August 21, 2025 • 25 mins
Join us for a classic replay with Carnie Wilson. Besides being the daughter of the late Brian Wilson, Carnie is a singer, actress, and television personality. You also know her from her music career with the band Wilson Phillips.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Taking a Walk.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
You know, Paul McCartney. They said that he really wanted
to do it. And that's who I'm waiting for, is Paul.
I want to talk about when he came over to
my house and what happened when he came over and
we sang at the piano together and Elton John, you know,
I mean Elton John picked me up and put me
back in my crib when I was a toddler. That's
the thing that's so cool is I've got these stories
(00:22):
because of my life.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Welcome to the Taking a Walk podcast, the podcast where
Buzz Night talks with musicians and gets the inside story
about their careers, their latest projects, and their passions. On
this episode, Carnie Wilson joins buzz to talk about her
TV show on Access Sounds Delicious, her father Brian Wilson's influence,
(00:44):
and her musical career with Wilson Phillips. Carney has not
only been a musician, but over the years, she's appeared
on multiple television shows as an actor a host, including
on E and Entertainment Tonight. Carney Wilson joins Buzz Night
next on Taking a Walk.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Carnie Wilson, how is your dad.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Doing he's doing very well. It's his birthday today, and
he's doing great. He's just you know, he's getting older,
and every day there's a new little surprise, little you know,
there's there's moving forward, there's setbacks, there's all kinds of stuff.
And I guess that's just how we are in life.
(01:26):
So he's so loved and he knows that, and and
I really I think he's improving. I think he's doing great.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
How did growing up with your dad shape your musical
journey and aspirations?
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Well, I mean, my parents divorced when I was young,
so I have I have quite a few memories, and
there's a lot of special ones. And depending on how
like how I am, you know, like mentally that day
or or spiritually that day, often I reflect, you know,
(02:04):
and when I'm feeling shitty or just feeling like, I
don't know, impatient, or in self pity or something like that,
then I tend to think about negative things. And then
when I'm trying to pick myself out of a funk
or you know, just kind of feeling a little more inspired,
(02:25):
then I'll think about good times there. And just like
anyone in any family, you know, I don't think it
matters if you come from a musical family, a family
of doctors, a family of plumbers, of family, you know,
a secretaries. It's just like every family has some dysfunction.
And the one thread I think was music and that
(02:51):
we all feel and we're all tied together by each
member of my family. So music was very important to
our whole family, our whole lives. And I was you know,
I heard in the womb and grew up with it
and it was kind of like an arrow I was following,
just like this is what I have to do. I know,
I know, this is my calling. And there were a
(03:12):
lot of wonderful influences.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
You know, as someone who's had personal struggles, how important
has music been in helping you through those challenges?
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Well, I mean that's that's a great that's a great question.
And it's it's it's more like a for me, it's
like a statement. You know. It's like music helps you
get through the good times and the bad times. It's
like you music is healing, you know, especially harmony for me,
So when I want to feel spiritual or grounded or
(03:48):
calm and serene, you know, I put on the eagles
and or or any group that has beautiful harmonies Steely
Dan and Dewy brother as the Beach Boys, you know,
and I listened to the harmony and I just I
feel or you know, Little River Band, you know, and
I feel like like something's being like connected again, you know.
(04:10):
And it doesn't mean that it's the answer every time,
but there's definitely a there's definitely a place that it's
a purpose that that it serves. And it's usually to
help lift my spirits, or it's usually to call me,
or it's usually or or it can be just like
you know, when I'm cooking and I put on like
(04:30):
to be fifty twos and then I start, you know,
dancing around my kitchen and start like you know, singing
and feeling happy. Or I blasted in my car, you know,
I love love blasting music in my car. I mean,
you got to be careful with like you know, fire
rages or anything like that. But like, I play my
music really fucking loud in my car because I have
a great stereo and I love to hear it blasting.
(04:52):
I love the bass. I want to hear it. I
want to feel it in my butt sheeks, you know
what I mean.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
I love.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
That's really weird to say.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
I think it's sensational to say, you know, you have
this knack. I've observed you through your media career, your
television career. I've observed it with Sounds Delicious, the New Show.
You have this knack for making your guests and those
around you comfortable. Who did you learn this from?
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Well, that's nice of you to say, but I don't know.
I mean, I think it goes back to like actually
like childhood, like being being the person that was like
teased and bullied and you know, made to feel like
I was there was something wrong with me because I
was overweight. For real, I really think that it was
(05:49):
self taught because my mom is very warm and very
open and you know, and we are as a family.
Because it's just personalities too, I mean, I mean, when
you come down to when it comes down to it,
it's just personality, right. Some people are more shy and outgoing,
and some people also have the ability to read people.
