As I sat across from my friend Shelly at the Bayou in Salt Lake City, I began explaining to her how easy it is to reject some or give someone some bad news about themselves.  She was having the most difficult time breaking up with a guy that was so clearly not right for her, because she “didn’t want to hurt his feelings.”  Maybe it’s because I’m jaded or maybe it’s just because I’ve had to explain to too many women in my life ”why they aren’t the one” that this method just developed naturally for me, but after talking with Shelly, I figured I’d share it with all my friends in hopes that it might help others out there needing some help delivering bad news.

The Sandwich Method (a Kevin Burdick original) – This is my method of delivering bad news, breaking up with a girl, or genuinely being an ass without actually being an ass.  It is the perfect delivery for news that is hard to deliver to a boyfriend, co-worker, or family member.  The Sandwich Method includes two nice fluffy pieced of white bread (metaphorically speaking) and a big slab of greasy meat in the middle.  When delivering criticism using the sandwich method, your employer might try this: 

Bread Piece 1 (Positive):  You are a great person Steve.  Well liked by all your co-workers and a really hard worker.

Meat Hunk (Negative):  But to be honest with you, some of your co-workers have started complaining that you smell a little weird, kind of like a dirty baby’s diaper or a monkey’s armpit – I am going to have to ask you to get some cologne and work a little harder on that in these close quarters we’re in.
Bread Piece 2 (Positive):  Don’t take this personally, like I said, everyone here likes you a lot.  You’re the hardest worker on the team, an enormous asset to the company, and the guy here with the biggest heart.  No one will even remember this in a few weeks.

So by starting with positive statements and finishing with positive statements, the meat of the discussion (i.e. criticism) is a lot easier for the employee to swallow.  Now let’s look at this example from a boyfriend/girlfriend situation.  Let’s say you are trying to break up with your girlfriend using the sandwich method: 

Bread Piece 1 (Positive):  Look Jane.  You are a beautiful girl, sexy, intelligent, and funny.  Everyone knows that.
Meat Hunk (Negative):  I have to be honest with you though, you aren’t the girl I’m looking for and I don’t want to sit here and try to change you into someone else.  You deserve to have someone looking for your qualities – I need someone who is less controlling, somewhat mentally and emotionally stable, and someone who allows me more independence.
Bread Piece 2 (Positive):  I know there is someone out there who is going to fit better with you and who will gel with you.  I’m sorry it’s not me, but knowing all of your incredible qualities I am confident that your dream guy is still out there – you just need to go out and find him. 

The Sandwich method of delivering tough news is good for almost anything.  Feel free to adapt it to your own tastes – maybe you like mustard on your sandwich or maybe you like your sandwich with smaller pieces of bread.  Regardless, a sandwich just isn’t a sandwich without a little bread - so soften the blow with a little bit of positive before and after your bad news.  Hope this helps!!

The Hell’s Eve show at Club TRiP in Santa Monica was one of those wild adventures that, if you were one of the lucky few to attend, you will probably be telling your grand-children about.  I performed the second half of the show as Michael Phelps:  including speedo, shiny jacket, 8 gold medals, swim cap, goggles, and removal of most of my body hair.  I take my Halloween costumes very seriously!  Through out the night I gave away my gold medals to fans and friends for best costume, most energy, and biggest support.  Even my drummer, Dylan, got one for commitment to excellence, as he had the unfortunate position of staring at my green speedo covered butt all night… but I digress.

The show was a huge hit for those who attended and I know I made a few new fans.  The improv songs were, as usual, silly and fun - “The ladies just don’t know who Burt Reynolds is anymore…” and “Waves Against the Shore.”  Weird suggestions, but I made the most of them.

Those who stayed until the final song witnessed me removing my jacket, throwing off my last 2 medals, and playing “Mercy” in just my speedo.  Some people might call me crazy, or even drunk, but in reality I make myself vulnerable every night on stage by pouring my heart into the true stories I tell with my music.  I figure, shirt or no shirt, you really can’t get any more naked than that anyway.

