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Calling Sid Bernstein: Talking with the man who brought the Beatles to the U.S.

Sat, 23 Jul 2011 01:59:09 -0500

F. Daniel Kent, Artisthead Writing Contributor

Calling Sid Bernstein: Talking with the man who brought the Beatles to the US

I was giddy. In over 15 years as an entertainment journalist there have been a few surreal moments, but I have never really ever been star struck. Not until now, that is. I was about to have a conversation with none other than Sid Bernstein, the man who single handedly kick started the British Invasion by bringing four unknown kids from Liverpool named John, Paul, George and Ringo to the US for the first time. Bernstein would go on to be the chief promoter for other British acts like The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Moody Blues and many, many more. I was psyched. At 92, this man has done more to influence music over the last century than most of today’s industry people can ever hope for.

I was on hold waiting to be connected when I realized the pipe music being played on the phone was the Supertramp classic “Logical Song”. I took this as a sign. No, Bernstein didn’t do much if anything at all with Supertramp, but the fingerprints of the Beatles are all over that song from the non-traditional arrangements to the high flying vocals and the introspective lyrics. Doubtless, had Bernstein not had the acumen to book the Beatles at Carnegie Hall and Shea Stadium, their growing popularity would have eventually still spilled across The Pond. The seminal band was already garnering a growing following in Western Europe and interest was clearly already growing in the US or Bernstein’s efforts wouldn’t have been so wildly successful.

Timing is everything, especially in the music industry and Bernstein’s was flawless. He saw the dam backing up and let loose the flood gates before it burst. As a result of his actions with The Beatles and other bands the industry was forced to re-examine itself and change. So, we got bands like Supertramp, David Bowie and The Velvet Underground among a plethora of others whose popularity might have gone on unnoticed in the US for much, much longer. On top of that, with acts like James Brown, Bernstein was putting together black acts with white acts before it was even allowed. Needless to say, when Sid Bernstein came on the line I was for the first time in a long time at a loss for words.

FDK: I’m a little overcome. I talk to a lot of people in my job but it isn’t often I get to talk to living history.

Sid Bernstein: When you say overcome, do you have your doctor with you? I don’t wanna have your lawyer sue me.

*laughter*

FDK: I heard about your recent honor at Rockography in New York. I’ve heard a lot about the place. What did you think?

SB: That place is set up so beautifully. The respect they have for those four unknowns from Liverpool, they make them look so important. And their cuisine is very interesting. It’s amazing because the servers are amazing people. I’ll have to explain that to you later. They have beauty queens as service people. You will be very impressed when you go there.

FDK: You were honored for a lifetime of achievement in your field. What do you think was the key element that made you as successful as you have become?

SB: I just wanted to do something differently and somehow it worked out. Carnage Hall was definitely different. I wanted to get even with the world for ignoring me. I’ll tell ya. I believe in the man upstairs and I feel he pushed me. It wasn’t a stroke of genius. I wasn’t whatever people think I made it. It gets really overblown by a lot of people. I believe that the man upstairs said “Do it. Do it. Do it.” So I called and that’s how this all started. I wanted to get even with the people who had turned me down in the music business. They said “Don’t come back again,” in a monotone so that inspired me to do things a little different. First, it was Glee Club then there was a man that my father sent me to for mandolin lessons. It was a class lesson and there were about five or six of us in the class. We got a quarter of the way through the session and Mr. Popodopalus or whatever his name was asked me not to come back to class. I told my dad I wasn’t allowed to go back and he went to see the teacher. The teacher told him “Your son is the only one who doesn’t belong here.

FDK: What was it about The Beatles that made you want to work with them initially?

SB: I think those early experiences made me do things a little bit different and so I booked these kids that I hadn’t even heard their music yet. I spent a lot of time in England before, during and after WWII and I fell in love with the English language. I lost most of my Bronx accent. I made a lot of friends there. When I got home safe and sound I still had a real love for England. I would always pick up out-of-town newspapers at Times Square which back then was the only place you could get a paper from London, might have been the Daily Mail. So, I started reading about this group. Over the next couple weeks the stories got a little bit bigger.

FDK: I understand when you first booked them, the deal was just a spoken agreement over the phone without having met at all.

