EXCLUSIVE:
By Liam O'Toole
29 June 2012
29 June 2012
A quick Q&A...
Copyright 2012, Blarney Stone
NARGE SILVERS
Q: Your new solo record, "Nudeling," seems to be a return to your acoustic fingerpicking roots. What prompted the sonic trip down Memory Lane?
A: A dear friend in his mid-eighties recently remarked that after 62 years of marriage he's just now "got ma to sleep in the nude."
Q: Was your friendship with Tony Danza the inspiration for the song, "Land of 1,000 Danzas"?
A: Bruce Springsteen is the genesis for "Land of 1,000 Danza's." This is a long story and I need to get a running start......
I've always been a big fan of Bruce and an even bigger fan of vocalist and bandmate Patti Scialfa. As luck would have it, I met Patti or so I thought at Paul Lynde's coming out party in East L.A. in 1982. In a strange twist of fate reminiscent of George Harrison/Patti Boyd/Eric Clapton, I found myself alone in the darkened upstairs balcony with Bruce's girl, the lovely Miss Scialfa. With the help of three Scotch and sodas, minus the soda, I drew close to this forbidden nymph and whispered "now who's The Boss?" To which she replied, rather surprised, "Ed Weinberger?" Long story short, I had very nearly put the proverbial move on none other than Marilu Henner the female lead in Taxi. Dim the lights even slightly and it's amazing the resemblance. Terribly embarrassed, we managed to laugh it off and ended the evening menage a trois with Tony Danza.
Q: What music are you currently listening to?
A: After Bruce Hornsby charted with "The Way It Is," I started listening to classical music. I rarely listen to anything else although I do long for a Scats III reunion.
Q: You've been an avid painter for years. How would you best describe your style? Do you have any plans for a gallery exhibit in the near future?
A: In 1969 while most of the world partied at a place called "Woodstock," I spent three days painting with Bob Dylan. We talked, we painted, we hunted mushrooms, and generally had a grand time of it. When it was time to leave, Bob gave me a piece of advice that has served me well for over thirty years. I'll be damned if I can remember it.
Q: Is there any truth to the rumour that the Little Blue Men plan to enter "Britain's Got Talent" as a double-Dutch jump-roping squad?
A: No truth whatsoever. We played Ready, Steady, Go and that's quite enough. Despite "keeping our feet on the ground" and "reaching for the stars," it was not our shining moment. Burt had stayed out the entire night before partying with Jewish friends at a place called the "Gaza Strip". At about the third hour, they began eating Matzah balls like they were hushpuppies. On a stringy bed of Loksa these fried Farfels would wreak holy havoc twelve hours later on Burt's already sensitive digestive system. Needless to say, his leaving the RSG stage midway through "69 Reasons To Stay," and mere moments before his high harmony line "Like Spoons In A Drawer," did not bode well for victory. If I recall correctly, we finished second to a group from Minsk called FlagPole.
Q: You famously began work writing songs for "The Lion King" with Sir Elton John before being replaced by Tim Rice. How far into the process did you get, were any songs actually recorded, and what led to Rice replacing you?
A: Another dear old friend Fergus McAllister from East Bartonshire, Scotland and now in his eighties as well, was always seen going around with Bertie Fraser. At every function there'd be Fergus and Bertie. Inseparable it seemed. Then one day as abruptly as wind meets wave in the North sea, he was with Catherine. Catherine MacTierny of Kirkcaldy. I asked the lads, "what happened to Bertie?" "The word is," they replied, "Bertie didn't want to go as far as Fergus did." "Aah, I see" I said. "Which tells me quite a wee bit about Catherine."
Does this answer your question?
Q: What are your thoughts on the upcoming movie about your career, "A Kipper in the Alley"?
A: Burt and I couldn't be more pleased. It feels surreal, really. "Our story will finally be told!"
A: A dear friend in his mid-eighties recently remarked that after 62 years of marriage he's just now "got ma to sleep in the nude."
Q: Was your friendship with Tony Danza the inspiration for the song, "Land of 1,000 Danzas"?
A: Bruce Springsteen is the genesis for "Land of 1,000 Danza's." This is a long story and I need to get a running start......
I've always been a big fan of Bruce and an even bigger fan of vocalist and bandmate Patti Scialfa. As luck would have it, I met Patti or so I thought at Paul Lynde's coming out party in East L.A. in 1982. In a strange twist of fate reminiscent of George Harrison/Patti Boyd/Eric Clapton, I found myself alone in the darkened upstairs balcony with Bruce's girl, the lovely Miss Scialfa. With the help of three Scotch and sodas, minus the soda, I drew close to this forbidden nymph and whispered "now who's The Boss?" To which she replied, rather surprised, "Ed Weinberger?" Long story short, I had very nearly put the proverbial move on none other than Marilu Henner the female lead in Taxi. Dim the lights even slightly and it's amazing the resemblance. Terribly embarrassed, we managed to laugh it off and ended the evening menage a trois with Tony Danza.
Q: What music are you currently listening to?
A: After Bruce Hornsby charted with "The Way It Is," I started listening to classical music. I rarely listen to anything else although I do long for a Scats III reunion.
Q: You've been an avid painter for years. How would you best describe your style? Do you have any plans for a gallery exhibit in the near future?
A: In 1969 while most of the world partied at a place called "Woodstock," I spent three days painting with Bob Dylan. We talked, we painted, we hunted mushrooms, and generally had a grand time of it. When it was time to leave, Bob gave me a piece of advice that has served me well for over thirty years. I'll be damned if I can remember it.
Q: Is there any truth to the rumour that the Little Blue Men plan to enter "Britain's Got Talent" as a double-Dutch jump-roping squad?
A: No truth whatsoever. We played Ready, Steady, Go and that's quite enough. Despite "keeping our feet on the ground" and "reaching for the stars," it was not our shining moment. Burt had stayed out the entire night before partying with Jewish friends at a place called the "Gaza Strip". At about the third hour, they began eating Matzah balls like they were hushpuppies. On a stringy bed of Loksa these fried Farfels would wreak holy havoc twelve hours later on Burt's already sensitive digestive system. Needless to say, his leaving the RSG stage midway through "69 Reasons To Stay," and mere moments before his high harmony line "Like Spoons In A Drawer," did not bode well for victory. If I recall correctly, we finished second to a group from Minsk called FlagPole.
Q: You famously began work writing songs for "The Lion King" with Sir Elton John before being replaced by Tim Rice. How far into the process did you get, were any songs actually recorded, and what led to Rice replacing you?
A: Another dear old friend Fergus McAllister from East Bartonshire, Scotland and now in his eighties as well, was always seen going around with Bertie Fraser. At every function there'd be Fergus and Bertie. Inseparable it seemed. Then one day as abruptly as wind meets wave in the North sea, he was with Catherine. Catherine MacTierny of Kirkcaldy. I asked the lads, "what happened to Bertie?" "The word is," they replied, "Bertie didn't want to go as far as Fergus did." "Aah, I see" I said. "Which tells me quite a wee bit about Catherine."
Does this answer your question?
Q: What are your thoughts on the upcoming movie about your career, "A Kipper in the Alley"?
A: Burt and I couldn't be more pleased. It feels surreal, really. "Our story will finally be told!"