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The brothers, who perform tomorrow and Saturday at Casino Rama, have released four albums of roots rock over the past decade. They have also seen fan interest change. Now they have music fans, rather than people who just want to see someone whose film credits include A Few Good Men, JFK, and Mystic River.
"The ideal situation would be if they like the music and they come for that reason," Michael Bacon says in a phone interview. If people come to see Kevin in person, to see what he's wearing or how tall he is, he says, "If we do our job, I feel that we can turn those people from movie star fans into Bacon Brothers fans."
Their latest release is The Bacon Brothers Live, an album and DVD recorded in New Jersey in February 2003. A record snowstorm the night before the show almost proved disastrous, but the concert went on as planned.
Kevin, also on the phone, says he gets more satisfaction performing in concert than in front of the camera.
"When I was growing up I loved the theatre," he says. "There was that element of danger. Performing live in front of people is something that is very special. It's challenging and frightening in a way that I need in my creative life. It's that feeling of butterflies, that's really what it is.
"Doing movies, I don't really get that anymore because I am very comfortable. It's like being in my living room because I've spent my whole life there."
Kevin says his earliest memories are of watching his brother, who is nine years his senior, playing in the basement. Kevin began playing congas and percussion when he was 12 to back his brother's bands.
Michael, who has dozens of credits scoring films and TV shows, recently worked with Kevin on Loverboy, a new film Kevin produced starring himself, Matt Dillon and Marisa Tomei. Both brothers say the other brings a certain quality to the band's sound and songwriting.
"Michael knows everything and knows it really well," Kevin says. "His performing style is different from mine in that his writing is much more introverted and intense and it's deeply personal. He has a gentler approach than I do."
"He's an amazing songwriter," Michael says of his brother. "He will go to places where a trained musician normally wouldn't go. Since he didn't spend years in the music business trying to write hit songs, he will do things that I find incredibly interesting musically."
While Michael's bread and butter is music, Kevin still knows that his movie career "pays the rent." He does say that he views music more as a second career and not a hobby.
"If it were a hobby, I would be putting money into it," Kevin says. "It's a business and my brother and I split everything 50/50. You want to end up in the black. I'm still acting and producing and directing, so I'm still knee-deep in the movie business. So I wouldn't want to jeopardize anything in my movie career."
Although they played a series of shows earlier this year in San Diego, the busy schedules of the two means it's sometimes difficult finding time for gigs. But regardless, the band is something Michael says he doesn't see ending.
"I'm really lucky to have a writing partner whom I really respect and who also kicks me in the butt and keeps me going."