Kevin Gilbert - Is there a more mysterious guy on the planet? I don't think so. Kevin was an incredibly talented songwriter - singer - producer - engineer - instrumentalist. Kevin achieved his cult hero status based on his work with Toy Matinee, his solo project "Thud" and songwriting for folks like Sheryl Crow. Everybody knows and loves his work but unfortunately most did not actually know Kevin or anything about him. Where did he come from? What did he look like? What was he working on before we lost him? If you need to hear (and see) the answers to these burning questions and more. . . stay tuned.

If you are the kind of Kevin Gilbert fan that I am, I know that you will be anxious to get a copy of "The Last Chapter." While trying to expedite the completion of the tape, I complained to a friend about how tired I was of editing this project. He suggested that I simply send the raw footage with some written notes of explanation. This was a plan who's time had come!

Over the last year or so, I have done lots of interviews. Many have been with friends (like Michael Thompson and David Garfield). These were quite easy to do. Others have been with folks that I really respected from a fan's perspective (Richard Page and Tim Pierce) but did not know beforehand. These were more difficult.

None was taken on with more fear than the interview with Kevin Gilbert. I had never seen an interview with Kevin. His reputation said that he was unreliable, eccentric and worse. When I did the interview, I found the contrary to be true. He was bright, funny, articulate, and made me feel very comfortable. It was like talking to someone that I had known for years.

For this reason, when I heard the news of Kevin's passing, I was quite saddened. Actually, even over a year later, I feel the same sorrow that I felt the day I heard the news. As a musician, writer, vocalist and engineer, Kevin was sheer genius. As a person, he was quite special.

Thanks to friends like Geof O'Keefe, I have been able to hear some of Kevin's early music. This is material that was recorded prior to Toy Matinee or "Thud." His work in Giraffe and NRG is simply breathtaking. Giraffe's 1989 release, "The View From Here" is especially good. To make the story even more interesting, when NRG was done, Kevin was a teenager.

Thanks to other friends like Mayumi Sihbata, I have been able to hear various alternative versions of Kevin's solo material and some of the "The Shaming of the True" concept record that Kevin was working on when he passed away. What can you say other than "more genius!" Hopefully, this material will be available for release this year.

The Last Chapter Interview was done in January of 1996 at Kevin's Lawn Mower and Garden Supply Studio. The sound check was previously released in an issue of Mag2. However, it was so entertaining, I decided to run it again on the tape along with the remainder of the unedited interview.

In closing, let me say that I was honored to have known and worked with Kevin Gilbert. I feel confident that there will never be another like him. He accomplished so much at such a young age. Maybe the real tragedy is the fact that he will never complete (and we will never hear) the material that he would have been working on many years from now. However, it is safe to say that he will be remembered as one of the greatest writers of our time.

Thanks for everything, Kevin.

OFB/Mag2's exclusive video interview "The Last Chapter" is available for $14.95 (plus S&H). Shipping is via 2 Day Mail and costs only $3 in the USA. International shipping is at prevailing prices. Contact MAG2 for additional info