1 00:00:01,120 --> 00:00:14,040 Speaker 1: Podcast, Playgun, Taking a Walk, BLUs Night, Spencer proffer how 2 00:00:14,120 --> 00:00:18,840 Speaker 1: a man's passion for music and storytelling fueled an iconic career. 3 00:00:19,239 --> 00:00:22,000 Speaker 1: Welcome to this episode of the Taken a Walk Podcast. 4 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:24,920 Speaker 1: I'm Buzznight and I have a guest. I'm so excited 5 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:28,200 Speaker 1: to speak with Spencer Crowfer. He's an iconic figure in 6 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:32,760 Speaker 1: the record industry and in the American media landscape. He's 7 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:38,040 Speaker 1: the CEO of Media seventeen, a convergence media company based 8 00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:40,520 Speaker 1: in la and we have a ton to talk about. 9 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:45,440 Speaker 1: He produced Quiet Riots Metal Health, the first heavy metal 10 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:48,640 Speaker 1: record to reach the top of the pop charts. He's 11 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:53,280 Speaker 1: collaborated with Australian rocker Billy Thorpe on Children of the Sun. 12 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 1: He's produced and arranged hundreds of albums. He's produced concert events. 13 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:03,440 Speaker 1: His focus late Lee has been around documentaries, including the 14 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:09,640 Speaker 1: amazing Chasing Train, the John Coltrane documentary, and his latest project, 15 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:13,360 Speaker 1: which is brilliant, The Day the Music Died About the 16 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:18,920 Speaker 1: unbelievable song American Pie and Don McClain. Spencer Prawford, it's 17 00:01:18,959 --> 00:01:21,640 Speaker 1: so great to have you on Taking a Walk. Well, 18 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:24,840 Speaker 1: you took a walk all the way from Ever to 19 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:28,600 Speaker 1: Massachusetts and I'll be there tomorrow, Concord. Nice to meet 20 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:31,720 Speaker 1: you again, buzz I think I met you forty years ago, 21 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:35,600 Speaker 1: but yeah, thank you for inviting me on. It's so 22 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 1: great to have you. So. How have you cultivated such 23 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:44,080 Speaker 1: a love of music in your career by being a musician, 24 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:50,240 Speaker 1: by being a failed songwriter, by being a dreamer and 25 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:53,080 Speaker 1: getting next to people who are the real deal and 26 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:56,400 Speaker 1: getting a little halo from that. How did I do it? 27 00:01:56,680 --> 00:02:00,960 Speaker 1: I did it because I got lucky, lucky, and I cared. Now, 28 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:04,280 Speaker 1: what was the first music experience that really shaped you 29 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:09,200 Speaker 1: that you created? Wow? The first demo I made when 30 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:12,160 Speaker 1: I was eighteen years old. I wrote a song that 31 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:16,720 Speaker 1: Garry Lewis and that Playboys cut and they copied my demo, 32 00:02:17,240 --> 00:02:19,919 Speaker 1: and I realized that somebody's going to copy my demo 33 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:23,239 Speaker 1: after his number one rhythm the Rain song shit Man. 34 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:25,480 Speaker 1: Then what I got to do is I got to 35 00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:28,240 Speaker 1: get behind the curtain and make sure that my songs 36 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:30,600 Speaker 1: that I wrote sounded like how I heard them in 37 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:33,520 Speaker 1: my head. I've now done that for other people, but 38 00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 1: I used to try for myself. But I never had 39 00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 1: a hit as an artist. But you were stuck and 40 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 1: you were fixated on it from that moment on right, 41 00:02:44,639 --> 00:02:47,720 Speaker 1: I mean, there was no turning back. Well, it got 42 00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:50,880 Speaker 1: into my blood. I went to school. I'm an immigrant 43 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:53,800 Speaker 1: dreamer and my parents wanted me to have an education, 44 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:56,720 Speaker 1: So I got my BA at twenty went to law school, 45 00:02:56,840 --> 00:02:59,440 Speaker 1: passed the bar at twenty three. But I was writing 46 00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:02,480 Speaker 1: songs in a band, paying people to take notes while 47 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 1: I was on the road with the band. You know. Yeah, 48 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:07,680 Speaker 1: I got in my blood then and had never left. 49 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:13,959 Speaker 1: And I'm older than eighteen now. You spend time earlier 50 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:16,560 Speaker 1: in your career working with Clive Davis. What did you 51 00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:21,760 Speaker 1: learn from him that shaped you? Particularly about leadership, to 52 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:24,400 