1 00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:07,920 Speaker 1: On this episode of News World. I am really pleased 2 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:10,960 Speaker 1: to welcome back somebody who's a good friend to my 3 00:00:11,039 --> 00:00:14,960 Speaker 1: family and I think an inspirational figure. John and Russick 4 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:19,919 Speaker 1: five for Fightings. Grammy nominated singer songwriter. John and I 5 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:23,200 Speaker 1: last talked in October, won his song Blood on My 6 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:27,160 Speaker 1: Hands was released. That song describes the tragic US withdraw 7 00:00:27,240 --> 00:00:30,400 Speaker 1: from Afghanistan, something which I might note. I'm very proud 8 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:34,880 Speaker 1: that my good friend Sean Hannity begins every program reminding 9 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:38,199 Speaker 1: people how many days it's been that there are Americans trapped, 10 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:42,000 Speaker 1: and as we watch the country disintegrate, we realize just 11 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:45,200 Speaker 1: how bad the Taliban has been as a governing force, 12 00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:49,280 Speaker 1: and how big mistake it was. Not leaving correctly, but 13 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:53,560 Speaker 1: leaving the way we did just guaranteed destructive things. So 14 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:57,040 Speaker 1: I thought John really hit a chord. But there's so 15 00:00:57,160 --> 00:01:00,320 Speaker 1: much more to him than that particular song. Want him 16 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:03,320 Speaker 1: to join us again because he's just released a powerful 17 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:07,240 Speaker 1: new dot music video for Blood on My Hands and 18 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 1: is actively raising funds for Americans for Afghanistan through his 19 00:01:12,040 --> 00:01:27,360 Speaker 1: charity What kind of World do you Want? Dot Com? 20 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:30,200 Speaker 1: As we entered this new year, I'm really pleased to 21 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:32,760 Speaker 1: welcome you back, John, and I thank you for this 22 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:36,959 Speaker 1: new music video. It's a powerful message. We cannot forget 23 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:41,000 Speaker 1: what happened in Afghanistan, and we can't forget Afghanistan itself. 24 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:44,000 Speaker 1: So I'm curious though, what was the response to your 25 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:47,320 Speaker 1: song Blood on My Hands? Well, thank you for having 26 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 1: me again, mister speaker. Happy New Year. You know, since 27 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:53,560 Speaker 1: we last talked, it's been surreal. When I played the 28 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 1: song live, many veterans, especially Afghan veteran's, come up, and 29 00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 1: many of them couldn't talk. They were so angry and 30 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 1: ashamed about leaving their brothers and sisters behind. And all 31 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:08,400 Speaker 1: of a sudden, I started getting these emails from people 32 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:11,080 Speaker 1: trapped you know, some songwriter. How surreal is that in 33 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:14,679 Speaker 1: America where some songwriters is getting emails from American citizens saying, 34 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:17,760 Speaker 1: please come rescue me because their government has a band 35 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:20,600 Speaker 1: of them. So I found myself embedded with many of 36 00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:24,520 Speaker 1: these groups, a group called Project Exodus, Relief Task Force, Pineapple, 37 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:27,920 Speaker 1: Task Force Argo, and I started joining these operation calls, 38 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 1: which were surreal and inspiring. But also I was on 39 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:36,639 Speaker 1: these signal chains, one particularly called atrocities. There are these 40 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:40,880 Speaker 1: people basically every day documenting the atrocities of the Taliban, 41 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:43,240 Speaker 1: and I felt I needed to do more than just 42 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:46,880 Speaker 1: put out the song, to actually document through images, music 43 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:51,720 Speaker 1: and commentary from an Afghan leader, what really happened. You know, 44 00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:54,840 Speaker 1: I know you're a huge history fan, and I wanted 45 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:57,919 Speaker 1: a musical piece for history for twenty thirty years from 46 00:02:57,919 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 1: now that people could look back and at least he 47 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 1: one musician's view of Afghanistan and at the same time 48 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:07,480 Speaker 1: give a shot in the arm to these heroic vac 49 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:10,600 Speaker 1: operations that they're not alone. In twenty twenty two. We 50 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:13,240 Speaker 1: will not forget, and I'm glad you mentioned Sean and 51 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:15,680 Speaker 1: you and there's a lot of folks we will not 52 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 1: let it go because it's ongoing and every day it's tragic. 53 00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:23,520 Speaker 1: So how did you put together this music documentary for 54 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:26,400 Speaker 1: the song Blood on My Hands? You know, I figured 55 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:29,400 Speaker 1: there would be three sections. The day after I performed 56 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:31,880 Speaker 1: in DC, I took a little trip to the White 57 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 1: House and I brought my guitar, and my sound man 58 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:39,360 Speaker 1: and my cello player brought their iPhones and we shot 59 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:41,560 Speaker 1: a performance of me singing the song in front of 60 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 1: the White House. But I wanted more than that, so 61 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:47,280 Speaker 1: we wanted to do some kind of prologue that, through 62 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:51,320 Speaker 1: news clips, basically told the story of how we got here. 63 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 1: There's been many of those, but I wanted to do 64 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:56,920 Speaker 1: one kind of created more as a musical