SB: I called Childwall and this person with this great English accent answered the phone and he asked me why I wanted to talk to him about his son and I told him I was interested in his band. He asked why I would be interested in bringing the band to New York and I hadn’t even mentioned Carnegie Hall yet. His first answer was no but I must have been so astute that I got him to give me a break. Nine months later, we talked again and he told me they refused to play to an empty house. I knew that there was something important going on in Liverpool and I told him I wanted to be the first to introduce them to New York. Eight months after that they were here. I was pushed. I just had a feeling about them. I truly don’t know how it happened to me.

FDK: When you finally met and saw The Beatles perform what was your first impression? Did you feel confident in the chance you took booking them?

SB: My first impression when I came to see them at the Plaza Hotel which was the first place they checked into for the Carnegie Hall engagement, I went to Brian Epstein’s place and I met this lovely guy who became a good friend. He told me the boys would like to meet me. They were charming. I first saw them at Carnegie hall and I thought they were absolutely tremendous. Turns out I was right. They were. They will always be in my memory

FDK: Did you have any sense of the lasting significance of those days at the time?

SB: Somehow, it all turned out different than anything I could have imagined in my wildest dreams. That’s just how my life works. One dream follows another and sometimes some of them come true and here I am speaking to you in Nashville.

FDK: Looking at all of the changes in the industry from then until now, how do you feel about the state of the industry today?

SB: My belief is that people have gotten more interested in money than the artistry. It’s contaminated by this incredible desire to make money rather than music. More emphasis should be put on the talent of the person. I think artists are treated horribly and they need to be treated the way we want to be treated.

FDK: Are there any acts that excite you now?

SB: I don’t listen as much as I used to. I still go to some concerts, but my wife and I are in the possession of six incredible children and four grandchildren. My main interest in life is them. We stopped at six children because my wife said so. So my lawyer is gonna sue her lawyer. Now, I forgive her because most of those children have started families of their own. Four little Bernsteins and we are praying for a girl to be the next one. I’m not a macho man. The children are more important to me than anything else out there. In another world I would have 36 of them.

FDK: Can we expect another book from you soon?

SB: My next book will be how I feel about living and dying; dropping flowers not bombs. That’s what the focus will be all about. And I wouldn’t be the promoter I am if I didn’t mention the young lady next to me. She’s incredible because as I am sitting here doing this very important interview with Nashville, and that is very important to me, she is sitting with my wife and if I don’t say the right things about her she will hit me over the head. *laughs*

FDK: What is your favorite Beatles song?

SB: Paul asked me that when I last saw him and he interviewed me. He asked me before the camera started rolling and I almost said “Imagine”. Here I am talking to Paul McCartney and I’m a promoter so I had to bite my tongue before the word “Imagine” came out. So, I came up with a new favorite song right there. “Long and Winding Road”.

FDK: What do you look for most in and act you want to work with?

SB: Character first. The enjoyment of serving them well, working with them well and having the ability to talk to them as long as you have talked to me today so I can leave a magic spell.

FDK: Why do you feel the Beatles have become so iconic over the years? Why did they become so important?

SB: We had just lost a young, handsome, wonderful president and we were all in mourning over the death of Kennedy. Along came the Beatles with great interviews and great shows and I remember the welcome they got. The new faces, people with a message. Just plain good music was that message. It made people happy and if you’ve got it use it. Sing it. Play it. Make those people out there happy. You have a responsibility to do it and do the best you can.

ARTISTHEAD

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ARTISTHEAD AUDIO INTERVIEW Tax Guru Stephen Hall

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:01:28 -0600

Accountant, tax and financial advisor to the stars, Stephen Hall is an invaluable part of the ARTISTHEAD client and label management team. Stephen works with the top individuals in the entertainment and business worlds and when you choose ARTISTHEAD tax, accounting, and business management services, you are getting top level service from the people who know.

In this audio interview, Stephen touches on issues such as band partnerships, the importance of creating and sticking to a budget, common tax traps and pitfalls, and the the benefits of owning your own record company. Listen and learn from this great entertainment business talent.

Start Your Record Label, Get Legal and Accounting Help Today.

ARTISTHEAD - The Musician's Complete Business Resource

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Reality Check TV's Ace Annese On 20 Years Of RCTV and AH's New Video Channel

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:32:57 -0600

ACE's resume' includes not only his work with RCTV/RCS; he is a 30-year Industry veteran with a long list of accomplishments and positions in a wide variety of behind-the-scenes endeavors. These include Artist Rep for GIBSON GUITARS (clients included Kirk Hammett of Metallica, Rob Halford of Judas Priest, and Testament, among others); Stagehand/Security/Archivist for BILL GRAHAM PRESENTS; Print/online journalist for a variety of magazines and websites, including KNAC.COM; and many other endeavors. Currently, ACE is Main Stage Manager for the HAIGHT ASHBURY STREETFAIR, and is now Personal Manager for SKINLAB.

