with the message body: unsubscribe kansas PotSW Digest ============ There is now a digest version of the list, produced every day or two, depending on traffic. The normal list and the digest list are administered separately. You subscribe and unsubscribe from the normal and digest version of the list independetly of one another. To subscribe to the DIGEST version of the list ONLY, send mail to: majordomo@potsw.org with the body of the message: subscribe kansas-digest and nothing else. The subject of the message doesn't matter and is ignored. When you do this, the Majordomo list manager will send you a message with all the commands that Majordomo understands. PLEASE save this away somewhere so that you don't have to ask me for them all the time. Also note that being added to the digest list does NOT automatically unsubscribe you from the regular list. THE TWO LISTS ARE ADMINISTERED INDEPENDENTLY. If you want ONLY the digest format, you'll have to send mail to majordomo@traveller.com unsubscribing from the regular 'kansas' list (see above). To get copies of previous digests, send mail to majordomo@potsw.org with the line: index kansas-digest Majordomo will send you a list of all available files for that listname. You can retrieve as many of them as you like by sending mail to majordomo@potsw.org with the line get kansas-digest v01.n322 "v01.n322" is an example here. Replace it with the name of the file you want. One "get" command per line, as many as you need. Keep in mind that the digests tend to be around 40k, so don't flood your mailbox. :) Some final caveats about the digest, and about list management in general: 1) I am NOT going to honor requests sent to me or to kansas@traveller.com (the list posting address) asking to be subscribed or unsubscribed to any list. The whole point of going to the trouble to set up Majordomo is so that it doesn't take my time any more to mess with it. If I'm in a good mood when you send me mail asking to be unsubscribed, I might send you a note back saying that you will have to talk to Majordomo. Or I might ignore it. 2) The volume and issue numbers are somewhat meaningless right now. Any questions about this, you can send them to kansas-request@potsw.org, but please be sure you've read the previous stuff first. WWW Page ======== The latest version of this Starter Kit (and other goodies) is available via the People of the South Wind WWW Page: http://www.potsw.org . If you have any submissions or suggestions for the WWW page, send them to rew@potsw.org. Again, a good subject line is a major plus for helping me get to it quicker. FTP Site ======== I have finally quit supporting the FTP site. The main reason is that it's been years since I encountered anyone who had FTP but didn't also have WWW access. So it's gone, a relic of the good (or not-so-good) old days. :) Archive Site ============ The PotSW mailing list is archived, and is available via WWW, FTP, or an email server. There are links to both the html versions of the archives and the ftp site on the Kansas Home Page (see above). You can FTP the Un*x-compressed archive files from the Kansas FTP site (see above). To access the email archive server, send requests to server@ingr.com. The subject line of the message is irrelevant. In the body of the message put /HELP to get help, /INDEX to get a list of the available files, and "/SEND filename" to get a file. Multiple commands are allowed per request. The mail server queues all requests and processes them at 0000, 0300, and 0600 USA Central Time (GMT-6). Many thanks to T.J. Higgins for initiating and maintaining the archives, and for finally getting me to make them available via WWW and FTP. Frequently Asked Questions ========================== This list has been in existence since sometime in 1991, and there are a few questions which come up every so often. So to get you started, the most common questions are answered here. This is just for your convenience, so don't think that you can't ask for more information or continue a discussion on the list. We're pretty happy to talk about Kansas anytime. 