Episode 48

Louise Palanker (00:04):

Welcome to Media Path. I'm Louise Palanker.

Fritz Coleman (00:06):

And I'm Fritz Coleman.

Louise Palanker (00:07):

Today on the show we've got the Man who wrote and performed what I believe to be the greatest song of all time. It's a song that proudly walks in its own bold, unapologetic, full-bodied, sassy, sappy, brilliance. The song is a stirring blend of tides and swells like the ocean itself. And it's unafraid to be over the top, like an enormous wave that crashes through your heart and forever changes it. Yes, we are talking about Brandy. You're a fine girl, writer and performer. Elliot Lu from Looking Glass joins us very soon, and

Fritz Coleman (00:42):

That should be a liner note. That was well written, wasn't it, Billy? Yeah. That's gonna be my blurb. <laugh>.

Louise Palanker (00:47):

But first, Fritz and I have been watching and reading for you.

Fritz Coleman (00:51):

You know, we've weed through the chaff and the, and the fillers so people don't have to Yeah. We have to offer them good suggestions. Yeah.

Louise Palanker (00:57):

We're like those people in the, in the movie business that read the script and then they just read through all the scripts and then they hand the ones that are good to the people that make movies.

Fritz Coleman (01:05):

Exactly. My, my first one is a sign of how old I am, but I, I unabashedly, uh, got tears in my eyes from this great documentary on Netflix called My Love Six Stories of True Love. This is a story that will reinstall your faith in true love and long relationships. It follows six couples from around the world who've been married at least 40 years, and a few have been married over 60 years, and it investigates the secrets to their success as a couple. And it goes from the usa, which is the first one to Spain, to Korea, Brazil, Japan, India. The film crews spend a year with each couple. They go through four seasons with each couple, and you watch the Everyday Dance of Care and nurturing. Each couple goes through. It's based on a Korean movie from 2013 called My Love Don't Cross the River, which Chronicles a Korean couple married 75 years ago. It's so touching and so tender, and for some of us, a 40 to 60 year marriage can only be hypothetical that makes this movie downright miraculous. Really loved it.

Louise Palanker (02:16):

Wow. So any of the stories gonna stand out as

Fritz Coleman (02:19):

I think the American story only cuz culturally connected with it. These are farmers from Vermont and they're so cute, and they may spend a couple of minutes with the wife combing the husband's hair before they go to bed.

Louise Palanker (02:34):

Oh my God, I hate these people. And

Fritz Coleman (02:36):

Then, you know, he'll get ready to go to bed and he'll walk over to her side of the bed and the guy's 85 years old and walks over to her side of the bed under his own power. <laugh>, gives her a little kiss on the forehead and said, you know, honey, you've never looked as beautiful as you do right now. And you fall off your chair. It's so sweet. He's a, he's a, it will fill your

Louise Palanker (02:55):

Heart. He's a prince.

Fritz Coleman (02:57):

He is a prince.

Louise Palanker (02:57):

That is adorable. You're right. All right, I'm gonna watch that. What do you got? Okay, so my first pick is called Pink Colon cuz every good documentary Elliot needs a colon pink colon. And do not forget to spell pink without an eye, but with an an exclamation point. It's key. All I know so far, pink Colon, all I know so far, it's a documentary in all I know So Far. Pink has released a documentary to match her new song, title hashtag branding. The film is a behind the scenes look at Pink as she balances family and life on the road leading up to her first Wembley Stadium performance on 20 nineteens beautiful trauma World Tour Pink stock is especially pertinent because on a very grand scale, she balances the very same work home family kids equation faced by women everywhere during the pandemic. Pink says the biology pulls at mothers differently than it does fathers and that were she to tour without her kids.

(03:53):

She'd be up all night worrying about them. So when Pink is on the road, they are a circus family and it is fun and fascinating to watch. I've always been, you know, I don't know about you guys, but I've always been perfectly content with pink's gorgeous and often anthemic music which speaks directly to the Souls of millions. I never fully appreciated all of the Cher Gaga, Elton Extravaganza that turns concerts into Cirque Dule or the Carnival of Venice Ma Ball. You can just stand there and sing as my uncle Bernie once complained about Helen Reddy in Vegas <laugh>. But, but, but Pink is an actual acrobat who sings while being flung across the sky. Her core must be granite and it is a wonder to behold. I mean, seriously, they are flinging this woman. No,

Fritz Coleman (04:39):

I have not seen the documentary, but I've seen clips of her concerts where she does like the full circus sole thing. Yeah. From one side of a 7,000 seat stadium to another. Yeah. And she's really talented. I've always liked her. I just like her attitude about

Louise Palanker (04:53):

Everything. No, she's outstanding. So I'm now obsessed with pink. Okay. And apparently this was not the first pink documentary. You can travel along her media path back to 2014 and find Pink Colon staying True on prime video in which pink breaks the mold. Bringing her career to a new level in 2013 with a world tour that entertains unlike Everett before, get insight access to the girl who got the party started with exclusive interviews and rare live performances. So you can get your pink on. It's all there.

Fritz Coleman (05:21):

I'm a big fan. Yeah. She also wrote the current theme for Ellen DeGeneres show too. Did she? Yeah. So that, that residual's gonna come to an end here at the end of the year. But

Louise Palanker (05:31):

I think Pink's doing okay.

Fritz Coleman (05:32):

Yeah, doing fine. <laugh>. Alright, so I gotta get Stick an environmental doc in there whenever I can. This is cold. That's your thing. This the ground.

Louise Palanker (05:39):

That's your jam

Fritz Coleman (05:40):

On Netflix. If you're one of those people who think we need to change our behavior with how we treat this planet, this is a film for you. It looks at what's called regenerative agriculture. And here's what regenerative agriculture is. Industrial farming, which is the bulk of farming in the United States, is really bad for the climate. It releases greenhouse gases. It ultimately destroys our health and the environment. And how does it do that? And this is the key to the film. It destroys the soil. This movie explains that soil is the key to everything. The chemicals we use to grow massive harvest of crops. The over plowing we do to get maximum yield out of fields destroys the soil. And this all destroys the soil's ability to store carbon, which is the key building black and healthy plants and healthy food and helping people. It's called carbon sequestration. It's the big topic now. There are interviews with chefs and farmers and ranchers and scientists. The movies produced by Leo DiCaprio, who produces a lot of really good environmental documentaries. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And it's narrated by Woody Harrelson. It's based on a book by Josh Tekel. If you wanna learn about a really effective solution to the climate crisis, this is a simple and relatively fast way to do it. I recommend this film. It's really

Louise Palanker (06:55):

Interesting. That sounds really cool. So then did they explain that this is what led to the Dust Bowl?

Fritz Coleman (06:59):

Yes. Okay. Uh, the Dust Bowl, as a matter of fact, the first quarter of the film describes how that happened, being over plowed and no irrigation and that kind of stuff.

