POP MUSIC SPECIAL : Was Tells It Like It Is--in the Studio

Don Was isn’t the most sought-after producer in the business because he gives artists that patented Was (Not Was) sound. In fact, each of the records he’s worked on sounds distinct.

“It seems kind of disrespectful when you start getting to artists like Bonnie Raitt or Bob Dylan or Elton John--it’s a lot of nerve to say ‘Lemme stamp my fingerprint on your forehead.’ If I have instincts as an artist, I have an outlet for it, and it’s not to dump it all over Bob Dylan’s record.”

Between sessions in a Hollywood studio with the re-formed Knack, which is led by his old Detroit buddy Doug Feiger, Was discussed some of his production experiences past and present.

Bonnie Raitt ( Was produced her “Nick of Time” album and is set to do her next one ):

“Bonnie’s record is the kind that every musician admires, because she represents the course a lot of them wish they had taken. She’s really stuck to her guns, and when she made a very strong statement with probably her rootsiest album in a long time, she achieved her biggest success. And I think every artist’s dream is to be successful with what’s closest to their hearts.”

The B-52’s (he produced half of their comeback “Cosmic Thing” album, including the single “Love Shack”) :

“ ‘Love Shack’ wasn’t even supposed to be one of the songs. The recording (of the other tracks) went so quickly that they said, ‘Well, we have this thing that’s not really done but it’s a pretty cool groove.’ When I first heard it, it was an 11-minute shopping list of lyrics, basically--nothing repeated, no chorus, just an anthology of wild lines. It was like a puzzle. So we rearranged it in an afternoon, gave it structure and cut it. No one thought anything would come of it.”

Iggy Pop ( the new “Brick by Brick” album ):

“He was a very intelligent, very funny guy. But most of the stories you’ve heard about him are true. He’s pushed the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle as far as you can go and not only lived--which most people don’t do--but he’s writing about it in a really articulate fashion.”

Elton John ( four new tracks for a forthcoming retrospective ):

“I knew he was good--anyone listening to those records can tell that they’re well-crafted--but until I really sat in a room with him and heard him sing and play the piano alone, (I didn’t know) the guy’s a genius. I mean, people really don’t know , maybe because the glitzier aspects of his persona overshadow his musical talent. But he’s one of the most talented people I ever met in my life. He’s a very nice person, a very humble, unaffected man, and a soulful musician. I hope that doesn’t get lost in what he does. People should take him very, very seriously.”

Bob Dylan (the current “Under a Red Sky,” whose production with partner David Was has stirred debate over its level of looseness):

“It was clear that there wasn’t gonna be a lot of pre-production on this record, which is OK. I doubt Howlin’ Wolf did a lot of pre-production either, and he made some pretty cool records. With Dylan, the feeling and vibe of the overall thing are as important as anything. . . .

“I don’t even know if he was aware of this, but the fact of the matter is that I learned about music from Bob Dylan. I didn’t know who Robert Johnson or Howlin’ Wolf were, I didn’t know Woody Guthrie, I didn’t know rockabilly stuff. . . . Dylan was the guy who brought all these disparate kinds of music together for people in the ‘60s.

“These guys are like tractor-trailers, pulling this heavy wagon of legend. But really we attach it in our minds to these people. And when I saw Bob Dylan, the spokesman for a generation didn’t walk into the room, just a really talented artist.

“I respected him, but it didn’t incapacitate me. It’s what you work a whole lifetime for, to be able to be in the presence of these people and collaborate with them. That’s the real reward, getting to mix with the best. Sometimes I feel like (Woody Allen’s) Zelig. It’s fantastic. It’s all I ever wanted out of life.”

Paula Abdul (Was begins work on the dance diva’s second album soon) :

“She wants to expand what she’s doing, which is a really intriguing prospect. When I first met with her about working on her next album, I said, ‘I can’t do this stuff any better than you’re already doing it. I would be imitating your records.’ She said, ‘I don’t want to go back and make that record again. Let’s do something else.’ Actually, she gave me the same answer Bob Dylan did.”