Stuart Copeland is brilliant. He's also veryfunny. He's aged well, and is methodical in his thinking and his playing. His time signatures as a percussionist are ridiculous. Him explaining Reggae hitting on the " 3 " defines it. It's in his head. He's unique. I've never seen a drummer duplicate his chops, and I've tried. He's another reason I play guitar. Long Live The Police.
Yes, this is the Copeland you are seeing as an older wiser man who can look back and avoid discussing the unpleasant things during the Police. But my bet is during his prime with the band, his personality was probably a bit too much "in your face" and is one of the reasons the band broke up.
Hats off to Mr. Buckley for an excellent set of intellectually challenging questions for a highly intellectual musician. As a drummer of 40 years, Stewart Copeland was my only God. It is such a joy that social media has allowed access that I could have never have dreamed of in the 80's.
Stewart remains one of the most hyper-active people I've ever seen, which undoubtedly drove Sting crazy. But he knows how to push a song to it's energetic LIMIT. It's not surprising that he's articulate and a deep thinker though; intelligence and creativity is VERY evident in his playing. Thanks for a terrific glimpse behind the curtain.
Sting may be a great musician, but is boring. Stewart is a natural born entertainer, he is the true spirit and inventor of the Police. The others didn't even know why they were there. He planned everything. You wouldn't say from a crazy drummer, now we know it.
@@fab3368 Miles did a fair bit of planning and took care of the whole business side of things. Andy was a veteran with treasure trove of original ideas that he was bursting to make use of. Sting, whatever one might feel about him, was a triple threat who needed a band who would put up with him.
Stewart is always amazing talking. He makes all the interviewers look like robots. He's probably the best... how do you say?? the best talker on Rock'n Roll... I would listen to him for hours... specially when he talks about The Police.
I always thought Stewart was a quiet guy but this interview proves he’s such an outspoken, fun, interesting but mostly very talented person/musician. I’m lucky I got to see the Police play in person.
Nice interview! Stewart's advice about sitting down and going to work is very true--sometimes, even if it's not happening, turn on the gear, and try to work it out. Even if it's half-baked, or not terrific, you will learn something, and get better.
Stewart's diaries collection is cool af; prooving ' a life worth living, is a life worth documenting.' Blessed to have own a copy of Stewart's book and my name in it as a Supporter
Stewart Copeland is a very clever songwriter and lyricist. Listen to the Police songs he wrote such as A Sermon, Fall Out, Bombs Away, Darkness and Miss Gradenko.
@@carlostejada1479 All fun songs. To get more excellent Copeland music, there’s his band, Gizmodrome. The live album is ridiculously good, especially when you consider they did only a very short promotional tour that might have been ended due to COVID. That’s what happens when you get band members such as Mark King on bass and Adrian Belew on guitar. The band Animal Logic definitely had Copeland’s musical signature despite not being the main songwriter, lyrically. Stanley Clarke played bass. Two killer rhythm sections.
@@CaesarDarias I haven't heard those... but I don't care about the words, neither about virtuosism, I care about composition... have you heard _Does Everyone Stares_?? That's a very ingenius song with very weird chords... there's no other song like that. it blew my mind back in the day. at some point the bass plays Eb and guitar/piano plays a G Major!! later the bass plays a Bb and the chord is a G Major... and it sounds right!!! that's genius... Peanuts is a clever song with a nice riff and chords... Bombs Away is an energetic song with a great solo part in the middle. Miss Gradenko has very good Arpegios and a great solo by Andy these are not regular songs... they're very ingenius and weird. it's a shame they never played them live (only Peanuts) On Any Other Day it's more simple but amazing..
I can see why him and Neil Peart were such good friends would loved to have sat with them 2 for a few hours.im sure they had great times together....and sure he misses Neil alot.
I I pre-ordered this book and got it a few weeks ago. It's an amazing insight into London during the 1970's and the Punk scene and the development of The Police. Very interesting. Also you get a glimpse into how much hustle it took for The Police to make it. The travel and the moving of equipment ...getting gigs. They definitely paid their dues!!!! Stewart and Sting need to learn how to ice skate properly and Sting also needs to vet managers better!!!!
