A Quick Chat with The Kunins

What are the origins of The Kunins as a musical project? Where and how did it start?

 Lily Maia: The Kunins wasn’t always our name. We originally started out as “Prairie Dog,” because of a long running joke that our last name translated to that. We then tried “Dad’s Got A Kid,” but dad’s best friend did not approve of that one. I finally suggested The Kunins and it became obvious to us that there’s no use trying to be anything other than us!    

Ken - It's fair to say that The Kunins started with the birth of Lily Maia Kunin. Music has always been a generational constant in the Kunin household. Having a daughter who could play about any instrument you handed her while sharing her father’s love of songwriting started the path. About three years ago, Lily Maia chimed in on an old song I was playing and right there and then the harmony she provided was startling. About 15 months later we were writing, recording and playing live and haven’t stopped since then.

Tell us a bit about the new album. What does it mean to you? 

 Lily Maia:  This album has 12 acoustic tracks, each one with its own personality. The fact that we were the only two musicians playing on the album is special to me because it truly is by “The Kunins.” It’s our sound, completely unfiltered. Ken: The album means more than I can put into words. The significance of being able to dream together with my daughter means the world to me. To have found our identity musically as quickly as we did is startling to me. The live show responses were overwhelming, and I say that with a bit of experience as someone who has played live and been in the industry for more decades than I care to admit. There is that certain DNA family blood that pulses through our songs. You can hear it in how we compliment each other instrumentally and you can absolutely feel it when you hear our two voices coming together. Lily Maia just might be the band member I was always seeking. I just needed to help create her with my wife, I guess.

Are there any inspirations you look to beyond music when writing or
performing?

Lily Maia: I’m really inspired by a close friend of mine, Laura. She lives so authentically and inspires me to do the same. There is a song on the album that I wrote about our friendship.    

Ken: Every day I am inspired by connection. As I get older, connection can bring me to tears because I realize we all more or less of similar challenges to overcome. The shear fact that we can empathize with someone else is my greatest inspiration and I can only hope that someone else can feel my plight as I feel there’s.

Name the five songs that have informed your song writing more than
any others.Lily Maia: 1. A Day In The Life - The Beatles 2. Norwegian Wood - The Beatles 3. Norman fucking Rockwell- Lana Del Rey 4. Take me to Church - Hozier 5. Sign Of The Times - Harry Styles    

Ken: 1. Eleanor Rigby – The Beales 2. Brahms Second piano concerto 3. Waiting around to Die - Townes Van Zandt 4. Exit Music - Radiohead 5. Three Days – Jane’s Addiction

What Australian artists are you listening to at the moment?

 Lily Maia: I’ve really been enjoying Jack Davies and The Bush Chooks, their 2024 album “the nighttime, the wind, the crocodile” was really special.    

Ken: It’s not new but The Drones. Holly hell, that song Oh My sends shivers down my spine. Now that is the power of a song!

How do you hope your music might impact listeners? 

Lily Maia: I hope it opens their minds as to what a powerful band sounds like. I hope that people realise that while drums and bass and electric instruments are fantastic, there is no set path to creating an intense or big sound.

Ken: I'm hopeful that we can take the listener on a personal journey and realize that we all have many of the same fears and hopeful triumphs in common. By sharing that one song at a time to one person at a time, we have the chance of creating our own unique community.