August 6, 2025 • 7 mins
Music legend Richard Marx phoned in ahead of his judging debut on this season of The Voice. He chatted with Clairsy & Lisa about his long-time friendship with John Farnham, collaborating with Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh and shared one of the most meaningful moments of his career. The Voice starts this Sunday at 7pm on Seven.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
The Voice starts seven o'clock on Sunday night on seven
and this year they're very lucky to have Richard Marx
in the chair hoping to be spun. He's with us
this morning.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Hello Richard, are you guys?
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Good? Good old there you are. We couldn't see you before. Hello. Now,
as a coach, what will you be looking for in
the contenders?
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Tips? You know, like venmo I take venmo I take
any kind of payment.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Whatever.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Easy, it's easily, it's easily done. There's so many different methods,
so just sliply, slip me a few bucks.
Speaker 4 (00:39):
Yeah, behind the chair, my my Craikia might be different
than most in that I know that singing competition shows,
for for as long as we can remember, have sort
of conditioned audiences to want that big bomb stick, big singing, yelling,
(01:03):
hit the top of your range.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
That's that doesn't do anything for me. I want to
I want to believe you. I want to be moved.
As my old friend Luther Vandross used to say, sing
to me, not at me. So that's what I that's
that's my criteria for what I'm looking.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
For gymnastics, because this is the thing that I can't
The one thing I don't like about these shows is
they've not sung for three seconds and they've got the
microphone coming.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
Out like this.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
It's also the drama of everything.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
It's like, give me a moment to you know, get
to that.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Yeah. And it's just I find that historically there's been
there has been very lacking in dynamics, you know. So
you know, I'll give you an example. I mean, the
person who does it the best is John Varnhum and
always has. You know, he can. He can out sing anybody.
He's got the biggest voice you've ever heard. But then
he'll bring it down and he'll just bring you in.
(01:54):
He'll draw you in because he'll he's just full of dynamics.
He's such a master at that. Yeah, And that's that's
more of what I'm after.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Any argument from us.
Speaker 5 (02:05):
DC cover and then he can do burn for you
and do it as well. I was going to ask
you exactly I know he's made of yours. Have you
had contact with John since been back in back in
town made? Have you spoken to John much?
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Not in the last few months, but when I was
when I was in Sydney for those couple of months
earlier in the year. We spoke on the phone a
couple of times, and yeah we had I know he's
definitely been going through his his struggles, but when I
was on the phone with him, he stunded just the
same as he always did.
Speaker 5 (02:32):
Yeah, yeah, great since helping him through and family big
time through.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Now you were at the Logis on Sunday night. Your
performance brought rave reviews all over the internet. The next morning,
what did you How did you feel about the Logans?
You would have done a lot of awards shows over
the years. We tend to think of ourselves as being
fairly laid back here, and I'm wondering if the logis
(02:57):
backstage at the Logis met that sort of idea I
have of that it was.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
It was similar in certain ways and very different in others.
The main difference, I think the best way I can
describe it is someone asked me the next day, how
did you What was your experience? Like? I said, well,
it was an interesting week that night.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Yes, a lopped Yeah, you know, I.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Mean a lot would happen in a week's time in night,
That's what it felt like, felt like. I literally a
couple of times, I turned to my wife and I
went is this still going on?
Speaker 2 (03:38):
The never ending story?
Speaker 1 (03:39):
I'm fairly sure I've never been still awake for the
gold like, yeah, you have.
Speaker 5 (03:43):
To check the results online exactly, Richard. I want to
take you back to nineteen eighty seven because I was
driving down West Coast Highway here in Perth and I
heard your song Don't Mean Nothing come on the radio.
I went, who the hell is this? And as an
Eagles fan, it it sounds like the Eagles And I
found out later of yeah, Joe Walsh was playing slide
guitar and the lead on there.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
It was it light sitting there? Which did Joe play
that in the first album?
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Well, it was just such a such a crazy situation.
You know, it was my first record. I was a
massive Eagles fan. The radio, at least in America was
not playing anything like that at that time in nineteen
eighty seven. It was hair METALEP and it was dance music.
And for me to come out of the box with
(04:28):
this sort of retro southern California eaglely kind of rock
song was daring enough. But I think that I don't
think I know that what got the attention and what
got it on the radio was having that familiarity and
having Joe Walsh play the guitar. So I never met
Joe before. He just he heard the demo of the
(04:49):
song and liked it and said, yeah, I want to
play on that. And you know, we've known each other
ever since then. In fact, I just saw him a
few weeks ago and we were at a at Ringo
Star's birthday. Ringo turned eighty five, and I worked Ringo
and he's a dear friend and his brother and his
brother in law is Joe Walsh, and so I hadn't
(05:09):
seen Joe in a while, and we were standing there
at the party and I I had the presence of
mind to put my hand on his shoulder and I said,
you know, I don't know if I've ever done this
to your face, but I got to thank you. You
changed my life. Playing on my changed my whole life.