piece, edited 65 00:03:57,040 --> 00:04:00,120 Speaker 1: to me playing the piano. So we did that, and 66 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:02,320 Speaker 1: then I felt it important. Did the last word not 67 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:07,520 Speaker 1: come from some American, some songwriter. I wanted an Afghan 68 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:10,960 Speaker 1: to have the last word. And I'd seen interviews with 69 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:15,480 Speaker 1: former Vice President Sala who spoke a lot about the 70 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:18,960 Speaker 1: importance of America, the shining light of America, the leadership 71 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:22,119 Speaker 1: of America, our compassion, our values, and how a world 72 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:24,800 Speaker 1: without America would be a much darker place. And of 73 00:04:24,839 --> 00:04:27,600 Speaker 1: course these were before the withdrawal, so I wanted to 74 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:31,360 Speaker 1: get his opinion now, and I was fortunate enough to 75 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:34,159 Speaker 1: speak with him for twenty minutes, and I included some 76 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:37,040 Speaker 1: of his excerpts in the video, and I think they 77 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:39,800 Speaker 1: were very powerful, and I think they reflected opinion not 78 00:04:39,839 --> 00:04:42,520 Speaker 1: just here in America but around the world about our 79 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:46,000 Speaker 1: broken promise and the mirror that we're holding up to ourselves, 80 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:48,080 Speaker 1: and we are asking ourselves who are we? We talked 81 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:50,360 Speaker 1: about that last time, who are we are? We Normandy. 82 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:53,840 Speaker 1: Are we the Berlin Wall or are we a country 83 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:57,839 Speaker 1: that basically seeds our allies and citizens to terrorists? And 84 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:00,240 Speaker 1: I don't know that answer, Frankly, right now, I'm not 85 00:05:00,279 --> 00:05:02,960 Speaker 1: sure any of us do. I think we're wrestling with 86 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:06,040 Speaker 1: this difficult period that we're living through. But now, for 87 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:10,440 Speaker 1: people who are listening, who want to see this documentary 88 00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:13,760 Speaker 1: musical video, how can they find it? The easiest way 89 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:16,320 Speaker 1: is to just go on YouTube. If you just search 90 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:19,920 Speaker 1: for on YouTube Blood in my Hands, White House, it'll 91 00:05:19,920 --> 00:05:23,240 Speaker 1: come up. Of course people can go to fight for 92 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:26,800 Speaker 1: Fighting dot com, my website, but yeah, it's not pleasant 93 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:29,560 Speaker 1: to watch. Frankly, after two months making it, I never 94 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:32,599 Speaker 1: wanted to watch it again. We were not gratuitous, but 95 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:34,680 Speaker 1: we had to use images that were happening. You know. 96 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:38,000 Speaker 1: We've blurred out some faces. We did not show pictures 97 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:41,200 Speaker 1: of the president falling down the stairs or looking at 98 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:44,640 Speaker 1: his watch. We were serious about this and we wanted 99 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:48,760 Speaker 1: it to be an honest reflection, not a political attack. 100 00:05:49,279 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 1: And I have clips of Millie and Austin and Blincoln 101 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:57,080 Speaker 1: basically lure words, not mine. And it seems to be resonating, 102 00:05:57,200 --> 00:06:01,200 Speaker 1: particularly with our veterans and the orgs who are performing 103 00:06:01,279 --> 00:06:04,520 Speaker 1: the heroic work of keeping the promise. Now, you just 104 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:08,160 Speaker 1: tweeted it out on January third, What kind of response 105 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:10,159 Speaker 1: have you been getting. Well, you know, I think we 106 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:12,720 Speaker 1: have close to two hundred thousand views just on Twitter 107 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:16,240 Speaker 1: with veterans. They're glad to have a voice. I think 108 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:19,839 Speaker 1: the administration would love to sweep this under the rug. 109 00:06:19,880 --> 00:06:23,360 Speaker 1: We don't see much of Afghanistan on the news, and 110 00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:26,479 Speaker 1: I was very disappointed, but not surprised. And many of 111 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:29,440 Speaker 1: the year end review segments that people do on all 112 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 1: these new channels every year, on many, Afghanistan was just 113 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:34,920 Speaker 1: a blip, and frankly, you could have done a whole 114 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:37,920 Speaker 1: piece and should have done a whole piece on Afghanistan. 115 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:41,000 Speaker 1: And there's a little blip in the video that probably 116 00:06:41,120 --> 00:06:43,640 Speaker 1: is the scariest part of it that nobody sees. Right 117 00:06:43,640 --> 00:06:47,800 Speaker 1: before the very end, there's a half second shot of 118 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:51,960 Speaker 1: Chinese planes flying over Taiwan, because I think that's what 119 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:55,000 Speaker 1: we're going into next. So it's not just about Afghanistan, 120 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:58,039 Speaker 1: It's about what's coming and people get that, and I 121 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:00,480 Speaker 1: think people are grateful that this video's out there, and 122 00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:03,720 Speaker 1: also people are asking where are the other videos? Where 123 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:07,279 Speaker 1: are the other songs, Where are the other advocates for 124 00:07:07,480 --> 00:07:12,160 Speaker 1: all those at risk in Afghanistan, including women, lesbian and 125 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:15,600 Speaker 1: gay people who are getting hunted and our allies. Of course, 126 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:19,880 Speaker 1: in a sense, what you're singing about is about us 127 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:24,320 Speaker 1: as much as about Afghanistan. It is about us. Certainly, 128 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:28,160 Speaker 1: it's a humanitarian tragedy, and we care about that, but 129 00:07:28,360 --> 00:07:31,119 Speaker 1: it is about us. And when I was making the video, 