← The 500 with Josh Adam Meyers
The 500 with Josh Adam Meyers
164 - Linda Ronstadt - The Very Best of Linda Ronstadt - Peter Asher
01:29:51
Peter Asher makes his second appearance on The 500 to discuss the catalog of one of the icons of American folk rock music.
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- [00:01]
Josh Adam Myers
Next Chapter Podcasts.
- [00:07]
Morty Coyle
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- [01:05]
Bank of America Representative
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- [01:35]
Josh Adam Myers
This show is brought to you by Distro Kid. Bring your music to the masses.
- [01:47]
Peter Asher
The 500 the 500 JM been walking us down through that 2012 edition so it ain't nothing to you. Hundreds more to go and in need of a friend the king of peaceful angelo Talking the 500 until the end Talking the 500 until the end with my man JL on the 500 Talking the 500 hundred until the end look.
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Linda Ronstadt
At these eyes They've never seen what matter look at these dreams so big and so better I don't know much but I know I love you.
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Josh Adam Myers
That song rules. That is Linda Ronstadt from her 2002 compilation, the Very Best of Linda Ronstadt. It's also number 164 out of 500 on the 500 with Josh Adam Myers. What's up fleece army? I am Josh Adam Myers and I'm going through Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums. I'm a comic. I don't know much, but I got Morty Coyle and Wayne Fetterman and we got a Patreon show bomb Patreon Show Master Fleece Theater. You need to hear it. It's we're having so much fun every week. We're Talking entertainment. We're talking the list. We're talking the guests. We're talking everything. We're talking me taking mushrooms and going to see Barry Manilow. Subscribe to the Patreon and support the podcast. $5 gets you the bonus Master Fleece Theater and you get to ask questions to the guests. 25amonth gets you merch. So patreon.com backslash the 500 podcast. Join the fleece army. Subscribe to our YouTube. Subscribe to my YouTube. Our YouTube is the 500 podcast. My YouTube is Josh Adammeyer 79. Support us. I am at Josh Adamyers on all social media and Josh adamyers.com for tickets to all events. And I this weekend and at the Moon Tower Comedy Festival doing the jam, doing Josh Adamyers Skadoodles, doing a bunch of shows. Then the next weekend, I'll be at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles doing the jam and shimmy. And then the following weekend, I last, I guess it's the first weekend in May. I am doing Rooster Tea feathers in Sunnyvale, California.
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I'm stoked.
- [04:26]
You're stoked. Come out, Josh Adam Myers.com for tickets. We're partying. We're having fun on the road. The show is a blast. Support the Patreon. Support me. Support the 500. And now redemption. So early on in the show's history, we did George Harrison, All Things Must Pass. And our guest was Peter Asher, who's our guest today? A legend. A legend. And I guess when we recorded, he didn't really. He didn't at first vibe with what I was doing. My jokes, my. My stuff. And I guess you could hear it in the episode. In so many people, you know, commented about how I showed him no respect and how he hated me. And I didn't give him, you know, the courtesy of. Of the honor, or whatever you want to call it, of being, you know.
- [05:26]
Peter Asher, which I did. I was just having fun.
- [05:29]
And eventually in the episode, he did, like, warm up to me. But you, not you. But the people that did listen and probably don't listen anymore were just like, this was. Josh was such an asshole to him. And that's not true. We had a really good time. And the funny thing is you'll hear it because we talk about it. He doesn't even remember. And so when this episode came out.
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Or was coming up, let me say.
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We were getting ready to book this. We had another guest, and Morty came.
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Up with the idea.
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And then me and jt, we reached out. Well, JT Reached out and then we made it happen. So old man dun dun the rabbi don't you hear me now?
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These songs of freedom is all I ever heard. Redemption episode.
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And this is, this is the guy that we needed to get for Linda Ronstadt because he produced, pretty much discovered her. So we get the inside scoop on everything. I think you guys are gonna like it. Also, he's got his biography, A Life in Music. It's out now. Go to his website, PeterAsherBook.com Rate, Review.
- [06:42]
And most importantly, subscribe to the 500.
- [06:44]
Listen free on all platforms or anywhere.
- [06:45]
You get your pods.
- [06:46]
If you're listening on Apple, leave us a five star rating and a review because it does push the negative comments down and some people hate me. Follow me at Josh Adam Myers on all social media. Follow the podcast at the 5500 Podcasts. Email the podcast at the 500podcastgmail.com. Follow the Facebook group on Bag Crazy Evan. And for all things 500, go to the website the500podcast.com yo, by the way, the podcast. Yeah, the email is@500podcastsgmail.com. I don't think it is the. Maybe I'm wrong.
- [07:14]
I don't.
- [07:14]
I don't know anymore. And with that being said, here we go. Number 164 out of 500 with the very best of Linda Ron's.
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Peter Asher
That.
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Josh Adam Myers
First of all, I just want to say thank you, Peter, for coming back on. This is a redemption episode. And let me lay that out, and with all respect, is that, you know, when you came on, and a lot of people, I'd say this, like they may have forgotten when you came on very early on in the podcast. For all Things Must pass, over the last six years, we've had conversations on here and our Patreon exclusive podcast that I do, Master Fleece Theater, where we bring up our most challenging episodes. This, the one that you and I did back in the day, that one is, is kind of wins almost every time. And it's not that it's not a great episode. You're incredible. I'm just alone in it and I'm like, I'm just, I'm. I'm young into the game. I was like going through this existential crisis, I think, you know, I'm like my, I might have meditated too much that day or whatever. I was, I was just, I was a loot.
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Peter Asher
I don't remember it, to be honest.
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Josh Adam Myers
Good. Perfect. Even better, dude. But here's one review. It's like that, that, that we got it Says Josh clearly tried to relentlessly win over Peter with his shenanigans, when he should have just discussed George Harrison's songs with this legend who was there at the time. And that actually was submitted by my writer, Morty. That was Morty that said that. So. So today I'm just letting you know, Peter. And I mean this sincerely. Like, I. This is what I love about life, is getting these. These moments where it's like, you know, we get to do it again and. And get to have some fun. And especially to when. When we found out that you were going to do this record, I mean, we were on a call. Jeremiah, I mean, you know, is me, you, and Morty. I don't think we've ever been more excited because we get the rock stars and we get the people that are important to the records on, but when we get to have, you know, someone not only has done it before, but it's like, this is just. I just. I can't thank you enough, buddy. So where are you right now, by the way?
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Peter Asher
At home in Malibu.
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Josh Adam Myers
Oh, in Malibu. Perfect. Okay, cool. Well, I'm so glad you're here. Yeah, I mean, I have a little spiel, if you want to get started, to catch everybody up on Linda Ronstadt. If you. If you. All right, let's catch everybody up. This is. This is because usually when you're doing, you know, like the Rolling Stones, we get a few chip aways at the Rolling Stones to go over all the hits, all the big stuff, all the history of the band. This is the only time Linda's going to be on the podcast. So we want to be very thorough and make sure we give her the respect that she deserves. So to get to catch you up on Linda, Linda's born in Tucson, Arizona. Oh, by the way, Peter, at any time, correct me. Jump in if you got anything to add. Perfect. Linda Ronstadt was born in Tucson, Arizona to a father of Mexican descent. Although the family name comes from a German male ancestor and a mother who is German, English and Dutch. Her family were pioneering Arizona ranchers going back a few generations. As her dad was a prosperous machinery merchant who was raised on the family's 10 acre ranch along with her three siblings. As a self described child of the eclectic American radio in the 50s and 60s, she loved all the music she heard around the house. And growing up in a musical family, she was raised singing and playing along with her family, developing an appreciation and respect for the greatest vocalists and songs, including opera, country, show tune, standard jazz, R B, especially the traditional Mexican Songs from her father's side. All right. By age 14 she was already playing Tucson coffee houses, schools and the folks music circuit as a folk act with her brother and sister. They they were soon joined by musician and songwriter Bobby Kimmel. Shortly after Bobby Left Tucson in LA in 1964, he convinced Linda to join him. Bobby had hooked up with fellow musician and songwriter Kenny Edwards to write songs and they added Linda to form the folk rock band the Stone Ponies. They were soon signed to Columbia Records and had a big hit with Different Drum but broke up right before the release of their third record. Although the intention of the band was for it to be a harmony group project with Linda being an accomplished sorry an occasional featured solo vocalist, after the success of a Linda sung hit off their second album, it was soon obvious that she was being marketed as the star of the band, much like Grace Slick in the Jefferson Airplane. There was also a shift in the direction of the music more into the country. The entire Stone Ponies recording career lasted 15 months and three albums, by which time Linda essentially became a solo artist. She continued as the solo career by varying success on Capitol Records for three albums which consisted of some originals composed by newer songwriters, but leaned heavily on covers including many country songs that she was familiar with from her Arizona days. And then in 72 she left Capitol for David Geffen's new Asylum Records label. Although she had started her fourth album with John Boylan and JD Souther who were both romantic partners of hers, it was James Taylor's sisters Katie Kate's introduction to his manager and producer Peter Azure that would make Linda into the superstar she became. This record took a year and a phenomenal amount of money to complete and although her following record was back on Capital because of Contractual Obligation, Peter you remained her producer for 13 most career defining records of her 24 studio records. From that point on she became America's and the world's most the world's musical sweetheart and was catapulted into playing arenas and stadiums and reached an almost unimaginable level of success in her career. She's earned third she's earned 11 Grammys, three American music, two Academy of Country Music Awards, an Emmy and Alma Award and she has been nominated for Tonys and Golden Globes. She was awarded the Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award as well as a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award by the Recording Academy. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll hall of Fame and that same year she was awarded the National Medal of Arts and Humanities. She's also received a Kennedy Center Honors for her lifetime artistic achievements, and in 2000, Linda reduced her activity when she felt her singing voice deteriorating. She released her final solo album in 2004, her final collaboration in 2006, and gave her final concert in 2009 before announcing her retirement in 2011. It was around then that she revealed shortly that she was no longer able to sing as a result of the degenerative condition initially diagnosed as Parkinson's disease, but later determined to be progressive supranuclear palsy, a late onset neurodegenerative disease that affects different volumes of her brain. Since then, she's continued to make public appearances and give a number of public speaking tours in the 2010s. She published her autobiography, Simple Dreams, a musical memoir, in 2013, followed in 2009 by the documentary based on it, Linda Ronstadt, the Sound of My Voice Now, Peter, this is. You know, that was a lot why we would. Normally I would ask you some questions here, but because the songs on the record are going to kind of open it up to the conversation, we're just going to dive right into the songs and see where the conversation goes from there. Because these are such lovely tunes and it starts off with. Starts off with different drum. Again, I want to do something we usually don't do, but to put some chronological context on this record is the songs are not in order of their release, although this is actually track seven on here. I want to start with the first hit that Linda had had. So Linda and her band the Stone Ponies, which I've said was her folk rock trio with Kenny Edwards and Bobby Kimmel, covered this song written by Michael Naismith prior to him joining the Monkees for their second album. In fact, Michael tried unsuccessfully to bring this song to the Monkees. It was produced by the illustrious Nick Venay. By the way, he's also from Baltimore. That's pretty cool. Who also signed them as head of A and R at Capitol Records. As we talked about during records by Jackson Brown and the Eagles, the Stone Ponies were also a fixture at the Troubadour Hootenanny open mic nights, as were many artists including Warren Zevon, Tom Waits, Jackson, James Taylor and Carole King. That was what led to the Stone Ponies getting signed and where Linda became the darling of the LA folk scene. Many from the Troubadour would go on to be instrumental to the success of Linda's career. Most notably, as well as we talked about on prior episodes, her touring band that played on her second album would go on with Linda's blessing and encouragement to Become Eagles. When did you first hear. When did you first hear different drum? And was there a sense that Linda was destined for greatness at the time?
