Under the Radar: Keyke
3 February 2006 :: By justincharlesharlan
Keyke is a singer/songwriter in NYC, whom I just learned was born and lived the early part of her life in the Amish Country of this great home state of mine. Her live show is an experience who all who witness it, improvisational tunes about life, love, lust, and anything else beginning with an “L”… she has a shy awkwardness on stage that will win over anyone’s heart. Below is an AIM interview from earlier today that reveals just a little insight into this extraordinary girl who is willing and able to pour her heart out to anyone… once she gets through that stage fright. Enjoy:
pronouncedcake: I dunno, right now might be wierd because I’m sick and all silly feeling from drinking at an open mic
pronouncedcake: Is there such thing as a good time?
pronouncedcake: I mean for an interview,
pronouncedcake: Never ever did one before
pronouncedcake: Ha, did I fuck this up Justin?
justin c harlan: No, just go ahead and answer. C’mon
pronouncedcake: Ahhhh ok
pronouncedcake: Haha wait seriously I’ve never done an interview, are you asking bout my background?
pronouncedcake: Like where I’m from? justin c harlan: Well yeah, like, where are you from, what do you do, who is Keyke, ya know?
pronouncedcake: Ok, well I’m from PA justin c harlan: Oh really? Where in PA?
pronouncedcake: I lived at this home for schizophrenics in Paradise PA, my mom worked there so we got housing free justin c harlan: Paradise is in like Amish Country ain’t it?
pronouncedcake: Yeah kid, I still have a soft spot for that whole culture, Amish people are fucking fascinating
pronouncedcake: They say "what the hammer"
pronouncedcake: And then crack up justin c harlan: That’s awesome. Besides being from PA, what else should folks know about you?
pronouncedcake: Hmm. I was unschooled. That’s relevant right? justin c harlan: Yeah, you didn’t attend any school at all growing up?
pronouncedcake: Its anti-school system liberal stuff, I tried a little of 4th grade, but it just wiped out my knowledge thirst, so I quit justin c harlan: That’s really cool… very interesting. How’d you get from Amish country to Brooklyn?
pronouncedcake: Oh dude, I wasn’t raised anywhere, that’s relevant too, pa was where I was born and lived a little, but we were all over the country. I’ve lived in every state ending with "ah"
pronouncedcake: At the end of my moms travels we found a co-op in CT, its low income housing, we helped build the apartments, umm so that’s where she lives, and I did too for a bit but left when I was 19 for NYC
justin c harlan: Crazy, how many different places do you think you lived in?pronouncedcake: Ah man I don’t know
pronouncedcake: I lived in Chile too
pronouncedcake: South America justin c harlan: What exactly brought you to NYC? Like why did you move there?
pronouncedcake: I was tired of burning rubber after my daytime bar job to get to shows.
pronouncedcake: I liked the idea of subways and things being closer, and I thought I’d meet some zine makin girls justin c harlan: So, now that you are in the big city, what do you do to pay the bills?
pronouncedcake: I don’t live anywhere right now, I’m waiting for an apt in Brooklyn, I actually don’t know if I’ll go back there or somewhere else. Right now I go to open mics at night and sell homemade CDs for money. justin c harlan: If any of our readers are in or near the NYC area, where could they go to catch you live?
pronouncedcake: Sin-e, I’m playing with Damien, you know, Peasant? justin c harlan: Oh yeah, when?
pronouncedcake: I’m pretty sure its the 22nd, I’m waiting for him to get back to me, besides that, I have a show at Cherry Street Station in Wallingford, CT
pronouncedcake: Fuck, february.. 17th I think?
pronouncedcake: I gotta check the flyer I made justin c harlan: Do you keep your Myspace updated? Kids could check that out.
pronouncedcake: Keyke.net is there too
pronouncedcake: Oh and kids should look for me in an Aderbat video
pronouncedcake: Ha
pronouncedcake: Yeah I update regularly justin c harlan: Aderbat?
pronouncedcake: The band from Doylestown PA, they have a Myspace too justin c harlan: Sweet, maybe we’ll get the chance to talk to them sometime.
pronouncedcake: Yeah they’re crazy genius you should
pronouncedcake: I can’t find the flyer justin c harlan: So, anyway, if I may say so, I think everyone reading this needs to see you live because your show is very unique… one-of-a-kind. You really impressed me and were one of the best acts of the 20-30 I worked with in 2005.
pronouncedcake: Really? Jeeze I was sweating bullets too that night
pronouncedcake: Improv is scary justin c harlan: Do you always improv your sets?
pronouncedcake: Yeah justin c harlan: That’s awesome… and crazy, I can’t imagine how hard that would be.
pronouncedcake: I write shells, like chords and an idea of what to sing about, and then I make the filling up
pronouncedcake: Its rediculously fun, I can’t play the same song more than like 3 times, I hate it, so I have about 400 songs now
justin c harlan: Do you listen to any reggae? Just curious because I have Matisyahu on right now and he blows me away!pronouncedcake: I listen to everything, just not Better than Ezra
pronouncedcake: Matisyahu?
pronouncedcake: That’s new? justin c harlan: New-ish. justin c harlan: Do you know of him?
pronouncedcake: No never heared of him justin c harlan: He is a Hasidic Jew who performs Old-School styled reggae as a form of worship to God. I can’t get over how good he is.
