Rolling Stone interview collection Unknown Legends options long-form conversations between senior author Andy Greene and veteran musicians who’ve toured and recorded alongside icons for years, if not many years. All are famend within the enterprise, however some are much less well-known to most of the people. Right here, these artists inform their full tales, giving an up-close have a look at life on music’s An inventory. This version options pianist Alan Pasqua.
When Bob Dylan entered the recording studio in early 2020 to chop his 17-minute epic “Homicide Most Foul,” he might have phoned up most any pianist on the planet to play on it. However he opted for Alan Pasqua, a professor of jazz research at USC with an extended historical past of recording credit, together with Dylan’s 1978 LP Avenue Authorized and the accompanying 114-date world tour.
“He handed me a stack of lyrics,” Pasqua recollects over Zoom from his dwelling in L.A. “I’m studying by means of it and he’s speaking about Hen [Charlie Parker] and Bud Powell, along with the whole lot about JFK. I’m him like, ‘What?’ Then we began enjoying it and it’s all free time. At a second like that, I needed to be simply be targeted on his vocal, what he wrote. I don’t need to play the fallacious chord. It’s an intuitive course of at that time.”
Years of expertise working with everybody from jazz greats like Tony Williams and Peter Erskine to pop and rock icons like Eddie Cash, Carlos Santana, Rick Springfield, and Pat Benatar ready him for this second. “Folks say to me, ‘How are you going to play all these completely different types of music?” Pasqua says. “The one factor I’m not likely good at is enjoying nation music. When you play what’s in entrance of you, and pay respect to the composer and the custom of the music, you’ve an opportunity to have a lifetime in music.”
Pasqua’s lifetime in music started in Roselle Park, New Jersey, about 20 miles from New York Metropolis. His father was a bass participant, and he began enjoying piano on the age of six after watching his older brother Michael take classes. He first encountered jazz a pair years later when his household took a visit to Atlantic Metropolis. “We walked into the Metal Pier and Buddy Wealthy’s Huge Band was enjoying,” he says. “A giant band was like standing in entrance of a firing squad, and that was the primary time I heard something stay. That was my first ‘Oh my God, that is so cool’ second.”
He started amassing jazz information by Oscar Peterson, and André Previn with Shelly Manne. “The report that just about modified my life was the long-lasting Jazz Monitor by Miles Davis,” he says. “That’s the place I heard [pianist] Invoice Evans and [John] Coltrane for the primary time. That modified the whole lot.”
On the similar time, Pasqua was listening to the Byrds, Led Zeppelin, Spooky Tooth, Steppenwolf, and Vanilla Fudge, and he headed into the town as a teen to see Grand Funk Railroad, Three Canine Night time, and the Guess Who, deepening his love of rock & roll.
He spent two years on the College of Indiana earlier than an opportunity encounter with jazz nice Jaki Byard on the New England Conservatory of Music modified his plans. “I performed two piano rhythm adjustments with him in his studio,” says Pasqua. “Once we have been finished, he mentioned to me, ‘Why don’t you switch to Boston and are available examine with me?’”
Pasqua’s work on the New England Conservatory of Music led to a efficiency at Carnegie Corridor, the place he met Tony Williams, who requested him to affix his jazz fusion band, the Tony Williams Lifetime. That began him on a path that will take him to Eddie Cash, and ultimately Bob Dylan.
How did you develop as a musician throughout your time with the Tony Williams Lifetime?
Tony was superb in that he by no means instructed me ever what to play. He would make strategies. He was a extremely nice composer and he studied orchestration. He’d say, “Take heed to the sound of the band, the place the holes are the place he’s enjoying. How are you going to play the melody with him that’s not not solely doubling, however enhancing? How are you going to orchestrate?”
Once I return and play my college students outtakes of Miles’ recording dates, like “Freedom Jazz Dance,” no one knew what to play at first. Little by little, Miles make these very delicate strategies to each band member. Growth. And little by little, by take 13, there’s the grasp. However once they began enjoying it, they have been simply attempting to determine it out. Tony didn’t have an agenda. He led by instance.
How did you meet Eddie Cash?
It was by means of Bruce Botanic, who produced the Tony Williams report, and who additionally produced the Doorways. He’s a genius, cutting-edge digital engineer. Once I moved to Los Angeles, that’s the one cellphone quantity I had of anybody that I knew. I known as Bruce and instructed him, “Hey, I moved to L.A.”
At some point he known as me. He goes, “I’m in Century Metropolis.” He was working for Epic Information on the time. That they had their places of work on the Century Towers. He mentioned, “I’ve bought this new artist they simply signed. His identify is Eddie Cash. We’re going to make a report. We’d like a piano participant. Come over, Eddie desires to satisfy you. I instructed him all about you.”
