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Note: We all know how the Cowsills tend to talk over each other. I tried my best to sort that all out, but I'm sure I missed a few comments along the way.
Gail: Welcome to Leadership at all Levels. I'm Gail Alofsin, your host. Newport, Rhode Island is known for many things; mansion, festivals, world class sailing and tennis and - drum roll - our iconic '60s band - The Cowsills. I've had the pleasure of picking The Cowsills several times for our concert series and Taste of Rhode Island in Newport. Out of the hundreds of bands, hundreds that we've booked over the years, The Cowsills were always the top band favorites. And today, live in our studio, we welcome Bobby, Paul and Susan Cowsill. Welcome!
Paul: Well thank you. Hi!
Bob: And we are in studio. This is not Zoom fake studio.
Paul: This is awesome.
Susan: Oh my goodness. Oh no, you'll make me cry
Gail: Well for Jane and I - well for me at least - are back in studio since what? Last March?
Bob: It's very exciting.
Gail: Yes
Susan: Wow!
Gail: You've been in but I haven't been in.
Bob: That's great
Gail: And you're welcome back to your home town
Bob: We are
Paul: We're on WDAK which is for me and Bob - I mean we were like this tall and . . .
Bob: Oldest radio station in our lives.
Paul: In our lives was WDAK.
Susan: And I don't know why I bypassed and just jumped to WPRO. It might have had something to do with Salty Bryan.
Gail: We're going to have to bleep that. (Laughs) No . . .
Susan: I was a little baby and all I knew was Salty. But when we started coming here as grown up and we were coming to do interviews
Paul: And the whale.
Susan: Oh Willy the Whale
Paul: Willy the Whale. It was caught in the harbor there.
Susan: I don't recall you reporting on Willy.
Paul: Oh WDAK did.
Susan: Check on that.
Gail: Oh we'll check on that
Susan: But I'm happy to be here now.
Gail: Well what brings you here? What are you here for.
Bob: We came in because Time Life got ahold of us to do one of those fabulous infomercials where you have the compilation CD and let's say all the songs of the '60s. This collection is called AM Gold.
Susan: Holy Toledo And you do skits and like Neil Sedaka did.
Bob: So we're hosting the informercial. So if you're channel surfing and you see The Cowsills, just stop and we're going to tell you about these CDs and the songs that have been collection for YOU the listener.
Susan: It was quite an experience.
Bob: And we hosted it up at our house - Halidon Hall. And they took that as our set and we were on the porch on which we rehearsed as there doing this infomercial.
Susan: Thank you to Lizette St. Germain
Paul: And it was really great. And the songs that are on this disc are like some of my favorites. I know this sounds like the infomercial.
Susan: No, not again. Paul can you do that again less aggressively.
Paul: I know. We had a lot of script today. But what I want to say is, I mean I swear to God, when you look at this thing - you know how people go 'I'll put a mix together for you.' OK that's really sweet. And there's a lot of times when you "Hey can you make me a mix, I'm going on a really long trip." Man this is mix trip song to take on . . .
Susan: It's pretty great.
Bob: It's . . . we our very selves, our very selves (Susan starts singing) Hey I'm trying to say something important over here.
Paul: OK Bob We got to listen to Bob.
Bob: Gail's new to being "in the studio."
Gail: Excuse me, excuse me
Susan: Like one of those ______
Bob: What was I going to say.
Susan: You were talking about, oh shoot, see and welcome to The Cowsills
Bob: Never mind.
Paul: No, we were talking about the infomercial.
Bob: Oh I was going to say, that The Cowsills just happen to have two songs in this collection.
Paul: Yes!
Gail: What two songs?
Susan and Paul: Hair and The Rain, the Park and Other Things
Susan: Enjoy the music. That's the last line of the . . .
Paul: Hey Gail watch this. "Welcome to our childhood home."
Susan: "I'm Susan from The Cowsills. And this is my brother Paul and Bob."
Paul: "Welcome to our childhood home . . ."
Susan: Wait, maybe we can't do that. Maybe we're under contract to not do that right now.
Paul: Oh do we have a silence thing. Move on. I can't speak.
Susan: I'm totally kidding. I just wanted to say it because it seemed to create . . .
Gail: So you've been performing together for . . . I think it was the last time we did Taste of Rhode Island was 2000. When you . . . at that point it was the seven siblings - all performed. We had to close the gates. We had to close the gates. We couldn't fit any more people in.
Susan: Ohhh there were people outside?
Gail: Oh yeah, but they were listening, but couldn't fit . . . fire code. So you're performing now. What kind are you doing? Where are you going?
Bob: We go on the Happy Together Tour every summer to 60 cities and probably play to 200,000 people every summer. It's . . . till COVID ruined everything. But we're beyond COVID. We don't even need to talk about it.
