Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Hey, Jeff Stevens. What's happening, Mark Rivera, how are you doing?
Brother swinging? That's good to hearvoice. Good to hear your voice.
Well, it's good to be heard, Jeff. Thank you man.
All right, Mark, So I'mso excited to read your book. And
in celebration of us getting ready tochat on the phone, I went back
through my photos on my phone andthere's you and me hanging out at some
(00:22):
hotel bar in twenty seventeen after Billyplayed in Indianapolis, and I was like,
I knew we got a picture together, and I'm like, oh,
I found it. So I'm like, there's there's my always smiling Mark Rivera.
I appreciate it, you know what. I'm very blessed and I know
that you know, knowing getting appreciatingit most important things. So Mark,
before we talk about your book,Billy, Joel and Stevie Nicks on tour
(00:46):
together this summer. This is gonnabe amazing. We did the first show
and it was incredible. The ticketis it's it's literally the two bands are
so perfect. The lugs and thedemographic is just a beautiful, beautiful combination.
Her band is rocking. What doyou watch tell is leading the band,
(01:07):
and it's it's like the old days. In fact is better. It's
like it's like the old days withare conditioning in power windows. You know,
I cannot wait to see that becauseand I saw. If I'm not
mistaken, I think Billy and Steviedid Stop Dragging My Heart Around together at
that first show. Yes, man, it was so good. It was
so good. He came out,she'd already done one or two songs,
(01:30):
and then she started Stop Dragging MyHeart Around. And after the like the
middle of the first verse, she'dsaying that the first verse, and he
came walking up to sing Petty's part, and it was like the crowd went
nuts. Oh, I bet crowdwent absolutely crazy. So yeah, that
was a great one. That wasit so far. In fact, we
had to postpone the show in wherewe're supposed to be in Dallas or Allington
(01:53):
at a Cowboys stadium, but uh, I think someone in her band six,
So it's postponed until next day.Would you know? I hey this,
You know, people are getting laxabout COVID, but it's still for
real. How in the world doesthe Billy, Joel and Stevie Nicks Slash,
Fleetwood Mac catalog. How do youeven possibly fit that all into one
(02:14):
night? Billy has that problem aloneby himself. Yea true, you gotta
cut. You find yourself trimming.Oh it's only top it was only top
twelve phone because really you can trimmthat. But uh, and the other
thing is you also want to addyou want to include a bunch of you
know, album cuts. Everybody doesn'twant to hear you know, people want
to hear you know, the Italianrestaurant piano man. They want either all
(02:36):
the classics they want to hear,Yeah, but they also want to hear
possibly of Vienna or you know,something an album track. And he'll vary
that. So we're excited. We'rereally excited. Well and uh, and
we'll finish up on this. Butwhen I saw I saw you guys at
a great American ballpark in Cincinnati justa couple of years ago, unbelievable night,
(02:58):
and I like how he'll he'll say, literally say, um, you
guys, you guys want this oneor do you want this one exactly?
One from column A or one fromcolumn B exactly, And the crowd,
the crowd will react, He'll andwe'll play it, We'll be ready and
sometimes he's called an audible. It'slike, really, Billy, you think
it's a good idea, but wedo it. The band. I always
say Billy's band is like the bestbar band I've ever been in because we
(03:22):
could pull anything together. Tommy Burnsis amazing, He's got these great ears,
and the rhythm section just rocks.So that's pretty much the combination.
Well, it's it's truly, it'struly a treat to watch you play,
and Mark, I want to spendthe rest of the time talking about your
book, which just came out.Sideman in pursuit of the next gig.
I have seen you for so manyyears with Billy Joel, and I caught
(03:44):
you for a while with Hall andOates as well, two of my favorite
bands of all time, and I'mlike, wait, that's the guy that
I saw in the Billy Joel band. I think exactly that might have been.
