1 00:00:08,680 --> 00:00:12,280 Speaker 1: Welcome, Welcome, Welcome back to the Bob Leftsaids podcast. 2 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:15,800 Speaker 2: My guest today is Johnny Browers, one of the promoters 3 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 2: of the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival in nineteen sixty nine, 4 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:24,640 Speaker 2: featured in the new movie. 5 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:28,200 Speaker 1: Revival sixty nine. This, of course, was debut of John 6 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:31,640 Speaker 1: Lennon in The Plastic Ono Man. So tell me the 7 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:35,160 Speaker 1: history of putting on this concert. What was the thought 8 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:37,519 Speaker 1: forget when you get John at the end, when you 9 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:40,520 Speaker 1: initially booked the festival, what were you thinking? 10 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:43,680 Speaker 3: Well, I was thinking that Chuck Berry stole the show 11 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:47,800 Speaker 3: in June at my festival called the Toronto Pop Festival, 12 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:52,000 Speaker 3: which was the first festival of nineteen sixty nine, featuring 13 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:57,840 Speaker 3: Sly Steppenwolf, the band, Blood, Sweat and Tears, terrific artists. 14 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:02,279 Speaker 3: For two days, duck Berry had people duck walking and 15 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:08,080 Speaker 3: like just really absolutely stole the show. And that's no exaggeration. 16 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:14,120 Speaker 3: So I thought we needed a show for the fall, 17 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:16,640 Speaker 3: and I thought, why don't we get Chuck and all 18 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:20,479 Speaker 3: of the old rockers together. And of course, being a musician, 19 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:23,560 Speaker 3: I had played Chuck Berry's songs, and you know, being 20 00:01:23,560 --> 00:01:26,840 Speaker 3: a musicians sometimes you think everybody else likes all the 21 00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 3: same bands you did, and so Little Richard, Jerry Lee, Lewis, 22 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 3: Bo Diddley were available in the same day as Chuck 23 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 3: and that seemed to be an omen So it became like, Okay, 24 00:01:39,319 --> 00:01:43,280 Speaker 3: that's it, that's the rock and Roll Revival. And at 25 00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:46,920 Speaker 3: that point we started adding other artists just to fill 26 00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:50,280 Speaker 3: the bill out and got Chicago. Alice Cooper was just 27 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:53,920 Speaker 3: an afterthought because shep was our buddy and they were 28 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:56,360 Speaker 3: going to back up geene Vince and nobody had any 29 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:59,120 Speaker 3: idea they were going to launch a twenty five year career, 30 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:01,840 Speaker 3: but God bless them. I'm glad they did. I kind 31 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:04,520 Speaker 3: of think that was a milestone of the event as well. 32 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:08,160 Speaker 3: But that was the thinking, and it was thinking about 33 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:11,320 Speaker 3: doing something that you think's a good idea. But you 34 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:13,200 Speaker 3: know what, I'm sure you've had it happened to you. 35 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:15,960 Speaker 3: Sometimes you're a good idea. You go, oh wow, I 36 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:18,800 Speaker 3: thought that was a good idea, but it doesn't seem 37 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:22,000 Speaker 3: to be a good idea with the public. Nobody's buying tickets. 38 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:27,079 Speaker 2: Okay, you'd seen Chuck Berry, had you seen these other 39 00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:31,079 Speaker 2: acts perform live? Gene Vincent, Jerry Lee Lewis. 40 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:33,359 Speaker 3: No, I had never seen any of them. I had 41 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:36,360 Speaker 3: been in bands that played their songs. I had seen 42 00:02:36,760 --> 00:02:41,480 Speaker 3: them on American Bandstand or various different things, but no, 43 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:44,280 Speaker 3: not live. I never had. Just based on the way 44 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:47,720 Speaker 3: Chuck was, I assumed they'd all be incredible, which turned 45 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:48,320 Speaker 3: out they were. 46 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:52,640 Speaker 2: Okay, tell me about the venue in the capacity of 47 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:53,920 Speaker 2: the venue. 48 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:56,720 Speaker 3: Well, it's the football stadium on the University of Toronto 49 00:02:56,960 --> 00:03:01,560 Speaker 3: campus and depending on the configure, it could probably hold 50 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:05,440 Speaker 3: forty thousand people. I do remember when Crosby Stills in 51 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:09,280 Speaker 3: Nash played there with the band opening in nineteen seventy five. 52 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:12,120 Speaker 3: They had the stage right up against the wall and 53 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:15,920 Speaker 3: Bluer Street. Our stage was halfway up the field and 54 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:19,520 Speaker 3: we had twenty thousand people there, so I think they 55 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:22,160 Speaker 3: must have had thirty anyway, but that would have been 56 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:25,000 Speaker 3: the capacity at that time, the way the stage was 57 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:25,520 Speaker 3: set up. 58 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 2: Okay, tell me about your festival in the spring. 59 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 3: Well, it was the Toronto Pop Festival. It was at 60 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 3: the same facility two days and as I said, we 61 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:43,400 Speaker 3: had quite a bill headlined by Sly and the Family 62 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:47,440 Speaker 3: Stone Steppenwolf. We brought them back to Toronto. They were Canadians. 63 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:51,119 Speaker 3: It was their return to Toronto. It was the band's 64 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 3: first outdoor festival. Many people think Woodstock was Toronto pop 65 00:03:56,120 --> 00:04:01,400 Speaker 3: festival was. It was just a great show, and I 66 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:04,080 Speaker 3: think all the bands are kind of listed on that 67 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:07,840 Speaker 3: quick shot of the flyer in the Revival six ' 68 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:11,240 Speaker 3: nine film. But it was a huge success. It sold 69 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 3: out both days. As I say in the movie, we 70 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:16,360 Speaker 3: made a ton of money in that show, and I 71 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:20,400 Speaker 3: guess we felt kind of invincible because we had come 72 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:24,200 Speaker 3: from being regular, you know, small time concert promoters. Maybe 73 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:28,320 Speaker 3: not small time, but smaller venues. The largest venue we 74 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 3: had done prior to that was Donovan at Varsity Arena. 75 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 3: That was seven thousand seats. That was quite a jump 76 00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:38,719 Speaker 3: from there to the Football Stadium. But the energy of 77 00:04:38,839 --> 00:04:43,440 Speaker 3: nineteen sixty nine. Agents were talking about festivals. People are 78 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 3: going to be doing festivals, and we thought, well we 79 00:04:45,960 --> 00:04:46,640 Speaker 3: better do one. 80 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:51,320 Speaker 2: Okay, once again, let's talk about the economics for sixty 81 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 2: nine in the spring, you had two days. How many 82 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:56,680 Speaker 2: tickets did you sell over the two days? 83 00:04:57,040 --> 00:05:00,080 Speaker 3: We sold twenty five thousand on each day. 84 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:03,760 Speaker 2: And what were the economics in terms of ticket price? 85 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:06,279 Speaker 2: How much did you have to be the bands? What 86 00:05:06,440 --> 00:05:07,120 Speaker 2: kind of profit? 87 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:10,440 Speaker 3: Well, I know we made a ton of money, and 88 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:12,680 Speaker 3: Kenny was the one handling all the money. I just 89 00:05:12,760 --> 00:05:15,080 Speaker 3: knew we made a lot of money and allowed us 90 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:20,760 Speaker 3: to roll up into the fall very comfortably. And we 91 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:23,560 Speaker 3: could have probably stood the losses had we not got 92 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:29,320 Speaker 3: John Lennon. But the Eton investors had, you know, enough 93 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:31,240 Speaker 3: shares in the company to be able to say, no, 94 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:34,960 Speaker 3: we're not going to go along with this. I can't 95 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:38,240 Speaker 3: remember the scale of economics. The tickets were reasonably priced, 96 00:05:38,279 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 3: the same as at the Rock Festival in September, you know, 97 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:45,800 Speaker 3: six dollars a day. People laugh at that now, but 98 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:49,520 Speaker 3: you know, in terms of the concert business then these 99 00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:53,599 Speaker 3: were standard prices. Woodstock was eighteen dollars for three days. 100 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:58,360 Speaker 3: So I think, you know, the fact that we sold 101 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:02,360 Speaker 3: out both of those eight gave us the confidence that 102 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:05,880 Speaker 3: we could pretty much put anybody into Varsity Stadium and 103 00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:07,080 Speaker 3: it would be a great seller. 104 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:10,600 Speaker 2: Tell me who we is? Tell me about the company. 105 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:14,040 Speaker 3: Well, Ken Walker was the guy that got me out 106 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 3: of the rock pile. I was in the rock pile. 107 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:19,360 Speaker 3: That was my club. It was like the Fillmore Masonic 108 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:25,720 Speaker 3: Temple in Toronto brought led Zeppelin. Who Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart, 109 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:29,400 Speaker 3: you know, Jethro Tull, all kinds of bands on a 110 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:33,400 Speaker 3: regular basis, but it became kind of like the same 111 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:37,240 Speaker 3: thing every week, and there was a ceiling to the capacity, 112 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:40,520 Speaker 3: so you couldn't really make that much money. And I 113 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:43,000 Speaker 3: had three other partners. So Kenny said to me, why 114 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:45,000 Speaker 3: aren't you and I get in business and let's just 115 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 3: put on bigger concerts. I knew Kenny from you know, 116 00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:54,159 Speaker 3: the chums of high school and different places, and we 117 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:57,280 Speaker 3: knew the Eatons. That was common friends of ours. They 118 00:06:57,320 --> 00:07:01,679 Speaker 3: were a very very wealthy family and so ultimately Henny 119 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 3: and I just went out on our own. But when 120 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:07,000 Speaker 3: we needed to do the festival in June, we brought 121 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:11,120 Speaker 3: George and Thor in with substantial funds and that allows 122 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:14,240 Speaker 3: us to really do the Toronto Pop Festival and do 123 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:14,960 Speaker 3: it properly. 124 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:20,520 Speaker 2: Okay, let's go back to the beginning. You're from Toronto. 125 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:22,480 Speaker 3: I am from Toronto, born and raised. 126 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:27,160 Speaker 2: Okay, So you know, one thing about Canada and non 127 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:30,920 Speaker 2: Canadians don't realize is direct connection with England. There are 128 00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:35,600 Speaker 2: a lot of bands that connected from England first in Canada. 129 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:38,160 Speaker 2: What got you excited about music? 130 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:42,440 Speaker 3: Well, I am a musician. I was also a choir boy. 131 00:07:43,680 --> 00:07:46,160 Speaker 3: I had a band of some note during my high 132 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:52,640 Speaker 3: school years called the Diplomats. And in terms of coming 133 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:55,880 Speaker 3: back to Toronto, remember I went to Los Angeles for 134 00:07:55,960 --> 00:08:00,000 Speaker 3: sixty six and sixty seven, and when I came back 135 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:01,720 Speaker 3: act I did. 136 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:03,480 Speaker 2: Wait wait wait, wait, wait wait wait, let's just go 137 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 2: a little bit further. What year did the Diplomat start? 138 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:10,120 Speaker 2: Pre Beatles or post Beatles? 139 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:16,040 Speaker 3: Sixty two three four? Definitely pre Beatles because we were 140 00:08:16,080 --> 00:08:21,400 Speaker 3: playing Smokey Robinson and Marvin Gaye songs initially, and it 141 00:08:21,520 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 3: was an R and B band. And I don't ever 142 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:27,160 Speaker 3: remember being in a band that played Beatles songs because 143 00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:30,120 Speaker 3: after the Diplomats I was out of playing in bands. 144 00:08:30,640 --> 00:08:34,080 Speaker 2: Okay, so sixty two, sixty three, sixty four, what instrument 145 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:34,760 Speaker 2: did you play? 146 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:38,600 Speaker 3: I played the bass and sang in some of the songs. 147 00:08:38,760 --> 00:08:39,520 Speaker 3: I played bass. 148 00:08:39,640 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 2: Yes, So what a lot of people a little younger 149 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 2: than you were inspired by seeing and hearing the Beatles? 150 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:48,240 Speaker 2: What inspired you to get into music? 151 00:08:49,760 --> 00:08:52,560 Speaker 3: I just wanted to be in a band. I had 152 00:08:52,600 --> 00:08:56,079 Speaker 3: played piano and given little concerts in my gray flannel 153 00:08:56,200 --> 00:08:59,640 Speaker 3: short pants when I was you know, ten eleven, twelve 154 00:08:59,679 --> 00:09:02,480 Speaker 3: thirty Team but I wanted to be in a band. 155 00:09:03,559 --> 00:09:06,000 Speaker 3: I started trying to play the drums. I was terrible, 156 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:08,960 Speaker 3: and I wanted to stand up, and so the easiest 157 00:09:08,960 --> 00:09:12,120 Speaker 3: thing to learn standing up is the bass, and that's 158 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:14,800 Speaker 3: why I became a bass player. I played guitar later, 159 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:18,240 Speaker 3: but as a bass player, I was able to jump 160 00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:21,840 Speaker 3: right in. I had a good year, and you know, 161 00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:23,439 Speaker 3: everybody needed a bass player. 162 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:26,680 Speaker 2: Okay, what kind of background did you come from? What 163 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:28,160 Speaker 2: did your parents do for a living. 164 00:09:29,240 --> 00:09:35,240 Speaker 3: My family was involved in the legal profession, construction politics. 165 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:38,480 Speaker 3: I grew up in I guess you would call it 166 00:09:38,520 --> 00:09:41,440 Speaker 3: a blue blood family. I went to Upper Canada College, 167 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:45,520 Speaker 3: which was the oldest private school in Canada, where apparently 168 00:09:45,559 --> 00:09:48,480 Speaker 3: I was enrolled at birth if I can imagine people 169 00:09:48,520 --> 00:09:55,240 Speaker 3: doing that. So I had the opportunity of seeing, you know, 170 00:09:55,679 --> 00:09:58,960 Speaker 3: what could be done and what money could do, and 171 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:02,080 Speaker 3: that when you needed I kind of had access to 172 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:07,800 Speaker 3: friends and family who you know, were not unwilling to 173 00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:12,680 Speaker 3: roll the dice with something that their sons or daughters 174 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:13,360 Speaker 3: might want to do. 175 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:19,640 Speaker 2: Now, being a contos entrepreneurial, was there any history of 176 00:10:19,880 --> 00:10:23,200 Speaker 2: entrepreneurship in your family? Any models or were you just 177 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:25,640 Speaker 2: striking off and you were the first one. 178 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:29,240 Speaker 3: No, my grandfather was quite a well known entrepreneur. Aside 179 00:10:29,240 --> 00:10:31,840 Speaker 3: from building the Granite Club, he also built the Detroit 180 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:37,840 Speaker 3: Windsor Tunnel. And his method was to go to the 181 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:41,480 Speaker 3: United States government tell them that the Canadian government were 182 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:44,120 Speaker 3: going to put up half the money. He hadn't spoken 183 00:10:44,160 --> 00:10:46,400 Speaker 3: to the Canadian government, but he came back with a 184 00:10:46,480 --> 00:10:49,520 Speaker 3: letter from the US government saying we'll put up half 185 00:10:49,600 --> 00:10:53,280 Speaker 3: the money, and the Canadian government said, oh my god, 186 00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:56,320 Speaker 3: well of course we'll put up half as well. So 187 00:10:56,400 --> 00:11:00,880 Speaker 3: that was pretty entrepreneurial. And you know, my father was 188 00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:04,000 Speaker 3: involved in mining at times. I think that's entrepreneurial. 189 00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:09,480 Speaker 2: And you know, obviously there was a lot of success. 190 00:11:09,520 --> 00:11:11,880 Speaker 2: Did you end up inheriting any of this money or 191 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:14,040 Speaker 2: any of these businesses when your parents passed? 192 00:11:14,400 --> 00:11:20,680 Speaker 3: No, No, my grandfather died in nineteen thirty. My father 193 00:11:21,720 --> 00:11:24,320 Speaker 3: was when, you know, became a lawyer, which wasn't something 194 00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:26,920 Speaker 3: you handed on. They wanted me to go to law school. 195 00:11:27,280 --> 00:11:30,360 Speaker 3: I had no intention of doing anything that required you 196 00:11:30,440 --> 00:11:32,679 Speaker 3: to be in a room all day with no windows. 197 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:36,080 Speaker 3: I was, you know, I was bound for California at 198 00:11:36,120 --> 00:11:40,920 Speaker 3: seventeen eighteen, and as I as I said earlier. You know, 199 00:11:41,080 --> 00:11:43,120 Speaker 3: I just wanted to get out and do stuff. 200 00:11:43,920 --> 00:11:51,520 Speaker 2: Okay, when you went to California, was this after the Diplomats? Yes, yes, okay, 201 00:11:51,559 --> 00:11:55,680 Speaker 2: let's start with the diplomats. So what was it like 202 00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:59,920 Speaker 2: with the Diplomats? How successful, how often? What kind of gigs? 203 00:12:00,880 --> 00:12:03,680 Speaker 3: Well, we played the same gigs that you know, the 204 00:12:03,800 --> 00:12:07,000 Speaker 3: well known bands of the day played the Rogues, John Elene, 205 00:12:07,040 --> 00:12:12,360 Speaker 3: the Checkmates. There weren't big opportunities or big venues for 206 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:16,720 Speaker 3: local bands, but there was the Village in Yorkville, the Alpatio, 207 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:19,600 Speaker 3: I mean a number of these clubs that that was 208 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:23,920 Speaker 3: like big time playing those clubs. I think the biggest 209 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:26,360 Speaker 3: thing we played was the Pepsi Under twenty one club 210 00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:28,679 Speaker 3: at the CNE, which would have had about twenty five 211 00:12:28,760 --> 00:12:31,920 Speaker 3: hundred people at it. We played the Key to Bala, 212 00:12:32,400 --> 00:12:35,360 Speaker 3: various places like that, but it was definitely on a 213 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:41,240 Speaker 3: local scene. The Diplomats were very highly regarded by other musicians. 214 00:12:41,320 --> 00:12:44,439 Speaker 3: We had a fan base and we were a great band. 215 00:12:44,559 --> 00:12:48,319 Speaker 3: That's basically all they can say. Bob Bob McBride was 216 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:50,040 Speaker 3: our singer. He went on to be the singer of 217 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:54,320 Speaker 3: a Lighthouse, which was a very successful Canadian Band, and 218 00:12:54,360 --> 00:12:56,840 Speaker 3: the other singer, Peter McGraw, went on to be the 219 00:12:56,880 --> 00:13:00,400 Speaker 3: singer with Paul Butterfield. So those who wanted to stay 220 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:03,800 Speaker 3: in the business musically ended up moving up the ladder. 221 00:13:04,760 --> 00:13:07,000 Speaker 2: So tell me about this move to California. 222 00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:10,960 Speaker 3: Well, I had the good fortune to fall in love 223 00:13:10,960 --> 00:13:14,560 Speaker 3: with a girl in Toronto, and she was an actress 224 00:13:14,679 --> 00:13:18,120 Speaker 3: and probably the second most well known Canadian next to 225 00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:21,559 Speaker 3: Lauren Green. She had a TV show five days a 226 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:24,479 Speaker 3: week from the time she was eleven till she was fifteen, 227 00:13:26,480 --> 00:13:29,520 Speaker 3: and her name was Michelle Finney. But her parents, who 228 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:32,080 Speaker 3: had moved to California, wanted her to be a movie star, 229 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:36,120 Speaker 3: had demanded that she returned there. So of course I 230 00:13:36,280 --> 00:13:38,920 Speaker 3: had to go to California, and I got a student 231 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:42,320 Speaker 3: visa and I moved on to her parents' coach, much 232 00:13:42,360 --> 00:13:47,000 Speaker 3: to their chagrin, but nonetheless I ended up getting a 233 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:50,120 Speaker 3: job selling photocopy paper, and they gave me a car 234 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:53,520 Speaker 3: and a box of leads, and that's what I did. 235 00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:56,200 Speaker 3: My school visa went out the window, and I became 236 00:13:56,240 --> 00:13:59,160 Speaker 3: an entrepreneur selling photocopy paper. 237 00:14:01,679 --> 00:14:05,520 Speaker 2: So when you left Toronto, how old were you and 238 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:07,360 Speaker 2: how did you leave the Diplomats. 239 00:14:08,040 --> 00:14:10,599 Speaker 3: I played at the Pepsieter twenty one club. That was 240 00:14:10,679 --> 00:14:12,840 Speaker 3: the last gig that I played as the bass player. 241 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:17,120 Speaker 3: It was the big send off. How old was I 242 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:20,320 Speaker 3: when I went to California? I was just almost eighteen. 243 00:14:21,080 --> 00:14:23,960 Speaker 3: I was seventeen, but in November of that year I 244 00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:24,840 Speaker 3: became eighteen. 245 00:14:25,680 --> 00:14:27,960 Speaker 2: So how long did it last with Michelle Finney? 246 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:35,520 Speaker 3: Well, we elope to Encinata, Mexico, and came back with 247 00:14:35,600 --> 00:14:39,240 Speaker 3: a Mayorage certificate with our names in English and the 248 00:14:39,280 --> 00:14:43,560 Speaker 3: rest in Mexican or Spanish. Somebody said, are you sure 249 00:14:43,560 --> 00:14:46,880 Speaker 3: you did buy a cow? But it was fifty dollars 250 00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:50,200 Speaker 3: and it was very romantic. And we were then married 251 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:55,400 Speaker 3: again in the little brown church on Van Knives. And 252 00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:57,840 Speaker 3: then we moved back to Canada, moved back to Toronto, 253 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:01,440 Speaker 3: and that's when I found a dearth of rock and roll. 254 00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:04,040 Speaker 3: We've been going on too, the Sunset Strip and to 255 00:15:04,240 --> 00:15:07,880 Speaker 3: clubs and seeing great bands, love the doors, people like that. 256 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:11,720 Speaker 3: Toronto was all folksing back then, and that's how I 257 00:15:11,800 --> 00:15:19,320 Speaker 3: ended up bringing the doors and that was my first concert. 