Club Random with Bill Maher - Kenny G | Club Random with Bill Maher

Episode Date: November 2, 2023

Bill and Kenny G on why Kenny stays in the same hotel as his band on the road, power dynamics in bands, how Kenny played with Barry White in high school, Kenny being bullied at school, Kenny’s colla...boration with The Weeknd, Bill’s Oscar bit, Kenny’s song that’s played every day in China, why Bill has never been to Japan, and Kenny’s Stevie Wonder story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 It's a song of yours like played every day in China. It is. So they play that song at five o'clock and people hear it and go, have to go home. Clap. Clap. Freedom's just an word, but nothing left to lose. Or the opposite, where at most things you get freedom
Starting point is 00:00:16 because you have money. Clap. Clap. What do they say? They say liquor before beer, all clear. All clear. Beer before liquor quicker to sicker. Are you drinking wine with liquor?
Starting point is 00:00:28 No, I'm gonna drink this first and then that last afternoon. Then you're drinking wine with liquor. But this first, that's crazy. No, this first. Who does that? This is the rule. That's like something English actors used to do. Like Richard Burton would do that.
Starting point is 00:00:41 They'd like Michael Caine would do that. They drink all morning and then they'd have wine at lunch. And then they'd perform perfectly. That's what you're supposed to do. You're supposed to have a hard liquor first. If you're gonna go to wine, you go after, you don't go before. That's when I'm told by the experts that drink in my in my band.
Starting point is 00:00:59 I mean, there's a couple guys that really know how to drink and they tell me that's the rule. Lick or before beer. I mean, look, it's all poison. The one thing about this that rings true to me is that people have this idea that somehow wine is health food. And it's probably not as bad, quite as bad as hard liquor, but it's the same shit. It's sugar and yeast.
Starting point is 00:01:23 That's true. It's terrible for you. Lick her just not. That's true. It's terrible for you. Lickard is not, I mean wine is not good for you. But when I do it that thing, okay. So I can't believe we got you here, but I mean, I was campaigning to be on this show as soon as I saw it. Really? I'm such a fan of yours.
Starting point is 00:01:44 I want to thank you. Cheers. Seriously. Yeah, it's amazing that our past have never really crossed. And we play a lot of the same venues. Really? Because when I hear you announcing your dates, I'm going, I play the Paramount in Seattle.
Starting point is 00:01:57 I play the Schnitzer in Portage. I play those places all the time. We play the same size venues. I was looking forward to talking to you just fine out like, oh, how are you, like, what do you do on your day when you're preparing for your concert? How do you feel in the middle of your shows and what do you do after the show's over?
Starting point is 00:02:14 And that kind of stuff, that means. Because I'm on the road since 1981. Right, I'm the ultimate baby. I can only do one night. I do two cities, but stay over only one night. Oh, and every two weeks. Oh gosh, that's nothing. Now you're not even on the road.
Starting point is 00:02:34 I'm happy with that. Look, good for you. Do I think that I'm like way better than comedians or some more chickens? I actually do, but I'm not gonna name names. I'm sure you can't. You can't. There's no accounting for taste. That's all I'm gonna say.
Starting point is 00:02:47 But no, I am such a baby with, I can't be away from home. So like I'll do Seattle, and then I will stay over, the first night, I always make my engine make it a city that has like a great hotel, the bigger city. Where are you staying in Seattle? I don't know.
Starting point is 00:03:02 That's my hometown, by the way. Oh really? Yeah, I've been there, so I know Seattle. Yeah, I've always loved playing Seattle. And it's a big city. Where are you staying in Seattle? I don't know. That's my hometown. By the way. Oh really? Yeah, I've won there. So I know Seattle. Yeah. Intimate. I've always loved playing Seattle. And it's a big city. It's a big city. It's a city. You know, you're, I remember the first time I went to, oh, wow, I didn't realize Seattle was. Wow. I love Seattle. Yeah. Me too. Yeah. Pikes market to walk around there. Yeah. I know, right? Do you see why some throw the fish? Right? I don't remember it. It's was that specifically, but I'd be surprised if they didn't. No, they throw the fish.
Starting point is 00:03:30 Catch the salmon, they got all sorts of shenanigans with fish. They got a string with a fish that one has a kid and the fish does this thing, it scares the shit out of you. I guess we already did the worst we could to the fish. So I feel bad for the fish, but I guess the fish is dead at this point. Okay, so like that's it. And then like, oh, so I'll always be over that one night. So you want a good hotel that you can get a good night's sleep.
Starting point is 00:03:56 Do you know where you stay in the Seattle? You don't know. No, but you know, it's kind of a someplace good. It's not, it's not gonna be a days in. No, the four seasons down by the markets. Yeah, that's probably it. That's probably what it's saying. I'm sure. Look, I pay my dues.
Starting point is 00:04:10 I don't feel bad. I was, I stay in crappy hotels. I do. No, I do. Well, my band, I'm not, I've got, there's nine of us in the row. I understand. Yeah. And like, I'm not paying $400 for rooms for nine guys every night.
Starting point is 00:04:23 But why did they, why, but you're the star. Why don't you stay in the four seasons and they really, you're like that? What are you a communist? No, but I'm one of the guys and one of the musicians. I am the guy, but I'm one of the guys. Well, that's very, that's very charitable. We all stay in the same place
Starting point is 00:04:37 and we do the same thing. I'm just telling you, most people in Chubbos is would not operate that way. I know that. I don't think Diana Ross, and I don't blame her, stays in the same place. I know, it's a bad time. Those guys, we've been the same band for 35 plus years,
Starting point is 00:04:52 same guys. So they're my brothers. I'm not going to be saying, hey, guys, you're staying in holiday and I'm going to poor season. No way I'm going to do that. I don't want to. I think I just found out where you and I differ. I think we don't have to really do that. That's true. And I wouldn't feel to. I think I just found out where you and I differ. I think we'd definitely do that.
Starting point is 00:05:06 And I wouldn't feel terrible about it. And they wouldn't, and by the way, I don't think they would feel terrible about it either. I mean, that is, that is beyond generous of you to do, but it is not necessary. I mean, look, the world is not a democracy. As far as you know. I understand, you know.
Starting point is 00:05:20 And bands are not a democracy. No, they're not. No, not my band. No band is. No. You know, I don't know about Metallica, they're not. No, not my band. No band is. No. You know, I don't know about Metallica, maybe. They might be because of it. Well, we had a long discussion about that.
Starting point is 00:05:30 It's very interesting about how the leadership of the band changes. Why not? I don't have to deal with that crap, man. Right. It's my thing. Right. I'm in charge. I make all the decisions.
Starting point is 00:05:39 I mean, like we mentioned the Eagles. I mean, I remember watching that documentary. And that was a lot about power dining. Yeah. I mean, I remember watching that documentary. And that was a lot about power dynamics. I mean, I referred to Glenn Fryeys, not just the guitarist and the co-songwriter. He was also the general manager of the Eagles. He was always trading someone, you know, he was the general manager.
Starting point is 00:06:01 He was changing the lineup and he would tell them, you know, either you sign this contract or you're out of the man, you know, just like a general manager to do when the old days of the Yankees, you know, Mickey Mantle, who are not paying you a dime more than $100,000, that you get on the field,
Starting point is 00:06:17 you're gonna trade you to the Reds, you know? And that's the way they did it. Because they were handling and fry with the leaders. And they had, I'm sure, some clashes between them. But it was never, they never had a clash like it was them. No. How much those two maybe were tussling, we don't know. I don't know.
