On-line Chats with David Cassidy
Chat Transcript - October 30, 2001
An online chat with David Cassidy at lasvegas.com on 30th Oct, 2001 at 7pm PDT.
A record crowd of 95 turned up in the chatroom to share breathing cyber-air with David. 517 questions were asked and only these got answered.
chat_host_erin : OK everyone, we are ready to start!
david_cassidy : hello all of you out there in cyberland
cassidydiva asks : will you release a live CD
david_cassidy : the chances are that I will not be releasing a live CD -- I think that generally live CDs are for the most part greatest hits albums and i think that I would prefer to go back in the studio if I make another CD in the next year or two and do some new music -- new recordings.
loriaholein1 asks : You've been amazing on the Vegas stage, with EFX, Rat Pack and Copa. Might you do another Vegas show in 2002?
david_cassidy : well, I am working on the concerts at the Rio on nov 22-23-24 -- I will continue to direct and produce the Rat Pack Is Back -- I have met with recently one of the properties here about the possibility of doing another show here -- however it will be a difficult decision for me to make at this stage as I want to perform outside the US in the upcoming year and I don't particularly wish to invest 48 weeks a year -- 6 nights a week -- in another show at this point. It becomes a very difficult grind and allows me very little flexibility to perform concerts, vacation and etc.
morninggirl2002 asks : David how is the new cd going in the UK and when will it be available in the US
david_cassidy : last week it was number 5 in the UK -- it came in at number 7 -- I have just been told -- although not confirmed -- that the CD just went gold. Obviously I am very excited about it and it is only available in the UK at this point and through my web site at davidcassidy.com. However we are in conversations with universal regarding its release for the rest of territories in 2002 and expect it to be released in most territories in the first or second quarter of 2002.
hollyann asks : what are your plans for 2002? Will we see you tour again in the USA?
david_cassidy : yes -- I am currently looking at doing between 25 and 40 dates in the United States as well as some dates in Europe, UK, Australia and hopefully Japan. That would be what I would try to accomplish work wise and to give my fans all over the world a chance to see me and a chance for me to see them as well.
docmick asks : Are there any Broadway roles--new or revival--that you would consider doing?
david_cassidy : I would consider doing something that as in the past a departure for me -- but again, the commitment of time and location and moving makes it a very difficult one -- However, Ii know that at some point I will return to NY as it is where I was born and it is still in my heart my home and I need to find the right project and have it concur with my commitments.
loriaholein1 asks : How did your horses do this past Saturday?
david_cassidy : the breeder's cup was a remarkable display of athleticism by trainers, horses and jockeys from everywhere from around the world -- unfortunately, I did not have a horse that I either owned or bred running this year but I watched with great enthusiasm and I made a couple of small wagers in which I came up empty. However betting is not why I am involved in the game -- I am truly a horse lover and have been since I was an infant and currently as passionate about the game as I ever have been so hopefully next year, as we always say
david_cassidy : next year
david_cassidy : next year
david_cassidy : know what I mean?
stephaniem asks: One of the most popular Cassidyland chat topics was the one about your songwriting through the years--can you describe the creative process of writing a song?
david_cassidy : I would love to be able to share with you the creative process in so far as songwriting and songcrafting is concerned. However, it is a little bit of a slippery eel because it comes sometimes when you least expect it. In my case, it is usually a melody first -- I find that I am more impatient now than I used to be and as I have so many more distractions and commitments and responsibilities, I have less and less time to focus on the process. Sometimes songs such as the theme for the Larroquette show was written in 2 or 3 minutes. I knew exactly what it should be and the melody came to me while I was playing my guitar. I don't think I even changed a cord or a note of the melody at the first time through it. Other songs which I have composed have taken me literally two years to finish. That's not to say they are any better or any worse, it just depends on the piece of music itself and what is out there in the cosmos that you can catch.
nancy t. asks : What music do you enjoy listening to today?
david_cassidy : I have always been a very strong rhythm and blues guy with my personal musical taste. That's not to say that I don't listen to new music or pop or rock or jazz. I have a very diversified music collection although not extremely large. I find I go back and listen too a lot of the stuff that I grew up on such as Marvin Gaye. I do listen to some big band/Count Basie kinda material as a lot of it I never heard growing up. I'm not terribly impressed with most of what I hear on the radio but none the less, I try and listen so that I can hear what music is being played on each format.
jade fm new zealand asks : How has your feeling, as you perform on stage, changed from when you did it in the 70s compared to now?
