WEBVTT - QLS Classic: Greg Phillinganes Part 1 0:00:00.480 --> 0:00:04.240 Quest Love Supreme is a production of iHeartRadio. This classic 0:00:04.280 --> 0:00:05.000 episode was. 0:00:04.920 --> 0:00:09.320 Produced by the team at Pandora Ladies and Gentlemen. This 0:00:09.440 --> 0:00:12.320 QLs classic we're about to present is one of my 0:00:12.480 --> 0:00:13.800 personal favorites. 0:00:14.040 --> 0:00:16.479 That's writing my personal favorites. You know. 0:00:16.480 --> 0:00:18.040 I always say, if you want to know about your 0:00:18.040 --> 0:00:20.040 favorite artists, you kind of got to get in with 0:00:20.079 --> 0:00:23.200 their circle. Well, this Great Film Games episode is an 0:00:23.239 --> 0:00:27.520 amazing example. His Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, and Quincy Jones 0:00:27.560 --> 0:00:31.920 stories are gold, solid gold. This is one of my 0:00:32.280 --> 0:00:37.200 top ten of all time QLs episodes. It's funny, informative, 0:00:37.479 --> 0:00:41.800 dramatic and amazing. Here it is the Great Filling Games 0:00:42.120 --> 0:00:43.960 QLs classic Part one. 0:00:44.440 --> 0:00:52.199 All right, here we go Hit It one two three, sub. 0:00:52.080 --> 0:01:00.840 Premo, sub Bramo, Subprema Sun Sun, Subprema Role Call Son 0:01:01.080 --> 0:01:06.640 Son Supremo, Role called Supreme, So Supremeo. 0:01:06.240 --> 0:01:10.759 Roll Games is the man. Yeah, HiT's on the shelf. Yeah, 0:01:10.840 --> 0:01:13.080 but on Michaels, don't stop to getting up? Yeah, did 0:01:13.080 --> 0:01:14.240 that bridge is right itself? 0:01:15.520 --> 0:01:22.800 Supreme Sun, Supreme Roll Call Suprema Son Sun Supremo Roll Called. 0:01:22.880 --> 0:01:26.800 My name is Fante. Yeah, and I'm a winner. Yeah. 0:01:26.840 --> 0:01:30.080 With filling gangs. Yeah, now let it simmer. 0:01:31.480 --> 0:01:38.720 Supre Supremo roll call Supremo, Supremo roll call. 0:01:38.840 --> 0:01:42.600 My name is Sugar. Yeah, I got the sugars. Yeah, 0:01:42.680 --> 0:01:44.080 I'm having significant pains. 0:01:44.400 --> 0:01:49.360 Yeah, but I'm making significant games. 0:01:49.360 --> 0:01:54.520 Supremo roll call, Supreme Son Son Supremo. 0:01:54.080 --> 0:01:58.640 Roll call Sunshine Yeah moonlight. 0:01:58.320 --> 0:02:05.800 Yeah good Yeah, blame it on Supreme Son Son Supreme 0:02:07.240 --> 0:02:12.679 Suprema Son Son Supremo roll like yeah, yeah. 0:02:12.880 --> 0:02:17.120 I can't help it. Yeah, Greg, Yeah, the reason you 0:02:17.200 --> 0:02:17.880 felt it? 0:02:18.520 --> 0:02:23.800 Call Supreme Son said Rome Suprema. 0:02:24.440 --> 0:02:25.040 Why you're around? 0:02:25.919 --> 0:02:26.160 Wow? 0:02:26.400 --> 0:02:27.680 Called my name is Greg. 0:02:28.160 --> 0:02:31.760 Yeah, I'm with a mir Yeah, but I can't believe, 0:02:32.280 --> 0:02:33.600 Yeah that he's right here. 0:02:35.240 --> 0:02:41.799 Supprema Son some Supremo role came Subprema Son Son Supremo 0:02:42.000 --> 0:02:45.720 role called Suprema Son Son Supremo. 0:02:45.919 --> 0:02:53.839 Roll called Suprema something some Supreme roll call. Yes, Yes, 0:02:54.000 --> 0:02:57.440 I am right here. Wow, what's up? Y'all? Welcome to 0:02:58.400 --> 0:02:59.760 another episode of Quest Love. 0:03:00.000 --> 0:03:03.359 I mean, we are live at United Recording Studios, the 0:03:03.440 --> 0:03:06.720 legendary United Recording Studios. I believe that this is where 0:03:07.200 --> 0:03:09.880 Frank Sinatra and many a. 0:03:12.360 --> 0:03:14.320 Yeah, this Man's World recorded here too. 0:03:14.400 --> 0:03:17.080 The other room here here yes, yes, we're in the legendary, 0:03:17.200 --> 0:03:18.919 legendary United Recording sten. 0:03:20.680 --> 0:03:24.239 I'm just let the QLs listeners know that our guest 0:03:24.320 --> 0:03:29.320 today always always accuses me of putting my nerdom for 0:03:30.040 --> 0:03:35.320 useless music trivia information ahead of our friendship. Absolutely, so 0:03:35.640 --> 0:03:37.960 I will start off before I even start the the 0:03:38.680 --> 0:03:42.560 the introductions, I will just start with Greg filling games. 