130 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:36,000 Speaker 1: my overall theme was not just Afghanistan, and not just 131 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:38,800 Speaker 1: the mistakes we made, and not just the lack of accountability, 132 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:41,800 Speaker 1: and not just the media turning a blind eye, and 133 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:45,520 Speaker 1: not just those who claim to be compassionate crickets on 134 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:49,200 Speaker 1: those who are at risk the groups we mentioned. It 135 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:51,160 Speaker 1: really is who are we? Are we as a people 136 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:57,160 Speaker 1: someone who will promise these troops that we trained, that 137 00:07:57,200 --> 00:08:00,080 Speaker 1: we will have your back, Promise these interpreters that, oh, 138 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:02,000 Speaker 1: don't worry about it. If the Taliban threatens you, we 139 00:08:02,040 --> 00:08:06,240 Speaker 1: will have your back and abandon them. Who are we? 140 00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:08,920 Speaker 1: That is not the America I grew up in, and 141 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:11,320 Speaker 1: I think a lot of people are asking that question, 142 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:13,640 Speaker 1: and you're right, that, to me is the overall theme 143 00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:16,040 Speaker 1: of this video, and that's why I asked mister Salom. 144 00:08:16,120 --> 00:08:20,239 Speaker 1: My first question was who is America now? And his answer, 145 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:25,080 Speaker 1: which was America is lying to itself and who would 146 00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:28,720 Speaker 1: ever trust them? Again? I think it's legitimate. Well, I 147 00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:31,960 Speaker 1: think that's right. I think that it's a huge challenge 148 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:36,400 Speaker 1: dealing with this administration and trying to get them to realize, 149 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:40,440 Speaker 1: for one thing, the scale of the human tragedy that's 150 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 1: building in Afghanistan in terms of people literally starving. And 151 00:08:45,040 --> 00:08:47,360 Speaker 1: as you know, there's been a bipartisan push with some 152 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:51,000 Speaker 1: forty members of Congress signing a letter to Secretary of 153 00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:54,640 Speaker 1: State B. Lincoln and such a Treasury Yellen to provide 154 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:58,600 Speaker 1: aid to Afghanistan, but also very specifically to provide it 155 00:08:58,679 --> 00:09:02,960 Speaker 1: directly to the Afghan people, not the Taliban, although I'm 156 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:05,599 Speaker 1: personally not quite sure how they think they're going to 157 00:09:05,640 --> 00:09:08,640 Speaker 1: be able to get aid in without the Taliban intervening. 158 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:11,600 Speaker 1: But what's your reaction to the idea that we have 159 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:14,600 Speaker 1: at least a moral mission to try to help people 160 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:17,320 Speaker 1: who are in this kind of desperate strait, even though 161 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:21,079 Speaker 1: we had abandoned the larger moral mission of trying to 162 00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:24,920 Speaker 1: keep them free. Yeah, there's two components. There's the moral issue, 163 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:27,800 Speaker 1: who are we do we keep our promise? Do we 164 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:33,040 Speaker 1: care about people being murdered, children being sold for food? 165 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:38,240 Speaker 1: The greatest women's rights catastrophe decimation in our generation. And 166 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:40,120 Speaker 1: you're right, there are some folks on the hill. I'm 167 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:42,640 Speaker 1: happy to see Jonie Ernst is leading the way on this. 168 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:46,920 Speaker 1: Believe it or not. Senator Bloomenthal and every female member 169 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:49,240 Speaker 1: of the Senate wrote a letter to the President demanding 170 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:53,840 Speaker 1: that he takes some action for the women, writes disaster 171 00:09:53,960 --> 00:09:58,160 Speaker 1: in Afghanistan. Mike Waltz is doing a stellar job with 172 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:01,400 Speaker 1: many veterans on the day democratic side, but we really 173 00:10:01,400 --> 00:10:05,559 Speaker 1: need policy. These groups are running out of money, They're exhausted, 174 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:08,960 Speaker 1: and the most important group that we need to rescue 175 00:10:09,040 --> 00:10:11,040 Speaker 1: is something very few people talk about is the special 176 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:14,480 Speaker 1: forces that we trained. We spend billions of dollars training 177 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:18,600 Speaker 1: these Afghans and they are very sophisticated and they have 178 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:23,600 Speaker 1: two choices. One is be murdered or join the Taliban, 179 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:27,320 Speaker 1: And if we don't get them out, we will be 180 00:10:27,360 --> 00:10:32,360 Speaker 1: fighting them the folks we trained with our weaponry very soon. 181 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:34,920 Speaker 1: So beyond a moral mission, I think it's a national 182 00:10:34,920 --> 00:10:37,920 Speaker 1: defense mission. Of course, we talk about al Qaeda and 183 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:40,920 Speaker 1: isis rebuilding there. But it's not just a moral mission, 184 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:43,280 Speaker 1: it's a national defense mission. And the difference between this 185 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:46,440 Speaker 1: and everything else. You know, certainly you can't save the world, 186 00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:49,520 Speaker 1: you want to be compassionate, you can't save everybody. But 187 00:10:49,640 --> 00:10:53,760 Speaker 1: we cause this. This is on us. Our actions cause this, 188 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:57,160 Speaker 1: and I think that's what makes Afghanist then different than 189 00:10:57,320 --> 00:10:59,319 Speaker 1: some of the other humanitarian work that we try to 190 00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:19,480 Speaker 1: do around the world. Now, you've gotten involved very directly 191 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:24,080 Speaker 1: with a fundraising effort called Americans for Afghanistan that you 192 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:27,959 Speaker 1: launched to help fund efforts to about both Americans trapped 193 00:11:27,960 --> 00:11:31,080 Speaker 1: in Afghanistan but also our Afghan allies who are still 194 