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The Week In Music: Gene Simmons, Shannon Tweed To Tie The Knot?
Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed

Photo: Dr. Billy Ingram/WireImage.com

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The Week In Music: Gene Simmons, Shannon Tweed To Tie The Knot?

Kiss man proposes after 25 years

GRAMMYs/Dec 3, 2014 - 05:06 am

Kiss' Gene Simmons is taking yet another risky plunge, but this time it doesn't involve the Kiss franchise. Or does it? On the season finale of Simmons' reality TV series "Gene Simmons Family Jewels," the blood-spitting frontman showed a softer side when he proposed to longtime girlfriend of 25 years Shannon Tweed. A self-proclaimed bachelor, the news has no doubt come as a surprise to fans, Tweed, and maybe even Simmons himself. According to reports, fans won't know whether Tweed said yes anytime soon because shortly after Simmons' proposal, the show went into "to be continued…" mode. But judging by Tweed's tearful response, we can take a wild guess and say that the Simmons/Tweed dynasty will definitely be continued. But for now, Simmons tweeted on July 26, "Shannon and I work on our relationship every day. One day at a time. Thanks for watching. When we figure out our lives, you will know."

July marks 30 years since Journey's seventh studio album Escape was released and, as the band's hit says, the guys haven't stopped believin' since. On July 24 Journey's Jonathan Cain (keyboards), Arnel Pineda (vocals) and Neal Schon (guitar) sat down with CBS News' Jim Axelrod to discuss the ongoing success of "Don't Stop Believin'" in light of the tune's anniversary. Since its release in 1981, the band has performed it live at every show. "You'd have a revolt from the audience [if you didn't perform the song live], wouldn't you?" asked Axelrod, to which Schon replied, "Yeah, I think they would be throwing stuff at us." For Cain, who co-wrote the song with former frontman Steve Perry and Schon, the hit was a dream-come-true. "I was starving before I hit Journey," said Cain. "Very, very rough times…I didn't know where the next paycheck was gonna come." Times are likely much better for Cain and company now; the song has reportedly become the most covered, karaoked and parodied song in modern music history and with digital sales of close to 4.5 million, it's also reportedly the most downloaded song recorded in the 20th century. And a cover of the tune by the cast of "Glee" picked up a nomination for Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals at the 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards. We sure hope the guys in Journey don't stop believin' anytime soon.

Never known as the beautiful model type, Beck is nevertheless the subject of a new photo book by musician/art director/photographer Autumn de Wilde, a longtime Beck friend and collaborator. The book, appropriately but perhaps boringly titled Beck, is scheduled for release in the fall, and according to publisher Chronicle Books, "This beautifully designed volume — featuring a circular fold-out poster jacket — collects the best of these amazing photographs, including intimate portraits as well as images documenting the recording of his seminal album Mutations, and gorgeous photo sessions informed by surrealism, Dada, op art, and other artistic influences." Pretty good for a loser.

Guys are so over Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber according to AskMen.com's Great Male Survey. The survey, which queried more than 70,000 Australian, British, Canadian, and U.S. men (presumably all respondents were being truthful about their country and gender), polled participants on everything from lifestyle to personal grooming. It also asked which male and female celebs the respondents were most tired of hearing about. The bittersweet pill for the music space: musicians topped both gender lists. Participants were given a choice of seven men and six women from which to choose. Bieber (47 percent) easily outranked Charlie Sheen (20 percent), Barack Obama (12 percent) and Donald Trump (8 percent), among others. Gaga (29 percent) edged out Sarah Palin (25 percent) and Kim Kardashian (17 percent). As a key to the legitimacy of the results, 63 percent of poll respondents also said they had never insincerely told a woman they loved her to get sex.

Apparently, she's an author in disguise. Linda Ronstadt is the latest entrant in the pop and rock autobiography wars. To be titled Heart Like A Wheel and due out in 2013, the book will be published by Simon & Schuster, coincidentally cofounded by the father of another '70s female pop icon, Carly Simon. The 10-time GRAMMY winner should have plenty to write about, including coming of age in the Los Angeles folk rock scene with the Eagles, Jackson Browne and others, becoming the defining female rocker of her generation, and of course dating, among others, former and current California Governor Jerry Brown, who once told a friend he could never marry Ronstadt because her rock and roll reputation would cost him the White House. For Ronstadt's part, in 1973 in Newsweek she commented that when Mick Jagger was in Los Angeles, he called and asked her to meet him in Mexico: "That's the sort of thing I couldn't do if I was married to Jerry."