Louise Palanker (07:07):

Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So yeah. We have to be good, good movie responsible farmers. I say as someone who's never farm, I haven't planted a carrot. I'm like, not someone who should be speaking about farming. All right. So have you watched Hacks? Has anyone watched Hacks? Oh, Dina has Okay. Hacks on hbo o now HBO is, you know, they're coy. They just release these shows like one or two at a time. You know, they leave you just kind of whimpering by your television. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. But, uh, hacks is coming out one, one or two at a time. And I will say this, gene Smart is on fire this covid season. Yeah. With nomination buzz churning for her roles in the Watchman Mi of East Town, and now hacks. And the, the part she plays in Mi of East Town is completely different than the part she plays in hacks. It's called Acting Fritz. Look

Fritz Coleman (07:50):

At me. <laugh>. I love her

Louise Palanker (07:51):

<laugh>. So, in hacks, uh, Jean plays a legendary, but Vegas hardened cranky comedian intersecting with a sharp but

Fritz Coleman (07:58):

Internet cranky

Louise Palanker (07:59):

Comedian. Yes. <laugh>, but cranky comedian Fritz. You're gonna be like, I don't get it. <laugh>. Um, <laugh> intersecting with a Sharp, but internet canceled. And in bittered young comedy writer, a darkly amusing mentorship forms between the two. And Antics En Sue. This is smart, funny writing and in its own lovingly warped way, it celebrates the power of mentorship.

Fritz Coleman (08:23):

Good selection. I love her to death. I, I I'm on a nonprofit board with her Hill, hillside Homes in Pasadena. Do

Louise Palanker (08:31):

You guys have your picture together? Yes, we do. Okay, I'm gonna

Fritz Coleman (08:33):

Put it and now it's suddenly that has value because you mentioned it. I'm gonna go find

Louise Palanker (08:36):

It. Yeah. Find it. And then I'll put it in the, in the YouTube version of this Perry

Fritz Coleman (08:39):

Program. But I I I, I'm so thankful for her recent, um, sort of wash of success with all these shows cuz her husband passed away about a month ago. Oh no. And he's a sweet guy and she's got two children. One adopted from China. She's the loveliest person you'll ever meet. And if I could just add this, hillside Home is an organization that rescues at-risk children from abusive family situations. And there there are about a hundred clients as they call them at this facility. Beautiful facility. It's like a college in Pasadena. And she walks the walk. She's not the typical star that writes a check for $10,000.

Louise Palanker (09:14):

You mean like Elliot?

Fritz Coleman (09:15):

Well, no, no, I, I didn't mean that. I just, I wanted to draw him into the conversation. Sure. He might know her, but, uh, but she, like at, in Thanksgiving, she'll put on a witches costume and go and hand out candy and engage with every kid in the place. Oh. She's really a lovely person and deserves her recent makeup success.

Louise Palanker (09:32):

I have a personal question to ask. My media path has some cul-de-sacs <laugh>. Was Gene Smart in designing women?

Fritz Coleman (09:40):

Yes. Okay.

Elliot Lurie (09:41):

We Did you say that your media path has some cul-de-sacs? I have to remember that one. <laugh>. That's a beauty.

Fritz Coleman (09:48):

That's a, that's a great bumper sticker. We outta the media path for marketing

Elliot Lurie (09:51):

<laugh>. I didn't use that. When someone starts to talk to me about heavy metal music, you go and that, that path, my path there has some cul-de-sacs.

Louise Palanker (09:59):

<laugh> had some cul-de-sacs. I'm very sorry. A road not traveled. I

Elliot Lurie (10:03):

Love that.

Louise Palanker (10:04):

<laugh>. Elliot Lurie is an American musician who was the lead guitarist, songwriter, and frequently lead vocalist in the New Jersey band. Looking Glass. From 1969 till 1974, he wrote and sang lead on their 1972 iconic number one smash. Brandy Parenthesis. You're a fine girl. And their 1973 top 40 single Jimmy loves Maryanne. After leaving the band in the mid 1970s, Lori released a self-titled album and a single disco parenthesis, where You gonna go? He later signed with Aris records and wrote songs for chapel music and screen gem's music. In the 1980s, Larry wrote and produced music for private businesses. In 1985, he became head of the music department at 20th Century Fox. That year he produced a soundtrack from the John Travolta and Jamie Lee Curtis film. Perfect. Since then, he has worked as music supervisor on numerous films, including Alien Three A Night at the Roxbury Riding Cars with Boys I Spy and Spanglish. In recent years, Elliot has returned to live performing Welcome Elliot.

Elliot Lurie (11:03):

Yay. Thank you. Hi. So

Louise Palanker (11:05):

Nice to meet you. So my first question to you is, could you tell us about the acapella version on your YouTube page of Brandy with the Young Guns Quartet?

Elliot Lurie (11:14):

Yes. Uh, I'll tell you how that came about. It was one of the few, uh, bright moments of the Covid fiasco.

Louise Palanker (11:26):

I call these covid blessings.

Elliot Lurie (11:27):

Oh yeah. It was in a way I had been scheduled to do a show and, uh, I had written a song that really doesn't work without background singers. So a couple of times I'd gone to various cities and I tried to find the best vocal group that I could, that I could afford to come sing with me at the show. So I had scheduled to do a show with them in upstate New York. And the show got canceled because of Covid. But we stayed in touch. And, uh, the leader of the group, Greg Mallett, called me one day and he said, um, Elliot, we've worked up this arrangement of Brandy and, uh, wouldn't you like to hear it? And is there anything we can do with it? He sent it to me and I loved it, and I said, well, this is perfect. Let's, let's zoom it and I'll sing the lead and you guys do your parts and we'll edit the video and, and put it up there. And it, it came out great and very well received.

Louise Palanker (12:27):

Really did. Can you play a moment of that for us, Thomas?

Elliot Lurie (12:29):

There you were. You could tell his c o bad teeth, long hair

Fritz Coleman (12:34):

<laugh>. Yeah. Got great lighting. That's not bad for Zoom. <laugh>

singers (12:41):

Sailors, the, there's a in this harbor town and she works. Leland Whiskey is Brande Brandy Fe fe another. She serves them whiskey. And Wow. You, you would be such a fun,

Louise Palanker (13:22):

People just look so joyful when they're singing that song.

Fritz Coleman (13:26):

Yeah. Here's the sad thing. Every kid singing with you wasn't born when this thing was a

Elliot Lurie (13:29):

Hit. <laugh>. Well, that, that's, that's true.

Fritz Coleman (13:32):

Um, that's spectacularly beautiful though. And your voice is great.

Elliot Lurie (13:36):

Thank you. I was really, um, pleasantly surprised when I put my voice in with theirs and, uh, how, how great the blend was. And, uh, you know, just hearing it in my headphones as I was singing with them, it, it looks like I'm having a blast. It looked

Fritz Coleman (13:49):

Like you were having a good time. I was. I was, you know, I was a DJ for 15 years and my career ended, I think after brand, just after Brandy Peaked. It ended around 1978. And I, I was thinking of all the songs that I played most frequently, and I think Looking Glass and Brandy was one of those right up in the top three, the most frequently requested and played songs. And in the other categories for bathroom songs, of course it was Stairway to Heaven and Knight and White Satin by the Moody Blues. But yours was one of the singly most requested songs.

