Episodes

Episode 3. Danny Kortchmar, aka Kootch

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The Great Song Adventure is proud to present a conversation with the legendary Kootch. Danny Kortchmar. Guitarist, producer, songwriter and more, he’s both a great musician and a tremendously impactful one, having provided his distinctive musicianship to countless landmark albums. These include Sweet Baby James by James Taylor and Tapestry by Carole King, as well as classic records by Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, Harry Nilsson, Warren Zevon and more.

In fact, he’s so legendary as the guitarist on these landmark albums that people often overlook how many great songs he’s written. But there’s many famous ones, including “Honey Don’t Leave L.A.,” recorded by James Taylor, “Sunset Grill,” written with and recorded by Don Henley, “All She Wants To Do Is Dance” and “Dirty Laundry,” also recorded by Henley, “Somebody’s Baby,” recorded by Jackson Browne and “Tender Is The Night,” written with Jackson and Russ Kunkel, and recorded by Jackson.

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Born in New York, he spent summers with his family at Martha’s Vineyard. He met James Taylor there when they were in their teens, and they formed the band Flying Machine, playing songs James wrote and some they wrote together, such as “Night Owl” and “Knocking Round The Zoo.”

He became a valued sideman, playing on a wide range of albums. He knew Peter Asher from his days in the duo Peter & Gordon, and when Asher went to Apple, Danny suggested he consider his friend James Taylor for a record deal. Asher agreed, and James was the first and only American artist signed to Apple. Asher produced the first self-titled album, featuring much guitar playing by Kooch. When Apple folded, they all came to Los Angeles, where James signed with Warner Brothers and made Sweet Baby James, featuring “Fire and Rain.” In that song is a reference to their origins: “Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground.”  

In 1967, he joined the Fugs. When they broke up, he followed Fugs bassist Charles Larkey to the West Coast, and with Carole King formed a band called The City, with whom he made the 1968 album Now That Everything’s Been Said. When that failed to fly, he kept working with Carole,on her debut album and on Tapestry, her second album.

When Asher began producing, he enlisted Kootch and a studio band which became known as the The Section. As discussed in our interview, they were a remarkably tight, rock-solid musical unit ideal for any song – be it a tender ballad or a rocker. The Section was Leland Sklar on bass, Russ Kunkel on drums and Kootch. On James Taylor’s albums as well as her own, Carole King was the pianist/keyboardist. When she was not there, Craig Doerge took over.


Presently he’s making records and touring with an ensemble called Danny Kortchmar and Immediate Family, featuring Russ Kunkel,  Lee Sklar, Waddy Wachtel, Steve Postell and Jim Cox. He just released an album with them called Honey Don’t Leave L.A., and has embarked on a mighty tour. They’re heading to Japan – playing Billboard Live in Osaka on June 14 and elsewhere.

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EPISODE 3: 

Danny Kortchmaraka KOOTCH 

The Great Song Adventure is proud to present a conversation with the legendary Kootch. Danny Kortchmar. Guitarist, producer, songwriter and more, he’s both a great musician and a tremendously impactful one, having provided his distinctive musicianship to countless landmark albums. These include Sweet Baby James by James Taylor and Tapestry by Carole King, as well as classic records by Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, Harry Nilsson, Warren Zevon and more. In fact, he’s so legendary as the guitarist on these landmark albums that people often overlook how many great songs he’s written. But there’s many famous ones, including “Honey Don’t Leave L.A.,” recorded by James Taylor, “Sunset Grill,” written with and recorded by Don Henley, “All She Wants To Do Is Dance” and “Dirty Laundry,” also recorded by Henley, “Somebody’s Baby,” recorded by Jackson Browne and “Tender Is The Night,” written with Jackson and Russ Kunkel, and recorded by Jackson.

Born in New York, he spent summers with his family at Martha’s Vineyard. He met James Taylor there when they were in their teens, and they formed the band Flying Machine, playing songs James wrote and some they wrote together, such as “Night Owl” and “Knocking Round The Zoo.” He became a valued sideman, playing on a wide range of albums. He knew Peter Asher from his days in the duo Peter & Gordon, and when Asher went to Apple, Danny suggested he consider his friend James Taylor for a record deal. Asher agreed, and James was the first and only American artist signed to Apple. Asher produced the first self-titled album, featuring much guitar playing by Kooch. When Apple folded, they all came to Los Angeles, where James signed with Warner Brothers and made Sweet Baby James, featuring “Fire and Rain.” In that song is a reference to their origins: “Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground.”  In 1967, he joined the Fugs. When they broke up, he followed Fugs bassist Charles Larkey to the West Coast, and with Carole King formed a band called The City, with whom he made the 1968 album Now That Everything’s Been Said. When that failed to fly, he kept working with Carole,on her debut album and on Tapestry, her second album.

