1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:21,439 Speaker 1: The Quest Love Show is a production of iHeart Radio. Well, 2 00:00:21,640 --> 00:00:25,159 Speaker 1: ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Quest Love Show. I 3 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:30,440 Speaker 1: will say that our steam guests once sang I write 4 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:34,200 Speaker 1: the songs, but I digress. I believe that our guest 5 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:38,960 Speaker 1: is the song. He's embodied all of pop culture. He's 6 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:43,280 Speaker 1: a songwriter's Hall of Fame legend, thirteen number one hits, 7 00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:47,880 Speaker 1: countless top ten, top forty hits, over eighty five million 8 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:51,720 Speaker 1: records sold, classic ad jingles like if I Sit Here 9 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 1: and sing of his accolades. The interview will be over 10 00:00:55,160 --> 00:01:00,800 Speaker 1: Grammy a Winner, Emmy Winner, Tony Winner, recent no man 11 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:05,520 Speaker 1: get It's flower time. You recently got the what is. 12 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:11,440 Speaker 2: Your It was the. 13 00:01:09,319 --> 00:01:12,600 Speaker 1: The advertising Hall of Fame, which which you deserve. To 14 00:01:12,600 --> 00:01:16,880 Speaker 1: this day, your commercials are still your music is being used. 15 00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:19,800 Speaker 1: Shout out to Jake from the Steak Firm. And despite 16 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:23,320 Speaker 1: you know, all these achievements, he returns to us one 17 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:26,160 Speaker 1: more time. I don't believe that musicians ever truly leave, 18 00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:29,240 Speaker 1: but yes, what a time is this first album in 19 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:36,040 Speaker 1: fifteen years. Most importantly, we're celebrating his recent victory over cancer. 20 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:40,040 Speaker 1: And this is your final concert run. And I am 21 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:45,160 Speaker 1: honored that our legendary guest today is giving us the 22 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:47,039 Speaker 1: pleasure of just talking to him for a little bit. 23 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:49,640 Speaker 1: Very man, a little welcome to the Quest Left Show. 24 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:51,000 Speaker 1: How are you? 25 00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 2: I've been wanting to do this ever since we met 26 00:01:54,760 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 2: on the Tonight Show, but I don't get to the 27 00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:00,320 Speaker 2: East coast very often like I used to. Yeah, I'm 28 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:01,280 Speaker 2: going to turn this off. 29 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 1: It's okay, you're bettermental. You can do it. 30 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:06,760 Speaker 2: You know. I know you're kidding around, but I never 31 00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:09,160 Speaker 2: think like that. I just never think like that. 32 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:12,840 Speaker 1: No, it's I'm not kidding. I mean your legend and 33 00:02:12,919 --> 00:02:16,600 Speaker 1: legends should be celebrated. What is your first musical memory 34 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:19,600 Speaker 1: in life? Your first musical memory from childhood? 35 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:25,079 Speaker 2: My first musical memory was my mother singing to me. Okay, 36 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:27,680 Speaker 2: she was a good singer. What does she sing pop 37 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:28,480 Speaker 2: songs other day? 38 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:29,079 Speaker 1: Okay? 39 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:31,760 Speaker 2: And she was good. She should have made a career 40 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:35,120 Speaker 2: out of her, but I got in the way. She 41 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:39,240 Speaker 2: had to go out and work and support me, so 42 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 2: she never did it. But she was good. 43 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 1: Okay. 44 00:02:41,919 --> 00:02:44,440 Speaker 2: So that was my first first memory. 45 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:49,560 Speaker 1: Okay. So you grew up in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Now my 46 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:52,320 Speaker 1: version of Williamsburg is where I like to hang out 47 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:55,200 Speaker 1: for like dinner with friends, and I go to movies 48 00:02:55,240 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 1: all the time there, like I hang out Williamsburg. But 49 00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:01,120 Speaker 1: he described your version of Williamsburg as a child and 50 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:01,520 Speaker 1: a team. 51 00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:03,240 Speaker 2: What was it like a dump? 52 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:07,200 Speaker 1: Okay? 53 00:03:07,280 --> 00:03:10,680 Speaker 2: And you didn't want to go there? It was so dangerous. 54 00:03:11,440 --> 00:03:14,080 Speaker 2: I would consider it a very good luck if I 55 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:16,720 Speaker 2: got home from school because I lived across the street 56 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:19,920 Speaker 2: from Eastern District High School, and if I made it 57 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 2: home without getting beaten up, I considered it a good day. 58 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 1: Have you been there recently? Have you seen Williamsburg? 59 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:32,400 Speaker 2: I did? I mean it's a year ago. So it 60 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 2: looked like the village, right, is that what you're talking about? Yeah, Yeah, 61 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:39,520 Speaker 2: that's that's what they've turned it into. It looks like 62 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:44,640 Speaker 2: the village and it's much safer an now, Yeah. 63 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:45,760 Speaker 1: What part of New York City do you most identify 64 00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:46,000 Speaker 1: it with? 65 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:46,240 Speaker 2: Though? 66 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 1: Like what's your like all these boroughs? Like what's your 67 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:49,880 Speaker 1: favorite part. 68 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:51,120 Speaker 2: Of New York Manhattan? 69 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:51,800 Speaker 1: Okay? 70 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, My life began when I got a job at 71 00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:59,440 Speaker 2: CBS and I liked all the people. I didn't know 72 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 2: what I was to do it myself, but I liked it. 73 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:03,440 Speaker 2: I liked the vibe there. 74 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:07,640 Speaker 1: Okay, What were your duties at CBS You started working 75 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:10,480 Speaker 1: there in the early sixties, Like, what were your job duties? 