Meet Sammy Kidd | Artist & Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sammy Kidd and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sammy, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I can remember since 1st grade. I decided I was going to be an artist. I had a natural talent for drawing. Which was noticed by my peers and teachers. Inside my mind, I could go anywhere and see anything. It felt free. Instead of being trapped in a classroom practicing my math and spelling. I could create a whole new world in my head and draw it out on paper. I started taking private painting lessons at home by a painter named Sleepy Reed. He taught me how to use oil paints, all the different types of brushes and how to use them. He was a landscape painter. We would sit in my backyard and paint the trees and different types of plants. When I became a teenager I started to listen to more music. I started learning how to skateboard so, I gravitated towards skate punk bands. I would download songs/music videos, and look up new bands online that way. I always liked Nirvana, but when I started to download their live shows and saw the magic of what a live raw and loud show looked like. I was absolutely hooked. I decided right then and there, in that moment. I wanted to be a musician. I was about 14 years old at the time. Knowing how to draw and paint, fit in well with that, fliers and tshirt designs, etc… With enough time and dedication, It all just came together.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
When it comes to Mean Motor Scooter or the things that I draw or create. We just try our best to be as painfully honest as we can, while not taking ourselves too seriously at the same time. We value authenticity. We try not to worry about perfection or over production. Those decisions are themselves apart of the art as we see it. We don’t want to pander to what we think our audience wants to hear or see from us. We just follow what inspires us as creatives. What feels right is the only thing that matters to us. We don’t try to have a specific sound, we let the songs write themselves. Whatever comes out, as long as it excites us and motivates us is what gets published. If we have an itch to scratch we scratch it. We are just following our bliss.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If I were to try and impress some friends coming into town. I would probably take them to Piattello’s. It’s definitely one of my favorite Italian restaurants in Fort Worth. With a very relaxed and casual environment. At night, I would definitely want to swing them by Tulips. Where they can catch a cool show and have some drinks at the Low Doubt bar in back. If not there, I’d probably swing by magnolia. Where we could grab a few drinks at the Boiled Owl or head over to twilight lounge for a po’ boy and a few drinks.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Being in a band is a huge collaborative effort. It takes other people being inspired by what you do artistically on any level and bringing what they have to the table, to elevate your vision and adding their perspective. Seeing in each other, something special and unique. Over the years Mean Motor Scooter has met so many amazing people who have helped us put out Music Videos and Albums/ Vinyls that we wouldn’t be able to put out otherwise. Our first LP “Hindu Flying Machine” was put out on Dirty Water Records (US), which was a huge help for us in our early stages. Giving us opportunities that wouldn’t be possible. So, Big thanks to The Darts for seeing something special in us and giving us those opportunities. Making our first tours possible and teaching us so much about how the industry works. Also, Coffee Pot Films. They had not made any music videos for anyone at the time, but they saw a special opportunity to do so with our song Gutterboy Blues. Which helped us reach a larger audience. All the photographers that come out to our shows and capture those incredible moments from their unique perspective. All of the podcasters and journalists who have us on their shows or publish write ups. They all mean the world to us.

Website: Www.meanmotorscootertx.com.

Instagram: @Mean.motor.scooter

Soundcloud: https://m.soundcloud.com/meanmotorscooter/sets/mr-sophistication

Facebook: Mean Motor Scooter

Youtube: https://youtu.be/IhcY2wU1oJI?si=bRneY9V92rxB-BRo

Image Credits
Johnny Geovea
Jessica Waffles
Dustin Schneider
Andrew Sherman
Greg Gutbezahl
John Erwin