"Echoes of the Past: Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill Share Their Musical Journeys"

Summary

Podcast Episode Summary: "Echoes of the Past: Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill Share Their Musical Journeys"

Introduction

In the March 21, 2025 episode of takin' a walk, hosted by Buzz Knight under the iHeartPodcasts banner, listeners are treated to an intimate conversation with two iconic figures in the music industry: Vicki Peterson of The Bangles and John Cowsill of The Cowsills and The Beach Boys touring band. The episode, titled "Echoes of the Past: Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill Share Their Musical Journeys," delves deep into their illustrious careers, personal stories, and their collaborative project, Long after the Fire.

Guests' Background

Vicki Peterson is celebrated as a founding member of The Bangles, whose harmonies and musicianship have significantly influenced the pop-rock landscape since the 1980s. Her extensive career is marked by collaborations with legendary artists and a commitment to musical excellence.

John Cowsill brings his rich experience from his time with The Cowsills and his longstanding role in The Beach Boys' touring ensemble. His journey through the evolving music scene offers valuable insights into the industry's dynamics over the decades.

Personal Experiences and Reflections

The conversation begins with a reflective segment where both guests share personal anecdotes that shaped their musical paths.

• Walking with Influences: When asked whom they would walk with, John expresses a desire to stroll alongside George Harrison, aiming to explore both music and personal interests:
  “I would take a walk with George Harrison through his gardens of the house he owned outside London because I never got to see it.” ([04:01])

• Emotional Connections: Vicki opens up about her longing to reconnect with her late mother, highlighting the deep emotional ties that influence her artistry:
  “I'm a little more sentimental than that, so as soon as you ask that, I tear up.” ([04:58])

Musical Journeys and Early Influences

Vicki reminisces about her early exposure to music, attributing her lifelong passion to her family's musical environment:

• “In my house, we always sang around the kitchen table. We sang folk songs, we sang old country songs. There was always music in the house because my brother Bill... we were living room singers.” ([10:03])

John shares his foundational moments in music, reflecting on the magical experience of hearing The Beach Boys:

• “I sat in front of the speakers with my ear right up against the grill cloth and just felt this moment of like, what is this heavenly thing?” ([02:46])

Collaborations and Career Highlights

The duo discusses their collaborative efforts and notable moments in their careers.

• Working with Legends: Vicki recounts her time at Clover Studios, where she interacted with heavyweights like Bob Dylan and Tom Petty:
  “I played Timpani's on a song called Trouble on the Shot of Love album for Bob Dylan... I was a fly on the wall.” ([19:14])

• Joining Jan and Dean: John describes his experience joining Jan and Dean, emphasizing the joy and camaraderie of being part of the band:
  “I joined Jan and Dean and did about six years with them. That was a blast.” ([20:05])

"Long after the Fire" Project

A significant portion of the episode focuses on their latest collaboration, Long after the Fire, a tribute to John's late brothers.

• Inspirational Origins: Vicki explains the project's emotional depth and personal significance:
  “This is an album... a love letter, basically, a tribute to two of the greatest writers. We miss them.” ([36:09])

• Recording Process: They delve into the recording process, sharing anecdotes about capturing the essence of their brothers' songwriting:
  “We recorded six of Bill's songs and six of Barry's songs... it's very Orbison S.” ([34:31])

Advice for Aspiring Musicians

In a candid discussion, Vicki and John offer valuable insights for musicians navigating the modern industry.

• Embrace Digital Platforms:
  “Get on Instagram, get on Facebook, fart, get on all those things and, and get your stuff up there. Post, post, sing, live, do present yourself.” ([39:15])

• Balance Passion with Practicality:
  “There is that too. You have to, you have to actually make sure that this is what you want to be devoting your time and energy towards.” ([40:04])

• Persistence and Enjoyment:
  “You got to love it because if you don't love it, it won't be fun. It won't be any fun.” ([39:51])

Conclusion

The episode wraps up with heartfelt gratitude as Vicki and John reflect on their enduring passion for music and their commitment to honoring their past while inspiring future generations. They encourage listeners to follow their musical endeavors and continue supporting the arts.

• “I love you guys and thanks for sharing your story and continuing to make us happy with your music.” ([41:27])

Overall, this episode of takin' a walk offers a profound exploration of Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill's musical legacies, emphasizing the power of collaboration, resilience, and the timeless influence of music in shaping personal and professional journeys.

Transcript

[Matt Rogers]

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[Bowen Yang]

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[Matt Rogers]

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[Bowen Yang]

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[Matt Rogers]

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[Bowen Yang]

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[Matt Rogers]

Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang just won Podcast of the Year at this year's iHeart Podcast Awards.

[Vicki Peterson]

Oh, wow.

[John Kautschill]

You're kidding.

[Vicki Peterson]

Stop it.

[Matt Rogers]

Lady Gaga will take home the Innovator award at Monday's iHeartradio Music Awards. Now these iHeart Award winners are teaming up on a brand new episode of Las Culturistas.

[Maria Tremarke]

Thank you so much for having me.

