Re: Trump Is A Metal Band
Bob -
Once again, you're right on the money. You have been consistently focused on the state of this business of music that we've so passionately lived in and loved for so many years. Regarding Trump, my friend for many years and with all due respect to him - I came away from your amazing insight with the following nutshell reaction (which is one of a universal feeling, not specific to him)… NEVER UNDERESTIMATE ANYONE WHO OVERESTIMATES THEMSELVES. Keep the integrity in motion.
Paul Anka
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From: Jack Endino
Subject: Re: Trump Is A Metal Band
Bernie = 70s prog. Fills stadiums, equally uncool.
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From: Steve Chrismar
Subject: RE: A Little More Trump
To keep it dumb and simple in a 21st century world -
Ratings + streams = winning!
Trump is the Charlie Sheen of politics!
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From: Rich Madow
Subject: Re: Oldchella
I totally agree about Dylan. It is sickening how the greatest musical artist of our time has gone beyond self-parody to an out and out scam. It is amazing that the ticket-buying public puts up with it.
True story - last time I saw Dylan (2008 or so) I was walking out of the venue with a friend who had never seen Bob before. As he was complaining how horrible the show was, I said, "Well, at least you got to see Bob Dylan play Blowin' In The Wind," to which he responded,
"What? He played Blowin' In The Wind?" Seriously Bobby D. - at least you could try......
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Subject: Re: Oldchella
Bob: Jerry Garcia said he provoked an "adversary relationship" with the producers of Monterey Pop for trying to do a free concert outside the fairgrounds for the people who couldn't get tickets. When we promoted the first dates the Dead ever played in L.A. in April of '67, Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead and Canned Heat all played for free to help launch The Kaleidoscope. Money was never the goal in those days. Music was the fuel of the revolution. The Millennials are going to finish what we started in '64 and was crushed by '69. Music ended a war, it could put Bernie in the White House, if it woke up for one more round. Sad that the voices that started the revolt aren't still in the fight.
Pax, Hartmann
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Subject: Bob Dylan
Just got tickets to see Bob Dylan. Along with the tickets I have an offer for a free cd of his new album. Couple observations:
1) I fully expect his new album to suck
2) I have streaming music so if I ever get a wild hair to listen to it I will stream it. What do I need a plastic cd for, a coaster maybe?
File under old old old school promotions.
Thanks,
Bob Daniel
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From: Daniel DeBlanke
Subject: Re: Prince
A few years ago I subbed on the Prince "Welcome to Canada" tour for 3 shows on a whim to help out a friend.
Three arena tours (with a middle of the night club show for fans at each stop).
"The man" (his nickname) ran the show as a half joyous child, half tyrant/perfectionist.
He demanded silence in the arena once he came in to sound check, but would then ride a bike around the floor just to relax.
Every night he watched the show, (after the show) to see what did and didn't work. Imagine if every act did that.
He wanted perfection. He demanded it.?He only cared about his fans, and he wanted every experience to be different and special. Each night had to be a snowflake.
That meant the band didn't see the setlist until doors!
Bands now work a specific set with 132 backing tracks running through ableton, with no improv no wiggle, lights and production syncing with the cpu....
Prince has his crew memorizing the entire Prince catalog, 75 % of the R n' B and funk fake book, plus whatever he might hear on the radio five minutes before showtime.
And they have to be ready to change it up at any second. And do it flawlessly.
At the club shows he sat on the side as his amazing band hit the funk hard for an hour before he popped up on stage to play/ sing/ grab an instrument...a prodigy... in 5 inch heels.
My favorite memory:?He had Maceo Parker on tour for that leg and one night as I sat there admiring Maceo's brilliant playing from the side of the stage, I suddenly realized Prince had snuck up next to me.
Maceo and the band hit the chorus and from his saxophone this soaring and blistering note blasted out. ?I nearly fainted, and screamed out "DAMN!".?I quickly glance down to Prince and he nods at me. He nods along with the group, walks on stage grabs his old hohner tele and immediately is on top of the action.
Tons of people complain about Prince. ?(Firing people, seeming cold, jehova witness stuff, etc.)?Those people don't get it, and they are never going to hold 50 thousand people in the palm of their hand and make a hockey arena seem as intimate as a cabaret.?
