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WKDU – 91.7 FM Philadelphia ~Transcribed by Michelle (meshel_luvs_sb)~ |
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Kelly: So the record, you’re saying your favourite songs on here are Mighty Little Man and … Steve: I like Troposphere Kelly: Troposphere Steve: [mumbles] the one that’s down … Kelly: That’s my favourite. Obviously I have fantastic taste then Steve: [laughs] Kelly: Ok, well you know why don’t we play that song so that the listening public can … Steve: Yeah, right on Kelly: … care and enjoy it and then we’ll come back and answer some of these intriguing questions that I’ve gotten from your fans and if you the listening public have a question you’d like to ask you can call 215-895-5920 and get your question … Steve: Or if you’d like a soft [?] chocolate chip cookie Kelly: You can also request that Steve: Yeah Kelly: We can mail it to you … Steve: But hurry up because I’m about to eat the second last one Kelly: Yeah so whoever’s that ... and here’s Troposphere so enjoy and be delighted [There is dead air for 15 seconds] Kelly: Alright it’s coming [mumbles something] I’m just so distracted with all the cookies, all the sugar, there we go. Troposphere on WKDU [TROPOSPHERE is played] Kelly: That was Troposphere from Steve Burns’ album Songs For Dustmites back in the studio with myself Kelly and Steve Steve: Hi Kelly: He’s still here Steve: Hi Kelly: He’s answering questions now. Um, Steve I got a lot of interesting emails Steve: Yeah, I tend to have interesting fans. I mean you have to be pretty pioneering to ahh get on board with you know crazy psychedelic rock music after making children’s television for six years so Kelly: I guess it’s flattering though. You got, I mean these people they love you Steve: No it’s, it’s great. It’s wonderful, of course Kelly: So like I said there’s people that want to know … quite a few people wanting to know if you’re coming to New Zealand Steve: You know. I’m going to go ahead and answer that now and say no. Um I’ve been to Auckland once and it’s 146 hours away … Kelly: Wow Steve: … you know and ahhh I don’t really think my records been released there so Kelly: Why not? Steve: Soon as it’s released there I’ll be there I promise Kelly: OK. Hopefully someone will get on it now Steve: In fact I would like to invite New Zealand to come here Kelly: There you go Steve: I’d like to take this opportunity to invite New Zealand to come to Brooklyn for a free concert if more than … I, I will go on record as saying if more than 60% of the population arrives in Brooklyn I will give a free concert … Kelly: Wow Steve: … in my apartment Kelly: Would they fit in Brooklyn? Steve: It’s not a big place. There’s more sheep in New Zealand than there are people. It’s a fact Kelly: We up? OK. There you go. Alright. Ummm, this, this one was interesting. Ah, what has surprised you most about meeting the fans you “knew” from the website? That’s in quotations. I don’t know what it means. It’s signed Shalagh Knight google me. Which I did and found nothing. So I don’t know what that’s all about Steve: Mmmmmm. What eh … can you read it again? Kelly: What has surprised you most about meeting the fans you “knew” from the website? Steve: Oh, well I, you know I don’t really think I “know” … Kelly: [giggling] Steve: … any of the fans from the web… I think .. oh ..I think they’re talking about the fan sites like the Steve Burns fan sites and stuff. Ummm, mmmm yeah I, I don’t know what was particularly surprising about it. Ummm it was nice. It’s flattering, you know Kelly: This girl wrote like a book almost … Steve: Wow Kelly: … and she called as well. She’s very nice. Her name’s Becky. And well some of the questions. I mean this question in itself is just intriguing for the way it’s put. Ummm, just how did Professor Paul E. Ford and Captain Steve meet? What goes on in the lab after hours? Or more to the point what magnetic park force drew squirrel and rat together in friendship? And can we look forward to hearing a rendition of one of their classic tunes at the show on Wednesday if we bring soggy peanuts and crackers? Steve: My God that’s … Kelly: That’s only a little portion of that Steve: Yeah. I COULD if I wanted to, I could explain all that to you but … Kelly: But we don’t have the time Steve: I, I think we should just let that hang just the way it is Kelly: It’s better when it’s mysterious Steve: Yeah. Well Paul Ford is a good, is ahh probably my best friend in Brooklyn and ummm he has been kind of a big part of this project, a big secret weapon. Ummm he’s a writer and a commentator on NPR and stuff. And umm he and I are working on a children’s rock opera about a squirrel and a rat who are friends Kelly: Wow Steve: So I think that’s what that is about Kelly: That’s fantastic Steve: Whoever you are who asked that question. You are truly a fan and thank you, [mumbles] I think Kelly: [giggles] Well she had another question that I agree with. So I’ll ask it Steve: Ok Kelly: Who have you been listening to lately? Steve: Oh ... ummm … The Postal Service record Kelly: Oh Yeah Steve: I love that song. You know what I like about that record? They have dialogue songs on there. You know like ummm [he starts singing] “I was working as a waitress in a cocktail bar” You know … Kelly: The Human League song? Steve: Yeah, you know like, you know like there’s a calm response between a guy and a girl and Postal Service is doing that. It’s kinda of a dusty old convention that is really cool. I usually don’t like that kind of twittery drum machine music but umm I love that record for some reason. Ummm, I listen to a lot of T Rex Kelly: Oh we just played them a few minutes before you got here Steve: Yeah. Ummm I like that, that Flaming Lips band quite a bit Kelly: I guess Steve: Yeah Kelly: I guess so Steve: and ummm I like the Sigur Ros record. The new one. Not that it’s new anymore but umm and Journey Kelly: Journey? Steve: Escape - Journey. I’m listening to that an awful lot and I’m proud to say Kelly: [giggles] Next question. Ummm you kinda of explained to me earlier but since you are from the States Steve: Yeah Kelly: She wants to know if you were from Montgomery County, PA Steve: Yeah, I am Kelly: You had that song about it so Steve: Well I grew up in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. I spent a lot of time in Montgomery County. Ummm … you know … I, I put … there’s an instrumental on the record that I did in you know in one afternoon on my Rhodes piano. There’s only one instrument on it, it’s just a Rhodes piano twisted and backwards and whatever. I didn’t know what to call it but I did want to put it on the record and ummm it always just reminded me, reminded me of you know laying around back by my pond … so … in Montgomery County .. so Kelly: Wow. Ok so there you go. I’m from Connecticut. I have no idea where that is Steve: [laughing] Kelly: But somebody must Steve: Everybody’s got a Montgomery County sort of, or an equivalent Kelly: I won’t even get into this. Somebody sent this and it was very strange and suggestive but then three days later that sent this insisting that I please do not ask you and forget …. Steve: Oh we have to ask that question. C’mon Kelly: I don’t know if it’s really a question Steve: Can I see it? Kelly: You can look it over if you like Steve: Here I’ll read it Kelly: You can read it Steve: [starts singing “I was working as a waitress in a cocktail bar” to himself as he reads the email] Kelly: [giggling] Steve: I don’t even know what this is Kelly: They sent a picture too. I didn’t print it out. It was a little large and strange. But … I wonder what that was about. I found it interesting that they retracted the entire thing Steve: Yeah that is, that is weird. There definitely is some, some ummm Kelly: On your website you have correspondence from people that have sent you emails. Are those all true? Steve: Yeah they are Kelly: Wow, even the one about the badgers? Steve: No, no, obviously, obviously that, that one is fake Kelly: [laughs] Steve: But ummm I truly do ummm get some weird, some, some really, really weird ummm mail from, from people [laughs] Kelly: Wow Steve: Mail that you would not think would be inspired by a children’s television show and so ummm we can’t, we can’t really publish most of them but we would love to. Someday we will Kelly: Wow, you should put out a book. Alright, let’s see. What else? Ummm, so you’re playing tonight at the North Star Bar Steve: That’s right Kelly: Ummm, so as you have been starting to play gigs around now. Ummm, do you have any horror stories? If you will Steve: What do you mean? Kelly: Anything crazy that’s happened on a gig that was unexpected Steve: It’s only happened once and I’m surprised that it doesn’t happened more. One time someone brought their 4 year old child to, to the show and I was trying to come up with ahhh an impromptu rap about wave your kid in the air like you just don’t care and I couldn’t do it. It was a missed opportunity. But that, that, that I just thought was like “why would you do that!?!” You know … I mean … I understand … like you know. And I would love to actually meet the kid and hang out and say “hey, what’s up?” But it’s a rock show [laughs] I’m always, I’m always amazed when people are still confused. You know by, by that. That, that was one of the strangest things … Kelly: Are you going to change … [not sure if she was talking to Steve or maybe he didn’t hear her because she stopped mid sentence and he kept talking] Steve: … that happened. Then there was one show I think it was in Phoenix where we went on before Goth Night … Kelly: Oh Steve: … and ahhh they, they rushed us out of there. I think, I think we went on at 6:30 or something and there was nobody there and there’s like 40 people there and then they rushed us out so that Goth Night could happen. It was imperative that Goth Night happened in this club. And we left and three sullen pasty teenager people walked in and sat in the corner for three hours