1 00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:04,960 Speaker 1: What's up, Dave? 2 00:00:05,440 --> 00:00:06,520 Speaker 2: What's up Aaron? 3 00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:11,640 Speaker 3: No, Now I have a visual with my emails. 4 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:15,120 Speaker 2: I am talking to Aaron Kin, the guy in the 5 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:17,439 Speaker 2: center of the Sudden Impact point, in the middle of 6 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:20,360 Speaker 2: the Boys to Men Motown, Philly video at the heart 7 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:23,759 Speaker 2: of the thing I have been obsessed with for three decades. 8 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 2: The guy behind the point is now on my laptop 9 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:30,560 Speaker 2: screen talking to me. I'm finally about to find out 10 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:34,760 Speaker 2: what happened to sudden Impact. This is a significant life event, 11 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:38,760 Speaker 2: but first I need some very basic information, like who 12 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:42,280 Speaker 2: is everyone. I pull up a screenshot of the sudden 13 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:44,520 Speaker 2: Impact point. I have the picture here. 14 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:46,200 Speaker 1: There it is. That's it. 15 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 2: Can you talk me through who's who? 16 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:50,760 Speaker 3: I was the guy in the middle with the bowtide 17 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:52,199 Speaker 3: looking like a waiter. 18 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:55,440 Speaker 1: Because I was the lead singer. 19 00:00:55,640 --> 00:00:56,800 Speaker 2: Had to set yourself apart. 20 00:00:57,080 --> 00:00:59,840 Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm in the middle with the bow tie right, 21 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:02,360 Speaker 3: so all the way all the way. 22 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:05,399 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's my brother. That's my brother. 23 00:01:05,520 --> 00:01:07,720 Speaker 2: That's Noel, the guy who you really can't tell what 24 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:10,280 Speaker 2: he looks like because his point obscures his entire face. 25 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:11,479 Speaker 2: That is Noel Kane. 26 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:13,360 Speaker 1: The next guy's Dave. 27 00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:16,080 Speaker 2: The shy guy, the one who's looking at and pointing 28 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:19,080 Speaker 2: to the director a little bit off camera. That's Dave. 29 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 2: Just Dave. Listening back to this, I realized I should 30 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:24,880 Speaker 2: have asked for a last name. And this is a 31 00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 2: thing that will come back and bite me in the ass. 32 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:30,880 Speaker 1: The next guy's Alan Heally, that's my man. 33 00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:33,199 Speaker 2: The guy who's pointing in kind of an Uncle Sam 34 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:34,480 Speaker 2: wants you kind of way. 35 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 1: And then the next guy that's Todd that was writing 36 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:38,240 Speaker 1: all the songs. 37 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 2: Todd White is on the right in what looks like 38 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:44,520 Speaker 2: a modified Billy Ray Cyrus Mullet, very on trend for 39 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:47,279 Speaker 2: nineteen ninety one. Todd's the guy who had the idea 40 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:50,400 Speaker 2: for Sudden Impact, and that's the guy who you met 41 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:53,120 Speaker 2: when you were gonna fight exactly. 42 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:56,160 Speaker 3: That's how the whole thing started. Two guys get ready 43 00:01:56,240 --> 00:01:57,200 Speaker 3: to go to blows. 44 00:01:57,560 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 2: The story of Sudden Impacts, as told to me by 45 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:03,720 Speaker 2: Aaron Kane, is cinematic. It's got ups and downs. It 46 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:06,520 Speaker 2: has set pieces and moments that would cut down into 47 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:10,600 Speaker 2: a beautiful montage, and between two of the leads a 48 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:14,520 Speaker 2: meet cute. On this episode, the story of Sudden Impact 49 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:17,320 Speaker 2: from Aaron Kane, a guy who is right in the 50 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:21,680 Speaker 2: middle of the action This is Waiting for Impact, a 51 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:43,240 Speaker 2: Dave Holmes passion project. Where are you right now? 52 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:46,880 Speaker 1: I am in my studio, in my house right now. 53 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 3: I got my just sitting in front of my studio Blackwood, 54 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 3: New Jersey, right over the bridge from Philadelphia, Philly. 55 00:02:55,919 --> 00:02:58,200 Speaker 2: A place by the way that Aaron visited for the 56 00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:00,639 Speaker 2: first time ever when he and the Boys their cameo 57 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:03,400 Speaker 2: in the Motown Philly video. We'll get into how he 58 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 2: came to settle in Philadelphia a little bit later, but 59 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:08,800 Speaker 2: first let's get into how this whole thing started and 60 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:11,960 Speaker 2: the high school house party in Newport News, Virginia that 61 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 2: changed five guys lives forever. So take me back to 62 00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:18,359 Speaker 2: the start. What's your what's your musical background? 63 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 3: No musical background. My family doesn't really come from music. 64 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:27,840 Speaker 3: My dad's dad, he was kind of in a band 65 00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 3: and played fiddle and stuff like that, but he died 66 00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:33,760 Speaker 3: before I was even born. 67 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 1: So, but no musical background. 68 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:43,080 Speaker 3: I was always, uh a sports guy, played baseball, basketball, football, like. 69 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:47,440 Speaker 3: I was always into sports, and this music thing just 70 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:49,840 Speaker 3: kind of like fell into our. 71 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:52,560 Speaker 1: Lat though it was the craziest thing. 72 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:56,520 Speaker 2: Sudden Impact came together because of a perfect combination of fate, 73 00:03:56,880 --> 00:03:58,080 Speaker 2: and testosterone. 74 00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:02,120 Speaker 3: A guy named Todd White started group and he was 75 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 3: just like doing little demos around town this and that. 76 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:09,120 Speaker 3: I started talking to one of his girlfriends and me 77 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 3: and him were about to fight. Actually that's how we met. 78 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:15,680 Speaker 3: And he heard did I sang a little bit? I 79 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:19,200 Speaker 3: sang with a couple of people around in high school 80 00:04:19,240 --> 00:04:23,800 Speaker 3: and stuff. And this one night we went to a 81 00:04:23,839 --> 00:04:26,600 Speaker 3: party and I saw him there and we were getting 82 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:29,240 Speaker 3: ready to fight, and he comes up to me and 83 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:31,719 Speaker 3: he's like, hey, man, I hear that you sing. And 84 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:34,440 Speaker 3: I'm like, yeah, I sing a little bit. And he's like, hey, well, 85 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:36,960 Speaker 3: I'm starting this group. You know, wy don't you come 86 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:39,640 Speaker 3: by the studio. Maybe we could work something out. So 87 00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:43,800 Speaker 3: we go to the studio. I just happened to go 88 00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:48,360 Speaker 3: by there one day and ended up getting on the 89 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:54,080 Speaker 3: track singing some stuff. At that time, it was just 90 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 3: three of us at that time. 91 00:04:55,800 --> 00:04:58,880 Speaker 2: So instead of brawling and ruining a perfectly good house party, 92 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 2: Todd and Aaron decided to sing along with a guy 93 00:05:01,839 --> 00:05:04,120 Speaker 2: named Eric, who, as far as we know, was not 94 00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 2: talking to either of their girlfriends. 95 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:10,280 Speaker 3: We did like this little hometown demo. Just started kind 96 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 3: of working the demo round town. 97 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:12,760 Speaker 1: A little bit. 98 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:15,360 Speaker 3: The demo really wasn't even that good, but you know, 99 00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:16,880 Speaker 3: we loved it and everything. 