Susan: Nope
Bob: We're coming back this summer - July 28 through August 31. We'll get the intenary to everyone and get it online but the news is good about the Happy Together Tour.
Susan: Beautiful work
Bob: And then we do cruises.
Paul: Yep - cruises
Susan: With our original band which is Paul's son, Brendon, Bob's son, Ryan, my husband, Russ, and girl - our
Paul: Our daughter or our sister
Susan: Mary Lasigne - our sister from another mother.
Bob: If you want to come hang with us and eat breakfast with Paul Cowsill, you go on the Flower Power Cruise.
Paul: That's right, I'll be there for any who - yeah have breakfast
Susan: Paul
Paul: Look, you just . . .
Susan: Breakfast with Paul
Paul: You know why you call it that? Cuz I want all the people to sit down and start breakfast and I'm coming by.
Susan: And I'll tell you why. So cuz anything you're not going to eat, he's going to go "Oh are you finished with that? Oh are you finished with that. I'll eat that for you."
Paul: Hey I'll eat that muffin.
Susan: So that's what Breakfast with Paul means
Paul: But also I want to mention that so we have the Happy Together and we did the commercial and so . . . but what we got going on is we have - all winter we have these shows that were booked. I will honestly say that was two years ago, or a year ago but they are back on. So we'll be going up the east coast. We're going to try and get a show at the Cutting Room in New York City because we see they are opening up. And so we'll just put a call out there. But, yeah, it's happening.
Susan: What else is going on like on a technical, like very forwarded advanced level in today's technology and media?
Paul: Well we're doing - and me and Bob were a little reluctant at first but then we thought well . . . and we didn't even know what it was but it's called "The Cowsill Podcast." It's on Spotify.
Bob: It's everywhere
Paul: It's everywhere. It's everywhere that podcast can be listened to.
Susan: It's on Apple.
Bob: It took us weeks to learn Zoom to . . . that's the platform we use.
Gail: Bobby you on the show last July and you used Zoom.
Bob: I didn't know it. You gave me a Zoom invite and I clicked the link.
Paul: We have to hook ourselves up.
Susan: Learn to record and edit and he has to run . . .
Bob: But we have
Gail: You need Jane. You need to bring Jane out to run your podcasts.
Paul: Well we have a company that's doing that for us actually. So this is very professional. They have guests. We've had big guests. Peter Noone of Herman's Hermits, Bill Medley
Susan: Ron Dante
Paul: Ron Dante, Barry Williams
Susan: Barry Williams from The Brady Bunch
Paul: Richey Furay from
Susan: Buffalo
Paul: And Poco
Susan: And Poco
Paul: "For What It's Worth" So . . .
Bob: We have nine episodes online right now (Susan saying something I cant understand) On Demand. We release a new one every Wednesday.
Gail: That's what I was going to ask
Susan: Vicki and Debbi from The Bangles
Paul: And once a month for sure - it might have to go to two - we do our own show. Our own hour / hour and a half
Susan: We talk to each other about our lives
Paul: Because we have a lot to say
Bob: _____ stories
Paul: When the guests are on, you are asking questions and you're sitting back and they're answering the questions you ask. So, it's not really . . . Gail, but about shows, I'd really like to mention that I see that the Folk Festival is playing here.
Gail: Yes, isn't that great.
Paul: And the uniqueness of it to me is like I see the main stream bands showing up there and I was just wondering how do we get in on there?
Susan: I think Cowsills get in on the Folk Festival.
Gail: The man who produces the Folk Festival is a great man named Jay Sweet.
Paul: Jay Sweet
Gail: So we got to track him down.
Paul: OK Do you think we could do that together?
Gail: You let him know that you closed the gates at Taste of Rhode Island.
Susan: Would you also let him know if we just say "Ask Gail"?
Gail: Well he doesn't know me yet.
Paul: So anyway what's his name?
Gail: Jay Sweet
Paul: Jay if you're out there. We would really love to do the Folk Festival. Me and Bob were there the night Dylan went electric. We didn't pay to get in. We snuck in because you had those little picket fences like are in the dunes as the fence to keep thousands of people out. So we'll see you there next year.
Susan: We would like that and then I could introduce you to Gail and then she can recommend us.
Gail: What's unique about the Folk Fest is sells out as soon as tickets go on sale without bands being announced. Do you know any other event in the country like that?
Susan: I cannot say
Paul: When we were kids we would leave Middletown just for the great trip of coming into Newport seeing everybody sleeping up Memorial Blvd.
Susan: Yeah that was cool. When the beatniks came to town.
Gail: Well you're talking about how they have so many new bands coming out. I must mention before I ask you this question, I've never had a guest where I'm speechless. Jane knows that. I love you. You're so full of energy. So full of energy - the three of you.