and that was Goth Night Kelly: [giggles] Wow Steve: So yeah. But you know when opening for The Lips in the UK … you know … playing for thousands of people every night. None of them had any idea what Blue’s Clues was and they’d never heard of me and we were really, really well received over there so it was really. It was great. It was kinda the antidote for the Goth Night story Kelly: Yeah, ummm Steve: Hey … Kelly: What is this? Steve: … there is some good, good music on there Kelly: Wow, someone’s been listening Steve: Yeah. We just ahhh, we just received a Sigur Ros CD in the studio. Postal Service - Give Up. Probably my favourite record right now. And T Rex – Slider, which you can’t go wrong with. Wow there it is Kelly: Is there a favourite track among these that you’d like to put on? Steve: Ohhh on Sliders, tough. Metal Guru is definitely good. The Sliders, definitely good. Ummmm, I’d say .. really, you think? …. Telegram … Alright, Telegram Sam. Telegram Sam, I’d say I’d recommend off T Rex of The Slider. It’s vinyl and everything Kelly: This is Steve Burns’ pick Steve: [laughs] Kelly: I’ve got a question though about the rock show Steve: Yeah Kelly: What was it like going from performing in front of the camera to thousands of people? Was that bizarre? Steve: No I mean .. you know … I was kind of an actor for awhile in New York. You know I kinda started in theatre. So ahhh it actually feels much more natural to me to perform in front of people than it does to be performing on a blue screen and talking to imaginary condiments and bars of soaps and whatever so Kelly: Do you still find yourself doing that from time to time? Steve: No I do not! Kelly: Oh Steve: [laughing] Kelly: That would be entertaining. That’s why I asked Steve: No … you know. I don’t wear the shirt. I don’t talk to the salt shaker anymore you know … Kelly: That’s good Steve: … but I do kinda miss those days. I do miss those days Kelly: You should maybe have a reunion Steve: Yeah that’d be great. Now that I’m you know, balder and fatter and older. That would be really upsetting to children Kelly: Awwww. Ok, let’s see. Which one did you want to hear? Steve: Telegram Sam Kelly: Telegram Sam. Alright, I’ll put that on and you can amuse everyone with witty comments for the two minutes that it takes me to put up the record. It really doesn’t take that long Steve: OK, so when I was a kid my Dad used to take me ummmm to old town Philadelphia all the time and ummmm I loved it. Have you ever been there? You go there? Kelly: Yeah Steve: I used to run up the art museum steps a lot. The ahhh Rocky soundtrack was one of my favourite records growing up. I’m just trying to think of Philadelphia related stories. [4 seconds of dead air] It’s all I got [8 seconds of dead air] [TELEGRAM SAM starts playing] Kelly: [Kelly is talking over the start of song so I can’t really hear what she is saying] T Rex this is the choice of Steve Burns. We’ll be back in a moment [Kelly says something else but I can’t make it out] [TELEGRAM SAM finishes playing] Kelly: 1:13 WKDU Philadelphia 91.7 FM. We have had T Rex by ahhh ... deemed, deemed to be played by Steve Burns who is here in the studio with us ... Steve: Hey Kelly: ... right now. He's playing tonight at the North Star Bar in Philadelphia. Are you excited? Steve: I've never ahhh played there before but I am very excited. I saw Chris Smither play there once. Which was cool. It's ... I'm trying to remember. It's kinda like a balcony right? Kelly: I don't remember a bal-co-ny. Maybe. I only went there once and it was dark Steve: We've got a big projection screen that we try to use ... Kelly: Yeah I saw the pictures from ummm the Mercury Lounge or something Steve: Yeah and it's kind of a really big part of the show and ummm I'm just going to make sure that I get to use it tonight [laughs] Kelly: It's a visual experience Steve: Yeah, right, right, right Kelly: Any other information ... why don't you talk about your website, people can go check it out Steve: Oh yeah my website, www dot steveswebpage dot com will explain all of, all of this for you and it's funny too. So, check it out! Kelly: And it has dustmites Steve: And it's also got like a little, a little tour blog which I didn't wanna do. But somebody made me do. But it's funny I hope. It's an entertaining place Kelly: Very interesting ... it will answer all your questions Steve: [whispers] Should we answer this now? Kelly: Oh if you want to, go right ahead. We've got a phone question. Steve: Yeah Meagan asks ummm "do you think your fame as a children's show star has helped or hindered your music career?" [pause] I think it's definitely helped. I mean I wouldn't have ahhh meet the you know The Flaming Lips without ummm Blue's Clues or you know and I think that also, that show is very much a part of who I am you know. I think that everything you do in the past ummm informs what your are doing in the present. So yeah, I'm very proud of Blue's Clues. And I think it's opened more doors than closed, for sure Kelly: That's fabulous. Question about that I had ummm was ... I'm assuming that you didn't just wake up one day and said "hey I'm going to quit this show and go be a rock star!". Were you doing rock and roll stuff before Blue's Clues? And then that just took off and you got wrapped up in it or? Steve: I was sort of interested in music as a producer kind of. I mean I had a, a little Pro Tools Rig in, in my apartment in Brooklyn and I was just kind of obsessing over it. I was more interested in making sounds than songs at first and ummm and right before I sent that demo to David Fridmann I had just really written a couple of songs for the first time you know. Ummm I was always in bands and stuff my whole life but you know. The songs on this record are some of the first real songs that I've ever written so Kelly: That record is Songs For Dustmites, if you're just tuning in, this is Steve Burns and ummm let's see what else can we harass you by asking? So you've worked with The Flaming Lips ahh the movie ... Steve: Yeah Kelly: ... I don't think you've told them about the movie. You told me about the movie. What's that about? Steve: Oh. Well the movie is ummm it's called Christmas On Mars and ummm yeah I, I don't know that much about it. Wayne is kinda shooting it without a script out there in Oklahoma City whenever, whenever he's got a spare minute. And ummm you know he's letting me stay there when I rehearse in Oklahoma. So you know I get to literally sleep in the space station that he is building in his backyard Kelly: While he's building it? Steve: Yeah you know. He's up three hours before everybody, goes to bed three hours later working on that thing that ... I don't know when that's gonna get finished I mean he says that, that's ummmm says that's the first priority now that they're done touring for awhile. So who knows. I'm as interested in seeing it as everyone else is Kelly: [giggles] Steve: [laughs] Kelly: Well there you go [giggles]. Ummm let's see. I saw on your website, cover songs by Sabbath Steve: Yeah I think we're going to do Electric Funeral tonight Kelly: Yeah I wasn't sure. I was like "Is he kidding? I don't know" Do you do any other covers other than Sabbath ones or? Steve: Ahhhh, I want to do Raining Babies by The Flaming Lips because for six years of my life it did rain babies. But ummm we haven't gotten that one together yet, but we will. There's lots of covers I wanna do. I'd like to cover a couple of T Rex songs actually Kelly: Fabulous. I like ahh ... Would I Be The One Steve: Yeah that's ... yeah? Jewel would be the one that I would do Kelly: Yeah. And you say that The Flaming Lips are nicer than most people on Mars. Is that true? Steve: Yeah. I mean it is true that, I mean. They are .... just incredibly kind and generous and really down to earth you know. Regular VERY nice people. I always say they're even nicer than they are talented which is pretty hard to beat Kelly: That is quite a statement Steve: Yeah Kelly: Let's see. Ummm so like, about the record you know, ummm was it important to … was it influenced by The Flaming Lips? Steve: Sure, I mean that's, you know that's what I was listening to at the time and ummm it, it was weird you know I mean I have all the demos ... I was listening recently to all the demo stuff that I did before this record and the songs that eventually became to be and ummm you know they're still very much the same songs but there's definitely Steven Drozd's stamp on a lot of them. It just, it just became really difficult you know you're in the studio with him [laughs] and he's your like your favorite musician, Grammy award winning musician and ummm you know, I COULD play the guitar part to that song but so could he [laughs] you know, and what would take me eight takes, he could do in one. So, you know when he's there you just kinda wanna use him you know and he's got that huge signature drum sound that I just put ALL over the record Kelly: Do you record that in ahhh Fredonia? Was that in Fredonia? Steve: I recorded a lot of the songs in Fredonia but I also recorded ummm most of the album in New York City with my friend Mike Rubin. Ummm who's produced a whole bunch of stuff but he also produced some of the music for Blue's Clues. And that's, that's how I know him and Steven Drozd came down and worked with Mike and I on some of these songs and I think those are some of the most successful songs on, on the, on the record Kelly: Yeah ... so, so was it a huge difference from recording on the album ... from Blue's Clues? We had ... I used to do a children's television show .... a music show on here and we used to play ahhh the Big Treasure CD ..... Steve: Ohhhhhhh you, you had a Kid's music ..... Kelly: Yeah, well like that's what I usually do. I kinda, I figured that you'd be kinda sick of that so I stayed away today but ... Steve: Ohhhhhhh Kelly: ... we had the blue big treasure magic thing Steve: Yeah, some of that music is great I mean that ummm, those guys were really, really accomplished jazz