Clive Davis

in popular music. Everyone from divas like Janice Joplin, Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, and Alicia Keys to rock legends like Bruce Springsteen, Pattie smith, Santana Aerosmith and Maroon five. They're hip hop acts like Busta Rhymes and the Bad Boys Records, Roster and R and B superstars like tlc Usher and Tony Braxton. I could keep going, but we'd be here all day. Suffice it to say, every music fan owes this man at debt of gratitude each year.

His famous pre Grammy's Party is a joyous celebration of song in invitation to the gallows. Almost as sought after was actually winning the Golden Grammophone. This year, the party was obviously a little different due to COVID. It was

a virtual affair held in two parts. In addition to showcasing some of his favorite concert performance as ever, the event featured intimate interviews with the whole galaxy of music stars, from favorites like Elton John, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, and Barry Gordy to fresh faces like Her and the Baby. It was an unforgettable night, and all for a good cause. The party served to raise funds for the Grammy Museum, a vital institution dedicated to preserving the history of hits.

It's an honor and a privilege to welcome Mr Clive Davis. My pleasure to really agree with you. I had the great privilege and pleasure to to virtually attend part two of your your pre Grammy's Party on Saturday. It was such a special night. How did the idea come about to hold the event digitally? Well, we really had no choice. I mean, there was no way of being held live, and so when the concept came up of doing it digital, I came up with the idea of doing what we did.

I had once before in the hosting a weekend and I had a group of about twenty five people, and for entertainment after dinner, I had put together about ten performances that I had considered among the greatest of all time. And where I am today, I do have the theater and I showed it, and wow, the reaction was so strong that the first thing I thought of when I knew that we had to come up with an idea digitally was just doing that and coming up with fifteen

twenty of the greatest performances. And then I said, well, if I did that, and I know the performances have been seen, but never really back to back, buck, I did have to have and I wouldn't invite those living to come chat with me. So hot woman, so gratifying that when I asked Barry Gibb, when I asked on

Bruce Brinstein, Alicia, they all came on Puffy. And the one thing I had to with stand was some of the younger folks saying, oh, you gotta let everybody chat, you know, and there's the attention, then this is gonna run four or five hours, and they you know, and every one of these type zoons you gotta let them

speak to I said, there's no way. I said, you either have respect that this is unique to either have respects years ago when I would go to the Vanity Fair Oscar party and I'm riveted to the screen and everyone else is talking. I don't like talking during awards, Jones. I want to concentrate. Not that my heart is in the hands as to who's gonna win, but you want to concentrate. And at the risk of not being quote contemporary,

I held my ground. I'm so glad I did, because you don't want people chatting with each other or with Vanity seeing their names all over the screen, and whether Joni Mitchell or Elton John or Paul Simon or is speaking, that's no way. You've got to concentrate. Yeah, I just want to let them tell the story. Your pre Grammy's Gala is probably the most famous party on the planet. You've been doing it for I believe over forty years now. It's such a great tradition. How did this all begin?

How did you you you first start throwing this party? Well, you know it began. I had previously been had of Columbia records, and of course the night of the Grammys, every label, certainly the major labels Colombia included. We had a big bash with the orders that some way to

go and celebrate or not celebrate together. So when I became the head of Arrisdon, when I founded our restaurant, should say it was the first year of Opper Region all of you know, we might have had twenty five or thirty people on that first year doing marketing and promotion, sales and day and arm and Parry Manilow was up for two Grammys commanding and so he came to me and he said, what are we going to do? You know, I'm coming out to the coast. What what are we

going to do? I said, look, if you do it tonight of the Grammys, it will take a table. There was a famous restaurant in named Jason's, and I said, you know that doesn't seem right, it's small. And then we won two tables, two tables of us there. So I came up with the idea of doing something the day before and we did it, and Elton John showed up, and John Denver showed up, and Stevie Wonders showed us as Wow, I'm onto something here and it's a night

before there were no awards. It's just to celebrate music. So beginning to believe in all those years ago, this tradition began having the quote programming Galla and that we kept to it all through the years, and the heads of every other company comes. So it was not just for let's say our stuff. It was that every other label came because I put on a show and I It wasn't that they just smoothed as they say, No, I've put on after an hour of cocktails and for

an hour dinner. At nine thirty of the show began, and over the years it's become just the most amazing show. Every artist they've masked me because they know that I heart radio there. They know that MTV and BT is there, and they know that motion picture directors have cares from that party. They know how many special nights, you know, I put artists and never appeared together together. I know one year we had run Steward with lou Reed and

