Eyewitness News' Lauren Glassberg!

If there is a fun story to report on channel 7's Eyewitness News, chances are you will see the ever smiling, beautiful Lauren Glassberg doing her job! Lauren has been with WABC's Eyewitness News since March of 2000 often doing upbeat stories and restaurant revues as well as substitute co-anchoring when she is needed. I recently had the pleasure to chat with Lauren about her life and journalistic career!


MICK: Did you always want to be a journalist?
LAUREN: Yes, I did want to be a journalist. I wasn't so sure I wanted to be a TV journalist though!

MICK: In the beginning of your career, you covered the Whitewater scandal in Arkansas. What was it like covering a big National story like that right off the bat?
LAUREN: It was actually my second job which still meant I was pretty green! It meant a lot of preparation. It was the kind of story you really had to study to understand it. It is still convoluted even to this day! It was really exciting because we knew we were part of a very big story. We used to practice as a news room remembering all of the players names, what crimes they were charged with, knowing what the scenario was going into it. That was pretty heavy stuff!

MICK: Do you enjoy anchoring the news what you are asked to fill in?
LAUREN: Yes I do! I'm happy to do any job they ask me to do. The morning hours tend to be a little tough which I think everybody will admit to when they have to do a morning shift. I'm happy to keep my feet wet in doing that but I also enjoy reporting it because that's when you get to meet so many interesting people.

MICK: How do you get your ideas for the various stories that you do?
LAUREN: I cover stories that most people want covered so I get pitched a lot. Publicists write to me, viewers write to me about stories they think are interesting. So finding the stories actually comes a little bit easy!

MICK: What is your favorite restaurant?
LAUREN: I cover restaurants so that would be very unfair for me to say! But this is a good opportunity for me to say one of my favorite restaurants is Delicatessen [54 Prince Street, New York, NY 10012] because my brother owns it and it's a fun spot! It's in NoLita. It's a trendy, fun, affordable, cool, hip place on the corner of Prince and Lafayette.

MICK: What do you do on an off day?
LAUREN: I will usually go for a run; I work out. And I love to eat! That's something I like to do when I'm not working and covering food. It's a little more enjoyable when I'm not under the gun! My whole family lives in New York so there's a lot of family time as well.

MICK: Do you have any hobbies?
LAUREN: I like to cook! I think takes up most of my time besides working out. I would also like to start collecting art because I love looking at art! I like modern art, photography, paintings of all different sorts. I like to head to the galleries in Chelsea!

MICK: Are you married?
LAUREN: I'm not married.

MICK: What are your plans for your career in the future?
LAUREN: I'm actually doing exactly what I want to be do. I'm very content right now. Maybe one day I'm like to tell some stories that last more than a minute and thirty seconds because you get attached to your subjects. You want to spend a little more time with them!

MICK: Last year you had a small role on a TV soap opera [WABC's One Life To Live]. Are there any more plans to act?
LAUREN: I hope not! I have to say that I found acting extremely challenging even though I was only on for about 14 seconds! They were very hard and I don't think I was a natural! I have a total new found respect for acting!

MICK: Is there anyone famous that you would like to interview?
LAUREN: Sure I'd love to interview President Obama. But fame isn't necessary what makes it for a good interview. I can interview someone who is 95 years old who has great stories to tell with lots of personality. To me, if you can tell their story and tell it fairly and do them justice, that's a really rewarding experience.

MICK: What would you consider the highlight of your career so far?
LAUREN: I'm not sure there is one specific story that I would call a highlight. I think just making it back here to New York and being on the air at Channel 7 which is the station I grew up watching. This has been the highlight just coming home and being here for 10 years now! That's pretty rare, especially in the news business!

MICK: What was your most embarrassing moment on TV?
LAUREN: I had an embarrassing moment last Saturday when I was a little sleepy doing the news!! I once ate a bug live when I was on the air. That was in Arkansas. It was during a live broadcast when I swallowed a bug. The person I was interviewing made note of that on live TV. I wanted to ignore it but he wouldn't let me get away with it!

Read more about Lauren at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lauren_Glassberg
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/bio?section=resources/inside_station/newsteam&id=5771946

LITA FORD IS BACK!

After a long self imposed hiatus, the Queen of Heavy Metal is back! Lita Ford, the beatiful legendary guitarist who began with the all-female rock band The Runaways, returns with a fantastic hard driving album "Wicked Wonderland" which is being released today! Lita was gracious enough to chat with me from her home in the Caribbean...
MICK: Congratulations on the release of your new CD "Wicked Wonderland" ! Hard to believe it's been 14 years since your last album. Did this new CD take long to record?
LITA: Actually, it took about a year to record including the writing, the recording, everything. We got on a roll writing songs and it was never ending. We could have wrote two albums! We didn't use anything from the past, everything is brand new. We started writing in September of last year [2008]. I remember because it was around my birthday. We listened to our first track that we recorded in September so that's when it all came about. Before that, it's not like we accumulated songs over the last 15 years. We didn't. We didn't write anything in that time.