[Matt Rogers]

Here, but please, please, please don't make me get angry about anything in public. Just open the free iHeartRadio app, search Las Culturistas and listen now. Welcome to the Criminalia podcast. I'm Maria Tremarke. And I'm Holly Fry. Together, we invite you into the dark and winding corridors of historical true crime. Each season, we explore a new theme, from poisoners to art thieves. We uncover the secrets of history's most interesting figures, from legal injustices to body snatching. And tune in at the end of each episode as we indulge in cocktails and mocktails inspired by each story. Listen to criminalia on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Holly Fry]

Hey, y'all, it's your girl, Cheekies. And I'm back with a brand new season of your favorite podcast, Cheekies and Chill. I'll be sharing even more personal stories with you guys, and as always, you'll get my exclusive take on topics like love, personal growth, health, family ties, and more. And don't forget, I'll also be dishing out my best advice to you on episodes of Dear Cheekies. It's going to be an exciting year, and I hope that you can join me. Listen to Cheekies and chill season four on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Bowen Yang]

Taking a Walk.

[Maria Tremarke]

I sat in front of the speakers with my ear right up against the grill cloth and just felt this moment of like, what is this heavenly thing?

[Vicki Peterson]

And the fidelity of that coming out of that.

[Maria Tremarke]

Those kind of speakers.

[Vicki Peterson]

10 inch speaker, you know, was just an amazing sound.

[Bowen Yang]

Welcome to the Taking a Walk podcast, where music meets storytelling. And in this episode, Buzz Knight is joined by two legendary musicians, Vicki Peterson and John Kautshill. Vicki is a founding member of the Bengals and she's been a driving force in the music industry since the 80s. And John, known for his work with the Cows hills and as a longtime member of the Beach Boys touring band, brings a wealth of musical experience. Together they share stories of their careers, collaborations, and their latest project, Long after the Fire, a tribute to John's late brothers. Here's Buzz Knight with Vicki Peterson and Jon Kausil on the Taking a Walk podcast.

[John Kautschill]

Vicki and John, thanks for being on Taking a Walk. It's great to be with you.

[Maria Tremarke]

Thanks for having us.

[Vicki Peterson]

Thank you.

[John Kautschill]

So since the podcast is called Taking a Walk, I have to ask you if you could take a walk with someone living or dead. Doesn't have to be somebody associated with music, but it could be.

[Vicki Peterson]

Who?

[John Kautschill]

Who would it be? And where would you take a walk with them?

[Maria Tremarke]

I would take a walk with George Harrison through his gardens of the house he owned outside London because I never got to see it. We were almost invited once by Olivia and Danny, but I never got to see it. I would love George to take me on a tour of his gardens.

[John Kautschill]

That would be beautiful. That would be a way to spend an afternoon, an evening, a morning, anytime.

[Maria Tremarke]

Yes. Talk about music, talk about plants, talk about God, talk about.

[Vicki Peterson]

I'm sure that's what George would like to talk about. Not with his reputation. I wouldn't care. That's fine. Go ahead, George.

[Maria Tremarke]

Okay.

[Vicki Peterson]

I'm a little more sentimental than that, so as soon as you ask that, I tear up.

[Maria Tremarke]

Oh, you're so cute. Who would it be?

[Vicki Peterson]

My mom.

[Maria Tremarke]

Mom, of course. Barbara. Where would you take her?

[Vicki Peterson]

Just Indian Avenue. Walk on the beach?

[John Kautschill]

Yeah, that would be. That would be beautiful.

[Vicki Peterson]

Yeah. My God, I didn't do a very good goodbye. I'd like a do over.

[John Kautschill]

You know that happens, right? You never know the moments and the things that need to be said when it's in the moment. But I'm sure.

[Vicki Peterson]

Yeah, or you can't say them because you're a mess.

[Maria Tremarke]

Can't get it out.

[Vicki Peterson]

That's. I'm always a mess.

[John Kautschill]

Thank you for sharing. Sharing that, that's, that, that beautiful, touching and difficult story, you know. I appreciate you sharing.

[Vicki Peterson]

Well, you're welcome.

[Maria Tremarke]

Yeah, I guess the, the lesson here is tell people while they're here.

[John Kautschill]

Yeah, right.

[Maria Tremarke]

While you have them.

[Vicki Peterson]

Yeah, I know.

[John Kautschill]

And it seems like we, unfortunately, we need perspective at various moments, but we don't know that we, we need perspective, which is the screwy thing about it. You know, I, I think we, it's an odd thing about perspective, you know.

[Maria Tremarke]

Absolutely.

[John Kautschill]

So let me ask you guys, how are you doing? Based on, you know, the fires and how terrible it's been, is it been an impactful time for your, your personal space, your friends, how are you?

[Maria Tremarke]

Yeah. Talk about perspective.

[Vicki Peterson]

Right?

[Maria Tremarke]

We are in a constant state of gratitude and anxiety because we do live in a place that's vulnerable to fires. And we were very, very close. It came very close just up the street from us basically. And it was. The firefighters were able to hold the line in a way that was almost miraculous. But we do have many friends who did lose everything, which is just, it's mind boggling. Again, you have to have the perspective. As long as you didn't lose anything with a heartbeat, you probably in pretty good state. But losing your guitar collection or your studio or all the folders, files, records, things that you've been working on your whole life, likely in a lot of.

[Vicki Peterson]

Cases, your accumulated life, the things, the possessions, the physical, of course, are the only things that you would lose in that.

[Maria Tremarke]

And a lot of emotional connections to those things.

