1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:01,360 Speaker 1: Taking a Walk. 2 00:00:01,440 --> 00:00:03,880 Speaker 2: I'm buzznight and welcome to the Taking a Walk Podcast. 3 00:00:03,920 --> 00:00:06,279 Speaker 2: Now today we're going to revisit one of my favorite 4 00:00:06,320 --> 00:00:10,879 Speaker 2: conversations my music history, on foot Walk with the legendary 5 00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:14,360 Speaker 2: Peter Wolf. As the iconic frontman of the Jay Guiles 6 00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:17,840 Speaker 2: Band and a solo artist with the Midnight Travelers, he 7 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:22,200 Speaker 2: continues to captivate audiences. His impact on rock and roll 8 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:28,720 Speaker 2: is completely undeniable. I'm just absolutely such a fan of Peter's. 9 00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:33,400 Speaker 2: The conversation takes us into a dive about his journey, 10 00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 2: about his certainly incredibly amazing latest book, and of course 11 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:41,320 Speaker 2: I want to put on your radars some tour dates 12 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:42,800 Speaker 2: with Peter and the band. 13 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:45,200 Speaker 3: He's going to be playing in Portsmouth. 14 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:48,400 Speaker 2: New Hampshire, February nineteenth, the Cabot and Beverly mass on 15 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 2: March seventh, and also the legendary Fillmore April seventeenth in Detroit, Michigan. 16 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:56,480 Speaker 1: Coming up our. 17 00:00:56,400 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 2: Episode, our replay with Peter Wolf on Taking a Walk. 18 00:01:04,319 --> 00:01:06,959 Speaker 2: Taking a Walk, Well, I'm pleased to welcome to the 19 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:08,319 Speaker 2: Taking a Walk Podcast. 20 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 3: One of the great human beings in the universe, he. 21 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:17,279 Speaker 2: Stands tall as one of music's greatest frontman ever Peter Wolf, 22 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:22,920 Speaker 2: former lead singer of the Jay Guiles Band, amazing solo artist, painter, 23 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:26,759 Speaker 2: former DJ. He can add author now to his resume. 24 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:32,480 Speaker 2: His tremendous memoir is called Waiting on the Moon, and 25 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:35,960 Speaker 2: now he can also add to that list New York 26 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:37,360 Speaker 2: Times bestseller. 27 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:40,240 Speaker 3: Pete, welcome to take out a Walk. 28 00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:44,679 Speaker 4: Well, thank you for having me buzz and the introduction. 29 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:48,520 Speaker 4: Thank you for the plaudets and kudos. At first, I 30 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:51,880 Speaker 4: don't know whom you might have been speaking about until 31 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 4: I heard my name. 32 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:56,760 Speaker 2: We're going to talk about drifters and drifters and goddesses. 33 00:01:56,800 --> 00:02:00,320 Speaker 2: But I do have to ask you our signature taking 34 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:03,680 Speaker 2: a walk question, since it is the name of the podcast. 35 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:07,800 Speaker 2: If you could take a walk with someone Pete, living 36 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:10,239 Speaker 2: or dead, who would it be and where would you 37 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 2: take that walk with him? 38 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:17,520 Speaker 4: Well, living or dead makes a big ocean. There's so 39 00:02:17,639 --> 00:02:24,560 Speaker 4: many historical figures, so many important artist writers. You know, 40 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:30,480 Speaker 4: you go from Homer to Shakespeare, interesting figures, mysterious figures. 41 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:35,640 Speaker 4: You know. As far as musicians, there's Beethoven and artists. 42 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:39,600 Speaker 4: There's just so many that I can think of one 43 00:02:39,639 --> 00:02:42,960 Speaker 4: that comes to mind. If I was able to meet 44 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:45,600 Speaker 4: with Van go and let him know that he's what 45 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:49,520 Speaker 4: as success he became and how important he became to 46 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:54,800 Speaker 4: so many people. But in thinking about people, I would 47 00:02:54,840 --> 00:03:00,600 Speaker 4: probably say my wish would be to be able to 48 00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:05,480 Speaker 4: take a walk with my father, And the reason for 49 00:03:05,560 --> 00:03:10,840 Speaker 4: that is he was such an influence on my life, 50 00:03:11,440 --> 00:03:15,840 Speaker 4: as I stay in the book, and he was so 51 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:22,680 Speaker 4: artistically aware that there are things that he turned me 52 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:26,880 Speaker 4: on too, musically and artistically, as far as painting and 53 00:03:26,919 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 4: things that took me years years after he passed to 54 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:38,640 Speaker 4: really appreciate what it was about it certain classical music. 55 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:43,680 Speaker 4: Of course, I was not sophisticated enough to appreciate certain 56 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:48,320 Speaker 4: movements and pieces that he just thought was the bee's knees, 57 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:53,120 Speaker 4: and certain painters and artists that he loved, even contemporary 58 00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:59,040 Speaker 4: you know, like Metro, the abstract Spanish abstract expressionist, and 59 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:05,480 Speaker 4: so many different things he knew about. He was such 60 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:10,600 Speaker 4: a brilliant man. So I think walking with him and 61 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 4: discussing a new some of the things that I appreciate 62 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:19,240 Speaker 4: that I learned through him, And I know that there's 63 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:27,560 Speaker 4: a wealth of other things he could turn me on too. 64 00:04:28,600 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 4: So I would say my father would be out of 65 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:35,599 Speaker 4: all the people I could meet would be the first 66 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:36,279 Speaker 4: on my list. 67 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:40,880 Speaker 2: Ah, that's so great, and that's that's I appreciate you 68 00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:46,000 Speaker 2: you sharing that for sure. You know, one of the songs, 69 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:49,080 Speaker 2: one of the many songs that rings through my head 70 00:04:50,160 --> 00:04:54,280 Speaker 2: when I, you know, was reading the book, was your 71 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:58,880 Speaker 2: great song from your solo work. There's a lot of 72 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:03,560 Speaker 2: good ones gone, you know, and your father is certainly 73 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:05,800 Speaker 2: one of them. But there's a lot of them in 74 00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:08,279 Speaker 2: the book who aren't with us anymore? 