CooperTalk

Steve Cooper talks with comedian/actor Tommy Chong. Tommy is best known for his invaluable contribution to American counter-culture as part of the iconic comedy duo Cheech & Chong. During their reign, the twosome recorded six gold comedy albums, including the 1973 Grammy winner Los Cochinos, and starred in eight films, most of which Chong co-wrote and directed. The first, Up In Smoke, was the highest grossing comedy of 1978, topping $100 million at the box office. Others were Cheech and Chong’s Next Movie (1980), Nice Dreams (1981), Things Are Tough All Over (1982), Cheech and Chong: Still Smoking (1983), and The Corsican Brothers (1984). Born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, he began his entertainment career as a musician in a Canadian-based rhythm and blues band. Eventually, he landed a gig with the Vancouvers and co-wrote the band’s 1960’s hit, Does Your Mama Know About Me. From here, he eventually turned towards the life as an actor. The first step was forming City Works, an improvisational group where he consequently met his future comedic partner, Richard “Cheech” Marin. Throughout the 1970’s Cheech & Chong earned a massive following until eventually, the duo had run its lengthy and prosperous course and they both embarked on solo careers. Tommy has appeared in several films including 1990’s Far Out, Man! and National Lampoon’s Senior Trip. He has also starred, most notably, as “Leo” on Fox’s That 70’s Show, and has guest starred on ABC’s Dharma & Greg and The George Lopez Show.

Steve Cooper talks with musician Martin Fry. Martin is best known for being lead singer of the band ABC. ABC’s debut The Lexicon of Love went to No 1 and sold over a million records. To date, ABC have released nine studio albums and their hits include Tears Are Not Enough, Poison Arrow, The Look of Love and All of My Heart, That Was Then but This Is Now, (How to Be A) Millionaire and When Smokey Sings.

Steve Cooper talks with drummer Kenney Jones. Kenney is a member of the Rock & Roll HOF with his bands Faces and Small Faces. He replaced Keith Moon and played with The Who from 1978-1983, 1985, 1988 and in 2014.  His other bands he has been in are The Law and The Jones Gang and he has performed in various record sessions with people such as Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood, Joan Armatrading, Roger Daltrey, Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis.

Steve Cooper talks with musician Colin Hay. Colin is best known as being the lead vocalist and songwriter for the band Men at Work. That band would reach the heights of stardom—they took home a GRAMMY Award for Best New Artist and sold more than 30 million records worldwide on the strength of #1 singles like Who Can It Be Now? and Down Under but by 1985, they’d called it quits and gone their separate ways. Colin released his solo debut the following year and, over the course of the next three-and-a-half decades, went on to record twelve more critically acclaimed studio albums that would help establish him as one of his generation’s most hardworking and reliable craftsmen.

Steve Cooper talks with actor/comedian Diane Neal. Diane is best known for her role as ADA Casey Novak on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and has had recurring roles in NCIS, NCIS: New Orleans, Suits, The Following and Power. She also is a seasoned stand-up comic and hosts the podcast Hear. Say. Diane Neal. 

Steve Cooper talks with musician Suzi Quatro. Suzi has sold over 55 million records worldwide and is also known from her role as Leather Tuscadero, who she portrayed from 1997-1979, on the huge ABC hit Happy Days. In 1973 her hit Can Can went to number one on the British charts and went on to sell two and a half million copies. Between 1973-1980 she featured on the British charts for no less than 101 weeks. She is a member of the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame, has written an autobiography and has recently released her second book of poetry. After the pandemic ended, she played a sold-out show at the legendary Royal Albert Hall and still performs at festivals across Europe.

Steve Cooper talks with musician Howard Jones. Howard burst on the scene with his 1983 hit New Song. His first two albums, Humans Lib and Dream into Action, brought Howard a host of hits including Things Can Only Get Better, What is Love?, Pearl In The Shell, Like to Get To know You Well, Hide And Seek (performed at Live Aid), Look Mama and No One Is To Blame, which reached No.1 in the US. Howard has sold over 8 million albums across the globe. To this day he still tours the world to sold out crowds and his new album Dialogue will be coming out soon and is the third in a series of four electronic albums.

Steve Cooper talks with guitarist Joe Satriani. Joe is best known for his all-instrumental hit album Surfing with the Alien. For over three decades, the guitar virtuoso has traveled the world, playing to sold-out crowds as both a headliner and as founder of the all-star “G3” guitar extravaganza. His studio and live recordings have sold more than 10 million copies worldwide to date and of his many solo albums, two have gone platinum and four others went gold, with 15 Grammy nominations between them. His side project, Chickenfoot, featuring former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar, former bassist Michael Anthony and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ drummer Chad Smith saw their debut album certified gold and their second studio album debuted at #9.

Steve Cooper talks with actor Danielle Nicolet. Danielle is best known for her roles as Cecile Horton in the CW hit The Flash, Caryn in 3rd Rock from the Sun, Jenna in Born Again Version and as Maggie in the The Rock/Kein Hart movie Central Intelligence. Some of her other Tv and film appearances include Family Matters, Loaded Weapon 1, Heartland, The Starter Wife, Elementary, Supergirl, The Game, Acrimony and Deidre & Laney Rob a Train. She also wrote the short film Black Karen that will be screened at Sundance.

Steve Cooper talks with musician/actor/poet/writer John Doe. John is best known for being a co-founder of the legendary LA punk band X, of which he is still an active member. His musical performances and compositions span rock, punk, country and folk music genres. As an actor, he has dozens of television appearances and several movies to his credit, including the role of Jeff Parker in the television series Roswell. In addition to X, Doe performs with the country-folk-punk band the Knitters and has released 14 records as a solo artist. He also wrote with co-author Tom DeSavia two books that compiled stories about the LA punk rock scene from 1977 to 1983.