[Vicki Peterson]

Yeah, yeah, for sure. But we were living in New York for about two and a half years. Preceding that we had just moved back just in time for the fires, which was like crazy. But it, it does. Perspective is everything. And, and in this case, you know, I think we're living in harm's way. We're a little older now. I don't know if I want to go downstairs. I mean, we have boxes downstairs marked firebox. So, you know, those are the first things you take. And those are constantly changing over the years. And did I upgrade them? And it's funny, somebody sent me a list of what happens if you have to leave in 15 minutes. What happens if you have to leave in 30 minutes? What happens if you got plenty of time, you know, what are you going to take? I left a whole truck behind when they evacuated us and I could have driven it out. And I'm thinking, what, That's a dunder move, you know, a whole Vehicle. But again, it would have just been a vehicle. Somebody stole my phone in London out of my hand on. On a bicycle. Snatched it. I was there for a month. It happened the first week. It's like, just weird shit happens. And, you know, at the end of the day, it was just a phone. I canceled the credit cards. But the same thing. Just perspective. I love that word. And you have to look at that. I don't feel the anxiety Vicki feels living, because what's ever going to happen is going to happen. But I. We're also considering getting out of here because I don't want to go through that again. And it's beautiful here, and it's lovely, but, you know, what's the balance of that? I can visit it, you know, don't have to live in it.

[John Kautschill]

Sure. I'm glad you're. You're okay. But yet you constantly have to be on. On watch, which is. Is the reality of it. We're going to talk about your new music, the single, A Thousand Times and Long after and. And Deliver Me. But I do want to ask you, considering what we just talked about, when did you first both discover the power of music and how music is such a uplifting force in life? Do you remember the time that you first knew that and knew this would be, you know, your life?

[Vicki Peterson]

Yeah.

[Maria Tremarke]

Go first.

[Vicki Peterson]

Yeah. I mean, I. My career picked me. I didn't pick it because I was so young. We just. In my house, we always sang around the kitchen table. We sang folk songs, we sang old country songs. There was always music in the house because my brother Bill, My first moment of recognizing that thing was I was four years old in Ohio. We had moved to Ohio. My dad was in the Navy and he was on recruit or service. Otherwise we're from Newport, Rhode Island. And I remember hearing my brother Bill singing upstairs, singing Connie Francis songs, you know, just music. And I remember him and Bob. Bob started playing guitar around that same time. And they went on a local TV show, I remember, called Giant Tiger. And so it was swirling around at that point. I hadn't been singing. I'm still trying to learn how to write my name, you know. And I remember laying on the floor trying to make J's and O's and H's and N's. Those are my first really vivid memories. And then I turned five in Ohio. Then we moved to Rhode Island. Then we were Living Room singers. First song I ever sang was My Hillbilly Baby, and I don't know that one.

[John Kautschill]

I'm sorry.

[Vicki Peterson]

My Hillbilly Baby, sweetest gal in town you can bet I'll see her when the sun goes down Someday I will marry her I hope it's not too late but until tomorrow I guess I'll have to wait anyway and I was sure I was twisting, twisting up my shorts. My Uncle Bob had the very first tape recorder we ever saw and he was recording that, saying we were all singing Running Bear and a bunch of songs like that. So I grew up with that. And then of course, after the Hoot Nanny days and, and singing all the folk songs, the Beatles came out.

[Maria Tremarke]

Yeah.

[Vicki Peterson]

And then we were in our bedroom imitating the Beatles, just kind of pretending we're them playing to the, to the records that came out. She loves you and I want to hold your hand Kind of like the rest of the world my age did. And people who are in the music business because of the Beatles, because we were all there at the same time. That's my musical education was Beach Boys, Beatles and the British Invasion as it came quickly on the heels. It just all happened so fast. You think it was such a long time of doing things, but everything is such small increments of time, pieces of time. The shadows last way longer than the moment and it just. The shadows are so real and they're still with us and that's why we're still doing it. That's why I'm still in it. And. And I knew at 4 years old that it was. Music was important and it just became part of my life. So it still is.

[Maria Tremarke]

Yeah, Vicki definitely a touchstone. And as he said, for most people of our generation, you know, that night on Ed Sullivan, it was. We were all there, you know, even I was a little kid, my dad let me stay up late. You know, my sister, my older sister and I were in jammies and watching Beatles and just that feeling of like this is something special and I don't know what it is and I don't know why I feel this way, but this, this has just changed my little, you know, four year old life. And. And then, you know, not long after that I was writing songs because I. That was kind of my way to find through music, you know, to. Wasn't so much learning all the songs on guitar, it was, it was finding your way inside it and how to create it. But I do have a memory like John's, where you say the magic of music. I remember being at a friend's house and you know, back in the olden days, there were large pieces of furniture that contained your record player and also the speakers covered with grill cloth. It was, it was in the living room and it was a large piece of furniture. And I remember we were. We were playing. We were, you know, I was in kindergarten or something or maybe first grade at this point, and. And the radio was on and they played the new single from the Beach Boys, Surfer Girl. And I remember stopping and she wanted to go outside. And I said, wait. And I sat in front of the speakers with my ear right up against the grill cloth and just felt this moment of like, what is this heavenly thing? What is this thing called harmony? And that, that was like, I was just a magic memory for me, just, just being inside that and just. Just being completely bathed in that sound.

[Vicki Peterson]

You know, and the fidelity of that coming out of that.

[Maria Tremarke]

Those kind of speakers, that 10 inch.

[Vicki Peterson]

Speaker, you know, was just an amazing sound. Yeah.

