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DICK WAGNER: Then & Now After Relocating in Arizona and Surviving an Unexpected Health Setback, Dick Wagner Shines with a New Album of Unreleased Material & Fresh Insights on his Storied Career By Robert E. Martin Of the many great rock ‘n roll artists that have emerged from Michigan, Dick Wagner should be knighted, or at least have a special place reserved in the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame for innovative guitar work and the immaculate conception of composition. His work on Lou Reed’s Rock ‘n Roll Animal and the intro to Sweet Jane alone stands as some of the finest guitar playing ever recorded; and if one were to liken it to the fluid complexities of classical music, it would rank right up there with Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra. But more important for our purposes, Dick Wagner is truly one of Saginaw’s own, having moved here at the tender of age of 20 and giving local fans a homespun embodiment of joyous originality with his first major group, The Bossmen, back in the 1960s, which gleaned several statewide hits and gave audiences a first taste of his immense songwriting talent. The songs that Wagner recorded with his next group, The Frost, became staples of that seminal period of Michigan Rock that gave our Great Lakes State its mojo, right next to other era-defining bands as The Stooges, Bob Seger, The MC5, and Grand Funk Railroad on the history shelf. As the 1970s progressed, Wagner grew and flourished into international prominence, playing guitar and composing with Alice Cooper, with whom he co-wrote such rock classics as Welcome to My Nightmare and Only Women Bleed. And it was also during this period that Wagner sealed his reputation along side Jimmy Page as a studio musician making major contributions with song-defining riffs on such groundbreaking albums as Aerosmith’s Get Your Wings and Kiss’s Destroyer. As a producer he propelled number one hits for Air Supply and has helped amp up the edge, and the ante, for numerous artists over the years. When Wagner moved back to Saginaw in the early ‘90s, he started a studio in his hometown and worked with such budding artists as Matt Besey, while coordinating charity work with the Save the Children Foundation. A few years ago, Wagner decided to close his studio in Saginaw and move to Fountain Hills, Arizona, where the climate was more conducive to his health. But no sooner did he get settled and start developing fresh projects, including a reunion with his old songwriting pal and band mate Alice Cooper, when the diving bell hit and Wagner experienced a massive heart attack that literally found him DOA. After literally coming back from the dead, Wagner found himself in a coma and when he came out of the coma, he was welcomed by the nightmare of finding the left side of his body completely paralyzed. With fortitude, courage, commitment, and the true rock ‘n roll spirit, over the past two-and-a-half years, Wagner has fought back – the miraculous gift of music that he still feels compelled to share with the world transforming into a force too powerful to handicap his undeniable talent. Apart from working on a memoir of his life and experiences, Dick also recently released a new album of original material entitled Full Meltdown, comprised of musical gems cultivated from his vault of unreleased material. Because its been several years since people from his home state have heard from him, I approached Dick about doing an in-depth interview, which he graciously agreed to arrange between the busy holiday season. True to form, he rose to the occasion with candor, optimism, and a re-affirmation in the power of miracles.
REVIEW: First, let's tackle the issue of your health. How are you doing these days and what exactly was the nature of the health ordeal that you went through a year or so ago? I've heard rumors ranging from a heart attack to a stroke and many people have asked me about this; and while I fully understand & appreciate this is all very personal, please feel free to discuss only that which you are comfortable about revealing. Life is hard enough without having health issues to deal with, and I'm sure that old adage: 'if you have your health, you have everything’ rings more true for you over the years, as it does with me. WAGNER: As you may or may not know, I’ve been having heart problems since my triple bypass open heart surgery in 1996. I believe that was the result of my years of overindulgence in ‘go faster’ powder during the previous 15 years. I survived that surgery thanks to the incredible doctors and nurses at St. Mary’s Hospital and got to feeling just fine after about a year, so of course I reached out for a Lucky Strike and indulged my inherent addictive personality with a new drug of choice. Turns out, what they say is true. Cigarettes kill. During the next few years, I smoked. Maybe 1 ½ packs a day. Told myself I was strong enough to handle it. Moved to Arizona, where I started getting really ill, and then one day, Cigarettes did kill me. I was DOA at Scottsdale HealthCare hospital, from a vicious, massive heart attack. My on call doctor, Dr. Alami, wouldn’t accept the death part, so he set out to bring me back to life, and actually did so. Thank God for Dr. Alami. I was put on total life support, dialysis (Kidney failure), and in a coma for about two weeks – a real mess! Another two weeks after removal of the respirator was spent in intensive care, and then off to a rehab center for a month. When I first woke from my coma, my left arm was totally paralyzed, and has been unable to play guitar for 2 ½ years. I’ve undergone weekly therapy and as of New Years Day, have decided to get back playing live again in the spring of 2010. Mother Michigan, here I come. REVIEW: Wow. What are some of the challenges that you've had to overcome pertaining to this recent condition and how did it affect your overall mood and mindset about your music, your life, and your career? WAGNER: Fortunately, I’ve been able to see the difficulty as a challenge - a challenge to myself to NOT give up on my lifelong quest for music through writing songs, playing guitar and performing live, for however many humans who enjoy what I have to offer. The last 2 ½ years, I’ve written lots of music and have a goal of recording and performing this music onstage. My good