musicians. Most of the people who worked on that show. And umm some of that music was fantastic. You know, it was fun, recording that stuff Kelly: Yeah, kids music is underrated, there's some ... great music out there Steve: Yeah well some of it ... some of it's perfectly awful ... Kelly: [giggles] Steve: ... and really you know saccharine and condescending and ... it, it doesn't need to be. I've always thought that kids deserve an you know alternate aesthetic the same way as adults do and that they, they really appreciate those little differences and those subtleties matter you know Kelly: Fantastic. So ummm let's see, anything else about the record that you want to share with the world? Steve: Ahhh well yeah I mean ummm check it out I'd love to say that and say listen to it and ummm ... Kelly: Yeah it's fantastic. I wouldn't just say that just because he's sitting right here. I enjoyed it very much Steve: It's ummm, it's been really well received and critically and ... I don't know. It's hard to say nice things about something you've ... you know, that's, that's you're own. So I'd say just you know just check it out you might really dig it Kelly: Yeah OK well before I was like "this is my favourite song!" so we're gonna play it. But what about you? What's your favourite song that you'd like to play for the world? Steve: Ahhh I'd like 'em to hear the first track, Mighty Little Man Kelly: Mighty Little Man Steve: Yeah Kelly: Alright ummmm here is another track from Steve Burns ummm Songs for Dustmites you can see Steve at the North Star Bar and we'll be right back, right after this [MIGHTY LITTLE MAN is played] Kelly: Yes that was Steve Burns, Mighty Little Man of the Songs for Dustmites record. He's here! He's in the studio! Steve: Hi Kelly: Surely you're aware of this already. He's been here for quite awhile talking to me and it's pretty fabulous. If you want to ask a question of Mr. Steve Burns you can call 215-895-5930 [Note: the number is supposed to be 5920 not 5930]. If you would like to witness Steve Burns you can come tonight, North Star Bar ahhh 9pm, is that correct? Steve: I think we're, we're playing around 10 Kelly: OK Steve: But I think doors probably you know open considerably earlier. Get there at 9! Kelly: Yeah. [laughs] Like in an hour you get drunk before Steve goes ... [laughs] Steve: Yeah right. That always helps, please [laughs] Kelly: [laughs] Steve: Yeah we're all very, very ill too. My band, my band arrived from Oklahoma City. They arrived on my door step in Brooklyn with the Bubonic Plague and ummm ... Kelly: And gave it to you! Steve: And now I have it yeah. I'm starting to come back a little. But ah my keyboard player this morning looked like he would have to get better in order to die Kelly: Is that the same two guys that are on your site? The ahhh ... Steve: Yeah Kelly: ... Drumwolf ... Steve: Yeah [laughs] Kelly: ... and what have you Steve: Yeah that's them, that's them Kelly: How you'd get them? Where did they come from? Steve: I'm really lucky to be working with those guys. Ummm Kliph, the guy who plays drums for The Lips, live, recommended my drummer to me, Jason Gerken and he is truly an extraordinaire musician. Ummm he's, he's kinda a real pain in the butt but a really extraordinaire musician and ummm Derek Brown who plays keyboard and guitar for me is kinda of a multi instrumentalist guy he just got off tour with Liz Phair and ... Kelly: Wow Steve: ... he's 22 years old and he's got more experience than I'll ever have. I'm just really lucky [somebody walks into the studio and Kelly starts talking to them] Kelly: What do you want? This thing? Look at this, Sean's coming in here messing me up Steve: Yeah Kelly: Ahhh so rude. But anyway Steve: I was really flowing too Kelly: [giggles] Oh everything's ruined now I guess you might as well just go [giggles] Interview is over. Oh no, I'm only kidding, don't go. Ummm alright. You've got this band, you've got two guys. Ummmm, on the album who ... were these the same two guys on the album or was that like a totally different line up? Steve: Oh totally different line up on the album. Ahhh, for the most part on, for instance the song you just heard, Mighty Little Man it's just me and Steven Drozd Kelly: Wow Steve: Oh no and Dave Fridmann played the bass line on there 'cause I didn't think it needed one ... Kelly: [laughs] Steve: ... I thought we had enough low keyboard parts that we were playin' that ahhh we didn't need ... but ummm the stuff I did with Mike Rubin in New York City you know he's been producing for so long in New York that he's just got this list of the most amazing musicians. And ahhh I could just say "Well, I really want a Cello section on this" and he'd pick up the phone and he'd have ... just cash in some favours and have some people come in Kelly: Wow Steve: Yeah, so there's tons of musicians on, on this record. I loved that part of it. I loved working with all those different people. But the stuff in Tarbox Road was you know myself and Steven Drozd and a lot of it, like the beginning of Troposphere the first song you played, most of the beginning of that song up until the first chorus was done in my bedroom in Brooklyn. And we just used the original demo stuff and ummm you know souped it up a little Kelly: Wow. How long did it take you to make it? Steve: I worked on it ... to the degree that I was working with Dave Fridmann and Steven and those guys. I, I just kinda stole whatever time they had left over at the studio you know so that was kind of ummm that kinda took a while. But I wasn't really .... [someone distracts Kelly while Steve is in the middle of talking. She cuts off Steve and replies to them "592... Isn't that what I said?" I think someone is telling Kelly that she gave out the wrong phone number earlier. Earlier in the interview after they played Mighty Little Man, Kelly gives the phone number to call in and ask a question as 215-895-5930 instead of 5920. The person replies to Kelly, which we can't hear and and she says to them "oh" and Steve laughs and Kelly giggles and Steve continues talking] Steve: But you know I, I wasn't really expecting to make an album until I had like five songs. And I thought "man I've got to do something, I'm recording with The Flaming Lips!" Kelly: [giggles] Steve: 5920 ... Kelly: Yeah ... Steve: ... we're supposed to say that Kelly: ... 215-895-5920. Geez, I've said it! No one listens. Alright [giggles], so ummm I had a question and now I've lost it. You have a thing on your site about a children's book? Steve: Oh yeah that's an interesting story because ummm when I left Blue's Clues I said "alright I, I gotta to do something" you know I was used to being so busy for so long. So I tried two things, one was to write a children's book series which I thought was a home run and the other was "well I'm going do something with music 'cause I love it so much but it probably won't go anywhere". So [laughs] I wrote these kid's books and you know I had you know really kinda big name children's book authors hooking me up with their agents and stuff. I was like "man this is going to be great" and I had this really great illustrator and everyone hated my kid's books, hated them Kelly: Really? Steve: Yeah. And ummm so they were too dark and creepy and ummm Tim Burtony or whatever so no one would publish them ... but I got a record deal instead [laughs] totally accidentally Kelly: When you're done you can publish you're own books Steve: Yeah right Kelly: So there Steve: [laughing] It's not the way I thought it would work out Kelly: Ahhh it's alright though. You don't mind what you're doing, do you? Steve: Ahhh I love it I have to say. Ummm you know I could do this indefinitely. It's ummm ... there's, there's nothing that I really I don't like about it Kelly: Really? Ok, when is the second one coming out? Have you started recording yet? Steve: Ummm I've got a bunch of stuff I'm, I'm working on. You know I've gotten the, the same cast of characters as ... that have definitely said "hey when are we doing the next one?" so ...... soon Kelly: So with the science aspect. Are you really into science? ... Steve: I really am Kelly: ... when you were writing this? Steve: I think science is amazing Kelly: I have to tell you, ummm I had to look up what Troposphere meant because I didn't know. So you're just ... Steve: Troposphere is the weather, is the ummm layer of the atmosphere ... refers, in general, to the atmosphere but specifically to the layer of the atmosphere wherein weather takes place Kelly: Very educational Steve: Yes! See I strive to be educational in everything I do. It's from my days in kids TV. But no I always thought that science was ... while I was writing this record it was a time when all that weird science news was coming out and ummm they had kinda figured out the string theory and they had that ... I remember reading an article about a self contained robotic heart and I said "man this is getting really strange" also cloning was ... they'd finally cloned Dolly. So science was really kinda on my mind and what role science has in, in our lives and ummm you know it's not just about math or things you can't understand it's about you know that science is trying to answer questions about who we are fundamentally. Actually answering questions that religion used to answer you know so I just thinks it's kind of a really an interesting time, we're integrating science into our lives Kelly: Wow that was interesting and profound Steve: Thank you ... and plus it's cool! Kelly: Science is awesome Steve: Dustmites are cool! Kelly: They are, they're just adorable. Steve created all these dustmites on the record. I was excited to learn that Steve: Yeah, well you have the demo ... you don't have the real ... Kelly: Oh yes I do! Steve: Oh yeah, there you go Kelly: This is mine. Which ummm ... so I'm gonna make you sign it Steve: OK Kelly: I mean that sounded really mean. I'm going to politely inquire if you'd sign my album Steve: [laughs] She's got a knife! she's got