Mr. Copeland is one of the best! I always felt his actual happiness that he can play drums. He's amazing! I love these stories from late 70's, early 80's. We were cool kids standing on the precipice of a musical revolution! Great times.
Its truly the chemistry of a band that makes a drummer become special...take same drummer in a different group and it doesn't work..he was blessed as was Bonham moon..etc
Always great to see how my favorite drummer Stewart Copeland is doing 😁💖🎶 I LOVE THE POLICE (the band, that is) 😆 Stewart is one of the many great musicians who motivate my Djinn Magik Muzik Attraction. MERRY CHRISTMAS ⛄🎄🎅🎁🥁 EVERYONE 🌠
In my book, they are the greatest band of all time. They're certainly mine, which also makes them the greatest POWER TRIO of all time, and Stewart is my favorite drummer OF ALL TIME.
My husband recently came home with front row seats to the Hollywood bowl for… Sting. Needless to say, I waited in the parking lot while he went with his sister. If it were Mr Copeland? I’da sat in ANY parking lot to be able to hear just a second of his exceptional percussion skills. In the rain.
I love his sense of humor, Stewart Copeland said even when Sting was writing his best songs him and Andy new to bring there own songs. I laughed when he said they would look at what he had written and he said he would look towards the ground out of embarrassment. He said it in a way that was self deprecating.
Great interview! Smart guy I'd like to have a beer with... Unfortunate Moby comment at the end as he does in fact play guitar (basic), seen it with my own eyes...
The band Police were part of 36 guests at Climax Blues Band bass players wedding reception in Stafford, UK. This also included Wishbone Ash. Miles Copeland Stewarts dad was the manager of all three bands. Miles was a former founder of the CIA ......what better manager could one have. As one of the guests I was fascinated by the company. I can't remember Sting being there but Stewarts dad was. A long time ago.......... Best wishes Stewart !!!!!!!!
At 14:01, was a picture of how slow Stewart speaks, compared to how fast he thinks. Blessing/curse/blessing/curse. His success is proof he managed to get it under control?
It's also pretty funny. How I got into the Music Business, myself. Not as Worldly as Stewart was raised. But in a similar fashion with music. My parents were both, semi-famous, violinists and opera singer. And there was no, Pop Music. In our household. Resolve Mozart, Brahms, Beethoven, Berlioz, Wagner and the like. And dad was in the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Along with being an, Advertiser. For a day job with his father my grandpa Stanley. And then on occasion on the weekends. He could make extra money. Playing his violin. Doing something he didn't like so much. But would take me along. Down to the Detroit Recording Studios. Where he played string tracks for, Stax and Motown Records. And so starting at, Age-7. Dad got permission. From the Producer and Engineer. For me to sit in the back corner of the Control Room. Oh, oh? 7 years old. And he told me. You do not wiggle. You do not squirm. You do not make one sound. You ask no questions. You say nothing. Or you are out in the car for the duration of the session. And you won't like that. Okay daddy.. And so that was, parental abuse. I thought he wanted me to become an,, Engineer? And so I did. And I really got into that, R & B Music! My mother abhorred it! My dad liked a little jazz in the car by himself. Otherwise? I grew up with nothing but Opera. Grand Opera. But I wanted to do that, boogie-woogie R&B Music! Yeah baby! 50+ years later. I'm retired. My studio is closed after 30+ years. I made Recording History. And garnered, multiple different major music award nominations. For my Engineering Expertise. And where I have sung. On a couple of Commercial Jingles I produced.. I'm only part of the back round vocalists. Which I thought was funny to do. Since I had a 30 foot long, remote control cable to my, 1 inch, 8 Track, Analog, reel to reel,, Studio Recorder. Made at the factory. About 600 feet away. From my apartment Complex. In Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Called MCI. Basically clones of Ampex Recorders.. And seeming as, I had also been trained. As Ampex, Authorize Factory Service Technician. Aunt declined their job offer. I also took the same course at MCI. In my backyard. I would drive by on my way to work every day. And would stop in often. I could just walk in the back door at the shop. And I fixed some of their stuff.. They couldn't figure out how to fix after they created it? They told me they couldn't. They said it was impossible to make it work correctly. I said really? Just do this. Oh? They hadn't thought of that? But they had already canceled that product. Because they failed. It wouldn't work right. Because they forgot to do it right. It only needed a little tweak. On the Tape Guides. They hadn't thought about. Why? Because their knowledge was incomplete. Some of us become Real Engineers. We see things differently. We see deeper than 3D. It's difficult to verbally express. It's an instinct of sorts. I guess? I've always had it.. It's something you are born with. You may or may not discover, within yourself. Within your lifetime. I discovered mine early on at 7. I was going at it by the time I was 8 1/2. I engineered my first Commercial for Radio. When I was 12. With an adult announcer. I was on an FM college radio station. 