Bob: We have a lot to say.
Susan: Because we're interviewers now. So nobody talks to us anymore. So when we're on the other side we're happy to be talking.
Gail: Get it out. Get it out.
Paul: We've been doing the if-ca-ma-ercial
Susan: We're pretty pent out. It's like when children are made to do the school play and run it like two times.
Gail: We're talking about emerging artists. What advice would you have for a band starting out now? Should they keep their day job and dabble? Or just follow their passion and throw their heart into it? I'll start with Paul.
Paul: OK I think that they should never lose that dream. Look at us. We're pretty old and we're still fighting for this dream. And we're never going to quit. But, we all work and we all have always worked and you have to have that job because you can't expect Mom and Dad to foot the bill for you and your dream. Your dream is YOUR dream and you have to go out and go get that dream and it's going to require some money so you can eat and live. You don't want to live at Mom's at 30 while trying to go for your dream so go get a job. It doesn't need to be your dream job. You're working for the dream job, but you do need the other job.
Gail: And you did construction?
Paul: I have so many jobs in my life.
Gail: Landscaping for the movies Twilight and Grimm?
Paul: Twilight I did Grimm. I’ve drilled oil and just this past year, my wife was working at Safeway at the pharmacy and I didn't want her to be there alone so I went and got a job at Safeway as a curtesy clerk. And so that means I cleaned the bathrooms. I'm the janitor. They . . .
Gail: Did people know who you were when they go in?
Paul: I guess they did.
Susan: Up in Oregon? I don't think they really cared.
Paul: Well but in our town, people knew who I was and they were all - I could feel it. The first day I walked in I could feel like 'Oh wow, who's this guy.'
Susan: The spotlight on you
Paul: And I was Employee of the Month after three months. I was . . . so I went there and just killed it. But I just wanted to be with LuAnn so she didn't have to deal with it.
Gail: What an awesome - great husband. Alright Susan . . .
Susan: No actually he got Employee of the Month is what he got. The first month. I mean this guy, anything he does . . .
Gail: So Susan, new bands starting out. Keep the day job or just go for it.
Susan: Well keep the day job no matter what because you got to eat. But the go for it part in my . . . this is my advice. If you are going for IT, know what IT is you're going for. Are you going to be famous? Do you want to be Miley Cyrus - a young singer chick - do you want to be Miley or Jessica or Taylor . . . because I knew a lot of kids in my household, kids friends, they all wanted to be really, really famous. And I'd not really seen that before. And I was like "Whoa, whoa, whoa, do ya'll play?" and they were like "Hell no, but don't I look good?" Ya'll no! But then I know a lot of very wonderful musicians in New Orleans that are young kids that go to NOKA and they are true, true hearted musicians. My guys . . .
Paul: Sam and Jack
Susan: yeah, I love them. A Sweet Crew is their band name. The thing is it must be your passion because you love to do it. Not because you're going to make a bunch of money and get real famous because and especially now because when we were kids there was a finite amount of labels, finite amount of bands, finite amount of population. It's all out the box. Nothing is . . . so you . . . the odds of being number one is WHOA. So do it because you really love it and if you can finagle in making money doing 'because you love it', which I have managed somehow. I've had regular jobs. I've painted house, we all do, but do it because you love it or you're going to really . . . you're going to resent it. It will become your worse enemy.
Gail: Well I'm telling you, you have never glowed or looked better.
Susan: Oh thanks Also the fact that I have professional makeup on.
Gail: Oh well I'll tell you. You look fantastic. But you're all so happy.
Susan: Yeah we are. Are you going to give your advice?
Gail: I know, so Bob . . .
Paul: I was saying we all also have makeup on now
(talking over each other)
Bob: Time Life makeup, you're right.
Susan: She means our inner beauty.
Gail: Both, oh both
Susan: We know we're looking good in our makeup.
Gail: Bob, advice for a band starting out.
Bob: When we were starting out, let's say for the new artists your music is great and your passion is never ending. Let's knock that aside and now what are you going to do? When we hit the streets in the '60s, you had to go find a major label - like MGM - which we ultimately did - because the label was going to bring your worthy music to the masses, OK? That's what you need them for. You had to find them and you had to be OK by them. Now today - fast forward to today - now your job is to get the masses to you. Because you can skip the MGM's. Now your responsibility as a new artist today is "How's your website?" "How's your recordings?" You better have example of what you wrote. You can't say, "Well I'm a songwriter. I'll strum 'em for you." You need to have an online presence, you need to have a social media presence, you need to have good music, and you need to have a shingle that you can hang out. And this is the joy of being you. You can do all this, all by yourself and you hang this shingle out, you have your website, and your . . . Your challenge that we didn't have, your challenge is you now have to figure out how you are going to get the world to your website. We needed MGM to get to the world. But now, you can do that. Everybody does it. It's crowded out there like Susan said. But what distinguishes you - how are you going to be different - and that's your challenge and I don't know what your answer is to that. It's very difficult.