When Asher began producing, he enlisted Kootch and a studio band which became known as the The Section. As discussed in our interview, they were a remarkably tight, rock-solid musical unit ideal for any song – be it a tender ballad or a rocker. The Section was Leland Sklar on bass, Russ Kunkel on drums and Kootch. On James Taylor’s albums as well as her own, Carole King was the pianist/keyboardist. When she was not there, Craig Doerge took over.

Presently he’s making records and touring with an ensemble called Danny Kortchmar and Immediate Family, featuring Russ Kunkel,  Lee Sklar, Waddy Wachtel, Steve Postell and Jim Cox. He just released an album with them called Honey Don’t Leave L.A., and has embarked on a mighty tour. They’re heading to Japan – playing Billboard Live in Osaka on June 14 and elsewhere.

Episodes

Episode 2. The Motels

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Martha Davis & Marty Jourard of The Motels.

An intimate talk with Martha Davis and Marty Jourard of The Motels, who were in Los Angeles to launch their new album The Last Few Beautiful Days. It’s the first new Motels album in a long time; their previous album, Apocalypto, although being released in 2011 was recorded back in 1981. Martha made several solo albums in that interim, including Policy (1987) and Beautiful Life (2008).

Her passion for songwriting, she said,  far superseded any desire to be a singer. “It was all about the songwriting,” she said. “Still is.” She spoke of her love of great melodies, inspired by  Broadway musicals, and about writing the beautifully melodic title song of the new album, “The Last  Few Beautiful Days,” as well as Motels classics such as “Suddenly Last Summer” and “Only The Lonely.” 

Marty Jourard, whose distinctive sax and keyboard riffs have distinguished their records since their self-titled debut in 1979, spent several years writing a book about the unique musical history of his hometown – Gainesville, Florida – also hometown for Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers,  as well as Marty’s brother Jeff Jourard, who played with The Heartbreakers and The Motels. Entitled Music Everywhere: The Rock and Roll Roots of a Southern Town, it’s a compelling exploration of how one little town, not unlike Liverpool, could be the source of so much rock and roll greatness. Marty’s a scholar as well as a gifted musician, and in our talk shares with us some of the history he discovered and preserved.

The Motels started in Berkeley, California in 1971 with Martha and all other musicians. For awhile they were the Warfield Foxes. They came to L.A. in 1975, and first changed the name to Angels of Mercy before settling on The Motels. But it was not until 1978 that Martha teamed up with Jeff Jourard and also invited Jeff’s brother Marty into the fold. They played around town, shared rehearsal space with the Go-Gos, and eventually signed with Capitol. Jeff  left the band but Marty stayed. Several hit records ensued, including All Four One in 1982, which featured “Only The Lonely.” Apocalypso, which they made in 1980, was rejected by the label for being “too weird,” which derailed the band somewhat. It was ultimately released in 2012. 

We met in the west Los Angeles home of Marty’s brother Jeff Jourard. The following day The Motels  met a mass crowd of their fans at Amoeba in Hollywood, where they performed, before moving onto Amoeba in San Francisco, and points beyond. They’ll be touring all over America this summer. 

 

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Louise & Paul interviewing Martha & Marty.

Martha Davis & Marty Jourard of The Motels.An intimate talk with Martha Davis and Marty Jourard of The Motels, who were in Los Angeles to launch their new album The Last Few Beautiful Days. It’s the first new Motels album in a long time; their previous album, Apocalypto, although being released in 2011 was recorded back in 1981. Martha made several solo albums in that interim, including Policy (1987) and Beautiful Life (2008).Her passion for songwriting, she said,  far superseded any desire to be a singer. “It was all about the songwriting,” she said. “Still is.” She spoke of her love of great melodies, inspired by  Broadway musicals, and about writing the beautifully melodic title song of the new album, “The Last  Few Beautiful Days,” as well as Motels classics such as “Suddenly Last Summer” and “Only The Lonely.” Marty Jourard, whose distinctive sax and keyboard riffs have distinguished their records since their self-titled debut in 1979, spent several years writing a book about the unique musical history of his hometown – Gainesville, Florida – also hometown for Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers,  as well as Marty’s brother Jeff Jourard, who played with The Heartbreakers and The Motels. Entitled Music Everywhere: The Rock and Roll Roots of a Southern Town, it’s a compelling exploration of how one little town, not unlike Liverpool, could be the source of so much rock and roll greatness. Marty’s a scholar as well as a gifted musician, and in our talk shares with us some of the history he discovered and preserved.The Motels started in Berkeley, California in 1971 with Martha and all other musicians. For awhile they were the Warfield Foxes. They came to L.A. in 1975, and first changed the name to Angels of Mercy before settling on The Motels. But it was not until 1978 that Martha teamed up with Jeff Jourard and also invited Jeff’s brother Marty into the fold. They played around town, shared rehearsal space with the Go-Gos, and eventually signed with Capitol. Jeff  left the band but Marty stayed. Several hit records ensued, including All Four One in 1982, which featured “Only The Lonely.” Apocalypso, which they made in 1980, was rejected by the label for being “too weird,” which derailed the band somewhat. It was ultimately released in 2012. We met in the west Los Angeles home of Marty’s brother Jeff Jourard. The following day The Motels  met a mass crowd of their fans at Amoeba in Hollywood, where they performed, before moving onto Amoeba in San Francisco, and points beyond. They’ll be touring all over America this summer. 