2 days per week. The only one in the station. Starting at 15.. When they handed me the keys to this college radio station. As I was flunking out of school. With my ADD in full swing. The following year at 16. I was offered an incredible job. I declined for, Loving Reasons. But at 17.. I was hired there. In a different full-blown position. I wanted. At this multimillion dollar, multi room, Recording Studio. And handed the keys at 17. And assigned, my own Control Room-B. My boss had, A.. And C. Was the biggest Music Studio. I was told was off-limits to me. Sure.. Until that day. You've always heard about Gene, didn't show up for a recording session. Craig has to leave and he's the VP. And he tells the client. I'm a great engineer. They will have a wonderful session with me.. And he puts me in Control Room-C. I don't know anything about this behemoth control room? Nothing. What did he mean I'm a good engineer? Where do I plug in the microphones? Oh, oh? This is not going to go well. There's hundreds of buttons on that audio console. The tape recorder has 24 channels. I don't know how to use the remote control? I don't know how to use the audio console? They are asking me where to set up in the studio? What do I tell them? I've never been in there? Yes set up over there. You over there. The drums over here. The guitar over there. Let's move the piano over here. Put your backup vocalists over there. Now let me figure out. Where to plug the microphones in? But I didn't tell them that. I tried to look very cool, calm, experienced and official. I was sweating bullets. I had no idea what I was doing? The seemed to think I did. I'm fooling them. Six hours later. We have completed. Recording the rhythm tracks for their album. And they seem to be very charged up and happy. As they are leaving. And I go back into the control room. I sit down behind the audio console. I stare at it. I have no idea? What I did? How I did it? I remember nothing. I remember the very beginning. I remember the very end. I effectively blacked out in the middle. I remember, nothing. It was the creepiest thing that ever happened to me. And I sat there and stared. At this audio console. I still didn't know how to use? And wondered what happened? And how did I get through that? I don't remember anything? Nothing. It's a blank.. It's like I passed out.. But there is my writing on the track sheets. And my notations. I don't remember doing that? I was 17. Of course that opportunity never arose again. In my 2 years there. As when I left. I went to work. As the, Overnight FM Rock Jock. At Baltimore's then, #1 Album Rock Station. At 19 years of age. And that was unusual. To be on a #1 Major Market FM Station. With one of the longest, on-air overnight shifts, in the Country. Midnight until 6 AM. I Rocked Baltimore. What a Blast I had! Oh my! Not many 19-year-olds, held a position like that. Incredible fun for a Job. LOL! Playing any rock 'n' roll I wanted to all night long every night of the week. And on Saturday afternoons! When all the high paid DJs had off. Always great fun for me. I didn't care about Saturday afternoons. I'm inside the #1 FM Rock Station for Baltimore. And plenty of my friends wanted to come down and hang with me. Sure. It was always fun. Teenage guys playing rock 'n' roll on the radio. It really doesn't get much better than that. Until one night. So on this night. I'm finishing up my shift. When the phone rings in the control room. I pick it up. Who could this be? It's Philip. Remember me from high school? Oh yeah! How are you? He said great. And then he said to me. Remember that big recording studio you used to work for? I said yeah. And we always talked about having something like that for ourselves in high school? Yeah. I remember. He told me his dad. Who had this small, Industrial Film Company. Had just leased a new building. In a new, Industrial Complex of warehouses. Just blocks away from where I lived. And he asked me. ARE YOU READY TO DESIGN AND BUILD THAT STUDIO WE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT? I said I sure am! He said, Great! I'll tell dad! And he hung up. I immediately broke out into a cold sweat. What the hell did I just commit myself to? I don't know how to design and build a big recording studio? I may have worked in one, sure. But to design and build one from the ground on a large-scale? I don't know what I'm doing? Now I have to do it? Oh my God? And in the fall of 1978. We opened the New Hallmark Films & Recordings Inc. in Owings Mills, Maryland. Where the previous studio I worked for, Flite Three Recordings Inc.. And George Massenburg's ITI Studios Inc. We will be, their competitors. And we were. And I designed and built that with a custom-made 24 input audio console. When I was only 22. (More Rich Buddy in following post)
![Stewart Copeland - drumtalk [episode 36]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/V1L4AyXXuic/mqdefault.jpg)
Stewart is always a good interview. I sometimes think The Police were the greatest band of all time. The combination of the three guys was perfect.