76 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:14,280 Speaker 2: I was a male boy for a while, and then 77 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:21,240 Speaker 2: they promoted me into editing films, and that was good. 78 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:24,320 Speaker 2: I like that. I liked all the people there. They 79 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:28,360 Speaker 2: were funny and smart, and I had a great time 80 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:32,520 Speaker 2: at CBS. And then everybody knew I was musical because 81 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:34,919 Speaker 2: I would run away and play piano because there was 82 00:04:34,920 --> 00:04:38,040 Speaker 2: a lot of rehearsal holes, so they would hear this 83 00:04:38,560 --> 00:04:44,840 Speaker 2: skinny male boy playing piano. And I left CBS. And 84 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:47,560 Speaker 2: after I left CBS, I got a phone call from 85 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:51,960 Speaker 2: CBS saying they're putting up a brand new show, a 86 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:56,240 Speaker 2: local show called Callback. It's what we know today is 87 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:01,680 Speaker 2: trying to find a talented jung person and so they 88 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:05,560 Speaker 2: needed a music directory. So I was available. So I 89 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:08,159 Speaker 2: came back to CBS only and they're totally different. 90 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:12,400 Speaker 1: And your duties were to find songs, write songs, arrange songs, 91 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:15,760 Speaker 1: and as just a one man machine, or were you 92 00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 1: like with a bunch of collaborators. 93 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:19,760 Speaker 2: Or but there were people there, but it really was 94 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 2: my gig to pull all the songs together. I would 95 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:27,240 Speaker 2: work with the singer, give them an arrangement, make sure 96 00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:30,359 Speaker 2: it's in the right key, and then conduct the band 97 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:32,200 Speaker 2: on the day of the show. 98 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:36,880 Speaker 1: And I loved it so back then I would imagine 99 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:40,119 Speaker 1: that as a working musician, would one have to site 100 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:43,560 Speaker 1: read on the spot, like be at any point where 101 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:47,599 Speaker 1: musicians that weren't able to read charts able to still 102 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:49,800 Speaker 1: get gigs, like if you could do chord charts or 103 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:52,839 Speaker 1: just notate to them what to play and watch me 104 00:05:52,920 --> 00:05:53,560 Speaker 1: for the cues. 105 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:59,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, I haven't met many musicians who can't read, which 106 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:01,720 Speaker 2: is good because if you can read music, if you 107 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:03,840 Speaker 2: want to be a musician, you've got to learn how 108 00:06:03,839 --> 00:06:06,720 Speaker 2: to read music, because if you can't, you'll always work. 109 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:11,159 Speaker 2: But if you can't, then these producers will not hire 110 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:15,040 Speaker 2: you because that means you got to memorize it on 111 00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:18,520 Speaker 2: the spot, right, and that's not good for the producers. 112 00:06:18,640 --> 00:06:21,719 Speaker 1: I know that at some point you started working either 113 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:24,480 Speaker 1: with the Sullivan Show or without. 114 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, I was very young, but I conducted for the 115 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:31,200 Speaker 2: summer at Sullivan Show. It was a big deal. 116 00:06:31,279 --> 00:06:33,839 Speaker 1: I mean, how timidating was that process? 117 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 2: It was. These older musicians did not like taking orders 118 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:41,760 Speaker 2: from me. It really didn't. I wasn't prepared for it, 119 00:06:41,800 --> 00:06:46,440 Speaker 2: but they did not like or taking orders from me. 120 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:48,520 Speaker 1: How big were the orchestras? 121 00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:53,920 Speaker 2: Not huge? But you know it was a TV size show, 122 00:06:53,960 --> 00:06:55,480 Speaker 2: bigger than we have today. 123 00:06:56,839 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 1: I've heard many a story about the Continental Baths, or 124 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:04,640 Speaker 1: like the Bete Midler Show, But I've heard the title 125 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:08,440 Speaker 1: what exactly can you just run me through? What that 126 00:07:08,600 --> 00:07:11,400 Speaker 1: environment was like? Was it a place she entertained or 127 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:14,160 Speaker 1: was it a bar? Was it a restaurant? What is it? 128 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:15,440 Speaker 2: Was it a spa? 129 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 1: So it was literally she would do a show inside 130 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:21,680 Speaker 1: of the spa. Okay, I've never heard of this before, 131 00:07:22,200 --> 00:07:24,440 Speaker 1: but I've heard the Continental Bats and this is where 132 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:28,360 Speaker 1: she got her start. So they would have entertainment there, yes, okay. 133 00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 1: And you were her musical director. 134 00:07:29,920 --> 00:07:33,880 Speaker 2: Or I was the music director of every weekend. I 135 00:07:33,920 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 2: would show up whoever was performing there. They give me 136 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:40,920 Speaker 2: their music. I play for them at night. And bet 137 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 2: was one of those girls, okay, and it was it 138 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:47,840 Speaker 2: was odd because they weren't wearing any clothes. 139 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:55,160 Speaker 1: Oh wow, Okay, I did not know this. So is 140 00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 1: it actually inside the spa? So how is the conversation 141 00:07:59,280 --> 00:08:02,080 Speaker 1: and all that stuff worked? For the instruments and whatnot, 142 00:08:02,160 --> 00:08:03,000 Speaker 1: Like there. 143 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:06,040 Speaker 2: Was just me at a rotten little piano and a 144 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:13,800 Speaker 2: drummer who tried to catch up. That was good, and 145 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:15,400 Speaker 2: a lot of people. 146 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:18,560 Speaker 1: Came out and her voice would amplify, like yeah, I'm 147 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:20,440 Speaker 1: still thinking of the technical part of it, like if 148 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:22,920 Speaker 1: you're if you're in a steam room with a microphone. 149 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:25,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean it was very amateurs. It was no 150 00:08:25,720 --> 00:08:26,200 Speaker 2: big deal. 151 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:30,440 Speaker 1: What was the duration of these ninety minutes? Okay? 152 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:33,400 Speaker 2: She would take an intermission. All the girls. I don't 153 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:36,280 Speaker 2: think I ever saw a guy performing there. It was 154 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:39,400 Speaker 2: all the girls, got it. I was playing for all 155 00:08:39,400 --> 00:08:42,720 Speaker 2: the girls as a as a musician and as a 156 00:08:44,120 --> 00:08:46,920 Speaker 2: I would do their arrangements of it. And a lot 157 00:08:46,920 --> 00:08:50,440 Speaker 2: of times I found that those girls were gonna be 158 00:08:50,520 --> 00:08:53,720 Speaker 2: performing at the Continental Bass on Saturday night, So that 159 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:58,400 Speaker 2: was good. It was it was inbiting. I was not naked. 