QLS Classic: Greg Phillinganes Pt. 2

Quest Love Supreme is a production of iHeartRadio. This classic episode was produced by the team at Pandora. What's Up, y'all? Last week on Quest Love Supreme, Greg Philin Gains took us on a journey through his career for auditioning for Stevie Wonder's band fresh out of high school to work with the Jackson's during the Destiny and Triumph years, and

No oh no no no no, no, no, no, no no no, not that. There's something a lot more subtle. Oprah, huh no no no, no no. You're never gonna get it. You're not gonna get it. I'm going to set it up for you because you're never going to get it. The setup is this, it's good in it. You're having fun with it. You want to do another one. Yes, okay, So here's the thing. The thing is this. So it's me and it's Neil stupid House and I want to say Paul Jackson Junior. And I'm not sure, but I

I think I figured it out.

I believe so, I believe so wait wait wait, wait, wait before you all say anything about so. And he says, yeah, you know, we're doing this thing, and I want to I want to recreate that groove thing, you know. I want to recreate that thing that's right about this temple right here. And so if you think you know what what is the song secret Jams? Oh damn, I had the wrong oneard bing wow, thank you okay, and as okay, yeah, damn oh, there's a story for everything. There's a story

Damn heart.

So after that joint, it's pretty stupid.

Oh well, I was just no.

I mean, it's the here's here's the thing. The thing is this. I I was too busy being hurt. I was too busy being emotionally affected, as opposed to saying, oh hell with this, I'm fighting this. But really, are you really prepared to fight Michael Michael Jackson for a piece of a song with Michael and his his his team of lawyers.

Are you really gonna do?

You really think you're gonna like succeed in that and have a freaking prayer? So what am I gonna do?

You know?

And so I had to suck it up. But what I lost in look ten percent? Please, I'd be living next to Quincy with ten of that one song. So but you know what I lost in revenue, I'd like to think I gained in a relationship because it went from that. And by the way, it ain't just that.

What else you got?

Oh? How about did did the did the did the end of Heartbreak Hotel play itself? It's beautiful thank You, which was orchestrated double with because Michael said, we need say dramatic here at the end, So I came up with that and then they added an orchestra to that too.

Did you start after this? Do you start looking around when you're just jamming and making sure the button and push?

Because I'm too busy being inspired because it happened so quick for me. Literally, when Michael said we need some dramatic here at the end before you get finish the Jeopardy theme song, I think I just go, yes, I get it, okay? Oh but no?

And there what else you got?

So now it's the dangerous Is it dangerous? It's dangerous? I think it's the dangerous album. I think it's a dangerous album. It's a dangerous album. And we're working on this one song and Michael says, beautiful song by the way beautiful, and he says, what gonna do here is I'm gonna I'm gonna talk kind of like a monologue thing, and I just want something. I want some music underneath because.

In the closet, in the closet the world m hm.

And I just need so I need some music because it's gonna be dramatic and and I'm gonna talk talk talk through this thing at the end of it, you know, And so I just need some music. So I said, okay, no problem, any takers.

Well he talks on dangerous for you know, Mama, is it is? It?

Is? It?

Is it? What was the it's not here? The world?

Is it?

That will be there? What will you be there? Think?

At the end at the WHI was double with orchestra and choir.

Thank you.

That is about another three minutes, if I'm not mistaken, somewhere.

To three on that free Willie money. Yeah. So can I ask a questions?

Sure?

So can you explain to the listener who may not know that intricacies of of of what your what your jobs were at these at these sessions. So can you just explain the difference like when when arranging becomes writing and when when associate producing becomes composed to.

See if I love to explain that, except there's such a fine line, as such a slippery slope. It's kind of hard to define because basically this is the equivalent of beauties in the eye of the of the beholder. Well arrangings then the in the eye of the who deems you are an arranger as opposed to a songwriter, as opposed to just an arranger, as opposed to just a little keyboard player that we're gonna give a check one time to and send him on his way because I want all the credit, right.

So ultimately those things come down to whether you are going to stand up for it.

It comes down to either whether you're going to stand up and fight it or if it's mutually agreed.

Yeah, I'm mutually agreed in writing. Have you ever seen someone been like hey, by the way, and then they didn't get a call back? Like have you ever seen someone get black bald or not used again or mess with that guy he's in trouble maker? Yeah? Nothing specific, But is there a way to be x Nate and black bald from Because you're in a sweet spot, you keep getting work, and you keep getting work and you keep like you're on. I mean between ninety seven you're on everything I know.

But I mean whenever I would try to raise a little dust, I always got pushed back. I mean, there was the time when what was it, uh it was Triumph and and I was I was, I was classified as an associate producer. Well I think wait, wait, wait things things things went on and on and on and on and on, and things were fine until one day I show up to the studio and Bill Bray standing outside the door. He says, I don't need you today, Bubble. What I'm like, what are you talking about? I gotta

Sometimes people bar because.

No, no, no.

They just decided they could take it over from there and they did not need Yeah, they didn't need my assistants anymore. So they just said, okay, you're done by Can I ask?

All right? So my question about Triumph Engineering one.

I do have. I do have a positive punchline story to the end, up to finish a set, But you know you want to ask.

Well, just the the engineering of the Triumph album. It sounds very flat to me as opposed to how wide open Destiny was. And I no, no, why I really need you to tell me a really good uh uh engineering story of of Bruce Wardeen, what Bruce Median brought to off the Wall.

