CooperTalk

Steve Cooper talks with musician Chris Frantz. Chris is the drummer for both Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club, both of which he co-founded with wife and Talking Heads bassist Tina Weymouth. In 2002, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Talking Heads.

Steve Cooper talks with musician Dennis DeYoung. Dennis is best known as a founding member of the rock band Styx and as primary lead vocalist and keyboardist, during a tenure that lasted from 1970 until June 1999. He has been credited as the writer of more Styx songs than any other Styx member. He was also the band's most successful writer, penning 7 of the band's 8 Billboard top 10 singles (Babe, Mr. Roboto, Show Me the Way, The Best of Times, Lady, Come Sail Away and Don't Let it End). As a solo artist he had a  top 10 single and has recorded 9 solo albums.

Steve Cooper talks with musician Dave Wakeling. Dave is best known for being the front man for The English Beat and General Public. The English Beat released three studio albums in the early 1980s: I Just Can't Stop it, Wha'ppen? and Special Beat Service. They had a string of singles, including Mirror in the Bathroom, Save It for Later, I Confess, Too Nice to Talk To, Can't Get Used to Losing You, Hands Off...She's Mine and All Out to Get You. Dave then started General Public. Their first album, All The Rage, met with phenomenal success, charting high in the U.S., U.K. and even winning the band a coveted Juno award in Canada for Best New Artist in 1984.

Steve Cooper talks with musician Phil Manzanera. Phil is best known for being the lead guitarist for Rock & Roll HOF members Roxy Music (who he joined in 1972). Roxy’s rise was meteoric, with the band being hailed as the stylistic influence of the early 1970’s. During the next 12 years, until 1983 when the band members went on a ‘long break’, Roxy Music released a series of international best selling albums, achieving ten UK top ten albums and touring extensively throughout the world. As a writer, producer and solo artist, he has worked with many of the luminaries of modern music, such as Steve Winwood, David Gilmour, John Cale, Godley and Creme, Nico (Velvet Underground) and John Wetton (King Crimson, Asia). He has co-written material with many artists, including Brian Eno, Tim Finn, Robert Wyatt and David Gilmour. He co-wrote Pink Floyd’s single One Slip from their 1988 Momentary Lapse of Reason album.

Steve Cooper talks with musician Jay Jay French. Jay Jay is best-known for being the founding member and lead guitarist for Twisted Sister. Twisted Sister are best-known for the hit songs We're Not Gonna Take It and I Wanna Rock. They have played over 9,000 shows in 34 countries and sold more than 20 million albums. He also is a columnist, author and motivational speaker who oversees licensing and intellectual property rights for the Twisted Sister brand and recently started a podcast called The Jay Jay French Connection.

Steve Cooper talks with rapper Lyrics Born. From his Quannum Projects debut with Latyrx (1997’s The Album), to 2003’s seminal solo album Later That Day, he has consistently pushed the boundaries of his craft. His latest project, Quite A Life, is like the exclamation point on his milestone year. As the first Asian-American to release a greatest hits compilation, he’s pumped out multiple smash singles throughout his career. From Callin’ Out and I Like It, I Love It to I Changed My Mind and Coulda Woulda Shoulda his material has always retained a musically eclectic feel. Since establishing himself among the upper echelon of indie Hip Hop artists, LB has expanded his empire into film. He has appeared in films such as Boots Riley’s critically acclaimed Sorry To Bother You and the Netflix feature Always Be My Maybe starring Ali Wong, Randall Park and Keanu Reeves. 

Steve Cooper talks with musician Gary Numan. Gary is most widely known for his chart-topping 1979 hits Are ‘Friends’ Electric? (when in Tubeway Army) and Cars. He achieved his peak of mainstream popularity in the late 70s and early 80s but maintains a loyal cult following. His signature sound consists of heavy synthesizer hooks fed through guitar effects pedals, is considered a pioneer of commercial electronic music. He has sold over 10 million records in his career and just released his 21st studio album Intruder.

Steve Cooper talks with musician/writer/producer/actor Little Steven. Little Steven is best known for being a guitarist and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band. After creating the “Jersey Shore” sound with the Asbury Jukes he became a founding member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, and went on to become a successful solo artist in his own right recording and performing solo with his band Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul. As a songwriter his songs have been performed by Jackson Browne, Pearl Jam, Margo Price, Damian Marley, Jimmy Cliff, Southside Johnny and The Asbury Jukes, Gary U.S. Bonds, Darlene Love, Nancy Sinatra, Brian Setzer, Black Uhuru, and more. He also-co-produced the seminal Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band albums The River, and Born in the U.S.A. and has produced albums for Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, Gary U.S. Bonds, Ronnie Spector, Demolition 23, Majek Fashek, Lords of the New Church, Arc Angels, The Chesterfield Kings, The Cocktail Slippers, The Breakers, and more. As an actor he co-starred in all 7 seasons of The Sopranos and starred in, co-wrote, executive produced the award winning series Lilyhammer.

Steve Cooper talks with actor Matthew Del Negro. Matthew is best known for his co-starring and recurring roles in The Sopranos, The West Wing, Goliath, Scandal, Teen Wolf and the Showtime series The United States of Tara and City on a Hill. He has also been seen in movies and TV shows such as Magnum P.I., Rizzoli & Isles, Criminal Minds, Saving Lincoln, The Good Wife, L.A. Noire, Lie to Me, CSI: Miami, Beautiful People, The North End, Elementary and many more. He wrote the popular book 10,000 NOs and hosts a popular podcast of the same name.

Steve Cooper talks with musician Andy Scott. Andy is best known for being the lead guitarist and a backing vocalist in the band Sweet. Sweet is a British glam rock band that rose to worldwide fame in the 1970s. They first achieved success in the UK charts, with thirteen Top 20 hits during the 1970s alone, with Block Buster (1973) topping the chart, followed by three consecutive number two hits). The band turned to a more hard rock style with their mid-career singles, like 1974's Turn it Down. They also achieved success and popularity in the US with the top ten hits Little Willy, The Ballroom Blitz and Fox on the Run. They had their last international success in 1978 with "Love Is Like Oxygen". Over the years and through many line-up changes the have recorded 10 studio albums with their latest being 2020's Isolation Boulevard.