WHAT: Alan Parsons Live Project

WHERE: Pabst Theater, Milwaukee

WHEN:8 p.m. Friday, September 17

COST: $39.50

INFO:
http://www.alanparsonsmusic.com/
http://www.artandscienceofsound.com/
http://www.pabsttheater.org/

Alan Parsons is a man of many and diverse talents. His contributions to the world of music have been significant in his roles as sound engineer, producer, and musician. Parson’s amazing resume includes his break as an assistant sound engineer with the Beatles on Abbey Road at the tender age of 19. He also did production work on Let It Be and Paul McCartney’s Red Rose Speedway and Wild Life, as well as George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass. Alan was responsible for producing acclaimed music by Al Stewart, Ambrosia and the Hollies. He received his first Grammy nomination for his production of Pink Floyd’s classic album Dark Side of the Moon.

The Alan Parsons Project was the co-creation of Alan and the late Eric Woolfson. The progressive rock band put out concept albums, such as the Edgar Allen Poe-themed Tales of Mystery and Imagination, with its beautifully complex instrumental sounds. The band also achieved success with albums I Robot, Pyramid, The Turn of a Friendly Card, Eye in the Sky, Ammonia Avenue, Vulture Culture, Stereotomy and Gaudi. The Alan Parsons Project was known for major hits like “Eye in the Sky”, “Games People Play”, “Don’t Answer Me”, “Time”, “Damned If I Do and “I Wouldn’t Want To Be Like You”.

Parsons took the Project to the live stage after he and Woolfson parted ways in 1990. They continue to tour today with various musicians alternately taking on the different instruments.

Alan is extremely proud of his soon-to-be released 3-DVD set, The Art and Science of Sound Recording, which was a two year labor of love. It consists of an educational video series on music production and is narrated by Billy Bob Thornton.s on music production

Members of the Alan Parsons Live Project include Alan Parsons - lead vocals, keyboards, guitar and tambourine extraordinare; PJ Olsson - lead vocals, acoustic guitar; Alastair Greene - vocals,  lead guitar; Guy Erez - vocals, bass; Danny Thompson - vocals, drums; Manny Focarazzo - vocals, keyboards and Todd Cooper - lead vocals, sax, guitar.
I called Alan at his home in California not long ago to learn more about his remarkable career.

Jane Spietz: What were the influences early on that led you to the world of music?

Alan Parsons: My parents were both musical. My dad was a pianist and a flautist. My mother played the harp and sang traditional folksongs. It was definitely a musical environment that I grew up in.

JS: Was this something that you took to readily of did they have to persuade you?

AP: Like a lot of kids, I never wanted to have my piano lesson (laughs) but I struggled through it. I gave up and then tried again. I’m glad of all the education that I had, really. I took up the flute as well. I took it up under my own volition, so that was useful. Guitar was something I fancied doing when I was about 13. Like all Brits who learn to play guitar, they all learn from the same book. It’s called Bert Weedon’s “Play in a Day”. Eric Clapton, everybody – they all learned from that book. It’s still considered by Brits to be the ultimate, you know, simple. It’s one of these great books that encourages you to play and not worry about the theory too much. It introduces the theory as it needs to.

JS: Of all of the instruments you play, which do you prefer?

AP: I think guitar is really still my main instrument. Although I play everything kind of mediocre, or badly even. (Laughs)

JS: You’re too modest.

AP: Well, I’ve worked with the best, so I know my standard and it’s not up there with the greats. It really isn’t. I just play adequately to play with this band and I leave the virtuoso stuff to people who can do it.

JS: You’ve worn so many “hats”, so to speak, over the years. Record producer, sound engineer, musician. Which role have you identified with the most?

AP: I think sound engineer was really always my forte. (Laughs) You’re right, I have worn a lot of hats and some people might accuse me of being a control freak, which has a degree of truth in it. The engineer in me is really the strongest. The most evident “hat”, if you like.

JS: One of your first experiences was putting together reel-to-reel copies of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band at EMI Records.

AP: Yes, I was employed at a department of EMI Records in West London, which worked along side Abbey Road Studios to send copies of master tapes to overseas factories. As a result of doing that, I was one of the first to hear Pepper after it came out of Abbey Road. That was sort of life-changing, hearing that record for the first time. And hearing it off the master tapes, of course, which was particularly amazing.

JS: What was it like to work with the Beatles as an assistant engineer on Abbey Road?

AP: It was – of course – very, very humbling. I was living a dream, really. I was a Beatle fan right from the earliest days. To find myself in the same room with them and getting paid for it was really something, it really was.

JS: You received your first Grammy Award nomination for engineering Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon.

AP: It was extremely elating. It was great news. It took me to Los Angeles for the first time ever. The band and EMI were gracious enough to pay my ticket and my hotel at the Continental Riot House on Sunset Strip. (Laughs) That’s the affectionate name given by rock’n’rollers who stay there. It’s actually the Hyatt House, but somebody called it the Riot House. (Laughs)

At that time, I was also introduced to Ambrosia. They were just finishing their first album. They got me to come back and mix their album, and that turned into a long-standing relationship. I’m still best friends with David Pack to this day.

JS: Over the years you have worked with many other great artists.

AP: Oh, I could write a book about that! (Laughs) The Hollies were great. They were the consummate professionals. Always showed up on time, always conducted themselves in a very professional way. They were a joy to work with. I worked with Al Stewart on three of his albums. Arguably, I put his name on the map. He continues to tour, usually as a solo artist. I see him from time to time.

JS: Alan, if you could work with any artist, who would you choose?

AP: That’s actually an impossible dream, because I would have like to have worked with the Who when Keith Moon was alive. I did work with John Entwistle on the oldies tour. But the reason, really, is Pete Townshend. If I had an opportunity to work with Pete Townshend, I would jump at the chance. I still think he’s one of the greatest songwriters in rock’n’roll. He continues to be so.

JS: Let’s talk about the huge documentary video project that you’ve been working on for the past two years, The Art and Science of Sound Recording.do video project, Recording. After two years

AP: We’re finishing it up, literally, in the next seven days. Going into production and available in September.

JS: Do you consider this work to be part of your legacy, a way of passing along your vast knowledge and skill to future generations?

AP: Yes, that’s one way of putting it. I also see it as a valid business venture. I’m hoping to do well with it. But, yes, it feels like giving something back. It’s been fun to do. The results are very encouraging, particularly in view of the great reviews we’ve had already, for a lot of people to say this is the best of its kind.

JS: Any plans to release a new CD?

AP: No particular plans, but once this is done, I’ll reassess the situation. I have done some recording for the program. There actually is a single out right now, it’s called “All Our Yesterdays”. It’s out there on itunes and on our websites, and http://www.artandscienceofsound.com/ and http://www.alanparsonsmusic.com/.

JS: Alan, you’re returning to Milwaukee to perform.

AP: We always do well in Milwaukee. People are so nice. As a result, we’ve had some great shows there. They love us and we love them. The Pabst Theater is a nice place. Looking forward to it. We’ve had a change in band line-up, so you’ll be seeing some new faces on stage. We’ll definitely be playing some material that people haven’t heard live before.

July 2008: Chicago

WHAT: Chicago
WHERE: AeroShell Square, EAA AirVenture, Oshkosh
WHEN: Approx. 5:30 p.m. Monday, July 26
COST: EAA members $25, non-members $37
INFO: http://chicagotheband.com/
http://www.airventure.org/

By Jane Spietz

Some folks have referred to Chicago as “a rock band with horns.” No matter what label you assign this incredible band, their track record of 22 gold, 18 platinum, and 8 multi-Platinum albums speaks volumes.    

I think it would be difficult to find someone among us who hasn’t been inspired by Chicago classics: “If You Leave Me Now,” “25 or 6 to 4,” “Colour My World,” “Saturday in the Park,” “Beginnings,” “Old Days,” “Make Me Smile,” “Feeling Stronger Every Day,” “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is” – the list goes on and on.

Four out of six of the original members are still band mates after playing an amazing 43 consecutive years together.

The touring line-up consists of original Chicago members Robert Lamm on keyboard and vocals, Lee Loughnane on trumpet, James Pankow on trombone, and Walt Parazaider on woodwinds, along with Jason Scheff on bass and vocals, Tris Imboden on drums, Keith Howland on guitar, Lou Pardini on keyboards and vocals, and Drew Hester on percussion.

Walt Parazaider enthusiastically spoke about Chicago’s past and present during a phone conversation from his home in Nevada not long ago. Walt, you may recall, performed the hauntingly beautiful flute solo in “Colour My World.” He holds an applied degree in orchestral clarinet, is just one oral exam short of a Master’s in English Literature, received a Doctorate of Humane letters last year, and has taught a Master’s class.

Jane Spietz: Walt, what is the secret to Chicago’s longevity as a band?