Slash playing together and singing together. So everybody's memory, you know, it's filled. It's like my part of the of the night when Dave girls and he started calling it Clive as he said, listen, I see artists that I would never otherwise see here this day Growl the great rock and rolland the same that when he heard him Badley at twelve Barron bdalone hits, he literally cried. He knew every word, and he thought of his family and they

loved over so many incredible pairings of artists. I mean, you know you you mentioned Rod Stewart and Slash and Lou Reed, Alicia Keys and Aretha Franklin are there. I'm sure it's hard to pick, but are there any moments that really stand out as favorites from from your your

gatherings over the years. Yes, I would say that there was the year that I was leaving Hour and got a lot of prints over the years, but BMG, Burtlesman didn't won't lose me, and they were trying to find a way, frankly, not to pay me all the money that my Phantom equity with all the profits we were making, and so they gave me a hundred fifty million dollars to start Jay Records and I could bring any executive all eighteen v from president. I was chairman executive BPS

eighteen out of the team. Aristill became Jay overnight and I took Alicia. She was not out with an album. I took five platinum artists with me, and yet obviously I could not bring Whitney Houston. And we turned to the Grammar Party of that year, and she that knew that she and I were being separated. And so that year I only had two orders. Okay, it was the year.

I think it was two thousand, and I had only called Santana and would be instant and Collins did the first half because we had, you know, just a year or two before I had his spectacular new career with Supernatural, and we broke it out of the Grammar Party spreading the word to every tastemaker that yes he was over fifty, yes he doesn't sing but smooth. And Maria Maria became anthems, debuting at that party with every radio media cable representative there.

And so Santana performed, and then Whitney came on, and so I vividly remember when she stepped to the front of the stage and it wasn't a dry eye in my house when she sang, I believe in you and me right looking in my eye, I could baible to keep my emotion in chat. And then she ended it by singing I love His Love You, and that is an incredible moment. I would say the breaking of Santana from that party, how do you spread the word that someone who has not had a hit in twenty five

years is coming back? And it was only demonstrating. So we had Rob Thomas and and Santana to Smooth, and we had Santana with White Cleft and product gam b to Maria Maria, and no one had ever heard it, So how do you spread the word. Yes, I'm serious, this is not David's folly because I had signed Santana originally and had had only come about Blood, Magic Women, Evil Ways with him at the beginning of both of our careers. So everybody said, oh, Clid is full of sentiment.

Who would signed Santana Novities? And well, obviously words spread that there were two magic kids at least in Supernatural and that's a major memory, and then I think there's so many. But if I had a conferred after Alicia had broken and played the party as the first new artists category began, and she sang Fallen actually right after Gladys Night, sang Midnight Train to Georgia, that's a great memory.

One of the great old time artors Steady show Basin and Alicia at the come on after it as this new orders, after this old timer, but after at least won all those Grammys and bull Time bull Time multiplat amount. I said to Alicia, what's your next dream? What would you dream that we happened to achieve from the tag? She said, you know, my childhood dream and it exists to this day, is to perform on the same stage with the wreath, and I did just that. I paid

the two of them at the Grammy party. They said, at least she was really just my weekend house. Okay, but in the pandemic compan we figure an hour from the city, and at least she came up just two days ago with her two kids, if she will, and her sister, and we've done the whole thing together. Very special, Okay, you've got three reminist those are all incredible, Oh my gosh. And of course you know your your most recent party. But it was full of so many special moments for me.