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Peter Asher
I think I probably heard it on the radio. I don't. I. You know, I didn't have any particular connection with Linda at that time. I would imagine I must have heard it on the radio out here. And then possibly the first time I saw Linda play live, maybe she was. No, that would have been. That wouldn't have been Stone Ponies. Yeah. I'm not sure, but probably radio.
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Josh Adam Myers
And when you heard her, did you. Did it. Did it strike you?
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Peter Asher
Did I think she'd be a superstar and we'd end up working together? No, not necessarily. Did I love the record? Yes. And her voice was extraordinary.
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Josh Adam Myers
Okay. Speaking of following the beat of their own drummer, having had a huge amount of success as half of the Beatles, half of the British Invasion era duo Peter and Gordon, alongside the late great Gordon Wallen, you essentially changed directions and became the Beatles, Apple Records first, A R man and an accomplished record producer. How did that transition happen?
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Peter Asher
I wanted to be a record producer the minute I discovered that there was such a job. I mean, it was the first time Gordon and I were in the studio. We'd never been in a recording studio before, and it was extremely exciting. And our producer was Norman Newell, who had signed us to emi. And the idea that there was this job where you could hire brilliant musicians much better than yourself and tell them what to play, I thought that was brilliant. I want to do that. And that was a conscious career decision unrelated to artists that I found or didn't find. I just knew that producing records was something I thought would look like amazing fun.
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Josh Adam Myers
So. So I want to circle back to the first question that we asked about. I know you, so you heard different drum. And of course, you didn't think that it was like. I mean, you were like, oh, this is a good song. Great.
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Peter Asher
Well, more than that, I loved. I loved her voice and I love the song. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
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Josh Adam Myers
So. So then, you know, initially, then after, after, had, you know, meeting her and working with her, did you. Was it. Would you do this with every artist as a producer, you're like, oh, I'm just gonna make great music and hope for the best. But was there a moment when you started working with her? When was the moment that you said, this is going to go bigger? I think we're onto something with Linda.
- [18:38]
Peter Asher
Well, it was Kate Taylor, as you mentioned, who actually told Linda, because I'd signed Kate Taylor, who I believed in and made an album with her for Atlantic Records. And then she decided that the rock and roll world was not for her. She didn't. She got a bit, you know, overwhelmed by it all and decided to sort of retire, as it were, at least temporarily. And she's the one who told Linda. Because I had said to Linda earlier, we'd had one meeting at some point, I think the first time I ever heard her, at the Bitter End in New York. We had had a discussion about me possibly managing and. Or producing her, but I told her that I couldn't because I thought that having two girl singers you're trying to break at the same time would not.
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Jeremiah
Be practical or really interesting.
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Peter Asher
And. But it was Kate, I believe, who called Linda, I think this is right, and said, you know, I'm quitting the business at the moment, so Peter's free to work with you if you'd like. And we continued our conversation. And I think my first commitment was to helped produce her that album, to finish the album she was currently making, which had been going on for quite a while, that she was indeed working with John David Souther and with John Boylan. And. And so I, you know, I was first a commitment to. To help her finish the record. And then later on, she had a manager who she wasn't very keen on called Herbie Cohen, and there was an event that prompted her to. He sent them on the road with stolen air tickets, which wasn't. Didn't impress her. They all got arrested by the FBI when they arrived, and wherever it was. And then they finally convinced them that they had no knowledge of them being stolen air tickets, but they were. And that's the whole other story. But anyway, so she changed managers and I became her manager. And. But Herbie Cohen had a. Had a. Had a very good contract from his point of view. So I think I didn't take commission for about a year or so so that he could get paid off.
- [20:55]
Josh Adam Myers
Good for you. That sounds pretty honorable. Yeah, it's, you know, like, you, You. You start working with somebody and I get it when you're having conflicting, you know, you said you and Kate were already working together and then going on to work with Linda. I mean, did you ever. And even though if it's about thanking. Did you ever like, kind of thank Kate? Because, I mean, what Kate, I'm assuming, went on to do. What did Kate go on to do?
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Peter Asher
She. She. She's now. She's back in the. In the world of performing now. She's. She's still sounding Great. But she just quit for a while.
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Josh Adam Myers
She just quit for a while. Yeah, it's. It's crazy how that happens, but I completely understand. All right, let's move on to you're no Good. The thing about the first six songs and many others on this compilation besides your production is that they're we. They were all covers of previously successful songs for several artists. When Will I Be Loved by the Elverly Brothers, Heat Wave by Martha and the Van Dells, you're no Good by Betty Everett, it's so Easy by Buddy Holly, and the Crickets Blew by, Excuse Me by Roy Orbison, and Just One look by Doris Troy. However, Linda's song covers have often become definitive versions. During her career, Linda had 38 US Billboard Hot 100 singles. 21 of those reached the top 40, 10 reached the top 10, and you're no good reached number one. Let's talk about what's all good. How did you guys come up with which songs to cover? And was there any pressure to stick with originals or for Linda to contribute to the writing process?
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Peter Asher
No, I mean, why would they? The formula of doing cover versions seem to be working very well. I mean, I'm not sure who that pressure would have come from. Nobody pressured us at all.
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Josh Adam Myers
So how did you decide which covers to do?
- [22:56]
Peter Asher
Well, there were songs that we loved. I mean, you're no Good was a favorite of all of ours. And Linda had tried it live a couple of times, I think, before we cut it in the studio. Yeah, I mean, I loved the version by the Swinging Blue Jeans, which was actually a huge hit in the uk, but not in America. They did the COVID version. That's the first time I heard the song. And then I went back and discovered the Betty Everett record. But we would pick them one at a time separately. I mean, we both loved the Everly Brothers. When Will I Be Loved, of course, was not just done by the Everly Brothers, it was written by Phil Everly. People forget that he was a successful songwriter as well, a great harmony singer. But each, each of those songs you mentioned would have a separate story. When we have heard it and when we decided to do it, and so on to the best I can of my recollection.
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Josh Adam Myers
So I read it.
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Jeremiah
It was a last minute choice for recording. Is that true? You're no Good was.
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Peter Asher
No.
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Jeremiah
Sometimes with these other albums it was like, and we're going to toss in this last track and it ends up being like a staple, you know. Is that true?
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Peter Asher
Well, he's not, you see. Don't Forget the album we're talking about and no one did any tossing in and out because, you know, I don't. I. This album had nothing to do with me. I produced a lot of the tracks.
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Josh Adam Myers
On it, but just the original recording.
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Peter Asher
They were on hot like the album. I mean, A Heart Like a Wheel was the name of that album. Right. But that's what seems a little odd to me in a way that they pick a. A second generation greatest hits compilation, you know, sort of a money. Money grabbing exercise. We'd know nothing wrong with it at all. But the album that we made was Hard Like a Wheel.
- [24:40]
Josh Adam Myers
Right. Were there any you wanted her to record that she turned down?
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Peter Asher
Yes, but I can't remember them. But yeah, I would. We def. There definitely were some that one or the other of us would. Would suggest we not do, you know, because they. They vary, you know, some were Linda's ideas, some were. Some of the musicians like Kenny Edwards and was a great friend of hers who had great ideas for. For covers and so on. So they. The lots of songs came up for examination, as it were, and considering doing them. But in the end it was Linda and me, I suppose, who made the decision as to what to actually try recording.
- [25:27]
Josh Adam Myers
So good.
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Peter Asher
We did it a couple of times before it came out. Right.
- [25:32]
Josh Adam Myers
Oh, wow. What a great way that it came out. So you would say that the metric or criteria was just, oh, I like this song. I think this would sound good with your voice. Let's try it.
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Peter Asher
Exactly.
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Josh Adam Myers
Dig.
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Peter Asher
That's correct.
- [25:46]
Josh Adam Myers
Poor, poor pitiful me.
- [25:49]
Peter Asher
Yeah.
