John Mellencamp Told Bob Dylan To Stop Calling
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- Опубліковано 26 чер 2024
- My weekly chat over coffee. It's a good way to spend a Saturday morning, I promise.
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Having played as wallpaper music at many, many art show openings and book signings, when I am an attendee at one of those events I make it a point to always stand and and listen for a few minutes and then make a few nice comments to the musicians. They are invariably super appreciative. We unknown musicians have to look out for each other!
As a massive fan of Mellencamp (Hoosier Hero) and a big fan of Bob and Bruce ,this is my favorite episode so far brother Otis .... thank you for making my Saturday ! ☮️
Very cool cast, Otis. I did a lot of work on music row in the mid to late 80' s and met a lot of cool people and big country stars. It never fazed me meeting anyone because i felt they put their pants on just like me, you know.. BUT, there was this one time when i was interning with the great producer Barry Beckett, that blew me away. Everyone had gone to lunch, but i stayed in the office just to watch things and catch the phone. The phone rang and this guy asked to speak to Barry and i told him he was out, but somehow we just started talking about a lot of different things, and talked like 45 minutes, just a great fun and honest conversation, laughing and cutting up. Anyway, the guy says, "Man, i goota go, but it has been great talking to you. Tell Barry when he gets in that Lonnie Mack called." Suddenly, i could barely speak. Lonnie was one of my guitar heroes. But it goes to show you, folks are folks. We all bleed red, and laugh and cry. And we all are in awe of somebody...Boy Howdy...
Hey Ottis! Thanks for the things you do. A friend was the original bass player for the Crash Test Dummies and he used to work at the Blue Note, an old Winnipeg live spot. He told of one time Neil Young stopped by when he was working...he said "Man, rock and roll incarnate just walked by!!!"
I love it. I’m a forever Dylan fan. Consider him greatest 20th century poet. Wonder where he’d stand for all time. 3 of the best concerts I’ve ever seen were Mellencamp shows. Great live artist. Loved every one of the 10 Dylan concerts I’ve seen. Going to see him this Saturday the 23rd. Seen Mellencamp and Dylan on the same ticket. Sat 4th row center at Springsteen in 85 or 86. This video made me smile!
"Be Yourself" is THE BEST advice you could ever give to another musician. Thanks Otis!
I’ll never forgive The Coug for cockblocking your Johnny Cash handshake. 😂
yeah man
“Sucking on a Chilidog” one of the best lyrics ever.
Thanks for another Saturday chat with us Sears diehards. I haven’t seen Mellencamp or Dylan’s art yet, but I’ve seen the boots, the shirt, and the self portrait of Guy Clark, and just love them. He was really talented, in many ways, as many of you musicians often are.
If I was at an art show where there was music playing, I would definitely be there to listen to the musician. I’ve never been in the type of bar you were describing. The ones I’ve been in with a tv turn them off when the music starts, unless it is the kind of venue large enough to have more than one area.
Hope everyone has a great weekend and week.
@otisgibbs Otis, this is possibly THE MOST 90s video you've done. Chumba Wumba, Rage Against The Machine, Mellencamp! This is so palpable for me being an 80s kid growing up in the 90s. Man, bravo once again. I realized this morning that your channel is a form of personal therapy for me. Thank you for being you, man!
Thanks Otis. You seamlessly navigated through myriad topics, very interesting and enjoyable. You're appreciated brother.
A little kid ran into Bruce somewhere in Indiana and the kid told him that his parents loved him and asked him to come to his house and meet them and he did!!
Danbert from Chumbawumba moved up here to North Central Washington about a dozen years ago, and I've had the pleasure of playing a couple opening slots for him and being booked by him for a dew others; great dude, super fun, funny, caring, and supportive. Glad you have had the same experience.
Thanks as always for everything!
