Friday, June 13, 2008

Happy Father's Day, Daddy-o's!!!


Yosi and The Superdads Father's Day salute to Musical DADS:

Yosi & the Superdads salute all the hard-working, caring & often goofy dads out there in the world of children. We know first hand what it takes to be a dad. We appreciate all you do on a daily basis for your kids & household. And so... we thought it would be great to talk to some super musical dads.

Yosi interviews rockin' musical dads...
such as:

Ralph's World,
Brady Rymer,
Daddy A Go Go,
Scribble Monster,
Hot Peas 'N Butter,
& more!

See below.

Enjoy!

Happy Father's Day!

Love,

Hey, Daddy-o Brady Rymer!

Cool rockin' daddy-o, Brady, has a wonderful new award-winning album, Here Comes Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could. At heart he's just a mushy sentimental dad.


1) How many kids do you have? Ages?
Two kids – Boy, 11 – Girl, 9

2) Best thing about being a dad?
Lots of things - here are a few-
Hearing my kids laugh together from the other room
Watching my son play baseball
Watching my daughter dance
Having a catch with them
Drawing with them
Listening to them tell stories about their day
Reading with them before bed
Walking with them to the bus stop & then later picking them up
Making breakfast & getting them ready for school

3) How does being a dad influence your music?
Becoming a dad has made me very busy - busy with living, & when I’m busy living, it usually means I’m busy writing & having fun with my music. So that’s good for me & my favorite songs have come out of this relatively new experience of bein’ a dad. Always surprising…


4) Best &/or worst Father's Day gift:
My kids like to make gifts – a drawing, a sculpture, a ?? – I get a big kick out of those!
They also love to write up little coupons good for “one free car wash”, “one undisturbed nap (hmmm?!)”, “one walk around the garden!”, “one kiss” with an expiration date of “neffer”.
Worst gift from your kid on Father’s Day…there isn’t one!

5) How are you spending this Father's Day?
We usually go to the Strawberry festival, the first of MANY carnivals that come to town in the summer. The strawberry shortcake is monumental and even though I literally can’t stomach the rides anymore, we blow our piggy banks on classic carnie games like Whack-A-Mole! I think it’s a popular father’s day destination based on the amount of dads walking around with their brand new, extra large “World’s Best Dad” t-shirts on!

6) Words of wisdom to dads:
I honestly don’t feel qualified –ask me in 20 years!
Learn how to call an audible!
be yourself, let them be themselves, trust your instincts, be present, positive & loving. Basic human stuff… I’m finding that if you just be yourself and encourage & help them be themselves, it’s all working OK for us…so far!

Yosi, with these answers, I’m sure that you now have your new kiddie smash-hit, “I’m Just A Sentimental, Mushy, Dorky Kind Of Dad!”
---(Ha! Yup, you know me Brady , I'm just doin' research.)

7) (For your kids only)...walk out of the room Robbie...is your dad (Robbie) cool or goofy?
For my daughter. She says:
“My Daddy is goofy when he sits in the middle of me & Gus (her brother) in the car & moves around. And when he plays the Flo Rida song with Gus.”


Thanks Brady!
Happy Father's Day!


Thursday, June 12, 2008

Hey, Daddy-o's ...Hot Peas 'N Butter!


Daniel and Francisco are two cool daddy-o's of Hot Peas 'N Butter. They're new CD is Hot Peas 'N Butter Vol. 4: The Pod Squad. www.hotpeasnbutter.com


DANIEL LAPIDUS
1) How many kids do you have? Ages?
One kid, age 3 1/2

2) Best thing about being a dad?
The best thing about being a dada is being able to watch my daughter experience new things, and re-living my childhood vicariously through her!

3) How does being a dad influence your music?
It's easier to write music for kids now that I'm a dad because I'm more in tune to what kids really care about.

4) Best &/or worst Father's Day gift:
The best father's day gifts are all the self crafted ones. My favorite so far is a portrait of myself autographed by my daughter (even though it looks nothing like me!)

5) How are you spending this Father's Day?
Swimming in a pond in the Berkshires, Mass. as a family.

6) Words of wisdom to dads:
Try to be there as much as you can. As corny as it sounds, it all goes by so quick. One minute they're a baby and then one day, they're treating you like a baby.

