The Beatle Who Vanished by Jim Berkenstadt

Whatever happened to Jimmie Nicol? Exclusive interview with author of new book, ‘The Beatle Who Vanished’

Published by Daytrippin.com

By Marshall Terrill

Jimmy Nicol performing in London on the day it was announced that he was to replace Ringo Starr for The Beatles World tour; photo courtesy Jim Berkenstadt

Jimmie Nicol played with the world’s most famous rock group for 13 days…and then years later he walked out of his London flat and disappeared without a trace. In his new book, “The Beatle Who Vanished”, author Jim Berkenstadt uncovers the twisting trail of intrigue that has followed Jimmie Nicol since his disappearance in the late sixties. 

“The Beatle Who Vanished” is the first account of Jimmie Nicol, an unknown drummer whose journey from humble beginnings to improbable climb – rescuing The Beatles’ first world tour from disaster by stepping in for an ailing Ringo Starr – was only part of his legend. Though his 13 days of fame made headlines, the true mystery of Nicol’s account is riddled with blacklisting, betrayal, drug abuse, bankruptcy and an eventual disappearance that leads many to question whether he is dead or alive.

Berkenstadt, the author of several Beatles books, spent six years of his life gum-shoeing the life of Nicol. In this exclusive interview with Daytrippin’, Berkenstadt discusses why the Beatles selected Nicol, his unforgettable 13-day tenure with the Fab Four, and how his 15 minutes of fame turned into nearly a five-decade hangover.  
Q: As you so aptly state in the opening of the book, Jimmie Nicol was a classy footnote in Beatles history. So what made you decide to dedicate six years of research and writing to this project?

JB: “The Beatle Who Vanished” really started out as a challenge to see if I could find enough information to write an article about Jimmie Nicol’s life.  He only ever merits one sentence in Beatles history books and no mention in British music histories.  I got lucky early on finding out the general chronology of his career by locating bands he had played in and then finding members of those bands to talk to me about their lives with Jimmie.  I found that almost universally his friends loved him very much and found him to be generous and highly talented. They all seemed to be rooting for him to succeed.

After a while, I was being connected to various band members from Colin Hicks & His Cabin Boys to Vince Eager & the Quiet Three, the Shubdubs and Spotnicks. This led to my compiling Nicol’s amazing discography and helped piece together the chronology of his career. The recordings I found all over the world, helped me to learn about Nicol’s amazing and creative gift as a drummer, composer, arranger and producer.

The years of writing and research were an amazing journey and challenge. Nicol was an enigmatic character. He always seemed to erase his trail when he moved on, rather than preserve it. The best way to describe my years of research is like a treasure hunt to find thousands of pieces to a giant puzzle. Then after finding all the pieces, one has to use interviews, photos, articles, video, recordings and memorabilia (i.e. posters) to fit the pieces together to create the portrait of Jimmie Nicol that readers will see in the book.

Q: You’ve been a part of the Beatles world for close to 25 years, including working as a consultant on the reissue of “All Things Must Pass” and the Traveling Wilburys box set. Not to mention your other books (“Black Market Beatles: The Story Behind The Lost Recordings” and “The Beatles Digest”) on the Fab Four. How did this help in terms of locating sources for your research?

JB: The two projects you mentioned, along with some of my work for Apple (The Beatles “Help!” DVD and the Cirque Du Soleil “Love” show) involved treasure hunts and connecting with the right people who were eyewitnesses to history. As an attorney, I became adept at research and finding almost anything on the Internet. This would include locating people who are hard to find, long lost news articles in foreign languages and lost audio and video.

Q: Like most people, I have never given much thought to Jimmie Nicol. Were you surprised by the fact that he was such an accomplished drummer before he was asked by the Beatles to fill in for Ringo Starr?

Colin Hicks and The Cabin Boys EP with Jimmie Nicol on drums; courtesy Jim Berkenstadt

JB: I did not know what to expect of Jimmie Nicol’s drumming at first. It took about a year to locate some early 1950s live video performances (which I will put up on my web site at www.thebeatlewhovanished.com) and listening to 45s and LPs that I collected from all of the bands he recorded with before and after his stint with The Beatles. Once I heard the music he had played on, I was blown away by his ability to play not only great rock and roll, but Ska, Big Band, Jazz, R&B and really anything. As the readers will discover, not only was Jimmie a great rock drummer who could step in at the last minute for Ringo, but through a stroke of fate, he already knew the parts to The Beatles current concert set list when they chose him.

Q: How would you compare Nicols’ style of drumming to Ringo Starr’s?

JB: It is interesting to use film clips of both Ringo and Jimmie playing drums with The Beatles, to compare and contrast.  The Beatles were musically a very tight unit. They breathed, moved and played together as one. Imagine how difficult it must have been for them to launch a world tour with a brand new person to drive their rhythm? Nicol came through for them based upon his experience.
From a technique standpoint, both Nicol and Starr employed the matched-grip style of holding the sticks. This was still a new approach to drum technique in 1964.  The matched-grip approach positions the weight of the arms over the stick, allowing the weight to assist in producing a bigger sound. Briefly, Ringo’s style is defined by his staying low to the drums and cymbals for the most part, using his strong/powerful wrists to get a beat that is clear, communicative and which helps define and serve key sections of the song. In contrast, Nicol’s style is more staccato than Starr’s. Nicol employs more of a whipping arm motion from a higher plane down into the drums  which produces a brighter tone (Nicol also sets his stool higher than Starr for this purpose). His performances with The Beatles also highlight more of his R&B and Big Band influences in the way he breaks away from the beat and plays strong fills to set up changes in the tune.