Excellent edition Mr Gibbs. I feel an extended ramble coming on. I’ve been asked to play in some places where I don’t fit in over the years . Uptight conservative folks or situations where nobody listens. I have found, just as you say, if you can make them laugh, the rest is easy. Always be yourself because there’s plenty of everyone else. As far as famous people, my wife and I had a long conversation with a famous musician once but didn’t know it because we weren’t familiar with his band. It wasn’t until a few weeks later we saw him in a movie and realized who he was. We felt sorta stupid but I bet he enjoyed not being fawned over. One last thing. Years ago a friend asked me if I had seen something called Old Weird America. She said I should see it because the guy on it reminded her of me. Due to the UA-cam algorithm it finally suggested one of those videos. When I realized who she was talking about I had a good laugh. We really love all your videos but always look forward to our Saturday morning sessions. Thanks for turning me on to Miss Corn Shucks. Hers is a tragic but common story and shows why I don’t trust much about the music industry.
I have been a rabid fan of Jesse Winchester since the early 70's. When he played at Telluride I was lucky enough to be staying at the same hotel. At breakfast one day I saw him sitting alone(I don't think most people at that "bluegrass" festival even knew who he was). So,there he sat,all alone, one of the biggest musical influences of my life reading the newspaper,having coffee. My social anxiety kicked in hard. I mean I coulda/shoulda just walked by and thanked him for...being there and told him how much I loved his music. The more I thought about it the less was my resolve to bother him. I do regret not,at least speaking to him.
I've had a couple of incredible(to me) meetings with famous musicians including James Brown and Peter Rowan.
In the 80s I saw McCoy Tyner play a solo gig at a hotel in Denver. There were about 15 people at a big table who payed him no attention at all and about 8 or 10 of the rest of us who came for the show. They had McCoy fucking Tyner as background piano for their dinner. 🤔
He only played for 50 minutes, but for those of us who noticed, he was amazing.
Enjoyed your response to the lad who asked if you get nervous before you play. I did a lot of theatre in high school and had a GREAT drama teacher who used to tell us that if we're not getting nervous before a performance, it's not a good sign. I made a living playing music -- mostly in the 90s -- and I was fortunate to get to play with a few big artists. The first time I walked out onto a stage and saw 15,000 people, I got slightly nervous.
So I had a brief conversation with myself, I said self, you worked your ass off to get here. All those hours sitting in your room practicing just to get here, while your mates were out hanging with the blokes and chasing hot looking girls. Now you're going to get nervous on me?? You really want to blow all that by getting nervous? That's when I looked back out into that crowd and said, WAIT! Of course, this is awesome. I want to see my groove making people move and have fun! And so it was. That was the last time I ever had that conversation with myself and the last time I was ever nervous for more than a minute. I always let some of the nervousness wash over me to honor Ms. Ann Steel, my drama teacher in high school. But then when I see that crowd, ahhhh, it looks like pure heaven.
We all have gifts and the greatest thing being alive is to recognize YOUR gift, be it a carpenter creating gorgeous homes, a doctor saving lives, a chef making people happy through food, or a musician -- if you can recognize YOUR craft, pour yourself into it and make other folks happy with it, then your life is complete! There's nothing to be nervous about making folks feel joy; that's what a musician does! Now, years later, whether I'm playing to a packed dive bar or punk club on a Saturday night, or I get lucky and somehow fall into some outdoor festival, I always walk out to the drum riser and take it all in like it's fresh, spring, morning air. I wave to the folks who came to see the show and think to myself, self: drink this all in! Don't be foolish getting nervous. Enjoy every damn measure of it because you worked damn hard all your life to get here and, well, ya never know, this could be your final show. Cheers!
Have a Lotta love inside you. Thanks for sharing it with me thru this comment.....cheers!!
Otis, this was wonderful. The cool thing about asking somebody what their favorite movie is, is that maybe you haven't seen it and probably wouldn't and maybe now you will get to. You gave me three or four that I definitely want to see. Thank you!
The beauty is how humble both artist are and that both valued Mellencamp’s input.
Thank you, 🙏🏻
Happy Saturday
The reason I don't ask any questions is I don't think I have any good ones to ask. I appreciate other folks coming up with them, and your willingness to answer, even if you don't have a good answer.
Enjoyed hearing about Springsteen, Mellencamp, an Dylan. Talk about a trinity, eh?