100 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 2: What was it called? 101 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:20,479 Speaker 1: It was called Please Be Mine? 102 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:23,760 Speaker 2: Was it a ballad? Was it up tempo? What was it? Uh? 103 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:25,919 Speaker 3: It was a ballad at first, and then we turned 104 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:28,880 Speaker 3: it into We had this guy named Timmy Beale. He 105 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:32,040 Speaker 3: was kind of like a producer around town. We had 106 00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:35,599 Speaker 3: this guy do a remix to it, and they this 107 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:40,880 Speaker 3: is how the hook went. Please be mine, de my girl, 108 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:44,200 Speaker 3: please be Mine. 109 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:48,520 Speaker 1: That was it. That was like, that was That was 110 00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:50,119 Speaker 1: basically the whole song. 111 00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:52,960 Speaker 2: That's all you need. 112 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:54,520 Speaker 1: That was it all? 113 00:05:54,600 --> 00:05:57,120 Speaker 2: Right? After thirty years, I have finally heard music from 114 00:05:57,120 --> 00:06:00,200 Speaker 2: Sudden Impact and I like it. Now this this is 115 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:03,200 Speaker 2: all happening. In nineteen eighty nine, Aaron Kane is sixteen 116 00:06:03,279 --> 00:06:06,239 Speaker 2: years old. It's the summer between his sophomore and junior 117 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:08,960 Speaker 2: years of high school. He's a star athlete with a 118 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:12,480 Speaker 2: demo tape. Whether he was the inspiration for zac Efron's 119 00:06:12,520 --> 00:06:15,960 Speaker 2: character in High School Musical, I cannot say. But Eric 120 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:18,799 Speaker 2: leaves the group. Three more guys join Aaron's brother, Noel, 121 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:23,239 Speaker 2: Alan Healy and Dave, whose last name I really should 122 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:25,560 Speaker 2: have asked for him. Todd White makes a connection with 123 00:06:25,600 --> 00:06:29,680 Speaker 2: a guy named Cecil Jenkins. Cecil puts the entertainment together 124 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:32,719 Speaker 2: for local church festivals, so he books them for a 125 00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:35,000 Speaker 2: couple of those festivals, and the guys get to work 126 00:06:35,040 --> 00:06:38,880 Speaker 2: on their vocals, practice their stage show. The buzz is 127 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:41,800 Speaker 2: starting to build, so they did what any ambitious young 128 00:06:41,839 --> 00:06:45,520 Speaker 2: boy band would do, a photo shoot. The pictures turned 129 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:47,880 Speaker 2: out well, so they turned their favorite one shot of 130 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:51,000 Speaker 2: all of them under the Chesapeake Bay Bridge into a poster. 131 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:53,960 Speaker 2: This teen movie is off to a good start. It's 132 00:06:53,960 --> 00:06:56,560 Speaker 2: got a poster. It's got a near fistfight over a 133 00:06:56,600 --> 00:06:58,839 Speaker 2: girl that leads to a friendship and the formation of 134 00:06:58,839 --> 00:07:02,360 Speaker 2: a singing group. But to move the plot forward, we 135 00:07:02,400 --> 00:07:06,120 Speaker 2: need a road trip. Cecil Jenkins was a good friend 136 00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:08,599 Speaker 2: of Marvin Gay. Marvin Gay was about to get his 137 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:12,200 Speaker 2: posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Cecil wants 138 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:14,360 Speaker 2: to go to the ceremony and he wants company. 139 00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:19,440 Speaker 3: Cecil Jenkins says, hey, guys, listen, Marvin Gay is getting 140 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:23,880 Speaker 3: ready to get his star on Hollywood Boulevard. You know, 141 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:26,560 Speaker 3: just want to tell you guys, if you know, if 142 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:28,440 Speaker 3: you guys want to come out to La with me. 143 00:07:28,520 --> 00:07:31,440 Speaker 1: You're more than welcome come out. Well. 144 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:35,679 Speaker 3: Two guys in the group, Todd White and Alan Heally, 145 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:38,680 Speaker 3: their parents were the only ones that said yes, you 146 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:39,120 Speaker 3: can go. 147 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:42,680 Speaker 2: Aaron seventeen by now, his little brother nol is fifteen, 148 00:07:43,160 --> 00:07:45,280 Speaker 2: and mister and Missus Kane are not about to let 149 00:07:45,320 --> 00:07:48,320 Speaker 2: kids that age just drive across the country. Neither is 150 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:51,960 Speaker 2: Missus Dave's mom. But Todd and Allen drive out to 151 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 2: Los Angeles for Marvin Gay's Walk of Fame ceremony. An 152 00:07:55,720 --> 00:07:58,400 Speaker 2: article about that ceremony that ran in the next day's 153 00:07:58,520 --> 00:08:02,280 Speaker 2: LA Times points out neither of Marvin Gaye's parents showed up, 154 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:05,600 Speaker 2: which is a shame and which also tells you that 155 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:08,240 Speaker 2: there was an entertainment reporter for the LA Times who 156 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:11,360 Speaker 2: didn't know that Marvin Gay's mother had died two years 157 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:15,400 Speaker 2: earlier and that Marvin Gay's dad murdered him. So his 158 00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:18,320 Speaker 2: parents are not there, but four hundred other people are, 159 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:20,680 Speaker 2: including one very important. 160 00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:22,080 Speaker 1: Person, Michael Bifvens. 161 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:29,720 Speaker 3: Just happened to stop by that ceremony when two of 162 00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:34,040 Speaker 3: the guys from my group were there, and at the 163 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:38,760 Speaker 3: time we had that crappy demo and we took a 164 00:08:38,800 --> 00:08:42,240 Speaker 3: picture underneath the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. We took a picture 165 00:08:42,280 --> 00:08:45,559 Speaker 3: and we made a poster, and that's all we had. 166 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:49,640 Speaker 3: We had a poster. We had a crappy demo. So anyway, 167 00:08:49,760 --> 00:08:51,080 Speaker 3: they take the crappy demo. 168 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:53,439 Speaker 1: They take the poster. 169 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:57,839 Speaker 3: Out to La Thorn, Marvin Gays getting his star in 170 00:08:57,880 --> 00:09:02,440 Speaker 3: Hollywood Boulevard. Michael Bivens up stopping by to guys in 171 00:09:02,559 --> 00:09:05,120 Speaker 3: my group see Michael Bivens. They're like, oh my gosh, 172 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:06,760 Speaker 3: that's Michael Bivens from New Edition. 173 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:10,200 Speaker 2: This is September nineteen ninety. We know that by the 174 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:12,360 Speaker 2: next summer people would just be coming up to Michael 175 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:16,000 Speaker 2: Bivens and singing in his face. Todd and Allen don't 176 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 2: have their whole group together to meet Michael Bivens, but 177 00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:21,400 Speaker 2: they do have a demo tape and a poster, so 178 00:09:21,440 --> 00:09:22,520 Speaker 2: they take bold action. 179 00:09:23,280 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 3: They run up on Mike, Hey, sign signed, this is 180 00:09:27,679 --> 00:09:31,200 Speaker 3: a poster. This is a poster of us. Can you 181 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:37,319 Speaker 3: sign a poster? And Michael Bivens said, guys, get that 182 00:09:37,440 --> 00:09:40,560 Speaker 3: shit out of my face. Get that New Kids on 183 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:42,200 Speaker 3: the Block poster out of my face. 184 00:09:42,559 --> 00:09:44,479 Speaker 2: Okay, that's harsh, and. 185 00:09:44,320 --> 00:09:45,040 Speaker 1: They were like no. 186 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:48,560 Speaker 3: They were like, no, no, no, no, this is us, 187 00:09:48,800 --> 00:09:50,440 Speaker 3: this is this is us. 188 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:52,600 Speaker 1: And he was like, are you kidding me? He was like, 189 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:53,760 Speaker 1: that's you, guys. 190 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:58,720 Speaker 3: And at this time, Michael Bivens had just signed a 191 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:03,960 Speaker 3: three artists production deal with Gerald Bugsby from Motown, and 192 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:07,400 Speaker 3: he had ABC, another bad creation, and he had. 193 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:10,880 Speaker 1: Boys men and he needed one more. Wouldn't you know. 194 00:10:11,679 --> 00:10:17,160 Speaker 3: The two guys, Todd and Allen hop in Michael Bibvens' bins. 195 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:20,080 Speaker 1: They go to Motown that day. 196 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:26,160 Speaker 3: Michael Bibbins didn't even hear the demo, didn't even hear 197 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:26,840 Speaker 3: the demo. 198 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:29,800 Speaker 1: He just loved the poster so much. 199 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:32,880 Speaker 2: Now, if this were to happen in a movie, this 200 00:10:32,960 --> 00:10:35,040 Speaker 2: would pull you out of the movie. One of the 201 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:37,400 Speaker 2: biggest pop stars on the planet wants to sign an 202 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:40,280 Speaker 2: act he's only met two fifths of whose songs and 203 00:10:40,360 --> 00:10:43,840 Speaker 2: voices he's heard zero of, just because he's seen the poster. 