Kaya..

this is a close friend of mine that was a lot of the inspiration for HotBands.  I knew that great music was not heard by the masses simply because the record industry didn't market it.

Kaya and his childhood friend Boh Sup were already huge attractions in and around Prague in their teens, but defected from (then) Czechoslovakia in the early 80's to Western Europe to avoid mandatory military service.  After several months in Germany, they were sponsored by Americans living in Seattle and came to set roots.

I met Kaya in 1990 on his return from a trip to India.  He has his drive and energy focused in his poetry and philosophy.   

Mad Ride is a concept album covering the life of Kaya, his visions and inspirations. Backed by members of Phatsidy Smokehouse Kaya's songs have the crunch of Seattle grunge on songs like "Mad Ride" and "Maggie Gold" to dreamy songs with incredible poetry like "Fair" or "Waterways".  

His songwriting reminds me of something familiar from another lifetime during the middle-ages...something timeless, with poetry reminiscent of Paul Simon or John Lennon.

Boh has returned to the Czech Republic and has already released his own CD there.  Kaya is still semi-active in song-writing and recording, but spends much of his time in seclusion on a farm in Eastern-Washington writing for performing bands in Seattle.

Hear what you've been missing!