1 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: This is Alec Baldwin and you're listening to Here's the 2 00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:46,319 Speaker 1: Thing from iHeart Radio. That is, of course, Don't Take 3 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 1: Me Alive, from Steely Dan's nineteen seventy six album The 4 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:53,000 Speaker 1: Royal Scam. 5 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:57,960 Speaker 2: I Know you're out there with raises, your eyes and 6 00:00:58,000 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 2: your back alone. 7 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:04,600 Speaker 1: The song features the guitar stylings of Larry Carlton. My 8 00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:09,759 Speaker 1: guests today are two genius musicians whose artistry has contributed 9 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:13,280 Speaker 1: to some of the most memorable songs of the sixties, seventies, 10 00:01:13,319 --> 00:01:17,480 Speaker 1: and eighties, leaving an indelible mark on the music world. 11 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:21,360 Speaker 1: Steve Gadd is one of the most influential drummers of 12 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:26,080 Speaker 1: all time, known for bridging jazz, rock and blues. Gadd's 13 00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:29,759 Speaker 1: artistry can be heard on songs like Paul Simon's Fifty 14 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:39,440 Speaker 1: Ways to Leave Your Lover and Steely Dan's Asia. This 15 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:42,640 Speaker 1: is Steve Gadd with his band The Gad Gang playing 16 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:45,240 Speaker 1: Things Ain't What They Used to Be from the group's 17 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:49,880 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty eight album Here and Now. Steve Gadd has 18 00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 1: been a studio musician for countless artists from Carly Simon 19 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:58,200 Speaker 1: to Aretha Franklin, and has toured with Eric Clapton, James Taylor, 20 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 1: Joe Cocker, Maynard Firms, Ferguson, Paul Simon, and many many more. 21 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:08,080 Speaker 1: But first my conversation with four time Grammy winner Larry Carlton. 22 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:23,120 Speaker 1: That's him playing his song Nightcrawler from his self titled 23 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:27,160 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy eight solo album. Carlton is a jazz and 24 00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:31,040 Speaker 1: rock guitarist who has played on over three thousand recording 25 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:34,800 Speaker 1: sessions with everyone from Barbara Streisand and Sammy Davis Junior 26 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:39,880 Speaker 1: to Michael Jackson and Joni Mitchell. Among the songs he 27 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:44,520 Speaker 1: is most famous for is Steely Dan's Kid Charlemagne, which 28 00:02:44,639 --> 00:02:47,920 Speaker 1: Rolling Stone named as one of the best guitar solos 29 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:52,080 Speaker 1: in rock music. Larry Carlton is also a member of 30 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:55,440 Speaker 1: legendary rock group The Crusaders, and even co wrote the 31 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:58,799 Speaker 1: theme songs for the TV shows Hill Street Blues and 32 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:03,440 Speaker 1: Who's the Boss. If that wasn't enough, the prolific guitarist 33 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 1: has enjoyed an impressive solo career. I was curious how 34 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 1: a musician that has offered such extraordinary support to others 35 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:16,320 Speaker 1: came to prioritize his own music and write his own songs. 36 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:19,840 Speaker 2: I didn't start writing songs until I had a record deal. 37 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:24,919 Speaker 2: I didn't pursue being a solo artist in the seventies. 38 00:03:24,960 --> 00:03:28,679 Speaker 2: You know, I was so busy doing sessions, and that 39 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:32,960 Speaker 2: started early in nineteen seventy and by nineteen seventy seven, 40 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 2: I was already kind of burned out. I was doing, 41 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:40,520 Speaker 2: you know, five hundred sessions a year, charging double scale 42 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 2: for all of those, so I couldn't charge any more money, 43 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 2: and I was just getting kind of burned out. And 44 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:50,320 Speaker 2: in my teen years, I was a club player. I 45 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:53,160 Speaker 2: played jazz in a club and that was my passion. 46 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:56,720 Speaker 2: So I just started telling everybody that was calling me 47 00:03:56,760 --> 00:04:01,720 Speaker 2: for sessions in nineteen seventy seven, I'm not doing sessions anymore. 48 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:05,400 Speaker 2: I'm going to start producing and just playing. So I 49 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:09,040 Speaker 2: took a gig in North Hollywood at a jazz club 50 00:04:09,120 --> 00:04:13,080 Speaker 2: on Tuesday nights, and I was approached by a record 51 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:16,280 Speaker 2: producer from CBS, and he said, you thought about making 52 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 2: a record, And that's how my solo career really started, 53 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 2: by an offer that I wasn't looking for. 54 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:27,159 Speaker 1: So when you say about being burned out on the 55 00:04:27,240 --> 00:04:32,560 Speaker 1: sessions thing, I would imagine that a time comes, the 56 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:35,160 Speaker 1: phone rings and you hang up the phone and go, 57 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 1: oh my god, like, this is how you know you've 58 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:39,600 Speaker 1: made it. This is how you know you're at the 59 00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:43,359 Speaker 1: upper echelon of the music business because it's Quincy Jones 60 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:45,160 Speaker 1: or whoever's on the phone where you sit there and go, 61 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:48,440 Speaker 1: my god, look at where I'm going. Was there a 62 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:49,359 Speaker 1: moment like that for you? 63 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:53,320 Speaker 2: Mostly early in my career. Pretty soon you get used 64 00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:55,440 Speaker 2: to the client tile you're working with and it just 65 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:58,680 Speaker 2: becomes a daily Oh yeah, I got a session from 66 00:04:58,760 --> 00:05:01,560 Speaker 2: Steely Dan, I got a session next week from Quincy, 67 00:05:02,880 --> 00:05:06,599 Speaker 2: and it becomes the norm. But early in my career, yes, 68 00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:10,360 Speaker 2: there were those days of realizing, my lord, look at 69 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 2: my date book for the next three months, I'm busy, 70 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:15,200 Speaker 2: thankful and busy. 71 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 1: And people that you were just super admiring of, like 72 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:19,640 Speaker 1: when you're in the room with them and you're saying, 73 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:22,479 Speaker 1: this is fun. I mean they're great musicians and great artists. 74 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:25,479 Speaker 2: And yeah, that was That was another thing I realized. 75 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:27,839 Speaker 2: To get to play with some of the world's greatest 76 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:33,000 Speaker 2: musicians every day just raises the level that you already 77 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:36,320 Speaker 2: have an aptitude for because you're surrounded by that quality. 78 00:05:36,440 --> 00:05:40,479 Speaker 1: You know, now, your mother, I read, had a guitar 79 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:45,200 Speaker 1: laying around and she played guitar, and you picked up 80 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:48,480 Speaker 1: the guitar when you were about six years old. Yeah, yeah, 81 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:51,440 Speaker 1: now fooling around with a guitar and playing with a 82 00:05:51,480 --> 00:05:54,720 Speaker 1: guitar like a toy. And then many many people put 83 00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:57,240 Speaker 1: it down and they never pursue it. And then there's 84 00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:02,080 Speaker 1: people who something happens. Is the nature or nurture? Does 85 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:05,480 Speaker 1: a person pick up a guitar and you've either got 86 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:09,240 Speaker 1: it or you don't? Or can you cajole people into 87 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:12,640 Speaker 1: becoming more exploring their musicianship? Which do you think it is? 88 00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:16,720 Speaker 2: I think it's both, you do, and I've used the analogy. 