TV Show Provides Access to Songwriters

While living in Long Beach a couple of years ago, insurance agent and avocational singer-songwriter Brad Cahill was watching a public-access cable channel when he witnessed a personal first: a televised vasectomy, performed in graphic detail, close-ups and all.

The slice-of-life images made an impression on the astounded San Diego native, who was at once repulsed and fascinated by the frontier freedom of the medium. Public access enables amateurs to produce and air their own cable programs on a community channel, after fulfilling the relatively undaunting requirements of a basic course in television production. Cahill found himself conceptualizing his own public-access show, albeit one with a more benign cutting edge.

Soon thereafter, Cahill moved back to San Diego and took a job as a corporate debt collector. In July, 1991, he debuted on San Diego public access as producer and host of a local program whose close-ups are less likely to make viewers squirm: “Songwriters Spotlight,” a half-hour show devoted to words-and-music people.

In the ‘70s, Cahill was a fairly ubiquitous, if low-profile figure on the local music scene. Since returning to his hometown, the acoustic guitarist has performed the occasional gig and was a semi-regular at the Solos club in Solana Beach during that local showcase’s brief life. Although he had no prior experience in television, Cahill makes a congenial, unself-conscious host who brings a songwriter’s sensibilities to his cable show.

“Songwriters Spotlight” is produced in two formats--one for San Diego talent, one for national figures. When the featured guest is a local songwriter, the show is shot at either the Cox or Southwestern studios, and intersperses 20 minutes worth of on-camera performances with 10 minutes of chit-chat about the songwriting craft, the artist’s background and current projects.

Familiar San Diego talents who have appeared on “Songwriters Showcase” include Jerry McCann, Mark De Cerbo, Calman Hart and Paul Kamansky. Cici Porter, of the band Bordertown, will be the guest on an upcoming episode.

For segments featuring famous songwriters, however, Cahill takes the camera to the writer’s home turf. He has interviewed Steve Allen in the latter’s Van Nuys office, visited with Sammy Cahn in the the legendary lyricist’s home in Beverly Hills and talked to Allan Rich (he’s composed for Jeffrey Osborne, Patti LaBelle and James Ingram) in a North Hollywood home.

As welcome and edifying as the local spots are, it should come as no surprise that, so far, the truly fascinating schmoozes have been those with Allen and Cahn. Allen, who is in the Guinness Book of Records as the most prolific songwriter of all time (something like 4,000 songs), is perhaps best known for penning the song, “This Could Be the Start of Something (Big).” Seated behind his desk in a room festooned with career memorabilia, Allen delivers some choice tidbits.

The pianist divulges, for example, that he once brought his humorous and musical personalities together when he released jazz albums under two different pseudonyms. Both “Buck Hammer” and “Marianne Jackson” were supposed to be late, obscure African-American jazz geniuses. The cover for the latter’s album actually was a photo of Allen’s then-housekeeper seated at the ivories. Apparently, several jazz critics bit hard on the ruse.

“Some critics thought I played better when I was dead and black than white and alive,” Allen deadpans.

Allen also allowed that much of “This Could Be the Start of Something (Big)” came to him in a dream, and he merely fleshed it out upon awaking. Never at a loss for an opinion, Allen claims that the main difference between today’s songwriters and those of the ‘30, ‘40s and ‘50s is that the current professionals take a more functional approach. He cited Broadway composer Andrew Lloyd Webber (“Jesus Christ Superstar,” “Cats,” “Phantom of the Opera”) as one example.

Webber “puts together great shows,” Allen says, “and he deserves all the success he’s had. But he does not have the gift of melody.”

The gracious, 79-year-old Cahn, dapper in a dark blue suit, sat at a piano throughout his interview. With palpable relish, he played song snippets to illustrate anecdotes about a career spent writing the words for such songs as “Love and Marriage,” “Three Coins in the Fountain,” “All the Way,” “Call Me Irresponsible,” “Day by Day,” “My Kind of Town (Chicago Is),” “Second Time Around,” and “Time After Time.” Cahn’s love of the songwriting craft is tempered with the pragmatism of one who long ago became accustomed to doing work on demand.

“When people ask me what comes first, the words or the music, I say ‘the phone call,’ ” Cahn says wryly.

Later, the man who has had 87 of his songs recorded by Frank Sinatra takes Cahill through the process that produced the 1959 hit “High Hopes.” Cahn gives a frequently amusing account of the give-and-take sessions with melodist Jimmy Van Heusen, whose first couple of attempts Cahn rejected (with other lyrics, the tunes later became standards in their own right). Finally--to Van Heusen’s befuddlement--Cahn suggested that they approach the song from the perspective of the common ant. The result won the songwriters an Academy Award after Sinatra sang it to a little boy in the film, “A Hole in the Head.”