Both styles work well to hold The Beatles together, yet of course; Ringo had recorded the songs in his style, which would be more familiar to fans. However, what fans could actually hear The Beatles at these concerts in 1964?!

Q: You cast a very large net when it came to researching Jimmie Nicols’ life – including trips to England, Holland, and Mexico. I imagine it was a surprise that this book took you around the world?

JB: Almost everything I came to learn about Jimmie Nicol’s life was a surprise. He was the definition of an independent spirit. He often chose the unexpected path. No one could tell him what to do or how to think. Each time he vanished in his career, it would take me awhile to locate where in the world he would show up next! He usually never said goodbye… just walked out the door… to another spot on the globe. Very mysterious. I tried to retrace his footsteps by traveling to England, Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne to get a feel for the places he had lived and worked. I call that Frequent Flier Research…

Jimmie Nicol drumming for The Beatles in Adelaide, 1964;
photo courtesy Jim Berkenstadt

Q: I was also surprised in your book by the amount of newspapers articles that existed on Nichols in addition to some of the memorabilia and photos you were able to unearth. How lucky were you in this regard?

JB: The articles were not too difficult to find. I would Google rock historians in other countries who had an interest in their country’s music history. They often had links that directed me to what I needed. Google books were very helpful in locating “Billboard” magazine issues mentioning Nicol.  I collected the key British music magazines at EBay in the UK.

Beatles historian Mark Lewisohn was very generous and helpful in pointing me in certain directions and helping me find obscure facts. Kudos to Mark! Many rare photos of Nicol with his various bands such as Vince Eager, The Shubdubs and The Spotnicks were generously loaned to me by band members.

The rare handbills, programs and memorabilia were found on EBay or loaned from collectors worldwide. The Beatles era video and photos are available to watch or license at archives such as Getty. I picked up a set of Beatles autographs with Jimmie Nicol that was signed on their first plane ride for a flight attendant on BEA at Sotheby’s Auctions in 1985. Priceless…. for $200. The first night concert set list from The Beatles First World Tour, (illustrated in the book) was hand-written by Neil Aspinall. He gave it to Lennon, who gave to Nicol, who used it on his bass drum. After the show, Nicol left it. Torben, the drummer for the warm up band The Hitmakers, picked it up as a souvenir and kept it for decades.

LPs were the hardest to locate. I found a Mexican LP Nicol produced and played on in the late sixties called Nicolquinn. It is the only copy in the world I have ever seen. Out of Nicol’s 10-page discography I compiled, I think there is only one 45 record I was unable to locate; likely due to anemic sales at the time.

Q: What were some of the attributes Brian Epstein was looking for when replacing Ringo Starr for the tour, and why do you think they ultimately decided on Jimmie Nicol?

JB: This was an emotional and scary time for Epstein. He had to find a fill-in for Ringo or the entire tour would collapse into a disaster of financial ruin, lawsuits against NEMS and catastrophic bad PR for The Beatles. There were no “out” clauses for illness to postpone tours in 1964. The show must go on! Epstein needed a competent drummer who could drive The Beatles bus while they could comfortably sing and play the songs out front. But he also needed someone who was mature enough not to let the experience go to his head. Maturity, diplomacy and discretion were most needed to fill in. The person chosen would be seeing and experiencing things on tour that did not fit into the current “mop top” family-friendly image, such as sex and drugs.

There are other factors as to why and how Nicol was chosen, but I will leave those to be discovered by the readers.

Q: After the elation of The Call in which Nicol was notified that he would be touring with the Beatles, what sort of pressure do you imagine he was facing?

JB: By the time of The Call, Nicol was a pro. He had played in some of England’s best first generation rock bands, led his own big band and was one of the top 5 session drummers at the time in London. He was a confident and strong player and in the book I explain in detail how he already knew most of Ringo Starr’s drum parts. I think he became nervous once all of the fan attention and media started to surround him. He realized that this was no normal gig and no everyday band. He had the stress of driving the best rock band in the world and he wanted to do his job well.

Q: And conversely, it sounded as if Ringo Starr, though he shouldn’t have been worried, was much more upset than originally reported. What do you think he was going through?

