Air Supply ~ Interview With Graham Russell 3/24/07

ign="center">				that have come on now and listened to it?
Niagara Falls, Canada: Graham Russell Sits Down to				Betsy: Or 1,200 times. It could have been one person
Discuss The Future As Well As Air Supply				who saw it three times.that Make You Mine has
On Saturday, March 24th, I had a rare opportunity to				1,200...
sit down with Graham Russell to talk to him about his				Graham: Oh I see what you mean. 1,200 times
debut CD, The Future. Graham and I spoke about				itâs been viewed. Oh, thatâs pretty
The Future, The Heart of the Rose and Air Supply. In				cool.
addition, the interview was taped and is available in				Betsy: Now I started posting the videos of all the
six parts, here on this site and on YouTube at				different clips in November-ish, and 45,000
Betsy: Thanks for allowing me to do this.				weâve passed now. 45,000 views.
Graham: Oh you are welcome.				Graham: Thatâs amazing.
Betsy: I'm very excited.				Betsy: And when I saw you in Vegas it was only
Graham: Oh good.				25,000.
Betsy: And I feel very privileged.				Graham: I remember. I remember that.
Graham: Oh of course, youâre very				Betsy: So in just two weeks, three weeks,
welcome.				itâs 20,000.
Betsy: Let me say congratulations. You have had and				Graham: Wow.
incredible career and I can only imagine that your life				Betsy: The really cool part about it is that these
has been as incredible.				songs are being picked up by mini YouTube sites.
(Graham laughs)				Graham: Oh really?
Betsy: You are now into your fourth decade with Air				Betsy: So they are being propagated throughout the
Supply and you donât seem tired.				world in different sites.
Whatâs your secret?				Graham: Wow.
Graham: You know, really the secret is looking after				Betsy: On my site I can actually see people who
yourself. Not that I do it, but I try to. You know, and				come to visit my blog and I can see what search
otherwise you just cant keep the pace up with the				engine they use and what they key in to do a
traveling and everything. And I do my little workout				search.
everyday. I have to, for energy, and I do it before I				Graham: Oh, I see.
go on stage too.				Betsy: And I get a lot from Asia.
Betsy: Really?				Graham: Do you really?
Graham: Yeah.				Betsy: Oh yeah, and theyâll just put in
Betsy: Thatâs very cool.				âGraham Russell lyrics Futureâ. So
Graham: Yeah I do.				people are finding it on their own, not just through
Betsy: Ok, itâs been 31 years, right, since				maybe word of mouth.
you and Russell formed Air Supply?				Graham: Right. What was the reaction when I put on
Graham: Yeah.				Lace and Leather for people to download, do you
Betsy: Why did you just now decide to release a				know?
debut soloâ¦?				Betsy: Oh, people couldnât wait for it. I
Graham: Well, Iâve always wanted to do it.				meanâ¦
Plus I write a lot of other songs, not just Air Supply				Graham: Right...
songs. I write a lot of different kinds of songs too				Betsy: I was shocked because it sounds so different
and the songs that Iâve recorded, I				than your live version, very different.
donât think are particularly Air Supply songs.				Graham: You think?
Do you know what I mean? And I wanted to do it				Betsy: Oh absolutely. Your live version is very upbeat
too. I mean, Russell did one in â86, and I				and fast and the recorded version is veryâ¦
really wanted to do it. And I had a lot of different				Graham: Mellow
songs that I thought would be good on my own CD				Betsy: Yeah, very mellow. Beautiful!
and Russell was really very supportive of it. And it				Graham: No, I know what you mean. See,
took me, I mean, I didnât just do it. It took				Iâm not really aware that much. Yeah,
me a while to do it because I did it at different times				âcause on the recorded one,
when we were off and when I was able to. I mean,				thereâs the strings on there.
