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Here it is right before your naked steaming eyes! The 1994 Vanzilla - DLR interview. A little setup before the main course if you will. The interview took place July 30, 1994 in Huntington, WV the day Dave was headlining the SummerFest concert series. (Summerfest is your traditional regatta type of event that in Huntington typically draws big crowds. 25, 000 people were expected to attend Dave's show. Partly because it was free, partly because it was Dave, partly because there's not a damn thing to do in Huntington, WV. Keep in mind the population of Huntington when I lived there was a little more than 50,000 - and you see why 25,000 at a concert is a big deal)
Your Filthy Little Mouth was released 2 months earlier, and was not selling well. Besides "She's My Machine" - I hadn't heard any of the album. Dave was always a hero of mine, but in 94 my taste in music was shifting from classic VH to a more Stone Temple Pilots, Nine Inch Nails scene.
I was 22, just months from dropping out of Marshall University - and working at WOWK-TV, the CBS affiliate in town. I thought I was hot-shit because I was the only one in my journalism class that landed a TV gig before I graduated college. Nevermind that it was overnights, part-time, $5.25 an hour. I was on my way to becoming a big time TV reporter! Or so I thought at the time.
I made my contacts to set the interview up 2 weeks before the show, but nothing was confirmed until the day of. So with just 5 hours before Dave hits the stage - I get word that he's cool to sit down with me. We head to the Radisson (Huntington's biggest hotel) and I meet Dave's assistant Eddie Anderson. Eddie was super cool, very accomodating. He told me nothing was off limits, but I didn't have a lot of time. We then headed to a banquet room to set up our equipment.
I'm nervous as hell! This was my first interview with a big time rock-n-roll celebrity! And I haven't heard the new album - SHIT! What the hell am I going to do? Eddie comes to the rescue and hands me this 5 page press release detaling "Your Filthy Little Mouth". That's a relief! So now I'm scrambling to read this - and trying to remember all of the questions I plan on asking Dave. Shit this is TV! How's my hair?
15 minutes later Dave walks in wearing a pair of denim overalls with no shirt underneath, sandals, and a solid white trucker's cap. This was the first time I saw him with short hair. There was a familiar scent that followed him into the room. The kind of odor that filters out of Jeff Spicolli's van right after the school bell rings. He stuck out his hand for a shake as I introduced myself, and said "I"m Dave - let's chat." Thus begins my 25 minutes in Roth's world.
TDH: What part of you went into making the new album? What were your thoughts? What points were you trying to getting across?
DLR: A great deal of what I do is reflect what is going on around me. That's my job as an artist. A lot of what I see kind of strikes me as kind of humoresque, but I'm not a comedian - unless you consider Lenny Bruce or Mark Twain to be comedians. It's part of that. I'm a traditionalist in a sense that I'm not always trying to invent something brand new, so much as to get something classic and traditional - to get it right.(Laughs) Each time you do it, whatever it is - something that you do with your voice or something you do onstage or what have you, some of it is classic and traditional. Um, I went to New York City, not because it's so much of a Love/Hate affair - there's a lot less love. (Laughs) But New York certainly more closely reflects the dinner table that I grew up at when I was a kid. And I say this with all the love and affection in the world Mom and Dad, you know truly. But my dinner table where I was at from grade school to junior high was - distant, sarcastic, non-believing (Laughs) and really good - you got your best work. It either encouraged you minorly or discouraged you totally. Obviously it encouraged me. That and I'm hyper-active. They used to say I was hyper-active, now they say I'm supremely motivated and achievement-oriented. (Laughs) It's like my pal Rich back in NY. He works at the hospital, he was security - now he's lost control (Laughs)
TDH: Same job, new title!
DLR: Oh well you know, that's what makes America great. It's the same shoe, but for Christsakes it's Christmas man - look at the window (Laughs) You can do that. You can re-invent.
TDH: You got a whole new band this time around.