I stroll in, and there’s Eddie sitting there. The very first thing out of his mouth is, “Hey, Al. I don’t need to hear any jazz shit.” [Laughs.] We talked for 10 minutes. Then he sits down on the piano along with his knuckle-sandwich piano enjoying and performs me “Two Tickets to Paradise” and “Child Maintain On.” I’m a fast examine. I sat again down and performed it again for him. He goes, “OK, man, you bought the gig. You’re employed.”
You’re on each these songs?
Yeah. I’m on a whole lot of his early recordings.
Did it take a whole lot of takes to get these songs?
It got here shortly. [Drummer] Gary Mallaber and [bassist] Lonnie Turner from Steve Miller’s band have been the rhythm part. Andy Johns was the engineer. Jimmy Lyon performed guitar. It was unbelievable. We did it at Wally Heider’s.
What’s it prefer to activate the radio and listen to your self enjoying on these two songs?
It’s enjoyable. I at all times take pleasure in it. I at all times need to cease individuals and go, “Hey, that’s me enjoying piano.” [Laughs.] However I by no means do.
Inform me extra about Eddie. He appeared like such an everyday man for a rock star.
He was type of an everyday knucklehead man from again East. I associated to him since that’s the place I grew up. However onstage, he completely turned it on. He knew what to do when he bought onstage in entrance of a microphone.
How was the tour for you? You have been fairly younger and that was your first actual rock tour.
I’d been on tour with Tony previous to that. That was a whole lot of station wagons and driving by means of the U.S. and doing just a few dates in Europe. This was flights and driving. Two guys to a room. This was naked bones. I used to be making no bread in any respect. They provided me the identical cash that I used to be making with Tony Williams. I mentioned no. After which they mentioned, “Invoice Graham desires to speak to you.” [Laughs.]
I am going into Invoice’s workplace. I’m flipping out. I’m like, “Oh, jeez.” He’s like, [gruff and angry] “What’s the issue right here?” I instructed him, “Look, man. I simply bought off the highway.” He provided me $25 extra per week. After all, I took it. He mentioned, “And if I discover out you instructed anybody, I’m going to kill you.” [Laughs.] I mentioned, “OK, Invoice. You bought my phrase.”
That is the height of punk. Quite a lot of critics noticed Eddie as lame and passé. They have been fallacious, although. These songs are unbelievable, and he’s such a fantastic singer.
Killer. He was a white soul singer. He liked the Rascals. You possibly can hear it.
Had been you a fan of Bob Dylan within the ’60s and early ’70s?
Truthfully, no. It’s not that I wasn’t a fan. I simply wasn’t…I knew who he was. However I wasn’t conscious of his music actually in any respect.
How did you get phrase about the potential of the tour you probably did with him in 1978?
I used to be rehearsing in New York at SIR, Studio Instrument Leases. We have been on a break. I used to be standing out within the hallway, and there was this different man standing out within the hallway. We mentioned “hi there” to one another. It turned out to be Rob Stoner, who was Bob’s bass participant.
I mentioned, “What are you doing right here?” He goes, “I’m rehearsing with this band. The place do you reside?” I instructed him I lived in L.A. He mentioned, “I’m coming on the market in a few weeks. I’m placing Bob Dylan’s band collectively for a tour. Give me your cellphone quantity. Possibly once I get on the town, I’ll name you and we will get collectively and play.” I used to be like, “OK, no matter.”
Eddie’s tour was three months. It was completely brutal. I get dwelling proper earlier than Christmas. I’m sitting at my little place on the sofa, simply attempting to decompress. The cellphone rings. It was Rob. “Hey, I’m in Santa Monica. Why don’t you come down and we’ll play. I’ll put a tape collectively for Bob.”
I mentioned, “ what, Rob? I’m actually drained. I’m burned out. Thanks anyway.” After which I hung up [laughs]. I sat there and mentioned, “What the hell did you simply do?” I known as him again and went, “I don’t know what I used to be considering. Will you let me come down?”
I got here down. We spent a few days simply jamming. I suppose he put this tape collectively and performed it for Bob. Subsequent factor I knew, he known as to say we have been going to have rehearsal a pair miles from my home. I stroll into [Rundown Studios] on Major Avenue in Santa Monica. There’s like three drummers, 4 guitar gamers, three keyboard gamers. The entire bit. I’m like, “I don’t know what’s occurring right here.” Bob was there. He went, “OK, see you tomorrow.” Subsequent day, there’s two of all people.
This went on for about three or 4 days. I’m like, “Jeez, I ponder what’s going to occur.” I walked in and I used to be the one keyboard participant. I simply didn’t say something. I used to be like, “I’m not going to ask if I bought the gig as a result of they’ll most likely fireplace me only for asking.” Throughout that rehearsal, Bob checked out me and went, “Have you learnt ‘Positively 4th Avenue?’” I checked out him and mentioned, “No, however I’ll study it.” He began laughing. I believed, “I’m toast. I’m out of right here.”