160 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:01,720 Speaker 2: I was not with a little towel around me at all. 161 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:06,000 Speaker 2: So much my hot, finish my gig and run. 162 00:09:06,400 --> 00:09:09,679 Speaker 1: Okay. What I've heard about these shows is how legendary 163 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:11,400 Speaker 1: they were, Like what was it about her as a 164 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:15,600 Speaker 1: performer that made her stand out from anyone else? That's 165 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:18,240 Speaker 1: saying there and anyone else have notes sing there as 166 00:09:18,240 --> 00:09:19,400 Speaker 1: well or just yeah. 167 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:23,960 Speaker 2: But bet was. She was brilliant. I mean the most 168 00:09:24,120 --> 00:09:29,600 Speaker 2: brilliant young challenge that you've ever seen. And she was 169 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:33,520 Speaker 2: going to be a star, and I mean she was 170 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:37,360 Speaker 2: so she could do anything. She could do blues, she 171 00:09:37,400 --> 00:09:40,680 Speaker 2: could do welcome rolls. So that was great for me 172 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:44,080 Speaker 2: because I could do that too. So got it. So 173 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:48,720 Speaker 2: we hated each other on site, but musically were great. 174 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:52,800 Speaker 1: Okay, we'll see your first client in producing. As far 175 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:57,000 Speaker 1: as albums, we're concerned or okay. So you know, I 176 00:09:57,040 --> 00:10:00,200 Speaker 1: know that today producing is a very loose term, Like 177 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:03,440 Speaker 1: I know producers that do the work, and I know 178 00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:06,000 Speaker 1: some producers just rubber stamp. But I know back then 179 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:09,760 Speaker 1: there was a whole process, or at least it was 180 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:13,760 Speaker 1: more discipline in terms of like getting rhythm arrangers, getting 181 00:10:13,760 --> 00:10:18,200 Speaker 1: horn arrangers. Like without having had that experience before, how 182 00:10:18,240 --> 00:10:22,600 Speaker 1: intimidating was it to man the ship for the first time? 183 00:10:22,880 --> 00:10:26,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, I loved it. I loved it, especially if they 184 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:31,040 Speaker 2: did have music that I could just play for them. 185 00:10:31,040 --> 00:10:35,760 Speaker 2: That hardly had music. She was just coming up, she 186 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:38,760 Speaker 2: was broke, she didn't have she didn't have money to 187 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:42,720 Speaker 2: get arrangements that people could. Once I started working for 188 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:46,559 Speaker 2: I wrote out all of the arrangements that she would 189 00:10:46,640 --> 00:10:52,200 Speaker 2: need and for nothing, because I saw this girl was 190 00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:57,200 Speaker 2: so talented, was so talented, and when you see something 191 00:10:57,280 --> 00:11:00,960 Speaker 2: like that, you have to support it. I felt rugby myself, 192 00:11:01,640 --> 00:11:04,319 Speaker 2: but this girl was something else. 193 00:11:04,840 --> 00:11:08,480 Speaker 1: Then what was your creative process? Like I know some 194 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:13,800 Speaker 1: songwriters Quincy Jones says he likes to arrange like between 195 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:17,560 Speaker 1: midnight and five am, or like for you, what is 196 00:11:17,559 --> 00:11:21,520 Speaker 1: the creative process that you need in order to bring 197 00:11:21,720 --> 00:11:22,480 Speaker 1: a song to light? 198 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:26,200 Speaker 2: What I need is a job. I don't like to 199 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:32,360 Speaker 2: write songs, and because they never go anywhere, and most 200 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:36,560 Speaker 2: of them are wonderful. I think they're wonderful. I only 201 00:11:36,720 --> 00:11:40,560 Speaker 2: write these days if someone has a job and I 202 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:44,680 Speaker 2: know that it's going to land someplace, then I do it. 203 00:11:44,720 --> 00:11:49,120 Speaker 2: But for so many years I just would write a 204 00:11:49,160 --> 00:11:53,080 Speaker 2: song or I don't know, and they would go nowhere 205 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:56,240 Speaker 2: to go into the book, And so I stopped doing that. 206 00:11:56,920 --> 00:11:59,760 Speaker 1: Okay, So, and I'm saying this in air quotes. This 207 00:11:59,840 --> 00:12:04,200 Speaker 1: is your last go round, so you say, But I mean, 208 00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:08,079 Speaker 1: how many are still left over? Or it's just that 209 00:12:08,160 --> 00:12:10,160 Speaker 1: you write for the moment, for the task at hand. 210 00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:14,839 Speaker 2: Yeah, I do. I write on demand, but there are 211 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:18,040 Speaker 2: songs that I wrote with nothing in mind. 212 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:20,520 Speaker 1: So how do you deal with the pressure then and 213 00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:24,720 Speaker 1: actually admire this this process which I never heard before, 214 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:27,520 Speaker 1: because everyone has this story, like one night I woke 215 00:12:27,559 --> 00:12:29,280 Speaker 1: from a dream and I felt inspired. 216 00:12:28,880 --> 00:12:30,240 Speaker 2: To da da da da. Like I don't one of 217 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:30,720 Speaker 2: those two. 218 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:33,800 Speaker 1: I mean, I'm not technically known as a songwriter, but 219 00:12:33,880 --> 00:12:39,439 Speaker 1: oftentimes the first thing that's or my plate is the deadline. 220 00:12:39,679 --> 00:12:43,679 Speaker 1: I need something by Thursday, March blah blah blah. 221 00:12:43,920 --> 00:12:46,280 Speaker 2: Well we're saying the same thing. I need to know 222 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:50,000 Speaker 2: that it's going to land someplace. So I stopped just 223 00:12:50,080 --> 00:12:54,800 Speaker 2: writing just to write to write, I mean, just wasting, 224 00:12:54,920 --> 00:12:58,040 Speaker 2: wasting great music. And I was so proud of these 225 00:12:58,040 --> 00:13:01,680 Speaker 2: things that they didn't go anywhere. So I won't do 226 00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:03,680 Speaker 2: it unless I know it's going to go someplace. 227 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:06,200 Speaker 1: Have you ever had like a real severe case of 228 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 1: writer's block where just nothing was happening at all. No, 229 00:13:09,559 --> 00:13:14,200 Speaker 1: I've written lousy songs, but okay, well, I know you've 230 00:13:14,200 --> 00:13:17,520 Speaker 1: had collaborators, but I mean Ron Dante is probably the 231 00:13:17,520 --> 00:13:19,960 Speaker 1: person that would be that. But who's the person that 232 00:13:20,040 --> 00:13:24,440 Speaker 1: could tell you you tried that idea before or maybe 233 00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:26,480 Speaker 1: you used to do a key lower like who's the 234 00:13:26,480 --> 00:13:28,400 Speaker 1: person that you trust to say? 235 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:32,480 Speaker 2: Well, these days it's a gun named David Benson, Okay, 236 00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:37,960 Speaker 2: who I've known for years, and certainly my assistant Mark 237 00:13:38,120 --> 00:13:41,760 Speaker 2: is sole musical. Those are the two guys that I 238 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:44,600 Speaker 2: run to to ask what do you think? 