1 00:00:01,040 --> 00:00:04,000 Speaker 1: Buzz Night here for the Taking a Walk Podcast with 2 00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:07,640 Speaker 1: a classic replay episode from a fan favorite. It was 3 00:00:07,680 --> 00:00:10,200 Speaker 1: back in June of this year when I synced up 4 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:15,520 Speaker 1: virtually with Mark Rivera, the legendary side man with Billy Joel. 5 00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:19,800 Speaker 1: He's worked with countless others, including Ringo Starr. A great soul, 6 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:23,920 Speaker 1: a great storyteller. We're going to have Mark Rivera on 7 00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:27,000 Speaker 1: this classic replay of Taking a Walk next. 8 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:31,240 Speaker 2: Well, Mark Rivera, it's so great to have you on 9 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:34,879 Speaker 2: the Taking a Walk Podcast. Even though we're virtual, I 10 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:38,560 Speaker 2: feel like we're taking a walk somewhere and your backyard. 11 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:42,320 Speaker 3: I wish we could be telling the truth, especially after 12 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:45,040 Speaker 3: last week you couldn't breathe in my backyard. But we're 13 00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:47,440 Speaker 3: past that, Thank goodness, right, I hope? So? 14 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:51,040 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, Well, congratulations on the great book. Side Man 15 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 2: in pursuit of the next gig. I love the book, 16 00:00:55,080 --> 00:01:00,720 Speaker 2: and I love the themes of the book, in particular, gratitude. 17 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:03,760 Speaker 2: Can you talk about what gratitude means to you? 18 00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:09,480 Speaker 3: Yeah? Well, the most important thing in our lifetime is 19 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:13,320 Speaker 3: that we realize how great, how blessed we are. I 20 00:01:13,360 --> 00:01:16,600 Speaker 3: saw a wonderful I think it was CBS Sunday Morning 21 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:19,680 Speaker 3: with Michael J. Fox and here's the man writhing with 22 00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:25,480 Speaker 3: Parkinson's disease, and Jane Police said something to the effective, 23 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:28,400 Speaker 3: so what do you have? I mean, how could you 24 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:31,440 Speaker 3: keep so positive? And he said, if we have something 25 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:34,200 Speaker 3: to look forward to, we have something to be grateful for. 26 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 3: And I have so much to be grateful for, because, 27 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:38,839 Speaker 3: first of all, I have the greatest in my opinion, 28 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:41,039 Speaker 3: I had the greatest gig Atdy Saxophone, but I could 29 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:45,960 Speaker 3: expect to have also Ringo's musical director. I have all 30 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:50,560 Speaker 3: these wonderful friends in this business, and most importantly, I 31 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:53,560 Speaker 3: have my family. That's the main thing I'm grateful for. 32 00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:57,040 Speaker 3: Gratitude to me is just stopping. Instead of getting on 33 00:01:57,040 --> 00:01:59,120 Speaker 3: your knees and saying, oh, please give me, give me 34 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:02,560 Speaker 3: our I Needa, it's saying thank you. That's this moment 35 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:04,840 Speaker 3: right now. There's so much to say thank you for, 36 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:07,520 Speaker 3: and so many of us have hung up on getting 37 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:13,080 Speaker 3: the next big house, the next tesla, the next boat. 38 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:16,960 Speaker 3: I'm I'm just happy to clamp to have my gigs 39 00:02:17,240 --> 00:02:19,680 Speaker 3: and my family well around me and make new friends 40 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:20,240 Speaker 3: like yourself. 41 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:24,080 Speaker 2: Buzz Well, you're very kind. Another theme in the book 42 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:32,480 Speaker 2: is longevity I think it's marvelous the longevity in your career. 43 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:36,840 Speaker 2: What do you think the key to longevity is getting along? 44 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:41,840 Speaker 3: Just getting along. I always make my position, especially as 45 00:02:41,880 --> 00:02:46,640 Speaker 3: a musical director, make the analogy with a coach on 46 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:48,960 Speaker 3: a basketball team. I would say, they have five guys 47 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 3: on a basketball team, and if I'm coaching five guys, 48 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:55,240 Speaker 3: I could go to one and say, hey, come on, man, buzz, 49 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:58,119 Speaker 3: get it together, shakey a little bit where someone else 50 00:02:58,160 --> 00:03:01,160 Speaker 3: needs to be conding, Hey, Buzz, you know you missed 51 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 3: that layup. You know we'll get In other words, everybody 52 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:05,679 Speaker 3: is an individual, and how you get along with each 53 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:08,840 Speaker 3: person is a separate entity. It's not like there's no 54 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:13,799 Speaker 3: cookie cutter that's going to fix relationships. As far as longevity, 55 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:16,480 Speaker 3: I mean, I just try to do what I do. 56 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:22,040 Speaker 3: I try to lift people up. My father, who's basically 57 00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:25,040 Speaker 3: mentioned so many times in the book, he'd always say, 58 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:27,400 Speaker 3: never look down on anyone unless you're helping them up. 59 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:31,440 Speaker 3: And I try to live by that because you you know, 60 00:03:31,480 --> 00:03:34,200 Speaker 3: everybody thinks that they're better than or they're trying to 61 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:38,800 Speaker 3: achieve to get as good as we're always comparing. I 62 00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 3: think longevity comes with your acceptance of your position, and 63 00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:49,400 Speaker 3: what was it? Who's a great coach? Well the pair, 64 00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 3: but you you'll say it's he's a great coach because 65 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 3: he's your boy from from the Patriots, Bill Belichick. Belichick, 66 00:03:57,400 --> 00:04:02,320 Speaker 3: do your job three words. Do your job and if 67 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:04,560 Speaker 3: you think about it, if I go into a gig 68 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:08,640 Speaker 3: or any situation, do your job. Just do what's expected 69 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:12,960 Speaker 3: of you, which usually means be courteous to people. Self respect. 