00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:33,800 Speaker 1: trapped there. You have sort of a series of five 195 00:11:33,880 --> 00:11:36,560 Speaker 1: for fighting mission points. Do you want to share that 196 00:11:36,640 --> 00:11:41,800 Speaker 1: with us? Yeah? I mean they basically talk about supporting 197 00:11:42,040 --> 00:11:48,200 Speaker 1: our groups that are doing the evacs, demanding that we 198 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:53,800 Speaker 1: recognize the women's rights catastrophe that's happening, the shutdown of 199 00:11:53,840 --> 00:11:57,080 Speaker 1: the arts. I know it's not as frankly critical as 200 00:11:57,320 --> 00:12:00,880 Speaker 1: people being killed, but the arts has been shut down. 201 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:04,240 Speaker 1: You are not allowed to sing a song unless it's 202 00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:09,320 Speaker 1: Taliban approve. There are actors hiding in their safe houses 203 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:14,360 Speaker 1: of course, demand accountability where there has been none, which 204 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:17,760 Speaker 1: I think is very dangerous, and also, as I said, 205 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:22,000 Speaker 1: you know, celebrate those patriots who are keeping the promise. 206 00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:25,400 Speaker 1: So we have a variety of missions. We have many 207 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:29,400 Speaker 1: tools and projects coming up. This video is not the 208 00:12:29,480 --> 00:12:32,640 Speaker 1: last gasp. This is just one more swing of the bat. 209 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:34,839 Speaker 1: Some of the new projects will be a little more 210 00:12:35,320 --> 00:12:37,640 Speaker 1: inspirational and not quite as hard to look at. We're 211 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:40,480 Speaker 1: hoping to have a concert for Afghanistan this summer for 212 00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:45,080 Speaker 1: Afghan veterans that will have Afghan performers and show our 213 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:48,040 Speaker 1: veterans firsthand that look at what you did. These people 214 00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:50,320 Speaker 1: here would not exist, they could not perform, they could 215 00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:54,160 Speaker 1: not practice their passion without you, the Americans for Afghanistan 216 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:56,920 Speaker 1: is just one place where we can kind of put 217 00:12:56,960 --> 00:13:00,560 Speaker 1: all these missions together and try to do the right thing. 218 00:13:00,840 --> 00:13:03,720 Speaker 1: We have to atone for what we did, and the 219 00:13:03,800 --> 00:13:06,040 Speaker 1: first thing to do is admit what we did. And 220 00:13:06,080 --> 00:13:08,920 Speaker 1: if the administration does not do that, we will not 221 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:11,240 Speaker 1: let that stop us. You know, I was struck when 222 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:14,520 Speaker 1: you talked about music. If I remember correctly, people said 223 00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:17,679 Speaker 1: one of the biggest changes when we liberated the country 224 00:13:18,080 --> 00:13:20,679 Speaker 1: in early two thousand and two. It was all of 225 00:13:20,720 --> 00:13:25,559 Speaker 1: a sudden, people brought back out their various musical instruments. 226 00:13:25,559 --> 00:13:28,520 Speaker 1: They brought back out tape recorders and other things to 227 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:31,480 Speaker 1: be able to play music. That had literally been a 228 00:13:31,559 --> 00:13:36,040 Speaker 1: country with no music under the Taliban, and now they're 229 00:13:36,160 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 1: being coerced back into It's really not a very Afghan 230 00:13:39,880 --> 00:13:42,240 Speaker 1: kind of behavior. So, I mean, the Taliban in that 231 00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:46,440 Speaker 1: sense is a deviance from Afghan normalcy because they are 232 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:50,320 Speaker 1: religious people with lots of music, with lots of drama 233 00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:54,559 Speaker 1: with theaters, and there was a sense of enjoyment of 234 00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:57,800 Speaker 1: life that the Taliban seemed to be deeply opposed to. 235 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:01,600 Speaker 1: And in that sense, I think it's terrifically appropriate to 236 00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:05,000 Speaker 1: have a musician trying to help Afghans. And I'm a 237 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:08,400 Speaker 1: little surprised at Hollywood in the music industry haven't been 238 00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:13,200 Speaker 1: more engaged in recognizing how important the arts are and 239 00:14:13,240 --> 00:14:16,920 Speaker 1: that we ought to be defending people's rights to participate 240 00:14:17,480 --> 00:14:20,680 Speaker 1: in the arts of their particular country. Yes, you know, 241 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:23,320 Speaker 1: there was actually a letter early on from many of 242 00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:28,320 Speaker 1: the British leading A list actors basically calling for exactly 243 00:14:28,400 --> 00:14:30,960 Speaker 1: what you're talking about, to recognize the plight of their 244 00:14:30,960 --> 00:14:34,640 Speaker 1: fellow artist in Afghanistan and their lack of freedom of expression, 245 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:37,120 Speaker 1: and the fact that it's not just about their ability 246 00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:41,280 Speaker 1: to practice their craft, it's about their ability to survive. 247 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:46,520 Speaker 1: The Taliban has killed folk singers for just expressing themselves. 248 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:49,200 Speaker 1: And at the end of the video, I think mister 249 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:51,600 Speaker 1: Sala made a very good point that I think about 250 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:55,400 Speaker 1: more and more. He said, America should write a letter, 251 00:14:56,080 --> 00:14:58,880 Speaker 1: have your children write a letter and talk about what 252 00:14:58,920 --> 00:15:01,960 Speaker 1: America did to Aghanistan, and it would be like a 253 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:05,440 Speaker 1: mirror to your face. And I think Afghanistan is a 254 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:07,480 Speaker 1: mirror for America who we are. And I think that 255 00:15:07,520 --> 00:15:11,160 Speaker 1: reflects your question, who are we really? The music artists, 256 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:15,720 Speaker 1: the politician, the pundits who claim to speak for the oppressed. 