Air Supply always comes first and it always will. But I				Betsy: And there is somebody else singing. People
wanted to do this because itâs a different				have been asking who is singing. I donât
kind of music and as everybody knows I love				know, is it you?
electronica and stuff like that. And thereâs				Graham: Itâs me. Yeah. It probably is a little
some of that on there too...but itâs cool. I				bit more mellow âcause I think I made a
like that, different music .				mental note, now that I think of it, that live, I
Betsy: When will it actually be out?				needed to attack it a little more, you know. Just to
Graham: Itâs out now. Well, it came out on				step on it a little more. Because itâs the last
the first day of spring, which was intentional but it				song in my three and I donât want it to be
wasnât available then. But it is now. They				too sleepy, you know? Yeah, I definitely dig in a little
were like a day behind.				more, live. I dig in a little more. But youâre
Betsy: I know that a lot of people have ordered it				right. On the recorded one itâs a little
already and they already got a letter that				mellower. Because itâs got the strings on
saysâ¦				there.
Graham: Yeah, they are backordered already, I				Betsy: Itâs beautiful. But it sounds very
believe. Yeah, thatâs good.				different. I prefer the live version, myself.
Betsy: Oh, does that mean itâs out of				Graham: Thatâs interesting that you think
stock?				itâs so different. I donât think
Graham: Itâs out of the original stock, yeah.				itâs that different.
Betsy: Oh, thatâs fantastic.				Betsy: Well, thatâs because youâre
Graham: Itâs great.				singing it.
Betsy: I thought maybe it wasnât ready.				Graham: But you know, but things evolve. Like if I
Graham: Oh no, theyâve already sold their				had recorded the song tomorrow it would be
initial shipment that they got but Iâll just give				different than how I recorded before. It would just
them some more now.				be, âcause itâs now instead of then.
Betsy: Oh thatâs fabulous.				Betsy: Well look at how you sound today as Air
Graham: Yeah, it is, itâs great.				Supply verses what the recordings sounded in the
Betsy: Tell me about the title. Why is it called The				80s.
Future?				Graham: Oh yeah. .Itâs totally different.
Graham: Because It is, its kind of my future and				Nothingâs the same.
itâs also the future I saw when I was very				Betsy: No. Absolutely not.
young and I, like when I introduce, when I sing The				Graham: And you canât expect it to be, you
Future live, when I introduce it as a song that,				know.
because The Future, the song, The Future, is all				Betsy: And they are beautiful now. Ok, I grew up
about my dream and my vision when I was very				with that back in the 80s. Thatâs all the
young to be a songwriter and to be in a band, which				music I know. But to hear it now, itâs
is the only thing I ever wanted to do. And				incredible to hear it. Russell sounds fabulous. You
itâs that vision that I always held and I				sound fabulous. The band does... The energyâ¦
always kept and I just never let go of it. So that				Graham: Yeah. Itâs very different, yeah.
was my future. Itâs not necessarily my				Betsy: I think I say somewhere on my blog,
future now. It was my future then when I began.				itâs not the same Air Supply you remember
And I used to drive people crazy, you know, all the				from the 80s.
teachers at my school, âcause they all				Graham: No, oh thank God, you know.
wanted me to be a doctor or plumber or a dentist or				Betsy: Itâs a total rock band.
something, and I just wasnât interested. And				Graham: It is, yeah, I mean, it was a little bit in the
I just said, no, Iâm gonna be in a band and				80s but thatâs 25 years ago you know. I
you donât have to worry about me. And I				mean, I donât want to sound like we did 25
just never let go. I just held on to it all the time.				years ago. That would be terrible.
Betsy: That is so cool.				Betsy: I wouldnât say it would sound terrible
Graham: Yeah. Well you know, Iâm a big				because thatâs what peopleâ¦
believer in that. I tell a lot of people, a lot of younger				Graham: Well it would be âcause we
people, Iâll tell them if you want something				wouldnât have gone anywhere. And I think
bad enough youâll get it. You gotta stick at				people are surprised when they come to see us and
it. There is an old saying, I donât know				they go âwhoaâ âcause
where it came from. It says, âmany are				itâs not what they think itâs gonna
called but few are chosenâ. And many				be.
people are called to do certain things, but the				Betsy: Hereâs a question for you. You said
universe itself thins everyone out, you know, so				that radio stations wonât play your music.
thereâs only a couple standing. And then,				Do you think they will in Asia? And Iâm
and those go forward, in any profession, in any				talking specifically about The Future.
chosen career. You get thinned out and you get				Graham: I think they are gonna play it, yeah. I think
presented with barriers and reasons why you				they are gonna play it here too. Once people hear it.
