Picking up the MB clues
Hi everyone, this blog will be an attempt to keep my friends and other site lurkers updated on what’s been going on in our little MB world. I only want to write about newsworthy items relevant to his career and life when it’s appropriate. The main reason I’m doing it is to stop repeating myself and stop having to search for previous posts. Since I’m on the site on a regular basis, I thought it would be helpful. :D Take care and hugs to all, sincerely, Sylvie :D
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Comment by sylvie boisvert on May 14, 2018 at 5:00pm
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Hi everyone, here's a great article Sylvia shared, with more details, both about Michael's documentary, but also the new CD:
Michael Bolton’s documentary is a “love letter to Detroit” comeback | Entertainment | thenewsherald.com
Michael Bolton’s documentary is a “love letter to Detroit” comeback
Michael Bolton film celebrates Detroit comeback
By Gary Graff ggraff@digitalfirstmedia.com, @GraffonMusic on Twitter May 14 2018
ENTERTAINMENT
Michael Bolton’s documentary is a “love letter to Detroit” comeback
Michael Bolton film celebrates Detroit comeback
By Gary Graff ggraff@digitalfirstmedia.com, @GraffonMusic on Twitter 3 hrs ago
Michael Bolton was a huge Motown fan when he made his 2013 album “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough: A Tribute to Hitsville U.S.A.”
That led to the Grammy Award-winning singer becoming a fan — and booster — of the Motor City as a whole. A visit to the Motown Historical Museum leading to that album’s release also led to Michael Bolton Presents “American Dream: Detroit,” a 90-minute documentary paying tribute to the city’s comeback from bankruptcy, which premieres in theaters on Tuesday, May 15. It features a variety of the city’s entertainers (Aretha Franklin, Smokey Robinson, Alice Cooper, Mayer Hawthorne, Mary Wilson and film directors Francis Ford Coppola and Jerry Bruckheimer), entrepreneurs (Dan Gilbert, Christopher Ilitch, Bill Ford, Bruce Schwartz, John Varvatos), politicians (Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan) and residents, all talking about the city’s history and resurgence, creating what Bolton calls “a love letter to Detroit.” “While we were filming at Hitsville to create a commercial for the album, we had been told there was a major effort to bring back Detroit on a very large scale,” says Bolton, who co-directed the movie with Christina Kline and will be back in Detroit for a special screening of the film on Tuesday at the Redford Theatre. “We made a couple of phone calls and got to meet Dan Gilbert and his people up at Quicken and found they were completely committed to this entire comeback of Detroit. I got to meet some amazing people and got really attached to, it because there’s so many great people in Detroit. “I realized this story was so much bigger than my album. Hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars are being focused, wisely, on bringing back a community. Like anybody else I heard all of the (bad) things people say about Detroit. I thought someone needed to tell the story about all the good things that were happening there.” Bolton, Kline and their team came to Detroit more than a dozen times during the five years of the film’s production, occasionally for key events like the first run of “The Motown Musical” at the Fisher Theatre (Bolton sang during a pre-party at the Roostertail) and the opening of Varvatos’ store on Woodward Avenue. “Every time we came back, there were new restaurants, more office spaces filled, more people living downtown,” says Bolton, 65, who opened for Bob Seger during 1983, his first major national concert tour. “I would meet people at the airport who were excited and would tell me about it.” Set to a soundtrack that includes both well-known and obscure Detroit songs as well as two new Bolton originals, the resulting film addresses Detroit’s dark image head-on, opening with insults leveled in films such as “Kentucky Fried Movie” and “The Karate Kid.” The densely detailed project also offers a concise history from its glory days as a densely populated industrial capitol through the auto industry bailout of 2009 and the city’s 2013 bankruptcy. The movie’s overarching message, however, is one of resilience, hope and progress. And while there are plenty of celebrities and major figures among the more than 100 people interviewed for the film, Bolton and company also included upstarts such as Slow Roll founder Jason Hall and proprietors of ventures such as the dPop gallery, the Z garage, Ponyride and more. “When people say, ‘Hey, what’s going on in Detroit?’ it starts with a lot of great people,” Bolton says. “We covered the stars and the giant entrepreneurs and their commitment. I never want to miss an opportunity to shout out for Dan Gilbert, you know? But it’s more important at a human level, because these are individuals whose live are moving in a great direction, because there’s all this activity going on and someone gave them the opportunity, and they’re doing great things.
