1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:01,240 Speaker 1: Taking a Walk. 2 00:00:01,440 --> 00:00:04,200 Speaker 2: I'm buzznight and welcome to the Taking a Walk Podcast, 3 00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:07,320 Speaker 2: and welcome to the special episode when we celebrate a 4 00:00:07,360 --> 00:00:11,399 Speaker 2: new documentary which is called Ron Delsner Presents, premiering on 5 00:00:11,480 --> 00:00:15,440 Speaker 2: all the streaming platforms right now now. This film chronicles 6 00:00:15,480 --> 00:00:20,120 Speaker 2: the remarkable life and career of legendary concert promoter Ron Delsner, 7 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:23,479 Speaker 2: the man behind some of the most iconic shows in 8 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:27,520 Speaker 2: music history, and the man who ran concerts in New 9 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 2: York City. Ron is in the middle of everything in 10 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:33,960 Speaker 2: this story, and he created the fabric of rock and 11 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 2: roll history itself. We're going to talk to the director 12 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:41,159 Speaker 2: Sting's son, Jake Sumner. He's going to take us behind 13 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:46,159 Speaker 2: the scenes of this fascinating documentary exploring how a promoter's 14 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:50,960 Speaker 2: vision and passion help shape the live music landscape we 15 00:00:51,120 --> 00:00:54,160 Speaker 2: know today. We'll also have some other special guests to 16 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:59,279 Speaker 2: share their stories about Ron Delsner. But next Jake Sumner 17 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:01,400 Speaker 2: Taking a Walk Podcast. 18 00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:06,880 Speaker 3: Taking a Walk, I mean, I had started the bottom 19 00:01:06,880 --> 00:01:08,880 Speaker 3: like everybody else. What you do is you just develop 20 00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:09,360 Speaker 3: a rapport. 21 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:10,960 Speaker 4: You start off small, you take. 22 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:13,240 Speaker 3: Some acts that no one else wanted, and before you 23 00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:14,479 Speaker 3: know what, the acts started to come. 24 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:17,000 Speaker 2: To you, Jake Sumner, Welcome to the Taking a Walk Podcast. 25 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:20,200 Speaker 2: I want to ask you what drew you first to 26 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 2: the great story of Ron Deelsner. 27 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:29,680 Speaker 5: That's that's a big one. Well, I grew up knowing 28 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:34,200 Speaker 5: Ron in that kind of peripheral way as someone who 29 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:37,160 Speaker 5: would I grew up around the live music business. Ron 30 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:40,480 Speaker 5: was a guy who was always backstage, and I spent 31 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:43,440 Speaker 5: a lot of time backstage at shows, so I got 32 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:46,160 Speaker 5: to meeting a lot of people, and Ron was one 33 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 5: of the more interesting types of people around. So what 34 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:52,880 Speaker 5: drew me to him and the story was really those interactions. 35 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:58,000 Speaker 5: He was the kind of person who you know, would 36 00:01:58,040 --> 00:02:00,400 Speaker 5: like to engage with sort of everyone in the so 37 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 5: if a little kid was interested in Ron, he was 38 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:09,760 Speaker 5: there with jokes and tricks and tickets to possible mixed 39 00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:13,920 Speaker 5: games of the Cucus or any number of things. And 40 00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:17,000 Speaker 5: he just always had incredible stories and was willing to 41 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:20,520 Speaker 5: share them about any number of iconic acts, from the 42 00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:25,120 Speaker 5: Beatles to Hendrix to everyone really, and I just was 43 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 5: always sort of compelled and interestedly who is this who 44 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:31,480 Speaker 5: is this man? And I'm not what I wanted to know? 45 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:35,519 Speaker 2: More So, for listeners who may not know paint a 46 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:39,480 Speaker 2: picture of who this man is and why his story 47 00:02:39,639 --> 00:02:42,359 Speaker 2: is critical to music history. 48 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 5: Well, it's really interesting because we named the movie Ron 49 00:02:45,919 --> 00:02:53,040 Speaker 5: Daalsner Presents, and to some people those words mean so much, 50 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 5: and to others it's a complete mystery, I think. But 51 00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:01,680 Speaker 5: to those it sort of means some thing too. I 52 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:04,079 Speaker 5: think it means a lot, and I think he represents 53 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:08,480 Speaker 5: for many he's kind of the conduit between all of 54 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:11,160 Speaker 5: the music that they grew up with in the New 55 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:14,920 Speaker 5: York area, as the guy who sort of brought so 56 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:18,800 Speaker 5: much music to New York and his name and those 57 00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:22,480 Speaker 5: three words were sort of they preceded the name of 58 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:26,080 Speaker 5: the act. So I would say Ron Dell's presents the who, 59 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:30,920 Speaker 5: and I think he is synonymous with music in New 60 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:35,560 Speaker 5: York and with really bringing so much music to the city. 61 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 5: And it's kind of amazing when you think today of well, 62 00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:41,600 Speaker 5: who does this, it's you know, in our minds, I 63 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:45,680 Speaker 5: think it's large corporations. Really back then, and what I 64 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 5: think this film sort of highlights is it was really 65 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 5: Ron and a small team and sort of people like 66 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:55,880 Speaker 5: Ron across the country who were doing this and bringing 67 00:03:56,520 --> 00:04:01,200 Speaker 5: you know, thousands of shows a year, sort of major cities, 68 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 5: and Ron had the kind of crown jewel of New 69 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:06,680 Speaker 5: York City and the surrounding areas well. 70 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:09,840 Speaker 2: Just as Ron Delsner shaped the music and the cultural 71 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:13,240 Speaker 2: landscape in New York City, Jules Belkan he did the 72 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:17,760 Speaker 2: same for Cleveland and the entire Ohio region. And he 73 00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:20,839 Speaker 2: and his brother Mike started Belkan Productions and they built 74 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:25,839 Speaker 2: it into this formidable powerhouse, just like Ron Delsner built 75 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:29,279 Speaker 2: his company into and they're part of the Live Nation 76 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 2: stable of assets to this day. And Jules Belcan, Yeah, 77 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:38,360 Speaker 2: like Ron Delsner has created music history. So we did 78 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:41,600 Speaker 2: get to speak to Jules Belkan and get some reflection 79 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:44,719 Speaker 2: as a counterpart to Ron Delsner. 