1 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:07,560 Speaker 1: Welcome, Welcome, Welcome to the Bob Left Sets podcast. My 2 00:00:07,680 --> 00:00:12,520 Speaker 1: guest this week is legendary music executive, the youngest president 3 00:00:12,600 --> 00:00:16,439 Speaker 1: in the history of the music business, president at age 4 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:20,279 Speaker 1: thirty two, of Atlantic Records, Jerry Greenberg. How you doing, 5 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:24,160 Speaker 1: my friend? Okay, Now, you've worked with literally a who's 6 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:30,640 Speaker 1: who of legends, Abba, led Zeppelin, Michael Jackson. Okay, So 7 00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:34,400 Speaker 1: who is the best to work with? The most meaningful, 8 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:40,200 Speaker 1: not necessarily the easiest. Wow, that's a that's a tough 9 00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:46,200 Speaker 1: question to answer. I will say that probably the most 10 00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:52,040 Speaker 1: creative and visionary person that I work with is Michael Jackson. Really, 11 00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:55,800 Speaker 1: oh yeah, I'm forget about it. I mean this guy. 12 00:00:56,560 --> 00:01:01,680 Speaker 1: I remember when he called me to interview me to 13 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 1: he was starting his own record label, and I came 14 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:09,120 Speaker 1: home and I said to my wife, I just met 15 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:12,720 Speaker 1: Walt Disney, and she said, what are you talking about? 16 00:01:13,160 --> 00:01:17,759 Speaker 1: I said, this guy is such a visionary, such a visionary. 17 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:20,640 Speaker 1: He wants to build theme parks, he wants to do Broadway, 18 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:23,720 Speaker 1: he wants to be David Geffen. I mean, all rolled 19 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 1: into one and um, that's my was my first impression 20 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:32,479 Speaker 1: of him. I mean I never never met him before, 21 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:35,720 Speaker 1: but we spent two hours together. Uh, he did his 22 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:39,440 Speaker 1: homework about Jerry Greenberg. And of course I've been listening 23 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:43,040 Speaker 1: to Michael Jackson since I was a baby, but um, 24 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:47,120 Speaker 1: it was I would have to put him at pretty 25 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:49,520 Speaker 1: much at the top of the list. In answer to 26 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:52,360 Speaker 1: your question, Okay, so you had that meeting. Did he 27 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 1: live up to that meeting? Yes, there's no question. Okay, 28 00:01:56,440 --> 00:01:58,720 Speaker 1: So what year did you get involved. I got involved 29 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:03,040 Speaker 1: with Michael in So what's the first project you worked 30 00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:07,400 Speaker 1: on with him? Free Willy Soundtrack? Uh. They wanted they 31 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:10,960 Speaker 1: wanted a song from Michael Jackson. I called Michael and 32 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:14,359 Speaker 1: he said to me, I saw the movie, I saw 33 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:16,799 Speaker 1: the track, everything, but I can't write it. I don't 34 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:20,280 Speaker 1: have any time. And I went into his uh last 35 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:23,280 Speaker 1: album and I found a song called will You Be There? 36 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:26,920 Speaker 1: And I sent it up to the producers and I said, 37 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:30,600 Speaker 1: does this work? And they said yes. And so that 38 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:34,400 Speaker 1: was the launch of m j J Records, having the 39 00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:41,600 Speaker 1: first soundtrack being Free Willy, one of michael songs, and 40 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:45,360 Speaker 1: then we put Michael's nephews in three t Then we 41 00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:50,760 Speaker 1: got UH Girls Group to do a remake. So our 42 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 1: first record for our record company ended up platinum out 43 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:58,560 Speaker 1: of the box. And what did you think when he died? 44 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:02,960 Speaker 1: Did you see that coming? Oh no, not not not 45 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:06,200 Speaker 1: at all. And I don't want to give it away, 46 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:11,120 Speaker 1: but there's a whole there's a major story about what 47 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 1: happened that the day after Michael died. I will just 48 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:18,720 Speaker 1: say that. Let me say that I was rushed to 49 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:22,680 Speaker 1: the hospital wait for your own medical and my own, 50 00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:26,639 Speaker 1: my own medical condition, the day after he died, Okay, 51 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:30,880 Speaker 1: And therefore you attribute that to the news of his death. 52 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:34,000 Speaker 1: I attributed to, yes, the news of his death, the 53 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 1: fact that I was up doing interviews for almost fifteen hours, 54 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:43,120 Speaker 1: the stress of everything, and um, but here I am so, now, 55 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:46,200 Speaker 1: did you have a cardiac event or anything or was 56 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 1: just stress and you went to the hospital and you 57 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:53,120 Speaker 1: chilled out? Well? Uh, I went to the hospital because 58 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:58,160 Speaker 1: I had back pain and pain in my arms and everything. 59 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:02,640 Speaker 1: And what happened is, believe it or not, a flat 60 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:06,240 Speaker 1: line for seventeen seconds, wow, in the hospital or at home, 61 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:08,920 Speaker 1: you know, in the hospital, thank god. But I had 62 00:04:08,960 --> 00:04:13,520 Speaker 1: the doctors around me and they got me back. And 63 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:16,719 Speaker 1: the bottom line is I had a torn iord to 64 00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:21,240 Speaker 1: and but I had great doctors and they fixed it 65 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:24,560 Speaker 1: and uh, and I'm here. Okay, let's go back to 66 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:28,000 Speaker 1: the beginning. You're from the Haven, Connecticut, right, correct? Okay, 67 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:32,440 Speaker 1: all of the world's best pizza. That's the big decision. 68 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:36,440 Speaker 1: We ask everybody. Was it Peppi's or is it Sally's. 69 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:39,159 Speaker 1: So you went to Peppi's for the clam pizza, but 70 00:04:39,279 --> 00:04:43,040 Speaker 1: you went to Sally's maybe more for the sauce and 71 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 1: this and that. But both of them were pretty pretty, 72 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:53,400 Speaker 1: pretty pretty good. Well, the funniest thing is it's one 73 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:55,240 Speaker 1: of the few things in life that live up to 74 00:04:55,279 --> 00:04:58,120 Speaker 1: the legend. I remember going to Peppi's being all hyped 75 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:00,560 Speaker 1: and go, damn, this is really this. Every time I 76 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:05,240 Speaker 1: go back to Connecticut, I have to get the pizza. Correct. Okay, 77 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:09,280 Speaker 1: So you're there and you're growing up, and what does 78 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:12,240 Speaker 1: your father do for a living. My father was in 79 00:05:12,279 --> 00:05:16,640 Speaker 1: the jewelry business, thirty nine years in the jewelry business. 80 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:19,680 Speaker 1: Everybody loved them. I mean, if you're going to go 81 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:22,360 Speaker 1: buy a watch or a piece of jewelry, oh, go 82 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:25,560 Speaker 1: down and see Bill Greenberg. It's Specters in New Haven. 83 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:28,120 Speaker 1: He's the guy. It's just the way. Wait, just for 84 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:32,159 Speaker 1: one second, Specters was that connected to the same Specters 85 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:35,760 Speaker 1: and Bridgeport. Do you know I'm not just because my 86 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:38,720 Speaker 1: closest friend from high school. I'm gonna see it another month. 87 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:43,240 Speaker 1: His father, his mother was specter and his father ran Specters, 88 00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:45,240 Speaker 1: and I knew they were like three or four stories. 89 00:05:45,279 --> 00:05:48,599 Speaker 1: I'll ask him when he's out here. I bet it was. Okay, So, 90 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:54,200 Speaker 1: now was your father first generation American? Yeah? Okay, and okay, 91 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:58,800 Speaker 1: So he's working at Specters. And what's it like growing up? 92 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:06,920 Speaker 1: What's it like growing up? Mother and father just great parents. 93 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:11,240 Speaker 1: My mother very hard worker. She held three jobs. She 94 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 1: was a bookkeeper, she was a cashier. He had the 95 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:20,000 Speaker 1: one job at Specters. But growing up in Connecticut, I 96 00:06:20,040 --> 00:06:25,800 Speaker 1: grew up on an area called City Point, and it 97 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:29,360 Speaker 1: was near the water. So I grew up loving boating. 98 00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:32,440 Speaker 1: I was painting boats when I was like nine years 99 00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:34,480 Speaker 1: old and ten years old. You know, you know, I 100 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:37,279 Speaker 1: mean you can't see his handwave. He doesn't mean paint artistically, 101 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 1: means literally painting boats. Yeah, literally the bottoms of boats, etcetera, etcetera. 102 00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:46,320 Speaker 1: So I uh, you know, I grew up one around 103 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:50,000 Speaker 1: the water. I grew up with great parents, and I 104 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:53,560 Speaker 1: was very lucky, very very lucky. Now you had your brother. 105 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:55,240 Speaker 1: It was just the two of you. It was just 106 00:06:55,279 --> 00:06:57,080 Speaker 1: me and my brother, and you were who was the 107 00:06:57,080 --> 00:06:59,640 Speaker 1: older brother? Do you? He was the older brother eight 108 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:04,760 Speaker 1: year eight years older than you. I didn't realize. Okay, 109 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:08,800 Speaker 1: So when did you become interested in music? Okay? So 110 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:13,080 Speaker 1: I'm at a bar mitzvah and the band takes a 111 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:19,640 Speaker 1: break and there's music coming playing like you know, through speakers, 112 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:24,280 Speaker 1: records or whatever. And I go over to the drums 113 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 1: and sit behind the drum set and I'm tapping, okay, 114 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 1: And I see the drummer talk to my mother and 115 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 1: I say, oh god, I guess he's mad. Next thing 116 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 1: I know, my mother comes over and she said, the 117 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 1: drummer told me you have natural rhythm. I have to 118 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 1: get you drum lessons. Wow. So within thirty seconds, I'm 119 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:49,840 Speaker 1: now a drummer. I mean, I'm taking drum lessons. So 120 00:07:50,840 --> 00:07:53,880 Speaker 1: parents buy you a kid a whole bit. Oh yeah, listen. 121 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:58,160 Speaker 1: I I loved it. And what happened is there was 122 00:07:59,040 --> 00:08:02,560 Speaker 1: a guy in New Haven who booked all the bar 123 00:08:02,640 --> 00:08:05,720 Speaker 1: Mitz's and weddings and this and that. He calls my 124 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:08,120 Speaker 1: mother up. I'm fifteen years old. He calls my mother 125 00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:12,280 Speaker 1: up and oh god, I have to back up in 126 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:17,559 Speaker 1: somebody in the fifties, you know. So I'm fifteen years old. 127 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:21,160 Speaker 1: My mother says his name was Arnold Moost. He should 128 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:26,200 Speaker 1: arnelmos called and he said everybody, every musician he can find, 129 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:30,080 Speaker 1: works on New Year's Eve. Which can I book a 130 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:33,520 Speaker 1: job for your son to play? So she said sure. 131 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:37,360 Speaker 1: But my father had a shlip me down to I 132 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:40,080 Speaker 1: remember it was called the One Eagle restaurant, like on 133 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:44,880 Speaker 1: Chapel Street in New Haven. I walk in and the 134 00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:46,560 Speaker 1: there was a base player and a piano player, and 135 00:08:46,559 --> 00:08:48,800 Speaker 1: they took a look at me. I mean, I'm fifteen 136 00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:53,000 Speaker 1: years old, babe, and he said, they go, okay. So 137 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:57,640 Speaker 1: I play all night with brushes, uh, and get through it. 138 00:08:57,800 --> 00:09:01,600 Speaker 1: Ten to two was was the gig. And I remember 139 00:09:01,640 --> 00:09:03,839 Speaker 1: I came home and I had something like thirty or 140 00:09:03,920 --> 00:09:08,120 Speaker 1: thirty five rich. It was like what my father made 141 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:12,320 Speaker 1: all week, you know. So first of all, I always 142 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:15,240 Speaker 1: wanted a rowboat, and I went to my father once 143 00:09:15,280 --> 00:09:17,160 Speaker 1: I asked him some money for a rowbot. He as, 144 00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:20,760 Speaker 1: you work for you can buy anything you want. So 145 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:23,440 Speaker 1: of course I took the money, went right out and 146 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:27,319 Speaker 1: I bought me a robot and that was the beginning 147 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:31,440 Speaker 1: of Jerry getting into the music business. Really okay, well, 148 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:34,200 Speaker 1: you played with these other pickup musicians, when was your 149 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:41,079 Speaker 1: next gig? My next gig was realizing that, wait a minute, 150 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:45,440 Speaker 1: there's money in being a musician. I found the guitar 151 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:48,880 Speaker 1: player and I said, let's form a band. So we 152 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:53,480 Speaker 1: formed the band and we started. Uh. There was a 153 00:09:53,520 --> 00:09:56,480 Speaker 1: group from the Haven, Connecticut called the Five Satin's which 154 00:09:56,480 --> 00:10:01,000 Speaker 1: had probably the biggest do wop record in your in history. 