204 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:46,800 Speaker 2: You'd be thinking, all right, somebody at Motown is going 205 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:49,080 Speaker 2: to step in here. But there are a couple things 206 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:51,720 Speaker 2: to consider. We've talked about the story of New Edition 207 00:10:51,920 --> 00:10:54,440 Speaker 2: and how they fired more Restar, the guy who had 208 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:56,959 Speaker 2: discovered and produced them when he paid them a dollar 209 00:10:57,040 --> 00:10:59,240 Speaker 2: eighty seven for a world tour and a hit album. 210 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:02,199 Speaker 2: We've talked about how Maurice Starr went on to form 211 00:11:02,280 --> 00:11:05,080 Speaker 2: New Kids on the Block pretty much completely out of spite. 212 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:07,559 Speaker 2: We've talked about how New Kids on the Block were 213 00:11:07,559 --> 00:11:09,960 Speaker 2: the biggest pop act in the world in nineteen ninety. 214 00:11:10,520 --> 00:11:12,720 Speaker 2: What we don't know is how this all felt to 215 00:11:12,760 --> 00:11:16,199 Speaker 2: Michael Bivens. What we don't know is whether, as Maurice 216 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:18,560 Speaker 2: Starr form New Kids to get back at New addition, 217 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:22,000 Speaker 2: Michael Bivens might have wanted to sign Sudden Impact to 218 00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:25,560 Speaker 2: get back at Maurice's Star dollar signs and revenge at 219 00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:28,680 Speaker 2: the same time, I would take it. We should also 220 00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:31,360 Speaker 2: consider that this is real life, and as the saying goes, 221 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:33,319 Speaker 2: truth is fucking crazy. 222 00:11:33,920 --> 00:11:39,400 Speaker 1: We actually got signed to Motown off of a poster 223 00:11:40,080 --> 00:11:43,359 Speaker 1: without them even hearing any music. 224 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:46,880 Speaker 2: And you're hearing about all this from across the country. 225 00:11:47,559 --> 00:11:48,400 Speaker 1: Oh my gosh. 226 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:53,240 Speaker 3: Michael Biffins called us during this time. Michael Bivens calls 227 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:57,280 Speaker 3: us and the guy Todd and now and they're like, hey, 228 00:11:57,280 --> 00:11:59,520 Speaker 3: Michael Bivens is on the line, and now you gotta 229 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:03,400 Speaker 3: think this At the time where Michael Bibvens just BBD 230 00:12:03,800 --> 00:12:10,240 Speaker 3: just came out right, and that album was amazing, Like 231 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:14,240 Speaker 3: that BBD new album had just come out. Michael Bivens 232 00:12:14,280 --> 00:12:17,240 Speaker 3: is talking to us, Hey, hey, doing this is Michael Bivens. 233 00:12:17,559 --> 00:12:20,640 Speaker 3: You know, we want to sign you guys here the 234 00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:24,080 Speaker 3: Motown And you got to think, I'm thinking to myself, 235 00:12:24,559 --> 00:12:26,680 Speaker 3: yeah right, We're talking to him on the phone. 236 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:30,080 Speaker 1: We're like, yeah, right, this is this. I'm like, Todd, 237 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:30,840 Speaker 1: who is this? 238 00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:36,080 Speaker 3: You got somebody acting like Michael Bivens And now it 239 00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:37,679 Speaker 3: was really am. 240 00:12:37,559 --> 00:12:40,760 Speaker 2: So what tell me what that feels like to you 241 00:12:41,040 --> 00:12:45,280 Speaker 2: getting this call and finding out that you're like, you've 242 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:46,840 Speaker 2: ascended to Motown. 243 00:12:47,880 --> 00:12:49,240 Speaker 1: Man, it was. 244 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:54,200 Speaker 3: It was craziness. Like, first of all, it took me 245 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:56,520 Speaker 3: like a couple of days to actually realize that it 246 00:12:56,640 --> 00:12:59,760 Speaker 3: was true, you know what I mean, Like, who thinks 247 00:12:59,760 --> 00:13:02,400 Speaker 3: they they're getting a call from Michael Biffins to sign 248 00:13:02,520 --> 00:13:05,319 Speaker 3: you to Motown Records, and all we have is. 249 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:08,240 Speaker 2: One It does sound like a prank, Yeah, and all 250 00:13:08,240 --> 00:13:09,040 Speaker 2: we have is. 251 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:13,880 Speaker 3: One crappy demo. That's it, you know, you know, back then, 252 00:13:14,480 --> 00:13:17,160 Speaker 3: back then, that's the way it was. It was all 253 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:21,720 Speaker 3: about artist development, you know's that's one thing in the 254 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:25,680 Speaker 3: music world today That's why artists don't. You know, you 255 00:13:25,720 --> 00:13:28,440 Speaker 3: don't have artists that stick around for a long time 256 00:13:28,520 --> 00:13:32,040 Speaker 3: because the whole artist development thing has kind of been 257 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:33,200 Speaker 3: pushed to the side. 258 00:13:33,320 --> 00:13:33,520 Speaker 1: You know. 259 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:36,800 Speaker 3: But back then, you know, you could get signed on 260 00:13:37,040 --> 00:13:40,400 Speaker 3: a whim, and you know they could develop you. 261 00:13:40,400 --> 00:13:43,880 Speaker 2: You know, the music industry was flush back in nineteen ninety. 262 00:13:44,120 --> 00:13:46,560 Speaker 2: After all, if you liked a particular artist and you 263 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:48,960 Speaker 2: wanted to hear a song or an album by them 264 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:52,599 Speaker 2: on your schedule, you had to buy it in physical form. 265 00:13:52,880 --> 00:13:54,400 Speaker 2: If you wanted the album, you had to go to 266 00:13:54,559 --> 00:13:57,400 Speaker 2: a store and put down anywhere from ten to eighteen 267 00:13:57,480 --> 00:14:00,960 Speaker 2: dollars to get the cassette or the compact disc. Around 268 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:04,240 Speaker 2: four million Americans did that with Bell Bivdevo's album Poison. 269 00:14:04,440 --> 00:14:07,959 Speaker 2: So Michael Bivens had clout, and that clout allowed him 270 00:14:07,960 --> 00:14:10,720 Speaker 2: to do something risky like sign an act to Motown 271 00:14:10,760 --> 00:14:14,000 Speaker 2: Records after only seeing their poster. It allowed the Boys 272 00:14:14,120 --> 00:14:16,600 Speaker 2: Set an impact to reach the big time just by 273 00:14:16,800 --> 00:14:21,160 Speaker 2: asking nicely. Back in the seventies and eighties, record labels 274 00:14:21,160 --> 00:14:23,800 Speaker 2: took their time with new artists. They let them develop 275 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:25,720 Speaker 2: their sound and their look over the course of a 276 00:14:25,760 --> 00:14:28,800 Speaker 2: few years. A few albums. It took Bruce Springsteen a 277 00:14:28,840 --> 00:14:30,400 Speaker 2: couple of years and a couple albums to come up 278 00:14:30,440 --> 00:14:33,920 Speaker 2: with Born. To run that development is generally the job 279 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:36,600 Speaker 2: of a department within record labels called A and R 280 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:41,080 Speaker 2: Artists and Repertoire an R people find new artists, work 281 00:14:41,120 --> 00:14:43,560 Speaker 2: with them to determine where they'll fit in the marketplace, 282 00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:47,000 Speaker 2: help them develop an identity. And Michael Bivins had a 283 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:50,520 Speaker 2: good relationship with an A and R guy at another label. 284 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:57,000 Speaker 3: And we signed with Motown, and then we started working 285 00:14:57,760 --> 00:15:01,960 Speaker 3: for a little bit. And then and Michael Bivens calls 286 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:06,120 Speaker 3: this up one day and says, hey, listen, guys. 287 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:08,800 Speaker 1: I want to take you. I don't want you guys 288 00:15:08,840 --> 00:15:09,840 Speaker 1: to be with Motown. 289 00:15:10,040 --> 00:15:14,400 Speaker 3: I want you guys to go to Capitol Records. Now 290 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:18,160 Speaker 3: still minds you, Dave. We don't have any song. I mean, 291 00:15:18,200 --> 00:15:22,080 Speaker 3: we've been working on demos at the house. We have 292 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:26,720 Speaker 3: a sixth member in our group that was the producer. 293 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:29,880 Speaker 3: He produced everything. He's actually my best friend right now. 294 00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:31,120 Speaker 3: His name is Tim Bird. 295 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:34,840 Speaker 2: I make two mental notes here. One find Tim Bird 296 00:15:35,240 --> 00:15:38,400 Speaker 2: and two just really breathe with the fact that there's 297 00:15:38,440 --> 00:15:40,840 Speaker 2: someone they call the sixth member of sudden. 