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CBC
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Canadian producer Bob Ezrin on elevating Pink Floyd, taming KISS and leaving the U.S. behind
Social Sharing Bob Ezrin's resumé is as impressive as it is diverse. Over his five-decade career, the legendary Canadian music producer has worked with dozens of artists, from Alice Cooper and Jane's Addiction to Taylor Swift and Andrea Bocelli. "Most people don't understand what I do for a living," he told CBC's Ian Hanomansing in a wide-ranging interview. "You're dealing with extremely talented, often very high-strung people or complicated people, and you're trying to get the best performance out of them you possibly can on every level." For Ezrin, that work has included concept development, co-writing, arranging and sound design. But it has also required getting more intimate with a band, with Ezrin often playing the role of psychologist, confessor or protector — sometimes all in one day. That work often came at a personal cost — from being individually called out in reviews to a falling-out with an "apoplectic" Roger Waters — but his collaborations have helped create genre-defining releases, like KISS's slick Destroyer from 1976 and Pink Floyd's transcendental 1979 concept album The Wall. Now, as he celebrates receiving a Governor General Arts Award for Lifetime Achievement, the 76-year-old musical icon reflected on everything from recording with Pink Floyd to reworking KISS's sound — and why he decided to renounce his U.S. citizenship. WATCH | Ezrin explains his role: Bob Ezrin explains the role of the producer when making music 8 minutes ago Duration 0:37 Inside the recording process for The Wall One of Ezrin's career highlights came while recording The Wall. He fondly remembers working with guitarist David Gilmour when he played the iconic first solo on Comfortably Numb, one of the band's most iconic songs. Gilmour's two solos on the track are consistently regarded as some of the best of all time. Ezrin says he recognized the power of that first solo as soon as Gilmour started playing along with the track. "I did get tears in my eyes. It just blew me away," he said. "Like, it's so majestic and so melodically perfect and so serves the story, you know, in a way that just regular orchestration or other things like that could never have done." WATCH | Being in the room for Comfortably Numb: What was it like to be in the studio for the Comfortably Numb solo 8 minutes ago Duration 1:10 That moment of perfection came during a famously acrimonious period for Pink Floyd. Main lyricist Waters had started to assert his primacy within the band, Ezrin said. The project was based on Waters's life, so he had a deep, proprietary feeling about it, and was at first resistant to input from the others. 'No points for Ezrin' Even with the tension, Ezrin says there were some good times — "laughter, kibitzing, messing around" — as well as some schoolyard bullying. "There was a lot of picking on me," said Ezrin. "One day I showed up after we had taken a break and everybody had 'NOPE' buttons, N-O-P-E. And what it stood for was 'No Points for Ezrin.'" (Points meaning royalties for the album sales.) "I didn't think it was that serious, and later on I found out that they were more serious than I thought," said Ezrin, who noted that in the end he did get paid for the project. When the album wrapped, Waters and Ezrin had a major falling-out, after Ezrin inadvertently gave away some secrets about The Wall tour to a Billboard journalist. "Roger went absolutely nuclear, apoplectic," said Ezrin. "And he had every right to." The relationship between the two men has never fully recovered, and the rift may have deepened in recent years, with Ezrin even regretting parts of The Wall. "There are some parts … I wish I hadn't done," he said, calling elements of the album "almost neo-fascistic." The album includes fascist imagery to portray the protagonist's downward spiral, as he eventually hallucinates being a neo-Nazi leader. Ezrin says he used to think the references were done satirically, but he now believes Waters wasn't joking. "He wasn't kidding. He really wasn't kidding about some of that stuff," Ezrin said. In recent years, Waters has been accused of repeated antisemitism, with witnesses claiming to have heard him make derogatory references to Jews. He has publicly denied being antisemitic, and has repeatedly said that The Wall is anti-fascist. Tweaking an iconic band's image While Ezrin's production is primarily well regarded by fans and peers, critical reception hasn't always been positive. He laughs when he recalls the first time he worked with the band KISS, on their fourth studio album, Destroyer. "The first review for Destroyer was just devastating," he said. "And in fact the reviewer said something like, 'I've got a mind to go up to Toronto and punch Bob Ezrin in the nose on behalf of KISS fans everywhere.'" This sort of thing used to happen because he was often hired to change the direction of a musical act, he said. WATCH | How Ezrin made KISS get vulnerable: How Bob Ezrin convinced KISS to soften their image 8 minutes ago Duration 1:03 For KISS, Ezrin was brought in to try and broaden their audience, which he said at the time was largely "15-year-old pimply boys." He told the