75 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 5: Right, Yeah, you know two things. 76 00:05:12,360 --> 00:05:15,120 Speaker 4: It's funny because Peter Girlnick, who is a great writer 77 00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 4: who's did all those great books on Elvis Presley. You know, 78 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:24,920 Speaker 4: anyone's interested in Elvis Presley. Peter Girlnick's book Last Trained 79 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:30,760 Speaker 4: of Memphis and Careless Love are the definitive biographies of Elvis. 80 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:33,760 Speaker 4: And he did one on Sam Cooke and the great 81 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:37,560 Speaker 4: producer Sam Phillips, and he said to me, you know, Pete, 82 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:41,440 Speaker 4: you've been talking about this book for over fifteen years 83 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:45,320 Speaker 4: since then, you know, and you better finished it soon 84 00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:49,480 Speaker 4: because everybody you want, who you'll want to read it, 85 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:53,479 Speaker 4: they'll be dead if you don't hear. And there was 86 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:55,520 Speaker 4: some truth to that, because a lot of people had 87 00:05:55,560 --> 00:05:59,159 Speaker 4: passed since the time I started. It just took about 88 00:05:59,160 --> 00:06:05,839 Speaker 4: two years from now and uh yeah, so that's one 89 00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:12,320 Speaker 4: thing and an important thing. And also lots of Good 90 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:15,240 Speaker 4: Ones Gone was a song that I wrote with Will Jennings, 91 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:17,640 Speaker 4: who I write about in the book. He was a 92 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:21,440 Speaker 4: song collaborator and Will was a great songwriter, and he 93 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:25,880 Speaker 4: wrote songs like Tears from Heaven by You with Eric Clapton, 94 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:31,080 Speaker 4: all the Stevie Winwood songs, Higher Love and uh and 95 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:35,240 Speaker 4: songs that wont Academy awards, you know, went Beneath the Wings, 96 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:41,240 Speaker 4: and I found out that John Lee Hooker passed, who 97 00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:43,160 Speaker 4: was an old friend. And there's a chapter in the 98 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:45,520 Speaker 4: book about my relationship with John Lee. 99 00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:47,320 Speaker 5: And I remember mentioning with Will. 100 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:49,840 Speaker 4: We worked together out of his home in Santa Barbara, 101 00:06:50,400 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 4: and I remember mentioning him, mentioning, you know, John Lee passed, 102 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:57,039 Speaker 4: and uh, I said, man, there's sure a lot of 103 00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:02,320 Speaker 4: good ones gone. And then he smiled and said, that's it. 104 00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:05,960 Speaker 4: He gave me a pad. He took a pad, and 105 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:11,360 Speaker 4: thanks to him, we got h that song. 106 00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:15,000 Speaker 2: It's it's it's one of my many favorites, and it 107 00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:19,200 Speaker 2: does nail it in terms of the beauty of the 108 00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:24,920 Speaker 2: storytelling here in your your great book. Did your your 109 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:31,720 Speaker 2: proximity living so close to the Apollo Theater, did it 110 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:35,120 Speaker 2: kind of begin the backbone of your your sort of 111 00:07:35,360 --> 00:07:38,960 Speaker 2: musical thirst and your your passion for great performance. 112 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:42,720 Speaker 5: Well it did. 113 00:07:43,080 --> 00:07:46,640 Speaker 4: But first I have to say that I followed my 114 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:49,760 Speaker 4: sister who was going out on a date, and the 115 00:07:49,880 --> 00:07:54,200 Speaker 4: date was to the several of the Alan Freed Cavalcade 116 00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:58,720 Speaker 4: of Stars. So at the age of ten, this was 117 00:07:58,840 --> 00:08:02,840 Speaker 4: one show and I had to research it because I 118 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:05,600 Speaker 4: couldn't quite believe it, and maybe it was a combination 119 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:10,880 Speaker 4: of two shows of Alan Fried's Cavalcade of Stars. And 120 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:13,760 Speaker 4: at ten years old, I got to see Chuck Berry, 121 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:19,120 Speaker 4: Jerry Lee, Lewis, Little Richard, I saw Frankie Lyman and 122 00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:25,880 Speaker 4: the Teenagers Boldly, the Everly Brothers, Dion and the Belmontes, 123 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:31,239 Speaker 4: Buddy Holly, Joanne Campbell, the Blonde Bombshell, and coming out 124 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:34,680 Speaker 4: in the coffin in the middle of the stage with 125 00:08:35,559 --> 00:08:38,440 Speaker 4: stage lights all dark, and all of a sudden, the 126 00:08:38,520 --> 00:08:43,000 Speaker 4: coffin lid slowly open and out came screaming Jay Hawkins 127 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:47,680 Speaker 4: Pound prancing around the stage singing, I put a spell 128 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:52,760 Speaker 4: on you, and I think seeing all those great first 129 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 4: generation rock artists just blew. 130 00:08:55,280 --> 00:08:55,960 Speaker 5: My head off. 131 00:08:56,360 --> 00:09:01,679 Speaker 4: And that was a memory I'll never forget because each 132 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:10,200 Speaker 4: artist had a dynamic and an individual stage presence. You know, 133 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:13,400 Speaker 4: Chuck Berry did the Chuck walk, Jerry Lee Lewis kicked 134 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:17,000 Speaker 4: the piano. Richard you know, you know, just was the 135 00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:20,560 Speaker 4: Richard boy. You know, he was just a powerhouse and 136 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:25,400 Speaker 4: Buddy Hollying you know, needs no description. So it was 137 00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:30,080 Speaker 4: just amazing. There was doo wop bands, Chantelle's singing maybe, 138 00:09:30,440 --> 00:09:32,800 Speaker 4: you know, and they were all young. Everyone was young, 139 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:36,280 Speaker 4: and I was ten, and I had an amazing impact. 