1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:01,280 Speaker 1: Taking a Walk. 2 00:00:01,360 --> 00:00:06,000 Speaker 2: It's me the turntables. John sitting across from the turntables 3 00:00:06,559 --> 00:00:10,400 Speaker 2: and ballet for a girl from Buchanan ends and I 4 00:00:10,480 --> 00:00:15,080 Speaker 2: open our mics and he says, surprise, Surprise, I am 5 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 2: Dennis's surprise, Doctor Winston O'Boogie at your service, and off 6 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:26,720 Speaker 2: we go and it's two hours. It's not scripted. He 7 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:33,080 Speaker 2: is charming, warm, friendly, engaged. 8 00:00:33,240 --> 00:00:35,920 Speaker 3: This is Buzznight, the host of the Taking a Walk podcast. 9 00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 3: On this episode, a dear friend who has literally been 10 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:41,920 Speaker 3: in the middle of music history. 11 00:00:41,680 --> 00:00:42,880 Speaker 1: His entire career. 12 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:47,120 Speaker 3: Dennis Elsis is our guest. I work with Dennis at 13 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:51,640 Speaker 3: WNWFM when I was a part timer. Dennis has interviewed 14 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 3: many of the greats, including a historic interview with John 15 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:59,640 Speaker 3: Lennon that is literally rock history. Dennis is still working 16 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:04,600 Speaker 3: these days at WFUV in New York and for Serious XM. 17 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:08,200 Speaker 3: I've been a fan of his my entire career and 18 00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:11,559 Speaker 3: I'm hoping Dennis Sume gets his call into the Radio 19 00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:15,160 Speaker 3: Hall of Fame. Welcome Dennis Elsis on the Take in 20 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:16,240 Speaker 3: a Walk podcast. 21 00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:21,480 Speaker 4: Well, mystery guests, would you enter and sign in? Please? 22 00:01:24,920 --> 00:01:28,120 Speaker 2: It's nice to see you, mister Buzz Knight, who I 23 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:32,039 Speaker 2: know better is Bob Kosak. Dennis Elsa is welcome to 24 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:32,959 Speaker 2: taking a walk. 25 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:37,680 Speaker 4: It's virtual, I wish it was in person, but so 26 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:39,520 Speaker 4: good to see you and be with you. 27 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:41,480 Speaker 2: Great to see you too. 28 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:46,320 Speaker 4: So yours active as ever, which we'll talk about with 29 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:51,960 Speaker 4: your multiple roles and jobs. But I do want to 30 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:56,240 Speaker 4: make sure we highlight the many great things that have 31 00:01:56,320 --> 00:02:01,840 Speaker 4: happened in your career that are legendary of legendary status. 32 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:05,960 Speaker 4: They are of radio Hall of Fame status of anybody 33 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:12,360 Speaker 4: of influences listening to this podcast about that, and of 34 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:18,040 Speaker 4: course I'm just gonna ask the first question about that 35 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:24,080 Speaker 4: infamous John Lennon interview that happened a few years ago. 36 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:30,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, well, you know it. I mean, first of all, 37 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:33,679 Speaker 2: we can get into the history of growing up and 38 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:37,080 Speaker 2: listening to radio and then actually being on the radio 39 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:41,240 Speaker 2: at a young age on WNWFM, something I never dreamed 40 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:46,880 Speaker 2: that I would be doing, because growing up I didn't 41 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:49,040 Speaker 2: know anybody that was a disc jockey. I didn't know 42 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:52,440 Speaker 2: anybody that was in the business. I like to say 43 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:55,600 Speaker 2: I didn't know anybody in media, but I didn't even 44 00:02:55,639 --> 00:02:57,680 Speaker 2: know the term media, nor do I think we were 45 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 2: using that term in the nineteen sixties. But long story short, 46 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:08,440 Speaker 2: we can go backwards, but I wind up happily at WAWFM, 47 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 2: and I wind up as music director, working for the 48 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:18,360 Speaker 2: ultimate professor. That would be Scott Muni, who after six 49 00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:23,120 Speaker 2: months of doing fill in work there from summer fall 50 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:27,080 Speaker 2: of seventy one into the winter of seventy two, you know, 51 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:30,680 Speaker 2: and having the traditional overnights and early mornings and that 52 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 2: sort of thing, when Scott says, because there's an opening suddenly, 53 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:38,000 Speaker 2: would you like to be music director? I don't know 54 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 2: what that means either, but I say, does that mean 55 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:45,800 Speaker 2: I'll be working Monday through Friday? And he says yes, 56 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:48,360 Speaker 2: And I thought, well, that's a good thing to do. 57 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:53,200 Speaker 2: So by nineteen seventy two early I become music director. 58 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:57,000 Speaker 2: I'm on the air constantly filling in, have my own 59 00:03:57,040 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 2: weekend shows, have developed a relationship with all my friends 60 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:05,760 Speaker 2: in the record business and all the record company guys, 61 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:10,720 Speaker 2: and one afternoon a fellow from Capitol Records calls and says, 62 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 2: if you can get over to Record Plant Studios this afternoon, 63 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:20,839 Speaker 2: late afternoon, early evening, I can probably get you into 64 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:25,160 Speaker 2: a session with John Lennontt. Now you're not necessarily going 65 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:27,799 Speaker 2: to meet him, but you can sit in the control 66 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 2: room and watch it, you know, and it's like. 67 00:04:31,279 --> 00:04:34,760 Speaker 4: Now, Dennis was this person from Capital Who I think 68 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:35,200 Speaker 4: it was? 69 00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:38,240 Speaker 2: You know, I don't remember who do you think it was? 70 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:45,440 Speaker 4: I was wondering if it was that Beatle fanatic David Morrell. 71 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 2: Oh, I don't think Dave was with Capital at that time. 72 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:52,440 Speaker 2: That would have been the icing on the cake. You know, 73 00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:57,159 Speaker 2: Dave was ultimately with Capital. No, he might have been 74 00:04:57,440 --> 00:04:59,919 Speaker 2: with RCA at that point. I don't know. Dave Morrell 75 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:04,400 Speaker 2: has been a constant as you well know. In fact, 76 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:08,080 Speaker 2: it was Dave Morrell. Thank you, Dave Morrell who early on, 77 00:05:08,440 --> 00:05:11,760 Speaker 2: when I would do a beatles A to Z, would 78 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:16,440 Speaker 2: help me get these tapes, which nowadays you can get anything, 79 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:19,880 Speaker 2: you know, at the drop of a whatever, if one 80 00:05:19,920 --> 00:05:25,000 Speaker 2: drops one's hat anymore. But Dave was a great source 81 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:31,280 Speaker 2: of getting those kinds of materials which were unknown at 82 00:05:31,279 --> 00:05:35,000 Speaker 2: the time. He had his hands on just about everything. No, 83 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:38,159 Speaker 2: it wasn't Dave. I wish I could specify and say 84 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:38,839 Speaker 2: it was so and so. 85 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:40,840 Speaker 4: But all right, I'm sorry to sidetrack you. 86 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:43,320 Speaker 2: No no, no, no, no, So he says you know. 87 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:46,520 Speaker 2: And for me, it's like, yeah, you know, how do 88 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:48,240 Speaker 2: I get you know, where do I sign up? How 89 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:50,960 Speaker 2: do I get there? And so I go over to 90 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:54,279 Speaker 2: record plant late afternoon, and as promised, I'm getting to 91 00:05:54,360 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 2: sit in the room looking through the glass and there 92 00:05:59,880 --> 00:06:03,159 Speaker 2: is John Lennon. And I had never seen a Beatle 93 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:06,080 Speaker 2: on state. Well, i'd seen George Harrison and Ringo at 94 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:10,440 Speaker 2: Bangladesh on stage, but I certainly had never seen up 95 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:14,840 Speaker 2: close and personal. In my mind, I'm screaming, Oh my god, 96 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:20,000 Speaker 2: it's John Lennon. It's John Lennon. There's a great scene. 97 00:06:20,080 --> 00:06:24,600 Speaker 2: There's a documentary called lenin NYC that was a PBS 98 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:29,160 Speaker 2: Great Masters series and they film they sort of recreate 99 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:32,279 Speaker 2: that scene in there and my voiceover they kind of 100 00:06:32,279 --> 00:06:35,080 Speaker 2: shoot it through the glass, which obviously they weren't shooting 101 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:36,880 Speaker 2: it at that time. But I mean, I'm really like, 102 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:41,920 Speaker 2: my brain is exploding. I cannot believe that I am 103 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:47,520 Speaker 2: sitting here watching John Lennon. So when the moments are over, 104 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:50,800 Speaker 2: he's doing some final work on walls and bridges. When 105 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:56,480 Speaker 2: the moments are over, I'm invited into the studio area 106 00:06:56,640 --> 00:07:00,799 Speaker 2: or wherever it is to at least be introduced Okay 107 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:04,120 Speaker 2: and luckily May Pang was there. May Pang was his 108 00:07:04,240 --> 00:07:09,160 Speaker 2: constant companion in those days. He and Yoko had separated. Yoko, 109 00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 2: in fact, had set him up with May Pang, and 110 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:17,960 Speaker 2: May was very gracious. She must have known who I 111 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:21,760 Speaker 2: was through you know, she's a New Yorker WNEWFM, and 112 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:25,080 Speaker 2: she probably had to Okay me coming down there, and 113 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:27,880 Speaker 2: she introduces me to John and I get to do 114 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 2: the perfunctory handshake. Hi, John deniz ELS's big fan, but 115 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:35,360 Speaker 2: you don't want to be, you know, slobbering over the guy. 116 00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:39,920 Speaker 2: He's just finished. And then I have I've never met 117 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 2: May before, but I have some moments to chat with her, 118 00:07:43,920 --> 00:07:47,720 Speaker 2: And you know, ANYW had already established itself as being 119 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:50,800 Speaker 2: the place not only where rock lived, but that's where 120 00:07:50,840 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 2: the musicians came to visit. Elton had been a constant visitor, EJ, 121 00:07:56,240 --> 00:08:00,800 Speaker 2: the DJ, and certainly members of the Who and Zeppelin, 122 00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:04,080 Speaker 2: especially visiting Scott, you know, because Scott for them was 123 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:07,640 Speaker 2: an old friend. So we had had just about all 124 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:12,280 Speaker 2: of rock Royalty through the building. But it's nineteen seventy 125 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:16,200 Speaker 2: four and no Beatle had ever been up because when 126 00:08:16,200 --> 00:08:20,080 Speaker 2: the Beatles were a band, ANYW barely existed, nor would 127 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:23,040 Speaker 2: they have been doing those kinds of interviews in nineteen. 128 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:26,360 Speaker 2: ANYW started in sixty seven, they wouldn't have been doing 129 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:29,000 Speaker 2: that sort of thing. And even though they had gone 130 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:32,960 Speaker 2: their a solo career seventy seventy one, no solo Beatle 131 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:37,480 Speaker 2: had ever been to the radio station. So I write, 132 00:08:37,520 --> 00:08:41,320 Speaker 2: young man with nothing to lose, say, you know, and 133 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:43,360 Speaker 2: knowing that Walls and Bridges is coming out, you know, 134 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:46,680 Speaker 2: if John would like to come up and visit the 135 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:51,000 Speaker 2: radio station, we'd love to have him. And May is 136 00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:54,040 Speaker 2: hearing what I'm saying, and she goes, oh, let me 137 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:56,800 Speaker 2: you know, let me find out. And I'm in the 138 00:08:56,880 --> 00:08:59,040 Speaker 2: music library a couple of weeks later and the phone 139 00:08:59,120 --> 00:09:03,080 Speaker 2: rings and it's literally May and she said, yes, John 140 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:08,359 Speaker 2: is interested in coming. What would be good? And I, 141 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:11,280 Speaker 2: being the smart young man that I was, thinking, I'm 142 00:09:11,280 --> 00:09:13,760 Speaker 2: on the air every Saturday afternoon from two to six 143 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:19,040 Speaker 2: and Sunday from twelve to four. How about Saturday at four? 144 00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:23,559 Speaker 2: And she says, I'll get back to you. She does. 145 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:26,440 Speaker 2: We set it up and she says, John would like 146 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:29,400 Speaker 2: to bring some of his own records. Is that okay? 147 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:33,960 Speaker 2: And I'm thinking, of course, it's okay. He's probably going 148 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:36,240 Speaker 2: to promote walls and bridges, or maybe he wants to 149 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:39,880 Speaker 2: talk about something else, so I'll tell you a little 150 00:09:39,920 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 2: bit more about that. But he does bring records, but 151 00:09:42,160 --> 00:09:45,120 Speaker 2: he actually brings old forty fives from his old collection 152 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:48,800 Speaker 2: because he wants to tell stories about them and share 153 00:09:48,840 --> 00:09:53,000 Speaker 2: it with the listeners. So we arranged that they're going 154 00:09:53,080 --> 00:09:56,079 Speaker 2: to show up Saturday afternoon at four. My show is 155 00:09:56,120 --> 00:10:00,880 Speaker 2: on from two to six, and I can't possibly the promo. 156 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:03,160 Speaker 2: You know, FM in those days didn't do a lot 157 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:06,160 Speaker 2: of promos. Anyway, we were cool, we were hip, we 158 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:08,960 Speaker 2: were progressive, and all I could say on the air 159 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:13,400 Speaker 2: was I've got something very special for you later. I 160 00:10:13,440 --> 00:10:16,160 Speaker 2: can't really talk to you about what it is. It's 161 00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:21,120 Speaker 2: a surprise. And if you have any friends that you treasure, 162 00:10:21,320 --> 00:10:24,200 Speaker 2: you might want to tell them to be near their radio. 163 00:10:24,360 --> 00:10:27,320 Speaker 2: I'd given them the hot line. Everybody knows the hotline. 164 00:10:27,360 --> 00:10:30,120 Speaker 2: That's the phone number that you can get directly into 165 00:10:30,160 --> 00:10:34,480 Speaker 2: the studio. I had let the elevator operator downstairs know 166 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:36,839 Speaker 2: that I was expecting guests, because you have to let 167 00:10:36,840 --> 00:10:42,920 Speaker 2: them know. And at a quarter to four, Jose the 168 00:10:42,960 --> 00:10:46,319 Speaker 2: elevator operator. And this is an old fashioned freight elevator. 169 00:10:46,400 --> 00:10:49,800 Speaker 2: That's what buildings used in those days, you know. And 170 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:52,320 Speaker 2: it's a it's a it's an office building in mid 171 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:56,160 Speaker 2: to Manhattan, five sixty five Fifth Avenue. But security is 172 00:10:56,240 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 2: not anything like we know it would become, just as 173 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:04,000 Speaker 2: every thing changed in two thousand and one. And so 174 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:08,920 Speaker 2: Jose calls and he says, your guests are here, and 175 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:12,439 Speaker 2: I say, okay, I'll be right down to bring them up. 176 00:11:13,559 --> 00:11:17,400 Speaker 2: And I reach behind me to find the longest record 177 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:22,240 Speaker 2: because I'm live on the radio and Chicago Ballet for 178 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:25,720 Speaker 2: a Girl in Buchanan. Well that's a solid fifteen or 179 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:28,560 Speaker 2: sixteen minutes, and it's got some hits in it anyway, 180 00:11:29,559 --> 00:11:34,560 Speaker 2: So hey, Chicago boom, and I go downstairs. It's the 181 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:40,320 Speaker 2: second floor, and there is John and May and a 182 00:11:40,320 --> 00:11:42,440 Speaker 2: friend of theirs who happens to own a restaurant in 183 00:11:42,520 --> 00:11:47,120 Speaker 2: the area in the Upper east Side, and we make niceties, 184 00:11:47,160 --> 00:11:51,720 Speaker 2: we say hello. Everybody seems cool except me. Inside. I'm 185 00:11:51,840 --> 00:11:54,360 Speaker 2: you know, can't believe, can't believe, can't believe. And it's 186 00:11:54,360 --> 00:11:57,800 Speaker 2: one of those old freight elevators. So it's where they 187 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:00,280 Speaker 2: pull the gate and then they close the you know 188 00:12:00,400 --> 00:12:03,320 Speaker 2: humorously now in my brain that I can see the picture, 189 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:08,679 Speaker 2: and up we go to the second floor. We get 190 00:12:08,720 --> 00:12:13,080 Speaker 2: off the elevator. It's a brief walk down to the studio. 191 00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:17,960 Speaker 2: John makes himself comfortable. Thank god there was an engineer 192 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:22,080 Speaker 2: on duty, because that wasn't always the case. Joe i Ello, 193 00:12:22,320 --> 00:12:25,440 Speaker 2: thank you Joe to this day. Making sure that the 194 00:12:25,480 --> 00:12:28,520 Speaker 2: real two reels were set up and that there was 195 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:31,360 Speaker 2: backup cassette because certainly you didn't want to rely on 196 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:35,400 Speaker 2: the auto lagger, because that would have been horrible. And 197 00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:38,880 Speaker 2: we sit down, and you know, it's important to say 198 00:12:38,920 --> 00:12:42,440 Speaker 2: that this show a was not pre produced. Music had 199 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:47,040 Speaker 2: not been pre selected, and I don't have an engineer 200 00:12:47,200 --> 00:12:49,480 Speaker 2: other than the guy in the other room running tape. 201 00:12:49,640 --> 00:12:54,319 Speaker 2: It's me the turntables, John sitting across from the turntables. 202 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:58,400 Speaker 2: In my head, I have a plan, kind of. I 203 00:12:58,440 --> 00:13:00,760 Speaker 2: know we're going to start with walls and bridges. That's 204 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:04,319 Speaker 2: why he's there. I'd love to dive immediately into all 205 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:07,360 Speaker 2: my Beatles stories, but that's not appropriate. The guy's there 206 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:11,120 Speaker 2: to promote a record. And I'm smart enough, even though 207 00:13:11,160 --> 00:13:13,280 Speaker 2: I've only been music director a few years to say, 208 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:17,520 Speaker 2: you know, he's here to promote the record and ballet 209 00:13:17,559 --> 00:13:21,559 Speaker 2: for a Girl from Buchanan ends and I open our 210 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:26,840 Speaker 2: mics and he says, surprise, surprise, I am Dennis's surprise, 211 00:13:27,440 --> 00:13:33,240 Speaker 2: Doctor Winston O'Boogie at your service, and off we go, 212 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:44,920 Speaker 2: and it's two hours. It's not scripted. He is charming, warm, friendly, engaged, 213 00:13:45,880 --> 00:13:50,120 Speaker 2: and about twenty minutes twenty twenty five minutes into the interview, 214 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:54,440 Speaker 2: we're talking off Mike and he makes a reference to 215 00:13:54,480 --> 00:13:58,040 Speaker 2: He says something about, well, that's like this song from 216 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:01,800 Speaker 2: the Beatles, and I go, oh, and I turn around. 217 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:05,880 Speaker 2: In those days, as you will know, buzz WNEWFM had 218 00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:08,559 Speaker 2: a huge wall of records. The entire library for you 219 00:14:08,640 --> 00:14:11,080 Speaker 2: to choose from was behind you. So I go and 220 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:13,400 Speaker 2: I pull out the album, which just happens to be 221 00:14:13,480 --> 00:14:18,079 Speaker 2: the Yesterday and Today album, and jokingly again there's other 222 00:14:18,160 --> 00:14:21,080 Speaker 2: music on the radio. We're off Mike. I say to him, oh, 223 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:22,920 Speaker 2: maybe we should see if we can peel off the 224 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:25,480 Speaker 2: cover to see if there's any dead Babies there. That's 225 00:14:25,520 --> 00:14:29,080 Speaker 2: the famous dead Babies cover And he goes, you know 226 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:32,880 Speaker 2: how that photo took place? And I go, don't tell me. 227 00:14:33,080 --> 00:14:37,160 Speaker 2: Hold it for the air. Thirty seconds later, we're live 228 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:42,480 Speaker 2: on the air. We back announce John and he goes, 229 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:45,880 Speaker 2: DT done. I said, yeah, well, I have the Yesterday 230 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:48,200 Speaker 2: and Today album with that picture, he says, and then 231 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:51,360 Speaker 2: he proceeds to tell the story of how it happened, 232 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:56,360 Speaker 2: first time he's ever told the story publicly, and I relaxed. 233 00:14:56,400 --> 00:15:01,400 Speaker 2: I could see John's Beatles fan. It's gonna be okay. 234 00:15:01,880 --> 00:15:05,400 Speaker 2: He's more than willing to talk about Beatles if that's 235 00:15:05,640 --> 00:15:09,640 Speaker 2: what makes sense. And so the next two hours continue 236 00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:13,640 Speaker 2: to be John being a DJ, you know, fooling around 237 00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:16,720 Speaker 2: with the weather, fooling around with the commercials. I know, 238 00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:19,640 Speaker 2: in the back of my head, I'm gonna get to immigration, 239 00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:22,880 Speaker 2: that's important. I know in the back of my head, 240 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:26,320 Speaker 2: I'm going to get to the new Harry Nielsen album 241 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:31,200 Speaker 2: because he produced it. That's important. But everything else is 242 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:36,640 Speaker 2: free flowing. He's open to playing current music of the day. 243 00:15:36,720 --> 00:15:41,240 Speaker 2: So we play Showdown by Electric Light Orchestra and he goes, oh, 244 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:44,360 Speaker 2: they nick that from herd It through the Grapevine by 245 00:15:44,480 --> 00:15:47,520 Speaker 2: Marvin Gay, and he even shows it on the air, 246 00:15:47,560 --> 00:15:50,880 Speaker 2: and then he says about Elo, I like that band. 247 00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:53,880 Speaker 2: He said, you know they're kind of like where Beatles stopped. 248 00:15:54,240 --> 00:15:57,000 Speaker 2: They're kind of like Beatles after Magical Mystery Tour. And 249 00:15:57,040 --> 00:16:01,720 Speaker 2: it's an innocent enough statement, but it's nineteen before Elo 250 00:16:01,880 --> 00:16:04,320 Speaker 2: is still coming up. And from what I understand this, 251 00:16:04,880 --> 00:16:06,480 Speaker 2: I don't know that he was listening that day, but 252 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:09,920 Speaker 2: somebody must have gotten that audio to Jeff Lynn, and 253 00:16:09,960 --> 00:16:12,760 Speaker 2: he's floored that John Lennon, who of course he will 254 00:16:12,800 --> 00:16:14,960 Speaker 2: work with. Jeff will work with all the other Beatles 255 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:18,640 Speaker 2: except John down the road. John Lennon has said, anyway, 256 00:16:18,680 --> 00:16:23,560 Speaker 2: it's two hours. Thank goodness, the audio is there. A 257 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:27,440 Speaker 2: few years ago the Lenin folks said, hey, can we 258 00:16:27,480 --> 00:16:29,600 Speaker 2: put it up on our website? It's already on my 259 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:33,640 Speaker 2: Dennis Eelsi's website. I said, sure, you know, what more 260 00:16:33,640 --> 00:16:36,640 Speaker 2: of an honor could you have to have something instead 261 00:16:36,640 --> 00:16:39,160 Speaker 2: of being bootlegged all over the because it was bootlegged 262 00:16:39,160 --> 00:16:41,920 Speaker 2: all over the place. It was listened to this picture 263 00:16:41,960 --> 00:16:44,960 Speaker 2: disc and various otties. Anyway, long, long, long, long, long 264 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:49,360 Speaker 2: story to this day, pinch myself, can't believe it, Oh 265 00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:51,800 Speaker 2: my god, And on it goes. 266 00:16:52,280 --> 00:16:56,320 Speaker 4: Well, go back to growing up and listening to the 267 00:16:56,440 --> 00:17:00,320 Speaker 4: radio and thinking of where you were going to take 268 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:04,879 Speaker 4: your life. Had you heard the art of an artist 269 00:17:05,000 --> 00:17:08,680 Speaker 4: interview while you were growing up from anybody. 270 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:11,760 Speaker 2: No, Because remember, I'm growing up in the heyday of 271 00:17:11,840 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 2: top forty radio, specifically in New York, and I am 272 00:17:17,280 --> 00:17:26,360 Speaker 2: as a teen and preteen tuned in to WABC, WINS WMCA, 273 00:17:26,560 --> 00:17:29,200 Speaker 2: and very early on there's a station that would go 274 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:33,919 Speaker 2: out of business called WMGM, And like every good teenager 275 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:38,600 Speaker 2: in those days, I am constantly and I'm literally holding 276 00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:40,399 Speaker 2: this up because you can see I still believe in 277 00:17:40,440 --> 00:17:43,840 Speaker 2: transistor radios. This is but I am. You know, I 278 00:17:43,880 --> 00:17:46,840 Speaker 2: am with my radio, the traditional under the pillow at night, 279 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:53,240 Speaker 2: and I'm loving the DJs. The DJs are my friends, 280 00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:58,399 Speaker 2: and in my head I am mimicking I guess the 281 00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:01,600 Speaker 2: way they're talking and showing records. I don't know anything 282 00:18:01,640 --> 00:18:04,520 Speaker 2: about hitting a post. I don't know anything about talking up, 283 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:07,199 Speaker 2: but I do know that there are certain people on 284 00:18:07,240 --> 00:18:13,120 Speaker 2: the ear that are reaching me. They are one on one. 285 00:18:13,800 --> 00:18:17,600 Speaker 2: You know, some are just showman Murray the Kay in 286 00:18:18,280 --> 00:18:23,960 Speaker 2: all his shtick was a brilliant showman. The legendary Scott 287 00:18:24,080 --> 00:18:28,120 Speaker 2: Muni of course, the DJ's DJ who I in one 288 00:18:28,160 --> 00:18:31,760 Speaker 2: of the ultimate pinch myself moments. Not that many years 289 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:35,440 Speaker 2: later I'm in his office interviewing for my first job. Also, 290 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:40,000 Speaker 2: can't believe that you know cousin Brucy, who years later 291 00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:44,600 Speaker 2: I would work near at Sirius, and so many of 292 00:18:44,640 --> 00:18:48,399 Speaker 2: those people, you know, the Dan Daniels of the world, 293 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:52,200 Speaker 2: and and b Mitchell Reid, and especially a fellow named 294 00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:55,880 Speaker 2: Bob Lewis. Bob Lewis was a really good dis jockey, 295 00:18:55,880 --> 00:19:00,000 Speaker 2: Bob Bloo. And he also had, as did Ingram agree 296 00:19:00,280 --> 00:19:03,119 Speaker 2: voiceover career. Now, I didn't know much about voiceovers, but 297 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:06,040 Speaker 2: I knew once I did get into radio that that 298 00:19:06,240 --> 00:19:11,040 Speaker 2: was a field that I wanted to pursue. And again 299 00:19:11,520 --> 00:19:15,160 Speaker 2: side note here, I'd get to join after. I mean, 300 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:17,679 Speaker 2: my god, after you join after, because you have to 301 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:21,040 Speaker 2: join after when you get on anyw It's New York. 302 00:19:21,400 --> 00:19:25,080 Speaker 2: And in nineteen seventy one, September of seventy one, I 303 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:26,800 Speaker 2: have a lot of time on my hands because by 304 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:29,240 Speaker 2: that time I've just filled in all summer and I'm 305 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:32,840 Speaker 2: only doing one overnight show a week. And After offers 306 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:37,480 Speaker 2: a course in voiceovers nineteen seventy one, sign me up, 307 00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:41,840 Speaker 2: Take subway in from Queen's go to the After office. 308 00:19:42,040 --> 00:19:45,800 Speaker 2: Fellow walks in. You know, we're a bunch of students 309 00:19:46,280 --> 00:19:50,480 Speaker 2: sitting around, you know, young, young and older people sitting 310 00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:54,720 Speaker 2: after members who want to learn about voiceovers. Guy walks 311 00:19:54,760 --> 00:19:57,879 Speaker 2: in holding a woolensack reel to reel tape recorder and 312 00:19:57,920 --> 00:20:00,240 Speaker 2: a stack of papers, puts it down on on the 313 00:20:00,320 --> 00:20:03,639 Speaker 2: desk and he says, Hi, welcome to the class. My 314 00:20:03,760 --> 00:20:09,800 Speaker 2: name is Dan Ingram. Oh my god, Dan Ingram is 315 00:20:09,840 --> 00:20:15,080 Speaker 2: the teacher. Holy. You know, it's like pinch me, pinch me, 316 00:20:15,160 --> 00:20:18,920 Speaker 2: pinch me. And years later, when I find myself recording 317 00:20:19,920 --> 00:20:23,800 Speaker 2: alongside Dan because we're both doing the Macy's account. He's 318 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:27,080 Speaker 2: doing the traditional Macy's and then I'm following in the 319 00:20:27,119 --> 00:20:31,320 Speaker 2: studio with the young hipkool jeans Macy's, you know, I 320 00:20:31,320 --> 00:20:34,560 Speaker 2: get a chance to talk to him. So every fantasy 321 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:40,360 Speaker 2: good And you know something it hasn't as everyone listening 322 00:20:40,400 --> 00:20:43,560 Speaker 2: will know, no matter what their career, they were highs, 323 00:20:44,080 --> 00:20:50,520 Speaker 2: they were lows. And luckily for me, I'm still doing 324 00:20:50,560 --> 00:20:52,840 Speaker 2: this thing seven days a week, and I find it 325 00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:53,600 Speaker 2: hard to believe. 326 00:20:54,640 --> 00:20:57,720 Speaker 3: So who were influential mentors? 327 00:20:57,960 --> 00:20:58,360 Speaker 2: Evs? 328 00:20:58,440 --> 00:21:03,239 Speaker 3: You were you know prior to any w you know 329 00:21:03,359 --> 00:21:07,399 Speaker 3: in the business and developing your persona. 330 00:21:07,760 --> 00:21:10,560 Speaker 2: Well, I think I was. I think I was absorbing 331 00:21:10,600 --> 00:21:13,240 Speaker 2: them all. In other words, I don't think I consciously 332 00:21:13,960 --> 00:21:17,439 Speaker 2: thought I can be as funny as Dan Ingram, or 333 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:20,480 Speaker 2: I can have as deep a voice as Scott Muni, 334 00:21:21,280 --> 00:21:26,200 Speaker 2: or I can be as goofy as Murray the Kay 335 00:21:26,480 --> 00:21:29,240 Speaker 2: you know. And although Murray is the fifth Beatle you 336 00:21:29,240 --> 00:21:31,680 Speaker 2: know to this day, it's still you can make fun 337 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:33,639 Speaker 2: as you would. But he figured out a way to 338 00:21:33,640 --> 00:21:37,399 Speaker 2: get into that Plaza hotel. Thank you, Ronnie Spector. But 339 00:21:37,840 --> 00:21:43,240 Speaker 2: the guy who really taught me the business is Scott. 340 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:47,399 Speaker 2: You know. I'm hired by Scott Muni first to be 341 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:51,439 Speaker 2: a fill in guy, and then six months later to 342 00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:53,920 Speaker 2: be his music director. And when I say I don't 343 00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:56,960 Speaker 2: know what a music director does, I honestly don't know 344 00:21:57,040 --> 00:21:59,919 Speaker 2: what a music director does. I don't know what that means. 345 00:22:00,720 --> 00:22:03,520 Speaker 2: And at anyw it was a little special, more special 346 00:22:03,600 --> 00:22:06,600 Speaker 2: because we had so many records coming in and you 347 00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:09,119 Speaker 2: really had a chance to add a lot of music 348 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:11,840 Speaker 2: so you could be more influential. Jocks didn't have to 349 00:22:11,840 --> 00:22:14,679 Speaker 2: play what you suggested, but you could get the record 350 00:22:14,680 --> 00:22:18,439 Speaker 2: into the studio. And the other thing I only learned 351 00:22:18,520 --> 00:22:23,639 Speaker 2: as it was unfolding, was I'm the liaison. I'm the 352 00:22:23,680 --> 00:22:28,639 Speaker 2: liaison between the radio station and the record guys and ladies, 353 00:22:28,680 --> 00:22:31,960 Speaker 2: though there weren't that many ladies, and I'm the buffer 354 00:22:32,520 --> 00:22:35,840 Speaker 2: between Scott and everybody else because you have to go 355 00:22:35,920 --> 00:22:40,680 Speaker 2: through me. Again, not something that I would realize, and 356 00:22:41,600 --> 00:22:44,920 Speaker 2: you know, I totally respect Scott going in, and then 357 00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:49,919 Speaker 2: I watched the way that Scott deals with things. He 358 00:22:49,960 --> 00:22:54,280 Speaker 2: could be tough. You know, if if PLJ or Q 359 00:22:54,320 --> 00:22:55,919 Speaker 2: one O four that wasn't Q one O four in 360 00:22:55,920 --> 00:22:59,000 Speaker 2: those days, it was QIV. If they got an exclusive 361 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:04,040 Speaker 2: on a record Bowie record now comes to mind, probably 362 00:23:04,080 --> 00:23:07,080 Speaker 2: like Diamond Dogs or something that old, and it got 363 00:23:07,160 --> 00:23:11,200 Speaker 2: heard first on POJ or in this case QIV. He said, 364 00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:16,000 Speaker 2: not jokingly, box up all the RCA records in the studio. 365 00:23:16,359 --> 00:23:20,680 Speaker 2: We're sending them back to RCA. And I don't think 366 00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:24,480 Speaker 2: he was bluffing, you know, I think he would do 367 00:23:24,600 --> 00:23:27,360 Speaker 2: that because to him it was personal. He had relationships 368 00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:31,160 Speaker 2: with all the execs, many of whom he had known prior. 369 00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:35,439 Speaker 2: He had relationships with some of the rock stars, the managers, 370 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:38,240 Speaker 2: for sure, So there was that part of the business, 371 00:23:38,240 --> 00:23:41,280 Speaker 2: you know, the tough what you have to do. And 372 00:23:41,320 --> 00:23:46,560 Speaker 2: then also to Scott's credit, he was a very fair guy. 373 00:23:47,480 --> 00:23:52,240 Speaker 2: You know. I remember as a young guy, you know, 374 00:23:52,280 --> 00:23:55,320 Speaker 2: there are certain people who when there's a publicity photo 375 00:23:55,440 --> 00:23:59,120 Speaker 2: about to be taken, they push you aside because they 376 00:23:59,240 --> 00:24:03,280 Speaker 2: just want me in that rock star. And Scott would 377 00:24:03,359 --> 00:24:08,080 Speaker 2: always say, Den, Den, come here, you know, which is 378 00:24:08,119 --> 00:24:10,639 Speaker 2: how and I'm pointing to my wall over there, you know, 379 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:15,760 Speaker 2: that's how I'm standing with Ian Anderson, you know, Jethro 380 00:24:15,960 --> 00:24:19,560 Speaker 2: Tull and Scott Muni, because Scott would have said come here, 381 00:24:20,359 --> 00:24:25,080 Speaker 2: you know, So knowing how to treat people, that's important. 382 00:24:25,240 --> 00:24:25,399 Speaker 1: You know. 383 00:24:25,480 --> 00:24:27,919 Speaker 2: My parents were good at that too, certainly. I mean 384 00:24:27,960 --> 00:24:30,400 Speaker 2: I think I was raised very very well to respect 385 00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:33,000 Speaker 2: people and do unto others as that you would do 386 00:24:33,080 --> 00:24:38,520 Speaker 2: unto you. But watching Scott operate, just steeping in and 387 00:24:38,760 --> 00:24:42,080 Speaker 2: and so I think I got to take when when 388 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:44,640 Speaker 2: I jokingly say Scott was the professor, because he later 389 00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:48,800 Speaker 2: would use that term on the air. He was the 390 00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:52,560 Speaker 2: guy I was watching him subconsciously or consciously, you know, 391 00:24:52,920 --> 00:24:56,679 Speaker 2: until finally I became a full timer. But still he 392 00:24:57,000 --> 00:25:00,879 Speaker 2: was our leader, you know, he was. He wasn't one 393 00:25:00,960 --> 00:25:05,120 Speaker 2: hundred percent the perfect guy, as his kids will tell you. 394 00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:07,399 Speaker 2: But he was great at what he did, and you 395 00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:09,920 Speaker 2: treated people fairly. And he was a great disc jockey, 396 00:25:10,040 --> 00:25:14,680 Speaker 2: you know. And you know, those of us that worked 397 00:25:14,680 --> 00:25:15,400 Speaker 2: with him loved him. 398 00:25:15,800 --> 00:25:19,840 Speaker 4: He was fun to be around. He was, you know, 399 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:27,560 Speaker 4: a larger than life, like to laugh for sure. And look, 400 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:32,400 Speaker 4: I only knew him as a part timer on the weekend, 401 00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:35,680 Speaker 4: so I wouldn't see him, you know, during the week 402 00:25:35,720 --> 00:25:39,760 Speaker 4: and all of that. But you know, certainly treated me 403 00:25:39,880 --> 00:25:42,440 Speaker 4: like gold as a part timer. You know, that's that's 404 00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:46,720 Speaker 4: not what you always can have guaranteed, you know. 405 00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:48,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, I mean I would go on, just as 406 00:25:48,960 --> 00:25:51,600 Speaker 2: we all have to work with a lot of people 407 00:25:52,520 --> 00:25:56,040 Speaker 2: who were not necessarily that nice. I mean, we all 408 00:25:56,080 --> 00:26:00,000 Speaker 2: have worked for people, you know, it's just human name. 409 00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:02,640 Speaker 2: But you know, he set the standard. 410 00:26:03,320 --> 00:26:05,520 Speaker 1: We'll be right back with more of the Taken a 411 00:26:05,520 --> 00:26:13,639 Speaker 1: Walk Podcast. Welcome back to the Taking a Walk Podcast. 412 00:26:14,400 --> 00:26:17,320 Speaker 3: What was the first interview that you ever did with 413 00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:18,320 Speaker 3: a musician? 414 00:26:19,560 --> 00:26:23,040 Speaker 2: You know, I'm trying to think I know early on, 415 00:26:23,480 --> 00:26:27,760 Speaker 2: of all people, I did something with David Gates. Oh, 416 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:31,960 Speaker 2: the first person. This is a good story. Richie Havens 417 00:26:32,840 --> 00:26:36,760 Speaker 2: in college radio. This is a lovely story. College Radio 418 00:26:36,880 --> 00:26:42,640 Speaker 2: Queen's College nineteen sixty eight WQMC, a radio college radio 419 00:26:42,640 --> 00:26:45,919 Speaker 2: station that I helped to found, you know, because we 420 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:49,280 Speaker 2: didn't have a radio station and the university was less 421 00:26:49,280 --> 00:26:52,720 Speaker 2: than generous in wanting it to exist. The communications department 422 00:26:52,840 --> 00:26:55,640 Speaker 2: wasn't helpful. So it was a group of twenty five 423 00:26:55,760 --> 00:26:58,480 Speaker 2: men and women, young men and women who basically said, hey, 424 00:26:58,720 --> 00:27:01,600 Speaker 2: let's start a radio station, like Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney, 425 00:27:01,680 --> 00:27:05,840 Speaker 2: let's make a movie. But sixty six, sixty seven, sixty 426 00:27:05,880 --> 00:27:08,919 Speaker 2: eight was a good time in college radio because record 427 00:27:08,960 --> 00:27:14,639 Speaker 2: companies were beginning to get the idea that college radio 428 00:27:15,200 --> 00:27:18,399 Speaker 2: might mean something, you know, and this is in the 429 00:27:18,480 --> 00:27:21,760 Speaker 2: day when college radio is just college radio. Plus it's 430 00:27:21,800 --> 00:27:26,199 Speaker 2: the beginning of FM. So record companies don't really know, 431 00:27:26,359 --> 00:27:31,240 Speaker 2: and the smart record companies aren't nice to the people 432 00:27:31,560 --> 00:27:34,840 Speaker 2: at college radio. I was program director. I knew how 433 00:27:34,840 --> 00:27:36,760 Speaker 2: to write a letter, to make a phone call, so 434 00:27:36,840 --> 00:27:42,480 Speaker 2: I ingratiated myself with the right people. And Richie Havens 435 00:27:42,920 --> 00:27:45,760 Speaker 2: was a huge, huge FM artist in those days. The 436 00:27:45,800 --> 00:27:49,399 Speaker 2: Mixed Bag album, and to this day, I don't know 437 00:27:49,560 --> 00:27:53,239 Speaker 2: how I did it, but I convinced I think it 438 00:27:53,280 --> 00:27:56,879 Speaker 2: was Albert Grossman's office. I can't quite