“You find yourself rooting for this story, for the success of the story, like you would for a sports team.” Now Bolton is vested in spreading the good word about Detroit. After the film’s premiere this week he hopes to find it “the best home where it can have the longest life ... between network and cable and streaming.” He also views “American Dream: Detroit” as a beginning of a story that he’s confident will continue to grow. “It just keeps going,” says Bolton, who’s recording a new album featuring orchestral versions of his greatest hits and will celebrate his 50th anniversary as a performer this year. “Just when I thought we were finished we’d find some other great thing that had just popped up, and were like, ‘We need to include that, and that, and that....’
“So (the film) is saying, ‘Here’s what we have found, and this is just, if not the tip of the iceberg, then just the beginning.’ And I can’t wait to see what else happens.”
- If You Go: Michael Bolton Presents “American Dream: Detroit” live at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 15, at the Redford Theatre, 17360 Lahser Road, Detroit. Tickets are $16. Call 313-537-2560 or visit redfordtheatre.com. The film also will run at various theaters that night. Visit FathomEvents.com for locations and tickets.
http://www.thenewsherald.com/downriver_life/entertainment/michael-b...
That's the news for now, thanks for reading, sincerely, Sylvie :D
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Hi everyone, here's an article Sylvia shared today, about Michael's attendance at the Redford Theater, in Detroit, on Tuesday May 15th, for the screening of his documentary film
https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/michael-bolton-to-attend-premie...
and here is the transcript Sylvia shared:.
DETROIT - A legendary singer-songwriter is coming to Detroit to attend the world-premiere his new documentary based around the city.
Michael Bolton will be in attendance this Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Redford Theatre in Detroit for the premiere of "American Dream: Detroit," which is put on by Fathom Events and Passion Films.
Bolton is a co-producer and co-director on the documentary, which is focused on the revival and resurgence of the city, why the history and future of Detroit matters in the global landscape, and is a "love letter" to Detroit.
The documentary will be shown at more than 450 theaters in the country, including 26 in Michigan, but only on Tuesday.
"This documentary is a truly inspiring tale of a city's historical transformation that is certain to entertain, educate and move fans from coast to coast," said CEO of Fathom Events Ray Nutt in a release. "Additionally, the special bonus concert is a must-see for my friend Michael and 'Hitsville USA' aficionados."
Local celebrities involved in the making of the film include singer Aretha Franklin, musician Smokey Robinson, rock star Alice Cooper, journalist Mitch Albom and more. Detroit-born artist Stephie James is also featured on one song in the documentary titled "Silent Film."
Tickets for the premiere are $16 and may be purchased by going to redfordtheatre.com. To find a theater near you showing the documentary, click here.
That's the news for now, thanks for reading, sincerely, Sylvie :D
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Hi everyone, I have a few items of interest, related to Michael’s documentary. Well first, sorry for the delay, but here’s a link to an Itunes podcast Michael did on the Delilah radio show last night:
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/michael-bolton/id1185710201?i=1...
Second, Sylvia shared a YouTube link, with clips from the documentary:
Next, here is a post Michael has added to his FB page on the BMI clip, which also contains a link to the video:
https://www.bmi.com/news/entry/michael-bolton-shines-a-light-on-mot...
Sylvia was nice enough to share the contents of the article and here it is:
“Beyond being a GRAMMY-winning, internationally celebrated singer/songwriter, Michael Bolton has long been a social activist, frequently utilizing his voice to support and advance humanitarian causes. Bolton has been a committed advocate of the practice of giving back, which is at the root of his latest creative endeavor, producing a full-length documentary film entitled “American Dream: Detroit.”