70 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 3: I think that's what is a great deal of it. 71 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:19,800 Speaker 3: People don't respect themselves and they just come out with, 72 00:04:19,920 --> 00:04:24,400 Speaker 3: you know, guns flying. So many times people have the 73 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:26,719 Speaker 3: answer to what they think is your question before they've 74 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 3: actually listened, you know, and longevity to me, do your 75 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:37,039 Speaker 3: job and be conscientious of the people around you. That's 76 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:39,600 Speaker 3: pretty much it. Don't take anyone off if you can 77 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:40,000 Speaker 3: help it. 78 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 2: Another theme in the book that's quite obvious is your 79 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 2: tremendous storyteller. 80 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:52,640 Speaker 3: Who did you learn your storytelling from? That's a I 81 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:55,240 Speaker 3: don't know. All I know is I've been told that 82 00:04:55,279 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 3: I have an incredible memory. I remember people's names for 83 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:01,839 Speaker 3: some reason, and when people ask me how do you 84 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:04,120 Speaker 3: do that? I have no idea. But if God forbid, 85 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:05,880 Speaker 3: if the day ever comes I don't remember, and I 86 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:13,360 Speaker 3: start to freak out. I remember instances, I remember particular environments. 87 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:19,799 Speaker 3: I attribute a lot of that to I'm mildly dyslexic. Okay, 88 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:22,720 Speaker 3: so I don't read very well. In fact, they just 89 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:25,560 Speaker 3: did my audio book, which was a real feat for me. 90 00:05:26,240 --> 00:05:29,839 Speaker 3: I attribute a lot of my storytelling to my memory. 91 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:32,440 Speaker 3: I just if I hear something, If you remember the 92 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:35,919 Speaker 3: line in when Paul Simon asked about the charts, I said, well, 93 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:37,960 Speaker 3: I think they're kind of lame. So I just came 94 00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:40,839 Speaker 3: up with a line. I remember. I could play those 95 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:43,760 Speaker 3: horn parts today because I remember them. If I hear it, 96 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:48,520 Speaker 3: I remember it. So my recall is quite strong. So 97 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:52,120 Speaker 3: I remember stuff, and I didn't infect friends of mine 98 00:05:52,120 --> 00:05:53,800 Speaker 3: from Brooklyn and say, hey, man, how do you remember 99 00:05:53,839 --> 00:05:56,120 Speaker 3: that stuff? I don't know. Just you know. We were 100 00:05:56,160 --> 00:05:58,039 Speaker 3: on thirty ninth Street, we were in a bowling alley, 101 00:05:58,080 --> 00:06:00,920 Speaker 3: we played, we did our gigs. I remember what guys 102 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 3: wore the times, how they affected us. It's funny you 103 00:06:07,480 --> 00:06:09,320 Speaker 3: asked that, Buzz. No one has ever asked me that, 104 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:11,520 Speaker 3: and I really don't obviously don't have a real good answer, 105 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 3: except that I seem to have pretty good recall and 106 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:18,440 Speaker 3: that makes you and for that matter, well, let the 107 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:22,480 Speaker 3: truth get in the away of a great story, right, So 108 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:24,839 Speaker 3: we'll go back to that moment in the bowling alley. 109 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:30,920 Speaker 2: Okay, I'm sure you could remember as if it was yesterday. Yes, 110 00:06:31,279 --> 00:06:34,680 Speaker 2: did you have tremendous butterflies at that moment? And do 111 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:38,279 Speaker 2: you still to this day have butterflies when you perform? 112 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 3: At the time, I was excuse we were thirteen of 113 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:49,280 Speaker 3: nineteen sixty six. No, yeah, in nineteen sixty six the 114 00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:54,800 Speaker 3: Beatles run sixty four, I was thirteen, and we were 115 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:57,640 Speaker 3: getting you know, the drummer Darryl and his brother Joel, 116 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 3: and my cousin Vinny, who was like you know, unfortunately 117 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:03,840 Speaker 3: Vinie's passed away. But we would practice and practice and 118 00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 3: we get to the gig and it was just a 119 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:12,400 Speaker 3: bunch of a bunch of knuckleheads, four teenage boys wanting 120 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 3: to play and it was just a bless And was 121 00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:20,040 Speaker 3: I nervous Heck, yeah, mildly terrified at the time because 122 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:22,440 Speaker 3: the first time we played it for you know, up 123 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 3: until that point, what we're doing playing, Ah, I'm not 124 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:27,720 Speaker 3: to step in stille like you know, like a thousand 125 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:30,440 Speaker 3: times just for the four of us. Finally there's like, 126 00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:32,520 Speaker 3: maybe it might have been a dozen people, but it 127 00:07:32,600 --> 00:07:34,640 Speaker 3: might as well have been Shay Stadium for all I knew. 128 00:07:35,280 --> 00:07:38,480 Speaker 3: And so that was that was unnerving. But to this 129 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:42,880 Speaker 3: day people ask two questions, say do you get nervous 130 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:44,600 Speaker 3: before you go on? So I don't think it's nerves 131 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:48,400 Speaker 3: as much as it's excitement. It's it's adrenaline. And then 132 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:50,480 Speaker 3: other people ask the other question, does it ever get 133 00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:53,480 Speaker 3: to be like a matter of fact, on the side 134 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:55,600 Speaker 3: of the stage of Madison Square Garden. I say, dude, 135 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:57,960 Speaker 3: if you're on the side of Madison Square Garden and 136 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:00,320 Speaker 3: you look around at twenty thousand people and the buzz 137 00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:02,880 Speaker 3: that's going on, if you don't get, if your heart 138 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:06,000 Speaker 3: doesn't get pumped up, check it, because you're not You're 139 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:09,280 Speaker 3: not a whit, You're not conscious. It's It's true that 140 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:13,360 Speaker 3: the adrenaline, the high of performing is tremendous, but I 141 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:16,760 Speaker 3: don't call it nerves anymore because we don't even rehearse 142 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:19,440 Speaker 3: with Billy at this