Elliot Lurie (14:29):

What's a bathroom song? I don't

Fritz Coleman (14:31):

Know that term where it, well, the Stairway to Heaven was eight minutes and 20 seconds Long, which was long enough to turn the bathroom when you review Jay. I, and, and uh, I got it. And Knight and White Sat was about seven minutes and 40 seconds. Yeah.

Louise Palanker (14:42):

When you hear the guy start to talk, run back to the mic. Yeah. Right.

Fritz Coleman (14:45):

<laugh>. But, uh, but I, I just wanted to say this, that I think that Brandy is one of the most beautifully written story songs, which to me makes a successful song. You hear story songs in country music a lot Yeah. Now and in yester year. Yeah. But this is a beautiful song. And what I was so surprised to hear was you improvised the words to this as you were doing the music. It wasn't like you sat and wrote this beautiful story and then put it to

Elliot Lurie (15:13):

Music. Well, up to a point. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, once I got the first part of it going, then it was kind of tricky to get the whole story complete in three minutes and, you know, get all the meter matching and get the rhymes in there. So working that part out, you know, that, that was not improvisational, but the beginning of the story just sort of came.

Louise Palanker (15:36):

Maybe you were brandy in a former life.

Fritz Coleman (15:39):

<laugh>

Elliot Lurie (15:40):

Possible.

Louise Palanker (15:41):

I mean, what is your background in terms of sea towns or the, that type of

Elliot Lurie (15:45):

Atmosphere? <laugh>, people always ask me, they say, uh, were you in like in the Navy or the Merchant Marine <laugh>. I, I'm from Brooklyn, New York, and the biggest ship I've ever been on to that point was the Staten Island Ferry <laugh>. So, uh, it's, it is just, but I, you know, I did a lot of, um, I did a lot of writing in high school, uh, and even in college, uh, short stories and fiction and things like that. And, you know, the teachers always said, ah, this is great, and a couple of 'em are published and this and that. So I liked writing, uh, stories and, um, you know, this one is pretty Did

Fritz Coleman (16:20):

Anybody ever approach you and say, let's flesh this out into like a film?

Elliot Lurie (16:24):

Absolutely. I've gotten Wow. A number of, uh, pitches on it and a couple of completed screenplays.

Fritz Coleman (16:32):

Wow.

Elliot Lurie (16:33):

But, you know, for me, I mean, I, I kind of, I don't discourage them. Uh, and I tell them that, you know, if you wanna acquire the rights, they're, they're, you can get them. But for me, part of the satisfaction of the story is that it's three minutes long and it rhymes <laugh>, you know? And that's it. As far as I'm concerned, that's where we leave Brandy and the Sailor and it's done. It's

Louise Palanker (16:57):

Got a bridge we're done <laugh>. Exactly. Very complete. Exactly. Wow. But it's so evocative and it really puts you there. And that's, I think why all the requests, it's not just that. It's a beautiful song, is that every time you hear the song, you're there, you're with these people.

Elliot Lurie (17:11):

And that's, that's what I've heard. And, and you know, if, if you were to disc Jackie, uh, Fritz, you know, I mean there were bigger hits in 1972 than Brandy, but a lot of them have not had the legs as they say that Brandy

Fritz Coleman (17:26):

Has. No, I think your voice in the story, it's just a beautiful story that you can hear it a million times and uh, and uh, just fall in love with it. It's, uh, really, and, and I, I think you mentioned this yourself, that what keeps it afloat in people's minds is you can't categorize the song. You guys are obviously looking glass. We're r and b based cuz you had these beautiful harmonies. Like, and, and you know, you played in New Jersey and I'm thinking like the rascals of this great sort of blue-eyed soul

Elliot Lurie (17:57):

From this very much an influence on us, on Me, the Rascals.

Fritz Coleman (18:00):

But you, you couldn't plug it into that. You couldn't plug it into pop, you couldn't plug it into r and b. It was just kind of floated out there on its own. Well,

Elliot Lurie (18:07):

Part of, part of the reason for that, I think is because the production of the Track was what I call, uh, the Hunt and Pack process. We had recorded the song a number of times, at least twice, and it came out not sounding like a hit record. And we were looking for hit record. And Clive Davis, who signed this to the label was very generous with us and said, well, if you guys want to finish the record in the production, go ahead, give it a shot. So you know, it, as you say, it doesn't sound like an r and b record, it doesn't sound like a typical seventies pop record. Like maybe the grassroots, as much as I love the grassroots, that's the seventies pop record mm-hmm. <affirmative>, this one is a little of this and of that. And it, uh, I think part of it's cause we kind of didn't know what we were doing <laugh>, when it sounded good, we said, okay, that's it.

Louise Palanker (18:57):

Wow. Yeah. But I, I think a key to success is knowing when it's good. You know, cuz you have to, we're all our minds are like computers. We're constantly eliminating what sucks. So that's a part

Elliot Lurie (19:09):

Of a lot of that sucked on that record

Fritz Coleman (19:11):

<laugh>. And you're talking about that, talking about knowing when it's a hit record. I mean, before the hit version of this came out, there were several earlier manifestations. I love the interconnecting lines in music and one of the first guys you worked with was Steve Cropper. Yes. Who was, you know, the House Band of Stacks Records. Yes. And Booker T and the Mgs Yes. Did a version with you. And then, I don't know if it was Clive Davis or somebody said, sounds great. It's not a hit record. And I thought, wow, what does that mean?

Elliot Lurie (19:41):

Yeah. Well, we, we went down, uh, Clive suggested that we have Steve Carpent produced us. And, you know, we'd loved that idea. He's, you know, an iconic guy and great player and producer. So we went down to Memphis and we did four sides with him. And we came back to New York and we had a meeting with Clive and we played the four sides. And they were very well done, but they didn't sound like hits, which is to say they sounded like a good bar band, which is basically what we were recorded really well, but it didn't sound like you'd hear it on the radio.

Fritz Coleman (20:14):

Wow. I don't even know how you analyze something. Is that, but yeah, that, that's the key to people's success in the business is knowing when that, well,

Elliot Lurie (20:22):

Especially back then, cuz again, you'll know as, as a disc jockey, um, singles on radio, first of all, am was still around. I mean, I remember we did a Monophonic mix and a stereo mix of that one for Am a one for Ethan. And, uh, you know, there was a certain sound that bursted outta the radio. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And those were the singles, those were the hits.

