Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for checking out my eighty show podcast. I'm Jeff Stevens.
I am so excited to get eight six seven five
three oh nine stuck in your head. You're not going
to be able to stop singing it. It is the
legendary Tommy Heath of Tommy two tone. Hello, jem, Hello Tommy.
How you doing man?
Speaker 2 (00:16):
I'm doing pretty good. How about you?
Speaker 1 (00:18):
I'm doing great? Thank you very much. Nice to talk
to you. And congratulations on a couple new songs. They
sound fantastic.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Well, thank you. I'm glad you liked them. That kind
of came to me. A kind of song is singing
driving around in your car.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Well, we have been playing your songs on the radio
for Can you even believe my friend forty three years
since eight six seven five three oh nine hit? I mean,
where did that time go?
Speaker 2 (00:42):
I don't know. It's just my oldest daughter is the
same age, So I'm looking at it going what happened
to the twenty years in between this? Yeah, it may
have been the high point in the Western civilization and
we were all very lucky to be there.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Well, I would I would agree with you on that.
That's not an overstatement whatsoever. That was the high point
of civilization. Obviously, the eighties were such a great time,
and I always love when in talking recently to Brian
Adams or Rick Springfield, who I know you've played a
lot of songs with Rick. I love that you guys
are still putting out new music for your fans who've
been with you for a long time that of course
(01:22):
know the classics, but also good to know that you're
you're still doing new stuff too, and we love that
as well.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Yeah, it's really nice. Like when I was trying to
play in the nineties, I couldn't have a lot of
new music, but nobody wanted to hear it. So now
we like the old stuff and we liked new stuff.
We were writing this kind of stuff in the eighties
and still doing it today.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
So I know everybody calls this stuff totally eighties, but
to me it's just new wave music.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
Yeah, and you were right right on the forefront of that.
And yes, you are doing a totally eighties tour this summer,
which is cool you guys about Wow. While Jeane loves Jezebel,
Big Country, which obviously that's a great, really fun package.
Did you do any touring with any of them back
in the day, or are you meeting some of these
(02:11):
folks for the first time.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
I've actually played with Gene when those gizabelle on and
off throughout my life and met Battle Wow Wow a
few times. Always wanted to meet Big Country there just
heroes of mine and they have a tour in America
for almost forty years. I mean their way they play
live is that's my kind of music. So I'll be
out there dancing to them after my show. Very rewarding
(02:36):
because the last year I was on a totally tubul
or tour was about eight bands and you have to
play about twelve minutes. Oh this we get to play
real sets of music. I think they're very We'll flow
from one to another and the whole package sounds great.
And at the end we're gonna all be out there, oh,
rocking the Big Country. Who are heroes of mine?
Speaker 1 (02:58):
That's really cool. Yeah, they were obviously rocking all over
MTV at the same time when you guys got started.
And first of all, let's clear this up for everybody listening,
because you know it's a common mistake. Your name is
not Tommy two tone.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Well, actually my nickname back in the Hippie Days was
two Tones, and somehow I loaned it to the band.
So now it's yeah, you can call me Tommy Heath.
But if I call you up, I'm going to go, hey,
this is two Tone, so a little of everything, all right,
all right, I should just be Tommy Heath.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
So yeah, so Tommy Heath. Maybe you know in your
driver's license, but obviously everybody knows you know Tommy two tone.
And I still have the Vinyl forty five. I mean,
it was the first time I heard it, I thought, Okay,
there's nothing else that sounds like this song. I've got
to go out and make this a part of my collection,
and as so many other people did, and obviously it's
it's truly. I mean, Tommy, you have written and are
(03:56):
a part of one of the most iconic songs from
entire decade. So that's that is saying something there. That's
that's pretty sweet.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
Yeah, I'm we're kind of proud of that. And it
seems to have a life of its own, go on
and on. Surprisingly maybe it'll be around my kids and grandkids.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
Oh I think, so.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Hard to believe, but it seems to be as well
known as over now. If I could get royalties on passwords,
I'd be truly rich. I was told it was a
number three password in the world.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
Is that right? Well, shoot, because there goes my idea
for my next password. If it's that popular, I don't
want to get hacked, right.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Or if you need a phone number at any supermarket,
you can try it right. Sometimes you get to Sometimes
you get a reward because somebody will come in by
a bunch of stuff. Somebody calls me and goes, wow,
I use your number. Not only did I not have
to pay, but I got forty dollars back.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
That's awesome. I bet you have so many stories about
that song when the when you first put the song
out in the spring of nineteen eighty two, eight six
seventy five three o nine. Of course, what's the story
you know, because there's been a lot of folklore about it.