258 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:24,400 Speaker 2: Okay, how long were you in Los Angeles? 259 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:26,040 Speaker 3: Two years? Almost two years? 260 00:15:26,640 --> 00:15:30,720 Speaker 2: And your student visa ran out? How did you stay 261 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:33,479 Speaker 2: in California or no one knew when you were basically 262 00:15:34,040 --> 00:15:35,040 Speaker 2: illegal at that point? 263 00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:37,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, basically no one knew. No one cared back 264 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:41,040 Speaker 3: in those days, certainly. 265 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:45,600 Speaker 2: And okay, so you sold copy paper until you returned 266 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:46,800 Speaker 2: to Toronto. 267 00:15:47,480 --> 00:15:50,400 Speaker 3: Well not quite. I met a guy named Huggy Boy 268 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:53,720 Speaker 3: at the racetrack. Because I made so much money selling 269 00:15:53,760 --> 00:15:57,520 Speaker 3: photocopy paper that I kind of just lived on mailbox 270 00:15:57,560 --> 00:16:02,760 Speaker 3: money or picked up my checks. I created the concept 271 00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:05,200 Speaker 3: that paper was going to get to be very expensive, 272 00:16:05,200 --> 00:16:07,200 Speaker 3: but if you ordered a year's worth, I could keep 273 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:10,560 Speaker 3: it at this price. And so the next thing you know, 274 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:17,200 Speaker 3: my customers are ordering a year's worth of paper. That's entrepreneurial, 275 00:16:17,280 --> 00:16:19,600 Speaker 3: I guess, whatever. But I wanted to cut to the 276 00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:21,720 Speaker 3: chase and not be going back to the same place 277 00:16:21,760 --> 00:16:25,240 Speaker 3: every two weeks. Ended up going to the racetrack with 278 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:27,120 Speaker 3: a neighbor of mine. By this time, of course, I 279 00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:31,480 Speaker 3: had moved into an apartment on North Orange Drive in 280 00:16:31,520 --> 00:16:34,920 Speaker 3: Hollywood called the Madison and met a neighbor and he 281 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:36,800 Speaker 3: took me out to the racetrack and I met a 282 00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:40,720 Speaker 3: guy named Huggy Boy, who'd been a legendary DJ in 283 00:16:40,760 --> 00:16:43,320 Speaker 3: the fifties. It was a little down on his luck, 284 00:16:43,360 --> 00:16:46,240 Speaker 3: but I bankrolled him to get the big forty oldies 285 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:49,120 Speaker 3: pressed up again and went up and down the coast 286 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:52,760 Speaker 3: with him in his Cadillac, selling them by knocking on 287 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:56,360 Speaker 3: the doors of radio stations and saying, Huggy Boys here, 288 00:16:56,400 --> 00:16:59,720 Speaker 3: and people would go, oh my god, Huggy boy. I mean, 289 00:16:59,760 --> 00:17:03,120 Speaker 3: we're in awe of him. And we would go in 290 00:17:03,160 --> 00:17:05,680 Speaker 3: the air with a little pre recorded commercial and people 291 00:17:05,720 --> 00:17:07,640 Speaker 3: would come down to the station and he would sign 292 00:17:07,680 --> 00:17:11,800 Speaker 3: the records. Then Jack Smith gave us a slot on XDRB. 293 00:17:12,840 --> 00:17:15,600 Speaker 3: I think it was midnight to one in the morning 294 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:18,720 Speaker 3: on Sunday, and it didn't matter, hugging it on the 295 00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:22,879 Speaker 3: air with the big forty oldies and bags of money 296 00:17:22,920 --> 00:17:27,720 Speaker 3: started pouring in. So this was all great until I 297 00:17:27,760 --> 00:17:30,439 Speaker 3: got a knock on my door of my apartment and 298 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:34,000 Speaker 3: it was US Customs and Immigration. You need to be 299 00:17:34,080 --> 00:17:36,840 Speaker 3: back in Toronto within three days or we'll be taking 300 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:40,720 Speaker 3: you back. You were working and you're not doing your 301 00:17:40,720 --> 00:17:44,040 Speaker 3: student visa stuff. So Michelle and I had to basically 302 00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:47,760 Speaker 3: go back to Toronto and okay, wait. 303 00:17:47,600 --> 00:17:50,639 Speaker 2: Wait, wait, wait wait. Before you get there, was it 304 00:17:50,760 --> 00:17:53,480 Speaker 2: cheaper if you bought paper for a year, or you'd 305 00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:54,440 Speaker 2: just tell people. 306 00:17:54,480 --> 00:17:58,480 Speaker 3: It was the same price, and paper, of course, always 307 00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:03,359 Speaker 3: like anything else, increased in price, but probably not material 308 00:18:04,080 --> 00:18:07,160 Speaker 3: materially to the degree that if you bought it for 309 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:10,080 Speaker 3: a year, you were going to save a fortune of money. 310 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:12,639 Speaker 3: What I was saving was a lot of time because 311 00:18:12,680 --> 00:18:15,960 Speaker 3: we would do deliveries on a three monthly basis, so 312 00:18:16,080 --> 00:18:18,920 Speaker 3: instead of me lugging paper out to people's places because 313 00:18:18,920 --> 00:18:22,439 Speaker 3: there wasn't any deliveries, but once you ordered a year's worth, 314 00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:25,800 Speaker 3: you would get it delivered every three months, so there 315 00:18:25,800 --> 00:18:27,000 Speaker 3: were some benefits to it. 316 00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:30,800 Speaker 2: What was your pitch to Huggy Boy. You only met 317 00:18:30,880 --> 00:18:33,040 Speaker 2: him one day at the racetrack. How did he decide 318 00:18:33,040 --> 00:18:34,080 Speaker 2: to go to business with you? 319 00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:36,840 Speaker 3: Well, I met him one day, but we saw each 320 00:18:36,840 --> 00:18:42,399 Speaker 3: other many times, and as it turned out, I was 321 00:18:42,440 --> 00:18:45,359 Speaker 3: in line behind a couple of very well dressed women 322 00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:50,520 Speaker 3: who I recognized as obviously wealthy from you know, mothers 323 00:18:50,520 --> 00:18:52,840 Speaker 3: of friends of mine at Upper Canada College. The way 324 00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:55,399 Speaker 3: they were dressed, and they were talking about betting on 325 00:18:55,440 --> 00:18:57,959 Speaker 3: a horse. This woman said that they flew in on 326 00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:02,920 Speaker 3: their jet from Connecticut. Now nobody had jets back then. 327 00:19:02,800 --> 00:19:04,959 Speaker 3: The unless you had a leer jet and they were 328 00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:07,199 Speaker 3: going to bet this long shot and it was like 329 00:19:07,240 --> 00:19:10,520 Speaker 3: twenty eight to one, and the woman bet five thousand. 330 00:19:10,600 --> 00:19:13,560 Speaker 3: That brought the odds down. Our friend brought a bad 331 00:19:13,640 --> 00:19:16,879 Speaker 3: a thousand. I had two hundred and sixty dollars on me. 332 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:19,320 Speaker 3: I put that all in the same horse in at one. 333 00:19:19,920 --> 00:19:22,800 Speaker 3: So I ended up with about seven thousand dollars with 334 00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:26,960 Speaker 3: the tickets. Now, my friend advised me, you will not 335 00:19:27,080 --> 00:19:29,320 Speaker 3: be able to cash those. You're not twenty one, you're 336 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:31,840 Speaker 3: not even legal to be in here. They will seize 337 00:19:31,840 --> 00:19:33,919 Speaker 3: them from you. We need to find Huggy Boy and 338 00:19:33,960 --> 00:19:36,959 Speaker 3: get them to cash those tickets. So that's when Huggy 339 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:40,119 Speaker 3: Boy said, I'll only do it if you invest this 340 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:43,280 Speaker 3: money and we get the big forty oldies going again. 341 00:19:43,920 --> 00:19:45,760 Speaker 3: So I said, okay, I want my two hundred and 342 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:48,439 Speaker 3: sixty eight dollars back, but yeah, I'll bank roll that. 343 00:19:48,600 --> 00:19:49,600 Speaker 3: And that's how it started. 344 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:56,800 Speaker 2: Okay, so you go back to Toronto. What year is it? 345 00:19:56,920 --> 00:19:58,080 Speaker 2: Set the scene for me? 346 00:19:58,760 --> 00:20:03,680 Speaker 3: Well, it's now nineteen six and I moved back into 347 00:20:03,760 --> 00:20:07,200 Speaker 3: my mom's place in Rosedale with my bride, with my wife, 348 00:20:07,640 --> 00:20:11,920 Speaker 3: we'd been married for almost two years, and that's when 349 00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:14,760 Speaker 3: I wanted to know what to do, how to you know, 350 00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:18,400 Speaker 3: how to fit in up here. And that's when I 351 00:20:18,440 --> 00:20:21,720 Speaker 3: decided to bring the doors to Toronto, and they were 352 00:20:21,920 --> 00:20:26,840 Speaker 3: very hot. Jamie Sifton's uncle gave us the money and 353 00:20:26,920 --> 00:20:29,000 Speaker 3: he was in the construction business, and we went to 354 00:20:29,040 --> 00:20:31,399 Speaker 3: ask him for ten thousand dollars to bring the doors 355 00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:34,720 Speaker 3: to Toronto, and he was either hard of hearing or 356 00:20:34,760 --> 00:20:38,359 Speaker 3: busy on speakerphones or something, and he said, oh, Jamie, Jamie, 357 00:20:38,359 --> 00:20:41,680 Speaker 3: I'm glad you're getting into the business. It turns out 358 00:20:41,720 --> 00:20:44,680 Speaker 3: he thought we were buying doors, like doors that you've 359 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:49,240 Speaker 3: got put on a wall, and so you know, that's 360 00:20:49,240 --> 00:20:51,720 Speaker 3: how we got the money for the doors. And that 361 00:20:51,920 --> 00:20:53,760 Speaker 3: was the first time, you know that I wrote in 362 00:20:53,800 --> 00:20:58,440 Speaker 3: a limo alone with Jim Morrison of course at the time, 363 00:20:59,200 --> 00:21:04,040 Speaker 3: and that was very exciting. We sold out the CNE 364 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:08,880 Speaker 3: Coliseum ten thousand seats and Jim was the Lizard King. 365 00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:11,320 Speaker 3: Then it was April twentieth, nineteen sixty eight. I like 366 00:21:11,400 --> 00:21:13,959 Speaker 3: to think maybe we started four twenty. I'm not sure, 367 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:19,040 Speaker 3: but that was a very exciting time. I was told 368 00:21:19,040 --> 00:21:22,240 Speaker 3: to bring six beers for Jim and two limos and 369 00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:24,920 Speaker 3: the band and Bill Siddons got in one and I'm 370 00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:27,560 Speaker 3: standing at the curb with Jim and we get in 371 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:30,440 Speaker 3: and he sees the beers and the opener opens one 372 00:21:30,520 --> 00:21:33,119 Speaker 3: up drains it opens another one, and he kind of 373 00:21:33,160 --> 00:21:36,119 Speaker 3: bumped his shoulder at me, like, you know, meaning have one. 374 00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:39,840 Speaker 3: So I nursed mine all the way downtown and we 375 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:42,040 Speaker 3: got to the hotel. The driver opened the door. Jim 376 00:21:42,119 --> 00:21:43,919 Speaker 3: got halfway out and he turned back and looked at 377 00:21:43,920 --> 00:21:46,399 Speaker 3: me and he said, hey, man, thanks for not talking. 378 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:49,000 Speaker 3: Like I was terrified. I couldn't say a word to him. 379 00:21:49,040 --> 00:21:54,600 Speaker 3: I'd find out later. The agent said to me the 380 00:21:54,640 --> 00:21:56,640 Speaker 3: next day, hey, kid, you did gray. You sold out 381 00:21:56,680 --> 00:21:58,920 Speaker 3: the show. And Jim said he likes the promoter. Well, 382 00:21:58,920 --> 00:22:01,440 Speaker 3: that was the only kind I had hitting contact with him. 383 00:22:01,480 --> 00:22:04,040 Speaker 3: So Robbie told me later that would be about the 384 00:22:04,040 --> 00:22:05,919 Speaker 3: best thing you could ever do with Jim is not 385 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:08,880 Speaker 3: to talk. So that's when fear won out. 386 00:22:10,680 --> 00:22:14,320 Speaker 2: Okay, you start in the business. The concept is easy. 387 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:16,840 Speaker 2: You book a band, you get a venue, sell tickets, 388 00:22:16,840 --> 00:22:19,639 Speaker 2: big money. But the first time around it must have 389 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:22,000 Speaker 2: been pretty scaring. You must have fucked up a little bit. 390 00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:26,520 Speaker 3: Well, you know, you try not to think of the 391 00:22:26,560 --> 00:22:29,400 Speaker 3: fuck ups, I'd have to really press hard to recall one. 392 00:22:29,560 --> 00:22:33,640 Speaker 3: Just the thrill of doing these things for me overrode 393 00:22:33,760 --> 00:22:38,920 Speaker 3: any kind of problems that we had with the door show. 394 00:22:39,040 --> 00:22:42,680 Speaker 3: We didn't really have any problems. It was very smooth, 395 00:22:42,760 --> 00:22:47,800 Speaker 3: it sold out. The band was incredible. As I said, 396 00:22:47,920 --> 00:22:51,320 Speaker 3: Jim was the Lizard King. Then on like nineteen sixty nine, 397 00:22:51,359 --> 00:22:55,399 Speaker 3: when he came back for the revival, he was very subdued, haircut, 398 00:22:56,080 --> 00:22:58,000 Speaker 3: very you know, you could see the look on his face. 399 00:22:58,040 --> 00:23:00,080 Speaker 3: He was not a happy man. He was facing the 400 00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:04,919 Speaker 3: charges out of Miami. It was life changing. So the 401 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:07,520 Speaker 3: sixty eight event, now, of course, right after that, Russ 402 00:23:07,560 --> 00:23:09,560 Speaker 3: Gibb got in touch with me from Detroit. He had 403 00:23:09,600 --> 00:23:12,000 Speaker 3: the Grandy Ballroom. He knew me from the Rock Pile 404 00:23:12,800 --> 00:23:15,119 Speaker 3: and he was bringing Jimmy Hendricks and he said, Brower, 405 00:23:15,240 --> 00:23:18,320 Speaker 3: be my local promoter, be my guy there. So that 406 00:23:18,440 --> 00:23:20,120 Speaker 3: was the next show I was involved in. 407 00:23:20,440 --> 00:23:22,399 Speaker 2: But whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa? How did he know you 408 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:24,200 Speaker 2: from the rock Pile at that point? When did you 409 00:23:24,240 --> 00:23:25,040 Speaker 2: open the rock Pile? 410 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:28,960 Speaker 3: Well? I had the rock Pile in sixty eight, later 411 00:23:29,640 --> 00:23:35,520 Speaker 3: in sixty eight, and you know, back and forth with 412 00:23:36,520 --> 00:23:39,359 Speaker 3: Russ Gibb was a promoter. A lot of promoters, you know, 413 00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:42,000 Speaker 3: were in touch with each other because it was sometimes 414 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:45,680 Speaker 3: you'd if, like Donald in Montreal, if a band needed 415 00:23:45,720 --> 00:23:48,680 Speaker 3: two dates, Donald would ask me if you'll take one, 416 00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:51,080 Speaker 3: or I would ask him, like the Doors, they needed 417 00:23:51,119 --> 00:23:54,520 Speaker 3: two dates to play the revival, and so Donald took 418 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:59,359 Speaker 3: them on the Sunday in Montreal. Russ Gibb on occasion, 419 00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:02,399 Speaker 3: I would, you know, share a date with him, or 420 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:06,399 Speaker 3: in this case it was you know, the opportunity of 421 00:24:06,480 --> 00:24:11,040 Speaker 3: him for the first time asking me and he didn't 422 00:24:11,040 --> 00:24:12,760 Speaker 3: know me yet from the rock Pile. He knew me 423 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:17,960 Speaker 3: from the Door show, because I think that was promoted 424 00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:21,400 Speaker 3: also of course in Detroit, Windsor everybody promoted. I mean, 425 00:24:21,440 --> 00:24:24,640 Speaker 3: as you know, back in the day, there was no computers. 426 00:24:24,680 --> 00:24:27,040 Speaker 3: You had to deliver your tickets as far and wide 427 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:30,560 Speaker 3: as possible in order to sell them. Promotion was easy. 428 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:33,960 Speaker 3: Radio stations were on the case, not a problem. Buy 429 00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:37,280 Speaker 3: some radio time and they'll blast it out there because 430 00:24:37,320 --> 00:24:39,919 Speaker 3: there wasn't anything else going on, like a million things 431 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:43,920 Speaker 3: right now, you know, putting on a concert. You were 432 00:24:44,119 --> 00:24:48,280 Speaker 3: you know VIP in terms of promotion at radio stations. 433 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:53,720 Speaker 2: So when you put on the doors in Toronto sixty eight, 434 00:24:54,400 --> 00:24:56,760 Speaker 2: if we use the line of demarcation of the Beatles 435 00:24:56,800 --> 00:25:00,800 Speaker 2: sixty four, things explode. Were there any the other concert 436 00:25:00,880 --> 00:25:04,399 Speaker 2: promoters in Toronto? Was anybody mad that you got the 437 00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:06,040 Speaker 2: gig and they didn't? 438 00:25:06,480 --> 00:25:09,760 Speaker 3: Well, Marty Enrat was a well known promoter in Toronto. 439 00:25:10,359 --> 00:25:14,159 Speaker 3: He did events at Massey Hall. I don't believe that 440 00:25:14,280 --> 00:25:19,200 Speaker 3: he did any rock events. And of course the Gardens 441 00:25:19,240 --> 00:25:24,280 Speaker 3: did the Beatles and the Stones, and other than that, 442 00:25:24,280 --> 00:25:27,600 Speaker 3: there was the o'keith Center, and I guess there were 443 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:32,960 Speaker 3: a couple of other promoters, you know, other than Marty. 444 00:25:33,040 --> 00:25:35,720 Speaker 3: I can't really think of them. If there were any, 445 00:25:35,760 --> 00:25:39,200 Speaker 3: they certainly weren't anyone in my social circle or anyone 446 00:25:39,240 --> 00:25:42,439 Speaker 3: that I knew. And the whole thing with Kenny and 447 00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:44,880 Speaker 3: I is we just wanted to do rock shows. I mean, 448 00:25:44,920 --> 00:25:47,320 Speaker 3: that was what we wanted. That's what was happening. 449 00:25:48,520 --> 00:25:51,239 Speaker 2: Okay, so it's nineteen sixty eight. How old are you 450 00:25:51,240 --> 00:25:52,360 Speaker 2: in nineteen sixty eight. 451 00:25:52,640 --> 00:25:56,679 Speaker 3: Well, I'm approaching twenty two. My birthdays in November, so 452 00:25:56,760 --> 00:25:59,760 Speaker 3: each year I'm the same as I was almost the 453 00:25:59,760 --> 00:26:04,359 Speaker 3: whole year. Eleven months of the last birthday so yeah, twenty. 454 00:26:04,520 --> 00:26:07,840 Speaker 2: How many How many shows do you put on before 455 00:26:07,880 --> 00:26:08,959 Speaker 2: you open the club? 456 00:26:12,800 --> 00:26:21,000 Speaker 3: Probably four, maybe five, and two of them of course 457 00:26:21,040 --> 00:26:25,080 Speaker 3: were with ruskib because Kenny scooped me up after the club. 458 00:26:25,520 --> 00:26:30,040 Speaker 3: But we decided to do the club basically because we were, 459 00:26:30,080 --> 00:26:33,359 Speaker 3: you know, reading Rollie's sone about Bill Graham and the 460 00:26:33,440 --> 00:26:36,680 Speaker 3: film More and you know, one of my friends said, well, 461 00:26:36,760 --> 00:26:39,680 Speaker 3: you know, my girlfriend's dad's ahead of the Masonic Temple, 462 00:26:40,119 --> 00:26:42,520 Speaker 3: and my other buddy, Doug, said, you know, I have 463 00:26:42,560 --> 00:26:45,040 Speaker 3: some trust fund money, and the next thing you know, 464 00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:48,080 Speaker 3: we're meeting the Masonic Temple and opening up the Rock 465 00:26:48,119 --> 00:26:51,280 Speaker 3: Pile with Blood, Sweat and Tears. Who had a number 466 00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:54,200 Speaker 3: one record and was there coming home to Toronto. 467 00:26:55,640 --> 00:26:58,200 Speaker 2: What was the capacity of the Rock Pile? 468 00:26:59,000 --> 00:27:03,040 Speaker 3: I would say legal about fourteen hundred. There were occasions 469 00:27:03,040 --> 00:27:05,600 Speaker 3: of having over two thousand people in there. There were 470 00:27:05,600 --> 00:27:09,280 Speaker 3: some fire marshall crowbar in the back door nights when 471 00:27:09,760 --> 00:27:12,960 Speaker 3: that's just what had to be done. It was very 472 00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:15,719 Speaker 3: free for all back in those days when there's no seating. 473 00:27:16,320 --> 00:27:19,639 Speaker 3: There were some benches, the concrete benches up on the 474 00:27:19,680 --> 00:27:22,960 Speaker 3: second floor, but for the right band, and when led 475 00:27:23,000 --> 00:27:26,920 Speaker 3: Zeppelin came, the second time. I mean bikers were charging 476 00:27:27,480 --> 00:27:30,720 Speaker 3: five dollars to push people through the open windows from 477 00:27:30,760 --> 00:27:33,760 Speaker 3: the street. It was so packed that you couldn't even 478 00:27:33,800 --> 00:27:38,240 Speaker 3: get in if a door was opened. It was insane. 479 00:27:38,480 --> 00:27:40,280 Speaker 2: How long did the Rock Pile operate? 480 00:27:41,040 --> 00:27:46,400 Speaker 3: I operated in capacity as a talent buyer and producer 481 00:27:46,960 --> 00:27:50,600 Speaker 3: for about eight months. It lasted about another six months, 482 00:27:50,640 --> 00:27:52,080 Speaker 3: so it was about a year and a half. 483 00:27:52,880 --> 00:27:53,880 Speaker 2: And why did you leave? 484 00:27:54,440 --> 00:27:57,359 Speaker 3: I left to do bigger concerts with Ken Walker. I 485 00:27:57,480 --> 00:27:59,480 Speaker 3: just you know, the rock Pile was just like the 486 00:27:59,520 --> 00:28:02,600 Speaker 3: same thing every week. And also there were other weeks 487 00:28:02,640 --> 00:28:05,560 Speaker 3: like Silver Apples, where you drew three people, but the 488 00:28:05,640 --> 00:28:08,200 Speaker 3: agent told you they were the next Beatles. There wasn't 489 00:28:08,320 --> 00:28:12,719 Speaker 3: Led Zeppelin every week, and we weren't Bill Graham, we 490 00:28:12,720 --> 00:28:17,600 Speaker 3: weren't selling posters and merchandise. And you know, this was 491 00:28:17,680 --> 00:28:21,359 Speaker 3: kind of a fun thing for my three partners. They 492 00:28:21,359 --> 00:28:24,080 Speaker 3: all went either back to school or into business or 493 00:28:24,520 --> 00:28:28,760 Speaker 3: to business school. And you know, I was entrepreneurial. I 494 00:28:28,800 --> 00:28:31,480 Speaker 3: just wanted to keep doing this, so Kenny offered the 495 00:28:31,520 --> 00:28:32,440 Speaker 3: opportunity for. 496 00:28:32,400 --> 00:28:35,960 Speaker 2: That and just staying with the Rock pill for a while. 497 00:28:36,680 --> 00:28:39,440 Speaker 2: How often did you do shows and how did that 498 00:28:39,480 --> 00:28:40,720 Speaker 2: work out? Economically. 499 00:28:41,560 --> 00:28:44,000 Speaker 3: Well, there were great weeks and there were disasters, but 500 00:28:44,040 --> 00:28:46,080 Speaker 3: there was talent every week. We had to do a 501 00:28:46,120 --> 00:28:49,400 Speaker 3: show every week in order to qualify as being a 502 00:28:49,480 --> 00:28:55,880 Speaker 3: legitimate venue. You know, we had the debacles there and 503 00:28:56,200 --> 00:29:00,280 Speaker 3: we had incredible sellouts, and we had experiences like Peter 504 00:29:00,440 --> 00:29:05,160 Speaker 3: Grant showing up and try to rob us, and you 505 00:29:05,200 --> 00:29:09,080 Speaker 3: know other times when certain people would show up and 506 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:11,840 Speaker 3: there would be like they'd be so gracious that you're, 507 00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:16,640 Speaker 3: you know, putting on a show for them. That especially 508 00:29:16,680 --> 00:29:20,080 Speaker 3: the English bands, like you mentioned earlier, many of the 509 00:29:20,120 --> 00:29:23,160 Speaker 3: English bands would get their visas to Canada first and 510 00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:26,480 Speaker 3: then that would be something that they would use in 511 00:29:26,520 --> 00:29:30,360 Speaker 3: the States to add American dates. So a lot of 512 00:29:30,440 --> 00:29:34,400 Speaker 3: times they would come to Toronto or Montreal first and 513 00:29:34,440 --> 00:29:37,840 Speaker 3: then that would trigger them already being in North America, 514 00:29:38,360 --> 00:29:40,240 Speaker 3: or they would be able to apply in the States 515 00:29:40,280 --> 00:29:42,840 Speaker 3: since they were playing Toronto, and then we need to 516 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:45,040 Speaker 3: come to Detroit. That's kind of where they went. It 517 00:29:45,120 --> 00:29:46,960 Speaker 3: is from Us to ruskild. 518 00:29:53,760 --> 00:29:55,760 Speaker 2: Okay, how did Peter Grant try to rob you? 519 00:29:56,920 --> 00:30:03,160 Speaker 3: Well, Peter Grant was the tour manager for the Jeff 520 00:30:03,200 --> 00:30:07,200 Speaker 3: Beck group. This is pre led Zeppelin, and we booked 521 00:30:07,240 --> 00:30:09,640 Speaker 3: them for two shows on a Sunday. They sold out 522 00:30:09,720 --> 00:30:16,120 Speaker 3: both shows clean afternoon Mattinee, No band, No band, had 523 00:30:16,160 --> 00:30:19,400 Speaker 3: to refund all the tickets. Everybody's now lining up for 524 00:30:19,440 --> 00:30:24,520 Speaker 3: the evening show, and they show up, you know, and unload, 525 00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:28,400 Speaker 3: and you know, you always pay the agent for one 526 00:30:28,440 --> 00:30:31,120 Speaker 3: show and then you give the band cash for the second. 