shouldnât do it. And itâs those that				Betsy: I hope.
persevere. Itâs like Darwinâs				Graham: I really believe that, yeah. But
Theory, you know, itâs the survival of the				theyâll play it in Asia.
fittest. Somebody could have come along and				Betsy: What are your goals for your sales?
knocked me down. I mean, I had plenty of people				Graham: I donât really have any goals. I just
that knocked me down, but I just kept getting up				want people to hear it. But Barry, I think, has got a
again. Itâs like thatâ¦Terminator, the				distribution deal for me worldwide, so itâs
metal man, whatever he is called. He keeps getting				gonna get out there, yeah.
up, you know, and then he gets his head squashed in				Betsy: Do you have any plans to release a follow up?
the press and he looks like a pancake and then he				Graham: You know, Iâm sure I will now,
keeps getting up again and he comes back you				once Iâve kind of broke the ice with this
know. Itâs that thought pattern. But				one. Doing this one wasâ¦for a long time I
Iâm really into that and I believe in that.				thought, should I do it or will it not be a good idea.
Betsy: Well the world is a better place because of it.				One of the things that I really thought about was
Graham: Well I hope so. I mean, I always thought				the Air Supply fans. Would they think that Air Supply
that, well, I always wanted to be a songwriter and I				was gonna be finished. And I didnât want
always wanted to be able to leave something. I				them to presume that. So when I used to mention it
donât know if I have or not or if Air Supply				some months ago that I was doing it, Iâd
has. I think so, something, but I think that these				say, but itâs not the end of the band you
songs make people feel better and they leave a				know. It wont make any difference to the band at
mark on them, I think.				all. I mean, they were just songs that were sitting
Betsy: Well I can guarantee they do. And				there that Air Supply wouldnât have used.
Iâm sure you must know that they do.				Betsy: And you play them during the Air Supply
Graham: Well I think they do. You know, but				show.
itâs not just the songs, its what we do as a				Graham: Yeah, yeah. Itâs funny
band and hopefully it will always be that way, that				âcause people are surprised that I am doing
they leave an impression.				this. But they say, what a great idea. And I say,
Betsy: You know, I know you looked at my blog and				yeah, I know! And plus, it quenches my thirst to do
one of the pages I created is called your stories. I				something solo a little bit, you know, and itâs
donât know if you saw that or not, but				the perfect thing.
basically I just asked people to send in their				Betsy: Now how long do you think youâll be
storiesâ¦how Air Supply has affected them in				doing it live in shows
their lives. So itâs really actually very cool				Graham: Certainly all this year.
because people have put a few things that were				Betsy: So is the intermission type thing gone where
meaningful, maybe they met you at a Meet & Greet				you were doing This Time?
and you did something but they talk about how				Graham: Not necessarily, no. I might bring that back. I
youâve impacted their lives.				mean, eventually, I want to do all of them.
Graham: Oh really?				Iâll change the songs up. Once people start
Betsy: And you know my blog just started and I only				hearing it and get used to the album then Iâll
have probably 10 stories or so on there but some of				swap the songs around. And Iâll do different
the stories are really very long and are very special.				ones, you know. Or maybe extend my thing to four
Graham: You know, I havenât read them				songs or something.
but I will. I mean, Iâve got on there but I				Betsy: Now does that affect the time?
kind of flipped through it. But Iâll get on				Graham: It does Yeah. It affects it. Because different
there âcause Iâd like to see how it				venues want different times, you know, from us.
does affect people.				You know, normally they want 90 minutes so I have
Betsy: You say that you write everyday.				to be sure that I donât take up Air
Graham: I do, yeah.				Supplyâs time because I donât
Betsy: So was it difficult to just put 11 songs on the				want to step on the fansâ time watching
CD?				the band. You know, people want to hear this song
Graham: Thereâs only 10 actually. And				and that song and I donât want to have to,
Iâll tell you why. Because Iâm into				I wonât pull songs out of the Air Supply set
numbers a little bit. And 11 is always a good number				just so I can perform, you know? But a lot of places
âcause I was born on the 11th of June. And				donât care. They say, you know, you can
11 in numerology, you cant add it together. You cant				play two hours, I mean our setâ¦
add 11 or 22 together. They have to stay 22, where				Betsy: Whoo hoo!