Enjoyed the Little Miss Cornshucks video, too. Ended up listening to her available music. Definitely not enough of that. She was amazing.
Be good to you 🤍💛
I am definitely with you on passing on gigs where you don’t fit the room. We’ve been a blues band for 18 years and if a venue normally offers dress up 80s cover bands I’ll pass. Or background, we’re a little over the top for that. Oh yeah, and local breakfast places, they are the best! Thanks for the Saturday morning chat, really enjoy it!
That's hilarious! I met Dave Ghrol and Zack de la Rocha at a venue here in L.A back around 1997 and asked Zack what was goin on with Rage and he told me he was going to be doing a tour with Chumba wumba and I looked at him and said "wtf" and he just kinda laughed and said yeah it was the record company!
Thank you so much for your advice/thoughts regarding nervousness and gigging. Very encouraging. Some of it I already knew, but forgot. It helps to be reminded. Lot of wisdom there. 😎☮
Mornin Otis. I actually caught your deal early, with a coffee in my hand. Thanks. The Little Miss Cornshucks vid was really cool. What a story. Made me go fishin for some of her tunes right after. Have a good one man!
I must admit that I became an Otis fan first from his UA-cam -talking & interview channel. Then, expanded my World. Happy to be here.
Thanks again Otis!
I met Steve Gadd after a Corea/Gadd show in Minneapolis. I was so fanstruck all I could get out was I love you and he said I love you too man, thats they way it is....
This is a really good episode with some great advice and insights on anxiety. Are you planning an episode on the passing of Gordon Lightfoot?
GodBless Gordon..
My Mom had his albums and I always remember these lyrics to Sundown..
"I can see her lying back in her satin dress
In a room where you do what you don't confess
Sundown, you better take care
If I find you been creeping 'round my back stairs
Sundown, you better take care
If I find you been creeping 'round my back stairs
Sometimes I think it's a sin
When I feel like I'm winning, when I'm losing again
Sometimes I think it's a shame
When I get feeling better, when I'm feeling no pain"....
And his song about The wreck Edmund Fitzgerald..
Several great stories in there, sir! I’m in agreement on everything and always both learn and am entertained….Thank You!
My partner has one of the funniest “met Bob Dylan” stories I’ve ever heard. It’s from the female perspective and it’s brief but very revealing and honest.
Ottis thanks for the part about being true to you in your live performance. Truth. That approach has kept me working and has built a faithful audience. I loved your story about not being nervous but having your hands shake. I have experienced the same thing 😂 Big festival crowd - loved being there, go to do a finger picking song and Whoa !!!! What are these shaky fingers about 😂 Thanks for your great stories and wonderful insights.
Hey Otis, Neil Young is possibly my favorite musician, but I don't think it's important that you ever interview someone like him. I watch your videos because of the unique POV and stories from the smaller musicians, roadies, sidemen, crew, etc. Keep doing what you do man!
Otis. Thank you for recommending the Dylan book “Pledging My Time”. Excellent read. I had heard Duke Robillard had some issues during his time with Bob. Duke handled that chapter with restraint and class.
Bob was calling the wrong guy, he should’ve called Larry Crane.
Scarecrow is one of the best rock albums ever made. Its truly magnificent playing, songwriting and social commentary. It's a very relatable album to middle class Midwest American people. Listen to Minutes to Memories , Face of the Nation , Between a Laugh and a Tear ,and the other deep cuts not played on radio.
It's a great LP, but it doesn't even register when I think of "the best rock albums ever made." I do love it though.
@@da324 it registers to me. I think it's pretty near perfect. His band is top notch, the lyrics have meaning and there's no filler on it. I like all kinds of music, I've got records CDs and playlists include everything Louis Jordan, Glen Miller , Kingston Trio , Baez , Dylan, Lonnie Mack, Motorhead, Depeche Mode, Humble Pie, Merle Haggard, Hank Thompson, Huey Lewis, Mavericks Thin Lizzy, Serge Gainsborough, Peter Tosh and Small Faces LPs. And to me Scarecrow is as complete an album as anything by any of these artists.
