SPILL FEATURE: ROCK ME GENTLY: THE SONG ABSOLUTELY NOBODY WANTED TO SIGN, PRODUCE, OR PLAY ON THE RADIO – A CONVERSATION WITH ANDY KIM

ROCK ME GENTLY: THE SONG ABSOLUTELY NOBODY WANTED TO SIGN, PRODUCE, OR PLAY ON THE RADIO

A CONVERSATION WITH ANDY KIM

1974, the year that pop music and AM radio were still king. The four former Beatles were all riding high in the charts, Disco was a heartbeat away, prog rock was dominating the FM waves, and a young artist from Montreal, now living in Los Angeles via New York City topped the charts worldwide with the infectious pop sound of “Rock Me Gently”. During the summer of 1974, one could not escape the song on the radio and further, no one wanted to turn it off. It was, and is, a perfectly crafted pop song. Andy Kim, against all odds, came up with a song that has stood the test and is still getting airtime and packing dance floors to this day. In honour of this iconic song turning 40, I had the chance to chat with Mr. Andy Kim via Zoom about the record and what it means to him all these years later.

“Today reminded me of the kid that I was that believed in a dream. Growing up in the tenements of Montreal from an unmusical family and I thought I could do this,” remembered Kim all these years later. “

Even though the single made number one (knocking “Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love Babe” by Barry White out of the top spot), it was not an instant hit. In fact, it took quite a while for the song to hit the top of the charts.

“It took four months to get to number one. Every now and then you get the feeling that maybe it is going to stop somewhere. It just kept on and kept on. I got a phone call before the charts were out. It was at midnight. When I moved from New York City to Los Angeles, I bought a penthouse overlooking Sunset Boulevard. I had a brand-new car, but I didn’t know how to drive so I didn’t have a driver’s license. I got the phone call, after midnight and I didn’t stop for a good 15 mins. Literally crying, I think, it was a tremor inside of me because it had been such a journey of everybody telling me ‘no’ to not listening to anybody but myself.”

Although he had been signed to major labels in his past and even worked in the famous Brill Building, Kim decided to go somewhat independent with the single “Rock Me Gently”. It turned out to be a very wise decision.

“I’m starting my own company, I’m going to be my own promotions man and send records to Canadian radio stations, because my career before was Americans playing my records first. I was hoping that Canadians would play my record first and find my way into the U.S. again. And I did it. I remember sending those 45 singles in envelopes to radio stations and calling people. I believed so much in this song.”

If going to number one wasn’t enough, Kim also received a gold disc for the song in the U.S. Earning a gold disc is a huge accomplishment, and the presenter was a massive thrill for Kim as well. “My biggest freeze frame of all of this is John Lennon giving me my gold record. It was an iconic moment, and it was the prize at the end of the day.”

But the gold record, even from John Lennon, was a symbol of what can be accomplished by someone with a clear focus and a definite idea of what they hope to accomplish with their life.

“If you really believe in yourself, believe in the moment. You are living your one and only life. So, ‘who are you?’ and ‘what are you willing to do for your dreams, for what you believe in?’ People have asked me to do a documentary or write a book, but I don’t know what to say. There is really nothing I can say about ‘you got to do this’ or ‘you got to do that’. It boils down to ‘what are you doing with your one and only life and who are you? What are you doing about that?’ I am not trying to force myself on anybody, I’m just trying to live the best life I can.”

But the fact remains, Kim was willing to take a chance on his music, probably because he had faith in himself and his music. “I never thought about the money. I only thought that this song deserves to be heard. I needed to do another record. I am only thinking about it now, but I knew I wasn’t done. And I think 50 years later I am still not done.

“This may sound selfish, but it is not. I did it for my own salvation. The consequence is that there was joy in it, and 40 years later it is still talked about and getting played. I played Fallsview Casino a couple of weeks ago and it gets a standing ovation as the song starts. I am amazed that I am still here. I pinch myself quite a bit in trying to grasp how I got here. I didn’t get here alone. There were so many talented people who believed in me. Talented people who believed in the earlier Andy Kim, the middle Andy Kim, and the later Andy Kim with Kevin Drew and Broken Social Scene and doing that record. Doing the Letterman Show when he was retiring. I’m still not retired. To be able to be on stage singing “Sugar Sugar” with Courtney Love. So, it isn’t so much as to what you plan, it’s also what is your purpose? I guess my purpose was to run away from home to try and find an environment where I could be around painters, sculptors. I didn’t want to be the top of the chain gang, I just wanted to be part of it.”

It became an inside, inward movement that I needed to go into the studio to record it. I didn’t know any musicians in L.A., so I called the musicians union, and they sent five musicians that were so talented that I heard the record and tried to explain it to them, because I don’t write music. I explained what I wanted, what I wanted to dance to, to move to. And they just helped me develop this thing.”

“I’ve never looked over my shoulder at what someone else was doing. I was never envious. I know a lot of musicians who get angry that radio didn’t take them further. They are extremely talented, but this is not about talent. It is about the ability to express yourself in a way that ordinary people may hear you. I don’t know what it is that I have, but the truth is I am still the third of four brothers. This other thing I created so I could run away from home has given me a great life. But it has also given me an opportunity to tell young artists that you have to believe.

You have to be born knowing that you were born with a certain amount of heartbeats, you don’t know how many you were born with. You may as well live this life and not look over your shoulder. You are losing heartbeats. It’s never going to be great if you are angry or frustrated or jealous of somebody else. It’s never going to work for you. You are splitting the reason why you are here, so enjoy being yourself. Maybe the limbs of sorrow will disappear. You are here for a reason, and that is to find you, not to bring someone else in your life to make you feel better, because that is not going to work.” Kim paused and laughed, “don’t you get frustrated with people who get older and become philosophers.”

And over the years, Kim has certainly earned his place in several halls of fame. He is a member of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame and Billboard‘s Hit Parade Hall of Fame. spot of Canada’s Walk of Fame. “Next to Leonard Cohen,” laughed Kim. “I’m sure he is turning over in his grave.”

And last year, he received the ultimate honour by being made an Officer Of The Order Of Canada, for his irreplaceable contributions to the cultural landscape of his country.

I never imagined getting that phone call. I would give up all my gold records to get the Order Of Canada and represent my country. That to me was, well I am still in awe of it. It is beyond my understanding for me. The reason why I cried when they called me is because my mom and dad weren’t alive. And I am hoping that there is such a thing as spirituality where they followed a trajectory of life. I don’t know for sure. If there was anything that moved me, The Order Of Canada is incredible.

Kim remains humbled by his success and, most importantly, he is enjoying what he does and staying true to himself.

“It is remarkable for me that I am still around and can still sing it in the same key and love the hell out of it while I am doing it.”

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