#141 Discussing Rock n Roll Fantasy Camp, Rock Camp: The Movie, The Monkees 20th Reunion Tour, Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band with Founder David Fishof

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Jeff Dwoskin 0:30

All right, Melissa, you get the show going each and every week, and this week was no exception. Welcome, everybody to Episode 141 of classic conversations. Today's episode promises to be classic classy and class I don't have a third word. Our guest today is the incredible David Fishof. David Fishof is responsible for bringing the Monkees into my life in such a way that I have loved for the last 30 plus years. That's right. One of his claims to fame is putting together the 20th anniversary Monkees tour, which I saw at Pine knob with Brian Rosenblatt and Jeffrey zonder. Right, yeah. More about that in the interview. David Fishof is also the creator of rock and roll fantasy camp. That's right. Rock and roll fantasy camp. You know, that is that's camp where you get to hang out with rock stars and jam coolest thing ever. Right? And we talk a lot about rock camp the movie they called through terabytes and decades of hours upon millions of hours of rock and roll fantasy camp footage put together an awesome movie called Rock Camp. Talk a little bit about that a fun movie. I encourage you to check it out after the interview and that interview with David Fishof is coming up in just a few minutes. As you're preparing your ears for this episode. I hope you also caught episode 140. Earlier in the week, Jay Cogan, Emmy Award winning writer for Frasier one of the first people on The Simpsons that interview is just fun from start to finish. Don't miss it. J Cogan is awesome and that's available right now. Speaking of awesome picture, if you will, suddenly you get all these notifications on social media because pick cherries pigs, your podcast classic conversations as podcasts of the week. I know incredible. So excited. I've been sharing pictures from their app, the picture app, just totally download it. Search on classic conversations. You can pick a million cherries from my podcast, share your favorite parts us. Thank you. I'm honored to pick cherries for picking classic conversations as the podcast of the week. quite an honor. Very cool. So check out their app as a thank you back from me, to them. From all of you. Thanks, everyone. Not sure it can get cooler than that. But oh, it's I changed the number it switched over to classic conversations changed the number they told me no one had this super secret number. Hang on. Hello. Hi, Jay. Hi, Blanca. How you doing? Nice

Blanca Blanco 3:26

to move back and your show. I know. We both been VC.

Jeff Dwoskin 3:30

I know. I'm so excited. Blanca Blanco. Everyone. You remember her from Episode 106? What's going on? How's the book?

Blanca Blanco 3:39

Oh, the book is doing great. So many people are being affected by it in a positive way. And it's been selling and it's just doing really good. And now I have something else I wanted to share

Jeff Dwoskin 3:50

with you guys. take God out date. Tell me all about it.

Blanca Blanco 3:53

Yeah, so I wanted to share that I am getting actually my first Emmy consideration for my role in telehealth I play Lola and my category is outstanding, Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. And it's my first one so I am super excited and to be on the ballot

Jeff Dwoskin 4:12

that is so exciting. So how did you find out you were on the ballot

Blanca Blanco 4:16

the Television Academy they notified me

Jeff Dwoskin 4:19

so is this a phone call? Like How'd you find out like is your jaw drop? Is it an email like this is exciting, right? This is like oh my God moment, right?

Blanca Blanco 4:28

Yeah, there's some emails. I got the email and then it just said that I am in the in this category. Congratulations. And I was like, Oh my god. It was real because you know when you were an actor, that's the kind of stuff you want to hear you know that your work is at the level of the academy, you know?

Jeff Dwoskin 4:48

Yeah, that's it's so exciting. Wait, so Tale of Tales is on to be right. Yeah. Tell everyone who hasn't discovered the show yet. Like What is Tale of Tales

Blanca Blanco 5:01

about so yeah, tell tales from tubing and you can download it for free. It is a Drama Action Thriller mystery, it takes place in a nightclub and there's some a crime that is happening in my character is has like the information to help solve the case. And so it is so many so many twist and betrayal, everything that you can think is so dramatic. So it is, um, you know, the investigators are trying to solve a case to make sure that there's no other victims, you know, it's definitely like it. You see the whole series all at once because it's so intriguing,

Jeff Dwoskin 5:40

right, there's eight episodes of tail tails. And then I read that there's Season Two around the corner.

Blanca Blanco 5:47

Yeah, she said two is gonna start this fall, and I'm gonna be in it. So I'm excited.

Jeff Dwoskin 5:54

That's super exciting. This is all such great news. I'm so happy to hear about all this continued success. I hope you win your Emmy. That would be so exciting. I know you've won. Yeah, I know. You're no stranger to winning awards you want yeah. I'm sure that having one of those Emmys would be put it right there on the bookshelf behind. Yeah.

Blanca Blanco 6:15

Yeah, I'm not putting that in my suitcase. I mean, in my bookcase.

Jeff Dwoskin 6:20

Yeah, I think the only one who doesn't want you to win at me is that plants behind you, which is probably where that that plants the only one voting rooting against you. Well, this is exciting. I can't thank you enough for taking even just a few minutes of your time to call into the show and let me know all the good stuff going on. Continued success with this in the book breaking the mold. So great.

Blanca Blanco 6:47

Thank you. Thank you so much, is I will say I will let you know when I have other new updates.