a knife! .... Kelly: I'm going to make you sign it in blood Steve: .... please, please send. Please send help [laughs] Kelly: We got the demo one. We got this awhile ago Steve: Yeah. Are you going to... Kelly: I'd heard about your CD from your website a couple of years ago and I didn't really hear anything for awhile and then one day this just appeared in our mail box. This is a joyous and exciting day Steve: [laughs] It was Christmas. It was Super-Christmas Kelly: It was Christmas in June or whatever or December, what do I know. There you go. Ummm this came out in August Steve: Mmm-mmm Kelly: So where you going after Philadelphia? Steve: Philly, ummm North Hampton which is really just kinda on the way to Boston. And we're doing a show in Boston and ummm then we go back to Brooklyn. Doin' a show up the street from my house in Brooklyn. I'm excited about that. It's just a little mini tour just to you know to keep our feet wet and stay loose Kelly: Any plans after that? Steve: Yeah the big plan after that is in January or February to you know when, when you're a band of my size which is no size at all you know and you're still trying to establish yourself you, you try to do the pilot fish thing where you like attach on to a larger fish and try to steal their crowd. So we have a couple of ahhh [I swear that I can hear the superstitious 'knock, knock' on wood sound here], a couple of options for a much bigger tour Kelly: Again with The Flaming Lips or ... ? Steve: Yeah that would be great, wouldn't it? But ahhh I think they, I think they're done touring for a little while, certainly in the States. You know they're, they're getting so big in England though I think they may have to go back, again Kelly: Is there any place else that you'd like to play, like .... Steve: Yeah, I want to play everywhere Kelly: Everywhere? Even New Zealand? Steve: I want to play in Auckland. I went to Auckland. I was on a ... I've played in Auckland. I ahhh did like their MTV show with some dude named Jabba and John Spencer Blues Explosion was there. I love them and ahhh I played a rock and roll version of We are looking for Blue's Clues Kelly: Wow Steve: Yeah. In New Zealand Kelly: That's incredible Steve: It was awful Kelly: Oh [laughs] Steve: But it was fun Kelly: Was it well received? Steve: Yeah, it was funny, it was, it was funny Kelly: Do they have Blue's Clues there? Steve: Yeah they do, they do. It actually does really well there. Really, really well. They have it all over the world Kelly: Yeah, I saw the British Blue's Clues. It's a different guy Steve: Yes it is Kelly: And they call things different, they have ahhh Shovel and Pail are called like something Steve: Bucket and Spade Kelly: Yeah, there you go Steve: Yeah it doesn't, it doesn't really work over there. No one really ... it doesn't have any real presence over there for some reason. Which is a shame because I mean ummm I think that's the way to do it. I mean to take ... the nature of the way we shoot it is you can remove my footage from the television show and replace ... Kelly: Oh, how weird Steve: ... because it's shot, it's shot on blue screen. I'm all for it ahhh I think they should always localize it you know. There's ahhh in Korea there's, the biggest star in Korea, he's like the Robin Williams of Korea, does Blue's Clues Kelly: How odd, have you seen these? Steve: Yeah I have. The most amazing one is ahhh is the Turkish version of Blue's Clues because it's me, it's just dubbed Kelly: [laughs] Steve: But I felt so bad for the guy who was dubbing it because apparently in Turkish "Sit down in our thinking chair and think" has about 140 syllables Kelly: [laughs] Just like cram it all in there Steve: Yeah. It's hysterical. Poor guy Kelly: It's a global phenomenon Steve: I guess. I mean that's you know, that's TV. I mean that's umm that's just where we're at in terms of television now, an idea can spread throughout the world even if it's a bad idea you know I mean it can spread throughout the world like that you know ... look at Linkin Park [laughs] Kelly: Ahhh, I don't think you'll find any disagreement here on that one ... Steve: [laughs] Kelly: ... I don't think we're even allowed to play them. But ummm yeah so, Songs For Dustmites ahhh the website is steveswebpage dot com Steve: www dot steveswebpage dot com. 5920! Kelly: 5920 Steve: There's, there's, there's a very ummm enthusiastic gentleman who keeps flashing us a sign that says 5920 Kelly: You can punch that into your phone. It would be a good idea to punch 215-895 first, before punching the 5920 because that would complete the order of numbers in which you can reach through to the station and give your questions to Steve Burns. I'm no longer taking email ones for all you very ahhh passionate fans who emailed. Ummm let's see, did we got all these? We got all these? Steve: I think so yeah Kelly: more stuff about Flaming Lips...What about the Starlight Mints? What was it like working with the Starlight Mints? Steve: They're great. They're really, really nice guys. Ummm ahhh yeah I've, I've been a fan of those guys for a long time as well and ummm they've been kicking it out there in Oklahoma City for a really long time too and ummm you know and I, I do think that they are an extraordinarily underrated band I mean ummm they just write such weird music though. Allan the main song writer just writes real strange intervals and weird chord progressions. I love it. They sound great live too they are a really tight live band and ummm it was a wonderful experience working with those guys Kelly: So if you had like a five artist dream team that you could work with, who would be on it? Steve: David Bowie ummm, Steven Drozd ummm, Neil Schon [laughs] he's the lead guitarist from Journey [laughs] Kelly: [Kelly says something but I can't make out what it is - something about Journey] Steve: So do I. I think, I think Don't Stop Believing is one, it's like, that's a song for the ages you know, I mean ... Kelly: It's inspirational Steve: ... it's beautiful you know and I think it's great Kelly: Oh Sherrie but I think that ... Steve: No that was, that was ... Kelly: Was that post Journey? That's post Journey Steve: ... absolutely, post Journey. That was Steve Perry Kelly: The opening to that song is just pretty fantastic Steve: [Steve starts singing the opening couple of words to Oh Sherrie in a high pitched voice] "You should've been gone" Kelly: Exactly Steve: That's all I know Kelly: [giggles] Well that's really the best part [giggles] Steve: Steve had such great pipes man. Here we are talking about Steve Perry's pipes Kelly: Yeah well he's been replaced. Don't they have someone else? Steve: Yeah and isn't his name like Steve Sherry or something weird like that. They tried so hard to sneak it by ya. Yeah it didn't work Kelly: You're not smart enough .... Journey. That would be quite a pairing, Steve Burns and Journey Steve: No let's not, let's not put that in anyone's mind [laughs] Kelly: So you're playing with .... you don't know the band who's opening for you tonight? Steve: I have no idea Kelly: No idea? Wow, It's like a mystery to you guys Steve: I guess yeah, you know that's just the way it works, some, some local band. I'm sure it will be great! Kelly: Have you had any local bands that you've played with so far and you're just like "wow they're fantastic"? Steve: Yes! In Los Angeles we played the Troubadour and ummm there was a band that opened for us with a girl lead singer and they were called Vagenius Kelly: Vagenius? Steve: Vagenius! Kelly: Ohhh that's very witty Steve: It was very witty and it was kind of fantastic. We got to say Vagenius a lot that night and that was fun. And they were real good. Have you heard of them? Kelly: Vagenius? [giggles] Steve: [laughs] I'm allowed to say that Kelly: Yes! Implant that word ... Steve: I'm allowed to say that Kelly: ... in the minds of the Philadelphia audience Steve: I'm allowed to say that Kelly: We have a question! Steve: Ok Kelly: [I can't make out what Kelly is saying here but she is referring to one of her colleagues] ... is shouting 5920 into the microphone and ... [I can't make out what Kelly is saying here] Steve: [Steve puts on a sexy whisper voice and says 5920, 5920, 59 ... 20 over the top of what Kelly is saying above] Kelly: Judy Gale, Judy just from Brooklyn, recently moved to Philly ... Steve: Hey Hey Kelly: ... where in Brooklyn are you playing? Steve: Ahhh Southpaw, it's on 5th Avenue and I don't know like St. Johns it's in Park Slope. Ummm you know it's a good, kinda divey, kinda grungy, cool club ... you know one of those ... Kelly: Do you play there a lot in New York, like the Knitting Factory? Steve: No, I don't. I just, I get so self conscious about playing in New York just because I live there but I ummm played The Mercury Lounge and I'm sure we'll playing more and more in New York Kelly: You don't want to have to worry about like seeing your next door neighbor there Steve: Exactly you know my, my sister's coming to the show tonight because I have family in this area and I'm horrified about it. I told her she's not allowed to say hi to me until after the show Kelly: Because you'll be nervous? Steve: I'll be really nervous yeah Kelly: Is she like older than you? Steve: She's almost, she's like you know a year and a half older so we're kinda the same age. It's just weird [laughs] Kelly: That must be weird for her "yeah, my brother's in a rock show" Steve: I don't think that's as weird for her as "my brother is talking to condiments on television" Kelly: Yeah that's true. That kinda gives you a license to do anything you want now cause you'll be like "I'll never to anything that crazy again" Steve: Yeah nothing's going to be surprising after that you know and all my friends you know they understand THIS! They didn't understand Blue's Clues. They thought I'd be the last person in the world who would host a children's television show. But that's what I thought was great about it ... Kelly: Yeah exactly Steve: ... you know I, I loved