[John Kautschill]

I have a friend who does a. A podcast, it's called Celebrity Jobber. And he asks the question of the guests. Um, essentially, did you have a plan B if you weren't going to be, you know, a musician? So I'm thinking in both of your cases, you did not have plan Bs, you just had plan A and that was it.

[Vicki Peterson]

I always tell Vicki, there is no such thing as a plan B.

[Maria Tremarke]

There's only the next plan.

[Vicki Peterson]

I've been asked. It's just the next plan A. Because plan B is like the lesser thing. So I don't believe in that. It's like I fly by the seat of my pants. I always have. Maybe it's not the best thing to do, but I trust in plan A for as long as it will go. And when it doesn't happen, you're looking for the other plan A. So I don't, I don't like the backup thing. I work without Annette, who's not here today. But anyway.

[Maria Tremarke]

My mom. I went to college and. Which was just a given that was going to happen. And that was fine, except for that while I was in college, I was also very involved in writing, booking, and performing with my band. And so it became way more important than getting up at 8 and going to a rhetoric midterm or something. So I left school and my mother was heartbroken because I didn't have, quote, anything to fall back on. End quote. And I remember saying, mom, if I have something to fall back on, I will fall back. And I just, I just really couldn't see it. So I chose to discontinue my collegiate career. I never got a degree, and I just immediately poured everything into my band. And you Know, within six months, Debbie, Susannah Hoffs and I were being the Bangs and we were taking off, so.

[John Kautschill]

And the rest is history, as they say.

[Maria Tremarke]

They say.

[John Kautschill]

Do you recall, Vicki, your first encounter with the McDonald brothers, otherwise known as Red Cross, who have been on this podcast and. Absolutely. I couldn't get through the first minute because I was just in hysterical laughter.

[Maria Tremarke]

So freaking funny. Oh my gosh, those guys. Genius. Yeah. I've been really enjoying their documentary and seeing them and their parents again, you know, in recent days. Days, it's been so great. Yeah, I mean, obviously Red Cross was sort of infamous slash famous in, in Los Angeles. We played with them at this little dive club called Cafe de Grand.

[Vicki Peterson]

Oh, I love that.

[Maria Tremarke]

It was Red Cross. The bangs, the bangs. And God, was that like, was that Black Flag? That might have been a black flag. One of those nights. Yeah. There's actually a picture of me like staring up at Jeff McDonald like, like, what are you? You're amazing. You know, and, but yeah, and then, then fast forward maybe again, as John said, time moved in different increments back then. It was probably just a few months, but the Bangs were playing an after hours show at, you know, four in the morning at this art gallery or I don't know what the space was. And Jeff and Steve McDonald show up and we were like, get them on stage with us. And I think, you know, we had them. We said we need our Go Go dancers up here. So we called them up to Go Go dance. I think we ended up pushing too hard or something, you know, and, and that was our first, you know, that was our first connection. And then, then Jeff and I started dating actually not long after that. What?

[Vicki Peterson]

Sorry, just kidding.

[Maria Tremarke]

Oops. I Forgot to mention five and a half. Your relationship with Jeff McDonald, it's well chronicled.

[John Kautschill]

It's out there.

[Maria Tremarke]

Yeah. As I like to say. And Charlotte thinks it's funny too that I, I toured with the go go's in 95 because Charlotte was pregnant with my ex boyfriend's baby.

[Vicki Peterson]

I love it. It's so fun.

[Maria Tremarke]

Okay, they were married, but whatever.

[John Kautschill]

John, who among your many people you have collaborated with, who are some of the favorites? Because there's so many, but can you single out a couple?

[Vicki Peterson]

Vicki?

[John Kautschill]

Oh.

[Maria Tremarke]

Oh, really?

[Vicki Peterson]

That was good, right?

[Maria Tremarke]

That was good.

[Vicki Peterson]

That's the best for later.

[Maria Tremarke]

Yeah. Good job.

[John Kautschill]

Talk about perspective.

[Maria Tremarke]

Well done.

[John Kautschill]

It is well done, my man.

[Vicki Peterson]

It's the most fun I'm having and, and, and the less work and we laugh a lot.

[Maria Tremarke]

We do laugh.

[Vicki Peterson]

I have worked with many people all Situations are very different. Shoot, where do I start? Who I. I mean, I've played with Chan and Dean, so Dean Torrance has always been a lift in my life because I was living in my car for a while in the late 70s, and like I say, everything's a short, short amount of time. And I had. I just finished a stint with a guy named Dwight Twilley.

[John Kautschill]

And I'm on fire, right?

[Vicki Peterson]

Yeah, yeah, that guy.

[Maria Tremarke]

It's my dad covered.

[Vicki Peterson]