As a profound source of inspiration to Michael Bolton’s own career path, the city of Detroit’s rich musical heritage – from the seminal soul staples of Motown artists like Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robison through to the hard-driving rock of Alice Cooper and Bob Seeger – nurtured Bolton’s muse, but its beleaguered history as a city beset by hardship prompted him to want to do something to help change the narrative. Initially blighted, a half-century ago, by economic decline in the wake of deindustrialization, Detroit continues to be saddled with a pervasive preconception of hardship. But a new day is rising in the Motor City. While the city still faces challenges, a new generation of young visionaries and entrepreneurs is reinventing, rebuilding and re-investing in Detroit. In tandem with this new momentum. Michael Bolton is doing his part to shine a light on the city, its cultural significance and its burgeoning renaissance.
Reaching out to tell Detroit’s story through the voices of its own, Bolton assembled some of the city’s creative luminaries, from fellow musicians Aretha Franklin and Alice Cooper through celebrated director Francis Ford Coppola, author Mitch Albom and fashion designer John Varvatos, to share their thoughts on Detroit’s past, present and future. The resulting documentary is an emotional comeback story and a heartfelt testament to the city’s enduring spirit that will inspire, inform and prompt viewers to want to visit and explore Detroit for themselves. “American Dream: Detroit” arrives in theaters on May 15 for one special screening. Don’t miss it.”
Following this, here’s a link to Etonline’s interview on Thursday:
https://www.etonline.com/media/videos/michael-bolton-talks-working-...
Whew, I guess that’s the news for now, thanks for reading, sincerely, Sylvie :D
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Hi everyone, I have another armload of interview links Sylvia posted. First, In case you missed it: Michael Bolton on WAAF:
http://www.waaf.com/media/audio-channel/case-you-missed-it-michael-...
Here is link to another radio interview he has given today to The Big Wake Up Call on the documentary
http://thebigwakeupcall.com/michael-bolton/
Next, Wendy Williams has tweeted this link to an interview clip:
https://twitter.com/twitter/statuses/994260712636624896
...and here’s a link to the Wendy Williams show site: May 9 2018
http://www.wendyshow.com/2018/05/09/michael-bolton-american-dream-d...
I haven’t played it on-line, so not sure if it’s just a section or the whole 10 minute interview. Finally, Gail has just posted the following:
“CHECK OUT MB TOMORROW ON
KOST-FM 6:15AM ET and 8:15AM ET, PEOPLE NOW @ NOON ET and ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT, so check your local listings. That’s the news for now, thanks for reading, sincerely, Sylvie :D
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Hi everyone, well it’s been way too long since I’ve been on here, struck down by old-computeritis, but I’m back! There’s far too much to catch up on, article and news-wise, but I can only start from today on. The very first thing on the agenda is that Michael will be on the Wendy Williams show today May 9 2018: check your local listings. I certainly picked the right day to get back on here, because Sylvia just posted on this new thread:
http://blog.michaelbolton.com/forum/topics/new-album-coming-2018?xg...
...that Michael will release a new album this year! From what Sylvia says, Michael has mentionned it both in a podcast and in an “ Access Hollywood live” interview, that he was working on a new CD, that it would be a greatest hits and according to the following, it will most likely be a symphonic greatest hits album, with hopefully more new surprises. :D Here’s the interview transcript Sylvia posted:
"Working on the music now for the next album. Can't tell you what it is. It's a very specific concept but it is really exciting and an enormous amount of work and I have to do it before my Australian Tour in June so we are recording every day and night here in LA and if I can finish it the way I would like to, then I will leave Perth Studio and go to Sydney, Melbourne, etc on my tour and then the album will come out and then I will tour England and the UK."