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Josh Adam Myers
This, along with Carmelita from 77 simple dreams were written and recorded by Warren Zevon for his 1976 debut album. In fact, Linda previously covered another Zevon song from that debut as the title track for 1976's Hasten down the Wind. After her initial success, were you getting bombarded with songwriting submissions from current writers or from those who knew she could revitalize an older hit?
- [26:24]
Peter Asher
Not the latter. I mean, people. Whoever wrote those older hits didn't. Nobody came at us with suggested oldies, but really, Wow.
- [26:33]
Josh Adam Myers
I would have thought they. They were like, oh, we can. She sounds great. Like, we can get. Let's get this to Linda.
- [26:38]
Peter Asher
Well, sometimes that would. That would be more likely to be a new song than a. Than an oldie, as was. I don't know why I don't remember people recommending their particular oldies. I mean, a lot of those writers aren't around, you know, so. Some of them from years ago, sure. I mean, some of them were classic legendary writers. I Mean, Heat Wave is Hollandozier and Holland, you know, that they've got. They've got a song for every occasion. They're some of the. One of the great writers of this generation, so. Yeah, but. But did. Did lots of people send us songs in general? Yes, they did.
- [27:13]
Josh Adam Myers
And how did you guys go through them?
- [27:15]
Morty Coyle
You.
- [27:15]
Josh Adam Myers
Would you just listen to them or did you listen to them together or not even show them to her?
- [27:20]
Peter Asher
It depends. Yeah, exactly. Any of the above. In other words, if I thought it was that potential, I would play it to her, but I didn't play her everything that we got sent. Sure.
- [27:31]
Josh Adam Myers
Not to lean too heavily on the pitiful idea, but at least as a project that missed their own chance of success. But who were all. A huge part of Linda's story is Brindle. This was a band made up of Linda's former Stone Ponies bandmates, Kenny Edwards and singer songwriters Carla Banoff, Wendy Goldman and Andrew Gold.
- [27:55]
Peter Asher
Wendy.
- [27:55]
Josh Adam Myers
Yes, Waldman. When I say Gold.
- [27:57]
Peter Asher
Yeah.
- [27:58]
Josh Adam Myers
Yes. Yes. Upon watching Linda's documentary, there seemed to be a distinct lack of showing their contributions of Andrew Gold for our listeners of Fleece Army. Andrew Gold was a multi instrumentalist and arranger who was crucial to Linda's success on many of the records produced by Peter. Excuse me. Peter then went on to produce a hit record for Andrew that contained the 70s classic Lonely Boy, which had Linda singing backup on it. And as a side note for all Gen Xers, Andrew wrote the theme to Golden Girls. And for all you millennials and younger TikTok fans, yeah, dude, he wrote the song Spooky Scary Skeletons. If. If Andrew Gold was an unsung hero in Linda's life, who would be yours?
- [28:47]
Peter Asher
Oh, Andrew. It would be. Andrew would be. I think I agree with those who say that Andrew got short shrift in the documentary. He wasn't credited enough. He had a lot to do with the. The arrangements we did on those early records and the arrangement and, you know, good. He played everything, so he arranged it. He helped me arrange it. But no, he. He's enormously deserving of. Of huge amounts of credit. And of course, the theme for Golden Gods, he didn't write it as the theme for Golden Girls. He wrote thank you for Being a Friend. That's just a song. And ended up being his most rewarding song of all.
- [29:25]
Jeremiah
Really?
- [29:26]
Peter Asher
Yes. Oh, yeah. I mean, because that shows never stops running, you know, somewhere, ever.
- [29:32]
Jeremiah
It really doesn't syndication for life. Yeah.
- [29:35]
Josh Adam Myers
And it's some of the best comedy writing on television. And with four of the. Four of the Best comedic actors, you know, in ever.
- [29:47]
Peter Asher
He lucked out in that regard because he just finished an album called with him and Graham Goldman called Wax was the name of the band and they'd spent, you know, hours in the studio refining and detailing this, this massive opus and it flopped completely. And, and after it flopped completely, there was a relatively low key phone call from some TV show who I wanted to use thank you for being a friend as their theme. And you know, Andrew went, oh, okay. And that was, that was the phone call that counted.
- [30:23]
Jeremiah
I'm just wondering if there was any, any kind of equivalency that can be made in, in, in that story with respect to the Golden Girls. Do you, do you have something that people would be surprised to hear did really well for you outside of the obvious? Linda Ronstadt producing or A R work at Apple, etc?
- [30:46]
Peter Asher
No, I don't think so. I can't. I mean, I'm not sure what we're looking for here. I don't think of any surprise success that. I don't know. I don't, I don't know the answer.
- [30:58]
Jeremiah
It's kind of obvious where you, you made your. Yeah. Made your hay, as they say.
- [31:03]
Peter Asher
Yeah, I suppose. Okay, wonderful. Sorry, I'm not.
- [31:08]
Jeremiah
No, that's all. I just curious. I think it's just the interesting kind of.
- [31:12]
Josh Adam Myers
How much money do you think he made off Golden Girl song?
- [31:16]
Peter Asher
No idea.
- [31:19]
Josh Adam Myers
I mean, that's like. It's played so much. It's like. And now it's so great seeing, like, there's this video of this like, this like, black dude who's got this soul voice, like singing it like, along with it. But he's like, he's like tagging all like these runs and it's, I mean, it's just, it keeps getting more popular as the years go on and it's just, it's phenomenal. I love it. I love that these, this unexpected song becomes this hit for that guy. That's, that's awesome. All right, so looking at how many of these people seem to contribute to each other's musical output as well as their tangled romances. Did everyone just run from studio to studio during these few years? You know, like, like, where do they get all this energy from? Like, you know, like, like, how was that back in the day, people.
- [32:10]
Peter Asher
I mean, the musicians who played on our records. You mean, were they playing on other records or. I don't know, but we'll just say what I was.
- [32:18]
Josh Adam Myers
You know, I mean, whoever we had.
- [32:21]
Peter Asher
To play on our record played. I mean, they weren't playing. I mean, the summer studio musicians like Ross Kunkel or someone who was playing on a lot of records at that time. Were people running from studio to studio? I suppose, yes. Have you seen the immediate family documentary?
- [32:42]
Josh Adam Myers
I have not, but Morty has, and we were talking about it.
- [32:46]
Peter Asher
Okay. That's relevant. I mean, the. The work. There was a core group of musicians who played on a lot of stuff. Danny Korchmar, Russ Kunkel, Lee Scar. They played on a lot of records, if that's what we're talking about.
- [33:00]
Jeremiah
Yes, we've talked about them a bunch in other albums.
- [33:05]
Peter Asher
Yeah. Yeah.
- [33:06]
Jeremiah
Big impact on music. Unsung Heroes.
- [33:10]
Josh Adam Myers
Yes.
- [33:10]
Peter Asher
Yes. Well, they're pretty much sung here now because the documentaries did quite well, so I think they are getting their due.
- [33:19]
Josh Adam Myers
Good.
- [33:20]
Peter Asher
I still use. I was using Ruskunkel and Lee Ska only a few weeks ago.
- [33:25]
Jeremiah
Really? Oh, that's fantastic.
- [33:28]
Peter Asher
Yeah, no, they're still the best. I did this. I'm just finished an album with Barbara's Treisand, and they played on a lot of that.
- [33:36]
Jeremiah
Oh, wonderful.
- [33:38]
Peter Asher
So you.
- [33:38]
Josh Adam Myers
You're.
- [33:39]
I mean, do you. Do you feel like you're just gonna, you know, like you love the work so much, or do you feel like you just, like, still have. There's still artists and you're still finding stuff and, you know, like, after all these years, you get. Do you ever get disappointed? You just. You ever just want to chill or you just. You just had really just enjoy it so much?
- [33:57]
Peter Asher
No, I enjoy it. And I have no desire to take up golf or move to Florida or anything.
- [34:01]
Josh Adam Myers
Exactly. Yeah. Dude, you're. When you're good at something, keep doing it.
- [34:05]
Jeremiah
Yeah.
- [34:06]
Peter Asher
Yes. I have no intention of stopping. As long as people will, you know, want me to produce their records, I will oblige.
- [34:13]
Josh Adam Myers
I wanted to ask you, and I. And I should have asked it when you said about Malibu, and I wanted to ask, were you okay during the situation over there, during the fires? I was actually in LA during that moment, but. And I'm, you know, just. It's. It's crazy. So did it get close or.
- [34:28]
Peter Asher
Or. Yeah, close, but no cigars, they say.
- [34:33]
Josh Adam Myers
Sure.
- [34:33]
Peter Asher
It. We were fine. And many friends weren't. Of course. Of course.
- [34:39]
Josh Adam Myers
Yeah. Well, I'm happy for you and it's good. I'm, you know, I'm glad that that happened, but it's. What a tragic, you know, situation for so many people. We've done, you know. You know, I think Perry's house, Jeremiah, where I recorded that episode, I think that got Burned.
- [34:54]
Jeremiah
Yeah, yeah.
- [34:54]
Josh Adam Myers
That whole area, it's just. It was just. It's crazy. All right, leading us to. Well, we got two Smokey Robinson tracks. Tracks My Tears. Yeah. Ooh, Baby, Baby. They're both Smokey Robinson Motown songs. Do you want to talk about them? I don't have any questions.
- [35:15]
Jeremiah
Yeah, I would love to know.
- [35:16]
Josh Adam Myers
You tell us. I mean, I'm going by with songs. Morty, let me just. I'll be completely honest. And I'm just playing to the police army because I. I wouldn't. I didn't want to. Part of my language. I didn't want to this up. Like. I'm just reading what Morty gave me, so. Yeah, exactly.
- [35:33]
Peter Asher
But I mean, you're. You're reiterating. You're telling me stuff that I know. True.
- [35:38]
Josh Adam Myers
What's more, telling the audience, too, because we have so many people that. Yeah. Like.
- [35:43]
Jeremiah
Okay, we want to know if anything stands out to you. I mean, specifically on Smokey, let's say, was that more Linda driven or was that you or a combination with that?