7) (For your kids only)...walk out of the room dads...is your dad cool or goofy?
I had to ask her, and believe me...she said, "cool"!



FRANCISCO COTTO:

1) How many kids do you have? Ages?
I have one, an 11 year old


2) Best thing about being a dad?
Watching my son grow and helping him deal with life's many mysteries


3) How does being a dad influence your music?
Being a dad teaches me that it's the simple things that kids love the most. I try to apply that to my music.


4) Best &/or worst Father's Day gift:
The best gift is being able to spend time with my family. I don't ever remember getting a bad father's day gift.


5) How are you spending this Father's Day?
Probably have a barbecue or maybe go out to a nice dinner with the family.


6) Words of wisdom to dads:
Communication is an important factor in maintaining a good relationship with your child. Always pay attention no matter how unimportant somethings may seem to you. It could mean the world to your child.


7) (For your kids only)...walk out of the room dads...is your dad cool or goofy?
Both!


Thanks, Daniel and Francisco!
Happy Father's Day!

Hey, Daddy-o Mr Ray!

Mr. Ray is a fellow artist from NJ I've had the pleasure of sharing a couple of stages, an occasional cup of coffee, & met his lovely wife & daughter.

Hey, Mr. Ray!

1) How many kids do you have? Ages?
Hi Yosi! Thanks for inviting me....Patti & I have one beautiful girl, Layla, who is 3 1/2.

2) Best thing about being a dad?
Being blessed with the awesome responsibility of raising a child: it's the ultimate selfless act.

3) How does being a dad influence your music?
Boy, I thought I was inspired before Layla! Now there is inspiration at every turn....

4) Best &/or worst Father's Day gift:
No 'worst' Father's Day gifts so far! =-)

5) How are you spending this Father's Day?
We're having a lot of family members at our first house this Sunday...first Father's Day we're hosting....can't wait.

6) Words of wisdom to dads:
From my song, 'First Father's Day':
They warn you like you’re goin’ to battle
You’ll never do the things you used to do
But she doesn't take away my passions
She adds a new color to everything I do

7) (For your kids only)...walk out of the room Ray...is your dad (Ray) cool or goofy?
Cool AND Goofy! Happy Father's Day to you, too, pal.....

Thanks Ray!
Happy Father's Day!
http://mrray.com/

Hey, Daddy-o Thaddeus Rex!

"Read Like a Rock Star," says Daddy-o Thaddeus Rex. He's a recent dad. Welcome to daddyhood, Thadd!

1) How many kids do you have? Ages?
Two, Gavin turns 4 in a month and my daughter, Ivy Justine, is 13 months.

2) Best thing about being a dad?
It’s the only chance you’ll ever have to be a real life superhero!!! (At least in the eyes of your kids…)

3) How does being a dad influence your music?
It’s added huge emotional depth to me as a person and that’s reflected in my music. When you have kids, you know without a doubt you would do anything for them. You’d make any sacrifice. That sort of love changes your life. Being a dad helped me find emotions I never knew I had. Those emotions get expressed in the music.

4) Best &/or worst Father's Day gift:
Best gift is time with your kids. The worst Father’s Day gift is anything you send/get mail order.

5) How are you spending this Father's Day?
Somewhere with my kids. Don’t know where, doesn’t really matter. It’ll be the best day of the year regardless!

6) Words of wisdom to dads:
Leave work early. Surprise the kids at daycare. Take ‘em out for ice cream or a movie or a trip to the park. Do it often!!

7) (For your kids only)...walk out of the room Thadd...is your dad (Thadd) cool or goofy?
I’m on the road so will have to answer for them. My kids are still pretty young and think I’m pretty cool! I hope I can maintain the status for a long time. We’ll see what happens…


Thanks, Thadd!
Happy Father's Day!

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Hey, Daddy-o, Robbie Schaefer!

XM Kids Music Director & recording artist, Robbie Schaefer, is said to be "stuck in a real tall tree" & has a "carp in the tub." What's he doing in a tub with a carp up a tree? I can't figure out. But maybe he'll tell us something about being a dad.

1) How many kids do you have? Ages?

I have three boys. Noah (14), Ethan (11), and Owen (9).

2) Best thing about being a dad?

