1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:06,280 Speaker 1: Welcome to iHeartRadio Icons featuring John Mellencamp and a very 2 00:00:06,320 --> 00:00:09,200 Speaker 1: special music event live from his Bell Mount Mall studio 3 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:09,920 Speaker 1: in Indiana. 4 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:12,600 Speaker 2: Now here's your host, Jim Kerr. 5 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:17,439 Speaker 3: Well, this is certainly the most unique of our. 6 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:19,079 Speaker 2: Special Icons broadcast. 7 00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:21,560 Speaker 3: We've done a lot of them through the years, but 8 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:23,720 Speaker 3: never won quite as special as this. 9 00:00:24,280 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 2: We are in. 10 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:28,960 Speaker 3: John Mellencamp's home studio with his band and with a 11 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:32,000 Speaker 3: group of his friends, and you are about to experience 12 00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:37,000 Speaker 3: an absolutely amazing hour. First, let's introduce John Mellencamp. 13 00:00:37,159 --> 00:00:39,960 Speaker 2: How you doing, Jim, how you been doing doing fine? 14 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:43,040 Speaker 3: Thank you for inviting us to your home studio outside 15 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:46,680 Speaker 3: of Bloomington, Indiana. It's only twenty two days into the 16 00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:48,640 Speaker 3: new year, but you've been very busy. 17 00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:50,120 Speaker 2: You announced your new tour. 18 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:54,000 Speaker 3: It's called Dancing Worlds the Greatest Hits. You're going to 19 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 3: play nineteen US cities in July and August. And what 20 00:00:57,560 --> 00:00:59,400 Speaker 3: makes this tour unique is the fact that it's the 21 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:02,360 Speaker 3: first time in seventeen years that not only are you 22 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:06,640 Speaker 3: playing amphitheaters, but you'll also be concentrating on some of 23 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:09,240 Speaker 3: your biggest hits, including songs you haven't played for a 24 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:10,119 Speaker 3: long time, like. 25 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:12,120 Speaker 4: I'll be playing ninety A Lover and a bunch of 26 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 4: songs like that. Are we on the air? 27 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:14,440 Speaker 2: Yes we are. 28 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:19,400 Speaker 4: Oh great, Hello everybody, Hello everybody? 29 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:22,240 Speaker 2: Yeah good, Thank you for inviting us here. What a 30 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:23,360 Speaker 2: beautiful place. 31 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:27,520 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's great. We've been recording here since nineteen eighty. 32 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:31,200 Speaker 3: Door and right next door there's a there's a special 33 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:34,760 Speaker 3: building that they use for rehearsals, which turns your band, 34 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:39,520 Speaker 3: John into a true garage bandage forever. Okay, well, let's 35 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 3: hear the garage band play. 36 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:42,120 Speaker 4: What Dude three? 37 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:50,800 Speaker 2: It's small town and I heart radio icons. I have 38 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:53,640 Speaker 2: played that song hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of times 39 00:01:53,720 --> 00:01:54,960 Speaker 2: on the radio through the years. 40 00:01:55,640 --> 00:02:00,320 Speaker 3: It's clear John, listening to the lyrics, it's clear that 41 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:03,080 Speaker 3: even though that was written a long time ago, that 42 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 3: that that's it was heartfelt and it was a thought 43 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:10,200 Speaker 3: that's honest and true and continues to this day. Because 44 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 3: we're in a small Indiana town right now where you live. 45 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:18,080 Speaker 3: Throughout all the years, you know, becoming a major star, 46 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:21,560 Speaker 3: you were able to avoid the let's go to La, 47 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:23,520 Speaker 3: let's go to New York, and just stay close to 48 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:24,440 Speaker 3: your roots. 49 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:27,400 Speaker 4: Well, I never need to really fit in you know, 50 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:36,160 Speaker 4: in in the big cities. So you know, I don't know. So, yeah, 51 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:38,800 Speaker 4: I've just stayed here because I feel comfortable here and 52 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:43,160 Speaker 4: I feel that, you know, as an artist, it's best 53 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:46,320 Speaker 4: just to keep your eyes open and your mauch. 54 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:48,079 Speaker 2: Yet, well, you know, people love you here. 55 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 3: I checked into the hotel last night in Bloomington, Indiana, 56 00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:54,239 Speaker 3: and I got into the elevator and next to the 57 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:56,920 Speaker 3: buttons for the different floors, they tell you what's on 58 00:02:56,960 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 3: each floor, and like on the third floor it was 59 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:02,120 Speaker 3: the fitness center, and on the fourth floor it said 60 00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:04,080 Speaker 3: Jack and Diane Terras. 61 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:06,520 Speaker 2: There you go right in my hotel. 62 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:11,320 Speaker 3: Let's hear another song on iHeart Radio Icons with John mellen. 63 00:03:11,160 --> 00:03:25,400 Speaker 5: Kim Okay, yeah, beer at his home studio in Indiana, 64 00:03:25,639 --> 00:03:27,919 Speaker 5: and that was Paper and Fire And there was a 65 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:30,679 Speaker 5: very prominent violin part. 66 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 2: There from the wonderful Lisa Germano. Hi, Lisa, Hello, how 67 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:35,200 Speaker 2: you doing? 68 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:35,880 Speaker 6: I'm good? 69 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:38,400 Speaker 3: Are you? There were some interesting things you were doing 70 00:03:38,480 --> 00:03:40,840 Speaker 3: in that song on your instrument, did you think so? 71 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 6: Yes, Well, I pretend I'm a harmonica player on that song? 72 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 3: Well what I did? 73 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 6: I mean, like that's what I thought a harmonica player 74 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 6: would play. If you're playing the blues when we were 75 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 6: recording it and ended up working somehow. 76 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:56,400 Speaker 2: Well, you were playing the violin when you were a 77 00:03:56,400 --> 00:03:56,880 Speaker 2: little girl. 78 00:03:57,280 --> 00:03:59,520 Speaker 6: Yeah, yeah, I started playing when I was seven. 79 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:04,480 Speaker 3: And of course your family encouraged you to play classical 80 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 3: music on the violin. 81 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:09,880 Speaker 6: Yeah, we had to. It wasn't like encouraging you have 82 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 6: to play this instrument until you're eighteen. 83 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:14,160 Speaker 2: But what was it that you told your parents? 84 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:17,000 Speaker 6: Well, I told my dad driving in the car lot 85 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:19,960 Speaker 6: many times that I enjoyed playing it, but I really 86 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:22,279 Speaker 6: wanted to be on the radio, and he just thought 87 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:24,839 Speaker 6: that was silly, like, oh, yeah, I. 88 00:04:24,839 --> 00:04:26,400 Speaker 4: Will tell him what your dad used to do. 89 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:29,720 Speaker 6: Lisa, Well, my dad, well, he played in the Chicago Symphony. 90 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:33,159 Speaker 6: He was a violist and he conducted a lot of things. 91 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:36,240 Speaker 6: He started the Youth Symphony up in South Bend, Indiana. 92 00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:39,400 Speaker 6: He was a kind of a big wig music wise 93 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:39,840 Speaker 6: up there. 94 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:42,600 Speaker 3: And then you became a member of not one, but 95 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:44,599 Speaker 3: several prominent rock and roll bands. 96 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:45,400 Speaker 6: I've been lucky. 97 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:48,160 Speaker 2: I've been very lucky. You even worked with my namesake. 98 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:50,479 Speaker 6: I know, I thought Jim Kerr was going to be 99 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:51,479 Speaker 6: here from Simple Mind. 100 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 3: Yeah, I know that happens to me a lot people 101 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:57,280 Speaker 3: get very disappointed. But John Mellencamp, what a great group 102 00:04:57,320 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 3: of musicians that you have assembled. 