Notes by Rob Buran:
The Doobie Brothers was by far the most mayhem of all the interviews I was involved with. Unknown to any of us at the time, they "tested" selections from the Minute By Minute album on the Plattsburgh audience weeks before it was released. The band was the same band you see on the front cover of Minute By Minute (Pat Simmonds, John Hartman, Tiran Porter, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, Michael McDonald) with one-time roadie and additional percussionist Bobby Lakind filling in for Keith Knudson. It was a press conference format. It started out with one person at a time asking a question with everyone listening to the answer. The main problem with the press conference format is that newspaper people like to "pepper" questions that either don't allow for long answers, or they interrupt during the answer, a disastrous situation for radio. At one point about halfway through, everyone split up. I was sitting next to Pat Simmonds and John Hartman joined us. Michael McDonald totally missed the interview and came in just before the recording of the WPLT IDs. Fred Little joined me as my engineer watching my reel-to-reel and the recording level while I concentrated on directing the microphone. We both asked questions. I was there as a WGFB employee. Kathy Rock was also there from WGFB. Charlie Koch & Michael O'Looney brought a WPLT reel-to-reel tape deck and a handheld microphone. (I'm flattered by their imitation, but it didn't sound as good) Note: The high pitched whine is the mercury-vapor lights in the locker-room at the Fieldhouse.
Track 19. Doobie Brothers. October 11,1978/PSUC Fieldhouse. Pat Simmonds answers Fred's question about what Tom Johnston is up to. "Out washing his car" said by Jeff Baxter. Johnston, the former front man of the Doobie Brothers, had not been touring with them in the previous few years. At the end Fred Little says "Time for the scissors." (a flashback to the Kenny Loggins expletive that prompted Kenny to say to me, "You'll have to get your scissors out.")
Track 20. Doobie Brothers. October 11,1978. /PSUC Fieldhouse. Fred Little asks when the new album is coming out. Pat Simmond's answer indicates a release in a few weeks, and Minute By Minute was released a few weeks later. Charlie Koch comments on "that country-type tune." I vividly remember hearing it too, them wearing hillbilly hats while playing it, and me saying to myself "I've never heard this before." That's because it was on the not-yet released Minute By Minute album. They didn't tell us then, but the song was Steamer Lane Breakdown.
Track 21. Doobie Brothers. October 11,1978/PSUC Fieldhouse. Jeff "Skunk" Baxter and Pat Simmonds answer if they were trying to go after a particular sound with Minute By Minute. Pat discusses the differences with Takin ' It To The Streets and Minute By Minute. You can hear John Hartman's Harley Davidson-boot footsteps. Pat Simmonds, explaining Minute By Minute, hinting the album is more top-40. He mentions Michael (McDonald) going after what he was hearing. What A Fool Believes was co-written with Kenny Loggins. They both released separate versions of this same song. Both became top-40 hits. Michael was not in the room at this point.
Track 22. Doobie Brothers. October 11,1978/PSUC Fieldhouse. Mike O'Looney asks Jeff Baxter why he was wearing headphones and sitting in a chair throughout the concert. Then Fred Little asks about his experience playing with Steely Dan. Jeff referred to Walter Becker as "Heir Becker."
Track 23. Doobie Brothers. October 11, 1978/PSUC Fieldhouse. Jeff Baxter opens a beer can and drops the tab on the floor while explaining why he likes the rock-and-roll lifestyle.
Track 24. Doobie Brothers. October 11,1978/PSUC Fieldhouse. I also ask Pat Simmonds about the "country tune" (Steamer Lane Breakdown) and he discuss his background in country music. He mentions Jeff "Skunk" Baxter's pedal-steel guitar playing.
Track 25. Doobie Brothers. October 11,1978/PSUC Fieldhouse. Pat Simmonds and John Hartman talk seriously about the process of recording the album Minute By Minute. You can hear Charlie Koch in conversation with Jeff Baxter in the background as Pat and John give a great answer.
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