February 20, 2009

Welcome to the Official Kirk Rundstrom Website.

Thanks to everyone for their continued interest in Kirk and his Music.

Naked City, Wichita Publication--February 2009.

Written by Jedd Beaudoin.

February 22 will mark the second year of Kirk Rundstrom’s passing. Having known him in a largely professional sense during the last four years of his life, I always looked forward to an interview with or a quick nod at a show. When people speak of him today they almost always mention that for all of his generosity and warmth there remained a man with faults and shortcomings. Personally, the only one I could fault him for was working too hard. In this, he was my kindred spirit. He often said that he wanted to make music every day of his life and I often said that a day without some time spent writing was a day wasted. His dedication to his work and the enthusiasm he imbued me with for music and for life is one of the greatest gifts I’ve ever received, whether as a writer or a human being.

I had covered Split Lip Rayfield extensively for local newspaper F5 between 2003 and 2006 and so, when I learned that Kirk had been diagnosed with esophageal cancer in that last year, I felt compelled to write about that too. It was the perfect story in some ways––man struggles to get life together, man achieves some portion of this goal, then falls ill. Of course, the story didn’t end there. Like all great stories there was a long final battle, a fight for survival and, like in so many stories, surrender.

In that final battle I was blessed with witnessing two of the best performances I saw Split Lip Rayfield give, both of them at Wichita’s Cotillion Ballroom. The first, in August of that year, marked a reunion of sorts. Split Lip’s Wayne Gottstine had rejoined the band after a year’s absence and although the band had survived without him, it was clear that his presence made the band more complete during those final shows. The second Cotillion performance came in December of that year. Kirk had announced at some point before that night that he would retire from live performance. But there was already a late December solo date on the calendar and Split Lip gigs lined up for the first part of 2007.

The December show was captured by the fine men of Digital Brand media and scheduled for broadcast on KPTS in February, just days, it later turned out, after Kirk died. As a fan, I couldn’t be happier that this footage exists. The film doesn’t tell the whole story, of course. The cameras weren’t there to record what Kirk surely didn’t want known––the cancer pain, the exhaustion––but it hardly matters. This picture tells the story of Split Lip Rayfield doing what is was born to do, performing in front a legion of dedicated fans, singing fine harmonies, blazing through solos and leaving us all breathless. In the end, this is how we’ll all remember him, on the stage, entertaining and believing that maybe, just maybe he could be there making music for the rest of his life.

All too often we discuss what might have been when we discuss those among us who have left too soon. What would they be doing now? What would the music sound like? What songs were left unwritten or unsung? With Kirk, those questions don’t matter because we all know––he’d be on the stage, the one place he never seemed willing to leave and that’s where I picture him when I think of him now––sweating, smiling and knowing that he had one more day living his dream.

In addition to this article Lawrence Journal World and Lawrence.com have also Featured Kirk and his life which can be read at: http://www.lawrence.com/news/2009/feb/16/used-be/

A few new projects are also in the making inviting musicians and recording studios to participate in a tribute to Kirk Music and Life:

"The Story of a Man named Kirk Rundstrom and the Infamous Town of Wichita" is in its early stages with a tentative recording dates in Wichita during the summer of 2009.

Also available now on the shopping cart for order is the "Kirk Rundstrom Band Live @ Fisch Haus" This DVD is an extremely special project featuring interviews by Jedd Beaudoin with Eric Mardis, Mike West, Colin Mahoney, Mark Foley Georgia Sutton, Eric Schmidt and Lisa Rundstrom. Produced by Digital Brand who brought "SLR Live at the Cotillion" DVD, Jedd Beaudoin in conjunction with Lisa Rundstrom.

mp3s are available on this site or additionally at:

Mysapce.com/KirkRundstromBand

As always letters and inquiries regarding Kirk's music can be sent to: Rhizome Productions, 314 N. Volutsia, Wichita, KS 67214 or emails to rhizomeproductions@hotmail.com

Thanks to all the friends and fans of Split Lip Rayfield, Scroat Belly, The Kirk Rundstrom Band and Grain & Demise.
We will FOREVER love, miss and remember him . . .

To purchase any of our CDs, please visit our online store