257 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:19,640 Speaker 1: I had a call with an operation yesterday and it 258 00:15:19,720 --> 00:15:22,960 Speaker 1: was ironic. This guy was saying, I'm the guy they 259 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:25,880 Speaker 1: all hate. I'm a white guy, I'm a conservative, I'm straight, 260 00:15:25,920 --> 00:15:29,800 Speaker 1: I'm single, I'm a Republican, and I have fifty gay 261 00:15:29,800 --> 00:15:33,360 Speaker 1: and lesbian people on my manifest I'm trying to get 262 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 1: out some who'd lost their partners, who are beheaded in 263 00:15:37,160 --> 00:15:40,120 Speaker 1: front of them by the Taliban, and I'm out here 264 00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:42,840 Speaker 1: saving them. And I'm happy to do it. He doesn't 265 00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:48,560 Speaker 1: distinguish by identity, He distinguishes by humanity. And where are 266 00:15:48,600 --> 00:15:53,200 Speaker 1: all these gay lesbian advocates on Afghanistan? Where are all 267 00:15:53,200 --> 00:15:55,960 Speaker 1: these women rights advocates. I don't want to give away 268 00:15:56,040 --> 00:15:59,760 Speaker 1: mister Sali's whole conversation, but he mentioned some folks on 269 00:15:59,800 --> 00:16:03,480 Speaker 1: the hill. Where are the great advocates of women rights 270 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:06,600 Speaker 1: and gay rights and free speech from the left and 271 00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:08,520 Speaker 1: even from the right. And I think that is a 272 00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:10,920 Speaker 1: mirror that we're holding up to ourselves and tells us 273 00:16:10,920 --> 00:16:13,239 Speaker 1: a little bit who we are in our tribal malignancy 274 00:16:13,720 --> 00:16:19,160 Speaker 1: and our hypocrisy about this compassionate America and compassionate people. 275 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:21,960 Speaker 1: It's really a disgrace to me. But I do want 276 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:24,680 Speaker 1: to mention to our listeners that if they donate to 277 00:16:25,400 --> 00:16:27,800 Speaker 1: what kind of world do you want? Dot com? That 278 00:16:27,960 --> 00:16:32,640 Speaker 1: does help support charitable organizations that are serving both Americans 279 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:36,320 Speaker 1: and Afghanistan and Afghan allies who are still trapped. So 280 00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:38,720 Speaker 1: what kind of world do you want? Dot Com which 281 00:16:38,720 --> 00:16:41,880 Speaker 1: we'll have on our show page, does help these organizations. 282 00:16:41,880 --> 00:16:44,040 Speaker 1: It is one of the things that John has done 283 00:16:44,040 --> 00:17:05,080 Speaker 1: to really make a difference. I'm curious if we can 284 00:17:05,640 --> 00:17:09,040 Speaker 1: reach beyond the immediate, because you've had a great career 285 00:17:09,080 --> 00:17:13,679 Speaker 1: in the music business. For some of our listeners, I 286 00:17:13,760 --> 00:17:16,439 Speaker 1: think they'd be real interesting. How do you go about 287 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:19,359 Speaker 1: getting started? How do you go about getting that first 288 00:17:19,359 --> 00:17:23,919 Speaker 1: recording contract? Boy, I wish I had a good answer 289 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:26,680 Speaker 1: for you. I think it really goes to things beyond music, 290 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:30,359 Speaker 1: to will, to perseverance. I didn't get a record deal 291 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:32,359 Speaker 1: until I was in my late twenties. I was passed 292 00:17:32,359 --> 00:17:35,479 Speaker 1: on by everybody, but I still kept writing songs and 293 00:17:35,560 --> 00:17:38,600 Speaker 1: playing songs. And it's actually easier today because you don't 294 00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:41,520 Speaker 1: necessarily need a recording contract to have your music heard. 295 00:17:42,040 --> 00:17:45,119 Speaker 1: One of the silver linings about social media and the 296 00:17:45,160 --> 00:17:47,639 Speaker 1: internet is you can write a song and sing it 297 00:17:47,680 --> 00:17:50,719 Speaker 1: in your room and put it up on YouTube and 298 00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:53,360 Speaker 1: a million people could see it, and you can kind 299 00:17:53,359 --> 00:17:55,880 Speaker 1: of go around the music industry. But I think it's 300 00:17:55,920 --> 00:17:59,800 Speaker 1: like anything. It's like practice your craft. Listen to great 301 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:04,160 Speaker 1: songwriters perform. A lot of people are hesitant to perform. 302 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:06,480 Speaker 1: You know, as artist, you think every night you wrote, 303 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:09,119 Speaker 1: let it be and you're a genius. But until you 304 00:18:09,160 --> 00:18:11,440 Speaker 1: go out and play it for somebody, the world may 305 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:14,639 Speaker 1: give you a different opinion. Perform, write a lot, listen 306 00:18:14,680 --> 00:18:18,320 Speaker 1: to people co write, do the work, and then if 307 00:18:18,359 --> 00:18:20,680 Speaker 1: you're fortunate, you may be able to have a career 308 00:18:20,720 --> 00:18:23,159 Speaker 1: in it, and if you're not, it's something wonderful for 309 00:18:23,280 --> 00:18:25,960 Speaker 1: your soul. Not everybody can make a living at this, 310 00:18:26,040 --> 00:18:29,760 Speaker 1: and it's not a meritocracy. Sometimes the best songwriters don't 311 00:18:29,800 --> 00:18:32,160 Speaker 1: make it because it's just the nature of the game. 312 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:34,920 Speaker 1: It's not like sports. But if you have the passion 313 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:38,119 Speaker 1: for it, it's a wonderful way to express yourself. And 314 00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:40,680 Speaker 1: if any folks have questions, they can always find me 315 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:43,880 Speaker 1: at the website, and I'm happy to help young artists 316 00:18:43,960 --> 00:18:47,240 Speaker 1: trying to find their way. Is it a sense of 317 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:51,120 Speaker 1: living out your dream? Well, certainly it was for me. 318 00:18:51,359 --> 00:18:53,920 Speaker 1: I knew very young what I wanted to do, and 319 00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:57,639 Speaker 1: that was a blessing in itself. And you know, of course, 320 00:18:58,040 --> 00:19:00,480 Speaker 1: dreams are dreams and they're not reality, and so what 321 00:19:00,600 --> 00:19:04,400 Speaker 1: you may sometimes expect to happen behind the curtain, it's 322 00:19:04,440 --> 00:19:06,760 Speaker 1: not quite nirvana like you thought it would be. And 323 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:10,320 Speaker 1: sometimes success can bring its own challenges. But as I 324 00:19:10,320 --> 00:19:14,920 Speaker 1: tell folks, I'm so blessed to be in my mid fifties. 325 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:17,080 Speaker 1: I haven't had a hit in ten years. But if 326 00:19:17,119 --> 00:19:19,680 Speaker 1: I want to play a show, somebody will buy a ticket. 327 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:22,520 Speaker 1: And if you can have a career where you can 328 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:25,439 Speaker 1: be able to still sing and write and play and 329 00:19:25,520 --> 00:19:28,760 Speaker 1: people come and sing with you, it's a great blessing. 