point. In fact, I do a 143 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:21,720 Speaker 3: bunch of corporate dates and a bunch of gigs that 144 00:08:21,880 --> 00:08:25,280 Speaker 3: just did something for Breakfast with the Beatles yesterday. We 145 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:28,440 Speaker 3: got maybe twenty minutes to rehearse barely, and it's five guys, 146 00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:32,680 Speaker 3: but it's five guys who come in prepared, and it's 147 00:08:32,720 --> 00:08:36,920 Speaker 3: like anything again, any great organization is run by somebody 148 00:08:36,920 --> 00:08:40,000 Speaker 3: who knows to delegate to great people. Otherwise you're gonna 149 00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:42,320 Speaker 3: find the weakest link in that chain of break. So 150 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:46,320 Speaker 3: it's it's pretty interesting how how you go. I just 151 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:48,000 Speaker 3: think it's a matter of how much I love what 152 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:50,800 Speaker 3: I do, and I'm gonna make it the best it 153 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:54,520 Speaker 3: could possibly be. And you never take it for granted. 154 00:08:55,080 --> 00:09:01,559 Speaker 3: Oh no, no, well that's again you cannot do anything. 155 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:04,400 Speaker 3: I always say I have never phoned in a gig. 156 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:06,960 Speaker 3: In fact, there was a club called Tracks in the 157 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:12,000 Speaker 3: city and it was a great rhythm section. A dear 158 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:15,640 Speaker 3: friend who passed away, Yogi Horton, was the drummer Bet Sussman, 159 00:09:15,679 --> 00:09:22,760 Speaker 3: tremendous talent, Whitney Houston, and she was Whitney's musical director, 160 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:28,719 Speaker 3: tremendous talent. Jimmy RiPP who's Mick Jagger's end. We had 161 00:09:28,720 --> 00:09:31,520 Speaker 3: this band and we back up all these different performers, 162 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:36,280 Speaker 3: and as it turns out, one night, this guy comes 163 00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:38,679 Speaker 3: up to me and says, hey, I want to take 164 00:09:38,679 --> 00:09:41,240 Speaker 3: your numbers. Someday I'll be doing something. I say short, 165 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:43,920 Speaker 3: didn't think about it. Four or five years later, I 166 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:46,160 Speaker 3: get a call from this guy, Jimmy Falen, and he says, 167 00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:48,920 Speaker 3: I want you to come to a recording session. I'm thinking, 168 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:50,480 Speaker 3: I hope it's not your wife because she was not 169 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:53,040 Speaker 3: that good. And it turns out because of that gig 170 00:09:53,200 --> 00:09:57,079 Speaker 3: at tracks and the guy hearing that. You know again, 171 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:02,600 Speaker 3: it was a small club and it was his wife 172 00:10:02,679 --> 00:10:05,360 Speaker 3: or girlfriend at the time wasn't great. But we played 173 00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:07,480 Speaker 3: really well because that's how that's how you do it. 174 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 3: You don't phone it in. And because of that tenacity 175 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:13,040 Speaker 3: or because of the pride, they taken my playing. The 176 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:14,680 Speaker 3: guy called me up and that's how I got Peter 177 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:18,440 Speaker 3: Gabriel Sledgehammer. I got to play on Sledgehammer because of 178 00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:21,360 Speaker 3: a gig that I did in this I won't call 179 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:23,880 Speaker 3: it a dive bar, but it was make sure zech 180 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:29,560 Speaker 3: wasn't the Madison Square Gardens. So but that's again the approach. 181 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:33,080 Speaker 3: It has to mean something. If it doesn't mean something 182 00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:34,920 Speaker 3: to you, geez, do something else. 183 00:10:35,679 --> 00:10:40,880 Speaker 2: You've talked about your formative years that really influenced you 184 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:47,440 Speaker 2: musically as being that year nineteen sixty seven in particular, right, 185 00:10:48,920 --> 00:10:52,600 Speaker 2: tell me about you know, the vibe and the music 186 00:10:52,679 --> 00:10:55,280 Speaker 2: that was bouncing around on your head in sixty. 187 00:10:54,920 --> 00:11:00,360 Speaker 3: Seven's I'll give you a couple of examples, and I 188 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:04,360 Speaker 3: think you'll understand. In nineteen sixty seven, the Beatles put 189 00:11:04,360 --> 00:11:07,800 Speaker 3: out Sergeant Pepper and Magical Mystery Tour. Jimmy Hendricks put 190 00:11:07,840 --> 00:11:11,200 Speaker 3: out Are You Experienced? And Axes Polder's Love Cream put 191 00:11:11,240 --> 00:11:15,440 Speaker 3: out Fresh Cream and Israeli Gear. The Rascals put out 192 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:22,199 Speaker 3: the collections album The Doors Janis Joplin. It was all 193 00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:24,640 Speaker 3: coming in and it was at the time when DJ's 194 00:11:24,679 --> 00:11:27,840 Speaker 3: were allowed to play whatever they thought was cool because 195 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:32,800 Speaker 3: a DJ they were getting records all the time and 196 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:35,000 Speaker 3: they play what they liked. It wasn't like it wasn't 197 00:11:35,040 --> 00:11:39,000 Speaker 3: the and not to knock programming now, but jeez, they 198 00:11:39,679 --> 00:11:41,240 Speaker 3: it's kind of like, well, this is what you're going 199 00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:43,520 Speaker 3: to play today. You have a list of songs and 200 00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:46,839 Speaker 3: stick to the program, which is all well and good 201 00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:49,439 Speaker 3: for the monetary side of it, but as far as 202 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:53,120 Speaker 3: getting people to experience music, it doesn't happen. And in 203 00:11:53,200 --> 00:11:56,880 Speaker 3: nineteen sixty seven, look, there were so many things going on. 204 00:11:59,080 --> 00:12:01,200 Speaker 3: I'll go back a few years before that. In nineteen 205 00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:05,920 Speaker 3: sixty four, when the Beatles came out to the States 206 00:12:06,280 --> 00:12:11,960 Speaker 3: in February, the preceding November, we lost Robert John F. Kennedy. 