89 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:18,760 Speaker 2: I mean, if a kid can shoot baskets at four 90 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:21,960 Speaker 2: years old with his dad out in the driveway and 91 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:24,320 Speaker 2: another kid down the block can't even get the ball, 92 00:06:24,440 --> 00:06:28,000 Speaker 2: you know there's an aptitude waiting to be developed, I think, 93 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:32,680 Speaker 2: and the nurturing gives you that chance to go for 94 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:34,120 Speaker 2: it if you have the apptitude. 95 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:38,720 Speaker 1: And that was my case. Did your kids have any 96 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:41,320 Speaker 1: of that aptitude? Did it become the family business for 97 00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:43,520 Speaker 1: either one of your kids or now? Yeah? Sure. 98 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:47,880 Speaker 2: My son Travis Carlton, he got the gift when he 99 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:50,359 Speaker 2: was little he would sit on my lap while I 100 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:53,960 Speaker 2: was at the mixing console, just doing rough mixes in 101 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:58,119 Speaker 2: my studio, and his body language, already at three years old, 102 00:06:58,880 --> 00:07:01,760 Speaker 2: was in time with the music. He's a bass player. 103 00:07:02,320 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 2: Right out of high school, he went to Musicians Institute 104 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:09,360 Speaker 2: in la And since then that's been gosh, twenty three 105 00:07:09,440 --> 00:07:13,680 Speaker 2: years ago. Now he tours the world with me, and 106 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:16,920 Speaker 2: he tours the world with Robin Ford, and he tours 107 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:21,440 Speaker 2: the world with Scott Henderson, great guitar players, and just 108 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:25,040 Speaker 2: last year he was asked to join Steve Gadd's band. 109 00:07:25,600 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 2: So Travis got the gift. 110 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:32,480 Speaker 1: You were born in nineteen forty eight, Yes, and when 111 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:35,080 Speaker 1: you're coming up, I'm assuming that someone who's as musically 112 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:39,520 Speaker 1: gifted as you is absorbing music early on. What was 113 00:07:39,560 --> 00:07:41,520 Speaker 1: the music you were listening to in the fifties. 114 00:07:42,760 --> 00:07:47,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, I can remember my grandmother having Perry Como records, 115 00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:52,280 Speaker 2: Dean Martin records, So yeah, in the early fifties that 116 00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:56,240 Speaker 2: was the music on the radio. And by the mid 117 00:07:56,320 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 2: fifties then doo wop was coming, rock and roll was 118 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:03,640 Speaker 2: being explored on the radio. So I was hearing all 119 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 2: of that also, And yeah, sure, sure, Chuck Berry, that 120 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:14,239 Speaker 2: but in Los Angeles, and it was a local television show. 121 00:08:15,240 --> 00:08:19,600 Speaker 2: Every Saturday night, there was a country Western TV show 122 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:23,840 Speaker 2: called The town Hall Party. And the guitar player on 123 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:27,320 Speaker 2: that show was Joe Maphis, and he was the fastest 124 00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:29,680 Speaker 2: damn guitar player you ever heard. And of course as 125 00:08:29,720 --> 00:08:33,760 Speaker 2: a kid, you're just you know, you can't believe it, 126 00:08:33,800 --> 00:08:35,960 Speaker 2: and so it's inspiring. I got to see that on 127 00:08:36,040 --> 00:08:39,880 Speaker 2: Saturday nights. So a lot of different kinds of music 128 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:42,959 Speaker 2: I was listening to while starting to take guitar lessons. 129 00:08:43,960 --> 00:08:48,080 Speaker 1: Now, in my business, there's a similar component where you 130 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:50,720 Speaker 1: go to work for Spielberg and you show up and 131 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:53,520 Speaker 1: you just say yes, sir, no, sir, I'm in a salute. 132 00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:56,480 Speaker 1: Here's a guy that knows exactly what he wants from 133 00:08:56,640 --> 00:08:59,600 Speaker 1: the first frame to the last frame, and you're there 134 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:01,040 Speaker 1: and you just want to say, tell me what you 135 00:09:01,080 --> 00:09:03,480 Speaker 1: want me to do to help you make your movie. Now, 136 00:09:03,559 --> 00:09:06,320 Speaker 1: other films I do with writer directors who are more new, 137 00:09:06,840 --> 00:09:10,840 Speaker 1: they want your input. Does that chasm exist in your business? 138 00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:13,200 Speaker 1: Two people who were very hands on and then people 139 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:14,680 Speaker 1: will sit there and say, you tell me what you 140 00:09:14,720 --> 00:09:16,240 Speaker 1: want to do. Yeah. 141 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:19,840 Speaker 2: I was fortunate that after recording with The Crusaders in 142 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:23,480 Speaker 2: the early seventies when I was twenty three, and then 143 00:09:23,760 --> 00:09:24,920 Speaker 2: a number of other hits. 144 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:25,600 Speaker 1: Right after that. 145 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 2: The producer started calling me and leaving the paper blank. 146 00:09:30,800 --> 00:09:34,480 Speaker 2: They wanted me to create something on their production that 147 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:36,680 Speaker 2: maybe they would not have thought of. So I was 148 00:09:36,840 --> 00:09:39,080 Speaker 2: very fortunate that I had that kind of freedom. 149 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:44,199 Speaker 1: Who pushed you the hardesty, even when you were younger, 150 00:09:44,320 --> 00:09:46,240 Speaker 1: and they knew they were in a room, they were 151 00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:48,679 Speaker 1: in a studio with a young guy. I don't mean 152 00:09:48,679 --> 00:09:50,480 Speaker 1: it in an abusive way. I don't mean it in 153 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:55,880 Speaker 1: a pejorative way. Who really pushed you, producer and helped you. 154 00:09:56,559 --> 00:10:00,360 Speaker 2: What comes to mind is in late sixty nine, twenty 155 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 2: one got one of my first sessions for a film 156 00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:09,000 Speaker 2: call on Universal, probably subbing for some time. My name 157 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:11,000 Speaker 2: was on the list, and then they couldn't get the 158 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:14,120 Speaker 2: guy they wanted for the afternoon session. So I walk 159 00:10:14,160 --> 00:10:17,400 Speaker 2: into the session and it's all the heavy cats and 160 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:22,120 Speaker 2: it's a Quincy Jones. He's doing Fat Albert for Cosby. 161 00:10:22,320 --> 00:10:23,559 Speaker 1: The background music. 162 00:10:24,120 --> 00:10:27,800 Speaker 2: Well, what Quincy would do with this is he had 163 00:10:27,840 --> 00:10:32,280 Speaker 2: the score for small band I don't know, three horns, 164 00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:35,560 Speaker 2: blah blah blah, we would do a take. Maybe the 165 00:10:35,559 --> 00:10:40,360 Speaker 2: guitar part was just chords, junk NK, nothing important. But 166 00:10:40,440 --> 00:10:43,640 Speaker 2: then what Quincy would do is say, all right now 167 00:10:43,679 --> 00:10:47,920 Speaker 2: on this one guitar take the flute part. Flutes take 168 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:51,840 Speaker 2: that he would reorchestrate it on the spot. So, all 169 00:10:51,880 --> 00:10:55,360 Speaker 2: of a sudden, twenty one years old, walking into this 170 00:10:55,400 --> 00:10:57,920 Speaker 2: heavy thing and they're going to hand me the flute part, 171 00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:02,840 Speaker 2: pushed me, not knowing that that was really something I 172 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:06,720 Speaker 2: had never done before. Well, I made it. I made 173 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:10,920 Speaker 2: the parts, did a good job. Years and years later, 174 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:14,600 Speaker 2: after working off and on with Quincy, I asked him 175 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:17,160 Speaker 2: about that date. I said, I remember my first date. 176 00:11:17,240 --> 00:11:19,360 Speaker 2: It was fat Albert blah blah blah and blah blah, 177 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:22,079 Speaker 2: and I said I walked out of there scared to death. 178 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:25,360 Speaker 2: He said, all I remember is you did a good job. 179 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:29,760 Speaker 2: In other words, he was care maybe out the guitar 180 00:11:29,800 --> 00:11:32,960 Speaker 2: player playing the flute part. But I never forgot that 181 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:36,079 Speaker 2: because it showed me the challenges that could come up 182 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:37,440 Speaker 2: as a session player. 