You know that clay project that your kid made in art class? And you’re not sure if it’s an ashtray, a pterodactyl, or a self-portrait, but it says, “I love you, Dad” on the side? Love those!

3) How does being a dad influence your music?

My kids are my test market for new songs. They’re almost always right. Also, Ethan and Owen often sing on stage with me, usually stealing the spotlight.

4) Best &/or worst Father's Day gift:

Best: My son Ethan was born on Father’s Day, 1997

5) How are you spending this Father's Day?

A brunch with the boys and my parents and sister’s family. For the first year since he was born, Ethan’s birthday falls on Fathers Day again! In celebration, I plan to make him wear a diaper and not let him sleep through the night. OK, maybe I’ll just make him wear a diaper.

6) Words of wisdom to dads:

Every time your child asks you to play catch or read to them, say yes.


7) (For your kids only)...walk out of the room Robbie...is your dad (Robbie) cool or goofy?

OK, I’m at work, so I’m gonna have to answer for them. I would say I’m cool and goofy. They would say I’m goofy.

Thanks, Robbie!
Happy Father's Day!

Listen to Robbie Schaefer's Stuck in a Real Tall Tree - LIVE! on XM Kids 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Also, Robbie's music can be heard on: http://songsforkidslikeus.littlestarrecords.com/

Hey, Daddy-o's Ernie & Neal!

Rockin' Ska Daddy-o's, Ernie & Neal, rock the house!

1) How many kids do you have? Ages?
Ernie = 3 kids 7, 12, & 18
Neal= 2 kids 1 & 7


2) Best thing about being a dad?
Dominating the remote control


3) How does being a dad influence your music?
We started out before we had kids. So we got our inspiration from our nieces and nephews. Now we have 24 hour access to what kids are thinking about. We also get instant feedback on what works for them.

4) Best &/or worst Father's Day gift:
Becoming fathers was the best gift we could ever have gotten.

5) How are you spending this Father's Day?
Just hanging out with the whole family. Hopefully in a cool place, maybe with a pool!!!

6) Words of wisdom to dads:
Laugh, sing, play, and laugh laugh and laugh


7) (For your kids only)...walk out of the room dads...is your dad (Ernie & Neal) cool or goofy?
BOTH are BOTH


Happy Father's Day, Daddy-o's!

Hey, Daddy-o Ralph Covert!

Ralph Covert of Ralph's World is the rockin'-est daddy-o!
What's he doing this Father's Day? Let's see...


1) HOW MANY KIDS DO YOU HAVE AND WHAT ARE THEIR AGES?
I have a daughter Fiona (13) and my girlfriend has two daughters, Abby and Jayme (9 and 11).
2) WHAT'S THE BEST THING ABOUT BEING A DAD?
Being inspired by the kids' constant sense of wonder.

3) HOW DOES BEING A FATHER AFFECT YOUR MUSIC?
I've co-written two Ralph's World songs with my daughter Fiona- including the title cut to "Happy Lemons" and I help her with her own music now that she's a teenager. It has also recently inspired a song that's on my new album, The Rhyming Circus. Abby had been struggling with her letters and sounds, her mom asked if I would write a song to help her learn them. In fact, Abby was eventually diagnosed with dyslexia. Apparently one in every five children have some degree of dyslexia. Now that she's getting specific help, she's reading better every day! And she got her own song out of it, too: "Abby's Alphabet Soup"! But in general, it re-fuels my sense of childlike wonder.

4) WHAT WAS YOUR BEST OR WORST FATHER'S DAY GIFT?
Fiona once sent me a Father's Day card that was very simple and from the heart and that meant a lot to me.

5) HOW WILL YOU BE SPENDING THIS FATHER'S DAY?
I will be performing in Alexandria, Virginia, at a benefit to raise money for the Red Cross.

6) DO YOU HAVE ANY WORDS OF WISDOM FOR OTHER DADS?
Let your children bring out the kid in you.

7) HE WANTS TO KNOW IF YOUR KIDS THINK YOU ARE COOL OR GOOFY.
One the funny things about being a rock' n' roller and a father is that no matter how cool your job is ultimately it's just "that's Dad's work" and it's not that interesting. Happy Father's Day!