@@PlayerToBeNamedLater1973 I agree that it's a complete as many great LP's. I just don't think of it when I want to listen to a "rock album." I actually like Uh-huh and The Lonesome Jubilee just as much as Scarecrow.
@@da324 it's got a somber, kinda reflective tone for sure. Lots of minor keys and lyrics and subject matter that are very different than a typical rock album. I think he made that album for people like himself and other Midwestern people he grew up with. It is almost it's own genre . It's not a fun album. But there's something about the sound of that band that is just great.
Otis,
The Little Miss Cornshucks segment yesterday was fabulous!
you're a great storyteller with interesting stories. be yourself...great advice.
Otis, as the son of an art dealer (who grew up around paintings and sculpture which I have never been able to afford), it was great to hear you reference Beckmann, and the German Expressionists - one of my favourite Twentieth Century 'movements', and I really like Beckmann as a painter.
If you are unfamiliar, have a look at Karel Appel's work (pronounced "Apple", not "App-El") - his 1950s paintings will blow your socks off.
Hilarious, Otis!
Love the down-home modesty, to say nothing of the Thanks anyway to Dylan on the phone.
Thank you for everything you are doing Otis!
Stand by! Technical difficulties! Enjoyed the chat, Otis. I like your view on how to handle visits backstage. Good policy. Much love my friend.
I loved this!! The stories you are telling are great and so true. My husband is Bobby Clark and he’s a musician and we are enjoying this.
Otis I really appreciate this video! I am going through a few things in my life right now and your advise just brought me back to center. Thank you brother, Thank you❤
you had mentioned the art gallery story awhile back and it got me to look up Mellencamp's artwork and i agree. i had no idea but super impressed
as a chef i'm always curious what folks like to eat.been wantin to ask you the breakfast question.thanks for all you do.
I stayed at Toby Myers Air B&B above his garage. Lots of John's paintings and gold records on the walls and Toby's Studio up there. He told me you can mess around with guitars just don't play the drums. Was way cool.
i def agree big surprise with ya brother otis mellencamps paintings are terrific and i dig dyalns art..the metal sculptures etc...the heavens door whiskey bottles even...to me dylan is a poet, an artist and i love his theme time radio shows.....mellencamp is quite a character....anyhoooo
Loved it. My province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, has been enjoying musical exposure across all genres in recent years but, to be honest, I've spent my near 70 yeas playing guitar, listening to what I like, playing what I like and, other than that, mixed in a life of trapping, hunting and fishing commercially to raise a family. I write; and have done so for 40 years.
As different as our life experience has been, I draw a lot of parallels from your videos and can relate to a great deal. It is, after all, simply our common humanity - just in different settings and environments. I've learned a decent amount from your frank and honest sharing. Thank you.
I enjoy your stories. It's cool to hear them from someone who has met some of these people. But I would note that it was Bob Dylan who last year included John Mellencamp's song, Workingman's Blues on his tour. Many people think that it was written by Dylan.
We played a gig once where the bar had us outside , inside (too close) was a D.J. at one end of the bar and karaoke at the other. And surprisingly it wasn't a success.😅
Bruce and Mellencamp showed up at the beach here in Jersey about a year ago
I'm never asking a question again 😂. Hope you and the family are well. Loved the Barry stuff! Ruth Brown and Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown mentioned in the same video! Love it. I always think of the Shemekia Copeland quote about Ruth "She would give you the shirt of her back and for me, she did a few times"
Here's that Billboard Magazine interview that I mentioned.
www.billboard.com/music/rock/john-mellencamp-interview-1235027029/
I'm sipping on Tinker Street Coffee inside the South Split, Homie.
This weeks uploads were super-dope
Otis gigs are 50/50... The people are there for you is the first half and you being yourself is the other half.
I went to an Art show called “Musician as Artists” that was being held over at the Ramada Inn near the airport in 1986-87. I dug the coffee table book out while watching this. FYI,,,, That Ramada inn was hit by a jet (A-7) that same year,,,
Apricate the gig advice. I've been away from playing out for a long time, and I'm getting back into it. I do shake in my shoes usually at the start; but I do it anyway cause I'm making someone else feel better. PSS: The biscuit commentary is spot on.