Starting point is 00:06:37 But it was always them. They were the, they were the bad. The manager was my manager for a minute. Or being a serving was my manager for a minute. Butving A. Irving was my manager for a minute. But, you know, really? Yeah. And what happened? I don't think I was, you know, at some point he goes,
Starting point is 00:06:51 hey, listen, I'm going to hand you off to the next guy down on my roster. And I had a different manager, which worked out fine, you know. But I'm surprised because I mean, Irving is nothing if not a wonderful business man who knows how to and enjoys making a lot of money. Yeah, yeah, he's smart. He's smart that way.
Starting point is 00:07:10 And didn't you sell, I mean, you sold like more records than like, yeah, pretty much. Pretty much. I mean, you're on that big list. I'm like, yeah, so I'm surprised that Irving Asoff wouldn't want to have been dipping his beak into that list all these years. He was up here and then his other guys were here, but he was all hard to see. Yeah, that's true. That's true. No, I'm a big fan of his and what he's done with that band and all those people, but
Starting point is 00:07:40 Smart Guy. Very smart guy. Yeah, you don't want to get on Irving's bad side. No, I'm not. I'm just saying I've seen You know I remember the rock and roll whole of fame don't he said he's he's Satan, but he's our Satan. That's right now Well, so you go back away. Yeah, I started in the 80s. Yes Yeah, no, I started in the 70s. I play with Barry White when I was in high school. What?
Starting point is 00:08:07 Yeah, I play with Barry White. Yeah, I was just talking. I was just talking to somebody about Barry White. Kids don't know who that is anymore. No, they don't. But they don't have a way to do that. So you blew on some of his... Yeah, I sure did.
Starting point is 00:08:19 I did. He loved the way I blew. Yeah, I don't blame him. You're great at it. No. So you were on records that I would know, I don't blame him. You're great at it. No. So you were on like records that I would know? No, not records, just live. Oh, just live.
Starting point is 00:08:29 Played live gig in Seattle when he came to Seattle. They wanted to put the love unlimited orchestra together. So what they do is they get to Seattle Symphony Orchestra. They call the love limited orchestra. And what he needed was a sax soloist because I guess his guy, because he brings a rhythm section, all black rhythm section, and Barry White, and the sax player, I guess, couldn't make it, so they need to find the sax player. But the sax player had to read music, but also be able to play soulfully. So all the black guys in Seattle that could play soulfully didn't have to read music.
Starting point is 00:09:02 All the white guys in Seattle that knew how to read music didn't have to play soulfully didn't know how to read music. All the white guys in Seattle that knew how to read music didn't know how to play soulfully. It's hysterical. But in high school, I had this teacher that was connected somehow, and he told the people that were looking for their saxophone, he goes, there's this kid in my high school band, he can do it.
Starting point is 00:09:17 So I got the gig. At 17, I was on. At 17, I played these solos with Barry White. I got like a standing ovation from the from the crowd. It was like my first way. Were you playing on my first, my last, my everything? Yeah. All of those. Yeah. And the love scene. Nobody liked Barry White. I mean, he was, he was just almost a parody of himself. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:09:46 You know, with the talking. I know. And that voice. You know, it was, you could hardly parody it. It was so great. When it got hold of a real, of a great record, it was just a great record. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:09:57 I mean, some of the, those hits that he had. Oh my gosh. It was so fun to play him. And it was so fun to just be in that, that was my first pro gig. I never did anything professionally and then I got paid. So what happened was my high school, Franklin High School in Seattle, was a very evenly mixed high school.
Starting point is 00:10:18 One third black, one third white, one third Asian. I was in the nerd band side. Every day at high school, I'd be walking down the hallways and The tough black guys would like push me up against the locker. Hey white boy, give me some money I go. Gladly, gladly. Here you go. Here it is. Good. See you tomorrow. We'll do this again. Really? I'll miss you until then. I have it every day But when I play with Barry White, so all those guys came to Barry White concert, and they're looking up on stage
Starting point is 00:10:48 and they've seen this guy that they've been pushing up against the luck her every day, playing these souls with Barry White. So when I went back to school on Monday, there's a whole different ball game. I was like a hero walking down the hallways. So like, right this way, sir, right this way, it was so different.
Starting point is 00:11:04 This happened every day in high school almost every day And how much money did you give them? No, it's like you know back in those like 50 cents a dollar whatever I had I think they were okay with that yeah, and what if you didn't pay one day. I always paid Repeat because they would I would I'd you up. I would presume that would really happen. I asked my mom, I said, well, I just need like 50 cents every day to go to school. So I brought my mother to school every day. So this is happening to you when you're 15, 16? This is when I was 16, yeah.
Starting point is 00:11:36 Okay. So how did it make you feel about race relations having that happened to you? I never thought one thing about it. You just said it's the black guy who do it to you and say, you're a white boy. Already there's a racial dimension. That's true. That's true, but in the band, our band was all mixed, but white, black, so I have black friends,
Starting point is 00:11:54 and white friends. So it's so bitter, you know? Not at all. Really? No. Okay, well, again, some people, it's like interviewing Jesus, and you've got the same hair. I mean, you stay in the same hotel.
Starting point is 00:12:06 Tell us your band, you don't have any, a lot of people have, I don't have, I especially at that tender age. I do an animus. No. I was, you know what I was thinking about? Practicing my sacks, getting straight A's, which I did, and just doing my best. I wasn't thinking about that. It was to me it was just like a little like, you know, karma, and I'm in the sense that I just had to do it. I mean, something shitty you've done, Taney G. I don't, you know, come on, you must have done some shitty thing in your life.
Starting point is 00:12:35 Come on, really? Never once much, you know, not like wanting to. No, what do you mean? Like, I mean, not like intentionally doing something. I should. Voluntary manslaughter committed that. No. Like what? Like what, like what, like I like you,
Starting point is 00:12:53 No, I'm a good guy. I always think, I always try to do my best. You must have, you don't have no regrets that nothing is, oh, geez, I can't believe it. You know what, I do have a regret. Oh, I regret. I was not playing the saxolo on the Luther Vandros, Mariah Carey song, Endless Love. I should have played that saxolo.
Starting point is 00:13:12 They offered it and you didn't? Yeah. Why? Why don't you turn it down? Because they were singing so much. And by the way, at that point, I was like, I was playing like 10,000 seat places and I was feeling like, maybe my ego got in the way there. And I said, you know what, there's not enough room on this for me to play.
Starting point is 00:13:32 You know, if you've got to get a little bit of a few of the morale licks and a few of the Luther licks, and I'll play, and they go, no, no, we got it. And I said, well, there's no room. I'm not doing it. And I wish I would have done it. That was a mistake. And when you say no room, that's musician talk for singing this thing. And then there's a little vocal lick. I'm like, where is the space for the sax?
Starting point is 00:13:53 Where do I fit in? There was no room? Not even a solo? No, there was no solo. It was just kind of like trying to weave around. Like when I did this Frank Sinatra record, I played with him on the song, one for my baby and one for the road. Okay, there was some room there and I played, I found my way and I feel
Starting point is 00:14:10 It must have been re-recording it. It would have been re-recording. Born when he was. No, no, but they did a remix of it. They did? No, he sang later on in his career. Who was the producer on that one? God darn it. I feel bad for that. It's not quarter to three. Yeah, quarter to three. There's someone in the thing. No one in the place.
Starting point is 00:14:29 But you and me. Da da da da da da. And I'm from Joe. Joe. No, it's Joe. Da da da da. That was a joke of comic use. Right.
Starting point is 00:14:39 And I would play. So I got to find my way in there, you know, without fucking up his vocal, but also doing something that adds to it. So I got to find my way in there, without fucking up his vocal, but also doing something that adds to it. So it's always a puzzle. And on that one, I couldn't find the place. And I said, no, and now I really regret that. But you never even went to the studio, you said.
