Classic Replay-The Top Five Most Downloaded Episodes of 2024-Mike Campbell

Summary

Classic Replay: The Top Five Most Downloaded Episodes of 2024 Featuring Mike Campbell

Episode Release Date: December 27, 2024
Host: Buzz Knight, iHeartPodcasts

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Introduction to the Episode

In this special edition of the "takin' a walk" Music History on Foot podcast, hosted by Buzz Knight, listeners are treated to a retrospective glance at the year's most popular episodes. Topping the list is an in-depth interview with the legendary Mike Campbell, best known for his work with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. This detailed summary delves into the vibrant discussions, insightful anecdotes, and musical explorations shared during the episode.

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Recapping the Top Five Episodes

Harry Jacobs, co-host alongside Buzz Knight, introduces the countdown of the year's top-five most downloaded episodes:

1. Carlos Santana
2. John Oates
3. Russell Kunkel
4. Ian Hunter
5. Mike Campbell (Number One)

Lance Morrison joins the conversation, expressing excitement about Mike Campbell's episode being the most popular.

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Mike Campbell: An Icon in Music

Meeting Mike Campbell:
The episode features a candid conversation with Mike Campbell, who shares his experiences and insights into his illustrious music career. Buzz Knight reminisces about the initial setup for the interview, highlighting Mike's preference for audio-only participation. However, "suddenly I see the screen pop on and there's Mike Campbell," Buzz recounts ([02:03]).

Personal Interactions:
Mike reflects on personal aspects of his life, mentioning, "My Audi's wife is Ms. Casey. If you want to find out what happened to her, I'll help" ([01:57]). This provides a glimpse into Mike's personable nature and his connections beyond music.

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Exploring "Vagabonds, Virgins and Misfits"

Album Creation:
Mike discusses his latest project, "Vagabonds, Virgins and Misfits," detailing the blending of old and new songs. He explains, "Half the record is older songs and half the record is newer songs" ([31:10]). This fusion showcases his ability to blend nostalgia with fresh creativity.

Collaborations with Renowned Artists:
The album features collaborations with notable artists like Lucinda Williams, Chris Stapleton, Graham Nash, and Benmont Tench. Mike shares anecdotes about working with each, emphasizing their unique contributions. For instance, working with Graham Nash required significant courage, as Mike recounts, "I had met Graham before a few times on tour... I kind of sheepishly said, would you maybe want to sing on one of our tracks? He said, sure, I'll make your song better" ([06:02]).

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Creative Process and Musical Insights

Improvisation and Spontaneity:
Mike emphasizes his affinity for improvisation in music creation. He states, "I rarely work things out. I like to go off the cuff and try to grab things out of the air while you're playing the song and try to catch a little magic" ([23:18]). This spontaneous approach is evident in tracks like "American Girl," where he improvised guitar parts to achieve a 12-string sound without actually using a 12-string guitar ([21:20]).

Influences and Inspirations:
Discussing his musical influences, Mike highlights legends like Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix, and Chet Atkins. He shares, "Chuck had the way. He was quite a performer. Amazing person" ([15:12]), illustrating the depth of his guitar inspirations and how they shape his playing style today.

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Notable Stories and Anecdotes

Recording Experiences:
Mike recounts the emotional experience of returning to the Church Studio in Tulsa, where Mud Crutch first took off. He describes it as an "out of body experience" and shares touching memories, including seeing his brother Tom's ghost ([08:29]).

Song Inspirations:
Several songs on the album draw from personal experiences and stories. For example, "Innocent Man" touches on an incident involving a strip search by border authorities, reflecting real-life challenges faced by the Heartbreakers ([42:31]).

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Technical Aspects and Musical Techniques

Guitar Techniques:
Mike delves into the technicalities of his guitar work, discussing the importance of tone and technique. On the track "Hands Are Tied," he uses a Graham Clipper guitar with a vibrato arm to create a unique sound: "It's tuned down to D. The low string is tuned down for a deep growl" ([34:52]).

Recording Live:
Emphasizing the raw and authentic feel of his music, Mike explains the benefits of recording live with The Dirty Knobs: "We cut the track live, you know, but mistakes and all, but it's just a burst of adrenaline" ([38:43]).

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Collaborations and Guest Appearances

Lucinda Williams:
Mike shares the collaborative process with Lucinda Williams on the song "Hell or a High Water," highlighting how her soulful voice added depth to the track: "She added such a depth of soul to it, you know, God bless her. She's so good and she really makes the song for me" ([37:30]).

Chris Stapleton and Benmont Tench:
The collaboration with Chris Stapleton and Benmont Tench on "Don't Wait Up" brought a humorous and energetic vibe to the song. Mike describes setting up the recording process and the spontaneous creativity that ensued ([39:31]).

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Reflections on Music and Personal Growth

Learning from Legends:
Mike reflects on his experiences touring with Bob Dylan and working with Don Henley, emphasizing the valuable lessons learned from these musical icons. He shares, "Bob Dylan showed up in our lives... he was just so full of wisdom" ([44:16]).

Continuous Improvement:
In discussing personal growth, Mike expresses a desire to continually improve his singing, writing, and guitar playing: "I want to learn to be a better singer, a better writer and a better guitar player" ([47:34]).

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Upcoming Tours and Future Projects

Tour Preparations:
Mike expresses excitement about upcoming tours with The Dirty Knobs, highlighting the enthusiasm for performing new songs and engaging with audiences in larger venues: "I miss being on the road... we'll have a whole new set" ([45:53]).

Future Endeavors:
Looking ahead, Mike shares his commitment to writing and creating music, even while on tour: "I write all the time... I tend to write more when I'm at home and I have free time" ([47:21]).

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Conclusion

The episode concludes with heartfelt thanks from both hosts and Mike Campbell, celebrating the enduring legacy and continuous evolution of his music career. Listeners are encouraged to check out Mike's latest work, "Vagabonds, Virgins and Misfits," and anticipate future projects and tours.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• "I rarely work things out. I like to go off the cuff and try to grab things out of the air while you're playing the song and try to catch a little magic." — Mike Campbell ([23:18])

• "Chuck had the way. He was quite a performer. Amazing person." — Mike Campbell ([15:12])

• "She added such a depth of soul to it, you know, God bless her. She's so good and she really makes the song for me." — Mike Campbell ([37:30])

• "Bob Dylan showed up in our lives... he was just so full of wisdom." — Mike Campbell ([44:16])

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Final Thoughts

This episode of "takin' a walk" offers a comprehensive look into Mike Campbell's musical journey, creative process, and collaborations. Through engaging storytelling and insightful discussions, listeners gain a deeper appreciation for Campbell's contributions to music and his ongoing influence in the industry.

