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Post by kds on Jan 8, 2021 18:43:16 GMT
Nick Mason, from Pink Floyd, has done some pretty good interviews in recent years, especially since forming his Saucerful of Secrets band. He's the only member of the band who was there was start to finish (assuming they're done, which they appear to be). He's also, somewhat surprisingly, the only bandmember to have written a book.
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Post by Kapitan on Jan 10, 2021 19:25:58 GMT
I stumbled on the Library of Congress YouTube channel and its various music-related interviews and panel discussions, and now I have to say that Allen Toussaint gives a wonderful interview. He's really thoughtful, actually tries to answer questions as asked (rather than just using them to launch into his stock stories), even to the point of apologizing a few times when he can't really answer the question.
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Post by Kapitan on Jan 14, 2021 14:19:55 GMT
I totally disagree with this. I think Carl was usually quite respectful, thoughtful, and sometimes insightful. What did you not like about his interviews?
One thing I'll grant, he didn't dish dirt. So if you're looking for full transparency or something, that's not forthcoming.
Totally?
Yeah, Carl was usually respectful, but I've seen him NOT be receptive, like he didn't want to be there, just going through the motions. I did not find him thoughtful. On the contrary, like the other Beach Boys, I found him to be giving typical, standard, repetitive answers. And that's what was frustrating. He could've been insightful because, first, he knew Brian and Dennis better than anybody, and, second, he was the "musician" of the group. Carl's answers were, in my opinion, bland, vanilla, and not at all interesting or fascinating - and, oh boy, they could've been! Carl was too nice of a guy, and a lot of what he knew was not for public consumption.
...as The Kapitan searches YouTube for good Carl Wilson interviews... I actually didn't even notice that last comment until I was going to make this post. But...
This is an example of Carl as a good interviewee, in my opinion. Yes, he is still very cautious and respectful to the point of arguably being withholding ... but I don't see it that way. I see it as being appropriately measured (especially while the band was still an active working unit).
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jan 16, 2021 0:55:18 GMT
Totally?
Yeah, Carl was usually respectful, but I've seen him NOT be receptive, like he didn't want to be there, just going through the motions. I did not find him thoughtful. On the contrary, like the other Beach Boys, I found him to be giving typical, standard, repetitive answers. And that's what was frustrating. He could've been insightful because, first, he knew Brian and Dennis better than anybody, and, second, he was the "musician" of the group. Carl's answers were, in my opinion, bland, vanilla, and not at all interesting or fascinating - and, oh boy, they could've been! Carl was too nice of a guy, and a lot of what he knew was not for public consumption.
...as The Kapitan searches YouTube for good Carl Wilson interviews... I actually didn't even notice that last comment until I was going to make this post. But...
This is an example of Carl as a good interviewee, in my opinion. Yes, he is still very cautious and respectful to the point of arguably being withholding ... but I don't see it that way. I see it as being appropriately measured (especially while the band was still an active working unit).
See, THAT ^ interview is exactly what I'm talking about. That was almost your typical Brian Wilson interview. Carl was asked about SMiLE and his response was "It was too difficult". He was asked about Sunflower and his response was "we didn't do it quickly" and "we recorded more things than were released on it" and "we decided to release it when we had that collection of songs". Carl did open up a little about SMiLE later but nothing interesting, "We did things in sections...you could put them one in front of the other..." That was soooo Brian. Carl later went into his Al/Bruce mode, just saying anything. He said, "I don't think I want to do anything else now. And, I don't think anybody else does at this time." OK, Dennis was unhappy and wanted to record a solo album, Brian was recording with Spring, soon California Music, and basically nobody, and within a year Blondie and Ricky would be gone.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jan 24, 2021 15:21:58 GMT
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Post by Kapitan on Apr 30, 2021 16:38:31 GMT
I'm on a little Guns n Roses kick after listening to that podcast episode I linked to yesterday. Today I've listened to a pair of interviews Axl Rose did with Kurt Loder, one right before the release of the Illusions and one a little earlier, sometime during their recording (after Adler had been booted).
As much as he has a reputation of being difficult (which I don't doubt he has earned), and as much as he has become a recluse from the media, he actually gave really interesting interviews at that time. The answers were thoughtful and coherent, not just the kind of formulaic tripe you often get from people used to being interviewed such as musicians and athletes.
One funny note from the one I'm listening to now, he says the band's in-progress rendition of "Live and Let Die" sounds like "Tom Waits meets Metallica."
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Post by jk on Apr 30, 2021 17:55:53 GMT
As much as he has a reputation of being difficult (which I don't doubt he has earned), and as much as he has become a recluse from the media, he actually gave really interesting interviews at that time. The answers were thoughtful and coherent, not just the kind of formulaic tripe you often get from people used to being interviewed such as musicians and athletes.
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Post by Kapitan on Apr 30, 2021 18:54:41 GMT
Well, it gets boring! And I'm not saying I want something more exciting than the usual, just something more honest--actual answers with actual thoughts behind them.
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Post by Kapitan on Aug 13, 2021 15:41:53 GMT
I've got a recent Joe Rogan episode playing in which which he interviews Jakob Dylan. First of all, Dylan is a pretty interesting person to listen to. But he also tells a funny anecdote about speaking with Paul Stanley.
He's in a studio or at a label's office with his then-4-year-old son in the mid-to-late 90s. He meets Paul Stanley, and they're chatting. Some intern comes down with the just-released KISS dolls and asks Paul to sign the box for him. As this happens, Paul sees the little boy realizing that he, Paul, is the doll.
So Paul realizes what's going on. "Do you want one of these?" he asks. The little boy, speechless, just nods his head yes. "You'd like one?" Nods, yes.
Paul straightens up and says to Jakob Dylan, "if you go over to Hollywood over by Vine, they've still got some in stock, and they've got some left. They're not too pricey, they haven't jacked the price yet."
You thought he was going to give the kid a little gift. Nope. Telling you where you can go buy one!
One of the "most KISS" stories I've ever heard!
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Post by kds on Aug 13, 2021 15:45:35 GMT
Jesus, Paul, you could've at least given Jakob a $20 bill to go get the damn toy if you didn't have one on you.
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Post by Kapitan on Aug 13, 2021 18:10:16 GMT
Really a lot of interesting talk about record business on this one. I recommend it. And how about this fact they pulled up while talking about changes over time:
Music industry revenue sources for the 1st half of 2020: - Streaming: 85% - Physical product: 7% - Digital downloads: 6% - Synch (e.g. placed in movie, TV show): 2%
(Obviously they don't include live shows in this report.)
Source is the RIAA, and I've linked it above. What's amazing is, the revenue is all in streaming, yet artists aren't getting paid much at all for streaming. There's money there, obviously ... and who is getting it?!
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Post by kds on Aug 13, 2021 19:10:07 GMT
Wow, I knew streaming was big, but had no clue there was that much of a divide between streaming revenue and tangible media. It's especially amazing when a year long subscription to Spotify can cost as little as $100 (if you get one of those three months for the price of one deals I'm on now), and you get unlimited access to countless songs and albums. The same amount of money gets you about 8 new CDs or four records.
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Post by Kapitan on Jun 26, 2022 23:03:16 GMT
I don't recall having come across this before, but the great Studs Terkel interviews the great (imo) and always interesting Frank Zappa back in 1968!
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Post by Kapitan on Aug 14, 2022 15:20:51 GMT
I came across this Michael Nesmith interview from 1968. I don't know whether I've heard a Nesmith interview before, but he's really interesting. From approx. 10 minutes toward near the end of this part (1 of 2), he speaks about his ideas regarding the concept of pop music, the blending (and segregation) of genres, etc.
And FYI, pt. 2 begins with the genesis of the Monkees--not in terms of how the process went, but rather what it was like coming together to work. He goes on to talk about relative freedom compared to earlier eras (which interestingly, he answers by noting he "never knew the bondage," and so actually only sees the negatives of the then-current scene), sharing power with the corporate entities, etc.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Aug 15, 2022 11:31:01 GMT
Nesmith liked to talk, didn't he? There was never a shortage of opinions with him. I miss him.
It was always and will always be difficult for artists/bands to crossover, even slightly, to genres of music other than what they were known/popular for. Just ask Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys and numerous other bands. Mike talked about a best-case scenario concept, and he, of all The Monkees, did record the most un-Monkee-like songs. On one hand you have to give him credit for that; he put his money where his mouth was. But, it also had to be frustrating for the other Monkees who wanted...commercial success, too. There was and is a placeholder for many (all?) of those songs that blend or segregate genres of music. An album.
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