Good morning from Chicago, Otis.....and I've got my coffee.
I liked your story of following Chumbawamba. Sounds like your instincts were spot on when you started with your quietest song. The audience needed to be brought down after all the adrenaline of Chumbawamba's last song, and were likely ready for that to happen. Just like an action film that has too many car chase scenes, after a time it becomes overwhelming. What seemed like a bad scenario, following this pumped up band playing their hit song as their finale was actually the best set up for your music. How much better is it to have that contrast than following someone doing the same type of songs.
You've paid a lot of dues, Brother. And it looks like that hat hit every. mile. I love the character in that hat. This is the first time I've had a good look at it. Peace.
Slingblade. That movie fascinated me.
I'd love to see you interview Phil Lee. He's done a record with Ralph Molina and Billy Talbot and he used to drive for Neil.
Thanks for real down to earth insight into famous musicians. RIP Gordon
Didn't know Dylan was a painter. I've seen some of John's work and it's amazing.
A Steve Earle, Mellencamp, Springsteen musical collaboration would be interesting.
The only famous musicians I've ever talked to on the phone was Michael McDonald and Dobie Gray. That was freaking cool 😄
I always thought that Neil Young was the artist most influenced by Dylan, but realized over time it was actually Springsteen. They all know each other.
Yes Bruce said when I first started I just wanted to sing like Elvis and write lime Dylan.
Otis..! .. Thanks for the encouraging words man.!❤ seriously..!👍🏼
That reggie miller mural is pretty awesome, just happen to drive by that the other day. Brought back some memories of the pacers in the 90s.
We always had a good time playing in Indiana, back in the 80s-90s. People were very cool. We stopped booking motels because people were always having us stay at their places.
Another great video, thanks so much Otis
As a musician, I am so grateful for those people that hire bands for an event that has no business with a live band. I’m with you on the pay, f it, if they really want it then here’s the price.
Thanks for the answer ! The battery ran down before you got to my 2nd, and more important question about whether there is a new OG album in the works. Always is my guess
Making good biscuits from flour and basic ingredients is easy. The thing is, you have to know what you're doing and be consistent about it.
Yeah I went to IU. I ran into Mellencamp once at the marina on Lake Monroe.
wheni got to have a lil zoom chat with brother hayes carll for my community radio show somehow the success or lack thereof at first of his first album and his perseverance etc is what we talked about a bit and it came up he Hayes said he can live with himelf knowing that he never does anything just for money or to be nor impress someone else....always do it for the love for urself cuz it feels right...to echo those sentiments..thanks
I remember when wikipedia became a thing and looking up Mellencamp and thinking "whats all this small town talk"? being a kid from dust bowlsville his town was an absolute metropolis that was like 3x my county.
John Prine and Steve Goodman were 2 that had the ability to make one laugh and never seemed to take themselves too seriously
Love your channel
Love it that both you (Otis) and Uncle Larry referenced Chumbawunba. 😊
Your story about the gallery was similar to a call I had gotten years ago.
At the time I was in a biker/blues/rock band and had gotten a call about playing a lumberjack festival, outside, in January, in midwestern Pennsylvania. Our self-produced album has just released and we had some good traction at the time. I priced us out of the gig on purpose. Because I didn't want to play outside in 15 degree weather. Turns out later that our other guitar player, who had been an Outlaw, was banned from this county and would not have been able to go....that could have been a bad, bad gig.
We had a gig opening for Naked Raygun, Chicago's premiere hardcore punk band, at the Riviera Theater. We were a rap band with live instrumentation, live guitar and bass, programmed beats, a dj and a vocalist who rapped more than he sang. There were 3 or 400 mohawks and skins in the pit. They started off hating us, I put the Gretsch back in the case to protect it from all the flying debris, and switched to my import V. But through the course of our set, we held our own, and the stage, and by the end of it we'd probably won over half the crowd over. You called it man, be yourself, uncompromisingly.
