Classic Replay | Music Saved Me with Sam Hollander

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Classic Replay | Music Saved Me with Sam Hollander"

Podcast Information:

• Title: Music Saved Me
• Host: Lynne Hoffman
• Guest: Sam Hollander
• Release Date: February 22, 2025

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Introduction to Sam Hollander and His Career

In this episode of "Music Saved Me," host Lynne Hoffman welcomes Sam Hollander, a renowned songwriter, producer, and musician with an impressive portfolio that spans multiple genres and includes collaborations with notable artists such as Panic! at the Disco, One Direction, Katy Perry, Billy Idol, Weezer, Blues Traveler, Macklemore, Train, and Ringo Starr.

Notable Quote:

“I could probably keep going, and then the podcast would be over and he wouldn't even be able to talk.”
— Sam Hollander [02:31]

The Healing Power of Music

Sam delves into his belief that music possesses supernatural healing powers, especially for those grappling with mental, physical, or emotional challenges. He shares personal anecdotes about using music as a form of catharsis during his youth, highlighting how it served as a soundtrack to his tumultuous emotional journey.

Notable Quote:

“Music was the one thing that elevated me.”
— Sam Hollander [04:09]

Songwriting Process and Emotional Connection

Hollander discusses his unique approach to songwriting, emphasizing the importance of creating uplifting and aspirational music. He explains how he strives to stitch together broken aspects of himself through his art, aiming to positively influence listeners’ days even in the smallest ways.

Notable Quote:

“If it reacts and I've, you know, maybe altered someone's day the slightest bit. It's the greatest job in the world.”
— Sam Hollander [04:09]

Creating Emotional Impact in Music

The conversation explores how Hollander identifies and crafts songs that evoke specific emotions. He recounts the collaborative experience with artist Banners on the song "Someone to You," illustrating how certain lyrical and melodic combinations can create profound emotional resonance.

Notable Quote:

“There's a feeling in the room when the melody and the lyric sort of twist their way around a chord and it just hits and you feel that emotive moment.”
— Sam Hollander [05:25]

Involvement with Musicians on Call

Hollander shares his deep connection with the charity organization Musicians on Call, which uses music to bring comfort to patients in healthcare settings. He recounts a poignant moment in a cancer ward that inspired his involvement, highlighting the therapeutic impact of live music on patients.

Notable Quote:

“I instantly got involved and I got on the advisory board and I'm on the board of director.”
— Sam Hollander [12:39]

Family Background and Influences

Exploring his eclectic family history, Hollander discusses his uncle John Hollander, a famous American poet and literary critic, and his parents' artistic pursuits. He reflects on the challenges of connecting with his intellectually driven family during his ADHD-stricken youth and how persistence in music earned their respect over time.

Notable Quote:

“Everyone in my family had real. We all had artistic bents of different sorts.”
— Sam Hollander [16:05]

Navigating the Music Industry

Hollander provides an insider’s perspective on the music business, likening it to a relentless pursuit where resilience is paramount. He emphasizes the importance of perseverance despite frequent setbacks and failures, advocating for a steadfast commitment to one’s craft.

Notable Quote:

“It's what it is where you, what's the one where you. Mad Libs. Mad Libs. It's almost like Mad Libs, right?”
— Sam Hollander [05:25]

Adapting to Technological Advances and AI

Addressing the impact of technology and artificial intelligence on the music industry, Hollander discusses the democratization of music production tools and the looming challenges posed by AI. He shares his proactive approach to staying relevant by engaging in AI studies and encourages artists to embrace technological advancements as opportunities for growth.

Notable Quote:

“Learn from it. Don’t hide.”
— Sam Hollander [37:26]

Collaborations and Memorable Moments

Hollander recounts his experiences collaborating with iconic figures like Ringo Starr, highlighting the blend of excitement and focus required when working with such legends. He reflects on the emotional significance of his work, particularly with Fitz and the Tantrums' "Hand Clap," which symbolizes tenacity and generational connection.

Notable Quote:

“I was really hyper focused on having a song with Ringo because I had done songs with Mike Love and the Beach Boys, Sing them Live.”
— Sam Hollander [27:14]

Authorship and Legacy

Discussing his book, "21 Hit Wonder: Flopping My Way to the Top of the Charts, Adventures and Songwriting," Hollander explains his motivation to chronicle his struggles and failures in the music industry. He aims to provide a manual for aspiring artists on surviving and thriving despite systemic challenges and setbacks.