140 00:09:36,559 --> 00:09:39,040 Speaker 4: Now I didn't live in Harlem, but my high school 141 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:43,439 Speaker 4: was in Harlem, and so my high school it was 142 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:45,640 Speaker 4: the High School of Music and Art, and it was 143 00:09:45,679 --> 00:09:48,320 Speaker 4: on one hundred and thirty fifth Street, and the Apollo 144 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:50,960 Speaker 4: was on one hundred and twenty fifth Street. So I'd 145 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:55,200 Speaker 4: walk across, you know, and down down, and every Wednesday 146 00:09:55,280 --> 00:09:59,640 Speaker 4: night or Wednesday late, you know, in the evening, late 147 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:03,959 Speaker 4: in the afternoon, I'd go see. Wednesday they had a movie, 148 00:10:04,760 --> 00:10:10,480 Speaker 4: The Amateur Night, and then the entire Apollo Review. So 149 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:15,000 Speaker 4: I got to see so many legendary artists such as 150 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:20,400 Speaker 4: Jackie Wilson, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Diane Washington, I got 151 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:23,960 Speaker 4: to see John Coltrane, Ray Charles, and Betty Carter. I mean, 152 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:29,359 Speaker 4: the list is just you know, enormous in the Drifters 153 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:34,720 Speaker 4: and just so many artists. And as don Quove explains 154 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:38,439 Speaker 4: to me in the book that in this chapter he said, 155 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:41,439 Speaker 4: you know, Pete, all of us artists, meaning Sam Cooke 156 00:10:41,559 --> 00:10:44,920 Speaker 4: and Salomon Burke and Wilson Pickett and Joe tex and 157 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:48,320 Speaker 4: Benny king Ritha, we all came out of the church 158 00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:54,680 Speaker 4: and we felt ourselves as the minister, and the audience 159 00:10:54,840 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 4: was the congregation, and the job of the artist was 160 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:03,680 Speaker 4: to get the congregation, you know, moving, and get them 161 00:11:03,679 --> 00:11:06,199 Speaker 4: the spirit of the music. And he said if you 162 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:11,040 Speaker 4: didn't do that, you failed, and that the audience expected 163 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:14,680 Speaker 4: it expected to be, you know, spiritually moved. 164 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:17,079 Speaker 5: And it was that. 165 00:11:19,280 --> 00:11:22,319 Speaker 4: Lesson that you know, as a performer, that I took 166 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:25,679 Speaker 4: with me because when I was ten, I didn't realize, 167 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:28,800 Speaker 4: you know, I just I was just so excited. But 168 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:32,520 Speaker 4: it was at the Apollo I could see the way 169 00:11:32,640 --> 00:11:38,040 Speaker 4: Jackie Wilson would manipulate an audience or you know, different artists, 170 00:11:38,080 --> 00:11:41,600 Speaker 4: you know, James would you know, non stop pageantry, and 171 00:11:41,840 --> 00:11:44,320 Speaker 4: you know, then down on the knees with the cape 172 00:11:44,400 --> 00:11:49,360 Speaker 4: and the whole the whole nine yards. So and also 173 00:11:49,760 --> 00:11:54,640 Speaker 4: the great comedians at the follow Moms Maybley and pig 174 00:11:54,679 --> 00:11:59,480 Speaker 4: Meat Martin here come to judge, and uh so Flip 175 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:05,400 Speaker 4: Wilson and so many different great comedians. So it was 176 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:10,520 Speaker 4: a as far as but former and as far as 177 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:15,280 Speaker 4: learning the craft, the Apollo was my college, my college 178 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:18,680 Speaker 4: and musical knowledge, I'd say. 179 00:12:19,679 --> 00:12:24,600 Speaker 2: And you got to roam pretty free through through the 180 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:27,840 Speaker 2: streets of New York. You're it's fair to say, Pete, 181 00:12:27,880 --> 00:12:31,760 Speaker 2: your parents gave you a very long leash while you 182 00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:36,320 Speaker 2: were able to go take in music, explore what was happening, 183 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:41,960 Speaker 2: just take the vibe in and it contributed to your 184 00:12:42,440 --> 00:12:47,800 Speaker 2: amazingly diverse, you know, passion for all different styles of music. 185 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:50,359 Speaker 3: I mean, you were in the village. 186 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:53,040 Speaker 2: One time next year at the Apollo, I mean, it 187 00:12:53,080 --> 00:12:59,440 Speaker 2: was just it was an endless stream of great inspiration, right. 188 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:05,319 Speaker 4: Oh yeah, And you know I always had a wanderlust. 189 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:08,040 Speaker 4: I was always a very active kid, and so my 190 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:13,600 Speaker 4: parents were aware of that. Also New York it was 191 00:13:13,640 --> 00:13:17,000 Speaker 4: a different time. So as a kid of you know, 192 00:13:17,400 --> 00:13:20,040 Speaker 4: twelve or even younger. Sometimes I'd get on the subway 193 00:13:20,080 --> 00:13:22,440 Speaker 4: and just go all the way down to Coney Island. 194 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:24,800 Speaker 4: Me and a couple of guys. We'd just say, let's 195 00:13:24,800 --> 00:13:27,640 Speaker 4: go to Coney Island, and you know, you get you 196 00:13:27,679 --> 00:13:29,400 Speaker 4: get on the train in the Bronx and the last 197 00:13:29,440 --> 00:13:33,600 Speaker 4: stop was Coney Island and you'd walk all around and 198 00:13:33,679 --> 00:13:36,480 Speaker 4: they had all the ferris wheel and a parachute jump, 199 00:13:36,559 --> 00:13:39,600 Speaker 4: and I would go off by myself. 200 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:40,160 Speaker 5: You know. 201 00:13:40,440 --> 00:13:43,480 Speaker 4: Places I really loved to hang out was forty second Street. 