And I do think I have that ability. But at
the same time, I think it's it's about like I
(06:13):
want to feel accepted and comfortable, and so I want
that for other people. I tend to like full First off,
I overanalyze everything, so like I might think I know
the answer, like, oh, I know how that person's feeling
because I can tell by it to look in their
eyes or their body language, you know, And so I
assess it, and then I'm like, well, what's the situation here?
Are we like having are we just having a conversation
(06:35):
at a party? Are we at dinner? Are we at
a workplace? Are we having fun? Are we? And it's like,
for me, it's just about connection. I really ultimately think
that I crave, I crave and I yearn you know,
to like connect with people because everybody has like special
(06:55):
qualities and I love learning from people and taking them
in and really like seeing like everybody's individual, but we're
kind of all the same. It's a trip.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
But you're a good listener also, I.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Mean I try to be. I've learned that through my sobriety.
I've learned that through maturity, having children, you know, because
I know, and my husband, my husband, because because he
would we would argue we've been married for almost twenty
five years or twenty four years, and like we he
(07:31):
would say to me, you're not listening to me, and
I'd be like well, wait a minute, maybe I'm not,
you know, and so I'd have to shut up, shut
my fucking pie hole, you know, and take a breath
and like say, geez, I am not. I'm trying to
get my point across, and I'm driving it into I'm
(07:53):
like drilling it into into his trying to drill it
in his brain. But it's not fair, like he has
a point interview, It's not fair to be selfish like that,
you know. So listening to other people is I think
the opposite of being selfish. It's easy to do. It's
easy to be me, me, me, me, you know, and
being your own, your own feelings. But having children as well,
(08:18):
I mean it's like I think, I know it's best
for them, and they are their own person, and I
have to learn from them and listen to them too.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
Who are some interviewers or hosts that have had an
impact and an influence on you?
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Interviewers are hosts? That's a hard question. I've never been
asked that question, and I probably would need more time
with that one. Truthfully, I've done hundreds of interviews, and
hundreds I think when I talk with people that are
mothers or their or their alcoholics you know, I think
(08:52):
I definitely relate to people like that because they're like
they're like the most challenging thing ever.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
You know.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
Sobriety is challenging, motherhood is challenging. But I don't know,
I have to think about that more. I think, how.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
About three quintessential albums that have impacted you to this day?
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Oh god, that's hard. That is almost an unfair question. Okay, four,
I have such a My taste in music is so
it's so vast, you know, there's just I love. Okay,
So the B fifty two is the first record that
(09:35):
one for sure dances. Mess Around is like like like
a ridiculous song that completely blows my mind and rock
lobster like turned me up upside down and still does
I love pet sounds. I know that sounds like it's
totally expected for me to say that, But when I
(09:56):
listen to that record, I don't listen to it for
like the I listened to it because it's so so
deep and uh, oh god, this is really hard.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
It is hard making choices. I agree.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
I mean, I mean, you know, like I love we
could just say like the best of so, you know,
I mean Asia by Steely Dan that's another whopper. I
love the Dowie Brothers so much and and I love Heart.
But yeah, I mean there's there, there are, there are
a lot of records Diva, Andy Lennox, Diva. That whole
(10:36):
album is like off, It's off the scale, just production wise, sonically,
her voice, the songwriting, her singing. I mean, Diva is
to me, it was just it just was like it
just transcends, you know.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
So talk about how Wilson Phillips was was formed and
how you all decided to get that signature, your sound
that was and is Wilson Phillips.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
Well, I was out of high school and I was
I made a decision to not go to college, made
a decision to jump into the industry as an actress.
But I was obsessed with singing in harmony and I
was a stoner.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
I was.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
I was really like I just wanted to party. I
wanted to smoke pod all day, all day long and
just like listen to music. And the CD had just
came out and it was an unbelievable sound. And I
was just really like really in a party, party, party phase.
But I was very obsessed with music, and you know,
China and when and I have always been friends since
(11:46):
you know, birth, so it was natural to see each other,
but we hadn't seen each other in a while, a
few years, I think, And there was an idea to
do a charity record with some other sixties artists kids,
and only a few people wanted to do it. And
it was Wendy, China and Mama Cass's daughter, and we
(12:08):
all kind of sat around and you know, we take
in between our bong hits, we just like would listen
to like Stevie Nicks and Heart and and we China
didn't even know how to sing harmony, and it was
I was really like obsessed with like getting everybody like, Okay,
let's let's sit around here. I'm going to take the
(12:28):
low part when you sing the high part, here's your part, China,
and we just like started vocalizing and singing the songs
that we were listening to, and it was like we
were trying to imitate it. And I'm sure the harmony
parts weren't exact, but there was a sound that we
were just completely like wow. When the three when the
three of us in particular sanging at three part harmony,
(12:49):
it was like it was another voice that that emerged.
