tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57082576741351459612024-03-26T15:41:11.814-04:00Island Zone UpdateExclusive interviews with extraordinary musical artists by veteran music journalist Roy AbramsRoy Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153236460853048915noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5708257674135145961.post-69117556087615727882024-03-17T20:50:00.009-04:002024-03-21T08:06:51.530-04:00A Conversation with Sitting on Stacy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_rwqtv9Dki1YL1nn2RTAKw9C4xvVq7M9Vz5_0Q9mOX7OXCfxEP7SzMkoRPHhrrbMemVZjvHT-gbL02W0tkeYi5OpmJSGKybCDasRsLxJfmzp46BmGC2pwON137Ku5u42GHVuOgB5mu4x42zIqDNBgeC6qne8tj5C2jqTNZqs-TzIjQm1tfg-hzqyKqWD/s6144/SittingOnStacy_Logo_4K_2022.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="6144" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_rwqtv9Dki1YL1nn2RTAKw9C4xvVq7M9Vz5_0Q9mOX7OXCfxEP7SzMkoRPHhrrbMemVZjvHT-gbL02W0tkeYi5OpmJSGKybCDasRsLxJfmzp46BmGC2pwON137Ku5u42GHVuOgB5mu4x42zIqDNBgeC6qne8tj5C2jqTNZqs-TzIjQm1tfg-hzqyKqWD/s320/SittingOnStacy_Logo_4K_2022.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">For Hoyt Horatio Yeatman IV, the torrent of melodies that continually cascade through his consciousness has produced a years-long catalog of hook-laden, infectious, genre-defying songs that are most fully realized in the form of </span><a href="https://www.sittingonstacy.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Sitting on Stacy</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. Fronted by guitarist/vocalist Yeatman, completed by bassist/vocalist Kyle Hart and drummer Trevor Smith, one of San Diego’s most beloved bands has just released its first full-length album in five years, </span><a href="https://music.apple.com/us/album/looking-past-red-flags/1728737258" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Looking Past Red Flags</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. The sold-out album release show on Leap Day at San Diego's landmark </span><a href="https://musicboxsd.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Music Box</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> was, from all accounts, a riotous success. The band has just begun its </span><a href="https://www.bandsintown.com/a/14490676-sitting-on-stacy" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">North American tour</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> and will be performing at The Mercury Lounge in NYC on </span><a href="https://www.ticketmaster.com/artist/2694100" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Sunday, March 24</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. </span></p><p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8993fb80-7fff-08f5-aa79-8711175e77fb"><div><span><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="640" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHvWWzMw7SBnesBnY7qgl4ydmZ44QxpqsJtdTpGWrIwi2D5cqfGiR6bFd6yfq1VDv5rkXmHsPDzCi6YIpKXAQVZId7rsoDVQM5sqZd-RYorh4IA3d-ca_OwRjrhYMtw4F-6z8u-6bAStVlvX2zPHPHPaBjbsybN-adnCJDy33YjxyxlOzxn9dDBYOyDC6/s320/SOS%20group.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sitting on Stacy<br />(L to R) Kyle Hart, Hoyt Yeatman, Trevor Smith<br />image by Ellen Ward</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I have Brian Wilson to thank for the introduction. A musical recommendation from the mastermind behind </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Pet Sounds</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> is not something to be taken lightly. And so it was, at the beginning of last summer, that I watched a clip of Hoyt delivering a brain-tweaking, harmony-heaven acapella version of “</span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/v/MufxnTy2MbLa7xXW/?mibextid=WC7FNe" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Don’t Worry Baby</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">” that was shared on Brian’s Facebook page,. Locked in place, I let the video loop, captivated by the sound, before noticing the words “Sitting on Stacy” in a tiny font, almost lost on the screen. This, folks, is where the journey down the rabbit hole began. A considerable amount of hours were subsequently devoted to scouring the internet to track down more about who/whatever “Sitting on Stacy” turned out to be. What I discovered was a great young California-based band who have already released two full-length albums independently, with a </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@sittingonstacy8647" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">wealth of material</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> available online including stand-alone singles, album tracks, live performances and interviews. The first two albums, </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raIk_-TI6rE&list=OLAK5uy_mdJGq2x3-drvj-r4xMtdDluPjuSF8uhg4" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Obsessed</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (2017) and </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pOBFdNR8ko&list=OLAK5uy_klRDSLSvRdB8uRTqojkngK8F_JKpIBlAU" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Perfectly Sane</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (2019) showcase a group of musicians who are unafraid </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">and talented enough</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> to incorporate a dazzling array of musical genres into their writing and performances. Sonically speaking, the songs are produced with a finely-tuned ear for tone and placement, creating a cocoon of sound that envelops the listener, pulsing with waves of varying intensity emanating from the band’s kaleidoscopically creative approach that includes (but is not limited to) surf, ska, alternative, punk, folk, and rock. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">These guys deliver a powerful blend of sounds, songs, and stage presence with the sincerity of a no-bullshit, down-to-earth band that just wants to get out there and have fun with their audience, giving 100% at every performance. With the release of </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyfimyVdEuM&list=OLAK5uy_kc3DNigd-m2nd_ujvGWdQ-MPczO0mtmv4" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Looking Past Red Flags</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> and their North American tour in progress, the band hopes to share its music with as wide an audience as possible. With my tickets already in hand, I look forward to an amazing show.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I connected with the band last August for two separate Zoom interviews, which comprises the bulk of what is to follow. A brief email interview conducted with Hoyt a few days ago brings us to the present. Read and enjoy!</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Hoyt Yeatman Interview: August 22, 2023:</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Roy Abrams</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Your music has been on constant replay in my house since June 29th, which was the date that Brian Wilson shared your “Don’t Worry, Baby” video. I heard that and it led to falling down the proverbial rabbit hole.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Hoyt Yeatman</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Thank you! That’s amazing!</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: You’re welcome, but I have to thank you guys as well. I'm speaking to you not just as a music fan, but as a musician, as a songwriter, and as somebody who’s been kicking around for a little bit. What you guys are creating is compelling and captured my ear right out of the gate. When I mentioned falling down the rabbit hole with your music, I meant it, having listened to every song of yours available on the internet and watched every live performance video that’s available. Across the board, I was (and remain) blown away. The songs are painted from a refreshingly diverse creative palette, highlighting the band’s powerful blend of instrumental prowess and vocal abilities. I also love the arrangements, the production, and am struck by the prevailing sense of fun that is a palpable presence both in the studio and on stage.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HY</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Thank you very much. That means a lot.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Really looking forward to your March 24th show at The Mercury Lounge. If my research is correct, you were in this neck of the woods once before a couple of years ago, in Brooklyn?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HY</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Yeah, it was our first time on tour. We went there, I forget (the venue) because it’s hard to remember places You’re on the road and you see it for two seconds. But yeah, we went to New York for the first time. It was a great show. It was so fun! We didn’t expect anyone to show up but it was almost sold out. All these people came and it was like super, super cold. I remember it was almost 15 degrees and we’d never experienced the cold because we’re from California. I didn’t even bring a jacket. It was crazy ,</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">so cold</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">! [Laughs] Yeah, we were loading gear in this wind tunnel and it was 15 degrees and we were freezing …. A kit of people showed up and it was one of the best shows on the tour, for sure.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Is the band still headquartered in San Diego?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HY</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: We started the band in San Diego and when Covid hit we moved back to L.A.. That’s where our studio is, in the Ventura County area. We call San Diego our home because that’s where we started. We love going back and playing shows there. I'd say our biggest fan base is in San Diego.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Not for long, I think.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HY</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: [Laughs] Yeah, hopefully!</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: How did you guys find each other?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HY</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: We found each other through a school called Rock Nation. It was kind of like a School of Rock kind of thing. Our drummer Trevor’s dad was one of the owners of it, so he put a bunch of kids in bands, (and taught them) guitar, bass, and they would perform three cover songs at a local bar for a bunch of parents. You’d rotate, so there would be different band members. I met Trevor that way. We joined a band called Glass Voodoo. I was the bass player, he was the drummer. We just became really good friends. Right around high school, I wanted to start my own band, called Paper. I reached out to Trevor (but) he wasn’t able to do it. We went through some other people and eventually, when Covid hit, we were just stuck in our rooms the entire time. I was like, “Trevor, do you want to join the band?” and he was like, “Yeah.” I’m good friends with Kyle, I’ve known him like forever, since high school, so we’ve kind of been in the same area together, into the same music, going to the same school. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: The friendship that exists between the three of you is readily apparent. As someone who’s been in a band, I know how vital that is; not just from a creative standpoint in the studio, but also onstage as performers. You guys bring a sense of unpretentious fun to what you do, and I would imagine that you’ve garnered a fan base that spans a few generations. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HY</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: It’s cool when you make music that a lot of people resonate with. It’s cool to talk to all of them and have them enjoy your music. It makes us want to do it more and have more fun. I think life is way too short to not have fun. We go in the direction that’s the most fun. That’s our motto. We’ve been on the road a couple of times, and we’ve been with each other for months, nonstop, 24/7. We’ve gotten in maybe one argument but mostly we’re just like brothers. We love hanging out with each other.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtdxZBub4BM_T06WJZQfI8XcWNyU132sPEch-gT01JRUftKPeFZXg5PE1J26ZWK2BrW3LEMIMzt4TNrWVkRwqMb8KRN8xJyZHIvgJyW88ybAiGc4ydS3qPYNY048vqj5VJl7xNl7_RIzg6ExSXkeMgN3EtFNBRvEUBCAy9fS9Un43KCWHedqxBNlfh_oIm/s1592/SOS%20Live%204.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1061" data-original-width="1592" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtdxZBub4BM_T06WJZQfI8XcWNyU132sPEch-gT01JRUftKPeFZXg5PE1J26ZWK2BrW3LEMIMzt4TNrWVkRwqMb8KRN8xJyZHIvgJyW88ybAiGc4ydS3qPYNY048vqj5VJl7xNl7_RIzg6ExSXkeMgN3EtFNBRvEUBCAy9fS9Un43KCWHedqxBNlfh_oIm/s320/SOS%20Live%204.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">image by Ellen Ward</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: To make sure I understand the timeline of the band’s current incarnation, Trevor joined the band after </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Perfectly Sane</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">? </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HY</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: We released </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Obsessed</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> in high school. I think I was 17 or 18. I was with Kyle at the time. When we went to college, we recorded </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Perfectly Sane</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> in our bedroom. We got a different drummer and we were performing and it started to get really fun. We were selling out shows and people were really liking it, knowing all the words … and then Covid hit. And no shows were around so we were just stuck in our rooms. Our drummer ended up leaving and we didn’t really know what to do for the longest time. I remembered being in bands with Trevor and I asked him to come and jam. We jammed for like five or six days and started making Tik-Toks and that’s when it kind of took off. We were on the front page of Tik-Tok and we were like, “Holy crap!” I mean, there have been people doing music but we kind of did that “play to the camera thing” I had no idea what we were doing but we got a bunch of views and then we ended up getting signed. Joe Jonas ended up finding us. He DMd us and was like, “Hey are you guys signed by anybody?” We were like, “No!” We didn’t even know what that was. [Laughs] He was like, “I’d love to set up a Zoom call.” We did the Zoom call and that’s when Trevor was like, “I’ll join the band.” It totally worked out after that.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: As a multi-instrumentalist, what did your formative years consist of, musically?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HY</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: My first instrument was the piano. My mom wanted me to play an instrument so she signed me up for piano. I didn’t fall in love with it; I was like a little kid. To get me to practice, she would put all my little stuffed animals in the living room, and then I’d have a little performance for the animals, so she was very encouraging for my “concert-ness.’ I tried playing the flute for a little bit but I didn’t’ vibe with that at all. I love the sound of the flute but I just couldn’t make a sound on it; it was too hard. I went to the bass, then I switched over to the guitar and I learned “Iron Man.” – that was the first song I learned, and I just fell in love with it. I started to learn drums, and I really want to play the bagpipes. That’s my next instrument!</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Really? </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HY</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: I love bagpipes! [Laughs] It’s hard to make sounds with them!</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>RA</b>: Yeah, someone once said that if you don’t play them right, it sounds like you’re trying to give a cat the Heimlich maneuver. So, it was guitar after the bass for you …</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HY</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Yes. I really, really wanted to play acoustic and my mom signed me up for electric because she thought it would be easier.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Is there a go-to guitar of choice? </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HY</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: My sea-foam green </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMgN181urGw" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Fender Powercaster</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. It’s like a weird kind of hybrid guitar. I put some pickups in it that I like. It’s (a) funny (story), when I was trying out a different guitar and we were playing in Mexico - we were opening for the Jonas Brothers - and I walked up there with the different guitar, and the first song in, the string broke. We were in front of 30,000 people. I was like (makes a strained grinning expression). I ended up changing it out and talking to the crowd. I was speaking English so I don’t think they understood anything I said, but it was funny. I was like, “My guitar string broke!” and everyone’s cheering. I was like, “No, no! It’s bad!” [Laughs]</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_cbbJOoyKeQZ275dqI5pzM2i6Y9Z61OXCJ_CaKVwE7-XxSwjNnopeWIJZa0FXSPTW9ZaI1RfKaymeAQg7wp7LM-zgAEfb3hjVgExD5w_N6jIcxCINvkuI1BPtaJi669NmToo_6bxQ3G1maa9ejdDHEBTASUNoaz6Q4MwxPM2HWKtJUANxyPR8X_3JFUia/s2048/SOS%20live%202.JPEG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_cbbJOoyKeQZ275dqI5pzM2i6Y9Z61OXCJ_CaKVwE7-XxSwjNnopeWIJZa0FXSPTW9ZaI1RfKaymeAQg7wp7LM-zgAEfb3hjVgExD5w_N6jIcxCINvkuI1BPtaJi669NmToo_6bxQ3G1maa9ejdDHEBTASUNoaz6Q4MwxPM2HWKtJUANxyPR8X_3JFUia/s320/SOS%20live%202.JPEG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">image by Ellen Ward</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Kyle is an exquisitely tasteful bassist whose melodic grooves complement the songs perfectly. His bass lines are always spot on.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HY</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: They are!</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: He uses a </span><a href="https://www.fender.com/en-US/electric-basses/jazz-bass/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Fender Jazz Bass</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, correct?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HY</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: He’s big on Jazz basses.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: I want to touch on the vocal harmonies you and Kyle create. It’s relatively easy for two people to harmonize in pitch, but achieving a true vocal blend is another matter. The blend between you and Kyle creates that kind of embedded third voice, which only happens when the voices intertwine on multiple sonic levels. It’s a blend that you either have, or you don’t. You guys have it.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HY</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Yeah, I remember for the longest time, he didn’t want to sing. I was like, “Dude, your voice is so good, you gotta sing.” and he was like, “Okay.” And then he started singing. His voice has a kind of softer tone and he can hit higher notes than I can. We kind of have this cool thing. I can hit the falsetto, but he doesn't do it as well. Whatever my weakness, he is strong in that. HIs voice is naturally higher so he can hit the great harmonies. I have more of a pointed kind of sound. It’s cool, Like, (for a demo) I’ll do harmonies just as like (temporary) ones over the melody that I was thinking of and it’ll sound pretty cool, but I really want Kyle to sing it because as soon as his voice gets on it, it just starts to sound like a real song. So yeah, if I just sing the harmonies for recording, it just ends up sounding like a bunch of me’s just singing it and it doesn’t sound as cool, but once his voice is on it, it sounds so cool. I really like singing with him.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: While the two original drummers each brought a solid sense of musicality and groove to the mix, my ears tell me that it was not until Trevor joined that the “right” people found each other. For me, it’s symbolic of the Pete Best-to-Ringo moment for the band. What brand of drums does Trevor prefer?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HY</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: He’s a big </span><a href="https://porkpiedrums.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Pork Pie</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> guy, He has a Pork Pie snare, He’s super into it</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: The eclectic nature of the band’s first two albums showcase a fearless commitment to presenting a diversity of musical expression. It’s one of my favorite things about Sitting on Stacy, and I love the fact that you are completely unafraid to do that. (Neither were The Beatles, so you’re in excellent company!) As you and I both know, the major labels can’t get a handle on that. An A&R person might show up at your gigs and say that they love the band, only to admit that they don’t know how to “market” you.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HY</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Believe me, we’ve gone through the ringer with that. Yeah, it’s true. I mean, they’ll say, “You don’t have a sound” or “You’re doing too many genres” but I think the “sound” </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">is</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> being eclectic, I want to have a </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">lot</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> of different sounds!</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: I also love that you manage to achieve that within the space of one song. There’s also the fun factor involved with the recording sessions, which is readily apparent in listening to the results. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HY</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: It’s cool. We just bring in our friends. Like, on our song “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HffukrvYbNw&pp=ygUbc2l0dGluZyBvbiBzdGFjeSBjaGVzdCBoYWly" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Chest Hair</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">”, we brought our friends, they both played horns. We’d never used horns before on a song. They played in the (high school) band and stuff, and we had no idea they could play. They were just listening to this song and were like, “Dude, can I put some horns on it?” I was like, “Yeah, let’s do it!” We had no idea what we were doing. I’m like, “I don’t even know how to mic a horn!” (So) we researched it and we mic’d his horn up and I helped them walk through it. I was producing it and it just worked its way, and that was the solo of the song and we were freaking out. It feels so good when you get whatever’s in your head to be on the computer and playing back to you. It’s such a good feeling!</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: An observation I’ve made from watching videos of so many of the band’s live performances is that the three of you capture the essence of the fun of being in a band, </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">when it works</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. You’ve obviously figured out how to make that happen.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HY</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: That’s like our favorite part. I love recording, but I know that Trevor and Kyle love playing live. It’s just the most fun. I want to get everyone to just let go and just have the best time. If they pay to see our show then I want them to have a giant experience. I try to do everything humanly possible at our level to make the shows as crazy as possible. I want to put on a really good show. I love jumping around and going crazy, having funny people come up onstage.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8fIxcVeuKwmJ2jVJB0rPc0vt-lLVQyv6c9tPYhqZjlIzm_SAigkjBSUsgF1pmWhHtw8r4X9yJJVBy_wRqb0uyNHUdwl-ysTsvJX1jm6oTNAFh8Qaey_VBiCJrNFMrA26JAQAOHD43uUBoTL3779MyExZa-Ks5otLHLeHHO0uP8g5AsJ6IS6HwpCzDdeMT/s4714/SOS%20live%202.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4714" data-original-width="3075" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8fIxcVeuKwmJ2jVJB0rPc0vt-lLVQyv6c9tPYhqZjlIzm_SAigkjBSUsgF1pmWhHtw8r4X9yJJVBy_wRqb0uyNHUdwl-ysTsvJX1jm6oTNAFh8Qaey_VBiCJrNFMrA26JAQAOHD43uUBoTL3779MyExZa-Ks5otLHLeHHO0uP8g5AsJ6IS6HwpCzDdeMT/s320/SOS%20live%202.webp" width="209" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">image by Ellen Ward</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: I’d like to explore the DIY recording aspect of your band. Are you using digital, analog, or a hybrid?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HY</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: It’s fun! Yeah, it’s like my hobby; it’s my passion. I just love mixing and creating songs and stuff. Yeah, it’s cool. It’s mostly digital. I record everything at home. I have a ProTools setup. I’m using Orion and Ableton too. We have preamps and stuff we built. It’s a very DIY-home studio kind of vibe. I sit in my room all day and just record and mix. It’s cool. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: What kind of microphones do you use?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HY</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Let’s see … My dad actually helped build a U47 Telefunken, We’ve kind of moved over to that and that’s where I record pretty much everything with, it just sounds so good. AKG 414s, SM7s, SM58s, you know, all the regular ones. We’ll use a lot of unconventional ways to record things. We’ll put a drum set up and only put two or three mics on it and then add things later to it to try to make weird sounds. That's what I’m going for. The best albums always have a really unique sound with their mixes, so I don’t want (anything) to just sound like a stock instrument, you know? That’s what we’ve been kind of shooting for. I’ve been recording a bunch of guitar stuff; I have a jury-rigged kind of Orange amp and Marshall DSL (not to get too technical) …[Laughs] I love it! Tons of pedals, just mic it up in my room and it sounds really good. It’s awesome!.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: I noticed the giant array of pedals you used for the band’s live performance for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qP1JZ9rvfA">Cal State Fullerton</a>. Of them all, is there a particular favorite?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HY</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> My stepdad gave me this flanger pedal from when he was in a band in the ‘80s. It's a Yamaha flanger pedal. I just use it for all the sounds, basically. It works great, it has this weird kind of dreamy thing over it, and that’s why it’s my favorite one. He used to use it in his band. He gave it to me and I've been playing with it ever since. Then I have a Probe pedal, it’s called a ZVEX, where it’s kind of like a theremin; in a sense it’s like a wah, when you put your foot close to it, it changes the sound. It’s so cool. I don’t know, I’m all into really weird pedals and stuff.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Songwriting-wise, are they done collectively or essentially yours with some help from the other two guys?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HY</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Usually, on </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Perfectly Sane</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, it was my initial idea. I’ll come up with a verse and chorus, and then usually I’ll show it to them and they’ll hop on like a bridge or like the rest of the song, structure-wise; they finish it with me. It’s good to bring them ideas because they’ll always have a different approach to finishing it that I didn’t think about, and it’s like, “Wow! That’s cool!” I don’t know, they add the glue to it, so it’s fun writing with them.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Let’s talk lyrics … they’re all from you?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HY</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: For the most part, yeah. I’ll try to write about experiences and stuff I have. Yeah, I think lyrics are probably my least favorite to write because I have so many melodies. I have to really reach down deep inside and figure out what I’m trying to say but yeah, usually it’s me. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Is the mixing done by you or all three of you?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HY</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: I mix it and then master it. I'll mostly produce it, then I’ll show it to (Kyle and Trevor) and they add their parts so it all works out.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Have you done any production work for anybody else?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HY</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: I’ve helped my friends and stuff, but the first time actually is with NOFX. I’m helping them on their last record. I’m doing some harmonies and stuff and I’ve mixed a couple of his songs. That’s my first producing/mixing gig I guess. NOFX has been a big inspiration for us, so it’s kind of cool to be working with them and just doing his last record. I remember in high school and college I’d listen to his first record and go, “Oh, this is so cool!” I loved how fast and how angry everything was. Now I’m working on his last record, and it’s so crazy to me. But yeah, it’s the only (outside project) I’ve done and just stuff for myself.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Can you tell me about the “hidden” track at the end of </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Perfectly Sane</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HY</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: I had done that in my college dorm. It was super late at night, I didn’t want to wake anybody up. I was just kind of going around on the guitar. It just kind of popped in my head. I was like, this is so cool, but I didn’t have time to finish it and turn it into a big song, so I was like, why don’t we make it super creepy and put it at the end of the album? I love when albums have funny little blurbs at the end. So yeah, I never got to finish it, it was gonna be a big song, but we were kind of rushed so I just put it at the end (of the album). It was this melancholy little guitar riff with a little vocal thing on it. Everyone’s kind of like, what is it? It’s funny, because there’s a gap between the last song (“Don’t Forget the Fries”) and the hidden track, which made the last song like five or six minutes long, even though the song is actually like two minutes long.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: One final question about </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Perfectly Sane</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, regarding the song sequencing. One of the things that blew me away about the album was how those songs flowed into each other. Who was responsible for that? </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HY</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: I know we sat with it for a long time and discussed the order of everything, because there’s a lot of eclectic sounds; there are some that were really fast, some that are really hard rock, some that are ska, some that are not. I”ve always loved making music like that. I love making an album’s worth of just crazy different songs that all sound different. So it was hard, because it was like, how do we put a song that’s super hard rock and a song that’s totally not right next to each other? We just decided to do it. I’m pretty sure we sat together and would listen to them going from one song to the next. It did take a lot of time. It’s crazy that you noticed that!</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Sitting on Stacy has a reputation for a decidedly high-energy performance. Is this something that comes naturally for all three of you or does it take some conscious work?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HY</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">:I remember my very first gig ever. I was like 10, and my mom was showing me Green Day and some of the Beatles, Paul McCartney and stuff and just how they would jump around. She was like, you see how they’re strumming their guitars? They could just be standing there strumming their guitar but they’re doing it all crazy. I remember seeing that and going, “Wow, you’re right!” The first show, I remember I was jumping up and down, going crazy. My guitar fell off its strap and it hit the ground and I was so embarrassed. But everyone was stoked and they were like, “Wow, that little kid is jumping around!” Plus, I have a lot of energy and I just want to get it out. I love getting all of your energy out and then people will just vibe along with it. It’s such a weird feeling onstage. I can’t even really describe it perfectly. But that, paired with looking at your idols and seeing that wow, they do jump around onstage and go crazy. That’s kind of where I learned a lot of it. Yeah, we would hurt ourselves all the time. [Laughs] I had my legs get bruises from jumping off the amps. I sprained my ankle on the last tour really badly, but that wasn’t onstage, it was right before we were going to play. I fell out of the van onto a safety cone. I twisted my ankle, but I still played the rest of the shows. I was jumping around on one leg and I thought I broke my leg. Yeah, the show must go on! </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Any closing thoughts on the new album?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HY</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: We’ve been recording this third album for a very long time now. I just can’t wait to show it to everybody. We've been working with Fat Mike from NOFX, we worked with Pierre Bouvier from Simple Plan, we worked with Rome from Sublime on some of the songs. I’ve learned a lot since </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Perfectly Sane</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, mixing-wise, so I can’t wait to show everybody what we’ve got here, I’m really excited. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: I guess we have Brian Wilson to thank for the introduction, which leads me to my final question: How did that happen?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HY</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: I love The Beach Boys like, so much. They’re so … I don’t even have to explain. They’re just amazing. We covered a lot of their songs (on Tik-Tok) and I guess they had seen it. I guess it did so well that they saw the covers. It’s been crazy. We’ve pretty much had all the Beach Boys reach out, like Al Jardine, Mike Love, and Brian Wilson. We’ve been able to talk to them and they’ve seen our covers for each one. That’s so crazy … I can’t believe they’ve seen … me … I’m such a big fan, you know? It’s cool, I’m glad I have other songs, at least, to bring them some stoke .. some stokage! </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsZKT17VSYwI1nlk7ByaZfzERiLpC_MDpP3buywVRrTky4rQFq1Rd_Lxtlp1l39OvrhXLlWOCYhA1TBUOZiTLz-m0wKnWiV6CtgexMRDILunfXlNn0hsBL0Vo3UH3kfjydx2qpVIYTIRgljqXfc9-XaKwVWmhhbQrpka0A1yMCaaC4r6r4EN4g2EpWvWg9/s4000/SOS%20portrait.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="4000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsZKT17VSYwI1nlk7ByaZfzERiLpC_MDpP3buywVRrTky4rQFq1Rd_Lxtlp1l39OvrhXLlWOCYhA1TBUOZiTLz-m0wKnWiV6CtgexMRDILunfXlNn0hsBL0Vo3UH3kfjydx2qpVIYTIRgljqXfc9-XaKwVWmhhbQrpka0A1yMCaaC4r6r4EN4g2EpWvWg9/s320/SOS%20portrait.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">image by Ellen Ward</td></tr></tbody></table><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Kyle Hart and Trevor Smith Interview: August 29, 2023</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Kyle, I hear a certain left-handed bassist who’s an influence for you. You bring a lot of melodicism to your playing.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Kyle Hart</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Thank you! Yeah, you gotta love Paul McCartney!</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: What led each of you to music in the first place?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Trevor Smith</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: When I was 10 years old, or even younger, I started playing bass. God knows why, but I was terrible! [Laughs] I picked up drumsticks and I liked it a lot more. So I was originally a bassist but it was not my thing.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">KH</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: I have a similar story. When I was like 5 or 6, I kept telling my parents that I wanted to play acoustic guitar, so they got me this little acoustic guitar for Christmas (I think), and I hated it. They gave me lessons, and I didn’t really like it. So I was like, maybe I’ll play the bass, it’s got less strings! [Laughs] So I picked up the bass, and that’s what led me to it.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Hoyt told me his version of how the three of you got together, but I’m interested in both of your perspectives on how this bridge got built.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">KH</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">; We were all involved in the same music school. It was called Rock Nation, </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">TS</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: We were like, 10 years old.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">KH</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Yeah, we were really young, and you would have teachers, and they would teach you all these songs, and then once a month or so, you’d play at some bar for your parents, [Laughs] We did that for a long time, and then once we got into high school/early college, we started forming our own bands.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">TS</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: I was in a different band with Kyle before, and then I was in a different band, and then years later, we ended up as us three. Me and Kyle went to high school together </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">KH</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: We’ve kind of been playing together since we were 10 years old, and it took many years for us. We were all in different bands and eventually we all joined the same one and never looked back.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Trevor, I don’t mean to denigrate the drummers who preceded you, but when you joined the band, it was the Pete Best-to-Ringo moment, as far as I’m concerned.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">TS</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: I’ll take it!</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">KH</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: We initially jammed a few times. The chemistry was good, we were having fun, </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">TS</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: We did our first U.S. tour in 2021 which was definitely a solidifying moment. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Who are some of your individual musical influences?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">KH</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: For me, I would say The Beatles. I really like Paul McCartney’s melodic bass lines. I grew up on classic rock, Led Zeppelin and stuff like that, but I also really like a lot of ‘90s bands like Alice in Chains. I take inspiration from any time period.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">TS</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: I could list 100 drummers but if I could pick one I would probably say Stewart Copeland. I love the way he plays, I love The Police. They were kind of my “growing up” band. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Let’s talk about the songwriting process. From what I understand, Hoyt does the lion’s share of the writing, or is it a collective process?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">KH</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: For a lot of the songs, since Hoyt is the singer, he’ll figure out the melody and some guitar chords and stuff, and we’ll go jam it out in the jam room or build it in front of the computer. Some songs just come really naturally, and some songs you keep going back to, tweaking it and tweaking it.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: What are some examples of songs that locked in on the get-go, and conversely, what are some songs that you really had to peel apart to get them where you wanted them to be?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">KH</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: I would say “Chest Hair” is one song that really flowed well.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">TS</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: The new one that’s coming out next week was pretty easy, writing-wise.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">KH</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apIDkfRBMB4&pp=ygUhc2l0dGluZyBvbiBzdGFjeSBzb21lIGtpbmQgb2Ygd2F5" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Some Kind of Way</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">” is one that took some time. I came up with the chorus for it. We were trying to figure out a verse and nothing was working, and then Hoyt said he woke up one night with the melody for the verse in his head. It was like 3:00 am and he quickly recorded it on his phone. Yeah, that one took a while to match a verse with that chorus. Once we got it, we were really stoked on it. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: I know that Hoyt occasionally does studio production work for other bands. Do either of you get involved on that end?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">KH</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: I have not, no.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">TS</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: I’ve done a lot of live work. I’ll play drums with bands all the time. Recording-wise, it’s been just us, for the most part.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Hoyt and I discussed the vocal blend that exists between the two of you. Two people can be singing in pitch, but they might not necessarily have the blend. The combination of your voices produces that elusive “third voice” which is magical when it occurs.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">KH</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: I appreciate that. It’s really good to hear. I think it blends well, too</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Just so I understand, Hoyt will come in with a basic idea, but the end result is the product of the combined effort from all three of you.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">KH</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Yeah, for sure.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: I’ve seen so many of the band’s song snippets on Tik-Tok. How many of these have been fully realized at this point?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">KH</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: I would say a pretty good amount of them.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">TS</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: I believe the plan is (that) we’re gonna release three new songs by November, and the whole thing by January/February.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: What have been some of your most extraordinary live experiences to date?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">KH</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: We played in New York City (in 2021), that was a good one. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">TS</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Yeah, the first time there, we sold it out, which was really crazy for us. We’d never been out there, so it was super cool for us.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">KH</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Boston was another good one.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Where did you play in Boston?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">TS</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: The Brighton Music Hall … a cool venue.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">KH</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: We had some cool Florida shows as well.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">TS</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Texas loves our band. It’s fun there!</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">KH</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: Yeah, on our very first tour, we got to the venue and had a bunch of people taking pictures with us. I was like, this is crazy! We’d never been there before.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">TS</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: We’re really trying to play more music festivals these days, as our ultimate goal. Festivals are really good these days.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJPqVPChJTAbWB0ehcBGYlWkNx2Kdu003_Q4xz_j-hyWKH_QWPfVpYiasmq7Rra6P_y-48mktqUHtLVuo0JG_NiVfPc2SU82LCeA138ueEliyP1OHSOodD2wWjg9rsKJ9q8toDLmrLuJ2kvjHNyOUjbiwwhbokxvBk907gL4IUmAsW2NW3s97fdITLyex6/s6000/SOS%20Portrait%202.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJPqVPChJTAbWB0ehcBGYlWkNx2Kdu003_Q4xz_j-hyWKH_QWPfVpYiasmq7Rra6P_y-48mktqUHtLVuo0JG_NiVfPc2SU82LCeA138ueEliyP1OHSOodD2wWjg9rsKJ9q8toDLmrLuJ2kvjHNyOUjbiwwhbokxvBk907gL4IUmAsW2NW3s97fdITLyex6/s320/SOS%20Portrait%202.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">image by Ellen Ward</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Additional thoughts from Hoyt, via email, March 13, 2024</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HY</span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Looking Past Red Flags</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> is our third album! It has 16 tracks on it. The majority of the album was recorded upstairs in our home studio. We didn’t want to stick with one genre/sound with this record; each song has its own vibe and the album gets darker and angrier as it progresses. After getting signed and seeing how the music industry operates it opened our eyes and made us realize we wanted to have a little more autonomy where we could do our own thing, at least for the immediate future. Going through Covid and the big label experience was a bumpy time period and we wrote a lot of the lyrics about these escapades and mixed in some past relationship feelings. The name <i>Looking Past Red Flags</i> was just too fitting and described the past couple years to a T where we didn't always heed our guts' warnings but also evokes a more hopeful side in that we're looking past that, towards the future. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">We were able to collaborate with Rome Ramirez (Sublime with Rome) on songs “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3oVMIijXVw&pp=ygUWc2l0dGluZyBvbiBzdGFjeSB0b2t5bw%3D%3D" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Tokyo</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">” and “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOMpInSccq4&pp=ygUdc2l0dGluZyBvbiBzdGFjeSB3ZWRkaW5nIHNvbmc%3D" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Wedding Song</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">” and recorded “Tokyo” in Nashville with him. We recorded “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pYP0JPWonk&pp=ygUQc2l0dGluZyBvbiBzdGFjeQ%3D%3D" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Crème Brûlée</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">” and “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQpihpJw8pA&pp=ygUbc2l0dGluZyBvbiBzdGFjeSBtaWxlcyBhd2F5" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Miles Away</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">” with Pierre Bouvier (Simple Plan). Fat Mike (NOFX) came out to our home studio and helped on tracks “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyfimyVdEuM&pp=ygUgc2l0dGluZyBvbiBzdGFjeSBtYWtuZyBhbnkgc2Vuc2U%3D" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Making Any Sense</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">”, “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WojtvDTqLhs&pp=ygUkc2l0dGluZyBvbiBzdGFjeSBlc2NhcGUgb24gYSBob2xpZGF5" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Escape On A Holiday</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">” and “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhUtb4wMMN8&pp=ygUhc2l0dGluZyBvbiBzdGFjeSBlc2NhcGUgYmFieSBnaXJs" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Baby Gir</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">l”. We wrote “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0zmy0caKpc&pp=ygUZc2l0dGluZyBvbiBzdGFjeSByYWluY29hdA%3D%3D" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Raincoat</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">” and “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDDVOaecXJE&pp=ygUcc2l0dGluZyBvbiBzdGFjeSBob3VzZSBwaG9uZQ%3D%3D" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">House Phone</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">” with Mike Kamerman (Small Pools) and Etienne Bowler (Mister Wives). The rest of the songs like “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSgnZM6TJME&pp=ygUdc2l0dGluZyBvbiBzdGFjeSBpIG5lZWQgYSBuYXA%3D" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I Need A Nap</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">", “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3FmCsJuHVE&pp=ygUlc2l0dGluZyBvbiBzdGFjeSBtYXJjaW5nIHRvIHRoZSBncmF2ZQ%3D%3D" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Marching To The Grave</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">”, and “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5K_UzrKZfD0&pp=ygUhc2l0dGluZyBvbiBzdGFjeSByYWJiaXQgaW4gYSBjYWdl" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Rabbit In a Cage</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">”, Hoyt, Trevor, (and) Kyle wrote and produced together over the last few months. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> Looking Past Red Flags </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">tour started in San Diego, home to our band's start, with our album release show and we sold out the Music Box! It was INSANE! San Diego fans embrace us like no other city! We opened for 311 on the east and west coasts. We played a total of seven shows with them. Those were some of our favorite shows by far and we were really well received by 311’s fans! We played with 311 in Atlantic City and had to cross eight states in a rental car while simultaneously renting a drum set from a dude in a parking garage. The whole experience was unreal. We are now currently going to Atlanta to continue the tour. We are playing all over the country and playing in Canada for the first time. This album means a lot to us and we can’t wait for more people to hear it.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 9pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">© 2024 by Roy Abrams </span></p><div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 9pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div></span>Roy Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153236460853048915noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5708257674135145961.post-14011410128730880642023-08-08T16:11:00.006-04:002023-08-10T09:52:51.965-04:00The Lemon Twigs Return Home: A Conversation with Brian and Michael D'Addario<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv1TLnSX-mD7GnT04M355p3H69e0n9pTkYai1sTDypmycio5oxuPTl_aKVRaw0ZyaOMRXxW2CwOSGS-uS_g20aE-kPRwbRYXm8fYYef9MWef5W2e4oI5lPebDRO6zCRh265rJYFTLJYUCLCjgtxP9Sj1HQQUgGqjfZi86b7_SVHDuAZrzsy0GbhK0kVNwX/s3360/Lemon%20Twigs_Stephanie%20Pia%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3360" data-original-width="2240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv1TLnSX-mD7GnT04M355p3H69e0n9pTkYai1sTDypmycio5oxuPTl_aKVRaw0ZyaOMRXxW2CwOSGS-uS_g20aE-kPRwbRYXm8fYYef9MWef5W2e4oI5lPebDRO6zCRh265rJYFTLJYUCLCjgtxP9Sj1HQQUgGqjfZi86b7_SVHDuAZrzsy0GbhK0kVNwX/s320/Lemon%20Twigs_Stephanie%20Pia%202.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Lemon Twigs<br />Brian and Michael D'Addario<br />Image by Stephanie Pia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Elton John raves about them. Todd Rundgren raves, writes, and records with them. The list of musical luminaries who sing their praises seems to grow by the day. </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-3ecba70b-7fff-6f76-ea75-f8ecba8fc861"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">The Lemon Twigs, fronted by Hicksville’s own Brian and Michael D’Addario, are preparing for their long-awaited return to Long Island at The Space at Westbury on <a href="https://www.thespaceatwestbury.com/?page=show&sid=1934" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">October 13th</span></a>.Their journey has been a long and winding one s</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #242424;">ince the time of their humble live debut at the Hicksville Street Fair in 2014. </span><a href="https://thelemontwigs.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">The Lemon Twigs</span></a><span style="color: #242424;"> have become one of the torchbearers of writing, recording, and performing song-based pop/rock music in the tradition of their iconic influences (think Beatles, Beach Boys, The Byrds, Big Star) with a quirky, refreshing originality, and have gained a devoted international following in the process. </span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">The band’s fourth album, <i><a href="https://thelemontwigs.bandcamp.com/album/everything-harmony" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Everything Harmony</span></a>, </i></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">was released in May and has since charted internationally, garnering fans exponentially and earning wide <a href="https://www.popmatters.com/lemon-twigs-everything-harmony-review" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">critical acclaim</span></a>. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">The upcoming Long Island show is sure to be a celebratory event. Fans and critics alike say that the band has never sounded better onstage. To this regard, longtime followers of The Lemon Twigs will welcome the return of <a href="https://twitter.com/DrDannymusic"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Danny Ayala</span></a> to the four-piece touring band lineup. A Hicksville native and close friend of the brothers, Danny’s formidable abilities as a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist are a perfect addition to the mix. His voice blends seamlessly with the other two, creating pitch-perfect three-part harmonies that can send chills up the spine. L.A.-based multi-instrumentalist <a href="https://bigtakeover.com/profiles/SeptemberBoysUniBoysDeliverClassicPowerPop" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Reza Matin</span></a> rounds out the quartet with his unique musical signature.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #242424; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Having last crossed paths with the D’Addario brothers in 2019, a recent phone call with Brian and Michael offered the opportunity to catch up on all things Lemon Twigs. Read and enjoy!.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Roy Abrams</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: I learned that the upcoming show at The Space at Westbury on October 13</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">th</span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> is your first official Long Island show. I’m trying to wrap my head around that. Why was there such a time lapse between your initial breakout in 2016 and your first Long Island performance?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Brian</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: Most of our fan base, when we started out, was in Brooklyn. Those were our first shows where anybody really came, it wasn’t just (those who were) invited. So It always seemed a little bit scary to play on Long Island because we thought most of our fan base in this area was from the city. We also played our first show as The Lemon Twigs at the Hicksville Street Fair, but that was our only show ever (on Long Island).</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: Moving directly to talking about </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Everything Harmony</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">, as a harmony singer, I’d like to tell you both that it’s a rare occurrence when a collection of voices can blend in a way that moves me to tears. During my first deep-listening session to the album, that happened on several occasions even before I got to the halfway point</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">BD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: Thank you so much!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: Let’s talk about the genesis of </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Everything Harmony</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">BD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: Well, for us, with all of our records, the writing really spans years. From our last album on, we really try and center the songs around creating a good, whole listening experience that is, like, not so varied that you feel like you’re listening to two different bands, or something like that. We held back some of the songs for a while, like “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2w4moS3oFU" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Corner Of My Eye</span></a>” and “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2w4moS3oFU" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Any Time of Day</span></a>”, which were written around the time of the last album; pre-pandemic, around 2019. We always have a good starting point, and “Corner Of My Eye” was really that song that we felt like we could build an album around, sonically. I played that song live, in 2018 or something, so it was kind of building for a while.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: What led to the decision to self-produce?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Michael</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: We’ve been producing ourselves for the past couple of records and I think we’re getting better at it and we kind of decided that we had a vision for the album and we knew how to carry it out. We just wanted to make the kind of recordings that were crafted as well as we could possibly get them to be crafted.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: You guys did a beautiful job. Having followed your career since 2016, this new record takes it up several notches. Among your musical influences, do you have engineering and production influences as well? I heard traces of <a href="https://www.historyofrecording.com/royhalee.html"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Roy Halee</span></a> in there, who worked with Sinon and Garfunkel.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">MD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: Yeah, he was one of them. For the song “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFHd1M_e54Q" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">What Happens to a Heart?</span></a>”, we were thinking about Beach Boys recordings, Simon and Garfunkel recordings, that kind of have an uncompressed feel, even if some of them are compressed, they kind of have a pure kind of quality, aside from the echo, which is so epic. So the big thing was to go to a studio that had an <a href="https://reverb.com/news/6-echo-chambers-that-shaped-the-sound-of-popular-music" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">echo chamber</span></a>. All of the echo on the record is real echo from an echo chamber, except there’s a little bit of <a href="https://producelikeapro.com/blog/plate-reverb/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">plate reverb</span></a> for things that needed longer time, because it was kind of a small chamber. (We had the idea) to mix everything into the chamber to give it an organic sound. I think that helps overdubbing sound more organic; there’s something about mixing the actual sounds together ….</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">BD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: Yeah, and also, it kind of alters sounds a lot too, you know, when you mix them together and they swirl around in the echo chamber. The snare sound in “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGCd8cNFLd0" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">When Winter Comes Around</span></a>” was us clapping, like overdubs for five or six times.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">MD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: And the bass drum sound is the couch.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: Seriously?!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">BD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: Yeah, close-miked.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">MD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: Close-miked, and (with) a nice <a href="https://www.sweetwater.com/c23--Neumann--Microphones?mrkgadid=3323964757&mrkgcl=28&mrkgen=gtext&mrkgbflag=0&mrkgcat=studio&recording&acctid=21700000001645388&dskeywordid=43700046740850862&lid=43700046740850862&ds_s_kwgid=58700005285003666&device=c&network=g&matchtype=e&adpos=largenumber&locationid=9004516&creative=341750931105&targetid=kwd-108833969&campaignid=1361092518&awsearchcpc=1&&&gclid=Cj0KCQjwz8emBhDrARIsANNJjS57zXdfhbCeoGssxezEo78qjx_BBBjYXne9WGzMyCT6earu8kq77QEaAl1kEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Neumann</span></a> mic fed into a <a href="https://www.ams-neve.com/consoles/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Neve</span></a> console into the <a href="https://www.historyofrecording.com/studera800.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Studer</span></a> tape machine (it) sounds like a huge drum!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">BD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: We limited ourselves. In certain respects, like we just thought, the last record had a lot of synths that provided a lot of the arrangement for the album, because I didn’t feel like arranging string parts for the last album. With this record, we just thought to use no synthesizers. If there was an arrangement, I would generally have to write it out. We did things like rent a harpsichord, tracked it for a few days, (and also) used a lot of vibraphone.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: Were there any particular challenges you faced during the recording process? As a corollary to that, did you experience any breakthroughs?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">MD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: When the album started, we moved out of our parents’ house to the city, and we got space in Manhattan right at the height of Covid; it was getting a lot cheaper. We were in a space in midtown called <a href="https://musicbuilding.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">The Music Building</span></a> and it was so raucous and loud (with) all of the sirens and metal bands that were practicing. (We were working on) a very delicate-sounding album, and we were hitting our heads against the wall trying to figure out how to do this record. Brian’s trying to do good guitar takes and there’s sirens ruining takes. We finally reached a point where we said we have to take the album somewhere else. We took it to a studio in San Francisco that was a pretty decent rate and some really legendary albums and recordings were made <a href="https://www.kqed.org/arts/12279498/hyde-street-rock-how-wally-heider-and-the-tenderloin-shaped-the-san-francisco-sound" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">there</span></a>; they did “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRFo72wuU6w" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Spirit in the Sky</span></a>” and <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGJnrVUF5qY" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">American Beauty</span></a>.</i> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">There wasn’t really a place in New York that had a real echo chamber, so we went and mixed the album and kind of finished it up there.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwAF9MFPAGY0x8oJvsaBZ64ZGjlh6Rcz8U_jweErdxsRbKWqdm0gxlazswS6EnPBFpUXFW6DlGIpMsXTBecqN3awrr11pBHcW3BjbUfyvP3C17pHUMkw1W0r12FlwMpmaUXrsqMN61BtoZj6B-hu-KaB5HcVtYDbOnICl14ezt5JtNtkAvMuNFS7Ddk69U/s3000/Lemon%20Twigs__Everything%20Harmony_Album%20Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwAF9MFPAGY0x8oJvsaBZ64ZGjlh6Rcz8U_jweErdxsRbKWqdm0gxlazswS6EnPBFpUXFW6DlGIpMsXTBecqN3awrr11pBHcW3BjbUfyvP3C17pHUMkw1W0r12FlwMpmaUXrsqMN61BtoZj6B-hu-KaB5HcVtYDbOnICl14ezt5JtNtkAvMuNFS7Ddk69U/s320/Lemon%20Twigs__Everything%20Harmony_Album%20Cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: Fans and critics alike are saying that the band has never sounded better onstage. Having absorbed several hours of these shows that have been posted online, I wholeheartedly agree. Are there any plans to release a live album?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">MD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: Yeah! We’ve recorded live performances before. We put out a live performance of the song called “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj6iNkmveKY" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Ghosts Run Free</span></a>” from the last record just recently. We’re very particular about recording, and it all has to be analog tape; when we got the opportunity to do that, we recorded that show the way we wanted to. There’s some great things about that performance (and) there’s things I don’t love about the performance. It would be nice to record a lot of different performances; it’s just too difficult because our standards are high for the way that things are recorded. We like performing live; the dream would be to be able to record a bunch of shows and combine them and make a live album. A lot of things come off way better live. And we also get to rehearse the songs a million times and (learn) how they might be better arranged.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: The last few years have seen a marked period of growth for both of you as songwriters. I know that some songs have been around for a little while, but others, not so much. What has the writing journey been like for you, both individually and collectively?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">BD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: I was really able to work with my strengths on this album. I’ve always found it easier to write a ballad than a faster song. (With) “Ghosts Run Free”, it came about very spontaneously and I was very influenced by songs that Michael was writing at the time like “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5XGx5bWttc" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">In My Head</span></a>”, which was written before “Ghosts Run Free”. It was cool, because I knew that I could write ballads well for years, but I was never able to put a lot on a record, and then, I didn’t know that I could write a fun, sort of flippant thing! It’s nice to know that you’re not just bound by whatever your influences are. You can choose to write any kind of song you want to write.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: You’ve been on the receiving end of heaps of praise emanating from some of rock music’s most iconic figures. What do these accolades mean to you?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">BD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: It’s very affirming and it really comes from a sense of (having) a musician that you think is really talented and good making you feel like you’re also a good musician.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">MD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: More than “You’re doing well, career-wise.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: How cool and how exciting it must have been for both of you to have not only met <a href="http://www.todd-rundgren.com/?utm_source=Tedium&utm_campaign=Tedium_08_08_2019&utm_medium=email" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Todd Rundgren</span></a>, but also <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fknyxTJdSdY" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">worked</span></a> with him both onstage and in the studio! Talk to me about the mind of Todd Rundgren … What did you see while you were there?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">MD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: Todd is logical! (laughs) What I think is so cool about him is that recording and everything between and making music is all a means to an end; fidelity and all that stuff is kind of arbitrary. He’s so musical, and that’s really what it’s all about. My <a href="https://www.ronniedaddario.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">dad</span></a>’s kind of similar, I think, although Todd is more extreme.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">BD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: Todd’s practical when it comes to recording and producing; his line of “If somebody comes to me and they know what they know what they want and they think they can play it, then I’ll let them do that. If they don’t know what they want, I’m gonna figure out what they want and I’m gonna play it.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">MD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: I really like that philosophy!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">BD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: Where his off-the-wall ideas come from, I don’t know! It’s pretty amazing. The song that we did with him, we left an open space for maybe a guitar solo or something. The song had this prominent vibraphone on it and when it came to the solo section, he just took a sampled xylophone or something (maybe he sampled our vibraphone) and did a xylophone solo. It had this crazy arrangement, you know? He just comes up with completely unexpected ideas, but I’m sure he comes up with them very quickly.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">MD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: I admire his confidence and his decisiveness; I think that if you’re gonna get as much work done as he has in his lifetime, you need to have a philosophy—and his seems to be—to just get it done, I know it’s good. I don’t do enough to completely pull it off. I find when I’m recording, (I go through) a lot of “I’m unsure, I could take it in this direction or that direction,” spending my time deliberating, I don’t really know if it does anything because you’re gonna be who you are no matter what and make the decisions you make.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: I interviewed him years ago, in <a href="http://islandzoneupdate.blogspot.com/2021/02/the-archive-series-todd-rundgren.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1993</span></a>, for the <a href="https://glidemagazine.com/video/30-years-ago-today-todd-rundgren-releases-no-world-order-album-first-interactive-album-in-history/" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">No World Order</span></i></a> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">album. He claimed that he was able to get his “patented” Todd Rundgren drum sound in about 15 minutes, no matter the drum kit or the recording environment.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">MD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: We had our impression of it and we tried to do it in his fashion, to record and send him the stuff, compressing and distorting to the tape. Then, when it came back from him, it was like that times ten!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: As a lifelong fan of the instrument, I love how the 12-string electric guitar is prominent in the mix on many of the tracks. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">BD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: That’s Michael’s influence because he was the one who was getting all obsessed with <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-byrds-mn0000631774/biography" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">The Byrds</span></a>.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">MD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: Originally, I was playing the 12-string with the last group that we had for a while, two guys who were playing with us, and then once the album came out, we were with Danny and Reza. Once they joined, I switched back to 6 and Brian started playing 12 because he can get a hell of a lot more out of it.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: Do either of you listen to <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/xtc-mn0000678339/biography" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">XTC</span></a> at all? </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">MD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: We’re not aficionados, but I think we’re coming from a similar place as Andy Partridge. We’re casual fans.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: How about <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/elliott-smith-mn0000172167/biography" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Elliott Smith</span></a>?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">MD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: Elliott Smith was kind of a big influence for this record because we were interested in people like him who liked a lot of old music and were coming from that place and were able to translate that to people of his time. That was interesting to us because we had been kind of used to doing things in a pastiche kind of way.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: What were some of the standout moments from the band’s recent European tour?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">MD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: Well, the Manchester show was really good, I thought.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">BD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: Yeah.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">MD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: The Paris show was really good</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">BD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: There are certain venues that we get to play in Europe that we don’t get to play necessarily in the States that not only are just “big deal” great because they’re bigger shows, but the places are so old …</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">MD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: Whatever room that we played in Manchester and the theater that we played in Paris? They were both beautiful places.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">BD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: And places that, like, Hendrix had played─</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">MD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: We were all dressed right, and maybe there was a day off right before both of those shows, and they just both really went well.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc2C6zUxM8lRE7MsxNnNFqBqZCd5exSC3VNdGcBunO0u8ibaWN-R_GG2s6yCxrVIn46QuWkahjgQN2kAtOOciuyd1b1yihLYyqOWx47C63nI0ba9WDPKmF6HH4v4kN6pa42gJrUQ_L1Rf1xxgHA0hjE_t295V4oMRpSe03JWFEnwRwq82VOFxE7jksZoy3/s3130/Lemon%20Twigs_Stephanie%20Pia_1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2075" data-original-width="3130" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc2C6zUxM8lRE7MsxNnNFqBqZCd5exSC3VNdGcBunO0u8ibaWN-R_GG2s6yCxrVIn46QuWkahjgQN2kAtOOciuyd1b1yihLYyqOWx47C63nI0ba9WDPKmF6HH4v4kN6pa42gJrUQ_L1Rf1xxgHA0hjE_t295V4oMRpSe03JWFEnwRwq82VOFxE7jksZoy3/s320/Lemon%20Twigs_Stephanie%20Pia_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image by Stephanie Pia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: From the vantage point of the stage, who are you seeing in your audiences these days?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">BD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: A huge range. When we were just in England, it was a lot younger than we expected; people who were a couple of years younger than us.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">MD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: It really is a huge range. We used to get, in the lesser populated shows in the Midwest, or wherever we were starting out, it was a lot of older people. It seems like now, it’s more rounded out. There’s a lot of teenagers and 40-year-olds and 70-year-olds, especially through the U.K. and Europe.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: As multi-instrumentalists, I’m wondering if there are any other instruments that are on your individual wish lists?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">MD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: Hmmm. I think I could try and do violin, I guess sitar would be cool.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">BD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: Sitar would be pretty sick. My friend <a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/jonathan-rado-producer-indie-rock-8461801/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Rado</span></a> has one.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">MD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: Typically, if we’re in a studio that has access to different instruments, Brian will pick them up and be able to play them. Brian’s really just that kind of musician. But in terms of instruments we might want to </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">have</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">, we’d love to have a Mellotron. I think it would be invaluable for us to have a <a href="https://mastering.com/mellotron/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mellotron</span></a>, we’d be able to get away with a lot of, uh, half-real string arrangements. Synthesizers and synthesized sounds just don’t have the same feeling.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: What led to original touring band member Danny Ayala rejoining the fold?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">MD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: We felt like we had a lot of different members who were so talented in different areas but we never had anybody who was able to do a third harmony quite so well as Danny had when we first started out. Not that we wanted to go with acoustic performances that would reflect what we have on the record, but we did things that it was necessary to have a harmony to pull off. I was interested in the band being more kind of musical and Beatles and Beach Boys influenced as opposed to kind of a hard-edged rock thing, a live and theatrical thing. It was getting more common to find people doing really outlandish things on stage rather than to find people just playing well. So then, we thought, what was the combination of people we could get that would just play our songs really well; they don’t have to improvise, they just have to play the parts better than anybody really could play them. These guys are really good and Danny, especially, vocally. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: So, you have U.S. dates coming up, and you previously mentioned that there is a lot of new music in the works. What does the rest of the year look like for you?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">BD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: Well, I’m really hoping to finish a record in the next few months. We have a lot of material but the problem with that is that there are songs you want to put the effort towards making videos for. These are the songs that we wish we can just have out in the world, you know, without having to talk about them necessarily, because they’re just songs and they’re not some sort of statement. We have 12 songs together that we are mixing and we feel happy to make videos for and do everything that you should do when you really want to put it across to people and get people to listen to it.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">RA</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: Sounds like you will be the proverbial busy bees for the foreseeable future! From an older musician to two young guys who I have the utmost respect for: You look at the bulk of what’s offered by the major labels these days and observe a glut of lyrically mindless songs with melodies that maybe span five notes which seem to repeat themselves from song to song … and then, you have The Lemon Twigs, who are rooted in melody, exquisite harmonies, inventive instrumentation, really clever time signature changes, key shifts, all the great stuff that hooks you right in, You have the songs, you have the sound, and it sounds like you have an incredible future ahead of you. Thanks so much for taking the time to speak with me today. Can’t wait for the Westbury show!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">BD</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: Thanks so much. It means a lot, everything you said! We’re really happy about this band, too. We’re really excited to get back on the road and play!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"></p><hr /><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Extra Feature: A Select Sampling of Brian and Michael’s Top Five Lists</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-c9ab3d5f-7fff-c4f5-7113-1766413d787b" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Top Five of each other’s songs</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Brian</span><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Hell On Wheels</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">In My Head</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I Don’t Belong To Me</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">What You Were Doing</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Everything Harmony</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Michael</span><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">What Happens To A Heart</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">When Winter Comes Around</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Live In Favor Of Tomorrow</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Born To Be Lonely</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Any Time Of Day</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Top Five collaborations with each other</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Brian</span><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Everything Harmony</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Tailor Made</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">When Winter Comes Around</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Fight</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">What You Were Doing</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Michael</span><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Roboto,sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Tailor Made</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Roboto,sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Some Love</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Roboto,sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I Don’t Belong To Me</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Roboto,sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Somebody Loving You</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Roboto,sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">When Winter Comes Around</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Top Five “wish list” collaborations with other artists</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Brian</span><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Sparks</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Paul McCartney</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Bob Dylan</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Roy Wood</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Jeff Lynne</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Michael</span><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Paul McCartney</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Brian Wilson</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Van Dyke Parks</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Ringo Starr</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Jim Keltner</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">© 2023 by Roy Abrams</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></p></span></span>Roy Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153236460853048915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5708257674135145961.post-77361840064362189402022-10-24T21:31:00.001-04:002022-10-24T21:41:26.873-04:00New Music From Old Friends: A Conversation with The Smithereens' Jim Babjak<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzR7M0fKPbOKraui1VN5npK3z8yx6sXxT6hYDRF_JU2V5EkT_6ikFgGGngY2K9cpys9NM2Z0Kd1cSdh4PcIAULMEfHIqhJy3cQYCKDtFLKmvsAIQVbHbxH0paczyrIzjVIEYCRaThnBhRC6sB9lX58eQMyRslOsV-SUXJCUI2RBRJAZd7376tjP0y0YA/s3100/The%20Smithereens%20Press%20Photo%20With%20Border.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2500" data-original-width="3100" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzR7M0fKPbOKraui1VN5npK3z8yx6sXxT6hYDRF_JU2V5EkT_6ikFgGGngY2K9cpys9NM2Z0Kd1cSdh4PcIAULMEfHIqhJy3cQYCKDtFLKmvsAIQVbHbxH0paczyrIzjVIEYCRaThnBhRC6sB9lX58eQMyRslOsV-SUXJCUI2RBRJAZd7376tjP0y0YA/s320/The%20Smithereens%20Press%20Photo%20With%20Border.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Smithereens<br />L-R: Mike Mesaros, Jim Babjak, Dennis Diken, Pat DiNizio</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The
Smithereens are among a small number of groups whose music transcends time. Their
new release, </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">The Lost </i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Album, showcases the band at their prime, beautifully
capturing their unique ability to incorporate a wide array of musical styles culled
from a variety of genres and eras into songs that are instantly accessible and
permanently memorable. Formed in 1980, the New Jersey quartet is celebrating
its 42</span><sup>nd</sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> year and is as busy as ever. With 11 studio albums released
between 1986 and 2011, the band earned its legion of devout fans through a near-constant
touring schedule. Theirs is a lasting legacy of musical integrity and
innovation that survived even the death of founding member </span><a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/pat-dinizio-smithereens-singer-dead-at-62-124683/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Pat
DiNizio</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> in 2017. Known for their infectious, cleverly crafted songs that
could be “mean, sweet, joyful, or brooding,” in the words of bassist </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mikemesarosonbass/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Mike Mesaros</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, The
Smithereens’ latest offering represents not only a remarkable gift for their
fans, but also an enticing welcome to new ones. For the band themselves—Mesaros,
drummer </span><a href="https://vwmusicrocks.com/an-interview-with-dennis-diken-of-the-smithereens/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Dennis
Diken</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, and guitarist </span><a href="https://www.jimbabjak.com/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Jim Babjak</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">—</span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">The
Lost Album</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> is nothing less than “emotional gold,” according to Mesaros.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">A
lengthy conversation with Jim Babjak a few days before the album’s September 23</span><sup>rd</sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
release yielded wonderful insight, reminisces, and advice from a man who was
there from the beginning, candid in his memories, and a refreshingly
down-to-earth human being. With many exciting events looming on the band’s
horizon, The Smithereens are decidedly not relegated to being “only a memory.” Read
on and enjoy!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Roy Abrams</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
Thank you for taking the time to call and speak with me for little while today.