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For more episodes and updates, subscribe to the "takin' a walk" podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or your preferred podcast platform.

Transcript

[Mike Campbell]

Hi friend, it's your inner child calling and they want churros, a new toy and a new adventure. Or maybe five with the bestest besties on earth. Find your moment at Walt Disney World Resort. Are you still quoting 30 year old movies? Have you said cool beans in the past 90 days? Do you think Discover isn't widely accepted? If this sounds like you, you're stuck in the past. Discover is accepted at 99% of places that take credit cards nationwide and every time you make a purchase with your card, you automatically earn cash back. Welcome to the now it pays to Discover. Learn [e-mail] credit card based on the February 2024 Nielsen report, Spectrum Business knows that you put in unlimited effort to unlock the unlimited possibilities of your small business. Get Internet, mobile, phone and TV services to connect all aspects of your business and see your business made limitless. Learn [e-mail] business pros trust the Home.

[Buzz Knight]

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[Harry Jacobs]

Two is coming to Apple tv.

[Buzz Knight]

What you all did five months ago was one of the most painful moments in the history of this company. Our message got out.

[Mike Campbell]

We're famous.

[Buzz Knight]

All of us.

[Harry Jacobs]

Equally.

[Mike Campbell]

Or one of us is like this.

[Buzz Knight]

What did you see?

[Mike Campbell]

My Audi's wife is Ms. Casey. If you want to find out what happened to her, I'll help.

[Buzz Knight]

She's still alive. I want to see my wife.

[Mike Campbell]

He should have left severance.

[Buzz Knight]

New season streaming January 17th only on Apple TV. Taking a walk I rarely work things out. I like to go off the cuff and try to grab things out of the air while you're playing the song and try to catch a little magic. That's spontaneous. I think that your listeners can sense that you're discovering it when they are well.

[Harry Jacobs]

Welcome to our Top five Taking a Walk podcast Countdown. A little holiday gift for all of you for 2024. Thanking you so much for your support of Taking a Walk. We're counting down the top five most downloaded episodes of 2024. I'm Buzz Knight, your host. So we'll recap. Okay, Harry Jacobs from the Taking a Walk. Music history desk is here. Hello, Harry.

[Lance Morrison]

Buzz. Pleasure to be here. And, and so excited about, about number one.

[Harry Jacobs]

So, so let's, let's, let's recap. First, Carlos Santana at number five, John Oates at number four, Russell Kunkel at number three, Ian Hunter at number two, and at number one. This was a real treat having this guy on. He's created a new band that, believe it or not, recently put out in 2024, their third album. The name of that band is the Dirty Knobs. We're talking about Mike Campbell from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. The great Mike Campbell. Oh, my God, was it a treat to see him? I'm going to tell you a funny aspect of this, though. So the publicist, you know, when this was set up, said, well, Mike just wants to do audio. He doesn't really want to have the camera on. So I said, okay, that's, that's fine. This happens some from time to time. So show up for the, the zoom. I have the camera off. All of a sudden I see the screen pop on and there's Mike Campbell and he says, hey, I want to see you turn the camera on. So, so the camera was on and there he was sitting there he was. He was smoking a funny pipe. It was like a tobacco pipe that had a funny curl, almost like a Sherlock Holmes, sort of like a, like.

[Lance Morrison]

A, like a pipe, like, like Sherlock Woodsmore. My father used to smoke pipes, a bunch of pipes. So. Pipe tobacco guy.

[Harry Jacobs]

That's right. It was. It looked like one of those. But there, there he was in true form, Mike Campbell, and it was a treat talking to him.

[Lance Morrison]

Harry, it's interesting to me that he was. The publicist would tell you that he doesn't want to do the camera because he does so much. You know, he's got a. He's big on his YouTube channel. He does a lot of tutorial stuff on his guitar stuff like he'll show, you know, he was the. He was the guitar player for Don Henley's Boys of Summer. So that's one of those things that's in my YouTube favorites to kind of learn how to play that song. And he walks through his stuff like he's a guitar teacher. He's a wonderful and generous man to, to his fans and other guitar players to kind of show his tricks and what they did to. To make that sound with. With Tom Petty. And I'm glad that he' he's done well, moved on, you know, post Tom Petty. And, you know, they were just here in Nevada not long ago at State Line. And the Dirty Knobs are having great success.

[Harry Jacobs]

Oh, and they sound really terrific on this. If you haven't heard the latest album, it's really, really good. And what I found really neat about him as well as to your point, very generous in terms of talking the inside stories. We talked in particular about know some of the stories behind the music, some of the ways things kind of came together. The way he was very, you know, detailed with his memory of it. So found him to be very generous, very gracious, giving in terms of storytelling and just really amazing.

[Buzz Knight]

There.

[Lance Morrison]

There's a story he told on one of the YouTube videos that's another one saved next to Boys of Summer, where he talks about American Girl and how they got that sound at the beginning of it, how they wanted a 12 string at the beginning, but they couldn't. He and Tom couldn't afford 12 strings at that time on their first album. So he figured out how to make that intro, that kind of high part of American Girl sound like a 12 string. And then he walks you through every single piece of it. And I thought as a guitar player, it's so, to me, it's so generous of him to say this is how I made that sound, literally, piece by piece through the song. I just, I love him. I'm a huge fan and I'm so happy for his success.

[Harry Jacobs]

So here it is. It's the number one most downloaded podcast of Taking a Walk for 2024. Here's Mike Campbell. Mike Campbell, so awesome to have you on the Taking a Walk podcast celebrating the release of Vagabonds, Virgins and Misfits. Have you been hanging around Tom Waits lately?

[Buzz Knight]

I wish I could hang out with Tom Waits, but no, I haven't seen Tom.