Lunch at the world famous Chateau Marmont yesterday may have included salmon sandwiches, spaghetti bolognese, and a little bit of Kevin Burdick for the hundred or so people eating lunch prior to attending an AIDS awareness event called “FilmAid.”  As I filled the room with delicious background piano music, I gazed around the luncheon area of the world famous hotel located just off of the Sunset Strip.  It didn’t make me nervous that 2 of the members of the band Maroon 5 sat some 15 feet away on a couch listening, or when Christoper “Doc from Back to the Future” Lloyd walked by the piano barefoot.  I also was not intimidated when Winona Ryder stopped to listen before crossing to her table on the other side of the room - I was probably more concerned that she’d steal my sun glasses that lay on piano in front of me (just a joke, Winona).  It was a little ’dream-like’ as I looked over the piano and made eye contact briefly with Leonardo DiCaprio as he talked to a couple friends in the lobby.  But what made the afternoon for me (and also made me a little nervous) was when I noticed Bono and the Edge finish their meal and walk out.  As a musician, performing anything for Bono is nearly like showing your kid’s high school paintings to Picasso.  It is intimidating.

Mostly it was just one of those magical and surreal Hollywood Sunday afternoon’s where a musician from Salt Lake City got to bring his original music and charm and spread it across the ears of the rich and famous like musical peanut butter.  Perhaps they didn’t give a second thought to the piano man bringing them their afternoon dinner music before their charity event, but just for a moment they all stopped and heard me - even if just for a moment.

The five shows that I performed over the last 10 days here in the greater Los Angeles area were some of the most entertaining shows I’ve had to date.  From the packed house at the Cat Club, to the rediculous drunken heckler at Club TRiP, to the small group at Palladino’s who were treated to the epic improv song lovingly entitled “Boats and Ho’s and a Game called Trouble” - this was a great 10 day stretch!

Big thanks to all the guys who helped with these shows musically - we had a great team down here:  Keith Hubbard (Bass), Joe Mott (Guitars), Dylan Halacy (Drums), and Aaron Chavez (Percussion, Backup Vocals).  Ken Gray who did a great job getting these shows in a good pocket and handling all the arrangements.  Virtually all of the shows had good little crowds that came out to support and so a big ‘thanks a bunch’ to old fans and new fans who came to support.

For friends/fans who don’t live in Southern California, luckily my lifelong friend and world photographer Jared Platt happened to be in town lecturing at a photo conference, so you get to see some of the coolest photos from the Santa Monica O’Brien’s show.  Enjoy.

I have to admit that I was overwhelmed with all of the kind well-wishes, calls, texts, and e-mails I received from fans and friends across the world with my recent sabbatical.  Really, I’m doing fine.  I’ve just taken a break and pretty much done nothing - slept, ate, went to the beach, watched TV, and enjoyed life in a house again.  No, I’m not in rehab and no, I don’t have a drug problem.  Yes, I probably still drink too frequently, but I’m working on it.

I really want to take a minute to thank Overtone Media’s President Christian Ashton for providing this Hollywood Sanctuary for me to rest and recharge.  It’s nice to have a place to call home again.  We’ve made some new friends here in L.A. and Christian has taken Ken under his wing and begun working with him directly as my business manager.  I understand that they had a great meeting today to help plan out the next phases for my career.

Below are a list of upcoming shows here in Southern California.  I really look forward to seeing any of my local friends and fans out at one or more of the upcoming shows down here:

• 9.05.08   The Cat Club - West Hollywood, CA
• 9.09.08  O’Briens - Santa Monica, CA
• 9.11.08  TRiP (formerly Nocturnal) - Santa Monica, CA
• 9.12.08  The Cat Club - West Hollywood, CA
• 9.14.08  Paladino’s - Tarzana, CA

There are those that say “it can’t be done in this current market…”, there are those who throw words like “success”, “drive” and ”fame” around like common buffalo nickles.  As Kevin Burdick’s business manager it is my pleasure to address you loyal and loving fans at this time, although the circumstances of this blog are not the most favorable. 

Kevin has diligently spent this recent year in hardcore dedication to finding a happy medium of the above mentioned beliefs.  We both feels that it can indeed be done… success, drive and fame… that is.  In fact we believe even a greater potential for his music as well as his very name and reputation. 

