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Shortly after Roy announced that he was leaving the group,
The Foremen
appeared on The Doctor Demento radio show. This was
The Foremen in
their new configuration — Kenny, Doug, Andy and new member, Matt Cartsonis. The interview was broadcast live in L.A. from radio station
KSCA on Sunday, January 5, 1997, and it aired on
the rest of the Doctor Demento network on Sunday,
January 26th. The interview ran about 20 minutes and included 2 songs performed live in the studio. |
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The Foremen in
early 1997 |
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L-R: Matt Cartsonis, Kenny Rhodes, Doug
Whitney and Andy Corwin. |
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You can read the text of the interview below, or,
if you're on a high-speed connection, you can listen to the entire
interview by clicking here:
If you're on a dial-up, or
having trouble with the above link for any reason, use the links
in
the left-hand column below. |
Sound Files
(all MP3s): |
Interview Transcript: |
Track 1:
Start of
Interview613K
1:18 |
Dr. D: My special guests this week on the Dr. Demento Show right
here in Dementia Central with us, The Foremen! There are four men in
the Foremen. Why don't you introduce yourselves one by one?
Kenny: Surely. This is Kenny Rhodes.
Andy: This is Andy Corwin, speaking with his voice.
Doug: This is Doug Whitney.
Matt: And this is not Roy Zi... uh, this is Matt
Cartsonis.
Dr. D: Yes, we have a new Foremen, yes!
Kenny: That's right, in fact there was quite a bit of chat on
the web for awhile there about the imminent demise of The Foremen and
I'd like to say that that's premature.
Dr. D: The Foremen are alive and are looking very well, thank
you, all in their identical suits, just like the Highwaymen or the...
Kenny: Exactly! Or the Nutty Wanderers, or the other great folk
luminaries of that period.
Andy: We always make a point of wearing them on the radio,
because it helps us coordinate.
Dr. D: Yes, indeed. And we played a lot of the Foremen's songs
on the radio, things like "Do The Clinton" and "Firing
the Surgeon General" and we might have played this one a time or
two too, so we'll bring this one on, and then we'll talk to The
Foremen some more. I know the election is over, but there's another
one comin' up, so this is still a good song here. The Foremen on the
Doctor Demento show.
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Track 2:
Don't Vote1.2MB
2:33 |
Plays "Don't Vote" from "Sing It Loud."
Lyrics
words and music copyright ©
1994 by Roy Zimmerman
Watunes (BMI) adm. by Bug Music
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Track 3:
More interview1MB
2:17 |
Dr. D: The Foremen on the Doctor Demento show. That's from an
earlier album, the second album that The Foremen did called
"Sing It Loud," a live album, and it hasn't been available
for awhile. I understand it's coming out again.
Kenny: That's exactly right. It's on Metaphor Records and it
should be available, I'd say in the next couple of months.
Dr. D: Yay! All right, 'cause that is an excellent album.
Andy: We're bringing it back from the great beyond.
Kenny: It was one of those songs, too, "Don't Vote"
that takes to task something we learned a couple of months ago. We
went to both political conventions. We were invited to one of them.
And we went to Chicago thinking it was very ironic, anyway, that we
were out in Chicago trying to put forth this progressive agenda, and
Clinton was just there to sell his record.
Dr. D: [laughs] OK, you guys got together some 4-5 years ago?
Kenny: Just about, right.
Dr. D: ...and when I first became aware of you, we were
singing, oh, kind of a true life parody of the early 60s folk revival
movement.
Kenny: Exactly.
Dr. D: But it seemed like when you started doing more political
material that your career kind of took off, so to speak.
Kenny: That's right. We got on to some of those best hit lists
in the country.
Dr. D: You struck a nerve, shall we say.
Kenny: Yes we did.
Dr. D: And that was one of your earlier political efforts there.
Kenny: Exactly.
Dr. D: OK.
Kenny: And since then, the biggest change that's gone, that I
alluded to earlier, is that Roy Zimmerman who founded the Foremen and
writes our material, and continues to write our material, he has
announced that he's going solo. He'll be doing his own career, and we
now have Matt Cartsonis here...
Matt: That is me. Hi!
Kenny: ...and he'll be leaping into Roy's breaches, if you
will.
Dr. D: Let me get this straight. So Roy is going to continue to
write.
Kenny: That's correct. We're still The Foremen and we'll still
be doing the Foremen material and we'll probably be doing some new
Foremen material as soon as Roy tells us what it is.
Dr. D: But Roy is off there, kind of doing a Brian Wilson
number.
Kenny: Exactly.
Andy: In fact, we bought him a sandbox for Christmas so he
can... never mind.
Dr. D: OK. Well, Roy is not here, but the Foremen of today are,
so...
Kenny: He wanted to come, but there's just no damn room.
Dr. D: Ok, well you got your guitars cranked up...
Kenny: Yeah, let me introduce to Matt Cartsonis for those of you
who know everybody else in the Foremen. Matt comes from Phoenix,
Arizona...
Matt: No, Richfield Park.
Kenny: Close enough... and he has played with every major
musician in the United States and some outside...
Matt: Sometimes musically.
