Gig Gab - The Working Musician's Podcast

From The Jackson Five to Shaun Cassidy: Bob LeVitus’ Untold Tales of Touring Legends


Listen Later

Ever wondered what it’s like to tour with music legends? This episode of Gig Gab takes you behind the scenes with Bob “Doctor Mac” LeVitus, a tech author and former roadie for the Jackson 5 and Shaun Cassidy.

Bob LeVitus, who has authored 92 books on technology, shares his unique journey from aspiring recording engineer to working alongside iconic musicians. With a background in audio and touring production, Bob’s stories are both entertaining and insightful.

In this episode, Bob recounts his early days with the Jackson 5, including the thrill of managing stage lights at the Inglewood Forum and the chaos of Michael Jackson’s spontaneous stage antics. He also delves into his time as a guitar tech for Shaun Cassidy, revealing the behind-the-scenes dynamics of a major tour.

Listeners will also hear about Bob’s transition into writing, his passion for GarageBand, and the unexpected paths his career has taken. Remember, in the world of music and beyond, it’s crucial to “Always Be Performing.”

Tune in to discover untold stories of rock and roll history and gain a new perspective on the music industry. Click to listen now!

  • 00:00:00 Gig Gab 449 – Monday, September 30th, 2024
    • September 30th: International Podcast Day
    • 00:01:26 Guest Co-host: Bob LeVitus
    • 00:02:44 Macworld All-Star Band
      • “Alias Cooper” Tribute Band in High School
      • 00:05:19 Wanted to be a recording engineer
        • Bill Lazarus at Evergreen Studios
        • GarageBand – A free recording studio inside something you already own
        • GarageBand for Dummies
        • 00:08:45 I liked the wires and re-tuning more than practicing, so I became a roadie!
        • 00:10:19 Got into the industry by accident: I went to school with Jermaine Jackson
        • 00:10:49 On the road with The Jackson Five
          • Sold Out Show, 16,000 People at The Englewood Forum… with two trees of 6 Par Cans on them each
          • Calling and Mixing Lights…First Gig!
          • Learned a ton about how to make things work during a live show
          • 00:14:11 What was Michael Jackson like the first time you saw him live?
            • The Jacksons took good care of us
            • 00:16:19 Remembering Tito Jackson
            • 00:17:58 Rehearsing at SIR with The Jackson Five
            • 00:20:09 Chasing a Girl Trying to Get Michael Jackson’s Shoe Back
            • 00:21:55 A good summer job: Being Shaun Cassidy’s guitar tech!
              • Michael Lloyd
              • 00:24:16 Managing Shaun Cassidy’s stage volume…the “creative” way
                • Carlos Vega
                • 00:28:54 Toto was (basically) the backing band for Thriller
                • 00:30:41 Strong Songs on Gig Gab
                • 00:32:02 Recreating Songs…for Fun!
                • 00:33:22 Big Budgets on the Shaun Cassidy Tour
                  • Eleven people sleeping on the bus…and still getting a good night’s sleep
                  • 00:35:38 The importance of sleep on the road
                  • 00:38:50 Managing your health on the road
                  • 00:41:38 The Eagles with Vince Gill
                  • 00:43:32 John Fogerty’s 2024 Tour…with Credence Songs
                  • 00:45:33 Possible Macworld All-Star Band Reunion
                  • 00:48:18 Gig Gab 447 Outtro
                    • Follow Bob LeVitus
                    • Follow Gig Gab!
                      • @GigGabPodcast on Instagram
                      • Sign Up for the Gig Gab Mailing List
                      • The post From The Jackson Five to Shaun Cassidy: Bob LeVitus’ Untold Tales of Touring Legends — Gig Gab 449 appeared first on Gig Gab.

                        ...more
                        View all episodesView all episodes
                        Download on the App Store

                        Gig Gab - The Working Musician's PodcastBy Dave Hamilton & Friends

                        • 4.9
                        • 4.9
                        • 4.9
                        • 4.9
                        • 4.9

                        4.9

                        45 ratings


                        More shows like Gig Gab - The Working Musician's Podcast

                        View all
                        This Week in Tech (Audio) by TWiT

                        This Week in Tech (Audio)

                        3,016 Listeners

                        Coverville: The Cover Music Show (AAC Edition) by Brian Ibbott

                        Coverville: The Cover Music Show (AAC Edition)

                        748 Listeners

                        Mac Geek Gab — Apple Tips, Tricks, and Troubleshooting by Dave Hamilton, Pilot Pete & Adam Christianson

                        Mac Geek Gab — Apple Tips, Tricks, and Troubleshooting

                        828 Listeners

                        MacCast - For Mac Geeks, by Mac Geeks by Adam Christianson (Mac Geek)

                        MacCast - For Mac Geeks, by Mac Geeks

                        807 Listeners

                        MacVoices by Chuck Joiner

                        MacVoices

                        33 Listeners

                        The Context Machine by Bryan Chaffin and Jeff Gamet

                        The Context Machine

                        87 Listeners

                        Mac OS Ken by Ken Ray

                        Mac OS Ken

                        894 Listeners

                        Radiolab by WNYC Studios

                        Radiolab

                        43,846 Listeners

                        Stuff You Should Know by iHeartPodcasts

                        Stuff You Should Know

                        77,750 Listeners

                        Planet Money by NPR

                        Planet Money

                        30,651 Listeners

                        MacVoices Video by Chuck Joiner

                        MacVoices Video

                        11 Listeners

                        The Mac Observer Show by Ken Ray

                        The Mac Observer Show

                        117 Listeners

                        Chasing Tone - Guitar Podcast About Gear, Effects, Amps and Tone by Wampler Pedals

                        Chasing Tone - Guitar Podcast About Gear, Effects, Amps and Tone

                        481 Listeners

                        Business Brain – The Entrepreneurs’ Podcast by Shannon Jean & Dave Hamilton

                        Business Brain – The Entrepreneurs’ Podcast

                        45 Listeners

                        The SBL Podcast by Scott's Bass Lessons

                        The SBL Podcast

                        419 Listeners

                        Music Student 101 by Jeremy Burns, Matthew Scott Phillips

                        Music Student 101

                        245 Listeners

                        Twenty Thousand Hertz by Dallas Taylor

                        Twenty Thousand Hertz

                        3,930 Listeners

                        Ongoing History of New Music by Curiouscast

                        Ongoing History of New Music

                        563 Listeners

                        Cover Band Confidential's Podcast by Coverband Confidential

                        Cover Band Confidential's Podcast

                        91 Listeners

                        Strong Songs by Kirk Hamilton

                        Strong Songs

                        1,954 Listeners

                        Chewing the Gristle with Greg Koch by Greg Koch

                        Chewing the Gristle with Greg Koch

                        222 Listeners

                        Dipped In Tone by Dipped in Tone

                        Dipped In Tone

                        209 Listeners

                        The Gigging Musician Podcast by Jared Judge

                        The Gigging Musician Podcast

                        6 Listeners