It's like, goodness, it almost it's like it's like three D.

Almost who did the same with this with the same Do you remember who mixed the.

Trump I don't, but the same people were not involved. And I I kind of understand what you're saying sonically, but I just can't tell you why I'm not because I don't remember who was involved.

So you weren't there for the overseeing of the mixing and none of that stuff, no question. Yeah, those sessions, Yeah, sounded really fun because they It's almost to the point where I could tell almost what order was recorded because some of them songs you did the majority of the count off one, two, three, four, and then some of them songs, you guys sound like you were on your fiftieth beer. I mean not that, but just sound like so what were the just the the sessions, like I mean.

I the best way I could describe it is fun. Everybody there was so much and how do you how do you learn this stuff? Like how does it come from?

Here's the cassette demo and da da da da, Like do you get the cassette first? And do you work out these full fleshed arrangements? And how long we.

Would well, we would hear the demo in some form, and then after I came up with the arrangement, I was just we had charts. I have a chart. It's actually my wife insisted that I frame the chart to blame it on the book, and so it's over. It's over at the piano in the house. So we had charts and I would just dole out the parts. But it was it was heck of fun. It was just so much fun, fun fun. I remember, and I think

He could play drums.

He could play drumshow. Most people do not know this, but if you think about it made perfect sense because like Sammy, yeah, yeah, you know what I mean, and so he could definitely play and he was fun and it was I only saw it one time, but I was like, wow, as a matter of fact, I maybe there's a picture of an even younger Michael playing drums and I have it said, do you have seen that? But no, I saw him for myself and it was like, wow, this is I didn't. I didn't see this coming.

Oh my god. We didn't even get to like thriller and.

Off the wall, I'm waiting for.

Give you.

Let me give you the positive punchline to all this negativity because laias as I was saying what I lost in revenue, I gained a relationship to the point where, you know, there was this one faithful evening where we were all together, uh in this room, backstage, in this arena, and uh, we were all together outside of Michael. I went to his room separately, but I'm standing up with the brothers in a circle, and I remember saying to them,

Wow.

And to go from that point early in my life as a fan and having just fantasies about them and what it must be like to hang with them, to actually be arm in arm with them in a huddle before we start the thirtieth anniversary shows and I get to tell them have a great one. I can't begin to tell you what that's like.

Yeah, that sense of balance in your system is amazing, because at the same time, it's like, here you are in that moment, but these are still the same guys and may do a couple of shit any things to you, So you have to continue to be the bigger person and really disappreciate the moment and the bigger things that are yet to come.

Well, thank you. All I can say is that you know, the thing that that one over everything else was love and we all realized that we really do love each other.

Wait, I'm not done the technical lyric questions over here, like, well, yeah, let me ruin this for a second. So we want to be starting something. Are you playing the synth bass the line? Yep? Now with sequencing out then? Or did you have to do that seven minutes in a row? No?

I did it.

There was a tape looping.

I need a sticking sequence.

Come on, But look, dude, y'all, y'all were playing with a len drum. So you're telling me for seven minutes? Yeah, seth, and then it's in a robe.

Because I was young and crazy like that.

How many punchings did you have to do?

Not many?

Dog?

No, dude, because I I I graduated. Wonder you.

Oh well, it's like Jimmy jam when he said when he would play all the stuff from the twelve Yeah, straight through and they went to the School of Princess.

So yeah, I get it. Okay, it makes sense. No, I just just now, I'm just thinking of all, like even you didn't veer off into one ad lib and shake your right down to the ground like the last minute.

No, that's not true. That's not true. You gotta I I, well, okay, I have, Yeah, I had, but I past it to that to your point, yes, I definitely paste it.

Okay, you're right, you know.

And another thing is another example of that is, uh, don't stop. I paced those legs too. I mean I I kept basically. Oh. An even better example is Thriller.

That's what I want to get to. Yeah, oh you already answered. You're not sequencing, so you're playing the stuff.

Oh?

Absolutely, How are you finding these patches because now that I okay, now that the remixes are coming out, yeah, Thriller is almost borderline a pre pre precursor to E. D M, at least with the patches that you're using. Like how long do you That's what I'm saying, like.

And well, you know, we we had lots of help as far as programming. We had guys like that were we had Michael Bodacker, he was like on call. That was that was our our our go to guy, and there were others.

But was he was he more of a tech guy or an anglayer because he was playing on the desk. He played, but he programmed better.

But he Yeah, the the the strength, I would say, was the.

Program So but was it a time is money atmosphere? So okay, so we're in the studio.

Right, No, it was whatever it takes to get the right down.

Okay, But what's the patience factor, cause it's like even okay, so even the the little like right before Vincent Price's wrap thing, how long do you have to like, let me try this, let me try this even with keyboards today, like it takes me twenty minutes to decide and this stuff was already pre set. What's the what's the time? Like, what time do you have to think of something cool? They have mere minutes? No, there was no time, There was no what it was right then? Yeah, there was

Was however long it took?

Are you playing on beat it?

Yeah?

What is that intro? Gog? What is that noise? What is it?

I could not tell you if you have me a good point.

It's oh god, it's I saw YouTube video.

It's an old obviously an old synthesizer and they were going through the presets on it and that was one of them. Really not not I can't remember. I can't remember. It's been a while since I saw that video.