103 00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:03,000 Speaker 4: I've had Mike has been in the band fifty years, 104 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:08,360 Speaker 4: and the newest member, Troy, has been in about seventeen years, 105 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:12,680 Speaker 4: and all in between. Lisa has been in forever. In 106 00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:21,320 Speaker 4: a day with the short intermission, short intermission, yeah, so yeah, 107 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:23,160 Speaker 4: a lot of these guys. How long have you been 108 00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 4: in the band? Andy, thirty one years? So yeah, a 109 00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:30,000 Speaker 4: lot of a lot of the same people around me. 110 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:38,599 Speaker 4: And I've had the same engineer, Dave since eighty eight. 111 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:41,080 Speaker 2: And Andy, Andy, you've been in the band. You just 112 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:42,480 Speaker 2: mentioned how long you've been in the band. 113 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 3: Yet a lot of the songs that you're going to 114 00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:49,400 Speaker 3: be playing on tour are songs that pre date you're 115 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:50,120 Speaker 3: joining the band. 116 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:51,760 Speaker 2: So how many years? How many years has he been 117 00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 2: in the band? 118 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:53,400 Speaker 7: Thirty one? 119 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:54,600 Speaker 2: Thirty one years? 120 00:05:54,640 --> 00:05:57,440 Speaker 3: Okay, But prior to those thirty one years in the band, 121 00:05:57,800 --> 00:05:59,479 Speaker 3: you were listening to these songs on the radio. 122 00:05:59,480 --> 00:06:01,520 Speaker 4: Oh yeah, I was growing up. Now he was making 123 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:03,000 Speaker 4: records himself. 124 00:06:02,880 --> 00:06:05,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, but he was he grew up with some of 125 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:07,000 Speaker 3: the songs that he's going to be able to play 126 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:08,839 Speaker 3: for the very first time during this tour. 127 00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:11,560 Speaker 4: Yeah, but he was what bands were you in? 128 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:11,839 Speaker 1: Oh? 129 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:14,120 Speaker 7: I was in a band called Jason and the Scorchers 130 00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:18,200 Speaker 7: from Nashville, and I was also in a band called 131 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:21,560 Speaker 7: Hearts and Minds, which we produced. Mike produced our record 132 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:24,760 Speaker 7: out here in this very room in like nineteen eighty nine. 133 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:27,200 Speaker 2: Ye, the Scorches were played on the radio. 134 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:30,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, yeah, but not as often as No No, 135 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 3: John Mellencamp, the next song that you're going to do. 136 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:37,320 Speaker 3: I was talking to my boss back in New York 137 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:41,719 Speaker 3: today and we were going over the setlist for the show. 138 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:44,400 Speaker 3: He told me that this next song is one of 139 00:06:44,440 --> 00:06:46,760 Speaker 3: his very favorite songs of all time. 140 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:49,920 Speaker 4: Yeah, you know. I wrote this with the guy and 141 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:54,160 Speaker 4: then I went to high school with it. And his 142 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:58,640 Speaker 4: name is George Green. He died probably twenty years ago now. 143 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 4: And Georgia and I I wrote quite a few songs together, 144 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:04,640 Speaker 4: and there will be part of my career. So George 145 00:07:04,720 --> 00:07:08,240 Speaker 4: and I wrote this song together and it's called Minutes 146 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:08,839 Speaker 4: to Memories. 147 00:07:37,880 --> 00:07:41,680 Speaker 1: Welcome back to iHeartRadio Icons with John Mellencamp once again, 148 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:44,320 Speaker 1: live from John's Belmont Mall Studio in Indiana. 149 00:07:44,560 --> 00:07:46,400 Speaker 2: Jim Kerr. 150 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 3: We're here in John Mellencamp's home studio with a group. 151 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:50,840 Speaker 2: Of his friends. 152 00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:53,040 Speaker 3: Everybody, say hi to all the people who are listening 153 00:07:53,080 --> 00:07:54,920 Speaker 3: all over America. 154 00:07:55,760 --> 00:07:59,080 Speaker 2: Minutes to Memories. Was that song and speaking. 155 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:02,960 Speaker 3: Of a memory, a really great memory, John Mellencamp, must 156 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:06,400 Speaker 3: have been created for you and so many of your 157 00:08:06,440 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 3: friends on Monday night. 