DLR: You know what, it's not about the band - um so much for me...beyond the classic Van Halen. There are very few people who were lucky enough to play ball for a living. And out of those few, even fewer are lucky enough to win the Super Bowl a couple of times. I did that with Van Halen. We did that together. Classic teams, right on par with the Oakland Raiders of the late seventies! Remember that wrecking crew? And that was classic. It's never going to get better. Might get as good as - but not gonna more impact there. I've always said that - it's something I treasure - I'm proud of. Um, there's a very small group of people in the world who with like a little tiny club of guys and gals who've sold over 60-70 million records. It's like - whew, I'll be a member of that club for the rest of my life man. And Ed Van Halen and the guys are part of that. To try and transcend that or you know to try to compete with that - no. Because I come from that team. When people come to see David Lee Roth they're coming to see the music. They're coming to see those songs performed. And they're coming to see all the things that glue those things together. All the illumination and illustrations of what is about to come up, and all of the forgiveness and alibis for what just transpired (Laughs)
TDH: You mention forgiveness and alibis. There are some rumors - and I don't want to dwell on old Van Halen stuff. You're moving on, you're doing well - There were some rumors last year of a reunion.
DLR: There are always rumors of a reunion with Van Halen because technically and amatomically - well as soon as learn to say "anatonically" you'll know even better what I mean - I'm supposed to be falling apart. Van Halen is one of - well it's gotta be the only remaining super group where all the members are still alive and functioning fully there. So that's something that people will entertain. And who knows - time will tell.
TDH: When you got your...
DLR: Let's move on.
TDH: Okay, I understand. The new album...is there a more mature approach to songwriting? You've changed a little bit.
DLR: I think I've changed. I think I've changed!!!
TDH: You don't like the Diamond Dave tag of old?
DLR: Oh I think the Diamond Dave is part of me. That's part of where I grew up. That's some vaudeville. That's some...um...that's a little bit of burlesque. That's a little bit of a lot different things, but the heart and soul of it comes from a generation or 2 who still reads books - eats red meat! (Laughs)
TDH: Out of all the solo albums you've done - this is your 5th now, which is the one that sticks out as being your best work?
DLR: I don't know if I can name what is my best work because I'm doing the very best I can at all times. And that's what I tell perspiring young new musicians (Laughs). They'll sometimes, you know the beginners ask me - Hey Dave, David Lee - what's your..you have any advice? And I say yeh. You know we all start off looking for love, attention, to achieve in music, make a contribution, make a million bucks, these are all great and honorable things. Great! While you're working for them you've got to set your own goals to work your ass off all the time - every time. And if you become "Mr. Popular Flavor of The Week" you earned it for the right reasons. And you adjust to it a little better than say the Jackson Family (Laughs). And if you're not "Mr. Flavor of The Week Mr. Popular" you still did your finest hardest work all the way through. And that's a feeling that you get that will carry you through all ups and downs, and much more fulfilling than any amount of money or any kind of popularity from the rest of the tribe.
TDH: The last time you were here in Huntington was 1986 - Cinderella opened up for you. Now you're back 8 years later. What are you going to show the fans tonight?
DLR: Well you know, times change and people change. But we become numb of a musician changing frequently - especially with my kind of musical background. I came out of the slam dunk rock kind of - whatever it was - in the late seventies and early eighties. And the only remainder of that grouping are your Ozzy Osbournes and whatnot - which are kind of 2 dimensional kind of characters - you know they sort of repeat themselves over and over and over again. Right down to the tights and the big white tennis shoes. Which is great! If it's a living, if it's good work - get it! (Laughs) God bless! Far be it for me to just crash for another musician. On the other hand, it's Flintstones Vitamins for children, ok? And real people, those of us who carry the card that says "audience" all right? And that's where I come in first okay, is - you change. What we are today is not what we were 5 years ago. How damn boring if it was? You want to be the same jerk that got off the bus 20 years from now that got on? Why take the ride? Be an art project - don't just wear one, you know? And that is how a lot of other artist and a lot of other musical backgrounds approach it. So when I cut my hair or when I change you know move on - sometimes people are very surprised. That's not so much because I do so very much. It's because are colorful collegues do so damn little.