155 00:10:01,040 --> 00:10:03,000 Speaker 1: And I became from the name of that record from 156 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:06,840 Speaker 1: my audience who may not know. Second, what was the 157 00:10:06,920 --> 00:10:09,040 Speaker 1: name of the record for the audience that may not know? 158 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:12,280 Speaker 1: In the Stole of the Night? Oh yeah? And the 159 00:10:12,559 --> 00:10:14,640 Speaker 1: Still in the Night should have been should be do 160 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:19,439 Speaker 1: the big biggest record during the older days? Okay at 161 00:10:19,440 --> 00:10:21,800 Speaker 1: that point in time, was W A v Z still 162 00:10:21,800 --> 00:10:24,360 Speaker 1: the top four as Okay? I remember trying to pull 163 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:26,959 Speaker 1: that in from Fairfield and whatever. When I went to 164 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:29,520 Speaker 1: summer camp, we played W A v Z. So, in 165 00:10:29,559 --> 00:10:32,800 Speaker 1: any event, that's the biggest do wop hit, biggest hit, 166 00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:35,360 Speaker 1: and you have that guitars friend, and now all of 167 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:38,000 Speaker 1: a sudden we put a band together, and we're backing 168 00:10:38,080 --> 00:10:40,760 Speaker 1: them up. We're going to New York and we're backing 169 00:10:40,840 --> 00:10:44,520 Speaker 1: up the Yeah, we're backing up this five cents. How 170 00:10:44,559 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 1: did you get that gig? They we were a good band, 171 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:51,800 Speaker 1: and you know, and they liked this. But but let 172 00:10:51,880 --> 00:10:55,000 Speaker 1: me just say this. My band turned out to be 173 00:10:55,760 --> 00:11:03,360 Speaker 1: the number one college fraternity band in the area. If 174 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:08,240 Speaker 1: you watched Animal House and you saw Belushi at that 175 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:13,839 Speaker 1: fraternity seen my band was that band. Okay. We used 176 00:11:13,880 --> 00:11:17,720 Speaker 1: to play Yale and Wesleyan and Trinity and we even 177 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:22,400 Speaker 1: got gigs up in Boston. So we were we were, 178 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:26,000 Speaker 1: we were rocking. I was like, okay, so how old 179 00:11:26,040 --> 00:11:30,600 Speaker 1: were you when this was happening? And how often would 180 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:34,360 Speaker 1: you work every weekend? Okay? And did you graduate from 181 00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:37,360 Speaker 1: high school? Yes? Okay, you graded from high school. No 182 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:41,120 Speaker 1: thought of college. You're a musician. I was thinking about 183 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:46,720 Speaker 1: music school, maybe Julius Heart School of Music. But past. Okay, 184 00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:48,880 Speaker 1: So you're playing every weekend with your band. What kind 185 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:54,840 Speaker 1: of money you're making? Uh? We were getting paid anywhere 186 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:58,160 Speaker 1: from to three hundred dollars a night. I was making 187 00:11:58,200 --> 00:12:02,240 Speaker 1: anywhere from fifty dollars. I was booking, so I would 188 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:04,520 Speaker 1: take ten percent off the top. I was the booker, 189 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:09,200 Speaker 1: and I got so many calls for our band. Did 190 00:12:09,240 --> 00:12:12,520 Speaker 1: I remember I said once to the fraternity guy, well listen, 191 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 1: we're a book, but I think I could get you 192 00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:17,600 Speaker 1: a band, and he said, okay, great, I trust you. 193 00:12:17,920 --> 00:12:20,160 Speaker 1: So now all of a sudden, at eighteen years old, 194 00:12:20,280 --> 00:12:25,480 Speaker 1: I'm booking bands. I'm playing all these different colleges. And 195 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:31,960 Speaker 1: you know, I went from a rowboat to a seventeen 196 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:36,560 Speaker 1: foot speedboat. Wow. And he's still living at home. Uh, 197 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:40,200 Speaker 1: still living at home? Correct? Okay, So the name of 198 00:12:40,200 --> 00:12:44,240 Speaker 1: the band is was the Passengers? Okay? And do you 199 00:12:44,320 --> 00:12:47,079 Speaker 1: think are you the kind of person you're gonna find 200 00:12:47,080 --> 00:12:48,840 Speaker 1: a way your survivor you're gonna find a way to 201 00:12:48,880 --> 00:12:51,000 Speaker 1: make money. If it wasn't, the music business would have 202 00:12:51,040 --> 00:12:56,200 Speaker 1: been something else. I don't know. I never thought of 203 00:12:56,200 --> 00:12:59,800 Speaker 1: of ever. Oh God, you gotta gotta make money to live. 204 00:12:59,840 --> 00:13:03,719 Speaker 1: I just well, it's just kind of came natural. Well, 205 00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:05,160 Speaker 1: I guess it's one thing to be a member of 206 00:13:05,160 --> 00:13:06,920 Speaker 1: the band. It's also another thing to book the band. 207 00:13:07,160 --> 00:13:10,080 Speaker 1: But the story always is is the drummer is the 208 00:13:10,120 --> 00:13:13,680 Speaker 1: business guy. So this proves the point. Really, Oh yeah, 209 00:13:13,800 --> 00:13:16,800 Speaker 1: you get into it. I give you example after example 210 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:20,840 Speaker 1: where the drummer is the business guy. Wow. So okay, 211 00:13:20,840 --> 00:13:22,760 Speaker 1: so you're doing this. How long do you do this for? 212 00:13:24,040 --> 00:13:29,440 Speaker 1: How long I do this for? I do it? Uh 213 00:13:29,640 --> 00:13:35,360 Speaker 1: because well we're starting to cut records, and we the 214 00:13:35,480 --> 00:13:39,439 Speaker 1: guy who's uh actually the producer of these different records. 215 00:13:39,440 --> 00:13:41,559 Speaker 1: He's got a deal with a big publishing company in 216 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:43,920 Speaker 1: New York. So we would go to New York with 217 00:13:44,080 --> 00:13:47,160 Speaker 1: back up bands, back up the Satin's or a couple 218 00:13:47,200 --> 00:13:50,720 Speaker 1: of other groups make some records. We were on Amy 219 00:13:50,800 --> 00:13:54,760 Speaker 1: Malabel as King Author and the nights were on Atlantic 220 00:13:55,040 --> 00:13:58,400 Speaker 1: Is Jerry and the Passengers. Uh. You know, we just 221 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:01,320 Speaker 1: cut a lot of a lot of different stuff and 222 00:14:02,080 --> 00:14:05,360 Speaker 1: one record that we can't I couldn't get a deal for. 223 00:14:06,120 --> 00:14:09,200 Speaker 1: So what I did was, uh, I pressed up the 224 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:11,120 Speaker 1: record on my own. I sent the tape to r 225 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:13,520 Speaker 1: C A pressed up the record on my own. My 226 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:17,440 Speaker 1: guitar player was named c strand I'm Greenberg green C Records. 227 00:14:17,920 --> 00:14:22,000 Speaker 1: Press it up, take the record. Because I'm getting very 228 00:14:22,040 --> 00:14:24,560 Speaker 1: friendly with all the radio. This shock eys guys from 229 00:14:24,560 --> 00:14:28,600 Speaker 1: a vz D, E, W D r C and hard 230 00:14:28,920 --> 00:14:32,320 Speaker 1: dr C. Absolutely, I'm gonna mention that. We'll talk about 231 00:14:32,320 --> 00:14:36,560 Speaker 1: that in a minute. So the bottom line is I 232 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:40,000 Speaker 1: pressed up the record and I put it into Cutler's 233 00:14:40,680 --> 00:14:44,479 Speaker 1: and I'm the famous record shop in New Haven, Connecticut. Yeah, 234 00:14:44,480 --> 00:14:48,520 Speaker 1: it's the biggest. And uh so I'm up in Hartford 235 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:51,160 Speaker 1: collecting my money at a distributor. I over hear the 236 00:14:51,160 --> 00:14:54,960 Speaker 1: guy say, oh, my promotion man's leaving. I'm looking for somebody. 237 00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:57,280 Speaker 1: I say to the guy, wait a minute, how about me, 238 00:14:57,440 --> 00:15:00,400 Speaker 1: I'd love that job. So he gives me the job. 239 00:15:00,680 --> 00:15:05,840 Speaker 1: I am now a record promotion man working for Seaboard 240 00:15:05,880 --> 00:15:10,440 Speaker 1: Distributors out of Hartford. Going is far down to Bridgeport 241 00:15:10,600 --> 00:15:15,000 Speaker 1: to w I c C. That is correct, too far 242 00:15:15,760 --> 00:15:21,960 Speaker 1: uh north as Springfield, w Y something in Springfield. And 243 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:25,200 Speaker 1: of course the big station in Connecticut was w d 244 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:28,600 Speaker 1: R C and Harford, and that was run by birtha 245 00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:32,920 Speaker 1: porter who everyone knew at that time. If Bertha picked 246 00:15:32,920 --> 00:15:38,600 Speaker 1: the record, it could break nationally. So, okay, a couple 247 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:42,360 Speaker 1: of questions. This is a pre Beatles, Yeah, so what 248 00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:44,720 Speaker 1: kind of records were you working? Oh? No, you know, 249 00:15:44,880 --> 00:15:48,920 Speaker 1: it's funny, funny. I had VJ as one of my labels. 250 00:15:49,160 --> 00:15:52,680 Speaker 1: Had I had a Beatles record was introducing the Beatles 251 00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:58,240 Speaker 1: on j one of the capital passed. Okay, so, uh 252 00:15:58,280 --> 00:16:04,120 Speaker 1: this is in uh Nino and you know we had 253 00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:07,800 Speaker 1: Atlantic and Chess and Checker and basically when almost all 254 00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:13,080 Speaker 1: the labels were independent. Okay, Now did you were you 255 00:16:13,120 --> 00:16:16,440 Speaker 1: continuing to play in your band on the weekends? Now? 256 00:16:16,480 --> 00:16:19,280 Speaker 1: Did you you were making good money? We're buying a speedboat. 257 00:16:19,600 --> 00:16:24,600 Speaker 1: Did you have a dream of stardom? No? Okay, so 258 00:16:24,720 --> 00:16:29,520 Speaker 1: you're just doing it? So okay. You you took the 259 00:16:29,680 --> 00:16:35,440 Speaker 1: job as a radio record promotion being thinking I've got 260 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:37,320 Speaker 1: nothing to do Monday to Friday, or this will be 261 00:16:37,360 --> 00:16:40,560 Speaker 1: a career or I just want to have, you know, 262 00:16:40,640 --> 00:16:45,040 Speaker 1: a job. Well, I didn't know. You know, it was 263 00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:48,440 Speaker 1: a job, and I felt it could be a career 264 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:53,360 Speaker 1: because I love music. I was when you love music, man, 265 00:16:53,440 --> 00:16:55,880 Speaker 1: you just want to be around music. So I'm a 266 00:16:55,920 --> 00:16:59,600 Speaker 1: guy who loves music and I'm a musician. So what's 267 00:16:59,640 --> 00:17:02,160 Speaker 1: been an than that? Okay? So how long do you 268 00:17:02,160 --> 00:17:07,600 Speaker 1: work for cboard? How? Probably three or four years. But 269 00:17:07,680 --> 00:17:12,040 Speaker 1: I became, you know, very close with everybody at Atlantic Records. 270 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:17,040 Speaker 1: And why was that? Uh? I think they liked me. 271 00:17:17,080 --> 00:17:20,880 Speaker 1: I was breaking records in Connecticut for Atlantic, and I 272 00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:24,640 Speaker 1: think they realized all of a sudden, Jerry had good 273 00:17:24,680 --> 00:17:30,800 Speaker 1: ears and Jerry Wexler. Henry Allen was ahead of promotion 274 00:17:30,840 --> 00:17:34,120 Speaker 1: at the time. Henry calls me and he goes, listen, 275 00:17:34,200 --> 00:17:38,080 Speaker 1: Jerry Wexler just bought a record. I just bought a record. 