Jeff Dwoskin 6:53

Yeah, you're always welcome. I love to have you back. It'd be awesome. Thank you. Oh my god. You never know who's gonna call into the show. Ha. Blanca Blanco have Tale of Tales on Tubi. Also, checkout Blanca is book breaking the mold. We talk all about it on episode 106. It's a great episode. The book is really inspirational. Her story will definitely inspire you. So it's always exciting when amazing things happen to amazing people. All right. Well, I do want to take a quick second. Thank everyone for their support of the sponsors. When you support the sponsors, you're supporting us here at Classic conversations. And that's how we keep the lights on. The interview sponsor for this episode is of course Rock Camp, the movie which was born from all the footage taken during rock and roll fantasy Camp David Fishof brainchild, which gives a public the experience of living in life like a rock star Rock Camp. The movie showcases the life of some folks that participated in rock and roll fantasy camp and spotlights a lot of the cool rock and rollers that have been part of it. Alice Cooper, Robert Daltrey, Sammy Hagar, Nancy Wilson, Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, and so many more. You're gonna love this movie. More information on where you can find it during the interview and after the interview. I'll recap some also look for a link in the show notes. So cool, you're gonna love it super fun. You know what else is super fun my conversation with David Fishof that's coming up right now. You're gonna learn all about how he created the Monkees tour the Ringo All Starr band tour, rock and roll fantasy camp the Dirty Dancing tour. This man is that tour de force of musical goodness i You've waited long enough. Please enjoy my conversation with David Fishof. All right, everyone. I'm excited to introduce my next guest music producer sports agent founder of rock and roll fantasy camp. Cue the air guitar as we welcome David Fishof to the program. David, welcome to the show.

David Fishof 9:07

Thank you Jeff. So glad to be here. What a pleasure What an honor.

Jeff Dwoskin 9:11

It's an honor for me to have you here. I'm so excited to talk about the awesome rock and roll fantasy camp movie the actual camp everything I am fascinated like how did you get started just being an agent and wrapping and kind of getting into this business because it's it's unique It wasn't your background

David Fishof 9:29

well into my background I don't think anyone's background of being an agent today. You know is anyone's background it's it's you meet the client and you become an agent but I started the Catskills really then that's you know the gold the Jewish shops you know devas nose up there as a sour cream on the on the mountains. It was a place where a star for so many comedians, managers, artists talent. It's a place in the Catskill Mountains in New York where there were 100 hotels in the 60s in the 50s and 60s, and these hotels had to prove I, they provided three incredible meals. And then at 1030 at night, they gave a show every night a comedian, a singer, and someone had to book them. And that's how I started being an agent. So I wanted to entertain these people and it was hard to entertain these people because they were fully stuffed. You know, there's so much food in them that they would look up at the comedians. Okay, I did entertain the idea to make me laugh because you make me laugh. I want to give you back all those three meals. So that was really the stomping ground, the Catskills. And the more and more I'm doing interviews on this on the film Rock Camp, and I'm seeing that the Catskills had such an effect on my life from repackaging shows, you know, up there, they would go to a comedian like Henny Youngman or Rodney Dangerfield, and they were going to Raleigh and say, Hey, Ronnie, we'll give you 50 shows. And we're going to book you at either at a resort where you'll open for Tom Jones or we'll book you a little Buggle a call the old book in a bar mitzvah book in a beach club but what you'll get guaranteed 50 shows over the summer from Memorial Day Labor Day. Well that's exactly what I did when I started putting together these these concert tours. I would go to these artists, I guarantee them X amount of dollars a week and that's how I packaged my my tours.

Jeff Dwoskin 11:09

So one of the tours that you put together which I'll say changed my life now it'd be like they tapped into like is the Monkees tour the 20th anniversary Monkees tour I've seen the 20th anniversary, the 30th I'm not sure they did a 40th. But I saw the 50th and I saw Mike and Mickey together and I've seen Mike Nesmith solo, and I've met Mickey Dolenz and Mike Nesmith at a comic con. I love the Monkees, the 20th anniversary concert that you put together, which I want to hear how you kind of did it with Gary Puckett and Armin hermits and the grassroots was the first concert I ever saw without my parents now it with all due respect to Barry Manilow that was my literal first but without, with my friends, Brian and Jeff, we talked about all the time, the very first concert I ever saw was a 20th anniversary at Pine knob at Pine up Yeah,

David Fishof 12:00

sure. I remember that show. I mean, both those shows Well, you know what happened was prior to that, and 84 and 85 I was producing these all these tours, Happy Together tours, I created this concept where I would put four bands on a package the turtles the grassroots and thanking our gang and the Association. The year later I did it with the turtles and the birds and the bucking hands and I would put these packages together and I would sell them to places like pine knob and Papa Creek these will these amphitheaters oh by the needle and organization. And they would sell beautifully, you know, four or 5000 seats under, under the rooftop covering and they were part of packages that they did. And in 1986 and 85, I was touring with one of these shows, and I was stuck in Kansas City. And the hotel owner gave me because I took 50 rooms for the Happy Together tour and he was thought is gonna be nice to give me the suite and the rooftop of the Holiday Inn in Kansas City. While you think it's a nice thing, if you're single guy in a room, pick a whole suite, you couldn't sleep all night, it was just so big. And two o'clock in the morning I put on the TV, and I saw the Monkees and I said wow, I remember the Monkees 20 years ago, and I said they would be great for one of my shows. It was not like two o'clock on syndicated. So I went after I want to find out who owns the name because I knew they weren't original band. They were just a TV band. And it was all by Columbia Pictures. So I approached Columbia. I bought the name the Monkees. I had met Peter Tork the summer beforehand. And I asked Peter, would you like to, you know, can we put the band together? And he says, Well, I'm in. I can't do one of my show to start taking England to meet Mickey and Davey and when they meet Mickey Davey separately, they they were they lived on the other side of the country. They hadn't spoken. They each one of their individual deals. So that's when I came up with the the idea to put them out there and that has been put the I created a horn section to the show because I'm crazy but horns decided to package jam with Gary Puckett and the Herman hermits and the grassroots. Now, unbeknownst to me, I'm on the seventh floor 7035 Broadway, on the eighth and ninth floor is a new fledging network called MTV. I'm going up and down the elevators with the Bob Pitt who ran the network and Tom Preston and you know, I was a sports agent representative ballplayers and in those days, the Giants lost. People look at me in the street, Giants loss and you have Phil Simms and you had a lot of the players so I found out that MTV decided they're going to air 24 hours a Monkees because the Monkees were there first. They were basically the first band video ban. So I ran upstairs.

