A Breath of Fresh Air - warm, candid conversations with the biggest musical stars of the 60s 70s 80s Sandy Kaye

As a founding member of the Grammy-winning, platinum-selling rock band TOTO, songwriter/keyboardist Steve Porcaro had huge pop hits with "Hold the Line," "Rosanna," and "Make Believe."

He also co-wrote "Human Nature" which is featured on Michael Jackson's 30 million-selling Thriller album.

Steve's other band mates in Toto were his brothers Jeff and Mike Porcaro, David Paich, David Hungate, Steve Luthaker, Bobby Kimball, Fergie Fredericksen, and Joseph Williams. Each of these guys also became in-demand session musicians, playing on numerous records.

Born in Connecticut, Steve's musical roots run deep in his family tree. He started taking piano lessons when he was four years old. With his brothers began playing in various bands. The Porcaro brothers met David Paich when their fathers worked together on Glenn Campbell's TV variety show. The boys became friends and started making music together.

As the youngest brother, Steve couldn't compete with his brothers and found a niche playing the synthesiser and the keyboard. He got his break when he toured both with Gary Wright ("Dreamweaver") and Boz Scaggs around the time of Boz's Silk Degrees album.

It was the members of Boz's touring band who would later form Toto. Their self-titled LP was released in 1977. Going platinum, it yielded the gold single "Hold the Line," "I'll Supply the Love," and "Georgy Porgy" --a favourite sample source for rap/hip hop groups in the '90s, as was "Human Nature."

1982 would prove to be a huge year for the group. Their million-selling LP Toto IV cleaned up at the Grammys winning Album of the Year, Record of the Year ("Rosanna" ), and Producer of the Year.

After seven albums, Toto disbanded in 1988. Steve went on to launch a film scoring career and contributed to many popular films.

However, he continued working with Toto in various supporting capacities, assisting with keyboards, drum looping, synthesizers and arranging/composing. He has also done session musician work for many other acts, including Yes (on Union) and Jefferson Airplane (on their self-titled 1989 reunion album). He was also a member of Chris Squire’s short lived band, The Chris Squire Experiment, in 1992.

Steve returned to play with Toto at live performances since 2010, when they decided to reform the band and tour in Europe to support an ailing Mike Porcaro. He performed on the band's 2015 studio album, co-writing and singing lead on "The Little Things" and co-writing/singing lead on the Japan-only bonus cut, "Bend". This was only the third lead vocal performance from him on a Toto album.

When the band dissolved in 2019 and regrouped in 2020, Porcaro did not return.

Steve Porcaro joins us this week to share stories of his fascinating musical journey. If you'd like to know more abotu him, head to his facebook page https://www.facebook.com/steveporcaromusic/

Please don't hesitate to get in touch with me - all comments, feedback and requests for future guests - gratefully received. Simply send me a message https://www.abreathoffreshair.com.au



I hope you enjoy this episode!

Born in 1952, in Virginia, Stewart Copeland - the son of a CIA agent - spent his formative years in the Middle East but attended college in California before settling in England in 1975. He joined the progressive rock outfit Curved Air, working first as their road manager then as their drummer.

In early 77, he founded the Police with singer/bassist Sting and guitarist Henri Padovani (soon replaced by Andy Summers). Their first hit, 79's "Roxanne," set the course for huge success to follow.

The trio emerged as one of the most popular and innovative bands of the post-punk era, drawing upon reggae, funk, and world music to create a uniquely infectious yet cerebral brand of pop which generated a series of smash singles including "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," "Every Breath You Take," and "King of Pain."

While with the Police, Steward also issued a solo record under the alias Klark Kent. This not only earned him wide critical acclaim for his intricate, textured drum work, but also for his songwriting as he contributed many of the group's songs.

When the Police officially disbanded in 1986, the band was still at their commercial peak. Disagreements betwenn members had caused the trio's collapse and Stewart took to composing film scores, earning himself a Golden Globe nomination. He increasingly spent more time on film scores.

In 2002, Stewart formed a new rock-oriented project, Oysterhead - a power trio supergroup. A year later he produced and directed Everyone Stares, a documentary film about his time in the Police.

In 2007, Stewart reunited with his former bandmates to celebrate their 30th anniversary.

Stewart also wrote his memoir, Strange Things Happen: A Life with The Police, Polo, and Pygmies at this time.

In 2021, Stewart collaborated on the instrumental 'Divine Tides'. The album won the 2022 Grammy Award for Best New Age Album, giving Copeland his first Grammy win outside of the five he earned as a member of the Police. 

He also released 'Police Deranged for Orchestra' where he reworked Police hits for an orchestra.

In 2023, he published Stewart Copeland's Police Diaries, a book based on his original diary entries from 1976-1979.

This week Stewart Copeland joins us to regale us with his many stories.

If you'd like to kmow more about him head for https://www.stewartcopeland.net/151/life-and-work

If you'd like to request a guest, send me a message through my website https:www.abreathoffreshair.com.au

I know you're going to LOVE this episode. He's quite a character!

Pat Arnold (born Patrica Ann Cole in 1946 in Los Angeles), professionally known as P.P. Arnold, is a soul singer who enjoyed considerable success in the United Kingdom in the 60s and beyond.

Born into a family of gospel singers, PP married early, had two children, worked a series of menial jobs until the early 60s, when her friends contacted her with an offer she couldn't refuse. The girls had managed to arrange an audition for them to replace the original Ikettes, the vocal and dancer/singer troupe behind the Ike and Tina Turner Revue. One of the girls didn't show up and PP was asked to fill in.

The three girls were offered the job on the spot. PP defied her husband, placed her children in the care of her parents and joined Ike & Tina Turner.

She came to England in 1966 on tour in support of The Rolling Stones. Mick Jagger was impressed by her soulful voice and convinced Stones manager Andrew Oldham to sign PP to record with his newly founded record label. PP quit the Turner band to establish a solo career. She also had a fling with Jagger.

PP enjoyed several major British hits, including songs written for her by Steve Marriott of The Small Faces. She also sung backing vocals on the their hit "Tin Soldier" and toured with them in 68.

PP toured with Jimi Hendrix, The Who, The Kinks, Blind Faith, David Bowie and others, and scored several hits including a cover version of "The First Cut Is the Deepest" and "Angel of the Morning".

After the collapse of record label in the late 60s, PP released two singles produced by Barry Gibb of The Bee Gees, but a planned album with Gibb was never completed.

In 1970 she moved to the musical stage, and contributed session musician backing vocals to many notable UK sessions. During these sessions she met bassist Fuzzy Samuels of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. They married and had a son.

The couple returned to Los Angeles. PP''s marriage to Samuels ended and two weeks after the split, her daughter Debbie was killed in a car accident.

She withdrew from public life, re-emerging in 1978 when she was reunited with Barry Gibb and teamed up with Andy Gibb for a duet recording of the Carole King song "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow".

She returned to England in 1982 to raise her son there.

In 1984 she joined the cast of the musical Starlight Express.

She appeared on Roger Waters' album in 1992, providing vocals on the song "Perfect Sense".

In 1994 she joined the cast of the award-winning musical Once On This Island. While the production was playing in Birmingham she met leading UK band Ocean Colour Scene, one of the new wave of latter-day mod groups who (like their mentor Paul Weller), idolised The Small Faces.

Her friendship with OCS led to her singing the lead vocal, backed by Primal Scream, on a cover of The Small Faces' "Understanding", which was included on a successful Small Faces tribute album. She also worked extensively with Ocean Colour Scene on their 1997 album.

This success led to plans for her to record her first solo album in decades, but once again it was not completed. Deciding to put together a new band to promote her material, Arnold joined forces with Chaz Jankel, former pianist with Ian Dury and The Blockheads. This was followed by an invitation to tour widely with Roger Waters. She was a backup vocalist on his 1999–2000 tour as well as the 2006–2008 tour, Dark Side of the Moon Live.

In mid 2007 she released her first recorded work for several years. The album is a duet with The Blow Monkeys frontman Dr. Robert and has been met with critical acclaim, as have their live performances at several venues.

Brian Cadd is an Australian singer-songwriter, keyboardist, producer and record label founder, a staple of
Australian entertainment for over 50 years. As well as working internationally throughout Europe and the United States, he has performed as a member of numerous
bands including the Groop, Axiom, The Bootleg Family Band and in America with the Flying Burrito Brothers before carving out a solo career in 1972. 

Brian produced fellow Australian acts Robin Jolley, Ronnie Burns, Broderick Smith, Tina Arena and Glenn Shorrock and established his own record label called Bootleg Records. He
also composed or performed music for several films and TV.

Many of the songs he’s written have been recorded by other acts, including the Pointer Sisters, Little River Band and John Farnham.

In 2007, Brian Cadd was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association Hall of Fame. He was
awarded in the Queens Birthday Honours in 2018 for his 50-year service to the music industry as a singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, mentor and producer and his work in production. The following year he released his fifteenth solo studio album titled Silver City and Brian has just seen all his dreams come true with the recent release of his first ever country album, titled Dream Train.

Brian Cadd remains one of Australia’s greatest treasures; a true Statesman of song writing and recording.

He joins us this week to share his thoughts on his musical journey and to express his gratitude to his global audience for your unwavering loyalty.

If you'd like to know more about Brian Cadd, head to his website https://briancadd.com/
If you'd like to request a guest - someone who made music in the 60s 70s or 80s, feel free to send me a message through my website https://www.abreathoffreshair.com.au

I hope you enjoy hearing Brian Cadd's story as much as I did.

John McEuen was born in 1945 and spent his high school years in California’s Orange County. He and lifelong high-school friend Steve Martin both got a job in 1963 in the magic shop at Disneyland when they were just 16.

When John saw Missouri bluegrass group The Dillards in an Orange County club a couple of years later, his life changed forever. He knew he wanted to be “a traveling music man”.

As a multi-instrumentalist (banjo, guitar, mandolin, fiddle) John has been recognised as a founding member and award-winning outstanding performer of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. He left the group at the end of the 50th year anniversary tour in 2017 due to demands for his solo work and the desire to do new things.

In addition to John’s numerous solo accolades, NGDB was inducted in to Colorado Music Hall of Fame 2015. It's all covered in his book 'The Life I’ve Picked' from 2018.

In 1971 John initiated the now landmark Will the Circle be Unbroken* album, hooking Nitty Gritty Dirt Band up with his musical mentors Earl Scruggs and Doc Watson. The now multi-platinum “Circle” is in both the Library of Congress and the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Radio Host, author, television show producer, writer, concert promoter, multi-instrumental musician, performer and magician.

His second book – Will the Circle Be Unbroken – 50th anniversary Year – The Making of a Landmark Album captures 145 of his brother’s (record producer/manager) ‘masterpiece’ photos and tells the stories behind each one.

John has made over 46 albums (7 solo) that have earned four platinum and five gold records, multiple Grammy Awards and nominations, CMA and ACM awards, an Emmy film score nomination, IBMA record of the year award, and performed on another 25 albums as guest artist. John’s production of Steve Martin – The Crow won the 2010 Best Bluegrass Album Grammy.

Other accolades include: Grammy nomination for String Wizards II, the Uncle Dave Macon Award (for excellence in preservation and performance of historic music). He is a producer/composer of film scores and has produced award-winning projects of his own and for several other artists.

John has continually performed since 1963 – doing over 11,000 concerts, 300 television shows, 10,000 interviews and flown more than 4 million miles. John's rich history of creating, producing and preserving original and traditional folk music earned him the 2013 Charlie Poole Lifetime Achievement Award. John was inducted in 2017 to the American Banjo Museum Hall of Fame

In this episode, John shares the stories from his musical life and tells us how excited he is to have recently released something entirely different. It's a spoken word album called "The Newsman: A Man of Record" which is a collection of poems and stories set to music.

I hope you enjoy hearing John McEuen open up about his incredible life and career. If you'd like to learn more about him, head to his website https://johnmceuen.net/ and if you'd like to get in touch with me - with feedback, comments or suggestions for future guests, please reach out through my website https://www.abreathoffreshair.com.au

Leland Sklar has been a prominent figure among Hollywood session bassists dating back to the 1970s and ever since. Born in 1947 in Milwaukee, Lee has more than 2000 albums to his credit (and still counting), and is considered to be one of the "A" players in the highly selective L.A. rock music community where the competition for recording dates is fierce, and where only the strongest survive.

His very recognisable bass playing style has been heard on hits by Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, Hall & Oates, Jackson Browne, Carole King, Phil Collins, Keith Richards and Reba McEntire to name just a few.

Leland has played on TV shows like Hill Street Blues, Knight Rider, Simon and Simon, and also on many films, including Forrest Gump, Ghost, Kindergarten Cop, and My Best Friend's Wedding.

Leland moved to Los Angeles when he was very young and started playing piano at age four. When he entered Junior High he fully intended to continue as a pianist in the school music program but found that there was an overabundance
of piano students, but no string bass players. His instructor asked him if he’d consider playing bass and his life changed forever.

It was toward the end of the '60s that Lee met James Taylor and the pair started playing gigs together. However, when James Taylor’s "Fire and Rain" became a huge hit record, Leland Sklar's career also began to take off. The
buzz surrounding this new bass player didn't take long to spread around Hollywood, and Leland Sklar quickly became one of the most sought after “A” list session musicians around town.

Today The Immediate Family of which he is a member can legitimately be called a supergroup.Their new self-titled full-length album contains twelve original songs, including a rendition of the Waddy Wachtel/Warren Zevon cowrite "Things to
Do in Denver When You're Dead" and the Danny Kortchmar/Jackson Browne collaboration "Somebody's Baby."

Over the years Leland has worked with most of the top
session players in Hollywood and is especially close to his long-time friends and members of The Immediate Family.
This iconic supergroup has played together for decades, but never as their own band. Known for their long, illustrious careers backing music's finest, guitarists Danny Kortchmar and Waddy Wachtel, drummer Russ Kunkel, and bassist Leland Sklar have come together, along with guitarist Steve Postell, to perform their own songs as The Immediate Family.

There is also a documenatry out now simply called The Immediate Family which details their rise to fame.

Meet the inimatable Leland Sklar this week as he shares the story of his meteoric rise to fame.

You can check out the album here and learn more about Leland on his website https://lelandsklarsbeard.com/ where he also sells lots of different merchandise.

It's a fascinating episode featuring one of Hollywood's best musicians and nicest guys. I really hope you enjoy it.