It was like another It was like a separate voice between,
you know, besides the three of us. It became one
and it was really really apparent. And my mom heard
us through the through the ceiling, and she was like
She came downstairs and she said, what are you guys doing?
And we said, we're singing harmony of Mama. You know,
(13:10):
we're singing harmony. And she goes, do you know how
great you sound together? Like really, do you what is that?
And she heard the sound, you know, And I'm grateful
that she was there that day because she's she confirmed
what we were all feeling, you know what I mean.
And she said, what are you gonna do about it?
And we were like, why, what do you mean?
Speaker 1 (13:29):
You know?
Speaker 2 (13:29):
And we said, we have no clue. We just we
were singing, you know, Stevie Nick's songs from from Wildheart
and Bella Donna and we're like, okay, we sound amazing,
now what you know? And then we called up a
producer that Michelle knew, Richard Perry, who is very famous
some of the best records of all time he produced,
you know, I mean, and and we went to his
(13:52):
house and we and you know, he rolled a joint
and we you know, mutual Stoner's fellow, my Spale Stoner,
and we just like started singing and he was just like,
I just can't believe what I'm hearing, you know, and
got in the studio and he hooked us up with
Glenn Ballard. We started writing songs with Glenn, and then
(14:13):
before we knew it, we were in front of like
nine record companies fighting to sign us. And it was
an absolute insanely fortunate position to be in. But we
worked really hard at it for four years, writing songs
and getting our shit together, you know, and realizing we
are a group, We're a vocal group, we want to
(14:35):
make a record, and SBK signed us and we were
off for the races.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
What's it like when your music becomes part of you know,
pop culture specifically, you know, your music being in Bridesmaids, Well, I.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
Mean all the years that we've been you know, the
music's been on the radio, and all the record that
we sold, and we were never a touring band, but
we did tour, but we it was more about the
impact I think that the music had on people. You know,
It's it's more I feel like it's it's the songs
(15:18):
like hold On and Release Me and You're in Love
and I feel like those songs, you know, they were
number one records. But at the same time, I think
it goes much deeper than just a chart and climbing
up the charts and whatever it is. I mean, we
worked really hard to get like every radio station you know,
to play us and everything. But I'm glad we did
that because we did get I mean back in the
(15:38):
day when we were making records, when we were you know,
first promoting the record and when it was released, it
took the people to hear the record and call in
to request it to get the spins. And then once
the spins happened, you know, then then you got the ads,
and the ads would then they would that would make
you rise on the charts. So it was like this
(15:59):
domino of thing. It wasn't like some like OZ, you know,
pulling the string going okay, you got number one record.
You had to sell records, and you had to have
your records being they were called spins you know, on
the on those radio stations. And it's not like that anymore.
And it's just it's not that it's bad, it's just
it's just different. But but we could. Really it was
(16:23):
like palpable, you know, to feel the public's embrace and
the meaning that the songs had in their lives. That's
that's the part that is the most important thing. I mean,
I'm in my office here and I'm looking at you know,
like fifty different gold albums on the wall or maybe thirty,
(16:44):
you know, and and different you know, accolades and all
the awards, you know, and I have all my awards
and everything, and and don't get me wrong, it's a
beautiful feeling to see that because it's like this like
recognition and everything. Well, and then I go, well, all right,
that's just a number of what.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
We sold.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
But the truth is, when I really like look into it,
it's like, Okay, I see ten million records in the
United States. That means that ten million people, ten million
people took money out of their wallets and bought the
fucking record. And whether they listened to it once or
(17:24):
it became like an anthem, or it became something that
saved their life, which I've heard many times, that is extraordinary.
And I do not and will never take that for granted.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
I got chills what you're talking about it, you know.
Speaker 4 (17:40):
Yeah, yeah, so you're having a blast with Sounds Delicious
Tuesday's nine pm Pacific, Encore episodes Saturdays and Sundays on Axis.
Speaker 3 (17:51):
Tell me how much fun you're.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
Having, Well, I mean, you asked me if I preferred
singing or cooking. I swear I don't know. I think
that's why the oh is what it is. It's both,
and it's and it's music and because when I cook,
I sing, I love music. I play music, and and
then it's just it's inspiring, you know, both inspire me.