[Harry Jacobs]

It's a great title and I absolutely love the album. We're going to get into talking about certainly the work with Lucinda Williams and Chris Stapleton and Graham Nash and In Benmont as well, and of course, the great Dirty Knobs. Is it hard for you to comprehend that this is the third Dirty Knobs album?

[Buzz Knight]

No, I can comprehend it. I did all the work. It's pretty well comprehended. You know, it's a lot of blood and sweat on those tapes. But no, I. I'm. I'm in this groove now. You know, I'm in the moving forward with this band and my own writing, and I can comprehend going on even farther with this.

[Harry Jacobs]

And you seem to be absolutely having a joyful time.

[Buzz Knight]

I am. I'm very grateful to be here. I love what I do, and I'm very proud of the work that the band has done with me.

[Harry Jacobs]

So you were just out celebrating the 50th anniversary, out at the church studio where Mud Crutch first hit the scene back with the great Leon Russell and Shelter. Tell me about, first of all, going back how it felt and tell me how you remember that experience 50 years ago.

[Buzz Knight]

Yeah, I was very honored that Tulsa and the church people asked me to come back and honor that place. They've restored it really well. And so we went out there and I had an out of body experience walking into that room after decades where it all kind of started with us in Cordell and Shelter Records. And I walked into the room that Tom and I and Ben and Randall Marsh, the original Mud Crutch, walked into that room with Denny Cordell and we didn't know how to record at all. But I remember standing in that room and just looking at each other and we thought we'd made the big time, you know, we were in a church studio at Leon Russell's town, you know, but we didn't know what we were doing. But I did have a flashback standing there last week. I could see my brother Tom's ghost and feel those old feelings again. It was kind of touching, you know, in a lot of ways, in a good way.

[Harry Jacobs]

And when you were out initially there with Leon Russell, did you have a deep understanding of what an amazing musician and career he had had?

[Buzz Knight]

Yeah, I love Leon Russell. I used to see him play in Gainesville when he passed through town. Of course, I'd seen the Mad Dogs and Englishman tour and all that, those great players in his band. But to be honest, Leon wasn't there. We first went through Tulsa. We were hooked up with Denny Cordell, who was Leon's partner and our producer. We didn't see Leon until a while later out in la, but he was not there at the church that first time we came through town.

[Harry Jacobs]

But that's amazing. You had this, this spiritual experience there that you clearly felt right.

[Buzz Knight]

Yeah, yeah. You can see it in the video where I'm standing in that room. We did a video of this new song, Dare to Dream, and you can see that I've got. I'm having a moment, you know, a positive, emotional moment.

[Harry Jacobs]

The video is amazing and. And it. It really evokes a tremendous feeling and a sense of some optimism that we all need, don't you think?

[Buzz Knight]

Absolutely. Don't we? The world is a wicked place these days. It seems almost more wicked than it used to be. But Yeah, I think that, you know, as an artist or songwriter and Tom was the same way. And I think, not to compare myself to the Beatles, but I like the thing with the Beatles, always had a positive. Most of their songs were about peace and love. You know, every now and then John Lennon would throw in I'm a Loser. But generally speaking, our songs with the Heartbreakers, we always tried to aim toward hope and redemption, you know, and if a song maybe has a dark character, at least by the end, you hope there's some way he's going to get out of his predicament and life will be better. And so if this song in some ways makes people feel that maybe life can be better, then I've done my job.

[Harry Jacobs]

It's a wonderful song and having Graham on it is super special. How did you happen upon asking Graham to appear on this?

[Buzz Knight]

Well, it took a lot of courage. I had met Graham before a few times on tour. They had opened for us, and I had done a gig in Kauai with him once, a benefit. And he came by and did my little radio show that I do on Tom Petty Radio. And at the end of the interview, I kind of sheepishly said, you know, would you maybe want to sing on one of our tracks? He said, sure, I'll make your song better. And he did, you know, God bless him. So I sent him the tape. And I am a huge child of the 60s, the Hollies, the Beatles, Animals, Stones and the Hollies. I always just loved their vocals, and Graham was a large part of that high harmony. And so I sent him the song and I got it back and I was just blown away that he kind of captured some of that Holly Blend on the song for me. And I couldn't have been happier, you know, to have a here on your song. I mean, come on.

[Harry Jacobs]

I love the. The show on Tom Petty Radio. By the way, you make it look very easy. How do you make it look so easy?

[Buzz Knight]

Well, it's just you and me, we're just talking, you know, I like they asked me, you know, the Tom Petty Radio on Sirius XM is a good station, and Tom started it and was deeply involved with the show. And now that he's gone, we want to keep the show alive and keep playing his music and our music. And so they. Benmont does a DJ show, and I think Stan lynch and Steve Ferroni are also doing DJ shows where they come on and talk and play songs. And they asked me if I would want to help, and I didn't want to do that because I don't really feel like I'm a DJ type person. But I said if I could do, you know, interviews and conversations with other people about music, then that would be interesting to me. So that's what my show is all about. Just getting someone that I respect or that, you know, knows about us and just talk about music and have a conversation like you and I are now. That's the idea behind it.

[Harry Jacobs]

It's excellent. I love it. So you got a guitar at 16 years old, is that right?

[Buzz Knight]

That's about right, yeah.

[Harry Jacobs]

And what kind of guitar was this?

[Buzz Knight]

It was basically unplayable, but I didn't know at the time. It was a 15, pawnshop harmony, arch Top acoustic. And I begged my mom. We didn't have much money, but I begged her for a guitar. And she scraped up the 15 bucks and got me this thing. And I learned how to play on it, but it was unplayable. Now, I look back on, the strings were real high off the neck and my fingers would literally bleed. I'd be trying so hard until I went over to a friend's house and he had a Gibson. And I pick it up and he went, oh, my God. This isn't hard at all. It's easy. I've been struggling, you know, but my first guitar, it taught me how to, you know, play hard. And I was just hooked. As soon as I got the guitar, nothing else mattered. It was all about the guitar.

[Harry Jacobs]

Do you remember the first solo that.