Louise Palanker (20:42):

Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Wow. Yeah. And that's what Clive had. He had mm-hmm. <affirmative>, he had the ears. He had the ears, yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So, uh, you did a solo album and I looked up some of this stuff. So let's talk about the Days on the Sunset. On the Sunset Strip, living in the Chateau Marma and making music in the seventies. Who were you hanging out with? What all went on? And we want gory details. <laugh>,

Elliot Lurie (21:05):

Gosh, I don't know how go I can get, I, I, I did this solo album and, uh, Clive was still at Epic Records and he suggested, and my a and r man, Stephen Paley, uh, suggested that I go out to Los Angeles and have a guy named David Kirschenbaum do the album, produce the album out here. And I did. And we had the best LA players that you can imagine. Usually half the band was Toto and the other half of the band was the jazz crusaders. I mean, I was like a, a little bit in awe of, of the band. And, uh, I did live at the Chateau Marmont before it was renewed and re revived. It was, you know, it was the old Chateau mom with the couches, with the stuffing coming out <laugh>. I had a gorgeous view of the Boulevard. And, uh, we used to run down, uh, to, there was a, there was a Mexican place on Le Brea. We used to run down to LaBrea, get two burritos, bring 'em back to the suite at the Chateau Marmont, you know, watch Fritz <laugh>

Louise Palanker (22:16):

God

Elliot Lurie (22:17):

And, and, uh, low point of your career and, uh, and

Louise Palanker (22:20):

Best one stoned. But,

Elliot Lurie (22:21):

Um, but the album, despite the Good Players, uh, part of the problem with the album that I have, and I can only listen to certain songs on it now, is it was one of these records where, um, you know, you're trying very hard to get a a, a hit single. And when you have an album full of songs that just miss being hit singles, it's not a very listenable album. And then the other thing that happened was, and, and I don't blame this at all for the lack of success of the album, I think the, the real reason it didn't succeed was because it wasn't really a focused piece of work. But during the time that I was living it up at the chattel, Vermont, Clive had that famous issue with the Bar Mitzvah and had to leave CBS Records. Right.

Louise Palanker (23:07):

Oh, please tell that story cuz I,

Elliot Lurie (23:08):

You don't know the story of, is it in the movie Davis Bar Mitzvah paid for it outta company funds or something? Clive Clive Davis as as successful a record man as he was, and he was, he still is one of the most successful ever. Somehow or another, there was politics going on when they wanted him out. And, uh, you know, CBS was a big company and the record company was only a very small part of c b s. Something happened with the politics for, they, they weren't hard to rec Clive. So they said that he had used company funds to play for his son's bar mitzvah. And they one day told him to pack up all his stuff and unceremoniously, unceremoniously leave the big black tower on 52nd Street. And when I came back from the chat, my mob with my album Under My Hands, there were all new people there who've said, oh, okay. Yeah. Nice to see. Wow. Remember you, the Brandy guy. Right.

Louise Palanker (23:59):

Oh wow. We've had a change in

Elliot Lurie (24:00):

Management. But again, I don't blame that for the fact that the album did succeed. I don't think it was that great a project, but it certainly didn't help

Fritz Coleman (24:09):

<laugh>. Well, you know, we, we interviewed Gary Puckett. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, you might have known him from the road years and stuff. And the Union Gap had a situation very similar to what Looking Glass had, which was the record company wanted to put session players on their music, not giving you guys credibility as great musicians. And you had to talk your way into playing on your own record, which was very similar to what he had to go through. He said, no, we had, we had to insist that we play on our own record. And it was a big fight.

Elliot Lurie (24:36):

And we did the same because the, the version that finally, uh, came out, the production was started, uh, by staff producer at cbs. And he came out to meet with us and told us what he was gonna do. It sort of at the end of the conversation, he just threw it away, you know, and I'm gonna have the top guys playing on it. And we went, huh. What? Uh, you know, and we said now that that's, that's not gonna happen.

Louise Palanker (24:58):

Yeah. Well, you had a song that you've got posted on your YouTube channel called Rainbow Girl, which illustrates the type of kids who were drawn to the strip in the seventies. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So who was the Rainbow Girl? What was she looking for? In other words, this prototype? Did she find it? And what is she doing today? <laugh>?

Fritz Coleman (25:17):

Oh man.

Elliot Lurie (25:18):

Let's, let's hope she's still living and breathing today. <laugh>, because the Rainbow Room, uh, back in the seventies and really right through the eighties, and as far as I know, I haven't been there in a long time, and they still be that way. But it was legendary for, you know, for, for abuse and mm-hmm. <affirmative> and, and outrageous outfits and things going on behind the bar that you didn't want to know about. Um, but I often went there on my own when I was making that album because I didn't really know many people in LA and yeah. You know, that's where the musicians hang out. And sometimes I wouldn't run into a musician I knew, and I would see these women who were just so obviously trying to find the right guy. And I, the right guy for them, I think was like a recognizable rock star of of whom there were many at, at the Rainbow Room in those days. Um, so the song is kind of about a girl who, you know, drives in from, uh, from Sherman Oaks or Van Nus or wherever, and, you know, she goes to the Rainbow Room and she's looking for, uh, the Lee Singer of such and such. And she goes there, you know, with three or four nights a week. And sometimes she goes home alone and sometimes she goes home with the lead singer.

Louise Palanker (26:27):

So, Fritz, where is she today?

Fritz Coleman (26:29):

That's a very good question. Uh, probably the hostess at, uh, Morton Steakhouse <laugh>. I, I, I don't know.

Louise Palanker (26:35):

She could be, I think she's in Palm Beach. She's married to somebody in who, who is very big in the nonprofit world. And, uh,

Fritz Coleman (26:45):

And she's the bass player from White Snake.

Louise Palanker (26:47):

She, there's a, there's been a lot of work done

Elliot Lurie (26:51):

<laugh>. Lovely.

Fritz Coleman (26:52):

But that's another great story that, I mean, you're a great, uh, storyteller. Have you ever thought about, uh, you know, broadening that talent out in a novel or, you know, other written pieces or? I,

Elliot Lurie (27:02):

I haven't really, I sometimes sit down and try to like, recollect things that have happened and not really a memoir, but just sort of episodes, uh, from it. And, and, uh, I find it really difficult, uh, to write anything of length. Maybe that's why I wrote a grade three minute song. That's as much as I have to

Fritz Coleman (27:22):

Say. Some people would say that's even harder to keep it to three minutes, you know, beginning, middle, and end.

Louise Palanker (27:27):

Yeah. So we've got some Brandy trivia. Okay. Are you, are, are you ready to play? Okay. I'm good for that. <laugh>. So did you know Elliot, that following the re you probably do you know all even though the brand, not all of

Elliot Lurie (27:40):

I've just learned, I'm, I'm of surprised.

Louise Palanker (27:42):

Well, let's see if I can trip you up. Okay. <laugh>, did you know that following the release of the song Brandy, the name Brandy increased in popularity owe the Power of music? According to data from the Social Security Administration, Brandy was the 353rd most popular name for a girl in 1971. Far more popular in the name of an alcoholic beverage <laugh>. But in 1972, the name leaped to number one 40. And in 1973, it got all the way up to the 82nd spot

Elliot Lurie (28:13):

With a bullet.

