← Tony Mantor's : Almost Live..... Nashville
Tony Mantor's : Almost Live..... Nashville
Fred Mollin: A Lifetime in sound from Sometimes When We Touch to Soundtracks and more
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- [00:00]
A
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B
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C
My career in the entertainment industry has enabled me to work with a diverse range of talent. Through my years of experience, I've recognized two essential aspects. Industry professionals, whether famous stars or behind the scenes staff, have fascinating stories to tell. Secondly, audiences are eager to listen to these stories which offer a glimpse into their lives and the evolution of their life stories. This podcast aims to share these narratives and providing information on how they evolved into their chosen career. We will delve into their journey to stardom, discuss their struggles and successes, and hear from people who help them achieve their goals. Get ready for intriguing behind the scenes stories and insights into the fascinating world of entertainment. Hi, I'm Tony Mantour. Welcome to Almost Live Nashville. Joining us today is Fred Mullen, songwriter, producer and someone who's had a quiet but huge impact on the music industry. His very first production was Sometimes When We Touch, which is pretty incredible when you think about it. One of the most powerful and emotional songs ever written and he did it right out of the gate. We will be talking about his career, the music and the projects along the way, the moments that stayed with him, the memories that end up shaping who you are and in this case, turning into songs that last a lifetime. Plus, we'll talk about his book Unplugged, which pulls the curtain back on all of it. The studio, the stories, and what happens when you strip things down to what really matters. We'll also talk about what he's working on now and where his creative focus is today. He has a tremendous story. So before we dive into our episode, we'll be back with an uninterrupted show right after a word from our sponsors. Thanks for coming on.
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B
Oh, yeah, no. First of all, I'm, you know, again, I'm sorry, sorry we couldn't make it earlier, but, you know, good things come to those who wait, so.
- [03:27]
C
Absolutely. I really appreciate you coming on to kick it off. Let's give everybody an update on what you're doing now.
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B
Well, you know, at the moment, I'm in the middle of yet another Jimmy Webb album. And I've been working with Jimmy since 1978. He is my longest running client and my dear pal and part of my family. So this is the first Jimmy Webb album that we've done in many years where it's new material and unheard material. It's really quite historic because obviously Jimmy's considered one of the greatest songwriters that ever walked the planet. And there's some great songs. We've tracked the album now we're just waiting for Jimmy's schedule to do the vocals. And then I have another project that's happening, but I can't tell you about it. I actually had to sign a letter of, you know, to shut my mouth up, but it's a big one.
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C
Okay, well, I guess we'll just have to wait till you can open your mouth and tell us. Until then. I understand that you've written a book.
- [04:16]
B
Yes.
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C
Well, let's dive into that a little.
- [04:18]
B
Absolutely.
- [04:19]
C
Okay, let's dig into this. How long did it take you to put it together and once you decided to do it, what was the process for you? What did that look like?
- [04:29]
B
Well, I mean, I laughed because I didn't really ever want to write a book. In particular, I started to realize I'm going to forget a lot of my favorite behind the scenes stories of all the records I've produced, films I've done and everything else because my life in music has been sort of wondrous and great. Didn't want to forget stuff. So about four years ago, I started to do my little beach walks in the summer when I'd be on Martha's Vineyard, do my little walk and I Would talk into my phone and dictate it into the notes section. And then I'd get back to our place and then I would look at it and then I'd make corrections and whatever. But it was definitely me talking the stories before I would forget them. And I had about 20 in a row that I liked. And I said to myself, I think I can write a book. That was the biggest mistake I ever made, but that meant I probably had to go through with it. So it really was done over the course of about four years of doing a lot of that stuff, talking into the phone and then, you know, doing the editing afterwards. I think maybe the past year and a half. It came out in May, so I would say, you know, at least a year before May, it was a full time occupation. I didn't have a ghostwriter. I wrote it myself and it's called Unplugged. And it's quite a great sort of behind the scenes look into a lot of great, wonderful people that I've worked with and projects we've done and the projects I've done.
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C
That's definitely a great journey. You actually answered one of my questions and that was, did you have a ghostwriter? I don't believe I would be able to do it because I would forget so many different things. How did you remember everything that you put into the book? I think that must have been difficult.