0:03:42.560 --> 0:03:43.240 How are you? Then? 0:03:44.160 --> 0:03:46.200 I mean, I'm just fine, And it's so good to 0:03:46.280 --> 0:03:48.600 see you at the beginning of twenty eighteen. 0:03:48.800 --> 0:03:50.680 Yes, it's great to see too, all right, So, ladies 0:03:50.680 --> 0:03:52.560 and gentlemen, welcome to the quest Siphony. 0:03:54.560 --> 0:03:57.240 Our guest today is one. 0:03:57.120 --> 0:04:03.280 Of the heaviest heavyweights of musicians and producers and arrangers. 0:04:03.720 --> 0:04:07.440 This is the man that you call when you want 0:04:08.480 --> 0:04:12.760 the special sauce or as Marlon Jackson said, now it's soup. 0:04:14.160 --> 0:04:16.360 I've never heard that served my life, but he said, 0:04:16.880 --> 0:04:18.280 we got we got. 0:04:18.200 --> 0:04:22.479 Filling Games involved. Yeah, now it's soup. Wow, he said that. Yes, 0:04:22.560 --> 0:04:23.000 he said that. 0:04:23.200 --> 0:04:24.480 He says a lot of wacky things. 0:04:24.760 --> 0:04:28.080 Well, I kind of understood what he meant. And you know, 0:04:28.240 --> 0:04:31.320 your your your presence on you know when you read 0:04:32.120 --> 0:04:32.440 some of. 0:04:32.520 --> 0:04:37.440 Our our favorite records and and and productions of of 0:04:37.680 --> 0:04:41.720 the last forty years. Your name is always involved on 0:04:41.880 --> 0:04:45.720 some of the most life changing albums that we've experienced, 0:04:46.000 --> 0:04:49.200 and we want to welcome Greg filling Games to of course, 0:04:51.680 --> 0:04:52.560 you know why I love you. 0:04:52.800 --> 0:04:59.120 Mayor because you're you're such an intense nerd about this 0:05:00.120 --> 0:05:03.640 curator of this, but you're you're keeping the history alive. 0:05:03.760 --> 0:05:07.320 But you're doing it in the creepiest way possible. 0:05:07.400 --> 0:05:09.840 No no, no, no, no, no no, no, seriously, all 0:05:09.920 --> 0:05:13.640 jokes aside, you're doing it in in the absolute best 0:05:13.680 --> 0:05:17.120 way possible. You're you're making it fun. You're using your 0:05:17.160 --> 0:05:22.080 platform from your celebrity to do this. And I for one, 0:05:22.160 --> 0:05:25.960 really appreciate because I don't get out very often these 0:05:26.080 --> 0:05:29.960 days because I'm older now and I have twin boys 0:05:30.040 --> 0:05:34.360 who are almost three they'll be three. That's that's a 0:05:34.400 --> 0:05:37.440 whole and my twelve year old daughter. But but you know, 0:05:38.279 --> 0:05:40.400 I'm I'm older now, and you know, it's it's a 0:05:40.480 --> 0:05:42.200 new day and it's a new world out there, and 0:05:42.440 --> 0:05:44.120 you know, I'm just trying to stay with it. 0:05:44.200 --> 0:05:45.679 So I appreciate. 0:05:45.720 --> 0:05:49.760 But the thing is is that you've you've made some 0:05:49.839 --> 0:05:53.400 of the best graffiti that will never ever be replaced 0:05:53.440 --> 0:05:57.160 no matter what. And yeah, and even if people don't know, 0:05:57.800 --> 0:06:02.440 like it's it's there, like it's no racing the history. 