This Kansas City punk rocker got famous by taking his clothes off. The pandemic helped him grow...

The classically-trained percussionist has evolved from a punk-funk wild man into an improvisational innovator. This year, Mike Dillon released what may be the best album of his career.
Mike Dillon’s music wasn’t always elegant. But the title track’s opening moments on his sublime new album, “Inflorescence,” are a work of subtle grace. Drawing on classical minimalism and cerebral chamber jazz, Dillon’s unaccompanied mallet work conveys the quiet confidence of a mature musician.

Thirty years ago, Dillon was a Kansas City based punk-funk powerhouse on the rise. After being ousted from the band Ten Hands for his misbehavior, Dillon formed another group on a lark.

“Out of my mind, I started Billy Goat,” Dillon recalls. “It was supposed to be just like a one-time joke band. One of the songs was ‘Everybody Take Your Clothes Off.’”