1) Why/when did Kansas break up/get back together? Steve Walsh left the band in 1981 during the studio work on _Vinyl Confessions_. His departure was precipitated by several factors, not the least of which were differences with Kerry Livgren over the band's direction. According to Phil Ehart, in an interview with Jim Ladd, Steve had quit a couple of times before, and had become increasingly unhappy in Kansas stylistically. "He wanted to pursue the more hard rock, straight-ahead basic rock and roll type songs. There's always room for two or three of those on our albums, but Kansas plays a lot of different styles. He wanted to concentrate on that one style. So, when he split for that reason, it didn't really surprise anybody." In Kerry Livgren's autobiography, _Seeds of Change_, Kerry gives a different account of the final split, indicating that the differences were perhaps more than merely stylistic. Kerry and Dave had both recently become Christians, and Kerry's lyrics were increasingly reflecting his new religious beliefs, and Steve felt that he could not go along with it. There is probably no one reason, though this seems to have been the catalyst to Steve's semi-final departure. After leaving Kansas, Steve formed a new band called Streets. After listening to a couple of hundred tapes and a number of auditions in a very short time, the band chose 20-year-old newcomer John Elefante as the new vocalist, and recorded _Vinyl Confessions_. When time came to record the next album, Robby Steinhardt and the band parted company in less-than-amicable circumstances. The story varies depending on who you talk to and the circumstances of the discussion. I suspect no one but the guys involved know the real story, and it's probably just as well. _Drastic Measures_ was recorded without Robby (or a violin), and after one last tour, the band dissolved, with Kerry and Dave leaving to form AD, a Christian rock band, and other members dropping out of sight for the most part (some guest appearances, etc.). In 1985, Phil Ehart and Steve Walsh got together and decided to re-form Kansas. Recruiting original guitarist Rich Williams, Streets' bass guitarist/vocalist Billy Greer, and Dixie Dregs' guitar virtuoso Steve Morse, they recorded the _Power_ album. For the supporting tour, the band added Greg Robert on keyboards and vocals. Kerry Livgren was still in some contact with the band, but did not officially rejoin. In 1988, Kansas released another studio album, _In the Spirit of Things_. The band then split again for a time until a German promoter made an offer to the group to reform and play some shows in Germany. Initially the reunion band included all the original members except Robby, along with Billy Greer and Greg Robert. After a short time, Kerry and Dave dropped out, and Steve Morse came back aboard. The reunion was originally a temporary deal, but the group enjoyed the European shows and started touring the U.S. in early 1991. Since then, Kansas has toured fairly steadily, playing small-to-medium venues all over the country. Kerry was with the group during their European tour, but dropped out of regular touring at some point early in the U.S. tour. He has made several guest appearances since then. In April of '91, Kansas added violinist/guitarist/vocalist David Ragsdale. After a few months of U.S. touring, Morse dropped out, leaving the band with its current lineup. In 1992, Kansas released their second live album, _Live at the Whisky_, recorded in April of that year at The Whisky, a Los Angeles club. An accompanying video of the same show was also released, and both of these items can usually be obtained at a Kansas show (if you're lucky enough to see one). In July, 1994, Kansas released a 2-disc (or 2-cassette) set entitled _KANSAS_. It consists mainly of remastered "greatest hits", some unreleased live tracks, and one new studio song, "Wheels" (cowritten by Kerry!). Kansas' new album, "Freaks of Nature", came out May 30, 1995, on the Intersound label. Kansas toured all through summer and fall of 1996 as the opener for the Styx "Return to Paradise" tour. Following the tour, Greg Robert left the band to rejoin his family, and David Ragsdale left to pursue his solo career (watch for his upcoming album, "David and Goliath", due out in 1997 from Renaissance Records). The very next week, Robby Steinhardt rejoined the band! Kansas toured throughout the spring and summer of 1997, both on their and as an opener for ZZ Top. Kansas went back in the studio at Abbey Road in London to record a new symphonic album due for release in the spring of 1998. 