And we got it and we gave each other a
big bro hug and it was really a beautiful moment.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Never mind hair Metal, You've always had a lovely head
of hair yourself, Richard Box.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
Any hair at my age, my ripe old age. I'm
very grateful.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Still, absolutely are we all You've had a ridiculous number
of hit songs. Is there any one success that sort
of is particularly meaningful above all others, Like you weren't
expecting that one to be a success or something.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
No, that wouldn't be a good example, because I never
expected any of them to be. You know, I've never
written a song in my life and thought, oh, this
is a hit song. I really never have. They've all
been great surprises to me. You know. I figured out
really early on that back when I was working with
(06:19):
a record company especially, I would just make an album
of songs that I wouldn't care which song they chose
as the singles. So I would just say to them,
whatever you guys think is gonna you know, make a
make a dent, you know, And sometimes they would say, well,
we're going to go with this and make a really okay.
But I learned really early on that that's not my forte.
(06:42):
I don't. You know. My wife Daisy will hear a
song once on the radio and she'll just spot whether
it's going to be a hit or not. Her track
record is incredible, So now she's my A and R person. Yes,
she's my creative. So when I'm making an album, I'll
but what do you think? And she'll go I like
this and in this one and this one, and she's usually.
Speaker 5 (07:01):
Right, yeah, making you dance May You Like a Freight
Train one of the first seven singles in the top
five in the Billboard.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
That's incredible. Your head must have been spinning.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
It was. It was an incredible time. Yeah. I just
kept sort of like wiping my eyes and going really,
it was almost like the logis really.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
Still all right, Well we must go. The Voice begins
Sunday night on the seven at seven. We look forward
to seeing who you spin your chair for.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
Do not miss this season. And I know I'm here
to plug, but trust me, it is such an enjoyable,
entertaining time on that show. The Coach, all the coaches,
we get along really well. There's a lot of shenanigans,
as I say, and some of the best talent I've
ever heard on any singing competition show. So I hope
you guys enjoy this.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
I just want to say, you're waving your Grammy in
front of the other coaches. I love it.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Thank you, Richard.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
All that happens. Bye,
The Voice starts seven o'clock on Sunday night on seven
and this year they're very lucky to have Richard Marx
in the chair hoping to be spun. He's with us
this morning.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Hello Richard, are you guys?
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Good? Good old there you are. We couldn't see you before. Hello. Now,
as a coach, what will you be looking for in
the contenders?
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Tips? You know, like venmo I take venmo I take
any kind of payment.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Whatever.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Easy, it's easily, it's easily done. There's so many different methods,
so just sliply, slip me a few bucks.
Speaker 4 (00:39):
Yeah, behind the chair, my my Craikia might be different
than most in that I know that singing competition shows,
for for as long as we can remember, have sort
of conditioned audiences to want that big bomb stick, big singing, yelling,
(01:03):
hit the top of your range.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
That's that doesn't do anything for me. I want to
I want to believe you. I want to be moved.
As my old friend Luther Vandross used to say, sing
to me, not at me. So that's what I that's
that's my criteria for what I'm looking.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
For gymnastics, because this is the thing that I can't
The one thing I don't like about these shows is
they've not sung for three seconds and they've got the
microphone coming.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
Out like this.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
It's also the drama of everything.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
It's like, give me a moment to you know, get
to that.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Yeah. And it's just I find that historically there's been
there has been very lacking in dynamics, you know. So
you know, I'll give you an example. I mean, the
person who does it the best is John Varnhum and
always has. You know, he can. He can out sing anybody.
He's got the biggest voice you've ever heard. But then
he'll bring it down and he'll just bring you in.
(01:54):
He'll draw you in because he'll he's just full of dynamics.
He's such a master at that. Yeah, And that's that's
more of what I'm after.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Any argument from us.
Speaker 5 (02:05):
DC cover and then he can do burn for you
and do it as well. I was going to ask
you exactly I know he's made of yours. Have you
had contact with John since been back in back in
town made? Have you spoken to John much?
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Not in the last few months, but when I was
when I was in Sydney for those couple of months
earlier in the year. We spoke on the phone a
couple of times, and yeah we had I know he's
definitely been going through his his struggles, but when I
was on the phone with him, he stunded just the
same as he always did.