TDH: You mentioned you changing - A lot of people think of David Lee Roth as the ultimate party man. The ultimate bad boy of rock-n-roll. Out drink, out lay, out lay, out fight, out party anybody. Aside from all the rumors - what's a day in the life of David....
DLR: (Cuts me off ) - Well wait a minute, wait a minute. I started those rumors.
(At this point I'm laughing and he's staring me dead on straight in the face. Then he pauses a moment looks straight into the camera and says) We'll be right back after this. (Big time laughter) Good commercial break! (Laughs)
TDH: You know what I'm trying to get to...
DLR: I know what you're trying to get to. Of course I know what you're trying to get to. I know what you're trying to get to before you know! (Laughs) Absolutely! Absolutely! Look - I'm going to lay one big giant umbrella disclaimer right here senator, okay? When you talk about the 70's and the 80's it was a different time in a place - a different day, a different age. Our culture walked, talked, dressed and slept together differently, okay? Before Reaganomics trashed the economy, Joe Blue Collar had some extra cash come Friday night, if you know what I mean? We had extra cash so we bought big cars so we could put the big gas in em. And we drove em to the big show and we bought extra large T-shirts and we had a big time! Big Bar-B-Que! And besides that, you didn't have to wear a condom. Now that right there will alter anybody's lyrical content. That right there would alter anybody's physical year. That right there is going to alter everything! And I was a reflection of that and was very free to share it with all kinds of people. What I am about today in 1994 is different. It's cumulative. There are a number of things that certainly remain the same, but my enthusiams come from an entirely different place sometimes. What is sexy to me now? I'll tell you now, when I go on a date with a girl for the first time I ask myself right off the bad - "Would I still be here if I was blind?" People say - we'll what's sexy to you now as opposed to what was 10 years ago perhaps? Smart and funny is what's the most sexy to me now. So my enthusiasm, my hormone level is still up at the same - through the ceiling! But for a different reason. And that's part of the fun of putting a little distance in the rear view mirror.
(The phone rings - Dave without missing a beat says "Hold my calls Ed!" to his former personal assistant Ed Anderson. Then my photographer Jim Treacy asks the next question)
JT: I've gott a question for you. This thing goes on the air at 6:20. Maybe someone is on the board of coming out to see you. What would you tell them to get you to come out and see you play?
DLR: What's going on down here is America. I've been all over the world. What time is it? I was just all around the rest of the world! I was just in Tokyo. I was just in London and Munich. I'm going to be in Rio de Janero soon. I'm going to be in Sydney - I'm going to play in 35 cities in Austrailia alone. I know the value of what's happening in our backyard. There's no place on earth man that has a river, kind of bar-b-que fest with the speedboats. That's the United States man! That's machinery! That's Boom! Moving you know. It makes an impact on people, whether it's building the Empire State Building or convincing to Iraqis to doing the right thing. And I'm part of that soundtrack. What I am has always been - you started to allude to it you know - is part of what the U.S.A. is. If you fold the map in half the line runs right through New Castle County, Indiana where I was born. And my music always came from that. What you hear is classics, from the old Van Halen stuff,whether it was doing the "Really Got Me", "Pretty Woman", Just a Giggalo", The California Girls, ya' know? This is stuff that cuts across many many different age groups and types of people. But you gotta watch out because this stuffs like a drug, it makes you feel young and impulsive. You might do rash things without thinking about it. It might make you want to operate some heavy machinery. (Laughs)
TDH: You've been in the music business for 16 years - on a professional basis. Where do you see yourself 16 years from now?
DLR: 16 summers and a million years ago...it all was settled right here! (Laughs) - Hey, the music changes. The shoes and the haircuts change. The only thing that doesn't change is the lyrics. The lyrics don't change because people don't change. Whatever it is - I love you baby I wished you love me. I love you - you don't love me, how come? We used to love eachother but I'm kinda losing it for you now (laughs)...That's never gonna change! But one day it's going to be electric guitars and the next day it's going to be somebody with some sassy brass. You know saxaphone was the first fuzz-tone instrument!