Gail: How are you going to be different.
Bob: It's difficult. It's a crowded field.
Gail: Well in this crowded field, you've been performing over 50 years. You're still writing. You're still singing. You have the new album out. Rhythm Of The World.
Bob: It's coming out.
Gail: Well tell us about this.
Susan: Well you know actually the whole idea of the Cowsills making a record, the last record, started a long time ago when Barry, Bill and Richard were still alive.
Bob: I used to say "Why?"
Susan: And it was me and I was like "Aww Let's make a last record because I'm the little sister and I want this one moment. I think we'll all be . . . it's like taking that photo - just do it. You're going to thank me later because there's a photo of all of us." So I thought one last record would be cool. Everybody had grown out of the separate . . . like we'll back Billy up on his songs. We'll back Barry up. That was the idea. We'll all back up each other in a cool grown up version of us.
Bob: We were all around.
Paul: And it even where - and really Susan was the driving force on this whole thing - but it got to a point where hey you write a song, you bring it in, and you say what happens to that song. And we will all . . .
Susan: We will be each other's band.
Paul: . . . produced by you.
Susan: And that's how the Cowsills will be in this round.
Paul: That's what Susan put forth and then geez time goes by.
Bob: The design of that - what they just described of that was the springboard off of that 2000 ToRI performance. Because that brought us back together and this is the kind of nugget that triggers, you know, you know what happens. But Bill was going to have an accident and he was going to just go downhill. Richard was going to go downhill.
Gail: Richard was so excited to . . .
Bob: Who knew what was going to happen? Who knew what was coming?
Susan: And so what ended up happening is we all took a big, big break because life was just like "OK whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa done." But then the earth was like "OK hold on We're still here. We can make, maybe do some of their songs. Maybe honor them. Maybe do two of B's, two of Bill's, and Johnny can write a couple and we'll make it all work. Well that wasn't getting off the ground either for whatever reason. Happy Together came along and we started the three of us touring together. And we started writing together and it was like BOOM. We were like going to the movie. Oh we have 25 minutes, what do you want to do? He'd start strumming. We'd start writing and we'd be out the door done.
Paul: It was almost like a . . .
Susan: And we didn't know that happen.
Paul: No
Susan: It was a new thing
Paul: We didn't realize it but I forget what it's called but it was kind of like a 'Beat The Clock' or something.
Susan: Speed writing
Paul: And it wasn't being rushed.
Susan: Evelyn Wood's Speed Writing
Paul: Yeah something
Susan: Not intentionally just got all on fire and he's over there (can't understand)
Paul: And me and her were "What do you think about this? What do you think of that?" and we're words are going and words are rhyming.
Bob: You mention we play live, and that's another thing we should tell the new artists that are . . . have a live act. If you have a good live act, it will sustain you though all of it because you can have that live act and you can play when there's no record company.
Susan: And we did. Over all these years
Bob: You might have a hit record, but that's going to be fleeting. That's going to last as long as the hit record does. Then what do you have? Your live act.
Susan: And you need to play - to risk
Bob: That's the other piece. Have a good live act.
Gail: So let's go into some quick fire round.
Susan: Oh I love this. Let's do it.
Gail: I have some quick fire round and I'm going to give you each a question.
Susan: I'm getting nervous.
Gail: The first time you went out of the Happy Together Tour, I'm asking Bobby this, where were you - what was the city, what was the first song you played on it, and how did you feel?
Bob: The city was in New Jersey. We opened in New Jersey. I don't remember the city. We were not openers of the show. We were in the middle of the show. The first song was "The Rain, the Park and Other Things." And the fact that we were standing in front of a sold out, huge audience on the very first night because this tour sells out. We were new to it, so we're like our jaws are on the stage floor while we were performing.
Susan: I was bawling my eyes out.
Bob: OK we have thousands of people in front of us and it's also, by the way we found out, an audience who is ready to love you. They know what we're going to sing.
Susan: We weren't expecting that.
Bob: We sing it well and they're so happy we did it well that they just . . .
Gail: And they are singing back and waving
Susan: And smiling and hugging and crying
Gail: You can't not smile
Bob: It was quite the experience.
Susan: That first show, and you know what? This first next show after this year is going to be joy because we get to walk out and say "Welcome back!"
Paul: Because what happen on the Happy Together Tour real quick is that they decided one summer, hey we'll have The Cowsills open right? They kick this thing off with a bang. And so we started opening up and we did kick it off with a bang and we were loving it because we were done. Our show was over and we got to watch all this
Susan: 20 minutes of all these songs_______ over till the end.