Notable Quote:

“You have to stick it out and you gotta. You really do have to put the work in.”
— Sam Hollander [24:17]

Advice for Aspiring Musicians

Hollander offers heartfelt advice to up-and-coming artists, emphasizing the importance of perseverance, silencing negative voices, and maintaining a singular focus on one’s passion. He underscores the role of a supportive environment and relentless dedication in achieving success.

Notable Quote:

“If I could do it, anybody can do it.”
— Sam Hollander [33:21]

Conclusion: Sam Hollander’s candid reflections on his journey through the music industry reveal a deep-seated passion for his craft and a profound understanding of music’s transformative power. His experiences underscore the importance of resilience, adaptability, and emotional authenticity in creating impactful music and sustaining a long-term career.

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Key Takeaways:

• Music as Therapy: Music serves as a powerful tool for personal healing and emotional expression.
• Persistence Pays Off: Overcoming repeated failures is essential for success in the competitive music industry.
• Embracing Technology: Staying abreast of technological advancements, including AI, is crucial for modern musicians.
• Giving Back: Involvement in charitable organizations like Musicians on Call highlights the societal impact of music.
• Legacy and Mentorship: Documenting personal experiences and supporting the next generation are vital for sustaining a meaningful career.

Final Thought: Sam Hollander’s journey is a testament to the enduring impact of music and the unwavering spirit required to navigate its ever-evolving landscape. His story inspires both seasoned artists and aspiring musicians to harness the power of perseverance and passion in their creative endeavors.

Transcript

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[Sam Hollander]

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[Sam Hollander]

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[Sam Hollander]

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[Sam Hollander]

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[Sam Hollander]

I tell kids all the time whenever I meet a kid, you know, they say, oh, how do I get into this business? Blah blah. I say the same thing. It's like, look, if you ever wake up one morning and you have a strange fascination with, you know, Arugula. And you think to yourself, God, I could market the world's greatest arugula. I can make a strain that's like hybrid arugula or something, and every Whole Foods and Trader Joe's will be all over it. Go make your damn arugula because this is brutal.

[Lynne Hoffman]

I'm Lynne Hoffman, and welcome to the Music Saved Me Podcast. The podcast where we explore the power of music to heal and help anyone in need. On this episode, a brilliant songwriter, producer, and musician who has worked with an incredible, dare I say, almost unbelievable roster of stars from just about every musical genre, ranging from Panic at the Disco, One Direction, Katy Perry, Billy Idol, Weezer, Blues Traveler, Macklemore Train, Ringo Star. I could probably keep going, and then the podcast would be over and he wouldn't even be able to talk. He's also a massive supporter of the incredible organization known as Musicians on Call, which we are as well. Welcome, Sam Hollander. Welcome to Music Safety.

[Sam Hollander]

Hey. Hey. Apologize in advance for any barking dogs or sneezing, but that's okay. The pollen count is not working in my favor this hour, but I do believe in the potential of Zyrtec, so.

[Lynne Hoffman]

Let'S go with it and greatness, which you are. All right, well, let's just jump right in.

[Sam Hollander]

Okay.

[Lynne Hoffman]

Sam, do you believe music and songs have supernatural healing powers for those with mental, physical, or, say, emotional problems?

[Sam Hollander]

Oh, absolutely. You know, I've always used music as a form of catharsis for myself, both my own art and also, you know, as a fan growing up. I mean, you know, as a child, I always felt misunderstood, as we all do in those years. And so music was this sort of the soundtrack to the unrequited for me. Right. So whatever. I was spiraling in my psyche up and down and up and down. Music was the one thing that elevated me. And I think one of the. What really attracts me to music. As a songwriter, one thing I really dig is the notion that I can provide sort of uplifting, sort of aspirational stuff that I really write for myself, because I'm just trying to stitch any broken mechanisms inside myself, you know? But at the same time, I do think that if it. If it reacts and I've, you know, maybe altered someone's day the slightest bit. It's the greatest job in the world, you know?

[Lynne Hoffman]

Absolutely. Is there a specific litmus test or, for example, when you're writing or producing a song and you're arranging the music, is there a place where you can tell that you're going to evoke a certain Emotion in someone. Is that. Is that the secret sauce? Is there a secret sauce?