183 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:40,440 Speaker 1: When you go into a room and you do what 184 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:44,160 Speaker 1: you do, is it really all the same? Meaning? Music 185 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:46,400 Speaker 1: is music, and musicians have a certain language and a 186 00:11:46,400 --> 00:11:49,440 Speaker 1: certain code, and it doesn't matter if it's Neil Diamond 187 00:11:50,400 --> 00:11:54,760 Speaker 1: or you know, James Ingram, Sure, you know Michael Jackson. 188 00:11:55,440 --> 00:11:59,040 Speaker 1: Is it really there's an essential base of it that's 189 00:11:59,080 --> 00:12:01,120 Speaker 1: just the same whoever you work with. 190 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:04,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, the approach is the same. Like I said, they're 191 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:08,240 Speaker 2: expecting many of us in the rhythm section, especially to 192 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:11,920 Speaker 2: come up with parts to enhance their song. And you 193 00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:16,000 Speaker 2: take a great producer arranger like Quincy Jones. When I 194 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:19,040 Speaker 2: got the call to play on Michael Jackson's She's Out 195 00:12:19,080 --> 00:12:21,960 Speaker 2: of My Life. I got to the studio and Michael 196 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:25,720 Speaker 2: had already cut his vocal and Greg phill and Gaines's 197 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:29,360 Speaker 2: keyboard part was already cut, and that's all there was. 198 00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:35,120 Speaker 2: And they wanted my guitar to somehow enhance this small production. 199 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:36,959 Speaker 3: So I did. 200 00:12:37,440 --> 00:12:39,360 Speaker 2: I did what I liked, and then Quincy, I know 201 00:12:39,520 --> 00:12:43,360 Speaker 2: one part I played I run through and Quincy looked 202 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:46,319 Speaker 2: over at Bruce Swedeen, the engineer, and he said will 203 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:50,840 Speaker 2: it print? And Bruce said it's too low. So the 204 00:12:50,880 --> 00:12:54,360 Speaker 2: engineer's input was he knew when he went to mix 205 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:57,920 Speaker 2: that record my guitar part that I had felt was 206 00:12:57,960 --> 00:13:01,960 Speaker 2: in the wrong range. Said okay. Quincy said, okay, try 207 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:05,200 Speaker 2: some other things that aren't so low. So that kind 208 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:10,720 Speaker 2: of collaboration off of my creativity to their input made 209 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:14,120 Speaker 2: that final product. They let you find your way, yes, 210 00:13:14,280 --> 00:13:15,440 Speaker 2: but with their guidance. 211 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:21,360 Speaker 1: Right. Some of my favorite music that you have played 212 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:25,400 Speaker 1: is with Steely Dan. I love Nightfly and you played 213 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:29,439 Speaker 1: on Nightfly. Yeah, I love that album. But when you're 214 00:13:29,480 --> 00:13:31,959 Speaker 1: with a duo like that, is there one of them 215 00:13:31,960 --> 00:13:35,520 Speaker 1: that's more Becker is renowned as being a very quiet guy, 216 00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:38,360 Speaker 1: you know, he's not Fagan, and Fagan was much more 217 00:13:38,360 --> 00:13:41,679 Speaker 1: colorful and much more articulate. And they wrote the songs together. 218 00:13:42,080 --> 00:13:44,120 Speaker 1: But when you were in the studio with them, did 219 00:13:44,160 --> 00:13:46,600 Speaker 1: they both contributed? They both have somebody to say about 220 00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:48,680 Speaker 1: they want what they wanted you to do, or one 221 00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:49,960 Speaker 1: person took the lead. 222 00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:54,320 Speaker 2: I would say they were like brothers, and I'm thinking now, 223 00:13:54,360 --> 00:13:56,400 Speaker 2: not on the tracking dates, but when I would be 224 00:13:56,440 --> 00:14:00,480 Speaker 2: over dubbing guitar solo, they would listen and react and 225 00:14:00,559 --> 00:14:03,400 Speaker 2: one guy would say, oh, let's try blah blah blah 226 00:14:03,400 --> 00:14:06,320 Speaker 2: blah blah, and maybe next time it would be Donald's. 227 00:14:05,880 --> 00:14:07,680 Speaker 1: Saying I really liked that part right. 228 00:14:07,559 --> 00:14:11,400 Speaker 2: There, and they would collaborate. It was amazing in that 229 00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:14,120 Speaker 2: while we were doing the tracking dates. Donald was a 230 00:14:14,160 --> 00:14:18,439 Speaker 2: little more involved because he was more sophisticated harmonically at 231 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:21,360 Speaker 2: the keyboard when they wrote those tunes, so he could 232 00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:25,400 Speaker 2: interpret and get more involved in chord voicinges and things 233 00:14:25,480 --> 00:14:29,440 Speaker 2: like that. But I'm sure when they were collaborating writing 234 00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:32,240 Speaker 2: the tunes, the two of them together, their brains just 235 00:14:32,320 --> 00:14:35,120 Speaker 2: went nuts and came up with those great songs. 236 00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:38,400 Speaker 1: Well, I mean, there's no song I know of more 237 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:42,560 Speaker 1: than Don't Take Me Alive and the guitar playing you did? 238 00:14:42,680 --> 00:14:44,600 Speaker 1: I mean I listened to that. I mean I get 239 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:44,960 Speaker 1: a chill. 240 00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:47,960 Speaker 2: I didn't tell this story for many years, but when 241 00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:51,680 Speaker 2: The Royal Scam by Steely Dan did come out, there 242 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:55,000 Speaker 2: was a review in Rolling Stone raving about my Kid 243 00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:59,000 Speaker 2: Charlemagne solo. Yeah, and I hadn't thought of that song 244 00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:03,440 Speaker 2: or that album since the session, and so got the record, 245 00:15:03,840 --> 00:15:08,280 Speaker 2: put it on, listened to Kid Charlemagne with my then wife, 246 00:15:08,760 --> 00:15:10,480 Speaker 2: and at the end of the song, I looked at 247 00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:13,640 Speaker 2: her and I never forgot this was so honest, I said. 248 00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 1: It just sounds like me. 249 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:20,840 Speaker 2: I mean really, so, I'm glad the world reacted the 250 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:23,280 Speaker 2: way they did to it. But I didn't know it. 251 00:15:25,120 --> 00:15:26,680 Speaker 1: How many recordings do you think you did with. 252 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:32,120 Speaker 2: Stealing that Royal Scam? Asia will include Nightfly in there 253 00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:35,680 Speaker 2: with Donald Gaucho was an interesting one. They cut that 254 00:15:35,760 --> 00:15:39,800 Speaker 2: in New York and I wasn't involved at all. But 255 00:15:39,840 --> 00:15:44,000 Speaker 2: when the record came out again, reviews were saying Larry 256 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:48,840 Speaker 2: Carlton's solo on Third World Man. I thought I didn't 257 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:52,080 Speaker 2: play on that album. So this story was told to 258 00:15:52,120 --> 00:15:56,680 Speaker 2: me later that the second engineer had erased one of 259 00:15:56,720 --> 00:16:00,400 Speaker 2: their masters by accident and they needed one one more 260 00:16:00,480 --> 00:16:03,640 Speaker 2: song for the Gaucho album. So they went back into 261 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:07,640 Speaker 2: the archives of the Royal Scam and we had cut 262 00:16:07,680 --> 00:16:11,520 Speaker 2: Third World Man, And that's how I ended up on Gaucho. 263 00:16:12,120 --> 00:16:15,160 Speaker 1: There was a lot of self destructive behavior going onto 264 00:16:15,160 --> 00:16:18,120 Speaker 1: the music business in the seventies, a lot of people 265 00:16:18,120 --> 00:16:21,280 Speaker 1: that were self immolating with drugs and alcohol, and you know, 266 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:26,200 Speaker 1: very talented people who ended up dead. Now in your business, 267 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:29,600 Speaker 1: whether it's you or anyone else, do you find yourself 268 00:16:29,640 --> 00:16:33,440 Speaker 1: sometimes sitting there going I'll pass. I don't necessarily want 269 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:35,200 Speaker 1: to go into the studio with that person because they're 270 00:16:35,200 --> 00:16:38,440 Speaker 1: a mess and you're not quite sure you want to work. 271 00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:40,200 Speaker 1: Was there any of that for you were there people 272 00:16:40,240 --> 00:16:42,880 Speaker 1: you came across again, no names, but people you thought, 273 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:44,760 Speaker 1: I'm not so interested. 274 00:16:46,480 --> 00:16:51,360 Speaker 2: Yes, and I have named this name before, and I 275 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:55,440 Speaker 2: think it's appropriate. Phil Spector's office called me for five 276 00:16:55,560 --> 00:16:59,240 Speaker 2: nights of recording with John Lennon when he was producing 277 00:16:59,320 --> 00:17:04,760 Speaker 2: him and the other musicians, a couple of them, Leon Russell, myself. 