Thanks, Ralph!
Happy Father's Day!
Ralph's World

Hey, Daddy-o Eric Herman!


Cool tunes for kids by a cool, & according to at least one child ...a "goofy" daddy-o, Eric Herman:


1) How many kids do you have? Ages?

Hi, Yosi. Happy Father's Day to you!

Two girls, Evee, who is 3 and Becca, who is 5.

2) Best thing about being a dad?

Getting to know these two wonderful people and discovering their personalities and talents and sharing and experiencing life with them.

3) How does being a dad influence your music?

There are always the in-the-moment inspirations, where something happens related to being a parent, or something that your kids say, where you think, hmm, that could be a good song. That has led to a number of songs including "Hide and Go Seek with the Moon", "In the Box", "Bounce and Flap and Twist" and "Come Play" (which will be on my next album). Also, just being a part of their lives and experiencing the world from their point of view can be a great way to connect with a kids' perspective in terms of the kind of material you create for them.

4) Best &/or worst Father's Day gift:

Best: hugs, songs ("I'm so glad when Daddy comes home" and Frances England's "Daddy-O" are favorites in that vein) Worst: a tiara, liverwurst, a smelly sock (I've never received those things for Father's Day, but I imagine it wouldn't be very much fun to receive them.)

5) How are you spending this Father's Day?

We're on the road now, so we'll be going to church somewhere in the Baton Rouge area, then we'll probably hang out in the motorhome and watch a movie with popcorn and play some games together.

6) Words of wisdom to dads:

Like Lou Reed said about becoming a father, "It's the beginning of a great adventure." Buckle in and say "wheee!" through the twists and turns. Enjoy them, appreciate them, learn from them, let them be silly, recognize that they're all individuals (what works for one may not work the same for another), and try to give them tools that will help them be strong and independent and happy with who they are throughout their lives. Think of how big of an influence your parents were on you, for better or worse, and what incredible importance they had in your life... your kids will observe and usually reflect who you are and what you do, to some extent... so be kind and be careful about who you are and what you do.

7) (For your kids only)...walk out of the room Eric...is your dad (Eric) cool or goofy?

My wife interviewed my girls and apparently this is what they had to say...

Becca (age 5): "What is Daddy like?" Daddy is a boy. He has glasses to help him see. Daddy is good and nice... "Is he cool, or goofy?" He's cool and goofy. "Anything else?" I love Daddy! I will give Daddy a hug for Father's Day.

Evee (age 3): "What is Daddy like?" Nice and cute. He likes to play on his computer. "Is he cool, or goofy?" Daddy is cool and silly both... but he's not really really super cool.
(Follow up...) "Who IS super cool?" Me and Becca."Anything else?" He loves me a lot and he gives a lot a lot of good really big hugs. Daddy! I'm makin' a map for you.

Happy Father's Day, Eric!
http://www.EricHermanMusic.com

- Cool Tunes for Kids -

Hey, Daddy-o Scribble Jim!


Scribble Jim is the scribbliest Daddy-o of ScribbleMonster scribble fame. He is downright scribbleful & scribblerific. We think he's just smurfy...err scribbley.


1) How many kids do you have? Ages?
We have three really cool kids: Jameson- 15, Elaina & Cooper- 9

2) Best thing about being a dad?
Seeing the world from the perspective of my children and discovering all the things I had missed or forgotten about. Their unfettered creativity awes and inspires me. As they grow, every year I keep finding myself thinking, “This is a fun age.”

3) How does being a dad influence your music?
My kids are my muse. They inspire songs from things they say (Don’t Cry, Dance!, My Imaginary Friend) and do (Candy for Breakfast, Oh Well). As a parent, I use music as a tool to celebrate positives (I Like the Way You Share, Hooray), turn negatives into positives (Scrub-A-Dub, The Bedtime March) and just to play around (I’m a… (Anything I Like), Play the Table). There’s a song for everything; ask my kids. An awful lot of ScribbleMonster’s songs existed in our house before there was any thought of sharing – the public has been spared from many.

4) Best &/or worst Father's Day gift:
Best: Visiting with family and friends; playing games, music, sharing stories and eating good food.

5) How are you spending this Father's Day?
Visiting with family and friends; playing games, music, sharing stories and eating good food.