158 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 4: Yeah, it was great. I mean, you know, India University 159 00:08:11,920 --> 00:08:18,320 Speaker 4: has been struggling for decades and decades, and with the 160 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:22,239 Speaker 4: new way that college football is run, they were able 161 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:25,480 Speaker 4: to come out on top. They've got a great coach, 162 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 4: they have a great team, great quarterback. So yeah, an 163 00:08:30,360 --> 00:08:31,920 Speaker 4: undefeated season unheard of. 164 00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:36,280 Speaker 3: Well, I know that you can be modest about these things, 165 00:08:36,600 --> 00:08:39,680 Speaker 3: but I brought you a copy of last weekend's Wall 166 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:40,240 Speaker 3: Street Journal. 167 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:41,120 Speaker 2: Were on the front page. 168 00:08:41,160 --> 00:08:43,520 Speaker 3: There was a big article about you, and you have 169 00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:48,520 Speaker 3: been a big booster and a big supporter of Well, 170 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:53,000 Speaker 3: what was the worst team in the history of NCAA 171 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:57,199 Speaker 3: Division I football. You have been there through the darkest 172 00:08:57,200 --> 00:09:00,679 Speaker 3: of days. You never ever ever gave up up, and 173 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:04,440 Speaker 3: you've made some pretty massive contributions to their success. 174 00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:07,679 Speaker 4: Well, I showed up as much as I could. 175 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:11,040 Speaker 3: Well, they even built you a special hut for our 176 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:15,160 Speaker 3: friends who are unaware of this. At the stadium, the 177 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:17,800 Speaker 3: seat that is the furthest away from the field. 178 00:09:18,200 --> 00:09:20,239 Speaker 2: Absolutely, the furthest away. 179 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:23,520 Speaker 3: From the field is where John Mellencamp sits, and they 180 00:09:23,520 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 3: built him a little wooden hut. 181 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:27,920 Speaker 2: And what can you do there in your little wooden hut. 182 00:09:28,640 --> 00:09:30,760 Speaker 4: Well, you can talk, and you can watch the game, 183 00:09:30,920 --> 00:09:32,000 Speaker 4: and you can smoke. 184 00:09:32,760 --> 00:09:37,160 Speaker 3: Right, you're the only person in the whole stadium who 185 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:37,880 Speaker 3: can light up. 186 00:09:37,920 --> 00:09:40,640 Speaker 8: But they built to your special stuff. 187 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:45,280 Speaker 4: Well, you know, to be honest, the hut was there 188 00:09:45,320 --> 00:09:48,760 Speaker 4: and it was just a shack where they kept like, 189 00:09:48,800 --> 00:09:51,920 Speaker 4: you know, mowing equipment and stuff like that. And so 190 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:55,960 Speaker 4: they just fixed it so that you know, I had 191 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:59,400 Speaker 4: some seats and the mansion. You know, they take care 192 00:09:59,440 --> 00:09:59,640 Speaker 4: of me. 193 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:00,319 Speaker 2: Okay. 194 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:03,480 Speaker 3: Well, besides supporting the team publicly and going to the 195 00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:07,560 Speaker 3: stadium to root for the team and provide moral support 196 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:12,520 Speaker 3: for them, you've also provided a great deal of shall 197 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:16,440 Speaker 3: we say, financing to help the team. 198 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:19,280 Speaker 4: Well, a long time ago, a guy named Bill Cook, 199 00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:25,000 Speaker 4: who invented the heart catheter. Before he died, he came 200 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:28,440 Speaker 4: to me and said, do you want to help build 201 00:10:29,280 --> 00:10:32,960 Speaker 4: an indoor facility because all the other big ten schools 202 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:37,640 Speaker 4: at the time all had practice facilities. And I said yes, 203 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:43,920 Speaker 4: and so we built this pavilion for the team to 204 00:10:43,960 --> 00:10:47,480 Speaker 4: rehearse and when it's too cold in Indiana, never hearts outside. 205 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:50,400 Speaker 2: And it's called the John Mellencamp Pavilion. 206 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:51,000 Speaker 4: Yeah it is. 207 00:10:51,400 --> 00:10:55,200 Speaker 3: And you gave the school one and a half million 208 00:10:55,280 --> 00:11:03,000 Speaker 3: dollars I did, yes, you did you know those golden 209 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:06,040 Speaker 3: platinum albums you have hanging on the wall, they helped 210 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:09,920 Speaker 3: to finance that John Mellencamp Pavilion at Indiana University. 211 00:11:10,080 --> 00:11:13,640 Speaker 4: I bet except Brandy and those guys stole all my money. 