330 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:31,560 Speaker 1: And that is truly a dream come true, and I 331 00:19:31,640 --> 00:19:34,199 Speaker 1: do not take that for granted at all. Does the 332 00:19:34,320 --> 00:19:39,200 Speaker 1: rise of things like YouTube make the classic radio station 333 00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:42,679 Speaker 1: relatively less important because the one time, if I understand it, 334 00:19:43,359 --> 00:19:45,439 Speaker 1: getting played on the radio station was sort of the 335 00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:51,959 Speaker 1: key to the whole game. Hence, Paola, Yes, it sure was. 336 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:54,400 Speaker 1: When I came up, I caught the very end of that. 337 00:19:54,720 --> 00:19:57,840 Speaker 1: But you're right. I mean, my children have never listened 338 00:19:57,880 --> 00:20:01,280 Speaker 1: to terrestrial radio. They listen to YouTube and they listen 339 00:20:01,320 --> 00:20:06,240 Speaker 1: to TikTok. So radio still matters, and it's still helpful 340 00:20:06,280 --> 00:20:09,399 Speaker 1: to have songs on terrestrial radio. But the thing with 341 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:13,800 Speaker 1: Spotify and all these streaming platforms, the nature of the 342 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:16,680 Speaker 1: game has changed, and I think that's good. It used 343 00:20:16,720 --> 00:20:18,480 Speaker 1: to be that if you weren't one of the twenty 344 00:20:18,520 --> 00:20:21,520 Speaker 1: songs on the radio, very few people would hear your song. 345 00:20:21,920 --> 00:20:25,480 Speaker 1: So things have become much more segmented. But I think overall, yes, 346 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:27,679 Speaker 1: it is good, and it's your question. It is a 347 00:20:27,680 --> 00:20:32,000 Speaker 1: completely different dynamic. And as you know, radio has been struggling, 348 00:20:32,560 --> 00:20:36,120 Speaker 1: just like most of the major media outlets have, trying 349 00:20:36,119 --> 00:20:37,879 Speaker 1: to figure out how they continue to do it and 350 00:20:37,920 --> 00:20:40,480 Speaker 1: what are they doing. They're moving to podcasts, so that 351 00:20:40,520 --> 00:20:43,199 Speaker 1: the whole dynamic has really changed. I think back to 352 00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:47,600 Speaker 1: my parents' generation. We lived three miles from Hershey, Pennsylvania, 353 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:51,640 Speaker 1: and Hershey would get Frank Sinatra, Tommy Dorsey, the big 354 00:20:51,760 --> 00:20:53,919 Speaker 1: names of that era, and I think they made a 355 00:20:53,960 --> 00:20:57,000 Speaker 1: significant part of their income just out of playing these 356 00:20:57,040 --> 00:21:01,280 Speaker 1: really big places where people came to dance. And it 357 00:21:01,320 --> 00:21:02,800 Speaker 1: was interestingly at one time I heard one of the 358 00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:07,680 Speaker 1: great conductors of that period say that what ultimately killed 359 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:10,639 Speaker 1: them was they got to be so popular that people 360 00:21:10,680 --> 00:21:15,440 Speaker 1: began sitting down to listen instead of dancing. And he said, 361 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:18,280 Speaker 1: all of a sudden, it just changed the whole dynamic, 362 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:21,520 Speaker 1: because up until then it had been a very participatory. 363 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:24,359 Speaker 1: People went there, they had a wonderful evening, and it 364 00:21:24,680 --> 00:21:27,399 Speaker 1: sort of shifted very dramatically, And of course that was 365 00:21:27,440 --> 00:21:30,520 Speaker 1: a world ago from where we are today. Yeah, well, 366 00:21:30,560 --> 00:21:32,600 Speaker 1: I'll tell you if people got up and started dancing 367 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:35,880 Speaker 1: to Superman i'd freak out, you know, so they'll still 368 00:21:35,920 --> 00:21:40,240 Speaker 1: sit down and listen. I'm sort of surrounded a little 369 00:21:40,240 --> 00:21:44,399 Speaker 1: bit by music. Jackie's two children, Robert plays the bass 370 00:21:44,440 --> 00:21:48,879 Speaker 1: and Maggie plays the violin callista, both majored in piano 371 00:21:48,920 --> 00:21:51,040 Speaker 1: and then plays the French horn in the community band 372 00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:55,000 Speaker 1: and for twenty years saying in a professional choir, I'm audience. 373 00:21:55,280 --> 00:21:58,119 Speaker 1: I'm the person you need to be out there sitting 374 00:21:58,160 --> 00:22:00,639 Speaker 1: in the audience, and I gave you, as like you, 375 00:22:00,880 --> 00:22:04,199 Speaker 1: an opportunity to actually have somebody that can applaud and 376 00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:07,359 Speaker 1: can say, yes, this was a great evening. I'm curious 377 00:22:07,400 --> 00:22:12,160 Speaker 1: for saying to the creative process. Do you start with 378 00:22:13,240 --> 00:22:15,919 Speaker 1: something totally thought through or do you have an insight 379 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:18,439 Speaker 1: and then you kind of grow it? How do you 380 00:22:18,520 --> 00:22:22,080 Speaker 1: put something together? I try not to have any rules. 381 00:22:22,119 --> 00:22:24,479 Speaker 1: I think in every room there's a great song if 382 00:22:24,480 --> 00:22:26,399 Speaker 1: I could just see it or hear it. Some songs 383 00:22:26,440 --> 00:22:28,359 Speaker 1: start with music. You kind of sit at the piano 384 00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:31,720 Speaker 1: and you're playing some melodies and maybe a melody turns 385 00:22:31,760 --> 00:22:34,800 Speaker 1: into a line. Sometimes you write a full lyric and 386 00:22:34,840 --> 00:22:37,320 Speaker 1: then you try to put music to that. But there's 387 00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:39,919 Speaker 1: other times mork into what you were mentioning where you 388 00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:43,800 Speaker 1: have a concept. My song A hundred Years was really 389 00:22:43,840 --> 00:22:47,000 Speaker 1: a sentiment that you hear every day, you know, live 390 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:49,879 Speaker 1: in the moment, appreciate the moment. And I was not 391 00:22:50,040 --> 00:22:52,000 Speaker 1: very good at that, and I wanted to write a 392 00:22:52,040 --> 00:22:54,800 Speaker 1: little post that note to myself, and so that song 393 00:22:54,880 --> 00:22:56,800 Speaker 1: came out of that. And certainly Blood on My Hands 394 00:22:57,320 --> 00:22:59,760 Speaker 1: is another example of that. There was a specific event, 395 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:03,480 Speaker 1: a specific sentiment anger in me that I felt I 396 00:23:03,520 --> 00:23:07,280 Speaker 1: need to express myself. So I sat down trying to 397 00:23:07,320 --> 00:23:10,280 Speaker 1: write something that expressed that. And of course you go 398 00:23:10,320 --> 00:23:12,760 Speaker 1: through many permutations, you throw things in the trash, you 399 00:23:12,840 --> 00:23:15,000 Speaker 1: go back to the drawing board. But I'd like to 400 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:18,719 Speaker 1: think there's no perfect roadmap to creativity, and I think 401 00:23:18,760 --> 00:23:21,200 Speaker 1: you always have to be looking for it, because those 402 00:23:21,200 --> 00:23:24,960 Speaker 1: sparks can come at the most strange moments, and it's 403 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:27,320 Speaker 1: usually not when you're sitting at the piano or actually 404 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:29,639 Speaker 1: trying to write something. So you always have to be 405 00:23:29,680 --> 00:23:33,440 Speaker 1: on the lookout for that impetus that spark that epiphany 406 00:23:34,040 --> 00:23:37,439 Speaker 1: and recognize it and then take that and incorporate it 407 00:23:37,480 --> 00:23:40,320 Speaker 1: into your work, which tends to come