Speaker 1: not take note from people when they said you can't 53 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 1: do it. It doesn't get on the air. A lot 54 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:30,120 Speaker 1: of times when he was blown out, things like Santana 55 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:34,600 Speaker 1: and Simon mcarthronk Goal in Chicago, and you know, some 56 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:37,520 Speaker 1: really good music slide during the days that I worked 57 00:03:37,560 --> 00:03:41,120 Speaker 1: for him in nineteen seventy two, when the promotion guys 58 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:43,280 Speaker 1: and the local marketing guy said, well we had a 59 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:47,720 Speaker 1: problem here there. Clyde was relentless in him, knowing that 60 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:50,840 Speaker 1: it was great and he should just keep the pressure on. 61 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:54,560 Speaker 1: And I learned that taking note is not a word 62 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:58,960 Speaker 1: that you can accept. And what did you learn about 63 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:05,000 Speaker 1: his class? Ear that he believed in what he believed 64 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 1: in and he was right more than he was wrong. 65 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:12,320 Speaker 1: And he is an iconic figure. Whether you like him 66 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 1: or not, you got to respect him because he really 67 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:19,240 Speaker 1: knows his stuff. And I learned a lot from watching him. 68 00:04:19,279 --> 00:04:22,919 Speaker 1: I was twenty three years old, man. I mean like 69 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:27,120 Speaker 1: when Taylor Swift wrote a song a little longer than 70 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:29,800 Speaker 1: Don McLean says. She says she was standing on the 71 00:04:29,839 --> 00:04:32,839 Speaker 1: shoulder of giants. Because McLean is a poet and he 72 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:35,760 Speaker 1: is a giant artife. I felt I stood on the 73 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 1: shoulder of a giant Clive Davis, and I learned how 74 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:43,400 Speaker 1: what it was like to be in charge. And subsequently, 75 00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:47,159 Speaker 1: as I got older, I became in charge. But you're 76 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 1: a keen observer too, and you listen very well, and 77 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:55,920 Speaker 1: I think that's something that's missing nowadays, people listening in 78 00:04:55,960 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 1: the midst of conversation to what's going on. Is that 79 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:04,560 Speaker 1: something that you always felt as part of your character. Yeah, 80 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:08,240 Speaker 1: because there's always somebody smarter in the huddle. I'm an 81 00:05:08,279 --> 00:05:11,680 Speaker 1: ex ball player. I love the idea of team sports. 82 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:15,840 Speaker 1: My kids were raised collaborative leaders. I'm a big believer 83 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:21,360 Speaker 1: if you're a parent, encourage whether it be baseball, football, basketball, soccer, rugby, 84 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:25,720 Speaker 1: whatever it is. Sports is great because you learned collaborative 85 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:29,920 Speaker 1: team sportsmanship. And I believe you can run a business 86 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:34,120 Speaker 1: like that too. So when you first ran into Quiet Riot, 87 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:36,360 Speaker 1: did you expect they were going to become as big 88 00:05:36,400 --> 00:05:40,320 Speaker 1: as they would become? No way, no way. We made 89 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:43,400 Speaker 1: some demos. It's a long story, but the punchline is 90 00:05:43,760 --> 00:05:46,840 Speaker 1: we got lucky. But it connected to the kids. All 91 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:50,600 Speaker 1: the people I dealt with in the industry initially hated it. 92 00:05:51,240 --> 00:05:54,080 Speaker 1: They didn't sound like it was on the radio. You know, 93 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:56,359 Speaker 1: if you have soft Seal, you have Duran Durang, you 94 00:05:56,400 --> 00:05:59,720 Speaker 1: have the police. Epic was blown out, Cyndi lauper, a 95 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:03,520 Speaker 1: girl just want to have fun. Thriller was skyrotic, rocketing. 96 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:06,359 Speaker 1: When you heard bang your head, it didn't sound like 97 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:09,440 Speaker 1: any of that. So the fact that it became an 98 00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:13,000 Speaker 1: anthem for a generation, that's pretty cool. That I think 99 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 1: it would blow up and go to number one and Billboard. No, 100 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:19,120 Speaker 1: but you know what, I'll take the ride any day. 101 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:21,840 Speaker 1: I believed in the music. I believe that it could 102 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:25,560 Speaker 1: make a statement and connected with the kids, and it 103 00:06:25,680 --> 00:06:30,240 Speaker 1: said a trend. It began a trend that lasted, you 104 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:33,840 