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Jason Interviews Lono August 1999- Lono had just returned from a recording studio trip to Chicago to work with Dennis Wilson, formerly of The Beach Boys, and broadcaster Steve Doll. Lono shares of his experience there.
Summary & Timestamped Transcript Below…
Interviewer: Jason
Guest: Lono (musician from Maui)
Date: Not specified
Context: Discussion about Lono’s musical journey, recent projects, and experiences performing both in Maui and Chicago.
– [00:11 → 02:55] Introduction and Background
- The video opens with music and a warm introduction by Jason, welcoming Lono back for a follow-up interview.
- Lono’s previous album “Maui Stylin” was released a few years ago and gained local success in Maui.
- Recently, Lono has expanded his reach beyond Hawaii, notably through activities in Chicago, signaling a broader audience for his music.
– [02:55 → 05:56] Chicago and Nashville Recording Sessions
- Lono spent several weeks in Chicago recording with friends Steve Dahl and Joe Thomas from WCKG 105.9.
- He performed at local shows and festivals in Chicago and did radio broadcasts, including a trip to Cancun with the radio station.
- After returning to Maui for a short vacation, Lono planned a trip to Nashville for additional recording, working with other prominent musicians.
- The Nashville sessions are intended to enhance his tracks before returning to Chicago for two more months of intensive recording.
- Lono announced an upcoming single release in October titled “Blue Eyes of Summer”, a revamped version of a previously popular song.
- The song has been adjusted to appeal more broadly, with a formulaic approach that makes it relatable to a wider audience beyond Hawaii.
– [05:56 → 11:04] Audience Differences and Hawaiian Music in Chicago
- Lono notes the difference between audiences in Maui and Chicago:
- Maui audiences take Hawaiian music for granted due to proximity and everyday access to the beach and island life.
- Chicago audiences dream of Hawaii and the lifestyle, which amplifies their reaction to his music.
- Chicago listeners find it easier to relate to English-language content, so Lono blends Hawaiian language with English to engage audiences without overwhelming them.
- He recalls performing for 600-800 people in Chicago, which was a surprising and exciting experience for him.
- The cultural center and festivals in Maui also draw large crowds, but the scale of live audiences in Chicago was notable.
- Lono has experienced challenges with distribution and pressing of his earlier albums, but now with a strong international distribution team, he expects greater reach.
– [11:04 → 16:44] Keys to Success and Music Production Challenges
- The critical factor behind his recent opportunities was asking for help—acknowledging that collaboration and support open doors.
- Writing original songs remains Lono’s priority over doing covers, as original music offers authenticity and personal expression.
- He discusses the importance of having a “dream team” of musicians for recording sessions to ensure top-quality output.
- Recording in Maui differs from places like Chicago or Los Angeles;
- Maui sessions are more casual and rely heavily on friends who are often balancing day jobs, making scheduling difficult.
- Chicago and LA musicians are professional session players who work efficiently and expect higher pay.
- Lono emphasizes the art of coordinating musicians’ schedules and creating a relaxed environment to get the best performances in Maui.
– [16:44 → 22:55] Live Performances and Vocal Integrity
- Lono prefers live performances and unplugged sets for their authenticity and intimacy.
- He believes a stripped-down performance (e.g., vocalist and guitar only) allows the audience to connect deeply with the artist.
- Studio recordings often reveal vocal imperfections when isolated from the instrumental mix, highlighting the challenge of delivering flawless vocal takes.
- Lono admires artists like Jewel, who can sing powerfully without studio effects, underscoring the importance of raw vocal talent.
- He shares a personal story about a failed mini-disc playback during a Chicago show, which forced him to perform solo acoustic for 40 minutes—resulting unexpectedly in great audience enthusiasm.
– [22:55 → 29:53] Hawaiian Music Identity and Maui Music Scene
- Lono is still learning Hawaiian language fluently to deepen his connection to Hawaiian music and culture in his songwriting.
- He acknowledges the “spirit of aloha” and the gentle nature of Hawaiian people—qualities that permeate Hawaiian music, even in contemporary forms.
- The Maui music scene is dynamic but unstable:
- Bands frequently change names and membership, often reshuffling the same musicians to stay relevant and employed.
- Keeping a consistent band together is as challenging as writing good music.
- Work opportunities in Maui are limited, often requiring musicians to work multiple gigs or outside jobs.
- Lono reflects on the support he received from local venues like Sports Page and Sea Watch, despite lean times with few tourists.
– [29:53 → 38:36] Balancing Music and Work, Maui Lifestyle
- Lono stresses the importance of pacing: playing fewer nights but delivering quality performances rather than overworking and diluting the impact.
- He values creativity and taking breaks to recharge rather than playing non-stop.
- Maui’s relaxed island lifestyle contrasts sharply with the hustle of Chicago:
- Maui offers natural inspiration like sunsets and ocean views that help focus songwriting.
- Chicago’s urban environment is busy and distracting, making creative focus harder.
- Lono expresses gratitude toward friends and supporters in Maui who have helped him survive financially and emotionally.
- The interview touches on the importance of integrity, dignity, and grace in the musician’s career and personal life.
– [38:36 → 46:22] Maui Style and Expanding Horizons
- Lono encourages other Hawaiian musicians to embrace their unique “Maui style” and not try to imitate mainland artists.
- He believes authenticity is crucial for standing out in larger markets like Chicago or Nashville.
- The song “Peaches, Beers, and Bikinis” was inspired by moments on Maui beaches with friends—capturing the island vibe.
- Lono describes the challenge of changing musical tastes in clubs and the pressure to constantly update the repertoire with current hits to maintain bookings.