In this ARTISTHEAD audio interview, ACE talks about the importance of playing live show to build an audience, the effectiveness of self-promotion, and other practical tips to enhance your game as an Indie Artist. In addition, RCTV host/producer ACE ANNESE will be joining the ARTISTHEAD team as a consultant/blogger, offering advice and contributing specific Industry-oriented content for AH, geared towards advising interested parties about the Music Business in general. REALITY CHECK TV/ REALITY CHECK STUDIOS is partnering up with ARTISTHEAD to provide expertise in video production and other services for emerging and established acts in the current economic and music business climate, with an eye towards being cost-effective.

ARTISTHEAD - The Musician's Complete Business Resource

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Ace's Space: Artist/Producer Bill Cutler Interview

Wed, 19 Jan 2011 19:28:33 -0600

[Author's Note: This is the second in a series of Q&A's with artists, musicians, promoters, managers, publicists and other industry insiders by yours truly. The general focus is to get an idea of how these people do their thing, with an eye towards surviving/coping in the current state of the music business.]

Bill Cutler is a native New Yorker who transplanted to San Francisco during the "Summer of Love" era. Starting from his days as a singer/ songwriter performing in Greenwich Village clubs, Bill has had a successful, if understated, career as an artist, with releases on several major labels, and, more recently, on a smaller indie label called Magnatude Records, distributed via Rykodisc.

However, like so many others, Bill wasn't entirely pleased with how his recordings were produced, so he began learning the craft, and in so doing, developed a side career as a producer working on a wide range of indie and major-label artists. Later on, Bill became a personal manager for various young and talented Bay Area acts, often resulting from his capacity as a producer.

To get more info on Bill's remarkable career, drop by Bill's site, which also has a video mini-doc describing career highlights (produced and shot by RCTV/RC Studios, and yours truly) and two excellent music vids from his current solo record, 'Crossing The Line'.

Q: Welcome Bill! Why don't you briefly describe your beginnings in the Music Biz, leading up to your 1st major label deal, and what became of it?

A: I got my start in the music business in New York in the 1960s. I was a songwriter from the age of 16 and I used to play at Greenwich Village folk clubs like the Gaslight Cafe. I opened a few shows for well-known artists and began recording my songs for publishers at the Brill Building, where most of the great songwriters of the day were working. I didn't get my first record deal until after I moved to San Francisco in 1970. I auditioned for the band David Rea & Slewfoot in 1972 and became the group's rhythm guitarist. We were signed to Windfall/Columbia and made an album at The Record Plant in Sausalito, which was a brand new studio in those days. Bob Weir was the co-producer, so that put us right in the heart of the psychedelic music scene. That band lasted a few years, but once Clive Davis was fired as president of Columbia, we were dropped from the label along with the Sons of Champlin and many other West Coast signings from the Clive era.

Q: You, like many artists, evolved from being strictly a performer to then being a Record Producer, and you've dabbled in Management as well. How did that come about? What are some of the notable recordings you've worked on, both well-known and personal faves?

A: I never liked the way other people made my recordings sound, so very early on in my performing career, I vowed to learn how to make records. When I was in my second California band, Heroes, I began working pretty regularly at Wally Heider's Studios on demos for our band and that's where I started honing my producing chops. It wasn't really until 1979, when I was in my punk band, Nu-Models, that I began producing other artists. The first significant album I produced was for The Lloyds, a SF group with a terrific female singer named Lulu. After that, the phone started ringing, and I worked on indie releases with Chrome Dinette, Vauxhall (with Jorma Kaukonen), and many others. I've produced or co-produced with all kinds of artists from rock to hip hop, but certainly working with Jerry Garcia, Jewel, Kingfish, and Flame were all memorable. Management came about when I saw that most of the groups I produced would die on the vine if there was nobody to take their music to record companies. I co-managed a few bands and then managed Spike 1000, who I signed to Sony in 2000.

Q: After years of producing and at times, managing acts, you had a short-lived project called The Mystery Tramps. First, tell us the genesis of the project, and also what is the significance of the band name?