MICK: I love the CD, especially the song "Patriotic S.O.B.". What is your favorite track?
LITA: I love "Patriotic S.O.B."! That and "Crave". There's so many cool things on the album. "The Inside", "Indulge", "Sacred". These songs really take you somewhere. Jim [Gillette] worked hard on the production. Jim and Greg Hampton out in California. They worked hard as a team on the production. They did weird things producing it. He got his ideas from a lot of different people, exactly who I'm not sure. Just listening to different records to get ideas, backward stuff and little details on things that you don't normally hear. It's a straight ahead rock album! I think it all worked well. The artwork is very detailed as well. It's something you don't want to download. You don't want to lose any of the highs or lows or lose the artwork. It's something worth buying and having in your hands so you can see the pictures while you listen to the album.

MICK: You must be excited about the upcoming tour with Queensryche. How did this all come about?
LITA: This tour is going to be awesome. We've got 26 shows in 31 days [Oct 15th-Nov.14th]. That was just something that was offered to us through our booking agency. They also book Queensryche. Susan Tate, who manages Queensryche, had been talking to Jim about it. They are excited about it. We are excited about it. It just adds a whole different dimension to their show. Not to confuse audiences but we are actually on stage with Queensryche. It's sort of like Queensryche is my backing band! I don't want to confuse everybody to think we are playing at separate times. We are on stage together! Geoff Tate will probably help sing "Close My Eyes Forever". That should be cool!

MICK: I am very impressed on how "Wicked Wonderland is being promoted with advertisements on nearly 17000 movie screens nation wide, a 15 minute feature on Delta Airlines in-flight program and also featured in Delta's in-flight magazine "Sky". That's incredible promoting!!
LITA: It's Lita October! Lita-Tober! I don't see how you can miss it. There's also the X-Box game coming out "Brutal Legend". They are going to have some huge promotions for that. They contacted me through My Space. They needed somebody to play the Queen. So who else would they choose but the Queen of Heavy Metal! They asked me if I would play the queen and it was my honor to! You will be able to hear the voices of Jack Black, Lemmy [Kilmister], Ozzy, me. If you go online you can pull up brutallegend.com and you can see the trailers for the game. It's on the X-Box, X-Box 360. Everything except Wii I believe.
The trailers are bad to the bone. There are about 100 songs on the game! It is huge!

MICK: You and your family must also be very excited about being involved in the new comic book 'The Gillettes: Family Business"
LITA: Yes, we are very excited about that! How cool is that! The kids get to beat up zombies and I'm a super hero in it so it's a really wonderful book. We are so honored to be a part of that. These people had originally wrote the comic Amber for "The Amber Alert". They are a cool Dad and son team. The son is 14 years old and he worked with his father on this project. They are good people and the comic is amazing. I have my two boys in it and they're very happy about that.

MICK: After 1985's "Black" CD, you took time off to be with your family on an island in the Caribbean. I've read that you even grow your own food?
LITA: We do! There's an acre of land and we've planted all kinds of fruits and vegetables. We catch fresh fish which is amazing. The fish doesn't taste the same as the kind you buy in the grocery store. We have lobster at certain times of the year. We've been here for 9 years now.

MICK: Do you take your kids on tour with you?
LITA: Our kids go on tour with us. We don't leave them with nobody. They have one friend that they stay with. He's a 6'6" security guard. They hunt, they fish. Our security guard is like a kid. Whatever the kids want to do he's into it..let's go to the zoo, let's play with snakes, let's go fire a few rounds! They are really into whatever Chris [security guard] is into.

MICK: What are your long range plans?
LITA: We are going to do a remake of "Close My Eyes Forever" and a remake of "Kiss Me Deadly". I'm not sure who the other singers are going to be on it yet. That's something we are going to do in the future. We will do another tour next year for this album. We're going to work this album more. We're not done. The Queensryche tour is just the beginning. The icing on the cake.

MICK: What do you do in your leisure time?
LITA: Watch TV, go shopping. I really don't have much leisure time. Let Jim tell you;;
JIM GILLETTE: She hasn't had any leisure time in 15 years! The only time she gets a minute is if she's sick. She never sits down to rest, that's the truth!
MICK: Great job on the CD Jim!
JIM: We are really happy and proud of it! It was a labor of love! We had a couple of talks about it and had to be sure if we want to let people know what's up! It's our private lives, are we sure we want to open the book? We've been gone for the last 14 years! We disappeared..not quite off the planet but out of the country on an island in the middle of nowhere!

MICK: Are there any artists you would like to work with?
LITA: We are trying to figure that out now because if there is somebody we want to work with, we will use them on "Close My Eyes" and "Kiss Me Deadly". Right off the top of my head, I can't think of anybody I'd like to work with. We're not really into listening to modern music, we are just into our own thing.