527 00:30:32,040 --> 00:30:35,560 Speaker 3: So Peter Grant shows up and wants the money for 528 00:30:35,600 --> 00:30:38,920 Speaker 3: the second show, and we said, well, we had to 529 00:30:38,960 --> 00:30:41,000 Speaker 3: refund the first show. You didn't show up. What do 530 00:30:41,040 --> 00:30:42,760 Speaker 3: you mean, give you the money for the second show. 531 00:30:43,080 --> 00:30:44,480 Speaker 3: He goes, so if we don't get the money for 532 00:30:44,520 --> 00:30:48,120 Speaker 3: the second show, we're not going on. Well, at that point, 533 00:30:48,200 --> 00:30:50,320 Speaker 3: you know, we'd already let people in the hall. I mean, 534 00:30:50,320 --> 00:30:54,680 Speaker 3: it would have been a nightmare, and of course our 535 00:30:54,720 --> 00:30:57,160 Speaker 3: reputation would have been destroyed. It was bad enough that 536 00:30:57,240 --> 00:31:00,600 Speaker 3: we had to refund the first show. So the band 537 00:31:00,640 --> 00:31:03,960 Speaker 3: starts to play and one of my partners, Doug mcquaig's 538 00:31:03,960 --> 00:31:07,680 Speaker 3: father was a very powerful attorney, and he made some 539 00:31:07,680 --> 00:31:09,880 Speaker 3: phone calls, even on a Sunday, And when the band 540 00:31:09,880 --> 00:31:13,280 Speaker 3: got off stage, there was immigration officers, customs officers and 541 00:31:13,320 --> 00:31:18,320 Speaker 3: police officers there waiting, and two of my partners were 542 00:31:18,360 --> 00:31:21,360 Speaker 3: big guys. They were like six foot three, two hundred 543 00:31:21,360 --> 00:31:23,080 Speaker 3: and something, and they said you have to go talk 544 00:31:23,120 --> 00:31:26,520 Speaker 3: to him because he might hit us. So I went 545 00:31:26,600 --> 00:31:28,280 Speaker 3: up to Peter and I said, look, Peter, I need 546 00:31:28,320 --> 00:31:31,080 Speaker 3: to inform you that the police there are going to 547 00:31:31,080 --> 00:31:34,320 Speaker 3: take you to your hotel and you're going to a 548 00:31:34,360 --> 00:31:39,080 Speaker 3: court tomorrow and be charged with theft by conversion, whatever 549 00:31:39,120 --> 00:31:43,720 Speaker 3: else they can throw at you. And the customs people 550 00:31:43,760 --> 00:31:48,040 Speaker 3: are going to impound the equipment and that's what's happening 551 00:31:48,080 --> 00:31:52,160 Speaker 3: for you guys right now. And so he just now, 552 00:31:52,240 --> 00:31:56,840 Speaker 3: meaning take in our equipment, and I go, well, you know, 553 00:31:56,840 --> 00:31:58,680 Speaker 3: I'm afraid that's not the case. So one of the 554 00:31:58,680 --> 00:32:02,560 Speaker 3: police officers came over and started telling him the same thing, 555 00:32:02,560 --> 00:32:05,400 Speaker 3: and he grabbed the guy through like right here of 556 00:32:05,480 --> 00:32:07,680 Speaker 3: his uniform and lifting him up in the air right 557 00:32:07,720 --> 00:32:11,680 Speaker 3: to his face and said, nobody's taking our equipment. And 558 00:32:11,720 --> 00:32:13,520 Speaker 3: this guy pulled his side arm out and put it 559 00:32:13,600 --> 00:32:15,280 Speaker 3: in his gut and he said to him, you know, 560 00:32:15,440 --> 00:32:17,600 Speaker 3: like let me down roll shoot you. Well Peter looked 561 00:32:17,600 --> 00:32:20,280 Speaker 3: downside the gun lowered him. In La he might have 562 00:32:20,320 --> 00:32:23,200 Speaker 3: been shot, but in Toronto, I think he shocked everybody. 563 00:32:23,240 --> 00:32:26,320 Speaker 3: So much that they just escorted him to the hotel. 564 00:32:27,440 --> 00:32:29,680 Speaker 3: Chaff said to me, can we please take our guitars? 565 00:32:29,680 --> 00:32:32,680 Speaker 3: They said yes, of course. So nine in the morning, 566 00:32:32,720 --> 00:32:35,720 Speaker 3: Steve Weiss and Frank Barcelona are on the phone to me, 567 00:32:35,920 --> 00:32:39,160 Speaker 3: nine o'clock Monday morning, going, John, the band's got to 568 00:32:39,200 --> 00:32:41,400 Speaker 3: be in Detroit tonight. Please, what can we do? How 569 00:32:41,400 --> 00:32:45,120 Speaker 3: can we work this out? And I go, well, we 570 00:32:45,200 --> 00:32:47,400 Speaker 3: just want our money back, you know, like we want 571 00:32:47,400 --> 00:32:49,120 Speaker 3: to pay for one show and if it was we 572 00:32:49,200 --> 00:32:51,440 Speaker 3: paid for the first show and we ended up getting 573 00:32:51,480 --> 00:32:54,800 Speaker 3: the second, that's fine, fine, fine, John. The police are 574 00:32:54,840 --> 00:32:58,360 Speaker 3: over there. They're talking about escorting Peter downtown in an hour, 575 00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:01,120 Speaker 3: and what what can we do? I said, well, get 576 00:33:01,120 --> 00:33:03,920 Speaker 3: Peter to come over here with our money and then 577 00:33:04,120 --> 00:33:07,160 Speaker 3: I'll make a call and whatever, you know, charges whatever, 578 00:33:07,240 --> 00:33:13,240 Speaker 3: Doug mcquig's dadd'll stop everything. So Peter came over with 579 00:33:13,320 --> 00:33:16,120 Speaker 3: the money rolled up in a big thing with elastics 580 00:33:16,160 --> 00:33:19,760 Speaker 3: around it. And the Masonic Temple had these beautiful marble 581 00:33:19,800 --> 00:33:23,320 Speaker 3: steps and leading up to these huge doors, and then 582 00:33:23,400 --> 00:33:25,840 Speaker 3: more marble steps up to the entrance. So I went 583 00:33:25,840 --> 00:33:28,240 Speaker 3: and sit at the top of the inner marble steps 584 00:33:29,000 --> 00:33:31,560 Speaker 3: and within a few minutes because their hotel wasn't very 585 00:33:31,560 --> 00:33:34,680 Speaker 3: far away. It was like the door came off the hinges. 586 00:33:34,720 --> 00:33:37,800 Speaker 3: Peter pulled that door open and like the sun behind him, 587 00:33:37,800 --> 00:33:40,719 Speaker 3: and here's this giant, hoping guy in the doorway, and 588 00:33:40,760 --> 00:33:43,800 Speaker 3: he comes in and he looks up at me and 589 00:33:43,840 --> 00:33:46,160 Speaker 3: he just goes back in one blow and he just 590 00:33:46,320 --> 00:33:48,520 Speaker 3: hurls his money right at me and hit me right 591 00:33:48,560 --> 00:33:51,120 Speaker 3: in the head and it blew up all over the place, 592 00:33:51,240 --> 00:33:54,160 Speaker 3: knocked me on my ass, and I just started scooping 593 00:33:54,160 --> 00:33:55,720 Speaker 3: the money up and I looked at him, I said, 594 00:33:55,760 --> 00:33:58,240 Speaker 3: get the f out of my club. And that was 595 00:33:58,320 --> 00:34:00,680 Speaker 3: my only contact with Peter Grant. By the time he 596 00:34:00,720 --> 00:34:03,280 Speaker 3: came back the second time for led Zeppelin, I was 597 00:34:03,280 --> 00:34:06,320 Speaker 3: not involved with the club. I had been at Woodstock. 598 00:34:06,360 --> 00:34:08,400 Speaker 3: It was the Monday of Woodstock and I was just 599 00:34:08,480 --> 00:34:10,920 Speaker 3: getting back from being on stage at Woodstock for two 600 00:34:11,040 --> 00:34:14,120 Speaker 3: days and we got back to go see Zeppelin at 601 00:34:14,160 --> 00:34:17,439 Speaker 3: the club and just missed their encore. So I saw 602 00:34:17,440 --> 00:34:21,080 Speaker 3: Woodstock and I missed led Zeppelin's encore at what once 603 00:34:21,520 --> 00:34:22,120 Speaker 3: was my club. 604 00:34:23,000 --> 00:34:25,200 Speaker 2: What were you doing on the stage at Woodstock? 605 00:34:25,920 --> 00:34:30,840 Speaker 3: Well, you know entrepreneurial skills, you know, aside there was 606 00:34:30,880 --> 00:34:36,479 Speaker 3: also hustle. Michael Lang invited all the promoters that were 607 00:34:36,560 --> 00:34:40,120 Speaker 3: known to come to his show in Woodstock, which was great. 608 00:34:40,160 --> 00:34:42,880 Speaker 3: He called us in June. I don't know who he was, 609 00:34:43,680 --> 00:34:46,399 Speaker 3: and you know it was great. Sure, man, that's great. Yeah, 610 00:34:46,440 --> 00:34:51,160 Speaker 3: we'll come to your show. Well, on Friday, Hugh Curry 611 00:34:51,160 --> 00:34:54,880 Speaker 3: and I and are production manager and receptionist started driving 612 00:34:54,960 --> 00:34:59,040 Speaker 3: up Young Street and on the radio comes this incredible 613 00:34:59,040 --> 00:35:02,400 Speaker 3: story Woodstock and everything, and on the interview in a 614 00:35:02,520 --> 00:35:05,799 Speaker 3: radio comes Michael Lang talking about it. So I'm going 615 00:35:06,040 --> 00:35:08,560 Speaker 3: that's that guy called our office in June. That guy 616 00:35:08,640 --> 00:35:13,080 Speaker 3: invited us to come. So long story short, we decide 617 00:35:13,120 --> 00:35:15,160 Speaker 3: we're going to turn the car around, go to my place, 618 00:35:15,200 --> 00:35:19,040 Speaker 3: get some underwear, socks or whatever. Nobody's calling their wife, 619 00:35:19,120 --> 00:35:22,240 Speaker 3: nobody's The receptionist said, I don't need to call anybody, 620 00:35:22,280 --> 00:35:24,480 Speaker 3: and we had to Buffalo. So we get to the 621 00:35:24,760 --> 00:35:27,120 Speaker 3: border and tell the guy we're going to visit friends 622 00:35:27,160 --> 00:35:29,000 Speaker 3: and have dinner in Buffalo. We know we're not telling 623 00:35:29,040 --> 00:35:31,560 Speaker 3: them we're going to Woodstock. We get to fifty miles 624 00:35:31,560 --> 00:35:35,440 Speaker 3: from Woodstock and the roads closed and everybody steered into 625 00:35:35,640 --> 00:35:41,160 Speaker 3: a roadside whatever the through way things are. There was 626 00:35:41,200 --> 00:35:45,040 Speaker 3: probably a thousand people there, So, you know, my buddy says, 627 00:35:45,080 --> 00:35:48,560 Speaker 3: and we had a couple of joints with us some alcohol. 628 00:35:49,040 --> 00:35:51,719 Speaker 3: So my buddy goes, well that's it, man. We tried. 629 00:35:51,760 --> 00:35:54,040 Speaker 3: We gave it a shot, and I said, no, give 630 00:35:54,040 --> 00:35:56,719 Speaker 3: me a joint. So there was probably fifty people at 631 00:35:56,760 --> 00:35:59,319 Speaker 3: the pavephone. I lit it and came up to the 632 00:35:59,360 --> 00:36:01,239 Speaker 3: front and I said, look, somebody's having a baby. You 633 00:36:01,280 --> 00:36:03,360 Speaker 3: got to have the phone just for one minute, please 634 00:36:03,400 --> 00:36:07,080 Speaker 3: play is here? So okay, man, So pass the joint 635 00:36:07,080 --> 00:36:08,920 Speaker 3: down a couple people. I get on the phone, call 636 00:36:09,000 --> 00:36:11,640 Speaker 3: the New York State Police. I go listen, we're roadies 637 00:36:11,640 --> 00:36:13,799 Speaker 3: for a band that's playing at the festival witch Talk. 638 00:36:14,200 --> 00:36:16,560 Speaker 3: I think we're lost. We're trying to get there. How 639 00:36:16,560 --> 00:36:19,279 Speaker 3: do we get to the back roads? How do we 640 00:36:19,320 --> 00:36:22,040 Speaker 3: get to the heliport? So he goes, I don't know 641 00:36:22,080 --> 00:36:24,440 Speaker 3: what back roads, but the heliport. Where are you? And 642 00:36:24,480 --> 00:36:26,600 Speaker 3: I tell him He goes, go back to exits, go 643 00:36:26,760 --> 00:36:30,000 Speaker 3: south to Route seventeen, Go eastern Route seventeen. You'll run 644 00:36:30,080 --> 00:36:32,879 Speaker 3: right into it. You'll see the clevelands. So an hour 645 00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:36,279 Speaker 3: later we're there at the heliport and we go up 646 00:36:36,320 --> 00:36:38,200 Speaker 3: to the chopper guy and tell them, you know, when 647 00:36:38,239 --> 00:36:40,040 Speaker 3: can we get on a chopper? He goes, what band 648 00:36:40,040 --> 00:36:42,560 Speaker 3: are you with? You go, we're not with a band. 649 00:36:42,760 --> 00:36:46,120 Speaker 3: Michael Lang invited us. He goes, Michael Lang invited everybody 650 00:36:46,120 --> 00:36:47,600 Speaker 3: get out of here. If you're not on a band 651 00:36:47,600 --> 00:36:50,319 Speaker 3: playing tomorrow, you're not getting out of chopper. So now 652 00:36:50,360 --> 00:36:53,439 Speaker 3: we're like, oh my god. It was a motel there, 653 00:36:53,560 --> 00:36:56,239 Speaker 3: and of course it said rooms available, and nobody want 654 00:36:56,320 --> 00:36:59,960 Speaker 3: to stay there. So the production manager and the reception 655 00:37:00,160 --> 00:37:01,600 Speaker 3: just go, look, we've got to get a room. We 656 00:37:01,640 --> 00:37:04,879 Speaker 3: can't drive back to Traunta now. So to them, it's over. 657 00:37:05,840 --> 00:37:09,719 Speaker 3: So a cab pulls up and a guy gets out 658 00:37:09,760 --> 00:37:11,440 Speaker 3: with the guitar and he comes over to the chopper 659 00:37:11,480 --> 00:37:14,400 Speaker 3: guy and he goes, Eric Barrett got Jimmy Hendrix's guitar, 660 00:37:14,520 --> 00:37:17,560 Speaker 3: going to get on a choupper right now. The guy goes, 661 00:37:17,760 --> 00:37:19,959 Speaker 3: you're not getting on a chopper right now. Jimmy's playing 662 00:37:20,000 --> 00:37:22,440 Speaker 3: Sunday night. You don't get on a chopper till tomorrow. 663 00:37:23,120 --> 00:37:25,759 Speaker 3: So he's going fuck, you know, So we sidle up 664 00:37:25,760 --> 00:37:30,240 Speaker 3: to him, and you know, we're limiting that. The chopper guys, 665 00:37:30,280 --> 00:37:32,239 Speaker 3: which are always the worst guys in the world at 666 00:37:32,239 --> 00:37:37,960 Speaker 3: any festival and a station wagon pulls up and this 667 00:37:38,040 --> 00:37:40,640 Speaker 3: guy gets out and he's chewing on some tobacco, and 668 00:37:40,760 --> 00:37:42,880 Speaker 3: you know, Levon Holm would be the perfect guy to 669 00:37:42,920 --> 00:37:45,600 Speaker 3: play this guy if this is a movie. And he 670 00:37:45,680 --> 00:37:47,480 Speaker 3: sidles up to and he goes, hey, you boys, don't 671 00:37:47,480 --> 00:37:49,560 Speaker 3: want to go to that big hip show. Get you 672 00:37:49,640 --> 00:37:53,480 Speaker 3: right in fifty bucks each. So we look at this 673 00:37:53,520 --> 00:37:56,799 Speaker 3: guy and like so Eric Barrett goes, all right, let's go, 674 00:37:56,920 --> 00:37:57,359 Speaker 3: let's go. 675 00:37:57,440 --> 00:37:57,759 Speaker 2: I'll go. 676 00:37:58,640 --> 00:38:00,400 Speaker 3: Well, Hugh and I look at each other. Makets for 677 00:38:00,440 --> 00:38:03,279 Speaker 3: eighteen dollars, but fifty bucks each. Now my friends come 678 00:38:03,280 --> 00:38:05,480 Speaker 3: back and they've got a motel room. They're all excited. 679 00:38:05,880 --> 00:38:08,640 Speaker 3: It's one hundred bucks for the next two nights and 680 00:38:08,719 --> 00:38:12,040 Speaker 3: there's two beds in a couch. I said, we're going 681 00:38:12,080 --> 00:38:15,239 Speaker 3: into the festival with this guy. Well, my receptions looked 682 00:38:15,280 --> 00:38:16,880 Speaker 3: at this guy and she said, I'm not getting in 683 00:38:16,920 --> 00:38:19,399 Speaker 3: the car with that man. I mean he looked rough, 684 00:38:20,440 --> 00:38:22,880 Speaker 3: and so I said okay, And they've gotten kind of 685 00:38:22,880 --> 00:38:27,560 Speaker 3: snugly in the car, and a production guy you know, says, well, 686 00:38:28,640 --> 00:38:30,400 Speaker 3: we'll stay here, man, We've got a room. If it's 687 00:38:30,440 --> 00:38:32,080 Speaker 3: good coming at us, I said, I don't think we're 688 00:38:32,120 --> 00:38:34,080 Speaker 3: going to get you. But anyway, so we get in 689 00:38:34,120 --> 00:38:36,440 Speaker 3: this guy's car and he drives down the road and 690 00:38:36,480 --> 00:38:38,279 Speaker 3: all of a sudden he pulls right off the road 691 00:38:38,320 --> 00:38:42,279 Speaker 3: and crashes into the woods, and we are screaming, but 692 00:38:42,360 --> 00:38:45,319 Speaker 3: all of a sudden he's laughing, and he's driving through 693 00:38:45,400 --> 00:38:48,000 Speaker 3: ruts in the road and branches are flashing off this 694 00:38:48,239 --> 00:38:53,560 Speaker 3: windshield and Eric parents says, you know you got me pot, 695 00:38:53,719 --> 00:38:55,920 Speaker 3: and then Hugh goes, yeah, we got to do before you. 696 00:38:56,280 --> 00:38:58,400 Speaker 3: And this guy goes he bowys wants a pot, and 697 00:38:58,400 --> 00:39:01,080 Speaker 3: he pulls up his bag from under the seat, big 698 00:39:01,160 --> 00:39:05,319 Speaker 3: buds the size of mice, and he sells us two 699 00:39:05,360 --> 00:39:09,040 Speaker 3: of them for fifty each. Long story short. He drives 700 00:39:09,040 --> 00:39:11,759 Speaker 3: through the woods, comes into a field, goes through the 701 00:39:11,800 --> 00:39:14,200 Speaker 3: woods again, comes out and pulls up and drops right 702 00:39:14,200 --> 00:39:19,000 Speaker 3: into the backstage of Woodstock. There's the stage, okay, and 703 00:39:19,080 --> 00:39:22,680 Speaker 3: so security comes running over. Eric Barrett jumps out, Jimmy 704 00:39:22,680 --> 00:39:27,040 Speaker 3: Hendrix wesby Trailsmie laminates and I go where with him? 705 00:39:27,400 --> 00:39:31,480 Speaker 3: And so they give us backstage all stage laminates and 706 00:39:31,520 --> 00:39:35,759 Speaker 3: we never see him again. And that was it. We're 707 00:39:35,800 --> 00:39:41,279 Speaker 3: now backstage at Woodstock with all access laminates in twelve hours. 708 00:39:41,600 --> 00:39:46,560 Speaker 2: Okay, you're there, you're there for three days. Where do 709 00:39:46,640 --> 00:39:47,160 Speaker 2: you sleep? 710 00:39:47,320 --> 00:39:49,800 Speaker 3: No, we don't sleep anywhere, because a girl came along 711 00:39:49,960 --> 00:39:53,719 Speaker 3: very shortly thereafter with two giant mushroom stems. I ate 712 00:39:53,800 --> 00:39:56,840 Speaker 3: my allmine right away. Hugh do doled his out of 713 00:39:56,960 --> 00:40:00,000 Speaker 3: the weekend. He has some stories about what happened to me, 714 00:40:01,760 --> 00:40:05,319 Speaker 3: But nobody slept. There was no sleeping. You might lean 715 00:40:05,480 --> 00:40:09,440 Speaker 3: up against something. I fell in love with the trumpet 716 00:40:09,440 --> 00:40:12,839 Speaker 3: player for Sly and the Family Stone, standing about ten 717 00:40:12,880 --> 00:40:15,920 Speaker 3: feet from her. Abby Hoffman was standing next to me 718 00:40:15,960 --> 00:40:19,080 Speaker 3: when The Who was playing, and between one of their songs, 719 00:40:19,080 --> 00:40:20,680 Speaker 3: he ran out and grabbed the mic and goes, what 720 00:40:20,719 --> 00:40:22,960 Speaker 3: are we gonna do? But John Sinclair, what are we 721 00:40:22,960 --> 00:40:26,480 Speaker 3: gonna do about? John Sinklair and Pete Townsend come up 722 00:40:26,520 --> 00:40:28,239 Speaker 3: and smashes him on the back of the head and 723 00:40:28,320 --> 00:40:30,880 Speaker 3: knocks him out. Roady's drag him off. I'm on mushrooms 724 00:40:30,920 --> 00:40:34,120 Speaker 3: watching this. I never could have an infinity for The Who. 725 00:40:34,160 --> 00:40:37,800 Speaker 3: After that, Janna threw me off the stage. My friend 726 00:40:37,840 --> 00:40:41,080 Speaker 3: was her guitar player, John Till. We're smoking a joint 727 00:40:41,080 --> 00:40:44,719 Speaker 3: behind the amps and she comes out to go on 728 00:40:44,920 --> 00:40:47,720 Speaker 3: and doesn't see John as she goes, where's my guitar player? 729 00:40:47,920 --> 00:40:50,400 Speaker 3: Where's my guitar player? She sees us, He who the 730 00:40:50,440 --> 00:40:53,320 Speaker 3: fuck are you? Are you getting my guitar player's stone? 731 00:40:53,480 --> 00:40:55,759 Speaker 3: Get the fuck off my stage. So Rody's come and 732 00:40:55,800 --> 00:40:57,680 Speaker 3: grab me. I have to get off the stage. Lamit 733 00:40:57,920 --> 00:41:00,200 Speaker 3: or not, you get it off the stage right now. Now. 734 00:41:01,520 --> 00:41:05,240 Speaker 3: Those are some highlights. And then of course Monday morning 735 00:41:05,320 --> 00:41:10,040 Speaker 3: on stage for Jimmy, and that was incredible. I'm down 736 00:41:10,120 --> 00:41:15,359 Speaker 3: by now, and so Jimmy's over and my buddy looks 737 00:41:15,360 --> 00:41:19,399 Speaker 3: at me. He goes, where's that guy with the station wagon? Well, 738 00:41:19,440 --> 00:41:21,160 Speaker 3: of course he was nowhere to be found. But I 739 00:41:21,239 --> 00:41:24,719 Speaker 3: see about one hundred yards away a National Guard helicopter 740 00:41:24,880 --> 00:41:27,600 Speaker 3: and the blades were like it was sort of on, 741 00:41:27,840 --> 00:41:30,120 Speaker 3: like idling. I guess what their blades do? They kind 742 00:41:30,120 --> 00:41:32,480 Speaker 3: of move, So I said, come on, I remember we 743 00:41:32,520 --> 00:41:34,879 Speaker 3: have these laminates. So I come up to this kid 744 00:41:34,880 --> 00:41:36,880 Speaker 3: that looks younger than us, but he's about six ' 745 00:41:36,960 --> 00:41:39,399 Speaker 3: three and he's in a uniform and he's standing next 746 00:41:39,400 --> 00:41:42,200 Speaker 3: to this huge helicopter. So I go, listen, man, can 747 00:41:42,239 --> 00:41:44,560 Speaker 3: you take us to the Montsello Airport? I said, we're 748 00:41:44,560 --> 00:41:46,759 Speaker 3: with the promoters. Very important. We have to get there. 749 00:41:47,040 --> 00:41:49,719 Speaker 3: He goes get in. He slides this door open, this 750 00:41:49,960 --> 00:41:52,360 Speaker 3: like the size of the wall in the one of 751 00:41:52,360 --> 00:41:56,160 Speaker 3: my apartments. And of course when we get in, people 752 00:41:56,239 --> 00:41:59,239 Speaker 3: rush the helicopter. I mean, nobody wanted to ask. I ask, 753 00:41:59,400 --> 00:42:01,840 Speaker 3: that's who I am? So I asked, Now the door's open. 754 00:42:02,160 --> 00:42:05,359 Speaker 3: Finally he had to stop, like he had twelve more 755 00:42:05,400 --> 00:42:07,480 Speaker 3: people in there. I don't know how many, but bum 756 00:42:07,520 --> 00:42:09,520 Speaker 3: bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum 757 00:42:09,640 --> 00:42:12,560 Speaker 3: down right there, and there's the car, and there's my 758 00:42:12,680 --> 00:42:16,600 Speaker 3: production manager and receptionist standing next to it. And that's it. 759 00:42:16,760 --> 00:42:18,239 Speaker 3: We drive home and misleds up. 760 00:42:20,880 --> 00:42:25,800 Speaker 2: Okay, you do the festival in the spring. You've already 761 00:42:26,000 --> 00:42:31,680 Speaker 2: left the venue and the rock pile before you do 762 00:42:32,040 --> 00:42:35,040 Speaker 2: the Rock and Roll Revival sixty nine in the fall. 763 00:42:35,560 --> 00:42:37,000 Speaker 2: Did you do any other shows? 764 00:42:37,760 --> 00:42:41,880 Speaker 3: I did? I must admit that I did Blind Faith 765 00:42:42,040 --> 00:42:44,719 Speaker 3: at the end of July. Kenny wouldn't do it with me. 766 00:42:45,239 --> 00:42:48,480 Speaker 3: The record was now yet. My friend Hugh Curry was 767 00:42:48,560 --> 00:42:51,319 Speaker 3: a DJ on Chalmy at a Sunday night radio show 768 00:42:51,400 --> 00:42:53,640 Speaker 3: called The Dream Machine. He was saying, you have to 769 00:42:53,760 --> 00:42:56,160 Speaker 3: do it, you have to do it. This is the 770 00:42:56,600 --> 00:43:00,680 Speaker 3: super group. You have to bring them here. So Stan 771 00:43:00,800 --> 00:43:04,920 Speaker 3: Freeman at the Electric Circus in Toronto or in New 772 00:43:05,000 --> 00:43:08,040 Speaker 3: York had an electric circus by this time, competing with 773 00:43:08,120 --> 00:43:10,480 Speaker 3: the Rock Pile in Toronto. He said, I'll do it 774 00:43:10,560 --> 00:43:13,799 Speaker 3: with you, and so he and another guy I can't 775 00:43:13,800 --> 00:43:17,480 Speaker 3: remember his name, they put the money up and we 776 00:43:17,560 --> 00:43:20,480 Speaker 3: lost twenty thousand dollars. There's only three thousand people came. 777 00:43:20,560 --> 00:43:23,320 Speaker 3: The record came out the day of the show, and 778 00:43:25,200 --> 00:43:27,319 Speaker 3: it was an incredible show. Of course, it was an 779 00:43:27,320 --> 00:43:31,400 Speaker 3: amazing show, and Hugh and I sat and played records 780 00:43:31,480 --> 00:43:35,799 Speaker 3: with Stevie Winwood and Rick Gretch after the show all 781 00:43:35,920 --> 00:43:38,320 Speaker 3: night long. Back at Hughes Plays, Clapton went off, I 782 00:43:38,360 --> 00:43:40,840 Speaker 3: don't know where with Bonnie Bonnie Delaney. They were the 783 00:43:40,920 --> 00:43:44,839 Speaker 3: opening act. It was a magical experience, but it costs money. 784 00:43:45,239 --> 00:43:47,560 Speaker 3: It was. It was a bomb, as were many of 785 00:43:47,600 --> 00:43:50,400 Speaker 3: those dates because there was no record. If there's no record, 786 00:43:51,040 --> 00:43:54,080 Speaker 3: there's no internet, there's no nothing. There's no tribal drums. 787 00:43:54,760 --> 00:43:56,040 Speaker 3: You know, there's rolling stone. 788 00:43:57,440 --> 00:44:00,759 Speaker 2: Okay, what let's go back to the show. What is 789 00:44:00,840 --> 00:44:02,360 Speaker 2: the exact date of the Spring. 790 00:44:02,200 --> 00:44:06,359 Speaker 3: Festival September thirteenth, No, No, the one in the spring 791 00:44:06,640 --> 00:44:07,680 Speaker 3: June twenty twenty one. 792 00:44:08,600 --> 00:44:12,760 Speaker 2: Okay, so how long after that festival do you start 793 00:44:13,120 --> 00:44:16,080 Speaker 2: deciding you're going to do something in September. 794 00:44:16,160 --> 00:44:17,640 Speaker 3: Like probably the day afterwards. 795 00:44:19,239 --> 00:44:22,920 Speaker 2: And is the initial idea this rock revival thing or 796 00:44:23,280 --> 00:44:24,920 Speaker 2: is anybody saying anything different? 797 00:44:25,200 --> 00:44:27,400 Speaker 3: No? No, I was usually the guy that would call 798 00:44:27,480 --> 00:44:30,879 Speaker 3: the shots on who we were going to book. Kenny 799 00:44:31,040 --> 00:44:34,320 Speaker 3: was the business guy. He always made sure, you know, 800 00:44:35,000 --> 00:44:37,040 Speaker 3: we made money. I don't know how, but he did. 801 00:44:38,000 --> 00:44:41,160 Speaker 3: And so it was this whole thing that Chuck Berry 802 00:44:41,280 --> 00:44:44,000 Speaker 3: stole the show. Everybody's talking about Chuck Berry the next 803 00:44:44,040 --> 00:44:47,000 Speaker 3: few days. So that's when it was let's do all 804 00:44:47,040 --> 00:44:48,160 Speaker 3: the old rock and rollers. 805 00:44:56,239 --> 00:44:59,920 Speaker 2: Okay, so tell me about building the show, getting the tech. 806 00:45:00,440 --> 00:45:03,080 Speaker 3: Well, you know, the talent came together in one day, 807 00:45:03,200 --> 00:45:06,200 Speaker 3: literally the rockers, and that was what was made us 808 00:45:06,400 --> 00:45:09,680 Speaker 3: feel for sure, this is a great idea because just 809 00:45:09,800 --> 00:45:14,120 Speaker 3: two calls to Universal or you know another booking agent 810 00:45:14,200 --> 00:45:16,960 Speaker 3: I can't remember who, didn't matter. We were, you know, 811 00:45:17,520 --> 00:45:22,160 Speaker 3: Jerry Lee's available. Gene Vincent came on later, Kim Fowley 812 00:45:22,320 --> 00:45:26,120 Speaker 3: got us to bring him up there, and little Richard, 813 00:45:26,239 --> 00:45:29,680 Speaker 3: I mean, you know, probably those guys were not getting 814 00:45:29,719 --> 00:45:31,880 Speaker 3: booked very often, and this was like I got a 815 00:45:32,000 --> 00:45:34,120 Speaker 3: date for you. It was probably what their agent said, Hey, 816 00:45:34,200 --> 00:45:38,040 Speaker 3: I got a date for you up in Toronto, and 817 00:45:38,160 --> 00:45:41,280 Speaker 3: we thought it was propitious and you know, a good omen. 818 00:45:42,680 --> 00:45:45,239 Speaker 3: In hindsight, it was probably them excited to get a gig. 819 00:45:45,600 --> 00:45:48,880 Speaker 3: I don't know, nobody knows, but it all came together 820 00:45:49,040 --> 00:45:50,440 Speaker 3: in like a few phone calls. 821 00:45:51,800 --> 00:45:55,520 Speaker 2: Okay, so how did you end up booking the more 822 00:45:55,600 --> 00:45:59,280 Speaker 2: contemporary acts Chicago? The Door's Alice Cooper. 823 00:45:59,600 --> 00:46:03,160 Speaker 3: Well, Chicrgo had a number one record. Okay, they were huge, 824 00:46:03,880 --> 00:46:06,799 Speaker 3: and so they were an obvious buy just because they 825 00:46:06,840 --> 00:46:12,120 Speaker 3: were getting massive radio player. In terms of the doors, 826 00:46:12,239 --> 00:46:15,080 Speaker 3: they did not come along until I saw that this 827 00:46:15,320 --> 00:46:21,000 Speaker 3: was going to be an unmitigated disaster. And that's when 828 00:46:21,040 --> 00:46:26,000 Speaker 3: I bore the money from Edgo the Biker to bring them, 829 00:46:26,080 --> 00:46:28,120 Speaker 3: and I thought, well, for sure, now we're going to 830 00:46:28,200 --> 00:46:30,640 Speaker 3: sell out the doors because the year before we sold 831 00:46:30,680 --> 00:46:35,239 Speaker 3: out the coliseum in like days. But the you know, 832 00:46:35,800 --> 00:46:38,520 Speaker 3: blush was off the rose whatever that expression is, and 833 00:46:38,719 --> 00:46:42,040 Speaker 3: the doors. Remember something else. I believe a lot of 834 00:46:42,120 --> 00:46:45,080 Speaker 3: parents were involved in kids getting permission to go downtown 835 00:46:45,520 --> 00:46:47,480 Speaker 3: and be at a show. They didn't end till eleven 836 00:46:47,520 --> 00:46:50,279 Speaker 3: o'clock at night, and also to have six dollars or 837 00:46:50,320 --> 00:46:52,319 Speaker 3: eight dollars, and then I need money for a hot 838 00:46:52,400 --> 00:46:54,840 Speaker 3: dog and a coke, et cetera, et cetera. This was 839 00:46:55,520 --> 00:47:02,120 Speaker 3: not entrepreneurial teenagers. This was provincial Toronto. Liquor stores closed Sunday, 840 00:47:02,280 --> 00:47:06,480 Speaker 3: bars closed Sunday. I mean, this was still very provincial, 841 00:47:06,880 --> 00:47:08,920 Speaker 3: and I believe parents had a lot to do with it. 842 00:47:09,040 --> 00:47:12,360 Speaker 3: I'm sure the story about Jim Morrison more in Miami 843 00:47:12,719 --> 00:47:16,240 Speaker 3: had spread far and wide on the parental tribal drums. 844 00:47:17,640 --> 00:47:20,200 Speaker 2: Okay, let's go a little slower. Basically, in one day, 845 00:47:20,280 --> 00:47:24,480 Speaker 2: you book all the fifties rockers, do you in from 846 00:47:24,560 --> 00:47:28,640 Speaker 2: the beginning? Do you plan to book contemporary stuff like Chicago? 847 00:47:28,960 --> 00:47:31,359 Speaker 2: Or is an afterthought because those things are a little 848 00:47:31,400 --> 00:47:34,200 Speaker 2: oil and water. They're both music, are both rock, but 849 00:47:34,280 --> 00:47:35,200 Speaker 2: from different erows. 