276 00:17:38,320 --> 00:17:41,199 Speaker 1: He wants you to hear it and tell him what 277 00:17:41,440 --> 00:17:44,280 Speaker 1: and tell you what he what you think and were 278 00:17:44,359 --> 00:17:46,520 Speaker 1: I'm sending it up a man getting it up to 279 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:51,399 Speaker 1: you special delivery. The record was Percy Sledge When a 280 00:17:51,440 --> 00:17:55,720 Speaker 1: Man Loves So I hear the record and I'm very 281 00:17:55,800 --> 00:17:58,399 Speaker 1: close with the DJ in New Haven at w d 282 00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:02,640 Speaker 1: E daytime station. I go to w d at two 283 00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:05,040 Speaker 1: o'clock in the afternoon and I said, listen, put this on. 284 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:09,919 Speaker 1: Plays it at two, plays it again at three thirty, 285 00:18:10,760 --> 00:18:13,760 Speaker 1: plays it again at like five. The phones are going 286 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:20,400 Speaker 1: crazy crazy. Cutler's record job calls the station, what's this 287 00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:23,400 Speaker 1: man loves the woman record you're playing on? We got 288 00:18:23,440 --> 00:18:25,720 Speaker 1: people coming in want to buy it. So I called 289 00:18:25,760 --> 00:18:29,280 Speaker 1: Jerry Wexlet the next day and I go, Jerry, You're 290 00:18:29,320 --> 00:18:33,040 Speaker 1: gonna have the biggest crossover pop record you've ever seen. 291 00:18:33,880 --> 00:18:38,480 Speaker 1: Watch And it was the truth. I mean, come on, 292 00:18:42,760 --> 00:18:44,640 Speaker 1: we'll take a quick break and come back with more 293 00:18:44,680 --> 00:18:48,720 Speaker 1: of my conversation with legendary record label executive Jerry Greenberg, 294 00:18:48,760 --> 00:18:56,520 Speaker 1: recorded live at the tune In Studios in Venice, California. Hi, 295 00:18:56,640 --> 00:18:59,119 Speaker 1: it's Bob left Sex. Over the last couple of months, 296 00:18:59,359 --> 00:19:02,480 Speaker 1: I've interviewed the lead singer of Garbage, Shirley Manson, and 297 00:19:02,680 --> 00:19:05,840 Speaker 1: legendary drummer Kenny arn Off. But I really love getting 298 00:19:05,840 --> 00:19:08,960 Speaker 1: the stories and the executives in and around the music industry, 299 00:19:09,119 --> 00:19:12,240 Speaker 1: like Jerry. Whether you come for the music, the tech, 300 00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:15,879 Speaker 1: or otherwise, be the first here next week's episode by 301 00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:19,679 Speaker 1: subscribing to the podcast on tune In, Apple Podcasts or 302 00:19:19,680 --> 00:19:23,360 Speaker 1: your podcast player of choice. While you're there, please rate 303 00:19:23,359 --> 00:19:27,159 Speaker 1: and review. Okay, let's get back to my conversation with 304 00:19:27,240 --> 00:19:33,000 Speaker 1: Jerry Greenberg. What was the key to promoting a record tour? 305 00:19:33,040 --> 00:19:35,639 Speaker 1: I mean, that's an obvious one, but when records not 306 00:19:35,720 --> 00:19:37,920 Speaker 1: that obvious? What was the key to getting in on 307 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:46,159 Speaker 1: the radio? Um? Just too tenacity? Keep keep pounding the 308 00:19:46,200 --> 00:19:49,560 Speaker 1: guy and going, hey, look it just happened in Texas, 309 00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:52,439 Speaker 1: or it's doing this somewhere else, or what do they 310 00:19:52,440 --> 00:19:56,119 Speaker 1: call it? The key to being a good promotion man? 311 00:19:56,200 --> 00:20:00,680 Speaker 1: I think there's one being honest to having a good 312 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:04,000 Speaker 1: track record, because you remember, you're trying to talk this 313 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:08,639 Speaker 1: guy into taking air time and play a record. You 314 00:20:08,680 --> 00:20:12,200 Speaker 1: don't want to play a stiff. He wants to play 315 00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:14,440 Speaker 1: a hit. He wants to be the first to play 316 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:19,000 Speaker 1: a hit. And I had that relationship, I think with 317 00:20:19,040 --> 00:20:24,600 Speaker 1: a lot of guys and um and girls, and but 318 00:20:24,680 --> 00:20:32,520 Speaker 1: I was very close with Bertha and she loved me. So, uh, 319 00:20:33,080 --> 00:20:36,159 Speaker 1: let me just say this. A job opens up at 320 00:20:36,200 --> 00:20:40,080 Speaker 1: the other distributorship. Okay, there's two big distributorships in Harvard. 321 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:43,159 Speaker 1: Job opens up. My brother is doing radio promotion and 322 00:20:43,400 --> 00:20:47,239 Speaker 1: I'm that radio selling time at a radio station. So 323 00:20:47,280 --> 00:20:50,560 Speaker 1: I say to Bertha, Bertha, do me a favor. I'd 324 00:20:50,600 --> 00:20:52,919 Speaker 1: like my brother to get that job. She said, well, 325 00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:55,000 Speaker 1: I got to meet him. I said fine, So I 326 00:20:55,040 --> 00:20:57,760 Speaker 1: set up a lunch. She falls in love with my brother. 327 00:20:58,359 --> 00:21:01,160 Speaker 1: She calls the distributor. Hey, you know, Jerry's got a brother, 328 00:21:01,240 --> 00:21:06,080 Speaker 1: Bob Greenberger. Boom, Bob gets the job. So now we 329 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:09,840 Speaker 1: got Bob at one distributor, me at the other. But 330 00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:13,760 Speaker 1: here's the best story yet, you're ready. I have to 331 00:21:13,760 --> 00:21:17,800 Speaker 1: go in the army to do Army Reserve you know, 332 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:20,679 Speaker 1: none of us want to get drafted at that time. Uh, 333 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:23,200 Speaker 1: you could be out if you had a baby that 334 00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:26,600 Speaker 1: postpone you're getting drafted. That none of us wanted to 335 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:29,280 Speaker 1: go to Vietnam. Anyways, I signed up a Army reserve. 336 00:21:29,880 --> 00:21:32,600 Speaker 1: Army reserve, you got to go away for six months 337 00:21:33,080 --> 00:21:35,200 Speaker 1: and then you have to serve for four more years, 338 00:21:36,119 --> 00:21:43,639 Speaker 1: going to meetings, etcetera. And I signed up. So Jerry 339 00:21:43,640 --> 00:21:47,480 Speaker 1: Water calls me up ahead of Atlantic, says Jerry, after 340 00:21:47,520 --> 00:21:52,720 Speaker 1: the thing with the happened with the Percy Sledge record, 341 00:21:53,560 --> 00:21:55,160 Speaker 1: I want to hire you. I want you to come 342 00:21:55,200 --> 00:21:57,399 Speaker 1: to New York and work for me, I said Jerry. 343 00:21:57,520 --> 00:22:00,880 Speaker 1: I can't right now because I have to serve six 344 00:22:00,920 --> 00:22:02,560 Speaker 1: months in the Army. I don't want to come there, 345 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:04,320 Speaker 1: and then I have to go, I said, But as 346 00:22:04,359 --> 00:22:06,440 Speaker 1: soon as I get out, is the job still open 347 00:22:06,760 --> 00:22:09,040 Speaker 1: the day you're out of the Army, you're coming to 348 00:22:09,080 --> 00:22:12,480 Speaker 1: work for Atlantic Records? I go, okay, great, So now 349 00:22:12,520 --> 00:22:17,199 Speaker 1: I get the call to go and serve. So I 350 00:22:17,240 --> 00:22:19,159 Speaker 1: say to my brother, let me ask you a question. 351 00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:22,919 Speaker 1: What do you think if we put Dad into the 352 00:22:22,960 --> 00:22:27,639 Speaker 1: record business? He says, I said that this is this 353 00:22:27,800 --> 00:22:31,320 Speaker 1: job is perfect for him. Everybody loves him. It's personality. 354 00:22:31,920 --> 00:22:34,679 Speaker 1: I said. He grew up listening to me with the 355 00:22:34,720 --> 00:22:38,840 Speaker 1: band downstairs. He loves music. She he says, let's take 356 00:22:38,880 --> 00:22:42,800 Speaker 1: a shot. So we go to Bertha and we go Bertha, 357 00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:45,639 Speaker 1: I gotta go in the army for six months, but 358 00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:48,440 Speaker 1: I want my dad to fill in for me. Is 359 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:52,280 Speaker 1: that cool? I gotta meet him. Fine, you'll love him. 360 00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:54,760 Speaker 1: So we bring that up to Harvard as lunch with 361 00:22:54,880 --> 00:22:59,400 Speaker 1: birth reporter. I go to Marvin, my boss, and I say, listen, 362 00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:01,480 Speaker 1: I gotta go now for six months. But I got 363 00:23:01,480 --> 00:23:04,800 Speaker 1: the replacement for me for six months. I said, you 364 00:23:04,920 --> 00:23:08,119 Speaker 1: know who's eye said, my father? Your father? Yeah, trust me. 365 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:12,360 Speaker 1: Bertha loves him. He calls up Bertha. She said, oh yeah, 366 00:23:12,520 --> 00:23:17,639 Speaker 1: Bill Greenberg, he's great. Blah blah blah. So bingo. My 367 00:23:17,760 --> 00:23:22,120 Speaker 1: father's now took my job. He's in doing record promotion. 368 00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:24,719 Speaker 1: So he gives up his jewelry salesman's job, gives up 369 00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:28,119 Speaker 1: to Julia. Now he died and went to heaven. He 370 00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:31,720 Speaker 1: got a car, he got an expense account. He's taking 371 00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:35,480 Speaker 1: these DJs. I love golf, so I said, then take 372 00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:37,920 Speaker 1: the guy from a VZ out to play golf. He did. 373 00:23:38,800 --> 00:23:42,680 Speaker 1: Now he's getting records on after I'm in the army. 374 00:23:42,720 --> 00:23:45,240 Speaker 1: Two months I get a note from Marvin, don't come back. 375 00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:51,760 Speaker 1: Your father's better than you. So we had the Greenberg dynasty. 376 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:54,080 Speaker 1: There was an article came out in cash Box, the 377 00:23:54,119 --> 00:23:57,960 Speaker 1: Greenberg dynasty. Father's son brother. But it's a reverse kind 378 00:23:57,960 --> 00:24:02,320 Speaker 1: of trip, if you know, it's usually the kid gets 379 00:24:02,359 --> 00:24:05,240 Speaker 1: into father's business. This was the kid put the father 380 00:24:05,359 --> 00:24:08,719 Speaker 1: in in my business. But just a uh been up 381 00:24:08,760 --> 00:24:13,399 Speaker 1: one little uh hole here, your brother, how do you 382 00:24:13,440 --> 00:24:20,239 Speaker 1: get into selling radio time? Um, that's interesting. I don't know. 383 00:24:20,440 --> 00:24:23,840 Speaker 1: He just he knew somebody at a radio station and 384 00:24:24,119 --> 00:24:28,400 Speaker 1: a job came. He did a It could have might 385 00:24:28,400 --> 00:24:31,280 Speaker 1: have been NAVEZ, New Haven, one of the radio stations 386 00:24:31,280 --> 00:24:36,560 Speaker 1: in New Haven. So that was I utilized that with Bertha, like, Hey, 387 00:24:36,680 --> 00:24:39,119 Speaker 1: this guy, you know, he's not a cook or or 388 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:42,199 Speaker 1: salesman or something. He's in radio already. Let's get him 389 00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:45,119 Speaker 1: out of selling time and let's get him into promotion. 390 00:24:45,880 --> 00:24:47,880 Speaker 1: So in any event, you're in the army for six months, 391 00:24:47,880 --> 00:24:49,840 Speaker 1: you get out and you go to work for Atlantic 392 00:24:49,960 --> 00:24:52,280 Speaker 1: Correct and you have to move to New York City. No, 393 00:24:52,480 --> 00:24:55,640 Speaker 1: I'm living in New Haven and I'm commuting every day, 394 00:24:55,800 --> 00:24:59,280 Speaker 1: every day from the Raven every day from New Haven. 395 00:24:59,520 --> 00:25:01,199 Speaker 1: That's almost because I grew up, as I say, in 396 00:25:01,240 --> 00:25:02,800 Speaker 1: fear Field. When I grew up in fear Field in 397 00:25:02,800 --> 00:25:05,760 Speaker 1: the sixties, that was just one step too far. People 398 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:09,240 Speaker 1: commute now, but the Heathen that's like an hour and 399 00:25:09,240 --> 00:25:12,800 Speaker 1: a half each way on the train. Yeah. I took 400 00:25:12,840 --> 00:25:15,080 Speaker 1: the train a couple of times, but it didn't work out. 401 00:25:15,520 --> 00:25:20,560 Speaker 1: So I'm driving and they give your parking because parking 402 00:25:20,600 --> 00:25:24,600 Speaker 1: in New York City could eat up your whole salary. Uh. 403 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:29,680 Speaker 1: Now they as it happened after about two years. I 404 00:25:29,800 --> 00:25:33,520 Speaker 1: remember I went into armed and I said, listen, you 405 00:25:33,520 --> 00:25:36,240 Speaker 1: know you guys got me out late at night. I'm 406 00:25:36,320 --> 00:25:39,560 Speaker 1: driving home at eleven o'clock. I said, we we gotta 407 00:25:39,640 --> 00:25:44,080 Speaker 1: fix this. So they gave me a car and a driver. Yeah, 408 00:25:45,040 --> 00:25:48,560 Speaker 1: and then they kept on saying, why don't you move 409 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:54,680 Speaker 1: to the city, And I said, my wife ex wife, Uh, 410 00:25:54,960 --> 00:25:57,359 Speaker 1: it's not like living in the city with the kids. 411 00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:00,240 Speaker 1: I said, but I you know, if you help me out, 412 00:26:00,280 --> 00:26:03,640 Speaker 1: I will move closer. And I did. I moved to Greenwich. 413 00:26:04,640 --> 00:26:08,080 Speaker 1: So I was in Greenwich. Now we're on a forty 414 00:26:08,080 --> 00:26:12,520 Speaker 1: five minute ride and h I'm commuting. Okay, So you 415 00:26:12,600 --> 00:26:15,400 Speaker 1: go to work for Atlantic. Do you remember what year 416 00:26:15,440 --> 00:26:22,199 Speaker 1: that is? Sixty seven? Sixty seven, sixty eight? Okay, so 417 00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:25,680 Speaker 1: they're still doing the rascals over there in Atlantic. Oh yeah, okay, 418 00:26:25,720 --> 00:26:29,800 Speaker 1: what's your gig at Atlantic? I come in and that's 419 00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:33,640 Speaker 1: what I thought. I show up the first day and 420 00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:36,639 Speaker 1: I said, what am I promotion? Man? What I know? 421 00:26:36,720 --> 00:26:40,440 Speaker 1: You're Jerry Wexler assistant. And I'll never forget. We walk 422 00:26:40,520 --> 00:26:46,479 Speaker 1: into a meeting Jerry Wexler and probably fifteen Atlantic people's 423 00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:50,400 Speaker 1: staff people, and he goes, I want to introduce Jerry Greenberg. 424 00:26:50,400 --> 00:26:53,240 Speaker 1: Here's my new assistant. So I expect you to treat 425 00:26:53,320 --> 00:26:55,919 Speaker 1: him with respect. And I will remember I knew a 426 00:26:55,960 --> 00:26:59,080 Speaker 1: lot of those guys because they would be calling me 427 00:26:59,440 --> 00:27:02,040 Speaker 1: to promote different records. They all knew who I was. 428 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:05,399 Speaker 1: So I came in as as Jerry's assistant, where I 429 00:27:06,520 --> 00:27:09,639 Speaker 1: will tell you that's the man that taught me the 430 00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:16,280 Speaker 1: record business. Okay, so tell us more about Jerry. Well, Jerry. 431 00:27:17,760 --> 00:27:21,240 Speaker 1: Somebody asked me something about Jerry, and I said, working 432 00:27:21,280 --> 00:27:24,880 Speaker 1: for Jerry Watson was like joining the Marines. You either 433 00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:27,760 Speaker 1: came out a drill sergeant, or they found you in 434 00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:31,840 Speaker 1: a swamp. And I mean, Jerry would think nothing on 435 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:34,960 Speaker 1: the Jewish holiday, young k PORI he called my house. 436 00:27:35,000 --> 00:27:37,280 Speaker 1: He says, I got to speak to Jerry, and my 437 00:27:37,320 --> 00:27:40,000 Speaker 1: wife said, he's in the temple. Give me the temple number. 438 00:27:40,040 --> 00:27:42,240 Speaker 1: I want to talk to him. Jerry would call me 439 00:27:42,280 --> 00:27:45,359 Speaker 1: at three in the morning and say, did you listen 440 00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:49,480 Speaker 1: to the oldest reading test pressing? I'm hearing ticks and pops. 441 00:27:49,840 --> 00:27:54,800 Speaker 1: I mean, he was just a maniac in a good way. 442 00:27:54,960 --> 00:28:00,400 Speaker 1: Uh taught me, always returned phone calls. Taught me people said, 443 00:28:00,440 --> 00:28:03,520 Speaker 1: how did you become president at thirty two years old? 444 00:28:03,560 --> 00:28:06,359 Speaker 1: I said, I called everybody back, and I knew how 445 00:28:06,359 --> 00:28:09,159 Speaker 1: to see yes and no. And that was Jerry Wexler 446 00:28:09,280 --> 00:28:13,720 Speaker 1: teaching me that. Okay, so, but Jerry was also a producer. 447 00:28:14,520 --> 00:28:17,080 Speaker 1: Jerry is the guy that signed the Wretha Franklin. Jerry 448 00:28:17,080 --> 00:28:22,080 Speaker 1: would produce the first job I had an Atlantic. Jerry 449 00:28:22,119 --> 00:28:24,040 Speaker 1: calls me and is, obviously, listen, the first thing we're 450 00:28:24,040 --> 00:28:29,320 Speaker 1: gonna do. I'm producing Dusty Springfield. I love her from England. 