212 00:11:13,760 --> 00:11:19,880 Speaker 3: So, uh, we have Mike is on and he has 213 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:22,319 Speaker 3: an electric guitar right now. Mike's a member of the band. 214 00:11:22,760 --> 00:11:24,600 Speaker 3: When I looked up at you a few minutes ago, 215 00:11:24,640 --> 00:11:26,119 Speaker 3: you had an electric mandolin. 216 00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:29,320 Speaker 2: That was that was pretty awesome. 217 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:32,320 Speaker 3: That that's an amazing instrument that one doesn't see very often. 218 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:33,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's amazing. 219 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:36,040 Speaker 1: How many strings there are and how fat my fingers 220 00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:36,520 Speaker 1: seemed to be. 221 00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:42,679 Speaker 2: You can play with fat fingers those sausages. Well, let's 222 00:11:42,800 --> 00:11:44,920 Speaker 2: check it out, Okay. 223 00:11:50,800 --> 00:11:53,640 Speaker 3: John Mellencamp and his tail and tear at his home 224 00:11:53,840 --> 00:11:55,000 Speaker 3: studio in Indiana. 225 00:11:55,080 --> 00:11:56,680 Speaker 2: Would check it out on iHeartRadio. 226 00:11:57,040 --> 00:12:00,240 Speaker 3: Icons now while the guitars are switched too. 227 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:02,760 Speaker 4: Well, I have a story about check it out. Well 228 00:12:02,800 --> 00:12:06,120 Speaker 4: you do, okay, Yeah, Lisa, when I when I first 229 00:12:06,120 --> 00:12:07,560 Speaker 4: wrote this song, o. 230 00:12:09,040 --> 00:12:09,079 Speaker 3: H. 231 00:12:10,120 --> 00:12:13,440 Speaker 4: We were recording the song and she pulls me aside 232 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:16,600 Speaker 4: and she goes John, I'm not quite sure where Escrow is. 233 00:12:18,280 --> 00:12:20,520 Speaker 6: They kept saying about got a house in Escrow, and 234 00:12:20,559 --> 00:12:22,560 Speaker 6: I'm like, one of these days, I'm gonna find out. 235 00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:23,040 Speaker 4: Where that is. 236 00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:23,960 Speaker 7: And I asked him. 237 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:27,800 Speaker 8: Just everybody laughed. I still didn't get it for a 238 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:28,280 Speaker 8: long time. 239 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:32,599 Speaker 6: Well, all these years later, now I know. 240 00:12:32,160 --> 00:12:38,600 Speaker 2: Now, I know people are still live and learn. Okay, 241 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:40,880 Speaker 2: I understand by the way as we did the. 242 00:12:40,840 --> 00:12:44,000 Speaker 3: Guitar switches to the acoustic guitars, John, that you have 243 00:12:44,440 --> 00:12:46,240 Speaker 3: a cool story about the next song. 244 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:50,840 Speaker 4: Well, the next song was uh uh. I would go 245 00:12:50,920 --> 00:12:53,679 Speaker 4: visit with my grandmother who lived to be one hundred, 246 00:12:53,760 --> 00:12:56,160 Speaker 4: and she would I be lay in bed with her 247 00:12:56,160 --> 00:13:00,000 Speaker 4: and she would talk to me, and uh. One day 248 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:03,079 Speaker 4: we were talking and she just went, buddy, you know 249 00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:06,120 Speaker 4: you got to quit this cussing and wild living. You're 250 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:08,240 Speaker 4: doing it. You won't get into heaven, and I went 251 00:13:08,280 --> 00:13:12,800 Speaker 4: on Grandma and she just said, John, She looked right 252 00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:14,680 Speaker 4: in the eye and she said, You're gonna find out 253 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:19,679 Speaker 4: that life is short even in its longest days. And 254 00:13:19,760 --> 00:13:23,600 Speaker 4: I thought, oh, from God's mouth to her ears, to 255 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:27,120 Speaker 4: my ears. So I wrote it down. I knew that 256 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:30,719 Speaker 4: when she said that life is short even in its 257 00:13:30,840 --> 00:13:32,040 Speaker 4: longest days. 258 00:13:32,320 --> 00:13:51,280 Speaker 9: And then you shared your grandmother's thoughts, Yeah. 259 00:13:44,559 --> 00:13:45,319 Speaker 2: Longest days. 260 00:13:47,559 --> 00:13:50,040 Speaker 3: I couldn't help And I'm sure many other people felt 261 00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:50,439 Speaker 3: the same way. 262 00:13:50,440 --> 00:13:52,000 Speaker 2: I couldn't help it feel, you know. 263 00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:56,520 Speaker 3: Very emotional hearing you talk about your grandmother and inspiration 264 00:13:57,280 --> 00:13:58,360 Speaker 3: for that beautiful song. 265 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:00,920 Speaker 2: That's so nice that you shared that with us. 266 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:07,360 Speaker 4: Well, she she she was a special girl. She was 267 00:14:07,400 --> 00:14:08,120 Speaker 4: a special woman. 268 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:14,839 Speaker 3: We are live from John Mellencamp's studio Belmont mall In. Well, 269 00:14:14,840 --> 00:14:18,319 Speaker 3: it's it's on the outskirts of Bloomington, Indiana, right and 270 00:14:18,640 --> 00:14:21,200 Speaker 3: we're here with not only his band, but a group 271 00:14:21,240 --> 00:14:26,520 Speaker 3: of his friends. Now. 272 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:28,760 Speaker 2: Having not performed. 