1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,240 Speaker 1: Okay, this is the almost Famous podcast with Ben Higgins 2 00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:14,600 Speaker 1: and Ashley I flashback everyone. Today we have a very 3 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:18,800 Speaker 1: different episode of the almost Famous podcast. We're gonna call 4 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:25,440 Speaker 1: it the almost Famous Flashback. We have a guest today 5 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:28,960 Speaker 1: that is so near and dear to my heart and 6 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 1: yet I've never met him before. Oh my god, I'm 7 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 1: having a fangol moment. Guys, the Richard Marks is coming 8 00:00:37,159 --> 00:00:39,839 Speaker 1: on the podcast. And if you're thinking, how is this 9 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:41,839 Speaker 1: guy related to the Bachelor at all? Well, if you 10 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:46,640 Speaker 1: don't remember, he was on Becca's season of the Bachelorette 11 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 1: and he had a very memorable moment with Chris ran Down. 12 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:53,960 Speaker 1: He was on that one on one date and he 13 00:00:54,040 --> 00:01:00,720 Speaker 1: really got some emotion out of Chris. I consider him 14 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:04,240 Speaker 1: to be my favorite voice in all of this world. 15 00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 1: And before I go on and on without him here, 16 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:12,040 Speaker 1: I'd like to bring him in and and just fan 17 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:17,600 Speaker 1: girl to his face. This is an almost famous flashbag. 18 00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:24,759 Speaker 1: Oh m g. Richard Marks has entered the chat. Richard, 19 00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:28,600 Speaker 1: look at my shirt. Oh my god, it's a it's 20 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:32,760 Speaker 1: an antique. It's it's quite vintage. What year do you 21 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:36,679 Speaker 1: think this is? Uh? That has got to be that's 22 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:41,440 Speaker 1: first tour holy moly, the year I was born? What 23 00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:46,160 Speaker 1: a year? Richard marks here and Ashley, I can eddie year. Richard, 24 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 1: I'm Ashley, and I am a hardcore super fan. I 25 00:01:50,040 --> 00:01:53,880 Speaker 1: think that, Oh my god, why do you know this? 26 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:56,200 Speaker 1: Did producer Amy tell you? Did you see my tweet 27 00:01:56,240 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 1: last year about McDonald's answered you? I think I tweeted 28 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:01,560 Speaker 1: back at you. You were so sweet. By the way 29 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 1: my wife sleeps. My wife's sleeps in a shirt like that. 30 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:10,239 Speaker 1: Your wife is super hot, Daisy Fuentes y. Hey, Richard, 31 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:11,680 Speaker 1: I don't know if I'm gonna get two words in 32 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:14,400 Speaker 1: for the rest of this interview, So before she starts, 33 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:16,680 Speaker 1: I want to say hello, thank you for joining us, 34 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:18,920 Speaker 1: thank you for coming on the Almost Famous podcast. Ashley 35 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:21,200 Speaker 1: is about the big fan I want to I mean, 36 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 1: I'm sure she'd tell you herself, but she did mention 37 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 1: to me at one point in our lives that you 38 00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:31,040 Speaker 1: she believes you have the best voice that exists on 39 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:34,760 Speaker 1: this earth. So this is a big moment for her, 40 00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:36,600 Speaker 1: which is why I'm just gonna take a step back. 41 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:39,400 Speaker 1: I'm gonna be here if things get weird and awkward, 42 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:42,639 Speaker 1: I'm gonna protect you, Richard from anything awkward. Said my Ashley. 43 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:47,760 Speaker 1: By weird and awkward, you mean totally awesome. Yeah, that's 44 00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:49,720 Speaker 1: how I see it. That's why we co hosted together 45 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 1: for the last five years. I think it's great. I 46 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 1: love these moments. But thanks for coming on, Yes, my pleasure. 