The simple production values and singular focus of “Songwriters Spotlight” place the emphasis where it belongs: on talking shop with talented people. The results are consistently entertaining and recommended to anyone interested in either the artists or the songwriting craft.

* “Songwriters Spotlight” installments are shown every Saturday at 7 p.m. on Cox Cable (Channel 24), and every Thursday at 6 p.m. on Southwestern Cable (Channel 16). For more information about the program, write to: “Songwriters Spotlight,” P.O. Box 710734, San Diego 92171.

Hard-rocking Asphalt Ballet is in Kiva Studios in Memphis, Tenn., recording a follow-up to last year’s successful, self-titled debut on Virgin Records. The project features new lead vocalist Tommy Dean, who was officially introduced to local fans at the recent San Diego Music Awards, where the band took top honors in both the Best Hard Rock and Group of the Year categories. Dean replaces former singer Gary Jefferies, who left due to--drum roll, please, for an industry cliche--creative differences!

With the exception of Dean, the current studio roll call reconvenes the same crew (including producer Greg Edwards) that wedged its way into the national rock consciousness on the strength of the single, “Soul Survive.” The video for that tune won MTV’s “Ballbuster of the Week” phone-in competition for five consecutive weeks in late 1991. The sophomore opus is due sometime later this year.

GRACE NOTES: On Friday, Sam Hinton, who has lived a double life as a folk singer and Scripps Institute oceanographer, will headline a custom-made program at Choices restaurant. With two other local stalwarts, Ken Graydon and Johnny Walker, the elder statesman of traditional American folk will perform a concert appropriately titled, “Songs of the Sea.” Cost of attending the 7 p.m. program is a mere $4.50 at the door. Choices is at 10820 North Torrey Pines Road, in the Shiley Sports Center.

BOOKINGS: (Tickets for the following concerts will be sold at all TicketMaster outlets--278-TIXS--unless otherwise specified.) U2’s Zoo TV Outside Broadcast Tour will return to San Diego on Nov. 10 at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium. Tickets ($30) go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday at all TicketMaster Oulets except May Company Stores and the stadium. Random numbered wristbands will be distributed at 8 a.m. Saturday at the San Diego Sports Arena and at all other participating outlets at 9 a.m. There is an eight-ticket limit. . . .

Friday’s MSG (the McAuley-Schenker Group, not the food additive) concert at Sound FX has been canceled because of scheduling conflicts. . . . A full slate of hard-rock and metal shows is headed to town. Those to be presented at Club 860 in Pacific Beach include Tora Tora and Doctor X on Sunday ($6.02); Little Caesar, Glory Stompers and Voodoo on Oct. 16 ($10 advance, $11 door); Bad for Good and Paris on Oct. 17 ($7.02); Bullet Boys and Electric Junkyz on Oct. 24 ($10 advance, $11 door), and Rhinobucket, Total Eclipse, and Eden on Oct. 31 ($12.50 advance, $15 day of show). The venue is at 860 Garnet Ave., and tickets can be purchased there (272-1513) or through TicketMaster.

Guitarist Johnny Winter has been booked into the Belly Up Tavern for a Nov. 4 show ($18.50). . . Steel Pulse plays Nov. 6 at the Starlight Bowl ($20 advance, $22 night of show, on sale now). . . . Last Thursday was the original on-sale date for the Nov. 6 Iguanas show featuring Screaming Trees, Luna, and Rust. Instead, tickets go on sale Friday at 3 p.m. ($10.91 advance, $12 day of show). . . . The Breeders (featuring Kim Deal) play Iguanas on Nov. 7 ($11.91 advance and night of show, on sale Saturday, 10 a.m.). . . . KMFDM will be joined by Chainsaw Kittens and Pain Emission at Club 860 on Nov. 13 ($15 advance, $16 day of show, on sale Thursday, 3 p.m.). . . . Pantera plays the Starlight Bowl Nov. 14 ($18.50, on sale Friday, 3 p.m.).

CRITIC’S CHOICE

‘Ice Man’ of Electric Blues

Blues fans who watched a recent episode of the television series “Middle Ages” (sort of a Midwest, “Death of a Salesman” version of “thirtysomething”) must have been startled to see blues blaster Albert Collins in a cameo role. The “Master of the Telecaster” played a guitarist auditioning for a band assembled by a bored businessman trying to recapture his musical youth.

Collins passed the audition, by the way--well enough, apparently, to land a gig Thursday at the Belly Up Tavern. If you’ve never heard Collins live, you owe yourself one of the rare treats in music. One week after turning 60, the venerable “Ice Man” of the Texas school should tear things up with his powerful, finger-style electric blues. The Debbie Davies Band opens the 8:30 p.m. show, for which tickets are $13 at TicketMaster outlets or at the door.