Way more than just an outstanding drummer who defined a band and a genre. And always so entertaining to listen to whether musically or an interview.
Yeh- he had VISION, something sadly lacking in most musicians today
i could listen to Stewart talk for days with his humorous stories lol
Stuart Copeland is brilliant. He's also veryfunny.
He's aged well, and is methodical in his thinking and his playing.
His time signatures as a percussionist are ridiculous.
Him explaining Reggae hitting on the " 3 " defines it.
It's in his head. He's unique.
I've never seen a drummer duplicate his chops, and I've tried.
He's another reason I play guitar.
Long Live The Police.
Yes, this is the Copeland you are seeing as an older wiser man who can look back and avoid discussing the unpleasant things during the Police. But my bet is during his prime with the band, his personality was probably a bit too much "in your face" and is one of the reasons the band broke up.
One amongst 3...
They had done what they set out and wanted to do.
The Rick Beato/Andy Summers interview is a must. The quiet guitarist speaks out.
Hats off to Mr. Buckley for an excellent set of intellectually challenging questions for a highly intellectual musician. As a drummer of 40 years, Stewart Copeland was my only God. It is such a joy that social media has allowed access that I could have never have dreamed of in the 80's.
👍🏻
Buckley also allows Copeland to answer his questions. Too many interviewers trample all over their guests answers. So annoying!
Stewart remains one of the most hyper-active people I've ever seen, which undoubtedly drove Sting crazy. But he knows how to push a song to it's energetic LIMIT. It's not surprising that he's articulate and a deep thinker though; intelligence and creativity is VERY evident in his playing. Thanks for a terrific glimpse behind the curtain.
Sting may be a great musician, but is boring. Stewart is a natural born entertainer, he is the true spirit and inventor of the Police. The others didn't even know why they were there. He planned everything. You wouldn't say from a crazy drummer, now we know it.
@@fab3368 Miles did a fair bit of planning and took care of the whole business side of things. Andy was a veteran with treasure trove of original ideas that he was bursting to make use of. Sting, whatever one might feel about him, was a triple threat who needed a band who would put up with him.
The brilliant alchemy of The Police is from the various talents of the three incredible musicians and the spark from their different personalities.
@@007ndc Those are the basic ingredients, but the style of The Police came directly from Stewart's artistic vision.
Stu talks about their respective approaches to music and life en detail in the podcast edition of this
Awesome interview and insight about my favorite band. Rocked my high school and later years. Thank you
Every time I hear Stewart speak Im transported to those Eighties Salad Days and inspired all over again. Great interview.
Mr. Copeland is my all-time favorite drummer and one of my favorite musicians ever. I look forward to getting his book.
Stewart Copeland is always fun to listen to.
Thank you for that. Stewart has been my favorite drummer and my main inspiration for 44 years.
And yet... there are countless young people reacting to classic rock saying this... is REAL music, like the Police. Great interview! 🎉❤
What an entertaining and informative interview. Could've been one-hour long.
Stewart is always amazing talking.
He makes all the interviewers look like robots.
He's probably the best... how do you say?? the best talker on Rock'n Roll... I would listen to him for hours... specially when he talks about The Police.