850 00:47:35,840 --> 00:47:38,640 Speaker 3: Yes, we intended to book other acts as well, because, 851 00:47:38,680 --> 00:47:41,560 Speaker 3: of course, from the June show there were acts that 852 00:47:41,640 --> 00:47:44,759 Speaker 3: were so off the wall, like Doctor John, that were 853 00:47:45,000 --> 00:47:48,480 Speaker 3: like incredible, that stunned the audience. Nobody knew who Doctor 854 00:47:48,600 --> 00:47:53,239 Speaker 3: John was. And we booked Tony Joe White, who also 855 00:47:53,320 --> 00:47:56,080 Speaker 3: had a big record and who was he was a 856 00:47:56,160 --> 00:47:59,680 Speaker 3: country guy from Nashville or something like that. But they 857 00:47:59,760 --> 00:48:03,279 Speaker 3: had big records and that was getting airplay. That obviously 858 00:48:03,520 --> 00:48:08,440 Speaker 3: did not translate to ticket sales either. And I think 859 00:48:08,480 --> 00:48:11,760 Speaker 3: you have to remember as a festival, parents were involved 860 00:48:11,880 --> 00:48:14,359 Speaker 3: in approving their kids coming down there. 861 00:48:15,760 --> 00:48:20,560 Speaker 2: How long after you booked the initial talent did you 862 00:48:20,719 --> 00:48:22,560 Speaker 2: decide and then book the doors. 863 00:48:23,760 --> 00:48:26,080 Speaker 3: Well, the doors were the very late booking. That was 864 00:48:26,120 --> 00:48:28,480 Speaker 3: a hail Mary pass right there before we had a 865 00:48:28,520 --> 00:48:32,760 Speaker 3: Hail Mary with Lennon. That was when it was obvious 866 00:48:32,880 --> 00:48:36,879 Speaker 3: the ticket sales were not going to reach any kind 867 00:48:36,960 --> 00:48:39,920 Speaker 3: of line like a stock where you know it's climbing. 868 00:48:40,000 --> 00:48:45,280 Speaker 3: They were flat, and I just felt from the Door's 869 00:48:45,840 --> 00:48:50,560 Speaker 3: performance the year before, and you know, girls were screaming, 870 00:48:50,680 --> 00:48:55,480 Speaker 3: they were like fainting at the coliseum. It was pandemonium. 871 00:48:55,600 --> 00:48:57,680 Speaker 3: Jim had his shirt open and his hair and he 872 00:48:57,800 --> 00:49:00,720 Speaker 3: was the lizard king. That's what I thought we were getting. 873 00:49:01,680 --> 00:49:05,400 Speaker 3: And you know, we didn't get latest photos of people 874 00:49:05,560 --> 00:49:07,560 Speaker 3: sent up to us. Oh wait a minute, here's Jim's 875 00:49:07,600 --> 00:49:10,360 Speaker 3: latest mugshot. No, that didn't come up with the contract. 876 00:49:12,800 --> 00:49:14,960 Speaker 3: So they came and you know it was a very 877 00:49:15,040 --> 00:49:15,840 Speaker 3: different reception. 878 00:49:17,760 --> 00:49:22,200 Speaker 2: Okay, let's talk before the date plays. So when you 879 00:49:22,320 --> 00:49:25,120 Speaker 2: booked the doors, are you aware of what happened in Miami? 880 00:49:25,280 --> 00:49:27,200 Speaker 3: Oh? Absolutely, of course. 881 00:49:27,440 --> 00:49:30,840 Speaker 2: Okay, so tell us about getting the money from the 882 00:49:31,000 --> 00:49:31,759 Speaker 2: biker gang. 883 00:49:32,920 --> 00:49:36,440 Speaker 3: Well, it was from the leader, edgo and I needed 884 00:49:36,560 --> 00:49:39,760 Speaker 3: to borrow the money because he said, look, this is alone, 885 00:49:39,840 --> 00:49:43,360 Speaker 3: this is not an investment. Okay, we don't want anything 886 00:49:43,480 --> 00:49:45,319 Speaker 3: for it, but you know what, I'll help you out. 887 00:49:45,440 --> 00:49:49,160 Speaker 3: But guess what. So that's why when I said to Kenny, 888 00:49:49,239 --> 00:49:51,279 Speaker 3: you know we need twenty five thousand, he said, no, 889 00:49:51,360 --> 00:49:54,080 Speaker 3: I'm not going to do it. Borrow it from somebody, 890 00:49:54,520 --> 00:49:57,000 Speaker 3: and you know, and then when I told him I 891 00:49:57,080 --> 00:49:59,960 Speaker 3: bored it from Edgoe, he said, well, you know that's great, 892 00:50:00,160 --> 00:50:01,920 Speaker 3: but you know, if it's a bomb, it's on you. 893 00:50:02,239 --> 00:50:08,239 Speaker 3: So rolling ahead a little further, when it was like 894 00:50:08,360 --> 00:50:11,279 Speaker 3: the Eatons went and canceled the show, you know, my 895 00:50:11,440 --> 00:50:13,520 Speaker 3: wife was ready to take the baby and move back 896 00:50:13,560 --> 00:50:16,080 Speaker 3: to her parents in California on the next plane, thinking, 897 00:50:16,160 --> 00:50:18,360 Speaker 3: you know, the Eatons aren't going to pony up to 898 00:50:18,440 --> 00:50:20,759 Speaker 3: twenty five thousand. We're Johnny going to get that money? 899 00:50:20,840 --> 00:50:24,400 Speaker 3: I don't know anyway. Then Lennon came alone and saved 900 00:50:24,480 --> 00:50:25,000 Speaker 3: the bacon. 901 00:50:25,920 --> 00:50:28,399 Speaker 2: Okay, is that what the door has cost? 902 00:50:29,360 --> 00:50:32,000 Speaker 3: Twenty five thousand for each day? Donald paid them the 903 00:50:32,040 --> 00:50:32,880 Speaker 3: same in Montreal. 904 00:50:34,120 --> 00:50:36,560 Speaker 2: Okay, how did you know this guy? 905 00:50:37,520 --> 00:50:39,680 Speaker 3: No? What guy ed Joe? He did security for us 906 00:50:39,719 --> 00:50:42,560 Speaker 3: at the rock Pile. Whenever British bands played at the 907 00:50:42,640 --> 00:50:45,520 Speaker 3: rock Pile, the Scotty Mods would come out of Scarborough, 908 00:50:46,280 --> 00:50:49,080 Speaker 3: and I mean the guys that were speaking English came 909 00:50:49,120 --> 00:50:52,040 Speaker 3: from English families, dressed like the Scotty Mods in Scotland 910 00:50:52,160 --> 00:50:54,359 Speaker 3: or in the UK, and they would come and they 911 00:50:54,360 --> 00:50:56,919 Speaker 3: would fly in a v right to the front door 912 00:50:57,040 --> 00:50:59,680 Speaker 3: and smash their way in. Well, they only did that 913 00:50:59,800 --> 00:51:03,320 Speaker 3: one and then we got Edgoe and some of his 914 00:51:03,480 --> 00:51:06,480 Speaker 3: guys to come and be security. And when they did 915 00:51:06,560 --> 00:51:09,120 Speaker 3: that the next time, they never did it again. So 916 00:51:09,400 --> 00:51:11,800 Speaker 3: I knew Edgoe also from the village. Edgo was like 917 00:51:11,840 --> 00:51:15,880 Speaker 3: a character hanging around the village, and that's where we 918 00:51:16,000 --> 00:51:19,279 Speaker 3: all hung around, like in the Diplomat's days. So I 919 00:51:19,360 --> 00:51:22,920 Speaker 3: mean these were characters. I was a character. I think 920 00:51:23,040 --> 00:51:26,000 Speaker 3: in one thing edgo says, you know John Brower was 921 00:51:26,040 --> 00:51:28,440 Speaker 3: another character hanging around the village. I mean we were 922 00:51:28,480 --> 00:51:30,000 Speaker 3: all characters against. 923 00:51:30,840 --> 00:51:34,200 Speaker 2: Okay, where did you think he got the twenty five 924 00:51:34,280 --> 00:51:35,080 Speaker 2: thousand dollars. 925 00:51:35,200 --> 00:51:38,320 Speaker 3: Where did he get it? Probably out of his back pocket, 926 00:51:38,520 --> 00:51:41,960 Speaker 3: I'm not sure. I'm sure they had businesses. I'm sure 927 00:51:42,000 --> 00:51:46,399 Speaker 3: they had enterprises that were enterprising back in those days. 928 00:51:46,480 --> 00:51:49,279 Speaker 3: As he says in the Revival movie, you got to 929 00:51:49,320 --> 00:51:52,600 Speaker 3: remember there's a lot of pot smoke back then. Well 930 00:51:52,640 --> 00:51:54,680 Speaker 3: there were a lot of people selling it back then too, 931 00:51:54,800 --> 00:51:56,640 Speaker 3: and I'm sure they may have been. 932 00:51:56,560 --> 00:51:59,640 Speaker 2: Some of them, so you weren't aware that they were 933 00:51:59,680 --> 00:52:03,200 Speaker 2: in the business. How do you know we had that money? 934 00:52:04,239 --> 00:52:07,640 Speaker 3: Well, you know, I asked a couple of people before 935 00:52:07,680 --> 00:52:10,120 Speaker 3: I asked him. Believe me, Okay, I asked a couple 936 00:52:10,200 --> 00:52:12,279 Speaker 3: of people. I asked a couple of guys from Upper 937 00:52:12,360 --> 00:52:14,880 Speaker 3: Canada College, could you get your mom to loan me 938 00:52:14,960 --> 00:52:18,600 Speaker 3: twenty five thousand? You know, I think one guy asked 939 00:52:18,640 --> 00:52:22,280 Speaker 3: his mom. She laughed him out of the house. But remember, 940 00:52:22,640 --> 00:52:25,440 Speaker 3: my friend got his uncle to give us ten thousand 941 00:52:25,520 --> 00:52:27,719 Speaker 3: to bring the doors. So I mean I was canvassing 942 00:52:27,760 --> 00:52:32,400 Speaker 3: some of those things before I settled on Edgoe. Edgoe 943 00:52:32,560 --> 00:52:37,080 Speaker 3: was very quick to say, yeah, no problem, okay. 944 00:52:38,640 --> 00:52:41,400 Speaker 2: How long after you announced the doors you realized this 945 00:52:41,560 --> 00:52:42,760 Speaker 2: isn't going to sell any real. 946 00:52:42,680 --> 00:52:45,160 Speaker 3: Tickets, probably seventy two hours. 947 00:52:47,200 --> 00:52:48,799 Speaker 2: Then what's going through your mind? 948 00:52:50,239 --> 00:52:56,480 Speaker 3: Well, I don't know, but probably wasn't very good basically, 949 00:52:56,640 --> 00:53:00,600 Speaker 3: you know now what And that's when I believe Thor 950 00:53:00,719 --> 00:53:02,840 Speaker 3: Eaton called and said, we're not going to you know, 951 00:53:03,239 --> 00:53:05,759 Speaker 3: green light the rest of the money because they had, 952 00:53:05,880 --> 00:53:07,799 Speaker 3: you know, stock in the company and they had to say. 953 00:53:08,760 --> 00:53:10,919 Speaker 3: And Kenny didn't want to green light at either. Kenny 954 00:53:10,960 --> 00:53:13,200 Speaker 3: wanted to cancel the show. We didn't want to lose money, Kenny. 955 00:53:13,400 --> 00:53:16,279 Speaker 3: You know, to me, I was losing a reputation. It 956 00:53:16,400 --> 00:53:19,160 Speaker 3: was an unmitigated disaster. I'd never be able to book 957 00:53:19,160 --> 00:53:22,600 Speaker 3: another band all of that. That's what I thought. Kenny 958 00:53:22,640 --> 00:53:24,520 Speaker 3: and Thor were like, we're not going to lose any 959 00:53:24,600 --> 00:53:28,200 Speaker 3: more money. That was just the accountants versus the creators. 960 00:53:29,480 --> 00:53:31,920 Speaker 3: And that's when I went to tell Kim Falley it's over, 961 00:53:32,080 --> 00:53:33,880 Speaker 3: and he said, you got to call John Lennon. 962 00:53:34,560 --> 00:53:38,120 Speaker 2: Okay, Well before we go there. How did Kim Fowley 963 00:53:38,200 --> 00:53:40,440 Speaker 2: and Rodney Bingenheimer get involved? 964 00:53:42,719 --> 00:53:45,680 Speaker 3: God bless him. I'm glad they did. Well. Richie Yorke, 965 00:53:45,760 --> 00:53:54,600 Speaker 3: the journalist, had suggested early on, you should bring Kim 966 00:53:54,680 --> 00:53:58,600 Speaker 3: Fowley and Rodney Bannheimer up to be the MC's. Now. 967 00:53:58,719 --> 00:54:03,760 Speaker 3: I knew Rodney from Rodney's English Disco in La Rodney 968 00:54:03,920 --> 00:54:07,600 Speaker 3: was the mayor of Sunset Strip, so that name was familiar. 969 00:54:07,640 --> 00:54:10,759 Speaker 3: I had no idea who Kim Falley was. But when 970 00:54:10,800 --> 00:54:14,000 Speaker 3: they got up there, you know, they were characters and 971 00:54:14,800 --> 00:54:17,160 Speaker 3: it sounded like they were going to be great MC's, 972 00:54:17,200 --> 00:54:19,239 Speaker 3: and in the movie Kim Fowley is a great MC. 973 00:54:19,480 --> 00:54:26,080 Speaker 3: Rodney drifted off. He didn't do anything on stage, but they, 974 00:54:26,239 --> 00:54:29,840 Speaker 3: you know, were celebrities, and you know, announcing them also 975 00:54:30,000 --> 00:54:33,799 Speaker 3: did not mean anything. It was like way over everybody's. 976 00:54:33,280 --> 00:54:38,239 Speaker 2: Head, and you booked them thinking they would do what. 977 00:54:38,719 --> 00:54:40,799 Speaker 3: Well, the first of all, they'd be the MC's as 978 00:54:40,840 --> 00:54:43,680 Speaker 3: opposed to people from Chum Radio, which would be doing 979 00:54:43,760 --> 00:54:46,800 Speaker 3: nothing but talking about Chum Radio all the time. That 980 00:54:46,960 --> 00:54:49,880 Speaker 3: was the one thing we wanted to avoid. We didn't 981 00:54:49,880 --> 00:54:52,919 Speaker 3: have any MC's at all in June, but a couple 982 00:54:53,000 --> 00:54:57,319 Speaker 3: of DJs did snatch the mic, you know, because they 983 00:54:57,360 --> 00:54:59,000 Speaker 3: were allowed to be there and say, well, we need 984 00:54:59,080 --> 00:55:01,000 Speaker 3: to make an announcement and Chum wants to thank you. 985 00:55:01,400 --> 00:55:04,280 Speaker 3: You know, everybody took credit for everything at radio stations 986 00:55:04,360 --> 00:55:07,200 Speaker 3: wherever possible, So we wanted to avoid that. So it 987 00:55:07,320 --> 00:55:09,920 Speaker 3: sounded great. We'll have the mayor of Sunset Strip and 988 00:55:10,040 --> 00:55:12,640 Speaker 3: some other guy named Kim Fowley, and they'll be the 989 00:55:12,719 --> 00:55:15,480 Speaker 3: EMC's that'll keep the radio guys off the stage. 990 00:55:17,120 --> 00:55:20,719 Speaker 2: Okay, if the show is going to play in September, 991 00:55:21,040 --> 00:55:24,520 Speaker 2: when do you decide to hire Fouley in Bingenheimer? 992 00:55:25,320 --> 00:55:29,040 Speaker 3: Oh? Probably not till the middle of August, or even 993 00:55:29,120 --> 00:55:29,680 Speaker 3: a bit later. 994 00:55:30,719 --> 00:55:33,440 Speaker 2: The movie gives the impression that they ultimately moved to 995 00:55:33,600 --> 00:55:35,960 Speaker 2: Toronto for a month. Is that kind of what happened? 996 00:55:36,000 --> 00:55:38,479 Speaker 3: Now? I don't I've seen the movie one hundred times. 997 00:55:38,560 --> 00:55:42,919 Speaker 3: I don't ever remember anything that indicated that they came 998 00:55:43,040 --> 00:55:45,840 Speaker 3: up like the week of the show to do promotion 999 00:55:46,719 --> 00:55:49,640 Speaker 3: and that was it. They were basically only there like 1000 00:55:49,760 --> 00:55:52,680 Speaker 3: two days before I went to tell them that we're 1001 00:55:52,719 --> 00:55:56,279 Speaker 3: pulling the plug and we'll send you home. But the 1002 00:55:56,360 --> 00:55:58,239 Speaker 3: idea of booking them, the idea of booking them and 1003 00:55:58,320 --> 00:56:01,200 Speaker 3: paying them and getting them there line tickets would have 1004 00:56:01,280 --> 00:56:03,920 Speaker 3: been several, you know, weeks, at least a couple before that. 1005 00:56:05,280 --> 00:56:08,600 Speaker 2: Okay, So now in this great run you have the 1006 00:56:08,960 --> 00:56:15,040 Speaker 2: fifties acts you booked the doors, tickets still aren't selling. 1007 00:56:15,800 --> 00:56:17,000 Speaker 2: What's going through your brain? 1008 00:56:18,560 --> 00:56:22,960 Speaker 3: Like, why was this my idea? You know? 1009 00:56:23,120 --> 00:56:23,319 Speaker 2: Why? 1010 00:56:23,440 --> 00:56:24,680 Speaker 3: Why was this my idea? 1011 00:56:24,840 --> 00:56:25,040 Speaker 2: Why? 1012 00:56:25,239 --> 00:56:26,960 Speaker 3: Why did I think of this? What did I think 1013 00:56:27,000 --> 00:56:30,080 Speaker 3: about this that was going to be good? Like, you know, 1014 00:56:30,280 --> 00:56:33,919 Speaker 3: I'm sure every promoter's had that happened once in their life. 1015 00:56:35,880 --> 00:56:38,600 Speaker 2: And if you had brought the show down, how much 1016 00:56:38,680 --> 00:56:41,799 Speaker 2: would you've only owed the acts for cancelation. 1017 00:56:43,120 --> 00:56:47,040 Speaker 3: That I really don't know, but probably a lot less 1018 00:56:48,080 --> 00:56:50,399 Speaker 3: than if they'd had to show up. And I don't 1019 00:56:50,440 --> 00:56:54,120 Speaker 3: know what those contracts said. I don't know that there 1020 00:56:54,200 --> 00:56:57,920 Speaker 3: was cancelation clauses in our agreements. I don't think we 1021 00:56:58,040 --> 00:57:03,360 Speaker 3: ever dealt with anybody canceled before, or US canceling anybody. 1022 00:57:03,400 --> 00:57:06,520 Speaker 2: It was like to just let's go back one chapter. 1023 00:57:06,880 --> 00:57:09,200 Speaker 2: Why did the Jeff Beck group not show up for 1024 00:57:09,320 --> 00:57:09,960 Speaker 2: the matinee? 1025 00:57:11,080 --> 00:57:13,680 Speaker 3: I don't have any idea, and we never heard. But 1026 00:57:13,840 --> 00:57:17,440 Speaker 3: obviously they were coming by car. They may have had 1027 00:57:17,480 --> 00:57:21,080 Speaker 3: a problem getting across the border because I don't know 1028 00:57:21,160 --> 00:57:26,040 Speaker 3: where they came from. But they did not fly into Toronto. 1029 00:57:26,720 --> 00:57:29,360 Speaker 3: They drove and they came in a station wagon and 1030 00:57:29,440 --> 00:57:33,080 Speaker 3: a van, So where they came from, I don't know. 1031 00:57:33,240 --> 00:57:36,440 Speaker 3: There were other acts that were delayed getting in. Some 1032 00:57:36,640 --> 00:57:40,600 Speaker 3: were even stopped from coming into Canada even though we 1033 00:57:40,680 --> 00:57:44,200 Speaker 3: had sold out shows for them. I can't think of one. 1034 00:57:44,400 --> 00:57:50,240 Speaker 3: Some guy set himself on fire. What was his name, Northrough. 1035 00:57:49,920 --> 00:57:52,360 Speaker 2: Brown Crazy World of Arthur Base, The World. 1036 00:57:52,200 --> 00:57:54,320 Speaker 3: Of Arthur Brown. It took him forever to get into 1037 00:57:54,360 --> 00:57:58,560 Speaker 3: the country. And there were other acts that were canceled 1038 00:57:58,600 --> 00:57:59,480 Speaker 3: that they couldn't get in. 1039 00:58:01,280 --> 00:58:08,560 Speaker 2: Okay, between the decision of deciding to hire Foully and Bingenheimer, 1040 00:58:09,200 --> 00:58:13,120 Speaker 2: before the John Lennon idea comes, are there any other 1041 00:58:13,280 --> 00:58:15,800 Speaker 2: ideas that come up that you either take action on 1042 00:58:16,000 --> 00:58:17,000 Speaker 2: or decide not to do. 1043 00:58:17,920 --> 00:58:20,919 Speaker 3: No, No, there were no other acts available that would 1044 00:58:20,920 --> 00:58:24,200 Speaker 3: have made any difference. There was no budget to spend 1045 00:58:24,360 --> 00:58:30,880 Speaker 3: on them because ticket sales were so disastrous and after 1046 00:58:31,000 --> 00:58:34,360 Speaker 3: the doors got there twenty five thousand and that didn't 1047 00:58:34,400 --> 00:58:37,600 Speaker 3: produce any tickets at all. That would have been a 1048 00:58:37,680 --> 00:58:41,920 Speaker 3: fools game to think anybody else would. So, you know, 1049 00:58:42,040 --> 00:58:44,680 Speaker 3: it was all moving so fast. Right now. Remember it's 1050 00:58:44,760 --> 00:58:49,400 Speaker 3: like winding down to you know, the week before the 1051 00:58:49,480 --> 00:58:52,080 Speaker 3: show and there's two thousand tickets. 1052 00:58:53,160 --> 00:58:58,720 Speaker 2: Okay, it's the week before the show. Are your partners 1053 00:58:58,760 --> 00:59:00,320 Speaker 2: still saying we want to cancel. 1054 00:59:00,760 --> 00:59:03,000 Speaker 3: No, they didn't want to cancel till the Monday. The 1055 00:59:03,120 --> 00:59:05,480 Speaker 3: show was on the Saturday. Monday was the day they 1056 00:59:05,560 --> 00:59:06,160 Speaker 3: pulled the plug. 1057 00:59:07,680 --> 00:59:09,000 Speaker 2: And what were you thinking? 1058 00:59:13,800 --> 00:59:16,080 Speaker 3: Should I go to LA with my wife and child? 1059 00:59:18,440 --> 00:59:21,880 Speaker 2: Okay, So it's Kim Fowley who comes up with the 1060 00:59:21,960 --> 00:59:25,960 Speaker 2: idea of John lenn Yes, and this is on the phone. 1061 00:59:26,080 --> 00:59:27,760 Speaker 2: Who does he call? What does he say? 1062 00:59:27,960 --> 00:59:29,840 Speaker 3: No? No, no. I go to the hotel room to 1063 00:59:29,920 --> 00:59:33,720 Speaker 3: tell he and Rodney there were the show's being canceled 1064 00:59:34,240 --> 00:59:35,880 Speaker 3: and we're going to get you guys and fly you 1065 00:59:36,040 --> 00:59:38,360 Speaker 3: back to LA. Their tickets were for like a week 1066 00:59:38,400 --> 00:59:39,920 Speaker 3: from then. We didn't want to keep them in the 1067 00:59:39,960 --> 00:59:43,440 Speaker 3: hotel any longer. Get them out of there. And that's 1068 00:59:43,480 --> 00:59:47,760 Speaker 3: when Kim Fowley had a meltdown and started stomping around 1069 00:59:47,800 --> 00:59:50,320 Speaker 3: the room, going, you can't cancel this show. It's a 1070 00:59:50,400 --> 00:59:53,680 Speaker 3: classic show. What's wrong with these guys? Da Da Da 1071 00:59:53,760 --> 00:59:57,360 Speaker 3: da da. And that's when he said, look this way 1072 00:59:57,400 --> 00:59:59,600 Speaker 3: you need to do. You need to call John Lennon 1073 00:59:59,640 --> 01:00:01,480 Speaker 3: in the more And I'm looking at him like you know, 1074 01:00:02,120 --> 01:00:04,280 Speaker 3: I know he doesn't do drugs. I heard that already, 1075 01:00:04,320 --> 01:00:07,880 Speaker 3: So where's this coming from? And you need to tell 1076 01:00:07,960 --> 01:00:11,200 Speaker 3: him You've got Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, 1077 01:00:11,320 --> 01:00:15,200 Speaker 3: gen Vincent, Bo Diddley. Don't tell him about the Doors, 1078 01:00:15,280 --> 01:00:18,800 Speaker 3: don't tell him about any other bands. He loves these bands. 1079 01:00:19,200 --> 01:00:22,840 Speaker 3: The Beatles have played songs by Little Richard and Chuck Berry. 1080 01:00:23,480 --> 01:00:25,919 Speaker 3: The Beatles open for Gene Vincent at the Star Club. 1081 01:00:25,960 --> 01:00:28,200 Speaker 3: I didn't know any of this. Were citing all these 1082 01:00:28,280 --> 01:00:31,240 Speaker 3: things to me, and I go home and tell my 1083 01:00:31,360 --> 01:00:34,880 Speaker 3: wife and she goes into a complete meltdown, screaming around 1084 01:00:34,920 --> 01:00:36,800 Speaker 3: the house. You're out of your mind. I guess Elvis 1085 01:00:36,960 --> 01:00:39,120 Speaker 3: is waiting for your call too, And what about the 1086 01:00:39,240 --> 01:00:41,200 Speaker 3: Rolling Stones? Why don't you call them? You know? I 1087 01:00:41,280 --> 01:00:47,120 Speaker 3: mean it sounded so completely insane, ludicrous. But at six 1088 01:00:47,200 --> 01:00:50,000 Speaker 3: in the morning, Kenny Walker and I with Thor Eaton 1089 01:00:50,120 --> 01:00:51,960 Speaker 3: because we brought him to the office, it was like, 1090 01:00:52,040 --> 01:00:54,320 Speaker 3: if we get John Lennon on the phone, this has 1091 01:00:54,400 --> 01:00:58,560 Speaker 3: to be heard by Thor, not a story and lo 1092 01:00:58,720 --> 01:01:02,440 Speaker 3: and be old. We call out and you know, get 1093 01:01:02,600 --> 01:01:05,120 Speaker 3: Faucett there on the phone and tell him about the bands, 1094 01:01:05,160 --> 01:01:08,080 Speaker 3: and he comes back and it's like, okay, we'll do it. 1095 01:01:16,680 --> 01:01:19,840 Speaker 2: A little bit slower. How'd you get the number? What 1096 01:01:19,920 --> 01:01:22,160 Speaker 2: do you say when you call the number? 1097 01:01:22,360 --> 01:01:25,840 Speaker 3: Kim Fowley gave us the number for Apple. I mean 1098 01:01:25,880 --> 01:01:27,880 Speaker 3: it might have been that information too, I don't know. 1099 01:01:27,960 --> 01:01:30,160 Speaker 3: But Kim Fowley gave us the phone number. Here's the 1100 01:01:30,240 --> 01:01:32,520 Speaker 3: phone number. He went in a book and looked it up. 1101 01:01:33,360 --> 01:01:34,560 Speaker 3: He had everybody's number. 1102 01:01:35,160 --> 01:01:38,880 Speaker 2: Okay, so you called and someone picks up. Who do 1103 01:01:38,960 --> 01:01:40,920 Speaker 2: you say? Who you want to talk to? And what's 1104 01:01:40,960 --> 01:01:41,400 Speaker 2: your pitch? 1105 01:01:41,640 --> 01:01:44,720 Speaker 3: My pitch is just exactly this. Hi, this is John Brower. 1106 01:01:44,720 --> 01:01:47,640 Speaker 3: I'm calling from Toronto, Canada. I need you to write 1107 01:01:47,680 --> 01:01:52,520 Speaker 3: these names down please, It's very important. Chuck Berry, Little Richard, 1108 01:01:52,920 --> 01:01:56,560 Speaker 3: et cetera. I said, please give this to John Lennon 1109 01:01:56,600 --> 01:01:59,200 Speaker 3: and tell them all these acts are playing this Saturday, 1110 01:01:59,760 --> 01:02:02,160 Speaker 3: enter on and we want to invite he and Yoko 1111 01:02:02,240 --> 01:02:04,240 Speaker 3: to come and be the m Sieves, because that's what 1112 01:02:04,360 --> 01:02:07,280 Speaker 3: Folly said, invite them to be the m Sieves. So 1113 01:02:09,320 --> 01:02:12,959 Speaker 3: a minute or so later, you know, Anthony Faucett comes 1114 01:02:13,000 --> 01:02:15,840 Speaker 3: on and well where is it and when is it? 1115 01:02:15,960 --> 01:02:18,680 Speaker 3: It's this Saturday? And da da da da da, And 1116 01:02:18,840 --> 01:02:25,040 Speaker 3: then you know Lennon's there and hearing this and goes well, okay, 1117 01:02:25,160 --> 01:02:27,760 Speaker 3: we wouldn't want to come less we could play. So 1118 01:02:27,920 --> 01:02:31,680 Speaker 3: it was like what the Beatles, No, No, just us, 1119 01:02:31,840 --> 01:02:33,880 Speaker 3: me and me and Yoka and will get a little 1120 01:02:33,920 --> 01:02:37,480 Speaker 3: band together. All right. That was good enough for us, 1121 01:02:38,320 --> 01:02:40,959 Speaker 3: you know. Thor Eaton was like, okay, wow, that was cool. 1122 01:02:41,200 --> 01:02:43,760 Speaker 3: John Lennon on the phone, you know, because John Lennon's 1123 01:02:43,840 --> 01:02:46,160 Speaker 3: voice came on. He was on the phone. They had 1124 01:02:46,160 --> 01:02:48,960 Speaker 3: a speaker, So there you go, John Lennon, the real 1125 01:02:49,040 --> 01:02:52,080 Speaker 3: John Lennon. So that's why we went to chum. They 1126 01:02:52,160 --> 01:02:54,720 Speaker 3: laughed us out of the place, you know, like get 1127 01:02:54,760 --> 01:02:55,120 Speaker 3: out of here. 1128 01:02:55,840 --> 01:02:59,600 Speaker 2: Put a little bit slower. How is it left when 1129 01:02:59,640 --> 01:03:00,680 Speaker 2: you get off the phone? 1130 01:03:02,200 --> 01:03:04,480 Speaker 3: Well, we're jumping out and down, screaming and yelling. At 1131 01:03:04,520 --> 01:03:06,920 Speaker 3: six o'clock in the morning downtown in our office on 1132 01:03:07,080 --> 01:03:09,920 Speaker 3: Richmond Street. We had to wait three hours to go 1133 01:03:10,000 --> 01:03:10,400 Speaker 3: to Chump. 1134 01:03:11,240 --> 01:03:14,160 Speaker 2: Okay, but how do you leave it on the apple side? 1135 01:03:14,240 --> 01:03:17,320 Speaker 3: Appleside, I'm calling you back tomorrow. I need the names 1136 01:03:17,320 --> 01:03:19,200 Speaker 3: for the plane tickets, John said, I'm going to get 1137 01:03:19,200 --> 01:03:23,160 Speaker 3: a band together and for immigration and the plane tickets, 1138 01:03:23,280 --> 01:03:25,760 Speaker 3: and fine, call back tomorrow. 1139 01:03:26,640 --> 01:03:29,520 Speaker 2: Okay, And then you wait till nine o'clock. You go 1140 01:03:29,600 --> 01:03:31,919 Speaker 2: to the radio station tell the story there. 1141 01:03:32,160 --> 01:03:38,120 Speaker 3: Yes, and it's like, you know, ha ha ha, we 1142 01:03:38,280 --> 01:03:42,440 Speaker 3: know your show is bombing and I don't think we 1143 01:03:42,480 --> 01:03:43,880 Speaker 3: can go on the air with that. Boys. 1144 01:03:44,000 --> 01:03:44,920 Speaker 2: Sorry, you know. 1145 01:03:46,240 --> 01:03:48,560 Speaker 3: Now, there is a tiny backstory that came up on 1146 01:03:48,680 --> 01:03:53,680 Speaker 3: Tuesday Wednesday when we came back with the tape with 1147 01:03:53,800 --> 01:03:56,640 Speaker 3: Anthony Fawson on it. Now, Kenny and I had also 1148 01:03:56,720 --> 01:04:01,200 Speaker 3: been given the Beatles Magical Mystery Tour movie and we 1149 01:04:01,520 --> 01:04:04,320 Speaker 3: by Natwis, their lawyer guy in New York. They wanted 1150 01:04:04,320 --> 01:04:05,960 Speaker 3: to give it out to a few good promoters and 1151 01:04:06,040 --> 01:04:09,600 Speaker 3: we got it. So we sold out the O'Keefe Center, 1152 01:04:09,760 --> 01:04:13,000 Speaker 3: that's what it was back then. Klein Hands in Buffalo, 1153 01:04:13,880 --> 01:04:16,800 Speaker 3: Saint Lawrence Center, I think, in Montreal and at the 1154 01:04:16,960 --> 01:04:20,360 Speaker 3: Elegant Theater in Ottawa. It was a complete bus at 1155 01:04:20,400 --> 01:04:23,240 Speaker 3: twenty five hundred seat theater with four hundred tickets sold. 1156 01:04:23,280 --> 01:04:25,920 Speaker 3: The night before, Kenny and I are having dinner at 1157 01:04:25,920 --> 01:04:28,520 Speaker 3: the Chateau Laurier lamenting the fact we're going to lose 1158 01:04:28,560 --> 01:04:34,560 Speaker 3: our ass here and I had another idea. And back 1159 01:04:34,600 --> 01:04:36,400 Speaker 3: in the day, you always had the phone number of 1160 01:04:36,560 --> 01:04:40,480 Speaker 3: the radio station guy in the studio where they were 1161 01:04:40,560 --> 01:04:43,440 Speaker 3: on the air in case you had breaking news. And 1162 01:04:44,120 --> 01:04:48,200 Speaker 3: it was very organic back then. So I called a 1163 01:04:48,200 --> 01:04:51,280 Speaker 3: little hippie girl over that was a bus girl, and 1164 01:04:51,400 --> 01:04:52,880 Speaker 3: I said, how would you like to see the Beatles 1165 01:04:52,960 --> 01:04:56,320 Speaker 3: Magical Mystery Tour movie tomorrow? And she looked at us 1166 01:04:56,440 --> 01:04:59,040 Speaker 3: like I don't know what is that? You know? And 1167 01:04:59,120 --> 01:05:03,200 Speaker 3: Kenny's looking at me like, see, nobody knows. Promotion was terrible. 