Louise & Paul interviewing Martha & Marty.

Episodes

Episode 1. Van Dyke Parks

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“A song,” he once said, “should not fall apart on the street like a cheap watch.” This devotion to the durability of the song, and reverence for songwriting is one of many reasons Van Dyke Parks is a hero to so many.     

When Louise and Paul first discussed doing this podcast, the same name kept coming up. Van Dyke Parks. Not only is he a legendary songwriter-composer-arranger-producer, he’s famously eloquent, funny and brilliant on pretty much any subject, and especially on music and its mysteries.

He’s also someone they’ve both known personally for years. Paul first interviewed him in 1988 for SongTalk magazine (included in Songwriters On Songwriting) just after the release of Van Dyke’s album Tokyo Rose. He’s also interviewed him several times since then, including once for the documentary Legends of the Canyon.

Louise has worked with him on several occasions, and most recently on “Chinatown,” a song from her new album All These Hellos for which Van Dyke wrote a glorious orchestral arrangement evoking old Hollywood. We get to hear a portion of that record, which is a duet with Rufus Wainright.  

Songwriting, he said, is a “triumph of the human spirit.” It’s a feeling all songwriters know, yet few have crystalized so ideally. He’s been a luminous wordsmith since the start of his legendary career, starting with the brilliant Song Cycle in 1968 and also with the lyrics to songs such as “Surf’s Up” and “Heroes and Villains” which he wrote with another genius, Brian Wilson, for The Beach Boys.

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He’s also an astounding composer, one of the greatest melodists of our time. After Song Cycle came an unbroken chain of masterpieces, each with resplendent melodics and orchestral settings that spring not from rock and roll, but 19th and early 20th century inspirations much more about pure melody and beautifully rendered linguistics than rock and roll. In 1985 came the delightful Americana of Jump (1985), a heartwarming song cycle based on the tales of Brer Rabbit. While others were alienating us with bombast and distortion, he brought us charm and beauty.   

Then Tokyo Rose (1989), a brilliant orchestral scrutiny of America’s evolving relationship with Japan.  Next the timeless magic of Orange Crate Art, a resplendently sumptuous series of songs written for Brian Wilson to sing, delving into the California endless summer spirit born long before any of us were born. Then came Songs Cycled, consisting of the many brilliant singles he released during previous years, with songs reflecting modern times more than ever, such as “Black Gold,” about oil treasures and spillage both, and “Wall Street,” about American greed, 9-11 and more. In a time when most songs contain little content, his remind us of what songs can do, expressing content previously untouched in song, yet so vividly vital, and always contained within music of great richness.

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Born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi in 1943 and raised in Lake Charles, Louisiana, he was a child star who appeared on “The Honeymooners” and other TV shows, sang at the Met, and studied music at Carnegie Tech before coming to Los Angeles and becoming the beloved Van Dyke Parks. In addition to the great albums of his own, he contributed to countless others, including those by Ry Cooder, Little Feat, Lowell George, Inara George, Harry Nilsson, Randy Newman, Ringo Starr, U2 and many others. For a short time he was even a member of Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention, in which Frank called him Pinocchio. He’s scored many movies, including Robert Altman’s Popeye and The Two Jakes, the sequel to Chinatown directed by Jack Nicholson. 

Unlike many musicians and songwriters who can’t, or don’t want to, answer hard questions about music, Van Dyke is not only willing but brilliant in his ability to verbalize even those things beyond words. Asked what makes a melody powerful, for example, Dave Brubeck said, “The secret of a melody is a secret.”