(18:13):
I found my passion in cooking and baking and feeding
other people, you know, And I think I want, I
secretly want to like tell people like you do that too,
because the feeling is so great, and food is very
meaningful to me in my family and in my life,
you know. So it's it's been it's been a battle,
(18:36):
you know, not it's been a struggle to be heavy
set and like be addicted to food, you know, and
then being able to celebrate it at the same time
and having you know, just like regulator, like a like
a like a a limit and so I can listen
(18:59):
to as much music as I want, I can sing
as much as I want. You know, forever, But I
can't eat as much as I want. I can't eat
all the foods that I want. And so when I'm
in the kitchen and you know, like you said, connecting
with the guests on the show, like I feel, it's
that satisfying and it's that gratifying. So it gives me
(19:21):
the same pleasure. But I know, I mean, I know
that answer was all.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
Over the place.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
But really, truthfully, it's like singing and cooking and music
and cooking are somehow tied together for me, and they're
the most important things in my life. My children of
course the number one of course. But it's funny because
my kids love food and love cooking and love singing.
(19:46):
So you know, we cook together, we bake together, we
sing together. That's my family, that's my friends. So it's
like when I do this show, when I do these
episodes that the guests come on and we share that
love of music and love of cooking and love of eating,
and it's the best.
Speaker 3 (20:07):
What was it like working with that shy flower of
an individual named d Snyder.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
He's so amazing. I just you know, it's like he's
so I mean, out of all the guests, really he's
he's just had so much life experience too, you know
what I mean. And he is I mean, every guest
is special in their own way. I mean, I really
love everybody that was on the show so very much.
They're so sweet and really great people. I mean, I
(20:38):
surround myself with good peeps. I don't like assholes, I
don't like dicks, I don't like phony people. I like
real good people. And I like spirited people and passionate people.
And d d is you know, funny and strong and
you know he has a voice, not just as a
(21:00):
singer and as an entertainer, but you know he has
strong beliefs and he's a good man. You know, he's
a grandpa. He's a husband of a long marriage and
I respect him. And he's just fucking funny.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
You know.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
He is, he's, he's he is a rare breed.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
He is.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
And some of your other guests, Mark McGrath, terrific, Alisa
Loebe who are some new targets maybe you're thinking of, Well.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
I mean, I would love to have my friend Joey
from and Sink Joey Fatone. He's one of my best friends.
And he was not he was you know, on tour traveling,
and there were there were a few people that couldn't
come because they were on tour. And you know, Paul McCartney,
they they said that he really wanted to do it.
And that's who I'm waiting for, is Paul. I want
(21:52):
to talk about when he came over in my house
and what happened when he came over and we sang
at the piano together and Elton John, you know, I
mean Elton John picked me up and put me back
in my crib when I was when I was a toddler.
It's like, that's the thing that's so cool, is you
got I've got these stories because of my life, and
I want to I know, Paul loves food. He's a vegetarian.
(22:16):
His daughter's a vegan, Mary. They love food, and you know,
you want to cook quen wha, you want to cook
a steak, let's go, you know, But like, who's going
to be able to talk about the time that Paul
McCartney came over when I was a kid and we
sang My Bonnie Lives over the Ocean at the piano.
It's so cool.
Speaker 3 (22:37):
Wow, I love it. Carneie. In closing, is there career
satisfaction you are still hoping to achieve.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Well, I mean I have a lot of personal I
have like insecurities, you know. I mean sometimes when I
go to the movies and I see movies and I
watch a TV show, and I know, I see the actresses,
actors a part of me and the roles and the
scripts and the stories, and I think like, wow, you know,
I wish, I wish I had that role. I wish
(23:11):
that I did that. And I think there's just this roadblock,
this block that I that I just it's like a sabotage,
you know. I mean, one day, who knows, maybe I'll
break down that barrier and and just like find that
part of me that's willing to be vulnerable and do that.
So that's definitely something. But I you know, I kind
(23:35):
of love being in the kitchen and if I can
continue doing that and and monetizing that, I mean it's
I don't have an education. I mean, I never saved money.
I have to work like other people do. And people
might find that surprising, but I don't care. It is
what it is, and that's what makes me human. And
(23:57):
you know, I know how to make money. I don't
know how to save money, I can say that I
don't know. I'm never I like my little you know,
I like my my lifestyle, but you know, health first,
family first, food, music first, and that's what keeps me happy.
So I'm open to what's next. I don't know what's next,
(24:22):
and my mom always says to me, you never know
what's around the corner, so don't be afraid to look.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
Carnie Wilson, Oh You're the best. Sounds delicious Tuesday's nine
pm Pacific Encore episodes Saturday and Sunday. Carney, thanks for
being on Taking a Walk.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
Oh You're so sweet. It was so great to talk
with you, and thanks to you and your listeners and everything.