Wanting again at it, that may have been the explanation I bought the gig. I used to be trustworthy with him. I didn’t attempt to bullshit him and play it poorly. By my lifetime, we’ve intersected plenty of occasions. It’s at all times gone actually nice.
Did it shock you that he was assembling a giant band with a sax participant and background singers? It was so completely different than all his earlier stay bands.
Yeah. I didn’t actually do a deep dive. Nevertheless it appeared like a departure. The critics have been throughout us, calling us a Las Vegas revue. However he taught me rather a lot. My finest reminiscence is that each evening he and I’d play two duets: “Woman From the North Nation” and “I Need You.” I’d play one on piano, and the opposite on this horrible little Yamaha synthesizer, a dinosaur from the early days of synthesis. I simply bear in mind listening to him sing and breathe, his phrasing. It was particular. It was completely different.
It’s an actual disgrace that the one present most individuals have heard from this tour is Bob Dylan at Budokan. It was actually among the first exhibits you guys did on a year-long tour. It was the present in its earliest stage of growth.
Yeah. Actually early. Earlier than that first present, we’re backstage and there’s a ping-pong desk. I prefer to play ping-pong. There’s this man eager to play ping-pong. He’s standing, like, 30 toes behind the desk. I’m like, “What are you doing, man?”
He serves and it’s like a fastball. I’m holding on one of the best I can. I went for this ball and ran smack right into a metal beam. It didn’t knock me out, but it surely knocked me down, and blood began coming down. I minimize my scalp fairly dangerous. Patrick Stansfield, who was our tour supervisor, took a turban and principally made a tourniquet out of my head, pumped me filled with Tylenol, and mentioned, “Get out on stage.”
I lasted by means of the entire live performance, however I bear in mind about two hours when it said to put on off, all of the low notes within the subwoofers simply hitting me…it was like, “Oh, my God.”
I completed the present. They put me in a automotive and took me to some medical facility. I bear in mind it was darkish. I’m mendacity down on a desk. This physician is available in and stands on a friggin’ milk carton. I keep in mind that, nonetheless. And he stitched me up. I went again to the lodge. The band was there. One of many background singers, Jo Ann Harris, says, “Right here, you’ll want to have some chilly sake.”
Do you assume that’s the evening they captured on the Budokan stay report?
I don’t know. That will be fascinating to seek out out. I suppose if I hearken to my components, if I used to be sounding significantly terrible, I’d determine perhaps it was that evening.
I suppose the tour bought higher from there for you.
Yeah. He taught me rather a lot. We have been in Berlin. There have been some individuals within the crowd that have been planted, I suppose, to trigger a bunch of shit. They began throwing shit on the band, like paint and rags. It was ugly. We left. We cut up. I’m again in my dressing room. We had outfits that we wore. I become my avenue garments, simply type of hanging out and ready for somebody to say, “OK, let’s get on the bus.”
Bob is available in. He appears at me and goes, “What are you doing?” I am going, “What are you speaking about?” He goes, “What are you carrying?” I mentioned, “Avenue garments.” He says, “Get again in your stage garments. We’re going again on.” I used to be like, “What?” He goes, “Alan, I’m simply ready for these individuals to go away. The remainder of the group remains to be there.”
We waited about an hour and a half. We went again on. I imply, he was a hero. It was all these folks that paid their cash to see them. He didn’t need to allow them to down.
When you return and browse critiques of that tour, so lots of the writers are evaluating it unfavorably to Neil Younger’s Rust By no means Sleeps and Bruce Springsteen’s Darkness on the Fringe of City excursions. It had the misfortune of coming across the similar time as two of one of the best excursions in rock historical past. The critics additionally simply didn’t get it.
Completely. That they had no clue. Everybody has an agenda. They’ve expectations about what it’s going to be like. The mark of a real artist is that they stroll in their very own footwear, and so they make their very own artwork how they see it.
It could be really easy for Bob to stroll onstage with an acoustic guitar, a harmonica rack, and play “Mr. Tambourine Man” similar to it sounds on the report. The viewers would go loopy…
And he’d be enjoying the Morongo On line casino in freakin’ Palm Springs. It’s that easy.
Proper. You may simply do the factor individuals old flame about you ceaselessly.
Effectively, you’ll be able to, however you received’t develop as an artist doing that.
Bob’s factor has at all times been about burning the previous. And even in the event you play an outdated music, there’s no rule it has to sound the outdated approach. Why not play “Tangled Up in Blue” as a torch ballad with a sax solo?
That’s the jazz a part of him. That’s why I mentioned that gig was nearly like doing a jazz gig.
Inform me about making Avenue Authorized. I do know it was finished in a short time after the conclusion of the primary leg of the tour.
[Laughs.] Yeah. We recorded it within the rehearsal studio. Don DeVito produced it for CBS. There was a distant truck. It was a horrible room to make a report in. There have been vinyl flooring. All the things was reflective. They put Bob in one of many loos as a vocal sales space. I believe, if reminiscence serves me accurately, we recorded the primary day after which everybody bought fired. Fired the entire band. I believe that was through the recording of Avenue Authorized, however I may very well be fallacious. It’s been some time.