47 00:02:55,639 --> 00:02:58,080 Speaker 1: I know that Richard doesn't have like a Whitney Houston 48 00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:01,960 Speaker 1: like Adam Lambert voice like at but I want to 49 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 1: listen to Richard's voice more than any other voice. It 50 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:07,040 Speaker 1: is the voice of angels. When I go to Heaven, 51 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:14,080 Speaker 1: I imagine that, like everybody has like that. That sound Okay, okay, 52 00:03:14,360 --> 00:03:16,600 Speaker 1: do you do you agree with me? Like, do you 53 00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:18,639 Speaker 1: think that you could listen to Do you listen to 54 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:22,000 Speaker 1: your own voice? Well, I mean I have to because 55 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:24,440 Speaker 1: I have to listen to it for two hours every 56 00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:26,200 Speaker 1: night on stage, and I listened to it a lot 57 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:28,960 Speaker 1: when I'm making an album, and um, I don't know. 58 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:33,400 Speaker 1: I think Heaven, if Heaven exists, the voice I might 59 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:36,920 Speaker 1: hear it would be Gilbert Godfried's, but he's up there now. 60 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 1: Yeah that's sweet. Yeah. Hey, do you believe you have 61 00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:44,160 Speaker 1: the voice of an angel? Richard? Was the question being asked. 62 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 1: Do I believe? Can you imagine if I said yes, 63 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:53,400 Speaker 1: what what a total canoe move for me to go? 64 00:03:54,360 --> 00:04:00,920 Speaker 1: I mean, I guess I kind of uh, I have 65 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:08,680 Speaker 1: grown over the decades to uh two. The early and 66 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:10,920 Speaker 1: early on it was hard for me to listen to 67 00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 1: my own voice. And now as I've gotten older, I 68 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:17,920 Speaker 1: kind of like it. I kind of like, I'm I'm 69 00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:21,159 Speaker 1: proud that I still can sing all the high notes 70 00:04:21,200 --> 00:04:24,280 Speaker 1: and that I've taken care of my voice somehow. I mean, 71 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:26,159 Speaker 1: I haven't taken care of it. I don't do anything, 72 00:04:26,160 --> 00:04:28,920 Speaker 1: I don't warm up, I don't do anything. But I've 73 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:30,880 Speaker 1: just been I think it's one of those use it 74 00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:33,719 Speaker 1: or lose it kind of things where that's why Tony 75 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:36,800 Speaker 1: Bennett at nineties something was still I mean, he's retired 76 00:04:36,839 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 1: now because of Alzheimer's, but I saw him a few 77 00:04:39,279 --> 00:04:41,159 Speaker 1: years ago in Vegas. Dasty and I went to see 78 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:45,560 Speaker 1: him in Vegas, and he was unbelievable at ninety one 79 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:48,880 Speaker 1: or something like that because he never stopped touring, you 80 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:52,840 Speaker 1: never stopped using his instrument, and so hopefully that will 81 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:56,280 Speaker 1: happen to me too. Now, why do I feel like 82 00:04:56,400 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 1: you got your start by being more of a song 83 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:03,200 Speaker 1: writer than a singer. That's because that's true, Okay, great, 84 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:07,720 Speaker 1: because I know my stuff all right. So did you 85 00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:10,400 Speaker 1: know you had a good voice when you were like 86 00:05:10,440 --> 00:05:12,920 Speaker 1: crafting songwriting? Did you think that you would ever be 87 00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:16,920 Speaker 1: the one performing your songs. It was always my dream 88 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:19,400 Speaker 1: to become, you know, a rock star and to be 89 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:23,960 Speaker 1: an artist. I started writing songs in high school. Really 90 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:26,320 Speaker 1: I knew. I always knew I could sing. I mean 91 00:05:26,320 --> 00:05:30,479 Speaker 1: I was I was singing on TV and radio commercials 92 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:32,160 Speaker 1: when I was a little kid, so I knew I 93 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:33,920 Speaker 1: could sing in tune and I had a good voice 94 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:36,720 Speaker 1: for a kid. And then when I was in high school, 95 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:40,400 Speaker 1: I had this mad crush on this girl, Sarah Blackwell, 96 00:05:40,440 --> 00:05:43,360 Speaker 1: and I didn't know how to talk to her. I had. 97 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:46,919 Speaker 1: I had no game, zero game. And so I thought, 98 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:50,120 Speaker 1: maybe I'll try to do what Elvis did in those movies, 99 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:52,200 Speaker 1: which is I'll just sing songs, sir. So I wrote 100 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:58,320 Speaker 1: these songs really trying to get with Sarah, and and 101 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 1: then it just sort of started. By loved writing songs, 102 00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:03,720 Speaker 1: and and so when I was in a senior in 103 00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:05,800 Speaker 1: high school, I was starting my senior year in high school, 104 00:06:05,839 --> 00:06:11,240 Speaker 1: this tape of my first four songs. UH managed to 105 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:14,279 Speaker 1: get to Lionel Richie, who was just leaving his group 106 00:06:14,279 --> 00:06:21,039 Speaker 1: the Commodorees and starting his solo careers eight one and uh. 107 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:26,000 