Starting point is 00:14:56 With who? Oh, no. You said you couldn't find the place. No, I didn't. But I have my own studio. I just did it. Like with the Frank Sinatra. So they sent you a demo.
Starting point is 00:15:04 And then you were like, I can't, you heard it and you were studios, I just do it with the Franks. So they sent you a demo and then you were like, I can't, you heard it and you were like, I should, well then I don't know if that's even, that's not a bad thing. No, I don't know. I mean it would have been a cool thing to be on, but you know what, you're kind of right. I think you made the right decision
Starting point is 00:15:17 because if you look bad on a big thing, then everybody knows. Yeah, you don't want it to be bad. You don't want to also look diminished. No, I look at it. That's the thing to diminish, yeah. Because you don't want to feel like you're a side man. Like, if I, if somebody asked me for a solo,
Starting point is 00:15:34 like I just did something with the weekend more recently. Oh, I love that in the eyes, way. Yeah, in your eye. That's he. OK, by the way, I nailed that solo. Yeah, she did. And so he said it to me and says, like, OK, come the way, I nailed that solo. Yeah, she did. And so he sent it to me and he says, okay, come the next day and we're gonna do this thing live.
Starting point is 00:15:48 And I just heard the song, so I went to my studio and I spent like 10 hours meticulously figuring out where to play what notes I thought. So I sent it to him and he goes, perfect. He said, great, I say, okay, so if you think that's perfect, I'm gonna memorize my solo that I just did and I'll play that live, so which, great. I say, okay, so if you think that's perfect, I'm going to memorize my solo that I just did, and I'll play that live. So which was great. And that was tricky, but that worked out really, really well. It's a puzzle. So just finding that right thing and turning out really good. I like him. He's a really hard worker.
Starting point is 00:16:18 We can? Yeah, I like him. Because I'm a hard worker. So I like, say, that's what I think about you. When you said something on one of a hard worker. So I like, say, that's what I think about you. Like when you said something on one of them. I'm a hard worker. Yeah. One of your, one of your, one of your, who is it that you said, oh, to Mark Cuban? You said something like, this is fun. Now I gotta go back to my day job
Starting point is 00:16:34 and I'm doing every week I gotta do the show and it has to be perfect. And I thought, you know what? I think the same way. I have to make it as perfect as I can. Yeah, because it's a once a week show. So you have all week to perfect it as perfect as I can because it's a once a week show. So you have all week to perfect it as much as you can. Now most of it is ad lib with a panel. So you know,
Starting point is 00:16:50 it's it's only so much I can do. But you're so funny. You know, one of my favorite things that you said on one of your on one of your shows was you were talking about the wolf thing and you were going you were you on your rant about the. And you said something like, something like, okay, when you go to the movies, folks, now you know who the bad guy is, it's you. It's you said it's like this, you go, it's you. Well. And then at the end you go, you know, if you're so woke,
Starting point is 00:17:15 why am I falling asleep? And now it's my, when you said that, I said, okay, I gotta memorize that, that's the best line I've ever heard my voice. Well, the piece you're quoting is something we did about the Oscars, was it a whole year ago, or maybe two years ago? Yeah, when it was great.
Starting point is 00:17:32 Two years ago, when the Oscars were particularly LaGubrius that year. LaGubrius, whatever that means. It was hosted by Debbie Downer, I think. So we moved. Or the Debbie, we call them, because Debbie Downer. So that was what I was saying. The people just seemed to want to affirm their virtue, even in the movie theater.
Starting point is 00:17:54 So that was where that line came from about. So the bad guy is you. And I just want to be entertained sometimes. I know. And there's something wrong with that. And people used to know how to make movies that were both about something, but weren't just sad.
Starting point is 00:18:12 I know. The general is less sad, but it's also great movie-making. But people like to, the people like people have seen them sad because they feel like if they're sad for the right reasons, they look better than you. Well, that is really so. I hate that. I hate that.
Starting point is 00:18:27 I'm not just about the woke. I know. And I know there are people who have built my eye. I always say, yeah, you're right. I am always going off about the woke because they're funny. And I'm a comedian. It's like a defining rod. It goes right for the funny.
Starting point is 00:18:38 And it's funny to be presumptuous. It is. And smart, arrogant, and think, these are the kind of people always talking about. Their attitude is like, you know what, if only the stupid people could stop being so stupid, this world would be a great place. And while they're doing or saying something hugely stupid,
Starting point is 00:18:59 like wearing a mask alone outside. That's right, that's right. It's alone outside. It's so dumb. And that's why I will continue to do it. And I'm so glad they came along because like now it's like I got a truck. You're so good. You got it from both sides. You can be fun. It's like a material from me. It's like an attack from both sides. I was like a material from both sides. So good that way. I love that. And also when
Starting point is 00:19:22 the maths came out, so I've been going to Asia since the 80s. My first tour was like 83 or 84. So I've been to Asia literally a hundred times. Japan probably 75 times, China 30 times, Singapore like 10 or 12 shows. Isn't a song of yours like played every day in China? It is. That is an amazing thing. Hundreds of millions of people every day
Starting point is 00:19:49 when it's, okay, so the song is called Going Home. Yeah, it's a nice song. They took it literally. So they play that song at five o'clock and people hear it and go, have to go home. And they go home. And they wouldn't even know,
Starting point is 00:20:01 except for the title, right? There's no listening. No, singing, no. So it's just, you're just evoking the feeling And they wouldn't even know, except for the title, right? This doesn't listen to the title. No, singing, no. So it's just evoking the feeling of going home so well through your instrument that you don't even need lyrics. That's a pretty interesting thing. It's a beautiful song.
Starting point is 00:20:13 When I wrote it, for some reason, my mom had passed away like so long ago, but I was playing the song. And it reminded me of Seattle and just my childhood. And I'm just going to call this song going home. And so my first mistake was when I went to China, I'm not sure if you're not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure.
Starting point is 00:20:28 I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure.
Starting point is 00:20:36 I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure.
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Starting point is 00:24:49 Wait, you've never been to Japan? No. Okay, Bill, come on, bro. Too late now. You don't wanna go? No. Why? I mean, nothing gets to Japanese.
Starting point is 00:25:00 I'm just, I'm just, I'm so sat in my waist. No, you are. You've said that before. You just don't like traveling, do you? I really don't. Only, but did you watch a lost in translation? Um, you love that movie. I'm just so out of hand.
Starting point is 00:25:12 So what? I'm a genius movie. Okay, so that hotel, bro. That hotel, we're checking into a hotel. If you're just listening to this. Listen, no, that, okay. That hotel is called the park Hyatt or in Japanese, Paka Hyattu.
Starting point is 00:25:23 That's how you say it. Really? No, you're seriously. I'm not being funny. So if you go to Japan and you tell the cab driver, take me to the parkhaya, he doesn't know what you're saying, but you go, Pakahaya-to, then that's where you go.
Starting point is 00:25:35 So there's no, this is not being funny. This is real. Okay. So parkhaya, that hotel, it's the greatest hotel in the world. You, I mean, you're the greatest hotel in the world. You, I mean, the greatest hotel in the world. Into me it is. Are you meticulous? By and by?
Starting point is 00:25:50 Very meticulous. All right. Why do you love this hotel? Because everything is meticulous. You press the elevator and it goes up the 41st floor. That's where the lobby is. I hate it already. I like to be, I like to be as close to the ground as I can.