JB: Ringo felt helpless in a hospital bed watching his buddies on TV head off on their first world tour. Keep in mind, Pete Best had been replaced by Ringo after only two years. Now Ringo was being temporarily replaced (two years after Best) by Jimmie Nicol, a well-known London drummer who was in the hottest live band in town, Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames. He was likely a little insecure and worried…

Jimmie Nicol (left) with Paul, George and John at a press conference in Amsterdam, June 1964; photo courtesy Jim Berkenstadt

Q: The most telling quote I found in the book was when Nicol got his first taste of Beatlemania. He said: “The day before I was a Beatle, not one girl would look me over. The day after … they were dying just to get a touch of me. Strange and scary all at once. It’s hard to describe the feeling but I can tell you it can go to your head. I see why so many famous people kill themselves.” That quote is in some ways a cautionary tale…

JB: This is a cautionary tale. In the words of Grammy Producer Butch Vig (Paul McCartney, Nirvana, Green Day), “This is a fascinating and mysterious must read for hardcore Beatles fans, and anyone who wants to understand the meteoric rise to pop stardom and the subsequent crash landing.”

Q: Despite all of the mayhem, it sounds like the Beatles burned the candles at both ends during this tour and Nichol had to force himself to keep up. Amsterdam, in particular, sounded like a wild time.

JB: The whole tour was pretty wild for its time, as readers will see. Keep in mind, Nicol was a few years older than The Beatles and he had done this all before. It is hard to come off stage after a Beatles concert of wild, crazy screaming and simply go to sleep. So, a good time was had by all.

Q: Nicol also endured subtle and not so subtle slights throughout the tour, including a protest by an Australian DJ for not hiring a drummer from Down Under. This must have put a few dents in his armor?

JB: Nicol was very independent and proud. He felt he deserved more respect for his subbing and “saving” the tour from cancellation and disaster. The Beatles were very friendly and respectful. They introduced him at the shows too. But others were not so kind. Along the way, managers of other bands would volunteer their drummer or a DJ would protest the loss of jobs for their country. In addition, the posters and programs all portrayed that Ringo was behind the kit – not Jimmie. Surely this annoyed Nicol, who felt at times like he was under-appreciated. I think over the years, these and other issues revealed in the book, had an impact on his psyche.

Q: They say every picture tells a story, but that photo in your book of Jimmie Nicol sitting alone in the Sydney Airport after his tenure was over is haunting…it’s almost as if you can read his mind: “My life just peaked.”

JB: That photo is quite haunting. Nicol is deep in thought. One day you are on top of the entertainment world. The next day, you are on your way home. What does the future hold? Can it ever be as amazing as what you have just gone through? Can one ever go back to their everyday life? What does 15 minutes of fame do to someone? I will leave it to readers to see what Jimmie had to say about that amazing photo. I found it in the archives of an Australian newspaper and licensed if for the book. In my mind it had to be a full page, to convey its intensity.

Nicol performed the job admirably received a 500-pound bonus and a gold watch. I can’t help but feel that he felt hollow inside.

How he felt about The Beatles experience seemed to change over the years. I don’t want to give away the story, but it is quite interesting and mysterious.

Jimmie Nicol with all four Beatles in Melbourne;
photo courtesy Jim Berkenstadt

Q: Thanks to your meticulous research, the Jimmie Nichol story doesn’t end in 1964. Can you give readers a brief sketch of what he did in the sixties, seventies and eighties?

JB: The research was intense. Over 700 footnotes. Hundreds of interviews with his friends, bandmates and eyewitnesses.  Before The Beatles, Nicol played rock, jazz, big band, R&B and Ska in a number of bands from the late 1950s to 1964. He then started to get involved in recording sessions and arrangements. He created a pre-Beatles band called Jimmie Nicol & the Shubdubs, which he also carried on with later. Nicol rode a roller coaster of successes with different tours, recording projects and non-musical occupations. He also had failures along the way, including band breakups, bankruptcy, divorce and more.

Q: If there is a message or subtext to “The Beatle Who Vanished,” what would you like you to convey?

JB: I think this is an interesting story on two levels. First, piecing together the career of someone who is really forgotten in history is one part detective work and one part jigsaw puzzle assembly.  There were thousands of pieces to Nicol’s puzzle; especially because he had the ability to vanish and move to another country. More importantly, a portrait emerged about a very talented person who experiences a huge ride to the top of the entertainment world – at a very young age and for a very short time. I wanted to explore what those 15 minutes of fame were like and how it then affects the rest of their life. Hopefully, I have been successful in conveying Nicol’s story, which is clearly a cautionary tale.

Note: Visit the official website for “The Beatle Who Vanished” at www.thebeatlewhovanished.com where you can read a free excerpt and watch the official video promo. You can “friend” the author, Jim Berkenstadt on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/RockAndRollDetective
 
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Marshall Terrill is the author of 16 books. His next literary endeavor will be a photo/passage book with guitarist Laurence Juber called “Fifty Years on Six Strings.” It will be published in November 2013 by Dalton Watson Fine Books.

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Turpin will host Stageit performance on Feb. 7

Will Turpin and the Way will host its first Stageit performance on Feb. 7

Multi-platinum artist Will Turpin is about to give his fans an intimate and interactive concert performance where listeners can attend without having to leave the confines of their homes.

Turpin is the latest rocker to utilize Stageit, an online concert venue where performers can create a live broadcast while interacting with fans during the show. Best of all, everyone who buys a ticket will get a free mp3 of the song performances after the show.

The live show starts 9 p.m. EST and will be broadcast from the historic Real 2 Reel Studios in Jonesboro, Georgia. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at www.Stageit.com/WillTurpin.