6) Words of wisdom to dads:
“No Good Can Ever Come of a Sleepover”, “Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child”, “Why Must Everyone Talk at Once?” and other pearls of musical parental wisdom will be available this summer on our new disc, Songs with No Character.

7) (For your kids only)...walk out of the room Jim...is your dad (Jim) cool or goofy?
Jameson: “Cool and goofy. Do I have to do this? You’re ruining my life!”
Elaina: “Both – he’s an amazing dad which makes him cool, but sometimes he likes to goof off.”
Cooper: “Goofy. Like when he tells me stories as Barney.”
Happy Father's Day, Scribble Jim!

Hey, Daddy-o!

We, Yosi and The Superdads, salute all the hard-working, caring & often goofy dads out there in the world of children. We know first hand what it takes to be a dad. We appreciate all you do on a daily basis for your kids & household. And so... we thought it would be great to talk to some super musical dads.

Enjoy the following interviews!

Happy Father's Day, Daddy-o's!!

Best,

Sunday, June 08, 2008

Daddy A Go Go Interview














Rockin' Daddy-o, Daddy A Go Go (John Boydston), has released his 6th CD, Rock of All Ages. Father's Day is just around the corner, so let's catch up with this papa John & see what's shakin':

1) You've been performing & recording kids music for many years. How did you get started & keep it up so long?
It was 10-years ago today - that I was busy working on my first CD release, and I realized then I was insane to be doing it, but I didn't care. I had been entertaining my kids with my little ditties for a couple of years (as a stay-at-home dad, I had time for this sort of thing, thanks to preschool), and after I brought my guitar and a boombox to school to entertain my son's kindergarten class, his teacher suggested I make a CD, and it sounded just crazy enough for me to think 'yeah, that sounds fun.' It was truly a labor of love and I was cool with that. I figured if I sold 100 copies to 100 future best friends, it would be worth the effort cause I had too much fun making the recording...in my basement, one track at a time, doing everything but the drums. You have to be crazy to do that at age 40 without an iota of real recording or writing experience. Then one day I woke up and found my CD "Cool Songs for Cool Kids" on Amazon.com's Top 10 BEST KIDS CD'S OF THE YEAR LIST (1999). So that was very encouraging....to say the least. 4 OF MY first 5 CD's ended up on that list, so that has been very encouraging. I still do everything with my CD's, writing, engineering, producing, recording, playing, literally everything but the art work and layout, which I hire and supervise artists to do. new - I finally starting having a guy, Jeff Bakos, mix my songs starting with my 3rd CD. He's very good and we work very well together.

Now Ten Years After, and I've just released my 6th CD, and I still think there's a bit of insanity involved in doing this. The CD's aren't any easier to make, cause its still basically me in the basement, going track by track, and the technology is harder to get my arms around, but it is still every bit as fun. I love the creative process and having an outlet to express myself that way. It has been said 'you gotta write about something you love' so following that advice and playing the music I love to play, has kept me going.

2) What are your thoughts on the growing independent children's music world?
To be honest, I don't know what has changed the most, the indie kids music scene or just my awareness of it. When I started out (1998) I was oblivious to any of it, and was slow to learn about it. I thought I had an original idea - to make family oriented rock and roll (guitar-bass-drums) music for kids that didn't sound like kids music at least on first listen. Music that if you took away the lyrics you wouldn't think it was kids music. Then about a year or two after my first release, the Dan Zanes tidal wave hit, and everyone's doing it which was great, and you had a much wider acceptance of all kinds of kids music.
But lately I've noticed a broader regressive trend back to two types of kids music, either toddler-oriented stuff, something that I have never tried to do, or music for 'tweens.' It seems like increasingly what gets all attention these days are either Wiggle's type acts or Naked Brothers band wanna bees. Have you've noticed XMKids playlist lately? They used to play a whole range of kids music....indies and all. But recently they've gone 90-percent toddler music. That next to their Disney Channel and they've got those two bases covered, Tots & Tweens. I guess that is what's selling in massive quantities, but what about the 3 -10 year olds? Check out the front page of kids section at iTunes. Every week they feature a preponderance of tots & tweens artists, most of them from Nick & Disney TV shows. And those are the supposed critics choices there, not paid placements. There's automatic acceptance by the deciders there of anything with a TV show behind it. Come to think of it, I guess I noticed this trend back in 2004 when I wrote a song called "Radio Dizzy" for my 4th CD. The lyrics are on my website, check it out. I tried to make it a funny song, but the song is based on this observation.
(Speaking of Naked Brothers Band, for the record I just want to say I wrote a song called "I Don't Wanna Go to School" back in 2004. It was the lead off song from my 4th CD, "Mojo A Go Go," for which I earned my 2nd Parents Choice Award. The NB's are much cuter than me, but I was first with that title. So nana nana boo boo.)

