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Post by Guest in PA on Dec 29, 2017 14:40:25 GMT -5
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Post by rumba on Dec 29, 2017 19:57:04 GMT -5
It says “page can not be found “ when you click on the link unfortunately. |
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Post by moe on Dec 29, 2017 20:31:20 GMT -5
It looks as if the last piece of the url may be a bit wonky as they say. When u use the url and it says whatever error it says, just plug in "Linda Ronstadt" in the websites search feature and the Linda programme will come up (apparently my spell ck knows I'm dealing with the BBC given how it spelled Program)
Weird-I just went back and Linda came right up. So who knows. At any rate if it doesn't work the first time try the trick above.
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Post by the Scribe on Dec 29, 2017 20:45:01 GMT -5
 www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09jqp3z
If you put a link into a sentence and then put a period at the end of it chances are it will not work. You need a space at the front and the end of a link for it to work correctly.
Thanks for posting this interview! |
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Post by the Scribe on Dec 29, 2017 21:01:00 GMT -5
Funny how some of the best stuff on Linda is from England where Linda is not well known at all especially by their youth. Even in the USA the current generation knows little about Linda. Probably even less in Europe. And probably popular in Japan.
The nice thing about BBC is that NPR here in the USA plays several hours of their news broadcasting. If I listened to American news I would know very little about what is going on outside of our borders.
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Post by moe on Dec 29, 2017 22:47:09 GMT -5
Funny how some of the best stuff on Linda is from England where Linda is not well known at all especially by their youth. Even in the USA the current generation knows little about Linda. Probably even less in Europe. And probably popular in Japan.
The nice thing about BBC is that NPR here in the USA plays several hours of their news broadcasting. If I listened to American news I would know very little about what is going on outside of our borders. Listened to the first hour and found it most interesting. First of all they played entire songs and not snippets and I also heard some stories I don't think I've heard before. I had never heard the one about the European restaurant owner and the mistress offer. And didn't know "Heart Like A Wheel" was debuted at Carnegie Hall. All and all an outstanding job. Gonna get some zz`s and then listen to the second hour. Oh, by the way it looks like I liked my earlier post- I'm really not that taken with my prose-I apparently accidentally hit the thumb thing. |
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Post by fabtastique on Dec 30, 2017 2:12:25 GMT -5
Thanks for this, yes I noticed it yesterday myself and was going to .... haven’t yet had time to listen tho!
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Post by Dianna on Dec 30, 2017 14:34:00 GMT -5
That was a really good interview.. Thanks!
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Post by Mr. Kaplansky on Dec 31, 2017 13:04:03 GMT -5
I understand why she doesn't like to listen to her own voice on a record. I have been told I have a great voice yet I don't like to listen to it. I heard Streisand is the same way. I suspect most singers feel that way.
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Post by sliderocker on Dec 31, 2017 14:23:08 GMT -5
I understand why she doesn't like to listen to her own voice on a record. I have been told I have a great voice yet I don't like to listen to it. I heard Streisand is the same way. I suspect most singers feel that way. I have a good singing voice, a rock voice, and write songs but my weakest link is I'm not a good musician - not a good guitar player. I know the basic chords, some minors, some fifths, sixths and sevenths and the like, but it's very hard for me to get time to work on my playing. I don't need to know every chord in the world to write a song, the melody doesn't depend on that, but for me, it's very important. It's the same way with keyboards. I can play a little piano and rather write out the melodies on the piano or a synthesizer. As for how all this relates to Linda and why she can't stand to listen to her voice, I still don't understand how she could be so harsh on herself. She had one of the best singing voices of any performer, male or female (excepting her idol, Elvis, and a few others) and although these days I attribute her statement she wasn't a great singer to her humility, humbleness and down to earth personality. But, her claim wasn't true and it can still be a source of annoyance, as can her claim that singing old big band songs from the 30s and 40s, singing Sinatra, Broadway and the Mexican tunes made her a better singer. But,no, singing those songs did not make her a better singer - at any time! What made her a better singer was the same thing that made Elvis a better singer: his voice improved, like a fine wine, over time. Like Elvis, Linda's singing voice improved with as she grew older. Her voice had more color, more richness, more depth, et al, and it was because her voice had aged beautifully. She could've recorded and released rock albums instead of the big band albums or the Broadway stuff or the Mexican music, and everyone would still have noticed how the beauty of her voice had grown with time. Much as I loved her big band recordings (and I will not and never refer to essentially two, maybe three decades of music as constituting the Great American Songbook - that's an undeserved slur on all other decades of music as well as a perjurious and dubious claim) and everything else I can take or leave, her singing those songs never made her a better singer - ever! She even dismisses her singing of those recordings. So much for "Singing these songs made me a better singer!" |
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Post by erik on Dec 31, 2017 14:42:01 GMT -5
Quote by sliderocker:
To an extent, I would say that she finds some form of "imperfection" in a recording of herself that we probably don't, a note that she didn't get right, or that she underdid or overdid. I understand her discomfort with what she sees as a lack of perfection to an extent. I only wish she would understand what the fans in general, and, more to the point, that part of her fan base that are also her peers in particular, hear in that four-octave voice that they so admire and strive to emulate. And in any case, I am not of the belief that absolute perfection is always necessary to making great music
As to whether singing outside of rock and roll actually made her a "better" singer--well, that's a judgment call, in my opinion. Linda may say it did, but she also says that still felt uncomfortable with her voice even after the experiences of opera, Broadway, and the ethnic Mexican music. I don't know about anyone else, but, over the totality of a career that was much longer than most singers ever get in this business, regardless of their gender or their talent, every phase of Linda's career, from her folk-rock beginnings through the stardom of the 70s and 80s, to the traditionalist finality of Adieu False Heart, has had far more highs than lows; and fans like us, and, again, those who are her peers, will always appreciate that (IMHO).
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Post by RonstadtFave5 on Dec 31, 2017 16:46:50 GMT -5
The biggest surprise is her claim she was never broken-hearted. WHAT? The woman who wrote Try Me Again certainly knew heartbreak. I guess she was never slayed emotionally by a break-up for any extended length of time. Or if it was tough, the sad feeling didn't last very long for her. She certainly seemed to have an active romantic life. It really underscores how generally adaptable and practical she is. We know she moves on when she feels the need, musically and personally. So clearly she moved on from relationships instead of staying in flawed or stagnant ones. One can just tell she left many a broken heart in her wake. It certainly seems the men likely suffered more than she did. The "I collect hearts" quote from Hoyt Axton that he said came from her certainly comes to mind. And yet she apparently remains friends with them all. I do not know if she remains particularly friendly with Albert Brooks or George Lucas, however. But likely she is not on bad terms with any of them. I found it fascinating. This is the same woman who claims the Parkinson's diagnosis forced her to quickly move to a state of "radical acceptance." I guess she really did avoid a lengthy "why me" phase, rejecting it as pointless. Interestingly the same "radical acceptance" of her changing realities is a coping mechanism that served her well all her life. I think the men who mattered most to her are the ones who get the specific mentions in her "Simple Dreams" book. So that would be J.D. and Jerry Brown. But not Lucas or Brooks or Jim Carrey, or others. A newscaster from LA had a very interesting exchange with her about Jerry. He said he "hated" Jerry Brown" and she asked why and he slyly replied "You were supposed to be MY girlfriend." She immediately replied "Well he was supposed to be MY boyfriend." And she said it in a way that seemed wistful. Either it was just a joke or that is how she felt. She has said that parting was mutual and they knew from the start a long term thing was not in the cards for them. I loved that interview. The woman asking the questions was smart and knew when to make it spontaneous and Linda seemed to really like her.
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Post by the Scribe on Dec 31, 2017 17:13:08 GMT -5
Linda fell in love early on and was devastated at the break up. After that she vowed never to put herself into that type of emotional situation again. Most of her later relationships were "safe" in her mind and a break up wouldn't harm her, especially emotionally. Linda is very "cat" or "feline" - like. Very independent, doesn't mind the company or extra meow mix but when forced to can be quite well and happy on her own. I can relate very well to all of that.
Linda's voice got stronger and became a more pliable instrument after voice lessons prior to Pirates. She was smart to then begin genre switching as it kept her "new" and relevant to whole new groups and the faithful were happy to go along for the ride. Her voice, whether she likes it or not became the soundtrack to many peoples lives. Fortunately the need to eat kept her going and growing and she became an inspiration to many. I am glad she got to sing for her food which became music to my ears. Her cuteness, likability and kindness didn't hurt either.
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Post by Dianna on Jan 1, 2018 0:17:13 GMT -5
Linda fell in love early on and was devastated at the break up. After that she vowed never to put herself into that type of emotional situation again. Most of her later relationships were "safe" in her mind and a break up wouldn't harm her, especially emotionally. Linda is very "cat" or "feline" - like. Very independent, doesn't mind the company or extra meow mix but when forced to can be quite well and happy on her own. I can relate very well to all of that.
I won't hold my breath.. but I'd love it if someday Linda decided to tell those stories. She has had a very interesting life, and that IMO, includes her love life. |
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Post by sliderocker on Jan 1, 2018 9:09:53 GMT -5
Linda fell in love early on and was devastated at the break up. After that she vowed never to put herself into that type of emotional situation again. Most of her later relationships were "safe" in her mind and a break up wouldn't harm her, especially emotionally. Linda is very "cat" or "feline" - like. Very independent, doesn't mind the company or extra meow mix but when forced to can be quite well and happy on her own. I can relate very well to all of that.