Louise Palanker (28:14):

So with a bullet. So, so how often do you meet a girl named Brandy who credits you with her name? <laugh>? Oh,

Elliot Lurie (28:20):

Good question. I, I don't meet them that often, but on Facebook I get a ton of them that either are named Brandy after the song, or, uh, moms who named their daughter's Brandy after the song. Um, so quite a few. And it's interesting cause most of them spell it the way the title of the song is, but a lot of them have changed it to B R A N D I or B R A N D I E.

Louise Palanker (28:45):

Um, are they ever not such a fine girl

Elliot Lurie (28:47):

<laugh>? Uh, parenthetically they're old girls,

Fritz Coleman (28:51):

<laugh> <laugh>. But it didn't start as Brandy. What did it start as when? Oh,

Louise Palanker (28:55):

Oh no, it did. It's, here's more trivia. You're onto something Fritz. Okay. I'm gonna pull at that thread. Okay. <laugh>. All right. All right. So, Barry Manilow's, 1974 hit Mandy was a cover of a song originally called Brandy released in February, 1972 by Scott English. However, Manilow changed the title following the success of The Looking Glass single, so as not to get the two songs confused. Have you met Barry Manilow? And how Pissed is he? <laugh>? I hear that he holds a grudge.

Elliot Lurie (29:21):

Uh, I have never met Barry Manilo, um, although I see his picture right up there. I've never met him. But, uh, Clive was the executive on both. So Clive, of course, and, and it's funny that he found the English song Brandy, which was actually released before our Brandy was, but it was a very minor hit in England. But Clive at those great years found the song. He said, this can be a hit for somebody. But by the time he married Barry Manilow to the song, we had already had our hit mm-hmm. <affirmative>, so they had to change the title.

Fritz Coleman (29:54):

But Brandy wasn't the original title that you wrote?

Elliot Lurie (29:58):

It was the original title of the song, but it wasn't the first name I came up with when I was writing. Oh. I had a high school sweetheart named Randy with an R Oh. And the way I write, and I still write mostly the same way, is I'll play some chords on the guitar or on the piano until I get something working and I'll kind of just free associate and sing along with that. And, you know, I guess I was thinking of her and I sang the name Randy. And then once I got the story started, I said, well, Randy's got a problem because it can be either a male or female name number one, and if she's gonna be a barmaid, she's gotta be Brandy. Mm-hmm. So that's how it came about.

Louise Palanker (30:34):

It's a great

Elliot Lurie (30:34):

Story.

Louise Palanker (30:35):

So where's

Elliot Lurie (30:35):

Randy? I'm still in touch with Randy. She lives in Oregon and she late in life, uh, became a painter, an artist. Really? And I have one of her paintings hanging in my music music group.

Louise Palanker (30:45):

Oh. Oh, that's so cool. Bet.

(30:47):

That's a, a full circle. Fantastic moment. That's all right. So we have more Brandy trivia. Okay. In his 2014 memoir Faced the Music, Paul Stanley from Kiss wrote that Brandy helped him, helped inspire the band's. 1976 hit Hard Luck woman with lyrics such as Rags, the Sailor's only Daughter, A Child of the Water, too proud to be a Queen. Rags, I really love you. I can't forget about you. You'll be a hard luck woman, baby, till you find your man. So basically she, he's saying to her like, you know, I'll have sex with you, but I'm not gonna marry you

Elliot Lurie (31:20):

<laugh>. I've heard that story, uh, and I've never met Paul Stanley. And, uh, I'm glad that my song inspired him to write a good song, you know?

Louise Palanker (31:32):

Okay. The 2005 song, same Old 45 by Sarah Borsk. Am I saying this right? Elliot

Elliot Lurie (31:39):

Barres.

Louise Palanker (31:40):

No, it's b o r g e s from the album Silver City Retells the story of Brandy from her point of view. So here are some of the lyrics. Dark Moon, bring him back. I ain't seen him since the moon was a fingernail. And, you know, I shed a tear for him as this ship was setting sail, sitting in my room playing the same old 45 about a girl named Brandy, the Would Bee Sailor's pride.

Elliot Lurie (32:05):

I had heard about that, but I've never heard it, I don't think. And I certainly didn't know the lyric.

Louise Palanker (32:10):

All right. It's quiz time. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, is everybody ready? Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Okay. I think you got, you guys can all play the song Brandy did Not Appear on which of the following films or TV shows Lords of Dog Town say anything. Charlie's Angels, a very Brady sequel, gardens of the Galaxy, volume two, the Black Klansman, the Simpsons episode Principle Charming. Selma sings a low mournful styling of the song to Lisa as she is putting her to

Elliot Lurie (32:38):

Bed. One of my favorite uses,

Louise Palanker (32:39):

Kevin James, sings the song at a karaoke bar in an episode of The King of Queens. Still the Beaver June Sue's Wally's Crying Firstborn Brandy with the song

Elliot Lurie (32:48):

That certainly was not written. Yeah.

Louise Palanker (32:50):

Okay. I think you've won

Elliot Lurie (32:51):

<laugh>,

Fritz Coleman (32:52):

But all the other ones, uh,

Louise Palanker (32:54):

Yeah.

Fritz Coleman (32:55):

All it has to be one of the most used songs in pop music history. I

Elliot Lurie (33:00):

Don't, I don't know that it's one of the most used songs from pop music history, because there are things that are like more em, anthemic that you see used in, in, uh, uh, you know, because there, it's a story song mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So either the story of the movie or TV show has to have something to do with that story, or it's basically what we used to call when I was a music supervisor, source music, which means it's coming from like in Black Lansman, they're just sitting in a bar and it happens to be 1972 and Brandy's playing in the bar. Uh, now the thing, the thing in The Simpsons was a lot of fun. They made that episode when I was working at Fox, and Fox made the Simpson. So I was friendly with, uh, a couple of, they were kissing producers, and they thought it would be a good gag to have, uh, to have that going on. So, uh, some of those uses were, because I was involved in one way or another behind the scenes on some of those productions. Oh,

Louise Palanker (33:56):

Wow. But I, I bet the moment you suggested if people were like, perfect,

Elliot Lurie (34:00):

I would never suggest it. Oh, really? You know, you can't be a buyer and a seller at the same time. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So I'd never suggested, but a lot of the people that I worked with when I was in that role as a music supervisor knew that I had done Brandy. Unlike the guys at The Simpsons. They thought, ah, excuse Elliot Song, you know, Lisa Singer, it'll be great. And they'll work in the episode. You know? So, so

Fritz Coleman (34:19):

You, you, when you retired the band mm-hmm. <affirmative>, um, you wrote for other people

Elliot Lurie (34:26):

A bit, but, but, uh, mostly I was, you know, kind of a staff writer. I didn't really write for other people. I had a publishing deal, so I would, you know, turn them in there. Required songs every year, but I wasn't real active at it.