band they needed to show a more vulnerable side to generate interest from "the girls of America." That included reworking the song Beth, changing it from what he called a "screw-you" kind of song to a "gentle, sweet" ballad that was almost lullaby-like, adding in a piano melody and a walking bass line. He also worked to make the overall sound more polished than the band's earlier albums. It was a huge departure for KISS. And while the alterations did anger some die-hard fans, the plan worked. Destroyer became the first KISS album to be certified platinum. Returning home to Canada Ezrin says he is grateful to be recognized with the Governor General's Award. It coincides with a major move for him — he announced in February he'd be renouncing his U.S. citizenship and returning to Toronto, after four decades of living in the States. The political climate had become too polarized, he said. Several months in, he says he's comfortable with his decision. As for what his American friends think, he joked, "Many of them want to be adopted." WATCH | Ezrin on the U.S. political climate: Bob Ezrin renounced his U.S. citizenship and returned to Canada 8 minutes ago Duration 0:56 Music producer Bob Ezrin tells The National's Ian Hamomansing how his American friends reacted to his decision to renounce his U.S. citizenship and return to Canada. Now, at 76, he continues to work. He recently finished an album with the original Alice Cooper Band, and he is wrapping up a project with the English rock band Deep Purple. "Sometimes I have to sort of pinch myself. Because I just do what I do," he said. "But I really appreciate the recognition and I appreciate being appreciated.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dave Navarro Claims There's ‘No Chance' of Jane's Addiction Reunion
Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro has apparently put to bed any hopes of further shows from the group, claiming there's 'no chance' of them playing live together again. Navarro's comments came about in a recent interview with Guitar Player where the famed musician looked back on the best and worst gigs of his career. More from Billboard Nessa Barrett Announces 2025 Australian Arena Tour Sombr Announces 2025 Australia and New Zealand Headline Tour Eddie Vedder Covers Springsteen's 'My City of Ruins' After Trump Clash In the latter category, Navarro turned to the band's last run of shows in 2024, noting that some of those gigs were his favorite, with the group working together in perfect unison. 'If you combined Grateful Dead and Radiohead, there were moments like that — just weird, experimental jams that we'd never done before as a band,' he claimed. However, it's Jane's Addiction's final performance, at Boston's Leader Bank Pavilion on Sept. 13, that takes the dubious honor of being his least favorite. That show made headlines last year when frontman Perry Farrell threw a punch at Navarro during a rendition of 'Ocean Size.' Navarro walked off stage following the incident, ending the show early, and soon after, Jane's Addiction announced the cancellation of the remainder of their tour dates. The announcement included a statement signed by Navarro, bassist Eric Avery, and drummer Stephen Perkins highlighting the 'behavior and the mental health difficulties of our singer Perry Farrell'. According to Navarro, the incident is 'still very tender and unresolved,' with the guitarist taking care not to be 'naming names and pointing fingers' while speaking to Guitar Player. 'There was an altercation onstage, and all the hard work and dedication and writing and hours in the studio, and picking up and leaving home and crisscrossing the country and Europe and trying to overcome my illness — it all came to a screeching halt and forever destroyed the band's life,' he explained. 'And there's no chance for the band to ever play together again.' Much of the sadness around the unexpected and unfortunate end to Jane's Addiction relates to the fact that the shows prior to their final performance were some of Navarro's favorite. 'I'll just say that the experience prior to that gig, when we were in Europe and gelling, really, for the first time — because at our ages, in our 50s and 60s, everybody's done what they're gonna do, and we weren't competitive with each other — we were getting along,' he explained. 'There was no ego issue; it was just four guys making great music, just like we did in the beginning. I was just us on a stage, with people going f–king crazy. 'And that gig, September 13th, in Boston, ended all of that,' he added. 'And for that reason, that is my least favorite gig that I have ever played.' In the wake of Jane's Addiction's final gig, Navarro, Perkins and Avery have reportedly been working on new music together, though it's unclear exactly what form this will take. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dave Navarro on Jane's Addiction: 'There's No Chance to Ever Play Together Again'