We positively have been fired in some unspecified time in the future early on. Then we bought the decision that we have been re-hired. I believe all that occurred in the course of making the report. It was all just some days. It was like making a Tony Williams report.
These songs started as piano demos. Did you play that stuff earlier than you recorded?
No. He would simply begin enjoying. We might comply with alongside.
You have been monitoring stay?
Completely. All the things.
“Altering of the Guards” is certainly one of my favourite Dylan songs.
Me too. What I didn’t find out about him then…life’s regrets. I didn’t know the way deeply educated he was about every kind of music. He was at all times on my ass about Augie Meyers. I used to be like, “Who the hell is Augie Meyers?” “Go hearken to him!”
That was most likely one of many causes…nicely, the entire band was let go. However he needed extra out of me than what I might give him due to my restricted data of that earlier music.
Do you recall recording “Señor?” To me, that music is a masterpiece.
It’s a masterpiece. That music instantly evokes a temper, immediately. I at all times inform my college students, “Play the music in entrance of you. It’s not about something on the web page, it’s not a few chord change. It’s concerning the music in entrance of you. What’s the sensation? You must strategy it from that emotional second.” Immediately, that music simply captivates you. It’s stunning.
You’d performed 114 exhibits by the point that tour ended. That’s extra exhibits than he’s finished in every other yr.
Isn’t that loopy? I didn’t know that.
Did you are feeling burned out by all of the journey?
No. It was nice…I bear in mind we went to Japan first. We landed. I wasn’t even off the airplane but. Bob was off with safety. That was his first journey to Japan. They rushed him previous the media. A battle broke out. It was nuts. They needed to defend Bob, because it wasn’t cool what was taking place. We went from there to New Zealand and Australia.
Touring by means of Europe, we had our personal non-public prepare automobiles that have been connected to different trains that pulled us by means of Europe. After which in the US, we had a lovely jumbo jet. I used to trip with the pilots each evening. It was the best factor.
He hadn’t performed Europe since 1966. There was a lot demand to see him play, particularly in England.
We performed Earl’s Court docket for per week. We did per week in Paris. It was simply superb.
On the latter legs, you closed with “Altering of the Guards.” You actually velocity it up, and he spits it out like fireplace.
We turned it into an anthem. It was a wild band with [drummer] Ian Wallace and [saxophonist] Steve Douglas and [bassist] Jerry Scheff, who got here on after Rob [Stoner] left.
Within the ultimate weeks of the tour, Bob begins carrying a cross round his neck and also you’re soundchecking songs that would seem on Gradual Prepare Coming. Do you recall that?
That’s fascinating. I don’t actually recall soundchecking these songs. I do know we misplaced certainly one of our crew members. There was an accident. That type of gave the impression to be the turning level.
So far as what?
I believe that may have made him need to change instructions.
I’ve heard there are only a few board tapes of that tour.
There are some board tapes. Arthur Rosato was our head honcho. I bear in mind him telling me there have been some board tapes floating round.
I actually hope they do a Bootleg Sequence about it someday. That tour is a lot greater than Budokan. It was completely different each evening.
Each evening was completely different. It actually was like enjoying a jazz gig.
How did you are feeling concerning the gospel stuff he did the next yr?
Truthfully, I didn’t look after it. I believed it was such an about-face. I didn’t perceive the connection there. However I see it now, for positive.
When the tour was finished, did you hope that you simply’d stay in his orbit? Did you sense that was it?
We didn’t know. No one ever mentioned to us, “Thanks, it’s over.” It simply type of by no means began once more.
How did you wind up on Santana’s Marathon album the following yr?
Whereas I used to be out on the highway with Bob, I bumped into him someplace. Possibly we have been on the identical invoice at a pageant or one thing. He mentioned, “Man, I do know you. You performed with Tony Williams.” I used to be like, “Yeah, man. I do know you too.” I liked the very first Santana report. That one and Abraxas are most likely my favourite. I at all times love that band as a result of it was a rock band, however there was blowing. There was soloing. He mentioned, “I’d like to play with you.” I mentioned, “So would I.” He mentioned, “Keep in contact. There shall be a time within the not-too-distant-future the place we’ll make a change with our keyboard participant.”
They bought ahold of me and requested if I needed to fly up and play with the band, so I went as much as the Bay Space. Subsequent factor I do know, they requested me to affix.
You co-wrote some songs on Marathon, together with “Aqua Marine” and “Onerous Instances.”
There was at all times the possibility to write down in that band. I by no means appreciated the R&B sound of that band. I appreciated the extra hard-edged, rock, Afro-Cuban, Latin facet of that. That’s what drew me to it. I wrote, with among the different bandmates, a complete album of music that was recorded and within the can. It was principally bringing that band again to its unique roots. That will be like asking Miles to play [1963’s] Seven Steps to Heaven after he’s performed [1986’s] Tutu. However Carlos was open to enter.