- This demand can stifle creativity, as musicians often must play Top 40 hits rather than original material.
- He acknowledges the fear musicians face of losing relevance and not being “hireable” if they don’t produce great original music.
– [46:22 → 51:40] Future Plans and Personal Reflections
- Lono plans to return to Maui after extensive recording sessions in Chicago and Nashville.
- He describes the energy of Chicago and the contrast with Maui’s peacefulness.
- The interview closes with reflections on the beauty of Maui and the hope that Lono’s music will bring wider recognition to Hawaiian culture and his artistry.
- Lono expresses optimism about future collaborations and the evolving music scene.
- He also humorously discusses cultural quirks like Spam’s prominence in Hawaiian cuisine and the differences between the mainland and island life.
– [51:40 → 57:55] Closing Remarks and Acknowledgments
- The interviewer expresses admiration for Lono’s journey and hopes for his success.
- Lono thanks friends, family, and fans for their prayers and support.
- Contact information for Lono’s music is provided:
- Website: www.mauistylin.com
- Lono encourages other musicians to seek help and collaborate to advance their careers.
- The interview ends on a positive note about the spirit of aloha and community.
Key Insights and Themes
- Expansion from Local to National/International Audiences: Lono’s move from Maui to Chicago and Nashville illustrates the challenges and opportunities for Hawaiian artists reaching wider audiences.
- Authenticity and Hawaiian Identity: Maintaining Hawaiian cultural elements while making music accessible through English is a delicate balance Lono strives for.
- Importance of Collaboration: Asking for help and working with experienced producers and musicians was pivotal for Lono’s career growth.
- Challenges of the Music Industry: Balancing creative integrity with commercial demands, especially in club settings, is a constant tension.
- Live Performance vs. Studio Recording: Live shows, especially unplugged, are vital for connecting with audiences and showcasing true vocal talent.
- Maui Lifestyle as Creative Inspiration: The island’s natural beauty and relaxed pace deeply influence songwriting and artistic focus.
- Persistence and Adaptability: Lono’s story highlights perseverance through lean times, changing band dynamics, and evolving music markets.
Quantitative Data Table
| Event/Activity | Location | Duration/Timeframe | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago recording and shows | Chicago, IL | Several weeks | Worked with WCKG 105.9, Steve Dahl, Joe Thomas |
| Cancun broadcast & trip | Cancun, Mexico | 1 week | Radio broadcast participation |
| Maui vacation | Maui, HI | 10 days | Rest between recording sessions |
| Nashville recording session | Nashville, TN | A few days | Adding tracks with session musicians |
| Planned Chicago recording | Chicago, IL | 2 months | Intensive recording planned |
| Upcoming single release | Not specified | October (Year unknown) | “Blue Eyes of Summer” single |
| Live audience size | Chicago, IL | Event date not specified | 600-800 people |
| Years at Sports Page bar | Maui, HI | 5-6 years | Regular gig supporting career |
Conclusion
This interview provides a rich, candid perspective on Lono’s musical journey from Maui to the mainland U.S., highlighting his growth as an artist, the nuances of performing and recording across different environments, and his commitment to authenticity grounded in Hawaiian culture. Lono’s story is one of perseverance, collaboration, and the pursuit of creative excellence while honoring his roots and the unique “Maui style” that defines his music.
00:11
aloha this is jason and today on mama presents we have a special guest that you’ve seen before this guy last time we did an interview with lono lono welcome thanks jason last time we did an
02:55
interview was at uh the wailea shopping village and you had which album was coming out maui styles yeah and uh that was a couple of years ago that album has had great success here locally and you’ve always been a favorite since as long as i can remember with the people around here but uh this year actually for over the last year something’s now happened where you’re kind of uh going to be seen more widely why don’t you tell these guys who’s cooking okay well recently we went to chicago a couple of weeks of
03:32
recording over there with our friends from uh wckg 105.9 steve doll and joe thomas i don’t know if you got my newsletter but i spoke a little bit about those guys they got me over there a couple of shows over there there’s a couple of fest going on different towns there so i hooked up with steve dawn got to go up and play a song in between their set a couple of songs and met a lot of nice people went traveling around went down to cancun for a week they broadcasted down there so i was one of the
04:06
people there and um had the guitar was playing in and out of commercials and talking while they were talking to the mariachis and everything got back to chicago did some more recording downtown chicago recording company then um i’m here for a 10-day vacation i got 10 days of maui i need to go see that everyone comes to maui a month was a nice and you know it was nice it was perfect a month in chicago came back for 10 days so we’re here in the lovely beach of uh the palms in wailea right 3200.