But can you tell us the story of Jenny and
eight six seven five three oh nine.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
Anything I'd tell you is going to be more focal
or because I remember completely different than my partner and
they actually wrote the song. But I actually knew Jenny
and know that that was her parents' phone number for
a short time, and we completely disagree, but just came
(05:40):
up and we just started humming along to it, and
the record was already done, and we thought we went
back in and threw that on at the last minute. Really,
I guess the rest of shifting.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
Well, I would guess. So. So Jenny is a real person,
and that was we think her parents' phone number.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
That's the way I remember.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
Well, that's what we're going with.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Then.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
I mean, if I'm hearing it from you, I'm saying
that's it. Tommy. Did you like doing Did you like
doing videos back in the eighties? Some artists that I
talked to over the years are like, oh, it was
so much fun. Others are like, it was hours and
hours of torture. So what's your take on the MTV era?
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Well, first off, when you're making records, you think it's
our the torture. But when are you redating about people
making movies. It's just total hurry up and wait. But
we had a good team.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
It came in.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
We'd already made a bunch of videos where people would
like some colleagues video class made our first one and
they just followed the song exactly. And it's boring. You
have to find somebody who knows how to playoff it.
And so the team came in and they had done
a bunch of movies. That's a whole crew that made Eraserhead.
(06:51):
I don't know anybody remembers that movie. And they just
walked us through it. It wasn't any problem at all
for me.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
That's good. I'm glad to hear that, because a lot
of times artists are like, oh, it's hours of makeup
and concept and whatever, and and you know, I'm sure
that well, you see plenty of videos from the eighties
that clearly they took some liberties on what the song
was about. And I think that's what I think bugged
a lot of artists looking back. It's like, that's not
what even that that's not even what that song was
(07:21):
about or whatever. So you know, it sounds like they
that you guys connected with it really well. So that's
that's good to hear.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Right, It's just a little twist, you still get the
main point.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
Yeah, Well, talking to Tommy Heath Tommy two Tone, and
he's got a couple of new songs out. The band
has a couple of new songs out, how Good and
Mountain Dews and don'ts Uh The upcoming album. I love
the Mountain Dews and don'ts that's uh, don't text in church,
don't sleep on the phone. I mean, that's that's a
great place to start.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Yeah, I just counted off and started making up stuff
and that's what came out.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
Well, we're looking forward to your tour this summer. I
saw you a couple of years ago. You were playing.
I actually caught you in Phoenix with with Greg Ken
God Rest His Soul and I think it was Greg
Ken and you and lover Boy and Rick Springfield and uh,
and I think it was in the round at this
really cool theater and it was that was the first
(08:19):
time I had seen you live and it was I
don't know, maybe five or six years ago, and it
was it was great. You look like you're still having
a great time.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Yeah, I'm still enjoying myself out there. But I'm still
learning to play everybody. So we did very four years
with Rick Springfield and probably be out with him next
year again. And I love playing in Phoenix. It's just something.
I always sound really good there and every time I
go there, we go to a new theater and I
(08:46):
go this place is great. How Come I never heard
of it. Yeah, Phoenix appeals to me. I don't want
to live there, but I love to play there.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
Yeah. It gets a little toasty at times, that's true.
But yeah, some great venues there, that's for sure. So
we'll look for Tommy two Tone and Bow Wow Wow
and Jean Loves Jezebel Big Country on the Totally Eighties tour.
Also look for Tommy two Tones, a couple of new songs,
how Good and Mountain Dews and don'ts, and the upcoming
album New Wave Americana. Tommy, great to talk to you man,
(09:19):
look forward to seeing you on the road this summer.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
All right, Thanks Gudy. Great talking to you.
