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 One of the most prolific producers in
modern music, working with such acts as the Rolling Stones, Bonnie
Rait, Bob Dylan, Paula Abdul and Willie Nelson, Don Was is coming home
to Detroit on New Year's Eve with his band Was (Not Was). Although Was
spent time recently in France doing pre-production
work on the forthcoming Rolling Stones album, he still found time to
answer a few of my questions via e-mail. ***** MCR - Ozzy Osbourne, Mel Torme, Mitch Ryder, Doug Fieger of The Knack, Wayne Kramer … How has Was (Not Was) always managed to piece together such a constant stream of respectable guest musicians to work with? DW - We were just ignorant enough to believe that, if we approached the artists we admired, they would respond positively. Living in Los Angeles has subsequently robbed us of the last vestige of that innocence. MCR - Some folks seem to have likened Was (Not Was)' to a 'demented P-Funk' after the band's output in the 1980's; Is that something you would tend to agree or disagree with? DW - Not to be too critical, but “demented P-Funk” is a ‘soul redundancy’, wouldn’t you say? (Gary’s note: Touché, indeed) Nonetheless, it would be an honor to wear that crown. Thank you. MCR - I'm really unsure as to how political of a person you are, Don, but is it odd to look back and realize that a track like "I Blew Up the United States" went pretty much under the radar of pop culture 14 years ago, when nowadays it would basically be the starting point of your own personal CIA file? DW - That song is a source of controversy within the band this week. Some of the cats think that it will be misunderstood by ticket buyers. Of course, The lyric advocates an end to arms proliferation – particularly among maniacs hiding behind their constitutional right to bear weapons of mass destruction. It doesn’t suggest that we blow everybody up. I’m willing to bet that the elite hipsters who comprise the Was (Not Was) audience will inherently understand the difference. So we’re gonna play the song every night. MCR - Was (Not Was) was the sort of band that could jump from the absurd to the plausible rather quickly. What sort of dynamic made it possible to put songs like the ranting "Dad I'm in Jail" alongside a dramatic review of the JFK assassination ("11 MPH")? DW – The cheap answer would involve a quip about a pharmaceutical dynamic … A more thoughtful one would touch on the theme of rebellion that is a constant in David’s lyrics … Refusal to accept the absolute authority of the government, the N.R.A., the Warren Commission, the police, parents, lovers, etc. … That is the glue that binds our songs together. You asked earlier if we were political? Far as I’m concerned, combining funk grooves with rock n roll and bebop is a minor part of what we do compared to the political content of our songs. MCR - In 1989, you garnered a ton of accolades for your work with Bonnie Raitt on Nick of Time - AND Was (Not Was)' What Up, Dog? blew up with a pair of pop hits. What was it like to suddenly garner so much attention for your music and production work, both of which you'd been toiling at for around 10 years at the time? DW – The sudden reversal of fortune proved to be confusing. It created a false sense of importance, conceit and power that took years to defeat. It moved me several giant steps away from understanding that success has nothing to do with money, Billboard charts and Grammys. On the other hand, I got a lot of great clothing and musical instruments for free (or, at least, discounted at 10% below dealer’s cost!). MCR - The band basically dissapated in 1993, though things are back on the up-and-up for a set of forthcoming shows. What caused the band's dissolution and subsequent reformation 11 years later? DW – The short answer is that it simply wasn’t our time. We handed in a record – only to be greeted by a discouraging corporate chorus of “Where’s our new ‘Walk the Dinosaur’?” We’d lost our vision and identity as artists. Without pop hits, we were unable to support a 12-piece band on the road. We’d just finished touring with Milli Vanilli, Paula Abdul and Tone-Loc and it was clear that being able to perform your songs live was being held at a diminishing premium by pop audiences. So, sometimes you just gotta go to the movies or eat a salad and wait ‘till it’s safe to get back in the water. MCR - In the last 15 years, you've done production work with Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, etc ... After helming the producer's chair for so long, is it at all odd to think of yourself as a 'performer' again with the upcoming Was (Not Was) tour dates? DW – Truth is, I’ve always considered myself a musician. As a producer, I’m primarily a guy who’s made my own records and may be able to help someone else with theirs. I’ve never stopped playing bass. Now, there was some fear as to whether our little group of musicians could conjure up the old mojo after a 13-year absence … But that evaporated 3 minutes into the first rehearsal. MCR - I've gotta assume that you've still got an ear to the ground as far as your personal listening tastes go – what bands/artists are you listening to these days? (Consider this as a request to school Motor City Rocks and its readers on some stuff we may not necessarily know about) DW – Dizzie Rascal, Mos Def, Leonard Cohen, Paul Westerberg … Detroit Cobras are pretty cool … Eminem, Albert Ayler, Lenny Bruce, The Ramrods reissue … Nothing you probably haven’t already heard … Oh, except for the new Stones record … You haven’t heard that, have you? MCR - Are there any artists that you haven't worked with yet that you'd really like to collaborate with (either production-wise or musically)? DW – Freda Payne, Phil and Judy Collins, Red Buttons … Just wondering if anyone on earth is still reading this …… Damn. Too bad he was kidding – I was really salivating at the prospects of a Don Was/Phil Collins collaboration, too – it could’ve been better than “Easy Lover,” even … Anyways, Was (Not Was) is pulling together for a forthcoming tour. Catch the band at the Royal Oak Music Theater for a New Year’s Eve throwdown that also features The Romantics, The Ramrods and The Grande Nationals. - Gary Blackwell |
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