KEVIN SAVIGAR SPEAKS TO THE RSFC'S DAVE REDDY...
RSFC: Kevin you joined the Rod Stewart Group for the Blondes Have More Fun tour how did you land the job with Rod?
I was the only piano player at the auditions who bought a round of drinks in the pub afterwards! Seriously though, I was doing quite a bit of studio session work around London in the late 70’s and I was working with a friend of the wonderful Pete Buckland, who was the road manager for the Faces and then Rod. He called me and said that John Jarvis had left the band and they were looking for a keyboard player, preferably someone British. I went along to Easy Hire rehearsal studios in North London, played Maggie May and a couple of other things with Jim, Gary, Phil Chen and a drummer (Rod and Carmine Appice were in LA), jammed with them for a bit then Pete called the next day to see if I could go out to LA and audition for Rod. It took me about 3 seconds to say I was available and off I went. The rest is history.
RSFC: You were in Rod’s band from 1978-1986 where you toured & recorded quite extensively what was Rod like to work with? I’m sure you have some good stories to tell!
Well, I was in the band from ’78 –’86 on the road, but after that Rod involved me in cowriting quite a few songs and playing on his records up until ’98, when I coproduced ‘When We Were The New Boys’ with him. We recently got back together to write a couple of songs for his next project. It’s been fantastic to get back in the studio with him.
As for what it’s like working with him, he’s definitely the team captain. He manages to bring out the best in your performance and is a great producer. He knows how to mold the band into something special, then with his voice on top of it, it all comes to life! With the live shows, he’s not only the legendary frontman everybody loves, he knows how to put the perfect show together to take the audience on a ride. Off-stage there was always fantastic shenanagins going in whatever city we would find ourselves in. Personally I blame Jim Cregan for everything!
RSFC: You have played in some amazing arenas & stadiums whilst touring with Rod where would you say was your most memorable gig & venue?
There were so many …..
The first Rock In Rio on Copacabana Beach in ’85 to over 200,000 mad Brazilians was cool.
Wembley Stadium ’86 with the crowd singing ‘Every Beat Of My Heart’ – incidentally my last gig – I had to leave the tour half way through, which was tough to do, and go to hospital for a rather serious operaton.
The then-record-breaking 6 night run at the Forum in LA in ’79.
The UNICEF concert at the United Nations Jan ’79 worldwide broadcast.
Great memories!
RSFC: You have worked with Rod in the studio both writing & producing albums including a UK number 1 single. What would you say is your favourite Rod album?
My favourite Rod album has to be “Every Picture Tells A Story” – brilliant record, songs, production and singing!!!
I also have a soft spot for “Out Of Order” with “Forever Young”….
RSFC: You have co-written some great songs with Rod... what is your favourite?
“Forever Young” with “Ten Days Of Rain” as a close second. Although the new ones are pretty fantastic!
RSFC: What was a typical recording session like?
The process has changed quite a bit over the years. It used to be quite a party in the studio – but that gradually gave way to being more focused on getting the best tracks possible in an economical way. On the “Foolish Behaviour” and “Tonight I’m Yours” sessions we had a fully catered bar with the very fine Patrick ‘Boiler’ Logue and Malcolm Cullimore (RIP) charging our glasses constantly. We would get to the studio around 1pm, work on the arrangement and jam until around 5ish until we felt comfortable with our parts etc. Then we would run next door to the pub for that final piece of inspiration – we’d come back, do quite a few takes until we had what we wanted, then go for dinner. We would go back to the studio and either do more takes or start routining the next day’s song until around 1am. Then repeat the next day for many months! It’s all changed now we’re more grown up…
RSFC: Is it true that the tune was laid down before Rod added lyrics?
We used to do it that way all the time. Rod liked to be inspired by the music then come up with the lyrics. On the new record, he had the lyrics finished before we cut the tracks. I love doing it that way as you get to hear him sing the finished song while your playing your parts.
Two different processes.
RSFC: Recently Rhino Records have released a lot of the tracks from forgotten Rod Sessions like the Sessions box set 1971-1998 & Once In A Blue Moon a session from 1992. There’s some great tracks on Sessions box set that were never released, how many of those did you play on or co-write & do you have any memories from those sessions that you would like to share with the RSFC?
I thought that was a strange compilation to put out to be honest. It was basically a lot of out-takes from discarded master reels that weren’t finished and never made the final record. I co-wrote a few of those things with Jim, and Tony Brock had written some stuff also – it all gets muddled up with those kinds of projects. That being said there were some great moments….”My Dad’s Trousers” is a personal favourite.