[Buzz Knight]

You learned, Johnny Be Good? I learned it off the radio. I didn't have a teacher. I never took guitar lessons, but I heard that on the radio. And somehow I managed. I guess I had an affinity for the. And I just figured it out on the guitar. And I just love Chuck Berry and that song. I connected with it, you know, I felt like, you know, poor boy trying to dream about making it someday. And I just identified with the way Chuck plays. And I still get chills when I hear him play. There's something about him and the way he plays guitar. The double stop thing that I tried to, you know, emulate.

[Harry Jacobs]

Did you ever perfect the Duck Walk?

[Buzz Knight]

No, I'm still working on that. Nobody can quite do it like him. I've seen people try, but Chuck had the way. He was quite a performer. Amazing person.

[Harry Jacobs]

Yeah, a little bit of mojo, wouldn't you say?

[Buzz Knight]

Yeah, yeah, he has some mojo. And his songwriting, you know, his character, his originality, you know, he created that thing. There's so many of us have, you know, borrowed from over the years. And he's still my top three guitar players of all time.

[Harry Jacobs]

You mind listing the other two?

[Buzz Knight]

Well, there's more than three, really, but Chuck, of course, Jimi Hendrick, because he was just ridiculously out of control. Crazy good. I like Mike Bloomfield a lot. In the early days, I had the Paul Butterfield records and I had that harmony guitar and record. And I would slow the record down, you know, to 16, so I could hear what the guitar was doing. And that's how I learned that he was bending the notes, you know. I didn't know you could bend the notes on the guitar. And so, you know, but there's, you know, Keith Richards, George Harrison, Roger McGuin, there's so many. That era was just incredible for guitar players, you know, it's not like that anymore. But I'm happy I was there to be inspired by all that stuff when I was learning.

[Harry Jacobs]

And you completely self taught, though?

[Buzz Knight]

Well, yeah. When I was a kid in school, my parents forced me to take accordion lessons for a couple of months. And I learned the basics of scales and chords and things on that a little bit. But when I got the guitar, I just taught myself all by ear, you know.

[Harry Jacobs]

What was the first concert that you ever went to?

[Buzz Knight]

Oh, the first concert would have been the Beach Boys at the Jacksonville Coliseum. I think the bill was. It was one of those Dick Clark things. I think they had a bunch of artists on like Del Shannon and Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs and different bands. And then the Beach Boys came on as the headliner at the end and they just completely blew me away. They sounded just like their records, you know, and I love that, that dream, that a California dream of hope and happiness living in, you know, Jacksonville. That sounds pretty good to me, I'm sure.

[Harry Jacobs]

So tell me about what pawn shops mean to you when it comes to the discovery of guitars which mean the world to you.

[Buzz Knight]

Yeah, pawn shops are a gold mine, you know, Especially when I, in the early days when I couldn't afford much, you could get a good deal in a pawn shop, you know. I got my first Firebird Gibson in a pawn shop for I think 120 bucks. And it was just ironic recently on the Fleetwood Mac tour when I was out with them, we were in Philadelphia and I went by a pawn shop and I found a white Firebird and I. That's become my main guitar, live touring guitar now. So I'm back to the Firebirds again. But, you know, it's hard to find deals now because the word is out that, you know, These instruments are valuable, but I used to always go on days off with the heartbreakers. Me and maybe, you know, Scott Thurston or Ron Blair. We go out and find a pawn shop and try to dig up an old gym. You know, occasionally you'd get something really cool. Most of my guitars are old vintage stuff. And nowadays, though, I was lucky to find that white Firebird, because nowadays it's hard to find deals.

[Harry Jacobs]

Is there anything in particular you're on the lookout for?

[Buzz Knight]

You know, I. My Brody keeps asking, sending me stuff. You want this? Do you want this? I got. You know, I've already got one of those I would like to get. I probably might want to get a epiphone. Coronet, I think it's called. It's real light. Del Shannon had one. Real lightweight. And they sound pretty good. Steve Marriott played one, I think, in the. In the Small Faces. But I'm not on a hunt. I've got too many. I need to give them away.

[Harry Jacobs]

What did the loss of Dwayne Eddy mean to you as a guitarist?

[Buzz Knight]

Well, Duane was a huge influence. I mean, he was one of the first, if not the first, instrumental guitar player with Rebel Rouser. And because they're young and moving and grooving, all those great instrumentals that were on the radio when I was learning, and I learned those songs off the radio too. You know, anytime an artist of that stature leaves us, it's always a loss, you know. But I really liked his guitar and his tone, you know, he had that gretch tone, deep throaty, vibrato ish tone. And he was an innovator, you know. Rebel Rouser.

[Harry Jacobs]

You knew it was him when you heard him, right?

[Buzz Knight]

Yeah, he. He was a. Yeah, he was an icon and he was ahead of the curve. You know, there weren't that many guitar instrumentals out at that time. Maybe Santo and Johnny and a few others. But his was a very, you know, recognizable style and tone. And I like to try to go for that sound sometimes.

[Harry Jacobs]

You know what I thought was interesting? I was talking to Steve Howe from yes on the podcast. And even, you know, some of the great British Prague rock guitarists looked up to Dwayne Eddy in a big way. He impacted them as well.

[Buzz Knight]

The twang's the thing. Have twang, will travel, you know. Yeah, and just a big. He made the guitar sound so big and full. And his songs are really cool. Cool riffs and simple, you know, not like showy, but melodic and tough sound. And I try to play that way too.

[Harry Jacobs]

So I was hoping we could go back to. I'm just gonna pick three of my favorites, which really is difficult for me because I've got another 300 favorites from your work with. With Tom and the Heartbreakers. But can you take us back into what you recall, the creation, either solo wise or session wise, of. Well, first American Girl would be the one I wanted to ask about.