207 00:12:13,160 --> 00:12:16,520 Speaker 3: It was such a tomorrow. There was all this turmoil 208 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:18,720 Speaker 3: and it was so much hate, and there was so 209 00:12:18,840 --> 00:12:23,160 Speaker 3: much young people were really disheartened. I mean I remember 210 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:26,079 Speaker 3: my father practically in tears because of that. And then 211 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:29,280 Speaker 3: soon in sixty seven we lost Robert Kennedy, we lost 212 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:33,679 Speaker 3: Martin Luther King. So the music was a way that 213 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:37,560 Speaker 3: healed us. I was in sixty seven, I was fourteen 214 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:39,600 Speaker 3: years old, if I may say, so, we're getting smoke 215 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:44,160 Speaker 3: of them bit pot. We were finding engaging in sex 216 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:46,800 Speaker 3: and having all these things. It was a great time, 217 00:12:47,200 --> 00:12:51,000 Speaker 3: and the music reflected that. A band called the Moybi 218 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:54,000 Speaker 3: Great unfortunately put their record out the same day that 219 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:56,800 Speaker 3: Sgian Pepper came out, and they had no chance, but 220 00:12:56,800 --> 00:12:59,600 Speaker 3: they were still one of my favorite bands. I went 221 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:01,720 Speaker 3: to see them will Be Great, but the guy skips 222 00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:04,199 Speaker 3: Fence had a bad experience with some drugs, so he 223 00:13:04,240 --> 00:13:06,960 Speaker 3: had to cancel and I got to see Cream their 224 00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:09,960 Speaker 3: first show at the Fillmore East. I got and you 225 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:12,679 Speaker 3: saw you saw the picture of the Jimmy Hendrick ticket. 226 00:13:13,480 --> 00:13:15,240 Speaker 3: That's for real. I still have that ticket in my 227 00:13:15,360 --> 00:13:19,640 Speaker 3: in my uh, in my wallet. That's uh. There was 228 00:13:19,679 --> 00:13:22,079 Speaker 3: so much going on buzz that I was able to 229 00:13:22,120 --> 00:13:26,480 Speaker 3: take a train from Manhattan from Brooklyn, mother into Manhattan. 230 00:13:26,679 --> 00:13:28,680 Speaker 3: It might as well have been going like to Oz 231 00:13:29,720 --> 00:13:32,480 Speaker 3: because kidding Brooklyn. You know, you have your friends, you 232 00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:34,760 Speaker 3: have you you know, you play your games, You're playing stickball. 233 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:36,480 Speaker 3: All of a sudden you get on the f train. 234 00:13:36,559 --> 00:13:38,600 Speaker 3: You end up in Second Avenue in the East Village's 235 00:13:38,640 --> 00:13:45,640 Speaker 3: like wow, It's like it's like remember when when in 236 00:13:45,679 --> 00:13:47,960 Speaker 3: that part and the Wizard of Oz when they all 237 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:50,079 Speaker 3: of a sudden she wakes up and it's in technicolor. 238 00:13:50,880 --> 00:13:53,679 Speaker 3: It's it was a whole different world sixty seven. I 239 00:13:53,679 --> 00:13:57,160 Speaker 3: will say to this day it was the most fertile 240 00:13:57,280 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 3: time in rock and roll music. I think it popped 241 00:13:59,880 --> 00:14:04,719 Speaker 3: me music in general. And we had just tremendous influences. 242 00:14:04,920 --> 00:14:08,120 Speaker 3: You had you had Richie Havens singing protest songs. You 243 00:14:08,160 --> 00:14:10,320 Speaker 3: had folk songs. He had Joe Baiez. He had Bob 244 00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:13,240 Speaker 3: Dylan sixty three sixty four, who my mom turned me 245 00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:16,800 Speaker 3: on too. At the same time, you had the other spectrum, 246 00:14:16,840 --> 00:14:20,040 Speaker 3: at the other end of the spectrum. You had psychedelia, 247 00:14:20,120 --> 00:14:27,000 Speaker 3: you had Santana, you had all these great uh rhythm 248 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:31,200 Speaker 3: and blues and sly the family Stone, of course, was 249 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:33,640 Speaker 3: one of my favorite. And you had and I'm not 250 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:35,840 Speaker 3: even talking about all the great R and B the 251 00:14:35,880 --> 00:14:38,680 Speaker 3: black sounds out of Detroit and out of Memphis, out 252 00:14:38,680 --> 00:14:42,440 Speaker 3: of muscle shows and again muscle shows. I shouldn't say 253 00:14:42,440 --> 00:14:44,360 Speaker 3: that because it wasn't the black. They were all white. 254 00:14:45,080 --> 00:14:47,160 Speaker 3: But they played like in that swamp. I think you're 255 00:14:47,160 --> 00:14:52,920 Speaker 3: familiar with that, right. So I could go on forever, 256 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:56,760 Speaker 3: But the short answer is it was an unbelievable time. 257 00:14:56,800 --> 00:14:58,400 Speaker 3: All you have to do is get a list of 258 00:14:58,480 --> 00:15:02,200 Speaker 3: the Billboard Top one hundred of nineteen sixty seven and 259 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:08,360 Speaker 3: you'll say, wow, it was like a single week in 260 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:10,800 Speaker 3: nineteen sixty seven. It clips what went on and what 261 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:13,520 Speaker 3: would go on in a year at this point. In 262 00:15:13,560 --> 00:15:17,040 Speaker 3: my opinion, again, this great songwriter still, but there's not 263 00:15:17,160 --> 00:15:19,840 Speaker 3: the performers. I don't think that we had then. You 264 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:23,640 Speaker 3: had to be Some of these recordings were recorded with 265 00:15:23,920 --> 00:15:28,800 Speaker 3: one microphone in a room, capturing eight ten musicians, and 266 00:15:28,840 --> 00:15:30,240 Speaker 3: if the trouble was allowed to say what do you 267 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:33,120 Speaker 3: get to measure sixty three? Tourny Trump had face away 268 00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:37,240 Speaker 3: from I'm sorry, face away from the microphone. You had 269 00:15:37,280 --> 00:15:38,920 Speaker 3: to play with dynamics. You had to be able to 270 00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:44,280 Speaker 3: have this cohesive group, and unfortunately that's what I missed 271 00:15:44,480 --> 00:15:45,960 Speaker 3: most of um. I was playing with a group of 272 00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:47,680 Speaker 3: four or five guys in a room and just you know, 273 00:15:48,040 --> 00:15:51,360 Speaker 3: getting into it. So I'm sorry if that took a 274 00:15:51,400 --> 00:15:52,720 Speaker 3: long time to explained, but. 275 00:15:55,120 --> 00:15:58,520 Speaker 2: It was an amazing time for sure. I grew up 276 00:15:58,560 --> 00:16:02,040 Speaker 2: in Stanford, Connecticut, so okay, I would take the train 277 00:16:02,720 --> 00:16:06,480 Speaker 2: as well and and head to the to the village. 278 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:13,040 Speaker 2: And I was influenced greatly by the radio. That's why 279 00:16:13,080 --> 00:16:16,840 Speaker 2: I got into radio listening to wn e WFM. I 280 00:16:16,920 --> 00:16:20,520 Speaker 2: was fortunate to get to work there at a point 281 00:16:20,520 --> 00:16:24,840 Speaker 2: in my career as well. And you're right, it had 282 00:16:25,320 --> 00:16:29,000 Speaker 2: tremendous influence on how it curated for fans in a 283 00:16:29,080 --> 00:16:29,880 Speaker 2: much different way. 284 00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:33,520 Speaker 3: Absolutely. In fact, he's mentioned WNW I just I'm good 285 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:37,800 Speaker 3: friends with Dennis Eltzi still and Ken dash Out. I mean, 286 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:43,400 Speaker 3: I'll tell you we named dog Roscoe because I remember 287 00:16:43,480 --> 00:16:48,000 Speaker 3: Roscoe's tag, remember I do love you so And he 288 00:16:48,120 --> 00:16:52,680 Speaker 3: was the coolest DJ. I had my headphones and radio 289 00:16:53,600 --> 00:16:57,560 Speaker 3: radio just transported me. It was so tremendous to have. 290 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:03,080 Speaker 3: It was such a vital part of my life. I mean, 291 00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:07,000 Speaker 3: and FM was happening. You know, you were getting album cuts. 292 00:17:07,040 --> 00:17:10,159 Speaker 3: You weren't just getting like you are just getting the 293 00:17:10,160 --> 00:17:14,040 Speaker 3: top forty singles. It was exploding. It was very so 294 00:17:14,480 --> 00:17:14,760 Speaker 3: you know. 295 00:17:15,080 --> 00:17:19,439 Speaker 2: You know, I have a listener who of the podcast, 296 00:17:19,480 --> 00:17:22,720 Speaker 2: who wanted to ask a question, a gentleman by the 297 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:27,600 Speaker 2: name of Tom, who lives in the Philadelphia area, and 298 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:32,160 Speaker 2: he wanted me to ask you, what do you think 299 00:17:32,359 --> 00:17:39,679 Speaker 2: was the early fascination that the Philadelphia market had before 300 00:17:39,840 --> 00:17:43,720 Speaker 2: really many other places had it with the song Captain Jack. 301 00:17:45,480 --> 00:17:51,000 Speaker 3: Uh that I'd be at shocky. Do you remember Ed? Yes? 302 00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:54,160 Speaker 3: I do so. I mean, you can't you can't even 303 00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:58,080 Speaker 3: imagine how much of an how much of an impact 304 00:17:58,119 --> 00:18:00,360 Speaker 3: one person could have. Here we are again, were talking 305 00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:02,399 Speaker 3: about what a DJ is allowed to do. Try to 306 00:18:02,440 --> 00:18:04,719 Speaker 3: get somebody to play Captain Jack twelve times in a row, 307 00:18:04,760 --> 00:18:06,239 Speaker 3: and if he didn't get fired, I don't know what 308 00:18:06,280 --> 00:18:09,960 Speaker 3: the heck was going on. Ed Shockey took it, took 309 00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:14,880 Speaker 3: Billy on his shoulders. You know, the thing about Philadelphia 310 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:17,560 Speaker 3: because people ask me, like, you know, other than you know, 311 00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:21,280 Speaker 3: Madison Square Garden, all these exotic places, where's your favorite 312 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:24,080 Speaker 3: city to play? See Philadelphia? They say, why Philly and 313 00:18:24,280 --> 00:18:28,960 Speaker 3: Philly got sold. Philly's always had sould Philadelphia to me, 314 00:18:30,560 --> 00:18:33,159 Speaker 3: two things, If they love you, they love you. But 315 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:35,160 Speaker 3: if they don't love you, they hate you. And it's 316 00:18:35,160 --> 00:18:38,040 Speaker 3: like sports like the Rangers and the Flyers or the 317 00:18:39,080 --> 00:18:43,960 Speaker 3: or any rivalry with Philadelphia. You had this insane sense. 318 00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:49,360 Speaker 3: But Captain Jack almost couldn't fail because of that SHOCKI 319 00:18:49,840 --> 00:18:51,800 Speaker 3: you remember edam of course right? 320 00:18:52,280 --> 00:18:57,520 Speaker 2: I do, Yes, I know Ed was an amazing trailblazer. 321 00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:01,199 Speaker 2: And also one thing I always loved about Ed was 322 00:19:02,040 --> 00:19:02,760 Speaker 2: Ed never. 323 00:19:02,640 --> 00:19:03,159 Speaker 3: Saw a. 324 00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:09,080 Speaker 2: Free hospitality platter backstage that he could never have his 325 00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:09,560 Speaker 2: way with. 326 00:19:10,920 --> 00:19:17,040 Speaker 3: I did see. You're absolutely right. Ed enjoyed the backstage, 327 00:19:18,119 --> 00:19:21,000 Speaker 3: the fair, old backstage fair. I'm also do you remember 328 00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:24,480 Speaker 3: Mark Goodman? Yes? Okay, Mark and I have very good friends. 329 00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:25,960 Speaker 3: In fact, I just did a Q and A that 330 00:19:26,720 --> 00:19:30,159 Speaker 3: Mark hosted. Because Mark's out of Philly, right or just 331 00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:33,280 Speaker 3: outside of Philadelphia. Yeah, I'm telling you there's so much 332 00:19:33,320 --> 00:19:39,840 Speaker 3: connection to this. I call it the Asella line from Boston. 333 00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:42,320 Speaker 3: I mean, I'll go up as high as Maine because 334 00:19:42,359 --> 00:19:45,439 Speaker 3: I love Maine. But from Boston through Connecticut, through New 335 00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:49,640 Speaker 3: York to New Jersey, Philadelphia and Washington, that whole corridor 336 00:19:49,760 --> 00:19:54,439 Speaker 3: right there, it's it's something might it must be something 337 00:19:54,480 --> 00:19:58,280 Speaker 3: in the water because it's how it's how we connect 338 00:19:58,280 --> 00:20:01,280 Speaker 3: to things. But yeah, I remember when Ed used to 339 00:20:01,359 --> 00:20:04,399 Speaker 3: come backstage, you'd always have there'd be some mayonnaises. Oh no, 340 00:20:04,800 --> 00:20:06,879 Speaker 3: we all go, you know, got to get this. But 341 00:20:07,640 --> 00:20:10,320 Speaker 3: he was such a sweet, sweet man and he gave 342 00:20:10,840 --> 00:20:15,919 Speaker 3: His passion was boundless. He just he exuded like the 343 00:20:16,119 --> 00:20:19,760 Speaker 3: enthusiasm and he'd be talked yeah yeah, and he's like, 344 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:21,879 Speaker 3: well you make your point that. But but he was 345 00:20:21,920 --> 00:20:23,879 Speaker 3: so into it. I can't remember his wife's name that, 346 00:20:23,960 --> 00:20:27,000 Speaker 3: but she was always there with him always, And uh 347 00:20:28,160 --> 00:20:31,200 Speaker 3: that's the reason, Captain Jack. I think that's the reason 348 00:20:31,240 --> 00:20:33,840 Speaker 3: that Billy sustained because they were ready to I think 349 00:20:33,840 --> 00:20:37,960 Speaker 3: they're ready to pass. I think Columbia or CBS, whatever 350 00:20:38,560 --> 00:20:40,639 Speaker 3: they were, they were close to like, hey we got nothing. 351 00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:47,359 Speaker 3: And at Shaki I believe pretty much single handedly turned 352 00:20:47,440 --> 00:20:48,479 Speaker 3: Billy's career around. 353 00:20:49,080 --> 00:20:52,520 Speaker 2: Well yeah, Judy, Shocky, that's right. Was Judy right, and 354 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:55,359 Speaker 2: I think if I'm not mistaken too. There was also 355 00:20:55,440 --> 00:21:02,200 Speaker 2: a pivotal moment with a Sigma Sound UH live session that. 356 00:21:02,560 --> 00:21:07,600 Speaker 3: W MMR would would play Mr Right right. Yeah. Yeah, again, 357 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:09,560 Speaker 3: I wasn't in that band. I wasn't in the band 358 00:21:09,600 --> 00:21:11,280 Speaker 3: at the time, but I know that I know what 359 00:21:11,280 --> 00:21:15,120 Speaker 3: you're talking about, and it was that that time, because 360 00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:18,520 Speaker 3: I think that was like seventy eight. Maybe some are 361 00:21:18,520 --> 00:21:21,400 Speaker 3: there about that. Is that close to right? Yeah, that's 362 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 3: try the band. Yeah. Yeah. The main thing is it's 363 00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:28,159 Speaker 3: when you believe in something and you you when you 364 00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:32,520 Speaker 3: hear something and it connects with you. It's this innate thing. 