But okay, no, I I have no idea.

Bro, human nature? Is that the patron all those.

Yeah, that's deep Carlo, Okay, they didn't need me for that, my man. You know the story about that song, right, yeah, listening to because that's at nauseum and then they're like falling asleep and stuff, and it's it's the auto end of the auto reverse and then you know, and they're like in a semi sleep state.

I was sudden, what is that?

Rest is history?

It was just in clavier, by the way, Okay that they I kind.

Of remember that now it's clavier too, Okay. One hundred Ways is one of our favorite sis. You guys, you're not gonna understand it, but in hip hop terms, really, that's all I can say. Yes, it's it's been shopped lovely to the point where like almost every line of that thing is the solo. Yeah, it means in the world to us. It was done in an ironic I think it was done in a very ironic way. But but it's just you mus play it. I mean, it's you know, it's yeah, I mean the song has been

Really yoo, y'all can't stand right here in his right hand was your Man's worst night Man, loud enough to bust right, it's on close.

Strange.

The game is not only danger.

What is the most strange? So robs like Tom the Too, bombs like you just happy to see me? Trick, classical snapstick rappers, chapstick a lot of them, so like the talents so so a little something to remember, like the Halimalah joke, like Space Game came back from five?

What do you say this?

This has never heard?

This song is like twenty years old. But what see, that's the thing.

It's never heard. That's my first time.

He here in this I've never one hundred ways means something totally different to us. Like initially it was like, yeah, that's mom and dad song, are like yeah, yeah, he's easily no, but he that Yeah he turned it, And even when I heard it, I was like, yo, I never ever thought to be shocked.

And it's a crazy person who did that? Yes, whole lot of time on that she did and who actually produced that m F doom. You're a crazy guy. You're crazy, bro.

He is so well.

Did Quincy tell you the story of that solo?

He told you, like he woke you up out of your sleep. Yeah.

Yeah, there was during the time of assembly line uh sessions. And you when you went to work for Quincy, you knew two things.

No, you knew.

You knew three things. A. It was gonna be fun. B you were gonna eat well. And see you never knew how long you were gonna be. So, I mean, it's no o'clock in the morning, man, and I had done some other stuff and at this point I'm asleep under a piano. Somebody came in and woke me and said, all right, you're up again. Okay, I in my stupor you know, I stumble up to the thing and it's a mini moog and the and Quincy says, right, so this is one hundred ways and we need a solo. Go that's what it was.

Does he play you the full Does he play you the.

Full song at least before yeah, I mean the pay they play. Yeah, they played the song and I'm like, okay, so what you hear in that solo? Like ninety percent of it was the first take, and I only did so, you know, And then I only did like a couple of takes to finish it. But up until that point, that's the first take. And and and Quincy to this day says it's his favorite solo mine because it was done in the what he calls the alpha state. What's what's known as the alpha state, because you know, only

Know about this? There's there's this. There's a scientist that did a research on her students, onner students, in which she would do pop quizzes on her seven a m class versus prepared test advanced notice to her smarter class at twelve in the afternoon, and we did better because it's almost like there's there's a middle ground of not preparing and over preparing and overthinking, and the genius zone is always in the middle where it's just like, no, that's.

Supreme, y, he thrit. His goal is to be in that state constantly.

Wow.

And so that's what I that's where I was. And again, it only took like three takes or so for me to finish, for me to finish, but that that's just the first thing that came out.

I have a question about the bad album. Yeah, and I guess I shared this theory in the documentary. It's what I call the brace Yourself moment, which you're a big part of. Like all these songs have to start with this stab from hell, this chord, well not even bad. I mean that's probably easy patch, but like you know, like Dirty Diana's and that, Like by this point, are they telling you, Okay, Greg, every song on this album we need.

Well, no, because that really wasn't me. That wasn't no those amples he said it like with first of all, I'm not on Dirty Diana. I'm not on that at all. Another part of me. And actually I'm not on that either. Speed Demon way you make me feel. I'm on the way you make me feel. I'm not on Speed Demon. Unfortunately. That's Jerry Hey, that's crazy Jerry Hay with those horns,

Right.

So what I remember is doing that and having Michael standing next to me going vibe women because I'm like, he's like, next movie dude.

That was How big is this his snaps? Dude?

He had the big I know, he had these big ass hands. And his snaps sound like claves, don't they? Yes, because you think it's clove is on the bridge of uh rock with You? Yeah, but it's not. No. And when that's his fingers, it's his fingers.

Wait? Can I ask for Rock with You?

Yea? Who?

Well, I guess I should have asked Quincy instead. That horn intro, oh, the one that got removed? Why did they take that away? It doesn't make sense to me? What is It's just there's a horn intro to Rock with You that got me. Here's the thing that I love about off the Wall. Well, I certainly remember that

No, because what I remember about that was Quincy saying to they are I want to have a drum leg that's gonna live in infamy. I want to have a drum like that that that kids are gonna remember, you know, one hundred years from now. And so he came over it.

That was that bad question. Please tell me that by this time you went on the tour and you and Ricky were back together.

Oh yeah, oh absolutely yeah.

Now did Ricky get that gig and non Jonathan Moffatt because you were the empty.

Uh?

Because I thought like Jonathan would have been the tax for life?

Yeah you think that.

So how did Ricky get it? Well, Ricky also had the Victory tour, right.