04:44
uh so this is our beach here kind of flowers and beach chairs flowers on the beach our little sails you know and then um we’re here for 10 days and thursday we fly into nashville from maui stay a couple of days there record about a couple of things put the other peop some of the other you know musicians on the tracks in nashville and take it back to chicago for two more months of um of heavy recording they got me down on a on um state state street and eighth street down over michigan lake um right
05:25
right downtown chicago so i’m staying at steve dahl’s place we’ll be there for two more months i’ll be back here on the islands in october wow when is your about it could be you have a single coming out when in october october blue eyes of summer from our first cd remember blue eyes this summer they changed it around and marketed up a little bit and right and um they’re excited about it i’m excited about it i can’t believe it’s you know i can’t believe it but
05:56
i think we’ve got a pretty good team of people besides you myself yeah well you know it’s amazing blue eyes summer was a good song a couple years ago so they kind of single-fight it huh they kind of gave it the formula like they say they uh they made it right you know so they could relate to all people instead of not just one or a few people sometimes songwriters when they write stuff they they try to write it for the world yeah i mean i’ve done it i still do it and then it becomes too
06:30
worldly in the song it’s just too big and then sometimes when they write it and they want it to be world only six or seven people really that they’ve ever met you know relate to that really in that big sense so sometimes i think when other people like you know billy core again from trashing pumpkins all these other artists that write their songs all the secondary writers on there the other writer next writer him and they collaborated this person’s the second guy i think is the guy that’s got
06:59
the art to make it into molded into that hit so all people everybody can take anything well you know and some of the best songs we ever remember all of our lives are like a minute and something long and we think wow what a great song but it’s too short you know those are songs last forever because because you want to hear more of them you want to hear more of the song it was out before you could you know just about when you were tasting the cake tasting that piece of dessert they said oh sorry i take that away what
07:30
one more dessert do you find that your audiences in chicago are different than maui kind of in a way i think the difference is some of the differences i’ve noticed is that we’re here and we can’t take for granted because we’re here already you know so it’s kind of funny that we do take for granted because we can we can go right to the beach anytime in chicago i was at the marriott courtyard downtown out for them um and from our floor i was on a floor we were on we’re looking down and
08:04
there’s this little area where they have like an indoor swimming pool and there’s a little bulky little deck out there it’s got some webbers you know and lounge chairs so just when the sun hits the perfect angle and hits that run spot right there on that sixth floor that place is packed with people they’re over there you got the thing on their eyes suntan lotion on bikinis sitting out there eight minutes so i look out my window i go whoa beach is packed today i closed the window whoa then i look out
08:42
and i see as the sun moves the shadow you know comes creeps up on that sixth floor there you know everybody moved it’s like a movie what watching them move with the uh we can hold these if you want i’m coming watching a move with the sun it’s so funny i think when you were singing like you played some different clubs and stuff right yeah we did this club called the all-stars in elmhurst uh teddy’s all-stars and um it was really good we sold a lot of cds so a lot of t-shirts we they made for us it’s two different
09:21
kinds and uh i met a lot of a lot of really nice people but they the difference is that over there they can’t get to the beach like we can i mean not fast we can be right down the beach sitting at a bar toes in the sand drinking the hand watching the sunset like that but over there they only dream about that i think you know they dream so when you play and do your music you get a i guess a different reaction some reaction sort of amplified well it’s easier for them to understand hawaii in english sometimes not all the time
09:58
hawaiian language is not a bad thing it’s just that it’s hard to be catchy real quick over there so we teach them about hawaii in english and then we move them through the hawaiian so it’s not so in your face you know i remember you were sharing with me have happened six or 800 people there all raving and stuff different kinds of audiences huh it kind of blows you away you can’t believe that that’s happening you know what blue eyes of summer that’s a great song it’s just
10:33
you know when like you and i wrote it i didn’t figure you know 800 people be yelling and screaming you know blue eyes of summer and singing along you never would imagine that and here maui where you get 800 people in any bar anywhere well i was thinking you more at the cultural center or something like that maybe there yeah i’ve never played there but i mean where i had 800 people there to see me play but maybe c fest how was that yesterday that was interesting a lot of different artists and um a lot
11:04
of people have cds nowadays you know when there’s people that look for five five six cds they got out but it’s it’s funny because they’re looking for that one song you know sean molly look at him eight cds finally get discovered but it could be one song on your first cd yeah well you know i always like that song but i like a number of your songs in fact i think that all the old albums suddenly gonna come up to speed and people are gonna find i mean you only had a handful of pressing you know
11:42
and distribution was it but i’m sure this is going to really change things again we’ve got a good international distribution team going now that’s exciting they they’re all working you know they’re all getting anything that you want to recommend to all these will be and would-be artists out there what was the secret what what changed it for you do you think what gave you an opportunity that you didn’t have before asking him for help that was the number one the big g asking him for help help me
12:14
please and that’s when he said i mean he kind of i felt that he said all you have to do is ask you know you’ve been trying to do it all by yourself out there fighting hitting your head against the wall and everything you know getting people to see your way you know i can do that let me do that and so i said so what did you just keep writing the songs yeah just keep writing the songs man i’ll take care of that i’m this far already i mean you know pretty soon who knows this may open doors for so
12:48
many people here in hawaii a whole different a whole different thing so that you can be proud of what you do whatever you do you can have grace integrity and dignity for what you’re doing you know it is the smoky bars that are we playing we’re playing in right now but you don’t have to play every night to be a musician you have to play on a nice that you have to play then you can play then you want to play so badly you know it’s do you find that writing was a big thing in this i mean i see a lot of people doing cover
13:21
material you know songs that other people do that’s great cover is great it’s great to express yourself in someone else’s song you know but the ultimate song is yours bottom line so that’s what really you think might have been a a key to the difference in in what happened i mean they i think picked up on the song and you yeah i mean there’s this a lot of other things involved not just music but the person too you know whatever the person is like or maybe a truly you know believe that they are you know and um
