All language subtitles for the.doobie.brothers.let.the.music.play.2012.hdtv.x264-regret_Subtitles01_Unnamed

♪

That was the start of the
band actually going

somewhere.

We were in the fast
lane real quick.

And they were just
crumbling audiences.

They had the twin guitars.

They had the two voices
and third harmony.

And then the crowds
got way larger.

The crowds got more
animated.

So there wasn't anything
this band could not play.

♪

We were on the
road all the time.

And if we weren't on the
road we were in the

studio.

They were the number one
band in America when that

record was released.

And then Tommy got sick.

That was like a huge, a
very unsettling time for

the label and for us.

I didn't think that the
band would survive.

As it turned out,

Michael McDonald
stepped up.

Warner's did not think
that the band was going to

make it when we had the
change from Tom to

Michael.

That was a huge
musical change.

The band was changing
direction and exploring

even more different
avenues.

It was just one by one you
know the original guys are

sort of drifting away.

And at some point I just
couldn't keep them

together anymore.

I always tried to keep
them you know, come on you

know we can figure a
way through it.

We can do it.

But at a certain point
they just said really

that's it.

♪

♪

The 40 year part for the
Doobie Brothers is mind

boggling to me because my
first question is where

the hell did it go.

♪ Down around the corner ♪

♪ A half a mile from here ♪

♪ You see them old trains ♪

♪ runnin' And you watch ♪

♪ them disappear ♪

♪ Without love ♪

♪ Where would you be now ♪

♪ Without love ♪

♪ You know I saw Miss ♪

♪ Lucy ♪

♪ Down along the tracks ♪

♪ She lost her home and ♪

♪ her family And she won't ♪

♪ be comin' back Without ♪

♪ love ♪

♪ Where would you be ♪

♪ right now ♪

♪ Without love ♪

♪ Well the Illinois Central ♪

♪ And the Southern Central ♪

♪ Freight Gotta keep on ♪

♪ pushin' Mama 'Cause you ♪

♪ know they're runnin' ♪

♪ late ♪

♪ Without love ♪

♪ Where would you be now ♪

♪ - now, now, now ♪

♪ Without love ♪

San Jose is where the
Doobie brothers came

together, that's...

That's how it all started.

Myself and a friend of
mine were doing a show in

San Jose at a place called
The Gas Lighter Theater.

It was an old movie
theater.

John and I were playing
one night at a club over

there and Pat just happen
to be on the bill.

And we didn't know
Pat at the time.

Tom sang a couple
of songs.

I thought man, this guy
can play and really sing.

And here's a guy, he's an
incredible finger picker.

He's playing with a guy
named Peter Grant who was

a banjo player.

And they were doing a duo.

It was really cool.

Tom said he really enjoyed
what we did and I said the

same thing, loved what
they were doing.

And they invited me to
come over and jam some

time at the house but they
were still in the process

of like trying to put a
little band together and

maybe I would be
interested in at least

coming and hanging
out and jamming.

And we really hit it off.

Before you know if he was
you know, we were part of

the band.

He was part of
the band I mean.

San Francisco was the
center of the pop music

universe.

The Doobie Brothers came
right into what turned out

to be this sort of tail
end of that extensive run,

that string of bands.

We started getting gigs
because we showed up on

time.

It was a nice sound you
know kind of a mix between

Tom and Pat.

You know Pat was a finger
picker in those days and

did a lot of you know that
sort of music.

And Tommy was more of the
rhythm you know

chunka-chunka.

And so there was a found
there you know that was

forming in that band
already even at that early

stage.

Pat, myself and, at that
time, Dave Shogren and

later to be Tiran Porter
but we had the three-part

harmony going on which was
a big part of what we've

always done.

And then I was doing the
chunka-chunka rhythm thing

that I sort of invented
and a lot of that I give

credit to people like Bo
Diddly back in the day

giving me ideas for that.

But also trying to play
drums on the guitar while

playing guitar.

That's basically where
that kind of comes from.

So I'd be playing a song
and a way to get the drums

going was to put a lot of
percussion in how you

played the rhythm.

And then Pat would put a
finger picking part over

the top of that and we
would have the three-part

harmonies and that's kind
of what made the sound of

the band.

We actually got a really
good gig, which was the

Chateau, which was kind of
the, the signature gig

around the area, to play
that place.

The Château Liberte was a
famous outpost of

decadence and wild
behavior.

It was a biker bar on the
top of the Fulton Grade in

the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Château Liberte was a
pretty rowdy place and you

had a combination of
mountain people, hippies,

bikers, all descend on the
place whenever there was

something going on.

And it's amazing to me how
many people played that

place.

We figured you know being
local guys if we could get

ourselves in there and
start playing regularly

maybe we would get a
regular gig which we did

eventually.

It was actually very cool
place to you know have a

band start in an initial
audience awareness of the

band because then they go
tell all their friends in

Santa Cruz and wherever
else they came from, all

over the place.

We played any place that
we could play in those

days.

It was fun to get up
there and play.

I mean you were accepted
no matter what.

So it was, it was good
from the morale

standpoint.

It was also something to,
watching the crowd was

very entertaining, very
entertaining.

We did a regular gig at
Keystone San Francisco.

I think we played there on
one dollar night and all

you can drink.

We started playing gigs
with Dave Shogren playing

bass.

And that of course leads
to how did you get the

name?

Of course they didn't have
the name the Doobie's at

that, you know they were
just forming.

The band didn't have a
name.

We didn't really have a
name so were sitting

around you know getting
stoned as usual trying to

come up with a name.

We had all these stupid
names.

The guy who was in the
very back bedroom

initially was Keith Rosen.

And he said you know what.

Oh, you guys smoke so much
pot you should call

yourselves the Doobie
Brothers.

And we all went,
yeah, right.

That's, that's
really good.

Everybody's going "Ah,
it's a stupid name".

But we'll use it.

We don't have another one.

We knew it was a stupid
name to begin with but by

the time we knew how
stupid it really was it

was too late.

They cut a demo and
sent it to Warner Bros,

and they wanted to send a
talent scout up to hear

them play live.

Well, the guys were
playing like, they were a

favorite Hells Angels band
you know and they played

beer fests and [ inaudible ]
beer kegs and you know

it was one of
those wild deals.

And they play all kinds of
local, small gigs.

In San Jose State they'd
play in the student union.

They'd play at
[UNINTELLIGIBLE]

high school at the
gymnasium.

So we had a choice between
a Hells Angel party or a

Ricardo's Pizza Parlor to
take this talent scout.

We got him over to the
pizza place and he liked

the band.

Went back I guess it told,
at that time Lenny

Waronker, was
the head of A&R.

He said they're good.

Lenny kind of saw us as
being a little bit more of

a roots kind of acoustic
style band.

Kind of like a Crosby,
Stills Nash with leather

jackets.

Lenny came up to produce
the record at Pacific.

My brother engineered it,

and brought this
fledgling new kid that

was learning how
to produce,

Ted Templeman.

I didn't do justice
to the record,

but then I,

I just didn't know
how to produce enough

yet you know.