Just as importantly, thank you for the decades of music! This album coming out
when it is represents a real synchronicity for me. I fell down what can only be
described as a “Smithereens rabbit hole” this summer, and it was an intense
period of rediscovery. It lasted for a couple of months, and I was listening to
everything I could, watching every live performance or interview that was
available on YouTube.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Jim Babjak</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
I do that, too! Especially if I end up getting a boxed set of like, everything
the Hollies ever did, or The Move, or the big Neil Young boxed set, you know. I
dissect it, I remember things from the past, I hear new things, new mixes. I
already preordered the Revolver vinyl <i>and </i>CD deluxe set. Like $300-400 on
that stuff. That made me think, how much did I spent on The Beatles in my
entire lifetime? It’s got to be the price of a car. I buy everything! I’ve
bought the <i>White Album</i>, <i>Abbey Road</i>, <i>Sgt. Pepper</i>, all the
deluxe sets, <i>All Things Must Pass</i>. I was one of those guys who never
gave up my vinyl. I remember when CDs came out, Oh God, it was so long ago now!
People were selling their vinyl for pennies and getting everything on CD; now
they’re getting rid of their CDs and putting everything on their iPod. I’m not
getting rid of any of mine! I’m keeping it; it’s there! I don’t want to just
depend on the air! I listen to vinyl every day. On the weekends, in the
morning, I’ll put on a record.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
Aa a follower of your </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/JimBabjakOfficial/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Facebook page</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">,
after learning about </span><a href="https://www.officialsmithereens.com/post/copy-of-the-smithereens-announce-the-lost-album"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The
Lost Album</span></i></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> I reached out to your publicist the
second I read your post. I’ve been listening to it nonstop and man, it's the
return of an old friend. Hearing the opening chords of “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVUAKi_ZepE"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Out of This World</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">”
brought the same chills-up-the-spine feeling as the first time I heard “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqML7WbOun8"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Blood and Roses</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">.”
Speaking as one fan, and probably on behalf of all the others, thanks so much
for doing this!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
People have said the same thing. As soon as they heard that opening chord, it
was like, “Sounds like The Smithereens!” [Laughs]<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC5fEjC0jyuGKBgB9aw5Wo5w5wfI7yQf_BvwhAmYgfn6K98iAQbe_ixvea3pVrXD99eWG8xUWzvw5z14NsuIWcUe-Q3bJ4s3qCRb3-ZllvijhcY5FPDElYFfNYMgXqsa7bSgfPuVscUvlhZ34P55fhvjoyM4Lc7ri0vW6TT62R2N7z_FY-ofc-W59V7g/s3998/Smithereens%20Lost%20Album%205.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2664" data-original-width="3998" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC5fEjC0jyuGKBgB9aw5Wo5w5wfI7yQf_BvwhAmYgfn6K98iAQbe_ixvea3pVrXD99eWG8xUWzvw5z14NsuIWcUe-Q3bJ4s3qCRb3-ZllvijhcY5FPDElYFfNYMgXqsa7bSgfPuVscUvlhZ34P55fhvjoyM4Lc7ri0vW6TT62R2N7z_FY-ofc-W59V7g/s320/Smithereens%20Lost%20Album%205.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jim Babjak in the studio<br /><i>The Lost Album</i> sessions</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /><o:p><br /></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">:
Can we discuss the background behind the new album and the decision to </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Album-Smithereens/dp/B0B6ZQXYWW/ref=sr_1_21?crid=13DGUH8A5CQLT&keywords=the+smithereens&qid=1660175969&s=music&sprefix=the+smithereens%2Cpopular%2C136&sr=1-21"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">release
it now</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
All I can say is that life just got in the way. There were just too many things
going on. So, when we recorded that album, it was at a time when we lost our
record deal and we just recorded everything that we had and wanted to see where
we were going. When we got signed to RCA, we re-recorded half of them that made
sense together. The rest of the songs that were left over, which is <i>The Lost
Album</i>, were truly “lost.” There’s such a mix of styles on this album, it’s
almost strange releasing it as an album, but here's the thing: When we were
doing this, I was having a house being built, and we lost our record deal. I
wasn’t sure what we were gonna do. But we are survivors so we just decided to
go in and record it, but then after we got signed to RCA, we just kind of
forgot about it and moved on to other albums, other tours. I ended up getting a
day job for 19 years. I was raising my kids and, you know, I guess since I’m
not working my day job anymore and (after) the loss of Pat, we went back and
started looking through our archives. When I discovered this, I thought, “Well,
this is really good. I think our fans might like this!” I think I did mention
it to Pat maybe 10 years ago when I found it on a cassette, and (we) just never
got around to it. You know what? There’s more stuff we have to look at, with
what people might like. We don’t want to release everything. I also have a new
album’s worth of solo material that’s all done and I never released it. It’s
because of the day job, life going on, raising your family, making a living,
touring; all this stuff just gets in the way, using all your tine to do this.
It’s overwhelming, too. I’m in my record room right now and I’m looking at
hundreds of cassettes. [Laughs] It’s crazy. At the same time, I’m working on
new material for a new album using </span><a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/gin-blossoms-robin-wilson-interview-1235026705/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Robin
Wilson</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> and </span><a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/312044-Marshall-Crenshaw"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Marshall
Crenshaw</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">, so there’s also that. You’ve got to keep
moving. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
The songs are so different, stylistically. It’s like a photo album in that the
songs are snapshots of different moments in time. Regarding the recording
process, did you do all the basic tracks live, then add overdubs? So many of
these songs sound as if you had recorded a rehearsal and absolutely nailed the
track. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
Yeah, for that time period, that kind of was like a rehearsal. It was so long
ago that I don’t remember if it was the first take or second take, but we did
do the (basic) tracks first. Pat would normally sing a rough vocal, although
the lyrics weren’t all done at the time. We’d be sitting around the table
eating chicken parmigiana sandwiches and writing down lyrics! [Laughs] That’s
the way it still works. I should say that; there’s no exact method. There are a
few times where I have written the lyrics first and then added music but most
of the time, I’ll come up with a melody and music first, and a hook. Usually I
like to come up with a hook, like the chorus, and then build around that.
Sometimes it’s based on a true event in my life but it’s really hard to write a
song that’s all true. It ends up changing. I wrote a song called “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=836muCSUwG8"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Point of No
Return</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">” … inspired by my late wife (who) passed away
six years ago from cancer, I remember having to say to her one time, “I guess
I’m wrong again this time,” because I would just let her have her way,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>you know? I was in the Lincoln Tunnel, on the
way to record at Crystal Sound, and I was stuck in the tunnel, and I’m like,
“Oh, man. It’s the point of no return.” And as I’m sitting in the tunnel, it
kind of came together. I started writing this song about the point of no return
in a relationship. It wasn’t exactly like that; the rest of it was all just
made up. But going back to the sessions, yeah, pretty much we recorded the
basic tracks, worked out all the riffs, solos, bass parts, and then put the
vocals down. A lot of these are sort of unfinished. Like Mike says in the liner
notes, it’s 80% finished. Some of them are fairly finished. I don’t know what
more we would have added to “Out of This World,” maybe another guitar to
strengthen it more.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
It’s part of the charm of the new album. Nothing is burnished to a high gloss,
but that’s awesome. There’s a sense of “these are the songs as they should be.”
There’s such a sense of comfort. For your fans, it’s a sense of coming home. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
Yeah, I kind of felt that it would get that kind of reaction.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
Referring back to the “Smithereens rabbit hole” I found myself in this summer,
as a multi-instrumentalist myself who gravitates toward the bass guitar, I was
reminded of how Mike’s bass lines are as integral to the band as a certain
famous left-handed bassist was to his. With the 10-year hiatus Mike took from
the band, you had Severo (“The Thrilla”) Jornacion take over the bass guitar
responsibilities, which was a formidable task. Each musician has his own
approach to the instrument, which results in a very different feel to the
rhythm section and by default, the whole band. Was there any adjustment process
for you during this transition?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
As far as my playing goes, I didn’t adjust anything—not a thing! [Laughs] I
feed off of Dennis and Mike both but in those days, I guess I was just feeding
off of Dennis. Severo would have to feed off of us. I would come up with
counter melodies. The reason why is because when Severo was with us, Dennis and
I and Pat would work together and he would come in later and do his bass parts,
whereas with Mike, we would do it together, and I would wait to see what Mike
was doing and what Dennis was doing. I would interweave between that, so we’re
not playing the same thing. That started way in the beginning with Pat. Pat
gave me these demos, and they had these simple chords, but I thought, “I don’t
want to play the same thing he’s playing” so I gotta come up with some riffs,
or I gotta lift a finger here, add a finger here on a chord just to make it
sound different, and have the strumming be different, and that’s how we came up
with a specific sound of the band. We were just feeding off of each other. I
got to say, Dennis and I have been playing together since 1971; we were kids,
13 or 14 years old, and we were together for 9 years before we met Pat, just
playing in my garage, playing at parties and stuff.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6yaNs7j5nB-0t3vfZJbdohUP4YVI-7p0ABiPACxiocGFeDzgBSLMB_YRDezsM7SuceJG1YpJeZBVX8FG3sOAKXTJ-v60agqKGi3eoj_rqQwhYIf0e-ASQnniiE_U_-8qcMvJgtrxKxUqX-9-kKN5il2qkrXgNnGKUQHk2SPeZvLHGo5xzyzUPPxTefw/s1500/Smithereens%20Cover%201500px%20REVISED%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6yaNs7j5nB-0t3vfZJbdohUP4YVI-7p0ABiPACxiocGFeDzgBSLMB_YRDezsM7SuceJG1YpJeZBVX8FG3sOAKXTJ-v60agqKGi3eoj_rqQwhYIf0e-ASQnniiE_U_-8qcMvJgtrxKxUqX-9-kKN5il2qkrXgNnGKUQHk2SPeZvLHGo5xzyzUPPxTefw/s320/Smithereens%20Cover%201500px%20REVISED%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Lost Album</i><br />Cover Art</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
There’s a sense of real down-to-earthiness to the band, to the music, which
brings me to another question: How do you and the other members manage to
remain as grounded as you have?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
I don’t know. It’s hard for four guys to stay together that long. You know, the
three of us went to school together—Mike, Dennis, and I—and we grew up in a
working-class town, a factory town. U.S. Metals was there; my dad used to work
there when I was little. Later on, he opened up a tavern. It was a blue-collar town,
just a good work ethic. I don’t know—we all had (a lot) in common, we grew up
in the same era, liked the same kind of music—which is very broad! During the
disco period (not that I hate disco; it’s fine, I actually like some of it, but
it’s not what I wanted to play), in those years I went back and bought records
by Chuck Berry, Elvis, Buddy Holly, Fats Domino, Muddy Waters; I went back. We
were all into the roots of what we were playing. That was my foundation;
classic songwriting structure and a good hook and a good melody; we just all
had this common interest and common goal to succeed as a band and make a mark.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
As well you have! Given the amount of time that you’ve spent with the others, what
insight can you offer into each of them from both a musical and a creative
perspective?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
Well, Dennis has been playing for a long time, and he can play anything. As you
can tell by a song like “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaJlX9CgJ8A"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In a Lonely Place</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">,”
he is just a great drummer who can fit in anywhere. His musical knowledge and
his record collection … when I first met him, he had hundreds of records, and
now it’s in the thousands. (He has) an encyclopedic knowledge of music. Mike
and I both had accordion lessons when we were 7, 8, 9 years old, and we had our
Communion together in 1964, so we go pretty far back. His training for playing
bass probably came from the accordion or piano when you’re using your left hand
to play bass notes and your right hand to play melody. I think Mike’s bass
lines are so melodic. Dennis and I were playing years before we started and
said, “Well, you can play the bass, because that’s the only instrument left!”
[Laughs] So he picked up the bass, I showed him how to play “No Matter What,”
“Can’t Explain” and “My Baby Left Me” by Elvis Presley. This was after high
school when he started playing. He picked up a Rickenbacker bass at a flea
market, and we both bought leather jackets there [Laughs]. He went away to
college for a semester, came back, and he absorbed the (styles of) Dee-Dee
Ramone, John Entwistle, Paul McCartney, Graham Maby—he absorbed all those
styles into one! When he came back from college, it was like “Holy crap! This
guy’s a world class musician!”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
There’s really no other bass player who sounds remotely like him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
Yeah, it’s very interesting. He’ll tell me, “This is what McCartney would have
done. He would have held the note here, or clipped a note here, or let it ring
out here … all these subtle little things that nobody would think about unless
you’re a musician. With me, when we’re playing live, I like to leave an open
space for Mike and for the drums and for whatever. You have to know how to do
that instinctively, you know. There are certain people I couldn’t jam with
because they’re just masturbating on the guitar. That doesn’t interest me at
all. You’ve got to play together, you have to weave in and out, and do
countermelodies. Pat’s interesting because when I met him, he was really into
the simplicity of writing songs like Buddy Holly. But before that, he was into
heavy metal, listening to Black Sabbath and the later Jeff Beck stuff with
Mahavishnu Orchestra, and all that stuff. So, his influences were a little
different in that he liked the heavier stuff. I never listened to Black Sabbath
back then. The heaviest I got was The Who and Led Zeppelin. You meld all those
styles together and then you come up with us! It’s easy to say, oh, there’s a
Beatles influence, or The Who, but it’s a lot more than that. It’s everything,
the things we heard on the radio as kids in the ‘60s. The radio was just
wonderful back then.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
Wasn’t it?! I was talking about that with my wife last night. Remember WABC and
</span><a href="https://musicradio77.com/harry.html"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Harry
Harrison</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
I love Johnny Cash, too. In high school, I would be afraid to say that I
actually liked Tom Jones because my mom used to listen to Tom Jones while she
was cleaning the house. And man, that guy had a set of pipes! I probably saw
him perform five times in later years. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
Didn’t he appear on the same bill with the Rolling Stones on the Ed Sullivan
show?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
Did he? I never heard that. [Author’s note: He </span><a href="https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x59jhfg"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">did</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">.]
I know about the Hendrix/Monkees combination. We had a weird combination once.
We opened for UB40 on a tour. That was an odd tour but it was a successful
tour. Anyway, I digress, but there you have it. It’s everything from Johnny
Cash to Led Zeppelin. [Laughs]<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
What was the decision-making process like for you, Dennis, and Mike to carry on
after losing Pat?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
Well, one thing is that we’re survivors, it’s the continuation of life. It has
to go on. My wife had cancer for 16 months—pancreatic, which is the worst one
to have—there’s no good outcome with that one. She said to me, “Just live your
best life. Carry on. Go forward.” I was going to get a tattoo with her name on
it and she said, “No, don’t do that. The next woman you’re with is not gonna
like that.” [Laughs] So, she was looking out for me. I’m dating a wonderful
woman right now. With that being said, my wife actually prepared me for this,
and then when Pat died, we did a </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIiLQJ_np9M"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">tribute show</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
where the money went to a scholarship fund for young musicians. What we did was
we called up everybody we know that could sing a song or two, which turned out
to be a three-and-a-half, four-hour concert. Tons of people joined us: </span><a href="http://www.richardbarone.com/Home.html"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Richard Barone</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
from The Bongos, </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/fleshtonesofficial/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Keith
Zaremba</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> from The Fleshtones, </span><a href="https://www.bebebuell.org/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Bebe Buell</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
(Liv Tyler’s mom, who was actually a centerfold in the ‘70s!), Marshall
Crenshaw, who’s a longtime friend of ours since the early days—he actually
played keyboards on our first album and baritone guitar on “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iVCFx6Cmg0"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">White Castle
Blues</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">”—and Robin Wilson, who I had been
reacquainted with. Pat had recorded some solo stuff in his studio in Arizona
years ago. He was a clerk in a record store in 1988 when we were passing
through Tempe, Arizona to do autograph sessions. There’s pictures of us with
him as a young kid working there. All those guys came to see us before they
were in the Gin Blossoms. He sang with us, (as well as) </span><a href="https://www.tedleo.com/bio"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Ted Leo</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">.
There were so many guests! After the show Marshall and Robin both said, if you
want to do some more shows in the future, I’d be more than happy to do it. That
gave us a spark, and maybe three or four months later, we did our first show. I
was kind of nervous, and it turns out our fans want to hear us play the music
and see us live. It’s good therapy for us, and for me in particular, to keep
doing what I love and moving forward. I don’t want to sit around and retire and
do nothing. I want to keep going as long as I can. We all do. As long as people
love hearing it, and we love playing it, there’s no reason to stop. Both Robin
and Marshall add their own style to the band, and to the songs. I can’t wait
for the new stuff (to come out), maybe next year; we’ve got to get our
schedules together. People are so happy that we’re continuing. It’s keeping the
music alive and it’s keeping us alive, and that’s a good way to look at it,
too.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8gv2nrzHRzT5aYVmr0EG5h6hfV1kr3lZVmOHgIZAf1P7eVpIusN2qX4abMpM5vaNeSU-_aJ66GtGZgXVbwaJ3h6NT8ImIzwHndZjOUmupzc2Tj4iip-GkCVuNIZQlzOP6dLO-zmaePajqb2wNPqnSpsKfRbPdsNd5SqYe1Bx-sOOF2WRYUiEskHSLPw/s3341/Jim%20Babjak%203%20by%20Cindy%20Sivak.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3341" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8gv2nrzHRzT5aYVmr0EG5h6hfV1kr3lZVmOHgIZAf1P7eVpIusN2qX4abMpM5vaNeSU-_aJ66GtGZgXVbwaJ3h6NT8ImIzwHndZjOUmupzc2Tj4iip-GkCVuNIZQlzOP6dLO-zmaePajqb2wNPqnSpsKfRbPdsNd5SqYe1Bx-sOOF2WRYUiEskHSLPw/s320/Jim%20Babjak%203%20by%20Cindy%20Sivak.jpeg" width="290" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jim Babjak's little secret<br />Photo by Cindy Sivak</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
Isn’t it amazing that you can start off doing something musically when you’re
in your twenties and forty years on, you realize that it becomes even more fun?
I wish somebody had told me that when I was twenty!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
Yeah, it is more fun, especially now that we don’t have to answer to any record
labels or anything. All that “Oh this next single has to be radio-friendly,”
“You’ve got to use a click track, blah blah blah” … all that shit’s gone.
[Laughs] Like, our first album and our second album, and the 2011 album, we
didn’t follow any directions, we played from our hearts , and that’s the best
way to do it. It’s not like I don’t like the big records that we had; they were
a little slick, but that was good, that’s what radio wanted, that’s what our
record labels wanted and I guess that’s what got us whatever mass appeal we
garnered. That was all playing from the heart, too, but at least now we’re not
being told what to do, and we’re just playing how we feel.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
What advice would you offer for young bands who are looking at the “music
industry” such as it may be and are pretty daunted by it?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
It is daunting. It’s a whole different animal now. There’s a lot of things I
didn’t know back then. I thought when we had a hit record, I’d start making a
good living. [Laughs} But as far as record royalties go, it was very small.
Whatever money we made was from hard work and from touring; months and months
on a bus, playing cities. I don’t know, you’ve just got to follow your heart
and maybe not do it for the money or the stardom, but that’s not a good thing
to say. A lot of people do want the stardom and (to) make lots of money. I
don’t think we ever had that mentality. I never liked the term “rock star.” I’m
not a rock star, even back in the day. Mick Jagger’s a rock star, not me. Or
Jimmy Page, or Elvis. I’m just a working musician, (that’s) how I look at
myself. It depends on what you want out of life. And the main thing is to have
something in your back pocket in terms of making money. As I mentioned, I had a
day job for 19 years, from 2001 to last year, and recorded albums and toured. I
balanced both and raised a family.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
Bravo. That’s beautiful.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
Yeah! [Laughs] It wasn’t easy, but I had to do what I had to do to survive and
provide for my family. Now, it’s great. We get offers to play and we go! I tell
people to do it for the right reasons. If it’s your passion, then go for it,
but have something to back up your income, your schooling, your trade, whatever
you need to do. You know what? The music business is a roller coaster, that’s
for sure, because I’ve been through it many times. I’ve been up and down so
many times, at least ten times. This house was being built, that I’m living in
now, when we lost our record deal. I thought I was gonna lose my house, you
know? I actually went to work in a warehouse for a while, loading trucks. I was
loading trucks when our </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Blown-Smithereens-Best/dp/B000002TUJ"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Greatest
Hits</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> came out, and I was praying to God that
nobody would recognize me, because there were articles in the newspaper about
us, they were playing on the local radio station, but I was pretty anonymous,
nobody recognized me. It was the same when I started working in an office. I
was in a cubicle, and for many, many years nobody knew I was in a band. I kind
of liked it that way. It’s hard if you’re starting out as a musician, you’ve
got to have thick skin. Even with us, we got a lot of rejection letters to our
demos, there were club owners who told us we sucked; pretty much for the first
five or six years, but there were a few people who did champion us, like the
owner of </span><a href="https://www.amny.com/news/kennys-castaways-closes-on-a-changing-bleecker-st/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Kenny’s
Castaways</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> in Greenwich Village, Pat Kenny. He would
book us on a Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, once a month, on the weekend. The
same thing (happened) with the </span><a href="https://www.villagevoice.com/2012/01/23/remembering-the-court-tavern-new-brunswicks-storied-rock-dive/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Court
Tavern</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> in New Brunswick, (owner) </span><a href="https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/entertainment/2022/05/15/bob-albert-court-tavern-dead-new-brunswick-nj/9787909002/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Bobby
Albert</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">, who also passed away recently. That a
regular gig, I call it our </span><a href="https://www.cavernclub.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Cavern
Club</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">, because we played there every month. You’ve
just got to go with the flow and roll with the punches, is what I say. Have a
thick skin and if you really believe in yourself, then don’t listen to
everybody else. They might tell you, “Oh, you can’t sing.” But they’re just
people; they might think that a good singer is somebody you’d see on American
Idol. Listen to Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger, and Neil Young. Their voices are unique
and they fit with the music. They’re not necessarily great voices (to me they
are!), so it’s hard to say. You might think you’re not talented but if you feel
like you are, go for it! [Laughs} Long answer, isn’t it?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
Where you do feel popular music is heading? Do you sense any kind of
subcultural return to roots or do you see us becoming gradually submerged into
a vat of technological ear candy, in terms of what constitutes our so-called
Top Forty?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
Oh, God. I’m afraid I don’t even listen to what is Top Forty and haven’t for a
long, long time. I’ll be in a restaurant or tavern or somewhere where they’re
younger, hipper<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>… oh, yeah, in Whole
Foods, I heard </span><a href="https://tameimpala.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Tame
Impala</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">, and I’m like, “Wow, this is really cool!”
Did you ever hear of them?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
I actually have, because one of my students recently made me a playlist that
contained several Tame Impala tracks. Very interesting!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
What do you think of them? There’s a couple of songs that remind of what Paul
McCartney or The Beatles would sound like today. It’s hard to put my finger on
it, but I liked it a lot. There’s a band called </span><a href="https://www.rivalsons.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Rival Sons</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">—I
don’t know if you’ve heard of them—my younger kids are turning me on to more
modern kind of rock bands. They’re out there, but you have to hear them on
college radio or Sirius. I heard them on a college station. I tend to listen to
that because that’s where you can hear newer music. Now that I have</span><a href="https://www.shazam.com/home"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> Shazam</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">,
when I’m in the car, I can press the button and see who it is, and then order
it. There’s another band I heard on the radio and said, “I’ve got to have this”
It’s a band called </span><a href="https://www.lordhuron.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Lord
Huron</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">. Have you ever heard of them?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
No, I have not.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
Oh, check it out! The song is “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOz3VJD4L0o"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Mine Forever</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">”—check
it out! It’s got a great hook, it’s pleasant, and I think they’re touring. I
was somewhere once and I saw their name on the marquee. I thought, that’s
great. So there is like –I don’t know if you’d call it “underground”—but I
don’t even know, Rival Sons might be playing big venues for all I know. Really
well-produced stuff. They’re out there! But as far as being Top Forty, it ain’t
gonna happen. I know that even if we put out a great album—let’s say we put out
the greatest album in our lives next year—there’s no radio station that’s gonna
play it, other than like college or satellite. They won’t play the new Pearl
Jam album or the new U2 album, so why would they play us?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
Are there any plans to return to Long Island in the near future? I know you
came to Eisenhower Park last summer.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
I don’t know, I don’t see anything on the books right now. I’m at a loss. I depend
on our booking agent for that.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
I just want to say thank you for putting <i>The Lost Album</i> out. You and
your friends have brought a lot of joy and a lot of happiness to a lot of
people for many, many years, and I am overjoyed to see that the journey
continues. I’m greatly looking forward to the new album next year and hope our
paths cross again for another interview at that point.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
Yeah! And hopefully, we’ll see you whenever we play your area.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.5pt; border: none; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0in 0in 1pt;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
You certainly will!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding: 0in;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-06ba4228-7fff-7b7a-96d6-e5da5fc001df"></span></p><hr /><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #2d2d2f; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;">“</span><i style="text-align: center;">The Lost Album</i><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"> has previously existed only as a sentimental “scrapbook” for Dennis, Pat, Jim, and me. Mine was tucked away in a dusty shoebox with other cassettes—forsaken raw nuggets of outtakes, demos, rough mixes, and silly chatter. Now, the inevitable turning of the clock and the tragic demise of friend and brother Pat has buffed and polished this collection of songs into emotional gold. </span><i style="text-align: center;">The Lost Album</i><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"> remains only 80 percent finished and rough mixed. The feeling and style, however, are all there, outweighing any overdub or mix considerations. It is something new, yet vintage, emerging from its warm analog tomb into a cold digital world.”</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="text-align: center;"><u1:p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-align: left;"> -- Mike Mesaros</u1:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Author’s
Note: Shortly after the interview took place, I received more Smithereens-related
news to share: <i>Christmas with The Smithereens</i> will be re-issued in a limited-edition
green vinyl edition on November 18 via Sunset Blvd. Records. Available for the
first time in 10 years, it can be pre-ordered </span><a href="https://tinyurl.com/yck4snra"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">here</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%;">© 2022 by Roy Abrams<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; tab-stops: 141.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><o:p></o:p></p><br /><p></p>Roy Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153236460853048915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5708257674135145961.post-60759040912025779142022-08-05T15:56:00.004-04:002022-08-06T17:25:17.293-04:00Speaking from Experience: Holly Montgomery in Conversation<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzA1t5y9hXdDNFc05339tZme_MT_7ekrv2TVdUwQ9R-aKJbN9WKMUepDNq-LfpfIJhDomuFsQsdFOPDsXdv-K-lQNx9LmDxPaw-3S2mXct-3I0knrcromqohFCQOhuK5w3DcG2H_rGUTh4RhyBYLyI51svyiUr4sKDz-YmFQqNGDIi68_GotTaONhmJA/s500/Sorry+for+Nothing.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzA1t5y9hXdDNFc05339tZme_MT_7ekrv2TVdUwQ9R-aKJbN9WKMUepDNq-LfpfIJhDomuFsQsdFOPDsXdv-K-lQNx9LmDxPaw-3S2mXct-3I0knrcromqohFCQOhuK5w3DcG2H_rGUTh4RhyBYLyI51svyiUr4sKDz-YmFQqNGDIi68_GotTaONhmJA/s320/Sorry+for+Nothing.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Holly Montgomery</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I am utterly mystified as to why the name of </span><a href="https://www.hollymontgomerymusic.com/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Holly Montgomery</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> is not more
widely known. Although the singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist is a steady
presence on the mid-Atlantic performing circuit with more than 300 gigs per
year to her credit, she has remained a regional phenomenon through today. This
relative obscurity is poised to change with the recent release of </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.hollymontgomerymusic.com/store/p/sorry-for-nothing">Sorry For
Nothing</a></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> via <a href="https://kzzmusic.com/">KZZ Music</a>. </span><span style="background: white; color: #3d3d3d; font-size: 12pt;">T</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">he
artist’s earthy voice, combined with unflinchingly honest songwriting and a
stellar team of musicians, delivers a listening experience that, for this pair
of ears, presses all the right buttons. Shortly before the album’s May 6
release date, I had the opportunity to spend some time speaking with Holly and
learned a great deal about this superbly talented, intelligent, and passionate
artist. Read on and enjoy!</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>Roy Abrams</b>: Congratulations, Holly, your new
album is awesome! If we had crossed paths back in the ‘90s, you would have
already (a) been a part of my local concert series, (b) received commercial
radio exposure on my radio show, and (c) been the subject of a feature article in
the publications I was writing for at the time. I’m scratching my head,
wondering why it’s taken this long for your music to reach my ears. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>Holly Montgomery</b>: You’re very welcome. I hope
that this comes out the way I mean it to sound, but I’ve been told that my
whole life, and I’ve been really trying. I try and I try and I try and frankly,
it’s finally getting out there now because </span><a href="https://www.musicconnection.com/exec-profile-kirk-pasich/" style="font-size: 12pt;">one guy</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> had
the balls to sign a woman who was over (the age of) 22. [Laughs]</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: There are a few songs on the new album
which have been on constant replay on this end.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>HM</b>: Which ones?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ct7RzzG2cJM&list=OLAK5uy_l1vlJ7qxQPunoREiEgqhHzxUZvTKZxF0s&index=9"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Looking
for Lancelot</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">,” “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvJ7vrHMnqE">All for Nothing</a>,” and “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVgZKGk1BZ8&list=OLAK5uy_l1vlJ7qxQPunoREiEgqhHzxUZvTKZxF0s&index=4"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Song
Of My Life</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.”</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>HM</b>: Oh, wow. That’s awesome.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: They grabbed me straight away. You’re such
a solid lyricist. The ability to capture and keep a listener’s ear on first listening
is rare; as you and I know, not everyone can do that. In my opinion, you can! I
found your “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPwIRG88hCc">Bass/Vocals/Songwriting/Production</a>”
video on YouTube and was fascinated by what I learned. You said that music
wasn’t something you thought about, it was just something that <i>was, </i>so
the recollection you have of hoisting yourself up on a piano bench sets the
stage for a very early start!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>HM</b>: Since I was super young, I don’t ever
remember not trying to get up on a piano bench and starting to play before
hearing “Be quiet! I’m trying to watch TV!” I was just trying to plink out
piano stuff; that was the way that it always was.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: As a multi-instrumentalist to whom the
bass guitar has always held a special place, I loved learning about your
“clarity moment” when you realized that when you were listening to songs on the
radio, you were <i>singing the bass lines</i>. I’ve never heard another bass
player put it out there like that. That’s really cool.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>HM</b>: Yeah, it’s especially not something that you
think of for women so often. I was in my late teens when I had the bass “Aha!”
moment. Even at that age, I had already been obsessed with music for my whole
life. As a little kid, I used to keep journals of all my favorite lyrics. I
would hear a song on the radio and write down the lyrics; I was always obsessed
with it.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: Are you self-taught?</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>HM</b>: Yes and no. In elementary school and high
school, I played the trombone. I went to college on a trombone scholarship, so
I already knew and have always appreciated the value of education. I love to
read music and I read music often, even though the gigs that I play don’t
really require it! I enjoy reading it and knowing what the hell I’m doing, you
know?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: Regarding your songwriting process, in the
video, you stated that “I have to be an actor.” I’m wondering how one navigates that bridge between the autobiographical content and focus with slipping in and
out of character that your statement implied. Which is more challenging for you? What obstacles and opportunities do you face in the process?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>HM</b>: One of the most important things for me about
songwriting and lyrics is that when I write a lyric, it has to be true. That
doesn’t mean that has to actually have happened. For example, with “Looking for
Lancelot” I was inspired to write it because some guy made an offhand, kind of
snide remark about how daddy issues were “in” with female writers. I thought,
well, I have daddy issues, I’ll write a song. My father died when I was seven,
so of course who’s not going to have daddy issues? But<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>when writing a song, it’s not very
interesting to just say, “Well, my dad died when I was seven, and I wish I had
a dad.” That’s a boring song. (I thought) okay, who have I known in my life who
lost their fathers or who had absent fathers, and what did they go through and
what challenges did they face? And so therefore the song becomes true because
I’m not just like sitting in a room and making up things. I have to try to
write about things that I know. Many of my best ideas come from listening to my
friends say what they’re going through. For me, in terms of the actor part,
it’s much more difficult for me to sing a song that is personal. You’ll find
this hard to believe after seeing me onstage, because I’m not great with big
crowds around. In my element, I’m perfectly comfortable onstage, but offstage
I’m a little bit of an introvert. When I start singing songs about myself, I
go, “Uh oh! Do I really want people to know anything about me?” But it’s part
of the process, and there’s personal stuff that I put into “Looking for
Lancelot” and “All for Nothing,” which was straight autobiographical. I was
having a really bad day, at the end of a long string of bad days. I was like
“Is anything ever going to go right in my life?” You write the song and those
things always pass, but I wrote it in the midst of that horrible string of bad
luck.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: There’s an inner strength that appears to
be ingrained in you. The world-weary resignation evident in the three songs I
mentioned is forged by experience. One verse of “Looking for Lancelot” stands
out in particular:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There’s a picture
of me at seven years old.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">My father had
gone, the world had grown cold,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I still remember
that day.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Since then, I’ve
been looking mostly in vain for the right song, <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">the right man to
help dull the pain, <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">but unlike my
daddy, it stays.</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Those are some of the most powerful words that
anybody has written anywhere, at any time. As autobiographical as that is, it
can and will serve as mirror for those who are unable to articulate the way
you’ve been able to.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>HM</b>: That verse is definitely autobiographical.
I do remember that day very clearly. I was thinking about my life laying out
before me. My parents were divorced by the time I was born. I saw (my father)
every other weekend. There was already a fracture. It’s interesting; I’ve spent
my whole life wondering. My father was a classical musician, he was a really,
really great classical piano player. He might have hated what I did because I’m
a rocker chick, I don’t know, but I sure wish I could have found out.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimpnwiBNnlxWSl11hVqK83wI-CycDkMa10LE3HxvulxsMpBKMZz-5CU7AysCq8VsGr0_8RL_u8JboHVmg_5BMfMqc_M3kxq-K1HsMqH70OyvTVO0xfyBhk9z2eKFEntjhQ3UGX8q6gVcbqtn95pGRy6CAOHO4M6FV7UAUL87JubA3awA61lafxMHt8nw/s500/Holly+Montgomery+4+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="331" data-original-width="500" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimpnwiBNnlxWSl11hVqK83wI-CycDkMa10LE3HxvulxsMpBKMZz-5CU7AysCq8VsGr0_8RL_u8JboHVmg_5BMfMqc_M3kxq-K1HsMqH70OyvTVO0xfyBhk9z2eKFEntjhQ3UGX8q6gVcbqtn95pGRy6CAOHO4M6FV7UAUL87JubA3awA61lafxMHt8nw/s320/Holly+Montgomery+4+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: While preparing for this interview, I
learned that you became the adoptive mother to three children from Kazakhstan
through your involvement in a particular charity organization. Can we discuss how
this occurred and how it impacted your life?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>HM</b>: I was in L.A. for a while and did a bunch
of different things, from the ridiculous to the sublime. I had my deals, I lost
my deals. One of the last things I did while I was living there was (that) I
had a deal and then got called into an office one day, where the guy who was
supposed to be managing me was like, “Well, you’re turning 30, and it didn’t
hit, so (it’s) too late.” I was like, “Wow. Okay.” I had just spent years
putting that deal together, paying the guys in the band, spending the years and
the money of my life, and we had an incredible band that was ready to go at any
moment. That was it for that. I started thinking to myself that if I don’t do
something worthwhile in the world, what’s the point? I was overcome for the
next year after that with (thinking that) I want my life to have counted for
something. I don’t want to just be like those people you see walking up Sunset
Boulevard with a shopping cart, with worn-out sequined pants and a cowboy hat with
a big sign that says “Hey, listen to my record!” I could definitely see that
future ahead of me and I didn’t want that. It started out that I began
volunteering for this organization called <a href="https://www.kidsave.org/">Kidsave</a>.
They bring kids from orphanages in different countries to the United States for
summer visits, to find sponsors or possibly adoptive parents for them. So I
started doing some volunteering work for them, stuff in their office, and then I
agreed to host some kids. I hosted a couple of kids and then finally, one day, from
a picture in a binder, there was my son staring at me. I went, “Oh wow, this
kid looks intense!” I got him into the program and ended up hosting him. That
was it; I couldn’t live without him. I met two kids while I was in Kazakhstan
adopting him and went back two and a half years later and (adopted them too).
That was kind of what happened there. I took some years off from the music
business because in my mind, I thought, I’ve been navigating the music business
in L.A. for ten years, how hard could this be? [Laughs] It was really, really
hard. When you have a fifteen-year-old who’s never owned a toothbrush or been
taught how to tell time, or that there was a World War II, or what a washing
machine was … The level of “What? You don’t know two plus two? Oh, shit!” That
was it. It took all of my attention, which was the best thing I could do. When
I finally came back to music, I came back in knowing that at this point, people
are going to consider me as approaching middle age, which is a big no-no if
you’re female, but I don’t care anymore! For the last ten years, when I got
back into my career, I just haven’t cared (about the perceived age issue). Of
course I want people to like it and listen to it. I’ve done what I can. I have
a great family, so I’m just doing what I can do at this point. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: I have a very good feeling about the
partnership you’ve entered into with Kirk Pasich at KZZ Music. <span style="background: white; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">How did that relationship
form?</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>HM</b>: It formed because I put out an album
called </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.hollymontgomerymusic.com/store/p/leaving-eden-lp-vinyl">Leaving
Eden</a></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> in 2016. Somebody submitted that album for the first round of the
GRAMMYs. I learned a lot since then. I learned what that means and what it
doesn’t mean. I had no idea. It came out, then I got this notice and I thought,
what the hell is this? I thought it was a joke at first. It was really
interesting to me, because that album was a collection of different kinds of
songs that I had collected and recorded over the past few years before that. I
was like, “You know what? The odds of anybody listening to this further are
probably nil, but I don’t care. I’m going to go to L.A. and go to some GRAMMY
parties.” I called up the guitarist, </span><a href="https://www.sherrybarnettphotography.com/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Sherry Barnett</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, who was
the guitarist in a band I played in during the ‘90s called </span><a href="https://towerrecords.com/blogs/news/the-mustangs-of-the-west-bring-us-time-suzanna-spring-on-their-return-recording-great-music" style="font-size: 12pt;">The
Mustangs</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, which was an all-female country band. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I’ve never really listened to country music,
but people always think that I have, I guess because of my accent. So, I called
Sherry and told her what happened and that I was coming out to L.A. to go to
some GRAMMY parties and hopefully I would see her. She said, “Oh, I can’t
believe it!” because Suzy (</span><a href="https://suzannaspring.com/home" style="font-size: 12pt;">Suzanna Spring</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">),
who was the lead singer of The Mustangs, is going to be here too. We should
record a reunion show!” I told her that I would only be there a few days and
that I wanted to go to those GRAMMY parties and make myself feel more important
than I actually am. [Laughs] She was like, “Oh, it’ll just be one day.” So, of
course, most of the trip was (focused) on The Mustangs. We got together and
recorded this video and song that Suzanna Spring had written.</span><span class="MsoEndnoteReference" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Sherry
is a very well known, fairly famous concert photographer herself and she had
been shooting some photos for <a href="https://blueelan.com/">Blue Elan Records</a></span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">She marched in there and kind of pounded the door down, saying, “Look at this
video! Listen to this song!” and she bugged him until The Mustangs got a deal.
As I said, I’m not a country singer or a country musician, so Kirk told me,
“Well, you should give me the songs you’re recording. Maybe we can license
them.” I said, “Heck, yeah. That would be great!” So, I passed on the stuff I
was writing and recording for the album I just did and Kirk was like, “I don’t
want to license this, I want to sign you to an artist deal!” I was like,
“What?! Really!?” Pardon my language, but there’s no other word for it: What
guy in Hollywood has the balls to say this: “I don’t care how old you are or
how much you weigh. This is great music.” I was like, okay, let’s do it! I was
pretty busy for the next year fulfilling The Mustangs’ contract and then COVID hit.