And it's so funny. Ex wife. It became his wife, you know. So there were wife number one. Wife number. My first wife was. Yeah. Any. But after working with Dwight, because that was the night. Night. Like I had aluminum foil on my windows during that period, you know. So once I got out of that, I. I met. I went to Santa Barbara. My mom was living up to Santa Barbara. And I met a guy named Jeff Foskett and a guy named Randall Kirsch and a guy named Robbie Scharf. And they were local band up there. I had stopped doing all drugs. I was getting up in the morning and I was enjoying the daytime at this point. And I met these people and we just played all through Santa Barbara. Met the Dreamers with Bridget Pen and Jesse Penn, Andotti Perry, Ben and Otti, Rick Streeter and just fell into this place and. And Jeff was living on the Love Foundation, Mike Love's place up on the Mesa, and met him. And they got me on a couple of Mike Love in the Endless Summer Beach Boy gigs, which was kind of cool, but that introduced me. And they did a couple of, I. I call them spring break shows where you go to Daytona and you play the shows. So Mike had teamed up with Dean Torrance and then I had a couple of gigs. They paid me 500 in cash. I couldn't believe I made that much money. And. And they sent me to the Nike store, so to just tell them you need some clothes and stuff, because I had nothing. And I went to the Nike store in Santa Monica, got shoes, all this groovy, preppy clothes with just. They loaded me up with clothes. So I. That. That was a great moment. But I met Dean Torrance and Dean said, what am I doing? Would I like to be in Jan and Dean? I mean, I'd like to be in any band at that point, you know, I said, yes, sign me up. And so I joined Jan and Dean and. And did about six years with them. That was a blast. And we played softball. We had lives off the stage. That was just so much fun. So Dean Torrance was one of them. A guy who really got me back in, in the groove of playing music. And it just led to other things. And yeah, nice shout out to Dean Torrance, another fellow Pisces. I gotta wish him happy birthday pretty soon. And, and Mike Love, too. Playing with the Beach Boys has been a blessing. I played with a lot of people. I just can't remember them all, like right now. One story will lead to, oh, I played with that guy. Oh, I played with that guy. You know, I've been on sessions. Chuck Plotkin, who produced our Cocaine Drain album that nobody knows because it hadn't been reissued. But it's out there on, on Apple Music. You can hear it. My brother Bob put it up and there's a demo and you hear the needle scratch, you know, and that's, that's, it's very funny. That was a great album. And I met, I played a lot of people like Ernie Watts and Billy Payne and Buzzy Featon. They all played on our album. And, and yeah, I mean, I could drop a bunch of names, but I won't because we're going to move on to something else.

[Bowen Yang]

We'll be right back with more of the Taking a walk pod.

[Matt Rogers]

This is Jenny Garth from I do part two. You could have lost 10 pounds already if you started one month ago. So are you ready to start today? Find out if weight loss meds are right for you in just 3 minutes at trifh.com try fh.com results vary based on start weight and adherence to diet, exercise and program goals. Data based on independent studies sponsored by Future Health. Future Health is not a healthcare services provider. Meds are prescribed a provider's discretion. 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.

[Cheekies]

It's tax season, and by now. I know we're all a bit tired of numbers, but here's an important one you need to hear. $16.5 billion. That's how much money in refunds the IRS flagged for possible identity fraud last year. Here's another 20%. That's the overall increase in identity theft related to tax fraud in 2024 alone. But it's not all grim news. Here's a good number. 100 million. That's how many data points Lifelock monitors every second. If your identity is stolen, LifeLock's US based restoration specialists will fix it. Backed by another good number, the million dollar protection plan. In fact, restoration is guaranteed or your money back. Don't face identity theft and financial losses alone. There's strength in numbers with LifeLock Identity Theft Protection for tax season and beyond. Join now and save up to 40% your first year. Call 1-800-LIFELOCK and use promo code iheart or go to lifelock.com iheart for 40% off terms apply.

[Matt Rogers]

Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang just won Podcast of the Year at this year's iHeart Podcast Awards.

[John Kautschill]

Oh, wow, you're kidding.

[Vicki Peterson]

Stop it.

[Matt Rogers]

Lady Gaga will take home the Innovator award at Monday's iHeartradio Music Awards. Now these iHeart Award winners are teaming up on a brand new episode of Las Culturistas.

[Maria Tremarke]

Thank you so much for having me.

[Matt Rogers]

Here, but please, please, please don't make me get angry about anything in public. Just open the free iHeartRadio app, search Las Culturistas and listen now.

[H]

Hi, I'm Bob Pittman, chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia. I'm excited to introduce a brand new season of my podcast, Math and Stories from the Frontiers of Marketing. I'm having conversations with some interesting folks across a wide range of industries to hear how they reach the top of their fields and the lessons they learned along the way that everyone can use. I'll be joined by innovative leaders like chairman and CEO of Health Beauty, Tarang Amin.

[Maria Tremarke]

The way I approach risk is constantly try things and actually make it okay to fail.

[H]

I'm sitting down with legendary singer, songwriter and philanthropist Jewel.

[Vicki Peterson]

I wanted a way to do something.

[Matt Rogers]

That I loved for the rest of my life.

[H]

We're also hearing how leaders brought their businesses out of unprecedented times, like Stephane Bonsell, CEO of Moderna.

[Vicki Peterson]

It becomes a human decision to decide.

[John Kautschill]

To throw by the window your business strategy and to do what you think.

[Vicki Peterson]

Is the right thing for the world.

[H]

Join me as we uncover innovations in data and analytics, the math, and the ever important creative spark, the magic. Listen to math and magic stories from the frontiers of market Marketing on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Bowen Yang]

Welcome back to the Taking a Walk podcast.

[John Kautschill]

Well, I want to ask you. So what would surprise our listeners with each of your playlists that you have? What's a couple of artists that or songs and artists that would maybe surprise us that are on your. Your respective playlists?

