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CNN Live Saturday

Kid Rock Discusses Midtown Music Festival

Aired May 04, 2002 - 18:21   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: There is a huge music festival going on this weekend here in Atlanta. In fact, there's some 120 artists and bands playing at the Midtown Festival. And joining us now from the concert is CNN's Lindsey Brien, who is with one of tonight's headliners, the headliner, Kid Rock -- Lindsey.

LINDSEY BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh yeah. We have got the big guy here tonight, and you're right, and it doesn't look like the rain is going to stop the more than 300,000 fans that are expected to come to the Midtown Music Festival, right here in downtown Atlanta this weekend. It's really not such a bad deal: three days, $40 is the ticket price. You get to see artists like Ja Rule, No Doubt, and of course, everybody's favorite rock star, Kid Rock.

Kid Rock, thanks so much for joining us.

KID ROCK, MUSICIAN: No, thank you.

BRIEN: Now, you started touring for your "Cocky" album in February. Going all the way through the summer. How's the tour going so far?

KID ROCK: It's going wonderful, thank you for asking.

BRIEN: Any surprises?

KID ROCK: I don't know, we just try to go out and create a big party, make sure our talent's in place -- we're singing well, we're playing well, and I thank the people for spending their hard-earned money to come see us play.

BRIEN: Speaking of hard-earned money, now you've lowered the ticket prices, so a lot of concertgoers can afford to see your concerts. Is that the story?

KID ROCK: Yeah, I think some of the concert prices are ridiculous. Ri-God-damned-diculous. It's like, you know -- I mean, I can understand Billy Joel and Elton John charging a high price, but -- you know, $200, $150 -- you know, things like that -- even an average show now with a band that has -- you know, several records -- you know has some amount of success -- you know, $50-60.

I remember when I used to have a job, and used to work, and, of course, you've got a girlfriend, gotta take her to the show, gotta buy some beers, T-shirts, gotta pay for parking. By the end of the date, you're broke, and you can only see a limited number of shows.

I'd rather open up the market, and let everybody have a chance to see a lot of shows over the summer, or over the year, and pick out who's the best and decide who they want to go back and see. So right now it's a low-ticket price, I'm just trying to establish a relationship with my core audience.

BRIEN: Well, it looks like you're establishing an incredible relationship -- also, you have a great relationship with your son. You only tour three to four days a week so you can be at home with your son the rest of the time?

KID ROCK: Yeah, it goes back to the ticket prices. You know, we as musicians who are successful are fortunate when you get to a certain plateau to make a lot of money at what we do. And I think there's something to say to spending time with your family and being there for your children, whoever it is, to keep peace of mind and make sure their upbringing is right and to not be greedy.

There's only so much money that you really, really need at the end of the day. I have a huge house, you know, 8,000 square feet -- I probably only spend time in my bedroom and in the living room. So I've just come to realize how much do you really need? I like the finer things in life but at the same time, I understand what's important and that's family.

BRIEN: Wonderful. Kid Rock, thank you so much for joining us. We're running out of time...

KID ROCK: Morals from Kid Rock!

BRIEN: That's something we love to hear. Now, Catherine, you have a question for us as well?

CALLAWAY: Oh, I just wanted to ask, I know there are so many artists there -- is there any chance we're going to see any kind of jam with any of the other artists at the festival with Kid Rock? I know a lot of other people would love to see that.

BRIEN: That's a great question. Now, Catherine wants to know, in the studio, are you going to jam with any of the other artists out here tonight or anytime in the near future at one of your concerts?

KID ROCK: Anybody that knows me knows my disposition is that I jam at the drop of a dime. Any time I've ever been asked to jam, any time I ever show up at a blues club, or anywhere, I love to play music and that's why I play. We had to cancel our first show the other night in Knoxville that I've ever canceled in my career because my voice is going.

Still, it's kind of hard, but you know, like I told them last night in Memphis -- you know, there's a big crowd there at the Riverfront where we played on the Mississippi, and it's like say, hey, the show might not have been that good, might of kinda sucked to a lot of you -- my voice was going, but at least you can tell them I showed up. BRIEN: Kid Rock, thank you so much. I'm Lindsey Brien for CNN. Catherine back to you.

CALLAWAY: All right, thank you Lindsey, and thank you Kid Rock.

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