pronouncedcake: Ohhh shit I heard of this guy!
pronouncedcake: All good things justin c harlan: You need to listen to "King Without a Crown" justin c harlan: You’ll be instantly hooked.
pronouncedcake: My mom told me about him I think justin c harlan: Your mom sounds like a really cool person.
pronouncedcake: She is
pronouncedcake: She’s progressive. More than anyone I’ve ever met or read about
pronouncedcake: She raised me on 40 bucks a week, which isn’t somethin to show off about, but fuck. Its sort of amazing
justin c harlan: What does she do now?pronouncedcake: She’s finnishing school to be a teacher, Luna and I are old enough for her to peace out and learn finally justin c harlan: Luna, your sister?
pronouncedcake: Yep justin c harlan: How old is she?
pronouncedcake: She turned 16 Feb 1st
pronouncedcake: She’s awesome, she’s a jock, and a math wiz, my total opposite justin c harlan: My little sister is very opposite of me, as
well… so I hear you justin c harlan: Well you can let her know that everyone at Crap Filter wishes her a happy belated birthday.
pronouncedcake: Awesome I will justin c harlan: So, I think we’ll close up this interview soon, I am actually at work, so I probably should do some work…
pronouncedcake: This isn’t your work?
pronouncedcake: I thought you worked at a big Crap Filter headquarters place
pronouncedcake: Imagined it looking like Dexters Lab
pronouncedcake: I’m way off aren’t I? justin c harlan: Yeah, we all write from the comfort of our homes and offices and Chris, Mr. Crap Filter himself, lives in an apartment in North Jersey.
pronouncedcake: Wierd really?
justin c harlan: I work for a small university near Philly so I can get a free Master’s degree in Community Development. Music (shows, writing, whatever) is something I refuse to do for a living, because I don’t want it ever to be a job. justin c harlan: That would tarnish it in some way to me, I think.pronouncedcake: I mean no I guess that makes sense, I see this music thing on the same level as flipping burgers, but I’ve got trouble with these sorts of things
pronouncedcake: Wow
pronouncedcake: Community development?!
pronouncedcake: That’s awsome
pronouncedcake: That’s the first thing I ever took an interest in justin c harlan: Yep, and eventually I hope to get a Ph.D in Sociology and work on changing the world through the power of ideas and opening up people’s minds. justin c harlan: My ultimate goal is to be a professor at an urban school while working in community development in the city (probably Philly)
pronouncedcake: Sounds like my mom!
pronouncedcake: When I was like 16, my friend went out to seattle and started a free school, is that at all in the same boat?
justin c harlan: I have yet to start my program, so I don’t know exactly what I’ll be learning and doin with it. justin c harlan: Well then, I found another reason to likeyour mom.
pronouncedcake: That’s ridiculously cool, I wish I still had that drive and protected inner idealism
pronouncedcake: Its damn tuff to get back, now I’m like, ehh I’ll bartend, play music, man this world is dirty.
pronouncedcake: It awsome that some people can maintain the urge to try for change justin c harlan: I hate to cut this short, but I know we’ll talk more later… on behalf of our readers, thanks for opening up and showing us a little insight into who you
are and what you are about… hell, I think our readers are gonna learn alot more about me too.
pronouncedcake: Oh yeah sorry!
pronouncedcake: Haha
pronouncedcake: Oh I didn’t know we were still doing the interview justin c harlan: I think you seem to be doing a great job coping with this hellish world that destorys our idealism and dreams. justin c harlan: I really appreciated this interview and we’ll chat again soon Keyke.
pronouncedcake: Thanks
pronouncedcake: Just for getting me to do an interview
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February 3rd, 2006 at 2:29 pm
interviews through IM … BRILLIANT! (one day soon we won’t EVER have to get up from the couch to do ANYTHING!)
keyke sounds like a cool chick. love her dig on better than ezra.
February 3rd, 2006 at 2:45 pm
I meant to ask her what that was about exactly, but we just got talking about other stuff.
Keyke, if you are reading, can you enlighten us as to what your beef with the fellas that brought us “Good” and several other 90’s alt-radio hits is?
(Note: I conduct interviews through email and IM due to being to busy to call and tape record and stuff. Just easier… but Vin, you are correct, one day we will be able to live on our couches. And I can’t decide whether or not I’m happy about that, I shouldn’t be… but my lazy ass kinda enjoys the prospect of laying down all day.)
February 21st, 2006 at 1:38 pm
hey keyke just wanted to say hello
moriartys
how have you been? ever get to fla and need a place to crash let me know.
Ean
i live 20 min from orlando
February 21st, 2006 at 3:08 pm
Ean, you can reach Keyke via her Myspace
March 7th, 2006 at 9:47 pm
i just hate better than ezra because they’re terrible.
“whahughh” is the worst made up word ever.
and im usually so down with creative speaking.
but it just.. sounds bad, the music, the vocals.. even the video was shit.
maybe theyre really nice guys, i hope so
April 29th, 2006 at 6:35 am
cake if you need a place to stay in LI you got one, theirs a big folk scene here. your lyrics are inspirational can i get your cd in stores?
April 29th, 2006 at 12:47 pm
Hey jony, you might do better to actually try to contact her rather than post a comment here. Just a thought.
April 29th, 2006 at 6:19 pm
Also jony, her CD is not available in stores. I’m sure if you email or myspace her, she’llget you the mad hookup