[Vicki Peterson]

Okay, A groovy thing is like I, I get to say I played with Bob Dylan even though Bob wouldn't come into the studio because we were recording at Clover this Is all because of Chuck Plotkin, whoever he was producing. I got to be a part of. That's why I'm on the 867-5309 album with Tommy Two Tones. Because I lived at Clover Studios and that song was recorded there. I met Jim Keller and Tommy Heath, and we'd be hanging around and got to sing backgrounds on that song and play percussion. And then. And then Bette Midler came in her no Frills album. She does a Marshall Crunch Saw song called My Favorite Waste of Time. I think I ended up on the floor. They cut me out because she wanted girls after she didn't like us boys singing on it. I played Timpani's on a song called Trouble on the Shot of Love album for Bob Dylan, you know, but he would never come in. It was funniest thing. Chuck Plotkin tried to get all these artists in. We got Clyde King, we have Smitty on keyboards. We got Jim Keltner and Ringo on drums. Ronnie woods there. Duck Don, of course. The whole. The whole group is in there. And I'm. I'm a fly on the wall. I just live at Clover Studio, so I happen to just be in the room again. And so, you know, Keltner and Jimmy doesn't remember this. He doesn't even know me, but I was there. And we're back in the back bathroom. He says, okay, man, you're gonna play Timothy's on Trouble. I said, okay, I am. This is great. You know, and nobody remembers, but I do because they're my memories. And that. That was pretty exciting times, I think. And who else came through there? Max Crowenthal. He was great. Kitty, specifically.

[Maria Tremarke]

Somebody who would. You would.

[Vicki Peterson]

Have I not been specific enough with names?

[Maria Tremarke]

I know you've been very specific.

[John Kautschill]

Okay. Very specific.

[Vicki Peterson]

Thank you.

[John Kautschill]

But. But a playlist item, that would be specifically surprising.

[Maria Tremarke]

Actually, it's funny you mentioned playlists, because we're building a playlist on Spotify that we're going to continue to add to and include. Including people that we have played with before, you know, and sort of.

[Vicki Peterson]

I mean, I played on Possibly Unknowns, played with Dwight Twilley. I mean, that might surprise some people. I don't know. Maybe it's not. My life is so public that there's not a lot of surprises.

[John Kautschill]

Right? No, Yeah.

[Vicki Peterson]

I mean, since I was a kid playing with Johnny Cash on the Johnny Cash Show. I'm done. Talk on your turn.

[Maria Tremarke]

You've got a lot more people than I do.

[Vicki Peterson]

I'm done. Go ahead.

[John Kautschill]

He just dropped Vicki notice How he just dropped John Cash there like it was Johnny Cash.

[Maria Tremarke]

He wouldn't be interested in that. Yeah, so never mind.

[John Kautschill]

Right.

[Maria Tremarke]

You know, no one's heard of him.

[Vicki Peterson]

My playlist will reflect all those people, though. I mean.

[Maria Tremarke]

All right, we're gonna make that public.

[Vicki Peterson]

Yeah. You know, that'll be our Spotify playlist. So everybody be ready for the first songs that influenced me. Which one was my Hillbilly Baby, you know, Lonesome Me? Little Jimmy Dickens. Made a bird of paradise fly up your nose. I mean, these are the things I sang as a kid. I mean, I. I was listening to in the car. I know all the words, all these songs, you know. Okay, but enough about me. I want to talk about you. Vicki.

[Maria Tremarke]

Vicki, what do I think about you? Well, I think.

[John Kautschill]

Anything on your playlist.

[Vicki Peterson]

Vicki, that you would.

[Maria Tremarke]

Nothing that fun. That played on. Although I did. I did open for Bob Dylan as well with the Continental Drifters in Los Angeles, but we did not record together. I played on the very first John Doe solo album, and I played on Matthew Sweet's first record on Columbia. I mean, sorry, sang harmonies. Not played sang harmonies on both those. And that was the earliest days of being invited in as an artist to come and sing backgrounds. But probably my favorite was working with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

[Vicki Peterson]

So I'm going to pick that name up for you. There you go.

[Maria Tremarke]

Put it right next to Johnny Cash.

[John Kautschill]

There you go. Which. Which album was that or which song was it?

[Maria Tremarke]

Wildflowers. It was going to be on an album that it didn't get put on in the end, but it was a song called Waiting for Tonight, and they were working on it, and they just, you know, Mike Campbell and Tom were saying, there's just something missing with this and we need something. So they invited the Bangles to come in and sing harmonies on it. So we had a blast. We went in the studio, Mike was there and kind of, you know, just let us loose in the studio, which is always dangerous with the Bengals, because we can. We can over sing anything. And we did, but we had a blast. And it turned out to be one of Tom's favorite ones. So years fast forward, years later, when Music Cares went to him and said, okay, you're person of the year. What do you want to do? And he said the first song he thought of that he wanted to perform was Waiting for Tonight. And so that was a fantastic experience, getting to play. And then they kept saying, well, sing on this one, too. Sing on this one, too. We ended up singing, doing, playing half the Set with them. I got to play. Didn't they ask you to go on tour? Yeah, and then they asked us to go on tour. Yeah, it was. It was. I was almost in the Heartbreakers for a moment. The best. Just the best guys. The best band.

[Vicki Peterson]

So, yeah, you let me go to rehearsal.

[Maria Tremarke]

I did.

[John Kautschill]

Oh, man, I love it. So I. I watch you two kids, how you look at each other, and I love children. And I think about. I think about how does the collaboration, such as the new music come together? How Take us inside, how, you know, the writing occurs, how the studio work occurs. You obviously work well together outside of those processes, but how do you work together outside those processes?