80 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:46,880 Speaker 3: The first thing you think about a protus a house, 81 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:51,400 Speaker 3: a guy with a cigar, carnival, Come on on, Piers, 82 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:55,240 Speaker 3: He's the turtle boy, the alligated boy, that kind of stuff. 83 00:04:57,400 --> 00:04:59,040 Speaker 3: Constant Brona basically. 84 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:00,920 Speaker 6: Puts the money after the to be there. 85 00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:03,400 Speaker 3: So if you want to do anything, fly out of 86 00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:06,039 Speaker 3: stealing at the Metropol and Opper House, right, I pay 87 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:08,960 Speaker 3: for it. Constant gone to pays all of course, it's 88 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:11,800 Speaker 3: as simple as that. The venue, the people who work 89 00:05:11,839 --> 00:05:16,760 Speaker 3: at the venue, the advertising, and after all these expenses 90 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:20,720 Speaker 3: are paid, he gets a piece of the action if 91 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:22,920 Speaker 3: there's money left. If there's no money left, he loses. 92 00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:24,520 Speaker 3: If it doesn't sell out, he loses. 93 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:25,640 Speaker 6: That's the risk. 94 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:29,080 Speaker 3: It can rain, there could be riots, there could be fistifies, 95 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:31,159 Speaker 3: it could be anything that goes through. So you have 96 00:05:31,240 --> 00:05:32,200 Speaker 3: to know what you're doing. 97 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:35,680 Speaker 2: Welcome Jules Belcan to the Taking a Walk podcast. 98 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 6: Thank you, buzz, very nice to be here. Thank you 99 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:41,640 Speaker 6: for that wonderful introduction. 100 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:46,520 Speaker 2: So tell me how did you first encounter Ron Delsner 101 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:51,800 Speaker 2: and what was your recollection of that in person? First experience? 102 00:05:52,920 --> 00:05:55,800 Speaker 6: I think I was driving around New York. I saw 103 00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 6: this crazy guy running around the streets and I was 104 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 6: trying to hit him, and it turned out to be 105 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:07,600 Speaker 6: Ron Delsner. But that was in my fantasy. You know, 106 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:12,159 Speaker 6: early on in our business, there were only four or 107 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:16,080 Speaker 6: five of us around the country, and Ron was, of 108 00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:21,279 Speaker 6: course the King and Queen of New York. My brother 109 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:30,200 Speaker 6: Mike somehow met him someplace. It wasn't by chance. It 110 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:34,440 Speaker 6: was set up and they kind of discussed what the 111 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:38,279 Speaker 6: business was at the time, which was of course very 112 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 6: early and very unstructured. I think my first time was 113 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:50,800 Speaker 6: running into him at Frank Barcelona's office in New York 114 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:55,200 Speaker 6: Premier Talent, and then after that. You know, it was 115 00:06:55,760 --> 00:07:01,679 Speaker 6: an extremely competitive business, but the farther you got away 116 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:05,800 Speaker 6: from your hobb, the less competitive became. Because it was 117 00:07:05,960 --> 00:07:10,360 Speaker 6: just a rule, not a rule, but a form in 118 00:07:10,440 --> 00:07:15,440 Speaker 6: the business that was initiated by Frank Barcelona. Everybody has 119 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:19,559 Speaker 6: their own little territory to work with. We knew Ron, 120 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:24,400 Speaker 6: but we never thought about going really out of our 121 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:33,080 Speaker 6: particular region. So our relationship was very, very good. It 122 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:37,640 Speaker 6: was not an adversarial relationship in the East, whereas the 123 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 6: closer you came to your own hob things got a 124 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:46,280 Speaker 6: little dicey. But Ron has been such a character. And 125 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:50,960 Speaker 6: I know one of the experiences that we had with 126 00:07:51,200 --> 00:07:57,320 Speaker 6: Ron it was probably in the early maybe you have 127 00:07:57,480 --> 00:08:04,120 Speaker 6: the information in the early seventies, we struck a partnership 128 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:08,520 Speaker 6: for a club in New York. I was on forty 129 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 6: fourth Street off of Times Square, a place called the Savoy. 130 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:19,200 Speaker 6: And you know, of course Ron, being in New York, 131 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:22,760 Speaker 6: he was kind of the managing partner, if you want 132 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:26,640 Speaker 6: to call it that. Lo and behold not as the 133 00:08:26,680 --> 00:08:32,080 Speaker 6: criticism of Ron, but people were just taking stuff out 134 00:08:32,120 --> 00:08:35,360 Speaker 6: of the back door, taking Booze out of the back door. 135 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:41,800 Speaker 6: I mean, eventually the place became history and we we 136 00:08:42,480 --> 00:08:45,600 Speaker 6: ended up getting out of the place. But that was 137 00:08:45,720 --> 00:08:50,560 Speaker 6: our one, I think, very personal relationship with Ron. We 138 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:53,600 Speaker 6: just had a great time with his you know, his 139 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:58,280 Speaker 6: booking and coming back to us and this is what 140 00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:01,480 Speaker 6: I'm going to do. And half the people we didn't 141 00:09:01,520 --> 00:09:05,679 Speaker 6: even know it was. I know it was Ron's own 142 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:11,120 Speaker 6: stable of people, but that was one of the good 143 00:09:11,160 --> 00:09:13,319 Speaker 6: relationships we've had with Ron. 144 00:09:14,679 --> 00:09:18,600 Speaker 2: Did you compare notes in terms of, you know, acts 145 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:23,199 Speaker 2: that were on the horizon trying to break out or 146 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:27,480 Speaker 2: established acts in terms of what maybe was doing well 147 00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:31,400 Speaker 2: for Ron back east? Is that part of the relationship? 148 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:39,600 Speaker 6: Honestly, buzz I don't remember that we ever had that interaction, because, 149 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:44,319 Speaker 6: you know, radio in different parts of the country, we're 150 00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:49,360 Speaker 6: playing different things. DJ and Cleveland could pick up on, 151 00:09:49,760 --> 00:09:54,880 Speaker 6: for example, David Bowie and we did fantastic and the 152 00:09:54,920 --> 00:09:58,439 Speaker 6: rest of the country didn't know who he was, so 153 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:05,680 Speaker 6: it was it was difficult to unnecessarily swap stories. There's 154 00:10:05,720 --> 00:10:06,960 Speaker 6: our stories were different. 