it so Kelly: That's all the matters Steve: Yeah. Well no, what matter is that you know about half a billion kids ... learned stuff you know we were talking about the power of TV earlier you know and I think it's amazing that TV was able to teach kids stuff, for real you know and in ways they've been able to quantify like we've seen the results. It's great Kelly: So you do like a lot of research on the show to like figure out what you need to teach and … Steve: Tons, tons of research. The most heavily researched kids TV show. You know a lot of them are well researched the ummm the horrible purple blight is really, really well researched as well Kelly: So is there like this whole thing like ummm have you ever seen Death To Smoochy. Is it like that where they .... Steve: I reviewed that, I reviewed that for NPR. I thought that was a terrible stupid movie Kelly: Totally incorrect? Steve: Yeah. It was just boring. It was the same joke I mean there were tons of rumours going around about me that I was on heroin or that I was dead or … Kelly: Everybody's like "You've got Steve Burns on your show? I though he was dead" Steve: Yeah I'm not dead and if there were heroin in this room, I wouldn't know what it looked like you know ... c'mon on. It's just … I mean it’s just really tempting to try to corrupt something that is that annoyingly pure Kelly: Yeah Steve: But it's just too easy you know. I understand it. I mean you know, I mean I get it. I think it's funny sometimes you know to do that instinct can be funny but I've met most of the guys who do kids TV and without exception they are incredibly well meaning ummm nice people you know. Who have a lot of respect for what they’re doing and certainly have a lot of respect for children so … [Steve then puts on a funny voice] … get your minds out of the gutter Kelly: Have you meet the great purple thing? Steve: No. I, I do not like the great purple blight and I don't like the Teletubbies either and I DON'T MIND saying it [laughs]. See the Teletubbies I don't like it because we were talking about research but that show is incredibly well researched and it's doing a lot of very specific things to get children’s attention very, very young children’s attention like 1 yr old children’s attention and then it gets it and then it does nothing with it. So it's like MTV for one year olds. And I just don’t understand why you’d be trying to get children that into passively watching TV at that age. I think it’s just a shame Kelly: That is a good point. It's just like, it’s a lot of repetition … Steve: Mmm-mmm Kelly: … a lot of bright colours Steve: And the paste and the pre verbal stuff. We’re getting DEEP into ummm kids TV now Kelly: I don’t know how this happened. I was like "I don't think he's even going to want to talk about it" Steve: I don’t mind talkin' about it Kelly: Let it go where the conversation takes us Steve: Mmmm Kelly: So anyway, Songs For Dustmites [giggles] Steve: Yeah Kelly: Backing up. So ummm I guess I could ask the standard questions about … like you said that you didn’t write songs before so how did you just start … did they just start coming out? Steve: Yeah, I mean … Kelly: How did that happen? Steve: … when I was doing the TV show it was ummm I was in every take or every shot you know, five days a week for twelve hours a day … Kelly: Wow Steve: … so … and that was for six years and ummm there was little time to think of anything else. Then after the show was over I kinda picked up my guitar and I think I wrote twenty some songs in like two months Kelly: Wow Steve: You know just bbboooffff. It just happened Kelly: All that creative build up? Steve: Yeah exactly. Yeah I think I need to be on a soap opera for five years or something before I do the next album. Get really nice and incredibly constipated [laughs] Kelly: [laughs] [There is dead air for 6 seconds] Kelly: That would be exciting, Steve Burns on a soap show Steve: Yep [pause]. So how about you? Kelly: How about me? Steve: Yeah, how long have you been a radio disc jockey? Kelly: [giggles] Ummm three years ... Steve: Awww …. Kelly: Hey! Steve: [in a VERY excited voice] … look who it is Kelly: Someone is contacting you? Steve: Yeah, this is, this is Kreeli! [clears throat] from British Columbi-AB it says here. [Steve pronounces Columbia as Columbi-AB because someone has spelt it incorrectly on what he is reading off of. Then Steve puts on a funny voice as he reads out Kreeli’s question] "Did Steve intend Dustmites as a concept album? Is your next album gonna be a concept album?" Well Kreeli! ... Kreeli!, that's a strange name it sounds like some weird nerdy Dungeon and Dragons inspired … doesn't it? like Valkyrie sort of thing. Ummm "Did I intend it to be a concept album?" Yes actually I did, at first. And then I realized that I … it was completely beyond my skill to write a concept album. "Is my next album going to be a concept album?" Well I guess Dustmites is a concept album in that it is ... kinda uniformly about science and love and the battle between those ideas … I, I guess ... Kelly: It feels joined ... Steve: ... I mean ... Kelly: ... the songs feel like ... Steve: Yeeessssss Kelly: ... a whole. I don’t know how to say it. You know they feel like they go together, it doesn't feel like you slapped a bunch of things ... Steve: Yeeessssss Kelly: ... in a random order Steve: I'm not good enough to write a real concept album but … Kelly: Awww Steve: … I think, I think the next, the next one I think is probably going to be all about deep sea recovery efforts. I’ve been really fascinated by those and I think that’s another kinda good jumping off point Kelly: [I can't make out what Kelly is saying here] ... Science and deep sea recovery there aren't rock albums about those things everyday Steve: Yeah, but there will be. There will be Kelly: You’re paving the way Steve: Yes, Discovery Channel Rock Kelly: That’s a new term … Steve: Yeah Kelly: … first we had Math Rock … Steve: Yeah Kelly: … now we have Discovery Channel Rock Steve:
Thanks for your question Kreeli from British Columbi-AB Kelly:
[laughs] Steve:
[laughs] Kelly:
Who knows maybe Casey [I can’t make out what Kelly
says here] ...he’s a good Program Director, I don’t think he’s
quite a good ah secretary … but that’s … but oh and 5920, 215-895-5920,
that’s the number to call, you can talk to Casey himself.
He will illegibly write down your question … Steve:
[laughs] Kelly:
… and hand it to Steve to try to figure out.
He’s gonna come in and punch me now.
But before that happens …. Steve:
So people can listen to us … on the global interweb? … Kelly:
Yes, we have a lot of that Steve:
… in Canada? Kelly.
I guess so, New Zealand found us somehow. I
used to have a regular listener from Australia so … we probably we get just as
much listeners on line as we do… Steve:
That’s pretty cool Kelly:
… in the city Steve:
That’s cool Kelly:
… Yeah the power of the internet is a frightening thing Steve:
It is, it is Kelly:
So I imagine like your web page has garnered a lot of the buzz for your album.
You could listen to tracks on it …. you can listen
to all those songs on there can’t you? Steve:
Yeah, I had the initial hope that I was going to do it all myself and just make
it kinda home spun and on the web. And
ummm as powerful as the global interweb really is, it is also very, very limited
in terms of being able to get content to people in ways you know it’s kinda
dictated by their ability to receive it you know and ahhh there is so much stuff
out there on the web that it is kinda hard to get people to do more than browse
you know on the web Kelly:
So like how else have you been getting yourself out there besides just touring? Steve:
Well there’s … it’s such a crazy story you know.
I’m ‘that guy’, that stripe-ed man who used to be on Blue’s Clues
who made a record with members of The Flaming Lips.
The press picked up on that and they were willing to talk to me about it
so we got some big press and ummm you know people are still kinda interested in
seeing what happens. I was in an Abercrombie
& Fitch catalogue! Kelly:
What ….. Steve:
Yeah Kelly:
….as a model?!?!? Steve:
Nooooooooooo. God no Kelly:
Oh I thought you were letting us in on your other secret career Steve:
Yeah right [laughs] Kelly:
Steve Burns - supermodel Steve:
Yeah right. But ummm no, they did
an interview with me in that and ahhh in their little music section in the back
and it’s been banned! Kelly:
What? Steve:
Because it’s like so … they say it’s borderline pornographic, the magazine Kelly:
You’re? Steve:
No, no, no, no Kelly:
[laughs] Steve:
But the ahhh the models are all naked and you know and they banned it!
I’m in a banned publication! It’s
scandalous! Kelly:
Well you might as well pose for Playboy then Steve:
No, Playboy’s not banned. This
is, this is more scandalous perhaps … Kelly:
Banned everywhere … Steve:
… scandal! Kelly:
… so like you could buy it on ebay for $100?
That kind of banned? Steve:
I don’t know, I don’t know. I
don’t know much about it. Someone
just told me that the Abercrombie & Fitch magazine has been removed from
ummm from the stands Kelly:
You didn’t get to see it or … ? Steve:
Ahhhh, I did, I did. I did see it Kelly:
Where you offended? Steve:
I was a little surprised. I was not
offended Kelly:
Ok Steve:
But ahhh I was surprised at how far they had taken some of that stuff Kelly:
Wow Steve:
Yeah. Some of the photography Kelly:
Kinda eerie? Steve:
Well I just … I mean, I think the main fault of it is, that it was so
‘obviously’ trying to be shocking you know.
But …. whatever! Kelly:
Wow Steve Burns in a shock magazine Steve:
Yeah exactly, who’d have thunked it? Kelly:
That’s quite a switch [giggles] How extreme do you think you’re going to end
up getting? Like do … you never expect to end up being like one of those shock
rock, crazy stunts sort of thing? Steve:
No Kelly:
No, nothing crazy? Steve:
No Kelly:
No crazy publicity stunts? Steve:
No Kelly:
No dangling in a glass box in England? Steve:
Oh well yeah, there’ll be glass boxes dangling.
But other than that, nothing crazy Kelly:
Nothing crazy. No magic tricks? Steve:
No cryogenic freezing or anything Kelly:
You could do magic tricks. What’s
with your rock show tonight? What
kind of things can we expect? Steve:
Ummm well. It’ll be a multi-media
event provided that ummm the projector works and that we can get the screen up
in the venue. Ummm there’ll be a
bunch of movies that I shot myself …. will be played Kelly:
Movies you shot yourself? So is
this the Steven Burns film maker or is this like you grabbed your camera and
walked around? Steve:
Yeah, I mean it’s kinda both of those things you know. You’ll get to see like just a lot of crazy stuff that I shot
that I edited to the, to the music and it all syncs up real nice and ummm you
know Kelly:
That must have been a fun project Steve:
Yeah oh yeah. I think music is an
increasingly visual medium now and you kinda have to do that.
It’s sort of expected in a way Kelly:
We got a question Steve:
And you’ll, and you’ll expect ummm you’ll expect an awful lot of rock Kelly:
Yes Steve:
Lot of rocking Kelly:
Yes, you have to prepare everyone for the …. wow look at this.
Questions are coming in from all over the place now.
“Explain ….” [giggles] “Steve, explain Unified Field Theory”
from Robbin in Texas Steve:
Of course! Unified Field Theory
ummm attempts to ahhh to resolve the conflict between general relativity.
You know, I‘m not actually going even to try to explain Unified Field
Theory. I’m gonna say that
Unified Field Theory is basically the theory of everything. It
explains everything and I mistrust it deeply for that reason.
But you should ahhh check it out. It’s
deep Quantum physics and, and science. And
you, you won’t understand it. I
don’t understand it Kelly:
They’re coming from all over the place. Alright
let’s see. Let’s take a look at
this one from Virginia, look at this … all over the place.
“Does he …” ummm I don’t know, can you read that? “Does
he think fans are the same from when he did Blue’s Clues to now?” Steve:
No ahhh I don’t think there’s a whole lot of overlap. I think that ummm I think there are SOME fans.
I think there are definitely forward thinking you know parents out there
who are music fans you know, of course. And
ummm you know people with five year old kids who LOVE this kind of music.
And I think those people might be cross over fans but I don’t think
there’s any children who are, who are really into this music you know and I
don’t think that … I guess there’s maybe some cross over babysitter fans
but umm I think the biggest cross over demographic would be the stoned college
student … idea. ‘Cause I know
that it had kind of a, a college student Blue’s Clues, that kind of college
student following Kelly:
Yeah I enjoyed it. Never, never
stoned mind you Steve:
[laughs] Right yeah. I used to get
emails saying that it made a good drinking game or whatever Kelly:
Well it’s fun to watch it’s just so weird.
You’re like there’s this guy, talking to a blue screen, talking to
inanimate objects … Steve:
There’s soap. There’s talking
soap Kelly:
Yeah that’s weird …. Steve:
That’s … there you go, there you go Kelly:
… no matter what age you are, that is weird Steve:
What else do you really need … you know? Kelly:
Exactly. And so … that, that put
a question in my head that I forgot now. On
no … [I can't make out what Kelly is saying here]
… A lot of moms who are stuck inside all day with their kids screamin’ like
don’t get to hear a lot of new music coming out.
So, you making this rock album, is a name they recognize … you know Steve:
Maybe they’ve, maybe they listen to it for that reason. You know ummm I just … I, I can’t criticize anyone for
liking it you know no matter how they get to it. If
they enjoy it, then they enjoy it and yeah I mean I hear from, I hear from fans
all the time that are … that are parents you know and I’m very grateful for
that Kelly:
Do you feel in any way that you have some sort of moral obligation to ….
Steve:
No Kelly:
… like never do anything? No
definitely not? Steve:
I DO feel that way, but that’s a personal thing.
I don’t, I don’t think it’s because of any public persona.
I, I feel a personal ahhh preference not to do anything that would hurt
that image because I’m very proud of it.
But I don’t, I don’t think that I’m morally bound by it to behave
in a certain way. I think that
that’s a personal decision Kelly:
Do you ever wish that your name on the show had been like Bob or something … Steve:
Yeah Kelly:
... then people could easily differentiate between Steve … Steve:
Definitely Kelly:
... Steve the guy on the show and Steve the real person? Steve:
Definitely, I mean I wish I would have thought about that one a little harder
because it would have made it easier. You know, I mean the precedence is Fred
Rogers and he really was that guy. You
know it kind of raises that question in kid’s TV … well is he really like
that? you know Kelly:
Wow, looking they’re coming in [someone walks in
the room and hands Kelly a piece of paper.
Kelly reads what’s on the piece of paper] Do a station id! Steve:
You need the ummm …. Kelly:
[Kelly is talking about what is written on the piece
of paper about doing a station id and says] That’s not a question but
it’s true though. [Kelly
puts on the sexy radio voice] Yes you’re listening to WKDU Philadelphia
91.7 FM. This is Kelly, I’m here
with Steve Burns talking about his new record [pauses] I’m getting waved at.
What? [They are telling Kelly that they want
Steve to read out the station id tag not her] Steve:
Oh yeah he wants me to do a tag Kelly:
Oh Steve:
Of course [Steve is replying to the person asking if he’ll to the station
id tag] Kelly:
I thought you wanted me to. Oh
I’m not important, you go ahead Steve:
WKDU Philadelphia … you’re listening to? [Steve is asking is that what they
want him to say as the station id tag. They
tell him “yes” so Steve puts on a sexy voice and says]
You’re listening to WKDU Philadelphia Kelly:
Fabulous. They come in here and
throw paper at us and we’re supposed to know what it means Steve:
You need, you need a board with blinking lights ‘cause everyone knows what
those mean Kelly:
That’s way too high tech, it would probably break.
This will never break. We’ll
just be confusing [Kelly mumbles to herself while
she’s looking through questions] So you’re not sick of talking about
the Blue’s Clues thing yet? Do
you think it’s going to go away soon? Do
you think that? ... I mean ‘cause this other guy, the new
guy on the show hasn’t really like overshadowed … Steve:
No Kelly:
… of course you’re still in the re-runs, is that annoying? Steve:
No! and I mean will it ever go away? I
don’t think so. I mean it’s …
I’ll just build upon it you know and they’ll just be other things to add to
it. But ummm I’m not trying to
make it go away or anything like that you know.
It turns over really easily in people’s minds.
I don’t know why it works but to go from that show to music, somehow
there’s a thread of logic there Kelly:
It just seems so different. Like
I’m sitting here talking to you now and I’m not … I can’t really connect
in my mind that you’re that guy in that show even though I know that … Steve:
Yeah Kelly:
… because you’re music is so different … Steve:
And I was acting. I was acting very
hard Kelly:
[giggles] That was not ….. you weren’t just walking in and being yourself? Steve:
Correct. That was me after about
seven cups of coffee Kelly:
Twelve hours? Steve:
Yeah Kelly:
Ohhh Steve:
Every take of every shot yeah. It’s
amazing, would any of us would have the energy to do it. It was tough work. But
you know being in the recording studio is really hard work too …. Kelly:
Yeah Steve:
… The difference there is though when you’re in the recording studio it
could be fifteen hours and you haven’t eaten anything and you don’t care … Kelly:
Yeah Steve:
… You know it’s … I, I could just do that forever Kelly:
What about touring? You’re going
to be back in North Hampton tomorrow? Steve:
Yeah Kelly:
Do you love traveling? Steve:
If you’re not having FUN touring your own music on a rock ’n’ roll tour.
If you’re not having FUN doing that then you know forget it.
Then you should just hole yourself up somewhere and be a curmudgeonous
old man and just not have fun doing anything ‘cause it’s what fun is Kelly:
Wow Steve:
You know. Driving around you know
in a van … just you know. I mean,
I remember when we were touring in the UK we were traveling.
I was on, I was on The Lips bus and it was this intergalactic tour
vehicle. It was this GIANT tour bus
and I had my own bunk … Kelly:
Wow Steve:
… and every morning you know we’d usually sleep on the way to the next
venue. I would spring forth from
the bunk like the dog in The Grinch Who
Stole Christmas just “yay, ready to go!” you know and everyone else had
been on tour for two years and … [Steve puts on a tired and cranky voice]
“BURNS! man you’re making tired” [laughs].
It’s still all very new to me and ummm this morning was rough because
you know we got in late last night, we all have the
Bubonic Plague Kelly:
Is it going to be easy to perform with the Bubonic Plague? Steve:
No it’s not Kelly:
Wow Steve:
But ahhhh…. Kelly:
So anyone who’s coming tonight please keep that in mind and … I hope your
respect for Steve just heightens as …. Steve:
[laughs] No we’ll, we'll get it going, we’ll get it going. None of us are that sick.
It’s gonna be a great show you know it all goes away as soon as you
know as soon as it is show time so Kelly:
I think I’ve got a question about a song tonight.
Where did that go? I wrote
it down. I scribbled it down on a
piece of paper. Shark Park? Steve:
Shark Park. Wow!!! Kelly:
Someone asked Is Steve going to play that tonight?