“I’m looking forward to my first ‘live on the web’ performance,” states Turpin.  “I’m always trying to embrace the options that technology brings, and Stageit has a style that makes the experience feel more like a live show.”

Turpin will perform the complete song list from The Lighthouse, his 2011 piano-driven power pop statement as well as a “few surprises.”  The broadcast is a great opportunity to connect directly with his fans while showcasing his new band, Will Turpin and The Way.  In addition to Turpin (keyboards and vocals) the quartet's lineup includes Jason Fowler (lead guitar and vocals), Mark Wilson (bass and vocals) and Scott Davidson (drums).

The band is currently putting the final touches on their first full-length CD, Serengeti Drivers, also recorded at Real 2 Reel Studios. Once Serengeti Drivers is released in spring 2013, Will Turpin and The Way will embark on a tour with dates to be announced later this year.

With his other band, Collective Soul, Turpin is a member of the Georgia Music Hall of Fame and has sold more than 10 million albums worldwide.  Collective Soul has attained seven No. 1 songs and 19 Top 40 singles, making them one of the most successful bands of the 1990s.

Shane Evans to play and address youth at Alice Cooper's Rock Teen Center

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Photo courtesy of Michael Montes

Collective Soul’s former drummer Shane Evans is “Better Now”

Shane Evans, the former drummer of Collective Soul and a member of the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, will play a mini-concert and discuss with Phoenix-area teens about the consequences of lifestyle choices, fame and his descent and eventual recovery from drug addiction.

Evans, 42, will play a handful of songs from Collective Soul and then address a group of youth at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013 at The Rock Teen Center, 13625 N. 32^nd St, Phoenix. The event is sponsored by Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Foundation, a Phoenix-based non-profit organization that allows teens to build confidence and discover their passion through music, dance, self-expression and creativity.   

Evans’ speech, “Rock, Recovery and Redemption” will touch upon the meteoric rise of Collective Soul, his departure from the group, his substance abuse problem and the long road to recovery.

“I've been clean and sober for three years and I'm finally at a point where I can discuss my triumphs and tragedies in public,” Evans said. “So if I am to tell my story, I want to tell it to someone who will listen and learn from my mistakes.”

Almost two decades ago, Evans was riding high as the drummer for Collective Soul. The Stockbridge-based quintet shot to international fame with their 1994 release “Hints, Allegations and Things Left Unsaid”, and their mega-hit, “Shine.” In the span of seven years, they tallied a total seven #1 radio hits, 19 Top 40 singles, and sold more than 10 million albums and CDs worldwide. Evans says with fame came the spoils of success and lifestyle choices that almost killed him.

“It's nothing short of a miracle that I'm still alive. Drugs robbed me of almost everything including my family, friends, my home, and my dignity,” Evans said. “Through sobriety I've gained all of those things back and more. My life today is blessed and I want to share my experiences to help others.”

Evans said he was dismissed from the group in 2005 because of his excessive drug use. His mother's demise from complications of diabetes, the accidental death of a girlfriend and a pair of DUI arrests pushed him further into despair. Evans said he hit rock bottom while living on the run from police at a run-down motel in Atlanta, Ga. He says he was two days away from being homeless when he finally made the decision to get clean and sober in August 2009. Weeks after Evans’ sobriety anniversary, Collective Soul was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.

“I still love all of the guys in Collective Soul because they are my brothers and we shared a lot of wonderful and life-changing experiences,” Evans said. “Me getting kicked out of the group was entirely my fault because of my addiction. It’s something I’ve finally come to terms with and must own up to in order to remain sober.”

After completing a yearlong recovery program at Waypoint Center in Dahlonega, Ga., Evans became a substance abuse counselor, helping others to overcome their addictions.

###

Solid Rock was founded in 1995 by long-time Arizona residents and devoted fathers Alice Cooper and Chuck Savale who envisioned a faith-based organization dedicated to make an everlasting difference in the lives of kids and teens in the community. Originally, Solid Rock existed to raise money for other organizations with like-minded missions, however, the dream went well beyond its original fundraising foundation. With the opening of The Rock Teen Center at 32nd Street in the Spring 2012, the dream has finally become a reality.

If you go:

What: “Rock, Redemption and Recovery” by Shane Evans

When: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013

Where: The Rock Teen Center, 13625 N. 32^nd St., Phoenix

Cost: Free to all local area teens

Information: 602-522-9200 or www.alicecoopersolidrock.com

Resta: The Conclusion

 

Resta: The Conclusion

By Marshall Terrill

     Producer Anthony J. Resta is not afraid of change.

   He's weathered the decline of the big record labels, the rise of the home studio, the death of vinyl and CD, the birth of iTunes and Dropbox, and has adapted to a sea of change in an ever evolving industry that most critics say is on life support. However, the Massachusetts-based producer/writer/singer/soundscaper just rolls with the times and continues to come out on top.

    In the conclusion of this epic five-part interview, Resta discusses his work with other radical and iconic artists and his big move to the West Coast as he gets ready to enter the world of film and television.

Part IV: 

Q: Let's go through some of the other highlights in your discography, which is quite extensive.