Jeff Dwoskin 14:37

Mike Nesmith basically invented the whole concept.

David Fishof 14:40

Yeah, Nesmith? Yeah he gets credit and ran upstairs and Bob Pittman said Sam kid he said I make a deal with the you promote my new floods you network MTV and all your ads for the Monkees lives toward you're doing and I'll promote it on on television that you're doing a live tour. Well, let me tell you Something that was unbelievable because I went on sale in Poplar Creek in Chicago pines. And I thought I was gonna sell to 3000 seats the first day, we sold out 15,000 tickets and Poplar Creek and pine up. And then they asked, Can we do another show? I said, Sure. We had another show. We sold 30,000 tickets in Michigan where you worked and was all these little girls came running home in the morning. And the mother said, Where were you all like, Oh, Mommy, I want to buy Monkees tickets. Well, I want to go and then you know that everybody else in the family said we want to go off. So people didn't realize that it was a 20 year old band. They thought it was a new band on MTV.

Jeff Dwoskin 15:38

So at this point, this is 1516 year old Jeff at this moment while you're making this magic MTV I remember specifically sitting there with my VHS tapes, recording every episode of the Monkees swapping it out. I must have been because like you said it was like it was just nonstop, right? I must have had tape after tape. 24 hours tape after tape after tape. I probably missed the nighttime ones. But I remember I had them all on VHS. I don't even know if I ever watched them. But I mean, I watched it but I don't remember I rewatched it and it was I was obsessed. It was like 15 or 16 year old Jeff, thanks you so much.

David Fishof 16:17

It was amazing. You got to give you have to give Bob Raphaelson credit and Brettschneider they really created a show that not only you we all were I was addicted to 20 when it first came out I run home from school and I remember watching the Monkees my parents would let me watch anything else. They sit gave me permission to watch there was so much fun. And I just loved the way everybody identified with who their favorite Monkees was and even when I was single I've got a date with a girl I'd say Who's your favorite Monkees? And you know if he said Davey I stayed if it was Mickey I stayed it was Mike or Pete I left. No I just it was just amazing how but the show the end the garden the music was incredible. I mean to see Carole King honored at the Rock Hall of Fame. And you know, she wrote Pleasant Valley Sunday. These guys were geniuses, the guys who created it and then you also have to give credit to the gentleman who who got all the music together. He had the midnight hour what was his name? Ricky, his son Ricky's a big, big producer, but did all the music you know, anyways, he picked the best songs and the best songwriters. And it was it was unbelievable. Music was amazing.

Jeff Dwoskin 17:25

Oh, I still I still listen to the Monkees today. Happy

David Fishof 17:28

it's incredible.

Jeff Dwoskin 17:30

I have on vinyl I collected on vinyl. I bought the mic and Mickey show they from the version of the tour they did a couple of years ago with pre pandemic. I have the two LP a Love it. Love it. Love it. Just love it. I have a signed copy of headquarters by Mike and Mickey. This is funny. I saw Davy Jones perform in Pontiac, Michigan. They were doing a Brady Bunch revival where they it was like before the movie, the parody movie came out. They did it that style. And they did the Davy Jones episode and Davy Jones was there playing Davy Jones once I saw Mike Nesmith solo plays called the magic but you know,

David Fishof 18:12

it didn't bother me as a fan that day because they really was he really was my favorite. You know, we were very close. He came to visit me two weeks before he passed away. Bring me these books that my younger kids now and you know, it was sad to see a bad out there Tori because the Monkees and without Davy Jones it's like, you know, imagine Aerosmith going out there or or any of these bands going out without the lead singer. But you know, that sound didn't bother me. But then I got past that. I said, You know what, if the fans want to hear the songs, and it makes them happy, why not? You know, there's so many cover bands out there. Go see the real the real guys.

Jeff Dwoskin 18:48

I hear what you're saying. 100%. And I don't disagree, but I think they do this show they call the Monkees present Mike and Mickey. I think so that and having been having been to the show, they honor Davy Jones It was great. Yeah,

David Fishof 19:02

he really he really gets he really deserves to be out. It's amazing how Nesmith decided he's going to tour finally after Davey died, you know?

Jeff Dwoskin 19:09

So I can imagine that he figured he could get a little bit of a little more spotlight or a little more

David Fishof 19:15

more spotlight because I didn't have your songs in you know, I think he's upset at me because I didn't approach him to do the 20th anniversary tour because everyone said to me I'll never do it you know because you know his brother invented Liquid Paper doesn't need the money sign up you're gonna approach them and he didn't show up to the Greek theater one night but I know he's in the province of saturated approach and because he because you can know what to say no to

Jeff Dwoskin 19:39

gonna ask why about Michael Nesmith happening part of that tour because I always invite him.