273 00:14:28,400 --> 00:14:31,200 Speaker 3: Many of the songs that will be a part of 274 00:14:31,640 --> 00:14:37,960 Speaker 3: your performance on tour, dancing words the greatest hits. 275 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:40,200 Speaker 2: Take us through the selection process. 276 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:43,360 Speaker 3: Because you have such an extensive catalog, you had to, 277 00:14:43,880 --> 00:14:46,000 Speaker 3: you know, decide what songs you were going to play, 278 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:49,200 Speaker 3: and were there any that you had to listen to 279 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:51,920 Speaker 3: again to familiar familiarize yourself with. 280 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:55,600 Speaker 4: Him or I can't, Jim, I can't remember what songs 281 00:14:55,600 --> 00:14:59,480 Speaker 4: are off what album. But I've been very fortunate and 282 00:14:59,800 --> 00:15:03,560 Speaker 4: we're I'm going to do two and a half hours. 283 00:15:04,040 --> 00:15:06,960 Speaker 4: We'll do an hour fifteen, take a twenty minute break, 284 00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:11,040 Speaker 4: do another hour fifteen, and that'll be the show, and 285 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:16,480 Speaker 4: every song will have been a yet of some sort 286 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:17,440 Speaker 4: to some level. 287 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:20,560 Speaker 3: Well, did you have to relearn some of them or 288 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:21,800 Speaker 3: were they all still Well. 289 00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:25,520 Speaker 4: We haven't started rehearsing for the tour yet, but yeah, 290 00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:28,040 Speaker 4: and we're going to rearrange some of the songs too, 291 00:15:28,120 --> 00:15:31,880 Speaker 4: so they don't have that silly eighties vibe to them anymore. 292 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:35,080 Speaker 3: Now, you've been doing theater tours for a long time, 293 00:15:35,640 --> 00:15:38,520 Speaker 3: and the atmosphere and an amphitheater is quite different. 294 00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:39,120 Speaker 8: Yeah. 295 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:43,880 Speaker 4: That's the reason I stopped playing amphitheaters seventeen years ago, 296 00:15:45,480 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 4: simply because and I quit playing arenas because I just 297 00:15:49,720 --> 00:15:51,680 Speaker 4: got to the point where I felt like I was 298 00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:56,280 Speaker 4: just the ring leader of a party, and I kept thinking, 299 00:15:56,320 --> 00:15:59,280 Speaker 4: you know, I'm a musician, not a ring leader or 300 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:03,000 Speaker 4: the guy putting on the show the party, and you know, 301 00:16:03,120 --> 00:16:06,080 Speaker 4: so when you're playing in a theater, it's a whole 302 00:16:06,080 --> 00:16:09,400 Speaker 4: different vibe. And we even put up signs in the 303 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:17,320 Speaker 4: theater that say, please recognize theater etiquette, so in other words, 304 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:22,000 Speaker 4: you know it's not there. You come to those theater 305 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:25,600 Speaker 4: shows for parties. And I don't play very many hits. 306 00:16:25,680 --> 00:16:28,320 Speaker 4: I just play a few hits here and there, but 307 00:16:28,400 --> 00:16:34,040 Speaker 4: mostly new songs and stuff. And I enjoy that a 308 00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:37,160 Speaker 4: lot more than I did starting a song and watching 309 00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:39,240 Speaker 4: a fistfight breakout in the front row. 310 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:43,320 Speaker 3: But this show is going to be hit after hit 311 00:16:43,360 --> 00:16:44,520 Speaker 3: after hit after hit after this. 312 00:16:44,840 --> 00:16:47,880 Speaker 4: Yeah, I'm seventy four years old, and so they've been 313 00:16:47,920 --> 00:16:51,960 Speaker 4: asking me to do this for years. So I said, okay, 314 00:16:52,040 --> 00:16:53,720 Speaker 4: I'm going to do it. Let's do it while I 315 00:16:53,760 --> 00:16:57,120 Speaker 4: still have the energy to do it. And so yeah, 316 00:16:57,160 --> 00:16:59,480 Speaker 4: every song will be a hit record. And I'm going 317 00:16:59,520 --> 00:17:01,360 Speaker 4: to start to show with I Need to Lover, which 318 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:06,359 Speaker 4: I have not played in decades, decades decades. 319 00:17:07,080 --> 00:17:09,159 Speaker 2: I played that song more recently than you have. 320 00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:13,200 Speaker 4: Oh yeah, if you've played it at all, you've played 321 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:13,800 Speaker 4: it more than. 322 00:17:15,160 --> 00:17:17,439 Speaker 3: Well. You're trying to find the right balance must be 323 00:17:17,480 --> 00:17:19,960 Speaker 3: difficult because not really. 