I won't hold my breath.. but I'd love it if someday Linda decided to tell those stories. She has had a very interesting life, and that IMO, includes her love life. I believe Linda has said all she is going to say, mostly because she will always keep her private life private. But, also, because her Parkinson's will worsen as she gets older and rob her of her memory. It will be up to a future would be biographer, hopefully someone who wouldn't be salacious and be a dirt spreader. A lot of Linda's musician friends are dead, including people like Andrew and Kenny, who may have been closer to her than many. |
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Post by erik on Jan 1, 2018 9:38:26 GMT -5
Quote by sliderocker:
All true, of course. I would think that perhaps someone in her immediate circle of friends, or even better her extremely extended family, would probably be the best to do it.
And to add to this, I know that Linda has said that she never let rock and roll define her. But that said, let's take a look at what other styles she has done:
Country: "I Fall To Pieces"; "Crazy"; "I Can't Help It If I'm Still In Love With You"; "Crazy Arms"; "Silver Threads And Golden Needles"; Trio I; Trio II, etc.
R&B: "The Dark End Of The Street"; "Heat Wave"; "Ruler Of My Heart"; "Everybody Loves A Winner", etc.
Jazz: Hummin' To Myself
Folk: Adieu False Heart; "I Never Will Marry"; "Old Paint"; the three Stone Poneys albums
Blues: "Down So Low"; "Cry Til My Tears Run Dry", etc.
Gospel: "Life Is Like A Mountain Railway"; "Cry Like A Rainstorm", etc.
Pop: The infinite covers of Jimmy Webb, Randy Newman, and dozens more songwriting masters from the 1920s to the present.
All of the above styles she has essayed were important to rock and roll coming to fruition during her lifetime. So while I so think it is safe to say that what she said about rock and roll not defining who she is as an artist is true, it is just as equally true that she defined what rock and roll really is at its core.
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Post by linda2006nicci on Jan 1, 2018 13:05:25 GMT -5
That is a really wonderful interview. Great Christmas gift for me. I enjoyed it very much. Thank you for posting. |
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Post by sliderocker on Jan 1, 2018 16:00:56 GMT -5
]All true, of course. I would think that perhaps someone in her immediate circle of friends, or even better her extremely extended family, would probably be the best to do it. And to add to this, I know that Linda has said that she never let rock and roll define her. But that said, let's take a look at what other styles she has done: My greatest fear for Linda is whether some of those around her were envious of the success she had and who may have felt they too deserved success, but for whatever reason, it avoided them like the plague? In Linda's case, I don't think it would be members of her family. If it were to happen, it would more likely be her extended family since now of her own immediate family it's only Linda and her older brother Pete still living. Jealousy is an ugly motive for getting back at someone but the deepest knives sometime come from family rather than friends. Dee Stanley, who was married to Elvis' father, Vernon and two of her three sons proved that after Elvis and Vernon had both passed away. Dee Stanley and David Stanley were and have been especially ugly - Dee claiming Elvis slept with his mother (as in had sex with her) and that Elvis was secretly gay. David has made the secret gay claim as well and has claimed for over a decade Elvis committed suicide. This despite the fact the cause of Elvis' death was ruled to have indeed been a heart attack. A massive heart attack. How do you get to suicide from that? You don't, but Elvis' stepmom and step-brothers believed they were entitled to share in his estate and were angry when they learned they weren't included. And never had been included, not even in the original will because Elvis had never regarded them as his family. They were his dad's step-family but he was under no obligation to them at any time. That was something they just didn't understand. I hate to think Linda might have a few family members who approached the Stanley level, but nothing would surprise me. I think it more likely anyone who was going to slag her would be her professional contemporaries, whose success was nowhere near what Linda's level of success was. Lot of artists like to think or want to think they were on the same level as Elvis, the Beatles, Linda, the Beach Boys and all the other giants, but there's a reason they never were and a reason for the artists who were successful. There was so much of Linda's personal life missing from her own book, and I'm not talking about the men she dated and her life and times from the mid 60s to the end of her career, but her life up to the mid 60s. We are who we are, usually based on the way we were raised growing up and Linda didn't say much about that at all in her book. Her musical influences growing up are glossed over, just like her albums. Linda loved her parents, but there's nothing in her book about what they were like as authority figures and what she was like growing up and how they dealt with her when she challenged their authority. When I watched the Mike Douglas film clip where Linda appeared, backed by Swampwater and she talked about it not being necessary to beat kids, I thought that was a rather strange comment to be making but Douglas didn't press the matter. And it had me wondering, was she beaten when she was younger? I could just imagine her parents were aghast when she told them at 17 she wanted to move to California with Bob Kimmel. They gave in but there's a lot missing from that story. A lot of blanks. Her friends from when she was younger could fill in those blanks and likely will if a biographer ever takes on Linda as a subject. With Parkinson's robbing Linda of her memory, if she had a wonderful life in childhood, it would be better for her if someone was able to get that out now rather than later when it won't matter. If she had a terrible childhood, it might explain why she was so private or might explain why she was so critical of herself in later years. If and when someone writes on a book on Linda, there's likely to be some shockers about Linda we didn't know. Some that might make us feel sadness for her or some that might cause outrage. As I tell people who write reviews on Linda's book on amazon or elsewhere as to what's not included, they need to cut Linda a lot of slack. Her memory had already been affected by the Parkinson's and some of the stories that were in her book came about because someone jogged her memory. Who knows what else she might have written if there had been others around to jog her memory as well? |
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Post by PoP80 on Jan 1, 2018 17:08:31 GMT -5
Linda was smart enough to realize that marriage wasn't for her and avoided the pitfalls of a string of divorces. She admits that she's not a great compromiser and her fierce independence is admirable. I can totally relate to that mindset and it's apparent that her friendships are of primary importance now. The fact that she has remained friends with most of her exes also speaks volumes about her character.
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Post by sliderocker on Jan 2, 2018 18:38:17 GMT -5
Linda was smart enough to realize that marriage wasn't for her and avoided the pitfalls of a string of divorces. She admits that she's not a great compromiser and her fierce independence is admirable. I can totally relate to that mindset and it's apparent that her friendships are of primary importance now. The fact that she has remained friends with most of her exes also speaks volumes about her character. As someone who has been single all of his life and can readily relate to Linda's long, single life, the one thing from my life that I suspect may be true in Linda's case as well is she may have an explanation on why she has been single all of her life, an explanation she gives as a public statement or to those so inclined into intruding into her life as if it's any of their business. I'm not that much younger than Linda and I get a lot of people asking me why am I single? It's an offensive question into a personal life as the reasons may be many. Linda may feel something differently when she is to herself, something she is not going to let anyone know. She may feel her failed relationships were her fault and maybe there were things she should have done differently. Or there were guys she was interested in but she didn't make a move because she did come up in the era when the guy was expected to be the one to make the move. And what if there were guys who were interested but afraid of rejection? I know what I felt for Linda and if the opportunity had presented itself, I wouldn't have done anything because of that fear of rejection. Linda may have wanted to at least have been married once, just to see what it was like but none of the guys she dated were guys she would've felt comfortable being married to. She was engaged to George Lucas but that was as close as it got for her, but whatever caused their relationship to fall apart, whatever the reason was, she was going to keep it to herself. Curiously, I don't think it was Linda as a person and think it was the guys who broke off with her every time. As I've always said, I believe Linda ran into the same thing Marilyn Monroe ran into: the intimidation factor. You're dating Linda Ronstadt and it hits you YOU'RE DATING LINDA RONSTADT! Your relationship is such that sex is inevitable. What happens if you're not that great in bed and you're with the hottest woman on the planet? Remember, Linda said in an interview about her love life how she wished her love life was as good as a Snickers candy bar. It sounded like her love life was more disappointing than one possibly knows and that's not something you'd want the public to know. And it may have been a reason she never married. In her younger days, Linda never rejected the possibility of marriage and of getting pregnant and eventually giving birth to children. But, such statements were always qualified with statements that she wasn't dating anyone at the time or that if she was, marriage was not in the cards at the time and she would just have to wait and see what happened. She also mentioned had Heart Like a Wheel not been the success it was, she knew she was looking at what possibly would've been her last album and she planned on throwing in the towel and going back to Tuscon and possibly finding someone to marry and have kids with. Fate had other plans for Linda Ronstadt and although we are the ones who are the richer for that, I don't know that Linda got what she wanted from life. And again, I think one needs to take the things she has said publicly with a grain of salt, that those comments might not be a true reflection of how she actually feels. Because where you might believe she didn't need marriage or want it, if she did want it and didn't have it, her failure in finding anyone to marry might be a source of considerable sorrow to her. So, it may be a subject she doesn't want to talk about as it may be a subject that would upset her. People hide their true feelings all the time. Why not Linda? For the same reason, I also believe Linda's public comments on religion are not her true feelings about the subject. No one can lose family members like she has been losing these last few years, like teeth falling out, and not wonder if this is all there is. I think Linda still has one foot in her Catholic upbringing. It's not possible for her to attend services on a regular basis but it sounds like it is still a part of her life in some way that allows her to maintain her privacy. |
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