AR: The funny thing is I've done a lot of stuff and what I have cobbled together isn't the entire discography. I'll remember something or hear a piece of music and go, “Oh yeah. I worked on this track” and will have to write it down and add it later on. Happens all the time.

Q: Nuno Bettencourt is an artist who you've known a long time. Your first professional collaboration was on his record Schizophonic (A & M, 1996). Tell me about your relationship.

AR: As you stated we've known each other a long time. We're talking way back in Hanson, Massachusetts, when Extreme was doing early demos with Bob St. John, years before they made it big. He wasn't even signed at the time. We worked on a couple of local things back then as well. He's just a phenomenal talent. We started collaborating and sending each other cassette tapes – and “DATS” (digital audio cassette tapes) .I would send him musical beds and stuff and he would just cut them up and rearrange them. I co-wrote a bunch of the tracks on Schizophonic. He has always been there for me. He's a special friend and a special collaborator. We get along very well and I even co-produced his wife's (Suze DeMarchi) album, “Telelove” for Sony. Suze is an incredible talent as well. We have a rare chemistry and we'll always be working together on something. He's an A-list session cat now and hopefully we'll write some things in the future as we have done in the past. The last thing we did was in 2010 with “King of the Ladies” on the last Extreme album. There's a very cool video to that song.  

 "King of the Ladies" by Extreme

I wrote the main riffs on a mad fuzz bass sound. I was listening to a lot of “Cold Gin” by KISS at the time. We've known each other twenty-plus years. He’s the godfather of my three-year-old daughter as well.

Q: When you know someone before they're famous and you come up through the ranks together, is there a special bond that comes with that transition?

AR: I believe there is because we've both been through many things together – ups and downs; the death of parents; marriage; kids; watching each other's careers take off – so many things. Yes, there's a bond along with a certain amount of pride. We just want good things to happen for each other.

Q: Tell me about your time with the Mudhens.

AR: They were a Boston-based band I was close to when they first broke out. They toured with Neil Young and a couple of other big-name acts in the nineties. They were very much ahead of their time – earthy, organic, fantastic musicians and great songwriters. We did a lot of music together… three records at least . I find myself listening to them again now that they're on iTunes. They sold over thirty thousand physical CD’s, which was no easy feat back then or now.

Q: You probably see acts like the Mudhens who are extremely talented and yet never get that big hit or make it mainstream while there are less talented acts who do.

AR: Yes, I see it all the time and it's an equation that is impossible to figure out. There are so many factors: marketing, being in the right place at the right time, strong public relations, the right demographic targeting. It’s become a science of media manipulation and expensive to do on a grand scale like the majors. We are all just one viral explosion away from making an Internet splash. The thing is, back then it wasn’t like today where the market is flooded with demos from artists looking to break it open. A lot of kids today come up with some compelling with believable recordings based on the technology that is offered. They may not be sonically competitive with the studios who have big consoles but there are some amazing things that come from those laptops and small pro-tools set ups.  Some of my solo stuff tracks like “Love is a Twisted Melancholy Disease” and “Cinematic Mojo” were recorded and mixed on my little G5 LE system. 

 "Love Is A Twisted Melancholy Disease" by Ajax Rayovac

The problem is the unfortunate downside. Too much music with so much of it being almost unlistenable being the equivalent of a nine billion gallon pool trying to flow though a pencil-sized pipe.

Q: Let's talk about working with Blondie on “Pop Trash Movie”. She's a true icon from the 1970s.

AR: That was a very interesting project. Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran had written that song specifically for Debbie Harry. But the song was going to be for a project we were working on called “TV Mania.” 

 "Pop Trash Movie" by Deborah Harry

That was a period when they were deep into samples of people saying obsurd things…. which inspired the project. Anyway, we got a hold of Debbie and met with her in New York City at the Hit Factory for about a week. We came up with two tracks. The chemistry was great and we all got along famously but the timing was off. She ended up getting a record deal shortly thereafter and it was complicated with politics and paperwork. The one track never saw the light of day but “Pop Trash Movie” ended up on the next Duran Duran album. There was talk that the other song “Studio 54” was going to end up in the movie Studio 54, but unfortunately it just didn't happen.  Here’s Simon Lebon singing it live on VH1's “Storytellers.”  

 "Pop Trash" by Duran Duran

Q: Since you brought up the subject of politics and paperwork, I'm interested in hearing how that unfolds when all you're doing is trying to make music.

AR: Anytime you start playing with the big boys there's eventually going to be contracts and negotiations that can get quite convoluted. You've got various managers and lawyers looking out for their client’s interests or people might have a different vision for how a project should come together. It might get to the point where it's too complicated or difficult to work out.

Q: You mentioned “TV Mania”, which is a project that's been sixteen years in the making. What is it about and why has it taken so long to get off the ground?