Starting point is 00:26:03 No, really. Okay, so. What if there's a fire the ground. No, really. Okay. What if there's a fire? You open up the elevator opens up and it's the most beautiful lighting of that you've seen. Lighting lighting, the lighting in this beautiful lighting. I don't care. Beautiful.
Starting point is 00:26:19 And it's a whole bar lounge thing. Huge. Okay. These things don't make any. All I want is. I'm almost like Stevie Wonder in that Stevie Wonder said, let me finish. Stevie Wonder. Who I love, of course.
Starting point is 00:26:34 I can't get out of that. And he smells so good. He does? Yeah. He can't be better. He can't say. We did some. We did some together and he came.
Starting point is 00:26:42 So I was playing this gig in LA at the Greek theater. And I'm playing in the middle LA at the Greek theater. And I'm playing in the middle of the set, somebody says me. Stevie Wonder's here, he wants to sit in. I go, wow. What does he want to play? I don't know, just figure it out. I go, okay.
Starting point is 00:26:55 Well, let's play this song called Bessie Me Mochio. Oh, sure. Bessie. The Beatles did it when they were in Humber. Did they do that? That's Balsam Omen? Yeah. Bessie Me Moch over. Yeah. Bass, bass and me, moochoo. Yeah, ch-dadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadad harmonica and we do this doette together and so people are doing it and so he's saying
Starting point is 00:27:25 I said Stevie. I said you you can't see what's going on but everyone's giving you a standing ovation. Oh that's beautiful baby that's beautiful and here he so he puts his his harmonica in my head he goes keep this for him. I said oh awesome. I said do you need me to walk you off stage or what happens now. Right. And he goes, no, I just do this with my head and then somebody comes out so he took him off. But you were talking about Stevie Wonder, but I interrupted to tell you a Stevie Wonder story, which is not polite.
Starting point is 00:27:54 By the way, it's fine. I made it when people say something and then, oh, I got to one up you with a Stevie Wonder story. Wow. So I'm sorry about that. Yeah, definitely a better Stevie Wonder story. What were you going to say about Stevie Wonder? Do you remember? I think I was going to that. Yeah, definitely a better Stevie Wonder story. What were you going to say about Stevie Wonder? Do you remember?
Starting point is 00:28:05 I think I was going to say that he, this is a good drink, by the way. Would you put in here, but besides in tequila, what's the... I can't tell you, it's a secret. Was it fresco? It's fresco. Do you remember fresco? It's, yeah, no, I'm not going to say because these people should be sponsoring this show and they're too cheap to. Well, Fresca doesn't get enough of this anymore,
Starting point is 00:28:28 so that's cool, right? So it's my dad's favorite, so it's my favorite, by the way, Fresca. Nope, you asked me to just miss out on some free publicity. Let me tell you something else. I was gonna, I wanted to tell you that I was thinking about for a while. Okay.
Starting point is 00:28:42 This is why I love you so much. Oh. And not knowing you, this is why I love you. Because you remind me of, I like comedians. I have comedian friends. I do. Ray Romano's a really good friend of mine. Oh, cool.
Starting point is 00:28:54 And George Lopez is a very good friend. Very funny guy. And here's what they have in common with you. And that is they're able to have real conversations, but anytime that they wanna make you laugh, they can do it. But they're not well on all the time. No, that's obnoxious.
Starting point is 00:29:13 That's obnoxious. And so you have that gratitude. I love that. Well, thank you. That's a wonderful compliment. It really means a lot to me because I've always tried to go for a very naturalistic style, whether it's here or on real time.
Starting point is 00:29:29 You do the same thing there. It's like, all of a sudden you're talking about something really smart and political. And then boom, all of a sudden, I'm just laughing really hard because you decided it's time for me to laugh. Well, I think I'm giving me a little more credit. No, it's not so great that I can. You control me. I can't plan it the way you're, I think,
Starting point is 00:29:51 picturing like, oh, I'm just going to be funny right this second. But what you learn to do, I think, is I would like it to a quarterback. Like, I'm not going to force a pass in and intercept it. That's right. But I'm going to pick apart the defense. But, you know, the last thing you want to going to force a pass in and get intercepted, but I'm going to pick apart the defense. But the last thing you want to do is force a joke or force a... I can't exactly do it like un-cute to make you laugh, but when it's opportunistic, that's what
Starting point is 00:30:17 makes it seem natural. And being natural, actually, is that it is opportunistic. You just counter-punching. It's like something strikes you funny or you see an opportunity and you share your thought, but you don't have to. And those are the people you're talking about like you were always on. No, it's too, it's training. It's training. Because then you feel like you have to respect
Starting point is 00:30:40 everything they're doing. It's like I'm tired of giving you your diploma for me because you need it. I don't want to get it to you. Yes. I hate that. More than more than you know, I hate that. No. Because I don't actually, I don't like getting people what they want because they want it. I don't like that. So we did find something wrong with you. I knew it. There you go. Okay. I'll tell you something else.
Starting point is 00:31:03 I killed the guy in high school. No, this is okay. I know what I wanted to do. I know what I wanted to do. The first time I went to Asia, this is what I was telling you. Okay. The first time I went to Asia. So I'm down in Malaysia.
Starting point is 00:31:16 I'm in Kuala Lumpur or something. This isn't like 83 or 84. So this is like 40 years ago, right? So I get to the hotel and I'm I got to use the bathroom. So I go in the bathroom and I just I look at the toilet and there's like this fucking electronic gadget. There's this it's it's not a normal toilet. What is all this stuff? There's all these buttons and everything. And so I don't know that anything I don't know what I'm doing. So I push a button. All of a sudden I get sprayed in the face
Starting point is 00:31:44 with water. Oh, you hope it's water. And I went. I damn it. what I'm doing. So I push a button. All of a sudden I get sprayed in the face with water. Oh, you hope it's water. And I went, God damn it. And then I went, wait a minute. Drop the pants, sat down, two hours later. I went, oh, it's the greatest thing I've ever seen in my life. Oh, there's toilet. Unbelievable.
Starting point is 00:32:03 So, okay. This is the greatest of the day. Yeah. But in the 80s, I said, I have to have this. And so when I got back from Asia that time, I found out where it was. I ordered like 10 of them. You still using them? Absolutely. You know what? You're not the first person. And you need to hear it. Like in your treehouse waiting area. Yeah. That would have come in handy, just letting you know. I don't think I want to know a lot more about why. That's the case.
Starting point is 00:32:33 Kenny G, but I'm just saying, you know, share. I'm sharing with you. But you are not the first person who has suggested and you don't have them here in your compound? No, I don't. Are you okay? Why? I know. Okay, so you're another person who is telling me I should have the Japanese toilet.
Starting point is 00:32:54 Absolutely. Yeah. And you can just add it. It's a toilet seat. You don't have to buy the whole toilet. Of course. But with you, you can afford it. So you can...
Starting point is 00:33:02 In California, there will be 58 regulations. No, no, no. I can install it for you. By the be 58 regulations. No, no, that it. I could I could install it for you. By the way, my grandfather was a plumber. My dad was in the plumbing business. I couldn't install that for you. I know how to do it. I have tools and I can do stuff like that. How's Thursday for you? I can do No charge by the way. No charge. And listen, don't get me one of those. We'll be there between eight and one. You have a chop at two-thirty. Come on, it's all, if you say between eight and one, that's where I want to see your face at my door.
Starting point is 00:33:31 No problem. Look, if you don't get it by the time you're 70, hopefully, if I'm on the list, I want to be invited to your 70th birthday party. Well, you're like, I mean, you a present. And the present will be the total neo-rest. You've never done anything bad. I know.