I know for a lot of people COVID was devastating; for me it was so great. I had
been doing like 300 shows a year up until COVID. The year before it hit, I
played 320 shows; I was tired! During COVID, we recorded the rest of this album
that I’d started, and there it is! This album is very different from the one
before, and that album was really different from the one before that. I don’t
want to sit around and do the same things I’ve always done. I don’t want to sit
around and listen to the same music. You only live once; there’s too much to
learn in the world.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWTzjKg7SOS4BWQ0RwxrTE4HBQD2z7UdF5lmyt7b3pgETgWYY8hsAs2Vev-AJZ4k_bv7U-47zgqYxxfd3OUqllkiQNRHBeQxrrphJvlQziEu_kNIW2pp9ius5XQnyWMVWtX8CEoKoDEQQHX_2e5RtQsdOnKYqoSsNzO22kB_2wA1gzeakuODefz-vRmA/s453/Holly+Montgomery+3+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWTzjKg7SOS4BWQ0RwxrTE4HBQD2z7UdF5lmyt7b3pgETgWYY8hsAs2Vev-AJZ4k_bv7U-47zgqYxxfd3OUqllkiQNRHBeQxrrphJvlQziEu_kNIW2pp9ius5XQnyWMVWtX8CEoKoDEQQHX_2e5RtQsdOnKYqoSsNzO22kB_2wA1gzeakuODefz-vRmA/s320/Holly+Montgomery+3+copy.jpg" width="212" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: How long have you been working with your
current band?</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>HM</b>: I’ve been playing with the drummer (<a href="http://www.carolinadrumworks.com/AndyHamburger.htm">Andy Hamburger</a>) for
ten years. He’s so amazing and is one of the busiest guys in the mid-Atlantic. He’s
awesome and I’m so grateful to have him in the band. I’ve been playing with the
guitarist (<a href="https://twitter.com/buddyspeir">Buddy Speir</a>) since
2014. He’s just amazing. After I did “Looking for Lancelot” and “All for
Nothing” he produced the rest of the album. He’s just got magic in his fingers
and for our live show, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/islandguitar/?hl=en">Island
Styles</a> plays with us. He’s the guitarist for <a href="https://www.candleboxrocks.com/">Candlebox</a>; he tours a lot. It’s
always a little tricky to get people’s schedules to line up, but when they do,
I play like a powerhouse. I’ve played thousands of gigs with these guys. I’m
grateful for any time I can get them on the gigs.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: Listening to the string and guitar arrangement
of “Song of My Life” brought echoes of “Kashmir” to mind, which begs the
question: Did you listen to Led Zeppelin growing up?</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>HM</b>: Oh yeah. Growing up, I listened to
Zeppelin, Queen, Aerosmith. I listened to all that kind of stuff so much, and
then at one point I stumbled upon a John Denver record. I was also listening to
everything my older brother Bucky listened to. My brother and I had a band in
high school called <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixL8L_nKw84">Dorothy
Boys</a>, which was like this really hard prog-metal band. I had this weird
eclectic background because in high school all my friends were total jazz-heads;
they loved jazz. I was playing trombone in the school band and I thought, I
just don’t see myself as a jazz trombonist. At the same time I was playing in
this metal band with my brother. I listened to a lot of prog stuff growing up.
I mean, I listened to Yes’ <i>Fragile</i> probably hundreds and hundreds of
times, (as well as) Jethro Tull and Genesis—I <i>loved</i> that stuff.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: As a bass player, I notice you play a
5-string. Did you start out with one or make the switch from a standard
4-string model?</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>HM</b>: I started out almost from the beginning on
5-string. I had only really been playing bass for a year and a half or two years
when I moved to L.A. I moved to L.A. to go to </span><a href="https://www.mi.edu/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Musicians
Institute</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> because I was like, okay, I want to get caught up, because I want
to be good. I want to be a good player, I don’t want to be a lousy player! I had
no money; I lived in my truck off of Hollywood Boulevard for about two weeks
before I made a few dollars where I could live somewhere. Not long after I
moved there, I actually started working for </span><a href="http://www.mtdbass.com/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Mike
Tobias</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, who is a very famous bass guitar maker. We’re still friends to this
day. I started playing Tobias basses because he let me work there and pay it
off. I’ve been playing 5-string ever since!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ7XqF_fn8xdwMeslUXbobTDuox2DoO0gIUXwldVcRJFBcK2GkScwON04zoV1nCHbe7atgHklZZ1rSFFZ0raZpMejydecbSJQ2kED2c-TbE5xeWV78-lXpLv6hqUKHPlQElcjZ1UOnjSli07G3KRfp3OlydfiVn05KczWC6RzPYK_9KeaR8azBdjzovQ/s434/Holly+Bass+Woods.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="434" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ7XqF_fn8xdwMeslUXbobTDuox2DoO0gIUXwldVcRJFBcK2GkScwON04zoV1nCHbe7atgHklZZ1rSFFZ0raZpMejydecbSJQ2kED2c-TbE5xeWV78-lXpLv6hqUKHPlQElcjZ1UOnjSli07G3KRfp3OlydfiVn05KczWC6RzPYK_9KeaR8azBdjzovQ/s320/Holly+Bass+Woods.jpg" width="221" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: In addition to Kidsave, are
there other charities you’re currently involved with?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>HM</b>: The last few years, I’ve been trying to
work. I have a kid in college so I’ve been working a lot. In addition to Kidsave, the <a href="https://www.iapf.org/">International Anti-Poaching Foundation</a>
is one I love. It’s an empowerment foundation, believe it or not. It’s a guy,
this former Australian Special Forces guy, who found the passion to try to
protect species such as tigers and elephants from going extinct and has finally
settled on a formula which is wildly successful. He’s training squads of female
rangers. James Cameron actually did a <a href="https://www.iapf.org/the-film">short
feature</a> on the focus of the organization. What they found is that with
female rangers out there, the level of violence between the poachers and the
authorities has drastically dropped. The women are able to go in there and say,
“Hey, man, why are you killing this elephant?” whereas with men, it ends up
with fighting between them. If I take time to support anything these days, it’s
those two organizations.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: My gut is telling me that you have some
exciting days ahead following the release of </span><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sorry For Nothing</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.
Congratulations on this excellent new album and I hope to be able to experience
your music in a live setting one day soon!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>HM</b>: Thank you very much!</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="tab-stops: 112.3pt;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">© Roy Abrams 2022<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></p>Roy Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153236460853048915noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5708257674135145961.post-84033933303404682312022-05-02T21:13:00.011-04:002022-05-03T09:34:15.772-04:00Jeff "Skunk" Baxter: Traveling at the Speed of Heat<p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL4Bmhu8FfsQvcQowrnnfIZRarlzwHEn96OJ1ZAeO22iR_JGQCYvPSVuV_irXxiL_3-GbN7V_97wCf5UTLSXYH2CptKjuJDjQBR9nMDPh2H2jLdGO8KvLEqVD5xuVWAi2rwGgYLkGkrDwCAHNut4imJNxlsE1SSYA2-5HTGGuiaSn3y0rYD_9IrI_i2Q/s3408/Jeff%20Skunk%20Baxter%20-%20Credit%20Joel%20Manduke.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1917" data-original-width="3408" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL4Bmhu8FfsQvcQowrnnfIZRarlzwHEn96OJ1ZAeO22iR_JGQCYvPSVuV_irXxiL_3-GbN7V_97wCf5UTLSXYH2CptKjuJDjQBR9nMDPh2H2jLdGO8KvLEqVD5xuVWAi2rwGgYLkGkrDwCAHNut4imJNxlsE1SSYA2-5HTGGuiaSn3y0rYD_9IrI_i2Q/s320/Jeff%20Skunk%20Baxter%20-%20Credit%20Joel%20Manduke.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jeff "Skunk" Baxter<br />Image by Joel Manduke</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">To the delight of his fans, musical icon Jeff
“Skunk” Baxter is releasing his debut solo album, <i>Speed of Heat</i>, on June
17<sup>th</sup>, on BMG/Renew Records. The name, no doubt, is instantly familiar
to fans of <a href="https://www.steelydan.com/#!/">Steely Dan</a> and <a href="https://thedoobiebrothers.com/">The Doobie Brothers</a>. His presence in
the music world, however, looms even larger. A renowned studio musician and
producer, <a href="https://www.jeffskunkbaxter.com/">Baxter</a>’s contributions
are as ubiquitous as the famed <a href="https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/the-wrecking-crew-musicians-history/">Wrecking
Crew</a> or the Session. His extraordinary talent has graced hundreds of other
artists’ work, among them Barbra Streisand, Carly Simon, Joni Mitchell, Carl
Wilson, Ringo Starr, Rod Stewart, and the Ventures. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">With </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Speed of </i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i>Heat</i>, 72-year-old Baxter shows
that his creative fires are stoked and that he is moving ever forward. Excited
to share his new album with the world, Baxter is returning to the road with a
tour that will bring him to Long Island on </span><a href="https://www.paypal.com/webapps/shoppingcart?flowlogging_id=f337050598181&mfid=1651336815895_f337050598181#/checkout/openButton" style="font-size: 12pt;">May
10<sup>th</sup></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, at the Metropolitan in Glen Cove, as part of the Long
Island Classic Series presented by Michael “Eppy” Epstein of legendary </span><a href="https://msmokemusic.com/blogs/mind-smoke-blog/posts/rock-roll-geography-my-father-s-place-roslyn-ny" style="font-size: 12pt;">My
Father’s Place</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> fame.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Speed of Heat</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
features contributions from several notable guests, including <a href="https://www.michaelmcdonald.com/">Michael McDonald</a>, <a href="https://www.clintblack.com/news">Clint Black</a>, <a href="https://jonnylang.com/">Jonny Lang</a>, and <a href="https://www.songtradr.com/rick.livingstone">Rick Livingstone</a>. The
album’s twelve tracks consist of a combination of originals and “inspired
classics,” including a re-imagining of Steely Dan’s “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MtLJqmxxzU">My Old School</a>” and “Do
It Again.” Along with songwriting collaborator and musician <a href="https://www.psaudio.com/copper/article/c-j-vanston-producer-film-composer-musician-part-one/">C.J.
Vanston</a>, the album’s originals highlight the depth and scope of Baxter’s musical
genius in vivid relief. In a word: astonishing.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">From the driving, hard-edged take of Steely
Dan’s “My Old School” to the haunting, a cappella pedal steel featured on “The
Rose,” breathtakingly jaw-dropping moments abound. It is unmistakably clear
that Jeff “Skunk” Baxter has created a definitive personal statement with </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Speed
of Heat</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, one which will endear him further to his legion of existing fans
while introducing him to a generation of new ones.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">During a recent Saturday afternoon, Baxter was
eager to talk about the new album and happy to share memories of some of the
people and places he’s encountered in his 50-plus year musical voyage. Similar
to another guitar-playing peer’s second career as an astrophysicist (Queen’s </span><a href="https://brianmay.com/brian/biog.html" style="font-size: 12pt;">Brian May</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">), a little-known fact
about Baxter is that he is a highly respected defense consultant and
counter-terrorism expert for the United States Government. Addressing his alter
ego directly during our conversation provided a fascinating glimpse into the mind
of a man who is not only an acknowledged musical force, but also a keenly
intelligent fount of fascinating scientific knowledge and experience. Read on
and enjoy!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEa_o8e_s-OCUAg6utksUu7A3DZUptOP21-x_nWrlV4Xo__KFAc-8zz40PawYpJpL0ZP-xCoqbQD4GHjm6FTbi9PSjioimXGKrozxfcjVdWr8O7Lsr178uV76sM8BToy1lw2RSgqSnudTH8Ky1wUUsxSRiOmSbGgii9QIedEXNuX9KaJgnTrHGhZi3iw/s5760/Jeff%20Skunk%20Baxter%20Jacket%20-%20Credit%20Jimmy%20Steinfelt.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3840" data-original-width="5760" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEa_o8e_s-OCUAg6utksUu7A3DZUptOP21-x_nWrlV4Xo__KFAc-8zz40PawYpJpL0ZP-xCoqbQD4GHjm6FTbi9PSjioimXGKrozxfcjVdWr8O7Lsr178uV76sM8BToy1lw2RSgqSnudTH8Ky1wUUsxSRiOmSbGgii9QIedEXNuX9KaJgnTrHGhZi3iw/s320/Jeff%20Skunk%20Baxter%20Jacket%20-%20Credit%20Jimmy%20Steinfelt.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image by Jimmy Steinfelt</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: Congratulations on this new record! I’ve
been listening to it pretty much constantly for the past 48 hours. As a
musician, I’m kind of at a loss for words.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB: I really appreciate the compliment, thank
you! I had a lot of help from good friends.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: So I see! You’re going to be coming to our
neck of the woods on May 10<sup>th</sup>, coming to Long Island for a
performance at The Metropolitan in Glen Cove, which is part of Long Island
Classic Music Series organized by Michael “Eppy” Epstein of My Father’s Place
fame. I’m wondering if you have any history with him or that illustrious venue?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB: I believe I played there a long time ago.
I know I played out on Long Island when I was a kid, at the Action House and
places like that. But it’s been quite awhile since I’ve been out there, and I’m
really looking forward to it!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: As far as <i>Speed of Heat </i>goes, the
fifty-year span between Steely Dan’s debut album and the release of your debut
solo album begs the question: What was behind the wait to put out your own
record? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB: I always thought it
was kind of typical for any artist who leaves a very successful band to
immediately do a solo album. I thought, nah, I’ll percolate a bit, and it was pretty
busy between studio work and producing records and playing with other folks.
There wasn’t a whole lot of time! So, I got together with my buddy C.J. Vanston
over the course of about the past twelve years. Every once in a while, we’d get
together and do a little recording. It sort of blossomed. It was going to be instrumental
and then I mentioned it to Mike McDonald and he said he’d like to play on it.
(Also) Clint Black and Jonny Lang. I even asked <a href="https://www.steventyler.com/">Steve Tyler</a> to sing on it and I sent
him a copy of “My Old School” with me doing a scratch vocal. He said, “Who’s
that singing?” I said, uh, Steve, that’s me, I just (did) a scratch vocal, and
he said, “What the hell’s the matter with you? Why don’t you sing it? It sounds
good to me!” I said, well, you know more about this stuff than I do, so okay!
(It went) on and on until it became almost half instrumental, half vocal. For
the writing process, my buddy C.J. and I had been playing together for many
years doing jingles (commercials) together, and we found that we write literally without talking. We could just start playing and things would happen. I (told) him
that if someday I ever did a solo record, I would really like to do it with him.
That’s kind of how it all worked out.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: That’s fantastic. You mentioned that you
two could write without talking. My ears picked up an almost telepathic
communication between the two of you, so thank you for corroborating that! Another
thing my ears picked up is how you were able to bring out performances in your
musical guests that transcended what they usually did on their own recordings.
Clint Black’s vocal on “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PnKc2nzOFc">Bad
Move</a>” is markedly different from what his fans are familiar with. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB: Well, that was actually part of the deal:
If you want to play on the record – I had told Mike McDonald and Clint and
Jonny that first of all, we want you to write with myself and C.J., and we also
want you to do something that you’ve never done before. In other words, I
didn’t want it to be typical. (I said to them), if you’re okay with that,
welcome to our world! But you’re right—the track that we cut with Clint was
very different from anything he’s ever done. It also underscores what an
incredible musician he is! We thought it would be fun to explore that with all
our friends.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Z0zVK_7C_HoINzy24I2vOq2MAtOUquh0uY0JY3tQnPNjT_EDvRd48oeeZI7wIie7_ghXFbwxhd-jkSLNksbXiB5CAeQHRdAvfnNoJ6PyoftwLai4S9iZfp_XkOrsT1yYF7CfzuGPmt3cYYR7eEnCy0ncHpS7uXBsGCvyyY7BCaJuHV5PMANjbH4TkQ/s1500/speed-of-heat-1500.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Z0zVK_7C_HoINzy24I2vOq2MAtOUquh0uY0JY3tQnPNjT_EDvRd48oeeZI7wIie7_ghXFbwxhd-jkSLNksbXiB5CAeQHRdAvfnNoJ6PyoftwLai4S9iZfp_XkOrsT1yYF7CfzuGPmt3cYYR7eEnCy0ncHpS7uXBsGCvyyY7BCaJuHV5PMANjbH4TkQ/s320/speed-of-heat-1500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: It’s interesting how the greatest
musicians—and I respectfully include you—have the ability, when working with
other people, to inspire them to reach deep inside themselves and find a level
of “best” in others that they didn’t even know they had. Jerry Garcia said as
much about his experiences working with David Crosby on the latter’s first solo
<a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/david-crosby-if-i-could-only-remember-my-name-guide-1238716/">album</a>.
What was Clint’s reaction when he heard the playback?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB: He was really surprised, but he’s a big
Steely Dan fan and the lyrics and the sort of feel of the first 16 bars has
that kind of Steely Dan feel to it, and he was right at home. Also, you asked
me about how I get the performances out of people. I’ve been producing records
as well, for people like <a href="https://billyvera.com/">Billy Vera & The
Beaters</a>, the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/people/Stray-Cats/100044619660843/">Stray Cats</a>,
and a number of other artists—even the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/the-Ventures">Ventures</a>! That was the
whole idea: Let’s see what you got! Because I know that you’ve probably never been
really challenged. Not that you’re not a great musician, but I’m here to sort
of push the envelope. As you say, it is such a treat to hear someone dig deep.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: Here’s a technical question about recording.
You’ve mentioned a preference for plugging directly into the console, as you
did with Steely Dan. Is that solely for guitar, or did you do that for the bass
and pedal steel as well?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB: Pretty much direct. I use a <a href="https://www.roland.com/global/">Roland</a> guitar interface that I helped
design. I’ve been with Roland for 47 years, so I’ve been designing and being
involved in a lot of projects, but yeah, no amplifiers, just plug in, because
there’s something about the closeness, the connection.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: I’ve been a huge pedal steel fan since I
was a kid, listening to <a href="https://www.petedrake.net/">Pete Drake’s</a>
work on George Harrison’s <i>All Things Must Pass</i>. The sound just
captivates my ear. What you did on “The Rose,” the immediacy, as you said, reaches
out and grabs the listener in an intimate way. Speaking of that track, your bio
says that the song was recorded to honor your father. You referred to his life
advice to not dwell on your success, to move forward and strive for self-improvement
and knowledge. Can you share some thoughts on your relationship with your Dad?
It sounds like something that was very, very special to you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB: The actual story was that on the 25<sup>th</sup>
anniversary the existence of <i>Guitar Player</i> magazine (I was on their
advisory board at that time), they had a wonderful celebration up in San
Francisco. They said, we’d like you to do something special for the folks that
have passed on who are part of our community. I said sure and I thought about
it. I had heard “The Rose” on the radio and said, what a beautiful song! What
I’m gonna do is go out and do an a cappella pedal steel version of “The Rose,” and that’s what I did as they were going past the different photographs of
different folks. Just as I got to the end of the first verse, <a href="https://adrianbelew.net/">Adrian Belew</a> came out, plugged in, and
started to play with me. I just love Adrian’s playing, and he's a good friend.
By the time we got to the end of the second verse, we had a whole band
(onstage). I thought back and said, what a great way to approach this piece of
music! So that’s what I did, and basically used that as a template. When I was
playing it, I was thinking about my Dad. He was very important in my life, we
were good friends as well, and I had a tremendous amount of respect for him.
When I was doing the performance for <i>Guitar Player</i> magazine, I tried to
make that connection as best and as deeply as I could.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: It’s a beautiful track.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB: Thank you! The voice of the pedal steel is
incomparable. I don’t think anybody’s ever done anything a cappella on pedal
steel, and I thought, it’s time to showcase the voice.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: Regarding guitar playing, you once said “Style has a lot to do with phrasing, and phrasing has a lot to do with how you
speak.” Can you offer any additional thoughts on that concept?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB: To me, phrasing is almost everything
because it creates a rhythmic pattern that people can relate to, which is
extremely important, obviously, when you’re trying to play something and have
people understand it and become interested. I always refer to the knowledge
that one acquires from playing the guitar as developing vocabulary for the
guitar. You know, you could play three chords and it’s like, you know, “Jack
and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water.” That certainly has a
descriptive to it but Jack was brought up in a family that was broken and very
poor. And Jill, who came from a much higher economic situation … they were in
the mountains alone, and they decided to go up the hill, etc., etc., etc. In other
words, I think vocabulary (adds) sophistication and subtlety to the story. If you
read “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jz78npvSZvo">Christ Climbed Down</a>”
by Lawrence Ferlinghetti, the actual construction of the words has as much to
do with the phrasing and meaning as anything else. So, they’re certainly intertwined
and tangential at the least, concentric at the best.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: I wanted to jump, if we could, to 1978
when you left The Doobie Brothers after <i>Minute by Minute</i>. You’ve been
quoted as saying that you have to recognize when it’s time to move on. When you
made the decision to leave, what were the thought processes that led up to it?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB: It was a combination of so many different
things. The band was changing. If you’re a change agent, you have to understand
change and when it’s time. When I brought Mike McDonald into the band, it
really, really changed the whole psychological, philosophical construct of the
band. For many people, that was a very difficult change. When the band matured
and, I would posit, had fully developed and embraced the change, sometimes you
don’t really need to be there anymore … and you need to know that, and you need
to read the tea leaves, so that’s kind of what happened.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: Returning to the new album, what were some
of the standout writing sessions that you had, and what were some of the more
magical moments in the studio?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB: Certainly, writing “My Place in the Sun”
with Michael and C.J. We put a lot of effort into that (not that we didn’t put
effort into anything else). Michael’s a fairly deep lyricist in his own right
and making sure that the vehicle that we created would showcase him in his best
possible light was a task that we took seriously, and took a little more time,
I think. (In the studio), C.J. and I have this wonderful ability to play
together with non-verbal communication. There are two songs on the album—one is
“Giselle” and the other is “Juliet”—that basically were composed on the fly.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: I loved reading how your daughter came up
with a beautiful simile to describe “Juliet” … “<i>like a sunrise</i>.” I
actually read that before listening to the track and realized that your
daughter is correct!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB: That’s very kind. I always play my music
for my kids, because I want to get their input and sort of gauge how we’re
doing here. When she told me that, it really touched me deeply.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: In researching for today’s interview, one
of the things that struck me was the almost ubiquitous nature of your presence
in the field. It’s far broader than most people would suspect. Have you lost
count at this point of how many artists you’ve worked with as a session
guitarist and/or producer?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB: Oh, gosh! [chuckles] I’m not trying to be
disingenuous, I don’t know---500, 600, 800 sessions, movie soundtracks, jingles,
scoring … it’s hard to say. I apologize, but I don’t have an exact number.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEime0Y7Is_3RqD9iR8X-0h-9qDCJ8vJdnOpdHVsnfEbUdhYXJ3vNXXM2NmB16G2ZhXvso_QsceQ456WyHrXzMFgXINsYBBaUtGJQMvGI1ceGIYLwDvmtmwpnE11FrW6kU0UMrVcbYjAKA9E5tI05WWKffFTbOUKoz9SWW1jV0OB3A3eHZxdH1AQZIh87Q/s5760/Jeff%20Skunk%20Baxter%20-%20Credit%20Jimmy%20Steinfelt.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3840" data-original-width="5760" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEime0Y7Is_3RqD9iR8X-0h-9qDCJ8vJdnOpdHVsnfEbUdhYXJ3vNXXM2NmB16G2ZhXvso_QsceQ456WyHrXzMFgXINsYBBaUtGJQMvGI1ceGIYLwDvmtmwpnE11FrW6kU0UMrVcbYjAKA9E5tI05WWKffFTbOUKoz9SWW1jV0OB3A3eHZxdH1AQZIh87Q/s320/Jeff%20Skunk%20Baxter%20-%20Credit%20Jimmy%20Steinfelt.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image by Jimmy Steinfelt</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: I watched a fascinating <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJoxXRf3FSI">video</a> that you did for
the D’Angelico Showroom sessions, and a couple of statements you made during
that video made me sit on the edge of my seat. One of the things you said was: “Frequency and oscillation – that’s the
glue that holds the universe together. Every time a guitar player plays a
guitar, he is in tune with the physics of the universe.” To my ears, it
suggested a very unique blend of a scientific mindset combined with a deeper
spiritual understanding. Any thoughts on that?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB: Well, it’s something that I’ve always kind
of believed in and thought that I understood, being a kind of a scientist and a
physics guy as well as a musician. I was positively reinforced on that by my
late friend <a href="https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/1964/townes/biographical/">Charlie
Townes</a>, who won the Nobel Prize for inventing the laser. Charlie and I
worked together for years up at <a href="https://www.llnl.gov/">Lawrence
Livermore</a>, at the National Laboratory there on the Laser Advisory Board.
I’m still at the lab, actually, after 25 years. Our job was to review every
program at the laboratory. It was three-day process (consisting of) myself,
Charlie Townes, <a href="https://www.atomicheritage.org/profile/edward-teller">Dr.
Edward Teller</a>, <a href="https://emichaelcampbell.wordpress.com/about/">Mike
Campbell</a>; a number of different people at the lab were members of the Laser
Advisory Board. By around the third day of reviewing programs like “Femto Laser
Peening in a Pure Nitrogen Atmosphere” … I mean, everybody’s eyes were watering,
and people were passing out. So, Charlie stood up and said, you know what? I’m
going to do an hour on theoretical physics and God. Even “Fast Eddie” (Teller)
woke up. Everybody was enthralled while Charlie went ahead and explained the
glue that holds the universe together, which is frequency, because he knew a
lot about that. He understood frequencies and coherent frequencies, because a
laser is a coherent set of single frequency. Not only did he understand, but he
actually did something with it. Frequency is what holds all of the matter in
the universe together. Every time you play a note or strike a chord, a chord is
a set of coherent oscillations. A string is a single oscillation. When Charlie
talked about the human spirit being a function of the electromagnetic
transducer, which is your brain—it’s an electromagnetic engine which runs on
electricity, broadcasts and receives, creates frequency, creates radiation
which may actually echo forever! Someone won the Nobel Prize for discovering
the echoes and the reverberations of the Big Bang, so this is not out of the
realm of reality. And when Charlie began to use that to describe the human
spirit as a set of coherent oscillations, I said, “Charlie, that’s what music
is!” and he said, “You got it!” Dr. Edward Teller was a concert pianist.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: I did not know that! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB: Yeah. He loved Mozart. All the wonderful
physicists who I’ve had the privilege and opportunity to work with, I’d say 95%
of them were musicians.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: That is somewhat of a mind-blowing fact. In
school, were you a science kid?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB: Absolutely! I was a big fan of the International
Geophysical Year and I subscribed to every science magazine there was. No doubt
about it!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: As long as we’re on the topics of science
and physics, there was another quote from the D’Angelico video that stood out: “Once
you understand the basic tenets of the science and the physics, it really
doesn’t make any difference where you go; it’s just a different manifestation
of what you can do with electrons.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB: That’s right! The way an electric guitar
works, in my day job, I describe to a number of my colleagues that a radar as
just an electric guitar on steroids. Basically, the way an electric guitar is
that you vibrate a piece of metal over a set of magnets that are surrounded by
a coil of wire, and when you do that, you create electric current. You create electrons.
Once you create those electrons, you can do basically anything you want.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: I was fascinated to learn about your
career as a defense consultant and counter-terrorism expert, and I want to thank
you for your service to our country. This question is coming out of left field,
but I can’t help asking it anyway. Speaking to your experience the field, and
given the U.S. Navy’s apparent ongoing encounters with what seems to be superior
science and technology, can you offer any thoughts on what they may be dealing
with, and is that a national security threat?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB: Well, are you referring to what some
people call Unidentified Flying Objects?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: Yes, I’m referring to the story that the <i>New
York Times</i> broke back in 2017 about <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/16/us/politics/unidentified-flying-object-navy.html">the
U.S. Navy’s encounters with these unidentified objects</a> that have been
occurring for several years. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB: My caveat to everything, and this is very
important<i>: I am speaking as a private citizen. I am in no way at all
representing anything or anyone or any entity that is connected with the United
States Government.</i> I need to have that disclaimer. That said, in my
opinion, although from a theoretical physics point of view, in an infinite
universe that is so vast and so varied, the possibility of alternate life forms
and cogent life forms—thinking, sentient life forms—is so real that it would be
difficult to argue the opposite. As far as what they call Unidentified Flying
Objects, Unidentified Flying Systems, etc., to me, it’s difficult for people to
separate technology from alien technology or otherworld technology. After World
War II, (there was) the discovery and the uncovering of some very sophisticated
technologies that were created in Germany during World War II—swept wing aircraft,
jet aircraft, and the “<a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/air-space-magazine/what-were-mysterious-foo-fighters-sighted-ww2-night-flyers-180959847/">foo
fighters</a>” (the phenomena that were following the bombers of the <a href="https://www.mightyeighth.org/">8<sup>th</sup> Air Force</a> into Germany
that were zipping around the bombers, like globes of light. Thanks to German
technology, they invented magnetic tape! We really wouldn’t have a record
business if it wasn’t for that. But they also were experimenting in the areas
of anti-gravity, and this gets into an area (in which) there’s certainly some
controversy about a possible invention called Die Glocke, which utilized some
very advanced physics to possibly create a force field that would repel
gravity. To me, after the war, both Russia and the United States gained access
to those technologies. One could posit that some of what we see is the
application of those technologies. I’ll just leave it at that. Could they be
sentient beings from another part of the universe? Quite possibly, and there
are also explanations that are tangential to that.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: After this current series of shows, what
are your future plans for the coming year or so? Any plans to do another
record?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB: I haven’t really thought about it. Again,
I think that’s something I certainly would aspire to. It’s like having children—maybe
you need to wait a little bit. Get familiar with the child you have and enjoy;
take advantage of, and just live with and develop what you’ve already done. But
certainly, I would like to consider it. This whole solo project was the last
thing on my musical bucket list. That doesn’t mean it will be the last thing on
the bucket list as a singularity.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: Jeff, thank you so very much for taking
the time to speak with me this afternoon. Worlds of respect to you, and
congratulations on this wonderful new record.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JB: Well, listen, Roy. I really appreciate you
taking the time. Flattered is not the right word—I’m honored that you would
take the time to spend with me.</span> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 9pt;">© Roy Abrams 2022</span> </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p>Roy Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153236460853048915noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5708257674135145961.post-25083976607522975292022-03-08T17:37:00.006-05:002022-03-17T11:38:23.087-04:00A Matter of Honor: The Welcome Return of Steve Hackett<p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwAayWn1R57nJb4qzSlpoVwDsNPcydE1OOLOE_P4TTeQWcLUbndhL1pxrMJ7e84S3nJVXtSheJyZULXye-VCjdI9x-91s5uZUcGzo7rCScCmAUS_DNSrYMMElKQ5Q1QgABI58eU7K-g2YaQWyT1xDiLYj5h_BgNl34rjF1mliEVt6kYbSEFm8DAU4sUw=s5253" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3454" data-original-width="5253" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwAayWn1R57nJb4qzSlpoVwDsNPcydE1OOLOE_P4TTeQWcLUbndhL1pxrMJ7e84S3nJVXtSheJyZULXye-VCjdI9x-91s5uZUcGzo7rCScCmAUS_DNSrYMMElKQ5Q1QgABI58eU7K-g2YaQWyT1xDiLYj5h_BgNl34rjF1mliEVt6kYbSEFm8DAU4sUw=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Image by Lee Millward</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sitting at my laptop preparing this
interview, I am thinking back to two years ago today, March 8, 2020, when Steve
Hackett and his band were appearing at the NYCB Theatre at Westbury. The
concert marked the last live event I would attend for quite some time, as well
as one of the final performances Hackett gave prior to the pandemic tightening
its grip on the globe. Fast forward through the Twilight Zone era to now …
after writing, recording, and releasing two terrific albums during 2020-2021, Hackett
is back on the road, bringing his <i>Genesis Revisited: Seconds Out + More</i> tour
across the world, arriving at the illustrious Beacon Theatre in New York City
on April 3.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgo0eg_2kvxDoq_ouzbkEwT1Si6JBf2jKEkr7M0ixoaZUhRWRu_0_pqk-13uT4EHPUsdrrCR899rwWAFoxT_2UlHyehrAdiFWxWvKp6XdLtCvdWV88H-J38G1eTDrYO1G5eaYP4kbmD9hChchLnSJB4VU0iBwlquEKjKKuwkBwSfyBXL72hgJDgf7C8RA=s4706" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3129" data-original-width="4706" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgo0eg_2kvxDoq_ouzbkEwT1Si6JBf2jKEkr7M0ixoaZUhRWRu_0_pqk-13uT4EHPUsdrrCR899rwWAFoxT_2UlHyehrAdiFWxWvKp6XdLtCvdWV88H-J38G1eTDrYO1G5eaYP4kbmD9hChchLnSJB4VU0iBwlquEKjKKuwkBwSfyBXL72hgJDgf7C8RA=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Image by Christopher Simmons</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Having established a dialogue that
began in <a href="https://islandzoneupdate.blogspot.com/2014/10/steve-hackett-this-is-what-genius.html">2014</a>,
continued in <a href="https://islandzoneupdate.blogspot.com/2015/10/steve-hackett-revisited-genesis.html">2015</a>
and again in <a href="https://islandzoneupdate.blogspot.com/2015/10/steve-hackett-revisited-genesis.html">2020</a>,
I have been unfailingly impressed by this soft-spoken, erudite artist whose
love for music, his wife Jo, and his legion of fans is evidenced by the degree
of honor he devotes to all. Hackett’s fans have become an extended family to
whom he affords the greatest respect an artist can offer; by staying in tune
with their musical hopes and dreams, he delivers the goods with a steadfast
consistency that acknowledges the fervent admiration bestowed on him and the
vast body of music he has been responsible for creating for more than 50 years.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">And so it was, my phone rang promptly
at noon several days ago, and I answered to the now-familiar sound of Steve
Hackett’s voice. Read on for the rest of the conversation … and enjoy!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzArAiHDkHz_h0GE0mC6Dk33y90nDqND-goKh148I3ZhAwu-wpPyrPolPY-qamtJiB_VOl8S7TMGtocFJF7DZmEdd99cR_HAl6E_Sv-BzKswEOQCDKo3USFRU2xgLsCMTmZQBZyT4EhdSTMj-qYvHHL6IugcJpZrNPGQqnVyCYg_VIZhrsBG4-ZjPu1A=s4927" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4927" data-original-width="3168" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzArAiHDkHz_h0GE0mC6Dk33y90nDqND-goKh148I3ZhAwu-wpPyrPolPY-qamtJiB_VOl8S7TMGtocFJF7DZmEdd99cR_HAl6E_Sv-BzKswEOQCDKo3USFRU2xgLsCMTmZQBZyT4EhdSTMj-qYvHHL6IugcJpZrNPGQqnVyCYg_VIZhrsBG4-ZjPu1A=s320" width="206" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Image by Lee Millward</span></td></tr></tbody></table><b><br /></b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Roy Abrams</span></b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Hello!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Steve Hackett</span></b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Hello! Is that Roy?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">RA</span></b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Yes, it is! This must be Steve—how are you?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">SH</span></b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Yeah, very well, Roy, how you doing?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">RA</span></b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: I’m okay, and I’m hoping all is well with Jo as well?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">SH</span></b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Yeah, all is good, all is very good, nice to talk to you,
mate.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">RA</span></b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Thanks, same here! It’s been a while! You were the last artist
(my family and I) got to see in concert before everything hit the fan.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">SH</span></b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: My God, it was all going so well, or so we thought and then
suddenly the carpet got pulled, everything got closed down, and we got the last
flight back home from Philadelphia. We filled in the time without gigs with
loads of recording, but I’m back in the saddle now!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">RA</span></b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Can’t wait to see you </span><a href="https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/3B005B52E7A81FA4"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">at the Beacon</span></a><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">! On another note, I
want to congratulate you on the two magnificent albums you released last year. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">SH</span></b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: I’m glad you liked them! Yeah, I enjoyed doing both—I really
enjoyed doing the acoustic one just to sort of (recover) after all the recent
mishaps. I thought, hell, if I can’t do what I’m supposed to do, I may as well
do something that I enjoy doing. So, I did that kind of escapist album; the
main thrust of it was to do a virtual journey around the Mediterranean—</span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Under-Mediterranean-Sky-Steve-Hackett/dp/B08NW3X8TF"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Under a Mediterranean Sky</span></i></a><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. The other one, </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Surrender-Silence-Steve-Hackett/dp/B09797JCZT"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Surrender of Silence</span></i></a><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, has some aspects of
travelogue about it, maybe not so much, it was more of a kind of heavy metal
album, or melodic metal.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">RA</span></b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: <i>Surrender of Silence</i> could serve as a primer for the
initiate to your music, as it contains the quintessential blend of atmospheres
and textures that has always been a distinct hallmark of your creativity as a
guitarist, as a songwriter, and as an arranger/producer.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">SH</span></b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Yeah, it’s hard, you know, to know. There have been times
where I’ve approached albums as a songwriter, other times I’ve approached
albums as a guitarist. I guess <i>Surrender of Silence</i> was a mixture of the
two. The first track we did was “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbW9tCJ9Snc"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Natalia</span></a><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.” I was very proud of
it, with all of the arrangements, and the orchestral stuff, and the kind of nod
to </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3E9tN3vnyf4"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Prokofiev</span></a><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> and </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_WWz2DSnT8"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tchaikovsky</span></a><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, and the whole
cinematic thing, but I realized that it was a few minutes before you’ve got a
single note of guitar, so I redressed that by doing an intro that was all about
tapping, so in a way, they were twins, I think they were brother and sister,
really. (There were) certain things that had become cinematic throughout the album.
I had a blast doing it! I think it’s a very intense album. (When) people say
they like hearing it, I say, well, how did you manage to sit through it
from beginning to end, because you’re getting bludgeoned over the head all the
time. With the gentle stuff, I can understand, but I quite like being more
aggressive, I must admit. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">RA</span></b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: As you said, it’s a melodic metal-progressive touch that is
present. “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4rmvjDFdjk"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Devil’s Cathedral</span></a><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">” is a personal
standout. The combination of instruments, the heavy atmospheres, the kind of
twist of dark humor that winds through the lyrics, along with the scene shifts
in the music all serve to evoke your earlier musical journey.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">SH</span></b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: I know what you mean. “The Devil’s Cathedral” is really Son of
Genesis, isn’t it? It’s got that aspect. But it goes to places that Genesis
wouldn’t have gone. You wouldn’t have had pipe organ with soprano sax playing
off each other. But it works really well live, believe me. That one is a
standout for me, live. I think it works better live, to be honest, than it does
on record—and it works well on record! But there’s something that
happens—letting the dogs out—let loose the hounds. That song, live, it just
seems to get sharper teeth, really.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">RA</span></b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Perhaps more than any other artist who celebrates the music
from their earlier career, your approach is meticulously crafted, exquisitely
arranged, and presented to your fans in a way that demonstrates how you honor
their appreciation of your music. You’ve said in the past that you view your
fans as the “drivers’ of your music in terms of what you do in a live setting,
and I’m wondering what motivates you to take that path. What is your view of
artists who claim that the only way for them to continue to perform their
earlier material is to change it up so they don’t get bored. In your opinion,
is that a cop out, or is it a valid perspective?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">SH</span></b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Well, you’ve raised a number of issues there. I think, to do
authentic versions, recognizable versions … to me, that’s important. Now, you
can be flexible with the instrumentation. I like to have brass and woodwinds
for an extended range, sonically, and at times when I’ve rerecorded any of this
stuff, I’ve gone all out occasionally. Put an orchestra or two on it! The same
sense applies when we’re doing it live. I don’t want to change it so much that
it’s unrecognizable but I do want to be able to be as free with it as I think
we were when we (Genesis) were doing it as a band originally. There might be a
solo or two that may change, but not necessarily. Some solos, like the one at
the end of “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hKYpNpajpI"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Supper’s Ready</span></a><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">,” I feel once I’ve done
the established phrases, I can go off the map and do something else, improvise
and improve on it; take it to the mountains. With certain tracks, if I change
the solos, the song would not work anymore. Do you know what I mean? The guitar
solo at the end of “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4going_cOo"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Musical Box</span></a><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">,” I couldn’t really
change a note on that. It’s basically part of the song. When I was hired to
play with Genesis all those years ago, the idea was (that) to do a solo, you
write it, like classical music. That’s how I approached it. I tried to honor
it, but I don’t want to honor it to the point where, for instance, if a solo
that Rob might do on soprano sax on “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1h0YHbCgP0o"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Firth of Fifth</span></a><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">,” I don’t want to feel
like I’ve got to say to him, okay, the original was done on flute, so you’ve
got to do it on flute. I don’t see it that way. We’re not a tribute band; we’re
playing music that is allowed to evolve. Sometimes when I do re-recordings, I
take (liberties) with it; certainly, the first </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb-YsoNYvDY&list=PLA2-nXsHvm3JsB5sO_E34ONGlLjKEMG_n"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Genesis Revisited</span></i></a><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, I changed the
arrangements greatly on some of (the tracks). On other things, I stick with
(the original arrangement) more, provided it’s a recognizable riff; I want to
please the audience—the audience that owns it; the audience that were the
midwives to its birth, if you know what I mean. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">RA</span></b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Yes, I do. That’s a wonderful way to put it: <i>the audience
who owns it</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">SH</span></b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: It’s not the writer’s, it’s not the performer’s, it’s the
audience that owns it because they know what it’s all about much more so than
those who once performed it, perhaps dismissed it, or in my case, went back to
an abandoned place and repopulated it. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi17D4rEavrRhQq-2GEOVdNItGhEY9fNR6b-V6bp2-Y49IBUtERvVKsKJFK9tMu9pSDpaFVYCz1Nq2nsCqbAFm3I0fwJJT4sGY9vhLvmgbDGs91loFvGwMYrZbbivWhgGmc8cArP_AiAnv7PPXvQ-GJKixhMEXsZ3JluktkCoVK-LwvCLJoK55KbKo7og=s3000" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi17D4rEavrRhQq-2GEOVdNItGhEY9fNR6b-V6bp2-Y49IBUtERvVKsKJFK9tMu9pSDpaFVYCz1Nq2nsCqbAFm3I0fwJJT4sGY9vhLvmgbDGs91loFvGwMYrZbbivWhgGmc8cArP_AiAnv7PPXvQ-GJKixhMEXsZ3JluktkCoVK-LwvCLJoK55KbKo7og=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Image by Howard Rankin</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">RA</span></b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: </span><a href="http://hackettsongs.com/electric.html"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Roger King</span></a><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> seems to have become
your closest musical collaborator of those you’ve worked with to date. Is that
an accurate assessment? If so, what’s made the journey with this particular
person so fulfilling and this long-lasting?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">SH</span></b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: I’ll tell you what it is. I write with (my wife) Jo, I write
by myself, and I write with Roger. There are three possibilities, and sometimes
we do all that together. The thing about Roger is that he’s very hard to
impress. He’s nobody’s “yes man.” In a way, although I employ him, he will be
sufficiently critical and be able to say, “That doesn’t really work, we should
do this.” I don’t think he’s ever said to me, “You could do better than that,”
but I could tell with just a look. Nobody has the answers all the time, even
the greatest musical geniuses. Nobody really can do this on their own, is what
I’m saying. You need the input of others … all music ends up being
collaborative, it seems to me. He’s a great collaborator but there are times
when it’s frustrating; I know that he’s never actually impressed with anything.
The most he’ll say is, “I don’t mind that.’ He’s the master of understatement
and very British! He doesn’t jump for joy, but I can tell when he feels that
things are not too bad, and that’s the most you can expect from Roger. He’s not
a “<i>Wowee</i>!” kind of guy … <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">RA</span></b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: I also wanted to touch on your </span><a href="https://progreport.com/steve-hackett-jo-hackett-interview-surrender-of-silence/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">collaboration with Jo</span></a><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, which I’ve watched
blossom over the last several years. How would you characterize the evolution
of that creative partnership?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">SH</span></b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: I wrote tons of lyrics before I worked with her. Originally,
we met when she wanted me for a film she was making. The thing (about) her
approach to songwriting is that she needs to know what the song is about. It
needs to have a theme; that might be just one word. For instance, “Natalia,” on
the album. She was the birth of that; she came up with the lyrics, first of
all, and then my input was to say, I think we can find a good name for this
person. We both liked the name Natalia, we felt that that worked, and then I
would work with her rough (draft) and try and be flexible with the meter. I
didn’t really know what to do with it, first of all. I thought, well, here’s a
challenge; I don’t know how the hell I could make this work. Once I got the
idea of Russian orchestration via the influence and inspiration from Prokofiev,
suddenly it all started to make sense; the idea of darkness and light, like a
scene from <i>Romeo and Juliet</i>, so that’s really what made that work. If
ever I do anything that would almost be casual, she’ll say to me, “You know,
you could do it with just a bit more importance here.” She says to me that she
would prefer heavy metal that is at least passionate, compared with all the
harmonic changes in the world if they’re just the equivalent of—I don’t know—"vacant
casual.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">RA</span></b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: You’ve characterized your music as “film for the ear.” I’m
sure your fans would agree that the spectrum of images contained in these two
recent albums bears evidence to just that. On a personal note, having listened
to your music since my teens, I can tell you that I am invariably transported
by the experience,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">SH</span></b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: That’s the idea of it! It’s nice to pull that off; it’s great.
As I say, I work with a songwriting team where at least I feel—yes, I know I
could override everybody and use the power of veto, but I feel if it resonates
with my key collaborators, I could also collaborate with others once we’ve got
the heart of the song sorted, then we can take on the influence of others,
their performances, so they can flesh out the details. I know that </span><a href="http://hackettsongs.com/electric.html"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Rob Townsend</span></a><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> can sail through
practically anything the first time; he practically doesn’t need to hear
anything! He can hear the most complicated changes and play the most fluidly
exquisite solos over the top; he has extraordinary command of musical theory
combined with chops to die for! That works very well and similarly, with other
people I work with. There’s a lot of input from </span><a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/2408430-Christine-Townsend"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Christine Townsend</span></a><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> as well on this album.
She doesn’t tour with us; although she shares (Rob’s) surname, they’re not
related. She plays great, wonderful viola and violin, and so I arrange
everything around her. She’s been working with us for quite a few years. It’s
the first time she ever wrote back and said, “I lived with the album for a bit
and I absolutely love it,” which is marvelous. I seem to be doing something
right. All I have to do is jump in headlong (or feet first) and then we’re in a
world where anything can happen. That’s the idea; keep it fast and loose.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">RA</span></b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: I read a </span><a href="https://ultimateclassicrock.com/steve-hackett-interview-2021/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">recent interview</span></a><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> where you said,
“There’s some tremendously talented people that I really wish I could just
phone up and say, ‘You might like this one.’ Things can often come so close.”
Was that an indirect reference to the time (2005) when you, Peter Gabriel, Tony
Banks, Mike Rutherford, and Phil Collins were planning on doing something
together but it fell apart, or was that a reference to some other artists?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">SH</span></b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: I don’t remember the exact quote, but I think my time with
Genesis (is over). I try to honor the music. (Band politics aside), I did like
the stuff we did together. Whether or not (a reunion) would be possible, I
don’t know. I guess everyone has been allowed to rule their own patch so much
that I don’t know whether that collaboration would be possible. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">RA</span></b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Other than Genesis, who else is on your bucket list?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">SH</span></b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Oh my God, it’s so very hard when I think about it. There are
times when I think to myself, I really ought to ask </span><a href="https://www.johnmclaughlin.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">John McLaughlin</span></a><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> if he would like to
play on something. I did enjoy his work so much, especially with </span><a href="https://www.newsweek.com/guitarist-john-mclaughlin-talks-miles-davis-jimi-hendrix-yoga-593284"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Miles Davis and Mahavishnu Orchestra</span></a><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. I have no idea whether
he would be interested in doing something or not. I had hoped to work more with
</span><a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/ian-mcdonald-king-crimson-dead-obit-1298588/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ian McDonald</span></a><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> who sadly passed away
the other day and also not just him but </span><a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/procol-harum-frontman-gary-brooker-dead-obituary-1310688/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Gary Brooker</span></a><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. He and I had been
talking recently and we were hoping to maybe do something. Unfortunately, the
pandemic just got in the way. I know that Gary and Ian had worked together on
Ian’s album </span><a href="https://www.allmusic.com/album/drivers-eyes-mw0000259325"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Driver’s Eyes</span></i></a><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. To my mind, the
outstanding track is “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTZG4e6zJr4&list=PL572Nf10KKy3C9S8aSYOc5rYCa-5uPpVq&index=11"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Let There Be Light</span></a><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">”—the combination of the
two, and also the magic writing team of McDonald and </span><a href="https://pleasekillme.com/peter-sinfield-king-crimson/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Pete Sinfield</span></a><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. I think that was a
terrific combination. They started to get something of the Crimsonite magic
there; the epic swell of that, the unlikely changes, and Gary’s soulful voice.
That didn’t happen for one reason or another but we’re talking about people who
are no longer with us yet somehow, in spirit, they seem to be stronger than
ever! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">RA</span></b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: For the past few years, </span><a href="https://davidcrosby.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">David Crosby</span></a><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> has been saying that
music is a lifting force to which he feels compelled to contribute as much as
he can for as long as he can. Has music’s role taken on an expanded meaning for
you personally during the past two years? Do you feel a similar sense of
urgency, given the passage of time, and given the dark times in which we now
find ourselves?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">SH</span></b><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Certainly, I would agree with all of that, the sense of
urgency to make sure all those brainchildren are born as quickly as possible,
still wanting to pay attention to detail, because the devil, of course, is in
the details. David Crosby is a very interesting character; I know he’s had his
demons himself, of course, nobody says he’s easy (to work with), but I think
he’s a good talent with an extraordinary voice. I think he’s very, very
important and helped to sculpt the music scene in not just the ‘60s but beyond
that. It was very interesting to see both Crosby and </span><a href="https://grahamnash.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nash</span></a><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> with </span><a href="https://www.davidgilmour.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">David
Gilmour</span></a><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. Very impressive that they happened to be on the </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEa__0wtIRo"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">title track</span></a><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> of his </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Island-David-Gilmour/dp/B000E6UK5K"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">album</span></a><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. Somehow, I think it’s
wonderful when you get a sense of bands coming together. I had a sense of that
when I was </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Chris-Squire-Steve-Hackett-Within/dp/B007XH6BPG"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">working with Chris Squire</span></a><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, where you take a pinch
of Genesis and add a teaspoon full of </span><a href="http://yesworld.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Yes</span></a><span style="color: #201f1e; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> and see what you get.