239 00:13:44,960 --> 00:13:47,319 Speaker 1: And you accept their truth. They'll be honest with you. 240 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:47,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, I do. 241 00:14:00,679 --> 00:14:04,200 Speaker 1: When was the moment in your career that you knew 242 00:14:04,679 --> 00:14:08,000 Speaker 1: that you could do this full time? Because I always 243 00:14:08,040 --> 00:14:11,720 Speaker 1: imagine living in New York City, there's never the feeling 244 00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:14,880 Speaker 1: of safety of like like when you get your first 245 00:14:14,960 --> 00:14:17,839 Speaker 1: number one, do you feel like you arrived? There was 246 00:14:18,080 --> 00:14:22,880 Speaker 1: like m I still might have to hustle my way through. 247 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:26,600 Speaker 2: Or well, that's two questions because at the beginning, I 248 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:28,280 Speaker 2: had to figure out what I wanted to do with 249 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:31,520 Speaker 2: my life. So I wasn't even thinking about making records 250 00:14:31,640 --> 00:14:33,960 Speaker 2: ever ever even thinking about doing that. 251 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:35,080 Speaker 1: Wait, why not? 252 00:14:35,840 --> 00:14:39,520 Speaker 2: Well, coming from the slums of Brooklyn, New York, you 253 00:14:39,520 --> 00:14:42,520 Speaker 2: don't think that big, Okay. 254 00:14:42,560 --> 00:14:45,400 Speaker 1: So when you were when you were eleven, what were 255 00:14:45,440 --> 00:14:47,480 Speaker 1: your goals in life? Like, what did you want to 256 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:49,200 Speaker 1: do for a living? What did you think you wanted. 257 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:51,920 Speaker 2: Just to get home from school just to start you 258 00:14:51,960 --> 00:14:56,680 Speaker 2: want to do without getting what were you doing when 259 00:14:56,720 --> 00:14:58,560 Speaker 2: you were eleving? Did you know you were going to 260 00:14:58,600 --> 00:14:59,320 Speaker 2: be a musician. 261 00:15:01,640 --> 00:15:02,800 Speaker 1: This is the worst humble prag. 262 00:15:03,080 --> 00:15:03,280 Speaker 2: I mean. 263 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:06,520 Speaker 1: My my father was an oldies do wop singer from 264 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:08,840 Speaker 1: the fifties. Oh so he had a group called Le 265 00:15:08,920 --> 00:15:12,640 Speaker 1: Andrews and the Hearts, and by the time I was born, 266 00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:15,960 Speaker 1: it was the nostalgia period, so he kind of made 267 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:18,440 Speaker 1: it a family act. So like when I was twelve, 268 00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:21,760 Speaker 1: because of a motorcycle accident of my dad's drummer, I 269 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:26,480 Speaker 1: became his de facto drummer and bandleader. Like my first 270 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:29,080 Speaker 1: gig was at Radio City Music Hall, whoa, And so 271 00:15:29,800 --> 00:15:33,000 Speaker 1: I was tricked into the family business, like farming, you know, 272 00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:35,400 Speaker 1: like they didn't believe in babysitters, so it's like, nope, 273 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:37,600 Speaker 1: you come with us. And so I got tricked into 274 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:41,240 Speaker 1: the family business. But I mean, pretty much, my dad's 275 00:15:41,320 --> 00:15:43,400 Speaker 1: dream was for me to like to drum for you, 276 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:45,800 Speaker 1: like a respectable job, like I want you to do 277 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:49,280 Speaker 1: something with the dada I Philharmonic or that sort of thing. 278 00:15:49,520 --> 00:15:53,160 Speaker 1: And you know, starting a rap group with my best 279 00:15:53,160 --> 00:15:55,920 Speaker 1: friend in high school like was not as plans, even 280 00:15:55,960 --> 00:16:00,560 Speaker 1: though I auditioned for Juilliard, Like the next day my 281 00:16:00,720 --> 00:16:03,080 Speaker 1: act of rebellion was busking on the streets. And then 282 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:04,800 Speaker 1: that led to a record deal. 283 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:09,200 Speaker 2: And so when your father must have been really proud. 284 00:16:09,040 --> 00:16:12,560 Speaker 1: And by my fourth album he was. But even even 285 00:16:12,600 --> 00:16:14,560 Speaker 1: on the third album he was still like, you gotta 286 00:16:14,560 --> 00:16:17,720 Speaker 1: get a real job. But that's the thing, Like I 287 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:20,680 Speaker 1: don't think a musician ever feels like they're totally safe 288 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:22,840 Speaker 1: or you know, like this is what I'm gonna do 289 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:26,560 Speaker 1: for a lifetime. So as far as your life as 290 00:16:26,560 --> 00:16:29,680 Speaker 1: a jingle maker, how many drafts do you have to 291 00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:33,880 Speaker 1: go through before you know you deserve a break? The 292 00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:38,960 Speaker 1: day is the one? Or you know you're the Panpsy generation, 293 00:16:39,320 --> 00:16:43,320 Speaker 1: Or did you also write I'm a pepper, he's a pepper? No, okay, 294 00:16:43,480 --> 00:16:46,240 Speaker 1: but you wrote for doctor Pepper Rick correct band aid 295 00:16:46,520 --> 00:16:49,760 Speaker 1: and I'm stuck going band aid And I'm sure you 296 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:53,160 Speaker 1: know everything or even today kids know like a good 297 00:16:53,200 --> 00:16:58,440 Speaker 1: neighbor state farms there. How do you know when you 298 00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:01,240 Speaker 1: have the perfect eight second tag? 299 00:17:02,080 --> 00:17:06,320 Speaker 2: It comes really easy to me. And the commercial world, 300 00:17:06,800 --> 00:17:09,439 Speaker 2: the world that I was in, they would give me 301 00:17:09,600 --> 00:17:14,160 Speaker 2: a lyric or they would give me a couple of lines. 302 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:17,320 Speaker 2: That's what I had to create. So if they gave 303 00:17:17,359 --> 00:17:19,840 Speaker 2: me a lyric, we'll get out of the way. I 304 00:17:19,840 --> 00:17:22,800 Speaker 2: can write a melody to anything. And I got them 305 00:17:22,960 --> 00:17:27,440 Speaker 2: a lot. I love those years. I just love those years. 306 00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:30,879 Speaker 2: I learned so much about making records. I worked with 307 00:17:30,920 --> 00:17:36,200 Speaker 2: the greatest musicians because you know, they get paid big 308 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:39,680 Speaker 2: to do a commercial, and so they were so helpful 309 00:17:39,720 --> 00:17:44,080 Speaker 2: to me. You know, I was so green during those years. 310 00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:46,480 Speaker 2: But when I left, I knew what I was doing, 311 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:49,120 Speaker 2: and I knew I wanted to stay there. I never 312 00:17:49,160 --> 00:17:51,240 Speaker 2: really thought about singing, never. 