I am devastated.
- Daniel
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From: Steve Isaacson
Subject: Re: Prince Obervations
Many years ago David Hewitt, Phil Gitomer, Paul Prestopino and I took the Record Plant Remote Black Truck to First Avenue in Minneapolis to record a live album by the Time. The recording was produced by Prince. I had heard very little of Prince's music at that time. I was very moved and impressed by Prince. Late in the day I approached his crew and told them that I would like to work with Prince and was willing to move to Minneapolis. At that time I was primarily an onstage monitor mixer when not working on the Black Truck. A little while later the people with Prince came back and gave me his answer. He said that he knew who I was and appreciated my asking. But, he only hired people from Minneapolis to work with him. That Minneapolis made him who he was and that he felt he needed to pay the city back by hiring only from the city. A very moving answer, and a truly decent way to live and share a life of stardom. He was the only person in music that I ever asked for a job that did not
hire me.
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Subject: Re: Prince Obervations
Hey Bob-
I need to comment on one point you made in your Prince piece- music education in schools.
Yes, this is vital, and eliminating it has been really stupid, and tragic. And it turns out that music education not only matters for itself, but studies have shown that learning to play music stimulates development of the same part of the brain as is also used for mathematics, and science. So young people who learn to play music are get a win-win for themselves, and their community.
Music is a blessing in and of itself, but since most people will NOT have a professional career in it, the other side-benefit is kids better prepared to learn other complex things (we're short on engineers and doctors, for instance). And as you pointed out, life without culture is just thin and kind of boring. Humans NEED art, music, dance, expression, done by themselves for themselves, not only watching some superstar, altho we can't take our eyes off of them.
I benefited from piano lessons at 6, choir in church all through parochial school, trombone for 5 years in a marching band, then guitar at 13. Music education matters. Support it in your communities.
best
bernie leadon
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Subject: Re: Prince
YOUR WORDS ARE RIGHT ON POINT.....I WAS DEVASTATED WHEN I HEARD THE NEWS.....I WAS HONORED WHEN PRINCE CHOSE TO RECORD MY SONG 'CRIMSON & CLOVER' AND HAPPY WHEN IT BECAME A HIT FOR HIM.....ANOTHER VOID IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY TODAY....TOMMY JAMES
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Subject: Re: One More Steve Miller E-Mail
Bob,
I can confirm that the artist does not get any input as to who should induct them. The Allman Brothers Band suggested and really wanted President Jimmy Carter to induct them as they were very proud of their contribution to his successful presidential campaign. Alas, they were told, "No, we will select who inducts you." Fortunately old friend Willie Nelson was asked to do it and he did it masterfully, but a major country artist inducting a major blues rock artist was kind of bizarre, Eric Clapton, BB King, Buddy Guy, or even Stevie Ray Vaughn if he was still alive might have been more appropriate.
Regards,
Bert Holman
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From: Russ Titelman
Subject: NoRe: Re-Steve Miller At The R&RHOF
It always rankled me that Steve wasn't inducted long ago (I was on the soap box about it for years) before so many of the younger and in some cases less deserving artists got in, and made my opinion known to as many of the RRHOF nominating committee members as possible. I remember the glazed look that came over their faces. ?As far as being more generous to the artists and their families, band members, etc., I suppose the policy is based on the Hall's desire/mandate to raise money, which would also account for the decision to move the venue from the beautiful Waldorf-Astoria ballroom to finally winding up at the Barclay Center. Same thing happened to the Grammys back in the 90's. From Radio City {the beauty of that hall only highlighted the importance of the event} to Madison Square Garden and then to the Staples Center in LA. When I attended the first Grammy ceremony at the Garden, to my horror, I was surrounded by people on their cell phones talking while speeches were being made
and music was being played. I thought to myself that it had now become a sporting event not a music awards event and from now on would lose the intimacy, importance and exclusivity it deserved. Why does everything have to be on steroids? Bigger isn't necessarily better.
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From: Keith Brown
Subject: RE: Steve Miller At The R&RHOF
I'm surprised to learn that Steve Miller has a reputation for being unfriendly. I was working with Sass Jordan who was on the Waking Up the Nation Canadian tour in 1992. Many of us felt the best thing about the tour was getting to know Steve. He was always organizing activities for all the musicians and crew on the tour. He carried all kinds of recreational gear in the bays of his two custom Prevosts; volleyball nets, baseball equipment, canoes and fishing gear and he would announce each day what the tour event would be. Sass told him how much she liked his songs and so he asked her to come up and join him in singing one of them. The next show a couple of the guys in Extreme joined Steve and Sass and as the tour went along, the "singalong with Steve Miller" segment snowballed to the point where you even had roadies and members of Bryan's band onstage. To say Steve was generous would be an understatement. When Sass' bus died in the middle of the Canadian Prairies Steve lent her his
band's bus, explaining that his band would rather fly anyway. Steve didn't take a cent from Sass and also incurred the added cost of airfares and ground transit for his own band. Maybe Steve Miller has a surly side but I came away with the impression that he was one of the most likeable rock stars I've ever encountered.
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Subject: Re: Re-Steve Miller At The R&RHOF
Hey Bob - I was in the Steve Miller Band with my brothers from 1988-1992. Steve is serious/passionate about education. He has volunteered on my college advisory board at the Minneapolis Media Institute for as long as I have been the Lead Instructor (7 years), and has shown up on my conference calls to weigh in on how and what we are teaching our music students. Not many rock stars would do this for ANYONE - He is the real deal.\
Paul Peterson
Bassist with Peter Frampton
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Subject: Steve miller, honest rocker
Not to beat a dead horse on Steve miller...but I thought you'd enjoy this short story.
Steve Miller while no one is watching...
In 2005, I was on the road playing keys/guitar for a country act, and on a two week break our guitar tech Joe picked up a stage production's assistant gig on a small festival from our soundman that Steve miller was headlining. Also...noteworthy, Steve's son's band was opening. So Joe is standing side stage smoking a cig listening to Miller's son's band and a grey haired inconspicuous guy walks up...joe starts small talking, "man these guys are terrible. I mean how are they direct support?" The grey haired man says, "well he's my son." Joe immediately feels awful..."oh my god, I'm sorry Mr. Miller; I had no idea that was you! I'm sorry man. I don't know what I'm talking about. Just a long day."
Steve turns to my friend..."you know you're the first person to ever tell me that. Everyone is always telling me how great I am and my son's band rocks. The truth is they ARE terrible. They're terrible because they never had to cut their teeth in clubs for five years. He's my son. He's gonna get booked. I love him, but damn. I like you man and don't apologize."
Bad father? Iconic asshole? I don't think so. Anyone who's worked their ass off to make something out of nothing in our industry who doesn't turn into a bit of a curmudgeon in their later rocking years in reaction to the state of current affairs was just not paying attention. Steve, Bruce, Mick & Keith, Steven Tyler, even Sting...no matter what we peasants think or the self entitled high rollers scoff at...these great artists still have the guts to keep rocking our balls off til the day they leave this earth.
Jared Leto would've been just as an irrelevant choice to induct Steve...but at least he probably would've spoken well, passionately and unselfishly of Miller. Welcome to the not so slow and completely fucked up passing of the guard! It's happening before our eyes.
Thanks for the words Bob.
Regards,
Ty Reynolds
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Subject: Re: Re-Steve Miller At The R&RHOF
hi bob!
finally saw steve's interview. steve miller is a bad ass since his first album.
his body of work before his mid seventies top 40 hit's is a legendary body of work alone.
saw him play acoustic at the berkley community theater in 1973…just the fm radio hits…an amazing body of work then.
love hearing him speak his mind.
a singular and iconic artist.
love ya steve!!
boo fat cats!
xx rick nowels
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Subject: Steve Miller
Bob,
I happen to have a history for which Steve played a big part, although he may not know it. Let me tell the tale.
When I was a freshman at Stanford back in 1967 coming from a big public high school outside Philadelphia, I took a creative writing class which was taught by a TA who thought himself really cool. So cool that the first week of school, the first writing assignment, was the following subject: A local blues band has just been signed by Capitol Records. What significance does this have? It was of course The Steve Miller Band. This was some kind of omen.
Skip ahead about 15 years to 1982, I own a production company in Hollywood and have started doing a bunch of presentations for Capitol Records like NARM shows, and had dabbled in music videos. One day they called up and said we have a song for which we want you to make a music video. They said they only had $25,000 but thought I could make it with stock footage of magic. The song was Abracadabra.
I checked out what stock footage was available which was very little and told them that I had to shoot something. I rented a sound stage for one day. I hired a cameraman who had come by introducing himself a few weeks previous. I put out the word that we needed a video chick (not in those terms). The morning of the shoot, I popped awake early and called Roy Johns of the Mums, a theatrical group I knew. Luckily they were available and asked what they should bring – I said to bring everything. On the way to the stage I stopped at an old theatrical storehouse of show props on the lot where my office was and picked out a trapezoidal window which they let me have and I put it on the roof of my Renault Le Car and drove to the stage. I had picked the girl because she was beautiful and can't remember how we got the other girl which turned out to be the daughter of the famous dolphin guru Dr. Lily. And I had an intern working for me who had discovered you could do fire effects with a can
of WD40.
We shot all day doing a medley of stunts. Turned out the pretty girl couldn't move so I just posed her. Even got my first daughter who had been born just one week earlier into a shot - "Kiss me, baby."
Dropped the film in the lab and called my old friend Larry who owned an editing company to see if he could come in the next day Saturday and edit the video. I remember when we laid out the 5 100' cans of 35mm film (the last one being just fire effects with the WD40) and he laughed. Two hours later we had a rough cut.
Then we had one week to use our electronic paint system which we had just finished and never yet used. We fed the 35mm film into our optical front end and proceeded to paint over the frames, shooting the pixels onto a new piece of 35mm film which got later telecine'd with the negative from the shoot. We also cut some frames out and put them into slide mounts and animated them, along with some pictures of Steve, on our slide animation system which was also output to 35mm film.
Bottomline is that the song Abracadabra went global big and the video gets shown even today. Got a nomination as best director at one of the first MTV Music Awards
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCuTrfTfGd0
Then 3 years later in 1985, got to do another video for Steve called Bongo Bongo. Shooting on 35mm in about 10 locations, I used a new 3d computer animation system called a Bosch 4000 which I had just been learning and which was available in one of the video editing facilities in Hollywood. Like Abracadabra, we did not shoot Steve except for one scene where he was to appear very briefly in a recording studio at Capitol. He shows up at the shoot having just gotten a haircut. A haircut, OMG, he was overweight and it was the worst choice. I blame myself for not thinking to side light him because the flat lighting, even though the shot of him lasted no more than 2 seconds, was not flattering. The artist not looking great was only part of the problem. The song bombed in the marketplace which was the biggest reason Bongo Bongo got buried. But too bad because it was a great video. Had the same Mums as performers that were in Abracadabra.
http://milesconsulting.org/motion.html
Always have the fondest thoughts for the space cowboy.
-Peter Conn
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From: Jack Ingram
Subject: Re: One More Steve Miller E-Mail
Steve Miller
To the email replying people whose closest encounters with real Rock Stars, Artists or any viable connection to the workings of a CAREER/LIFETIME in music:
Unless you've spent a LIFETIME on the road playing shows & making records & playing shows & making records...LASTING records...while being largely overlooked by the "tastemakers and popularity chasers AND haters"...only to be invited to be inducted to the RRHOF thinking of it as an incredible recognition of your art, your songwriting, your work ethic, your musicianship...then just to be reminded- by not having control of your performance, not being ALLOWED to pass the love on down to the people (REAL PEOPLE) who have stood by you through the thick and mostly thin times with tickets as well as being dictated to as to who will induct you at the ceremony...which, once again, reminds you, with an iron fist that "you should be lucky to be here", that none of this is about you, kid (old man)- it's about people with business savvy making sure their agenda is taken care of by surrounding themselves with REAL TALENT (the artists)! Unless that specific scenario has happened to you
personally...then your opinion of Steve Miller, outside of to what degree you love or hate his music, is of ZERO VALUE and what he says to the RRHOF "Brass" is not for you to concern yourself with! He is a rock star...that's where it begins and that's where it ends!
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Subject: Re: Steve Miller At The R&RHOF
I'm sorry to trouble you with such a late response so I'll edit:
1) worked with capitol 82-83..my first #1 was "abracadabra"...Steve did a live show at Pine Knob outside of Detroit that was broadcast live on a network of non major tv stations..channel 50 in Detroit, for example....needless to say, a lot was going on...but...he was kind enough to say hello to the new Cap guy....I had been warned by everyone that he wasa major a-hole....he was, in fact, the nicest guy in the world and gave me much more time than I deserved considering the circumstances...he asked about the Cap staff working at home instead of at offices (a new development) and how I liked it...asked a ton of questions and was just the nicest guy you'd ever wanna meet...and it was just me...no radio guy by my side...then he apologized and said he had to go....explaining there were a lot of sound issues for this TV broadcast.....my jaw is on the floor just remembering......
2) I worked with Elektra 83-91 and , once again, I was warned by everyone that Jackson Browne was the biggest a-hole on the planet....he was the nicest and most wonderful person...passionate in his beliefs and willing to talk to me even though he knew I leaned right....I asked him a question once and he gave me this short look of disbelief and then said, "Okay.to answer that, I need to give you the history of Nicaragua"...and off he went.....we were told not to mention Daryl Hannah on threat of being fired and Jackson put me on the phone with her...I took a few radio bullets for him and would take many more even today.....saw him at the Troubadour about a year after leaving Elektra....he had no idea who I was....looked right into my ideas and had no idea....But Buddha did and I guess that's what matters....(Buddha wasn't there but we spoke again later)....
so...love your work
Louis Heidelmeier
just a used-to-be
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Subject: Re: Steve Miller At The R&RHOF
Dear Bob,
As a 40 year member of the touring sound and production army––the man behind the man if you will––I want to clarify, that for better or for worse, every penny I have ever earned has been a direct result of this line of work. I have stories to tell. Not theoretical, actual. If any vote counts, it might be mine. Maybe, maybe not.
Mr. Miller did many shows with us in the seventies, and is a giant of this now comically fetid business. His remarks at the idiotic gathering in Cleveland were apparently controversial, but utterly diplomatic considering what a shameless shithole of a business that the music industry has become.
I believe your own words at one point might have included, "a business populated by uneducated hustlers'. You were also being very polite.
When all the Mount Rushmore guys and gals, like Steve Miller, were coming up in the world, they devoted themselves to sitting on the knee of the generations in show business who went before, while thousands of others who did not avail themselves of history and knowledge, faded into dust. Just like the Black Keys will. Who are these derivative invertebrates again?
There is a direct correlation between people who educate themselves and people who do not….people who think they have a better way, etc…? Well, the road is littered with their bleached bones.
Experience and wisdom intensify over time, not the reverse.
I laugh while crying when I hear the I-wanna-be-somebody-someday crowd say 'he's just an grumpy old guy'. It kills me that kids, even my own children sometimes, do not understand that we boomers are giving them the answers to the test; just like the generations before helped us understand the lay of the land.
Ignore Miller at your own peril as they say. And to all those shameless cocksuckers in their corner offices and all the remora powdering their asses; know that thousand of others are keen to take your place, and will. With a bit of luck the new regime will bring a bit of dignity back to the game. One can hope….
And not that it matters, but I've had the most fortunate career in live music as anyone could have dreamed of and never, not once, have I been interested in stopping by the so called RRHOF. Even when I was right down the street. I steer well clear of it and all that it represents.
Who falls for this shit???
Thanks Bob.
Dave Dalzell
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From: peter hollander
Subject: Re: Barbarian Days
To me, your biggest point is we used to do things for the experience— not the money. Now everyone is worried the kindergarten their kids get into will determine their success. Which is just outrageous.
The other point is none of these people with all this education do blue collar work anymore. Even in the summer.
That's where you learn about life. Not in a classroom. Not in a office punching emails, and generating powerpoints. You learn about the world from working with the people who build and maintain it.
That's why everyone watches these home improvement shows, America's Dirtiest Jobs, etc. To see people doing real work, because none of them are doing real work anymore— and most wish they were.
Great stuff.
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From: Jordan Lyga
Subject: Recommendation
Hey Bob,
Wanted to send some new music your way. Artist named Skrizzly Adams. He came up on my Spotify discover weekly playlist two weeks ago and I fell in love with it right away. I decided to look up if he was touring and sure enough he was going to be in Minneapolis last night with a girl called Lissie. Tickets were sold out, but I shot him a tweet and he put me on the guest list, which I was very grateful for cause he was phenomenal live. Also he had a very unique sales idea. Apparently, aside from music, his other passion is making beef jerky. He announced from stage that he would be selling some of his homemade stock at his merch table, which was brilliant because most venues don't sell any food. I myself hadn't ate lunch, so I bought three bags, and the line at his merch table was crazy long as a result. He made bank, and most people bought his cd as well as the jerky.
His style is refreshingly unusual, as it morphs a lot of things that traditionally don't go together. He's a mix of Americana melodies and a Hip Hop backbeat and has voice that's got so much emotion you can't help but feel your heart break along with him. His biggest problem is inconsistency. Of his 6 songs, only two of them will grab you right away, but he just got signed to Atlantic Records who I'm sure will help clean that up.
Anyway, here's the song that got me interested.
Skrizzly Adams - Me and You
-----------------
-Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmWbQ3hXdnA
-Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/track/0qYRFiRGd9R5CyDSEFN5BK
And here is his first single for Atlantic which I think is his best work.
Skrizzly Adams - Tipping Point
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-Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCIZoO3tUWM
-Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/track/1l2NCml9M2fGmaUngSYdww
Let me know what you think.
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Subject: Re: Mailbag
Bob:
Danny Kortchmar may have opened up a really "fun" can of worms on your last post. The first three singles I ever bought (in no particular order because I can no longer recall which was which) were:
1) "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" by Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers
2) "Maybellene" by Chuck Berry
3) "Bimbo" by Jim Reeves.
If the third one seems a bit out of character, I should add that it was pressed on red vinyl. Hey, I was like eight years old...:-).
My first album was the first Elvis. I loved singles before I loved albums, of course. I'm just that old.
Jimmy Fox
PS: Anyone else wanna play...?
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Re: Wendy Waldman and Her Minions Weigh In
Her first few paragraph's surmise of the record industry is right on the money - though I think she is being overly polite not to call it what it was and still is - a form of indentured slavery. However, her upbeat nature and realization that this "yardstick" of "success" is nothing more than an artificial creation of mass-manufacturing and to ignore it and soldier on is definitely inspiring.
This one's a keeper. I will re-read it again later.
And probably later again, when I get depressed looking at the world around me.
Dave Bass
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Re: Wendy Waldman and Her Minions Weigh In
Bob,
Sorry I'm so late to this discussion. I was just telling my husband about Wendy's Cypress album, Letters Home, and how it was one of the finest records that no one heard. If you decide to do another round of Wendy, I would like to say it was an honor and pleasure to work with her. There are quite a few really good female bands coming into their own. They don't know it, but artists like Wendy, who didn't compromise on her artistry help paved the way for them. Maybe we can, collectively, make a lot of noise about Wendy so these bands will want to seek out her music and become inspired.
Thanks for the trip.
Lori Nafshun
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Re: Wendy Waldman Playlist
You nailed it on your piece about Wendy Waldman and I'm glad she chimed in too
I will now hunt down her recent stuff too
The wind in New York City always killed me ( late 70,s I think)
Best
Michael B
Radio guy and music lover for over 50 years
Gold Coast Australia
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Re: Wendy Waldman Playlist
When Maria Muldaur had a hit with Midnight at the Oasis, I went out and bought her next 2 or 3 albums. Like you, I read every single thing on the liner notes, as well as the composer credits buried on the label itself.
Yeah, Vaudville man was cool, so I wondered who was this Wendy Waldman?
But the song that really set me off was Gringo En Mexico. I listened to Maria Muldaur for years. I learned who Benny Carter was through Maria Muldaur
So the name Wendy Waldman has been on my radar for years, thanks for keeping her name in the spotlight.
Had Wendy been a few years earlier, maybe she would have been another Carole King. Ain't it funny how life rolls around and around? Uhh, funny for those of us with day jobs, not as much fun as those who had to make a living at music with all it's ups and downs.
Anyway, keep spotlighting all the people who are the artist, but not the rock star.
---Dale Janus
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Re: Wendy Waldman Playlist
My Uncle Henry was a big deal nuclear scientist. Had I been able to introduce him to Wendy it would have changed everything. Nothin' and nobody produces more pure energy than Wendy Waldman. Best, twhitlock
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Re: Wendy Waldman Playlist
always was and will always be. As a booking agent I never made a dime doing her tours, but the beautiful music was always with me and that was worth more then double the pay I would earn. And it still holds today.
Dennis Rubenstein
P.S. You missed a very important part of her career, Chuck Plotkin (who produced Bruce Springsteen) back in the early 70's. and was involved with early Eagles when they backed Linda Ronstadt, was a big part of WW career, with Norm Epstein. God did I love that first Warners album, I knew I was going to working with someone that I loved(her music). I was too young to know that it's not just talent, and all the right pieces in place, HOW COULD THIS MISS???? But it did.
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Re: Wendy Waldman Playlist
I signed Wendy for "Letters Home" at Cypress, she danced at my wedding, two events I cherish.
Ted Cohen
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Re: Wendy Waldman Playlist
She also co-wrote a great song on Kim's Mistaken Identity album. "Still Hold On" which was always one of my faves on that album!
Val Garay
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Re: Wendy Waldman Playlist
I saw Waldman a few years back by accident. Stopped by Sam Ash in Margate to pick up a snare head or some such for my late drummer son and she was doing a demo/performance, and I was mesmerized. Had heard her records but never saw her perform. Managed to stutter a brief introduction when she finished but I was late for dinner and had to split ... though I did mention my favorite song of hers, which elicited a sweet smile.
(Even though the credits are shared, is this not a Wendy Waldman song? Sure sounds like it to me!)
My favorite: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2y-sSjH3z4
Richard Pachter
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Re: Wendy Waldman Playlist
The only thing better than Wendy Waldman's music is her humanity. She is so lovely, so warm & engaging -- she imbues confidence in any creative she encounters and incredible amounts of understanding for them in the people who deal with those creatures.
Met her in Nashville when she was working w my dear friend Matraca Berg ("Strawberry Wine," "You Can Feel Bad (If It Makes You Feel Better)" "You + Tequila"). Such an engager + elevater!
But as an artist she was my generations Laura Nyro: bold emotions painted with nuance, real time moments captured alive. You had to really know music to know who Waldman was; thankfully, having the coolest babysitters, I did.
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Re: Wendy Waldman Playlist
Yo, Robert...u missed her song Living Is Good from The Main Refrain...I played the shit out of this song on my free form progressive WOUR-FM 96.9 radio show in '76 and '77...fit nicely in the pocket of SoCal ez rolling country rockin' asylum type music! Always found the string arrangement from producer Peter Bernstein extremely moving. TYVM 4 inspiring me to find and listen to this song again!
Tony Yoken, CRMC
Sirius XM
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Re: Wendy Waldman Playlist
I woke up this morning with a different plan. I was gonna make a smoothie, take a shower, and take myself on the short walk to the library to do a bit of personal writing. Laying in bed, I opened my eyes and reached for my phone to check my email.
Wendy Waldman, I had never heard of her.
But I love when you create these experiences, and I decided to delve before doing anything else. It had rained through the night, the birds were singing early morning tunes, and it was the perfect opportunity.
There is nothing like getting the first hand account of someone who was like me in another time. A true music fan.
For the last two hours, I listened, I read. I was taken on a journey through a remarkable career. And I thank you for it.
By the end, I had ordered the "Which Way to Main Street" record, for fear that I might not ever get to have it close to me, or to ever hear the song "Lovin' You Out of My Life" A hit in waiting?! I HAVE to hear it. I might need to be the one to cut it, right? Haha. But that's just it. I could relate to both you and Wendy. We dream. And life happens. And dreams morph, but they're still the same seed. And those of us that truly believe in what we feel, never give up on it. Hence the pain sometimes. But I felt like Wendy understood. I experienced her career today and it started to take off and then what? No explosion. But she found a way to continue to create, and that inspires me. I'm now in my early 30s, and things don't go as planned.
"What is the Price of Love" reminded me of "Dog Eat Dog" Joni. Its essence. You gave that to me. And Jackson Browne. Sure, I was a fan and loved their music my own way. But your playlists gave me a perspective I didn't, couldn't, have before. Life experiences woven into it. I have my own, and I hope to share it the same way you do.
I just really appreciate it. When you speak from the heart. When you inspire other artists. Thanks for being an artist.
"And only a song has the power to keep the dream alive." Amen.
Andrew Samples
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Re: Wendy Waldman Playlist
I saw her about ten years ago in a house concert here which fulfilled a yearning I'd had since hearing the first album in college. "The Main Refrain" is one of the great LA records of the '70s. The whole Browne-Ronstadt-Little Feat-Andrew Gold-Eagles vibe is filtered through Wendy's beautiful voice, piano, and introspections. She may have been a tad subtle for mainstream success, who knows? But I know other musicians who love her.
Phil Hood
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Re: Wendy Waldman Playlist
Restless In Mind has been one of my favorite songs since the first time I heard it when you wrote about it a few years ago. Knocked me cold on first listen and those words and melodies still stick with me and ring in my head today the same as the first day I heard it. I have learned a tremendous amount about the industry and discovered a great many talented artists from reading the Lefsetz Letter over the years, but Wendy Waldman has got to be one of the biggest takeaways I've had. Restless In Mind alone has been absolutely huge for me.
"My dreams keep me on the run, I'm certainly restless in mind. I'm still going, I'm still growing."
You and I both…
Thanks again for introducing me to this phenomenally great artist!
Elliot Kleinfelder
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Re: Wendy Waldman Playlist
No "Back By Fall"? A big fave of mine, in my top three WW.
Rob Meurer
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From: ronnie
Subject: Re: Barbarian Days
If there was one thing that I could sit my children down and explain to them it would be to explain to them how fast time flies.
If someone were to pin me to the wall and ask what I would do differently or manage the short time that we have on Earth I would tell them to live every moment to the fullest.
It is cliche' but it's the truth. The high achievers either get it or are just born with it. They take risks and approach life with a degree of zeal that the 99% don't. It's that simple and that complicated.
Politics or cultural ethos will never trump what psychology calls the high achiever syndrome.
Put a litter of 10 puppies at one bowl of food and inevitably, one will alpha the others. Is he or she bad or good...right or wrong?
The have nots become increasingly frustrated and resent the haves while the haves account for 99% of productivity.
We demonize the haves.
99% of all wars are about someone wanting what someone else has.
Humanity rationalizes over and over the innate and basic dynamic via generalized ethos...religion, class whatever. It all comes down to basic evolutionary tendency.
It has a good beat and I can dance to it.
Live your 80 years, give or take, to its fullest.
Sorry about the corruption of the system and the quality of the music.
You are owed nothing. You get what you get via perseverance, persistence and patience...add a healthy dose of pure inexplicable luck.
It's that simple and that complicated.
Dylan writes deep lyrics but the only time the majority perks up is when his songs have good beats and cool melodies. Primal shit.
We think too much but it's a necessary element to evolution.
Major on sound bites, look at Trump. He gets it. He's from the trenches. He's not an idealist, he's a brutal realist.
Stones or Beatles ?
....I'm banking on a combination of both.
If you're one of of the pups that doesn't get your fill do you turn on the ones that do, yep. He has something that you don't for whatever reason. The solution is an issue of complex
Darwinism. Only time will solve the issue. Until it does... live it up to the best of your ability, it's all you're going to have.
Lastly, if you can't clap on the beat don't sit on the front row...someone in the band is going to make fun of you.
Ronnie Dunn
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