They called and inquired Steve:
Ahhh if they’re there and they ask me to, I’ll do a bit of it, yeah Kelly:
OK Becky, are you listening? I
don’t know if she is, but if she is now she’ll know Steve:
I’ll do a little bit of it Kelly:
Shark Park Steve:
I did not write the lyrics to that song [pause] Paul Ford wrote the lyrics to
that song Kelly:
Where did that song come from? Is
it on your site? Steve:
Yeah, yeah it’s on my
site Kelly:
Is that related to the ahhh …. Steve:
It has nothing to do with this album. It
has to do with another project I’m working on Kelly:
The squirrels. The
squirrel thing Steve:
Yeah exactly Kelly:
I heard one of those songs …. Steve:
[laughs] People must be so confused. Ok,
so he was a kid’s show host and then he was in England with a psychedelic rock
band and then there’s a squirrel and I don’t understand … Kelly:
Space Lobsters Steve:
… and then there’s some pseudo scientific idiot and space theory and I quit! Kelly:
It just shows how complex you are Steve:
[laughs] Kelly:
You just can’t write off Steve Burns Steve:
It just shows how desperate I am to appear complex. Is what it shows [laughs] Kelly:
Don’t blow your cover. Unified
Field Theory. I’m impressed [There is dead air for 5 seconds] Steve:
So you’ve been doing this for how long you said?
We were interviewing you a moment ago Kelly:
Oh no, people are sick of listening to me talkin’ … Steve:
[laughs] Kelly:
… for the past three years I’ve been sitting here whining into the
microphone. I think they’re glad
for the break Steve:
What are you guys playin’? What
do you play down here …. in Drexel? (?) Kelly:
We’re a non commercial radio station Steve:
Right, so you play whatever you want Kelly:
As long as it’s not on the radio somewhere else.
If [Kelly says the name of another radio
station but I can’t make out what it is] got it, you probably won’t
hear it here Steve:
Cool, so what do you play? Kelly:
Wow pick a thing, pick a thing. You
know, we have a bunch of new stuff. We
play a lot of jazz. I do cartoons
and jazz. That’s my field of
expertise Steve:
You do cartoons?!?!? Kelly:
Yes Steve:
Like what? Kelly:
Like creepy like ahhh old, old like Chipmunk
records and like weird … Steve:
The Banana Splits theme song? Kelly:
Yes [Steve
starts singing the Banana Splits theme
song and Kelly joins in] Kelly:
That’s a really powerful ditty Steve:
Yeah that is a good one. Do you do
like ummmm do you do the Spiderman one Kelly:
I do the Spiderman Steve:
That one is actually hysterical. The
lyrics to that are so bad [Steve starts singing the following to the tune of the Spiderman
theme song]
He’s a Spider. He’s a man. He’s
a really spider-y man. He sticks to
walls all day long. Oh yeah. Spider
guy. They’re really literal
and stupid Kelly:
[laughs] Steve:
What else? Ok so you do, you do
that and ahhh … Kelly: I like British ones. Have you heard of ummm Mumfie the Neliphant? Steve:
No Kelly:
It’s really odd. It’s an
elephant and he has really good manners …. Steve:
What about rock ‘n’ roll. What
do you play that is rock ‘n’ roll … here in Drexel? Kelly:
What is rock ‘n’ roll here? Steve:
What is rock ‘n’ roll?!? Kelly:
What is rock ‘n’ roll? Well,
new stuff we’ve got. We do have The Postal Service Steve:
Yeah, you playin’ that? Kelly:
Would you like me to? Steve:
Yeah, I’m surprised that doesn’t take off.
I thought … I think that’s, that’s gonna take off Kelly:
We’ve heard a lot about them. We’d it go?
Here it is. We’ve heard a
lot about them down here. We’ve
been talking about them for awhile Steve:
That whole My Morning Jacket thing
took off and I didn’t get that at all Kelly:
Didn’t we have a show … is someone in WKDU listening?
Didn’t we have a show with them recently?
No one’s paying attention. I’m
pretty sure that … I’m pretty sure that we had a show.
Yes? No? He doesn’t know. It
was the last show we did whatever in Spring.
I think they came and played here at ummm The Rotunda … Steve:
Oh cool Kelly:
… for a show we did. This is all
liked buried in the recesses of my mind but now it’s coming back now that
you’ve brought it up. Yeah they
played here and ummm people were pretty excited about that Steve:
Oh yeah these guys are … [I can't make out what Steve is saying here] Kelly:
[I can't make out what Kelly is saying here] Steve:
You know who I want to tour with is the ahhh The
Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players Kelly:
I love them! Steve:
Yeah we’re thinking about … Kelly:
I just played them earlier Steve:
There was talk about me supporting them on a couple of dates Kelly:
That would be incredible. I would
love to … have you seen them … I would love to … Steve:
Yeah, ‘cause they’ve got the screen. You
know they’re perfect. ‘Cause
they’ve got the screen and I’ve got the screen.
If you’re out there Trachtenburgs and if …how old is Rachel, she’s
like nine right? [A
guy yells out something that I can’t make out] Steve:
She’s ten? She might have watched
Blue’s Clues Kelly:
The chances are good Steve:
Yeah. It would be fun! C’mon! Kelly:
For anyone that doesn’t know, The
Trachtenburg Family they get ahhh slides from like … Steve:
She, she finds slides. Other
people’s ... [A
guy yells out something that I can’t make out] Steve:
… yeah, other people’s vacation slides and then ahhh her husband scores
songs to them while ummm their daughter plays drums Kelly:
[I think Kelly is talking to someone else here]
Four times? wow Steve:
It doesn’t sound as interesting as it probably is … you know Kelly:
Hey Scott could you grab right there next to you.
It’s on the top of one of those. You’ll
see Trachtenburg Family Slideshow.
There you go! Yeah like the CD is neat ‘cause it comes with the slides
... not ‘the’ slides ... but pictures of it so you can read along and
imagine [A
guy says something that I can’t make out] Kelly:
What? [A
guy says something that I can’t make out] Steve:
Oh did they do that? Kelly:
Oh wow I didn’t know that … Steve:
That’s cool, that’s cool Kelly:
… He has like the pictures … it’s almost interactive.
It’s an interactive CD booklet and it’s pretty fabulous Steve:
Yeah it’s pretty ingenious actually Kelly:
And it’s innovative. It’s great
to see stuff like, that creative coming out now.
It shows that it has NOT all been done Steve:
[laughs] yeah see, this is, this is where radio fails.
But I’m looking at a very funny picture of a wiener dog who is staring
plaintively at a camera and the caption is ‘looking for sausage’ and you
could write a song about that, c’mon [Steve says something about a Chipmunk but I can’t make
it out]. Yeah this is great Kelly:
There’s one about Japan that’s completely brilliant and has a little old guy
in it [A
guy says something that I can’t make out] Kelly:
Which one? [A
guy says something that I can’t make out] Kelly:
Oh that’s like … that’s an opera. They
have like a rock opera on there about McDonalds Steve:
A rock opera about McDonalds? Kelly:
McDonalds slideshow presentation Steve:
A McOpera Kelly:
You’re doing a children’s rock opera? Steve:
I want to … very much Kelly:
What would it be about? Steve:
Ummm the one we’re kicking around now ahhh you know I’ve got a bunch of
ideas but the idea is to do one that is just straight up rock without dumbing
any of it down ummm just keep the content ummm just keep the content tailored
towards children and I think it would work extremely well.
I want to get ummm all my rock ‘n’ roll friends involved though
[laughs] Kelly:
Sounds like quite a project Steve:
Ahhh yeah but I think it could happen really … really naturally Kelly:
Yeah I think that would be cool Steve:
Yeah Kelly:
I’ll play it Steve:
Alright Kelly:
There you go Steve:
I mean look at, look at something like the The
Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players or The Langley ummmm… Kelly:
The
Langley Schools Music Project Steve:
Yeah Kelly:
Oh that’s incredible too Steve:
I think it could really, really work. Yeah
we listened to that this morning. I
like the Rhiannon version Kelly:
Yeah Steve:
Noe [?]
is great Noe [?]
is fantastic. Actually ummm we meet
with them recently and they’re, they’re … they’re interested in doing
some more kid’s stuff in general. I
think they had a really good experience with that record and I know it was very
successful for them and ummm yeah they’re, they’re very much into it. See
I knew them when I was … as a kid too so, so I think, I think they’re kinda
… God they’d be great to do stuff with Kelly:
Who else would you like to work with? Steve:
[long exhale] Who wouldn’t I … Kelly:
Besides Journey of course Steve:
Who wouldn’t I like to work with? You
know Elvis Costello … ummm God I mean that, that list is just you know … Spike
Jonze Kelly:
Oh yeah Steve:
He’s just great he just does so much wonderful stuff Kelly:
Are you working on a video now or? Steve:
I just shot a video ahhh for Mighty Little
Man. There’s one on my
website which isn’t very good so don’t look at it Kelly:
You shot a different one? Steve:
Yeah. I mean I shot that one a
long, long time ago without having any real concept for it but ummm Kelly:
Is that the one where you’re like in the kitchen? Steve:
Yeah it’s … blah. But the new
one for Mighty Little Man is going to be remarkable ‘cause I have a friend in
Brooklyn. We call him ‘Gabe
Dynamite’ and he is ahhh he’s a very fancy dancer and you can see him
tonight. You can see him tonight ahhh he’s part of my ahh slide …
or my ahhh multi-media thing. He’s
a very remarkable dancer Kelly:
He’s there or he’s in the images? Steve:
He’s …there’s a movie of him dancing … Kelly:
Fabulous Steve:
… to ahhh one of the songs. He’s
much more entertaining than I am so thank God it’s on the screen Kelly:
Do you dance? Steve:
Not very well Kelly:
Or is it hard to dance and sing and play at the same time Steve:
I think, I think the parents listening out there can answer your question Kelly:
Oh you don’t dance well? Steve:
No Kelly:
Oh Steve:
[laughs] Kelly:
You don’t have to dance well to dance Steve:
Yeah Kelly:
Most people do Steve:
When I’m dancing, I’m not usually aware of it [There is dead air for 5 seconds – I think someone is speaking with Kelly] Kelly:
Certainly, Postal Service Steve:
Yeah sure Kelly:
Which one would you like to hear? Steve:
I wanna hear the first one the umm [Steve starts singing]
smeared black ink … your palms are
sweaty Kelly:
[I can't make out what Kelly is saying here because
she is talking over the top of Steve singing] … Steve Burns he’s
sharing with you some of his more favourite … favourite musical experiences.