Was “Aqua Marine” from that shelved album you narrow?
It was, yeah.
How was the tour? Did you’ve a whole lot of possibilities to improv?
Yeah. It was structured, for positive. However there was time to solo. There was room to blow. It was open.
How was Carlos completely different as a bandleader than Bob?
I suppose Bob was extra quiet. To me, Bob appeared extra direct, although. Carlos, perhaps not a lot. Truthfully, the explanation that I left that band — I used to be truly fired [laughs] — is that I didn’t look after the best way the band was being handled by way of respect. I let him find out about it. That’s the type of particular person I’m. That didn’t sit too nicely [laughs].
Earlier than that, you additionally performed on Santana’s Zebop! periods.
Zebop! was nice. That was my first assembly with [producer] Keith Olsen, who additionally taught me a lot. He realized the extent of musicianship that I had within the band. He was an ally. He relied on me rather a lot. He took me underneath his wing and mentored me in a whole lot of methods.
You’re credited on “Hannibal.”
Yeah. We did all that on the Automatt in San Francisco. Armando Peraza is the bongo participant on that. He broke a microphone. I’ll always remember that. He was testing a Neumann mic enjoying bongos, and the man was so sturdy, he hit the bongo like “BAP!” and the microphone diaphragm simply died.
As a fan of the early information, it will need to have been enjoyable to go on tour and play outdated songs like “Black Magic Girl” and “Evil Methods.”
Completely enjoyable. “Jingo.” Cherished it.
How did you wind up on Pat Benatar’s Treasured Time?
Effectively, Keith Olsen. When my stint with Santana ended, I got here again to L.A. and needed to circle the wagons and determine how I used to be going to proceed making a life as a musician. And Keith known as. He was working at Sound Metropolis. He invited me to come back up and play piano on that report. That’s the place I met Pat and Neil [Giraldo] and [drummer] Myron [Grombacher]. Nice individuals. Iconic studio. I labored there rather a lot.
How did your Rick Springfield interval begin?
Keith Olsen. At that time, Keith had constructed his studio subsequent door to Sound Metropolis known as Goodnight L.A. I wasn’t on “Jessie’s Woman.” I used to be on the report following “Jessie’s Woman.” My good pal Tim Pierce was on “Jessie’s Woman.” Many many years since, he’s nonetheless on the market doing it.
Rick was nice. Tremendous, tremendous good man. Actually, actually good at what he does. Had a fantastic canine, Ronnie, who was a pit bull. He was nuts. I bear in mind I used to be monitoring within the management room, not within the enjoying room, on a Wurlitzer electrical piano. I used to be tapping my foot and it was making a shadow on the ground. The canine was in there. He noticed the shadow and he simply bolted, in the course of the take, for my proper foot. It scared the crap out of me. I used to be like, “Rick, get your canine out of right here!”
Are you on “Don’t Discuss to Strangers?”
Sure. I’m truly going to see Rick this weekend since my daughter Greta is doing a present on the Village Recorder. Rick and [his wife] Barbie [Porter] are going to come back down and cheer her on.
Then you definately have been again to Eddie Cash for No Management in 1982. Do you play on “Shakin’”?
I do. That was co-written by Liz Myers. She’s my pricey pal. Gary Ferguson performs drums on that and simply actually made it occur. It’s a fantastic music. That was an absolute magic mixture of gamers and engineers and producers, the entire thing.
It’s actually fascinating. Songs like that don’t want a whole lot of assist. It’s not such as you want an arranger. When you get the correct musicians in there and so they hear the music and so they react to it emotionally, they’re going to play an element that sounds prefer it was made for that music.
You then co-wrote Christine McVie’s “Preserving Secrets and techniques” with Todd Sharp.
You’re digging all of it up! I used to be so sorry to listen to of her passing. She was an angel. What a voice.
I met Todd within the studio whereas engaged on a report and we type of hit it off. Again then, I attempted to write down with as many individuals as I might. I by no means solely thought-about myself as a keyboardist or pianist, however as a composer/songwriter as nicely. I bought along with Todd…and I actually appreciated his voice. He had an fascinating voice, and a fantastic pop sensibility. He was working with Christine on the time, and he introduced that music to her. She appreciated it, and so they minimize it.
How did your John Fogerty chapter begin?
I bought a name from my good mates [bassist] Neil Stubenhaus and [drummer] John Robinson. I had labored with them rather a lot throughout that point interval. That they had simply labored on a session with Fogerty. John appreciated the 2 of them. He sounded them out about doing a tour. He mentioned, “We’d like a keyboard participant. Who ought to we get?” They mentioned, “Name Alan.” I bought a name from Neil saying, “This factor may occur.” All of us met and performed and increase! We did a three-month tour. It was unbelievable.
It is a daring tour. You’re enjoying zero Creedence songs.
Precisely. He was underneath that entire factor with Saul Zaentz. I bear in mind we performed a music known as “Zanz Kant Danz” [later retitled “Vanz Kant Dance”]. It went “Vanz can’t dance, however he’ll steal your cash/Watch him or he’ll rob you blind.” [Laughs.]
Did you are feeling any hostility from viewers members who’d come anticipating to listen to “Proud Mary” and “Lucky Son?”
I don’t find out about hostility. Possibly some disappointment. John was unbelievable, man. That’s the factor. All these guys that we’re speaking about, the quantity of output that they’ve evening after evening after evening to carry it to their followers… No one phoned it in.
However not relying in your hits, you’ll want to win over the viewers otherwise.
Precisely. His voice is so iconic, and his power. The band was nice. It was a lot enjoyable for me. I used to be a giant baseball fan, as was John. The tour was arrange in order that we’d play a metropolis, there can be a Nationwide or American League ballpark within the metropolis, and the workforce performed both the evening earlier than our present or the evening after. I most likely noticed 15 or 20 Main League ballgames in several parks. We went to Cooperstown to see the Corridor of Fame. We had a ball.
Then you definately have been with Bruce Willis on his blues album, The Return of Bruno.
[Laughs.] My God. Yeah. I bear in mind strolling in. I used to be like, “What?” Bruce had gotten all of the A-team studio guys for that band. There have been these big, inflatable dinosaurs within the studio. I used to be like, “What the hell is happening right here?” That was his current to all of us. He bought us every inflatable dinosaurs. To me, that simply meant he was nervous as hell [laughs].
How was he as a singer?
He was fantastic. He was a great man. I don’t bear in mind an excessive amount of concerning the date in any respect. It jogs my memory, for some cause, of a time I labored with Johnny Money. It was for a movie. He got here in and sang a music. For sure, one of many nicest and most humble guys I’ve ever run throughout, fully self-effacing. He opened his mouth and it was like, “What?”!”
You play on Starship’s No Safety. What do you bear in mind about that session?
That was Keith Olsen. I used to be overdubbing at that time. The band had already tracked. Keith introduced me in to play on some overdubs.
How did you are feeling about fashionable music manufacturing at this level? It was a whole lot of synths and that gated reverb drum sound.
I used to be at all times a pissed off guitar participant that might by no means discover ways to play guitar. I believe the explanation I had success in pop music as a keyboardist is as a result of I didn’t strategy that music as a keyboardist. I approached it extra as a guitar participant. I used to be enjoying rhythm components.
Sammy Hagar known as me as soon as, late at evening, when he was in Van Halen. They have been in L.A. recording someplace. He goes, “, man, I believe keyboard gamers suck. However you suck the least.” [Laughs]
Excessive reward.
It’s. He goes, “Are you able to come down right here now to do a keyboard overdub?” I simply mentioned, “No, man. I’m going to mattress.”
Inform me about forming Large. Why did you are feeling it was time to affix a correct band and transfer away from session work?
I saved working into Dan Huff on report dates. [Producer] Richard Landis introduced us collectively early on. We completely hit it off. He’s an excellent guitarist, actually fast learner. He simply had it collectively. We have been buddies. We frolicked exterior of labor. We have been burned out from studio work. We each needed to have a band. We began writing collectively. That’s what began all of it.
“I’ll See You In My Goals” was a success in 1990. Why do you assume the band didn’t get greater from there?
We have been too late. If we have been 5 years earlier, we most likely would have had extra success. I bear in mind after we made the primary report, Final of the Runaways. Bob Coburn from KLOS in L.A. broke that report. I nearly had a automotive accident. I used to be driving and he mentioned, “I’m going to play one thing now that’s going to blow your thoughts.”
We have been the darling band of KLOS for a brief time period. Mark and Brian have been on the air. We did the Christmas present and all that stuff. “I’ll See You In My Goals” was one station away, one add, from turning into a High 10 hit, for positive. We have been actually, actually shut. Nevertheless it took an excessive amount of time getting the provides that we would have liked. A number of the stations that first added dropped us down of their rotation. The numbers didn’t fairly click on to get us over the hump, however we bought into the High 20.
Then grunge hits, and bands like Large cease getting radio play.
Right. Beavis and Butt-Head…Soundgarden. All these issues modified the music. It was time for one thing else. We have been too late.
Did session work dry up within the Nineties as soon as the business modified?
Yeah. It did. At that cut-off date, I truly moved to Santa Fe and lived in New Mexico for 5 years. The band was nonetheless collectively. Our A&R man left A&M and moved over to Epic. Then we moved over to Epic. We made the second report [Time to Burn]. By that point, half the band moved to Nashville. I used to be in New Mexico. We simply type of misplaced our focus, our power. The second report, I believed, was horrible.
Inform me about writing the CBS Night Information theme music.
That was my good mates John Trivers and Liz Myers. I met John as a result of he was attempting to succeed in any individual else, and I picked up the cellphone. We began speaking. We’re each from New York and New Jersey, so we have been like, “Hey, let’s seize some dinner some evening.” We went to dinner. I met Liz. We turned mates.
She’s a fantastic pianist, a fantastic musician. John is a good bass participant. They began bringing me into their fold. They have been doing a whole lot of composing for commercials, radio and tv. They bought so busy that they mentioned, “We might use an additional hand.” I began writing with them.
At some point, John known as and mentioned, “We simply bought a name from CBS. They’re considering of getting music for the primary time for the Night Information.” It was at all times the sound of a ticker tape earlier than that, like through the Walter Cronkite period. They requested us to pitch a theme. And we bought collectively and wrote this theme. We pitched it to them, and lo and behold, we bought it. We recorded it with a giant orchestra.
It ran for plenty of years with Dan Somewhat. After which Dan Somewhat went, they introduced in a brand new manufacturing workforce, and our theme went away. However then Scott Pelley got here on and mentioned, “I actually like that music from Dan’s interval.” They appeased Scott and so they introduced our theme again. Then I bought an e-mail from Liz this yr. I believed she was kidding round. She mentioned, “Don’t you assume the CBS Night Information sounds even higher with Norah O’Donnell now that our theme is again?” I used to be like, “What?” It’s had three lives.
They have to pay you a ton in royalties for taking part in your music on TV that usually.
They do. The cash has been good prior to now. We’ll wait to see what this spherical is like. I bought my fingers crossed. That’s why I inform all my college students it’s important to be composers along with nice musicians, since you by no means know.
Afterward, you labored on the soundtrack to The Waterboy?
I did. I composed it. It was actually cool. Frank Coraci was the director. He did a bunch of different Adam Sandler films. I did the music for a film for him [Murdered Innocence] that went straight to video. I used to be dwelling in Santa Fe at the moment. He came around whereas he was engaged on The Marriage ceremony Singer. He went, “When that’s finished, I’ll most likely get one other Adam film, and I’m going to carry you in and get you a composing gig.” I believed, “Oh, yeah. Positive, positive.” He known as me one evening and mentioned, “We’re on the town and capturing at Gower Studios. Come down and I’ll introduce you to Adam.” Subsequent factor I do know, I get green-lighted to be the composer.
How did you wind up writing and recording the background music for Dylan’s Nobel Prize speech in 2017?
[Dylan manager Jeff Rosen] calls me in his typical vogue and goes, “What are you doing?” I am going, “What would you like?” He mentioned, “Do you bear in mind The Steve Allen Present? He’d sit across the present, type of noodle, and interview his company?” I am going, “Yeah.” He mentioned, “We’d like some music like that.” It was this type of roundabout factor. I am going, “When do you want it?” He goes, “Immediately.” I used to be like, “OK.”
At the moment, I didn’t ask what it was for. I did say, “How a lot do you want?” He goes, “About half-hour.” I am going, “What?! That’s a freakin’ movement image.” I say, “All proper, I’ll provide you with just a few samples.”
I went to the piano and did, like, three 30-second issues. He went, “I don’t need it to be jazzy, but it surely must be type of bluesy. Just a little bit jazzy, however type of rambling.”
I simply tried to give attention to these phrases. I gave him three samples. He calls again and goes, “That’s excellent. That’s simply what we want.” I mentioned, “OK. As an alternative of providing you with half-hour, I’m going to offer you six items which are 5 minutes lengthy. You are able to do regardless of the hell you need with them.”
I recorded them. We got here to our phrases [regarding money], and I despatched it in. He goes, “It’s all excellent.” I am going, “Jeff, what is that this for?” He mentioned, “Bob bought the Nobel Prize. He has to offer a speech, however he received’t be capable of attend in particular person.” I mentioned, “When is the speech?” He goes, “It’s tomorrow. We needed to only have an underpinning of piano. What you probably did was excellent.” I mentioned, “I’m honored. Thanks.”
How did you are feeling watching it?
I used to be thrilled. Right here I’m with Bob once more, doing one other duet [laughs].
Did you ever converse with Bob after the 1978 tour?
Yeah. I noticed him within the studio just a few occasions. I did a recording that [composer] Vince Mendoza organized of “He’s Humorous That Means.” I performed piano on that and frolicked with him that day within the studio. Then we did the Nobel factor. Then we did “Homicide Most Foul.”
Inform me the story of “Homicide Most Foul.”
One other name from Jeff. “What are you doing?” I mentioned, “Effectively, I’m type of doing this tonight. I’m round over the weekend.” I then hung up and thought, “Oh, let me name him again.” I mentioned, “Jeff, are you trying to do one thing tonight?” He goes, “Yeah, kinda.” I used to be like, “All proper, let me transfer issues round.” I went out to the studio and simply frolicked for some time. Benmont [Tench] was there, who I used to be so joyful to see. I believe he’s the best.
Was Bob there while you arrived?
He was, however he was within the recording studio and we have been out, simply type of hanging. We weren’t in there but. We waited for fairly some time. Then it was like, “OK, fellows. Let’s do it.” Bob performed what he had recorded already and needed us to play on high of it. We went within the room and did our components stay.
It’s 17 minutes lengthy.
It’s. We did it plenty of occasions.
How was the work divided up between you and Benmont?
He was enjoying organ. I’m enjoying piano. Bob is enjoying guitar. The producer’s identify was Blake Mills. Fiona Apple was already on it. She’d already recorded her half…The entire thing is in free time. There’s no tempo or something. I turned to him and mentioned, “Bob, this like A Love Supreme.” He simply type of checked out me. He didn’t say something. It was so, so particular. If he had [saxophonists] Archie Shepp or Pharoah Sanders are available to play on high of it, it might have completely match. Regardless that it wasn’t jazz, all these traces are being blurred large time.
How did you are feeling while you heard these lyrics and realized the scope of the story he was telling, together with the JFK assassination?
I used to be 11 when he was assassinated. It was a giant deal. That entire time period with Martin Luther King and Bobby [Kennedy]…that was a giant weight. A heavy, heavy factor.
Was Bob monitoring his vocals stay?
Yeah. He was enjoying guitar and singing stay.
What number of occasions do you assume you narrow it?
Oh man. 5 or 6?
Did Bob say something to you that day?
Yeah. I really like him. I simply assume he’s very particular. Through the years, I want I might play with him extra. It could be so fascinating now. I might most likely carry one thing to the music now I couldn’t carry again then.
The music got here out through the first few weeks of Covid within the U.S. Everybody was in lockdown, and all of the sudden there’s this 17-minute Bob Dylan music. Folks have been shocked.
Yeah. Actually unbelievable, too. It holds, all 17 minutes. There isn’t a gap in that factor.
You’ve finished a whole lot of jazz excursions in recent times. That should actually maintain your chops up.
Yeah. As soon as I hung up my rock & roll cleats, and was finished with studio work in L.A… No extra synthesizers… I targeted on simply enjoying the piano.
Working as a professor should be fulfilling.
Particularly at USC. The extent of musicianship they’ve is very excessive. It’s actually saved me within the recreation. I design my lessons in order that it was difficult for me yearly, so I’d by no means get able the place I used to be drained and eager to cellphone it in. The fabric that we work on each semester, I play that with them. I crash and burn with them if it’s actually tough. It’s no enjoyable when you have a trainer excessive and mighty. It doesn’t work.
Are your college students impressed by your work out of the classroom? Not that many professors are enjoying on new Dylan tracks with Fiona Apple.
A few of them, most likely. They’re additionally so scattered and distracted. Possibly they’re.
Why is that this your final semester?
I’ve been there for 22 years. What I observed after some time was, “You guys are the identical age, and yearly I’m a little bit bit older.” [Laughs.] It’s not that what I’ve to supply isn’t legitimate. If something, it’s much more legitimate. I believe it’s additionally legitimate and necessary for them to get the data from somebody youthful who has stable roots within the custom and the muse of the music, but in addition has a extra modern strategy to it.
Now that your schedule is free, what do you hope to perform?
I’m going to maintain writing. My piano trainer, Jaki Byard, that is the a hundredth anniversary of his start. I’m going to attempt to put collectively a gaggle of tunes within the essence of Jaki and his spirit. Some shall be solo piano. Some may be quartet. I’d go to Boston and report with [saxophonist] George Garzone and among the guys in Boston. I need to recreate the spirit of his music. It must be preserved.
Do you assume you’ll ever retire?
And by no means play music once more? No. I’ll at all times play. I play in my sleep. I’m type of possessed that approach. I typically ask my college students, “Do you guys observe away out of your instrument?” They go, “Oh yeah, on a regular basis.” I am going, “Oh, good. I believed I used to be loopy.” I’ll be available in the market and fascinated about a music or a solo or one thing.
You don’t appear 70. You look and sound a lot youthful.
I believe that has rather a lot to do with music, and being round actually good college students. If I used to be round some not-so-good college students, perhaps I’d look rather a lot older [laughs].
I’ll wrap in a second, however I need to say once more how a lot I really like Avenue Authorized. I can’t depend the variety of occasions I’ve listened to it. I do know each observe you play.
That’s so cool. I’ll let you know that I’m very happy with one factor I play on that. It’s earlier than he sings “Altering of the Guards.” I play this little organ riff, simply this little cascading half. I attempted to sneak in just a bit little bit of jazz. I really like that little sound I made. [Pasqua walks over to his piano and plays the part you hear exactly six seconds into “Changing of the Guards.”] Then he is available in: “Sixteen years!” [Laughs.]