David Fishof 19:43

I didn't didn't even think to invite him. I was a big Mickey. Once I had Mickey and Davey, I was happy. And then Peter. Yes, but I don't I don't know why I didn't even think of them. I just didn't think of them. I didn't think to invite him because everyone told me would never do it. So why get rejected

Jeff Dwoskin 19:58

and the other guys they weren't like Maybe we should give mica

David Fishof 20:02

Oh, each guy was individual. No, no, it wasn't like that at all. It wasn't like that at all. You know, they were all you have to understand that they were a made up for TV band. They were actors. So, you know, it's almost like friends, you know, you have to negotiate with each each of them to get the get the reunion together. It was just it was different.

Jeff Dwoskin 20:19

The 50th anniversary tour that I saw was with Mike that was right after Davey had died. And then he came back. And so it was the three of them. And then then when Peter died, I almost I really wanted to meet Peter once I was supposed to at a comic con, but we couldn't get near. It was Peter Tork. Norman Rita's from The Walking Dead. And Stanley at the same ComiCon couldn't even get near it. So I had to bail. I was so I'm so upset because I really why he was so bad. It was so packed because it took us five hours even get near it. And then we kind of just said, Alright, we got like, we got

David Fishof 20:52

around here to talk. That's great. It was great. It was very sweet guy. Very, very sweet guy.

Jeff Dwoskin 20:58

Yeah, I had a friend who had met him and said he was just the greatest guy.

David Fishof 21:03

Very, very sincere. All right,

Jeff Dwoskin 21:05

well, thank you. I love the fact that I'm able to meet you and I guess Thank you. That was really great for a lot of people but fit

David Fishof 21:13

for your life. Yeah, no part of everyone's life. It was great. It was great to be part of it. It changed my life too. By the way, it was just a crowd. 30 years old. I didn't realize how big this thing was gonna get. It was it was the biggest thing I ever did at that time. Probably one of the biggest things I've ever done. It just like what over my head because it was so enormous. I was very fortunate that the drummer who passed away Eddie Zion, he filmed the entire tour from his video camera. And he shared me with the videos he has later. So he's able to watch it and get good memories.

Jeff Dwoskin 21:49

Oh, that's so cool. The other memory I have attached to it is that pineapple was like the summer and then they that tour came back and played I think it was the Silverdome I think it was so it was an Indian Yes.

David Fishof 21:59

Yeah, we played stadia we played the palace arena. We played a lot of it was unbelievably stadiums played arenas. And you know, it's so funny, as crazy as last night. I got a text like for the morning so I was watching The Monkees on on YouTube, the 86 tour at the Greek theatre, and they just sent it to me boy, boy, you look better today than you did that, you know, so it's every day in my life. It's the one piece

Jeff Dwoskin 22:23

that's awesome. Yeah, that's the one more mic does show up. And they do listen to the band. And I was gonna say when they did this Silverdome tour, I went on a date because I could drive and as me and Stephanie and the thing I remember besides loving the concert because we were both obsessed with the Monkees with this is pre GPS, not knowing how to get home and like taking a 30 minute drive home. You know, like after icons are they close every road? Yeah, free GPS. That was a nightmare for a kid just learning to drive. You know,

David Fishof 22:50

you know, it was crazy about the Monkees said I've never seen it any other show I've ever produced the screaming the noise. I mean, over during all the All Stars did a Beatle Dirty, dirty dancing, also screaming too, but the screaming at the Monkees. I you know, to this day probably have hearing issues on that. I never saw so much screaming. It was huge. It was so big. And I didn't realize how much security we needed. It was like the old days what it was the 60s

Jeff Dwoskin 23:18

mark is definitely one of my favorite bands. And they aren't they still sound great. And when I see them, and

David Fishof 23:24

yeah, Mickey is an amazing singer. You know, people didn't realize but he really was the lead singer as much as Davy Jones. It was really the voice of Mickey that does all the big hits.

Jeff Dwoskin 23:33

They make it you could be like Mickey is like a pretty solid voice when you think of the 60s like I think oh, yeah, it's his voice

David Fishof 23:40

still kept keeps it up. He's on Broadway. Like he's a very talented, you know, television. He's a director is I give him a lot of credit. So then you moved on to Ringo Starr and you created the all star band. Prior that I did dirty dance Dirty Dancing was prior Yeah. All right, that prior I you know, I saw the movie. I said, Well, this will be a great live show, starting the cat school. So I loved it. So that's what I did the Dirty Dancing tour. And I had a corporate sponsor all my tours, and that one was Mountain Dew and they sponsor them and the president Pepsi approached me after the tour. He said he'll this amazing. Can you create something new for us? And that's when I came up with the idea to do Ringo's. All Starr band did that for 15 years. That was amazing to play. It also played pineapple all the time. I remember being there with Jack Bruce and Peter Frampton. And, by the way, Detroit is one of the best cities to do a concert. The audiences are so supportive of these artists, whether it's kiss, whether it's Grand Funk, they are such a great music town that every artists would love to come to Detroit because they knew the audience was really going to be incredible. We do

Jeff Dwoskin 24:48

love our music. We do love your music. Yep. We're big fans. So you approach Ringo Starr. So what was it like just kind of saying, hey, x x pedo?

David Fishof 24:58

No, I wrote up Letter and I had an offer from Pepsi wrote him a letter and to his lawyer and I tracked it down through Capitol Records. And about four months later, I got a response that come see rain go and check you out. And let's see what I did with the Monkees. They saw what to do with Dirty Dancing, you know, they were able to check me out and I got invited to see him and pitched him the idea about doing an all star band concert and around him because he had a little help my friends and my brother was a drummer, and I was, you know, my brother was that usually he was the big fan. He's the one who watched them on that self and said, Wow, I'm gonna play drums for the rest of my life. And he still is playing drums because of Ringo. I approached him I went to England, I pitched him on the idea and and he said, I will stick to the same thing. And you know, and together we've put together this band he basically grabbed his friends leave on helm and Joe Walsh she put together amazing guys, I went up to Billy Preston and and you know, different people. I went after buddy,

Jeff Dwoskin 25:54

Clarence Clemons was there higher rents was one of my ideas, and Dr. John,

David Fishof 25:59

but you know, Ringo, it was easy. It was easy. You know, everybody wanted to play with Ringo, like Joe Walsh said, you know, the Democratic band, whatever. Ringo says we do.

Jeff Dwoskin 26:08

Their brother in laws, aren't they? Their brothers today? Yeah.

David Fishof 26:11

And it's amazing that the music that and how much love they have for him, you know, just to play with them. It wasn't hard to find musicians over 15 years of it the tour, you know, you want to play with Ringo, you want to go on tour? And, you know, it was it was yeah, I'm doing that. And for anyone who went on this tour, I mean, those musicians, it was a great experience. I remember Mark Farner came out on one and John Entwistle and Phyllis Cavaleiro together great, great bands. And when I did that, 15 years, and it was quite successful. And then, as you see, they played a joke on me at the first tour. It's in the movie, and the Joe Walsh and Levi Hill.

Jeff Dwoskin 26:47

Yes, very cool. Very cool. Very cool. Very cool.

David Fishof 26:51

And you have to watch the movie to get it. That's when I created the cable. The idea on the Ringo tour is that if I could give this to a fan, if they could get the, the opportunity to, you know, travel and, you know, be with these great musicians, you know, let's create a rock and roll fantasy can happen. That's how I crave a rock.

Jeff Dwoskin 27:08

That's so cool. How do you who were the first like rock stars? Are you convinced to go there? And more importantly, how did you convince them to hang with normal folks?

David Fishof 27:18

Well, that's a that's a great question, Jeff. You know, it was it because back when I started this thing, 26 years ago, no one ever did a meet and greet knowing that these people every rock star ran out the back door and they were in the limos and never gone. So it was hard to get then you have to ask these people to jam with them. So I really went to all everybody I met on the radio tour with the Nils Lofgren. I went to Clarence and went to Phil's capillary. I went to Lou Gramm and everybody or anybody I knew, and I said, Would you do this idea? We make love with the Beach Boys said how come it you know, it was something crazy. They hired recreated a lot of stuff. So I pulled my friends together. Do the first one in Florida. It was a disaster themed Rock Hotel, because I couldn't convince people to come. They didn't believe it. But I did get 40 members of the media. They showed up People Magazine and VH one and Time Magazine, Newsweek, wow, rock and roll fantasy camp. So I had about 20 campers that signed up and I had 40 people the media second night, I walked into the hotel, and Habiba Bob Spitz. He's one of the big writers, and he just wrote a book on WhatsApp was really amazing. I'm reading it now call me always especially I've got over here, and I walked the lobby and all these 40 media guys are talking around in circles and they said, you know, we were going to kill you. But this thing is fun. Everyone's having an amazing time, the rockers and Mills's teaching pieces and they all wrote amazing stories, but I can never do it again. I lost so much money, so I stopped it. And then one day, I'm at the Pole Star Awards. That's the America that's like in my industry, the Music Awards, and they're playing a game Who Wants to Be a Millionaire with Tommy Lee, Tommy Shaw and Sammy Hagar, and one of the questions they asked who created Rockwell fan skin, David Bowie, David Byrne, David Fishof, and I said, Wow, these guys remember and Sammy Hagar said, David Fisher. That's why I said we'll do it again. And I did it again, folks. VH one classic. Back then they came to help. I went to Bret Michaels, I went to George Stark and I just want everybody who I knew and just took a shot. And you know, I got turned down by a lot of people, but the ones who helped me out in the beginning, they you know, it was great, and they realize how much fun it was to them. And then I went to England to approach Roger Daltrey. I said, if I can get Roger Daltrey, that would be incredible. And I went to him and approached him and basically he didn't understand the word camp. You know, it's not like here in America, we go to camp and he told us can't be camping. You know, so I said to him, let me ask you make it real simple. If you are someone that you could jam with, and you can meet, what would you want to do? He said leave on L. He says you would just be leave on our multicam I gotta tell you something. i That was the that was like. It was a pocket leave on a done by Ringo tour and And we were very close. And so I said to Rogers, and you know, live on thought Dune, he's not too well shaped financially health wise. He said, Whatever we're gonna give me give it to him, I want to meet him. And I set that up. And livan said, I'll be glad to help you and, and he came down to meet Roger. And once Roger Daltrey did rock roll fans again. It was you know, all the papers blew up.

Jeff Dwoskin 30:21

It's so cool. So what do you think makes it so successful and the star and rock stars feel so good about and talk so so well about it? My guess would be then you can tell I shouldn't guess but like actually answer but my guess would be is once they everything kind of normalizes whether it's not a fan survey, it's not

David Fishof 30:39

gonna be great, right? It's all about the music. It reminds all of them what it was like when they first started. I mean, when Gene Simmons said to me one day, I wish they had this 40 years ago when I first started, you know, they see a guy like Jerry Cantrell show up to sit down and have lunch with these people. And they were all these positions, you know, none of these people are, they all had a choice to make in life. They went to high school, they went to college, or some didn't go to college, and they had a choice, go get a regular job or become a rock star and be their authentic self. And, and all these campers that come they wanted to be in a band, and but they didn't get real jobs. And these rockers went and they they they went with their gut, and they weren't going after the money. They were going after their art and to be their authentic self and express themselves. So I think when they see these successful people, and they themselves, it reminds them what it was like when they first started. And that's really what's kept the camp going for 26 years. The fact that these people have come back Jerry Cantrell is third time and Joe Perry and his seventh time and Roger Daltrey, eighth time, I think they realize that they really enjoy me in these people. And they realize that they're changing these people's lives, but they're getting something out of it. Also,

Jeff Dwoskin 31:50

it's really cool. Can you think of? I know, you spotlight certain people and stuff in the movie and all that kind of stuff. Do you got do you record all the jam sessions that go I mean,

David Fishof 31:59

record everything, we had to go through 90 terabytes of film, the gentleman who directed the film and produced it, Doug blush, he's from Michigan, nice, big, huge Detroit fan. And, you know, he's been associated with the three Oscars and three films that are 20 feet from stardom. And, you know, it was one of his and we record them all. And, you know, I had, I went through many editors, people had to go through all the footage and see it and there was a lot of work took five years to put that film together.

Jeff Dwoskin 32:28

Five years, wow. 26 years, or whatever, five 6000 People have come through the camp.

David Fishof 32:36

Yeah. And and find the right stories. And, and the key to these things is to keep it down to 80 minutes, you know, and how do you show 25 years in 80 minutes. So it was really hard right artists out there was make a film a tour, it's easy to make a film.

Jeff Dwoskin 32:52

It's a fun film. It's it's cool to watch like, Alice Cooper and all those folks is talking about what a rewarding experience it is.

David Fishof 33:02

It really is really rewarding. And everyone that comes you know, the biggest problem you have in running these camps is Fear Factor. You know, people are scared. I'm going to jam with my hero or Jeff Beck and, and they don't realize that once they come these rocks are there to help them. Oh, but you the camper.

Jeff Dwoskin 33:18

Got it? Lots of sex and going on nice.

David Fishof 33:21

Viagra. sex and drugs. Yeah, no, I tell you. It's so funny. Playboy Magazine did a story. What do they say the you stand three feet from a rock star. There's no sex, there's no drugs, but you stand three people rock star. So that was good enough for me. Yeah, when I started touring, you know, when these artists you got to sit, I'm 15 years younger than them. They're all I mean, anyone does my camp or anyone I've toured with, they're usually very clean. They you know, I missed that whole generation. I'm the latest generation when they all became when they all did a program where they all did a program where they did something that changed your life and realize I haven't changed my life, or I'm not gonna live

Jeff Dwoskin 34:02

right. It gets serious at some point. They gotta Yeah, gotta get serious. Do you have a few people that did the camp where you like, kind of put the phone down? You're like, holy shit. They said yes. Yeah,

David Fishof 34:14

it happens all the time. Like, I

Jeff Dwoskin 34:15

mean, once you got past Robert Daltrey, I mean, oh, yeah,

David Fishof 34:18

meatloaf. I remember being in Israel. I got a phone call from his manager. And I'm at the Wailing Wall and wow, meatloaf and Jeff Beck and and Brian Wilson and Jerry Cantrell. And oh God, even now I get so excited when Melissa Etheridge Oh can fail doing it from Soundgarden. I have that camp coming up the scorpions my favorite band, they're doing a camp for me. I mean, you know if you're gonna rock camp.com You'll see all these upcoming camps and yes, whenever I get any of those headliners I get very excited. My wife says to me, boy, your life changes you become so happy. I am I can have because it validates that they're interested in doing the idea They like my concert and they're going to come and do the camp. So you know, and they're going to change people's lives. I know it. I know for a fact I've seen it while you only see four people in the film there's over 1000 stories we could tell that have gone through rock camp and have their lives change.

Jeff Dwoskin 35:16

Is there instances of people just joining one of the bands like one of the someone going I yeah, this this guy it's got skills he's come Oh,

David Fishof 35:23

you don't want we haven't had that was on joins the actual band, but I've had, you know actual campus open for some of the rockers. That's great. I never promised that. But it had some great success writing songs, putting out albums doing tribute bands, if you go listen, Tony Robbins said it best if you immerse yourself before days, five days into something that you love, you're gonna get good at it. And people come to rock camp, they decide, You know what, I've done everything. I'm a musician. I'm a musician, period, Joe Perry once said to somebody, he says, What do you do for a living guy says oh, I'm a good I'm a lawyer, or weekends I play guitar. And Joe turns to me says you're full of crap. says you're a musician first. You were guitarists. First you do the legal stuff to pay for your, your guitars. The guy said yeah, that's me. That's me. These people come to camp, you know, they were in a band or they want to be in a band or they want to be a musician or and they immerse themselves in it. And once they get into it, they they join other bands, they become a band they find real true happiness. I will have to say one thing rock rock Fasken has changed so many people's lives because it's that's what it is. It's it's more of a it's a life changing experience than it is anything else.

Jeff Dwoskin 36:34

It's incredible. I love the part of the movie where I talked about just how it's seeped into popular culture. Like it's been on The Simpsons, The

David Fishof 36:42

Simpsons, the bones, Allen, I mean, you know, Pawn Stars. I mean, it just been unbelievable. And that's unsolicited. They just think it's a cool idea. I mean, to me, The Simpsons, we interviewed the producers Simpsons they were listening to Howard Stern talking about it with lovely West and they said, you know, that make a great episode. And then a day later, the stones called and said, you know, we're going on tour, we're looking to do an episode they said, Would you do rock roll fans again, and then Keith Richards posted it, the anniversary of the episode. So it's, you know, and I remember Tom Petty's family told him that they were so excited that he did the Simpsons episode of rock off as again. So, you know, they thought he said, Tom Petty said to the producers that my kids probably think I'm cool.

Jeff Dwoskin 37:26

That's a great episode, though. They play that on the Tom Petty channel all the time. Yeah.

David Fishof 37:32

He thought it was really cool. Well,

Jeff Dwoskin 37:33

I mean, to be in The Simpsons, right? You made it it was great.

David Fishof 37:38

Right, it helped our business.

Jeff Dwoskin 37:40

But anytime somebody just kind of I think that's how you know, you made it right when you like when people just start talking about you. Yeah, I

David Fishof 37:47

mean, that's right. You're right or those commercial that appeared Citibank you know, they called me up said we want to do a commercial and we thought wow, it's really cool. And they ran that. So ya know, it's it's been a long journey and a hard business because you know, it's some unlike where you can extend the fence or exit you know, do another week of shows, you know, we're limited to one bass player, a band, one keyboard player, being one drummer, a band. So you know, as you see, these rock stars say it's the hardest thing they have to do. It is a lot of hard work. In the end, it's satisfying.

Jeff Dwoskin 38:17

It's great. I love the segment where they're coming up with band names.

David Fishof 38:22

Names are so funny. Yeah, that's one of my favorite when you get a chance to come up with a name of a band. And by the way, they and they stick with those bands they still you know their friends that some of them are from the dirtiest of the cleanest

Jeff Dwoskin 38:35

Motley Jew was one of my favorite one

David Fishof 38:37

knowledge you very funny MGM grandfather's I mean Viagra falls I mean the summit somebody have fun

Jeff Dwoskin 38:45

Have you ever gotten a the monkees a Ringo to come do rock'n'roll fans? Oh, Mickey

David Fishof 38:48

dollars came to Camp came and I brought him into surprise everybody. I never did a monkees camp. Just because I was so so sad with him and I will Mickey came by the camp. He's been a great friend and really gave me some great ideas. Never got Ringo to do it. It was a Mickey came. Davey was gonna come but then he passed away. We had scheduled a Peter to camp period. You can't be there with a counselor camp.

Jeff Dwoskin 39:12

Nice. Can't get Joe Walsh to convince Ringo. Maybe they could do it together. They go away. Yeah, they like to hang out. They like to hang out

David Fishof 39:19

Joe to camp. Yeah, Joe. Yeah. Probably have 100 drummers and no guitar players if I had Ringo.

Jeff Dwoskin 39:27

Well, you can dream maybe just you can make Ringo jealous and try and get Paul McCartney

David Fishof 39:31

my dream. Everyone asked me what I want. I learned to make Ringo jealous. He's not jealous of anybody. But I was Kincardine. McCartney would be even McCarty wouldn't be my my dream.

Jeff Dwoskin 39:41

Okay, so I accidentally stepped on the answer to that question. And who would you want? Yeah. How in tune

David Fishof 39:48

we are. was so until you're absolutely right. Hey, we're the Monkees.

Jeff Dwoskin 39:55

People say Monkees, which is your favorite Monkees song. That's a great question. It's funny. I love I'm a believer, which I know is such a such my favorite. I love all the diamond ones. I like all the Neil Diamond ones. I know Davey saying a bunch of those

David Fishof 40:11

Mickey saying I'm a believer in my wedding.

Jeff Dwoskin 40:12

Thank you saying I will believe your wedding. That's, that is that's a cool story. Oh, wow, that is really nice. That is so cool. I my wife isn't as big a Monkees fan as I am. It's causes such strife in our relationship. For the 50th anniversary. I'm like, I'm a big boy. Now. I'm gonna buy really good tickets. I'd like third seat to the 50th anniversary. I took my wife. And at the end of it, I turned to her I go that was like the greatest thing I've ever experienced in my life. And she's like, really? She goes, you knew those songs. I'm like, you didn't. I'm like, How are we even married? I was just

David Fishof 40:50

I'm Asha. Duran Duran groupie. So I had to sit through Duran Duran show on Broadway once and I love that song. So I get it. You know, you have to be into the band.

Jeff Dwoskin 41:00

Right? It's hard, but I thought everyone I thought everyone loved The Monkees. I remember wanting to see Mike Nesmith. He was coming and doing a solo tour. And I remember like I was somewhere and no one would go with me. No one would go with me and then I just heard somebody say Monkees Magneto and I walk over I go did you just say Mike Nesmith Mike Nesmith? I don't even know who this person is. I just know we have mutual friends. He goes, yes, it goes. No one will go to the concert with me. We went to the concert together. I don't think I've seen him. I never saw him again. But that the Monkees just brings people together left and right. Alright, so Paul McCartney is who would be who would be if you never could get Paul McCartney. I made

David Fishof 41:41

you know Mick and Keith. They did that episode. That was the best, you know, Jimmy Page would be another great one. But anyway, you know what? I'm really open to any musician who really wants to share and teach and mentor. I'm open for anybody. So yeah, I love it. I love it. It's really exciting every day to come up with a new idea. Create a new concept and probably the best job in the world for me to run Rock Roll fantasy camp.

Jeff Dwoskin 42:04

It's so amazing. What's next? Is it just more camps? Or do you have more

David Fishof 42:08

camps? Well, we're from a TV series now with Fox and trying to come up with a different series. Do more camps moving into casinos? Yeah. I'm constantly trying to find new ways to build it. Where can people see the movie? So the movie is it's on Amazon Prime and also apple. But you could also see it on DirecTV free if you're on the 4k channel, which would be really cool tape but they can go to Rock Camp, the movie.com and they can see it for only 299 that's the cheapest place to see it. Rock Camp the movie.com.com

Jeff Dwoskin 42:41

It's a really fun movie everyone. Yeah, I was

David Fishof 42:45

one fell in love. You know what I love about the film, it sounds like a behind the music, you know, behind the music was banned, makes a big band lose all their money and makes it big again. And I just put in the name of the band Beatles song was playing Pink Floyd Duran Duran, you know, this is a movie that takes you from the beginning. It's slow. And then the end, you really walk away with with emotional feeling. And I'm hoping that people will, it will resonate with anybody who wants to do a new idea. You're doing a podcast, you know, people shouldn't be scared to go out and create new concept these people do with music, but you can do it with anything. So to me, I want people to be motivated by not to be afraid.

Jeff Dwoskin 43:23

It's definitely inspirational. There's some really great threads that you follow of people that are at the camp and just how their lives kind of evolved. It's great hearing from Alice Cooper and all those folks, you know, just hearing

David Fishof 43:37

to see cheese, Edmonds and Alice and see everybody that really comes down to earth. Yeah, Paul Stanley, wholesale is amazing.

Jeff Dwoskin 43:45

Yeah, so cool. Is there any other places that people can keep up with you on the social media?

David Fishof 43:49

Yeah, the best thing is rock camp.com and get on our newsletter come out with a newsletter. Every week, we announced two camps. Of course, I'm on Instagram and but the best thing is the newsletter because I really focus on that what I want to share with people and and then they can write back those very cool, hopefully, well, we'll cut we'll get to Michigan to come out to sea to camp. That'd be great to the boat at Motor City casino. I'm hoping we'll get there one day.

Jeff Dwoskin 44:12

That'd be amazing. Thank you. I just went on logical talent at all. Thank you so much. I love you. I

David Fishof 44:18

can't play it.

Jeff Dwoskin 44:20

I can't be the manager. Do you have a manager role?

David Fishof 44:22

Yeah. You can create the logos. Thank you so much. Okay, so welcome. All the best, all the best. Thank you. Thanks for having me.

Jeff Dwoskin 44:31

All right. How awesome was that conversation? i It's you see all these things existing in the world the Ringo, all star band the monkees tour rock and roll fantasy camp. You never stopped to think who created all this who brought this into our lives? I know. There we are. So I kept saying during the interview that I saw the Monkees at the silver dome, and I actually saw them at the Palace of Auburn Hills. The second time first time was pine knob but just self correct myself. I was at the house of Auburn Hills with Stephanie Wolf. And we saw it and got lost on the way home. I hope so. All right, so that's, that's that I'm a huge Monkees fan. I really, really really love the monkees. Hopefully that came through. Anyway, so that was super fun.

Jeff Dwoskin 45:17

Well, you know what else is super fun? When the interview is over? We do a trending hashtag when the family of hashtags that hashtag are round up, download the free always free doesn't cost a penny app from the iTunes App Store or Google Play Store. Download the app get notified every time a hashtag game starts tweet along with us. And one day one of your tweets may show up on a future episode of Classic conversations, fame and fortune awaits you. Follow us at hashtag roundup on Twitter, for all the goodness join the community. It's a lot of fun. If you're thinking of getting into Twitter, this is the way to do it. All right, this episode's hashtag #BeachySongsAndBands by hashtag tavern mash up beaches and songs and bands I figured Hey Rock and Roll episode got to mix up something with songs and bands and I pick beaches I don't know why I just did here we are hashtag tavern always bringing the good games weekly on the hashtag roundup alright so let's let's dive into this ultimate mash up of beach things songs and bands mash them all together. You get #BeachySongsAndBands hilarity ensues. Here we go. Sweet dreams are mermaid of these oh I forgot I always go into singing backs and #BeachySongsAndBands how Kantai anything by Nickelback because they're trash and our beaches are polluted Jerry hitting low but hitting high why? Here comes the sun screen. Doo doo doo doo doo. Hi way to show shows. You get it you see how you mash up beaches and songs and bands? It's fun, right? See food fighters. Boom. A band example clam. I wish I was your lover. And you get to hear me saying horrible. That's a bonus right? I see Horse With No Name. This sand is your sand. This light sand is my sand from the wave Matthews Band sand by me. Sand by me when you're not okay, so born to sun. I've been waiting for a girl like you. I got sand in low places. Walk like across Dijon. These are some amazing ash egg beachy songs and bands. And with any luck, some of the tunes I'm singing are sticking in your head steely tan. All along the sand castle. That beaches back suns and roses and our final #BeachySongsAndBands. Goals. Just want to have fun. That's what they really want. Oh, I can see your face. And I am embarrassed. Okay, sorry for my singing. #BeachySongsAndBands, all retweeted at Jeff Dwoskin show on Twitter. Go show him some Twitter live. Tweet your own #BeachySongsAndBands. Tag us at Jeff Dwoskin show. I'll show you some love. And we'll go from there.

Jeff Dwoskin 48:26

All right. Well, that was fine. Some hilarious tweets, an amazing interview, a special calling guest oh my god, this episode had everything. So I want to thank my special guest, David Fishof, I want to thank my special calling guest, Blanca Blanco. And of course, I want to thank all of you for coming back week after week. It means the world to me, and I'll see you next time.

CTS Announcer 48:55

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Transcribed by https://otter.ai