I had been an artist but I
hadn't been behind the

board that long.

And Marty our engineer was
not technically a very

good engineer.

I mean he wasn't even a
trained engineer.

So it's kind of like you
know.

The first album came out
and it was just called the

Doobie Brothers.

And the cover shot was the
Château, us standing in

front of the Château.

And it really didn't
represent what we were

like live at all.

Live, we weren't
like that.

We were pretty loud.

And we were, even though
we used all those

elements, they were used
really loudly.

When they were ascendant,
when they were on the rise

through the ranks, they
were just pummeling

audiences.

They had the twin guitars.

They had the two voices
and the third harmony.

They were stacked up to
rhythmically affect these

audiences.

There were no ballads in
the Doobie Brothers set.

During the recording they
got word from Warner Bros.

that they were going to go
out on a national tour

with Tracy Nelson and
Mother Earth.

It was going to be called
the Mother's Brother's

Tour.

We went on the road with
the band, Mother Earth,

and toured with them for a
good part of the summer in

1971.

We had never been on the
road so this was--.

♪

They had never been
out of San Jose.

I mean they had just done
local gigs and they needed

help.

They had no crew or you
know anybody to help them

go on a tour.

So my brother and I
decided we would go.

I did lights.

I had never done lights
but we did them.

Marty did the sound
mixing, you know, live.

We got back and Tower
Records had the record in

the recycle bin already
when we got home.

It was a rude reality that
it's not that easy.

We felt like we hadn't
really hit it on the first

record and that we would
maybe have a little more

luck achieving our goal if
we were to produce it

ourselves.

Big mistake.

We regrouped a little bit
after the first record.

My brother started the
second record.

So we went in the studio
and I mean we must cut 20

songs.

Out of all those 20 songs
and there was one complete

song and then one that had
been a song that ended up

being just vocals and one
guitar.

That kind of didn't work
out real well with Warner.

They didn't kind of like
the demos they heard,

the product.

And told us to hold up a
little bit and let's

rethink this thing.

They were trying to kind
of produce themselves

which is,

I don't know, it's the
hardest thing in the

world to produce yourself.

I know because I
was an artist,

and I couldn't do it.

Needless to say Warner
Bros. was not thrilled

with the results.

And so we took a few steps
back and at that point we

were getting a little kind
of falling out with our

bass player.

We changed some members in
the band at that time.

It was a four piece and
Dave Shogren left and we

got Tiran Porter,

to come up.

He was a friend of Pat's
from LA, to play bass.

I guess Dave Shogren
decided to split and I was

the only other bass player
they knew that sang.

So Patrick calls me up and
says Ty, want to jam?

Sure, because I was
starving at the time.

I needed some dough.

Okay, a working band, open
contract, no problem.

Tiran was a real pro.

I mean studio quality
player.

I had cut some tracks with
him years before but when

he got in with the Doobie
Brothers it was like a

whole new thing.

And we added a second
drummer, Michael Hossack.

We became a two drummer
band.

One night we were playing
the Château, I think it

was soon after Tiran had
first joined the band and

Mike Hossack was there
with his band.

And at one point John came
up to the rest of us and

said hey you mind if Mike
sits in with us and plays

this next set?

We kind of looked at each
other going well, that's

interesting.

He goes yeah well you
know, just something

to do.

Just something different.

And so we said okay,
it'll be cool.

So Mike got in and play
drums and he was such a

great drummer to play
with.

We knew it immediately
what a talent.

And to have this extra
drummer they are was like

suddenly, it had, the
drums were suddenly as big

as these three guitar
players.

We incorporated Mike
Hossack on drums and he

became part of the band.

That's when we became a
two drummer band, which is

something that John always
wanted to have happen,

John Hartman.

Went back to Warner's and
asked them if we could do

another record, you know
keep going.

And they said well if we
found a producer that they

approve of that they would
put us back in the studio.

They asked me if I wanted
to, they came and said do

you want to produce this?

And I said sure.

The first album wasn't
really a dog.

They just didn't record
them properly.

Lenny didn't know what to
do with the band.

When Ted took over he knew
more what to do with the

band.

Second out but we had
Michael Hossack and Tiran

and you might as well like
I said, I had Russ Conkle

and Willie Weeks because
they were just as good as

the studio cats.

So it's like a
producer's dream.

The whole record came
together really well.

Ted became the sole
producer, number one.

I think he had, I'm going
to say he had an idea of

what he thought the
band should be.

At that time, they're
writing quite a bit and

Tommy wrote the song,
Listen to the Music.

Tommy had Listen to the
Music on a tape already

completely finished.

Listen to the Music was
the first single that we

put out and that's when
the album took off.

We didn't have to do
anything to that thing

except just lay it down
and then Pat had all these

ideas to put layer upon
layer upon layer of

guitars on Listen to the
Music and like Layla or

something like that.

The playing was better.

The singing was better.

The whole concept was
better.

And having Ted as the
producer really helped you

know much more guidance
for the band I think, for

the second time around.

Even though we had it the
first time around the

direction the second time
around I think was much

more applicable to what
the band was really about.

And also it was more
sellable product than the

first one.

I wanted to bring Pat's
voice in and get a lead

vocal in there.

It was the only time ever
I think that I knew about

where there was the main
singer and then all of a

sudden something else,
like a lazy fool.

And I thought it was
really neat.

We got two singers in
there and that was sort of

a way to introduce that
there's more than one

singer in this band that
sings lead you know.

♪

♪

The Doobie Brothers just
exploded behind Listen to

the Music.

That was one of those
records of that era that

came out and was instantly
inundating the radio and

the culture and you just
heard everywhere

immediately.

That was a song we broke
before it was a hit.

We were playing it as if
it was a hit.

We were sitting around and
I hear this voice, Pat,

Pat, come down here
right now.

And it was Bruce and like
I go downstairs and he

goes listen to that.

And it was Listen to the
Music on the radio and it

was like the first time I
had heard it on the radio.

And it was like wow.

I was driving up 280 on my
way to San Francisco for

some reason.

I don't remember why.

And Listen to Music came
on the radio and I had to

pull my car over to the
side to keep from

wrecking, and just go,
that's me on the radio.

The first time I heard
Listen to the Music on the

radio I was driving
in my Volkswagen,

and it came on the
radio, and I went...

"Jesus...

that's us".

And I pulled over and I
stopped and I just

listened to it because it
was like it blew me away

that we were on, what I
considered a big deal

radio station.

It was a big deal radio
station for San Jose.

The record became a hit
and, but we had no idea

that time.

We just figured oh well
we're getting a lot of

radio play but we got
radio play on the last

record.

We'll see how
long this lasts.

A great song to start the
second album with.

It was late, it was, it
was a real thrill to hear

yourself on the radio like
that and getting regular

airplay.

That was the other big
thrill of it.

Toulouse Street, which
came out in '72 sold at

the initial time, 2.3
million from 10,000 on the

first album.

So we were in the fast
lane real quick after

that.

That was the start of the
band actually going

somewhere and actually
making a name somewhere

besides San Jose.

It was also now going
nationwide, which was a

big deal.