0:06:02.640 --> 0:06:05.120 Well it's I've been very, very blessed in that way. 0:06:05.240 --> 0:06:08.000 And it's true. I've always said, you know, my whole career, 0:06:08.080 --> 0:06:10.360 those that know no and those that don't don't, And 0:06:10.440 --> 0:06:15.360 it's fine with me. And actually I kind of preferred 0:06:15.400 --> 0:06:17.920 that way because I love. This happens to me all 0:06:17.960 --> 0:06:19.320 the time. You know, I'll be talking to someone who 0:06:19.360 --> 0:06:20.680 has no clue of who I am, right, and they 0:06:21.080 --> 0:06:23.680 so you play, you play, you're you're a musician. 0:06:23.760 --> 0:06:27.040 I go, yeah, oh what do you play? Keyboards? Oh? 0:06:28.400 --> 0:06:29.000 You in the band? 0:06:29.279 --> 0:06:30.799 I said, well, I've been in a couple of bands, 0:06:30.839 --> 0:06:35.080 but you know, and I mean, I just I loved it. 0:06:35.320 --> 0:06:37.560 And I have this I have this thing playing in 0:06:37.680 --> 0:06:40.480 my head. Like I was at this incredible museum the 0:06:40.520 --> 0:06:42.799 other day called another cup museum. It's over in Silmar, 0:06:43.360 --> 0:06:49.159 and the curator of all these incredible musical instruments actually 0:06:49.160 --> 0:06:51.520 a mirror. You should see it because it's unbelievable and 0:06:52.120 --> 0:06:55.040 and he one of the things on display was was 0:06:55.160 --> 0:06:58.040 an actual gramophone. And I mentioned to the guy, I said, well, 0:06:58.040 --> 0:07:01.320 you know, you can explain to the to the to 0:07:01.440 --> 0:07:05.800 the tourists there that gramophone is you know where where 0:07:05.920 --> 0:07:08.080 the term Grammy came from? You know, the Grammy Awards, 0:07:08.120 --> 0:07:10.240 you know is Yeah, you're absolutely right, he says, you 0:07:10.360 --> 0:07:11.200 ever been to the Grammys? 0:07:11.320 --> 0:07:11.920 It's really fun. 0:07:12.560 --> 0:07:14.440 And so I have this thing when I get asked 0:07:14.440 --> 0:07:18.120 a question like that, this this this vision runs through 0:07:18.160 --> 0:07:20.520 my mind of like, you know, different times that I've 0:07:20.640 --> 0:07:23.960 mded the Grammys, like you know, like for the segment 0:07:24.080 --> 0:07:26.640 or the segment, and so these things go through my 0:07:26.720 --> 0:07:31.040 head before I answer the question, going yes, I've been 0:07:31.120 --> 0:07:33.600 there a few times, but I never explained that. But 0:07:33.720 --> 0:07:35.040 I just go, yeah, I've been a few times, and 0:07:35.080 --> 0:07:36.360 it's hysterical. 0:07:35.920 --> 0:07:38.800 You acknowledge it because I'm just trying to throw off 0:07:38.800 --> 0:07:40.480 the set, like yeah, hear that a lot. 0:07:40.600 --> 0:07:43.520 But now well sometimes I do that too, you know. 0:07:43.680 --> 0:07:47.320 But it's it's always fun engaging in those conversations and 0:07:47.400 --> 0:07:49.400 still leaving the people not having a clue ifore I am. 0:07:49.480 --> 0:07:52.240 I love that. No, but you never been like yo, 0:07:52.480 --> 0:07:54.120 you're that intro and we are the world. 0:07:55.040 --> 0:08:00.200 Yeah no, no, no, no, okay, no, so something are 0:08:00.240 --> 0:08:00.880 better left? 0:08:01.640 --> 0:08:04.400 Actually you're you're my favorite type of person to interview 0:08:04.440 --> 0:08:10.160 because often you said that the other night. But I'm 0:08:10.160 --> 0:08:13.320 gonna say what's weird is that often when people are 0:08:13.640 --> 0:08:18.280 in the eye of the storm or inside the tornado, 0:08:18.800 --> 0:08:22.240 they really can't give you a good perspective. And I'm 0:08:22.280 --> 0:08:25.960 saying that he has great stories. But for me, in 0:08:26.240 --> 0:08:29.840 talking to engineers is way better than talking. 0:08:29.640 --> 0:08:33.599 To like the guy. Yeah, like I'd rather talk to Susan. 0:08:33.440 --> 0:08:36.680 Rogers about Prince's work habits than Prince himself. 