MICK: Last question..tell me something that even your biggest fan would not know about you.
LITA: I'm going to let Jim answer this one...he knows me better than anyone!
JIM: She has delicious feet!!! Seriously, she's the most amazing mother I've ever seen in my life. I don't think her rock star image would lend itself into her being such an unbelievable mom. That's just where we are man. We are just being a family, raising the boys. She's their school teacher. The boys are home schooled. She wakes up and makes us bacon, eggs, toast, massive amounts...it's not cereal! Omelets, pancakes, eggs , bacon, sausage..a massive breakfast. Then she'll home school the boys. Then it's a massive lunch! Then the boys train for a few hours every day. Then it's dinner...lasagna, pasta, meatloaf, fish, vegetables..just huge portions. We get three massive meals every day! She's a damn school teacher! She hated school, barely made it through high school and now she's an awesome teacher! And her toes are delicious!!

You can catch Lita Ford, along with Queensryche, at the Capital One Bank Theater in Westbury on Sunday, Oct.25th!
http://www.myspace.com/litaford
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lita_Ford

Speaking with JAZZ LEGEND BOBBY CALDWELL

He is perhaps best known for his 1978 hit single "What You Won't Do For Love" and his prolific career has spanned more than 30 years. I would like to call him the King of Cool. Bobby Caldwell's smooth renditions of original and popular music has made him a legend throughout the world and continues today. Not only has he written hits for himself but also for artists like Chicago, Boz Scaggs, Amy Grant and Peter Cetera, Neil Diamond and Al Jarreau. Next week, Bobby brings his Big Band to the world famous jazz club "Birdland" in NYC. I had the honor and pleasure to chat with Bobby yesterday about his life and music...

MICK: What was it like growing up in a show business family? [his parents were stars of an early television variety show]
BOBBY: It was really great. I was always surrounded by theater people, music people and great bands of the era, the great singers. It was really a lovely way to grow up!

MICK: In the beginning, you started out as a rock and roll artist. Did you think your career was going to head in that direction?
BOBBY: Yes I did! That was how everything was geared up at that point of time. I had the right experience, a lot of years before I came full circle.

MICK: How did you feel when your record label wanted to hide the fact that you were a white artist [his early albums only showed his silhouette on the covers}
BOBBY: At that point in time, I was just happy to be getting a product out there. I didn't think if there would be any kind of repercussions or things like that, and there weren't. For the most part, it happened like that because the label I was with basically a R&B disco record company. Their basic target was R&B. R&B didn't take to well at that time to white blue eyed soul artists.

MICK: When you write a song, what comes first...the lyrics or the music?
BOBBY: Definitely the music. I can't think of any instances off hand where the words came first.

MICK: When you wrote "What You Won't Do For Love", did you have any idea that it would become such a huge hit?
BOBBY: Oh no, I had no idea at all that it would have the history that it does. It's still mind boggling to this day!

MICK: I've read that over 100 artists have recorded versions of that song. Do you have a favorite version?
BOBBY: I really like the "Go West" version. That was my favorite.

MICK: Will we ever see your trademark fedora again?
BOBBY: I don't know! My daughters ask me the same question! I still have a lot of those hats. I can't really say. Possibly! We will see!

MICK: Do you still enjoy touring?
BOBBY: Yes, I love it. We stay out about 100 days a year. Not all together! I'm home a lot with my family here.

MICK: I know your popularity in Japan is phenomenal. How often do you go there?
BOBBY: I go once or twice a year. Getting ready to go back there in October again!

MICK: Do you speak Japanese:
BOBBY: A little bit! Enough to get by!

MICK: What are your future plans and projects?
BOBBY: I'm working on a new album right now. It probably won't be out until well after the new year. Focusing on touring. Just launched a bunch of brand new shows with a fantastic female singer Diane Shuur. We are touring exclusively in art theaters and casinos. I wouldn't call it a tour. It's part of a lot of things we are both doing. She does her own shows and I do mine. We have this customized show we do together. I'm about to do Birdland [in NYC Oct 6th-Oct. 10th] with the orchestra and I have some stuff coming up in Japan with the R&B band. We're just doing as much as we can!

MICK: Is there anyone in particular that you would like to work with?
BOBBY: Ah geez a lot of them are dead!! I've always wanted to work with Michael McDonald in any capacity...writing, singing, whatever.

MICK: I know you portrayed Frank Sinatra to rave revues in the Las Vegas revue "The Rat Pack Is Back". Do you have any plans for acting again?
BOBBY: No, not at the moment.

MICK: Have you ever met Sinatra?
BOBBY: No, unfortunately I did not. I saw him perform many times.

MICK: You have a horse farm in New Jersey. Have you always had a love for horses?
BOBBY: Yes, I'm very much into horses. It basicly belongs to my wife and my step daughter.

MICK: How long have you been married?
BOBBY: I've been married for five years now. She's the best thing that's ever happened to me!

MICK: What is a typical day for Bobby Caldwell like?
BOBBY: I guess it's like everybody else. I answer emails, fiddle around the house, try to write a song, work on the next project or the next upcoming show, water the lawn, go to the dry cleaners, pack my suitcase!!

MICK: Who do you enjoy listening to?
BOBBY: It depends. We get into different moods. Sometimes we listen to old Sinatra, Steely Dan, Earth Wind and Fire. We just pull something from the shelf and put it in!