1168 01:05:04,920 --> 01:05:06,720 Speaker 3: So I said, Kenny, open me your briefcase. He opens 1169 01:05:06,800 --> 01:05:09,040 Speaker 3: his briefcase filled with tickets. I said, I'll give you 1170 01:05:09,160 --> 01:05:11,160 Speaker 3: ten tickets for you and your friends to go to 1171 01:05:11,280 --> 01:05:13,160 Speaker 3: the movie is playing right down the street at the 1172 01:05:13,240 --> 01:05:16,000 Speaker 3: Elgin Theaters, the Beatles movie. But I want you to 1173 01:05:16,080 --> 01:05:18,360 Speaker 3: call my friend to tell him that you work here 1174 01:05:18,440 --> 01:05:20,880 Speaker 3: and that you saw George Harrison. He's here having dinner 1175 01:05:21,120 --> 01:05:27,520 Speaker 3: with friends. That's innocent enough. So she goes okay. So 1176 01:05:27,680 --> 01:05:29,480 Speaker 3: she comes back a few minutes later and she's like 1177 01:05:29,600 --> 01:05:31,720 Speaker 3: kind of white. She goes, guy, you didn't tell me. 1178 01:05:32,400 --> 01:05:34,400 Speaker 3: You didn't tell me that that was the guy on 1179 01:05:34,480 --> 01:05:36,840 Speaker 3: the radio. He made me go on the radio and 1180 01:05:37,040 --> 01:05:40,120 Speaker 3: describe what was George Waring? And did I recognize anybody 1181 01:05:40,200 --> 01:05:42,600 Speaker 3: that was with him? To make it up, But she 1182 01:05:42,680 --> 01:05:44,160 Speaker 3: said but I did tell him that me and all 1183 01:05:44,240 --> 01:05:46,280 Speaker 3: my friends are going to see the Beatles movie tomorrow. 1184 01:05:46,600 --> 01:05:50,080 Speaker 3: I was like, oh my god, yes, okay, I love you, 1185 01:05:50,520 --> 01:05:53,920 Speaker 3: so we give her the tickets. Not even twenty minutes later. 1186 01:05:54,080 --> 01:05:56,880 Speaker 3: Thirty minutes later, kids were coming into the Chateau Laurier 1187 01:05:57,040 --> 01:05:59,880 Speaker 3: looking for George Harrison with Beatle records, wanting to say 1188 01:06:00,880 --> 01:06:03,560 Speaker 3: the next morning it was below the fold on the 1189 01:06:03,640 --> 01:06:07,440 Speaker 3: Autawa Citizen, George Harrison in town for Magical Mystery to 1190 01:06:07,520 --> 01:06:10,120 Speaker 3: our movie question Mark. Of course, we sold the show 1191 01:06:10,160 --> 01:06:12,240 Speaker 3: out by ten in the morning. The other twenty one 1192 01:06:12,320 --> 01:06:14,760 Speaker 3: hundred tickets were gone, so that became a bit of 1193 01:06:14,840 --> 01:06:16,760 Speaker 3: a story ha ha. You know, a little elbow on 1194 01:06:16,800 --> 01:06:20,880 Speaker 3: the side back in Toronto. And of course people at 1195 01:06:21,000 --> 01:06:23,320 Speaker 3: Chum had heard that, maybe a couple of the DJs 1196 01:06:23,400 --> 01:06:26,120 Speaker 3: or something. So when we came in there the second 1197 01:06:26,200 --> 01:06:29,160 Speaker 3: day with the tape, that's why they were really upset, 1198 01:06:30,320 --> 01:06:32,960 Speaker 3: because they said, you know, the Beatles must love you guys. Right, 1199 01:06:33,440 --> 01:06:36,400 Speaker 3: you're bombing with the movie in Ottawa. But George Harrison's 1200 01:06:36,520 --> 01:06:40,480 Speaker 3: in town, supposedly nobody sees him, but you sell that out. 1201 01:06:40,920 --> 01:06:44,280 Speaker 3: Now your festival's bombing. And John Lennon's coming with a 1202 01:06:44,360 --> 01:06:47,760 Speaker 3: band with Eric Clapton, no doubt, get out you guys, 1203 01:06:47,840 --> 01:06:51,720 Speaker 3: disgust me, you know, get out of here. That's that's why, 1204 01:06:51,920 --> 01:06:54,680 Speaker 3: you know they knew, And this was like that was 1205 01:06:54,880 --> 01:06:57,200 Speaker 3: our fault, but you know we had to be victim 1206 01:06:57,240 --> 01:07:01,480 Speaker 3: of our own uh you know, skullduggery if you will. 1207 01:07:03,080 --> 01:07:06,000 Speaker 2: So you called back Apple the next day and tell 1208 01:07:06,040 --> 01:07:07,080 Speaker 2: me about that conversation. 1209 01:07:07,160 --> 01:07:09,560 Speaker 3: Well, I asked for John Lennon. I said, he's expecting 1210 01:07:09,680 --> 01:07:13,440 Speaker 3: my call. Well, of course, Anthony Fosset comes on the phone. Meanwhile, 1211 01:07:13,480 --> 01:07:16,160 Speaker 3: we've got a suction cup on the phone and we're 1212 01:07:16,240 --> 01:07:22,080 Speaker 3: taping this and I was like, you know what, I 1213 01:07:22,120 --> 01:07:24,080 Speaker 3: didn't want to say, well, we need John Lennon on 1214 01:07:24,120 --> 01:07:26,120 Speaker 3: the phone. Nobody believes us. I didn't want to put 1215 01:07:26,160 --> 01:07:31,280 Speaker 3: any shade on this thing. So he recites these names, 1216 01:07:31,400 --> 01:07:35,080 Speaker 3: John Yoker here, Clappton Club's Forman Ellen White, mel Evans. 1217 01:07:35,160 --> 01:07:38,120 Speaker 3: I knew they named mel Evans and it was like, okay, 1218 01:07:38,240 --> 01:07:40,480 Speaker 3: So that's what we went up to Chum with that 1219 01:07:40,720 --> 01:07:43,400 Speaker 3: tape with him on the phone. Now, if John Lennon 1220 01:07:43,480 --> 01:07:46,400 Speaker 3: had come on the phone, Chum would have gone crazy. 1221 01:07:47,160 --> 01:07:49,680 Speaker 3: Of course, they would have everybody would have known John's voice. 1222 01:07:49,760 --> 01:07:53,920 Speaker 3: But Chum was kind of wondering about this. And that's 1223 01:07:53,960 --> 01:07:58,440 Speaker 3: when they call Capitol Records, who called Alan Kline, who said, boys, 1224 01:07:59,560 --> 01:08:01,680 Speaker 3: John lenn and it doesn't do anything I don't know about. 1225 01:08:01,840 --> 01:08:05,160 Speaker 3: Forget about it. Just forget it. And then the word 1226 01:08:05,240 --> 01:08:07,280 Speaker 3: came back to Chaum, it's all b as the Beetle's 1227 01:08:07,360 --> 01:08:09,720 Speaker 3: manager said, So well, that was it. We were dead. 1228 01:08:10,160 --> 01:08:13,600 Speaker 3: That's why the night before when Edgeo came to my house, 1229 01:08:14,520 --> 01:08:18,599 Speaker 3: he said, it's all good. If this is bullshit, that's fine, 1230 01:08:18,640 --> 01:08:22,000 Speaker 3: you're a promoter. But if my guys out at the 1231 01:08:22,040 --> 01:08:25,679 Speaker 3: airport tomorrow eighty people and there's no John Lennon, he said, 1232 01:08:25,760 --> 01:08:30,200 Speaker 3: now is the time to tell me. Not tomorrow. So 1233 01:08:30,800 --> 01:08:33,599 Speaker 3: I'm going. We talked. I talked to John Lennon. He's coming. 1234 01:08:33,680 --> 01:08:37,120 Speaker 3: We got them plane dikets now. Four in the morning. 1235 01:08:37,160 --> 01:08:39,840 Speaker 3: I hit a call Anthony Foss that John's not feeling well, 1236 01:08:39,920 --> 01:08:42,280 Speaker 3: doesn't want to come. Send roses and flowers, you know, 1237 01:08:42,560 --> 01:08:45,599 Speaker 3: like no, no, no, no, that's not going to fly. 1238 01:08:45,800 --> 01:08:49,280 Speaker 3: He has to come. And then Clampton came on board 1239 01:08:49,320 --> 01:08:51,200 Speaker 3: and that was it. John wasn't going to come without 1240 01:08:51,200 --> 01:08:53,800 Speaker 3: a guitar. Player. Not gonna come with a bass player 1241 01:08:53,840 --> 01:08:57,760 Speaker 3: and a drummer. Eric was the lynch pin. It was Eric, 1242 01:08:57,920 --> 01:08:59,840 Speaker 3: you know, on his way to the airport. All Riot, 1243 01:09:00,439 --> 01:09:01,200 Speaker 3: that's it, let's go. 1244 01:09:02,920 --> 01:09:06,680 Speaker 2: Okay, you talked to him if the show's playing on Saturday. 1245 01:09:06,920 --> 01:09:09,920 Speaker 2: The first conversation with Apple is what day of the week? 1246 01:09:10,200 --> 01:09:10,880 Speaker 3: Tuesday morning? 1247 01:09:11,680 --> 01:09:16,720 Speaker 2: Tuesday? It's confirmed on Wednesday. Do you have any contact 1248 01:09:17,560 --> 01:09:21,719 Speaker 2: before Anthony Foster calls you the night before saying we're canceling. 1249 01:09:22,240 --> 01:09:24,439 Speaker 3: Well, it was the morning of, not the night before. 1250 01:09:24,479 --> 01:09:28,720 Speaker 3: It was the morning of. Anthony Foster was canceling at 1251 01:09:29,160 --> 01:09:31,719 Speaker 3: nine o'clock in the morning, at four in the morning 1252 01:09:31,800 --> 01:09:35,240 Speaker 3: my time when the phone rang. So no, no conversation 1253 01:09:35,400 --> 01:09:39,960 Speaker 3: at all. Tickets were sent, immigration papers were organized, you know, 1254 01:09:40,080 --> 01:09:42,160 Speaker 3: the tickets arrived, they had them there. They missed that 1255 01:09:42,280 --> 01:09:45,680 Speaker 3: first plane. They had to switch all that around. No, 1256 01:09:46,040 --> 01:09:49,400 Speaker 3: that was it. And then Anthony, you know, got John 1257 01:09:49,400 --> 01:09:51,040 Speaker 3: on the phone and Eric was on board and it 1258 01:09:51,160 --> 01:09:52,759 Speaker 3: was like, okay, we're going to get the next plane. 1259 01:09:52,800 --> 01:09:53,280 Speaker 3: And that was it. 1260 01:09:53,479 --> 01:09:56,120 Speaker 2: And next time, okay, a little bit slower. He calls 1261 01:09:56,200 --> 01:09:57,440 Speaker 2: you says you're canceling. 1262 01:09:57,960 --> 01:10:02,840 Speaker 3: You say what, no, No, he can't cancel. He can't 1263 01:10:03,000 --> 01:10:05,640 Speaker 3: if he cancels, I have to leave my city. I 1264 01:10:05,760 --> 01:10:09,200 Speaker 3: have to leave my country. I'm figuring it's now four 1265 01:10:09,240 --> 01:10:11,760 Speaker 3: in the morning. I can't phone Edge oh and back 1266 01:10:11,840 --> 01:10:14,000 Speaker 3: the thing off. He had guys coming in from other 1267 01:10:14,080 --> 01:10:16,960 Speaker 3: cities for this run. This was like the VIP run. 1268 01:10:17,080 --> 01:10:20,280 Speaker 3: This was like a big deal for them. There wasn't 1269 01:10:20,320 --> 01:10:22,880 Speaker 3: anything about the twenty five thousand anymore. It was like 1270 01:10:23,040 --> 01:10:25,920 Speaker 3: I asked them to escort John Lennon in and he 1271 01:10:26,080 --> 01:10:28,600 Speaker 3: pulled out all the stops. Now you don't get a 1272 01:10:28,680 --> 01:10:33,160 Speaker 3: guy like that to get egg on his face. Okay, no, 1273 01:10:33,840 --> 01:10:37,240 Speaker 3: And I needed John Lennon anyway. Our whole credibility was 1274 01:10:37,320 --> 01:10:40,320 Speaker 3: based on this. Now we'd sold all these tickets in Detroit, 1275 01:10:40,439 --> 01:10:43,200 Speaker 3: Rusk Gid went out on the line, played the tape 1276 01:10:43,240 --> 01:10:46,840 Speaker 3: every fifteen minutes at his show. We had to fly 1277 01:10:47,000 --> 01:10:49,240 Speaker 3: Dennis down there with their shoe box full of tickets. 1278 01:10:49,800 --> 01:10:53,920 Speaker 3: You know, there's no computers. It was like people. Every 1279 01:10:54,000 --> 01:10:57,360 Speaker 3: ticket in Detroit Windsor was bought up in like after 1280 01:10:57,520 --> 01:10:59,639 Speaker 3: the first hour of Rusk get being on the radio, 1281 01:11:00,320 --> 01:11:02,080 Speaker 3: and Dennis had to fly down the next day with 1282 01:11:02,160 --> 01:11:05,599 Speaker 3: a shoe box full of tickets packed thousands. 1283 01:11:06,439 --> 01:11:10,519 Speaker 2: And when did schum finally say okay? They never said okay, 1284 01:11:11,520 --> 01:11:12,720 Speaker 2: So they never went on it. 1285 01:11:12,920 --> 01:11:14,360 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, they went on it. Let me tell you 1286 01:11:14,439 --> 01:11:15,880 Speaker 3: when they went on it, and it didn't get in 1287 01:11:15,960 --> 01:11:18,000 Speaker 3: the movie. And you know what, I brought this up 1288 01:11:18,040 --> 01:11:20,040 Speaker 3: with Ron Schoppman, the director. I love him to death, 1289 01:11:20,360 --> 01:11:22,360 Speaker 3: but this was something that was missed and I gave 1290 01:11:22,400 --> 01:11:26,439 Speaker 3: it to them in my interviews. When John Lennon finally 1291 01:11:26,479 --> 01:11:31,120 Speaker 3: gets to Heathrow, and you know, Eric Clapton had been 1292 01:11:31,160 --> 01:11:34,160 Speaker 3: there for a while, and Eric Clapton was highly recognizable, 1293 01:11:34,200 --> 01:11:36,439 Speaker 3: and the media people that were circling around there, just 1294 01:11:36,479 --> 01:11:40,240 Speaker 3: because at any major airport there's always media people. Eric 1295 01:11:40,280 --> 01:11:42,519 Speaker 3: wouldn't talk to them. But John Lennon rolls up and 1296 01:11:42,640 --> 01:11:45,760 Speaker 3: gives a press conference at the curb that he's out 1297 01:11:45,800 --> 01:11:48,960 Speaker 3: his way to Toronto to play a rock show with 1298 01:11:49,200 --> 01:11:53,120 Speaker 3: Chuck Berry and Little Richard and all the great rockers. 1299 01:11:53,840 --> 01:11:56,439 Speaker 3: And this goes out on the teletype all over the world, 1300 01:11:56,520 --> 01:11:59,120 Speaker 3: and then Chum at nine in the morning, because this 1301 01:11:59,240 --> 01:12:01,240 Speaker 3: is two in the after it comes up on the 1302 01:12:01,439 --> 01:12:05,920 Speaker 3: telemachine whatever those things were, Chik Chuck and I guess 1303 01:12:06,000 --> 01:12:09,360 Speaker 3: the guy in the newsroom looked at it and runs 1304 01:12:09,400 --> 01:12:11,960 Speaker 3: it into the program director who was ever calling the 1305 01:12:12,040 --> 01:12:16,080 Speaker 3: shots at nine o'clock on Saturday morning, and they went 1306 01:12:16,120 --> 01:12:20,520 Speaker 3: on the air with it immediately. Chump Presents Worldwide Exclusive. 1307 01:12:20,560 --> 01:12:23,519 Speaker 3: They took credit for everything, and they blasted it out 1308 01:12:23,600 --> 01:12:27,479 Speaker 3: every fifteen minutes. By one in the afternoon, we had 1309 01:12:27,520 --> 01:12:30,720 Speaker 3: pretty much sold out the stadium. People were pouring down 1310 01:12:30,800 --> 01:12:35,160 Speaker 3: there because this spread you know what we call now virally, 1311 01:12:35,479 --> 01:12:38,040 Speaker 3: people calling each other. I just heard on Chump. John 1312 01:12:38,120 --> 01:12:40,280 Speaker 3: Lennon is the airport. He's on his way to Toronto. 1313 01:12:40,479 --> 01:12:43,120 Speaker 3: They're playing at that show, and I mean, you know, 1314 01:12:43,320 --> 01:12:45,439 Speaker 3: Geddy Lee and them thing. You know. His friend said 1315 01:12:45,479 --> 01:12:47,320 Speaker 3: to him that morning, it sounds like a good idea, 1316 01:12:47,439 --> 01:12:50,400 Speaker 3: Let's go down there. They didn't have plans to go there. 1317 01:12:50,560 --> 01:12:53,040 Speaker 3: They went down there then it sounded like a good idea. 1318 01:12:54,240 --> 01:12:56,920 Speaker 3: So it was all last minute and Chump sold the 1319 01:12:56,960 --> 01:12:59,439 Speaker 3: show up. That's how I had somebody say to me, 1320 01:12:59,520 --> 01:13:02,800 Speaker 3: what didn't people come from? Get? Two thousand tickets sold 1321 01:13:03,000 --> 01:13:07,280 Speaker 3: well between Russ, Gibb and Chum in two chunks. That 1322 01:13:07,439 --> 01:13:09,599 Speaker 3: place sold out. In fact, I had to let fifteen 1323 01:13:09,680 --> 01:13:12,280 Speaker 3: hundred people in at the Northwest gate because we had 1324 01:13:12,360 --> 01:13:15,320 Speaker 3: no more tickets to solve the stadium. People were going, 1325 01:13:15,560 --> 01:13:18,760 Speaker 3: we have nothing to sell them, and the police were 1326 01:13:18,840 --> 01:13:21,320 Speaker 3: on horseback and that was the gate where the bikes 1327 01:13:21,360 --> 01:13:24,080 Speaker 3: are going to come in, and I just said, open 1328 01:13:24,160 --> 01:13:26,320 Speaker 3: the gates and let them in. We already sold out 1329 01:13:26,400 --> 01:13:29,479 Speaker 3: who cares and we could go with your bankrupt are 1330 01:13:29,560 --> 01:13:33,120 Speaker 3: going to be let them in. And then that really 1331 01:13:33,280 --> 01:13:36,280 Speaker 3: raised the vibe in the crowd. When fifteen hundred people 1332 01:13:36,360 --> 01:13:38,040 Speaker 3: came in. It was very exciting. 1333 01:13:39,000 --> 01:13:43,519 Speaker 2: Okay, it's four in the morning. You say you can't cancel. 1334 01:13:44,280 --> 01:13:47,840 Speaker 2: What's your next communication with Lenin or Lenin's team. 1335 01:13:48,400 --> 01:13:51,160 Speaker 3: Well, Faucett calls back and tells me that, you know, 1336 01:13:51,720 --> 01:13:54,439 Speaker 3: Eric Clapton's on board and on our way to the airport, 1337 01:13:54,760 --> 01:13:57,880 Speaker 3: and John is now on and they're getting in the 1338 01:13:58,160 --> 01:14:01,840 Speaker 3: limo and they got to get the next plane and 1339 01:14:02,000 --> 01:14:04,000 Speaker 3: he said, you know, I'll let you know when that is. 1340 01:14:04,479 --> 01:14:07,400 Speaker 3: And then I guess he was, you know, dealing with 1341 01:14:07,479 --> 01:14:09,639 Speaker 3: some paperwork somebody did. Okay, it's going to be five 1342 01:14:09,680 --> 01:14:11,200 Speaker 3: o'clock instead of two o'clock. 1343 01:14:18,640 --> 01:14:21,160 Speaker 2: Okay, what time does the show start? 1344 01:14:22,000 --> 01:14:25,080 Speaker 3: Oh, probably started at like eleven in the morning or 1345 01:14:25,200 --> 01:14:28,519 Speaker 3: noon with early local bands. 1346 01:14:30,080 --> 01:14:33,120 Speaker 2: Okay, what time is the first real band? 1347 01:14:34,160 --> 01:14:38,679 Speaker 3: Well, I think the first real band was Bo Diddley, 1348 01:14:39,680 --> 01:14:42,400 Speaker 3: but I may be wrong. You know, I was not 1349 01:14:42,800 --> 01:14:46,200 Speaker 3: on stage putting bands on stage. That was Rolly Paklin 1350 01:14:47,640 --> 01:14:50,080 Speaker 3: and Dennis Hill. That's what those guys did. They got 1351 01:14:50,160 --> 01:14:52,839 Speaker 3: the show going. They were the producers of the stage 1352 01:14:52,920 --> 01:14:56,479 Speaker 3: itself and who's coming on and when all of that stuff, 1353 01:14:57,400 --> 01:14:59,960 Speaker 3: I'm still dealing with money. People need to get paid. 1354 01:15:00,680 --> 01:15:03,920 Speaker 3: Kenny Walker and the lawyers are dealing with Pennybaker, and 1355 01:15:04,040 --> 01:15:07,000 Speaker 3: that's a whole not good story. But we finally I 1356 01:15:07,080 --> 01:15:10,360 Speaker 3: got that sorted out. They were wanting Pennybaker to give 1357 01:15:10,479 --> 01:15:13,280 Speaker 3: us twenty five thousand dollars or they couldn't start filming. 1358 01:15:13,960 --> 01:15:15,960 Speaker 3: And when I found that out, I had a meltdown 1359 01:15:16,000 --> 01:15:17,840 Speaker 3: and went up to where the meeting was and start 1360 01:15:17,920 --> 01:15:21,160 Speaker 3: screaming and yelling, and so the lawyers and Kenny backed off, 1361 01:15:21,280 --> 01:15:24,080 Speaker 3: and Pennybaker went and started shooting. But that's why the 1362 01:15:24,120 --> 01:15:27,800 Speaker 3: footage of Bo Diddley doesn't capture his whole performance, because 1363 01:15:27,800 --> 01:15:30,439 Speaker 3: they weren't allowed to start shooting until about halfway through 1364 01:15:30,840 --> 01:15:32,880 Speaker 3: or close to the end, and they caught the encore. 1365 01:15:33,680 --> 01:15:35,680 Speaker 3: That was a kerfuffle that I did not like. 1366 01:15:36,439 --> 01:15:38,200 Speaker 2: How did Penny Baker even get involved. 1367 01:15:39,600 --> 01:15:44,360 Speaker 3: Amazingly enough, Pennybaker called up and said, I'd like to 1368 01:15:44,439 --> 01:15:46,280 Speaker 3: come up and shoot your show. I mean, the word 1369 01:15:46,520 --> 01:15:49,960 Speaker 3: was out in New York that the show was happening. 1370 01:15:51,040 --> 01:15:53,600 Speaker 3: It was off, it was on, the doors were on. 1371 01:15:53,840 --> 01:15:57,920 Speaker 3: Now they were going to be on the show. And then, 1372 01:15:58,400 --> 01:16:01,960 Speaker 3: you know, that was enough, Pennybaker. It was enough to 1373 01:16:02,080 --> 01:16:04,559 Speaker 3: have those four guys up there, That's what he meant. 1374 01:16:04,720 --> 01:16:07,920 Speaker 3: Not those four guys meaning maybe the Beatles, Chuck Berry, 1375 01:16:08,000 --> 01:16:13,040 Speaker 3: Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis and Bo Diddley. Those are 1376 01:16:13,080 --> 01:16:15,240 Speaker 3: the four guys that he knew about. I don't even 1377 01:16:15,280 --> 01:16:18,320 Speaker 3: think Geene Vincent was involved in the promotion. He came 1378 01:16:18,439 --> 01:16:21,240 Speaker 3: up as a last minute thing that Kim Fowley got 1379 01:16:21,320 --> 01:16:23,560 Speaker 3: him added, and he was available, and he flew in 1380 01:16:23,960 --> 01:16:26,400 Speaker 3: and he needed a band, and that's how Alice became 1381 01:16:26,520 --> 01:16:31,880 Speaker 3: that band. So Kim Fowley again, if he hadn't brought 1382 01:16:34,400 --> 01:16:38,120 Speaker 3: Geene Vincent up, Alice Cooper might have played in the daytime, 1383 01:16:38,160 --> 01:16:40,000 Speaker 3: in the morning or something like that. See, that was 1384 01:16:40,080 --> 01:16:43,280 Speaker 3: the magic for Alice was that Jean Vincent got to 1385 01:16:43,320 --> 01:16:46,800 Speaker 3: play at night after Chuck Berry with the lights and 1386 01:16:46,920 --> 01:16:49,400 Speaker 3: so Alice got to have the magic of the lighting 1387 01:16:50,040 --> 01:16:52,960 Speaker 3: and the energy at night. I mean that's when the 1388 01:16:53,200 --> 01:16:56,800 Speaker 3: energy really was buzzing, and so it all just worked 1389 01:16:56,840 --> 01:16:59,799 Speaker 3: out and cheffing the chicken, I mean, it was crazy, 1390 01:17:00,360 --> 01:17:02,960 Speaker 3: It was crazy, but it was fortuous for Alice that 1391 01:17:03,120 --> 01:17:05,160 Speaker 3: they backed up Jean Vincent, or they'd have been on 1392 01:17:05,280 --> 01:17:05,759 Speaker 3: in the morning. 1393 01:17:06,800 --> 01:17:10,200 Speaker 2: Okay, are you checking with Heathrow whether Lennon and Posse 1394 01:17:10,680 --> 01:17:11,880 Speaker 2: actually get on the plane? 1395 01:17:12,160 --> 01:17:14,880 Speaker 3: No, no, no idea, And I'm not never a thought 1396 01:17:14,960 --> 01:17:19,040 Speaker 3: of that, never, Just like whatever, get the bikes out 1397 01:17:19,080 --> 01:17:19,719 Speaker 3: to the airport. 1398 01:17:20,400 --> 01:17:21,719 Speaker 2: Okay, so what's the plan. 1399 01:17:21,960 --> 01:17:24,920 Speaker 3: They're going to land, And well, they're going to land 1400 01:17:25,080 --> 01:17:27,160 Speaker 3: and we're going to get them into limos and they're 1401 01:17:27,200 --> 01:17:30,160 Speaker 3: going to come down the service road where Edgo has 1402 01:17:30,240 --> 01:17:33,320 Speaker 3: left enough space between all these bikes for the limos. 1403 01:17:34,000 --> 01:17:37,280 Speaker 3: As it turned out, that wasn't the way it was done. 1404 01:17:37,720 --> 01:17:40,360 Speaker 3: They realized that many bikes in front of the limos 1405 01:17:40,479 --> 01:17:42,840 Speaker 3: was going to be chaos. So Edgo and a couple 1406 01:17:42,920 --> 01:17:45,240 Speaker 3: of bikes rode in front and then the rest of 1407 01:17:45,320 --> 01:17:47,760 Speaker 3: them road behind. But nobody cared. There was a thrill 1408 01:17:47,840 --> 01:17:53,720 Speaker 3: to be riding escorting these limos. That was it, and 1409 01:17:53,880 --> 01:17:56,840 Speaker 3: of course, you know after they were delayed, like I 1410 01:17:56,960 --> 01:17:58,800 Speaker 3: had to call Edge in the morning and go, look, 1411 01:17:58,840 --> 01:18:02,760 Speaker 3: there's been a slight delay, and he goes, that's not good, 1412 01:18:03,960 --> 01:18:07,000 Speaker 3: and I go, look, I know they're on next plane. Okay, 1413 01:18:07,240 --> 01:18:11,559 Speaker 3: John's at the airport. I know that much. So Edro 1414 01:18:11,680 --> 01:18:14,720 Speaker 3: says to me, when are the doors coming in? And 1415 01:18:14,840 --> 01:18:17,360 Speaker 3: I said, they're coming in around the same time John 1416 01:18:17,479 --> 01:18:21,479 Speaker 3: was supposed to. He goes, okay, we'll go and do 1417 01:18:21,640 --> 01:18:25,280 Speaker 3: a dry run with the doors. That'll keep my guys cool. 1418 01:18:25,600 --> 01:18:28,439 Speaker 3: I start to tell them now there's a delay. That's 1419 01:18:28,520 --> 01:18:30,879 Speaker 3: not going to be good. Some of them are already 1420 01:18:31,160 --> 01:18:34,240 Speaker 3: accusing me of being a sucker and that there's going 1421 01:18:34,320 --> 01:18:36,960 Speaker 3: to be no John Lennon. I go, okay, well there's 1422 01:18:37,000 --> 01:18:39,040 Speaker 3: going to be John Lennon, so you're no sucker, So 1423 01:18:39,280 --> 01:18:42,360 Speaker 3: go escort the doors. Well, the doors thought they were 1424 01:18:42,400 --> 01:18:45,160 Speaker 3: being kidnapped by the bikers. There was no organization. Nobody 1425 01:18:45,240 --> 01:18:47,880 Speaker 3: told their doors anything. They leave the airport and they're 1426 01:18:47,960 --> 01:18:53,120 Speaker 3: swarmed by motorcycles like a hornet's nest, and they're in 1427 01:18:53,200 --> 01:18:55,200 Speaker 3: the cars. They don't know what's going on. Robbie told 1428 01:18:55,280 --> 01:18:59,120 Speaker 3: me Laterry said, we were terrified. Nobody warned us. There 1429 01:18:59,240 --> 01:19:02,880 Speaker 3: was no nothing build and know anything sittings and whatever. 1430 01:19:03,080 --> 01:19:07,519 Speaker 3: So that was just the bikers having fun, roaring down 1431 01:19:07,600 --> 01:19:09,760 Speaker 3: and then they roared back, and they still had to 1432 01:19:09,840 --> 01:19:14,680 Speaker 3: wait like another two hours for Lannon or more. But 1433 01:19:14,880 --> 01:19:17,519 Speaker 3: ed Joe knew, let these guys ride the doors, you know, 1434 01:19:17,680 --> 01:19:22,799 Speaker 3: let them get at their mojo here, at their excitement 1435 01:19:22,880 --> 01:19:25,720 Speaker 3: level up. And you can see in the film. By 1436 01:19:25,720 --> 01:19:28,760 Speaker 3: the way, this is a whole other thing. I've hat 1437 01:19:28,800 --> 01:19:30,800 Speaker 3: people say to me, how in God's name were all 1438 01:19:30,840 --> 01:19:33,600 Speaker 3: those bikers able to be drinking and smoking drugs in 1439 01:19:33,720 --> 01:19:37,200 Speaker 3: nineteen sixty nine in public, out at the airport like they, 1440 01:19:37,520 --> 01:19:41,760 Speaker 3: you know, any other place. They'd all been arrested, I said, 1441 01:19:42,120 --> 01:19:47,320 Speaker 3: because the Eatons were involved, hands were off everything. The 1442 01:19:47,479 --> 01:19:52,639 Speaker 3: police were told to stand down, okay, And I knew 1443 01:19:52,720 --> 01:19:55,719 Speaker 3: that was happening because I was told, don't worry about 1444 01:19:55,720 --> 01:19:57,160 Speaker 3: the bikers, they'll be fine. 1445 01:19:58,560 --> 01:20:01,240 Speaker 2: People south of the border off familiar with the Eatons, 1446 01:20:01,280 --> 01:20:02,400 Speaker 2: tell us who the Eatons were. 1447 01:20:02,600 --> 01:20:06,000 Speaker 3: Well. Timothy Eaton was the man that coined the phrase 1448 01:20:06,120 --> 01:20:09,800 Speaker 3: good satisfactory or money refunded. He's the first person to 1449 01:20:09,920 --> 01:20:13,599 Speaker 3: say that back in nineteen sixty nine. The Eaton's catalog 1450 01:20:13,840 --> 01:20:17,360 Speaker 3: was doing one billion dollars a year for twenty five 1451 01:20:17,479 --> 01:20:20,800 Speaker 3: or thirty years. People bought ninety percent of everything they 1452 01:20:20,920 --> 01:20:26,120 Speaker 3: bought from Eaton's catalog. It was famous, okay, and it 1453 01:20:26,280 --> 01:20:30,799 Speaker 3: became Eaton stores all across the country, and so the Eatons. 