278 00:17:05,640 --> 00:17:08,800 Speaker 2: Bottom line, we get to the studio and first, let's 279 00:17:08,840 --> 00:17:13,200 Speaker 2: say a six pm session call. Well, nobody showed up 280 00:17:13,280 --> 00:17:17,000 Speaker 2: Phil or John until like nine thirty or ten, and 281 00:17:17,080 --> 00:17:19,360 Speaker 2: then we went out and we were going to cut 282 00:17:19,400 --> 00:17:23,000 Speaker 2: the old rock and roll song Boney Maroney. Well, I 283 00:17:23,080 --> 00:17:25,480 Speaker 2: knew that was when I was a kid. I played 284 00:17:25,520 --> 00:17:29,440 Speaker 2: Bonie Morony. But this was at a bad time for John, 285 00:17:29,760 --> 00:17:32,800 Speaker 2: first time I'd ever met him. So he's sitting next 286 00:17:32,800 --> 00:17:36,119 Speaker 2: to me and he's calling the chord changes to Bonie Maroney. Well, 287 00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:39,160 Speaker 2: there are three and I played it as a kid. 288 00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:42,440 Speaker 2: So the bottom line was not a good time for John. 289 00:17:43,040 --> 00:17:46,159 Speaker 2: The session was a drag. We waited four hours plus 290 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:49,800 Speaker 2: to play Bonye Marony. When I left the session, I 291 00:17:49,880 --> 00:17:54,359 Speaker 2: drove Leon Russell back to the Sunset Marquis and I said, man, 292 00:17:54,359 --> 00:17:59,119 Speaker 2: that was a drag. And with his Oklahoma accent. He said, 293 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:03,600 Speaker 2: I didn't come back to Tulsa in the morning, so 294 00:18:03,680 --> 00:18:05,920 Speaker 2: I got home and immediately just went to my call 295 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:09,360 Speaker 2: and canceled the rest of the week for Phil Spector's thing. 296 00:18:09,400 --> 00:18:11,479 Speaker 2: I didn't want to sit through that for five nights 297 00:18:12,200 --> 00:18:15,879 Speaker 2: a drunk artist, a late start, So it was a 298 00:18:15,920 --> 00:18:20,040 Speaker 2: bad experience. And I guess some months later, I don't 299 00:18:20,080 --> 00:18:22,679 Speaker 2: know how many months later they did end up getting 300 00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:26,000 Speaker 2: that album finished, but I didn't participate. 301 00:18:25,760 --> 00:18:28,600 Speaker 1: Right right, Well, thank you for sharing that. And it's 302 00:18:28,640 --> 00:18:32,720 Speaker 1: an interesting thing where people who have that problem like 303 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:35,600 Speaker 1: in my business, you know, I mean, it's very different. 304 00:18:36,359 --> 00:18:39,840 Speaker 1: I think of music as as I always say, acting 305 00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:42,640 Speaker 1: is what you do when you have no musical talents. 306 00:18:43,440 --> 00:18:46,199 Speaker 1: You were married and you have two children. Yes, And 307 00:18:46,320 --> 00:18:48,600 Speaker 1: during the height of your career you were living where 308 00:18:48,600 --> 00:18:49,960 Speaker 1: in Los Angeles. 309 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:53,480 Speaker 2: Hollywood Hills, right above the Pilgrimage, right. 310 00:18:53,320 --> 00:18:56,840 Speaker 1: And the peripatetic nature of your business was that tough 311 00:18:56,840 --> 00:18:58,600 Speaker 1: on your family You're traveling all the time. 312 00:19:00,119 --> 00:19:03,640 Speaker 2: Say yes, my first child, Katie Bug, she was born 313 00:19:03,680 --> 00:19:07,520 Speaker 2: in nineteen eighty, so I was already ten years into 314 00:19:07,560 --> 00:19:11,760 Speaker 2: my session career and also moving out, you know, moving 315 00:19:11,800 --> 00:19:15,720 Speaker 2: out of the session scene into the solo scene. So yeah, 316 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:19,400 Speaker 2: I started traveling more and more, and I would say 317 00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:22,639 Speaker 2: it took a toll for sure, which you'll hear that 318 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:23,960 Speaker 2: story from a lot of players. 319 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:25,320 Speaker 1: I think sure. 320 00:19:25,880 --> 00:19:29,880 Speaker 2: I can remember when Katie was maybe two years old. 321 00:19:30,040 --> 00:19:31,840 Speaker 2: I was sitting out on the driveway with her. 322 00:19:31,880 --> 00:19:32,359 Speaker 1: This is one of. 323 00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:35,199 Speaker 2: Those things that a dad never forgets, you know, and 324 00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:37,280 Speaker 2: we were just hanging out, had my arm around her, 325 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:39,800 Speaker 2: with just me and my little girl, and I remember 326 00:19:39,840 --> 00:19:42,880 Speaker 2: being so in love with her that I looked down 327 00:19:43,000 --> 00:19:46,359 Speaker 2: I said, I'll always take care of you. And it 328 00:19:46,440 --> 00:19:49,400 Speaker 2: was a special moment for me because it just came out, 329 00:19:49,560 --> 00:19:53,199 Speaker 2: you know. So yeah, and to this day, both of 330 00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:55,920 Speaker 2: my children were very, very very tight, even though we've 331 00:19:55,960 --> 00:19:58,400 Speaker 2: gone through some things of course that all people do. 332 00:20:02,119 --> 00:20:07,159 Speaker 1: Guitarist Larry Carlton, If you love conversations with gifted musicians 333 00:20:07,359 --> 00:20:10,159 Speaker 1: who played with the biggest names in the business, be 334 00:20:10,280 --> 00:20:13,119 Speaker 1: sure to check out my episode with Paul McCartney's drummer 335 00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:14,800 Speaker 1: Abe Lboreal Junior. 336 00:20:15,720 --> 00:20:18,800 Speaker 4: You know, for me as a drummer, I'm not so 337 00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:22,840 Speaker 4: much focused on what I'm playing. I'm focused on what 338 00:20:23,040 --> 00:20:25,840 Speaker 4: they're doing, and I'm listening to them like I get 339 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:28,879 Speaker 4: to be the ultimate audience and just to sit there 340 00:20:29,080 --> 00:20:34,840 Speaker 4: and to listen to these incredible musicians play, and you know, 341 00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:38,000 Speaker 4: they they end up orbiting so far, and my job 342 00:20:38,080 --> 00:20:39,880 Speaker 4: is just to make sure that we still know where 343 00:20:39,920 --> 00:20:43,359 Speaker 4: they're tethered to, that we're not all going so far 344 00:20:43,560 --> 00:20:44,879 Speaker 4: that we lose the audience. 345 00:20:46,880 --> 00:20:51,080 Speaker 1: Here more of my conversation with abe Leboreal Junior at 346 00:20:51,119 --> 00:20:55,720 Speaker 1: Here's Thething dot Org. After the Break, Larry Carlton shares 347 00:20:55,760 --> 00:20:59,280 Speaker 1: the story of his recovery from a near death experience 348 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:02,480 Speaker 1: and his journey to be able to play music again. 349 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:13,320 Speaker 1: I'm Alec Baldwin, and you were listening to Here's the Thing. 350 00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:19,000 Speaker 1: Larry Carlton's collaborations with the biggest artists in music had 351 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:22,560 Speaker 1: been bringing down the house since the nineteen sixties, after 352 00:21:22,760 --> 00:21:27,520 Speaker 1: over two decades of musical success. Tragically, Larry Carlton was 353 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:30,879 Speaker 1: also the victim of a senseless act of violence in 354 00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:34,600 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety eight. Carlton would recover and go on to 355 00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:39,160 Speaker 1: start the nonprofit Helping Innocent People. I asked him about 356 00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:42,160 Speaker 1: the circumstances surrounding the vicious. 357 00:21:41,800 --> 00:21:46,800 Speaker 2: Attack my home in the Hollywood Hills, at my basement 358 00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:50,679 Speaker 2: studio Room three thirty five it was called. I was 359 00:21:50,720 --> 00:21:56,680 Speaker 2: there to do charts for that evening's sessions, and under 360 00:21:56,720 --> 00:22:01,920 Speaker 2: the car port. We had converted to garage into an 361 00:22:01,960 --> 00:22:05,080 Speaker 2: office and my manager worked out of that office with 362 00:22:05,160 --> 00:22:08,600 Speaker 2: his secretary, so we were self contained at the home. 363 00:22:09,840 --> 00:22:12,880 Speaker 2: So yeah, I showed up that afternoon to go downstairs 364 00:22:12,880 --> 00:22:16,639 Speaker 2: and do the charts for that evening sessions. And the 365 00:22:16,880 --> 00:22:20,320 Speaker 2: entrance door to that office off of the car port 366 00:22:20,920 --> 00:22:24,640 Speaker 2: was a jar, and I could see out the window 367 00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:27,320 Speaker 2: that there were two young boys and a German shepherd 368 00:22:27,359 --> 00:22:31,119 Speaker 2: dog jogging. So I walked over to the door because 369 00:22:31,160 --> 00:22:33,000 Speaker 2: it was a jar, and I was going to shut 370 00:22:33,040 --> 00:22:36,879 Speaker 2: it so the dog wouldn't come in the office. And 371 00:22:36,920 --> 00:22:39,240 Speaker 2: when I got to the door, the boys were right 372 00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:44,200 Speaker 2: about entering the carport and I was going to say, hey, guys, 373 00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:49,680 Speaker 2: I'm just going to shut the shot me and then 374 00:22:49,680 --> 00:22:53,879 Speaker 2: they ran off. And the physical part of what I 375 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:56,600 Speaker 2: remember at that moment, as my left arm went numb. 376 00:22:57,400 --> 00:23:00,639 Speaker 2: I thought I was shot in the arm, but I 377 00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:05,760 Speaker 2: was shot in the throat and that traumatized all the 378 00:23:05,840 --> 00:23:09,640 Speaker 2: nerves to my left arm. So that's how the events started. 379 00:23:12,119 --> 00:23:16,320 Speaker 1: And what would you attribute because you'd say, an injury 380 00:23:16,359 --> 00:23:20,840 Speaker 1: to that part of the body seems ninety nine percent 381 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:23,040 Speaker 1: it would be fatal for those of it. I don't 382 00:23:23,119 --> 00:23:26,600 Speaker 1: understand physiognomy, But what do you attribute to the fact 383 00:23:26,600 --> 00:23:29,800 Speaker 1: that you survived a lot of luck. 384 00:23:31,600 --> 00:23:36,679 Speaker 2: The paramedics were right down the hill from my home 385 00:23:37,480 --> 00:23:39,199 Speaker 2: and they got the call that there had been a 386 00:23:39,240 --> 00:23:44,040 Speaker 2: gun shot wound. Within minutes, the secretary called nine one 387 00:23:44,080 --> 00:23:46,600 Speaker 2: one and they were on the way back from another call, 388 00:23:46,720 --> 00:23:50,280 Speaker 2: so they just turned and came right up the hill 389 00:23:50,359 --> 00:23:53,360 Speaker 2: and they put pressure. You know, I got hidden the carrotid, 390 00:23:54,160 --> 00:23:57,040 Speaker 2: so I have a half inch graph in my carotid 391 00:23:57,520 --> 00:24:00,560 Speaker 2: artery here on the left side. And they rushed me 392 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:03,440 Speaker 2: to Saint Joseph's, which was what seven eight minutes down 393 00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:08,520 Speaker 2: the hill, and both surgeons, the best they had happened 394 00:24:08,520 --> 00:24:12,040 Speaker 2: to be there that day, and so that was the start. 395 00:24:12,160 --> 00:24:13,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, they put. 396 00:24:12,920 --> 00:24:17,840 Speaker 2: The graft in and from there they said, we know 397 00:24:17,920 --> 00:24:20,800 Speaker 2: he's a guitar player, and we've looked at the trauma 398 00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:25,520 Speaker 2: to his left arm nerves. He will play again, but 399 00:24:25,640 --> 00:24:26,200 Speaker 2: we don't know. 400 00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:26,880 Speaker 1: At what level. 401 00:24:27,760 --> 00:24:32,400 Speaker 2: That's that's how that part started. And of course, many 402 00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:36,879 Speaker 2: many many many months of physical therapy to regenerate the 403 00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:40,359 Speaker 2: nerves from the upper part of my arm down in 404 00:24:40,440 --> 00:24:46,840 Speaker 2: my fingertips was pretty unbelievable. And then from all that, 405 00:24:47,240 --> 00:24:49,760 Speaker 2: it came back with hard work. And I only have 406 00:24:50,160 --> 00:24:52,880 Speaker 2: alec You're probably aware, I only have one vocal cord 407 00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:57,880 Speaker 2: that functions. So luckily my left vocal cord was over 408 00:24:57,920 --> 00:25:01,320 Speaker 2: the midline, so the right cord can touch it and 409 00:25:01,400 --> 00:25:04,399 Speaker 2: I can talk. Other than that, I wouldn't be I 410 00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:06,199 Speaker 2: would have just died. I wouldn't have been able to 411 00:25:06,200 --> 00:25:08,960 Speaker 2: close off. I would have choked to death. So the 412 00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:12,680 Speaker 2: in a nutshell, that's the trauma drama of being shot 413 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:16,920 Speaker 2: in the Hollywood Hills. And lastly, the detectives obviously did 414 00:25:16,960 --> 00:25:19,600 Speaker 2: their job over the months and months and months, and 415 00:25:19,640 --> 00:25:22,399 Speaker 2: the conclusion that they came to was it was a 416 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:27,359 Speaker 2: gang initiation shooting two kids. One of them has to 417 00:25:27,400 --> 00:25:30,760 Speaker 2: go out and shoot Joe's citizen, not just Larry Carlton, 418 00:25:30,880 --> 00:25:34,840 Speaker 2: but shoot the citizen. The other kid watches. They can 419 00:25:34,880 --> 00:25:37,679 Speaker 2: go back and say, yep, he did it, so he 420 00:25:37,720 --> 00:25:41,080 Speaker 2: could be They call them, no, no. 421 00:25:43,359 --> 00:25:47,639 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, how awful. I'll try traumatizing. Yeah, I traumatize 422 00:25:47,640 --> 00:25:49,280 Speaker 1: if they get shot there, of all places, it's like, 423 00:25:49,359 --> 00:25:51,120 Speaker 1: I mean, there's a lot of other pleasure you get shot. 424 00:25:51,119 --> 00:25:54,080 Speaker 1: Obviously that are from the neck up. That would be problematic. 425 00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:56,240 Speaker 1: But my god, God, God bless you that you survived that. 426 00:25:56,359 --> 00:26:00,199 Speaker 1: That's amazing. Who's someone you wished you played with from 427 00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:03,160 Speaker 1: another era? How far did you miss getting to work 428 00:26:03,160 --> 00:26:05,359 Speaker 1: with Sinatra or someone like that? 429 00:26:05,760 --> 00:26:09,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, I didn't do Sinatra, but did Dean Martin, Sammy 430 00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:13,680 Speaker 2: Davis Junior. Because Jimmy Bowen was the producer of Sinatra 431 00:26:13,720 --> 00:26:16,520 Speaker 2: and all that stuff, so I was on Jimmy's list, 432 00:26:16,960 --> 00:26:21,000 Speaker 2: worked for him all the time. Someone I wish I 433 00:26:21,040 --> 00:26:25,040 Speaker 2: could have played one song with live would have been 434 00:26:25,119 --> 00:26:32,320 Speaker 2: McCoy tyner. Why because the John Coltrane Quartet influenced my 435 00:26:32,720 --> 00:26:38,040 Speaker 2: emotions so much as a young musician, meaning fourteen years old, thirteen, fourteen, 436 00:26:38,160 --> 00:26:41,800 Speaker 2: fifteen years old, when I heard that group play, I mean, 437 00:26:41,840 --> 00:26:45,920 Speaker 2: Coltrane so soulful, and the way McCoy that whole unit 438 00:26:47,119 --> 00:26:53,280 Speaker 2: just thrilled me emotionally as a young musician in my prime. 439 00:26:54,040 --> 00:26:58,040 Speaker 2: I wish I could have played one blues song with 440 00:26:58,160 --> 00:27:02,359 Speaker 2: McCoy tyner live, just to experience it, and I would 441 00:27:02,359 --> 00:27:05,040 Speaker 2: have felt completely out of my league. But I wanted 442 00:27:05,080 --> 00:27:10,119 Speaker 2: to experience that because he and Coltrane, that thing became 443 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:13,880 Speaker 2: so important to me. I think the reason Alec Humbly 444 00:27:14,720 --> 00:27:19,520 Speaker 2: that I can play so melodically and hopefully so soulful 445 00:27:19,720 --> 00:27:24,199 Speaker 2: and sometimes so simply is because of my response to 446 00:27:24,520 --> 00:27:29,679 Speaker 2: the Coltrane album Ballads. All John Coltrane does is play 447 00:27:29,720 --> 00:27:36,240 Speaker 2: the damn song no Licks, no nothing and slay me emotionally. 448 00:27:37,720 --> 00:27:39,840 Speaker 1: Now a person you have an important relationship with, it 449 00:27:39,880 --> 00:27:43,560 Speaker 1: seems just Robin Ford. Yeah, And how did that come about? 450 00:27:45,119 --> 00:27:48,520 Speaker 2: After I had recorded with Joni Mitchell and with Tom 451 00:27:48,600 --> 00:27:51,320 Speaker 2: Scott in the La Express, which was basically the band 452 00:27:51,359 --> 00:27:53,960 Speaker 2: that we backed Jony with in the studio for Court 453 00:27:54,040 --> 00:27:59,640 Speaker 2: and Spark and Hijira and those albums, and Tom wanted 454 00:27:59,640 --> 00:28:02,040 Speaker 2: me to go on the road, and also they wanted 455 00:28:02,119 --> 00:28:04,720 Speaker 2: Joe Sample and I to go on the road to 456 00:28:04,800 --> 00:28:08,880 Speaker 2: support the Court and Spark album that we did with Jony. Well, 457 00:28:08,920 --> 00:28:13,040 Speaker 2: Joe and I were still touring with the Crusaders somewhat 458 00:28:13,160 --> 00:28:15,840 Speaker 2: and both still involved in studio works, so we didn't 459 00:28:15,840 --> 00:28:18,560 Speaker 2: want to go on the road. Well, Tom Scott knew 460 00:28:18,560 --> 00:28:22,560 Speaker 2: about this kid up in San Francisco named Robin Ford, 461 00:28:24,040 --> 00:28:26,800 Speaker 2: so they brought Robin in to take my place with 462 00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:31,360 Speaker 2: the La Express and the Joni Mitchell tour, and they 463 00:28:31,359 --> 00:28:33,520 Speaker 2: asked me to come over to the rehearsal and kind 464 00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:37,360 Speaker 2: of meet Robin and show him my setup. And after that, 465 00:28:37,600 --> 00:28:40,520 Speaker 2: shortly after that, Robin was playing at that jazz club 466 00:28:40,560 --> 00:28:44,600 Speaker 2: I mentioned earlier at Dante's with someone Shit. This kid 467 00:28:45,440 --> 00:28:48,440 Speaker 2: played that hell out of the guitar and I went, 468 00:28:48,560 --> 00:28:52,120 Speaker 2: oh boy, there's one of those guys. So I wanted 469 00:28:52,160 --> 00:28:57,120 Speaker 2: to meet him, invited him to my house. We jammed downstairs, 470 00:28:57,200 --> 00:29:01,000 Speaker 2: just the two guitars. I wanted to hear this kid play, 471 00:29:01,040 --> 00:29:03,040 Speaker 2: and we became good good friends. 472 00:29:04,280 --> 00:29:07,719 Speaker 1: Well for a man that played with a range of 473 00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:13,560 Speaker 1: people from cass Elliott to Peter Gabriel to Leslie Gore 474 00:29:14,320 --> 00:29:18,840 Speaker 1: to James Ingram and Michael Jackson and Jirou and on 475 00:29:19,240 --> 00:29:22,520 Speaker 1: and on and on. I just want to say what 476 00:29:22,560 --> 00:29:25,680 Speaker 1: a great honor was to get to meet you as 477 00:29:25,760 --> 00:29:28,960 Speaker 1: I play music and you're on there and your contribution 478 00:29:29,280 --> 00:29:32,960 Speaker 1: to the music you make and you have played every 479 00:29:33,200 --> 00:29:36,280 Speaker 1: kind of music I mean is it's just is uncanny. 480 00:29:36,640 --> 00:29:39,480 Speaker 1: The range of your talent and the range of your career. 481 00:29:39,480 --> 00:29:43,239 Speaker 1: It's just it's it's remarkable. Have you enjoyed it? Of 482 00:29:43,440 --> 00:29:43,960 Speaker 1: course you. 483 00:29:44,080 --> 00:29:46,960 Speaker 2: Getting one of the most blessed musicians in the world. 