0:08:36.679 --> 0:08:37.080 You know what I mean. 0:08:37.120 --> 0:08:40.199 That's okay, right, because you'll get that, Yeah, you'll get 0:08:40.240 --> 0:08:44.000 a different times exactly. And I feel as though you're 0:08:44.400 --> 0:08:51.160 probably the best eyewitness to some crazy historic shit. I 0:08:51.240 --> 0:08:53.120 mean just between songs in the Key of Life and 0:08:54.200 --> 0:08:57.559 Thriller and I mean the list stop right there, like 0:08:58.760 --> 0:08:59.800 the average person's whole. 0:09:01.200 --> 0:09:05.880 Yeah, I'll give you that. So where you originally from Detroit? 0:09:06.760 --> 0:09:07.319 You're from the D. 0:09:07.720 --> 0:09:11.640 I'm from the D east side or west side. Well, 0:09:11.760 --> 0:09:14.000 it started in Highland, like you know, listen. 0:09:16.760 --> 0:09:19.520 Some of you know some of my my key records 0:09:19.559 --> 0:09:21.040 were created in Detroit as well. 0:09:21.200 --> 0:09:24.400 I'm a lover of Detroit, Okay, but I know that 0:09:24.559 --> 0:09:29.360 people from the West Side sometimes front and tell me 0:09:30.120 --> 0:09:32.800 east side for some credibility, right, so I wanted to 0:09:32.840 --> 0:09:33.839 know where you east side or west? 0:09:33.960 --> 0:09:35.280 Well, first of all, I don't need credit. 0:09:37.440 --> 0:09:39.319 See I already know your west side because you didn't 0:09:39.320 --> 0:09:40.320 even say what up though. 0:09:40.200 --> 0:09:46.000 To No, No, Actually I started in Highland Park if 0:09:46.040 --> 0:09:50.319 you know that, which virtually doesn't exist anymore. And then 0:09:50.320 --> 0:09:55.840 I moved to the northwest side by eight mile. Okay, 0:09:56.080 --> 0:10:00.880 all right, I see, So you're you're, you're your your 0:10:00.920 --> 0:10:01.959 credigenous are still there? 0:10:02.000 --> 0:10:07.040 You're in there side. Note when you read the purple 0:10:07.160 --> 0:10:11.280 ring uh liner notes, Prince actually gives. 0:10:11.160 --> 0:10:11.560 A what up? 0:10:11.640 --> 0:10:16.600 Though, Oh yeah, really he gives what up to Billy 0:10:16.640 --> 0:10:19.840 Sparks from Detroit from Detroit, So. 0:10:23.520 --> 0:10:27.240 Are you as far as your your your era or 0:10:27.280 --> 0:10:30.240 your your period of growing up. We've also interviewed Ray 0:10:30.280 --> 0:10:33.320 Parker Jr. On the show, So lord, how did how 0:10:33.360 --> 0:10:33.679 did that go? 0:10:34.040 --> 0:10:38.720 Amazing? How did you manage to leave? Because we didn't 0:10:38.720 --> 0:10:39.160 want to? No. 0:10:39.240 --> 0:10:41.199 One loves talking about themselves more than. 0:10:46.160 --> 0:10:47.120 I love Ray. 0:10:47.160 --> 0:10:50.040 But he knows, he knows what it's like. You know, 0:10:50.320 --> 0:10:52.000 you sit him down and you want to hear more 0:10:52.000 --> 0:10:55.559 about me. Great, later that same week, you want to 0:10:55.600 --> 0:10:59.000 hear more he makes it entertaining, but he basically said 0:10:59.040 --> 0:11:03.600 that for or from Stevie's Music of My Mind period 0:11:03.760 --> 0:11:08.160 up until fulfilling this first finale, he basically wanted, you know. 0:11:08.720 --> 0:11:12.520 All Detroit Cats and his crew as his band. 0:11:13.280 --> 0:11:15.520 And I didn't know if that was just a preference 0:11:15.600 --> 0:11:18.680 of the something water in Detroit or he just wanted 0:11:18.679 --> 0:11:21.000 to make sure that all the homeboys on the block 0:11:21.080 --> 0:11:22.439 got gigs or that sort of thing. 0:11:23.080 --> 0:11:27.640 But you're incigdnifically younger, though, So how you come to 0:11:27.920 --> 0:11:28.480 his attention? 0:11:28.720 --> 0:11:34.920 I don't Oh really, you don't know the story. Okay, Well, 0:11:35.080 --> 0:11:37.480 settle back and I'll tell you the whole thing. 