Bor… Read Full Bio ↴Richie Kotzen is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter.
Born in Reading, Pennsylvania on February 3, 1970, Richie Kotzen was soon taken by music and first began playing piano at the age of five. At the age of seven he was inspired by New York City band KISS to learn the electric guitar. Relentlessly developing chops and his own unique voice on the guitar, Kotzen was eventually discovered by Shrapnel Records' Mike Varney, and he recorded his first album by the age of 18. During that same year, he also graced the cover of several publications including Guitar World Magazine. He created the video Rock Chops for REH video in 1989, highlighting many of his formative techniques, including using wide-intervals and fluid sweeping.
In 1993, Kotzen made his big break when he joined the rock band Poison at age 20, co-writing and performing on the album Native Tongue. This album produced two top twenty singles which Richie wrote, Stand and Until You Suffer Some. Kotzen was subsequently fired from the band when it was discovered that he had been romantically involved with Deanna Eve, the ex-fiance of Poison drummer Rikki Rockett. Kotzen and Eve later married and divorced. In 1999 Kotzen replaced Paul Gilbert as guitarist in the mainstream rock band Mr. Big. Kotzen maintained the band's enormous success, performing on the Mr. Big record Get Over It, which sold more than 1,975,000 copies in its first two weeks in Japan, eventually reaching platinum status. Kotzen also contributed guitars to Mr. Big's subsequent release Actual Size. The record included the Kotzen song Shine, which debuted at number one on Japanese radio charts. Following the disbanding of Mr. Big, Kotzen released the solo album Change, in 2003. The title track, and the song Get A Life were featured in TV commercials throughout Japan.
In mid 2002 Kotzen established a recording Studio/Production company in Los Angeles, California. He has since been producing acclaimed solo albums and collaborating with various figures in rock, jazz, and fusion. He now has formed a band called Forty Deuce which recently released a new album entitled Nothing to Lose.
Richie has a unique style, which he has described as a mix of rock, jazz fusion, and soul music. Of his albums, he claims he is most proud of Vertu. Kotzen utilizes a heavy amount of legato playing into his solos.
Richie is now living in Los Angeles, California. Besides playing the guitar, his hobbies include exercise and sports, especially basketball. Richie has said that if he had'nt become a professional musician, he would have liked to play professional basketball.
In 2008, Kotzen released his first official live album, "Live In São Paulo", which featured Johnny Griparic on bass and Dan Potruch on Drums.
Discography
* (1989) Richie Kotzen
* (1990) Fever Dream
* (1991) Electric Joy
* (1991) Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey (Soundtrack)
* (1993) Native Tongue (Poison)
* (1994) Mother Head's Family Reunion
* (1995) Inner Galactic Fusion Experience
* (1995) Tilt (with Greg Howe)
* (1996) Wave of Emotion
* (1996) Times Gonna Tell (EP)
* (1997) Kotzen/Howe Project (with Greg Howe)
* (1997) Something to Say
* (1998) What Is
* (1999) Break It All Down
* (1999) BiPolar Blues
* (1999) Vertu (project with Stanley Clarke and Lenny White)
* (1999) Get Over It (Mr. Big)
* (2000) Deep Cuts (Mr. Big)
* (2001) Actual Size (Mr. Big)
* (2001) Slow
* (2002) In Japan (Mr. Big)
* (2003) Change
* (2003) Acoustic Cuts
* (2004) Get Up
* (2004) The Best of Richie Kotzen
* (2005) Nothing to Lose (Forty-Deuce)
* (2006) ZxR Ai Senshi
* (2006) Into the Black
* (2007) ''Return Of The Mother Head's Family Reunion'' (Japan & Europe)
* (2007) ''Go Faster'' (US only)
* (2008) ''Live In São Paulo''
* (2009) ''Peace Sign''
* (2011) ''24 Hours''
* (2013) ''The Winery Dogs'' (The Winery Dogs)
* (2014) ''Unleashed In Japan: The Second Show'' (The Winery Dogs) Released only In Japan (DVD/2CD)
* (2014) ''The Essential''
* (2015) ''Cannibals''
* (2015) ''Hot Streak'' (The Winery Dogs)
* (2017) ''Salting Earth''
Videography
* (1989) Rock Chops
* (1994) Mother Head's family Reunion (Videoclip from the Mother Head's family Reunion Album)
* (1996) Wave of Emotion (Videoclip from the Wave of Emotion Album)
* (2001) Don't Wanna Lie (Videoclip from the Slow Album)
* (2001) Shine (Videoclip from Mr. Big's Actual Size Album)
* (2002) ''Hi-Tech Rock Guitar''
* (2005) ''Live In South America''
* (2008) ''Chase It'' (Videoclip from the R.O.T.M.F.R. Album)
* (2008) ''Bootlegged in Brazil''
* (2014) ''Unleashed In Japan: The Second Show'' (The Winery Dogs) Released only In Japan (DVD/2CD)'
* (2015) ''Live''
Walk With Me
Richie Kotzen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You wanna push your independence to the light
Where is our innocence? We're rhythmless
We've started out of time
I'm feeling dangerous, I'm afraid of us
I know we've crossed the line
If you could walk with me, different tonight
If you could walk with me, there's not wrong or right
And live your part tonight
If you could walk with me, till we're out of sight
I feel unstable, I'm having crazy thoughts
I wanna test my limitations all the time
And how did it come to this?