I don't know, was that theeighty eight tour, maybe that you
were with eighty eight and eighty nine. I believe it was the Yea the
album yeah, Yea yeah, ohyeah yeah. I recorded a couple of
songs with him and we went outfor a while. Two very dear friends
(04:08):
were in that fan and unfortunately theypassed. T Bone woke. T Bone
is one of the will forever beone of my favorite people. And Bobby
Mayo Bobby Mayolan for the band.You know, Bobby and I played in
Foreign together. So you know,the funny thing is when people say about
a sideman was I mean, well, I'm the guy that they called like
Foreigner in particular, there are fourguys, and Bobby and I filled in
(04:31):
the back line. There was nojob that Bobby and I couldn't fill.
Between him slinging a less fall behindhis back and having four keyboards because that
was premittee. The guy was guywas brilliant, and then the two of
us all the backing vocals. It'sit's been a great ride. I mean
thanks to Mutt lying introducing me toLou Graham and make Jones originally just to
(04:54):
play that little bit before Junior Walkersax solo and Mutton and I had worked
together in seventy five, so seventyseven rather they said, you know,
by the way, Munk play saxophone, he also plays guitar and keyboards and
he sings. He said, hesay sings the next thing I know,
it's myself, Lou Graham, MuttLang and Ian Lloyd from Stories, the
band Stories singing all the backgrounds betweenJukebox Hero and Waiting for a Girl Like
(05:18):
You. It was just an incredibletime. And you know, someone said,
well, it's being a side man. Is that a drag? And
I thought, the real answers knowit's because if I was a leader of
one band, I had never gottena chance to be. Ringo's musical directors
played literally with my idols from myfavorite band that I'll say this a thousand
(05:40):
times nineteen ninety seven, the BritishInvasion. It was called. I was
the only non brit but it wasJack Bruce, Simon Kirk, Peter Frampton
and Gary Brooker from procol harm Itwas like going down memory lane. And
I also said that I was readyto be the musical director for that band
when I was seventeen. Played allthose songs right that time, right,
(06:02):
and uh, it's just a joy. It's an absolute joy to be a
pardon you know, just to getthe calls from Ringo every once in a
while. By the way, you'recoming out, you got to put the
band, you got so I'll getback out with him in May. Yeah,
say, it's amazing. I stillpinch myself, to tell you the
truth, Jeff Well Markets, it'sso fun. And the one thing is
for sure that you can tell youare generally, no matter who you're playing
(06:24):
with, you are the happiest guyon stage. And I've noticed that from
the from the first time I sawyou with Billy Joel and I was like,
man, that guy's always smiling.He looks like every show is the
most fun you've ever had. AndI'm telling you, man, you you
put that out there every time.I appreciate that, not say one other
thing. With regard to how mycareer has gone and is still going,
(06:44):
I'd say ninety percent of that reasonis because I've never phoned in a gig.
I've never phoned it in. It'salways been genuine, it's always been
I called the stage my emotional moatthat when I'm on stage, I literally
don't allow anything but to be connectedto the musicians do age, and God
has been great. It's the opportunityto still come about. And I still
(07:04):
pinch myself whenever I get out thereand like this next store with Steve Lucather
and Colin hay Haymond Stewart. It'sjust an amazing band, Edgar Winter.
It's just I look around. Ilook around, and I think Ringo trusts
me with this level of musicians,and right, I mean, you got
to read the book because there's somestories about me correcting a couple of different
(07:27):
people that nobody's nobody realized, see, and that's what I love. I
love the behind the music, youknow, behind the scenes stuff, and
I'm sure we get a lot ofthat in your book, Sideman in pursuit
of the next gig. And letme just say, man, from from
all the fans, whether it's BillyJoel or Hall and Oates or Ringo or
whoever you've played with or foreigner,I mean we you. We are a
(07:48):
fan of you as well, myfriend. You bring something so special to
every band that you've played with.You're very kind, Jeff, and you
just lifted my spirits up. I'mblessed and I know it, and I'm
blessed that people like yourself on theother side of the phone. Hopefully we'll
get to have a drink again inone of these paus. Okay, that
sounds good. I'll look forward toit, Mark, and good luck with
the book again Sideman in pursuit ofthe next gig Mark Rivera is so great
(08:11):
to talk to you, buddy.Take care,
Hey, Jeff Stevens. What's happening, Mark Rivera, how are you doing?
