← Tony Mantor's : Almost Live..... Nashville
Tony Mantor's : Almost Live..... Nashville
Rufus Wainwright Shares His Musical Path and Family Legacy
00:25:29
Rufus Wainwright, acclaimed by The New York Times for his genuine originality, shares updates on his diverse musical projects and reflects on his artistic journey spanning pop, classical, and collaborative work. • Currently promoting "Dream Requiem" featuring narrators including Meryl Streep and Jane Fonda • Preparing his second opera "Hadrian" for Italy's Spoleto Festival in June • Scheduled to perform for King Charles of England • Working on his 11th studio album, planning to begin recordi...
Loading summary
Transcript122 lines
- [00:01]
Commercial Announcer
Want to make a difference in your community, but not sure how? Go to GoFundMe.com right now and start a GoFundMe. Seriously. Your next fundraiser doesn't have to start in a school parking lot or a church basement. You can start a GoFundMe today in just minutes. Fundraise for yourself, a friend or family member or an organization. All that matters is that you care about them. GoFundMe is the trusted place to fundraise for what you care about. With no pressure to hit your fundraising goal, but tons of tools to help you reach it, you can confidently start fundraising right now. Whether it's creative, local or critical, your cause matters and there's a reason why GoFundMe is backed by millions and chosen by fundraisers everywhere. It works and it matters. GoFundMe helps you make a real difference. Start your GoFundMe today at gofundme.com that's gofundme.com G O F U N D me dot com this is a commercial message brought to you by GoFundMe.
- [01:14]
Tony Mantor
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 industry professionals. Whether famous stars, our 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, 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 fast, fascinating world of entertainment. Hi, I'm Tony Mantor. Welcome to Almost Live Nashville. Joining us today is Rufus Wainwright. Praised by the New York Times for his genuine originality, Rufus has established himself as one of the great male vocalists and songwriters of his generation. He has collaborated with an array of iconic artists including Elton John, Burt Bacharach, Miley Cyrus, David Byrne, Joni Mitchell, and that's just a few that he's worked with. Celebrated as a contemporary pop singer, Rufus has also made a significant mark in the classical music world. His performances include tributes at the Kennedy center, honors for Billy joel, and a 90th birthday celebration for Tony Bennett at Radio City Music Hall. We're thrilled to have him here to share updates on his career and insights and into what the future holds. Thanks for joining us today, Rufus.
- [02:57]
Rufus Wainwright
No problem.
- [02:58]
Tony Mantor
Well, it's my pleasure to have you here. So if you would give us a little update on what you're currently up to.
- [03:04]
Rufus Wainwright
Oh, God. A lot happening. Well, I composed this thing called Dream Requiem, which is a religious death mass which also contains this wonderful poem by Lord Byron called Darkness Within. It kind of interwoven through it. So it's a mass for a full chorus, an orchestra, a children's choir, so two choirs. But it also has a narrator who narrates the poem. And we did it. It premiered in Paris with Meryl Streep as the narrator. And we recorded that and it's available on Warner Classics. Then we just did it a couple of weeks ago. We did it in LA at Disney hall with Jane Fonda as the narrator. And now we're going to do it in Amsterdam at the Concerto Bow with my friend Carice Van Houten. And then we're doing it in Hamburg with Isabel Huppert as the narrator in August. So I've got that piece going then. They're also doing my second opera, Hadrian, which I composed. They're doing that in Italy at the Spoleto Festival in June. So I've got all this classical stuff. And then I'm singing for the King of England in June as well.
- [04:12]
Tony Mantor
Oh, nice.
- [04:13]
Rufus Wainwright
And I have little concerts here and there, but more on the popular side of things. I'm really gathering and finishing up a bunch of songs for my next pop record, which I'm really excited about getting into the studio and you know, starting in the fall. So I'm just getting ready to go underground a little bit.