Walt Parazaider: It’s wonderful. Without blowing our own horn, no pun intended here, when we had been together about 22 years, someone said that there has never been a horn section – Big Band or whatever – in the history of music that has played 20 years, let alone 22 years together. And now we’ve played 43 straight years together. We have four out of six original members that are still with the band. It’s very cool. I guess it’s because we’re Chicago people that we just sat around my apartment, shook hands and said “Let’s make a band and try to make it the best we can. Let’s not do contracts, let’s do it on a handshake. If you want out of the deal, just ask.” The four of us are still working on that handshake. We come from from Midwestern stock, where “please” and “thank you” mean something, and your word is something.

JS: I read that Chicago is second only to the Beach Boys in singles and albums.

WP: I think that’s true, but on the Billboard list of all-time hits – which we’ve had 71¬ – we’re the first American band to show up on that list. I think I stopped counting after we had 46 gold or platinum albums. I was just stunned when this list of all-time 100 top songs to hit the charts. Elvis was up there, as were the Beatles, Stevie Wonder and people like that. We were the first American band to place. We placed at 13 and felt like we were in pretty rarified air. Maybe if we keep working at it another 10 years we’ll move up a couple spots! We’re having fun with it. My dad was a trumpet player for 70 years. He said “If you’re having fun with what you’re doing, first of all be grateful, because you’re allowed to do something you truly love to do. Do it for as long as you can.” He played for a couple of presidents back in Chicago, and he played until he was 90 years old.

JS: Chicago performed recently on the American Idol finale.

WP: We helped a Midwestern boy win Idol. He sang with us. We’re real proud of that. Lee DeWyze, from Mount Prospect, Ill. That show was old home week with Alice Cooper, Hall & Oates, Joe Cocker and The Bee Gees.

JS: Share a favorite memory.

WP: If there was one that really got me, it was when we played seven nights at the old Chicago stadium and broke Elvis Presley’s record for doing that, back in the middle ’70s. The last time the (Chicago) Blackhawks were in the Stanley Cup finals, as they are now, was 1962. I had paid scalper’s prices to stand in the mezzanine of the old stadium – 15 bucks – which was all the money in the world back in ’62, and saw the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup. I just remember standing on that stage (in concert), and I get a little emotional over this, and I thought I saw that poor little kid from the inner city standing up there in ’62. And here we sold out seven nights and broke all kinds of records. We are just guys from different sides of town in Chicago, that's all. That was pretty special. That one makes me choke it back a little, Jane.

JS: Chicago is working with the American Cancer Society to help in the fight against breast cancer.

WP: We’re very honored to do it. I have a neighbor who is a breast cancer survivor. I lost my mother, and my wife lost her mother, to breast cancer. Someone can bid on a couple of seats, a couple of backstage passes for a VIP meet & greet with us and then have one of their loved ones, or the person who has bid on it, come and sing “If You Leave Me Now” in our show. People can either go to chicagotheband.com/ and there is a banner on every link and every page of our website, or go to cancer.org/singwithchicago. We’re doing it just about everywhere we can, although I’m not sure if we’re doing this in Oshkosh. You can also text 20222 just to donate to the fight against breast cancer. I don’t think there’s anyone in this country who can honestly say that they haven’t been linked somehow to someone that has lost a dear one to some form of cancer, or specifically to breast cancer. From what I hear, they’re making such great strides and have started working on a vaccine that might just eradicate breast cancer.

JS: Chicago will be appearing at our international air show in July. About three quarters of a million visitors from all parts of the globe come to EAA AirVenture every summer and the Oshkosh airport becomes the busiest in the world. You’ll be seeing lots of vintage airplanes. We offer rides in a 1929 Ford Trimotor that looks like it’s going about 5 miles an hour when it’s in flight.

WP: You know, I’ve got a feeling that I’d need a good Wisconsin beer – a couple of them – to be talked into getting on one of those!

JS: Is there anything that you would like to tell the fans that are coming to see you in Oshkosh at the EAA AirVenture air show on July 26?

WP: We invite everyone to come to the party! I have to thank EAA and the people that have supported us in Wisconsin and have allowed us to do something we love to do all of these years. We’re going to throw a party on July 26 and if you’re there, you’re going to see some new wrinkles. I don’t care if you’ve seen this show every year for 43 years straight; we’ve always put in new things. We have a brand new stage we just put into place for this year. You’ll be seeing it first in Oshkosh! We’ve always revamped the show. There’s some stuff, that – if we didn’t play it – we’d probably be thrown in the Oshkosh hoosegow or run outta town. And then there are other things we put in that I think people will be very surprised at. We’re in the happiness business and we love partying with all of you. That’s really the invite. Let’s come and party and have a good time. Chicago’s just gonna have fun with you, make you smile, stand up, dance around and BOOGIE!