[Sam Hollander]

Yeah, I think there's some sort of galvanic response that happens. Right. The songs that I think, at least in my. In my life, that have. Have raised their hands and sor. Of done something and maybe actualized in any shape or form, I would say I always. I always knew that there was something there. I don't think I've ever really been surprised. And it's sort of hard to articulate what the. What the special sauce is. You're just. There's a feeling in the room when the melody and the lyric sort of twist their way around a chord and it just hits and you feel that emotive moment. I remember I did a song with this kid named Banners from London via Canada, or Canada via London. There we go. And, you know, he came to the studio and we wrote a song called Someone to youo is Me. His name is Michaels. Me, Michael and Grant Michaels. Strange. But what was so interesting about it is I knew by the time we landed the chorus that the song was special and it had the deck stacked against it was one of those songs. This was not gonna be a layup, new artist, no real backstory to date, blah, blah, blah. But there was something about it that just. You could just feel emotively that this was gonna just, you know, elevate someone's daily experience. And that's what we do. You know, I don't write a lot of dark stuff because, truthfully, the world is as complex and messy as it is. I don't think I need to be another voice sort of harping on that. I'd rather just try to, you know, uplift a little bit of. Yeah, a little bit of positive energy out there, even. I like the sweet and sour. And sometimes I get my little jabs and my little. You know, I'm a Steely Dan guy. Right. So I grew up listening to Donald Fagan with all the. Yes. With all the, you know, with all the little. You know, the little jabs that he was able to work into songs that were jazzy, but yet the core were so dark and sort of interesting and funny. I like humor in my music, but at the same time, it's gotta. You know, I wanted to. At the end of the day, I wanted to, you know, stay somewhat aspirational or something to that effect.

[Lynne Hoffman]

Well, you know, interesting. Speaking of that, what. What would go through your mind during those moments when something that you were involved with so intimately to create impact, someone in. In such a Pot in a positive way or an emotional way?

[Sam Hollander]

Well, when like people slide into my DMs, as the. They dip in youth says, and they dip into my dms, it's invariably a really beautiful note and it's very sweet and it's somebody who was affected and they sort of tell, they, you know, they give a narrative and they tell me how it affected them and it's, it's incredible. Like, you know, there, there are many jobs that, you know, there, there are all the, there are all these incred and vocations that bring tons of joy to people. And it's just nice to know that music can be one of them. You know, the music can sort of affect the psyche in that way. And, you know, so I'm always very moved, to be absolutely honest with you. It's very, it's humbling and it's, you know, it just, it makes me want to get up and write another one, you know.

[Lynne Hoffman]

In what way do you, do you feel that music gives people hope? And have you ever personally used music to help yourself through a difficult time?

[Sam Hollander]

Lynn? I did. You see what I look like, right? So it was an uphill battle.

[Lynne Hoffman]

A handsome guy.

[Sam Hollander]

No, it was uphill battle from birth. And I will tell you, you know.

[Lynne Hoffman]

You'Re a comedian too.

[Sam Hollander]

In the 80s, in my formative years, I, you know, I think I modeled myself, Esther, sort of a slightly more muscle bound version of John Cryer as Ducky, you know, and I had the pork pie hats and I had fedoras and I had all these things and I was a strange character, you know who. I think if I were to find myself through four years of high school, beyond academically challenged, I would say it was just one unrequited relationship after another. And music got me through it. Like I said, music was the, it answered the questions. I felt like every lyricist before me sort of paved a path. And I would listen to the torture of Morrissey or Robert Smith or I would listen to the playfulness of Tribe Called Questa de La Soul. And R.E.M. was my favorite band of all. And I didn't even know what he was saying, but it just. I liked the word play and it sounded interesting, but I would play almost. It was almost like Jenga lyrically. Right, so is that what it is where you, what's the one where you. Mad Libs. Mad Libs. It's almost like Mad Libs, right? Where I would take Stipes lyrics, I had no idea what to sing, so I would just figure out and just guess and to me, they were all torture. Bob Mold Husker do was probably my favorite lyricist in high school. It was probably between Fagan and Mold and I think both. They were great. They were great. They were great at chronicling the. The teen experience and sort of growing up and coming of age and cities and things like that. And you know, it. So I would say, you know, that got me through. And I. Whenever I meet somebody who is sort of is so embedded in my mental playlist, I fanboy at such a level because I just can't believe that these people paved the way. And I'm just lucky to have hitched on the bandwagon. It's awesome. The best.

[Lynne Hoffman]

So what do you think the world would look like without music? I know that's a big question.

[Sam Hollander]

What do the kids call them? NPCs. You know, not like non playing character, whatever. It's a video game term about being very basic. The world would be very basic. It's like, it's the color and it's the colorful characters and you know, look, music to me was the original short form content, right? It was just three minutes of perfection. I was never a Prague guy, right? Because Prague came along. I'm like, wait, These songs are 25 minutes long. You know, I don't want anything to do with this. Let's. Let's whack it down and make it, you know, 2 minutes and 40 seconds of joy. But I don't. I just, I can't envision it because it's been embedded in my DNA since I was 3, when I, you know, I was listening to Blossom Deary records with my mom. She was a big Blossom Deary fan. And we would sit and listen to these like vocal jazz records. I was three or four and I just loved what was going on melodically. Gateway to Magic by Pilot, you know, better known as the Ozempic song. Now it's obviously that's where people really. It's really caught on a magical single. But that was the first single ever dug and I grew up on all this K Tal stuff and then that morphed into all these genres and they're all, you know, I just can't imagine life without them. I mean, you know, the first thing I do when I get in the car is turn on Sirius. The first thing I do, you know, or Z100 with my man Maxwell. You like that shadow? My man Maxwell, he. He gave me a hug. He's very sweet guy. Very sweet.