Sylvia says that in Michael’s Q&A's session, while travelling to The Grove for the Premiere of his documentary, Michael did say he’d be working with the Australian Perth Symphony Orchestra on a huge project so we’re thinking there’s a big chance that’ll be it. Stay tuned! That’s the news for now, thanks for reading, sincerely, Sylvie :D
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Hi everyone, Sylvia justed picked up this tweet from Michael:
Michael has sent below tweet along with pic which shows him with his blue guitar as though he is playing it and it is an advert for Subaru as well as for Bolt of Talent and in the left hand corner coming along and by Michael's face and taking up three lines are the words "Michael Bolton in the Asian Dream Tour" Up in right hand corner is the word "Subaru" in capitals and down in left hand corner underneath Michael's arm is written: "Presented by Forester" and their is a pic of a Subaru car. Believe Forester is the dealership for Subaru in the Asian countries Michael has visited.
It's coming!! The winner of #boltoftalent will join me! #asiandreamtour #2017 https://www.instagram.com/p/BY_BH3tF0zp/
God bless her for the visual description. That's the news for now, thanks for reading, sincerely, Sylvie :D
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Hi everyone, here is an article Katia shared with me:
A Ravinia train ride with a glorious Gladys Knight, then Bolton favors remakes over originals - Chicago Concert Reviews
Posted on September 1, 2017 by Andy Argyrakis
They may have come from different eras with varying styles of delivery, but the curious pairing of Michael Bolton and Gladys Knight at the always alluring Ravinia was linked together by their mutual love of soul music. For Knight, that meant someone who was there from its formative days, whether it was at Motown with The Pips or going solo in her later years, while Bolton obviously worshipped the ground so many greats of yesteryear walked on, despite rising to fame in adult contemporary contexts, then reaching an entirely new generation alongside comedy trio The Lonely Island on “Saturday Night Live.”
However, it was Gladys Knight who ultimately emerged on top of the evening, though at least the fact that fans scored two major attractions for the price of one ultimately made up for those surprising missteps.
Ladies came first during this double bill that found “The Empress Of Soul,” her six-piece band and three backing vocalists spending most of their hour in the distant past, but occasionally tipping their hat to current trends that naturally linked back to what she started in the first place. “You’re The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me” featured a smooth outro of Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me,” while Bruno Mars’ “When I Was Your Man” ingeniously paved the way for “If I Were Your Woman.”
At 73, Knight was truly pristine as a singer, though her banter was long-winded and could’ve easily been condensed to fit in more performances. Even so, she effortlessly conquered every attempt, including Motown’s best-selling record of 1967 “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” (before Marvin Gaye got his hands on it), Barbra Streisand’s glorious “The Way We Were,” plus her iconic pair “Neither One Of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye)” and “Midnight Train To Georgia.”
Bolton, his five musicians and two supporting singers had more time allotted but actually made less of the opportunity, personally performing just three original selections while turning primarily to remakes from the recent “Songs Of Cinema” album and other specialty projects. Nevertheless, the 64-year-old was also in flawless voice and could take lots of credit for riding The Bee Gees’ “To Love Somebody” and Otis Redding’s “(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay” back up the charts.
As for the soundtrack selections, Bob Seger’s “Old Time Rock & Roll” from “Risky Business” made the most effective leap off the silver screen, so much so that it didn’t even need Tom Cruise jumping on the couch. Unfortunately, that same charisma didn’t carry over into his conversations with the crowd, which were stiff, quiet and lacked the warmth of say a Rod Stewart or Barry Manilow.
A duets set with an unbelievably average background singer was also lacking (especially considering it came seconds after Bolton said he passed Knight backstage on a break), starting with his self-penned “How Am I Supposed To Live Without You,” which Laura Branigan famously covered but was never a collaboration in the first place. And notwithstanding the fact that his partner was a far cry from Celine Dion, performing “The Prayer” to pre-recorded backing track felt distant and lazy for an artist of this otherwise elite caliber.
Instead, Bolton fared much better on his own when he hopped upon a platform in one of the aisles to take complete ownership of Percy Sledge’s “When A Man Loves A Woman,” and later on the standard stage, Ray Charles’ “Georgia On My Mind.” Out of his own material, sure there was “Said I Love You…But I Lied” and “How Can We Be Lovers” in addition to the above mention, but “Go The Distance” merely served as an overture prior to his entrance, “Missing You Now” was barely a blip in one of two overly lengthy band solo segments, while “Steel Bars,” “Time, Love & Tenderness,” “Love Is A Wonderful Thing,” “Soul Provider” and a stable of ballads were nowhere to be found.
For a fella who sold 75 million albums primarily from those very selections, it was a perplexing decision, though those willing to embrace Bolton’s further infatuation with the oldies of varying stripes were probably satisfied, if only for the undeniable quality of his interpretations. However, it was Knight who ultimately emerged on top of the evening, though at least the fact that fans scored two major attractions for the price of one ultimately made up for those surprising missteps.
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For additional information on Michael Bolton and Gladys Knight, visit MichaelBolton.com and GladysKnight.com.
http://chicagoconcertreviews.com/reviews/2017-09-01-michael-bolton-...
That's the news for now, thanks for reading, sincerely, Sylvie :D
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Hi everyone, here is a wonderful video Katia shared with me and Sylvia just posted thanks to Pilar, of a montage of the last MBC event in the Hamptons. It's about 20 minutes long and worth every minute:
Oh, while I think of it, I also have another item of interest. This is an article about an unusual one time event Sylvia shared yesterday.
Back To School: The Live Reading - Los Angeles City College Foundation
Los Angeles City College hosts one night star-studded live reading of
comedy classic and establishes advisory board for new
Rodney Dangerfield Institute
Back to School: Live Staged Reading on September 6, 2017 at LACC's Camino Theatre
The schedule for the evening is as follows:
7:00pm: Stage Reading Performance
8:30pm: Q&A with actors from the original film and the stage reading
9:15pm: VIP Meet & Greet
Note: There are no physical tickets for this event. At check-in, there will be a list of attendees. Please bring a valid ID.
Seating ($75.00) includes admission to the event only.
VIP tickets ($100.00) includes preferred seating and a VIP reception with the cast.
.
Step 1: Start
Step 2: Prices
Step 3: Attendees
Step 4: Register
Step 5: Finish
Event Selection
Back To School: The Live Reading
One night star-studded live reading of the Rodney Dangerfield classic film, "Back To School" featuring Brad Garrett, Michael Bolton, and Paul Rodriguez. Additional cast members will be announced shortly.
Wednesday, September 06, 2017 at 7:00 PM
https://9980.thankyou4caring.org/back-to-school-the-live-reading
I haven't had time to check what the foundation is for, but it sounds like something fun to attend if you have the money for it. :D That's the news for now, thanks for reading, sincerely, Sylvie :D
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Hi again everyone, here's another article Sylvia shared about the Emmy nomination:
Could Michael Bolton Win an Emmy for Mocking 'Willy Wonka'? | Hollywood Reporter
August 22, 2017 1:34pm PT by Aaron Couch
Could Michael Bolton Win an Emmy for Mocking 'Willy Wonka'?
Michael Bolton
The musician has enlisted friends Brian McKnight, Paula Cole and Natasha Bedingfield to help him stump for the statuette after earning a nomination for Honest Trailers.
Michael Bolton could have an Emmy to place next to his two Grammys when the awards show takes place in September.
Bolton's work with Honest Trailers yielded the web series' second consecutive nomination in the outstanding short-form variety series category, with his soulful take on Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory pointing out some of the more problematic aspects of the 1971 children's film (such as the factory's lack of safety regulations and that the Oompa Loompas seem to be working against their will).
And on Tuesday, he enlisted a number of his fellow musician friends to stump for the Emmy, with Brian McKnight, Paula Cole and Natasha Bedingfield singing "honest theme songs" to this year's outstanding drama series nominees.