Paul: So we get to listen to all these great songs being done just like the record you know. You're going to get the record. And what do we love? We love the record we had.
Susan: We're out there with The Association, Gary Puckett and The Union Gap, The Buckinghams
Paul: The Buckinghams
Gail: Who is your favorite on that tour?
Susan: Oh that's not even possible . . . Associaton I'll just go with the Association. Those songs I sing. I stand there like an idiot every night and I sing with them all.
Gail: Do they ever pull you on stage?
Susan: One time when they needed a singer I was the only girl to ever perform live with them.
Paul: That's true
Susan: And it was just because they needed an extra voice
Paul: And then one time the three of us went out there with them.
Susan: And that was also very unusual for The Association. They usually have their own twelve people singing with them.
Paul: Chuck Negron
Susan: Chuck Negron
Gail: Chuck Negron of Three Dog Night
Paul: Three Dog Night I have loved that guy since '68 when he came out with "One". Because I was on the road all the time, had a girlfriend, and that song came out and I went, "Oh wow, that's how I want to end my letters. 'One is the loneliest number'" you know, so
Gail: So romantic
Susan: You??
Paul: I did. I was. I was whatever 16, 15
Susan: You're adorable
Paul: And so all of a sudden, be on the road with this guy, it was crazy. And I'm telling him my story. "Dude this is what I did. I'm so happy to be here." And at first I thought he thought maybe I was just ruffling his feathers or something cuz he was like "Ah yeah"
Susan: No, yes I think he thought you were ruffling his feathers
Paul: Like I was making fun or something, I don't know. But I certainly wasn't. And then I told him like three days later like I pulled him aside. "Dude I . . . you think I'm a nut or something but this is real for me." He goes, "OK man thanks man. I didn't know."
Susan: Now they're besties
Paul: And my bunk is here in the middle and Chuck is here so we are actually holding hands at night. Giving each other five. And then we wake up cuz Susan - what do you call it?
Susan: The morgue
Paul: When we're on the bus . . .
Gail: So tell us about this bus
Paul: Well the bus sits like 11 or 12 or 13
Susan: Sleeps
Paul: Sleeps and so there's one, two, three bunks So it's three, six, nine, twelve.
Susan: You open up the door sometime and there's like four arms as you go down and legs. Just these body parts.
Paul: And so Susan's on the top. I'm in the middle and Bob's on the bottom.
Susan: Every summer
Paul: And we all kind of like those places. So Chuck's in the middle on his so I'm a mover and he's a mover and well he's looking for food all the time. But I put my arm out one time and his arm was there and it was like "Oh wow"
Gail: Kind of coming full circle.
Bob: I have a question. How's your quick fire round?
Gail: I know. It's not really
Bob: I have . . .
Gail: Bobby I know. This interview is out of control but I'm loving it. Oh gosh, Bobby here's the question for you.
Bob: Oh I get the second question, are you already . . .
Paul: Remember this is quick fire.
Gail: No, but Paul kind of took a question.
Bob: OK go ahead
Gail: I'm teasing I'm teasing
Bob: It's your show
Gail: Were you ever mad at a family member during a concert?
Bob: Oh Oh Ok, here's the deal. We are a family. We are teenage boys. We are testosterone driven animals at times, so absolutely the answer is yes. Specifically I can give you one example. First I'll say it very quick. We were in our purple tuxedos, I don't know who said what, but eventually me, Bill and Paul are just pounding each other backstage five minutes before we are going on in Las Vegas. And we're falling through these boxes. And Mom is screaming, 'Bud stop them, stop them." And we're out of control. You can't stop us. And within five minutes of that fight we're on stage singing.
Gail: Looking at each other saying (can't understand)
Paul: Singing "Mack The Knife"
Bob: Pretending no big deal and saying "I'm going to kill that guy after the show." That kind of stuff. But it's just brothers.
Paul: It was all about a poker game, I just want to say.
Gail: So Susan, you're the little sister
Susan: I am
Gail: How protective were your brothers? You joined at seven, you joined the band? Except . . .
Susan: I think it was 8. It was two months before Ed Sullivan. How protective were my brothers? On a basic level of boys in a house and you would think the youngest and then this one girl and how precious that would be. It was not.
Gail: OK
Bob: I didn't expect that.
Susan: No it wasn't (Paul laughs) There was secular protectiveness. OK we had a big family and there was a lot going on. You just heard about three guys in a tuxedo pummeling each other in the Flamingo Hotel.
Bob: Susan's right. I met her when she was five.
Susan: Yeah but he protected me from everything.
Gail: Well that was next. I wanted . . .
Bob: She's pointing at Paul. It's radio.
Susan: It's Paul.
Gail: How protective were you of your sister, then and now?