155 00:10:08,080 --> 00:10:12,480 Speaker 2: Now in the documentary, you see the aspect of risk 156 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:17,600 Speaker 2: taking and gambling that is the life of a concert promoter. 157 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:22,839 Speaker 2: As you were watching that, I'm sure you felt many 158 00:10:22,880 --> 00:10:27,960 Speaker 2: stories about your career how that risk taking also existed. 159 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:31,360 Speaker 2: But what was your perspective on seeing that aspect of 160 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:33,880 Speaker 2: it about Ron in the documentary? 161 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:38,880 Speaker 6: Certainly not a surprise. I mean Ron was Ron from 162 00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:48,240 Speaker 6: day one and through today. It's the same Ron. I know. 163 00:10:48,320 --> 00:10:51,120 Speaker 6: He was always trying to get us to go on 164 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:57,600 Speaker 6: vacation with him. He didn't do that much vacationing himself, 165 00:10:57,679 --> 00:11:00,160 Speaker 6: but we did a lot. But I was always was 166 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:03,439 Speaker 6: afraid that if I take a vacation with Ron, I 167 00:11:03,480 --> 00:11:07,640 Speaker 6: would never stop running. And that's why I take vacations, 168 00:11:07,679 --> 00:11:13,800 Speaker 6: just stop running. With Ron, it was it was constant motion. 169 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:20,800 Speaker 2: Now, I think what's fascinating in the documentary is seeing 170 00:11:21,559 --> 00:11:26,280 Speaker 2: the way the whole business changed. As he talked about 171 00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:28,960 Speaker 2: and as you referred to it, a lot of it 172 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:33,200 Speaker 2: in the beginning was making things up, you know along 173 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:37,520 Speaker 2: the way there was any any rules. Talk about your 174 00:11:37,559 --> 00:11:42,760 Speaker 2: perspective of that from your career, but also watching Ron 175 00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:46,520 Speaker 2: as well. 176 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:50,160 Speaker 6: I think Ron was one of the ultimate innovators in 177 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:54,600 Speaker 6: the business at that time. I always say that there 178 00:11:54,679 --> 00:11:59,680 Speaker 6: was really only one promoter in the world and that 179 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:03,120 Speaker 6: was Bill Graham and the rest of us kind of 180 00:12:03,880 --> 00:12:09,680 Speaker 6: took our our lower echelon areas and did what we did. 181 00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:13,000 Speaker 6: But the guy who was just sitting above all of 182 00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:18,400 Speaker 6: us was a Bill and and Ron I think probably 183 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:22,560 Speaker 6: would take second place, but being in the big cities, 184 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:26,880 Speaker 6: they had that advantage maybe over what we were doing 185 00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:33,199 Speaker 6: in our little towns. But Ron just said he had 186 00:12:34,040 --> 00:12:37,240 Speaker 6: he was the ultimate promoter. And you know you put 187 00:12:37,280 --> 00:12:40,079 Speaker 6: promoter in parentheses. 188 00:12:41,559 --> 00:12:46,880 Speaker 2: That's a promoter, Jules bel getting closing. If Ron were 189 00:12:46,920 --> 00:12:49,240 Speaker 2: listening to this, which I don't know if he's going 190 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:52,040 Speaker 2: to get his arm twisted to listen to this episode 191 00:12:52,040 --> 00:12:54,679 Speaker 2: of Take in a Walk. Any words for him. 192 00:12:57,280 --> 00:13:01,640 Speaker 6: Well, I would tell him that we have loved him 193 00:13:01,800 --> 00:13:07,480 Speaker 6: for sixty years, will continue to love him, wish him 194 00:13:07,520 --> 00:13:11,280 Speaker 6: all the best, the best of health. Then don't stop running. 195 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:12,960 Speaker 6: Every time he went to New York, you know you 196 00:13:12,960 --> 00:13:15,400 Speaker 6: were gonna see Ron Elsner. It's gonna take care of 197 00:13:15,440 --> 00:13:17,439 Speaker 6: you at the gig, and you were going to have 198 00:13:17,480 --> 00:13:20,520 Speaker 6: a good time. It's the sad guy who seems to 199 00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:21,680 Speaker 6: be so Jake. 200 00:13:21,760 --> 00:13:25,080 Speaker 2: How long did this project take from conception to completion 201 00:13:25,960 --> 00:13:28,920 Speaker 2: and what were the biggest challenges in bringing it to life. 202 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:34,320 Speaker 5: I think we started talking about this film somewhere around 203 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:39,560 Speaker 5: two sixteen seventeen. But these were just very loose kind 204 00:13:39,559 --> 00:13:45,840 Speaker 5: of conversations that we would have with Ron about pay 205 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:49,280 Speaker 5: you know, someone should make a movie about you. It 206 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:52,160 Speaker 5: was never something that he was interested in. And he 207 00:13:52,160 --> 00:13:54,720 Speaker 5: would tell me like, oh, people have tried and failed, 208 00:13:54,720 --> 00:13:57,800 Speaker 5: and I'm not really interested. And then I think it's something. 209 00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:00,160 Speaker 5: I approached him about it and he said, well, well, 210 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:03,319 Speaker 5: here's my card, give me a call. That was really 211 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:05,839 Speaker 5: the beginning, but it was it took a lot of convincing, 212 00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:10,840 Speaker 5: and it took a lot of meetings, and it took him. 213 00:14:10,920 --> 00:14:13,120 Speaker 5: He would call me kind of randomly and sort of 214 00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:15,280 Speaker 5: like say come up town right now and meet me, 215 00:14:15,360 --> 00:14:18,800 Speaker 5: and I do that. Then he would request that we 216 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:22,960 Speaker 5: go film, you know, either whatever show was happening, even 217 00:14:22,960 --> 00:14:24,920 Speaker 5: though we didn't really have a project set. He would 218 00:14:24,960 --> 00:14:26,400 Speaker 5: just say, come with your camera and let you know, 219 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:29,240 Speaker 5: come with me, we're going to film share. It kind 220 00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:33,840 Speaker 5: of was this chaotic, how can I say, sort of 221 00:14:33,920 --> 00:14:38,920 Speaker 5: informal chaotic arrangement we had, but it wasn't really like 222 00:14:38,960 --> 00:14:40,240 Speaker 5: a like a like a film. 223 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:43,080 Speaker 2: And then it was like making it up as as 224 00:14:43,160 --> 00:14:46,320 Speaker 2: everybody went along, much like There's certainly the beginnings of 225 00:14:46,360 --> 00:14:49,360 Speaker 2: the concert business were that were very you know, there 226 00:14:49,360 --> 00:14:54,000 Speaker 2: were no rules. They made everything up as they went along, right, Yeah. 227 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:58,680 Speaker 5: I think this was Bron's way of how he could deal. 228 00:14:58,800 --> 00:15:00,680 Speaker 2: With a film about him. 229 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:02,120 Speaker 5: It kind of had to be on his terms, I 230 00:15:02,120 --> 00:15:04,160 Speaker 5: think in the beginning, which is sort of if you 231 00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:07,160 Speaker 5: make a documentary about anyone or anything, I think you 232 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:09,280 Speaker 5: kind of have to sort of get comfortable with how 233 00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:11,560 Speaker 5: it's going to happen. And that's sort of how it 234 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:14,840 Speaker 5: happened with him, And it was sort of I was 235 00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:17,640 Speaker 5: kind of courting him to be part of this film, 236 00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:19,960 Speaker 5: so I would do any number of things to make 237 00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:24,080 Speaker 5: it work. It kind of we would go to shows, 238 00:15:24,120 --> 00:15:26,400 Speaker 5: and I think it really things started to really cement. 239 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:28,920 Speaker 5: We shot him at a Jimmy Buffett show. That's part 240 00:15:28,960 --> 00:15:32,360 Speaker 5: of the film. It was quite early on. I wan't 241 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:37,200 Speaker 5: no spoilers, but that moment kind of really set the tone. 242 00:15:37,280 --> 00:15:41,120 Speaker 5: And then shortly after that we found ourselves in COVID. 243 00:15:41,320 --> 00:15:45,280 Speaker 5: COVID happened, and I didn't really know how to continue 244 00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:48,360 Speaker 5: a film that we thought was about live music and 245 00:15:48,440 --> 00:15:53,000 Speaker 5: kind of following this character around, and I spent a 246 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:56,840 Speaker 5: lot of time in Run's basement and he's hampton digitizing 247 00:15:56,960 --> 00:16:03,480 Speaker 5: his crazy archive of material he has, Like he kept everything, 248 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:07,720 Speaker 5: so he has like a trove of backstage passes and 249 00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:13,320 Speaker 5: contracts and incredible photography and video and film reel and 250 00:16:13,400 --> 00:16:16,200 Speaker 5: beta and all this stuff, and it's just it's not 251 00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:20,000 Speaker 5: like it should be. It's not organized or assembled, it's 252 00:16:20,040 --> 00:16:23,600 Speaker 5: just kind of in piles amongst lots of other stuff. 253 00:16:24,160 --> 00:16:26,440 Speaker 5: During that time, I had nothing else to do, so 254 00:16:26,520 --> 00:16:30,880 Speaker 5: I just found myself going through his stuff and found 255 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:37,480 Speaker 5: just an amazing collection and an amazing insight into his story. 256 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:40,880 Speaker 5: And it was what was interesting is going through that 257 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:45,240 Speaker 5: stuff kind of reminded Ron of like vary of shows. 258 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:49,560 Speaker 5: So rather than bringing a camera in, I just would 259 00:16:49,640 --> 00:16:52,160 Speaker 5: record a lot of audio with him. It was sort 260 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:55,320 Speaker 5: of going through that processing, going through and like the 261 00:16:55,400 --> 00:16:58,920 Speaker 5: process of looking at all this material that reminded him 262 00:16:58,960 --> 00:17:02,200 Speaker 5: of so many of these key moments. And I think 263 00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:08,040 Speaker 5: he probably needed someone to bounce ideas off and someone 264 00:17:08,080 --> 00:17:12,040 Speaker 5: to talk to about it who was willing to take 265 00:17:12,080 --> 00:17:14,359 Speaker 5: the time to find the stuff and sort of present 266 00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:17,880 Speaker 5: it back to him for him to be like, oh, yes, kiss, 267 00:17:18,040 --> 00:17:21,679 Speaker 5: you know speaking theater, you know, or whatever the story was. 268 00:17:22,160 --> 00:17:26,000 Speaker 5: So I kind of from there started to realize like, wow, 269 00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:29,840 Speaker 5: this is we really have something here, and through that 270 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:32,879 Speaker 5: it was really through that process that I kind of 271 00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:36,120 Speaker 5: found the story and found what we were trying to do. 272 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:41,560 Speaker 2: I worked at WNWFM back in the eighties when so 273 00:17:41,640 --> 00:17:44,280 Speaker 2: many of these shows happened, and I'm going to play 274 00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:46,880 Speaker 2: a couple of clips, first from Mark Chernoff, the program 275 00:17:46,920 --> 00:17:50,119 Speaker 2: director who I talked to, and then Dennis Elsis, the 276 00:17:50,320 --> 00:17:54,200 Speaker 2: on air personality, with some reflections on what Ron Delsner 277 00:17:55,119 --> 00:17:57,439 Speaker 2: meant during that time and still means today. 278 00:17:58,080 --> 00:18:00,639 Speaker 7: Well, his wife probably knows some better than me, but 279 00:18:00,720 --> 00:18:05,640 Speaker 7: I know him longer because I've been with him forever. 280 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:12,639 Speaker 7: I'm the younger sister. He didn't trust anybody with his money, 281 00:18:13,200 --> 00:18:15,480 Speaker 7: so he asked me to come and work into tickets. 282 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:17,040 Speaker 7: I was the ticket lady. 283 00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:19,680 Speaker 3: My sister Harry is still with me working. 284 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:21,200 Speaker 6: Yeah, she's great. 285 00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:21,760 Speaker 2: I trust her. 286 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:22,679 Speaker 7: That's it. 287 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:23,840 Speaker 8: That's the biggest thing. 288 00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:29,120 Speaker 7: In the old days, when we first started, I would 289 00:18:29,119 --> 00:18:31,080 Speaker 7: have labeled them then impossible. 290 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:34,399 Speaker 3: I listen, tell him we're going to be there at 291 00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:35,240 Speaker 3: one o'clock tomorrow. 292 00:18:35,280 --> 00:18:36,480 Speaker 4: I want to check way out for. 293 00:18:36,480 --> 00:18:37,119 Speaker 2: The full amount. 294 00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:42,200 Speaker 7: The world has changed and the business has changed dramatically. 295 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:45,480 Speaker 7: He has not changed, not as. 296 00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:47,440 Speaker 2: I want to talk to Mark Chernoff, my friend who 297 00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:51,720 Speaker 2: was also my program director while I worked at WNWFM, 298 00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:54,720 Speaker 2: and I want to talk to you Mark about what 299 00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:58,399 Speaker 2: was the significance not only of live music as you 300 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:02,080 Speaker 2: ran the Rock State in New York City, but also 301 00:19:02,800 --> 00:19:04,840 Speaker 2: live music with Ron Delsner. 302 00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:10,680 Speaker 9: Well, Ron was certainly the major concert promoter of shows 303 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:15,520 Speaker 9: in New York City. Ron, I believe had started back 304 00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:19,320 Speaker 9: more than a decade before the concerts at Woman Skating 305 00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:21,200 Speaker 9: Rink in Central Park. 306 00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:23,560 Speaker 6: And this was. 307 00:19:23,520 --> 00:19:26,880 Speaker 9: Before I was associated with the radio station other than 308 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:29,840 Speaker 9: as a listener, which you know about, but growing up 309 00:19:30,560 --> 00:19:32,600 Speaker 9: in the New York metro area. But he used to 310 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:36,320 Speaker 9: love those concerts. There were some free ones, there were 311 00:19:36,359 --> 00:19:39,159 Speaker 9: some that didn't cost a whole lot of money. I 312 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:42,480 Speaker 9: remember seeing the Four Seasons, among other things, but you 313 00:19:42,560 --> 00:19:47,439 Speaker 9: always knew it was a Ron Delsner presentation. Ron owned 314 00:19:48,359 --> 00:19:51,800 Speaker 9: Woman Skating Rink for sure. I mean, he was the 315 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:56,520 Speaker 9: guy for New York City at the radio station. At 316 00:19:56,520 --> 00:20:00,399 Speaker 9: any W in the early eighties, Ron was promoted the 317 00:20:00,840 --> 00:20:05,159 Speaker 9: Peer eighty four concerts on the West Side obviously in Manhattan, 318 00:20:05,920 --> 00:20:10,159 Speaker 9: and we were the station that co promoted those shows 319 00:20:10,200 --> 00:20:13,480 Speaker 9: through I'd say nineteen eighty six, I think that was 320 00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:16,760 Speaker 9: the year. But you know, Ron was an important you know, 321 00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:20,480 Speaker 9: the guy Bill Graham had kind of been the guy 322 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:23,360 Speaker 9: when Fillmore was around, but you know that was defunct 323 00:20:23,359 --> 00:20:25,840 Speaker 9: for many years at that time. You know, Ron was 324 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:29,480 Speaker 9: an interesting guy to talk to. I know, his sister 325 00:20:29,640 --> 00:20:32,159 Speaker 9: was involved and she was often at many of the meetings, 326 00:20:32,240 --> 00:20:35,280 Speaker 9: and we always seem to have a million meetings. We 327 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:39,200 Speaker 9: did a Christmas show with Roger Daltrey December of eighty five, 328 00:20:40,440 --> 00:20:43,560 Speaker 9: and the Garden itself was involved, but Ron was peripherally 329 00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:44,960 Speaker 9: involved with that one as well. 330 00:20:45,040 --> 00:20:47,440 Speaker 6: I know we dealt with Ron on that and I. 331 00:20:47,359 --> 00:20:50,360 Speaker 9: Always found them easy to deal with. You know, concert 332 00:20:50,400 --> 00:20:55,800 Speaker 9: promoters are a different species because of the kinds of 333 00:20:55,880 --> 00:20:59,159 Speaker 9: business that they have to do and you know, working 334 00:20:59,200 --> 00:21:02,840 Speaker 9: against others and who's getting the better deal and we 335 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:05,520 Speaker 9: can do this and they can do that. You know, 336 00:21:05,640 --> 00:21:10,560 Speaker 9: Ron owned a lot of venues. I'm guessing I think 337 00:21:10,560 --> 00:21:13,520 Speaker 9: he did the Jones Beach concerts. I believe those were his. 338 00:21:14,840 --> 00:21:18,200 Speaker 9: The Adultry Concert was a great Christmas concert that was 339 00:21:18,240 --> 00:21:21,920 Speaker 9: the Underarraging Moon Tour. If I remember correctly. 340 00:21:21,640 --> 00:21:24,520 Speaker 2: I'll never forget it. How we were able to be 341 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:30,200 Speaker 2: called out on stage and suddenly there comes Santa Claus 342 00:21:30,280 --> 00:21:33,960 Speaker 2: Muni bringing out Yoko and Sean. Right. 343 00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:36,480 Speaker 6: It was, you know, quite a night. 344 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:37,520 Speaker 1: It has a. 345 00:21:37,400 --> 00:21:40,800 Speaker 2: Wonderful, wonderful night. Thanks for sharing a piece of music 346 00:21:40,960 --> 00:21:44,199 Speaker 2: history in Delsner Music History Mark. You're welcome. 347 00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:44,720 Speaker 6: Of course. 348 00:21:45,359 --> 00:21:49,719 Speaker 2: Ron Delsner Presents is available to rent or buy on Amazon, Apple, 349 00:21:50,040 --> 00:21:53,879 Speaker 2: Google Play, and YouTube Movies and TV. For more information, 350 00:21:54,119 --> 00:21:56,880 Speaker 2: visit Rondelsner Presents film dot com. 351 00:21:57,440 --> 00:21:59,600 Speaker 1: We'll be right back with more of the Taking a 352 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:07,879 Speaker 1: Walk back. Welcome back to the Taking a Walk podcast. 353 00:22:08,640 --> 00:22:11,360 Speaker 2: Well, I'm so happy to have my friend Dennis Elsis, 354 00:22:11,880 --> 00:22:15,080 Speaker 2: who I worked with at wn WFM, the place where 355 00:22:15,240 --> 00:22:18,080 Speaker 2: rock lives in New York City, which is such an 356 00:22:18,119 --> 00:22:21,360 Speaker 2: integral part of the music scene. And of course we're 357 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:27,000 Speaker 2: here talking about Ron Delsner Presents, the great documentary celebrating 358 00:22:27,119 --> 00:22:30,080 Speaker 2: Ron's career. Dennis, so nice to be with you and 359 00:22:30,359 --> 00:22:35,200 Speaker 2: so nice to share and pick your brain about Ron Delsner. 360 00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:37,960 Speaker 2: There's a lot of fertile territory there isn't there. 361 00:22:38,440 --> 00:22:41,360 Speaker 4: Oh yeah, and you can you can see. I don't 362 00:22:41,400 --> 00:22:44,240 Speaker 4: know that the audience can see, they can hear the 363 00:22:44,359 --> 00:22:49,120 Speaker 4: smile in my face and in my voice. Because Ron 364 00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:54,080 Speaker 4: Delsner was, and in many ways still is. You know, 365 00:22:54,359 --> 00:22:57,720 Speaker 4: the concert guy in New York. You know now, he 366 00:22:57,760 --> 00:23:00,480 Speaker 4: didn't grow up with rock and roll. He'll be first 367 00:23:00,480 --> 00:23:04,520 Speaker 4: to tell you Sinatra was his guy, and the big 368 00:23:04,600 --> 00:23:08,960 Speaker 4: bands and everything. He came of age then, but he 369 00:23:09,240 --> 00:23:12,920 Speaker 4: quickly understood the appeal of rock and roll. I mean, 370 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:15,520 Speaker 4: I didn't know the name Rond Delsner, but I went 371 00:23:15,560 --> 00:23:19,399 Speaker 4: to these concerts at the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium now 372 00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:22,480 Speaker 4: the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium where there is where they 373 00:23:22,600 --> 00:23:27,080 Speaker 4: actually played the US Open, long before they ever built 374 00:23:27,080 --> 00:23:31,280 Speaker 4: that beautiful facility in Fleshing Meadows Park, and it really 375 00:23:31,480 --> 00:23:34,560 Speaker 4: was a tennis stadium. And I did because I lived 376 00:23:34,600 --> 00:23:36,960 Speaker 4: in Queens and it was in Queens, New York. I 377 00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:40,000 Speaker 4: went to some of those shows. I didn't get to 378 00:23:40,040 --> 00:23:43,640 Speaker 4: go to see the Beatles show. That's one that I'm 379 00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:47,640 Speaker 4: sorry I didn't get to. But I heard a story 380 00:23:47,720 --> 00:23:52,600 Speaker 4: that Ron told about another Beatles concert that he was 381 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:56,920 Speaker 4: involved with. It's a charity show that happens in September 382 00:23:56,960 --> 00:24:00,560 Speaker 4: of nineteen sixty four, as the Beatles are coming back 383 00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:04,000 Speaker 4: from their first playing, you know, the first time they're 384 00:24:04,040 --> 00:24:09,320 Speaker 4: out there, and he talks about them playing at the 385 00:24:09,359 --> 00:24:13,200 Speaker 4: Paramount Theater in New York City. But the next day 386 00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:17,280 Speaker 4: they have to get back to London quickly, so Brian 387 00:24:17,320 --> 00:24:21,640 Speaker 4: Epstein books them into a motel hotel right near Kennedy Airport, 388 00:24:21,680 --> 00:24:27,119 Speaker 4: which is in Queens Ron makes the craziest deal with 389 00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:30,320 Speaker 4: the hotel management. I think it's called the Riviera Hotel 390 00:24:30,440 --> 00:24:34,280 Speaker 4: or the Rivia Ara Mota. This was the most outrageous. 391 00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:37,119 Speaker 4: I hesitate to use the word scam, but this is 392 00:24:37,160 --> 00:24:41,160 Speaker 4: the most outrageous Beatle deal I ever heard. 393 00:24:41,760 --> 00:24:44,200 Speaker 3: After the Tour of America and the Beatles were going 394 00:24:44,240 --> 00:24:46,200 Speaker 3: back to the UK and I found out they were 395 00:24:46,240 --> 00:24:50,000 Speaker 3: staying at the Riviera Hotel right next to KFK Epylo. 396 00:24:50,320 --> 00:24:53,480 Speaker 3: So I tracked down the manager of the hotel. I said, 397 00:24:53,520 --> 00:24:56,040 Speaker 3: I want to buy everything in the room, said the 398 00:24:56,080 --> 00:25:01,800 Speaker 3: Beatles that had cigarette bus coke bottles, left over, food, towels, 399 00:25:02,119 --> 00:25:05,240 Speaker 3: soap sheets, pillow cases. I said, I'm gonna have an auction. 400 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:08,600 Speaker 3: Not all the dishes were dirty, so I took a 401 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:12,520 Speaker 3: regular and oil I messed them up a little, and 402 00:25:12,560 --> 00:25:14,320 Speaker 3: the cigarette shuld and doused them a little more and 403 00:25:14,359 --> 00:25:16,800 Speaker 3: made it look little funky. So I pull up in 404 00:25:16,840 --> 00:25:20,359 Speaker 3: a stretched limousine, black car, and all the crappers in 405 00:25:20,400 --> 00:25:22,560 Speaker 3: the trunk and all over the back seat, over the 406 00:25:22,560 --> 00:25:25,560 Speaker 3: scarvage and boxes, and the kids scream, he like the 407 00:25:25,600 --> 00:25:26,480 Speaker 3: beeles are in the car. 408 00:25:26,840 --> 00:25:28,240 Speaker 6: They're paying on the windows. 409 00:25:28,320 --> 00:25:29,560 Speaker 2: I go, well, get the. 410 00:25:29,440 --> 00:25:32,479 Speaker 3: Police out in the barriers. I had to newspapers covering 411 00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:34,520 Speaker 3: it all, and I had Murray de Kay, who was 412 00:25:34,560 --> 00:25:37,280 Speaker 3: the famous DJ at that time, be the MC. 413 00:25:37,480 --> 00:25:38,800 Speaker 2: I must have given it my Hunda. 414 00:25:38,600 --> 00:25:41,120 Speaker 3: Bucks and there's Murray de k up there. How much 415 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:43,239 Speaker 3: do I here for the Coca cola bottle? How much 416 00:25:43,280 --> 00:25:45,760 Speaker 3: do I here for the cigarette? But they said Raino. 417 00:25:45,840 --> 00:25:47,760 Speaker 3: They didn't know whose butts it were. It was one 418 00:25:47,800 --> 00:25:50,240 Speaker 3: of the Big four were selling everything were good, two 419 00:25:50,280 --> 00:25:51,439 Speaker 3: hundred dollars one hundred. 420 00:25:51,440 --> 00:25:52,120 Speaker 6: I went away here. 421 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:54,399 Speaker 3: Three I got the cash in putting the cash. 422 00:25:54,800 --> 00:25:55,720 Speaker 6: It was fantastic. 423 00:25:56,320 --> 00:25:58,960 Speaker 3: I sold it all every show I did from then, 424 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:03,000 Speaker 3: and I kept tickets, stuff, backstage passes. I got priles 425 00:26:03,000 --> 00:26:05,760 Speaker 3: of it all over the house, in my attics, in 426 00:26:05,800 --> 00:26:07,320 Speaker 3: the basements. 427 00:26:08,119 --> 00:26:11,879 Speaker 4: So I didn't know the name Ron Delsner, you know 428 00:26:12,000 --> 00:26:15,840 Speaker 4: as a kid in high school or college. But I 429 00:26:16,240 --> 00:26:18,919 Speaker 4: and his name might might not have been on the 430 00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:21,680 Speaker 4: bill at the time because he was working for somebody else. 431 00:26:22,200 --> 00:26:25,320 Speaker 4: But he was involved with these concerts that happened at 432 00:26:25,320 --> 00:26:29,160 Speaker 4: the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium. It was an open air 433 00:26:29,760 --> 00:26:33,720 Speaker 4: tennis stadium. Acoustics were but in those days acoustics weren't 434 00:26:33,720 --> 00:26:38,160 Speaker 4: that important, and he booked all these great artists at 435 00:26:38,160 --> 00:26:41,560 Speaker 4: the time, you know, whether it was Credence or The Who, 436 00:26:42,280 --> 00:26:46,600 Speaker 4: or earlier shows with Simon and Garfunkel. So that's where 437 00:26:46,640 --> 00:26:50,920 Speaker 4: I must have first heard shows that he was involved with. 438 00:26:51,800 --> 00:26:54,800 Speaker 4: I did start to hear the name in the early 439 00:26:54,880 --> 00:26:59,439 Speaker 4: nineteen seventies when he took over a skating ring in 440 00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:04,840 Speaker 4: Central Park, the Lonelan Skating Ring, and had the great 441 00:27:04,880 --> 00:27:08,440 Speaker 4: idea of putting in seats. Obviously the ice wasn't there 442 00:27:08,440 --> 00:27:11,760 Speaker 4: because it was summertime and it was in Central Park, 443 00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:15,800 Speaker 4: so it was very, very convenient, and I just saw 444 00:27:15,880 --> 00:27:19,359 Speaker 4: some of the greatest shows. There's even a TV show 445 00:27:19,440 --> 00:27:23,080 Speaker 4: called Good Vibrations from Central Park. On that show is 446 00:27:23,119 --> 00:27:27,720 Speaker 4: everyone from the Beach Boys to Santana to Carly Simon. 447 00:27:28,200 --> 00:27:31,320 Speaker 4: So the concerts in the Park, which later became the 448 00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:34,200 Speaker 4: Concerts at the Pier. And they were cheap too. I mean, 449 00:27:34,480 --> 00:27:37,639 Speaker 4: the concerts in Central Park started out being a dollar 450 00:27:37,680 --> 00:27:40,120 Speaker 4: a concert. Maybe they went up to the dollar fifty 451 00:27:40,200 --> 00:27:44,200 Speaker 4: or two dollars, but that's where people might have seen 452 00:27:44,200 --> 00:27:45,919 Speaker 4: Billy Joel for the first time. 453 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:48,359 Speaker 8: I mean, I go way back with Ron to the 454 00:27:48,760 --> 00:27:53,920 Speaker 8: early seventies, maybe even before that. New York City had 455 00:27:53,960 --> 00:27:56,120 Speaker 8: all different kinds of acts, but they were all promoted 456 00:27:56,119 --> 00:28:00,000 Speaker 8: by Delsner. Ron Delsner presents one of the first big 457 00:28:00,119 --> 00:28:03,080 Speaker 8: shows we ever did. We were an opening act for 458 00:28:03,400 --> 00:28:07,120 Speaker 8: a guy named Jesse Colin Young. I thought, wow, I'm 459 00:28:07,119 --> 00:28:11,320 Speaker 8: making it. I'm being presented by Ron Delsner. Delsner was 460 00:28:11,359 --> 00:28:14,160 Speaker 8: the guy who took the chance. That's something you need 461 00:28:14,200 --> 00:28:16,040 Speaker 8: someone to do for you, is to take that. 462 00:28:16,160 --> 00:28:19,640 Speaker 4: There's a lot of history there for those Central Park concerts. 463 00:28:20,240 --> 00:28:23,920 Speaker 2: Was this possibly brought to you by Schaefer Beer? 464 00:28:24,720 --> 00:28:29,800 Speaker 4: Yes, initially they're the Schaefer concerts, so they weren't necessarily 465 00:28:29,880 --> 00:28:32,600 Speaker 4: the Ron Delsner concerts. You know, I don't know that 466 00:28:32,720 --> 00:28:36,320 Speaker 4: Ron Delsner's name is top of mind for me in 467 00:28:36,440 --> 00:28:39,960 Speaker 4: nineteen seventy one or nineteen seventy two. Actually, because I 468 00:28:40,000 --> 00:28:46,720 Speaker 4: started an ew interestingly WNEWFM in the summer of seventy one. 469 00:28:47,440 --> 00:28:50,080 Speaker 4: I'm well aware of Ron's name because I used to 470 00:28:50,160 --> 00:28:54,120 Speaker 4: do something called Concert Happenings, and it was a one 471 00:28:54,160 --> 00:28:56,880 Speaker 4: minute piece where I would sort of do the concert 472 00:28:57,000 --> 00:29:00,800 Speaker 4: calendar of everything that's going on and York, New Jersey, 473 00:29:00,840 --> 00:29:04,240 Speaker 4: Connecticut in that week. So I'm trying to remember. I 474 00:29:04,240 --> 00:29:06,600 Speaker 4: think I referred to it in those days, though in 475 00:29:06,680 --> 00:29:09,760 Speaker 4: the in my pre recording as the Schaeffer Music Festival, 476 00:29:09,840 --> 00:29:14,920 Speaker 4: not necessarily Ron Del's who presents. But several years later 477 00:29:16,080 --> 00:29:18,120 Speaker 4: Ron was. Ron was everywhere. 478 00:29:18,440 --> 00:29:18,920 Speaker 6: I mean. 479 00:29:20,320 --> 00:29:24,640 Speaker 4: Ron was everywhere you went to a concert, and there 480 00:29:24,680 --> 00:29:30,760 Speaker 4: he was. He was either backstage, front of stage. Like 481 00:29:31,000 --> 00:29:37,520 Speaker 4: I have this distinct memory years later of sitting at 482 00:29:37,560 --> 00:29:40,880 Speaker 4: Madison Square Garden elevated. I don't know it was in 483 00:29:40,920 --> 00:29:43,400 Speaker 4: the second or third level, right, but I had a 484 00:29:43,440 --> 00:29:46,800 Speaker 4: straight shot to look down at the at the back stage, 485 00:29:46,800 --> 00:29:49,880 Speaker 4: the entrance where the the the artists would come out 486 00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:54,840 Speaker 4: of the backstage area and get to the stage. And 487 00:29:54,880 --> 00:29:57,840 Speaker 4: I pointed out to my wife, I said, here's Ron. 488 00:29:58,320 --> 00:30:00,640 Speaker 4: You know, because you Ron was a Ron has a 489 00:30:00,760 --> 00:30:06,640 Speaker 4: very specific and he kind of Ron glides through. I 490 00:30:06,680 --> 00:30:10,040 Speaker 4: mean Ron just sort of he doesn't walk or strut, 491 00:30:10,120 --> 00:30:14,880 Speaker 4: he glides through. And he has this wonderful way of 492 00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:19,760 Speaker 4: being casual but being in charge. You know, he's just 493 00:30:20,960 --> 00:30:27,960 Speaker 4: he's cool. The artists respect him. They know that they're 494 00:30:28,000 --> 00:30:32,560 Speaker 4: going to be comfortable, and you know, there's always a crisis, 495 00:30:32,640 --> 00:30:37,440 Speaker 4: there's always something that's going to freak out somebody, but 496 00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:40,400 Speaker 4: nothing ever ruffles him. I mean, if it ruffles him, 497 00:30:40,400 --> 00:30:41,520 Speaker 4: it's all inside. 498 00:30:41,600 --> 00:30:42,240 Speaker 6: He is just. 499 00:30:43,800 --> 00:30:45,680 Speaker 4: So corny to say, you know, loose is a goose 500 00:30:45,760 --> 00:30:49,440 Speaker 4: or whatever the phrase is, and the artists know. I 501 00:30:49,440 --> 00:30:51,160 Speaker 4: mean I think they even do this in the film. 502 00:30:51,240 --> 00:30:54,360 Speaker 4: The artists love to play for him because he's going 503 00:30:54,440 --> 00:30:57,560 Speaker 4: to take care of them. He's going to make sure 504 00:30:57,600 --> 00:31:01,360 Speaker 4: that they are comfortable and that the venue is as 505 00:31:02,280 --> 00:31:05,480 Speaker 4: perfect as it can be so they can be their best. 506 00:31:06,840 --> 00:31:10,040 Speaker 2: And Dennis, he really did set the stage to what 507 00:31:10,120 --> 00:31:15,760 Speaker 2: we know now in terms of live concert activity on 508 00:31:15,960 --> 00:31:22,640 Speaker 2: how Live Nation has, you know, more sponsorships than ever 509 00:31:22,760 --> 00:31:27,400 Speaker 2: in terms of you know, their monetization. I mean, he 510 00:31:27,480 --> 00:31:31,520 Speaker 2: really crafted this business to have multiple tiers other than 511 00:31:31,640 --> 00:31:33,680 Speaker 2: you're just paying for a ticket. Right. 512 00:31:34,560 --> 00:31:41,480 Speaker 4: Oh yeah, absolutely. And one of my most church memories 513 00:31:42,000 --> 00:31:47,800 Speaker 4: is WNEWFM. Every year did their Christmas concert and the 514 00:31:47,880 --> 00:31:52,200 Speaker 4: hook there was that the jocks would be around a 515 00:31:53,200 --> 00:31:55,640 Speaker 4: Christmas tree in the lobby. We did a lot of those, 516 00:31:55,680 --> 00:31:58,840 Speaker 4: initially in Lincoln Center and what was called in those 517 00:31:58,920 --> 00:32:03,320 Speaker 4: days Avery Fish Hall. We later did more at the 518 00:32:03,360 --> 00:32:07,400 Speaker 4: Garden Radio City, the Beacon Theater, but those early shows 519 00:32:08,680 --> 00:32:12,880 Speaker 4: in Lincoln Center were very intimate and the jocks would 520 00:32:12,880 --> 00:32:16,719 Speaker 4: get there, have the crowd, the audience, and we would 521 00:32:16,960 --> 00:32:21,320 Speaker 4: collect gifts because every patron was to bring a gift 522 00:32:21,520 --> 00:32:25,240 Speaker 4: rap gift for a child United Cerebral Palsy was involved 523 00:32:25,240 --> 00:32:31,040 Speaker 4: with distributing them, and Ron presided over it all. He 524 00:32:31,200 --> 00:32:35,800 Speaker 4: was the impresario, so to speak. And again that's the 525 00:32:35,880 --> 00:32:39,040 Speaker 4: first time I got to see him behind the scenes 526 00:32:39,160 --> 00:32:42,440 Speaker 4: in action, making sure that we were comfortable, making sure 527 00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:46,880 Speaker 4: that the acts were comfortable, making sure that you know 528 00:32:46,960 --> 00:32:49,960 Speaker 4: that it all went, that it all worked well. And 529 00:32:50,000 --> 00:32:54,440 Speaker 4: so those those annual Christmas concerts which featured everyone from 530 00:32:55,320 --> 00:32:58,280 Speaker 4: the first appearance of Genesis with Peter Gabriel their first 531 00:32:58,320 --> 00:33:03,240 Speaker 4: American appearance ineighteen seventy two Christmas Time Genesis and String 532 00:33:03,320 --> 00:33:06,960 Speaker 4: Driven Thing, and then continued for years with Emerson Lake 533 00:33:07,000 --> 00:33:10,800 Speaker 4: and Palmer and Yes and the Kinks, and in fact, 534 00:33:11,280 --> 00:33:16,360 Speaker 4: Ron is there that night of December eighth, nineteen eighty, 535 00:33:17,120 --> 00:33:20,680 Speaker 4: when we are all there. The Marshall Tucker Band is 536 00:33:20,720 --> 00:33:25,920 Speaker 4: our headliner. We are on sixty fifth or sixty sixth 537 00:33:25,920 --> 00:33:31,200 Speaker 4: Street on the West side of New York, not knowing 538 00:33:31,680 --> 00:33:33,680 Speaker 4: no well, no one would know the events that are 539 00:33:33,680 --> 00:33:39,080 Speaker 4: about to happen about eight blocks away on seventy second 540 00:33:39,080 --> 00:33:45,000 Speaker 4: Street and Central Park at the Dakota. And it is 541 00:33:46,040 --> 00:33:49,880 Speaker 4: Ron who gets a phone call. How the phone call 542 00:33:49,920 --> 00:33:51,840 Speaker 4: came through, I mean, there were no cell phones or anything, 543 00:33:52,080 --> 00:33:56,000 Speaker 4: but Ron gets the phone call and tells Scott Muny 544 00:33:56,040 --> 00:34:01,280 Speaker 4: the news and suddenly the after party after the Morsh 545 00:34:01,400 --> 00:34:05,720 Speaker 4: Tucker Band on December eighth, nineteen eighty, Scott Muni delivers 546 00:34:05,760 --> 00:34:11,320 Speaker 4: the news of the unthinkable with John Lennon being shot 547 00:34:11,360 --> 00:34:19,280 Speaker 4: and killed, and party's over. Everybody leaves, and the disc jockeys. 548 00:34:19,600 --> 00:34:22,160 Speaker 4: On the rare occasion that all the disc jockeys are 549 00:34:22,160 --> 00:34:24,640 Speaker 4: in the same place, because that rarely would happen, but 550 00:34:24,719 --> 00:34:28,400 Speaker 4: we were all together for that show. Everybody, without telling 551 00:34:28,560 --> 00:34:32,520 Speaker 4: the other person, went back to the radio station and 552 00:34:32,600 --> 00:34:36,320 Speaker 4: it became an all night shivo we call it or 553 00:34:36,360 --> 00:34:40,640 Speaker 4: an all night memorial ceremony. Anyway, that's a sad memory. 554 00:34:40,640 --> 00:34:45,400 Speaker 4: But the happy memories of these Christmas shows are just great. 555 00:34:45,440 --> 00:34:48,960 Speaker 4: And it was always Ron who was there? Ron, so 556 00:34:49,040 --> 00:34:51,279 Speaker 4: you got I got to watch him up close and 557 00:34:51,440 --> 00:34:54,279 Speaker 4: personal lots of times, and then again being in the 558 00:34:54,320 --> 00:34:57,200 Speaker 4: audience or just showing up or getting a you know, 559 00:34:57,320 --> 00:35:01,280 Speaker 4: something to drink an intermission. It was just he was everywhere. 560 00:35:02,200 --> 00:35:04,279 Speaker 4: He was everywhere. 561 00:35:05,400 --> 00:35:08,399 Speaker 2: Dennis el Sis, thank you so much for sharing your 562 00:35:08,440 --> 00:35:12,800 Speaker 2: memories of Ron Deelsner and talking about the Ron Deelsner 563 00:35:13,040 --> 00:35:14,279 Speaker 2: Presents documentary. 564 00:35:14,880 --> 00:35:16,439 Speaker 4: Great movie. 565 00:35:18,160 --> 00:35:22,000 Speaker 3: As a concert promoter, the biggest gamble is always the weather. 566 00:35:23,440 --> 00:35:25,840 Speaker 3: I would go to bed if I could fall asleep 567 00:35:26,440 --> 00:35:28,840 Speaker 3: every night worrying about it was going to rain on 568 00:35:28,880 --> 00:35:31,239 Speaker 3: this show, I'd be Nerross. My mother say to you, 569 00:35:31,360 --> 00:35:33,360 Speaker 3: Ronald Way is so angry, I said, Mom is going 570 00:35:33,440 --> 00:35:37,799 Speaker 3: to rain him iRED, dammit. I started at first doing 571 00:35:37,880 --> 00:35:40,080 Speaker 3: shows outdoors. That's how I started my career. 572 00:35:42,880 --> 00:35:47,360 Speaker 2: So Jake, Ron worked with everybody, countless legends, and I 573 00:35:47,480 --> 00:35:51,000 Speaker 2: know ultimately when you set out on this project, is 574 00:35:51,080 --> 00:35:55,640 Speaker 2: it true you heard from folks artists volunteering to take 575 00:35:55,719 --> 00:35:58,560 Speaker 2: their time to talk about Ron for the documentary. 576 00:35:59,600 --> 00:36:02,920 Speaker 5: It's true that a lot of people contacted me when 577 00:36:02,920 --> 00:36:06,399 Speaker 5: they heard I was making a documentary. Yeah, for sure, 578 00:36:07,000 --> 00:36:09,880 Speaker 5: big names that I don't really want to mention but 579 00:36:10,000 --> 00:36:14,120 Speaker 5: who are in the film actually contacted me hearing about 580 00:36:14,239 --> 00:36:17,319 Speaker 5: a film, saying, Hey, I hear you making a Ron 581 00:36:17,360 --> 00:36:19,680 Speaker 5: Doesner movie. I've got a great story, like I owe 582 00:36:19,719 --> 00:36:22,719 Speaker 5: that guy a lot, like I'd love to participate, which 583 00:36:22,800 --> 00:36:26,120 Speaker 5: is not really usually the way it sort of happens. 584 00:36:27,520 --> 00:36:32,320 Speaker 5: I think that's usually the hyparp for us. That seemed 585 00:36:32,320 --> 00:36:36,960 Speaker 5: to be quite easy because I believe that a lot 586 00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:39,880 Speaker 5: of the acts that Ron worked with there's a degree 587 00:36:40,040 --> 00:36:45,240 Speaker 5: of respect and I think also a degree of feeling 588 00:36:45,440 --> 00:36:49,480 Speaker 5: like they owe Ron something. And certainly he had a 589 00:36:49,600 --> 00:36:52,760 Speaker 5: hand in presenting them to New York and either breaking 590 00:36:52,840 --> 00:36:55,520 Speaker 5: them in New York or helping support their career in 591 00:36:55,600 --> 00:36:58,759 Speaker 5: such an important market and really the media market of 592 00:36:58,880 --> 00:37:03,160 Speaker 5: the world. So that wasn't the hard part. And we 593 00:37:03,280 --> 00:37:07,480 Speaker 5: got so many great interviews from Bruce Springsteen, Steve Benzan, 594 00:37:07,880 --> 00:37:15,480 Speaker 5: Patti Smith, who else is it it, Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, 595 00:37:16,880 --> 00:37:22,719 Speaker 5: Paul Simon, golf Uncle. I mean, we really we're very 596 00:37:22,840 --> 00:37:27,480 Speaker 5: lucky to have so many testimonials from just incredible legends. 597 00:37:27,360 --> 00:37:32,279 Speaker 2: And what's so cool is how they uncover deep into 598 00:37:32,360 --> 00:37:36,319 Speaker 2: some of these storylines that they were involved with. I'll 599 00:37:36,400 --> 00:37:39,799 Speaker 2: just mention and tease one. Certainly, the Simon and Garfunkle 600 00:37:39,920 --> 00:37:44,560 Speaker 2: storyline about the legendary concert in Central Park is sort 601 00:37:44,640 --> 00:37:49,120 Speaker 2: of played so brilliantly in the documentary and so you know, 602 00:37:49,320 --> 00:37:53,040 Speaker 2: real life, right, the feelings are raw and real that 603 00:37:53,160 --> 00:37:56,120 Speaker 2: are there. It's fantastic, Thank you. 604 00:37:56,320 --> 00:38:01,240 Speaker 5: Yeah, that was really that was really something. And actually 605 00:38:01,280 --> 00:38:04,439 Speaker 5: we interviewed Paul quite early in the process of making 606 00:38:04,520 --> 00:38:08,279 Speaker 5: the film, and we interviewed art golf plunk Call quite late, 607 00:38:09,000 --> 00:38:11,800 Speaker 5: and Lawn Michaels was in there somewhere in the middle. 608 00:38:12,440 --> 00:38:16,040 Speaker 5: And I think between Ron, Paul and Artie and Lawn 609 00:38:16,880 --> 00:38:19,360 Speaker 5: we really could tell quite a lot of the story 610 00:38:19,400 --> 00:38:23,080 Speaker 5: and how it came together, I think, quite unlike anything 611 00:38:23,160 --> 00:38:27,480 Speaker 5: that's been told before. But yeah, just an amazing like 612 00:38:28,040 --> 00:38:30,960 Speaker 5: for example, like that show like what an amazing coming together, 613 00:38:32,200 --> 00:38:35,200 Speaker 5: the way that you know it's talked about and discussed, 614 00:38:35,239 --> 00:38:39,000 Speaker 5: it's it's almost kind of casual and something that you know, 615 00:38:39,160 --> 00:38:44,640 Speaker 5: it's kind of came together pretty loosely. You know, but 616 00:38:44,760 --> 00:38:46,680 Speaker 5: turned out to be the biggest show of all time 617 00:38:47,200 --> 00:38:48,160 Speaker 5: that for that period. 618 00:38:48,920 --> 00:38:52,200 Speaker 2: So Jake and closing, what do you think separates a 619 00:38:52,320 --> 00:38:56,080 Speaker 2: great promoter from just a good one? And what did 620 00:38:56,239 --> 00:38:59,759 Speaker 2: Ron Delsner have that made him legendary? 621 00:39:00,760 --> 00:39:05,000 Speaker 5: Well, I'm not an expert by any means, but I 622 00:39:05,040 --> 00:39:10,160 Speaker 5: would say what Ron has that maybe others don't. I 623 00:39:10,239 --> 00:39:14,120 Speaker 5: think he has a willingness to kind of go all 624 00:39:14,160 --> 00:39:16,840 Speaker 5: the way with things. I think it's sort of a 625 00:39:16,960 --> 00:39:21,239 Speaker 5: force of nature, the way he goes about sort of 626 00:39:21,320 --> 00:39:25,760 Speaker 5: everyday choices. He's I think being a promoter in general 627 00:39:26,360 --> 00:39:29,719 Speaker 5: you have to be sort of particular, and I think 628 00:39:30,000 --> 00:39:33,239 Speaker 5: you have to be a gambler of sorts. And it's 629 00:39:33,280 --> 00:39:36,480 Speaker 5: also not the best easiest form of gambling. It's like 630 00:39:36,600 --> 00:39:41,280 Speaker 5: not really a good bet, especially at that time, because 631 00:39:41,320 --> 00:39:43,640 Speaker 5: you can win, and you can win big, but then 632 00:39:43,719 --> 00:39:46,960 Speaker 5: the loss, as Ron likes to say, sort of it 633 00:39:47,080 --> 00:39:51,200 Speaker 5: takes ten winners to make up one big loss, So 634 00:39:51,320 --> 00:39:54,279 Speaker 5: those aren't really great odds, and that's not really like 635 00:39:54,480 --> 00:39:56,800 Speaker 5: you know, how you should gamble. So I think it 636 00:39:56,920 --> 00:40:01,719 Speaker 5: has to be beyond just a love of money. I 637 00:40:01,800 --> 00:40:04,919 Speaker 5: think Ron really loved the music, and I think more 638 00:40:05,040 --> 00:40:09,600 Speaker 5: than music, I think Ron really loves the action and 639 00:40:09,719 --> 00:40:14,640 Speaker 5: the event and the show business atmosphere and just being 640 00:40:14,719 --> 00:40:18,640 Speaker 5: part of it and bringing it to people, and I 641 00:40:18,800 --> 00:40:23,080 Speaker 5: think that that's what sort of carried him through. It's 642 00:40:23,239 --> 00:40:25,239 Speaker 5: just that it's just that love of the show and 643 00:40:25,360 --> 00:40:29,480 Speaker 5: putting on the show what separates him from others. I 644 00:40:29,600 --> 00:40:32,680 Speaker 5: think he just really loves it, like in a way 645 00:40:32,760 --> 00:40:37,960 Speaker 5: that's not really particularly beneficial for his personal life, you know. 646 00:40:38,080 --> 00:40:40,880 Speaker 5: I think he puts show business and putting on shows 647 00:40:40,920 --> 00:40:45,560 Speaker 5: ahead of everything, but it's what he loves. It's quite remarkable. 648 00:40:45,600 --> 00:40:49,520 Speaker 5: I think no one really sustained a career like Ron, 649 00:40:50,400 --> 00:40:52,840 Speaker 5: or was there really from the beginning, from the outset 650 00:40:53,440 --> 00:40:56,040 Speaker 5: of sort of live music as we know it through 651 00:40:56,160 --> 00:41:00,440 Speaker 5: to the corporatization and the creation of Live Nation. No 652 00:41:00,520 --> 00:41:04,880 Speaker 5: one's really has that span of time and history that 653 00:41:05,040 --> 00:41:09,120 Speaker 5: Ron has. I mean, he was outlining stories for us 654 00:41:09,200 --> 00:41:12,160 Speaker 5: of seeing Count Basie at bud Land in the nineteen 655 00:41:13,040 --> 00:41:15,719 Speaker 5: fifties and not really being the kind of inspiration for 656 00:41:15,840 --> 00:41:19,360 Speaker 5: him to want to put on shows, and then putting 657 00:41:19,400 --> 00:41:23,319 Speaker 5: on the Beatles of Forest Hills in sixty four. I mean, 658 00:41:23,400 --> 00:41:25,960 Speaker 5: he was already there kind of at the beginning and 659 00:41:26,520 --> 00:41:29,440 Speaker 5: helped build it into sort of what it became, and 660 00:41:29,560 --> 00:41:31,920 Speaker 5: I don't think that there's anyone that quite has that story. 661 00:41:32,880 --> 00:41:37,360 Speaker 2: The story is fantastic, the documentary is triumphant, it's heartfelt, 662 00:41:37,600 --> 00:41:42,239 Speaker 2: it is a real time capsule, and it's a lot 663 00:41:42,320 --> 00:41:46,520 Speaker 2: of fun as well. Congrats Jake Sumner on Ron Delsner 664 00:41:46,640 --> 00:41:51,040 Speaker 2: Presents on streaming platforms right now. I appreciate you being on. 665 00:41:52,040 --> 00:41:53,080 Speaker 5: Thanks buzz thank you. 666 00:41:55,160 --> 00:41:57,520 Speaker 2: I'm buzz Night, and thanks for listening to the Taking 667 00:41:57,560 --> 00:42:01,680 Speaker 2: a Walk podcast. Now, please check out our companion podcasts 668 00:42:02,160 --> 00:42:06,560 Speaker 2: produced by Buzznight Media Productions with your host Lynn Hoffmann. 669 00:42:06,760 --> 00:42:10,560 Speaker 2: Music Save Me showcasing the healing power of music, and 670 00:42:10,760 --> 00:42:14,440 Speaker 2: comedy Save Me shining a light on how laughter is 671 00:42:14,560 --> 00:42:19,279 Speaker 2: the best medicine. All shows are available on Apple Podcasts, 672 00:42:19,600 --> 00:42:23,520 Speaker 2: Spotify and are part of the iHeart podcast Network.