1454 01:20:30,880 --> 01:20:34,439 Speaker 3: When the Queen came in the fifties, she stayed at 1455 01:20:34,520 --> 01:20:36,840 Speaker 3: Lady Eaton's estate, which is where we put John and 1456 01:20:36,920 --> 01:20:40,080 Speaker 3: Yogo up. Thor was able to ask his mom, and 1457 01:20:40,160 --> 01:20:43,800 Speaker 3: his mom said, yeah, okay, no problem. That's why that 1458 01:20:43,920 --> 01:20:46,320 Speaker 3: classic picture of the band by the swimming pool, that's 1459 01:20:46,360 --> 01:20:50,600 Speaker 3: the swimming pool at the Eaton estate. So there it 1460 01:20:50,760 --> 01:20:53,719 Speaker 3: was hands off. The biker's got a free free pass 1461 01:20:53,840 --> 01:20:54,200 Speaker 3: that day. 1462 01:20:55,880 --> 01:20:58,160 Speaker 2: So John and Yoko and their band land. 1463 01:20:58,680 --> 01:21:01,320 Speaker 3: Then what happens get into the limos and we pulled 1464 01:21:01,360 --> 01:21:02,360 Speaker 3: down the service road. 1465 01:21:02,720 --> 01:21:03,720 Speaker 2: Are you there now? 1466 01:21:04,240 --> 01:21:06,720 Speaker 3: I'm in the car with John Roddy Banheimer and I 1467 01:21:06,840 --> 01:21:09,120 Speaker 3: went to meet him. So Rodney and I and Johnny Yoko. 1468 01:21:09,720 --> 01:21:12,519 Speaker 3: So we see the bikes and John reached down and 1469 01:21:12,560 --> 01:21:14,680 Speaker 3: pushes down the two door locks and looks at me 1470 01:21:14,800 --> 01:21:17,280 Speaker 3: kind of like you know, okay, and I go, look John. 1471 01:21:17,320 --> 01:21:19,160 Speaker 3: I didn't want to say anything till we got here, 1472 01:21:19,439 --> 01:21:23,000 Speaker 3: but this is your escort in Toronto. And we pulled 1473 01:21:23,040 --> 01:21:26,560 Speaker 3: into the space. Edgoe left and John was like, you know, 1474 01:21:26,640 --> 01:21:28,759 Speaker 3: he looked at Yoko and he was like, holy should 1475 01:21:29,760 --> 01:21:33,240 Speaker 3: So of course Edgoe has to see that this is 1476 01:21:33,360 --> 01:21:36,880 Speaker 3: not some Hollywood double in a wig, and so we 1477 01:21:37,040 --> 01:21:39,000 Speaker 3: have to put the window down and Edgoe comes up 1478 01:21:39,080 --> 01:21:41,439 Speaker 3: and you know, as Edgoe says, you know, we saw 1479 01:21:41,600 --> 01:21:44,160 Speaker 3: that's the real people. He kind of looked at me like, 1480 01:21:44,280 --> 01:21:46,040 Speaker 3: I don't know how you did it, man, that's the 1481 01:21:46,160 --> 01:21:51,320 Speaker 3: real people, okay, And so window goes up and Edgoe 1482 01:21:51,439 --> 01:21:53,800 Speaker 3: does like this with his thing, and eighty bikes fire 1483 01:21:53,920 --> 01:21:56,040 Speaker 3: up like firecrackers and off we go. 1484 01:21:58,880 --> 01:22:02,519 Speaker 2: Okay, you directly to the venue. What's happening at the 1485 01:22:02,640 --> 01:22:06,160 Speaker 2: venue when Lenin arrives, Well. 1486 01:22:06,040 --> 01:22:09,200 Speaker 3: It's it's pandemonium because they limos have to come in 1487 01:22:09,600 --> 01:22:12,479 Speaker 3: and pull right up to the tunnel and you know 1488 01:22:12,720 --> 01:22:16,679 Speaker 3: tent area that connects the dressing rooms with the stage, 1489 01:22:17,280 --> 01:22:20,719 Speaker 3: pull right up to that. And of course the crowd 1490 01:22:20,880 --> 01:22:25,439 Speaker 3: by now has been told throughout the day somebody specials company, 1491 01:22:25,560 --> 01:22:29,760 Speaker 3: somebody bigs coming. Well, once Lenin landed Kim Fowley was 1492 01:22:29,840 --> 01:22:32,960 Speaker 3: telling people John Lennon and Eric Clapton are here, and 1493 01:22:33,000 --> 01:22:34,600 Speaker 3: they're going to be here soon and they're going to 1494 01:22:34,640 --> 01:22:37,760 Speaker 3: play tonight. So now it's madness. And now when these 1495 01:22:37,840 --> 01:22:41,000 Speaker 3: limos come in. No other bands came in limos that 1496 01:22:41,120 --> 01:22:43,559 Speaker 3: came into the stadium, they might have got dropped off 1497 01:22:43,640 --> 01:22:46,320 Speaker 3: outside if there were even any other bands that had 1498 01:22:46,400 --> 01:22:52,320 Speaker 3: limos other than the doors. So there was pandemonium. It 1499 01:22:52,479 --> 01:22:54,720 Speaker 3: was excitement level as I say in a movie. I mean, 1500 01:22:54,760 --> 01:22:56,519 Speaker 3: this was like the thrill of a lifetime. I mean 1501 01:22:56,560 --> 01:22:59,920 Speaker 3: it was amazing. From panic at four in the morning 1502 01:23:00,560 --> 01:23:03,080 Speaker 3: where I see my life pass before my eyes in Edge, 1503 01:23:03,120 --> 01:23:06,000 Speaker 3: you're putting these flowers on my grave. Now I'm riding 1504 01:23:06,040 --> 01:23:11,120 Speaker 3: with John Lennon and this chariot into a sold out 1505 01:23:11,320 --> 01:23:15,759 Speaker 3: packed stadium and it's all happening. It's like, you know, crazy, 1506 01:23:15,840 --> 01:23:19,800 Speaker 3: It's better than any acid trip or mushrooms or anything else. 1507 01:23:20,240 --> 01:23:23,080 Speaker 3: That was like the real deal. That was like just 1508 01:23:23,200 --> 01:23:25,520 Speaker 3: pure adrenaline, pure incredible. 1509 01:23:25,920 --> 01:23:32,400 Speaker 2: Wow. Okay, The original pitch was he's going to be 1510 01:23:32,560 --> 01:23:36,240 Speaker 2: there with all these heritage acts. Did Lennon even go 1511 01:23:36,360 --> 01:23:39,040 Speaker 2: to look at the axe on stage? Did he hang 1512 01:23:39,160 --> 01:23:41,760 Speaker 2: with anybody backstage? Or it was just like he was 1513 01:23:41,800 --> 01:23:43,559 Speaker 2: here to headline. The rest didn't matter. 1514 01:23:44,280 --> 01:23:48,360 Speaker 3: No, he did come up on stage for a couple 1515 01:23:48,439 --> 01:23:51,280 Speaker 3: of things. I think he actually had contact with Little 1516 01:23:51,360 --> 01:23:56,880 Speaker 3: Richard and they had conversation together. There was a kerfuffle 1517 01:23:56,960 --> 01:24:00,400 Speaker 3: with Little Richard and the Doors and Lennon. That's not 1518 01:24:00,560 --> 01:24:05,479 Speaker 3: in the movie. But Bill Siddons and the Doors knew 1519 01:24:05,680 --> 01:24:09,559 Speaker 3: that the show was about to be canceled because the agents, 1520 01:24:09,640 --> 01:24:11,679 Speaker 3: you know, were calling every day, what's the ticket count? 1521 01:24:11,760 --> 01:24:15,200 Speaker 3: What's the ticket count? And on Monday, you know, a 1522 01:24:15,280 --> 01:24:17,040 Speaker 3: couple of them were told it looks like this is 1523 01:24:17,120 --> 01:24:21,040 Speaker 3: going to be canceled. So now Lennon is coming. So 1524 01:24:23,000 --> 01:24:25,439 Speaker 3: Bill Siddons asked me, if you know, can we talk 1525 01:24:25,479 --> 01:24:28,479 Speaker 3: to John and you and would you get him out 1526 01:24:28,479 --> 01:24:30,000 Speaker 3: of the dressing room. So I get John to come 1527 01:24:30,040 --> 01:24:33,120 Speaker 3: out in the hall and the Suddents goes, listen, John, 1528 01:24:33,240 --> 01:24:36,719 Speaker 3: you know, we'd like you to close the show because 1529 01:24:36,760 --> 01:24:40,400 Speaker 3: they thought if Lennon plays before them, everybody will leave 1530 01:24:40,600 --> 01:24:42,760 Speaker 3: because the show would have sold out if they were 1531 01:24:42,800 --> 01:24:47,240 Speaker 3: coming to see us. So John like a verge of 1532 01:24:47,320 --> 01:24:51,880 Speaker 3: a meltdown, is like you're the headliners. John's nervous enough anyway. Now, 1533 01:24:51,960 --> 01:24:54,880 Speaker 3: the Doors wanted him to close the show, like are 1534 01:24:54,920 --> 01:24:57,560 Speaker 3: you kidding me? And Siddons just laid this out. He 1535 01:24:57,640 --> 01:24:59,439 Speaker 3: didn't tell me in advance what he was going to 1536 01:24:59,479 --> 01:25:05,160 Speaker 3: ask John, So I was like, you know, I didn't 1537 01:25:05,160 --> 01:25:07,400 Speaker 3: know what to say. But Little Richard had been very 1538 01:25:07,479 --> 01:25:10,760 Speaker 3: close by and heard this, and he comes over and 1539 01:25:10,800 --> 01:25:13,280 Speaker 3: he goes, I will close the show the way it 1540 01:25:13,320 --> 01:25:16,120 Speaker 3: should be closed by me, the king. And he looks 1541 01:25:16,160 --> 01:25:18,360 Speaker 3: at Lennin and he goes, you know that, mister Lennon. 1542 01:25:18,720 --> 01:25:20,320 Speaker 3: He looks at me and he goes, you know that, 1543 01:25:20,479 --> 01:25:23,040 Speaker 3: mister promoter. And he looks at Jim Morrison. He goes, 1544 01:25:23,120 --> 01:25:25,640 Speaker 3: you know that, mister Doores. And he didn't know his 1545 01:25:25,800 --> 01:25:29,760 Speaker 3: name right, And John and Jim were like dumbfounded. Here's 1546 01:25:29,760 --> 01:25:32,840 Speaker 3: little Richard's banking them. And I said, listen, Richard, you're 1547 01:25:32,880 --> 01:25:34,799 Speaker 3: going on next. And I said, you know that piano 1548 01:25:34,960 --> 01:25:36,560 Speaker 3: was my personal one. I brought it for you. He 1549 01:25:36,640 --> 01:25:38,960 Speaker 3: was bitching about the piano, wanted just to get him 1550 01:25:38,960 --> 01:25:42,160 Speaker 3: another one, right, and I said it's mine. It's perfectly tuned. 1551 01:25:42,200 --> 01:25:43,519 Speaker 3: He goes, okay, thank you, thank you. 1552 01:25:44,080 --> 01:25:45,920 Speaker 2: So he walks in, which was a lie. 1553 01:25:46,160 --> 01:25:51,600 Speaker 3: Right. Another lie is you know, Live of Convenience. So 1554 01:25:52,640 --> 01:25:56,639 Speaker 3: promoters get like elephants. Elephants get to never forget. Promoters 1555 01:25:56,720 --> 01:25:58,920 Speaker 3: get to get off with a few lies once in 1556 01:25:58,960 --> 01:26:01,760 Speaker 3: a while. Nobody got hurt, nobody was shot, nobody costs 1557 01:26:01,800 --> 01:26:04,320 Speaker 3: them any money. But somebody moved on to where they 1558 01:26:04,400 --> 01:26:07,840 Speaker 3: needed to be. They needed their ego something a little massaging. 1559 01:26:08,280 --> 01:26:12,640 Speaker 3: So I said to John, I said, just go in 1560 01:26:12,680 --> 01:26:16,280 Speaker 3: their dressing room. And I said to Siddons and Jim Morrison, look, 1561 01:26:16,400 --> 01:26:17,960 Speaker 3: I said, if you don't want to close the show, 1562 01:26:18,680 --> 01:26:20,840 Speaker 3: I will let little Richard Clark the show. You guys 1563 01:26:20,920 --> 01:26:23,080 Speaker 3: don't even have to play. I got to tell you honestly, 1564 01:26:23,439 --> 01:26:26,360 Speaker 3: like I can't have any kerfuffles here. If John Lennon 1565 01:26:27,080 --> 01:26:29,280 Speaker 3: does not want to close the show, John Lennon is 1566 01:26:29,320 --> 01:26:31,080 Speaker 3: going to play when he wants to play. Today is 1567 01:26:31,120 --> 01:26:36,000 Speaker 3: about John Lennon, and that's it. And Siddons looked at 1568 01:26:36,400 --> 01:26:39,040 Speaker 3: Jim Morrison, and Morrison looks at me and goes, okay, 1569 01:26:39,320 --> 01:26:42,160 Speaker 3: we'll close, but we got to be on stage for 1570 01:26:42,280 --> 01:26:44,640 Speaker 3: John and Eric. They got to be going. That's what 1571 01:26:44,800 --> 01:26:47,840 Speaker 3: Morrison wanted. As long as you promised me that we 1572 01:26:47,960 --> 01:26:50,720 Speaker 3: can be on stage to watch John and Eric. I 1573 01:26:50,880 --> 01:26:54,160 Speaker 3: was like, okay, no problem, man, that's easy. 1574 01:26:56,800 --> 01:27:00,400 Speaker 2: So tell me about John and the band going on. 1575 01:27:02,240 --> 01:27:05,080 Speaker 3: Well, you know, John was very nervous and he did 1576 01:27:05,120 --> 01:27:08,840 Speaker 3: a lot of coke that day, and it was very 1577 01:27:08,880 --> 01:27:10,599 Speaker 3: good coke because I gave it to him. I got 1578 01:27:10,640 --> 01:27:12,479 Speaker 3: it off a guy in the audience that I knew 1579 01:27:12,800 --> 01:27:15,120 Speaker 3: had that stuff. I'd never done any made up for 1580 01:27:15,200 --> 01:27:17,439 Speaker 3: it in the eighties. But that's not the point. Back then, 1581 01:27:18,360 --> 01:27:21,840 Speaker 3: I was terrified holding this vial of like these little 1582 01:27:21,920 --> 01:27:26,679 Speaker 3: crystals and little powder and shit. And as Eric Clapton 1583 01:27:26,680 --> 01:27:28,600 Speaker 3: said a couple months after the show, I don't know 1584 01:27:28,640 --> 01:27:30,920 Speaker 3: how John even played. He was so coked out because 1585 01:27:31,479 --> 01:27:34,920 Speaker 3: that coke went directly to John and Yoko and they 1586 01:27:34,960 --> 01:27:37,200 Speaker 3: were alone in the dressing room and they asked me 1587 01:27:37,320 --> 01:27:40,000 Speaker 3: to ask Eric to come in. Now, remember later on 1588 01:27:40,200 --> 01:27:42,680 Speaker 3: it became, you know, public knowledge that they were all, 1589 01:27:43,240 --> 01:27:46,360 Speaker 3: you know, on heroin and kicking heroin. So that was 1590 01:27:46,520 --> 01:27:49,640 Speaker 3: probably another reason why without Eric coming along, John did 1591 01:27:49,720 --> 01:27:51,840 Speaker 3: not want to go. And that's why when Eric said 1592 01:27:51,840 --> 01:27:53,519 Speaker 3: all go, it was like, okay, we'll all do the 1593 01:27:53,600 --> 01:27:56,680 Speaker 3: Monkey danced together. But as soon as they got in 1594 01:27:56,760 --> 01:27:58,720 Speaker 3: the dressing room and I said, you know, can I 1595 01:27:58,800 --> 01:28:01,240 Speaker 3: get you or anything? That's what the wanted. And of 1596 01:28:01,320 --> 01:28:03,719 Speaker 3: course fool that I was thought they wanted Coca Cola. 1597 01:28:03,760 --> 01:28:06,639 Speaker 3: I mean, a complete fool of myself. But regardless got 1598 01:28:06,720 --> 01:28:07,040 Speaker 3: them that. 1599 01:28:09,040 --> 01:28:10,200 Speaker 2: And that was that. 1600 01:28:10,400 --> 01:28:11,760 Speaker 3: Now I did not see a lot of them. I 1601 01:28:11,880 --> 01:28:14,040 Speaker 3: was not in and out of the dressing room hobnobbing 1602 01:28:14,120 --> 01:28:17,200 Speaker 3: with them or bands or anything else. I mean there 1603 01:28:17,320 --> 01:28:20,560 Speaker 3: was business and money, and there was coordinating and the 1604 01:28:20,640 --> 01:28:24,880 Speaker 3: filming people, and there was always little problems. There's platform 1605 01:28:25,040 --> 01:28:27,800 Speaker 3: for the camera or getting up on stage. Too many 1606 01:28:27,840 --> 01:28:30,160 Speaker 3: people on stage, you know, got to get them off 1607 01:28:30,200 --> 01:28:33,120 Speaker 3: the stage. Not not a froom for the cameras. I 1608 01:28:33,200 --> 01:28:35,680 Speaker 3: mean that stage was, you know, not much bigger than 1609 01:28:36,320 --> 01:28:39,040 Speaker 3: you'd have for your kids, you know, birthday party or 1610 01:28:39,120 --> 01:28:40,960 Speaker 3: something if they had a band. I mean, this was 1611 01:28:41,040 --> 01:28:45,639 Speaker 3: not Woodstock, This was not Strawberry Fields the next year 1612 01:28:45,800 --> 01:28:49,680 Speaker 3: that I did. No, this was like a few rock 1613 01:28:49,720 --> 01:28:52,400 Speaker 3: and roll bands. That's how it started. And even Steppenwolf 1614 01:28:52,479 --> 01:28:54,439 Speaker 3: and Sly in the family Stone in June they played 1615 01:28:54,439 --> 01:28:58,600 Speaker 3: in the same stage. I don't know. Maybe the Woodstock 1616 01:28:58,640 --> 01:29:02,439 Speaker 3: stage got everything Jack, But back in the day, a 1617 01:29:02,520 --> 01:29:04,479 Speaker 3: stage was a stage if there was room for the 1618 01:29:04,600 --> 01:29:07,280 Speaker 3: band and the roadies and a couple of people and 1619 01:29:07,400 --> 01:29:07,800 Speaker 3: that was it. 1620 01:29:10,160 --> 01:29:15,479 Speaker 2: Okay, was the first time the audience saw Lenin when 1621 01:29:15,560 --> 01:29:16,679 Speaker 2: he came out with the band? 1622 01:29:17,439 --> 01:29:20,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, I would say absolutely. I do not ever recall 1623 01:29:20,439 --> 01:29:23,880 Speaker 3: John Lennon standing on the stage even the doors were 1624 01:29:23,960 --> 01:29:27,280 Speaker 3: behind the amplifiers, or Jim was on the stairs. I 1625 01:29:27,320 --> 01:29:29,720 Speaker 3: don't think Jim wanted to go up and be on 1626 01:29:29,880 --> 01:29:33,439 Speaker 3: the stage. He was on the stairs watching. In the 1627 01:29:33,560 --> 01:29:38,000 Speaker 3: Chuck Berry scenes there you can see him. And again, 1628 01:29:38,160 --> 01:29:40,080 Speaker 3: I was not spending a lot of time on stage. 1629 01:29:40,200 --> 01:29:43,400 Speaker 3: That's not my gig. It's not me standing there, you know, 1630 01:29:43,520 --> 01:29:44,240 Speaker 3: watching the band. 1631 01:29:44,800 --> 01:29:47,960 Speaker 2: Okay, gay, I guess what I'm asking is when Lenin 1632 01:29:48,280 --> 01:29:51,759 Speaker 2: actually hits the stage, what is the audience reaction. 1633 01:29:52,600 --> 01:29:55,160 Speaker 3: I think it's overwhelming because Kim had asked them to 1634 01:29:55,280 --> 01:29:57,680 Speaker 3: light matches and lighters, and there was a sea of 1635 01:29:57,800 --> 01:30:01,479 Speaker 3: lights and there was a lot of you know, you know, 1636 01:30:01,760 --> 01:30:04,320 Speaker 3: screaming and like, oh my god, you know, and there 1637 01:30:04,360 --> 01:30:07,760 Speaker 3: he is. It's real, you know, he's unmistakable in his 1638 01:30:07,880 --> 01:30:11,160 Speaker 3: white suit. And I think it was just, you know, 1639 01:30:11,720 --> 01:30:12,519 Speaker 3: it was magic. 1640 01:30:13,640 --> 01:30:15,840 Speaker 2: So you were watching the show or were not? 1641 01:30:17,240 --> 01:30:19,799 Speaker 3: Oh, I was watching that show. Yeah, I was watching 1642 01:30:19,880 --> 01:30:20,479 Speaker 3: that show. 1643 01:30:21,560 --> 01:30:25,519 Speaker 2: Okay, And what was the vibe as they played thrilling, 1644 01:30:25,840 --> 01:30:27,479 Speaker 2: disappointing shock. 1645 01:30:28,640 --> 01:30:34,439 Speaker 3: Well, I think it was fabulous until they did Cold Turkey, 1646 01:30:34,560 --> 01:30:38,080 Speaker 3: which was, you know, like a bringing a dead fish 1647 01:30:38,160 --> 01:30:41,840 Speaker 3: to a birthday party, and Yoko got in the bag. 1648 01:30:42,160 --> 01:30:45,640 Speaker 3: And now I think people started to wonder what was 1649 01:30:45,720 --> 01:30:48,560 Speaker 3: going on. There wasn't any Beatles songs. Your Blues is 1650 01:30:48,680 --> 01:30:54,200 Speaker 3: not a recognizable Beatles song. Okay, it's so obscure, it's unbelievable, 1651 01:30:54,240 --> 01:30:58,720 Speaker 3: and it's not even a good song. So I think 1652 01:30:58,800 --> 01:31:01,080 Speaker 3: people wanted to hear a Beatles song. There's one of 1653 01:31:01,120 --> 01:31:04,360 Speaker 3: the Beatles, it's John Lennon, you know, plain Norwegian Wood 1654 01:31:04,479 --> 01:31:07,439 Speaker 3: or something. But John was determined not to play a 1655 01:31:07,479 --> 01:31:12,719 Speaker 3: Beatles song. I'm surprised he played Your Blues Give Piece 1656 01:31:12,760 --> 01:31:17,280 Speaker 3: of Chance. Everybody came back to life and that was 1657 01:31:17,360 --> 01:31:20,080 Speaker 3: a beautiful time. But it was a very pedantic version 1658 01:31:20,240 --> 01:31:24,519 Speaker 3: compared to the recording in the hotel in Montreal. It 1659 01:31:24,640 --> 01:31:29,840 Speaker 3: kind of slogged along, but nonetheless people had the peace 1660 01:31:29,920 --> 01:31:31,560 Speaker 3: sign that were waving it up in the air. That 1661 01:31:31,680 --> 01:31:33,600 Speaker 3: was one of the things John told Kleine on the 1662 01:31:34,200 --> 01:31:36,880 Speaker 3: plane on the way back. I never felt so good 1663 01:31:36,920 --> 01:31:40,040 Speaker 3: in my life. People were jumping up and down, waving 1664 01:31:40,120 --> 01:31:42,320 Speaker 3: the peace sign and I want to do my own 1665 01:31:42,439 --> 01:31:45,840 Speaker 3: songs with my own band. That moment I think was 1666 01:31:45,920 --> 01:31:47,240 Speaker 3: the transfixing moment. 1667 01:31:54,800 --> 01:31:57,880 Speaker 2: So you say, Kline on the plane back, did Alan 1668 01:31:57,960 --> 01:31:59,240 Speaker 2: Klein actually come to town? 1669 01:31:59,320 --> 01:32:02,000 Speaker 3: Oh my god. Ellen Climb flew in on Saturday morning 1670 01:32:02,080 --> 01:32:06,679 Speaker 3: on the first plane. When he heard, however, that John 1671 01:32:06,760 --> 01:32:10,240 Speaker 3: Lennon was at the airport. Maybe John said, Anthony, possit, 1672 01:32:10,320 --> 01:32:12,120 Speaker 3: call Alan, let him know, tell him to come out. 1673 01:32:13,040 --> 01:32:16,560 Speaker 3: And because Klein Kleine, what a dog he was, so 1674 01:32:16,760 --> 01:32:20,760 Speaker 3: Clin grabs me backstage right and he goes, listen, can 1675 01:32:20,840 --> 01:32:23,200 Speaker 3: we talk? So I go, yeah, sure, Well it's pretty noisy. 1676 01:32:23,240 --> 01:32:25,040 Speaker 3: We'll go in the men's room. So we go in 1677 01:32:25,080 --> 01:32:27,200 Speaker 3: the men's room and he goes, listen, looks like he 1678 01:32:27,280 --> 01:32:28,880 Speaker 3: got a lot of people out there. He said, I'd 1679 01:32:28,960 --> 01:32:31,519 Speaker 3: like to get something for John. I said, like what, 1680 01:32:32,880 --> 01:32:36,240 Speaker 3: and he goes, well, you know, maybe ten thousand dollars. 1681 01:32:36,479 --> 01:32:40,280 Speaker 3: He said, look, I don't know what we've spent or 1682 01:32:40,360 --> 01:32:42,360 Speaker 3: what we owe or whatever. But I said, you know, 1683 01:32:43,560 --> 01:32:46,600 Speaker 3: I can't do anything like that right now anyway, And 1684 01:32:46,720 --> 01:32:47,600 Speaker 3: he said, well, I don't know. 1685 01:32:47,600 --> 01:32:48,360 Speaker 2: I have to talk to me. 1686 01:32:48,400 --> 01:32:50,040 Speaker 3: He might not want to play. And I said, well, 1687 01:32:50,080 --> 01:32:52,080 Speaker 3: I know he'll play because he signed a contract at 1688 01:32:52,120 --> 01:32:56,400 Speaker 3: the airport. But Clapton had come in, had gone to 1689 01:32:56,520 --> 01:32:59,479 Speaker 3: the urino, and Kleine said to him out, no, no, 1690 01:32:59,520 --> 01:33:01,280 Speaker 3: I aren't they know they don't want to pay you, 1691 01:33:01,400 --> 01:33:04,880 Speaker 3: and clamp And goes, well, piss on them as he's pissing. Okay. 1692 01:33:04,920 --> 01:33:08,880 Speaker 3: It was hilarious, classic moment, I said, Well, Tony Joseph 1693 01:33:08,880 --> 01:33:11,960 Speaker 3: Fido from the Musicians Union, who I used to take 1694 01:33:12,040 --> 01:33:14,840 Speaker 3: bass lessons from, came out to the airport with a 1695 01:33:14,880 --> 01:33:17,479 Speaker 3: contract for John to sign so he could play, and 1696 01:33:17,600 --> 01:33:19,719 Speaker 3: he signed it for two hundred and sixty five dollars. 1697 01:33:19,760 --> 01:33:22,439 Speaker 3: I think we have a check for him somewhere. Klein 1698 01:33:22,520 --> 01:33:26,479 Speaker 3: looked at me and he goes, you're good, kid, You're good, okay, 1699 01:33:27,200 --> 01:33:29,280 Speaker 3: and that was it. I never heard from him again 1700 01:33:29,320 --> 01:33:32,080 Speaker 3: about any money, but he did try to put a 1701 01:33:32,120 --> 01:33:34,679 Speaker 3: little scare into me. Well maybe he won't play. Yeah, 1702 01:33:34,680 --> 01:33:37,400 Speaker 3: I don't think so. I think I'll play, Okay. 1703 01:33:38,400 --> 01:33:41,760 Speaker 2: Lennon leaves the stage. What does Lenin then do? 1704 01:33:42,920 --> 01:33:45,360 Speaker 3: Gets into a limo and they go up to Lady 1705 01:33:45,400 --> 01:33:48,880 Speaker 3: Eaton's estate, which is, you know, like forty minutes north 1706 01:33:48,960 --> 01:33:54,080 Speaker 3: of town out in King so you know, they were 1707 01:33:54,120 --> 01:33:56,280 Speaker 3: in the limo together. He and Yoko have no idea 1708 01:33:56,320 --> 01:33:58,920 Speaker 3: what they said. I think it was a fabulous experience 1709 01:33:59,040 --> 01:34:01,519 Speaker 3: for the two of them. The Oko's face when you 1710 01:34:01,600 --> 01:34:03,880 Speaker 3: see her when he finally got her off the mic, 1711 01:34:05,080 --> 01:34:08,160 Speaker 3: she was blissed out. I mean, she had done her 1712 01:34:08,400 --> 01:34:13,400 Speaker 3: thing and that's what she wanted to do. I love 1713 01:34:13,479 --> 01:34:17,120 Speaker 3: Klaus form going. She came down the plane said can 1714 01:34:17,200 --> 01:34:19,519 Speaker 3: we do my song now? And John gets up the steers, 1715 01:34:19,560 --> 01:34:21,880 Speaker 3: your back up for a cup of tea. He didn't 1716 01:34:21,920 --> 01:34:25,040 Speaker 3: want anybody to know what was coming, you know, he 1717 01:34:25,200 --> 01:34:27,320 Speaker 3: really didn't. He was smart enough to know, like, we'll 1718 01:34:27,439 --> 01:34:30,439 Speaker 3: just roll with it, just you know, follow me. Put 1719 01:34:30,520 --> 01:34:35,080 Speaker 3: your aunt guitars up against the amplifiers. It was definitely 1720 01:34:35,280 --> 01:34:40,160 Speaker 3: cinema verite and it was flying. They were just flying 1721 01:34:40,360 --> 01:34:42,280 Speaker 3: by the seat of their pants. Like Klaus said, we 1722 01:34:42,360 --> 01:34:43,479 Speaker 3: didn't know what was coming next. 1723 01:34:44,640 --> 01:34:46,960 Speaker 2: So they go to the estate. When do they go 1724 01:34:47,120 --> 01:34:47,839 Speaker 2: back to England? 1725 01:34:47,960 --> 01:34:51,640 Speaker 3: They go back Monday. The Sunday was spent there on Sunday. 1726 01:34:51,360 --> 01:34:54,160 Speaker 2: Night And did you go visit them at the end. 1727 01:34:54,240 --> 01:34:56,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, there was a big dinner party. It was 1728 01:34:56,160 --> 01:34:57,479 Speaker 3: like a whole huge thing. 1729 01:34:59,320 --> 01:35:05,000 Speaker 2: Okay, now the date is played you make international news, 1730 01:35:05,200 --> 01:35:08,519 Speaker 2: you make history. What is going through your brain? 1731 01:35:09,280 --> 01:35:11,480 Speaker 3: Well, first of all, I don't think we made international 1732 01:35:11,640 --> 01:35:15,320 Speaker 3: news on any level that they had any impact. 1733 01:35:16,120 --> 01:35:18,599 Speaker 2: I think you're wrong. There. Everybody knew that John Lennon 1734 01:35:18,640 --> 01:35:19,839 Speaker 2: played in Toronto. 1735 01:35:19,920 --> 01:35:24,400 Speaker 3: Okay, Okay, well I'm glad to hear that in Toronto. 1736 01:35:26,200 --> 01:35:29,200 Speaker 3: It was great. It was like, you know, I don't 1737 01:35:29,200 --> 01:35:31,479 Speaker 3: think we could believe what happened. To be honest with you, 1738 01:35:32,560 --> 01:35:36,960 Speaker 3: it was stunning. It was successful, It was financially successful. 1739 01:35:37,640 --> 01:35:39,840 Speaker 3: I do know one thing. We weren't sitting around going 1740 01:35:39,920 --> 01:35:43,000 Speaker 3: what's our next show? I mean, the film had been shot. 1741 01:35:43,800 --> 01:35:46,840 Speaker 3: I think there was dealings with Penny Baker. But what 1742 01:35:47,000 --> 01:35:51,759 Speaker 3: happened is Alan Klein again comes in and convinces Penny 1743 01:35:51,800 --> 01:35:56,000 Speaker 3: Baker to give him the tapes, the recording tapes that 1744 01:35:56,160 --> 01:36:01,000 Speaker 3: Penny Baker had paid for Wali Hyder, and he agreed 1745 01:36:01,560 --> 01:36:04,080 Speaker 3: to sign a film release, and he reneged on that 1746 01:36:04,280 --> 01:36:06,599 Speaker 3: and instead took the tapes and put the album out. 1747 01:36:07,400 --> 01:36:10,839 Speaker 3: And it wasn't for quite some time that he actually 1748 01:36:10,920 --> 01:36:13,840 Speaker 3: got to put out this Sweet Toronto movie. And that 1749 01:36:14,120 --> 01:36:17,439 Speaker 3: was just a you know, a few glimpses of these bands. 1750 01:36:18,320 --> 01:36:22,439 Speaker 3: No narration, no nothing, and you know, then John and 1751 01:36:22,560 --> 01:36:25,000 Speaker 3: Yoka's performance. You know, that was like in the eighties. 1752 01:36:25,080 --> 01:36:28,320 Speaker 3: This was after John was gone, and then Yoko of 1753 01:36:28,400 --> 01:36:30,920 Speaker 3: course had to be in the opening of it talking 1754 01:36:31,000 --> 01:36:33,800 Speaker 3: about it from an art gallery. It was not a 1755 01:36:33,920 --> 01:36:37,400 Speaker 3: movie that Pennybaker wanted to make. It was a desperate 1756 01:36:37,920 --> 01:36:41,080 Speaker 3: attempt to get something out of that footage. That's why 1757 01:36:41,120 --> 01:36:44,640 Speaker 3: when Ron Chapmin came along, and Ron Chapman has credibility, 1758 01:36:44,720 --> 01:36:48,760 Speaker 3: He's made some award winning movies, they went, oh my god, 1759 01:36:48,920 --> 01:36:52,759 Speaker 3: here here comes the you know, resurrection of this footage. 1760 01:36:53,240 --> 01:36:56,320 Speaker 3: And this guy's got a great idea. Brower's still alive. 1761 01:36:57,040 --> 01:36:59,240 Speaker 3: You know. They had to do their interviews with me, 1762 01:36:59,280 --> 01:37:03,360 Speaker 3: and by the way, people said to me, man, you'll 1763 01:37:03,400 --> 01:37:05,400 Speaker 3: get rough in that movie, you know, And I go, well, 1764 01:37:06,200 --> 01:37:11,479 Speaker 3: that was years ago, and you know we were like drinking, smoking, 1765 01:37:11,560 --> 01:37:13,000 Speaker 3: having a good time, and all of a sudden, I 1766 01:37:13,040 --> 01:37:14,799 Speaker 3: get a call, you have to be on camera tomorrow. 1767 01:37:15,640 --> 01:37:17,600 Speaker 3: I wasn't ready. There was no hair and makeup, there 1768 01:37:17,680 --> 01:37:20,559 Speaker 3: was no nothing. I needed three days to detox before 1769 01:37:20,600 --> 01:37:24,400 Speaker 3: I should have been on film. But Ron couldn't raise 1770 01:37:24,439 --> 01:37:26,880 Speaker 3: any money unless he got me on film because they said, 1771 01:37:26,920 --> 01:37:29,880 Speaker 3: no one else is alive. If you don't get Brawer 1772 01:37:30,160 --> 01:37:32,960 Speaker 3: on camera, then what are you going to do? What 1773 01:37:33,040 --> 01:37:34,720 Speaker 3: if he dies while you think you're going to get 1774 01:37:34,760 --> 01:37:38,160 Speaker 3: on my camera in three four years? So that became 1775 01:37:39,200 --> 01:37:42,160 Speaker 3: him having to get me on camera for several hours 1776 01:37:43,120 --> 01:37:46,560 Speaker 3: sweating under lights in a velvet jacket. I don't know 1777 01:37:46,680 --> 01:37:50,760 Speaker 3: why it wore. And that's how that happened. That was 1778 01:37:50,840 --> 01:37:54,559 Speaker 3: what really triggered the beginning of getting the thing funded. 1779 01:37:56,200 --> 01:38:02,000 Speaker 2: According to Ron Okay, what happens in your promotion career 1780 01:38:02,120 --> 01:38:02,519 Speaker 2: after that? 1781 01:38:04,280 --> 01:38:08,720 Speaker 3: Well, I went to his stan Bull to buy sheepskin 1782 01:38:08,840 --> 01:38:11,559 Speaker 3: coats in November and the Eatons were going to sell 1783 01:38:11,600 --> 01:38:15,559 Speaker 3: them in every store of the country, And of course 1784 01:38:15,880 --> 01:38:19,519 Speaker 3: I got there with another guy and found that all 1785 01:38:19,560 --> 01:38:22,120 Speaker 3: the sheepskin coats had been paid for the year before. 1786 01:38:22,520 --> 01:38:25,240 Speaker 3: If you wanted sheepskin coats, buy them now, we'll deliver 1787 01:38:25,360 --> 01:38:27,719 Speaker 3: them next year. So we bought a few at the market. 