In light of the recent passing of GRAMMY winner Amy Winehouse, a few artists came together to pay tribute to the late retro-soul songstress at Greenwich Summer Sessions in London. Artists paying tribute included GRAMMY winner Mark Ronson, who referred to Winehouse as a "sister" and "musical soul mate" and performed a rendition of the Zutons' "Valerie," which Ronson recorded with Winehouse for his 2007 album Version. The cast of "Glee" was also in attendance to perform their version of "Valerie," which will be featured in the upcoming film Glee 3D. Fans have also proved not to have forgotten the artist who ironically turned "Rehab" into a huge commercial hit. According to Billboard.biz, fans clamored to purchase copies of Winehouse's U.S. debut album Back To Black: It sold 37,000 units in the week following her death on July 23, and reentered the Billboard 200 at No. 9. If you ask fans if they've forgotten about Winehouse, we're thinking they'd say, "No, no, no."

LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem" featuring Lauren Bennett and GoonRock is tops on the Billboard Hot 100 and the iTunes singles chart.

Any news we've missed? Comment below.

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GRAMMY Rewind: Watch Linda Ronstadt's Sweet & Simple Acceptance Speech In 1977
(L-R) Linda Ronstadt and Peter Asher at the 1977 GRAMMYs.

Photo: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images

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GRAMMY Rewind: Watch Linda Ronstadt's Sweet & Simple Acceptance Speech In 1977

When Linda Ronstadt won a GRAMMY for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance — for her seventh album, 'Hasten Down the Wind' — she only had one special person in mind: her producer, Peter Asher.

GRAMMYs/Mar 22, 2024 - 04:32 pm

With Hasten Down the Wind, Linda Ronstadt became the first female artist with three million-selling albums in a row — and furthered her legacy as one of the pioneers of women in rock music.

The album also helped Ronstadt snag her second GRAMMY, as it won Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1977. (The year prior, she took home Best Female Country Vocal Performance for her cover of Hank Williams' "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love With You).")

In this episode of GRAMMY Rewind, relive the moment Linda Ronstadt won Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for Hasten Down the Wind in 1977.

Ronstadt kept her acceptance speech short and sweet: "I'd especially like to thank Peter Asher," the producer of the pop rock LP. "Thank you," she added with a smile.

To date, Ronstadt has won 11 GRAMMYs and received 27 nominations. In 2011 and 2016, respectively, she received a Latin GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award and a GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award.

Press play on the video above to watch Linda Ronstadt take the stage to accept Best Pop Vocal Performance at the 19th Annual GRAMMY Awards and remember to keep checking back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of GRAMMY Rewind.

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2024 Oscars: Watch Ryan Gosling And Mark Ronson Perform A Soaring, Hilarious Version Of "I'm Just Ken" From The Motion Picture 'Barbie'
Ryan Gosling performs 'I'm Just Ken' from "Barbie" onstage during the 2024 Oscars

Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

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2024 Oscars: Watch Ryan Gosling And Mark Ronson Perform A Soaring, Hilarious Version Of "I'm Just Ken" From The Motion Picture 'Barbie'

At the 2024 Oscars, Ryan Gosling and Mark Ronson performed an unforgettable version of "What Was I Made For?" [From The Motion Picture Barbie], which is up for Best Original Song at the ceremony.

GRAMMYs/Mar 11, 2024 - 01:53 am

At the 2024 Oscars, Ryan Gosling and Mark Ronson performed a jubilant version of "I'm Just Ken" [From The Motion Picture *Barbie*], which is up for Best Original Song at the ceremony.

With an effervescent backing of black-suited dancers, Gosling leaned into the universal male yearning of the instant Barbie classic. And the arena rock magnitude was helped along by two guitar shredders who rightly dominate that world: Slash and Wolfgang Van Halen.

As Gosling put it at CinemaCon in 2023, Gosling initially doubted his Kenergy.