365 00:21:32,840 --> 00:21:36,720 Speaker 3: It's visceral because it's like I always say about People say, 366 00:21:36,720 --> 00:21:38,280 Speaker 3: what is it about the sacrisphone. I said, it's like 367 00:21:38,920 --> 00:21:41,080 Speaker 3: it's the closest thing to a human voice because it's 368 00:21:41,119 --> 00:21:44,320 Speaker 3: in you. And when a song comes into your your 369 00:21:44,760 --> 00:21:49,280 Speaker 3: your psyche, into your being. People talk about like being 370 00:21:49,320 --> 00:21:52,200 Speaker 3: Billy Joel fans and Billy Joel's song is a three 371 00:21:52,280 --> 00:21:55,520 Speaker 3: minute snapshot of my life. Well, I go back a 372 00:21:55,520 --> 00:21:58,280 Speaker 3: lot further than that. I go to Beatles songs, Beatle 373 00:21:58,359 --> 00:22:01,000 Speaker 3: lyric I remember, look, I want to hold your hand 374 00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:02,880 Speaker 3: in front, You won't be long. Yeah. The first time 375 00:22:02,880 --> 00:22:05,200 Speaker 3: I heard it Won't be Long, I freaked out. My 376 00:22:05,560 --> 00:22:07,240 Speaker 3: Aunt Dires brought me the record. It was just like 377 00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:10,280 Speaker 3: it was a game changer, and I could hear some 378 00:22:10,320 --> 00:22:13,879 Speaker 3: Beatle lyric. I remember being on the train on the 379 00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:15,920 Speaker 3: bus rather with my friend John Grado. We cut out 380 00:22:15,920 --> 00:22:20,960 Speaker 3: of school and I had my father's Toshiba transistor radio 381 00:22:21,000 --> 00:22:24,240 Speaker 3: with the one earbuton listening in and we can work 382 00:22:24,280 --> 00:22:27,320 Speaker 3: it out came on. I'm like, this is great. First 383 00:22:27,359 --> 00:22:29,439 Speaker 3: of all, the song was tremendous because you had the 384 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:32,960 Speaker 3: perfect balance of Paul's optimism. Try to see it my way, 385 00:22:32,960 --> 00:22:34,880 Speaker 3: we can work it out. Life is very sure. There's 386 00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:36,800 Speaker 3: no type of fuss. And that's John John said, this 387 00:22:36,840 --> 00:22:39,840 Speaker 3: is not what is stop puts it around and get 388 00:22:39,880 --> 00:22:43,399 Speaker 3: hit to it. But Paul, their balance of the lyric 389 00:22:43,600 --> 00:22:48,160 Speaker 3: was tremendous. So once something comes into you it makes 390 00:22:48,200 --> 00:22:51,720 Speaker 3: that kind of has that kind of effect, it's tremendous. 391 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:55,760 Speaker 3: It's just tremendous because I mean, there are moments in 392 00:22:55,760 --> 00:22:59,119 Speaker 3: my life that I'll never forget the first time in 393 00:22:59,240 --> 00:23:05,280 Speaker 3: my well my grandmother's living room, listening to Meet the Beatles, 394 00:23:05,320 --> 00:23:09,960 Speaker 3: and then watching the Ed Sullivan show. That is a pivotal, 395 00:23:10,880 --> 00:23:15,080 Speaker 3: pivotal moment in my life, not unlike when I was 396 00:23:15,119 --> 00:23:17,520 Speaker 3: accepted at the high school performing arts. These are things 397 00:23:17,520 --> 00:23:21,560 Speaker 3: that you know, changed my life. I was fourteen or yeah, fourteen, 398 00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:25,200 Speaker 3: I was going to high school to Andre. There was music, dance, 399 00:23:25,240 --> 00:23:28,199 Speaker 3: and drama. There wasn't even a gymnasium in the school. 400 00:23:28,280 --> 00:23:32,399 Speaker 3: It was that you went there to hone your craft, 401 00:23:32,600 --> 00:23:38,280 Speaker 3: and those things were just just tremendous, just tremendous to 402 00:23:38,320 --> 00:23:39,320 Speaker 3: have that opportunity. 403 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:42,560 Speaker 2: Tell me how you got connected with John Lennon. 404 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:46,520 Speaker 3: I was in a band called Bump it was. It 405 00:23:46,560 --> 00:23:52,960 Speaker 3: was actually called Community Apple No no, I'm sorry. Before 406 00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:56,040 Speaker 3: it was called Dog Soldier after a John Lennon lyric. 407 00:23:57,280 --> 00:24:02,159 Speaker 3: My dear friend John Cobert was in a band it 408 00:24:02,280 --> 00:24:05,000 Speaker 3: Keeps Cycling back and back and back. I met John Culbert, 409 00:24:05,040 --> 00:24:08,280 Speaker 3: the keyboard player. We did a jam session in Brooklyn, 410 00:24:08,560 --> 00:24:11,960 Speaker 3: a bunch of friends, but my cousin Vinny, which is 411 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:16,800 Speaker 3: how the book starts. My dear cousin Viny drove up 412 00:24:16,840 --> 00:24:19,480 Speaker 3: to the Catskills and I had already been you know, 413 00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:20,920 Speaker 3: I was with Sam and Dave, and I thought I 414 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:23,280 Speaker 3: made it, And then I fell. I know I was 415 00:24:23,320 --> 00:24:25,520 Speaker 3: with the Clips. We were with this band, and I 416 00:24:25,520 --> 00:24:27,920 Speaker 3: thought I was a rock star because we were managed 417 00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:30,960 Speaker 3: by Blood, Sweat and Tears as manager, and then that 418 00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:35,200 Speaker 3: went the crap. So finally I'm playing in his Latin band. 419 00:24:35,880 --> 00:24:38,920 Speaker 3: Playing bass in a Latin band, No place you want 420 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:40,960 Speaker 3: to be, especially after you thought you would be a 421 00:24:41,080 --> 00:24:47,359 Speaker 3: rock star. And we go upstate and I'm playing boom boom, 422 00:24:46,280 --> 00:24:50,280 Speaker 3: bored to tears and freaking out said this this is 423 00:24:50,280 --> 00:24:53,360 Speaker 3: what my life has become. And I had a saxophone 424 00:24:53,920 --> 00:24:56,800 Speaker 3: and I got to sit in with this little combo. 425 00:24:58,200 --> 00:25:00,280 Speaker 3: And the night before I met this trumpet player, Bob 426 00:25:00,320 --> 00:25:02,560 Speaker 3: living Good also may he rest in pieces, so many 427 00:25:02,760 --> 00:25:06,800 Speaker 3: say that's too often, and he heard me play and 428 00:25:06,840 --> 00:25:09,520 Speaker 3: he was impressed with my sound. So he said, you 429 00:25:09,600 --> 00:25:11,879 Speaker 3: got to come down to the record plant. I'm in 430 00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:14,080 Speaker 3: a ten piece band, and I think you would dig it. 431 00:25:15,040 --> 00:25:17,119 Speaker 3: So I'm like, yeah, okay. I didn't think much of it, 432 00:25:17,160 --> 00:25:18,720 Speaker 3: but I got to play a little bit, so it 433 00:25:18,760 --> 00:25:21,600 Speaker 3: took me out of the doulgrums of the So I 434 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:24,360 Speaker 3: finally got that. Fast forward maybe a half a year. 435 00:25:24,920 --> 00:25:27,320 Speaker 3: Bob living Good calls my cousin, Vinnie says, Hey, tell 436 00:25:27,359 --> 00:25:28,960 Speaker 3: Mark if he wants to come up to the Record Plan. 437 00:25:29,280 --> 00:25:31,720 Speaker 3: I'm like, yeah, cool. So we go there and it 438 00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:35,280 Speaker 3: was a tremendous band. Ten piece band. Vinnie Appissi, carmin 439 00:25:35,359 --> 00:25:42,880 Speaker 3: Apissi's brother played drums. It was just a powerhouse. Four horns, 440 00:25:43,520 --> 00:25:45,880 Speaker 3: two trumpets, trombone, and the saxophone. And it turns out 441 00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:48,959 Speaker 3: there we're going to replace the saxophone player. And the 442 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:50,960 Speaker 3: only one who had hurt me to that to that 443 00:25:51,040 --> 00:25:53,800 Speaker 3: point was Bob living Goood, the trumpet player, and of 444 00:25:53,800 --> 00:25:59,160 Speaker 3: course John Colbert. So I get in the band. Time 445 00:25:59,240 --> 00:26:03,439 Speaker 3: goes on, and little by little I knew John Lennon 446 00:26:03,520 --> 00:26:06,760 Speaker 3: was recording in the studio because the guys in the 447 00:26:06,760 --> 00:26:08,840 Speaker 3: band had already done some handclaps I think on walls 448 00:26:08,840 --> 00:26:14,960 Speaker 3: and bridges. And my friend Jimmy iving from Interscope Records 449 00:26:14,960 --> 00:26:18,000 Speaker 3: and a couple of other small endeavors in his life. 450 00:26:18,240 --> 00:26:21,120 Speaker 3: He and I grew up in rival bands. So he 451 00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:23,399 Speaker 3: said one day he and Roy Sicala, who are the 452 00:26:23,400 --> 00:26:25,760 Speaker 3: owners of the record Plan, said come inside. Ou't do something, 453 00:26:25,800 --> 00:26:28,480 Speaker 3: And I was literally cleaning the garbage. I was living 454 00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:31,320 Speaker 3: at the record plant, and they invited me in. Little 455 00:26:31,440 --> 00:26:36,520 Speaker 3: by little by little and finally John was about to 456 00:26:36,560 --> 00:26:39,960 Speaker 3: do this tribute to Sir Lou Gray and the band 457 00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:42,359 Speaker 3: backed him. We did a couple of tracks. Most of 458 00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:45,880 Speaker 