She Get it From Her Mama

WEBVTT100:00:01.320 --> 00:00:05.320On this very special first episode ofBig Time Fresh, I talked to my200:00:05.480 --> 00:00:09.519mom about her days as a leadsinger for a classic rock cover band in300:00:09.560 --> 00:00:13.880the early eighties. Here for thefirst time that she and a bunch of400:00:14.000 --> 00:00:19.640nineteen year olds piled into a bandand booked gigs across the country. Enjoy500:00:19.719 --> 00:00:32.600the show. What's up everyone,it's Bellamars and I am here with my600:00:32.640 --> 00:00:36.640new podcast, big time fresh.What I'm going to be doing on this700:00:36.719 --> 00:00:40.759podcast is, you know, kindof unboxing the lesser known sides of what800:00:40.960 --> 00:00:45.159is seen in the public eye.So I'll be breaking down bands, pop900:00:45.200 --> 00:00:50.759culture, current events. But whatis most exciting is that I'm going to1000:00:50.799 --> 00:00:56.640be having conversations with everyday people andtheir experiences in life and what has had1100:00:56.679 --> 00:01:00.320the biggest impacts on shaping who theyare today. So if you like the1200:01:00.359 --> 00:01:03.799content or if you want to hearmore, if you have suggestions, if1300:01:04.040 --> 00:01:07.599if you have a story about yourlife that you think would be awesome to1400:01:07.640 --> 00:01:11.840talk about on this podcast, goahead and follow me at big time fresh1500:01:11.920 --> 00:01:19.319on instagram and facebook, as Istart this blog and podcast from scratch.1600:01:19.799 --> 00:01:23.319Hearing a story that you've never heardbefore about somebody's life may give you a1700:01:23.319 --> 00:01:29.439fresh perspective on your own. Sothat's what this podcast is about. I1800:01:29.519 --> 00:01:34.879really appreciate you listening because, likeI said, it's my first episode,1900:01:34.879 --> 00:01:38.359so I'm nervous. So anyway,let's get into it. I know I2000:01:38.400 --> 00:01:42.120said earlier that this is a podcastthat's going to be about everyday people.2100:01:42.560 --> 00:01:48.680However, my first guest is notan everyday person. In fact, this2200:01:48.760 --> 00:01:52.760guest will probably be the most specialof all my guests forever and ever.2300:01:53.560 --> 00:01:57.200Can you guess? That's right,it's my mom. So why don't we2400:01:57.280 --> 00:02:07.639start right from the how where didyou meet my first we met in a2500:02:07.719 --> 00:02:15.800Japanese class at the University of Kansas. We're both half Japanese, but he's2600:02:15.879 --> 00:02:22.080he's much more, uh, fluentin the language than I was and for2700:02:22.120 --> 00:02:30.439some reason I took intensive Japanese andintensive Spanish and the same semester they dropped2800:02:30.439 --> 00:02:34.680out of that class. But whySpanish? At the time? I don't2900:02:34.719 --> 00:02:39.960know. I always had oh,come to find out later in Twi it3000:02:40.000 --> 00:02:45.520all made sense when I did aDNA test. But Um, I always3100:02:45.520 --> 00:02:49.639had an affinity. I wanted tolearn Spanish, and so m I stayed3200:02:49.680 --> 00:02:53.639with that for two years of intensiveSpanish. But I met I met your3300:02:53.639 --> 00:03:00.319father in the Japanese class and oneday, I remember this pretty early,3400:03:01.000 --> 00:03:07.479I had already been in a ina band, I'd already I went to3500:03:07.599 --> 00:03:12.759Japan and, uh, my mothergot me a session at a recording studio,3600:03:12.919 --> 00:03:17.319at cannon records, and I wasyeah, I had no experience whatsoever.3700:03:17.360 --> 00:03:21.879She knew a producer at N HK, which is like NBC or3800:03:21.919 --> 00:03:28.360CBS, you know, and inthe United States equivalent too. But Um,3900:03:28.400 --> 00:03:30.800so the guy said, and Ithink it was eighteen, and the4000:03:30.800 --> 00:03:34.319guy said or seventeen, and Isaid, Oh, you have a great,4100:03:34.439 --> 00:03:37.439really great voice, but you cantell that, you know, I4200:03:37.479 --> 00:03:42.159was an experience and I was experienced. So he said go go back and4300:03:42.240 --> 00:03:46.759get some experience and then come backand see us. Because my intention was4400:03:46.039 --> 00:03:52.120to too. When I finished highschool. I wanted to study linguistics and4500:03:52.479 --> 00:03:57.360and Um, go to Japan,and this woman, that one of the4600:03:57.400 --> 00:04:00.560producers, said that she would getme a job. And and then,4700:04:00.639 --> 00:04:04.159and then I called, I calledDarren and Marty because they were looking for4800:04:04.280 --> 00:04:11.080a female vocalist, because back thenwe're talking seven, nine to eighty,4900:04:11.280 --> 00:04:15.719you know, Um, there arelots of gigs for live music, live5000:04:15.800 --> 00:04:20.480music back then, and also itwas like just go and and, you5100:04:20.519 --> 00:04:26.240know, pop, pop music.So they auditioned me, they liked me5200:04:27.160 --> 00:04:32.560and I got the GIG. Sofast forward to one day I was walking5300:04:32.600 --> 00:04:40.399into one of the dorms at atKu and I was singing, just being5400:04:40.399 --> 00:04:46.399obnoxious and singing a Linda Ronstad songvery loud, very loudly, and the5500:04:46.439 --> 00:04:53.279guy that the desk happened to bea friend of your father's and also a5600:04:53.319 --> 00:04:56.759guitar player, and said, Whoa, you have a really great voice.5700:04:57.920 --> 00:05:00.759We need a singer. Would youlike to sing in a band? And5800:05:00.800 --> 00:05:03.279I said, oh, sure,why not? I mean, you know,5900:05:03.319 --> 00:05:10.319I'll try out or whatever. AndI can't I can't remember all the6000:05:10.399 --> 00:05:18.279details, but they needed a guitarplayer for the band too. Um,6100:05:18.319 --> 00:05:24.120this other band and the one thatyou were in for, yeah, the6200:05:23.519 --> 00:05:27.600the one that your father and Iwere finally, you know, we're into6300:05:27.759 --> 00:05:31.680together. Um. And so hecame an auditioned and they liked him.6400:05:32.079 --> 00:05:36.120We couldn't find a good drummer,so Darren, who was guitar player,6500:05:36.199 --> 00:05:40.720ended up playing the drums and thenyour father came in to play the guitar6600:05:41.040 --> 00:05:46.879for the band. Only one bass, one guitar, Bass Guitar. Uh6700:05:47.040 --> 00:05:54.240Yeah, Bass Guitar, drums andsinger. Yes, some events may have6800:05:54.519 --> 00:06:00.600may not be accurate in order becauseit's been a long time. So that6900:06:00.759 --> 00:06:04.759was that was. And you weren't. You were a student there living on7000:06:04.800 --> 00:06:12.240campus when we we got going andgot rehearsing and everything started sounding good and,7100:06:12.319 --> 00:06:15.519you know, we changed the wholeconcept of you. When your father7200:06:15.600 --> 00:06:17.759came in, it kind of changedthe whole concept of the band because they7300:06:17.800 --> 00:06:25.399were more like top forty and andyour father started bringing in Jimmy Hendrix and7400:06:25.680 --> 00:06:29.839led Zeppelin and you know. Sowe kind of got into a more,7500:06:30.759 --> 00:06:36.079you know, heavy mode, butstill had a really good mix. Was7600:06:36.120 --> 00:06:41.600that more popular? It depends onit depended on where where you played.7700:06:41.959 --> 00:06:48.399So so and with us. Yes, because, Um, when I was7800:06:48.439 --> 00:06:54.319with the first band, it wastop forty and I toured around with them,7900:06:54.360 --> 00:06:57.360you know, from state to state. But we were playing like hotel8000:06:57.519 --> 00:07:03.000moved to hotel circuits and club circuits, you know, where we would stay8100:07:03.000 --> 00:07:09.519at the Hilton in and for threeweeks and we would play. Yeah,8200:07:09.639 --> 00:07:13.720and so almost like a residency.Yeah, for short, short term.8300:07:13.839 --> 00:07:17.439So we would play three weeks ata time at different hotels, you know,8400:07:17.639 --> 00:07:23.199and then when your father came into the band, we changed our8500:07:23.240 --> 00:07:27.120whole format and then what we endedup doing was playing, you know,8600:07:27.399 --> 00:07:31.839kind of weekend gigs, sometimes acouple of weeks at a time. Just8700:07:31.879 --> 00:07:38.240depends, but we're playing, youknow bars, more bars and different venues8800:07:38.360 --> 00:07:42.720and opening up for some other bandsand things like that. What are their8900:07:42.759 --> 00:07:47.800bands? This is so cool andwell, most of the stuff, I9000:07:47.839 --> 00:07:57.560mean there were some some bands thatI know we opened up for Flash CANDILLAC9100:07:57.600 --> 00:08:07.879and kind O kids. I don'tleave. Yeah, that was that was9200:08:07.959 --> 00:08:11.240fun. What kind of venue wasthat? That was? That was a9300:08:11.319 --> 00:08:18.920pretty decent it was like an APPoutdoor amphitheater type thing. and Um,9400:08:18.959 --> 00:08:26.319I think it was in Blue Springs, Missouri, and Um, we played9500:08:26.759 --> 00:08:33.799the Opera House in Lawrence, Kansas, and I can't remember some of the9600:08:33.879 --> 00:08:37.840names of the bands that we,you know, we had opened for at9700:08:37.879 --> 00:08:41.960the time and then we sometimes wejust headlined, you know, but Um,9800:08:43.720 --> 00:08:46.279like an amphitheater, no, atthe at the Uppera House, and9900:08:46.320 --> 00:08:50.879then, you know, we played. Yeah, we played for weddings and10000:08:50.919 --> 00:08:58.600graduations and Bar mitzvahs and Bot mispah'sand you know and stuff, wedding singer.10100:09:03.000 --> 00:09:07.279It's hard for me to wrap myhead around because they don't even have10200:09:07.559 --> 00:09:16.440bands anymore, let alone residencies athotels and, you know, Um opening10300:09:16.559 --> 00:09:22.240for especially you're a cover band too. Yeah, it was a cover band10400:09:22.279 --> 00:09:24.120and basically that's that's just what itwas. You know, it was really10500:09:24.919 --> 00:09:33.159not as as glamorous as you knowpeople who but it's kind of it's kind10600:09:33.159 --> 00:09:35.679of, uh. It's interesting nowbecause, like you said, that there's10700:09:35.759 --> 00:09:41.000nothing. People just don't do thatanymore. You just don't, you know,10800:09:41.200 --> 00:09:45.600unless you're at a certain level.People just don't get in a band10900:09:45.600 --> 00:09:48.720and go travel around from from stateto state, you know, filling gigs.11000:09:48.799 --> 00:09:54.600And one of the things it wasinteresting, like when we were playing11100:09:54.639 --> 00:09:56.960in the band, when we firststarted playing, we got the band together11200:09:58.080 --> 00:10:03.799and Darren was playing drums instead ofguitar, Pedro was playing the Um they11300:10:03.799 --> 00:10:07.039get, you know, the leadguitar. We changed our whole our whole11400:10:09.480 --> 00:10:18.080repertoire. What the booking agent didwas there were there were bands. He11500:10:18.159 --> 00:10:24.480had a certain certain number of bandsthat would you know that he worked with11600:10:26.240 --> 00:10:30.000and they would go contract from cityto city, you know, bar to11700:10:30.080 --> 00:10:35.759bar, and then bands, asthey do, break up and so,11800:10:35.000 --> 00:10:39.080you know, fight and break up, especially when you're on the road so11900:10:39.120 --> 00:10:41.039long. So they would fight,they would break up, and so,12000:10:41.120 --> 00:10:46.320in order for him not to bein breach contract, we would fulfill the12100:10:46.399 --> 00:10:50.360contract of the band of that week. So Our Name, the name of12200:10:50.399 --> 00:10:56.919our band changed, like you know, from from Gig to big sometimes.12300:10:56.919 --> 00:11:00.759So one one, one time wecould be Mad Max, one time we12400:11:00.759 --> 00:11:03.240could be snowblind, next week wecould be somebody else, you know,12500:11:03.440 --> 00:11:09.799just so that our booking agent wouldn'tbe in breach of contract. So that12600:11:09.919 --> 00:11:13.279was that was funny. So youcould have different names. Did you have12700:11:13.360 --> 00:11:18.000to promote on the street, likehand out flyers, or to show up12800:11:18.120 --> 00:11:24.759like it like back in the earlydays? That was mostly our booking agent12900:11:24.960 --> 00:11:28.279and our sound man and the book. You need to take a cut.13000:11:28.360 --> 00:11:33.480Oh yeah, what what kind ofcut? I think it's, you know,13100:11:35.159 --> 00:11:41.840I think it was maybe man.You know. So the music industry13200:11:41.840 --> 00:11:48.320has gone downhill tremendously for the musician, because gigs were abundant. You could13300:11:48.360 --> 00:11:52.840make a living, you know,you could make a living doing that and13400:11:52.159 --> 00:11:56.799Um, not a great you couldn'tput a kid through college, but you13500:11:56.840 --> 00:12:01.440could certainly, you know, survive. The Way I see the pop music13600:12:01.600 --> 00:12:09.120is there's no drummer based lead guitarsinger. It's all electronics. They,13700:12:09.559 --> 00:12:15.559you know, take advantage of alleverybody. And so they're saying the music13800:12:15.559 --> 00:12:18.960industry is dying, and hearing this, I look at it in different ways13900:12:20.039 --> 00:12:24.759because because it was certainly those kindsof gigs are gone. Um, it's14000:12:24.799 --> 00:12:30.519too hard. And I can sayit from the other perspective as a venue,14100:12:30.960 --> 00:12:33.799as a venue owner, like wehad that we owned the restaurant.14200:12:33.879 --> 00:12:39.399We we tried, Um and wetried to do live music, Um,14300:12:39.440 --> 00:12:43.480you know, booking live bands,and it was just, you know,14400:12:43.519 --> 00:12:48.279the bands would come in and they'dmake these atrocious demands for many yeah,14500:12:48.320 --> 00:12:52.039they said, Oh, we want, you know dollars to play here for14600:12:52.120 --> 00:12:56.080one night, and we would justlook at him and go good luck.14700:12:56.799 --> 00:13:01.320And you know in in the bayarea there are so, so many bands14800:13:01.440 --> 00:13:05.960and bands would go to restaurants butthey wouldn't even pay. I mean from14900:13:05.960 --> 00:13:09.399what I know, yeah, theywouldn't pay. Well, and and we15000:13:09.399 --> 00:13:13.080we're guilty of it. I meanit's it's a shame. I was very15100:13:13.120 --> 00:13:16.600conflicted because I was in charge of, you know, booking these bands and15200:13:16.639 --> 00:13:20.519I had to say you could playhere, but you know, the best15300:13:20.559 --> 00:13:24.879we could do is compy of mailsome drinks and and help you pass the15400:13:24.919 --> 00:13:30.000tip jar around to see if anybodywill pay you. Because but you know,15500:13:30.159 --> 00:13:35.679it was just very difficult in everyaspect of owning, keeping the restaurant15600:13:35.679 --> 00:13:41.639and running and managing the bar.If we would have paid them, and15700:13:41.840 --> 00:13:46.000you know even three, three tofive dollars, we would not make any15800:13:46.000 --> 00:13:50.720money that night. Where did youtour like? What? Well, we15900:13:50.720 --> 00:13:56.960were out of we're based out ofKansas. So then we went from,16000:13:56.000 --> 00:14:01.039you know, all the way upto Minnesota to the border, Canadian border,16100:14:01.879 --> 00:14:07.600UM, international falls in Minnesota.There's a big club there, and16200:14:07.639 --> 00:14:15.240then we went all the way down, uh, down south to Texas.16300:14:13.679 --> 00:14:20.159What are we talking? Crowd sizelife most like I said, most of16400:14:20.240 --> 00:14:26.320his bar, that the bar upin international falls was pretty big. So,16500:14:26.000 --> 00:14:31.240you know, in my mind,in my memory, there could have16600:14:31.279 --> 00:14:35.759been a hundred people in the crowd. Um, what do they know?16700:14:35.919 --> 00:14:43.759They're coming to see rock music,rock music, and we we um build16800:14:43.759 --> 00:14:52.000ourselves as as Um classic rock with, you know a Jimmy Hendrix, Janis16900:14:52.080 --> 00:14:58.200Joblin led Zeblin rush. Is itbecause you had a your female lead singer?17000:14:58.480 --> 00:15:03.240Now it's hard to say. Idon't think there are as many female17100:15:03.120 --> 00:15:09.759rock singers. Do you think thatmade it easier to to book some movie?17200:15:09.320 --> 00:15:13.879Because I think so. Yeah,I think so. And you know,17300:15:13.679 --> 00:15:22.559I did a lot of I didboth male and female lead vocals.17400:15:22.639 --> 00:15:28.039So for the Zeppelin and the rush, you know, to the Janis Joplin17500:15:28.200 --> 00:15:33.919and Linda Pat Benatar. You know. Does you do free shows? Does17600:15:33.960 --> 00:15:39.120you have to do free shows?We we would volunteer. Maybe we would17700:15:39.159 --> 00:15:45.240do a like a donation once ina while before for fun. Yeah,17800:15:45.360 --> 00:15:50.080for for charity. We've done that. We played a big outdoor Gig at17900:15:50.159 --> 00:15:54.919Potter's Lake in Lawrence and that wasa pretty big, crowded that's something at18000:15:54.919 --> 00:15:58.519the University of Kansas. So youget were those so from the booking agent18100:15:58.559 --> 00:16:03.039and they're just like, I don'tget paid, but Um, yeah,18200:16:03.200 --> 00:16:08.879I believe so. And then oursound man, who was very much a18300:16:08.919 --> 00:16:15.159businessman, he kind of helped manageand book a lot. So he might18400:16:15.159 --> 00:16:19.600have signed us up for that.I had I had no idea because I18500:16:19.679 --> 00:16:26.039used to. I would just showup. I would show up and help.18600:16:26.200 --> 00:16:29.879Okay, I would help. Wait. So you had a sound guy18700:16:30.039 --> 00:16:33.720also, with a sound man anda light man, and these guys were18800:16:33.039 --> 00:16:41.200father uh, knew them from thisengineering fraternity and in Nerd Yeah, Nerd18900:16:41.000 --> 00:16:45.639uh, and they were both prettynerdy. And, Um, there's a19000:16:45.720 --> 00:16:51.759story that we that would go gowith that. But some other times,19100:16:51.759 --> 00:16:57.879but some other times we got ourwhole lighting system. But Um, anyway,19200:16:59.519 --> 00:17:02.639that would be you, like youmade it to the to the top,19300:17:03.279 --> 00:17:07.400get paid for all your game.Yeah, having a game, getting19400:17:07.400 --> 00:17:14.480paid more, travel across state lines, Um, and you had all the19500:17:14.519 --> 00:17:18.319equipment to call around, and nowpeople, you know, droppers, just19600:17:18.359 --> 00:17:22.640show up and they still don't getpaid. Yeah, yeah, we had.19700:17:22.759 --> 00:17:26.799We had quite a bit of equipmentand we had, uh, six19800:17:26.839 --> 00:17:30.319people total, because we took thesound man and the light man was us19900:17:30.359 --> 00:17:36.880all the time. So then wehad, you know, in right today,20000:17:36.960 --> 00:17:40.359Sanders, and have a big dealbecause again, we're a comm band,20100:17:40.720 --> 00:17:44.240you know, but but it waskind of a, you know,20200:17:44.319 --> 00:17:49.400a big deal back then. Wewere, you know, very uh,20300:17:49.720 --> 00:17:53.599we were able to sustain our livingsand, you know, have a good20400:17:53.599 --> 00:17:57.599time and do things that we enjoydoing, and I mean the fact that20500:17:59.440 --> 00:18:04.960we get paid fifteen hundreds dollars,you know, for for a weekend or20600:18:06.000 --> 00:18:11.480something like that. In the eighties. Yeah, depending on and and sometimes20700:18:11.519 --> 00:18:18.000we would do we would do wewould do a we actually got high school20800:18:18.039 --> 00:18:23.839prom gigs. Yeah, and theypaid. They paid well. So so20900:18:25.160 --> 00:18:30.319it was yeah, it was quiteit was quite the it's quite the at21000:18:30.359 --> 00:18:36.200the time, you know, thinkingabout being eighteen and nineteen years old and21100:18:36.279 --> 00:18:40.599just being on the road and doingthat. You know, it's no no21200:18:40.799 --> 00:18:45.759cell phone. Didn't have to callmom very often else. See it when21300:18:45.799 --> 00:18:51.720I see uh. Yeah, yeah, it was it was definitely a different21400:18:51.720 --> 00:18:55.440time. But you know, whenI think about today, to so many21500:18:55.440 --> 00:19:00.079of the opportunities that you know,it's kind of a trade off because some21600:19:00.119 --> 00:19:04.319of the opportunities that I see peoplegoing on Youtube and, you know,21700:19:04.599 --> 00:19:14.000making yeh, making their videos,and I see it's just incredible talented people.21800:19:14.759 --> 00:19:18.759You know that they would never everhave a chance to even be heard21900:19:18.920 --> 00:19:22.799anywhere, but not for this kindof platform. It's certainly not in our22000:19:22.839 --> 00:19:29.559tent. So in in their case, some of them will probably be wanting22100:19:29.599 --> 00:19:32.359to make it big, but maybefor for the rest of them it's just22200:19:32.440 --> 00:19:37.480a creative outlet. Outlet, yeah, UM, and for us it was22300:19:37.519 --> 00:19:41.480just a bunch of fun. Ohmy gosh, that's so creepy. And22400:19:41.519 --> 00:19:45.640it's not like we were we weredrug addicts or you know. You know,22500:19:45.720 --> 00:19:49.200after a while it does become ajob, that it it kind of22600:19:49.200 --> 00:19:52.920attracts those types of it kind ofgoes hand in hand with those kinds of22700:19:52.920 --> 00:19:57.839problems, right, and I rememberbeing I think, I think we were22800:19:57.880 --> 00:20:04.400coming towards the end of the lifeof our banded. It was never intended22900:20:04.440 --> 00:20:08.640to be a full time thing,Um, especially with your or a long23000:20:08.759 --> 00:20:14.559term thing, especially with your father. He's always had the PhD in mind23100:20:14.599 --> 00:20:18.799and when he took off a year, I don't know, it was a23200:20:18.880 --> 00:20:27.720year or semester, uh, fromcollege, his mother, Fach, Your23300:20:27.839 --> 00:20:34.480Your Grandmother, they oh my God, they just like, what are you23400:20:34.519 --> 00:20:41.440doing, throwing your life away?But he was always he was always bound23500:20:41.559 --> 00:20:45.480for for that. You know,this was never gonna be and I remember23600:20:45.640 --> 00:20:48.720going to bar so. Sometimes,when you're in a town, I think23700:20:48.759 --> 00:20:52.960we're in Iowa, like Des Moinesor something, and there's like three three23800:20:53.079 --> 00:20:59.799venues in the same block right andUm, so each band, like on23900:21:00.000 --> 00:21:03.240a break, would go and checkout another band and then so we get24000:21:03.279 --> 00:21:07.319to know each other and if we'replaying a couple sometimes we play two weekends24100:21:07.319 --> 00:21:10.839in a row or something like that. We get to know each other and24200:21:10.880 --> 00:21:15.839we would go and do things likeplay, you know, get together for24300:21:15.880 --> 00:21:21.240a softball game or something like that. And I just remember, I remember24400:21:21.240 --> 00:21:23.279there were a couple of there wasthere was one band and these guys were24500:21:25.319 --> 00:21:32.119probably in their forties and I rememberwatching them play and just kind of seeing24600:21:32.160 --> 00:21:40.680their aging bodies and because that wastwenty and frey was a old yeah,24700:21:41.240 --> 00:21:48.640yeah, was the sixty back inthe eighties. So I said, Oh24800:21:48.680 --> 00:21:51.920my God, I do not wantto be like these people when I'm that24900:21:52.079 --> 00:21:55.759age. So I was out,you know, I was like I had25000:21:55.799 --> 00:22:00.079to find something else, but Ialways kept which I did, you know,25100:22:00.160 --> 00:22:03.680and then and then I but Ialways kept music and being involved with25200:22:03.799 --> 00:22:07.319musicians and that in my life allthe time. Did you feel like it25300:22:07.440 --> 00:22:14.440was you were it came to you, like all of the opportunities and to25400:22:14.640 --> 00:22:18.680be involved with music came to yourandomly, or were you actively USIC?25500:22:18.799 --> 00:22:22.440No, I was always actively seekingout you know, I moved around a25600:22:22.480 --> 00:22:26.799lot, as you know, andand every place I went, every place25700:22:26.839 --> 00:22:30.319I moved to, I sought outmusicians and, you know, fortunately,25800:22:30.960 --> 00:22:37.079Um, I was able to workwith a lot of musicians but unfortunately not25900:22:37.279 --> 00:22:45.960able to to, you know,go for it all the way, because26000:22:45.200 --> 00:22:52.200in order to do that you kindof have to sacrifice a lot and almost26100:22:52.240 --> 00:22:56.480everything, you know, because youcan't do it half asked. You know,26200:22:56.720 --> 00:22:59.400you're either in it or you're out, and so you either do it26300:22:59.440 --> 00:23:03.799a hobby. But if you wantto make it big, then you know.26400:23:03.160 --> 00:23:10.240So if anyone wanted to make itbig, big, those days are26500:23:10.240 --> 00:23:17.000over. Yeah, UH, unlessyou, you know, just dazzle somebody26600:23:17.119 --> 00:23:21.519like they get a lot of followers. And Yeah, and now they do26700:23:21.599 --> 00:23:26.839these things called three sixty deals.So the artist is basically given u six26800:23:27.680 --> 00:23:33.839of his earnings are going to otherpeople. Manager gets off, or like26900:23:33.680 --> 00:23:38.400off everything, whether or not,Um, they booked it or you booked27000:23:38.440 --> 00:23:42.319it. Then there's a business manager, then there's tour manager. Then it's27100:23:42.400 --> 00:23:48.480like is that worth it, youknow, and I wonder if if people27200:23:48.680 --> 00:23:51.599think about Oh, I want tobe famous the way we used to think27300:23:51.599 --> 00:23:53.039about, oh I want to befamous, you know, because we are27400:23:53.039 --> 00:23:57.759looking at Van Halen and yeah,you know, you're Smith and you know27500:23:59.400 --> 00:24:04.559that been a hard heart, youknow, during those times. And and27600:24:06.519 --> 00:24:10.559UH, they were. They werepumping out hint hits. When we were27700:24:10.640 --> 00:24:15.559on the road, we were justcopying those, covering those hits and,27800:24:15.839 --> 00:24:22.240Um, and a lot of bandsbehind demand. So, especially back then,27900:24:22.799 --> 00:24:27.319you can't hear it really on theradio at went on demand live or28000:24:27.640 --> 00:24:33.559even it was different. It's definitelydifferent now. I mean I think the28100:24:33.640 --> 00:24:37.759perception and field cover bands then wasmore greatly appreciated because, you know,28200:24:37.839 --> 00:24:41.440you would, you would go andalways fun. People would go just,28300:24:41.519 --> 00:24:45.200Oh, there's a band playing.Oh, let's go see him, let's28400:24:45.200 --> 00:24:48.240go check them out, because itwas fun to go see a band.28500:24:48.400 --> 00:24:52.039And then if they're playing the songsthat you really like and they do it28600:24:52.079 --> 00:24:55.640well, then it's like bonus,you know. So it was like,28700:24:55.680 --> 00:24:59.920Oh, so we had a prettydecent following, you know really and yeah,28800:25:00.119 --> 00:25:03.880in Um, in the great thestate of Kansas. How could you28900:25:03.920 --> 00:25:07.960tell about? Well, be becausepeople would say hey, you know,29000:25:08.119 --> 00:25:12.400hey, you're from Mad Max.Yeah, you know, and people would29100:25:14.519 --> 00:25:19.759follow you on instagram. Yeah,right, there was something, but yeah,29200:25:19.799 --> 00:25:23.920but it was it was different,you know, it was very different.29300:25:23.920 --> 00:25:29.960And now if you're at a coverband, they're like people are thinking,29400:25:30.640 --> 00:25:34.559just kind of washed out, washedout. And that was the thing29500:25:34.599 --> 00:25:41.039when we were we were hiring peopleto play at a restaurant in our meade29600:25:41.079 --> 00:25:45.960up and every band that was acover band or like people my age and29700:25:47.039 --> 00:25:52.000so the men would translate into thesethese these gray haired, you know,29800:25:52.359 --> 00:25:59.319kind of pop belly guys that thatyou know played well or sometimes not,29900:26:00.079 --> 00:26:03.680but certainly half deaf. So youcan tell them to turn down, you30000:26:03.720 --> 00:26:07.000know, when you're playing in therestaurant, you tell them please turn down30100:26:07.119 --> 00:26:11.799your go down for about two secondsand go right back up because they say30200:26:11.839 --> 00:26:19.599they can't hear because been in therefor so long. Um. So then,30300:26:19.599 --> 00:26:23.640when didn't you do the I knowyou did. was there a track30400:26:23.759 --> 00:26:29.119that you're saying over that was Idid. I did. I ventured out30500:26:29.119 --> 00:26:37.400of a couple of things. IUm, I collaborated with this I don't30600:26:37.400 --> 00:26:42.839know what you'd call him now.It's kind of kind of GRUNGE IN UM30700:26:44.640 --> 00:26:51.240heavy alternative kind of kind of genre. and Um, I met these guys.30800:26:51.359 --> 00:26:55.480I don't remember how, but again, seeking probably through an ad of30900:26:55.480 --> 00:27:02.440was seeking out music. newspaper.Yeah, newspaper or newspaper and or there31000:27:02.519 --> 00:27:07.960might have been craigslisted that time.I'm not sure. But the nineties.31100:27:08.799 --> 00:27:15.920No, this was this was latenineties. I'm getting candy. So,31200:27:15.920 --> 00:27:19.160so, Um. I collaborated themwith them. They had a drummer and31300:27:19.200 --> 00:27:25.599a bass player and so they hada bassline and the drums and I,31400:27:25.880 --> 00:27:30.799Um, I put a melody totheir stuff, to about seven or eight31500:27:30.880 --> 00:27:36.200songs, and put a melody insome lyrics. We found a guitar player31600:27:37.519 --> 00:27:41.240and then I sang those songs.So that was that. I did some31700:27:41.319 --> 00:27:45.839work with a he was from Zimbabwe, but he had a reggae band,31800:27:47.480 --> 00:27:53.720Dr Mooch, and then I metsome really talented, Um, extremely talented31900:27:55.279 --> 00:28:03.480uh musicians and highly trained musicians fromone was a keyboard player from Spain,32000:28:03.680 --> 00:28:11.920two guitarists from Argentina, a drummerfrom Cuba and there was a bass player,32100:28:12.799 --> 00:28:17.680uh, just from you know,America. This is wh nice down32200:28:17.720 --> 00:28:22.240in Miami. And so I startedexperimenting with with Jazz. Do you think,32300:28:23.279 --> 00:28:26.559saying how how the industry is now, that it was a good decision32400:28:27.200 --> 00:28:32.799not to go well in yes,yeah, it's too. I mean your32500:28:32.880 --> 00:28:37.480chances of your chances of things,and for that it was just like way32600:28:37.519 --> 00:28:42.240too labor intensive. Did you haveto promote on the street, like hand32700:28:42.279 --> 00:28:48.279out flyers, or to show uplike it like back in the early days?32800:28:48.319 --> 00:28:52.559That was mostly our booking agent andour sound man. He ended up32900:28:52.559 --> 00:29:00.960owning his own sound company in Missouri. The Bass Player, Um stayed in33000:29:02.079 --> 00:29:06.880Lawrence, Kansas, and he becamea real estate agent. What do you33100:29:06.920 --> 00:29:11.359call air conditioning? And then aredrummer, the guy that played drummer,33200:29:11.079 --> 00:29:18.119who played the drums, who usedto play guitar, ended up playing with33300:29:19.160 --> 00:29:25.000Tim mcgrawl. He had a careerwith Tim McGraw for about twenty years and33400:29:25.039 --> 00:29:30.119I think so. So he madeum by uh, I don't know,33500:29:30.240 --> 00:29:34.519by the definition. I suppose hemade it. Yeah, unless money was33600:29:34.640 --> 00:29:40.240part of his definition of making it. Now I don't think so. You33700:29:40.240 --> 00:29:44.480know, I remember we used tohave conversations about making it big, you33800:29:44.519 --> 00:29:49.559know, just out of boredom,because nobody was nobody was serious or ever33900:29:49.759 --> 00:29:53.519imagined to me serious, and talkingabout Oh, wouldn't it be fun to34000:29:53.519 --> 00:30:00.359be on the David Letterman show orand he actually did it and he played34100:30:00.359 --> 00:30:03.960in auditoriums and all kinds of thingslike that. He had he hit the34200:30:04.039 --> 00:30:08.200big time with, you know,Tim McGraw. Back then, did you?34300:30:08.559 --> 00:30:14.000Did you feel like you wanted tonever make it big? I always34400:30:14.000 --> 00:30:18.519wanted to be behind the scenes runningthe show. I feel like it was34500:30:18.799 --> 00:30:23.480what's super cool and like unique toother people. was like yeah, got34600:30:23.519 --> 00:30:26.119this, I know how to playthis. Oh yeah, my mom does34700:30:26.119 --> 00:30:32.240this. You're right. Other peopleand do perceive it as as something,34800:30:33.759 --> 00:30:41.920something cool, because I have said, I told a few people and because34900:30:41.920 --> 00:30:45.279I mentioned earlier. It's Oh,wow, you're it was such a cool35000:30:45.359 --> 00:30:52.559but you know background. Yeah,so, man, that's awesome, but35100:30:52.680 --> 00:30:59.920also really sucks for music as awhole. I feel like popularity and being35200:31:00.720 --> 00:31:07.599and being on instagram and the purposefor going to concerts and and everything now35300:31:07.400 --> 00:31:12.799is because you like them as anartist and they're popular in the FAMAS and35400:31:12.839 --> 00:31:18.799then you want to go take videosthere for what to post them, you35500:31:18.839 --> 00:31:23.200know, just like so, Iwas there and I saw this. Yeah,35600:31:25.319 --> 00:31:30.200look at eyes alive. It's justso it's disappointing. I think there's35700:31:30.759 --> 00:31:36.839there's a much bigger gap of howyou feel. UH, your reputation,35800:31:36.880 --> 00:31:41.079ast to other people, because beforenobody's talking here because you show up and35900:31:41.440 --> 00:31:45.759you don't even know the person.You've never seen that. And the great36000:31:45.799 --> 00:31:51.839thing is, like you can leaveyour you can leave and nobody knows anything36100:31:51.880 --> 00:31:56.119about your your private life. Nobodyknows anything about any of you. Go36200:31:56.319 --> 00:31:59.680they want to contact you, theyhave to go to a damn pay phone36300:32:00.039 --> 00:32:02.960and call you up with a quarterafter looking you up in a phone book.36400:32:06.279 --> 00:32:07.960So all of that. It's