AR: It's about the absurdity of life through a TV that speaks. It was before we started seeing reality television dominate the landscape. The concept is more of a stage presentation and it was visual in nature. Unfortunately, everybody gets busy and things fall to the backburner. But over the years, people kept hearing about it and asking when it was going to see the light of day. I remember Duran Duran was actually playing stuff from it on their tour before their set. Sonically it's a real interesting record because we spent a lot of time on it.  We'd use things like the Roland Sound Space machines (eight inputs and outputs) that thing cost $40,000 and it made sounds appear as if they were coming from above, below or behind you in the stereo field. The strange thing is that it sounds more contemporary now than when we did it. It feels like performance art. Not too long ago Nick listened to it again and thought it sounded fresh and that we should do something with it and see what happens. He just felt that it was time for it to see the light of day. I spent about six weeks at Bopnique augmenting the tracks and then Bob St.John and I put the finishing touches on it at Sound Techniques and Courtlen.

Q: I guess sort of like the revitalization of Collective Soul's “Tremble For My Beloved.”  I remember thinking that someway, somehow, that song would get discovered. And thanks to Twilight, it eventually happened but it took a good decade. 

 "Tremble For My Beloved" by Collective Soul

AR: Exactly, and that's the case with “TV Mania.” It sounds even better today than it did 16 years ago. I guess we were on to something in both instances.

Q: Elevator Drops?

AR: Great band from the 1990s. I worked with them on Demos, POP BUS 1995 and People Mover. I thought they were one of the most cutting-edge bands ever. Check out “Be A Lemonhead/Beautiful Junkie” on YouTube.com. 

 "Be A Lemonhead/Beautiful Junkie" by the Elevator Drops

They were great to work with.  The way they worked influenced me greatly. I’m still collaborating with Garvy J., one of the principle songwriters in the band. He’s also a great producer.

Q: Tracy Bonham?

AR: Loved working with her. I was doing A&R for A&M (Colorblind) back then. I heard the first demos of “The One”, “Sunshine”, “Free” and some others. I freaked out and got them to David Anderlie and Al Cafaro and before we knew it there was a bidding war (Paul and Josh Hager had produced these amazing early versions). I was at the show down showcase at the knitting factory in New York City. Chris Blackwell from Island was there and gave Tracy a vintage Gretsch guitar. The rest is history. Last year we did a remake of Duran Duran's “New Moon on Monday”. It's crazy! 

 Tracy Bonham

She's one of my favorite female artists of all time. She's beyond brilliant.  We are talking about working on another record together again, and I really hope we can.

Q: Tell me about Shawn Mullins.

AR: I met him when he was riding high on his first double platinum single, “Lullaby.” The label wanted a follow up single, which was called “Shimmer” (Columbia, 1999). Peter Collins, who was producing and has worked with everyone from Bon Jovi to Rush, Paul David Hager and myself (thanks Paul) to work on it with him. Incidentally, I got to watch Peter work on a number of projects subsequently and that was life-changing for me. I consider him to be one of my mentors. I owe him a lot just for allowing me to be in the same room with him and watch him work. But my first project with Peter was Shawn, and we hit it off. I actually ended up helping him with his next album and single Beneath The Velvet Sun and “Everywhere I Go” respectively. 

 "Everywhere I Go" by Shawn Mullins

It ended up being a phenomenal record, so much potential, but it never got the proper push. It's a very cool sonic experience if you listen to it on a set of headphones. It really wasn't what the label was looking for – they wanted another “Lullaby.” Shawn and I are still friends and he's still out there doing it.

Q: And this is a subject that endlessly fascinates me – label interference. They want hit songs from the artists but that is such a hard thing to demand. Art is art and whatever comes out is the result. How do you do deal with the situation when a label says, “We need you to produce hits.”

AR: They often listen to a record and say, “GREAT” but we don’t hear a single. Then they spend more money on a single than we spent making the entire record. It can be very frustrating. But the reality is that you're working for them, so you have to pay attention to what they're saying because they are the ones writing the check. It's important to fulfill their vision, but you also have to fulfill the artist's vision. It's definitely a sticky place to be sometimes. It can be stressful and it was stressful on the Shawn Mullins album. Take for instance the song “Valentine”; it was beautiful and futuristic and straight up pop. But at that time we were making some pretty fearless music. The label allowed us the freedom to make the music, but they wanted hits to sell the album. I think the album was great but it just didn't connect the same way as “Lullaby” did.

Q: I'm surprised to see this on your discography – Megadeth (Capitol, 2001).

AR: That was just a one-off with the “Krushem” Jock Remix. They wanted a more aggressive, hi-tech version for radio and clubs. Basically I re-cut the drums added a disco beat and some bleeps and wiz bang type stuff. I heard Dave Mustaine hated it (laughs). Despite that, it ended up being a pretty big theme for WFF wrestlers. Kathy Anaya at Lippman Entertainment got us that one and we had a good time doing it.  I hear it all the time on sports talk radio!  Paul David Hager and Karyadi stayed up with me for three days doing that on a long weekend in the middle of another project. We were so tired. I can’t remember ever being that tired since.

Q: Let's talk about the Scream 2 soundtrack. When you do songs for movies and soundtracks, is the approach different?

AR: In my experience, a lot of times it's an afterthought just like “She Said” was for Scream 2. 