13:59
i hear the sounds in the background from the new album that’s going to be this is uh peaches beers beers and bikinis yeah my friend wes harrington from chicago he he’s a suburban police there and he’s a harley shop we’re sitting down at the beach cavi kapoor out here cooler watching the sunset and he finally you know all these years living in chicago looks at me and goes this is it isn’t it loan i said this is it buddy goes this is it right this i said this is it it’s right now if you got a
14:32
postcard of you and me sitting here and sent this home to your friends they would be so like wanting to get here so bad and i said this is it they wouldn’t have to do the two-hour shift watch the sunset toes in the sand you know watching the sunset got your beach chairs that this is it you know man this is this is the best any time man you want a flower to maui we’re right there right on the beach like a minute away just right across we’re there you’ve you’ve written all kinds of different songs do you have any
15:07
favorite the one from the moment is usually your favorite huh i i don’t have a favorite song they’re all my children and they all deserve the same attention as the other songs some of them don’t but i try to get to as much as i can they all want to come out and play and they all have their own individuality they all get bummed when they don’t get to play tonight but nobody heard them tonight so i you know i come back and open up with that i put them in there they know that they’re close to me
15:38
right so i try to use like my best dream team when i go and work and get out there and put the dream team and music together so that when what they hear is only you know the best we have to offer and uh well there’s so many good ones you know i it’s really funny like i said i think that everything’s going to sort of reawaken the old product maybe you’ll probably re-record some of them have you found the musicians that you record with uh in chicago and stuff are different kind of an attitude you know i
16:13
mean around here i’m always wondering when things go up in the studio and such here different kind of timber when i was recording in l.a i always found these guys were like on the money there they had three hours they knew they were doing a session and out and so they hit it hard here’s a more casual atmosphere yeah i think uh here it’s like you really call on your friends there’s a lot of great musicians here to call on you know and they’re all there to help you out they all want to come down and
16:44
be on your project and you know and it’s kind of a hassle because for a lot of the players that have day jobs yeah you know how they’re supposed to take off for work and come up here and record and you know they got to make a living it’s so hard to get people into the studio just because the way their work schedule is and you can’t miss a day of work just to go record that’s not right you know you’re making this much money working and cost of living is pretty decent here you know yeah you
17:11
know it’s it’s a decent kind of life you’re you need that income so get work around their schedules and get them up there it’s a real uh you know it’s like like an opera you know everything’s got to be in place the timing everything the the things they’re going through with their family their kids their wives or their boss or a girlfriend or something or boyfriend to get them into the studio and take all the you know drain them of all that and then fill them in with all this what
17:40
you’re trying to do here it it’s quite an art you know but once you get them to relax you know two hours into the session uh you know it’s too late they gotta go work or they gotta you know that it takes too long to find a groove i said because they got this whole day in back of them in front of them or whatever they got to drive home from upcountry or wherever the studio is and you know making time for that and it’s a really funny time and just with you know the fact that it’s going to be
18:14
in the year 2000 soon everybody’s carrying that burden of what’s going to happen you know something inside and say i wonder what’s going to happen you know so there’s people here trying to make it happen already so that when it happens oh we’re doing it already and there are people waiting for it to happen and see if i would they would change but all of that ends up in some song somewhere just so that even i can filter it out and might not be a great song but i wrote it and then it’s okay
18:46
but you got to write those songs to get to the great songs like i always said you know not every song you’re at is going to be a hit because you got to get a couple misses to you so you can get to the hit if you don’t write those misses you’re never going to find this one here waiting for you is this song going to be on probably only love will let you let you live he’s on there yeah that’s a new one a good one you know it’s so funny because i keep hearing the old children like the songs
19:10
and no i still love those songs but i’m sure they’ll come out in all kinds of ways a live album maybe that’ll be a thing to look forward to hey and there we go i always find you live to be the best see i don’t know what i sound like live because i’m not out there listening not out there watching you know i’ve always found you know like you say you did the unplugged the other night that’s the way i like seeing it i like studio stuff too but unplugged is i’ll never forget the
19:41
time that i first saw it you know and i thought wow yeah it was just you and the guitar and the vocal that really worked for me i think all bands you know in their show even in their recordings they should have a recording that just simplifies the lead vocalist and the lead guitarist or something back to back or the keyboard player and the vocalist just everything else out no bass no drums no guitar or whatever and instead of the vote leave vocalistic acapella but singing something that that is warm but in individualizes
20:18
that part of the show from the rest of the show yeah people focus in on the singer they look right in at them and she or he is just singing and then you go oh wow and if they can if they deliver then the audience just falls into them and then when the bank is back on you’ve got the audience right here now then you just you know continue your show now finish up or whatever but there’s that part of the show where everybody’s got to get off the stage and only one person sits there one guitar one spotlight
20:53
so we know that this guy we’re watching singing all these songs and everything is truly what he is because you can hide behind you can disguise yourself behind all this music behind the keyboards behind the horn sections behind the drums everything as a lead vocalist you can people do you can hide yourself behind that and people say man he sounds so great but actually you take everything up and that way that’s what you find in the studio when they go to track one and then push your vocal up and cut everything else
21:17
out and you realize for the first time you’re not that good you thought you were awesome you thought like wow you know like oh they must really like me here and then they go back and say hey check this out so let’s redo this and you’re ready volunteer oh yeah yeah yeah let’s let’s clean that one up you know that’s so funny because you want to clean that thing up quick you thought you were wow this is great man oh the drums sound good oh we need horns here everything you can this you know they don’t even
21:43
