|
Radio Interview The background not included in the radio interview was that a Japanese Corp held a function at the AZ Biltmore and paid $1million each for Henley, Sting, and Stevie Wonder to perform. So that is the "private show" Henley refers to in the interview. This was reported in the local newspaper. And maybe that’s where Henley got the idea to use Stevie Wonder on his album, which Henley mentions in a fairly recent radio interview. Stevie Nicks lives here (actually, Paradise Valley, a suburb within Phoenix) and according to her (in a separate radio interview to promote the Fleetwood Mac concert), Henley was also helping her on a song that she used for her boxed set. Bruce Hornsby was already in town also. He was hanging out with a buddy of his who plays for the California Angels. The Angels play Cactus League (pre-season) baseball here in the Valley. Never heard how Timothy B. and Roger McGwinn became a part of it. I don’t think I’ve ever heard they have a house here, but you never know. The interview: It’s 93.3 KDKB the Arizona Album rock station and you’re with Paul and Todd, the Rock and Roll ride home. Sounds like a party, doesn’t it? Actually, it’s a radio event for me because a man who never talks to radio talked to me yesterday. Don Henley, of course former Eagle and great solo star in his own right. Don Henley, coming to town. KDKB with two shows at Union Hall Sunday March 9th and we hope you can be a part of the celebration of quite a lineup that Don will have as he comes in concert. It’s a benefit show and let’s listen to what Don Henley had to say: DJ: Don, you’re coming to town to perform at a benefit show at Union Hall, which is an intimate place that’s been refurbished. I don’t think you’ve performed there before, but you’re gonna love it. I think there’s, like, 1500 seats, but it’s to benefit the Southwest Center for Biological Diversity. HENLEY: Right. DJ: Looks to me like you guys really are involved in endangered species and protecting them. Is that what this is all about? HENLEY: Yeah, well it’s protecting the species and their habitat. DJ: Right. HENLEY: The SWCBD helps protect over 11 million acres of forestland in both Arizona and New Mexico and they do very important work. They’re some of the little guys, you know, they’re some of the David’s with the slingshots who are fighting the Goliath’s… DJ: Right. HENLEY: …and they need help and they need funding because the work they do is extremely important. You know, conservative estimates now say that we are losing about 45 species a day… DJ: Oh my God. HENLEY: …around the planet and there are some estimates that go up to as high as 100 species a day. And some of these creatures that we are losing could contain valuable medicines, you know, to cure cancer… DJ: Sure. HENLEY: …or other forms of disease, and we really can’t afford to lose this many species at this rate. DJ: And we also as human beings have no idea how we interact with these species on the planet as far as losing them and what those consequences will be. HENLEY: Exactly. I believe there is a purpose for everything that’s here, you know? I mean, it’s…um…in certain religious circles, they call it the Noah’s Ark theory, you know? There’s a reason that all the other animals are here. They’re not for us just to destroy at will. They’re part of the web of life. And they are important to the way things work. So, uh, I didn’t even know about the SWCBD until about 3 to 4 weeks ago… DJ: Is that right? HENLEY: …when I read an article in the newspaper about them. And, um, it sounded like they were in need of some help, so I called them up and volunteered to do this. DJ: That’s phenomenal. Of course, you’re… HENLEY: A troublemaker. (Laughs) DJ: Yeah, you do have a little reputation for being that, too. (Laughs) HENLEY: Yeah. (Laughs) DJ: But that’s good. I was going to ask you because you’ve done so much of this type of work for at least, it seems like, the last 10 years or so. Do you feel almost like, that it’s a duty of yours as an artist who has gained as much notoriety as you have? HENLEY: Yeah, well I’ve done it actually for the last 20 years. DJ: Yeah. HENLEY: I think it’s a duty not just for me. I mean, I think those of us who have been as fortunate as I have, have an obligation to give back and try to help out society as a whole. Yeah, but I think everybody, every individual, from every walk of life, has a duty, an obligation, to try to leave the planet a little better than they found it. I think we’re all roommates here basically and what we do affects other people. DJ: No question. HENLEY: And we have to remember that, you know, everybody…we all live downstream now from something or somebody… DJ: Yeah. HENLEY: …literally or figuratively speaking and, uh, we need to be good stewards of this planet because it’s the only home we’ve got and we have damaged it severely, especially in the west. DJ: Yeah, it’s that Wild West attitude. The attitude of unlimited land, unlimited resources. HENLEY: Exactly. And they’re not unlimited. DJ: No, by no means. The reality of it is … is that they’re finite. HENLEY: Exactly. DJ: I love what you’re doing and I think it’s a phenomenal project and to jump to action that quickly. HENLEY: Thank you. DJ: And then put together…you know you put together a pretty good band. What did you