Jesus Is Just All Right
also went off that album.

Rocking Down the Highway
was on the album.

So there were three songs
that got airplay, Listen

to Music getting the bulk
of the airplay.

We started doing a better
class of gigs I guess you

would say.

We started working our way
up from Oakland are two

special guests and then up
to headlining finally.

It was a cool time for us
to be no actually having

some success.

To be honest with you we
hadn't really got to the

total Coliseum and
Festival stage yet.

But we started playing
better shows.

We were still in the, I
want to say we were still

in the Winnebago stage.

And then we moved on.

This all gets real fuzzy
as to when all these

things happened.

But between '72 and '73 we
went from the Winnebago

stage to the public
airline stage and by '74

we had the Doobieliner.

So it all morphed into
each other and I can't

tell you exactly when it
happened from one year to

the next.

But it did.

Bruce came to the band and
said I had this idea that

we're going to lease a
plane and fly to the gigs.

And we go that sounds
expensive.

He goes no, I got it
figured out.

Everybody will fly
together on the plane so

instead of buying tickets
for everybody crew, the

band, we'll be on the
plane together.

So we'll save a lot of
money there.

Sometimes we'll, we'll fly
in, play and then we'll

fly on to the next gig so
we'll save ourselves a

hotel room.

We don't have to have a
hotel there.

We'll just go, we can find
out that night after the

gig rather than waiting
around till the next

morning.

So he had all these
concepts about how to save

money.

Well it worked out.

In those days we put on a
hell of a big show and we

had 38 guys on the road at
one point which in those

days was a lot.

Now it's you know a lot of
big tours out, but you

know we had two airplanes
and four semi's and a lot

of guys read and I was
like 23 years old managing

the whole thing.

There's all these great
things that came out of it

not to mention party on
the plane every day, every

night, you know.

It's like you know those
are the days before

screenings anyway at
the airport.

But on our plane we would
do anything we wanted.

You know we could smoke
weed.

We had a bar you know, we,
you know, it was just

pretty much a
free-for-all.

We wanted to bring
people along.

We could bring
friends, you know,

guys would meet some girl
and she would-- we'd have

girls that, you know, on
the plane from, that would

join us and I mean it was
just this crazy you know

Hugh Hefner continuous
party going on.

You know I mean we're
trying to figure out how

we could get a hot
tub on the plane.

It was like--

Everybody came up with a
lot of ideas on their own

because the road to me was
just all-consuming.

If you weren't playing you
are trying to you know,

get some sleep or
whatever.

And, and hanging around
the pool with the guys or

you know we were a little
nutty back then sometimes.

TVs went flying out windows
and guys would drive

go-carts in the swimming
pool or what have you,

but um...

It just wasn't
conducive to writing.

So I did all my writing at
home and I wasn't at home

a lot so some period in
there the stuff got done.

Some of the tunes that I
wrote actually, some of

them got written before we
got to the album.

So I would carry
them with me.

China Grove was
one of those.

China Grove that was where
they really found this

chunky that straight ahead
rock 'n roll groove that

totally, and a lot of it
had to do with Tom's

songwriting.

Like a lot of tunes it was
written in that little

bedroom I was in and
usually I would call Teddy

up at three in the
morning, nine times out of

10 and say you've got to
hear this.

And I would just bang away
at on the guitar into the

phone and that's how that
happened.

So it was a very, very
powerful young band.

China Grove falling on
Listen to the Music and

Long Train Running these
are classic rock songs and

they really capture a kind
of spirit of this emerging

art form of rock music.

Tom Johnston,

one of the most
underrated white soul

singers in the history
of pop music, just

brilliant performances
on those records.

There was a song going
back to a rift that I love

called Osborne.

It was on their
first tape.

[ Singing ]

And he had this one little
thing and he would sing

Without Love.

And then he had this down,
Ms. Lucy down along the

track.

She lost her home in her
family and won't be coming

back.

And that was it.

And, Tommy goes I don't
know what to do.

I said well down on the
track make it about a

train and he just went,
wheels keep on turning

round, boom, within like
honestly in a few minutes,

an hour he wrote
all of that.

♪

♪

Tommy's going...
[MAKING MUSIC SOUNDS]

And Pat's going...
[MAKING MUSIC SOUNDS]

little counter melody,
which makes it work.

And that's the magic
of that band.

♪

By the time The Captain
and Me came out the Doobie

Brothers weren't
effectively anymore a part

of the San Francisco
scene.

And pretty soon we were on
the road all the time.

And if we weren't on the
road we were in the

studio.

So we made one studio, one
studio album a year and

the rest of the time we
did over 200 shows a year.

And then the crowds got
way larger.

The crowds got more
animated.

And it got more grueling
you know because we were

just constantly go, go,
go, go.

Stay up all night, you
know, kind of a crazy

lifestyle.

♪

♪

What transform them into
something more magnificent

in the public's mind was the
kind of fluke hit of Black

Water.

It surprised everybody and
it finally showed the

other part of the talent
in the band, that picking

thing that Pat does so
well you know.

And he is an amazing
guitar player.

It was the first number
one single we had which

was a big deal.

That was just stumbled out
of the album unexpectedly

to the label and the band
and was a huge radio

record completely
unexpected from this meat

and potatoes rock band.

Having a hit record like
Black Water, I think more

than anything gave the
producer more confidence.

I think I always had the
confidence that I was

writing great songs you
know, but...

Pat always had all these
orchestrating ideas and I

would just sit back and
let him go.

And it so expanded the
idea of who the Doobie

Brothers were in the
public mind that it

vaulted them into the
absolute forefront of

American rock
bands of the day.

That started getting play
on a small radio station

in Roanoke Virginia.

Somehow somebody heard
about it in Minneapolis or

something like this, if I
remember the story

correctly, and they
started playing it and

then other stations
started playing it because

in those days the DJ had
control of what was being

played.

So, yeah, that was a
number-one hit.

I mean it just broke
through any kind of

barrier.

It was not, it was not a
cliché rock hit.

It was just great music.

I always thought of
Black Water as sort of

a throwaway tune.

It's a good song but it
wasn't Another Park,

Another Sunday which was
what the original A side

was supposed to have been.

We toured with Steely Dan
part of it and we got

along famously with those
guys, especially Jeff.

Jeff would sit in and jam
with us whenever he got

the chance.

Steely Dan was opening for
the Doobie Brothers on

tour.

Being around Steely Dan,
he had a wide knowledge of

you know different types
of courts that the

Doobie's normally would
not use and, in so it was

refreshing and interesting
hearing he would try to

push those guys to try to
stretch out a little bit.

Michael Hossack and I
struck up a friendship and

he asked me if I would
like to sit in with the

band for a couple of songs
and I said sure that would

be great.

He eventually got fired
from Steely Dan and when

he did he was out on the
road with us and we said

stay.

Stay.

Come with us.

And he went sure no
problem.

What I brought to the
band was a very different

approach to playing the
guitar.

We were in the middle of
rehearsals at Kabookie

theatre in Japan town San
Francisco and Michael was

getting a bit perturbed
about some things that

were going on in the band
and he split in the middle

of rehearsals.