MICK: Do you have any other hobbies besides music?
BOBBY: No, between the music and the traveling there isn't any.

MICK: Do you have any regrets?
BOBBY: I don't know. Check back with me in 25 years!!

MICK: Tell me something about yourself that even your biggest fan would not know about you?
BOBBY: I love to cook! A lot of people would not know that. After I left Miami, basically up to that point I did have a sport that I loved and that was deep sea fishing. I would be out every weekend doing that. But now I"m kind of land locked here in New Jersey. We get to that shore once or twice every summer, it's about two and a half hours away.

You can catch Bobby Caldwell and his Big Band at Birdland in New York City
Tuesday-Saturday, October 6-10 @ 8:30 & 11pm
Music Charges: $35, general seating; $45, premium seating
http://www.birdlandjazz.com/
Read more about Bobby at: http://www.bobbycaldwell.com/

Talking With Melissa Joan Hart from "Dancing With The Stars"

WE came to know and love her as "Sabrina the Teenage Witch". Today, Long Island's own Melissa Joan Hart is a beautiful woman who combines career with motherhood and being the wife of a well known musician. On Monday, September 21st on ABC TV at 8:00pm, Melissa begins her quest for a championship on the 9th edition of "Dancing With The Stars". I had a chance to speak with Melissa before she began one of her final rehearsals...

MICK: Congratulations on being chosen to compete in the 2009 edition of "Dancing With the Stars" How did this all come about?
MELISSA: They had asked me the first season to appear and I was not able to do it because of scheduling conflicts. A lot of the following seasons I was pregnant so I couldn't do it in any event. So the timing just finally worked out. It took 9 seasons but now I'm able to do it!

MICK: How long are the rehearsals each day?
MELISSA: Depends on how I'm feeling. My dance partner was feeling well yesterday and I was kind of sick last week. We've been taking it easy now that we've got the routine down, trying to polish it up. We're trying not to exhaust ourselves because once the show begins next week, it's going to be hard core. We do between 2-6 hours each day. We'll probably get 2-4 hours in today.

MICK: Are you nervous?
MELISSA: I'm getting really nervous. I got to do some of my dance for some friends last night so that made me feel a little better!

MICK: Are you happy with your dance partner?
MELISSA: Oh yeah. I've got the best! I got the two time winner (Mark Ballas) whom I think is the best choreographer. As a teacher he is so patient, giving and concerned. A lot of the other dancers were taught by his mother so he's not only got it in his blood, he's got the best teacher in his life. Hopefully, he'll be able to pull me through it!

MICK: You and your mom recently opened a candy store in Sherman Oaks, Ca. called "SweetHarts". How is that going?
MELISSA: It's going great! It's extremely adorable. A wonderful little place. Instantly, when you walk in, it makes you happy!

MICK: Do you plan to expand, open more stores?
MELISSA: We are opening another one in the next few months and hopefully more. Start branching out a bit.

MICK: Possibly a store on Long Island?
MELISSA: Yes, hopefully. I've got a lot of family on Long Island so I can put some of them in charge of it!

MICK: What are your plans for after "Dancing With the Stars"?
MELISSA: After this ends, I'm suppose to be doing a pilot. We'll see how that works out. Possibly to get started on a new TV show. That would be exciting and fun. That's what I really want to be doing. We just recently moved back here to the Northeast to Connecticut. Close enough to my family on Long Island, right over the Sound! I hope to get settled in my new town a little bit, spend some time with my two boys and my husband. This show has taken away of lot of my focus and time away from them. So as soon as I get back I can spend time being a mommy!!

MICK: Do you get back to Long Island a lot"
MELISSA: Yes, we do actually. We took the Bridgeport ferry over recently. Spent some time with my dad and went on his boat. He owns a marina in Sayville. We took his boat over to Fire Island a few weeks ago. I have a brother in Bayport and a sister in Lake Ronkonkoma and my little sister is in Brooklyn; cousins, aunts and uncles everywhere from Oyster Bay to Moriches, all over.

MICK: I've read that you collect Shirley Temple memorabilia. Have you ever met her?
MELISSA: I have! She invited me to her home. I went to her house in Northern California to meet and talk to her about the possibility of doing her life story. She never gave anyone the rights to her story before but she liked me and my mother and trusted us. We did that movie a few years ago, probably 7 years ago, for ABC as a Mother's Day special.

MICK: Do you have any hobbies?
MELISSA: Yes snow boarding. I love snow boarding. I play some golf here and there with my husband. Actually, we came out in June for the U.S. Open. That was exciting and fun but very muddy. It was miserable for the fans and I'm sure the players. I'm really looking forward to going to Belmont. I love watching the ponies run. I've never been to Belmont before so that should be fun.

MICK: Tell me something about yourself that your fans would be surprised to know about you.
MELISSA: A lot of people would assume that I am very goody two shoes but I tend to be more salty and sweet. I tend to have a pretty good sense of humor. I think it runs in my family that we have this sort of attitude where if something happens, we crack a joke even if it's inappropriate. So I do tend to be more inappropriate at times then people tend to think.