The search for this has come at a great “cost” and it is my responsibility to deliver the “bill”.  I regret to inform all of you that Kevin Burdick will be canceling his October shows at Hotel Utah in San Francisco and The Quarter Note in San Jose.  The mental, physical and spiritual strain on Kevin and the sheer time it involves has pushed Kevin into an emotional hibernation.  His Filling Station shows in Magna this past week were essentially the tail end of a one year road tour across the western states.  Living in a tour bus and traveling daily is just a fraction of what had Kevin virtually collapse from the wear and tear last week.  It’s a culmination of all things; financial expenses with touring, dealing with untrustworthy people in the industry, releasing his new album and the loss of friends. 

Sitting in mental, emotional and physical pain, and after a moment by himself last Saturday, August 23rd, he sought the advice of a close friend as well as his Medicine Man and Shaman.  The desire for a break turned into a “need”. 

The great news is that if most of you know Kevin as I do, he will soon awaken and the musical juggernaut will emerge from its slumber to again perform and bring you the music, passion, and entertainment you all love. 

A special thanks to Overtone Records and Media in Hollywood, CA.  Christian Ashton, CEO, is a blessing.  He is a huge support for Kevin in his time of rest, stating “Kevin is the next big thing…”.  Mr. Ashton’s professionalism and grace are unmatched, as he has gone out of his way to accommodate Kevin in a beautiful home in Hollywood, 3 blocks off Sunset Strip… The perfect place for a Rock Star to recollect and relax.  With that kind of support from industry greats as well as incredible fans I believe Kevin’s hiatus to last only a short while.

Kevin will still be playing his Los Angeles shows at The Cat Club on the 5th and 12th of September, The Nocturnal (Club TRiP) on the 11th of September as well as a special show on September 9th at O’Brien’s Pub in Santa Monica.  Please stay tuned for news on his recovery.  Again, we love and care for you all and hope to feel your support, prayers, and best wishes.

Best regards,
Kenneth Gray

With this Northern California leg of our tour being complete, I took my attention from touring to relaxing.  Jaime, a close friend of mine, flew in from Salt Lake City and Ken, Jaime and I hit the fields of grapes in Napa Valley in search of the perfect wine.  It is beautiful countryside filled with incredible foods, beautiful scenery, and wonderful people.  More importantly, it was a perfect and relaxing break from weeks of hard work, especially with the big CD release party in Salt Lake City just around the corner.

Not coincidentally, my great-grandpa’s 100th birthday party was Saturday in Yuba City, CA - so we finished our Napa Valley tour just in time to pull in and spend Saturday with Burdick relatives from all over the country.  Women should be forwarned that we Burdick men live an extremely long time, so if you’re dating me for my money (ha-ha), I’m gonna out-live you!!  Check out this photo of me, my nephew, my father, my grandfather, and my great-grandfather - 5 generations of stubborn Burdick men.  Gotta love it!!  I performed “Like a Star” off of my 2002 album for all my relatives and then spent a few minutes signing autographs and getting photos taken with my younger cousins in front of the tour bus before we hit the road for Salt Lake City.  It was a great day and I’m definitely proud to be a Burdick.

Only one more week to pick up the Walking Wounded CD Pre-Sale on the website: http://www.kevinburdick.com/buy.html

Quirky Kevin Burdick interview in the Napa Valley: 

More photos:

Being on-tour isn’t always just shows and partying.  There is plenty of downtime and this week, while waiting for my big “Wharf to Wharf Festival” show in Santa Cruz, we have had our share of it.  I’ve written two more songs in the tour bus (with business manager Ken Gray even chipping in with some lyrics), we’ve tried a myriad of local California restaurants, we’ve been kicked out of two parking lots (it’s tough to find parking for this 31-foot monstrosity sometimes and FYI the Santa Cruz Safeway guys are total dicks), we’ve played a ridiculous amount of video games, spent countless hours at the 24-hour fitness, and have made some great strides with booking for September and October.