And Bruce, knowing Keith,
called a Keith who was in

another band that he was,
that Bruce was managing.

With Keith, he was kind of
like a kindred spirit to

Tommy.

They were really, really
good friends and he was a

really good drummer and
Keith played soulfully

Keith came in, rehearsed
the tunes, did the tour.

Keith brought with him a
little more exuberance

than Michael.

Now they had the full
Mobey Grape line up,

with the three guitars
and three voices and

that's the edition of the
Doobie Brothers that cut

Stampede.

They were the number one
band in America when that

record was released.

And then Tommy got sick.

That was like a huge, a
very unsettling time for

the label and for us.

Tommy to me was the
Doobie Brothers.

It was about to go on
hiatus because we were in

jeopardy.

I had a bleeding ulcer.

I had it in high school
but it just never was as

bad as it got to be later
on with the touring and

rock 'n roll lifestyle.

We were out promoting
Stampede and Tommy didn't

show up for the
gig in Chicago.

So we didn't
know what to do.

And we almost
canceled the gig.

Some folks in the band
were not quite sure what

to do.

And it took some
conversation to say okay,

let's, we can do this.

Without Pat the Doobie
Brothers would have been

over.

I didn't think that the
band would survive and it

was really Jeff Baxter and
some of the other guys,

Jeff and Tiran it really
said hey look, you know

we're the Doobie Brothers
and it's not just one

person you know.

We need to pull together
and you know make it

the audience if they
wanted a show and what the

situation was.

Tommy was gone.

The band's here but
no Tom Johnston.

What do you think?

And people said play.

He was very, very ill.

The illness was result of
many things including

malfeasance on his
own part.

And there was a lot of
support for him as a

collapsed important
member.

We get a few more shows
and then finally I said

you know it would be nice
to have somebody else to

come and sing some
background vocals because

of that point it was
really Tiran and I.

Jeff sang but not that
much.

Tom was having some
serious medical problems.

You can't, you can't tour
like that.

The Doobie Brothers played
everywhere where there was

an electrical outlet.

And sometimes it's just
too much.

And at least at that
particular time it seemed

like you know Tommy needed
to take some time to get

his health back.

Tommy had some good stuff
but when he started to age

his way out of the band,
the, the chord

progressions started
sounding all alike, the

same you know.

There wasn't any spark
there.

So to me the Stampede
album was a transitional

album.

It just didn't work
because I really didn't

like many of the songs.

We really needed another,
another voice.

And Jeff says well I know
this guy that sings

background for Steely Dan,
Michael McDonald.

He's great, he's a great
singer and he plays the

piano too so will have
another instrument.

So we all said hey, sure
why not.

So I got on the phone and
called Michael McDonald

and said I'm sending you a
one-way ticket.

You've got to get your ass
out here and I think

you're going to like this.

What happened was that
Tommy took a hiatus due to

health reasons and, in the
tour was booked and so

rather than cancel the
tour they just thought

they'd get somebody
to fill in.

Mike was brought in as a
backup guy vocally and

keyboard's to add, you
know fill out the sound.

So we brought Michael out
to New Orleans in early

1975, heard him sing three
notes and we went,

that's the guy!

He came in and started
singing backgrounds and

then I said hey how about
you singing you know, your

pretty soulful guy, how
about singing Take Me in

Your Arms.

So he goes okay.

So he started singing Take
Me in Your Arms which was

our single at that time.

And he blew the roof off.

I mean he, he blew our
minds to begin with and

then of course then he
went out and sang it for

the audience and it was
like, who is this Ray

Charles, Joe Cocker guy?

No one knew who he was and
he blew everybody's mind.

Bringing Michael in
allowed us to finish the

tour and gave us a
creative spark because we

went well if we got this
guy with this voice, does

he write?

Warner's did not think
that the band was gonna

make it when we had that
change from Tom to

Michael.

We were kind of sitting
around and Ted goes well

what are we going to do
here you know.

I'm not sure about Tommy.

I've been trying to get
him in but he's not

responding.

And I said well, you know
Mike got some songs.

He goes, oh, no I don't
know, you know about

bringing in another singer
at this point.

And I go well he's got a
pretty good voice Ted.

You ought to take a
listen.

And he goes, well he does,
whatever, you know.

You know I'm not, I don't
feel good about having

another voice.

He said if, if Tommy can't
do it I'd rather you

sang all the songs.

And I go well, you ought
to just maybe take a

listen you know because I
think he's really got a

very special voice.

And he's got some
great songs.

Pat, once again said Ted
you've got to hear this

guy.

You're not going to
believe this guy.

He's amazing.

So Mike came in and most
unassuming, sweetest

person on the planet.

So I sent Mike play
something maybe play

something for Ted.

And so Mike said oh, he's
all nervous you know.

He sits down at the
keyboard and he goes well

I got this one song I've
been working on.

It's not really written
yet but you know I'll play

it so Mike sits down at
the keyboard and starts

playing Taking
It to the Streets.

[MAKES MUSIC SOUNDS]

And he played, and I have
a demo of it, of Taking It

to the Streets and he
sings the same verse twice

because he hadn't written
more than one verse and it

was just him and his
Fender Rhodes.

Ted goes, oh, you know I
look at that face and he's

like oh that sounds pretty
good.

So you know all of a
sudden you know, take this

message to my brother.

And Ted's eyes go Bung.

He was the most amazing
talent, one of the most

amazing guys I've ever
been in the studio with.

He hears his voice you
know and I'm looking at

Ted's face.

He's on the other side of
Mike and I'm looking at

Ted and Ted's
looking at me going--

[MOUTHING WORDS]

We were off tour.

I brought him over here.

I had a studio and still
have a studio down in my

basement.

And we cut a few tunes
that Mike did, Mike had

written.

And I brought the tapes to
Ted and went listen to

this guy.

I had made a demo with
Tiran at his house of a

song, the most unlikely
Doobie Brothers song I

could imagine you know.

And Ted Templeman liked it
and said let's, we should

cut that.

It's something different.

Mike also added a new
dimension in terms of all

types of musicality and
chord changes and

everything else.

And it became a keyboard
band but it's really hard

to come back with a, have
a hit record when you

know, with a new singer.

And and he definitely had
the goods.

So Teddy calls.

I'm sitting
here one night.

He says where the blank
did you find this guy?

And I said great
voice, huh?

I mean I knew we had a
great voice.

My parents were singers
and I, you know, I know a

great voice
when I hear one.

And he said great voice
yeah, but have you heard

the songs he writes?

I said no I didn't even
know he wrote songs.

You know we just met him
not that long ago.

And he said well listen to
this one I just recorded.

He played me Taking It to
the Streets over the

telephone.

And I said we are
going to be okay.

And as they got to the
next album which was,

Taking It to the Streets
lo and behold Mike had

this treasure trove of
songs, and incredible

songs.

Luckily it became a hit
record and we transcended

that big change and went
on to have another great

six more years.

I remember going down to
Warner Bros.