- [35:52]
Josh Adam Myers
Both.
- [35:52]
Peter Asher
No. Again, I don't remember who began the process, but we both love those songs. And the. If any. You know, the unusual thing was probably putting pedal steel on Tracks of My Tears because, you know, you wouldn't associate pedal steel with an R B song.
- [36:08]
Jeremiah
Not at all.
- [36:09]
Peter Asher
Yet, you know, I featured again, the great musician Dan Dugmore, who plays on. Played A Player, is my favorite pedal steel player by far. And he played on that. And New Baby Baby. I remember what was interesting was we did that live with the two background singers, and then Linda kept wanting to re. Sing it because she was convinced she could sing it better. But there was something about all three of them live that was unusual and unusually great.
- [36:38]
Jeremiah
So you won that battle in the end together, live.
- [36:42]
Peter Asher
Yes. Yes.
- [36:44]
Jeremiah
Oh, that's really special. Well, she was a perfectionist. That goes without saying. This is the example you're giving us.
- [36:51]
Peter Asher
Yes, she was. And so am I, to some degree. So. So, yeah, it's. But yeah, she would. As many. Many great as. I mean, Don Henley's the same. He'll. He'll sing and sing until. Until it comes out. You know, perfectionism usually ends when the time or money run out or something is. Sure.
- [37:13]
Morty Coyle
Right.
- [37:15]
Josh Adam Myers
Peter, have you ever seen it where somebody's perfectionism got in the way?
- [37:19]
Peter Asher
Oh, yes.
- [37:20]
Josh Adam Myers
Any examples you want to talk about, you feel comfortable talking about? But it's like the song was done and then you just kept noodling with it. Now it's just.
- [37:29]
Peter Asher
Yeah. The trick Is then to be prepared to go backwards and say let's, let's compare that to the version we did three weeks ago. You know, maybe it's better after all.
- [37:38]
Josh Adam Myers
Sure.
- [37:39]
Peter Asher
I don't think I've ever. I can't think of a track where it actually failed, you know, was made worse by insisting on going forward. I mean I've always said that one of the functions of a record producer without question, to my mind that's most important is knowing when to stop. And I mean in each regard, knowing where to stop, doing separate takes, you know, and you've done enough. If you've done a hundred takes, maybe the song's no good in the first place or something. You know, you have to go back and rethink it. Or when you're mixing, it's mixing again and again forever or overdubbing. All those things, all those processes need to be brought to a halt sometimes, you know, over the artists protestations that, you know, no, you really did do it better. And you know, on a take three, you know, yeah, yeah, yeah, it can happen and you want it, you want to avoid that, that kind of perfectionism forcing you to go back and redo everything in when you don't have to.
- [38:46]
Jeremiah
Do you mind if I ask Peter about bridging the gap between George Martin, who you were obviously exposed to and you know, in the same studio. I'm sure you had a lot of interaction before you were full blown producer yourself putting out number one records. Just wondering because the.
- [39:03]
Peter Asher
Well, I never would. I mean we were never produced by George.
- [39:06]
Jeremiah
Right.
- [39:07]
Peter Asher
Yeah, I, I didn't watch George get to watch George work that much. I mean Beatles sessions were essentially private. They were usually the Beatles and George. So. Sorry, what was the question?
- [39:22]
Jeremiah
No, just more along the lines of the cadence of release of albums at that time records came out multiple records per year at times, versus maybe as you were but working with Linda. Let me see what the cadence is here. Year by year, I mean you had more time. So maybe when in this essence of this perfectionist conversation, like how many times does Don Henley get a chance to, to record a vocal track when you, the album has to be released. So I just wonder if the pressure was kind of light loosened that, that the time.
- [39:57]
Josh Adam Myers
So you're saying are they on deadlines like for the records?
- [40:01]
Peter Asher
Yeah, you can ignore deadlines. You know, you can. Okay, tell them to wait. You know, that can happen.
- [40:08]
Josh Adam Myers
But they were still, they were still pumping out records though. I mean just, it's. You got, you know, two, two songwriters at the beginning. And then you have the. And George starts really writing and you know, so they've just. They said so much. Yeah, yeah.
- [40:22]
Peter Asher
Today.
- [40:22]
Josh Adam Myers
So with Linda. What about with Linda is. Can I. You kind of are saying that too as well. Jeremiah, like, was where you and Linda, she's young and obviously, you know, when you getting a little bit of success, it's like you want more and. And you know, a song gets popular and then it starts getting played less and. And then other artists come up. I mean, I'm not going to say she was like jealous of anybody, but was she like, did she have that fire or was you the person that had the fire?
- [40:48]
Peter Asher
She's not a competitive person in that regard. No, she wasn't. She wasn't comparing herself to anybody or trying to. She didn't, you know how many number ones or how many. This, that and the others never been of concern to Linda. She's generous, loves to sing and sings better than anybody I've ever heard, but a good statement.
- [41:09]
Josh Adam Myers
Yeah, she really does have a beautiful voice. This was such a.
- [41:12]
Peter Asher
She's not competitive by nature, you know.
- [41:15]
Jeremiah
Yeah, yeah, just beautiful.
- [41:18]
Peter Asher
First time she heard Emmy Lou Harris, you know, she was so incredibly jealous. She realized she had two alternatives. One was to spend the rest of her career being jealous of Emmy, and the other was to make friends with her. And she chose the latter course of action. They became.
- [41:33]
Josh Adam Myers
Yeah, everything you learn about Linda, she just seems like this. Like, I think. I don't know if Morty wrote this in one of the upcoming things, but he says there's two types of people in this world. There's people that are in love with Emmy, with Linda Ronstadt, and then the people that don't know who she is. Hey, everybody. So you guys have probably heard me talk about how I've been in bands my whole life. I love writing songs and performing in front of crowds. Just like with comedy. As a musician, it can be kind of hard to cut through the noise and really stand out as an artist. I feel like half the music projects I've been in have ended just because we couldn't figure out the answer to that eternal question of how do we get people to hear us? But then again, that was before there was Distrokid. Distrokid is a digital music distribution service that brings your sound to the masses. It's a one stop shop for getting your songs on itunes, Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon, Deezer, Tidal, and many more. What's these? I never even heard of Deezer. How many of them are there. I know all that. That's like the holy grail of streaming services though. And getting paid. They want to. We want to get you paid for your music. That's huge because a lot of bands go broke before they get big. But Distrokid collects earnings and payments and sends 100% of these earnings to artists minus banking fees and applicable taxes. And that's just one of the tons of benefits of using Distrokid. You can send big files to anyone with their Instant Share feature. You can use the Hyper Follow feature to promote your release and get pre saves on your song. You can even create personal landing pages for yourself, your band, your brand, and whatever you like. It has a free Spotify Canvas generator too to generate your own Spotify Canvas for your songs. And the Mixia feature instantly masters your tracks for higher quality audio. So if you're ready to bring your band to the next level, it's time to check out Distrokid. The Distrokid app is now available on iOS and Android. Go to the app or Play Store to download it. Listeners of this show can get 30% off their first year by going to distrokid.com VIP the 500 that's distrokid.com VIP the500 for 30% off your first year. Dig it.
- [44:00]
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- [44:28]
Josh Adam Myers
Well, let's hear. Let's we got a few more tracks we want to talk about. Let's. Let's get so that'll be the day. Any before I read the thing, do you have anything you want to add of any experience or anything that you, you know.
- [44:40]
Peter Asher
Huge Buddy Holly fans. Buddy Holly's always been bigger in England than he is in America. He's a huge star in the uk. He actually played there and I wish I'd gone but unfortunately he did one tour and I don't know why I didn't go, whether I couldn't afford it or the date conflicted or whatever. But I mean I was still at school and I wish I'd gone. C.P. holly I copied his glasses for sure. You know, the black square glasses which, in which in turn, Mike Myers copied in constructing his man. Yes.
- [45:17]
Josh Adam Myers
Did. Did you ever talk. Did he talk to you about that? You know, because I was reading. Yeah. That he kind of saw your image, which I, I think he looked great.
- [45:25]
Peter Asher
I think there's a couple of pictures of mine that he, that he referred to in, in his characterization of Austin Powers. Yes.
- [45:34]
Jeremiah
So great. I went to number 11 in the US Billboard Hot 100.
- [45:39]
Peter Asher
And Gordon and I, of course, had a country. We had a Buddy Hollyhead ourselves with True Love Ways. It was a big hit for Gordon and I. So, yeah, he was. He's certainly very important.
- [45:50]
Josh Adam Myers
So for everybody, you know, I mean, if you've been living under a rock, if you haven't listened to the 500s. I'm talking to the audience now, our fleece army, the Buddy Holly. This is a cover with the that'll Be the days from the 56 song by Buddy Holly released, uh, in 57 under his great band's name, the Crickets. We talk about Buddy Holly on, uh, an episode we did with SpongeBob SquarePants voice Tom Kenny. And obviously also great glasses. Also, obviously that band and name inspired another group that we've been talking about, the Beatles. So for anyone who doesn't know, back in the day, your sister and Paul McCartney were dating and Paul lived with your family. This gave you an opportunity to hear some of the classic Beatles songs John and Paul were writing after they were just. After they were just created, before they were recorded. Paul also gave you and Gordon some songs that became hits for you guys as well, despite us knowing and growing with all of those songs. Did you ever hear a new song from Paul and John and think or say, nah, not this one, guys, Would. Would you make suggestions like, how did. How did that go about.
- [47:01]
Peter Asher
No, I never heard a song. I never heard a Paul song or a John song I didn't like. And no, I did not make suggestions.
- [47:13]
Josh Adam Myers
Well, Morty, our writer and the guy that wrote this wants to know, because it's never mentioned, did everyone and everything in the Beatles world always smell like cigarettes? Because they're all almost always smoking in every photo during their career.
- [47:29]
Peter Asher
I think everyone smoked. I mean, yeah, I didn't. I tried at school when it was compulsory, but I. But I couldn't do it. I didn't like it. I kept coughing. So even though it looked cool, but generally everybody smoked indoors, outdoors, everywhere. It's hard to imagine now. I think kids now.
- [47:48]
Josh Adam Myers
It's so hard.
- [47:49]
Peter Asher
But much of life was Conducted in a haze of smoke.
- [47:57]
Josh Adam Myers
All right, back in the USA. Any thoughts on that song? This is the Night, 1959. Chuck Berry's idea.
- [48:03]
Peter Asher
Yeah.
- [48:04]
Josh Adam Myers
Really?
- [48:04]
Jeremiah
It was her idea.
- [48:05]
Peter Asher
Yeah. I mean, Linda, given her druthers, would always rather sing all slow songs, sad songs. I mean, she. She's a ballad person. Generally speaking, if. If it's a rock and roll tune, it may well have been my idea. If it's a. If it's a ballad, it was probably Linda's. But I think you Living in the USA is an exception because I remember her talking about that song and how perhaps she should do that. And indeed, it was a hit.
- [48:33]
Josh Adam Myers
So Linda has recounted the story of when she and Glenn Frey from the Eagles were on their way to go skiing with some people and were reminiscing about their broke days in the Troubadour in comparison to how great they were doing. And then this song came on from a homemade mixtape Glenn had made. She decided she would cover it. Years later, in 87, she appeared with Chuck Berry in concert for his 60th birthday celebration to sing this with him for two shows. That is very cool. However, as she rehearsed the song in this in the key of C, at the first show, Barry started it in G and forced the band to follow him. Ever the professional, Linda sang in the higher key, but stormed off before the second show due to his unprofessionalism. Did you ever talk to her about that or do you know?
- [49:17]
Peter Asher
Yes, Well, I don't remember it quite that way, but she'd always said that if it got late, she was just going to do the first show. She doesn't like to work very late. She likes to go. Go to bed at bedtime. And she's a very traditional woman in that way. And that's what she did. I don't remember this business with the key. Maybe it's true, but that's a massive key change to deal with. I mean, it should be easy to find out. I mean, you just play the thing and see what key it's in. But if they really yanked it, like a fourth or a fifth up or something, it's would be brutal. I don't. I don't remember that. I thought. My recollection is just that she'd always said that she would only do the first show if. If it ran late. It did run late. It was going to end up going off to midnight, which prompted Chuck Berry to go and ask for a whole other day's pay because the show had run into the Next day. So that was going on at the same time.
- [50:16]
Jeremiah
Business conflicts.
- [50:18]
Peter Asher
Linda just packed up and went home and. Oh, we have, we have, yeah.
- [50:23]
Jeremiah
You asked for more credits and. And they're not.
- [50:25]
Peter Asher
I wanted them by. By track.
- [50:28]
Jeremiah
By track. Right, but what do you want to tell here? Very familiar to listeners of the 500. Russ Kunkel, again, you had mentioned. And background vocals. Is this true, Peter?
- [50:39]
Peter Asher
Yeah, you. Which song this is.
- [50:41]
Jeremiah
We're talking about Back in the USA right now. Is that Ring?
- [50:47]
Peter Asher
I mean, there's somewhere I remember seeing backgrounds. I don't remember singing on that song, but it's possible. But I think, I think what's happened is they've. They've sort of elided some general credits for everything. Vocals, plural?
- [51:04]
Jeremiah
Yeah, sure.
- [51:07]
Josh Adam Myers
May ask you a question while we go over that. So we've all seen and heard about the ways records were made in England versus America. When you were coming up in England, studio engineers were still wearing white lab coats and suit and ties, while in America they look like the people they were recording. Was there a culture shock when you first came to America for the next part of your career?
- [51:30]
Peter Asher
Yeah, no, I really. Engineers were still pretty formal. They were much more unionized actually. In America you couldn't touch the knobs, you know, you couldn't. You couldn't touch theaters. The only the engineer could and so on. And they'd take union breaks and stuff. So it's funny. But yes, everyone at EMI was sort of dressed more formally and the, the engineering and the sort of tech crew would. They're the ones who wore the white coats or even I think they were sort of beige colored. But the engineers themselves, the recording engineers didn't. They had to wear a tie, but they didn't wear lab coats, but the tech people did.
- [52:17]
Josh Adam Myers
But not even about the recording process, just you coming to America, was there a culture shock for you?
- [52:25]
Peter Asher
No, it was a culture joy. I mean, we loved America. We wanted to come to America more than anything. I had copies of the posters of the New York skyline on my wall. I had copies of Downbeat with all the jazz clubs I wanted to go to when I got there. And I had no doubt I was going to get there at some point, had them all circled and knew exactly where to go when I got to New York and question.
- [52:48]
Josh Adam Myers
I don't want to cut you off, but you're talking about these concerts, like what, what were some of the early concerts you got to see live when you first came to America? Like especially jazz, like did you get to see Miles or I got.
- [52:59]
Peter Asher
I got to see Bob Brookmeyer and J.J. johnson. I got to see Stan Getz. I got to see. Gosh, I can't remember who else, but. Yes, but interestingly, of course, I also got to see some jazz people who came to London. I saw Felonious Monk in London Festival Hall. And what's interesting, of course, is that, you know, when he played New York, he'd be playing some jazz club where no one appeared to be listening and people were smoking and drinking. And he played in London. He's playing the Festival hall, which is a beautiful 50s design concert hall. And it was sold out. And we were thrilled because the cheapest seats with the Festival hall, they have choir stalls behind the stage for when they're doing, you know, the Messiah or whatever with a big choir. But they sell those tickets if it's a. If it's a small concert. This was a. They'd sold the tickets behind the stage. So we got those seats as being the cheapest seats. But of course, Monk, we were right behind his piano and. And then he would get up and walk around and he was mumbling, grumbling. He was doing. We were throwing. He was like inches away from.
- [54:18]
Jeremiah
That's so cool.
- [54:19]
Josh Adam Myers
And then according to Morty. And then according to Morty, did he smell like cigarettes? Yes, he did. Everybody in the 60s, everybody smelled like.
- [54:31]
Jeremiah
Everybody.
- [54:32]
Peter Asher
Exactly.
- [54:32]
Josh Adam Myers
And then one guy smelled like Drakkar Noir. One guy. I might. You. So it's, It's. You know, I'm born in 79 and I grew up in a jazz household, for my dad was the coolest thing about my father. And, you know, it's, It's. I still get to see the jazz clubs. And like you said about New York, it's, There's something about. That's. I love that the, the people, you know, somebody in, In England would still look at New York as the way of this. This cool place and you having the skyline up there. Because I think every. Yeah, it's. It's just.
- [55:02]
Peter Asher
I saw Bill Evans do live in New York.
- [55:05]
Josh Adam Myers
Oh, wow. Yeah. I mean, it's just. Just incredible. Just like the, the music and the being. You know, I work in the West Village at the Comedy Cellar and there's a Cafe Wa. And just, you know, Dylan started there and just, you know, it was the same thing of also being in LA and, And being on the Sunset Strip and thinking, man, in the 80s, it just. Guys were in the. Probably the, with the, with the, the frizzed hair and the tight leather pants and, you know, and The. The Motley Crue fans and just. It must have been such a cool scene, you know, and I. But also in England. I mean, I can imagine the.
- [55:38]
Peter Asher
The.
- [55:38]
Josh Adam Myers
In London. It must have been a real trip. Just as, like, the Brit pop scene is taking off. I mean, and then you. To be at the forefront of it.
- [55:47]
Peter Asher
I mean, much later, of course. I mean.
- [55:49]
Josh Adam Myers
No, no, no, I meant. I meant. I meant the British Invasion. That's what I meant. Yeah, yeah, that's what I meant. I'm sorry. But also, did you.
- [55:59]
Peter Asher
I used to go. The week they played at a club.
- [56:03]
Jeremiah
Every week.
- [56:04]
Peter Asher
Yeah. Maybe Monday nights.
- [56:06]
Jeremiah
Come on.
- [56:08]
Josh Adam Myers
Can I. Can I ask you. We just said Brit pop, and I know that's not at all talking about what we're talking about. Like, you know, were you involved at all in any of that situation that was coming up? I mean, especially, like, you know, you have Radiohead and Oasis and Blur and. And the Ferve.
- [56:24]
Peter Asher
I mean, yeah, I loved. I love Oasis. I was a big fan of their records and. And Blur. Yeah. And. Yeah.
- [56:36]
Josh Adam Myers
Who do you take on the Blur versus Oasis rivalry?
- [56:42]
Peter Asher
Probably good for both of their business, but. But, yeah, no, I admire both of them very much.
- [56:48]
Jeremiah
Damon Albarn. Damon Albar. Genius.
- [56:53]
Josh Adam Myers
Yeah, genius.
- [56:56]
Jeremiah
Okay.
- [56:57]
Josh Adam Myers
So, awesome.
- [56:58]
Jeremiah
I just watched a complete unknown on the flight, so. Do you have any, like, takeaways from. Yeah, you enjoyed the movie and everything.
- [57:06]
Peter Asher
I mean, it was brilliant and he was brilliant. I was on both counts. I was wildly impressed.
- [57:12]
Jeremiah
Yeah, that was. It was interesting that. That they really honed in, because it was based in the book. Right. About the jazz festival, Newport. Right. And. And the transition to electric. But you were alive. I mean, you were very much a working producer during this. This moment.
- [57:33]
Peter Asher
Yeah, I wasn't at Newport when that happened, but.
- [57:36]
Jeremiah
Yeah.
- [57:39]
Peter Asher
But James Taylor played the New Portfolio Festival a year or two later, I guess, and that was one of his gigs with. I mean, of significance.
- [57:50]
Jeremiah
Yeah. The transition to electric and getting out of the folk. Because, you know, that was very much a part of your DNA, wasn't it? Before that?