 "She Said" by Collective Soul

They sometimes end up choosing something that's already been done. I'm just now getting into situations where I'm actually composing music specifically for the film.  When you're looking at a movie and you're creating music specifically for that project, it's a whole other world. It's extremely exciting to me and I'm looking forward to going more in that direction in the future. For Scream 3, we stripped it down and did new drums, new guitars. That's why “She Said” sounds different on Dosage than it does on Scream 2. It's a whole new treatment.

Q:  Andrea Surova?

AR: Fabulous songwriter/artist who was compared to Carol King in an article in the Boston Globe by Steve Morris.  She is one of the best songstresses I’ve ever met. She should be writing megahits for Mainstream artists like Diane Warren and Desmond Childs. I love her singing also. Truly an undiscovered gem. We worked on two records together. On the first one we did pre-production down in Nashville with a great collaborator and longtime session guru Mike Lawler. Andrea paints musical pictures with songs like “Silverhighway”. We have done quite a few co-writes as well.  I love her music! Here is a great example: http://bopnique.com/andrea-surova-silver-highway

Q: John Cate?

AR: A Fab Americana/Roots/Pop artist in a timeless classic style often compared to Bob Dylan and Tom Petty. I worked with him on Piece of This Town, The Wondershow and X (ten). Those three albums that we did with him are some of the best work I've ever been involved with. We have a great chemistry and his band is just phenomenal. Listen to “California” and that'll give you an idea of who he is as an artist. 

 "California" by John Cate

Q: Perry Farrell is one of the more interesting people you've worked with. Tell me about that experience?

AR: I worked with him on Satellite Party (Columbia/Sony, 2007). He's a pioneer of alternative music and is always pushing boundaries and trying new things. That project had an enormous amount of potential and I think it got perhaps a bit overblown. There had to be a 30-piece orchestra, multiple programmers, gospel singers, multiple percussionists… I guess too many cooks can really spoil a soup. I prefer the simple stripped down versions I worked on because there was so much more space and for my ears it was much more beautiful that way. That album did bring Jim Morrison back from the grave to sing on a couple of songs. The got these tapes of him singing that no one had ever heard, sort of vocal poetry with melodic moments. Somehow they got a hold of them and turned them into music. It was another great opportunity that I owe to Nuno Bettencourt as he was co-producing and got me involved.

Q: Donna Delory.

AR: She's often referred to as the “The Ethereal Girl” because she does very spiritual world music with universal themes. She implements electronica and has a strong connection to the yoga/meditation world. I'm working on her new album and have had cuts on several of her records. We go back to around '96.

"Sky Is Open" by Donna Delory

Q: Her new record really has an all-star cast including King Crimson bassist Tony Levin, who played on John Lennon's “Double Fantasy.” How did you enjoy working with him?

AR: What Tony Levin does on bass is like nothing I’ve ever heard. I must admit that I'm a huge King Crimson fan, too. Listening to his tracks was freaking me out because his playing was just so incredible.  

"I'm Losing You" by John Lennon with Cheap Trick (with Tony Levin on bass)

Q: You recently worked with 17-year-old Jarred Dylan from “The Voice.” How's that going?

AR: Even though he didn't win the competition, I knew when I first heard him he was very special. He had this delivery and persona that were right on the money. I see really big things happening for him. I produced his first EP called In Panic and have started on another one. There are several opportunities for him that are unfolding. Check out the song, “Mistakes.” 

"Mistakes" by Jared Dylan 

It's a song I co-wrote with him and my buddy ORLECK (another fantastic Bopnique artist). Check out his album Grey Suburban Day. Jared wrote the lyrics and I performed the music. All of his material is very strong and I think we'll be hearing more about him in the future.

Q: Even more recent than Jared Dylan is your collaboration with Mark Farner of Grand Funk Railroad.

AR: We started talking on the phone and he said, “Let's try a couple of songs and see what happens.” We had chemistry on the first day and it was really special. I have to say this upfront: as a kid I was a huge Grand Funk Railroad fan. At the time I had about three albums in my collection and Live Album (Capitol, 1971) was one of them. Mark Farner was just about the biggest rock star hero I could have imagined at the time. Some of the new songs are really going to shock people. He is 100 percent of what he was and then some. He's taken care of himself and he's one of those gifted, soulful singers. Truly one of the greatest singers I've ever heard. He hits the mark every time in tone and range. And he's just so down to earth and cool, too. My little three-year-old daughter Milana’s favorite song is “Rock and Roll Soul” and Mark busted into a vocal on that song for my daughter one day at the studio. You should have seen the look on her face. I have a picture of it and her jaw just dropped. Now she calls me up all the time and asks, “Is Mark Farner at the studio?” (laughs).

 Mark Farner, Anthony J. Resta and Milana Resta

The great thing about Mark, and I find this with a lot of the veteran artists, is that they allow us the space to create. Sometimes people with very little experience want to hold your hand and tell you how to do everything. Then you get someone like Mark who gives you this wide open space, and its just heaven…. it was a great way to collaborate. We connected on more than just a musical level.

Let me just add this disclaimer: I've worked with more than 300 artists and each and every one of them is special. I wish I could talk about each and every one of them here but I know we just don't have the space. I feel bad because it's hard not to mention so many of them. 