Square there in Burbank
you know it was this

billboard that Warner Bros
had and it had the Doobie

Brothers album up there,
Taking into the Streets

was the title of the
album.

And I just parked and
stared at it for like an

hour you know.

I think I went back about
three or four times and it

took my sister back to
take pictures of it.

Because it was like 0 to
60 you know.

All of a sudden here I am
you know, my song is on a

billboard you know, the
Doobie Brothers new

release you know.

It was...

it was just almost
overwhelming really you

know.

The Doobie Brothers had
probably played out their

string of Doobie Brothers
chugging guitar hits.

Stampede was probably the
last moment for that.

He was going to be on the
other side of the bell

curve.

And to have this new
sound, this

transformation, new
singer, new material but

suddenly same band on the
charts again, no question

extended the life of the
Doobie Brothers and raised

them an entire other notch
in popularity.

The band was changing
direction and exploring

even more different
avenues.

And so that's when the
band switched sound.

I had one song on that
album.

And I came back to tour
with them for the spring

tour of Taking to the
Streets.

And we started doing that
song and a couple others

off the album.

That was a huge musical
change.

Michael is hugely
talented, Tommy hugely

talented.

Pat was able to transform
from one style to the

other with Michael and
contribute you know and

write and co-write and
do songs with both.

I think the Doobie
Brothers are about Pat

and Tommy.

And that the Michael
McDonald era

is a kind of, of...

digression.

Although of course it
was responsible for their

biggest sales and their
greatest acclaim in

their biggest audiences.

However, that success
occurred from a platform

that went from 0 to 100.

It may have gone from 100
to 150 but that he wrote

to 100, that platform that
Tommy and Pat placed the

band at was the base, the
core audience.

Pardon me, the real
Doobie Brothers.

To me it wasn't
an either or.

Again one of the things
about the Doobie Brothers

as a band, as a musical
unit, and a musical entity

that I found enjoyable,
it's probably too light a

word, that I found it
deeply satisfying was that

there didn't seem to be
any area in music where

that band couldn't go.

Tom just wasn't able to
come back and I don't

really think he
had the desire.

I think he was looking to
do something different.

I sensed that he wasn't
necessarily happy with the

direction of the band at
that point you know.

I think he was tired of
being in a band.

He wanted to try you know,
to stretch out a little

bit.

And I stayed with the band
until 1977 at which point

I said you know what, I'm
burnt out on this.

I've got to get away from
it for a while.

And I did.

You know I remember having
a conversation with him

and he said you know, you
guys go on to do whatever

you're going to do.

He said I really think I
need to take some time off

and try to figure, figure
things out for myself.

We toured some more and
came back into Living on

the Fault Line.

We pretty much recorded
that album all ourselves.

Mike and myself, we wrote
all the songs.

Patrick also wrote, Living
on the Fault Line, which

was a totally different
thing that he was used to

writing.

The Doobie Brothers began
to develop all these

incredible capabilities.

So there wasn't anything
that band could not play.

And to me, that meant that
there was no limits.

This was a grand
opportunity to do anything

and I think the Living on
the Fault Line album was a

reflection of
fearlessness.

Let's try it all.

Bands back then tended to
want to kind of stretch

their influences and bring
as many influences to bear

as they could you know on
any given record that they

did.

It was kind of the style
of times.

Mike and I were smoking a
little weed and listening

to Marvin Gaye one night
and we decided to do

Little Darling I Love You.

We went in.

We cut the track and one
of those things just

worked.

And when I got finished,
we cut the thing and we

put some vocals on it and
we all went to a Mexican

dinner and had beer and
stuff.

And we were so happy.

It was a moment that I'll
never forget.

At the time another guy
who kind of was plucked

from obscurity along with
me by the Doobie Brothers

was Bobby LaKind.

Bobby, we kind of pulled
him up on stage to play

congas on some stuff.

And so when we did Taking
to the Streets we had him

play congas on the record
which was kind of a little

signature part on the
record you know.

And so from that point on
he became a member of the

band also.

♪♪♪

The Minute by Minute
album was probably the most

fraught recording
experience of our career.

It was like pulling
teeth because Michael had

something in his head but he
couldn't communicate it to

the rest of us.

When Michael really started
to come into his own I mean

he was, he was on fire and
blossoming as a musician and

had the opportunity and
saw the opportunity and felt

that he did have a vision.

And he saw the music
going in a particular way

especially because he was
now in a lot of ways driving

the direction of the band.

And that was probably you
know, the worst period for

me as far as you know
stressing too much about

everything you know.

I was always so afraid that
if this record wasn't better

than the last one they were
going to kick me out you

know.

What a Fool Believes
fifty something takes.

In any kind of a situation
where leadership passes from

one person to another
there is always friction.

I mean I've never
had any time to be me.

It was either on the road,
in the studio, on the road,

in the studio, do publicity.

Wait a minute.

I need some time
to just breathe.

We did, we were
just exhausted.

It was the end of the year
and we had been touring our

brains out.

After Tommy left there
was a bit of a void.

We, we, he was gone.

We had this new entity that
people were not quite used

to yet.

But we still have the
opportunities to go out

and tour so we did.

We did a lot of dates.

We were pretty road
weary, pretty shell shocked,

pretty, we have been
working hard you know.

You know we're out on the
road six months at a time.

It was just a
Japanese tour we had done.

We were all getting pretty
tired and pretty burned out

and there was some
infighting going on.

The tensions, and there were
a lot of them, that I then

had to deal with, I think
that was creative input.

We were all sick of one
another and especially Mike

was sick of Jeff.

I saw things a certain way
and I you know, Jeff and I

butted heads during that
period more than, than

anyone else in the band.

You know I was in the middle
that because, it was worse

when Michael looked at me
like that because I mean

Skunk was like, might as
well have been on acid with

some of the
stuff he would play.

You know when you have this
many guys living that close

together for so long, every
band has their problems.

We ended up coming back and
John Hartman and Jeff Baxter

both left to
pursue other avenues.

Finally just got to the
point where the band had to

make another transition and
so I left and John Hartman

left.

And so the band broke up.

I thought to myself,
I can breathe again.

We didn't really know what
we were going to do at that

point.

We sort of, I had a talk
with Mike and he said well

let's get one more shot here
and see what we can come up

with.

And I get this call from
Simmons, listen we got that

hit album.

Maybe we should put the
band back together and do

something.

Really?

Oh no.

There was still that glue on
in that molecular structure

in that band that
allowed it to move forward.

As it turned out
Michael McDonald stepped up.

If it wasn't the first album
he recorded, the second

album certainly was
chock-full of Michael

McDonald hits.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

Michael, he was writing with
a lot of people, singing on

lots of, he overexposed, at
one point I was telling him,

you're singing
with too many people.

You know you're making
yourself too, too available.

But to a point it was great
because it was exposing his

voice and his style.

But I think he definitely
took us to another level

with the Grammy's who had
album of the year, song of

the year in 1979.

Not that we couldn't have
done it if Tommy had Pat you

know what I'm saying, but
Michael was really I think

more, his style of music
was more toward the Grammy

folks.

I felt badly that night.

And this is just
a personal thing.