That’s what we did together. These collaborations are great when it’s people
(with whom) you’ve spent time in their company, shall we say, even though they
weren’t aware of that. Through the time (spent) listening to their music,
they’ve become part of your DNA. When you get to work with one of those every
now and again, it’s a real blast.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhFXOM5aRuxYryEhJ9IbdEnlVEaZPz-IskYQOnxsB1KHLjAO-u5vfAqO9iZPurl46Xh8p1xwQIR0f6Wf39QbSsaquYgmMPRJicMuZ9pWOjOfXenCvObcP8rAW_GXPiR-cy5BJygVtKErr9yOkBcspai01ceu1q00-RQX55U5FUcmKiln-Fs5PNX5LmbQw=s960" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="540" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhFXOM5aRuxYryEhJ9IbdEnlVEaZPz-IskYQOnxsB1KHLjAO-u5vfAqO9iZPurl46Xh8p1xwQIR0f6Wf39QbSsaquYgmMPRJicMuZ9pWOjOfXenCvObcP8rAW_GXPiR-cy5BJygVtKErr9yOkBcspai01ceu1q00-RQX55U5FUcmKiln-Fs5PNX5LmbQw=s320" width="180" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Backstage with Steve Hackett<br />March 8, 2020<br />NYCB Theatre at Westbury<br />Image by Roy Abrams</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">© Roy Abrams 2022</span></p><p></p>Roy Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153236460853048915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5708257674135145961.post-89882611707481815362021-04-04T00:01:00.037-04:002022-05-12T23:40:58.352-04:00Just Before the Dawn - a Conversation with David Crosby<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ulTfYG8NOeI/YGk5e2NubYI/AAAAAAAABEs/m69hPlz1wSsx4YNUdVm3iYZ43U79jq3TgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/DavidCrosby_photobyAnnaWebber-0107-Edit.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ulTfYG8NOeI/YGk5e2NubYI/AAAAAAAABEs/m69hPlz1wSsx4YNUdVm3iYZ43U79jq3TgCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/DavidCrosby_photobyAnnaWebber-0107-Edit.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David Crosby - image by Anna Webber</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The March 16 email from Westhampton
Beach Performing Arts Center was brief, to the point, and not entirely
unexpected: “<i>David Crosby has made the decision not to tour in the
foreseeable future and has cancelled his rescheduled date of June 20, 2021</i>.”
The original concert, booked for June 21, 2020, was among the thousands of live
gigs scrapped during the initial months of the pandemic, and while fans were of
course disappointed, everyone understood. Here we are, more than a year later,
and while live music may be slowly returning to smaller indoor and outdoor
dining venues, the prospect of larger-venue musical performances is not quite
yet on the immediate horizon.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://davidcrosby.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">David
Crosby</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">, a man for whom live performance has
always been an essential part of his being, found himself at home, to ponder an
uncertain future. The pandemic may have put his live performance plans on
indefinite hold, but the music has never stopped. Fortified by his family, and
by the reassuringly constant presence of the Muse, Crosby has forged ahead,
recording his fifth album apart from CSN/CSNY since 2014, and is already
getting ready to begin work on the next album. His “</span><a href="https://davidcrosby.com/blogs/news/the-latest-ask-croz-is-up-on-the-rolling-stone-site"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Ask Croz</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">”
feature with Rolling Stone continues, much to his fans’ delight, and he has
once again recently been </span><a href="https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/david-crosby-selling-his-song-catalog-its-my-only-option-streaming-stole-my-record-money/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">in the news</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">,
joining the ranks of many notable artists who are selling off their songwriting
catalogs to achieve both financial security and legacy management of their
life’s work. Crosby sold his publishing and recorded
music rights, including his solo work, as well as his work with the Byrds;
Crosby & Nash; Crosby, Stills & Nash; and Crosby, Stills, Nash &
Young, to Irving Azoff’s Iconic Artists Group. He calls the deal “a
blessing for me and my family” and refers to Azoff’s company as “the best
people to do it with.” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Regular readers of </span><a href="http://islandzoneupdate.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Island
Zone Update</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> know that
conversations with David Crosby appear on a regular basis and have done so for
years. (2017 and 2018 saw two interviews per year!). 2020 would normally have
included an interview prior to his Westhampton Beach concert, and the break in
continuity was, on this end, deeply missed. So, it was with great anticipation
that I sat in my home office on Tuesday, March 23, waiting for Crosby’s call.
Then, at 2:00 pm EDT, right on schedule, the phone rang. Picking it up, I read
the now-familiar phone number that appeared on the screen. Answering it, I
heard the unmistakable voice, signaling the resumption of a conversation that
began nearly thirty years ago … it has, indeed, been a long time gone.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Roy Abrams</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: David!! It’s so good to hear your voice! How
are you?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">David Crosby</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Ah! I am … [chuckles] My normal answer is
“elderly and confused,” but I’m actually pretty good today!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Congratulations on finishing yet another new
record! I understand it’s called <i>For Free</i>, inspired by a Joni Mitchell
song that you’ve performed </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NT2ln0atiUs"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">live</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> in the past. Let’s talk about the songs, the
personnel, any songwriting collaborations that took place, where and when it
was recorded, and when it’s due for release.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: The release date was supposed to be May but
I’m being told it’s July because they have a bottleneck on producing vinyl.
Apparently, making the vinyl was slowed up by COVID, I don’t know how, so now
they’re saying July. Like all of my records in the last ten years, it’s a very
cooperative effort. It’s me and </span><a href="https://www.jamesraymond.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">James</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
(Raymond); it’s the </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sky-Trails-David-Crosby/dp/B074BP3V2R"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sky Trails</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
band, but it’s really just me and James. We used people from all over. We used
all kinds of jazz musicians and rock musicians to make the record. Number one,
the touring band, the Sky Trails band, that’s pretty fixed. The people who made
the record, well, this one was pretty astounding, man. I’ve been friends with </span><a href="https://www.steelydan.com/#!/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Donald Fagen</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> for a while and I finally convinced him to
give me a set of words, so we took that set of words and James and I
“Steely-Dan’ed” it into the middle distance, that’s one of the songs. We wrote
another one with </span><a href="https://www.michaelmcdonald.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Michael McDonald</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> called “River Rise”──mostly James wrote it. I’ve
been bugging James to write us a single forever, (telling him) “C’mon, man, we
need to pay the rent here!” And he did it, it’s a single! Michael McDonald sang
on it with us and helped write it, actually. It’s always a cooperative effort
with me and James. James is maturing as a writer to where he’s as good as I am
if not better. He wrote what I think is the best song on the record, called “I
Won’t Stay For Long,” that’s one of the best songs I’ve ever sung. I absolutely
freakin’ loved it and I killed it. I sang the shit out of it. There’s a lot of
my favorite thing, which is cooperative effort, all over the place. We are
doing it, and it’s good! I love it that we can do it, but I’m frustrated as
hell that they don’t pay us for it. I can’t stop saying that because it’s just
not right that they’re making billions of dollars and not paying the artists
who are making the music. I don’t like streaming and I don’t think it’s right;
I think it’s theft. But that doesn’t mean we can’t make up music, so we are
still doing that. [Laughs] We got this one mastered, and we started writing for
another one. We don’t know what else to do!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: How has the past year impacted your creativity?
How does one go about keeping the Muse fresh in these strange times?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: It’s very tough. We can’t play live. At all.
And that was my most fun thing, you know. You can write music, and you can
record music, but you can’t get paid for it, which is weird, so it’s been very,
very odd. You know, I definitely can’t play live, and that was the last source
of income that I had. I had to sell my publishing, and so it affected me very
strongly, this COVID thing. Shutting us down from being able to play live
completely changed everything that I was able to do. I had to reshape my plans
for my life. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: I’ve been reading a lot about the </span><a href="https://static.billboard.com/files/2020/02/insights_billboard-1582901163.pdf"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">song catalog acquisition business</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> and it’s amazing how it has exploded. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: I can explain it to you if you want to know.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Absolutely!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Okay, it’s pretty simple. I had a financial
wizard friend of mine explain it. If you’re going into the world with $100
million to invest in the stock market, you take $50 million of it and put it in
T-bills, because you know exactly what they’re gonna pay, and they’re safe.
Then you take the other $50 million and go adventuring to try and make money.
Well, then you think about publishing, you have 20 years of records. You know
exactly what it’s gonna pay. It has that same security. The only thing is it pays
a lot better than T-bills. A <i>lot</i> better. They used to buy publishing by
a multiple. For most of my life, ten years of your publishing’s yearly earnings
was what your publishing was worth. When it got to 19, faced with the situation I was faced with,
it was definitely the right thing to do, to sell it. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: That seems to be what drove so many others’
decision to sell their publishing: </span><a href="https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/irving-azoff-buys-beach-boys-rights-in-what-looks-likely-to-be-a-100m-plus-deal/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">The Beach Boys</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">, </span><a href="https://variety.com/2021/music/news/linda-ronstadt-music-assets-irving-azoff-1234935593/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Linda Ronstadt</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">, </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/07/arts/music/bob-dylan-universal-music.html"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Dylan</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
… I actually read that Neil ended up selling about </span><a href="https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/hipgnosis-acquires-50-of-neil-youngs-song-catalog-for-around-150m/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">half of his work</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> at the beginning of the year.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: It’s that and also that the tax situation is more
advantageous now in the leftover situation from Trump than it will be when it
readjusts to a more reasonable and less permissive kind of way of doing things.
So, if you were gonna take a bunch of million dollars for making one of these
deals, you’d want to do it under this (tax situation) and not the next one.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: As far as the songwriting copyrights are
concerned, do you still own them?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Yeah, I still own them, but they get to
collect the revenue. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: As far as future touring is concerned, a
mutual acquaintance of ours, </span><a href="https://www.jacobcollier.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Jacob Collier</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">, is launching a 67-date world tour in 2022!
In many of our prior conversations in recent years, you mentioned that while
touring was something that you loved, it was also a financial necessity for
you. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Because it’s the only thing that’s paying
us, man! If we can’t make money off records, that’s it!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Has the song catalog deal provided you with the
kind of relief that transforms any future touring plans into an artistic goal
rather than an economic necessity?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: The deal wasn’t related to touring, it was
related to being able to pay the rent.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Many people, including </span><a href="https://www.beccastevens.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Becca
Stevens</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> and </span><a href="http://www.michellewillis.ca/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Michelle
Willis</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">, have been doing virtual concerts
during the pandemic …<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Michelle has been doing the Monday night </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/boutwillismusic/videos/monday-night-piano-bar/269578417973124/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Piano Bar</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
online for a long time──:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Yes, and there is also a newer project
involving virtual </span><a href="http://www.michellewillis.ca/virtual-house-concerts.html"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">private house concerts</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: They’re trying to find some way to make a
living. This is not gaming around, this is trying to put food on the table.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Has your world view changed during the past
year, not solely looking outward, but inward as well, to yourself as an artist?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Yes. My world has changed over the last
couple of years drastically, because of all the reasons that I’ve said. I used
to be able to make a living and right now, I can’t, and that’s true of all the
musicians I know. Now, if you think it’s bad for me, it’s nothing for me
compared to the young people who are trying to come up: Becca and Michelle, </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/michaelleagueplaysmusic/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Michael League</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">, the young, really brilliant musicians that I
know. If you think it’s bad for me, imagine what it’s like for them. They can’t
get a leg up at all. They can’t play live or record or make a living. They
sleep on their mother’s couch.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: So much of what I have been reading discusses
what is being viewed as a coming “Roaring ‘20s” situation, with a resurgence of
live music based on long-term pent-up demand.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Well, everybody would like to, but until you
can get a fully vaccinated audience, it’s bullshit.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Have you found any silver lining in the
midst of the past year’s challenges?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: For me, the silver lining was spending time
with my family. I love my family a whole lot, and being there when I normally
would be gone, trudging around playing, has been good for my family; it’s been
good for me with them. The more time you put into it, the better it gets.
Frankly, it’s been very good that way, and I’m grateful for it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Gaining more time to have uninterrupted
music listening sessions proved to be among the few silver linings that
appeared. </span><a href="https://davidcrosby.com/collections/media/products/lighthouse-cd"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Lighthouse</span></span></i></a><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">and
</span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Here-You-Listen-David-Crosby/dp/B07GWJW49K"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Here If You Listen</span></span></i></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> have been in frequent rotation for the past
year. (I’ve mentioned to you in the past that <i>Lighthouse </i>got near-daily
listens for the first year after its release and has lost none of its original
impact.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: That’s mostly me and Michael but that’s
where we started the chemistry with Becca and Michelle. I’m really happy about
that record. <i>Lighthouse</i> was a really fun record. I like <i>Sky Trails </i>too,
I think it was an excellent record, I thought </span><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://somethingelsereviews.com/2014/02/02/david-crosby-croz-2014/">Croz</a></span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
was an excellent record. I think <i>Here If You Listen </i>is one of the best
ones I’ve made. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: When you released <i>Croz </i>in 2014, CSN
still had a full year and a half to go. During the </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_IJ5gVBIBU"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">tour</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> to promote <i>Croz</i> did you foresee an end
of the road for CSN?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Yeah. It gets a little mechanical for a
while. You do it for forty years and it turns into “turn on the smoke machine
and play your hits” and that’s really not good enough for me. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">[<i>Author’s note: CSN did manage to blow audiences away on what
turned out to be their final tour in 2015. Their May 16, 2015 appearance at
Kings Theatre in Brooklyn stands as one of the strongest performances I
witnessed from the band since first seeing them live in 1977</i>.]<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: It sounds like you were really chomping at
the bit for a while to break out …<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: I was, yeah. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: What an example you set! It used to be the
jazz musicians who, as they grew older, showed the rest of us that no, the muse
doesn’t necessarily limit its visits, nor does the fire to create and perform
music diminish. I think that you, perhaps more than anyone else of the
generation of artists who came of age in the 1960s, retain what Becca described
as a sense of childlike wonder, the magical pull that drew you to music in the
first place. This has been a common description of you from people with whom you’ve
worked in the past several years. My question is: Do <i>you</i> still feel like
a child when you hear music that just nails you? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Yeah, I do. I can’t help it; that’s actually
true.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Becca described your vision of the
Lighthouse band as “like CSNY, but nothing like them.” Can you elaborate on
that?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: It’s a chemistry. I love and specialize in
chemistries. It is like CSN or CSNY in that it is a chemistry of several people
contributing music to it, with each other, to a whole. That’s what it is. The
tendency is, if you have a successful chemistry, is to ride it into the
freakin’ dirt. I think we stayed with it longer than we should have. I think we
should have branched out more but it is what it is. I’m here, making records
that I’m really proud of, I mean, I think I’m making <i>really good music</i>.
That’s really all I’m responsible for: making the best music I possibly can. I
don’t see that happening with the other guys. They seem to be kind of stuck in
place. I can’t really vouch for that.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: What I’ve seen since 2014 is an artist who
just keeps pushing the envelope. I remember saying to you a couple of years ago
that while you are undeniably a musical icon of sorts, you also come off as an exciting,
refreshingly <i>new</i> artist──<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: [Giggles]<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: ──Because of what you bring to the table. I
look at the way that Becca, Michelle, and Michael respond to you, and you can
see from the look on their faces that they get it, too.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Well, they’re fun, you know? They’re really
brilliant musicians, at least as good as I am. The chemistry with them is
really good. We are probably gonna try to make another record together. It’s
difficult because Michael lives in Spain now, but I think we might just try
going over there to make another one. The three of us love Michael, and he is
utterly, completely necessary to that chemistry.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: One of the tracks on <i>Here If You Listen</i>,
“</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgK1qACm4uM"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Your Own Ride</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">,” a song written for your song Django, contains
lyrics that are at once profoundly personal to you but from a parental
standpoint, universal in nature. What was Django’s reaction when he first heard
it?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: It moved him. He’s very bright, so he
understood it completely, and it moved him a great deal. It’s a very honest
song from a father to a son. And </span><a href="https://billlaurance.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bill Laurence</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> (of </span><a href="https://snarkypuppy.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Snarky Puppy</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">) did a <i>beautiful </i>job with the music. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: What are your biggest concerns as a parent
these days?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: The biggest one is that an awful lot of
young people do not think that we are successfully dealing with the situation that the world
is in, and don’t think we’re gonna make it. They look at our task, which is to
get the entire human race off coal and oil, which is what we have to do, and
they think we probably can’t pull it off. The result will be that we’ll go down
in flames for it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: What does your gut tell you?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Hey, you know, I’m always holding on to some
kind of hope. I hold hope in exemplary human beings, the Elon Musks of this
world; I hold hope in technology because of people like him who are unafraid to
use it, I hold hope in the pure (tenacity) of human beings in wanting to survive.
But I frankly think it’s very hard to argue that──if they won’t address it, and
they certainly are not──there’s half of this country who doesn’t even believe that
global warming’s real, man! They think that COVID’s a hoax! They think the
government’s trying to <i>steal their kidneys</i>! They are <i>brutally
ignorant people</i>. There are an unbelievable number of completely ignorant
people in the United States now, because we used to be really good at educating
ourselves, and now we’re not. We’re 25<sup>th</sup> or 28<sup>th</sup> in the
world at educating our kids; every other developed country is doing a better
job than we are. So, that gives us ignorant people──ignorant people who are
wearing those little red hats running around saying, [adopts exaggerated
Southern accent] “Got to make America great again!” Education is the key log in
the jam, and we’ve failed it. I understand how a lot of young people that I
talk to are not starting families, not starting careers, not trying to
accomplish much, because frankly they don’t think we’re gonna make it. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Are there any reforms to the educational
system that you would like to see instituted? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Here’s the deal: Education itself is the key
to making it better. We are not funding it. Teachers don’t get paid enough,
therefore we don’t get good enough teachers. Double the pay to teachers and all
of a sudden it becomes a job that people can jump for out of college and if both
of you can get a job teaching, you can actually raise children and have a
house. That’s what we need to do; that will change the dynamic totally. Teachers
have to get paid at least twice as much as they’re getting now, and that’s all
across the board, everywhere. And then you’ve gotta stop with the tenure
bullshit. “Oh, I don’t have to be competent, because I’ve been here a long
time.” It’s absolutely a total joke. They stop working. They just sit there and
collect the check. We need to pay better so we get better people. They need to rigorously
revamp the schools into being modern and effective because, believe me, the Japanese
and the Chinese and the French and the English and the Italians and everybody
fuckin’ else is competing with us worldwide, and if we don’t educate our kids
they will fail in that competition. That is not a good thing. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: I stepped away from the public school system
ten years ago to focus solely on one-to-one, individualized instruction …<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: You’re lucky you do it because that way, you
can actually teach somebody! Overall, I’m glad that that is what you do, and
I’m grateful you do. But the situation in the rest of the country sucks. We’re
doing a lousy job of educating our kids. I think every educator I talk to is on
the same page. It’s not like it’s a mystery. Every teacher I know feels the
same way, they feel like we’re not doing it the way we know perfectly well we
need to do it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: One wonders why the teachers themselves
don’t stand up and make a change …<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Because the teachers are never the ones in
charge! It’s the goddamn politicians!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: That brings up the whole issue of the Common
Core curriculum. </span><a href="https://www.educationnext.org/common-core-has-not-worked-forum-decade-on-has-common-core-failed/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Recent studies</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> are showing that it has failed, despite all
the money and other resources that have been thrown at it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Can I tell you, how predictable was that?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Steering back toward music, do you foresee a
possible return to live performance in 2022 or it still too early to tell?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: The answer to that is gonna depend on vaccination.
When you say, look, to buy a ticket, you’ve got to show us a vaccination
sticker. If you can show us that you’ve been vaccinated, you can buy a ticket.
Okay, when they do that, if they do that, then they will have audiences that
are safe and then we will have audiences … not until.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: In a recent </span><a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/crosby-stills-nash-interview-deja-vu-reissue-1140951/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">article</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
centered around the upcoming release of a <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://store.rhino.com/deja-vu-50th-anniversary-deluxe-retail-edition-1.html"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">special
<i>Déjà Vu</i> repackaging</span></a> </span>that features a wealth of previously unreleased
material, Stephen said of CSNY, “We were glued together with Silly Putty.” Is
that a valid assessment, in your opinion?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: I think it’s great phrase; I don’t know
exactly what he meant. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: In the same article, you stated that it
didn’t really mean much, one way or the other, as far as the archival mindset
is concerned, yet it was that archival mindset that produced your beautiful </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Voyage-David-Crosby/dp/B000GUJYAQ"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Voyage</span></span></i></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> </span>boxed set.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: You know, it might be mindset. <i>Voyage</i>
was a more intelligently constructed thing, I think. I was pretty happy about <i>Voyage</i>.
<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Are there any other works in the archives,
whether studio-based or live, that might eventually see the light of day?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: There’s tons! There are rooms full of live tapes.
Crosby tapes, Crosby/Nash tapes, Crosby, Stills and Nash tapes, Crosby, Stills,
Nash and Young tapes. There’s enough CSNY tapes to fill a truck!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: David, on a personal note, it has been
wonderful speaking with you again! It’s been many years since we began the
dialogue, and I am thrilled that we got the opportunity to resume it today. Please
give my best to Jan and Django, and I hope our paths cross in person again one
day in the future!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Thanks, man!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">© Roy Abrams 2021<o:p></o:p></span></p><p></p>Roy Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153236460853048915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5708257674135145961.post-53760131298401040272021-02-28T20:33:00.001-05:002021-02-28T20:33:27.440-05:00The Archive Series: Emily Saliers - July 1992<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CrMAVUs-egA/YDxDfinhA0I/AAAAAAAABEE/0mREQmGsNtIEyJjGXTXgoqFx14Lx7nBmwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Emily%2BSaliers%2B1992.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="783" data-original-width="1280" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CrMAVUs-egA/YDxDfinhA0I/AAAAAAAABEE/0mREQmGsNtIEyJjGXTXgoqFx14Lx7nBmwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Emily%2BSaliers%2B1992.jpg" width="320" /></a></i></div><i><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></i><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Indigo Girls –
Celebrating the Rites of Passage<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Interview with
Emily Saliers<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">For the first time, Emily Saliers and
Amy Ray──better known as Indigo Girls──have stepped outside the bounds of the
sound they’ve come to be known and loved for. On <i>Rites of Passage</i>, the
duo’s third major label release, there’s a new rhythmic undercurrent provided by
a variety of Latin and African percussion instruments. The stellar supporting cast,
including B-52s’ bassist Sara Lee, drummers Jerry Marotta and Kenny Aronoff,
and various members of Siouxsie and the Banshees, provides an exquisite musical
palette on which Emily and Amy paint their most vivid pictures yet. Their
harmonies, perhaps the most powerful and striking among the ranks of newer
artists, send a nonstop barrage of chills down the spine. The songs truly mark
the duo’s passage to a new level of maturity and depth of outlook. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">During rehearsals for their current
U.S. headlining tour, Emily Saliers took a break to talk about the duo’s past,
present, and future. More like a conversation with a long-lost college friend, our
talk covered a lot of ground, and left no doubt that the combined talents (and
refreshing intelligence) of the Indigo Girls that has brought them this far
will carry them further still.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Roy Abrams</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Your earlier LPs consisted largely of
material that had a solid performance life behind it. This album marks a radical
departure from that. The recording process must have been markedly different
from the past. What were the sessions like?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Emily Saliers</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Well, from my point of view, it felt like a
wide-open world for what we could do with the songs. When we first out, I think
Amy and I were a little afraid of losing our essence by adding things on the
record. It was our first “real” studio experience; in a way, on the first record
and even on <i>Nomads, Indians, and Saints</i>, we sort of hampered (original
producer) Scott Litt’s wanting to expand a little more, musically, I think. Then,
we switched producers, and Peter Collins did this one. Amy and I started
talking about all the ethnic musical influences we wanted, with the Irish musicians
and Talvinde from Siouxsie and the Banshees playing the tabla and percussion. We
started picking out players and influences that we wanted on the songs, and it
was just such a creative and fun process. I think the fact that the songs were
new and hadn’t been weathered by tons of performance left them open, which was
very healthy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: The guest singers on this album are a “who’s
who” of some of the best harmony singers on the <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>planet: The Roches, Jackson Browne, David
Crosby──how did they get involved?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ES</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: We sort of kept running into these people. We
met Jackson a couple of years ago. We were doing a show in L.A. and he sang a
song with us that night, and we stayed in touch. We did a benefit (later) for
the Verde Valley School in Arizona, which is a really cool private school that
Jackson’s been involved with for years and David (Crosby) was at that concert.
He and Graham (Nash) sang some songs; he told me he liked our music. I knew we
were about ready to record, so I asked him if he would sing on the record. He
said yes, and I almost died right there in front of him! The Roches we’ve known
for years. I grew up listening to their music. It’s a dream come true to work with
these people.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: I would imagine. How did you put the vocals together
on those tracks?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ES</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: On “Airplane,” The Roches did that
arrangement themselves. Amy and I didn’t touch it. We sent them a demo of the
song with just the two of us singing, and they wrote their arrangement, came to
the studio, we sat around five microphones, Amy and I strummed the guitars, and
that’s how we did it!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: I hope flying’s getting easier for you, by
the way …<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ES</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: [Laughing] It’s not! I’ve had a setback, but
it’s just something I have to deal with. It just makes me very uncomfortable. I
can’t understand how a big old piece of metal can get off the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: How did you put “Let It Be Me” together?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ES</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Jackson and David sang on that. We just sat down
together at a piano and picked out a few notes ... it happened just like that.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: It must have been something else to have
been in that room at that time.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ES</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: You know, you try not to act like it’s
blowing you away! God, this year’s been chock full of so many wonderful
experiences like that.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Your own sense of harmony is what draws a
lot of people to your music. Is it an intuitive thing with both of you, or do
you sit down and work them out?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ES</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: It’s intuitive to the extent that I feel how
the harmonies are going to work. When I finish a song, I start to hear lines come
into my head. We actually pound it out after the intuition. Sometimes, we have to
step back and look at how the song will build dynamically. Amy’s got a real
good sense of that──when to add, when not to add. I have a very innate sense of
harmony, so that works that way.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: The combination is very intriguing. Distinct
personalities, very different voices, and songwriting styles yet the blend
touches on the magical, often crossing that border. Any thoughts on your influences
on each other?<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ES</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Well, it’s definitely a yin/yang chemistry, <i>completely</i>.
Our personalities are really different. We listen to different kinds of music. Amy’s
much more rock and roll, alternative music influenced. I’m more influenced by
singer/songwriter narrative music. Amy comes from a lot of anger, writing of
the earth and sensual images. I intellectualize things a little more; I write my
songs like an English paper!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: I get the feeling from your lyrics that you
read quite a lot. What’s inspired you, both musically and in literature?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ES</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Actually, our literary influences are more
aligned than our musical influences. We both love Southern literature──Faulkner,
Flannery O’Connor; that sort of bizarre, steeped-in-Southern-thickness style of
writing. I rediscovered Virginia Wolff this past year. Amy found this poet
named Frank Stanford. He really moved her to write. We’ve both been reading a
lot of non-fiction too; a lot of history. Musically, my greatest influence has
been Joni Mitchell. She’s still new to me; I never get tired of her stuff. Bob
Dylan’s the other big one. Amy’s also into Dylan and, at an earlier stage, Neil
Young. We both liked James Taylor at a very early stage. Later on, Amy got into
bands like Husker Du, the Replacements, and the Jam. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: When did you and Amy first start working
together?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ES</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: We met at elementary school. I moved to
Atlanta from Connecticut when I was nine. We lived in the same neighborhood.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: That’s pretty convenient …<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ES</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Yeah, really! We got to be good friends
toward the end of high school. That’s when we started playing professionally,
around 1980. I went off to Tulane University<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>for two years Amy went to Vandy (Vanderbilt University) for a year, and
then we both ended up transferring to Emory in Atlanta. That’s when we became
the Indigo Girls and our fan base became solid, at least locally. That was the catalyst.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Who came up with the name?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ES</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Amy found the name in the dictionary. She
was thumbing through it for some ideas, you know, and that word popped out.
Pretty plain and simple!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: What were the early days like?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ES</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: The sentiment felt exactly the same. We
still feel the same way playing together as we did back them. The only difference
is that we had so much to learn. We had to run our own sound system, book our
own gigs, call up the radio stations ourselves after we’d sent out the records
from the post office. It was sort of a nine-to-five job! We were, I guess, paying
our dues back then, although it didn’t really feel like it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: When did you first realize that you were on
the way to “making it”?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ES</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Well, “making it” is such a relative term.
Each step along the way seemed like “making it.” The first time we got a gig playing
at an open mic night, we thought that was heaven. Then we got a gig playing at
a regular bar where we got paid; after that, we got to open for someone like
John Sebastian. At that point, we felt like that was <i>everything</i>. So,
each step of the way felt like success. We were never stagnant. It was a very
natural and healthy progression.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: I know it’s kind of tough to put the creative
process into words, but can you describe how your creativity gets sparked?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ES</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: I sort of feel it all the time. I get
pricked by different thoughts or experiences. If I’m out at a bar listening to
music and I notice something going on at the next table, or if I’m getting
cynical about relationships, or read something in the paper … I mean, the
inspiration is all around, in life. You feel it growing inside you, this
thought that has to be put down. I know Amy keeps a little book and she jots
down her thoughts, which is a good thing to do so you don’t forget. So, it sort
of broods inside you, then you pick your time, when you sit down with your
guitar. I like to be in a real quiet space where I can gather my thoughts.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: What was the inspiration behind “Ghost”?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ES</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: I’m typically a bleeding-heart type of
person. You know, the feelings between two people, feelings of love and
attraction that get sparked … that’s one of my favorite things to experience
and to write about. That was the seed to be planted for that song, and I found
those chords early on. I started playing them during soundchecks and they had a
good, somber, but rolling feel to them. Then I just started thinking about the
way it can happen that either you fall in love with someone, or there’s a relationship
for a time, and then it ends, and it just gets built to be this powerful,
mysterious force in your life and you’re never going to get over it. It’s alive
and well, even though the ties aren’t there anymore. I think that’s a basic
human experience.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: How did Michael Kamen turn up on that track?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ES</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: [Giggles] That was Peter Collins’ doing. Michael
Kamen did the strings on “Silent Lucidity” (Queensryche), which Peter produced.
Peter was really bucking for strings on that song. When I first wrote it, it
was a very intimate song, and I was very afraid that the strings would turn it
into a sweeping ballad, and I didn’t want that. So, we fought over it, in a friendly
way. Finally, we grew to respect Peter’s opinion so much that, in the end, I
said, “Okay, Peter, if Michael can do this … “ Michael loved the song; he gathered
his orchestra and put all this stuff down, and then we weeded it out a little
bit and ended up with a compromise.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: “Galileo” is another really interesting
track.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ES</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Reincarnation is something I’ve been thinking
about a lot over the past year and a half. Actually, I don’t think about it all
the time, but it seemed to get brought up, and it’s a very popular subject
among certain friends. This one friend and I were discussing it into the wee
hours of the night. When I started writing the song, I wanted to approach it
from a lighthearted point of view. I just figured, since Galileo had discovered
such great truths, he must be an advanced soul in some way. And his name had kind
of a ring to it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: What are some of your favorite Indigo Girls songs
from all phases of your career?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ES</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Well … of Amy’s songs, I always like “Kid
Fears.” It’s really very powerful, especially live, when people are singing
along with it. I think it’s a great song. I love singing “Secure Yourself,”
too. I find it very uplifting … I also really like singing “Pushing the Needle
Too Far.” It’s a powerful, raw rock and roll song. All of Amy’s songs on the
new record I really like. I think “Cedar Tree” is a powerful song in its
simplicity. Of my songs, I think the best one I ever wrote was “History Of Us.”
It just poured out of me. I was in Europe with my family; it’s all true, the
images, nothing was made up. I put everything into it and it flowed out. I think
“You And Me And The 10,000 Wars” is a good song. It’s hard to talk about your
own songs, but I think my favorite of mine on the new record is “Ghost.” It
seems like the songs that really just pour out of me are the ones that turn out
to be my best.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Where do you think contemporary music is
headed?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ES</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: That’s a hard question, ‘cause there are so
many different kinds of contemporary music. The only trend I see that bothers
me is that music is becoming more and more mindless on the radio. The lyrics
don’t mean anything; the songs aren’t musically interesting (not to my ears,
anyway!). I think we get lazy with what we accept as music … and what MTV
promotes. I hardly ever find something new that blows me away. Well, Wynona
Judd; I love country music. All the new artists that keep coming out of country
(music) are great. But then, I also go back and listen to Led Zeppelin, Joni
Mitchell, CSN, Jackson Browne. We both are influenced by a lot of people from
Atlanta, local artists like Kristen Hall, Gerard McHugh, and the Ellen James
Society. You know, the stuff that counts will last and stand the test of time.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: I think your music will have a place of its
own in that category.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ES</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: We’ll see. I hope so, ‘cause we’re having an
awesome time!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: What are your plans for the rest of 1992?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ES</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: I think we’re gonna be touring behind this
album for quite some time. Afterward, Amy’s got her record label (Dameon Records)
that keeps her very busy. I’m interesting in writing a bunch of songs and maybe
doing some collaborative writing, and maybe trying to get my songs to some
other people and see if anyone wants to record them. And I want to become a
better golf player, too!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Golf? Okay.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ES</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: And I wanna have fun.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">© Roy Abrams 2021<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Originally published in <i>The Island-Ear</i>,
July 14-27, 1992 issue<o:p></o:p></span></p>Roy Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153236460853048915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5708257674135145961.post-38095987968615317042021-02-26T14:02:00.001-05:002021-02-28T01:58:11.585-05:00The Archive Series: Tony Banks - October 1992<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pVUMP4FIpDE/YDlE1A-21jI/AAAAAAAABD0/gpZJe8pc3hk3-Nu5W215VaFMILdaR_VpwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Tony%2BBanks%2B1992.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="824" data-original-width="1280" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pVUMP4FIpDE/YDlE1A-21jI/AAAAAAAABD0/gpZJe8pc3hk3-Nu5W215VaFMILdaR_VpwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Tony%2BBanks%2B1992.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Tony
Banks: More Tales From The Book Of Genesis<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Genesis has
joined the ranks of those groups that can count more than one generation among
their fans. With a career spanning nearly a quarter of a century, Genesis has
undergone remarkable transformations and upheavals, both personally and musically,
emerging as one of the biggest acts in the music business. Of course, the
astonishing success of vocalist/drummer Phil Collins’ solo career has eclipsed
that of the group several times during the past decade, causing several pinhead
radio deejays to refer to “Phil Collins and Genesis” when playing a Genesis track
… no big deal in itself, but highlighting how perceptions can change when one
member of a band achieves great individual success.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Though Phil
Collins’ solo efforts may be the most financially rewarding, his bandmates have
also forged separate musical identities. Bassist/guitarist Mike Rutherford has
released several albums, both as a solo artist and with the Mechanics, and has
made his own mark upon contemporary music. The solo career of keyboardist Tony
Banks, while never quite catching fire (yet) has included four unusual, highly <i>musical</i>
efforts: <i>A Curious Feeling</i> (1979), <i>The Fugitive</i> (1983), <i>Bankstatement
</i>(1989) and <i>Still</i> (1992). Any fan of Genesis , whether they’re more into
the early or later periods, will find a treasure trove of singularly creative
moments in these works, which could only have come from the mind of Tony Banks,
one of rock’s most underrated songwriters.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I spoke with
Banks during the early part of the current Genesis tour …<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Roy
Abrams</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Is it
difficult to go about selecting the songs you include in your set, given the
catalog of material Genesis has accumulated?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Tony
Banks</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: It’s not as
difficult as you might think, really. Obviously, we as a group are more
interested in playing more recent stuff, though we like to reach back a bit as
well. We look at the new album and we do as much of that as we can. Then we go
back and do the songs from the previous set that we still feel pretty close to …
and then we look back into our early days. On this tour, we decided to do a
different “old” medley, if you like. We did a twenty-minute medley last time,
we’re doing a different one this time, (consisting of material) from the ‘70s.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: What made you decide to go the
open-air route for this tour?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">TB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Well, the main reason was to try
and keep the length of the tour down a bit, with quite a few different things
going on for everybody. Also, having children at the age where you don’t want
to leave them for too long. We felt that the best way of covering the ground
and not be touring for two years would be to do the open-air shows. Having done
a bit of it on the last tour and quite enjoying it, we thought we’d try it this
one time.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Are you as comfortable performing
live as you are in the studio?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">TB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: I’m in this business as a writer,
really. Making records I see as an extension of the writing process. Playing
live … I enjoy it, but I’m not a natural. I wouldn’t be doing it if it wasn’t my
music; I really wouldn’t do it for any other reason.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Since the <i>Genesis</i> LP (1983),
the band has taken two extended leaves of absence, the second larger than the
first. What’s it like getting together after those types of layovers?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">TB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: We’ve been doing that since ’79,
really, although the periods off were shorter in those days. Once you set the
patterns, it’s easier once you expect it to happen. When you come back, it’s
very easy to get back together again. We slip back into it after about a week
or so. It’s like you’d never done it any other way, almost. It hasn’t been a
problem.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Your solo LP, <i>Still</i>, was
released rather quickly after <i>We Can’t Dance</i>. Chronologically speaking,
which project were you involved with first, and how long did the recording of
both albums take?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">TB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: I did my solo album before the
Genesis record. The recording process of my album took about three months. (On
the Genesis record) we took a couple of months to write it and another two or
three months to record it. I was in the studio pretty much continuously from
one project to the next, which is not really how I like to do it, but it just
worked out that way!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Three of the tracks on <i>Still</i>
are collaborations. What was the extent of the collaboration as compared with
how you work with Genesis?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">TB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: The collaborations (on <i>Still</i>)
were somewhat different because it’s a fairly straight division between music
and lyrics. I’d written the songs pretty much completely, melody and
everything. The lyrics are from the people I worked with</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">both Nik Kershaw and Fish are people whose lyrics I like a
lot. Also, I think there’s no doubt that singers have a tendency to sing their
own lyrics a bit better, ‘cause they know what they can get their teeth around.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: How did you go about choosing the
four other singers for the album? I know that Jayney Kilmek appeared on your
last LP. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">TB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Well, she was an easy decision
because I’d worked with her, and I like working with a girl singer as well, because
it’s so different from what I do with Genesis. Fish is someone I’d worked with
in the past, quite a long time ago. We got on really well, and we always talked
about doing some more stuff. When I decided that I was going to use a number of
singers (on this record), I thought Fish was an obvious choice.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Has anyone mentioned that “Another Murder
Of A Day” (a Fish/Banks composition on <i>Still</i>) has a distinct early
Genesis feel?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">TB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Well, to be honest, it was a slightly
conscious thing. I mean, I can write those kinds of things all the time, you
know, but it’s more difficult now within Genesis; we don’t do quite as many
things of that nature. Fish has his roots in a band called Marillion, which at
one point was considered to be a sort of Genesis copy. He’s about as
long-winded as I am, so that two of us did one long track where we let
ourselves go a bit. I wasn’t going to do an “old” song or a “new” song; I just
let myself do what came naturally.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: On the new record and the <i>Bankstatement</i>
LP, you sing one track each, but on <i>The Fugitive</i>, you did all the vocals
on the entire record. I’m curious as to why you moved away from that.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">TB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Well, there’s somewhat of a divided
opinion on the state of my vocals! I thought that on <i>The Fugitive</i>, I did
a reasonable job, but the point is, there’s more to it than that. If you’re
going to be the singer of an album, you’ve got to be able to front it in some
kind of way. It means if you ever do a video or a TV show, you’ve got to be the
singer. I really don’t feel comfortable doing that at all, and my voice</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">although I can get away with it in the studio</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">really isn’t good enough for a live situation, certainly not
without quite a lot more experience. I don’t have any particular desire to
promote myself as a singer, but on the other hand I’ve done one song on each of
the last two albums to keep my hand in. I think it’s quite fun to do that, to
remind yourself of what you’re putting these other people through all the time!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Is there anybody that you have not worked
with that you might eventually like to put something together with?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">TB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Not specifically. There’s a lot of
people I like, but it’s really a matter of when the time comes up, I start
thinking about it. It’s not necessarily “I want to work with the people I
admire the most,” because I don’t think they need me, for a start I chose Nik
Kershaw this time, who’s someone I’ve admired for years, because he seemed to
have a fairly blank period recently, and I thought he might be interested in
doing something. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Do you foresee a time when you and
Peter Gabriel might work together again?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">TB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: I certainly don’t think it’s
impossible. Peter and I are good friends, and we like each other musically as
well, you know. [Laughing] It’s a difficult question, because it gets around to
the fact that Peter doesn’t really need me; do you know what I mean? We’d only
get back together, I think, because it would be a fun thing to do. We both have
careers of our own, but we definitely worked together well back in the early ‘70s.
Some of the songs that became classic Genesis songs were the results of the two
of us working together. So, it’s certainly not something that I would rule out.
We never really talked about it because we’ve been going our own musical way.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: I understand you’ve got a great
deal of unreleased material. Will it ever come out?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">TB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: The trouble is, I’m one of those
people who, if I haven’t done anything with a song for a while, it tends to get
forgotten and discarded. I’ve got some instrumental things that I’ve accumulated
over the years. I’ve always been hoping to do a film soundtrack, to get some of
those pieces in. At some point I may decide to do an instrumental album to get
it all out of my system! You see, when it comes to my songs, I tend not to
write a lyric until I know that the song is going to come out. I tend to work
with music first. So, there’s a lot of material; I have no lack of stuff. But
when you’re doing a new record, you like it have more recently written songs, I
think.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Have you ever considered doing any
kind of solo tour to stretch out on your own? Assuming, of course, that you
could find the right people to work with. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">TB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: It’s something I’ve thought about,
but decided against, for a few reasons. The problem is this: in the early days with
Genesis, we were onstage, playing songs nobody had ever heard, and tried to
convince the audience from the stage. I don’t think I could do the same thing
with my music because I haven’t got the necessary projection myself unless I
was with some other “right” people. But I can’t start right at the beginning
again like that. I’ve always said that if I had some success as a solo artist,
I would be more inclined to tour. When Mike (Rutherford) went on the road with
the Mechanics, he had three or four songs he could go to in a set, like “Silent
Running,” that people at least had some sort of idea about, and the rest of the
stuff could build to these moments. I don’t really have that yet. I know a lot
of people like the solo albums. Obviously, I like ‘em all. It’s difficult to
know</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">you never know; the reason they didn’t do better than they
did is that they didn’t have any singles on them, or anything that wound up
capturing enough people’s imagination. Unfortunately, rock music is totally controlled
by singles, and I would say that singles have always been my weakest area.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: What are some of your keyboard and overall
songwriting influences?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">TB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Back in the early days, I was most
influenced by the writers from the ‘60s: The Beatles, the Kinks, the Tamla
Motown stuff. Those songs excited me the most at that time. As for players from
that period, there’s Alan Price, who was one of the first keyboard players I
ever noticed as a keyboard player. From the late ‘60s, there was Keith Emerson
when he was with the Nice … and the keyboardist in Procol Harum. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: How would you rate yourself as a keyboard
player?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">TB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: It always sounds like false
modesty, but I know that I’m pretty limited. There are a lot of people with a
hell of a lot better technique than me. The only way I can judge myself is as a
writer. I think that as a writer, and as a player of my own songs, that I have
an originality. That’s the strength, if you like. Certainly not in the technique,
because it’s no better than in dozens of keyboard players you could find
anywhere. I consider that, in my career, I’ve been very lucky with a lot of the
people I’ve been with, you know, which has got me into the position where I can
actually be a professional player.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: What keyboards are you currently
using?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">TB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: My current favorites, well, I’ve
got the Roland JD800, which is sort of like the D50 but you’ve got all the
faders, so you can alter tones as you go through. Also, the basic sounds are better
than the D50. The Korg Wavestation is my other favorite instrument I’m using. On
this tour, I’m not using anything that I used on the last tour, in fact! Some of
the old sounds that I like I’ve got sampled and stored on the E3. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>RA</b>: Your
lyrics, over time, have gone from a storytelling approach (e.g., “One For the
Vine”) to more personal songs like “Still It Takes Me By Surprise.” Which approach
do you find more challenging?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">TB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: The reason why it’s taken me longer
to get to more personal things is that I find it more difficult. Sometimes I’m writing
about real things in a fantasy, but “One For The Vine” was really sort of an
allegory. I still read a lot of fantasy, but I’m slightly more aware that, at
the moment, fantasy in rock music is something that makes it appear very dated.
With songs like “Undertow” on <i>And Then There Were Three</i> I first started
writing with a more “real” kind of sense, although there’s been the odd fantasy
lyric thrown in, like “Cul-de-Sac.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Have the technological advancements
altered your basic approach to songwriting?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">TB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Definitely, I think. The technology
can lead you in a direction that you wouldn’t have otherwise thought about. Particularly,
I like the sampling machines. If you sample little riffs of music or just
random sounds that occur in the studio when you’re playing, you can get
something that sets you off on an idea that you wouldn’t have thought of.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Can you pick out a few songs that
are really special to you?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">TB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: “Supper’s Ready,” from the early
period, was a combination of bits and pieces, and stood out, if for no other
reason because of its length, but I always liked the way it went from mood to mood.
From the slightly later period, one of my favorites has always been “Duchess.”
It’s a very simple song, and the first time we ever used a drum machine on
anything to do with Genesis. It set us off in a slightly different direction.
In terms of my solo stuff, <i>A Curious Feeling</i> has always been very close
to me</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">the whole album, particularly the instrumentals. “The Waters
of Lethe” is one of my favorite instrumental things that I’ve ever written. <i>The
Fugitive</i> LP was fun for me because it involved singing and taught me a lot.
I think the atmosphere on that album works as a whole. On <i>Bankstatement</i>,
my favorite track is “I’ll Be Waiting” and on the new record my favorite is “Water
Out Of Wine.” It’s a personal thing, it captured the mood, and I love Jayney’s
voice on it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: How about anything from <i>We Can’t
Dance</i>?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">TB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Well, I love ‘em all really. “Dreaming
While You Sleep” is probably my favorite track</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">it’s got drama and an atmosphere about
it which I think is one of the keys to Genesis. “No Son Of Mine” and “I Can’t
Dance” also really work. “I Can’t Dance” has no excess baggage; it’s a very straightforward
thing, but it’s got a real atmosphere. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Phil Collins has referred to you as
the most important songwriter in Genesis, in terms of being the nucleus of what
makes the band unique. Do you have any comment on that?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">TB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Phil always tries to redress the
balance a little bit when given the chance, because there’s always the tendency
for the media to view Genesis as Phil’s vehicle. He likes to stress what
everybody else does. Over the years, I suppose I’ve been responsible for more
Genesis music than anybody else, and I certainly don’t mind that being
emphasized. From any other point of view, as a performer, I don’t care that
much, really. I don’t particularly care what people think of me as a keyboard
player; it’s as a writer that I want to be judged.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: You’ve been a part of one of the
most evolving, creative bands for more than twenty years. Does it feel like
that long of a time?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">TB</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: I never think of it in time scale;
it’s a funny thing. It was ’68 when we released our first single … [pause] It’s
just part of my life, it’s what I am it’s my identity. [Laughs] I’ve never
looked ahead or looked back. I would never have anticipated in the 1970s that
the band would still be going in the 1990s. I would have been somewhat horrified
in a way, I think! What we’ve managed to do is adapt the band to our own needs.
It doesn’t take up all of our time, we do things outside of the music business,
and yet still keep Genesis going, still producing music we find satisfying. It’s
an incredible luxury, really, but I’m not questioning the luck.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;">© Roy Abrams
2021<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;">Originally
published in The Island-Ear, October 5, 1992<o:p></o:p></span></p>Roy Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153236460853048915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5708257674135145961.post-70819630422328778782021-02-25T13:23:00.001-05:002021-02-25T13:23:24.710-05:00The Archive Series: Todd Rundgren - December 1993<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZMW0cAKSfLk/YDfqlvCDJuI/AAAAAAAABDs/Vn7A8ewpwZIlBZH7VrpV5PLdoeySIkXCgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Todd%2BRundgren%2B1993.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="1280" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZMW0cAKSfLk/YDfqlvCDJuI/AAAAAAAABDs/Vn7A8ewpwZIlBZH7VrpV5PLdoeySIkXCgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Todd%2BRundgren%2B1993.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Todd Rundgren:
Hello, It’s TR-I<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Todd
Rundgren has always pushed the envelope of recording, from both musical and technological
aspects. During the course of his career, he has stretched the boundaries of
invention time and time again, not only with his own albums, but as a producer
of more than fifty albums by other artists. Rundgren’s work with Meat Loaf (<i>Bat
Out of Hell</i>), The Band (<i>Stage Fright</i>), The New York Dolls (<i>The
New York Dolls</i>), and XTC (<i>Skylarking</i>) are but a few examples of the
diversity of Rundgren’s abilities. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1993 heralds
the release of <i>No World Order</i>, Rundgren’s latest solo album</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">and the very first interactive format CD. While the
interactive format allows the listener to, in effect, customize the music in
more than a million different ways (via a CD-interactive player), the non-interactive
version is a cause for wonderment in itself. The waterfall of musical invention
cascades out of the speakers, carrying the listener along at an almost
break-neck pace. It’s an exhilarating ride, though. Rundgren has managed to
capture his new musical vision with utter clarity; to listen is to see.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I spoke with
Todd Rundgren (or TR-I, as he prefers for the moment), who shared some thoughts
on the album, his career, and the state of music in general.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Roy
Abrams</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: <i>No World
Order</i> incorporates so many different musical elements, with intricate
layers of sound. Was there an overall blueprint you worked from regarding
arrangements and song structure?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Todd
Rundgren</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: It’s been
a while since I’ve used sequencing at all. On most all of my records, I might
have used a drum program occasionally and then played everything else more or
less live. It was overall much more of a serious sequencing job than I had ever
undertaken before.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: I was especially intrigued by your
integration of rap. It sounds as if you had a lot of fun exploring the element.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">TR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: It was fun, actually. At first, I
was pretty apprehensive. I thought, am I gonna sound like Vanilla Ice or something?
It’s one of those things where I thought for a long time, this is not really my
thing. I’m not really that much into rap, mostly because of the subject matter
and the essential prerequisites for being taken seriously in that area. It’s a
very groin-based approach. I started to become aware of some artists moving it
a little bit toward the head, and that’s when I got the idea that perhaps I
might take a crack at it and see what I could do with it in terms of appropriating
it to my own style. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: Which artists are you referring to?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">TR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: Well, there was PM Dawn and
Arrested Development, KLF, and various other people where the subject matter would
get off the usual street rap kind of gun-packin’, ho-beatin’ biggest penis in
the land kind of approach. And then there’s the dance factory, quasi-industrial
music machine approach, where rap essentially had to do with exhortation to
boogie and that wasn’t really my thing either. So, putting a social conscience
into the form made it seem like there was a little more freedom for me to do my
own thing, which isn’t necessarily any of the above!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: You mentioned in the past that at times
you felt that your lyrics could get a bit obtuse. Lyrically, the ideas on <i>No
World Order</i> come through in a vividly direct way. Did rap’s influence cause
you to approach your lyrics differently?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">TR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: The essential freedom that rap brings
you … well, there are two things. One, certain words when spoken don’t sound as
goofy as when you try and sing ‘em. Some words just don’t sing well, so if you’re
speaking, you have the latitude to use certain words and phrases that just wouldn’t
translate into melodic context. In addition, there’s a rhythmic freedom that
comes with it. Melody implies a certain motif of rhythm in order for the melody
to be recognized. At least, in pop music, it’s by implication a repetitious theme.