david_cassidy : there is no question that everything I do, I enjoy more now and I am underlining everything except maybe going to the dentist but performing, playing, doing concerts, acting, singing, laughing -- for me, the interaction with the audience is the drug that's when I am truly in the zone where I am the happiest not to say my personal life doesn't bring me a lot of happiness, because it certainly does but i think that I am really kinda a throwback in as much as I think I really am an entertainer. That's what I love to do. I love to connect with audiences. I love the interaction and the spontaneity that I have been able to experience. I don't have a set script that I stick too -- I don't have any set pattern-- I go out each night and it is fresh and it is new and it has possibilities to be anything and that is what turns me on, getting the feedback from the audience.
leeanne asks : David, will there be another Day at the Races in 2002? The last one was great!
david_cassidy : well, thank you -- I hope that there are many. It truly is a passion for me and raising money to assist children while bringing people into the world that I love -- mainly Saratoga racing or horse racing in general is a wonderful experience and I am hoping that we can again continue to support the charities and that we will get the support of the racing industry as we have in the past two years. I won't know until March or April whether or not nyra wishes to continue the day at the races but irregardless, I hope to find my way there anyway.
naillade1 asks : are there any upcoming events for the kids charities.org that you will be involoved in?
david_cassidy : yes -- I am going to NY on the 4th of December -- there is a large event that is taking place at Sothebys which my wife Sue has been working 10 or 12 hours a day for the past few months coordinating the auction event takes place on the 6th of December -- I believe -- although I don't have a calendar in front of me
dcfan74 asks : David, I love the duets such as "All Because of you" that you sing with Sue, will you and Sue be doing any other duets together?
david_cassidy : the chances of us performing together, singing together become more and more remote as her involvement in kidscharities.org increases -- she has no time to do anything her parenting and her work at this stage so, I wouldn't rule it out but I don't believe at this stage we have any plans to do more of that,/p>
judi asks : Who has been the biggest influence in your life
david_cassidy : that's the most difficult question I could ever answer because I have had so many teachers, mentors, people that I felt were influential -- both personally and professionally. It would be difficult for me to single one person out but I suppose as most of us, I would have to probably say my father -- both positively and negatively
suke asks : are you going to be releasing any of your concerts on video tape?
david_cassidy: we have talked preliminarily about a pay-per-view concert sometime in 2002 which would be the only way to afford financially to film or video a concert whether or not that happens, one never knows
mondayschild asks : Can you tell us about your conversation with Elvis Presley?
david_cassidy : well, I had a couple -- the conversation that I first had with Elvis Presley would require a little bit of setting up -- it was 1973 or 74 and I was on the set of the partridge family and we had a first assistant director by the name of Chris Morgan, Harry Morgan's son -- the actor. Chris was a notorious practical joker and he and I had a great rapport -- we were constantly doing things to make each other look foolish in front of the cast and crew. I had known that Chris had done a couple of movies with Elvis prior to working on the partridge family so one day Chris came in and told me that he had spoken to Elvis and that Elvis was going to call me which immediately made my antennas go up for a sucker punch.
The following day -- while we were rehearsing a scene on the set-- he yelled across the soundstage for me that there was a phone call and that Elvis was on the phone and wanting to speak to me. Suddenly, everyone was silent and watched as I walked to the phone knowing surely it was an imposter, I picked up the phone and was very cavalier and began a conversation that had real sarcasm from my end such as "Elvis! babe! what's shaking?" "how's vegas, baby?"
I heard him laughing as he too knew Chris and his ways. He then said that his daughter had become enamored of me and wanted to meet me and I, of course responded with "sure! No problem! Bring her down!" and he said that Priscilla would bring her and that is all that I remember about the conversation until I hung up with him and turned to see everyone staring at me and I was laughing as I was walking back on the set, feeling sure that I hadn't let him dupe me
The next day, just after lunch, the enormous double doors of the soundstage were opened and as I glanced out, I saw a large white limosuine pull up -- a very large man opened the back door to which I saw two of the more beautiful women I have ever seen step out of the limo
The first was Priscilla Presley, the second was a golden-haired child somewhere about 4 or 5 years old named Lisa Marie. You can't imagine what I had to go through from everyone on my set and Chris Morgan for the rest of the year. That was my first encounter with Elvis
janie asks : Do you think that touring was a good decision? Copa was great but this has been FABULOUS!!!