I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (24:51):
Thanks for listening to this episode of the Taking a
Walk podcast. Share this and other episodes with your friends
and follow us so you never it's an episode. Taking
a Walk is available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts,
and wherever you get your podcasts.
Taking a Walk.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
You know, Paul McCartney. They said that he really wanted
to do it. And that's who I'm waiting for, is Paul.
I want to talk about when he came over to
my house and what happened when he came over and
we sang at the piano together and Elton John, you know,
I mean Elton John picked me up and put me
back in my crib when I was a toddler. That's
the thing that's so cool is I've got these stories
(00:22):
because of my life.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Welcome to the Taking a Walk podcast, the podcast where
Buzz Night talks with musicians and gets the inside story
about their careers, their latest projects, and their passions. On
this episode, Carnie Wilson joins buzz to talk about her
TV show on Access Sounds Delicious, her father Brian Wilson's influence,
(00:44):
and her musical career with Wilson Phillips. Carney has not
only been a musician, but over the years, she's appeared
on multiple television shows as an actor a host, including
on E and Entertainment Tonight. Carney Wilson joins Buzz Night
next on Taking a Walk.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Carnie Wilson, how is your dad.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Doing he's doing very well. It's his birthday today, and
he's doing great. He's just you know, he's getting older,
and every day there's a new little surprise, little you know,
there's there's moving forward, there's setbacks, there's all kinds of stuff.
And I guess that's just how we are in life.
(01:26):
So he's so loved and he knows that, and and
I really I think he's improving. I think he's doing great.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
How did growing up with your dad shape your musical
journey and aspirations?
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Well, I mean, my parents divorced when I was young,
so I have I have quite a few memories, and
there's a lot of special ones. And depending on how
like how I am, you know, like mentally that day
or or spiritually that day, often I reflect, you know,
(02:04):
and when I'm feeling shitty or just feeling like, I
don't know, impatient, or in self pity or something like that,
then I tend to think about negative things. And then
when I'm trying to pick myself out of a funk
or you know, just kind of feeling a little more inspired,
(02:25):
then I'll think about good times there. And just like
anyone in any family, you know, I don't think it
matters if you come from a musical family, a family
of doctors, a family of plumbers, of family, you know,
a secretaries. It's just like every family has some dysfunction.
And the one thread I think was music and that
(02:51):
we all feel and we're all tied together by each
member of my family. So music was very important to
our whole family, our whole lives. And I was you know,
I heard in the womb and grew up with it
and it was kind of like an arrow I was following,
just like this is what I have to do. I know,
I know, this is my calling. And there were a
(03:12):
lot of wonderful influences.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
You know, as someone who's had personal struggles, how important
has music been in helping you through those challenges?
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Well, I mean that's that's a great that's a great question.
And it's it's it's more like a for me, it's
like a statement. You know. It's like music helps you
get through the good times and the bad times. It's
like you music is healing, you know, especially harmony for me,
So when I want to feel spiritual or grounded or
(03:48):
calm and serene, you know, I put on the eagles
and or or any group that has beautiful harmonies Steely
Dan and Dewy brother as the Beach Boys, you know,
and I listened to the harmony and I just I
feel or you know, Little River Band, you know, and
I feel like like something's being like connected again, you know.
(04:10):
And it doesn't mean that it's the answer every time,
but there's definitely a there's definitely a place that it's
a purpose that that it serves. And it's usually to
help lift my spirits, or it's usually to call me,
or it's usually or or it can be just like
you know, when I'm cooking and I put on like
(04:30):
to be fifty twos and then I start, you know,
dancing around my kitchen and start like you know, singing
and feeling happy. Or I blasted in my car, you know,
I love love blasting music in my car. I mean,
you got to be careful with like you know, fire
rages or anything like that. But like, I play my
music really fucking loud in my car because I have
a great stereo and I love to hear it blasting.
(04:52):
I love the bass. I want to hear it. I
want to feel it in my butt sheeks, you know
what I mean.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
I love.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
That's really weird to say.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
I think it's sensational to say, you know, you have
this knack. I've observed you through your media career, your
television career. I've observed it with Sounds Delicious, the New Show.
You have this knack for making your guests and those
around you comfortable. Who did you learn this from?
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Well, that's nice of you to say, but I don't know.
I mean, I think it goes back to like actually
like childhood, like being being the person that was like
teased and bullied and you know, made to feel like
I was there was something wrong with me because I
was overweight. For real, I really think that it was
(05:49):
self taught because my mom is very warm and very
open and you know, and we are as a family.
Because it's just personalities too, I mean, I mean, when
you come down to when it comes down to it,
it's just personality, right. Some people are more shy and outgoing,
and some people also have the ability to read people.
