Kind of Like Spitting is an American indie rock band. They formed in 1996 in Portland, Oregon. The band was led by singer-songwriter Ben Barnett, whose work has drawn comparisons to Elliott Smith, Mark Eitzel, Billy Bragg, and Robert Pollard.
Over the next decade, Kind of Like Spitting regularly toured in the US, sometimes with David Jerkovich of Novi Split or a backing band. Kind of Like Spitting released twelve albums in seven years. In the UK, the track "Birds of a Feather" was picked up and played by BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel; however, it never received regular airplay. The band announced a break-up in 2006 for personal reasons. After reuniting in 2012, the band broke up again in 2025.
Contents
History
In July 1998, the band released a self-titled EP through Hush Records. In April 2000 You Secretly Want Me Dead was released.
Barnett has been involved in other musical projects, including The Thermals in 2002–2003. Since 2007, Barnett has taught music at the Paul Green School of Rock in Seattle. Barnett was also part of the band Blunt Mechanic, which released the album World Record in 2010.
In 2014, Kind of Like Spitting reunited again but as a trio with Brian Grant on bass guitar and Dante Johnson on drums. In this lineup the band recorded their Topshelf Records debut, It's Always Nice To See You and embarked on a two-week-long tour with Lemuria.
On November 8, 2024, Barnett released a new EP as Kind of Like Spitting, via Near Mint Records. The three-song Soon was the first official release for the band in a decade.
On September 17, 2025, following allegations of grooming and sexual assault by Febuary vocalist/guitarist Rila Ogawa, Barnett released a statement announcing the end of the band. He stated that their album I Do It For My City, released on October 3, 2025, would be their last. He later issued a statement denying the allegations against him.
Discography
Studio albums
Kind of Like Spitting (cassette) - Jealous Butcher Records (1996)
You Secretly Want Me Dead – Jealous Butcher Records (1997) / Hush Records (2000) / Jealous Butcher Records Record Store Day re-release (2016)
Kind of Like Spitting – Hush Records (1999)
Nothing Makes Sense Without It – New American Dream (2000)
Old Moon in the Arms of the New – Hush Records (2000)
One Hundred Dollar Room – Ohev/Ganaarecordings (2002)
Bridges Worth Burning – Barsuk (2002)
Learn: The Songs of Phil Ochs – Hush Records (2005)
In the Red – Hush Records (2005)
Myspace Covers - self-released (2005)
The Thrill of the Hunt – Redder Records (2006)
Songs About Zombies and Trust Issues - self-released (2009)
One Hundred Dollar Room (Reissue) - Count Your Lucky Stars Records (2013)
It's Always Nice to See You - Topshelf Records (2015)
Covers - self-released (2016)
Learn 2: The Songs Of The Karl Hendricks Trio - self-released (2020)