INTERVIEW WITH

DAVID WILD

Welcome back to THE MELTING POT! Our guest today is DAVID WILD. While you may not recognize
his name, he does have a face you may know. That's because he has appeared on just about every
episode of VH1's Behind The Music giving his commentary on modern music artists. He is also a
Contributing Editor to Rolling Stone magazine and an Emmy-nominated television writer. His TV
writing credits include "America: A Tribute To Heroes," The Grammy Awards, 2001's "Come Together:
A Night For John Lennon," 2004's "Genius: A Night For Ray Charles," and "The People's Choice
Awards". He has written the liner notes for such artists as Bob Dylan, Frank Sinatra, Aerosmith, Sheryl
Crow and many others. And if all this weren't enough, he is also the author of several best-selling
books, including "Friends 'Til The End" and "Seinfeld: The Totally Unauthorized Tribute".

I met David four years ago on the Country Music Awards. He was the writer and I was the script
supervisor. We hit it off as co-workers and that carried over to many laughs and conversations on
music, TV and modern culture. I have never met someone with as much knowledge about music as
this man. It is truly amazing to sit with him and "listen and learn". As we have gotten to know each
other though, the thing that impresses me most about David is that while he is always good for a
laugh and one of those "are you kidding me?" type stories about some major music celebrity, he has
always taken the time to ask about my band and always been there for some sort of invaluable
critique of my music. He is just concerned, perhaps more so with "the little guys" than he is rubbing
elbows with the major stars of screen and stage. I wrote up a few questions recently that David was
more than happy to answer for me.


NR: It seems like you have somewhat of a dream job, writing for Rolling Stone. What exactly does
your job entail and how did you come about getting it?
DW: I slept my way to the middle -- I wish. It was my dream job growing up. These days I write lots of
reviews and do occasional interviews. In the past week, I interviewed Steve Martin and Robin
Williams, and reviewed the new Mark Knopfler/Emmylou Harris album. Nice work if you can get it.

NR: Who are some of your more memorable interviews and why?

DW: Those who were heroes to me growing up -- whether they were easy, like Elvis Costello, Tom
Petty, Paul McCartney, Ringo Star and Neil Diamond -- or difficult, like Van Morrison.

NR: I know you have spent time with stars as diverse as Axl Rose and Billy Joel and everyone in
between. Do you have any wild "rock n roll" stories you are willing to share?

DW: By the time I got to Rolling Stone it was pretty much "Just Say No" -- thank God. I wouldn't have
survived hard drugs -- I barely survived all the great cobbler in Nashville.

NR: I'm sure this happens....you get a call to write liner notes or review a CD by an artist you really
don't care about. Besides just saying no, how do you approach working with someone that you aren't
a huge fan of?

DW: Ted Nugent once called because he liked some Aerosmith notes I'd written. I gently explained I
wasn't a fan. He said he was big enough of a fan of his own work for both of us. If you read the notes, I
just quote him about how great he is.

NR: How did you get into writing for music related TV shows?

DW: A producer named Joel Gallen met me on a Rolling Stone Fox Special where I interviewed
everyone from Steven Spielberg to Howard Stern, and thought I was funny for some reason. He
asked me to write jokes for people. Then Ken Ehrlich asked me to work on the Grammys. Then Walter
Miller brought me into the CMAs. And I just spread -- much like the clap.

NR: What do you enjoy more... interviewing or writing for TV?

DW: I enjoy crop rotation -- and getting paid. That's paid with a p.

NR: We have classified music in so many ways through the years. There was guitar/classic rock, then
hair metal. That turned into alternative and grunge. Now it's nu-metal that rules the airwaves. What
do you think about the current state of rock music and what do you think is next for the rock n roll
world?

DW: Ju-metal, Orthodox.

NR: What are you currently listening to in the rock genre?

DW: Today -- nothing but Foo Fighters -- my favorite rock band. And some classic Van Halen.

NR: What do you consider some of the best rock albums of all time?

DW: "Revolver" -- Beatles
"Back In Black" --AC/DC

"Van Halen"

"Exile On Main Street" -- Rolling Stones

"Blonde On Blonde" -- Bob Dylan

"This Year's Model" -- Elvis Costello

"Nevermind" -- Nirvana

"Pleased To Meet Me" -- The Replacements

"London Calling" -- The Clash

"Boston" -- Boston

"Greatest Hits" -- Alice Cooper

NR: Having witnessed first hand so many people who have "made it", what advice would you give to
local musician in a scene like the one in Nashville?

DW: Have the cobbler.