"It was like I was living my life and then one day I was bleaching my hair, shaving my legs, wearing bespoke neon outfits, and rollerblading down Venice Beach," he said.

"It came on like a light scarlet fever and then I woke up one day and was like, 'Why is there fake tanner in my sheets? What just happened?'"

2024 Oscars: Watch Performances & Highlights

Billie Eilish and FINNEAS won the Oscar for Original Song for "What Was I Made For?" [From The Motion Picture Barbie] at the 2024 Academy Awards.

Keep checking this space for more updates on the 2024 Oscars — including GRAMMY winners and nominees who are featured during the big night!

2024 GRAMMYs: Billie Eilish Wins GRAMMY For Song Of The Year For "What Was I Made For?" From The 'Barbie' Soundtrack

2024 Oscar Nominees Who Have Won A GRAMMY: Billie Eilish, Martin Scorsese & More
Billie Eilish at the 2024 GRAMMYs.

Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

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2024 Oscar Nominees Who Have Won A GRAMMY: Billie Eilish, Martin Scorsese & More

From Bradley Cooper to Diane Warren, 12 nominees at the 2024 Oscars have a golden gramophone to their name. Ahead of the Oscars ceremony on March 10, check out the GRAMMY history of this year's nominees.

GRAMMYs/Mar 6, 2024 - 04:33 pm

Music's Biggest Night and the film industry's biggest night are a little more intertwined than one might think.

The GRAMMYs have four Categories that tie in with the Hollywood machine, from Best Song Written For Visual Media to Best Music Film. And the Best Audio Book, Narration and Storytelling Recording award has offered thespians such as John Gielgud, Viola Davis, and Mike Nichols a route to EGOT glory.

The Academy Awards, meanwhile, gives both composers and songwriters their dues in the Best Original Score and Best Original Song categories, respectively. And the latter's nominees will often be performed to help break up all the drama at the podium, no matter how un-Oscar-like the track may be. Who can forget the fever dream that was The Lego Movie's "Everything Is Awesome," for example?

The 2024 Oscars bring both ceremonies even closer together, with 12 nominees walking in as previous GRAMMY winners. Half of them were even victorious at the 2024 GRAMMYs, including Billie Eilish, Finneas O'Connell, and Mark Ronson, who all took home golden gramophones for their Barbie contributions (and are all up for the same film at this year's Oscars).

Ahead of the March 10 ceremony, take a look at the GRAMMY stories of 2024 Oscar nominees — from celebrated composers to iconic directors to a few of this year's performers.

2024 Oscars: Watch Performances & Highlights

Jon Batiste

Jon Batiste has had quite the GRAMMY run as of late, picking up 19 nominations in just the last three years alone; he scored five wins for 2021's We Are in 2022, including the prestigious Album Of The Year. The jazz maestro, formerly the bandleader of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, has also enjoyed Oscars glory in the same time frame.

Firstly, in 2021, he shared the Best Original Score Oscar with Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor for their work on Pixar animation Soul. And this year, he's nominated in the Best Original Song category for "It Never Went Away," a track featured in his own powerful documentary biopic, American Symphony.

Danielle Brooks 

Two years into her memorable run as prisoner Taystee in "Orange Is the New Black," Danielle Brooks proved her talents extended far beyond the walls of the Litchfield penitentiary with an acclaimed turn in the 2015 Broadway revival of The Color Purple. After the Juilliard graduate picked up a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical in 2016, she became a GRAMMY winner in 2017, when the cast won Best Musical Theater Album.

The all-singing, all-dancing film adaptation of the Alice Walker novel earned Brooks her first Academy Award nod, too. For she once again stole the show in its Hollywood transfer as the strong-minded Sofia, a character first played on the big screen by Oprah Winfrey.

Bradley Cooper  

Bradley Cooper spent six years practicing conducting just six minutes of music for his portrayal of legendary composer Leonard Bernstein in acclaimed biopic Maestro. And the multi-talent's admirable commitment paid off when he received Academy Award nods for Best Original Screenplay, Best Picture, and Best Actor.