TDH: And throughout all the changes, you'll be rolling with the punches?
DLR: Well if you come from a more traditional background like I do, and I don't mean a concertorium of music. I mean playing in clubs and bars for five 45 minute sets a night. The same college that Travis Tritt graduated from. Same college that Keith Richards graduated from. Same college that John Lennon graduated from. It's that you know the whole alphabet of music. You've played a million other people's tunes in all kinds of frames of reference and you can continue to develop your own signature style, not follow the trends. Not reflect the fads.
Right then the tape runs out. We decied to cut the interview because I had to get this on for the 6:00 show and it was approaching 4:00. Dave invited us to join him for a pre-show meal. Because of our deadline, Jimmy and I politely declined, but said we'd love to catch up with him later. He was cool with it and we met up 30 minutes before show time. Eddie allowed me to shoot nearly the entire show for our 11:00 news, even going so far as to let me on stage for "A Little Bit of Luck". Unfortunately, I was new to the art of videography and my footage looks like ass. I cringe to this day that I didn't do a better job shooting it. After the show,me, my brother and his girlfriend at the time all got to hang out with Dave after the show. He handed us all cold cans of Bud and we shot the shit about the show. He was anxious to check out my footage (we had agreed that I would send him dubs) because he was floating around an idea of using footage from different shows for a video. I don't think anything ever became of that.
The one thing that sticks out the most while hanging out with Dave, is that out of nowhere - he excused himself to talk to a paraplegic fan of his. The kid didn't approach Dave - Dave made a point to go talk to him. He said he saw him at the show and wanted to thank him for coming. He then gave him an autographed picture, and posed for more photos that the family took. As I sat there watching all of this - I thought - man - he's truly a class act. People have a misconception that Dave is this egomaniac asshole that cares about no one but himself. He proved them wrong that night.
After 20 minutes we decided we didn't want to wear out our welcome and thanked Dave and Eddie for their hospitality. We invited them to the club I worked at, but he politely declined saying he had to be on the road early in the morning. We shook hands one final time and said our good byes. That was nearly 11 years ago. I remember it like it was 11 minutes ago.
Your Filthy Little Mouth was released 2 months earlier, and was not selling well. Besides "She's My Machine" - I hadn't heard any of the album. Dave was always a hero of mine, but in 94 my taste in music was shifting from classic VH to a more Stone Temple Pilots, Nine Inch Nails scene.
I was 22, just months from dropping out of Marshall University - and working at WOWK-TV, the CBS affiliate in town. I thought I was hot-shit because I was the only one in my journalism class that landed a TV gig before I graduated college. Nevermind that it was overnights, part-time, $5.25 an hour. I was on my way to becoming a big time TV reporter! Or so I thought at the time.
I made my contacts to set the interview up 2 weeks before the show, but nothing was confirmed until the day of. So with just 5 hours before Dave hits the stage - I get word that he's cool to sit down with me. We head to the Radisson (Huntington's biggest hotel) and I meet Dave's assistant Eddie Anderson. Eddie was super cool, very accomodating. He told me nothing was off limits, but I didn't have a lot of time. We then headed to a banquet room to set up our equipment.
I'm nervous as hell! This was my first interview with a big time rock-n-roll celebrity! And I haven't heard the new album - SHIT! What the hell am I going to do? Eddie comes to the rescue and hands me this 5 page press release detaling "Your Filthy Little Mouth". That's a relief! So now I'm scrambling to read this - and trying to remember all of the questions I plan on asking Dave. Shit this is TV! How's my hair?
15 minutes later Dave walks in wearing a pair of denim overalls with no shirt underneath, sandals, and a solid white trucker's cap. This was the first time I saw him with short hair. There was a familiar scent that followed him into the room. The kind of odor that filters out of Jeff Spicolli's van right after the school bell rings. He stuck out his hand for a shake as I introduced myself, and said "I"m Dave - let's chat." Thus begins my 25 minutes in Roth's world.
