Being Marginalized Is a Blessing: An Interview with Author Dan Kennedy

Interviewed by Less Lee Moore

A few weeks ago, I saw Dan Kennedy on our local morning TV show talking about his new book, Rock On: An Office Power Ballad. I’d never heard of him, but the book, detailing his 18-month tour of duty and disillusionment at a major record label, sounded amazing. And despite the fact that it was freezing outside and quite early in the morning, Dan’s great sense of humor was obvious. So I requested a copy of the book and an interview from Dan’s publicist and amazingly, it worked!

Reading Rock On was a real pleasure; I laughed more times than I can count and it was hard to resist the urge to pester Dan during the resulting interview with Chris-Farley-style questions like, “Remember when you said. . . ? That was hilarious.”

The book is not some hipster treatise of cool. In fact, Dan makes more fun of himself than he does of the (deserving) mainstream music industry. This results in a book that is endearing, sincere, and most importantly, very very funny.

I caught up with him just a few days after his book tour for Rock On ended, while he was trying to recover from trips around the world and the apparent loss of his laundry (which he was eventually reunited with during the course of our conversation).

Popshifter: You were in Toronto [recently] and you did a thing at The Gladstone with The Bicycles.

Dan Kennedy: Yeah, it was an “In Conversation” type of thing.

Popshifter: Did they play?

Dan Kennedy: Yeah, they played after.

Popshifter: Oh, that’s cool!

Dan Kennedy: Yeah, they were awesome.

Popshifter: They’re amazing, yeah.

The Good, The Bad, and The Cuddly

Dan Kennedy: It was the first time in a long time where I just felt like, oh, I shouldn’t be around this band so soon after they played because like, I’m way too geeked out about them.

Popshifter: (laughs)

Dan Kennedy: It was like, dude, I’m gonna embarrass us all, can you get me out of here? (laughs)

Popshifter: They’re really good and they’re really nice.

Dan Kennedy: They’re super sweet and. . . well, here I go again. I shouldn’t speak, it’s nearly been a month and I probably shouldn’t even try again.

Popshifter: Did you know they have a board game?

Dan Kennedy: Yeah! Their merch table was incredible. I bought their CD and it comes in like, a little hand-knit bag type of thing. Although I will tell you, if you know any middle-aged men, you will get laughed at by TSA security if you try to take that little pouch through the airport. (laughs)

Click to read more from Dan Kennedy on. . .

Cruel Shoes by Steve Martin
The alienation of the “college years”
The death of print media?
The Motown commercial and music now
Being in the slow lane
Definition for mayhem
What’s next?

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