3) Seems you're quite a rock fan...with ACDC, Ramones & many influences. Do you enjoy any guilty pleasure music? (You know the kind you hum in the shower when no one's around.)
To be honest, I've never been a huge ACDC fan, but I heard my kids playing that song "For Those About to Rock"...and that inspired the title I ended up using "For Those About To Walk (We Salute You). A year later I wrote and recorded the song. That's why the song I did rocks hard, but doesn't sound like the ACDC song, I wasn't trying to parody them, just the title. My bigger influences on my guitar playing and the music I like to make, are people like Dave Edmunds and Rockpile, The Replacements, earlier Beatles & Stones. Creedence. The Long Ryders in the 80's. Earlier REM. Even 60' s era psychedelia, like the Nuggets Box Sets I & II I just got, I love that stuff. My iPod is a history of rock and roll, with a bunch of new bands my kids keep introducing to me that I really like. But when I start to write songs, those artists I mentioned are the styles that motivate me.
The guilty pleasure question is easy - Frank Sinatra and people of that era. I love lounge music. You spend 3 hours with headphones on trying to record a song with a guitar in your hands, and your brain and ears are toast. I set my iPod to Easy Listening, and its loaded up with Frank, Babs, old jazz, the complete Capital Records Lounge Series CD's, and my brain is on mellow and I love it. That is usually what I have on around the house. Now my kids know who all those artists are as well. We'll be in a restaurant or somewhere and one of my kids will say "Dad, that's Frank Sinatra." I love that.

4) My kids love the School Bus Driver song...especially the stops. They also dig The Root Beer Song...is that based on an actual experience? (some comparable experiences?)

Glad to hear you like those tunes, thanks. I just shot what could be the first Daddy A Go Go Video, of the School Bus Driver song. Waiting to hear back from the editors how it turned out. That song I just made up on the spot with a drummer, and was listening to it later and just said - this song is about the stops, so the Bus Driver idea was born. The Root Beer song - kids say the darnedest things and the scoundrels in the crowd always strive to say the words they think they aren't supposed to say like "Beer" in root beer, or the Dam in Hoover Dam. Kids always do that and it has always cracked me up....and I heard a kid say at some point - "I drink beer...(long pause waiting for someone to notice...)...yeah, Root Beer." It made me laugh so I thought it would be a funny song...

5) Do your boys get allowance for being in the band or do they really dig it, & think you're the hippest dad ever?
In lieu of payment for being in the band, they get to see their favorite bands when we go do shows like SXSW & Austin City Limits Festival, with an artists' pass on their wrists, so its backstage access...they love that. At ACL they were backstage for The Arctic Monkeys, The Killers, The Kaiser Chiefs, at SXSW they were front and center for Kings of Leon, Iggy Pop, Pete Townsend. Such a life.
It's funny, 10-years ago my kids thought I was a rock god cause I made CD's and did shows and gave interviews and stuff. Then about 5 years ago, it was "dad, can you not mention the kids music thing when my friends are around?" And I was cool with that, cause I knew they'd aged out of the kids music program, just like aging out of little league baseball. But now that they are teenagers and pretty good musicians - they are like to their friends 'my dad's got a guitar like that, or...my dad's on iTunes, or my dad played Lollopalooza...and to me they are like 'can I play that guitar,' 'dad my amp isn't working, can I use one of yours,' and 'heck yeah we'll learn more songs if it means going to back to Austin.' It's gone full circle, and I'm glad. I was persona non-grata for a while, which I suspect every dad goes through. Especially us more goofball-inclined dads.