484 00:29:48,240 --> 00:29:49,400 Speaker 1: And one of the most talented. 485 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:51,400 Speaker 2: Thanks Ali, Thank you buddy. 486 00:29:52,880 --> 00:29:58,240 Speaker 1: Guitarist Larry Carlton. My next guest. Drumming legend Steve Gadd 487 00:29:58,680 --> 00:30:01,680 Speaker 1: has spent a career keeping time for the best of 488 00:30:01,720 --> 00:30:07,520 Speaker 1: the best in music. That's Goad on drums playing Sister 489 00:30:07,600 --> 00:30:10,840 Speaker 1: Sadie with his band Steve Gadd and Friends from the 490 00:30:10,960 --> 00:30:15,080 Speaker 1: twenty ten album Live at the Voce. I wanted to 491 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:18,800 Speaker 1: know when you're hired by heavyweights like Chad Baker, Paul Simon, 492 00:30:18,920 --> 00:30:22,520 Speaker 1: Quincy Jones or Gladys Knight, who is in charge of 493 00:30:22,600 --> 00:30:23,560 Speaker 1: the studio session. 494 00:30:24,560 --> 00:30:27,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's different. In every situation is a little different. 495 00:30:27,920 --> 00:30:31,760 Speaker 3: But it could be the artist, it could be the producer. 496 00:30:33,000 --> 00:30:35,760 Speaker 3: A lot most of the time it's it's it's a combination. 497 00:30:36,320 --> 00:30:38,360 Speaker 3: You know, we're in there everyone. We're looking for an 498 00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:43,120 Speaker 3: agreement the creative process. You know, you can interject what 499 00:30:43,160 --> 00:30:46,200 Speaker 3: you feel when the right time is you know what 500 00:30:46,280 --> 00:30:49,719 Speaker 3: I mean, everybody's opinion is important. It's just you have 501 00:30:49,760 --> 00:30:52,680 Speaker 3: to know the right time to sort of to put it, 502 00:30:52,920 --> 00:30:56,680 Speaker 3: you know, to get involved and you know the more 503 00:30:57,400 --> 00:31:00,120 Speaker 3: recording I did, the more I got used to do. 504 00:31:00,120 --> 00:31:03,880 Speaker 3: In that you learn the ropes, Yeah, and how to 505 00:31:03,920 --> 00:31:07,280 Speaker 3: work with people, how to understand what they're you know, 506 00:31:07,320 --> 00:31:12,120 Speaker 3: it's tricky when they're asking verbally for something musically, it's 507 00:31:12,160 --> 00:31:15,440 Speaker 3: hard to always to understand, you know what I mean. 508 00:31:15,520 --> 00:31:18,200 Speaker 3: So that it's a process of getting to know each 509 00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:22,120 Speaker 3: other and trust each other, and for me not to 510 00:31:22,160 --> 00:31:25,840 Speaker 3: be afraid to try things maybe that I didn't necessarily 511 00:31:25,880 --> 00:31:30,080 Speaker 3: come up with, but things that they thought that might work. 512 00:31:30,320 --> 00:31:33,760 Speaker 3: And sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. But that's the process, 513 00:31:33,840 --> 00:31:37,040 Speaker 3: you know, trial and error, just trying to come up 514 00:31:37,040 --> 00:31:37,800 Speaker 3: with the agreement. 515 00:31:38,480 --> 00:31:40,920 Speaker 1: So you're in the room, you're in the studio with 516 00:31:41,000 --> 00:31:44,080 Speaker 1: the whole battalion, or I want you to teach me 517 00:31:44,120 --> 00:31:47,120 Speaker 1: about is it people individually because a lot of times 518 00:31:47,160 --> 00:31:52,040 Speaker 1: you see performers recording these seminal things as the guy 519 00:31:52,120 --> 00:31:54,920 Speaker 1: singing the vocals by himself or she's singing the vocals 520 00:31:54,920 --> 00:31:58,560 Speaker 1: by herself. Do you do the drumming by yourself? Sometimes 521 00:31:58,400 --> 00:32:00,920 Speaker 1: with cans on and you're listening to the track and 522 00:32:00,960 --> 00:32:02,280 Speaker 1: you're drumming and nobody else is there. 523 00:32:03,120 --> 00:32:06,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean that's the thing that's happened later on, 524 00:32:06,440 --> 00:32:09,080 Speaker 3: you know, the equipment, you can go in by yourself. 525 00:32:09,240 --> 00:32:11,640 Speaker 3: They got the tracks already done and you just you know, 526 00:32:11,760 --> 00:32:15,600 Speaker 3: try to fit in. But with no other people there. 527 00:32:15,680 --> 00:32:18,520 Speaker 1: How did you feel about that doesn't sound as fun. 528 00:32:18,600 --> 00:32:22,520 Speaker 3: Well, you know, back in the seventies, but the live 529 00:32:22,640 --> 00:32:25,960 Speaker 3: thing was fun for a lot of different reasons, you 530 00:32:26,040 --> 00:32:27,560 Speaker 3: know what I mean. There were a lot of different 531 00:32:27,560 --> 00:32:31,240 Speaker 3: things going on. But looking back, we spent a lot 532 00:32:31,280 --> 00:32:33,960 Speaker 3: of time, you know, going over tracks and if there 533 00:32:34,000 --> 00:32:36,440 Speaker 3: was a mistake, you'd have to do a whole other take. Yes, 534 00:32:36,640 --> 00:32:40,800 Speaker 3: and they were editing things. But now with the computers, 535 00:32:40,960 --> 00:32:44,320 Speaker 3: people can do the guitar and bassed stuff and keyboard stuff, 536 00:32:44,360 --> 00:32:47,360 Speaker 3: and then they can do it all separately to a 537 00:32:47,400 --> 00:32:48,480 Speaker 3: click track, and. 538 00:32:48,440 --> 00:32:50,080 Speaker 1: They can have you come in I would imagine, and 539 00:32:50,120 --> 00:32:53,160 Speaker 1: do like even a snippet. They might say, this little piece, right, 540 00:32:53,320 --> 00:32:55,400 Speaker 1: just give us that. We don't need you to do 541 00:32:55,440 --> 00:32:56,040 Speaker 1: the whole take. 542 00:32:56,560 --> 00:32:59,280 Speaker 3: They could do that, you know, or And that's one 543 00:32:59,320 --> 00:33:02,400 Speaker 3: of the nice things about the way recording is done today. 544 00:33:02,440 --> 00:33:05,440 Speaker 3: You don't have to do the whole track again. They 545 00:33:05,440 --> 00:33:07,479 Speaker 3: can really go in and just pick and choose what 546 00:33:07,520 --> 00:33:11,520 Speaker 3: they want to do and go for that. So time wise, 547 00:33:12,000 --> 00:33:15,120 Speaker 3: it works, but it's definitely not as much fun as 548 00:33:15,120 --> 00:33:15,640 Speaker 3: it used to. 549 00:33:15,680 --> 00:33:17,640 Speaker 1: Be, you know what I mean, but maybe healthier. 550 00:33:18,160 --> 00:33:22,040 Speaker 3: Well, it's healthier and more and more time efficient. 551 00:33:22,120 --> 00:33:24,960 Speaker 1: I think it's more time official now. At some point, 552 00:33:25,560 --> 00:33:30,520 Speaker 1: Steve gadd is this kid from Rochester. He's playing the drums. 553 00:33:30,560 --> 00:33:32,720 Speaker 1: He goes and you know his uncle plays the drums. 554 00:33:32,760 --> 00:33:36,280 Speaker 1: He's in a big band. You're eleven years old. How 555 00:33:36,320 --> 00:33:37,480 Speaker 1: does it start? 556 00:33:37,800 --> 00:33:41,760 Speaker 3: Well, in the seventies. My whole life, I've been playing drums, 557 00:33:42,000 --> 00:33:45,600 Speaker 3: you know, in grammar school, I started taking lessons, and 558 00:33:45,640 --> 00:33:49,440 Speaker 3: then in high school I was in a drum corps, 559 00:33:50,360 --> 00:33:52,240 Speaker 3: and I was in the military. I was in the 560 00:33:52,360 --> 00:33:56,720 Speaker 3: Army band for three years, five years in music college. 561 00:33:58,120 --> 00:34:01,280 Speaker 3: That's all I ever wanted to do. My goal was 562 00:34:01,360 --> 00:34:04,960 Speaker 3: to if I could support myself playing music, that was it. 563 00:34:05,160 --> 00:34:09,840 Speaker 3: So after the Army I went to New York. Someone 564 00:34:09,880 --> 00:34:14,359 Speaker 3: I went to school with Tony Levin bass player. We 565 00:34:14,360 --> 00:34:18,560 Speaker 3: were in college together and worked with gap Man, Joni 566 00:34:18,719 --> 00:34:23,320 Speaker 3: chuck Manjoni's brother is this, Well, this is at Eastman 567 00:34:23,520 --> 00:34:27,640 Speaker 3: and in Rochester, New York with Tony and I were 568 00:34:27,680 --> 00:34:29,360 Speaker 3: at Eastman School and music together. 569 00:34:29,719 --> 00:34:31,640 Speaker 1: Because you went to Manhattan first. 570 00:34:31,680 --> 00:34:35,120 Speaker 3: I went to two years to Manhattan because my grades 571 00:34:35,160 --> 00:34:36,640 Speaker 3: weren't really good enough to get in. 572 00:34:36,680 --> 00:34:38,920 Speaker 1: That's a very prestigious school. Yeah. 573 00:34:39,000 --> 00:34:42,319 Speaker 3: Yeah, So I got my grades up at Manhattan School 574 00:34:42,360 --> 00:34:46,600 Speaker 3: and music transferred back to Eastman, which is in my 575 00:34:46,719 --> 00:34:51,080 Speaker 3: hometown Rochester. So not only was I doing things in 576 00:34:51,120 --> 00:34:54,440 Speaker 3: school and ensembles and orchestras, but I was working with 577 00:34:54,560 --> 00:34:58,319 Speaker 3: Chuck and gap Man Joni, you know, six nights a week, 578 00:34:58,480 --> 00:35:01,560 Speaker 3: so there was a lot. I was playing lot. And 579 00:35:01,920 --> 00:35:05,120 Speaker 3: I got to New York and a couple of things started. 580 00:35:05,560 --> 00:35:10,920 Speaker 3: My father got terminally ill, and my first marriage, you know, 581 00:35:11,040 --> 00:35:16,680 Speaker 3: started falling apart. And music was the only thing in 582 00:35:16,719 --> 00:35:19,359 Speaker 3: those years that I felt like where I was doing 583 00:35:19,440 --> 00:35:23,279 Speaker 3: anything that was good, positive, where I was able to 584 00:35:23,360 --> 00:35:26,440 Speaker 3: do something and felt like I was giving people what 585 00:35:26,480 --> 00:35:29,880 Speaker 3: they were looking for. It was just perfect timing for me. 586 00:35:29,960 --> 00:35:32,759 Speaker 3: I was ready, I was hungry, I had you know, 587 00:35:32,960 --> 00:35:38,359 Speaker 3: studied a lot, My reading was good. So music was 588 00:35:38,400 --> 00:35:41,560 Speaker 3: the thing that was like my escape from all of 589 00:35:41,600 --> 00:35:45,799 Speaker 3: these other things that were just falling apart. Plus I 590 00:35:45,920 --> 00:35:50,600 Speaker 3: was getting high and stuff. I was taking cocaine because 591 00:35:50,680 --> 00:35:52,040 Speaker 3: a lot of work was coming in. 592 00:35:52,480 --> 00:35:55,360 Speaker 1: Was it a struggle to stop or did you stop 593 00:35:55,560 --> 00:35:58,880 Speaker 1: pretty riskly. Were we able to control or did it 594 00:35:58,960 --> 00:36:00,960 Speaker 1: drag on for a while trying. 