202 00:13:43,960 --> 00:13:45,520 Speaker 4: Now I'm a twelve year old kid, and there was 203 00:13:45,559 --> 00:13:49,120 Speaker 4: all the penny arcades and the shooting galleries and all 204 00:13:49,240 --> 00:13:54,199 Speaker 4: the Hubitt's Fleet circus, which was sort of like Ripley's. 205 00:13:54,200 --> 00:13:59,120 Speaker 4: Believe it or not, it was this amazing museum of 206 00:13:59,720 --> 00:14:04,800 Speaker 4: mat and hustlers. And Broadway was filled with all, you know, 207 00:14:04,880 --> 00:14:08,920 Speaker 4: these little shops and totally different than it is now. 208 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:11,400 Speaker 4: And then, of course once I got down to Greenwich 209 00:14:11,520 --> 00:14:14,760 Speaker 4: Village I was a little bit older. There was all 210 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:17,240 Speaker 4: the great folk music and all the little clubs that 211 00:14:17,360 --> 00:14:20,080 Speaker 4: really didn't in the coffee houses that you really didn't 212 00:14:20,120 --> 00:14:21,960 Speaker 4: have to pay to get into. 213 00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:23,800 Speaker 5: You could drop money in a hat. 214 00:14:23,680 --> 00:14:27,000 Speaker 4: If you chose to, and you could get a you know, 215 00:14:27,160 --> 00:14:31,000 Speaker 4: a kind of soft drink or something and sit there 216 00:14:31,280 --> 00:14:36,520 Speaker 4: for hours. And also they had great jazz clubs like 217 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:39,600 Speaker 4: the Village Vanguard and a five Spot, and I would 218 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:43,040 Speaker 4: just stand outside and I'd hear One week I could 219 00:14:43,040 --> 00:14:45,600 Speaker 4: hear Felonious Monk, and the next week I could hear 220 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:47,880 Speaker 4: Charles Mingus and. 221 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:52,280 Speaker 5: It was just non stop. So between the folk. 222 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:55,040 Speaker 4: Music, you know, where you would hear people like the 223 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:58,400 Speaker 4: Green Briar Boys, or you know, Bob Dylan in a 224 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:04,520 Speaker 4: small club, Dave Van Wrong or these jazz greats, and 225 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:08,200 Speaker 4: sort of later on there would be some rock clubs 226 00:15:08,240 --> 00:15:10,760 Speaker 4: where you'd catch you know, some of the the young 227 00:15:10,880 --> 00:15:15,360 Speaker 4: rascals or you know, the beginnings of bands like Mountain 228 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:18,440 Speaker 4: and Leslie West and people like that. So there was 229 00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:21,720 Speaker 4: I remember seeing the doors when they first came to 230 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:27,000 Speaker 4: a club in New York. So it was a cornucopia 231 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:33,160 Speaker 4: of delights. It was all available and economically it was feasible, 232 00:15:33,680 --> 00:15:38,440 Speaker 4: so you could spend you know, days upon days, a 233 00:15:38,520 --> 00:15:41,480 Speaker 4: venture upon a venture, and some of it I tried 234 00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:42,560 Speaker 4: to capture in the book. 235 00:15:43,680 --> 00:15:48,280 Speaker 2: You did it so brilliantly, and the stories, I mean 236 00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:52,920 Speaker 2: there's so many favorites. The interactions from the beginning that 237 00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:58,560 Speaker 2: you had with with Bob Dylan, observing his performance and 238 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:03,880 Speaker 2: then being able to have some choice interactions that are 239 00:16:04,040 --> 00:16:10,000 Speaker 2: just incredible. When you were writing the book, had you 240 00:16:10,160 --> 00:16:14,560 Speaker 2: kept notes of things all along in your life, a 241 00:16:14,640 --> 00:16:19,200 Speaker 2: journal or whatever, or because there's a lot of stuff 242 00:16:19,240 --> 00:16:23,440 Speaker 2: that you go back into and you painted in brilliantly 243 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:25,440 Speaker 2: colorful detail. 244 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:28,560 Speaker 5: Well, I never kept journal. 245 00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:32,240 Speaker 4: I mean I would keep like, you know, a calendar 246 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:36,080 Speaker 4: would say, you know, dentists two o'clock, you know, meeting over, 247 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:39,200 Speaker 4: you know so and so, record stational call this person 248 00:16:39,360 --> 00:16:44,000 Speaker 4: or you know. But basically, about twenty years ago, I 249 00:16:44,040 --> 00:16:46,320 Speaker 4: sat down and I was thinking about a book, and 250 00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:52,040 Speaker 4: I wrote out a outline which I printed out and 251 00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:56,520 Speaker 4: put in a loosely folder, and it pretty much starts 252 00:16:56,520 --> 00:17:01,480 Speaker 4: from the early memories chronological all the way up to 253 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:05,199 Speaker 4: what then was the present. I kept referring to it, 254 00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:08,480 Speaker 4: and if I thought of something, I would add to it. 255 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:12,399 Speaker 4: But I didn't really do anything with it until I 256 00:17:12,480 --> 00:17:17,000 Speaker 4: started about, you know, two years ago, and I found 257 00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:22,040 Speaker 4: the book the notes, and I just marked off the 258 00:17:22,040 --> 00:17:27,480 Speaker 4: ones I thought would be interesting to start with. And 259 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:32,600 Speaker 4: that's how I started about five or six vignettes because 260 00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:36,159 Speaker 4: I did not want and the book is composed of 261 00:17:36,240 --> 00:17:40,680 Speaker 4: really short stories. Each chapter is its own short story. 262 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:44,800 Speaker 4: So there's about thirty five chapters. Of thirty four chapters, 263 00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:48,439 Speaker 4: I'm not sure, but if you say, like interested in 264 00:17:48,640 --> 00:17:52,320 Speaker 4: sly Stone, you can read about sly Stone, or you 265 00:17:52,359 --> 00:17:57,520 Speaker 4: can read about there's some early periods of my life 266 00:17:57,520 --> 00:18:01,080 Speaker 4: in there, or if you're into Louis Armstrong or Julia 267 00:18:01,240 --> 00:18:06,359 Speaker 4: Childs or Tennessee Williams, so they're all you know listed 268 00:18:06,560 --> 00:18:09,479 Speaker 4: there in the chapters. But you could just pick up 269 00:18:09,480 --> 00:18:12,840 Speaker 4: the book, read a six page chapter and put it 270 00:18:12,880 --> 00:18:19,200 Speaker 4: back down and not have to worry about any time aspect, 271 00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:22,960 Speaker 4: because each chapter should have its own, if I'm successful, 272 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:26,320 Speaker 4: should have its own beginning, middle, and end. And that's 273 00:18:26,359 --> 00:18:29,720 Speaker 4: how I attempted to write it. And the two things 274 00:18:29,720 --> 00:18:34,800 Speaker 4: that I said to myself that I wasn't going to 275 00:18:34,880 --> 00:18:40,120 Speaker 4: do was I wasn't going to write about my marriage, 276 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:43,960 Speaker 4: and I wasn't going to write about the Jay Giles band. 277 00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:48,119 Speaker 4: And I just wanted to make a book of short 278 00:18:48,160 --> 00:18:52,919 Speaker 4: stories of my adventures of the people that I admired 279 00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:58,840 Speaker 4: that I were privileged enough to get to know and 280 00:18:59,040 --> 00:19:03,880 Speaker 4: just try to not kiss and tell, but tried to 281 00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:09,280 Speaker 4: demonstrate and show what they were like as as artists, 282 00:19:09,320 --> 00:19:13,080 Speaker 4: as you know, interacting with them, you know, what their 283 