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B
Well, I think the reason I was able to come back and get those particular things where you'd be forgetful. It took a while to make this book. So eventually I'd remember, oh, you know, I've got to write this chapter, got to talk about this thing. If I had written it over the course of six months, I'm sure I would have left out stuff. And as it is, of course I left out a lot of stuff. Stuff that I needed to leave out. But at the same time, it's hard. Yeah, I mean, listen, I keep on telling people this is my first book and my last. There's not a chance I'll write another because it just, it took a long time, you know, the journey of writing a book, and especially a memoir. And by the way, it's much more about a memoir of my life in music. Not really my life. I talk about some personal things because you have to in the book, but really it's about the stories behind the scenes. I think the hardest part of writing a book is the follow through and all the stuff you have to do afterwards. I mean, just like it took a month just to organize the Photos that was dreary, you know, and then it took another four or five months for me to keep reading and over reading and over reading to make sure there were no mistakes. Even still to this day, you won't find any spelling mistakes in the entire book. But there's still a couple of commas missing, probably, and some other stuff. But I'm sort of used to being a record producer and music arena, and certainly it is my first rodeo to have written a book.
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C
I'm curious, did you look at things differently once the book was completed? This way you get to look at it, read it and go through it. What kind of emotions went through your mind after it was done and finished?
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B
You know, there were certain parts of the book that certainly were easier to deal with than others. I mean, 90% of the book is a very joyful life in music. And so it really didn't really trigger a lot of that. But there's about, you know, a good 10% of the book. You know, I had to be very, very transparent emotionally about things that occurred, and those were hard. Yeah.
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C
Without giving anything away and making in such a way that you'll intrigue people and they want to buy the book. Can you give us a little insight on a couple of highlights that were good memories for you?
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B
Well, I, you know, there's. There's a lot. I mean, I think, you know, it's funny. The book starts, there's a great author. Joel Seldon was one of the great rock biographers and journalists. He sort of mentored me over the past couple of years, and we became great pals. And so I gave him a copy of the book when it was almost, you know, not done, but pretty well together. The first thing he said is, he said, you got to make the Sometimes When We Touch chapter. That's got to be the first chapter. And I said, why? He said, well, he's. Because it was your biggest hit. Draw the audience in, make that the first chapter, and then start from the beginning after that, you know. And so the book starts with the making of the record Sometimes When We Touch, which I produced when I was 22, co produced with Matt Bacaui and Dan Hill, the artist. It was done in Toronto in 1977, since 74. Matt and I had become producers in Toronto at a very early age. And our third album with Dan Hill was the one that had some times when we touch on it and the story behind that song and the story behind how we got through the recording, which was quite an adventure, and how it became this Humongous hit, which to this day is, I guess, one of the most played records in the history of radio. It's a good story. I think that particular way to start the book was a good way to start the book. It's a good adventure behind the scenes of making a record that most people know.
- [09:14]
C
Yeah, that makes great sense, especially where the song was such a big hit and it had stood the test of time.
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B
Yeah, we didn't think it would stand the test of time, but we actually thought it would be a smash hit. And that's why the pressure was so stupid.
- [09:28]
C
Now that the book is finished, people can see the full body of your work. Every hit you've produced, all the people you've collaborated with, what reflections or emotions come up for you when you look back on it all.
- [09:43]
B
I think why it was so helpful to me is I think that writing the book gave me a sense that I made a difference. People behind the scenes, you know, we don't get a lot of applause, which is fine. I mean, I've always maintained that the only time in my life, in general, that I'm selfless is when I'm working with an artist and producing them. And the rest of my life, probably not so much. And my kids would tell you not so much. But I certainly like the fact that the book sort of. I hate to say it, but it gave me some importance at the same time. I don't want to say that it swelled my head, because it didn't, you know, but I think that the journey of working with so many amazing people and such iconic people and, you know, to have this wonderful life in music that I always dreamed about when I was a kid, and the fact that it came true and the fact that I could write a book about it and make people laugh a lot. There's a lot of good reasons to laugh during the book. I think that. Yeah, I just think the overall gravity that I've had this life and continue to have this life is just the main beauty that came out of the book for me. It gave me a sense of purpose and a legacy that I'm proud of.
- [10:45]
C
Yeah. And in the end, it doesn't matter what a person does. They want to leave that legacy that they did make a difference. The footprints they leave in the sand can stand the test of time.
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B
Absolutely. I wish that for all of us.
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C
Yeah, absolutely. Now that you've written it, it's completed, it's out there for people to see. You've had some peers that have made some very complimentary Comments about the book that not only says that you did do what you just said, which is you made a difference, but other people are seeing the differences that you've made. It's got to give you a sense of pride, one that you've got the accomplishments. And the beauty of it is there's no ego in that pride. It's just pride for everything that you've done and accomplished.