It's that Tommy wasn't there
because it had been, I would

have not been there had it
not been for Tommy Johnston.

I would've never been on
the stage getting a Grammy.

One Minute by Minute
hit it was massive.

I can remember coming out
of a concert in San Antonio

Texas and we got into this
a motor home that we were

traveling back and forth
between the venue and the

hotel with and we got mobbed
coming out of the back of

the venue.

We couldn't move for 45
minutes because we were

literally surrounded
by screaming girls.

And we looked at each other
and went this is great.

This is also horrible.

We did some, tried out some
of the musicians and ended

up with Cornelius Bumpus who
was an old friend of mine

playing
saxophone and keyboard.

Chet McCracken who was an
old friend of Mike's playing

drums and John McFee who
was an old friend of Keith's

ended up playing the guitar.

It was really funny because
my wife was talking to Keith

Knudsen's wife, said yeah,
there's the Doobie's are

looking for a
new guitar player.

And I went down to the bands
rehearsal house in Montera

and with Keith and
auditioned and you know they

made a slip up and hired me.

McFee is a tremendous
musician and in the studio

he is an amazing talent.

We recorded as a
band in the studio.

It was all the drums, all
the basses, all the guitars

and keyboards all at once.

The only thing that was
overdubbed was the vocals.

The Doobie Brothers always
been about versatility and

pushing boundaries and you
know incorporating different

kinds of music, you know
and each other's style.

So I think doing all, you
know working with a lot of

different people sure
are prepared me for that.

One step closer.

First live album ever.

It was a great
sounding band.

We did really good
but I was burnt.

I was toastied.

And I was starting to do
cocaine in order to just get

through the freaking tours.

And by the time we got into
doing One Step Closer, I was

really seriously
thinking about quitting.

And right, but arranging the
music for One Step Closer

was a joyous experience.

It was great music.

The right in the middle of
the recording, Bruce books

another tour and I
went no, I ain't going.

Tiran Porter left the Doobie
Brothers because he was sick

of the hard work and had
lost touch with the joy of

playing music.

Tiran left after we
finished One Step Closer.

He was tired of the road and
you know just one by one the

original guys were,
were drifting away.

The drafting of a
professional session

musicians like Willie weeks
to replace Tiran Porter

makes sense from that
kind of military-industrial

standpoint.

It might have been me that
was always pushing to kind

of keep the band working.

And I just kind of felt at
that point and that maybe it

was time to give
people a break.

For me when it really
came to an end you know, Pat

called me.

I got on the phone with him
and you know we talked and

it was a really you
know pleasant conversation

albeit, you know
sad in some respects.

But he was just saying you
know Mike I just wanted to

tell you personally he goes
you know I've been thinking

about this a lot.

I've really been doing some
soul-searching and I, I just

don't think-- I can't
go on with this anymore.

You know the band has
kind of changed so much.

It's almost become more of
a LA band than the band we

started up here
in the Bay Area.

And you know we're kind
of, it just feels like we've

lost our way.

And I couldn't disagree with
anything he was saying you

know.

And I said well Pat I
totally understand you know.

He said I just wanted to let
you know that I'm going to

be bowing out of this.

I don't feel like I can
consciously be a part of it

at this point and feel you
know like it's the direction

I want to go you know.

You know I think a lot of it
has to do with the endless

touring and
recording cycles.

And at some point I just
couldn't keep them together

anymore.

I always tried to keep them
you know, come on you know

we can figure a
way through it.

We can do it.

But at a certain point
we just said that's it.

We were, we were done.

So I suggested we do this
farewell tour and go say

goodbye to the audience and
you know we had built for

over all the years and not
just leave it cold enough.

The band continued to grind
out everything they could

and play the biggest dates
and get the most money.

And when everybody was
finally just had it and sick

of it all they did
the farewell tour.

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

The Doobie did their
farewell tour in 1982.

I came there to see the band
from the audience for the

first time.

What was amazing was how
they were able to maintain

this quality and
believability and success

really I mean through all
those errors and changes in

musical style.

Most groups you know it gets
locked into a particular

style.

But the Doobie's never,
never you know kind of

barricaded
themselves in like that.

Was really difficult.

Those last couple of shows
were really hard to get

through emotionally for
us and for me especially.

It was the end of an era.

I only played on the
very last one in Berkeley.

I only played on the
very last one in Berkeley.

It was a little bit
bittersweet of course

because we knew
it was the end.

But at the same time I think
there was a kind of a relief

for all of us that we
were going to really take a

little break from all this.

You could feel that it was
not just a farewell show.

It was a second tired show.

And this is about the last
time we're going to have to

do this and we don't really
care if we ever do it again.

Even though the band
didn't work for those

years once a year we'd get
together and play in the

cafeteria for the kids at
Ronald McDonald House and

then at Stanford
Children's Hospital for

kids with cancer and
leukemia.

We did that like every
year for years and years.

And whoever could make it.

It wasn't like we had a
set group of guys that

always get it.

Sometimes it would be
certain people and

sometimes it would be
other people.

It was usually four guys
that would show up.

And we would play
acoustically for the

parents and the kids that
were well enough to come

out and listen.

And then we would go back
and talk to the kids who

couldn't come out.

You know it was really fun
and it was a great time to

get together with one
another you know, to sort

of rekindle the bonds.

We did that for a while.

They built a wing named
after us at the hospital.

And they would come
together at that time once

a year.

After that that was it you
know.

That was all they saw each
other.

And then Keith, our late
drummer, Knudsen, came to

me one day and said he
wanted to do, he read a

book about the vets.

Around 1987 Keith Knudsen
called us all up and said

would you guys be
interested in doing a

benefit show for the
veterans organization I've

become you know involved
with.

And that led, that's what
led to getting the band

back together really.

1987 Keith Knudsen called
everybody that he could

find in the band and asked
us if we would like to get

together to do a benefit
for the Vietnam vets.

And I said of course
immediately.

I then who else you got?

And he goes well I got
you.

And I talked to Tommy and
so I got the three of us.

And I said well I'm sure
that some of the other

guys will do it.

And I said you know if you
need me to make any calls.

So we all started you know
communicating and

everybody stepped right up
you know.

I think everybody was
happy about the

opportunity to get back
and play some music

together and then to
generate some funds for

such a worthy cause.

The '87 reunion was a
blessed event.

I booked the Hollywood
bowl.

It sold out I think in
like an hour or two hours.

The fastest sellout they
said since the Beatles had

played there.

And I called the guys and
I said no one wants to

hear from you, huh?

If you look at what the
Doobie Brothers did first

of all it was Keith
Knudsen's interest in

veteran charities that
caused them to get back

together and play the
Hollywood bowl and then

realize for themselves
hey, this is a hell of a

lot of fun.

This beats everything
we've been doing since we

broke up the band.

Why don't, what are we
thinking?

Everybody who had been in
the band with the

exception of Dave Shogren
came out and played.

Four drummers, one
percussionist, for guitar

players, two keyboard
players and moi.

To pull it all together,
to rehearse, get all these

guys together and flights
and so on was going to be

a little more costly.