The post Dave Navarro on Jane's Addiction: 'There's No Chance to Ever Play Together Again' appeared first on Consequence. While the future certainly didn't look bright for Jane's Addiction following an onstage fight between singer Perry Farrell and guitarist Dave Navarro this past September, Navarro has seemingly put the last nail in the coffin for the legendary alt-rock band in a new interview. As previously reported, Farrell shoved and punched Navarro onstage toward the end of Jane's Addiction's September 13th show at Leader Bank Pavilion in Boston, ending the concert abruptly. The singer was pulled off the guitarist by Cleary and bassist Eric Avery, who then landed a couple of punches on Farrell. It was later reported that moments later, Farrell punched Navarro again backstage, this time in the face. The band subsequently canceled the remainder of the tour, which was the first outing featuring all four classic members of the band — Farrell, Navarro, Avery, and drummer Stephen Perkins — in 14 years. Farrell apologized for the incident, with his wife Etty Lau Farrell reporting that the singer had sought medical help after the meltdown. In a new interview with Guitar Player magazine, Navarro was asked to name the best and worst gigs of his career. The best was having his musical hero Lou Reed perform with his covers band Camp Freddy. The worst was that Boston show on September 13th, 2024, with Navarro noting, 'There were a couple of gigs on this last run that we did last year in Europe with Eric Avery back on bass that were some of my favorite Jane's Addiction gigs of all-time. There was no bullshit: No props. No nothing onstage. No dancing, no pyro, and no gimmicks. It was just the four of us and some colored lights, and we were playing the songs, expanding on them, and getting in a kind of weird.' He continued, 'If you combined Grateful Dead and Radiohead, there were moments like that — just weird, experimental jams that we'd never done before as a band.' Popular Posts Trump Warns Springsteen: "He Ought to Keep His Mouth Shut Until He's Back Into the Country" New Reality TV Show That Sees immigrants Compete for US Citizenship Has Backing of Trump Administration: Report Holy Shit, You Have to See Footage from System of a Down's Concert in Brazil First Look at Nicolas Cage and Christian Bale in Madden Movie Morris, Alligator in Happy Gilmore, Dead at Over 80 Years Old Bruce Springsteen Gives Trump the Middle Finger with Another Defiant Concert Subscribe to Consequence's email digest and get the latest breaking news in music, film, and television, tour updates, access to exclusive giveaways, and more straight to your inbox.
USA Today
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Dave Navarro on reuniting with Jane's Addiction after Perry Farrell fight: 'No chance'
Dave Navarro on reuniting with Jane's Addiction after Perry Farrell fight: 'No chance' Show Caption Hide Caption Jane's Addiction concert ends in band dust up A Jane's Addiction concert in Boston ended when band members got into a fight. Former Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro isn't looking to get the band back together anytime soon. Navarro, who comprised the Grammy-nominated rock band alongside singer Perry Farrell, bassist Eric Avery, and drummer Stephen Perkins, opened up about the future of the band after an explosive onstage altercation between him and Farrell derailed the group in September 2024. The band's infamous Boston concert, part of a long-awaited reunion tour, came to a shocking halt when Farrell punched Navarro, according to concert footage shared by fans at the time. Farrell was restrained by crew members and a man who appeared to be Avery as he threw punches and was pulled away from Navarro. "I have to say that's my least favorite gig, without throwing animosity around and without naming names and pointing fingers," Navarro told Guitar Player in an interview published May 17, adding that the situation is "still very tender and unresolved." While the cause of the fight remains unclear, concert photographer Brian Mackenzie said in a statement at the time that Farrell "had a huge bottle of wine with him all evening," while "Navarro and Avery kept chatting with each other the whole show and seemed angrier than normal." Prior to the conflict in Boston, Navarro said the band had been "gelling, really, for the first time" while touring in Europe. "There was no ego issue; it was just four guys making great music, just like we did in the beginning," he said. "There was an altercation onstage, and all the hard work and dedication and writing and hours in the studio and picking up and leaving home and crisscrossing the country and Europe and trying to overcome my illness — it all came to a screeching halt and forever destroyed the band's life," Navarro continued. "And there's no chance for the band to ever play together again." Jane's Addiction split, explained: Perry Farrell punches Dave Navarro during concert Days after Navarro and Farrell's altercation, Jane's Addiction revealed to fans that it was canceling the remainder of its tour to "take some time away as a group." But in a follow-up joint statement, Navarro, Avery, and Perkins cited Farrell's behavior as the reason for the cancellation. "Our concern for his personal health and safety as well as our own has left us no alternative. We hope that he will find the help he needs," the musicians said. "We can see no solution that would either ensure a safe environment onstage or reliably allow us to deliver a great performance on a nightly basis." Farrell apologized to Navarro and his bandmates in a statement shared with USA TODAY in September 2024: "Unfortunately, my breaking point resulted