Cooper was also nominated in the latter two categories, along with Best Adapted Screenplay, five years ago for another musical, A Star Is Born, and earned two GRAMMYs for the same project. In 2019, he shared Best Pop Duo/Group Performance with Lady Gaga for "Shallow," the spellbinding ballad which also picked up a Record Of The Year nod. A year later, the same film triumphed in Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media.

Billie Eilish  

Like Batiste, Billie Eilish has made an impressive GRAMMYs run in a short span of time. The alt-pop phenomenon has already picked up nine awards from 25 nominations (and she's only just turned 22!). And at her first GRAMMYs just four years ago, Eilish already cemented herself in GRAMMY history: not only did she become just the second artist to claim Best New Artist and Record, Song, and Album Of the Year, but she became the youngest artist to do so at 18 years old.

Eilish added to her GRAMMY legacy with two more wins at the 2024 ceremony, for "What Was I Made For?" [From The Motion Picture *Barbie*], which won the star her second golden gramophones for Song Of The Year and Best Song Written For Visual Media; her James Bond theme, "No Time To Die," won the latter in 2021.

"What Was I Made For?" —  played during the poignant scene where Margot Robbie's titular character meets her creator — has also enamored Oscar voters. In fact, it's the predicted favorite to clinch Best Original Song, which "No Time to Die" helped Eilish claim in 2022.

Ludwig Göransson

Ludwig Göransson is predicted to win his second Best Original Score Oscar this year thanks to his suitably intense arrangements for Oppenheimer; his first win came in 2019 for Black Panther. The Swedish composer has already won Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media for the same projects at the GRAMMYs.

But it's in the realm of socially conscious hip-hop where Göransson has been a GRAMMYs awards trailblazer. Childish Gambino's "This Is America," a powerful state of the nation address which he co-produced, picked up both Song and Record Of The Year at the 2019 ceremony — marking the first time a rap track had won either accolade. Göransson's fruitful partnership with Gambino has also seen him receive nods for Album Of The Year and Best R&B Song.

Finneas O'Connell 

Finneas O'Connell might have eight fewer GRAMMY nominations than his sister (Billie Eilish), but he does have one more win under his belt. Indeed, having masterminded Eilish's blockbuster breakthrough, 2019's When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, and hit the studio with artists such as Tate McRae, Camila Cabello, and Selena Gomez, the Californian picked up Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical at the 2020 ceremony. (Alongside the nine golden gramophones he's shared with his younger sibling — and primary collaborator — that takes his overall tally up to 10.)

As a co-writer on Eilish's James Bond theme "No Time to Die," Finneas and his sis will have two Oscars a piece should their co-written song, "What Was I Made For?" [From The Motion Picture Barbie], win Best Original Song as predicted.

Mark Ronson 

Mark Ronson first caught GRAMMYs attention for his behind-the-scenes efforts, winning Best Pop Vocal Album, Record Of The Year, and Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical in 2008 for his work on Amy Winehouse's seminal Back to Black. But eight years later, he scooped two GRAMMYs for his very own throwback, the Bruno Mars-featuring "Uptown Funk," and in 2019, picked up Best Dance Recording as part of the supergroup Silk City alongside Diplo and Dua Lipa.

Ronson and Lipa were once again nominated together at the 2024 GRAMMYs for their global chart-topper, "Dance the Night" [From The Motion Picture Barbie], which didn't receive a Best Original Song Academy Award nod. The DJ-turned-hitmaker still notched an Oscar nomination, though, thanks to a different Barbie number he co-wrote: the Ryan Gosling-sung "I'm Just Ken."

Martin Scorsese 

Here's a staggering fact: Martin Scorsese, widely regarded as one of the finest filmmakers in Hollywood history, has as many GRAMMYs to his celebrated name as he does Oscars: one.

The auteur received his GRAMMY in 2006, when his Bob Dylan documentary, No Direction Home, won in the Best Long Form Music Video Category. (He had been nominated the previous two years, in the same Category in 2005 for his PBS series Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues: A Musical Journey, and in the Best Compilation Soundtrack Album For A Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media Category in 2004 for Gangs Of New York.)

His sole Best Director victory at the Academy Awards came not for Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, or Goodfellas, but for his 2006 remake of The Departed in what many interpreted as a career win. He earned his tenth nomination in the coveted category at the 2024 Oscars, for Killers of the Flower Moon.