- [04:28]
Tony Mantor
Sure, that sounds great. Now, what number album will this be for you that you're going to record?
- [04:34]
Rufus Wainwright
Oh, I think it's the 11th or 12th studio album. I made a bunch of live records as well, but I think it's. I think it's my 11th studio album.
- [04:43]
Tony Mantor
I think that's awesome. So how does it feel starting your 11th album album compared to that very first studio album that you recorded?
- [04:54]
Rufus Wainwright
Well, look, I question. Look, definitely going into my first one was. There's no comparison to the excitement, certainly because I was young. And also I was, you know, DreamWorks at the time was such a massive thing in terms of the music business. No longer is, sadly. But when it began, it was. It was huge. So it was. It was really like a kind of old fashioned Hollywood story of, you know, coming in, flying first class and staying at, you know, hotels and being driven around by limos and stuff. So that was very exciting.
- [05:24]
Tony Mantor
Sure.
- [05:25]
Rufus Wainwright
I would say though that now it's really more about the art and about kind of, you know, my reaching the depths that I've, you know, been attempting to for years musically, and that's probably makes for a better record. Look, I think there's an economy now that is. Maybe it's not as fun as it used to be and as lavish, but funnily enough, the economy, I think, makes for better music because you're. You're just, you know, you really have to be precise and really, you know, really be exacting in terms of what you want to create. So it's. Yeah, it's good, but. And I'm still excited about it, but excited about it for different reasons.
- [06:04]
Tony Mantor
Sure, I get that now. When you go in the studio, like when I produce different people, you assemble the players, you get everything ready, they listen to it, then they start putting their little nuances to it, and all of a sudden it creates a little bit different way than what you anticipated, but a lot of times it can be very good. Does that happen to you much?
- [06:23]
Rufus Wainwright
Oh, yeah. No, I'm. Look, I'm very open and kind of aware of my surroundings. When I. When I make records, I'm always listening for any kind of possible gem that might drop out of anywhere. So. So whether it's, you know, session players or friends or engineers who come in and say this or that, I'm highly attuned to figuring out, looking for that stuff. So, yeah, I mean, I. Look, the other thing too is that, you know, I'd say my first. Really, my first two producers, John Bryan and Pierre Marchand, those two were so tough to work with and so brutal and so kind of. Can I say it? Dictatorial, really, that I though it was a nightmare at the time. I also learned a lot. You know, I learned how to both, you know, stand up for what I believed in and also to be. I don't know, to really fight for what I want to hear. So, I mean, we made great records together, and they're both brilliant musicians, and I wouldn't change it any other way, but it was. It was very much a baptism by fire. And I learned a lot because it was so arduous.
- [07:26]
Tony Mantor
Yeah. So when you're sitting down and you're listening to music that you've done, you're kind of reflecting what stands out to you of the different albums that you've done that you think in your mind shines, even though it might not be the biggest hit record, but it was one of your favorites.
- [07:43]
Rufus Wainwright
Right? Right. Yeah. Look, I love All My Children equally.
- [07:48]
Tony Mantor
Absolutely.
- [07:49]
Rufus Wainwright
So it's hard for me to Pick and choose certain things about certain pieces. But I will say that it's always been important for me to have an album, have a sound, you know, in the sense that each album I've made has a. I wouldn't say so much a concept, but definitely a feel to it. And even though, you know, albums. Certain albums I made weren't necessarily that successful, I think that when. When listening to them again years later, I accomplished what I set out to do, which was to create an atmosphere. And sometimes that atmosphere did not match, you know, what was going on in the world. But I did work to create that place. And that bubble still exists, you know, when I listen to the record, I'm, you know, taken right back there. So there's never been an album that I've made where I'm trying to relate to what's happening in the popular world and that I actually think I dodged a bit of a bullet for. Because God. God knows there's so many artists who have these records that they made when they're trying to, you know, fit into some box, and it just sounds kind of lame. So I never fell for that trap, which was. I wouldn't have been able to anyways. I'm too. I'm too gnarly.
- [08:53]
Tony Mantor
That's good. That's good. Now, add to the fact that you've done all these records and you've done all these performances, you've also been in film. How was that different for you, going into film than going into the music world that you was doing?
- [09:08]
Rufus Wainwright
Well, I mean, I haven't really been in film in the sense that. I mean, I've done a few scenes here and there, and I've had songs in movies, and I know a lot of actors, and if anything, I've more dipped my toe in there and definitely realized that, you know, if I really wanted to do that, I'd have to dedicate 100% of my attention to it. And I haven't chosen to do that yet. I'm not saying I won't.
- [09:31]
Tony Mantor
Sure.
- [09:31]
Rufus Wainwright
Because actually, for a man of my age, 51, there is this kind of interesting kind of. I don't know, I think there is a kind of opening that occurs for older men in film. You know, you can. You can play a villain or you can play some sort of, you know, father or something. It's, you know, it's still a possibility.
- [09:49]
Tony Mantor
Yeah. And you have to allow yourself to evolve into different things. That way. You've tried them and you find out what you like, what you don't like.
- [09:55]
Rufus Wainwright
No, definitely not all the time.
- [09:57]
Tony Mantor
Now, you actually got a chance to do a record with your mother, too, didn't you, one time?
- [10:01]
Rufus Wainwright
Well, I mean, I've worked. I worked a lot with my mother. We made, you know, a Christmas record together when I was quite young. Also, I. She passed Kate McGarrigal, she was a great songwriter. But after she passed, my sister and I did a great record with Joe Boyd of her songs with some other artists and. Yeah, no, I loved working with my mother. My mother, to this day is, in my opinion, the greatest musician I ever met, was my mother. She was just. And a lot of people would agree with me in terms of how she was, because she was pretty brilliant.
- [10:37]
Tony Mantor
Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I mean, that's part of your influence and how you develop and what's around you. I mean, that's a good tribute right there.
- [10:45]
Rufus Wainwright
Yes. No, totally, totally.
- [10:46]
Tony Mantor
Now, you said you've got a record you're going to be doing this fall. Are you going to be doing any touring at all, any performances much this summer, or are you just going to kind of go into the Cave and start working towards this fall?
- [10:58]
Rufus Wainwright
Well, no, I mean, I have. I always have to do certain shows here and there just to, you know, pay the mortgage, so. Or mortgages, I should say.
- [11:07]
Tony Mantor
Yeah.
- [11:07]
Rufus Wainwright
But, you know, I'm really aiming to go into the studio and do that. There are other things happening. I mean, next year and the year after, sort of. It's also the 20th anniversary of my Judy Garland shows that I did many a long time ago. And so I'm going to be doing some shows around that. I also, I've done an album that is going to be released of Kurt Viall songs.
- [11:27]
Tony Mantor
Okay.
- [11:28]
Rufus Wainwright
Big Kurt Weill fan. Yeah, I did that with the Pacific Jazz Orchestra. And then also I wrote this musical called Opening Night, which I'm not, you know, I'm not on the album, but that's a cast recording, so that's. I'll be promoting that a bit. So. So, yeah, no, there's never a dull moment. If anything, I crave for a little dullness.
- [11:48]
Tony Mantor
Yeah, I get that now. You've played Carnegie hall and a lot of really great places.
- [11:53]
Rufus Wainwright
Yes.
- [11:53]
Tony Mantor
So how did that feel when you walk into Carnegie Hall?