No, no, that was Jonathan on the Victory Okay, Ricky did bad and dangerous, But you did with Sheryl Crow. Oh my what? And what were you three?

You mad woman's life?

Yes, you could have been more than five. Please. Okay, so still I still have so you please? And so I don't remember, to be honest, because even though you know, he made me the m D and that whole process was so weird, he there were other people hiring people, so I didn't really hire everybody. So I I didn't hire the whole band. I mean, there are certain people that were chosen before I was even asked.

How did you present that show without the out of the age of pro tools? You know, because.

Oh, oh well that's easy. We just had. We just had like was it to at least two full blown since clapt is damn and.

Back then that was.

Oh yeah, he was like whatever by any means necessary. I mean, the money was no object and so we had like too full blown.

Well yeah, I mean because that was vocals.

And and the the you know, the the extra tracks. Oh yeah, absolutely damn.

What was it like when Cheryl Croke came into the picture for that tour? Like, what was what did she bring to the table? Whiteness?

Because she wasn't the one with the lights in her hair?

No, No, that was Jennifer Adams. She she was the guitarist. You know, you asked a very loaded questioned my friend okay, uh this gig first, because no, she was after that was excited, it dangerous. Cheryl did bad. I would say that the thing that Cheryl brought them most of us the silence.

The silence here is this a hot topic?

That something I said Steve.

The white person about single Uh No.

What she brought was a secret love affair.

Here in my god it oh.

Well between two people and I was the other one.

Oh oh, Greig cam like you can sniff. No, that was Fante's question.

Would you got to say, Fanta, perfect question?

No, man, hey, listen, I guess you talking.

I guess you don't like that coming.

Well you missed.

Wow, he's probably in the control room right now.

Wow, that's what happened.

Man.

No, I wasn't good because I was married.

Ayah, he said, okay, how can you, okay, explain not just the tour, darling.

I was explain that it wasn't just the name of a tour.

How can how can one can one be a working musician, uh and have domestic normalcy? I mean, if you're doing the Michael Jackson Bad Tour, are you know what about the kids at home for it? Not just you just like the bass player or the lighting coordinator like you guys were going from from eighty seven to the top of January eighty nine.

No, understand, we rule the world. Understand that.

Yes, but.

We're girls flinging themselves over all of us, not over all of us. And I was in that group. I wasn't getting girls flung at me, you know, because a lot of people just assume, oh my god, you must say, had it shipping out of your ears? And I no, no, it did not happen to me.

I didn't mean it from that perspective. But I just meant, like, if you have a relationship at home, like if you're your college professor, wife is at home.

It's very, very difficult and you better bring him out at some point or like.

Would Michaelow like when he charged jet for families to come and visit.

He didn't do that, but he did welcome families. He was into that. And you know, several of us, including me, brought our families out at different points. I mean, and you know Michael, you know one of the singers Dori and Holly brought his little nana and she spent a lot of time on the road with us. And you know Ricky brought his kids, uh and his wife, I

Easier now with FaceTime and all that stuff. But it is like going like it's a wrap like you.

Yeah, you're going, like you're doing you're in the military.

It's like you're you're gone.

We did not even ask behind the mask, Yeah, behind the mask.

Yes, So I was working on my second solo album while working on Yeah, while we were also doing.

Oh my god, wait, we're just all over the place. Reminded.

Donald did right by you? Oh for Cancelor down.

Never mind?

No, no, well he he did basically, Yeah, he did well. He did better than me than Michael did, that's for sure, right.

Or did you do all night long?

And no? No, no, no, no here, let me give you level. No, no, he actually did all night long by himself. But I did uh level of find level, find away and level conquer all and I thank you very much a crazy video and and I did get you know, credit and checks for that conquer Oh oh crap, I can't remember her name right now. I see her face and I can't remember her name. I always thought that.

Was his take on the Al Green song like that was love of con Girl. Interesting, No, that's what it sounds might sound like that.

Well I didn't because well, I tell you what, I wasn't well, not really, because I wasn't. I wasn't thinking of that. That wasn't God, that's interesting because I wasn't thinking that at all. Oh well, okay, mar mar Marvia, thank you, yes, Princess Mark well later.

Yeah, yeah, because I keep getting hurt. Marva Hicks confused, Okay.

James Brown, right, that was Yeah, a lot of marvels.

When I see to join usteve.

Th miss it was you missed it. It was a good news. It wasn't bad.

You'll hear that you playing that's good?

Yeah?

So uh yeah, so Lionel did you right right to by me?

Okay?

This on his first solo album, right yeah, And that was where I first saw your name four yeah, that's crazy and.

Then left during the line of Richie portion and when that's that's all you.

Live the first one, the first line of Richie you are You're on that question.

The intro to you areious.

This right now? First of all, I'm not on that but what what you said? It was like, it was like, okay, if you don't come back, if you leave, But you sound like that was.

Some kind of movie.

Was like the guy goes No. I was like an s n L.

Yeah you know that he did. That was cool? That show Okay, but yeah, serves you right? That was that was mister.

Oh yeah, And I wrote that with very mysterious John McLean. Yes, oh wow, wow, so.

Oh my god. There's some more John McClean credits that. Uh, I've seen and I didn't think that was him. He was a songwriter. First, Well we wait minute, I got serves your Oh, I got a story about me and John hit me?