3: it was lift sync, but we did get to play 459 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:49,600 Speaker 3: a couple of things with them, but it was just again, 460 00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:52,920 Speaker 3: it was another one of those OZ moments. I think 461 00:26:52,960 --> 00:26:54,760 Speaker 3: I said in the book something to be affaked. If 462 00:26:54,760 --> 00:26:56,840 Speaker 3: I told you, when you go through those doors, you're 463 00:26:56,840 --> 00:26:59,160 Speaker 3: going to meet John Lennon. First we said, yeah, sure, 464 00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:03,240 Speaker 3: sure you do. There's no turning back. And what would 465 00:27:03,280 --> 00:27:05,560 Speaker 3: you say? How would you act? It's like one of 466 00:27:05,600 --> 00:27:08,720 Speaker 3: those Haminamanahameda moments that you just don't know. He trying 467 00:27:08,800 --> 00:27:10,399 Speaker 3: not to step on your tongue and he tried to 468 00:27:10,520 --> 00:27:16,879 Speaker 3: be cool, which is again part of longevity. Just be cool. 469 00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:19,560 Speaker 3: That's I don't I don't know what else to say, 470 00:27:19,600 --> 00:27:21,399 Speaker 3: but that's how we got to work with John. 471 00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:27,760 Speaker 2: So tell me some horn players that really influenced you 472 00:27:27,880 --> 00:27:31,640 Speaker 2: from the past, and any horn players of the present 473 00:27:31,720 --> 00:27:32,639 Speaker 2: that influence you. 474 00:27:34,359 --> 00:27:36,000 Speaker 3: The horned players in the past would have to be 475 00:27:36,080 --> 00:27:41,680 Speaker 3: Junior Walker, King Curtis. You know, I'm not a real 476 00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:44,240 Speaker 3: jazz guy. I mean I listened to my dad took 477 00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:46,280 Speaker 3: me to see Sonny Ronalds. When I was like seven 478 00:27:46,400 --> 00:27:49,159 Speaker 3: or eight or maybe maybe ten, I'm sorry, it was 479 00:27:49,160 --> 00:27:52,440 Speaker 3: about ten. He took me to see Coleman Hawkins last performance. 480 00:27:52,800 --> 00:27:56,880 Speaker 3: So those are tremendous acts players. And he'd have, you know, 481 00:27:57,280 --> 00:27:59,600 Speaker 3: just jazz with that beach. That was a radio station. 482 00:27:59,680 --> 00:28:04,200 Speaker 3: He used to listen to wrv R Riverside Radio. Okay, 483 00:28:04,280 --> 00:28:07,399 Speaker 3: there you go. So and so my father used to 484 00:28:07,480 --> 00:28:09,919 Speaker 3: take this stuff really slowly and it would last like 485 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:12,919 Speaker 3: the full full hour on each side of the tape. 486 00:28:13,240 --> 00:28:14,760 Speaker 3: So those are the guys I would have to say, 487 00:28:14,880 --> 00:28:18,119 Speaker 3: Bobby Keys. Bobby Keys was a big influence because he 488 00:28:18,240 --> 00:28:21,280 Speaker 3: was a soulful rock sax player. I'm not like a 489 00:28:21,280 --> 00:28:23,800 Speaker 3: real chops guy. I'm not like him. But the guys 490 00:28:23,840 --> 00:28:28,280 Speaker 3: who really impressed me with technique is of course Michael Brecker, 491 00:28:28,840 --> 00:28:33,439 Speaker 3: David Sanborn, Ronnie Cooper, Barry Sacks player. But there's a 492 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:39,400 Speaker 3: gentleman who's playing now with Dave Matthews, Jeff Coffin who 493 00:28:39,680 --> 00:28:43,000 Speaker 3: used to play with Bella Fleck and the Fleck Tones. 494 00:28:43,120 --> 00:28:45,920 Speaker 3: I don't know if you hit that, but he's just 495 00:28:45,960 --> 00:28:48,480 Speaker 3: a tremendous player. And there are young players I get. 496 00:28:48,560 --> 00:28:50,160 Speaker 3: I just sat in I just did a gig over 497 00:28:50,160 --> 00:28:54,000 Speaker 3: the last weekend and this young kids like thirty five 498 00:28:54,280 --> 00:28:57,920 Speaker 3: half my age, which is crazy with a tremendous tone 499 00:28:57,960 --> 00:29:00,760 Speaker 3: and the great attitude. Kid Steven South, you know, just 500 00:29:00,800 --> 00:29:04,440 Speaker 3: a wonderful young play vibrant. And I'd hear him playing 501 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:07,440 Speaker 3: and I turned out. I said that's great stuff, and 502 00:29:07,680 --> 00:29:10,000 Speaker 3: he'd look over and goes just trying to be like you, Mark, 503 00:29:10,040 --> 00:29:11,840 Speaker 3: I'm just trying to be like and think, wow, what 504 00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:15,720 Speaker 3: this this, this so this, this wheel keeps turning. But 505 00:29:15,960 --> 00:29:17,880 Speaker 3: those are those are the guys I'd have to say. 506 00:29:17,880 --> 00:29:20,600 Speaker 3: There'd be more R and B. The guy I can't remember, 507 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:23,960 Speaker 3: the saxophone player who played on the Pink Panther that 508 00:29:24,200 --> 00:29:27,720 Speaker 3: sound on the Henry Mad CD. In fact, the saxophone 509 00:29:27,720 --> 00:29:30,560 Speaker 3: player I think got a piece of a royalty they 510 00:29:30,560 --> 00:29:32,640 Speaker 3: gave him on that, which is tremendous to think about 511 00:29:32,680 --> 00:29:36,160 Speaker 3: a guy who sound was so so influential, so so 512 00:29:36,280 --> 00:29:39,080 Speaker 3: much a part of the song. Mark. I think of you. 513 00:29:40,600 --> 00:29:44,200 Speaker 2: Like an entrepreneur in how you sort of not only 514 00:29:44,280 --> 00:29:47,640 Speaker 2: have your Billy Joel, you know gig that you're so 515 00:29:47,760 --> 00:29:49,280 Speaker 2: grateful for, but you. 516 00:29:49,320 --> 00:29:50,800 Speaker 3: Have the other work. 517 00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:53,720 Speaker 2: You know, with Ringo, you have the work you do 518 00:29:53,800 --> 00:29:57,760 Speaker 2: on the corporate side, you know, to really sort of 519 00:29:57,880 --> 00:29:59,200 Speaker 2: round out your work. 520 00:30:00,200 --> 00:30:05,080 Speaker 3: Where did you get this entrepreneurial spirit in pursuit of 521 00:30:05,120 --> 00:30:08,200 Speaker 3: the next gig? I guess it's really it's funny because 522 00:30:08,240 --> 00:30:11,560 Speaker 3: people say, now, how could you possibly be in pursuit 523 00:30:11,600 --> 00:30:13,600 Speaker 3: of the next gig? This has been going on for 524 00:30:13,600 --> 00:30:16,200 Speaker 3: fifty years. From the time I was thirteen it was 525 00:30:16,240 --> 00:30:18,520 Speaker 3: my first team, but from the time I was like eighteen, 526 00:30:19,560 --> 00:30:22,160 Speaker 3: all the way through, which is fifty two years, I've 527 00:30:22,200 --> 00:30:24,200 Speaker 3: been gigging, and I've been playing with different bands, and 528 00:30:24,240 --> 00:30:29,120 Speaker 3: you go through different cycles and you try not to 529 00:30:29,280 --> 00:30:32,800 Speaker 3: just stay stagnant. Playing with different people, to me is 530 00:30:33,120 --> 00:30:40,000 Speaker 3: the greatest thing. It's the greatest communication. It's entrepreneurially speak 531 00:30:40,080 --> 00:30:43,920 Speaker 3: as that's a word. I was always trying to create 532 00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:46,960 Speaker 3: a situation for myself. I mean there was obviously times 533 00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:48,800 Speaker 3: when there was no work. Billy we take off for 534 00:30:49,040 --> 00:30:52,000 Speaker 3: three years and I had a hustle. I had a hustle. 535 00:30:52,000 --> 00:30:55,400 Speaker 3: I was selling life insurance, I was cutting trees down, 536 00:30:56,160 --> 00:30:59,600 Speaker 3: and I did it. Look. I think the main thing 537 00:30:59,720 --> 00:31:03,640 Speaker 3: is that I learned from my father to never be 538 00:31:03,760 --> 00:31:06,440 Speaker 3: above any situation. If your family needs to be fed, 539 00:31:06,840 --> 00:31:09,520 Speaker 3: if you have people that you have to take care of, 540 00:31:10,120 --> 00:31:13,240 Speaker 3: nothing should ever be below you. You should be happy 541 00:31:13,280 --> 00:31:18,160 Speaker 3: to have the opportunity to provide, so that necessity being 542 00:31:18,160 --> 00:31:20,920 Speaker 3: the mother of invention, you come out of that. I 543 00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:22,760 Speaker 3: needed to do certain things and I was not going 544 00:31:22,800 --> 00:31:24,200 Speaker 3: to be let down. I was not going to let 545 00:31:24,280 --> 00:31:27,280 Speaker 3: them down. It's pretty much how it went, and to 546 00:31:27,320 --> 00:31:29,760 Speaker 3: this day, I don't think about it as an entrepreneur, 547 00:31:29,840 --> 00:31:32,840 Speaker 3: but I guess, of course you're right, Buzz. It's what 548 00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:34,520 Speaker 3: I do. I go out in a hustle. 