The man is such a great interview! One of the all time great drummers too.
I always thought Stewart was a quiet guy but this interview proves he’s such an outspoken, fun, interesting but mostly very talented person/musician. I’m lucky I got to see the Police play in person.
Nice interview! Stewart's advice about sitting down and going to work is very true--sometimes, even if it's not happening, turn on the gear, and try to work it out. Even if it's half-baked, or not terrific, you will learn something, and get better.
Jeff Goldblums musical brother?
love him, what a great guy!!
With a bit of Ted Danson in there too.
Stewart's diaries collection is cool af; prooving ' a life worth living, is a life worth documenting.' Blessed to have own a copy of Stewart's book and my name in it as a Supporter
I've finally seen somebody weirder than me. 🤣 Lifelong fan.
Great interview!
DAMN GOOD DRUMMER
News flash!
I just love his energy.
Stewart Copeland is a very clever songwriter and lyricist. Listen to the Police songs he wrote such as A Sermon, Fall Out, Bombs Away, Darkness and Miss Gradenko.
don't forget the amazing
Does Everyone Stares?
and
Peanuts,
and
Darkness
and
On Any Other Day!!!
All of them very good songs
@@carlostejada1479 All fun songs. To get more excellent Copeland music, there’s his band, Gizmodrome. The live album is ridiculously good, especially when you consider they did only a very short promotional tour that might have been ended due to COVID. That’s what happens when you get band members such as Mark King on bass and Adrian Belew on guitar. The band Animal Logic definitely had Copeland’s musical signature despite not being the main songwriter, lyrically. Stanley Clarke played bass. Two killer rhythm sections.
@@CaesarDarias I haven't heard those...
but I don't care about the words, neither about virtuosism, I care about composition...
have you heard _Does Everyone Stares_??
That's a very ingenius song with very weird chords... there's no other song like that. it blew my mind back in the day. at some point the bass plays Eb and guitar/piano plays a G Major!!
later the bass plays a Bb and the chord is a G Major... and it sounds right!!! that's genius...
Peanuts is a clever song with a nice riff and chords...
Bombs Away is an energetic song with a great solo part in the middle.
Miss Gradenko has very good Arpegios and a great solo by Andy
these are not regular songs... they're very ingenius and weird.
it's a shame they never played them live (only Peanuts)
On Any Other Day it's more simple but amazing..
Not to mention all of his rejected songs that became Klark Kent.
Stewart genius... fantastic drummer.. the police forever
Frank has finally interviewed someone that is of interest to me.
I can see why him and Neil Peart were such good friends would loved to have sat with them 2 for a few hours.im sure they had great times together....and sure he misses Neil alot.
I'm so happy they became buddies later in life. Neil is the other side of the coin for me - my co-favorite. He's Yang to Stewart's Yin.
Love Stewarts passion and enthusiam, He is a very intelligent person
From quite an interesting and accomplished family. His brothers were also brilliant and his father was practically an OG in the CIA who played jazz
Stewart Copeland is an amazing drummer!
Thanks for this! Great interview and I didn’t even know the book existed, but I paused the video and bought it a few seconds after it was mentioned.
I I pre-ordered this book and got it a few weeks ago. It's an amazing insight into London during the 1970's and the Punk scene and the development of The Police. Very interesting. Also you get a glimpse into how much hustle it took for The Police to make it. The travel and the moving of equipment ...getting gigs. They definitely paid their dues!!!! Stewart and Sting need to learn how to ice skate properly and Sting also needs to vet managers better!!!!
What a great interview i cant wait to see Stewart in November.
Great Interview! Synesthesia is seeing colors thrue music or other stimulus (numbers, letters, ....). Very interesting hearing Stewart! WoW
❤ Awesomeness!!! I watched you from behind the stage at MSG. It was AMAZING watching you from that angle. 👌👍😁✌️🤘🏴☠️✨️😎💖🎉
Always loved the Police from my early days of high school. They were dialed in & way ahead of their time! Thanks for the nod to SRV, Stewart!❤
Great interview! Thank you & always inspiring to hear Stewart share his stories…
I will never forget seeing The Police for the first time on Don Kirschner's Rock Concert as a 15 yr old. Love at first listen!