Well, John, who I love dearly? Let me just start out pressing that. Let me just say that right now. I do love him, I really do. He's the kind of guy that you'll never get to love because he just doesn't allow it. But I love him. And we spent a lot of time together in seventy.

Nine.

In the early eighties, we spent a lot of time together and I had this dream, we had this dream of forming a band that would that would be called PM and never Yeah, it never happened. He's Detroit no, it's from here. But we hooked up somehow, and and he was the first guy that sounded like Prince before Prince. That's how he played guitar. That John McLean yep man. Yeah, that John McQueen.

Motherfucker.

Well if you do, you will win the ultimate prize.

We got him for him. It is.

We can't find him and you know what, sorry to say, but you probably won't.

Really. Yeah, he's that mysterious. You know what, you can google anybody on the planet. I say, I can't even if he walked in right now. No, I've never seen what imagine that he looks like Stony Jackson an old picture of him.

No, bro's black guy. Damn. But don't you can't find him?

Wow? Damn. So he medinaized his way into the industry as an executive the same way that Benny Medina was a musician.

Yeah, yeah, he's Benny Medina.

Lord.

Yeah, it's fun. But no, actually, actually actually John was a little more legitimate. But anyway, we need to greg, you know, or maybe I'll just come up with my own. I'll just do a couple of spots for you. But anyway, don't write to check. You might be surprised anyway.

So, yes, y'all had a group called PM No.

We had a dream, we had the idea of a group, but it never came to fruition.

What projects what? Okay, but you know we.

Did work on together what a TV series? Oh the name of the producer scapes me right now. But the show is called The Righteous Apples.

Oh my god. Yeah, they did a cover of Let It Go, but uh, let the Love out of Yr. It was a Pages joint originally Richard Page The Joint, and then they did a cover of it The Righteous Apples.

It was like they were like a high school yes from I'm trying to think. I'm trying to think of the name of the creator and the writer and I can't for the life of me right now. Black guy were he wore which you have glasses? He was with the PBS thing and we we wrote and produced songs for that show. Like yeah, as a matter of fact, I'm looking at the i m dB page.

Yeah, and we'll just pretendue that's what.

Is there another song called it feels like the first.

Time It doesn't list just this one, okay, but yeah, mm hmm, but yeah, we we did that and that was the Crown.

Yeah, yes he was. But John doesn't look.

Like stony and Ernest Thomas. Wow, isn't that crazy? Ernest one thought I was Common's bodyguard.

That's hysterical.

That broke my heart.

Man, that's funny.

Yeah, Top, thank you, Tom on to do Mark Martin, Yeah, thank you. Wow.

Yes, that was my introduction to Topper.

That was the first thing that you scored or like for television.

I think it was the only thing.

Okay, So Michael Henderson was on Sorry, really he was on an episode? Yeah he was. I guess just a member of just as a member of the band that I.

Wouldn't call well, I guess you can call it a drama sort of.

I guess Michael Henderson in what year eighty and eighty one when the show was on cocaine, Michael Henderson last time saying that ship down? Can you please break it down? Have you ever heard of Michael Henderson's rant drunken rant in Japan?

No?

Classic? Oh my god, best in life?

Just Google.

I'm not breaking it down for nobody.

I'm not backing it up.

Oh wow, Mayfield. They're trying to they're trying to kill like he's just drunk and he's playing in front of it feels like he's performing for audience at fourteen. And you can hear people like because he's just spinning to be Oh, you're gonna leave baby, Oh that's okay, that's all right, people walking out, and he's.

Just like yourself, I'm what year is this?

It has to be eighty four?

Is not wasting any time?

It has to be eighty four. And like Norman, I think Norman Conness is drumming, but he takes it's a seven minute build up to sing going places. Yeah, and when he's very special like I did, I was like, damn, It's like he gets into the verse. Fo you realize it's going places. Oh that's what he's says his son, his son lives in Philly. And keep taking it off of YouTube because I can't. I can't find it.

I got it.

I got that.

She ain't going nowhere. Have you ever seen the version where they made a video to it? Stones throw Stone like a animated It's the best thing on earth. Take me on, motherfucking yours right, motherfucker. He goes in the next song.

So this sounds better than Ray Charles's. It sounds better than Buddy Riches. It sounds better than.

They really heard that one past those really past those three. They're cursing people out, but this is just like he's Ray.

Which one is the Ray? Where is he cutting people by that? Someone interrupts.

There's a scuffle between him and and the drummer. At the time, I think it was not Bernard, but I thought it was fat Head fad was yah fat It was a sex player, but it was a scuffle between him and the drummer, and the drummer walked off. That's all right, No, no, no, it's all right. It went It was okay.

There's he's doing busted. I have a version of him doing busted. And then someone gets on the stage. It's like you a doll, You a dog and raises like, bless your heart, bless your heart. You were nothing but a dirty doll.

Oh it's a woman.

She no a guy basically like Ray must have did something wrong to a woman, either slept with his wife or something. You ain't nothing but a doll, yea bless your heart, because someone could someone please get this gentleman off the states. Lease but a dirty doll. You were doll? And then they take him off and then like you hear him walking like crass cuts out. Yeah, and then all listen like like nothing happened, but yes, it's it's up there, but no, Michael.

Loses his ship.

That's so listen, Uh what I know you have a billion of these? What three songs did you say no to that you could have been on?

Like did you only stay in the Winter circle? Michael Lionel three Stevie. The only example I have of that is a song that I was originally asked to uh over Debond piano, and.

