BANDS TO FANS
  • Home
  • Hire Us
  • Clients
  • Contact
  • Interviews
  • Blog
  • eBooks
  • Newsletter

Huey Lewis on replacing band members

8/3/2022

 
​Cris Cohen: Over the years occasionally you brought in new band members. What were you looking for in musicians? What made for a good member of The News? 

Huey Lewis: Well, obviously they have to be good musicians. But it's a good question, because the hardest part about being in a touring band is the other 22 hours, right? You want somebody who is going to be fully committed, improve every night, and fit in the band as a good band member. They need to travel well, not complain, and be a good road soldier. That's very important. 

And you don't necessarily want the guy who auditions the best. It's the guy who is going to eventually be the best. 

Let's face it, rock and roll is not brain surgery. Most people can learn the music. But you want somebody who really cares about it and is going to improve all the time.

It's always tough replacing somebody. But what's nice about it is that a new member brings a new sensibility to the songs. And that's always been the thing I've cared about most: That our catalog stays current, that our songs live for a long time. And what's interesting is that a new member of the band gives the song a completely different setting somehow. And I really enjoy that. They sound differently in different hands. 

Cris Cohen: So it kind of it makes it more of a living, breathing entity. 

Huey Lewis: That's it. And it's fun to see the song that you wrote now take on these different versions. 

Cris Cohen: And then I find it interesting… I have never heard that before, that you don't necessarily want the guy or girl who auditions the best. 

Huey Lewis: There are session musicians who can come in and can get 90% of it on the first take. But that might be all they're going to get, because they don't care enough maybe or they're bored with it after a while. You want somebody who might only audition at 70%, but he's going to get to a hundred percent. It's a tough thing to judge, but that's what you're looking for I think.

Comments are closed.

      Archives

      August 2022
      July 2022
      June 2022
      May 2022
      April 2022
      March 2022
      February 2022
      January 2022
      December 2021
      November 2021
      October 2021
      September 2021
      August 2021
      July 2021
      June 2021
      May 2021
      April 2021
      March 2021
      February 2021
      January 2021
      December 2020
      November 2020
      October 2020
      September 2020
      August 2020
      July 2020
      June 2020
      May 2020
      April 2020
      March 2020
      February 2020
      January 2020
      December 2019
      November 2019
      October 2019
      September 2019
      August 2019
      July 2019
      June 2019
      May 2019
      April 2019
      March 2019
      February 2019
      January 2019
      December 2018
      November 2018
      October 2018
      September 2018
      August 2018
      July 2018
      June 2018
      May 2018
      April 2018
      March 2018
      February 2018
      January 2018
      December 2017
      November 2017
      October 2017
      September 2017
      August 2017
      July 2017
      June 2017
      May 2017
      April 2017
      March 2017
      February 2017
      January 2017
      December 2016
      November 2016
      October 2016
      September 2016
      August 2016
      July 2016
      June 2016
      May 2016
      April 2016
      March 2016
      February 2016
      January 2016
      December 2015
      November 2015
      October 2015
      September 2015
      August 2015
      July 2015
      June 2015
      May 2015
      April 2015
      March 2015
      February 2015
      January 2015
      December 2014
      September 2014
      August 2014
      July 2014
      June 2014
      May 2014
      April 2014
      March 2014
      February 2014
      January 2014
      December 2013
      November 2013
      October 2013
      September 2013
      August 2013
      July 2013
      June 2013
      May 2013
      April 2013
      February 2013
      January 2013
      December 2012
      November 2012
      October 2012
      September 2012
      August 2012
      July 2012
      June 2012
      May 2012
      April 2012
      March 2012
      February 2012
      January 2012
      December 2011
      November 2011

      RSS Feed

    Contact
    A division of Connect To Fans
    • Home
    • Hire Us
    • Clients
    • Contact
    • Interviews
    • Blog
    • eBooks
    • Newsletter