The advantage in rap is that you’re not always stuck in the same rhythmic mode;
you can do a lot of things that make it much more interesting from phrase to
phrase. I’m not looking to completely deconstruct the elements of repetition or
form; at the same time, I’m trying to take advantage of whatever freedom is
there.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: The new album possesses a certain
link with 1973’s <i>A Wizard, A True Star</i> in the way that both albums
seethe with invention. <i>No World Order</i> sounds like a rediscovery of the
fun you had making the former album.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">TR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: I had a lot of fun, actually, once
I had really gotten the concept down of what I wanted to do. There were musical
goals, there were technological challenges, and between the two of them, I had
an opportunity to rethink my approach to music. In other words, with the final version
of the album that came out, I really didn’t know what it would be, even after I
had recorded all of the music and gotten it all cut up into this sort of database
of musical ideas. When I finally got down and said, “okay, it’s time to put
together fifty-plus minutes of music that’s gonna make up this first pass of
the record,” I didn’t have a lot of rules. I could really experiment with the
order of the musical ideas, even with how the lyrics were set up and framed.
The ability to, for instance, push them to the front by taking various instruments
out. I had three or four different versions of every part of the songs that
would have various combinations of instruments and voices. As I went along, I could
emphasize and de-emphasize various aspects of the performance, kind of in a cut-and-paste
way. It wasn’t like this long, seething, and evolving concept that could only
come out one way, like (XTC’s) <i>Skylarking</i> was. <i>A Wizard, A True Star</i>,
even though it has this stream of consciousness quality about it, I didn’t have
the freedom afterward to rearrange things; as the recording progressed, I know
how the sequence of events was gonna come out. In the case of <i>No World Order</i>,
I finished the recording process, but I had no idea exactly what order the
songs would come in or whether they would come out as whole songs. In the final
product, songs come in as fragments; they’re split up in two or three different
places throughout the record. It was a whole chance to reassess how I wanted
the album to sound.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: You mentioned <i>Skylarking</i>. As
a producer, the number of artists you’ve worked with over the years is quite
large and the musical diversity of these projects underscores your own. Which of
these experiences provided the most challenge and satisfaction?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">TR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: The challenging albums usually are
by nature</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">if I know what the challenge is before I go in</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──the more satisfying ones. You can get a lot
of satisfaction out of an album that seems to be really easy to complete, but
often the particularly challenging albums hold out a reward that’s kind of
uncommon, like panning for gold or something. You don’t always go into it with
the total confidence of achieving that goal, sometimes not even with a 100% clear
vision of what the goal is, just a great belief in the potential. In the case
of <i>Skylarking</i>, there was always a great belief in the potential; the hardest
part about getting there was really [laughs] the politics of getting the final performance,
because there was such a rich vein of musical ideas to tap into. I actually had
pretty much the concept of the album, even the running order of the tunes,
settled before we even started recording. I was fairly confident that I would
be satisfied with the final product. The hard part was whether we would ever
get it finished!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: A quick production question: What’s the
secret behind the Todd Rundgren drum sound?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">TR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: [Chuckles] I don’t know! When I first got
into recording, it was the instrument that I invested the most time in, trying
to get the sounds that I wanted out of the drums. At this point, it’s really
just second nature. It doesn’t take me a long time. It’s more unusual to not be
able to get a good drum sound nowadays than it is to be able to get one. In
other words, it has to be a peculiar combination of a strange drums and a bad
microphone or something like that. Usually, given somebody’s raw tapes──unless
they’ve done a really bad job of recording──I can get the sound I want out of
must about any recording situation.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Given the exponential pace of change in
recording technology and your fascination with it, as a songwriter and a
musician, can you paint a picture of what you perceive the musical environment
may look like in ten or twenty years’ time?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">TR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Ten or twenty years’ time! Well, I imagine
just about the time I get into this more technical, contemporary approach to
music, everyone will decide that they just want to hear folk music. [Laughs]
Plain old, you know, troubadours just strumming, simple ensembles and things
like that. I’m expecting at some point there’ll be a reactionary phase if, in
the long haul, things are evolutionary. It used to be that music was──before
there was recording──always an event. Any kind of ensemble music was an event
because it required you to be there listening to it in real time; there was no
way to capture the music for later replay. Recording has changed a lot of the
ground rules of music to the point that people don’t see music as being a
singular event, something where you actually have to be in the presence of a musician
to enjoy it, and so people apply music to all other circumstances in their lives.
They listen to it while they drive the car, do their aerobics to it, they dance
to it, do chores while it’s on, they expect to see video with it, they hear it
behind advertisements for products. I remember in the ‘60s when a Beatles album
would come out, it was like “shutter the windows, lock the doors, and turn off all
outside stimuli, sit down and listen to the Beatles record five times through …
and people don’t do that anymore. Music is an adjunct to other things. So, if
there’s a reaction, or even an evolution, it may get to the point where music
again becomes an event where you may go <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>out to hear music that you’re completely
unfamiliar with, a unique circumstance. The same way, one hundred years ago,
the way a composer would debut a piece of new music, and there would be one
performance on which so much would hinge. Like Ravel’s first performance of <i>Bolero</i>,
which most people didn’t even hear the end of because there was so much racket
going on in the audience──so much reaction to the newness of the music. Things
may evolve to where music is the singular focus and the actual notes, the
performance of the music, will become an event, not necessarily the antics of
the performer.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Speaking of performances, what about
yourself?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">TR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: I’ll be going out this fall to do an interactive
live show; it’ll be different every night, and there will be some degree of
audience participation in the direction of the concerts, although I’m not sure
what that’s gonna be yet!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We’ll find out
soon enough: Todd Rundgren is bringing his interactive show to town on December
4<sup>th</sup> at the Roseland in New York City.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">© Roy Abrams 2021<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Originally published in The
Island-Ear, December 5, 1993<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><o:p> </o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Roy Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153236460853048915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5708257674135145961.post-54592699870831307842021-02-23T15:04:00.001-05:002021-02-23T15:05:21.332-05:00The Archive Series: David Crosby and Graham Nash - June 1996<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RNoo6CPx31s/YDVeLRHjHtI/AAAAAAAABDk/_iLtKM-nYKgMweFgKTJc74zqxfzgTHL4gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Crosby%2BNash%2B1996.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="992" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RNoo6CPx31s/YDVeLRHjHtI/AAAAAAAABDk/_iLtKM-nYKgMweFgKTJc74zqxfzgTHL4gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Crosby%2BNash%2B1996.jpg" /></a></i></div><i><br /></i><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Crosby, Stills
& Nash: Back On Their Feet & On The Road<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Well, it’s
summertime again, which is prime touring season for the majority of artists. At
the Jones Beach Amphitheater, Crosby, Stills and Nash have appeared nearly every
summer since the venue began its rock concert program. In 1994, celebrating the
band’s 25<sup>th</sup> anniversary, as well as promoting their newest album, <i>After
the Storm</i>, CSN hit the road with a vengeance. In the middle of everything,
the tour ground to a premature halt due to David Crosby’s failing liver. After
receiving a liver transplant in November of that year, Crosby focused his sights
on regaining his health, while Stills and Nash busied themselves with
individual musical projects. Stephen Stills toured America last year with his
own band, coming to New York City’s Tramps last June and delivering a knockout
performance. Graham Nash concentrated on putting the finishing touches on his
one-man, multi-media show, dubbed <i>LifeSighs</i>. A project which had been
evolving for several years, Nash took <i>LifeSighs</i> on the road briefly this
spring, postponing the remainder of the tour until the fall.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The final
months of 1995 saw David Crosby back on his feet and back on stage. CSN
performed a handful of gigs as a sort of warm-up for a Crosby/Nash tour, which
came to Westbury Music Fair last November. The success of these shows set the
plans in motion for the current CSN tour, which began in May and will run
through September.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I caught up
with David Crosby and Graham Nash for a conversation about things past, present,
and future.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Roy
Abrams</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: I hear that
the shows are going to be a little different this time around.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Graham
Nash</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: Yeah, they are
a bit different. We decided that we would do a bunch of songs that we’ve never
done before and a bunch of songs that we very rarely did. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: Can you elaborate?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">David Crosby</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: Oh, man … where are you?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: New York. I’ll be seeing you at
Jones Beach.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: Oh, Jones Beach? No, I can’t tell
you. Well, I can tell you, but I’d have to kill you. Well, we just changed the
set up. Probably two-thirds of it is different than the last tour, at least.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: Are you going out acoustically or
with a full band?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">GN</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: This’ll be a full band. We have
Michael Finnigan on organ and vocals, Joe Vitale on drums, and Gerald Johnson
on bass.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: Graham, how did your initial<i>
LifeSighs</i> concerts go down?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">GN</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: They went extremely well. I was
very happy. It was very enjoyable to be actually doing it instead of talking
about it. It was a long project; it was four years of work. Of course, I’ve shut
it down for the summer because CSN is out, then I’ll fire up again in the fall.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: Are you planning New York area
shows?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">GN</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: Yeah, I’m hoping to.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: There’s a group called The Posies
which bears a remarkable vocal similarity to The Hollies. Have you ever heard
them?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">GN</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: Yeah, I’ve heard them. They did a
Hollies song, as a matter of fact. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: Right, on that Hollies tribute album,
<i>The Hollies Sing in Reverse</i>. What did you think of that?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">GN</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: I that that whole album was
fabulous. I really liked “Jennifer Eccles” by that guy, I think he calls
himself “E.” It was pretty cool.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: Who are some up and coming singers
whose harmonic ability has really turned your head?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: The best new practitioners are the black
groups like Boyz II Men. There are two or three other black vocal groups, but
particularly Boyz II Men are incredible harmony singers. They’re just stunners.
But the people that I’m really fascinated with are the singer/songwriters. The
ones that just kill me are still the ones that killed me last year: Shawn
Colvin, Marc Cohn, Paul Brady, and Michael Hedges (who opened CSN’s ’92 tour). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: The last time we spoke, you both mentioned
that there were several projects planned for 1996, but you couldn’t go into
detail at the time. Aside from this current tour, what else is in the cards for
this year?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">GN</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: I think we’re gonna go into the studio
in October to cut a new record, then I’m gonna take <i>LifeSighs </i>out again
in the fall.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: I’m writing a book. We just sold a
book to Harper/Collins that I’m doing, called <i>Stand Up and Be Counted</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: What’s the subject matter?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: Benefits, peace marches, civil
rights demonstrations, anywhere where we played for a cause rather than cash.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: During one of our earlier conversations,
you said that there was a whole wealth of archival material that never made it to
the CSN boxed set: demos, first takes, unreleased tracks. At the time, your
thought was that we’d get to hear them at some point.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: Yeah, we could do it, but the only
people who would want it are total fanatic fans. Do you know how many of them
there are? About thirteen.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: Well, I must be one of those
thirteen people …<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: [Laughing] Okay, then fourteen!
Maybe sometime it’ll happen, but it’s not a high priority to the people who are
counting numbers, ‘cause there’s just not that many people who really care that
much.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: David, you and Chris Hillman had
approached Roger McGuinn after contributing vocals to four new Byrds tracks for
that group’s boxed set. At that point McGuinn wasn’t interested in doing any
more work in that vein, although you and Hillman were eager to do so. Has there
been any change in McGuinn’s attitude since then?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: No. I’ve seen him since then
because we got together when they did a CD-ROM for <i>Forrest Gump</i>, and
Roger and I did an interview for it. We’re still friends; I like the guy a lot.
He just doesn’t want to do The Byrds and that’s his right, that’s his privilege.
I think he’s being a complete fool because it’s great music and we could have a
tremendous amount of fun doing it and everybody wants to hear it. I can’t tell
him what to do; he’s a grownup.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">RA: For the
past few years, you’ve spoken about your desire to do another Crosby/Nash
album. With all of the current activity, do you foresee this happening sometime
down the road?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: Graham and I really miss doing
that. Those were some of the best records either of us ever made in in our
lives. <i>Wind on the Water </i>… that era contained some of the best music we
ever made and we miss it a lot. We still have a very strong urge to do that. I
also just love making solo records! That last live one that I did was such a
kick in the head. I had so much fun doing it!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: “Camera,” from the <i>After the
Storm</i> album, was the second time that you ever shared writing credits with
Stephen (the first being “Wooden Ships”). How did that collaboration come to
pass?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: He came up with a chorus. I wrote
the whole song. I had a chorus, and he had a better one. [Laughs] I said, “There
you are, we just wrote a song together!”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: Speaking of choruses, your voice
brought the chorus of the first single (“Hold My Hand”) by the ubiquitous Hootie
and the Blowfish to life. How’d you get involved with that project, and what
are your thoughts on the way they’re getting slammed by the media despite their
obvious commercial success?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: Well, I can’t explain the media …
the media slams us, too. I have no idea why. They’re really nice guys. Their producer
is an old friend of mine. He and a woman named Jenna Rankin was who was working
for Atlantic Records are the reasons why I wound up singing on the record. I
went over, listened to the tune, met the guys. They were really sweet kids; I
mean, they’re not kids, but to me, they’re kids. They were young, very innocent
very nice kids</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">nice people</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">and I liked them, so I did the
harmonies.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: I interviewed one of your old
friends recently, John Sebastian. One of the subjects we touched upon was
Woodstock ’94. Compared to both your predictions about and memories of the
event from prior interviews, Sebastian’s recollections were a bit softer in
tone. Has the passage of time altered your memory of the event in any way?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">DC: Nah. I
saw it as a media zoo. I saw it as way too contrived. Yes, some good music did
get played, and music will always triumph over all that other bullshit, because
music is magic. Some magic did take place because music determinedly went out
there and did its thing. But, Christ, you couldn’t go two feet without some dork
saying [assumes pompous newscaster voice] “How’s this different from the first
time, Dave?” It was too contrived, man, way too contrived.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: Last question: When you and I spoke
last fall, you told me you had songs cooking all the time. How many have popped
out of the oven since then?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">: It’s a secret. I have some that I
really love. Let’s leave it at that.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Crosby,
Stills & Nash will be at Jones Beach on June 21 and 22.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">© Roy Abrams
2021<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Originally
published in <i>The Island-Ear</i>, June 10-23, 1996<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Roy Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153236460853048915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5708257674135145961.post-58554074653374909462021-02-22T19:40:00.000-05:002021-02-22T19:40:23.180-05:00The Archive Series: Graham Nash - September 1995<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HczMW2NaR-k/YDROi2u568I/AAAAAAAABDc/jkEQZLJmFZMywGBSoR7J7q8i29S9ZJbmwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Graham%2BNash%2B1995.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="987" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HczMW2NaR-k/YDROi2u568I/AAAAAAAABDc/jkEQZLJmFZMywGBSoR7J7q8i29S9ZJbmwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Graham%2BNash%2B1995.jpg" /></a></i></div><i><br /></i><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Graham
Nash: A Man and His Music Go Multi-Media</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Some people
are thinkers, others are doers. Graham Nash has always been part of the latter
group. From his early days in The Hollies to the hey-day of Crosby, Stills and
Nash up through the present, Nash has always remained focused on whatever he
sets his mind to. As Nash has always maintained, it is quite possible to change
the world</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">as long as you have the information available on how to go
about doing it. As a parent, Nash has grown more deeply concerned with the
issues facing children coming of age today’s society than probably any other
socio-political movement he’s been involved with. Grappling with the challenge of
how to best address the matter, Nash is putting the finishing touches on what
he hopes will not only be one man’s solution, but also a revolutionary form of
entertainment designed for everyone to enjoy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">LifeSighs,
as the new entertainment form is dubbed, is the combined brainstorm of Nash and
the technical wizardry of digital designer Rand Wetherwax (with technology
supplied by Silicon Graphics, Inc.) wherein the audience will experience a “one-man,
musically-driven, multi-media theatrical production,” designed as much for
their empowerment as for their entertainment. In a nutshell, by guiding the
audience on a historical journey through his own life, Nash hopes to be able to
both educate and inspire others to take action on issues that affect their
lives. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The genesis
of LifeSighs goes back to the mid-‘80s, when Nash was doing some college
speaking engagements. “I just saw the original notes on the speech that I gave
at four colleges in 1986, the first one being Kent State, which was very
interesting,” Nash explained. “The colleges had asked me to speak. I accepted
the gigs and then panicked. I had no idea what they wanted me to talk about.
You know, give me a guitar , I’ve got you for at least a couple of hours, but
the thought of speaking was kind of terrifying. They said, ‘We just wanna know
about you, about your early beginnings with The Hollies, coming across to
America, David, Stephen, Woodstock, Kent State, the environmental movement, the
No Nukes movement, and all that.’ So, I put together this outline and gave
these speeches including a half-hour question-and-answer session, and it was
absolutely fabulous. After a while, I began to realize that if the kids could
see what I was talking about</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">no matter where I went or how deep
into it</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──then this would be a new form of
entertainment.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“In the late ‘80s,” Nash continued, “I
met Rand Wetherwax, who seemed to be the kind of person who would be able to translate
what I wanted into the computer world. So, when he heard what I wanted to do,
he told me it was possible but that the technology was still six months to a
year away. It’s been since 1988 that we’ve been working on this.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 195.6pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As one might imagine, rehearsals for an undertaking such as
this would bear little resemblance to standard tour preparation, although
practice remains a key component. “What we’re doing is rehearsing each segment
and at the same time trying to make the segments flow seamlessly together,”
Nash said. “We’re accessing massive amounts of data from my life in real time.
We’ve created this database that’s kind of like a time tunnel of my life from
the day I was born to the night of the show in whatever city I’m in. All of it
is accessible to me in past, present, and future (tense), in great depth. If I
want to talk about Kent State for two minutes one night and 10 minutes the next,
I’ve got at least 20 minutes of information on that subject in the database. I don’t
know where I’m going to be going and that’s kind of the thrilling part, it’s a
voyage of discovery on my part also.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 195.6pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Accompanying Nash on his voyage will be CyberGraham, a
20-foot-tall three-dimensional digital puppet that Nash refers to as “my
conscience, my jester, and (someone to) keep me honest throughout the show. He’s
the only thing in the show that’s not at my control. There’s a voice actor
backstage and the puppet’s mouth is lip-synced to the words coming out of the
mouth of the operator. When you see it 20 feet high talking to me in real time,
it’s pretty impressive.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 195.6pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How does one go about creating a digital alter-ego? “About three
or four years ago, as part of the process of putting this together, I went to
Silicon Graphics and had my head scanned,” Nash explained. “I sat there and had
this 360-degree scanner whiz ‘round my head a few thousand times, creating
digital information of my face, which was eventually transformed into a
three-dimensional moving puppet.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 195.6pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Music will play an integral part in the production, to be
sure, with Nash’s extensive catalog providing the material. There will be plenty
of chestnuts (“Military Madness,” “Chicago,” “Cathedral,” “Wind On The Water”)
and newer songs like “Unequal Love” and “Liar’s Nightmare.” For the final song,
Nash plans to video interview a random selection of audience members prior to
each concert, asking them about their dreams. The resultant video montage will be
included in the performance of “Find a Dream” Needless to say, the tour will be
a series of unique events in which the audience will have a direct impact upon
the nature of each show. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 195.6pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Nash is planning on hitting the road soon, although the exact
tour dates and venues are still being worked out. “Because the technology is
being driven by our needs,” he said, “it’s slower to plan out than usual. I
know that I’m going out this fall, it’ll be a 30-city tour. Right now, we’re
looking at 800 to 2,000 seat theaters or college venues, something small and
intimate.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 195.6pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Commenting on the ground-breaking nature of LifeSighs, Nash
is very matter of fact. “It’s certainly very different and very unknown, and I don’t
believe anyone has attempted this at all. People have worked with parts of
this, but nobody has done what I’m trying to do.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 195.6pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Graham Nash retains all of the enthusiasm of a young boy when
talking about this latest project of his. You can be sure that by the time he
takes LifeSighs on the road, it will be the embodiment of all the creativity
and energy that has come to define an artist who has, in his own way, managed
to change the world.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 195.6pt;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">© Roy Abrams 2021<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 195.6pt;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Originally published in <i>The Music Paper</i>, September
1995<o:p></o:p></span></p>Roy Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153236460853048915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5708257674135145961.post-79545599738911096732021-02-22T12:01:00.001-05:002024-01-29T17:29:42.775-05:00The Archive Series: Ian Anderson - September 1995<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GsmRaNUSBVw/YDPijophoMI/AAAAAAAABDQ/HJGCssSg0Vg8Q0thgG5ahu86mB-fZTCcgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Ian%2BAnderson%2B1995.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="999" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GsmRaNUSBVw/YDPijophoMI/AAAAAAAABDQ/HJGCssSg0Vg8Q0thgG5ahu86mB-fZTCcgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Ian%2BAnderson%2B1995.jpg" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>Ian
Anderson: Making the Rules and Breaking the Rules</i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">No one could
ever accuse Ian Anderson of being at a loss for words. As one of rock music’s
most articulate spokesmen, Anderson has never hesitated to speak his mind both
powerfully and lyrically. His innate intelligence and wit, not to mention an
extremely <i>musical</i> mind, is the backbone of Jethro Tull, whose eclectic
sound remains unduplicated by any “son of” band to this day. Anderson has grown
older gracefully and is known not only as one of rock’s elder statesmen, but
also as a highly successful businessman in Great Britain.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">With more
than a quarter century at the helm of Jethro Tull, Anderson has seen a lot of
things come and go in the music business, and with time comes perspective. As
economics have come to play an even greater role in the music business, many
artists never miss the chance to spew bile when discussing the industry. Not
Anderson. “Well, it’s a two-edged sword,” he counters. “I think, on the one
hand, it’s good for the record industry that it has become very business-like,
necessarily engaged with the realities of selling the product, so these days
record companies tend not to be run by frivolous, flighty personalities like
Richard Branson or Chris Blackwell; it tends to be run by hard and fast
business-type people who understand the job they’re doing and understand the
world that they’re working in. The downside, from the artist’s point of view,
is that things do come down to dollars and cents. At the end of the day, not
many artists are going to be encouraged to do things that don’t have an obvious
payoff. I still feel that the bleating, the moaning, the self-pitying of people
like George Michael are to be deplored, because the bottom line is that there
are record companies out there who will make the effort if they believe in the
artist <i>if the artist gives them the sense of wanting to believe in them</i>.
But if you go about your business with the sort of precious sense of, ‘I am the
pop star. I’m gonna do what I like and I’d also like a $20 million advance, by
the way, before I give you a record,’ you can’t really expect too much in the
way of sympathy or, ultimately, respect if you don’t deliver the goods. My
feeling is that you just have to understand that from the artist’s point of
view, it’s too easy to blame the record company and from the record company’s
point of view, it’s too easy to follow the lure of the greenback dollar. But
the mold is broken from time to time, and the mold is broken happily, because
out of it comes music that I think we’re all delighted to hear, which we all
recognize breaks the rules and, almost in spite of itself, happens to appeal to
a lot of people.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Regarding
the current state of musical affairs, Anderson looks westward across the
Atlantic and sees interesting things afoot, singling out Pearl Jam and
Soundgarden for special praise. “I’m beginning to get that feeling from some of
the newest bands, who are mostly of North American origin, not British. I am
not enamored of the current state of UK pop and rock music, which I think is
insular, very inbred, and rather precious. It doesn’t really have the
earthiness of a lot of the American bands at the moment. American music, once
in a while, shows us all the way.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">A
conversation with Anderson brings with it a great deal of insight, candor,
self-deprecating wit and, perhaps more than anything, the feeling of one who is
still very much inspired to make music to maintain a creative edge. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">With the
recent release of his solo instrumental album, <i>Divinities: Twelve Dances
With God</i> (Angel), the feeling is proven correct. As the album title
suggests, the work consists of 12 separate musical pieces, each focused upon
one of the world’s religions, both current and primitive, yet working together
to form a cohesive whole. This religious theme has found its way into much of
Anderson’s work; thinking back to the incendiary lyrics of “My God” and “Wind Up,”
I wondered if Anderson’s religious perspective had undergone a mellowing metamorphosis.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“Well, I don’t
think it’s really changed fundamentally,” he said. “It’s become a bit more
refined, a bit broader in terms of the detail and the awareness of religion in
its broadest sense. I think the main difference (with the new album) is I’m trying
to focus on the ‘up’ side of religion in the way in which it represents (to me)
something very unifying. There’s a unifying thing about religious belief that
we can all benefit from. I don’t think that anyone could argue that the God of
Islam, the God of Judaism, and the God of Christianity are different. We’re all
dating the same gal! That’s something that would do so much good for us to
teach our children. On <i>Aqualung</i> I was being a little negative about the
aspects of dogma and ritual as they affect religion, primarily in terms of
Catholicism. Here I’m trying to look at the positive side; I see (Catholicism)
as something that makes Italian footballers burst into tears on their mother’s
birthday.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The origin
of <i>Divinities</i> is an interesting story in itself. It seems that Anderson had
been putting off overtures from Angel Records, EMI’s classical division, who
had requested to meet with the artist to discuss a project they had in mind.
Anderson takes it from here. “I put if off for about six months, then
eventually went to explain to then this sort of thing was not what I thought
they had in mind. Indeed, they didn’t want to do ‘Jethro Tull Meets the London
Symphony’ nor did they want Ian Anderson to attempt the impossible, which is
playing the flute to the melodies of Mozart. They wanted me tow rite some music
with the flute as the main instrumental voice, but for other orchestral instruments
(as well). I’m choosing these words carefully to avoid suggesting that they
wanted me to make a classical record. It made me a little nervous because it
wasn’t something I thought I had the skill to do.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Elaborating
further while getting in a sly last word, Anderson explained, “I’m just an amateur
fooling at it; there are probably a bunch of second-year college students at
the Royal Academy of Music in London who could wipe the floor with me in terms
of orchestration and music writing, but they don’t have a record deal and I do!”
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;">© Roy Abrams
2021<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;">Originally published
in <i>The Music Paper</i>, September 1995<o:p></o:p></span></p>Roy Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153236460853048915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5708257674135145961.post-68890241529524806302021-02-16T18:54:00.004-05:002023-02-02T15:28:56.744-05:00The Archive Series: David Crosby and Stephen Stills - June 1994<p><i>In 1994, CSN celebrated their 25th anniversary as a band by releasing their fifth studio album, embarking on an extensive North American tour, and appearing as featured performers at the feted Woodstock '94 event that summer. </i><i>T</i><i>his was the only time that I interviewed both David Crosby and Stephen Stills on the same day. David's interview took place at the scheduled time, while Stephen's interview kept being pushed back to the point where we spoke during his ride on the way to the band's gig that night. It was worth the wait. Read and enjoy!</i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u>5+20: Long Time Gone</u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ozMMTsLRQTI/YCuDXoiF0ZI/AAAAAAAABDA/9xoNdG0s16QY3qPjnorZKjVVHaYuvoK9gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Crosby%2BStills%2B1994.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="753" data-original-width="1280" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ozMMTsLRQTI/YCuDXoiF0ZI/AAAAAAAABDA/9xoNdG0s16QY3qPjnorZKjVVHaYuvoK9gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Crosby%2BStills%2B1994.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">If three
people were ever meant to sing together, the hand of fate certainly chose well:
David Crosby, one of the original Byrds; Stephen Stills, the musical wizard of
Buffalo Springfield; Graham Nash, harmony master of the Hollies. Over the past
twenty-five years, CSN has created many moments of pure musical brilliance, on
group, solo, and various other efforts. Currently in the midst of their 25<sup>th</sup>
Anniversary tour, the band just completed their first album in four years and
is looking forward to the future with all</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">if not more</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">of the same boundless energy, enthusiasm, and sheer love of
music that drew these very different individuals together in the first place.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I spoke with
David Crosby and Stephen Stills just prior to a show on their current tour …<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Roy
Abrams</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: What are
your thoughts on playing your second Woodstock gig? [Note: this interview took
place prior to CSN’s appearance at Woodstock ’94 on August 13]<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Stephen
Stills</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Well, listen</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m amazed. I’m amazed that we’re still doing it, I’m amazed
that we got invited back, I’m amazed that we placed high enough on their
whatever computer thing … it’s really weird. It’s gonna be a zoo, but I’m
looking forward to it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">David
Crosby</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: I don’t
think it’s gonna bear any resemblance to the first one. The nature of a live
performance is <i>you can’t recreate a live performance</i></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">that’s inherent in a live performance. The event that
happened was a very, very special moment in history, when an entire generation
of people looked at each other and said, “God, there’s a lot of us and we <i>are</i>
different.” What’s gonna happen this time is an entirely different ballgame.
It’s a corporate venture; it’s owned and run by corporate America. There is a
chance</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">because music is magic</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">that the music will transcend and
what will happen musically will be an amazing experience. But what happened the
first time was something that happened with the people, not the music. What
really created the first Woodstock was the people that were there and how they
behaved with each other</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">that was real magic. The music was
good</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m not knocking it</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">but the event happened <i>with the
people</i>. This time, they’re gonna try their best to control the people,
control the circumstance and sell ‘em a lot of Pepsi. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: How’s the new album coming?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: It’s finished! Actually, we had it
finished, then we cut a single that Stephen wrote. After we finished the
record, Stephen wrote <i>another</i> great song. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">SS</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: I actually did it in three days. I
can still do that stuff. My producer couldn’t come back and we just went in and
did it ourselves, just like the old days.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: What’s the album called? Can you
talk about some of the tracks?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">SS</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: It’s called <i>After the Storm</i>,
appropriately enough. There’s a song of Graham’s called “Unequal Love” that
sometimes gets a standing ovation for the first verse, just how beautifully the
lyric fits together, and how it touches people. There’s another song of his
called “Find a Dream” that I really love. There’s a song of David’s called
“Camera,” which has got a really Latin feel. I wrote the chorus to it. I don’t
know, sometimes I open up when it’s not my song! [laughs]<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Unusual for me, my songs are all
“up” kind of rockers rather than ballads. I’m being completely immodest here,
but the songs are very, very strong and I think it’s gonna be the best record
we’ve made in about fifteen years. At least partially, maybe very largely, due
to the involvement of (producer) Glyn Johns
I mean, the guy’s made half of the good records that ever got made. He
acted as a catalyst in a wonderful fashion. We had also been smiled on by the
Muse, and had a bunch of really good songs, and the result was a very real,
very human, very in-your-face kind of record. It’s not produced a lot. There’s
not a whole lot of tricks and synthesizers and samplers. It’s real people
playing real songs and making you feel real stuff. I think that’s where we
shine, so I think that’s entirely appropriate. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Stephen, there have been
unconfirmed stories of a Buffalo Springfield reunion circulating for years.
Have the original five of you worked together at all since the split?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">SS</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Yeah, we sat down, worked for a few
days, and then Neil (Young) got involved with something else … Richie (Furay)
showed up all the way from Colorado to L.A. and got real mad about having his time
wasted. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Was anything recorded?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">SS</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Nothing that’s presentable. There
was a little (tape) machine sitting in the middle of the room.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>RS</b>: “Love
Story” from the 1975 <i>Stills</i> LP must stand as one of the great
unheralded classics …<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><b>SS</b>: Somebody should make it into a Broadway play! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">: I was wondering what are some of
your personal favorites that you feel may have been overlooked?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">SS</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">: Oh boy that’s a hard one. I’m
into the “right now,” I don’t really look back at those. Get a few drinks in me
and I’ll be able to tell you!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><b>RA</b>: What do you credit your trademark acoustic guitar sound to? Is it a
playing approach or more of a studio engineering thing?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><b>SS</b></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">: Well, first you get a
fifty-year-old guitar, [laughs] and that’ll run you $100,000 or so, and you
play it </span><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">really hard</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">. An engineer that I used to work
with said that he’s been asked about a dozen times, “How do you get Stephen
Stills’ guitar sound?” And he said, “Well, first you get a fifty-year-old guitar!”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">: As a bass player, I’ve always
admired your technique and feel for the bass. Who influenced your playing
style?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">SS</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">: Chuck Israels, who was a jazz
bassist back in the early ‘60s; James Jamerson from Motown; Duck Dunn. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">: You’ve been a highly visible
supporter of the Democratic Party for years. Any thoughts on how President
Clinton’s doing so far?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">SS</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">: He’s doing okay. This is a very
strange time. I mean, we’re in the final stages of media overkill that makes it
hard to figure out if he’s doing any good or not. The bimbo eruptions [laughs]
and the stupidity; things that don’t matter.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">: If you were responsible for
assembling a CSN musical time capsule, which songs would you choose?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">: Oh God, I couldn’t do that, man.
It’s like asking, which one of your children would you choose.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">: The songs are that close to you?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">: Yeah. And I think we have a
higher percentage of songs that do last than almost anybody. I think a lot of
Dylan’s songs will last, a lot of The Band’s, a lot of ours. There are a few
more … there’s Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, and James Taylor</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">songs
you’ll never forget</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">but that’s only a handful of performers out of the overall bunch.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">: After knowing and working with
each other for twenty-five years, is it at all possible to describe the
chemistry between you, and can you put your finger on what’s kept it going?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">: The chemistry is constantly
changing because the guys don’t stay the same. What keeps it going is that we
all really love music. We got into this thing for music before there was any
money to be made; there was no MTV, there was no </span><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Rolling Stone</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">. That’s
still alive and kicking. What draws us is when we have songs that really move
us. We listen to the songs and we say, “Mmmmm … gotta make a record!”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">SS</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">: The noise that we make when we
open our mouths together is a gift from God. The marriage has been an absolute
bitch. It’s a freak of nature, actually. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">: What have you learned from each
other, musically or otherwise?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">SS</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">: I think we’ve probably just beaten
off a few corners, softened up a few edges. But that question invites much too
long a reply than we have time for. What have I learned from them? I learned a
lot of what </span><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">not</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> to do, but I learned lots
of stuff </span><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">to </span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">do.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Stephen is such an amazing instrumentalist
(and) has taught me lots about the guitar. Nash is</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">although I hate to admit it</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">probably the best harmony singer
(although I tell everybody it’s me), and I’ve learned things about that from
him. What I’ve learned personally is the value of friendship and the value of
patience and the value of long-lasting, loyal work with each other.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: CSN’s popularity, or should I say
influence, has proven over the years to rank along with some pretty good
company, like The Beatles, the Stones, and Dylan. In terms of your impact on
both the public and other musicians, does it amaze you that you’ve been able to
accomplish this on the strength of comparatively few albums over a long period
of time?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">SS</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Well, it amazes me that we don’t
get the big bucks like the Rolling Stones. It makes me think we’re stupid
[chuckles] ’cause everybody says that. That’s the only response I really have.
Yeah, I’m amazed. I’m totally amazed. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: I think it’s served us well to only
make records when we really thought we had the songs, and when we really wanted
to, and not to have to crank ‘em out every year. I confess that I try not to
think too much about what our place in musical history might be, because I
think that’s unhealthy. You wind up thinking [in theatrical voice], “Gee, how <i>significant</i>
I am!” [laughs] I don’t think that works too well, but I do think that we
probably have made our mark.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Crosby,
Stills and Nash will be appearing at Jones Beach on August 17<sup>th</sup>.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: 10pt;">© Roy Abrams
2021</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;">Originally
published in <i>The Island-Ear</i>, August 8-21, 1994 issue<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>Roy Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153236460853048915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5708257674135145961.post-32598699844715658632021-02-15T19:39:00.000-05:002021-02-15T19:39:09.085-05:00The Archive Series: Robbie Robertson - November 1994<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>Meeting Robbie Robertson was a fascinating experience. Read and enjoy!</i></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sdeTTmBHbPU/YCsRR1o0rqI/AAAAAAAABC0/cH9PmANrgO80VpudB_58GLJQkkmQuajogCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Robbie%2BRobertson%2B1994.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="983" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sdeTTmBHbPU/YCsRR1o0rqI/AAAAAAAABC0/cH9PmANrgO80VpudB_58GLJQkkmQuajogCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Robbie%2BRobertson%2B1994.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Robbie Robertson
is hailed by critics, fans, and his fellow songwriters as the man primarily responsible
for creating the vision of The Band, certainly among the most influential
groups that ever existed. Robertson’s magic lay in his ability to capture the essence
of the American spirit and character, filtered through his Canadian background;
an outsider looking in. On his newest project<i>, Music for the Native
Americans</i>, Robertson has gone in the opposite direction. Looking inward to
his own Native American roots (he’s part Mohawk), Robertson, along with a
stellar cast of Native American musicians collectively known as The Red Road Ensemble,
has released the most inspired work since his days with The Band. During a recent
conversation, Robertson was very clearly a man satisfied with the results, and
more than eager to discuss it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Roy
Abrams</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: It must have
been fairly revelatory, to say the least, for you to be exploring from within
this time around.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Robbie
Robertson</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: What the revelation
was, and I didn’t know until we were actually doing it, that we’d be working on
music, and I’d say, wait a minute, I’ve got an idea. And I would hum a melody
or I would make a rhythm sound with my mouth or something and (the other musicians)
would say, “Where did that come from? It sounds familiar to me.” And I’d say,
it does, it sounds familiar to me … from when I was three years old, and I’m
remembering things that were so packed down inside you that you don’t even remember
actually where you took it from. It’s like going to a place that you’ve never
been before; you get there and say, “Wait a minute, I know this place.” It was
like that! This was something that, my whole life I’ve been gathering pieces
for this project along the side of the road; it’s all been leading up to this,
but you don’t know it until you get there.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: With all the various Native American
musicians you worked with, were there any moments you felt as if you were
receiving musical, if not downright spiritual, gifts?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Hundreds of them! For instance, we’d
be in the studio , and the women would be lighting sweetgrass and kind of purifying
themselves, purifying the atmosphere; just trying to set it up so you can get
in the zone, you know what I mean? (So) there isn’t a bunch of crap between you
and that place that you want to reach; a direct line into your soul, I guess.
It was giving me chills, the ritual of preparation , and the song hadn’t even
begun yet. I had never seen this in the studio before, and I’ve been in the
studio a lot. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: I hear a nod toward Daniel Lanois
and Peter Gabriel on several tracks regarding arrangement and production. You’ve
worked with both men in the past. To what degree have they influenced you?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: The “soundiness,” yeah. Well, there’s
two things. I think that Daniel and Peter are both incredibly talented people.
I’ve known Peter for quite a few years now, longer than I’ve known Daniel,
actually, but this was not my introduction to this. My introduction was doing
music for film, working with Martin Scorsese. This “soundiness”</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I don’t know what to call it</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">is also a Canadian thing. If you
listen to records by Jane Siberry, the Cowboy Junkies, Joni Mitchell’s new
record … I don’t know why, but it’s something that appeals to the peoples’ ear
up there. That’s where it comes from for me, and Daniel is into this too, not
because of Peter Gabriel or because of Brian Eno, (but) because of something in
his background in Canada. It’s an odd thing. Not that many people know this
connection.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Two of your children appear on the
record. Has their involvement deepened their awareness of their heritage? Also,
how was it for Dad working with the kids?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: They’ve been hearing all their
lives, from my mother, these stories, passing on traditions and stuff like
that, what it was like when she was growing up, so they always had this input.
For once, they had the opportunity to give something back. Because the nature
of this project was so communal, the idea of involving some people in my family
seemed as natural as taking a drink of water. It really felt like the right
thing to do. For me, it was lovely, being able to have that connection.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Who among the newer artists piques
your interest, and how do you view the current state of musical affairs?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: I like some of the things that
Trent Reznor does. I like the idea that he’s experimenting, that he’s trying
things. [Pause] Sometimes anger for the sake of anger I find slightly
repelling, but I think that that’s part of the idea. And it’s always been this
way. People in their twenties</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I don’t know how old these guys are
in these groups</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">have this need for rebellion, and
because nobody knows what they’re rebelling against, it just becomes anger for
the sake of anger, and I get a little tired of that, but it’s just because I’m
not in my twenties anymore, so I don’t have as big a use for what they’re
getting at. I’m sure a lot of people who are completely in parallel with them
think, “Yeah! Let’s smash some glass or listen to this music</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">whatever strikes us first.” But I think there’s some validity
in their music. There’s a lot of new things out that I really like today, but
very rarely do I hear a whole record that I like. I hear a few cuts that I
like. That seems to be the major difference between now and what this music was
at some paramount, in the late ‘60s or early ‘70s, when there was just so much
good shit going on, like Stax, all the stuff that was coming in from England,
Van Morrison, Dylan, The Band, Jimi Hendrix. It was like, “God, I’d better come
up with <i>something</i>!” It was a very inspired period, and there’s no
explanation for this, except that it was the voice of a generation, and people
were very united. Now, it’s very dispersed. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Speaking of inspiration, making the
new album must have been quite an inspiring, and galvanizing, experience for
you. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Yeah, it has. In 1994, it’s pretty
silly to say, “Oh, Indians? They’re just supposed to play drums and flutes,
aren’t they?” Things have evolved, whether anybody’s noticed or not. One of the
main reasons I wanted to make this record was to say (that) something’s been
going on all these years, and there’s an evolution in the Native American community,
and nobody’s aware of it. I’m really enjoying the idea of ripping down this
curtain and saying, “Check it out</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">──</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">it’s not what you thought.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: Would you ever consider something
along the lines of what Peter Gabriel has done with WOMAD?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">RR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">: It’s come up. There’s talk of this
right now. In this situation, it’s a bit delicate. It’s not about “let’s take
this baby on the road.” I’d love for people to be able to see what I’ve
experienced. There’s nothing more you can ask out of music than when it just
gives you chills. That’s the reason for doing it; that means it’s making an
emotional connection to you. It’s the whole reason that I care about music; it’s
why I got into at the very beginning.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;">© Roy Abrams
2021<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;">Originally
published in <i>The Island-Ear</i>, January 30-February 12, 1995 issue<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Roy Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153236460853048915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5708257674135145961.post-91197733676156345642021-02-15T17:09:00.006-05:002021-02-15T19:38:43.515-05:00The Archive Series: Mike Rutherford - December 1994<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i>The second installment of the archival series, presented for your enjoyment is a 1994 conversation with Mike Rutherford of Genesis and Mike & The Mechanics. What stands out after all these years is how much Mike personified the quintessential English gentleman: friendly yet dignified, open yet reserved.</i></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z35DkWNUY2U/YCrvuCV8_9I/AAAAAAAABCo/SXjxraAudQI3P3ARG8FBtHpcccSHazkkACLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Mike%2BRutherford%2B1994.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="831" data-original-width="1280" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z35DkWNUY2U/YCrvuCV8_9I/AAAAAAAABCo/SXjxraAudQI3P3ARG8FBtHpcccSHazkkACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Mike%2BRutherford%2B1994.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If you ask your average person on the
street if they’ve heard of Mike Rutherford, you’re more than apt to receive a
blank look. Ask instead if they’ve heard of Mike & The Mechanics, chances
are you’ll score a bullseye. Considering that Mike Rutherford’s musical career
stretches back some twenty years prior to the Mechanics’ debut release in 1985,
this may seem somewhat strange, especially given the nature of Rutherford’s role
in popular music. As bassist/guitarist and songwriter with Genesis, Mike
Rutherford has steadily contributed a wealth of great songs over the years,
from the so-called art rock of Genesis’ early days to the streamlined,
pop-oriented group they’ve evolved into today. Additionally, Genesis has proven
to be the only successful example of a band that can exist along with the solo
careers of its individual members. After the band broke the American market in
1978 with <i>And Then There Were Three</i>, it was decided the time was right
to embark upon solo projects. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Rutherford released two solo albums
during the period 1979-1982, neither of which made any noticeable impact upon
the public. It wasn’t until 1985, when he decided to present his next effort as
more of a group project, that his career outside Genesis bore special interest.
Mike & The Mechanics’ eponymous debut album yielded two top ten singles,
“Silent Running” and “All I Need is a Miracle,” which provided Rutherford with
the confidence to treat this project seriously. Two more albums followed, <i>Living
Years</i> (1988) and <i>Word of Mouth</i> (1991), each one serving to build
upon the previous album’s strengths, collectively securing a position in the
current musical environment, far removed from Genesis. With the band’s newest
release, <i>Beggar On A Beach Of Gold</i>, Rutherford now has two solid,
distinct musical careers, each capable of co-existing with and complementing
the other. A recent sit-down with Rutherford at his Manhattan record company’s
office provided a wealth of information about the Mechanics, Genesis, and the
inner workings of an artist who’s more than happy with his lot in life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Roy Abrams</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: How would you characterize the Mechanics’
formative days?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Mike Rutherford</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: We kind of got lucky, I think. I did a couple
of solo albums; they were okay, but I thought, I’m a songwriter, I want the
best voices to sing my songs. At that stage, the solo album “tag” was not
great. It was a bit like, “Oh God, another solo album from someone in a
well-known band.” It almost put people off. So I thought, well, I’ll represent
it as a band. I wrote the songs, first of all, then looked for the singers.
Paul Carrack (Nick Lowe, Ace, Squeeze) came down. We didn’t know what we had,
really. We had eight songs and (then) the album was out. We were amazed by the
success.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: As a non-singing songwriter, what are the
obstacles you face when writing for another voice?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">MR</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It’s a good
question, because it’s always a problem, not being a singer. It’s been the bane
of my life, ‘cause it’s so easy to sing your own songs! It’s so much harder to
work through another voice. I’ve got two really good, intuitive singers (in
both Pauls); they can take a melody and they’re not frightened to work with it,
move it around a bit and humanize it. I don’t write for a specific voice, but
when I’m doing it, I have an idea that this’ll be great for one Paul; this’ll
be great for the other Paul. You’re not always right, but you often are. When
happens is, later on, when the songs are kind of up and running, they both come
down to my house; I’ve got a studio there. They’ll sing a bit of each──a verse
and a chorus──and you can tell. It’s not me that decides, really, the voices
decide. They could both sing the whole album fine, but one will get behind the
emotion of some of the songs better than the other. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: With the Mechanics, you’ve been co-writing with
producer Chris Neil and B. A. Robertson and I see Paul Carrack’s name on a
couple of tracks on the new album. What's the nature of the collaboration compared
with the way Genesis works?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">MR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: It’s different (with the Mechanics) because most
of the time, I start off at my house, get something going, then the others come
down, we mess around … actually, it isn’t that different; it’s just different
people! It’s like if you have a conversation with two people, it’ll take you
one way; two other people will take you another way.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Your fellow Mechanics seems to have had a degree
of influence upon your musical personality.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">MR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: The two Pauls have got a real R&B background;
they’ve come up through that area, and I think that rubs off on me. I’m
naturally a bit English in the way I write and in the way I do things. They
seem to loosen me up, which is good.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: If memory serves me, you were heavily influenced
by R&B yourself in Genesis’ early days.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">MR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Yeah, although Peter (Gabriel) probably more than
me. I was very much into Tamla-Motown, although when I started writing songs
with Genesis, it seemed to be millions of miles away from Tamla. Those
influences are always in you; once they’re in there, they’re in there. I think
the Tamla-Motown period had some of the best songwriting that’s ever been.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Are you consciously aware of any type of flow of
ideas from the Mechanics to Genesis, and vice versa?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">MR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: No, I’m not, but it’s quite likely there. So much
of what happens at this stage of your career, your musical life, is
subconscious. Certain things must carry over a bit.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: “The Living Years” was written after losing your
father; as one of the most eloquent statements about loss, was the writing and
recording of the song at all cathartic for you?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">MR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: It didn’t really help. It was painful. I wrote it
with B.A. Robertson; he lost his father, too. It was upsetting for us to do. We
had a few conversations about it, saying, “Look, is this right?” You’re in a
difficult area there. We were worried that it would come out a bit schmaltzy …
a little bit sweet and sort of awkward. B.A. and I said, “We’ll do it, and if
it doesn’t feel good, we’ll scrap it.” The recording of it was very upsetting.
We had to stop a few times, come back the next day. It didn’t really heal
anything, but it was good to do, because it’s had this amazing effect on other
people. To write a song that everyone likes is great, a bit of happiness, a bit
of joy, but to have a song that actually changes people’s lives … that’s sort
of incredible, really. It if only happens once in your career, it’s amazing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Many songwriters have their own method of doing
things, as well as a distinct wellspring of inspiration. How about you?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">MR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: There isn’t. I don’t know where anything comes
from. I do find that when it comes to writing, the less you think about it, the
better. The worst thing to do in songwriting is to deliberately try, you know
what I mean? There are two parts to writing, I feel. There’s a bit where
something is formed, the original idea for a song or a section. That, for me,
is the best moment of the whole process. After that is what I call the slog
work, where I try to put it into form. That, to me, is less creative, and if
I’m having a bad day, if nothing new is coming, I’ll move to something that’s
up and running already, and try and develop that instead. It takes a bit of
work … but the creative bit, when (the idea) first appears …<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t ask!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Your guitar playing has evolved greatly over the
years. After (Genesis guitarist) Steve Hackett left, how long did it take for
you to get comfortable in the lead guitarist’s role?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">MR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: It took a good few years to really settle with me.
I had to sit and figure out what I could do properly.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: The pressure on you during the making of <i>And
Then There Were Three</i> (recorded just after Hackett’s departure) must have
been pretty intense.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">MR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Well, change is good. I didn’t look for the change
when Steve left, but I believe that if you’re in a band, the more you can
change, the better. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: As long as we’re on the subject of Genesis, any
thoughts on Steve Hackett?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">MR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: I think he’s a very strong, unique player. I’m kind
of surprised he left, but I understood it. His time was unfortunate. He left to
do solo stuff, literally about a couple of years before we all thought the time
was right. A band has to get to a certain level before it can take a couple of
years off. I think he’s very original, Steve. But I think he’s a band player. I
know he’s fronted other bands, but I think he would excel in a band situation
where he wasn’t carrying the whole thing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: 1977’s <i>The Geese and The Ghost</i>, from
original Genesis guitarist Anthony Phillips, was almost a duo effort in that
you performed on it, and most of the songs were co-written by you. (Phil
Collins also appears on a couple of tracks.) Fans of the “early Genesis” sound
view this record as a rare gem. Any plans to record with him again?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: right 6.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">MR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Yeah, I might! I spoke to him about ten days ago.
