Lenny Kravitz chats about his influences, relationships and ‘Strut’ at 92Y

Happy Tuesday MMT Family! Now those of you who follow me on this site know that one of my favorite artists is none other than the singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, actor, rock & fashion icon that is Lenny Kravitz.  And I received the opportunity of a lifetime last week – covering a Lenny Kravitz Q & A with Rolling Stone editor Anthony DeCurtis on Friday evening at 92Y.  You can check out my full examiner.com article here, but Mr. Kravitz was so candid that there were many great tidbits that I didn’t get a chance to report.  So for my MMT Fam, I’ve decided to share more of that talk with you here!

On the first music that wowed or created a magic moment for him:

“The first thing I can remember singing was Tchaikovsky to my grandmother, which she thought was really strange. After that it was the Jackson 5.  I heard ‘Stop The Love You Save’ and I lost my mind!”

When asked what he missed most about his mother (late actress Roxie Roker):

“Everything.  I don’t care how old you get, you never get used to (losing a parent).  The beautiful thing is you can’t kill spirit.  I’m always feeling her, paying tribute to her. My mother’s pictures are all over my house because I wanted to be able to spoil her, and do things for her that I’m now doing. So I walk by her pictures, and it makes me feel like I’m sharing with her.  Living in Paris, in this beautiful home that was her dream.  She wanted to retire, move to France, have this library and read all the books she ever wanted, and learn French – so I’m doing it for us.”

When asked to discuss his uncle, his namesake, being honored with the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously:

“His name was Leonard Kravitz and he died in Korea.  He saved his entire platoon and should have gotten the Congressional Medal of Honor but he didn’t because he was a Jew.  He had a childhood friend that spent his life making sure that my uncle received it.  He wrote for years and years.  Then we got notice from (President) Obama. It was beautiful to see that finally happen.”

When asked his greatest accomplishment:

“My daughter Zoe.”

If fathering came naturally to him:

“Yeah, I was 23 man – it was crazy.  My record deal, my first record coming out, marriage and my first child all at once.  It was full on and it was, is, wonderful.  She is the thing that keeps me grounded.”

On his favorite song by one of his influences, Stevie Wonder:

“The first album that I heard where I began to not just hear the song as one sound but breakdown the instruments was ‘Innervisions.’ One of my favorite songs is ‘Jesus Children of America.’ It’s so funky.  I feel like Stevie was in the palm of God’s hand when he made that record.”

Kravitz also noted that Stevie Wonder is one of his favorite drummers (for those who didn’t know Wonder is a multi-instrumentalist too) and he modeled his drumming style after both Stevie Wonder and Ringo Starr, another of his faves, on his first record.

And for those, like myself, that were wondering – there are plans for the upcoming tour to arrive stateside…yay! But we will have to wait…boo, LOL! The tour opens in Russia in October and will continue abroad through December 2014, with dates to be added. Kravitz shared that the set list was mostly complete and the musicians will include a nine-piece band, three-piece horn section, and three background vocalists. And let me mention that he has reunited with the fantabulous drummer Cindy Blackman Santana, wife of legend Carlos Santana, for this tour.

Lenny Kravitz’s new album Strut was released today, and can be purchased on his website at lennykravitz.com.  You can also get additional tour updates and info on the site as well.

Oh, and family you know I didn’t leave the event last Friday empty-handed right…

Until next thought family!  Thomasena