TDH: What part of you went into making the new album? What were your thoughts? What points were you trying to getting across?
DLR: A great deal of what I do is reflect what is going on around me. That's my job as an artist. A lot of what I see kind of strikes me as kind of humoresque, but I'm not a comedian - unless you consider Lenny Bruce or Mark Twain to be comedians. It's part of that. I'm a traditionalist in a sense that I'm not always trying to invent something brand new, so much as to get something classic and traditional - to get it right.(Laughs) Each time you do it, whatever it is - something that you do with your voice or something you do onstage or what have you, some of it is classic and traditional. Um, I went to New York City, not because it's so much of a Love/Hate affair - there's a lot less love. (Laughs) But New York certainly more closely reflects the dinner table that I grew up at when I was a kid. And I say this with all the love and affection in the world Mom and Dad, you know truly. But my dinner table where I was at from grade school to junior high was - distant, sarcastic, non-believing (Laughs) and really good - you got your best work. It either encouraged you minorly or discouraged you totally. Obviously it encouraged me. That and I'm hyper-active. They used to say I was hyper-active, now they say I'm supremely motivated and achievement-oriented. (Laughs) It's like my pal Rich back in NY. He works at the hospital, he was security - now he's lost control (Laughs)
TDH: Same job, new title!
DLR: Oh well you know, that's what makes America great. It's the same shoe, but for Christsakes it's Christmas man - look at the window (Laughs) You can do that. You can re-invent.
TDH: You got a whole new band this time around.
DLR: You know what, it's not about the band - um so much for me...beyond the classic Van Halen. There are very few people who were lucky enough to play ball for a living. And out of those few, even fewer are lucky enough to win the Super Bowl a couple of times. I did that with Van Halen. We did that together. Classic teams, right on par with the Oakland Raiders of the late seventies! Remember that wrecking crew? And that was classic. It's never going to get better. Might get as good as - but not gonna more impact there. I've always said that - it's something I treasure - I'm proud of. Um, there's a very small group of people in the world who with like a little tiny club of guys and gals who've sold over 60-70 million records. It's like - whew, I'll be a member of that club for the rest of my life man. And Ed Van Halen and the guys are part of that. To try and transcend that or you know to try to compete with that - no. Because I come from that team. When people come to see David Lee Roth they're coming to see the music. They're coming to see those songs performed. And they're coming to see all the things that glue those things together. All the illumination and illustrations of what is about to come up, and all of the forgiveness and alibis for what just transpired (Laughs)
TDH: You mention forgiveness and alibis. There are some rumors - and I don't want to dwell on old Van Halen stuff. You're moving on, you're doing well - There were some rumors last year of a reunion.
DLR: There are always rumors of a reunion with Van Halen because technically and amatomically - well as soon as learn to say "anatonically" you'll know even better what I mean - I'm supposed to be falling apart. Van Halen is one of - well it's gotta be the only remaining super group where all the members are still alive and functioning fully there. So that's something that people will entertain. And who knows - time will tell.
TDH: When you got your...
DLR: Let's move on.
TDH: Okay, I understand. The new album...is there a more mature approach to songwriting? You've changed a little bit.
DLR: I think I've changed. I think I've changed!!!
TDH: You don't like the Diamond Dave tag of old?
DLR: Oh I think the Diamond Dave is part of me. That's part of where I grew up. That's some vaudeville. That's some...um...that's a little bit of burlesque. That's a little bit of a lot different things, but the heart and soul of it comes from a generation or 2 who still reads books - eats red meat! (Laughs)
TDH: Out of all the solo albums you've done - this is your 5th now, which is the one that sticks out as being your best work?
