After relocating to Nashville from Indiana in 2007, Kink Ador's Sharon Koltick made the move to pursue music and with the thought of putting a band together. "I had met drummer Brad Naylor, the other founding member of the band, through a mutual friend. We got together at 12th & Porter to watch a local band play, and just really struck a chord with each other and started making music after that," revealed Kiltick when I spoke with her recently.If you're just not hip to Nashville's Kink Ador, you might think it's a person, rather than an rockin' foursome, and according to an interview posted by lead singer and founding member, Sharon Kiltick, that's really not so far fetched. In the video interview posted on the band's YouTube page, Sharon explains the origins of the name. It seems that she was reading Ada or Ador: A Family Chronicle by Russian novelist, Vladimir Nabokov. "It's a book about family dynamics, sex, and love and everything else and I just loved how he plays with words and language. I wanted a name that sounded cool that sounded like the name of a person. To me the band is a whole other thing beyond any one person, so I wanted a type of first name and last name," explained Sharon. She landed on the name Kink Ador, and offered further reasons when she expanded on the subject by adding, "Adore what's not normal, what's on the fringe, what's different, what's sexy and dangerous and I just thought Kink Ador fit that."
The juxtaposition of the group goes beyond the name. Even Sharon herself is a bit of a conundrum, with her blonde hair, blue eyes and and relaxed off-stage persona. Once she steps on stage to front the band, she morphs into an indie hybrid, whose sound is reminiscent of Debbie Harry circa 1986's Rockbird with a touch of early No Doubt.
Even the band's website alludes to the recurring duality. They cleverly boast both a Hollywood Version of their bio, as well as a Tabloid Version. Koltick had this to say when I mentioned the apparent duality, "I like that you picked on the duality of the name and of the band. Kink Ador is just that, you have the kinkiness of being an artist discovering the depths of life and expression, and also having a desire to just have fun, and make love out of life. We try to do both in our music."
The band's official site continues to delve into the double-edge of Kink Ador by also likening their two guitarist to two different forms of currency. "The guitar players in the band have been through a little shuffling, but now we have Andrew Sovine and Steve Cunningham as members of the band." happily reports Koltick.
Of the bands music, Koltick is quick to classify their sound as rock, but just as quickly clarifies what sets them apart from the sea of indie rockers currently populating Nashville and any other major metropolitan area, "Our songs sound different than other rock bands because of the way we write. All the songs are built from the ground up; I write everything on the bass guitar, and build the melodies around that. Then I take the song to Brad and we arrange the song. Then the last element is always the guitar." She drives her point home with, "I think this focus on building the groove first, sets our music apart. Most band will write from guitar."
When asked to site the band's influences, Sharon sites, "Funky rockers like TV On the Radio, The Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Brazilian Girls." Side Note: TV On the Radio is one of my favorites. Check out the NY-based art rockers' Dear Science CD, in particular, the single Dancing Choose.
As for Kink Ador, be sure to check out their show tonight at The Rutledge to get familiar with Sharon, Andrew, Steve and Brad, and to hear them perform songs from their upcoming EP, I Am Animal, dropping July 16. Among the tracks on Kink Ador's playlist, the rockin' Animal, Baby You're No Fun Anymore, which exemplifies the aforementioned juxtaposition with a lyrical lament of a flatlining relationship backed by a beat that could easily accompany a traditional latin dance track. Gone, Gone, Gone is another track featured on the Animal EP. Again, the lyrics tell the tale of yet another love gone wrong, but this time the feel is more traditional indie rock and could easily be an old Patty Smyth track.
Kink Ador will be joining Cory Lamb and Mother Father tonight at The Rutledge (410 4th Ave. South near Downtown Nashville). Music is set to begin at 7:00p.m., with Kink Ador taking the stage at 8:45 p.m. The Rutledge is an 18 and up music venue and cover for tonight's show is $5.
Kink Ador brings their unique blend of indie rock to The Rutledge, by Jonathan Pinkerton
published July 14th 2009, at Nashville Examiner
Kink Ador frontwoman, Sharon Koltick