friend Vicki Blue (the Runaways) and I are writing and developing a project for film or TV, called “El Guitarrista” sorry…can’t reveal the plot…suffice it to say, it concerns life, death, magic and music set in the southwestern desert. So as you can see…even death did not slow my creative spirit. REVIEW: Wow again and enough of that. Thanks for your candor. On to more cheerier and upbeat topics, you've got this new release - 'Full Meltdown' which spans different periods and eras of your career. What was the genesis of this project and how did you go about selecting the song cycle for the CD? WAGNER: FULL MELTDOWN came as a result of my wanting to gather up some of my best rock songs, heretofore unreleased gems that were in my vault from past days. It started with a call and a reminder from Rhino Records concerning 7 or 8 tracks I had recorded in 1979, and had completely forgotten. Upon hearing these tracks, my mind was blown and my need to get people to hear them was really stimulated. So…I took these tracks, added in several other unreleased high quality rockers from the vault, and lo and behold…FULL MELTDOWN. My best overall rock record I’ve done yet. My humble opinion, but I’m right about this CD. REVIEW: Are there any new recent songs included and if not, have you been writing and recording steadily? I'm also curious about how much of a backlog of material you have and what it was like selecting material for Full Meltdown. Does listening to these songs elicit any particular memories from the period in which they were created? WAGNER: My memories from this period are almost all of weeks in residence at Longview Farm Recording Studio’s and the musicians who laid down these tracks for me - and the owner, engineer and Doctor of philosophy, Gil Markle who made it all possible. It was a time of 24/7 recording and deeply personal introspection and communication, centered around a live-in environment with a staff of chefs, maids, engineers and gentle people floating in and out at all times of the day and night. An idyllic time in my life, but somehow Rhino Records wound up with the musical results of those sessions. They are back in my possession today, however. FULL MELTDOWN. Gotta check it out people! REVIEW: Tell me about Desert Dreams Productions. How did you come to form that company and how many acts have you signed and are you still producing different artists in the studio? I'm assuming you started this company after moving west, so feel free to talk about that as well - what was it like moving to a new area of the country and re-engaging in the music scene? And how does that scene compare to Michigan? WAGNER: DESERT DREAMS PRODUCTIONS is my partnership with Suzy Michelson and Alex Cyrell, a husband and wife force of nature! I’ve known them for over 30 years - back to early Alice Cooper days in Los Angeles. We stayed in contact over the years and when I made the move to Phoenix, they were already living here. After conversations, we decided to join forces and form a company, which I called DESERT DREAMS PRODUCTIONS. Our first artist is a girl named WENSDAY…. a former Torch singer who wanted to do a more contemporary type CD. So I wrote songs for her and produced her CD, calling it TORCH ROCK…a bit of her, a bit of me. We’ve just taken on our 2nd artist, a singer songwriter in the tradition of James Taylor, Crosby, Stills and Nash. His name is ADAM SMITH and his music will touch your heart, guaranteed. You ask so I’ll answer: What was it like re-engaging in a new music scene? I prefer to think of it as seeking kindred musical souls. My pal Nils Lofgren lives here, my old partner Alice Cooper as well. Another friend and fabulous songwriter, Alan Gordon was one of the reasons I came west…Alan unfortunately passed away last year, leaving a gaping hole in the music business. He was a real friend and songwriting partner. How does this music scene compare to Michigan? For me there is no comparison. Michigan holds most all my memories of music played and happiness acquired. My musical heart will always be in Michigan. REVIEW: Recently the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame celebrated their 25th Anniversary with a star-studded 2-day Concert at Madison Square Garden. Obviously, you came up at the same time as many of those artists that have been inducted. Indeed, this year I read that The Stooges are being inducted and I'm thinking how can that be when the MC5 have yet to earn a place. I'm curious in looking back at the high points and creative peaks of your own career where you feel that your own material ranks with many of your contemporaries. WAGNER: I truly believe my work history holds it’s own in comparison to the great majority of those who have made it in this business. My recordings with Frost, Lou Reed, and Alice Cooper are classic examples of rock music on its highest level. I believe in my lesser-known work with equal passion. I’ve played guitar for Aerosmith, Kiss, written material for Meatloaf, Air Supply and worked consistently since the 1960s right through 2010. It wasn’t all famous work, but it was always high quality, creative work. Look at Matt Besey’s first CD, which I produced, as a perfect example of the consistent quality that signifies my career. I’m no superstar, but I am respected by just about everyone in the business. I’ve been adding my touch to many historical projects and products since Hector was a pup. I do not seek the Hall of Fame…I seek only what I have now, and that along with a few great friends, is all I ask. REVIEW: Speaking of Alice, the last we spoke you indicated that you were working on some new collaborations with him. Did that ever materialize, or was it derailed by your sudden health setback? WAGNER: My decline in health and the loss of my physical ability to play guitar, short-circuited any writing Alice and I were planning. REVIEW: Thanks for the thoughtful assessment. Is there anything that you’d like to mention that I might not have touched upon? WAGNER: I hope I have adequately addressed your questions, Bob. Once again, it’s been a pleasure to be interviewed by you - the long time master of the independent press. Please offer up my best wishes for a blessed New Year to all your readers and to everyone in the Saginaw Valley and beyond. I’ll see you in the springtime. Count on it!
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