Insider Sessions
Pink Kodiak
Pop
Jeremy Hilbert. Photograph by Christine Hilbert
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The Insider Sessions are inspired by the emotion, power, and soul that go into one, simple song. The aim is to get closer and more personal to the music and the art. The acoustic sound, I believe, is perfect for this. It allows you to hear only instruments, only voice, no background fuzz, and nothing channeling the noise but our own ears. The artists will choose their own place to play, sometimes in a van, sometimes on a bus, sometimes simply in an alley way; either way each session is authentic and personal. So take a look at these artists, some are from Iowa, some just passing through, and as you'll sometimes find, just getting started. Listen and enjoy the sounds that erupt throughout our beautiful state.
~ Erika Iverson
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Pink Kodiak originated in Savannah, Georgia by the hand of Jeremy Hilbert. The genre he created for Pink Kodiak, Death Pop, is a toe-tapping swirl of electronic drum beats, melodies piled on top of one another, and a fuzzed out bass. Sounds overwhelming, but when you hear it you stop where you're at and nod, smile, and begin to understand. In Georgia so many people began to understand he was asked to open for Daniel Johnston, which turned out to be one of the coolest musical experiences of his life, Jeremy admitted. He writes lyrics from experiences and stories and many times you can catch subtle humor, for example in the song "Dead doctors don't lie," that he performed acoustically for me here.
I met Jeremy through one of his old band mates when I went to see him perform at the Ames Progressive. I've never heard anything quite like Death Pop but I think what he's started here will only continue to grow. We met at his house on a chilly October day and sat down in his warm, colorful apartment as he turned Pink Kodiak's in your face, electronic, pop beats into acoustic gems. I enjoyed every minute of it, thank you Jeremy!
~ Erika
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Erika Iverson attends Iowa State University for Journalism and Philosophy. She is a music fanatic that moonlights as a writer for Insider Iowa. Some of her old favorites include Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Elton John, Bill Withers, The Who, The Doors, Buddy Guy, throw a little Cher in there (Half-breed!!!), Stevie Nicks, and a list that could be a story all it's own... When her heart plays music it plays bluegrass, when her soul plays music it plays the violin.