Diane Warren 

Diane Warren is responsible for some of the all-time great movie power ballads: see the late '90s holy trinity of Celine Dion's "Because You Loved Me," LeAnn Rimes' "How Do I Live," and Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss A Thing." However, the prolific songwriter has never won an Oscar outright (she was awarded an honorary one in 2022). She has another shot at the 2024 Oscars thanks to Becky G's "The Fire Inside" from the Cheetos-inspired Flamin' Hot, which earned Warren her 15th Best Original Song nomination.

The songwriting dynamo has received the same number of nods at the GRAMMYs, and celebrated a win in 1997, when "Because You Loved Me" (from 1996's Up, Close and Personal) took home Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or for Television.

John Williams 

Where to start with John Williams? The veteran composer received his 54th Academy Award nod this year, with his work on Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny recognized in Best Original Score. He remains second only to Walt Disney for the most Oscar nominations ever, he's the only individual to be recognized across seven decades in a row (his first came back in 1968 for Valley of the Dolls), and he became the oldest nominee ever in 2023 — a record which he topped again this year at 91.

And Williams has been even more successful at the GRAMMYS, picking up a remarkable 26 golden gramophones from 76 nominations. His latest came only last month when "Helena's Theme," the piece of music composed for Phoebe Waller-Bridge's character in Dial of Destiny, was crowned Best Instrumental Composition.

Dan Wilson 

Dan Wilson picked up the first of his six GRAMMY nominations with his own band Semisonic's anthemic "Closing Time." But following the alt-rock trio's initial split in 2001, all of his other nods have been for his work as an in-demand songwriter. Wilson has won two of the General Field GRAMMYs, first for Song Of The Year for Dixie Chicks' "Not Ready to Make Nice" in 2006 and Album Of The Year for his work on Adele's 21 in 2012.

And he added a third GRAMMY to his trophy haul this year, as his co-written Chris Stapleton track "White Horse" won Best Country Song. Thanks to his contribution to the aforementioned Batiste ballad, the hitmaker can also now call himself an Oscar nominee, too.

Andrew Wyatt 

Ronson co-produced and co-wrote "I'm Just Ken" [From The Motion Picture Barbie] with longtime collaborator Andrew Wyatt. The pair won the 2019 Best Original Song Oscar for their co-write on A Star Is Born cut "Shallow," and also picked up Best Song Written for Visual Media with the same tearjerker (alongside Cooper) at the GRAMMYs.

Wyatt, who first found fame as one-third of electronic trio Miike Snow before launching a solo career, has also enjoyed a taste of GRAMMY recognition elsewhere. The New Yorker's first nod came in 2012 when Bruno Mars' "Grenade," the emotive heartbreak anthem that counted him as one of six songwriters, was nominated for Song Of The Year.

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'On The Lips' Of Whistler Molly Lewis: How Her Debut Album Harnessed The Power Of Collaboration & Mood Lighting
Molly Lewis

Photo: Shervin Lainez

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'On The Lips' Of Whistler Molly Lewis: How Her Debut Album Harnessed The Power Of Collaboration & Mood Lighting

Molly Lewis' unique instrument has caught the ear of Dr. Dre and soundtracked a pivotal scene in 'Barbie.' Out Feb. 16, the whistler's first LP takes listeners to a less glamorous — but equally vivid — space: the Hollywood lounge.

GRAMMYs/Feb 16, 2024 - 07:36 pm

To properly consume her music, whistler Molly Lewis suggests incorporating the following into your listening experience: candlelight, cold libations and, if possible, a hot date.

Though all are merely suggested tips for conjuring an ideal mood, the 33-year-old Australian says her debut full-length album was conceived with these conditions in mind. On the Lips captures the oft ethereal, sometimes sensual energy of Lewis' live act, which she's honed for years in legendary Hollywood lounges.

“I thought it would be a good idea if my first LP was like the essence of my live show,” Lewis shared. “At one point, we even talked about putting clapping in between the songs to make it feel more like a live album.”

Lewis is hesitant to place any demands on listeners, though she holds firm in her belief that having the right lighting is always a plus. For proof, look no further than last fall, when Lewis performed at Children's Fairyland — a historic amusement park in Northern California credited as a source of inspiration for the original Disneyland.

Curated by Oakland experimental pop artist SPELLLING, the bill for September's Through the Looking Glass festival included a slot for Lewis, who was staged in an area decorated like The Wizard of Oz's Emerald City. Bathed in an eerie glow of green lights, Lewis emerged in a sparkling red evening gown and the crowd bewitched before she'd ever pursed her lips.

"That night [in Oakland] was very surreal and magical," Lewis recalled. "Lighting helps me get into the feeling of the music and, of course, it's helpful to the audience too. If I'm doing a show in L.A., I try to dress the stage and create an atmosphere. Obviously, with budget limitations, it never goes too far but maybe one day I'll get around to pyrotechnics."

Until that day arrives, the highlight of seeing Lewis perform is unquestionably the opportunity to hear her world-class whistling skills. From recording sessions with Dr. Dre to her sonic contributions to a pivotal scene in 2023 Oscar Best Picture nominee Barbie, Lewis continues to lend her lips to all manner of notable projects. At the same time, she's also simultaneously nurtured a solo career that's seen her grow from open mics at Canter's Deli to touring with Weyes Blood and taking calls from Mark Ronson

In an upbeat conversation via Zoom from her home in Los Angeles, Lewis detailed her roots as a whistler, mused on her skills as a raconteur, and paid tribute to the L.A. lounge legends who helped her pave a truly singular career.

**You recorded On the Lips in a studio equipped with a tiki bar and an open-door policy that saw a slew of talented folks swing by. What was the atmosphere like during those sessions?**

[Producer] Tom Brenneck and I have made my last three records together. Basically, one of my best friends in L.A. is an artist named Ariana Papademetropoulos. For many years, she was like, "Molly, you have to meet my brother-in-law, Tom. I feel like you guys would make such good music together." When we finally met up and worked on something, it was easy and fun. We obviously have very similar taste in music.

When I first got a small budget to record some music with, I didn't know where to start. Explaining music is a skill that you can learn and get better at, but when I first started, I didn't know how to articulate what I was feeling and wanting. It reminded me of when you go to the hairdresser and show them a photo of what you want, then they start cutting and you're like, "Ah, it doesn't look like that." But they're a professional, so you don't say anything, and then you get home and wish you'd said something.

Working with Tom was easy because he's very encouraging and generous. He really made me feel like I could do this. I'm not a trained musician. I don't know how to play a lot of instruments. I can play very basic guitar but I don't know how to read music. Sometimes I felt like I didn't belong, but Tom really encouraged me and helped me bring my little demo ideas to life. 

A lot of his musician friends and people he works with would come by to hang out and to see what was going on. [Samba guitarist and Latin GRAMMY nominee] Rogê would be over and we'd write a song together. Chester Hansen of BADBADNOTGOOD was there to work on his record and luckily, he was down to record with me too. It was a very relaxed atmosphere.

 To see you live is to also be treated to your exceptional stage banter. How did that element of your craft develop?

Thank you! It isn't something that was very thought out when I first started performing. When you're the singer — or the whistler, as it is with me — and you have a microphone in front of you, there are moments of silence between songs. I just started doing the thing I do when I'm nervous, which is to make some chit chat. 

I was always a bit jealous of musicians who could remain very mysterious and silent in between songs. That also says a lot and conveys something beautiful and mysterious and untouchable. I always felt like I really need to just shut up and be this other character on-stage — this ethereal whistler — and leave the other parts of myself, like the awkward silly chit chat, at home, but I didn't want to put on an act in that way.

I saw Mary Lattimore, this incredible harpist, perform once and I was just so taken by her playing this incredible, ethereal, magical instrument and, in between the songs, telling these funny anecdotes and stories about the [origins of] song names and little things about her life. It was such a wonderful contrast, and it's so wonderful to get to know the musician or artist in that way. I think that's when I realized that it is a nice thing to include banter and little stories and silly jokes. 

I try not to think too much about it because I don't want it to be rehearsed, but of course, I've got a few little tricks up my sleeve. It's fun to be on the spot and to see what happens. That also keeps it fun.

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