0:11:37.720 --> 0:11:38.440 Yes, that's what we. 0:11:38.440 --> 0:11:43.120 Want fire hats with well, Uncle Greg, but Uncle Greg, Yeah, Well, 0:11:43.240 --> 0:11:45.679 hello kids, let me tell you about So this is 0:11:45.720 --> 0:11:50.319 what happened. It's a year after I graduated. I'm in Detroit. 0:11:52.160 --> 0:11:55.480 I graduated high school, which was cast Tech in nineteen 0:11:55.559 --> 0:12:01.440 and seventy four, and I was very excited and very 0:12:01.520 --> 0:12:06.000 much looking forward to going to college because you know. 0:12:06.200 --> 0:12:07.480 That's just what you did. 0:12:07.600 --> 0:12:09.920 And I, you know, it was like straight out of 0:12:10.000 --> 0:12:13.000 the Charlie Brown comics. I got my little Joe cool 0:12:13.720 --> 0:12:16.280 briefcase and I was like, I'm going to college. I 0:12:16.360 --> 0:12:22.520 went to Wayne State, and I gradually just started sucking 0:12:24.200 --> 0:12:27.679 at everything, even the even the subjects I liked, Like 0:12:27.760 --> 0:12:30.800 I really liked psychology sucking. 0:12:31.080 --> 0:12:32.320 Wait, you were there for music. 0:12:32.840 --> 0:12:34.480 It was a Liberal arts. I took a Liberal Arts 0:12:34.520 --> 0:12:38.240 because I was lazy and I didn't want to, you know, anything. 0:12:38.280 --> 0:12:40.199 So I took a liberal arts course and one of 0:12:40.280 --> 0:12:44.040 the courses was psychology. And I was really into it. 0:12:44.120 --> 0:12:46.560 But I sucked. I just could not get it together, 0:12:46.600 --> 0:12:48.679 you know. And so I remember telling my mom that, 0:12:49.640 --> 0:12:51.800 you know, college just wasn't working out, and she says, well, 0:12:51.880 --> 0:12:56.960 you know, just give it another chance and and see 0:12:57.000 --> 0:12:59.199 what happens. And I was gaining a lot of notoriety 0:12:59.240 --> 0:13:04.560 in Detroit from playing in a couple of different bands 0:13:04.880 --> 0:13:11.400 fairly regularly and playing around town. And I absolutely idolized 0:13:11.480 --> 0:13:17.400 Steve Steve, you know, the whole I had posters of 0:13:17.480 --> 0:13:21.040 him in my bedroom all and I really internalized, I 0:13:21.160 --> 0:13:27.319 really absorbed his music. I was to his music what 0:13:27.480 --> 0:13:30.959 you are to music in general. I mean I just 0:13:32.360 --> 0:13:37.880 nerd it out, but not in a cerebral way like you, 0:13:39.480 --> 0:13:45.679 more of an organic, spiritual musical way, you know. And 0:13:45.800 --> 0:13:53.280 I mean I really connected with with his approach musically 0:13:54.520 --> 0:13:57.760 and vocally, even though I was really shy about singing. 0:13:57.800 --> 0:13:59.480 I would sing with him in the shower or whatever, 0:13:59.559 --> 0:14:04.600 you know. And you know, I was just mesmerized by 0:14:05.120 --> 0:14:08.200 by his covers of other things, his arrangement. I mean, 0:14:08.240 --> 0:14:10.720 how do you go from v in my way? 0:14:11.760 --> 0:14:15.560 Blame want to uh? You know, we can't work it out. 0:14:16.400 --> 0:14:24.960 We don't work it out. I mean, who does that? 0:14:25.600 --> 0:14:30.360 And not to not to mention the who does that 0:14:30.880 --> 0:14:34.280 on a clavinet? So I was mesmerized, right. I remember 0:14:34.360 --> 0:14:37.760 telling friends of mine in high school that I would 0:14:37.800 --> 0:14:41.400 eventually play with Stevie wonder I don't know why I 0:14:41.440 --> 0:14:44.560 did that. I don't know where that came from. Well, 0:14:44.560 --> 0:14:47.760 actually I do it came from the Lord, because he 0:14:48.680 --> 0:14:51.240 put that dream in me and I and I remember 0:14:51.400 --> 0:14:53.960 just spewing it out, like telling people I was gonna 0:14:53.960 --> 0:14:54.160 play with. 0:14:54.320 --> 0:14:55.080 So here's what happened. 