1788 01:38:28,520 --> 01:38:31,360 Speaker 3: My friend had bought some hash, a few kilos of it, 1789 01:38:32,000 --> 01:38:33,960 Speaker 3: and I strapped it on to take it back to 1790 01:38:33,960 --> 01:38:38,680 Speaker 3: Toronto to figure it'll cover the expenses of the of 1791 01:38:38,800 --> 01:38:41,720 Speaker 3: the debacle of being istan Bull for a month not 1792 01:38:41,840 --> 01:38:45,040 Speaker 3: being able to get coats well, I almost got busted 1793 01:38:45,080 --> 01:38:47,519 Speaker 3: at Heathrow coming in. I didn't my health card. They 1794 01:38:47,600 --> 01:38:49,519 Speaker 3: sent me over to go to a doctor. Take your 1795 01:38:49,600 --> 01:38:53,640 Speaker 3: shirt off, they'll look at your vaccination marks. And of 1796 01:38:53,680 --> 01:38:56,040 Speaker 3: course if I took my shirt off, either the person 1797 01:38:56,120 --> 01:38:59,000 Speaker 3: looking at it would have to be a hash smoker, 1798 01:38:59,080 --> 01:39:00,840 Speaker 3: that I could give some of it too, and they 1799 01:39:00,880 --> 01:39:03,320 Speaker 3: would green lightning, or I'd be in jail. But my 1800 01:39:03,439 --> 01:39:05,479 Speaker 3: friend had the health cards. He waved them in. They 1801 01:39:05,520 --> 01:39:07,040 Speaker 3: called them in, they looked at them, and they let 1802 01:39:07,080 --> 01:39:09,400 Speaker 3: me go. So I was too traumatized to get on 1803 01:39:09,479 --> 01:39:11,599 Speaker 3: the plane to go to Toronto. I got a hotel room, 1804 01:39:11,960 --> 01:39:14,640 Speaker 3: sent my friend on, grabbed the sheepskin coat off him 1805 01:39:14,640 --> 01:39:17,600 Speaker 3: because it was November. Woke up in the morning and 1806 01:39:17,680 --> 01:39:20,040 Speaker 3: realized I'm in London and the last thing John lyn 1807 01:39:20,080 --> 01:39:22,519 Speaker 3: And said to me was you know my number? So 1808 01:39:22,640 --> 01:39:24,960 Speaker 3: I called Apple and got him on the phone. He 1809 01:39:25,000 --> 01:39:27,479 Speaker 3: came on the phone right away. I said, look, I'm 1810 01:39:27,520 --> 01:39:29,479 Speaker 3: in London. I got a present for you. He goes, 1811 01:39:29,520 --> 01:39:32,080 Speaker 3: we have a surprise for you. Come right over. So 1812 01:39:33,280 --> 01:39:37,120 Speaker 3: I rolled some of this hash up. I put the 1813 01:39:37,200 --> 01:39:39,280 Speaker 3: rest of it under the mattress in the hotel room, 1814 01:39:39,360 --> 01:39:41,800 Speaker 3: smoked a couple of cigarettes in there that covered the stink, 1815 01:39:41,800 --> 01:39:44,439 Speaker 3: because it was like waking up in a barn and 1816 01:39:45,280 --> 01:39:47,599 Speaker 3: come over to Apple with this big chunk of hash 1817 01:39:48,520 --> 01:39:51,400 Speaker 3: and you know, I just said, I come back from 1818 01:39:51,400 --> 01:39:53,880 Speaker 3: Miss Dan Bull. I jomped that I was a drug 1819 01:39:53,960 --> 01:39:56,840 Speaker 3: smuggler or whatever, it didn't matter back in those days. 1820 01:39:57,400 --> 01:40:01,439 Speaker 3: And he said, look, yo, go a Turkish golf ball 1821 01:40:01,680 --> 01:40:04,400 Speaker 3: and he rolls across the desk. So we smoked some 1822 01:40:04,560 --> 01:40:07,120 Speaker 3: of it, and of course he goes over to the 1823 01:40:07,200 --> 01:40:09,600 Speaker 3: record player and takes a record and puts it on 1824 01:40:09,840 --> 01:40:12,800 Speaker 3: and it's the live piece in Toronto Record and he 1825 01:40:12,880 --> 01:40:15,360 Speaker 3: says Capitol didn't want to put it out, but Alan 1826 01:40:15,439 --> 01:40:18,120 Speaker 3: made them. And he said, I'm really excited about it. 1827 01:40:18,160 --> 01:40:20,720 Speaker 3: You're the first person to hear it. Well, when I 1828 01:40:20,880 --> 01:40:25,719 Speaker 3: heard the beginning Toronto Presents, Broward Walker Present, our names 1829 01:40:25,760 --> 01:40:29,600 Speaker 3: were on this record, man, I was like floored. I 1830 01:40:29,720 --> 01:40:31,600 Speaker 3: thought I was going to faint or something, you know, 1831 01:40:32,040 --> 01:40:33,439 Speaker 3: and he kind of looked at me. I think he 1832 01:40:33,520 --> 01:40:37,439 Speaker 3: picked up on that, you know, like yeah, he's tripping. Yeah, 1833 01:40:37,520 --> 01:40:41,200 Speaker 3: he's definitely tripping here in that. So we talked about 1834 01:40:41,280 --> 01:40:44,600 Speaker 3: doing a peace festival and that's when he, you know, 1835 01:40:44,800 --> 01:40:47,240 Speaker 3: having been at Woodstock. That's the thing I didn't tell 1836 01:40:47,240 --> 01:40:51,559 Speaker 3: you during that story is on that stage after Jimmy played, 1837 01:40:52,200 --> 01:40:54,360 Speaker 3: I had this feeling that I said to you, we 1838 01:40:54,520 --> 01:40:56,720 Speaker 3: need to do one of these in Canada. We need 1839 01:40:56,800 --> 01:40:59,360 Speaker 3: to do a big festival. This is a real festival, 1840 01:40:59,680 --> 01:41:03,000 Speaker 3: not a football stadium. This is real. And I ended 1841 01:41:03,080 --> 01:41:06,439 Speaker 3: up doing the Strawberry Fields Festival one year exactly to 1842 01:41:06,520 --> 01:41:09,800 Speaker 3: the weekend of Woodstock, after trying to do a peace 1843 01:41:09,880 --> 01:41:15,719 Speaker 3: festival with John. Toronto Peace Festival probably considered the biggest 1844 01:41:15,800 --> 01:41:19,240 Speaker 3: non event in show business history. Rolling Stone thought five 1845 01:41:19,320 --> 01:41:21,960 Speaker 3: million people wanted to come. But John and I were 1846 01:41:22,479 --> 01:41:24,760 Speaker 3: very naive and we didn't realize the power of the 1847 01:41:24,880 --> 01:41:27,760 Speaker 3: Nixon White House. And I didn't realize the power of 1848 01:41:27,800 --> 01:41:30,200 Speaker 3: the Eatons because when I showed up back in Toronto, 1849 01:41:30,760 --> 01:41:33,240 Speaker 3: Kenny and Thoris served me with papers instead, we're throwing 1850 01:41:33,280 --> 01:41:36,400 Speaker 3: you out of the company, and they voted me out 1851 01:41:36,479 --> 01:41:38,280 Speaker 3: and I didn't even tell them I'd met with John 1852 01:41:38,360 --> 01:41:41,280 Speaker 3: Lennon and he went to a peace festival. I said, okay, 1853 01:41:41,400 --> 01:41:43,639 Speaker 3: and I like, literally, you know, you see in the movies, 1854 01:41:43,680 --> 01:41:46,160 Speaker 3: you clean your desk out and you leave. And I 1855 01:41:46,240 --> 01:41:48,640 Speaker 3: went home and I got kicked out. But I have 1856 01:41:48,720 --> 01:41:52,400 Speaker 3: John Lennon, you know my wife, because John Lennon is better. 1857 01:41:52,720 --> 01:41:55,760 Speaker 3: I like him better than Kenny A. Richie York and 1858 01:41:55,840 --> 01:41:58,680 Speaker 3: I and Chef's partner Richie Miller went back a few 1859 01:41:58,760 --> 01:42:02,360 Speaker 3: weeks later and made a normal presentation to John and 1860 01:42:02,880 --> 01:42:06,400 Speaker 3: got letters from him authorizing us to request a meeting 1861 01:42:06,479 --> 01:42:09,600 Speaker 3: with the Prime Minister and to launch a festival. And 1862 01:42:09,720 --> 01:42:11,479 Speaker 3: then we brought him back a week and a half 1863 01:42:11,600 --> 01:42:14,360 Speaker 3: later for a press conference at the Science Center when 1864 01:42:14,400 --> 01:42:17,120 Speaker 3: we also launched the Wars Over campaign around the world, 1865 01:42:17,400 --> 01:42:20,720 Speaker 3: and Toronto was the biggest of the campaigns because having 1866 01:42:20,800 --> 01:42:23,400 Speaker 3: come back with a letter from John Lennon, I was 1867 01:42:23,439 --> 01:42:26,360 Speaker 3: able to raise fast hundred thousand dollars and we probably 1868 01:42:26,400 --> 01:42:29,679 Speaker 3: spent half of it. People thought there was a Nike campaign. 1869 01:42:29,760 --> 01:42:33,639 Speaker 3: We had more billboards. Even Sean Lennon in his ode 1870 01:42:33,720 --> 01:42:37,559 Speaker 3: to the Little Movie about War Is Over, makes note 1871 01:42:37,600 --> 01:42:40,600 Speaker 3: of the fact that Toronto was the biggest War Is 1872 01:42:40,680 --> 01:42:43,479 Speaker 3: Over in the world. Other cities had a billboard. We 1873 01:42:43,600 --> 01:42:46,280 Speaker 3: had at least fifteen or twenty, and I had at 1874 01:42:46,400 --> 01:42:49,200 Speaker 3: least five hundred kids from Roussdale College out on the 1875 01:42:49,240 --> 01:42:52,160 Speaker 3: street with handbills. So we really kicked it off and 1876 01:42:52,280 --> 01:42:54,519 Speaker 3: John was very excited and he gave a great press 1877 01:42:54,560 --> 01:42:58,719 Speaker 3: conference and then everything sort of began to go downhill. 1878 01:42:59,840 --> 01:43:05,400 Speaker 3: Tragic experience watching politics and money and power crush culture. 1879 01:43:07,240 --> 01:43:10,439 Speaker 2: A little bit more detail there well. 1880 01:43:13,080 --> 01:43:15,800 Speaker 3: From the press conference. Of course, everyone in the world 1881 01:43:15,840 --> 01:43:17,880 Speaker 3: wanted to be part of the festival, and we wanted 1882 01:43:17,880 --> 01:43:21,519 Speaker 3: it to be at Mostport Ground Prix Racetrack, and that's 1883 01:43:21,600 --> 01:43:23,400 Speaker 3: where it was announced by Jean there it would be, 1884 01:43:24,320 --> 01:43:27,360 Speaker 3: and it was going to be a wonderful thing until 1885 01:43:28,080 --> 01:43:32,160 Speaker 3: Harvey Heudis, the park owner, called me and said there 1886 01:43:32,240 --> 01:43:35,280 Speaker 3: was an emergency meeting called by the town council. I 1887 01:43:35,439 --> 01:43:38,639 Speaker 3: wasn't allowed to go, but the opp that's the Ontario 1888 01:43:38,760 --> 01:43:42,200 Speaker 3: Provincial Police, made a presentation to them, I understand. They 1889 01:43:42,280 --> 01:43:45,600 Speaker 3: showed pictures of people frolicking nude and fornicating in the 1890 01:43:45,680 --> 01:43:49,640 Speaker 3: woods at Woodstock and mounds of garbage and told them 1891 01:43:49,720 --> 01:43:53,200 Speaker 3: this is what's coming to your community, and your permit 1892 01:43:53,439 --> 01:43:58,000 Speaker 3: was revoked. All right. That repeated itself four or five 1893 01:43:58,160 --> 01:44:01,240 Speaker 3: times over the next couple of months in the province 1894 01:44:01,320 --> 01:44:07,120 Speaker 3: of Ontario until we found out through somebody that our 1895 01:44:07,240 --> 01:44:11,599 Speaker 3: festival was never going to happen Ontario. John David Eaton 1896 01:44:11,760 --> 01:44:15,080 Speaker 3: was claiming at the Toronto Club with a whiskey glass 1897 01:44:15,160 --> 01:44:18,160 Speaker 3: up in the air, that festival will never happen in 1898 01:44:18,360 --> 01:44:21,760 Speaker 3: my province. That's who the Eatons were, and they were 1899 01:44:21,840 --> 01:44:24,400 Speaker 3: my former partners, and now it became a war that 1900 01:44:24,520 --> 01:44:27,519 Speaker 3: they declared when they found out that I had come 1901 01:44:27,600 --> 01:44:29,840 Speaker 3: back with Lennon and didn't tell them, well, yeah, what 1902 01:44:29,920 --> 01:44:31,439 Speaker 3: I'm going to tell you, I just get kicked out 1903 01:44:31,439 --> 01:44:36,240 Speaker 3: of my company. So that became very distressing to John 1904 01:44:36,439 --> 01:44:40,040 Speaker 3: because he's one that said I'm going to ask everybody 1905 01:44:40,120 --> 01:44:44,639 Speaker 3: that's anybody to play. But every week we are losing 1906 01:44:44,680 --> 01:44:48,320 Speaker 3: another site every week in rolling Stone park Hill site 1907 01:44:48,439 --> 01:44:55,400 Speaker 3: you know, canceled or this site canceled. And so John also, 1908 01:44:55,720 --> 01:44:58,240 Speaker 3: you know, was upset by Clin because Clin had called 1909 01:44:58,280 --> 01:45:00,719 Speaker 3: me to come to New York and he and Steve 1910 01:45:00,800 --> 01:45:04,040 Speaker 3: Lieber were in his office and Steve I knew I 1911 01:45:04,200 --> 01:45:07,880 Speaker 3: bought bands from him. He later on went to do Beatlemania, 1912 01:45:08,080 --> 01:45:11,880 Speaker 3: but he was a respectable agent head of ICM, I think. 1913 01:45:12,479 --> 01:45:14,479 Speaker 3: And he's sitting there with Klein, who's telling me there's 1914 01:45:14,479 --> 01:45:17,880 Speaker 3: a world Beatles tour and your festival is screwing it 1915 01:45:18,000 --> 01:45:20,200 Speaker 3: up because promoters they're scared you're going to take all 1916 01:45:20,240 --> 01:45:23,960 Speaker 3: the people, and I need you to cancel your festival 1917 01:45:24,000 --> 01:45:26,639 Speaker 3: and I'll give you all the Canadian dates, five cities. 1918 01:45:27,600 --> 01:45:29,320 Speaker 3: So I go, wow, I look at Steve, I said, 1919 01:45:29,360 --> 01:45:32,880 Speaker 3: you know, and Steve, yep, I'm booking it. Steve was 1920 01:45:32,920 --> 01:45:35,080 Speaker 3: full of shit, but for Alan Kline, he'd do anything, 1921 01:45:35,160 --> 01:45:39,040 Speaker 3: I guess, as most people would. So I go home 1922 01:45:39,080 --> 01:45:40,960 Speaker 3: and call John and tell him this, and he goes, 1923 01:45:41,360 --> 01:45:44,120 Speaker 3: oh my god, he's freaked out. He's full of bullshit. 1924 01:45:44,280 --> 01:45:47,920 Speaker 3: That's all bollocks. We're not doing any Beatles World tour. 1925 01:45:47,960 --> 01:45:51,439 Speaker 3: And at out of Day's Yelliott Yoko Klins screwing everything 1926 01:45:51,520 --> 01:45:57,040 Speaker 3: up in the festival. So he said, you guys need 1927 01:45:57,120 --> 01:45:59,639 Speaker 3: to get me the dirt on Cline. Well, Richie Yorke 1928 01:46:00,040 --> 01:46:04,240 Speaker 3: own journalists and used to asking tough questions and he 1929 01:46:04,439 --> 01:46:06,960 Speaker 3: prepared Adarcier and what people thought of Klein and there 1930 01:46:07,080 --> 01:46:13,080 Speaker 3: wasn't much good in it, if any. So then Lennon 1931 01:46:13,160 --> 01:46:15,760 Speaker 3: calls me and he wants me to get a guy 1932 01:46:15,880 --> 01:46:19,200 Speaker 3: named Don Hamrick to come over to Albert, Denmark. This 1933 01:46:19,400 --> 01:46:23,360 Speaker 3: is like in February, close to March, and he's going 1934 01:46:23,439 --> 01:46:28,080 Speaker 3: to get them off smoking cigarettes. And because they've changed 1935 01:46:28,120 --> 01:46:32,320 Speaker 3: smoked Galway cigarettes. And so we get him a ticket 1936 01:46:32,360 --> 01:46:34,400 Speaker 3: to go over there, because remember the Beatles have no money. 1937 01:46:34,439 --> 01:46:38,759 Speaker 3: I was paying for everything, you know, Chatau Laurio, hotel, airflights, trains, 1938 01:46:38,800 --> 01:46:41,120 Speaker 3: private railway car to meet Trudeau. I forgot to tell 1939 01:46:41,160 --> 01:46:44,000 Speaker 3: you that yet. You know, in Toronto we did get 1940 01:46:44,000 --> 01:46:47,000 Speaker 3: a meeting with the Prime Minister Greenlit. We rented a 1941 01:46:47,040 --> 01:46:50,160 Speaker 3: private railway car with an observation car and two sleeping 1942 01:46:50,240 --> 01:46:53,040 Speaker 3: cars went to Montreal so the press wouldn't know we 1943 01:46:53,120 --> 01:46:56,840 Speaker 3: were going to Ottawa. Ended up in Ottawa and it 1944 01:46:57,000 --> 01:46:59,240 Speaker 3: was a different visit than bringing the Beatles movie there 1945 01:46:59,280 --> 01:47:01,960 Speaker 3: because I was bringing and a beadle and Trudeau met 1946 01:47:02,040 --> 01:47:03,880 Speaker 3: with him only he and Yoko. None of us got 1947 01:47:03,960 --> 01:47:07,400 Speaker 3: to go in there, and it was a very highlight. 1948 01:47:07,479 --> 01:47:08,880 Speaker 3: It was for John. It was the first time a 1949 01:47:08,920 --> 01:47:13,040 Speaker 3: world leader ever received a rock star. It was unbelievable, unprecedented. 1950 01:47:13,600 --> 01:47:18,160 Speaker 3: So he wanted us to come to Denmark and give 1951 01:47:18,240 --> 01:47:20,880 Speaker 3: us a report on the festival. I need you know, 1952 01:47:20,960 --> 01:47:23,680 Speaker 3: a report, Amy, you know what's going on, and you 1953 01:47:23,760 --> 01:47:25,400 Speaker 3: better have a site. You better show up here of 1954 01:47:25,479 --> 01:47:27,360 Speaker 3: a site. Well, we didn't have a site, but we 1955 01:47:27,479 --> 01:47:34,360 Speaker 3: came Anyway, Richie brought the dossier on Kleine, so we 1956 01:47:34,479 --> 01:47:36,479 Speaker 3: had a good time in London. We met some stewardess 1957 01:47:36,600 --> 01:47:38,200 Speaker 3: is on the way over there and they were off 1958 01:47:38,240 --> 01:47:40,479 Speaker 3: for the weekend, so we changed our flights, booked the 1959 01:47:40,560 --> 01:47:43,320 Speaker 3: penthouse at the Playboy Club and had a few days 1960 01:47:43,400 --> 01:47:46,800 Speaker 3: in London just to cool out. And we get to 1961 01:47:46,880 --> 01:47:50,719 Speaker 3: Alberg and Anthony Fossett tells us, you know what, things 1962 01:47:50,760 --> 01:47:54,680 Speaker 3: are really bad here. John has not invited me out there, 1963 01:47:55,320 --> 01:47:57,479 Speaker 3: and he just keeps wanting me to get stuff from 1964 01:47:57,520 --> 01:48:00,519 Speaker 3: the office and telex and sent out a cab and 1965 01:48:01,520 --> 01:48:04,320 Speaker 3: that guy Hamrick you sent over here is still here, 1966 01:48:04,640 --> 01:48:07,720 Speaker 3: and John wants you to go meet him. Now. What 1967 01:48:07,760 --> 01:48:09,920 Speaker 3: I'm going to tell you right now is written and 1968 01:48:10,000 --> 01:48:14,320 Speaker 3: documented in Albert Goldman's book The Lives of John Lennon. 1969 01:48:14,400 --> 01:48:16,400 Speaker 3: So this is not new information, but it might be 1970 01:48:16,520 --> 01:48:21,519 Speaker 3: newer to your audience. So we go to our hotel room, 1971 01:48:21,600 --> 01:48:23,160 Speaker 3: Ritchie York and I and there's a note on the 1972 01:48:23,200 --> 01:48:26,720 Speaker 3: door says blue piece to you and love. It's kind 1973 01:48:26,720 --> 01:48:28,320 Speaker 3: of weird. We just checked in. We come up in 1974 01:48:28,360 --> 01:48:30,120 Speaker 3: the elevator. How can there be a note on the door. 1975 01:48:30,880 --> 01:48:33,400 Speaker 3: The hotel was kind of full. There was a convention 1976 01:48:33,560 --> 01:48:39,080 Speaker 3: of some sort there. So Anthony says, you know, you 1977 01:48:39,200 --> 01:48:41,200 Speaker 3: need to go meet the guy Hammrick. Well, John wants 1978 01:48:41,240 --> 01:48:44,439 Speaker 3: you to go meet Hammerck now. So we go up 1979 01:48:44,479 --> 01:48:48,120 Speaker 3: to Hamrick's room and knocking the door, and the door 1980 01:48:48,160 --> 01:48:50,120 Speaker 3: opens and it was like spider webs came out. It 1981 01:48:50,240 --> 01:48:53,760 Speaker 3: was really weird, like this whole energy came out. And 1982 01:48:53,880 --> 01:48:56,040 Speaker 3: the door opens and here's this guy six foot two, 1983 01:48:56,360 --> 01:49:00,720 Speaker 3: long stringy hair in his underwear and he's motioning us 1984 01:49:00,800 --> 01:49:03,640 Speaker 3: to come in. Boys, come in. So he turns and 1985 01:49:03,680 --> 01:49:05,559 Speaker 3: walks in. He's got a hole in his back size 1986 01:49:05,600 --> 01:49:07,640 Speaker 3: of a mango, and there's stitches and everything, and you 1987 01:49:07,680 --> 01:49:10,160 Speaker 3: can see something moving like a lung or. I don't 1988 01:49:10,160 --> 01:49:10,439 Speaker 3: know why. 1989 01:49:10,479 --> 01:49:11,360 Speaker 2: It was terrifying. 1990 01:49:11,920 --> 01:49:13,840 Speaker 3: And he goes, oh, don't worry about that, boys, I 1991 01:49:13,840 --> 01:49:16,519 Speaker 3: had a little operation. I'll heel myself better than them. 1992 01:49:17,320 --> 01:49:19,519 Speaker 3: So we come in this room. It's dark, the blinds 1993 01:49:19,520 --> 01:49:22,840 Speaker 3: are pulled, there's a light on in the corner, and 1994 01:49:22,960 --> 01:49:25,599 Speaker 3: he starts to tell us that John has been chosen 1995 01:49:25,640 --> 01:49:28,720 Speaker 3: as an emissary between an alien race and Earth, and 1996 01:49:28,960 --> 01:49:31,960 Speaker 3: that he's been on a space ship in Norway, and 1997 01:49:32,640 --> 01:49:37,200 Speaker 3: that's what's happening right now. So he had a little 1998 01:49:37,320 --> 01:49:40,320 Speaker 3: plastic city of toy looked like a toy from Toys 1999 01:49:40,400 --> 01:49:43,360 Speaker 3: r US but it was floating above the dresser and 2000 01:49:43,439 --> 01:49:45,240 Speaker 3: he goes and runs his hand of her and he says, 2001 01:49:45,520 --> 01:49:49,000 Speaker 3: we have the secret of anti gravity and we're building 2002 01:49:49,040 --> 01:49:52,880 Speaker 3: a city in the clouds above Brazil. Well, my first 2003 01:49:52,920 --> 01:49:55,400 Speaker 3: thought was I want my mom. I was scared to 2004 01:49:55,520 --> 01:49:58,439 Speaker 3: get I mean, this was like too much, Matt, you know, 2005 01:49:58,600 --> 01:50:01,400 Speaker 3: this was too much. I mean I was terrified. And 2006 01:50:01,560 --> 01:50:03,280 Speaker 3: so he said, you know, come and do it. Well, 2007 01:50:03,320 --> 01:50:05,000 Speaker 3: I you know, I wanted I want to put my 2008 01:50:05,120 --> 01:50:07,160 Speaker 3: arm into there. There's nothing there and that could have 2009 01:50:07,200 --> 01:50:10,439 Speaker 3: been magnets underneath the drawer whatever. It was some kind 2010 01:50:10,479 --> 01:50:14,000 Speaker 3: of weird thing there. But so Richie Yorke goes, what's 2011 01:50:14,080 --> 01:50:16,599 Speaker 3: John's part in this? And he goes, John knows his part. 2012 01:50:16,640 --> 01:50:18,880 Speaker 3: And I said, well, look here's the deal. We'll do 2013 01:50:19,000 --> 01:50:23,080 Speaker 3: the festival thing, you do all that stuff. And I said, 2014 01:50:23,120 --> 01:50:25,080 Speaker 3: but I got to go, and we backed out Richie 2015 01:50:25,080 --> 01:50:26,439 Speaker 3: and I backed out of the room. I didn't want 2016 01:50:26,479 --> 01:50:28,720 Speaker 3: to turn my back on this guy. So we come 2017 01:50:28,800 --> 01:50:30,840 Speaker 3: running down to Faucet's room and go, oh my god, 2018 01:50:30,920 --> 01:50:32,720 Speaker 3: you're not going to believe what happened. This guy is 2019 01:50:32,840 --> 01:50:37,759 Speaker 3: crazy and he's talking about you know, space people and everything, 2020 01:50:37,800 --> 01:50:39,439 Speaker 3: and Anthony goes, I don't know what to do. 2021 01:50:39,600 --> 01:50:39,920 Speaker 2: I don't know. 2022 01:50:40,720 --> 01:50:43,720 Speaker 3: So anyway, we go decide to go have dinner up 2023 01:50:43,800 --> 01:50:49,200 Speaker 3: at the roof Top restaurant. It's nighttime now and we're 2024 01:50:49,200 --> 01:50:52,320 Speaker 3: having dinner, beautiful dinner, you know, a lovely restaurant, probably 2025 01:50:52,360 --> 01:50:56,160 Speaker 3: the best one in Aulberg. And the matre d comes 2026 01:50:56,200 --> 01:50:58,040 Speaker 3: over to the table and he says, mister Brower, which 2027 01:50:58,040 --> 01:51:02,320 Speaker 3: you signed the chip for the barber, and you know, 2028 01:51:02,720 --> 01:51:07,240 Speaker 3: like like the what he goes, mister Lennon ordered the 2029 01:51:07,280 --> 01:51:09,320 Speaker 3: barber this morning to go out to where they're staying 2030 01:51:09,360 --> 01:51:12,080 Speaker 3: and cut everyone's hair. And he said to charge it 2031 01:51:12,120 --> 01:51:15,639 Speaker 3: to your room. So I said, well, of course, where's 2032 01:51:15,680 --> 01:51:18,040 Speaker 3: the barber And he points to this dominion of young 2033 01:51:18,120 --> 01:51:21,640 Speaker 3: woman over at the matre d e stand. I said, well, 2034 01:51:21,680 --> 01:51:23,280 Speaker 3: ask her to come over. I said, yeah, of course, 2035 01:51:23,320 --> 01:51:26,040 Speaker 3: I'll have no problem to sign him. So we asked 2036 01:51:26,040 --> 01:51:28,200 Speaker 3: her to sit down. Her name's Renata and she's very 2037 01:51:28,280 --> 01:51:31,639 Speaker 3: shy and you mirror maybe in her late twenties, early thirties. 2038 01:51:32,720 --> 01:51:35,439 Speaker 3: And Richie Yorke goes tell us what happened, you know 2039 01:51:35,560 --> 01:51:38,519 Speaker 3: what's going on? And she goes, well, no, I go 2040 01:51:38,600 --> 01:51:40,479 Speaker 3: out there. I won't do her accent the whole way, 2041 01:51:40,560 --> 01:51:43,200 Speaker 3: but she's got a little accent. I go out and 2042 01:51:43,360 --> 01:51:45,880 Speaker 3: it's very far out. It's past the edge of the 2043 01:51:45,960 --> 01:51:49,479 Speaker 3: city where the roads are now not paved, and there's 2044 01:51:49,520 --> 01:51:53,880 Speaker 3: a farmhouse and I come in. The taxi waits for me, 2045 01:51:54,880 --> 01:51:58,200 Speaker 3: and I am told to cut everyone's hair, like Mia Farrow, 2046 01:51:58,720 --> 01:52:01,519 Speaker 3: and mister Cox has a magazine cover with a picture 2047 01:52:01,560 --> 01:52:03,280 Speaker 3: of me at Pharaoh. Now she had just had her 2048 01:52:03,320 --> 01:52:08,880 Speaker 3: haircut as thin as you know, like makeer marines look long. 2049 01:52:09,760 --> 01:52:13,200 Speaker 3: And so they proceeded to have all their haircut. Kyoko, 2050 01:52:13,240 --> 01:52:15,880 Speaker 3: the little child, they cut her hair, then they cut 2051 01:52:16,000 --> 01:52:19,519 Speaker 3: Melinda Cox, Tony's wife. Then they cut Tony Cox, then 2052 01:52:19,560 --> 01:52:22,240 Speaker 3: they cut Yoko. And when they cut John, she said, 2053 01:52:22,280 --> 01:52:25,000 Speaker 3: everybody started to cry. And Yoka took his hair and 2054 01:52:25,040 --> 01:52:28,680 Speaker 3: put it in a bag. Okay, So this is like 2055 01:52:28,960 --> 01:52:32,840 Speaker 3: between the guy in the room with his space story, 2056 01:52:33,040 --> 01:52:37,519 Speaker 3: and now I'm starting to feel like, you know what, 2057 01:52:37,840 --> 01:52:41,880 Speaker 3: there's something afoot here. So I said, look, guys, do 2058 01:52:41,880 --> 01:52:43,920 Speaker 3: you see what's going on? You know, the space guy 2059 01:52:44,320 --> 01:52:46,600 Speaker 3: now her and the haircuts. They're trying to freak us 2060 01:52:46,640 --> 01:52:49,360 Speaker 3: out before the meeting because a meeting, you know, was 2061 01:52:49,360 --> 01:52:53,960 Speaker 3: supposedly coming, so literally on cue, I couldn't believe it. 2062 01:52:54,200 --> 01:52:56,400 Speaker 3: The matreat comes over and says, we just got a 2063 01:52:56,439 --> 01:52:59,240 Speaker 3: message from mister Lennon and it says, please be here 2064 01:52:59,240 --> 01:53:03,160 Speaker 3: tomorrow at eleven in the morning. Bring Anthony. So that's 2065 01:53:03,240 --> 01:53:05,960 Speaker 3: our meeting. I said, see this our meetings tomorrow with them. 2066 01:53:06,320 --> 01:53:09,240 Speaker 3: They're trying to freak us out. I said, look, we'll 2067 01:53:09,280 --> 01:53:11,599 Speaker 3: freak them out. Let's get all her haircut. She's right here. 2068 01:53:12,960 --> 01:53:15,519 Speaker 3: Can you cut three haircuts if I pay you doubles? Yeah. 2069 01:53:16,040 --> 01:53:18,040 Speaker 3: So we go out down to one of the rooms 2070 01:53:18,439 --> 01:53:20,120 Speaker 3: and I get all my haircut out, and it was 2071 01:53:20,200 --> 01:53:22,559 Speaker 3: longer than this, and I got the mere Faraoh aircut. 2072 01:53:22,600 --> 01:53:24,840 Speaker 3: There's a picture of me in Rolling Stone looking with 2073 01:53:24,960 --> 01:53:29,760 Speaker 3: that aircut for posterity. And of course Richie York and 2074 01:53:29,760 --> 01:53:32,320 Speaker 3: Anthony Faucet say no, no, no, we're not doing it. 2075 01:53:32,360 --> 01:53:34,080 Speaker 3: They got like an inch cut off. So now we 2076 01:53:34,200 --> 01:53:35,800 Speaker 3: have to go out the next morning and I've got 2077 01:53:35,840 --> 01:53:38,960 Speaker 3: all my haircut off. We come in. Tony Cox gives 2078 01:53:39,000 --> 01:53:40,920 Speaker 3: me a weird look when he sees all my hair off, 2079 01:53:42,880 --> 01:53:47,400 Speaker 3: and there's Johnny, Yoko and Kyoko and Melinda Cox and 2080 01:53:47,520 --> 01:53:52,960 Speaker 3: Tony and she's handing out this stuff they called mar June, 2081 01:53:53,040 --> 01:53:55,000 Speaker 3: which when I had a bite of it, it was 2082 01:53:55,120 --> 01:53:57,080 Speaker 3: like there was something in it. I did like that 2083 01:53:57,240 --> 01:53:59,600 Speaker 3: to Richie because Richie smoke a joint fall over. I 2084 01:53:59,720 --> 01:54:02,160 Speaker 3: don't go near this stuff. I took a bite of it. 2085 01:54:03,560 --> 01:54:06,200 Speaker 3: John was eating it, and everybody was eating it, and 2086 01:54:06,600 --> 01:54:10,200 Speaker 3: Belinda was eating the crackers like full of it. And 2087 01:54:10,720 --> 01:54:14,560 Speaker 3: John is very upset. And but first of all, he 2088 01:54:14,640 --> 01:54:16,680 Speaker 3: looked at me and goes, had your haircut? You had 2089 01:54:16,720 --> 01:54:20,200 Speaker 3: your haircut? And I realized then that that was not 2090 01:54:20,320 --> 01:54:23,160 Speaker 3: a setup the night before sending me the bill wanting 2091 01:54:23,240 --> 01:54:25,160 Speaker 3: us to know they had their haircuts John, that was 2092 01:54:25,240 --> 01:54:29,080 Speaker 3: just John charging me normal stop. He was shocked and 2093 01:54:29,160 --> 01:54:30,640 Speaker 3: I said, yeah, I heard it is the latest thing, 2094 01:54:30,680 --> 01:54:33,840 Speaker 3: and he goes, we did too, And I was thinking, 2095 01:54:33,920 --> 01:54:37,640 Speaker 3: oh man, this is really easy getting crazy. Okay, good. Yeah, 2096 01:54:38,360 --> 01:54:42,000 Speaker 3: So he got very upset. You know, the sixties are over, 2097 01:54:42,120 --> 01:54:44,560 Speaker 3: Prime ministers are over. You got to have a site, 2098 01:54:44,600 --> 01:54:46,560 Speaker 3: this festival, have a site. How can you expect me 2099 01:54:46,640 --> 01:54:49,680 Speaker 3: to call bands when every time I talk to anybody 2100 01:54:49,760 --> 01:54:52,080 Speaker 3: they tell me, you just lost the last sight and 2101 01:54:52,200 --> 01:54:55,200 Speaker 3: I'm way out on this thing, and you know I've 2102 01:54:55,240 --> 01:55:00,840 Speaker 3: stood up for it. Knocking the door, Tony Cox goes 2103 01:55:00,920 --> 01:55:04,880 Speaker 3: downs it. Oh, by the way, Richie had given John 2104 01:55:05,040 --> 01:55:08,120 Speaker 3: the dossier on Klein, which he kind of looked at 2105 01:55:09,360 --> 01:55:13,200 Speaker 3: in walks Allen Klein, and I was like, oh my god, 2106 01:55:13,320 --> 01:55:17,360 Speaker 3: this is like unbelievable. So John introduces him all around, 2107 01:55:17,440 --> 01:55:19,280 Speaker 3: and then John takes the dossier and hands it to 2108 01:55:19,360 --> 01:55:21,240 Speaker 3: him and is here, Allan, here's what people think of you. 2109 01:55:21,840 --> 01:55:25,560 Speaker 3: John and Richie put it together for us. I thought 2110 01:55:25,600 --> 01:55:28,520 Speaker 3: Client's probably got guys outside with shovels waiting to dig 2111 01:55:28,640 --> 01:55:32,720 Speaker 3: us into the frozen ground. Because we had called Ronnie Hawkins, 2112 01:55:34,240 --> 01:55:37,360 Speaker 3: our mentor, from the hotel room after we came back 2113 01:55:37,400 --> 01:55:41,400 Speaker 3: from seeing the spaceship guy, and told him, and Ronnie said, boys, 2114 01:55:41,480 --> 01:55:43,320 Speaker 3: I don't think you should go back to that room. 2115 01:55:43,800 --> 01:55:47,720 Speaker 3: Doesn't sound good. He said. I talked to Morris, meaning 2116 01:55:47,800 --> 01:55:51,640 Speaker 3: Morris leaving. He said. Morris said, Klein is on the 2117 01:55:51,720 --> 01:55:54,640 Speaker 3: war path for you boys. You were getting too close 2118 01:55:54,720 --> 01:55:58,520 Speaker 3: to his fatted calf. I'd be very careful out there. 