298 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:43,280 Speaker 3: Impact, and so we're like, all right, cool, we'll go 299 00:15:43,320 --> 00:15:47,520 Speaker 3: to Capitol because Michael Bivens had a good relationship with 300 00:15:47,560 --> 00:15:49,280 Speaker 3: the A and R guy over the area. His name 301 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:55,320 Speaker 3: was Steph Johnson. So we end up signing this huge deal. Still, 302 00:15:55,400 --> 00:16:02,040 Speaker 3: minds you, Capitol hasn't heard any music. Still, We're going 303 00:16:02,120 --> 00:16:05,600 Speaker 3: through all these deals and everything, and nobody has heard 304 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:11,320 Speaker 3: any music. They're going off of just Michael Bivens words. 305 00:16:11,480 --> 00:16:14,360 Speaker 2: They signed with Capitol Records. Capitol puts the boys up 306 00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:17,080 Speaker 2: in a beach house in Virginia to bond with each other, 307 00:16:17,280 --> 00:16:20,240 Speaker 2: rents them a studio nearby to write and record some songs. 308 00:16:20,560 --> 00:16:23,000 Speaker 2: What were the influences? What did you what did you 309 00:16:23,080 --> 00:16:23,560 Speaker 2: sound like? 310 00:16:24,040 --> 00:16:25,840 Speaker 1: I mean our influences. 311 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:29,240 Speaker 3: People make fun of it, but New Kids on the 312 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:31,800 Speaker 3: Block was a big influence for us. New Kids on 313 00:16:31,840 --> 00:16:37,200 Speaker 3: the Block was huge influence for us. Of course, New Edition, 314 00:16:38,240 --> 00:16:41,320 Speaker 3: you know back then it was New Edition bb D, 315 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:47,360 Speaker 3: Bobby Brown, Keith Sweat, Teddy Riley guy. 316 00:16:48,480 --> 00:16:49,840 Speaker 1: That's the we were trying. 317 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:52,320 Speaker 3: We were trying to be like the more R and 318 00:16:52,360 --> 00:16:55,320 Speaker 3: B version of New Kids on the Block. 319 00:16:55,680 --> 00:16:58,000 Speaker 2: The Virginia music scene would blow up a few years 320 00:16:58,080 --> 00:17:01,120 Speaker 2: later with Timbaland and Missy Elliott and then Pharrell and 321 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:04,159 Speaker 2: then Neptunes. But at the time, Sudden Impact were the 322 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:07,680 Speaker 2: pioneers of the Virginia sound. I mean maybe they were. 323 00:17:07,800 --> 00:17:11,320 Speaker 2: I don't know, I've never heard anything before. They developed 324 00:17:11,320 --> 00:17:14,280 Speaker 2: their sound, before they even made a sound. They got 325 00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:15,480 Speaker 2: their big break. 326 00:17:15,640 --> 00:17:20,320 Speaker 3: And then boom Motown Philly comes out, and that's what 327 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:24,879 Speaker 3: really took us to that next level. 328 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:27,439 Speaker 2: What was shooting the video? Like, did you know that 329 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:29,720 Speaker 2: you would be a part of it long in advance? 330 00:17:29,840 --> 00:17:31,560 Speaker 2: Was it kind of last minute? What happened? 331 00:17:32,080 --> 00:17:33,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, we knew. 332 00:17:33,760 --> 00:17:36,880 Speaker 3: That was actually the first time that when we were 333 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:39,040 Speaker 3: in the video, that was the first time that I 334 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:43,160 Speaker 3: had ever been to Philadelphia. We recorded the one part 335 00:17:43,240 --> 00:17:45,120 Speaker 3: I don't know if you're the I mean, the iconic 336 00:17:45,200 --> 00:17:48,120 Speaker 3: part is Viv sitting in the middle of us. 337 00:17:48,480 --> 00:17:51,320 Speaker 1: And then we do this yep, we like point to 338 00:17:51,359 --> 00:17:52,280 Speaker 1: the camera. 339 00:17:52,080 --> 00:17:55,080 Speaker 2: To the point Aaron is doing the Sudden Impact, point 340 00:17:55,280 --> 00:17:58,520 Speaker 2: to me over zoom and I have fully left my body. 341 00:17:59,359 --> 00:18:01,840 Speaker 2: The video come out, and the video blows up. Boys 342 00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:04,920 Speaker 2: the Men becomes stars, and so does Sudden Impact. 343 00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:09,280 Speaker 3: Actually, the first time that Boys the Men was ever 344 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:14,080 Speaker 3: on MTV, there was a show on MTV. You probably 345 00:18:14,240 --> 00:18:19,080 Speaker 3: remember Dave with Martha Quinn. Yep, Martha Quinn had a 346 00:18:19,119 --> 00:18:19,800 Speaker 3: show on there. 347 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:21,600 Speaker 1: I thought. I think it was like called. 348 00:18:21,480 --> 00:18:25,680 Speaker 3: MTV Live or something like that, and that was the 349 00:18:25,720 --> 00:18:30,359 Speaker 3: first time Boys the Men was ever on MTV and 350 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:33,760 Speaker 3: they had people calling in right, yeah and get and 351 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:38,080 Speaker 3: guess what the first question was when somebody called in 352 00:18:38,520 --> 00:18:43,120 Speaker 3: during that interview. The first question I actually remember her name. 353 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:45,560 Speaker 3: Her name was Lydia from Utah. 354 00:18:46,280 --> 00:18:47,520 Speaker 2: Uh huh. 355 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:51,600 Speaker 3: And the first question Boys of Men has just released 356 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:55,119 Speaker 3: their new album, Motown Philly just came out. They're on 357 00:18:55,840 --> 00:18:59,119 Speaker 3: MTV for the first time, and the first question is 358 00:18:59,720 --> 00:19:01,600 Speaker 3: who those white guys in the video? 359 00:19:06,359 --> 00:19:09,320 Speaker 2: Listen. I am not opposed to tracking down Lydia from Utah. 360 00:19:09,720 --> 00:19:11,359 Speaker 2: And it's good that Boys to Men goes on to 361 00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:14,160 Speaker 2: become the biggest selling R and B group of all time, 362 00:19:14,560 --> 00:19:17,680 Speaker 2: because it is absolutely criminal that the first question they 363 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:21,240 Speaker 2: get on their first MTV appearance is about sudden impact. 364 00:19:21,880 --> 00:19:24,640 Speaker 2: But as Boys to Men is blowing up, sudden impacts 365 00:19:24,680 --> 00:19:28,159 Speaker 2: are being talked about on MTV with original VJ Martha Quinn, 366 00:19:28,560 --> 00:19:31,200 Speaker 2: and they're on a major label, Capital. The Beatles were 367 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:35,360 Speaker 2: on Capitol, the Eagles the Beastie Boys, Juice Newton. They're 368 00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:37,159 Speaker 2: on a huge label in a peak here for the 369 00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:39,760 Speaker 2: recording industry, so they're being shown a taste of the 370 00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:41,560 Speaker 2: good life with Capital. 371 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:46,280 Speaker 3: It was fantastic, Dave, Like, I mean, they put us 372 00:19:46,359 --> 00:19:50,040 Speaker 3: up in this huge house right on the beach, this 373 00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:54,720 Speaker 3: amazing studio in Virginia Beach. They were sending us to 374 00:19:54,920 --> 00:19:59,560 Speaker 3: Disney World, they were sending us to Universal Studio. 375 00:20:01,400 --> 00:20:02,760 Speaker 2: And how old are you at this time? 376 00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:08,720 Speaker 1: We're like nineteen twenty at this time, So what's that lifestyle? Like? 377 00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:13,399 Speaker 3: Oh man, you're talking about some kids right out of 378 00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:18,000 Speaker 3: high school that had a crappy demo. They got a 379 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:23,960 Speaker 3: huge advancement. Like back then, Back then, the advancements, especially 380 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:27,720 Speaker 3: with Capitol Records, we were getting like huge advancements. 381 00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:30,800 Speaker 2: And advance is an amount of money a record company 382 00:20:30,840 --> 00:20:33,399 Speaker 2: gives you when they put you under contract. It's to 383 00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:35,800 Speaker 2: keep you afloat while you're working on your thing. They 384 00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:37,960 Speaker 2: take it out of your earnings when you start making money. 385 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:40,080 Speaker 2: But if you never do start making money, you don't 386 00:20:40,080 --> 00:20:43,080 Speaker 2: even have to pay it back. From today's perspective, it 387 00:20:43,200 --> 00:20:46,200 Speaker 2: is wild the corporations could do business this way at 388 00:20:46,200 --> 00:20:49,119 Speaker 2: this level. But in nineteen ninety one. That's how it worked. 389 00:20:49,720 --> 00:20:52,160 Speaker 2: Aaron and the rest of the Sudden Impact guys were 390 00:20:52,200 --> 00:20:55,880 Speaker 2: at the cusp of pop music stardom. But in order 391 00:20:55,920 --> 00:20:58,800 Speaker 2: to move forward into the great unknown, Aaron had to 392 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:00,800 Speaker 2: close the door on the shore thing he knew. 393 00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:05,520 Speaker 3: I actually got a baseball scholarship coming out of high school, 394 00:21:05,800 --> 00:21:08,760 Speaker 3: and that was a hard decision for me to make. 395 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:11,040 Speaker 1: It was go to college. 396 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:14,560 Speaker 3: I got a scholarship to King's College in Tennessee. It 397 00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:18,679 Speaker 3: was a really hard decision because baseball was my life 398 00:21:19,080 --> 00:21:22,040 Speaker 3: ever since. I just had a talent for it from 399 00:21:22,320 --> 00:21:25,399 Speaker 3: time I was five years old all the way up 400 00:21:25,480 --> 00:21:28,679 Speaker 3: going out of high school. And I had to make 401 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:32,080 Speaker 3: a decision when I graduated high school, do I go 402 00:21:32,119 --> 00:21:38,360 Speaker 3: to college play baseball, or do I pursue this music thing. 403 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:40,919 Speaker 3: I'm getting ready to sign the Capitol Records get a 404 00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:46,560 Speaker 3: huge advancement. My mom actually had a conversation with her dad, 405 00:21:46,680 --> 00:21:51,680 Speaker 3: my grandfather, and my grandfather, you know, because my parents 406 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:56,159 Speaker 3: wanted me to go to college and everything. And my 407 00:21:56,240 --> 00:22:01,080 Speaker 3: grandfather said, listen, if you make him go to college 408 00:22:01,280 --> 00:22:05,960 Speaker 3: and he misses out on this music thing, he's probably, 409 00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:10,399 Speaker 3: you know, gonna have some resentment his whole life, you 410 00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:15,840 Speaker 3: know what I mean? So I said, listen in Boys 411 00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:19,480 Speaker 3: and Men's Video, I'm getting ready to get this huge advancement. 412 00:22:19,920 --> 00:22:23,600 Speaker 3: I'm going with the music thing, you know what I mean? 413 00:22:24,040 --> 00:22:27,760 Speaker 3: And I mean, what do you what would you do day? 414 00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:29,000 Speaker 3: You're a little kid. 415 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:33,160 Speaker 2: You're a little kid now, yeah you're all. 416 00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:36,840 Speaker 3: You're on MTV, b et get ready to sign with 417 00:22:36,920 --> 00:22:37,960 Speaker 3: Capitol Records. 418 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:41,639 Speaker 2: This is very understandable. How how big an advance are 419 00:22:41,640 --> 00:22:42,040 Speaker 2: we talking? 420 00:22:42,760 --> 00:22:50,080 Speaker 1: Uh? I mean, I don't really want to but it was. 421 00:22:50,359 --> 00:22:56,000 Speaker 3: It was nice, but I wish you know, uh you 422 00:22:56,160 --> 00:22:57,520 Speaker 3: think that it's just gonna. 423 00:22:57,359 --> 00:22:58,320 Speaker 1: Keep coming, you know. 424 00:22:59,359 --> 00:23:02,640 Speaker 3: And I definitely wish that I would have made some 425 00:23:02,720 --> 00:23:04,520 Speaker 3: different decisions back then. 426 00:23:05,240 --> 00:23:07,600 Speaker 1: I mean I did some amazing stuff, but. 427 00:23:09,480 --> 00:23:11,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, I wish I would have did a little something 428 00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:14,200 Speaker 3: different with my money back then. 429 00:23:14,359 --> 00:23:17,439 Speaker 2: You know, somehow you weren't at your wisest when you 430 00:23:17,480 --> 00:23:24,120 Speaker 2: were nineteen. How that happened? But I guess that's what happened. 431 00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:28,040 Speaker 2: So an impact is getting paid, they're getting put up 432 00:23:28,040 --> 00:23:30,840 Speaker 2: on the beach, they're getting trips to Disney World. But 433 00:23:31,080 --> 00:23:32,960 Speaker 2: and this is how I know we're talking about kids 434 00:23:33,040 --> 00:23:35,280 Speaker 2: right now. The thing that means the most is a 435 00:23:35,320 --> 00:23:36,240 Speaker 2: team jacket. 436 00:23:36,800 --> 00:23:39,560 Speaker 3: I'll tell you a funny story, Dave. So at that 437 00:23:39,720 --> 00:23:47,520 Speaker 3: time BBD went on tour, and they went on tour, 438 00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:54,560 Speaker 3: and Michael Bivens gave everybody out BBD tour jackets with 439 00:23:54,600 --> 00:23:59,520 Speaker 3: your name on them, like they were really really cool jackets. 440 00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:04,160 Speaker 3: And so of course us being around Newport News, being 441 00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:07,480 Speaker 3: around Virginia, we would always wear our bb You know, 442 00:24:07,560 --> 00:24:11,520 Speaker 3: we're a motow Philly video. We got BBD tour jackets on. 443 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:15,840 Speaker 3: It was like wherever we went, it was like we 444 00:24:15,840 --> 00:24:19,080 Speaker 3: were celebrities and we really hadn't. 445 00:24:18,760 --> 00:24:20,919 Speaker 2: Done anything and what did that feel like? 446 00:24:21,800 --> 00:24:24,240 Speaker 1: Oh man, it was amazing. 447 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:29,480 Speaker 2: I believe him, and I know a little bit about 448 00:24:29,520 --> 00:24:32,439 Speaker 2: what he means. Having a normal life one day and 449 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:34,960 Speaker 2: then finding yourself in the middle of the entertainment industry 450 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:38,120 Speaker 2: the next is a thing I can relate to. It's 451 00:24:38,160 --> 00:24:41,359 Speaker 2: exciting and it's disorienting, and you don't really want to 452 00:24:41,359 --> 00:24:44,399 Speaker 2: talk about how weird it is while it's happening. You 453 00:24:44,440 --> 00:24:46,719 Speaker 2: don't want to seem like you're bragging to someone who 454 00:24:46,800 --> 00:24:48,800 Speaker 2: it hasn't happened for. You don't want to seem like 455 00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:51,120 Speaker 2: you just fell off the turnip truck for someone who 456 00:24:51,119 --> 00:24:54,359 Speaker 2: has already happened to But it's big. You have to 457 00:24:54,359 --> 00:25:10,040 Speaker 2: talk about this stuff. Yeah, okay, all right, Yeah, there's 458 00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:10,440 Speaker 2: this guy. 459 00:25:11,320 --> 00:25:17,639 Speaker 4: Oh my god. Uh, this is the most nervous I 460 00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:18,520 Speaker 4: think I've ever been. 461 00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:21,679 Speaker 2: This is Damien Fahe. He was a VJ on MTV. 462 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:23,840 Speaker 2: Just after I left. He and I were in my 463 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:27,280 Speaker 2: backyard doing something we never do, which is watching old 464 00:25:27,320 --> 00:25:30,400 Speaker 2: clips of ourselves. I found one of him on TRL 465 00:25:30,480 --> 00:25:32,840 Speaker 2: that someone posted. The YouTube reads like this. 466 00:25:32,960 --> 00:25:36,720 Speaker 4: She's sold almost two hundred million albums, had twenty five 467 00:25:36,840 --> 00:25:40,240 Speaker 4: top ten singles, won three Grammys, and a bunch of VMAs. 468 00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:41,919 Speaker 2: Ladiesship, and she put the M and MTV. 469 00:25:42,080 --> 00:25:46,840 Speaker 4: This is Madonna. This is two thousand and two, two 470 00:25:46,840 --> 00:25:47,400 Speaker 4: thousand and three. 471 00:25:47,480 --> 00:25:47,680 Speaker 1: See. 472 00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:50,320 Speaker 4: I keep my hand because my hand was shaking, so 473 00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:52,280 Speaker 4: I figured if I put it in under my arm, 474 00:25:52,359 --> 00:25:54,200 Speaker 4: it won't shake. Because I was so nervous. 475 00:25:54,400 --> 00:25:58,080 Speaker 2: Damien is interviewing Madonna on live television, a thing even 476 00:25:58,119 --> 00:26:01,120 Speaker 2: seasoned professionals get nervous for. And Damien's just a few 477 00:26:01,119 --> 00:26:03,920 Speaker 2: months into the job and he has just been told 478 00:26:04,160 --> 00:26:05,360 Speaker 2: she doesn't want to talk to him. 479 00:26:05,920 --> 00:26:11,080 Speaker 4: She wanted Carson refused to do the interview if it 480 00:26:11,119 --> 00:26:11,760 Speaker 4: wasn't Carson. 481 00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:14,880 Speaker 2: Carson Daily was the host of TRL from its premiere 482 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:17,760 Speaker 2: in nineteen ninety eight. Damien was brought on to be 483 00:26:17,800 --> 00:26:21,280 Speaker 2: phased in as his replacement as Carson transitioned into his 484 00:26:21,280 --> 00:26:24,159 Speaker 2: post MTV life of hosting everything on television. 485 00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:28,840 Speaker 4: They talked her into They said, we don't have Carson, 486 00:26:28,920 --> 00:26:31,280 Speaker 4: but we can do She said, well, I want John 487 00:26:31,320 --> 00:26:33,320 Speaker 4: Norris if I can't get Carson. John Norris was like 488 00:26:33,320 --> 00:26:35,360 Speaker 4: her second, because I guess he's been with And they said, 489 00:26:35,359 --> 00:26:39,280 Speaker 4: we don't have John Norris, we have Damien hosting the 490 00:26:39,320 --> 00:26:42,159 Speaker 4: show now. And it was sort of like, who the 491 00:26:42,200 --> 00:26:44,200 Speaker 4: fuck is that. I have no idea who that is. 492 00:26:44,640 --> 00:26:47,280 Speaker 4: And so they told me this story. This is always 493 00:26:47,320 --> 00:26:50,000 Speaker 4: good to know, you know before that your third tier, 494 00:26:50,160 --> 00:26:51,520 Speaker 4: you know, before an interview. 495 00:26:51,960 --> 00:26:56,040 Speaker 2: It's strange watching these old videos, the haircuts, the clothes, 496 00:26:56,720 --> 00:26:59,119 Speaker 2: it's like finding a video of yourself from high school, 497 00:26:59,359 --> 00:27:02,720 Speaker 2: except hours aired on television. I want to see if 498 00:27:02,720 --> 00:27:05,280 Speaker 2: we can put ourselves back into the mindset of those 499 00:27:05,280 --> 00:27:09,320 Speaker 2: guys twenty years ago. Mostly we can't remember what happened 500 00:27:09,359 --> 00:27:13,399 Speaker 2: at all. Whenever old things come up, like every now 501 00:27:13,440 --> 00:27:17,359 Speaker 2: and then, somebody will digitize something with me in it 502 00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:20,200 Speaker 2: and put it up on YouTube, and I'll watch it 503 00:27:20,720 --> 00:27:23,880 Speaker 2: and it's like, oh, that's nice. Good for that guy, 504 00:27:23,960 --> 00:27:27,040 Speaker 2: Good for that guy. Who is me? Like who that's 505 00:27:27,080 --> 00:27:30,000 Speaker 2: my face and my body and my voice. But I 506 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:32,520 Speaker 2: don't have a single recollection, yeah, of any of it. 507 00:27:33,280 --> 00:27:36,679 Speaker 2: For me. I always say it was like it was 508 00:27:36,800 --> 00:27:39,400 Speaker 2: like getting a head injury, you know, like if you've 509 00:27:39,480 --> 00:27:41,240 Speaker 2: just if you've ever been in a very bad car 510 00:27:41,280 --> 00:27:42,480 Speaker 2: accident in. 511 00:27:42,520 --> 00:27:45,000 Speaker 4: Shot, it is like watching a different I'm like, oh, 512 00:27:45,080 --> 00:27:46,560 Speaker 4: that's cool, look at that what that guy did. 513 00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:47,080 Speaker 1: Good for him. 514 00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:49,160 Speaker 4: That wasn't me. You know. It's like I just feel 515 00:27:49,160 --> 00:27:51,480 Speaker 4: like a totally different kind of person like me. 516 00:27:51,680 --> 00:27:54,240 Speaker 2: Damien got plucked out of his normal life and dropped 517 00:27:54,359 --> 00:27:57,320 Speaker 2: right into the center of MTV, hosting TRL at the 518 00:27:57,359 --> 00:28:00,679 Speaker 2: height of its popularity. He had been working at a 519 00:28:00,720 --> 00:28:03,560 Speaker 2: top forty radio station in Boston while going to college. 520 00:28:03,880 --> 00:28:06,920 Speaker 2: An MTV casting director came to town on a nationwide search 521 00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:09,359 Speaker 2: to find a new rock vjay, and a co worker 522 00:28:09,520 --> 00:28:12,280 Speaker 2: encouraged him to try out. He didn't want to do it. 523 00:28:12,480 --> 00:28:14,359 Speaker 2: He had tried out for a local TV show a 524 00:28:14,359 --> 00:28:16,960 Speaker 2: few months before and just eaten it at the audition. 525 00:28:17,480 --> 00:28:20,040 Speaker 2: He was humiliated. He didn't want to be embarrassed again, 526 00:28:20,400 --> 00:28:22,679 Speaker 2: but just to get his coworker off his back, he 527 00:28:22,760 --> 00:28:23,280 Speaker 2: showed up. 528 00:28:23,560 --> 00:28:26,359 Speaker 4: And so then I go to the radio station waiting 529 00:28:26,359 --> 00:28:29,320 Speaker 4: in the lobby with like three other DJs. One guy 530 00:28:29,359 --> 00:28:32,680 Speaker 4: goes downstairs, you know, fifteen minutes past as he comes 531 00:28:32,680 --> 00:28:37,080 Speaker 4: back up, okay, Damien fahee, you know, and I go 532 00:28:37,119 --> 00:28:40,800 Speaker 4: downstairs and I go in the basement. And it was 533 00:28:40,840 --> 00:28:45,400 Speaker 4: so weird because it was it was like it was 534 00:28:45,440 --> 00:28:47,880 Speaker 4: the last thing that I wanted to do. And then 535 00:28:48,200 --> 00:28:52,000 Speaker 4: the second I got like the first laugh from the 536 00:28:52,040 --> 00:28:56,880 Speaker 4: casting people, I was like, this is all I want 537 00:28:56,880 --> 00:28:58,360 Speaker 4: to do. Oh my god, I love this. 538 00:28:58,880 --> 00:29:01,479 Speaker 2: When you get a taste to that, you start really 539 00:29:01,520 --> 00:29:02,120 Speaker 2: wanting it. 540 00:29:02,320 --> 00:29:05,520 Speaker 4: I said, when when will I know you know about this? 541 00:29:05,840 --> 00:29:08,600 Speaker 4: And they said, well, it's going to take a while. 542 00:29:08,640 --> 00:29:10,720 Speaker 4: We got to you know, take the tapes back to 543 00:29:10,760 --> 00:29:13,080 Speaker 4: New York and have our bosses look at it and everything. 544 00:29:13,600 --> 00:29:15,280 Speaker 4: And I said, okay, well I'll be in touch. I'll 545 00:29:15,280 --> 00:29:18,000 Speaker 4: be in touch because this is this is really fun, right, 546 00:29:18,360 --> 00:29:21,360 Speaker 4: And so like I just like you know, got in 547 00:29:21,360 --> 00:29:23,640 Speaker 4: my car and drove home, and you know, I remember 548 00:29:23,640 --> 00:29:25,320 Speaker 4: seeing like a license plate of the car stopped in 549 00:29:25,360 --> 00:29:26,920 Speaker 4: front of me. The first car stopped in front of me. 550 00:29:27,920 --> 00:29:30,280 Speaker 4: I just stopped signing. It was like two forty eight 551 00:29:30,480 --> 00:29:33,480 Speaker 4: VJ five whatever, Like that's a sign I'm getting this 552 00:29:33,560 --> 00:29:34,680 Speaker 4: fucking job. Holy shit. 553 00:29:34,920 --> 00:29:37,640 Speaker 2: Damien got a call back in New York. He met 554 00:29:37,640 --> 00:29:39,680 Speaker 2: a friend there the night before. They had some drinks, 555 00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:42,040 Speaker 2: so he showed up a little hungover. And here's the 556 00:29:42,080 --> 00:29:44,960 Speaker 2: thing about that. I can't recommend it in good conscience, 557 00:29:45,640 --> 00:29:47,480 Speaker 2: but it kind of works. If you have a headache 558 00:29:47,520 --> 00:29:50,000 Speaker 2: and a sore stomach to focus on, that is less 559 00:29:50,080 --> 00:29:52,680 Speaker 2: energy to give to your nerves. He went back home 560 00:29:52,720 --> 00:29:55,760 Speaker 2: to Boston, and then he got a phone call another callback. 561 00:29:56,040 --> 00:29:58,040 Speaker 4: They're like, this is the last callback, the final round. 562 00:29:58,080 --> 00:30:00,520 Speaker 4: It's between you and this other guy. And I'm like, 563 00:30:00,600 --> 00:30:02,040 Speaker 4: oh my god, don't tell me that. 564 00:30:02,200 --> 00:30:04,320 Speaker 2: And so do you know who the other guy was? 565 00:30:04,680 --> 00:30:07,280 Speaker 4: De Snyder's son, Oh, Jesse Snyder. 566 00:30:07,560 --> 00:30:10,120 Speaker 2: This is rock Royalty we're talking about here, the son 567 00:30:10,240 --> 00:30:13,360 Speaker 2: of d Snyder, lead singer of heavy metal band Twisted Sister, 568 00:30:13,640 --> 00:30:17,880 Speaker 2: the guy who testified before Congress against explicit lyrics record labels. 569 00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:21,120 Speaker 2: This is very serious and Damien is going to have 570 00:30:21,160 --> 00:30:22,160 Speaker 2: to step up his game. 571 00:30:22,560 --> 00:30:26,440 Speaker 4: I went home for the weekend from from from from school, 572 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:28,840 Speaker 4: and I said, I'm gonna have my dad take me out, 573 00:30:29,560 --> 00:30:34,040 Speaker 4: buy me clothes for this cool clothes and sos like, 574 00:30:34,200 --> 00:30:36,280 Speaker 4: of course, you know, go out. It's been two hundred 575 00:30:36,280 --> 00:30:37,200 Speaker 4: dollars in structure. 576 00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:38,160 Speaker 2: Of course. 577 00:30:39,360 --> 00:30:43,920 Speaker 4: I had like very big jeans, leather, square toed dress shoes, 578 00:30:45,360 --> 00:30:48,240 Speaker 4: like a very pattern. It was like an aqua in 579 00:30:48,520 --> 00:30:52,200 Speaker 4: maroon like FLOORI de lee kind of like pattern saying 580 00:30:52,240 --> 00:30:55,560 Speaker 4: going on with the button down and then on top 581 00:30:55,600 --> 00:31:01,720 Speaker 4: of that like a like a like a red a 582 00:31:01,800 --> 00:31:09,120 Speaker 4: deep like burgundy red leather jacket from like like like 583 00:31:09,160 --> 00:31:12,320 Speaker 4: a Chicago Coppu where like in the nineteen seventy and 584 00:31:12,440 --> 00:31:15,720 Speaker 4: so so that was like mine, I'm gonna wow, I'm 585 00:31:15,760 --> 00:31:16,640 Speaker 4: going to New York. Baby. 586 00:31:17,040 --> 00:31:19,720 Speaker 2: I can see this outfit very clearly, and I don't 587 00:31:19,760 --> 00:31:22,440 Speaker 2: like it. But Damien takes a train down from Boston 588 00:31:22,440 --> 00:31:25,640 Speaker 2: for the callback. He's nervous. He's not hungover this time, 589 00:31:25,680 --> 00:31:28,120 Speaker 2: so he has that much more energy to devote to 590 00:31:28,160 --> 00:31:28,800 Speaker 2: being nervous. 591 00:31:29,040 --> 00:31:31,080 Speaker 4: I remember waking up that morning. I was, you know, 592 00:31:31,240 --> 00:31:36,479 Speaker 4: super nervous. I couldn't eat anything. My Mom's like, your 593 00:31:36,480 --> 00:31:40,200 Speaker 4: stomach is upset. Here take these large vitamins. 594 00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:42,520 Speaker 2: I don't need to tell you that Damien vomited on 595 00:31:42,520 --> 00:31:46,520 Speaker 2: that train. Kids don't take large vitamins from your mother's 596 00:31:46,560 --> 00:31:49,720 Speaker 2: purse on an empty stomach before a big audition. But 597 00:31:49,880 --> 00:31:51,920 Speaker 2: still Damien knows he looks good. 598 00:31:52,240 --> 00:31:56,000 Speaker 4: I remember getting walking into MTV with that outfit on, 599 00:31:56,840 --> 00:32:01,520 Speaker 4: and Vinnie comes out, casting director, and he goes, hey, 600 00:32:01,520 --> 00:32:03,520 Speaker 4: good to see you. You know, we're all ready for you, 601 00:32:04,080 --> 00:32:06,920 Speaker 4: and he he. I go, well, I'm ready, let's do this, 602 00:32:07,200 --> 00:32:08,600 Speaker 4: and he looks me up and down and he goes, 603 00:32:09,440 --> 00:32:12,280 Speaker 4: let's get you into some new clothes. And I'm like, 604 00:32:12,840 --> 00:32:15,080 Speaker 4: but I spent two hundred dollars in structure. 605 00:32:15,040 --> 00:32:17,920 Speaker 2: You know. A week later, Damien gets a call from 606 00:32:17,920 --> 00:32:20,640 Speaker 2: the head of casting. They're giving him a contract to 607 00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:23,840 Speaker 2: be a VJ, starting right away at the MTV beach house. 608 00:32:24,360 --> 00:32:27,040 Speaker 2: Where are you feeling it? Everywhere? 609 00:32:27,240 --> 00:32:27,640 Speaker 1: Yeah? 610 00:32:27,680 --> 00:32:28,200 Speaker 2: Everywhere? 611 00:32:28,560 --> 00:32:32,959 Speaker 4: Like yeah, yeah, Remember where I was, Remember what was on, 612 00:32:33,160 --> 00:32:36,440 Speaker 4: you know, television, Remember like the smell of the air 613 00:32:36,720 --> 00:32:39,280 Speaker 4: this way the air smelled. I remember my fucking giant 614 00:32:39,360 --> 00:32:42,320 Speaker 4: Nokia cell phone. I don't waiting by the fucking phone 615 00:32:42,520 --> 00:32:45,840 Speaker 4: at the kitchen table, and then it rang, and then 616 00:32:45,880 --> 00:32:47,360 Speaker 4: I would wanted to like I didn't want to pick 617 00:32:47,360 --> 00:32:49,480 Speaker 4: it up, all like, you know, hello, you know, I 618 00:32:49,480 --> 00:32:52,400 Speaker 4: wanted to let it ring three times, don't sound too 619 00:32:52,760 --> 00:32:55,480 Speaker 4: you know, And then I picked it up and like they. 620 00:32:55,440 --> 00:32:57,400 Speaker 2: Would resend the job off for if you answer the 621 00:32:57,400 --> 00:33:00,320 Speaker 2: phone to you're too excited for this. Yeah, it's we're 622 00:33:00,360 --> 00:33:02,560 Speaker 2: looking for it right at let's get Jesse Snyder. The 623 00:33:02,680 --> 00:33:06,000 Speaker 2: job of an MTV VJ is a dream job for 624 00:33:06,080 --> 00:33:08,440 Speaker 2: a person of a certain age, but for a person 625 00:33:08,440 --> 00:33:11,400 Speaker 2: of a certain kind, people like me and Damien. It's 626 00:33:11,520 --> 00:33:13,360 Speaker 2: an emotional challenge. 627 00:33:13,440 --> 00:33:16,760 Speaker 4: Someone who experienced a lot of like loneliness and feeling 628 00:33:16,760 --> 00:33:20,560 Speaker 4: invisible for a lot of years in throughout you know, 629 00:33:20,800 --> 00:33:25,840 Speaker 4: your teens. To hear, you know, see a giant audience, 630 00:33:26,000 --> 00:33:28,680 Speaker 4: it's really scary and you just imagine that they're gonna 631 00:33:28,680 --> 00:33:31,560 Speaker 4: boo you or they're not gonna care. And so it 632 00:33:31,600 --> 00:33:33,000 Speaker 4: was all that was in my head. So I wanted 633 00:33:33,000 --> 00:33:35,440 Speaker 4: to be like really cool. I wanted to say the 634 00:33:35,480 --> 00:33:38,320 Speaker 4: cool bands? What bands are you gonna do? I don't know, 635 00:33:38,400 --> 00:33:40,800 Speaker 4: what do people like? What is going to make people 636 00:33:40,880 --> 00:33:41,560 Speaker 4: think I'm cool? 637 00:33:42,000 --> 00:33:42,160 Speaker 2: Yea? 638 00:33:42,440 --> 00:33:44,480 Speaker 4: And it was just like all that and that, I 639 00:33:44,560 --> 00:33:47,160 Speaker 4: mean that lasted for years. 640 00:33:46,840 --> 00:33:51,000 Speaker 2: When you were standing like on the edge of this thing. 641 00:33:51,120 --> 00:33:53,280 Speaker 2: When you were just starting this job, you knew it 642 00:33:53,320 --> 00:33:56,000 Speaker 2: was going to bring you some sort of like fame. Yeah, 643 00:33:56,080 --> 00:33:59,960 Speaker 2: what did that look like? What specifically like in my head, 644 00:34:00,080 --> 00:34:04,800 Speaker 2: what did it look like? I think I kind of 645 00:34:04,840 --> 00:34:05,280 Speaker 2: went in. 646 00:34:06,680 --> 00:34:08,799 Speaker 4: I hosted a few shows, and they sort of were like, 647 00:34:08,880 --> 00:34:10,520 Speaker 4: you need to just do what Carson does, like you 648 00:34:10,560 --> 00:34:13,279 Speaker 4: need to be just like Carson. And so in my head, 649 00:34:13,320 --> 00:34:16,960 Speaker 4: I'm like, oh, I'm never going to be as big 650 00:34:17,040 --> 00:34:18,960 Speaker 4: as Carson. I can't do what he does. So I'm 651 00:34:19,000 --> 00:34:21,080 Speaker 4: just going to be like this mid tier like VJ. 652 00:34:21,800 --> 00:34:24,800 Speaker 4: And so I think in my head I never really 653 00:34:24,840 --> 00:34:29,239 Speaker 4: had like these huge like oh my god, I'm gonna 654 00:34:29,239 --> 00:34:31,399 Speaker 4: be so fucking famous, I'm going to be I never 655 00:34:31,600 --> 00:34:34,400 Speaker 4: had that. It was it was like, I don't know, 656 00:34:34,480 --> 00:34:38,319 Speaker 4: for some reason, I just never stepped into like this 657 00:34:38,400 --> 00:34:39,480 Speaker 4: is what my life's going to be. 658 00:34:39,719 --> 00:34:42,240 Speaker 2: A very strange thing happens when you start to achieve 659 00:34:42,280 --> 00:34:45,439 Speaker 2: a conventional and public kind of success, you just start 660 00:34:45,480 --> 00:34:49,000 Speaker 2: wanting more conventional and public success. But the problem is 661 00:34:49,280 --> 00:34:52,880 Speaker 2: who decides what that success should look like. Some of 662 00:34:52,920 --> 00:34:55,279 Speaker 2: you used the MTV job as as stepping stone to 663 00:34:57,280 --> 00:35:05,600 Speaker 2: untold wealth, right and then have just vanished. And I like, 664 00:35:05,760 --> 00:35:09,520 Speaker 2: for me, I just vanity wise. I don't want some 665 00:35:09,760 --> 00:35:14,880 Speaker 2: stranger somewhere to be like, oh, that guy got the 666 00:35:14,960 --> 00:35:18,759 Speaker 2: job and then nothing happened after, Like I don't know, 667 00:35:18,800 --> 00:35:20,560 Speaker 2: I don't know who this person is who would react 668 00:35:20,600 --> 00:35:23,239 Speaker 2: that way. I'll probably never see that person. But that 669 00:35:23,480 --> 00:35:29,080 Speaker 2: stranger somewhere has so much control over me because I 670 00:35:29,320 --> 00:35:32,160 Speaker 2: like just the idea that I'm not doing enough for 671 00:35:32,239 --> 00:35:34,359 Speaker 2: him and I don't know him, and I know what's 672 00:35:34,440 --> 00:35:38,320 Speaker 2: enough for him, but like, uh and and I didn't 673 00:35:38,360 --> 00:35:42,120 Speaker 2: go in wanting to please that guy. My choices on 674 00:35:42,120 --> 00:35:45,640 Speaker 2: some level have been guided by a ghost, a fictional character, 675 00:35:46,239 --> 00:35:48,960 Speaker 2: some guy in some bar somewhere, some dick on Twitter, 676 00:35:49,440 --> 00:35:52,040 Speaker 2: someone I don't know who thinks I'm a loser. I 677 00:35:52,080 --> 00:35:54,799 Speaker 2: went in just wanting to be close to where things 678 00:35:54,800 --> 00:35:59,799 Speaker 2: were happening, to use my skills, and to like, you know, yeah, 679 00:36:04,160 --> 00:36:08,200 Speaker 2: have a better professional life than I had before that 680 00:36:08,400 --> 00:36:11,479 Speaker 2: used all of the dumb shit about myself that I 681 00:36:11,760 --> 00:36:15,040 Speaker 2: was taught to. Yeah, it was frivolous. That's all I wanted. 682 00:36:15,160 --> 00:36:19,160 Speaker 2: And then immediately this vanity comes in where it's like, well, 683 00:36:19,160 --> 00:36:23,560 Speaker 2: I have to keep doing bigger and better things that 684 00:36:23,680 --> 00:36:28,280 Speaker 2: I don't want. We're complicated people, us former mtvvjs, guided 685 00:36:28,400 --> 00:36:32,760 Speaker 2: on some level by voices, by someone else's idea of success. 686 00:36:33,480 --> 00:36:35,960 Speaker 2: When I managed to shake that voice off and think 687 00:36:35,960 --> 00:36:38,640 Speaker 2: about my life rationally, I know I'm doing what I 688 00:36:38,680 --> 00:36:42,040 Speaker 2: want to be doing. Damien is an executive producer on 689 00:36:42,080 --> 00:36:44,319 Speaker 2: Family Guy, so he knows he's doing what he wants 690 00:36:44,360 --> 00:36:46,480 Speaker 2: to be doing. Plus he has a really nice house, 691 00:36:46,520 --> 00:36:48,160 Speaker 2: and I kind of want that too. But that's beside 692 00:36:48,160 --> 00:36:51,400 Speaker 2: the point. We're both happy with our lives and our jobs. 693 00:36:51,480 --> 00:36:55,840 Speaker 2: But the real work sometimes still is to bust those ghosts. 694 00:36:58,040 --> 00:37:00,920 Speaker 2: If Aaron Kane of Sudden Impact is troubled by ghosts, 695 00:37:01,400 --> 00:37:04,480 Speaker 2: if he's worried that some fictional asshole somewhere is having 696 00:37:04,520 --> 00:37:06,600 Speaker 2: a laugh at his expense for appearing in a big 697 00:37:06,680 --> 00:37:09,800 Speaker 2: music video and then never releasing an album, it doesn't 698 00:37:09,800 --> 00:37:13,040 Speaker 2: come through at all. He's excited when he talks about 699 00:37:13,040 --> 00:37:15,520 Speaker 2: this stuff. In his voice. You can still hear that 700 00:37:15,640 --> 00:37:17,440 Speaker 2: kid who nearly got punched in the face at a 701 00:37:17,480 --> 00:37:20,480 Speaker 2: high school party and got pulled into the music business instead. 702 00:37:20,840 --> 00:37:24,399 Speaker 2: He's enthusiastic. It's like he still can't believe his love 703 00:37:25,560 --> 00:37:27,759 Speaker 2: just to recap the scores here. Such an impact is 704 00:37:27,760 --> 00:37:30,759 Speaker 2: on their second major label record deal. They're making an 705 00:37:30,840 --> 00:37:34,040 Speaker 2: undisclosed but nice amount of money. They're featured in one 706 00:37:34,080 --> 00:37:36,960 Speaker 2: of the biggest videos of nineteen ninety one. They've released 707 00:37:37,080 --> 00:37:40,560 Speaker 2: zero songs and everybody's talking about them, but this movie 708 00:37:40,719 --> 00:37:41,799 Speaker 2: is still just getting going. 709 00:37:42,480 --> 00:37:46,640 Speaker 3: But once we did that video, it kind of took 710 00:37:46,760 --> 00:37:50,719 Speaker 3: us to another level. There was anticipation, you know what 711 00:37:50,760 --> 00:37:54,400 Speaker 3: I mean, Like yeah, like everybody was like waiting on 712 00:37:54,440 --> 00:37:57,239 Speaker 3: this white group to like, you know, oh, there's this 713 00:37:57,360 --> 00:38:00,560 Speaker 3: white group that's down with Boys the Men and with 714 00:38:01,280 --> 00:38:06,320 Speaker 3: Michael Bivens from New Edition, Like what's going on with these. 715 00:38:06,120 --> 00:38:08,759 Speaker 2: Guys and what was going on? How far along was 716 00:38:08,800 --> 00:38:09,400 Speaker 2: the album? 717 00:38:10,040 --> 00:38:17,080 Speaker 3: We did four songs under Capitol Records and they were cool. 718 00:38:17,360 --> 00:38:21,120 Speaker 3: The two of the songs were really really cool out 719 00:38:21,120 --> 00:38:25,280 Speaker 3: of the four, again produced by my boy Tim Bird. 720 00:38:25,840 --> 00:38:30,600 Speaker 3: So from there, Michael Bivens gets another situation. You know, 721 00:38:30,640 --> 00:38:34,560 Speaker 3: he's got Boys Men, he's got ABC off of Motown 722 00:38:34,840 --> 00:38:37,240 Speaker 3: that really did big things. 723 00:38:37,840 --> 00:38:41,200 Speaker 1: Boiso Men's doing huge things. 724 00:38:41,960 --> 00:38:46,319 Speaker 3: So Motown says, Hey, Mike, I want to give you 725 00:38:46,320 --> 00:38:50,480 Speaker 3: your own label called do you know the name of 726 00:38:50,600 --> 00:38:51,240 Speaker 3: Michael Bivens? 727 00:38:51,360 --> 00:38:53,799 Speaker 1: Label of ten Exactly ten. 728 00:38:54,239 --> 00:38:57,080 Speaker 2: The antar person at Capitol whom Michael Bivens liked, the 729 00:38:57,120 --> 00:38:59,799 Speaker 2: person he trusted to develop sudden impact and make them 730 00:38:59,840 --> 00:39:02,520 Speaker 2: as as big as new Kids on the block left Capital, 731 00:39:03,160 --> 00:39:05,520 Speaker 2: and Michael wanted the guys to move to his label 732 00:39:05,560 --> 00:39:09,080 Speaker 2: BIF ten. The problem was the guys were comfy a Capital. 733 00:39:09,560 --> 00:39:13,040 Speaker 3: So when BIV called us up right, BIV called us 734 00:39:13,080 --> 00:39:14,839 Speaker 3: up and said that I want to take you off 735 00:39:14,880 --> 00:39:15,880 Speaker 3: of Capital. 