Speaker 1: He listened to my tape for some crazy reason and 108 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:28,560 Speaker 1: my phone number was written on the back and pencil 109 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:33,680 Speaker 1: and he called the number and I was like, hello, Hey, 110 00:06:33,720 --> 00:06:37,479 Speaker 1: this is Lionel Richie. I thought I was being punked 111 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 1: for sure. And he talked to me for like a 112 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:42,279 Speaker 1: half an hour. He was so gracious and he is 113 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:44,160 Speaker 1: and he's just the best. I don't know if you 114 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:46,200 Speaker 1: guys have ever went into him, but I have met 115 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:49,760 Speaker 1: him through our producer, Amy Sugarman, And oh my gosh, 116 00:06:49,760 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 1: that I is so sweet. Amy. That's right, Amy's your producer. 117 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:57,839 Speaker 1: I looked. So he said to me, I don't know 118 00:06:57,880 --> 00:07:00,960 Speaker 1: what your plans are, but you should move to l A. 119 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:05,560 Speaker 1: And you've got a great voice, and these are your 120 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:07,679 Speaker 1: first four songs as a songwriter. You've got a great 121 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:09,160 Speaker 1: future as a song er. You should just come out 122 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:11,760 Speaker 1: here and to l A and try it. And so 123 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:14,120 Speaker 1: when I graduated from high school, I was like, screw college, 124 00:07:14,160 --> 00:07:16,200 Speaker 1: I can do that later. And I moved to l A. 125 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:20,480 Speaker 1: And he hired me to sing background vocals on his 126 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 1: first album, So and then not only did I sing 127 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:26,040 Speaker 1: a bunch on that record, but he let me just 128 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:28,280 Speaker 1: hang out and watch him make the record, and I 129 00:07:28,440 --> 00:07:31,240 Speaker 1: learned so much about producing and stuff. And so then 130 00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:34,640 Speaker 1: he recommended me to his buddy Kenny Rogers, who was 131 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:39,720 Speaker 1: huge at the time, and I had a job singing 132 00:07:39,760 --> 00:07:43,200 Speaker 1: on a Kenny Rogers album and I overheard Kenny saying 133 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:45,240 Speaker 1: he needed a song, and so I came in the 134 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:47,960 Speaker 1: next day to sing on some more songs, and I 135 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:51,200 Speaker 1: I did this thing that would normally get somebody fired, 136 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:53,080 Speaker 1: which is the background singing, and went up to the 137 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:57,000 Speaker 1: artist and said, hey, I've got a song, but in 138 00:07:57,000 --> 00:08:00,120 Speaker 1: in true Kenny Rogers form, instead of kicking me out 139 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:01,840 Speaker 1: of the studio, he sat down and listened to it 140 00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:04,880 Speaker 1: and he loved it. And so I ended up writing 141 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:06,680 Speaker 1: songs on that album, and that sort of launched my 142 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:09,560 Speaker 1: songwriting crew. But I always wanted to be an artist, 143 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:11,960 Speaker 1: and so the first couple of years I was trying 144 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:13,680 Speaker 1: to get a record deal and it wasn't happening. I 145 00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:16,640 Speaker 1: had the producer David Foster, told me I shouldn't sing. 146 00:08:17,920 --> 00:08:20,080 Speaker 1: That was just quote, You shouldn't sing, you should just 147 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:22,840 Speaker 1: write songs. Um. So I had a lot of people 148 00:08:22,880 --> 00:08:27,600 Speaker 1: trying to stomp on my dreams, but I just kept 149 00:08:27,640 --> 00:08:29,520 Speaker 1: at it and then I finally, you know, I found 150 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:31,840 Speaker 1: the right circumstances. I finally got a record deal. At 151 00:08:31,880 --> 00:08:34,280 Speaker 1: first song out of the box was Don't Mean Nothing, 152 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:47,720 Speaker 1: and that was it. And at this point, when you 153 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:51,480 Speaker 1: first moved to l A, you were how old again? Eighteen? 