451 00:28:29,920 --> 00:28:34,199 Speaker 1: He said, I need songs. So it gives me a 452 00:28:34,280 --> 00:28:38,440 Speaker 1: list of people to call, like Carol King and Jerry 453 00:28:38,480 --> 00:28:42,200 Speaker 1: Goffin and Ellie Greenwich and all these different people. So 454 00:28:42,280 --> 00:28:45,960 Speaker 1: my first job at Atlantic Records was finding songs for 455 00:28:46,080 --> 00:28:52,480 Speaker 1: Jerry Wexler to produce Dusty Springfield. I found a couple myself, 456 00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:56,120 Speaker 1: believe it or not, that made the album, and that 457 00:28:56,280 --> 00:29:01,320 Speaker 1: was the Dusty and Memphis album. Legendary, legendary them. But Jerry, 458 00:29:01,680 --> 00:29:07,680 Speaker 1: Jerry's gig was running Atlantic during the day and making 459 00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:14,280 Speaker 1: records at night with Dr John Or. His biggest artist 460 00:29:14,360 --> 00:29:20,160 Speaker 1: was basically a Wretha Franklin, and he discovered Wretha. I mean, 461 00:29:20,160 --> 00:29:22,520 Speaker 1: he took her from Columbia, made her a big week star, 462 00:29:23,360 --> 00:29:26,920 Speaker 1: and that was his biggest claim to fame. But what 463 00:29:27,080 --> 00:29:31,560 Speaker 1: happened is basically they sold a company right to Kenny 464 00:29:31,560 --> 00:29:34,960 Speaker 1: to Warner Brothers. Yeah, there was called Kenny at the time. 465 00:29:35,000 --> 00:29:38,720 Speaker 1: Then they changed to Warner Brothers. And once the company 466 00:29:38,800 --> 00:29:43,200 Speaker 1: was sold, I think Jerry made the decision probably seventy 467 00:29:44,240 --> 00:29:48,920 Speaker 1: that he wanted to spend more time recording. He also 468 00:29:49,040 --> 00:29:52,479 Speaker 1: loved the water, so he ended up buying a place 469 00:29:52,680 --> 00:29:57,880 Speaker 1: in Florida, had a boat in Florida, UH connected with 470 00:29:58,040 --> 00:30:03,360 Speaker 1: Criteria's studios, and he would record all of his acts 471 00:30:03,680 --> 00:30:08,200 Speaker 1: at Criteria and be on the phone with me. But 472 00:30:08,520 --> 00:30:12,560 Speaker 1: he wasn't running the company anymore. Now we'll cut to 473 00:30:13,200 --> 00:30:16,600 Speaker 1: the beginning of Jerry's rise in Atlantic. Okay, let's just 474 00:30:16,600 --> 00:30:20,480 Speaker 1: go back for one session. At the time, her Babyson 475 00:30:20,560 --> 00:30:23,640 Speaker 1: was out, but his wife was still there being the account. No, 476 00:30:23,920 --> 00:30:27,240 Speaker 1: she wasn't there when I came. What was am It's 477 00:30:27,360 --> 00:30:31,560 Speaker 1: role when you were there? Amage role was a guy 478 00:30:31,640 --> 00:30:35,200 Speaker 1: who he was the president of the company or co 479 00:30:35,400 --> 00:30:37,880 Speaker 1: founder of the company. When I first came. I never 480 00:30:37,920 --> 00:30:42,080 Speaker 1: saw him, really, yeah, never saw him. Uh, he was 481 00:30:42,120 --> 00:30:47,320 Speaker 1: either in England or he was in California. Almas claimed 482 00:30:47,320 --> 00:30:51,680 Speaker 1: to fame. Once I joined the company, was finding a 483 00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:54,960 Speaker 1: lot of the English acts from England, getting a relationship 484 00:30:55,000 --> 00:30:57,400 Speaker 1: with Chris Brockwell. So now all of a sudden we 485 00:30:57,400 --> 00:31:00,440 Speaker 1: got Mark to Hoopo, and we got King Crimson, so 486 00:31:00,920 --> 00:31:04,680 Speaker 1: m and Robert Stigwood, and he heard Clapton in the club. 487 00:31:05,000 --> 00:31:08,440 Speaker 1: So Alman spent most of his time in Europe, in England, 488 00:31:09,240 --> 00:31:14,840 Speaker 1: and in California. Ahmed signed The Iron Butterfly and all 489 00:31:14,880 --> 00:31:18,600 Speaker 1: of those acts. So you had Almed more of an 490 00:31:18,600 --> 00:31:23,160 Speaker 1: A and R source, Jerry more of a guy who 491 00:31:23,240 --> 00:31:27,400 Speaker 1: ran day to day but also record producer. That was 492 00:31:28,480 --> 00:31:31,080 Speaker 1: before they sold the company or just as they sold 493 00:31:31,080 --> 00:31:34,120 Speaker 1: the company. Okay, so really Jerry was Jerry Wexen was 494 00:31:34,120 --> 00:31:38,040 Speaker 1: the day to day guy. Now, oh yeah, no question. Okay. 495 00:31:38,040 --> 00:31:41,240 Speaker 1: So Jerry Wexler moves to Florida, and when that leaves 496 00:31:41,240 --> 00:31:45,920 Speaker 1: you where that leaves me. Even while Jerry was there, 497 00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:48,880 Speaker 1: I kind of moved was moving up. I was the 498 00:31:48,920 --> 00:31:51,440 Speaker 1: head of promotion. I was the national promotion director. I 499 00:31:51,480 --> 00:31:55,720 Speaker 1: had a great team, Dickey Klein and uh Danny Marcus 500 00:31:55,760 --> 00:31:59,280 Speaker 1: and all the all these all these great great promotion people. 501 00:32:00,200 --> 00:32:05,520 Speaker 1: Then they promoted me. I started signing acts. The first 502 00:32:05,520 --> 00:32:08,000 Speaker 1: act I signed, believe it or not in nineties sixty 503 00:32:08,080 --> 00:32:11,440 Speaker 1: seven or sixty eight was Archie Bell in the Drills 504 00:32:11,440 --> 00:32:14,680 Speaker 1: Tighten Up right, So that that was on Atlantic, right, Yeah, 505 00:32:14,760 --> 00:32:17,320 Speaker 1: I think you know that's funny that that record didn't 506 00:32:17,320 --> 00:32:20,600 Speaker 1: sound like anything else, and that my sister bought the single, 507 00:32:21,160 --> 00:32:24,280 Speaker 1: huge hit, huge hit. How did you find that? I 508 00:32:24,320 --> 00:32:27,800 Speaker 1: got in the mail from Hue Mo you know who 509 00:32:27,840 --> 00:32:33,320 Speaker 1: you producer in Texas well, M E A U X 510 00:32:33,560 --> 00:32:36,960 Speaker 1: right exactly. So, So then I moved up as head 511 00:32:36,960 --> 00:32:39,320 Speaker 1: of A and R. Because I'm signing all of these acts. 512 00:32:39,920 --> 00:32:43,480 Speaker 1: Then they promoted me to general manager. So now I'm 513 00:32:43,520 --> 00:32:46,640 Speaker 1: the second in command right under under Wax. Now you're 514 00:32:46,680 --> 00:32:50,640 Speaker 1: moving up so quickly? Aren't other people jealous? It was 515 00:32:50,680 --> 00:32:54,680 Speaker 1: a family there, family. The older guys had a lot 516 00:32:54,720 --> 00:32:59,080 Speaker 1: of respect for me, George for Ness, Juggie Gale, you 517 00:32:59,120 --> 00:33:03,000 Speaker 1: know that right right. For those of you who don't know, 518 00:33:03,840 --> 00:33:08,800 Speaker 1: I started getting Bob's sheet in Atlantic records probably the 519 00:33:08,840 --> 00:33:12,600 Speaker 1: early seventies. Is not a blue piece of paper used 520 00:33:12,600 --> 00:33:15,120 Speaker 1: to come into mail. I used to open it up 521 00:33:15,160 --> 00:33:18,040 Speaker 1: and read it. You had the Bob left this tip 522 00:33:18,120 --> 00:33:22,280 Speaker 1: of the week and this isn't that Shaw. I'm probably 523 00:33:22,320 --> 00:33:27,520 Speaker 1: one of his podcasts guys here who go back longer 524 00:33:27,560 --> 00:33:32,600 Speaker 1: with Bob than anybody. Absolutely, and so, uh, continue your 525 00:33:32,680 --> 00:33:38,360 Speaker 1: journey up the Atlantic food chain. Well, so my my journey. 526 00:33:38,760 --> 00:33:41,040 Speaker 1: The biggest thing that happened. So they sell the company 527 00:33:41,200 --> 00:33:45,000 Speaker 1: Jerry's in Florida. Almond comes into my office and he goes, 528 00:33:45,840 --> 00:33:49,600 Speaker 1: I'm signing the Rolling Stones. You're the only person in 529 00:33:49,680 --> 00:33:53,440 Speaker 1: Atlantic I trust talking to make ja. He says, So 530 00:33:53,520 --> 00:33:56,160 Speaker 1: you're gonna come with me. We had a signing party 531 00:33:56,200 --> 00:34:01,800 Speaker 1: in France and I flew to answer with Ahmed and 532 00:34:02,240 --> 00:34:05,640 Speaker 1: we signed the Rolling Stones. That was the beginning of 533 00:34:05,680 --> 00:34:10,040 Speaker 1: my relationship now with Ahmed, and I'll never forget. Mick 534 00:34:10,280 --> 00:34:13,560 Speaker 1: came into New York with the first album, which was 535 00:34:13,600 --> 00:34:17,360 Speaker 1: Sticky Fingers. It was just Sticky Fingers, and um, it 536 00:34:17,400 --> 00:34:19,520 Speaker 1: calls me, he says, mix here with the first record. 537 00:34:19,920 --> 00:34:22,160 Speaker 1: He wants to play it for me, but I want 538 00:34:22,160 --> 00:34:25,920 Speaker 1: you there. And we walked down to the mastering room 539 00:34:26,080 --> 00:34:31,200 Speaker 1: and Me, Mick, Jagger and Ahmed and he looks to 540 00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:34,319 Speaker 1: to Jagger and he said, this guy picks all the 541 00:34:34,360 --> 00:34:38,440 Speaker 1: singles here. He says, let him hear your record brown Sugar. 542 00:34:38,640 --> 00:34:43,279 Speaker 1: Of course that's your single. And from that moment on, 543 00:34:43,320 --> 00:34:48,839 Speaker 1: I became a hero with Mick. Wow. So now when 544 00:34:48,920 --> 00:34:54,360 Speaker 1: do you become the president of the nineteen seventy four four? Correct? 545 00:34:54,480 --> 00:34:58,640 Speaker 1: And is there a president before? That? Was the president? Was? Ahmed? 546 00:34:58,640 --> 00:35:01,440 Speaker 1: In said, I'm moving up to chair man. Uh you know, 547 00:35:01,520 --> 00:35:04,520 Speaker 1: Steve Ross wants me as chairman of Atlantic. You're going 548 00:35:04,600 --> 00:35:07,600 Speaker 1: to be president. Boom boom boom. So there I am man, 549 00:35:08,080 --> 00:35:12,719 Speaker 1: you know, thirty two years old president of Atlantic. But um, 550 00:35:12,800 --> 00:35:15,719 Speaker 1: you know Jerry wasn't there to answer the phones. M 551 00:35:15,760 --> 00:35:19,200 Speaker 1: it's always traveling never came into the office until four 552 00:35:19,200 --> 00:35:23,640 Speaker 1: o'clock in the afternoon, and so I was the guy. 553 00:35:24,400 --> 00:35:27,640 Speaker 1: But I will tell you that I had the greatest 554 00:35:27,800 --> 00:35:33,680 Speaker 1: team at Atlantic Records. You know, I love football. I 555 00:35:34,120 --> 00:35:36,439 Speaker 1: say we were the Green Bay Packers during that time. 556 00:35:37,120 --> 00:35:39,319 Speaker 1: Call me, Vince Lombardi. I don't know if you want 557 00:35:39,320 --> 00:35:43,600 Speaker 1: to call me. But it was that team there, that spirit. 558 00:35:43,719 --> 00:35:46,480 Speaker 1: Nobody wants to go home. Everybody loved the artists, everybody 559 00:35:46,520 --> 00:35:51,080 Speaker 1: loved the music. The music the musicians were It was 560 00:35:51,200 --> 00:35:56,360 Speaker 1: like nothing you've ever seen, and unfortunately nothing that exists now, 561 00:35:56,719 --> 00:35:59,839 Speaker 1: right of course. Okay, so they had a legendary run. 562 00:36:00,440 --> 00:36:04,879 Speaker 1: It's not only the Stones. They have led Zeppelin. So 563 00:36:05,040 --> 00:36:08,120 Speaker 1: tell us about your work with led Zeppelin. Well, let 564 00:36:08,120 --> 00:36:11,440 Speaker 1: me tell you. Led Zeppelin got signed. We're working on 565 00:36:11,480 --> 00:36:15,880 Speaker 1: the Bud, Dusty and Springfield album. And Dusty says to 566 00:36:16,000 --> 00:36:20,000 Speaker 1: Jerry Wexler, you know, John Paul Jones is going to 567 00:36:20,120 --> 00:36:24,040 Speaker 1: form a new group with Jimmy Page. He's leaving the Yardbirds. 568 00:36:24,200 --> 00:36:27,799 Speaker 1: So Jerry goes I wanted and he finds out that 569 00:36:28,360 --> 00:36:31,680 Speaker 1: Steve Wisse, who is a lawyer for the Rascals, manages 570 00:36:31,800 --> 00:36:37,399 Speaker 1: Jimmy Page picked up the phone Jerry Wexler signed led 571 00:36:37,480 --> 00:36:41,720 Speaker 1: Zeppelin just off of we never Helready note the music, 572 00:36:42,120 --> 00:36:46,720 Speaker 1: just off of the legendary Jimmy Page John Paul Jones, 573 00:36:46,760 --> 00:36:49,800 Speaker 1: who was the greatest session musician in London. There was 574 00:36:49,840 --> 00:36:54,560 Speaker 1: no Bonzo, there was no Robert Plant and Jerry Wexler 575 00:36:54,920 --> 00:36:59,480 Speaker 1: signed led Zeppelin. So now we get the first record, 576 00:37:00,320 --> 00:37:04,960 Speaker 1: first record, that's okay. I become very friends, very good 577 00:37:04,960 --> 00:37:09,160 Speaker 1: friends with Peter Grahant, the manager. The manager, very big guy, 578 00:37:09,280 --> 00:37:11,879 Speaker 1: used to be a wrestler. Everybody was afraid of him. 579 00:37:11,880 --> 00:37:16,360 Speaker 1: Everybody said he managed the animals. I think also he 580 00:37:16,480 --> 00:37:20,520 Speaker 1: was partners would make him most. He and I just 581 00:37:20,600 --> 00:37:23,759 Speaker 1: hit it off. I mean, you know, if you go 582 00:37:23,840 --> 00:37:27,840 Speaker 1: back and think about it, if managers don't get along 583 00:37:27,840 --> 00:37:30,359 Speaker 1: with the head of promotion, how they're going to get 584 00:37:30,360 --> 00:37:33,919 Speaker 1: the records? Right? Of course, so he was smart enough 585 00:37:33,960 --> 00:37:37,440 Speaker 1: to know, Hey, god, I think I should treat this 586 00:37:38,000 --> 00:37:40,920 Speaker 1: Jerry Greenberg with respect. But it was better than that, 587 00:37:41,160 --> 00:37:45,480 Speaker 1: because remember, I'm a drummer, I'm a musician. I'm one 588 00:37:45,520 --> 00:37:48,080 Speaker 1: of them. I'm not I didn't come from being an 589 00:37:48,120 --> 00:37:52,480 Speaker 1: accountant or a lawyer. One Hey man, I'm one of 590 00:37:52,520 --> 00:37:56,440 Speaker 1: you guys. So Peter Grant and I were very very close. 591 00:37:57,040 --> 00:38:00,239 Speaker 1: But this is the great led Zeppelin. Jerry Greenberg's worry. 592 00:38:00,960 --> 00:38:04,239 Speaker 1: So the second record comes out. A whole Lot of 593 00:38:04,320 --> 00:38:08,600 Speaker 1: Love is blowing up on the FM stations, blowing up, 594 00:38:08,719 --> 00:38:13,880 Speaker 1: but it's five minutes and some odd seconds. You're not 595 00:38:13,920 --> 00:38:16,200 Speaker 1: going to get that on w a BC. You're not 596 00:38:16,200 --> 00:38:18,839 Speaker 1: gonna get it on a BC. I call up Peter Grin. 597 00:38:18,920 --> 00:38:21,120 Speaker 1: I go, Peter, do me a favorite, talk to Jimmy, 598 00:38:21,440 --> 00:38:23,640 Speaker 1: asked them to go in the studio and making edit 599 00:38:23,920 --> 00:38:27,479 Speaker 1: for me. A whole lot of Love. We're not as 600 00:38:27,480 --> 00:38:32,680 Speaker 1: saying as man, So I said, please, please comes back. 601 00:38:32,960 --> 00:38:37,200 Speaker 1: I spoke to Jimmy's not doing it. Click. So now 602 00:38:37,560 --> 00:38:41,320 Speaker 1: this record is getting bigger and bigger. Call him back. 603 00:38:41,480 --> 00:38:43,640 Speaker 1: You gotta give it to me. I'm telling you I can. 604 00:38:43,840 --> 00:38:47,359 Speaker 1: We can break the group in America. You got it. 605 00:38:47,520 --> 00:38:51,520 Speaker 1: Pulls be back. We're not doing it. So I say, 606 00:38:51,719 --> 00:38:53,799 Speaker 1: what if I did it? Let me let me make 607 00:38:53,840 --> 00:38:56,800 Speaker 1: an edit and I'll send it to you for your approval. 608 00:38:57,760 --> 00:39:01,640 Speaker 1: Go ahead, I take record. I put it down by 609 00:39:01,680 --> 00:39:05,880 Speaker 1: my desk. I watched the clock at two. They're in 610 00:39:05,960 --> 00:39:08,439 Speaker 1: the hook. What's the hook? A hold lot of love? 611 00:39:09,520 --> 00:39:12,560 Speaker 1: I need a whole lot of love. I faded out. 612 00:39:12,920 --> 00:39:16,840 Speaker 1: I faded at three oh five. I sent it to Peter. 