do, just get on the phone and go, uh, Stevie Nicks? HENLEY: (Laughs). Well, the truth is we were going to be in Phoenix anyway… DJ: Were you? HENLEY: …doing a show and so I figured since we were all going to be there anyway, that we were going to be in Phoenix doing a private show. DJ: I see. HENLEY: And so I figured as long as we were there, we might as well help out these other folks. So yeah, I’ve got Stevie Nicks, your local gal with me… DJ: Yeah. HENLEY: …she’s very excited about this… DJ: She’s a great lady. HENLEY: …and Bruce Hornsby, and Roger McGwinn, one of my heroes from way back in the 60’s… DJ: No question. HENLEY: …and my Eagle buddy Timothy B. Schmit is gonna come and croon a couple so I’m looking forward to playing in a theatre that small. You mentioned it was very small. DJ: It’s intimate, yeah. HENLEY: I haven’t done that in a while so, uh, I’m looking forward to it. DJ: Yeah, the Hell Freezes Over tour, you weren’t doing those 1500 seat halls. (Laughs) HENLEY: No. (Laughs) DJ: Tickets are still available, but they are going fast. HENLEY: There’s just a few available, yeah. DJ: Exactly. You want to get those at Dillards here in town. Don just mentioned to you the lineup. Now Don, we’ve been playing the track that you recorded for the "Michael" movie soundtrack "Through Your Hands", which is a John Hiatt tune… HENLEY: I want to say…Can I say one more thing about the tickets? DJ: Absolutely. HENLEY: For all the high rollers out there? Um, there are some…what is called in the charity world, Golden Circle tickets, which are the best seats in the house and they’re available for, uh, substantially more (laughs)… DJ: I did not know that. HENLEY: …than the other tickets, yeah. DJ: That’s great. That’s great because we have some people out there who are listening who do have that money in their pocket. HENLEY: So, uh, if anybody’s got some spare cash, it goes to a very good cause and they’re very good seats. So anyway, uh…the "Michael" movie? DJ: The track we played "Through Your Hands"…I gotta tell you, the reaction from your fans was phenomenal. They called and called and the question they always ask is the one I’m going to ask you. Does Don have a new album and is that song on it? HENLEY: Uh, no. DJ: No? And No, huh? (Laughs) HENLEY: No, Don is just starting a new album. Don is beginning next week… DJ: Really? HENLEY: …on a new album, yeah. No, that song is not on it. That’s on the soundtrack album to the movie "Michael" with John Travolta. It’s a very, very nice movie. DJ: It is a very good movie. HENLEY: Uh, John Hiatt wrote that song – I didn’t even write it. DJ: Right, he wrote that tune, and I gotta say you just, you just took it over the top. HENLEY: Thank you. DJ: Great song. HENLEY: I heard it one day while I was working out. (Laughs) DJ: Did you really? HENLEY: Yeah. DJ: You heard the song by John Hiatt and you said, "You know, I oughtta sing that myself?" Huh? HENLEY: Yeah, well, it was just kinda coincidence. They offered…they were doing the soundtrack for this movie and they said, "Do you have anything appropriate?" And I said, "I just heard something a couple of days ago that I think would be appropriate." DJ: That’s great. HENLEY: So, it’s a nice thing for everybody. DJ: You know, it sounds like your life kinda travels in this symbiotic universe where everything falls into place. It can’t always…it can’t always be this easy, Don. (Laughs) HENLEY: (Laughs) No. No. We don’t have time to go into things that don’t fall into place. (Laughs) DJ: Well, I’m thrilled that you’re coming to town and I know we’ve had a myriad of calls regarding the shows and I know they’re both going to be sellouts. And people are going to be graced by some phenomenal musical talent. HENLEY: Well, thank you for your support. We’re really looking forward to it. I love…I always love coming to the desert. DJ: Yeah, yeah, they love you here, man, as well as everywhere. I saw one of your buddies about 3 weeks ago at the inaugural ball. HENLEY: Yeah? DJ: Uh, it was at the Washington Hilton waiting…we were waiting for Mr. Clinton and Mr. Gore to show up and out pops Joe Walsh and his band. HENLEY: Yeah? DJ: And, uh… HENLEY: We couldn’t stop him! (Laughs) DJ: Huh? HENLEY: We couldn’t stop him! (Laughs) DJ: Oh, you couldn’t stop him? (Laughs) He was playing for about a half hour and then he busted into the opening riff of "Life’s Been Good" and then just stopped and he said, "You know, if I would have known I was going to be playing this song for 20 years, I sure as hell would’ve written a better song." (Laughs) HENLEY: (Laughs) Yeah, I heard that. He’s a funny guy. DJ: Yeah, he is. HENLEY: He’s doing great. He and I are gonna get together in the next 3 to 4 weeks… DJ: Are you? HENLEY: …and try to write some things. DJ: Yeah that’s a collaboration that needs to continue. I’m sure he keeps the laughs rolling, too. HENLEY: Because there might…after I finish my solo album, there might be another Eagles album in the works. I’m not sure. I can’t promise anything, but we’re…there’s some talk going around about it. DJ: I think your fans have proven they’ll wait 15 to 20 years…(Laughs) HENLEY: I don’t know if we have 15…(Laughs) DJ: I sure hope you do, man, and I can’t wait to actually meet you and shake hands when you come to town. HENLEY: Well, I appreciate that.
|