154 00:08:52,160 --> 00:08:54,400 Speaker 1: How is that? I mean, being an eighteen year old 155 00:08:55,040 --> 00:09:00,280 Speaker 1: leaving where'd you grow up? Chicago? Chicago to Los Angeles list, 156 00:09:00,559 --> 00:09:05,000 Speaker 1: being in studio with two massive names at the time, Yeah, 157 00:09:05,040 --> 00:09:07,480 Speaker 1: trying to figure out your way. Can you tell us 158 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:10,240 Speaker 1: a little bit of insight into what your life looked 159 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:16,360 Speaker 1: like at that point. My life was completely focused on 160 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:21,880 Speaker 1: music career um learning my craft, so I would spend 161 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:23,959 Speaker 1: as much time in the studio with those guys as 162 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:27,040 Speaker 1: they would allow, which in especially in Lionel's case, he 163 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:29,400 Speaker 1: was just I'll never forget he said. I remember the 164 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:32,719 Speaker 1: sentence he said to me after I sang on this 165 00:09:32,760 --> 00:09:35,640 Speaker 1: first song, which was a big hit for him, called 166 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:40,600 Speaker 1: you Are you Are? Son? Do you Are? I'm singing 167 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:42,959 Speaker 1: on that, I'm singing on all night long. I'm singing 168 00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:45,600 Speaker 1: on a bunch of his songs, but he said to 169 00:09:45,640 --> 00:09:48,120 Speaker 1: me one day we were leaving the studio after I've 170 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:50,560 Speaker 1: done some vocals, and he said, by the way, you know, 171 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:54,280 Speaker 1: I know that you you want to learn everything about 172 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:57,760 Speaker 1: what we do. And as long as I'm in this room, 173 00:09:57,960 --> 00:10:00,600 Speaker 1: meaning the studio, he said, you're welcome to be in 174 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:03,240 Speaker 1: this room with me, which was an open invitation, Like 175 00:10:03,320 --> 00:10:04,760 Speaker 1: it didn't matter what he was doing or if I 176 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:08,880 Speaker 1: had any place to like if he was doing horns 177 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:11,480 Speaker 1: on a song, I was allowed to come in and 178 00:10:11,520 --> 00:10:14,480 Speaker 1: watch and just soak it in and like learn what 179 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:16,640 Speaker 1: the engineer did and what the arrangers did, and what 180 00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:18,719 Speaker 1: those musicians do and how do you interact with them? 181 00:10:18,720 --> 00:10:23,280 Speaker 1: And it was like going to hit record college. And 182 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:27,280 Speaker 1: it just says so much about how gracious he wasn't is. 183 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:31,240 Speaker 1: But yeah, when I was in between those sessions, it's 184 00:10:31,280 --> 00:10:34,040 Speaker 1: not like I was out clubbing. I was home in 185 00:10:34,040 --> 00:10:39,440 Speaker 1: my shitty little apartment writing songs, you know, just always 186 00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:43,559 Speaker 1: so focused. I didn't date. I was just like focused 187 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:47,240 Speaker 1: on getting my career going, especially the first couple of 188 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:49,800 Speaker 1: years until I started until I had a hit song 189 00:10:49,960 --> 00:10:53,439 Speaker 1: by Kenny Rodgers when I was nineteen or twenty, and 190 00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:55,120 Speaker 1: then I started making a little bit of money and 191 00:10:55,120 --> 00:10:58,320 Speaker 1: I bought a nice car, and you know, I was 192 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:00,480 Speaker 1: I was starting to like have an actual life at 193 00:11:00,559 --> 00:11:04,840 Speaker 1: that point. Yeah, it's what an incredible transition and how 194 00:11:04,880 --> 00:11:08,160 Speaker 1: fast that things changed. And that was only twenty three 195 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:09,960 Speaker 1: when I had my first hit as a singer. So 196 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:12,960 Speaker 1: it was like one of those things where the song 197 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:15,520 Speaker 1: came out, don't mean nothing came out and then MTV 198 00:11:15,920 --> 00:11:19,320 Speaker 1: jumped on the video and it was literally like, well, 199 00:11:19,400 --> 00:11:24,080 Speaker 1: like I'm sure for you to actually it was like Tuesday, 200 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:26,560 Speaker 1: no one really knows you, notices you or knows who 201 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:30,640 Speaker 1: you are, and YouTube and it's like and then Wednesday, 202 00:11:30,920 --> 00:11:34,320 Speaker 1: people are going, hey aren't you. Yeah, you know power, 203 00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:38,080 Speaker 1: the power of television has always been that, and yeah, 204 00:11:38,120 --> 00:11:40,680 Speaker 1: people were hearing me on the radio, but it was 205 00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:43,439 Speaker 1: connecting the dots. It was seeing me in my video 206 00:11:43,640 --> 00:11:45,880 Speaker 1: and MTV just pounded the video and so it was 207 00:11:45,920 --> 00:11:49,560 Speaker 1: literally an overnight, complete change, just as I'm sure it 208 00:11:49,640 --> 00:11:52,760 Speaker 1: was for you guys. So how did you You said 209 00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:55,040 Speaker 1: that you wanted to be a rock star, and you 210 00:11:55,120 --> 00:11:57,520 Speaker 1: wanted to because you know, you're a little kid and 211 00:11:57,559 --> 00:11:59,199 Speaker 1: you had a crush on a girl, so like if 212 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:03,880 Speaker 1: you could turn my little boy Dawson into like a 213 00:12:03,880 --> 00:12:06,679 Speaker 1: soft rock king like you. I would be just like, 214 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:08,680 Speaker 1: that's my dream, and I think that's his dream too. 215 00:12:08,720 --> 00:12:11,080 Speaker 1: I know he's six months but like he just wants 216 00:12:11,160 --> 00:12:14,560 Speaker 1: all the attention and he yeah, and he just like 217 00:12:14,960 --> 00:12:19,280 Speaker 1: music really makes him chill out and like zone in. 218 00:12:19,480 --> 00:12:22,920 