Thanks for checking out my eighty show podcast. I'm Jeff Stevens.
I am so excited to get eight six seven five
three oh nine stuck in your head. You're not going
to be able to stop singing it. It is the
legendary Tommy Heath of Tommy two tone. Hello, jem, Hello Tommy.
How you doing man?
Speaker 2 (00:16):
I'm doing pretty good. How about you?
Speaker 1 (00:18):
I'm doing great? Thank you very much. Nice to talk
to you. And congratulations on a couple new songs. They
sound fantastic.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Well, thank you. I'm glad you liked them. That kind
of came to me. A kind of song is singing
driving around in your car.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Well, we have been playing your songs on the radio
for Can you even believe my friend forty three years
since eight six seven five three oh nine hit? I mean,
where did that time go?
Speaker 2 (00:42):
I don't know. It's just my oldest daughter is the
same age, So I'm looking at it going what happened
to the twenty years in between this? Yeah, it may
have been the high point in the Western civilization and
we were all very lucky to be there.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Well, I would I would agree with you on that.
That's not an overstatement whatsoever. That was the high point
of civilization. Obviously, the eighties were such a great time,
and I always love when in talking recently to Brian
Adams or Rick Springfield, who I know you've played a
lot of songs with Rick. I love that you guys
are still putting out new music for your fans who've
been with you for a long time that of course
(01:22):
know the classics, but also good to know that you're
you're still doing new stuff too, and we love that
as well.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Yeah, it's really nice. Like when I was trying to
play in the nineties, I couldn't have a lot of
new music, but nobody wanted to hear it. So now
we like the old stuff and we liked new stuff.
We were writing this kind of stuff in the eighties
and still doing it today.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
So I know everybody calls this stuff totally eighties, but
to me it's just new wave music.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
Yeah, and you were right right on the forefront of that.
And yes, you are doing a totally eighties tour this summer,
which is cool you guys about Wow. While Jeane loves Jezebel,
Big Country, which obviously that's a great, really fun package.
Did you do any touring with any of them back
in the day, or are you meeting some of these
(02:11):
folks for the first time.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
I've actually played with Gene when those gizabelle on and
off throughout my life and met Battle Wow Wow a
few times. Always wanted to meet Big Country there just
heroes of mine and they have a tour in America
for almost forty years. I mean their way they play
live is that's my kind of music. So I'll be
out there dancing to them after my show. Very rewarding
(02:36):
because the last year I was on a totally tubul
or tour was about eight bands and you have to
play about twelve minutes. Oh this we get to play
real sets of music. I think they're very We'll flow
from one to another and the whole package sounds great.
And at the end we're gonna all be out there, oh,
rocking the Big Country. Who are heroes of mine?
Speaker 1 (02:58):
That's really cool. Yeah, they were obviously rocking all over
MTV at the same time when you guys got started.
And first of all, let's clear this up for everybody listening,
because you know it's a common mistake. Your name is
not Tommy two tone.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Well, actually my nickname back in the Hippie Days was
two Tones, and somehow I loaned it to the band.
So now it's yeah, you can call me Tommy Heath.
But if I call you up, I'm going to go, hey,
this is two Tone, so a little of everything, all right,
all right, I should just be Tommy Heath.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
So yeah, so Tommy Heath. Maybe you know in your
driver's license, but obviously everybody knows you know Tommy two tone.
And I still have the Vinyl forty five. I mean,
it was the first time I heard it, I thought, Okay,
there's nothing else that sounds like this song. I've got
to go out and make this a part of my collection,
and as so many other people did, and obviously it's
it's truly. I mean, Tommy, you have written and are
(03:56):
a part of one of the most iconic songs from
entire decade. So that's that is saying something there. That's
that's pretty sweet.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
Yeah, I'm we're kind of proud of that. And it
seems to have a life of its own, go on
and on. Surprisingly maybe it'll be around my kids and grandkids.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
Oh I think, so.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Hard to believe, but it seems to be as well
known as over now. If I could get royalties on passwords,
I'd be truly rich. I was told it was a
number three password in the world.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
Is that right? Well, shoot, because there goes my idea
for my next password. If it's that popular, I don't
want to get hacked, right.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Or if you need a phone number at any supermarket,
you can try it right. Sometimes you get to Sometimes
you get a reward because somebody will come in by
a bunch of stuff. Somebody calls me and goes, wow,
I use your number. Not only did I not have
to pay, but I got forty dollars back.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
That's awesome. I bet you have so many stories about
that song when the when you first put the song
out in the spring of nineteen eighty two, eight six
seventy five three o nine. Of course, what's the story
you know, because there's been a lot of folklore about it.
But can you tell us the story of Jenny and
eight six seven five three oh nine.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
Anything I'd tell you is going to be more focal
or because I remember completely different than my partner and
they actually wrote the song. But I actually knew Jenny
and know that that was her parents' phone number for
a short time, and we completely disagree, but just came
(05:40):
up and we just started humming along to it, and
the record was already done, and we thought we went
back in and threw that on at the last minute. Really,
I guess the rest of shifting.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
Well, I would guess. So. So Jenny is a real person,
and that was we think her parents' phone number.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
That's the way I remember.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
Well, that's what we're going with.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Then.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
I mean, if I'm hearing it from you, I'm saying
that's it. Tommy. Did you like doing Did you like
doing videos back in the eighties? Some artists that I
talked to over the years are like, oh, it was
so much fun. Others are like, it was hours and
hours of torture. So what's your take on the MTV era?
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Well, first off, when you're making records, you think it's
our the torture. But when are you redating about people
making movies. It's just total hurry up and wait. But
we had a good team.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
It came in.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
We'd already made a bunch of videos where people would
like some colleagues video class made our first one and
they just followed the song exactly. And it's boring. You
have to find somebody who knows how to playoff it.
And so the team came in and they had done
a bunch of movies. That's a whole crew that made Eraserhead.
(06:51):
I don't know anybody remembers that movie. And they just
walked us through it. It wasn't any problem at all
for me.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
That's good. I'm glad to hear that, because a lot
of times artists are like, oh, it's hours of makeup
and concept and whatever, and and you know, I'm sure
that well, you see plenty of videos from the eighties
that clearly they took some liberties on what the song
was about. And I think that's what I think bugged
a lot of artists looking back. It's like, that's not
what even that that's not even what that song was
(07:21):
about or whatever. So you know, it sounds like they
that you guys connected with it really well. So that's
that's good to hear.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Right, It's just a little twist, you still get the
main point.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
Yeah, Well, talking to Tommy Heath Tommy two Tone, and
he's got a couple of new songs out. The band
has a couple of new songs out, how Good and
Mountain Dews and don'ts Uh The upcoming album. I love
the Mountain Dews and don'ts that's uh, don't text in church,
don't sleep on the phone. I mean, that's that's a
great place to start.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Yeah, I just counted off and started making up stuff
and that's what came out.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
Well, we're looking forward to your tour this summer. I
saw you a couple of years ago. You were playing.
I actually caught you in Phoenix with with Greg Ken
God Rest His Soul and I think it was Greg
Ken and you and lover Boy and Rick Springfield and uh,
and I think it was in the round at this
really cool theater and it was that was the first
(08:19):
time I had seen you live and it was I
don't know, maybe five or six years ago, and it
was it was great. You look like you're still having
a great time.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Yeah, I'm still enjoying myself out there. But I'm still
learning to play everybody. So we did very four years
with Rick Springfield and probably be out with him next
year again. And I love playing in Phoenix. It's just something.
I always sound really good there and every time I
go there, we go to a new theater and I
(08:46):
go this place is great. How Come I never heard
of it. Yeah, Phoenix appeals to me. I don't want
to live there, but I love to play there.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
Yeah. It gets a little toasty at times, that's true.
But yeah, some great venues there, that's for sure. So
we'll look for Tommy two Tone and Bow Wow Wow
and Jean Loves Jezebel Big Country on the Totally Eighties tour.
Also look for Tommy two Tones, a couple of new songs,
how Good and Mountain Dews and don'ts, and the upcoming
album New Wave Americana. Tommy, great to talk to you man,
(09:19):
look forward to seeing you on the road this summer.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
All right, Thanks Gudy. Great talking to you.
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