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John at Rockline
What year was... the Band's "Last Waltz," Farrah Fawcett's poster was
the biggest selling novelty, and Jethro Tull's "Too Old to Rock and
Roll" was blasting out on the stereo?...Was it '74, '75, '76? (BC= Bob
Coburn)
BC: John, before I introduce you, do you have a guess?
JW: Uh, I haven't a clue...
BC: No clue?
JW: Well the Farrah Fawcett thing, I think it's about '70...7?
BC: '76. But we'll let you go with the...
JW: Oh well, close enough...
BC: '76, trombones and the sound of the big parade there... ha, ha...
JW: Can I get a prize? (laughter) How 'bout second prize? (laughter)
BC: Ha, a consolation prize...
JW: I'll take anything... (laughter)
BC: Anything but congeniality... (laughter)
JW: I'm not proud... (laughter)
BC: ...that's the one you want to stay away from... (laughter) What a
musical legacy John Waite's given us over the years...the Babys, Bad
English, and of course as a solo artist. And it's always a pleasure for
Rockline to say welcome to John Waite.
JW: Thanks Bob, thanks for having me.
BC: Nice to see you, nice to have you here.
JW: It's my pleasure.
BC: Uh, what a collection your CD "Falling Backwards" is too, I mean uh,
this... a real representation of your career, I feel- do you agree with
that?
JW: Yeah, it was- it was actually, it sounds like it would be a hard
thing to pull together 'cause it's like seventeen tracks and four
different record companies, but two of the record companies became one
label. So it wasn't as tough as it might look. And it was just a case of
making a few phone calls and just walking it through, actually. The
hardest part about making that record was deciding on what was actually
going to go on it, 'cause it was like another seventeen songs that could
have...
BC: That could have...yeah...yeah...
JW: Yeah, and it was just the wildest thing to actually go back in the
vaults and find all this stuff.
BC: Well, aren't we down to two record companies? I think we're down to
two radio companies now... (laughter) I think that's all that's left,
y'know?...
JW: It's the way the world goes, man... (laughter)... twins! (laughter)
BC: In fact, we're...we're going to merge later on tonight as a matter
of fact, (laughter) you never can tell what's gonna happen. Now you are
listed as executive producer so I would imagine you were highly involved
in the, in the song selection.
BC: So you, you saw the project through all from the beginning to the
end?
JW: Yeah, it was a piece of cake, really. I thought it would be more
involved, but it's really just a case of getting a good [appointment?]
at the company and just... just being there.
BC: You see I sit here, week after week and I hear artists say
"Y'know...I don't know anything about it, y'know? Somebody else put it
together." And, uh...
JW: Well, it happens all the time, unfortunately. People just get the
urge to like, repackage your stuff and put it out. It's happened to me a
couple of times and it's annoying 'cause they pick the wrong tracks and
sometimes it's badly mastered. And it's like your life's work, y'know?
But... at least it's out there for people to hear.
BC: I think the average fan doesn't understand mastering and how
important it is...
JW: Well, it's just a matter of EQ and sort of making sure it sounds
fresh.
BC: Y-Yeah, but you get that pristine quality and uh, the background
noise disappears with the digital aspect that's available now...
JW: Yeah, if you go back to the master tapes...(talking over BC's
previous comments) Yeah, you could really do a good job. Yeah... you can
make a '60's thing sound like something out of the... y'know, the
'90's... or the millenium.
BC: Well Roger McGuinn, he was just on has done that with that live
album from the Fillmore. Sounds like it was recorded two weeks ago,
y'know?...
JW: Yeah, sounds pretty good...well, three (weeks ago). (laughter)
BC: Three (laughter), let's not give him that much, huh? (laughter)
JW: Hey... (laughter)
BC: Now, besides uh, the classics on "Falling Backwards," you've also
been active on other fronts, uh, you had the uh, solo album, "When You
Were Mine" from- that was, what? '98 I think that was...?
JW: Uh, yeah... '99, '98...
BC: '98, '99... Uh, Quentin Tarentino had you write a song from the
movie, "True Romance?"
JW: Yeah, that was a, a blast. That was really great.
BC: That must have been fun. And I understand you're writing for a
couple of other films...
JW: Uh, yeah, well...
BC: ...a Ben Stiller movie and um... a Richard Gere film.
JW: A Richard Gere, they gave me a, a script uh, about three months ago.
Just threw it on the table and said write us a song for this. So it's
kinda very easy to write songs once you got a script. With the "In
Dreams" thing, the "True Romance" movie- that was easy. Once you
understand the characters, all you have to do is put yourself... in the
room with them, y'know?
BC: Mm-hmm...
JW: ... it's either the kitchen, or the bedroom or the street, y'know?
It's a, it's a house. And...
BC: It kind of tells you what to write about...
JW: Oh yeah, but you understand the characters so it's very easy. When
it's not you that you are trying to get to the heart of, it's very easy
to be objective. The heart isn't that hard to understand when it's not
yours.
BC: Mm-hmm...
JW: So, but um...it's a piece of cake. I'm just going on about it... but
the, the, Richard Gere thing is about Central Park. And the seasons
changing and NYC. I've lived in NYC for about 18 years. So it's really
very nostalgic here in LA for NY, so it was very easy to write that one.
BC: Mm-hmm, you've also been quoted in the past as saying that once a
song takes on a certain form, uh it tends to write itself.
JW: Yeah, it's like with "Missing You"... w'uh, just like scatting
through that when we're writing it. That almost wrote itself completely,
just about the second bridge that went in about two weeks later. But
the, the choruses, the verses, everything just like spilled out... it's
a remarkable thing when it happens. But it doesn't happen all the time.
If you count on it, it deserts you, but when you least expect it, it's
right there.
BC: And that ended up being a number one hit single for you, too.
JW: Yeah, yeah.
BC: We're going to play "Isn't It Time." What do you remember about
recording that?
JW: W'um, that was in Los Angeles with the Babys and... on Third Street.
And uh... well it was...
BC: On Third Street, the old Beach Boys studio?
JW: No, it was uh... is it the Record Plant? The Record Plant.
BC: OK, the Record Plant, yeah...
JW: They've torn it down though, by the "Hoagie House." Yeah...
BC: OK yeah, right, right. My side of LA... I'm wondering what you're
talking about here... (laughter) But the Beach Boys had a studio on
Third Street and Santa Monica... yeah, yeah...
JW: They did? Oh, that's the wrong direction...oh, is that, is that
toward the sea?
BC: Yes, that would be toward the sea.
JW: Oh, OK. Um, yeah, but it's just I remember being just very young
when I was doing that. We'd, we'd heard the uh, the Humble Pie album
with the Raspberries. Steve Marriott singing with his band with three
backup singers. And a lot of my roots are like, Otis Redding and Etta
James. Black music is really a profound influence on me. So it's a real
joy to have actually real... backup singers come in and give it a
soulful thing, I was just so honored, y'know? I was just knocked out to
have 'em.
BC: Uh, it's about time for "Isn't It Time." John Waite and the Babys.
(song is played) "Isn't It Time" the Babys, featuring John Waite. John
my guest right now, I'm Bob Coburn, your number is toll free, it's
1-800-344-ROCK. It's one of the cool things about Rockline, not only do
you get to talk to your favorite artist, it doesn't cost you a penny.
(John laughs) We actually bill you later, but that's a whole other
story. We have Lynn in the Cleveland, Ohio area, welcome to
Rockline, Lynn and here's John Waite for ya...
JW: Hi Lynn.
Lynn: Hi John.
JW: How are you doing?
Lynn: Fantastic.
JW: How's Cleveland?
Lynn: Um, it's wonderful, we're missing you.
JW: Yeah, I'd like to be there. (laughter)
BC: Pun intended. (laughter)
JW: No I like Cleveland.
Lynn: My question is twofold, number one is are you going to come out
with a full length, um recording this year with a bunch of new material
and are you going to be touring extensively soon?
JW: Well, uh- we're writing songs at the moment for another album. I had
an album out about two years ago, so it's another one is due next year
kinda thing, so I'm trying to finish up some songs for that. And we're
on the road uh, doing gigs all through this year. We've got like um, a,
a handful next month then, then a few more next after that. But if you,
if you log onto jw.com, I've got this website, and they post the gigs as
they come up. Sometimes we get the gig a week before, it's not a
complete tour it's just going out and playing for a week and coming
back. But we are out there playing gigs.
BC: And a reminder, it's W-A-I-T-E. Just a reminder...
JW: Yeah, I didn't get the Grammy, actually... (laughter) That wasn't
me. (laughter)
BC: Yeah (laughter), we have one in the backroom for ya... (laughter)
before you leave tonight... yeah...
JW: I'll take it! (laughter)
BC: Everyone gets a parting gift from Rockline, yeah... (laughter)
JW: Well, thank you... too. (laughter)
BC: ...and some coffee mugs. Lynn, thanks for calling, uh...
JW: Thanks, Lynn.
BC: Let's head to the NY area, John, you're on Rockline with John.
John: John, how are ya?
JW: Hi John.
John: I just want to say uh, I've been a fan of yours since '76...
JW: Thank you very much.
John: ...and uh, got to see this new tour of your last uh, year and I'm
hoping to see you again in the NY area in about two months.
JW: Great... thanks very much.
John: Uh, VH-1...
JW: Yeah?
John: ...I was hoping we would see a Behind The Music show on ya... one
of these days...
JW: Yeah, well it would have to be an extensive... Behind The Music,
'cause I've had a very long career. But uh, nobody's asking me yet. I
think if I'd have a big hit record... in the near future, they would
probably get 'round to it.
BC: N'yuh, how can that be,
y'know?
JW: What?
BC: I'm sor- I mean , I don't work for VH-1, and I don't mean to knock
anybody on there, but I mean how can that be with y'know, "Change" and
"Missing You" and "Midnight Rendezvous" and, and "Head
First" and I mean
all, all these songs that you've done...
JW: I...
BC: ...and y'know, "When You Were Mine" y'know, how could they not do
one on you?
JW: I have no idea... I think it would be an interesting thing,
certainly very colorful...
BC: You want me to go over there and kick some butt?
JW: Why don't you just kick somebody's ass, man...
BC: Now I'll just go over there and kick some butt...
JW: Hey...
BC: ...and that will be the end of that, y'know?
JW: ...kick Dominic's. (laughter)
BC: I do that twice a week. (laughter)
JW: Everything in twos, man... (laughter)
BC: John, thanks for being on...
JW: Thanks, John.
BC: And uh, (Bob laughing) uh, eh, obviously John a big fan there, I
mean...
JW: Yeah.
BC: ...he's tapped into, y'know...
JW: Yeah.
BC: ...when you were there and when you're coming again and everything.
JW: Yeah.
BC: Now, if, it you were on one of the Behind The Musics, what, what
would the big tragedy be? The scene, y'know, uh, uh, I call it the
Barbara Walter's moment, where...
JW: Oh...
BC: ...the band breaks down and sobs about 40 minutes...
JW: Uh, well uh, uh, the Babys on the last tour, we were trying to get
to NY... we were trying to make it all the way to NY. And I was going to
leave the band, I was so pissed off, we, well the record company
couldn't get the records in the stores and we were all like, falling
apart but we were trying to make a really big last effort... to, to
finish the tour. And we got to um... Akron and I tripped over on stage
and tore my knee up, all the ligament.. and cartilage, it was really
bad. (John laughs)
BC: Ooo.
JW: And the next night I went on crutches and then... hobbled off stage
and passed out. (John laughs)
BC: And passed out?
JW: But I was in pain, 'ad to cancel the tour and it was England for me
and uh, LA for the band. It was like, that was our last gig. But that
was a really poignant moment 'cause we were really trying so hard to
make it to the end of that tour.
BC: To make it to the end of the tour, to get to NY and, and it stops in
Akron.
JW: Yeah.. well the good thing, it was, y'know Chrissie Hynde's
hometown. I thought that was... meaningful.
BC: Yeah, but they tore everything down and put up a parking lot,
according to Chrissie...
JW: Well that's true, isn't it?
BC: ...a few years ago...yeah...
JW: ...thrilled Ohio- yeah, beautiful state.
BC: Yeah... I love Ohio. Now you seem to be a fan of uh... Cleveland,
and...
JW: Yeah, well... before I joined the Babys I went... I came to America
and joined a band in Cleveland for like five months. It was impossible,
it was so great. I mean, I, I so wanted to come to America... It was so
hard to get a Visa. And I finally swung it and came to... join this band
and we... played a couple of clubs and... almost got a record deal and
it all fell through and I went home, but... I went straight to the Babys
after that.
BC: Now I. I don't want anybody from any other part of the country
knocking me or anything, but there is a reason that the Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame is in Cleveland.
JW: Yeah...
BC: There is something about Mid-Western rockers and Cleveland in
particlular....
JW: It's really, it's really serious.
BC: ...they take it really seriously.
JW: Well, MMS, the radio station there, that was like, that was like the
real cradle of rock in the Miid-West, that was like really...
BC: Yeah, yeah.
JW: ...and... uh, just the, the clubs there, there were loads of great
bands, and uh, Mott the Hoople and the Small Faces and all those guys
always played... Bowie... they always broke out of Cleveland.
BC: Yeah, got some rockers over there.
JW: Great town... yeah.
BC: Yeah, uh, let's play one of your songs, "When You Were Mine."
JW: Oh yes, one of my more recent songs. It's off my last album.
BC: Here it is by John Waite. (song played) "When You Were Mine" is the
name of that song. John and I having our own little private conversation
here... (laughing) about various and sundry things... I want to remind
you, everybody that gets on the air gets a copy of the Byrds "Live at
the Fillmore" or John Waite's "Falling Backwards." And all you have to do
is call toll free and get on the air and you'll get your copy, how's
that? Number is 1-800-344-ROCK, your turn to talk with John next on
Rockline on the AM/FM Network.
BC: Welcome back to Rockline, I'm Bob Coburn with John Waite, your
number toll free at 1-800-344-ROCK. And uh, we have a call now from
Paducah, Missouri and uh, this gentleman's name is Gaylen. Hi Gaylen.
Gaylen: Hi, how's it goin'...
BC: We're doing good.
JW: Hi Gaylen.
Gaylen: I'd just like to say, hi to John and I'm a big fan.
JW: Hey, Gaylen, thanks a lot, man.
Gaylen: Alright... uh, my question is, is I was wondering if you would
kinda consider doing like a David Lee Roth sorta thing and consider
joining, joining any uh, already established bands or have you had any
offers of that sort?
JW: Well I had a few offers, but I mean it's, I, I did what I did, the
Bad English thing was about as far out as I could get. I mean that's
pretty rockin' and it was very um... sort of opposite ends of the music
business, really. All threaded together in one band.
BC: So no, no Van Waite... in the wings yet...
JW: Not yet, no not yet (Bob laughs) but uh, it's interesting, if you,
you hook up with the right people, I'd like to do sort of like... y'know
uh, something really wild like a country record or something, I'd like
to do something like that, but uh, as, as far as joining somebody else's
band, it would have to be a spectacular band.
BC: OK, this is really out of left field, but since Gaylen has brought
this up...
JW: Yes...
BC: You're obviously uh, have been uh, friends and uh, in bands with
Jonathan Cain...
JW: Yeah...
BC: Steve Perry decided not to tour...
JW: Yeah...
BC: ...did they talk to you at all?
JW: (John laughs) Oh, no... no...
BC: No? Would you have done it?
JW: No...
BC: Would you have done it if they asked you? Just an ab-absolute...
JW: No... I'm very happy where I am, I've made two albums since the Bad
English thing and... I amaze myself where I wound up. I was looking for
something... I was really hungry for something, I couldn't put my finger
on it, but it took about two years to write it. But as soon as I hit my
stride, I never stopped. And where I wound up, is really a place I wanna
be.
BC: Well you're in a good place right now, and we're gonna talk to
Jennifer in Chicago, Jennifer- here's John Waite.
Jennifer: Hi John.
JW: Hi Jennifer.
Jennifer: Oh God, I can't believe I'm talking to you.
JW: Uh, what are you wearing? (laughter)
Jennifer: Oh my God...
JW: How is Chicago?
Jennifer: Um, it's pretty nice today.
JW: Is it?
Jennifer: Yeah.
JW: Alright.
Jennifer: Um, I wanted to know what are some of your favorite bands that
you have toured with?
JW: Toured?...God I can't remember any of 'em, really... um, we
generally pull up outside, run on stage, play and run off, y'know, it's
like...I kinda, uh, uh, Missing Persons were, were great to tour
with...I really enjoyed that.
BC: Ah, I just love Missing Persons.
JW: Yeah, Dale and... they were great.
BC: Dale and Terry Bozio, yeah...
JW: Yeah, and Terry is fantastic... actually, talking about Terry we
went to Japan with Bad English and, and played with uh, Jeff Beck and...
Terry, they had a band together. And I got up at the end of te set and
sang... with Jeff... "Going Down." That was, that was something.
BC: Ooo, oooh...
JW: Talk about, talk about getting on with the uh, with the other bands.
That was like really getting on.
BC: That's a great song, an old Don Nicks song, "Going Down" and-a,
yeah...
JW: Yeah, a fantastic song, and just to look across the stage and
there's, there's Beck lookin' at ya. Like, y'know, "What are you gonna
do next, son?"
BC: Yeah, uh-huh...
JW: It's like, verse two, man! (John laughs)
BC: Yeah, yeah and calling it as it is that way...
JW: Yeah! Y'know and he has to wait to see if I stop singing... (John's
laughing)
BC: And Terry played, Terry played with Frank Zappa and uh, y'know...
JW: Oh yeah, he's brilliant... oh yes, oh yes...
BC: Missing Persons, "Nobody Walks In LA" and "Words" and all those
great songs...
JW: Oh geez, an absolutely great album... really great band.
BC: Yeah, I always like to plug them whenever the chance comes up.
Jennifer, thanks, and uh...
JW: Thanks, Jennifer.
BC: Thanks for not answering what you're wearing. (John laughs) We don't
want to go there with John, y'know?... We got to reel him in as the show
goes on here anyway... uh, to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, we had, we have
Lynn on the line... Hi Lynn.
Lynn: Hi L- hi, hi, how ya doin'?
JW: Hi Lynn.
BC: We're good.
Lynn: Good. Hey, John, how are you doin'?
JW: I'm good, man- how ya been?
Lynn: Uh, not too bad.
JW: Great.
Lynn: Boy, wow- I ...always dreamed about this, that's great though...
uh, yeah, excellent, I, I love your music, it's incredible..
JW: Thanks very much. Thank you.
Lynn: I, I really, really do...
JW: Thank you.
Lynn: Um..my cousin and I, my cousin Rich...
JW: Yeah...
Lynn: ...we always uh, well we have a mixer and we kind of uh... y'know
like we play some music from the old times and I'm, I'm not saying it's
the old times, but whatever, but we always uh, do old things...
JW: Way back... yeah...
BC: Better, better to have a rich cousin, than a cousin Rich, but that's
alright (laughter) man, don't worry... (laughter)
Lynn: No but I'm just saying though, that uh...
JW: What, which ones do you play?
Lynn: Uh, wuh, we love that "Missing You" and stuff like that...
JW: Yeah...
Lynn: ...like we, we mix a lot of types of music together, which is
great...
JW: Yeah...
Lynn: ...and uh...
BC: Lynn, are you in an echo chamber?
Lynn: Uh, no, actually I'm, I'm in my basement, I'm sorry.
BC: Uh, that's OK, naw you could be in your basement. Sounds like you're
in the john to be honest with ya. (Bob laughs)
Lynn: Oh, really? No, no I'm in my basement, though...actually. Actually
I'm at my bar, so...
BC:Ah, there we go... what's your question for John
tonight?
Lynn: But uh, y'know- No John, uh, great I, we, we do honestly- we, we
love your music...
JW: Thank you.
Lynn: ...and I love that with "Missing You." Uh, I- my question was,
like how did you... y'know like kinda inspired to write that music to
that song?
JW: Uh, well I'd finished the record, it was "No Brakes." Uh, the record
it came off and... the album was finished. And being me, I, I couldn't
let it go. I felt we haven't got a single, so I kept writing. And uh, I
was working with this guy and he had a tape machine with different songs
we've been working on. And I went back the next night and he stopped the
tape machine at the wrong time... and it was a few bars of the backing
track of "Missing You." And I liked it so much he put it on, on the...
headphones, y'know put the mike up and I sang along with that track
and... hey, presto, it was... it suddenly arrived, y'know?
BC: That happens so frequently that the...
JW: When you least expect it.
BC: ...the big hit ends up being the last song, too.
JW: Well actually, no matter what you've written, no matter how good the
record is, you usually... if you're worth your salt, go back in, uh,
just as you finished everything to see if you can top it. You know,
"cause sometimes when all the tension is through, the floodgates kind of
really, surprise you, they really open.
BC: That makes sense, kind of a we're done, you can relax...
JW: Yeah...
BC: ...then all of a sudden, and then ya...
JW: ...so I've made a cup of tea, y'know... "I've got a hit comin'
on"... (laughter)
BC: When you were with the Babys and did "Back On My Feet Again," which
we are about to play...
JW: Yeah...
BC: Do you remember what you felt about that song?
JW: Yeah, well you see, that's an interesting story, 'cause the uh...
the record company gave us a song called "Yesterday's Heroes" and said
"This is a really big hit, let's do it" and I said, like, "I don't do
outside songs, son." and he said "No you got to do this song, well for
another record." So the band begrudgingly cut the backing track. And I
went, I- we put off for weeks, singing this thing and eventually had to
sing it, so I went home and rewrote the lyric and the melody and came
back... and instead of singing this, Mickey Mouse song (laughter) I had
this whole plot, "Back On My Feet Again" I sang it across the top of it,
y'know? It took, it took two cups of coffee... I got up in the
morning... remembered that I had to sing this song and thought, "Oh no"
and then (John laughs)...
BC: What was, what was the title of the other song?
JW: "Yesterday's Heroes."
BC: So this is "Yesterday's Heroes" with the different melody and
different lyrics...
JW: Yeah.
BC: And now it's "Back On My Feet Again."
JW: Exactly. (John laughs)
BC: Unbelievable. (John laughs, song is played) "Back On My Feet Again"
the Babys, featuring John Waite, my guest currently on Rockline. I'm Bob
Coburn...uh, so you rewrote the melody, rewrote the lyrics, who got the
publishing rights on that?
JW: Oh we split it. (laughter)
BC:Yeah, right! (laughter)
JW: We did, I got a third of it... I did.
BC: Oh you split it with the other guys in the Babys.
JW: No, no- the, the other guys that wrote the song... eh, it's not a
sad song, they sent us this song, "Yesterday's Heroes."
BC: Yeah...
JW: We wouldn't have written a song called "Yesterday's Heroes."
BC: Yeah...
JW: That's not my speed at all (John laughs)
BC: Yeah, yeah that doesn't sound like your stuff. No, no that just
doesn't sound like your stuff. (John laughing) Now I heard a story a
long time ago that in the early days of the Babys, Ringo Starr got
involved...
JW: No, no, no... that's on the back of the album, the first album.
Ringo was one of the engineers in the um, in the, in Toronto... at
Nimbus Nine. We made this album there, our first album.
BC: Mm-hmm.
JW: And Ringo was one of the guys that was making the tea. He had a big
nose though and he kept on saying...
BC: Making the tea... (Bob laughs)
JW: "Nor off, man. That's a great song you got there, mate." (laughter)
BC: Well, Rockline sets the record straight for you one more time. Let's
head to Music Ctiy, to Nashville... Brian, you're on with John Waite.
Brian: Hi John, hi Bob.
JW: Hi Brian.
Brian: I got a couple quick questions, I've loved your career,
everything from "Encircled¨, "Change", "California," I wonder
what key you prefer to play in and what is your most memorable
performance?
JW: What key?
Brian: I know you can play in any key...
JW: Yeah...
Brian: You can sing in any key, but what do you prefer to sing in?
JW: Well, anything where I can sing it an octive above the band. I, I -
if I can really go up there, that's where I like to jam, 'cause I sing
it like um, D is good for that. And D has got that eternal open chord
thing. You could put like, fingering it over the, some of the, the bass
notes and you get some amazing chords. If you use like a capo, it's
just, it just takes off when you swing down from a, a D major to a E
minor... and as far as performance goes... Um... God....
BC: I thought he was asking about R-Ringo's tea... instead of what key?
JW: Yeah, "One lump or two, there- Johnny?"
BC: Yeah, yeah... key, tea...
JW: I uh, I just uh, I- all of 'em have a certain thing, y'know? Tha
last gig we did was actually stunning. We played the Key Club in, in LA
and... you think it being one of those gigs in LA that something might,
a wheel might fall off, but- It was an absolutely, unbelievable gig.
Y'know, it, it kinda played itself.
BC: Brian, thanks for being on tonight... let's let everyone else have
their turn...
JW: Thanks Brian.
BC: ...quickly, JoAnne from Dallas. Hi JoAnne.
JoAnne: Hi, um...
JW: Hi JoAnne.
JoAnne: Hi John, uh, actually I'm from Annapolis but I'm listening
through Dallas.
BC: Oh, OK so you're on the internet... cool.
JoAnne: Yeah, uh, uh, I just wanted to know uh, what do you enjoy, have
you enjoyed most, like the Babys or Bad English or your solo career,
what's been the most enjoyable for you?
JW: Well I think the last two records, there's an album called "Temple
Bar" that I made after Bad English... and that's probably... I don't
think I've ever topped that one. That's something that I really have to
work on to top. That, that Hank Williams song on it and that Van
Morrison song... and a song called "Downtown" that was like... the story
of my life, really. And uh, all the pieces came together... actually I
think it was because I was in Bad English for three years and... really
desperate to make a solo record, so I was trying to top myself. But it
sounds like the record that would have followed "Missing You."
BC: Is "Temple Bar" the, named after the district in Dublin?
JW: Yeah, but there's a bar downtown, at LaFayette and Houston,
Bleeker... called Temple Bar. I used to walk from 60th Street, my
apartment, all the way down to the Temple Bar at night and have a glass
of wine. And I spent so much time in NYC, that I'd be like walking with
ghosts. Y'know everywhere I looked, there were memories, and I tried to
write an album about that.
BC: There's your subject material right there... yeah.
JW: It was a full album.
BC: Yeah... a full album.
JW: Some record.
BC: Uh, JoAnne, thanks for being on...
JW: Thanks JoAnne.
BC: ...um, on the internet in Annapolis listening to Dallas. I love this
stuff, uh, in the year 2000...We have Patrick, uh, Patrick are you in
the Chicago area?
Patrick: I'm in Chicago...
BC: Oh, Ok- I just want to verify...(Bob laughs)
JW: Hey, hey Patrick. (laughter)
Patrick: Hey John...hey, I'm a big, big fan and I love your new stuff...
JW: Thanks very much.
Patrick: ...love it.
JW: Thank you.
Patrick: I got a two part question...
JW: Yeah...
Patrick: You were talking about Cleveland, and did you ever, did you
ever run into or jam with my favorite Cleveland band, the Raspberries?
JW: No, but uh, I went to see 'em play at the Agora... uh, when I was,
when I was there, when I was living there. I remember catching one of
their gigs. It was it was a good gig. We didn't really hear the
Ras-Raspberries in England. But somebody once said that the Babys was
influenced by the Raspberries, but... I, I didn't get that connection.
But they were a good band.
BC: Anything else, Patrick?
Patrick: Yeah, this secondly, what do you listen to now besides yourself
that, that turns you on?
John: Um (John laughs) well I just bought Otis Redding...uh, "Dreams To
Remember," it's a double CD anthology. But I like a lot of things... I
really do, I listen to a lot of different music. Women, I listen to a
lot of women.
BC: Yeah, and a lot of women listen to you.
JW: Yeah... well I return the compliment. I mean, it's, it's like, I
kinda dig listening to women sing.
BC: Tell you what...
JW: It's got a whole different thing going.
BC: Patrick, thanks for being on, we got to take a time-out. We'll
return with John Waite in just a moment on Rockline...
JW: Thanks Patrick.
BC: ...on the AM/FM Network.
BC: A little "Head First" by the Babys there...I want to thank everyone
for listening and for calling tonight. Uh, get the "thank yous" out of
the way here, I also want to thank Jody Glisman, Tom Gording, uh, that
should be Cording at Sony Legacy... Dick Sheets and Brett Ludwig at WJRR
in Orlando. To Camilla McGuinn and to Chris...
JW: Arnstein... my manager.
BC: Arn-Arnstein...you're way ahead of me. (John laughs) yeah, you're
way ahead of me, I'm uh, working on the name and you're already ahead of
me (John laughs)....very quickly, before you leave here... This must
have been about a year ago, I was watching the local business channel,
here in Southern California...
JW: Yeah...yeah...
BC: I turned it on and, and there you were...
JW: Oh, Richard Saxton...
BC: Yeah...
JW: ...he's a friend of mine.
BC: Uh, ah, I was wondering...
JW: Yeah, he was doing, the, the Wall Street bit and he invited me on to
talk about music.
BC: Yeah, you came across almost like uh, an advisor, "Here's what you
want to do, here's what you don't want to do..."
JW: If I knew what I was doing, I would be (laughter) I wouldn't be in
the stock market. (laughter)
BC: So the whole thing is pretty much a freakin' charade- right, John?
JW: Oh I think so... (laughter) I lost so much money this year...
BC: But you look good on camera...
JW: Hey... (John laughs)
BC: I know... hey, everybody is losing their tail this year (John
laughs)...I mean, things are not good...
JW: Yeah, it's rough. Richard isn't though, Richard's good with money.
BC: Yeah...
JW: Yeah.
BC: Yeah, and it's nice to see you on shows like that and certainly nice
to have you come down to Rockline this evening.
JW: Well, thank you. I really enjoyed it.
BC: It's good to see you.
JW: I'd like to say thanks to all the people out there that... supported
me over the years and... God bless you.
BC: What's the web site again?
JW: Uh, jw.com.
BC: Simple enough.
JW: Hi Kathy.
BC: I'm BC and I'll be seeing you.
Thanks a lot Doreen!!!!!!