Fritz Coleman (34:39):

But every, I mean, you had, you had a broad expansive, uh, flavors there. You had like country, you had Kenny Chesney all the way over

Elliot Lurie (34:46):

To, well, Kenny Cheney covered Brandy, which I thought was really cool. Oh, and the Chili Peppers covered Brandy, which is kind of a broad range for the, for the song. Um, but other than that, I, I don't really have a, a lot of, a lot of covers. What happened was, after the solo album didn't do anything, I was kind of adrift. I was living in New York City and, uh, I really didn't know what I was gonna do. Nobody was really interested in making another record with me. Um, so I decided to move out to LA see what was going on out here. I had a friend out here, uh, TV producer who moved out from New York a couple of years before I did. A guy I had known since we were 12 years old, went to school together, named Stan Rogo, produced a series, uh, Lizzie McGuire, among other things.

(35:30):

Oh yeah. Um, so he said, uh, and I was, I didn't know what I was gonna do. I was ready to take a job as a salesman at Radio Shack. And, uh, he said to me, you can't, you can't do that. Let me introduce you to this guy. And he introduced me to an agent at CAA who is in their film music department. And he said, uh, well, he said, you know, with your background in the record business, maybe you'd like to be a music supervisor being soundtrack albums, things like that. I didn't even know what that was cause it was a brand new position in the industry to, and he said to me, well, there's only real two, two people who are doing a lot of it right now successfully. One is, he mentioned the name I didn't know. And he said, the other one is this woman, Becky Shago, who did, um, urban Cowboy and Footloose, and Becky Sharga was her name that rang a bell with me. She had been the a and r coordinator for that solo album that I did in la Wow. So I called her up and I said, I'm looking for something to do, Becky, do you need help? She said, oh, I'm very busy, but I can't really afford to pay you. I said, well, if you'll teach me this business, I'll work for nothing for you. And she did. And I did and

Fritz Coleman (36:38):

Worked out what's a music supervisor do.

Elliot Lurie (36:40):

It's, it's changed a lot, but basically it's a, it's an individual who's responsible for making sure that all of the music in the movie is the way the filmmaker or the TV producer, if it's tv, uh, wants it to be. And sometimes that involves making creative suggestions. Sometimes it simply involves business of acquiring rights

Fritz Coleman (37:01):

Saying or getting

Elliot Lurie (37:02):

An artist to sing on a soundtrack album and dealing with their record company and getting them to do it. And it's changed quite a bit cuz in the eighties, if you recall, MTV used to play all these music videos from films and they were basically trailers for the films, uh, and free advertising for the movie companies. So that was a very big part of it back then in the, in the eighties, was, you know, getting a hit single with the music video to promote the film.

Louise Palanker (37:27):

Can you explain to us the difference between people who wanna be paid if you use their music, and people who want you to use their music because it's promotional?

Elliot Lurie (37:40):

I think the big difference is how desperate you are. I mean, you know, the, if you're with any kind of major music publisher or record company, they're not gonna let anyone use your music or their music since they technically own it without paying for it. But if you're an independent artist and you know, you get a chance to ex get your music exposed on something that a lot of people are gonna see, I can understand why you would, uh, you know, why you want it done and do it for nothing.

Fritz Coleman (38:10):

We talked about that with Denny Tenesco, even though his dad and the, and the session players and the wrecking crew created the music, he still at the pay the rights for it. And Wheezy went through that whole right situation with the Casts movie. But it, that's just amazing to me that, Hey, I, I, I was there when they recorded the song. Can I just borrow it from my movie

Elliot Lurie (38:29):

<laugh>? Yeah, I've heard about that. And that's really too bad. Cause I'd love to see that movie. I'd love to see it get made and I'd love to see it. Yeah. Well,

Louise Palanker (38:35):

It's made the record

Fritz Coleman (38:36):

Charisma. It's a fantastic movie. And I know you're a fan of session players Oh, yeah. And the best in the business back

Elliot Lurie (38:41):

There. Yeah. Yeah.

Louise Palanker (38:43):

He'd on, he's moved on to the next era, which is gonna be the immediate family. Yeah. So the Wadi Wael and Danny Kmar, those guys, uh, Leela. So yeah, he's now, he's got help with, uh, acquiring the rights and everything. But when it comes to YouTube, it seems like things are shifting towards YouTube or, or the labels or the publishers gaining an understanding that having everyone do covers is good for us. And they seem to be less restrictive in terms of what you can

Elliot Lurie (39:15):

Do. Well, they get paid for it though on YouTube. They, all of the majors have what's called the blanket license. Okay. So they make an overall deal with YouTube and say, you can use any of our repertoire, whether you're Sony Records, Warner Brother Records, uh, you know, big music publishers. And then theoretically what's supposed to happen, although I'm not sure if I'm checking my statements that it's done accurately <laugh>, but supposedly they're supposed to keep track YouTube, uh, of the number of plays that the song gets, and the record company or music publisher splits it up based on the number of plays that it's get, or at least in theory, that's the way it's supposed to work. Mm-hmm.

Louise Palanker (39:54):

<affirmative>, it sounds like a, a, a good compromise or a good arrangement because it used to be that they would just, they would flag you or they would mute it, or Yeah. And now they just kind of like put a widget on it where that leads to purchasing the

Elliot Lurie (40:05):

Song. Yeah. And the next Mountain to Climb is gonna be TikTok, because TikTok is the same kind of thing, and they're starting to make, TikTok is starting to make deals with the record companies and the publishers. But, um, uh, you know, they, they haven't gotten as far with that as they did with YouTube.

Fritz Coleman (40:20):

H h How do you feel about where we are in, we're at right now? The, the music business is 180 degrees different than it was when you had your hits. Now it's streaming and, uh, and downloads and, uh, bands have to do concerts in order to make money and sell merchandise and stuff. How, what, what are your feelings about where it is right now

Elliot Lurie (40:40):

For someone like me who's a quote unquote heritage artist, you know, and has a song that's kind of become a standard, it's a good thing because it keeps it out there in front of the public. Young people discover it, it probably earns at least as much money for me as it would if those things didn't exist. But I think for new artists, it's really not so good. Not so good because those services, they don't really pay a lot. Uh, you know, you look at your, your statement, I mean, you know, and you see, oh, yeah. You know, 140 million streams, $2 and 30 cents <laugh>. I know. You know, and it's, and it's doesn't seem right. And it's especially, uh, it's especially bad for the songwriters because what happens is the record companies get a decent pay, but the record companies are still paying. Most artists, especially the ones who have old contracts, like I do the same rate that they used to get for record. So, you know, the record company is paying you 14 cents on the dollar. And, uh, for for songwriters it's even worse. So, but again, you know, it makes the music very easily and readily accessible. Yeah. And uh, you know, there are those instances where people just jump outta YouTube or jump outta TikTok and become overnights sensations. Mm-hmm.