324 00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:20,359 Speaker 7: Uh. 325 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:27,159 Speaker 4: You know, people are very nostalgic, particularly you know, people 326 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:32,199 Speaker 4: of our generation. So I've noticed that even in the 327 00:17:32,560 --> 00:17:36,680 Speaker 4: in the uh, in the theater shows, whenever I play 328 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:40,200 Speaker 4: an old hit record, people seem to respond positively. 329 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:43,280 Speaker 3: Well, that's because those songs are not just yours. They 330 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:45,880 Speaker 3: also belong to the people who are listening to them, 331 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:50,760 Speaker 3: who create their own memories around what initially came out 332 00:17:50,760 --> 00:17:54,680 Speaker 3: of your mind and your heart. You transferred that from 333 00:17:54,720 --> 00:17:57,960 Speaker 3: yourself right into their very souls and it becomes part 334 00:17:58,000 --> 00:17:58,639 Speaker 3: of their life. 335 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:01,880 Speaker 4: Well, I I hope that. I hope you're right because 336 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:07,840 Speaker 4: uh uh this tour uh dancing words, They're going to 337 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:10,400 Speaker 4: hear a lot of old hit records. 338 00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:16,000 Speaker 3: Well, we are here in rural Indiana and where I 339 00:18:16,080 --> 00:18:20,480 Speaker 3: live in Manhattan and New York City, we don't have scarecrows, 340 00:18:21,320 --> 00:18:23,000 Speaker 3: but you actually over. 341 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:24,480 Speaker 2: There, you actually have them here. 342 00:18:24,560 --> 00:18:25,680 Speaker 4: I know you have them. 343 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:54,560 Speaker 8: I see them. 344 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:57,399 Speaker 2: This is iHeartRadio Icons with John Mellencamp. 345 00:18:58,119 --> 00:19:00,479 Speaker 3: If you're listening right now, I just got to tell 346 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:02,840 Speaker 3: you that this is one of the most unusual icons 347 00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:06,680 Speaker 3: broadcasts we've ever done. Is it's truly like sitting in 348 00:19:07,080 --> 00:19:10,040 Speaker 3: someone's living room, you know, where there just happens to 349 00:19:10,040 --> 00:19:13,439 Speaker 3: be a world class rock and roll band and one 350 00:19:13,480 --> 00:19:16,119 Speaker 3: of the greatest singers of all time just making some 351 00:19:16,240 --> 00:19:17,800 Speaker 3: music while we're all just hanging out. 352 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:19,560 Speaker 2: That's what it seems like to me. 353 00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:23,199 Speaker 4: Well, that's that's kind of the idea here. It's just, 354 00:19:24,400 --> 00:19:26,840 Speaker 4: you know, that's what rock started out to be. It 355 00:19:26,880 --> 00:19:30,280 Speaker 4: was it was not organized, it was rough, it was fun. 356 00:19:31,119 --> 00:19:34,120 Speaker 4: And that's what we intend to do on tour this year. 357 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:36,400 Speaker 3: And you have a new album coming out this year too, 358 00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:40,720 Speaker 3: Orphan Train. When can we expect that? 359 00:19:40,840 --> 00:19:42,600 Speaker 4: Oh, we're only half done with that. 360 00:19:42,840 --> 00:19:46,760 Speaker 2: Okay, so maybe this year. Yeah, maybe maybe this year. 361 00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:51,600 Speaker 3: And what about the musical small Town it's gonna if 362 00:19:51,640 --> 00:19:56,720 Speaker 3: there are performances scheduled in Maine in October. 363 00:19:56,040 --> 00:20:02,840 Speaker 7: Right, I don't know, right, the Ogonquit Theater, we're doing 364 00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:05,240 Speaker 7: a run for about four weeks, I think four or 365 00:20:05,280 --> 00:20:07,959 Speaker 7: five weeks, Yeah, October November. 366 00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:12,240 Speaker 4: You said they have established shows there though, don't they. Yeah, 367 00:20:12,240 --> 00:20:12,480 Speaker 4: they do. 368 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:15,960 Speaker 2: That's a famous that's a famous, famous play it. It's 369 00:20:16,000 --> 00:20:17,800 Speaker 2: a very famous playhouse. Yeah. 370 00:20:17,880 --> 00:20:21,880 Speaker 7: Great, well good, Uh the Broadway things have started off 371 00:20:21,920 --> 00:20:22,360 Speaker 7: there too. 372 00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:24,680 Speaker 2: Is there anything you can tell us about the show. 373 00:20:25,600 --> 00:20:29,479 Speaker 4: Uh yeah, it's a story of Jack and Diane. Oh 374 00:20:29,960 --> 00:20:35,000 Speaker 4: and uh not in probably the way that people would 375 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:39,080 Speaker 4: have imagined or saw themselves. But you know, if you 376 00:20:39,160 --> 00:20:43,680 Speaker 4: listen to the words closely, there's a lot of things 377 00:20:43,720 --> 00:20:49,000 Speaker 4: that people probably didn't hear during the song, but they're 378 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:55,879 Speaker 4: in the in the play, Like Diane is is uh Spanish, 379 00:20:55,960 --> 00:21:00,399 Speaker 4: so you know, she's not really a part of the community, 380 00:21:00,640 --> 00:21:05,879 Speaker 4: so I mean, and there's a lot of the father 381 00:21:06,119 --> 00:21:12,600 Speaker 4: owns a company that was has a chemical dump and 382 00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:16,359 Speaker 4: Jack comes back and you know he's he's a football star. 383 00:21:17,680 --> 00:21:22,040 Speaker 4: So anyway, it's a very it's a very interesting story. 