613 00:39:17,520 --> 00:39:20,880 Speaker 1: Peter says to me, Jimmy wants to know what are 614 00:39:20,920 --> 00:39:23,719 Speaker 1: you gonna do with this exactly? I said, Oh, I'm 615 00:39:23,760 --> 00:39:27,000 Speaker 1: just gonna cut a couple of doves and send it 616 00:39:27,120 --> 00:39:29,040 Speaker 1: and a couple of doves and send it to a 617 00:39:29,080 --> 00:39:33,520 Speaker 1: couple of radio stations. Jimmy said, okay. I pressed up 618 00:39:34,000 --> 00:39:39,400 Speaker 1: two thousand records, two thousand long version, one side, short 619 00:39:39,520 --> 00:39:42,960 Speaker 1: version the other. We know what happened, right, we know 620 00:39:43,080 --> 00:39:45,200 Speaker 1: what happened. It was first and fore most. I remember 621 00:39:45,200 --> 00:39:47,360 Speaker 1: because I was a fan of the first album, and 622 00:39:47,400 --> 00:39:50,839 Speaker 1: it was an inside thing. That album came out, leads 623 00:39:50,920 --> 00:39:54,000 Speaker 1: up into within a week, everybody in my high school 624 00:39:54,000 --> 00:39:56,080 Speaker 1: had it. A whole lot of love was everywhere. I 625 00:39:56,080 --> 00:39:57,640 Speaker 1: played it every day for a week and then couldn't 626 00:39:57,640 --> 00:40:00,279 Speaker 1: play it for like months, just because every where you 627 00:40:00,280 --> 00:40:04,040 Speaker 1: went you heard that record. Correct, so the band, So 628 00:40:04,160 --> 00:40:07,799 Speaker 1: the record blows up? Right? You love this. I get 629 00:40:07,800 --> 00:40:11,600 Speaker 1: a call from Peter. Jimmy wants to know when the 630 00:40:11,640 --> 00:40:15,759 Speaker 1: records coming on the jar. Peter record can't come on 631 00:40:15,880 --> 00:40:19,360 Speaker 1: the chart. It's not out of as a signal oh, 632 00:40:19,520 --> 00:40:24,440 Speaker 1: calls back. Jimmy said, put it out as so we 633 00:40:24,520 --> 00:40:26,359 Speaker 1: put it on. In America, they wouldn't put it out 634 00:40:26,440 --> 00:40:29,279 Speaker 1: and it wouldn't allow it in England. I believe we 635 00:40:29,360 --> 00:40:31,200 Speaker 1: put it out, and I think the record one top 636 00:40:31,239 --> 00:40:36,160 Speaker 1: ten for sure. That broke the band. But you know 637 00:40:36,560 --> 00:40:39,440 Speaker 1: that was something that Jerry is proud of, and he 638 00:40:39,520 --> 00:40:44,279 Speaker 1: had the tenacity to keep calling the Jutzpah to you know, 639 00:40:44,760 --> 00:40:47,600 Speaker 1: get that record on the radio. Blew right up. I mean, 640 00:40:47,760 --> 00:40:50,280 Speaker 1: w A d C in New York's playing led Zeppelin. 641 00:40:50,360 --> 00:40:53,840 Speaker 1: Come on, that's a legendary top forty station. Correct. For 642 00:40:53,880 --> 00:41:00,560 Speaker 1: those people who don't know, you're listening to Mike conversation 643 00:41:00,600 --> 00:41:04,320 Speaker 1: with legendary record label executive Jerry Greenberg, recorded live to 644 00:41:04,400 --> 00:41:11,080 Speaker 1: the Tune In studios in Venice, California. I hope you're 645 00:41:11,160 --> 00:41:14,960 Speaker 1: enjoying this episode of the Bob Left Sets podcast. If 646 00:41:14,960 --> 00:41:18,200 Speaker 1: you want to see videos, photos, and soundbites from Jerry 647 00:41:18,360 --> 00:41:20,239 Speaker 1: and the rest of my guests as they joined me 648 00:41:20,280 --> 00:41:24,040 Speaker 1: in the studio, visit at tune in on Twitter, Facebook, 649 00:41:24,080 --> 00:41:28,719 Speaker 1: and Instagram. Now more of my conversation with Jerry Greenberg 650 00:41:28,719 --> 00:41:33,440 Speaker 1: on The Bob Left Sets Podcast. Okay, just stay with 651 00:41:33,560 --> 00:41:35,960 Speaker 1: let's up one for a while. The next album leads 652 00:41:36,040 --> 00:41:39,040 Speaker 1: up on the three is a complete left turn, doesn't 653 00:41:39,080 --> 00:41:42,120 Speaker 1: do as well. But then they come out with the 654 00:41:42,160 --> 00:41:45,680 Speaker 1: fourth album with Stairway to Heaven. Correct, Are you aware 655 00:41:45,760 --> 00:41:48,160 Speaker 1: that that's going to become the most famous rock track 656 00:41:48,239 --> 00:41:51,480 Speaker 1: of all time? Then I and then I think it, 657 00:41:52,080 --> 00:41:54,799 Speaker 1: you know, right at the beginning, not really, I knew 658 00:41:54,880 --> 00:41:58,360 Speaker 1: it was something special though it was very very special. 659 00:41:58,640 --> 00:42:02,600 Speaker 1: I mean English band are special, you know. I mean 660 00:42:03,280 --> 00:42:06,320 Speaker 1: you think about you you listen to Genesis and Emerson 661 00:42:06,400 --> 00:42:13,080 Speaker 1: Lake and Palmer and the musicianship from English bands, it's 662 00:42:13,120 --> 00:42:16,760 Speaker 1: just incredible. And when you think about Stairway to Heaven 663 00:42:17,320 --> 00:42:21,200 Speaker 1: with the guitar solo and and the shift in tempo 664 00:42:21,480 --> 00:42:25,399 Speaker 1: and it was, it was absolutely amazing. So now let's 665 00:42:25,440 --> 00:42:29,800 Speaker 1: cut two number one FM cut in the in the country, 666 00:42:31,360 --> 00:42:35,440 Speaker 1: eight minutes seven. We ain't cutting that, I don't think, 667 00:42:36,200 --> 00:42:39,600 Speaker 1: But I call him up and I say, give me something, 668 00:42:39,719 --> 00:42:43,880 Speaker 1: give me something that we could hang our hats on. 669 00:42:44,640 --> 00:42:47,200 Speaker 1: And they ended up we I forget who did it. 670 00:42:47,239 --> 00:42:49,800 Speaker 1: I know, I didn't go in and just faded out. 671 00:42:49,960 --> 00:42:52,080 Speaker 1: We had to work on the guitar solo and everything, 672 00:42:52,239 --> 00:42:55,319 Speaker 1: but we got it down to five minutes, and so 673 00:42:55,360 --> 00:42:57,520 Speaker 1: we got a lot of top for these stations to 674 00:42:57,640 --> 00:43:02,240 Speaker 1: place their way to heaven. But it's the number one 675 00:43:02,760 --> 00:43:06,400 Speaker 1: FM track in history. Of course it used to be. 676 00:43:06,440 --> 00:43:09,680 Speaker 1: You know, the Memorial five was always number one. So 677 00:43:09,760 --> 00:43:12,239 Speaker 1: let me let me just tell you my great leads 678 00:43:12,320 --> 00:43:14,880 Speaker 1: up one story. So I would go to their concerts 679 00:43:15,719 --> 00:43:18,840 Speaker 1: mostly they pay two or three nights at Madison Square Garden, 680 00:43:19,920 --> 00:43:24,320 Speaker 1: always backstage, always sitting on the speakers. Took the kids 681 00:43:26,440 --> 00:43:30,719 Speaker 1: one night at the garden. Richard Cole, who is their 682 00:43:30,840 --> 00:43:35,719 Speaker 1: road manager. I see they set up a conga's and 683 00:43:35,800 --> 00:43:37,880 Speaker 1: on a Whole Lot of Love the encore Richard go 684 00:43:37,920 --> 00:43:41,759 Speaker 1: out and play congas. So I say to Richard, let 685 00:43:41,760 --> 00:43:45,160 Speaker 1: me do it. He goes, come on, I said, come on, 686 00:43:45,320 --> 00:43:48,000 Speaker 1: you know I'm a drummer. Let me do it. He says, 687 00:43:48,040 --> 00:43:52,759 Speaker 1: give me fifty dollars. I say, you got it. I 688 00:43:52,800 --> 00:43:56,239 Speaker 1: whip into my pocket. I take out fifty dollars. I 689 00:43:56,320 --> 00:44:01,640 Speaker 1: go out. I am playing conga's on the led Zeppelin 690 00:44:01,719 --> 00:44:05,840 Speaker 1: Whole Lot of Love Encore at Madison Square Garden, and 691 00:44:05,960 --> 00:44:08,920 Speaker 1: Jimmy and Robert turn around the see me. They get hysterical. 692 00:44:10,320 --> 00:44:14,880 Speaker 1: The song ends. I go to walk off stage. Bonzo 693 00:44:14,920 --> 00:44:18,600 Speaker 1: grabs me by my shirt drags me to the front 694 00:44:18,640 --> 00:44:22,600 Speaker 1: of the stage. I'm in the middle of led Zeppelin. 695 00:44:22,760 --> 00:44:25,120 Speaker 1: Jerry Greenberg is in the middle of led Zeppelin taking 696 00:44:25,120 --> 00:44:29,359 Speaker 1: about at Madison Square Garden. I can tell you that's 697 00:44:29,360 --> 00:44:33,200 Speaker 1: a memory, buddy, that's for sure. Now let's go through 698 00:44:33,239 --> 00:44:35,680 Speaker 1: some of your other greatest hits in Atlantic. You sign 699 00:44:35,760 --> 00:44:40,360 Speaker 1: Apple correct? How did that happen? It happened because Ness, 700 00:44:40,440 --> 00:44:43,360 Speaker 1: we are it again? Who was Ahmed's brother who was 701 00:44:43,400 --> 00:44:46,160 Speaker 1: one of the founders of Atlantic, who when the company 702 00:44:46,200 --> 00:44:51,640 Speaker 1: got sold, became head of Wea International, called me up 703 00:44:51,680 --> 00:44:57,439 Speaker 1: and he said, listen, the Eurovision Song of the Year 704 00:44:57,760 --> 00:45:01,080 Speaker 1: is a song by a Swedish group called uh Songs 705 00:45:01,080 --> 00:45:05,520 Speaker 1: called Waterloo and the goop's called Harbor, and um, I 706 00:45:05,600 --> 00:45:07,720 Speaker 1: don't think they have a deal in America. I'm getting 707 00:45:07,719 --> 00:45:09,279 Speaker 1: a copy of the record. I'm gonna give it to 708 00:45:09,280 --> 00:45:13,960 Speaker 1: Phil Carson, who's the head of our international company, and 709 00:45:14,040 --> 00:45:16,719 Speaker 1: I'll have sent it to you. And I get the 710 00:45:16,719 --> 00:45:19,080 Speaker 1: record in the mail and I listened to it and 711 00:45:19,440 --> 00:45:22,799 Speaker 1: it kind of had like a Phil Specter beach Boy 712 00:45:22,960 --> 00:45:26,360 Speaker 1: is kind of sound, and I knew it was great. 713 00:45:27,120 --> 00:45:30,799 Speaker 1: So I want called the lawyer in New York. They 714 00:45:30,840 --> 00:45:34,920 Speaker 1: said the records available and I signed. Well, it turned 715 00:45:34,920 --> 00:45:37,200 Speaker 1: out to be the biggest selling group in the world. 716 00:45:37,920 --> 00:45:39,880 Speaker 1: And who else did you work with in your tenure 717 00:45:39,920 --> 00:45:44,120 Speaker 1: there in Atlantic? Who else did I sign or work with? 718 00:45:44,200 --> 00:45:48,120 Speaker 1: I work with everybody. I mean, you know ROBERTA. Flack, Reata, Franklin, 719 00:45:48,719 --> 00:45:52,040 Speaker 1: Benny King. Uh, you know. I was the head of promotion, 720 00:45:52,080 --> 00:45:54,240 Speaker 1: but then I became the head of the record company, 721 00:45:54,600 --> 00:45:58,799 Speaker 1: so I worked with the whole roster. So who else 722 00:45:58,840 --> 00:46:03,520 Speaker 1: did you sign? Yea, Oh, I signed a foreigner. That's 723 00:46:03,560 --> 00:46:08,279 Speaker 1: probably my biggest rock signing. I remember hearing feels like 724 00:46:08,280 --> 00:46:11,120 Speaker 1: the first time on the radio, and literally driving directly 725 00:46:11,160 --> 00:46:13,560 Speaker 1: to the record store. Just had to own it, right, 726 00:46:13,840 --> 00:46:16,520 Speaker 1: The sound of that feels like the first time. Yeah, 727 00:46:16,760 --> 00:46:20,000 Speaker 1: you know, it's funny because I heard you on when 728 00:46:20,080 --> 00:46:24,040 Speaker 1: you did the Paul Rogers interview. You talked about hearing 729 00:46:24,200 --> 00:46:27,640 Speaker 1: free on the mirrored Parkway. You gotta remember, I'm driving 730 00:46:27,719 --> 00:46:32,000 Speaker 1: home every night to Greenwich. That's in the car, That's 731 00:46:32,000 --> 00:46:34,279 Speaker 1: where I was picking the records. I didn't have time 732 00:46:34,320 --> 00:46:36,760 Speaker 1: in the office to listen to music. I'm I'm getting 733 00:46:36,800 --> 00:46:39,839 Speaker 1: a hundred and fifty phone calls a day. So when 734 00:46:39,840 --> 00:46:42,400 Speaker 1: did Jerry get a chance to listen to music on 735 00:46:42,480 --> 00:46:47,480 Speaker 1: the way home? Had a limo, had a tape deck, speakers, cassettes, 736 00:46:48,239 --> 00:46:52,560 Speaker 1: and they sent me to Bad Company Record and I 737 00:46:52,680 --> 00:46:57,080 Speaker 1: picked UH Can't Dare Enough of You Love. I laugh 738 00:46:57,160 --> 00:46:59,520 Speaker 1: when you're talking about that with Paul Rods is because 739 00:47:00,360 --> 00:47:03,239 Speaker 1: I got on the mirror Parkway and I played that 740 00:47:03,280 --> 00:47:06,560 Speaker 1: record all the way at the Greenwich. That's an instant here, 741 00:47:06,640 --> 00:47:09,719 Speaker 1: that one one listen hit one? How do you sign for? 742 00:47:10,719 --> 00:47:13,080 Speaker 1: How did I sign for it? But Prager called me 743 00:47:13,440 --> 00:47:17,560 Speaker 1: who I knew? Who managed uh an act on Atlantic 744 00:47:17,840 --> 00:47:22,439 Speaker 1: and managed Mountain, obviously managed Leslie West. The producer called me, says, 745 00:47:22,480 --> 00:47:26,279 Speaker 1: I got a great band for you, Bapa, Papa. I 746 00:47:26,880 --> 00:47:29,279 Speaker 1: think they sent over a tape. I feel like the 747 00:47:29,320 --> 00:47:31,880 Speaker 1: first time was on the demo tape. I said, I 748 00:47:31,920 --> 00:47:35,480 Speaker 1: got to see them live. So I go to the 749 00:47:35,800 --> 00:47:39,879 Speaker 1: recording UH studio that the rehearsing app. I had Jim 750 00:47:39,960 --> 00:47:42,080 Speaker 1: Delahan who was the head of A and our guy 751 00:47:42,760 --> 00:47:45,800 Speaker 1: and another guy and we go there and the audition 752 00:47:45,880 --> 00:47:49,600 Speaker 1: for me and Mick says to me Rick Jones, Mick Jones, 753 00:47:49,680 --> 00:47:52,600 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, Mick Jones. Lead in the guitar players. Says 754 00:47:52,640 --> 00:47:55,440 Speaker 1: to me, well, you know, we're talking to A and M, 755 00:47:55,480 --> 00:47:59,160 Speaker 1: which is a California based a record company, big record company. 756 00:47:59,160 --> 00:48:02,920 Speaker 1: We're talking to A stuff which is Clive Davis's new company. 757 00:48:03,480 --> 00:48:06,600 Speaker 1: Three companies with A's and them. And I said, listen, 758 00:48:06,920 --> 00:48:08,759 Speaker 1: First of all, you don't want to sign with A 759 00:48:08,880 --> 00:48:11,399 Speaker 1: and M. They're a great company, but they're based in California. 760 00:48:11,960 --> 00:48:16,360 Speaker 1: Number two, we're based here. We're based here in l A. 761 00:48:17,200 --> 00:48:23,200 Speaker 1: And I always give the bands Jerry's pitch that he's 762 00:48:23,239 --> 00:48:27,040 Speaker 1: a drummer, that he's one of them. So I said 763 00:48:27,040 --> 00:48:29,120 Speaker 1: to him, I said to him, listen, man, you know 764 00:48:29,360 --> 00:48:32,160 Speaker 1: I'm a drummer. In fact, let me sit in with 765 00:48:32,200 --> 00:48:34,440 Speaker 1: you guys now I want to play a song. I 766 00:48:34,480 --> 00:48:39,000 Speaker 1: get up and I jam with the band. So like 767 00:48:39,080 --> 00:48:41,680 Speaker 1: Mick Jones is like kind of shocked, and and they're all, 768 00:48:41,800 --> 00:48:43,920 Speaker 1: you know, I'm pretty good too. And four a drummer, 769 00:48:44,840 --> 00:48:48,080 Speaker 1: So they say to me. I I say to them, 770 00:48:48,120 --> 00:48:51,080 Speaker 1: I say, listen, tell Bud you want to sign with Atlantic, 771 00:48:51,560 --> 00:48:53,799 Speaker 1: but we got a deal. I promise you a gold 772 00:48:53,880 --> 00:48:57,560 Speaker 1: record on the first record. But I gotta play Madison's 773 00:48:57,600 --> 00:49:03,280 Speaker 1: were Garden. When you play the sure enough we didn't 774 00:49:03,280 --> 00:49:05,400 Speaker 1: put it in the contract, but sure enough, their first 775 00:49:05,440 --> 00:49:08,960 Speaker 1: record comes out. There was only one other record that 776 00:49:09,000 --> 00:49:12,960 Speaker 1: came out at the same time that blew up like that, Boston. Right. 777 00:49:13,360 --> 00:49:16,719 Speaker 1: So the Boston was six months before, six months before, right. 778 00:49:16,840 --> 00:49:19,200 Speaker 1: I remember Bug coming to my office every day. I'm 779 00:49:19,200 --> 00:49:20,680 Speaker 1: glad you said that because he used to come to 780 00:49:20,719 --> 00:49:24,759 Speaker 1: my office day. I want Boston. You gotta make this 781 00:49:24,920 --> 00:49:28,600 Speaker 1: like Boston, and and we did. So now they're gonna 782 00:49:28,600 --> 00:49:32,040 Speaker 1: play the Garden. And I know they're gonna play the Garden. 783 00:49:32,080 --> 00:49:34,360 Speaker 1: I said, hey, you know, we gotta bet. They said, don't. 784 00:49:34,360 --> 00:49:36,719 Speaker 1: We're gonna take care of it. So I'm on the 785 00:49:36,760 --> 00:49:40,920 Speaker 1: side of the stage. Sure enough, on the encore, uh 786 00:49:41,400 --> 00:49:43,640 Speaker 1: hot Blood and I think it was a song whatever 787 00:49:43,680 --> 00:49:47,000 Speaker 1: the encore was to take out a drum set. Jerry 788 00:49:47,040 --> 00:49:50,279 Speaker 1: goes out, Jerry plays the encore. They say to me, 789 00:49:50,960 --> 00:49:52,879 Speaker 1: you know, we're gonna take the drum set on the road, 790 00:49:53,680 --> 00:49:58,000 Speaker 1: so wherever you show up, you can you can sit in. 791 00:49:58,600 --> 00:50:02,680 Speaker 1: So they played the Forum. I flew to California, I 792 00:50:02,719 --> 00:50:05,000 Speaker 1: did the Form, I did Miami, I did all the 793 00:50:05,040 --> 00:50:11,600 Speaker 1: warm places Hawaii. But we're to this day. I'm still 794 00:50:11,719 --> 00:50:14,840 Speaker 1: very close with Mick Jones. You know they've changed members. 