313 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:53,560 Speaker 1: So the learning curve of it, like did you have 314 00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:56,639 Speaker 1: a mentor to actually teach you the ropes or this 315 00:17:56,720 --> 00:17:59,239 Speaker 1: stuff you have to learn? No, on the way to it. 316 00:17:59,560 --> 00:18:01,920 Speaker 2: No, you know, it was just a job, and they 317 00:18:02,040 --> 00:18:05,359 Speaker 2: liked what I did. And I was one of like 318 00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:10,040 Speaker 2: five guys that tried out for these commercials. And I 319 00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:11,760 Speaker 2: would get them, the other guy would get them, the 320 00:18:11,800 --> 00:18:13,840 Speaker 2: girl would get them. I would get them, and we 321 00:18:13,880 --> 00:18:14,760 Speaker 2: would all try to. 322 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:17,879 Speaker 1: So there's like four other versions of like a good 323 00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:19,840 Speaker 1: neighbor of state farmers there that we don't know about. 324 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:25,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, and they were great, these people were great. Really, 325 00:18:26,359 --> 00:18:28,520 Speaker 2: I don't even know how I was able to compute 326 00:18:28,520 --> 00:18:30,080 Speaker 2: with them. They were wonderful. 327 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:34,399 Speaker 1: I respect that because when I started Late Night. Yeah, 328 00:18:34,440 --> 00:18:38,320 Speaker 1: one of the biggest songwriting challenges. This is one I knew, like, oh, 329 00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:40,600 Speaker 1: I don't know anything about songwriting. It's like when you 330 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:43,879 Speaker 1: have to write a five second tag jingle and they 331 00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:46,840 Speaker 1: would literally send us back, you know, they'd be like, Okay, 332 00:18:47,040 --> 00:18:48,920 Speaker 1: this called hot dog in a Hole, give me five 333 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:51,720 Speaker 1: second jingle. And we'd write it and they'd be like, no, 334 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:56,040 Speaker 1: it's we need more. Like they literally wanted emotion, and 335 00:18:56,080 --> 00:18:59,320 Speaker 1: I'm like, dude, it's just a five second tag for 336 00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:01,639 Speaker 1: a game. Like I didn't think it was that serious. 337 00:19:01,720 --> 00:19:05,560 Speaker 1: But after five years of doing that, I now realized 338 00:19:05,600 --> 00:19:08,439 Speaker 1: that whatever I had before I came to the Tonight 339 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:12,560 Speaker 1: Show writing five second jingles as a muscle exercise is 340 00:19:12,680 --> 00:19:16,040 Speaker 1: now made me a monster, you know, for real songs. 341 00:19:16,240 --> 00:19:21,280 Speaker 1: How do you handle rejection if someone doesn't like it? 342 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:24,199 Speaker 1: Like do you come home and remix it? Or do 343 00:19:24,280 --> 00:19:24,879 Speaker 1: you know? 344 00:19:25,720 --> 00:19:28,600 Speaker 2: In that world it's yes or no. That's a general 345 00:19:29,040 --> 00:19:32,119 Speaker 2: in mind, okay, and me I go on to. 346 00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:35,320 Speaker 1: The next thing, all right, So I can imagine at 347 00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:38,119 Speaker 1: least with the Bell Records connection. But can you talk 348 00:19:38,160 --> 00:19:42,240 Speaker 1: about your working relationship with Ron Dante and him producing 349 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:46,159 Speaker 1: like your run of albums, how you your working relationship was, 350 00:19:46,280 --> 00:19:49,399 Speaker 1: And first of all, well to hear you say it, 351 00:19:49,520 --> 00:19:52,760 Speaker 1: how did you finally decide that, yes, I will become 352 00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:54,840 Speaker 1: a singer and release my own music. 353 00:19:55,800 --> 00:19:58,720 Speaker 2: Even when I read Ron Dante, I never considered myself 354 00:19:58,760 --> 00:20:01,640 Speaker 2: a singer. I was a songwriter. I was the arranger. 355 00:20:02,119 --> 00:20:05,200 Speaker 2: I was a piano player. So when I met Ron 356 00:20:05,280 --> 00:20:11,359 Speaker 2: Dante had a commercial session, I had written the piece. 357 00:20:11,440 --> 00:20:15,920 Speaker 2: I forget what the thing was. Then the producer asked 358 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:19,080 Speaker 2: me if to sing in that group. That's when I 359 00:20:19,119 --> 00:20:22,240 Speaker 2: got some money when I was on the spot. If 360 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:25,720 Speaker 2: you're because as a songwriter you get I got five hundred. 361 00:20:25,400 --> 00:20:28,040 Speaker 1: Dollars worked for hire. 362 00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:31,240 Speaker 2: And then well they don't unless you're on the spot 363 00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:34,919 Speaker 2: saying talking, you don't get residuals. So I wrote it. 364 00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:38,439 Speaker 1: Wait, so the songwriter doesn't get residuals, but the person 365 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:41,159 Speaker 1: that sings it gets. So Luther Vangels will get all 366 00:20:41,160 --> 00:20:43,760 Speaker 1: the residuals for singing. Yeah, I started your Pepsi song. 367 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:46,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, I started to get really big checks, but not 368 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:51,480 Speaker 2: as the songwriter. I got five hundred dollars for state farmers. There. 369 00:20:52,160 --> 00:20:52,800 Speaker 2: That's it. 370 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:56,600 Speaker 1: So to this day when I hear it, five hundred, 371 00:20:57,840 --> 00:20:59,040 Speaker 1: damn okay. 372 00:20:59,760 --> 00:21:02,920 Speaker 2: But when I sang on the spot, well watch out 373 00:21:04,119 --> 00:21:07,280 Speaker 2: those who really great, I mean especially for me. So 374 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:11,120 Speaker 2: I met ron Dante on a on one of those 375 00:21:11,240 --> 00:21:18,399 Speaker 2: kind of singing sessions. He was fantastic. He doesn't read music, 376 00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:23,919 Speaker 2: but he's so talented. He gets it like that. His 377 00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:30,000 Speaker 2: voice is so pleasant on the radio. They hire him 378 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:30,919 Speaker 2: for everything. 379 00:21:31,320 --> 00:21:33,720 Speaker 1: He was once the voice of the Sugar Sugar for 380 00:21:33,760 --> 00:21:34,679 Speaker 1: the cot. 381 00:21:35,040 --> 00:21:37,399 Speaker 2: That was a big one for him anyway. So I was. 382 00:21:37,640 --> 00:21:40,280 Speaker 2: We did a session together and we went out to 383 00:21:40,720 --> 00:21:44,000 Speaker 2: lunch or something, and we started talking about what about 384 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:46,359 Speaker 2: making a record because I had written some stuff that 385 00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:49,879 Speaker 2: he really liked. So we said sure, you know, so 386 00:21:49,960 --> 00:21:52,760 Speaker 2: we pope pulled our money and we went into the 387 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:56,199 Speaker 2: recording studio and I thought he was going to sing it, 388 00:21:56,920 --> 00:21:59,880 Speaker 2: sing the lead, because I really never even thought about 389 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:03,320 Speaker 2: myself as a singer never. But he didn't know the 390 00:22:03,400 --> 00:22:07,439 Speaker 2: lyric and he didn't know the melody right. So I 391 00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:10,320 Speaker 2: went in there and sang, and I, you know, I 392 00:22:10,320 --> 00:22:14,600 Speaker 2: felt ridiculous because I've never really thought about being a singer. 393 00:22:14,920 --> 00:22:19,160 Speaker 2: And we played our demos for record companies and they 394 00:22:19,400 --> 00:22:24,840 Speaker 2: liked me. What are you talking about? But they like me, 395 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:30,720 Speaker 2: and eventually I got a record deal at Felt Records. 