2119 01:55:58,920 --> 01:56:01,400 Speaker 3: So now here's Kla Right there after we hear this 2120 01:56:01,480 --> 01:56:06,160 Speaker 3: from Ronnie Hawkins. So Klein looks at the Dosier and 2121 01:56:06,280 --> 01:56:09,960 Speaker 3: you kind of like he would say that, yeah, you know, 2122 01:56:10,480 --> 01:56:13,080 Speaker 3: I took a band from this guy. And he made 2123 01:56:13,120 --> 01:56:14,360 Speaker 3: kind of light of it. And then he looked at 2124 01:56:14,400 --> 01:56:16,879 Speaker 3: me right in the eyes and he said, I wouldn't 2125 01:56:16,880 --> 01:56:19,400 Speaker 3: have thought you'd have time for all this, all the 2126 01:56:19,560 --> 01:56:22,960 Speaker 3: problems you're having with your little festival. And that was 2127 01:56:23,080 --> 01:56:25,400 Speaker 3: like cold. It was like he had us nailed. I mean, 2128 01:56:25,520 --> 01:56:28,240 Speaker 3: you know what I mean, yeah, exactly, how do you 2129 01:56:28,320 --> 01:56:30,880 Speaker 3: have time for any of this? Well, Baba John asked 2130 01:56:30,960 --> 01:56:33,280 Speaker 3: us to whatever. I don't know. All I want to 2131 01:56:33,320 --> 01:56:36,160 Speaker 3: do is get out of there. So we promised to 2132 01:56:36,240 --> 01:56:40,920 Speaker 3: have a sight within two weeks, three weeks, and we 2133 01:56:40,960 --> 01:56:42,680 Speaker 3: would get back to them. And we got out of there, 2134 01:56:42,800 --> 01:56:45,640 Speaker 3: left Anthony there, got the cab that was waiting for us, 2135 01:56:46,320 --> 01:56:50,120 Speaker 3: and got backpacked and split went back to Toronto and 2136 01:56:50,280 --> 01:56:54,080 Speaker 3: got to work trying to get another festival site. So 2137 01:56:54,240 --> 01:56:57,960 Speaker 3: now John calls in tells us that they've met us 2138 01:56:58,000 --> 01:57:01,040 Speaker 3: some people that are friends with Tony Cox and they 2139 01:57:01,120 --> 01:57:05,680 Speaker 3: really get the vibe of the festival and he wants 2140 01:57:05,720 --> 01:57:08,560 Speaker 3: to send them to Toronto and work out of our office. 2141 01:57:08,920 --> 01:57:12,880 Speaker 3: So I'm like, fine, no problem. So these two guys 2142 01:57:12,920 --> 01:57:15,520 Speaker 3: show up. One of them, Leonard Hollihan, long red hair, 2143 01:57:15,880 --> 01:57:18,800 Speaker 3: wears a purple suit, tells me he's from the Plates 2144 01:57:19,680 --> 01:57:22,400 Speaker 3: and he's got picture of an aircar. The other one 2145 01:57:22,560 --> 01:57:25,800 Speaker 3: is David Britton. Tells me his name's Britain. No it's not. 2146 01:57:25,920 --> 01:57:28,720 Speaker 3: His name's David Snyderman. He's the guy that I went 2147 01:57:28,840 --> 01:57:31,240 Speaker 3: to the microphone for John for the cocaine at the 2148 01:57:31,320 --> 01:57:35,400 Speaker 3: revival and said, doctor Snyderman. Plays to the backstage area, 2149 01:57:35,600 --> 01:57:39,080 Speaker 3: doctor Snyderman, because I knew he was there, because everybody 2150 01:57:39,160 --> 01:57:41,080 Speaker 3: we knew in the world and everyone they knew was there. 2151 01:57:41,160 --> 01:57:45,600 Speaker 3: We probably gave out thousands of free tickets. And he 2152 01:57:45,800 --> 01:57:49,800 Speaker 3: had this stuff called cocaine. Jazz musicians had it. 2153 01:57:49,880 --> 01:57:50,040 Speaker 2: You know. 2154 01:57:50,040 --> 01:57:52,160 Speaker 3: I was married with a kid. We were hash smokers. 2155 01:57:52,720 --> 01:57:56,160 Speaker 3: So he comes to the back stage snow fence and 2156 01:57:56,280 --> 01:57:57,200 Speaker 3: he's like, going, what is it? 2157 01:57:57,280 --> 01:57:57,400 Speaker 1: Man? 2158 01:57:57,520 --> 01:57:59,920 Speaker 3: Is it a Boston I go listen, John Lennon want 2159 01:58:01,480 --> 01:58:03,640 Speaker 3: can you have some? Go? Yeah? I did, I did, 2160 01:58:03,680 --> 01:58:05,320 Speaker 3: but I put it in the grass. I thought it 2161 01:58:05,400 --> 01:58:09,200 Speaker 3: was a bust. Could you please go get it? So 2162 01:58:09,320 --> 01:58:11,400 Speaker 3: he comes back in a couple of minutes literally, and 2163 01:58:11,480 --> 01:58:13,920 Speaker 3: he's holding this thing. I got Denis my roady next 2164 01:58:13,960 --> 01:58:15,640 Speaker 3: to me, and he's got one of the other guys, 2165 01:58:16,320 --> 01:58:17,720 Speaker 3: and I said, look, give it to me. I'll give 2166 01:58:17,720 --> 01:58:19,680 Speaker 3: you money, dinner next week, whenever you want. He goes, no, 2167 01:58:20,360 --> 01:58:22,200 Speaker 3: I have to give it to John lenn and myself. 2168 01:58:23,040 --> 01:58:26,120 Speaker 3: I look at Dennis. Get it, grab his arm and 2169 01:58:26,240 --> 01:58:28,720 Speaker 3: rip his hand open, get the vial. Give it to me. 2170 01:58:29,080 --> 01:58:30,880 Speaker 3: I go, you can't come in here. I'm sorry. I'll 2171 01:58:30,920 --> 01:58:33,880 Speaker 3: take care of this later. I was terrified coming walk 2172 01:58:33,960 --> 01:58:37,320 Speaker 3: and there's police everywhere all over the place, policeman in uniform. 2173 01:58:38,120 --> 01:58:41,360 Speaker 3: I'm walking in with this vial which I kind of 2174 01:58:41,400 --> 01:58:43,840 Speaker 3: looked at and it was all shiny rocks and everything. 2175 01:58:43,880 --> 01:58:46,040 Speaker 3: I knew that was good. Whatever it was, that was 2176 01:58:46,120 --> 01:58:49,080 Speaker 3: the stuff. And that's why when I gave it to John, 2177 01:58:49,720 --> 01:58:52,160 Speaker 3: he looked at me like I was Jesus, because he 2178 01:58:52,320 --> 01:58:56,880 Speaker 3: knew that is bad, bad shit, that's the stuff. That's 2179 01:58:56,920 --> 01:58:59,160 Speaker 3: why he said, ask Eric to come in. So now 2180 01:58:59,240 --> 01:59:02,200 Speaker 3: here's the same guy back from meeting with Lennon telling 2181 01:59:02,280 --> 01:59:06,960 Speaker 3: me his names, David Britten. Now well, let's jump ahead 2182 01:59:07,000 --> 01:59:10,160 Speaker 3: a little bit to Keith Richards book and Witness X 2183 01:59:10,280 --> 01:59:15,080 Speaker 3: that busted the Stones was David Schneiderman from Toronto, who 2184 01:59:15,160 --> 01:59:18,200 Speaker 3: we find out had been busted by customs with ten 2185 01:59:18,280 --> 01:59:21,600 Speaker 3: thousand tabs of acid in like nineteen sixty three and 2186 01:59:21,760 --> 01:59:26,560 Speaker 3: had been ratting people out ever since. So that's that guy, 2187 01:59:28,000 --> 01:59:29,400 Speaker 3: all right. So now we get out of there and 2188 01:59:29,440 --> 01:59:31,680 Speaker 3: come back to Toronto, and it's like, okay, Now these 2189 01:59:31,720 --> 01:59:34,000 Speaker 3: two guys arrive and we have to give them an office, 2190 01:59:34,720 --> 01:59:37,800 Speaker 3: and they want to make an announcement about the air cars, 2191 01:59:37,800 --> 01:59:40,440 Speaker 3: and I go, no, it's not time for that right now. 2192 01:59:40,960 --> 01:59:44,240 Speaker 3: Festival's not ready for that kind of publicity. Just slow down. 2193 01:59:45,080 --> 01:59:48,960 Speaker 3: Because also what was happening was Rolling Stone had turned 2194 01:59:49,000 --> 01:59:53,440 Speaker 3: against us. Obviously Alan Klein and by the way, Yan 2195 01:59:53,520 --> 01:59:56,800 Speaker 3: Winner was not a mogul publisher. He was putting a 2196 01:59:58,320 --> 02:00:01,720 Speaker 3: magazine together with Bailing Wire in Scotch tape every two weeks. 2197 02:00:02,360 --> 02:00:06,280 Speaker 3: So ads were critical, and I was led to believe 2198 02:00:06,320 --> 02:00:08,760 Speaker 3: the client had basically told them, look, you're not getting 2199 02:00:08,760 --> 02:00:11,600 Speaker 3: any more Beetles or Stones, ads or anything from their 2200 02:00:11,640 --> 02:00:15,280 Speaker 3: record companies if you don't start winding down this festival. 2201 02:00:16,160 --> 02:00:18,440 Speaker 3: So they had gotten a guy named John Carr who 2202 02:00:18,520 --> 02:00:21,880 Speaker 3: had been interviewing us, and in one of them, I 2203 02:00:22,000 --> 02:00:24,560 Speaker 3: had made a stupid mistake. And when I've been in 2204 02:00:24,760 --> 02:00:28,280 Speaker 3: La Jogive, Jean had been driving me, my driver, and 2205 02:00:28,840 --> 02:00:30,800 Speaker 3: he had told me that in India they had these 2206 02:00:30,880 --> 02:00:33,600 Speaker 3: massive festivals with millions of people, and they had pits 2207 02:00:34,160 --> 02:00:36,240 Speaker 3: where you would defecate and then they would you know, 2208 02:00:36,400 --> 02:00:39,320 Speaker 3: cover the pits up because they never get enough portable toilets. 2209 02:00:40,080 --> 02:00:42,400 Speaker 3: So I told John Carr that. So the next week 2210 02:00:42,440 --> 02:00:44,960 Speaker 3: in Rolling Stone has said John Brower wants your shit 2211 02:00:45,600 --> 02:00:46,280 Speaker 3: in headlines. 2212 02:00:46,360 --> 02:00:46,800 Speaker 2: No less. 2213 02:00:46,960 --> 02:00:50,640 Speaker 3: Okay. This was like the beginning of the Rolling Stone, 2214 02:00:50,800 --> 02:00:56,320 Speaker 3: you know, winding down their support of the festival. At 2215 02:00:56,360 --> 02:01:01,720 Speaker 3: that point, we were in a disastrous chaos situation. There 2216 02:01:01,800 --> 02:01:03,560 Speaker 3: was no way to get a site. Everywhere you went, 2217 02:01:03,680 --> 02:01:07,720 Speaker 3: the opp came with the same movies. Finally, jan Winner 2218 02:01:07,800 --> 02:01:10,320 Speaker 3: asks us to come to California to talk to the 2219 02:01:10,680 --> 02:01:15,560 Speaker 3: dead and the airplane, and Lennon insisted on these two 2220 02:01:15,600 --> 02:01:19,680 Speaker 3: guys coming with me, Snyderman and Britain and this Leonard guy. 2221 02:01:20,920 --> 02:01:23,160 Speaker 3: So like John Lennon, Man, what am I gonna tell them? 2222 02:01:23,200 --> 02:01:23,240 Speaker 1: No? 2223 02:01:23,800 --> 02:01:27,000 Speaker 3: You know, okay, okay, we'll take them. So in the 2224 02:01:27,080 --> 02:01:30,080 Speaker 3: meeting it's like been documented in Rolling Stone as well. 2225 02:01:30,600 --> 02:01:32,760 Speaker 3: The airplanes, there are some of them Grace is there, 2226 02:01:33,200 --> 02:01:36,520 Speaker 3: Jack Cassidy's there, the Couple of the Dead or their 2227 02:01:37,080 --> 02:01:40,760 Speaker 3: Ralph Gleason's there. There's a lot of very heavy, respectable 2228 02:01:40,840 --> 02:01:45,040 Speaker 3: people from the music community. And before I even speak, 2229 02:01:45,120 --> 02:01:47,880 Speaker 3: this guy, David jumps out and starts giving giving them 2230 02:01:47,960 --> 02:01:49,960 Speaker 3: this whole story of like the space guy gave in 2231 02:01:50,040 --> 02:01:53,000 Speaker 3: the hotel room, and Grace Slick just looked at him 2232 02:01:53,000 --> 02:01:54,680 Speaker 3: and goes, you know what, if that's what John lenn 2233 02:01:54,760 --> 02:01:57,240 Speaker 3: is into, then fuck John Lennon and fuck the festival. 2234 02:01:57,480 --> 02:01:59,360 Speaker 3: We don't want to be part of it, and walked out, 2235 02:01:59,440 --> 02:02:02,080 Speaker 3: and everybody walked out with her, and jan Winner looked 2236 02:02:02,080 --> 02:02:04,040 Speaker 3: at me hopelessly and goes, you guys are ruining me. 2237 02:02:05,000 --> 02:02:07,640 Speaker 3: And my buddy Jerry that was with me said you 2238 02:02:07,800 --> 02:02:10,200 Speaker 3: just lost control of your deal and that was it. 2239 02:02:10,440 --> 02:02:12,240 Speaker 3: So I told these two guys out on the street, 2240 02:02:12,280 --> 02:02:14,680 Speaker 3: I'm not flying you back to Toronto. Get John Lennon 2241 02:02:14,760 --> 02:02:17,560 Speaker 3: to fly you back. So that's when Joan Wnder called 2242 02:02:17,600 --> 02:02:19,480 Speaker 3: John and said, look, man, this is out of control. 2243 02:02:20,000 --> 02:02:22,720 Speaker 3: Like these guys show up here. John must have realized, 2244 02:02:22,760 --> 02:02:25,560 Speaker 3: oh my god, Allan was right, it's all going to 2245 02:02:25,600 --> 02:02:27,880 Speaker 3: blow back on me. And so they pulled out and 2246 02:02:27,920 --> 02:02:31,360 Speaker 3: that was the end of it. And two weeks later 2247 02:02:31,440 --> 02:02:33,680 Speaker 3: I meet a guy that's just inherited ten million dollars 2248 02:02:33,720 --> 02:02:35,640 Speaker 3: and he gives me two to put on the Strawberry 2249 02:02:35,720 --> 02:02:39,040 Speaker 3: Fields Festival. And that began another battle. But we went 2250 02:02:39,080 --> 02:02:42,960 Speaker 3: to another province. We got the Prime Minister's lawyer who 2251 02:02:43,040 --> 02:02:47,360 Speaker 3: told us, get a motorcycle sanctioned, have a motorcycle race 2252 02:02:47,400 --> 02:02:50,680 Speaker 3: at Mostport with added entertainment, and you'll go to court 2253 02:02:50,760 --> 02:02:54,000 Speaker 3: and my lawyers will win. And that's what happened. We 2254 02:02:54,120 --> 02:02:56,600 Speaker 3: put on one hundred and fifty thousand people at Mostport 2255 02:02:56,680 --> 02:03:00,400 Speaker 3: Brown Free Racetrack three days and it was beautiful. People 2256 02:03:00,400 --> 02:03:03,200 Speaker 3: could drive under the track and then park and camp 2257 02:03:03,320 --> 02:03:06,200 Speaker 3: with the car, so it's no woodstock parking and like, 2258 02:03:06,280 --> 02:03:09,120 Speaker 3: I don't know if dude, where's my car? No, I 2259 02:03:09,160 --> 02:03:12,520 Speaker 3: mean there was, you know, forty thousand cars parked on 2260 02:03:12,600 --> 02:03:16,560 Speaker 3: the site, bonfires at night, campfires. It was an incredible show. 2261 02:03:16,920 --> 02:03:20,480 Speaker 3: Sly in the family Stone. Of course Alice Cooper came 2262 02:03:20,520 --> 02:03:22,480 Speaker 3: in headlined as well. They were big by then a 2263 02:03:22,600 --> 02:03:29,320 Speaker 3: year later Mountain. Ten years after Bonnie Delaney and Friends, 2264 02:03:29,840 --> 02:03:32,800 Speaker 3: Melanie I can't remember a lot. Ten years after a 2265 02:03:32,880 --> 02:03:35,280 Speaker 3: lot of incredible bands. It was an amazing three day 2266 02:03:35,360 --> 02:03:41,080 Speaker 3: show and that became me resolving the whole thing with 2267 02:03:41,240 --> 02:03:43,880 Speaker 3: the Peace Festival. It was like we did Canada's Woodstock, 2268 02:03:43,960 --> 02:03:45,880 Speaker 3: that's what they call it. That's what I wanted to 2269 02:03:45,960 --> 02:03:49,040 Speaker 3: do in the beginning. And we called the Strawberry Fields 2270 02:03:49,080 --> 02:03:52,040 Speaker 3: because we moved to Shetty Act, New Brunswick and we 2271 02:03:52,120 --> 02:03:55,040 Speaker 3: got a site right on the ocean. There were sheddy acts, 2272 02:03:55,960 --> 02:04:00,120 Speaker 3: strawberry Capital of Canada, and so I said, well we 2273 02:04:00,200 --> 02:04:03,040 Speaker 3: call Strawberry Feels Festival because we were looking at all 2274 02:04:03,080 --> 02:04:06,560 Speaker 3: these strawberries in this field, and Jerry, my buddy, goes, 2275 02:04:06,640 --> 02:04:10,280 Speaker 3: that's a good idea. So when we moved it back 2276 02:04:10,320 --> 02:04:14,720 Speaker 3: to Toronto with Trudeau's lawyers in this new plan, because 2277 02:04:14,760 --> 02:04:17,720 Speaker 3: we were told by her contact in the RCMP that 2278 02:04:17,880 --> 02:04:20,280 Speaker 3: Trudeau was not happy with John Lennon and he wasn't 2279 02:04:20,320 --> 02:04:23,920 Speaker 3: happy with John David Eaton and this was payback and 2280 02:04:24,120 --> 02:04:27,840 Speaker 3: so we basically got tipped in by the Prime Minister 2281 02:04:27,960 --> 02:04:30,120 Speaker 3: and his lawyers to pull this off and we did. 2282 02:04:30,320 --> 02:04:31,000 Speaker 3: It was amazing. 2283 02:04:32,560 --> 02:04:36,240 Speaker 2: So how much longer did you promote concerts? Well? 2284 02:04:36,480 --> 02:04:39,120 Speaker 3: I moved to Laguna Beach and Larry Weinstein and I 2285 02:04:39,320 --> 02:04:42,880 Speaker 3: formed Laguna Concerts under the Sky. We took over the 2286 02:04:43,680 --> 02:04:46,840 Speaker 3: Laguna Bowl, which had never had a concert. He brought 2287 02:04:46,840 --> 02:04:51,120 Speaker 3: beautiful acts like Emmy, Lua Harris and different country bands, 2288 02:04:51,240 --> 02:04:55,000 Speaker 3: very gentle stuff. And then we did the Tubes with 2289 02:04:55,080 --> 02:04:57,280 Speaker 3: Bill Grahame. He gave us all their dates down in 2290 02:04:57,440 --> 02:05:03,000 Speaker 3: South we did some rush dates. I did not do 2291 02:05:03,200 --> 02:05:06,560 Speaker 3: anything significant along the lines of a festival until I 2292 02:05:06,640 --> 02:05:09,960 Speaker 3: had moved back to Toronto and did the heat Wave 2293 02:05:10,080 --> 02:05:14,320 Speaker 3: Festival again at Mostport, which was now sanctioned because now 2294 02:05:14,400 --> 02:05:16,800 Speaker 3: they saw that there was no nudity, there was no 2295 02:05:16,920 --> 02:05:19,040 Speaker 3: mouths at Garbage. It was like okay. And this was 2296 02:05:19,120 --> 02:05:22,800 Speaker 3: ten years later. Music had become the big business by now, 2297 02:05:23,760 --> 02:05:27,200 Speaker 3: and I was very proud of doing the first, last 2298 02:05:27,240 --> 02:05:30,440 Speaker 3: and only punk festival. But as David Byrne said, we 2299 02:05:30,480 --> 02:05:33,720 Speaker 3: would never play a festival ever. And then we heard 2300 02:05:33,720 --> 02:05:35,920 Speaker 3: about this crazy guy in Toronto that was willing to 2301 02:05:35,960 --> 02:05:39,080 Speaker 3: get us seventy five thousand dollars for one show, and 2302 02:05:39,200 --> 02:05:42,360 Speaker 3: we didn't make that much all last year, so we said, okay, 2303 02:05:42,520 --> 02:05:46,160 Speaker 3: let's take the money, and Jake took money for Elvis. 2304 02:05:48,120 --> 02:05:52,760 Speaker 3: We got to B fifty two's Rumor Rock Pile Pretenders. 2305 02:05:52,880 --> 02:05:56,200 Speaker 3: It was an incredible show. The clash canceled, my investors 2306 02:05:56,240 --> 02:05:58,320 Speaker 3: went around behind my back tried to sign them to 2307 02:05:58,400 --> 02:06:01,240 Speaker 3: a movie deal so they could take over the deal. 2308 02:06:01,320 --> 02:06:03,760 Speaker 3: Investors are always trying to take over deals. I can't 2309 02:06:03,840 --> 02:06:06,760 Speaker 3: understand why they can't just leave well enough. But they 2310 02:06:06,840 --> 02:06:10,160 Speaker 3: get producer itis where they want to be the producers. 2311 02:06:10,160 --> 02:06:13,160 Speaker 3: They're not happy to just be investors or lawyers whatever. 2312 02:06:14,360 --> 02:06:17,640 Speaker 3: They're all necessary investors and lawyers, but you know, sometimes 2313 02:06:17,680 --> 02:06:20,760 Speaker 3: they get these visions they see their name up in lights, 2314 02:06:20,880 --> 02:06:25,200 Speaker 3: like a brightly lit marquee. Any event, we managed to 2315 02:06:25,400 --> 02:06:30,280 Speaker 3: fight past that assault and put on an incredible, beautiful show. 2316 02:06:30,480 --> 02:06:34,360 Speaker 3: Was hotest day of the summer. And Dan Aykroyd came 2317 02:06:34,400 --> 02:06:36,600 Speaker 3: out there and did an interview with me as Elwood 2318 02:06:36,640 --> 02:06:40,600 Speaker 3: Blues and Danny really on a Danny. He's incredible. I've 2319 02:06:40,640 --> 02:06:42,920 Speaker 3: known him so many years, but he never fails to 2320 02:06:42,960 --> 02:06:47,360 Speaker 3: surprise me. He did the imitation on the radio interview 2321 02:06:47,400 --> 02:06:49,840 Speaker 3: as Elwood and he goes to John, I'd like to 2322 02:06:50,320 --> 02:06:51,960 Speaker 3: ask you a favor. I go what, And he goes, 2323 02:06:52,000 --> 02:06:54,000 Speaker 3: I'd like to invite everybody listening to be on my 2324 02:06:54,160 --> 02:06:58,080 Speaker 3: guest list. I go, sure, no problem. So like this 2325 02:06:58,240 --> 02:07:01,760 Speaker 3: isn't late in the afternoon. Less than an hour later, 2326 02:07:01,880 --> 02:07:04,160 Speaker 3: Harvey Pewdis, the park owner, calls me. He goes, John, 2327 02:07:04,200 --> 02:07:06,040 Speaker 3: where are all these people coming from? What's going on? 2328 02:07:06,960 --> 02:07:09,880 Speaker 3: I said, Oh, they're on Dan Ackroy's guest list. He said, 2329 02:07:09,880 --> 02:07:13,240 Speaker 3: we don't have any tickets left. He said, it's all 2330 02:07:13,280 --> 02:07:15,840 Speaker 3: been done. The count's over. I said, they're on his 2331 02:07:16,000 --> 02:07:19,640 Speaker 3: guest list. They're coming in for free. He goes, oh, damn. 2332 02:07:19,720 --> 02:07:22,040 Speaker 3: I said, well, sell them hot dogs. You got the concession, 2333 02:07:22,240 --> 02:07:25,120 Speaker 3: sell them some food whatever. They're coming in free, and 2334 02:07:25,280 --> 02:07:30,800 Speaker 3: they well, the audience up significantly. Justice Talking Heads was 2335 02:07:30,880 --> 02:07:33,320 Speaker 3: coming on with their nine piece band, and David Byrne 2336 02:07:33,440 --> 02:07:41,320 Speaker 3: was so nervous his voice was croaking. That's one of 2337 02:07:41,360 --> 02:07:43,960 Speaker 3: the moments, Bob, that that cheers me up. Is the 2338 02:07:44,080 --> 02:07:46,680 Speaker 3: magic of some of these moments, you know that I 2339 02:07:46,840 --> 02:07:49,680 Speaker 3: recall and I don't recall them often, but once in 2340 02:07:49,760 --> 02:07:52,320 Speaker 3: a while a guy like you will pull them out 2341 02:07:52,360 --> 02:07:54,760 Speaker 3: of me and I have to just have that moment 2342 02:07:54,880 --> 02:07:57,440 Speaker 3: to just remember that, Like being in the limo with 2343 02:07:57,560 --> 02:08:01,240 Speaker 3: John coming in. I was too busy then, but on 2344 02:08:01,480 --> 02:08:03,920 Speaker 3: stage at heat Wave, you know, I was like, really, 2345 02:08:04,440 --> 02:08:07,720 Speaker 3: I just couldn't believe that it was happening anyway, Let's 2346 02:08:07,760 --> 02:08:08,760 Speaker 3: get back to your question. 2347 02:08:08,960 --> 02:08:11,080 Speaker 2: Sorry, So when was the last show you did? 2348 02:08:13,200 --> 02:08:14,920 Speaker 3: A heat wave? Was the last show I did? That 2349 02:08:15,080 --> 02:08:17,280 Speaker 3: was it? That was my swan song. I went out 2350 02:08:17,360 --> 02:08:18,640 Speaker 3: on a high note. That was the end. 2351 02:08:20,480 --> 02:08:23,720 Speaker 2: So you're happy with the movie, you know, I. 2352 02:08:23,760 --> 02:08:27,280 Speaker 3: Mean, I'm overjoyed with the movie. I'm a little there's 2353 02:08:27,320 --> 02:08:29,880 Speaker 3: a couple of things in the movie that kind of 2354 02:08:30,040 --> 02:08:33,320 Speaker 3: like are over the top. Like when it comes on 2355 02:08:33,480 --> 02:08:37,280 Speaker 3: on the screen, you know John Brower, I say, the producer, Yeah, 2356 02:08:37,360 --> 02:08:39,320 Speaker 3: John Brower, the producer. Was that him in the phone? 2357 02:08:39,360 --> 02:08:42,000 Speaker 3: John Brower? When my name comes up four times on 2358 02:08:42,120 --> 02:08:44,840 Speaker 3: the screen around some card, Like, I was like, that's 2359 02:08:44,920 --> 02:08:47,360 Speaker 3: over the top, man, I mean that's like, really, that's 2360 02:08:47,440 --> 02:08:49,800 Speaker 3: not who I am. I'm not like all about t 2361 02:08:49,960 --> 02:08:53,520 Speaker 3: shirts with John Brower on them. That was a little 2362 02:08:53,760 --> 02:08:56,160 Speaker 3: you know, overwhelming for me. Like I was kind of 2363 02:08:56,200 --> 02:08:59,280 Speaker 3: embarrassed by that. It was flattering, and I guess, you know, 2364 02:08:59,400 --> 02:09:02,000 Speaker 3: the director wanted to do that, and yes they were 2365 02:09:02,080 --> 02:09:07,640 Speaker 3: saying those things. That was on the tape. But you know, 2366 02:09:07,840 --> 02:09:10,120 Speaker 3: I will tell you that I was very glad in 2367 02:09:10,160 --> 02:09:12,920 Speaker 3: the beginning. I had an agreement with these guys that 2368 02:09:13,120 --> 02:09:16,800 Speaker 3: I was an executive producer and Ron Chapman came to 2369 02:09:16,920 --> 02:09:19,960 Speaker 3: me before anything went down and said, look, I need 2370 02:09:20,000 --> 02:09:22,640 Speaker 3: to ask you a favor. I want you to give 2371 02:09:22,760 --> 02:09:26,320 Speaker 3: up that executive producer title. He said, I'm going to 2372 02:09:26,400 --> 02:09:28,120 Speaker 3: make this movie. It's going to be your movie and 2373 02:09:28,200 --> 02:09:30,920 Speaker 3: everyone else is in it, but if you're an executive producer, 2374 02:09:31,160 --> 02:09:34,720 Speaker 3: it's going to look like a vanity movie. And I went, Okay, 2375 02:09:35,040 --> 02:09:37,000 Speaker 3: I get it. I see what you're saying. And when 2376 02:09:37,040 --> 02:09:39,120 Speaker 3: I saw the movie, I was very glad my name 2377 02:09:39,200 --> 02:09:41,640 Speaker 3: was not on the screen as an executive producer. That 2378 02:09:41,760 --> 02:09:44,160 Speaker 3: had just said the producers wished to thank John Brower 2379 02:09:44,360 --> 02:09:47,480 Speaker 3: for sharing his story. That was enough, because that's was 2380 02:09:47,560 --> 02:09:51,960 Speaker 3: what it was. And I am, you know, a little 2381 02:09:52,000 --> 02:09:55,879 Speaker 3: overwhelmed by the fact that the movie is being received 2382 02:09:55,920 --> 02:09:59,880 Speaker 3: so well, and by you especially. I cannot tell you 2383 02:10:00,240 --> 02:10:04,640 Speaker 3: how many times I've read that I don't want to 2384 02:10:04,640 --> 02:10:09,520 Speaker 3: embarrasue it. Probably ten times I've read your review, making 2385 02:10:09,600 --> 02:10:13,560 Speaker 3: sure that I didn't hallucinate this, that bob Lefsits really 2386 02:10:13,640 --> 02:10:18,040 Speaker 3: wrote that. Yeah, so there's been other reviews, et ceter 2387 02:10:18,280 --> 02:10:21,680 Speaker 3: but no, there's been nothing like yours. And in the industry, 2388 02:10:21,720 --> 02:10:24,240 Speaker 3: there's no one like you, and so that review and 2389 02:10:24,400 --> 02:10:27,920 Speaker 3: your love of that movie, that's beyond anything I think 2390 02:10:28,000 --> 02:10:29,800 Speaker 3: anybody expected. So thank you. 2391 02:10:31,880 --> 02:10:34,840 Speaker 2: Well for those people who have not seen the movie, 2392 02:10:34,920 --> 02:10:37,920 Speaker 2: the movie is really that good and I lived through. 2393 02:10:38,040 --> 02:10:41,240 Speaker 2: And remember my friend bought the you know, the live 2394 02:10:41,360 --> 02:10:43,880 Speaker 2: in Toronto ahilbum with a cloud in the sky, as 2395 02:10:43,960 --> 02:10:48,080 Speaker 2: I say international news. I certainly was following the whole thing. 2396 02:10:49,040 --> 02:10:51,880 Speaker 2: It was amazing that it happened in Toronto, and we 2397 02:10:52,000 --> 02:10:55,160 Speaker 2: didn't know all the backstory until the movie, but the 2398 02:10:55,240 --> 02:10:59,920 Speaker 2: fact you got John Lennon was unbelievable. So John, John, 2399 02:11:00,720 --> 02:11:03,080 Speaker 2: I want to thank you so much for sharing your 2400 02:11:03,280 --> 02:11:04,720 Speaker 2: story with my audience. 2401 02:11:05,240 --> 02:11:07,120 Speaker 3: Well, Bob, I want to thank you. It's an honor 2402 02:11:07,280 --> 02:11:09,760 Speaker 3: to be on your show to have finally gotten to 2403 02:11:09,840 --> 02:11:12,840 Speaker 3: meet you, even though it's electronically. I'll look forward to 2404 02:11:12,920 --> 02:11:15,080 Speaker 3: the first time that I can shake your hand and 2405 02:11:15,200 --> 02:11:17,400 Speaker 3: give you a hug, and I hope it's this year. 2406 02:11:19,120 --> 02:11:23,480 Speaker 2: Sounds good job until next time. This is Bob Left 2407 02:11:23,560 --> 02:11:23,760 Speaker 2: said