Paul: I think, you know, I could have probably been more protective but I did the best I could. I was given responsibility of Susan, Barry and John very early in life. And they were the babies and man I tried to harbor them from harm. And have fun. So we would always put on plays and
Susan: We had the best (can't understand)
Paul: She was always Annie Oakley and I was always Tagg and . . .
Susan: Anything we wanted to do he would babysit us. He was really great.
Bob: Now Paul lived a double life within the family because he was the middle child. And yes that's his life with Barry, John and Susan but he was also navigating the life with us on the other side. The older brothers.
Paul: Yes, being brought in on all the temptation.
Bob: The music and stuff
Susan: And these two are best friends.
Bob: So he's split in two ways. Susan, I'm not familiar with Susan till later in life, I'll admit that. She blew right by me.
Susan: I was in love with him because I thought he was Robby Douglas from My Three Sons. I didn't even know who he was.
Bob: I got five brothers between me and the newborn, you know what I'm saying.
Gail: A few more questions. Paul, where do you find your motivation?
Paul: Oh man I don't know. Just the love of life I guess. I'm happy. I'm just a happy fellow.
Gail: You're just happy inside.
Paul: I am happy all the time and I got nothing to be unhappy about. And so yeah
Gail: Have you always been this way?
Paul: I believe I have.
Gail: So you're happy on stage, you're happy being a custodian, you're happy being a landscaper. Didn't they love you on the sets of Twilight and Grimm?
Paul: They DID love me on the sets of Twilight and Grimm. In fact Twilight producers found out I was there and they called me on the walky talky and I went running to set and I'm a greensman. I'm mud from head to toe. And so my boss comes up to me and he goes, "Hey they're really into the Cowsills." I go, "Cool but I got to get these trees up." And he goes, "No, no they want you to sing something." And I go "What? They want me to sing something" and he goes, "Right and pick up a guitar." So, but I'm pretty good in tight spots like this and so I said, "I'll tell you what. I'll give you a montage." And so I sang one line of every song and then said, "Man I got to get back to work."
Gail: How creative was that?
Susan: Oh him, he's a _______
Paul: Oh my God yeah. I'm scared all the time so I come up with good things.
Susan: Rapid fire
Gail: Susan, you write and you perform, what do you like more?
Susan: Uh, Uh, Uh performing, less stress. But I really enjoy writing.
Gail: Less stress than the writing.
Susan: Yeah, yeah, write this song, finish this song, record this song, where is the song, why don't you . . . Oh
This one is not as good as that . . . I could not write a song and be perfectly happy, but THEY want to be written. Performing is like run around, slap and doodle dup do do So that's it. You know what I mean.
Bob: I do.
Paul: That was the quickest fire ever.
Bob: Excuse me this is a Bobby question
(bunch of over talking)
Bob: Wait, wait I want them to hear the beginning of this
Gail: Bob you work, you tour, you are married
Paul: Five geneations
Gail: Five kids
Bob: Right, seven grandkids
Gail: You're writing, you're performing
Bob: I am
Gail: When do you sleep?
Bob: I don't. And I never have. And that's a biological comment. If you need your eight hours, you got to get them. I know need them and have to have them and I want them to have them. But I was fortunate to get . . . if I can get four hours sleep, I am your guy. And I don't need to go to bed till the next night. And if I four that night, that's fine too.
Gail: I know, you text really early in the morning. Like you were texting me at around five o'clock your time. Six. And I'm like "He's up this early?"
Bob: Because I want what I'm sending to be waiting for people when they get up.
Gail: Well I'm up so I'm sorry, I respond to it. Why is she responding?
Paul: He's probably going "Wow she's up."
Gail: Paul, so many ups and downs . . .
Paul: Yes
Gail: Would you do it all again?
Paul: Yes
Gail: Susan?
Susan: Yeah
Gail: Bobby?
Bob: Would I do it all over again? With some adjustments absolutely. Some edits
Gail: What edits?
Bob: What edits? I wouldn't have fired Artie Kornfeld after "The Rain, The Park and Other Things." I wouldn't have told The Carol Burnett Show I need $30,000 or you don't get us for the summer replacement. And they didn't give our dad the $30,000 and I wouldn't have had my dad get in an arguement with Bob Precht because we had ten Ed Sullivan shows and because he got in an argument with Ed Sullivan's son-in-law, Ed took eight shows back and we were only on twice. Any other regrets?
Susan: Yeah
Paul: And then Dad kicked Bill out of the band.
Bob: This is the regrets question?
Gail: No . . .
Susan: Would you do it again?
Bob: Oh I would it with some changes.
Susan: I would do it again just the way it is just because I'm pretty sure that's the way it was supposed to happen.
Gail: Oh my gosh. What great karma
Bob: Well there's that too
Susan: (Can't understand)
Gail: You're going to have a second occupation as a motivational speaker. That's going to be her second life, don't you think? Have her motivating between songs.