Part IV: 

Q: Let's backtrack a bit and discuss the state of the music business. Your rise in the industry was also at the same time as the rise of the home studio and the tail end of the big music labels and studios.

AR: That's right. It all happened around the same time. My studio became a very special place for me and artists, and eventually it took on my personality. It's this old brick warehouse and unlike any other studio you've ever seen before. In the beginning it was just a place to store my stuff while I was off to Miami, New York, London, wherever I worked. I really only used it for my solo stuff working as Ajax Rayovac. Then when I fully acquired enough high end gear and got tired of living in hotels and away from home for months at a time, I took a gamble on this place and I've now been building it for 17 years. I work with  a phenomenal engineer /mixer who's been with me all this time. His name is Karyadi Sutedja and he is a musical mastermind. 

Karyadi Sutedja working on a track at Bopinque!

Together we have crafted the Bopnique Sound a worldwide brand. I couldn’t have done it without him and we will continue on together when we move to LA to operate Bopnique West.  The past few years have brought people from all over the world to us; people who hear the details and the non-generic fearless quality in even the simplest pop songs

Q: It definitely seems cozy and homey with the couches and lighting, and of course, all the toys. Do you feel artists are attracted to this setting?

AR: Its like working in a giant living room. Of course! One artist said he loved coming to my studio because he could come there every day and find something new he hadn't seen before. 

Bopnique's comfy digs resembles a living room disguised as a music studio

It's like a museum. Everyone seems to like the idea of recording in one big room because everybody's on the same page. A lot of studios have that glass between the artist and producer, and they can only talk to each other through a button. It seems like such a cold approach to me. I've abandoned that method and everybody here rolls up their sleeves and works together. If something's not working, I'll pick up a guitar and say, “How about this?” It's more of a team approach.

 Working together in one big room at Bopnique

Q: Why do you suppose there's been this movement towards home studios as opposed to the big state of the art record studio that cuts records for the big labels?

AR: The easy answer is that technology has become more and more affordable. High end digital audio work stations are getting less expensive and so now it's possible for artists to record really great music at a reasonable price. But at the end of the day, it all boils down to is, “Is it a great song or not?” Take a song like “Pumped Up Kicks” by  Foster the People.  

"Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster the People

It's a very homemade record and was beefed up in the mix stage, but that just goes to show you that if a song is catchy, a hit is achievable in a smaller studio. It's a smash no matter what. But the downside to that is there's just so much more material for us to wade through, and a lot of it is not good. It all has to start organically, and that's with a good song.

Q: One of the other movements I've noticed is file sharing where it's possible for someone to record a vocal in New York and send the file to Los Angeles for a drummer to lay down a track. That astounds me.

AR: It's very commonplace today thanks to Dropbox.com, and yes, we do it. You can work with anyone, anywhere at anytime.  

 Producer Anthony J. Resta works his magic on a musical track through Dropbox.com

Q: Do you lose anything as a producer from not being in the same room as the artist?

AR: It's nice to be in the same room as the artist but for me, when I do tracks and I'm all by myself listening to the song without interruption or distractions, I can find that magic moment in the song. When you're in the middle of a recording session, it may or may not be that time to reflect, so file sharing definitely has its advantages. In the end though working in the same room wins.

Q: Your newest foray will be composing music for film and television, so let's discuss the Bopnique West venture.

AR: For years I've heard from various sources, including a lot of folks in the motion picture and television industry, that my composing could be perfect for the medium. A lot of my work has ended up in movies. “Out of My Mind” for instance by Duran Duran was a track in the film The Saint. 

"Out of My Mind" by Duran Duran

There's quite a list and more and more opportunities seem to be springing up in that area. So many up and coming indie film projects are under way. It’s a brave new world for me and the scoring side is scary and exciting. I don't want to replace what I’ve been doing for the past 17 years but there are so many other uses for the “soundscaping” that has become my signature over time. There isn't the same constraint as there is with a three-to-four minute pop song. I like the fact that the music is supportive and secondary to the story and dialog. It’s not about “the song” it’s about creating a mood than enhances but not distracts.

Q: Are we talking writing songs for movies or scoring pictures?

AR: Actually both. I'm working on several projects including a solo record with actor Michael Chiklis. He has a fantastic new primetime show called “Vegas”. He's a very established actor, but he's also branching out as a musician and it's super cool music and I think people will dig it. This track is called “The Connection.” 

"The Connection" by Michael Chiklis

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I’ve added drums, guitar and synth atmospheres on it. His longtime collaborator Bob Pascarella is a monster guitar player/composer and as a team we are really having fun creating.

Q: Do you ever get intimidated by the people you work with?

AR: Never intimidated but always a little scared...and I think that's good. That little bit of fear in the pit of your stomach keeps you grounded and also makes you work harder. The music industry is no different than the movie industry in that if you make something that sucks or is not well received, it travels far and deep, so you've always got to be on your toes. You have to continue traveling down a path that's interesting and territory that's unexplored. It's got to be a lifelong pursuit; otherwise, you grow stale as an artist. So far that's one thing I've never been accused of. 

For more information on Anthony J. Resta and Bopnique!, visit http://bopnique.com/