15:58 Synesthesia is the word Stewart was looking for.
It’s the name of one of Andy Summers guitar albums too… ;)
@@snappylarry Oh, thanks I'll check it out!
Thank you Dr. Mack!
Supercool Interview. Thanks.
"The businessmodel is to lose money, but it is all art" lol
One of the Best !
His energy is great! always liked him! ❤
Mr. Copeland is one of the best! I always felt his actual happiness that he can play drums. He's amazing! I love these stories from late 70's, early 80's. We were cool kids standing on the precipice of a musical revolution! Great times.
Its truly the chemistry of a band that makes a drummer become special...take same drummer in a different group and it doesn't work..he was blessed as was Bonham moon..etc
Great interview...love Copeland...waiting to burst
Wow he has nice voice sounds like sing his own song.
Cool and amusing interview!!!😎
The great 3 piece bands were Rush, The Police and and The Jam.
Also the Jimi Hendrix Experience with Noel Redding and the great Mitch Mitchell
+ Cream
Can't stand rush
Can't even name a rush song haha
Love it! What a great interview with such a talented and creative dude! Great fun to hear from him.
haha he's still so cool and enthusiastic as ever
“You’re a better guitarist than Henry, and you’re crap”. “Really”?
That was a riot.
A superb interviewer interviewing a superbly talented human being musician. ❤️❤️👌👌
Always entertaining Stewart !
Master story teller .....GREAT interview
Always great to see how my favorite drummer Stewart Copeland is doing 😁💖🎶 I LOVE THE POLICE (the band, that is) 😆 Stewart is one of the many great musicians who motivate my Djinn Magik Muzik Attraction. MERRY CHRISTMAS ⛄🎄🎅🎁🥁 EVERYONE 🌠
One of the greatest drummers for one of the greatest drummers of all time. Man, I love Stew!!! 🥁🔥🤘
I love his personality, where are all the m n like him?? 😍😍
Stewart continues to be an inspiration.
Just an awesome interview
In my book, they are the greatest band of all time. They're certainly mine, which also makes them the greatest POWER TRIO of all time, and Stewart is my favorite drummer OF ALL TIME.
Hi, great man, Mr Coplend. we are waiting for your dairy in Malta 🇲🇹
Kiku malta 🇲🇹
Stewart is the best storyteller!!
Great interviewer
My husband recently came home with front row seats to the Hollywood bowl for…
Sting.
Needless to say, I waited in the parking lot while he went with his sister.
If it were Mr Copeland? I’da sat in ANY parking lot to be able to hear just a second of his exceptional percussion skills.
In the rain.
White noise sound smoother in the background keeping the vibe right
Stew: I have an opera for you. 😮
Whenever Stuart or Sting interviewed you know why they were magical together and couldn’t stay together.
Normally Stewart isn’t recognized but I like the guy
I love his sense of humor, Stewart Copeland said even when Sting was writing his best songs him and Andy new to bring there own songs.
I laughed when he said they would look at what he had written and he said he would look towards the ground out of embarrassment.
He said it in a way that was self deprecating.
True. But Stu knew how to take Stings songs and make them great. Listen to some of Sting’s demos or Last Exit songs before meeting Stu.
Magico uomo ❤
Stu is truly legend!!!!
Stewart, your awesome!
Beautiful
Upstanding American drummer ☝️
Great interview! Smart guy I'd like to have a beer with... Unfortunate Moby comment at the end as he does in fact play guitar (basic), seen it with my own eyes...
who doesn't love reggae during a hardcore glue sniffing session? 😊
The band Police were part of 36 guests at Climax Blues Band bass players wedding reception in Stafford, UK. This also included Wishbone Ash. Miles Copeland Stewarts dad was the manager of all three bands. Miles was a former founder of the CIA ......what better manager could one have. As one of the guests I was fascinated by the company. I can't remember Sting being there but Stewarts dad was. A long time ago.......... Best wishes Stewart !!!!!!!!
No, the manager was Stewart's brother, also named Miles.
Yes you are correct. I didn't talk to him during the wedding reception and the wrong info I found years later. Great drummer
I'd always read that they hated each other...but Stew is quite complimentary!
The Beatles, and then the Police!
At 14:01, was a picture of how slow Stewart speaks, compared to how fast he thinks. Blessing/curse/blessing/curse. His success is proof he managed to get it under control?
Stewart, synaesthesia. where you see sounds, hear colours etc. A mixing of senses.
Now im kicking myself for not making to his show with the Vancouver symphony.
Buckley looks like one of the actors in Brooklyn 99
Neil Peart is such an underrated drummer
🤣
Love Stewart
Viva Stu,mister Hi Hat sir!!! Kind reggea rds from old Europe! ;)
Stewart great drummer his dad miles was one of founding fathers of cia
It's also pretty funny. How I got into the Music Business, myself. Not as Worldly as Stewart was raised. But in a similar fashion with music.
My parents were both, semi-famous, violinists and opera singer. And there was no, Pop Music. In our household. Resolve Mozart, Brahms, Beethoven, Berlioz, Wagner and the like. And dad was in the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Along with being an, Advertiser. For a day job with his father my grandpa Stanley.
And then on occasion on the weekends. He could make extra money. Playing his violin. Doing something he didn't like so much. But would take me along. Down to the Detroit Recording Studios. Where he played string tracks for, Stax and Motown Records.
And so starting at, Age-7. Dad got permission. From the Producer and Engineer. For me to sit in the back corner of the Control Room. Oh, oh? 7 years old. And he told me. You do not wiggle. You do not squirm. You do not make one sound. You ask no questions. You say nothing. Or you are out in the car for the duration of the session. And you won't like that. Okay daddy..
And so that was, parental abuse. I thought he wanted me to become an,, Engineer? And so I did. And I really got into that, R & B Music! My mother abhorred it! My dad liked a little jazz in the car by himself. Otherwise? I grew up with nothing but Opera. Grand Opera. But I wanted to do that, boogie-woogie R&B Music! Yeah baby!
50+ years later. I'm retired. My studio is closed after 30+ years. I made Recording History. And garnered, multiple different major music award nominations. For my Engineering Expertise. And where I have sung. On a couple of Commercial Jingles I produced.. I'm only part of the back round vocalists. Which I thought was funny to do. Since I had a 30 foot long, remote control cable to my, 1 inch, 8 Track, Analog, reel to reel,, Studio Recorder. Made at the factory. About 600 feet away. From my apartment Complex. In Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Called MCI. Basically clones of Ampex Recorders.. And seeming as, I had also been trained. As Ampex, Authorize Factory Service Technician. Aunt declined their job offer. I also took the same course at MCI. In my backyard. I would drive by on my way to work every day. And would stop in often. I could just walk in the back door at the shop. And I fixed some of their stuff.. They couldn't figure out how to fix after they created it? They told me they couldn't. They said it was impossible to make it work correctly. I said really? Just do this. Oh? They hadn't thought of that? But they had already canceled that product. Because they failed. It wouldn't work right. Because they forgot to do it right. It only needed a little tweak. On the Tape Guides. They hadn't thought about. Why? Because their knowledge was incomplete. Some of us become Real Engineers. We see things differently. We see deeper than 3D. It's difficult to verbally express. It's an instinct of sorts. I guess? I've always had it.. It's something you are born with. You may or may not discover, within yourself. Within your lifetime. I discovered mine early on at 7. I was going at it by the time I was 8 1/2. I engineered my first Commercial for Radio. When I was 12. With an adult announcer. I was on an FM college radio station. 2 days per week. The only one in the station. Starting at 15.. When they handed me the keys to this college radio station. As I was flunking out of school. With my ADD in full swing.