as if it was 13, it would become 4 and 16 would				Graham: Well our set, our full set, which we
become 7. But 11 stays 11, it doesnât				donât get to do very often, it is almost two
become 2, and 22 doesnât become 4. So				hours .
from a spiritual point of view itâs a nice				Betsy: I havenât seen one yet.
number. But the 11th song didnât work for				Graham: havenât you?
me, you know, when I was recording the 11th one. It				Betsy: Not a full set, no. Well, I donât know.
wouldnât come. It wouldnât sound				Iâve seen the set that Iâve seen
the way I wanted it to sound and I tried like six				for the past six months. And I donât recall
times, at different times. And it was going to be a				anyâ¦
very simple thing with me and the guitar but it just				Graham: Right, well we are due to change it up, and,
didnât sound right.				although, we did change itâ¦
But When I played it, when I would sit in a chair to				Betsy: Recently, with opening with Even The Nights.
play it, it sounded great. But when I tried to record it,				Graham: Thatâs new this year, yeah.
it just didnât come out the way I wanted it				Betsy: Very cool.
And I kept getting a little frustrated with it. And I				Graham: Yeah, I love that. That was actually Jonni's
tried another song and that wasnât right				idea to open with that. Yeah, and we just moved
either. And so in the end I said itâs gotta be				things around. We moved the Power of Love down.
10. Then I looked at Bob Dylanâs recent				Betsy: That was weird for me because I was so
album and he had 10 songs on it. So I thought, ah,				used to seeing Power of Love right at the beginning.
people are going back to 10 songs. Because you pick				Graham: Itâs still weird for me
albums up now and thereâs like 17 or 18				Betsy: But the way I look at it is itâs like the
songs on it . But most of them are usually crap, you				second half of the show. Itâs like a new
know. Theyâre notâ¦ thereâs				beginning.
no value. And Iâm thinking why not put 10				Graham: It is the second half of the show. Exactly. It
songs on it instead of have 11 songs when one of				starts the second half.
them isnât right. But I kept looking at the list				Betsy: Very cool. But, we miss the intermission where
of the songs, and they felt right, you know, and the				you say, oh Russell âs gone to change his
sequence was right, and I thought, well, Iâm				pants, have a cup of teaâ¦
gonna go with it. So I kind of broke the cycle of 11.				Graham: Right, I know. But I cant do that now
(At this point, someone walked in the room and gave				because I'm doing that at the front. What I like too is
graham a bag that had some vitamins, lip balm and				I like to keep everything evolving, and changing. Now
pens in it. Graham then showed me a bag of vitamins				people are getting used to me opening up you know.
that he takes.)				But then later on when they get used to it, I might
Betsy: You take all those vitamins before the show?				swap it around again. Thatâs what I like. I
Graham: Yeah. (Graham laughs)				like to keep everyone on their toes.
Betsy: So thatâs where you have all the				Betsy: You havenât done that many shows
energy from?				with it.
Graham: I think so. Probably. I hope so. Yeah.				Graham: No. Feb 14 I started.
Betsy: You know I actually have a nickname for you.				Betsy: What, thatâs maybe 15 shows, 10
Graham: Whatâs that?				shows.
Betsy: Tigger.				Graham: Yeah. But it took me this long just to figure
Graham: Oh right, yeah! You know, I donât				it out. When I started on Valentines Day to where I
know where that came from, it just happened.				am doing now is totally different. Same songs, but oh
Itâs only kind of happened in the last 3 or 4				I had the lyrics in front of me and I couldnât
years.				remember them, you know. Course I could, but I
Betsy: Really?				was freaked.
Graham: I think so, yeah. Well you know, I have so				Betsy: Really?
much energy from doing the show. I cant just stand				Graham: Well, not freaked. I never get nervous. But I
there and just...I mean some songs when they are				didnât want to mess it up. And when you
mellow songs, I can, but I get so into it that I just				are on your own, there is only one person
have to let some of the energy go.				responsible and even though the lyrics were in front
Betsy: I love it				of me, Iâd mess them all up. And I hate
Graham: Oh I , you know what too? Itâs a				reading lyrics from the paper, you know. In fact,
great workout for me too and I look forward to				Iâd tell the audience, Iâd say, well I
that.				got all my words down here, and Iâd still
Betsy: Iâm concerned for your knees!				mess it up. So in the end, I just have to take them
Graham: Oh, you know, I actually wear a knee brace				away and I know them.
on my left knee now.				Betsy: So for The Future do you have any plans to
Betsy: Really?				perform specifically for that?