Speaker 1: It's really cool. I see him on stage already. I'm 219 00:12:22,920 --> 00:12:26,120 Speaker 1: gonna stop talking. But you go from you know, saying 220 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:28,240 Speaker 1: you want to be a rock star to like endless 221 00:12:28,280 --> 00:12:34,000 Speaker 1: summer nights now and forever, um, hold onto the nights 222 00:12:34,120 --> 00:12:37,720 Speaker 1: right here waiting like the most amazing soft rock songs, 223 00:12:37,720 --> 00:12:40,719 Speaker 1: which is my favorite musical genre. Um, so, how did 224 00:12:40,760 --> 00:12:45,440 Speaker 1: you veer into that category? It wasn't even like a 225 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:50,800 Speaker 1: you know, look, the ballads, the love songs make up 226 00:12:50,960 --> 00:12:55,040 Speaker 1: still to this day, the smallest percentage of my recorded work. 227 00:12:55,679 --> 00:12:58,480 Speaker 1: It's just that those songs and this is not this 228 00:12:58,520 --> 00:13:02,640 Speaker 1: isn't just me. It's like Journey and Brian Adams and 229 00:13:03,080 --> 00:13:07,400 Speaker 1: Phil Collins and all these other guys who started at 230 00:13:07,679 --> 00:13:12,280 Speaker 1: as rock singers. The biggest songs, the most memorable songs 231 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:14,920 Speaker 1: of all of us tend to be the big power 232 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:19,840 Speaker 1: ballads or the love songs. Um. I you know, I 233 00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:22,400 Speaker 1: had just as many hits you know on the radio 234 00:13:22,480 --> 00:13:25,680 Speaker 1: that we're up tempo. It's just that I think it's 235 00:13:25,720 --> 00:13:28,920 Speaker 1: just the public sort of just loves those kind of 236 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:31,800 Speaker 1: songs that they can dedicate to other people, or they 237 00:13:31,840 --> 00:13:35,640 Speaker 1: they apply them to a moment or a period in 238 00:13:35,679 --> 00:13:38,600 Speaker 1: their lives. I do the same thing, like other people's 239 00:13:38,679 --> 00:13:43,280 Speaker 1: music marks the soundtrack to my life. My own does, obviously, 240 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:45,520 Speaker 1: but it's other people's songs like when I was leaving 241 00:13:45,559 --> 00:13:48,480 Speaker 1: home and what song was I listening to when I 242 00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:51,360 Speaker 1: was in love with that girl? Or you know, music 243 00:13:51,440 --> 00:13:54,520 Speaker 1: is just so powerful, and I think that those kind 244 00:13:54,559 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 1: of songs that are emotional, uh, just tend to grab 245 00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:04,800 Speaker 1: people the most standard test of time, the most um 246 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:09,640 Speaker 1: go through generations. You know what. My favorite, my favorite, 247 00:14:09,679 --> 00:14:14,920 Speaker 1: like deep cut of yours is One More Try, Guys, Yes, 248 00:14:15,640 --> 00:14:18,040 Speaker 1: I love it so much. If you want to go 249 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:23,600 Speaker 1: you know, beyond the greatest Hits, download Richard marks one 250 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:27,840 Speaker 1: More Try. Wow. I love that So that was from 251 00:14:28,440 --> 00:14:31,960 Speaker 1: the nineties. That was like the mid nineties. If you 252 00:14:32,040 --> 00:14:38,120 Speaker 1: want to go, oh my god, I won't standing I do. 253 00:14:38,280 --> 00:14:42,320 Speaker 1: I really like that song so good. I think we 254 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:46,160 Speaker 1: need a podcast, like a spinoff called Almost Famous Ashley 255 00:14:46,200 --> 00:14:52,840 Speaker 1: fan girls every week. We can do it. We could 256 00:14:52,880 --> 00:14:55,560 Speaker 1: co host together. He's like, okay, girl, I am like 257 00:14:55,680 --> 00:14:58,640 Speaker 1: one of the most incredible songwriters of my time. Not 258 00:14:58,680 --> 00:15:01,560 Speaker 1: going to do a podcast with you. Hey, you never know, 259 00:15:02,160 --> 00:15:04,040 Speaker 1: you never know. You catch me on the right day 260 00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:09,600 Speaker 1: if I've had a tequila or two sending bottles of tequila. Now, 261 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:12,040 Speaker 1: that's how I got here. And five years later, we're 262 00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:17,000 Speaker 1: still doing this thing. Richard. I wonder from your perspective. 263 00:15:18,440 --> 00:15:21,520 Speaker 1: You know, Ashley just said stand the test time I 264 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:24,520 Speaker 1: would put the word iconic. You know, they they've lasted. Obviously, 265 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:27,440 Speaker 1: Ashley was born in which is why she has this 266 00:15:27,560 --> 00:15:31,480 Speaker 1: T shirt. Yet she can name off right now. Uh, 267 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:36,040 Speaker 1: deep cuts Uh? And also your hits, songs that have 268 00:15:36,440 --> 00:15:40,040 Speaker 1: stayed with her that she has enjoyed. What does that 269 00:15:40,120 --> 00:15:42,960 Speaker 1: feel like for you as an artist? Uh? And as 270 00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:47,560 Speaker 1: a professional that somebody that was born in still considers 271 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:50,680 Speaker 1: you one of their favorite artists. And who's your voice 272 00:15:50,720 --> 00:15:54,720 Speaker 1: has been you know, the soundtrack to her life? Uh? 273 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:57,000 Speaker 1: For me, that feels really cool. I'm sitting here, but 274 00:15:57,000 --> 00:15:58,400 Speaker 1: I want to hear from you. What does that feel like? 275 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:04,880 Speaker 1: It's hard to describe. Then it's like it's the most humbling. 