For Bolton, the Honest Trailers work is part of a trajectory that began with a 2011 Pirates of the Caribbean-themed collaboration with The Lonely Island. The video was a smash that has garnered 171 million views and raised his profile among younger-skewing comedy fans who may not have followed his multiplatinum recording career.
"Coming off the 'Jack Sparrow' experience and having a whole other universe open up to me, it just kind of made sense," Bolton told Heat Vision of signing on for the Honest Trailer after being approached by the team, led by executive producer Andy Signore.
Signore, who has guided the series to more than 1.5 billion views, grew up on Bolton's music.
"It sounds schmaltzy; the win is that I'm sitting here with Michael," said Signore, sitting in a studio as the pair worked on the Emmys campaign video last week.
Bolton said the Emmy nomination was incidental to his work, and he'd advise Signore to take the same outlook.
"I would tell him that if you are loving what you do and you show up to work and you are just looking forward to long hours and loving your work, the awards will come," said Bolton. "The fan base will grow. But I've seen people win Grammys and not have careers and I have friends who are actors who have been in one hit film and I thought, 'OK, they are OK. Their family is OK' and then they didn't get another film for two years. … [If you put] your time, your heart, your passion into it, and it shows up onscreen, literally the awards will come."
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/could-michael-bolton-w...
Here is a link to, from what I understand, just Michael's part in the montage:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiZJOvjdGBY
Now lastly, here's a link to an Instagram video interview Michael did, promoting "Bolt of talent",
https://www.instagram.com/p/BYKWb0SBKJC/I haven't watched any of the videos, but hope you enjoy. That's the news for now, thanks for reading, sincerely, Sylvie :D
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Hi everyone, I have a bit of catching up to do, so here's a first article Sylvia shared concerning Michael and "Honest Trailers" Emmy nomination:
‘Honest Trailers’ Michael Bolton On His New Life In The Comedy World | Deadline
Michael Bolton On His ‘Honest Trailers’ Debut & New Comedic Outlet Alongside Andy Signore: “How Did This All Happen?”
by Matt Grobar
Screen Junkies
An iconic, Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter who has sold over 75 million records and recorded eight top 10 albums, it would seem that there is little Michael Bolton hasn’t done.
Reaching the zenith of the music industry, recording alongside the likes of Celine Dion, opera powerhouse Luciano Pavarotti and mentor Ray Charles, Bolton has felt a little boxed in by the success he has achieved as a musician, only recently given the opportunity to explore another deep-seated passion—comedy.
Breaking out of the box, Bolton has, in recent years, explored this passion with Lonely Island collaborations, pit stops on popular sitcoms, including Two and a Half Men and Fresh Off the Boat, and a particularly fruitful meeting of the minds with Andy Signore on the massively popular YouTube series, Honest Trailers—from DEFY Media’s ScreenJunkies—which fuses the two creative loves of Bolton’s life, satirizing the most popular movies of today, and of all time.
Speaking with Deadline, Bolton and Signore—SVP of Content at DEFY Media, and ScreenJunkies’ Head of Creative—discuss the roots of their ongoing collaboration, their comedic benchmarks and their Emmy-nominated take on Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.
Screen Junkies
Andy, could you give a sense of how Honest Trailers came to be and what inspired it?
Andy Signore: It was done as a one-off in the beginning, when Star Wars: Episode I came out. They rereleased it in 3D and had put out all these trailers that were so excited for the movie, and I watched it going, “We know the movie’s not that good. How dare you try and trick us to tell us it’s something it’s not? We’ve seen it already.”
This idea then came out: I was like, “I’d love to see an honest voice—like, a trailer guy—do the honest take of a trailer, and do it all in the deep, big voice.” So we did it. We made the first installment—it was pretty good, a pretty big hit, and we decided to follow up with Twilight, Transformers, Titanic.
Each one became bigger and bigger, so we quickly stumbled upon a format that I think resonated with the audience. It’s taken us through almost five years now, two Emmy nominations, and celebrities like Ryan Reynolds and Michael Bolton. It’s beyond my wildest expectations.
-How did Michael come into the fold? What excited you about him as a collaborator?
-Signore: I was always a fan of Michael, and I had reached out to his reps forever to try and figure out a way we could work together. We had been in talks, and he had been helping from afar. We were looking for the right song to do an “honest medley” for, and “Willy Wonka” came together. This was the one that I was hoping he would be into. He was, and he’s like, “Let’s sing this.”
That’s when he got to be more ingrained in an actual trailer. We were very lucky to have his talent there.
Screen Junkies
Michael, what was the draw for you?
Bolton: I’ve worked my ass off since I was a teenager, had a chance to be in the music business, and worked through a lot of years where I think I was always taking everything so seriously. It took me 18 years before I had my first hit, after I signed with Epic [Records] when I was 16. People would never really see the funny side of me, or what I loved, which is comedy.
The Lonely Island guys brought me “Jack Sparrow,” and I did that—it was so much fun, and we took time to develop it. It gave me permission to be the kid I was ever since I can remember, who got to know the principal very well at every school that would have me, and basically have fun.
What Andy and Honest Trailers bring is a lot of laughter and high sonic value, musically. It’s something I like to be able to do.
I’ve sung with Pavarotti, I learned classical. My mentors are Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder, but I love everything in between classical and R&B. They give me a certain amount of freedom, and offer me permission to basically be myself, and bring something that’s legitimate to something that is very funny, very smart, with extremely high quality footage in front of you and high quality music.
Andy didn’t have to twist my arm. I just found out that when he was a kid, he did a video of “Steel Bars”, a song I wrote with Bob Dylan. I don’t know how many people got to write with Bob Dylan, but the entire time I was working with Bob, I was looking at him and he was talking to me about taking the car up in the [takes on Bob Dylan’s voice] “four-wheel drive.” I was looking at him and thinking, “Oh my God, this is Bob Dylan. I’m sitting with him.” So we’ve been having conversations like that.
I’m excited about the Emmy nomination, to be able to talk with Andy about the fact that it’s great to have the industry support you. But your career is going to be [defined] by doing great work. If you win, that’s awesome. You’ll find a place in your home for that trophy. It’s exciting and an honor when the industry is voting for you.
Screen Junkies
You’ve done a lot of comedic work in television of late, including a Netflix Valentine’s Day Special. For both of you, who are the people you admire in comedy? What are the touchstones?
Bolton: Because you mentioned Big Sexy Valentine’s Day Special: I’m a Lonely Island fan, and the people who showed up for us—from Andy Samberg and Jorma [Taccone] and Akiva [Schaffer]—everybody they asked to show up for the special showed up. Last night, I filmed something with Randall Park, and I was thinking, “How did this all happen?” I got a phone call about a “Jack Sparrow” video four or five years ago—it feels like it was yesterday—and then all these people show up and they become family. Maya Rudolph, Fred Armisen; Sarah Silverman came in. She wrote some disgusting lyrics and it was hysterical, and they were so gracious to work with. That’s kind of the new world for me. What Andy offers by coming to me and saying, “Can we work on this together? You interested in this?”—it taps every dimension that I enjoy. I loved film since I was born, and love comedy. The fact that I might be able to sing something R&B, something classical, and something that works for the project, but is just one facet of singing for me, gives me the means to express myself and have a freaking great time, and laugh our asses off at the whole concept of it. The quality is high, sonically and visually. We get this insane footage—we couldn’t do this in the video world. It’d cost us a fortune if every one of our songs had that level of footage. But it’s also going to these iconic moments. For some reason, this is the time in my life and my career where I keep being given positions. In this case, with Andy and his team, I’m being given options for different projects. So I love the collaboration.