So yesterday, when decided to finally get out of the tour bus and wander the streets of Santa Cruz randomly (labelling it ‘Adventure Day’) we decided to film the momentous occasion and share it with all of you - see below.  Consequently, we did find a ‘hole-in-the-wall’ restaurant in Santa Cruz called the Peach Garden which was some of the best Chinese food I’ve had in a long time.

PS  A quick reminder, only 2 more weeks to order the new CD “We Are The Walking Wounded” at the discounted pre-sale rate:   http://www.kevinburdick.com/buy.html

A walk in Santa Cruz with Kevin Burdick:

Pulling up to The Cantankerous Fish I expected to see a small bar mixed with a Long John Silvers and a Joe’s Crab Shack; instead what I got was a sexy high-end restaurant with some of the most delicious food I’d ever eaten.  The bar/restaurant pulled out the all star treatment for us, letting us park the tour bus directly out in front, giving us free drinks, and expensive meals for pennies on the dollar.  It was a lot of fun.

The crowd at the show was incredibly gracious and we sold a ton of merchandise.  We watched people finish their meals and stay for an hour or so after just to hear more music - I was very appreciative.  Non-customers stopped on the street and huddled in groups to hear more.  Over the evening we probably played to 200 - 250 people.  I have to admit that people in Northern California really appreciate their artists (and I really appreciate the people of Northern California).  My experience with the shows up here have been some of the best performances to date.

Big thanks to Max on drums and Dave on bass (two of the coolest cats ever and I’m proud to be playing with them), Ken Gray my ever faithful tour and business manager, the staff at the Cantankerous Fish, Jennifer for having booked the show, and Dusty the inflatable punching clown for haunting my dreams as I sleep (you start to get a little cabin fever living in a tour bus for a month). 

Additional Photos from the show:

The 30 or so people who came to watch us rock The Joint in L.A. were treated to one of the “greatest 25-minute piano rock performances this world has ever seen” - at least so says the drunk guy at table six.  In some ways the night was a complete disaster - they had booked something like 52 bands for the evening (a slight exaggeration, but just barely).  So my hour set quickly became a 45-minute set, which then soon evolved into a 25-minute set.  According to Ken, the sound guy used the “random-level-method” of mixing us where my vocals were set at near ear-piercing levels and the rest of the band was a shade above mute.  This accapella performance was made worse by the fact that the lighting guy decided to put a single spot on me the entire show (flattering I know - made me feel sexy) so that my L.A. band could barely see their own cheat sheets.  We weren’t particularly tight, but the crowd was still responsive and appreciative of the effort.  To top the night off, the stage was set at a sweltering 246 degrees - I was so covered in sweat after my 5th song that I felt I’d just completed the 13th mile of the Boston Marathon.  That was my night in a nutshell.

In other ways, the evening was a success.  We broke into the L.A. market and we had a good crowd response in a city where the spectators believe you suck until you can prove to them you don’t.  These fickle L.A. fans are the same ones that show up to Dodger games in the 3rd inning and leave the game in the 6th inning.  The band was adequate, in spite of short notice - Marcello was steady and consistent on bass, the drummer Jeff and I played well off each other, and I assume Joe was on with guitars (though I really couldn’t hear him at all thanks to the ’stellar’ sound).

After we got off stage, the night took a turn for the weird when some guy (who later turned out to be a Venice street performer - you know, that guy that paints himself gold and dances like a robot when you give him money) went up and did one and half bizaare songs, the last of which was a half-sung, half-yelled vocal solo of “We Will Rock You!”  About 1/2 way through the song I guess he decided he was out of his element because he simply stopped and walked off stage.

The night ended with Ken and I taking a trip to Wendy’s, only to find that they wouldn’t allow us to walk up to the window and order - “safety hazard” they said.  They ’sort of’ compromised (see video) when I informed them I was a big star and I HAD to have my Wendy’s, AND that the “31-foot tour bus doesn’t fit next to their drive-up window.”  The manager demanded to see the tour bus first so that they would know I wasn’t lying.  I guess I was kind of cranky, but in the end we got us some Wendy’s at 2 AM so the night ended exactly how I hoped.

Watch the after show video of our Wendy’s adventure: