Get Out! GAY Magazine – Issue 410 March 20, 2019

INTERVIEW
I’m very excited about
your gig at The Capitol
Theatre with CHIC, right
in the middle of your
tour with Cher. What
inspired you to come
to Port Chester in the
middle of everything
else?
Well, the thing is, I don’t
often get a chance to
gig near my home and
recording studio. I live
in New York City, but I
also live in Westport,
Connecticut. The Capitol
Theatre is a perfect spot.
It’s like the midway point
for us. In the old days
when I used to drink
after club closing hours
in Connecticut, we’d all
come to New York and into
Westchester to party. We
still had another couple
of hours to go! I’ve seen
a lot of great shows at the
Capitol Theatre. A lot of my
friends have played there.
So, it was just the perfect
spot.
Cher isn’t playing in
the Westport area of
Connecticut. She’s not
playing anywhere near
there, actually, so my
friends all wondered,
“Where can we come
and see your show?” The
Capitol Theatre was perfect!
It’s a cool venue.
Believe me, I went there
a gazillion times when I
was younger. I think CHIC
actually played there,
but at this point in life,
after playing in so many
places, you start to lose
sight of the ones you’ve
just visited to hear other
bands versus the ones that
you’ve actually played in.
That’s not egotistical. But
I’ve been gigging since 17,
and I’m 66 years old now.
So, I’ve been gigging all
my life.
What’s for sure is, I’ve
been to the Capitol Theatre
dozens of times—either as
a playing musician or to
see others play. It’s always
been a great venue. It’s
sort of, you’re not quite in
New York City, but you’re
not quite up in Stamford.
So you’re at that midway
point where friends from
Connecticut can see you
and your friends in upstate
New York can come see
you, too.
You’ve been performing
since you were 17. Have
you had your ultimate
stage fantasy, and if
not, what would have
to happen to make that
come true?
I would have to say that
my ultimate stage fantasy
is almost impossible,
because typically I’d want
to play with someone you
cannot play with. Someone
deceased. When I became
a professional musician,
either I wasn’t in their
league yet or they were
older and had passed away.
I would love to have played
with Cab Calloway. Back in
the day, I’d have loved to
be part of something like
that. As a matter of fact, we
were so romantic about
that era that CHIC is based
on the whole jazz age.
When we did the album
with “Good Times” on it, we
did a song called “My Feet
Keep Dancing.” We actually
have the Nicholas Brothers
tap dancing on the record.
How cool is that?
It is cool. It’s great. That is
the era that I wish that I
could’ve played in. It just
seems like so much fun,
so crazy, so wonderful.
But, I mean, how could I
not believe that I’ve had
great stage moments? I’ve
played with everybody
from Prince to Parliament,
James Brown, Aretha
Franklin, David Bowie, the
B-52s, Steve Winwood, Eric
Clapton—I’ve played with
so many great people. Any
one of those artists could
have fulfilled the fantasy.
One night we played with
Elton John. I always make
a joke every time I see him.
I say, “If I hadn’t stopped,
we’d still be playing.” That
was three years ago. He
didn’t want to get off the
stage, he wouldn’t stop
playing. I said, “Come on,
we’re done.”
I recently saw George
Clinton, and he pretty
much did the same.
Tell me about it! I’ve played
with him. Many times.