What do you say boys? (Leave the room dad.)
Yosi, the kids are sleeping....I'll ask them to fill in these blanks later, but honestly doubt you'll get much of a reaction. Music has become an amazing device for me to still be a big part of their lives....we can relate on every level, either as fans, players, guitar lovers, etc. Course they wouldn't tell you all this, mainly cause they're still asleep. To me its amazing that I started doing this for them, documenting their lives in songs, etc. Now 10-years later they are still motivating me, not as children, but as players. They bring a lot of energy into the live stage mix, and they make good suggestions on arrangements and things. Its very interactive.

Max: zzzzz

Jake:zzzzzz

6) Throughout your CD's I've noticed a pattern of plenty of puns, silly jokes, & nods to rock legends. Do the kids get it? How about the parents?

I throw that stuff in cause it makes me laugh, and my hope is it makes others laugh too. If the kids don't get it, then having the parent explain it to them kind of makes it interactive between the two age groups listening. I am always explaining things to my kids when something has flown over their heads on TV, or on a record, or in a movie. Good family entertaining has always had the element of 'something for the grown-ups the kids might not get', like The Lion King, or "Toy Story." Or the Muppets. Kids loved em cause they were cute and funny, The writers always threw stuff in for the grown-ups. And kids are so smart today. When I think of the wherewithal my 8th grade son has today compared to me when I was in 8th grade, its fairly mind-boggling. So I try and play up to kids that way, not play down to them. But don't get me wrong, I do like silly. And the kids do get it. I got an email from a mom telling me I was the funniest guy in the world to her two kids because of the false endings at the end of "The Guy Who Couldn't Make a Rhyme" which closes the CD. She was kind of groaning about having to hear it so often, but her kids were amused, which of course was the point. It was nice of her to share.

7) What do you get on Father's Day?

I spoiled myself this Father's Day (came early this year) by getting a Bill Nash T63 Western Cowboy guitar. It's so retro looking and such a fine playing guitar I still can't get over it. It's like a Fender Nocaster with a big fat neck, a leather Tele pickguard, stars burned on the front of the guitar, and horseshoes burned onto the back. (guess I'll have to learn to play a solo with my teeth to show off the back of it sometime.) I'm going to put a pic of this on my website its that cool.

8) Any advice for dads?
Far be it from me to give advice to any dad, cause I feel like I've been the luckiest dad in the world by having the opportunity to be a full-time parent. I just loved it from the gitgo....there was a period of adjustment and not every day was sunshine and pixie-sticks, but it was all good. I used to be a TV news producer, and when given the chance I figured being a hands-on parent would be much more rewarding and important way to spend my time. As for future dads - just make sure you want to be a dad before you become a father. Cause you only get one shot at it, and kids need a dad, and if you have the chance to be one, be the best you can, and the saddest things to me is when someone looks back on their life and says something to the effect of 'I wish I had been a better dad.' I'm glad I waited til I was 30 or so to start having kids. I was much readier and that much more mature, which are big bonuses in the parenting department.

9) What's next for Daddy A go Go? A 7th disc? World tour?

I don't know about a 7th CD - I'm on the 2-year plan so far, and while I'm lucky enough to get good reviews on my CD's, I never get enough publicity to carry me over to the next release and I have to kind of reintroduce myself to the CD-buying kids audience. It's not easy. I might do a best of volume or two for release in 2009, then ponder a 7th disc for 2010. As for world tours, I really don't do that many live shows. I'm more of a studio creature,I love coming up with new riffs, & songs, and trying to make them sound good. And with my kids in the band, trying to schedule an event around 3 teenagers schedules is almost impossible. (Our drummer is Jonathon Paz, a family friend who is also 16, and the only person I'll ever know to have played onstage with a Beatle.) When we were rehearsing for SXSW last year, I had to cancel a practice cause everyone else in the band had strep-throat. I said 'Oi Vey, this could only happen to me...'

10) What's one of the coolest things to come from the whole Daddy A Go Go Experience?

Having Rick Derringer do a cover of one of my songs. Its a long story as to how it happened, but this guy is a living rock legend in my book and I was a big fan when I was my kids ages...and since.
The song was "Pink Floyd Saves Hugh Manatee" one of my quirkier tunes, and it was great hearing what a producer and player like Rick D did with it.
Thanks John!
Happy Father's Day!
Check out the new disc at Daddy A Go Go.