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!!

This weekend’s shows at Bogey’s in Clearfield, Utah and Club Allure in Sandy, Utah were a great welcome back to my home state. 

Bogey’s is a large Vegas-style club with a big stage.  The staff and guests were grateful to have me out on a Thursday and were impressed with my blend of comedy, story-telling, and rock-n-roll - some of the staff felt like I was “the best band they’d ever had out.”  I had a great time partying with the locals up there and am looking forward to coming back next year sometime.  Highlights of the show included improv songs “Dead Baby Pie” and “Malleable Penile Implants” thanks to some creative, funny, and very unique audience suggestions - ha, ha.  It was a great night!!

The Club Allure show on Saturday was for a packed house, with 100 - 200 people in the crown room at the club in Sandy at any given time.  People were dancing, singing, and genuinely enjoying the show on all sides of the stage.  One pretty lady flashed me and then climbed on-stage and put a $20 bill in my underpants, which is always appreciated on several levels.  Audience influenced improv songs included “Ken’s Sexy A**” (about my business manager’s best asset) and “The Pull0ut Method.”  Another epic night, and we’re only half way through the Utah leg of the tour.

I’m really looking forward to my next 4 shows here before heading back to Hollywood.  Utah is where I really came into my own as an artist and found a home in the local music scene, so it will always feel like home to me when I hit the stage here.

Kevin Burdick Live at Bogey’s in Clearfield, Utah performing “Never Let Go” from the album, We are the Walking Wounded (available on iTunes):

Kevin Burdick Live at Club Allure in Sandy, Utah performing an improv song “Ken’s Sexy A**” (warning, PG-13 language):

I’ll be back in Salt Lake City from 11.5 to 11.17, after spending much of the last two months in Hollywood. Come out and spend some quality time with me at one or more of these 6 shows. RSVP, so that I can be looking for you ;>)  ** For free tickets to the Club Allure and Liquid Joe’s show’s please call:  801.604.5816

11.06.08 Bogey’s - Clearfield, UT
11.08.08 Club Allure** - Sandy, UT
11.10.08 5 Monkeys - Salt Lake City, UT
11.12.08 Woodshed Bar & Grill - Salt Lake City, UT
11.14.08 Liquid Joes** - Salt Lake City, UT
11.15.08 Lucky 13 Bar & Grill - Salt Lake City, UT

See address and show times by going here: <link>

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.

This last weeks shoot for the “Wake Me Alive” music video was a full and wild day of shooting.  The crew showed up on-the-set at Stevens-Henager College in Salt Lake City, Utah at 7 AM last Friday and began getting the set ready for the hospital scene in the video (you’ll note I’m in a coma in some of the photos).  The rest of us stumbled in about 8 AM and started getting our costumes, hair, and make-up straightened out.  I can only image what the students at the college were thinking as they saw a sweaty shirtless tattooed man running around the halls followed by a video crew (I’ll leave the reasons behind those scenes to your imagination).  By midnight, we had created the building blocks of a masterpiece (or so I’m told). 

Big thanks to Kannika Coley who plays my ‘love interest’ in the video - she did a great job and we had great on-camera chemistry - Jaime Fletcher for filling in as the nurse on the video, Cynthia Dean for her hair and make-up work, and the entire crew at Super Heumann Productions for their super-human efforts.  The video should be released on-line in mid-October and we will be posting more details as we get closer to it’s release.  The single “Wake Me Alive” is currently available on iTunes.

Some photos from the set:

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

When Jedi of Opalhill Drive called me about doing a couple shows out in Magna, Utah at The Filling Station I was a little skeptical.  Magna is a mining town and The Filling Station is known as a biker bar.  After some discussion and a pretty good sales pitch, I thought, “What the hell.”  And so, two months later there I stood at the aforementioned biker bar in the middle of mining town Utah, USA.

The crowd on Friday was very stand-offish.  I had one lady yelling at me all night to do her random list of cover tunes and when I obliged to do one “Kevin Burdick Style” she was more pissed off that it didn’t sound like the original.  You asked me for “Shook Me All Night Long” and I play the piano.  What did you expect?  Oh, AND I’M NOT A COVER BAND!!

Luckily, the Saturday night crowd was way more into the show, showing their appreciation with both applause and some dancing.  I was so grateful to see some familiar faces had made the 20 minute trek out to support their own favorite local piano man.  Saturday was also a little more challenging when my usual drummer, Chris Hancock, called in sick.  Luckily, guitarist Chris Doucet (who happens to be one of the most talented musicians I’ve ever met) filled in on the drums with no practice and virtually nailed all of the songs.

Highlights of the two-days included doing several improv songs with Jedi (lead singer of Opalhill Drive), who was able to think quickly on his feet and create some of the funniest freestyle lyrics I’ve heard.  He was an absolute blast and the Opalhill Drive guys were a lot of fun to play with.  I just really enjoyed them and was grateful to have made some new friends.

Big thanks to Jared and Rex Platt for stopping by the show and photographing, Ken Gray for handling the business side, V and E for handling merch sales, Chris/Chris/Brad for rocking the stage with me, and Opalhill Drive for being incredible hosts and just all around great guys to party with.

Live acoustic performance of “Tiny Dancer” at The Filling Station: