An EXCLUSIVE Interview with ANVIL!

METAL DISORDER:

An EXCLUSIVE Interview with

ANVIL guitarist/vocalist

STEVE "LIPS" KUDLOW

By Stephen SPAZ Schnee

     Canadian Heavy Metal band Anvil is celebrating their 30th Anniversary as a recording unit with the release of the anthology Monument Of Metal. While the album contains 19 of their finest musical moments (including re-recordings of a handful of their early tracks), it’s merely an introduction to the band’s journey, which has been a long, frustrating and ultimately fruitful one.

     Led by guitarist Steve Lips Kudlow and his childhood friend drummer Robb Reiner, the band has gone through many personnel changes over the years, although their riff rockin’ Heavy Metal sound has remained largely unchanged. While their early ‘80s contemporaries were fast becoming millionaires by jumping from one Metal trend to the next, Anvil were largely forgotten as Hair Metal took root and became the music of choice for Rock fans all over the world.

     Like any other trend, Hair Metal and all the bands who sailed that ship were cast aside by Grunge, then Nu-Metal, Hardcore and every other trendy Metal genre that was quickly snapped up by the general public (and just as quickly discarded). Through it all, Anvil kept doing what they did best: creating classic Heavy Metal.

     In 2008, longtime Anvil fan, former roadie and film director Sasha Gervasi put together a documentary entitled Anvil: The Story Of Anvil, which thrust the band into the spotlight again and made them instant Metal heroes. The band has never looked back and are busier than they’ve ever been.

     Earlier this year, Anvil released their 14th studio album, Juggernaut Of Justice, and received some of their finest reviews to date. The album’s closing track, the glorious horn-heavy “Swing Thing”, is quite possibly the first Swing Metal track ever to be recorded, and it’s one of the band’s crowning achievements.

     Barely half a year later, the Monument Of Metal compilation is about to hit the shelves and take Anvil to a new level of Heavy Metal insanity. Stephen SPAZ Schnee was able to catch up with guitarist/vocalist Steve LIPS Kudlow to discuss Anvil’s latest releases and talk about their career thus far…

SPAZ: A few months back, you released Juggernaut Of Justice and you’ve got the Monument Of Metal compilation dropping at the end of September. How are you feeling about things right now?

STEVE ‘LIPS’ KUDLOW: I feel pretty good. We’re about to start touring… well, we have been touring and it’s been quite non-stop. This has been the first actual few weeks that I haven’t been that busy. Having three weeks off, it seems like an eternity… but it’s not that long!

SPAZ: It’s your 30th Anniversary as a recording unit: did you ever consider releasing a box set spanning your three decade-long career?

LIPS: I think it was something that we were considering and it still may happen. The compilation album was the door-opener for all of it. We picked the choice tunes (for Monument Of Metal) and then we’re probably going to re-release the whole back catalog. We were talking about doing it in a box set but we’re not sure. But they may just come out individually over a duration of time. Our European label wants us to do that. But there’s some issues that still have to get worked out like unreleased tracks, obscure things that never saw the light of day… getting those included so there’s something more there than just the old catalog. There’s a bunch of stuff in the works, but everything takes time. We like to concentrate on the future rather than worrying and focusing on what we’ve already done.

SPAZ: Given that Monument Of Metal is a single disc collection, was it difficult to choose the tracks? And what were the criteria for the 19 tracks that ended up on the album?

LIPS: It’s really interesting because we didn’t really put a criteria on them. We just went, “Well, off of this album, which song?” And then we’d pick a few songs and say “This was on the first Anthology (released in 2000) and this wasn’t. And since it stands the test of time, OK, we’ll use this one!” That’s sort of how we went about doing it. We talked about the records and just picked our favorites at the moment. That’s really what it came down to. This is the second anthology that we put out. We couldn’t keep pressing the first Anthology because we had to keep buying the rights (of the songs) from the original label so we had to make a new one. We changed a few things from the first one and added a couple of re-records. Because of the legal aspect of using the old versions, it would have cost us a lot of money. Even if you own the studio albums, you’re going to want this because it has stuff you don’t have.

SPAZ: It’s pretty amazing while listening to Monument Of Metal and noticing that you have remained pretty true to your original sound over the years. Have you ever been tempted to alter your sound to keep up with the ever-changing music scene (like so many of your contemporaries have done)?

LIPS: It’s my own self-belief in my personal identity. That’s what it comes down to. I can’t be anybody else. I’m not going to contrive things just to make money. That doesn’t work for me because I take responsibility for it all, even if it’s in a detrimental way. That’s just the way it is. I’m not going to change what I’m doing… because that’s who I am! (laughs) I think that there are those who are easily influenced by outside people who are inconsequential… people who are just money-makers and want to make money. Their attitude is “Why wouldn’t you want to change your sound to make money?” If you think about it in those terms, then they are probably right if you look at it from their perspective. But from another perspective… this is what I do. When I create a song, it’s one of my songs and it sounds like one of my songs: it has an identity. Now, why would I want to change that when I’ve worked 30 years at maintaining an identity? (laughs)

SPAZ: Some bands change their style only to find that their old style has become hip again and they scramble to regain their old audience.

LIPS: It’s really the trend-oriented, commercial pop bands like Poison, who disappeared and were replaced with Alternative Rock and bands like Nirvana. The incredibly pretentious style got replaced with an incredibly unpretentious style. That sort of illustrates how trends work. Trends work like a pendulum. They swing back and forth. What might be out of date today is tomorrow’s biggest thing… and vice versa. So there’s no point in trying to change anything you do. Just wait for the pendulum to swing back! (laughs) That’s the reality of it. For most, they’re never gonna last long enough for that ever to happen. For the most part, that’s usually the case. When the pendulum does swing back, all these bands are scrambling and putting the band back together and trying to get back out on the road and going again. They didn’t stay at it, so whatever record they put out is certainly not going to have the flow. It’s going to be picking up… but not picking where they left off. It’s going to pick up further down the road because they let it slip. There’s no real way to make up for the lost time.

SPAZ: Juggernaut Of Justice is your 14th album. Back in ’81, when you released Hard ‘n Heavy, did you ever think you’d still be putting out albums 30 years on?

LIPS: I hoped I would be. You have to understand that my perspective was not to become the commercial hit of the day. I never wanted to do that. That’s not what this is about. This is Hard Rock and Hard Rock is a hard sell anyway. I never wanted to be a commercial commodity and I stayed away from it pretty much for 30 years. If you are a commercial band, that’s very very short lived. So, I’d rather put out 20 albums that are exactly the way I want to do it and what I want to do than two or three albums that are completely contrived record company product. You can always do that… or at least attempt to do that… but then you are either a hit or you are gone. I never wanted to go in that direction. That’s not with this is about. This is about longevity. It would make a lot more sense to put out a lot of hardcore records and then maybe at you’re 20th record, make an attempt at selling out! (laughs) If you hit it out of the ballpark after 20 records, then everybody’s got 20 records to buy. For us, that kind of innocently happened in a sense. Here, we stayed in the underground and we were very accepting of our situation. Then along comes a fan, from a long time ago, and makes a movie… and that changes the course of everything. The thing that’s very cool is that, what you always worry about when you’re in a Metal band is that when you become popular is that people immediately start pointing their fingers and say “Sell out! Sell out! Sell out!” But in this particular case, the movie actually glorifies the fact that we weren’t sell-outs! And it’s that that made it so successful! (laughs). People are not condemning us for becoming popular because we became popular by being unpopular!

SPAZ: Albums seem to be a dying art form these days. When putting Juggernaut… together, did you think of it as one whole, or do you still think in terms of Side A and Side B?

LIPS: I think we put it together so it would run as one whole thing. That’s what we were looking to do. You want people to listen to it from beginning to end.

SPAZ: Where on earth did “Swing Thing” come from? It’s an excellent mix of metal and horns plus a great showcase for Robb’s skills. Any chance of doing more tracks like that?

LIPS: It’s interesting. Robb has been a fan of this music for many, many years. In fact, that’s what started him on drums: seeing Buddy Rich on Here’s Lucy. As a young kid, he took drum lesson from Jazz teachers. That’s where his roots are. He took lessons until he was about 17. I’ll never forget it… his teacher used to come and give him lessons at his house and I’m standing next to Robb, his teacher and Robb’s mom and his teacher goes “This is Robb’s last lesson. There’s nothing more that I can teach him. He’s already surpassed my abilities!” It was pretty insane. He’s extraordinary fanatical in everything he does. Having that in the band, we’ve utilized many things from that genre, but of course it’s not recognizable because it’s being presented in a completely different format. We’re using distorted guitars so it really doesn’t sound like Swing when you remove the horns, let’s put it that way. But in this particular case… my father passed away about five years ago and I inherited his car. Along with his car came all these cassette tapes: Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman and, of course, the radio stations. I began listening and I wouldn’t change the stations… and it really dawned on me as to why my father thought what I was doing was noise. And how archaic and Neanderthal what I was doing in comparison to what was going on in these songs. It is how remarkable how simplistic things became. And it’s not just necessarily the music as much as musicians not being educated by the things that have been. They fall out of trend and great abilities get lost. We’re never going to see a clarinetist like Benny Goodman ever again. There isn’t a call for it so no one is striving to get there. Kids are getting up now and they’re going “I’m gonna learn how to play guitar!” That’s what’s been going on in the last 50 years. Having said that, it’s gone through an incredible evolution. Now, one day I woke up with this chord progression that I could hear being played, in my mind, with horns. And I thought that’s really interesting. I wonder how that would work if I wrote all the guitars that I’m hearing in horns. Usually when I think of things, I think of things in guitars and I never fathom horns, but this was a weird moment. I could hear the horns, so I figured it out on the guitar and I began arranging it with the band. I created a bed track that you could put horns right n top of it and that was what I was really striving to do. So I leave the tapes with our producer, Bob Marlette, who says “Lips, it’s not a problem. My wife plays. We can do it with real horns.” About a week later, he sends me the recording and I put the headphones on and I listened to it and I practically had to go empty my pants! (laughs) From a musician’s point of view, when you break barriers with a piece of music, that is the most gratifying feeling you can ever have… when you’ve created something that no one else has ever heard or fathomed before. Nothing can be more fulfilling than doing something like that.

SPAZ: Heavy Metal and Hard Rock has so many subgenres nowadays. Which genre do you think best describes Anvil?

LIPS: Part of the problem is where do we fit in? Where do you pigeonhole Anvil?

SPAZ: To me, it’s Rock ‘n’ Roll.

LIPS: It can be. There’s a lot of factors. The Juggernaut… album is like a template of all different kinds of Metal. You look at a song like “When Hell Breaks Loose”, that’s kind of Speed Metal. You’ve got a song like “Paranormal”, and that’s your dark, slow Metal. And then you’ve got “New Orleans Voodoo” and that’s like Scorpions Metal. There’s a lot of different facets on that record.

SPAZ: What’s next for Anvil?

LIPS: We have an American tour coming up in October. In November, we’re in Europe with Saxon. Then in the Spring, it’ll probably be South America. We’ve got a lot of touring this year. A lot of touring.

SPAZ: What do you currently have spinning on your CD and DVD players?

LIPS: The most recent thing I watched on DVD would have to have been Withnail & I. Every time I tried to watch it before, I couldn’t hear the sound or I fell asleep. I finally sat down with a pair of headphones and watched it. Good movie. And yesterday, I went through the process of listening to the vinyl version of Juggernaut… and the CD version.

SPAZ: And which one was better?

LIPS: The CD. It’s not because the vinyl isn’t good, it’s just that the CD is better. It’s clearer and the output is way way higher.

Thanks to Steve LIPS Kudlow

Special thanks to Anthony Balboa, Jenny Modglin, Andreas Katsambas and Kevin Farrell

ANVIL

 

MONUMENT OF METAL:

THE VERY BEST OF ANVIL

 

9.27.11

An EXCLUSIVE Interview with GEORGE LYNCH

KILLING WITH KINDNESS:

An EXCLUSIVE Interview with

 GEORGE LYNCH

By Stephen SPAZ Schnee

     With his distinctive guitar style and his chameleon-like ability to embrace and transcend any genre, George Lynch has been one of Rock’s most respected guitar players ever since he debuted with Dokken three decades ago. While many musicians are content to play it safe and stay in their comfort zone, George has made a career out of taking chances and expanding his musical horizons.

     Since he left Dokken for the first time in the late ‘80s, George has worked heavily with his own projects Lynch Mob and Souls Of We as well as his own solo work and numerous collaborations. In between all of this, he found the time to rejoin Dokken for a few years, which resulted in an upsurge in popularity for the band.

     Through it all, George has never been one to live solely in the past. While not ashamed of his yesterdays with Dokken, his vision is firmly focused on today and tomorrow. He may not always stray from his Hard Rock roots, yet it is plainly obvious that he is a musician unafraid to go where his instincts take him.

     While putting together a new Souls Of We album, circumstances steered the proposed album in a new direction. Powerman 5000 drummer Adrian Ost came on board for a majority of the project while Cinderella drummer Fred Coury joined in as well. While Souls Of We frontman London LeGrand was scheduled to be the sole vocalist on the album, it evolved to include guest vocals from a great variety of Rock singers including Will Martin (Earshot), Marc Torien (Bulletboys) and Keith St. John (Montrose). The resulting release, Kill All Control, is an album that embraces every aspect of Lynch’s musical past while also standing firmly in the here and now and gazing into the future. In short, it ROCKS!

     Stephen SPAZ Schnee was able to catch up with George to discuss the album and his past, present and future…

SPAZ: Kill All Control has just hit the streets. How are you feeling about the album and things up to this point?

GEORGE LYNCH: Well, any artist is always optimistic and hopeful about their newest project. These records are not easy to make. You create what you think is this masterpiece out of thin air. Really, the reward is watching your creative effort evolve into something tangible. Commercial success is important as well, not because the artist wants to be a billionaire but because you truly believe people will appreciate the results of your efforts.

SPAZ: You’ve got a great set of vocalists on this album. Did you write the songs with these particular guys in mind or did you choose the best voice for each song once the songs were in the can?

GEORGE: The whole thing was one giant happy accident! (Laughs) London was the sole vocalist on the record initially. He had to bail from the record due to personal reasons and over the next two years, we had a parade of wonderful singers who came and went and left wonderful contributions in their wake. We edited the various vocalists’ performances to match the songs. The one exception is Will Martin's tracks which he worked very hard on and which remained intact.

SPAZ: How did you come to choose these vocalists in the first place?

GEORGE: I've always loved Will's voice and writing and have approached him in the past to collaborate. The timing just worked this time around. Marc Torien was subbing for Oni on some Canadian Lynch Mob dates and came in and knocked out a few tracks. Keith St. John and I have been friends and he offered to fill in the gaps and finish off the remaining songs.

SPAZ: When writing songs for Kill All Control, were any of these songs earmarked for a new Lynch Mob album or was the songwriting approach a bit different?

GEORGE: No. This was intended to be a completely different animal from Lynch Mob. We (the core band; Adrian Ost and Nic Spec) wrote all the songs instrumentally over a 10 day period then tracked it all in 14 days at Slate Studios. Getting the vocals done took almost another two years!

SPAZ: Listening to the album, it’s definitely a George Lynch album, but still sounds relevant and modern. Is it easy to keep things fresh without sacrificing your style?

GEORGE: It all depends on who you're playing with. I'm very much a musical "Zelig" and am highly influenced by my environment and the other musicians I surround myself with. If I'm jamming with Fusion or Blues cats, that's what I become.

SPAZ: The industry is a much different beast than it was back in the day with Dokken and early Lynch Mob. Has the recording process changed drastically along with everything else?

GEORGE: Yes, of course. You have to be prepared to do everything yourself and squeeze out a lot of bang for your buck. Some of my records have been self-funded in recent years. You have to replace a lot of capital with sweat equity these days.

SPAZ: Hard Rock and Heavy Metal have so many subgenres these days. Where do you think Kill All Control fits in? It’s a great Rock ‘n’ Roll album, first and foremost…

GEORGE: I'd say it belongs in the Modern Rock genre. But who knows? I hate pigeon-holing and categorizing art. That's what were forced to do to be able to market it but I don't think of the music I help create when we're creating it; which isn't very smart business-wise.. But I'm a lousy businessman.

SPAZ: While the album has an aggressive, dark tone to it, it successfully steers clear of the utter hopelessness that many bands these days specialize in. What do you want the listener to walk away with when they listen to Kill All Control?

GEORGE: I think this record's statement is all about hope and being cautiously optimistic about where we are going forward. And I think this record is opening a door to a new chapter in my writing efforts ... Taking a socially conscience tack going forward.

SPAZ: You’ve always moved forward musically. Does it frustrate you that there are still people out there that only want to see you back with Dokken?

GEORGE: Well, that's human nature. Those songs represent an era and personal history in those listeners’ lives that defines them. I understand that. And the fallout from that is that recognition allows me to create what I consider more personal and important music... To continue to chase the ideal that resides in my imagination.

SPAZ: Have you ever wanted to put out an album completely different than what people expect from you? A George Lynch bluegrass album doesn’t seem like such a bad idea...

GEORGE: All that! Of course. And not just to be different or throw a curve at folks but because I genuinely love other styles of music and that fire burns in my belly. There's is a Blind Lemon Lynch record in the pipeline! (Laughs)

SPAZ: Coming from a vinyl-based era, do you have an opinion on the whole “vinyl vs. CD” debate?

GEORGE: By law, all releases should be required a certain percentage to be released on vinyl. In my new country, Lynchtopia, it will be mandatory.(Laughs)

SPAZ: Is there any music out there that inspires you today? If so, what helps your creative juices flow?

GEORGE: Everything. Jam bands, the classics, Blues, Texas guitar guys, new Metal There's great stuff everywhere.

SPAZ: What’s next for George Lynch?

GEORGE: Working on what was to be the new Lynch Mob record, probably be going into studio early winter 2011…working on a project called Tooth And Nail with Jeff Pilson and Mick Brown from Dokken; two CD set. One CD is all new original songs; the second is re-recordings of classic Dokken songs. My biggest passion at the moment is this native American music/politico documentary film I'm working on called Shadowtrain ( http://www.shadowtrainmovie.com/). I'm also building and selling my own hand-built guitars, Mr. Scary Guitars. There's a website for that as well. (http://mrscaryguitars.com/)

SPAZ: What do you currently have spinning on your record, CD and DVD players?

GEORGE: The new T-Bone Burnett compilation and some old Uli-Jon Roth.

Thanks to George Lynch

Special thanks to Kevin Farrell, Anthony Balboa and Ryan Rainbolt

GEORGE LYNCH

KILL ALL CONTROL

AVAILABLE NOW

JAPANESE POPSTARS/Controlling Your Allegiance: Available NOW!

THE JAPANESE POPSTARS

CONTROLLING YOUR ALLEGIANCE

 

2011 release from the Electronic trio. In the two years since their debut album, We Just Are, dropped, they've toured The States, Australia, Europe and, of course Japan. But it's Controlling Your Allegiance that's the real leap forward, not least because they've used vocalists for the first time. And not just any old session singers either. First single, 'Destroy', featured an idiosyncratic and eerily compelling vocal from Jon Spencer (of Blues Explosion fame) set atop a squelching, brooding slab of nu-electro that climaxes in an unholy riot of angry synths. Decky from the Japstars had the idea of enlisting The Cure's Robert Smith for one of the rough edits.

An EXCLUSIVE Interview with VIDAL SASSOON!

The Man Who Styled The World:

An EXCLUSIVE interview

with VIDAL SASSOON

By Stephen SPAZ Schnee

     Although he’s never had a hit single, a blockbuster motion picture or a hit television sitcom, Vidal Sassoon is more than just a name on a shampoo bottle. In fact, Vidal is just as important to pop culture as any musician, actor, fashion designer or director. From the beginning of his hairstyling days in the ‘50s to the peak of his popularity in the ‘70s, Vidal not only changed the way we look at hair, he changed the way we look at each other…and feel about ourselves. He gave us the freedom to express who we were… and all it took was a pair of scissors!

     While his endless creativity and boundless energy made him a media superstar, Vidal Sassoon, the man, revolutionized the hairstyling industry. He became the face of a new generation of hairstylists, yet he never lost his passion for his craft, always searching for ways to create something new and exciting. In the process, Vidal shared his knowledge, his ideas and his passions with those around him, building the Sassoon empire one snip at a time.

     From his humble beginnings in a British orphanage to fortune, fame and countless appearances on television, Vidal managed to stay humble, gracious and grounded. He worked hard, but had fun along the way. Even when he became tabloid fodder, he used his celebrity to promote a positive and healthy lifestyle (of which he still practices to this day at the age of 83). He has lived through thousands of fads and trends yet he still remains as iconic and as relevant as ever.

     Four years ago, his friend and former stylist Michael Gordon approached him about putting together a documentary on his life. Along with director Craig Teper, Gordon created Vidal Sassoon: The Movie, an inspiring look at Vidal’s amazing life. Both as a film and as a tribute to Vidal, it is a brilliant piece of work. It not only mixes modern interviews with Sassoon, his friends and co-workers, it also features vintage footage dating back 50 years and more. The visuals are striking and lovely, the music is fantastic and Sassoon himself will charm even the most hardened (and bald) viewer. This is what a documentary is all about.

     Stephen SPAZ Schnee managed to sit down for a chat with Vidal himself. They joined by longtime Sassoon fans and industry vets, Lauren Watt and Veronica F. Nino. During the conversation, Vidal was gracious and spoke with pride about this new film that is certain to introduce the magic of Sassoon to a whole new generation…

SPAZ: You’ve got Vidal Sassoon: The Movie being released. How are you feeling about the film and everything leading up to it?

VIDAL SASSON: It was fascinating. I can be very objective about this because I didn’t do it! I was writing my autobiography, writing it myself, and that took all my time. But a great friend, Michael Gordon, who actually created Bumble & Bumble and brought it to New York and made a big company out of it (and eventually sold it to Este Lauder)… Michael is a perfectionist. He came to me about four years ago and said “I want to give you a birthday present for your 80th birthday.” I said “Hmmm… I don’t need anything,” and he said “No, I want to make a documentary!” And it became more and more interesting… and the reason it became more and more interesting is because Michael actually took over. His director, Craig Teper, was absolutely superb. I say this because I had nothing to do with it! Had I been the guy who directed it, I couldn’t say all this. But of course, I’m in it and anytime they asked me, I was there, but the direction and the elegance that they put into this has made me feel incredibly proud. I just think it’s something very, very special.

SPAZ: Was this the first time you were approached about making a true comprehensive documentary on your life? I’m surprised that something like this didn’t happen a lot sooner…

VIDAL: It was the first time. I trusted Michael and Craig so much, there was no afterthought. I knew they would a good job and, when I saw it, I thought “Wow, you haven’t let me down. You’ve done a very good job!” Without them, it would not have come out anywhere near as well as it did, so I owe them a lot.

SPAZ: I was really inspired by the fact that, throughout the film as you reflect on your life and accomplishments, there is a great amount of pride in your words and absolutely no arrogance.

VIDAL: Arrogance usually brings what you’re doing to another place… and it’s usually a lesser place. It’s much better to have a sense of “Is this gonna work out? Is it going to happen?” Have doubt… but know what you are doing.

SPAZ: Some may not view hair and/or hair dressing in the same light as fashion, music, art or filmmaking, yet people connect with it in exactly the same way. Was it difficult to break down these barriers… or did it all seem to fall into place naturally (no pun intended)?

VIDAL: At the very beginning, it was very difficult. Hairdressers weren’t strong in any area, certainly not the art area, and we had to work for that. We had to work very hard to develop in a way that our work would be appreciated as art.

SPAZ: Like Elvis, The Beatles, Charlie Chaplin, Orson Welles and other artistic greats, your work is not only a part of our pop culture past, it is also part of our present and will definitely be our future as well. Back in the ‘50s, did you even think for a moment that you’d be sitting here, six decades later, as relevant as ever?

VIDAL: Well, I knew we had to change the craft and this was in the mid ‘50s. I knew we had to change it! And working our way through the ‘60s, we did change it. It was a tremendous change from what was happening a decade before. It’s very interesting because you are talking to me, but if you talk to hairdressers who got into it and are still with it and being creative around our cuts, our looks, the way we work… you’ll find we have an enormous fan base. At the moment, we have two academies in Shanghai, believe it or not, which is very exciting… very exciting!

SPAZ: Much is mentioned in regards to art and architecture as having an effect on you, but did music have any effect on your creativity?

VIDAL: Oh, very much so. I was very fortunate in knowing people that could help me in these areas. I went with Zubin Mehta to Berlin to conduct the Berlin Philharmonic. Three days later, we were in Israel, where he was conducting the Israeli Philharmonic. I was very lucky, music-wise. For my 50th birthday party, the company got the Basie band when the Count was still alive. It was at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. It was absolutely mobbed with 800 people, 750 of them I never saw again! (laughs) Music was just so special. You know, if you get goose bumps, you’ve got it!

SPAZ: What was your main inspiration in creating those classic hairstyles you are best known for (the five-point, the bob, the pixie, etc)?

VIDAL: The main inspiration was architecture: there’s no question about that. Had I had an education, I would have definitely chosen architecture.

SPAZ: There was a point in your career when you felt that your celebrity had moved away from your hair styling beginnings. Are you content now that it has all come around full circle?

VIDAL: Oh, yes. A good haircut is a good haircut. So many of our top people are trained to give a very good haircut, so it’s nice to see it come full circle.

SPAZ: The film is emotional without being too sentimental and powerful without being preachy. Do you feel that it really does tell the world exactly who Vidal Sassoon was and is?

VIDAL: Yeah, that’s how I felt. When I was talking, that’s how I felt about the craft, what it gave to me in particular, what it’s done for other people. I’m so glad there are lots of other people who have their say. I love that guy that said “I couldn’t work with him… he was crazy!” (laughs)

LAUREN WATT: Just who was it that came up with the catchphrase “If you don’t look good, we don’t look good”? Did you bring in an advertising agency?

VIDAL: That would be Peter Rogers. He came to New Orleans, where I was doing a show. He walked over and was introduced to me and all he said was “If you don’t look good, we don’t look good!” And I went, “You got it!” (laughs), You know, he’s such a gentleman. He’s done so many things. He wrote me a beautiful note thanking me for thanking him. I said, “But Peter, you did it, not me!” You know, you have to give the credit. We did that with our work in the salons. If somebody brought out something new and it wasn’t me, THEY got the credit. I think that was part of our success. But Peter did an extraordinary job with that line.

SPAZ: The film is quite inspiring on so many levels. From overcoming your years spent in an orphanage to building and maintaining an empire based upon your passions, what would you want the viewer to walk away with?

VIDAL: The respect for the craft, no question about that. And a sense of the artistry that goes into the work. That’s very important.

LAUREN: Did you ever see the movie Shampoo?

VIDAL: Of course.

LAUREN: What did you think of it? I was wondering if that was based on you.

VIDAL: No, it was based on Gene Shacove, a dear friend who was the top hairstylist in Los Angeles. He was really terrific. Robert Towne (screenwriter) followed him around for a couple of weeks. Gene used to put the hairdryer in his back pocket and go from door to door. He was a wild man, but I loved him. He had such great style and he was excellent at what he did. First class. So, Shampoo was based on Gene. Of course, (Warren) Beatty put his own personality into it as well.

SPAZ: What’s next for Vidal Sassoon?

VIDAL: (Laughs) Well, I’ll be 84 next birthday (January). I don’t think I’ll be doing another book too soon. That was hard work! In London, they said to me “We’ll find you the best ghost (writer)” and I said “Uh-uh. I’m writing this myself.” And it was like learning a new craft, and that was very exciting. You can go on to the very end of your existence and you can be learning things. Writing the book myself without a ghost was like learning a new craft. Very exciting!

SPAZ: What is currently spinning in your CD and DVD players?

VIDAL: That is interesting. I’ve got, believe it or not, Sinatra with the Pied Pipers and Tommy Dorsey. It’s just a great disc. Billy Eckstine was one of my real favorites. And, of course, Ellington. Ellington brought the symphony to Jazz.

Thanks to Vidal Sassoon

Special thanks to John Raisola, Lauren Watt and Veronica F. Nino

VIDAL SASSOON: THE MOVIE

9.6.11

THE AMBASSADORS OF HOLLYWOOD: An EXCLUSIVE interview with ARCHIE GIPS AND MATTHEW HUNT!

Meet The Welcoming Committee:

THE AMBASSADORS OF HOLLYWOOD

Have Arrived

An EXCLUSIVE interview with director Archie Gips and

producer Matthew Hunt

By Stephen SPAZ Schnee

     If you’ve ever been a tourist in a strange, but exciting city (and I’m sure most of you have), then you’ve seen them in practically every tourist town in America, from theme parks to fried chicken stands: average people dressing up as famous cartoon and movie characters, enchanting the kids and posing for pictures with the family. Most of the time, these ‘characters’ are minimum wage employees sponsored by local businesses and theme parks with the sole intention of entertaining patrons.

     If you walk down Hollywood Boulevard, you are likely to come across a myriad of these costumed characters along the way, especially in front of Grauman's Chinese Theater. Often times, these may be the first people to greet tourists as they take their inaugural stroll through one of the most famous cities in the world. For better or worse, these are the unofficial ‘Ambassadors Of Hollywood’.

     From Elmo to Batman, Snow White to Captain Jack Sparrow, these ‘characters’ that mingle with hundreds if not thousands of people daily are not employed by the city of Hollywood or any of the businesses that line the street. They work strictly on tips and this most likely is their only source of income. While some of the faces behind the masks are out of work actors and comedians waiting until their next paying gig, most of them are homeless and, in many cases, emotionally unstable. Welcome to Hollywood!

     In Ambassadors Of Hollywood, filmmakers Archie Gips and Matthew Hunt take an intimate and often-times uncomfortable look at the real people behind these characters. From a troubled, semi-racist ex-con to a former Wall Street banker, each and every one of the film’s subjects is fascinating. Even though a few of them are as down-to-earth and likable as anyone you could meet, there are a handful of them that probably should not be allowed to mix with the general public at all. Some of these misguided miscreants have uncontrollable tempers while others are aggressively seeking money for their next fix. The reason that Ambassadors Of Hollywood is so successful is that it takes an unbiased look at each of the individuals and leaves judgment up to the viewer.

     While there have been similar films made about this very subject, including the excellent Confessions Of A Superhero, this is a film that offers up a gritty, humorous sometimes disturbing but always fascinating glimpse into these seemingly innocent characters and the real people behind them.

     Growing up, almost every kid has a dream to become a rich and famous celebrity, but at some point, we’ve all abandoned those dreams and pursued more realistic goals. In Ambassadors Of Hollywood, we meet a group of people who have never given up on their dreams although society has all but given up on them. The film manages to show a darker, but still hopeful, side of the American Dream that we all can relate to. While some may seem delusional on the surface, if you look hard enough, you will notice that they have never lost hope that their big break is just around the next corner. And perhaps it is…

     In many ways, Ambassadors Of Hollywood is a reflection of life in any town. From the once-successful to the ne’er do well, these are the same types of people that you meet every single day. The only difference is these guys and gals are wearing costumes!

     Stephen SPAZ Schnee was able to catch up with filmmakers Archie Gips and Matthew Hunt to discuss the film…

SPAZ: The Ambassadors Of Hollywood is just about ready to drop. How are you feeling about the film and all the hard work up to this point?

ARCHIE GIPS & MATTHEW HUNT: It’s been such a long time in the making… over four years.. that we are both just thrilled to finally have the film out and available for people to see. The movie really delves into a crazy and special world that has never been shown in its proper light until now.

SPAZ: What was the initial inspiration for the film?

AG & MH: We were working on an indie feature, Loveless in Los Angeles, (Archie wrote/directed, Matt produced) shooting a scene in front of the Chinese Theater where our lead actress was dressed like Wonder Woman. At the time, we both just assumed that the costumed characters were employees of the theater or the city. We didn’t realize they worked freelance. Our actress was confronted by a woman dressed as Fiona from Shrek who gave her a hard time saying, ‘You're cutting in on my spot!” It was literally a turf war down there. We both turned to each other and at the same time said this is our next movie!

SPAZ: Tourists love them, but the city of Hollywood hates them. Which side of the argument were you on when you started filming and did that opinion change over time?

AG & MH: First off, we wouldn’t say that all tourists love them and that the city of Hollywood hates them. There are definitely some tourists who aren’t fans and some businesses in Hollywood that appreciate the characters' value. We actually took great pains to trying to stay as neutral and balanced as possible . When it came to discussions about certain scenes, Archie was concerned for the welfare of the tourists on the boulevard and Matt for the well-being of the characters. That difference helped us craft a balanced film.

SPAZ: When you decided to make the film, did you already have a clear idea of what you wanted your message to be? Or did It change over time as you got to know those people and became part of their world?

AG & MH: We both decided we would try to be as open minded and non-judgmental as possible. We knew this world was unique so we just started shooting to see where these characters would take us. After amassing over 200 hours of footage and interviewing over 100 people – both characters and Los Angeles business people and police- it was obvious which characters and stories stood out. We continued to follow those stories and put together a flow chart. We feel we captured stories that told personal narratives yet had universal themes.

SPAZ: Was it easy to get to these folks involved with the project?

AG & MH: Not at first. No. It took a while for the characters to gain our trust. We started shooting right away with city officials but It took over a month of hanging out on the boulevard until we finally were able to get our first interview with a character, Donn Harper who plays “Elmo.” Once Donn spread the word to the other characters that we were “cool” all of a sudden the flood gates opened. We wound up interviewing over 80 characters and many of the most bizarre and outrageous ones didn’t even make the cut of the final film.

SPAZ: What were the criteria you had when choosing which characters to focus on for the film? There must have been plenty of folks who wanted to partake?

AG & MH: We were open to interviewing any and all characters. If someone wanted us to interview them, we would do it. No questions asked. The characters we choose to highlight in our movie were the ones that had a story that the audience could relate to and had a complete arc of some sort--uplifting, soul searching, or tragic.

SPAZ: You shot the film over a four year period. Why did it take so long to put this project together?

AG & MH: Two reasons. First and foremost we wanted to really document the evolution of the people on the Boulevard. That cannot be done in a snapshot. We prided ourselves on not manufacturing any stories. To get these real stories it took time. Secondly, like most independent projects, money or lack thereof was an issue. As a passion project, we along with our terrific editor, Kevin Kearney had other jobs to pay the bills so we were limited in how much time we could devote to the film on a weekly basis. Fortunately, being forced to stretch out the making of the film resulted in a better end product.

SPAZ: Were you surprised by the fact that so many of these ‘characters’ were so serious about what they do and consider themselves performers and artists?

AG & MH: Not really. It seems like everyone is coming to Hollywood to fulfill their entertainment dreams, the two of us included. It seemed to us that dressing up and performing for tourists was a way some of these people can feel that they were indeed acting here, which they are. What did surprise us was the number of people who dressed up in character to make money to just survive and keep a roof over their heads.

SPAZ: Did you find that there was animosity between those that are serious about their ‘art’ and those that view it as a way to make money?

AG & MH: There definitely are some characters out on the Boulevard that take their craft very seriously and are appalled by the behavior of other characters. One of the big pet peeves is taking off your mask in front of the public-- especially children-- and smoking in costume. Violent and aggressive behavior is also frowned upon by the majority of characters. Ultimately though, anyone is free to put on a costume and stand on Hollywood Boulevard so there’s not much that they can do to regulate each other.

SPAZ: You offer a fascinating view into the private lives of these people. When putting the film together, was it difficult to remain neutral and unbiased when choosing what made the final cut?

AG & MH: We are great friends but we tend to disagree… a lot! Our not seeing eye to eye was a great thing for this project because when we did agree we really knew what was worth making the final cut. We did shoot one specific sequence where Archie dressed up in costume and worked on the Boulevard to see what it was like to walk in the characters' shoes. Although the footage made for some entertaining material, ultimately we felt the scene would have been more about the filmmakers than the subject matter so we decided to scrap it. But for the record, Archie made $86 in three hours.

SPAZ: Some of the characters are grounded and seemingly normal, while others are obviously troubled individuals. Were there any uncomfortable moments that you experienced that you chose NOT to put in the film?

AG & MH: We captured plenty of uncomfortable moments which made it in the film. However, there was one character who revealed some very disturbing details about his life but he turned out to be a less than reliable subject. It was difficult for us to ascertain the truth from fiction, so we decided not to include the majority of his story.

SPAZ: Do you feel that The Ambassadors of Hollywood parallels life in any part of the country, whether it’s people dressing up in costume or average people who are just trying to make ends meet?

AG & MH: Absolutely. The film, we feel, is such an amazing blend of people trying to fulfill the “American Dream” of a rags-to-riches success and the “Hollywood Dream” of becoming famous and beloved by fans. I don’t think you can find a single person in this country that doesn’t aspire to at least one of those dreams. Other aspects of the film like racism, health care and homelessness all apply to any town in America.

SPAZ: The film is a sometimes uncomfortable look at the darker side of the American Dream. Was it difficult to walk that thin line between exploration and exploitation?

AG & MH: We would have many conversations about how far we could go without feeling like we were making fun of these people instead of just exploring their lives, but since we are both decent human beings – or at least we like to think so—we always felt that we were showing everything about this world and the characters lives in a very fair light. When we wound up screening the film for a bunch of characters and city officials and both groups came back to us saying that not only did they enjoy the movie, but that it was honest and fair, we were thrilled.

SPAZ: By the end of the film, the city of Hollywood has all but cleared the streets of these performers. What is the situation as of July 2011? And are you still in regular contact with these people?

AG & MH: As of right now, the characters are once again allowed to pose for pictures on Hollywood Boulevard by a judge's order. . but there are still ongoing discussions on what to do there: the struggle continues!. And yes, we stay in touch with about a dozen or so of the characters. Mainly, they want to know about the DVD release of the film and any upcoming screenings because of course, they still are hoping to become rich and famous!

SPAZ: What’s next for Archie Gips and Matthew Hunt?

ARCHIE: I have been working full time in television. I’m currently the Executive Producer for Braxton Family Values on We TV. In film, I am sending out my latest feature script, Trailer Park King, to actors and financiers.

MATTHEW: I am cutting my Indie feature F.A.T. for release. It has Katie Featherston from Paranormal Activity, and Eric Stonestreet from Modern Family in it. I'm also preparing two reality pilots and one hour long drama, as well as running after my 3 year old, Romero!

SPAZ: What is currently spinning on your CD and DVD players?

ARCHIE: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros always puts me in a good mood. I just recently watched the re-issue of Ace in the Hole. Billy Wilder is my idol. Talk about a dark movie! That film makes Ambassadors of Hollywood seem like The Muppet Movie.

MATTHEW: If we can get Romero down, we have Winter's Bone to watch. I just listened to a Philip Glass collection while I was writing.

Thanks to Archie Gips and Matthew Hunt

Special thanks to Doug Dohmen and Lauren Watt

An EXCLUSIVE Interview with ACTIVE CHILD!

Coming Of Age:

Growing Up With

ACTIVE CHILD

An EXCLUSIVE Interview with Pat Grossi

By Stephen SPAZ Schnee

     Somewhere between ethereal and earthly, there is a peaceful place where our minds drift away to find inspiration and our souls go to relax. And, there, in the corner of this dream-like destination, there is a jukebox that provides the soundtrack for our visits there. The music it plays is haunting and heavenly, melodic and moody, and enriching and inspiring. It is music that sounds like it was created by an angel with a slight hangover and a license to chill. It is the music of Active Child.

     Luckily for us, Active Child exists in the real world as well. Led by singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and sole constant member Pat Grossi, Active Child inhabits a musical universe that is hard to describe, yet easy to understand once you experience and absorb the music. Imagine Architecture-era OMD performing a religious hymn as Enya, Jimmy Somerville and Michael McDonald softly harmonize in the background and Robin Guthrie (Cocteau Twins) ties it all together with a warm and sympathetic production. It’s another-worldly sound that many acts have attempted to create, but very few have succeeded at. Instead of falling prey to the darkness of Goth, Pat Grossi and Active Child manage to add optimism to their haunting sound. They know the difference between hopelessness and hopefulness and they offer plenty of the latter.

     The band created a buzz in 2010 with the release of their Curtis Lane EP. Grossi’s angelic, choir-boy falsetto became the emotional focal point for each track while also seamlessly blending in with the electronics, the harps, the percussion and all the other instrumentation that helped to shape the Active Child sound. With the press, the bloggers and radio behind him, Grossi and Active Child became the epitome of cool.

     Now, a year later, Active Child stretch even further out with their highly anticipated debut full length release, You Are All I See. The album is an amazing set of songs that doesn’t stray too far away from the blueprint of the EP, yet builds and expands upon it in ways that are more felt than heard. The atmosphere of the album is still very spiritual and emotional but it’s far more grandiose in parts, sounding almost cinematic without a hint of pretentiousness. It is a piece of audio art that has so many melodic layers that you discover something new with each spin. It is, without doubt, one of the finest albums of 2011.

     Stephen SPAZ Schnee caught up with Pat Grossi to discuss the album and all things Active Child…

SPAZ: Your album You Are All I See is about to drop. How are you feeling about the album and your career up to this point?

PAT GROSSI: I am incredibly proud of the album. I have been anxious to release something that felt complete since the EP came out. And as far as my career up until this point, I mean, I don't think I could have asked for anything more. I never ever thought my music would take me this far and who knows where this album will lead? It's funny to me think of it as a career, but that’s really what it has become in the last year.

SPAZ: While you fall within the Electronic music genre, your approach to your music is extremely unique and emotional. What were the influences that shaped your musical vision, musical or otherwise?

PAT: I think my time spent singing in choirs from a very early age left an indelible mark on the way I write and hear music. I can remember hearing and then singing Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'Requiem' for the first time and then bringing the sheet music into school to show to friends. Granted, I was in fourth grade, so not everyone got it, and I don't think I understood it either. But I did know that it made me feel amazing when I heard it or sang it. Films have also been inspirational for me. Sometimes, to write, I just throw an old movie on, put the TV on mute and start playing. It’s a good way to create a mood from the imagery and always helps stop writers block. And of course, I can’t ignore the ever present influence of the special woman in my life that seeps into nearly every crevice of my work.

SPAZ: Listening to the album, words like ‘haunting’, ‘spiritual’, ‘atmospheric’, ‘powerful’ and ‘romantic’ immediately spring to mind. How would you describe your music to someone who is not familiar with Active Child?