276 00:16:05,600 --> 00:16:08,720 Speaker 1: It's just it feels. I'll tell you what the word is. Privilege. 277 00:16:08,920 --> 00:16:14,000 Speaker 1: It's a privilege, you know, I um, It's one thing 278 00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:18,840 Speaker 1: for people who got turned onto me when I hit 279 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:22,440 Speaker 1: who are older than me or my age or a 280 00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:29,320 Speaker 1: little bit younger. It's another thing for people who come 281 00:16:29,360 --> 00:16:34,360 Speaker 1: up to me Ashley's age or younger. And I know 282 00:16:34,480 --> 00:16:36,360 Speaker 1: that it was probably because of the music that their 283 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:39,480 Speaker 1: parents listened to. And so when you when you get 284 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:41,760 Speaker 1: old and old like I am, I'm about to be 285 00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:44,600 Speaker 1: fifty nine, but you get to a point where you 286 00:16:44,640 --> 00:16:50,760 Speaker 1: realize that you are now generational. There's like multigenerations of 287 00:16:50,960 --> 00:16:57,640 Speaker 1: people who like what you do. And it's hard to describe. 288 00:16:57,720 --> 00:17:02,400 Speaker 1: I mean I can't really and absolutelyd in in I 289 00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:04,760 Speaker 1: could probably write a lyric about it easier than I 290 00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:07,040 Speaker 1: can tell you how it feels. But it's a privilege. 291 00:17:07,040 --> 00:17:11,879 Speaker 1: It's you know. It's also bizarre because I never said it. 292 00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:14,280 Speaker 1: I set out I wanted to be successful. Obviously, I 293 00:17:14,280 --> 00:17:17,840 Speaker 1: wanted to have a great career and have hit songs. 294 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:21,440 Speaker 1: But I never wrote songs thinking oh this is a hit, 295 00:17:21,960 --> 00:17:25,119 Speaker 1: or knew even knew what that even means. I just 296 00:17:25,160 --> 00:17:27,679 Speaker 1: wrote songs that I liked. I just wrote songs for 297 00:17:27,760 --> 00:17:30,439 Speaker 1: me and and for my own selfish purpose. Is the 298 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:33,320 Speaker 1: biggest song, arguably the biggest song I ever wrote, right 299 00:17:33,320 --> 00:17:36,679 Speaker 1: here Waiting. I didn't even want to record it. I 300 00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:38,639 Speaker 1: tried to give it away. I tried to get to 301 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:40,840 Speaker 1: Barbara streisand she was she asked me for a song 302 00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:43,639 Speaker 1: around that time. And I had no intention of recording 303 00:17:43,720 --> 00:17:45,880 Speaker 1: right here waiting because a it didn't fit the album 304 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:48,680 Speaker 1: I was making. The second album was pretty rock album, 305 00:17:48,720 --> 00:17:52,800 Speaker 1: and this, you know, this really sparse, intimate, delicate ballot 306 00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:56,560 Speaker 1: just didn't fit the album, I thought. And it was 307 00:17:56,600 --> 00:17:59,320 Speaker 1: also just too personal. It was a song I wrote 308 00:17:59,680 --> 00:18:03,080 Speaker 1: as a love letter, you know, and and I just 309 00:18:03,480 --> 00:18:05,879 Speaker 1: felt like I'm not and we're going to record this 310 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:11,159 Speaker 1: at this And then enough people who in my world said, 311 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:14,240 Speaker 1: are you an idiot? Like this is a this is 312 00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:18,040 Speaker 1: a one listen smash. So I was like, okay, well 313 00:18:18,040 --> 00:18:19,840 Speaker 1: I'll go in this, I'll cut it, I'll just I'll 314 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:21,480 Speaker 1: sing it down a couple of times and see if 315 00:18:21,680 --> 00:18:24,239 Speaker 1: you know. And that was it, like everybody who just 316 00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:28,679 Speaker 1: lost their minds and it became a song that you know, 317 00:18:29,040 --> 00:18:32,240 Speaker 1: thirty something years later, like everybody knows the song like 318 00:18:32,359 --> 00:18:36,800 Speaker 1: kids know it in Sri Lanka. I mean I played 319 00:18:36,800 --> 00:18:38,639 Speaker 1: in Sri Lanka. Daisy was with me, and she was like, 320 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:41,320 Speaker 1: and I play all these crazy places, but Sri Lanka 321 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:43,200 Speaker 1: was the place that Daisy was looking at the audience. 322 00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:45,720 Speaker 1: She was like, there ten year old kids out there 323 00:18:45,720 --> 00:18:49,600 Speaker 1: singing along to your songs, you know in broken English. 324 00:18:49,640 --> 00:19:05,320 Speaker 1: That's just just crazy cool. So you taught uh, Chris 325 00:19:05,400 --> 00:19:09,040 Speaker 1: ran Done and Becca Koufrin on their day on the 326 00:19:09,040 --> 00:19:13,800 Speaker 1: Bachelorette how to encapsulate feelings into a song. Have you 327 00:19:13,920 --> 00:19:18,240 Speaker 1: ever written how did you guide them through that? And 328 00:19:19,440 --> 00:19:22,680 Speaker 1: have you ever written songs about girls that you've known 329 00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:26,959 Speaker 1: for just a few days. Oh yeah, I've also written 330 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:34,280 Speaker 1: songs about situations that I necessarily I wasn't necessarily in, 331 00:19:34,560 --> 00:19:37,800 Speaker 1: but I can imagine because if you only limit your 332 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:44,000 Speaker 1: your writing to your own experiences or your