396 00:22:30,960 --> 00:22:33,119 Speaker 1: So what is the key to your confidence then? Like 397 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:37,800 Speaker 1: if you're in your mind saying hey, why me? Like 398 00:22:37,960 --> 00:22:40,600 Speaker 1: what gets you out of how do you deal with 399 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:44,560 Speaker 1: imposter syndrome? Like do I deserve to be here? Shouldn't 400 00:22:44,560 --> 00:22:46,199 Speaker 1: you get a better guy to sing it? Like in 401 00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:49,000 Speaker 1: your mind? Yeah, what's the voice of you hearing that 402 00:22:49,119 --> 00:22:51,120 Speaker 1: should knock these songs out? 403 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:53,480 Speaker 2: Yeah? Well, I know it was a long time ago, 404 00:22:53,560 --> 00:22:56,480 Speaker 2: but but I no, I never considered myself a singer. 405 00:22:56,600 --> 00:22:57,879 Speaker 2: I thought it was ridiculous. 406 00:22:58,080 --> 00:23:01,399 Speaker 1: How did you deal with imposter syndrome? Realize that you 407 00:23:01,520 --> 00:23:02,040 Speaker 1: are the one? 408 00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:06,920 Speaker 2: I played the game I did. They wanted me to sing, Sure, 409 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:10,720 Speaker 2: I'll sing it was really about some buddy. 410 00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:15,040 Speaker 1: Well, okay, so the first album didn't necessarily hit as much. 411 00:23:15,160 --> 00:23:18,040 Speaker 1: So how did you deal with that not working? Did 412 00:23:18,119 --> 00:23:19,720 Speaker 1: youus think like, okay, this is a one off and 413 00:23:19,760 --> 00:23:20,199 Speaker 1: I did it and. 414 00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:23,520 Speaker 2: I was hoping it didn't work. I didn't like the gig. 415 00:23:23,800 --> 00:23:26,439 Speaker 2: I like the gig of writing way I like the 416 00:23:26,520 --> 00:23:28,080 Speaker 2: gig of arranging. 417 00:23:28,680 --> 00:23:30,919 Speaker 1: You know, only wanted to self sabotage her. 418 00:23:31,280 --> 00:23:33,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, I was hoping this would go away. 419 00:23:34,119 --> 00:23:37,439 Speaker 1: This often happens, Okay, so I would at least like 420 00:23:37,480 --> 00:23:41,520 Speaker 1: to think that now you feel like, okay, I deserved it, 421 00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:45,320 Speaker 1: and you still feel that way, So you don't feel 422 00:23:45,320 --> 00:23:48,120 Speaker 1: like we appreciate you all that much or I'm gonna 423 00:23:48,119 --> 00:23:51,280 Speaker 1: I'm gonna put it this way. You're so ubiquitous, like 424 00:23:51,320 --> 00:23:54,040 Speaker 1: the fiber of you, so ubiquitous that I know your 425 00:23:54,040 --> 00:23:56,919 Speaker 1: whole history and I'm not even your target audience. Like, 426 00:23:57,800 --> 00:24:00,520 Speaker 1: but if I'm home as a third grader like you 427 00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:02,600 Speaker 1: were on Dinah Shore, I think he had a group 428 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:06,560 Speaker 1: called Lady Flash or something like that. Yeah, like to 429 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:09,840 Speaker 1: watch Bandstand and Soldierin all the time. So like you're 430 00:24:09,880 --> 00:24:13,399 Speaker 1: just a part of our fabric. So in case you 431 00:24:13,440 --> 00:24:19,480 Speaker 1: don't know, you're appreciated. But the second time it did. 432 00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:24,920 Speaker 2: Work, well, that was because Clive that tell me about and. 433 00:24:25,040 --> 00:24:28,800 Speaker 1: You get prime Clive, you get prime hungry. I got 434 00:24:28,880 --> 00:24:33,359 Speaker 1: to prove to Columbia and start an arist to like, 435 00:24:34,200 --> 00:24:37,080 Speaker 1: I feel like, even though I know Eric Carmon and 436 00:24:37,119 --> 00:24:39,680 Speaker 1: Bay City Rollers was sort of like out the Gate 437 00:24:39,720 --> 00:24:43,800 Speaker 1: with him, But I feel like you are his main 438 00:24:44,920 --> 00:24:49,040 Speaker 1: trojan horse in terms of like him him establishing himself. 439 00:24:49,119 --> 00:24:50,120 Speaker 2: But I don't know why. 440 00:24:50,280 --> 00:24:52,240 Speaker 1: Well, was the relationship contentious? 441 00:24:52,280 --> 00:24:56,600 Speaker 2: Like, well, he wanted me to record songs that he liked? 442 00:24:57,440 --> 00:24:59,760 Speaker 1: He would did you trust his zero back then? Or 443 00:24:59,800 --> 00:25:00,720 Speaker 1: were you were lucky them? 444 00:25:00,760 --> 00:25:00,800 Speaker 2: Like? 445 00:25:01,160 --> 00:25:01,520 Speaker 1: Okay? 446 00:25:01,680 --> 00:25:05,720 Speaker 2: No? But I wanted to record my own songs. Was 447 00:25:06,440 --> 00:25:10,359 Speaker 2: I was a songwriter, and so we made a deal. 448 00:25:10,760 --> 00:25:15,120 Speaker 2: I would give him two songs on the albums and 449 00:25:15,160 --> 00:25:17,720 Speaker 2: the rest of them would be mine. And of course 450 00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:22,560 Speaker 2: those two songs. I wonder how that. 451 00:25:22,560 --> 00:25:25,960 Speaker 1: Would happen, right, Well, you told the story thing on 452 00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:29,040 Speaker 1: the tonight show of you not liking Mandy when it 453 00:25:29,119 --> 00:25:30,040 Speaker 1: first arrived to you. 454 00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:31,879 Speaker 2: Well, did you ever hear that? 455 00:25:32,080 --> 00:25:36,119 Speaker 1: I've heard the original? Okay, So when I still feel, 456 00:25:36,160 --> 00:25:39,359 Speaker 1: we all still feel like a song is yours once 457 00:25:39,359 --> 00:25:41,920 Speaker 1: it arrives in your hands. So when you get a song, 458 00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:44,639 Speaker 1: how long do you have to sit with it before 459 00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:47,199 Speaker 1: you filter it and process it and mold it to 460 00:25:47,280 --> 00:25:48,840 Speaker 1: know that, Okay, this is now my song. 461 00:25:48,840 --> 00:25:52,280 Speaker 2: Well, they're all different, but I mean Mandy, I played 462 00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:56,159 Speaker 2: around with it and I changed the chords and I 463 00:25:56,280 --> 00:25:59,440 Speaker 2: found the love song hiding in this rock and roll song. 464 00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:04,439 Speaker 2: And that night Ronnie and I did a version of 465 00:26:04,680 --> 00:26:07,920 Speaker 2: Brandy just like the demo, and Clive came in and said, 466 00:26:07,920 --> 00:26:11,880 Speaker 2: what's that. I said, that's the record that you think 467 00:26:11,920 --> 00:26:14,480 Speaker 2: I should do, and he said that's terrible. I said, 468 00:26:14,520 --> 00:26:17,359 Speaker 2: I know it's terrible. That's not what I do. So 469 00:26:17,520 --> 00:26:21,000 Speaker 2: I said, I've been playing in the afternoon. Come with me. 470 00:26:21,560 --> 00:26:25,640 Speaker 2: So I sat him, I sat at the piano and 471 00:26:26,280 --> 00:26:28,600 Speaker 2: I played him what I had played around with in 472 00:26:28,640 --> 00:26:32,080 Speaker 2: the afternoon, which was I had found the love song 473 00:26:32,280 --> 00:26:36,800 Speaker 2: hiding in this Mandy And he said, just do that, 474 00:26:37,440 --> 00:26:40,080 Speaker 2: just and he backed the way into the control room 475 00:26:40,520 --> 00:26:46,160 Speaker 2: and we did one take and that was it. What ah? 476 00:26:46,720 --> 00:26:49,200 Speaker 2: Then we added strings. 477 00:26:48,720 --> 00:26:51,600 Speaker 1: And so initially leaves this piano in your voice and 478 00:26:52,119 --> 00:26:55,159 Speaker 1: no click track any Oh my god, there would been 479 00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:59,679 Speaker 1: a nightmare for me. Yea, In your opinion, what is 480 00:27:00,119 --> 00:27:04,760 Speaker 1: already for a great song? Is it? I'm a rhythm 481 00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:07,240 Speaker 1: person because I'm a drummer. But for you is it? 482 00:27:07,359 --> 00:27:10,480 Speaker 1: The words? Is the melody, it's the emotion. 483 00:27:11,280 --> 00:27:17,400 Speaker 2: If you can get people to feel something, then you're 484 00:27:17,480 --> 00:27:18,280 Speaker 2: halfway home. 485 00:27:18,800 --> 00:27:22,040 Speaker 1: So at every arrangement of yours, every song of yours, 486 00:27:22,080 --> 00:27:25,919 Speaker 1: has to have emotion that gives you know, Okay. I 487 00:27:26,040 --> 00:27:30,000 Speaker 1: always wanted to know this because this is a karaoke 488 00:27:30,520 --> 00:27:37,159 Speaker 1: nightmare song for the Copa cabana. I admire songs that 489 00:27:37,280 --> 00:27:40,760 Speaker 1: have a narrative in it, and there's so much detail 490 00:27:41,680 --> 00:27:46,160 Speaker 1: and linear detail packed in this song. Yet it's probably 491 00:27:46,200 --> 00:27:47,600 Speaker 1: one of your most popular songs. 492 00:27:47,600 --> 00:27:49,640 Speaker 2: And I don't know why, but and. 493 00:27:49,560 --> 00:27:53,040 Speaker 1: There's no circular thing that like, I mean, the melody 494 00:27:53,080 --> 00:27:56,000 Speaker 1: sticks with you, but there's so like I mean, someone 495 00:27:56,040 --> 00:27:58,640 Speaker 1: gets shot, and like at the time when you were 496 00:27:58,640 --> 00:28:02,639 Speaker 1: creating it, is this like going to be filler in 497 00:28:02,680 --> 00:28:05,560 Speaker 1: your head like a great album cut or did you 498 00:28:05,800 --> 00:28:08,080 Speaker 1: say this is going to be like my signature or something? 499 00:28:08,440 --> 00:28:13,120 Speaker 2: No, no, no, no, it was the novelty cut on 500 00:28:13,160 --> 00:28:13,600 Speaker 2: the album. 501 00:28:13,680 --> 00:28:15,680 Speaker 1: Because so when it caught on, how did you feel 502 00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:16,160 Speaker 1: about it? 503 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:21,399 Speaker 2: It was thrilling, Okay, thrilling, yeah, Runner. I took her 504 00:28:21,480 --> 00:28:25,920 Speaker 2: to a disco around where the studio was. As soon 505 00:28:25,960 --> 00:28:29,320 Speaker 2: as Copa came on, we you know, paid some guy 506 00:28:29,520 --> 00:28:33,680 Speaker 2: and said the DJ, and as soon as it came on, 507 00:28:34,359 --> 00:28:37,160 Speaker 2: everybody ran to the dance floor and pretended they were 508 00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:40,280 Speaker 2: they were in the nineteen forties. 509 00:28:40,120 --> 00:28:43,880 Speaker 1: Right, wash buckling and cast a blanket. 510 00:28:43,960 --> 00:28:49,360 Speaker 2: Okay, I said to you, we're onto something and uh 511 00:28:49,760 --> 00:28:50,640 Speaker 2: Claude hated it. 512 00:28:50,840 --> 00:28:51,160 Speaker 1: Really. 513 00:28:51,480 --> 00:28:56,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, Rista didn't put a penny behind promotion of Gopa Cabaa. 514 00:28:56,800 --> 00:28:58,520 Speaker 1: It's so caught on because the word of mouth and 515 00:28:58,640 --> 00:28:59,160 Speaker 1: just spreading. 516 00:28:59,240 --> 00:29:02,240 Speaker 2: That's how it happened. Okay, when that is a real 517 00:29:02,320 --> 00:29:03,000 Speaker 2: hit record. 518 00:29:03,400 --> 00:29:07,240 Speaker 1: Whenever he is wrong, will he admit it or will 519 00:29:07,280 --> 00:29:10,600 Speaker 1: he just hey, I knew it all? Will he just well? 520 00:29:11,040 --> 00:29:14,200 Speaker 2: Ask him? He doesn't. He didn't. He doesn't like copa 521 00:29:14,360 --> 00:29:16,680 Speaker 2: and he didn't do anything for it, but the public 522 00:29:16,880 --> 00:29:23,240 Speaker 2: liked it, and they were calling in the radio stations 523 00:29:23,280 --> 00:29:26,280 Speaker 2: and as saying to play mane los copa. Okay, yeah, 524 00:29:26,600 --> 00:29:27,480 Speaker 2: that's how it happened. 525 00:29:28,080 --> 00:29:32,760 Speaker 1: So you probably have one of the best co signs ever. 526 00:29:33,240 --> 00:29:38,880 Speaker 1: When Sinatra famously said, hey, like you're the next great one. 527 00:29:38,800 --> 00:29:41,080 Speaker 2: He didn't say that. He said, well, I know that. 528 00:29:41,120 --> 00:29:42,400 Speaker 1: He said something to this. 529 00:29:42,560 --> 00:29:46,240 Speaker 2: He said he's next, and I thought, am I gonna 530 00:29:47,560 --> 00:29:52,040 Speaker 2: wind up where the horse was at? He's next? 531 00:29:52,120 --> 00:29:53,280 Speaker 1: But he knew what he meant. 532 00:29:53,560 --> 00:29:59,520 Speaker 2: Yes, he said he's next. I never really got to 533 00:29:59,600 --> 00:30:03,000 Speaker 2: know him, but he sang a song of mine on 534 00:30:03,000 --> 00:30:05,640 Speaker 2: the Tonight Show and he did a beautiful job. Not 535 00:30:05,840 --> 00:30:09,440 Speaker 2: one of the hits. He found a real album cut, 536 00:30:10,120 --> 00:30:12,800 Speaker 2: he memorized it, did a beautiful job. 537 00:30:13,360 --> 00:30:19,280 Speaker 1: Is it weird when people cover your songs like so 538 00:30:19,280 --> 00:30:24,920 Speaker 1: soon after you did it? I mean, Donna Summer started 539 00:30:24,920 --> 00:30:28,280 Speaker 1: covering a song that you recorded, like maybe perhaps a 540 00:30:28,360 --> 00:30:32,400 Speaker 1: year before. Like when a song is yours and then 541 00:30:32,560 --> 00:30:35,800 Speaker 1: someone else does it, do you ever feel a certain 542 00:30:35,840 --> 00:30:36,440 Speaker 1: way about it? 543 00:30:36,520 --> 00:30:38,560 Speaker 2: Like I think everybody should record my songs? 544 00:30:39,320 --> 00:30:42,360 Speaker 1: There you go. I don't care of the covers that 545 00:30:42,400 --> 00:30:45,720 Speaker 1: were done, Like what was your favorites that were or 546 00:30:45,800 --> 00:30:47,680 Speaker 1: the notable ones that you told? 547 00:30:47,720 --> 00:30:49,040 Speaker 2: The answer is could it be magic? 548 00:30:49,160 --> 00:30:49,320 Speaker 3: Yeah? 549 00:30:49,360 --> 00:30:50,120 Speaker 1: Could it be magic? 550 00:30:50,240 --> 00:31:01,480 Speaker 3: All right? 551 00:31:02,840 --> 00:31:06,840 Speaker 1: I gotta ask you this question in your arrangements, and 552 00:31:06,920 --> 00:31:10,280 Speaker 1: you're one of these grand arrangers. Like, there's two things 553 00:31:10,320 --> 00:31:13,040 Speaker 1: about your arrangements that I noticed. One, you rarely do 554 00:31:13,120 --> 00:31:19,120 Speaker 1: a fade out. You do an ending, which doesn't happen anymore, 555 00:31:19,160 --> 00:31:22,720 Speaker 1: like songs end in concert, but they never end on record, 556 00:31:23,960 --> 00:31:28,560 Speaker 1: and that's a lost art. But also the modulation now 557 00:31:29,040 --> 00:31:32,800 Speaker 1: of all your songs in which the modulation adds that 558 00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:36,960 Speaker 1: last part. I gotta ask you about never love this 559 00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:43,800 Speaker 1: way again? Because to me, the evil Canevil jump isn't 560 00:31:43,880 --> 00:31:47,680 Speaker 1: landing on the final note, it's that hold on bridge 561 00:31:48,240 --> 00:31:52,520 Speaker 1: in which Dion Warwick actually has to go. That modulation 562 00:31:52,560 --> 00:31:55,160 Speaker 1: should be studied for the ages. What was on your 563 00:31:55,240 --> 00:31:59,800 Speaker 1: mind when you make like you could have just go 564 00:31:59,840 --> 00:32:02,800 Speaker 1: on it's the modulation and been there, but you had to. 565 00:32:03,320 --> 00:32:07,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, it just felt better. It just felt better, and 566 00:32:07,800 --> 00:32:09,720 Speaker 2: she was so great that she was able to pick 567 00:32:09,760 --> 00:32:12,880 Speaker 2: it up. But it didn't throw you, did it? 568 00:32:13,560 --> 00:32:16,360 Speaker 1: I mean one, I'm not a singer, but I've been 569 00:32:16,400 --> 00:32:21,400 Speaker 1: witnessed to many a car accident. Yeah, singers attempting to 570 00:32:21,480 --> 00:32:24,080 Speaker 1: figure out where that last hold on goes to before 571 00:32:24,080 --> 00:32:25,800 Speaker 1: they had to land on the modulation. 572 00:32:26,080 --> 00:32:29,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, I don't think anybody's ever had trouble with those modulations, 573 00:32:30,280 --> 00:32:31,640 Speaker 2: even though they should. 574 00:32:32,400 --> 00:32:36,200 Speaker 1: But well they're complex. Though they're complex. But is that 575 00:32:36,440 --> 00:32:39,440 Speaker 1: a lost art? Like do you? I mean not? There's 576 00:32:39,480 --> 00:32:42,120 Speaker 1: a certain art to music that that has lost again 577 00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:47,280 Speaker 1: and the ending and the modulation, like is the modulation 578 00:32:47,480 --> 00:32:50,560 Speaker 1: the when you spoke of the emotion of a song, 579 00:32:51,440 --> 00:32:53,520 Speaker 1: is that the payoff? Like is the first three minutes 580 00:32:53,560 --> 00:32:57,160 Speaker 1: the build up that leads to whatever you're supposed to feel. 581 00:32:57,280 --> 00:32:59,840 Speaker 2: It all depends on the song. But the singer, the writer. 582 00:33:01,000 --> 00:33:05,400 Speaker 2: There's no rules. There's no rules. It's art, it's music. 583 00:33:06,800 --> 00:33:11,000 Speaker 2: You can't put it in a box. They're all different. 584 00:33:11,200 --> 00:33:14,920 Speaker 2: I don't even remember the modulation, and I never loved 585 00:33:14,960 --> 00:33:18,640 Speaker 2: this way again, But I mean, it's a beautiful song. 586 00:33:18,720 --> 00:33:20,960 Speaker 2: She did a beautiful job, and that's all I got. 587 00:33:21,600 --> 00:33:24,400 Speaker 1: There, you go. Speaking of which, Daja Vu is one of, 588 00:33:24,440 --> 00:33:27,240 Speaker 1: like one of my favorite songs of all time. I 589 00:33:27,360 --> 00:33:29,440 Speaker 1: know that Isaac Hayes wrote that song, but he just 590 00:33:29,480 --> 00:33:32,360 Speaker 1: talked about the general process of producing that Dion record 591 00:33:32,400 --> 00:33:36,240 Speaker 1: because by that point, you know, she had been kind 592 00:33:36,280 --> 00:33:38,760 Speaker 1: of out there for five six years really without like 593 00:33:39,560 --> 00:33:45,200 Speaker 1: a hit. So many people credit that entire album as 594 00:33:45,200 --> 00:33:49,040 Speaker 1: her comeback album and established her for the eighties and whatnot. 595 00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:51,320 Speaker 1: I mean started hosting Solid Gold. 596 00:33:51,120 --> 00:33:54,240 Speaker 2: After I think she got a Grammy for Yeah, I 597 00:33:54,240 --> 00:33:59,560 Speaker 2: don't know that was a again and dajelod another category. Yeah, 598 00:34:00,000 --> 00:34:01,400 Speaker 2: I had never heard of one of those. 599 00:34:01,840 --> 00:34:03,800 Speaker 1: So what was it like producing those sessions? 600 00:34:04,040 --> 00:34:07,600 Speaker 2: It was just another session. You're not saying all about no, 601 00:34:07,880 --> 00:34:12,840 Speaker 2: But by that time I knew those musicians. They were friends, 602 00:34:14,320 --> 00:34:17,200 Speaker 2: and I would tell them what I'd like and they 603 00:34:17,200 --> 00:34:20,080 Speaker 2: would play it, and that's it. I would love to 604 00:34:20,120 --> 00:34:23,800 Speaker 2: tell you that I was loved to the vibe in 605 00:34:23,880 --> 00:34:25,800 Speaker 2: the room. It says no, it was. It was a 606 00:34:25,840 --> 00:34:28,840 Speaker 2: recording session. I had done a million of them. You know, 607 00:34:28,920 --> 00:34:32,040 Speaker 2: they were great. These musicians were great. I would tell 608 00:34:32,080 --> 00:34:36,680 Speaker 2: them little ideas that I wanted and they would do 609 00:34:36,719 --> 00:34:42,480 Speaker 2: it okay. Sometimes they'll hit songs, and sometimes they weren't okay. 610 00:34:42,600 --> 00:34:48,040 Speaker 1: So your album, which is your first record in fifteen years. Yeah, 611 00:34:48,080 --> 00:34:51,160 Speaker 1: and by the way, congratulations on it. And I'm a 612 00:34:51,200 --> 00:34:55,400 Speaker 1: person that is also has not released any product in 613 00:34:55,440 --> 00:34:58,560 Speaker 1: ten years, and I'll admit that there's some sort of 614 00:34:58,600 --> 00:35:02,200 Speaker 1: psychological fear of getting back in the ring and going 615 00:35:02,239 --> 00:35:05,400 Speaker 1: back to the gym and working out how do you 616 00:35:05,520 --> 00:35:09,279 Speaker 1: walk through the fear of just one more time, like 617 00:35:09,640 --> 00:35:11,439 Speaker 1: let me do this again? How did you get through 618 00:35:11,760 --> 00:35:13,239 Speaker 1: any self doubt you had or. 619 00:35:14,120 --> 00:35:17,200 Speaker 2: Michael Lord and I made this album and it took 620 00:35:17,280 --> 00:35:20,640 Speaker 2: a long time, and COVID was have happened in the 621 00:35:20,680 --> 00:35:23,960 Speaker 2: middle of it, right, So it just took forever and 622 00:35:24,080 --> 00:35:27,160 Speaker 2: made this album. I didn't even think it was going 623 00:35:27,200 --> 00:35:31,080 Speaker 2: to ever come out after COVID, you know, I didn't know. 624 00:35:31,400 --> 00:35:33,800 Speaker 2: It wasn't one of those albums that I've made record 625 00:35:33,840 --> 00:35:39,760 Speaker 2: Company once Thursday. It wasn't that. It was a batch 626 00:35:39,800 --> 00:35:45,320 Speaker 2: of songs and I really wanted to hear them done properly. 627 00:35:46,200 --> 00:35:51,239 Speaker 2: And that's it. I love them and I think they're 628 00:35:51,360 --> 00:35:54,000 Speaker 2: very well. Maybe an audience that feels the same way, 629 00:35:54,680 --> 00:35:56,400 Speaker 2: But we'll see. 630 00:35:57,040 --> 00:36:00,000 Speaker 1: How did Once Before I Go land in your life? 631 00:36:00,200 --> 00:36:02,560 Speaker 1: And you know, why did you feel that was necessary 632 00:36:02,600 --> 00:36:03,040 Speaker 1: to record? 633 00:36:03,560 --> 00:36:07,359 Speaker 2: Clive? This man can't get rid of him, thank god. 634 00:36:08,000 --> 00:36:15,560 Speaker 2: But he was having this big outdoor festival in Central 635 00:36:15,600 --> 00:36:18,000 Speaker 2: Park and he got rained out. If you remember, he 636 00:36:18,080 --> 00:36:21,239 Speaker 2: got rained out and he called me and said, did 637 00:36:21,280 --> 00:36:23,839 Speaker 2: you have you ever heard of a so called Once 638 00:36:23,880 --> 00:36:27,279 Speaker 2: Before I Go? And I said, yeah. Peter played it 639 00:36:27,320 --> 00:36:30,560 Speaker 2: for me in my old apartment in New York. He said, 640 00:36:30,600 --> 00:36:34,080 Speaker 2: you should do it. I said, but it's been a 641 00:36:34,080 --> 00:36:39,040 Speaker 2: long time. Anyway, I went into the studio since I 642 00:36:39,120 --> 00:36:44,120 Speaker 2: was making an album and then I was on the road. 643 00:36:44,239 --> 00:36:49,720 Speaker 2: So goodness, Babyface Kenneth stepped in and made a beautiful 644 00:36:49,760 --> 00:36:54,520 Speaker 2: record for me, and I got a top ten single 645 00:36:54,600 --> 00:36:58,640 Speaker 2: out of it. I know, I haven't been on the 646 00:36:58,719 --> 00:37:02,200 Speaker 2: last time I was at the often Washington was closing 647 00:37:02,280 --> 00:37:09,960 Speaker 2: the Della Wheel. Really it's nuts. 648 00:37:10,960 --> 00:37:17,280 Speaker 1: My final question to you so once the album is out, completed, 649 00:37:17,640 --> 00:37:22,000 Speaker 1: and once you've done your very last show, and I 650 00:37:22,040 --> 00:37:25,120 Speaker 1: hate asking this question because again every artist I talk 651 00:37:25,200 --> 00:37:26,359 Speaker 1: to you says this is it? 652 00:37:26,719 --> 00:37:27,160 Speaker 3: No more? 653 00:37:30,920 --> 00:37:32,919 Speaker 1: All right, let me get a pen ultimate question before 654 00:37:32,920 --> 00:37:33,880 Speaker 1: I ask the final question. 655 00:37:34,160 --> 00:37:34,359 Speaker 2: One? 656 00:37:34,680 --> 00:37:38,040 Speaker 1: Is there really such a thing as stopping? 657 00:37:38,800 --> 00:37:38,920 Speaker 2: No? 658 00:37:39,400 --> 00:37:42,640 Speaker 1: Okay, So once the album is out and you've done 659 00:37:42,640 --> 00:37:45,600 Speaker 1: your very last show, what are you going to do 660 00:37:45,680 --> 00:37:46,240 Speaker 1: for yourself? 661 00:37:47,120 --> 00:37:48,680 Speaker 2: I'll tell you after I do it. 662 00:37:50,120 --> 00:37:53,000 Speaker 1: Barry Manilo, I thank you for granted me this audience. 663 00:37:53,080 --> 00:37:55,480 Speaker 1: You're such a legend and we appreciate and love you, 664 00:37:55,520 --> 00:37:58,520 Speaker 1: and thank you for coming on the Question Show. Thank 665 00:37:58,560 --> 00:38:00,480 Speaker 1: you so much. See all the next go around. 666 00:38:01,320 --> 00:38:02,120 Speaker 2: This was great. 667 00:38:08,040 --> 00:38:10,919 Speaker 1: A Quest Love Show is hosted by me Amir Quest 668 00:38:10,960 --> 00:38:14,080 Speaker 1: Love Thompson. The executive producers. 669 00:38:13,600 --> 00:38:19,480 Speaker 4: Are Sean g Brian Calhoun and Me. Produced by Brittany 670 00:38:19,520 --> 00:38:24,640 Speaker 4: Benjamin and Jake Paine. Produced for iHeart by Noel Brown, 671 00:38:25,880 --> 00:38:30,680 Speaker 4: Edited by Alex Conroy. iHeart video support by Mark Canton, 672 00:38:32,160 --> 00:38:37,600 Speaker 4: Logos Graphics and animation by Nick Blow. Additional support by 673 00:38:37,680 --> 00:38:43,480 Speaker 4: Lance Coleman. Special thanks to Kathy Brown. Special thanks to 674 00:38:43,560 --> 00:38:48,200 Speaker 4: Sugar Steve Mandel. Please subscribe Break Review as a share 675 00:38:48,200 --> 00:38:51,320 Speaker 4: of The Quest Love Show wherever you stream your podcast, 676 00:38:51,640 --> 00:38:53,400 Speaker 4: and make sure you follow us on socials. 677 00:38:53,880 --> 00:39:00,560 Speaker 1: That's at q LS. Check out hundreds and hundreds of episodes, 678 00:39:00,560 --> 00:39:06,600 Speaker 1: including the Questlum Supreme Shows, and our podcast archives. The 679 00:39:06,680 --> 00:39:09,240 Speaker 1: Quest Loam Show is a production of iHeartRadio