in inexcusable behavior, and I take full accountability for how I chose to handle the situation." Jane's Addiction cancels tour after Perry Farrell, Dave Navarro fight This isn't the first time Navarro and Farrell have had friction. In July 1991, the men got into a fight mid-performance while playing at the inaugural Lollapalooza festival. Apart from the single "True Love," released five days after Navarro and Farrell's altercation, Jane's Addiction has not released any new material. In January 2025, Avery teased in an Instagram post that he was writing new music with Perkins and Navarro, though he did not specify if the collaboration was for a Jane's Addiction project. "The experiences are there, but the potential of having those types of experiences ended that night," Navarro told Guitar Player. "And so, you know…it is what it is. And that's my answer." Contributing: Jay Stahl and Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY
Los Angeles Times
26-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Cindyana Santangelo, actor and model who lived the ‘party rock star life' before getting sober, has died
Cindyana Santangelo, a philanthropist, model and actor who made memorable appearances in music videos for Young MC and Jane's Addiction and had roles in 'ER' and 'CSI: Miami,' died Monday at a hospital near her Malibu home, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department confirmed to The Times. The Los Angeles County Fire Department was called to a home on Westlake Boulevard in Malibu for a medical emergency around 7:15 p.m. Monday, the sheriff's department said in an alert. She was taken by paramedics to a hospital where she was pronounced dead. The cause of death is unknown; an autopsy is pending. Sheriff's homicide investigators are assisting deputies from the Los Hills Sheriff's Station with the continuing investigation, as is routine when the cause of death is unknown. Born Cindy Lehrer in 1967 in Manhattan, per IMDb, she was raised in Los Angeles. She started out as a dancer, appearing in various music videos in the late 1980s and early 1990s, including Young MC's 'Bust a Move' video. She also delivered the Spanish-language introduction to the 'Juana's Adicción' tune 'Stop' in a Jane's Addiction video, leading frontman Perry Farrell to later describe her to Spin magazine as 'the Latin Marilyn Monroe.' As Cindyana Lair, she appeared on 'Married ... With Children' as Jiggly Room dancer Sierra Madre. She married Frank Santangelo in 2001 and was the mother of two boys. Her LinkedIn page lists her as the director and chief executive of Mermaids Cove Malibu, described as an all-women's luxury sober living facility. In what appear to be documentary or reality-show promos based on Mermaids Cove, Santangelo described herself while discussing why she chose to help others. 'I'm Cindyana. I'm a great mommy, a wife, a daughter, a friend, a CEO — and a recovering addict,' she says in one video, adding later, 'I had kind of the party rock star life, but I ended up as sort of, everybody knows, a low-bottom junkie. 'When I had the blessing to get clean and sober this time,' she says, 'I realized that there was a niche in this market of recovery for people like me. That someone like me could touch only a certain ilk of women, that they would believe it and hear it only from me.' Santangelo spoke with The Times in 2008 when she was offering up what was then her home in Malibu Cove Colony as an August rental, asking $55,000 per month. Regis Philbin and his wife, Joy, were interested, she said at the time. Santangelo's friends remembered her online Tuesday and Wednesday. 'My heart aches as I write this. I'm still in shock and disbelief. How can you be gone??? ... Malibu was your paradise, where your soul danced with the tides and your laughter blended with the sound of the waves,' Cynthia Banuelos wrote on Instagram in a post mourning Santangelo's passing. 'You had a heart as vast as the ocean, a spirit as free as the wind, and a love that ran deeper than the blue depths you adored. Frank and the Boys (Dante & Lucci), were your reason for living.' 'Swim free, my beautiful mermaid. Until we meet again,' she added. 'Head of the Class' actor Kimberly Russell chimed in on Banuelos' post, writing in comments, 'my beautiful Cindyana …. an angel in life …. this is shocking rest in peace …' 'No no no! This is impossible,' German actor Xenia Seeberg wrote in comments. 'We just spoke a few days ago and planned together for Thailand and Istanbul and how we would see each other again much more often…! I am in complete shock. What happened to my beautiful sister??? Much too early to rest in peace.' 'I am devastated of this horrific news,' Samantha Bennington, wife of the late Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington, said in comments. 'We were just about to celebrate her for her birthday!!!! This is a huge loss, not only for us as her family and friends, but for the entire community!!!! You will forever be in our hearts and we're here for you all Frank and the kids. We are here for you.' Bennington also put up her own Instagram post where she thanked Santangelo, saying, 'you wrapped your arms around me and accepted me and loved on me as a friend the very first moment you met me I'll never forget you for welcoming me into your tribe ... heartbroken.'