So we better do a few more
dates to cover our overhead.

So we did some more shows
and it's been asked we're

doing these shows we
thought well, we're you

know, to put all this
together is, it's so much

work and a lot of trouble
maybe we should do some

shows and generate some
funds for some other

charities as well.

The first show happened to
be the sports arena in San

Diego and I brought Teddy
because I want to Teddy to

see them play.

And when they walked out
on stage they got like a

five minute standing
applause before they

played and then they knew
that people were still

around you know.

They still had an
audience.

And that led, those few
shows we did actually lead

to Teddy wanting, him
saying let's put the band

back together.

But he said let's put the
original band back together.

Then I went to the third
encore and sat down with

them and told them I'd
like to do something about

the band like it
originally was.

And we started to rehearse
and I got dragged out and

dragged out.

And I wanted to do the
original Doobie's like

rock 'n roll stuff you
know, and with Tommy and

the original band.

He said you know have you
guys ever thought about

reforming the band.

And I go well I said Tommy
and I actually are doing

some demos for a project
of our own right now.

He goes well I'm thinking
the original guys that

recorded Toulouse Street.

Everybody as I said wasn't
doing anything of any

major consequence
musically.

We were all playing with
somebody or doing something.

But none of that was
taking the world by storm.

And we said sure why not.

Now many years later for a
variety of reasons much of

the original core group
comes back together and

starts playing Doobie
Brothers music.

And we got John Hartman
and Tiran and Michael

Hossack and Tommy and Pat.

We got together and we
rehearsed and we had some

new material and it
sounded great you know,

with the players as we had
them in the early days.

And then we talked to Ted
and he said well I'm too

busy right now to work
with you guys.

He does maybe next year or
something.

And I don't well then I
don't think the guys are

going to want to wait
around for a year if we

don't have a gig.

Probably everybody is just
going to you know, if we

don't have an opportunity
I think everybody's just

going to want to go home.

I didn't really want to do
it.

It was going back to the
Tommy era and I was bored

with that.

You know but you guys
wanted to do it so I did it.

With me in the band it was
not really the real to be

brothers as they were in
the beginning you know

kind of guitar driven
group and stuff.

It was a departure that
worked for a while now

and, but when the band
reformed the kind of

reformed as the original
band you know.

A few days later we get a
call from Joe Smith over

at Capitol Records and he
says I hear you guys are

putting the band back
together.

And Joe had originally
signed us to Warner Bros.

when, when Ted was working
there.

And he goes I'd like first
right of refusal you know.

He said I'll match
whatever Warner Bros.

will do you know.

You guys come over to
Capital Records.

And we go well you know,
we've got this opportunity

to work with Ted.

He goes oh, well yeah, I
see where that's at.

But, so we called Ted and
we said Joe Smith wants to

sign us.

And he goes you should.

He said because I don't
know how long it's going

to take me to get it
together.

He said if you have an
opportunity go for it.

I got them a record deal
with Capitol records to do

to records.

It was like being at
Warner Bros.

because Joe was there and
because a lot of business

in the music business is
about your relationships

and who you know.

We put out the first album
and '89 which was Cycles.

It wasn't on Warner's.

It wasn't with Ted.

It was on Capital.

And they make a really
good record to start

things off.

And there is enthusiasm
and excitement within the

group about being back
together.

That was a fairly
successful record for us.

That was a great way to
come back in after being

off for a long time.

I remember that there was
some electricity to the

performance just the joy
of being the Doobie

Brothers again and being
the real Doobie's, being

the Doobie's that they
always were, not the

Doobie's that they became.

And then everybody quit at
Capitol records.

Joe Smith left, the CEO
left, the head of promotions.

So then a whole new crew
of people came in.

So then we, we did another
album, Brotherhood.

And we have nobody there
to promote it for us.

Nobody even cared about
who we were.

I think the word was from
the head of promotion, the

Doobie Brothers, they're
history.

Both of those albums came
and went and we have since

that period of time, which
is 1989, been on the

road ever since.

After our experience at
Capitol records we were

not anxious to even sign
with another label.

We figured you know why do
we beat ourselves up, work

our hearts out, write, try
really hard, go out there

and promote a record that
has no backing from a label.

So screw it.

We're not going to knock
ourselves out.

I was just sick of doing
the same thing.

Tour, record, tour,
record.

It's back to the same
shit, different decade.

So 10 years went by and we
were approached by a guy

with an independent label
at the time.

We said okay well let's
take another chance.

We put out Sibling
Rivalry.

I ended up contributing as
a writer technically on

the album.

I tried not to because we
didn't have a producer

that would be good to have
at least one of us kind

of, if you're saying hey I
think you know, I should

rewrite the bridge on a
song or make, whatever

kind of suggestions are
being made could not

possibly be construed as
jockeying to get one of my

own songs.

I remember seeing demand
in 05 watching from the

wings with Bruce Cohn just
seriously impressed at how

thunderous and powerful
the performance was and

how the material had held
up in hell Tommy's voice

was so rich and deep.

And the Harmony stacked
up, no, the band is, has

gotten better and better
and the material has

deepened, has gained a
patina over these years, a

sort of lustrous patina.

There was quite a gap
between the, you know, the

release of Sibling Rivalry
and the release of World

Gone Crazy.

I think it's pretty good
for what it is though I

mean there's good writing
there just like always.

This one is called World
Gone Crazy.

Again, a great record.

We were all very proud of
the work on this album.

It's the best album we've
done since Stampede before.

It really is, musically
speaking it's the best

album we've done.

Best songs, best lyrics,
best production, just

everything about it is
great.

One single that already
been out and that was Nobody.

We got two singles out at
the same time right now.

One of them being the
album track, World Gone Crazy.

The other one is Far from
Home.

We're still plugging away
on this record.

This is our focus right
now.

This is pretty much what
we're all about.

People are always coming
to me and saying you're

looking for a manager.

Do you know anybody that
you could help me out with?

And I, and I go you got
anybody, any friends?

You got anybody with high
school with or somebody

that you trust?

You got a brother?

And they look at you like
well yeah but you know

they're not the music
business.

And I go you don't have to
be in the music business.

When we started out nobody
knew what was going on

including Bruce.

I had no idea I was going
to be here 40 years later

in a managing these guys.

For the Doobie Brothers he
was the perfect fit.

The Doobie have had the
same manager basically

since day one, Bruce Cohn.

And Bruce is still you
know, still there at the helm.

And I think a lot of the
reason he's still there is

he's, he is like part of
the band or basically he's

like one of the gang.

He was the guy that helped
us haul our amplifiers to

the gig.

He was the guy that sat
out by the door all night

long and took the money as
people came in the door.

He was the guy that mixed,
mixed the sound.

When it was time for the
band to go on stage he was

out there mixing the
sound.

He's the guy that drove us
to the gig when we didn't

have you know our cars
were broke and we

couldn't, or it was too
far away and my car, I

didn't have gas to get
there.

He'd come and pick me up
and take me to the gig.

He's just as you know was
our, my friend you know,

our friend.

And that's how he became
our manager.