A: In 1993, I had an idea for a rap group that would combine a 60s influence with contemporary hip-hop. So I decided to cut an experimental track doing a cover version of Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" as a rap song. I partnered with Mark V, a hip hop producer, and Michael Ehrlich, who financed our project. Because we were covering Dylan's classic song, we named the group Mystery Tramps, from the lyric in the original song. Once the track was cut, I sent it to Dylan's publisher; just to make sure Bob had no objections to a rap version of "Rolling Stone". The publisher liked it and played it for Bob. I asked for permission to use a sample of Dylan's original vocal hook: "How does it feel?" and Bob granted us permission. We were all amazed he said yes! It was the first Dylan sample ever approved. The group was signed to Imago/BMG records and the single was quite a sensation at the time.

Q: You released a long-awaited solo record called 'Crossing The Line' on Magnatude/Ryko, which went through an extraordinary journey before eventually being released. Give us the remarkable story behind the record, and how it's performed in the current climate of the biz. Also: Will we see a follow up anytime soon?

A: I had cut half an album of my own songs back in 1975 with Jerry Garcia playing lead guitar during the Grateful Dead's break from touring. Before I could do the second half of the album, The Dead went back on the road and the tapes were stored away. Unfortunately, there was never an opportunity to finish the project and I went on to other things. After I put out the Mystery Tramps single, in 93, I went to see Jerry and bring him a copy because Jerry was a huge Dylan freak. Jerry suggested we go back in the studio and finish my album when he got his next break from the road. That never happened and, of course, Jerry died in 1995. In 1998, I went back in the studio and cut the second half of my album, using the players from the old sessions, as well as guitarists like Jorma Kaukonen, Jerry Miller from Moby Grape, David Nelson from the New Riders, Mark Karan from Ratdog and others who fit the material. It was finished in 2001, but because there were all kinds of unsettled issues with the Garcia Estate, it took 7 years of legal wrangling to secure the clearance to use Jerry's name on the album. I finally released it in 2008 on Magnatude. It's been a wonderful feeling to complete this work and have it so widely accepted. I have some wonderful songs for a follow up and I hope I get the chance to record again. I love working with Pete Morticelli, the president of Magnatude.

Q: You've been through much of the meat grinder of the music biz, both as an artist and in other capacities. What are some cautionary tales you can offer, and/or sage advice?

A: There really is no shortcut to being a great artist. All you can do is follow your passion and make the music you believe in. Trends will come and go, but great art endures. Don't be afraid to take big chances--no one ever changed the world being the 2nd Beatles or the next Prince. Be yourself. Don't be afraid to take advice from those with more experience, but don't go against your instincts. If something sounds too good to be true...it probably is. Hard work and building an audience is what it is all about.

Q: What are some recent projects you're involved in?

A: I just finished producing an all acoustic jazz album for George Cole, who is a very talented guitarist and songwriter from the East Bay. I'm currently doing pre-production for an album by a rock band from the South Bay called Citabria, with a unique sound, who are developing quite a following.

Q: Where can people find out more about you, if so inclined?

A: I have a website: BillCutler.com with samples from "Crossing the Line" and a good overview of my producing career.

Q: Any other tips, final thoughts, cheap shots or bon mots for those crazy enough to want a career in the Music Biz?

A: Today the music biz is not just about being an artist, but also about being an entrepreneur. Learn how to grow a small operation, build a fan base, and serve your audience. The record label is no longer the parent that can provide everything a band needs. You are in charge of your own future.

On the Web:

Bill's official website

Bill on Facebook

Buy:

Crossing The Line

ARTISTHEAD - The Musician's Complete Business Resource

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Daveed Meiron - Creator of Hollywood Stars Music

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:55:29 -0600

Enjoy this exclusive audio ARTISTHEAD interview with Hollywood Stars Music founder & CEO., Daveed Meiron. With his combined experiences as a singer/songwriter and working with NBC and Warner Bros., Daveed has created one of the best free online/multimedia platforms for featuring new independent artists and the newest original music from around the world.

The "I'm A Hollywood Star International Song Competition", is now the global Olympics of independent music. Daveed realizes the challenges that emerging independent artists face and has created a way for artists and fans to connect directly. Sign up and expose your music to an ever-growing audience and let the world vote on your music. It is all free for artists & fans!

On the web:

www.HollywoodStarsMusic.com

ARTISTHEAD - The Musician's Complete Business Resource

Call 1.877.252.2750 or email us to schedule a free 15-minute consultation.