736 00:39:15,560 --> 00:39:18,000 Speaker 1: Now and put you on fIF ten. 737 00:39:19,160 --> 00:39:23,600 Speaker 3: We really weren't feeling that because we were living the 738 00:39:23,680 --> 00:39:27,359 Speaker 3: life of Capital World. We got a nice house on 739 00:39:27,440 --> 00:39:32,680 Speaker 3: the beach, We're going to Disney World. You know, we're 740 00:39:33,320 --> 00:39:38,319 Speaker 3: getting money. And that didn't sit well with Mike when 741 00:39:38,640 --> 00:39:42,520 Speaker 3: we said that, And he kind of got offended a 742 00:39:42,560 --> 00:39:45,640 Speaker 3: little bit when we said that, because he felt like 743 00:39:46,080 --> 00:39:49,080 Speaker 3: he's made everything happen for us. Anyway, he's getting his 744 00:39:49,120 --> 00:39:53,120 Speaker 3: own label. We should be honored to be on BIV ten. 745 00:39:53,960 --> 00:39:56,560 Speaker 3: And you know, maybe that was a mistake on our part. 746 00:39:57,080 --> 00:39:57,840 Speaker 1: You know, we don't know. 747 00:39:57,960 --> 00:40:01,560 Speaker 3: It Again comes back to being little kids again, you 748 00:40:01,600 --> 00:40:03,439 Speaker 3: know what I mean. And you're a little kid living 749 00:40:03,480 --> 00:40:05,359 Speaker 3: on the beach, you're happy, you know. 750 00:40:06,239 --> 00:40:10,520 Speaker 2: Did you have a manager no okay. With a feeling 751 00:40:10,520 --> 00:40:13,000 Speaker 2: of loyalty to Michael Bivens and no one else to 752 00:40:13,040 --> 00:40:15,560 Speaker 2: guide them, the guys made the decision to dance with 753 00:40:15,600 --> 00:40:16,480 Speaker 2: the guy who brought him. 754 00:40:16,840 --> 00:40:20,080 Speaker 3: So, like a couple months past or whatever, we end 755 00:40:20,200 --> 00:40:24,080 Speaker 3: up not being with Capital anymore. Got to get rid 756 00:40:24,120 --> 00:40:28,400 Speaker 3: of the house, stop recording at the big studio. 757 00:40:29,480 --> 00:40:32,080 Speaker 2: Did you lose the rights to the songs he had 758 00:40:32,120 --> 00:40:32,960 Speaker 2: already recorded? 759 00:40:33,880 --> 00:40:41,760 Speaker 3: Yep, okay, yep, Capital, that's Capital's songs now. But anyway, 760 00:40:41,880 --> 00:40:46,280 Speaker 3: so we go back to Newport News and then that's 761 00:40:46,560 --> 00:40:49,480 Speaker 3: once BIV ten things started happening. That's when the whole 762 00:40:49,480 --> 00:40:54,040 Speaker 3: East Coast Family thing started happening, and that was great. 763 00:40:54,680 --> 00:40:58,240 Speaker 3: Biv said that we're gonna do a song. He started 764 00:40:58,239 --> 00:41:01,040 Speaker 3: getting all these groups together. I want to do this 765 00:41:01,280 --> 00:41:05,360 Speaker 3: song with all these groups. And that's where Hayden and Ivett, 766 00:41:06,080 --> 00:41:12,239 Speaker 3: Kyle Lee and ten ten and all these other groups 767 00:41:12,800 --> 00:41:14,200 Speaker 3: start coming into the picture. 768 00:41:14,880 --> 00:41:16,919 Speaker 2: Aaron and the guys, who are now on their third 769 00:41:17,000 --> 00:41:20,840 Speaker 2: label and at least their second name White Guys WHYTG 770 00:41:21,080 --> 00:41:23,760 Speaker 2: I Z E take part in the East Coast Family 771 00:41:23,880 --> 00:41:27,480 Speaker 2: one for All for one music video. They're wearing sport 772 00:41:27,560 --> 00:41:29,800 Speaker 2: coats on a hot Houston day. 773 00:41:30,160 --> 00:41:35,799 Speaker 3: And then we did the video in Houston, Texas, and man, 774 00:41:35,920 --> 00:41:38,760 Speaker 3: let me tell you something. That day we did that video, 775 00:41:38,920 --> 00:41:43,920 Speaker 3: we did it in like this warehouse and Dave, it 776 00:41:44,040 --> 00:41:47,959 Speaker 3: was like one hundred and ten degrees at like seven 777 00:41:48,000 --> 00:41:48,880 Speaker 3: o'clock in the morning. 778 00:41:49,560 --> 00:41:53,040 Speaker 2: It was like, it was crazy, and you guys are 779 00:41:53,080 --> 00:41:54,760 Speaker 2: wearing layers. 780 00:41:54,760 --> 00:41:57,200 Speaker 1: Oh did you see us in the video? 781 00:41:57,280 --> 00:42:01,160 Speaker 3: We got yeah backets on. Yeah, yeah, we got jackets. 782 00:42:02,200 --> 00:42:06,000 Speaker 3: You can't tell on the video, but we were just soaked. 783 00:42:06,360 --> 00:42:09,920 Speaker 3: So we did that. We did the East Coast Family 784 00:42:10,400 --> 00:42:14,160 Speaker 3: Song and that actually went to number one on the 785 00:42:14,280 --> 00:42:15,080 Speaker 3: R and B charts. 786 00:42:15,120 --> 00:42:18,640 Speaker 1: I don't know if you know that. Yeah, that song 787 00:42:18,760 --> 00:42:21,840 Speaker 1: actually went to number one on the R and B charts. 788 00:42:22,360 --> 00:42:23,040 Speaker 1: Huge song. 789 00:42:23,600 --> 00:42:27,720 Speaker 3: That was fantastic for me because I sang the leads 790 00:42:27,760 --> 00:42:32,440 Speaker 3: of the park and the song and it was funny. 791 00:42:32,800 --> 00:42:35,200 Speaker 3: My mom picks me up from the airport. I'm coming 792 00:42:35,239 --> 00:42:38,240 Speaker 3: back from Houston. My mom picks me up from the airport. 793 00:42:38,640 --> 00:42:41,120 Speaker 3: As soon as I get into the car, the song 794 00:42:41,160 --> 00:42:47,560 Speaker 3: comes on the radio and I was like, oh, this 795 00:42:47,680 --> 00:42:48,720 Speaker 3: is me on the radio. 796 00:42:49,480 --> 00:42:53,239 Speaker 2: Oh thing you do you know? 797 00:42:53,880 --> 00:42:56,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, I'm finally on the radio. 798 00:42:57,080 --> 00:43:10,239 Speaker 5: Finally And this is how long after you after you 799 00:43:10,280 --> 00:43:12,719 Speaker 5: moved into the Capitol House, Like, what has this been 800 00:43:12,800 --> 00:43:13,279 Speaker 5: two years? 801 00:43:13,320 --> 00:43:13,520 Speaker 2: Now? 802 00:43:14,000 --> 00:43:17,719 Speaker 1: This was? Yeah, this was probably about two years. Yeah, 803 00:43:17,719 --> 00:43:18,160 Speaker 1: you're right. 804 00:43:18,560 --> 00:43:20,319 Speaker 2: It's a couple of years into their brush with the 805 00:43:20,320 --> 00:43:23,279 Speaker 2: big time and the guys have finally released something. It's 806 00:43:23,320 --> 00:43:26,040 Speaker 2: a couple quick lines on a posse track, but it's something. 807 00:43:26,680 --> 00:43:29,040 Speaker 2: And if you've seen the one four All four one video, 808 00:43:29,120 --> 00:43:31,759 Speaker 2: the one where we found vt Nicole Brown's secret life 809 00:43:31,800 --> 00:43:35,239 Speaker 2: as a singer, the one where we met Hayden, you 810 00:43:35,280 --> 00:43:37,960 Speaker 2: know there are more than a few artists on the 811 00:43:37,960 --> 00:43:41,680 Speaker 2: BIV ten label. There are many, and they're all waiting 812 00:43:41,680 --> 00:43:45,040 Speaker 2: for their shot and waiting, and Michael isn't finished signing 813 00:43:45,160 --> 00:43:47,440 Speaker 2: artists yet. He brings on a girl group who you 814 00:43:47,560 --> 00:43:49,480 Speaker 2: might remember from around the turn of the millennium. 815 00:43:49,920 --> 00:43:52,840 Speaker 1: I don't know if you remember seven oh. 816 00:43:52,640 --> 00:43:56,680 Speaker 2: Two where my Girl's at et cetera exactly. 817 00:43:57,320 --> 00:44:03,520 Speaker 3: So anyway, he picks up two and everybody on BIF 818 00:44:03,560 --> 00:44:07,799 Speaker 3: ten is pissed off, like like, are you kidding me? 819 00:44:07,880 --> 00:44:11,040 Speaker 3: You've just picked up this other group and another group 820 00:44:11,080 --> 00:44:15,120 Speaker 3: he had called Subway put them out, and we're all like, 821 00:44:15,719 --> 00:44:16,719 Speaker 3: what the heck is going on? 822 00:44:16,880 --> 00:44:17,280 Speaker 1: Dude? 823 00:44:17,440 --> 00:44:20,839 Speaker 3: Like we're supposed to be next, and you're picking up 824 00:44:21,000 --> 00:44:24,800 Speaker 3: new groups, like what's going on? We're supposed to be next. 825 00:44:25,600 --> 00:44:32,000 Speaker 3: So slowly but surely, everybody off of bif ten started 826 00:44:32,000 --> 00:44:37,680 Speaker 3: getting dropped off, getting dropped off. This person got dropped off, 827 00:44:37,960 --> 00:44:42,200 Speaker 3: this person got dropped off, and everybody's like, wow, what 828 00:44:42,400 --> 00:44:45,440 Speaker 3: is going on here? Like we just did all this 829 00:44:45,640 --> 00:44:50,640 Speaker 3: amazing stuff, and all these artists don't have a record 830 00:44:50,640 --> 00:44:56,560 Speaker 3: deal anymore. It was because the whole uh, New Edition 831 00:44:56,800 --> 00:45:01,360 Speaker 3: went back on tour and Michael and still had BBD. 832 00:45:01,480 --> 00:45:04,200 Speaker 1: They were still like he just didn't have time for that, 833 00:45:04,360 --> 00:45:04,600 Speaker 1: you know. 834 00:45:05,520 --> 00:45:09,360 Speaker 3: And it's a shame because he really could have made 835 00:45:09,400 --> 00:45:12,200 Speaker 3: all that happen, but he just. 836 00:45:13,719 --> 00:45:14,239 Speaker 1: He would have. 837 00:45:14,280 --> 00:45:18,399 Speaker 3: Had to say stop to BBD and stop to New 838 00:45:18,560 --> 00:45:23,040 Speaker 3: Edition for all of that to like really happen. And 839 00:45:23,080 --> 00:45:27,200 Speaker 3: it just just sucks for all of us because we thought, 840 00:45:28,040 --> 00:45:30,680 Speaker 3: you know, oh, we're gonna come out, We're gonna be 841 00:45:30,760 --> 00:45:34,360 Speaker 3: like boys men, and next to you know, nobody has. 842 00:45:34,239 --> 00:45:34,919 Speaker 1: A record deal. 843 00:45:36,080 --> 00:45:41,840 Speaker 3: So now here we are in Newport News sitting there 844 00:45:42,760 --> 00:45:44,399 Speaker 3: and don't have no deal. 845 00:45:45,120 --> 00:45:48,920 Speaker 2: Another complication for sudden impact. But this movie is still 846 00:45:48,920 --> 00:45:52,320 Speaker 2: in its first act. We'll have more with Aaron Kine 847 00:45:52,520 --> 00:45:55,160 Speaker 2: and talk with the guy many people call the sixth 848 00:45:55,200 --> 00:45:58,920 Speaker 2: member of Sudden Impact, producer Tim Bird. They'll tell us 849 00:45:58,920 --> 00:46:00,759 Speaker 2: the rest of the story and we'll see if we 850 00:46:00,800 --> 00:46:03,960 Speaker 2: can get even deeper into the inner circle of Sudden Impact. 851 00:46:04,480 --> 00:46:13,080 Speaker 2: Next time on Waiting for Impact, a Dave Holmes passion project. 852 00:46:14,440 --> 00:46:17,920 Speaker 2: This has been an Exactly Right production. Written by Me 853 00:46:18,239 --> 00:46:23,400 Speaker 2: Dave Holmes, Produced by Hannah Kyle Crichton, recorded, mixed and 854 00:46:23,560 --> 00:46:27,960 Speaker 2: sound designed by Andrew Eapen. Additional engineering and assembly by 855 00:46:27,960 --> 00:46:33,600 Speaker 2: Annalise Nelson, Music by Ben Wise, artwork by Garrett Ross. 856 00:46:34,480 --> 00:46:39,040 Speaker 2: Executive produced by Karen Kilgarriff, Georgia hard Stark and Danielle Kramer. 857 00:46:39,800 --> 00:46:43,680 Speaker 2: Follow the show on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter at exactly 858 00:46:43,760 --> 00:46:47,760 Speaker 2: right and follow me at Dave Holmes. For more information, 859 00:46:47,800 --> 00:46:51,680 Speaker 2: go to exactly Rightmedia dot com. Binge the show add 860 00:46:51,719 --> 00:46:55,160 Speaker 2: free on Stitcher Premium for a free month. Head to 861 00:46:55,239 --> 00:46:58,960 Speaker 2: Stitcher Premium dot com slash impact and enter promo code 862 00:46:59,040 --> 00:47:03,560 Speaker 2: Impact Let the monthly plan, listen, subscribe and leave us 863 00:47:03,600 --> 00:47:07,359 Speaker 2: a review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get 864 00:47:07,400 --> 00:47:10,480 Speaker 2: your podcasts.