Bob Christianson (musician, composer Gimme A Break, NHL themes; SNL Band backup keyboardist 1983 - 1986)

Bob Christianson joined me to talk about being the next Billy Joel; what it means to be a working composer; having Sgt. Pepper be his influence; going to SUNY Potsdam quitting student teaching; joining the Magic Show on Broadway; meeting and replacing Paul Shaffer in The Magic Show and Godspell; doing Gilda Live; performing "I Live to be Unhappy" with Gilda on Broadway; being in The Candy Slice Group; Doug Henning and Gilda Raner being private people; performing in the Broadway play Truckload; arrangeing the Disco version of Babes in Toyland recorded at MSG; touring with Jan Hammer; performing on Aretha Franklin's "Can't Turn You Loose"; being a session musician in the late 70's / eafrly 80's; subbing for Leon Pendarvis in the SNL band beginning in 1983; Jerry Lewis and Don Rickles ad-libs cause producers havoc; accompanying Jim Belushi as Boy George Burns and Rappin Jimmy B and saying "LFNY"; playing piano for Irving Caesar, Mr. Robinson, Michael Douglas; the bandstand being off camera from 1983 - 1986; being inNewsbar with Edwin Newman; backing up Danitra Vance; composing and arranging for The Late Show with David Letterman's 60 Piece Band; his 1982 recording session available on Youtube; writing the theme song to Gimme A Break; people making viral videos out of his music for Sex and the City and the NHL; winning an Emmy and having a documentary made about the NHL theme; losing an Emmy to A Christmas Carol to Lin Manuel Miranda; composing for the films Marvin's Room and Miracle; how he writes his sports themes; inspiration comes at odd times; how Lin Manuel Miranda wrote Hamilton; not being "too precious" with your songwriting; writing and playing on jingles solidifies your craft; deadlines make creativity; Sex and the City needed a lot of music weekly; todays movies need epic scores with no time to write them; why he still admires Billy Joel