Precious metal and beloved music play key roles in Kevin Barnes’ life
Accomplished Munich goldsmith Kevin Barnes isn’t himself most weekends. No, during his spare time he becomes Vitello Tonnato, the front man for The Roaring Zucchinis, a swing band that specializes in the classic tunes of the 1950s and 1960s. Born in Chesterfield, England, Barnes, 46, and his family soon relocated to London, where he remembers singing and dancing on the table to the sounds of the Beatles and other pop stars of the day. His German mother met his English father while taking part in a work program offered in England after World War II. The relationship didn’t last, so when Barnes was nine years old he and his mother and sister moved to Hannover, Germany. After qualifying for admission to university Barnes ended up in Berlin. The year was 1979. Barnes decided to seek a goldsmith apprenticeship, but was told that he would probably have to wait a year. Nonetheless, he pressed on and learned that one workshop might still have an opening. When he met the owner the man asked Barnes if he could draw. The young Englishman had originally wanted to be a graphic designer or a model maker, so he was quite comfortable creating things on paper. After seeing some of Barnes’ jewelry designs, the man immediately took him on. “It was fun from the very first minute,” Barnes says. For the next five years he worked as an apprentice and then headed a goldsmith workshop. During that time, he also earned his goldsmith bachelor’s degree. He continued his education in Hanau, Germany, where he completed a two-year program at the renowned Goldsmith Academy. In July 1987, Barnes earned his master’s degrees in jewelry design and goldsmith craftsmanship. It was during his years in Hanau that he and Bernhard Grassl became friends. Their love for music and their desire to become successful goldsmiths created a bond that is still strong today. The former classmates became business partners in October 1990 when they cofounded Grassl & Barnes. Until last year, they were located in a section of Grassl’s family home near Nymphenburg Palace. After eight years as partners, the two decided to form independent businesses. Today, they still share a workshop, which is housed in a former army barracks along the Schwere-Reiter-Strasse. A few years after settling in Munich, Barnes accompanied a girlfriend to her tryout with a band called The Roaring Zucchinis. The swing band’s saxophone player found out that Barnes also sang and asked him if he wanted to audition as well. But Barnes declined. He had been in a number of bands before but none had, as he puts it, made it out of the basement. In fact, Barnes had always felt so shy and intimidated on stage that he would close his eyes, grip the microphone and just try to get through the set—hardly lead singer material. However, two weeks later, his girlfriend convinced him to join the band as a substitute for front man Vitello Tonnato. At the time, the man who was the lead singer was busy with other projects and sometimes couldn’t make the Zucchinis’ gigs. When the former lead’s schedule got even more hectic, Barnes took over completely. After hundreds of shows, Vitello Tonnato is now at ease when he performs. “On stage, it’s pure energy,” he says. The crooning goldsmith has missed just one of the Zucchinis’ shows in the last eight years. The band has a monthly show in Munich at the Jazzbar Vogler (Rumfordstrasse 17). Their next performance is on May 9. The Zucchinis can also be seen and heard throughout Austria, Italy, Switzerland and the rest of Germany. Barnes says that the band even has a fan club in Leverkusen. But only one special person gets a solo performance almost every night—that’s Barnes’ three-year-old son, Melvin. The song list usually starts with classics like “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” but Barnes says Melvin generally asks for something more lively, like “Blue Moon”. Dealing with unpredictable requests is nothing new for Barnes. But after more than two decades in his profession, the talented goldsmith feels confident that he has the experience and the expertise to make anything. “I have never been faced with a challenge I couldn’t overcome,” Barnes says. When he meets clients, his goal is to help them turn their vision into a one-of-a-kind treasure. In fact, he even lets some customers be part of the creative process. A few couples have even been with him when he poured the gold that would become their wedding rings. And one couple added a drop of each other’s blood into the gold to signify the strength of their bond. “I really enjoy it when someone gets involved in a piece of jewelry,” he admits. Barnes’ jewelry can take as little as an hour or as long as 35 hours to make. Prices range from € 150 to € 2000 and beyond. He says that no matter what he creates, he wants it to be something his customers will cherish as well as something they can afford. His greatest gift comes when he knows that his work is going to play a key role in a special event in someone’s life. “I feel thrilled and honored when that happens,” he says. Barnes’ profession and vocation are very different indeed, but the one similarity that binds both lives is the response he gets for a job well done. “It’s so rewarding,” Barnes says, “to see how people react.”