DLR: I don't know if I can name what is my best work because I'm doing the very best I can at all times. And that's what I tell perspiring young new musicians (Laughs). They'll sometimes, you know the beginners ask me - Hey Dave, David Lee - what's your..you have any advice? And I say yeh. You know we all start off looking for love, attention, to achieve in music, make a contribution, make a million bucks, these are all great and honorable things. Great! While you're working for them you've got to set your own goals to work your ass off all the time - every time. And if you become "Mr. Popular Flavor of The Week" you earned it for the right reasons. And you adjust to it a little better than say the Jackson Family (Laughs). And if you're not "Mr. Flavor of The Week Mr. Popular" you still did your finest hardest work all the way through. And that's a feeling that you get that will carry you through all ups and downs, and much more fulfilling than any amount of money or any kind of popularity from the rest of the tribe.
TDH: The last time you were here in Huntington was 1986 - Cinderella opened up for you. Now you're back 8 years later. What are you going to show the fans tonight?
DLR: Well you know, times change and people change. But we become numb of a musician changing frequently - especially with my kind of musical background. I came out of the slam dunk rock kind of - whatever it was - in the late seventies and early eighties. And the only remainder of that grouping are your Ozzy Osbournes and whatnot - which are kind of 2 dimensional kind of characters - you know they sort of repeat themselves over and over and over again. Right down to the tights and the big white tennis shoes. Which is great! If it's a living, if it's good work - get it! (Laughs) God bless! Far be it for me to just crash for another musician. On the other hand, it's Flintstones Vitamins for children, ok? And real people, those of us who carry the card that says "audience" all right? And that's where I come in first okay, is - you change. What we are today is not what we were 5 years ago. How damn boring if it was? You want to be the same jerk that got off the bus 20 years from now that got on? Why take the ride? Be an art project - don't just wear one, you know? And that is how a lot of other artist and a lot of other musical backgrounds approach it. So when I cut my hair or when I change you know move on - sometimes people are very surprised. That's not so much because I do so very much. It's because are colorful collegues do so damn little.
TDH: You mentioned you changing - A lot of people think of David Lee Roth as the ultimate party man. The ultimate bad boy of rock-n-roll. Out drink, out lay, out lay, out fight, out party anybody. Aside from all the rumors - what's a day in the life of David....
DLR: (Cuts me off ) - Well wait a minute, wait a minute. I started those rumors.
(At this point I'm laughing and he's staring me dead on straight in the face. Then he pauses a moment looks straight into the camera and says) We'll be right back after this. (Big time laughter) Good commercial break! (Laughs)
TDH: You know what I'm trying to get to...
DLR: I know what you're trying to get to. Of course I know what you're trying to get to. I know what you're trying to get to before you know! (Laughs) Absolutely! Absolutely! Look - I'm going to lay one big giant umbrella disclaimer right here senator, okay? When you talk about the 70's and the 80's it was a different time in a place - a different day, a different age. Our culture walked, talked, dressed and slept together differently, okay? Before Reaganomics trashed the economy, Joe Blue Collar had some extra cash come Friday night, if you know what I mean? We had extra cash so we bought big cars so we could put the big gas in em. And we drove em to the big show and we bought extra large T-shirts and we had a big time! Big Bar-B-Que! And besides that, you didn't have to wear a condom. Now that right there will alter anybody's lyrical content. That right there would alter anybody's physical year. That right there is going to alter everything! And I was a reflection of that and was very free to share it with all kinds of people. What I am about today in 1994 is different. It's cumulative. There are a number of things that certainly remain the same, but my enthusiams come from an entirely different place sometimes. What is sexy to me now? I'll tell you now, when I go on a date with a girl for the first time I ask myself right off the bad - "Would I still be here if I was blind?" People say - we'll what's sexy to you now as opposed to what was 10 years ago perhaps? Smart and funny is what's the most sexy to me now. So my enthusiasm, my hormone level is still up at the same - through the ceiling! But for a different reason. And that's part of the fun of putting a little distance in the rear view mirror.
(The phone rings - Dave without missing a beat says "Hold my calls Ed!" to his former personal assistant Ed Anderson. Then my photographer Jim Treacy asks the next question)
JT: I've gott a question for you. This thing goes on the air at 6:20. Maybe someone is on the board of coming out to see you. What would you tell them to get you to come out and see you play?
DLR: What's going on down here is America. I've been all over the world. What time is it? I was just all around the rest of the world! I was just in Tokyo. I was just in London and Munich. I'm going to be in Rio de Janero soon. I'm going to be in Sydney - I'm going to play in 35 cities in Austrailia alone. I know the value of what's happening in our backyard. There's no place on earth man that has a river, kind of bar-b-que fest with the speedboats. That's the United States man! That's machinery! That's Boom! Moving you know. It makes an impact on people, whether it's building the Empire State Building or convincing to Iraqis to doing the right thing. And I'm part of that soundtrack. What I am has always been - you started to allude to it you know - is part of what the U.S.A. is. If you fold the map in half the line runs right through New Castle County, Indiana where I was born. And my music always came from that. What you hear is classics, from the old Van Halen stuff,whether it was doing the "Really Got Me", "Pretty Woman", Just a Giggalo", The California Girls, ya' know? This is stuff that cuts across many many different age groups and types of people. But you gotta watch out because this stuffs like a drug, it makes you feel young and impulsive. You might do rash things without thinking about it. It might make you want to operate some heavy machinery. (Laughs)
TDH: You've been in the music business for 16 years - on a professional basis. Where do you see yourself 16 years from now?
DLR: 16 summers and a million years ago...it all was settled right here! (Laughs) - Hey, the music changes. The shoes and the haircuts change. The only thing that doesn't change is the lyrics. The lyrics don't change because people don't change. Whatever it is - I love you baby I wished you love me. I love you - you don't love me, how come? We used to love eachother but I'm kinda losing it for you now (laughs)...That's never gonna change! But one day it's going to be electric guitars and the next day it's going to be somebody with some sassy brass. You know saxaphone was the first fuzz-tone instrument!
TDH: And throughout all the changes, you'll be rolling with the punches?
DLR: Well if you come from a more traditional background like I do, and I don't mean a concertorium of music. I mean playing in clubs and bars for five 45 minute sets a night. The same college that Travis Tritt graduated from. Same college that Keith Richards graduated from. Same college that John Lennon graduated from. It's that you know the whole alphabet of music. You've played a million other people's tunes in all kinds of frames of reference and you can continue to develop your own signature style, not follow the trends. Not reflect the fads.
Right then the tape runs out. We decied to cut the interview because I had to get this on for the 6:00 show and it was approaching 4:00. Dave invited us to join him for a pre-show meal. Because of our deadline, Jimmy and I politely declined, but said we'd love to catch up with him later. He was cool with it and we met up 30 minutes before show time. Eddie allowed me to shoot nearly the entire show for our 11:00 news, even going so far as to let me on stage for "A Little Bit of Luck". Unfortunately, I was new to the art of videography and my footage looks like ass. I cringe to this day that I didn't do a better job shooting it. After the show,me, my brother and his girlfriend at the time all got to hang out with Dave after the show. He handed us all cold cans of Bud and we shot the shit about the show. He was anxious to check out my footage (we had agreed that I would send him dubs) because he was floating around an idea of using footage from different shows for a video. I don't think anything ever became of that.
The one thing that sticks out the most while hanging out with Dave, is that out of nowhere - he excused himself to talk to a paraplegic fan of his. The kid didn't approach Dave - Dave made a point to go talk to him. He said he saw him at the show and wanted to thank him for coming. He then gave him an autographed picture, and posed for more photos that the family took. As I sat there watching all of this - I thought - man - he's truly a class act. People have a misconception that Dave is this egomaniac asshole that cares about no one but himself. He proved them wrong that night.
After 20 minutes we decided we didn't want to wear out our welcome and thanked Dave and Eddie for their hospitality. We invited them to the club I worked at, but he politely declined saying he had to be on the road early in the morning. We shook hands one final time and said our good byes. That was nearly 11 years ago. I remember it like it was 11 minutes ago.
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