Speaker 5 (02:32):
Yeah, yeah, great since helping him through and family big
time through.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Now you were at the Logis on Sunday night. Your
performance brought rave reviews all over the internet. The next morning,
what did you How did you feel about the Logans?
You would have done a lot of awards shows over
the years. We tend to think of ourselves as being
fairly laid back here, and I'm wondering if the logis
(02:57):
backstage at the Logis met that sort of idea I
have of that it was.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
It was similar in certain ways and very different in others.
The main difference, I think the best way I can
describe it is someone asked me the next day, how
did you What was your experience? Like? I said, well,
it was an interesting week that night.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Yes, a lopped Yeah, you know, I.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Mean a lot would happen in a week's time in night,
That's what it felt like, felt like. I literally a
couple of times, I turned to my wife and I
went is this still going on?
Speaker 2 (03:38):
The never ending story?
Speaker 1 (03:39):
I'm fairly sure I've never been still awake for the
gold like, yeah, you have.
Speaker 5 (03:43):
To check the results online exactly, Richard. I want to
take you back to nineteen eighty seven because I was
driving down West Coast Highway here in Perth and I
heard your song Don't Mean Nothing come on the radio.
I went, who the hell is this? And as an
Eagles fan, it it sounds like the Eagles And I
found out later of yeah, Joe Walsh was playing slide
guitar and the lead on there.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
It was it light sitting there? Which did Joe play
that in the first album?
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Well, it was just such a such a crazy situation.
You know, it was my first record. I was a
massive Eagles fan. The radio, at least in America was
not playing anything like that at that time in nineteen
eighty seven. It was hair METALEP and it was dance music.
And for me to come out of the box with
(04:28):
this sort of retro southern California eaglely kind of rock
song was daring enough. But I think that I don't
think I know that what got the attention and what
got it on the radio was having that familiarity and
having Joe Walsh play the guitar. So I never met
Joe before. He just he heard the demo of the
(04:49):
song and liked it and said, yeah, I want to
play on that. And you know, we've known each other
ever since then. In fact, I just saw him a
few weeks ago and we were at a at Ringo
Star's birthday. Ringo turned eighty five, and I worked Ringo
and he's a dear friend and his brother and his
brother in law is Joe Walsh, and so I hadn't
(05:09):
seen Joe in a while, and we were standing there
at the party and I I had the presence of
mind to put my hand on his shoulder and I said,
you know, I don't know if I've ever done this
to your face, but I got to thank you. You
changed my life. Playing on my changed my whole life.
And we got it and we gave each other a
big bro hug and it was really a beautiful moment.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Never mind hair Metal, You've always had a lovely head
of hair yourself, Richard Box.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
Any hair at my age, my ripe old age. I'm
very grateful.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Still, absolutely are we all You've had a ridiculous number
of hit songs. Is there any one success that sort
of is particularly meaningful above all others, Like you weren't
expecting that one to be a success or something.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
No, that wouldn't be a good example, because I never
expected any of them to be. You know, I've never
written a song in my life and thought, oh, this
is a hit song. I really never have. They've all
been great surprises to me. You know. I figured out
really early on that back when I was working with
(06:19):
a record company especially, I would just make an album
of songs that I wouldn't care which song they chose
as the singles. So I would just say to them,
whatever you guys think is gonna you know, make a
make a dent, you know, And sometimes they would say, well,
we're going to go with this and make a really okay.
But I learned really early on that that's not my forte.
(06:42):
I don't. You know. My wife Daisy will hear a
song once on the radio and she'll just spot whether
it's going to be a hit or not. Her track
record is incredible, So now she's my A and R person. Yes,
she's my creative. So when I'm making an album, I'll
but what do you think? And she'll go I like
this and in this one and this one, and she's usually.
Speaker 5 (07:01):
Right, yeah, making you dance May You Like a Freight
Train one of the first seven singles in the top
five in the Billboard.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
That's incredible. Your head must have been spinning.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
It was. It was an incredible time. Yeah. I just
kept sort of like wiping my eyes and going really,
it was almost like the logis really.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
Still all right, Well we must go. The Voice begins
Sunday night on the seven at seven. We look forward
to seeing who you spin your chair for.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
Do not miss this season. And I know I'm here
to plug, but trust me, it is such an enjoyable,
entertaining time on that show. The Coach, all the coaches,
we get along really well. There's a lot of shenanigans,
as I say, and some of the best talent I've
ever heard on any singing competition show. So I hope
you guys enjoy this.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
I just want to say, you're waving your Grammy in
front of the other coaches. I love it.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Thank you, Richard.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
All that happens. Bye,
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