Kim Mitchell becomes DJ
A classic-rock station in Toronto has added a classic rocker to its roster of on-air personalities.
Kim Mitchell, known for hits such as Go For Soda and Patio Lanterns, will join the staff of Q107 on Aug. 9. He will be the station's new afternoon host.
"In over 25 years of playing I've developed a very strong bond with Toronto rock fans," Mitchell said in a statement posted on the station's website. "They're the best in the world and now I'll get to communicate with them five days a week through the Mighty Q."
Mitchell is one of the most prolific makers of hit records in Canada. He got his start in the 1970s with the band Max Webster, which earned a place in the hearts of music fans with songs like Let Go The Line and A Million Vacations.
Aided by songwriting partner Pye Dubois, Mitchell had a string of solo hits in the 1980s, gaining a reputation as Canada's premier good-time rocker, as well as three Juno Awards. With his flowing hair and trademark Ontario Provincial Police cap, he was instantly recognizable.
His songs have proven to have durable appeal. The doughnut chain Tim Hortons is using a version of Patio Lanterns in one of its recent television commercials.
Mitchell will spin records from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. each weekday on Q107 in his new job. The station, which plays oldies by the likes of Rush and Pink Floyd, has promised him input into the choice of songs he will play.
"Radio needs to do things that make people talk," Dave Farough, Q107's program director, said of Mitchell's hiring. Farough had reportedly been wooing Mitchell for years to host a show for him.
Although he has not had a hit record in some time, Mitchell is still a major draw on the summer touring circuit. His contract with the station allows him time off to hit the road.
His last album, Kimosabe, came out in 1999. At the time of its release, he said that if it didn't do well, he would have to find a day job. He joked that he might run for mayor of Collingwood the Ontario resort town where he lived.
What fans didn't know about Mitchell 20 years ago was that, under his ball cap, the frenetic musician was going bald. He has since shorn his head clean.