He’s godfather to my daughter. You never know!<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: right 6.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Do you keep in touch with any of the other
ex-members of Genesis?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: right 6.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">MR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Funnily enough, it’s actually quite an interesting
time because I saw Pete (Gabriel) about ten days ago. I had a long meeting with
him and Tony (Banks). We’ve been asked for years to do a rarities album, all
these B-sides. We’ve always avoided it because they always get promoted as “The
New Album,” and they’re not. We’re thinking of doing a boxed set thing, in
three parts. The first part (would be) with Peter; unreleased live stuff. No
one’s ever heard Peter sing “Supper’s Ready” live, I don’t think. We found some
demos from the first album, sons that have never been heard by people. I think
people who like Genesis would be interested in Pete’s singing. Good vocals,
actually, rubbish backing harmonies from the rest of us──awful! We’ve talked
about it, and I think we’re gonna finally put this together.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: right 6.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Recording that first album must have been an
extraordinary experience for a bunch of guys who were 15, 16, 17 years old at
the time.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: right 6.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">MR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: It was great! You’re right, ‘cause in this day,
anyone can go into a studio and make a couple of tracks. In those days, we were
given a chance by Jonathan King, who was our producer on the first album, to
make a record. That was a very important thing for us because although the
record wasn’t very good, we saw what it was all about. To get a bunch of guys
together at that age to make an album was unusual, and I think that really
helped us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: right 6.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Phil Collins has gone on record about his belief
that Tony Banks has become the single most important member of Genesis due to
the fact that it’s his musical contribution to the group that keeps Genesis a
unique entity apart from his solo career and yours. What are your thoughts on
this?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: right 6.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">MR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Well, there’s a lot in that. If you think about
it, the way we work now, most of the time, when we go into the studio, Phil is
singing, Tony’s playing keyboards, and I’m playing guitar, so an awful lot of
the chord structures come from Tony. I think (Phil’s statement) is very true;
he’s a very big part of Genesis.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: right 6.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: How have you been able to keep Genesis going in
the light of the solo careers?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: right 6.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">MR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: We get on great, for a start. (But) we’re not the
kind of band who carries on just because we get on great. When we go in to
write a new album, it’s risky, the way we do it. We don’t take any songs in, we
just go in and jam, and cross your fingers, on the spot, it’s always happened.
And that inspires you to stay with it. With the solo stuff, if you have three
guys in a band, you’ve got to accept that you’re gonna have certain levels of
success. I mean, Phil’s had huge success, I’ve been in the middle, and Tony
hasn’t done quite so well. No one begrudges anyone anything. I think if we were
a lot younger, we’d have found it harder to take. When you’re young, you’re
very sort of big-headed and you can’t see the big picture. I also think that
because we’re not together all the time, that helps.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: right 6.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: How do you view the current musical environment?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">MR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: I like a lot of the American stuff. I like
Nirvana, I like Pearl Jam, Hootie and the Blowfish. England, I would probably
say, is less creative at the moment.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: right 6.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: What’s in the cards for Mike & The Mechanics
in 1995?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: right 6.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">MR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: 1995 is the Mechanics’ year. Phil’s on tour until
the summer and the Mechanics didn’t tour for the last album because it
(conflicted with) the Genesis album. I think I’m gonna put the album out and
get a feel as to what kind of a tour we’ll do.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: right 6.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Any parting advice for the songwriter/musician?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: right 6.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">MR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Be patient and don’t take short cuts.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: right 6.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Did you ever foresee making a living from music,
let alone a lifetime career?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: right 6.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">MR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: That’s the big difference between musicians
starting now and our day. There was no idea that you could make any sort of
living out of this. Money was not part of the equation. Now, people see that
you can make money in this business, and I feel that it draws people in for the
wrong reasons. In our day, all the bands were going around just having fun. Any
new area of art or whatever you want to call it, when it starts it will be
small and quite wild and fun; then it becomes bigger and it becomes a business
and it’s developed into that. It’s a fact and you can’t change that. But it’s
sad. I’m very glad I started when I did. In our day, there was one band the
sounded like The Who, one band that sounded like Genesis, one band that sounded
like The Kinks. There weren’t that many bands.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: right 6.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: You were trailblazing …<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: right 6.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">MR</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Hopefully, yeah. But it’s interesting. Here we
are, we’re still enjoying ourselves and──touch wood──doing well. It’s strange
because it was meant to be music for young people. That was always the feeling,
wasn’t it?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: right 6.5in;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: right 6.5in;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">© Roy Abrams 2021<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: right 6.5in;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Originally published in <i>The
Island-Ear</i>, March 13-26, 1995 issue</span></p>Roy Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153236460853048915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5708257674135145961.post-3995785346998208122021-02-13T13:28:00.000-05:002021-02-13T13:28:29.913-05:00The Archive Series: David Crosby - April 1993<p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The first of an extensive series of
archival interviews, this 1993 conversation with David Crosby marked the beginning
of a dialogue that has continued for nearly 30 years … read and enjoy!<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fAxaP86AjQ4/YCgZ7eSPiyI/AAAAAAAABCc/BAL8TN9gO50kgpSCMzxQZGBPGvLvDq-3wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/David%2BCrosby%2B1993.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1046" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fAxaP86AjQ4/YCgZ7eSPiyI/AAAAAAAABCc/BAL8TN9gO50kgpSCMzxQZGBPGvLvDq-3wCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/David%2BCrosby%2B1993.jpg" /></a></i></div><i><br /> </i><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There are few current artists with
David Crosby’s combined history and track record. In 1964, Crosby co-founded
The Byrds, pioneering what became “folk-rock.” The Byrds blended the
intelligence of folk lyrics with the innovative musical trails being blazed by
rock musicians, led by The Beatles, who dubbed Crosby and Co. their “favorite
American group.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Unlike most of his early ‘60s peers,
who allowed a preconceived public image to represent them, Crosby always broke
down artificial barriers, being as real as possible, and reflecting that
attitude in his songs. This highly individual stance ultimately resulted in his
ouster from The Byrds’ nest in 1967, a blessing in disguise if there ever was
one.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Crosby soon cultivated new musical
friendships and alliances, including Joni Mitchell, John Sebastian, and most
importantly, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash. Crosby had actually been a
temporary member of Stills’ Buffalo Springfield at the Monterey Pop Festival in
’67, filling in for an absent Neil Young, after performing with The Byrds.
After the Springfield’s demise, Crosby and Stills began working together as a
duo, committing a few songs to tape, and plotting out a future, when the “big
event” took place. Although the actual location differs depending on the
source, on one fine day in 1968, Crosby, Stills, and Nash locked voices for the
first time.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Crosby and Stills were sitting around
with friends, Graham Nash, then of the Hollies, among them. Nash listened
attentively as Crosby and Stills ran through each other’s songs. After
requesting three successive renditions of Stills’ “You Don’t Have to Cry,” Nash
added his high harmony into the mix … and there was no looking back.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Crosby, Stills,
and Nash</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">, the band’s 1969 debut, showcased
three exceptionally talented singer/songwriters whose otherworldly vocal blend
took the country by storm; songs like “Marrakesh Express,” “Suite: Judy Blue
Eyes,” and “Long Time Gone” proved that this trio was a formidable one that
would set new standards in popular music. Almost a quarter century later, a CSN
concert is still a celebratory event. A certain timeless magic transforms the
sights and sounds into something way beyond the ordinary.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Like many other groups, CSN has had
its share of problems of the years, the most serious of them being Crosby’s
increasing addiction to freebase cocaine and heroin, beginning in the late
‘70s. That habit eventually landed him in a Texas jail cell in 1985. It was a distressing
and disheartening experience for the group’s fans, who had always looked upon
them as ‘60s survivors.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As one of those fans, I am happy to
report that Crosby’s problem is a thing of the past. He is 100% back in the
land of the living; healthy, sane, and sober, and has a great new album, <i>Thousand
Roads</i>. Enlisting the help of his friends including Graham Nash, Phil
Collins, Jackson Browne, John Hiatt, Joni Mitchell, and Marc Cohn, Crosby’s
third solo effort is easily his strongest, firmly reestablishing his reputation
as a master singer/songwriter and peerless interpreter.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I spoke with Crosby just prior to the
album’s release. Our conversation covered almost every aspect of a career that
has spanned almost thirty years.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Roy Abrams</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: With your new album, you’ve come full circle
in a way. With The Byrds, you focused a lot of attention on interpreting other
artists’ material, most notably Bob Dylan’s. With CSN, CSNY, and your solo
career, the emphasis was on self-penned songs. Now, with <i>Thousand Roads</i>,
there are seven magnificent examples of the art of interpretation. You’ve
really made the songs your own. What was your criteria for choosing those
particular songs?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">David Crosby</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: I have to give credit to Bonnie Raitt. I
listened to Nick of Time and I thought, God, this is one of the best albums
I’ve heard in ten years. And I said, well, Bonnie didn’t write all that stuff,
she just made it hers. I thought, I can do that. I can’t sing like Bonnie, but
nobody else can either! [Laughs] I only maybe write three or four songs in a
year that I really, really like, so this took a lot of pressure off me. It also
gave me a much wider palette of colors to work from. The selection process was
the simplest possible criteria you could ask for. The only thing that matters
to me about a song is, does it make you <i>feel</i> it. I don’t care who wrote
it, I don’t care where it came from. I care (about): does it make you <i>feel</i>
anything? And that was my whole yardstick. I was very lucky. There were some
things that happened that were just really unusual; you know, writing a song
with Joni (Mitchell), which doesn’t happen. I don’t think anybody’s ever
written a song with her. Having Jimmy Webb give me a song like “Too Young to
Die,” which is such a stunner──or discovering “Natalie” in the middle of a
bunch of songs of Stephen Bishop’s. I was lucky.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: How would you compare writing
alone with collaborations?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>DC</b>: I like ‘em both. I don’t try to
legislate it; I just do what comes. But I find that working with other people
very often sparks me into going to places that I would not have gone, and I
love that! It inevitably makes it better, widens the scope.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: Are there performing plans for
this album?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>DC</b>: Yeah, if the record (goes) well,
I’ll definitely try. There are some people I’d love to work with; I’d love to
put together a band and go out and play. I’m definitely gonna do some stuff
this summer with Graham ‘cause we worked CSN all last summer. We’ve been trying
to change it up, keep it fresh, so he and I are gonna go out and do a couple of
things this summer; us and a couple of other singer/songwriters in a package,
and I think we’re gonna do a couple of dates with symphony orchestras which
ought to be fascinating<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: Are there any moments that
especially stand out during the album sessions?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>DC</b>: Yeah, several. Recording “Hero”
with Phil Collins at the Genesis studio──Fischer Lane Farm in England. The
sessions that I did with Glyn Johns at his place in Surrey were amazing. I had
never worked with Andy Fairweather-Low before, or Wix, the keyboard player from
McCartney’s band. I had known (former Eagles guitarist) Bernie Leadon but I
hadn’t played with him before. Those were amazing sessions, man. Glyn Johns is
astounding. The session when we cut “Too Young to Die’ with Don Was was just a
stunner. “Helpless Heart” with Jeff Porcaro playing was a great (session). The
session that we did “Old Soldier” at Jackson Browne’s studio──John Leventhal,
Lee Sklar, and Marc Cohn playing piano, Nash doing a harmonica solo. Man, it
was so good! It as just so easy, it was like [snaps his fingers]──things just
falling exactly where they should. There was a lot of that on this record. This
record was not a struggle to do. There was some trepidation about it, using so
many different players, producers, locations, kinds of songs. But it really
jelled remarkably easily. I don’t know──somebody up there smiled.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: Do you think that CSNY might at
some point say, “Let’s do it again”?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>DC</b>: With Neil, you mean? Yeah, it’s
possible. I just did a rally in Portland with Neil. He and I are really good
friends and I love working with the guy. But you have to understand, he really
doesn’t need us. He is self-contained, by himself, as powerful a musical
experience as you need. He’ll take you on a full, complete trip. Just Neil.
Whether it could happen or not … you know, it’s a really complex chemistry. The
four of us is really just a little too much to fit in one package, and
sometimes that’s a very good thing, ‘cause it makes kind of a compressed,
explosive mixture. Other times, it really doesn’t work. It’s really hard to know
when is the time to pull that one off or not. I have absolutely tremendous
respect for (Neil), and for his artistic integrity and for his courage and for
his skill, his art. I think he’s a fantastic guy and I would work with him
anytime.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: At the Dylan Tribute at the Garden
last year, Neil came out right after Sinead O’Connor got booed off stage and
managed to turn a really strange atmosphere back into a party.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>DC</b>: I think they were wrong to get on
her case like that, but I think she was wrong in how she made her point. I
don’t know her, but I think she’s a very sincere person, but not tremendously
skilled at getting her point across. Frankly, if I was an Irish woman, I’d be
really pissed at the Catholic Church myself. Wanna know the truth? That’s the
truth. I totally disagree (with the Church). I think it’s complete reproductive
irresponsibility. That’s my own personal opinion. You know, I do benefits for
Voters for Choice, so you know which side of that question I’m on. I’m sorry
that there were people there that felt that they had to take her down for it.
But Neil has such power as a performer.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: I wanted to thank you for
introducing Michael Hedges during last year’s tour. How’d you hook up with him?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>DC</b>: You know, it’s a funny story. I
ran into him several years back in the parking lot of a market in Mill Valley.
He knew who I was and came up to me and said, “Hi, my name is Michael Hedges,
and I play guitar, too.” I said, really? and he said “Yeah.” I said, what kind
of stuff” and he said, “Here, I’ll show you.” And he played something like
“Aerial Boundaries” and I went WHAT?!?!?!? Who are you?? Come up to my house!
Play me some more of that stuff. I was still stoned then, you know, so I didn’t
really pursue the friendship because I was mostly into getting loaded. Later
on, I heard a couple of songs off his <i>Watching My Life Go By</i> album. He
just knocked my brain out. I think the guy’s incredibly talented. Him and Marc
Cohn and Shawn Colvin and Paul Brady are my four favorite up-and-comers.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: Who’s out there that you would
eventually like to work with?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>DC</b>: Bruce (Hornsby). All the musicians
you talk to will say Hornsby right away, ‘cause he’s an absolutely brilliant
musician. Who else … Paul Brady. He’s probably one of the best
singer/songwriters in the world, and he’s completely underrated. He wrote “Luck
of the Draw” (a popular track from Bonnie Raitt’s breakthrough album). Shawn
Colvin … I think Shawn is one of the two or three best woman singer/songwriters
in the world. I’ve worked with Michael (Hedges) some already but I would like
very much to work with him more. He and I wrote that song “Arrows” on the last
CSN album, and that was a great experience. I think he’s a major talent.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: Performing a very personal song
can be like walking a tightrope. With songs like “Carry Me” and “Guinevere,” do
you ever have a problem making it through the performance?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>DC</b>: I can make it through the
performance, but I’ve wound up in tears (afterward) But that’s good. You write
from things that really make you feel something and you’re into the real stuff.
I really think that’s’ the central thing about songwriting: to write about
stuff that really makes you feel something. Sometimes it’s dangerous because
you re-live the experience. But that’s okay; it’s healthy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: In terms of your own songwriting,
are you still into the various open tunings and stuff?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>DC</b>: Yeah! Most guitar players start by
tuning the low pitch E string down to a D, so you can play in a D tuning. After
you realize that you change it, then you start changing all of ‘em, (and you
get) all kinds of weird patterns. When I ran into Joni, she was so advanced in
it──before she ever made her first album, the one that I produced. I think
she’s still probably one of the most advanced of all. Her and Hedges, I think,
are probably the two farthest-out people in tunings that I know about. Nash
does some amazing ones. Stills does some amazing ones.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: When you were growing up, your
brother got you into jazz and your mother turned you on to a lot of classical
music.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>DC</b>: Yeah, that’s true.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: To what degree did the music
influence your harmony singing? Or was harmony just ingrained in your DNA?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>DC</b>: I think that stuff really had a
strong influence on me. Not to say that the Everly Brothers didn’t, and some
other very strange influences, too, like the first of the Bulgarian Folk Choir
albums that came out in the ‘60s sometime. It just nailed me, you know. They
were doing stuff that no one else had even dreamt of. But I’ve always been
fascinated with harmony singing. Some of the earliest records I remember were
people like the Weavers. I sang in choirs, too. I lucked into a very wide set
of influences.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: How much of an impact did The
Beatles have on you when you were first starting out? What was it like hanging
out with them?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>DC</b>: The impact was sort of like a
sledgehammer in the forehead! [Laughs] I hung out with them a fair amount over
several different periods of time, the best being in England at the time they
were making <i>Sgt. Pepper</i>. John was a good guy. I really regret him going.
I have a long list of people that I really regret losing. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: You’ve worked with Dylan in the
past. What’s it like?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>DC</b>: Ah, he’s a fun guy. He’s a great
guy. [Long pause] I’m very comfortable with him ‘cause I’ve known him for a
long time. On another level, I’m in awe of him as a writer, but as a human
being, I’m not I can sit with him, comfortably talk to him and relate to him as
a person, so he and I have a great time. Most people, when they get around him,
they’re kind of like [makes shell-shocked face], and he plays with them. If
they have a distorted viewpoint of him like that, then he’ll play with them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: You and Chris Hillman worked with
Roger McGuinn on The Byrds’ boxed set and recorded four new Byrds tracks in the
process. Do you think you’ll be doing any more work with McGuinn at some point
in the future?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>DC</b>: I want to, but I don’t think he
does. I’ve asked him several times, ‘cause I would really like to be doing some
Byrds stuff along with all the other things that I’m doing. He doesn’t want to
do it; I don’t know why. Chris and I──and I don’t mean to say it in a snotty
way──who have more active careers than he does, are both willing to set them
aside and take the time to do it. But he doesn’t want to do it. You have to ask
him why. I would love to do it. I think the guy’s a genius and I would love to
work with him. I think that the chemistry is still there as proven by the things
that we did [in the boxed set].<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: If you were to put together your
own “magic band”──past or present influences──which names would come to mind?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>DC</b>: With me in it or not?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: With you in it──why not?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>DC</b>: Magic band? [Long pause] Me, Phil,
Hornsby, Clapton, and Lee Sklar. Phil’s just an astounding drummer. Now,
everybody sees him as a singer and forgets that he’s one of the best drummers
there is.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: Even though you included several
previously unreleased gems in the CSN boxed set, I know there has to be a lot
more material floating around. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>DC</b>: There is──<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: Are there any plans in the future
to sift through and put out “Little Blind Fish” (the only song all four members
of CSNY share songwriter’s credit)?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>DC</b>: [Laughs] A lot of people would
like us to do an archival series, a sort of vault album. Stuff that is really
for people who are pretty way deep into it. Those (songs) have a limited
market; we’re considering it. There is some fascinating stuff, some very, very
interesting stuff. We have an entire album’s worth of demos of the first time
anybody put down anything about a song. The first time Graham played “Teach
Your Children,” or when I was playing “Wooden Ships” before we ever had the
words. Interesting glimpses, you know? But they have a very limited appeal.
There’s not many people who care about them. Those who do care about ‘em care a
lot. We’re looking for a way (to release the material).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: Are there any outtakes from the
Crosby/Nash <i>Wind on the Water</i> period?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>DC</b>: You know, it’s funny you should
bring that up. I was listening to that record not long ago and it hit me again
that I just have got to do another one of them. That was some of the best work
I’ve ever done in my life and I was talking with Graham about it and I think
we’re gonna do another Crosby/Nash album. We’ve been working as Crosby, Stills,
and Nash for the last couple of years, so I think we’re gonna do it Man, every
time I listen to that record, it still just rings my bell.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: When you first started out in this
business, did you ever consider the possibility that you’d still be doing this,
let alone achieve this level of success?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>DC</b>: Nah.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>RA</b>: How do you feel, looking back?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>DC</b>: I feel like I’m very lucky to
still be here. I’m sorry that I wasted as much time as I did being stoned,
because I could have done a lot more, but I’m very, very happy with where I am
now and who I am now and how my life is going now. I’ve paid a lot of dues to
get here but it is a great place to be. I’m pretty comfortable with what it is
I do and how it is I do it. I think I’m a very lucky man.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">© 2021 Roy Abrams<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Originally published in The
Island-Ear, Issue 369, June 7-20, 1993<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Roy Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153236460853048915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5708257674135145961.post-81630611159115088342020-07-09T16:05:00.002-04:002020-07-09T16:09:14.222-04:00Cleared for Takeoff: Brandon Gurba Launches His Solo Career<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vueWwvR8M1g/Xwd16TDekwI/AAAAAAAAA-k/I5BWvxfkkJwk7L7-2OzPtBvN2j-biMN2gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Gurba%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vueWwvR8M1g/Xwd16TDekwI/AAAAAAAAA-k/I5BWvxfkkJwk7L7-2OzPtBvN2j-biMN2gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Gurba%2B2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Brandon Gurba</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Having known
singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist <a href="https://gurbamusic.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Brandon Gurba</span></a> since he was 16, I was already
aware that he possessed a degree of musical talent almost eerie in both depth
and scope. His former band, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKQ0cx5bjJBB9afhTzy3fPg"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The Little Red Men</span></a>, was a regional favorite a few
years ago, but the members parted ways and have moved in different creative
directions. During the past six years, Brandon has matured into a confident,
assured artist whose new material reveals just how much he has grown. Back at
the end of April, slightly more than a week after the April 17 release of
“Paperman”, Gurba’s debut single, we set aside time to catch up and talk. Our
conversation roamed far and wide, with Brandon sharing his thoughts and
experiences on launching a solo career, the intricacies of the one-man
recording process, and his journey from being a four-year-old songwriter (!)
through today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Roy
Abrams</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">: So, as of this
morning (April 26), “Paperman” reached #3 on the New York City Metro indie
chart on <a href="https://www.reverbnation.com/gurba"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Reverbnation</span></a>,
and it is ranked #13 globally. From what my ears are telling me, this
single is going to do a lot of things for you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Brandon
Gurba</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">: Thank you so
much! I don’t know why it’s doing so well. On Spotify, I reached my goal of breaking
1,000 streams in the first week. I had some friends message me, saying, “Wow,
that was fast, congratulations!” I was so thankful, you know. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">RA</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">: It even jumps out of an iPhone
speaker! My prior experience as a recording artist taught me that if you can
get the song sounding good out of a pair of small speakers, you’ve done your
job well. That was the old school method, at least. Let’s talk about your debut
release, including the writing, recording, arrangement, and production. I
understand this is a D.I.Y. effort.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">BG</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">: Yeah, although my friend Stevie
Lomangino played drums on the track based on my original demo version. I had a
drum demo that I recorded at my house, and we based his part off of what I was
doing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">RA</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">: After more than a dozen listenings, I
am absolutely captivated by your vocal arrangements. You’re talking to a
harmony fanatic. I love the notes that you picked out of the air and how you
placed them in the mix. You know, when you were 16, you were already creating
music that had a real “wow” factor but you’ve attained a whole new level here.
Vocally speaking, you possess a very Zen-smooth delivery. To my ears, <a href="https://www.radiohead.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Radiohead</span></a>’s
Thom Yorke comes instantly to mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">BG</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">: Wow. That’s such a compliment, because
when I was writing the song, working the song out, I was really influenced by <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rainbows-Radiohead/dp/B000YXMMAE"><i><span style="color: #1155cc;">In Rainbows</span></i></a>, specifically a track called “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUjGtyYEi90"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Weird
Fishes</span></a>.” There’s something about the momentum they create in that
song that’s incredible; specifically with the vocals. Thom Yorke has this
wonderful mixed voice, a very light and soft tonality. Something about it
reminds me of “easy listening” but it has this really interesting experimental
arrangement I think as I’ve gotten older, my voice has matured and softened. I
(also) started listening to a lot of R&B music. When I was younger, I was
self-taught; I really didn’t <i>know</i> how to sing—like, I knew how to sing,
but I didn’t <i>really</i> know. Then I had a vocal injury when I was a senior
in high school, It was from not knowing how to use my diaphragm. I never told
anyone that; I mean, a few people know that, but yeah, I had vocal nodules,
which was really from not knowing the proper technique and being so self-taught
that I didn’t know how to sustain, like breath support, and I didn’t know
anything about shoulder tension. I found a vocal coach, and he helped me a lot.
I studied with him for eight months, and it was incredible. I went to a vocal
therapist before deciding to go to him. The therapist was like, “I don’t know
if you’re really going to be able to sing again like you used to,” and it
scared me so much so I really got into the vocal/technical things regarding not
just singing, but also performing. I went to the vocal coach and he helped me
out; I healed within a month and a half. The things that I can do now far
surpass what I could do when I was younger in every way: The amount of time I
can perform live and sustain my voice without being tired; the riffs and vocal
runs that I can do, I can do stuff now that I really never thought I could do,
and I’m really happy about that. Definitely, the last few years, vocal
technique and all that has been extremely important to me. When I was a little
younger, it was more about energy and vibe and feel, but now it’s a lot more
about sustaining and lasting in a performance, lasting in a career. I want to
be singing for as long as I absolutely can. I don’t want to lose my voice when
I hit a certain age, because that happens to a lot of singers that I look up
to. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">RA</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">: Let’s circle back to the song itself.
We had a really interesting discussion the other day about the genesis of the
lyrics. You were talking about trying to figure out why this is resonating with
people. As you and I both know, it’s not just the words, it’s not just the
music; it’s the combination. This is what my ears are telling me, which even
goes down to the key that the song is in. We both know that the mood or
emotional pull of a song is also predicated on what key it’s performed in. I
think that where your voice is going melodically, with those lyrics and what’s
going on with your arrangement, is what’s tugging at people’s ears and hearts.
There’s a certain yearning, desperation, and yet a sense of resolution
contained in your lyrics. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">BG</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">: Thank you so much! That was certainly
the intention. I wanted the song, especially the vocal performance, to give off
a sense of “I’m biking up a hill and it’s hard, but I know I’m gonna get to the
top of it.” I’m sincerely trying to get to a better place, and I feel
that’s sort of what it explores. The way I delivered it, vocally, I tried to
pull a lot out of my chest voice, specifically. I tried to shout when it was
appropriate. There’s a few parts where it almost feels like I’m yelling. It’s
soft, and the timbre is nice, but I’m really pulling with my chest voice, and I
feel like it creates a kind of yearning, desperation sort of feeling. I would
say that I think I did that well in the choruses of the song, at the hook. I
never would have been able to do that song a few years ago. It took me some
time to mature. It required a lot of patience. I’m really a perfectionist when
I’m doing vocals. I will spend a half hour on a word if I have to. I just want
it to be right. I’m extremely particular. I know what I want. I could show a
demo to somebody and they’ll be like, “Oh, the vocals sound great!” but I’ll be
like, “Yeah, but this word, I gotta re-do it.” Luckily, I was able to knock
that out in a session. I think I recorded the main vocal in three or four
hours, but the harmonies really took a long time because of the arranging and
the performance and all that. It’s funny, because whenever I arrange vocals, I
don’t spell it out on piano or guitar, I just kind of do it by ear, where I’ll
stand there and loop a certain section. I’ll sing a low part, above the bass
but not too low, then I’ll decide (if) I want it on every word in the phrase or
do I just want it on one word. That was just a beast, trying to figure out what
I wanted to do with the vocal arrangement. There’s a lot of yearning and
sincerity in that performance, and I’m really proud of it, looking back at it.
But I’m always super critical; even when I finish a vocal, I’m like, “Hmm, can
I do this better? Can I do that better?” At the end of the day, nothing’s
really going to be perfect, you just have to accept it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">RA</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">: Oh, yeah. That’s a process we all have
to go through, I think. One of the most difficult things in a recording
environment is knowing when to say, “Okay, the song just told me it’s done!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">BG</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">: Without a doubt! I have a lot of music
right now that I’m kind of sitting on, trying to tweak, and I have a couple of
songs that I tweaked too much, and I had to go backwards. It comes down to
being able to trust your performance and trust your work. Yeah, that was
definitely a battle with “Paperman” because I wanted it to be right. I knew
from the beginning that I wanted this to be my first song, because you only
debut once, you know? I wanted it to be a quality performance, I wanted the
mixing to be good. This was definitely my jump, like I jumped off a cliff right
into the whole process with mixing, tracking and engineering it, figuring out
which microphones would be good on this guitar part; every little detail.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">RA</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">: Was that done by trial and error or
were there courses that you were taking at SUNY Purchase that gave you a lot of
insight?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">BG</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">: It was really just trial and error. At
Purchase, the professors will help you with a song, when you want to show it to
them. They give you tips, but it’s really about the students taking control and
deciding for themselves what they want to do. They really gave us a lot of time
to work on the projects that we wanted to work on individually. I showed the
song to a couple of professors and got their opinions and tweaked it
last-minute based on that, Here’s the thing: I was working on the song and was
feeling a little iffy about it and was a little bit scared because it was going
to be my debut. I showed it to my professor, who is someone I really admire.
He’s a GRAMMY-nominated, award winning producer and mixing engineer. He’s a
brilliant guy, and I showed him the song and he was like, “Listen. I really
feel like this song will take your solo career to the next level.” And I was
like, “Really?!” He said, “Yes. I suggest that you get this professionally
mastered by <a href="http://alexdeturk.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Alex
DeTurk</span></a> at The Bunker Studio in Brooklyn.” I had never done that before,
I never reached out to a mastering engineer. I spoke to him, and we went back
and forth. It was a really cool process. My point being that people believed in
it and that really encouraged me to put it out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">RA</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">: You told me that you originally
planned on nipping in and out of the studio but one night, you went in at 10:00
and ended up not getting out until 10:00 the following morning—<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">BG</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">: That was for the harmony vocals.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">RA</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">: Did you get all the vocal performances
done in those 12 hours or was that inclusive of the full mixdown?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">BG</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">: I did the main vocal, verse and
chorus, probably a week prior to the actual harmony tracking session. What I
usually do is write down the lyrics, then I’ll go into a session where I’m solely
just recording the main vocals. Depending on the song, I’ll usually take a week
to decide if I want harmonies. I’ll listen back to it on my phone and go, “Does
this phrase need a harmony? What can I do here? What can I do there?” Usually,
after that week, I go into the studio with a pretty good understanding of how
many vocals I’m gonna track to put over the main vocal. With “Paperman”, I kind
of knew what I was gonna do; I was like, “I’m gonna do this, that, and that.” I
thought that it was only going to take like three or four hours but then I’m in
there and (thought), I can do this differently, let me try this. Then you go
down this rabbit hole … wait a second, what if I try this? Earlier, you
mentioned that the key of a song is really important to how it makes the
listener feel. Usually what I do is, when I’m writing or when I’m stuck on
something, I’ll take my song and pitch it up or down completely, and I’ll sing
random harmony ideas over it, and I’ll actually get different ideas from it being
pitched differently. It makes you feel differently emotionally, so that gave me
a bunch of new ideas. It just took so long! For each vocal track, I probably
did like 20 takes and picked the best of the best and figured out what sounded
good together. In the end, it came out as something I’m really proud of.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">RA</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">: You did a masterful job. Here’s
another question. The single came out on the 17th. Here we are .. it’s nine
days later and the song is taking off. How do you feel?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">BG</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">: [Sighs] Oh, man. I’m just so thankful.
These last couple of years I’ve been dreaming about releasing a song, dropping
a debut, putting out something under my own name. I’ve been working by trial
and error, researching how I could promote it. For the past couple of years,
I’ve been doing my homework on all fronts, preparing and working. It’s
definitely a process. There were a lot of moments where I was so frustrated and
it was very discouraging. My goals, my dreams are so high … there’s a lot that
I really want to achieve. I just kept going with it, even when it got hard.
There was a lot that I had to learn with production and mixing, even singing.
To look at it now, only nine days after the release, and see the response that
it’s getting is extremely fulfilling and inspiring. It feels so validating, you
know?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">RA</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">: When I really like a song, I have a
tendency to listen to it over and over again. With “Paperman,” that’s what’s
happening. Every time I listen to it, I hear something else, which leads to yet
another listen!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">BG</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">: [Laughs]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">RA</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">: As with Radiohead, I think that
musicians will be drawn to this track because of the wealth of cleverness and
musical ingenuity. For harmony singers, boy, is there something to wrap your
head around!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">BG:</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> A fun thing with this song in
particular was the instrumentation. This is the first song that all the guitars
are just clean guitars; there’s no solos, no distortion, strictly clean guitars
with reverb, that’s it. I wanted to challenge myself because I (used to) rely
on traditional hard rock elements. I love that, but a thing that I like to do
with clean guitars is to pan them hard left and hard right. I’ll make these
arpeggiated, sort of chordal, fingerpicking sort of things—I don’t know how to
describe it—but each note locks in together, syncs together, and it creates
this sort of harmonically rich texture, I did that a lot with “Paperman” and I
think I was successful with it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">RA:</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> When did you pick up your first
instrument?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">BG</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">: I have a really weird, interesting
story with music. When I was either three or four years old, I heard <a href="https://www.thebeatles.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The Beatles</span></a>
for the first time, it brought me an insane amount of joy that has continued to
last my whole life. From that young of an age, I wanted to make songs and be an
artist. I would make songs in my head, write lyrics down, always had a melody
associated with the lyrics so I would never forget the melody. I’ve probably
been writing songs since I was four or five. My parents got me a toy guitar but
I didn’t know how to play it. I couldn’t figure it out; I had no clue. I wasn’t
the type of kid who would go on the internet (and research). The way I learned
was very hands-on. I would read a book about it, but I couldn’t really
understand it because I had no knowledge of chords or anything. I didn’t even
know that you could tune a guitar! From a super young age up until I was about
twelve, I didn’t know how to play any chords. I randomly would let the guitar
be in whatever tune it was, and I would figure out little shapes and would
mimic songs. When I was in 5th grade, there was this <a href="https://www.coldplay.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Coldplay</span></a>
song called “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4V3Mo61fJM"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Fix You</span></a>” and the chords in it are super
repetitive. I had this toy, cheapo acoustic guitar and what I would do is take
my two fingers, go by the twelfth fret, and just go up and down (the neck) and
let the strings ring out. I would sort of make weird arrangements but I had no
clue what I was doing. Finally, someone showed me when I was twelve, you know,
“Here’s a chord.” I was like, “Oh, that’s a chord? Oh, now I get it!” That
first week, I probably learned ten chords. When I was younger, I would make CD
cases, like album artwork. I would take construction paper and just draw
albums, logos, and put them in a blank CD case and go, “That’s my album!” I
just really wanted to have a CD so badly. I’ve been doing all that since I was
really young and I guess it was directly inspired by The Beatles. Probably <a href="https://www.thebeachboys.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The Beach Boys</span></a>,
too, and <a href="https://www.johnnycash.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Johnny
Cash</span></a>, but I wanted to have a tangible product and be an artist. I
started singing in choirs when I was like nine, and I kept doing that all the
way until college.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">RA</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">: What’s your next step?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">BG</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">: I’m going to be announcing my next
single in a few weeks. I want to put that out on May 22 but will probably
announce it a week before that. That’s the next step.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Note: As
of today, July 9, Brandon’s follow-up single, “</span></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://gurbamusic.bandcamp.com/track/saw-you-there"><i><span style="color: #1155cc;">Saw You There</span></i></a><i>,” has kept him in the
Reverbnation Top Ten in the NYC/Indie chart at $8, #66 nationwide, and #93
globally. You’ll want to check this song out as well!</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;">© Roy Abrams 2020</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<u><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Paperman” recording
information and credits</span></u><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Snare:
SM57s on the top and bottom snare</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Toms:
Sennheiser e604s</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Kick:
Shure Beta 52a</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Bass
guitar: Squier vintage modified Jaguar, DI</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Vocals:
MXL 9000 tube mic</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Guitars:
Fender Stratocaster and an Epiphone LP Custom.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Amps:</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Marshall
DSL 100 w/ Marshall 4X12 Cab, Fender Mustang III Combo</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Guitar
Amp Mics: AT 2020, SM57</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Interfaces:</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Presonus
Firestudio Project, Behringer Uphoria UMC404HD</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Produced
by: Brandon Gurba</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Written
by: Brandon Gurba</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Mixed
by: Brandon Gurba</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Performed
by: Brandon Gurba, Stevie Lomangino (Drums)</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Recorded
using LogicPro</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Mastered
by: Alex DeTurk of The Bunker Studio</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Recorded
at: Brandon’s house, and SUNY Purchase Recording Studios</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Roy Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153236460853048915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5708257674135145961.post-50904493041386232552020-02-28T20:30:00.001-05:002020-02-28T21:26:47.306-05:00Mild-Mannered Superman: A Conversation with Steve Hackett<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--RajTc_LX6A/XlcJtrqk88I/AAAAAAAAA8M/eivbImhPAdMe7u6ztVYYDzFhkrOHYLw3QCEwYBhgL/s1600/Lee%2BMillward%2B-%2Bh8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1018" data-original-width="1600" height="252" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--RajTc_LX6A/XlcJtrqk88I/AAAAAAAAA8M/eivbImhPAdMe7u6ztVYYDzFhkrOHYLw3QCEwYBhgL/s400/Lee%2BMillward%2B-%2Bh8.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Steve Hackett<br />image by Lee Millward</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">In the five years that
have passed since my last interview with <a href="http://hackettsongs.com/biog.html">Steve Hackett</a>, the iconic English
guitarist/composer has been on a nonstop flight of creativity that has taken
him, both literally and figuratively, to the far ends of the earth. With a
career spanning more than 50 years, Hackett’s imagination has cultivated a loyal global audience that eagerly looks forward to each album and each tour. Best known
for his innovative lead guitar work with the progressive rock pioneers, Genesis,
Hackett has spent the decades since his departure from the band in 1977
pursuing his muse, a quest which has proved insatiable and lifelong. Inducted
into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010 as a member of Genesis, Hackett
allows his music to speak for itself. However,
in conversation Hackett is revealed as a true Renaissance man of culture, a
quiet genius whose words reflect a deeply intelligent, profoundly spiritual
soul. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Catching up with Steve a
few days before he and his band headed across the Big Pond to begin their North
American tour, we talked at length about many things past, present, and future.
Grateful thanks to Steve for his time and his candor, and for gifting me with years of musical inspiration and wonder. Read on and enjoy!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />Roy Abrams</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">: Very
psyched for your return to Long Island on <a href="https://concerts1.livenation.com/event/00005759D0317A4F">March 8<sup>th</sup></a>
at the NYCB Theatre at Westbury! This is going to be a special tour for you in
that you’ll be performing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Selling-England-Pound-GENESIS/dp/B000002J1O">Selling
England by the Pound</a></i>, the 1973 <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/genesis-mn0000199995/biography">Genesis</a>
album you’ve referred to as your favorite from that group. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are there any new <a href="http://www.hackettsongs.com/electric.html">band personnel</a> who are
joining you this time around?</span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Steve Hackett</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">:
Yeah, we have two new guys; <a href="https://www.jonasreingold.se/">Jonas
Reingold</a>, on bass, from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheFlowerKings/">The
Flower Kings</a>, and <a href="http://craigblundell.com/">Craig Blundell</a> on
drums, who most recently played with <a href="http://stevenwilsonhq.com/sw/">Steven
Wilson</a>. It’s an extraordinary rhythm section. Apart from that, it’s pretty
much the same band as we had before. Nad Sylvan, the other Swede, is on vocals.
Roger King is on keyboards, Rob Townsend on woodwinds, brass, extra keyboard,
bits of percussion, and myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is it about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.classicrockreview.com/2013/02/1973-genesis-selling-england/">Selling
England</a></i> that makes it resonate so strongly with you?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">SH</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">: Well,
you know, I think it came out of left field. Back in the day, I don’t think
anyone realized how popular it was going to become. I think that’s the best
atmosphere and attitude to undertake an album. We didn’t realize that John
Lennon was going to say that we were one of the bands he was listening to at
that time. It also had an unlikely hit single in it, in the UK we had a single,
“<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-NAdR0cB2c">I Know What I Like</a>”
… again, an unlikely song, because we weren’t known at the time for doing short
songs. Everything tended to be epic length; the musical continuums were roguish
at the time. People were making albums as audio journeys and it was only really
in the 1980s that the idea of doing a collection of 10 short hit singles,
MTV-friendly, was starting to supplant the idea of the album as a force in
itself. But I think that the band’s playing took a quantum leap forward on this
one. (There were) lots of instrumental passages. I was very proud of its quirky
Englishness. It’s still my favorite Genesis album; I think it’s better written
than all of other ones. I’ve made a couple of changes to the solo stuff; I’m
doing (material from) <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Spectral-Mornings-Steve-Hackett/dp/B000000I0P">Spectral
Mornings</a></i>, and it’s the 40<sup>th</sup> anniversary this year of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Defector-Deluxe-STEVE-HACKETT/dp/B01B5GM1TA">Defector</a></i>,
so we’ll include some of those things.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">: “I Know
What I Like” was a collaborative effort between you and<a href="http://philcollins.com/"> Phil</a> (Collins). The bonus track from the
album, “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QetxT3F83vE">Déjà Vu</a>,”
which you’ll be performing on this tour, marks the only occasion where you’ve
written with <a href="https://petergabriel.com/">Peter Gabriel</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was there ever any discussion between the two
of you, post-Genesis, of working together again?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">SH</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">: I never
really tried to hit Pete up for that. I mean, we’ve helped each other, swapped
phone information and all that. We’re basically pals, but I think I’ve always
been aware that he wants to distance himself. There were very few occasions,
like in the early ‘80s, when we got together to do the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3e3w48rZrw">Milton Keynes</a> show, and
everyone was a part of that. (Other) creative collaborations … there was a band
reformation in 2005 but there just wasn’t enough common ground. From my end, I
was very much up for it. Everyone had achieved so much collectively and
individually, but the thing is, it takes a band to tango, to make that work. It
doesn’t always come easily, if it comes at all. I figure my job, or my
pleasure, if you like, is to take the early music from the classic period of
the band, when we were a five-piece, and honor that. I don’t mind if it’s a
song of mine, or a song of <a href="https://www.genesis-news.com/c-Mike-Rutherford-biography-s65.html">Mike</a>’s,
or <a href="http://www.tonybanksmusic.com/">Tony</a>’s, or Phil’s, or Pete’s;
it doesn’t really matter. The thing is, there’s a lot of great music there that
came out of a bunch of guys, all of whom were songwriters, and as much as any
band could share, we managed to share that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">: Your
fans truly span the globe, a fact I know firsthand through reviewing the web
analytics of our past published conversations, in 2014 and 2015. The only
continent that is as yet unrepresented is Antarctica! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The same global reach applies to the diversity
of artists with whom you’ve worked in the recent past.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">SH</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">: [Laughs]
Well, that’s extraordinary! Yeah, the last couple of albums had 20 people on
them from all over the world. This time, we managed to incorporate India into
the mix. <a href="http://www.mukherjee.co.uk/">Sheema Mukherjee</a>, she plays
wonderful sitar on “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebn7mKOmwKk">Shadow
and Flame</a>,” so for the first time I was working with a real sitar virtuoso
rather than trying to do an impression of it myself. It’s my proudest album, I
think, as a convincing travelogue, a journey. I think that album doesn’t really
falter. That doesn’t mean to say that everyone’s going to love every track; I
loved every track, I loved everything about it. It had so much variety, so many
different genres. “Shadow and Flame” is based partly on my wife Jo’s experience
in India, where she described the Ganges, watching the dawn over the Ganges and
seeing wonderful things: candlelight gave way to daylight, but at the same time
with these beautiful visions of people bathing, there’s dead bodies floating
down the river (wrapped) in shrouds, so you get the sublime and the ghastly
side by side. I got to travel there with her many years later, and I saw the
most stunning things … and frightening things. It’s an extraordinary place of
extremes. Indian percussion (is great); it’s not just the tablas and the gentle
lilt of the talking drum, there’s (a lot) of unlikely stuff. It’s a fascinating
place, if you like to visit colorful places; the whole place is a riot of
color. (We visited) temples that were carved out of caves, and temples carved
out of monoliths! In other words, their idea of sculpture is, you take a
mountain, and you carve it into a building, you carve a herd of elephants! We
can’t possibly (duplicate it) with the technology of today, and they (achieved
this) at least a thousand years ago. For all sorts of reasons, it’s stunning,
it’s mind-blowing, and in a way, you can see the seeds of the ‘60s. You see the
seeds of Pop Art, all the colorful things that the 1960s were all about. You
see it on the temple ceilings, the walls, the figures, the detailed carvings on
the front of some of these places. It wouldn’t be out of place on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band</i>
if you just stuck in a stray photo!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">: You
recently said that it was very important to make albums with people from all
over the world. When did that perspective begin to solidify?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">SH</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">: I think
that the more I started to travel, not just on the rock and roll touring but
beyond that, to explore other places. In recent times we’ve been to India, to
Egypt, China, Ethiopia … you travel, you make friends</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">—</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">that’s what happens! And also my contact with the
Hungarian band, <a href="http://djabe.hu/en/">Djabe</a>, who also work with
people from all over the world, so they introduced me to people from Africa,
Azerbaijan, (and) the United States. (Hungary) is a real melting pot, a
crossroads of Europe. It’s been extraordinary working live with (these people).
We didn’t start out with the idea of trying to build bridges between cultures,
it just happened naturally. In other words, the rise of right-wing politics and
nationalism seems designed to drive people apart; I think it’s an opposite
direction to the way I’ve been working recently. I feel that my albums
celebrate the best of whatever people are capable of; it doesn’t matter where
they’re from. I’m very happy to work with people all over the globe</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">—</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">the United States, the U.K., Iceland, Africa. If not
people from those places, certainly instruments from those places, which the
guys in the band have adopted and adapted to, so it’s a very wide church.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">: Your
music can be viewed as world music in the highest possible relief.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">SH</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">: I certainly
try!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zrOZCrL6JnY/XlcJqkIhN6I/AAAAAAAAA8Y/ViNOiYrY07Ewl3Og4D2mbghvRNuH5GHVQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Band%2BPhoto-PC%2B%2BTina%2BKorhonen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zrOZCrL6JnY/XlcJqkIhN6I/AAAAAAAAA8Y/ViNOiYrY07Ewl3Og4D2mbghvRNuH5GHVQCEwYBhgL/s320/Band%2BPhoto-PC%2B%2BTina%2BKorhonen.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>image by Tina Korhonen</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">: We’ve
spoken before about the cinematic aspect of your writing. You’ve described your
work as “film for the ear,” adding that “it’s quite common for my music to have
a lot of drama, as it the case with most of the best music.” As you compose
these “audio films” is the process an entirely visceral one or is it a
combination of gut-level intuition and brain logic that informs your muse?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">SH</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">: It’s the
hardest thing to explain, because there isn’t really any formula for writing
songs. Music doesn’t appear on command. There’s a certain amount of waiting,
but I think that when an idea is in the air, if you can preserve it in some
kind of way, whether it’s some recording device or pen and paper, the main
thing is to get the idea down. I’ve got books of unfinished things; riffs,
songs, symphonies, all sorts of stuff. Often, I have to remind myself to go
back to rejects, pretty much in the same way that Genesis used to go back to
rejects, (to find that) this idea is pretty damn good, let’s run with the ball,
and until you actually start recording, you don’t really know how far it’s
going to go. The strengths and weaknesses of an idea show themselves once you
start baking the cake! You have all the ingredients; you think, this might make
a nice, big, glorious sponge (cake), but you don’t know how sweet it’s going to
be, how moist. So yeah, it’s pretty much like cooking a meal, in a way! It’s an
inexact art, and I’m very happy with that. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">: With
regard to your live performance arrangements of the classic Genesis material,
aficionados will discern occasional slight variations in instrumentation or
song structure. While the majority of fans welcome this exploration, we both
know that there are devout purists who view any departure from the original
version as sacrilege. What is your philosophy regarding evolution versus
preservation of the original recordings?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">SH</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">: If you
look back at the early recordings and you contrast them with the live versions,
we’ll have a certain amount of evolution. It just has to be that way. It can’t
be cast in stone. With Genesis, we did tend to segue ideas, messing around
rather a lot. I try and do authentic versions; I try to be authentic to the
spirit of the song. For instance, if I’ve spent a long time getting a
particular guitar solo together, I’ll be thinking of it as not just an
instrumental part, but part of the writing of the song. If I play “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPLRUc73c1s">The Musical Box</a>” I play
exactly the same notes because it’s all about not being spontaneous. If
something is composed, and if you’re still proud of it, stick with it. But
then, at the end of something like “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHo0kPkz9IQ">Supper’s Ready</a>,” I’ll do
some of the existing phrases but then I’ll go off on a bender, maybe going on
for another couple of minutes, until I’ve had enough. I think you have to be
flexible. I think (on) “I Know What I Like,” which started out as a small
little tune, when we were doing it with Phil Collins (on vocals), it
facilitated some of his antics. When he was doing the tambourine dance, it
reduces the song to a virtual handclap, so that we’re accompanying the visual
on Phil’s terms. With my band, there’s no point in doing a tambourine dance or
trying to be Peter Gabriel, running around with a lawnmower onstage! What we
do is we have a sax solo that gets very jazzy, but then I go into a very
rocking guitar solo and start playing fast triplets so that it takes off like a rocket in a different kind of way, but then we bring it back
respectfully at the end. This st</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">uff continues to evolve. Of course, the
diehards, they might want to go and see any one of a number of tribute bands
who faithfully reproduce everything we did, including the limitations of that
time, but techniques and technology improve and it makes it possible to have a
band of</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">—</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">dare I say</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">—virtuosos, like my guys. It takes us off into
another direction, at the drop of a hat, I think it’s all the better for that,
and I think the audience usually suspends its disbelief. They pick up on the
interaction that goes on onstage between the various characters who are talking
to each other, and there’s genuine spontaneity there.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dk__ZXUUgsI/XlcJ0ouq3qI/AAAAAAAAA8Q/PmhxXn8VEG01we1j6u3W1yuwsvdamy0hgCEwYBhgL/s1600/LeeMillward-h13-edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="1600" height="238" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dk__ZXUUgsI/XlcJ0ouq3qI/AAAAAAAAA8Q/PmhxXn8VEG01we1j6u3W1yuwsvdamy0hgCEwYBhgL/s400/LeeMillward-h13-edit.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>image by Lee Millward</b></td></tr>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">: In July, you’ll be publishing
your autobiography, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://store.hackettsongs.com/products/a-genesis-in-my-bed-book">A
Genesis in My Bed</a></i>. Pardon the pun, but what was the genesis of the
project, and how did it come to fruition?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">SH</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">: I’d done a series of
interviews way back in the past with Alan Hewitt, and people were referring to
it as “my book” and I kept saying to people, well, actually it’s not my book;
it’s <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sketches-Hackett-Alan-Hewitt/dp/1908724013">Alan’s
book</a>, and I was the interviewee. Doing that is not quite the same as doing
a much more considered, in–depth thing, where you’re having to think about why
you did something, how you feel about it now. I wanted it to be more revealing,
and not just a complete collection of anecdotes. I didn’t think that was going
to do the ideas justice. I’ve really gone into the music in a big way, and I
hope people like that. There are the jokes and asides and all those other
things, and I’ve hope I’ve been fair about all the people I’ve once worked
with. I don’t think there’s anyone whose praises I didn’t sing. There might be
the odd criticism, but in the main, I’m overwhelmingly positive about everybody.
