I am still taking the MetroLink from Shrewsbury to downtown. I then walk about 8 blocks to the station. It gives me a chance to read and get prepped for the day.
I got downtown just in time for an interview with Chebby Checker. I am going to use the interview on Route 66. Chubby Checker was HUGE in my family. My older brother was 12 when Chubby made his big record "The Twist" is 1960. In 1962, the song hit number one again. Of the few albums that my family owned, "The Twist" by Chubby Checker was one that was played constantly.
"The Twist", "The Huckelbuck","Love Is Strange", I know all of the songs by heart. It was, however very disappointing to talk with Chubby. He is pissed at the world. No one else has any appreciation for what Chubby did. Without Chubby, no one would have danced, there would have been no Beatles, etc etc. He finished the interview by saying he didn't care if he was in the rock and roll hall of fame or not but, he wanted to be awarded the Nobel prize in music. He says he had earned it for the way he has brought women and men together from different cultures, races, creed, etc and taught them how to dance. Ok, then.
I finished up the interview and I'm sitting at my desk, when one of the other producers walks in the room and says..."Don Felder's on the phone waiting to talk to Mark." Mark is Mark Reardon, our afternoon guy. Don has stood Mark up four different times in the recent past and now that Don is on the phone, Mark hasn't arrived at work yet. "Where is Mark?" she asked and I replied that he wasn't here yet. "Randy, can you do the interview?" I had read his book but since I don't have a talk show and Route 66 doesn't quite play The Eagles, I was pretty sure I couldn't use what we might talk about. "I don't want to blow this guy off". Ok, I said. I grabbed my headphones and headed to "Studio C". I started the interview with "Is this "Fingers" Felder from Gainesville Florida?" He laughed and off we went for 28 minutes. Since I read his book "Heaven and Hell", it was breeze. Really easy going, friendly guy to talk to. Told me about writing "Hotel Califonia" and how he was ceremoniously dumped from the band. I always thought he added some balls to the Eagles line up and the one complaint I have about the new Eagles release is that it sounds cold and sterile. He agreed and told me he wanted to hear more Joe Walsh on the record. It was one of the best interviews I have ever done and when and if I can figure out a way to podcast, you'll be able to hear it, too.
This is my favorite incarnation of the Eagles, with Randy Meisner on bass, Joe and Don on guitar along with Don and Glenn. No matter how many times I hear it, this song still makes the hair on my neck stand up.
So, two big huge figures from my life and I get to talk with both of them that day. Not bad. The Warren Zevon book is quite tasty, too.
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