- [11:58]
Rufus Wainwright
Yeah, I mean, look, I've done different things at Carnegie hall over the years. You know, the first performance I did was for a Tibet house show, and that was amazing. That was with David Bowie and Philip Glass and all these people many, many years ago. So that was a nice way to start. And then we did family shows that. We did family Christmas shows there for years, which was incredible with Lou Reed and Cyndi Lauper and everybody. And then I did the Judy shows there. And then I also did. I think the concert that was most intense and most satisfying for me is I did this show there called All Days or Nights Songs for Lulu. That was an album of me just at the piano after my mother died. And it's very somber album, and it's just me and the piano singing. And I did that at Carnegie hall. And that was intense to just be alone on stage playing the piano in that particular space.
- [12:53]
Tony Mantor
Absolutely. Now, you've been doing this for a while now. So when you go on stage and you look out at the audience, what does it look like now? Do you find yourself having a wide variety of ages because of the body of work that you've done over the years?
- [13:09]
Rufus Wainwright
Yeah, I mean, I have. Look, I am now benefiting from longevity in the sense that, you know, I think a lot of my. My audience is actually getting younger.
- [13:18]
Tony Mantor
Okay.
- [13:19]
Rufus Wainwright
Finally. Because a lot of the little kids who were brought up out of my music are now, you know, buying tickets.
- [13:24]
Tony Mantor
Yeah.
- [13:25]
Rufus Wainwright
And. And there's even some smaller kids because, you know, that they're, you know, the grandchildren are. Are starting to appear. Because I also had, you know, fans. I have some of my parents fans. Yeah. Now some of their grandkids are coming to my shows and. Because they would, I guess, presumably listen to my records at home.
- [13:43]
Tony Mantor
Right.
- [13:43]
Rufus Wainwright
And also, you know, my version of Hallelujah was a big version for kids.
- [13:47]
Tony Mantor
Right.
- [13:48]
Rufus Wainwright
Because it was on the soundtrack. So those kids are now, you know, in their 20s, and they're coming to see my show. And so, yeah, it's evolving, which is nice. There was a part. There was a section a few years ago where it seemed like it was just getting older and older and more decrepit and kind of and so forth. But now there seems to be a rejuvenation, which is nice. Yeah. Not that I. Not that I don't mind old people, because, I mean, I'm an old person myself.
- [14:10]
Tony Mantor
Sure, sure. There's nothing wrong with that at all. So the average fan that has followed you, they hear all the different music that you've done and everything. What can they expect? What do you think they see when they sit down and you go on stage and you start performing? What's their viewpoint, do you think?
- [14:30]
Rufus Wainwright
Well, I think a lot of people come to me because they also want to hear someone who really knows how to sing.
- [14:36]
Tony Mantor
Okay. Yeah.
- [14:37]
Rufus Wainwright
In the sense That I think maybe this also has to do with my love of opera is that, you know, I've always focused heavily on, like, the technical ability of my voice. I mean, I admire so many singers, like people like Kat Power or Beth Orton or someone like, I don't know, people who can like, sort of create these characters with their voice. Nick Cave, you know, people like that. And it's fascinating and very, very. I'm very impressed by it. For me, it's more been about, you know, what's the highest note I can hit and for how long. And I've really worked hard to train voice into kind of. So it has a sort of athletic quality. So I think people like to hear that. And I've tried to do a bit of the same thing with my piano playing here and there.
- [15:21]
Tony Mantor
Right.
- [15:22]
Rufus Wainwright
Will make it pretty challenging. So, yeah, I guess the audience comes knowing that I. They will see something that I'm. I practiced a lot to do and that I'm not just sort of tossing it off and so. And that's, you know, I just want it to be worth their mission, you know.
- [15:36]
Tony Mantor
Absolutely. I mean, you know, for the longest time, pop singers, they've taken the hit that they're out there for the flash, whereas people like yourself, jazz singers, all that have taken that, they have a more intellectual sound to it.
- [15:50]
Rufus Wainwright
Right.
- [15:50]
Tony Mantor
You find yourself getting that type of crowd to where they're really zoned in and listening to what you're doing more intensely than they would like at a pop concert.