And I do think I have that ability. But at
the same time, I think it's it's about like I
(06:13):
want to feel accepted and comfortable, and so I want
that for other people. I tend to like full First off,
I overanalyze everything, so like I might think I know
the answer, like, oh, I know how that person's feeling
because I can tell by it to look in their
eyes or their body language, you know, And so I
assess it, and then I'm like, well, what's the situation here?
Are we like having are we just having a conversation
(06:35):
at a party? Are we at dinner? Are we at
a workplace? Are we having fun? Are we? And it's like,
for me, it's just about connection. I really ultimately think
that I crave, I crave and I yearn you know,
to like connect with people because everybody has like special
(06:55):
qualities and I love learning from people and taking them
in and really like seeing like everybody's individual, but we're
kind of all the same. It's a trip.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
But you're a good listener also, I.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Mean I try to be. I've learned that through my sobriety.
I've learned that through maturity, having children, you know, because
I know, and my husband, my husband, because because he
would we would argue we've been married for almost twenty
five years or twenty four years, and like we he
(07:31):
would say to me, you're not listening to me, and
I'd be like well, wait a minute, maybe I'm not,
you know, and so I'd have to shut up, shut
my fucking pie hole, you know, and take a breath
and like say, geez, I am not. I'm trying to
get my point across, and I'm driving it into I'm
(07:53):
like drilling it into into his trying to drill it
in his brain. But it's not fair, like he has
a point interview, It's not fair to be selfish like that,
you know. So listening to other people is I think
the opposite of being selfish. It's easy to do. It's
easy to be me, me, me, me, you know, and
being your own, your own feelings. But having children as well,
(08:18):
I mean it's like I think, I know it's best
for them, and they are their own person, and I
have to learn from them and listen to them too.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
Who are some interviewers or hosts that have had an
impact and an influence on you?
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Interviewers are hosts? That's a hard question. I've never been
asked that question, and I probably would need more time
with that one. Truthfully, I've done hundreds of interviews, and
hundreds I think when I talk with people that are
mothers or their or their alcoholics you know, I think
(08:52):
I definitely relate to people like that because they're like
they're like the most challenging thing ever.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
You know.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
Sobriety is challenging, motherhood is challenging. But I don't know,
I have to think about that more. I think, how.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
About three quintessential albums that have impacted you to this day?
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Oh god, that's hard. That is almost an unfair question. Okay, four,
I have such a My taste in music is so
it's so vast, you know, there's just I love. Okay,
So the B fifty two is the first record that
(09:35):
one for sure dances. Mess Around is like like like
a ridiculous song that completely blows my mind and rock
lobster like turned me up upside down and still does
I love pet sounds. I know that sounds like it's
totally expected for me to say that, But when I
(09:56):
listen to that record, I don't listen to it for
like the I listened to it because it's so so
deep and uh, oh god, this is really hard.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
It is hard making choices. I agree.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
I mean, I mean, you know, like I love we
could just say like the best of so, you know,
I mean Asia by Steely Dan that's another whopper. I
love the Dowie Brothers so much and and I love Heart.
But yeah, I mean there's there, there are, there are
a lot of records Diva, Andy Lennox, Diva. That whole
(10:36):
album is like off, It's off the scale, just production wise, sonically,
her voice, the songwriting, her singing. I mean, Diva is
to me, it was just it just was like it
just transcends, you know.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
So talk about how Wilson Phillips was was formed and
how you all decided to get that signature, your sound
that was and is Wilson Phillips.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
Well, I was out of high school and I was
I made a decision to not go to college, made
a decision to jump into the industry as an actress.
But I was obsessed with singing in harmony and I
was a stoner.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
I was.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
I was really like I just wanted to party. I
wanted to smoke pod all day, all day long and
just like listen to music. And the CD had just
came out and it was an unbelievable sound. And I
was just really like really in a party, party, party phase.
But I was very obsessed with music, and you know,
China and when and I have always been friends since
(11:46):
you know, birth, so it was natural to see each other,
but we hadn't seen each other in a while, a
few years, I think, And there was an idea to
do a charity record with some other sixties artists kids,
and only a few people wanted to do it. And
it was Wendy, China and Mama Cass's daughter, and we
(12:08):
all kind of sat around and you know, we take
in between our bong hits, we just like would listen
to like Stevie Nicks and Heart and and we China
didn't even know how to sing harmony, and it was
I was really like obsessed with like getting everybody like, Okay,
let's let's sit around here. I'm going to take the
(12:28):
low part when you sing the high part, here's your part, China,
and we just like started vocalizing and singing the songs
that we were listening to, and it was like we
were trying to imitate it. And I'm sure the harmony
parts weren't exact, but there was a sound that we
were just completely like wow. When the three when the
three of us in particular sanging at three part harmony,
(12:49):
it was like it was another voice that that emerged.