[Lynne Hoffman]

Fell when you were younger or, or older?

[Sam Hollander]

Oh, no, like four days ago, I end up.

[Lynne Hoffman]

Are you sure you're not also a comedian on the side?

[Sam Hollander]

No, stop that.

[Lynne Hoffman]

Is that a part of writing? Is that you have really good timing no matter what?

[Sam Hollander]

It's not me, it's the decongestant.

[Lynne Hoffman]

Oh, all right. That's right. It's a Zyrtec. How did you first become associated with the fine folks at Musicians on Call? And if you wouldn't mind indulging us on what it was like witnessing firsthand being involved with him?

[Sam Hollander]

Well, it's funny, I go back to the early days of the organization because it was started by Vivek Tiwari and Michael Solomon, who are people I've known socially since we were all in our 20s together, mid-20s. I remember when they launched and, you know, it's a very kooky story. I love their mission. I supported completely, but I wasn't necessarily involved. Boots on, on the ground. And then when my father was in his last days, he was at Mount Sinai in the cancer ward. And I went to visit him one day and I heard an acoustic guitar in the next room and I peeked around the corner and there was a man who was easily an octogenarian, to put it mildly. Strummy acoustic. And he looked like one of these old Greenwich Village folk that you see in documentaries, you know, and he was playing for a woman who had to be nine something. And when he finished, he walked down the hall and I said, you know, I'm so sorry to bother you, but what's your story? Are you related or whatever? And he said, no. He said, I'm with the charity Musicians on Call. And I had chills because I really felt that that moment had just been completely placed there from some weird divine spirit. It just didn't make. It just was so one. It was. It was a one in a million moment. So I instantly got involved and I got on the advisory board and I'm on the board of director. Look, you know, we visited patients with my Christmas band, the Band of Merrymakers, and we performed at hospitals on both coasts. We wrote original songs with kids. And it's the heaviest work I've ever done. Nothing competes with it. It's a labor of love. And when you talk about how music impacts people, it's the most powerful thing in the world. You can see it just manages stress and alleviating pain and improving blood pressure and all these. It's just scientific information. You just know it. It's true. Music is therapeutic. And so to play a role in that is. It's incredible. Absolutely. Incredible. I absolutely adore the organization. And top to bottom, also probably the nicest people I've ever worked with in any capacity. If record labels had the energy of moc, it'd be a better world.

[Lynne Hoffman]

We love them and we're so grateful that they're a part of our world because it just makes me feel like, although I can't do what you do, at least I can talk about it and spread the word.

[Sam Hollander]

Look, Lyn, the truth is no one really needs to see me perform. Right. It's like my charm is behind a curtain. But if my words. And, you know, we can sing Christmas songs and do things like that, and if I can help with awareness and I can get my friends to play a Christmas show, et cetera. I don't know. I feel like I'm doing. I'm doing the right thing.

[Lynne Hoffman]

Yeah, you are.

[Sam Hollander]

I'm paying something forward that, you know, I'm proud. It's great.

[Lynne Hoffman]

Besides the fact learning that you were babysat for a short amount of time by Andy Warhol, which obviously is a story for another time, I also read that your uncle was a famous American poet and literary critic named John Hollander. And I read that you once said that you didn't often connect with him when you were growing up. And it seems strange to me because you would think writing would be hereditary and that everyone would just automatically know having an uncle like that. Did you ever connect with him? And if so, was music the connector eventually?

