The Kegels
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The Kegels

Band Rock Punk

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This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

Music

Press


"Austin Mama"

This is an article about The Kegels written by a local mommy. It was posted on their homepage the month of April, but can still be accessed at http://www.austinmama.com/mamasaid.htm - www.austinmama.com


"Musical Mamas"

Another great article about The Kegels, this one was delivered to over 106,000 households through out Seattle, Everett, Mill Creek & Lynnwood. The editor, Cathy Herholdt, also published a short follow-up story after Dean's death in June. These articles can be read online at our website www.thekegels.com or in the archives at www.journal-papers.com. - The Journal Papers


Discography

"Totally Effaced" on Postpartum Expression Records. Track One, "Mini-Van Mom" has been played multiple times on The Mountain, 103.7 FM Seattle.

Photos

Bio

Cancer.

It has a way of putting one’s life into perspective. When my husband Dean was diagnosed with brain cancer in September of 2003, our lives, predictably, turned upside down. After his successful surgery and recovery, both of us took stock of our lives. We had two beautiful young children, a wonderfully supportive network of friends and family, and a mandate to enjoy our time together. So, we started making plans.

First up was a trip to Europe with the kids. Remarkably, we spent three weeks hauling the four of us, our luggage, two car seats (which Dean coined “the anchors”), and a double stroller on seven flights to four different countries. What an adventure. Exhausting, but amazing and once in a lifetime. Luckily, like childbirth, you forget the painful bits.

When we returned in June of 2004, I got busy on our next couple of projects. 1) start a mommy rock band and 2) plan a big one-year cancer-free party for Dean. My idea for the band had been hatched earlier in the year, when I had got ahold of my brother-in-laws strat and got the fever. I had the name, The Kegels, which came in an inspired moment like a bolt of lightning. The basic idea: Mom’s need to rock, they need to scream, they need a couple of beers once a week and they need to get out of the friggin’ house! Lucky for me, I asked fellow-preschool mom, Jen Trujillo if she wanted to “be in my mommy punk band” and she gave an enthusiastic “yes!” in reply. Turns out she actually had some musical background! I, on the other hand, had nothing but, as Bono once said, “a red guitar, three chords and the truth”. Lucky again, the truth of our lives is pretty funny... and it rhymes!

We started rehearsing, and I started planning the party, and pretty soon it was decided we should make our debut at the big event. Dean’s brother’s band, Rock Paper Scissors were reuniting specifically for the party, and we’d be their opening act. Well! We’d better figure out what we were doing! We recruited Jen’s friend Beth to play drums and then we started playing, and writing songs, and playing and writing more songs. We were having a blast, but we didn’t know if we were any good or not, since we were such newbies. The party came, and the overwhelming response was “You don’t suck!” which we took as “You’re terrific!” We were hooked.

Trying to get gigs without a demo proved impossible, so we recorded a 4 song disc in December 2004. In January we started getting gigs, and have been playing out ever since, culminating with our biggies thus far: The Bite of Seattle and the Ballard Seafood Fest, and most recently, the Rockrgrl Conference. In October 2005 we released our 6 song EP, Totally Effaced, which includes our “hit” Mini-Van Mom, which has gotten airplay on KMTT The Mountain, thanks to a Kindergarten Dad emailing it to DJ Marty Reimer.

It’s been a great ride. But a rollercoaster. Dean’s cancer has returned and he underwent another surgery in August of 2005. He’s fighting hard and we’re hoping he’ll keep winning these battles. In the mean time, The Kegels make us all laugh. The band gives us, as a family, and as a community of friends and relations, something bright to hold on to and crack up about. Dean’s contributions to the band are countless and he’s the invisible 4th Kegel. Without him, simply, the band would not be.

So, here’s to seizing the day and putting aside your fear. My advice to you? Whatever it is you’ve always wanted to do…..start today. You won’t regret it.

Be well,
Penny Webb