Koz affects

From a gapped-tooth smile below thick-rimmed glasses, the voice of Koz McKev permeates North State airwaves via KZFR radio. When he’s not spitting wisdom Wednesday mornings on “Bohemian Express,” McKev’s visage glows from public-access TV’s “Kozmic Cream” astrological show. And that’s not all. This altruistic soothsayer also pens thoughts in “Kozmic Debris,” a Synthesis column. McKev—politically, environmentally and astrologically minded/guided—has made a niche for himself as Chico’s own celestial chief resident.

Who is Koz McKev?

Koz McKev is the stage name of Kevin Durkin—a writer’s name—and it evolved originally from my first astrology column called “Rostrologies.”

What’s in a name?

It’s just a way of honoring my ancestors because I’m three-quarters Irish. Some people would say “Micks” just like they call black people “niggers"—it was like a derogatory expression. I’m not afraid to use the “N” word because I feel like freedom of speech is constantly under attack in America.

What’s up with the astrology?

I was originally a skeptic and a cynic to astrology. Being that my sun sign is in Scorpio, I think that Scorpio tends to get a really negative rap. Scorpio is the sign that deals with life. It deals with sex, birth and death. Its key phrase is “I create,” and creativity is the juice that keeps me in existence.

… and politics?

Here we have a president that possibly is involved in the killing—murder—of thousands of innocent people for a lie. And we have this other president that might have had his one-eyed trouser trout lubricated, and we’re all like up in stitches thinking he needs to get the death penalty? This is a weird place. If you were like an alien from outside another planet and you looked at America, you’d say, “These people are really disturbed.”

McKev 10 years ago?

I was in a band called Barbara’s Bush. I had all these little things [I’d say] like, “If the music stinks, consider the source.” It was really mean but it was funny at the same time. Of course there were a few women named Barbara who didn’t like the idea of Barbara’s Bush being out there.

… and 10 years from now?

I’d like to think 10 years from now Koz McKev will be able to take his show on the road and see some more exotic places in the natural world. And have more rich friendships and more wonderful musical and artistic collaborations with people. I don’t really see too much more. We may not even have the United States in 10 years. The way things are going, I don’t know.