recall hundred percent 439 00:27:57,440 --> 00:28:00,440 Speaker 2: that I should have an interview with Richie Havens Now 440 00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:08,120 Speaker 2: WQMC reached the cafeteria and the student latch. Anyone who 441 00:28:08,160 --> 00:28:10,760 Speaker 2: says to me, I grew up hearing you on Queen's 442 00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:15,880 Speaker 2: College radio, Okay, thank you. But somehow I talked myself 443 00:28:15,920 --> 00:28:21,159 Speaker 2: into the building, the office over on Lexington wherever it was, 444 00:28:22,200 --> 00:28:27,679 Speaker 2: and my friend Hollie and I schlept again Wollensack, a 445 00:28:27,760 --> 00:28:34,120 Speaker 2: Wollensack requarter on the subway from Queens and Richie could 446 00:28:34,200 --> 00:28:37,399 Speaker 2: not have been more gracious. You know, I'm really a kid. 447 00:28:37,520 --> 00:28:42,160 Speaker 2: I mean, I'm really, really really a kid now because 448 00:28:42,200 --> 00:28:47,640 Speaker 2: I'm a believer in saving things. I never lost that tape, okay, 449 00:28:47,720 --> 00:28:51,520 Speaker 2: I always had that tape, just as I always had 450 00:28:51,560 --> 00:28:53,880 Speaker 2: the audition tape that Scott Muni sent back to me 451 00:28:53,960 --> 00:28:57,480 Speaker 2: initially and said sorry, but you know, try again some 452 00:28:57,600 --> 00:29:00,160 Speaker 2: other time. I gave him back that tape one day. 453 00:29:01,160 --> 00:29:05,920 Speaker 2: So I kept that tape with Richie, and years later 454 00:29:06,000 --> 00:29:10,280 Speaker 2: a friend helped me, you know, bring it up audio wise. 455 00:29:11,240 --> 00:29:14,880 Speaker 2: And then once I joined ANIW and then later at WFUV, 456 00:29:15,160 --> 00:29:19,440 Speaker 2: especially right I interviewed Richie a whole bunch of times, 457 00:29:20,360 --> 00:29:23,360 Speaker 2: you know, because he was part and parcel first of 458 00:29:23,400 --> 00:29:25,800 Speaker 2: the early days of anyw and as long as he 459 00:29:25,920 --> 00:29:29,120 Speaker 2: was alive and I was at FUV, he was very 460 00:29:29,160 --> 00:29:33,360 Speaker 2: important to FUV. And anyone who's had the pleasure of 461 00:29:33,720 --> 00:29:36,960 Speaker 2: meeting Richie knows that you're in his presence. It's like 462 00:29:38,120 --> 00:29:41,080 Speaker 2: he's just I once said at the beginning of an interview, 463 00:29:41,080 --> 00:29:44,880 Speaker 2: when Richie starts strumming his guitar, you just feel like 464 00:29:44,920 --> 00:29:48,080 Speaker 2: the world is a better place at that moment because 465 00:29:48,160 --> 00:29:53,640 Speaker 2: Richie is here. He's a very calming guy. So years 466 00:29:53,720 --> 00:29:57,000 Speaker 2: later I get hired. I was very involved with the 467 00:29:57,040 --> 00:30:00,400 Speaker 2: building of the museum that sits on the site of 468 00:30:00,400 --> 00:30:04,760 Speaker 2: the original Woodstock Festival, which, as most of the listeners 469 00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:07,560 Speaker 2: and viewers will know, is not in the town of Woodstock. 470 00:30:07,600 --> 00:30:09,960 Speaker 2: That's a whole other story, but it's in Bethel, New York. 471 00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:14,840 Speaker 2: Wyatt was still called the Woodstock Festival, doesn't matter. And 472 00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:18,920 Speaker 2: years ago, ten, twelve or fifteen years ago, they built 473 00:30:18,960 --> 00:30:21,640 Speaker 2: a performance space. It's the Bethel Wood Center for the 474 00:30:21,680 --> 00:30:26,800 Speaker 2: Performing Arts. Beautiful place. I highly recommend it. And they 475 00:30:26,800 --> 00:30:30,080 Speaker 2: also built a museum which i'm the voiceover, like the 476 00:30:30,160 --> 00:30:32,240 Speaker 2: voice of rock history and a lot of the exhibits 477 00:30:32,360 --> 00:30:35,440 Speaker 2: right next to it. Anyway, I'm hired to MC the 478 00:30:35,560 --> 00:30:39,280 Speaker 2: opening event, and at the opening event will be Woodstock 479 00:30:39,360 --> 00:30:44,280 Speaker 2: veterans John Sebastian, Richie Havens and some other performers. So 480 00:30:44,400 --> 00:30:48,800 Speaker 2: again I get to be backstage. Richie we've met many times, 481 00:30:49,560 --> 00:30:52,560 Speaker 2: and I brought the tabe along that day and I 482 00:30:52,560 --> 00:30:55,600 Speaker 2: said I want to show you something and he's like wow. 483 00:30:56,120 --> 00:30:59,640 Speaker 2: And then I'm not sure even how this happened. Years later, 484 00:30:59,720 --> 00:31:03,840 Speaker 2: when Richie passed away, I got a phone call from 485 00:31:03,920 --> 00:31:08,080 Speaker 2: his wife manager. I don't really know one hundred percent 486 00:31:08,080 --> 00:31:10,200 Speaker 2: if it was his wife and his manager, I'm not 487 00:31:10,280 --> 00:31:15,200 Speaker 2: sure what her role was. And she goes, we want 488 00:31:15,240 --> 00:31:20,200 Speaker 2: to sprinkle Richie's ashes over the Woodstock field on the 489 00:31:20,320 --> 00:31:25,400 Speaker 2: upcoming anniversary of Woodstock August fifteenth, always of a special day. 490 00:31:26,640 --> 00:31:29,800 Speaker 2: Would you m see the event again? I have no 491 00:31:29,960 --> 00:31:33,640 Speaker 2: idea how that happened. It was an incredible day. You know, 492 00:31:34,400 --> 00:31:39,560 Speaker 2: everybody from Jose Feliciano to famous actors, all of whom 493 00:31:39,600 --> 00:31:43,720 Speaker 2: were friends of Richie. But anyway, so to answer your question, 494 00:31:43,840 --> 00:31:47,040 Speaker 2: it's really Richie Havens, though it's not on a radio station, 495 00:31:47,160 --> 00:31:52,280 Speaker 2: that anyone has actually heard it. But I think it's 496 00:31:52,320 --> 00:31:56,080 Speaker 2: something I knew how to do. I just think it's 497 00:31:56,120 --> 00:32:00,880 Speaker 2: something that I knew how to do. And he listened 498 00:32:01,240 --> 00:32:04,280 Speaker 2: early on to people like Tom Snyder on on The 499 00:32:04,280 --> 00:32:07,320 Speaker 2: Tomorrow Show, who was a great interviewer. I mean, say 500 00:32:07,360 --> 00:32:10,920 Speaker 2: what you will about Tom, people you know, making jokes, 501 00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:15,360 Speaker 2: Dan Ackroyd and on. So that's a long, long, long story. 502 00:32:16,000 --> 00:32:20,680 Speaker 3: So after that John Lennon interview, you had to top 503 00:32:20,720 --> 00:32:21,840 Speaker 3: yourself somehow. 504 00:32:23,160 --> 00:32:24,280 Speaker 4: How could you top that? 505 00:32:25,720 --> 00:32:29,320 Speaker 2: Well, ironically, I don't know that this top back, because 506 00:32:29,320 --> 00:32:35,320 Speaker 2: nothing will top that ironically less than three months later Thanksgiving. 507 00:32:36,120 --> 00:32:38,840 Speaker 2: The interview was done in September of nineteen seventy four. 508 00:32:39,520 --> 00:32:44,360 Speaker 2: Thanksgiving nineteen seventy four, Elton's in town and again Elton 509 00:32:44,400 --> 00:32:46,680 Speaker 2: had been a frequent visitor to the radio station. He 510 00:32:46,880 --> 00:32:51,360 Speaker 2: loved hanging. He developed a great relationship with Scott. He 511 00:32:51,480 --> 00:32:57,560 Speaker 2: loved being outrageous EJ the DJ. So Scott's off, I'm 512 00:32:57,600 --> 00:33:01,200 Speaker 2: the designated fill in guy, fill in for everybody, but 513 00:33:01,240 --> 00:33:04,120 Speaker 2: certainly Scott show. When he's off. It's the day after 514 00:33:04,160 --> 00:33:08,400 Speaker 2: Thanksgiving nineteen seventy four, Friday afternoon, Scott has the afternoon 515 00:33:08,440 --> 00:33:12,360 Speaker 2: off Scott had a tradition called Things from England. Did 516 00:33:12,400 --> 00:33:16,880 Speaker 2: it every Friday at four love getting new releases, love 517 00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:20,440 Speaker 2: Love love getting imports before anybody else had them, Things 518 00:33:20,440 --> 00:33:23,440 Speaker 2: from England, or as we like to say, things from England, 519 00:33:24,560 --> 00:33:28,320 Speaker 2: that was a mainstay. Elton was in town and so 520 00:33:28,480 --> 00:33:32,000 Speaker 2: Elton had been pre invited. Do you want to come 521 00:33:32,120 --> 00:33:35,520 Speaker 2: up on Friday and present things from England? Now this 522 00:33:35,600 --> 00:33:39,000 Speaker 2: is Friday after he's performed Thursday, but he has agreed 523 00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:44,120 Speaker 2: and we're in a pre internet age. The fact that 524 00:33:44,200 --> 00:33:46,920 Speaker 2: John lenn In less than twenty four hours prior, had 525 00:33:46,960 --> 00:33:49,160 Speaker 2: been on stage with him right the last time that 526 00:33:49,240 --> 00:33:54,440 Speaker 2: John would perform a surprise to everyone. The world wasn't 527 00:33:54,480 --> 00:33:56,480 Speaker 2: aware of that in the way the world would be 528 00:33:56,560 --> 00:34:03,280 Speaker 2: now now there would be Instagram's blog, flips, photos, everything. 529 00:34:04,080 --> 00:34:07,320 Speaker 2: But nineteen seventy four, I don't know if any of 530 00:34:07,320 --> 00:34:10,120 Speaker 2: the New York papers covered it. I know none of 531 00:34:10,120 --> 00:34:13,040 Speaker 2: the New York TV stations covered it because there's no film. 532 00:34:13,280 --> 00:34:20,640 Speaker 2: There's no existing film, and radio wouldn't have necessarily. It 533 00:34:20,760 --> 00:34:24,680 Speaker 2: happened Thursday night at ten thirty or eleven o'clock. But 534 00:34:24,760 --> 00:34:27,720 Speaker 2: I knew about it, as any of the smart people 535 00:34:27,760 --> 00:34:31,680 Speaker 2: would have, and so when Elton comes in, I get 536 00:34:31,680 --> 00:34:34,920 Speaker 2: to say to him, so you had a special guest 537 00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:38,279 Speaker 2: last night. That's all I have to say, and he 538 00:34:38,440 --> 00:34:43,400 Speaker 2: describes the whole how it happened, you know, So suddenly 539 00:34:43,440 --> 00:34:45,719 Speaker 2: I have another piece of history. I never planned on 540 00:34:45,800 --> 00:34:48,080 Speaker 2: that at all. And that's only a small part of 541 00:34:48,120 --> 00:34:51,160 Speaker 2: the interview because Elton following our discussion of John and 542 00:34:51,200 --> 00:34:54,399 Speaker 2: what it was like, clips of which have been used 543 00:34:54,400 --> 00:34:56,839 Speaker 2: in various films through the years, just as they have 544 00:34:56,960 --> 00:35:00,440 Speaker 2: of the Lenin piece. The rest of the show is 545 00:35:00,520 --> 00:35:03,360 Speaker 2: just Elton talking about the new music from England. But 546 00:35:03,440 --> 00:35:06,520 Speaker 2: through the years, I've been very lucky. I have a website, 547 00:35:06,560 --> 00:35:10,919 Speaker 2: Dennis Elsis dot com and an archives page and there's 548 00:35:11,000 --> 00:35:15,000 Speaker 2: a really lovely list of you know, Pete Townshend and 549 00:35:15,080 --> 00:35:20,840 Speaker 2: Roger Daltrey and Ronnie Wood and even a piece with 550 00:35:20,920 --> 00:35:23,840 Speaker 2: Mick Jagger. I actually hired Mick Jagger to do a 551 00:35:23,880 --> 00:35:28,520 Speaker 2: commercial for Peter Tosh and you hear because I was 552 00:35:28,560 --> 00:35:31,480 Speaker 2: doing a lot of record spots and Atlantic Records said 553 00:35:32,400 --> 00:35:35,440 Speaker 2: for Rolling Stone Records, we've signed Peter Tosh, we need 554 00:35:35,440 --> 00:35:39,040 Speaker 2: a commercial and I realize, well, I'm not going to 555 00:35:39,200 --> 00:35:42,480 Speaker 2: voice it, and you need the right voice, and I 556 00:35:42,600 --> 00:35:47,560 Speaker 2: jokingly say, maybe Mick wants to voice it, and suddenly 557 00:35:47,600 --> 00:35:50,719 Speaker 2: I'm sitting in seventy five Rockefeller Plaza and so there's 558 00:35:50,760 --> 00:35:52,719 Speaker 2: an audio. There's a piece of audio tape on the 559 00:35:52,719 --> 00:35:56,279 Speaker 2: website of me coaching him what to say, you know now, 560 00:35:56,520 --> 00:36:00,840 Speaker 2: and you can tell he's like, no, that's enough anyway. 561 00:36:00,960 --> 00:36:03,600 Speaker 2: But Dennis Elsis dot com if you want to see 562 00:36:03,600 --> 00:36:05,680 Speaker 2: all the other interviews that I'm proud of. 563 00:36:06,680 --> 00:36:09,920 Speaker 4: Every moment I cracked the mic while I worked with 564 00:36:09,960 --> 00:36:18,720 Speaker 4: you at WNEWFM, I was nervous, but a good way nervous, 565 00:36:18,800 --> 00:36:24,680 Speaker 4: that adrenaline nerves. I can say every moment it brought 566 00:36:24,760 --> 00:36:31,120 Speaker 4: me that. Did you experience that yourself as well when 567 00:36:31,160 --> 00:36:34,040 Speaker 4: you were on the air there, or do you still 568 00:36:34,080 --> 00:36:36,320 Speaker 4: experience that to this day? 569 00:36:36,960 --> 00:36:42,360 Speaker 2: Well, you know again, I have a tape of myself 570 00:36:42,360 --> 00:36:45,359 Speaker 2: that first night, and I obviously sound like anybody would 571 00:36:45,440 --> 00:36:49,880 Speaker 2: on their first overnight. You know, I'm still aware of 572 00:36:51,360 --> 00:36:55,719 Speaker 2: that the mic is about to open, but luckily for 573 00:36:55,840 --> 00:37:01,279 Speaker 2: me having worked in progressive FM, then having worked in 574 00:37:01,480 --> 00:37:08,239 Speaker 2: AORFM and it's clearly a different presentation. And then surprisingly 575 00:37:08,320 --> 00:37:12,239 Speaker 2: to me winding up in public radio on WFUV, which 576 00:37:12,280 --> 00:37:16,640 Speaker 2: is a wholly different thing. And then getting into serious 577 00:37:17,960 --> 00:37:21,359 Speaker 2: they all are the same, but they're all different. And 578 00:37:21,640 --> 00:37:27,080 Speaker 2: so if there's any advantage to getting older in this 579 00:37:27,600 --> 00:37:30,799 Speaker 2: job is I think you get more relaxed. I mean, 580 00:37:30,840 --> 00:37:34,200 Speaker 2: I think I still am anxious if I have something special, right, 581 00:37:34,360 --> 00:37:36,560 Speaker 2: if I have an interview coming up, I'm going to 582 00:37:36,600 --> 00:37:40,239 Speaker 2: be over prepared because that's just my nature, or if 583 00:37:40,400 --> 00:37:44,719 Speaker 2: I'm going to be doing something special. But again, any 584 00:37:44,840 --> 00:37:49,120 Speaker 2: of our radio friends know it's a crazy world. You 585 00:37:49,280 --> 00:37:54,560 Speaker 2: are sitting generally in a dark room most of the 586 00:37:54,640 --> 00:37:59,080 Speaker 2: time with no windows, and whether it's you know, the 587 00:37:59,160 --> 00:38:01,680 Speaker 2: high tech of the twenty first century or the old 588 00:38:02,080 --> 00:38:06,680 Speaker 2: board of the twentieth century, you're talking to yourself. 589 00:38:07,800 --> 00:38:08,040 Speaker 1: You know. 590 00:38:08,360 --> 00:38:11,160 Speaker 2: I have always had in my head, without thinking about it, 591 00:38:11,200 --> 00:38:14,399 Speaker 2: almost like an imaginary think of the tic tac toe 592 00:38:14,440 --> 00:38:17,920 Speaker 2: board or Hollywood squares, and there's somebody different sitting in 593 00:38:18,000 --> 00:38:24,720 Speaker 2: each square. There's somebody driving their car, there's somebody making dinner, 594 00:38:24,760 --> 00:38:28,640 Speaker 2: there's somebody in an office. These days, there's somebody walking 595 00:38:28,719 --> 00:38:32,920 Speaker 2: around not with the transistor radio, but with their phone. 596 00:38:33,600 --> 00:38:36,680 Speaker 2: So I'm always aware that I'm on the radio. But 597 00:38:36,840 --> 00:38:39,719 Speaker 2: the more that I do it, the more that I've 598 00:38:39,719 --> 00:38:42,440 Speaker 2: done it, and the opportunity to have done it in 599 00:38:43,200 --> 00:38:49,680 Speaker 2: similar but different formats has helped me to become you know, 600 00:38:49,960 --> 00:38:51,640 Speaker 2: I think what you hear is what you get for 601 00:38:51,719 --> 00:38:52,279 Speaker 2: the most part. 602 00:38:52,360 --> 00:38:55,319 Speaker 4: These days, I'm going to break is this what you 603 00:38:55,360 --> 00:38:58,000 Speaker 4: call it the third wall or whatever, So I'm going 604 00:38:58,080 --> 00:38:58,440 Speaker 4: to speak. 605 00:38:58,480 --> 00:39:01,319 Speaker 3: I'm going to speak directly to everybody and not to you. 606 00:39:02,960 --> 00:39:08,440 Speaker 3: Dennis makes this look very easy. It's not easy. 607 00:39:09,920 --> 00:39:13,319 Speaker 4: No, you always that was, you know, as somebody who 608 00:39:13,400 --> 00:39:18,160 Speaker 4: listened to you growing up in Stanford, Connecticut and then 609 00:39:18,320 --> 00:39:19,080 Speaker 4: worked with you. 610 00:39:19,840 --> 00:39:23,920 Speaker 3: It's like, man, this guy, he makes it look like 611 00:39:24,200 --> 00:39:27,040 Speaker 3: just so easy, you know, and it's not. 612 00:39:28,320 --> 00:39:28,400 Speaker 1: No. 613 00:39:28,880 --> 00:39:32,800 Speaker 2: You know, there's there's there's everything that goes with any 614 00:39:33,160 --> 00:39:36,640 Speaker 2: job right there. There are the days when you feel great. 615 00:39:37,239 --> 00:39:40,800 Speaker 2: There are the days when you are disappointed in yourself. 616 00:39:40,840 --> 00:39:44,040 Speaker 2: I could have done that better. There are days when 617 00:39:44,080 --> 00:39:49,080 Speaker 2: you're anxious, maybe about getting called out by whoever it 618 00:39:49,160 --> 00:39:52,640 Speaker 2: is you're working for. You know, those those things happen. 619 00:39:52,719 --> 00:39:59,399 Speaker 2: We've all been there. But you know Elton saying I'm 620 00:39:59,400 --> 00:40:07,680 Speaker 2: still standing, and you know it's especially at anyw it's hard. 621 00:40:08,560 --> 00:40:11,040 Speaker 2: I was there a long time, about twenty seven years, 622 00:40:11,760 --> 00:40:15,120 Speaker 2: through a lot of different management changes and a lot 623 00:40:15,160 --> 00:40:19,560 Speaker 2: of different owners, you know, and when you start, you're 624 00:40:19,560 --> 00:40:24,120 Speaker 2: a young kid, and the future is you're just going up, up, 625 00:40:24,200 --> 00:40:27,600 Speaker 2: up up up. You know, you're you're on the outside. 626 00:40:27,600 --> 00:40:30,200 Speaker 2: Then you're music director, then you're the weekend guy. Then 627 00:40:30,280 --> 00:40:33,320 Speaker 2: you're working six to ten every night, and it's like, oh, 628 00:40:34,239 --> 00:40:39,560 Speaker 2: then suddenly you're the weekend guy again because people decided 629 00:40:39,560 --> 00:40:43,719 Speaker 2: to change stuff around. And then so you know, you 630 00:40:43,760 --> 00:40:46,680 Speaker 2: don't know it at the time, but you're going to 631 00:40:46,760 --> 00:40:50,399 Speaker 2: be riding that roller coaster up and down. And if 632 00:40:50,400 --> 00:40:54,000 Speaker 2: you're lucky enough, you have a good support system. In 633 00:40:54,000 --> 00:40:58,120 Speaker 2: my case, I have a wonderful family, terrific wife, terrific kids, 634 00:40:59,120 --> 00:41:04,120 Speaker 2: and it's pretty much kept me grounded. Plus there's some 635 00:41:04,239 --> 00:41:07,360 Speaker 2: luck involved, you know, bouncing from place to place and 636 00:41:07,480 --> 00:41:12,640 Speaker 2: landing on my feet. I never imagined that my twentieth 637 00:41:12,680 --> 00:41:17,799 Speaker 2: century life would be commercial radio literally nineteen seventy one 638 00:41:17,840 --> 00:41:22,960 Speaker 2: to nineteen ninety eight, and my twenty first century life 639 00:41:23,440 --> 00:41:27,760 Speaker 2: would be public radio and satellite two thousand and two. Today. 640 00:41:28,239 --> 00:41:32,680 Speaker 2: That's you know, thank goodness all that stuff exists because 641 00:41:32,760 --> 00:41:34,200 Speaker 2: it's allowed me to keep working. 642 00:41:35,320 --> 00:41:41,880 Speaker 4: You started calling me killer, Yes, Bob Killer Kosak I 643 00:41:41,880 --> 00:41:43,520 Speaker 4: don't know if I ever told you this, but my 644 00:41:43,680 --> 00:41:48,200 Speaker 4: mother and father, but my mother in particular used to 645 00:41:48,280 --> 00:41:53,000 Speaker 4: listen in Stanford, Connecticut, of course, and she would, you know, 646 00:41:53,040 --> 00:41:56,160 Speaker 4: listen to me on any W. And I remember she 647 00:41:56,239 --> 00:42:00,440 Speaker 4: said to me, I don't like killer. You're not a killer. 648 00:42:01,880 --> 00:42:03,000 Speaker 1: I said, ma, I don't. 649 00:42:02,840 --> 00:42:08,040 Speaker 2: Worry about it. Well to be explained. So we get 650 00:42:08,080 --> 00:42:12,319 Speaker 2: this new kid in Bob Kosack. I don't know that 651 00:42:12,360 --> 00:42:15,080 Speaker 2: he's buzz Night. You know he's he's buzz Night in 652 00:42:15,120 --> 00:42:18,120 Speaker 2: an alternate world. Right, You've been buzz Night on the 653 00:42:18,200 --> 00:42:21,040 Speaker 2: radio for as long as you have been on the radio, 654 00:42:21,160 --> 00:42:23,640 Speaker 2: at least not on any W because you couldn't do that. 655 00:42:23,680 --> 00:42:26,920 Speaker 2: You were in a reasonably close market in Connecticut, just 656 00:42:27,040 --> 00:42:30,440 Speaker 2: up the road, right, classic rock yeah, rock yeah. And 657 00:42:30,480 --> 00:42:34,239 Speaker 2: you've and you've always been buzz Night. But you made 658 00:42:34,280 --> 00:42:38,239 Speaker 2: the choice wisely. So I'll be Bob Kosack because that's 659 00:42:38,320 --> 00:42:41,120 Speaker 2: really what the radio station was. It wasn't it didn't 660 00:42:41,120 --> 00:42:45,319 Speaker 2: have quote unquote goofy names. You know, No, we had 661 00:42:45,400 --> 00:42:45,920 Speaker 2: enough goofy. 662 00:42:46,000 --> 00:42:48,720 Speaker 4: I asked Charlie Kendall, of the program director, I said, 663 00:42:48,719 --> 00:42:52,120 Speaker 4: what name should I use? And he said, well, how 664 00:42:52,120 --> 00:42:54,520 Speaker 4: about your real name? Your mother was okay with it. 665 00:42:55,600 --> 00:42:58,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's like when I got hired by Scott Muni, 666 00:42:59,560 --> 00:43:04,120 Speaker 2: he said, well what name do you use? And I 667 00:43:04,160 --> 00:43:07,400 Speaker 2: thought to myself, well, you have a guy named Jonathan 668 00:43:07,480 --> 00:43:11,680 Speaker 2: Schwartz and Pete fourne of Tell working here, two of 669 00:43:11,719 --> 00:43:16,080 Speaker 2: the most at the time unlikely radio names right in 670 00:43:16,120 --> 00:43:20,200 Speaker 2: the late sixties, early seventies. So anyway, so Bob is 671 00:43:20,239 --> 00:43:24,319 Speaker 2: Bob Kosack why, I don't know. You know, growing up 672 00:43:24,520 --> 00:43:29,080 Speaker 2: wrestling fan pro wrestling, all the goofy stuff, and there 673 00:43:29,200 --> 00:43:37,080 Speaker 2: was a wrestler named Killer Kowalski. Okay, so I guess 674 00:43:37,160 --> 00:43:41,120 Speaker 2: just you know, free association, and it was Bob Killer 675 00:43:41,160 --> 00:43:45,480 Speaker 2: Kossack and it just became a person. Really was a 676 00:43:45,560 --> 00:43:47,640 Speaker 2: joke between you and I. I don't know, I never 677 00:43:47,680 --> 00:43:49,640 Speaker 2: explained it to the audience, and I don't know that 678 00:43:49,680 --> 00:43:55,080 Speaker 2: anybody really got the Killer Kowalski thing, so you know, 679 00:43:55,360 --> 00:43:57,000 Speaker 2: and then of course I would refer to your wife 680 00:43:57,040 --> 00:44:00,680 Speaker 2: as missus Killer, you know, silly things like that. Oh 681 00:44:00,880 --> 00:44:04,960 Speaker 2: I loved it, but yeah, I loved it. Now. 682 00:44:05,400 --> 00:44:09,080 Speaker 4: So in closing, you must have some people on your 683 00:44:09,480 --> 00:44:13,520 Speaker 4: interview hit list to this day, and who would they be? 684 00:44:14,960 --> 00:44:21,160 Speaker 2: Well, you know, I've chatted with Paul McCartney, but briefly, okay, 685 00:44:22,239 --> 00:44:25,759 Speaker 2: And I never had the opportunity to talk to George Harrison. 686 00:44:27,080 --> 00:44:27,239 Speaker 1: Oh. 687 00:44:27,280 --> 00:44:30,480 Speaker 2: I've talked to Ringo a whole bunch of times, and 688 00:44:30,520 --> 00:44:33,279 Speaker 2: he is what you see is what you get. Man. 689 00:44:33,360 --> 00:44:36,759 Speaker 2: It's nice to have that guy be that guy. I mean, 690 00:44:36,840 --> 00:44:40,799 Speaker 2: he's he's great, He's great with with people, so that's 691 00:44:40,880 --> 00:44:46,160 Speaker 2: kind of exciting. I probably would be intimidated even attempting 692 00:44:46,200 --> 00:44:49,920 Speaker 2: to talk to Bob Dylan, just because you know, they're 693 00:44:49,960 --> 00:44:54,400 Speaker 2: they're I was in a room with other an ew 694 00:44:54,640 --> 00:44:59,319 Speaker 2: DJ's backstage at Nasau Coliseum. We were invited out to 695 00:44:59,400 --> 00:45:01,760 Speaker 2: meet Bob. He wanted to see us, or the record 696 00:45:01,760 --> 00:45:04,560 Speaker 2: company wanted him to see us because they wanted to 697 00:45:04,600 --> 00:45:07,080 Speaker 2: generate some more airplay in the early eighties for a 698 00:45:07,160 --> 00:45:10,480 Speaker 2: Dylan album or the late seventies. And that was kind 699 00:45:10,480 --> 00:45:14,640 Speaker 2: of intimidating because you have this room of jocks literally 700 00:45:14,920 --> 00:45:18,080 Speaker 2: sitting in backstage in a circle in a dressing room, 701 00:45:18,080 --> 00:45:20,680 Speaker 2: and Bob's sitting there. You could tell how uncomfortable he was. 702 00:45:21,640 --> 00:45:25,520 Speaker 2: And Alison Steel breaks the ice by saying, nice boots, Bob, 703 00:45:26,960 --> 00:45:30,279 Speaker 2: you know, and that's but you know, I got to 704 00:45:30,360 --> 00:45:36,799 Speaker 2: interview Graham Nash, who is terrific, and David Crosby, who 705 00:45:36,920 --> 00:45:40,960 Speaker 2: you could see could be difficult but wasn't. And boy, 706 00:45:41,000 --> 00:45:44,600 Speaker 2: I'd love to have talked to Neil Young, but again 707 00:45:44,640 --> 00:45:47,000 Speaker 2: that's going to be a tough interview. You know. I 708 00:45:47,040 --> 00:45:51,640 Speaker 2: spoke with Neil briefly, briefly backstage Jeff Lynn. I'm really 709 00:45:51,719 --> 00:45:55,680 Speaker 2: curious I've gotten this close to talking to him, but 710 00:45:56,400 --> 00:46:00,520 Speaker 2: I've always wondered, you know, what else is going on there? 711 00:46:01,080 --> 00:46:05,440 Speaker 2: And then I've been so fortunate being at FUV because 712 00:46:05,480 --> 00:46:09,200 Speaker 2: I've got to I've got to meet all these younger 713 00:46:09,320 --> 00:46:13,160 Speaker 2: artists that I never would have never would have crossed 714 00:46:13,200 --> 00:46:17,040 Speaker 2: my classic rock brain. And I wish I could think 715 00:46:17,120 --> 00:46:19,680 Speaker 2: now of some of the men and women that I've 716 00:46:19,680 --> 00:46:23,000 Speaker 2: had the good pleasure of talking to, but that has 717 00:46:23,040 --> 00:46:27,920 Speaker 2: expanded my vocabulary quite a bit, so I don't really 718 00:46:27,960 --> 00:46:30,279 Speaker 2: have a gee I wish I could talk to him, 719 00:46:30,320 --> 00:46:33,239 Speaker 2: or I wish I could talk to her I've interviewed. 720 00:46:33,960 --> 00:46:36,200 Speaker 2: I'd love to have talked to more of the Stones 721 00:46:36,680 --> 00:46:39,200 Speaker 2: in Deeper, but I've had a couple of them, you know, 722 00:46:39,239 --> 00:46:43,000 Speaker 2: So the classic people I'm pretty well covered in my brain. 723 00:46:43,800 --> 00:46:46,160 Speaker 2: As the new ones come up. I'm curious just to 724 00:46:46,239 --> 00:46:48,160 Speaker 2: know who they are. Sometimes I get to talk to 725 00:46:48,239 --> 00:46:52,479 Speaker 2: them at FUV, either off mic or actually sit down 726 00:46:52,520 --> 00:46:53,560 Speaker 2: and have the interview. 727 00:46:54,760 --> 00:46:58,880 Speaker 3: Dennis a Radio Hall of Fame career. 728 00:47:00,239 --> 00:47:06,200 Speaker 4: Hint, hint. Thank you for being so tremendous to me, 729 00:47:07,040 --> 00:47:13,120 Speaker 4: being this jittery young man coming into this iconic radio station. 730 00:47:14,040 --> 00:47:21,000 Speaker 4: You've treated me with respect and such dignity and friendship. 731 00:47:21,320 --> 00:47:26,080 Speaker 4: I can't thank you enough, and it's so great to 732 00:47:26,239 --> 00:47:27,800 Speaker 4: have you on Taking a Walk. 733 00:47:28,520 --> 00:47:31,279 Speaker 2: Hey Bob, It's like I always say, rock and Roller 734 00:47:31,360 --> 00:47:34,720 Speaker 2: never forgets, and that has to do not with old music, 735 00:47:34,800 --> 00:47:37,879 Speaker 2: but that has to do with relationships along the way. 736 00:47:39,239 --> 00:47:41,719 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to this episode of the Taking a 737 00:47:41,760 --> 00:47:45,640 Speaker 1: Walk podcast. Share this and other episodes with your friends 738 00:47:45,719 --> 00:47:49,240 Speaker 1: and follow us so you never miss an episode. Taking 739 00:47:49,239 --> 00:47:53,160 Speaker 1: a Walk is available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 740 00:47:53,360 --> 00:47:55,640 Speaker 1: and wherever you get your podcasts.