[Buzz Knight]

Yeah, I remember cutting American Girl. It was on the 4th of July, and we were at the Shelter. We called it the Brown Room. The Shelter studios, which had compensated the API console from Tulsa and put it in the office there on Hollywood Boulevard. That's where we did our first two records. And Thomas beginning to blossom as a writer. And he brought in Breakdown and Wow, One Forever. And then he brought in American Girl one day and it was like. It was a no brainer. This is a great song, you know. And he had the Bo Diddley chords and I wanted to put a 12 string on it, but I couldn't. I didn't have one. Couldn't afford a 12 string at the time. I had a broadcaster, which is still my main guitar. So I was trying to get a 12 string sound with the drone octaves. Dang, dang, dang, dang, dang. That's octaves on a six string trying to sound like a 12 string. And so that was the genesis of that sound. And between Tom's guitar and that high droning and the voicings of my chords going up against his chords down low, that became the Heartbreaker's guitar sound, basically. So when I hear that song now, I can hear the formation of the band. That was where we found our thing, you know. And at the end of the song, funny story, there's. I was just. I make a lot of stuff up on the track. I don't work it out too much at the end. I just started doing those triplets because I got bored or didn't know what to do. And I thought it was goofy, you know. And Tom goes, oh, no, you gotta double that. I said, no, it sounds too much like something else, you know. No, he said, that's really good. Double it. And now it's like this. On the fade, that's that signature guitar part that goes out. So he was right about that.

[Harry Jacobs]

And that's where you kind of. It probably came into form as your own process of improvising through sessions and sort of the, you know, continuous creation of something till you get it right. Is that correct?

[Buzz Knight]

That is correct. I rarely work things out. I like to go off the cuff and try to grab Things out of the air while you're playing the song and try to catch a little magic. That's spontaneous. That's what I try to do. And that's what that song was about. And just to go back, and I don't want to get too technical, but you talked about Dwayne Eddy. There's also Chet Atkins, who was a big influence on me. And it was because I had been teaching myself. Chet Atkins, on that song American Girl at the end. That's a finger picking thing. You have to use your, you know, a couple of fingers to get that. And I got that from Chet Atkins, that technique. So I owe that to him too. But yeah, I like to just go off the cuff. Breakdown was an off the cuff. That opening riff was something that I did on the track mindlessly. Stream of consciousness at the end of the track. I played that once or twice as I was. Guess it was getting to the end of a long jam. And then they called me up and said, you know, that lick you play at the end should be at the beginning of the song. It'll be like a catch for the song, a hook. So I went back down and learned it and played it on the front of the song. So that, you know. I like to grab things out of the air that are unexpected. Because I think that your listeners can sense that you're discovering it when they aren't.

[Harry Jacobs]

It's beautiful. Tell me about yout Got Lucky. What you remember about that whole process and the session and solos and the creation of it.

[Buzz Knight]

You Got Lucky was written on a. A synthesizer. The chords. That whole thing I had done with three fingers. I'm not much on the keyboards, but I had a. I made a drum loop, which I was into at the time. And I had that keyboard line and the chords. And we got. I didn't have the. The sort of. With a Clint Eastwood movie, Italian Western, kind of solo. Em or Coney thing, which is in the middle. That was Tom's idea. He said, why don't you go play something like a James Bond thing on the middle. So I had a Strat that just come in the mail. Like, you know, down, down, down, down. So that was. I came up with the line. Actually that line was on the keyboard line at the beginning of the song. So I just copied that on the guitar and did it with a vibrato on that. So that Tom suggested that I do that there. And I just think he wrote a great lyric to that. So I was so happy. Every time I would give him a piece of Music. If he was inspired to write a words, it was always great. You know, I was lucky that way.

[Harry Jacobs]

And then tell me about the Waiting and the creation of the waiting. And in particular, is it true you also played bass on the Waiting?

[Buzz Knight]

I did, yeah. I played bass. No deference to Ron, who's an incredible, a lot better bass player than I am. But on songs of mine that if I had a demo, I would put a rough bass on it just to find what it. How it should go. And then sometimes we would end up, I'd have to play it because that was the right vibe for the song on the Waiting. For some reason Ron wasn't there that day or something. So I ended up playing the bass. And what's interesting about that song, which I love, one of my favorite songs of his, it's very birdsy at the end on the bass, the guitar wasn't. I hadn't done my guitar part yet. On the end at the bass where it breaks down, the bass goes. That was a bass line. And so when I went to do the guitar, I found that once again, the high octaves to sound my control string. So that came from the bass part. So that was also just a stream of consciousness moment where that line came in when I was doing the bass. But if you're, if you're clever and you listen to what you're doing, you can grab little things that you didn't expect that happened. Little pieces of magic. And if you can catch them and, you know, mine them, I think that makes for good music.

[Lance Morrison]

We'll be right back with more of the Taking a Walk podcast.

[Mike Campbell]

Are you still quoting 30 year old movies? Have you said cool beans in the past 90 days? Do you think Discover isn't widely accepted? If this sounds like you, you're stuck in the past. Discover is accepted at 99% of places that take credit cards nationwide. And every time you make a purchase with your card, you automatically earn cash back. Welcome to the Now It Pays to Discover. Learn [e-mail] credit card based on the February 2024 Nielsen report, now taxes is.

[Harry Jacobs]

100% free when you file in the TurboTax app. If you didn't file with us last year.

[Buzz Knight]

Oh yeah, yeah.

[Harry Jacobs]

Just do your own taxes in the app by 2:18.

[Mike Campbell]

What if I have lots of forms?

[Harry Jacobs]

All good, all 100% free.

[Mike Campbell]

What if I had three jobs? Still 100% free. What if I once saw Bigfoot?

[Harry Jacobs]

That has nothing to do with taxes.

[Buzz Knight]

So still 100% free.

[Mike Campbell]

That's what I'm talking about now.

[Buzz Knight]

This is taxes.

[Harry Jacobs]

See if you qualify in the TurboTax.

[Buzz Knight]

App excludes TurboTax Live must start and file an app by 2.

