This interview starts off with a very aggressive question from the journalist: can you imagine suggesting to Johnny Cash at any point in his career that he couldn’t fill a venue? He came close to calling the man a liar over it.
Waylon, though, had the best response.
The Highwaymen had four of my very favorite performers of all time, but I never was able to enjoy them as a group. They were too self conscious of standing at the end: it was mournful, more than anything else. I like this interview for the spirit, which was not so ready to concede the end.
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Put it this way - it can be hard for big men to get along, its harder for small men. Paul Holmes was a big man, and nonNZers (and nonNZers who don't even know who Muldoon was) may think this interview was lèse majesté. But it wasn't. Those 4 American greats got a New Zealand great, and it was as should be.
Long before I had heard of THOSE Highwaymen, I had known of The Highwaymen from that home of hard travelin', Wesleyan University. They had some hits in the 1906s during the folk music "craze." The Highwaymen Cotton Fields and Michael (row the boat ashore)
Coincidentally, several of my high school peers who were competent guitarists later went to Wesleyan.
I’ve never heard of any famous Kiwi, not to my knowledge. I took that in praise of the place. It still takes balls to ask Johnny Cash or Waylon Jennings if he can sell tickets.
Later in the show they are induced to discuss excessive patriotism, which is not surprising given the moment. The tour happened in May 1991; from August 1990 - January 1991 was the Gulf War. One can imagine that the excesses of the moment excited. Still, I’m struck by Cash’s comments about military versus social spending.
They’re definitely of the era. It used to be thought that more spending meant better results. Yet who would now argue that the vast increase in school spending has increased results? Or, even, that the poorer military of 1991 was less effective than our present military of Afghanistan?
It still takes balls to ask Johnny Cash or Waylon Jennings if he can sell tickets.
Did I hear it wrong? I hear a typical weasel-worded presenter unwilling to ask a direct question but instead alluding to the "some say" background and then offering the guests a "would you like to respond to that?" opening. As if sharing the platform was doing them some favor. Typical and, I find, annoying. So, 1990s? I guess this TV presenter's shtick has been going on a very long time.
David Allen Coe was selling out venues after he was confined to a wheelchair and could barely still sing. So I don't think any of those guys would have any trouble. Willie Nelson, a member of that illustrious group, is close to 90 and still sells out his concerts.
Did I hear it wrong? I hear a typical weasel-worded presenter unwilling to ask a direct question but instead alluding to the "some say" background and then...
No, that's accurate. He used the same move later in the interview, explicitly adding that they shouldn't get mad at him because it was other people saying it.
@Mike:
Exactly so.
Yeah, they said the same thing about the four gospels, that none of those guys could sell a book on their own.
Glad to see loyalty. A gentle poke, but seems a hornets nest. Another great Kiwi was Dave Dobbin - his song ‘Loyal’ would please them all, and I hope, you.
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