Rocker John Oates introduces the controversial question of our time. Is Die Hard Christmas … [+]
Photo by John Oates
Of the silly debates we’ve created over the holidays, none offer more silly conversations than these two:
Is Die Hard a Christmas movie?
When should you start listening to Christmas Music?
After I saved the famous John Oates statue of Hall & Oates for my podcast, I had to find out what Rock & Roll Hall of Famer was thinking. And I believe he put the nail in the chest on the Die Hard debate.
“If Hollywood can bring Die Hard Hard into the Christmas Playlist they will,” said Oates, who has just been released.Christmas song. ‘”[Die Hard] set at Christmas time. Why not? Is there a tree visible? Is there snow? Is there lights on someone’s house? If so, he deserves it. ”
As for Christmas music, a genre that is played more regularly in the summer, Oates jumps to the “Old Fashioned” scene the day after Thanksgiving Day. And if there’s one person who can be considered an authority on Christmas music, it’s Oates. The Hall & Oates home for Christmas records hit the right notes for fans, and their Jingle Bell Rock video lives up in the folklore of music.
But what could still go down as Oates ‘best Christmas song is his latest single, which is Oates’ recording of Mel Torme Classic ”Christmas Song. ”And he did so on GarangeBand.
Christmas song. You recorded this on Apple’s GarageBand. What was that process like?
There is nothing like playing with a live band in a studio. But during this Covid period, that has been a problem. In the meantime, I have developed my home writing studio. In the modern era with the power of smart and amazing computers, I started making music like many of the young pop artists right on your laptop. It’s a different way of creating. On his new record, Paul McCartney played every instrument on his own at home. He loves to play with a band, but there is something cool about focusing on things the way you want to.
Listening to the song, it doesn’t look like it was recorded at home. Looks like you were in a horrible studio.
It belongs to the amazing pro tools at our finger tips, such as Pro Tools, Logic and GarageBand. And it’s also about being in a recording studio for 50 years making records. I know how to make records. I played a lot of organic instruments, the guitars and when I played the drums, I programmed a drum loop using a keyboard to replace the keys on the drums themselves. The track itself is so simple. There is guitar, bass, drums and tiny piano effects. I didn’t want to make too much of it. When you’re at home alone, you have no one to rule you in and tell you, ‘it’s time to stop; you already have 400 synthesizers. ‘You have to have some self-restraint.
Where did the inspiration for the Christmas Song come from?
After being lonely and in addition to our friends and family, I wanted to reach out to people in some way. I was thinking, what about I just make a music Christmas card? The first person I sent the song to was my good friend John Esposito, CEO of Warner Music, and he said it was my favorite version of the song except Frank Sinatra. And I didn’t think he was going to impress people, and he said, ‘you have to release this. ‘When he told me that, I put the wheels in to get out.
What is your favorite Christmas song?
There have been so many. White Christmas by Being Crosby is probably one of the greatest songs ever played. I love the Rockabilly Christmas stuff. Brenda Lee Rockin ‘Around the Christmas tree. And the Jingle Bell Rock course.
To listen to the full interview on it Fred Minnick Show le John Oates, download the program on Apple Podcasts, or keep an eye on it YouTube. Follow Fred Minnick on Instagram or sign up for his newsletter at FredMinnick.com.