2) Whatever happened to: o Robby Steinhardt - After leaving Kansas, Robby dropped out of the music for a period of time. He eventually decided to pick up the violin and start making music again, and formed a St. Petersburg band called Steinhardt-Moon (after Robby and co-founder Rick Moon). Steinhardt-Moon, released their debut album (appropriately titled "Steinhardt-Moon") on August 15, 1996. The album is an independent project, and limited quantities are still available from: Steinhardt-Moon, c/o Nick Fakouri (former manager) tourcat@bellsouth.net After some years of very little contact with his former bandmates, Robby joined the band for their induction at the RockWalk in Los Angeles, and everyone had a good time. He also talked and visited with Kerry. After David Ragsdale left the band to pursue his solo career, Phil Ehart approached Robby about rejoining, and from there it's all history. After a great 1997 tour, Robby and the boys are back in the studio to produce more of the world's best rock music. o Dave Hope - After leaving AD, works as a Christian youth pastor. I hear he occasionally plays a little acoustic guitar, but he's not very likely to return to the music scene at the moment. o Kerry Livgren - Still writing/recording Christian and secular music. He recently moved back to Kansas, and has set up his new recording studio, Southwind Recording, as a for-profit enterprise to help local artists record their music. He is still in periodic contact with the band, and wrote the song "Cold Gray morning" from the new album. Kerry's latest album ist called "When Things Get Electric" (formerly titled "Xylon"), and did the soundtrack for a computer animation video called "Odyssey Into the Mind's Eye", released in September, 1996. o John Elefante - Went on to receive numerous awards with his brother, Dino, for their work as producers and writers in the CCM market. Recently released a solo album called _Windows of Heaven_, which is reported to be quite good. 3) Who are "Portrait" and "Closet Chronicles" (_Point of Know Return_) about? "Portrait" was originally about Albert Einstein. Kerry rearranged it and released it on _Prime Mover_ as "Portrait II", making the lyrics explicitly about Christ. "Closet Chronicles" was loosely about Howard Hughes. 4) What do these words mean? The word "Kansas" comes from the name "Kansa", one of several Native American tribes from the Kansas region. In the language of the Kansa Indians, "Kansa" translates roughly to "People of the South Wind". "Incomudro" (_Song for America_) is a word Kerry saw in a dream. "Belexes" (_Kansas_) is a made-up word. "Apercu" (_Kansas_) means "sudden revelation or insight". "Atman" ("Hymn to the Atman", _Song for America_) means "soul". Also, "Journey from Mariabronn" (_Kansas_) is based on the Herman Hesse novel _Narcissus and Goldmund_. 5) What do the parts of "Magnum Opus" (_Leftoverture_) mean? While working on _Leftoverture_, there were a bunch of leftover parts that didn't fit with any of the other songs going on the album (which helps to make sense of the album title). Kerry and Steve fused these miscellaneous pieces together and produced this magnificent montage of music and sound. The names are simply made-up names and ideas applied to each piece. Originally, the album was to be called _Magnum Opus_, and the song was to be called "Leftoverture". At the last minute, they decided to swap the two, and the rest is history. 6) Why does Rich Williams wear an eye patch now? Rich said in a recent _Closet Chronicle_ interview (Summer '94) that he was blinded in that eye by a "bomb" he made between 7th and 8th grades. The eye was replaced with a glass eye, which gave it the "lazy eye" appearance which is noticeable in some early pictures of him (the back cover photo on _SfA_, e.g.). He started wearing the patch when he got tired of hassling with the glass eye. 7) In the liner notes for Kerry Livgren's _One of Several Possible Musiks_, the track "Tenth of Nisan" has a footnote reading: "(The obvious debt to M.R. is acknowledged.)" Who is M.R.? Maurice Ravel was a classical composer of the late 19th or early 20th century. He is best known for "Bolero", which is the work from which Kerry drew his influence on the track. 