So here’s The Postal Service on WKDU [THE
DISTRICT SLEEPS ALONE TONIGHT by THE POSTAL SERVICE is played] [There is dead air for 7 seconds] Kelly:
Alright we’re back. That was The Postal Service Steve:
Isn’t that a cool song? Kelly:
Yes it is Steve:
I really like that Kelly:
I’ll have to give it a proper listen now.
And so should you because it’s recommended officially. It has the official Steve Burns stamp of approval Steve:
I think it is cool Kelly:
There you go [giggles] Ummm so Steve! We have a question Steve:
Yeah shoot Kelly:
Well, how has ahhh all this attention you’ve been getting from your various
endeavours in the past decade made you a sexy symbol? Steve:
[laughs] Has it? [laughs] [I swear that you can hear him blushing] Kelly:
I don’t know. I’ve heard Steve:
Ummm well I, let me answer the question. Of
course it has ‘not’. But ummm I
was … once … one of People’s
Magazines most eligible bachelors Kelly:
Wow Steve:
And, and I, I figured alright this is it! You
know, this is it! I’ve made it you know … this is it! I’m going to meet
the woman of my dreams NOW! because they’re going to be standing in a line
outside of my apartment and it’s gonna be great. But it was useless ‘cause there’s no way to bring it up
you know. You go to a club and
there’s all these gorgeous women around and you’re like [Steve puts on a voice like he’s
chatting up someone] “Hey what do you do?
You know I was in People Magazine Most Eligible...”
You know like that just doesn’t work.
My friend told me that I should have printed t-shirts … you know just
with my picture. But the picture
they used was SO DUMB!!! MY GOD!!! …. Kelly:
Oh No Steve:
… They did this whole photo shoot and I was getting changed between ahhh
between things and I was just wearing like this tank top and they’re like
“Oh let’s take a picture of you in a tank top” and I went “oh yeah”
and I like made a muscle Kelly:
Oh No Steve:
And of course they used THAT picture and ahhh so that was utterly useless to me.
But no, the answer to this here question about ahhh “Do I feel Blue’s
Clues has made me a sexy symbol?” … NO! [laughs] Kelly:
Well it comes up every now and then and we saw it in some of these crazy
…things. [Kelly
says something else here but I can't make out what it is] ... super rock
guy. I mean everyone loves rock
stars Steve:
Yeah but I mean … I’m not like you know.
I mean what I’m doin’ isn’t like THAT.
I mean I’m … you know. It’s
a very kinda modest, little, humble thing.
I mean ummm I don’t have long hair or tight jeans or you know.
I’m … I’m short and dumpy and bald you know … “Come see my
show!!!” Kelly
[laughs] Steve:
[laughs] Kelly:
You’re just playing it down so when people see you they’ll be like “he’s
not that bad” Steve:
[laughs] My friend Dave here just called me the George Costanza of rock Kelly:
I think that’s a slight exaggeration Steve:
[laughs] Kelly:
You’re voice is not nearly as annoying Steve:
That’s true hopefully … hopefully Kelly:
Oh boy [giggles] … yeah … that could just be because you’re sick Steve:
Yeah Kelly:
That’s right everyone. Steve
Burns is playing tonight … Steve:
At the North Star Bar Kelly:
I can’t mention it enough. In
case you’ve probably forgotten in the past ten minutes since I last mentioned
it ummm there’s Dustmites everywhere all over the board.
Is that a question? I see
writing down there. Somethin’
grumpy, sick and somethin’. I’m
too far away. We’re getting
secret messages through the board now Steve:
[laughs] Our ummm, our friend Jessica has made [laughs] has made a really nice
array of Dustmites for us. They’re
really quite nice. I like the one
with the ahhh broken antenna Kelly:
Is that one with an afro? Steve:
Yeah. I think, I think it’s head
is on fire Kelly:
There’s pictures of you
with an afro on your site Steve:
Oh yeah, yeah Kelly:
It’s creepy Steve:
I used to wear … I bought an afro wig for ahhh … Kelly:
Why? [laughs] Steve:
… for fifteen dollars on Canal Street in New York City. And it’s ‘awesome’ and I would just wear it everywhere
to annoy people and …. Kelly:
It’s probably a good disguise Steve:
Well the thing is, it’s a fifteen dollar wig and it looks ‘real’ and
that’s why it is so great. So I
would just put it on and you know and say “Hey you know let’s go out” and
we’d go to like this one really nice ummmm this really nice bar over by where
I worked at Nickelodeon and I’d just show up in the afro … and people would
be really, really upset and my friends would be really, really upset Kelly:
Oh Steve:
But no, the afro on the website is there to ahhh enhance that whole idea of
cognitive dissonance where you can’t have two ahhh examples of the same image
in your brain at the same time. You
always have to choose one. Your
brain toggles between them and so I tried to present that image right next to
the Blue’s Clues one [laughs] and it says “We are both Steve Burns” you
know … just try to, try to do … Kelly:
I have to admit, it’s hard to comprehend.
Like I’m aware that you’re the same guy but … Steve:
Yeah Kelly:
… I can’t make the connection Steve:
But I hope, I hope there’s like an interesting tension between those two
things you know because the Blue’s Clues thing is so indelible and weird you
know and then just the very idea that I’d be making rock ‘n’ roll and that
it wouldn’t stink is interesting Kelly:
And it’s rare! Like how often has
that happened? Steve:
Has it happened? I was thinking
about this the other day. Vincent
Gallo is an actor who’s a GREAT musician in my opinion.
I really like his music. But
I think he’s more of a musician than an actor.
I think that’s the way it works Kelly:
Yeah the actors who have become musicians.
Let’s see, we have Kevin Bacon … Steve:
The Bacon Brothers Kelly:
… Bruce Willis Steve:
The Return Of Bruno. I tried to buy
all of them at one point, tried to get all of the records. The Corey Feldman one is pretty remarkable in it’s …. Kelly:
I didn’t know there was one Steve:
Yeah Kelly:
Have you heard the Rick
Moranis one?!?!? Steve:
Nooooooooooo Kelly:
Would you like to?!?!? I got it Steve:
[in an excited voice] Do you have it? Kelly:
Oh My God Steve:
Oh c’mon, let’s put it on Kelly:
Alright ummm ... would you like to hear … Steve:
She … first of all she has it ummm … I have to explain to you … ummm not
in some secret filing cabinet, it’s not you know filed anywhere.
It’s in her little case of favourite CD’s Kelly:
It certainly is. Rick Moranis ummm
this was from the Rick Moranis album … Steve:
Well by the way, Rick Moranis is a really accomplished musical theatre guy, so Kelly:
He was in theatre? I didn’t know
that Steve:
Yeah, he was in the original Little Shop
Of Horrors and stuff Kelly:
That’s right. I know I saw him in
the movie. He was he in theatre
too? Steve:
Yeah. So I’m sure this will be
pretty good. He’s a good singer
I’m sure Kelly:
Would you like to hear an original or would you like to hear a cover of Light My Fire by The Doors? Steve:
I think I’d like to hear a cover of Light
My Fire by The Doors, please.
Thank you Kelly:
Let me see [starts mumbling to herself] [There is dead air for 9 seconds] Kelly:
I’m going to find it. Oh wait …
‘cause I’m doing that. Right,
I’m going to put that on and hopefully that’s … this is the correct one? If it’s not I can fix it.
I can be unprofessional for a second there … Steve:
Ok Kelly:
… and adjust the CD [There is dead air for 13 seconds] [The
Rick Moranis cover of Light My Fire by
The Doors starts playing] Steve:
[talking
over the top of the song] It sounds like Kermit the Frog drunk [Steve
starts singing along in a Kermit voice]
“The time to hesitate is through”.
Yeah it sounds like Kermit the Frog karaoke on a Thursday night.
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