A CirdecSongs Chat with Mike Keneally

Mike Keneally is one of my favorite human beings on earth.

Please note that I didn’t say “musician,” because Mike is more than that to me. In the passage of time since the first time I saw him live in 2001 and now, Mike has become a big brother, a mentor, and a friend who also happens to be one of the most spectacular musicians I’ve ever heard. I could write objectively about him as a true journalist should, but more often than not, I simply don’t want to.

The first time I saw Mike’s name was during his tenure with the short-lived 1988 Frank Zappa band. But I wasn’t triggered to start exploring his music until the late nineties when I saw him perform as part of Steve Vai’s band. Here was this guy who could play the intricate and difficult guitar parts Steve was playing note for note with the seeming ease of taking a stroll in the park! Who the hell is this guy?

My fandom for Mike was sealed when I heard Dancing, the album he produced with his band Beer for Dolphins. Such eclecticism, such skill … DAMN! For years I thought Steve Vai was the compositional heir-apparent to Zappa. Well, I was wrong. It’s Mike!

I’ve seen Mike live in several contexts and he never fails to amaze. At Progstock in 2024, he not only tore things up with Progject, the band he was playing with, but he also sat in with other groups on at least three other occasions. We’d just look up and there he was, shredding like he was part of the band the entire time!

Skills like Mike’s often lead to a musician being arrogant, but Mike is one of the most humble people you’ll ever meet. He just loves what he does, and he passes that joy on to the rest of us. When you talk to him in person, thoughts of his musical skill go right out the window. You’re just talking to this super cool dude you want to have a beer with! I can say from experience that it’s a joyous time.

Mike is also a great motivator. Every time I see him, I want to pick up my guitar. When I mentioned how much I loved one of his more difficult songs, “Lhai Sal,” he was kind enough to put a two-part video together in order to show me how to play it. At his Chicago show last year, I told him that I was on a quest to learn rather song despite my limited skills. “If you learn that song,” he said, “you’re coming onstage to play it with us!”

Challenge accepted. I have practicing to do!

In the meantime, please enjoy this chat I had with Mike I had a while back. It won’t take long to see why I enjoy talking to him so much.