- [16:02]
Rufus Wainwright
Yeah, yeah. No, I mean, you can hear the drop of a pen at my shows. I mean, they're there to listen to the music and to immerse themselves in what I'm trying to do, both artistically and technically on stage. But I also grew up in that tradition. I mean, my. Both my parents were part of the folk rock tradition, where it was about how well you could play your instrument and how agile you were with your singing and so forth, and how you could interpret a song in a really impressive way.
- [16:28]
Tony Mantor
When you have an audience that is that in tune with what you're doing, that must have a nice little feel to it within your comfort zone of what you're doing.
- [16:39]
Rufus Wainwright
Yeah, I know, it feels great. I mean, I can't complain. But it's also. I mean, I'm. I. I won't say that I've gotten used to it necessarily, because it's still. I am amazed at how. How happy I feel after I, you know, get that kind of attention, but I also have come to expect it because as I said, I work very hard and I practice a lot. And so if I go and they're not paying attention, it's like I'll just get up and leave because it's just not worth the trouble unless they're paying me a lot of money.
- [17:06]
Tony Mantor
Yeah, yeah, I get it. So with everything that you've done, what's. What's on the bucket list? What do you want to do that you might not done yet?
- [17:16]
Rufus Wainwright
Well, I mean, I. I'd like to make a French record. You know, I grew up in Quebec and I speak French and I love to sing in French, so I'd love to make a French record. Has been on my bucket list for many, many years. My mother and aunt made some fantastic French records, so I'd like to continue that tradition. I'd also love to take a few more shots at the musical theater world. My first musical, Opening Night, though the songs are great, and we are releasing the cast recording was. It wasn't a big hit, shall we say, in the West End of London, but that's, you know, that's the way it usually goes. So I'd like to take another crack at that with another piece. I'd also like to continue working with my family. I love to make a record with my sister, Martha Wainwright, because she's pretty amazing. And. Yeah. So stuff like that. Those are pretty good things.
- [18:01]
Tony Mantor
When you're just sitting around, taking a break, listening to different things, what makes you happy? I mean, what. What makes you sit back and either you're reflecting on different things and you can just look and say, you know, with everything that I've done, things aren't bad at all.
- [18:16]
Rufus Wainwright
Well, I have. I have a wonderful family, first of all. I mean, I have a great husband. We've been together for, you know, 19 years. I have a beautiful daughter. She's. She's 14 and she's, you know, in good health and really cheerful. We live in, you know, a nice house in California and where it's. Where it's usually sunny. I mean, there's darker forces, obviously, but I have a lot to be thankful for. I am someone who was able to stop and kind of smell the roses occasionally in terms of my blessings. Whether I can actually enjoy the roses and look at the roses and hang out, be with the roses, that's another question. But I know how to appreciate that.
- [19:02]
Tony Mantor
Yeah, you kind of have to take that break every now and then, because when you're young, you're out there, you know, hustling, bustling, trying to get Trying to get that next big show, trying to get that big record. Then you finally get to a point where everything seems to be going smooth, everything's going good. What gets to the point now where you've done so many things, but you still can reflect back on the fact that you still hungry for stuff, but you really want to go at it, but you go out in a different direction. How do you approach that?
- [19:33]
Rufus Wainwright
Well, I mean, you. Basically, for me, it has to be totally instinctual. And I have no. I mean, yes, there are certain philosophies or, you know, ideas that I might want to, you know, ponder and toy with, but in the end of the day, it's what my heart is telling me to do. And, I mean, I've had so many experiences where I'll go into the studio and I'll be like, oh, I want. I need to write a pop song. I need to create something that's going to be pop popular and that's going to make me a lot of money. And then I. And then I do the song and it's this, you know, operatic aria that is, you know, completely never going to be played on the radio. So. So I. So I just. I think after a while, I just sort of surrendered to where my heart was taking me. So. Yeah, so it's. I think it's just an instinctual, animalistic urge that, that artistically you just have to. To follow.