own uh journey, 333 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:46,960 Speaker 1: it's gonna be limited. You know, it's going to be 334 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:50,840 Speaker 1: a little. So I have a vivid imagination, and I've 335 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:54,240 Speaker 1: written songs where I just put myself in scenarios or 336 00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:58,800 Speaker 1: I've I've written songs about girls I've just seen in 337 00:19:58,840 --> 00:20:02,399 Speaker 1: a cafe or you know, passed on the street and 338 00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:06,760 Speaker 1: just sort of not just oh she's hot, but like, 339 00:20:07,320 --> 00:20:09,520 Speaker 1: oh she's really interesting looking. All right, I won't and 340 00:20:09,560 --> 00:20:12,800 Speaker 1: then I conjure up a whole storyline of someone I 341 00:20:12,920 --> 00:20:16,040 Speaker 1: don't even know. Um. I wrote a song called Angelia 342 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:19,320 Speaker 1: that was a big hit for me. Back that's a 343 00:20:19,400 --> 00:20:23,160 Speaker 1: completely fictional song. I mean, I have been dumped, which 344 00:20:23,200 --> 00:20:26,280 Speaker 1: is basically what the song is. The video we turned 345 00:20:26,320 --> 00:20:30,919 Speaker 1: it Michael Bay actually directed the video for that. Yeah, 346 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:35,680 Speaker 1: he turned it into a she died storyline in the video, 347 00:20:36,119 --> 00:20:38,199 Speaker 1: but in the song it's just that she left me 348 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:43,480 Speaker 1: and um. But beyond that sort of real generic theme, 349 00:20:44,200 --> 00:20:49,040 Speaker 1: all those lyrics are just imaginary circumstances. But as far 350 00:20:49,080 --> 00:20:53,000 Speaker 1: as the the Becca thing, she was a fan and 351 00:20:53,080 --> 00:20:55,280 Speaker 1: she's she was so sweet. I really liked her a lot. 352 00:20:55,760 --> 00:21:00,000 Speaker 1: Um that was done you know, the magic of editing. 353 00:21:00,600 --> 00:21:03,679 Speaker 1: Uh you know, it wasn't like we really kind of 354 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:05,600 Speaker 1: sat in the room and hashed it out. It was 355 00:21:05,640 --> 00:21:09,479 Speaker 1: like we had good cuts and I said, Okay, why 356 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:11,320 Speaker 1: don't you say this, and I'm going to suggest that 357 00:21:11,359 --> 00:21:13,200 Speaker 1: you do this, And so we kind of a little 358 00:21:13,320 --> 00:21:15,440 Speaker 1: did it a little piece by piece. But at the 359 00:21:15,520 --> 00:21:18,080 Speaker 1: end of the day, I did put was it was it? 360 00:21:18,160 --> 00:21:21,119 Speaker 1: Chris was that the thing did put Chris in a 361 00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:26,240 Speaker 1: room to say, just right, don't worry about lyrics, don't 362 00:21:26,240 --> 00:21:29,239 Speaker 1: worry about rhyming. Just write what you feel about her 363 00:21:29,359 --> 00:21:31,879 Speaker 1: right now, of what you know of her, which is 364 00:21:31,920 --> 00:21:35,760 Speaker 1: not a whole lot at that point, write down what 365 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:37,800 Speaker 1: you feel, write down what you think about when you 366 00:21:37,840 --> 00:21:40,640 Speaker 1: think of her. And then I kind of helped him 367 00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:42,280 Speaker 1: put that into a little lyric and I did the 368 00:21:42,280 --> 00:21:45,320 Speaker 1: same with her. How I mean, how cool of a 369 00:21:45,400 --> 00:21:47,879 Speaker 1: day would that be? Right? I mean that's why they 370 00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:51,679 Speaker 1: show so special. Sometimes. Yeah, sometimes you get an opportunity 371 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:55,840 Speaker 1: like that where it will be a memory for a lifetime. Richard, 372 00:21:56,000 --> 00:22:00,280 Speaker 1: you know you, I think we'd be uh would be 373 00:22:00,320 --> 00:22:03,080 Speaker 1: a mistake if we didn't ask did you know of 374 00:22:03,160 --> 00:22:05,040 Speaker 1: the show before you went on? Are you a fan 375 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:07,320 Speaker 1: of the show? Do you and Daisy watch the show? 376 00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:10,159 Speaker 1: Or I mean you can It's fine if you say no. 377 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:14,560 Speaker 1: I never seen There's no one on earth who doesn't 378 00:22:14,640 --> 00:22:17,840 Speaker 1: know about the shows. So yeah, I was very aware 379 00:22:17,840 --> 00:22:20,800 Speaker 1: of it, but I've never It's not just the Bachelortte 380 00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:24,280 Speaker 1: or Bachelor. It's I have never really watched any reality shows, 381 00:22:24,280 --> 00:22:27,919 Speaker 1: including music reality shows. It's just never been something on 382 00:22:27,920 --> 00:22:32,440 Speaker 1: my radar. I watched so little TV anyway. UM, so 383 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:34,639 Speaker 1: I was aware of it, and I was also aware 384 00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:36,960 Speaker 1: of the opportunity of it because we had a record 385 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:39,600 Speaker 1: out and I thought, you know, that's that's a lot 386 00:22:39,600 --> 00:22:42,360 Speaker 1: of eyeballs and and a lot of ear drums too, 387 00:22:42,960 --> 00:22:50,280 Speaker 1: you know, appeal to um. The original pitch to me was, 388 00:22:51,040 --> 00:22:54,600 Speaker 1: as this happened many times on those shows, to have 389 00:22:54,680 --> 00:22:56,520 Speaker 1: an artist come on at the end and it was 390 00:22:56,600 --> 00:22:59,200 Speaker 1: like a surprise song, and they asked if they could 391 00:22:59,240 --> 00:23:02,040 Speaker 1: license this. I think it was right here waiting and 392 00:23:02,080 --> 00:23:03,840 Speaker 1: can we have a performance