549 00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:40,760 Speaker 2: So let's play some word association or words association. 550 00:31:40,480 --> 00:31:43,240 Speaker 3: With some Billy Joel songs, if it's okay with you. 551 00:31:43,480 --> 00:31:47,680 Speaker 2: Of course, Scenes from an Italian restaurant the word association. 552 00:31:47,760 --> 00:31:51,800 Speaker 3: There is a bunch of guys we used to play myself, 553 00:31:51,840 --> 00:31:54,960 Speaker 3: Liberty Russell and David Brown used to sit and back 554 00:31:55,000 --> 00:31:58,920 Speaker 3: while Billy would start the beginning a piano of Italian restaurant. 555 00:31:59,400 --> 00:32:01,640 Speaker 3: The scenes of like you know, it's it's it's like 556 00:32:01,720 --> 00:32:04,320 Speaker 3: a it's a it's a proper piece of music with 557 00:32:04,440 --> 00:32:09,040 Speaker 3: like a beginning, an intro, a release of prelude, and 558 00:32:09,040 --> 00:32:12,440 Speaker 3: and and then each one is a section. So these 559 00:32:12,440 --> 00:32:14,960 Speaker 3: are different scenes. You could It's almost like you could 560 00:32:14,960 --> 00:32:19,000 Speaker 3: be sitting in Brooklyn outside and you're looking around. You're 561 00:32:19,000 --> 00:32:21,440 Speaker 3: sitting having a bottle of wine or some positives and friends. 562 00:32:21,760 --> 00:32:23,760 Speaker 3: Oh that's going on. Oh think, goes Brendon Eddie. Oh 563 00:32:24,120 --> 00:32:27,280 Speaker 3: you know, twenty years later, these are the scenes that 564 00:32:27,320 --> 00:32:30,600 Speaker 3: I think that Billy was evoking. At least that's what 565 00:32:30,640 --> 00:32:35,400 Speaker 3: I get out of it. Summer Highland Falls, that's that's 566 00:32:35,520 --> 00:32:38,880 Speaker 3: just him. He loves that area, holand Falls. It's just 567 00:32:39,000 --> 00:32:41,800 Speaker 3: he just Uh. The song itself is beautiful because it 568 00:32:41,880 --> 00:32:45,719 Speaker 3: is about manic depressants. It's just it's just high as 569 00:32:45,720 --> 00:32:48,760 Speaker 3: a kite and lows lows of the low as doulgences 570 00:32:48,760 --> 00:32:51,479 Speaker 3: you could think of. It's the and but most important 571 00:32:51,640 --> 00:32:53,959 Speaker 3: is the ability to lift yourself out of those uh, 572 00:32:54,720 --> 00:32:57,520 Speaker 3: out of that depression. The reasons covers this with are 573 00:32:57,560 --> 00:33:03,120 Speaker 3: on Sandy. It's just he writes. He's such a wordsmith. 574 00:33:04,640 --> 00:33:08,040 Speaker 3: It's just it's just his battle with it, probably his own. 575 00:33:08,360 --> 00:33:08,520 Speaker 2: Uh. 576 00:33:08,960 --> 00:33:11,520 Speaker 3: I won't say it's just depression. But we're all manic. 577 00:33:12,600 --> 00:33:16,680 Speaker 3: We're all manic. We're all, Hey, this is great. It's 578 00:33:16,720 --> 00:33:20,040 Speaker 3: great until it's not. And then this sucks. It sucks 579 00:33:20,160 --> 00:33:23,600 Speaker 3: until it's not and it changes. So we constantly go 580 00:33:23,680 --> 00:33:26,200 Speaker 3: through changes and we evolve. And I think the most 581 00:33:26,240 --> 00:33:29,200 Speaker 3: important thing is how do you cope? How do you 582 00:33:29,320 --> 00:33:32,200 Speaker 3: get by day to day? What do you do? What 583 00:33:32,680 --> 00:33:34,640 Speaker 3: are you going to do? Now? How are you going to? 584 00:33:34,800 --> 00:33:37,920 Speaker 3: Remember the great Mike Tyson line, everybody's got a plant 585 00:33:37,920 --> 00:33:40,240 Speaker 3: that they get punched in the face, you know, So 586 00:33:41,160 --> 00:33:43,680 Speaker 3: we're all gonna get punched in the face. So somehow 587 00:33:43,760 --> 00:33:47,080 Speaker 3: on fold one of my favorite songs one more here, 588 00:33:47,920 --> 00:33:51,560 Speaker 3: this is the time, my favorite Billy joelso my sing 589 00:33:51,640 --> 00:33:55,760 Speaker 3: singular favorite Billy Joel song, because it says these are 590 00:33:55,760 --> 00:33:58,720 Speaker 3: the times to hold on to. So many people look 591 00:33:58,760 --> 00:34:02,120 Speaker 3: back on that past or live for what might come 592 00:34:02,160 --> 00:34:05,360 Speaker 3: in the future. This is the only time presence, and 593 00:34:05,560 --> 00:34:08,799 Speaker 3: your presence in the present moment is the most important thing. 594 00:34:09,200 --> 00:34:11,200 Speaker 3: It might have been Michael J. Fox again that said this, 595 00:34:12,200 --> 00:34:17,760 Speaker 3: you can change your future by your perception of your past. 596 00:34:18,600 --> 00:34:22,040 Speaker 3: In other words, your attitude at this present moment. Reflecting 597 00:34:22,080 --> 00:34:26,080 Speaker 3: on the past and accepting that will change your attitude now, 598 00:34:26,120 --> 00:34:31,160 Speaker 3: which says will change what you feel going forward. But 599 00:34:31,280 --> 00:34:33,960 Speaker 3: this is the time holding you closes like holding the 600 00:34:34,000 --> 00:34:38,439 Speaker 3: summer sun. It's like I told I was I guess 601 00:34:38,560 --> 00:34:42,360 Speaker 3: DJ on serious Radio, and I picked different songs and 602 00:34:42,400 --> 00:34:45,319 Speaker 3: that was I said, this is my favorite song, I said, 603 00:34:45,320 --> 00:34:48,880 Speaker 3: And if I wrote the line about this beach is 604 00:34:48,920 --> 00:34:51,440 Speaker 3: so cold on winter afternoon, but holding you closes like 605 00:34:51,480 --> 00:34:54,600 Speaker 3: holding the summer sun, I said, if I wrote that line, 606 00:34:54,800 --> 00:34:57,279 Speaker 3: I would have been done as a songwriter. And that's 607 00:34:57,320 --> 00:35:01,960 Speaker 3: just one of the thousands of lines that Billy oh uh, 608 00:35:02,400 --> 00:35:07,200 Speaker 3: it just means so much, such a beautiful song. This 609 00:35:07,200 --> 00:35:10,600 Speaker 3: this is the time, not that in the past and 610 00:35:10,640 --> 00:35:12,920 Speaker 3: that way you're thinking about going for. This is the 611 00:35:12,960 --> 00:35:17,320 Speaker 3: time to hold on to. It's the constant. He's always 612 00:35:17,400 --> 00:35:20,920 Speaker 3: doing that. He's got this amazing ability to really play 613 00:35:20,960 --> 00:35:24,320 Speaker 3: with you with the words. But the song is beautiful, 614 00:35:24,320 --> 00:35:26,360 Speaker 3: and David Brown played such a beautiful solo on that. 615 00:35:26,400 --> 00:35:29,040 Speaker 3: It's like Hendricks. In fact, the end of it is 616 00:35:29,080 --> 00:35:32,279 Speaker 3: like the end of Jimmy Hendricks song. He'll say it, 617 00:35:32,520 --> 00:35:36,200 Speaker 3: you know that one. And easy Money. Easy Money is 618 00:35:36,200 --> 00:35:47,880 Speaker 3: the end of Axis bold as Love easy but Billy 619 00:35:47,920 --> 00:35:50,160 Speaker 3: steals form the best as they'll tell you. 620 00:35:51,920 --> 00:35:56,279 Speaker 2: Allow me to play word association right now, and I'm 621 00:35:56,280 --> 00:35:59,880 Speaker 2: going to say Mark Rivera and my word would be amazing. 622 00:36:00,480 --> 00:36:05,080 Speaker 3: Well, you're so very kind Buzz. That's incredibly kind of you. 623 00:36:05,880 --> 00:36:09,360 Speaker 2: Thank you for being on my podcast, and thank you 624 00:36:09,400 --> 00:36:13,760 Speaker 2: for all the joy you continue to give me and others. 625 00:36:14,320 --> 00:36:18,640 Speaker 3: I appreciate it. Buzz, Thank you, Thank you for the opportunity, 626 00:36:19,239 --> 00:36:22,080 Speaker 3: and God willing, we'll keep moving forward so we can 627 00:36:22,160 --> 00:36:26,160 Speaker 3: do Thanks for listening to this episode of the Taking 628 00:36:26,200 --> 00:36:29,759 Speaker 3: a Walk podcast. Share this and other episodes with your 629 00:36:29,800 --> 00:36:32,920 Speaker 3: friends and follow us so you never miss an episode. 630 00:36:33,520 --> 00:36:37,719 Speaker 3: Taking a Walk is available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 631 00:36:37,920 --> 00:36:40,239 Speaker 3: and wherever you get your podcasts.