The Kid Rock Interview

Between washing the lawn chairs in his backyard or prepping his fleet of cars for the summer, after all of these years Kid Rock still keeps it real. In his time off of his current Rock N Roll Revival tour which kicked off earlier this year, he does what the average domesticated American would do: set out patio furniture, odds and ends around the house, spend time with his son and get his custom rides and choppers ready for those hot Detroit days. He skips out on the flashing lights (and stalkarazzi) on the West Coast and only spends about a month at his Malibu home and would rather head back to his old stompin' grounds.

It's as real as it gets here in Northern Michigan, he joked. On this tour and latest album, Rock N Roll Jesus, Kid Rock, born Robert James Ritchie, set aside the turntables and tapped into the heart of his rockin' upbringing. Kid Rock and his Twisted Brown Trucker Band are set to take the stage in a no holds barred revue-style concert, this Tuesday at Dodge Arena. In an exclusive interview with Festiva, the "devil without a cause" himself talks about being one of the most highly criticized artists in the business - all because he's having the time of his life.

Why call the tour Rock n Roll Revival? Are you part of the population of rock fans who are missing that good ol rock n roll? I guess it depends on what day you catch me on. I've thought about it I've been asked that a million times. I think what it comes down to, and I can only speak from my experience cause I don't wanna talk for other people and hopefully they relate to what I'm saying but, the music I that I love whether it was, RUN D-M-C, Lynyrd Skynrd, Bob Seger - there's so much of it, Johnny Cash, when I look back and I really believed that they were those songs they sang about. That there was a conncection live and they're records and when they played and in their interviews and I think that's what people are missin' today. It's the connection. Sure, Carrie Underwood can sing her (rear end) off - phenomenal singer - but when I listen to it I think she's a nice girl I just don't feel the connection, like that - that's her. And there's a lot of that out there. And that's my assessment on the whole thing.

Teaming up with Rev Run (star of Run's House on MTV), do you think it helped bridge the gap between generations? I hope so, brigding the gap, it's kinda weird. For one thing I don't know if rock n roll was meant for parents and their kids to enjoy it together cause it's about rebellion and other things and I've always been about that I think and that's just because I've followed my heart but you know the more I'm seeing it's like parents are showing up with their kids and it's still about rebellion and still about all of those things somehow theres this weird bonding thing going on at my shows with kids and parents and it's in the middle of this crazy rebellion attitude.

Why do critics give you such a hard time? I don't play any of the games. I don't play any of the award show games, I don't play any of the radio station games, I don't play any of the media games ... because I kinda walk around saying who I am and I don't give a (expletive). Always have a smile on my face and happy and having fun.

Have the tabloids helped your career at all? I'm sure it's helped me get covers of magazines and things like that. I'm sure it's helped me get on TV shows. Because people are interested in dirt and (expletive) like that so I can't really say it's helped or not. ... But thank God I have been around long enough and made enough music and continuing to make it that hopefully I won't get sucked into that black hole cause it's the last wish I want to be. ... These Hollywood people they calculate their every (expletive) move well. We can't go here cause paparazzi hang out here ... or this is the bar on Wednesday night when they do this and if you go there you're perceived as this ... they actually sit down and talk about this (expletive) with their agents and managers. I refuse to ever be that person. I'm gonna go where I wanna go when I wanna go with the people I wanna be with. Try to have a good time and not hurt anybody. And if I get caught and someone wants to put me on a TV show - pfffft, whatever.

Would you ever go back to exploring your rap roots? I'm actually slap dab in the middle of that right now, everyday I'm leaning more toward I wanna make a rap album. Doing a song with Tha Game and a bunch of different rappers I'm doing stuff with. It just seems like I keep getting calls from all these rappers.

Kid Rock

with Rev Run and special guests

WHEN: April 29, 8 p.m.

WHERE: Dodge Arena

COST: $72, $52, $42

FOR MORE INFO: www.dodgearena.com