of him? We had it 393 00:23:03,880 --> 00:23:06,600 Speaker 1: all set up. No, I mean that's like I could 394 00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:08,280 Speaker 1: do that my sleep. No big deal. Great, it's a 395 00:23:08,280 --> 00:23:13,400 Speaker 1: great opportunity. And then the producers I think they'd seen 396 00:23:13,960 --> 00:23:17,280 Speaker 1: something I did on Funny or Die or something, and 397 00:23:17,320 --> 00:23:19,600 Speaker 1: they came and said, we we would really like to 398 00:23:19,680 --> 00:23:23,600 Speaker 1: incorporate you more into another storyline. That's not you performing, 399 00:23:23,640 --> 00:23:27,400 Speaker 1: that's just you with Back and Chris and interacting with them. 400 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:29,520 Speaker 1: And we sort of just made it up as we went, 401 00:23:29,720 --> 00:23:33,240 Speaker 1: and I was open to it. So, but I will 402 00:23:33,280 --> 00:23:38,760 Speaker 1: say this, it was it was a pretty painless day yeah, 403 00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:43,840 Speaker 1: and then I think it was maybe the show aired 404 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:50,760 Speaker 1: a few months later, and for a solid month, everywhere 405 00:23:50,840 --> 00:23:52,760 Speaker 1: I went, somebody came up to me and said they 406 00:23:52,760 --> 00:23:56,520 Speaker 1: saw it way beyond any When I do a TV show, 407 00:23:57,760 --> 00:24:00,840 Speaker 1: and you know, even if I just on uh, you know, 408 00:24:01,119 --> 00:24:03,480 Speaker 1: Kelly and Ryan or something like that, I'll have people 409 00:24:03,520 --> 00:24:05,200 Speaker 1: for a day or two go, I saw you and Kelly, Ryan, 410 00:24:05,280 --> 00:24:08,760 Speaker 1: You're sound a great and just like done. This was 411 00:24:09,040 --> 00:24:12,320 Speaker 1: for a month and I had people Daisy would be 412 00:24:12,320 --> 00:24:14,639 Speaker 1: at a restaurant and the whole table of people who 413 00:24:14,640 --> 00:24:18,000 Speaker 1: would be like pointing, and at first I'm thinking, oh, 414 00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:21,160 Speaker 1: it's almost like it's again. I'm like, oh, of course 415 00:24:21,160 --> 00:24:25,640 Speaker 1: they recognized me, and yeah, they saw me on the Bachelorette, 416 00:24:25,680 --> 00:24:29,679 Speaker 1: so they were like, you know, completely fan girling and 417 00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:33,960 Speaker 1: fan boying because of that. So it was a pretty 418 00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:37,400 Speaker 1: amazing experience. That's awesome. Well, don't get me started when 419 00:24:37,440 --> 00:24:41,000 Speaker 1: you were the guest judge on American Idol, or not 420 00:24:41,040 --> 00:24:44,479 Speaker 1: the judge but the mentor, because that was fantastic stuff 421 00:24:45,119 --> 00:24:47,119 Speaker 1: back on the heyday. All right, Well, I can go 422 00:24:47,200 --> 00:24:49,760 Speaker 1: on and on, but Richard, it has just been an 423 00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:53,119 Speaker 1: honor to talk to you. And if I ever go 424 00:24:53,200 --> 00:24:55,879 Speaker 1: back on the show. For some strange, strange reason. I 425 00:24:55,960 --> 00:24:57,919 Speaker 1: hope they they put me on a date with you. 426 00:24:58,040 --> 00:25:02,080 Speaker 1: Ye Richard, great talk to you can said. Uh, congrats 427 00:25:02,119 --> 00:25:05,480 Speaker 1: on the success, the continued success. Thanks for coming on 428 00:25:05,480 --> 00:25:09,200 Speaker 1: Almost Famous Flashback. UM means a lot to all of us, 429 00:25:09,320 --> 00:25:12,960 Speaker 1: especially Ashley. So you just made her world her year. 430 00:25:13,640 --> 00:25:15,280 Speaker 1: She'll talk about this day for a long time. So 431 00:25:15,320 --> 00:25:18,040 Speaker 1: thanks coming on. It was my pleasure. I'm glad you 432 00:25:18,040 --> 00:25:21,640 Speaker 1: guys asked me. And actually, I'm sure you're in l A. Right, 433 00:25:22,240 --> 00:25:23,560 Speaker 1: I used to. I lived in l A for five 434 00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:25,159 Speaker 1: and a half years. I now live in Rhode Island. 435 00:25:25,240 --> 00:25:27,920 Speaker 1: But whenever you come to Boston or anything like this, 436 00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:32,680 Speaker 1: I'll be there. I'll be there. Yeah, excited to meet 437 00:25:32,720 --> 00:25:35,520 Speaker 1: you in person. I think it's on. Yeah, we'll work 438 00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:38,160 Speaker 1: it out and we'll we'll you'll come backstage and we'll 439 00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:42,400 Speaker 1: hug it out. Okay, we'll DM on Twitter. Yes, Okay, talk, 440 00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:49,080 Speaker 1: Thank you see you. Well. That was your first episode 441 00:25:49,240 --> 00:25:53,360 Speaker 1: of Almost Famous Flashback. It is not a podcast in itself, 442 00:25:53,359 --> 00:25:55,960 Speaker 1: but it's kind of like the new in depth. We 443 00:25:56,040 --> 00:25:58,560 Speaker 1: still continue to do in depth episodes, but we'll also 444 00:25:58,600 --> 00:26:03,040 Speaker 1: continue to do ashback episode. So if there's a Bachelor 445 00:26:03,160 --> 00:26:07,359 Speaker 1: Franchise guest that you would like to revisit with, we 446 00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:09,720 Speaker 1: would love to do it. Give us ideas on our 447 00:26:09,720 --> 00:26:12,560 Speaker 1: Facebook or email us at Ben and Ashley at iHeart 448 00:26:12,560 --> 00:26:15,840 Speaker 1: media dot com. They're all going to have to stand 449 00:26:15,920 --> 00:26:19,719 Speaker 1: up to that experience, though, so we've set the standard high. 450 00:26:19,960 --> 00:26:23,400 Speaker 1: I hope you guys enjoyed. Love you so much, signing off, 451 00:26:23,880 --> 00:26:27,920 Speaker 1: I've been Ashley. Follow the Benn and Ashley I Almost 452 00:26:27,960 --> 00:26:31,159 Speaker 1: Famous podcasts on I Heart Radio, or subscribe wherever you 453 00:26:31,200 --> 00:26:32,240 Speaker 1: listen to podcasts