The following year at 16. I was offered an incredible job. I declined for, Loving Reasons. But at 17.. I was hired there. In a different full-blown position. I wanted. At this multimillion dollar, multi room, Recording Studio. And handed the keys at 17. And assigned, my own Control Room-B. My boss had, A.. And C. Was the biggest Music Studio. I was told was off-limits to me. Sure.. Until that day. You've always heard about Gene, didn't show up for a recording session. Craig has to leave and he's the VP. And he tells the client. I'm a great engineer. They will have a wonderful session with me.. And he puts me in Control Room-C. I don't know anything about this behemoth control room? Nothing. What did he mean I'm a good engineer? Where do I plug in the microphones? Oh, oh? This is not going to go well. There's hundreds of buttons on that audio console. The tape recorder has 24 channels. I don't know how to use the remote control? I don't know how to use the audio console? They are asking me where to set up in the studio? What do I tell them? I've never been in there? Yes set up over there. You over there. The drums over here. The guitar over there. Let's move the piano over here. Put your backup vocalists over there. Now let me figure out. Where to plug the microphones in? But I didn't tell them that. I tried to look very cool, calm, experienced and official. I was sweating bullets. I had no idea what I was doing? The seemed to think I did. I'm fooling them.
Six hours later. We have completed. Recording the rhythm tracks for their album. And they seem to be very charged up and happy. As they are leaving.
And I go back into the control room. I sit down behind the audio console. I stare at it. I have no idea? What I did? How I did it? I remember nothing. I remember the very beginning. I remember the very end. I effectively blacked out in the middle. I remember, nothing. It was the creepiest thing that ever happened to me. And I sat there and stared. At this audio console. I still didn't know how to use? And wondered what happened? And how did I get through that? I don't remember anything? Nothing. It's a blank.. It's like I passed out.. But there is my writing on the track sheets. And my notations. I don't remember doing that? I was 17.
Of course that opportunity never arose again. In my 2 years there. As when I left. I went to work. As the, Overnight FM Rock Jock. At Baltimore's then, #1 Album Rock Station. At 19 years of age. And that was unusual. To be on a #1 Major Market FM Station. With one of the longest, on-air overnight shifts, in the Country. Midnight until 6 AM. I Rocked Baltimore. What a Blast I had! Oh my! Not many 19-year-olds, held a position like that. Incredible fun for a Job. LOL! Playing any rock 'n' roll I wanted to all night long every night of the week. And on Saturday afternoons! When all the high paid DJs had off. Always great fun for me. I didn't care about Saturday afternoons. I'm inside the #1 FM Rock Station for Baltimore. And plenty of my friends wanted to come down and hang with me. Sure. It was always fun. Teenage guys playing rock 'n' roll on the radio. It really doesn't get much better than that. Until one night.
So on this night. I'm finishing up my shift. When the phone rings in the control room. I pick it up. Who could this be? It's Philip. Remember me from high school? Oh yeah! How are you? He said great. And then he said to me.
Remember that big recording studio you used to work for? I said yeah. And we always talked about having something like that for ourselves in high school? Yeah. I remember. He told me his dad. Who had this small, Industrial Film Company. Had just leased a new building. In a new, Industrial Complex of warehouses. Just blocks away from where I lived. And he asked me. ARE YOU READY TO DESIGN AND BUILD THAT STUDIO WE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT? I said I sure am! He said, Great! I'll tell dad! And he hung up.
I immediately broke out into a cold sweat. What the hell did I just commit myself to? I don't know how to design and build a big recording studio? I may have worked in one, sure. But to design and build one from the ground on a large-scale? I don't know what I'm doing? Now I have to do it? Oh my God?
And in the fall of 1978. We opened the New Hallmark Films & Recordings Inc. in Owings Mills, Maryland. Where the previous studio I worked for, Flite Three Recordings Inc.. And George Massenburg's ITI Studios Inc. We will be, their competitors. And we were. And I designed and built that with a custom-made 24 input audio console. When I was only 22.
(More Rich Buddy in following post)
A great interview about everything except.......drumming!
Momentum
Wait, Sting's dog was "Turdy"?
Synesthesia, seeing music as colours.
Right ?!
2 years of starvation & struggle……thanks for hanging in there boys!
Power trio GrandvFunk Railroad in the R&R HoF? No? Stewart?
The Police ❤
I just called Sting. He got rather pissed. I explained and we had a good laugh, though he is still killing Stewart.
The Chinese fave a saying "do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life"
Anyone try calling Sting?
Great band. Great drummer. Great ego...