Brother swinging? That's good to hearvoice. Good to hear your voice.
Well, it's good to be heard, Jeff. Thank you man.
All right, Mark, So I'mso excited to read your book. And
in celebration of us getting ready tochat on the phone, I went back
through my photos on my phone andthere's you and me hanging out at some
(00:22):
hotel bar in twenty seventeen after Billyplayed in Indianapolis, and I was like,
I knew we got a picture together, and I'm like, oh,
I found it. So I'm like, there's there's my always smiling Mark Rivera.
I appreciate it, you know what. I'm very blessed and I know
that you know, knowing getting appreciatingit most important things. So Mark,
before we talk about your book,Billy, Joel and Stevie Nicks on tour
(00:46):
together this summer. This is gonnabe amazing. We did the first show
and it was incredible. The ticketis it's it's literally the two bands are
so perfect. The lugs and thedemographic is just a beautiful, beautiful combination.
Her band is rocking. What doyou watch tell is leading the band,
(01:07):
and it's it's like the old days. In fact is better. It's
like it's like the old days withare conditioning in power windows. You know,
I cannot wait to see that becauseand I saw. If I'm not
mistaken, I think Billy and Steviedid Stop Dragging My Heart Around together at
that first show. Yes, man, it was so good. It was
so good. He came out,she'd already done one or two songs,
(01:30):
and then she started Stop Dragging MyHeart Around. And after the like the
middle of the first verse, she'dsaying that the first verse, and he
came walking up to sing Petty's part, and it was like the crowd went
nuts. Oh, I bet crowdwent absolutely crazy. So yeah, that
was a great one. That wasit so far. In fact, we
had to postpone the show in wherewe're supposed to be in Dallas or Allington
(01:53):
at a Cowboys stadium, but uh, I think someone in her band six,
So it's postponed until next day.Would you know? I hey this,
You know, people are getting laxabout COVID, but it's still for
real. How in the world doesthe Billy, Joel and Stevie Nicks Slash,
Fleetwood Mac catalog. How do youeven possibly fit that all into one
(02:14):
night? Billy has that problem aloneby himself. Yea true, you gotta
cut. You find yourself trimming.Oh it's only top it was only top
twelve phone because really you can trimmthat. But uh, and the other
thing is you also want to addyou want to include a bunch of you
know, album cuts. Everybody doesn'twant to hear you know, people want
to hear you know, the Italianrestaurant piano man. They want either all
(02:36):
the classics they want to hear,Yeah, but they also want to hear
possibly of Vienna or you know,something an album track. And he'll vary
that. So we're excited. We'rereally excited. Well and uh, and
we'll finish up on this. Butwhen I saw I saw you guys at
a great American ballpark in Cincinnati justa couple of years ago, unbelievable night,
(02:58):
and I like how he'll he'll say, literally say, um, you
guys, you guys want this oneor do you want this one exactly?
One from column A or one fromcolumn B exactly, And the crowd,
the crowd will react, He'll andwe'll play it, We'll be ready and
sometimes he's called an audible. It'slike, really, Billy, you think
it's a good idea, but wedo it. The band. I always
say Billy's band is like the bestbar band I've ever been in because we
(03:22):
could pull anything together. Tommy Burnsis amazing, He's got these great ears,
and the rhythm section just rocks.So that's pretty much the combination.
Well, it's it's truly, it'struly a treat to watch you play,
and Mark, I want to spendthe rest of the time talking about your
book, which just came out.Sideman in pursuit of the next gig.
I have seen you for so manyyears with Billy Joel, and I caught
(03:44):
you for a while with Hall andOates as well, two of my favorite
bands of all time, and I'mlike, wait, that's the guy that
I saw in the Billy Joel band. I think exactly that might have been.