PAT: I think all of those words describe my music pretty well, and as a musician you get this question constantly from people. Understandably, I ask the question myself, but I always have trouble really pinpointing what it is without sounding completely ridiculous and pretentious. But, for me, its music that heals. I create these songs with the full intention of making myself feel so full of emotion that it is almost unbearable. I want to make myself cry when writing it. So I think it is a type OF music that people can find solace in, a place of refuge, and reflection. Welcome to the church of Active Child (laughs).

SPAZ: There are so many layers to your sound that it feels as if you create music that should be experienced more than just heard. Do you think that this is a fair assessment of Active Child?

PAT: I completely agree. But I think that is a lot to ask of a listener. People these days, including myself, recycle new music so quickly and with such criticism that I think it’s hard to really ask someone to sit down and soak in your song. But hopefully, the music will speak for itself, and without you really being aware of it, suddenly you are lost deep inside of it, experiencing.

SPAZ: You released your debut, the Curtis Lane EP, in 2010. Were you surprised by the overwhelming reaction?

PAT: Completely surprised. We live in a strange dynamic these days, musically. On one hand, the music industry is in the gutter and on the other, more music is being created than ever before. Everyone has the ability to compose and make what they think is interesting. So for my little set of songs to rise above the fray was just really amazing and unexpected. It really inspired something in me, and I think it gave me the confidence to write this album.

SPAZ: Because of this positive response, was it a bit daunting to go back and create a piece of work that you knew had to be even better in order to satisfy your growing fanbase? Or do you create your music for you in hopes that others like it?

PAT: I was itching for months and months to get back into my little work space and start creating music again. After the EP came out, I toured all summer and fall and I could not wait for that to be over so I could start writing again. The more I played the EP the more I thought, I am so ready to move on from this. And when it came time to write, I tried my best to really focus on what I thought was interesting, not what someone else thought would be cool or whatever was trendy at the time.

SPAZ: A male artist singing in falsetto on a pop release is not that common. Did you choose that approach because it felt like a natural fit with the music?

PAT: I chose that approach because that’s where my voice goes melodically. That is my range and is where I feel most powerful.

SPAZ: There are so many wonderful melodies that float in and out of each track, some of which are immediate while others sink in over repeated listenings. Do you usually start with a certain melody or two but then discover even more melodic opportunities as you build each track?

PAT: Yeah, melodies are a tricky thing. I usually lay out an instrumental of some sort and then just start singing over it, a freestyling of sorts. But melodies are fleeting, you can sing something really great and then forget it two seconds later. So I tend to record these early freestyles and start to pick out the parts that feel the strongest. After that the verse and choruses come together pretty quickly, and I can sample those early recordings for pretty vocal chops or weird sounds.

SPAZ: Some may compare your sound to bands on the 4AD label, yet your music isn’t hopeless and dark. Would you take offence if someone were to label you as a Goth band?

PAT: I wouldn't take offense at all, 4AD is an amazing label, but I think the music is way to shimmering and pretty to fall into Goth territory.

SPAZ: In a musical climate that seems filled with aggression, anger and dissatisfaction, do you want listeners to find beauty and hope in your music? Or is there something more you want your fans to walk away with?

PAT: For me, making music and listening to music has always been an incredible source of reflection, a sort of meditation. So, when making the music, I am reflecting on my life, my worries, my regrets, my curiosities. I am getting lost in the cycle of sounds, almost in a sort of confessional. It has a way of cleansing my mind and I hope it can do the same for the listener.

SPAZ: If you were to take a handful of Active Child songs and throw them on a mixtape with other bands that you feel travel a similar musical path, which bands, past and present, would you choose?

PAT: A few artists that come to mind are Final Fantasy, Enya, Sade, Annie Lennox, the list goes on.....

SPAZ: What’s next for Active Child?

PAT: Just about time to hit the road and start touring the world! Excited and nervous and anxious, feeling a lot of things right now.

SPAZ: What is currently spinning on your CD and/or DVD players?

PAT: I've had the new Balam Acab album, Wander/Wonder, on repeat for a while. It comes out a week after mine and is amazing.

Thanks to Pat Grossi

Special thanks to Adrian Amodeo, Eddie Black, Dan Gill and Jocelynn Pryor

ACTIVE CHILD

YOU ARE ALL I SEE

8.23.11

An EXCLUSIVE interview with JEFF BRIDGES!

The Quest:

JEFF BRIDGES Returns To His Musical Roots

An EXCLUSIVE Interview

By Stephen SPAZ Schnee

     After an affectionate intro by producer and music icon Quincy Jones, rapturous applause greets a humble yet confident Jeff Bridges as he takes to the stage of the legendary Troubadour club in West Hollywood. Flanked by his band, The Abiders, Bridges is here to promote his eponymous Blue Note Records debut, his first album in more than a decade. The club is filled with friends (Ryan Reynolds, T-Bone Burnett, Pierce Brosnan), family (including his wife Susan and his brother Beau) and invited music industry guests, many of whom are unfamiliar with Jeff’s musical history which stretches all the way back to the late ‘60s.

     From the moment the band kicks into set opener “Hold On You,” the world outside the club ceases to exist: Bridges has the audience in the palm of his hand and he does not disappoint during this hour-plus set. Having not graced the Troubadour stage in 40 years, Bridges is remarkably calm and collected, clearly enjoying the overwhelming response to his music. While it’s easy to categorize his style as Country, to be honest, he’s more Tom Waits than Tom T. Hall. The raw honesty and emotional depth that runs through the songs are more akin to Folk and Americana than anything you’d find on a Now That’s What I Call Country compilation.

     Performing seven of the new album’s cuts, Bridges manages to throw in a few favorites from the soundtrack to Crazy Heart, the 2009 film that won him an Academy Award for Best Actor. Apart from winning him the coveted Oscar, Crazy Heart is also significant because it introduced the musical side of Bridges to a wider audience.

     Truth be told, music is not a vanity project for Bridges like it has been for so many other actors (Cory Feldman, come on down!). In fact, music is Jeff’s first love and that fact is plainly obvious from the moment he steps up to the microphone. As Quincy had explained during his introduction, while Jeff and his brother were working with the producer in 1969, Hollywood came calling. Jeff went off to film The Last Picture Show, fully intending to resume his music career once he’d finished his acting commitments. That role earned him his first Academy Award nomination and he never looked back.

     Over the next 40 years, Bridges made his mark as one of Hollywood’s finest and most respected actors. He’s played many memorable roles over the years, but the one role that struck a chord with movie fans was his portrayal of The Dude in the Coen Brothers’ classic 1998 film The Big Lebowski. No matter how high his career flies or how many awards he wins, The Dude is the one role that has connected with so many people around the world. So much so that in the middle of tonight’s set, a fan offers Bridges a White Russian (The Dude’s drink of choice), which he politely refuses with a grin.

     At the end of the set, Bridges performs “The Weary Kind,” the theme to Crazy Heart which was performed by Ryan Bingham on the film’s soundtrack. Bridges’ version is even more emotional than the original and it leaves the audience spellbound. The final song of the evening is a cover of ‘The Man In Me”, the Johnny Cash tune that appears in The Big Lebowski.