Fritz Coleman (41:57):

<affirmative> and, and, and beginning bands can self record and self-publish and deliver their product on their own website, and then they don't get into a big thing of being in debt to a record company and have to pay back everything the record company gave

Elliot Lurie (42:09):

Them that, that is very true. And, and more and more artists are doing that. When I write and record new stuff now that's under my name, I just put it up on all the streaming services through a little dis, uh, distributor that I have, and I put it up on YouTube myself, whether it's just like a lyric video or a little thing that my wife shoots at home, <laugh>. You know, so that does eliminate the middle man. But then you have to get noticed. Yeah. You know, and there's so much out there. How do you promote it? How do you get noticed?

Louise Palanker (42:36):

Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Yeah. So we're gonna do, I know a good way to get noticed. It's a little more Brandy trivia, I think we'll get you noticed. Okay. <laugh>, which of the following acts has not covered the song? Brandy, uh, Ray Kiff, <laugh> Washboard Jungle, Ziggy Marley, red Hot Chili Peppers, Kenny Chesney Gonzalez, or Big Head Todd in the Monsters.

Elliot Lurie (42:58):

I think it's Ziggy Marley has not done it.

Louise Palanker (43:00):

Completely made that up. Yeah.

Elliot Lurie (43:02):

I'd like to hear a Ziggy Marley version.

Louise Palanker (43:03):

I would like to hear his version. I think you did. Wow. An excellent take on it. Yeah. So, uh, we heard you tell us when you got here that you're a part of Yacht Rock. So we want you to back up a moment and ex explain and describe Yacht Rock and its origins, and then how you come in. He's hydrating for this adventure.

Elliot Lurie (43:24):

So I sort of had retired from the music supervision business probably around, I don't know, 2010 maybe. And, you know, I was kind of semi-retired and I got a phone call from a guy who says, uh, my name is Peter Olson and I'm in a band called Yacht Rock Review. Uh, do you know what Yacht Rock is? And I said, no, I don't know what it's, he explained to me that yacht rock is the sub-genre of music. And the term was originally made popular on some sarcastic YouTube videos that kind of poached fun at artists like Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins and all those very highly produced slick

Fritz Coleman (44:08):

Adult contemporary

Elliot Lurie (44:09):

Type sort of blue eye. Well, they're adult contemporary, but they're also kind of blue-eyed soul. You know, there's a, it's, you can, you know it when you hear it if it's yacht rock. And there are also these great debates about, is it Yachty or Naughty? You know, oh as to what is their true yacht rock song and what isn't. Like some people will consider the Eagles yacht rock, but other people will say, no, no, it's just soft rock. But it's not yacht rock. Cuz doesn't have that, that blue out soul.

Louise Palanker (44:33):

The Eagles are more canyon rock. If I can create subgenres and I'd be happy to,

Elliot Lurie (44:37):

That's a good idea. So he, he explained to me that that my song, I guess for the sound of it, but also because of the subject matter was, you know, part of the original pantheon of, of Yacht Rock

Louise Palanker (44:51):

Well Pedigree.

Elliot Lurie (44:53):

And he also explained to me that this band, which was basically just a great, great cover band, they were doing shows in which they played only yacht rock songs. And they were called Yacht Rock Review. And he said, you know, we're really getting really popular at this. We're out of Atlanta and we would love for you to come out. And we're also gonna get, uh, Peter Beckett, who was from Player Baby come back and, uh, Walter Egan, who did Magnet and Steel mm-hmm. <affirmative>, um, I forget who else was on that first show, said, we'll, come down to Atlanta and we'll pay you well and you'll do this show with us. And I said, oh, okay, I'll go check it out. I wasn't doing much. And we did this show at a park in Atlanta and there must have been like 4,000 people there. Hmm. And the crowd is very interesting. They're not my age or our age, or even your age. They're, they're younger. They're like, you know, in their twenties to forties, they're almost all exclusively white. They're all really drunk and wearing sailor hats. <laugh>. Oh man. Partying like there's no tomorrow.

Louise Palanker (45:58):

Wow. So it's like Parrothead Next Generation, uh, kind of

Elliot Lurie (46:02):

A kind of, except aren't Parrot Heads only his fans or But

Louise Palanker (46:06):

It's a type of person.

Elliot Lurie (46:08):

Okay. It's

Louise Palanker (46:09):

A type of person that really wants to wear a funny hat and get extremely junk.

Elliot Lurie (46:13):

These people are called, some of them call themselves Anchor Headss. Okay. Like Anchor Headss. But, but the music is extremely popular. The yacht Rock Review does very well. There's West Coast equivalent of them called, uh, yacht Lee Crew, I think they call themselves <laugh>. Oh, that's so funny. Yeah. But, um, but I do a lot of shows with them. So is there a tour in this after the pandemic's over or Yeah, we're do, I'm doing a private, uh, uh, gig with them, uh, in September and we'll, we'll do more of them because they're still extremely popular. You know, they tour all over the country. They, uh, I played with them last, the last show I did before The Pandemic. We played at, uh, what's the theater over at Wilshire? Uh, on East Wilshire. Anyway, Wil turn Which one? Wil Turn. Yeah, we played Wilton was the last show I did before The Pandemic. We played the Wil sold out. They do very well.

Louise Palanker (47:06):

So what are their top five songs? Like what, what are you He said

Elliot Lurie (47:09):

Okay, notes. Horn Notes has gotta be up there at least once, maybe twice. You got Rich Girl. Yeah. And you got, uh, you Make My Dreams Come True. Those have to be in the set. Okay. Um, then you get, uh, little by, uh, minute by Minute by Michael McDonald. Sure. It's a big one. Uh, Kenny Loggins is, is big in the set. And Christopher Cross, you're not in your head. You be a big gal, rock fan. Um, <laugh>, those, those are, those are right up there. Oh. Uh, sailing, there's a guy who, who who does the shows with us sometime. He may not be as well known as some of the others by his name. Uh, but you'll know his songs. Robbie Dupre. I

Louise Palanker (47:46):

Love Robbie Dupree.

Elliot Lurie (47:47):

Steal Away.

Louise Palanker (47:48):

That's quintessential,

Elliot Lurie (47:49):

Quintessential yacht rock. And Robbie is one of the funniest cats that you will ever meet, is he? And whenever we do something with Robbie, everybody laughs. He's just smart. And Well, how

Fritz Coleman (47:57):

Many players are in the actual review before you guys get? Uh,

Elliot Lurie (48:00):

I think there are seven. There's, uh, you know, one main guitar player, but the, it's led by two guys named Peter Olson and, uh, Nick, his partner, they really invented the band and they lead the band. The band I think is normally a seven piece band, although sometimes they add a horn section, sometimes they add some background singers. It depends on how big the gig is.

Fritz Coleman (48:21):

I've always wondered this about cover bands. Do they have to pay rights to do their material?