It was so wonderful too to see Joni Mitchell. I hadn't seen her interviewed live. I think I read that it was it's been six years or so. Tell me more about your your friendship with her. You know, it really grew right before her aneurism. It was not during the years when she was recording Brilliant Beard she did, but post her aneurism, she came to my Grammy Party every year and it was so special that the one to have it there. I always careful who I put

at her table. I was always reverential to her. So she met over the year is well. She was friendly with Robbie Roberts and you know, and Robbie's overs been at her table. But one year I put David Hockney, the great artists, at the table right next to her. Well, the next day they were holding hands going to Aunt Gallery debuting David's new works, and they become great friends. And I introduced Brandy Carlos to Johnny Jorey is no question number one heroin of Brandy and Brandy and I

had done a press day for my Grammy Party. That's how she and I met, when we did sixteen interviews together and got friendly and close, and so I said, I'm gonna put you at the same table with Joni Mitchard where she was paradised with fright. But they have become great friends. So Johnny and I talked throughout the

year every year, and we talked music. And she knows how unique and special our how our friend Ture was from so special and emotional seeing the performance of her singing both sides now and in the year two thousand backed with on the orchestra, and when you were both speaking, she touched on the fact that the meaning of the song that she'd written when she was in her you know, twenties changed when she she came at it again later

in life. And I think that's what's something that's so special about music is that different songs resonate with you for different reasons, depending on where you're at in your life. And I was wondering if that was the case for you, there are songs from from earlier in your life, earlier in your career that that means something more to you now, or resonate with you in a different way. You know.

My memory is so with the ether songs that I've found for all or or or obviously songs that they wrote that it's not that I'd find new meaning, but when over the years I heard when they sing the greatest Love of Ball, I would just immediately they go back to the first time we met, when she auditioned for me. That was the song she was singing at the audition, and it was a song I had commissioned to be written for the life of Muhammad Aldle and

it was eight years early. Bentson record it and I had the soundtrack, so he I was tremendously familiar with the greatest love of all and here is eighteen year old, stunningly beautiful girl. If you will, it's finding new meaning in the song the Greatest Love of ball that I knew that Michael Master and Linda Creed, who wrote it, couldn't have even conceived of when they wrote it. Whitney was a vocal genius. But when I heard Smith saying because the night okay, I mean I remember as great

and as much of a renaissance woman. When as Patty is, every artist wont success commercially apart from autistically never to bassardized. There are nobody is more artistically revered Thander, Jonny Mitchell or Patty Smith. But Patty, she says, I don't know if I could ever write a hit single. And I remember those years who were doing an album with Chimney Ivy, who was protrucing Bruce Springsteen and Bruce had written Because the Night, Jimmy knew that I in reporting at the

same time separately Bruce and Patty. Somehow we got to find a potential hits on from Patty Smith and without compromising her. And sure enough it came out of that with Bruce decided for his album he was not going to use Because the Night, and he played it for Patty played it for me and we loved it. And he went a little repidigiously to Bruce and said, can

I show this Patty Smith? Would you allow me? And Bruce said yes, And then Patty got into it and did some lyric writing, and they said that and of course it became a big hit for Patty, and all of a sudden said of one or two hundred thousands and great rock fans purchases Patty Smith was selling, you know all over the world that's putty hit single does for you so many amazing songs. I mean, during the Pregrammy party, you you revealed your two of your favorite songs.

My favorite songs to Bridge Over Troubled Water in the Box are both by Paul Simon for Simon and Garfuncle. What is it about those songs that that makes them so special for you? You know, I don't have the obviously not knowing you, I don't have the lyric, but both songs. A lyric is so brilliant and so meaningful and so emotionally affecting. And the melody, and what do

you have when you have a classic melody? If you saw in my party, so I'm in the Gulf Uncle sing the boxer, Oh my God, before I have a million people, you know when they go into La La La, you know, and it's a combination of an affecting lyric and an unforgettable melody. Gruble Trouble Water Salon, Silver Girl. I mean the first time I heard it, as Paul said, you know, five minutes a ballad. And if we come to the meeting in Polis Things, I'm sure Cloud is

gonna pick ce Celia. And there were Columbia. Others had a Columbia. I looked at him and I said, it's got to be over Trouble Water. They'll never forget it. I find Peop will never forget. And to this day, if I see they asked me why how, and I do say, there are times in life as an executive where you just can't give a formula lay it response. You know you're going to get a formula lay it responds. And there are times if you hear a classet, if you hear something that's an old timer, you gotta know