Signore: Musically, Michael was a huge inspiration for me as a kid. He’s not lying: I did a music video for “Steel Bars”—I think I was seven or eight—with my brother and sister. I had very eclectic [taste in] music. I loved everything. But the true idol for me was “Weird Al” Yankovic. He was a huge inspiration for me, in comedy, and as a lyricist and musician. He’s so talented. I was really raised on “Weird Al” and The Simpsons, for my comedy chops. We’ve been doing this Emmy talk, and it’s such an honor to have this Emmy [nomination], but as I’ve said, the win for me, right now, is being able to have someone like Michael, who I look up to tremendously, who is such a legend, and has done so many things that I look up to, and many do. To have someone of that stature like to work with us, and be happy to do it, and partner with us on the series and come back to do more, that’s the win in our eyes. Doing the work—trying to win awards is not our goal. It’s icing on the cake, and it’s definitely fun, but being able to work with someone like this, and have fun doing it, that’s the true win.
Bolton: No pressure on me. [laughs]
Signore: I do want to put it out there for Academy voters: Let’s get Michael an EGOT. Come on, he’s almost there.
- What was involved in crafting lyrics for your “Willy Wonka” video and recording the track?
Signore: A friend of mine, Matt Citron, does our music and gets feedback from Michael. Matt is our composer who does a lot of the heavy lifting for us, musically. On “Willy Wonka” specifically, Matt and I had been talking with Michael through previous episodes, but we hadn’t really got to record with him. The “Willy Wonka” experience was very surreal for Matt and I. We had written this very silly song, and I knew what Michael was going to bring to us, so I was very excited. To be able to get there and be so collaborative, and have Michael take the wheel, musically and vocally, to have Michael Bolton sing the Oompa Loompa song was really a bucket list item I didn’t know I had to have checked, and I’m so glad I did. He was so collaborative in there. What was it like for you when we were throwing the Oompa Loompa and Creepy Man at you, on the day?
Bolton: The Creepy Man was creepy. I’ve learned that the stuff that can creep you out can be funny stuff. The torment and terror reads through the screen.
Signore: That candy man is very creepy. And mean! All those people are just eating all that candy in front of Charlie. [laughs]
-How many takes did you go through to get the track down?
Bolton: I can’t remember how many we took.
Signore: Look, Michael knows when it’s ready. I hear it, and I go: “Wow!” Michael hears it, and he knows he can make it better—and sure enough, Take 3 is the winner. We have a knowledge of our comedy writing and what we’re doing there, but I knew to defer to him on that, musically, and he did not disappoint us. He knew which take, he knew his voice; he knew when he had it right. He also knew that that song wasn’t really written for him, and he was like, “Next time, let’s try and do something more fun,” as we progress and do more things vocally, so he can riff, because he has such an amazing range. The takeaway for me was in figuring out next time, how do we get something we can play even bigger? One of my other fellow writers wasn’t as familiar with Michael. He knew of Michael, but he wasn’t as impressed when we scored Michael. Then, when he heard the take, he was like “Oh my God, I get it. This is amazing, you were right. Now I get why you were pushing me to get excited for this.” He just has that talent, that edge, that most singers don’t. And still has it! I want to give him the props: his Songs of Cinema is fantastic.
- What do you hope to do together in future collaborations?
Signore: We’re working together right now on a very lofty, epic project, and Michael has been very gracious to try and fit it in. I’m excited about trying something new, challenging ourselves with something different. But I’m glad he’s still taking our calls—I’m glad he’s still a fan of the show. He’s a busy guy.
To take a look at Michael Bolton’s Emmy-nominated Honest Trailers endeavor—teasing out the bizarre world of Willy Wonka—click here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GblgBFT1-s&feature=youtu.be
And in anticipation of the upcoming Emmys ceremony, Michael Bolton has teamed up once again with the Honest Trailers team for a hilarious take on “Honest Retro TV Themes.” To view the musical montage—featuring performances from Bolton and friends, including Natasha Bedingfield, Brian McKnight and Paula Cole—just hit the link.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKle5aNJkbY&feature=youtu.be
http://deadline.com/2017/08/michael-bolton-honest-trailers-andy-sig...
I haven't been able to watch it yet, but hope you enjoy. In any case, that was a great article! Be right back with the next one. Sylvie :D
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