00:19:13,119 --> 00:19:16,280 Speaker 4: personalities were like because I read so many books. Uh 284 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:19,040 Speaker 4: and so, oh yeah, we played with you know, Bo Diddley, 285 00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:22,040 Speaker 4: Well we played you know, uh, well what was Bo 286 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:25,399 Speaker 4: Diddley like? Was he friendly? Was he unfriendly? Or you know, 287 00:19:25,680 --> 00:19:27,840 Speaker 4: if he played with Chuck Berry, what was he like? 288 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:30,960 Speaker 4: Or if you met, you know, a certain famous person 289 00:19:31,680 --> 00:19:35,679 Speaker 4: and had some quality time, well, what were they like? 290 00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:38,760 Speaker 4: And a lot of books would just say oh and 291 00:19:38,800 --> 00:19:40,680 Speaker 4: so I didn't want it to be just a list 292 00:19:40,760 --> 00:19:44,800 Speaker 4: of famous people. That wasn't my attention because there's a 293 00:19:44,800 --> 00:19:47,560 Speaker 4: lot of people that I write about in the book 294 00:19:47,640 --> 00:19:52,760 Speaker 4: that nobody would really know about unless reading the book. 295 00:19:53,640 --> 00:19:58,960 Speaker 4: So once I started writing The Little Brown, my publishing 296 00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:03,640 Speaker 4: company and my agent Andrew Wiley, both said, you know, Pete, 297 00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:07,960 Speaker 4: I think people are curious about the Guyle's band and 298 00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:09,440 Speaker 4: curious about your marriage. 299 00:20:09,480 --> 00:20:11,880 Speaker 5: And I said, well, it's not one of those books. 300 00:20:12,920 --> 00:20:16,480 Speaker 4: And my agent said, well, why don't you try just 301 00:20:17,359 --> 00:20:21,840 Speaker 4: writing a bit about each and see how that goes. 302 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:26,119 Speaker 4: And once I started writing about my marriage. One chapter 303 00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:30,280 Speaker 4: led to another because I realized my marriage with Faye, 304 00:20:31,880 --> 00:20:36,000 Speaker 4: who was then a you know, a very world famous 305 00:20:36,040 --> 00:20:40,400 Speaker 4: actress and at the height of her career when we met. 306 00:20:41,080 --> 00:20:44,920 Speaker 4: I realized what an amazing time we had together because 307 00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:48,960 Speaker 4: it was at a period when there was really no 308 00:20:49,720 --> 00:20:55,160 Speaker 4: rock and rollers and actors that were married. And I'm 309 00:20:55,200 --> 00:20:58,080 Speaker 4: sure they were, but you know, I mean after we 310 00:20:58,119 --> 00:21:00,760 Speaker 4: got married, Fay donn Away and I got married. I 311 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:05,320 Speaker 4: remember Greg Allman and Scher got married for about five minutes, 312 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:08,600 Speaker 4: but Fay and I had five six years of a 313 00:21:08,720 --> 00:21:15,359 Speaker 4: really incredible period, and it was based the marriage was 314 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:20,000 Speaker 4: based on we each supported each other in our careers. 315 00:21:20,640 --> 00:21:24,199 Speaker 4: Her career was you know, paramount and important to me, 316 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:28,080 Speaker 4: and my career was paramount and important to her. And 317 00:21:28,560 --> 00:21:31,119 Speaker 4: she would fly to you know, to meet the band 318 00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:33,520 Speaker 4: on the road, and I'd fly out to see her 319 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:37,840 Speaker 4: on a movie set. And so once I realized, you know, 320 00:21:38,359 --> 00:21:44,120 Speaker 4: how rich my marriage was and how many adventures we 321 00:21:44,160 --> 00:21:47,439 Speaker 4: both shared, I felt that they were right, that it needed, 322 00:21:47,640 --> 00:21:52,960 Speaker 4: it was part of the narrative. And for the Guyles band, 323 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:57,240 Speaker 4: I read so many books by musicians that you know, 324 00:21:57,320 --> 00:22:01,640 Speaker 4: go into so much detail about the band and this 325 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:04,400 Speaker 4: and that, and which is fine if you're really interested 326 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:07,120 Speaker 4: in that artist or that band. And I didn't want 327 00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:11,000 Speaker 4: to do that sort of cookie cutter type musician memoir. 328 00:22:11,840 --> 00:22:17,280 Speaker 4: So I did a chapter on the band which basically, 329 00:22:18,160 --> 00:22:21,600 Speaker 4: in a very edited way, talked about the beginning of it, 330 00:22:22,080 --> 00:22:26,800 Speaker 4: you know, the middle of it, and I explain my version, 331 00:22:28,160 --> 00:22:31,840 Speaker 4: which I you know, stand by why it ended. And 332 00:22:33,080 --> 00:22:37,359 Speaker 4: so those are the two issues that came later on. 333 00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:40,240 Speaker 1: We'll be right back with more of the Taking a 334 00:22:40,240 --> 00:22:48,480 Speaker 1: Walk podcast. Welcome back to the Taking a Walk Podcast. 335 00:22:49,560 --> 00:22:56,199 Speaker 2: Your time at WBCN and Boston is chronicled in the 336 00:22:56,240 --> 00:23:01,120 Speaker 2: book so well, and it's you just, you know, once again, 337 00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:02,640 Speaker 2: paint some great pictures there. 338 00:23:03,320 --> 00:23:04,160 Speaker 3: What was going on? 339 00:23:05,040 --> 00:23:07,400 Speaker 2: I know you did a fair amount of interviews while 340 00:23:07,440 --> 00:23:11,280 Speaker 2: you were working at BCN. I guess the first was 341 00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:16,560 Speaker 2: rash On Roland Kirk actually that you interviewed. Who were 342 00:23:16,760 --> 00:23:20,119 Speaker 2: some of the other folks you remember that while you 343 00:23:20,160 --> 00:23:25,639 Speaker 2: were on BCN that were interviews, whether they be memorable 344 00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:28,080 Speaker 2: or not what you thought they would be. 345 00:23:29,280 --> 00:23:34,399 Speaker 4: Well, there was Van Morrison, there was Rod Stewart and 346 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:37,640 Speaker 4: Jeff Beck with Ronnie Wood when they first blew into 347 00:23:37,720 --> 00:23:39,320 Speaker 4: town under the Jeff Beck Group. 348 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:40,600 Speaker 5: There was. 349 00:23:42,480 --> 00:23:46,720 Speaker 4: Pete Townsend. I had Carla Thomas who was the R 350 00:23:46,760 --> 00:23:49,800 Speaker 4: and B Great. There was Muddy Waters, there was John 351 00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:56,919 Speaker 4: Lee Hooker. There was so many different artists that James Cotton, 352 00:23:57,800 --> 00:24:02,520 Speaker 4: Muddy Waters, Lou Reed I had, we talked with and 353 00:24:03,280 --> 00:24:07,240 Speaker 4: the wildest thing about it all My show was on 354 00:24:07,359 --> 00:24:10,360 Speaker 4: at midnight and it was it was an all night show, 355 00:24:10,400 --> 00:24:13,600 Speaker 4: which I loved because Simon and Somniac and it was 356 00:24:13,640 --> 00:24:15,440 Speaker 4: the Wolf of Goop of Mama Tooth for show making 357 00:24:15,480 --> 00:24:17,640 Speaker 4: your knees freeze. You know, Glad, that's Blad Everston. You's 358 00:24:17,640 --> 00:24:19,280 Speaker 4: got to come out, because that was rock and roll 359 00:24:19,400 --> 00:24:21,520 Speaker 4: is all about welcome the OJ's little Ladies of the 360 00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:23,399 Speaker 4: night to kids from Alabama and keeping it all hit 361 00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:25,439 Speaker 4: all the ships out at sea doing it too, and 362 00:24:25,440 --> 00:24:27,840 Speaker 4: getting right through. We're going to have some fun until 363 00:24:27,840 --> 00:24:30,640 Speaker 4: the midnight sun and you know, give me a call 364 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:33,040 Speaker 4: and let me know way out there, y'all and stuff 365 00:24:33,080 --> 00:24:35,239 Speaker 4: like that. And I would just go and play and 366 00:24:35,280 --> 00:24:39,840 Speaker 4: take phone calls. And it was like a dream come 367 00:24:39,880 --> 00:24:41,399 Speaker 4: true for me because I love radio. 