first the words 408 00:23:40,320 --> 00:23:43,320 Speaker 1: of the music. For me, mostly the music I always 409 00:23:43,359 --> 00:23:47,760 Speaker 1: find it harder to place melody to existing lyrics. To me, 410 00:23:47,840 --> 00:23:50,920 Speaker 1: that's why Elton John is such a genius. He never 411 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:52,840 Speaker 1: wrote a lyric. He would always kind of come down 412 00:23:52,840 --> 00:23:55,639 Speaker 1: and Bernie Toppin would have a lyric sitting there, and 413 00:23:55,720 --> 00:23:59,440 Speaker 1: he'd have to fit those magical melodies to existing words, 414 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:02,960 Speaker 1: which is much harder. I do it sometimes, because sometimes 415 00:24:02,960 --> 00:24:06,040 Speaker 1: I'll have a poem or a thought, but for me, 416 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:10,840 Speaker 1: typically music comes first. I'll start jamming on something, then 417 00:24:10,880 --> 00:24:14,120 Speaker 1: the melody will come and the words will come with it. Huh. 418 00:24:14,359 --> 00:24:19,720 Speaker 1: That's really remarkable when you have a completed version, because 419 00:24:19,720 --> 00:24:22,640 Speaker 1: I'll give you a real sense of satisfaction that you've now, 420 00:24:22,640 --> 00:24:25,959 Speaker 1: in a sense, created this. That's a very good question, 421 00:24:26,119 --> 00:24:29,360 Speaker 1: and very few folks have asked me that, and you're right. 422 00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:33,600 Speaker 1: I remember the first time I played hundred Years from 423 00:24:33,600 --> 00:24:35,480 Speaker 1: beginning to end, and we kind of got it to 424 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:38,280 Speaker 1: where we wanted to get it. It was very satisfying, 425 00:24:38,320 --> 00:24:40,680 Speaker 1: and it's been months. Because you try all these different 426 00:24:40,760 --> 00:24:43,600 Speaker 1: arrangement permutations. You write two hundred lines to get the 427 00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:46,960 Speaker 1: thirty that you use. You try different keys, you try 428 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:50,399 Speaker 1: different tempos. There's so many things that go into a song. 429 00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:54,119 Speaker 1: And when you finally play it from beginning ten for 430 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:57,920 Speaker 1: the first time, it is a sense of satisfaction and 431 00:24:58,240 --> 00:25:01,359 Speaker 1: it's actually kind of a pleasant place because it's just yours. 432 00:25:01,600 --> 00:25:03,760 Speaker 1: The world has not given its verdict yet, so you 433 00:25:03,800 --> 00:25:05,760 Speaker 1: don't know if it's a hit or if it's a miss. 434 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:08,919 Speaker 1: For you. It's just this thing you created from nothing 435 00:25:09,640 --> 00:25:12,920 Speaker 1: that you feel proud of. And those are the moments, frankly, 436 00:25:12,920 --> 00:25:15,040 Speaker 1: that I think keep a lot of artists coming back. 437 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:18,440 Speaker 1: It's kind of like the painters with a blank canvas 438 00:25:18,520 --> 00:25:21,760 Speaker 1: and then one day they have this beautiful image that 439 00:25:21,840 --> 00:25:24,760 Speaker 1: they've created out of nothing, and that's what makes the 440 00:25:24,840 --> 00:25:27,159 Speaker 1: art so magical to me. I think it was Michael 441 00:25:27,200 --> 00:25:31,560 Speaker 1: Angelo who said he didn't actually carve a statue. He 442 00:25:31,600 --> 00:25:34,879 Speaker 1: took away the excess stone from the statue that was 443 00:25:34,880 --> 00:25:37,000 Speaker 1: already in the place when head and yet come out, 444 00:25:37,560 --> 00:25:40,480 Speaker 1: which is a very different way to think of it. Yeah, no, 445 00:25:40,560 --> 00:25:44,120 Speaker 1: for sure, I assume you have some similar response. When 446 00:25:44,160 --> 00:25:46,280 Speaker 1: you write one of your books. You have an idea, 447 00:25:46,359 --> 00:25:48,760 Speaker 1: here's a book I want to write, and then you 448 00:25:48,840 --> 00:25:50,399 Speaker 1: spend all this time and effort, and then all of 449 00:25:50,440 --> 00:25:53,240 Speaker 1: a sudden, one day, oh myke, here it is how 450 00:25:53,280 --> 00:25:58,000 Speaker 1: did that happen. There is a certain sense of accomplishment, 451 00:25:58,040 --> 00:26:00,040 Speaker 1: if you will, when you'll do something like that. Do 452 00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:03,119 Speaker 1: you ever have the occasion where you thaw, you headed down, 453 00:26:03,560 --> 00:26:05,280 Speaker 1: and then you went out and you performed to a 454 00:26:05,320 --> 00:26:08,399 Speaker 1: live audience and you said, you know, didn't quite work 455 00:26:08,440 --> 00:26:10,600 Speaker 1: the way I thought it would, and you had to 456 00:26:10,600 --> 00:26:13,560 Speaker 1: sort of tweak it some all the time. And I 457 00:26:13,600 --> 00:26:16,920 Speaker 1: still think I have songs that I didn't quite get right. 458 00:26:17,040 --> 00:26:19,400 Speaker 1: I have a song called the Riddle. It was a hit. 459 00:26:19,440 --> 00:26:21,320 Speaker 1: It wasn't a hit like Superman one hundred years, but 460 00:26:21,320 --> 00:26:24,640 Speaker 1: it's a popular song. And I spent a year on 461 00:26:24,680 --> 00:26:27,120 Speaker 1: that song, and I never felt like quite got it right, 462 00:26:27,160 --> 00:26:30,040 Speaker 1: and still don't. But that's kind of just the nature 463 00:26:30,040 --> 00:26:33,520 Speaker 1: of the beasts. And sometimes you'll actually record a song, 464 00:26:33,800 --> 00:26:36,560 Speaker 1: you know, and then take it on the road and 465 00:26:36,680 --> 00:26:39,399 Speaker 1: your live performance is better than the recording. The perfect 466 00:26:39,400 --> 00:26:43,199 Speaker 1: example of that is Peter Frampton. Peter Frampton had the 467 00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:46,679 Speaker 1: biggest double live selling record ever and all of the 468 00:26:46,720 --> 00:26:50,360 Speaker 1: songs were much better live than they were on his records. 469 00:26:50,720 --> 00:26:53,000 Speaker 1: So it can work both ways. Sometimes you go out 470 00:26:53,000 --> 00:26:54,920 Speaker 1: on the road and you're like, oh man, we should 471 00:26:54,920 --> 00:26:56,359 Speaker 1: have done it in this key we should have done 472 00:26:56,400 --> 00:26:58,719 Speaker 1: it at this tempo. And that's why a lot of artists, 473 00:26:58,720 --> 00:27:01,320 Speaker 1: before they record a record, will go take their songs 474 00:27:01,320 --> 00:27:03,240 Speaker 1: on the road and they'll perform in live for that 475 00:27:03,320 --> 00:27:05,359 Speaker 1: exact reason, as you said, to learn what's working and 476 00:27:05,440 --> 00:27:08,000 Speaker 1: what's not. Somebody gives a lot of speeches. I have 477 00:27:08,040 --> 00:27:11,240 Speaker 1: the same experience. You have to dance with the audience 478 00:27:12,119 --> 00:27:15,080 Speaker 1: and if it works, I mean you're really there, it 479 00:27:15,160 --> 00:27:18,400 Speaker 1: changes everything. And if it doesn't work, you kind of think, well, 480 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:21,520 Speaker 1: this was not quite my night. I guess then it 481 00:27:21,560 --> 00:27:25,320 Speaker 1: becomes a job. Yeah. But it's hard to capture that 482 00:27:26,280 --> 00:27:30,000 Speaker 1: in something which is video or audio because it's locked 483 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:32,760 Speaker 1: into place in a sense, it's frozen. And so you're 484 00:27:32,800 --> 00:27:36,280 Speaker 1: trying to catch this live experience, and the people who 485 00:27:36,280 --> 00:27:40,640 Speaker 1: are in the audience, I think emotionally experience something different 486 00:27:40,880 --> 00:27:43,080 Speaker 1: than they will experience listening to it in their car 487 00:27:43,240 --> 00:27:46,840 Speaker 1: or listening to it at home. No doubt about it. 488 00:27:46,840 --> 00:27:49,679 Speaker 1: It's a very interesting process, no doubt about it. The 489 00:27:49,720 --> 00:27:52,520 Speaker 1: studio experience is so different because you're literally locked in 490 00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:54,520 Speaker 1: this kind of hole in this room and you're creating 491 00:27:54,520 --> 00:27:58,000 Speaker 1: this piece out of your mind, and the live experience 492 00:27:58,040 --> 00:28:00,919 Speaker 1: having that reaction you know, you all play things faster 493 00:28:01,040 --> 00:28:03,760 Speaker 1: live because you have the energy of the audience. I'm 494 00:28:03,760 --> 00:28:06,480 Speaker 1: curious when you do that. You raised a really good question. 