Kurt Milton Baker is an American musician, songwriter, music producer, and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known for his work in the Pop-Punk group The Leftovers and his own band The Kurt Baker Band which later went on to be called The Kurt Baker Combo.
Overview
Baker has released several solo projects with his Power Pop group The Kurt Baker Band, which plays punk rock music inspired by pop music of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Baker was the founding member, bass player, singer, & songwriter of the notable pop/punk outfit The Leftovers, which formed in 2002 and released several records on Rally Records, Insubordination Records and Oglio Records. The group toured extensively and played London, England's celebrated Roundhouse Theater before disbanding in 2010. Baker’s blend of Beach Boys and Beatles-styled melodies has earned him the praise of Larry Livermore, Ben Weasel and Jaret Reddick. After the release of The Leftovers' last album, 2009's Eager to Please on Oglio Records, which featured guests ranging from Brett Anderson to Coz Canler, and an extensive tour of the US and Europe, Baker decided to focus on going solo. Baker’s debut solo EP Got It Covered was released on Oglio Records. Produced by Los Angeles based pop producer, Linus of Hollywood, Got It Covered features Baker’s take on some of his favorite Power Pop songs of the 70’s and 80’s and features guests Kay Hanley and Adam Marcello. Baker also has worked with Tommy Dunbar, Kim Shattuck, and Parry Gripp. Baker's second solo effort and first post-Leftovers record to feature new original songs, Rockin’ For A Living, was released in October 2011 and was named the Number #1 record of the year by writers founder of the festival and music critic/author in. Said Borack, who ranked Baker's record far above that of long-time influence Nick Lowe, "Baker and his band barrel their way through a deliriously catchy group of stellar original tunes that owe big ‘ol debts to early Elvis Costello and the aforementioned Rubinoos. Hooks, energy and panache to spare – what’s not to love?" The Kurt Baker Band toured across Europe playing sold out shows in Spain and Italy in support of Rockin' For A Living and enlisted Adam Cargin who drummed on albums by Screeching Weasel and the Riverdales. In 2012, Baker released the EP titled Want You Around on Jolly Ronnie Records. It featured guest appearances by Dan Vapid and Rev. Nørb. Following the release of Want You Around, and tours of the Midwest and East Coast and Kurt’s new independent label on Oct. 30th 2012. Steven Van Zandt, founder of the Sirius XM radio station "Little Steven's Underground Garage" and original member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band selected two songs from Brand New Beat -- "She Can Do It All" and "Weekend Girls"—as 'The Coolest Song in the World,' in 2013. Also in that year, Baker and his bandmate Palmer self-released the 45 vinyl single "Girl's Got Money", which quickly sold out. On March 2, 2014, Van Zandt, also known as the character Silvio Dante from The Sopranos, named The New Trocaderos' song "The Kids" the Coolest Song in the World. On it, Baker sings lead and background vocals and plays bass and electric rhythm guitar. Brad Marino and Geoff Palmer, long-time friends and the founding members of New England rockers The Connection, fill out The New Trocaderos' lineup. In the spring of 2014, Baker joined Bullet Proof Lovers, a punk rock n' roll group from San Sebastian, Spain consisting of members from notable acts Nuevo Catecismo Católico and Discipulos de Dionisos. 2014 also saw the formation of the Kurt Baker Combo a group based in León, Spain that followed where The Kurt Baker Band left off and incorporating garage rock and pub rock influences. They released a full length live album titled "Muy Mola Live" which was recorded in Kenosha, Wisconsin followed by a full length studio album titled "In Orbit" on Steven Van Zandt's Wicked Cool Records in 2016. The Kurt Baker Combo is set to release "Let's Go Wild" on May 18, 2018. It includes 12 new tracks, featuring the pre-released singles "Sick of Waiting" and "So Lonely". Baker currently lives in Madrid, Spain.