     By the time he leaves the stage, everyone has all but forgotten Jeff Bridges, the Oscar-winning actor: they have just met and lovingly embraced Jeff Bridges, singer, songwriter and musician. And it seems that The Dude himself is pretty damn pleased about that.

     A week before the Troubadour show, I was able to sit down and have a chat with Jeff about the album and his musical career up to this point. We were joined by fellow scribe Dave Rayburn, who snuck in a question as well.

SPAZ: Your self-titled album is just about to drop. How are you feeling about the project and your musical career up to this point?

JEFF BRIDGES: I’m over the moon. It’s so wonderful working with my old friends… (producer) T-Bone Burnett and my oldest friend, John Goodwin. That was great. The band that T-Bone put together was just phenomenal. Playing with these guys is just like making a movie: the casting of it is 99% of what makes it either fly or not. And T-Bone cast this so well.

SPAZ: The album is steeped in classic Country, but there are so many elements and layers to each of the songs that they transcend that genre. Did you purposely set out to incorporate so many influences on this project?

JEFF: I didn’t set out to put as many influences as possible, but I am influenced by a lot of different kind of music. One of the things that T-Bone kind of specializes in this sort of… I don’t know what you’d call it… an ‘Alternative Music Universe” or something. It’s sort of genre-less in a way. You feel like there are elements that it relates to, but it’s not in one particular genre: it kind of reinvents it, you know.

SPAZ: The album’s opener, “What A Little Love Can Do”, is like Cosmic Country, pulling in bits and pieces of Country’s past, present and future…

JEFF: That’s true, yeah. It’s also got a little Buddy Holly influence in there, too.

SPAZ: While the tracks are written by a variety of writers, including yourself, was it difficult to keep it as cohesive as it is?

JEFF: Not really. We ended up cutting 17 tunes in 12 days…you know, the rhythm tracks. There’s a wonderful thing that happens when you’re making a movie… I guess any kind of art… For awhile, you’ve got to bring stuff to it to nurture it. Then, after awhile, if things are going well, it starts to tell you what it wants and it starts to direct itself. That’s kind of what happened on this album. There are a lot of good songs that we did, but this was the best combination of songs for this album. We’ve got seven other tunes that I think are just as good that are not on there. It’s just a matter of gathering the material. We started out with about 70 songs and we got it down to just these.

SPAZ: Do you already foresee a Jeff Bridges 2 in the near future?

JEFF: I hope so, yeah! The music is there, we’ve got these great players and T-Bone, if he’s up for it again, it would be wonderful if it all falls into place. I guess it’s kind of like what they say about getting pregnant. When a woman has a child, she’s all “let’s do it again!” (laughs). You gotta really watch it if you don’t wanna get pregnant, not to go fooling around… and I fool around with music all the time! So, who knows?

SPAZ: Coming from a music lover’s background, when putting the tracklist together, did you envision this project as a record with two distinct sides?

JEFF: When we were making the music, we didn’t think of it in those terms, no. When they knew that they were going to make a vinyl of it, then we had to have ‘two sides’.

SPAZ: You’ve been friends with T-Bone Burnett for over 30 years. Does he instinctively know what sound you were trying to achieve and was he usually successful in translating what was in your head and putting it down on tape?

JEFF: When we went through all these songs to try to figure out what songs we were gonna do, he was really looking for something unique, something that was uniquely me, and I really appreciated that. That’s what he was bringing out with the musicians that he brought together. I specifically asked for those guys, too, because I’m a giant fan of every one of them.

DAVID RAYBURN: With names like T-Bone Burnett, Ryan Bingham, John Goodwin, Gary Nicholson, and late Stephen Bruton appearing as some of the common denominators on consecutive music projects, can you tell us something about the history of some of these friendships?

JEFF: A: Yeah, well, you know, John Goodwin and I, we go back to the 4th grade together. He’s one of my oldest friends and we’ve been writing music for, maybe not that long, but certainly maybe 30 or 40 years. We’d paint and do all sorts of creative things together. He’s a Nashville writer. Very prolific. So, we’ve been writing together and supporting each other’s music for a long time. With T-Bone and Stephen Bruton, we met on Heaven’s Gate 30 years ago. Kris Kristofferson, who starred in that movie, brought a bunch of his musician friends on board to play small roles. We had T-Bone and Stephen, Norton Buffalo, Ronnie Hawkins, a whole slew of just great players, wonderful musicians. And so, Crazy Heart kind of came out of that relationship with Stephen and T-Bone and I had back in those days. And this album was just kind of a natural growth out of Crazy Heart.

SPAZ: While some actors have dabbled in music, it’s been a major part of your life. While many have known of your musical talents, do you think Crazy Heart has made it easier for the public to realize that music isn’t just some part-time vanity project for you?

JEFF: A: Yeah, I think so. I hope so. I mean, that’s one of the reasons that it seemed like the right time to make some music and put out an album because it was in that same atmosphere that Crazy Heart came out of, and was seen by a lot of people. A lot of people seemed to enjoy that. So, yeah… I’m hoping that will help people enjoy it.

SPAZ: Now, what would you say is the difference between selecting the songs for Crazy Heart and this record? Weren’t there a couple songs that were leftover from Crazy Heart?

JEFF: Yeah, well you know John Goodwin supplied a song for Crazy Heart… that “Hold On You” song, the opening one is one of his tunes. And a couple of the Bruton tunes were being thought of for Crazy Heart as well. That song “Nothing Yet” was thought of, but you can only have so many songs in the movie, you know. All the songs that we liked that we had in the movie we really liked. Not that the other songs… we didn’t like… it’s just that there’s only so many places, you know?

SPAZ: You’ve already shown your worth in acting, art and music. Any desire to take that next step to Broadway?

JEFF: (Pauses) I wouldn’t totally poo-poo the idea, but it’s not something I’m actively pursuing in any way!

SPAZ: What’s next for Jeff Bridges?

JEFF: I’m going to be playing a lot of music up ‘till September. We’re going to be playing Sturgis, that big motorcycle rally. We’re going to be doing Austin City Limits. I’ll be doing a bunch of shows here in California. Then, in September, I’ll be putting my acting hat back on and I’ll be doing a movie with Ryan Reynolds called R.I.P.D. I’m pretty much booked solid doing music until then. I’m also the national spokesperson for a campaign called No Kid Hungry (http://www.nokidhungry.org/) and I’m working on that as well.

SPAZ: What do you currently have spinning on your CD player?

JEFF: I’m listening to my buddies. I like Benji Hughes a lot. I don’t know if you are familiar with any of his tunes, but he’s got a wonderful album called A Love Extreme. I’m loving a lot of Marc Ribot music. He’s got a great album called Don’t Blame Me. I love that. He’s got a wonderful Cuban album that I love. And also love Johnny Goodwin’s stuff. I’ve got so many people that I’m close to that are wonderful musicians and that’s what I’m listening to, mainly.

SPAZ: What would The Dude think of this album?

THE DUDE: Oh, he would like it, man! He’d listen to it… he’d put it on his player right between the whales and Creedence, man!

Thanks to Jeff Bridges

Special thanks to Jacki Feldstein, Saul Shapiro, Dave Rayburn and Kimberly McCoy.

JEFF BRIDGES


JEFF BRIDGES


8.16.11