I was very full of myself and I oh, I went and did the session, but I mean I was full of myself musically and I thought like whatever I played would be great, and it wasn't because they just wanted something. They just wanted the changes in the in the rhythm that that that it was in it, and I was I was overplaying. I overplayed, and I overplayed my way out of the session. And I regret that because I really love this song and it's one of my favorites from George Benson is.

Turn Your Love?

How do You?

They just wanted you to play the piano line.

They just wanted Dunn. But I was playing I was playing dumn.

I was just.

Overplaying, you know, And and I ask you to just play simple. I guess they just said, well, it's not okay, thanks, And then the next thing, I know, somebody else was on it. But so yeah, but I remember being asked to play on it, but I just I didn't. I didn't play it right, you know, And I could have. And I even at that point, I was definitely more trained because of all the other years of doing sessions, and I just should have known better, but I overplayed.

Were formally were you formally trained how to play me? We didn't talk about that. Were you formally like you know, how to read? Or just yeah, I know.

I started playing by your at well, my mom says, legend has it too. I started playing by her at around two. But then I started taking lessons at around six. And so I did have formal training. And my I had three teachers. And the third one was the most influential and the most effective. And he was the pianist with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. And his name was Misha Cotler,

Did Luca Third produce that quinin.

He Actually I think he might have been one of the producers. I think I'm not sure, but but it wasn't Quincy though.

No. Okay, okay, okay, okay. What what if you played on that we might not know? Like did turn your liver room? Thank you? Really? Yeah? Wow? So weird?

What if I played on? And this is a hard question for you because you know everything?

I mean, like, you know, did you suffer?

You know?

Are you on the heat is on? By Glenn fry or I can't tell you why.

I wish that's really play? Yeah, no, I can't even think of anything that is that for real?

A float or this guy is lying to me right now, I did a floater? Lying, I don't, I didn't they gave you credit? Oh okay, thanks, wait a minute. Oh I'm so glad this came to me. It's gonna kill me. Uh, I gotta go back to Triumph. Okay, explain you said this to me once and I didn't know. Okay, so uh helped me out here guys Dela Light Works there, Okay, on your ways on Triumph.

I was gonna ask about that actually, oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, you said, was that the exact What's going on? Like?

Well, I don't know about that, but I know that the instrument used was i'm alotron? Yeah, but the same one. Did you tell me that that was the same exact one that Marmon used on.

What's going On?

Oh? I don't think so I couldn't possibly.

Know that, Okay, No, but I know someone told me. Okay, someone said it like that, either something like Marvin Heady or that Barry headed especially made well yeah, and that Barry had U do you know this story of Motown that Raymond Scott had built, had convinced Barry Gordy to purchase two of his his version of Tanto and this, and he ordered two of them, and then I think mid second one, they just discontinued the production. He was like, no, never mind, what year was this? Seventy sixty?

Because I'm wondering if these instruments that you're talking about, if they were used in these incredible ways for songs like Reflections, because I I defy anybody to tell me what the hell that sound is in the opening.

Whatever that is?

So and then they then they used something else later on, like what you know in these random places in the song, which is brilliant, but I have no idea what it is here.

It is, okay, so yeah. In nineteen sixty nine, Barrigordy tipped off about a map musical scientists engage the mysterious works.

Wow.

Visited Scott at his Long Island lab to witness the electronium that's what he called.

It, electronium Wow yeah, and all of its infinitous possibilities.

And Gordy hired Scott in seventy one to serve as director of Motown's electronic music and research departments. Wow wow Oh, position Scott held until nineteen seventy seven. Really wow. No Motown recordings using Scott's electronic inventions have been publicly identified. Oh sad as that, but yeah, he originally someone says that he originally started working on the electronium out of

Uh.

It was always being developed and that was the problem for Barry.

You know what, what do you think it probably sounded like crap, it's a waste of seven thousand? What do you think it probably just wasn't good?

Yeah? Uh? Do you have a we are the world question? Steve? Yeah?

I mean I didn't even put it together in my head that that that was you on that just you know, is your name on the cover of that forty five?

Like no, not, no, that's just the artist. But I did play piano on it.

The artist is one of the artists.

Then what happened there?

No, I wasn't No, it's not on the cover. No, no, no, no, no, no.

Every since you walked out, I don't know what. Hey, great was the artist and maybe it's the same person, But who was the artist that that you really ran to the studio outside of, of course Stevie Jackson's finel that you ran to the studio to work with because you were so excited, and who was the artist that you ran on tour to be with me?

Nobody excited?

Is anybody?

Well?

As far as touring, you know, there was a time when I toured with a Beatle, which one, nope, this this this other guy that I was touring with. I was in his band, and we already had a set thing going. And then uh, that artist managed to convince George to tour with us, and he said, you can use my band, and so it was the Eric Clapton and George Harrison tour of Japan. And you haven't lived until you've toured with a Beatle. Jesus, it didn't suck.

It was great.

And then and then another George story, which I always love to tell. It was the second time I went to visit him at his home and he opens the door and he's He's in corn Rows, George. George, Yeah, okay, he opened the door and I go, well, I didn't see this coming, George, what do you think? I said, First of all, how did you get your hair in Cornrows? How did that work? But he was in cornera I wish I took a picture of him. But so we're hanging out and then he goes, do you want to

Around with George Harrison.