[Mike Campbell]

18, 2025 is bound to be a fascinating year. It's going to be filled with money challenges and opportunities. I'm Joel. Oh, and I am Matt, and we're the hosts of How To Money. We want to be with you every step of the way in your financial journey this year, offering the information and insights you need to thrive financially. Yeah, whether you find yourself up to your eyeballs in student loan debt or you've got a sky high credit card balance because you went a little overboard with the holiday spending, or maybe you're looking to optimize your retirement accounts so you can retire early. Well, how to Money will help you to change your relationship with money so you can stress less and grow your net worth. That's right. How to Money comes out three times a week, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. For money advice without the judgment and jargon, listen to How To Money on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, it's Nikki Glaser. I'm not here to roast you. I'm here to overshare everything that went down at the Golden Globes last Sunday. Everyone is already talking about what happened on air at the Golden Globes, but you are going to hear about what happened off air from the horse's mouth. Yes, I'm the horse. Me, Nikki Glaser. Join me on my podcast, the Nikki Glaser Podcast, where I will be telling you all the details. I can finally relax with my besties, my listeners, and dish. What happened backstage, what went down, the things people are already talking about, the things that people should be talking about. I've got it all. From what it took to prep for the Golden Globes to the behind the scenes of the Golden Globes. What went down in the rehearsals? Who said what at the after party, Who I saw at the after party, who was dancing with who. I'm gonna spill it all secrets will be revealed. You do not want to miss this episode. Listen to the Nikki Glaser podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, y'all, I'm Dr. Joy Hardin Bradford, host of Therapy for Black Girls, and I'm thrilled to invite you to our January Jumpstart series. For the third year running, all January, I'll be joined by inspiring guests who'll help you kickstart your personal growth with actionable ideas and real conversations.

[Buzz Knight]

We're talking about topics like building community.

[Mike Campbell]

And creating an inner and outer glow.

[Buzz Knight]

I always tell people that when you.

[Mike Campbell]

Buy a handbag, it doesn't cover a childhood scar.

[Buzz Knight]

You know, when you buy a jacket.

[Mike Campbell]

It doesn't reaffirm what you love about the hair you were told not to love. So when I think about beauty is so emotional because it starts to go.

[Buzz Knight]

Back into the archives of who we.

[Mike Campbell]

Were, how we want to see ourselves and who we know ourselves to be and who we can be. So a little bit of past, present.

[Buzz Knight]

And future all in one idea.

[Mike Campbell]

Soothing something from the past. And it doesn't have to be always an insecurity.

[Buzz Knight]

It can be something that you love.

[Mike Campbell]

All to help you start 2025 feeling empowered and ready. Listen to Therapy for Black Girls starting on January 1st on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Lance Morrison]

Welcome back to the Taking a Walk podcast.

[Harry Jacobs]

Let's talk about the magic you created on Vagabonds, Virgins and Misfits. Yeah, I just absolutely love this cover to cover. As we would say. You've got some great folks that are helping you out here. Lucinda Williams and Chris Stapleton, Graham Nash, of course, and Benmont. Talk about how this project came together.

[Buzz Knight]

Well, it was gonna. It's a Dirty Knobb's album and I started writing songs for the sessions and we came in. I like to cut live with the Dirty Knobs, much as the Heartbreakers were doing near the end of their career and the very beginning of our career. We always played live in the studio and the Dirty Knobs is very much spontaneous solos on the fly. You know, I try to get it on tape before they know it too well. So it kind of sounds a little rough and rowdy, but. So I was writing some songs for the album and we started recording with our producer George. We recorded about 25 songs or more. And then I was re, you know, reassessing all the songs, trying to narrow it down to what would an album might be. And my wife actually suggested, you should go back through your tape locker because I've got closets full of 2 inch tape of demos I did back 20 years ago. And I didn't want to do that because I don't like to go back. I like to keep moving forward. But she said, no, you might have overlooked something. So I went in there, started listening to those things and I found four or five things that ended up on this record because I thought the songs were good and they fit into what I was trying to do. And a few of them, we actually used those tapes and built up from them because they had the vibe. And so half the. Half the record is older songs and half the record is newer songs and the other records laying on the floor for the next record.

[Harry Jacobs]

Let's talk about some of the cuts. First of all, the greatest is that. Is the greatest. One of those that you took off the shelf and.

[Buzz Knight]

And that's a new one. That was one of the first songs I wrote for the album. And I was. We had come off a great tour and I wanted to write a song that was a thank you to the crowd. You know that. And so that song is. Is, you know, you are the greatest is the audience. You know, I just wanted to give back how much appreciation we have for them being there. And so that song kind of built out of that, you know, and it just became this drone Beatles. The harmony kind of. I don't know what you'd call it, kind of psychedelic in a way, but it's a gift back to the audience.

[Harry Jacobs]

I love it. And tell me about angel of Mercy, the creation of that.

[Buzz Knight]

Angel of Mercy is an old song that was not in the tape blocker. I had tried it on the first two albums to cut it because I like this song and it goes back quite a ways. The Dirty Knobs, when we were playing Bars, when we first got started around la, we played that song live. So we tried it again for the third album and it didn't really measure up. And so we basically had finished the record and George Trulius came in. He said, you know, I've been listening to that song. You guys should cut it again. Let's make it sound like a proper record, you know. So I said, okay. And so at that point, Steve Ferroni came in because I needed a drummer. And he played drums on that one song and it made the record.

[Harry Jacobs]

We talked about Dare To Dream, which is the single with Graham Nash, which is just such a, you know, fun, uplifting, optimistic song. And I want to talk about Hands Are Tied and. And that. Yeah, that guitar. What guitar are you playing on that? That produces such a unique sound there.

[Buzz Knight]

You know, I'm trying to remember. I know it's a. It's a. It's got a vibrato arm. I think it was a Gretch cranked up through an amp because I know it's got like a Neil Youngish vibrato arm vibe on it. I think it was a Gretchen Clipper that I have. Same guitar I used. And I won't back down. And that was an old song that I dug up and that's one of my favorite songs. It's a very emotional song and it's. It's a little dark, but it's one. It's, you know, it's. Someone's in trouble. The girl or whoever is having a really hard time and you want to help her, you know, and it's like, whatever it is, it could be drugs, it could be illness, whatever it is. And, you know, I want to help you when my hands are tied, you know, I hope. Hope it works out, you know, kind of thing. So it. And it's also. I like that song because it's got a time signature change in it because. Which I rarely do. I usually write in 4, 4 or 3, 4. This one has a 5, 4 section at the top and at the end. And another thing I like about that song is my wife is. Is so shy, you know, And I've always asked her over the years, why don't you come in and sing on something? Know, I'll make you sound good, don't worry, you know, and she never wanted to. And then one day on this record, she came in, you know, I'd like to sing on this record. So on that song, she just comes in. Ah. And we layered her to make this great bed. And it really gives the song a spiritual quality. So I was proud of her for doing that.

[Harry Jacobs]

That's great.

