A Dirty Dozen with KEDDIE SMITH from KEDDIES RESORT – July 2025

According to a recent press release: “Today, Portland’s punk rock outfit KEDDIES RESORT is excited to unleash their new single “Fireworks,” taken from their upcoming album, American Spirit, out on July 4th via Sweatband Records. Raucous, unfiltered, and bursting with raw energy, “Fireworks” finds KEDDIES RESORT in full ignition mode. Their upcoming album, American Spirit, delivers sweet, fuzzed-out power pop packed with infectious hooks and raw energy. KEDDIES RESORT captures the spirit of Portland’s youth and counter culture with a sound as vibrant and unfiltered as it is unforgettable — a blast of pure DIY exhilaration on wax.” We get Keddie to discuss new music, influences, and more…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets you put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

This new single is from our upcoming album American Spirit. The song “Fireworks” is based on some mini movies I make in my head. Just about a narcissistic dude who decides he’s gonna go postal. One of these days I’m gonna make the album concept into a comic book or something.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

My dad got me into music, I grew up in a house that always had instruments around and my dad was always showing me bands and telling a bunch of facts about each band, my dads badass. I knew I wanted to be a musician when I first saw the music video for AC/DC “TNT.” When I saw Bon Scott rippin it up on stage and Angus Young shredding and doing his signature stage moves my mind exploded. AC/DC constructed the start of me picking up a guitar.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

Like I said seeing old AC/DC live footage was the seed. I wouldn’t say music taste but the guitar version of that goes to Billy Corgan from The Smashing Pumpkins. Every song I make I think what would The Pumpkins do. Billy Corgan is loved and hated and I think that overshadows how incredible of a guitar player he is. One of the greatest in my personal opinion.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

I would have to pick John Lennon. I think he’s one of the greatest song writers of all time. It would be awesome just to pitch him ideas and see how he operates.

5. What is your favorite activity when out of the studio and/or not on tour?  What do you like to do to unwind?

I like to play Magic the Gathering and I’m a big prank call guy. I’ve perfected the art of a prank call.

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

I’d say it’s fast paced rock and roll, doo-wop blueprinted. Some article called us “pop punk”, that definitely made me cringe. I hate pop punk.

7. When your band is hanging out together, who cooks, who gets the drinks in, and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

KEDDIES RESORT is strictly music, we don’t  hang out but we love each other.

8. When was the last time you were starstruck and who was it?

My good friends in the band Happy Death Men opened up for Jack White at the Edgefield Amphitheatre about a month or two ago. I was backstage and turned a corner and saw him leaning up against a wall talking to HDM. I froze and just couldn’t believe it.

9. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

The best part is being able to just make songs you love and getting to play it like and hear the crowd singing along, it’s like crack, can’t stop coming back. If this all tanked I would proboably just stick to my job I have right now. I’ve got it pretty good.

10. What is one question you have always wanted an interviewer to ask – and what is the answer? Conversely, what question are you tired of answering?

I’ve always wanted someone to ask me if I throw any movies on as I record. I watch 3 movies as I record, Full Metal Jacket, Apocalypse Now and The Good The Bad and The Ugly. Honestly I’m already tired of writing about what the album is about. I’m grateful anybody cares but I’ve been stewing on this for so long that my brain is trying to move on slightly.

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over,” even if it didn’t change your current situation?

One time at the start I messaged some magazine saying something like “hey we’re a band from…” they pretty just wrote me a snarky remark as a response. I immediately texted someone about how how the dude was a dick. My dumbass accidentally sent that text directly to the magazine guy. I’ll never be in the magazine I don’t think.

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

I would wanna see The Beatles Revolver recording process. That album is incredible and it’s pretty much impossible to make a song and try and get it to sonically sound similar to that album, no matter how hard you try you just can’t recreate it.

KEDDIES RESORT LINKS:

OFFICIAL SITE

INSTAGRAM

Category: Interviews