Kenny: ...but since a man shouldn't be judged by his
professional career solely, Matt, why don't you tell 'em a little
something about your personal background?
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Track 4:
Family Values994K
2:07 |
Matt: Well, it all started with a-one, two, three, four...
The Foremen perform "Family Values" live in the
studio. (Matt sings the first verse.)
Lyrics
words and music copyright ©
1991 by Roy Zimmerman
Watunes (BMI) adm. by Bug Music
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Track 5:
More interview700K
1:29 |
Dr. D: HeeHaw!!! The Foremen, on the Doctor Demento show, live,
right here in our studio.
Kenny: And that song is not on any dang album, so it's just for
your listeners.
Dr. D: Oh, yes, well just wait 'til the bootleggers get a hold
of it. Well, you guys are pros, and...
Kenny: Well, not everyone, Matt's a con...
Dr. D: When you started doing your political songs, did you have
a feeling that you maybe were going to have some influence on the
actual course of the history of America?
Kenny: Well, we're content having a little influence on our own
lives. We haven't had any up to now.
Andy: I look at it this way... there are close to, what, 5 billion
people in the world. And I like to think that if we can just have an
influence on 4 ½ billion of 'em, we've put in a good day's work.
Dr. D: OK, well, maybe the next time you sign a record deal it
will be with a really big record company that you deserve.
Kenny: [Laughs] It's a very nice thought of you. Thank you,
doctor.
Dr. D: Maybe you'll even start your own. Well, there's another
song from the "Sing It Loud" album that we've played a number of times
on the show and it's about something that might even be bigger than
politics in America: The Internet!
Andy: Ah...
Kenny: Here's to it.
Dr. D: You're telling me you get quite a reaction from this
song.
Kenny: Absolutely, in fact, this is one of the songs that's,
it's what we call a perennial. It's been around for a lot of years.
Dr. D: It is one of your more timeless songs.
Kenny: Absolutely.
Dr. D: I mean even if Clinton hadn't gotten reelected, this song
would be just as relevant as it ever was.
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Track 6:
Lazin' In the Shade1.6MB
3:25 |
Plays "Lazin' In The Shade" from "Sing It
Loud."
Lyrics
words and music copyright ©
1994 by Roy Zimmerman
Watunes (BMI) adm. by Bug Music
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Track 7:
More interview161K
0:20 |
Dr. D: "Lazin In the Shade of the Information Highway," The
Foremen from the "Sing It Loud" album. And The Foremen are
my guests, live here in Dementia Central. Say "live."
Foremen: LIVE!
Andy: And darn glad about it!
Dr. D: And they will be singing another song for your listening
pleasure, right here in Dementia Central in just a moment.
[break for commercial]
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Track 8:
More interview217K
0:27 |
Dr. D: I'm Doctor Demento and here with me are The Foremen, live
in Dementia Central. You have another song for us!
Kenny: We do! It's always nice to visit the doctor. In deference
to your audience, who we know likes unreleased albums, songs and the
like, here's another song that's not on any album. This was inspired
by a group we bumped into in Idaho. But I think the song explains
itself.
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Track 9:
Grandpa, Why?998K
2:07 |
Kenny: It features Doug Whitney and Andy Corwin.
The Foremen perform "Grandpa, Why?" live in the
studio.
Lyrics
words and music copyright ©
1995 by Roy Zimmerman
Watunes (BMI) adm. by Bug Music
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Track 10:
Interview wrap-up865K
1:50 |
Dr. D: [laughs] An extra twist on the American family, from The
Foremen on the Doctor Demento show. Do you guys have day jobs?
Kenny: We have nothing but day jobs. In fact, Matt and I just
came from the longest day job of our lives. We've been transcribing
our butts off.
Dr. D: Well, The Foremen have been entertaining us in the studio,
and look for the Foremen to come to entertain you in your town,
because they're good. They might write a new song just for your town.
Kenny: You never know.
Andy: We're gonna be out there this summer, we'll be out on the
road.
Doug: We're working on one already.
Dr. D: And let's give out some addresses, and email addresses
and things like that, so that people can get in touch with you guys.
[The Foremen then give out an email and snail mail
address that are no longer current, so I won't post them here.]
Dr. D: That was Kenny Rhodes.
Kenny: That's right.
Dr. D: And Doug Whitney.
Doug: Hey!
Dr. D: And Andy Corwin.
Andy: Hey there!
Dr. D: And Matt...
Matt: Cartsonis! Come on!
Dr. D: Yes, all the way from Phoenix. The Foremen on the Doctor Demento show.
Kenny: Can I just say, Doctor, that I've been listening to you
since I was 13 and I have never missed a show.
Dr. D: And you're still 13 in spirit.
Kenny: Thank you.
Dr. D: The Foremen on the Doctor Demento show. Stay Demented!
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Note from Joan:
The "Sing It Loud!" album referred to in the above interview is no
longer in print. However, 8 songs from "Sing It Loud!" are available on "The Best of the Foremen," which can be
ordered at RoyZimmerman.com
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Much
thanks and appreciation to The
Dr. Demento Show
and Talonian Productions for allowing me to post the transcript
and audio for this interview.
Special thanks to Jeff Morris for his
help in providing and formatting the sound files.
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