Paul: Right She thinks you might be a motivational speaker.
Gail: You are. You are so inspirational.
Paul: That right but you have another route you're gonna be going.
Susan: Yeah I'm . . . Yeah which is motivational. Teaching someone how to get out of Dodge.
Paul: It is, it is.
Gail: Well that's the last question. What's next for each of you?
Susan: When, when and I can't even imagine it ever happening, so I'll say while I'm retiring and can't do as many shows. I am . . . I like . . . I am like . . . I don't even like the phrase, I help people transition from hither to neither or near and now . . .
Paul: Crossing over
Gail: Yeah
Susan: Yeah, crossing over. I really enjoy it. It's kind of a . . . it's an alternative to being in the hospital and kind of going and being a participant of watching a situation going on with a loved one. Some people want to bring a loved one home and hospice is wonderful. But beyond hospice they only come a certain time. And beyond that some people want to be home but they're sort of scared to be home, so people like me neutralize it. And it's not scary. And by day 3, you can really go. Like "We got this." So it's really something that I didn't know I was going to like so much. It's a little strange but so am I. Paulie?
Gail: Paul?
Paul: Well I mean, with the help of these guys, I want to be like the Tony Bennett of our generation. I mean Tony is still rollin'. We want . . .I want to roll till it's over.
Susan: And I'll be (can't understand)
Gail: Do you ever go solo? Do you ever do that?
Paul: I mean are you crazy? I'm sorry, Gail. I didn't mean to say it that way but NEVER.
Gail: I've heard Bobby solo and (can't understand)
Paul: That's great.
Susan: I think she meant like Tony Bennett
Paul: I didn't mean Tony . . .
Gail: I mean single.
Paul: I, I, Hey dude, I could probably do it.
Gail: On stage with Lady Gaga
Paul: Look if I had to go up on stage and sing a song, yeah, I can do that, but we want to be Tony Bennett and so that's my. It's going to take the rest of our lives. There are so many projects still left to do that . . . so that's where I'm at. And, yeah, no solo for me. Bob said I have a . . . Bob always says "I had a cover band." And then Susan and he goes "Susan had a cover band." And he always goes, "And Paul, he's just in The Cowsills."
Susan: That's Paul's cover band.
Paul: That's my cover band.
Gail: Bob, what's next for you?
Bob: Well you know what's next for me is to navigate and be a part of this next rise of The Cowsills. To be involved in that. It's going to take our time. It's a serious thing. Start with Rhythm Of The World and do all of that. And after that, just - after it's all over and we ride the ride whatever it's going to be - I'm going to fade into the west.
Gail: I wish you'd fade . . . Can you fade and retire here in Newport?
Paul: Fade to the east. That would fading to the east.
Bob: I'm going to have five children in five different states. And I'm going to be bouncing around like a rubber ball.
Susan: (can't understand) it's not like he's going to go (can't understand)
Bob: I'll probably drop though on one of those visits. Who knows?
Gail: So we've covered the podcast. We've covered the Happy Together Cruise. We've covered the Flower Power Cruise. Happy Together Tour, Flower Power Cruise, Infomercial, Rhythm of the World. Anything else you want to share?
Susan: I'm exhausted just hearing you say it, Gail
Paul: I'd like to share something.
Susan: What?
Paul: I love Flo's Clamcakes So I just want to say that.
Gail: Oh that's a good one
Paul: She's been closed since we got here. And I understand. It's winter. Probably Memorial Day she'll open up to seven days, but man we've always loved her clam cakes. She is not open today. And because she's closed, Sun-Thurs.
Susan: (was talking through the above but I couldn't understand) That definitely through a wrench for me into the whole . . .
Paul: Or Sat-Thurs.
Susan: It was harsh. Does anyone know who owns or runs Flo's?
Paul: Flo is Flo
Gail: Yeah, yeah Thomas Rose does. We should have . . . we'll call him now and get that open.
Susan: Tell him The Cowsills are moi sad. They just can't . . .
Bob: We're leaving tomorrow.
Paul: Yeah, we love 'em.
Gail: Maybe they'll be at the airport waiting for you.
Susan: No, no but I go out about 7:45
Paul: And Flo's clam cakes are great right there but when you take them from Flo's to the airport, there's something lost.
Gail: There is something lost.
Susan: It's like a beignet in New Orleans. Just eat your ____ donut.
Paul: Right there.
Bob: You know why he knows that? Because Susan and I, we had a layover in Providence airport one time. And we had to wait for Paul for two hours and we had nothing to do, so we rented a car and went to Flo's and got the clam cakes. And we said, let's bring some back for Paul. And we brought them back for Paul. But Paul got delayed. Grease in the clam cakes . . .
Gail: They got delayed.