368 00:24:41,680 --> 00:24:42,840 Speaker 5: I grew up with radio. 369 00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:47,040 Speaker 4: Radio was so important to me growing up that being 370 00:24:47,080 --> 00:24:52,480 Speaker 4: a DJ was you know again like almost everything in 371 00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:56,040 Speaker 4: the book. The people that I talk about Tennessee Williams, 372 00:24:56,119 --> 00:25:00,600 Speaker 4: Juliet Childs, even Faye my marriage to Fay, were all 373 00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:04,400 Speaker 4: people that I met just by, you know, by circumstances, 374 00:25:04,920 --> 00:25:08,320 Speaker 4: you know, serperendipity. It wasn't uh It's like I was 375 00:25:08,320 --> 00:25:10,480 Speaker 4: standing in a record store and I heard this voice 376 00:25:10,480 --> 00:25:13,040 Speaker 4: behind the curtain turned out to be Bob Dylan. 377 00:25:13,480 --> 00:25:15,679 Speaker 5: You know, it's not like you know, he he. 378 00:25:15,840 --> 00:25:19,800 Speaker 4: I pursued because I was so interested in his you know, music, 379 00:25:20,200 --> 00:25:23,480 Speaker 4: But so many people I just met by just you know, 380 00:25:25,040 --> 00:25:29,880 Speaker 4: luck of the drawer. And as these interviews came up, 381 00:25:30,440 --> 00:25:34,040 Speaker 4: what happened was my radio Oceans show. Since it started 382 00:25:34,040 --> 00:25:38,920 Speaker 4: at midnight and that era, everything in Boston closed down. 383 00:25:39,040 --> 00:25:42,520 Speaker 4: TV stations went off at midnight. All the stores and 384 00:25:42,560 --> 00:25:46,040 Speaker 4: restaurants were closed, and the only thing open was all 385 00:25:46,160 --> 00:25:49,560 Speaker 4: night diners, you know, the the Hayes, Bickford's, or you know, 386 00:25:49,880 --> 00:25:53,359 Speaker 4: Waldorf's coffee shops, and so a lot of musicians that 387 00:25:53,440 --> 00:25:56,840 Speaker 4: came to town. I was the only thing on the air 388 00:25:57,000 --> 00:26:00,480 Speaker 4: really that was of any interest to most musicians people. 389 00:26:01,320 --> 00:26:04,280 Speaker 4: So I got to get the Krem dollar krem and 390 00:26:04,480 --> 00:26:06,560 Speaker 4: you know, people who you know, Freddie Hubbard from the 391 00:26:06,680 --> 00:26:09,840 Speaker 4: Ark Blakey Jazz Band, and oh, just all sorts of 392 00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:14,000 Speaker 4: people that rolled into town that you know I invited 393 00:26:14,160 --> 00:26:19,399 Speaker 4: up to the station because people were just unwinding and 394 00:26:19,440 --> 00:26:20,640 Speaker 4: it was great. 395 00:26:21,240 --> 00:26:24,760 Speaker 2: Well, first of all, I can die and go to 396 00:26:25,119 --> 00:26:27,639 Speaker 2: if there is a heaven for you just doing your 397 00:26:28,280 --> 00:26:31,800 Speaker 2: PCN opening wrap there. That's the first thing I have 398 00:26:31,880 --> 00:26:37,879 Speaker 2: to say. The smile on my face hopefully comes through. 399 00:26:38,480 --> 00:26:42,520 Speaker 2: But the second part to that is, would you mind 400 00:26:42,520 --> 00:26:46,920 Speaker 2: telling the story how you were getting mail to play 401 00:26:46,920 --> 00:26:47,840 Speaker 2: more Van Morrison? 402 00:26:48,119 --> 00:26:48,679 Speaker 3: I love that. 403 00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:53,560 Speaker 4: Oh well, when I was on the show, there was 404 00:26:53,600 --> 00:26:58,840 Speaker 4: this artist, Ordsley Beardsley, and he, you know, did these 405 00:26:59,000 --> 00:27:06,760 Speaker 4: very distinctive drawings that somebody made postcards of and I 406 00:27:06,840 --> 00:27:11,000 Speaker 4: would start receiving these postcards and it's very feminine handwriting. 407 00:27:11,080 --> 00:27:13,399 Speaker 4: You know, love your show, listen to it all the time. 408 00:27:13,720 --> 00:27:17,480 Speaker 4: Can you please play John Lee Hooker, Sonny Boy Williamson 409 00:27:17,800 --> 00:27:22,240 Speaker 4: and Van Morrison And they would come once sometimes twice 410 00:27:22,280 --> 00:27:25,280 Speaker 4: a week and they always try to play a Van 411 00:27:25,400 --> 00:27:29,280 Speaker 4: Morrison song, and uh, because I was such a fan 412 00:27:29,840 --> 00:27:33,800 Speaker 4: in the group them and at that time he had 413 00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:36,280 Speaker 4: Brown Eyed Girl come out, but he hadn't started really 414 00:27:36,320 --> 00:27:40,240 Speaker 4: started as major solo career as we know it. Then 415 00:27:40,240 --> 00:27:43,000 Speaker 4: one day I got this postcard on a beard you know, 416 00:27:43,119 --> 00:27:46,080 Speaker 4: same artist on the other side, and it had this 417 00:27:46,320 --> 00:27:50,879 Speaker 4: wild kind of handwriting, Hey, Mongo bongo man, you know, 418 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:55,040 Speaker 4: play more John Lee Hooker, more Hooker. And so I 419 00:27:55,119 --> 00:27:59,040 Speaker 4: was at this club which became eventually became the Boston 420 00:27:59,080 --> 00:28:02,360 Speaker 4: Tea Party, and that was a venue where we used 421 00:28:02,359 --> 00:28:05,720 Speaker 4: to practice My first band of all art students we 422 00:28:05,800 --> 00:28:11,160 Speaker 4: got together and I think nineteen sixty four, and we 423 00:28:11,160 --> 00:28:17,000 Speaker 4: were called the Hallucinations and we would rehearse in them. 424 00:28:17,040 --> 00:28:23,240 Speaker 4: One day, this young guy came into the club and 425 00:28:23,320 --> 00:28:27,400 Speaker 4: he came up to me and with a strange kind 426 00:28:27,440 --> 00:28:31,880 Speaker 4: of accent, the manager, that convent manager. I said, well, 427 00:28:31,880 --> 00:28:35,040 Speaker 4: I don't know if the manager's here, I'll search around 428 00:28:35,119 --> 00:28:38,200 Speaker 4: for him. And I couldn't find the manager. So we 429 00:28:38,320 --> 00:28:43,240 Speaker 4: got to talking and I asked him, you know, what 430 00:28:43,360 --> 00:28:45,200 Speaker 4: kind of music he played, and he told me he 431 00:28:45,320 --> 00:28:50,080 Speaker 4: just moved to town. And we were waiting for the manager. 432 00:28:50,120 --> 00:28:52,160 Speaker 4: I knew it would be coming back in about an 433 00:28:52,160 --> 00:28:54,240 Speaker 4: hour or so, so we were just having a rap 434 00:28:54,840 --> 00:28:57,640 Speaker 4: and he was asking me about other clubs, and I 435 00:28:57,760 --> 00:29:00,320 Speaker 4: mentioned some other clubs that you know he might want 436 00:29:00,360 --> 00:29:04,960 Speaker 4: to check out. Then he was telling me about, you 437 00:29:04,960 --> 00:29:07,280 Speaker 4: know what things he liked in Boston. He said one 438 00:29:07,280 --> 00:29:11,360 Speaker 4: of the things he really liked was listening to this 439 00:29:11,560 --> 00:29:15,640 Speaker 4: wolf I got for you know, late at night. I 440 00:29:15,640 --> 00:29:17,800 Speaker 4: said really, he said, oh yeah, he said, you know 441 00:29:17,800 --> 00:29:22,960 Speaker 4: I love his show. I said, well, I'm the Wolf 442 00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:26,320 Speaker 4: of Goofer. He said what. I go yeah, and he 443 00:29:26,360 --> 00:29:29,920 Speaker 4: goes now and I said, what do you mean though? 