MICK: Are you superstitious at all?
MELISSA: I'm a little superstitious. I'm really afraid of flying. I'm terrified of flying even though I do it at like twice a week.

MICK: Are you religious?
MELISSA: Yes I am. I grew up Catholic, going to St. Lawrence in Sayville. I had my Communion and Confirmation there. When I met my husband, we became Presbyterian together.

MICK: Pick one word that would best describe you.
MELISSA: Sassy!!!

MICK: Which actors and actresses do you most admire?
MELISSA: I'm thinking Sandra Bullach and Harrison Ford

MICK: I know you are married to a well known musician [Mark Wilkerson]. Do you have any plans to do anything musically?
MELISSA: No, I don't sing very well. I'd love to do "Chicago" on Broadway but I'd have to take a lot of lessons for that!

MICK: How are your two boys doing?
MELISSA: They're doing great! Really good! Mason just started preschool in our new little town in CT; Brady is one and a half, he still won't talk but we're working on it. He loves charades but he won't talk!

MICK: What advise would you give to any up and coming actresses?
MELISSA: You've got to have a thick skin and you've got to take the good with the bad. It's a huge uphill struggle. It's not the kind of job where the better you get at it, you move up the ladder. You hit the top and then you hit the bottom all in the same year!

MICK: Ok Melissa, lots of luck on the show!
MELISSA: Thanks Mick. Tell all Long Islanders they have to vote for me!! And vote as many times as they can! I'm also on Twitter now. My name is: MELLYJHART. I've got to get my followers up! I have to beat Demi Moore!!



For more information on Melissa Joan Hart, please see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melissa_Joan_Hart
And don't forget to watch Melissa on "Dancing With The Stars" beginning Monday, September 21st at 8:00pm on ABC!! And VOTE for her!!!!!

Catching up with Guitar Hero ROBIN TROWER

His name is synonymous with guitar excellence. Often compared to Jimi Hendrix during his illustrious career that has spanned over 40 years, Robin Trower continues his mastery with a style that is truly his own. He achieved early success with Procol Harum and has played with legendary musicians Jack Bruce and Bryan Ferry. Today, Robin is on tour promoting his latest cd "What Lies Beneath". I had the pleasure to chat with Robin this morning...

MICK: First, I'd like to congratulate you on the release of your latest cd "What Lies Beneath". This is your 24th album, right?
ROBIN: Is it really? I'm very happy with this new cd!

MICK: Is there a favorite track on this cd?
ROBIN: Not really although I am very proud of the opening track to be honest, the instrumental at the beginning. Livingston Brown did a fantastic job producing the album [he also played bass and was responsible for the strings arrangement].

MICK: I really love the artwork on the cover. Is Bruer Tidman [the artist] a friend of yours?
ROBIN: No, i actually saw his work in a gallery, or showroom, where he had an exhibition of his paintings and I just fell in love with his work. I asked him, actually my manager asked him, if I could use one of his paintings for the cover of "What Lies Beneath" so that's how it worked.

MICK: Do you still enjoy touring?
ROBIN: Yes, I still enjoy playing live probably more than anything else! We are only on the beginning of the East Coast part of the tour right now.

MICK: Looking back on your career, can you tell me about meeting Jimi Hendrix and his influence he had on you?
ROBIN: I can't say I really met him. I was on the same biill as him when I was with Procol Harum. I wouldn't say that he actually influenced my career but his music has truly been an inspiration to me. As far as being compared, I don't think that is fair to him because he was a genius. But it's nice to be compared to somone so good!

MICK: What do you do in your spare time besides music?
ROBIN: Well, my main sort of relaxation thing is watching soccer. That's something I really enjoy.

MICK: Do you have any future plans to work with Jack Bruce again?
ROBIN: No, not really. We just did a few dates in the summer and that was fun.

MICK: Do you have a large guitar collection:
ROBIN: No no I don't. In the 70's I had a very large collection of vintage Strats and they were stolen. I decided then that it would always be new guitars. For the last few years I've been playing a Strat that is my signature model. There was an anniversary Strat put out for the "Bridge of Sighs" [1975]. This signature model is built to my specs.

MICK: Which of today's artists do you admire?
ROBIN: I don't know. You can see that today's popular music has lost it's orginality a bit. There are some very strong commercial stuff. I saw a band called "Baby Shambles" which I thought was quite interesting. A British band. They are the odd thing but mostly popular music has gone very shallow I feel. There's too many guys coming up now that have been influenced by people; they are not the instigators of the music. It's become a bit third hand.

MICK: Tell me something about yourself that your fans would not know.
ROBIN: You should have given me two weeks notice for this question!! They may be surprised to know that I have a great collection of 30's and 40's popular music and that's what I listen to most of the time. It's not so much of an influence on my music but an education. I'm not that keen on the big band stuff. That tends to come a bit later. The 30's popular American music and some of the British stuff as well. There's was this guy called Al Boley who was a big hit singer in Britain whom I'm very fond of. I love stuff like the very early Frank Sinatra. The early stuff of guys like that is what I enjoy. The musicianship, the arrangements, the whole thing is an education for me. I love it. It's a bit on the romantic, sentimental ticket. That's what really appeals to me!