when to go for it. And there's just too much a stake and to come with me. Not that Sicilia is not a great hit song. It is, but this would signal an unusual artist and American beatles and quality songs was there, and I was willing to go for it. So there are times you've got to live and forget what boubl always love you. And my radio promotion people said, you know, radios they hear, they know we're going with it. They want to take ow you know, the intro where

there's no music behind it. What I said, that makes it so special. I said, I can't do that. He said, well they will. I said, you know, go for the home Brown, always go for the home wrong. And we did it. Of course in both cases they became you know, yes it was an acapella. It is a word I'm searching for, but that is in you know, and wow, that's a classic. And of quick for trump water, whether it's done by someone in golf uncle, somebody with the Franklin.

I mean, it's an incredible soul listening to you talking about, you know, advising, Paul Simon, Santana, Bruce Springsteen, Miles Davis. I think Kenny g referred to once as a friendly provocateur. I think was the phrase he used. Have there been any musicians who have returned the favor and and and taught you something as that? Whover your your biggest teacher has been over the years. My teaching come purely from

spunt to nearly. I mean I knew all right when I started oristoff, I've been fired from Columbia and they did not want to risk their broadcast license. Someone was claiming that there was payover and so in the company. I had never even heard of pay I'll tell you, and yet I had to withstand the industry investigation. I'm proud in my documentary which is on Netflix right now, let me say in a big, big, big hit for them on Netfloox Cole Climb David was the soundtrack of

Our Lives. And you'll see in that documentary the check the Columbia CBS gave me for a million dollars a lot of money. Many is help and because they didn't take the risk, and I had to go through the pain and the trauma until vindication came. And you know so that when I called Ariston at the heading Columbia, I wanted it to be an instant major. I was

not about to be a brand new company. So that if I only kept signing rock orders, that's the artist I signed the Columbia, that's what's gotta be an all of fame. It was Arrowsmith, and it was Springsteen and Billie Joel and it was earth Wind and Fire like that, okay, And but by that time rock can changed. And although I signed rock orders, when I called Harriston, I sawn the out closed, green Grass and High Tides. I signed Patty Smith, I signed Lou Reed, I signed Graham Parker,

I signed and Stiff records with the injury. And then I attracted the King's and the Grateful Dead. But those artists would not sell the millions of our boats. Punk new way or that you were doing real well. If you win gold, I had to go. My ordists had to go double triple platinum or more. And the way to do that is through singles, which you don't give songs to self contain rock orders, that's for sure. So

that I did look at Mowtown. I did look, and that's for my conversation the other night was very gordy, where we said we looked at compared notes over the years with each other, and I knew I had a home. My year fits ONNG So whether ultimately bringing to the label Dion both poet and a refurn leading up to Whitney. After what I had done with Darren Manilone where he wrote and I gave him two songs on every album,

I knew that A and are artists and repertoire. Yes, you look for the special rock distinct of self contained artists, but to really go multi platinum for the most part, I hold my ear for the hit song and I did look, you know at what Motown had done over years to come up with material you know, which, of course look to be in this most perfect rom Speaking of Whitney, I know you've been working on a film

version of her life. I wanted to know what the updates were on that and how that experience has been for you. That is the beginning we're talked about the biopic. Yes, yes, I well, I shouldn't say it's that beginning. I have worked with the author of Bohemian Rhapsody, the film, the Queen film, Anthony McCartin, for about a year, and now on the script. I mean, I'll be saying Anthony wrote it, but I can judge what's real and what's not real

and what I made sure. Notwithstanding his success with Beamian Rhapsody, which is now the biggest posting I've been felt the bois at a billion dollars, that he meets with her family, with her hair dress, with her custom, with the writers, with her agent, even without psychiatrists, if you will, So that he understood apart from my relationship and the family, everything up with me. So it was never the whitewashing. We're not whitewashing this important message that drugs are lethal.