hear you anymore they’re like lost in the mix when they drop everything else out and we got you single by yourself no effects no nothing that’s why people like jewel you know they can sing without effects the straight right you know powerful solid vocals and um i think that’s it’s kind of important you know that you have that we know you have that that i couldn’t do it i’ve never seen it at a karaoke bar anywhere that’s what i think but that’s why i think of you live as being great because that’s
22:23
always what really grabbed me you know that’s what did it live i like live watching live you know it’s no mini disc no meeting this our two friends from uh they were at the sea fest this week they brought their mini this player uh-huh same thing happened to me when i was in chicago i thought i could be protected and have my mini disc player and have the bass tracks drum tracks all playing at this gig out of people coming to see us play yeah and i had this thing going and took a crap on the first one first song
22:55
just took a dive i ended up playing the rest of the show which is about about 40 minutes right just guitar me oh people went crazy and i couldn’t believe it i was like wow you know that that’s when you get off you’re done for the night and you think to yourself oh man i just ruined it you know i ruined everything my career is over and they’re like whoa dude you know they’re running out trying to get you to sign their shirts and i got brand new hawaiian shirt with surfboards in the back
23:23
signing shirts what’s a brand new shirt i said sign it just put loan on what it to tom and tim and jill you know it’s like brandon shirts like ruining a new shirt and i was i think i saw that shirt once and i was going to buy it guy wants me to sign his shirt and said oh i don’t know cds is there a lot of awareness of hawaiian in chicago well everybody think when they hear lono oh they oh so so you’re singing a lot of hawaiian music huh are you crazy so as soon as i start learning hawaiian
23:58
and you know start actually speaking hawaiian fluently i’ll be able to give hawaiian music that passion but hawaiian music is already you because you’re hawaiian hawaiian that qualifies you can’t you can’t take that away it’s there and your songs have a you know i was listening today someone was talking about the spirit of aloha and the gentle hawaiian people you know that uh there’s a gentleness and a you know a sweetness that comes through even the tough guys you know that you see around that are
24:35
hawaiians there’s something really gentle about it you know in hawaii music yeah well and just the hawaiian people so i’m just saying oh yeah i think that when people come from the mainland here you know some people get disappointed you know that they don’t see more hawaiian music or some of the old traditional hawaiian things but we’re in a new time and you really are i think a very significant bridge because you’re hawaiian and doing popular music with a heritage from hawaiian and hawaiian music so it’s
25:09
you know i played hawaiian music for a lot of places hotels and stuff like that it’s mainly where they want you to play hawaiian music so people visiting here i can understand i was in cancun they had mariachis in every restaurant you know you wouldn’t see uh you just right you wouldn’t expect to see just regular contemporary music yeah you wouldn’t see a country band for something that’s ethnic for the area in the hotels yeah but then you go out to the clubs and they got regular they got everything
25:37
else which is where the meat is at in these clubs these people there they got to change their music all the time to keep people in the club so they can work if they don’t they’re gone right there is no forever you could be here in the clubs you’re always riding that edge you’re catching that wave you know is a little too big for you but you’re gonna kick out early and you know say you caught a wave today well you know i it’s funny you’ve been back here what a week almost a week uh
26:17
tuesday tomorrow will be a week right and you’re leaving here in a couple days thursday wow now you’ve been here a week today you have happened to have a break but you played wednesday thursday thursday thursday friday saturday sunday all different places hot ticket in town originals we’re playing all original songs now because we need to you know give them over there a little taste of hawaii yeah but in language that they can understand and it’s tough there’s a big world out there
26:51
you know it’s hard to go right down you know oakland california start playing hawaiian music somewhere unless you get a big hawaiian you know like area of the you know people of hawaiians when you play in hotels like that you’re not going to see a big bunch of hawaiian you know big a team of hawaiian people there had the hotels but they’re singing hawaiian music there not a problem so i played the hotels and i played the hawaiian music and i love it you know you work with a lot of great
27:18
people for a lot of long years you know and but in the clubs like over here i’ve seen so many bands here change names and change in players you know same players but different names different games so if you watch this man and you watch this band for like two or three months in lahaina they’re like the best bands you know something there’s something happens you know and then then you got a couple of these guys with a couple of these guys in them right so they’re in a band and a couple
27:46
of these guys a couple of those guys the rest of the guys they’re in a band so now you got two bands that used to sound like two other bands [Laughter] and uh and then they changed the name but it’s the same guys same guy you know but that’s what they got to do to to keep working here look at people like gil swanson keeping a band together like that is hard is as hard as trying to write music you know because where are they going to play who’s going to put you up you know can you get the people here in kihei
28:18
here in wailey or on maui to come into the club and see what you do it’s tough she’s got a hard job i try to put a band together and i can never keep a band together because everybody’s got to work somewhere else because i don’t get that much work what do you mean well i don’t like to work but anyway but for a guy who doesn’t like to work you sure are working a lot well yeah i worked a lot when i was back here but before i left in chicago i was working two gigs a week sports page c watch been there i know
28:54
sports page going in my either my fifth year or on my sixth year wow sports sea watch is either my third or my fourth year someplace else so sports page you’ve been five or six years and two to three years someplace on there yeah i can’t i don’t know exactly when but i know i i celebrated so many anniversaries that i stopped you know i mean stuff you don’t even bring it up you just say oh it’s that date you know but barry there barry the guy on that sports page and also sandcastle best guy kept me working when
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you know nobody was here’s no tourists here nobody even going to clubs you know just kept me go keep playing keep playing on it just so i thank him barry sports page and then also roy up at the sea watch kept me working for a couple years when all the other gigs that i was doing maria fell apart these ones fell apart all the gigs fell apart because you can be working somewhere like in a hotel and get a nice little contract what not they switch to management on you or something or somebody’s
29:53
don’t like you it’s tough to work under that situation that you’re going to work with they don’t really like you but they’re letting you stay yeah and it’s a disguise and you might not see it you know you might think everybody here likes me but believe me they heard you every night so far you know you’re working for five six nights don’t matter two nights is too long already do one night give them your best take a break go create come back when you’re ready and let them