Speaker 1: might say still to this day. Well, what it did 105 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:38,839 Speaker 1: is it invited the listener bus to participate. And when 106 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:43,040 Speaker 1: you participate the interactivity of what's happening in the digital age, 107 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:46,160 Speaker 1: what's happening with you know, all the viral stuff, whether 108 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:49,760 Speaker 1: it be TikTok now, the streamers in particular paramount plus 109 00:06:49,760 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 1: they're brilliant at finding ways for man engagement. Well, music 110 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:57,680 Speaker 1: can engage fans too, if you hear something and you 111 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:01,360 Speaker 1: can sing along American Pie and it's like a campfire song, 112 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:05,320 Speaker 1: although it's much deeper, but you sing that chorus, you sing, 113 00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:08,920 Speaker 1: bang your head. You want to participate. So that trend 114 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 1: is not a trend, it's actually part of the DNA 115 00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 1: of any great art you get involved. But you've also 116 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:21,680 Speaker 1: really innovated before your time when it comes to what 117 00:07:21,720 --> 00:07:24,600 Speaker 1: you did around Billy Thorpe's Children of the Sun as well, 118 00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:28,680 Speaker 1: which is when I first ran into you out in 119 00:07:28,760 --> 00:07:31,440 Speaker 1: San Diego. And I know we're going to talk about 120 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:34,560 Speaker 1: Lee Abrams a little bit later on, but at the 121 00:07:34,920 --> 00:07:41,720 Speaker 1: Lee Abrams Burkhart Douglas Abrams Superstars event out in San Diego. 122 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:45,360 Speaker 1: I'll never forget it because I was with a couple 123 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:50,600 Speaker 1: of my coworkers who were out there. I'll leave them nameless, 124 00:07:51,040 --> 00:07:54,360 Speaker 1: but let's just say as we were walking around Balboa 125 00:07:54,440 --> 00:08:03,840 Speaker 1: Park we found some of that earthly weed, and then 126 00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:09,680 Speaker 1: we went in to the Billy Thorpe event, which clearly 127 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:13,360 Speaker 1: blew our mind but really was a precursor to great 128 00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:20,960 Speaker 1: multi platform, dynamic events for the future. It was an 129 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:26,560 Speaker 1: amazing event, and I'll never forget it. Did you know 130 00:08:26,680 --> 00:08:29,240 Speaker 1: you were so ahead of your time with regard to 131 00:08:29,280 --> 00:08:33,560 Speaker 1: what you were creating with that event. I didn't think 132 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:36,320 Speaker 1: about it as being ahead of my time. I thought 133 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:41,840 Speaker 1: that integrating music with visual which was this is nineteen 134 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:46,360 Speaker 1: seventy eight nine, I think. And when we made the 135 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:49,920 Speaker 1: record and Billy and I wrote the song, we actually 136 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 1: saw the song. We saw the lyrics visually, just like 137 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:56,160 Speaker 1: when you hear Steroid to Heaven, just like the Beatles 138 00:08:56,160 --> 00:08:58,880 Speaker 1: when they wrote stuff. Although we didn't think we were 139 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:02,200 Speaker 1: that good. But yeah, the fact that we made an 140 00:09:02,240 --> 00:09:07,320 Speaker 1: interactive laser an animated choreography of our album, we premiered 141 00:09:07,320 --> 00:09:10,440 Speaker 1: it Planetariums. I was twenty eight years old. You were 142 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:17,559 Speaker 1: smoking some goodweed. So were Billy and I now where's 143 00:09:17,600 --> 00:09:23,400 Speaker 1: Billy now? By the way, unfortunately passed away. Billy. Billy 144 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:29,960 Speaker 1: was the equivalent in Australia of Bruce Springsteen, and he 145 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:33,120 Speaker 1: was just a wonderful human. I made four albums with 146 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:36,840 Speaker 1: Billy and wrote with him and arranged and produced, became 147 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:40,840 Speaker 1: friends with his wife, his kids. But unfortunately he did 148 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:45,200 Speaker 1: pass away about a decade ago. Now, although he could 149 00:09:45,240 --> 00:09:48,720 Speaker 1: still at the time prior to his death he could 150 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:51,640 Speaker 1: sell out ten thousand cedars. Then he was a very 151 00:09:51,679 --> 00:09:54,560 Speaker 1: big deal there and I tried to and we sold 152 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:57,880 Speaker 1: a million records in nineteen seventy nine. That's pretty good. 153 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:00,520 Speaker 1: But I love Billy as a human being. First, we 154 00:10:00,600 --> 00:10:04,600 Speaker 1: became friends. We played guitar together, we hung out, and 155 00:10:04,640 --> 00:10:06,839 Speaker 1: that's what I like to do. I like to become 156 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:09,199 Speaker 1: friends with the people I work with, and I like 157 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:12,440 Speaker 1: to jam with. The thing is they're always better than 158 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:19,439 Speaker 1: I am. It's beautiful, wow, But your diversity of styles 159 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:23,600 Speaker 1: is amazing to me. So then here we go to 160 00:10:23,760 --> 00:10:29,959 Speaker 1: Chasing Train, which is a brilliant documentary about the unbelievable 161 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:36,920 Speaker 1: John Coltrane, just beautifully done. And tell me about that 162 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:40,280 Speaker 1: process and then tell me about that famous train ride 163 00:10:40,520 --> 00:10:44,640 Speaker 1: as well that you took. Okay, well let me go, 164 00:10:44,800 --> 00:10:47,800 Speaker 1: let me back into your question, and it's amazing that 165 00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:50,920 Speaker 1: you knew about it. Cold Trum, I'm a big fan 166 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:53,319 Speaker 1: of pop culture and Cold trained to me, who's the 167 00:10:53,360 --> 00:10:57,400 Speaker 1: Beatles of jazz? And when I got the opportunity to 168 00:10:57,520 --> 00:11:01,120 Speaker 1: tell his story and wasn't a linear story of just 169 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:04,560 Speaker 1: a guy birth to death. I wanted to show how 170 00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:09,920 Speaker 1: he actually touched culture with his art. He's an artist, 171 00:11:10,120 --> 00:11:13,760 Speaker 1: He's a spiritual artist who I really related to. His 172 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:18,559 Speaker 1: big album, A big song was Love Supreme, but Blue 173 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:22,040 Speaker 1: Train was my favorite Jock Coltrane album. I used to 174 00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:24,960 Speaker 1: run Blue Note Records while I was running the Creative 175 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:28,400 Speaker 1: Division and United Artist way back in nineteen seventy four 176 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:32,120 Speaker 1: seventy five, so I became friends, you know, familiar with jazz. 177 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:34,640 Speaker 1: Although I'm a rock guy, I mean I'm a Zeppelin 178 00:11:34,720 --> 00:11:38,120 Speaker 1: Bowie Beatles guy going through love Pink Floyd. I love 179 00:11:38,200 --> 00:11:41,640 Speaker 1: singer songwriters for you, you know the songs of Cat 180 00:11:41,679 --> 00:11:46,280 Speaker 1: Stevens and Carol King and Graham Nash and Alton Bernie. 181 00:11:46,400 --> 00:11:51,120 Speaker 1: That's like my favorite stuff. James Taylor, but I appreciate Jazz, 182 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:54,280 Speaker 1: I appreciated Donald Bird, I appreciated a Fonsoma was on, 183 00:11:54,679 --> 00:11:59,160 Speaker 1: I appreciated Charlie Parker. When I got the opportunity because 184 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:03,240 Speaker 1: I was sought out by the estate to actually tell 185 00:12:03,280 --> 00:12:08,200 Speaker 1: the story, I really wanted to tell it, not linear fashion, 186 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:12,120 Speaker 1: but I really thought that if I could, I have 187 00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:15,240 Speaker 1: a deep relationship with South Africa. I got involved in 188 00:12:15,240 --> 00:12:19,520 Speaker 1: the country through Sydney Potier in nineteen ninety seven when 189 00:12:19,559 --> 00:12:23,200 Speaker 1: he played Nelson Mandela and Michael Caine played De Clerk. 190 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:27,280 Speaker 1: One story about how Mandela got out of prison a quarterback. 191 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:30,640 Speaker 1: The music recorded at in a tree house in Johannesburg, 192 00:12:31,120 --> 00:12:33,000 Speaker 1: and I learned at the time that there was a 193 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:37,880 Speaker 1: blue train going from Pretoria, which is the capital of 194 00:12:37,920 --> 00:12:43,079 Speaker 1: South Africa, to Tickham and it's literally called the Blue Train, 195 00:12:43,800 --> 00:12:46,880 Speaker 1: and it's the Orient Express of South Africa. It's very 196 00:12:46,960 --> 00:12:51,920 Speaker 1: five star, very uptown. And I thought, what a crazy idea. 197 00:12:51,960 --> 00:12:54,959 Speaker 1: What if I premiered my film on the train. Nobody's 198 00:12:55,000 --> 00:12:58,120 Speaker 1: ever done that, And the congruence was it's a blue 199 00:12:58,120 --> 00:13:01,400 Speaker 1: train or Cold Training did an album called Blue Tray. 200 00:13:02,520 --> 00:13:06,319 Speaker 1: So through a convergence of some relationships one guy pop 201 00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:09,760 Speaker 1: by mon La Sante, who was in prisoned with Mandela, 202 00:13:10,160 --> 00:13:13,160 Speaker 1: used to be the chairman of transn which is like 203 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:19,160 Speaker 1: the well trans that was the biggest transportation company in 204 00:13:19,440 --> 00:13:22,199 Speaker 1: South Africa, and he was also a chairman of a 205 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:25,040 Speaker 1: company the equivalent of AT and T. I met him 206 00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:28,400 Speaker 1: to some mutual people that were connected to the Mandela 207 00:13:28,480 --> 00:13:32,040 Speaker 1: family and he helped me hook up this premier in 208 00:13:32,040 --> 00:13:34,199 Speaker 1: the film. I brought over Ronnie Laws, who I had 209 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:37,520 Speaker 1: signed a blue note. I brought over Eloise Laws, who 210 00:13:37,840 --> 00:13:39,959 Speaker 1: was a star in the Broadway show I produced called 211 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:42,240 