Graham: Yeah, I actually just put that on last night				Graham: Iâd like to. In fact, we rehearsed
for the first time in months. But, yeah, I enjoy it				last week. I rehearsed a band last week. Just for fun.
because itâs just letting some steam off.				For three days in Park City, yeah just toâ¦it
But I really like it, yeah.				was, what do the politicians call it?...an exploratory
Betsy: Well I love to see the variety. Because you				committee to run for president. So this was an
typically do it during the same songs.				exploratory rehearsal.
Graham: I do, yeah.				Betsy: You need donations?
Betsy: And I always know when itâs coming				Graham: Yeah, right, always! You know, we just got
but then sometimes you stop. Sometimes you stop				together and played and we played all the songs
and look at Mike orâ¦				from the album. And it was cool. Course it was me,
Graham: Oh yeah? See I donât even know				Mike, Jonni and Stina. I asked Jed to do it but he was
that.				on holiday âcause it was his birthday. So it
Betsy: Itâs fun just to see the variety.				was cool. It was weird at first, Russell not being
Graham: Oh really? Oh good, yeah.				there, but this is just another flavor you know. But I
Betsy: Well Iâm sure itâs all				would like to do some shows. If we had some time
spontaneous.				off Iâd probably go out and do a couple of
Graham: It is, yeah, but youâre probably				weeks somewhere in small venues and a club in the
right, I do do it in certain songs. There are certain				back, back of beyond, you know. And what
songs that are like triggers so if thereâs a				Iâd call it is Graham Russell and The Future.
partâ¦ But I never think consciously, oh now I				So the band would be called The Future, which I
gotta jump or anything. I just do it.				think is really cool.
Betsy: Well, itâs when there is a certain beat				Betsy: Oh really?
and when you get to certain points in the song.				Graham: Yeah.
Graham: Yeah.				Betsy: Thatâs so cool,
Betsy: You know, Iâve been to, I				Graham: It is, isnât it. I cant believe no one
donât know, maybe 20 shows since the				has thought of it!
summerâ¦				Betsy: Whatâs the status of the Heart of
Graham: You have, yeah.				the Rose.
Betsy: For me itâs exciting and itâs				Graham: Well weâve done two previews.
very, umm, predictable.				We did one in Chicago, and one in New York and
Graham: Right.				weâre looking for a lot of money. We
Betsy: You know, so for me, the song list is relatively				havenât got what we want yet, but
the same, but I love to see the things that are no				weâll get it. You know, itâs a long
longer predictable.				journey, and there are a lot of obstacles. Because
Graham: Yeah.				we are trying to do something different than what a
Betsy: You know, the things that just come up, and I				normal Broadway show is. I mean, in New York we
love that.				had a lot of heavy weight Broadway people there
Graham: Yeah, I do too. I would like to do more of				and theyâre all saying you cant do it this
that, you know. Russell prefers to be not so				way and you cant do that. And I just really
predictable. No, thatâs the wrong thing to				donât listen, you know? Andâ¦
say. He prefers to know whatâs going on.				Betsy: You cant.
Yeah, he prefers to know whatâs going on.				Graham: Well, I cant, no. I donât want to
Where Iâd love to swap things up, but he				listen to those people. But it was very successful. It
gets a little nervous when, if I start doing that too				was really cool. And the way it was presented, it
muchâ¦which is fair enough.				was very different. Normally, thereâs four or
Betsy: Well I love it.				five people and they read everything from stands
Graham: Oh cool.				and they donât act anything out and they
Betsy: Now I have to apologize, but who is Stina?				just stand there or read it and turn pages and sing a
Graham: Stina is, she sang on Across the Concrete				few of the songs. But I had five singers and I only
Sky. Sheâs the girl singer on Shadow of the				made a cameo role in half a song. But it was really
Sun. I donât know if you know that song.				cool. The singers were fantastic and they acted it all
Betsy: Oh yeah, I love it.				out. And Broadway people arenât used to
Graham: Yeah, I do too.				that. And they were saying, Oh is that the whole
Betsy: Itâs beautiful.				show? And weâd say, no thatâs
Graham: Yeah, I love it. She sang on that. And she				not the whole showâ¦all this stupid stuff. But
sings on my album too. She sings on I think 3 tracks.				you know, weâll get there.
Sheâs a great singer. Sheâs an				Richard Branson is a real mentor figure for me and I
opera singer, and sheâs 28, and				read something which I usually tell everyone. I read
sheâs married. But sheâs got a				an article on a plane about him and it said, you know
great voice and I love her voice. I really do. And my				when youâve got a new idea or something
songs are very suited for her. She writes her own				new, he says, everybody will say no to it
songs too and does all that, but for my songs, her				âcause theyâre frightened of it.
voice is great, you know, as a female voice and I				And he said, so get ready for them all to say no.
thought it would be fun to use her again.				And he said, unless they say no, youâre on
Betsy: Is she from the Salt Lake City area?				the wrong track and youâre not doing
Graham: She is, yeah.				anything new or spiritual or innovative. He said
Betsy: I know you have talked about her, but I just				theyâre gonna say no. But right at the end,
didnât know who she was.				somebody will say yes and understand it and go
Graham: I also used another girl, a young girl, 19				boom! And the light will go on. And he said,
years old. Megan Olson (sp?) is from Salt Lake. She				thatâs being creative and thatâs
never played, never sang on a record before And				being a leader and doing something that
she sings on a song called Restless, which you				nobodyâs done before. And Iâll
havenât heard yet. Itâs pretty cool.				never forget that. Cause heâs one of those
Betsy: I almost have all of the songs written down.				people. You know, I wanna do something different
Iâve got Make You Mine, The Future, Lace				for Broadway, you know.
and Leather, Let Yourself Go, Save the World, This				Betsy: So is that where you intend toâ¦
Time, Our Love and Restless.				Graham: I wanna open it in England, in Nottingham
Graham: How many is that?				first for like a month and then take it to the West
Betsy: Eight.				End. But itâll happen you know, in its time. I
Graham: Whatâs missing? Let Yourself Go,				mean, itâs becoming a lot of years so far.
do you have that?				Yep, a long time. But I donât need it to
Betsy: Yes, well of course I have that one!				happen. But itâll happen.
Graham: Of course you do, yeah. You got, Let				Betsy: So it occupies a lot of your time,
Yourself Goâ¦Love Is Warm, you have that?				obviouslyâ¦itâs a long process.
Betsy: No				Graham: Yeah, well, it doesnât occupy a lot
Graham: Love Is Warm?				of my time now âcause itâs
Betsy: Love Is Warm, yeah.				finished. So when the impetus is ready for
Graham: Third is Lace and Leather, Our Love, Make				another...weâre talking about doing one in
you Mineâ¦				Los Angeles, another preview. Weâll do it.
Betsy: So This Time is the First Timeâ¦ is it				But thereâs no pressure to do it. I mean,
called This Time?				we have certain funds for it, but we donât
Graham: Itâs called This Time, yeah.				have what we want, what weâre after.
Betsy: And thatâs on there? Thatâs				Weâre after 10 million dollars you know.
nice, itâs lovely.				Betsy: If I had it, I would give it to you.
Graham: Yeah, itâs on there, yeah. That was				Graham: Oh I know you would! But weâll get
one of the first I recorded actually.itâs This				it.
Time, Restless, oh Fall With You? Do you have that?				Betsy: Are you working on any other projects?...That
Betsy: Fall With You?				you can share?
Graham: So thatâs 10, thatâs all of				Graham: Iâm doing the music for a movie, I
them.				just discovered two days ago, which is a small movie.
Betsy: Do you have a favorite?				Itâs coming out of Utah. And I've read the
Graham: Well, Iâm very fond of Lace and				script and I think itâs really cool.
Leather, you know, and, but I love The Future too.				Thereâs only I think six or seven people in it.
Betsy: I love The Future. I mean, so Iâve				So itâs a very low budget small movie and
only heard 3 of the songs, no, actually Iâve				its really cute and very cool. And they asked me to
heard more because when you did some of the				write the music and so, I did, well, I am.
songs at Fan Dayâ¦				Iâve already written the title song for it,
Graham: In Laughlin.				which is really cool. And so Iâm doing that.
Betsy: And I did love Let Yourself Go.				And what else am I doing? Iâm spending a
Graham: Yeah.				lot of time now doing promotion for The Future.
Betsy: I have to say I love that.				Iâve just been getting a lot of promotion
Graham: I do too.				for it. But Iâm not really working on anything
Betsy: But you singing The Future, I really love it.				else.
Graham: I love singing that too. So, did I play it then?				Betsy: Whatâs the status of the Air Supply
I cant remember.				CD?
Betsy: I donât know. You played 5 songs in				Graham: You know at the moment itâs a
Laughlin but I donât knowâ¦				little bit in limbo only because we just
Graham: I donât think I played that, I				havenât all got together, you know? I mean,
donât think I played it				the songs are there. Originally I was gonna do the
Betsy: I donât remember which ones they				Zed project, which I wanted it to be a theatrical
were. I recorded a couple little pieces here and there,				thing. Not live on stage like theater. I wanted it to be
but probably just a few seconds.				like a concept, you know, but I donât know
Graham: No I donât think I played it.				about that anymore because itâs been a
Thatâs got Lewis Clarkâs string				couple years since that. And I wrote all the songs for
arrangement on it, which is amazing.				it, and everything. And Russell heard them, loved
Betsy: Which song?				them. But now Iâve kinda got off that a
Graham: The Future. He did The Future and he did				little bit because itâs been a long time.
Our Love. Did I play Our Love? I did.				Betsy: So do you think that weâll see a CD
Betsy: I think you did. That sounds familiar.				in 2007 from Air Supply?
Graham: Yeah. Yeah. He did the string arrangement				Graham: Where are we now, March? I think so, yeah.
on that too. Heâs amazing. Heâs the				The end of this year.
guy from ELO from the 70s, right.				Betsy: But youâre not quite sure what it will
Betsy: Really?				be?
Graham: Do you know the Electric Light Orchestra?				Graham: People ask me, and it will probably be
Betsy: Iâve heard of them, yeah. (laughing)				towards the end like autumn, fall, yeah. I mean, a lot
Graham: Oh, theyâre fabulous.				of songs are already recorded. We recorded Miracles,
Betsy: I was born in â69 so I know a little				which we already gave on the side, Faith in Love,
bit from the 70s.				which now there are three versions of Faith in Love.
Graham: Oh, ok, right. Yeah, heâs my				Betsy: I like the second to last one.
favorite string arranger. I use him all the time. Yeah,				Graham: Which one was that?
heâs great. Once again, heâs very				Betsy: The one before this one. I just have to say,
sympathetic to my songs. I call him up and say, are				from a personal perspective I really miss you playing
you available to do an arrangement? And Iâll				the guitar in the beginning.
send him the tracks, you know. But I donât				Graham: I play it though.
send him any ideas or anything. Heâll listen to				Betsy: No, no, noâ¦in the very beginning. Now
the track and heâll call me up and say,				you are clapping and youâre getting
Iâm ready to do the arrangement. And				everybody movingâ¦
heâll never say, what do you want, or				Graham: Right yeah, but I bring it in.
anything. And Iâll say, you know what to do,				Betsy: And Jedâs just kind of standing
right? And he says, oh yeah, I know what to do.				thereâ¦
Betsy: Really?				Graham: Yeah, no we took all the synthesizers out.
Graham: Yeah, and itâs great. So I never				Only because weâve been doing it for a
hear the arrangement til weâre in the studio				year.
with the orchestra.				Betsy: But I love that other version. But
Betsy: So kind of how you write for Russell, he				thatâs just me. Other people say they like
arranges for you?				the new one too.
Graham: Yeah. He just does it. Yeah. But he knows				Graham: No thatâs cool.
that I love ELO stuff. All the da da da da da da da				Betsy: I really love to see you play the guitar and
da da da da da da. I love all that. Yeah, fabulous.				thatâs one of the reasons I love seeing you,
Betsy: Yeah, I remember some of their music from				what is it, is it Make You Mine that you do that in?
way back...when.				Graham: Yeah. We needed to, well, I needed, too, to
Graham: Oh, theyâre great, theyâre				change it up because weâve been doing it
great.				for a year. And every year, historically, I change the
Betsy: So your favorite song then is?				set up or bring new songs in. I didnât this
Graham: Well, you know, I canât really				year because I knew a lot of people really liked Faith
narrow it down because there are a lot of different				in Love and I do too. But I needed to change it up or
textures and different...all the songs are different.				it was coming out because I cant, I can only do it for
Thereâs only really one big ballad, which is				so long that way. All of them, Even the
Our Love. Thereâs Let Yourself Go, which is				Nightsâ¦they all need to be changed up a little,
very upbeat, very techno.				you know?
Betsy: Love it!				Betsy: What about Sweet Dreams? Youâve
Graham: Yeah, I do too.				been doing The River for...
Betsy: I heard that one and said I can not wait to				Graham: Yeah, we have, yeah. Well, I love the poem
get that CD!				thing, we all do and Iâm not ready to lose
Graham: Yeah, itâs...I think youâll				that yet. And maybe Iâll bring it in with
really dig it, you know. But The Future for me, the				another poem somewhere else. âCause I like
song The Future is probably my favorite.				that element, the spoken word. In fact, when we
Betsy: I love that one. You change the words up a				first started that, I was reallyâ¦I thought wow,
little in some of your songs when you sing them live.				are people gonna get it? But people really get it.
Graham: Do I?				Betsy: People today, people who havenât
Betsy: Yeah, a little bit.				ever seen a show, theyâre wondering, what
Graham: Oh. Make You Mine, I got a little lost in Make				is this and then all of a sudden Close Your
You Mine last night.				Eyesâ¦ and people are like ooooohhhh,
Betsy: Yeah, well, for me, Iâm like, well, is				itâs sweet dreams!
he? Or is that really the way it goes. I canât				Graham: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
tell. But I did record in Vegas the songs twice.				Betsy: Fabulous.
Graham: Were they different?				Graham: Yeah I like that.
Betsy: A little bit.				Betsy: Ok, here are some more questions. When you
Graham: Well, I started on February 14th opening.				look out into the audience, do you appreciate seeing
And it took me pretty much up until now to really nail				familiar faces?
the words, which sounds strange because				Graham: Yes, we get used to them.
theyâre my songs. But thereâs a lot				Betsy: What would you consider the greatest
of words to remember, especially on The Future,				moment in your career?
thereâs a lot of words to remember.				Graham: I hope I havenât had it yet. Really. I
Betsy: Itâs so beautiful.				hope I havenât had it yet.
Graham: Thanks.				Betsy: Is there anything you havenât done
Betsy: And, it gets great compliments from people.				yet that you would like to?
Graham: Oh does it? See I donât hear them.				Graham: Yeah, I would love win an Oscar for some
Betsy: Oh yeah, people talk about it a lot. Ok, so				music I write.
thereâs the Now and Forever forum where				Betsy: Really?
people comment on it. But on YouTube, I see				Graham: Yeah. I would.
comments on there very once in a while. People will				Betsy: What would you like to be doing in five years?
post comments on each of the individual videos. So				Graham: This. Exactly this. You know, the Rolling
you can always look there for the comments. I love				Stones are our model. We are still young and age is
it. I mean I posted up two videos, Make you Mine				just a number. We plan to be around for many
and Lace and Leather the first night from Vegas and				years, as long as we can. I donât know why
the next day I recorded The Future and I posted up				people think we are going anywhere.
that. And then I did Make you Mine and Lace and				Betsy: With all of your writing, do you know the
Leather again. I kept all five of them up on YouTube				greatest number of songs written in a short period
âcause I just couldnât take them				of time?
off. I couldnât take the other two off and I				Graham: No, not really. Usually, they all come
think I told you last night that Make You Mine has				together, fast and furious, one right after another.
1,200...				Iâll be writing one and another one will come
Graham: 1,200 you said. Thatâs 1,200 people				right after.

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Air Supply ~ Interview With Graham Russell 3/24/07