- [20:24]
Tony Mantor
Do you feel. I know I've talked with different people and I've been around people, you know, pretty much my whole life here in Nashville, that. That have reached accolades and everything. Is there any time that you feel like you can look back and look at all your accomplishments, but yet you still feel like you've got more that you can do?
- [20:42]
Rufus Wainwright
Yes. I mean, I. Well, not to be, you know, I'm not going to say bitchy, but sort of a little bit, you know, resentful, is that. I mean, there are times when I feel like financially I could have gotten more money, you know, paid more for what I did and so forth, because it is. I think that's only because, you know, there are people I know in the industry, friends of mine, who have been so successful that it's just mind boggling. And I do get a little bit jealous of that sometimes and a little bit, you know, grass is greener on the other side.
- [21:17]
Tony Mantor
True, but it's not always as good as what people think it is.
- [21:20]
Rufus Wainwright
I really step back and I stop and I think, like, do you really want to be burdened with that type of fame and that type of kind of, I don't know, just the craziness of that and not have, you know, a lot of those people don't have their own lives anymore and they become. They become industries in and of themselves. There's a real burden to that. So I think when I actually stop and think about it, I'm like, oh, no, it's fine just where you are. But I do have moments of jealousy where I was making more money and I was more famous and, yeah, I.
- [21:46]
Tony Mantor
Think we all have that. But if you roll back the clock to, like, when Elvis was alive, he couldn't go to a movie theater without having to buy out the whole theater.
- [21:57]
Rufus Wainwright
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- [21:59]
Tony Mantor
Now you Fast forward to 2025.
- [22:02]
Rufus Wainwright
Yeah.
- [22:03]
Tony Mantor
Now it's even worse for some of these bigger stars because you've got all the social media out there.
- [22:09]
Rufus Wainwright
Yes.
- [22:09]
Tony Mantor
Has that affected you? The social media?
- [22:13]
Rufus Wainwright
Yeah, I mean, I'm affected by it. I. Look, you have to play the game.
- [22:18]
Tony Mantor
Yeah.
- [22:18]
Rufus Wainwright
You know, it's annoying. By no means does it, you know, dictate my career, but it has become a factor and it is. I don't know, it's just here to stay. So at this point, you just have to accept it and work with it however you can. And look, I've made friends over social media. I've sold, you know, sold more tickets and so forth with the help of social media. So it's been helpful. But if I was to ever, you know, really succumb to that whole. To that fast lane of, you know, just totally dedicating yourself to that world. I know. I do think it's soulless. I do think it's evil. And. And I don't want to go anywhere. If I had my choice, I wouldn't go anywhere near it. But that. That's not the possibility anymore, sadly.
- [23:00]
Tony Mantor
Yeah, it's. It's. Unfortunately, it's our life. We have to put things out there.
- [23:05]
Rufus Wainwright
Yeah.
- [23:05]
Tony Mantor
The more people see it, the more opportunity you have of doing other things.
- [23:09]
Rufus Wainwright
Yeah, yeah.
- [23:10]
Tony Mantor
So what would you like people to know about you and what you're doing that they might not know, to give them some insight? So they'll check you out and follow you to see what you're doing in the future.
- [23:24]
Rufus Wainwright
Well, one of the reasons I'm going to sing for the King is that I'm doing the songs. The King of England, King Charles, is that he has this thing called the Royal Drawing Academy. So it's an art exhibit, and I actually have two drawings there that are being exhibited and Ever since COVID I've really started up my drawing again.
- [23:44]
Tony Mantor
Nice.
- [23:45]
Rufus Wainwright
And I actually went to art school many, many years ago in Montreal.
- [23:48]
Tony Mantor
Okay.
- [23:48]
Rufus Wainwright
So that's. That's sort of an aspect of my life which has become quite important.
- [23:52]
Tony Mantor
Sure.