Oh my god, I can't believe.

This is right now.

But sham okay.

On the heels of that question, you also you also m DD a lot of specials and award shows. What was your what was one of your favorite experiences with that?

Ps?

I really enjoyed watching because you're always.

So in me.

Thank you.

Well, where's your first one that you did? Like your first awards that you.

Oh my goodness, I don't know the first awards show that I am? Indeed, wow, I I don't know. I'd have to research that. I don't.

Damn so Ricky Minor wasn't born with that, but times and he.

Just okay, here you go, thank you. But no, uh no, I don't remember. But I'll tell you what the pretty much the best one was. It was based off of how I got started?

Mm hm, the Jackson special. No, he's how you got started started?

I was thinking of the Detroit Symphony thing. Uh Stevie.

In the Key of Life. It was a Grammy tribute. I am dated, that's anyone. So that's why that's the best one.

Ah, so you're a g an egg. Yeah.

So the second best one is probably the Jackson's thirtieth Anniversary in the Garden, because I mean, this is the Jackson's thirty Anniversary in the Garden.

It's like, all right, question, yeah, since that night was so vivid. That day after it was so memorable. By the way, this was based off of because we did two shows. I know, I'm going to ask you about that second show. Okay, how did you get out of New York City? Right?

Well, it wasn't by plane.

Yeah.

First of all, nothing was happening the day, the day of, or the day after.

We might want to tell everybody what that day was.

It was September eleventh, two thousand and one, and that was after the second show, which was September tenth, and the first show, which was the eighth, because there was a break in between, I think because of the circus. But the first show was September eighth, the second show was September tenth, and I remember after that show, just you know, having more of a private celebration, you know, dinner with a buddy of mine at the time, and had like, you know, just kind of a celebratory dinner

Ago?

I said, I'd like to, you know, come to the to the spot today and the person said, today's not a good day. Said why it's not a good Day's people are crying, it's terrible, It's it's not a good day. I go, what are you talking about. The person went, have you seen the news? Go No, said you might want to turn the TV on right now. That's how we found out, damn. And then after the initial shock, which took a long time to get over it, and

Damn.

The producer of the show, David Guest, was very good to me though, because he let me stay at the plaza until the end of the week or until I could get away out. And so what happened was we kept trying by flights and it was very, very very difficult. Free to pain I remember was one of the lucky ones. She got out on the plane. Came to find out. Came to find out later on that Michael uh that car ride with yeah, he went that was real.

He did that.

But I didn't know how the cross country with Elizabeth Taylor and I watched his name Marlon Yeah, yeah, I don't know, yeah, because I didn't. I didn't know that at the time, and I didn't know how the rest

No that is not the right like that for two weeks. No, they only played like imagine there was a whole no no songs or the no playlist. Yeah, which is why, which is why I ode on the blueprint. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's man. Can you do you remember you remember? Can you take us through where you were when you got the dues about Mike?

Yes. I was in Beverly Hills and I was I just dropped off a watch to get repaired, and my wife at that time called me and said, did you hear about Michael? I go, what are you talking about? I heard the news and I just knew. I was in shock, you know, I I it was just you know, and yet I wasn't, you know. And what I really remember after that is going through the preparations with Brandy, because Randy brought me in and he wanted me to

Uh?

Who No, as Sideman, He's Sideman, He's he's the Uh, he's the uh he basically runs he basically runs LA Live, Staples Center and Microsoft Center. Uh Lee Lee Seidman.

And uh.

Lywickie wasn't there at that time, I don't think, but there were other executives and we we you know, they were. We were discussing everything, like, you know, how many tickets for family, how many tickets for VP, He's all this

They didn't do it.

We did a practice walk, but after it actually happened, they didn't do it. They they didn't do it because it was it was like enough for really you know, it's like, you know, with everything that went on and and uh so, yeah, it was very heavy, and I remember I remember having a very very private moment with Marlon at Havenhurst and him, you know, we talked and and you know, he cried on my shoulder. You know,

You know, how can one how could one be creative in a time like that, because you know, you have to go with arrangements and okay, all right, what key do you want to sing in? And D D D and you know, call up musicians and background sound check and you know.

What you just do you just do man. I mean, you know one thing Earl is really good at is just forging through no matter what, because he's had to in all kinds he's had, He's been hit with all kinds of last minute things like you know, uh, they were rehearsing the grass like the day of the Grammy thing where Chris God Jesus, I think I was, I know, I was there. I was there. You talk about you talk about having a chance on the fly and.

What what was it?

What the backstory was that the Chris Brown Rihanna thing just happened and that was the year they decided to let artists double up on things. So Timberlake had like two or three songs, and Chris Brown had two or three songs, and Rihanna had two or three songs, and it was gonna be like the first mashup thing of duets and multiple songs. But without Chris Brown Rihanna, they there was like space for five songs and I never two things happened that day, which is the most surreal

So they're just scouring up the scramming voice of men.

Can you sing Let's say together?

Al Green? No, no, no, They're just grabbing people from the audience like this.

We need we need a four minute song. That so that whole thing of like, uh, boys to the men singing Let's stay together. Yeah, none of that ship was playing the amperstitionous thing with Stevie Wonder with the Jonas brothers jon brother No. But wait here's the other funny thing. So, uh, the the the Coldplay controversy with Joe Satriani. Oh yeah, where they hit Jack the Viva Levito. So they've been and running away from getting their summons from Satriani's people

It was the funniest day of my life. Wow, it was funny. I'm glad somebody would have had something to laugh about that day.