- [11:33]
B
Very much so, you know, and really about the accomplishment, first of all, there's a huge accomplishment that I've always considered because I'm a big book hound. I read about two books a week and have a huge library. And so to me, writing a book is a great accomplishment. I still don't feel I'm an author. I think I'm a musician who wrote a book. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So. But to me, authors are a little higher up. Anyway, bottom line is, is that, yes, I. I feel like there's been a great number of people that I have such high regard for in my life, whether they're people in our. The public world or people in other. Other parts of what we do who have loved the book and have really reached out to me and said, oh, my God, I just have. I just loved your book. Like, someone, like, it runs the gamut from people like Rick Dees is one of the great, you know, historic DJs and has a DJ empire. And he wrote me a beautiful handwritten letter that came in the mail, and I never met him before, and I just, you know, was it the most beautiful letter saying he just thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. And then, since then, we've actually been having lunches here in LA and having a lot of fun, but he just loved the book. I don't know why it touched him so much or why it meant so much to him. You know, there's also people like Mark Cohn, who wrote Walking in Memphis, and one of the great singer songwriters and someone I've worked with a couple times. But, you know, Mark just called me and said, fred, your book killed me. And I'm like, well, that's beautiful. And there's a few people on the back of the book who were kind enough to read the book and then write some beautiful. About the book.
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C
Yeah, that's great. Now, with everything that you've done, the accomplishments, the hit records, the people that you've been around, what's on your bucket list? What is still there that you want to do?
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B
Well, you know, it's funny, I think I've been asked this a bit. And I actually have generally stumbled now I'm getting better because I can answer it better. I think as a record producer and music arranger, there are people who are on my bucket list to produce. Certainly Bob Dylan, certainly Paul McCartney, certainly. Even though I know he's not in good health. Elton John, certainly. Billy Joel was also not in good health. James Taylor. I love Justin Curry from the band Del Dimitri and we become friends and I've worked with him on duets. But I'd love to produce an album with Justin and I'd love to produce an album with Mark. Colin. I'd love to produce an album with Gabriel Kahan, who's a wonderful artist, originally out of New York and la and now he's living and running the symphony in, I think in Portland. But he's one of the great artists I've ever heard. And yeah, I have a lot of people on the list. Some of them I've worked with in situations where I've produced a duet using them. But I'd like to make a full on album or two with these folks. That's my bucket list for artists. Yeah.
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C
Yeah. Those are all great names. What a great bucket list that would be to do. Now let's take it away from music a little bit. Let's take it to your personal life. Something that you haven't done that you just might like to do.
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B
Well, I think there's definitely been so many years, Tony, where I've been, you know, I just wouldn't go anywhere because I just slammed all the time. So now it's like, yeah, this year we want to go to. We can do some time in Europe. My son lives in Tokyo. Been there three times. I'd like to go again. So there's travel for sure, in between the projects. I would love to be able to travel more, although I still love working most of all. As long as I'm busy, I guess I'm good personally and emotionally. As far as bucket list stuff goes. Certain places I want to travel to and also just, you know, I think there's a strategy here. I'm 72, you know, and I've been making music professionally since I was 16 and producing records since I was 18. I think that there's probably, you know, as a musician first, I always want to play more.
- [15:00]
C
I totally get that. I ask this a lot to several different people. Your situation is a little bit different. You had some big records right out of the gate.
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B
Yeah.
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C
If you were to go back and tell your younger self, hey, watch out for this, don't do this, what would you tell your younger self?
- [15:17]
B
Well, I think I just, you know, I don't know if I would have told myself anything in a broad way. I think I did the best I could, but there's times in my life that, you know, of course everyone has some sort of regrets or things they could have done differently. I can bring up one because again, the overall is that we're just not perfect people. So of course we go, wish I had done this differently or wish I had done that in my career in music, you know. Very soon after we had the hit with Sometimes We Touch, Clive Davis took Matt and I and moved us to LA and really got the first class treatment. We were producing an album. This was 78, so I was just turning 25. We were producing an album for Randy Edelman and Randy was a singer songwriter who hadn't had a lot of success, but he had written one Barry Manilow song, which is why Clive signed him. We were making this record and it was enjoyable to make the record. We were making it for Clive. And in the middle of it, my wife and I were in the Chateau Marmont hotel, which is where they put us up, which was glorious. And I got a really early morning phone call from Clive. And again, I'm only turning 25. And as much as I felt I was a show business veteran, I really was, you know, I was still a very sensitive kid. He called and he said, fred, I've got great news for you. He said, I have a smash hit for you and Matt to produce. And I said, oh, my God, that's great. I said, tell me about it. And he, well, it's Melissa Manchester. I already was a big fan of hers. I have the song that's going to make her a number one record. I said, well, this is wonderful. And he said, you've got to stop Randy's album. And you got to go right to this point. You call Melissa and get in the studio right away. And I really was so innocent that I just simply said to Clive, oh, okay, well, you know, would you call Randy and let him know this is postponed or should I do that? You know, I just want to let him know that we'll come back to the album once we're done with this single. He just said, you don't get it. And he hung up on me and he called Harry Maslin and had him produce the record.
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C
Wow, that was brutal.
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B
And all I did was what I felt was a really humane thing to do. He's a sensitive artist. Can we just Call him and say, hey, we're postponed. But Clyde was like, you know, just drop everything. And that really, really taught me a lesson, which is again, you know, a critical life lesson, which is, in business, if you're in with somebody and you're working for them, you really have to do what they tell you to do. And if you don't want to do it, then don't move. I sort of regret that I didn't just say, okay, Clyde, let's do it, you know, and let the chips fall where they may. But at the same time, I really felt good about the fact that, you know, I wasn't to show business print.
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C
Yeah, I like that. I've been around situations just like that where ethics, they weren't in the forefront of everything, and they definitely should have been. No matter what you do or how successful you become in life, if you do things that you don't feel good about, then sooner or later that karma will come around and it will bite you.
- [17:58]
B
100%, you know, amen. I think the book actually does have a constant sort of humanity and a conscience. I never regretted that. But I did learn lessons. You know, you learn lessons in business, especially. It's called show business. It's not show art.
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C
That's right. 100%. I've had to tell artists that I work with that this is the music business. It's not just doing music.
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B
Exactly.
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C
I think what you did was the right thing because you went with the way that you would want to be treated, and ultimately it worked out fine.
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B
Yeah, I like myself better. But certainly back then, I would have been delighted to have produced what turned out to be Don't Cry Out Loud, which was a big hit. Melissa.
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C
Yeah, that was a great song. No doubt. I'm sure you've ran into this situation where you didn't get something. You kind of wonder why. Then you found out a little bit later why you didn't get it. Then you take a deep breath because it worked out just fine that you didn't get it.
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B
Well, I mean, there's always a lot of truth to one door closes and another door opens. But certainly, as true as it is, probably isn't true, but it's a good thing to lean on, you know?
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C
I think so. I think that's a very good outlook in life. So what else is going on in 2026? You say you've got an album to do. You've got this mysterious project that's coming up. What else is on the horizon, really, right now?
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B
As far as I Can see this new project has signed me up to being non disclosure situation. Between that and finishing Jimmy's album, I'm sort of book solid for the next three or four months. At the same time, I'm also open to squeezing things in. I love being busy and there's a couple of new artists and a couple of projects that I've been in discussion with that could happen and frankly may happen right in the middle of these other two. But certainly right now I have these two to focus on.
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C
All the recording that you've done, are you still developing and recording new singers as well?
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B
I'm not really developing anyone. I don't have the stomach for it anymore. Never did a lot of that, you know, never wanted to be sort of deeply involved in sort of the almost managerial, you know, overseeing of someone that's certainly not me. I'm a musician first. So I think the thing that I love most and that I feel again if I can make music, you know, until the day they put me under, that's really the way I want to go. I just love that part of it. But as far as, you know, developing artists, I love working with great, iconic, legendary people. And I also really love working with young artists who need more in the studio, more mentoring. That's delightful for me. Leave the business and development out of the piece for me. I'm not a manager, never have been good at it. I'm really someone who is there to help you make a good record.
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C
Yeah, that's good. Nothing wrong with that. You look back on your life now. I read that your parents, when they found out that you decided to do music, that if they told any of their friends that you were doing music, it was almost like telling them that you had died. So now I see you're laughing, so that's really good. So tell me the little story behind that, if you would.
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B
Well, you know, I'm glad you read that in the book. You know, I quit school when I was 16 and I grew up in quite a lovely area of Long Island. And back in 1969, when I turned 16, you know, was a time that if you wanted to leave school in my neighborhood, it was very surprising you don't drop out and secondly drop out to become a musician back in 69, everyone thought then you'd be like a washed up drug addict or something, which probably was far off from the truth for some people.
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C
True.
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B
But it wasn't my story. But I did feel, you know, first of all, I had two great parents. My mom especially was really The Wind Beneath My Wings. And she really was very encouraging. My father was. You know, he was encouraging, but he had a little more of a seriousness about it. But they both. They. They saw it coming. You know, they. They saw that I was probably going to have to be a musician because they saw me being so musical. I don't think they wanted me to quit school, but once I said I have to to get going, they were 100% behind me, probably wanting to get rid of me. I think on some level, since I was the last kid, probably they were tired. But I can tell you that in the book, I do relay a story that I remembered so clearly, that we were outside of our house in Merrick, Long island, and I had just quit school, and a neighbor was talking to my mother. And I was near the car, and they were on the sidewalk, but I could hear the conversation. And I heard the neighbor say to my mother, oh, Peg, we're so sorry about Fred. And I was like, that's horrible. I'm thinking of myself, you know, I said, what am I, like, going to the circus? I'm quick to go to the circus or the freak show or, you know, am I dead? But the way she had this grave. We're so sorry about Fred. And my mother was great. She just said, oh, no, he'll be great. He's really a really talented musician.
- [22:42]
C
Yeah. And it turned out you was. I love it. That's just a great story. What do you think is important that the listeners hear to kind of summarize what you're all about and what you're doing?
- [22:56]
B
Well, I think the best sort of expression is that I've had a life in music. I think a life in music is an honorable life. I think music is the international language. It is clearly defined as something that raises your endorphin level. It comforts you, it brings joy to you, it makes you want to move. So to be able to say, I've been a musician and had a life in music all my life, both as a TV and film score and composer, and also as a record producer and arranger since I was 19. I'm 72 now, and I'm thinking that a life in music really for me was a blessing. You know, I mean, there really wasn't ever a knock on wood. There was never a bad year. I look at my career and there were so few bad projects, like maybe two that were literally, you know, out of all the things I've done, were not fun. I mean, hell of a good long run. And so I Think again. It's about a life in music and how if you have the ability musically, even in this day and age when things are so much tougher, with the technology that makes it so much tougher and the way that the models are different now. I still encourage people when they come to me and they say, you know, I really want to do this. I really want to be a singer songwriter, or I really want to be a recording engineer, or I really want to be a record producer. I just say, listen, I said, if this is the only thing you can do, and it's the only thing that truly brings you joy and purpose, you have to follow this. You have to do it, and no matter how hard it is, it's going to bring joy to you. There is joy that you get from music, and when you make music, there's joy you give.
- [24:30]
C
Yes, absolutely. And the joy is that music that you put out can change a person's life. They can change the way they feel. It can take them back decades.
- [24:42]
B
One song.
- [24:43]
C
Yeah. Music has the ability to do wonderful things. Like you said, it's international.
- [24:49]
B
It's the universal language. And it certainly has done such good things for me and my family and my friends. And to all the strangers who love the music that I've been involved with, I'm just so grateful.
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C
Yeah, it's always nice to be able to reflect on a career and look at so many positives and how it changed not only your life, but others as well. So it's been great. Now, how do people find you? How do they get more information about what you're doing?
- [25:16]
B
People can go to the website, by the way, for the book. Just fredmullen unplugged.com they can go to that website and then the publisher sends me the book and I sign it and inscribe it to whoever gets it through the website. It's also available, of course, you know, Barnes and Noble or Amazon or whatever.
- [25:32]
C
Yeah, that's great. This way they can follow you, find out more about you, buy the book, read it, and then, of course, find out more about you because of what you've written. So that's awesome. And this has been awesome. Great information, great conversation. I really appreciate you taking the time to join us today.
- [25:50]
B
You know, I'm just very grateful to have the conversation today. Thank you.
- [25:54]
C
Oh, it's been my pleasure. Thanks again. Thanks for joining us today. We hope you enjoyed the show. This has been a Tony Mantour production. For more information, contact media plateau music.com.
- [26:24]
A
We're lost. I'm going to pull over and ask that man for directions. Hi there. We're looking to get to the campground.
- [26:31]
C
Well, you're going to take a left at the old oak tree end of this here road. No, I'm just kidding. Let me get my phone out.
- [26:37]
A
How are you getting a signal out here?
- [26:38]
C
T Mobile and US Cellular decided to merge. So the network out here is huge. We're getting the same great signal as the city and saving a boatload with all the benefits. Oh, and a five year price guarantee. Okay, here's those directions.
- [26:50]
A
Actually, can you point us in the direction of a T Mobile store?
- [26:53]
B
America's best network just got bigger. Switch to T Mobile today and get built in benefits the other guys leave out. Plus our five year price guarantee. And now T Mobile is available in US Cellular stores.
- [27:09]
C
Best mobile network Based on analysis by Ookle of Speedtest Intelligence data at 2H2025 bigger network. The combination of T Mobile's and US Cellular's network footprints will enhance the T Mobile network's coverage price guarantee on talk,
- [27:19]
B
text and data exclusions like taxes and fees apply. See t mobile.com for details.
- [27:25]
C
If you like the show, please take a moment to rate, review and subscribe. It really does help the show to grow. Thank you for listening.