[Sam Hollander]

No, it was Yankee baseball, but. Oh, interesting. John was a. I came from a very strange family picture, sort of the royal Tannenbaums or something to that effect, where my dad was an incredible modern dancer with Jose limone, professional at 18, and then went back to school, architect with Philip Johnson, did all this mid century modern stuff, and then a professor for the rest of his life. My mom working with Warhol and writing for Interview magazine. She's the first and I believe, only female sports writer ever for Interview magazine, because in the midst of some sort of psychotic breakdown, she said, I want to write about sports and the psychology behind sports because I just don't get this. And I think Andy was puzzled, but let her run with it. So that was neat. And, you know, everyone in my family had real. We all had artistic bents of different sorts, you know, and, you know, with. I mean, John was. You know, my parents were so heady. My uncle was so heady. And it was sometimes hard to connect with them because, like I said, I was so massively ADHD in a time of the 80s when we didn't know what that was. So you were just deemed a colossal screw up. And what happens with that? Of course, it's a self defeating prophecy. Right. You start to believe I become it. I manifested. You want to screw up, I'll be a screw up. So graduated the bottom of my high school, three colleges and two semesters, which I still believe is very hard to pull off. Yeah, that's a flex, you know, and I just, it was, it was so. It would, it was very hard to connect on any aesthetic level with these people who were just so beyond me at that age. But as time went on, I think, you know, I really, I like, I think I earned some real respect in my family. And, you know, I think the number one thing was my tenacity. You know, I just, I wanted it so bad. I wanted to write songs that, that entered some semblance of a zeitgeist. Right. I just wanted to hear a song in a movie or hear it in a stadium or hear it on the radio, because I was completely raised on radio C100. So I just wanted to hear these. I wanted to hear these songs. And that was, I think, the one redeeming character trait that I have because some stink. But one I would say is I'm really, I do put the work in and I'm very passionate about my art and I think in my family I think that's pretty respected. So it was neat.

[Lynne Hoffman]

And didn't someone from the Eagles call him up and he needed to consult with you about it? Yeah.

[Sam Hollander]

In the last years of my life, my uncle got an email from Don Henley and Don Henley had set one of his poems to music and they put it on the Hell Freezes over record, I believe.

[Lynne Hoffman]

Oh, that little record?

[Sam Hollander]

Yeah, whatever. The Walmart was in 2007 and the record did 2, 3 million copies. Whatever. I had never. I was just about to have my first hit with the Gym Class Heroes and I'm finally feeling like I've done it. And my uncle, who at that time was in his 80s, is on a bigger record and had never written out a record before. You know, it's. You know, I equate the music business with waking up every single morning, walking outside. Picture you're on, you know, 7th Avenue south, any downtown, you walk outside of your building, you get hit by a cab every single day for 30 years. And every single day you have to wake up and dust yourself off and go create art. Because that's what it's like. I just, you know, the fear I Have. When I wake up in the morning of just looking at emails for something falling through or something being rejected, etc, it's. It can really do a damage to your morale. So I would say, yeah, I'm proudest of the fact that I can still get up every single day. And now, you know, I'm geriatric, but I still got it.

[Lynne Hoffman]

Let's not go that far. We're born in the same 1989. Well, you put together a book called. Well, I love the title of your book. 21 hit wonder, flopping My Way to the Top of the Charts, Adventures and Songwriting. Can you explain a little bit about what one would read when they open the pages of the book?

[Sam Hollander]

I can. I can. You know, I wrote this book because, first of all, it was completing what I felt at the beginning. On the onset, I felt like I was completing my dad's journey. There was a part. There was. There was a hole in his life where he. To me at least, which then I resolved towards the end of the book. But, you know, he began writing a book when I was seven and he never finished it. Forty years later he passed and he would just come back to it and then put it down. And it was nothing that I could ever stitch together. And it gutted me, to be absolutely honest with you. I was absolutely crushed because he was this brilliant man. I felt like the world never really got to know the extent of his genius. So that's why I started, because I felt for my daughter. I have one kid and she's musical, and I felt she should really understand a little bit of the. The family backstory and also what hard work is and more appropriately, what failure is. Because when you read the names of the people I've collaborated with or some of these songs, it's very moving for me. But it all happened after the age of 35. And up to 35, I'm bankrupting every label in the business with flop after flop after flop. And that gets lost. And what happens in what I've learned about entertainment. It's funny. Become tight with Chuck D. And Great Guy, Public Enemy and Chuck D. He knows more than anybody. The industry just buries carcasses of failure. We don't talk about these things. So whenever I read a puff piece and like Chuck, Chuck really reads entertainment books, which I thought was fascinating because I do too. And I've always felt like maybe I'm limiting myself, but there's nothing about 1870s Prague that I can get through. My ADHD is that severe, Lyn. So I have to get through these entertainment homes. And one thing I would say is they're all a humble brag. Every book I read is a humble brag. That tends to be a couple of moments of duress and failure. Maybe one you overcame one thing and then suddenly it's like, oh, and surprise and let's spike the ball for the next 250 pages. And what I wanted to do was really harp on all these records that I made. I mean, the first six albums that I produced for artists didn't get released. One came out. The six came out on September 11, 2001 and ended a career right there. But I ruined so many people's careers. And the truth is I really played a massive role in it. In terms of just. And what I excavate these projects and talk about my role. It's not. I'm not blaming people or blaming the arts of the labels or anything. It's really judgment calls that I made and missed on. And that's what I wanted to write about. Make it just give people a little bit of a manual on how do you survive something where the deck is stacked against you every day of the week for decades. And that's what I did.

[Lynne Hoffman]

That's incredible.

[Sam Hollander]

I just felt like. I felt like in this new generation of kids, we're gonna have to compete with AI, which is going to take such a chunk out of the marketplace. And the fact that the democratization of music, everybody has the tools to make their music. Everyone has a recording studio in their house. Think about that. When I was a kid, Neil Minsky lived in Pound Ridge and he had a four track and he was the coolest kid in the world. He had a four track. I'd never seen anything like it. Like, no one had gear, you know, now everybody can do it on their laptop. It's built in. GarageBand comes to the laptop. You know, these kids are working on logic at the age of 8, 9. So it's so competitive now. And then you have to hit the algorithm of TikTok and all these other things to even be heard. So we're in. These are truly crazy days. So the one thing is, I just wanted to sort of give a little bit of a blueprint for anybody who's like me out there, who is still struggling to figure out and just understand that it will happen. But you have to stick it out and you gotta. You really do have to put the work in.

[Lynne Hoffman]

So true and so lost today on Just About Everyone. So definitely welcome, welcome information. And if they're willing to put in the time to listen. But many artists I've interviewed through the years have said that they wrote the hit song that they really got well known for. They wrote for themselves, arranged for themselves what they liked, what they wanted to hear, and then were shocked to find that it actually resonated with so many people. Is that still something that happens today, do you think?

[Sam Hollander]

Well, truthfully, I'm shape shifting with every artist that I collaborate with because I'm trying to avoid instilling my will on them. Instead, I'm trying my best to be a coach, a guide, you know, Sherpa. I'm trying to get them over the top and work. Yes. And work from there and just sort of try to figure out where they're at in the process. You know, I work with some people who are incredibly lyrical and so they don't need me in that end of it. And that's really my specialty is. Is I'm pretty. I'm pretty quick with a pen. But then, you know what, then, then I instantly read the room and I shift over to where the melodies sit and making sure the melodies are working and blah, blah, blah, blah. Making sure that's conceptually tight. Other writers aren't particularly lyrical or I'm getting them on a day that they're just burnt out. They have nothing but they want to give it a go. And I'm coming in the room with two or three completely finished, fleshed out ideas before I even sit down with them and I sing them to the artist because, you know, I'm going to shoot my shot any way I can. And that's landed some really successful songs too. There's no rhyme or reason to it. But the one thing I would say is these songs aren't written for me necessarily. There's inside jokes, sure, you know, high hopes, panic of the disco. You know, those verses are. I wrote the verses on that song and there's great co writers on that song across the board. Everybody did a great job. But, you know, I wrote the verses and the verses in that song were in my head. I made a through line between a dialogue that I had with my mom when I was very young. And then the second verse is me sort of giving my same interpretation of that dialogue to my daughter. She was coming up. And so it's. I tried to connect the generational divide because they never really got to know each other. My mom passed, my daughter was so young. So I thought this was a way to sort of, you know, bring them together forever. And that's what. Why I Wrote that. So it's always pretty heavy for me. And even though you hear it, it's sort of like this bombastic sort of, you know, bouncy number at the core of it. I'd like to think there's a lot of heart because the message is very real. So.

[Lynne Hoffman]

Well, I have to know what went through your mind when you weren't going to write necessarily a song with Ringo Starr, a Beatle, but you were going to pitch being a co writer with him? How does one even feel when they're ringing the doorbell at Ringo Starr's house and you have to go in and make a pitch that he's gonna work with you?

[Sam Hollander]

Okay, so what goes through your head? Well, I'd love to tell you that there was a high degree of intimidation, but the strangest attribute I have, beyond tenacity is. And I think this. This is formed when I'm a kid with being around Warhol and these worlds and, you know, and spending my, you know, working with Carole king in my 20s, who really mentored me and helped me out, and Nile Rogers and Paul Williams and all these people who are these incredible beacons for me and sort of just guided my journey. I. I'm rarely intimidated, and I think that's probably my greatest skill. It doesn't really matter who I walk in a room with, but I'm hard to shake. And I always say I'm sort of like something that crawls on your shower curtain, try to wash it down. But it just. It just doesn't. Doesn't happen. I sort of stick. I stick it out. So I would say with Ringo, I'm excited, sure, massively excited. Everything, you know, I mean, chills. But the flip side was very focused. And he grilled me. He grilled me. And he was tough and he's very snarky, very funny, so witty. He's an incredible guy.

[Lynne Hoffman]

And was your heart beating out of your chest or. You were fine. You were. You were all right.

[Sam Hollander]

I was okay. I was okay. I. I was more starstruck by you, Lynn.

[Lynne Hoffman]

Oh, come on.

[Sam Hollander]

So, you know, ringo is so 20, 23. But I. No, I. I have to tell you, I. I had a very measured take on it. I was excited. But the flip side was I was really hyper focused on having a song with Ringo because I had done songs with Mike Love and the Beach Boys, Sing them Live. And I have to say, to be able to say I did something in the orbit of the Beach Boys and the Beatles, I'll take it. Yeah. You know, pretty cool. And so it was really about dialing it in. And, you know, since then, I think I've done five songs. The Ringo, something like that. And it's always a blast. And he is this. This beautiful fella who is in better physical shape than I am. And it's heartbreaking to watch because he's like bouncing up and down while I'm sort of slump. Slumped in the chair, drooling. So, yeah, a little bit.

[Lynne Hoffman]

Bueller Bu.

[Sam Hollander]

Sr. Guys, the guy's super talented.

[Lynne Hoffman]

Well, spanning your successful career, which is. Is. Is pretty amazing. Is there one kismet moment that stands out to you the most working with someone? And if you could share what that is? I know you get that probably a lot, but in the song making process.

[Sam Hollander]

That you work, I think the song that I. It's the song that I have a weird, very, very, very deep emotional connection to is Hand Clap by Fitz and the Tantrums. And it's truly rooted in the fact of tenacity. You know, I was a huge fan of the EP when they first dropped their first ep, and I thought Money Grabber was the coolest thing ever. And, you know, I googled them, I googled Fitz, and I realized we were born a couple months apart. And just like us, like, our generational connection was so deep. And I could tell that he was referencing, you know, ABC when Smokey sings, like, all these, you know, all these records of the time, you know, And I felt like if I ever had a chance to get in a room with him, I would hit it out of the park. And it took seven years between meeting him the first time to finally getting a session. And I had to work angles. And I have to say, my buddy Kevin Griffin, one of my best friends, who's better than Ezra, he made the connection, he said, because Fitz sang on our Band of Merrymakers Christmas record. And within five minutes with Fitz, I knew I was gonna write a hit. I felt it. I felt like we would write something very special together because just there was such a shared affinity. But yet there were slight. There were just like divergent paths musically that I felt would be great. Like, he's more of a pop guy. I would say I'm more of like a disco or soul guy. And so we met in the middle and fused this strange song together. And it's a very strange song, but it's. That one means the most to me because I really, like. I fought for it and I don't know, for some reason, I think it just lives on more than the rest of my stuff. It feels like the one that I hear it every day, and that's pretty cool.

[Lynne Hoffman]

What are you most proud of, Sam, regarding your music and your legacy?

[Sam Hollander]

I'm proudest of the fact that I was able to spend my life making noise and there were so few other lanes for me as a human, and I didn't have any other interests. You know, I tell kids all the time whenever I meet a kid, you know, and they say, oh, how do I get into this business? Blah, blah. I say the same thing. It's like, if you ever wake up one morning and you have a strange fascination with arugula and you think to yourself, God, I could market the world's greatest arugula. I could make a strain that's like hybrid arugula or something, and every Whole Foods and Trader Joe's will be all over it. Go make your damn arugula, because this is brutal. And to do this with your life, there's a level of masochism that people could never understand. And so the fact that I survived thus far, and I've been doing it this long, and I still am excited every single day. I wake up and, you know, I'm like this weird, stunted man child. I'm like, you know, I just. Every day, I just wake up and there's an idea, and it's sort of emanating. I'm trying to figure out how to get it out of my head. And it's a puzzle, and these are like, these strange puzzles. And I go for tons of walks in my town. People see me walking everywhere, and it's a little bit of an odd visual, but, you know, truly, I'm in my head all day long just trying to crack a puzzle and put it down on paper, and if it never sees the light of day, it's fine, but I have to get it out. And the fact that I was given the luxury to do this for this many years is. It's incredible.

[Lynne Hoffman]

What would you tell someone? One piece of advice of all the great advice and sage wisdom that you've accumulated.