384 00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:26,280 Speaker 4: But I'll tell you what I'm most proud of, Jim, 385 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:31,240 Speaker 4: is that somebody said to me, you know, John, there's 386 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:39,600 Speaker 4: three famous couples in our lifetime, Romeo and Juliet, Frankie 387 00:21:39,640 --> 00:21:44,160 Speaker 4: and Johnny and Jack and Diane. And I thought that 388 00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:47,560 Speaker 4: was one of the best compliments I'd evergotten to be, 389 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:52,000 Speaker 4: you know, to have written a song that that the 390 00:21:52,160 --> 00:21:53,800 Speaker 4: characters meant that much to people. 391 00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:56,440 Speaker 3: Okay, well, we have a couple of more songs to 392 00:21:56,560 --> 00:21:58,560 Speaker 3: play during our show. 393 00:21:58,359 --> 00:22:00,240 Speaker 2: Here from your Beautiful Video. 394 00:22:01,119 --> 00:22:05,720 Speaker 3: The next one is well It's a gigantic, huge hit, 395 00:22:06,160 --> 00:22:07,640 Speaker 3: a big, big, big big hit. 396 00:22:08,119 --> 00:22:09,000 Speaker 2: It's pink houses. 397 00:22:09,119 --> 00:22:10,000 Speaker 4: Yes, let's do it. 398 00:22:10,040 --> 00:22:19,359 Speaker 1: You guys, you were listening to iHeartRadio Icons featuring John 399 00:22:19,359 --> 00:22:22,440 Speaker 1: Mellencamp live from his Belmont Mall studio in Indiana. 400 00:22:22,680 --> 00:22:23,240 Speaker 2: Once Again. 401 00:22:23,320 --> 00:22:24,879 Speaker 8: You're host Jim Ker. 402 00:22:26,760 --> 00:22:29,040 Speaker 2: And John Mellcamp was twenty two twenty minutes. 403 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:33,960 Speaker 3: First record, right, yeah, okay, and you're gonna be seventy five. 404 00:22:34,840 --> 00:22:38,520 Speaker 3: You're gonna be seventy five in October. That's an incredible run. 405 00:22:38,920 --> 00:22:44,439 Speaker 3: That's an absolutely incredible run. Could you possibly have fathomed that? 406 00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:46,480 Speaker 2: No, when you were making that person. 407 00:22:46,840 --> 00:22:49,280 Speaker 4: When I made my first record, I just wanted to 408 00:22:49,320 --> 00:22:53,040 Speaker 4: make a record, you know. Like Lisa said, she just 409 00:22:53,040 --> 00:22:56,440 Speaker 4: wanted to be on the radio, you know, And I 410 00:22:56,480 --> 00:22:59,040 Speaker 4: just wanted to make a record. I'm from Seymour, Indiana. 411 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:03,479 Speaker 4: I predation eighteen thousand. I don't think anybody you know 412 00:23:03,920 --> 00:23:07,200 Speaker 4: could have ever dreamt that they would have a career 413 00:23:07,280 --> 00:23:09,720 Speaker 4: as long as mine. And I've got a couple of 414 00:23:09,800 --> 00:23:12,919 Speaker 4: friends who are my age, who are pretty famous people. 415 00:23:13,760 --> 00:23:16,560 Speaker 4: We both looked at each other and went, Wow, I 416 00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:18,639 Speaker 4: can't believe that we're sending. 417 00:23:18,480 --> 00:23:19,840 Speaker 2: You well when you're a kid. 418 00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:23,320 Speaker 3: Your dad told you John here today, gone tomorrow, forgotten 419 00:23:23,320 --> 00:23:27,560 Speaker 3: in two weeks. Well that didn't come true, not at all. 420 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:30,760 Speaker 4: Well I haven't died yet. 421 00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:34,000 Speaker 3: John Mellencamp, thank you so much for your hospitality. 422 00:23:34,520 --> 00:23:35,760 Speaker 2: I'd like to thank the band. 423 00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:38,119 Speaker 3: I'd like to thank your friends who you had here, 424 00:23:38,320 --> 00:23:40,840 Speaker 3: and we look forward to seeing you on the Dancing 425 00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:45,560 Speaker 3: Words Tour nineteen US cities in July and August. Tickets 426 00:23:45,600 --> 00:23:48,840 Speaker 3: go on sale tomorrow. Thank you so much for listening. 427 00:23:49,240 --> 00:23:50,680 Speaker 3: I really do appreciate it. 428 00:23:50,760 --> 00:23:54,760 Speaker 2: On behalf of iHeartRadio, I'm Jim Kurr. Thank you so 429 00:23:54,920 --> 00:23:55,840 Speaker 2: much for listening. 430 00:23:56,400 --> 00:24:00,320 Speaker 1: This has been iHeartRadio icons featuring John Mellencamp from his 431 00:24:00,359 --> 00:24:02,960 Speaker 1: Bell Mount Mall studio in Indiana. Make sure you check 432 00:24:02,960 --> 00:24:06,560 Speaker 1: out John Mellencamp Live his Dancing Words Towards the Greatest Hits. 433 00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:10,600 Speaker 1: Tickets on sale tomorrow. Details on his website www dot 434 00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:13,040 Speaker 1: mellencamp dot com and thanks for tuning in. 435 00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:23,119 Speaker 2: iHeartRadio Live is a production of iHeartRadio. Was produced, edited 436 00:24:23,119 --> 00:24:24,480 Speaker 2: and mixed by Jordan run Talk. 437 00:24:24,760 --> 00:24:26,840 Speaker 1: If you like what you heard, please subscribe and leave 438 00:24:26,880 --> 00:24:27,399 Speaker 1: us a review. 439 00:24:27,840 --> 00:24:31,320 Speaker 3: For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, listen to the iHeartRadio, app, 440 00:24:31,520 --> 00:24:34,760 Speaker 3: Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your favorite shows.