[Vicki Peterson]

We had to learn to maneuver a little bit because we're both control freaks, admittedly, which helps, really, when. When admit that you're an asshole, you can be forgiven quicker, you know, so everybody takes a turn.

[Maria Tremarke]

The writing was no problem because this entire album was written by Barry and Bill Cow. So this. This project in particular is something we've been wanting to do for years and years, and it's taken us years to do it, but it was important to be the first thing because it's a celebration of Bill and Barry's artistry as individual songwriters and performers past the Cows Hills, you know, beyond that, for the most part, we have a couple of Castle songs on the record.

[Vicki Peterson]

Yeah. But I had been hearing these songs for decades because my brother Bill would come, we would sing some of them. Barry I roomed with, used to hear him write the songs, and. And I was 23 years in the Beach Boys. And I kept saying to Vicki, I want to do this project, you know, And I told my friend Paul Allen, who produced it, about this was something I would like to do someday. And. And then once we kind of started it before, I was out of the Beach Boys with Paul, and I was playing in Memphis. In one of the songs, Paul says, hey, let's go do this at Sun Records. So we did one song at Sun Records. The rest were recorded here at our home studio, but which is our next.

[Maria Tremarke]

Single, by the way, called Is Anybody Here? Yeah, he recorded that at Sun Studios.

[Vicki Peterson]

Sun Studios. And you'll hear why we recorded it there. It's very Orbison S. And that was a song that. Yeah, my brother Bill and Jeffrey Hatcher wrote. That's great. But in the working together, we were like a couple of gunslingers. We're pretty much most domestic domesticate with the domesticated family. No singing and stuff for the first 20 years or something, because I'd be Waiting for her to go first or I'd go for. We just, like I call it a couple of gunslingers circling each other. You go first, you go first, you go first. So we just never went first. But when somebody would call us, hey, can you guys do vocals? We'd go downstairs in our studio and stand there next to each other arranging vocals and stuff together. So that was easy for us, but. And then we. We started a. A band with Bill Mooney called Action Skulls. Can't. Probably not enough time to go into that whole story, but we have a few albums we did together, and we have written together collaboratively between Bill, Vicki and myself, and it just goes so smoothly and naturally. Okay. Yeah, that answers that question.

[John Kautschill]

Is it true? A Thousand Times was the first songs together.

[Vicki Peterson]

My brother Bill, who couldn't pay the bills up in Canada, even though it's socialized medicine, but, you know, he needed a little bit more help and. And we called ourselves the Newlyweds because.

[Maria Tremarke]

It was the year after we got married.

[Vicki Peterson]

Yeah.

[Maria Tremarke]

This happened. Yeah.

[Vicki Peterson]

And we sang that song a thousand times. The very first thing we ever sang together, really. And so it's fitting that that was our first single and we did it again. Perfect, right? It is perfect. It's perfect.

[John Kautschill]

And tell me about Long after the Fire.

[Vicki Peterson]

Well, this is. This is an album, like we said, of songs written by two of my brothers, Bill and Barry, separately, not together. And we recorded six of Bill's songs and six of Barry's songs. And it's a love letter, basically, a tribute to two of the greatest writers. We miss them.

[Maria Tremarke]

Yeah.

[Vicki Peterson]

And it's just really personal.

[Maria Tremarke]

Yeah. It's just a way to get those songs back out into the world. Another listen, you know, and in a different. In a different way, a different sound of different versions, obviously will never sound like them.

[Vicki Peterson]

You can go find their own versions. Well, some of them you can, and you'll see they're just perfect songs. They. They sound like you've heard them before.

[Maria Tremarke]

Yeah.

[Vicki Peterson]

And we enjoy singing them. And. And we'll come sing them in a town near. You get it? It comes out on record store day, April 12th. And then the special version, then, April 18th, it'll be out completely on streaming. Yeah. Yeah. Dropping a couple more singles. Come out to McCabe's on April 18th. 18th, for our first record release party. And then we're having one May 9th at the cutting Room.

[Maria Tremarke]

For you, East Coasters.

[Vicki Peterson]

For you. East Coasters. And. And all things in between. Vicki's doing other things with her Bangles. They just Had a book come out and are. Are in the midst of putting a documentary together. Can I speak on your behalf?

[Maria Tremarke]

Be my.

[John Kautschill]

Anyway, any timeline on. On that, Vicki, as I said, release.

[Maria Tremarke]

Of that book is out and available. The. You can get it on Amazon or right now both in audio and physical words on paper.

[Vicki Peterson]

And what's happening with the documentary?

[Maria Tremarke]

And the documentary is in development. We will say we're hoping for. We're hoping for 26, so we'll see.

[Vicki Peterson]

Yeah.

[John Kautschill]

And I'm sure people will rediscover from the album, you know these songs and go back. As you sort of said, that will definitely happen because it will inspire people to, you know, respect that work and rediscover it or discover it for the first time. I do want to ask you in closing, if someone who is listening to this is a musician and trying to, you know, crack through the haze of the business, any advice you would. You would give them how to, how to break out and break through and. And, and survive this tough business.

[Maria Tremarke]

It's very hard to break through right now because the. The accessibility of music is both a curse and a blessing. Obviously, anyone can be anywhere. You can create in your bedroom and post it that day. And the trick really is to find. Find your audience in some way. Like if you can figure out who to. To point your music towards. And this is of course, you know, we're talking about being online for the most part.

[Vicki Peterson]

Heck yeah.