0:14:56.880 --> 0:15:00.880 A dear, dear, dear friend of mine who's a drummer 0:15:01.960 --> 0:15:05.720 was asked to audition for Steve in New York by 0:15:05.800 --> 0:15:10.200 a former band member by a former Wonderland band member. 0:15:10.280 --> 0:15:14.680 He got to my friend and asked and asked him 0:15:14.680 --> 0:15:17.560 if he'd be interested in auditioning for Stevie in New York, 0:15:17.640 --> 0:15:21.120 So the obvious answer was yes. The night before he left, 0:15:21.400 --> 0:15:23.240 the night before my friend left, I went to see 0:15:23.280 --> 0:15:30.440 him because I was just so thrilled for him, and 0:15:30.920 --> 0:15:33.040 you know, he's packing, and you know, we're talking and 0:15:33.120 --> 0:15:36.000 we're all excited and everything. But he insisted that I 0:15:37.200 --> 0:15:42.560 play some things on a cassette and he would give 0:15:42.600 --> 0:15:45.120 that cassette to Steve. This is the kind of friend 0:15:45.160 --> 0:15:48.920 he was, so he insisted I do this. So I 0:15:49.000 --> 0:15:51.360 played some things, but I played I remember one of 0:15:51.400 --> 0:15:53.120 the things I played was you are the Sunshine of 0:15:53.200 --> 0:15:56.360 My Life, but I played it the same way he 0:15:56.520 --> 0:15:58.280 did on the record, to kind of let him know 0:15:58.760 --> 0:16:02.520 I understand, spoke to how you're right, how he thinks. 0:16:02.840 --> 0:16:07.120 And I played some other things, including sun. 0:16:06.960 --> 0:16:10.800 Goddess, I remember playing it, and I played like maybe 0:16:10.840 --> 0:16:13.160 one or two other things, and then he my friend 0:16:13.240 --> 0:16:16.960 took the cassette and flew to New York the next day, 0:16:18.160 --> 0:16:21.240 and it seemed like time stopped. I don't know how 0:16:21.320 --> 0:16:25.080 long he was there, but I remember, uh, one day, 0:16:25.840 --> 0:16:29.760 maybe two three days later, my friend called me early 0:16:29.760 --> 0:16:30.680 in the morning and said. 0:16:30.520 --> 0:16:34.240 Stevie wonderwats to see you in New York today? Wow? 0:16:35.920 --> 0:16:40.240 Exactly. So I'm running around the house screaming like a banshie. 0:16:42.400 --> 0:16:44.560 My mom My mom is like, you know, she's on 0:16:44.640 --> 0:16:46.320 her way to work. You know, she was working at 0:16:46.360 --> 0:16:49.280 a hospital. I said, director of nurses, And she said, but. 0:16:49.320 --> 0:16:52.080 What's the matter with you? What did you do it? 0:16:52.920 --> 0:16:57.960 So I so She's like, well, just bring clean underwear, 0:17:00.760 --> 0:17:03.800 no matter what, no matter how bad of an accident 0:17:03.880 --> 0:17:06.560 you get. If you die, the first thing your mother's 0:17:06.600 --> 0:17:09.600 gonna ask was his under the work or then he stands. 0:17:10.800 --> 0:17:15.800 That's all they want to know. So now, but I'm 0:17:15.880 --> 0:17:18.160 asked to go to New York that day, but I'm 0:17:18.200 --> 0:17:21.919 also asked to stop by Stevie's house to pick up 0:17:21.960 --> 0:17:25.800 one of his brothers. So now I'm sitting inside Stevie 0:17:25.840 --> 0:17:28.480 Wonders and I knew where he lived. There were many 0:17:28.520 --> 0:17:31.080 of us that knew where he lived. But now I'm 0:17:31.119 --> 0:17:32.400 sitting inside the house. 0:17:32.240 --> 0:17:35.200 Going, Okay, well I'm just here sitting inside Stevie Wonder's house. 0:17:35.240 --> 0:17:37.399 All right, I'm just waiting for his brother, one of 0:17:37.440 --> 0:17:39.240 his brothers to come down and we're gonna go to 0:17:39.280 --> 0:17:41.679 the airport, all right, let me just absorb this right now. 0:17:42.480 --> 0:17:45.199 So Timothy comes down, we go to the airport. Now 0:17:46.480 --> 0:17:47.639 there are a few backstories. 