[Buzz Knight]

But the guitar is. Is emotional and sweet and the words are, you know, spiritual too.

[Harry Jacobs]

It almost evokes sort of that the Town Without Pity sort of sound, you know, a little bit.

[Buzz Knight]

I also think that I didn't notice this till recently, that the guitar, which was a stream of consciousness line, it's kind of reminiscent of Breakdown a little bit, you know, And I think it's that same guy, whoever that guy in me is placed in that mode. It has a little bit of that element in it. And then of course, at the end it goes into the whole Jimi Hendrix kind of swirly thing. Yeah, thank you for mentioning that song. I like that one quite a bit.

[Harry Jacobs]

Oh, I love it. And then you have Hell or a High Water, where that force of nature. Lucinda Williams emerges in that song. What a brilliant. A brilliant song. Brilliant collaboration. Talk about how you collaborated with her.

[Buzz Knight]

Yeah, that's a new song that I wrote for the album, and I'm very proud of that one because it's a lyrical workout, you know, it's a story. There's a character and there's like a Little movie. And there's a lot of wordplay in it, which I'm starting to really enjoy doing. And so we cut it live. And I sang it most. My vocal is live. And then on reflection, I thought, you know, there's this character in the song, this girl that this guy meets up with and goes into this shadowy world for a moment. And I thought, wouldn't it be great if we had a female voice in there to come in and be that character? And when I thought of Lucinda once again, she had done my show and I said, you. Would you maybe consider singing on the song? And she was real shy about it, but she came in and she added such a depth of soul to it, you know, God bless her. She's so good and she really makes the song for me.

[Harry Jacobs]

Yeah, it's so. It's so memorable. My God, can you talk about the song? So alive and in particular, just the. That grinding, those sounds that you get out of the guitars there. What is that?

[Buzz Knight]

It's live. It's. I think it's tuned down to D. The low string is tuned down for a deep growl. And it's just a burst of adrenaline, you know, it's just like. I feel so alive every time I see you, you know, it's kind of almost corny, but the music, I think, gives it some depth. And it's just a. It's just a. You know, Dirty Knobs at their best. And the solo's live on the floor, you know, but mistakes and all, but it's just. I just see it as a burst of adrenaline. And we got Steve Bernardi to sing the oh, oh, oh, oh in there, which is hilarious.

[Harry Jacobs]

I love it. Don't Wait Up. With Chris Stapleton and Benmont Tench. That is another stellar collaboration. And tell me how that came together.

[Buzz Knight]

That was an older song that we had played in the bars before, and I had a. I discovered a 2 inch tape analog version of it that was really, really good. And I tidied it up a little bit. And Chris Stapleton was over to write One Day or something, and I begged him to sing on it, which he did. He sang great. And Ben Mount came over one day and we said, I have a Steinway in my living room. He's barely used it. We set up the mics in there for him and he did one take of Jerry Lee Lewis on it. It's tremendous. And it's a funny song, you know, it's. The words are kind of, you know, I am the Walrus, a little bit like nonsensical but in a weird way, they kind of make sense. And it's just kind of got a sense of humor in it. But it's a real burst of adrenaline, you know, guys are really going for. Especially our bass player, Crawdaddy Lance Morrison. He just alter the album. He's just pumping it. He's so good.

[Harry Jacobs]

Yeah, talk about Lance Morrison and how you love playing with these guys and the dirty knobs.

[Buzz Knight]

Our guitar is a guy named Chris Holt. We call him Sidewinder. He's from Texas too, and he's all over this new record. He is a real breath of fresh air. He's a great singer. He can play piano. A lot of the piano you hear is him and the guitar. He's just incredible. And his voice sounds real good with mine because I need a lot of help, but he makes me sound better. And like on. There's another song on the album called Shake these Blues, which is kind of a rave up. And we cut the track live and I said to Chris, I said, let me get to the. To your solo. Just make something up, you know, he's like. And he did. He was right on the money. He nailed it, you know, and he's like that. I could just look at him, hey, could do this. And you go, all right. You know, do it better than I thought he would. So he's. Chris Holt was a real find and so I'm lucky to have those guys. And now Steve Baroni on the drums is quite a band, I would say so.

[Harry Jacobs]

Speaking of sense of humor, too, my old friends. That one made me smile.

[Buzz Knight]

Good. It did its job. Well, you know, that's a. I wasn't going to put it on the record because I thought it was a little, you know, in joke, but George Cooley said no, it would sound great at the end. You know, just a little breath of fresh air at the end. And a little humor is good. And that's obviously just me discovering how to play with words, you know, I got this idea that there's all these alcoholic drinks that could be people, you know, because they have names like Don Perry on or Captain Morgan. So I figured I'll just make the drinks the characters in the song, you know, but get out, say goodbye to him because you can't get sucked into that world, you know. So it's a tongue in cheek song, but it is fun. And Chris Stapleton actually sings harmony on it too, which is good.

[Harry Jacobs]

And tell me about Innocent man, since we've covered, I think, everything other than Amanda Lynn. Tell me about Innocent man as well.

[Buzz Knight]

It's got that droney kind of. I don't know what to compare it to. It's kind of Appalachian or Irish almost, but it's got that riff in it and it's got. It's another story song which I had these characters. And it's also an old song that I used to play back in the bars and that I pulled out and refined it a bit. But I like it because it's like a movie, you know, you could. There's a lot of descriptive characters throughout the song. And it's. It's partly autobiographical. There's a version there where it talks about the attack trained dogs coming on the bus and sniffing around for drugs. Which actually happened to the Heartbreakers. Once, going into Canada, we had stopped and put all our pot and stuff in a hotel room on the American side. We'll pick it up after we come back, you know. So we're going across the border at 4 in the morning and they stopped the bus and the German shepherd came on the bus. He went straight for our tour manager's coat and he had a little half a joint that he forgot about. So they drug us in, you know, in the freezing cold. Made us strip search and all that. So that made its way into the song. So there's a little bit of that in it. Now, the title, when I first wrote it, I was calling it Immigrant man, you know. And then George, one day he goes, you know, that's. That's a cool idea, but you might get a little, you know, political whatever from that. And I said, yeah, maybe. So he said, how about if you call it Innocent Man? He said, you know what? That's better. He's got a wider palette. So I gave him credit for co writing the song.