595 00:36:01,040 --> 00:36:04,640 Speaker 3: It went on for like fifteen years. I was hitting 596 00:36:04,719 --> 00:36:08,320 Speaker 3: it and it was not easy to stop, you know. 597 00:36:08,360 --> 00:36:11,560 Speaker 3: I ended up in a hospital in Brooklyn, and then 598 00:36:11,600 --> 00:36:16,000 Speaker 3: from there I went to Saint Mary's Rehab. My idea 599 00:36:16,239 --> 00:36:19,520 Speaker 3: was I'd go and you know, relax for a month 600 00:36:20,000 --> 00:36:24,080 Speaker 3: so the heat was off, and then I'd go out 601 00:36:24,080 --> 00:36:25,879 Speaker 3: and start hitting it again, you know what I mean. 602 00:36:26,000 --> 00:36:31,040 Speaker 3: And something happened in rehab where the second step I 603 00:36:31,120 --> 00:36:33,839 Speaker 3: came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could 604 00:36:33,840 --> 00:36:36,759 Speaker 3: restore us to sanity. It just dawned on me that 605 00:36:37,960 --> 00:36:41,080 Speaker 3: I was completely out of my mind, you know what 606 00:36:41,120 --> 00:36:47,400 Speaker 3: I mean. And I had never up until that point, 607 00:36:47,520 --> 00:36:50,560 Speaker 3: I thought that everyone else was the cause of my problems. 608 00:36:50,600 --> 00:36:54,160 Speaker 3: You know, I could blame it on anybody, and I 609 00:36:54,239 --> 00:36:56,560 Speaker 3: was the last person I would look at, you know 610 00:36:56,600 --> 00:36:59,560 Speaker 3: what I mean. But when I finally looked at myself 611 00:37:00,640 --> 00:37:02,680 Speaker 3: and saw that I was nuts. 612 00:37:03,880 --> 00:37:07,000 Speaker 1: Now, eventually you become someone where the phone doesn't stop ringing. 613 00:37:07,760 --> 00:37:09,200 Speaker 1: I have a list in front of me. They gave 614 00:37:09,200 --> 00:37:11,040 Speaker 1: me a list that has to be twenty pages long 615 00:37:11,400 --> 00:37:13,400 Speaker 1: of the tracks that you played on. That's just some 616 00:37:13,440 --> 00:37:16,640 Speaker 1: of them. Eventually you become a guy where the phone 617 00:37:16,680 --> 00:37:20,279 Speaker 1: doesn't stop ringing everybody you know who can they want 618 00:37:20,280 --> 00:37:22,480 Speaker 1: you to comeplay the drums for them. When do you 619 00:37:22,560 --> 00:37:25,239 Speaker 1: believe that happened? And why? When do you start to 620 00:37:25,239 --> 00:37:27,800 Speaker 1: get into the room with the people who are really 621 00:37:28,160 --> 00:37:30,280 Speaker 1: at the top of the game. Who calls you first? 622 00:37:30,760 --> 00:37:33,600 Speaker 3: Well, I mean back in those days, Paul Simon was 623 00:37:33,680 --> 00:37:39,880 Speaker 3: the first really huge, you know, music celebrity, and Phil 624 00:37:39,960 --> 00:37:45,720 Speaker 3: Ramone was producing him, and it's a process of getting 625 00:37:45,760 --> 00:37:48,279 Speaker 3: to know each other. But you know, I think I 626 00:37:48,400 --> 00:37:51,080 Speaker 3: was the right person for Paul at that time. Right, 627 00:37:52,080 --> 00:37:56,040 Speaker 3: wasn't just like a studio guy that did one gendre. 628 00:37:56,200 --> 00:37:59,759 Speaker 3: I mean I loved a lot of different genres of music. 629 00:37:59,520 --> 00:38:01,719 Speaker 1: And that's part. Oh yeah, Paul was very diversified then. 630 00:38:02,160 --> 00:38:06,239 Speaker 3: Paul, he's always looking for a new way to do it. 631 00:38:06,360 --> 00:38:08,239 Speaker 1: What was the album? The first album you did with them? 632 00:38:08,239 --> 00:38:10,799 Speaker 3: I'm still crazy after all these years. The first song 633 00:38:10,800 --> 00:38:13,680 Speaker 3: I ever recorded with him was well, what the hell 634 00:38:13,719 --> 00:38:14,480 Speaker 3: have a good time? 635 00:38:15,600 --> 00:38:17,799 Speaker 1: And when you do something with someone like Paul, I'm 636 00:38:17,840 --> 00:38:20,920 Speaker 1: assuming there must be a diversity of people who say 637 00:38:21,320 --> 00:38:23,720 Speaker 1: we're going to do this and you do like fifty takes, 638 00:38:24,400 --> 00:38:26,719 Speaker 1: and there's people who do three takes. Have you just 639 00:38:26,760 --> 00:38:29,000 Speaker 1: seen the gamut and the range of people who like, 640 00:38:29,520 --> 00:38:32,000 Speaker 1: let's just do this quickly and we got and I'm happy, 641 00:38:32,160 --> 00:38:36,440 Speaker 1: or they're like really really really picky in in detail. 642 00:38:36,800 --> 00:38:40,120 Speaker 3: Well, yeah, there's both. I mean, Paul is very picky. 643 00:38:40,840 --> 00:38:44,600 Speaker 3: Fagan and Steely Dan they were, you know, really picky too. 644 00:38:44,719 --> 00:38:47,719 Speaker 3: You know, it's like they had something in mind that 645 00:38:48,080 --> 00:38:50,600 Speaker 3: they wanted, but they didn't know what it Wasn't. 646 00:38:51,600 --> 00:38:53,680 Speaker 1: That's funny, you know what I mean? Yeah, And when 647 00:38:53,719 --> 00:38:57,600 Speaker 1: you struggled as an artist and you're with these big people, 648 00:38:57,640 --> 00:38:59,719 Speaker 1: now you're with the t you're at the top, and 649 00:38:59,800 --> 00:39:01,920 Speaker 1: you stay at the top for quite a while, you know, 650 00:39:01,960 --> 00:39:04,279 Speaker 1: you stay there then. I mean, but when you're there 651 00:39:04,520 --> 00:39:07,600 Speaker 1: were there people who you would struggle and struggle and 652 00:39:07,640 --> 00:39:10,279 Speaker 1: struggle and work and work and work it. And then 653 00:39:10,320 --> 00:39:12,520 Speaker 1: when you got it, did they like look at you 654 00:39:12,560 --> 00:39:15,480 Speaker 1: and go, God, that's it and they were happy? Or 655 00:39:15,520 --> 00:39:17,520 Speaker 1: did they just was it just business and they got 656 00:39:17,600 --> 00:39:19,120 Speaker 1: up and they walked down they were like thanks. 657 00:39:19,840 --> 00:39:21,960 Speaker 3: You know what. Back in those days, it was like, 658 00:39:22,400 --> 00:39:25,080 Speaker 3: you know, they were happy, they were they. 659 00:39:25,000 --> 00:39:25,759 Speaker 1: Was a brotherhood. 660 00:39:26,040 --> 00:39:28,040 Speaker 3: Well, it was a brotherhood, and it was about the 661 00:39:28,200 --> 00:39:31,920 Speaker 3: It was about the music. You know. It wasn't about 662 00:39:32,160 --> 00:39:35,560 Speaker 3: what market we're targeting and things like that. It was 663 00:39:35,640 --> 00:39:38,360 Speaker 3: just about they had something they wanted to say that 664 00:39:38,520 --> 00:39:43,000 Speaker 3: was important to them and everybody. It was important to 665 00:39:43,080 --> 00:39:46,840 Speaker 3: everybody involved, you know, to the engineer or the producer, 666 00:39:47,000 --> 00:39:53,120 Speaker 3: to the artists and to the musicians. They studio musicians. 667 00:39:54,160 --> 00:39:56,160 Speaker 3: You know, they want to hang in there until we 668 00:39:56,200 --> 00:39:57,759 Speaker 3: get to take you know what I mean. They don't 669 00:39:57,800 --> 00:39:59,160 Speaker 3: want to give up let it go. 670 00:40:00,120 --> 00:40:01,759 Speaker 1: Who are the people you work with? Like, are you 671 00:40:01,800 --> 00:40:03,480 Speaker 1: in a room and clapped in plays and you sit 672 00:40:03,520 --> 00:40:06,520 Speaker 1: there and go, Jesus Christ, look at this guy, Look 673 00:40:06,560 --> 00:40:08,239 Speaker 1: at him? Who did you admire? 674 00:40:10,000 --> 00:40:15,520 Speaker 3: There's many people I admire, Chuck Rainey, Richard T, Cornell Duprie, 675 00:40:15,640 --> 00:40:18,400 Speaker 3: all these guys that were on these sessions that you know, 676 00:40:18,480 --> 00:40:21,920 Speaker 3: these guys used to work with Aretha and King Curtis 677 00:40:21,960 --> 00:40:25,600 Speaker 3: and there was so much history. You know, they had 678 00:40:25,640 --> 00:40:28,040 Speaker 3: been a part of writing the book, you know what 679 00:40:28,080 --> 00:40:30,239 Speaker 3: I mean. There was so much to learn by having 680 00:40:30,280 --> 00:40:32,360 Speaker 3: the opportunity to play with these guys. 681 00:40:32,960 --> 00:40:36,200 Speaker 1: I'm assuming you have your drum kit or multiple drum 682 00:40:36,320 --> 00:40:38,600 Speaker 1: kits and they take it to the studio, they ship 683 00:40:38,640 --> 00:40:40,320 Speaker 1: it for you, and you set it up and everything, 684 00:40:40,360 --> 00:40:42,480 Speaker 1: and so you don't play on somebody else's kit. 685 00:40:43,200 --> 00:40:45,680 Speaker 3: Most of the time it's not, you know, it's my own, 686 00:40:45,880 --> 00:40:48,759 Speaker 3: you know, most of it. Sometimes it's not, But most 687 00:40:48,760 --> 00:40:50,319 Speaker 3: of the time it is Kim. 688 00:40:50,680 --> 00:40:52,719 Speaker 1: Yeah, And your kit that you have now is one 689 00:40:52,719 --> 00:40:55,319 Speaker 1: that you found when you've been playing the same kit 690 00:40:55,400 --> 00:40:55,959 Speaker 1: for how long? 691 00:40:56,360 --> 00:41:00,920 Speaker 3: Well, this last kit was probably about fifteen twenty years. 692 00:41:01,120 --> 00:41:04,160 Speaker 3: You know why I'm playing? Yeah, And what do you 693 00:41:04,280 --> 00:41:08,200 Speaker 3: like about it? I like the sizes. I like birch 694 00:41:08,320 --> 00:41:12,560 Speaker 3: wood for toms and maple for a bass drum, and 695 00:41:13,520 --> 00:41:15,239 Speaker 3: there's a metal snare. 696 00:41:15,360 --> 00:41:18,319 Speaker 1: So every kid out there right now is writing all 697 00:41:18,360 --> 00:41:19,080 Speaker 1: this Dad. 698 00:41:20,120 --> 00:41:21,840 Speaker 3: You know, you know me. Let me tell you something. 699 00:41:21,880 --> 00:41:25,160 Speaker 3: There's so many different kinds of equipment out there. I 700 00:41:25,160 --> 00:41:29,160 Speaker 3: don't know how anyone would would really know how to choose. 701 00:41:29,600 --> 00:41:32,439 Speaker 1: But you didn't become so technically spoiled or whatever where 702 00:41:32,719 --> 00:41:35,239 Speaker 1: you walk in and go, oh, fuck, the mike's a Sennheiser, 703 00:41:35,760 --> 00:41:37,919 Speaker 1: and I'd rather have whatever. You didn't care. 704 00:41:38,320 --> 00:41:40,640 Speaker 3: I let the engineer do that, you know. I do 705 00:41:40,719 --> 00:41:43,680 Speaker 3: what I do, and they do what they do. And 706 00:41:43,760 --> 00:41:46,520 Speaker 3: I try to work with them, right, you know what 707 00:41:46,560 --> 00:41:49,960 Speaker 3: I mean, that's the idea, and not tell them how 708 00:41:50,000 --> 00:41:52,000 Speaker 3: to do it, but just let them do what they 709 00:41:52,080 --> 00:41:55,759 Speaker 3: do and work together to try and just you know, 710 00:41:55,880 --> 00:41:57,080 Speaker 3: make the music happen. 