Well, did the thing was? We didn't? No, no, no, I know you didn't know what was happening. Yeah. It's sort of like being in the New York doing the blackout right Like in Detroit, I saw y'all. I knew y'all in the blackout, but I don't think y'all really knew because there was no TV to turn on to see. Pridy could say, we couldn't write.

You could be told you were in a blackout.

But it was just like, oh we heard like Rihanna's not coming, Like we didn't until I got home. Then we saw oh ship that happened?

Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, Yeah that was sort of the thing.

Wow. So, uh, did we cover everything in your life? No?

Not even close, like the whole part two?

Yeah, this is already.

Signs and movies and ship.

You did score.

I didn't score it.

I did.

Actually I just did one thing, okay for a female artist who the girl who did Private Joy Shane Shane. Yeah, yeah, and I sang the demo.

Produced by Jimmy Iovien. Wow, Oh that's right.

Where somebody asked me to do somebody asked me to do that, you know, produce that thing for that girl. So I did that. Did Private Joy in.

The Street to fire? Were you in the band?

No? No, I was in another movie, ding movie, the only my only this is it my only movie day? But I didn't do this is it?

Because Michael you're right, You're right. Sorry, Okay, I was young.

Say but you haven't lived until you've been directed by Steven Spielberg.

Thank you? What movie.

You would be a player?

We got to I was in Next in the Color Purple as well. I was six baby.

Kids.

I was one of the kids.

The scene where the scene where she's hanging up closed, she's saying, no, you gotta fight, you gotta what Ceeli and Neddie are talking and so then like a kid comes and runs through the sheet and she's like, y'all get on the way from you. I was ya, you got our shooting vituals.

But you're not going to believe this.

But also, yeah, man, exactly, you were the kid, and you were you were the kid. You were the one of the kids of the owner of the general store.

By some girl.

Yeah you g but guess what though, guess what, that's not even my voice. I want that? Wait wait, I couldn't.

But I did say it. Yeah, I did say it, but in the final and over, I guess it wasn't loud enough, so they had they had somebody else go well, but I did. That's me playing wow and that hysterical. So if you want a really good laugh, whipped that out one night, you'll crack up. Yeah, gotta you laugh yourself silly.

Wait.

Great, But that's how I met Oprah. Ah what And that's how I met uh Danny, And that's how I met the cast of wacky characters. And yeah wait, oh there's another thing that I did that I'm very proud of that you probably didn't know I did. Thanks to Ken Irlic Oprahs final two shows, Thank you man? Wait?

What were her final two shows?

An extraaganza with every star you've ever heard of in your entire life, in the entire galaxy that digit's ever interviewed. They came out, oh to say goodbye? And yeah that's stuff.

So what musical moment? Who who was the last you? Indeed? Whatever the musical moment was? Oh, I indeed the whole thing. So who was the last person.

I don't know who the last person was, but but probably my favorite segment was when we when were surprised it with Steve, because what happened was the setup Wash Jamie mm hmm, you know went to her and started, you know, talking all his smack and everything, and he's he he would he started, isn't she lovely?

Right?

So he started it. So we did a slow version and that's me playing with him and everything, and then we we I do some some chord changes, you know, some different courts to set up into the original key of isn't she lovely? For Steve to rise out of the floor on a panel is love and she turns around.

Wait, I gotta ask, do you have you ever had as an m d uh a Murphy's Law moment for you?

Everything can go on.

I don't like, as a sequencer ever not worked on you know when jam is on at the intro, you know, did you miss a if you can't feed your baby Q or that freeze or want to be starting something or.

Oh I we probably did. We probably had some you mean doing the Bad Tour? Well, yeah, I mean just in general general not not yeah, probably, but not to not anything that just stands out to gregor, Oh, you won't believe this. So I'm sure they happened, but they were mercifully far and few between.

Okay, okay, well great.

I'm sorry.

I really do want to know what you played on the other world, like what instruments that.

You Oh this piano, played piano and there's the piano too, right, yeah, but well and to your point, yes, and he co wrote the song, but no, he he doesn't need to play it. He's one of the featured artists, so he doesn't need So they had they have other sense and stuff that. Oh yeah, so Quincy had a few of us. It was me, David Page and I think, and there was one other one I can't remember who. They're gonna kill me thout, but but I played piano. Page played

You you gave us dog, you brought it. You brought the stories, you brought, the dramas, you brought the listen.

Well, you know what, but it takes someone as nerdy and as knowledgeable as you are and your fine team. Let me just say right now, you guys are really wonderful, even Steve. Okay, okay, I getly function.

That's all I know.

I get it, and I have to pee right now. But I must say I had no idea that I would be here for over three hours, but like I have enjoyed every second of it felt like three minutes. And blessings to you all and.

To just thank you for you, just for all your contributions, all your music, just for raising all of us. Thank you. Thank you on behalf of Sugar Steve and I'm paid well, well he's not here on behalf of Sugar Steve and Boss Bill and Fantiicolo and Laiah. Yeah, I'd like to say thank you Greg again. This is Quest Love Course Love Supreme and we will see you on the Mexico Round only on Pandora. Quest Love Supreme is a production of iHeartRadio. This classic episode was produced by the team