Today on Songwriter Stories, we Dig Down Deep into the cosmic mind of earthy power-funk songwriter and Human Radio co-founder, Ross Rice. Ross has rubbed professional shoulders with three of our previous guests: Brad Jones, Bill DeMain and Amy Rigby. We discuss his band, his solo career, and his songwriting collaborators, including Adrian Belew and Susanna Hoffs. Another collaboration we highly recommend involved Will Owsley & Millard Powers. We've included that story for you below. Photo by Jrew Raines
Bonus Q&A: Q: "Tell us about your Owsley collaboration." A: "Human Radio was good friends with The Semantics: Will Owsley, Millard Powers, Zak Starkey [son of Ringo Starr]. I hung out frequently with them while they worked on their demos for their ill-fated Geffen record late into the evenings at the Sony Tree studio in Nashville. I liked going to Will and Millard's on occasion, was generally welcome, they liked playing new stuff off of me and getting feedback, as I was an unabashed fan. Will had 'Oh No the Radio' going, I was there early for that, offered 'got me by the ears' ...one night they played me the verse and chorus fully complete and decided to have a bridge. I rather boldly announced I had their bridge and proceeded to lay it out musically. They liked it. Suddenly the lyric just popped out of my mouth as I sang the melody as if I had written it already."
Just
when I thought I would never "Oh No The Radio" (You can hear Ross' bridge at 1:48) "It worked though they really didn't want to have the word 'thought' twice in the same line, but it sang just right, so they kept it. It was an honor to have their trust in the moment, and you will never meet two more talented guys, I still miss Will a lot. (Then there's Zak... incredible drummer plus a super cool hang... but that is a whole 'nother story.)"
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Album | Artist | Songwriter | Producer | Song | ||
Human Radio (1990)
Currently |
Human Radio |
See Songs > |
David Kahne / David Leonard |
Me & Elvis
(Ross Rice) (YouTube) I Don't Wanna Know (Ross Rice) (YouTube) These Are the Days (Ross Rice) (YouTube) Electromagnetisma (Kye Kennedy, Ross Rice) (YouTube) |
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Umpteen (1997)
Currently |
Ross Rice |
Miss July: Brad Jones, Ross RIce Dance Lessons: Ross Rice |
Brad Jones / Ross Rice |
Miss July
(YouTube)
Here's how Ross Rice released the song. Ross explains in the podcast that this is basically the same track as Brad Jones used, On this version, Brad sings the backing vocals.
Miss July Dance Lessons (YouTube) |
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Dwight (2006) |
Ross Rice |
Ross Rice |
Ross Rice |
Hard Times for the Revolution | ||
Samsara (2016) |
Human Radio |
Steve Arnold
Steve Ebe Peter Hyrka Kye Kennedy Ross Rice |
Ross Rice |
Super Solar Satellite | ||
When You're a Boy (1991) |
Susanna Hoffs |
Susanna Hoffs / David Kahne / Scott Cutler / Ross Rice |
David Kahne |
No Kind of Love | ||
Here (1994)
Currently |
Adrian Belew |
Adrian Belew / Ross Rice |
Adrian Belew |
I See You
(YouTube) The only song on this album not written solo by Adrian Belew was co-penned by Ross Rice. |
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Lynne Me Your Ears (2001) |
Ross Rice |
Jeff Lynne |
Ross Rice |
Evil Woman | ||
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