0:17:47.720 --> 0:17:47.880 Now. 0:17:48.280 --> 0:17:50.720 The first backstory is, remember I was telling you how 0:17:50.800 --> 0:17:55.600 I was sucking in college and Mom said to give 0:17:55.640 --> 0:17:57.520 it one more try, and I remember saying to myself, 0:17:57.520 --> 0:18:00.560 all right, look, I'm gonna try this one more time, 0:18:01.880 --> 0:18:03.520 and I'm going to. 0:18:05.480 --> 0:18:06.360 If nothing. 0:18:07.600 --> 0:18:11.520 Earth shattering happens, I'll register for the spring quarter on 0:18:11.640 --> 0:18:12.760 the last data register. 0:18:14.560 --> 0:18:17.199 Okay, The day I was. 0:18:17.280 --> 0:18:19.960 Leaving for the airport to meet Stevie in New York 0:18:20.160 --> 0:18:24.840 was the final data register for the state. Look at God, 0:18:25.400 --> 0:18:29.200 And I remember being on you know, going to the 0:18:29.520 --> 0:18:32.640 metro report and it started snowing, you know, and it's 0:18:32.720 --> 0:18:38.440 just like and it was April first, on top of 0:18:38.480 --> 0:18:43.159 all that, so flat of New York. Get settled at 0:18:43.200 --> 0:18:47.119 the hotel, going to the studio. I'm sitting on pins 0:18:47.160 --> 0:18:51.359 and needles because I realized I'm about to meet my 0:18:51.520 --> 0:18:55.840 idol that i'd only seen twice in concert before, and 0:18:55.920 --> 0:18:58.680 I'm getting ready to meet this guy like face to face, 0:18:58.720 --> 0:19:00.880 and I'm sitting I'm really trying to cool. The engineer 0:19:01.000 --> 0:19:02.879 is just like, you know, we're making small talk but 0:19:02.960 --> 0:19:06.480 I'm just your hand sweating. Everything is just I'm I'm 0:19:06.640 --> 0:19:09.480 really just is this at the record play? This was 0:19:09.520 --> 0:19:12.879 at the Hit Factory, the original one okay with the 0:19:13.240 --> 0:19:14.119 one elevator and the. 0:19:14.640 --> 0:19:17.600 Street Mariah carry boysmen in the elevator there. 0:19:17.520 --> 0:19:21.800 You go and also known as the Greg Filling Gangs 0:19:21.800 --> 0:19:24.440 elevator because I have a story about that, that particular elevator. 0:19:25.080 --> 0:19:28.800 Yeah I do. It'll crack you up. But anyway, so 0:19:28.880 --> 0:19:32.359 I'm waiting on Pensilan. Finally elevated door opens, and you know, 0:19:32.480 --> 0:19:34.760 because you're you're in the studio and there's a monitor 0:19:34.840 --> 0:19:37.280 that's there's a camera this pointing at the elevator to 0:19:37.320 --> 0:19:41.119 see who goes in and out. Elevator door finally opens, 0:19:41.160 --> 0:19:42.960 in out he comes he. 0:19:43.160 --> 0:19:44.360 You know thing. 0:19:45.600 --> 0:19:48.720 His sister Rene is towing him and he just he 0:19:48.800 --> 0:19:49.199 comes in. 0:19:49.640 --> 0:19:56.480 And I go, oh my god, because you know, that's 0:19:56.480 --> 0:19:58.920 what you do. Yeah, that is what you do. 0:19:59.040 --> 0:20:04.080 You don't say, but this is what's going on. So 0:20:06.080 --> 0:20:08.720 you know, and he's coming in and so they say 0:20:08.880 --> 0:20:12.720 Steve Gregs here and so he how you doing? And 0:20:12.840 --> 0:20:17.800 that handshake, that single handshake was a thing that changed 0:20:17.840 --> 0:20:22.840 my life. We uh, from that point on, we made 0:20:22.920 --> 0:20:27.320 small talk, and you know, he actually showed me, uh 0:20:27.880 --> 0:20:32.080 an original unreleased song of his, and he wanted to 0:20:32.080 --> 0:20:34.760 see if I could play it. I see, of course, 0:20:36.240 --> 0:20:39.320 Well there's an answer for that mirror, and it was 0:20:39.480 --> 0:20:42.920 called Spring High. 0:20:43.880 --> 0:20:44.080 Oh. 0:20:44.440 --> 0:20:46.359 He ended up cutting it on Ramsey Lewis. 