795 00:50:15,760 --> 00:50:18,000 Speaker 1: I saw him what a year ago when they played 796 00:50:18,000 --> 00:50:22,520 Speaker 1: out here, and you know, you go to a foreign 797 00:50:22,680 --> 00:50:27,080 Speaker 1: Foreigner concerts like a jukebox, absolutely amazing, how many hits 798 00:50:27,080 --> 00:50:29,160 Speaker 1: they have. And then when they worked with but Lange 799 00:50:29,200 --> 00:50:32,160 Speaker 1: and they did that incredible album Foreigner four, it was 800 00:50:32,239 --> 00:50:36,759 Speaker 1: just unreal. So okay, you tell us how you got 801 00:50:36,840 --> 00:50:39,719 Speaker 1: Foreigner away from A and M and Arista. Did you 802 00:50:39,760 --> 00:50:45,720 Speaker 1: ever lose a band? Oh yeah, oh yeah, I missed 803 00:50:45,719 --> 00:50:49,880 Speaker 1: a few. I was the first guy to see Billy Joel. 804 00:50:50,239 --> 00:50:54,560 Speaker 1: I wanted to sign Billy Joel and it's a long story, 805 00:50:54,600 --> 00:50:59,160 Speaker 1: but anyways, he ended up on Columbia. UM and uh, 806 00:50:59,239 --> 00:51:01,120 Speaker 1: this is a great story. You love and this is 807 00:51:01,120 --> 00:51:04,080 Speaker 1: a true story. So I get a call from Steve Lieber, 808 00:51:04,239 --> 00:51:08,600 Speaker 1: who's the manager partner with with David Krebs, big manager 809 00:51:08,640 --> 00:51:11,520 Speaker 1: in New York. He says, I want you to come 810 00:51:11,560 --> 00:51:14,040 Speaker 1: and see a band we're gonna have at Maxis Kansas City. 811 00:51:14,200 --> 00:51:17,160 Speaker 1: I said, okay, I show up with Almed. He said, 812 00:51:17,160 --> 00:51:19,880 Speaker 1: but you gotta bring Almed, so I said, okay, So 813 00:51:19,920 --> 00:51:23,439 Speaker 1: it's Armed. Myself. Phil Carson was in town. My guy 814 00:51:23,480 --> 00:51:27,560 Speaker 1: from Europe, Jim Delahan we go to Maxis Kansas City. 815 00:51:27,920 --> 00:51:30,239 Speaker 1: Who's sitting next to me, Clive Davis, who's on the 816 00:51:30,280 --> 00:51:32,560 Speaker 1: other side of me, the head of our c A. 817 00:51:32,560 --> 00:51:35,400 Speaker 1: All the record companies are there. All of a sudden, 818 00:51:36,080 --> 00:51:40,640 Speaker 1: band comes out. Who is it? Steve Tyler and he's 819 00:51:41,320 --> 00:51:45,440 Speaker 1: got scarves and Ahmed leans over. After the second number, 820 00:51:45,800 --> 00:51:48,440 Speaker 1: he says, we're out of here. I said, Ahmed, I 821 00:51:48,480 --> 00:51:51,560 Speaker 1: can't leave, I said, Steve leaving is a friend of mine. 822 00:51:51,560 --> 00:51:53,759 Speaker 1: We're not getting up and leaving, just sit there having 823 00:51:53,760 --> 00:51:58,759 Speaker 1: another drink. So after every song, I get up and 824 00:51:58,800 --> 00:52:05,200 Speaker 1: I'm ap plority yo, Nick Babe. Steve Leever and Clive's 825 00:52:05,560 --> 00:52:08,440 Speaker 1: next table is looking at me. All of a sudden, 826 00:52:08,760 --> 00:52:11,440 Speaker 1: Leeba comes over. After the show, he goes, you love 827 00:52:11,560 --> 00:52:14,840 Speaker 1: them right? I said, we hated him. She's your kidding, 828 00:52:15,320 --> 00:52:17,360 Speaker 1: I said no. I said, Amna wanted to leave, but 829 00:52:17,400 --> 00:52:20,319 Speaker 1: I kept them here. I said, Alma says to me, 830 00:52:20,800 --> 00:52:24,440 Speaker 1: we had just signed the stones. He's imitating Mick Jagger, 831 00:52:24,640 --> 00:52:27,160 Speaker 1: bah bah bah bah bah. So he said, yeah, but 832 00:52:27,200 --> 00:52:29,480 Speaker 1: I was watching you. I said, I did it for you. 833 00:52:30,320 --> 00:52:32,360 Speaker 1: Go over and tell Clive Davis you just got a 834 00:52:32,360 --> 00:52:36,600 Speaker 1: big offer from Atlantic. Double it. He'll double it guaranteed 835 00:52:37,480 --> 00:52:40,640 Speaker 1: true story. That's what happened. So that's how Aerosmith ended 836 00:52:40,719 --> 00:52:43,959 Speaker 1: up at That's how Aerosmith ended up in Columbia. So 837 00:52:44,360 --> 00:52:47,600 Speaker 1: you work is the head of the president of Atlantic 838 00:52:47,640 --> 00:52:54,880 Speaker 1: to what year until nine eighty? I decided after missing 839 00:52:54,920 --> 00:53:00,439 Speaker 1: a couple of great opportunities. Uh about business opportunities, Yes, 840 00:53:01,400 --> 00:53:07,120 Speaker 1: label opportunities. Okay, Uh David Geffen gave to me, So 841 00:53:07,280 --> 00:53:09,359 Speaker 1: you need your own label. You should have your own label. 842 00:53:09,400 --> 00:53:13,280 Speaker 1: You signed Foreigner Genesis Alba you know, blah blah blah. 843 00:53:13,320 --> 00:53:17,120 Speaker 1: Because I watched David, who offered me a piece of 844 00:53:17,160 --> 00:53:21,319 Speaker 1: Asylum Records back in the early days, start a record 845 00:53:21,360 --> 00:53:24,600 Speaker 1: company and make them a lot of money. So I 846 00:53:25,239 --> 00:53:29,080 Speaker 1: necessarily decided, I'm going to start my own record label 847 00:53:29,120 --> 00:53:33,719 Speaker 1: with my brother. And what's your brother doing at this point? Oh? My? 848 00:53:34,080 --> 00:53:38,360 Speaker 1: First of all, my well, my brother ends up back 849 00:53:38,440 --> 00:53:41,720 Speaker 1: from Hartford, ends up going to work for Warner Brothers. 850 00:53:42,239 --> 00:53:45,839 Speaker 1: From Warner Brothers New York, they moved them out to California. 851 00:53:46,200 --> 00:53:49,680 Speaker 1: So while I'm working started working for Atlantic, Bob is 852 00:53:49,719 --> 00:53:53,680 Speaker 1: now working for Warner Brothers in California. Once I took 853 00:53:53,719 --> 00:53:57,800 Speaker 1: over at Atlantic, I needed a new general manager for Atlantic. 854 00:53:58,160 --> 00:54:02,200 Speaker 1: So Bob now becomes the general manager of Atlantic in 855 00:54:02,200 --> 00:54:07,120 Speaker 1: the yearly seventies. So you have the Greenberg team and 856 00:54:07,239 --> 00:54:10,880 Speaker 1: your father is still working for the record distributor. Yeah, 857 00:54:11,120 --> 00:54:14,239 Speaker 1: that's still working for the distributor in Harford. You got 858 00:54:14,239 --> 00:54:17,080 Speaker 1: Bob in l A, got Jerry running Atlantic in New York, 859 00:54:17,800 --> 00:54:23,399 Speaker 1: and you know, we were the Greenberg's running Atlantic. But 860 00:54:23,680 --> 00:54:26,480 Speaker 1: so in nine Geffen comes to me. He said, you 861 00:54:26,520 --> 00:54:29,120 Speaker 1: know you need you should start your own record label, 862 00:54:29,719 --> 00:54:34,080 Speaker 1: you know, And I said, fine. You know, he said, 863 00:54:34,680 --> 00:54:37,359 Speaker 1: I go to Alma and my contracts up, and I said, 864 00:54:37,400 --> 00:54:39,879 Speaker 1: I want to start my my own label. They don't 865 00:54:39,880 --> 00:54:42,120 Speaker 1: want you to have it. They want the wall for you. 866 00:54:42,320 --> 00:54:47,400 Speaker 1: Anything to stay at Atlantic, anything you want, I said. 867 00:54:48,360 --> 00:54:52,040 Speaker 1: I was kind of like I just wanted something new. 868 00:54:52,239 --> 00:54:55,840 Speaker 1: You know, you reach a certain point. I mean I 869 00:54:55,960 --> 00:54:59,120 Speaker 1: had it down. Hey, let me start something new fresh. 870 00:54:59,160 --> 00:55:03,320 Speaker 1: Boom boom. Okay, they wouldn't do it. So Geffen calls 871 00:55:03,360 --> 00:55:07,279 Speaker 1: me a we all know that our friend David with 872 00:55:07,440 --> 00:55:10,239 Speaker 1: his phone book and he said, Alan Hirshfield wants to 873 00:55:10,280 --> 00:55:13,040 Speaker 1: meet with you. Alan Hirshfield just took all the twentieth 874 00:55:13,080 --> 00:55:16,800 Speaker 1: century Fox take a meeting with Alan Hirshfield. Alan Hurshield 875 00:55:16,840 --> 00:55:21,960 Speaker 1: said we're gonna offer you half twenty century Fox Records. 876 00:55:22,200 --> 00:55:25,920 Speaker 1: We'll start a new company. We'll call it Green Fox Records. 877 00:55:26,600 --> 00:55:30,880 Speaker 1: And here's the deal. So I go back to Ahmed 878 00:55:30,920 --> 00:55:33,800 Speaker 1: and everybody, I said, listen, I'm leaving. I'm going to 879 00:55:33,880 --> 00:55:37,319 Speaker 1: start a new record company. You got it. That's when 880 00:55:37,320 --> 00:55:41,160 Speaker 1: they gave me Mirage. Bob and I started Mirage in 881 00:55:42,640 --> 00:55:47,040 Speaker 1: We were consultants to Atlantic Records and I stayed there 882 00:55:47,040 --> 00:55:50,719 Speaker 1: for five years. But Prayer called me when he started Mirage. 883 00:55:51,680 --> 00:55:54,560 Speaker 1: What do you think was first record? I signed White Snake. 884 00:55:55,600 --> 00:56:00,800 Speaker 1: That was our first record. And what else was Amurage? Oh? God? 885 00:56:00,920 --> 00:56:05,879 Speaker 1: Southside Johnny Phoebe Snow had a big We were doing 886 00:56:05,920 --> 00:56:09,480 Speaker 1: a lot of dance records. Shannon let the music play. 887 00:56:09,480 --> 00:56:13,040 Speaker 1: Brenda Case start the system. You're in my system. I 888 00:56:13,080 --> 00:56:15,920 Speaker 1: mean we were always on the charge. Five years. We 889 00:56:15,920 --> 00:56:18,320 Speaker 1: were always on a charge. We were a small but 890 00:56:18,480 --> 00:56:21,680 Speaker 1: profitable little label. It was just Bob and I and 891 00:56:21,840 --> 00:56:25,040 Speaker 1: two other people. I took Jim Delahan with me and 892 00:56:25,239 --> 00:56:28,160 Speaker 1: a secretary. We were two people in l A, three 893 00:56:29,040 --> 00:56:31,880 Speaker 1: of us or four of us in uh New York. 894 00:56:32,520 --> 00:56:35,560 Speaker 1: But that's the way those you know, it's what's happening 895 00:56:35,600 --> 00:56:38,719 Speaker 1: now with these little independent labels. Atlantic was doing all 896 00:56:38,760 --> 00:56:42,239 Speaker 1: the marketing, the promotion, everything, and the next step is 897 00:56:42,400 --> 00:56:46,600 Speaker 1: w t G. The next step was was Tommy Montola 898 00:56:46,760 --> 00:56:52,000 Speaker 1: calling me. No. The next step actually after Mirage, was 899 00:56:53,200 --> 00:56:57,799 Speaker 1: Jerry Winthrump. Okay, Jerry Winthrump called me and said, I'm 900 00:56:57,800 --> 00:57:01,800 Speaker 1: starting MGM U A. I want you to be my guy. 901 00:57:01,960 --> 00:57:05,239 Speaker 1: I said, well, it's me and my brother, no problem. 902 00:57:05,280 --> 00:57:08,400 Speaker 1: So I left. We only had like a couple of 903 00:57:08,480 --> 00:57:11,279 Speaker 1: acts at that time. I'mage, so I left the acts 904 00:57:11,320 --> 00:57:15,640 Speaker 1: there and I went to MGMU A. First project, I 905 00:57:15,719 --> 00:57:20,480 Speaker 1: do a m G m G MGM you way as 906 00:57:20,560 --> 00:57:22,200 Speaker 1: Jerry comes to me and he says, I'm doing a 907 00:57:22,280 --> 00:57:25,280 Speaker 1: movie to the Karate Kid. You should do the music 908 00:57:25,920 --> 00:57:30,600 Speaker 1: put together Peter Stara Brooks, author from the song and 909 00:57:31,240 --> 00:57:35,680 Speaker 1: we had Glory of Love. First record comes out with 910 00:57:35,840 --> 00:57:42,560 Speaker 1: gold mgmuays in the record business. Jerry leaves after a 911 00:57:42,640 --> 00:57:45,479 Speaker 1: year and a half. The guy comes in. He says, listen, 912 00:57:45,560 --> 00:57:47,440 Speaker 1: I don't I don't like the record business. I don't 913 00:57:47,480 --> 00:57:50,480 Speaker 1: want to record business. He said, I want you you 914 00:57:50,640 --> 00:57:54,560 Speaker 1: to uh still do soundtracks on land on your contract. 915 00:57:55,360 --> 00:57:57,000 Speaker 1: I said, gee, I don't know if that's for me. 916 00:57:57,680 --> 00:58:04,040 Speaker 1: At the same time, am A walls me this seven ors. 917 00:58:05,040 --> 00:58:08,200 Speaker 1: He goes, I'd love you to come back and and 918 00:58:08,480 --> 00:58:11,760 Speaker 1: be part of Atlantic again. So I said, what are 919 00:58:11,800 --> 00:58:14,040 Speaker 1: we talking about? He said, how about you become president 920 00:58:14,120 --> 00:58:16,960 Speaker 1: of ATCO, which was the other label. I said, I'll 921 00:58:16,960 --> 00:58:19,280 Speaker 1: only do it if I could stay in California. And 922 00:58:19,400 --> 00:58:21,360 Speaker 1: I said, and it makes sense. You got Doug Morris 923 00:58:21,480 --> 00:58:24,720 Speaker 1: running it there in New York. Leave me in California. 924 00:58:24,760 --> 00:58:29,480 Speaker 1: I'll find things in California. He says, Okay, you got it. 925 00:58:30,040 --> 00:58:35,520 Speaker 1: So I'm now back in Atlantic, president of at CO. 926 00:58:37,000 --> 00:58:39,720 Speaker 1: First couple of records I signed, I do the soundtrack 927 00:58:39,800 --> 00:58:43,320 Speaker 1: to Eddie Murphy Coming to America. I do a deal 928 00:58:43,400 --> 00:58:49,480 Speaker 1: with Jerry Heller. First rap record on for Wheel was 929 00:58:50,360 --> 00:58:55,960 Speaker 1: J J. Fatt, Supersonic and mische Le. So then I 930 00:58:56,000 --> 00:58:59,840 Speaker 1: assigned an escape club from England. I signed like six things, 931 00:59:00,080 --> 00:59:02,680 Speaker 1: had five goal records. All that happened like in a 932 00:59:02,800 --> 00:59:07,439 Speaker 1: year and a half. But Atlantic just it wasn't the same. 933 00:59:08,480 --> 00:59:12,240 Speaker 1: And Tommy kept on calling me the total and he calls, 934 00:59:12,360 --> 00:59:17,520 Speaker 1: listen taking over Sony here the first guy I want higher. 935 00:59:17,720 --> 00:59:21,040 Speaker 1: I said, I am not coming back to New York. 936 00:59:21,680 --> 00:59:24,439 Speaker 1: Would you go back to New York? No? Never? Never. 937 00:59:25,040 --> 00:59:28,280 Speaker 1: I mean I keep reading I have nostalgia, and you 938 00:59:28,400 --> 00:59:30,960 Speaker 1: go and you say, hey, I miss it, and then 939 00:59:30,960 --> 00:59:34,720 Speaker 1: after like five or six days. Okay. The way I 940 00:59:34,760 --> 00:59:37,600 Speaker 1: always put it is New York City, greatest city in 941 00:59:37,640 --> 00:59:41,400 Speaker 1: the world. I'd rather live in Los Angeles. Correct. Yeah, 942 00:59:41,680 --> 00:59:43,880 Speaker 1: it's just like it's just the other thing is for 943 00:59:44,000 --> 00:59:46,080 Speaker 1: people like us who grew up in the suburbs. Even 944 00:59:46,120 --> 00:59:49,320 Speaker 1: though the traffic is terrible, I like not being totally 945 00:59:49,360 --> 00:59:51,440 Speaker 1: on top of each other in l A. And I 946 00:59:51,560 --> 00:59:54,000 Speaker 1: also like that there's not the bs of who your 947 00:59:54,080 --> 00:59:56,520 Speaker 1: parents were. Everybody is so full of ship in Los Angeles, 948 00:59:56,800 --> 00:59:58,640 Speaker 1: and I could be whoever I want to be. No 949 00:59:58,720 --> 01:00:03,240 Speaker 1: one really cares exactly exactly. My big thing with Los 950 01:00:03,320 --> 01:00:06,520 Speaker 1: Angeles was that I loved boating, and the first thing 951 01:00:06,600 --> 01:00:08,120 Speaker 1: I did when I got out here was by a 952 01:00:08,160 --> 01:00:10,080 Speaker 1: boat and kept in a Marina del Rey. Then I 953 01:00:10,160 --> 01:00:12,919 Speaker 1: moved it up to Newport. I'm voting every weekend. Man, 954 01:00:13,000 --> 01:00:16,600 Speaker 1: I'm I'm like going crazy. So I say to Tommy, 955 01:00:17,160 --> 01:00:21,760 Speaker 1: I'm not coming back. So he says, uh, fine, We'll 956 01:00:21,760 --> 01:00:23,840 Speaker 1: give you your own label. In California. I said that 957 01:00:23,880 --> 01:00:29,080 Speaker 1: makes sense, I said, you know, uh, California's still a 958 01:00:29,360 --> 01:00:34,280 Speaker 1: very active talent situation. So they gave me my own label. 959 01:00:34,360 --> 01:00:38,000 Speaker 1: But the interesting story is just before I went to 960 01:00:38,120 --> 01:00:42,560 Speaker 1: take the job, I'm at the Atlantic fort anniversary show. 961 01:00:43,400 --> 01:00:48,440 Speaker 1: Were led up in led Zeppelin Reunites and bonds. Bonzo's son, 962 01:00:48,560 --> 01:00:51,600 Speaker 1: John Bonham's playing drums. I lean over and I said, 963 01:00:51,720 --> 01:00:54,880 Speaker 1: my wife, I'm gonna sign that. Kid said what kid? 964 01:00:55,640 --> 01:01:00,520 Speaker 1: I said the drummer, John Bonham's son. So I go stage. 965 01:01:00,800 --> 01:01:03,360 Speaker 1: I grabbed Jason. I said, listen, man, I want to 966 01:01:03,720 --> 01:01:06,520 Speaker 1: what are you What are you doing after this? He said, well, 967 01:01:06,520 --> 01:01:08,440 Speaker 1: I'm thinking about putting a band together. No, no, no, 968 01:01:08,600 --> 01:01:11,280 Speaker 1: You're gonna put a band together, and you're gonna be 969 01:01:11,440 --> 01:01:16,080 Speaker 1: my first signing for my new label. So he goes okay. 970 01:01:16,800 --> 01:01:19,680 Speaker 1: So finds the lead singer and gets a guitar player. 