Speaker 1: it Ain't Nothing but the Blues, and we jammed with 212 00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:45,720 Speaker 1: some South African musicians on the train at a vineyard 213 00:13:45,960 --> 00:13:49,240 Speaker 1: and we did a concert in Cape Town. Then the 214 00:13:49,559 --> 00:13:53,640 Speaker 1: thing hit Netflix. It's on Hulu now. But yeah, I 215 00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:56,240 Speaker 1: like to think of unique ways to bring media to 216 00:13:56,280 --> 00:14:00,480 Speaker 1: the world. Laser shows with Billy Thorpe, Blue Trained with 217 00:14:00,559 --> 00:14:04,920 Speaker 1: John Coltrane and Paramount plus being the best streamer I 218 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:08,559 Speaker 1: know in the industry. Nowwith standing all the competition for 219 00:14:08,679 --> 00:14:11,680 Speaker 1: the chasing ups for of the Don McLean doc which 220 00:14:11,760 --> 00:14:14,240 Speaker 1: to me was very important to do with a music 221 00:14:14,280 --> 00:14:17,480 Speaker 1: company and they're a music company. So the day the 222 00:14:17,559 --> 00:14:20,880 Speaker 1: music died. I loved the story arc that you created 223 00:14:20,920 --> 00:14:26,120 Speaker 1: about a song that, to this day obviously sparks tremendous emotion. 224 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:31,720 Speaker 1: Congratulations on it. And do you remember the first time 225 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:38,320 Speaker 1: you heard American Pie. Sure, I was writing songs and 226 00:14:38,360 --> 00:14:40,600 Speaker 1: going to school and I heard it on the radio. 227 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:44,720 Speaker 1: After three minutes, it kept going, it kept going, It 228 00:14:44,840 --> 00:14:47,640 Speaker 1: kept going, it kept going. I pulled over. I just 229 00:14:47,680 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 1: needed to take the journey. You know. Funny enough, Children 230 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:54,560 Speaker 1: of the Sun was a seventh minute record that I 231 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:58,120 Speaker 1: had co written produced. American Pie was an eight minute version. 232 00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:00,960 Speaker 1: Stairway to Heaven, one of my fasavorite rock songs, was 233 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:05,560 Speaker 1: also big, long, epic, but I heard it as a kid, 234 00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:09,120 Speaker 1: and I just knew that it was so special. I 235 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:11,840 Speaker 1: didn't know what a lot of it meant. But fifty 236 00:15:11,920 --> 00:15:14,720 Speaker 1: years later, when I got the opportunity to meet Don 237 00:15:15,320 --> 00:15:18,680 Speaker 1: and to talk through his manager Kurt Webster, who also 238 00:15:18,760 --> 00:15:21,720 Speaker 1: had a vision that the song has a deeper life 239 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:24,520 Speaker 1: than just fifty years ago. My job was to bring 240 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:26,840 Speaker 1: it forward to the next gen, which is what we did. 241 00:15:28,240 --> 00:15:30,720 Speaker 1: And I love how you did this with regard to 242 00:15:31,320 --> 00:15:35,600 Speaker 1: you know, other folks approaching the song. You know, it's 243 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:40,160 Speaker 1: beautiful the creation of you know, the Spanish English version, 244 00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:45,120 Speaker 1: the way you captured that, Mafio, and I think it's 245 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:48,280 Speaker 1: just a spectacular way to sort of, you know, bring 246 00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:55,040 Speaker 1: the arc full circle. How did you discover them, Mafio, Well, 247 00:15:55,840 --> 00:15:59,960 Speaker 1: I didn't discover anybody. The whole Hispanic Latin community did. 248 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:05,760 Speaker 1: He's one of the hottest artist, writer of producers in 249 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:09,200 Speaker 1: the world right now in the Latin lane. And I 250 00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:12,320 Speaker 1: have a friend named Rudy Perez who is our age 251 00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:16,200 Speaker 1: buzz and he he was like, I think. He is 252 00:16:16,200 --> 00:16:20,400 Speaker 1: a Cuban born a producer who I had met twenty 253 00:16:20,440 --> 00:16:24,520 Speaker 1: five years ago in Miami. And Rudy done the Latin 254 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:28,360 Speaker 1: versions for Beyonce Christina Aguilera. And I called Rudy. He 255 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:30,800 Speaker 1: used to be chairman of the nearest of the Grammys 256 00:16:30,840 --> 00:16:34,160 Speaker 1: in Miami, and I knew that the American Pie song 257 00:16:34,440 --> 00:16:37,680 Speaker 1: had a deep Grammy connection. So I called Rudy up 258 00:16:37,720 --> 00:16:39,560 Speaker 1: and I could get on the phone. I said, Hey, Rudy, 259 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:42,280 Speaker 1: I'd like you to produce. I'd like you to write 260 00:16:42,280 --> 00:16:46,200 Speaker 1: and produce a Spanish language version of this song if 261 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:48,880 Speaker 1: the song means anything, and he started, if you sing 262 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:51,120 Speaker 1: out how the song touched him way back when he 263 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:53,800 Speaker 1: was a young kid in Cuba, how it meant something 264 00:16:53,840 --> 00:16:56,760 Speaker 1: to him, But he was booked up and busy. He said, 265 00:16:56,920 --> 00:16:59,480 Speaker 1: I want to turn it on to Mafio and Gen Carlo, 266 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:05,639 Speaker 1: who are two