| re: Jim's tribute to Steve Popovich - His Friend & Music Industry Legend | |
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Posted by: |
Jsteinfan 09:36 pm UTC 06/13/11 |
| In reply to: | Jim's tribute to Steve Popovich - His Friend & Music Industry Legend - Jacqueline 02:20 pm UTC 06/13/11 |
| Very touching! Thanks for sharing Jim! > > Jim wrote the following to be read by Karla DeVito at the > funeral of Steve Popovich. Steve was a man so very > important to Jim, to Bat Out Of Hell, to the history of > music and, of course, to countless friends and family he > leaves behind. > > Jim has asked me to share his thoughts with you - as you > are extended family. > > Godspeed, Steve. > Love, Jacqueline > ------ > From Jim: > > I wrote “ROCK & ROLL DREAMS COME THROUGH” in 1982 for my > one CD, BAD FOR GOOD, but had to change it when I did it > with Meat in 1993, for Bat Out Of Hell 2—as someone said, > I’ve written one song in my life—but its full of lots of > movements and about 200 hours long… > > To quote from that: > > “ONCE > UPON > A > TIME > WAS > A > BACKBEAT > > ONCE > UPON > A > TIME > ALL > THE > CHORDS > CAME > TO > LIFE > > AND > THE > ANGELS > HAD > GUITARS > EVEN > BEFORE > THEY > HAD > WINGS > > IF > YOU > HOLD > ONTO > A > CHORUS > YOU > CAN > GET > THROUGH > THE > NIGHT > > > I > TREASURE > YOUR > LOVE > > I > NEVER > WANT > TO > LOSE > IT > > YOU'VE > BEEN > THROUGH > THE > FIRES > OF > HELL, > AND > I > KNOW > YOU'VE > GOT > THE > ASHES > TO > PROVE > IT > > > I > TREASURE > YOUR > LOVE > > I > WANT > TO > SHOW > YOU > HOW > TO > USE > IT > > YOU'VE > BEEN > THROUGH > A > LOT > OF > PAIN > IN > THE > DIRT, > AND > I > KNOW > YOU'VE > GOT > THE > SCARS > TO > PROVE > IT > > > REMEMBER > EVERYTHING > THAT > I > TOLD > YOU, > AND > I'M > TELLING > YOU > AGAIN > THAT > IT'S > TRUE > > YOU'RE > NEVER > ALONE, > 'CAUSE > YOU > CAN > PUT > ON > THE > 'PHONES, > > AND > LET > THE > DRUMMER > TELL > YOUR > HEART > WHAT > TO > DO > > > KEEP > ON > BELIEVING, > AND > YOU'LL > DISCOVER > BABY > > > THERE'S > ALWAYS > SOMETHING > MAGIC > > THERE'S > ALWAYS > SOMETHING > NEW > > AND > WHEN > YOU > REALLY > REALLY > NEED > IT > THE > MOST, > THAT'S > WHEN > ROCK > AND > ROLL > DREAMS > COME > THROUGH > > THE > BEAT > IS > YOURS > FOR > EVER > > THE > BEAT > IS > ALWAYS > TRUE > > AND > WHEN > YOU > REALLY > REALLY > NEED > IT > THE > MOST, > THAT'S > WHEN > ROCK > AND > ROLL > DREAMS > COME > THROUGH, > > FOR > YOU!” > > > For me, the soul of Pops was in those words. > I also, for no specific reason, remember: > > Driving home from after a WMMR show, in a limo with Popi > and Harvey Leeds and a few other CBS big wigs & they were > saying, in 1978 mind you, that it was time to get back in > the studio: “Look guys, we sold 300,000 now—eventually > we’ll hit gold @ 500,000—that’s the time for another > record!.” I was horrified, and expressed it. They looked > at me like I was from Mars & said sarcastically: > > “Ok Mr. Record man, how much do YOU think it’ll sell?” > > And I said, not pausing, 10 million. > > Then came the storm of ridicule, mockery & reiterations of > how foolish I was. > > I basically withered under the abuse & there was a long > pause—until Pops said gently: “10 million huh? Is that > domestic or foreign?” > > God I loved him then, as I always did & would forever. > > He had family members coming to visit, & rightly or > wrongly, I thought they were from Russia or eastern > Europe. He asked me if I could write a song for them. > > I came up with “It’s Only Rock And Roll Balalaika” > > I could go on forever but I wont. I deeply loved Pops & > I’ll always cherish that I was privileged to know him. > > Steve Popovich is WHY rock n roll dreams come through. Not > TRUE, he wasn’t God, but “came through”, like offering a > rescue line or salvation. He wasn’t God but he WAS A&R and > promotion FOR HIM. > > | |
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