Bob: That's not how you do clam cakes.
Paul: Big ball of lard.
Bob: Really. Most of the time you go to Flo's
Paul: You got to have them hot off the skillet baby
Susan: I'd just like to say go to Flo's
Paul: Go to Flo's baby I remember Johnny's used to have 'em before Flo's
Gail: OK
Paul: Johnny's across the street.
Bob: Although I say the Black Pearl and their clam chowder . . .
Paul: Their clam chowder is still rockin'
Bob: . . . the best clam chowder and Gail, no, I'm talking, I eat clam chowder all over the United States of America. So this is a comparative statement.
Gail: OK that's good to know.
Bob: The Black Pearl place here, down on Banister's Wharf, their clam chowder is #1.
Gail: No, The Mooring, The Mooring won the chowder cook-off
Bob: Better than The Mooring, sorry difference of opinion.
Gail: I'm going to blind taste you when you're back.
Paul: You know what? You can't win that one
Susan: And our Mom worked at the Black Pearl. You're not . . .
Bob: Does the Mooring can their clam chowder and sell it ?
Gail: Not yet
Bob: What do you mean not yet.
Paul: Now at the Mooring are the potatoes really thick?
Gail: Oh you guys are getting me OK
Susan: At the Mooring, now we have nothing against, hello, against The Mooring so we want to say three things. Go to The Mooring,
Paul: I love The Mooring
Susan: Go to Flo's and go to the Black Pearl
Paul: Hey you make your own decisions about the chowder.
Susan: _______ go to the Candy Store and see David . . .
Gail: You can't find . . .
Susan: He loves for people to come up to him. Hey David Ray where are you? He loves that, doesn't he?
Paul: He does. He loves it more than . . .
Susan: So go see David, say hi from The Cowsills
Gail: Now you can't find a bad restaurant in Newport
Bob: (can't understand)
Paul: Right before we leave I just want to say another thing. I have a pet peeve that I got. Right and I'm going to bring it to you. Why did they move The Creamery from the shopping center on Memorial Blvd?
Susan: (gasps) Yeah
Paul: The Newport Creamery is gone from the Bellview Shopping Center
Susan: What was that about
Gail: Oh dear. I'll have to look into that for you and get back to you.
Susan: We're pretty tramatize man
Paul: Trust us. That was the old. That's what we went to ask kids.
Susan: That pretty much blew our minds.
Paul: That was the Aweful, Awful
Gail: So this trip, no clam cakes and no Aweful, Aweful
Paul: Exactly No Cabinet
Gail: You've got to come back
Paul: No Aweful, Aweful The Cabinet
Gail: The Cabinets
Susan: Yeah, we like the Cabinets
Gail: You got to come back and see Jane. You got to come back and Bob and Johnny. There's some good stuff.
Susan: Yeah we're hungry now.
Gail: OK
Paul: I'm as hungry as a bear.
Gail: Anything else. Anything else you want to add before we go. I'll end with Bob.
Bob: Just to really check out the podcast. You can find it anywhere. You can google 'The Cowsills Podcast' and . . . You're going to love the guests and our old stories. We talk about Newport. We . . .
Paul: We do
Bob: We got here. We kept saying this is podcast material, this is podcast material. Our next episode, we'll have a Newport episode. We really should.
Paul: Yeah, yeah
Susan: Ya'll guys but there's a shout out and you can reach me on Facebook if anybody out there who used to hang out with us, used to come up on the hill to listen to us rehearse on the porch. If anybody out there has any photos of that time of that hill, that house, hey, that sound like a song.
Bob: Time Life will over pay you for them.
Susan: Time Life is looking for photos. Old photos around Halidon around the time we were up there if anybody's got 'em. Facebook Susan Cowsill or Susan Broussard
Paul: Tell 'em what they'll receive Paul - a brand new car!! (laughs)
Bob: We love WDAK
Paul: Thank you
Susan: Thank you Gail
Gail: Well Leadership at all Levels questions with The Cowsills Bobby, Susan and Paul The most delightful and spirited show we have ever had in the past seven years. I can say that. Because I will say . . .
Susan: (can't understand)
Gail: Well no I need you always with Bobby here because last July when Bobby and I were on Zoom I said, "Bobby I'm so happy to see you." "This is Bobby, good morning Gail"
Susan: Yes, yes
Bob: What do you mean?
Gail: Well it was very early (laughs)
Susan: You need to catch him after a Time Life shoot.
Gail: That was my . . .
Bob: Are you saying they bring the life out of me?
Gail: They did, they did.
Bob: Honestly
Susan: (can't understand) We are so glad to be home. Thanks Gail for having us.
Gail: Thank you for being here. And hopefully we'll see you back soon.
Paul: Well so long, farewell, aufwiedersehn, goodnight . . . Happy trails . . .
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