30:24
have it again take a break go create come back let them have what you got because everything is for them that’s that’s what it is we we are nothing oh music we’re creating everything like that we don’t own that it’s just there we’re lucky that we can you know i’m lucky i found the songs i did you know it’s like yeah all right because i’d be like if somebody else wrote this song i’d be all bombing that’s what i always say about some of my songs man if somebody ever wrote this and i
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heard it i’d be so bummed because wow how come i can’t get a gift like that how come i can’t get a song like that well you have and they keep coming do you have any kind of schedule after your record you’re going to come back i’ll get back to maui i’ll be here again at the beach side at the palms in wailea overlooking the highway over there not even a highway it’s like a road it’s a byway you know i see like i can count the cars here out of my room like we were at staying
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at the hyatt right downtown chicago chicago yeah and it’s like horns and fire trucks police cars taxis and taxis and you look at the windows like mega buildings everywhere and then a river on there the river that goes into chicago and boats going by full of people and it’s just like everything’s happening different kind of energy when you sit down to write a song oh it’s a little tougher because there’s so many things going on you can’t really focus in on one thing like here
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you can focus in on the sunset because it’s right there you can focus in on mr moon passing over passing over maui watching his stars real stars going around in a circle in front of you at night you know watching all that that’s that’s that’s good timing there you have to separate the stars from the headlights huh yeah but i’m going back i’m going back for two more months and now i know where everything’s at i know i know how to get downtown i know how to get on the metro ride the train out
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north geneva and all the places in chicago and linux in fact by the way this is our friend hall and lee white this is their place here at the path of palms in wailea because um they’re letting me stay here while i’m here right when i come back they let me stay here still so thank you very much uh you might notice the flowers the vase and there’s your railing here out on your deck we’re funny that’s the music yeah the music you know i um i get real sentimental when i think how long i’ve been seeing you working at
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this and knowing how long you’ve been really top flight moving a lot of hearts here i really hope that things go supremely well for you know where you get a chance to show yourself to the world because i know that what you have is a real gift a gift that the people of maui everyone i know that’s heard you really has appreciated you and i would like to work hard yeah we work hard and you made a gutsy decision you know to take your regular gig and put it aside so that you could focus on your music
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and like you say there were lean times too you know yeah i know you know so go back and check the other interviews we had we weren’t even we weren’t even thinking of this back then not even close but we knew we’re on our way like we’re we’re totally lost but we’re ahead of schedule we’re totally lost we’re ahead of schedule i see we’ve lost that way but we’re ahead of schedule lost it last huh yeah we got more songs to write and uh collaborate there’s a lot of people
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there in chicago that like to collaborate i got a lot of cards from people said my name is so-and-so i’m a writer for so and so uh you know and uh i’d like to collaborate with you on some songs if it’s possible i’m i’m almost almost always open to that but i’ve never done it i’ve never collaborated with anybody on any songs that i wrote kill blue eyes they sort of put their input in huh maybe i’ll start collaborating now well no i’m a writer i’d like to write a
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song with you too i get a lot of songs from people people send me like poems email me they’re they’re one of their definitions or interpretations of friendship or or life or their relationship with him or just a relationship now these people have found you when you say email you how do they find you maui styling.com [Music] www.mystalin.com that’s exciting did you know there was a a lono website well i didn’t create it it was created by the people by our friends in chicago sure you and
36:08
wes so they’re playing your stuff there on the radio right now they played a bunch of it last friday and um i got a bunch of calls and emails and uh people trying to order cds so i think chicago’s you know in a way it kind of likes me because they can relate to hawaii a lot easier now they’re like they want to go to hawaii so bad you know they want to see this song they want to be at mckenna beach under mr moon yeah you know watching the whales go you know listening for the whales to go by
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watching the water glisten on the on the ocean at night from the moon they want to be on that long empty beach it’s it’s beautiful i know like you say here we sit and here we go oh yeah another day on the empty beach nobody here today damn the wind is up i’m leaving right that’s right it’s windy i don’t want to go down there it’s blowing it’s white caps out there what happens is the wind is your friend remember that it clears the beach of everybody and it allows if you want to go down there
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you got the beach out to yourself now tell yourself when is that going to happen when is that going to ever happen you get to have a beach to yourself wow it’s windy little windy big deal you know you know anything you want to say to these people i mean anything special that you want to say to the maui audience that you know maybe not maybe you just want to say aloha but i mean i’m sure you know we’ve done these interviews a couple of times and things are changing and who knows where your feet are going to
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land for a while nashville and chicago and all these shows you have any um any dreams for maui i mean i dream of seeing you come back here doing a show same guys that were sitting there and uh in the sports page i’m sure are gonna really appreciate coming and seeing you once your success has uh really come where the world has gotten to see you some maui started no matter where you go no matter what you do take that maui style with you because if you ain’t maui styling just living on an island
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that still says it all well that’s what steve doll says all the time he keeps saying no matter where you go no matter what you do take that mowing style you know when when i went over there i met stephen and i asked him what why are you guys looking for somebody like me out here you got mecca of musicians here you know scholars and music right you find a guy living on a beach come what is it it says whatever you do take that maui style with you just be be what maui is be what you are over there don’t come
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over here and try to change and be like everybody here that’s why that’s why we’re not picking them because there’s so many people there right but they got this one thing that’s out here that is special you know it’s different that it swings alone when he sends the rest of the fish you know there’s something about it that you want to go wow look at that fish and it says don’t change your colors don’t change be hawaiian be who you are and just be yourself so i said what anybody can be themselves