It was like another It was like a separate voice between,
you know, besides the three of us. It became one
and it was really really apparent. And my mom heard
us through the through the ceiling, and she was like
She came downstairs and she said, what are you guys doing?
And we said, we're singing harmony of Mama. You know,
(13:10):
we're singing harmony. And she goes, do you know how
great you sound together? Like really, do you what is that?
And she heard the sound, you know, And I'm grateful
that she was there that day because she's she confirmed
what we were all feeling, you know what I mean.
And she said, what are you gonna do about it?
And we were like, why, what do you mean?
Speaker 1 (13:29):
You know?
Speaker 2 (13:29):
And we said, we have no clue. We just we
were singing, you know, Stevie Nick's songs from from Wildheart
and Bella Donna and we're like, okay, we sound amazing,
now what you know? And then we called up a
producer that Michelle knew, Richard Perry, who is very famous
some of the best records of all time he produced,
you know, I mean, and and we went to his
(13:52):
house and we and you know, he rolled a joint
and we you know, mutual Stoner's fellow, my Spale Stoner,
and we just like started singing and he was just like,
I just can't believe what I'm hearing, you know, and
got in the studio and he hooked us up with
Glenn Ballard. We started writing songs with Glenn, and then
(14:13):
before we knew it, we were in front of like
nine record companies fighting to sign us. And it was
an absolute insanely fortunate position to be in. But we
worked really hard at it for four years, writing songs
and getting our shit together, you know, and realizing we
are a group, We're a vocal group, we want to
(14:35):
make a record, and SBK signed us and we were
off for the races.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
What's it like when your music becomes part of you know,
pop culture specifically, you know, your music being in Bridesmaids, Well, I.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
Mean all the years that we've been you know, the
music's been on the radio, and all the record that
we sold, and we were never a touring band, but
we did tour, but we it was more about the
impact I think that the music had on people. You know,
It's it's more I feel like it's it's the songs
(15:18):
like hold On and Release Me and You're in Love
and I feel like those songs, you know, they were
number one records. But at the same time, I think
it goes much deeper than just a chart and climbing
up the charts and whatever it is. I mean, we
worked really hard to get like every radio station you know,
to play us and everything. But I'm glad we did
that because we did get I mean back in the
(15:38):
day when we were making records, when we were you know,
first promoting the record and when it was released, it
took the people to hear the record and call in
to request it to get the spins. And then once
the spins happened, you know, then then you got the ads,
and the ads would then they would that would make
you rise on the charts. So it was like this
(15:59):
domino of thing. It wasn't like some like OZ, you know,
pulling the string going okay, you got number one record.
You had to sell records, and you had to have
your records being they were called spins you know, on
the on those radio stations. And it's not like that anymore.
And it's just it's not that it's bad, it's just
it's just different. But but we could. Really it was
(16:23):
like palpable, you know, to feel the public's embrace and
the meaning that the songs had in their lives. That's
that's the part that is the most important thing. I mean,
I'm in my office here and I'm looking at you know,
like fifty different gold albums on the wall or maybe thirty,
(16:44):
you know, and and different you know, accolades and all
the awards, you know, and I have all my awards
and everything, and and don't get me wrong, it's a
beautiful feeling to see that because it's like this like
recognition and everything. Well, and then I go, well, all right,
that's just a number of what.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
We sold.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
But the truth is, when I really like look into it,
it's like, Okay, I see ten million records in the
United States. That means that ten million people, ten million
people took money out of their wallets and bought the
fucking record. And whether they listened to it once or
(17:24):
it became like an anthem, or it became something that
saved their life, which I've heard many times, that is extraordinary.
And I do not and will never take that for granted.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
I got chills what you're talking about it, you know.
Speaker 4 (17:40):
Yeah, yeah, so you're having a blast with Sounds Delicious
Tuesday's nine pm Pacific, Encore episodes Saturdays and Sundays on Axis.
Speaker 3 (17:51):
Tell me how much fun you're.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
Having, Well, I mean, you asked me if I preferred
singing or cooking. I swear I don't know. I think
that's why the oh is what it is. It's both,
and it's and it's music and because when I cook,
I sing, I love music. I play music, and and
then it's just it's inspiring, you know, both inspire me.