I might tweak the noses of a few, but, you know, that doesn’t matter. I think
it’s been fun doing it, and we are still at the stage of putting in some extra
things we haven’t thought about, so over the course of the next month or so,
we’ll add stuff. Jo will ask, what was it like meeting Mick Jagger or Paul
McCartney? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">: What was it like?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">SH</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">: Extraordinary! Whenever
you get to meet people who’ve been a huge part of your early life, first of
all, you hope that they’re not going to behave like an absolute asshole, which
neither did, and they were both polite and talkative, which was lovely. I don’t
think the autobiography is a kind of “who’s who” of everything. Yes, you’ve got
a few people mentioned there, and some unlikely ones, too, but in the main it’s
trying to create a two-way mirror. If you were a fly on the wall and you saw
what I was like at three years old, you’d have an idea of some of it; struggles
at school and all that kind of stuff. That’s not all legendary by any means. I
want to be self-deprecating and send myself up and say, well, at one point, I
had stage fright and I saw a hypnotherapist to get me over it. I don’t have
that problem anymore. That’s the sort of stuff I’m revealing (in the book). I
want to give people hope and say, it can happen to anyone. Sir Laurence Olivier
had suddenly reached a point where (I haven’t mentioned this in my book) he
couldn’t look at any of the other actors; he didn’t want them to catch his eye.
He wanted them to look to the side, because for some reason (direct eye
contact) unnerved him. How is that possible for someone who was seen, to the world
of English acting, as lord and master? Even the greatest … Mick
Jagger was telling me at the time that he was tired … there was this whole
entourage, this whole circus around him, masses of people. It reminds me of a
story when I was in Japan for the first time, and Michael Jackson happened to
be staying in the hotel, and what a revelation that was! A hundred people
gathered at the lift entrance, and the camera light would be above this
seething mass of people, it was moved twenty-five yards to the left, and they
all moved back, and the lift doors opened, and they were gone. Talk about life
in a goldfish bowl! His life must have been like a mobile zoo. I don’t know how
you could exist like that, except on your own property, on your own terms, but
then it becomes a prison. I wouldn’t want that level of celebrity. I don’t
think I’d be able to handle it at all. I think I’d go around dressed as Groucho
Marx or something. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">: Speaking of stage
fright, original Genesis guitarist <a href="http://www.anthonyphillips.co.uk/">Anthony
Phillips</a> said that stage fright ultimately drove him from the band. When we
last spoke, you brought up the prospect of collaborating on an album together. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">SH</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">: Funnily enough, we
collaborated on two different projects. He was on one of my albums, I think it
was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Out-Tunnels-Mouth-Steve-Hackett/dp/B003HE2B7G">Out
of the Tunnel’s Mouth</a></i>, he was on a couple of tracks on that, and then
we did something recently for an elephant charity called <a href="https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/harmony-for-elephants-various-artists-a-charity-album/">Harmony
for Elephants</a>, and we did a track together. He provided a piano part and I
improvised all over it, then he did some twelve-string work on it. He and I get
on very well, and I’ve often said to him that if we’d been in the band at the
same time, I suspect it would have been just fine because we’d be fine with
each other’s ideas. He’s very democratic in his approach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WcvaSQ_vPZ8/XlcRrA8D3sI/AAAAAAAAA8s/PgdPRwYwY7MqcqgtPHUuQkA3r4wIVwF8wCEwYBhgL/s1600/Simon%2BLowery%2B-%2BSH%2BMunich-28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WcvaSQ_vPZ8/XlcRrA8D3sI/AAAAAAAAA8s/PgdPRwYwY7MqcqgtPHUuQkA3r4wIVwF8wCEwYBhgL/s400/Simon%2BLowery%2B-%2BSH%2BMunich-28.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">: Next year’s tour will
feature a complete performance of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Seconds-Out-remastered-GENESIS/dp/B000002J29">Seconds
Out</a></i>—<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">SH</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">: —That’s right, that’s
what we graduate to!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">: That album marked your
point of departure from the band, and I’ve seen the Tony Banks interview where
he said that your guitar was mixed out. So, my question for you is: in addition
to anticipating the joy of rehearsing and performing this album, given the
circumstances behind its mixing and release, is there any additional sweetness,
if that’s the right word, in getting to set the record straight from a musical
perspective?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">SH</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">: When it comes to <i>Seconds Out</i>, the whole album was a case
of cherry picking across the whole of the band’s history, although the current
album at the time was <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Wind-Wuthering-GENESIS/dp/B000002J2B">Wind and
Wuthering</a></i>. So, until we actually start working on that, I don’t know
exactly how that will shape up. But when it comes to Tony, he tends to
contradict himself. He tends to praise me on one hand [chuckles] and then
criticize. I hope I’ve been generous about him in my book, because I think he’s
one hell of a writer and a very fluent chordsmith, no doubt about it. There is
no sense of “getting even” … I know they do tend to say (that I’ve been mixed
out) but I can hear my guitar on it. I can hear my guitar more clearly on “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpEyuenDAo4">The Carpet Crawlers</a>”
than it was on the (original) record! So, there’s a little bit of creative
license, I think, with similar statements. Strange, obviously they called the
album <i>Seconds Out</i>, you know, I’m right
in the foreground of the album cover, although they asked <a href="http://www.armandogallo.com/new/">Armando</a> (Gallo) to darken it so I
look like a shadowy figure, so I kind of became the black sheep, somewhat.
Sometimes, I think that a band needs someone who’s prepared to say unpopular
things and try and drive it forward. It’s a shame that the band weren’t more
open at that time for everyone to have parallel solo careers. Once you start
growing, people start to have families, divorcing, and various things, you
can’t behave like you did when you were all kids together; it just doesn’t work
anymore. I have no regrets; I love the music, and I honor it politics-free.
That’s my take on Genesis now. I was hoping that Genesis might expand into a
band that behaved pretty much like The Beatles. In other words, the occasional
use of orchestra; I’ve done that myself. They’ve used the horn section from
Earth, Wind, and Fire, but I think there is a bit of a limitation after all
that time, I think it is important for there to be some evolution. But that’s
just my opinion; a departed band member shares his opinions with you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">: The concept of “the
music business” has essentially been supplanted by “the musicians’ business,” meaning that
musicians earn a living these days primarily by getting out there and reaching
their audiences directly through live performances. You recently said that you
still felt the need to record and would continue to do so, if only for an
audience of one; very much like classical musicians who wrote and performed for
individual patrons. What are your thoughts on the current state of affairs,
with particular emphasis on the freedom that you have come to experience by
managing all aspects of your career with just you and Jo at the helm?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">SH</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">: It’s a multi-faceted
question! I’d say that there was greater freedom in the 1960s and 1970s. In the
‘80s things were tightening up; things were becoming much more formatted, as I
said earlier, (with artists) doing a collection of MTV-friendly potential
singles. The magic of an album that at one time changed the world gets lost
somewhere, so the baby gets thrown out with the bathwater. Now, I think in
terms of big business, there simply isn’t enough money in the record business
for it to contain anything but enthusiasts. Moguls have moved on to something
else. If you want to make tons of money, then go sell baked beans! Someone
who’s in the music business who has no love of it has got no place being there,
and I think unless you understand music, you aren’t really in with a chance.
For me, as a musician, it’s understanding the audience, but also taking them on
further than perhaps they intended to, (to) stretch their tolerance, but that’s
how music works, because at first everything seems strange. First of all, you
say, “This is strange.” Then suddenly it no longer becomes alien, it becomes
your friend. The other aspect you mentioned, in terms of self-management, is
with Jo, where basically we have a team. It means there’s no Fuhrer; it doesn’t
work like that. We just have a team that very often talks things over, saying,
“What do you think? This one’s a good idea; this one’s a no-brainer.” We have
an immediate understanding. We have a band that wants to work, wants to travel,
do as many shows as possible. Luckily, the albums are selling—the physical
product—very, very well in an era where everyone’s saying, that’s all over, CDs
are over. Well, I like CDs because I like to have a package, and I also like
the size of vinyl records because you’ve got … let’s put it this way. The album
sleeve (cover) is the best possible advert for a record you could possibly
have. The size of the original album sleeve, 12” by 12”, whatever it was, was a
piece of artwork or an incredible photograph that you could stick on your wall.
Remember those days? I personally love the quality of sound of CDs but we like
to release in all formats to keep everyone happy; to keep the vinyl
fundamentalists (happy) and the audiophiles, you’ve got to address them too,
plus make things available for download. If there’s a new format, I’ll go for
it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">: As a musician, I have
worlds of respect for you, for everything that you’ve brought to the table for
decades. As I look at it, you’re a shining example of how to do it, how to keep
the fun intact, how to keep your integrity intact. I think for any aspiring musician
who wants to learn how to address all the avenues of their career with
integrity, with creativity, and with heart, they can look to you and your
career.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">SH</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">: Thank you very much!
It’s very nice of you to say so! I’m sure you share that with your own input to
music as well. It’s a natural childbirth every time, isn’t it? That’s how we
keep it coming. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">© Roy Abrams 2020</span>Roy Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153236460853048915noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5708257674135145961.post-38756945381850395982019-08-28T21:41:00.001-04:002019-08-28T23:32:14.931-04:00The Road Goes Ever On: Graham Nash in Conversation<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ObGINmPi4sE/XWcsAO1IzDI/AAAAAAAAA6s/C57Fi_P7y0U4XEPv7aXdKyKPt2n3Gu9YACLcBGAs/s1600/Nash4_Amy%2BGrantham.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1167" data-original-width="1600" height="233" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ObGINmPi4sE/XWcsAO1IzDI/AAAAAAAAA6s/C57Fi_P7y0U4XEPv7aXdKyKPt2n3Gu9YACLcBGAs/s320/Nash4_Amy%2BGrantham.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Graham Nash</b><br />
image by Amy Grantham</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">With a career as illustrious and a song catalog as voluminous as
that of <a href="https://www.grahamnash.com/">Graham Nash</a>, putting a
concert set list together is no easy task. What is a comfortable ratio of “expected”
songs to the deeper cuts that will thrill the true aficionado? Should songs
written by former partners be included at the expense of self-penned
compositions? If so, which ones, and why? What about other cover songs? The
list of questions goes on, but in one particular instance, those questions are rendered
irrelevant. On September 27<sup>th</sup>, Nash comes to New York City’s <a href="http://thetownhall.org/event/graham-nash-9-27">Town Hall</a> to perform
his celebrated first two solo albums in their entirety, accompanied by a full
band and background vocalists. Sandwiched in between dates on his current U.S.
tour, the concert marks the very first time that Nash has done something of
this nature. To be sure, his fans are over-the-top excited about this event, and
the artist himself is gearing up for it with great anticipation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">At 77, Graham Nash is brimming with energy and enthusiasm for
life. Recently remarried to artist/writer Amy Grantham, he is frequently on the
road, joined by guitarist/vocalist <a href="http://islandzoneupdate.blogspot.com/2016/09/persistence-is-crucial-extraordinary.html">Shane
Fontayne</a> and organist/vocalist <a href="http://toddcaldwell.com/">Todd
Caldwell</a>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Delighting audiences on both
sides of the Atlantic, he includes songs from his days with <a href="http://www.hollies.co.uk/">The Hollies</a>, as well as from his tenure
with two of the best-loved groups this country has ever produced: <a href="https://www.crosbystillsnash.com/">Crosby, Stills and Nash</a> and <a href="https://www.csny.com/">Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young</a>. Nash also
features songs written by Stills and Young in his regular live set, and has newly
added a song he co-wrote with Crosby, his former best friend of 45 years with
whom he no longer speaks. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Neither of
them has spoken publicly about the root cause of the rift. With the 50<sup>th</sup>
anniversary of Woodstock come and gone, the music of CSN and of CSNY will live
on in recorded form only; Nash is adamant that those three (or four)
individuals will never play another note together again. Nevertheless, he is content;
a happy man indeed. To those who know him, he is a true Renaissance man who is
on a constant quest to seek out new knowledge and new experiences. Graham Nash
is intent on filling every day with pleasure and purpose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I recently had the opportunity to chat with Graham about the
upcoming Town Hall concert, the albums around which the concert is based, his
former partners, the current U.S. tour, and the future. Read on and enjoy!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Roy
Abrams</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Looking forward to the September 27<sup>th</sup> show at The Town
Hall in New York City, which is a complete performance of your first two solo
albums, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Songs-Beginners-Graham-Nash/dp/B000002I6V">Songs
for Beginners</a></i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Tales-GRAHAM-NASH/dp/B000002I7C">Wild Tales</a></i>.
What prompted you to do this special event?<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Graham Nash</b>: It’s been an idea that’s
been floating around for a long time, but recently my wife, Amy Grantham, who
loves both those albums, has been putting pressure on me to do this. So, I’m
doing it, and I’m really looking forward to it! I’ve never done it before. I’ll
come out with a full band and play <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Songs
for Beginners</i> from start to finish, then take a break and do <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wild Tales</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: First
of all, congratulations on your marriage; that’s great news. Please tell Amy I
said thank you for her encouragement with this wonderful idea! In addition to
Shane and Todd, who else will be joining you onstage for that particular show?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">GN</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: This
has been a way of actually letting go, because I’m going to be playing with
several people that I’ve never even met, which is really interesting! [Laughs]
Here are the people who are going to be playing with me: Todd Caldwell’s
brother <a href="http://www.caldwellentertainment.com/toby-caldwell">Toby</a>
is a great drummer. I’ve met Toby before but I’ve never played with him. <a href="https://www.andyhess.com/">Andy Hess</a> will be on bass, <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/thad-debrock-mn0001021442">Thad DeBrock</a>
is going to be playing pedal steel, and I have two lady singers with me; <a href="http://celissehenderson.com/now/">Celisse Henderson</a> and <a href="https://gracestumberg.com/">Grace Stumberg</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Who
lined up those musicians?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">GN</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Basically,
Shane and Todd.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Each
of those albums possesses its own aura. As their creator, can you define what
makes those records so distinct from each other?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">GN</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: That’s
a good question. For many years, I’ve tried to figure out why the popularity of
something like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Songs for Beginners</i>
was, and I think it basically boils down to the simplicity (of the songs) and
the immediacy of touching your heart. You know, the sound of those albums was exactly
what I wanted for those particular songs. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wild
Tales</i> was a little different; it was two or three years later, and I built
a studio in my house in San Francisco, in the Haight, and recorded <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wild Tales</i> there in my basement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Focusing
on the pedal steel contributions on both those albums, you had <a href="http://www.thecoolgroove.com/ben.html">Ben Keith</a> on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wild Tales</i> and <a href="https://jerrygarcia.com/">Jerry Garcia</a> on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Songs for Beginners</i>. What was your relationship like with Jerry,
who played on “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5A1P6zlmRs">I Used to
Be a King</a>,” “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWP83HqoAx8">Man in
the Mirror</a>,” and of course, “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuBGEoxbFN4">Teach Your Children</a>” on
CSNY’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Deja-remastered-Crosby-Stills-Young/dp/B000002J0L">Déjà
Vu</a></i>?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">GN</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Jerry
was basically Crosby’s friend, because they both lived in the Bay area, which I
did after 1969 after I broke up with Joni. Jerry was a wonderful man; he was
very calm, and he was very Zen, for want of a better word. We had recorded the
track to “Teach Your Children” at <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/wally-heider-mn0000195606/biography">Wally
Heider</a>’s in San Francisco. When we were trying to figure out what we were
gonna do for a solo, Stephen was trying to figure out what to do, and Crosby
said, “Hey, I hear Jerry’s been playing pedal steel!” I said, “Oh, really? Why
don’t we play him the track and see if he likes the song enough to want to play
on it?” We played Jerry the track and he loved it. He brought his pedal steel
in and he played the first take, and I thanked him profusely. He said, “You
know, I kind of screwed up in the chorus; can I do it again?” I said, “Absolutely,
you can do it again, but I’m never gonna use it!” He said, “Why?” I said, “What
you consider to be mistakes, I thought they were brilliant; small, real
touches, and I’m going to leave it exactly as it is, if it’s okay with you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: I
remember a couple of years ago when you and Shane performed that song, and he
played a solo after which you spent a few extra measures before launching into
the last verse, you were so blown away by how he played.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">GN</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: It
was astonishing to me that Shane Fontayne could play Jerry’s solo that was
played on a pedal steel on a normal electric guitar. Shane’s the kind of player
that wants the song to live, not necessarily his solo. He saw The Hollies when
he was 12 years old! [Laughs]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tXQk2e7jGh4/XWcsAWwVz6I/AAAAAAAAA64/j1pLhApFOk04sU0hAjictY27kWAWIGN3gCEwYBhgL/s1600/NashShane1_Amy%2BGrantham.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tXQk2e7jGh4/XWcsAWwVz6I/AAAAAAAAA64/j1pLhApFOk04sU0hAjictY27kWAWIGN3gCEwYBhgL/s320/NashShane1_Amy%2BGrantham.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Graham Nash and Shane Fontayne</b><br />
image by Amy Grantham</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moving to a different type of relationship,
you’ve had an interesting one with Long Island that extends back 50 years. Your
current tour will make two stops on the Island: Friday: October 11 at the <a href="https://whbpac.org/event/graham-nash/">Westhampton Beach Performing Arts
Center</a>, and Saturday, October 12, at the <a href="http://www.landmarkonmainstreet.org/event.cfm?id=570">Landmark on Main
Street</a> in Port Washington. What are some standout memories of your time on
Long Island?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">GN</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/john-sebastian-mn0000814852/biography">John
Sebastian</a>, our dear friend, was actually partly responsible for me getting
in that band. David and Stephen, at some point, asked John who they could get
for a third harmony. He said that there were only two choices: they had to get <a href="http://nashvillesongwritersfoundation.com/Site/inductee?entry_id=996">Phil
Everly</a> or Graham Nash. And I thought that was an incredible compliment, so
that was a great memory. Sebastian actually rented us the house in Sag Harbor;
he found a beautiful little old wooden house on the lake. It was winter,
December of ’68, so it was pretty chilly and pretty snowy and icy; a lovely
time. That’s when I discovered that CSN wasn’t gonna make an acoustic album,
which we all thought, but an electric album because in Sag Harbor, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hbassist44/">Harvey Brooks</a> played bass, and
all of a sudden it started to become a gentle rock and roll album.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Your
current touring set list has expanded to include songs from all three of your
former CSNY partners; Neil’s “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1PrUU2S_iw">Ohio</a>” is in there, as
are a few Stills songs. The recent addition of “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcQqFNHRXGE&list=OLAK5uy_nlDcR2B10x5u6sBxN1uD8LV4OZZZUQN6E">Taken
At All</a>,” a Crosby/Nash collaboration, is a welcomed surprise. Have you seen
David’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ln9dtQ8tuKk">documentary</a>?
(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">David Crosby: Remember My Name</i>)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">GN</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: I
have.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: What
was your take on it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">GN</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: [Long
pause] I didn’t feel that it showed enough of the joy in the music that we had
created. There was a lot in it about David’s five stents in his heart, and Jan
crying about him not coming home maybe. You know, if I had to sum it up, I
would call it a video obituary.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Wow.
At the end, he spoke about his wish to be able to say one last goodbye to his friends,
to let the people he loves know how much they meant to him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">GN</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: A
little late. A little late.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: When
you were <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1RnUTEQeTc">speaking with
Paul Shaffer</a> last year about this, you said, “I don’t quite know how to
undo it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">GN</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: What
happens is this, Roy. I liken it to a metaphorical kind of sentence that when
you break that silver thread that holds you to your friends and your loved
ones, when that silver thread breaks, it’s very, very difficult to get those
two ends to come back together and join. Quite frankly, we need to like each
other and love each other before we can find music. We did it for 50 years and
now it’s over, and so we get on with the rest of our lives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Klblv97OvI4/XWcr_8-ec1I/AAAAAAAAA68/wgIeUU__zVQNZLvSU8poGg5L4SvyxvY5ACEwYBhgL/s1600/NashBW2_Amy%2BGrantham.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Klblv97OvI4/XWcr_8-ec1I/AAAAAAAAA68/wgIeUU__zVQNZLvSU8poGg5L4SvyxvY5ACEwYBhgL/s320/NashBW2_Amy%2BGrantham.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">image by Amy Grantham</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Have
you heard any of David’s recent albums? If so, what are your thoughts on them?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">GN</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: David’s
doing remarkably well. He’s made four or five albums in the last two or three
years and God bless him. I just don’t want to make music with him anymore. It’s
that simple.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Let’s
move over to the unfortunate state of the country. Do you have a favorite
Democratic presidential candidate?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">GN</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: In
thinking about this very carefully, I realize that America needs a leader that
can calm everything down. That thought process leads to (Joe) Biden; of course,
the critics of Biden have very good points. He will be almost 80 years old in
the middle of his first term, if he got elected. This country is a very
different country from when Woodstock went down. It’s an incredibly different
country that I came to know and love and be a part of. I’ve been an American
citizen now for over 40 years. I wanted to be a part of the community; I wanted
to vote; I wanted to raise my voice … and I did. The Trump administration has
taken America on a certain path, and I truly believe that that path is going
backward, and they are undoing a tremendous amount of great work that was done,
particularly in the realm of the environment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: The
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQOaUnSmJr8">video</a> you released
for “Teach Your Children” is a starkly compelling, viscerally moving testament
to the struggles that this country still faces, with particular emphasis on the
challenges faced by our young people. Can you describe the process of putting
that video together?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">GN</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: After
the Parkland shooting in Florida wbere 17 students got murdered by one of their
fellow students, the surviving students, and their efforts to go around America
and get people to vote, getting people to not support politicians who take
money from the gun lobby or the NRA; that energy should be applauded and should
be helped as much as possible. When I realized what passion that had, and what
power they had—because there are our children telling us what they need from
the world—I talked to my manager, Mark Spector, who also manages <a href="http://joanbaez.com/">Joan Baez</a>, and he had a friend, Jeff Scheer,
who had done some work for Joan Baez ten years ago, and I saw some of his work
and let him run with it. Jeff Scheer made, I think, 2,200 drawings and provided
the animated video for “Teach Your Children” which is on YouTube right now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Once
and always, Graham, thank you for your time, and thank you for your music. I’m
looking forward with incredible anticipation to the September 27<sup>th</sup>
show, and twice on Long Island … that’s a first for you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">GN</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: [Laughs]
Yeah! Me too, kid. Thank you, Roy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Note:
<a href="http://islandzoneupdate.blogspot.com/">Island Zone Update</a> features
other interviews with Graham Nash, as well as with David Crosby, Stephen
Stills, and many other artists.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">© Roy Abrams 2019<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Roy Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153236460853048915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5708257674135145961.post-45778562728226275152019-07-19T00:40:00.000-04:002019-08-06T13:45:03.826-04:00One Man's Sunset is Another Man's Sunrise: The Continuing Adventures of David Crosby<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fdivY8nwpI8/XTFIMq5qHJI/AAAAAAAAA50/vIA2MwG2z5s1SQtkjTnwIWgEMoCkuumVQCLcBGAs/s1600/Crosby_Webber%2B6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fdivY8nwpI8/XTFIMq5qHJI/AAAAAAAAA50/vIA2MwG2z5s1SQtkjTnwIWgEMoCkuumVQCLcBGAs/s320/Crosby_Webber%2B6.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>David Crosby</b><br />
Image by Anna Webber</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://davidcrosby.com/">David Crosby</a> looks fearlessly into the waning
light of his life, embracing the time remaining to him with all the energy and
enthusiasm of a child waking up to a sunny summertime morning. CSN and CSNY are
now things of the past, but all is well in Crosby’s world. The fire still
burns, the muse still beckons, and the voice still soars. Moving gracefully
into his 79<sup>th</sup> year, “the Croz” has entered what he stoically knows
is the home stretch of his mortal journey, but this outspoken troubadour, the
delightfully eccentric wizard responsible for writing some of the best
self-proclaimed “weird shit” of this or any other time, continues to exude the
energy of eternal youth. It’s in his voice, it’s in his attitude, and it’s
fueled by the musical company he keeps these days. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Since 2014, Crosby has
entered a true Golden Age of creativity, recording and releasing four
critically and commercially acclaimed albums within a five year span. He has
toured America and Europe with two markedly different bands: the Lighthouse
Band, an acoustic-based affair consisting of Crosby, Snarky Puppy’s </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/michaelleagueplaysmusic/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Michael League</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">,
and singer-songwriters </span><a href="https://www.beccastevens.com/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Becca Stevens</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
and </span><a href="http://www.michellewillis.ca/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Michelle Willis</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, and the Sky
Trails Band, an electric, jazz-infused rock conglomerate featuring Crosby, his
son </span><a href="https://www.jamesraymond.com/" style="font-size: 12pt;">James Raymond</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, </span><a href="https://pevar.com/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Jeff Pevar</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Public-Figure/Steve-DiStanislao-40560084493/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Steve
DiStanislao</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, </span><a href="https://www.maileisz.com/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Mai Leisz</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, and
Michelle Willis. The shows have left audiences exhilarated and rapturous from
the sheer musical magnificence that emanates from the stage, night after night. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Shortly before the first leg of Crosby’s Spring-Summer tour with
his Sky Trails Band gets underway, I am sitting in my home office, waiting for
the phone to ring and resume a conversation that began nearly thirty years ago.
I watch the clock and glance at my list of questions. A few minutes before the
scheduled start time, the call comes through, and we get underway …</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Roy
Abrams</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: On July 19<sup>th</sup>, Sony Pictures will premiere the
highly-anticipated documentary, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.sonyclassics.com/davidcrosby/">David Crosby: Remember My Name</a></i>
in select theaters in New York City and Los Angeles, with a general release to
follow shortly thereafter. The documentary was directed by <a href="https://twitter.com/ajeaton?lang=en">A. J. Eaton</a> and produced by the veteran
music journalist <a href="http://www.theuncool.com/">Cameron Crowe</a>. Am I
correct in assuming that you met A. J. Eaton through his brother Marcus, with
whom you have recorded and toured in the past?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">David
Crosby</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: The two brothers have been friends of mine for several years
now. They’re really good guys. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: I
know you have a long standing friendship with Cameron Crowe as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Yeah.
Cameron and I have been friends ever since he was 17 years old. You ever see <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/almost-famous-2000">Almost Famous</a></i>?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Yeah.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Well,
he was the kid in the film. Led Zeppelin and us (CSNY) were his experiences in
coming of age. [Chuckles]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Okay!
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Yeah,
we introduced him to girls, and his mom definitely wanted to have us all shot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: I
was watching the trailer for the documentary where you described A. J. and
Cameron, saying, “They’re both friends of mine. They’re both merciless,” in
that they gave you no place to hide. You followed that up by saying you were
asked the single hardest question that you were ever asked by anyone, anywhere,
at any time. I would never presume to ask you for the answer to the question,
but is that a question you could share now?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: I
suppose I could. It’s a painful one. He asked me if I hurt any of the women
that I loved and I was with, and I had to say yes. Not physically, but
certainly emotionally. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lINJXq_f5CM/XTFILSSrlvI/AAAAAAAAA6A/t3vT-aUWs6A3DYwc5mU7OO8MTJM6_5HUgCEwYBhgL/s1600/Crosby_Webber%2B3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lINJXq_f5CM/XTFILSSrlvI/AAAAAAAAA6A/t3vT-aUWs6A3DYwc5mU7OO8MTJM6_5HUgCEwYBhgL/s320/Crosby_Webber%2B3.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image by Anna Webber</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: You
said that the experience was paradoxical in the sense that it brought you pain,
but that it also brought you much joy, that it was a cathartic experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Absolutely!
It really depends on how you look at it, man. If you’ve making a documentary,
normally, it’s very shallow. They go around and get anybody famous that you’ve
ever met; they stick a mic in front of their face, and ask, “Isn’t he great?
Isn’t he wonderful?” This one, we wanted to give you an honest picture of a
guy, and how he accomplished the good things he did and why he did the stupid
things he did, and who he was. You don’t want to just prettify the picture; you
want to find out <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">who the person is</i>.
That’s how all three of us looked at it. There was a unity of purpose; we
definitely felt that we knew what we wanted to do and we did it, and it was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">very honest</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: I
know you’re working on another new album with the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sky-Trails-David-Crosby/dp/B074BP3V2R">Sky Trails</a>
Band. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: The
Sky Trails Band came out of CPR (Crosby, Pevar, and Raymond). My son James
Raymond is the producer and keyboard player (and) he’s doing half of the
writing. It’s probably the most successful writing partnership in my life. Jeff
Pevar, our guitar player, is a spectacular guitar player; Stevie DiStanislao,
our drummer, has been with me and James right from the beginning. He’s also
(David) <a href="http://www.davidgilmour.com/">Gilmour</a>’s drummer, as well
as ours. Mai Leisz, our bassist, has her own jazz band in Scandinavia. She’s
from Estonia, of all places. And then there’s Michelle Willis, who’s in both of
my bands … a glorious fuckin’ keyboard player … just wonderful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Thanks
to you, between Michelle and Becca Stevens (from the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lighthouse-David-Crosby/dp/B01ICF70BQ">Lighthouse</a>
Band), I just can’t get enough! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: They’re
two of the best singer-songwriters I’ve ever found in my life, ever, anywhere.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: For
the new album, do you have a working title, and is there a tentative release
date?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: No,
we’re just going song by song, going right down in the trenches, taking each
song as we get it, and serve that song. Then we’ll figure out that stuff later
on, as we go along. I don’t know why I’m making the albums one after the other
… well, I do. That’s a lie. I do know why. It doesn’t make sense, because
they’re not paying me for them. Streaming just really killed it, man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Streaming’s the reason I had to sell my boat.
It took away half my income, because they just don’t pay us. Streaming is like
if you worked for three weeks and they paid you a nickel. It’s not okay.
They’re making billions—with a “b”—of dollars, and they’re not paying us, and
it’s our music. I’m very resentful about that one. It left me pretty broke. The
only way I can make any money at all is by my performances. I’m not in a big
band; I’m a leftover from a big band, so it’s been very difficult that way. But
I do think I’m making really good music.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This new song I’m doing with James might be better than all the others
put together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Will
any of the new material be premiered on the upcoming <a href="https://davidcrosby.com/pages/tour">tour</a>?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: I
guarantee it. We’ve put two of them in the set already.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: I
have so many more questions, but you just said something that I need to go back
to. You just described yourself as a “leftover” and I have to respectfully
disagree. You and I have been speaking to each other for 27 years. I’m 58; I’ve
been listening to you since I’m 15. This might be an almost heretical thing for
me to say, as a lifelong CSN and CSNY fan and all the permutations thereof, but
it seems that all that was laying the groundwork for what you’ve done for the
past five years. I don’t look at you as a leftover at all! I look at you as
someone who’s this musical/historical figure, but you’ve given me the joy of
discovering you as a new artist, and I’ve been listening to you all my life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Well,
I love you for saying that. That’s how I feel too, man. The truth is that I
can’t explain this resurgence but it’s there. I can’t explain how I can sing
like this, man. I’m singing better than I ever have in my whole fuckin’ life,
and it doesn’t make any sense at all. What can I do? All I can do is be
grateful. I can’t take credit for it, because I have no fuckin’ idea how I do
it. It’s not like I thought it up and was doing something clever; it just <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">happened</i>. The only smart thing I’m doing
is recognizing it and working as hard as I can. If I’m going to be allowed to
be a good writer at this stage of my life, and given a voice to sing really
well, I am going to write and sing constantly. And, praise the Lord, in
between! [Laughs]. It’s fantastic for me, man! I don’t want to slag my previous
partners, man. I like ‘em all, they’re all good guys, and they’ve all done
really good work. But I don’t want to go back there. I think it would be a step
backwards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: I
agree with you in boldfaced italics.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: I
really love what I’m doing. I love both of these bands. Both of the producers
are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">extremely</i> good. You know, I don’t
know how much longer I’ve got. I don’t know if I’ve got two weeks or ten years.
But here’s the thing. The question is now how long you have, it’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">what do you do with the time? </i>And I’m
making the best music I can come up with, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">as
fast as I can</i>, because that’s what I think I ought to do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C4PaHLseDLI/XTFIMNz6URI/AAAAAAAAA6A/Oa14hCEAWvIx_8i2Ou-g3IO93Ml-tvrxwCEwYBhgL/s1600/Crosby_Webber%2B1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C4PaHLseDLI/XTFIMNz6URI/AAAAAAAAA6A/Oa14hCEAWvIx_8i2Ou-g3IO93Ml-tvrxwCEwYBhgL/s320/Crosby_Webber%2B1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image by Anna Webber</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Let’s
talk about the songwriting partnerships. You’ve been working closely with James
for about 20 years now; in recent years, Michael (League), Becca, and Michelle;
with <a href="https://www.michaelmcdonald.com/">Michael McDonald</a> for the
song “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8Q0z_yyCQ4">Before Tomorrow
Falls on Love</a>” … and, of course, your former partners. Can you put your
finger on a common thread between all of those very, very different people and
you as a collaborator?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: They
all love songs, man. They all don’t want to do it half-assed. Every single
person I’m working with treasures really good songs, and every single person
I’m working and writing with loves the process and feels that it’s a place
where they can do something to contribute. If you look at the world right now,
the world’s pretty shitty … really shitty. Our government’s tremendously
shitty, the situation is really not good right now, and we need a lift. Now,
music is a lifting force. It makes things better. Just the same way that a war
is a drag-down force and brings out the very worst in human beings, just the
same way, music lifts people, makes their lives better, opens up their heads;
it’s a positive force, right? And it’s the only thing I can do to contribute!
It’s the only place I can lift. It’s the only place I can make anything better.
It’s the only place I can help anybody. So, I think (that) we—the people who
are doing it, and doing it really well, crafting really good songs—are a
lifting force. It’s like we’re doing a mitzvah to the whole world. We’re doing
a good deed. I believe in that really strongly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So, behind everything that I’m doing, and everything that I celebrate
other people doing, there is that ethic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">RA</b>: Let’s talk about harmonies. From
the days of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheByrds.official/">The Byrds</a>,
I associate you with a pattern of instantly identifiable sounds … CSNY,
certainly CPR, and now the Lighthouse and Sky Trails Bands. Just the other
night, I watched CPR’s 1999 performance of “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAo4vEGKhBg">Homeward Through the Haze</a>”
at the Montreux Jazz Festival and lost it. Of all the harmony singers you’ve
worked with over the years—and there have been so many—is it even possible to rank
or classify those people?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: I
don’t see how you would, man. The ones that I would talk about are all
brilliant at it. You have to look at (Graham) <a href="https://www.grahamnash.com/">Nash</a>; he’s very, very good. Gilmour is a
terrific harmony singer. Nobody knows that because they’ve never heard him do
it, but he’s excellent at it. Who else is really good? I think (Paul) <a href="https://www.paulmccartney.com/">McCartney</a> is fantastic at it. My
favorite place, for me, is with Becca, Michelle, and Michael. We sing real
four-part, with four notes, that I think is probably some of the best work I’ve
ever done in my life, better than CSN or CSNY, for sure. CSN and CSNY sounded
really good, and we had a really good vocal sound, but I think I’ve done more
exploratory and more significant stuff with Becca and Michelle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: I
have to agree. I’m thinking of “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95wrdrL59Hk">Vagrants of Venice</a>,” the
co-write between you and Becca. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Isn’t
that good? It’s a crazy song! [Chuckles]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: When
I saw the four of you perform that song at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester,
NY last December, it was one of those moments. I mean, I’m a grown man, but
music can make you cry when it hits you on that certain “joy” level. You know
what I’m talking about, right?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Absolutely!
It can, and it does all the time with us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: That’s
what this music is doing to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Thank
you, man!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eIWnYeRWuYk/XTFINL4o8pI/AAAAAAAAA6I/Yp3776VWILsJsDA5zXSp6FthcuUMvsUmACEwYBhgL/s1600/Crosby_Webber%2B5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1266" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eIWnYeRWuYk/XTFINL4o8pI/AAAAAAAAA6I/Yp3776VWILsJsDA5zXSp6FthcuUMvsUmACEwYBhgL/s320/Crosby_Webber%2B5.jpeg" width="253" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image by Anna Webber</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Thank
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you</i>! So, you’re scheduled to play <a href="https://www.woodstock.com/">Woodstock’s 50<sup>th</sup> anniversary event</a>?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Yeah!
We’re gonna go try to kick everybody’s ass. We want to be just as competitive
as possible. We’re going to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">kick ass</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re going to play every hit we’ve ever had.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Did
the organizers hit you with a “Won’t you please come to Chicago, just to sing?”
kind of pitch?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: No,
they offered us a bunch of money, and we’re so broke, we’d go anywhere for a
bunch of money.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[Note: as of July 19<sup>th</sup>, the Woodstock 50<sup>th</sup>
festival is in a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/17/arts/music/woodstock-50-permits.html">state
of limbo</a>.]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Time
for a couple of non-music related questions! <a href="https://mightycroz.com/">The
Mighty Croz</a> is a new strain of marijuana that will soon be available for
purchase. What’s the back story?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Well,
okay, that goes back to the streaming thing. They cut my income in half, so
I’ve already had to make a bunch of sacrifices, like selling my boat which I’ve
had for 50 years and loved more than anything else in my life. What it is is
that I need money; I’m trying to hold on to my house. I’m trying not to lose my
home. I am trying to rent or lease my name and face to one of the emerging
national pot companies. There are a thousand of them out there, thinking
they’re going to be General Motors next week, but it’s totally crazy, and now
the big guys, in the last three weeks, Marlboro, Anheuser-Busch, and Molson
went into the pot business. Molson is going to make a <a href="https://www.beveragedaily.com/Article/2018/11/06/Molson-Coors-Cannabis-beverages-could-be-a-3bn-market-in-Canada">pot-infused
beer</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Well,
now!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
[Laughs] It’s a crazy thing. The same process that happened to the car
companies—there used to be 40 of them, now there’s four—that same process is
going to happen to these companies. They’re going to eat each other and fuck
each other and fight each other, and we’re going to wind up with a few national
pot companies, or international pot companies. And I try and get my face and
name to be on the cover of one of those to keep (earning) money, which I need.
I admit that I have a personal axe to grind in that I don’t like seeing people
go to jail for pot, which they absolutely should not. It’s like beer and wine,
there’s nothing wrong with it at all. I did join <a href="https://norml.org/">NORML</a>
and I do have an ethical stance about it, but it’s mostly because I need to
supplement my income, and that was the best way I could think of.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Another
non-music question concerns your “<a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/david-crosby-advice-column-trump-843773/">Ask
Croz</a>” column in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rolling Stone</i>,
which I love the whole concept of!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Did
it make you laugh when you saw it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Absolutely!
How’d that happen?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
[Laughs] They called me up and said they wanted to do it. It was their idea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: I’m
guessing that your <a href="https://twitter.com/thedavidcrosby?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">Twitter
presence</a> might have been the catalyst.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Oh,
I’m sure that’s what it was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were
looking at the Twitter thing and (my following) of 130,000 people and stuff … they
liked the attitude of it. They said, we’ll send you a bunch of questions, pick
the ones you think you can be funniest about or that you can deal with best …
it’s a great thing, because the questions (are) like them teeing the ball up
for you and handing you the bat. You can take a swing at the thing and put it
where you want, pretty much. So, it’s fun … it’s certainly an opportunity to
get in trouble! I’m going to try not to use it to slag any of the old targets
that I used to do. I used to spend a lot of time saying why I thought The Doors
weren’t any good. I’m not going to do that anymore. I’m probably not going
bother to waste my time pointing out what an idiot Kanye (West) is. I think I’m
going to try to be funny. If I get the right questions, I think it’s going to
be funny and very good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: What
are some of the odder Twitter questions that have been lobbed at you thus far?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Oh,
I can’t remember them all, man. (I’ve gotten) everything from “I think you’re
my Dad” … that’s happened a number of times, because they all know about James
… every possible type of question that can be asked …. I don’t have one that I
can pass along to you for a good story. Watch the column and you’ll see!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OJ93ypA8eS4/XTFINDaPNAI/AAAAAAAAA6M/CqcWtDsHK4UHQX_rhA9jkf-aGd0xTCRnQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Crosby_Webber%2B4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OJ93ypA8eS4/XTFINDaPNAI/AAAAAAAAA6M/CqcWtDsHK4UHQX_rhA9jkf-aGd0xTCRnQCEwYBhgL/s320/Crosby_Webber%2B4.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image by Anna Webber</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">: One
final question, referring to a topic you brought up earlier: the current state
of the Union. Are there any of the current assemblage of Democratic candidates
that you favor?</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Yeah.
I like about five of them, at least, maybe six. My favorite candidate right now
is (Alexandria) Ocasio-Cortez, but she’s not running. Of the ones that are
running, I like Elizabeth Warren, I like Kamala Harris, I like Beto O’Rourke, (but)
I like Mayor Pete (Buttgieg) best of all. He is the most intelligent
(candidate) that’s running for office, and I think he would do a wonderful job.
He’s got balls the size of oranges, for going into the armed services as a gay
guy, and he’s got intelligence right off the charts. I think he’s terrific
(but) I don’t think the United States is grown up enough to realize that he
would be the best one. I don’t think they’d let him do it because he’s gay, but
I think he’s fucking wonderful. I like all of those people; I’d pick any of
them. They’re all of good character, and they’re all trying really hard to do
it. I’m not really happy about (Kirsten) Gillibrand. I didn’t like the way she
piled onto Al Franken. I never liked Al Franken personally. He always used to
try to get me to come to campaign for him, and I don’t like him as a guy; he’s
just not my kind of guy. But I think he was piled on. He didn’t really do
anything bad. The minute he was in the crosshairs, she piled on, and I didn’t
like that. I thought it wasn’t right. But all of the other people I mentioned,
I’d vote for any of them. I think they’re all really good people, really good character,
really intelligent, really politically savvy. I think the two older guys, both
of them I like a lot. Bernie’s fine with me. President Bernie, I’m there. I’m
totally fine, I love him. I would prefer somebody younger. I‘d be happy with
Vice President Biden; he’s a great guy. That’s like what, seven different
people. I’d be happy with any of them. Whichever one of them becomes the
candidate, I will work for, because I don’t want this son of a bitch ruining my
country anymore!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: Amen! David, I’m going to end our conversation with another
giant <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">thank you</i>. We’ve been speaking
since 1991, and first met back in 1984 at Jones Beach. It’s been a while!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DC: Yeah, it has, man. Thank you for the help! I really appreciate
it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">© Roy Abrams 2019<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Roy Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153236460853048915noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5708257674135145961.post-555182048713318492019-05-27T22:57:00.001-04:002019-06-20T17:03:56.226-04:00Roger Street Friedman: Feeling Like Himself<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9W7MjGC98Ag/XOyh4h8ruaI/AAAAAAAAA40/ixYoppijvlEHkuPEZaGWKXX_PnWnPrAIgCLcBGAs/s1600/RSF%2B6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="750" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9W7MjGC98Ag/XOyh4h8ruaI/AAAAAAAAA40/ixYoppijvlEHkuPEZaGWKXX_PnWnPrAIgCLcBGAs/s320/RSF%2B6.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Roger Street Friedman</b><br />
image courtesy of Roger Street Friedman</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Long Islander <a href="https://www.rogerstreetfriedman.com/">Roger Street Friedman</a> embodies
the immortal Walt Disney phrase, “If you can dream it, you can do it.” The
Jericho native spent the majority of his adult life in the retail business
world, but his singer-songwriter’s soul yearned to be free of the suited
confines of corporate America. After releasing his debut album, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://shopcampuscustoms.com/rogerstreetfriedman/shop/product-detail/1011760">The
Waiting Sky</a></i>, in 2014, recorded primarily as a labor of love, Friedman
happily realized that others appreciated his work. Garnering a slew of <a href="https://www.rogerstreetfriedman.com/press">positive press</a> and radio
airplay, Friedman began to listen more intently to his inner voice that was
telling him to set his sights on a path that would bring true spiritual
contentment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">For the next few years,
Friedman gradually made the transition from being an executive-level cog in the
corporate world to a full-time pursuer of the Muse. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Waiting Sky</i> was followed in 2015 with an EP, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://shopcampuscustoms.com/rogerstreetfriedman/shop/product-detail/1011759">Gone,
Gone, Gone</a></i>, and in 2017 by another full-length album, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://shopcampuscustoms.com/rogerstreetfriedman/shop/product-detail/1015121">Shoot
the Moon</a>.</i> His recently released single “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUW3hYPouBM">Sun Never Sets</a>” features
Friedman accompanied by folk legends <a href="http://tomchapin.com/">Tom Chapin</a>,
<a href="http://guydavis.com/wp/">Guy Davis</a>, <a href="https://www.joelrafael.com/">Joel Rafael</a>, and <a href="https://www.peteryarrow.net/">Peter Yarrow</a>. Described as a protest
song in support of “all immigrants past, present, and future,” the track was
hailed by Yarrow (of <a href="http://www.peterpaulandmary.com/">Peter, Paul,
and Mary</a> fame), who said, “I could feel the spirit of <a href="https://www.peteseegermusic.com/">Pete Seeger</a> as I joined my fellow
folksingers on this poignant song. With such songs we re-confirm our commitment
to pursuing our collective dreams for a fairer and more just society. Each note
sung is yet another act of creating greater hope and peace in the world.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Friedman brings his musical
art and craft to the<a href="https://fmsh.org/"> Huntington Folk Festival on Saturday, July 27th</a>, and the <a href="https://falconridgefolk.com/">Falcon Ridge Folk Festival Emerging Artist Showcase on August 2nd</a>. Both are events not to miss, as they represent an opportunity to witness
undiluted creative artistry of a kind that seems hard to find these days.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">A recent conversation with
Friedman explored his long and winding journey toward self-fulfillment … <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3mMIGs1AjWE/XOyh4FHlNuI/AAAAAAAAA5I/66arGkDxmxwz6lJNukupRYr06l4XSMNSQCEwYBhgL/s1600/RSF%2B5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="750" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3mMIGs1AjWE/XOyh4FHlNuI/AAAAAAAAA5I/66arGkDxmxwz6lJNukupRYr06l4XSMNSQCEwYBhgL/s320/RSF%2B5.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">image courtesy of Roger Street Friedman</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Roy Abrams: Bravo for your
work supporting immigrants, with “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUW3hYPouBM">Sun Never Sets</a>,” given
the current situation and the whatever-you-want-to-call-it in the White House. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Roger Street Friedman: Yeah,
the Idiot-in-Chief.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: I’ll take that. It’s a
nicer way of putting it than I would have, but it’ll do. So, how did you hook
up with Tom Chapin, Guy Davis, Joel Rafael, and Peter Yarrow?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RSF: <a href="https://www.jasonsamel.com/">Jason Samel</a>, he had a show on WCWP
called “North Shore Now” and he’s also a music promoter, and he put on this <a href="http://morganparkmusic.org/">Morgan Park</a> festival a couple of years
ago that <a href="https://darwilliams.com/">Dar Williams</a> and <a href="http://www.amyhelm.com/">Amy Helm</a> headlined. I played it, and he
really dug us. He invited me on the show last year sometime, and I had just
written this song, and I played it on the air, and didn’t really have any plans
to record it, because I’d just released <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shoot
the Moon</i> in 2017, and didn’t know what I was doing with the next record
project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But (Jason) encouraged me, he
said, “It’s a beautiful song and you’ve got to get it out there. It’s so
important right now.” So, I have a really nice home studio, and I put it
together with some local musicians playing the basic tracks, and me singing the
whole thing. And then, when the whole thing was done, I played it for him, and
I said,”Wouldn’t it be great if we could get some other voices on here?” He
knows Tom through doing some music promotion; he knows all those guys, He said
he’ll send it around and see if he could get any takers, and he did. Yeah, I’m
really pleased with the way the whole thing evolved, especially with everybody
being so busy, and having other commitments; it was really nice of them to make
the time to do it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: As a teacher by
profession, I want to let you know that the song will surely find its way into
my curriculum at some point.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RSF: At Adelphi, the head
of the Human Rights program is using it in that curriculum. Jericho High School
is trying to implement it as well. I was really gratified by that. I guess you
can feel so powerless by what’s going on. You’ve got this party that’s controlling
two branches of government, and the executive branch having so much control
over the policy, and completely willing to flaunt international law and human
rights. I was just so frustrated. The song was co-written with two other guys
down in Nashville. We got in a room and started talking about what to write
about, and we were talking about Trump and immigration and his policies and
everything. I told them <a href="https://www.rogerstreetfriedman.com/sun-never-sets">my grandfather’s
story</a>, and the first verse and the chorus kind of evolved in that session,
except for the line “The trials come by fire and they will try your faith.”
That’s the one I added to the chorus when I got back. Then I wrote the second
verse and the bridge and finished it up back here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Really, all I have is my music and my ability
to share my inner feelings about this with the world in that way, so I might as
well try to get it out there in some shape or form. If it moves one person,
it’s better than nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: David Crosby has
always maintained that one of the roles of the singer-songwriter is to act as a
troubadour. What is your view of the singer-songwriter’s role in society?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RSF: I’m not that much
younger than them … they’re in their sixties, I think, right?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: They’re in their
seventies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RSF: I’m in my fifties. I
came up at the end of the … my brothers were hippies. I’m the youngest by a lot
of years, and so I wasn’t old enough to march on Washington, but my middle
brother went, in ’68 or ’69, protesting the Vietnam War. So I kind of came up
in that mold, and I love that (Crosby) put it that way. Part of the job
description is to tell the truth, like a painter or a photographer. You’ve got
to say what you see. I’m always struggling as a songwriter to make sure I’m not
being trite, banal, and hackneyed in what I’m writing; that it actually is a
meaningful line, that everything I say is verified by feelings. That’s the most
material, the stuff that resonates with us, when you say, “Holy shit, that’s so
true.” Joni Mitchell saying, “Love is touching souls,” something like that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: Which brings us to “<a href="https://www.rogerstreetfriedman.com/no-safe-place">No Safe Place</a>,”
another song I really enjoyed that addresses a current and ongoing dilemma in
this country. How involved are you with the two groups, the <a href="https://www.ilrc.org/">Immigrant Legal Resource Center</a> and the <a href="https://www.raicestexas.org/">Refugee Immigrant Center for Education and
Legal Services</a>?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RSF: The extent of it was
offering to them to use the video to help raise money and awareness for
themselves. I’m not really on the board or anything, although I am at the point
now where I’m wanting to take it a little further and get more involved on a
day to day basis, because this issue (sighs) … that, and the environment; there
are so many things to focus on, but I think it’s better to pick one and do it
well. I think they’re great organizations. They deal in facts. They’re
literally out there, on the ground, helping people, and educating the public as
well. The whole debate has gotten so … everybody’s just asking the wrong
questions. I love their response, “Yeah, but they came here illegally” to
somebody turning themselves in the border to seek asylum, which is not illegal.