Starting point is 00:33:48 You're staying the same hotel as the band. Right. I mean, what were we just talking about? You were, toilets? Oh. You, you're just like,
Starting point is 00:34:01 you're always doing a good deed. Trying to. I'm trying to. I, I, I, I, okay, so you're always doing a good deed. Trying to, I'm trying to. I, I, I, I, I, okay, so you're a religious man, is this coming from now? So you're not doing it because you're thinking this is my ticket to?
Starting point is 00:34:13 No. No, you don't think there is a heaven. I don't actually. There probably is not. I don't know, I know. I know, you're a religious, religious child. I love that.
Starting point is 00:34:23 Oh, good. So fun. Yeah. I mean, I went to the Hebrew high school, not full time, just like couple of black kids beat you up at the Hebrew school. No, no, no, no, no, Franklin. No, just like a couple of nights we got to go. And I just was so turned off by the whole process of it.
Starting point is 00:34:42 Yeah. Oh, you saw Hebrew school, you're talking about. Yeah, so I can read Hebrew. I know how to read Hebrew, but I don't know what I mean. I know kids, see, I went to Catechism, which is where the Catholic kids go to learn. It's separate from school. Yeah. It's once a week where you learn how to be a Catholic. And then I knew kids all through school went to Hebrew school then.
Starting point is 00:35:02 Yeah. So it was like a second school. It was once a week. Yeah, once a week or twice a week, yeah. But it's important to indoctrinate the kids in the nonsense from the Bronze Age. It was so nonsense to me. And of course it is. OK, so you're, I did a good bar mitzvah though, because I'm looking, I'm a straight A student.
Starting point is 00:35:19 I got 4.0 pretty much all the way through because I'm a really meticulous. Like my saxophone, like much all the way through, because I'm a really, I'm meticulous. Like, my saxophone, like, for example, this morning, like every morning, I practiced my sax for three hours. I went into a little practice room in Manhattan Beach. There's a music school there, and they gave me a key, because they don't show up till 10. So I go in there early morning, like seven o'clock,
Starting point is 00:35:43 till 10, working on my scales every day. Scales at this point? Every day. Really? Every day. You still have to do scale. Every single one. When you're in the game for 50 years?
Starting point is 00:35:54 Well, do I have to? I don't know, but do I do it? Because I want to keep getting better and better. Like, to the eye of a person. That helps you scale. Oh, absolutely. I would say today I'm probably the best. Why?
Starting point is 00:36:06 Because when you're doing a solo, you're always working with this. That's where that comes in. The knowledge of the scale helps you like pick the notes. No. No. Not at all. Not at all. Perfect.
Starting point is 00:36:18 I say scales. I just mean exercises. I just exercise. Nothing to do with. No, you're not a golfer though. Are you? No, I'm actually a Gems Golf. You're a Gems Golf, okay.
Starting point is 00:36:26 But, okay, do you, what do you do to any sports? Yes, what do you do to sports? Real sports, but real sports with Bill Bore. I mean, I would, I have a great thing in the world, we have a baseball field, but you need like 18 guys. Hey, hey guys, I'm getting 16 other guys together this weekend. It just doesn't work, but I have a basketball court, and that is my passion.
Starting point is 00:36:46 I shoot every day. Sometimes I have games. So when you're practicing your shots, yes, okay, that's what I'm doing, and I'm doing my practice. I'm exercising, I'm getting my muscles so that when I go play the game, which is the show that the care amount,
Starting point is 00:37:00 I'm ready to go. I do it every CD. And is it tedious to do it? No, I honestly, I can. You've it every CD is to do it. Now, I honestly, I can't even scale. Okay, good wake up. Are fun. I get so excited to wake up every morning to go to the錄 it. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:37:12 I do. I like wanting saxwood. I do. I do. That's right, I know horns about that one. That's the only thing in the day. Every day. Every single.
Starting point is 00:37:22 When you're freshest. Is that also when you write songs? I don't know when I write songs. They just kind of happen. I write songs when I need to make a record. Oh, by the way, tonight's a celebration for me. I forgot to tell you. I finished my my latest album yesterday. Oh, I was so wanting to finish it before Wednesday. to finish it before Wednesday. Thank you. So, how many, what number of promises? Twenty-something.
Starting point is 00:37:49 Oh, come on, you must know. You don't know the number. I know how many HBO specials I've done. I think it's 24. I bet you know it is. I think it is. Yeah. No, it's super.
Starting point is 00:38:01 Man, I'm telling you, it's so hard to make a record for me. It's so hard., I'm telling you, it's so hard to make a record for me, so hard, because I'm so meticulous and the technology is so different these days than it used to be. Right now, you can do anything. It's a program called Pro Tools. Have you heard of that word before? I have heard that, yes. Okay, so Pro Tools means that... Assumed it was something that kids were doing to masturbate on TikTok. But that's not true. Yeah, we got to get to see one social media, by the way.
Starting point is 00:38:29 We do not have to do that. Pro Tools, but now I'm switching gears. Have you ever heard of cameo? Cameo. You know cameo where the the public with someone's birthday. Yeah, right. I'm a jeopardy.
Starting point is 00:38:43 Cameo. Can you do that? Can you do it in the form of a question? No, I can't. I'm impressed. I knew that much. But yes, you can get really Giuliani for like $100, $8. I would say that's such a great thing. I'm on Camille. I'm loving you. Oh, you do it. I do. I love it. Not for the money. You must be, you must tons of money. I do, but I still, I do have, but I still like, I still like making money.
Starting point is 00:39:08 By the way, thinking that that that brings up another subject. But, you know, why do you like it because you've, it's a way to touch the fans personally. Exactly. Exactly. And that's what you want to do. Touch your fans. I want to touch them with my horn. If I can't blow them, I'm going to blow my horn. You sing the way you married what you, I don't, you're not married. You never were light. I'm going to blow my horn. I'm going to sing the way you married what you said. I'm not married.
Starting point is 00:39:27 You're not married. You never were married. I was married. Yeah. I'm divorced. Two kids. Oh. Older and 29.
Starting point is 00:39:35 How long have you been single? Ten years. Ten years. Yeah. By the way, my older son Max, 29, he's a heavy metal guitarist. Oh, wow. So opposite of me. And he, okay, a heavy metal guitarist. Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow.
Starting point is 00:39:45 Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow.
Starting point is 00:39:53 Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow.
Starting point is 00:40:01 Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow. I said, Max, no, don't learn to play songs, learn mechanics. Then you'll be able to play any song. Don't learn a song. Learn the mechanics, you can play any song. And that's what you need to do.
Starting point is 00:40:11 And he did that. And he is a monster on that spittar. He'll be world famous at some point. Because he's just so good. Because he's mastered a scale of 29. But you're a kid? Yeah. 29. And 25're a kid? Yeah, 29. 29.
Starting point is 00:40:26 Yeah, and 25, I get another one too. Yeah, I'm my boys. We have a great relationship. Oh, I love my boys. I can't tell you how wonderful it's been having them. I take pride in my fatherhood, by the way, the way that I raised them. I did something that I think is really cool. I never told them what to do, never once. I just gave
Starting point is 00:40:52 them info. You know, if you don't brush your teeth, you know, you're probably going to have cavities here, take another of this picture. But I don't care if you brush your teeth, whatever. I think that was how they all did it back then, because I remember that on a sitcom, You're probably gonna have cavities here. Take another of this picture. But I don't care if you brush your teeth, whatever. I think that that was how they all did it back then because I remember that on a sitcom. If you don't brush your teeth, you know, I think it was very telling more. Like if they threw their shit on the floor,
Starting point is 00:41:19 like I don't want them to pick it up. I don't say, go pick that up. I'd say, God, I get so fucking mad when I see clothes on the floor. God, I hate that. And then he just walk away. And then I'd watch them go scurry and pick it up and and put it away because they decided that was the right thing to do because they made a decision or they were fearful. No, there was no. You said I get so mad. I can't mad, but they were they were they were. But it applies that no, if you're going to do no, I get so mad. I get mad, but they were in the implies that, no, if you're gonna do, no, I wouldn't do anything. They knew that.