8) On what songs does Robby sing some or all of the lead vocals? Kansas Apercu Can I Tell You Bringin' It Back Belexes Death Of Mother Nature Suite Song For America Down The Road Song For America Lamplight Symphony ("She stood before him...they'd be as one.") Masque Child of Innocence Mysteries and Mayhem The Pinnacle ("Lying at my feet I see...a riddle in my song.") Leftoverture Miracles Out of Nowhere Cheyenne Anthem Point of Know Return Closet Chronicles Lightning's Hand Sparks of the Tempest Hopelessly Human Monolith Angels Have Fallen How My Soul Cries Out For You Stay Out Of Trouble Audio-Visions Back Door Curtain of Iron No One Together Vinyl Confessions Crossfire 9) What is the current marital status of the band members? Billy - Married (two children) Phil - Married (one child) Rich - Married (three children) Robby - Divorced (one child) Steve - Married (one child) John E. - Married to Michelle Dave - ??? Kerry - Married, 2 kids Steve Morse - Married, one son David Ragsdale - Single Greg Robert - Married (two children) 10) When are the guys' birthdays? Billy - January 26, 1952 Kerry - September 18, 1949 Phil - February 4 Rich - February 2 Robby - May 25, 19?? Steve - June 15, 1951 Alumni John Elefante - ???, 19?? Dave - October 7, 19?? Kerry - September 18, 1949 Steve Morse - July 28, 1954 David Ragsdale - April 3 Greg Robert - December 20 References ========== The Music Index _Seeds of Change_ - K. Livgren - This book can usually be found at Christian bookstores. It is an autobiographical account of Kerry's spiritual quest and musical life. It's an interesting book, with lots of great information about Kansas and its music. The first edition, published by Crossway Books, is very hard to find now (though it went through at least three printings). The second version, updated by Kerry with new photos and some additional commentary, is readily available from Sparrow Press. Future Plans ============ o Currently on tour supporting their latest all-new studio album, "Somewhere to Elsewhere", released in July, 2000 on the Magna Carta label. Discography ---------- The official PotSW Kansas discography (at least, it's official to us) is available from the PotSW Web page, via FTP, or from the PotSW archive mail server. The Fan Letter Debacle ---------------------- There was a fan letter called the Closet Chronicle, produced by Alan Michales and Kerry O'Brien, who were fairly close to the band (they also wrote the liner notes for the boxed set). Unfortunately, they seem to have ceased honoring any of the commitments they made to fans and customers, and refuse to respond to email or snail mail. At the time of this writing, there is at least one class-action suit being contemplated against them. The band is aware of the problems with the CC, but as they are on tour and never were actually connected in a controlling capacity to the two, their ability to do much is still limited at this point. They greatly regret what's happened with the CC. Be advised that it is widely considered a VERY bad idea to send any money to these folks for anything, at least for now. If you hear anything definite about what's going on with the CC, please let me know (rew@potsw.org). The last known address(es) for this operation were: The Closet Chronicle The International KANSAS Magazine c/o South Wind Publishing P. O. Box 9425 Shawnee Mission, KS 66201-2125 E-mail addresses for the Closet Chronicle: Internet: apercu@aol.com AOL: Apercu CompuServe: 72163,102 Record Label ------------ Intersound is Kansas' current label. If you've had problems finding the album, or have opinions on the job they're doing promoting the new stuff, contact them at: USA: Intersound, Inc. Canada: Intersound, Inc. PO Box 1724 1 Select Avenue Roswell, GA 30077 Scarborough, Ontario M1V5J3 (800) 945-3059 (770) 664-9262 FAX: (770) 664-7316 Atlantic Records ================ If you'd like to someday see a release of the Streets albums on CD, then write a NICE letter and tell'em! Mr. Yves Beauvais Vice President, A&R Special Products Atlantic Records 75 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10019 Sony ==== Last, but not least, thanks to everyone who wrote letters to Mr. Martell at Sony demanding to see some more Kansas stuff. Who knows what effect it may have had, but it couldn't have hurt. Mr. Tony Martell Sr. Vice President & General Manager of Epic/Associated Records Sony Music Entertainment, Inc. 550 Madison Avenue, 22nd Floor New York, NY 10022-3211 USA Acknowledgements ---------------- Thanks to all the People of the South Wind for valuable information, but particularly Ron Chrisley, who initially supplied a lot of this information (and nearly the whole initial discography). Sad thanks still go to Alan and Kerry of The Closet Chronicle for updating and correcting our Starter Kit, and for doubling the size of our discography! I hope that whatever has happened to you guys, somehow you eventually make good what has happened since then.