[Harry Jacobs]

Tell me what you have learned from being around two of the greats besides Tom, obviously. Don Henley and Bob Dylan.

[Buzz Knight]

Well, how lucky am I? You know, my life is like that. You know, things have. Throughout my life, I've just been charmed. Things have dropped in my lap, you know. And the thing with Don Henley, Boys of Summer was just something that was a chain of events that Jimmy Iovine kind of spearheaded that track because Tom didn't hear what to do with it at that time. He later said to me, Tom said to me, you know, I shouldn't have let that one get away. If I'd have been in my presence of mind, I would have kept that one. But it ended up with Don and he did an amazing, amazing job on I'm really proud of that song. And Don is just, you know, he's one of the greats, you know, and he's always been really kind to me and very generous with the songs that we've done. And of course, Bob Dylan showed up in our lives. We did a world tour with him with the Heartbreakers, which was very inspirational and eye opening and just being around someone who's that special and deep. I hope some of it rubbed off. But, you know, he. He was just so full of wisdom, you know, he said to me once, when you're writing a song, don't just write three verses in a chorus, you know, write 20 verses, you know, because, you know, while you're in that place, you're, you're, you know, number 14 and 15 might be great that you would never have gotten to him. So, you know, channel and work for. For better lyrics, you know, and so I try to emulate that. I've learned a lot from him just watching.

[Harry Jacobs]

So tell me how much you're looking forward to being out on the road.

[Buzz Knight]

Oh, I can't wait. The band, you got all these new songs to learn, you know, we have a whole new set. We'll have to let some of the old songs go by the wayside for a while. And working on. I'm going to play most of the songs off the new record. And we've got a great opening act. This girl, Shannon McNally, is going to open the tour for us and the band is ready to go. You know, I miss the crowds and I miss the whole. I like being on the road, you know, and I like playing for people. And we've got to the stage where we can play theaters now, you know, we're not in the biker bars. Not there's anything wrong with biker bars, but I like the theaters better because it sounds better and they're a little bigger. So we've worked up to that stage. I mean, they're small theaters, some of them are medium sized, but that'll make it a lot more fun, you know, we'll have better venues. And Steve Ferrone on the drums on this tour, he'll be a lot of fun to play with, and the crowd loves him and we get to play all these new songs. I'm just jazzed, you know, it's, it's. That's what I do. I write songs and go play them, you know.

[Harry Jacobs]

Will you be writing on the road continuously moving forward?

[Buzz Knight]

I write all the time. I have found, typically on the road, I'm so drained from the tour. The gigs that I don't write that much. I tend to write more when I'm at home and I have, you know, free time. But every now and then I might get a sketch of an idea and I'll put it down. But mostly I'm focused on the gigs when I'm traveling.

[Harry Jacobs]

So as someone who is continuously learning in your your craft, in closing, what haven't you learned that you want to learn?

[Buzz Knight]

Well, I want to learn to be a better singer, a better writer and a better guitar player and can always get better. That's the beauty of the guitar and music in general. You know, the more you learn, the more there is to learn. I just want to get better. Mostly though, the guitars kind of. I kind of just do that instinctively. I don't have to work at it too hard. It just comes to me. But the singing, I'm working on finding my own voice and writing my own characters and putting songs together that, you know, hopefully will inspire people. You know, I know I can get better at that, so I'm gonna keep struggling with that to get as good as I can.

[Harry Jacobs]

I am so grateful that we got to spend this time together. Mike Campbell, Vagabonds, Virgins and Misfits Go check it out. It is an amazing record. And Mike, thank you for time. But thank you for all the great music you continue to give us.

[Buzz Knight]

Well, you're very welcome. And thank you Buzz, for taking the time for me today.

[Lance Morrison]

Thanks for listening to this episode of the Taking a Walk podcast. Share this and other episodes with your friends and follow us so you never miss an episode. Taking a Walk is available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts and wherever you get your your podcasts.

[Mike Campbell]

Are you still quoting 30 year old movies? Have you said cool beans in the past 90 days? Do you think Discover isn't widely accepted? If this sounds like you, you're stuck in the past. Discover is accepted at 99% of places that take credit cards nationwide, and every time you make a purchase with your card, you automatically earn cash back. Welcome to the now it pays to Discover. Learn [e-mail] credit card based on the February 2024 Nielsen report, Thursdays on ABC. Get ready to move that bus. The beloved series Extreme Makeover Home Edition is making a triumphant return to kick off the new year. Join the makeover mavens Joanna Teplin and Clee Shearer as they hit the road on a mission to transform lives of deserving families. They have just four days to rally communities, demolish old homes and rebuild not just houses but lives. New episodes of Extreme Makeover Home edition Thursdays at 8, 7 Central on ABC and stream next day on Hulu. Hey, it's Nikki Glaser. So I hosted the Golden Globes at Hollywood's biggest party. Honestly, you've probably seen all the headlines this week, but like any good party, there's a lot of wild stuff that goes down behind the scenes that you don't know about. And since I hosted the Golden Globes, I'm letting my podcast listeners, my besties in on all the behind the scenes. Beans, tea, stuff that didn't make it to the live TV taping, what went down in rehearsals, who said what at the after party? You're going to hear it all. Listen to the Nikki Glaser podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey y'all, I'm Dr. Joy Hardin Bradford, host of Therapy for Black Girls this January. Join me for our third annual January Jumpstart series. Starting January 1st, we'll have inspiring conversations to give you a hand in Kickstarter starting your personal growth. If you've been holding back or playing small, this is your all access pass to step fully into the possibilities of the new year. Listen to Therapy for Black Girls starting on January 1st on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Joel, the holidays are a blast, but the financial hangover? That can be a huge bummer. If you are out there and you're dreading the new statement email that reveals the massive balance that you may have racked up, well, you could use our help. That's right. I'm Joel. And I am Matt and we're from the how to Money podcast. Our show is all about helping you make sense of your personal finances so you can ditch your pesky credit card debt once and for all, make real progress on other crucial financial goals that you've got, and just feel more in control of your money in general. You know it. For money advice without the judgment and jargon, listen to how to Money on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.