Starting point is 00:41:47 You never did anything. Never had no, never yelled at me. No, never yelled at me. Never had to. Never had to. Really? Never had to, because I would just give them information and say, listen, you know, you make it too long.
Starting point is 00:42:00 But kids are like fucking animals. They go into all sorts of shit. You got to meet my boys. They're not animals. Well, they're in their 20s, I hope not. But when, but kids are like fucking animals. They go into all sorts of shit. You got to meet my boys. They're not animals. Well, they're in their 20s. I hope not. But when, but kids are feral, they're stupid and they're feral, and they're cruel. Yes, they are. And they need to be civilized. Obviously, you did a good job at that. But I mean, they didn't come out good. That's that's the book Lord of the fly. That's true. The flies
Starting point is 00:42:21 true, but they have their ruthless. I don't think so at all. They're me. Are you kidding? What have the way kids torture other kids? Not mine. Not yours. No, not you maybe because they're raised in a certain environment I don't know my boy. I mean you should write a book. I should write a book. You give me money there. Yeah, Mr. Muddy lover. I know. I's not that. This is the thing. Oh, please, I love money too. Everybody loves money. Okay, here's the problem though. Money's great. Okay, but...
Starting point is 00:42:48 Money's another word for freedom, by the way. True. Money is another word for freedom. Are we free enough? Yes, but you're... I mean, this whole thing about, you know, freedom isn't a word, but nothing left to lose. Or in the opposite, where most people get freedom
Starting point is 00:43:02 because you have money, which means when I was poor, I was not free enough to choose what to eat. I had to eat glimpses across the street. I was not free enough to sleep well because where I lived and the bus was below, and all that kind of shit, just basic, I was not free enough to turn down any job for any amount of money.
Starting point is 00:43:24 $30 on a floor. I saw this. I know that feeling. Yes, I'm sure you do. I was not free enough to turn down any job for any amount of money. Right. $30 on a floor. I saw this. I know that feeling. Yes, I'm sure you do. I'm just saying, I'll take any money, you know, does not solve all the problems. No.
Starting point is 00:43:34 But it's like a cushion. And I remember when I had no cushions, and I remember when I had just one, but my bony ass could still feel the pavement. And is it better to sleep on a hundred cushions? Yes. Da! My bad.
Starting point is 00:43:50 That's freedom. So I, you know. But here's when I'm like battling with right now. Okay. And I'm gonna say this without knowing, but I'm thinking that you have enough money for the rest of your life. You don't have to worry about money. Unless I have to buy something is the old joke, but no, I'm thinking that you have enough money for the rest of your life. You're not have to worry about money.
Starting point is 00:44:05 I'm going to say I have to buy something as the old joke, but no. I'm going to put myself in the same category. But you know why? Because I'm not someone who prices your indulgers and luxury. Same here. I have people who ask me many times like, how did you get enough money to buy a piece of the New York man's? I said, no divorce.
Starting point is 00:44:23 No, right. I know. You're like a few marriages. No kids. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,? I know divorce. No, right? I know. You're like, no marriage. No kids. Yeah. Alamoney. Those stupid hobbies. Yeah. No hookers, cocaine. No heroin, motorcyclists, cars, no artwork, jewelry. You know, like, I don't, none of that does anything for me. You know what I have like files, files, like fireproof files to keep all my papers in. That's like my sports car.
Starting point is 00:44:46 Oh my gosh, I have many great files. That's great, good for you. I really do, because I like to rat pass. But let me ask you this. So here's where I'm at my life right now. I'm thinking, and my, because, okay, I grew up in a Jewish environment. And the Jewish environment, for me,
Starting point is 00:45:04 not saying this is true of all, but for me it was more, more, more, more, make more, make more, make more, make more, make more money or make more money. Yeah, make more money. Right. Like, always do what you can to make more money and let's keep making it. Don't spend a lot though. You think the Koreans don't think the same way.
Starting point is 00:45:22 But I'm saying it. At this point, do we think that way? I'm thinking, well, maybe that's not the right rein still think the same way. But I'm saying, at this point, do we think that way? I'm thinking, well, maybe that's not the right way to think now. Maybe it's not, do I make more money? Maybe it's like, what do I really want to do? And the problem is, I'm not sure what I want to do, because what I've wanted was to make more money. But if I may offer an answer to this, please.
Starting point is 00:45:42 OK, I'll tell you what, works for me was, was at a certain point I made sort of a conscious decision and I'm glad I did that I have to like purposely make myself think about the equation of time versus money. Like time and also happiness. Right. Like, so I've been offered corporate gigs, like, which is dumb on the part of corporation because it's not going to go well. Right.
Starting point is 00:46:15 Those are great gigs to be offered. Right? Great for you. Oh, not for me. So you don't like that? Well, it doesn't pass them on to me when you don't, when you say no. I can't. Because there's usually a committee that Decides on the entertainment so somebody on the committee is a big fan of mine
Starting point is 00:46:30 Let's get Bill Mark here to talk to the you know, Krellman corporation, right? And yes, the money is enormous people don't realize that everybody in show business including the biggest stars do these private games They just don't hear about it unless it's you know know, the salt and the brunine, you just beheaded, ate a homosexuals or something, and then you hear about it. Right, that's right. Okay, but they all do it. So I've been offered it and I did it once or twice.
Starting point is 00:46:56 It's a disaster because the guy in the committee is a phantomite, the crowd. No, they don't, they don't, they don't, they don't believe in the premise, they're definitely not going to like the punchline. Right. And I'm an atheist, I'm a drug addict, not a drug addict, a drug user. I mean, no, not Mary. I mean, I'm just not corporate. How long does it take when you do these games? Oh, they're like a 30 minute chat.
Starting point is 00:47:18 I did. No, it's like, it's like an hour or so. Oh, okay. One time it was in the day, I'm not a person who does things in the day, especially performs. And so why put ourselves through that? So like no matter what, and of course, the most powerful word in show businesses, no. Right. So when you say no, of course, then they go, we gotta have it. Yeah, yeah. You know, it's like, well, then I got to fuck that guy. He's like, okay, so they got, and so then the money goes up, but it's, you know, it would be, have to be some astronomical number
Starting point is 00:47:49 because I know I'm gonna have a bad time that is a day of my life. I'm not going to enjoy it. Right. I want to make every day good. Cause for you, that's 67. I agree. I'm one year behind. I'm half a year behind.
Starting point is 00:48:02 Yeah, I'm, so I hope, yeah, we're the same. Yeah. Place, I hope that I have hope, yeah, with the same place. I hope that I have many, many, many more days, but you never know. Of course, you don't know that at 27. No, you don't know. So I just know now in my head, I want every day to be a good day.
Starting point is 00:48:15 Yeah. And you can't buy a day, unless I've got poor again. You know what I mean? The fuck? Mark, you think you're good. Yeah, yeah. I mean, I put all my money in record
Starting point is 00:48:25 dog. And now record dogs have this bad odor about that. That's not good. No, I may have to like to go on only fans with you and I wish people happy birthday. No, no, no, I'm not only I'm not doing the only kidding. I know. I don't think people want to be my body anyway. So like somebody who I'm sure you could obviously live the rest of your life without any more income coming in. But use that in your favor to get yourself to say, no, you cannot make me do anything that doesn't make me happy at this point in my life. It's hard, though.
Starting point is 00:49:16 Literally a senior citizen. You should get to it. You couldn't. Other people are retiring and I'm losing some shit. I don't feel like I ever want to retire. I do. I need them. No, because feel like I ever want to retire. I do. I need them. No, because we're so lucky because what we do is enjoyable.
Starting point is 00:49:29 It's the person who has a job as opposed to a career. I know. If you're a person who has a career, you're one of the lucky ones. Right. You can find something that you love to do. Because working is not horrible. I mean, there are things that, you know, there are times I'm like, oh my God, I can't believe I have to work more to make this right.
Starting point is 00:49:46 But I still enjoy the work. Yeah, it's different. I've had many jobs when I was young. They were just a job and they were horrible. No, I actually never had a job. Never had a job because of the instrument. I've only played my saxophone to make money, never done anything else.
Starting point is 00:50:02 Wow. You've not the coolest thing. That is. Well, I don't know. You told me so many cool things. I can't even just be one do store. I can't mean this. Like, it's, we don't get it.
Starting point is 00:50:11 I can't get a truck board. I'll tell you another story. What are you thinking about? Can't actually, you know what I am. It's like a calendar. I have my cool things about can you be calendar? What's it? What's it so many more?
Starting point is 00:50:23 You want to hear it's 20 seconds. Pretty, his ginsere perfect. Oh, fuck. I know. Sorry bro. God damn it. So remember the 2008 Olympics? I did something.
Starting point is 00:50:35 This is another Asian story. So I remember the 2008 Olympics vividly. OK. No, was it in China? China, right? Yeah, Beijing. OK. So was there coming up party? So I'm road power. Bix, vividly. Okay, so no, was it in China? China, right? Yeah, Beijing. Okay, so.
Starting point is 00:50:47 It was there coming in on part of the world. So I'm, my music is so popular there and it's a whole world I'm thinking, thing I'm thinking I'm going to write the theme for the 2008 Olympics. Wow. They're going to love it. I'm there, I'm there like Western guy. I'm there boy. China doesn't let, China doesn't let that.
Starting point is 00:51:04 You're like, why don't you tap in Japan? I'm kind of out. Right. Hello Cleveland I'm their boy. China is not, China is actually. You're like, why don't you happen to pay? I'm kind of out. Right. Hello Cleveland. Hello Shanghai, right? Right. And so, you know, when you play in China, like they will literally tell you an artist,
Starting point is 00:51:17 you can't play here because we don't like your lyrics. Right. You're right. We don't like your vibe. You don't like, we don't like an interview that you did with Bill Marr. Right. You know, on politically incorrect. So, China's a dictator. I'm one of those guys because it's an instrumental.
Starting point is 00:51:30 They go, we love this music. Yeah, so I get to play gigs there. So I'm thinking, I'm gonna write this theme for the Olympics. I can't object to your lyrics. They can't, there's no lyrics. Brilliant. I write this, I think a beautiful anthem. It's an anthem.
Starting point is 00:51:46 It goes like this, goes, ba da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da I'm standing next to the flame. I'm up there playing the athletes are out there. I send the song in to some Didn't hear work didn't hear a word Nothing. It's such a great song anyway. What you sent it in. I said it into like You had some like management's finding the thing. I say hey get this to whoever's in charge So you had someone do it the right way to the right person. Yeah, I'm not just like, I'm not putting it in. I'm not putting a consent in the mail. It's in the shane act.
Starting point is 00:52:30 It's like. Mr. Wang Peng. That's right. Olympics. I hope you like this. China. China. And so, okay, so anyway, so 100 days before the Olympics, they had this big
Starting point is 00:52:47 event in Beijing. All the top Chinese celebrities are invited to come to the celebration and one western artist. You're truly. We're invited. We were invited. So I get to go, I'm going to play a song and it's going to be like a tribute to the Olympics 100 days before Bap Bap Law. So I get to Beijing. This is the song you would just say. No, they just wanted me to play something. I think they wanted me to play my famous song that they have. But they just wanted me to there. And I'm the only non-Chinese artist that they invite to this thing. So it's pretty, I feel pretty, you know, like, prestigious. So I get there. It's the last minute, the Chinese government says,
Starting point is 00:53:25 okay, actually, we don't want you to play. You know, only Chinese artists can play. But we want you to walk on stage and wave. Oh my God. And so I'm all the way to Beijing. Okay. And you know what I said? I could find happy to do it.
Starting point is 00:53:39 So I'm walking up this huge ramp to this big stage. And so I'm walking up, Jackie Chan is walking down. Right? And I'm walking up and I recognize Jackie Chan. He looks at me and goes, like this, I'm never meant to go, you're so famous. He says to me, I go, Jackie Chan, he goes, meet me at my cigar bar at the Witts Carlton. Tonight, I go, what?
Starting point is 00:54:03 And so he walks down and I walk up. And so after I do my wave, I go, can somebody take me to the Ritz Carlton hotel? I'm gonna go to Jackie Chan, cigar bar, I mean, whatever. I get there and I got walkin' there at Jackie Chan up on stage singing with his backup band, which is like, remember, what was that, the artists that had all these girls
Starting point is 00:54:26 and those strapless little black outfits and the girls were backing up? Robert Palmer? No, there are no clans just like that. It wasn't Robert Palmer. Robert Palmer. So it was the same thing. Jackie Chan singing, you got a backup band
Starting point is 00:54:39 of these young, hot Asian girls with strapless thing, whatever, and I walk in and he looks at me and he comes up and he starts singing to me in my face. This is unbelievable. And then he says to me, can you play your song for me? My song going home. So I did. And so Jackie Chan sits in a chair and I'm sitting there with my saxophone. I play the song for him. And of course his back a band knows my song. He starts to cry. Oh, I start crying because it means so much to him. Then there's my story.
Starting point is 00:55:09 Well, we're right back. We're right back after this road for the long day. That's right, yeah. So anyway, I thought, I'm just sharing with you. You are. This is what happens when you leave town, Bill, and you go on the road. You can have these experiences.
Starting point is 00:55:23 Well, this experience would not happen to me. Everybody wants you. Oh, yeah. I'm sure they love me in China. The three people who know who I am, two of them who would probably put me in the fucking concentration camp with the Wiggers. No, I don't know.
Starting point is 00:55:40 I mean, I hope my stuff could someday get to a place like China. You know, comedy is not, I mean, there are comedians, I played Europe once. There are comedians who regularly can go overseas to certain cities where they are all speak English. But it's just music and comedy are not even on the same. No. The universe. The music is universal and all over the world. Yeah. I remember the first time I went to Amsterdam and you loved Amsterdam. Yeah. That's one reason. And I think I've been there four times just somewhat by chance, but it's a lovely city, lovely people,
Starting point is 00:56:18 but I never felt they were exactly warm. They were no. They're tall though. Polite, but not warm. Yeah, right, I agree. And I remember my friend who lived there at the time and he was telling me and he said, yeah, he said they're very reserved. They don't really care a lot about American celebrities except pop stars. I like everybody in the world. That's right. They go nuts for them.