- [57:57]
Peter Asher
Yes. I wasn't as precious about folk music as. As somewhere. You know that.
- [58:01]
Josh Adam Myers
Yeah, apparently. But loved it.
- [58:05]
Peter Asher
Yeah.
- [58:08]
Josh Adam Myers
Let's. Let's go on to Love Like A Rose, so. Originally recorded by Neil Young for a record he scrapped. His version didn't come out until a few years after Linda's 75 release. Any thoughts? Love Like a Rose.
- [58:20]
Anything you want to add?
- [58:22]
Peter Asher
Love is a rose.
- [58:23]
Josh Adam Myers
That's what I meant. I'm sorry.
- [58:26]
Peter Asher
Yeah, I loved it. I love Neil's Great. And I love that song. And we did decide to do add a banjo to it. You know, Kenny Edwards played the banjo and Linda sang it beautifully.
- [58:41]
Josh Adam Myers
Beautifully. It's difficult to talk about Linda's career without mentioning her high profile love life. From rock stars to actors to directors to comedians to governors, she was often featured on the tabloids for her dating history. It's easy to understand their attraction. There's a quote attributed. Oh, this is the. This is the quote. So, you know, pull this. The other one where the guy was walking and forget about that. Forget about what I had said earlier. There's a quote attributed to Willie Nelson that goes. There are two kinds of men in this world. Those with a crush on Linda Ronstadt and those who never heard of her. She. And she's so adorable. You see every picture of her and it's like, my God, there's doughy eyes. Like, she is really like America's sweetheart. She built a reputation as something of a heartbreaker due to her unwillingness to compromise and settle, which mirrors the sentiments of a different drum. Although never married, she did adopt two children in the early 90s. You've been very candid about your professional relationship with Linda as being something of an anomaly in her world. What made you impervious to her charm?
- [59:45]
Peter Asher
Oh, I wasn't impervious. Believe me. I. I'm a human being, but a human heterosexual male. But no, Linda is beautiful. But. And the minute I realized she was, she was. Her beauty and hotness was only matched by her intelligence and genius. You know, I cannot speak highly enough about Linda, but, no, I don't think it crossed either of our minds that it would be anything other than a terrible idea for us to embark on any kind of relationship outside of professional. And we didn't.
- [60:21]
Josh Adam Myers
Did any of the, you know, how.
- [60:23]
Peter Asher
Did she really turn you down flat anyway, but.
- [60:25]
Josh Adam Myers
But talking about Peter, you do.
- [60:29]
Peter Asher
You're the man I never insisted on finding out.
- [60:32]
Josh Adam Myers
You know, dude, you're the man. Like, I still love. I still. When you showed up in my apartment that one time and you wearing that, that, like, velvet suit, I was like, that's. This is the coolest dude I've ever met. Like, you're, you're, you're boss, dude. You know what you're doing. I'm not saying you're selling yourself short, but I'm just saying you could have gotten Linda if you would have put the Peter, the Peter Asher on you, you could have gotten it. That being said, did any of the relationships of this isn't a Morty question, but I'm curious, you know, with her being so popular and kind of being on the tabloids, did that ever get in the way? Or how did she ignore that, you know, or did she just say whatever? And that was just the kind of person of her just to be like, we're working. Don't let any of this bother it.
- [61:13]
Peter Asher
You know, topic she would avoid.
- [61:15]
Josh Adam Myers
Yeah.
- [61:16]
Peter Asher
And I should probably follow in her footsteps. True.
- [61:19]
Josh Adam Myers
I respect that. Totally.
- [61:20]
Jeremiah
One addition, Josh, I have to this song is that.
- [61:23]
Josh Adam Myers
Yeah, go ahead.
- [61:24]
Jeremiah
Like many of these tracks, the most successful version in terms of, like, the Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 is usually the Linda version. But I did see a note here that Linda's version of the song featured a guitar solo by Danny Korchmar. He's in that group that you had referenced earlier.
- [61:41]
Josh Adam Myers
Right. Which song? This is Love Is Like a Rose.
- [61:46]
Jeremiah
Hurt so Bad, so Sorry.
- [61:47]
Peter Asher
Oh, yeah, now you've changed. Okay. I was gonna say I was jumping and he didn't play on Love as a Rose. He didn't. There is no guitar on that song. Love is the Rose is a banjo. But, yes, Hurt so Bad. Cooch played the solo. Yes.
- [62:01]
Jeremiah
Okay.
- [62:01]
Peter Asher
And very well, too. And again, he remains a dear friend of mine and still plays on records that I make.
- [62:07]
Jeremiah
Amazing.
- [62:09]
Josh Adam Myers
All right, we're going to talk about Linda's family history in a minute, but this one is more reflective of mine because this song, actually. And Jared, you're. You're, you know, my age, so you obviously remember American Tale, Somewhere Out There. And that was what was so cool, is when listening to this album and that song came on, I was like. Oh. I was like, it took me back to Lake Forest Mall and, you know. And. Yeah, dude. I mean, it's like, it's just such a big part of our childhood. This is an 86 duet with James Ingram, written by James Horner, Barry Mann, and Cynthia Wheel from the Little Fievel Mouskowitz and An American Tale. It really returned Linda back up the charts after a few years away, which set the stage for her comeback with the album, the final album songs that we're going to be talking about in just a moment. I've read that nobody really expected any of these songs to be hits, but the film's producers, Steven Spielberg, heard it, heard it in this. What's the most pleasantly surprised you've been at a song or record success?
- [63:14]
Peter Asher
Gosh, I don't know, actually. What. What's the biggest surprise? Yeah. In this. In the case of Somewhere Out There, it was Stephen who. Who thought that that song should be a song at the end of the movie, otherwise it could have just been score. James Horner did the score and James Horner, I think, was in favor of just the score staying over the credits. Stephen specifically wanted that tuner called me and called Linda directly and said, you please do this. And we did. We said, yes, sir, as one does to Steven Spielberg. But it was. It was a very complicated and elaborate situation, that song. But because it was. It was. It was going to be James Ingram. And then somehow James Ingram said no, via Quincy, whose label he was signed to. Quincy, I guess, didn't want him to do it because he wanted to. There was a Quincy record that was coming out or something. I mean, James Horner, James Ingram, Quincy produced record that came out anyway. And then so we actually. I cut another version of it, a completely other version, because I was officially told that James Ingram was not doing it, that the version we'd done with him was not going to be used. So I did one with Peabo Bryson, which was fantastic. Peabo sang it brilliantly as well. They're both great singers. And then right towards the end of the Peabo Bryson session, I got a phone call from Mo Austin. I think it was saying that, but it had all been sorted out. Quincy changed his mind and the James Ingram one was coming out. And I said, well, I'm finishing this version. I'm not going to leave it, you know, three lines from completion, whatever it was, but somebody else has got to tell him what's going on. So we finished his version and I think it came out eventually as well as some kind of alternate version on some. But it was a very complex and diplomatically fraught situation that I ended up in the studio doing a record with someone that they'd already told me wasn't going to come out. So it was a. It was a complex story and I don't remember it in detail, but there was a point where the. The Peabo Bryson version was going to be the one that came out and was in the movie. And then it switched again and it was James Ingram.
- [65:36]
Josh Adam Myers
I mean, I couldn't imagine. Yeah, it's just. It's such a good song. I'm so glad that they did decide to. To turn it into a single, because it's. And, you know, it's like the second you hear it, it just takes you.
- [65:47]
Peter Asher
Back to once Linda did it. You knew it was going to be. I mean, it sounded like a hit to me. And we had fun making record Totally. I never had either any of them in the studio together. I didn't get Linda and James Ingram or Linda and People Bryson at the same time. I was. It was a very, as I say, a complicated process.
- [66:08]
Josh Adam Myers
Sure, sure. And for the last few songs that are on the greatest hits that we're talking about, we're just going to kind of lump these together. Adios Don't Know Much in All My Life. Ironically, the song Adios, written by Jimmy Webb, is in English and is on a record that Linda and you put out in between two records of Mexican songs that were musical tributes to her father. Far from adios, the record, 1989's Cry Like a Rainstorm. How like the Wind was a big commercial and critical welcome back. After almost a decade of various excursions into different musical directions with varying success, A huge part of that were the two singles, Don't Know Much in All My Life. Linda's Day duets with Aaron Neville of the Neville Brothers. Once again, Linda's love life flowed into the recording booth with her relationship with Aaron. Was there ever any difficulties with retaining your position of authority with new partners in her life or her famous strong will?
- [67:09]
Peter Asher
No.
- [67:11]
Josh Adam Myers
No. Yeah.
- [67:13]
Peter Asher
I mean. Short answer, there really wasn't. I mean, she. Whoever. Whoever Linda's boyfriend was at the time didn't seem relevant or it didn't seem relevant. It never made any difference.
- [67:29]
Josh Adam Myers
Were they dating? I didn't know this until Morty told me. Were they dating when? Before they're recording this song, or was it the connection during this? You don't know. Okay, so. Because I. Because it's like, I was wondering if. It's like if they were like almost if the song and the recording process is what got them to. To. To find the connection. Because, you know, don't Know Much was so popular and. And it's such a beautiful song that you could see. It's like an acting. When you do a scene with somebody, if you have a part. Yeah. Any thoughts on audios? Don't Know much in All My Life. Do you want to take that piece by piece or you.
- [68:01]
Peter Asher
Is there one idea? The remarkable thing about Adios is the. That, you know, Linda and I decided it needed some background vocals and that we wanted Beach Boy style background vocals. And so we. We looked at each other and kind of went, okay, well, let's go for it, you know. So we called Brian Wilson and. And he came and did all those background vocals. And he did it on three songs, I think. But Adios being the most. Just ridiculously good and He. Working with him was quite extraordinary in many, many ways. Yeah, this was in the Dr. Landy phase. Remember? Dr. Landy was his mad shrink trying to steal his publishing or something like that. You'd have to look it all up, but it was all very dicey and. And Brian was kind of crazy, you know, and. But he was a genius when it came to these background vocals and. And we just played in the song and he came up with like eight tracks of sensational backgrounds. If you listen to Adios, it's. It's all Brian and it's all. Sounds like the Beach Boys, which is what we wanted.
- [69:15]
Josh Adam Myers
Yeah. What about. What about. Don't Know Much.
- [69:21]
Peter Asher
It was a big hit.
- [69:23]
Josh Adam Myers
Sure.
- [69:24]
Peter Asher
Yeah. I mean, I think that was part of the Crow Like a Rainstorm sessions we did up at Skywalker Ranch at George Lucas's studio. We moved in there for a while because the studio had been built, but it wasn't really finished because George Lucas, I think, had imagined that his scores would get recorded there. But in the end, John Williams preferred London anyway. Like the string players better in London. And I think he's right. But. So. But we went up there and did. Recorded the rhythm section up there and then put the orchestra on up there. We used the Skywalker. I think we gave them a name or something. I can't remember what it was. The Skywalker Sound or something. But we booked all musicians who'd played on the San Francisco Ballet, the San Francisco Symphony, and the Some was the third contributor to the orchestra. We hired the best people out of all of that and put together an orchestra up there and did the David Campbell arrangements. David Campbell is also someone who was important to Linda in the sense that he did all our orchestral arrangements. Oh, wow. And the first. First thing he ever did was the string quartet on Heart Like a Wheel itself, that song, which is a McGarrigal Sister song. And he. He has an important role as well. But. Sorry, what was the beginning of all that.
- [71:02]
Josh Adam Myers
We were talking about? Adios. Don't know much in all my life, if you were. Just had any thoughts on.
- [71:08]
Peter Asher
Yeah, all my Life. They were. They were all duets, you know, they were all duets with Aaron.
- [71:12]
Josh Adam Myers
With. With Aaron. How did that connection come between the two of them? Like, how did they decide to start working together? Was she a fan of his or she a fan of Neville Brothers?
- [71:20]
Peter Asher
Yes, she went to see the Neville Brothers at Tipitinas in New Orleans, I think.
- [71:25]
Jeremiah
Oh, yeah.
- [71:26]
Peter Asher
As I recall. As I recall, she was in New Orleans. Maybe she was. She had a friend who was running the Jazz and Heritage Festival. I think maybe she went to that, but she ended up going to see Aaron and they had a conversation, the result of which was that they were going to sing together. And so she arranged that, pulled that off. I just organized it later on so they could all sing together. And they did. And she's just a huge fan of his singing. His vibrato and his soul is impeccable.
- [72:03]
Josh Adam Myers
Such a strong voice. Falsetto. What about All My Life? Same thing. Just.
- [72:08]
Peter Asher
I think so. Yeah. I can't remember anything specific to that song. Yeah, no, I don't remember anything particular about that song. I remember recording it up there up at Skywalker.
- [72:21]
Josh Adam Myers
So out of. We've already. So basically those are all the songs that we wanted to talk about. Out of all of these songs is like, is there any of them that, you know, that we had mentioned or that, that you worked with her? What, what would you say you're the most proud of, you know, as far as, you know, what you and Linda did together?
- [72:38]
Peter Asher
Well, I think we, I, I'd probably include Andrew Gold in that and, and make it and say you no good. Only because it, that was an exciting record to make and it was one where that we. I was confident that day that it was going to be a huge hit record. You knew it.
- [72:53]
Jeremiah
Yeah. That's beautiful.
- [72:56]
Peter Asher
That was exciting.
- [72:58]
Jeremiah
That's really good. I, I had two non album questions. More Peter questions to toss at you. 2002, your third Grammy Award, best spoken comedy album live. 2002, Robin Williams. Reason I bring it up is we actually just had Greg Proops on who couldn't say enough positive things about Robin Williams and being a do comedy. Now you're on the music side. So I'm just curious. Obviously this isn't a musical album, as musical as Robin Williams could have been. I just. What was it like working with him? How much interaction did you have? What memories do you have of Robin Williams?
- [73:36]
Peter Asher
Yeah, Robin was a close friend. My wife Wendy knew him originally and then we met and we all became friends and he's, you know, someone I admired enormously. A man of exceptional intelligence and genius and, and very funny and very sympathetic and empathetic and someone I admire in every way. We are. Basically it's a comedy album. It's. I just recorded them all and kept notes on which bits were good and which, which, you know, which things he'd done again in another city that might have been better and so on and then put it all together and then we. He would do it on arrival in the city, he would find out as much as he could about it. And the opening 10 minutes would be stuff about the city we were in. So on arrival, we talked to the guy flying the private jet or the guy taking the luggage in or the hotel desk, or Robin would be asking what's going on in politics or sport or whatever and learn all this stuff and bring it up again. So the first five minutes of the show were always local. And then I took all those five minutes and rolled them into a second CD that was like a, you know, the bonus CD of. Of here's your city kind of thing. So 10 minutes, five minutes on every city on the, on the tour. And touring with them was, of course, brilliant experience.
- [75:05]
Jeremiah
Oh, I bet. I was going to ask. You were on the full tour, you hit many cities with him.
- [75:10]
Josh Adam Myers
Yeah.
- [75:11]
Peter Asher
Oh, thanks. Yeah, we were all on the plane together. Myself, David Steinberg is manager and. And Robin.
- [75:18]
Jeremiah
It'S been a great experience. The.
- [75:20]
Josh Adam Myers
The follow up.
- [75:21]
Jeremiah
This is more current question. Your daughter, Victoria Asher, Cobra Starship. And apparently there was a hiatus for a while because she was a part of the original. Or.
- [75:34]
Peter Asher
Yeah, there was 10 years, I think. They didn't do anything. Then they met, then they did a sort of comeback gig. They played the Hollywood Palladium here in, in la. I'm not sure if they're planning to do more shows or not. I mean, it. I think they'd like to. They might, but it's funny. Ten years was long enough that it's a comeback. When you.
- [76:00]
Jeremiah
I guess so. And if you look at your career, I'm looking at your albums, and I don't see too many gaps.
- [76:07]
Josh Adam Myers
No. Yeah, you're. You're working.
- [76:09]
Jeremiah
What about is the word.
- [76:11]
Josh Adam Myers
What about working with Neil Diamond? Do you have. What was your experience? I was such a huge fan. We've talked about this on the podcast a bunch. But it's like, I, I just, I think he's just, you know, you, you, you. I tell everybody, go see the people that you want to see live now because they might never, you know, they might stop and, you know, unfortunately, Neil has Parkinson's and. And stop touring.
- [76:33]
Peter Asher
Exactly.
- [76:34]
Josh Adam Myers
And it's such a. For me, it just breaks my heart because I always wanted to see him live. What was your experience like working with Neil and do you have any great stories or.
- [76:42]
Peter Asher
He's fantastic. I mean, he's incredibly nice guy, incredibly generous and thoughtful and. And I think he's very much underrated.
- [76:51]
Josh Adam Myers
Very.
- [76:51]
Peter Asher
As a singer, songwriter, you know, when you put. When you Line up the singer songwriters of that era, whether it's James Taylor or Jackson Browne or all the people you know, Neil should always be there. You know, Solitary man alone is worth the price of admission. You know that it's a masterpiece, and as are so many of them. So working with Neil is a tremendous pleasure and very exciting. Yeah. The only story I remember particularly is when we were doing the Christmas album, I was always delighted by the fact we were doing. We were doing some. Some Christmas song. I mean, a Christmas Carol, I forget. I can't honestly remember which one. It was Silent Night, let's say. And for the Christmas album, and Neil was listening to a playback at my request. We had to make a decision about something, and he was nodding along and taking a large hit on his joint and. And turned to me and said, isn't this kind of weird? And I went, what do you mean, weird? What's. What's weird? Neil, he said, you know, he said, an atheist producing a Jew singing this song. And I went. I was gonna say, yeah, yeah, it's weird. He went, thought so. Let me. Carried on and finished the record.
- [78:15]
Josh Adam Myers
Yeah, it's like. It's always odd. Like, was. Was there a. I mean, is it. You know, you tell me, because I'm always curious why, you know, knowing that Neil is Jewish, like, was it just the. A cash grab? Because we know that. It's like, you know, because so many artists have made Christmas records, you know, it's not like. I'm not saying we need another one, but obviously we love Neil, so him.
- [78:36]
Peter Asher
Singing anything because it sold incredibly well the first year was. I mean, so the. Yes, there was a need for a Neil Diamond Christmas album. He's exactly who people want to hear, sing those Christmas songs. I guess, you know, as you say, it was an atheist producing a Jew. And. But. But no, Neil was. Was amazing. Yeah.
- [79:00]
Josh Adam Myers
Just incredible.
- [79:01]
Peter Asher
I miss him.
- [79:02]
Josh Adam Myers
What about, you know, maybe 10, 000 maniacs? Natalie Merchant, brilliant, brilliant artist. You know, a big. A big artist from our. From the 90s. What was that experience like? And do you have any great 10,000 Maniacs stories?
- [79:17]
Peter Asher
Well, yeah, she was. I mean, I'm a big Natalie fan. I. I saw her quite recently, you know, because she tours on her own and is breathtaking. The band was an awfully long time ago, though. I know that apparently the. The new 10,000 Maniacs are pretty cool, which I'm told that they're good. I haven't actually seen them, you know, without Natalie, but. But it's. It's. It makes it sound like it's a new thing that they. The new Maniacs have been around for what, 10, 12, 15 years or something. Natalie left so.
- [79:48]
Josh Adam Myers
Yeah.