- [23:53]
Rufus Wainwright
So, yeah, visual arts. And I think, you know, just being. I don't know. I mean, I. You know, I just. I think being a decent dad is really important.
- [24:03]
Tony Mantor
It is.
- [24:03]
Rufus Wainwright
Or it's something that I've worked very hard to do, and that isn't so easy when you're touring musicians.
- [24:09]
Tony Mantor
Absolutely.
- [24:10]
Rufus Wainwright
So there's that. And, yeah, we'd have to sort of save the planet as well.
- [24:14]
Tony Mantor
Yeah, that's true. That's true. I mean, I can definitely appreciate what you just said, because when I was a recording singing songwriter and I was on tour, I was working with Gary Paxton, which was the lead singer of the Argyles.
- [24:27]
Rufus Wainwright
Right, right.
- [24:29]
Tony Mantor
And then Bob Millsap, they offered me the opportunity to come here in Nashville and get into doing what they were doing, which was production development. So one thing they said, well, you know, you can get off the road. You don't have to kill yourself. The one thing that made me do that. Gary walked in the studio one time, and we were doing a session, and one of the session players came up to him and said, man, I saw your son yesterday. This was before cell phones and all that. And he goes, oh, I didn't realize he was in town. I'll have to give him a call. Gary was so busy touring, he didn't get a chance to see his son grow up.
- [25:00]
Rufus Wainwright
Yeah, yeah, I know. It's. Yeah, I know it's pretty bad.
- [25:03]
Tony Mantor
And that made the decision for me because I had two sons at the time, and I'm going, you know, I'm going to be able to go to their soccer games, their baseball games. So I moved here so I didn't have to be on the road all the time. So I can appreciate what you just said.
- [25:15]
Rufus Wainwright
Yeah, it's not very much so. Very much so.
- [25:17]
Tony Mantor
You know, you can be on the road, you can do everything you're doing, but when it comes right down to the brass tax of it all, family gives it.
- [25:24]
Rufus Wainwright
Yeah, no, totally, totally, totally. Luckily for me, I'm fortunate because a lot of they perform music, so I can also do shows with them and stuff. So we can kind of do a little bit of both. But. But. But. Yes, but being a dad is. Requires you to be at home. Yeah, yeah.
- [25:39]
Tony Mantor
The beauty of it, now I get to see my kids and. And my grandkids. Now playing soccer and softball and all that, and it's just. You can't beat it.
- [25:47]
Rufus Wainwright
You can't beat it now.
- [25:48]
Tony Mantor
Yeah. Well, you know, this has been great. I really appreciate you taking the time to come on.
- [25:53]
Rufus Wainwright
Oh, no, no. No problem. This is great. Thanks for. Thanks for having me.
- [25:56]
Tony Mantor
Oh, it's been my pleasure.
- [25:58]
Rufus Wainwright
Wonderful. Well, thank you so much.
- [26:00]
Tony Mantor
Thank. 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 dot com.
- [26:29]
Commercial Announcer
I don't mean to interrupt your meal.
- [26:30]
Rufus Wainwright
But I saw you from across a cafe and you're the Geico Gecko, right? In the flesh. Oh, my goodness. This is huge.
- [26:36]
Tony Mantor
To finally meet you.
- [26:37]
Rufus Wainwright
I love Geico's Faster Friendly claim service. Well, that's how Geico gets 97 customer satisfaction.
- [26:43]
Tony Mantor
Anyway, that's all.
- [26:44]
Commercial Announcer
Enjoy the rest of your food.
- [26:45]
Rufus Wainwright
No worries. So are you just gonna watch me eat? Oh, sorry. Just a little starstruck.
- [26:51]
Tony Mantor
I'll be on my way.
- [26:53]
Rufus Wainwright
If you're gonna stick around, just pull up a chair. You're the best.
- [26:56]
Commercial Announcer
Get more than just savings. Get more with Geico.