Starting point is 00:56:38 And it was like, yeah, that music really cuts to a place. Yeah. Because it's emotional because you don't have to, because you don't have to have a brain. No. Like for me, you kinda, that's why we play the size theaters, we play, you know, it's a, you kinda have to have a brain. Or in your case, you know, just be elegant. I mean, it's an elegant sound, you know, it's not hard,
Starting point is 00:57:00 it's not trying to be. Have you ever gotten laid to my music? I'm sure I have. What do you play when you get laid? That's that's an interesting. I can't play yourself. No, no, you can't play myself. No, I can't do that. That that would be just too. There's only one horn in the room where I would I be the like who do you play when you're in person? I like old the old school jazz like standgets. Standgets. Really? Yes, I love standgets. You bone just Stan Gets. Yeah, that's my guy.
Starting point is 00:57:25 It is an interesting, interesting conundrum. You know Stan Gets, you know? No, but I know getting laid. And so you don't always music. You know Stan Gets. I know who he is. It's that song. Bum, ba da da bum, da da da da da da da da da da da da da. Girl from Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen Eepen. Girl from Epenema, that's the sax on that. Stan Gets.
Starting point is 00:57:45 Stan Gets played that, I mean, that was our Antonio Carlos Chobine. That's right. Yeah, but Stan played that saxolo. Yeah. That song was like... Stan Gets was like the, I know that he was like the major guy in that era. Yeah. Well, he was the white guy of the cool jazz area.
Starting point is 00:58:02 There was Miles Davis, who was obviously the black face of what they called cool jazz. And there was Stan Gets. Right. I, you know, what drives the jazz critics crazy is the fact that I used to open up for Miles Davis. Because jazz critics, man, they just not happy with what I do.
Starting point is 00:58:21 And what was he like? I didn't get to know him very well. He was very well-served. No one did. No. And what was he like? I didn't get to know him very well. He was very well. There was no one, Jim. No. But he was like, But he wasn't me. No, he wasn't mean to me.
Starting point is 00:58:32 Yeah. But he wasn't playing any of the traditional stuff. He was playing his new kind of a, I guess what they call fusion music at that. Oh, it's, you know. I played at Lincoln Center with him. I was opening act, two know, I played at Lincoln Center with him. I was opening act two shows, first show sold out. It comes into my room. First time. Never talk to him.
Starting point is 00:58:51 He comes in and goes, Hey, man, I like that song. You play. It sounds great. By the way, I'm going to open up for you the second set. Really? Wow. Miles. Wow. Does that. I get on stage. Wait, so in the second set, he went up first? Yeah. He went. Does that, I get on stage. Wait, so the second said he went up first? Yeah, he went on first. So I get on to my, maybe that's because you did better than him. No, no, here's what. No, no, because when I got on stage of the 3,000 people, there was 300 left.
Starting point is 00:59:18 He just wanted to get done early. Right, yeah. And I walked on stage and there's 300 people off the ground. Okay, Miles, you know what? That's cool. I said that's cool. You are the headliner. I'm the opening act. You have every right to do that That's cool. I know for Miles Davis. It's also Miles Davis You know, I'll never forget that the way it was such a cool moment though Yeah, just to have him talk to me
Starting point is 00:59:41 So when the when the jazz critters like get into me and talk about like, whether they're really like my music, whatever I go, you know, miles like what I did. So I'm going to listen to miles, not going to listen to you. Well, I mean, the pretentiousness. I know. It is just point so pointless in something like music, which it is pointless with me. So come on. It's like a, what melody touches your heart. Right. That's great. Well, music is more, it moves you and it's music than we're all, that's what we're all
Starting point is 01:00:12 going for. And I say, we, I'm not in this business, but that's what I'm as a fan looking for. Yeah. I mean, partly, look, I'm not somebody who is a particular believer in lyrics. I used to have this argument with Clive Davis. Now, who was, I was with Clive for 25 years. Yeah, who wasn't? It's like, and he'll tell you.
Starting point is 01:00:31 Kenny, we need more, we need more something in your music. I think it's Clive, okay, got it. I got it. Really? Yeah. Do you need the one who told you to do the Christmas album? Yeah. Yeah, he did.
Starting point is 01:00:41 I said, Clive, I'm Jewish. He goes, so was Irving Berlin. Okay. He is a Clive Davis. He's a genius. I like I love him a lot, but I do too It is but like a genius at that kind of like Just do what I say. It's gonna be a hit and then it's a hit. I mean that story you hear a lot of Clive David That's right Barry Manila with Mandy. Yeah, I know. All the way up to Kelly Clark's. Just fucking do this song. The problem is that sometimes he tells you something you just can't do.
Starting point is 01:01:12 Like he told me on my Christmas record, we need a vocal. I said, Clive, it has to be all instrumental. Need a vocal. Clive has to be all instrumental. He goes, all right. But if you don't listen to me, there's a huge career mistake. Oh, no. He says to me, I go, okay, I'm gonna take that chance.
Starting point is 01:01:30 He says to me, I say to him, he goes, okay, comes out. And I don't say this with either. No, I know, yeah. It's the number one crisper record of all time. I know. And I say, Clive, come on. Yeah, give it up. And he goes, no, it would have been better
Starting point is 01:01:44 if it were the local, would have sold more. And we, give it up. And he goes, no, it would have been better for the vocal. Would it sold more? And we would never would know. We never would know. But he, but it's possibly true. But what he would love about Clive, he always said to me, he goes, look, I'm going to give you my best advice.
Starting point is 01:01:55 It's your career. And you make the final decision. I love that about him. Yeah. And I was very okay with making those tough decisions. You know, like my first break was on Johnny Carson, by the way. That's where I got my break. Me too.
Starting point is 01:02:11 You too? Well, I mean, all comedians had the right of passage that you had to go through. Did you get one of these? At one point, I mean, I did 31 up, 31 times. You were hosting, right? No, no, no. I was never the guest host. No, but you went on it like 31 times. Yes, all through the 80s. Good for you. I was twice.
Starting point is 01:02:30 Yeah, that was said, you know, you that got you at least a little known so then you could get on a sitcom, which I did, you know, then you went through and did stupid movies and luckily, you know, was able to fail enough at that, but I had to do what I always was meant to do. Yeah, but actually that reminds me, I do have to go back to work. Like, I'm fucking meticulous and I love being meticulous, by the way. Good for you. I mean, it's just, of course, we all get, especially at our range, we get used to who we are in our own skin. So you can't imagine how you could be happy as somebody else. But for me, straightening things up and organizing stuff and making things up, it makes me happy. In a way, you said you would install my toilet,
Starting point is 01:03:16 I'll organize your closet. How? I like that. I said, a barter program. Come on, I'm a barter. The one that's worth it. Just no candy. I'm gonna pay taxes on. Come on, I'm a border. You're the one who's like, just no paying taxes. No, no, to me that you are a fan like that, because it's not for everybody,
Starting point is 01:03:47 but either one of us does. Yeah. But the people who like it like it a lot. And that's like sort of better than having to me a bigger lukewarm. No, I know. You know, no. So I'll leave you a little note at the next.
Starting point is 01:04:03 As the gig's over here, the people addressing me. I'll leave something in the wall. Do you want to do that? Let's do that. Let's give each you a little note at the next. As a gig, so yeah, like dressing up. I'll leave something in the wall. Let's do that. Let's do that. Let's give each other little notes. Okay. There's somewhere to sign a wall or something.
Starting point is 01:04:12 Just say, you know, no, I want to leave something. It's something like a little physical note. Oh, a little physical. I don't know. It's something physical that we have in the wailing wall. And it's something that you can't really, say something that you want. I want to leave a little something
Starting point is 01:04:23 that you only you could find. Oh, thanks man. Oh, there's so much fun. Appreciate it. Great to meet you. Get to know you. Yeah, you too. Did you have fun?
Starting point is 01:04:41 I think it seemed like you did. No, you're, yeah. I'm telling you, I've been wanting to be for so long

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