971 01:01:19,760 --> 01:01:23,080 Speaker 1: We get Bob Ezeran, the greatest producer in the world. 972 01:01:24,120 --> 01:01:27,560 Speaker 1: My first record on w TG is Disregardful Time Keeping. 973 01:01:27,640 --> 01:01:30,720 Speaker 1: It's a platinum album. I'm in the rock business. So 974 01:01:30,880 --> 01:01:34,520 Speaker 1: I look around at Atlanta, at at at Now I'm 975 01:01:34,600 --> 01:01:38,080 Speaker 1: over at Sony Columbia, and I look around. I said, 976 01:01:38,120 --> 01:01:40,840 Speaker 1: what are they missing that I could bring to the table. 977 01:01:41,800 --> 01:01:46,440 Speaker 1: I said, they don't have any heavy metal. I signed Motorhead. Okay, 978 01:01:46,800 --> 01:01:51,520 Speaker 1: we have the first Grammy nominated record for Motorhead. Look 979 01:01:51,560 --> 01:01:56,400 Speaker 1: around again and I said, they're not putting out any soundtracks. 980 01:01:57,440 --> 01:02:00,400 Speaker 1: I get friendly with Cameron Crow the your t G 981 01:02:00,880 --> 01:02:06,840 Speaker 1: signs say anything. Peter Gabriel put together the soundtrack. I 982 01:02:06,920 --> 01:02:09,720 Speaker 1: had three gold records like Boom Boom Boom before you 983 01:02:09,840 --> 01:02:15,120 Speaker 1: blinked so and then I got a call from Michael Jackson. 984 01:02:16,240 --> 01:02:22,720 Speaker 1: This is like and they lawyer caused, Michael Jackson wants 985 01:02:22,720 --> 01:02:26,080 Speaker 1: to meet with you. Cut to go. Take the meeting 986 01:02:26,160 --> 01:02:31,320 Speaker 1: with Michael two hours, love you, love you, greatest guy 987 01:02:31,360 --> 01:02:34,560 Speaker 1: in the world. And I take a position in an 988 01:02:34,680 --> 01:02:38,920 Speaker 1: equity position too, by the way, in uh, Michael's m 989 01:02:39,000 --> 01:02:43,680 Speaker 1: g J music and um, the first thing I do there, 990 01:02:43,840 --> 01:02:47,160 Speaker 1: I think I mentioned is the free Willie. And then 991 01:02:47,280 --> 01:02:50,880 Speaker 1: we signed brown Stone. We signed Tatiana League, gave Rodney 992 01:02:50,960 --> 01:02:56,720 Speaker 1: Jerkins's first record. So my first job on Earth, I guess, 993 01:02:58,040 --> 01:03:03,600 Speaker 1: is making dreams come true, finding talent, loving the music, 994 01:03:04,360 --> 01:03:08,400 Speaker 1: still to this day, loving the music. I'm trying to 995 01:03:08,480 --> 01:03:11,920 Speaker 1: help some friends of mine. I got two young artists 996 01:03:11,960 --> 01:03:15,760 Speaker 1: that I'm trying to help develop. One's like a real 997 01:03:15,880 --> 01:03:20,280 Speaker 1: Bruce Springsteen kind of guy named Travis March, and the 998 01:03:20,400 --> 01:03:23,360 Speaker 1: other is a black singer up in from San Francisco, 999 01:03:23,560 --> 01:03:27,800 Speaker 1: real great, great black singer. So I'm still out there 1000 01:03:27,840 --> 01:03:32,280 Speaker 1: today now trying to help some people get things organized. 1001 01:03:33,080 --> 01:03:35,600 Speaker 1: The big thing that I'm working on also right now 1002 01:03:36,040 --> 01:03:40,040 Speaker 1: is a tribute to Michael in conjunction with his birthday. 1003 01:03:40,440 --> 01:03:44,560 Speaker 1: Michael's will be sixty in August nine, and I came 1004 01:03:44,640 --> 01:03:49,640 Speaker 1: up with an idea to do a tribute. He's the 1005 01:03:49,720 --> 01:03:52,400 Speaker 1: king of pop, but he's also the king of dance. 1006 01:03:54,120 --> 01:03:57,760 Speaker 1: I came up with an idea to put together all 1007 01:03:57,840 --> 01:04:02,280 Speaker 1: the young, the young, new up and coming dance artists. 1008 01:04:02,320 --> 01:04:09,000 Speaker 1: And I'm talking obviously Chris Brown, obviously Usher, obviously, you 1009 01:04:09,080 --> 01:04:11,680 Speaker 1: know all those groups that are out there that are 1010 01:04:13,000 --> 01:04:17,480 Speaker 1: inspired by Michael. So we came up. We're putting a 1011 01:04:17,560 --> 01:04:20,919 Speaker 1: song together called Shut Up and Dance, and we're gonna 1012 01:04:20,960 --> 01:04:26,720 Speaker 1: get all worldwide. You know, I'm I'm really very interested 1013 01:04:26,760 --> 01:04:29,440 Speaker 1: in this whole K pop thing. I think this K 1014 01:04:29,560 --> 01:04:32,760 Speaker 1: pop thing is going to explode here. So we're talking 1015 01:04:32,800 --> 01:04:35,600 Speaker 1: to be two s about being involved. We're talking to 1016 01:04:35,720 --> 01:04:39,040 Speaker 1: an artist from China. So I'm working on this project 1017 01:04:39,720 --> 01:04:41,560 Speaker 1: that it's kind of I don't want to say it's 1018 01:04:41,600 --> 01:04:43,760 Speaker 1: like a we are the World thing, but it's it's 1019 01:04:44,120 --> 01:04:48,480 Speaker 1: a lot of great artists together paying tribute to Michael 1020 01:04:48,520 --> 01:04:51,080 Speaker 1: and his dance in the dance world. Okay, so it's 1021 01:04:51,120 --> 01:04:53,840 Speaker 1: one track, one track, and it's a cover of a 1022 01:04:53,960 --> 01:04:57,160 Speaker 1: previous Michael Jackson song. No, it's a brand new song, 1023 01:04:57,760 --> 01:05:02,000 Speaker 1: brand new song. But who wrote it? Uh? Jason Drill. 1024 01:05:02,080 --> 01:05:10,200 Speaker 1: Oh right, that's really cool. So Okay, if this late day, 1025 01:05:10,280 --> 01:05:14,200 Speaker 1: you're still in the game, but on some level of 1026 01:05:14,240 --> 01:05:16,480 Speaker 1: the game is very similar to how it was when 1027 01:05:16,520 --> 01:05:20,680 Speaker 1: you started, but another level different because the difference would be, yeah, 1028 01:05:20,760 --> 01:05:25,160 Speaker 1: everything's independent. Everybody has individual power. But in the sixties, 1029 01:05:25,280 --> 01:05:28,160 Speaker 1: when there were fewer records, if you had to hit record, 1030 01:05:28,360 --> 01:05:31,600 Speaker 1: everybody in America knew it right, whereas today it is 1031 01:05:31,680 --> 01:05:34,400 Speaker 1: hard to get that mind share. So what do you 1032 01:05:34,600 --> 01:05:39,439 Speaker 1: feel about the music and the record business today? First 1033 01:05:39,440 --> 01:05:43,160 Speaker 1: of all, I feel that it's an amazing time for 1034 01:05:43,360 --> 01:05:47,400 Speaker 1: young artists. I'd like to preach to the young artists 1035 01:05:47,480 --> 01:05:53,520 Speaker 1: to say, have the patience to make your dreams come true. 1036 01:05:54,000 --> 01:05:57,320 Speaker 1: I tell everybody the big word in our business right 1037 01:05:57,360 --> 01:06:02,760 Speaker 1: now is patients. And what I'm seeing is these young 1038 01:06:02,880 --> 01:06:05,240 Speaker 1: kids who grew up to our music, grew up to 1039 01:06:05,360 --> 01:06:09,600 Speaker 1: Led Zeppelin. I mean I gret A Van, I mean 1040 01:06:09,680 --> 01:06:11,560 Speaker 1: I read about it in your column. The first thing 1041 01:06:11,640 --> 01:06:14,600 Speaker 1: I did was I went, I looked at the record 1042 01:06:15,040 --> 01:06:17,160 Speaker 1: and I said, God, if I had a record label, 1043 01:06:17,600 --> 01:06:19,840 Speaker 1: I'd signed him in a minute. And I called Jason. 1044 01:06:19,920 --> 01:06:23,440 Speaker 1: When Jason made the deal, Jason Flam who was presently Universal, 1045 01:06:23,840 --> 01:06:26,600 Speaker 1: were a lot of three ex Atlantic people were his 1046 01:06:26,720 --> 01:06:29,440 Speaker 1: Lava Records, Isa, Hey, they was in Atlantic, right But 1047 01:06:29,760 --> 01:06:33,160 Speaker 1: my my point is these kids are growing up to 1048 01:06:33,240 --> 01:06:35,600 Speaker 1: our music, and they're growing up to Billy Joel, They're 1049 01:06:35,600 --> 01:06:40,040 Speaker 1: growing up the Arrowsmith and they have the tools now 1050 01:06:40,280 --> 01:06:45,000 Speaker 1: available in their room to record, to make a video, 1051 01:06:45,560 --> 01:06:49,000 Speaker 1: to give it to YouTube. And I just think there's 1052 01:06:49,280 --> 01:06:53,920 Speaker 1: so worldwide now, there's so much great talent being nurtured 1053 01:06:54,680 --> 01:07:00,320 Speaker 1: that it's amazing. So how does this talent get exposed? Okay, 1054 01:07:01,120 --> 01:07:06,200 Speaker 1: a lot of it has to happen by touring, a 1055 01:07:06,320 --> 01:07:08,160 Speaker 1: lot of it has to happen by word of mouth. 1056 01:07:08,200 --> 01:07:11,640 Speaker 1: A lot of happen has to be lucky in getting 1057 01:07:11,720 --> 01:07:16,960 Speaker 1: signed to a record company. But there's an enormous opportunity 1058 01:07:17,280 --> 01:07:24,080 Speaker 1: right now for music companies, from publishing companies, for management companies. 1059 01:07:25,440 --> 01:07:29,080 Speaker 1: Major opportunity now in the music business. And do you 1060 01:07:29,240 --> 01:07:31,400 Speaker 1: think rock is dead or rock could come back? No, 1061 01:07:31,600 --> 01:07:34,520 Speaker 1: Rock's gonna come back. Really, why are you so convinced. 1062 01:07:36,280 --> 01:07:40,160 Speaker 1: I'm just smell it. Okay, call it a gut all 1063 01:07:40,160 --> 01:07:42,920 Speaker 1: of a sudden, you'll you'll, you'll see it. It's gonna be. 1064 01:07:45,160 --> 01:07:47,959 Speaker 1: It's gonna be songs. I mean, no disrespect to rapp 1065 01:07:48,080 --> 01:07:50,560 Speaker 1: and into everything that is going on, but you know, 1066 01:07:50,680 --> 01:07:55,520 Speaker 1: the main thing is as songs. And you know what 1067 01:07:56,040 --> 01:07:58,720 Speaker 1: I mean, Billy is still out there making songs. Billy 1068 01:07:58,840 --> 01:08:05,360 Speaker 1: Joe a brew It's song song business. Imagine my granddaughters 1069 01:08:07,600 --> 01:08:09,880 Speaker 1: fourteen years old, calls me up. I said, who's your 1070 01:08:09,880 --> 01:08:13,560 Speaker 1: favorite band? Imagine Dragons. I mean, young kids are getting 1071 01:08:13,600 --> 01:08:18,080 Speaker 1: into rock. Let me tell you, uh panic at the disco, etcetera. 1072 01:08:18,800 --> 01:08:23,320 Speaker 1: So I'm telling you rocks are gonna come back. Well, 1073 01:08:23,439 --> 01:08:25,920 Speaker 1: certainly people, but people don't realize, you know they because 1074 01:08:25,920 --> 01:08:29,519 Speaker 1: they give Greta Van Fleet a hard time sounding led Zeppelin. Well, 1075 01:08:29,560 --> 01:08:32,960 Speaker 1: this is fifty years after led Zeppelin and led Zeppelin 1076 01:08:33,080 --> 01:08:35,840 Speaker 1: was influenced by the American blues guys. And it wasn't 1077 01:08:35,840 --> 01:08:39,920 Speaker 1: even fifty years there exactly. No, it's it's it's funny 1078 01:08:40,040 --> 01:08:43,959 Speaker 1: because a lot of those English acts clapped in Zeppelin, 1079 01:08:44,120 --> 01:08:48,439 Speaker 1: et cetera. They all grew up to the blues exactly, 1080 01:08:48,479 --> 01:08:51,200 Speaker 1: all American music, all American music, and that's where they 1081 01:08:51,240 --> 01:08:53,519 Speaker 1: got a lot of it from. Who did you work with, 1082 01:08:54,160 --> 01:09:00,280 Speaker 1: who you believed in but didn't break through? Oh? Boy, um, 1083 01:09:02,520 --> 01:09:05,080 Speaker 1: I don't know, And you know that's a hard question. 1084 01:09:08,160 --> 01:09:11,160 Speaker 1: I was. I guess I was lucky. Then most of 1085 01:09:11,240 --> 01:09:16,679 Speaker 1: the acts broke through. Here's here's a well, here's an example. 1086 01:09:17,080 --> 01:09:20,719 Speaker 1: I've read in the newspaper. John Prine is out touring, 1087 01:09:21,040 --> 01:09:24,400 Speaker 1: has a record oil. Well, Jerry Waxer signed John Prin. 1088 01:09:25,520 --> 01:09:27,880 Speaker 1: But he didn't break through it Atlantic. I mean he 1089 01:09:27,920 --> 01:09:30,320 Speaker 1: didn't really you know what, he's never really broke it through. 1090 01:09:30,560 --> 01:09:32,559 Speaker 1: The times have caught up with him. So he's an 1091 01:09:32,640 --> 01:09:36,080 Speaker 1: established artist, but he never had a hit, right exactly. 1092 01:09:36,880 --> 01:09:38,840 Speaker 1: But you know, when I go back and I think, 1093 01:09:39,320 --> 01:09:42,639 Speaker 1: you know of some of the acts that Jerry found signed. 1094 01:09:44,080 --> 01:09:47,400 Speaker 1: Learning from Jerry, the diversity of Jerry signed De Laney 1095 01:09:47,439 --> 01:09:50,680 Speaker 1: and Bonnie, then he went to Dr John. Then he 1096 01:09:50,800 --> 01:09:54,240 Speaker 1: did the Alice Cooper deal. I mean, this is the 1097 01:09:54,280 --> 01:09:57,360 Speaker 1: guy that was all over the place with music. And 1098 01:09:57,479 --> 01:09:59,840 Speaker 1: that's when I think, uh, you know, I am I 1099 01:10:00,040 --> 01:10:03,400 Speaker 1: learned about soundtracks. I mean the deal for the Muppets soundtrack. 1100 01:10:03,840 --> 01:10:06,840 Speaker 1: I picked Rainbow I heard Rainbow Connection. This is a 1101 01:10:06,920 --> 01:10:09,519 Speaker 1: great story. I come back and then Jerry Almetterre in 1102 01:10:09,600 --> 01:10:12,559 Speaker 1: their office. I said, listen, I just made a great deal. 1103 01:10:12,680 --> 01:10:16,680 Speaker 1: We got the soundtrack to the Muppets. There's dead silence, 1104 01:10:17,320 --> 01:10:20,479 Speaker 1: m it goes, oh the Muppets. I said, well, they 1105 01:10:20,560 --> 01:10:24,200 Speaker 1: their puppets. They got a TV shot. TV doesn't sell. No, 1106 01:10:24,760 --> 01:10:26,800 Speaker 1: this is big. Trust me, this is gonna be big. 1107 01:10:27,560 --> 01:10:30,240 Speaker 1: He said, what's the soundtrack? I said, well, it's basically music. 1108 01:10:30,320 --> 01:10:32,240 Speaker 1: But they got a song I think could be a hit. 1109 01:10:32,800 --> 01:10:36,400 Speaker 1: They got a song. What's the song? Oh, it's called 1110 01:10:36,520 --> 01:10:39,439 Speaker 1: Rainbow Connection. Who's going to do it? Or the Frog? 1111 01:10:41,240 --> 01:10:44,839 Speaker 1: Wait a minute, the Frog is going to sing Rainbow Connection. 1112 01:10:45,439 --> 01:10:47,360 Speaker 1: I said, yeah, it's a Paul Williams song. I think 1113 01:10:47,400 --> 01:10:49,760 Speaker 1: it could be a hit single. They looked at me 1114 01:10:49,880 --> 01:10:52,880 Speaker 1: like I was smoking weed. Man, are you guys? Are 1115 01:10:52,920 --> 01:10:55,840 Speaker 1: you crazy? And I remember Jerry. The quote from Jerry 1116 01:10:56,040 --> 01:10:59,439 Speaker 1: was ahmed the kids right, more than he's wrong. If 1117 01:10:59,520 --> 01:11:01,760 Speaker 1: he says is gonna be hit, it's gonna be hit. 1118 01:11:02,320 --> 01:11:08,800 Speaker 1: And it was. Well pause here for a brief moment 1119 01:11:08,880 --> 01:11:15,479 Speaker 1: and get right back to Jerry Greenberg. Check out my 1120 01:11:15,680 --> 01:11:18,519 Speaker 1: writing at left sets dot com. I cover all the 1121 01:11:18,600 --> 01:11:21,719 Speaker 1: topics of the podcast and more. Go to left sets 1122 01:11:21,760 --> 01:11:23,920 Speaker 1: dot com and sign up for the newsletter to read 1123 01:11:24,080 --> 01:11:29,880 Speaker 1: all my rants and observations. Now more with legendary record 1124 01:11:30,000 --> 01:11:33,000 Speaker 1: label executive Jerry Greenberg, recorded live at the two In 1125 01:11:33,120 --> 01:11:39,800 Speaker 1: Studios in Venice, California. Okay, just covering up some other stuff, 1126 01:11:39,880 --> 01:11:43,519 Speaker 1: covering some other stuff. To what degree was Paola factor 1127 01:11:43,600 --> 01:11:46,559 Speaker 1: in your history? I don't talk about I'm not asking 1128 01:11:46,600 --> 01:11:49,000 Speaker 1: you your personal stories of paying people, but the business 1129 01:11:49,040 --> 01:11:53,679 Speaker 1: at large, I think it all got blown out of proportion. 1130 01:11:53,800 --> 01:11:57,600 Speaker 1: Hit Man got blown out of proportion. We to me, 1131 01:11:58,560 --> 01:12:02,920 Speaker 1: I never hand that the shocky any money. Did I 1132 01:12:04,000 --> 01:12:09,160 Speaker 1: do certain promotions? I remember I took about twenty DJs 1133 01:12:09,280 --> 01:12:13,040 Speaker 1: to the Super Bowl, uh in Florida and Miami was 1134 01:12:13,160 --> 01:12:17,240 Speaker 1: playing or something. I forget who was playing. But those 1135 01:12:17,320 --> 01:12:19,320 Speaker 1: things you could kind of get away with those kind 1136 01:12:19,360 --> 01:12:25,559 Speaker 1: of promotional things. Um. But um, as far as cash 1137 01:12:25,800 --> 01:12:30,320 Speaker 1: being out there and are are are drugs. It wasn't 1138 01:12:30,400 --> 01:12:33,640 Speaker 1: as big as everybody's making it sound. Well. There was 1139 01:12:33,720 --> 01:12:40,280 Speaker 1: that era though, where there was cash paid to independent promoters. Correct, okay? 1140 01:12:40,520 --> 01:12:43,280 Speaker 1: And how much how much drugs did you see and 1141 01:12:43,400 --> 01:12:48,640 Speaker 1: do in your heyday? I'm probably the only musician and 1142 01:12:48,720 --> 01:12:51,280 Speaker 1: the only one in the record business that could put 1143 01:12:51,360 --> 01:12:55,599 Speaker 1: my hand on a bible and say I never put 1144 01:12:55,680 --> 01:12:58,719 Speaker 1: anything up my nose. I never put anything in my mouth. 