(18:13):
I found my passion in cooking and baking and feeding
other people, you know, And I think I want, I
secretly want to like tell people like you do that too,
because the feeling is so great, and food is very
meaningful to me in my family and in my life,
you know. So it's it's been it's been a battle,
(18:36):
you know, not it's been a struggle to be heavy
set and like be addicted to food, you know, and
then being able to celebrate it at the same time
and having you know, just like regulator, like a like
a like a a limit and so I can listen
(18:59):
to as much music as I want, I can sing
as much as I want. You know, forever, But I
can't eat as much as I want. I can't eat
all the foods that I want. And so when I'm
in the kitchen and you know, like you said, connecting
with the guests on the show, like I feel, it's
that satisfying and it's that gratifying. So it gives me
(19:21):
the same pleasure. But I know, I mean, I know
that answer was all.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
Over the place.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
But really, truthfully, it's like singing and cooking and music
and cooking are somehow tied together for me, and they're
the most important things in my life. My children of
course the number one of course. But it's funny because
my kids love food and love cooking and love singing.
(19:46):
So you know, we cook together, we bake together, we
sing together. That's my family, that's my friends. So it's
like when I do this show, when I do these
episodes that the guests come on and we share that
love of music and love of cooking and love of eating,
and it's the best.
Speaker 3 (20:07):
What was it like working with that shy flower of
an individual named d Snyder.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
He's so amazing. I just you know, it's like he's
so I mean, out of all the guests, really he's
he's just had so much life experience too, you know
what I mean. And he is I mean, every guest
is special in their own way. I mean, I really
love everybody that was on the show so very much.
They're so sweet and really great people. I mean, I
(20:38):
surround myself with good peeps. I don't like assholes, I
don't like dicks, I don't like phony people. I like
real good people. And I like spirited people and passionate people.
And d d is you know, funny and strong and
you know he has a voice, not just as a
(21:00):
singer and as an entertainer, but you know he has
strong beliefs and he's a good man. You know, he's
a grandpa. He's a husband of a long marriage and
I respect him. And he's just fucking funny.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
You know.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
He is, he's, he's he is a rare breed.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
He is.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
And some of your other guests, Mark McGrath, terrific, Alisa
Loebe who are some new targets maybe you're thinking of, Well.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
I mean, I would love to have my friend Joey
from and Sink Joey Fatone. He's one of my best friends.
And he was not he was you know, on tour traveling,
and there were there were a few people that couldn't
come because they were on tour. And you know, Paul McCartney,
they they said that he really wanted to do it.
And that's who I'm waiting for, is Paul. I want
(21:52):
to talk about when he came over in my house
and what happened when he came over and we sang
at the piano together and Elton John, you know, I
mean Elton John picked me up and put me back
in my crib when I was when I was a toddler.
It's like, that's the thing that's so cool, is you
got I've got these stories because of my life, and
I want to I know, Paul loves food. He's a vegetarian.
(22:16):
His daughter's a vegan, Mary. They love food, and you know,
you want to cook quen wha, you want to cook
a steak, let's go, you know, But like, who's going
to be able to talk about the time that Paul
McCartney came over when I was a kid and we
sang My Bonnie Lives over the Ocean at the piano.
It's so cool.
Speaker 3 (22:37):
Wow, I love it. Carneie. In closing, is there career
satisfaction you are still hoping to achieve.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Well, I mean I have a lot of personal I
have like insecurities, you know. I mean sometimes when I
go to the movies and I see movies and I
watch a TV show, and I know, I see the actresses,
actors a part of me and the roles and the
scripts and the stories, and I think like, wow, you know,
I wish, I wish I had that role. I wish
(23:11):
that I did that. And I think there's just this roadblock,
this block that I that I just it's like a sabotage,
you know. I mean, one day, who knows, maybe I'll
break down that barrier and and just like find that
part of me that's willing to be vulnerable and do that.
So that's definitely something. But I you know, I kind
(23:35):
of love being in the kitchen and if I can
continue doing that and and monetizing that, I mean it's
I don't have an education. I mean, I never saved money.
I have to work like other people do. And people
might find that surprising, but I don't care. It is
what it is, and that's what makes me human. And
(23:57):
you know, I know how to make money. I don't
know how to save money, I can say that I
don't know. I'm never I like my little you know,
I like my my lifestyle, but you know, health first,
family first, food, music first, and that's what keeps me happy.
So I'm open to what's next. I don't know what's next,
(24:22):
and my mom always says to me, you never know
what's around the corner, so don't be afraid to look.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
Carnie Wilson, Oh You're the best. Sounds delicious Tuesday's nine
pm Pacific Encore episodes Saturday and Sunday. Carney, thanks for
being on Taking a Walk.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
Oh You're so sweet. It was so great to talk
with you, and thanks to you and your listeners and everything.
I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (24:51):
Thanks for listening to this episode of the Taking a
Walk podcast. Share this and other episodes with your friends
and follow us so you never it's an episode. Taking
a Walk is available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts,
and wherever you get your podcasts.
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