Catch Robin tonight at the Boulton Center for Performing Arts in Bay Shore, NY
http://boultoncenter.org/
Also, catch Robin at BB King's Blues Club in NYC on Friday Sept 18th and Saturday Sept. 19th. Both shows begin at 8:00PM.
http://www.bbkingblues.com/
Robin Trower official website: http://www.trowerpower.com/

Thirty six years ago, a band was formed in Florida that would help change the face of music in the late 1970's. Harry Casey and Richard Finch called their group "KC and the Sunshine Band" and together they racked up a string of disco hits that still have people shaking their booties! Hits like Get Down Tonight, That's the Way (I Like It) and Shake Your Booty established KC as a mover and shaker in the music business. Along with the Beatles, KC is the only artist to have four number one singles in the span of a year: Boogie Shoes, Get Down Tonight, That's the Way I Like It, and Rock Your Baby. Today, KC and the Sunshine Band are still going strong. I spoke with KC recently about his amazing career...

MICK: What were you doing before the Sunshine Band formed?

KC: I was working in a record store and then I started working for the wholesale record distributor. I played in a local band here and there down in Florida where I lived.

MICK: When things really took off for you in 1975, what was it like to become such a huge success?

KC: It was great! It was something I had dreamed about and I was positive it was going to happen. It was like "wow", I had all these dreams and they actually happened! It was so exciting; here was something I was so passionate about and it actually became a reality.

MICK: What was the reason for you and your songwriting partner, Richard Finch, to part ways in 1981?

KC: Just to do different things and go our seperate ways. It's really personal. Partners seperate and they go their seperate ways. He wanted to do his thing, I wanted to do my thing.

MICK: In 1985, you retired until the Sunshine Band was revived in 1991. What did you do during those retirement years?

KC: I kind of went crazy! I partied and did a lot of drugs and got crazy. I don't know if it's like after so many years of being goody two shoes or just not experiencing life. Everything was devoted to making records and music 24/7 so I did things in my thirties that most people do in their teens.

MICK: You're still going strong 36 years after it all started. Are there any other original members left in the band?

KC: Yes, Fermin Goytisolo played on the original records and worked with the touring band. There's only two of us. The original drummer and guitar player have sinse passed away.

MICK: Earlier this year, you performed on "American Idol" [singing "Get Down Tonight]. What was that experience like with the show's huge mass appeal?

KC: I was not as comfortible as I thought I would be because I was a little outside my element without my band there. It was very exciting, a little stressful. It was a great opportunity and overall, I really enjoyed the experience.

MICK: How do you feel about the horrible oversight of not being mentioned in "People's Book of the 70's"?

KC: It really pissed me off. It's definitely crazy for some reason. We kind of created the whole thing as we were one of the largest acts of the 70's and how we got left out, I have no idea.

MICK: What are your future projects?

KC: Actually, I discovered this new country artist down in Fort Lauderdale named David Ray. I've been working with him, getting some demos done and I'm sending them out. I'd like to see if I can make that happen. Still enjoy touring, entertaining and seeing my fans!

MICK: Do you have any hobbies?

KC: I enjoy traveling! I don't know if that's considered a hobby but it's something I do to do. You'd think I'd be tired of traveling with all the travel I do. I love getting out and seeing the places that I fly to.

MICK: Can you tell me something about yourself that might amaze people to know about you?

KC: I'm realy just a normal guy like everfybody else. I do basicly normal things and live pretty much as normal as I can. I have a lot of interests and don't know of I have enough of one! I've been thing about getting back into painting. It was something I did as a kid. When I get home. I just chill out, don't do too much. I enjoy reading. Like I said before, I really like traveling but that's something that maybe most people also like.

MICK: Do you have any regrets?

KC: I think we all have regrets. I did some things like making records that I deliberately intended to be not so great because I didn't want the record company to make any more money. I don't think that was a smart thing to do. There was no good reason to do that and I did so I'm sorry about that.

MICK: What advise would you give to an up and coming performer?

KC: Don't give up and always go after your dreams. Even if people say you should give it up, always keep going. The main thing is if you really like something, put yourself totally into it. If you love music, get a job that has something to do with music; if you love sports, get a job that has something to do with sports. Same thing for writing. Whatever you enjoy in life, that's where you should get your job. To me, some people settle for second best and they are miserable the rest of their lives. Go for your dream!!

You can catch KC and the Sunshine Band on Monday, August 24th at BB Kings Blues Club in NYC at 8:00PM.
For more information on the show, please go to: http://www.bbkingblues.com/
For more information on KC and the Sunshine Band:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KC_and_the_Sunshine_Band

A Chat with Joey Molland from Badfinger

It's been written that John Lennon wanted to call the band "Glass Onion", but no one liked the name. It was later that Lennon used the name for one of his songs on the White Album. Instead, The Iveys chose another Beatles-inspired name: "Badfinger." This was a reference to "Badfinger Boogie", an early working title of "With a Little Help from My Friends," from "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band."
Badfinger was the most successful band on the Beatles Apple label. The band experienced everything from great success to greed and eventually tragedy that resulted in the suicide of two members (Pete Ham in 1975 and Tom Evans in 1983).
Today, original member Joey Molland continues the legacy of Badfinger singing the hits that he helped create and touring the world. I had the great pleasure to speak with Joey about his years with Badfinger...