1145 01:12:59,439 --> 01:13:01,560 Speaker 1: The only thing I did, and I will tell you 1146 01:13:01,680 --> 01:13:04,920 Speaker 1: that I did it quite often with smoke. Weed. But 1147 01:13:05,720 --> 01:13:09,160 Speaker 1: think about the seventies and weed. You know, I said 1148 01:13:09,280 --> 01:13:13,920 Speaker 1: something to somebody. They laughed. I said, you know, you 1149 01:13:14,000 --> 01:13:17,000 Speaker 1: could put a blindfold on me, walked me into the 1150 01:13:17,080 --> 01:13:20,240 Speaker 1: Madison Square garden and I could tell what band is 1151 01:13:20,320 --> 01:13:25,000 Speaker 1: playing by how much weed I smell. Is that is 1152 01:13:25,040 --> 01:13:27,600 Speaker 1: that good? That's very good? So you you want to 1153 01:13:27,640 --> 01:13:33,160 Speaker 1: know who like the bands where they can? Yes? Really? 1154 01:13:33,360 --> 01:13:37,320 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, yes, Genesis, Emerson, Lake and Palmer very big 1155 01:13:37,560 --> 01:13:44,760 Speaker 1: weed smokers. Uh and Zeppelin Stones not so much. I mean, yeah, 1156 01:13:45,080 --> 01:13:50,000 Speaker 1: but not not as much as those English psychedelic bands 1157 01:13:50,160 --> 01:13:54,400 Speaker 1: or whatever. But um, I never smoked any weed in 1158 01:13:54,560 --> 01:13:59,760 Speaker 1: you in the office. Uh, never you know you're you're 1159 01:14:00,240 --> 01:14:04,360 Speaker 1: with the bands afterwards, and everybody's passing a joint. You 1160 01:14:04,439 --> 01:14:07,000 Speaker 1: know you'd smoke. Okay, Well, there were some heavy cocaine 1161 01:14:07,040 --> 01:14:10,800 Speaker 1: you're especially the late seventies early eighties. Uh, how did 1162 01:14:10,840 --> 01:14:14,839 Speaker 1: you decide not to take it? That's a very good question, 1163 01:14:15,280 --> 01:14:17,880 Speaker 1: and I can give you the answer. I was very 1164 01:14:17,960 --> 01:14:22,240 Speaker 1: good friends with the drummer and average White band, very 1165 01:14:22,280 --> 01:14:25,840 Speaker 1: good friends. And I got a call in my office, Um, 1166 01:14:26,439 --> 01:14:29,720 Speaker 1: forgive me, I forgot his name. Guess what so and 1167 01:14:29,800 --> 01:14:33,400 Speaker 1: so had just died. I said, what, Yeah, he was 1168 01:14:33,439 --> 01:14:36,679 Speaker 1: at a party. He thought it was cocaine, It was heroin. 1169 01:14:37,080 --> 01:14:41,479 Speaker 1: He died right at that moment. I think the light 1170 01:14:41,560 --> 01:14:45,479 Speaker 1: bulb went off of my brain. Jerry, you'll never gonna 1171 01:14:45,600 --> 01:14:49,120 Speaker 1: put any white stuff up your nose, are in your mouth, 1172 01:14:49,560 --> 01:14:53,559 Speaker 1: never ever. And I would be backstage with a lot 1173 01:14:53,680 --> 01:14:56,600 Speaker 1: of groups and they'd be passing that shoot around. But 1174 01:14:57,320 --> 01:15:01,680 Speaker 1: Jerry passed. Okay. And then how did you make Roundabout 1175 01:15:01,720 --> 01:15:05,599 Speaker 1: a hit? Because they had, yes, had three previous albums. 1176 01:15:06,120 --> 01:15:09,200 Speaker 1: The third one had some success. The Roundabout was a 1177 01:15:09,320 --> 01:15:11,920 Speaker 1: lengthy track that it sounded like nothing on the radio. 1178 01:15:13,680 --> 01:15:16,520 Speaker 1: So you know that I did the edit on Roundabout. 1179 01:15:17,120 --> 01:15:18,320 Speaker 1: If you might have told me in the past, but 1180 01:15:18,400 --> 01:15:21,599 Speaker 1: I forgot Yeah, no, same story. I went in the studio, 1181 01:15:22,000 --> 01:15:25,639 Speaker 1: worked with some engineers, got it down, got it played. 1182 01:15:26,240 --> 01:15:29,439 Speaker 1: And that's another example of like, Jerry, what can we 1183 01:15:29,560 --> 01:15:35,000 Speaker 1: do for you? And so at Christmas, we're giving yes 1184 01:15:35,080 --> 01:15:37,600 Speaker 1: Gold Records, and they said, we got a present for you, 1185 01:15:37,920 --> 01:15:40,519 Speaker 1: and they show up. They gave me a brand new 1186 01:15:40,600 --> 01:15:45,200 Speaker 1: drum set. Again they knew I was drummers. Good friends 1187 01:15:45,240 --> 01:15:48,840 Speaker 1: with Alan White and well the boys. I say, take 1188 01:15:48,880 --> 01:15:51,080 Speaker 1: the drum set out to Nashville and Colosseum I want 1189 01:15:51,120 --> 01:15:54,519 Speaker 1: to sit in. I say it as a joke. We 1190 01:15:54,600 --> 01:15:57,040 Speaker 1: go out to National Colosseum. All of a sudden, bingo, 1191 01:15:57,200 --> 01:16:00,240 Speaker 1: they set up the drum set. Jerry is now laying 1192 01:16:00,320 --> 01:16:03,800 Speaker 1: Nassau Coliseum. You've played all the venues. I played all 1193 01:16:03,800 --> 01:16:09,639 Speaker 1: the venues. So another story, famous lads upwards. Story three 1194 01:16:09,760 --> 01:16:12,400 Speaker 1: I believe it is. And the Houses of the Houses 1195 01:16:12,400 --> 01:16:15,960 Speaker 1: of the Holy Tour I think it was. They played 1196 01:16:16,000 --> 01:16:18,280 Speaker 1: Madison Square Garden for three nights. They're staying at the 1197 01:16:18,360 --> 01:16:22,799 Speaker 1: Drake Hotel. There's two hundred odd thousand in the safe. 1198 01:16:23,439 --> 01:16:26,280 Speaker 1: It gets stolen and they fly back to England, not 1199 01:16:26,320 --> 01:16:30,000 Speaker 1: worrying about the money. Hey do you think many people 1200 01:16:30,120 --> 01:16:33,360 Speaker 1: think they stole the money themselves. What do you think happened? No, 1201 01:16:33,520 --> 01:16:36,679 Speaker 1: I don't think so. They don't need to steal the money, 1202 01:16:37,479 --> 01:16:40,960 Speaker 1: you know. Um, I think it was really stolen. I 1203 01:16:41,360 --> 01:16:43,880 Speaker 1: think they realized there wasn't no way they were going 1204 01:16:43,920 --> 01:16:51,960 Speaker 1: to get it back. And listen, Um, things happen on 1205 01:16:52,080 --> 01:16:55,120 Speaker 1: the road, as we all know. Okay, well, it sounds 1206 01:16:55,120 --> 01:16:58,600 Speaker 1: like there's a lot of stories there. And then to 1207 01:16:58,760 --> 01:17:01,680 Speaker 1: what degree? And you had all these acts, I mean 1208 01:17:01,760 --> 01:17:04,760 Speaker 1: people acts like Abba. They literally just made hits. They 1209 01:17:04,760 --> 01:17:08,080 Speaker 1: were hitting factory. But let's go back to Genesis. They 1210 01:17:08,160 --> 01:17:10,680 Speaker 1: didn't have hits. You know. Peter Gabriel had a hit 1211 01:17:10,840 --> 01:17:14,519 Speaker 1: in seventies six or seventy seven, seventy seven with Soulsbury 1212 01:17:14,600 --> 01:17:17,320 Speaker 1: Hill at least an FM hit, but Genesis really didn't 1213 01:17:17,320 --> 01:17:19,720 Speaker 1: have a hit until the late seventies. Would you tell 1214 01:17:19,840 --> 01:17:26,000 Speaker 1: these bands give me a hit? Oh yeah, yeah, I mean, 1215 01:17:26,080 --> 01:17:32,000 Speaker 1: if you could get something that gets the attention, the 1216 01:17:32,120 --> 01:17:36,560 Speaker 1: attention not not only radio, but you know, give me 1217 01:17:36,680 --> 01:17:41,160 Speaker 1: a hit video, give me a song that maybe could 1218 01:17:41,200 --> 01:17:43,880 Speaker 1: be a commercial, or give me a song that could 1219 01:17:43,880 --> 01:17:46,479 Speaker 1: be at the end track of a of a of 1220 01:17:46,600 --> 01:17:52,840 Speaker 1: a movie or something in in UH in TV UH. 1221 01:17:54,080 --> 01:18:01,240 Speaker 1: But don't give up your creativity on doing it. I mean, 1222 01:18:01,320 --> 01:18:05,000 Speaker 1: don't say to yourself, oh, I'm going to copy, because 1223 01:18:05,680 --> 01:18:08,479 Speaker 1: what you want to do is really be honest to 1224 01:18:08,640 --> 01:18:13,560 Speaker 1: yourself and to the songs you're writing and to the 1225 01:18:13,680 --> 01:18:17,959 Speaker 1: band you're putting together. Um. I think it's very important. 1226 01:18:18,320 --> 01:18:20,320 Speaker 1: You know. I was in the studio the other day 1227 01:18:20,400 --> 01:18:23,200 Speaker 1: when I was talking to uh drummer that was Cheryl 1228 01:18:23,240 --> 01:18:26,720 Speaker 1: Crowe's drummer, and we were talking and I said about 1229 01:18:26,760 --> 01:18:30,719 Speaker 1: Damn m Carroll. Yeah, and I said that another drummer 1230 01:18:30,760 --> 01:18:34,439 Speaker 1: is a business guy. And I said, you know, let 1231 01:18:34,479 --> 01:18:38,640 Speaker 1: me tell you something. We and the bass player of 1232 01:18:38,720 --> 01:18:41,479 Speaker 1: the foundation of a band. I mean, I can tell 1233 01:18:41,600 --> 01:18:45,760 Speaker 1: you that talking to the young guys out there that 1234 01:18:45,840 --> 01:18:49,000 Speaker 1: are guitar players or piano players or you know, if 1235 01:18:49,000 --> 01:18:52,439 Speaker 1: you're gonna especially if you're going into rock world, you 1236 01:18:52,560 --> 01:18:54,840 Speaker 1: better find yourself a great drummer and a great bass 1237 01:18:54,880 --> 01:18:58,960 Speaker 1: player because that's the foundation. Okay, since you're in it. 1238 01:18:59,360 --> 01:19:05,120 Speaker 1: Who were the great drummers? To me, the two greatest 1239 01:19:05,200 --> 01:19:11,120 Speaker 1: rock drummers is uh, John Bonham and Keith Moon. Those 1240 01:19:11,160 --> 01:19:15,040 Speaker 1: are two great rock druve thing Chad from Chili Peppers 1241 01:19:15,160 --> 01:19:19,200 Speaker 1: is great, Matt Swarm is great. Um. But you know 1242 01:19:19,280 --> 01:19:21,800 Speaker 1: there's different kind of drummers. You know, Charlie Watts is 1243 01:19:22,200 --> 01:19:25,479 Speaker 1: just the goddamn jazz drummers playing two and four behind. 1244 01:19:25,640 --> 01:19:28,960 Speaker 1: He's a bar room drummer, you know. So there's a 1245 01:19:29,080 --> 01:19:33,880 Speaker 1: lot of drummers that just keep Dennis Elliott and Foreigner 1246 01:19:34,040 --> 01:19:38,639 Speaker 1: was it great, great drummer, um, But there's different styles. 1247 01:19:39,760 --> 01:19:43,200 Speaker 1: I mean, for me, if you're talking about a rock 1248 01:19:44,120 --> 01:19:50,040 Speaker 1: drummer with a sound man, nobody's just better than Bonzo Well. 1249 01:19:50,080 --> 01:19:51,840 Speaker 1: You know, I've seen I certainly saw him in his 1250 01:19:51,960 --> 01:19:55,200 Speaker 1: hey day. But I will say seeing Keith Moon play 1251 01:19:55,520 --> 01:19:58,240 Speaker 1: Tommy with Who with Fillmore East, it was like there 1252 01:19:58,280 --> 01:19:59,880 Speaker 1: were two drummers that you just didn't even figure out 1253 01:19:59,880 --> 01:20:02,800 Speaker 1: how he could do it. It was amazing. You know, 1254 01:20:03,200 --> 01:20:05,439 Speaker 1: he looks great. You know, it's funny when you're a drummer. 1255 01:20:05,520 --> 01:20:09,120 Speaker 1: That's why I asked drummers. I'm not going to weigh in. 1256 01:20:09,400 --> 01:20:12,160 Speaker 1: I'm certainly aware of the great drummers. Guitarists, I'll weigh 1257 01:20:12,200 --> 01:20:14,639 Speaker 1: in because I believe the best guitarist of the rock 1258 01:20:14,720 --> 01:20:17,920 Speaker 1: era is Jeff Beck. Okay, Hendricks did a lot of 1259 01:20:17,960 --> 01:20:21,400 Speaker 1: innovative things. But Beck is you know, and I remember 1260 01:20:21,439 --> 01:20:24,160 Speaker 1: when they hit the Arms tour and it was Paige 1261 01:20:24,200 --> 01:20:28,120 Speaker 1: Clapton and Beck on the same stage. Beck blew him off. 1262 01:20:28,479 --> 01:20:31,360 Speaker 1: So I'm not trum going to weigh in on who 1263 01:20:31,439 --> 01:20:37,800 Speaker 1: the best drummers. Those are all certainly great drummers. Absolutely. Okay, Jerry, 1264 01:20:37,880 --> 01:20:39,960 Speaker 1: this has been wonderful. We've only hit the tip of 1265 01:20:40,000 --> 01:20:44,679 Speaker 1: the iceberg. But can we part two? We can certainly 1266 01:20:44,720 --> 01:20:47,360 Speaker 1: do it. Part two. We want to drill down into 1267 01:20:47,479 --> 01:20:50,519 Speaker 1: the AX and specific stories of the AX. This time 1268 01:20:50,600 --> 01:20:54,040 Speaker 1: we got your general history and which is get your 1269 01:20:54,080 --> 01:20:58,160 Speaker 1: father a job in the business, and uh, certainly the 1270 01:20:58,400 --> 01:21:00,640 Speaker 1: top line, but you get down the nitty guitty, you know, 1271 01:21:00,880 --> 01:21:04,360 Speaker 1: because we're here talking about the successes and it's a 1272 01:21:04,479 --> 01:21:07,080 Speaker 1: lot of work. You talk about patients. You know. You 1273 01:21:07,200 --> 01:21:10,200 Speaker 1: can have led Zeppelin, which explodes on the second records, 1274 01:21:10,439 --> 01:21:13,440 Speaker 1: but a lot of things are really long work projects 1275 01:21:14,240 --> 01:21:17,160 Speaker 1: and they'll be more talk. So it's been wonderful. Thanks 1276 01:21:17,200 --> 01:21:20,320 Speaker 1: so much for being here. Okay, and I will like 1277 01:21:20,520 --> 01:21:23,400 Speaker 1: to come back because I'd like everybody to know that 1278 01:21:23,520 --> 01:21:28,040 Speaker 1: I'm currently doing a book on Atlantic in the seventies 1279 01:21:28,760 --> 01:21:31,599 Speaker 1: through the eyes of Jerry Greenberg, So it could kind 1280 01:21:31,600 --> 01:21:34,800 Speaker 1: of cover everything just about Atlantic and I think, you know, 1281 01:21:34,920 --> 01:21:37,479 Speaker 1: we've been filming a documentary on my life, which is 1282 01:21:37,560 --> 01:21:40,160 Speaker 1: well that documentary but going on for like five plus years. 1283 01:21:40,200 --> 01:21:43,120 Speaker 1: What is that documentary ever gonna hit the Uh, it's 1284 01:21:43,240 --> 01:21:45,800 Speaker 1: it's getting close. But you know, I think I'm the 1285 01:21:45,920 --> 01:21:48,679 Speaker 1: only guy that has Richard Branson. I got the last 1286 01:21:48,760 --> 01:21:52,240 Speaker 1: interview from Jerry Heller and the last one from Jerry Winthrop. 1287 01:21:52,640 --> 01:21:57,120 Speaker 1: It's going to be a very very interesting movie or 1288 01:21:57,520 --> 01:22:00,880 Speaker 1: documentary or TV series. Well time and know how to 1289 01:22:00,920 --> 01:22:05,280 Speaker 1: get my plug in. Man, this is a roots are 1290 01:22:05,360 --> 01:22:07,760 Speaker 1: coming out, and certainly we've been talking about the documentary 1291 01:22:07,800 --> 01:22:09,840 Speaker 1: forever and this is the heyday. People want to know 1292 01:22:10,680 --> 01:22:12,760 Speaker 1: about what was going on in the seventies. Oh yeah. 1293 01:22:12,800 --> 01:22:16,960 Speaker 1: But but the great thing is you're gonna hear Richard 1294 01:22:17,040 --> 01:22:20,680 Speaker 1: called the Roady talk about Jerry taking the sticks and go, 1295 01:22:21,000 --> 01:22:23,760 Speaker 1: and it's not going to come from me. So that's 1296 01:22:23,800 --> 01:22:27,760 Speaker 1: what I'm very excited about it. Okay, Well, we'll look 1297 01:22:27,800 --> 01:22:30,840 Speaker 1: forward to that and when it's launching, we'll have you back. Okay, buddy, 1298 01:22:30,880 --> 01:22:33,320 Speaker 1: God bless thank you, thank you so much, Jerry. Till 1299 01:22:33,360 --> 01:22:35,960 Speaker 1: next time, it's Bob left Sets on the Bob Left 1300 01:22:36,000 --> 01:22:43,000 Speaker 1: Sets podcast. That wraps up this week's episode of the 1301 01:22:43,080 --> 01:22:45,720 Speaker 1: Bob Left Sets Podcast, recorded live at the tune In 1302 01:22:45,840 --> 01:22:50,000 Speaker 1: Studios in Venice, California. I hope you enjoyed this conversation 1303 01:22:50,080 --> 01:22:53,720 Speaker 1: with legendary record label executive Jerry Greenberg. He had some 1304 01:22:53,840 --> 01:22:57,040 Speaker 1: great stories. Send me your feedback at Bob at left 1305 01:22:57,080 --> 01:23:00,559 Speaker 1: sets dot com. Until next time, I'm Bob left Sex. 1306 01:23:11,280 --> 01:23:16,200 Speaker 1: Can think of in me reason and I don't know 1307 01:23:16,720 --> 01:23:21,600 Speaker 1: me exactly. One must be so