Yes, some people came here illegally; they’ve been doing it for generations,
and the government turned its head and put their hand out and said “No, don’t
come,” but then winked and waved them in, so they can pick our fruit and our
vegetables—<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: —And work at
Mar-a-Lago—<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RSF: And work at
Mar-a-Lago (chuckles) and now they’ve established families and roots and have
contributed … they’re paying takes, 98% of them, whether it’s under their own
Social Security number or not. My brother is a rabbi up in Boston. He works
with people that are detained by ICE, helping them spiritually and trying to be
supportive. He tells stories about guys who’ve been here for two, three decades
who are supporting a family, sometimes more than one family, like a kid from
another marriage, and they took them and put them in detention, so now they
can’t work. These kids, who are American citizens, and the wife, are unable to
make a living. It’s just nuts. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: I wanted to circle
back around to you if we could—<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RSF: Oh no, I hate talking
about myself! (laughs)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sv2-Z_ZwM6A/XOyh30Hy3LI/AAAAAAAAA5E/bV3wYHiBlY4EzrzQ8LzCGiiJg-znEW-xQCEwYBhgL/s1600/RSF%2B4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="750" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sv2-Z_ZwM6A/XOyh30Hy3LI/AAAAAAAAA5E/bV3wYHiBlY4EzrzQ8LzCGiiJg-znEW-xQCEwYBhgL/s320/RSF%2B4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">image courtesy of Roger Street Friedman</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: One thing in
particular that I love about what you’ve done is that you launched your career
in mid-life, at a time when few people are ready or willing to take that sort
of risk. About 20 years ago, I created and hosted a radio show on Long Island
called The Island Zone that featured unsigned musical artists across all genres.
One of my frequent on-air guests was a singer-songwriter who went under the
alias Sonny Meadows. He took a similar path as you, when at fifty, he said, “I
want to do this.” I don’t believe he ever left his day job as you did, but he
became an omnipresent figure on the local scene for years. What was your
trajectory that landed you in your current position? I understand that you were
deeply involved with music as a younger guy, but that you stepped away for a
while. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RSF: For a long while,
yeah. I went completely into a day job, in the retail industry, basically
selling stuff, and I made a good living, and was really good at it, and became
an executive at a company, and a couple of life events happened. Let me just
back up a minute. I never stopped writing songs or playing my guitar. I had all
this recording gear in storage since 1988 and always in the back of my head, I
was thinking I was going to get back into this; when I retired, at least I
would have a home studio to do something with it. But then, my parents were
getting older, and in 2004 my Dad passed away from Parkinson’s. He had a nice,
long life. He was a great guy who sort of had this long, slow decline. It’s
just a terrible disease. I had never lost anybody close to me before, and it
was a real wake up call. I had been living with my girlfriend. I said, “Let’s
get married, this is ridiculous, this is not a dress rehearsal, let’s do this
thing.” We got married in 2005 and then in 2006 Peggy got pregnant with our
daughter, which was another incredible, life-changing experience. And then, in
2006, right before she was born, my Mom passed away, in the best way to go, I
think. She was 87 also, and had a heart attack. She was totally healthy—other
than that. I started writing again. I wrote a song called “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9ad4fE3kvU">The Miracle is You</a>”
which is on my first record, about my daughter and my wife, and I played it for
a babysitter we had. We were living in Brooklyn at the time, and she said,
“That’s a great song. My husband has a studio in our house. You should go record
it there.” So we made that happen, and I was up in this great attic studio,
just a little demo place, and I’m strumming and singing into the microphone,
and it was like one of those scenes in a movie when the world goes from black
and white to color. I had this epiphany. I hadn’t been in a studio since I
packed up the whole thing in 1988. I (thought), “I just love this. This is what
I’m meant to be doing.” At that point, I just started saying that I’m going to
wind my way back to this. So I started playing out live in 2007, 2008, little
open mics in Brooklyn, stuff like that. Little by little, I put a band
together, and decided I want to make a record, because anybody can make a
record these days (laughs) and I found this great producer named <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/felix-mcteigue-mn0001409139/credits">Felix
McTeigue</a> who dug my stuff. He worked with a lot of little-known people. We
made a great record, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Waiting Sky</i>,
and released it in 2014. I just thought it was going to be for me and for
posterity, but it wound up getting some really good press and getting played on
the radio. I was like, “Oh, man, this could be fun!” It was like a slow burn
kind of thing, where the more I did it, the more I loved it, and the more I
realized I couldn’t stop doing it. I was getting tapped on the shoulder by an
inspiration, and I had to follow the thread and finish the song. In my opinion,
the songs started to get better. I started to have more of a deliberate command
of the craft. With the benefit of age, I kind of know, as well all do, that you
get good at what you do, if you do it enough. I knew that I wasn’t going to be
great coming out of the box in 2014, but if just kept at it and kept doing it,
it would get better and better, and that seems to be what’s happening. The live
show has gotten really, really, good, and the feedback is immediate. I’m seeing
that the audience is really responding. We’re making friends wherever we play.
It’s been a slow and steady evolution and I realize that this is what I love to
do, and I’m going to do it as long as I can. That brings us to the present day.
I made the second record, which got even better press and was more widely
played, and led to some cool opportunities. I’ve got about 45 new songs, and
trying to weed them down to 12 for the next record, which <a href="http://larrycampbellmusic.net/">Larry Campbell</a>’s going to be
producing. I’m pretty excited about that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: The 2015 EP, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gone, Gone, Gone</i> featured acoustic
performances of songs from your debut album.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RSF: Yeah, it was released
on the advice of somebody who was trying to help me with marketing at the time,
who said, “You’ve got to release something regularly.” So, we took those tracks
and took out the drums and tried to make more an acoustic thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: Is your recording
studio analog, digital, or hybrid?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RSF: It’s hybrid. I have a
ProTools setup but an analog console and a 2-inch, 24-track tape machine. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: What kind of console
are you using?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RSF: It’s called a
Soundtracs. They were an English company that was sold by Sam Ash in the ‘80s
and was sort of a prosumer board but it’s been upgraded by a friend of mine who
does some tech work and it sounds incredible. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">image courtesy of Roger Street Friedman</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">RA: At what point did you
leave the business world behind?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RSF: It was somewhere
between <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Waiting Sky</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shoot the Moon</i>. I was kind of slowly
trying to disentangle myself from the day job. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: Basically, all anyone
really has to do if they’re questioning their own path in life, asking
themselves “is it worth going for?” is to look at your track record, don’t
they?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RSF: Yeah, I think so. The
other thing I realize is that when I was a younger guy doing this, I think I
was afraid. It’s really hard to put yourself out there. With songwriting and
singing and playing and recording, you have to be really vulnerable. You’re
exposing your innermost thoughts. Looking back on it, and why I didn’t do it
then, I came to the realizing that I was just too scared to put myself out
there, maybe too scared of rejection. The truth of the matter is that everybody
faces rejection. (laughs) Now with the benefit of more years under my belt, I
don’t care as much. It’s still nerve-wracking, but it’s like, fuck it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: What’s nice is that
you’re doing it on your own terms. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many
younger artists fall into the trap of thinking they have to go along and play
the game by “industry rules” in order to succeed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RSF: I don’t want to sound
like a curmudgeon, but there was such a moment in the way music was written and
recorded when we were coming up, where talent was being nurtured, and it didn’t
matter if they made a record and it didn’t sell immediately; they’d still get
to make another couple of records. Look at <a href="http://www.tompetty.com/">Tom
Petty</a>, right? I just think that I’m kind of fortunate in that I get to do
that … I’m not trying to fit into a mold, I’m trying to write great music. I’m
able to nurture my own work, because I have the luxury of having my own studio,
of having the time to write, and to keep honing my craft. I’m trying to follow
that model in my head, where you just keep doing it and doing it and doing it,
and trying to make about great songs and then great recordings, and then great
live shows. I would say to anybody who is not doing something that they really
want to do, when I’m playing or doing any of this, I just feel like myself. I
never feel more like me than when I’m doing this. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: Yeah. It’s the
realizing of “This is my space in the universe.” Moving to another topic, which
artists influenced you growing up, and who are you listening to these days?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RSF: I went to the record
store with my brother on my 10<sup>th</sup> birthday because I got some money
from my aunt, and I bought four records and a record player. I bought <a href="https://catstevens.com/media/albums/tea-for-the-tillerman-1970/">Cat
Stevens’ <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tea for the Tillerman</i></a>, <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/jackson-browne-98920/">Jackson
Browne’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Saturate Before Using</i></a>, <a href="https://jonimitchell.com/music/album.cfm?id=7">Joni Mitchell’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Court and Spark</i></a>. I really loved the
singer-songwriters, (including) <a href="http://www.randynewman.com/">Randy
Newman</a> and <a href="https://www.vanmorrison.com/">Van Morrison</a>. In
junior high I went through a real prog-rock period, and <a href="http://www.ledzeppelin.com/">Led Zeppelin</a>, <a href="http://www.pinkfloyd.com/">Pink Floyd</a>, <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/genesis-mn0000199995/biography">Genesis</a>,
and <a href="https://petergabriel.com/">Peter Gabriel</a> when he started his
solo stuff. I was joking for a while that I hadn’t bought any new music since
1989. (laughs) I kind of missed the whole grunge thing, for whatever reason. I
think I was working … and partying. (laughs) But now, I’m listening a lot to
people like <a href="http://www.lorimckenna.com/">Lori McKenna</a>, <a href="http://www.jasonisbell.com/">Jason Isbell</a>, and <a href="https://www.chrisstapleton.com/">Chris Stapleton</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: Have you heard of <a href="https://www.beccastevens.com/">Becca Stevens</a> or <a href="http://www.michellewillis.ca/">Michelle Willis</a>?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RSF: No, I have not.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: If you’re into the
singer-songwriter genre, I cannot recommend these two artists enough. They were
introduced to me through <a href="https://davidcrosby.com/">David Crosby</a>,
who has written, recorded, and toured with both of them, so I am honored to
pass the introduction along to you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RSF: Absolutely! I’d love
to check them out. I’m pretty much back to vinyl now, so I’m trying to find
records. I will stream if I have to. (laughs) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: These days, you see
people listening to music on their phones. We used to listen to it through
speakers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RSF: It’s so
disheartening, I want to scream, “You don’t know what you’re missing!” I love
the whole experience of unwrapping the record, opening it up, looking at the
lyrics. It hasn’t changed for me. I still feel the same way I did when I was
ten, and I got my first albums.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: And then you turn 40,
pick up a CD, try to read the liner notes, and realize that no matter what you
do, you can’t. (laughs)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RSF: Even with glasses.
(laughs) </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12px;">© Roy Abrams 2019</span>Roy Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153236460853048915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5708257674135145961.post-34853318425746747772019-01-01T22:59:00.001-05:002019-01-02T21:33:22.691-05:00In Search of the Philosopher's Stone: Michelle Willis, December 28, 2018 at Rockwood Music Hall Stage 3<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sHKkCaPFMqQ/XCwoW9CCx9I/AAAAAAAAA3M/ADAU5MVIUqEajd3x9PrEE_3wawv1FurZACLcBGAs/s1600/Michelle%2BWillis%2B12.28.18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sHKkCaPFMqQ/XCwoW9CCx9I/AAAAAAAAA3M/ADAU5MVIUqEajd3x9PrEE_3wawv1FurZACLcBGAs/s320/Michelle%2BWillis%2B12.28.18.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Michelle Willis in the moment</b><br />
Rockwood Music Hall Stage 3<br />
December 28, 2018<br />
image by Roy Abrams</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">For the past decade, Toronto natives have come to know the
magic that their own <a href="http://www.michellewillis.ca/">Michelle
Willis</a> has the ability to conjure at a song’s notice. Her singular set
of vocal cords possesses an otherworldly ability to identify, isolate,
assimilate, and transmit the essence of her emotions into songs that captivate,
transfix, and <i>deeply move</i> the listener. Willis's 2016 solo
debut, <i><a href="https://store.groundupmusic.net/collections/music/products/see-us-through-cd?variant=16422295493">See
Us Through</a></i>, presents the artist as a flesh-and-blood embodiment of the
Four Elements.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My introduction to this extraordinary artist took place
through <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lighthouse-David-Crosby/dp/B01ICF70BQ">Lighthouse</a></i>,
a 2016 release by <a href="https://davidcrosby.com/">David Crosby</a>.
Billed as a solo effort, the album was recorded with the help of three
brilliant younger musical collaborators: <a href="http://www.snarkypuppy.com/about">Michael League</a>, <a href="http://www.beccastevens.com/">Becca Stevens</a>, and Michelle Willis.
From both the album and follow-up tours—loved by fans and critics alike—it was
apparent that a new “4-Way Street” was evolving, one that foretold of new music
on the horizon. Sure enough, two years later came <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Here-You-Listen-David-Crosby/dp/B07GWJW49K">Here
If You Listen</a></i>, the product of true hands-on creative collaboration
between all four members of what is now being called the Lighthouse Band.
Michelle Willis’s contributions to this album are masterful, highlighting her
originality while underscoring the intuitive communication she enjoys with the
other three members.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">With only a few weeks passed since the triumphant closing
show of the <i>Here If You Listen</i> tour, Michelle posted an
announcement on social media that fish-hooked my eye: A special solo
performance, to be held at the <a href="http://rockwoodmusichall.com/">Rockwood
Music Hall</a> Stage 3, on Friday, December 28<sup>th</sup>. This intimate
show, closing out a year filled with more than 230 live performances, would
surely be special for both the artist and her audience. </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Minutes before showtime ...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">image by Roy Abrams</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Walking into the intimate Stage 3 and taking our seats mere
paces from the baby grand piano, my family and I absorbed the glow of red light
which bathed the stage in subtle frequencies of mystery and anticipation. This
was the moment! Having waited for this opportunity since 2016, I was ecstatic
that it was finally here. Having experienced the pure magic of what followed, I
am equally ecstatic to have lived it. More than three days elapsed since that
unforgettable hour, but the afterglow of that performance remains palpable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">After a casual entrance and a friendly greeting, Michelle
took her seat at the piano, adjusted her vocal microphone, closed her eyes, and
was gone. Angelic airiness capped ethereal yet earthy elegance. Willis’s
smoldering soulfulness sent rivers of fire that flowed in, around, and through
songs that gave voice to their author’s innermost hopes, dreams and
fears. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QadnrFXnC_U&list=PLfN1rnDMYMVc7czCUWPe5FmKdEG_xiTzu&index=6">Trust Me</a>,” “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dt1tbXkTjAQ&list=PLfN1rnDMYMVc7czCUWPe5FmKdEG_xiTzu&index=4">See Us Through</a>,” and
“<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ySCcvEQaSw&list=PLfN1rnDMYMVc7czCUWPe5FmKdEG_xiTzu">It’ll Rain Today</a>”,
three tracks from Willis’s 2016 debut solo album, <i>See Us Through</i>,
were breathtakingly riveting in this format. So, too, were “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6eaWaVq-TI">Glory</a>” and “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SOMhMytLBE">Janet</a>” from <i>Here If You Listen</i>. Taken together with a
handful of unreleased material and specially-selected covers, Willis revealed
to those in attendance what so many Canadians have known for years: She is a
force of nature, an ever-changing ratio of the Four Elements, blessed with a
voice that David Crosby describes as sounding “like God on a good day.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Willis’s choice of covers highlighted her eclectic tastes.
Neil Young’s “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVy1h2FcRiM">Don’t Let
It Bring You Down</a>” was treated to a gospel-tinged interpretation, while
“Rectify,” penned by renowned Toronto-based artist Rob Piltch but never
recorded by him, was introduced as a personal favorite.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The unreleased material proved to contain perhaps the most
personal musings of the evening. “Think Well of Me,” a short piece, was
introduced as “more a thought than a song.” “Just One Voice,” with its walk up
and down motion, featured the decidedly barbed hook, “So tell me, am I crazy
now?” “Liberty,” a more mid-tempo song, was described by its creator as
“groovy” thanks to its verse. The last of the unpublished songs, “Snow Drift,”
was yet another glittering example of muse-mining songwriting skill and
finesse.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Chatting with Michelle after the show, I learned that sessions
for her next solo album are slated to begin in March. Here’s wishing her all
the best for a fulfilling New Year on all levels!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">© Roy Abrams 2019<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span>Roy Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153236460853048915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5708257674135145961.post-2750087435752292092018-11-17T21:13:00.001-05:002018-11-18T18:35:03.286-05:00A Lifetime High: David Crosby in Conversation<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JZBEeOmYRDE/W_DCVGa7xmI/AAAAAAAAA2M/BW4x2B1hbRsySbY5x5J11XY3-ROfyjzDQCLcBGAs/s1600/David%2BCrosby%2Bby%2BAnna%2BWebber.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JZBEeOmYRDE/W_DCVGa7xmI/AAAAAAAAA2M/BW4x2B1hbRsySbY5x5J11XY3-ROfyjzDQCLcBGAs/s320/David%2BCrosby%2Bby%2BAnna%2BWebber.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>David Crosby<br />Image by Anna Webber</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://davidcrosby.com/" style="font-size: 12pt;">David Crosby</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> is back with another
masterpiece. Well into his eighth decade, hot on the heels of his fourth album
in as many years, the </span><a href="http://www.thebyrds.com/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Byrds</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> and </span><a href="https://www.crosbystillsnash.com/" style="font-size: 12pt;">CSN</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">(</span><a href="https://www.csny.com/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Y</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">)
co-founder is flying high, soaring to new creative heights with </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Here-You-Listen-David-Crosby/dp/B07H49HFFH">Here
If You Listen</a></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, a collaborative effort with Becca Stevens, Michelle
Willis, and Michael League. The quartet originally convened for the </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lighthouse-David-Crosby/dp/B01ICF70BQ">Lighthouse</a></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
album, released in 2016, and followed with a critically-acclaimed series of
tours. Where </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Lighthouse</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> and </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Here If You Listen</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> diverge is that the
former was approached and billed as a Crosby solo album, while the new release
is a true group effort: All four artists contribute their unique sensibilities
to both lyrics and music, and the result in nothing short of brilliance.
Consider Crosby’s compatriots: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/michaelleagueplaysmusic/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Michael League</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">,
mastermind of </span><a href="http://www.snarkypuppy.com/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Snarky Puppy</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> and a
myriad of other musical projects; </span><a href="http://www.beccastevens.com/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Becca
Stevens</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, a singer-songwriter who represents what a Crosby/Joni Mitchell
“soul child” may well have sounded like; and </span><a href="http://www.michellewillis.ca/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Michelle Willis</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, a Toronto-born
singer-songwriter once described by Crosby as sounding “like God on a good
day.”</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Harmony fans will bathe in
waves of complex vocal stacks that will break over you, lift you up, and gently
set you down on the shore of your imagination where Crosby and friends are
waiting to take you away. As a self-diagnosed chronic harmony fan, the arrival
of the new album was <i>an event</i>, and at
the first available opportunity where peace, quiet, and a good set of
headphones co-existed, I let the songs break over me, lift me up, and carry me
away. Still deep in the absorption stage, I prepared for the impending phone
call from an artist for whom I have been increasingly finding myself at a loss
for words to describe <i>just how astounding</i>
the past four years have been. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">No one is more
astounded—or grateful—than the artist himself. His youthful voice is filled
with the fearless liberation of one whose understanding of the value of time,
of the joy and power of music, is at a lifetime high. At 77, David Crosby
continues to speak up and sing out. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The <a href="https://davidcrosby.com/pages/tour">current tour</a> winds up on <a href="https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1749849?utm_medium=bks&q=c6c541d6-14b3-409f-bcce-3a8b87ff040f&p=c849ea59-9a9c-49fc-9980-5392b498ba1a&ts=1542580691&c=ticketfly&e=00767a&rt=Safetynet&h=3975691dd196d72d8cff8ea76efda484">December
8<sup>th</sup> at The Capitol Theatre</a> in Port Chester, NY. Our conversation
took place on October 9<sup>th</sup>, just prior to tour rehearsals. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">David Crosby: [sounding
for all the world like a 20-year-old] Hi there!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Roy Abrams: David! How are
you? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: I’m good, man!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: Thank you for the
call! So … the album is making my brains liquid—</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: [extended laughter]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: I’m kind of running
out of superlatives here! I wanted to start off by talking about the
harmonies. I’ve watched some interview
snippets with you online regarding what’s taking place here with <i>Here If You
Listen</i>. I remember back in the day with CSN when the three of you would hit a
(vocal) chord and fall together, laughing. That happens to me, too. However,
something else has also happened here with this album. The chemistry developed
between the four of you during the recording of <i>Lighthouse</i> has evolved to a degree that ended up with this
particular listener being moved to tears.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">DC. Man!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA:Yeah, I had some serious eye leakage listening to this album. If <i>Lighthouse</i> was an alternate universe,
then this (new album) is another dimension entirely. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: Oh, man. I’m <i>so</i> happy that you like it. It’s an <i>amazing </i>chemistry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: Yeah … I’ve never
heard any other project that you’ve been involved with that has produced
results to <a href="https://davidcrosby.com/blogs/news/ahead-of-release-day-on-friday-26th-october-for-here-if-you-listen-the-reviews-and-interviews-are-unanimous-in-their-praise-of-crozs-new-collaborative-masterpiece">this
degree</a>. I don’t have any basis for comparison. I saw the interview when you
were talking about “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6eaWaVq-TI">Glory</a>”
and the fact that it was a veritable 4-way street … to have that happen, and according
to a recent <i><a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/david-crosby-interview-new-album-csny-byrds-jason-isbell-723435/">Rolling
<span style="font-style: normal;">Stone interview</span></a></i>, you were
telling them, “You guys are thinking about things too much. Just shut up and go
with the thing that feels good!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: [chuckles]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: Did they take your
advice?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: I’m so happy that you
love it, man. It’s a magical chemistry. What happened, man, when we did that
first <i>Lighthouse</i> record, I was just
completely knocked out with working with Michael as the producer and writing
with Michael, and then singing with Becca and Michelle. I went to them this
time and said, “Listen, I want to do a record, but I don’t want to do another
solo record with Michael producing and you guys helping me. I want to do a
four-of-us record, where the four of us write and the four of us sing <i>as a group</i>. And they said, “Are you
sure?” And I said, “Yes, I’m absolutely sure. There’s a chemistry here that’s a
thing I want to follow.” And they said, “Oh, boy! Whoopee!” and they jumped in
with both feet. They are <i>fiercely</i>
talented people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qPFfItjtDjE/W_DC1kroiCI/AAAAAAAAA2o/EVCJijIhezckxGWkN5-4RdYhKIKlMwiNACEwYBhgL/s1600/Crosby%2B4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qPFfItjtDjE/W_DC1kroiCI/AAAAAAAAA2o/EVCJijIhezckxGWkN5-4RdYhKIKlMwiNACEwYBhgL/s320/Crosby%2B4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>David and Becca<br />Image courtesy of David Crosby</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: Absolutely. Once
again, thank you so much for making that introduction to me. Becca and Michelle
… I just don’t even know what to say. When their voices blend? That’s just
another thing <i>altogether</i>, for which I
still can’t find the words, and I’m supposed to be a word guy. Can we go
through the album tracks to get a sense of who contributed what?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: Sure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95wrdrL59Hk">Vagrants of Venice</a>” … I
know those are your lyrics, right?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: Yeah, those are my
lyrics and Becca wrote the music. All four of us contributed to it a little
bit, but basically it’s me and Becca. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDfynn0Y35A">1974</a>” … that’s your
music?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: Yeah, my music, and we
wrote new words to it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgK1qACm4uM">Your Own Ride</a>”—which, by
the way, has killer lyrics—<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: I wrote those (lyrics)
to my son Django about ten years ago, and I gave them to Bill Laurance from
Snarky Puppy and he wrote the music.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIPt31q1Tu4">Buddha on a Hill</a>” …<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: “Buddha on a Hill” we all wrote. It’s
basically a love song to my wife.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: ”<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2dE__GO6uk">I Am No Artist</a>” …<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: A set of words that Becca found and brought,
and she wrote the music, and the words are just so strange and wonderful. I
think that’s some of the best harmony singing we did.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9nsTer4R_E">1967</a>” …<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: I think that’s the one
where you actually hear me <i>writing the
song</i>. You hear me finding the melody in the beginning there. It’s the only
time I know of where I actually got the inception, the actual birth of the song,
on tape. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: Wow. “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRDQAOcx5mI">Balanced on a Pin</a>” …<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: “Balanced on a Pin” is
just a recent song that I wrote … I don’t know if I should tell you this, but
it’s very simple; it’s how I feel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raKnksNnVLg">Other Half Rule</a>” …<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: That’s us singing to
the women of the United States of America: Would you please get more involved
and start running things, because we think that you could do a really good job.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: I know that “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SOMhMytLBE">Janet</a>” is essentially
Michelle … that was performed last summer on the <i>Sky Trails</i> tour.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: That’s Michelle’s
song. Boy, what a woman! [laughs]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: Congratulations on
your recently-concluded European tour! I know that was a long time in the
works.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: Yeah, it was really
good. We tore it up, man. The gig in London was just killer. You should read
the <i><a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/pop-review-david-crosby-at-the-o2-empire-w12-8ltpldzm3">Times<span style="font-style: normal;"> review</span></a></i>!<i> </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I did!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: The gig in Milan might
have been even crazier than the one in London but they were both stunners.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: What’s the vibe over
there? How do they feel about what’s happening on this side of the pond?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: Every conversation,
every interview starts with “<i>What the
fuck?!?</i>”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: I can definitely get
behind that!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: They are baffled; they
are worried as well they might be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: I want to circle back
to the advice you gave to the other three, about thinking too much. What did
Michael, Becca, and Michelle specifically bring to your table? What did you get
from each of them?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: Each of them is a
completely individual writer, not like anybody else I’ve ever heard. So, what I
get from them is creative juice. They are incredible artists, all three of
them. Michael can play anything well, and he’s such a wonderful composer of
music and such a good writer of words. Becca and Michelle are completely
different from each other and two of the best singer-songwriters I’ve
encountered. I found <a href="http://jonimitchell.com/">Joni Mitchell</a>; I do
know what I’m doing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: Yes, you do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: [laughs]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: Something that
everybody who’s ever worked with you says is that you bring a childlike
enthusiasm. Do you recognize this in yourself?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: Probably not the same
way everybody else does. Yeah, I am enthusiastic. I <i>love this</i>, man, I <i>love </i>singing!
I <i>love </i>music! I’m not doing it to get
famous or rich, (or to) get laid or anything; I’m doing it because I absolutely adore
doing it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x7sv5B0JOTs/W_DC04AtcxI/AAAAAAAAA2k/akzbOb0A9yg6lxuWvyiMiC_gu4vJWxMGgCEwYBhgL/s1600/Crosby%2B3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x7sv5B0JOTs/W_DC04AtcxI/AAAAAAAAA2k/akzbOb0A9yg6lxuWvyiMiC_gu4vJWxMGgCEwYBhgL/s320/Crosby%2B3.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Image courtesy of David Crosby</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: You and Paul McCartney
are the same age and are probably the two busiest men in this business.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: Well, we both feel the
same thing, which is: We have a certain amount of time left; how do we want to
spend it? That’s pretty clear, huh?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: Absolutely. The last
time we spoke, you mentioned that there was a <a href="https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/8283899/cameron-crowe-to-produce-david-crosby-documentary-for-bmg">Cameron
Crowe documentary</a> in the works. What’s the status?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: It’s done! Ah ha!
Whoo! [laughs] We’re gonna sell it at that <a href="http://www.sundance.org/festivals/sundance-film-festival">big movie
festival</a> up in Utah. I think it’s an amazing piece of work. It’s probably
the most honest documentary I’ve ever seen. We’ll see if people like it or not.
I hope they do, because boy, I didn’t pull any punches.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: Speaking of punches,
you just provided me with a very weird segue … from the same <i>Rolling Stone</i> article, your wife Jan was
quoted as saying, “David functions best while simultaneously praised and
abused.” Care to comment on that?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: [laughs] Yeah, sure!
If you have an ego as big as mine, the only healthy thing you can do with it is
make fun of it! [cracks up laughing] As often as possible! My family and my
close friends all abuse me with great regularity and hilarity. There’s a lot of
sense of humor there! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Py3Gl1yrLx4/W_DC1djA2TI/AAAAAAAAA2s/CzW5AT2w7pwK3ocy5Zh2F_dLW0eQD2T6ACEwYBhgL/s1600/Crosby%2B1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1334" height="179" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Py3Gl1yrLx4/W_DC1djA2TI/AAAAAAAAA2s/CzW5AT2w7pwK3ocy5Zh2F_dLW0eQD2T6ACEwYBhgL/s320/Crosby%2B1.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Michael League, Becca Stevens, </b><br />
<b>Michelle Willis, David Crosby<br />Image courtesy of David Crosby</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: A quick diversion into
a question for guitarists: We all know and love the EBDGAD tuning. Is there
another alternative tuning you can share with me for the guitarist to
experiment with?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: Oh, Jeez, let’s see …
try DADDGC!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: Returning to the
feedback you were getting while in Europe, and what’s swirling around now with
the November midterms, and where the country may be headed … <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: Every conversation
started off with them being completely aghast and worried as hell because,
obviously, Western Europe is very, very strongly linked to the United States,
and they used to be able to count on us to be their buddy. Now, we’ve got an
idiot running our country and he’s doing great harm to that relationship. So,
every conversation I had over there started with “What the <i>hell</i> is going <i>on</i>, and <i>how did you let it get there?</i>” And it’s
embarrassing, and it’s tough. I made jokes about it, I tell people we’re all
gonna wear a Canadian maple leaf on our shoulders and (say) we’re Canadians,
because everybody likes Canadians! But it’s very tough in Europe right now to
be an American; it’s embarrassing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: Do you have a sense of
where the midterms are going?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: [sighs] I know where <i>I </i>want them to go, man, but what you’ve
got to remember is there’s people like the Koch brothers who committed <i>$80,000,000</i> in swiping that election
publicly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: As important as the
issue behind the No Nukes movement was (and is), the U.N. report on climate
change that just came out yesterday is an issue that seems to be a rallying
point for humanity. My question to you is: could, should musical artists help
to lead the way in terms of awareness—<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: We’re human beings and
we live here; we have a responsibility to our families, to our children, to our
children’s children. The worst part in what this current administration is
doing isn’t the damage to our democracy, which is awful, and it isn’t the
damage to the belief in our democracy, which is even worse; it’s the fact that
by not doing anything about global warming, by denying any report that gets in
the way of profits, we are doing a disservice to <i>the entire human race</i> … <i>every
single human being on the planet</i> when we’re supposed to be a developed
nation with the intelligence and the technology to lead the way to fixing it,
we’re doing this awful, backsliding, stupid, ignorant move, and we’re doing
harm to the entire planet and everybody on it. Not a good thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: I agree. The last time
we spoke was in May, just before you toured the U.S. with the Sky Trails band,
we were speaking about the activism of musical artists, you brought up the CSNY
mothership, so to speak, and you said that you felt that they should be out
there adding their collective voice to the mix. Have your thoughts changed at
all regarding that?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: I wish we were! You
gotta remember, the last time we got together was to sing Neil’s “Let’s Impeach
the President for Lying” which is a perfect song to be singing right now! We were just singing it a little too
early; we didn’t realize we were gonna have a liar of this proportion to work
with. I wish we would; I don’t think it’s gonna happen, but I get messages
every day on Twitter and Facebook saying, “Will you <i>pleeeease</i> stop bickering with each other and do your job? Be our
voice; we need it now." And I agree, and I would like to. But it’s up to Neil, it’s
always been up to Neil, and it’s up to Neil now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: It was interesting
this summer to see how the others’ songs were popping up on everybody’s set
lists …<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: I don’t know about
that; I’ve been doing “Ohio” but that’s normal. I don’t think any of them ever
do my songs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: Graham performed
“Orleans” which was on your <i><a href="https://davidcrosby.com/collections/all-products/products/david-crosby-if-i-could-only-remember-my-name-cd">If
I Could Only Remember My Name</a></i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: That’s a French
children’s song, it’s not my song.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: At one point, did you
add Graham's “Marguerita” to one of the European shows? I had seen a reference to that
from a fan on Facebook.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: No, they made a
mistake.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: I understand that
you’ve already started writing for the next Sky Trails band album.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: Yeah, we already are. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: Given that there are
only 24 hours in a day, how do you find the time?<br />
DC: You know, it’s what I said before, man. You look at your life, you know
that you have a certain amount of time; anybody my age knows that they’ve got a
certain amount of time. And you think to yourself, okay, how do I spend this
time? Do I sit around, retire, and stare at the walls? What do I do? To me,
there’s only one contribution I can make. There’s only one place I can do
anything personally; me, to make anything better. And that’s to be doing my
job, to be making the music, the best music I can make, as fast as I can do it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fQjuRZyEcuw/W_DC0ySq5fI/AAAAAAAAA2s/RTmfloNFS5sJ_2QtlTzOxeWfn7vhap4nwCEwYBhgL/s1600/Crosby%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fQjuRZyEcuw/W_DC0ySq5fI/AAAAAAAAA2s/RTmfloNFS5sJ_2QtlTzOxeWfn7vhap4nwCEwYBhgL/s320/Crosby%2B2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Image courtesy of David Crosby</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: The upcoming tour
starts on November 2<sup>nd</sup> in Seattle and winds up in Port Chester, NY
on December 8<sup>th</sup>. Have rehearsals started yet?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: Just about to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">RA: It’s been decades, and
I always want to just express my thanks.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">DC: Well, thank you, man,
and thank you for the help!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
<br />
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(Island Zone Update features additional interviews with
David Crosby from 2014 to 2018.)</div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">© Roy Abrams 2018</span></div>
</div>
Roy Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153236460853048915noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5708257674135145961.post-45384680813090113872018-09-30T16:21:00.000-04:002018-10-04T19:05:30.191-04:00Everybody Get Together: Jesse Colin Young Returns<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w6iI5iHCLzI/W7EsWabqvcI/AAAAAAAAA1o/xK2uj4pXRTIyNJrZyFruFCNMBKHjxa7MQCEwYBhgL/s1600/JCY_Studio_00212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w6iI5iHCLzI/W7EsWabqvcI/AAAAAAAAA1o/xK2uj4pXRTIyNJrZyFruFCNMBKHjxa7MQCEwYBhgL/s320/JCY_Studio_00212.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Jesse Colin Young<br />image courtesy of Jesse Colin Young</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">A great song crystallizes the time and place where it’s first
heard, embedding itself into one’s DNA, permanently placed onto the soundtrack
of one’s life. As a young child during the summer of 1969, I was captivated by
a magical song that featured ethereal guitar playing, angelic vocals, and a
timeless message that has lost none of its original resonance nearly fifty
years later. Written by Chet Powers a/k/a <a href="http://www.penncen.com/quicksilver/valente/stone.html">Dino Valente</a>,
the interpretation of “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_dCc4zxBRQ">Get
Together</a>” recorded by <a href="http://www.jessecolinyoung.com/">Jesse Colin
Young</a> and the Youngbloods is the universally definitive version, one that
has retained every ounce of beauty, elegance, grace, and hope for humanity since its release
a half-century ago.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Jesse Colin Young
personifies the troubadour role of the singer-songwriter. With a career
spanning six decades and nearly twenty albums, the outspoken artist is
returning to the concert stage, armed with powerful new material and backed by
a <a href="http://www.jessecolinyoung.com/Meet-the-Band">seven-strong band</a>
of young musical wunderkinder, led by his son Tristan. The new album, recorded
earlier this year, features topical songs whose mission it is to awaken and
inspire listeners to rise to the challenges that face our society during these
deeply troubling times. Young and his band will be performing at the <a href="https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pesptpm/10295629/1025578">Boulton Center</a>
in Bay Shore on Thursday, October 4<sup>th</sup>. In our recent conversation,
Young proved that he is back with a vengeance after an eight-year retirement,
eager to share these new songs while celebrating the old, ready to take on the
status quo and encourage everybody to get together, right now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Roy Abrams: How are you
today?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Jesse Colin Young: Pretty
disappointed in my government, but I’m kind of getting used to it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: You’ll be performing
on Long Island at the Boulton Center in Bay Shore on Thursday, October 4<sup>th</sup>,
and I understand you’ll be introducing songs from your latest album that’s in
the works.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JCY: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not in the works,
it’s done. The work is in getting BMG to release it. I wanted a couple of
things to come out (first) because there’s some political music on here. I
really hate to call it political but that’s the way it is. I don’t think I’ve
found a better word for it yet. If I call it “human condition music” everybody
will just go blank. So, “Shape Shifters” will come out and that will be our
first single on October 12<sup>th</sup>. In late October, a song called “For My
Sisters” (will be released). Just let me quote you a little bit of this. After
I’d written thirteen songs, I thought I was done. My wife and I live in Hawaii
in our little house over there that we raised our kids in. She came up to my
writing room and I said, “Wow, I’m done!” And she said, “I wish you would write
a song for my sisters just to let them know that you’re here and that you
support them.” She meant <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all </i>of her
sisters in the world. So I did. As we go into the chorus, the lyrics are:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">And though the darkness surrounds us<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We feel the love that has bound us<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">And we won’t take it anymore<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">You can’t take it anymore<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Time to even up the score<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Don’t mistake it<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">And I left out “you sons of bitches” …<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">After I say <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This is a song for my sisters</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I say:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This is a song for resistors<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Everything we hold dear<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">A world where everyone’s welcome<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">And all our voices are heard<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">And though the darkness surrounds us<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We feel the love that has bound us.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">That’s exactly what I felt. It’s funny: Two days before that, I
had watched a film of the Women’s March; the one that came right after Trump
took office. In the body language of the women and men who were in that march,
I got (the message) clear, right across my brain. It said, “We won’t take it
anymore.” And God bless Dr. Ford! As tiny as she is, with that little voice …
and the death threats … she’s a hero. To prostrate herself in front of all
those—<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: Whatever you want to call them—<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JCY: --and bring that story forward because she felt it was her
civic duty. You know, I grew up in a time after World War II when telling the
truth was something good, and you were applauded for that. It was kind of like,
“Yeah, I was smoking a cigarette. I just wanted to try it.” Even when (telling)
the truth was difficult. There was a certain respect for girls and women that I
guess I just absorbed from my father. What this event in the judiciary process
says to young men is: “You can get away with this. If you cover your ass well,
you can get away with this.” That’s the worst thing that we can say to young
men growing up. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: On your website, you make the statement that you feel
“compelled to speak about these times.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>First of all, I applaud you mightily, because in my opinion, I don’t see
enough artists that are actually taking a stand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JCY: It’s kind of weird. I was retired. My son graduated from the <a href="https://www.berklee.edu/">Berklee College of Music</a> in 2016 and we
went to his senior recital, my wife Connie and I. The band that he had put
together to play some fusion were all in their early 20s and they just blew me
away. That light had gone out in me. I hadn’t toured in eight years, I think,
but it just came back on. I said, “You know, before I hang it up, I’m gonna
play my music with some kids like this.” They are amazing, and that’s who I’m
bringing with me. There’s seven of them and me; they’re all in their 20s and
they’re all young geniuses. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: There’s another artist with whom you share that same
sociopolitical awareness and outspokenness, and that’s <a href="https://davidcrosby.com/">David Crosby</a>. Something that David is doing
right now is also working with young people, and from what you just said to me,
it sounds like the two of you feel the exact same way about that relationship.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JCY: Yeah. I haven’t seen David on the road, and I haven’t seen
him in person since <a href="https://www.csny.com/">Crosby, Stills, Nash and
Young</a> came to Atlanta. I took my grown son, Tristan, who must have been 15
or 16—he’s 27 now—so it must have been about 10 years ago.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: It was 2006, the last CSNY tour.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JCY: I was backstage and said to him, “God damn it, you’re singing
beautifully, like an angel!” He said, “Yeah, I’m having a good night.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CG7ipbEE_yo/W7EsVII4jYI/AAAAAAAAA1w/E2NVqrZkSO4L-1QLEiFkjys2eY45zPzTQCEwYBhgL/s1600/JCY_Studio_00206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CG7ipbEE_yo/W7EsVII4jYI/AAAAAAAAA1w/E2NVqrZkSO4L-1QLEiFkjys2eY45zPzTQCEwYBhgL/s320/JCY_Studio_00206.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>image courtesy of Jesse Colin Young</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">RA: Speaking of voices, from
the time I was eight years old, your voice has been burned into my
consciousness with your calling card, per se, “Get Together.” I’m wondering: As
a songwriter, how have you reconciled your relationship with that song as its
popularizer as opposed to being the author of so many other songs? How is the
relationship similar? How is it different?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">JCY: I’m kind of glad I
didn’t write it! I would be more like Trump. I would think I was the best thing
since white bread if I wrote that song. [chuckles] Because it came straight
from the angels. I met Dino years after, in San Francisco, at the motorcycle
shop. He was kind of a tough guy; he must have been raised on Long Island, or
somewhere on the East Coast, as I was. I thought to myself, “God! How did “Get
Together” come out of Dino?” I mean, he was famous for … they would get drunk
in </span><a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/quicksilver-messenger-service-mn0000317417/biography" style="font-size: 12pt;">Quicksilver</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
and get in fistfights with each other; at least, this was the scuttlebutt. The
Youngbloods had already become part of that scene, having moved there in ’67. I
don’t think I met Dino until ten years after that. The lyrics are so incredibly
angelic. So, when I discovered it, I thought I was kind of a tough guy; at
least I was an arrogant, angry young man—I was happy to be an angry young man,
and my manager said, “What are you singing that song for? That’s not up your
alley.” He was destined to leave … [laughs] It was right up my alley. I knew
that it was my path forward; it has always been out there in front of me. It’s
like a great eagle, a great message from heaven that flaps its wings and
reminds me, “Come on, man. You’re not quite making it here.” And it’s what
called me to come back. We had our second rehearsal with this band, which my
son Tristan helped me put together; these are all his friends from Berklee. Our
second rehearsal was after Election Day, which was a terrible day for me and a
terrible day for them. Three of them are here by the grace of the United States
government on artist’s visas. I thought, “What’s gonna happen?”And of course,
we just went straight forward. But I don’t want to skirt around your question.
Nothing that I’ve written has been as accepted as “Get Together”, even “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCQ_o4PoBjU" style="font-size: 12pt;">Darkness, Darkness</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, and
that’s okay. Maybe some of this (new music) … this is some of the best writing
I’ve ever done. I look back and see that of all the songs with the Youngbloods,
only “Darkness, Darkness” and “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbggc5co00k" style="font-size: 12pt;">Sunlight</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” have lived on.
They’re certainly in the show, with “Get Together,” of course. This album, </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Dreamers</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, there’s no filler on it. There
are a lot of things that I felt absolutely driven to talk about. I didn’t set
out to do this; it just kind of took me by storm. When “For My Sisters” came
through at the end, I feel very strongly about it. I feel very strongly about
the Dreamers, so I wrote a song called “They Were Dreamers.” On my father’s
side, we go back to the first child born on the Mayflower when it was at harbor
that winter. They were dreamers; only half of them survived. And then, the
Scots and Irish, on my mother’s side, they came in the middle 1800s, starving
and hungry for freedom and food. And then the Germans, who came to Nova Scotia,
because the English came and wanted stout German peasants to settle Nova
Scotia; that’s my Grandma’s people. They were dreamers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fw6sltgwoCE/W7EsHLM_EkI/AAAAAAAAA1s/08cGDwrLWcceITs2IfNs_STiN7xwlDBmwCEwYBhgL/s1600/JCY-Motorcycle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1198" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fw6sltgwoCE/W7EsHLM_EkI/AAAAAAAAA1s/08cGDwrLWcceITs2IfNs_STiN7xwlDBmwCEwYBhgL/s320/JCY-Motorcycle.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Jesse, guitar, and friend<br />image courtesy of Jesse Colin Young</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: How do the members of your band view what’s going on with our
country today? Do they see a way out of this? Do they see a way forward? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JCY: [lengthy pause] I don’t know.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: I ask because in addition to music journalism, I also teach
high school and middle school students. I have a lot of hope for the future
because I work with young people all day. They see the way the adults are
behaving.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JCY: Do they see it? I’m wondering … [chuckles] of course, I live
in the South, I’m surrounded by red, and I’m just not there. I’m from New York
and I was raised in New England. I don’t have any people I can speak to. I
foolishly opened the political Pandora’s Box in the waiting room of my
chiropractor, which was definitely a mistake!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: It sounds like we’re on the same page. You listen to what some
people have to say and wonder if they’re living on the same planet. It’s
extraordinary.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JCY: Do the kids see a way forward?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: Yeah! They are taught to never be spoon-fed information, to
get their information from as many verifiable sources as possible, carefully
think about the information, and draw their own conclusions. They realize that
for every person who says that something’s not possible, in general there’s
probably a lot of fear behind that negativity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JCY: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: At least, that’s been my experience since the election. The
week after the election, for many of my students, I found that I was acting as
a grief counselor. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JCY: Let’s talk about “Shape Shifters”, the first single to come
out. As far as I’m concerned, there are no “alternative facts.” [laughs] There
is the truth and the facts, and then there’s half-truths and half-lies, and all
this other stuff. I just realized the other day when I saw a clip of Nikki
Haley—you remember how they laughed at Trump at the U.N., when he was saying
that he had the greatest administration since George Washington or something,
and there was chuckling going on. And there was Nikki Haley on Fox and Friends
saying, “They were laughing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">with </i>him.
They love him because he’s so human and available.” It’s Disneyland! They’ve
created another world! How confusing that must be to young people. I mean, what
are the facts? They turned that right around to the opposite of what I’m
assuming it was, and they’re presenting that as the truth. They’re shape shifters;
that’s what I call them, and that’s what the first song we’re releasing is
about, and it’s important that it comes out before the election. It’s just
crying out, it’s saying for God’s sake, get off your ass and get out there and
vote! I mean, there are several things that put Trump in the Oval Office, but I
think the main one was voter apathy. It was only 25% of the American people
that put him in. That’s pitiful. So, it’s tyranny; it’s tyranny of the
minority. I’m amazed, but maybe I shouldn’t be. I mean, when it hits 60%, it’s
like a giant thing?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: Do you think we’re nearing a time when the era of complacency
is over?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JCY: God, I hope so. There a lot of people who have drunk the
Kool-Aid. There are many people who just don’t care enough. The Trump
administration is busy deconstructing America, deconstructing all of the
wonderful and hard-fought things that we’ve earned … to keep poison out of our
grandchildren’s mouths, in the air and the water; all kinds of deconstruction …
filling the judicial benches with right-wing nut jobs like Kavanaugh. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: How long were the recording sessions for the new record? I
understand you recorded it in Nashville.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JCY: Yeah, we recorded at <a href="http://www.soundemporiumstudios.com/">Sound Emporium</a>, which was
founded in 1969, the year that “Get Together” would hit big. I didn’t discover
this until we were already there. I chose it for the sight lines … I’m playing
acoustic guitar, so I had to be in the main room (with) drums, bass, and
keyboards, but then the sax player had to be in an isolation room, but we all
played and sang live on the tracks. It took eight days to cut the tracks, I
think. I think five days into it, I had two vocals and seven tracks, and one
day I walked in there and there were some visitors; there was the head of the
Americana Music Association. I just got out there and whipped off a couple of
vocals. It’s nice to meet people that I haven’t met before who love the music
who are like a new audience. I said, “Don’t leave, man. I have to do a vocal
while you’re here.” I think I went through one or two. We were five days into
it and the vocals were not forthcoming and I was not pushing them. I got
through four or five in one afternoon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: That’s fantastic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JCY: I was no longer worried. And then we had another three or
four days overdubbing, putting the gals on. They weren’t really backup singers,
they were harmony singers. I’d been recording myself for so long, since I built
a studio in the ‘70s, but I hadn’t made an album under the gun like that in
decades. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: Is there a firm release date for the album?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JCY: I don’t think (BMG) wants to bring it out until we’ve
released maybe four singles. “For My Sisters” will come out before the
election. There’s only two sisters that can save us from Kavanaugh (Senators
Collins and Murkowski) but I don’t trust any of them to be a human first. When
Corker came out of that room yesterday after he listened to that woman and said
he would vote for Kavanaugh, I couldn’t believe it. How could they do this? Oh.
They’re lawyers. I don’t know whether Flake’s a lawyer but Corker’s definitely
one. Almost all of them are, and they think like lawyers first. If they thought
like human beings first, they’d have said, “If this is a true story, this is
true. It happened, whether Kavanaugh remembers it or not, that’s not my
problem. It happened—he did it; that’s his problem to work out in his life.
Obviously, he might have blocked it out, but he ruined her life and he should
not be on the Supreme Court. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: What’s it like getting back out there on the road after eight
years?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JCY: I love to play. I don’t like to drive around. I used to love
it. I used to drive around in a motor home with the whole band in the back. I’d
climb in the driver’s seat after the show and drive for a while … it was crazy.
I did it all, but that love of cruising around America is over. I’ve done it
enough, but it’s what necessary to get to the people, and the people are out
there. Every time we go to a new place, people fall in love with the new music
… God, they love “For My Sisters.” So, this set has four or five songs from the
album. It’s not one set; I come out and do a short solo set in the front of the
show. The first couple of songs are from my folk career. I wrote a song called
“Lyme Life.” I’ve had Lyme Disease for more than twenty years and when you
have it for untold decades without being diagnosed, you’re stuck with it. The
AMA used to say there’s no such thing as chronic Lyme and now, they admit there
might be. Having lived with it, and tried it with and without antibiotics, I
couldn’t be doing this if I wasn’t on a regimen that was developed by Dr.
Richard Horowitz who lives up in Hyde Park, NY; his wife has chronic Lyme, so
he’s trying to figure out a cure for her. He moved to the Hudson Valley when he
came out of medical school and it’s just rife with Lyme Disease. It’s one of
the hot spots in the country, so he became a Lyme doctor almost out of
necessity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: I want to thank you for two reasons: One, for being the voice
behind one of the songs that’s been part of the soundtrack to my life for the
past fifty years. Two, for continuing to speak up and speak out; I wish it were
more prevalent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JCY: Yeah! Maybe this will spark something. I hope so! I hope my
peers will look at this and say, “Hey, we should be writing more of this
stuff!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: And it should be an inspiration to young people as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JCY: I don’t listen to a lot of (new) music, although when cool
stuff comes along, my son usually says, “Dad, look up these guys.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You said you were a teacher. I experimented
with teaching ukulele at the Waldorf School that Connie and I and some others
in the community built in Hawaii, and that Waldorf School still stands; it is
now a charter school. We couldn’t stay there—Connie wanted to come home where
her family is and be with them before they passed away. So, Kona Pacific is now
called “charter school” but it still maintains the Waldorf curriculum. Trying
to teach ukulele to younger children was okay, but it got harder (as the
students got older) and my estimation for teachers soared. I did it for a
couple of years. I taught ukulele; I learned it because we needed a ukulele
teacher and our aide moved off-island and they didn’t have anybody to hire, so
I said, “Well, I can learn this.” My students never knew that I was one song
ahead of them! [chuckles]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RA: Thanks so much for your time today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">JCY: Great talking to you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RgxSyzCblLU/W7EsQIh3n0I/AAAAAAAAA1w/UhvRJMTAxlAqfeNSsVwOI1ZcmSGDx8GnQCEwYBhgL/s1600/JCY-Template-Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1036" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RgxSyzCblLU/W7EsQIh3n0I/AAAAAAAAA1w/UhvRJMTAxlAqfeNSsVwOI1ZcmSGDx8GnQCEwYBhgL/s320/JCY-Template-Poster.jpg" width="207" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">image courtesy of Jesse Colin Young</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">© Roy Abrams 2018<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Roy Abramshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153236460853048915noreply@blogger.com0