Whereas Van Dyke said this:

“A melody is at first an exposition. It goes somewhere from somewhere. A melody takes us through time. [It] indicates its harmonic development… a good melody can be evocative. It can remind you of some place that you’ve been. And if a melody jars a memory, it serves a great purpose.”

Song Cycle, to this day, is famous for its abstract, stream-of-consciousness verbiage. But from that style he soon moved on to songs of clear content, and narrative grace. “I retired from that,” he explained, “but I still think it’s a valid idiom… I still have this iconoclastic, highly individual approach to songwriting. And I enjoy it very much. It’s an honor.”

Always brilliant with the use of physical symbols, he provided one of the best for the often rudderless navigation which songwriting demands. It came from his work scoring Popeye with Robert Altman, who was shooting an object on a boat from a boat. “There were no fixed points, you see. I feel very much like I am at sea” when writing songs.

“Songwriting is a matter of self-discovery,” he explained. “I don’t think a song should fall apart like a cheap watch on the street… it’s important to make a song a renewable resource. Something that can be listened to again.”

Timeless song has fortified his spirit: “Songs have a tremendous closeness to the soul. The psalms was my first all-time favorite in the Bible. I’ve always venerated a timeless, higher power.”

But how does one maintain a good attitude when the song isn’t coming? “I don’t get my knickers twisted,” he answered. “Composure is what it’s all about. But you must go there. You must make a habit of the luxury and the sanctuary that songwriting provides. You’re creating a world that you’re subject to… It’s transcendental, beyond possession. It really is.” 

On the subject of these kinds of interviews with songwriters about songwriting, he said, “Everything is revealed, yet nothing is revealed. What is transferable is this sense of courage, of derring-do… This is infectious. And confirmational. It’s as helpful as belonging to some religious sect, to me. Hearing someone say, ‘Amen.’”

Our interview with him was conducted at his Hollywood home, where his wife Sally brought iced tea and took photos, and we watched as young lovers courted and kissed right outside his front window.

 

“A song,” he once said, “should not fall apart on the street like a cheap watch.” This devotion to the durability of the song, and reverence for songwriting is one of many reasons Van Dyke Parks is a hero to so many.     

When Louise and Paul first discussed doing this podcast, the same name kept coming up. Van Dyke Parks. Not only is he a legendary songwriter-composer-arranger-producer, he’s famously eloquent, funny and brilliant on pretty much any subject, and especially on music and its mysteries.

He’s also someone they’ve both known personally for years. Paul first interviewed him in 1988 for SongTalk magazine (included in Songwriters On Songwriting) just after the release of Van Dyke’s album Tokyo Rose. He’s also interviewed him several times since then, including once for the documentary Legends of the Canyon.

Louise has worked with him on several occasions, and most recently on “Chinatown,” a song from her new album All These Hellos for which Van Dyke wrote a glorious orchestral arrangement evoking old Hollywood. We get to hear a portion of that record, which is a duet with Rufus Wainright.  

Songwriting, he said, is a “triumph of the human spirit.” It’s a feeling all songwriters know, yet few have crystalized so ideally. He’s been a luminous wordsmith since the start of his legendary career, starting with the brilliant Song Cycle in 1968 and also with the lyrics to songs such as “Surf’s Up” and “Heroes and Villains” which he wrote with another genius, Brian Wilson, for The Beach Boys.

He’s also an astounding composer, one of the greatest melodists of our time. After Song Cycle came an unbroken chain of masterpieces, each with resplendent melodics and orchestral settings that spring not from rock and roll, but 19th and early 20th century inspirations much more about pure melody and beautifully rendered linguistics than rock and roll. In 1985 came the delightful Americana of Jump (1985), a heartwarming song cycle based on the tales of Brer Rabbit. While others were alienating us with bombast and distortion, he brought us charm and beauty.   

Then Tokyo Rose (1989), a brilliant orchestral scrutiny of America’s evolving relationship with Japan.  Next the timeless magic of Orange Crate Art, a resplendently sumptuous series of songs written for Brian Wilson to sing, delving into the California endless summer spirit born long before any of us were born. Then came Songs Cycled, consisting of the many brilliant singles he released during previous years, with songs reflecting modern times more than ever, such as “Black Gold,” about oil treasures and spillage both, and “Wall Street,” about American greed, 9-11 and more. In a time when most songs contain little content, his remind us of what songs can do, expressing content previously untouched in song, yet so vividly vital, and always contained within music of great richness.

