IF you remember the 80's movie FAME, it was based on the New York City High School Of The Performing Arts. I went there, and was thrown out of there, the same day as Freddy Prinze [Chico and the Man Tv show]. This story is pretty funny as I "told off" the principle as he was tossing me out of school. As wild as the movie was portrayed, it was pretty accurate [Dancing On The Lunchroom Tables, etc.].
Basically when I sleep, my brain stops telling my lungs to breathe. I wake up choking, heart pounding and if it goes long enough, I'll have a panic attack from my air cut off. One night this happened, so I decided to film during an episode.
Well, this true story talks about the dark underbelly of the music business, and how an artists music gets licensed, sold and distributed, often illegally buy their own record companies, and never honestly accounted for. Also talks about the silent PACs [Political Action Committees] funded by the business, that change fairness laws in their favor, so they don't have to LEGALLY pay musicians. Listen how this unfolds in this fascinating story of the music business and it's practices.
Many know that I traveled and managed the Village People [YMCA, Macho Man, In The Navy] for 6 years. We traveled the world, literally. One trip, we did a national tv show in Japan.
Klaus Nomi was a true unique legend. His was unfortunately one of the first to pass away from G.R.I.D. [Gay Related Immune Deficiency] now known as AIDS. His unique rock/operatic voice was one of a kind. Klaus was not only an artist I worked with musically, but a true, kind friend too. I talk about working with Klaus, and even visiting him in his last days at Roosevelt Hospital in NYC. He's a rare, kind soul that is truly missed.
This is a very funny story of how Freddy Mercury [Queen Band] tries ZVERY hard to pick me up in a New York City gay bar. I thought he was some "look-a-like' person, trying to be Freddy Mercury, Check out how this story unfolds. Hysterical!
Here's a cool story when I met these cool underground Icons. Kind of funny when I met Sid and Nancy [Sex Pistols Band]. I didn't even know who they were, but Sid taught me chorus to "Anarchy In The UK' that Lance Loud [first reality tv star 1970s] and I did at the New Wave Vaudeville show NYC, where I met my dear friend Klaus Nomi. Check out this bit of Underground NYC music history!
Many of you have heard interviews I've done, and hear me say I got my record deal from doing a porn sound track. Well here's the detail on how that happened.
I was involved with the massive anniversary event of the film Saturday Night Fever . It was for a major local New york radio station 92-WKTU. This even was so big it had millions of dollars in its budget and took over 4 whole blocks, and the original club where the original famous dance floor was filmed, in Brooklyn, NY. A series of mistakes [not on my part] that snowballed in an 11th hour cancellation was pure disaster. Listen to this unfold in this behind the scenes episode.
People of wonder and ask what is my process to making music, especially since I have no music training, can neither read or write music, or often know what musical ket i'm in. It's all done by ear! Check out my process I use to make everything from simple dace music to films cores with 200 piece orchestra and 100 person choirs!
Here's a cool story of when I met Michael Jackson. I had just finished my performance @ Studio 54 in New York City. There's a video on that, Madonna was my opening act. After my show which Michael saw, he asked to meet me. Check out this cool story that led me to remix one of his songs.
David Bowie's Manager Tony De Fries [Main Man Management] picked me up, when Elektra Records met me in The Hit Factory recording studio in NYC. Tony saw an opportunity to make some money. He never heard of me before that meeting.