I don't know, was that theeighty eight tour, maybe that you
were with eighty eight and eighty nine. I believe it was the Yea the
album yeah, Yea yeah, ohyeah yeah. I recorded a couple of
songs with him and we went outfor a while. Two very dear friends
(04:08):
were in that fan and unfortunately theypassed. T Bone woke. T Bone
is one of the will forever beone of my favorite people. And Bobby
Mayo Bobby Mayolan for the band.You know, Bobby and I played in
Foreign together. So you know,the funny thing is when people say about
a sideman was I mean, well, I'm the guy that they called like
Foreigner in particular, there are fourguys, and Bobby and I filled in
(04:31):
the back line. There was nojob that Bobby and I couldn't fill.
Between him slinging a less fall behindhis back and having four keyboards because that
was premittee. The guy was guywas brilliant, and then the two of
us all the backing vocals. It'sit's been a great ride. I mean
thanks to Mutt lying introducing me toLou Graham and make Jones originally just to
(04:54):
play that little bit before Junior Walkersax solo and Mutton and I had worked
together in seventy five, so seventyseven rather they said, you know,
by the way, Munk play saxophone, he also plays guitar and keyboards and
he sings. He said, hesay sings the next thing I know,
it's myself, Lou Graham, MuttLang and Ian Lloyd from Stories, the
band Stories singing all the backgrounds betweenJukebox Hero and Waiting for a Girl Like
(05:18):
You. It was just an incredibletime. And you know, someone said,
well, it's being a side man. Is that a drag? And
I thought, the real answers knowit's because if I was a leader of
one band, I had never gottena chance to be. Ringo's musical directors
played literally with my idols from myfavorite band that I'll say this a thousand
(05:40):
times nineteen ninety seven, the BritishInvasion. It was called. I was
the only non brit but it wasJack Bruce, Simon Kirk, Peter Frampton
and Gary Brooker from procol harm Itwas like going down memory lane. And
I also said that I was readyto be the musical director for that band
when I was seventeen. Played allthose songs right that time, right,
(06:02):
and uh, it's just a joy. It's an absolute joy to be a
pardon you know, just to getthe calls from Ringo every once in a
while. By the way, you'recoming out, you got to put the
band, you got so I'll getback out with him in May. Yeah,
say, it's amazing. I stillpinch myself, to tell you the
truth, Jeff Well Markets, it'sso fun. And the one thing is
for sure that you can tell youare generally, no matter who you're playing
(06:24):
with, you are the happiest guyon stage. And I've noticed that from
the from the first time I sawyou with Billy Joel and I was like,
man, that guy's always smiling.He looks like every show is the
most fun you've ever had. AndI'm telling you, man, you you
put that out there every time.I appreciate that, not say one other
thing. With regard to how mycareer has gone and is still going,
(06:44):
I'd say ninety percent of that reasonis because I've never phoned in a gig.
I've never phoned it in. It'salways been genuine, it's always been
I called the stage my emotional moatthat when I'm on stage, I literally
don't allow anything but to be connectedto the musicians do age, and God
has been great. It's the opportunityto still come about. And I still
(07:04):
pinch myself whenever I get out thereand like this next store with Steve Lucather
and Colin hay Haymond Stewart. It'sjust an amazing band, Edgar Winter.
It's just I look around. Ilook around, and I think Ringo trusts
me with this level of musicians,and right, I mean, you got
to read the book because there's somestories about me correcting a couple of different
(07:27):
people that nobody's nobody realized, see, and that's what I love. I
love the behind the music, youknow, behind the scenes stuff, and
I'm sure we get a lot ofthat in your book, Sideman in pursuit
of the next gig. And letme just say, man, from from
all the fans, whether it's BillyJoel or Hall and Oates or Ringo or
whoever you've played with or foreigner,I mean we you. We are a
(07:48):
fan of you as well, myfriend. You bring something so special to
every band that you've played with.You're very kind, Jeff, and you
just lifted my spirits up. I'mblessed and I know it, and I'm
blessed that people like yourself on theother side of the phone. Hopefully we'll
get to have a drink again inone of these paus. Okay, that
sounds good. I'll look forward toit, Mark, and good luck with
the book again Sideman in pursuit ofthe next gig Mark Rivera is so great
(08:11):
to talk to you, buddy.Take care,
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