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you know what i mean but that doesn’t mean you guys flying them all around the country recording him everything and giving him you know first class accommodations the drake hyatt maria moon palace in cancun what you know so well this is he’s the guy upstairs he’s busy up there man i didn’t know there were that many floors in this condo he’s like really busy up there i guess i got him working too but you know i was once working at the at the oasis poolside bar down at the coast
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i’m thankful thankfully for jeff and jerry and debbie and barney for allowing me to work to work you know seventy dollars a week living on maui that’s not right how do you survive on seventy dollars or wait a lot of aloha lots of aloha from people believe me i can count em i can say their names i know who they are lots of aloha from maui’s people even maui brought me some really good people maui brought some really good people i met beautiful there’s a lot of beautiful people out there you know and they’re
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out there looking for other beautiful people people that you know or about the promotion the achievement of any individual every individual their integrity their dignity achievements their achievement what are they trying to do what is their what are you reaching for if you’re truly reaching for it it should be yours but it’s not yours because you want it because it put you because you think it belongs to you or you deserve it it’s yours anyway but you cannot but just like you can only have it
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when you don’t know you have it that’s when you have it that’s what everybody wants they want to know how why why you why not me so that already separates them from their goals because why you not me that cuts off their goals right there got it think about what you’re going to be doing thanks maui thank you so much for taking care of me and uh a lot of people like maui i’m telling you a lot of people are there like maui why what are they that we won the uh island of the year award
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three was something from the travel magazine three years in a row something like that yeah maui’s hard to deny we got to change our music our music’s got to be reaching you know sometimes when you ride around here in the clubs and hotels whatever your your lyrics go as far as the room you’re playing you know it’s like hits all the walls can’t get out check it out because you won’t let it out it’s gotta gotta get farther than that i say well then it’s not gonna make sense to me
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then you’re not writing it then because it’s not going to make sense to them whatever you’re writing it’s got to you know it’s got to take you even for a little journey so that you go wow i didn’t know you could i didn’t know you know i didn’t know you could do that because you don’t yet but you’ll know when it happens and you see people respond oh good and um well i’m ola thank you again i’ll be back just gotta go take care of this all right back in the boat back out there paddling
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yes the six of us we are winners no matter we’re all winners that’s right that’s what i found out in canoe paddling even if you come in like there’s nine votes racing if you’re in ninth place and you’re fighting for ninth place and you’re like eight to ninth you know you’re coming in for the flag they’re still racing because they don’t want to be last right but when you get in the last crew this is what they get from their coach that song really says it all right
43:48
that’s right wow he’s styling six of us right six of us no one we’re all winners no matter what matter when there is love in your maui there is love in your maori heart you’re a winner because you participated not because you won or you lost of course you win if you win and it’s always great like that and you get that real high of having your medals and like that and you’re going oh my god man we took we placed every race this year we got you know five golds and two silvers
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we’re the best yeah yeah then you walk over to your coach’s house and you look in his you look in his house it’s like meadows everywhere you know buckets of metals hey you want some medals take some middles and you go [Laughter] but it really humbles you you know that’s a paddling will be for you it’ll humble you i’m sure that’ll happen in the music business here a little bit huh oh definitely as you start accumulating your medals you know and you end up getting really a
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lot of medals and you go ah but i remember that in the clubs now we’re trying to play everything that kids know and fill the clubs in with people that um that could be putting us out of work we could be putting ourselves out of work because of the music we’re playing in the long run not for today this month this year next year but because people people like playing the clubs you got to be on top of your music constantly you got to be changing this song is a hit today it’s not a hit next
45:19
week that’s out of your upper 12 but this new song is in now because the kids are grooving to the song and the clubs and that’s where you see your heavy whatever you know everybody else and maybe a couple of tourists and hotels a lot of tourists and then cup a little bit of everybody else but that everybody else in the club in the hotels really have no say really on what’s going on here except the tourists do and they gotta hawaiian music it’s not a bad thing and then over in the clubs
45:49
you got to play the top 40 stuff everything off of mtv everything off of vh1 and it in a way it kills your creativity really really bad yeah you know i mean you pick up a lot of things but you know and they’re gone and it it can wipe you out it can put you out of work and and that’s what in you know that like is in the back of every musician’s mind the day when you’re finally out of work when you’re not hireable you’re not pretty or whatever you haven’t been really writing great music
46:22
you’ve been playing everybody else’s music all your life you really have no foundation and that scares the musician if that’s what he’s doing all his life while everybody else is working you know doing it this is like a dream way of doing things you know being in a dream you know living on music well i’m uh happy that you’re doing it i hope that this really takes you over the top and uh the next condo you get is yours it’s been nice living here i’m sure but i don’t know
46:59
sunny day yeah sunny days sunny night and it’s tonight is uh moon is gonna be out late but yeah i’d say about 11 30 or something tonight i’ll be a good time to go to the beach because the moon will be out it’ll be not as big and bright but i’m actually going for a uh dinner down at la peruse tonight right after this yeah i’m being i’ve been invited out to a campfire dinner on la peruse wow those are nice yeah that’s when you can sing like a you know my sunshine around
47:33
the campfire and everybody knows the words or everybody individually uh you know sing a song we’re probably singing lono songs tonight i um i think that without question um you’ve made an impression on my life and i’ve really been watching yeah that was my favorite thing you know i’ve enjoyed having you as a friend all these years and i really appreciate i do thanks mutual i appreciate you know all the times that we’ve spent with music and otherwise and i wish you great success in what you’re doing