711 00:41:57,239 --> 00:42:03,799 Speaker 1: Yeah, drummer Steve Gadd, if you're enjoying this conversation, don't 712 00:42:03,840 --> 00:42:07,160 Speaker 1: keep it to yourself, Tell a friend and follow Here's 713 00:42:07,200 --> 00:42:11,319 Speaker 1: the thing on the iHeartRadio app, Spotify or wherever you 714 00:42:11,400 --> 00:42:15,240 Speaker 1: get your podcasts. When we come back, Steve Gadd shares 715 00:42:15,520 --> 00:42:33,000 Speaker 1: how his inescapable talent spared him from serving in Vietnam. 716 00:42:33,280 --> 00:43:00,640 Speaker 1: I'm Alec Baldwin and this is here's the thing. That's 717 00:43:00,880 --> 00:43:04,080 Speaker 1: Steve Gadd and the Gad Gang performing the song Little 718 00:43:04,160 --> 00:43:08,040 Speaker 1: Brother live in nineteen eighty eight. Gadd co wrote the 719 00:43:08,120 --> 00:43:11,960 Speaker 1: song with Richard T. Steve Gadd was a bit of 720 00:43:11,960 --> 00:43:15,120 Speaker 1: a musical prodigy when he picked up his instrument at 721 00:43:15,160 --> 00:43:19,520 Speaker 1: the ripe age of four. By eleven, he had played 722 00:43:19,560 --> 00:43:23,359 Speaker 1: with the likes of bandleader Dizzy Gillespie. I wanted to 723 00:43:23,400 --> 00:43:26,400 Speaker 1: know how he came to sit in with the legendary 724 00:43:26,440 --> 00:43:29,640 Speaker 1: trumpeter at such a young age. 725 00:43:29,760 --> 00:43:32,799 Speaker 3: Yeah, let me tell you. In Rochester when I was 726 00:43:32,840 --> 00:43:35,000 Speaker 3: growing up there was a lot of music going on, 727 00:43:35,920 --> 00:43:39,960 Speaker 3: and there was this club called the Ridgecrest in a 728 00:43:40,000 --> 00:43:44,520 Speaker 3: small little club, and they brought in Gene Kruper, k Winding, 729 00:43:44,880 --> 00:43:50,040 Speaker 3: Dizzy Gillespie, Carmen McCrae, Wow. And they used to have 730 00:43:50,600 --> 00:43:53,560 Speaker 3: Sunday afternoon matines you know what I mean, like from 731 00:43:53,880 --> 00:43:57,880 Speaker 3: like four to six, and you know sometimes they'd let 732 00:43:57,920 --> 00:44:02,160 Speaker 3: people sit in and the matinees and you know, the 733 00:44:02,280 --> 00:44:05,279 Speaker 3: artists were so gracious they'd let us kids sit in. 734 00:44:05,920 --> 00:44:08,680 Speaker 3: You know, we were kids, We were hungry to you know, 735 00:44:08,880 --> 00:44:11,719 Speaker 3: I got a chance to see Gene Krupa and sit 736 00:44:11,800 --> 00:44:16,520 Speaker 3: in with them. Growing up in that atmosphere was tremendous. 737 00:44:16,960 --> 00:44:20,080 Speaker 1: And there's a scene then in Rochester because people forget 738 00:44:20,400 --> 00:44:24,320 Speaker 1: that when Kodak was humming, when everything was film, Rochester 739 00:44:24,440 --> 00:44:25,560 Speaker 1: was a very important city. 740 00:44:25,680 --> 00:44:31,320 Speaker 3: You know, it was booming, Kodak, Xerox, bauschan Lam, general dynamics. 741 00:44:31,480 --> 00:44:34,320 Speaker 3: You know, there was a lot going on. There was 742 00:44:34,360 --> 00:44:36,399 Speaker 3: a lot of music, a lot of clubs, a lot 743 00:44:36,400 --> 00:44:40,680 Speaker 3: of music. And this one club brought in the big 744 00:44:40,760 --> 00:44:45,839 Speaker 3: names like Dizzy. And because we frequented the place, the 745 00:44:45,880 --> 00:44:49,319 Speaker 3: owner of the club would you know, introduce the families 746 00:44:49,320 --> 00:44:52,239 Speaker 3: to the artists and you know, let them know that 747 00:44:52,280 --> 00:44:55,280 Speaker 3: these kids are serious, you know what I mean. And 748 00:44:55,640 --> 00:45:00,160 Speaker 3: Chuck's parents would invite Dizzy and the band over to 749 00:45:00,239 --> 00:45:03,920 Speaker 3: our house for spaghetti and stuff. So it was you know, 750 00:45:04,239 --> 00:45:08,120 Speaker 3: and and in those days they were the same bands 751 00:45:08,120 --> 00:45:11,200 Speaker 3: would come back in, you know, like they so you'd 752 00:45:11,200 --> 00:45:14,360 Speaker 3: get to know him. That was that was the circuit, 753 00:45:14,400 --> 00:45:16,880 Speaker 3: you know. There were no big venues back then, you know. 754 00:45:17,960 --> 00:45:21,520 Speaker 3: And Dizzy gave Chucky a trumpet, you know, one a 755 00:45:21,560 --> 00:45:25,040 Speaker 3: trumpet with the bell that went up, and Art Blakey 756 00:45:25,160 --> 00:45:30,000 Speaker 3: gave me a symbol. You know. One time, Papa Joe 757 00:45:30,080 --> 00:45:35,960 Speaker 3: Jones was playing at the club with Tommy Bryant and 758 00:45:35,960 --> 00:45:40,279 Speaker 3: his brother Ray Bryant playing bass, and something happened in 759 00:45:40,360 --> 00:45:43,520 Speaker 3: New York to Pop with Joe Jones, kid got in 760 00:45:43,560 --> 00:45:46,600 Speaker 3: an accident or something, so he had to leave, and 761 00:45:46,960 --> 00:45:50,280 Speaker 3: the owner of the club called my parents and asked 762 00:45:50,280 --> 00:45:53,279 Speaker 3: if I could go in and play the night with 763 00:45:54,080 --> 00:45:57,600 Speaker 3: Tommy and Ray Bryant. Man, it was like I was, 764 00:45:57,800 --> 00:46:00,000 Speaker 3: you know, maybe I was like eleven or twelve years 765 00:46:00,040 --> 00:46:03,280 Speaker 3: years old, but you know, it was unbelievable. 766 00:46:04,000 --> 00:46:06,279 Speaker 1: Now were you excited when you were told you were 767 00:46:06,280 --> 00:46:08,560 Speaker 1: relieved of combat duty, so you could play the drums 768 00:46:08,560 --> 00:46:09,680 Speaker 1: for three years in the army. 769 00:46:10,400 --> 00:46:13,640 Speaker 3: Well, you know, in those years, if you weren't in 770 00:46:13,680 --> 00:46:16,520 Speaker 3: college or had some kind of deferment, you were going 771 00:46:16,600 --> 00:46:19,759 Speaker 3: to end up in Vietnam in the jungle, was Yeah, 772 00:46:20,480 --> 00:46:25,680 Speaker 3: And so a lot of guys in music in music college. 773 00:46:25,840 --> 00:46:31,040 Speaker 3: During the last year all I did, my teacher, John Beck, 774 00:46:31,360 --> 00:46:34,040 Speaker 3: hooked me up with an audition for the Army Field 775 00:46:34,120 --> 00:46:38,200 Speaker 3: Band in Fort Mead, Maryland, and I was accepted. And 776 00:46:38,520 --> 00:46:40,879 Speaker 3: you know, so you go to basic training and then 777 00:46:40,920 --> 00:46:44,799 Speaker 3: you report for duty at Fort Mead and you're in 778 00:46:44,840 --> 00:46:47,719 Speaker 3: the States for the whole time. We were the you know, 779 00:46:47,800 --> 00:46:51,680 Speaker 3: official touring band for the Army in those years, and 780 00:46:51,719 --> 00:46:55,719 Speaker 3: we you know, drive across the States and do concerts 781 00:46:55,719 --> 00:46:58,880 Speaker 3: at different high schools, you know, trying to you know, 782 00:46:59,040 --> 00:47:02,319 Speaker 3: just promote the Army forces. And so yeah, I was. 783 00:47:02,480 --> 00:47:05,040 Speaker 3: I knew I wasn't going to have to if I 784 00:47:05,080 --> 00:47:06,840 Speaker 3: took the Army gig, I wasn't going to have to 785 00:47:06,880 --> 00:47:08,200 Speaker 3: go to Vietnam. 786 00:47:08,080 --> 00:47:10,440 Speaker 1: Right, So you played your ass off. 787 00:47:11,200 --> 00:47:13,840 Speaker 3: Yeah, I played my ass off. But I when I graduated, 788 00:47:14,640 --> 00:47:16,640 Speaker 3: I waited to see if I was going to get 789 00:47:16,640 --> 00:47:20,239 Speaker 3: my draft papers because the Army Field Band said I 790 00:47:20,280 --> 00:47:26,000 Speaker 3: had till October to enlist, you know, and I graduated 791 00:47:26,000 --> 00:47:30,799 Speaker 3: in June and July I got my draft papers, so 792 00:47:30,920 --> 00:47:34,560 Speaker 3: I just you know, they said, I just enlisted before 793 00:47:34,600 --> 00:47:37,280 Speaker 3: I was supposed to report for the draft and avoided, 794 00:47:37,520 --> 00:47:39,120 Speaker 3: you know, going to Vietnam. 795 00:47:39,760 --> 00:47:44,160 Speaker 1: Now, modern music, contemporary music for you when you want 796 00:47:44,160 --> 00:47:46,719 Speaker 1: to lay down and just sit back and you know, 797 00:47:47,719 --> 00:47:50,640 Speaker 1: stare at the rainstorm. What's the music that comforts you. 798 00:47:51,040 --> 00:47:52,280 Speaker 1: What's the music you enjoy. 799 00:47:53,200 --> 00:47:57,720 Speaker 3: I used to like to put on Stevie Wonder songs 800 00:47:57,760 --> 00:48:02,600 Speaker 3: in the Kia Life, Little Feet, Leon Russell, you know, 801 00:48:03,840 --> 00:48:06,520 Speaker 3: Delaney and Bonnie Ray, Charles. 802 00:48:07,719 --> 00:48:09,640 Speaker 1: I'm like, give me Nat King Cole. 803 00:48:09,840 --> 00:48:12,399 Speaker 3: Oh, Nat King Cole. Well, I love Nat King Call. 804 00:48:12,480 --> 00:48:15,920 Speaker 3: I love Louis Armstrong. I listened to a lot of 805 00:48:15,920 --> 00:48:18,360 Speaker 3: the old things. Man. They mean a lot to me. 806 00:48:18,440 --> 00:48:22,319 Speaker 3: And they always they always get me. They always get me. 807 00:48:22,480 --> 00:48:24,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, they always get you. Well, listen, let me just 808 00:48:24,880 --> 00:48:27,160 Speaker 1: say this to you. I want to say thank you. 809 00:48:27,160 --> 00:48:30,560 Speaker 1: You are so humble, You are so you have so 810 00:48:30,680 --> 00:48:34,200 Speaker 1: much humility, and you go online and you read about you. 811 00:48:34,640 --> 00:48:37,680 Speaker 1: My god, everybody you got all these guys who are 812 00:48:37,719 --> 00:48:40,359 Speaker 1: like drum freaks. And music and they're going. Now, let 813 00:48:40,360 --> 00:48:43,160 Speaker 1: me show you this thing that Steve Gadd did and 814 00:48:43,239 --> 00:48:46,520 Speaker 1: you would never know it from how sweet and how 815 00:48:46,840 --> 00:48:49,239 Speaker 1: kind you've been in this interview. I'm very grateful to you. 816 00:48:49,920 --> 00:48:52,600 Speaker 3: Well, I was excited to do this, man, thanks for 817 00:48:52,640 --> 00:48:54,000 Speaker 3: having me. I appreciate it. 818 00:48:57,719 --> 00:49:01,600 Speaker 1: My thanks to Steve Gadd and Larry. I'll leave you 819 00:49:01,640 --> 00:49:05,240 Speaker 1: with a little more of Larry Carlton's brilliance on Steely 820 00:49:05,360 --> 00:49:08,600 Speaker 1: Dan's Don't Take Me Alive. I'm Alec Baldwin. Here's the 821 00:49:08,640 --> 00:49:15,560 Speaker 1: thing is brought to you by iHeart Radio imp Sun. 822 00:49:16,680 --> 00:49:24,160 Speaker 1: I don't want no where. Cross my old man Bacon agone. 823 00:49:24,400 --> 00:49:35,200 Speaker 1: Don't take me alive. I can hold down here all. 824 00:49:36,800 --> 00:49:39,880 Speaker 4: Yes, I cross my own man on. 825 00:49:40,239 --> 00:49:44,200 Speaker 2: Don't take me alive, don't 826 00:49:44,320 --> 00:49:45,360 Speaker 1: Pay me alive.