444 00:29:29,920 --> 00:29:34,440 Speaker 4: He said, now he's black guy. He said, old black guy. 445 00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:37,720 Speaker 4: I said no, I say it's me and I went 446 00:29:37,760 --> 00:29:39,920 Speaker 4: through the wrap the Wolf go Mama too. And he 447 00:29:39,960 --> 00:29:42,360 Speaker 4: couldn't believe it. And he said, well, hey man, you know, 448 00:29:42,880 --> 00:29:45,920 Speaker 4: thank you so much for playing my records. I said, 449 00:29:46,080 --> 00:29:50,880 Speaker 4: your records. He said, yeah, I'm Van Morrison. And I said, 450 00:29:50,880 --> 00:29:53,640 Speaker 4: you got to be kidding me, because you know, I 451 00:29:53,680 --> 00:29:56,560 Speaker 4: really don't know what you know. Van looked like I've 452 00:29:56,560 --> 00:30:01,640 Speaker 4: seen pictures, but you know. And so started the beginning 453 00:30:01,680 --> 00:30:04,600 Speaker 4: of a friendship that still goes on to this day. 454 00:30:05,880 --> 00:30:09,040 Speaker 3: I love it. That's so great. 455 00:30:10,200 --> 00:30:15,280 Speaker 2: And I have to ask you, though the interaction with 456 00:30:15,560 --> 00:30:22,280 Speaker 2: sly Stone, and in particular the brilliant quote the cherries 457 00:30:22,360 --> 00:30:26,600 Speaker 2: swimming in buttermilk, I believe was the quote. When you 458 00:30:26,680 --> 00:30:29,680 Speaker 2: looked at him, looked at his eyes. That was a 459 00:30:29,680 --> 00:30:33,440 Speaker 2: pivotal meeting in some regards for you, wasn't it. 460 00:30:34,360 --> 00:30:34,680 Speaker 5: Well. 461 00:30:35,480 --> 00:30:39,280 Speaker 4: I was such a huge fan and Sly was at 462 00:30:39,280 --> 00:30:43,920 Speaker 4: the height of his career, and he. 463 00:30:43,840 --> 00:30:45,160 Speaker 5: Was so influential. 464 00:30:45,520 --> 00:30:51,360 Speaker 4: I mean, along with James Brown, those two gentlemen created 465 00:30:51,440 --> 00:30:54,200 Speaker 4: what we know is funk, and so many bands that 466 00:30:54,280 --> 00:30:57,480 Speaker 4: came after, you know, even Philly Sound when you hear 467 00:30:57,560 --> 00:31:00,480 Speaker 4: the Temptations, you know, Papa was a rolling stone. So 468 00:31:00,600 --> 00:31:04,440 Speaker 4: much of the arrangements and things were really due to 469 00:31:04,600 --> 00:31:07,680 Speaker 4: Sly's influence on the music scene, and then of course 470 00:31:07,800 --> 00:31:11,200 Speaker 4: James Brown, and between the two of them, you know, 471 00:31:11,480 --> 00:31:15,640 Speaker 4: one could say they were the roots of funk music 472 00:31:16,240 --> 00:31:22,160 Speaker 4: and their impact was enormous. James obviously came first and 473 00:31:22,240 --> 00:31:26,600 Speaker 4: affected Sly, but Sly developed another kind of funk that 474 00:31:26,760 --> 00:31:30,000 Speaker 4: the Jackson five, and you know, everybody tried to emulate 475 00:31:30,960 --> 00:31:34,680 Speaker 4: so many R and B artists especially and even rock bands, 476 00:31:34,760 --> 00:31:38,000 Speaker 4: you know, like Rare Earth and things like that. And 477 00:31:38,080 --> 00:31:44,080 Speaker 4: so meeting him, which is quite an amazing encounter. We 478 00:31:44,080 --> 00:31:46,920 Speaker 4: were in a recording studio and I had to go 479 00:31:47,000 --> 00:31:50,600 Speaker 4: to use the men's room, take a break, and with 480 00:31:50,680 --> 00:31:53,800 Speaker 4: the Guyles band. We're were recording our second record. I 481 00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:56,600 Speaker 4: go running down the hallway and open up the men's 482 00:31:56,640 --> 00:32:01,040 Speaker 4: room door and they're sitting on the floor. Were three men, 483 00:32:01,680 --> 00:32:05,800 Speaker 4: all dressed in suits and ties in one corner, and 484 00:32:05,880 --> 00:32:11,760 Speaker 4: on the other corner was sly Stone And. 485 00:32:11,600 --> 00:32:12,320 Speaker 5: I didn't realize that. 486 00:32:12,400 --> 00:32:14,560 Speaker 4: I said, oh, and you know, I was about to leave, 487 00:32:14,640 --> 00:32:16,720 Speaker 4: so I didn't want to interrupt whatever was going on, 488 00:32:17,240 --> 00:32:19,240 Speaker 4: so I said, no, man, come on in, do your 489 00:32:19,280 --> 00:32:24,239 Speaker 4: think And apparently they were having a marketing meet in 490 00:32:24,280 --> 00:32:29,760 Speaker 4: the bathroom on the floor. And that's the beginning of 491 00:32:29,840 --> 00:32:34,120 Speaker 4: a wild story. That's you know, I go into greater 492 00:32:34,240 --> 00:32:37,760 Speaker 4: length in the book, but I think what you're talking 493 00:32:37,760 --> 00:32:46,120 Speaker 4: about is witnessing the decline of sly and seeing him 494 00:32:47,240 --> 00:32:52,440 Speaker 4: where he was playing arenas and you know, one of 495 00:32:52,440 --> 00:32:55,960 Speaker 4: the leading stars of the Woodstock Festival and you know, 496 00:32:56,320 --> 00:33:00,400 Speaker 4: so influential and so revered ending up at this small, 497 00:33:00,520 --> 00:33:04,840 Speaker 4: little funky club of maybe one hundred people at most 498 00:33:05,080 --> 00:33:08,680 Speaker 4: in Cambridge, Massachusetts. And I just happened to be walking 499 00:33:08,760 --> 00:33:12,320 Speaker 4: by and seeing that he was going to appear that night. 500 00:33:12,640 --> 00:33:16,760 Speaker 4: And it was a surreal moment and a very heartbreaking 501 00:33:16,840 --> 00:33:22,480 Speaker 4: moment for me to see someone who had achieved so 502 00:33:22,640 --> 00:33:29,840 Speaker 4: much that could you know, the depths of the fall 503 00:33:30,200 --> 00:33:34,400 Speaker 4: could be so great that it really really shook me 504 00:33:34,520 --> 00:33:38,560 Speaker 4: up and scared me. And I remember sitting in the club, 505 00:33:38,600 --> 00:33:43,200 Speaker 4: as I described in the book, that I just sat 506 00:33:43,240 --> 00:33:44,600 Speaker 4: there kind of stunned. 507 00:33:45,120 --> 00:33:45,320 Speaker 5: You know. 508 00:33:45,400 --> 00:33:48,040 Speaker 4: The bartender was lifting up all the chairs and I 509 00:33:48,120 --> 00:33:52,480 Speaker 4: knew I had to leave. But that was a very 510 00:33:53,760 --> 00:33:58,600 Speaker 4: sobering moment for me, an unforgettable one. And I remember 511 00:33:59,040 --> 00:34:02,719 Speaker 4: as I wrote it, it brought back that whole feeling 512 00:34:02,840 --> 00:34:10,640 Speaker 4: of what one can gain out of notoriety or fame, 513 00:34:11,560 --> 00:34:16,160 Speaker 4: and what one can lose, and how easily one can 514 00:34:16,239 --> 00:34:21,600 Speaker 4: lose notoriety and fame. And it's not just the money 515 00:34:21,640 --> 00:34:26,440 Speaker 4: aspect of it, but it's the freedom that fame gives 516 00:34:26,480 --> 00:34:29,960 Speaker 4: you to be able to continue on your own terms. 517 00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:32,759 Speaker 4: At least for me, that's what it means. And that's 518 00:34:32,760 --> 00:34:35,680 Speaker 4: why I worked so hard on this book. Was hopefully, 519 00:34:36,360 --> 00:34:40,120 Speaker 4: you know, to widen the audience because you know, so 520 00:34:40,200 --> 00:34:44,399 Speaker 4: many people, you know, they know the Jay Giles band 521 00:34:44,440 --> 00:34:47,440 Speaker 4: through MTV and through all the years of records, But 522 00:34:47,480 --> 00:34:50,239 Speaker 4: Peter Wolf, you know a lot of people think I'm 523 00:34:50,320 --> 00:34:53,520 Speaker 4: Jay Giles, or they assume you know I'm the front guy, 524 00:34:53,600 --> 00:34:57,200 Speaker 4: so I must be Jay Giles, which was very confusing. 