Pop Chronicles Interviews #69 - Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller

One of 148 recordings in the series: Pop Chronicles Interviews available on this site.
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  1. How they got together, how they got interested in rhythm and blues when they did; whether it was unusual for white artists to be writing blues; musical training; first record they did together; first commercial success 0:05:04
  2. "Hound Dog" (Big Mama Thornton); time frame between "Hound Dog" and "Smokey Joe's Cafe"; "K.C. Loving"; "Hound Dog" (Elvis) and backlash; whether lyrics or music happen first; how they work together; did they know Elvis was going to do "Hound Dog"; their favorite songwriters; contrast with songwriting and form at the time (1968) 0:08:52
  3. Beatles; Lennon and McCartney's songwriting; reception from critics; other songwriters they liked; question of inspiration from other artists 0:06:06
  4. Affiliation with Atlantic; Spark Records; "Smokey Joe's Cafe"; The Coasters; storytelling songs; "Idol with the Golden Head" 0:08:07
  5. Role with Coasters, other artists at Atlantic; use of strings; The Drifters; Elvis Presley movies; Elvis' music and impact 0:05:53
  6. Elvis continued; question of whether there would have been a rock revolution without Elvis; what people are doing differently now (1968) as opposed to in 1957; Tommy Dowd; other reminiscences about Atlantic; time spent in studio then versus now; A&R men 0:07:51
  7. Philosophy about producing and writing combined; why they became producers; importance of producers over time; rising importance of technicians; managers as producers; questions about "most aesthetically pleasing" examples of their own works; why R&B caught on in mid-50s with white kids; decisions on "raunchy" content 0:09:25
  8. White teen audience and lessening of raunchy content; overall quality of "sexy" songs; role of radio in conscientiousness about content; favorites of their own songs; "Spanish Harlem" 0:04:56

Description

Recording of John Gilliland interviewing Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller in Beverly Hills, California for the Pop Chronicles radio program series. This recording includes the use of a racial slur by Gilliland.

Physical Description

1 recording (56 min., 15 sec.)

Creation Information

Gilliland, John August 15, 1968.

Context

This audio recording is part of the collection entitled: John Gilliland's Pop Chronicles and was provided by the UNT Music Library to the UNT Digital Library, a digital repository hosted by the UNT Libraries. It has been viewed 205 times. More information about this recording can be viewed below.

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Description

Recording of John Gilliland interviewing Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller in Beverly Hills, California for the Pop Chronicles radio program series. This recording includes the use of a racial slur by Gilliland.

Physical Description

1 recording (56 min., 15 sec.)

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  • Accession or Local Control No: John_Gilliland_Collection_69_-_Jerry_Lieber_and_Mike_Stoller
  • Archival Resource Key: ark:/67531/metadc1703855

Collections

This recording is part of the following collection of related materials.

John Gilliland's Pop Chronicles

Conceptualized in 1967 after attending the Monterey International Pop Music Festival, John Gilliland's "The Pop Chronicles" traces the history of popular music from the 1950's through the 1960's. Mr. Gilliland wrote, narrated and produced these 55 hours of broadcasting first airing at KRLA Pasadena, California. in February 1969. The pop music history is told by an interleaving of Mr. Gilliland's narration, music, and comments from the interviews of the people directly involved in the music scene of the day.

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Creation Date

  • August 15, 1968

Added to The UNT Digital Library

  • June 24, 2020, 12:50 p.m.

Description Last Updated

  • June 25, 2020, 2:46 p.m.

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Past 30 days: 1
Total Uses: 205

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Gilliland, John. Pop Chronicles Interviews #69 - Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, audio recording, August 15, 1968; (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1703855/: accessed March 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Music Library.

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