young, current hot talents in the Latin community, 267 00:17:06,080 --> 00:17:09,159 Speaker 1: and maybe i'll be I'll do an interview for you, 268 00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:11,240 Speaker 1: which we did. If you take a look at the doc, 269 00:17:11,520 --> 00:17:15,600 Speaker 1: you'll see Rudy Perez speaking about how the song touched 270 00:17:15,840 --> 00:17:19,119 Speaker 1: him and his Latin community. But then he turned me 271 00:17:19,160 --> 00:17:22,440 Speaker 1: on to Mafio and Jim Carlo, who is twenty six 272 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:25,840 Speaker 1: years old. Mafio is I think thirty five, a little 273 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:29,560 Speaker 1: younger than I am, but the song really touched their 274 00:17:29,680 --> 00:17:32,800 Speaker 1: soul too, and I got permission from Don. I give 275 00:17:32,960 --> 00:17:35,399 Speaker 1: all the props to Don for having the vision. He 276 00:17:35,440 --> 00:17:40,480 Speaker 1: has never had a multi language cover of the song. 277 00:17:40,760 --> 00:17:42,760 Speaker 1: But when I went to him and kurked with it, 278 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:45,160 Speaker 1: they were all about it. They said, of course, let 279 00:17:45,160 --> 00:17:49,200 Speaker 1: me hear it, and so Mafio and Jen Carlo got 280 00:17:49,240 --> 00:17:51,600 Speaker 1: together and on Suspec they sent me a demo. I 281 00:17:51,680 --> 00:17:53,560 Speaker 1: used to hear demos all the time. I could hear 282 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:55,480 Speaker 1: it through it. I said, holy shit, this sounds like 283 00:17:55,520 --> 00:18:00,639 Speaker 1: a hit. His manager is his partner as a lawyer 284 00:18:00,720 --> 00:18:04,280 Speaker 1: named Leslie Siegel, and he and his partner Javier Pioto 285 00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:08,040 Speaker 1: said they have big plans form Opio. He's a Sony 286 00:18:08,119 --> 00:18:13,120 Speaker 1: Latino artist. Sony Latino controls forty percent, not controls, but 287 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:15,199 Speaker 1: for me, it's forty percent of the hits in the 288 00:18:15,280 --> 00:18:19,360 Speaker 1: Latin market in twenty twenty five countries. We put it together. 289 00:18:19,480 --> 00:18:22,640 Speaker 1: It took six months. We did it. They did it. 290 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:25,120 Speaker 1: I'm not going to take credit for their work. They 291 00:18:25,119 --> 00:18:27,879 Speaker 1: did a great job. I get to play EP on it, 292 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:31,200 Speaker 1: remix it here, cross faith here. It turned out so well. 293 00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:34,080 Speaker 1: They've even made a video on it, and it's great 294 00:18:34,119 --> 00:18:38,040 Speaker 1: and hopefully MTV will hit it both domestically and internationally, 295 00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:41,000 Speaker 1: cross promoting with their doctor. It's good for Don, good 296 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:44,080 Speaker 1: for the world. How special is that you got Garth 297 00:18:44,119 --> 00:18:49,080 Speaker 1: Brooks to participate in this documentary? How special is it 298 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:51,600 Speaker 1: for him to be a man of Don McLean. I 299 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:55,080 Speaker 1: didn't get anybody. I just made sure that the paperwork 300 00:18:55,280 --> 00:18:58,280 Speaker 1: was right and that the relationship with the manager and 301 00:18:58,280 --> 00:19:01,040 Speaker 1: the lawyer were terrific to work. But I give Don 302 00:19:01,359 --> 00:19:04,200 Speaker 1: all the credit for that relationship that was between Donna, 303 00:19:04,359 --> 00:19:09,600 Speaker 1: Arthur but obviously you create a sense of confidence with 304 00:19:09,680 --> 00:19:12,760 Speaker 1: people like Don and others that you work with in 305 00:19:12,800 --> 00:19:16,520 Speaker 1: these projects, that they know that they can trust you 306 00:19:17,520 --> 00:19:22,840 Speaker 1: in a process, reputation goes a long way. Sir, well, 307 00:19:22,840 --> 00:19:26,439 Speaker 1: thank you, thank you. Bus I kind of had no 308 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:28,680 Speaker 1: way to go but up when I came to this country. 309 00:19:29,119 --> 00:19:32,480 Speaker 1: I work hard, I care, and i'd befriend the artists 310 00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:35,800 Speaker 1: on a human level. So once they trust me, I 311 00:19:35,960 --> 00:19:39,920 Speaker 1: really do play a battering ram role because I won't 312 00:19:39,920 --> 00:19:42,399 Speaker 1: take note. If I believe in the vision, I believe 313 00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:44,840 Speaker 1: in Don, I believe in the song. I believe in Vincent, 314 00:19:45,240 --> 00:19:47,880 Speaker 1: which is the next thing I'm going to tackle. We're 315 00:19:47,880 --> 00:19:50,040 Speaker 1: going to do an illustrated children's book on what the 316 00:19:50,160 --> 00:19:55,280 Speaker 1: song the words really meant and it's not literal. And Judy, 317 00:19:55,480 --> 00:19:58,200 Speaker 1: my wife, is brilliant. She is working on that now 318 00:19:58,280 --> 00:20:00,879 Speaker 1: with Don and we'll get I did with the Vango 319 00:20:01,040 --> 00:20:04,280 Speaker 1: Museum on it, with the symphony orchestra, with the melody. 