525 00:34:57,719 --> 00:35:01,640 Speaker 4: And so the purpose for this book goes to widen 526 00:35:02,040 --> 00:35:07,279 Speaker 4: the audience and maybe get to interest people that I 527 00:35:07,400 --> 00:35:11,400 Speaker 4: normally wouldn't because I have a CD you know, recording 528 00:35:11,440 --> 00:35:16,160 Speaker 4: that's ready to almost about eighty percent finished, and I 529 00:35:16,239 --> 00:35:19,560 Speaker 4: knew if I released it, like almost all of the recordings, 530 00:35:19,840 --> 00:35:23,000 Speaker 4: it would just you know, get lost in the ether, 531 00:35:23,160 --> 00:35:25,920 Speaker 4: and you know, ten days or so it'd be out there, 532 00:35:25,960 --> 00:35:29,319 Speaker 4: but it would just be in that ocean because there's 533 00:35:29,360 --> 00:35:32,839 Speaker 4: no real record stores, there's no record day releases, there's 534 00:35:32,880 --> 00:35:37,640 Speaker 4: no one particular radio station that has the power to influence. 535 00:35:38,280 --> 00:35:43,439 Speaker 4: There's such a large, large ocean out there that it's 536 00:35:43,600 --> 00:35:47,840 Speaker 4: hard to focus even what's going on. 537 00:35:49,400 --> 00:35:51,359 Speaker 5: With films or you. 538 00:35:51,320 --> 00:35:54,640 Speaker 4: Know, with television, with all the different Netflix series and 539 00:35:54,840 --> 00:35:57,239 Speaker 4: all the different episodes, and hey, are you watching this 540 00:35:57,280 --> 00:36:00,479 Speaker 4: episode and you're watching that? Or you know, the time 541 00:36:00,520 --> 00:36:03,160 Speaker 4: of say, like the Sopranos came, it was like the 542 00:36:03,160 --> 00:36:07,520 Speaker 4: only game in town. And now there's so many different 543 00:36:07,920 --> 00:36:12,040 Speaker 4: series and episodes of things, it's so easy for things 544 00:36:12,080 --> 00:36:15,880 Speaker 4: to get lost. I decided to hold off on finishing 545 00:36:16,120 --> 00:36:19,280 Speaker 4: the record and just put all my energies into the book. 546 00:36:20,480 --> 00:36:23,959 Speaker 2: Well, the book is fabulous, and I'm glad you brought 547 00:36:24,000 --> 00:36:25,600 Speaker 2: up the Midnight Travelers. 548 00:36:25,640 --> 00:36:28,000 Speaker 3: So this will be the ninth album. 549 00:36:27,680 --> 00:36:31,239 Speaker 2: Right I believe so yeah, So you can't wait for 550 00:36:31,320 --> 00:36:36,600 Speaker 2: that and I'm sure you'll be out playing live when 551 00:36:36,640 --> 00:36:40,200 Speaker 2: that comes out as well. But it's such a treasure 552 00:36:40,280 --> 00:36:42,919 Speaker 2: to be able to speak with you, Pete talking about 553 00:36:42,960 --> 00:36:46,719 Speaker 2: this great book. I recommend it to everybody. It is 554 00:36:47,360 --> 00:36:53,640 Speaker 2: a great read. It's so fun, appealing and just such 555 00:36:53,680 --> 00:36:58,560 Speaker 2: a walk through music history. And I'm grateful that you 556 00:36:58,600 --> 00:37:01,840 Speaker 2: took the time to come on taking a walk and 557 00:37:02,680 --> 00:37:08,320 Speaker 2: talk about Waiting on the Moon and your amazing career. 558 00:37:08,360 --> 00:37:11,200 Speaker 3: Peter Wilfo, I'm so thrilled to have you on. 559 00:37:11,440 --> 00:37:14,480 Speaker 4: Well, thank you, Buzz. You know we're both old, you 560 00:37:14,520 --> 00:37:19,640 Speaker 4: know radio. When I say old, I don't mean necessary age. 561 00:37:19,680 --> 00:37:23,800 Speaker 4: But we we spent many, many years in the world 562 00:37:23,840 --> 00:37:24,440 Speaker 4: of radio. 563 00:37:24,640 --> 00:37:25,239 Speaker 5: I know you have. 564 00:37:26,200 --> 00:37:33,319 Speaker 4: But let me ask you, if not anyone that you're 565 00:37:33,320 --> 00:37:37,680 Speaker 4: related to, but if you had a choice of taking 566 00:37:37,719 --> 00:37:43,160 Speaker 4: a walk with anyone living or dead, who would it 567 00:37:43,200 --> 00:37:45,480 Speaker 4: be and where would you walk to? 568 00:37:46,800 --> 00:37:49,600 Speaker 2: I'd say Bob Dylan comes to mind, fresh off of 569 00:37:49,680 --> 00:37:52,760 Speaker 2: reading so much of the great stories you told. 570 00:37:53,480 --> 00:37:55,959 Speaker 3: And it would have to be a walk through through 571 00:37:56,000 --> 00:37:56,560 Speaker 3: the village. 572 00:37:57,280 --> 00:38:01,759 Speaker 2: And I know it would probably be ironic because he'd 573 00:38:01,800 --> 00:38:04,400 Speaker 2: probably look and go, this is not the same village 574 00:38:04,440 --> 00:38:07,440 Speaker 2: I remember from from that period, because as you know, 575 00:38:07,520 --> 00:38:08,880 Speaker 2: it's so has changed. 576 00:38:09,040 --> 00:38:09,160 Speaker 4: Right. 577 00:38:09,360 --> 00:38:13,640 Speaker 3: But oh, but it would be Uh. I'd love even 578 00:38:13,680 --> 00:38:16,000 Speaker 3: if it was a walk around the corner with him, 579 00:38:16,200 --> 00:38:17,480 Speaker 3: to have a walk with Bob. 580 00:38:18,320 --> 00:38:23,120 Speaker 4: Well, there you go. Well you answered a lot easier 581 00:38:23,120 --> 00:38:23,600 Speaker 4: than I did. 582 00:38:24,600 --> 00:38:26,040 Speaker 3: Well, it's a hard one. 583 00:38:26,080 --> 00:38:30,320 Speaker 5: I know, it's hard. It's it's the living or dead aspect. 584 00:38:30,440 --> 00:38:34,040 Speaker 4: You know. Living, Uh, it's still a still a wide ocean. 585 00:38:34,920 --> 00:38:41,680 Speaker 4: Dead really gives you anything, you know. You know because 586 00:38:41,719 --> 00:38:45,360 Speaker 4: they asked that question to writers, you know, uh, I 587 00:38:46,040 --> 00:38:50,560 Speaker 4: know in the New York Times book review section is 588 00:38:50,600 --> 00:38:54,000 Speaker 4: a part where they asked writers, you know, if you 589 00:38:54,000 --> 00:38:56,759 Speaker 4: can meet a writer living, you know, dead, or have 590 00:38:56,840 --> 00:39:00,480 Speaker 4: a dinner party with three people, you know, who might 591 00:39:00,520 --> 00:39:03,799 Speaker 4: it be? And it's really interesting to see who people pick. 592 00:39:04,880 --> 00:39:08,520 Speaker 4: I'd always go for the mysterious ones, the ones where 593 00:39:08,800 --> 00:39:11,719 Speaker 4: history doesn't quite fill in all the blanks. 594 00:39:12,280 --> 00:39:16,000 Speaker 3: Yes, got it. Well, I know I'll put you. 595 00:39:17,480 --> 00:39:20,120 Speaker 2: High up there on the list because I love being 596 00:39:20,160 --> 00:39:22,080 Speaker 2: with you, and I look forward to the next time. 597 00:39:22,719 --> 00:39:26,960 Speaker 4: But we have we our next get together. Our next 598 00:39:27,000 --> 00:39:31,120 Speaker 4: walk is going to go to a restaurant that has 599 00:39:31,160 --> 00:39:34,920 Speaker 4: a nice, fine wine list and we have a bottle 600 00:39:34,960 --> 00:39:37,360 Speaker 4: to open and two glasses to fill. 601 00:39:37,560 --> 00:39:37,960 Speaker 3: Amen. 602 00:39:38,239 --> 00:39:43,120 Speaker 4: So that's where we're going to go walking Buzz. So 603 00:39:43,160 --> 00:39:45,400 Speaker 4: I'll take a walk with Buzz, has some fine wine, 604 00:39:45,440 --> 00:39:47,560 Speaker 4: have a good time and do it up and do 605 00:39:47,600 --> 00:39:51,520 Speaker 4: it do it nice, oh man, and all like sugar 606 00:39:51,520 --> 00:39:53,800 Speaker 4: and spice. So this is woof of goof of Mama tufa. 607 00:39:54,280 --> 00:39:57,080 Speaker 4: Thank you, Buzz for having me as your guest. I 608 00:39:57,200 --> 00:40:01,120 Speaker 4: was honored to walk with you and go through so 609 00:40:01,280 --> 00:40:04,160 Speaker 4: much of sharing bits and pieces. 610 00:40:03,920 --> 00:40:04,719 Speaker 5: Of my life. 611 00:40:05,000 --> 00:40:05,800 Speaker 3: Thank you, my friend. 612 00:40:06,320 --> 00:40:08,160 Speaker 5: Later or later and if it's in you, it's got 613 00:40:08,160 --> 00:40:11,160 Speaker 5: to come out. Take it easy, but take it. 614 00:40:12,719 --> 00:40:15,160 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to this episode of the Taking a 615 00:40:15,200 --> 00:40:19,080 Speaker 1: Walk podcast. Share this and other episodes with your friends 616 00:40:19,200 --> 00:40:22,680 Speaker 1: and follow us so you never miss an episode. Taking 617 00:40:22,719 --> 00:40:26,600 Speaker 1: a Walk is available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 618 00:40:26,800 --> 00:40:29,120 Speaker 1: and wherever you get your podcasts.