Kix "Kix"

Kix is an American hard rock band that achieved popularity in the early 1980s. Band members have continued to record and tour, including the Rocklahoma festival in 2008 in Oklahoma and are a consistent presence at the annual M3 Rock Festival in the band's home state of Maryland.

Kix is the self-titled debut album by the glam metal band Kix. It was released in 1981 on Atlantic Records.

Kix was formed by Ronnie Younkins, Brian Forsythe and Donnie Purnell in December 1977 in Hagerstown, Maryland. In 1981, they released their self-titled debut album, Kix, featuring "Atomic Bombs", "Heartache", "Contrary Mary", "The Itch", and "The Kid". "Love at First Sight" instantly became a concert favorite. "Kix Are for Kids" creatively merged the name of the band with two popular cereals of the 1960s and 1970s, Kix (that featured an atomic bomb commercial) and the Trix Rabbit ("Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids!"). "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah" became the band's most popular concert song, always with a unique ad-lib performance by lead vocalist Steve Whiteman, of Piedmont, WV. With this album, the tongue-in-cheek rock and roll style of Kix was established.

Originally calling themselves Shooze and eventually changing their name to the Generators and ultimately, Kix, Baltimore's favorite hard rock band garnered quite a reputation for themselves as one of Maryland's most exciting live bands, covering influences AC/DC, Aerosmith, April Wine, Led Zeppelin and others, prior to signing with Atlantic Records in 1981.


Led by frontman Steve Whiteman and creative mastermind/bassist Donnie Purnell, the band is rounded out by drummer Jimmy "Chocolate" Chalfant and guitarists Ronnie "10/10" Younkins and Brian "Damage" Forsythe. Hitting the club circuit six nights a week for three straight years resulted in the band cultivating a huge local fan base and led to a contract with Time Warner affiliate Atlantic Records. Releasing their self-titled debut in 1981, Kix featured live favorites like "Atomic Bombs," "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah" and "The Itch". To support the release, the quintet set out to hit every club up and down the East Coast.