Our socialness taken over life
I'm feeling dangerous, I remember us
Back when you were mine
If you could walk with me, different tonight
If you could walk with me, there's not wrong or right
Where is our innocence? We're rhythmless
And live your part tonight
If you could walk with me, till the end of time
Walk with me till the end of time
Where is our innocence? We're rhythmless
And live your part tonight
Aw, baby, walk with me till the end of time
In Richie Kotzen's song "Walk With Me," the lyrics express the concept of living dangerously by pushing independence to light. The singer is not trying to control their partner but is fearful of their reckless behavior. They want their partner to walk with them, to let go of the past, and embrace the present without any judgment about right or wrong.
Kotzen's use of the term "rhythmless" in the chorus connotes the idea of being out of sync with each other. The song is about two people who have lost their way in their relationship, and the singer is battling with their emotions. The line "I'm feeling dangerous, I'm afraid of us," shows that the singer is unsure of how to deal with the situation.
The bridge of the song depicts the overwhelming thoughts and moral qualms of the singer. The line "And how did it come to this? Our socialness taken over life" is Kotzen's commentary on the pressures of society, which are snuffing out individuality. The ultimate message of the song is that if both partners are willing to walk together, they can overcome any obstacle and find their way back to each other, even if they are "rhythmless."
Line by Line Meaning
I'm not your maker, you're living dangerous
I am not in control of you, you are living recklessly
You wanna push your independence to the light
You want to showcase your independence openly
Where is our innocence? We're rhythmless
We have lost our pureness and stability
We've started out of time
We are on a course for destruction
I'm feeling dangerous, I'm afraid of us
I am worried about our dangerous behavior
I know we've crossed the line
We have surpassed acceptable boundaries
If you could walk with me, different tonight
If you could accompany me and change our behavior tonight
If you could walk with me, there's not wrong or right
There is no definite right or wrong if you accompany me
And live your part tonight
And take up your role tonight
If you could walk with me, till we're out of sight
If you could accompany me until we disappear
I feel unstable, I'm having crazy thoughts
I am unbalanced and having irrational ideas
I wanna test my limitations all the time
I want to challenge myself constantly
And how did it come to this?
How did we end up in this situation?
Our socialness taken over life
Our social activities have taken over our lives
I'm feeling dangerous, I remember us
I am scared of our dangerous ways, and I miss the way we used to be
Back when you were mine
When we were still together
If you could walk with me, till the end of time
If you could be with me forever
Aw, baby, walk with me till the end of time
Please, my love, be with me always
Contributed by Isaac L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@user-qb3co2jb9z
I'm not your maker, you're living dangerous
You wanna push your independence to the light
Where is our innocence? We're rhythmless
We've started out of time
I'm feeling dangerous, I'm afraid of us
I know we've crossed the line
If you could walk with me, different tonight
If you could walk with me, there's not wrong or right
Where is our innocence? We're rhythmless
And live your part tonight
If you could walk with me, till we're out of sight
I feel unstable, I'm having crazy thoughts
I wanna test my limitations all the time
And how did it come to this?
Our socialness taken over life
I'm feeling dangerous, I remember us
Back when you were mine
If you could walk with me, different tonight
If you could walk with me, there's not wrong or right
Where is our innocence? We're rhythmless
And live your part tonight
If you could walk with me, till the end of time
Walk with me till the end of time
Where is our innocence? We're rhythmless
And live your part tonight
Aw, baby, walk with me till the end of time
@stevi13
This guy is amazing. He is a bottomless well when it comes to music. If there was justice in the world he would be a megastar. He has talent to burn: fantastic singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, great vision, imagination, style...words fail ...
@YoutubeHatesFreeSpeech582
You said it to begin with " amazing"! Dude is so far underrated! I absolutely love him! My fav artist!
@davidguizar7691
I love this song. ❤ Amazing.
@wesleyramos6642
Kotzen .. aqui no Brasil você é muito conhecido e apreciado.. Queremos sempre vídeos novos aqui no canal.. você é para mim e para muitos um dos melhores guitarristas contemporâneos.. abraço irmão.
@CriadoMundo
Você é um músico extraordinário, no Brasil muitos guitarristas se inspiram em você, parabéns.
@brianshirley3523
The Greatest songwriter and pure all around musical artist alive in the rock realm today. Absolute Genius!!! If the commercial world understood actual talent Richie would be a international superstar.
@dhzimmers
Wow! Discovering Richie Kotzen only now in 2021 thanks to YouTube algorithms. Love everything about this song and video— the soaring and catchy vocals, the instrumentation, the black and white visuals of the gorgeous people.
@greekfreak1980
This shows,what an incredible musician Mr.Kotzen is.How many other guys do you know,that are worldclass guitarists and can at the same time write a pop song that is simple & catchy but has still quality.
@bentch100
Bem como o Marcos de Ros falou: é incompreensível como um cara tão bom não tem a fama que merece...
@gregmiller9238
over the last 10 yrs he has become my most fave artist! His wife is a major talent and so is his daughter they are all multiple talents on their own and to be able to create together , wow, what a dream to do! I can't even get my kids interested in playing music with me so he has made some goals I want to attain!