KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Some of the world's best rock bands started by touring in a van, and three brothers from St. Joseph, Missouri, are looking to follow that same roadmap.
Radkey's journey has already included pit stops alongside some of the most famous artists around, albeit full of twists and turns.
It’s a seemingly never-ending road that’s bad on gas mileage because, for so many great acts, it starts in a van.
"What makes music so special to us would be the fact it was able to keep us occupied and entertained,” Isaiah Radkey said. “And kept our brains working.”
If the brothers are a brain, Isaiah controls the left side function. On the right side is Dee. And the heartbeat, or drums as some may call it, is Solomon.
“We’re bringing this crazy, in-your-face rock show with so much confidence. But who are these guys to have this confidence?” Isaiah said.
Radkey wasted no time gaining a following around town.
“The crowds have always felt natural to play to — just so welcoming,” Isaiah said.
That warm welcome gave the band the drive to go even further, playing gigs around the country with their dad (and manager) in the driver’s seat.
Recently the van life shifted into high gear. The brothers received a phone call from Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl.
“They’re shooting a movie about bands in vans, and they want a ground-level band to interview for this movie,” Isaiah said.
A week later, they were at Grohl’s studio being interviewed by one of their heroes for the documentary “What Drives Us.”
The documentary would not be the last time the Radkey brothers got to rock out with Dave Grohl. The group was later invited to support the Foo Fighters on a leg of their 2021 U.S. tour.
“It’s just so unreal,” Dee said. “And then to see our logo blown up so big behind us is like what!”
Radkey released an album called "Green Room" earlier this year. The cover features their old home in St. Joe where their rock and roll dreams began.
“We wanted to be a part of rock history,” Isaiah said. “And to be a good example of a band right now in a van, playing the clubs. That’s something that is awesome for us.”
That’s why these three brothers are riding such a high note right now.
The documentary “What Drives Us” can be accessed on the Coda Collection Prime Video Channel.
Radkey’s tour will soon return to Kansas City. The brothers are performing at the Record Bar in downtown Kansas City on Dec. 17 and Dec. 18.
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