495 00:28:07,119 --> 00:28:10,600 Speaker 1: If you're in a studio and you're wearing the ear 496 00:28:10,680 --> 00:28:12,399 Speaker 1: muff so you can hear the same thing at the 497 00:28:12,480 --> 00:28:15,520 Speaker 1: right time, are you imagining an audience or are you 498 00:28:15,560 --> 00:28:19,000 Speaker 1: just investing in the music? Another very good question. Sometimes 499 00:28:19,080 --> 00:28:23,240 Speaker 1: you will. Sometimes I'll close my eyes and I'll imagine 500 00:28:23,280 --> 00:28:26,639 Speaker 1: I'm singing this for ten thousand people. Sometimes that works, 501 00:28:26,640 --> 00:28:29,480 Speaker 1: Sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes you go over the top and 502 00:28:29,560 --> 00:28:33,720 Speaker 1: it's too dramatic, but it's something we always do, and 503 00:28:33,960 --> 00:28:37,040 Speaker 1: it's funny with blood in my hands. It actually happened 504 00:28:37,080 --> 00:28:39,360 Speaker 1: exactly kind of what you talked about. When I first 505 00:28:39,400 --> 00:28:42,760 Speaker 1: sang it for the recorded version, I'd imagine that, and 506 00:28:42,760 --> 00:28:45,479 Speaker 1: it was so angry and it was so kind of 507 00:28:45,880 --> 00:28:49,600 Speaker 1: emotional that it wasn't something that really was working. So 508 00:28:49,640 --> 00:28:53,400 Speaker 1: I kind of had to sing it more clinically. And 509 00:28:53,760 --> 00:28:56,080 Speaker 1: once I took that on the road and I played 510 00:28:56,080 --> 00:29:00,800 Speaker 1: it with my guitar every night, I realized that this actually, 511 00:29:01,080 --> 00:29:03,800 Speaker 1: I think it's more impactful. So the version in the 512 00:29:03,880 --> 00:29:06,080 Speaker 1: new video is not me at the piano it's me 513 00:29:06,160 --> 00:29:07,760 Speaker 1: standing with a guitar in front of the White House. 514 00:29:08,040 --> 00:29:11,160 Speaker 1: So all these things we're talking about really reflected itself 515 00:29:11,200 --> 00:29:13,960 Speaker 1: in this song in ways that many of my other 516 00:29:13,960 --> 00:29:17,360 Speaker 1: songs had not. Yeah, my expresses, there are moments when 517 00:29:17,880 --> 00:29:21,480 Speaker 1: less is actually more because the audience will fill in 518 00:29:21,560 --> 00:29:25,000 Speaker 1: the difference, and if you're too strong, they don't have 519 00:29:25,040 --> 00:29:29,800 Speaker 1: any space. A very wise producer said, it's not about production, 520 00:29:29,880 --> 00:29:35,160 Speaker 1: it's about reduction, having space, having it simple. And again 521 00:29:35,240 --> 00:29:38,000 Speaker 1: back to Blood in My Hands. The original track was 522 00:29:38,280 --> 00:29:41,080 Speaker 1: a piano, a shaker and a vocal, and there was 523 00:29:41,120 --> 00:29:43,720 Speaker 1: so much space in there for people to think it 524 00:29:43,880 --> 00:29:46,760 Speaker 1: wasn't just so many instruments, there's just wall of sound. 525 00:29:47,480 --> 00:29:50,480 Speaker 1: I think you're right. You know, the best art seem 526 00:29:50,640 --> 00:29:52,880 Speaker 1: simple on its face. It may not be creating it, 527 00:29:53,240 --> 00:29:56,360 Speaker 1: but to have that space for the audience to accept 528 00:29:56,440 --> 00:29:59,320 Speaker 1: what you're singing is critical. But I think a lot 529 00:29:59,360 --> 00:30:03,160 Speaker 1: of artists, you know, especially young artists, don't quite get that. 530 00:30:03,720 --> 00:30:06,280 Speaker 1: Thank you for taking the extra time to talk about 531 00:30:06,360 --> 00:30:09,440 Speaker 1: the things you've done so brilliantly, and I want to 532 00:30:09,480 --> 00:30:13,120 Speaker 1: also thank you for keeping the public's attention in Afghanistan, 533 00:30:13,560 --> 00:30:16,480 Speaker 1: your continuing efforts to help through your charity. What kind 534 00:30:16,480 --> 00:30:19,560 Speaker 1: of world do you want? The fundraising campaign you've launched, 535 00:30:19,920 --> 00:30:23,640 Speaker 1: and I think producing this documentary video is going to 536 00:30:23,720 --> 00:30:26,200 Speaker 1: help and going to continue to move the message, and 537 00:30:26,240 --> 00:30:29,120 Speaker 1: as you said earlier, it's going to help future generations 538 00:30:29,200 --> 00:30:33,160 Speaker 1: understand what a tragic intersection this has been and what 539 00:30:33,200 --> 00:30:36,760 Speaker 1: a tragic moment it is for Americans and for Afghans, 540 00:30:36,880 --> 00:30:39,560 Speaker 1: and in a sense, for the world. Because to the 541 00:30:39,560 --> 00:30:43,120 Speaker 1: degree that America is strong and courageous and America truly 542 00:30:43,160 --> 00:30:46,440 Speaker 1: stands for freedom, we move the entire planet in the 543 00:30:46,520 --> 00:30:49,880 Speaker 1: right direction. And to the degree that we flinch and 544 00:30:49,920 --> 00:30:53,080 Speaker 1: we fail, the planet becomes a little smaller and a 545 00:30:53,080 --> 00:30:56,400 Speaker 1: little more dictatorial, and freedom gets a little weaker. So 546 00:30:56,680 --> 00:31:00,760 Speaker 1: what you're doing, I think is historic and is truly important. John, 547 00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:02,960 Speaker 1: and I just want to thank you for taking this 548 00:31:03,120 --> 00:31:06,000 Speaker 1: time to share with all of us your thoughts. Well, 549 00:31:06,040 --> 00:31:08,120 Speaker 1: mister speaker, it's always an honor to speak with you. 550 00:31:08,320 --> 00:31:10,280 Speaker 1: Thanks for having me again. Give my best to your 551 00:31:10,360 --> 00:31:17,000 Speaker 1: daughter and her family, and happy New Year. Thank you 552 00:31:17,040 --> 00:31:19,600 Speaker 1: to my guest John and Rassak. You can find out 553 00:31:19,640 --> 00:31:23,640 Speaker 1: more about the fundraising efforts for Afghanistan on our show 554 00:31:23,720 --> 00:31:27,520 Speaker 1: page at Newtsworld dot com. News World is produced by 555 00:31:27,520 --> 00:31:32,920 Speaker 1: Gingwich three sixty and iHeartMedia. Our executive producer is Garnsey Sloan, 556 00:31:33,440 --> 00:31:38,440 Speaker 1: our producer is Rebecca Howell, and our researcher is Rachel Peterson. 557 00:31:39,120 --> 00:31:42,520 Speaker 1: The artwork for the show was created by Steve Penley. 558 00:31:43,360 --> 00:31:47,160 Speaker 1: Special thanks to the team at Gingwich three sixty. If 559 00:31:47,200 --> 00:31:49,600 Speaker 1: you've been enjoying news World, I hope you'll go to 560 00:31:49,600 --> 00:31:53,160 Speaker 1: Apple Podcast and both rate us with five stars and 561 00:31:53,280 --> 00:31:56,080 Speaker 1: give us a review so others can learn what it's 562 00:31:56,120 --> 00:32:00,000 Speaker 1: all about. Right now, listeners of Newtsworld can sign up 563 00:32:00,120 --> 00:32:03,760 Speaker 1: from my three free weekly columns at Gangwige three sixty 564 00:32:03,880 --> 00:32:09,320 Speaker 1: dot com slash newsletter. I'm new Gangridge. This is Newsworld