One of the first things
that makes Bruce unique is

that he's the only manager
we've ever had.

A lot of bands go through
any number of managers.

It could be anything from
two up til 10 or more than that.

I think the other thing
that makes Bruce unique is

that he started out with
it so he learned on the

fly just like we did.

So I think of was a
growing process for

everybody from the front.

I wanted to make sure we
all had some money when it

was over and not end up
broke like a lot of

artists I saw not manage
their money.

So I took it upon myself
to get help and to find

the right people to help
me, help save money and

invest money.

And I started with my
family, my mom and dads

accountant who was a funny
guy, Peter Weiss, who is a

CPA in Alameda.

And he knew nothing about
the music business.

But he kind of worked
outside the box and in

some ways he was genius in
not knowing the music

business and putting us
into other situations like

suggesting we do a pension
and profit sharing plan.

Well no band had done that
in 1972 when we did it.

People could put a portion
of their earnings are way

and save it.

And we were all encouraged
to save some of our money

in general.

We did end up buying
property in San Rafael.

A couple of restaurants, a
racquetball club.

We had a record store we
built in Santa Rosa.

Bruce was involved in
getting us there to do

those types of things
because when you play all

the time and you're in the
studio all the time

laughing the last thing
you're thinking about is

fiscal responsibility.

And just nobody cared.

Having kids really changes
your life a lot because

it's a lot of
responsibility and you

really have to focus and
stay with that if you want

to do it right.

And I really wanted to do
it right.

He would go away for long
periods of time.

Even when the kids were
babies but that wasn't

daunting either.

It was just the way it
was.

And he's always been such
an incredible person that

he would call, Tom would
call it 20 times a day.

I have some pretty fond
memories of growing up

being on tour with them
and getting the chance to

play on stage with them a
lot which has been a lot

of fun.

Ever since I was a little
kid you know they would

give me a guitar and throw
me out on stage.

Even when I was younger
and didn't know what I was

doing you know I just kind
of played along with it.

It's been pretty cool and
traveling on the tour bus

has always been fun with
the guys.

They're all really nice.

At home he's just dad.

He's just a goofball who I
like to kind of be silly with.

And he's an incredible dad
so it's funny having that

because I do feel very
comfortable around him and

just, you know he could be
any guy.

But then I do see him get
on stage and I kind of

have to step back and
pinch myself a bit.

It's like yeah that's the
same guy that I was you

know, doing silly voices
with it this morning.

They were always included,
the families and the kids.

We were on a tour bus with
Keith Knudsen and he loved

the kids and loved
wrestling with them and a

lot of pranks and, yeah,
just opening their little

curtains in their bunks
and tickling them and you

know dropping them on the
floor and giving them

sodas when they weren't
supposed to have sodas.

And so they loved it.

You know it was just a
whole other world and I

saw myself during those
years as a father more he

know more than anything
you know.

The great thing about Pat
and he loves kids you know

and I already had two kids
when I met him and it was

like well you know I have
kids.

And oh, I want to know all
about them you know and I

was like, this guys you
know too good to be true.

He likes my kids.

He wants to know, you
know, he likes kids.

So he came about a month
later, he came to visit me

and met the kids and
stuff.

And he just hit it off
with them right away.

And Josh just totally
bonded with Pat.

And I felt bad because Pat
you know Josh was just

kind of being potty
trained and he would say

let Pat do it you know.

I was like oh God I'm
sorry you have to take my

son to the bathroom you
know.

We just kind of, he had
just been hanging out you know.

And he'd say mom, Pat
would be so proud of me.

You know he'd say you know
stuff like that.

So he really hit it off
with the kids.

He's kind of the kid guy.

He still is.

Being a very small child
traveling very many places

was, was the most fun
that any little kid

could ever experience.

I'm extremely proud of him
and extremely proud of the

band and what it's done
and how long it's been in

business and it, it does
feel good to say that's my dad.

When I think of the Doobie
Brothers I mean I've known

them all for what 23 years
now.

I always think about the
charity stuff they've done

you know, they're not
trying to be like--

they're not on a big star
trip.

They just want you know,
they want to help and they

want to give back and I
think that's really important.

And I think that's, makes
me feel really proud of them.

And I had been asking
Bruce to do this for a

long time.

I think he probably put
the bug in my ear that hey

we should do a wine.

And I said Bruce we got to
do that Doobie Brothers

wine you know.

Let's do it.

And let's, let's do it for
charity.

We don't need to make
money off of it.

It'll be a signature thing
for us.

We can only do so many
charity concerts a year

and stuff but to help
raise money for charity

work, what if we took the
band's name, make a wine

and call it Doobie Red and
the like each of you know

will do a series of light
bottles that have

different album covers you
know from the band's

catalog as the labels and
the proceeds will go

towards you know
charities.

There is something there
in our DNA that tells you

what you should give, pass
it on.

So I think that's a great
part of the whole thing

that the Doobie Brothers
have done and, and the

annual 25 years now of the
fall music Festival, the

charity event.

I built an amphitheater at
the winery where we could

do this, we do two shows a
year usually in late

September, early October.

It's been a great event
for raising money for

charities one of which
is-- was a Vietnam vet and

now encompasses all vets,
not just Vietnam.

But encompasses vets from
Iraq, Afghanistan.

Get our 25th anniversary
of B.R.

Cohn Charity music
Festival and golf classic,

celebrity golf classic.

For artists and it's not
just musicians, but all

artists, if you have an
opportunity to get a

continued to pursue the
things that you love your

going to do it till you
drop.

It's just the way it is.

There's so many guys that
have been in this band

that have, have passed on.

They played you know,
Keith Knudsen, Bobby

LaKind, Mike Hossack,
Cornelius Bumpus, they

were all out there gigging
right up until the end.

Every time we step on
stage at a whole new thing

and every night it's
different and to me that's

what keeps it you know
fresh.

It is a quest.

You know you're never
going to get to the end of

the road.

After a while its just
kind of a, it's a wash you know.

It's, you have a hard time
remembering where you were.

If you're out there doing
it, we'll look up and

somebody in the band will
say where are we right now?

And this is as you got out
of town or where did we

play last night and I have
no idea.

It's just, it's in your
blood.

It's what you do.

It's what you love.

And it's a gift.

I realize now that you
know those of us who are

musicians you never get
too old to be a musician.

It's that childish part of
you.

It's a you know that one
thing that just doesn't

really change what your
age as much as other

aspects of your life do
you know.

Like I'm not going to go
out and jog tomorrow or

you know.

The greatest thing about
it is that we do seem to

make people really have a
great time.

We played really loud.

We were like a heavy metal
band with harmonies.

Tommy Johnson, Michael
McDonald, they're going to

keep creating no matter
what.

They don't stop.

I think we're playing
better now than we've ever

played as musicians and
singers.

That's just the story of
our lives.

Is there anything
specifically wanted to

talk about that you're
going to use?

Pat's actually bald and
shaves his head every day

and he has an assortment
of hairpieces.

'70's, '80's, '90's.

There's usually some point
in the day were somebody

walks up to me and goes
woo, you don't know me but

I'm your brother.