We're not whitewashing that will come through. Drugs are lethal. She fought four four solving gamely and vainly to overcome it and didn't. But the two documentaries out of Whitney have been poor, they've been wonderment. And there was another side up Withney. There was that side that you saw she joined the on what work. At the end of ETL Friends for there was Whitney. What you might have seen in part one when she does a mentally like

nobody has done. I Love You, Porgy from Porgy and Best going into when I Tell You I'm Not Going from dream Girls songs that she was not associated with, and then ending with I Have Nothing to Me. That's

probably the greatest television singing performance ever. Whitney was a vocal genius, and she was a devoted fan of me, said listen to everything knew the producers so that, yes, we'll tell the story of Whitney, but it will include why she's considered the best contemporary artists vocally of all time, that she reads constructs that now and there are others great, don't get me wrong. I love gold as Nice and Patty and what have you. But Whitney was a vocal genius,

and you've got to show why. Produces Baby Pig, David Forster or Walden all put her in a unique, unique categories. So the movie, I think will show it all. What's the problems put the triumph and the influence on autists all over the world. I can't wait to see it. I'm so excited. Here's a question. Any thoughts on who you'd like to play you in the film? You know that's always tough. I must say. An unknown played me in the Uretha, A part series of it just on Disney.

I still love them better. His name is first Redmond. He did a real good job. I was pleasantly big pleased. Okay, the park was not a big a part in the Whitney movie, so I would be happy with Stanley Tucci. I'd be happy with Steve Correll. You know we're talking, but no one doesn't cast Oh my god, especial Davis. I could talk to you all day. I don't want to take up too much more of your time. Before I let go, I just want to ask how how

has this last year been for you? I mean, it's been tough and strange for everybody for so many different reasons. But has it been allowed you a little bit of a break from your schedule to sort of reflect? Or has it been just as busy as ever for you? I got to tell you in a way of busier than ever. If you saw a part one and pought two, I mean you've seen now I think twenty almost severe artists.

You know, of a caliber of Springsteen and Elton and pull some in open so putting that all together, picking just doing pop one in Part two has been during the pandemic, so preoccupying, motivating, just unique and special. So yes,

I've been really every very busy. Turning from the Revere Port TV sure is looking making sure the script for the Whitney bibit was you need also putting together part one in part two of the Grammy Party and have it become an overwhelming feedback of a lifetime memory for everybody. So yes, I've been very busy, and I'm beast, you know. I mean, I've got so many books I want to read. I've got so many documentaries I want to see. I've got so many projects. But you know, it's been a

tough period. Life is tough in the reality of it. The fear of COVID avoidance, of the importance of vaccination so important that you be vaccinated in far grading numbers, and they are mystery as to all that fear. But look, I among millions abothers worried through the election, very important who became our president, and so be yes, I should mention that your your parties have gone to raise money for the Granty Museum, which which bad they needs it.

It's been really hurt in the last year since it's been shut down. And music. Here's a combination of the two of the two of them and so gratifying as a result of that. Yeah, it's the first time we better charitable series of Grammar porters. So that's great, wonderful work you're doing. My very very last question, I've always wanted to ask you this, Mr clap Davis. Where is your favorite place to listen to music? Look, I listened

to music first in my office at some me. I'm there to la o'clock every night in normal term times, and I've got great speakers I'm doing for playing music very and so I like to listen there when I'm for the years that I was weekly picking singles. Ultimately in my car. I mean I hear records in my car different from any other place. I have an office where I'm talking to you from today in Comfort, New York. Were again the speakers were beautifully gifted to me and

they're fantastic, and I love listening there. So I would say, whether it's my office and townd, whether it's my office and Sony or whether it's my car. Those of the three favorite places to listen to music's sound like wonderful places. Mr Clive Davis, thank you so much for your time today. It's been an honor and a pleasure. I really appreciate it. My closure, thank you, thank you for your time, your music. And I'm an n y U graduate and i took many classes at the Clive Davis School of Music, so

thank you for the education as well. You're very welcome. Thank you. We hope you enjoyed this episode of Inside the Studio, a production of I Heart Radio. For more episodes of Inside the Studio or other fantastic shows, check out at the I Heart Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcast.