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Anders: A David Foster production is normally a signature brand, which music
lovers can easily recognize. 143 records holds a variety of music styles
not normally connected to David Foster. What is the 143-Records strategy when
signing a new artist? "I do love a lot of rap music and heavy metal, but I
don't know how to make that kind of music," was one of your quotes. But you
do recognize talents in most sorts of music?
David: I think for any successful label, you have to be able to recognize
and release all different kinds of music. I always
seem to do best when I "stay in my own lane " as the saying goes but my
dream would be to have every kind of music on
143. Our newest signing is two 18 year old twins named Tay and Ty. They
are urban pop, they are making a great record but of
course, I'm not producing it.
Tomi: What is your secret? I mean, you are one of the very few people
who has
survived in this business for a very long time. Producers come and go but
you always seem to rise and have another success?Have you though on how
you manage to do it, time after time?
David: My good friend Ronnie Hawkins (canadian rockabilly singer, I was
in his band when I was 20, his main band became
"the band" ) told me you always have to retreat and attack in another
direction. At the end of the 80's my career went
downhill, I did the Natalie and Nat record, that propelled me into the
90's ("Unforgettable" was definitely a different direction)
at the end of the 90's: same problem. I couldn't fit in with the swedish
sound...soooo...Josh Groban and Michael Buble!!!
Anders: There is so many of your songs and albums we've heard about that was
never released. The music business is not always so easy to understand
from the outside (and maybe not from the inside either:-) Please feel free
to comment or not on the following artists/albums:
David: All of those projects you talk about I remember very clearly.
Every one always talks about the hits but never the
misses. Good detective work on your part. I had very high hopes for New
Millenium, sort of a modern day fifth dimension but
Atlantic Records (143 parent company ) choose not to release it. When I
finished Mya's song I loved it but her A&R person Ron
Fair didn't like it so he redid it. Janet Gretzky is a good friend as is
her husband Wayne...we tried to get something going for her
but couldn't. Now her 14 year old daughter Paulina sings so maybe we'll see her soon. I
did 3 songs with Denise at that time
and none of them were released. One was an old Bobby Taylor and the
Vancouvers' song called "Does your mama know about
me"...another was a Beach Boys song and the third one was...can't
remember. Also I don't remember about the Brenda Russell
stuff.
Tomi: As a musician I'm often nowadays required to "kill my darlings"?I
have to
give up using some chords, arrangements etc. because of outside demands.
Do you often face that?
David: I do pretty much what I want but of course, you wouldn't use Al
Jarreau chords these days nor could you ever have
imagined using some of the sloppy drum beats back then that are used now.
Time has a way of taking care of everything. By
the way, I just saw an article about me in Canadian Time Magazine...pretty
good in there with Oscar Peterson and Joni
Mitchell !!
Anders: You were known as Dr./Mr. Fixit sometimes without getting any
credit on
the record. Is there any special work you wished you were officially
credited for? And is there any artist you wished you have worked with?
What would you have made different then?
David: When I was doing sessions in the 70's I would always jump in when
the producer didn't know what to do: make up intros, tell the
drummer what to play, write a brigde etc...no credit but it's okay, I just
consider it part of my training. I learned just as much from the bad
producers as
I did from the good ones. I've always wanted to work with Sting...problem
is he doesn't need me. I might have messed his career up, like Janet
Jackson: her record company really wanted me to produce the album that Jam
and Lewis eventually did. Thank God I said no, she would have missed out on
one of the all time great collaborations of all time. I think her and Jam
and Lewis are a killer combination.
Anders: Josh Groban mentioned that you still work on your "Scream"
musical. One
friend is almost certain that he saw pre-announcements for the musical on a
L.A theatre back in 1993. Was the musical ever performed live? Do you still
plan for a complete musical? If not "Tears For Fears" could have been the
perfect song to put Chicago back on Top 20! Who was the original female
vocalist? Could you explain why Arthur Janov's book inspired you to write
the musical and several musical artist to take their band names from this
book? You made me read that book as well:-)
David: Arthur brought out something in my writing that was different than
anyone else. I love all 24 songs that we wrote for "Scream" (one of
them we gave to Celine, "The color of my love"). In his innocence he wrote
some great lyrics but the story was never able to be right...we performed
it a couple of different times for a week at a time, workshop sort of. He's
a brilliant guy but not a good playwright. Problem is every time I tryed
to get someone else to write the screenplay he would say no problem but
then he
would work with the guy and we would be right back where we started...he
couldn't let go (strange considering that's what his book is all
about).
Tomi: Is there any chance for you doing similar stuff as "nothing you
can do
about it" or those wonderful Jarreau style songs? :-) Any solo stuff? How
about doing a music product with all your friends and people with who you
have played during the years? Maurice White, all LA studio cats, todays
favourites, some great vocalists?like those Quincy Jones records. And
some contemporary artists too...
David: No plans for any of that but you never know.
(Anders Bernstrom - Tomi M. - 2003)
Questions and Answers for "Listen to David Foster"
David speaks about past and present works on this exclusive interview for "Listen to David Foster" web site.
Questions come from two among the hugest Foster's fans: Anders Bernstrom (Norway) and Tomi M. (Finland). Thanks a bunch, David !
- Mya's "Where The Dream Takes You". Mentioned in the Asian best of CD, but
this version was never released.
- Youth Asylum. (Went as long as an enhanced CD)
- (New) Millennium. (A group with Warren Wiebe, Joey Diggs, Will Wheaton,
Nita Whitaker and Suzette Charles that was scheduled around 1995?)
- Janet Gretzky (Jones) solo works.
- Brenda Russell (demo album?)
- Deniece Williams' 1992 songs