RSFC: Did you work on any of Rod's non album tracks and others such as So Far Away, Your Song, Love Minus Zero, One Night etc.?
“So Far Away” was David Foster who is a genius. I played all the keyboards on “Your Song” on the Elton/Bernie tribute album “Two Rooms” which Trevor Horn produced. I produced, arranged and played on “Love Minus Zero” for the Princess Diana tribute album … that was quite an emotional record as it was very soon after her tragic death.
RSFC: As well as Rod you have worked with some great people such as Bob Dylan, George Harrison, and Sinead O’Connor just to name a few. Please can you the RSFC members who else you have worked for?
Some other people I’ve played with are John Mellencamp, Marylin Manson, Peter Frampton, Pat Benatar, Grace Jones, Tori Amos, Randy Newman, Lyle Lovett, Willie Nelson, Belinda Carlisle, London Quireboys.
RSFC: Is it true you have done work for films were they sound tracks or have you done some acting & what films did your work feature in?
Definitely not acting! I’ve written songs and played on songs in some films and TV shows over the years.
Some of them are: “Toy Story”, “Toys”, “Message In A Bottle”, “Master Of Disguise”, “Baywatch”, “So You Think You Can Dance”, “The Perfect Storm”, “Made In America”, “Staying Alive”, “8 Seconds”, “Love Affair”, “Night Shift”, “Ishtar”!, “Chances Are”, “Inner Space” and a load of anonymous TV films.
RSFC: Do you still keep in touch with any of the guys you played with in Rod’s band?
I had dinner with Jim at Rod’s house in England recently; Gary and I are Facebook friends and I bumped into Phil Chen at a rehearsal studio in North Hollywood last week. I see Robin LeMesurier all the time as well as Tony Brock occasionally.
RSFC: Jim Cregan & Gary Granger are playing in a band called 'Apart From Rod' would you consider playing in the band?
They very kindly invited me to play with them but I’m in LA and I’m pretty busy working on different projects.
RSFC: What do like to do when you’re not working do you have many hobbies?
I love playing golf. I just enjoy getting out there and I’ve been working on my game a lot this last year – I still have problems with my short game but if I can strike the ball well consistently I’m happy.
I also enjoy cooking, wine, reading, photography, art, films and TV.
RSFC: As we all know Rod loves football; do you like football & who is your team?
I love watching a great game – we get all the Premier league games as well as most of the European games here in LA. I’m a Man Utd fan – I know that doesn’t sound right as I’m from North London but there you go!
RSFC: You announced on your website that your back working with Rod on his forthcoming album can you tell the RSFC what we can expect from Rod’s new album?
I’m involved in 2 songs on the new album and they sound like classic Rod songs. I think a lot of people will be pleasantly surprised by this record – he’s singing better than ever, has written more original songs than on any of his other records, and has brought the band back to the basics – raw sounding, great grooves in a small intimate studio. Very excited!
RSFC: As well as Rod’s new album what projects are you currently working on?
Lindsay Broughton – country pop girl on Sony Records Canada – we’re just finishing mixing and it will be out in Jan 2012
Midnight Mirage – a band I’ve been developing for the past year. EP is just finished.
Taylor Mathews – runner up on America’s Got Talent 2010…. Soulful young 19 year old singer ala Gavin De Graw/Jason Mraz
RSFC: Would you consider going back out on the road with Rod again?
Yes!
RSFC: I hear that you have laid a couple of tracks down for the RSFC’s very own Martie Peters can you tell us more about that & can you give any of our members who are budding musicians more information on the art of demoing?
Martie’s record sounds great – he and Rene did a great job getting that made with musicians across the globe. The internet has changed the way we can collaborate and I love being able to record in my underwear! Fantastic to be able to play on a track that Mickey Curry drummed on in NY and Jim Cregan played on in London – then it comes down the pipeline in LA for me to add my parts then I shoot the thing back to Copenhagen for Martie and Rene – who’d’ve thought?!
As for the art of demoing, here’s a link to a blog I recently wrote on the subject.
http://idocoach.com/2011/02/kevin-savigar-on-the-art-of-demoing/
RSFC: I have to ask you this one as the RSFC have asked others the same question & it’s… Marmite do you love it or hate it?
It’s a lot better than Vegemite but I’m not a huge fan – not bad on a piece of buttered toast but not my first choice.
RSFC: I would like to take this time to thank you for taking the time out to talk to me I cannot tell you how much of an honour it was do this interview with you we at the RSFC wish you the very best for the future.
My pleasure! Hope you all enjoy the new record! Cheers!
Kevin Savigar was interviewed by Dave Reddy 16th October 2011