MICK: When you first joined the band, was Badfinger already signed by Apple Records?

JOEY: Yes, they were signed as The Iveys. Eventually, we changed the name to Badfinger

MICK: What are your memories of working with George Harrison and particapting in the legendary Concert For Bangladesh?

JOEY: Recording with him in the studio was a tremendous experience. He was a very kind man, a lovely guy, a natural fellow. He worked us hard, taught us a lot about recording vocals and arrangements without seeming like a teacher.He was great to work with; an unforgettable experience for me. In a lot of ways George was a very natural person, not at all an egoist or self centered. Just a very regular guy who was extremely talented as they all were. John[Lennon] was the same. I actually didn't do any work with Paul[McCartney]. He'd already done the "Come and Get It" stuff. Ringo{Starr] was the same; very natural guy. They didn't think of themselves as Beatles with us.
The Bangladesh Concert was a great experience as it was the first concert of it's kind. We spent a week in New York rehearsing at the Steinway Rehearsal Studio. Through the week, the band got bigger and bigger. It was just a great experience all around right up to the concert itself. The whole thing was fabulous. I feel tremendously lucky. There were loads of players that wanted to play but only a few were chosen. It was a privilege and honor for us and a great pleasure. The band was great..Leon Russell, Ringo, Jim Keltner, Kluas Voorman, Billy Preston....what kind of band was that!!! Jim Horn and his horn section, all the shelter singers..Don Nix and all those guys, Claudia Linnear.. just loads a talented people. We had the time of our lives. And then Dylan just shows up. He showed up at the dress rehearsal Saturday. I don't know if George had talked to him but we certainly never heard about him coming...there wasn't any "Dylan's coming this afternoon"!! He almost didn't get in on Saturday. The guards didn't believe it was Dylan. But he did get in thank God. He played about a 45 minute set by himself at the Garden {MSG}. George jumped up with him and Leon..everybody wanted to play with Dylan of course. It was a fabulous day and a fabulous weekend.

MICK: I know you wee also on John Lennon's "Imagine" album. What was it like to record with him?

JOEY: Same experience you know...just a regular bloke..went to his house down in Surrey, he had a big estate..I think it was called Tittenhurst Park. He had a studio built in the back of his house. A fabulous experience. He came in and played his "Jealous Guy" and we did that first. Imagine sitting across the room from John Lennon singing a song to you..a song we'd never heard before, a brand new John Lennon song. We did that song and then he said "You guys can leave now if you want to for this next song we're going to do" It was "I Don't Want To Be A Soldier" which was more of an electric song. We were playing some acoustics for him. So Tommy and I decided to stay and play through the session and that's what we got credit for playing on "I Don't Want To Be A soldier". And then he was kind enough to put on names and photographs on the album. It was a great treat. You know, 40 years later you can pick up the Imagine Album and there's a picture of Joey Molland on it!!!

MICK: I had read that there was a time after Badfinger that you are working as a carpet layer in Los Angeles.

JOEY: Of yeah, you know Badfinger got ripped off. All of our money was stolen. We were broke. So I went to work. I was raised in a working family so what happens when Joe Molland runs out of money, he goes gets a job. I was going to go bumming around. I got another job after that as a carpenter. I didn't mind it at all, just going to work and eventually someone offered me a record deal. I made a record but it didn't bother me really. Getting up in the morning and going to work. Felt good. Got to do what you got to do!

MICK: My deepest condolences to you on the recent loss of your wife Kathie [she passed away on March 23, 2009].

JOEY: It was a very sad affair, very sudden. Unexpected. Everybody is doing okay. It takes a little time. I'm fortunate now that I'm working. I was trying to fill m y life up again with work but realized that wasn't going to do it for me. I realized I had to deal with it first and tell myself that Kathie is gone. We had almost 40 years together. We'd raised our children. So for a couple of months my life was completely empty, bouts of extreme loneliness, depression..there's always some regret I guess. But I loved my wife dearly; we stayed together through thick and thin. She was a real stalwart for me. She held me up through hard times, the good and the bad together. I can't say enough good about her. She was an absolutely beautiful American girl. But I had to tell myself that Kathie's gone now. It's like a new life in a sense. I don't rush home after gigs anymore. My whole perspective on life has changed. I've come to realize there is a future, Getting myself back into society is difficult because being married is your whole life. You have your career and you have your marriage and your home. But once your wife goes, that home is gone. It doesn't matter what it is, it's gone. That's what I've been telling myself. I've gotten so much support from my friends, my family, my fans, the band..it's just been fantastic. I'm okay and I'm dealing with it okay. My son's are dealing with it well. It's very depressing for both of them of course. They're grown men and we are dealing with it together.

MICK: Are your sons musicians as well?