david_cassidy: touring was a very good decision when I made it as it has allowed me to have some time with my family -- some time for vacation and some time to do other things work related and personal. However, due to the tragic events of Sept. 11 in NY, PA and Washington, DC, traveling has become much more difficult and communicating with audiences who are fearful and are somewhat depressed has also made it more difficult for all of us
I too have felt very different since that day. It has changed my life and I believe all of our lives forever. There is a great sadness in many people that did not exist before -- there is an insecure feeling amongst most Americans and as I am someone who loves my country and loves the people have supported me here and as I was born a half mile from the world trade center stood, it has made the journey much heavier but, we shall persevere and I will go on and live my life to the fullest and I will celebrate with those that celebrate with me our lives and be thankful for all that we have
proper-leo asks : David, you've often kidded that if it weren't for your fans you'd be pumping gas somewhere. Lucky for us all you're not! What do you really think you'd have done if you hadn't entered show business?
david_cassidy : that's a reality that we will never know but clearly I don't do many things outside of what I have been doing for the past 33 years very well. Ask my wife and son! Can't cook -- Can't fix -- Can't repair. So, I am not too sure I would be very good in any other profession.
Had I been raised on a horse farm, I am certainly sure I would have exclusively gone into the horse business full-time. I do treat it as a business and also love it but I am not too sure that I am that good at it
lynng66 asks : of all the songs you have sang and recorded over the years, which is your favorite, the you still enjoy doing the most?
david_cassidy : I don't think that I have had a 'best' -- I think there are personal favorites both mine and many others songs, different styles, different genres, three decades -- hard to say. My favorite song or my favorite album -- I do like the last one but I have like all of them honestly because at the time that I made them, I felt that I had given as much to each one as I could give at that respective time. I've tried not too, since leaving the partridge family, to make the same album again and again and again. This creates a problem to some degree as record companies tend to find products that they can market and to pigeonhole these products for marketing purposes and to target market them
I have always tried to stretch and I have tried to do material that has inspired me to some point, some degree and hopefully I have been somewhat successful at doing so not if I can help it
vickievegas asks: "Will there be another 70's ball here in Vegas?"
david_cassidy : there might be another 70s ball here but you probably won't be seeing me at it. Lol
docmick asks : What would you like to record that you think would really surprise us?
david_cassidy : I have a few thoughts about doing a record that has a mood concept. Not to say dull or a yawn but something for lovers -- for romantics -- that would involve a large orchestra, strings, great arrangements, great old songs as well as a few new ones. That's a little bit of a fantasy because I have no plans to do that but I would really love to make a Christmas album again as well
I made a Christmas album in 1971 and it was very successful and people still talk to me about it and ask me about it and it was when I was with the partridge family so i think that 30 years later, it might be time to do one of my own
princesslisa asks : I'm 16 years old and I want to know how you feel to have the young generation admire you. See you Friday at Harrah's!!!!
david_cassidy : it is a real compliment to have people of all ages that admire your work or are interested in me as a person or a performer. The fact that you're 16 makes no difference to me whatsoever -- I have never discriminated against youth or age as a result of having a lot of fans early on that the media tended to disregard or consider less than credible. Adults tend to feel that if kids or teen-agers like something, it's not really as important or as valuable or as meaningful as very own taste -- this is ridiculous, of course because we were all kids at one time and they generally dictate style, fashion and the future. So, to make a long answer even longer, I am very flattered. I hope to see you on Friday night at Harrah's in Atlantic City
no1fan asks : I live in Las Vegas and I would love to meet you. D you plan on doing more meet and greets?
david_cassidy : They have become much more difficult to organize and control as a result of the events of Sept 11. I also have so many concerts and so much travel in the upcoming 5 or 6 weeks, that I'm not able to do nearly as much as I have before - sorry
cassidy51 asks : David did you enjoy your stay in Green Bay? Will you be back in Green Bay next year?
david_cassidy : I loved Green Bay! That show was slammin'! It was hot as hell and the audience was even hotter
chat_host_erin : Thanks everyone for joining us tonight! I"m afraid that's all the time David has
chat_host_adrian : David now is our champion guest chatter. He beat out the past champ -- his wife, Sue
david_cassidy : In closing, I can only say that I thank god every day for the good fortune to have so many people care about me and what I do and who I am -- and it is the people out there like yourselves that consistently gives me hope and makes me happy, makes me want to carry on and I love you all
I can't wait to see you on the road or here in Vegas! God Bless!
chat_host_erin : wow! What a great crowd. Thanks so much, guys
chat_host_loopy : Thanks all! We appreciate you coming!
chat_host_loopy {action} thanks everyone for joining us tonight
chat_host_adrian {action } Thanks for being here!