[Sam Hollander]

I'll tell you, I was blessed. I'm sure you were, too. I can hear in your voice. I was blessed with supportive parents, right? I had parents and an infrastructure around me of people who were cheering for me as a human. And I was encouraged to color outside the lines. And I just feel like a lot of people who pack it in early really don't have that support system. And it can be as simple as finishing a song and playing it for your friends, and they diss it and. Or they just look away unenthused and it's soul crushing, right? Or you tell your parents you want to get it into the music business, entertainment industry and the look of horror on their faces because they don't understand how you won't be homeless. You know, the one thing I would say is if I could do it, anybody can do it. And I started out with minimal skills, like a creative kid with very suspect skills. And I put in the 10,000 hours, the Gladwellian hours. And I just kept going and going and going and harnessing and changing and changing the way I approached my work and changing genres and trying to find out where I fit into the musical landscape. And I believe anybody can do it. I just think you have to silence negative voices and just have a singular focus on the fact that you might just be great at something and you gotta, you gotta play it through.

[Lynne Hoffman]

So choose optimism. That will, that will get you through any. Most everything, basically.

[Sam Hollander]

Yeah. It's like I don't want to sound like an Up With People record, but it's, it's just choose. I'm such a glass half empty person with everybody. Everything right. In terms of, of. I'm watching the Knicks last night and I'm thinking to myself, there's zero way they win this game. I'm just exasperated. I'm about to turn the channel and they have one of the greatest comebacks I've ever seen. I've always been that guy. I'm very negative. I think it's like very Jewish self deprecating and just sort of having just self aware enough to know that the movie usually ends bad. The flip side is suppress that with your art. With your art. Believe that you can do it and you can.

[Lynne Hoffman]

That I've never heard, heard that spin that you just put on that. That was just amazing because I'm thinking to myself, where is this going? I mean, if he's negative, which I totally. I mean this is the plight of my daily routine. It's just. Can you just see the positive side of it? I. I do, but with everything else, pure optimism, everything that you want to know and learn, it's like 100% optimistic.

[Sam Hollander]

I mean, I'm just also. Another thing that's really important is, is stay in your generation. You know, I think about my mom, who was probably the sharpest cat I ever knew, right? My mom was freakishly bright. But my mom had a fascination with Victorian era, you know, England. And I really think she wanted to live in Victorian era England. And I think she was crestfallen that that wasn't going to happen. And she was very late to the Internet. Internet, right. And she's very late to cell phones and all these things before she passed. You know, I've always. I. I understood it and I got it, but the flip side was, my tact is I'm going to stay up on things, and I want to be on top of it. I'm taking an AI class this summer just to understand how people think and how it's going to impact, you know, creativity, et cetera. Because I just. I don't. I don't want to feel irrelevant. You know, I want to know that there are ways to implement tools. Tools and make great art as it evolves. And I think AI in our lifetime outside of the Internet is the craziest thing we've ever encountered. I don't. I think there are people who just don't understand what we're about to see.

[Lynne Hoffman]

Yeah.

[Sam Hollander]

And I'm sure there's a lot of negative with it, but there is some positive, too.

[Lynne Hoffman]

So just on that note, can I ask you one more question? Because I know I'm already overstaying my welcome. The Beatles McCartney putting out the new song with Lennon on it through the advances of AI. How did you feel about that? Just curious.

[Sam Hollander]

Once again, you know, I'm not a purist. I feel like, you know, I've heard a lot of songs recently of older artists who I feel like are using AI to, you know, come up with something new and sort of reinvigorated. I can kind of hear through it sometimes. And, you know, what if it brings people joy? Who am I to. Who am I to rip it down? It's like, you know, know, I just. I just think it's crazy that we have these. You know, these. The abilities to do this and the. The software I've been messing around with. It's insane. I enter in lyric prompts and very detailed lyric sheets, and what comes out might be better than my melodic writing. And. Scary.

[Lynne Hoffman]

Right.

[Sam Hollander]

It eats me a little bit. But the flip side is I'm like, well, that's pretty good. All right, so.

[Lynne Hoffman]

And I can learn from now.

[Sam Hollander]

Yeah, exactly. Oh, six seconds. It was great. So it's evolving at a speed of. I've never seen anything like it, but that doesn't mean it's a negative. To me, it just feels like, you know, utilize it as a strength. People were scared. You know, drummers were scared of drum machines. Well, you know what? People still record drummers. We've seen all of this. And sure, this is crazier and the capabilities are endless, but I don't know. Learn. Learn from it. Don't hide.

[Lynne Hoffman]

Good advice. Advice. Very good advice. Thanks, Sam. Thank you so much.

[Sam Hollander]

Thank you.

[Lynne Hoffman]

I seriously. And. And.

[Sam Hollander]

And anything you need, I'm here. But hit me up, okay?

[Lynne Hoffman]

Feel better.

[Sam Hollander]

Thank you.

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