[Maria Tremarke]

You know, it's. It's very important to get your. Who you are and what you want to say out to the right people.

[Vicki Peterson]

Get on Instagram, get on Facebook, fart, get on all those things and, and get your stuff up there. Post, post, sing, live, do present yourself. I mean, that's all I'm seeing out there. I'm trying to do the same thing. I'm catching up. I think I have 5,000 to 3,000 followers where some of these kids have 10,000. Mark and Poe, one of my favorite bands. Incredible. And they did this, you know.

[Maria Tremarke]

Right. But they also, you know, they also toured and that's the other.

[Vicki Peterson]

I know. Well, that's the touring too. You got to hit the road, go play just little places. I'll open for free ever, if you want to get out there. But you gotta love it because if you don't love it, it won't be fun. It won't be any fun. It's got to be fun.

[Maria Tremarke]

There is that too. You have to, you have to actually make sure that this is what you want to be devoting your time and.

[Vicki Peterson]

Energy towards because the administration part is very detailed as well. And, and that's not fun. And we found that out. We used to have people do this stuff for us, but now we're a do it yourself group and it's like ouch, it's almost 70 years old.

[Maria Tremarke]

But anyway, I would say go online and learn as much as you can about the business as it is right now because there are so many aspects to it that involve just being on your computer and making sure you are signed up for all the various organizations that will compile your likes, plays, whatever and make sure that you are getting credit and paid for your work.

[Vicki Peterson]

There are books out there on this right now. You can just, just dive into them. The Internet is filled with the information of how to do it. I mean you don't want to listen to a couple of people, elders who did it the old way because it's hard for us to change our ways. But that information is out there and there's a templates all over the place how to do it. And if you are diligent and, and, and moving forward and devoted to that, you can, you can get out there.

[Maria Tremarke]

What, what we used to do in the way of promotion, promotion meant going to Kinko's and making a flyer and then at 2 in the morning driving and staple into telephone poles, put them.

[Vicki Peterson]

On flyers, on the fronts of cars, under the windshield wiper and very echoed.

[John Kautschill]

Well, I had Larkin Poe on the podcast and they essentially said it's a one win your audience, you know, one by one and think in those terms and, and obviously that that has worked for them. So there is, you know, like you said, the grassroots aspect of things. I can't thank you enough for being on To Fit and John Cael, congratulations on everything. I love you guys and thanks for sharing your story and continuing to make us happy with your music.

[Vicki Peterson]

Thank you. Go to Vicki Peterson and John Cowell Music and you'll see our dates for where we're playing in all streaming platforms. We love you.

[Maria Tremarke]

Thank you commercial and thank you for having us so much.

[Vicki Peterson]

Thank you Buzz. Really appreciate it.

[John Kautschill]

Thank you.

[Vicki Peterson]

You're one of the people who help us get out there. Yeah. Thank you. So we appreciate that as well.

[Bowen Yang]

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 podcasts.

[Matt Rogers]

Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang just won Podcast of the Year at this year's iHeart Podcast Awards.

[John Kautschill]

Oh, wow, you're kidding.

[Vicki Peterson]

Stop it.

[Matt Rogers]

Lady Gaga will take home the Innovator award at Monday's iHeartradio Music Awards. Now these iHeart Award winners are teaming up on a brand new episode of Las Culturistas.

[Maria Tremarke]

Thank you so much for having me.

[Matt Rogers]

Here, but please, please, please don't make me get angry about anything in public. Just open the free iHeartRadio app, search Las Culturistas and listen now. Welcome to the Criminalia Podcast. I'm Maria Tremarke. And I'm Holly Fry. Together we invite you into the dark and winding corridors of historical true crime. Each season we explore a new theme. From poisoners to art thieves, we uncover the secrets of history's most interesting figures, from legal injustices to body snatching. And tune in at the end of each episode as we indulge in cocktails and mocktails inspired by each story. Listen to criminalia on the iHeartRadio @ app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Holly Fry]

Hey y'all, it's your girl, Cheekies. And I'm back with a brand new season of your favorite podcast, Cheekies and Chill. I'll be sharing even more personal stories with you guys and as always, you'll get my exclusive take on topics like love, personal growth, health, family ties, and more. And don't forget, I'll also be dishing out my best advice to you on episodes of Dear Cheekies. It's going to be an exciting year and I hope that you can join me. Listen to Cheekies and chill season four on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Vicki Peterson]

45 years ago, a Virginia soul band called the Edge of Daybreak recorded their debut album Behind Bars. Record collectors consider it a masterpiece. The band's surviving members are long out of prison, but they say they have some unfinished business.

[John Kautschill]

The Edge of Daybreak Eyes of Love.

[Vicki Peterson]

Was supposed to have been followed up by another app. Listen to Soul incarcerated on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Matt Rogers]

Love at first swipe? I highly doubt it. Reality TV and social media have love all wrong. So what really makes relationships last? On this episode of Dope Labs, poet and relationship expert Young Pueblo breaks down the psychology of love and provides eye opening insights and advice we all need.

[Vicki Peterson]

It's a big realization moment that you.

[Cheekies]

Should not be postponing your happiness.

[Vicki Peterson]

Like your greatest happiness is not necessarily.

[Cheekies]

Going to like come from a relationship.

[Vicki Peterson]

Your partner they should add to your happiness, but your happiness is really coming from within.

[Matt Rogers]

You listen to Dope labs on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.