JOEY: My eldest son Joe is; I think Shaun wants to be but he's had some problems of his own so he's never really gotten in to the music world. My son Joe was in an auto accident about three and a half years ago. He almost died. That put him back a bit but thank God he's recovered. He's a great guitar player and a wonderful songwriter. I'm really proud of him. And I know Shaun he's equally gifted as a musician and as an artist. I'm looking forward to the day when he breaks out. You know, one of my real favorite wishes is that we can do something together as a trio. Hopefully make a record together. I know we will but all in good time. Life is life..you know what it is? Life isn't a dream, it's a real thing. It's important to hold onto your dreams. Certain people inspire that in us I think. So that's the people I look to surround myself with. I'm looking forward to somebody in the future that inspires me.

MICK: During the course of your career, do you have any regrets?

JOEY: I regret a little that I didn't stay with the Badfinger thing a little longer than I did. I felt helpless though. I felt like I had had no recourse. The band, Peter in particular, very stubborn about the direction the band was taking. I'm not talking musically, I'm talking in a business sense. I felt that the band had fractured. A band is a very fragile thing. It's a relationship between the members. I felt that the Badfinger thing had fractured and it wasn't repairable. Peter's personality had changed completely. He actually turned his back on the band;in fact, he left the band. Then he wanted to come back and stay with the mangers who were just reaming us, you know. They were just taking us to the cleaners day in, day out. We could have worked the rest of our lives and they would have carried on doing it. It was pointless for me to stay. I didn't see a future in it. put my all into the band. All my songs, I brought everything I could into the band. It wasn't enough. I couldn't save it> There was no way I could sit around and watch it go down. So I decided top leave and of course a few months later, Peter found out that we were right and he was wrong. The world of decisions he'd made. I think that's what lead him to do what he did.

MICK: Are there any new projects that you are working on?

JOEY: Oh yeah, I'm always working on new songs. I had a solo album out a few years ago , "This Way Up" it was called. I just found out that they're using 5 of the songs from that record and possibly more in this new movie coming out called "Immigration Tango", a romantic comedy. So that's a great thrill for me. I've been doing the HippieFest for the past 2-3 years and I'm having great fun with that. I've made a lot of new friends. Over the years I've met a lot of people on the road, people like Leslie West from "Mountain"; the Turtles. A tour like this where you do 20 gigs with these guys, you get to be friends with them. We all get to share the experience together. It's been a great pleasure for me. Just meeting and knowing these people, they're really sweet and beautiful people. Great artists, great writers, great singers, performers, entertainers. How ever you want to put it, it's a great thrill for me. I'm doing world tours. I'm going to Australia in November. My voice is holding out. I'm 62 now and I can still sing all the songs in all the original keys. I still do a good job and routinely get standing ovations. To see an entire audience rise for me has got to be one of the greatest thrills and tributes on the planet! Life right now is a bowl of cherries, it's just fantastic. I've lost my wife and there's no denying there was an enormous tragedy in my life but my life is going on and I'm very, very happy about it. I feel real positive about the future but it's bizarre. I kinda feel a little guilty ....I should be feeling worse and feel real depressed about the whole thing but I'm not. I can't deny it or act it. I know my wife would want me to work and be out there doing things. She fought for what I do. She supported me for all those years. There's no way I can use her demise as an excuse. It's made me stronger.

MICK: Which of today's artists do you admire?

JOEY: Oh there's a lot of them. I'm so ignorant in that I don't know the songwriters. There's James Blunt, these guys coming out and writing these great songs; they're individual original performers, they're not copying anybody. The pop scene is what it is but the rock and roll scene is just as vibrant and healthy as it ever was. I see a band like Green Day and it knocks me out! I love all that. I love rock and roll music, it's always been the fruit of my life. So I love to see it and I love the young bands. I meet these guys along the way and they're very nice to me. They say beautiful things to me and how they loved Badfinger and our music. It's a great treat to me.

MICK: Do you have any hobbies besides music?

JOEY: I do a little cycling. I have an old Italian road bike I ride occasionally. I do my housework and maintenance around the house. I don't work on cars anymore. I used to do all the maintenance on the cars; we had the Blazer and an old Jag. I don't do that much anymore. I guess my hobbies are my music and my kids. I like to walk and just enjoy myself without bothering anybody and hope nobody bothers me. I like a good movie, old movies in particular. I wish I could get some sunglasses where it takes all the color out and it's like a black and white world. I love riding trains. I'm all in favor of Amtrak; I hope they don't close it down. I love talking to people and meeting people. I'm getting to know all the places we play like WolfTrap, the Greek Theater, all these wonderful places. You get to know the staff and backstage people and it's nice to hear "How You been Joe? when they see you again. I'm loving it!!

Joey Molland and Badfinger will be appearing at HippieFest on Sunday, August 9th at the Brookhaven Amphitheater in Farmingville, New York. Come out to see him, Chuck Negron, Vanilla Fudge, Mountain, Flo and Eddie, and Brewer and Shipley for an unforgettable trip to the past.

For more information on Joey Molland and Badfinger, please see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joey_Molland