0:20:46.520 --> 0:20:55.960 You're good, You're good, You're good. You over there, you're good. Wow, 0:20:56.680 --> 0:20:57.960 I've seen good. You're one of them. 0:20:59.760 --> 0:21:01.840 So yes, but. 0:21:03.600 --> 0:21:05.200 You know, at some point, you know, early on he 0:21:05.240 --> 0:21:06.399 said it was going to give it to me, but 0:21:06.600 --> 0:21:10.600 you know, I'm not better because I know and love 0:21:10.720 --> 0:21:14.640 Ramsey and it was fantastic. So that's the first song 0:21:14.720 --> 0:21:19.119 I learned. How about that? That was the first one 0:21:19.160 --> 0:21:22.840 I learned, right. 0:21:24.600 --> 0:21:27.399 Come on, you know, I didn't read my credits, but 0:21:27.440 --> 0:21:30.320 I know that song very well. We have the h track, so. 0:21:31.840 --> 0:21:34.359 Okay, okay, but when you think about it, how about 0:21:34.400 --> 0:21:48.439 that chorus? He goes, right, so there, you know, Uh, 0:21:48.760 --> 0:21:51.359 too bad. I don't have a keyboard anyway, don't say that. 0:21:53.960 --> 0:21:56.880 But but yeah, So that was the first one I learned. 0:21:56.920 --> 0:22:03.159 Now that's the night of April Fools. Next day is 0:22:03.280 --> 0:22:04.439 more of the formal audition. 0:22:06.200 --> 0:22:10.000 H wait, one quick question. Yes, this is nineteen seventy five. 0:22:10.119 --> 0:22:11.399 This is nineteen seventy five. 0:22:11.320 --> 0:22:13.320 So Songs and Key Life did not come out yet. 0:22:13.720 --> 0:22:16.640 No, he was still working on it, okay, seventy five. 0:22:17.320 --> 0:22:19.520 Next day is more of the formal audition. It's between 0:22:19.640 --> 0:22:22.960 me and an older looking white guy, which I came 0:22:23.040 --> 0:22:26.360 to find out later on much later, years years later, 0:22:27.160 --> 0:22:31.880 that guy was sent to audition by Chick Korea. 0:22:32.560 --> 0:22:34.640 Wow, because Chick. 0:22:34.560 --> 0:22:38.960 Heard about Steve auditioning, and he sent this guy and 0:22:40.119 --> 0:22:42.680 wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute. His 0:22:43.119 --> 0:22:45.960 name Mike Garson. 0:22:46.760 --> 0:22:47.040 Okay. 0:22:47.240 --> 0:22:49.800 And the reason why I know this is because it 0:22:49.960 --> 0:22:53.760 was just like maybe a few years ago, this guy 0:22:54.000 --> 0:22:57.600 approached me at the Nam Show and Anaheim and said, 0:22:58.280 --> 0:23:02.240 I know you, but you may not know me. I go, Wise, 0:23:02.320 --> 0:23:06.119 it's because I'm the one that auditioned against you for 0:23:06.320 --> 0:23:08.560 Wonder Love. I go, You've got to be kidding me, 0:23:09.240 --> 0:23:11.120 Mike Garson, And he told me the whole story from 0:23:11.160 --> 0:23:12.879 his side. He told me that Chickory has sent him, 0:23:12.920 --> 0:23:14.920 and I'm like, you've got to be kidding. So I 0:23:14.960 --> 0:23:18.200 put his name, uh, you know, my contact list, and 0:23:18.880 --> 0:23:21.800 there's there's a there's a picture of us, uh you know, 0:23:21.920 --> 0:23:22.880 standing side by side. 0:23:22.920 --> 0:23:28.000 But there's another picture of me going like, you're the one, right. 0:23:28.240 --> 0:23:31.680 So so it's between between me and Mike, you know, 0:23:31.760 --> 0:23:34.240 and we're at We're at Bill's rehearsal. 0:23:34.760 --> 0:23:35.520 I remember Bill's. 0:23:36.119 --> 0:23:38.360 You don't know about that, no, okay, it was called 0:23:39.400 --> 0:23:42.879 but okay, fine, Right, So it's a place called Bill's. 0:23:42.920 --> 0:23:50.880