Yeah man. I'm a cook. 30 years ago, at TA truck Stop, was the last time I was making scratch biscuits. EVERYBODY uses the Pillsbury frozen ones.
When you were talking about the sight line of the stage, all I could think of was The Blues Brothers Rawhide scene... :):)
As a painter who's done several shows, I agree with you about live music being ignored. I've done shows that serve catered food in an outside tented area where they would have a band and they were ignored there as well. I didn't attend many of my shows because I get nervous with a lot of people approaching me all night like that. Some galleries wouldn't show my work because I didn't want to go. The work is the show, not me. I don't even understand some of my work. I love people but in small doses. I do not blame you for not doing these shows.
I've pics of that Dylan mural in Minneapolis but can't figure out how to share. It's awesome. Believe me.
I'm sitting here with my wife watching the blue bloods walking into the coronation ceremony on TV. The only thing making this interesting is my earbuds allowing this Otis Gibbs conversation to play in my head.
One of my bucket list items? A good conversation with Otis Gibbs in some no name indigenous breakfast cafe that all the locals know about and has been there for 50 years. The conversation probably wouldn't even be about music...
Chumbawamba is one of my favorite folk bands. Listen to the album A Singsong and a Scrap. It’s great!
Well, I was south of Detroit City I pulled in this country kitchen to try their brand of barbecue the sign said "finger-lickin"
Well, I paid the tab and the lady asked me how I liked my biscuit.."To be honest with you ma'am, it ain't like mama fixed it."
I remember emergency (edit = airplanes) as sub drummer when i was younger. These were clubs. Sober for those. Regular gig's = not so much.
I think one of my worst gigs was playing one of those car shows. They were openly not into having an acoustic musician there. haha
Otis man..! How can one person answer so many questions without answering any of them..?…for such a long time..?🤣🤣🤣❤️
I've been away so long, I forgot how much I enjoyed your show Otis
Bob covered Longest Days last night in Indianapolis!
Words to live by, “I’m not Chumbawumba.”
True Blue! Love who you are!
Terrific stuff, Otis - thanks for all of this.
Good morning from Ottawa, Otis. Drinking tea today to commemorate the coronation of King Charles. I’ve had some pretty brutal gigs lol. No one there but the staff, no customers. Sheesh. Well, press on. Have a great day.
I’m one of those with anxiety that’s really more actual “fear” that can’t even sing alone in my empty house…worst kind of stage fright. Don’t wanna advocate for this but there are plenty of prescription meds available…now when I pop the right combo of pills(won’t get into what kind, most can get by without taking what I have to I imagine…but all the good kinds, think of it as the Johnny Cash/Elvis/Jerry Lee style combos lol), throw in a few drinks(again all this isn’t necessary for everyone) and I can both play/sing like nobody’s business in front of anybody, not missing a beat and still on point, sharp as a tack and people enjoy me overall when I come out of my shell. Maybe a price to pay in time, but that’s life right?
Sad for Gordon, lucky enough to see him at the Ryman in 2017, loved his songs since I was a kid…he was a one of a kind songwriter without a doubt. Keep the vids coming Otis!
Yes Otis Dylan and Ian Hunter have wrote songs together the best known is Sylvio and a couple on Dylan album, together through life.
You know, not everything that Dylan writes is likely perfect the first time around- he knows getting feedback from a discerning eye helps. Unfortunately for Dylan, Melloncamp was too much of a fan to be a sounding board, as he put it.
Great variety of topics as usual, Otis. Your partner and your friends are lucky to have you as a conversation partner.
Dylan needs more women musicians/poets as a sounding board--not the same ole white guys. Dylan is poetic not so much with Springsteen and Melloncamp. They found a niche that collected good ole white boy cults.
Bob Dylan : "Money doesn't talk, it swears." John Mellencamp: :"Everybody has got the choice, between hotdogs and hamburgers."
Great stuff I've never heard or imagined
Dude, you have lots of cool stories. I didn't even know you toured with Ian Hunter. Hope you share some of those stories sometime 🫡
Excellent advise. Thank you Otis