Born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi in 1943 and raised in Lake Charles, Louisiana, he was a child star who appeared on “The Honeymooners” and other TV shows, sang at the Met, and studied music at Carnegie Tech before coming to Los Angeles and becoming the beloved Van Dyke Parks. In addition to the great albums of his own, he contributed to countless others, including those by Ry Cooder, Little Feat, Lowell George, Inara George, Harry Nilsson, Randy Newman, Ringo Starr, U2 and many others. For a short time he was even a member of Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention, in which Frank called him Pinocchio. He’s scored many movies, including Robert Altman’s Popeye and The Two Jakes, the sequel to Chinatown directed by Jack Nicholson. 

Unlike many musicians and songwriters who can’t, or don’t want to, answer hard questions about music, Van Dyke is not only willing but brilliant in his ability to verbalize even those things beyond words. Asked what makes a melody powerful, for example, Dave Brubeck said, “The secret of a melody is a secret.”

Whereas Van Dyke said this:

“A melody is at first an exposition. It goes somewhere from somewhere. A melody takes us through time. [It] indicates its harmonic development… a good melody can be evocative. It can remind you of some place that you’ve been. And if a melody jars a memory, it serves a great purpose.”

Song Cycle, to this day, is famous for its abstract, stream-of-consciousness verbiage. But from that style he soon moved on to songs of clear content, and narrative grace. “I retired from that,” he explained, “but I still think it’s a valid idiom… I still have this iconoclastic, highly individual approach to songwriting. And I enjoy it very much. It’s an honor.”

Always brilliant with the use of physical symbols, he provided one of the best for the often rudderless navigation which songwriting demands. It came from his work scoring Popeye with Robert Altman, who was shooting an object on a boat from a boat. “There were no fixed points, you see. I feel very much like I am at sea” when writing songs.

“Songwriting is a matter of self-discovery,” he explained. “I don’t think a song should fall apart like a cheap watch on the street… it’s important to make a song a renewable resource. Something that can be listened to again.”

Timeless song has fortified his spirit: “Songs have a tremendous closeness to the soul. The psalms was my first all-time favorite in the Bible. I’ve always venerated a timeless, higher power.”

But how does one maintain a good attitude when the song isn’t coming? “I don’t get my knickers twisted,” he answered. “Composure is what it’s all about. But you must go there. You must make a habit of the luxury and the sanctuary that songwriting provides. You’re creating a world that you’re subject to… It’s transcendental, beyond possession. It really is.” 

On the subject of these kinds of interviews with songwriters about songwriting, he said, “Everything is revealed, yet nothing is revealed. What is transferable is this sense of courage, of derring-do… This is infectious. And confirmational. It’s as helpful as belonging to some religious sect, to me. Hearing someone say, ‘Amen.’”

Our interview with him was conducted at his Hollywood home, where his wife Sally brought iced tea and took photos, and we watched as young lovers courted and kissed right outside his front window.

Episodes

The Great Song Adventure Coming Soon – Teaser

The Great Song Adventure is a podcast hosted by Louise Goffin and Paul Zollo featuring in-depth conversations about songs and the songwriters who write them. Encompassing all aspects of being a songwriter and recording artist in modern times, including how best to navigate the ever-shifting music business itself, and the technologies which impact it. It features intimate and informed conversations with legendary musicians, songwriters, and producers, and explores the mysteries of music itself, and the creative process. Louise and Paul both share a lifelong devotion to the art and craft of songwriting, decades of direct experience and acquired wisdom about it, and reverence for the triumph of writing a great song which spans across generations and genres.

Join us May 14th for our first episode with the great Van Dyke Parks!

Like us on facebook: https://bit.ly/2jp7Fbb 

Find us on Instagram: @thegreatsongadventure

Follow us on Twitter: @GreatSongAdven1

We love to hear from you!

The Great Song Adventure is a podcast hosted by Louise Goffin and Paul Zollo featuring in-depth conversations about songs and the songwriters who write them. Encompassing all aspects of being a songwriter and recording artist in modern times, including how best to navigate the ever-shifting music business itself, and the technologies which impact it. It features intimate and informed conversations with legendary musicians, songwriters, and producers, and explores the mysteries of music itself, and the creative process. Louise and Paul both share a lifelong devotion to the art and craft of songwriting, decades of direct experience and acquired wisdom about it, and reverence for the triumph of writing a great song which spans across generations and genres.

Join us May 14th for our first episode with the great Van Dyke Parks!

Like us on facebook: https://bit.ly/2jp7Fbb 

Find us on Instagram: @thegreatsongadventure

Follow us on Twitter: @GreatSongAdven1

We love to hear from you!