320 00:20:04,640 --> 00:20:07,040 Speaker 1: I mean, I just like trying to do things that 321 00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:09,159 Speaker 1: the guy down the rock doesn't do. And if I 322 00:20:09,200 --> 00:20:12,119 Speaker 1: get the trust of the talent, then it makes me 323 00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:14,600 Speaker 1: feel good because I come to the party with a 324 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:16,679 Speaker 1: few gifts I don't just say, hey, what do you 325 00:20:16,720 --> 00:20:19,880 Speaker 1: want to do? And I kind of collaborate a little bit, 326 00:20:20,119 --> 00:20:23,080 Speaker 1: but then it's usually their vision. My job is to 327 00:20:23,119 --> 00:20:26,360 Speaker 1: bring it forward. And I know we've talked about how 328 00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:31,639 Speaker 1: convergence and multi platform is important here for you with projects, 329 00:20:31,680 --> 00:20:35,480 Speaker 1: and how it's important with this project with the Spanish 330 00:20:35,480 --> 00:20:40,159 Speaker 1: English marketplace and then with the Vincent children's book as well. 331 00:20:40,800 --> 00:20:46,600 Speaker 1: Who has inspired you around convergence and multi platform thinking. 332 00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:51,760 Speaker 1: While Steve Jobs was a very big inspiration to me 333 00:20:52,280 --> 00:20:56,280 Speaker 1: when he launched his Apple campaign, thing different, I've been 334 00:20:56,320 --> 00:20:59,880 Speaker 1: thinking different since I had to. When I put Tina 335 00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:04,080 Speaker 1: turned to Tommy in nineteen seventy five and produced the 336 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:06,679 Speaker 1: Acid Queen album and play guitar, and I thought that 337 00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:09,919 Speaker 1: was different having you know, I mean, Hendrix was really 338 00:21:10,320 --> 00:21:13,679 Speaker 1: the pillar of being African American and rock and hard, 339 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:15,679 Speaker 1: and I thought it was okay, Tina. It is one 340 00:21:15,720 --> 00:21:18,760 Speaker 1: of the greatest singers in the history of music, and 341 00:21:18,800 --> 00:21:21,520 Speaker 1: there's no reason why she couldn't walk. They opened a 342 00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:24,520 Speaker 1: cantina opened for the Stones. I went to that concert. 343 00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:26,680 Speaker 1: I said, holy shit. When she got the role in 344 00:21:26,800 --> 00:21:29,679 Speaker 1: Ken Russell's Tommy, we should make an Ask Queen album. 345 00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:32,040 Speaker 1: We did, and it made a difference in her career. 346 00:21:32,480 --> 00:21:36,679 Speaker 1: So who inspired me? I don't know, some spiritual power. 347 00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:40,280 Speaker 1: I've just always been off the wall, the crazy guy. 348 00:21:42,720 --> 00:21:45,320 Speaker 1: I don't know about off the wall, but boy, highly 349 00:21:45,920 --> 00:21:51,280 Speaker 1: inspired creativity is I think a hallmark for you, as 350 00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:55,480 Speaker 1: it is for a guy that we know that you're 351 00:21:55,520 --> 00:21:59,760 Speaker 1: also now involved with, named Lee Abrams. Lee was on 352 00:22:00,280 --> 00:22:02,639 Speaker 1: an earlier episode, had taken a walk and is a 353 00:22:02,680 --> 00:22:10,120 Speaker 1: longtime friend and someone certainly that I've collaborated with from 354 00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:14,320 Speaker 1: his firm. You've got a project with Lee, can you 355 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:18,720 Speaker 1: talk about that? Not too much other than Lee and 356 00:22:18,760 --> 00:22:23,480 Speaker 1: her partners. Lee was probably the leading music radio programmer 357 00:22:23,800 --> 00:22:27,240 Speaker 1: in the history of American radio and a founder of 358 00:22:27,400 --> 00:22:31,600 Speaker 1: XM Radio, which has turned into serious excem. Lee approached 359 00:22:31,640 --> 00:22:34,879 Speaker 1: me about three years ago and said, I'd like to 360 00:22:34,920 --> 00:22:38,119 Speaker 1: do a film about the evolution of radio in this 361 00:22:38,280 --> 00:22:41,800 Speaker 1: country when it's gone through its different phases from fifties 362 00:22:42,320 --> 00:22:49,119 Speaker 1: rock and roll, sixties with underground, seventies singer songwriter, eighties metal, 363 00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:52,800 Speaker 1: nineties grunge, you know, all the way to current and 364 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:56,320 Speaker 1: there's nobody I think that could be a better partner 365 00:22:56,400 --> 00:22:59,440 Speaker 1: for me, says lead to me than you, I said, 366 00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:02,679 Speaker 1: are you what a great idea? He said, yeah, I 367 00:23:02,720 --> 00:23:06,040 Speaker 1: want to call it Sonic Messengers. I said, well, I 368 00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:08,159 Speaker 1: don't think there's a four year movie in this, but 369 00:23:08,240 --> 00:23:11,520 Speaker 1: I definitely think there's a ninety minute documentary that could 370 00:23:11,560 --> 00:23:14,840 Speaker 1: spin into a mini series, just like Gestsman and Hanks 371 00:23:15,080 --> 00:23:19,399 Speaker 1: did their sixty seventy series on CNN. I think if 372 00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:23,040 Speaker 1: we anchor it in radio, that could be really interesting too. Yeah, 373 00:23:23,119 --> 00:23:25,879 Speaker 1: I'm in so Lee and I have spent the last 374 00:23:25,960 --> 00:23:29,879 Speaker 1: nine months evolving the vision of it, and we talked 375 00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:35,080 Speaker 1: about having a international point of view. We're big fans 376 00:23:35,080 --> 00:23:40,399 Speaker 1: of Monty Python and John Cleese was the genius that was. 377 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:44,199 Speaker 1: He and Terry Gilliam were really behind that. So thanks 378 00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:47,600 Speaker 1: to CAA a terrific agent named Rob Norman, who I 379 00:23:47,640 --> 00:23:51,119 Speaker 1: know and if I did, Diana Ross have, Rob Norman 380 00:23:51,520 --> 00:23:54,680 Speaker 1: was the agent. So we talked to Rob, whose FRIENDA Lees. 381 00:23:55,240 --> 00:23:57,680 Speaker 1: He made it happen. We met with John Cleese when 382 00:23:57,680 --> 00:24:01,040 Speaker 1: he came to America. John is now the executive producer 383 00:24:01,160 --> 00:24:03,960 Speaker 1: of this. So we'll get an English point of view 384 00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:08,960 Speaker 1: on how American radio impacted the world, just like American 385 00:24:09,040 --> 00:24:12,600 Speaker 1: pie impacted Young English Jay Bird for her twenty four 386 00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:15,880 Speaker 1: to do a cover within our doc. So we're doing that, 387 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:19,000 Speaker 1: and I would love to come back Buzz on your 388 00:24:19,040 --> 00:24:22,320 Speaker 1: show next year with Lee because I think Lee is brilliant. 389 00:24:22,680 --> 00:24:25,240 Speaker 1: I like him a lot. He's not an artist, but 390 00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:28,280 Speaker 1: he is. He's an artist as a radio programmer and 391 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:30,840 Speaker 1: it's an ear to the ground and so for me 392 00:24:30,920 --> 00:24:34,240 Speaker 1: to collaborate with him on the doc that anchors and music, 393 00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:38,040 Speaker 1: but he's not the artist, he's the programmer for the artist. 394 00:24:38,280 --> 00:24:40,760 Speaker 1: I think that's pretty cool. So I'm really excited about 395 00:24:40,840 --> 00:24:44,719 Speaker 1: doing that. It's up on my site. We announced it internally. 396 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:48,000 Speaker 1: I haven't made the distribution deal yet because Lee I 397 00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:51,280 Speaker 1: really want to crystallize on the vision a little more 398 00:24:51,480 --> 00:24:54,240 Speaker 1: and then we'll see. Could it be Viacom, Could it 399 00:24:54,280 --> 00:24:56,440 Speaker 1: be HBO? Could it be Apple? Could it be Netflix? 400 00:24:56,680 --> 00:24:59,880 Speaker 1: Who knows? I love the people if viacommon Paramount Plus 401 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:04,160 Speaker 1: love Bruce Gilmour, He's a real music guy. Bom Backish 402 00:25:04,240 --> 00:25:08,119 Speaker 1: to chairman of Viacom, It's guitar player. These are real 403 00:25:08,280 --> 00:25:11,639 Speaker 1: people and all the people working there for at MTV 404 00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:14,439 Speaker 1: and VH one on CMT, they care about the music. 405 00:25:14,720 --> 00:25:17,199 Speaker 1: So I kind of like them a lot and I 406 00:25:17,240 --> 00:25:19,359 Speaker 1: think they like me a little bit too. So the 407 00:25:19,359 --> 00:25:22,280 Speaker 1: Eldest project, the McLean Project, and we'll see what else 408 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:26,520 Speaker 1: coming down the pike. But yeah, it's Lee. Abrams is 409 00:25:26,640 --> 00:25:31,000 Speaker 1: very dear to me. That's awesome. You've practiced invention and 410 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:36,800 Speaker 1: reinvention your entire career. What's next continuing to do this 411 00:25:37,160 --> 00:25:40,640 Speaker 1: with really great people. They don't have to be famous. 412 00:25:40,760 --> 00:25:43,840 Speaker 1: They just have to be good. They have to be pure, 413 00:25:44,359 --> 00:25:47,880 Speaker 1: they have to have integrity. They can't be liars and cheaters. 414 00:25:48,119 --> 00:25:51,080 Speaker 1: They have to be true to their craft. So yeah, 415 00:25:51,440 --> 00:25:54,360 Speaker 1: if you go onto my website you'll see a couple 416 00:25:54,640 --> 00:25:59,199 Speaker 1: of listings of future projects. The evolution of the songs 417 00:25:59,240 --> 00:26:03,760 Speaker 1: behind the every Brothers from the Philips Boodo O'Brien partnered 418 00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:06,879 Speaker 1: with Del Bryant. His parents were the pioneers in Nashville 419 00:26:07,040 --> 00:26:08,720 Speaker 1: who wrote all I have to do is dream and 420 00:26:08,760 --> 00:26:13,399 Speaker 1: buy my love that's coming. Stephen Schwartz, who is my 421 00:26:13,480 --> 00:26:19,359 Speaker 1: favorite American composer, who wrote Pippen Godstell, Wicked, Prince of Egypt, Pocahontas. 422 00:26:19,400 --> 00:26:23,720 Speaker 1: Stephen and Ire teamed up to make his journey story, 423 00:26:23,960 --> 00:26:27,000 Speaker 1: not just the writing of Wicked, but his When he 424 00:26:27,080 --> 00:26:33,920 Speaker 1: was in college, Stephen Schwartz wrote god Spell when he evolved. 425 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:38,520 Speaker 1: Later he wrote Pittman. He interfaced with Bob Fosse. When 426 00:26:38,560 --> 00:26:41,080 Speaker 1: that didn't work, he decided to write music for film. 427 00:26:41,320 --> 00:26:44,600 Speaker 1: He won three Academy Awards for Pocahontas with Alan Mankin. 428 00:26:45,040 --> 00:26:48,360 Speaker 1: There's an interesting story there, pre wickeed, of course, we're 429 00:26:48,359 --> 00:26:50,439 Speaker 1: going to look at Wicked, and I'm thrilled as he 430 00:26:50,520 --> 00:26:54,320 Speaker 1: got Ariana Gonde and Cynthia Rivo to play roles for 431 00:26:54,400 --> 00:26:57,680 Speaker 1: the film, which is coming through Universal. But I think 432 00:26:57,720 --> 00:27:00,560 Speaker 1: the doc around Stephen will be very special because we're 433 00:27:00,560 --> 00:27:03,760 Speaker 1: going to not see it about the about him. We're 434 00:27:03,760 --> 00:27:06,320 Speaker 1: going to see it about his work, and I'm all 435 00:27:06,359 --> 00:27:10,280 Speaker 1: about the work. Spencer Crowper, it's an honor to be 436 00:27:10,400 --> 00:27:12,399 Speaker 1: with you. Thank you so much for your time on 437 00:27:12,680 --> 00:27:16,800 Speaker 1: taking a walk, and thanks for the inspiration you got 438 00:27:16,800 --> 00:27:20,800 Speaker 1: it bus. Thank you for inviting me. Taking a Walk 439 00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:26,600 Speaker 1: with Buzznight is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 440 00:27:26,680 --> 00:27:27,920 Speaker 1: you get your podcasts.