Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Matt had Graft has told us the story behind that song.
I have was not familiar with it about Billy Joel.
But that's not in the show, is it, Matt.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
That's not in the show, so I don't have to
tell I can tell you the story.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
Well during Matt to the studio here with his fringe
shows Elton John Your Song Tonight and Tomorrow Night and
Billy Joel's Just the Way You Are Friday and Saturday.
Both shows are at His Majesty's Theater, one of the
most beautiful theaters that you can performat.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
It is sumptuous and.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Tickets for both are available through Fringe world dot com
dot A. You now, we're going to have to quickly
tell the story very quickly.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Indeed, Billy Joel had a depressing moment in his life
and he thought he would end it all by drinking bleach.
And then he thought, no, furniture polish is going to
taste better than that, so it didn't kill him. But
he wrote that song, you know, second Wind, to try
to talk anyone else down from the ledge, and that's
why it's so upbeat and everything.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
The ledge is very shiny.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Yes, Now, Elton John and Billy Joel individually fantastic. I've
seen them together, they were fantastic. What is it about
the music of these two that you love so much?
Speaker 2 (01:03):
The thing I love about Elton John is, especially the
ones I picked from the seventies, just so singable. There's
something iconic in every one of the songs, you know,
whether it whoops up to something up in his high
voice or whether it's just a good old tune. It's
just fun. And those kinds of songs where that you
remember them from the radio being on in the background
(01:23):
while you did something else, but it became part of
your DNA.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Absolutely. I heard Philadelphia Freedom the other day when I
was shopping, and I, what a great song. Haven't heard
it for Young's.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
It's awesome me and you know, but the other thing
I find is everyone if you look around a shop
when something like Rocketman comes up, you see everyone lip
syncing too.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Especially since the movie yes the music to another level
with another audience and.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
It revitalized your favorite CPR have another innings.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
How do you pick the songs because there were so
many for both artists.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Yeah, it was hard as anything, and I just kind
of thought I was looking down the list of them
and I thought, what part of that song does everyone
just know? You know some people, you know, people come
up and they go like, oh, you're going to do
are you going to do mad Chatis? And I'm like, no, what, Yeah,
people kind of vaguely know that, but something like Candle
in the Wind, everyone just knows it not and nobody
(02:15):
knows how.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
Yeah. Yeah, it's like when they start singing Tiny Dancer
and almost Famous on the bus.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Yeah yeah, yeah, everybody does. That's the thing. So yeah,
I'm confident everyone knows all of the songs in the show. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
Yeah, So they're all relatable ones that very much. Do
you have a favorite song by each.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Of them in the in this show? I love Benny
and the Jets. There's just something about it that just.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
I've always loved Benny and the Jets, And of course
he launched the you know, the final concert with that,
and it was just the best grave moment high notes
to get that.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
I don't know what you're talking about. Luckily you can
outsource that kind of thing to a fun very wise,
you haven't heard something until you've heard all the men
singing the Benny bit at the right. Oh, it's gorgeous, right,
now it's great, I'm good, okay, as you wish.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
For the show.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
Courage people to sing along?
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Why would I dress up exactly? Oh, you know, fewer
people dress up because I don't know why. Maybe they
maybe they just didn't nit past the costume store that day.
But everyone's encouraged to sing along. In fact, you'll get
a QR code and when you scan it, it'll bring
up the words so you can.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
Batast.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Why would you want to go and see anything to
do with Elton John without singing along to it? You
got to be a part of it.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
No, when as a performer, how do you feel about
the Billy stuff where you haven't played it? And your debuting?
How do you feel about that?
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Do you know?
Speaker 3 (03:51):
It's exciting?
Speaker 2 (03:51):
It is exciting and terrifying at the same time. But they,
you know, they say the hardest note to play is
the first one, and then after that you just remember
why you love songs like this. And with Billy Joel
he's really like I mean, you know, with Elton he
wrote the music and Bernie Toyer, but Billy Joel kind
of did everything. And the words are really really, really
(04:14):
sophisticated and a bugger to learn. Let me tell you.
But once the songs get going, they just kind of
they have their own life. I think I'm just a
just a conduit sitting up there.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
They are.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
You've done us some other shows as well. You've done
Peter Allen, Yes, boy from Oswald.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
If I had energy to do that again, I'll tell
you what.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
One of our favorite guests on this show actually is.
Joel Jackson. Oh yeah, is from Albany. He played Peter
Allen and he was and he was amazing. It must
he must just be the most divine character to play
Peter Allen.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
He is great just because there's nothing. When I say
he's not skilled, I don't mean that in a bitchy way,
but the think was he he's just so authentic with
how he got up there and his body moved around,
jumped about the place just before it's time. Yeah, and
he never he never let the audience out of his
side either. Watch Al John his faces down the whole time.
Peter Allen locked eyes with the audience and didn't let up.
(05:11):
And yeah, it's so good though, and I'm reassured that
he drops notes on the piano all the time. Yeah,
but just what you get his energy from him. So, yeah,
at the end of one of those shows, you're sleep well.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Oh I bet you, oh yeah, yeah. And the others
who played in me, Hugh Jackman, they said the same thing,
although the Jackie Show was more about the celebrity of
Jackman taking overthing, the.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Care well the thing. I met Todd McKenny and he
said the same kind of thing too, and he gave
me a video that was just like, please go and
see MAT's show. So I don't have to do it anymore.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
I feel like Peter Allen's never been played by anyone ordinary.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
No, I'll take yourself.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
I do have to ask about the Abbot show though, Benny.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
I was Benny andrew my hair. It's called a lioness
head and you have to okay, well, I mean real
hair helps because he swings his head around all the plays.
And yeah, and I apprenticed in having to stand up
to play piano.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
Oh, I had to go.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
I don't know, I just I didn't. I wasn't part
of a gym at the time, and I didn't need
to be because between Peter Allen and Benny. Yeah, some
chiropractice is going to make a fortune out of my neck.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
You get the trifect. You play John Lord from Deep
Purple with a heavy rock band.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
It's possibly not as campy as.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
My definitely this time it's the great piano players Elton
John and Billy Joel. Your song is Tonight and Tomorrow Night.
Billy's just the Way you Are As Friday and Saturday.
All of His Majesty's tickets are available through Fringe world
dot com dot are you thank you for coming in
so early in the morning.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
We know it's early for French people.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
No, thank you for having me act. I popped over
and put my clothes in the laundromat before I.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Came that.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
It's incredible job.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
I didn't want to say anything, mad.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
We got to get a visual of this some way.
And now you're ba.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
Now you mentioned my brothers at the lauder Mat stealing
your Your.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Small half is la jeez if they fit him
Speaker 3 (07:20):
To see you, mate,