- [79:48]
Peter Asher
Hard to Hardly fair to make a comparison but there was the first time I'd done a band I think which is very different from hiring studio musicians and telling them what to do. You know they. Because the band. You. You actually are capturing the sound not only of the lead singer but of the band itself and changing the arrangements a bit that the band do. And that was a different experience for me and. And very, very, very enjoyable. I love Natalie's singing but the band were cool as well. I simplified and clarified some of their arrangements I think. Oh wow. But we did a lot of pre production before we. Before we finished the record.
- [80:33]
Josh Adam Myers
What about. We've done. We haven't done any James Taylor records on. On the pod but we. Yeah. Bonnie, you know what was that like? Bonnie is just one of the greatest guitar players. I mean slide guitar players ever. Yeah. You know what was that experience like and how. Because I feel.
- [80:53]
Peter Asher
I'm just disappointed. I. I, you know, I. If the album wasn't a huge success, you know, I was. I was out foxed by Don was on the next record I turned in between or not where he made the. He made exactly the record everybody needed body to make. You know. He was. Did that brilliant record. I'm very jealous of it. But. But no, working with Bonnie was a pleasure and I agree with you that her guitar playing is underrated because.
- [81:19]
Josh Adam Myers
Underrated.
- [81:20]
Peter Asher
So good.
- [81:21]
Josh Adam Myers
Yes.
- [81:22]
Peter Asher
Seeing is so amazing that people put her guitar playing in second place. But she's right up there with great slide guitar players.
- [81:29]
Josh Adam Myers
One of the. Probably one of the best slide guitarists and and was. We've. We've done. I think we did our debut on the. On the pod and then we just did Nick a time and to see like you know especially with her story and. And the music, it's just, you know, made me a much bigger fan and my dad was a huge James Taylor fan which was as many fathers of my dad's age 100 James is so, so popular. You know. What was that like working with him and do you have any great James Taylor stories that you could tell us?
- [82:03]
Peter Asher
Not off the top of my head, no. I mean I. Working with James obviously was an honor and a pleasure for many records. But. No, no no. No specific stories spring to mind. I didn't know our mandate included James Taylor.
- [82:22]
Josh Adam Myers
One album on the list.
- [82:23]
Jeremiah
Sweet Baby James is coming up here a year and a couple months yeah.
- [82:30]
Josh Adam Myers
Sweet Baby James, I think. Yeah, that's the. That's with Fire and Rain and. And the title track, obviously. Yeah. What was that? You know, should we. Shall we. Should we get a little a scoop before we dig into that one years later? Because it's coming up in, what, a year?
- [82:46]
Jeremiah
You said you're in a few months.
- [82:49]
Peter Asher
Yeah, I didn't say that. Probably, I don't know, a long time ago. What. I don't know what. The anniversary of it coming out or what.
- [82:58]
Jeremiah
Just our countdown.
- [82:59]
Josh Adam Myers
Just our countdown on the podcast.
- [83:01]
Peter Asher
Yeah. Okay.
- [83:02]
Josh Adam Myers
Fire and Rain. What was that like working with him on Fire and Rain? I mean, he's probably. I'm assuming he's just writing all of these songs. And when you heard that, did you know that it was going to be as big as it was?
- [83:14]
Peter Asher
No, not necessarily. No. But I love the song. I was super impressed by the song.
- [83:20]
Josh Adam Myers
Yeah. All right, well, I guess we're. We're pretty much done. I mean, we can. We can wrap this up. Peter, this was so much fun to have you on again. I. I can't thank you enough. I. I mean it. And. And we do this with all of our guests, so I want to ask you these questions. I'm trying to clean up some of them, though, out of respect. What's your. And I. I mean, if you want to give him the list. You want to put the list, Jeremiah up. Of the track listing from this. Sure. Yeah. So he can see it. Because the first question. Very easy. And you can, even if it's not one that you had worked on, like, what's your favorite song? Or, you know what?
- [83:55]
Peter Asher
I hate his favorites business. It's always like, what's the best something or other? You know, what's your favorite Beatles song?
- [84:00]
Josh Adam Myers
Whatever.
- [84:00]
Peter Asher
I. I don't know. But what changes every day?
- [84:03]
Josh Adam Myers
What. What would you say? Or how about this? Is maybe. Is this a better way to frame it? Like, what. Out of all. Out of all the songs that are on this list that Jeremiah is putting up. Up. What are you the most proud of having worked on with Linda?
- [84:20]
Peter Asher
I don't know. Blue Bayou, I guess.
- [84:22]
Josh Adam Myers
Why is that?
- [84:24]
Peter Asher
I don't know. I mean, I. I'm proud of all these. I don't know. No, I'm not gonna make a qualitative distinction between all these.
- [84:35]
Josh Adam Myers
Sure.
- [84:35]
Peter Asher
Linda sings them great. And they were all great to make.
- [84:38]
Josh Adam Myers
Guy, you know, but if listening. Okay, well, if listening to this record, is there anything that you would skip over that you're just not, you know, maybe you've You've worked on it too much and you don't want to hear it ever again. Or it's like, well, some of.
- [84:49]
Peter Asher
Some of these I didn't do, of course.
- [84:50]
Josh Adam Myers
Obviously. Yeah.
- [84:52]
Peter Asher
No, I mean, the. They're all pretty good. Sure.
- [84:56]
Jeremiah
So good.
- [84:57]
Josh Adam Myers
All right, this question. Go ahead.
- [84:59]
Peter Asher
There are records I wish I'd made. I mean, Long, Long Time is a great record, but I didn't do it.
- [85:03]
Josh Adam Myers
It.
- [85:04]
Peter Asher
You know, I love that track.
- [85:06]
Josh Adam Myers
I'm going to try to clean this one up. And being that you've worked with her, like, is her music made for people to make love to? Do you think this is a. You could put on her music if you're setting the mood on an anniversary or something like that?
- [85:22]
Peter Asher
Not particularly, I don't think. No. No, I don't think particularly.
- [85:28]
Josh Adam Myers
Okay. And then what would be. How do you sum up Linda Ronstadt? I know this is a bold question. Usually I tell the guests, like, what would be your elevator pitch to get someone to listen to Linda Ronstadt? But how, having worked with her, having. Knowing everything you know about her, how do you. If you're. To someone who's never listened to Linda Ronstadt, what would you say to them to get them to listen to this record?
- [85:49]
Peter Asher
She's a remarkable woman and the finest singer I've ever had the privilege of working with.
- [85:53]
Josh Adam Myers
Perfect.
- [85:53]
Jeremiah
Peter, beautiful.
- [85:55]
Josh Adam Myers
I can't thank you enough for coming on. I think the Fleece army is going to love this. I know my writer, DJ Morty Coyle, was so stoked to work on this. He put a lot of time into it, so I want to thank him for doing that. But I also want to thank you for coming back on. This really was a treat, dude. Really, really enjoy this. You're awesome, and I'm so glad that I got to spend this time with you and go over this record. Really, thank you so much.
- [86:17]
Redemption Song is all I ever had.
- [86:22]
Peter Asher, everybody.
- [86:24]
On Instagram at official Peter. Peter Asher on Facebook, Peter Asher, Official and PeterAsherBook.com for his biography, A Life in music, which is out now. Now for new music. This isn't right. This is not right.
- [86:41]
You got.
- [86:42]
Let's get it on. Still up here.
- [86:43]
I hope this is right.
- [86:45]
So I'm just gonna say it for new music this week, since we just listened to Linda Ronstadt, our new music pick this week, brought to you in.
- [86:53]
Part by Distrokid, is Lucky gift by.
- [86:55]
Margaret Cho, former guest and brilliant comic. And you can find links to the music on our website, the500podcast com and if you were in a band or were directly invisible on these albums or artists and you want your music Featured on the 500 podcast, send your song to 500podcastmail.com make sure you put the album and artists that influenced you in the subject line. Next week, it's Prince Week as we go deep into 1999 from 1982. Do your homework. It's a goodie.
- [87:28]
Linda Ronstadt
Put it down to curl my toes you are such a lucky king Time decision that's between us cats are here just to redeem us I'm happy I exist I became what I resist Thought I'd lose you but I have.
- [88:41]
Peter Asher
The.
- [88:41]
Linda Ronstadt
Worst thing I've been through never happen you are such a lucky king sa fall and I fall and I fall.
- [90:12]
Peter Asher
The 500 keeping it flee see for the fleece nation on the 500.
- [90:28]
Linda Ronstadt
The.
- [90:28]
Peter Asher
500.
- [90:37]
Hey, what's up, you guys?
- [90:38]
Josh Adam Myers
This is Reid Mathis.
- [90:39]
Peter Asher
I made a podcast called the Gifts of Improvise. The gifts of Improvising that's coming out on Osiris. We talked to all your favorite improvisers.
- [90:46]
Josh Adam Myers
Natalie Cressman, Marco Benevento, Tom Hamilton, Aaron.
- [90:50]
Peter Asher
Magner, Holly Bowling, Bill Kreutzman, and Jay Lane. So what, you're doing a podcast? Yeah, doing a podcast. So don't fear if you hear a.
- [91:01]
Jeremiah
Foreign sound to your ear.
- [91:05]
Peter Asher
All we need the gifts of Improvising.
- [91:12]
I
This is Lawrence Lanahan, journalist, musician, and host of Rearranged, an Osiris Media podcast about music arranging. Once a song is written, arrangers make musical decisions that shape how we end up hearing the song. And we're not just talking about adding orchestral accompaniment like horns and strings, or doing a cover version of a song arrangement. Arrangement can be putting happy music over dark lyrics, using samples, recording all acoustic, even tiny decisions like putting an electronic loop into an acoustic song to draw your attention to an important turn of phrase. It's all arranging. Rearranged Episodes are documentary essays where I use arrangements to answer some big questions, like what is a song? And what can a song become? And how can the sound of a song change the meaning you take from it? Listening this way has changed my relationship with music. Tune in to Rearranged and maybe it'll happen for you, too. Learn more@rerangedpodcast.com Osiris.
- [92:23]
Josh Adam Myers
Next Chapter podcasts.