48:22
someday i hope to get up there and sing with you we’re almost there but we’re almost always almost there well we’re and we’re there now this is here thursday flying to nashville watch those guys put the other tracks down on there joe thomas based in nashville no i don’t know best players are in nashville i remember when i was reporting let’s ask anybody who recorded in nashville they’ll tell you only the best players are down there that’s what they get paid to do they
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listen to your song like twice so just listen to it sit over here okay but i’m laying down pal 2500 bye but they they that’s the kind of money they demand because they are the best and then when you know when they look at the when they read your album in the back and everything and they see the people that you have on your stuff that’s pretty impressive you know because all these people are represented with some record company or some you know label that they’re with and that’s why they’re
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man that’s right that’s when you lose the lead vocal he’s gone somewhere well i think we’re gonna wrap it up i think lona wants to say goodbye too aloha see you guys when we get back yeah uh we love maui we do and for all you folks in chicago thank you for being such a warm reception congo crew philono they’ve been taking care of me those guys i mean yeah you’d be amazed the way people i mean i can’t believe it you know it’s like well it’s your gentle multiple aloha spirit over there
50:40
because it’s a big city oh yeah and getting around that place you know i finally got my bearings i knew you know i could read the buildings okay around that building is the you know the other building the other building to the park so you can read the top of the buildings okay i got to get to that one so it’s down this road and it’s amazing and then you come out here there’s the beach okay make a left go go 12 miles make a right if the road’s going in that direction that’s the one that’s the one but over
51:11
there it’s like you’ve got a loop around there oh hit that toe go down there spin around there oh another toe there get back this way then you go underneath the third level well i’m a refugee from new york so i know that stuff oh boy yep i don’t know how people are doing it i don’t know how to do it well you kind of get used to it i never knew any different took me a while to slow down enough to be here it’s amazing over there i mean it’s just the opposite of this it’s the
51:40
total opposite of hawaii you’re sitting on maui in the beach okay the opposite of that yeah there’s no it’s the opposite big tall buildings went up to sky deck at sears tower yeah 103rd floor look around you can see michigan indiana wisconsin wow across the lake it’s amazing i think it’s amazing around here you go up and you see lanai yeah i think mali is about the size of o’hare airport well here is huge that airport is like a whole town a city by itself acres it’s a lot of
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it’s a lot of city land over there so we need to expand the maui airport to be the size of o’hare no no no god forbid you know i i know that uh i hope that the maui airport personally stays nice and small because i’m sure a lot of people chicago come here because it’s nice and small quick landings we got good breaks that’s all we need soon we’ll have spaceships coming here we had that show you probably saw it hey where’s that guy did they come pick us up space shuttle what happened no the guy
53:09
that said that another space shuttle see the guy that guy said what was that guy’s name show sheldon the entity is coming to pick us up and take all his people someplace because of something well i think the timetable’s been changed a little bit well you can change the timetable but you can’t change spam okay and chase spam okay how did spam ever get introduced into the hawaiian culture you have any idea you ever seen little spam animals they’re all around that’s how they make
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spam my little spam animals you just chop them up neatly in squares my uncle had a spam animal had to keep it tied up in the backyard kept biting all the kids you can change the alien invasion but you can’t change spam can’t change spam spam is spam surfer food man well on the internet they think of spam differently yeah they get they had a spam thing in chicago there’s a bam big old spam rally over there spam everything i don’t know big huge spams [Laughter] a spam rally yeah like a fest spam fest
54:30
spin fest some of i don’t tell you we got some competition over there i lost out to a can of spam i got your spam you hugged your spam today that’s right but hey i’m taking rice when i go this time got the minute rice and stuff over there just doesn’t have that stickiness about it i’m gonna take some rice take some rice steve said he could give me some chinese rice there’s a chinese restaurant down the street from where i’m at yeah they can get us chinese like basmati rice is also a good thing you’ll
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probably find it nah i can’t eat basmati rice spells basmati it’s rice rice baby [Laughter] natural rice anyway you’ve had yeah yeah you know it yeah yeah was it good did i eat more you did not that’s past money rice minute rice that’s really a funny thing see rice is like if you don’t tell me what rice is this i probably would eat it no it’s rice i eat it if you told me it was a certain rice before i saw it i probably wouldn’t eat it wow it’s got to be rice in the yellow
55:55
bag sounds like a song carols thank you for joining us here i hope that you have so much success wow we’re looking we’re looking already having success because i know that here on maui hey just meeting you was a success for me because i did your taxes well you you did more than that you know i’ve always did more than that all right well i’ve always really appreciated you you know and uh i want to do whatever i could do to help plus i needed a good song at the beginning of my television show
56:38
and we had to keep changing it because he kept writing good songs you got to keep changing it and you know i wish i was i wish that was me writing those songs i wish i wish it was you total control of what was happening but i know that i can’t be i can only borrow them and bring them to you and bring it to them thank you but i cannot claim anything on that all praises go to him what all criticism i’ll take that’s for me so send that praise to god and let’s thank him for lono thank you thank you already for all the
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prayers my mother and everybody my girlfriends some of my friends they pray for me thank you very much appreciate it our friend jason schwartz over here again hello arielle hi i love you thank you everyone for joining us we look forward to uh continuing this saga next time maybe when you come back from chicago in october yeah when things are starting to break on the single yeah i can’t wait thank you lordo a lot of musicians here need some help yeah well that’s what we’re here for contact me
57:55
look forward to getting it hey all the other guys out there playing get on jason’s show look what happened see see so you got to get on his show okay come on let’s get on jason’s show you’re welcome never know man never know some of it gonna rub off on you aloha hello see the winds blowing thoughts through my mind try to grab the pieces as they go by it’s all in black and white and i will try stop the temptation cause i am feeling i feel happy surround me this heart not a shame to say
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of you [Music] i love you i love you [Music] yes [Music] you