youknow, it's just a different time.36500:32:08.039 --> 00:32:14.759And and the end was imminent withthat. Oh, what was that?36600:32:15.279 --> 00:32:24.000What was that Um Platform back inthe baster? Yes, the end36700:32:24.119 --> 00:32:30.240was imminent when that came about.It's like alright, done, it's done.36800:32:30.440 --> 00:32:35.319The end is here, the endis near. The streaming companies don't36900:32:35.319 --> 00:32:40.440get like sixty some crazy amount.So you know they'll be streaming, the37000:32:40.519 --> 00:32:45.079artists will be streaming their songs andlike after six months we were like,37100:32:45.119 --> 00:32:52.920oh, I made two dollars andscience off of royalty around the streams people,37200:32:52.240 --> 00:32:58.720you know, people still. Idon't understand it, but people still37300:32:58.759 --> 00:33:06.240are paying to record albums. Wouldlike do it almost I just you know,37400:33:06.359 --> 00:33:09.079I don't. It's it's it's soweird. I'm I'm just kind of37500:33:09.079 --> 00:33:14.799out of touch with that, withthe whole with the way things are are37600:33:14.200 --> 00:33:19.559are done now. I'm not I'mnot close minded to it. I wanted,37700:33:19.799 --> 00:33:22.240you know, I'm I'm more curious, even though, you know,37800:33:22.279 --> 00:33:25.400I'm older and I've been through allthat, but I'm more curious. I37900:33:25.440 --> 00:33:30.519want to know how things work andbut it's just, you know, when38000:33:30.519 --> 00:33:34.599you get wrapped up in in thejust the motions of life. Now,38100:33:34.799 --> 00:33:39.559now music is for enjoyment and whatI love is that I can access any38200:33:39.640 --> 00:33:49.039kind of music from anywhere and anyminute of any moment of the day,38300:33:49.319 --> 00:33:52.960you know, and that's something wedefinitely take it for granted. I mean38400:33:53.000 --> 00:33:58.000when I just, you know,say Alexa, play this or play that,38500:33:58.200 --> 00:34:01.400and you know I'm always looking fornew music and new artists just to38600:34:01.480 --> 00:34:06.279hear what other people are doing andjust to know that I can do that38700:34:06.359 --> 00:34:08.239all the time. I think it'sjust, you know, I think it's38800:34:08.280 --> 00:34:12.519great. You know, back thenit was just really, you know,38900:34:13.000 --> 00:34:15.480just going at it with a shoveland a pick and a shovel, you39000:34:15.519 --> 00:34:22.039know, but in comparison, butit was fun and everybody minded their business.39100:34:22.480 --> 00:34:25.920So that was the best thing.There are people who are really passionate39200:34:25.960 --> 00:34:30.599about playing that, playing the music, and they want to perform. They're39300:34:30.639 --> 00:34:37.280also passionate about performing and there's noplace Tobat. So yeah, but I39400:34:37.800 --> 00:34:42.119consider myself fortunate because in our Ameterwhen we have festivals, you know,39500:34:42.159 --> 00:34:47.679I got involved with the community andEvents and festivals and things and we created39600:34:47.719 --> 00:34:52.079a stage. It's hard trying tofigure out how to make everything work,39700:34:52.159 --> 00:34:58.800because the whole thing about music isnot even about making it, it's about39800:34:58.840 --> 00:35:05.400promoting and brain me, which isunfortunate too. You are the product and39900:35:05.519 --> 00:35:08.480you have to market yourself and that'sthat's if you don't know how to do40000:35:08.519 --> 00:35:13.760that, you're shot to look andyou have to be good, because if40100:35:13.760 --> 00:35:17.119you're not, everybody you have abad night. It's going on, it's40200:35:17.159 --> 00:35:24.960going viral. So people are notnot that forgiving, you know, they're40300:35:25.000 --> 00:35:30.199not that forgifts, and people stillwant to hear like music. You know,40400:35:30.000 --> 00:35:35.000people don't even think to hire aband anymore. You know, nobody40500:35:35.039 --> 00:35:39.440would hire a band to play forthings. Your phone up there put it40600:35:39.480 --> 00:35:45.719on trouble exactly. Yeah, well, thank you for being my first episode40700:35:46.360 --> 00:35:52.840and I think it's uh when yearscomes out and we'll do the same thing.40800:35:52.599 --> 00:36:00.440Do you have anything to plug?Here's essentials? Okay, well,40900:36:00.480 --> 00:36:02.760we have about more to talk about, but we'll favorite cool. Thank you.41000:36:05.760 --> 00:36:07.639Thanks for listening. If you likewhat you heard, check out cross41100:36:07.679 --> 00:36:13.000the streams media dot com to hearmore episodes of this podcast and the other41200:36:13.079 --> 00:36:16.360shows on the cross the streams network. Don't forget to subscribe, rate and41300:36:16.440 --> 00:36:22.360review on apple podcasts or wherever youdownload your favorite shows. visit cross the41400:36:22.400 --> 00:36:25.119streams media dot com for more information. See you next time.