Elliot Lurie (48:25):

No, the way that works is supposedly the venue keeps track of what songs are played at the venue. Oh, that's so funny. And they pay either ASCA for BMI and they're supposed to present the set list or whatever. That doesn't work out very well,

Louise Palanker (48:37):

<laugh>. Now do any like rich corporate types sort of rent a boat to tour New York Harbor and hire you guys?

Elliot Lurie (48:43):

Well, it wouldn't be. That's a great idea, you guys, but it'd be those guys. Yeah. They do a lot of corporate stuff and they get paid very well for those kinds of things

Louise Palanker (48:50):

Because to actual experience it on a yacht mm-hmm. <affirmative> would be a little piece of heaven right there. Yeah. Fritz, let's invest.

Fritz Coleman (48:59):

I'm ready to do it. Yes. I wanna hear them. I hope they come, hope they're don't

Elliot Lurie (49:03):

Be back in la They're really excellent. I mean, you know, it's just to call em a cover band doesn't really do them justice because, uh, Nick, who's the lead singer and, and Peter who sings, they have a ton of personality. The thing that makes them great is they walk that line just like you have to with Yacht Rock. It's like their tongue is firmly in Chief <laugh>, but they do give a certain deference to it at the same time. And they, their

Fritz Coleman (49:28):

Musicianship is great and they're, they, they play

Elliot Lurie (49:30):

Well with the, they walk that line just perfectly.

Fritz Coleman (49:32):

Plus it probably drafts on this thing. I've talked about this with other musical artists. It's astonishing how much the boomers and the slightly pre boomers will pay on these tours. Like, the Eagles are getting $1,500 a seat for these

Elliot Lurie (49:47):

Tickets and all. Not for me. They're not no <laugh>.

Fritz Coleman (49:49):

You know what I mean? Though, these bands that are, they're doing, you know, the constant touring and the Rolling Stones, they're just, it's insane the amount of money people are paying for concerts out

Elliot Lurie (49:58):

There. It is. And, and, and, uh, I think, I don't wanna get myself in trouble, but I think part of it has to do with the promoters too. Because by the time you get the promoter, uh, which, you know, usually these big companies, and then you get the, the people who sell the tickets, the, you know, Ticketmaster, et cetera, and everybody takes peace and the band gets paid very well and, you know, it's, it's big, big business now.

Louise Palanker (50:23):

Yeah. It's big business. And I, I think that also too, like were talking about the age group that you see, like, I think people can easily enjoy rabbit holes and they can, they can become fans of music that was even produced before they were born just by kind of saying, oh, the person I love was influenced by this person who was influenced by this person. You can get their very quickly. Whereas when we were growing up, you really had to collect records and, uh, ask the record store if they could send away for something.

Elliot Lurie (50:52):

Well, that, that's what I mean about the accessibility that, you know, Spotify and iMusic offers in, in that, you know, it's the world's largest shoebox and you can find whatever you want on. And also, you know, for me, I found that when the song was in the Guardians of the Galaxy movie, suddenly I had a a young audience that discovered the song entirely from that movie.

Louise Palanker (51:16):

So when people find out that you did Brandy mm-hmm. <affirmative>, what do they wanna tell you? What do they wanna ask you,

Elliot Lurie (51:22):

<laugh>? Uh, it depends. It depends. It depends who, I mean, I don't really, I mean, I'm kind of like a stay-at-home guy. I mean, I'm not really in the music business anymore. I go out and do these gigs and these dates from time to time, but I don't interact with fans that often. I have a website, I have a, a Facebook page. I'm not real aggressive about it, although I try to answer most of the people who, who contact me, and most of them are, you know, just pretty complimentary and see how much they like the song, which is, you know, great.

Fritz Coleman (51:52):

I'm sure there are some sincere memories connected with that song from,

Louise Palanker (51:56):

Or discovering it newly discovered. Yeah, being excited about it.

Elliot Lurie (52:01):

I mean, you know, I'll get a bunch of stuff on, on Facebook or on the website that says, God, I, you know, first time I heard this song was Alians and man, they said it was the greatest song ever written, man. It was great. You know?

Louise Palanker (52:12):

Well then they agree with me. <laugh>. I wanna know if you've received any brandy artwork, cuz I think it would inspire paintings.

Elliot Lurie (52:21):

I really haven't. I think I, I got one drawing once that was really kind of nice. Uh, then there was a funny thing that a radio station on Long Island that they called me up and they said, we're gonna do a, uh, a thing on the web where everyone is going to describe what brandy looks like, <laugh>. And it was really fun because, you know, there were a lot of responses and they, you know, each one of course was totally different. You know, she's a tall blonde. No, she's a short red a you know, it was

Fritz Coleman (52:47):

Either their girlfriend or their idealistic girlfriend. Right.

Louise Palanker (52:50):

Yeah, exactly. But you know who brandy kind of is. She's kind of like kitty and gun smoke

Elliot Lurie (52:54):

<laugh> at Good

Louise Palanker (52:56):

Point. Yeah, because you know, Marshall Dylan's not marrying Kitty. Uh, he needs to ride <laugh>. His love is life and his lady is his horse.

Elliot Lurie (53:06):

Don't let your, uh, what is it? Don't let your sons grow up to be cowboys.

Louise Palanker (53:10):

Yes, exactly. Well, Elliot, it's just been a delight. Now you can visit Elliot on his Facebook page, which we're gonna, uh, put in our show notes and his YouTube page, which you, his wife films and he's creating content constantly so you can enjoy, uh, all of that and become his online. And here come our closing credits. We would love for you to join us online on Instagram and Twitter, where we are at Media Path Pod and on Facebook, where we are, media Path podcasts. You can find full episodes with all kinds of bonus visual content on our YouTube channel Media Path Podcasts. We would love to know what media you've been enjoying. You can contact us at our social media or email us at media path podcast gmail.com. We wanna thank our guest, Elliot Laurie. Our team includes Dina Friedman, Francesco Dam Demanda, John Maddox, Sharon Beo, bill Fiac, Thomas Hubble, and you. Our theme music is by me and John Maddox. I am Louise Lanker here with Fritz Coleman, and we will see you along the media path. But first,

Fritz Coleman (54:05):

And if you enjoyed this episode of Media Path, it would help us a great deal to be more discoverable by potential new listeners. If you leave us a quick review on Apple Podcast. And if you're new here and this is your first time with us, please check out our back catalog. We have lots of great binge worthy stuff, uh, wonderful artist Diane Warren and Gary Puckett and the Cow Sills, and Elliot Lurie and all these wonderful people. Going back to the very beginning, you'll hear exciting and exclusive interviews with Henry Winkler and Keith Morrison from Dateline. Thank you so much for spending an hour with us and we will be overjoyed if you took a moment to share your thoughts with us or recommend us to a friend. Be safe. Thanks for listening.

Louise Palanker (54:48):

Hit subscribe.

(54:52):

That was great,

Elliot Lurie (54:53):

Ellie. Thank you. Thank you. That was great.

Louise Palanker (54:56):

This one.