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Stallone, Frank That Is, Master Musician - Today's episode features the incredible life of Frank Stallone. Frank fronts a monthly gig at the legendary Herb Alpert's, Vibrato Jazz Club in Beverly Hills. Frank's acted in movies like Rocky, Tombstone, Hudson Hawk and dozens of other movies.
Frank's latest effort is a project is a documentary about his life titled, "Stallone Frank That Is." The movie shows who Frank is, what he does and how he's developed his career as an artist. Frank sits with Pete A Turner and Pete Koch at Q's on Wilshire for this episode. Jon Leon Guerrero drops the intro. #podcast #episode #stallone #vibratojazzclub #herbalpert #hallandoates #philadephia #artist #musican #itunespodcast #youtbue Similar episodes: Nathan East John JR Robinson Don Randi |
Transcription
Jon Leon Guerrero 0:00
Hey this john Leon Guerrero Our guest today is a bad man from a show business family. His name is Frank Stallone. He's been making music for decades. He's been nominated for a Grammy and a Golden Globe. And his name was a recurring punch line for Norm Macdonald on Saturday night lives Weekend Update. That's a pretty deep reference. So if you're with us on that one right on, Frank's got a hardscrabble exterior. He also grew up boxing in Philadelphia. But he's got the soul of a Philly crooner in the heart of a songwriter. You can see him once again in and around Los Angeles. He's playing the intimate jazz clubs from Hollywood to Orange County, places like bar Fedora downtown Mozambique and Laguna Beach and the Hello baked potato.
Hey this john Leon Guerrero Our guest today is a bad man from a show business family. His name is Frank Stallone. He's been making music for decades. He's been nominated for a Grammy and a Golden Globe. And his name was a recurring punch line for Norm Macdonald on Saturday night lives Weekend Update. That's a pretty deep reference. So if you're with us on that one right on, Frank's got a hardscrabble exterior. He also grew up boxing in Philadelphia. But he's got the soul of a Philly crooner in the heart of a songwriter. You can see him once again in and around Los Angeles. He's playing the intimate jazz clubs from Hollywood to Orange County, places like bar Fedora downtown Mozambique and Laguna Beach and the Hello baked potato.
Jon Leon Guerrero 0:00
Hey this john Leon Guerrero Our guest today is a bad man from a show business family. His name is Frank Stallone. He's been making music for decades. He's been nominated for a Grammy and a Golden Globe. And his name was a recurring punch line for Norm Macdonald on Saturday night lives Weekend Update. That's a pretty deep reference. So if you're with us on that one right on, Frank's got a hardscrabble exterior. He also grew up boxing in Philadelphia. But he's got the soul of a Philly crooner in the heart of a songwriter. You can see him once again in and around Los Angeles. He's playing the intimate jazz clubs from Hollywood to Orange County, places like bar Fedora downtown Mozambique and Laguna Beach and the Hello baked potato. He's a great mix of man's man and ladies man. He's a good friend of our frequent co host, Pete Koch. And Pete and Pete sat down with him to talk about the new documentary about his life called Stallone. Frank that is, and he's our guest today. You're gonna love him. Frank Stallone.
Joel Manzer 0:59
lions rock productions.
Unknown Speaker 1:04
This is Jay Mohr that group This is Jordan halls director from the Navy Sebastian youngsters, Rick Marana Stewart Copeland. Baxter,
Unknown Speaker 1:13
Gabby Reese, Rob belly,
Jon Leon Guerrero 1:14
this is Jon Leon Guerrero
Pete Turner 1:16
this is Pete a Turner.
Frank Stallone 1:20
Hi, this is Frank Stallone and I'm ready for the break it down show.
Niko Leon Guerrero 1:25
And now the breakdown show with john Leon Guerrero and Pete a Turner.
Pete Turner 1:32
Yeah, this is awesome Pete Pete here again at Q's thank you very much to those guys keys on Beale Street. This is fantastic. Man. I have really appreciated what you've done in your life and and all the fascinating stories that you must have. So this is really it's fantastic. Well, me, man, I'm excited about it. And thank you, Pete for setting this up.
Frank Stallone 1:49
You hang around long enough. Something sticks to the wall. Yeah, I
Pete Turner 1:53
want to talk to you movie, but I want to give Pete a chance to open up because he said he did all the hard work of setting everything up.
Pete Koch 1:58
Yeah. Well, Frank has been a friend of and, you know, we met under the healthiest of conditions right in a gym, get our physical fitness on, which is important to both of us. But one thing about Franken and getting to know him. And I think it's a fascinating part of his career. It's really a music career of great renown. you've sold so many records, written so many hit songs. And if you could, I know a little bit more, but I'd rather you know, you know, kind of throw it over to you. But the on that path, that struggle that you took from just you were just a young guy growing up back east and had a vision of to be a rock star, right?
Frank Stallone 2:36
Yeah, well, I turned professional 15 that's the first time I got paid. That was 1965 it was actually a backyard gig. And I think they gave the whole band like five bucks for 15. So dollar 50 was a trio each will take it you know, you go buy a lot back then. And then from there was just it was just my quest. You know, some people have a quest with athletics. Some people have a quest to music or theater. So mine was music. And I was determined. That's what I wanted to be. That's it. I didn't want to be a fireman, I want to be a cop. I want to be a rock and roll guy, or musician. Anything. I like folk I like all kinds of music. And just one thing led to another, you know, we won the battle, the battle of the bands. And I was like 16. And in Philadelphia, we did the little more white TV shows we could get on we're like the farm reports, which are like 430 in the morning, you know, and we'd be there with the band. We play our stuff. And it was all fun. I mean, it wasn't really, I can't say struggle, you're still living at home, you're you can't even drive to gigs. Your parents have to drive you know, which was kind of embarrassing, because we thought we were like the junior Beatles, you know, really cool. Oh, my mom, you know, like no one likes their mom the driving the score or anything like that. So that's what so that's why I didn't just one thing led to another and all of a sudden the year start going by go Okay, now it's 10 years.
Pete Turner 3:56
So let's pause it right there. A couple things during the prep that I saw was got a sense that when you made that as you owned a guitar, and then you started playing it, but you said like, almost like a download from God like you have music. No. Can you talk about that? Yeah,
Frank Stallone 4:11
it was a gift from God because I never had to take voice lessons. It just was there. And it was easy for me. It's like some people like you know, Pete night talked about like football and athletics. Usually guys at his level, they could play basketball. They played baseball, they played football, and they were good at all. Yeah, you know, so it's like a thing. It's like we're we're struggling. It's easier for them. Yeah, even though you still learn as you go along. It's it's easier. So that was that was my thing. It was just that I learned me and obviously thank God for the Beatles, because that English invasion really kicked it off. Because you know, when Elvis went into the military then then we had Kennedy assassinated in 63, which I was in military school that time. So the country was really in the doldrums. So the Beatles, that whole English British invasion, remember, every there's like hundreds of groups come in. It was really a great springboard for anyone, you know, because now it was like, Oh, we can all do this. But when I was in high school, maybe maybe five six guys in the whole high school were like an event. It's not like it is now. There were little mom and pop music stores a baby seven guitars a drum set. There was no Guitar Center. So it was kind of weird, considered
Pete Turner 5:26
quite eccentric. You know? So when you You said you guys went out want to show and everything. Daryl Hall obviously same kind of upbringing. Also him and and john who was in your band? Yes, he was. Those guys also want a talent show. And that was kind of the one of the ways you got makeup. Yep, that's
Frank Stallone 5:42
right. And Darryl came door down to our basement or rehearsed in downtown Philadelphia. Because people said Yes, very good. Singer made plays keyboards are great. We're looking for that. Right? And he came down. No, he was still in Temple University, handsome, you know, clean cut guy. And he likes babby goes, Yeah, but he goes, you know, I'm getting married. So you know, he made money. We didn't make money. You know, he was in these groups that made money. We didn't make any money. So, but that's 1968 then 1970. I reinvented my group again. And then john Oates was the lead guitar player and singer, just a wonderful guy. And he too, was in temple. So but he and Daryl were friends anyway. And I remember, you know, after our group broke up, because john said, you know, after college and were hitchhike around Europe, I mean, we didn't make any money. That's not to say we played like, we'd open for 10 years after, but we didn't make any money. I mean, it's just like, I mean, we made 100 bucks for the whole band. We were like, stretching it. Yeah. But yeah, it's the love of the game, isn't it? You have to you have to love what you do.
Pete Koch 6:50
Being in that Philadelphia. Was that was that fortuitous? Was that area was that was that cultivating music? Well,
Frank Stallone 6:57
yeah, more Philadelphia was more
I mean, if you're going to go and musical view more like Bob before Frankie Avalon, Fabian, chubby and Bobby right. Well, then if that became more Sol Campbell of huff del phonic stylistics Billy Paul, and that wasn't really our thing that was more of that urban black thing downtown. But that being said, there were a lot of bands there. You know, there were a lot of good bands not many bands made it but there when I was coming up, there were a lot of rock bands. It was a really nice experience.
Pete Turner 7:27
When someone's booking like your band though. They also have these other options it was it really regional or because you guys have to bleed across genre quite a bit. Any
Frank Stallone 7:35
Yeah, well, well, that's why I think my show is eclectic. Because when you played bars you had we played everything right. So I but I wasn't in the like the Four Seasons, I was in that stuff. We have two doors, the Buffalo Springfield, the young bloods, the loving spoonful. So we didn't really do too, we did a few temptation songs like my girl, so but you really had to be pliable. And so that's why my love of music, it worked for me, because I had to be able to sing everything, you know, to make to play in the play, like in a bar, you know, you could sit there play all your own songs that no one knows. You know, every artist sort of realizes that he's going to start out with cover tunes. And you're and you're, you're animated and inspired by as the Beatles and stones that all cover tunes. Is that right? I'm sure if you listen to early stones records or like Chuck Berry and stuff like that,
Pete Koch 8:28
and that but then you've got to find your own way. So and and so how does that work? what's what's the writing process for you? How does that
Frank Stallone 8:36
set go? I think for me, I started one song, I think I was 15 with my group. Of course, it was dreadful. I mean, you know, you look at the song, I look at some of these old songs. I thought they were very poignant. But that's also an 18 year old, 17 year old brain. You know, there's very few Paul Simon's at 22 years old that are writing that, but that's just part of the process. But at least I was writing something, you know, and people think because you're 1617 you'll know you're talking about but your emotions and hormones are going wild from 16 to 19 years old, because I mean, everything is a discovery so and Jimmy Webb said that to me says you know when we're those young when I wrote MacArthur's Park and all those songs, Wichita Lineman by time we get to finish I was 19 years old. But he said but I was just an exposed nerve endings. So and but he was in he's one of the great American songwriters. As George Gershwin wrote Rhapsody in Blue when he was 23 years old. Yeah. He were, he was dead at 37. So Porgy and Bess, all these things he wrote, would take some people for lifetimes to write. So it's, so for me, it was just a gradual process. And, and I loved having a band. I love being in a band. I was always like the lead singer in the band, but I love being in a band. I didn't run the drummer, my drummer, and he's in my documentary, which I'll talk about. Soon. He's 65 he was the drummer, but he had his he drove and he handled all the money because he was smart. Like 15 he was like 17 Marco so he would collect the money. No, cuz he worked in the deli at a real job. James Yeah, yeah, make me not make change. We didn't do anything. But it was, you know what? It could have gone other ways. I didn't get into the drug scene. I mean, like anyone else, you know, those days. Like any of those days, you don't listen to people. I mean, I remember a friend of mine got busted for a nickel bag of marijuana, front page news. He went to jail. He ends up being my bass player later on, but it was almost he was treated like he was like, you know, a drug lord nickel bag of probably seeds. But that was jail time. Not like we're talking today about CBD. And these marijuana places around here. Predicted send you to prison for if you had an ounce you you're in man, you're going away. So I was petrified that I never got into the drug scene per se and I didn't even drink you know, then but then we smoked cigarettes a little bit, but I quit when I was 18. You know, but I'm part of that generation the work that I'm a war baby. Everyone smoke. You're going to supermarket when be smoking. Now. It's very weird. We see a talk show Johnny Carson the old days. Everyone's if you didn't smoke, there was something wrong with it. Look at the Beatles always had a cigarette in their hand. That was part of the culture.
Pete Koch 11:30
But listen, you kept your head down. You kept moving forward. And so what's the what's what's that? What's the first, you know, goal? As a young musician? Is it is it a record deal? record deal.
Frank Stallone 11:41
That's the goal. The goal is to have a band. And at that point, so now I'm in my early 20s. And twice now we're writing serious songs. Now I have a band and we want to we want to get a record deal. And that's the most important thing.
Pete Koch 11:57
What's the name of that band?
Frank Stallone 11:58
Oh, well, that group was called by Valentine Valentine Valentine. So it was about getting a record deal. And and those it's really funny nowadays, it's so that Well, there's no record business. And those days even before Valentine, I would lived in New York City with my brother and I was playing like open mics whodunit, whatever, you know. So you would get a reel to reel tape recorder. You play something and you go to New York City you go these monoliths these, like your CBS Records, RCA Records and this and that skyscraper here. I'm like a 20 year old Schleper, right. So I can walk in and I go, can I see the a&r? Can I see a&r people can I do that? And they said, Okay, hi, next week, Wednesday, 11 o'clock, the Secretary like are your mother. Yeah, it's not like now.
Pete Turner 12:48
Yeah, and I Cookie,
Frank Stallone 12:49
cookie. So I'd walk in with my reel to reel. Wow. And you go Casey, Steve love who's head of a&r said walk is off his head like lava lamps trying to use old but try to be hip like we're in a room like me listen to your stuff. So we had like leader tape in between the songs I did. So they got a kid man. That's beautiful that so put it on. listen to the song. Then you go
Pete Koch 13:16
to the next song. Yeah.
Frank Stallone 13:20
So three songs. 30 seconds. You're done. There's like, you know, it was it. They didn't hear it right away. It was like, Hey, man, you know when it was over when you heard the tape. when it hit the last thing, it starts slapping. Yeah, so I guess this is over your head, man. It's beautiful. Anything else? Let me know man. Oh, yeah. He had like a medallion. You know, I tried to be like an old like your parents. He was trying to be overhead. Yeah, like a Nehru and stuff. So but that's what it was like, and I and I saved all these rejection letters from record companies aren't even around anymore. Like Bell records, right? Yeah, it was a standard printed up or a side. Hey, we appreciate you coming. But you know, we'll see you around and stuff like that. So that's what we used to do. And, and then when I did the groove Valentine, the third version that was out john Oates. And we were recording men. Our drummer had a Teac, which was big Teac record that to track right so we'd sit there record and we had our managers and so we have auditions. You know, we go off to New York to Epic Records and they'd set you up in the studio, do an audition. They don't do that anymore. So I'm at one time Millennium records who's just starting and that was Jimmy Turner, who produced the raspberries and Eric Carmen all big producer of time. They came down. I was living in Titusville, New Jersey. Okay, kind of near New Hope. Okay. Lambert Ville, so, I remember it was Donny Einar, Jimmy Weiner's brother and the other guy that ran the record company came down by train the Trenton, New Jersey, from New York. And we picked him up and like our van, you know, right bam, we had like a corner line and drove them to our like our farmhouse where we rehearse and here guys heads a record company sitting on like a creaky couch like the old like hippie commune. And we're playing and so finally, we got a bite from RCA Records after all this stuff so we somewhat had to deal with RCA Records and that's all thing when rocky came out, so it was almost very bad it was like the collision of my first album with Rick Rubin rocky coming out obviously
Pete Turner 15:37
we got knocked out box with that
Frank Stallone 15:39
sure. Because I'm because the rocky thing was just so big. And so it's just so big because not the Beatles new album couldn't compete with it. So
Pete Koch 15:48
Valentine gets a record deal at some point how many how how well did that go for you? What was that experience? How many records
Frank Stallone 15:55
it didn't sell hardly at all. What happened is my brother when they were doing rocky as as history was very low budget movie. So the only musicians he knew were made. I mean, okay, so the thing is other Bill Conti, who did you know the understory, so my brother was seen as he's walking that street with an acapella group and I used to sing that stuff I mean, before I got into the British Invasion guys would stand on the corner and do do off that's what they did. Yeah, the sink so you had to be all saying so sluggers you do something like you know, like used to do it so I got right so the whole thing I tell the story. And I forgot to buy goes yeah, right. Something I just kind of forgot about the next phone call. I get he's in town from California. The filming Rocky. He got that song I go Christ. I forgot. So of course I put it together real quick. So what's real quick, like, two hours? Oh, wow. For the song. Yeah, it was like a shaky back that take you back. So what happened was, we were going to play this bar that had all the hot chicks called White Horse bowling Academy. That does what that's kind of place we played they had like a stage. Yeah, you know, so you're playing in between strikes and spares. And we're getting 140 bucks a night. So that's five guys in the band. Including our manager got 20% so we took 20% off the top right of 140 sets. $28 Yeah. Okay, so now we're at like $122 or something with five guys. Yeah, so basically we're playing 168 minutes of music for like $19 or something like that. So I that slide, man I said I love the guys really want to play and I love to do the movie.So he goes, will give you 140 s of a Reagan 140 he goes each I go What is a month's worth? So we said okay, so we went downtown. And we stood on the street corner some take you back.
Pete Koch 17:57
Oh, so all the guys around the can with that group. I thought it was just
Frank Stallone 18:02
trying. Yeah, it's my band. They were down for that. So we go down there. And we're singing is cold outside really bad neighborhood. We're just singing around the trash can. And this all my brothers vision the trash can the whole thing like this. And I was like the bump from the dark neighborhood jukebox. Yeah, so that's all his stuff, and forgot about it. And then you know, I remember I came out I never been to California, when he was kind of filming, starting the fight scenes a rocky in memory. Again. He's still unknown, basically other in a few movies. So cut to a year later, I'm walking down the street in New York City, and that's when they had Pete, dead newsstands, big newsstands, all on every other corner where they had The Village Voice, the daily news magazines, their news, guys, newsstands. All of a sudden I'm walking by and I looked at a psycho. It's The Village Voice. And in front, there's a picture like the front page is the voice of my brother. That famous rocky pose that goes in the 50s we had Brando 60s Newman, Bubba Stallone, is he under Wait a sec. I had to buy this at you crazy. so sudden, the rocky fiend I'm starting remember it? It never got a bad review except one reviewer. Wish I could think of his name. But he was at the New York Times. Uh huh. And he gave it like a bad review. They made him do a retraction the paper said, Wait, you're the only one yeah, country has given this movie a bad review? Yeah. Yeah. So you got turned it around. Okay, so and the next thing you know, movies not made for 10 Academy Awards. So from obscurity, my album came out a little after that out of obscurity. Now we're asked to do the diner show Jim neighbor. Midnight Special Ba ba ba ba ba boom. Okay. Now you understand what green I mean. We're local like cool, you know, but when nationally not cool. Alright. So now we're doing like Mike Douglas and all these shows like this. And we play they go wow, you know, Bob Hope was on the show was like, oh, man, so and then the starts and I wasn't aware of because I'm naive. I never I had always been known as Frank Stallone musician. I was known as Rocky's brother, right? He was known as Frank's brother. Yeah, he was unknown. He was out of work actor, and we had all the checks and stuff. So it was it's Frank's brother man. Yeah. Not slides. Brother. Rocky's brother. Ah, yeah. So from that all of a sudden we're doing these talk shows and there were there were all nice. And that starts so What's it like being Rocky's brother? Yeah, man. So like, did you have bunk bed so it's so in other words, I'm talking about me or the music. It's like it's this is an easy entree into getting the dirt on the family. And then all sudden, I was cool back because I was very proud of my brother. I'm very proud of it. When there was surgery. The irritated sure us then we'd see people come see us live and go. I see math going walkies brother. And so within the band member, we were equal shares in the band. So now we play a place I pull up I go, Oh, you gotta be kidding me. Frank Stallone and Valentine and then Rocky's brother, I said that this is not going to work. So it really kind of separated the band a little bit and I didn't really want that. I didn't really want that to happen because we're all friends. And slowly but surely the album died really good and after the whole rocky thing past lost our record deal at RCA I was back playing like the beef and ale for like, seriously 30 bucks a night. Yeah, by myself on acoustic
Pete Koch 21:51
but take you back ended up on the rocky soundtrack, but it didn't end up on a Valentine record.
Frank Stallone 21:56
It was on the Valentine record. Oh, it It wasn't music version. We're we're playing guitars and stuff that was the single that we went on those TV shows hope to push it.
Pete Koch 22:08
Was it an instrumental
Frank Stallone 22:09
no it was it take you back into movies just acapella. right but we had a he's he died now. It was great guy Charlie collateral. So we did a rock version we're playing guitar,
Pete Koch 22:20
which sounds much different than what we see in the movie.
Frank Stallone 22:24
So so it didn't catch on. Didn't catch on and but the thing is, is like anything okay?
Pete Koch 22:28
But the wisdom was to sing it acapella in a scene that was just a scene that was part of the story that storytelling
Frank Stallone 22:37
is a weaving Yes. But so it's like anything else and and we were not akin to the ins and outs of show business. When the when the movie had its run. We had our run. And then my brother's next to movies did not do well at all which were fist and paradise alley, which I like both of them. So he had to recreate himself. So so that happened the group broke up. I was in New Jersey at that point. I was like, really terrible feeling the beat now I don't have a group. They've seen me on screen and Rocky and stuff. And now I'm playing seriously, like a place like this on the corner. Right Right here. Right?
Pete Turner 23:16
local band style, not even a band just me
Frank Stallone 23:19
by my acoustic right. I'm there. Wow. And I feel like a total asshole. The only thing that was compensation to some of the local girls bartenders, I was like a big star. So little compensation on that as far as like, musical. So I was sitting there and I was getting very depressed the I was on lithium and all kinds of stuff because I was like, I was dealing with like, anxiety is something that was really even worse now. Because my band actually was my outlet.
Pete Turner 23:46
Hey, I want to jump in because it is unique in that you were first contract all the time. Those things don't work out for bands, and they go on next. You know, that's totally normal path. You're on your trajectory. And then it's like boom, yeah, you got take it so like when we loosen the news, those guys he was like, we're on the rocket enjoy this. We got hit with the tomahawk missile,
Frank Stallone 24:06
someone else's rocket rocket. So then I go like this. I said, Man, so I was talking to sly goes, why don't you leave that shithole. Come to California? I said well, so I sold everything I got my Datsun to 40 z back then. That was a cool car. What wasn't new Believe me trust her. But so I went with my manager. My carb.
Pete Turner 24:27
Yeah, the three current setup.
Frank Stallone 24:28
Yeah, nice. Easy went there. My manager sitting next to me is much stuff Scott fitna to 40 Z and headed to California. And this is interesting. I know nothing about California. I have maybe I have no money. Nothing everything is everything disappeared. So it goes live once you stayed Susan Anton's place because that was his girlfriend. She was staying with him. I said, Okay, it was right. In Marina Del Rey, right on the water up to speed way. Okay, I'm there on iron sights ago. I was kind of cool. So I ended up like a guy with two cents to my name living on the beach again. So then they broke up so I was once you stay at the other house now I had no money at all. I don't even know what to do you so now I'm living in this house and Bellaire by myself? Oh, come on. I swear to God. I didn't know Bellerose like the richest neighbor in the world. So girls, is he? Where do you live? Dude, I go. I live in bel air and all of a sudden was like instant aphrodisiac. Yeah, I didn't know it was happened. I go wow. He's aren't getting pretty good. Or Yeah, I wasn't equating it the neighborhood. And that LA is, you know, moves that way. So I lived in a house for a while. And that is where I wrote the songs for staying alive. And that front room
Pete Koch 25:48
and how did that that opportunity? How exactly did that? I mean, the story
Frank Stallone 25:54
I was playing, I was playing local clubs like Tennessee gin and Cotton Club. Hop sings metal Long's all the local place at night a good band, you know? So I heard through the grapevine that my brother was directing the sequel to Saturday Night Fever, which sold 52 like, like 100 like most ridiculous like, Wait 56 million records. Saturday night fear, which is insane. So I go my brothers directors. Okay, good. So I tried to get on the Paramount lot. Of course it would let me on and then I finagle my way and it went until the office was just as big as this place. So it's like you know, Pete Oh, no, I mean, or anyone showbiz usually the pre production, everyone's running around, everyone has self importance. Okay, when I do this, and this is the big movie, man. Yeah, percent. So I walk in off my brother's only 37 you know, and he's got this thing and here I am. Totally, like a busted police like nobody, no career. Yeah. The shovel and everything is I come in the office and I say, hey, there's a chance we get some music in the movie. And he goes, absolutely not. I go okay. So BG, right? Yeah. Who am I? So so all of sudden, and I so he so he tried to pacify me go Yeah, just go write some stuff. We'll see what happens. I think it was just to get rid of me. But I took it seriously. And there was a little studio in Silverlake It was $22 an hour. Wow. And I had my band we started I started writing stuff when we started recording up in this studio. And every three three weeks when I would come back to Paramount with a cassette with the stuff recorded and I played my brother You know I animate you know, so after a while this kill came one and then when I would come into the office, all the people that were there would like God hear you like rolling their eyes like whatever, you know, I said okay, so I had to make this happen. Yeah, so what happened is make long story short, the Bee Gees quit the movie because for some reason, john didn't like their new music, john travolta. Yeah, that's john travolta like the music alone salted now and the BT said, Well, we don't really need this me though. I could show you there's any way that I want to do it anyway. But their manager Bob Stig would separate their manager and the producer of the movie so now there's a there's a crisis. You got the largest musical movie in history without the big stars major discord John's freaking out and and you know, and right next to us. And next days was Flashdance. And they were having worst problems. And we were Jesus so slight called Billy Joel. Not him. But the number. We'd like to saturate said if you ever goes Not really. I go, okay. Paul knows they go. Not really. And this is the second time because Hall notes are supposed to be in Rocky music. They turned it down. They turn staying alive. And when I did live from Daryl house, why did it Yeah, we talked about the guys, you know, I've turned down. So, so I go, Okay, well, good for me. So what happened? And then I get a call from my brother. And usually if I get a call for him. It's never like, a social cause something. No, it's either like, he's mad about something or you need something something. I got it. Yeah, what's going on? He goes, yeah. Remember those songs you wrote? I go. Of course I remember them. You rejected every one of them. No, I forgot all this. I forgot the 12 songs. I said. Yes. Like this change my life. I forgot. Right? Remember? He goes yeah, we got a problem. You know, would you know, john, john, I said John's upset. John's owns a jet. He's in a mansion, but he's upset. I'm in an $80 month apart, right? I'm upset. Why should he be upset? The movie doesn't happen. He's still rich, right? So it goes away. Anyway, it's a British cassette.
Jon Leon Guerrero 30:00
This episode of the breakdown show is brought to you by lions rock productions. That's us. We publish, evaluate and develop podcasts just like this one, consult others to build their own and create associated content and content marketing strategies.
Pete Turner 30:14
So if you're launching or expanding your social media presence, your business or your personal brand, or if you just want to take your media presence to the next level,
Jon Leon Guerrero 30:22
reach out to us on Twitter at Pete a Turner. Or at john LG 69. I had to break
Pete Turner 30:27
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Jon Leon Guerrero 30:28
There's 1000 ways to get ahold of us.
Pete Turner 30:30
Now enjoy the show.
Frank Stallone 30:32
Why should you be upset the movie doesn't happen he's still rich, right? So it goes well anyway, so Britt get a cassette and let's go we're gonna have lunch with john over in the house. He's staying at Bel Air. Right. At this point. I was not living in bel air I was living at Oakwood. Okay. So I go over there and so I goes whatever you do, don't tell him that you and this is my brother tip. I love him to death. This he goes, Hey, john, I found this music. I'm like so I just didn't say we're having lunch and we're talking like Barbara Reno. Yeah. And my brothers talking. And I'm going I'm kind of surreal. It's like Rocky and Barbara Reno talk. And they're like, oh, like it would do so much is moving back and forth with these two guys. So then starts playing my cassette. And then I start seeing john gone, like bopping and been played like five songs. Wow. Yeah. Right. And I'm like, kind of freaking out because I'm at the end of my road. I'm 32 years old despite nothing. So I've dedicated since I 15.I'll say I love this. I go. I almost have a stroke. So it goes Who is that? Because it's Frankie. So john looks at me like everyone does with this incredulous Lucky me. I said like I'm afraid or so. Yeah. And that next Monday, they start dropping my songs in the movie. And he ends up with nine songs in a movie. And I from obscurity got Grammy nomination Golden Globe nomination got totally screwed out of my Oscar nomination by song that never charted. Mine was number one. So that's how politics were the same five songs for the Golden Globes, same five songs sort of Grammys. What a feeling Flashdance maniac, my song. These are all number ones. Yeah. two songs. tender mercies on you know, there was a song and one from Yentl, two songs that bubbled under at 95. Right? So when the Oscars come out, I'm doing my first album cover shoot, and they go Hey, you got a call from your brother? I go fuck someone died. There was no way I couldn't believe I wouldn't get nominated for category. There's only five songs. They took my song, which is number one, and replaced it with another song from Yentl that was even more obscure than the one before you kidding me. So not that I will have won the Oscar but who have been nice to nominate so two brothers that both been Oscar nominees. So that was kind of a drag. Then I did my solo album, and it was a great record and they had a lot of hope for it. went to the toilet. But that's
Pete Koch 33:22
what business what the soundtrack for staying alive. You five, how many songs are you responsible for? Nine songs on the soundtrack?
Frank Stallone 33:33
Well, I'm very proud of that was a really great time because that was 18 years of being in the trenches and all of a sudden, finally not having to carry my own equipment finally going towards finally people treating you with respect going overseas, you know, France and everything first class. And, and and then, you know, you don't think it's going to end and then all of a sudden it ends.
Pete Koch 33:57
Nine songs is so remarkable. I mean, what what did you write any songs that didn't make the cut? I mean, was that was that?
Frank Stallone 34:03
Yeah, there were a few songs that did? Yeah, I mean, yeah. Because then they start thinking was ridiculous. I said, Well, the songs work. It's not ridiculous. Yeah.
Pete Koch 34:10
No, I mean, nine is such a it's such an astounding number. So the the meat the the film itself was very successful,
Frank Stallone 34:18
very successful, but they screwed us because in those days, they would take all your publishing. And that's Shawnee. Yeah. So they take 100% was that I mean, I find that weird that anyone take 100% of anything, but that's what they did in those days. So a lot of guys went to Ivy League schools on my publishing a lot of these guys. So I kept my writers but if we would have kept even half the publishing, they've been pretty good.
Pete Turner 34:42
Now number one is is massive. I mean, yeah,
Frank Stallone 34:45
yeah. So I mean, but the thing is, you know, most guys, map God, how come you didn't quit? Quit to what? Yeah, that's all you know how to do. I mean, you have to fight. Yep. They sit there and fight.
Pete Koch 34:56
But at that point, do you start to think about BK on the success of that film, do you think about? You weren't part of a band? That was Frank Stallone on his own?
Frank Stallone 35:06
Yeah, I did have a band. I did have a Yeah, the band that I recorded with it was kind of my band at that point, which we went out on the road with
Pete Koch 35:15
Frank Stallone, and it's okay,
Frank Stallone 35:17
yeah. And, and that was quite good. Then we did my solo album, which didn't do well, but they had a lot of hope in that record. Another is, it was the 45. On the flip side, were five songs that were spliced together as a medley because they thought they're going to be so many hits. I mean, I had that big billboard on Tower Records of the album cover and all that stuff like that. So I was thinking that was gonna be I thought that was gonna be really awesome. And but
Pete Koch 35:49
but but how about this other career? How about the god the mall? No, but how about how about the notion of focusing on writing soundtracks for films, okay,
Frank Stallone 36:02
that was the thing that didn't materialize. All of a sudden, everything fell apart. My manager ended up working for a big company, Disney, and I was just floundering on my own. I had my manager for 30 years, and just all of a sudden, everything. So I'd say, hey, let's try some soundtracks and stuff like that. And I just didn't have any point people to do anything. So that kind of went by the wayside. But during that time, start getting some movie work. I went to acting classes out here, so I start getting some movie work. And even though I could act a little bit, because I was always a ham, but I kind of learned on the job, I'm sure you learned on the job. Now, we didn't go to Juilliard. You know, we just kind of you know, you have a certain look, and then you just, you put two and two together, something happens, right?
Pete Koch 36:51
Yeah, no, I know, learning on the job was was important to me, it's not necessarily the best way to do it. But there's a whole lot of ways to wedge yourself and turn it down, right. And there's a lot of different ways to position yourself to get in front of a camera. And if somebody says, Hey, you know, many jona set tomorrow for this role, you just go and figure it out. And find a lot of the discipline you had in football kind of carried over into film, like I'm never I hate to be late, right? Did you find like, hear your lines be like, here's your playbook. Learn it. Well, I think that's a big I think that's a big part of it, you know, be prepared, you know, be in a better position so that you can be successful and I learned that as it as an athlete and did it astounded me when I got into this acting business what I learned that I'm responsible, we're not very responsible other
Frank Stallone 37:43
lines right then
Pete Koch 37:44
but then then the other part but once once you know once you've arrived and it's hit your mark, you know, and makeup, you got it, you just gotta deliver the best that you can. And I that's an ongoing process. And as you know, I've had the fortune to know bunny Sue Del Toro for a long time. And he will he always credits the fact that he was very fortunate to get the audition they got a scholarship to study with
Frank Stallone 38:08
Stella Adler. Oh, yeah, sure. At the very end of her life, she was he was great because she hated women and loved handsome young guys. So that was good for him. Yep. Like this girl deliver a line in class and she go Okay, just don't stand there. Blonde act but so good looking guy couldn't act alone. She goes that was wonderful. Great, great. Broadway you know, Stella Adler, Luther Adler, you know, so ladder. But yeah,
Pete Koch 38:35
but he had, but he had the goods, he had the goods and he was fortunate to to Pete he jumped straight. When he jumped into the in front of that camera, he had a great deal of preparation and knowledge about how to go about that. And and I'll tell you one thing that he brought, that is confidence. I said why we so confidence so early on because because I was instilled that if I if I were to listen to Stella's methods, and believe it and buy into it, I yeah, there's a confidence attached to that.
Frank Stallone 39:09
And that's really important. I mean, the I mean, it's amazing why I'm out here you know, kids that went to Harvard. Close their parents $300,000 and they go Yeah, I think I want to try acting. I go Why don't you try that $300,000 ago? Yeah, because the chances are you getting work or like kind of zero because there are people girls I know waiting tables that are graduated Yale School of Drama. It's not that easy. Yeah, you know and it's I think it's even harder now as as it as a music when I was coming up you know you sat you wrote songs now some guy sits that can't play an instrument behind the computer and Pro Tools and makes writes a hit record doing dance. Yeah, they know have no music theory at all. Okay, yeah, so we become a vivid dinosaur what but what was the What was your
Pete Koch 40:00
No What was your introduction or break into the on the acting side of things
Frank Stallone 40:06
other than the little Bitsy things I did, staying alive a few lines here and there. You know, my brother. I was like the singing actor I do a few things. So when staying alive came out. All of a sudden now your guy 33 years old half not bad luck in your Okay, you know, and you're a Stallone and the figuring this the town of opportunities. So I said whatever, because I didn't make that money much money playing. So I got offered my first starring role in a movie called paycheck ETA's, which is scary. I gave a shot in Canada paid me a lot of money at a limo driver everything. And it was surrounded by like the cast of 50 best looking women in Canada, so there was a lot of compensation. That movie was really bad script by sa live with it. Okay. So I did paint your kids chemical and then from there. These movies came up, you know, and then but in between you do a Barfly? Yeah. Didn't you do some great job by the way? Thank you. Then you do Hudson Hawk. Yeah, that few more bad movies. Then you do tombstone? Yeah, then you do some bad. But the thing is, I never had really an agent. I never had someone behind me that that's to step one. Okay, I need we got some heat on Barfly bump. Yeah, there's a funny story about that I have to Barfly, cool. I get a call from this agent. kind of wish I knew the name of the agency. I kind of blanked it out my mom. So they're courting me, you know, so this is great as on Friday. Frank, we're so happy to have you late to see that such a great job and Barfly I think was Barfly Barfly tombstone one of those. So, it was worth it. So anyway, kind of a big agency, but I mean, blowing someone's smoke. I mean, I coming out of my ears, right? We're going to do this, we're going to do that. And you heard this to anyone. So um, this is great. This is a Friday. So Monday. The first thing that comes across the desk is a movie my brother's doing. And there's a part for his brother, as is my brother's brother. Right? So, you know, like, we got this. We got this. It wasn't even like a maker break part. But it was a part in the movie. Okay. It was something about it. Death ship or something like that. So I've said they call this agent Mindy marriage, the casting director. I think her name was Sam. You go hey, you know this town. A bed is going guys. Yeah. Hey, listen, I see this new Sylvester Stallone script called Death trip or something. I whatever, death ship or something. They said, and there's a part there for his brother. And we just signed Frank stone slice brother and you know, Barfly? Oh yeah, yeah. And all of a sudden, there's silence on the other ends. So they're going so, you know, we'd like to go over the port and all of a sudden their silence and they're gone. And she goes, I don't see it.
Pete Turner 43:14
Yeah, I love it.
Frank Stallone 43:15
I never heard from the agency again. That was it. They figured we can't get you Frank. His slides, brother. Yeah. And I after the champagne never heard from him again. She said you don't see me as his brother. I am his brother. Yeah. Who do you see is his brother Steve Guttenberg?
Pete Turner 43:35
In a town where
Frank Stallone 43:36
you're, I bet so many agents I
Pete Turner 43:39
got, but I want to ask them. It's like in a town where you have to say yes to stuff. Like we had Allie Wilson. She writes songs like crazy valleys. Great. And so they just saddled her up and wrote her song, right. And but all the way around, you're like, I hate it, you know, but then she, you know, found peace with what she had to do. But you have to say yes to things so that sometimes we're like, why did I say yes to this? And as a guy that's hustling? What kind of things came your way real? Like, you know, I'm
Frank Stallone 44:03
trying to make a living. I'm trying to, you know, in and I tell people, I mean, a lot of people come here as an actress, as I said, You know what? I said, if you don't have a thick skin, you're done. Yeah. Because I go into auditions. I don't really I do my job. If I when I when I don't expect it's an automatic win. And that's where if you come in that way, and then you do get it all the better. Right? But if you come and you absolutely said, I own this, I'm going to get it and you don't get it. Don't be surprised, because basically casting agents have in their mind who they want anyway. Right? So they're just hanging in the wings. Find out they have a go ahead and you're done. I audition three times for Brian De Palma for Untouchables. I came in I was dressed had the suit with the two tone shoes. He goes I agree good. Frank did the role as Frank did those Al Capone, which I thought I was wrong for I don't look, I got a couple. So they go and they keep bringing me back. And all of a sudden I didn't hear from anybody. They got why the cast and arrows Okay, well, but that's what happens if they get who they want. You're done.
Pete Turner 45:11
Your thing is like if you're sitting in the room, and you're going in for you know, slides, brother, yeah, movie, there is Steve Guttenberg sitting there and all the other guys that are like you, and they're waiting to go and you're right, like the frame of mind. You may not be the right guy to be his brother, even though really you run. I think I go pull
Frank Stallone 45:30
that off.
Pete Turner 45:30
Yeah, you might have might have been able to do it anyway. But that is how it works, though. Right? Like whatever your truth is, when you show up. That may not be the truth it you have to be able to take it on the chin if you can't, you're not gonna make it. Yeah.
Pete Koch 45:43
throughout this whole. And I know, it's not like it's over. You're still in the acting business. But you've had a heck of a day job. And that is Frank Stallone as a standalone singer, songwriter performer, and I've had the great fortune to see you live three times. And it's a special show and you sell out every time the Yeah, it's just a matter of how many shows you want to do and that's between you and your your, your your manager, I suppose but
Frank Stallone 46:18
I don't have it
Pete Koch 46:20
here but your association with I think it's fair to say the vibrato I brought oh just been have been like a home base for us with the most beautiful jazz club in Los Angeles.
Frank Stallone 46:31
And we don't really do jazz, but they've been I mean, we just started before anybody we started kind of playing a little more pop rock. And it works because I guess you know, to them, it's asked is in the seats. That's what keeps God alive. And it's a great venue and Eden Albert Herbes daughter runs it and does a great job. But but the new juul fell here is there's a film coming out on me. It's not really a document. It's more of a film but it's a doctrinal. It's called Stallone, which I named it in big letters and underneath Frank that is someone who out there is gonna try and steal it says there's like a really, yeah, I'm sure you came up with that. Yeah. So you live my life right? So this thing, everyone is in it. My brothers in it. Arnold's in it, Duff McKagan from Guns and Roses. JOHN Oates is in it. Richie Sambora from Bon Jovi said, Dan, I mean, Danny IL was in it. Joe Montana's into Frank Yap, was it Geraldo Rivera, just tons of people. So these two young texas filmmakers that did a movie on john Appleseed called king of the underdog, so a great movie. So they can be used to want to do a movie on Yeah, go, like, why you go cuz you have pretty interesting life. In other words, you've done a lot. And people don't know about I go, Well, what else is new? So we started about two years ago, so I figured, well, let me call on every favor. I can. And I did. And you know what, they all came through. Oh, wow. Everyone came through. And so they said, Okay, we're going to do a rough screening. I'm there. Oh, boy. It's like, you know, my pad rate or red line. Everything is you know, yeah, are wider. And I sat there and I'm not mean I'm it's not my ego. I was mesmerized by this movie. It's just because the stories, people I'd seen 50 years. Yeah, my first drummer, people like that for 60s and stuff. All these people get it. It was very emotional, very moving. My brother was incredible in it. And so I took it over slice house him like anything. And he actually really liked it. goes. So now they went back. And he's really good editor. So he's talking to Derek. He says, You know what? Try this, this cut the fat here. And so I saw the other one. It's really great. And we saw that the music now has the music in it, which is fantastic. So they're done with that. So we're shopping it now. So that should be an interesting thing. I said everyone's been telling me who they think I am. So now
Pete Turner 49:09
were you able to get a song into your own movie?
Frank Stallone 49:11
Oh, yeah. Yeah, I did. But the thing is, but no, it's funny. Everyone's had me pegged. Yeah. Oh, Frank is this. You don't know anything about me. Now? It's like, Pete. Like when people come to my show? I had to go, you know, I can't I didn't really know what you did. I just thought, you know, the, and then they're kind of, Wow, I didn't know you did. I said, but let me ask you something. Really? What did you think I did? Yeah. Do you think I came on stage in camouflage for the headband? Yeah, I mean, what do you think I did for this I do for a living.
Pete Koch 49:43
And your show is very special. I want to talk more about the documentary. But I just want to make one comment on this show is that people should know that you have a band. I've got a small, humble musical background myself. I was the president of my senior high school bands, played the trombone. And I played in the late sit in with us, man. I played at you. Mason Trumbull where I was in the stage band. We really I was, yeah, so I appreciate the horn section that you've got. You have a full band. Yeah, they're good guys. And they're good. They're very tight. And it's not a false moment up there. really enjoy those guys. So they put on a heck of a two hour show and you deliver everything from classic Sinatra stuff to the popular stuff. Of course, you introduce all all your own, has a
Frank Stallone 50:37
very eclectic thing, because I have albums in those genres. And it's just, I hate to say it because it sounds like it but there's like something for everybody.
Pete Koch 50:47
There is and we'll have to get this in. Like when you saying a Joni you cover Joni Mitchell
Frank Stallone 50:53
as my second release of mine
Pete Koch 50:55
a song? Yeah, it's good. It's
Unknown Speaker 50:59
beautiful. And then that was produced by Harry Nilsson. And it's not an easy song. No, not No. Sundays.
Pete Turner 51:05
Harrelson is your next door neighbor.
Frank Stallone 51:06
Harry was my next door neighbor. And I'm the only guy ever produced we became friends. We were both on RCA Records. So when I moved out here, my brother goes get some blues licks. I go, you gotta be kidding. idolized Harry. I thought he was just magnificent. And so he produced that record. And, you know, of course, he's not with us anymore. And he was a wonderful, wonderful talent. But it's, you know, like Pete says, it's it's it's an eclectic show.
Pete Koch 51:39
As always, if you ever get to LA
go to Frank Sloane calm make sure you get know if it works out at all. I highly recommend you go catch the show.
Frank Stallone 51:48
Yeah, I'm pretty open. I'm like the easiest person to find people go Why don't give out too much. I said, my Instagram is Frank dot Stallone. Yeah. Twitter at Frank Stallone. Yes. website Frank Stallone, calm. It's like the easiest thing because I can't remember anything. So yeah. All my license plates are my hit records with the initials in the data. So I don't forget anything. That's hilarious. You know, some people have a funny thing. Like when the internet first came out, and I had my email. But brother goes, Hey, I can't get that. I said he goes how'd you get it? So I got on early use my name stone. He goes, I kid I said, so now you're mad. But he was like all like bummed because I said was so what do you get like you just got into computers? Yeah, you didn't write a use computer three years ago. So now he's like, bummed that he gets his phone they
Pete Turner 52:45
a couple of gods. They've been on the show. Our Felton pilot and James early. They they did some of the music for your brothers rocky five movie. Oh, really? Were you involved in that alone? Maybe they got that gig because they were the ones that put together all of MC Hammer is like,
Frank Stallone 53:00
hit us. I know. They tried to do choosy. They did take you back and they're going yeah, we're sighs got no No, no, my song. Yeah, that you're like kind of ripping off. Right. And you're gonna pay? Yeah. Let's get straight. It's not your songs. My song.
Pete Turner 53:15
Yeah. And what a great song. By the way. You wrote it in like, whatever. 20 minutes, like
Frank Stallone 53:18
you said, but, but people try to come in, like sting when they did. When Tupac did every breath. You think he goes No, no, no. Yeah. No, it's not your songs. My song. It's like my song you pirated? into like, beats or whatever, though? I don't understand rap music or I mean, people like it. I don't. I have no idea what it was.
Pete Turner 53:39
Yeah. Why not? You're so comfortable in so many genres. Just
Frank Stallone 53:43
it just doesn't. I mean, some of the beats are cool. It just doesn't connect with me. It's just like, just rhyming and you know, it's just like, you know, just continuously and I don't know what it really means. When I listened to bridge over troubled waters my first Okay, got it. Joni Mitchell blue album. Got it. James Taylor sweet. I got certain thing. Bone right here it is. It just seems like a continuous dangling participle or whatever, you know, just conjunct of sin whether whatever it's called I was at
Pete Koch 54:18
that English by and that's but that explains to folks that what they can expect if they see when concert or we do play blues we play rock we
Frank Stallone 54:25
do whatever I mean we but it's not a variety show. These are all songs that are on my albums right Yeah,
Pete Turner 54:31
because Spotify and listen to your list that's nice. Everything's in there
Frank Stallone 54:35
Yeah, it's everything in there so when they go oh you capitalize so Dude, I got albums. I said I have quotes by Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett and Sammy con yeah do you was too late Frank's dead so say but I got home and again it was good you know and so I was fortunate to capture capture the tail end of these great arranger Sammy Nesta go Billy may and stuff like that so but I always liked it. I mean, I love Maria Alonzo I like it everything. But reggae and hip hop just never it just didn't never hit. And I'm not against it. I mean, you know, when I was listening to beetle, my parents ads, commie music you know, whatever.
Pete Turner 55:12
Yeah. Damn, hippies damn hippies when you are communicate at a
Frank Stallone 55:16
drum with that combo. I said, Well, yeah, but help. You know, they go like this goddamn combo. It's not a combo. five pieces, compost. Hey, guys. All right, it sounds good. You need them drums, drums that I go well, it would help to keep a beat. But this is like why do Italian festivals it's like you almost really want to recheck if you are Italian because they're impossible to deal with. And yeah, sounds pretty good. And they're always trying to like chisel you down. Yeah, they go like this. So I like to use come out and play. So I said well you know my band I get five pieces I bring goes and put the need the drums of course I need the drums you heard the album you love the album. What I'm gonna do without drums Yeah, so I'm doing with that to go yes go to cause something I said considering what you're paying. You know? Because I know what's happening they're juicing themselves because they have all the concessions for us the tank guys are taking all the skin as a whole so the talent festivals everyone I've agent I've had I said listen, give me a time festivals. Seriously. In a week they quit. Yeah, think I can't deal with these candidates. Because they're not professional Booker's. The guy that owns like a it does construction like Joey boombox or another guy, pizza parlor. He's the head of the Titan sons of Italy. Yes. Oh, he's doing Yeah. So what is that day to trombone? He
was sitting there, which you see he dead? Don't know you're doing
Pete Turner 56:50
this white cloth. This is what it costs.
Frank Stallone 56:52
It's like, man, I said, You know what? They nickel and dime you to death. And I say you say Oh, because I'm Italian. Rumi. That's so good one. Hey, listen, we're both Italian. Right? I said yeah, that's the main problem. I tried to do under the flag of you know, Italy. Yeah, yeah. But they're good people. But those festivals are nightmare man.
Pete Turner 57:15
Yeah, I love the good ones the charity was talking about like we want you to come in Frank and play. Oh, man, we get so many big donors they bring in so much money by the way you're gonna accomplish right you're like no absolutely not gonna accomplish my bands flying in. We're going to
Frank Stallone 57:30
first of all, we're doing a documentary like I say yeah, so we love that said I don't work for free. Yeah, why should I give you pertinent information that you can't get from anywhere else for your stupid documentary in France? There's one in Japan I said no cost you some jack jack. I said I don't do that stuff for free. Why should I give you information? No one could give you that up for nothing. Yeah. Oh, wait for the CPL I saw your ship the suit to our not suit PL was like 10 overdose Frank's but this is what happens, though. Everyone wants something for nothing. I sound words I said let me ask you. Do you work for free? there? Uh, well, I go Well, hello. Oh, this is another great one people and other fun. So I just got offered a movie and the money's really bad. I said, You know, I mean, this my quote to go you have but you know, we don't have it. Man. We're putting it on the screen. I said Really? will have a put some my bank account. You can also put it on the screen. That's the thing because the producers walk away the money. Yeah, yeah. But they're putting you on the screen, but they won't pay the actors like really bad money. So as I just morally can't do it.
Pete Koch 58:42
Yeah, I can't do it. But you know, Frank, this for me, this highlights how successful you've been in and you're just you're just putting it out there? how challenging Oh, the two businesses in the whole world that you picked music and acting? You couldn't
do it? Yeah, but you but in spite of all
Frank Stallone 59:00
the maybe if I came out now have been a different time theater. I guess I came out of the time when it was a little more humanistic. You know, we would go on tour to the radio stations with the boss jocks. And, you know, we'd sit there have drinks and stuff. Yeah, it was all business, you know. And so now it's very antiseptic. I mean, when you see Paul McCartney's music at Starbucks, scary. Yeah. I mean, when these that these huge music outlets, and you say, Well, how good is this group doing their Starbucks or Costco? Yeah, I remember we grew up with record mega record stores, you know? Yeah. Strawberries, all those big record out.
Pete Turner 59:40
That's fun. It's hard to be counterculture. When you are in the culture. Like when you are at Starbucks when you are at the Ralphs. I know it's hard to be like how on I'm edgy.
Frank Stallone 59:49
I mean, I don't know. With all these shows, like America's Got Talent. Yeah, American Idol. I guarantee right now. Joni Mitchell or Bob Dylan would never made her on American Idol. Never the to hip. And that's the problem. We're talking about American I said, Why did these groups when they when nothing happens? So I'll tell you why. They have no show. They're singing one song a week. They have a hairdresser. their voice coach got choreographer. They're not professional musicians. Right. That's why doctor he did okay, because he has a band. He was a band, right? Yeah, very good. We just can't Come on sing one song a week and all of a sudden you're going to go on tour. And you know, guy was on She goes, Frank, how do you do it a second doing 54 years, man, right? It's all learning from mistakes. You're talking about playing five nights a week under terrible conditions. With nothing like last night. Okay, here's a perfect example last night. I'm playing that and I pick up my acoustic guitar to play. It starts making all this noise like it's ready to blow up. Tomorrow. I need the acoustic guitar. So I put it down. So now I'm playing it on my electric guitar. The battery went out. Oh my god. So the side the sound guy grabbed a few minutes later they came back with it. But most people would just been in a panic would have melted down. I said well this first I ever did Gordon Lightfoot on a Stratocaster. So here we go. But
Pete Turner 1:01:12
we did it. I totally get that. I mean, as a combat guy, x, I'm going to say How you doing? And I'm like, you have to understand no one's shooting at me or thinking Am I gonna blow this guy up today? It's all a win for me. Good. You know?
Frank Stallone 1:01:24
Yeah, my friend or 810 pilots. I go What's the like? He goes, he goes who were shooting. Planes moving? Yeah, someone Jordan it's, it's you know, and I have I have vertigo. So I was advanced Air Force Base. I was at a celebrity quail hunting Enid, Oklahoma. So a few of the guys that you know, Lieutenant Colonel's Air Force guys, fighter pilots up to come on. Frank will tell you the flight simulator. Okay. I went in. It's like a T six. And it looks like a regular room was at Piece of cake. And also in the lights. Haha. I was having a nervous breakdown. Because it's real. You're working this okay. And I'm a little right brain left brain challenge. So working runners, the throttle and the stick. Yeah. I said john tub with this. I'm blogger and baby. So I went right into the mountain to go Okay, great pilot, right. So and then I realized then they put me in like a new jet. I mean, it's so real. it's ever been in flight simulator. I've been in
Pete Turner 1:02:23
the Humvee simulator, which is very similar. It's very real. You think you're there?
Frank Stallone 1:02:27
Yeah. And I said, Okay, now one thing I know I'm not a pilot. Ever vertigo of like all getting, I'm getting nauseous. So when you think about these fighter pilots that are in these jets, it goes Frank, you think it's comfortable? It's this wide, just straight up like this for 11 hours. fighter pilots. He goes, it's it's not like in a movie where a guy opens this canopy and as a cigarette share, baby. No, it's not like you know, Clark Gable and run side run deep with the camel hanging out your mouth. It's very technical. So my hat goes off those guys there. And he goes and Frank, you're in a simulator. We're out there people shooting at us. It's a different ball game when you have guys are good as you are better to come natural place. So that 810 which people out there the word hog. Yes. 30 millimeter shells. It's just like, like 1000 shells and like three seconds I bought. Yeah. So he shows me a picture. He goes watch this. So all the Americans have pinned down. You see these two mountains. In between the mountain comes this word hog. And he goes to people on the ground now, enemies are freaking out because they know it's over. It just it's messed there's nothing left. So those guys have a lot of guts. I'm not cut out for it. I'm cut out for certain things. That's not what a no, a flying ace would not be for me.
Pete Koch 1:03:47
Frank, you are a patriot. And we know that appreciate that about
Frank Stallone 1:03:50
you. I love this. Everything, whether good or bad that's afforded me at least afforded me the chance to win or fail. Yeah, which is okay, me. And Arnold always says, Man, if you cannot take failure, you can never win. If you're afraid of failure. He said you can't win, because you'll never take the shot. And on that note, I'll show you why this show biz P has to go for an audition. Yes, that's how it goes. And that's and that's what runs the clock in this town.
Pete Koch 1:04:23
And speaking of clock, we appreciate you putting yourself on
Unknown Speaker 1:04:27
the line and and you know, whatever little words or gems of wisdom I can put out there would be stay in school.
Pete Koch 1:04:37
How do people find you?
Frank Stallone 1:04:39
Well, they touch with my my Instagram is Frank dot Stallone. That's what two L's and my Twitter which I don't use anymore, because you know, I got a little trouble with that. So that's at Frank Stallone, which means nothing. I'm not gonna use that and my email. My website is Frank dot Stallone.
Pete Koch 1:04:57
And people can find updates on your concert. Your yes is there?
Frank Stallone 1:05:00
Yes, everything is beautiful.
Pete Turner 1:05:02
So would you blog a little bit more. I find what you write fascinating.
Frank Stallone 1:05:05
I think I will
Hey this john Leon Guerrero Our guest today is a bad man from a show business family. His name is Frank Stallone. He's been making music for decades. He's been nominated for a Grammy and a Golden Globe. And his name was a recurring punch line for Norm Macdonald on Saturday night lives Weekend Update. That's a pretty deep reference. So if you're with us on that one right on, Frank's got a hardscrabble exterior. He also grew up boxing in Philadelphia. But he's got the soul of a Philly crooner in the heart of a songwriter. You can see him once again in and around Los Angeles. He's playing the intimate jazz clubs from Hollywood to Orange County, places like bar Fedora downtown Mozambique and Laguna Beach and the Hello baked potato. He's a great mix of man's man and ladies man. He's a good friend of our frequent co host, Pete Koch. And Pete and Pete sat down with him to talk about the new documentary about his life called Stallone. Frank that is, and he's our guest today. You're gonna love him. Frank Stallone.
Joel Manzer 0:59
lions rock productions.
Unknown Speaker 1:04
This is Jay Mohr that group This is Jordan halls director from the Navy Sebastian youngsters, Rick Marana Stewart Copeland. Baxter,
Unknown Speaker 1:13
Gabby Reese, Rob belly,
Jon Leon Guerrero 1:14
this is Jon Leon Guerrero
Pete Turner 1:16
this is Pete a Turner.
Frank Stallone 1:20
Hi, this is Frank Stallone and I'm ready for the break it down show.
Niko Leon Guerrero 1:25
And now the breakdown show with john Leon Guerrero and Pete a Turner.
Pete Turner 1:32
Yeah, this is awesome Pete Pete here again at Q's thank you very much to those guys keys on Beale Street. This is fantastic. Man. I have really appreciated what you've done in your life and and all the fascinating stories that you must have. So this is really it's fantastic. Well, me, man, I'm excited about it. And thank you, Pete for setting this up.
Frank Stallone 1:49
You hang around long enough. Something sticks to the wall. Yeah, I
Pete Turner 1:53
want to talk to you movie, but I want to give Pete a chance to open up because he said he did all the hard work of setting everything up.
Pete Koch 1:58
Yeah. Well, Frank has been a friend of and, you know, we met under the healthiest of conditions right in a gym, get our physical fitness on, which is important to both of us. But one thing about Franken and getting to know him. And I think it's a fascinating part of his career. It's really a music career of great renown. you've sold so many records, written so many hit songs. And if you could, I know a little bit more, but I'd rather you know, you know, kind of throw it over to you. But the on that path, that struggle that you took from just you were just a young guy growing up back east and had a vision of to be a rock star, right?
Frank Stallone 2:36
Yeah, well, I turned professional 15 that's the first time I got paid. That was 1965 it was actually a backyard gig. And I think they gave the whole band like five bucks for 15. So dollar 50 was a trio each will take it you know, you go buy a lot back then. And then from there was just it was just my quest. You know, some people have a quest with athletics. Some people have a quest to music or theater. So mine was music. And I was determined. That's what I wanted to be. That's it. I didn't want to be a fireman, I want to be a cop. I want to be a rock and roll guy, or musician. Anything. I like folk I like all kinds of music. And just one thing led to another, you know, we won the battle, the battle of the bands. And I was like 16. And in Philadelphia, we did the little more white TV shows we could get on we're like the farm reports, which are like 430 in the morning, you know, and we'd be there with the band. We play our stuff. And it was all fun. I mean, it wasn't really, I can't say struggle, you're still living at home, you're you can't even drive to gigs. Your parents have to drive you know, which was kind of embarrassing, because we thought we were like the junior Beatles, you know, really cool. Oh, my mom, you know, like no one likes their mom the driving the score or anything like that. So that's what so that's why I didn't just one thing led to another and all of a sudden the year start going by go Okay, now it's 10 years.
Pete Turner 3:56
So let's pause it right there. A couple things during the prep that I saw was got a sense that when you made that as you owned a guitar, and then you started playing it, but you said like, almost like a download from God like you have music. No. Can you talk about that? Yeah,
Frank Stallone 4:11
it was a gift from God because I never had to take voice lessons. It just was there. And it was easy for me. It's like some people like you know, Pete night talked about like football and athletics. Usually guys at his level, they could play basketball. They played baseball, they played football, and they were good at all. Yeah, you know, so it's like a thing. It's like we're we're struggling. It's easier for them. Yeah, even though you still learn as you go along. It's it's easier. So that was that was my thing. It was just that I learned me and obviously thank God for the Beatles, because that English invasion really kicked it off. Because you know, when Elvis went into the military then then we had Kennedy assassinated in 63, which I was in military school that time. So the country was really in the doldrums. So the Beatles, that whole English British invasion, remember, every there's like hundreds of groups come in. It was really a great springboard for anyone, you know, because now it was like, Oh, we can all do this. But when I was in high school, maybe maybe five six guys in the whole high school were like an event. It's not like it is now. There were little mom and pop music stores a baby seven guitars a drum set. There was no Guitar Center. So it was kind of weird, considered
Pete Turner 5:26
quite eccentric. You know? So when you You said you guys went out want to show and everything. Daryl Hall obviously same kind of upbringing. Also him and and john who was in your band? Yes, he was. Those guys also want a talent show. And that was kind of the one of the ways you got makeup. Yep, that's
Frank Stallone 5:42
right. And Darryl came door down to our basement or rehearsed in downtown Philadelphia. Because people said Yes, very good. Singer made plays keyboards are great. We're looking for that. Right? And he came down. No, he was still in Temple University, handsome, you know, clean cut guy. And he likes babby goes, Yeah, but he goes, you know, I'm getting married. So you know, he made money. We didn't make money. You know, he was in these groups that made money. We didn't make any money. So, but that's 1968 then 1970. I reinvented my group again. And then john Oates was the lead guitar player and singer, just a wonderful guy. And he too, was in temple. So but he and Daryl were friends anyway. And I remember, you know, after our group broke up, because john said, you know, after college and were hitchhike around Europe, I mean, we didn't make any money. That's not to say we played like, we'd open for 10 years after, but we didn't make any money. I mean, it's just like, I mean, we made 100 bucks for the whole band. We were like, stretching it. Yeah. But yeah, it's the love of the game, isn't it? You have to you have to love what you do.
Pete Koch 6:50
Being in that Philadelphia. Was that was that fortuitous? Was that area was that was that cultivating music? Well,
Frank Stallone 6:57
yeah, more Philadelphia was more
I mean, if you're going to go and musical view more like Bob before Frankie Avalon, Fabian, chubby and Bobby right. Well, then if that became more Sol Campbell of huff del phonic stylistics Billy Paul, and that wasn't really our thing that was more of that urban black thing downtown. But that being said, there were a lot of bands there. You know, there were a lot of good bands not many bands made it but there when I was coming up, there were a lot of rock bands. It was a really nice experience.
Pete Turner 7:27
When someone's booking like your band though. They also have these other options it was it really regional or because you guys have to bleed across genre quite a bit. Any
Frank Stallone 7:35
Yeah, well, well, that's why I think my show is eclectic. Because when you played bars you had we played everything right. So I but I wasn't in the like the Four Seasons, I was in that stuff. We have two doors, the Buffalo Springfield, the young bloods, the loving spoonful. So we didn't really do too, we did a few temptation songs like my girl, so but you really had to be pliable. And so that's why my love of music, it worked for me, because I had to be able to sing everything, you know, to make to play in the play, like in a bar, you know, you could sit there play all your own songs that no one knows. You know, every artist sort of realizes that he's going to start out with cover tunes. And you're and you're, you're animated and inspired by as the Beatles and stones that all cover tunes. Is that right? I'm sure if you listen to early stones records or like Chuck Berry and stuff like that,
Pete Koch 8:28
and that but then you've got to find your own way. So and and so how does that work? what's what's the writing process for you? How does that
Frank Stallone 8:36
set go? I think for me, I started one song, I think I was 15 with my group. Of course, it was dreadful. I mean, you know, you look at the song, I look at some of these old songs. I thought they were very poignant. But that's also an 18 year old, 17 year old brain. You know, there's very few Paul Simon's at 22 years old that are writing that, but that's just part of the process. But at least I was writing something, you know, and people think because you're 1617 you'll know you're talking about but your emotions and hormones are going wild from 16 to 19 years old, because I mean, everything is a discovery so and Jimmy Webb said that to me says you know when we're those young when I wrote MacArthur's Park and all those songs, Wichita Lineman by time we get to finish I was 19 years old. But he said but I was just an exposed nerve endings. So and but he was in he's one of the great American songwriters. As George Gershwin wrote Rhapsody in Blue when he was 23 years old. Yeah. He were, he was dead at 37. So Porgy and Bess, all these things he wrote, would take some people for lifetimes to write. So it's, so for me, it was just a gradual process. And, and I loved having a band. I love being in a band. I was always like the lead singer in the band, but I love being in a band. I didn't run the drummer, my drummer, and he's in my documentary, which I'll talk about. Soon. He's 65 he was the drummer, but he had his he drove and he handled all the money because he was smart. Like 15 he was like 17 Marco so he would collect the money. No, cuz he worked in the deli at a real job. James Yeah, yeah, make me not make change. We didn't do anything. But it was, you know what? It could have gone other ways. I didn't get into the drug scene. I mean, like anyone else, you know, those days. Like any of those days, you don't listen to people. I mean, I remember a friend of mine got busted for a nickel bag of marijuana, front page news. He went to jail. He ends up being my bass player later on, but it was almost he was treated like he was like, you know, a drug lord nickel bag of probably seeds. But that was jail time. Not like we're talking today about CBD. And these marijuana places around here. Predicted send you to prison for if you had an ounce you you're in man, you're going away. So I was petrified that I never got into the drug scene per se and I didn't even drink you know, then but then we smoked cigarettes a little bit, but I quit when I was 18. You know, but I'm part of that generation the work that I'm a war baby. Everyone smoke. You're going to supermarket when be smoking. Now. It's very weird. We see a talk show Johnny Carson the old days. Everyone's if you didn't smoke, there was something wrong with it. Look at the Beatles always had a cigarette in their hand. That was part of the culture.
Pete Koch 11:30
But listen, you kept your head down. You kept moving forward. And so what's the what's what's that? What's the first, you know, goal? As a young musician? Is it is it a record deal? record deal.
Frank Stallone 11:41
That's the goal. The goal is to have a band. And at that point, so now I'm in my early 20s. And twice now we're writing serious songs. Now I have a band and we want to we want to get a record deal. And that's the most important thing.
Pete Koch 11:57
What's the name of that band?
Frank Stallone 11:58
Oh, well, that group was called by Valentine Valentine Valentine. So it was about getting a record deal. And and those it's really funny nowadays, it's so that Well, there's no record business. And those days even before Valentine, I would lived in New York City with my brother and I was playing like open mics whodunit, whatever, you know. So you would get a reel to reel tape recorder. You play something and you go to New York City you go these monoliths these, like your CBS Records, RCA Records and this and that skyscraper here. I'm like a 20 year old Schleper, right. So I can walk in and I go, can I see the a&r? Can I see a&r people can I do that? And they said, Okay, hi, next week, Wednesday, 11 o'clock, the Secretary like are your mother. Yeah, it's not like now.
Pete Turner 12:48
Yeah, and I Cookie,
Frank Stallone 12:49
cookie. So I'd walk in with my reel to reel. Wow. And you go Casey, Steve love who's head of a&r said walk is off his head like lava lamps trying to use old but try to be hip like we're in a room like me listen to your stuff. So we had like leader tape in between the songs I did. So they got a kid man. That's beautiful that so put it on. listen to the song. Then you go
Pete Koch 13:16
to the next song. Yeah.
Frank Stallone 13:20
So three songs. 30 seconds. You're done. There's like, you know, it was it. They didn't hear it right away. It was like, Hey, man, you know when it was over when you heard the tape. when it hit the last thing, it starts slapping. Yeah, so I guess this is over your head, man. It's beautiful. Anything else? Let me know man. Oh, yeah. He had like a medallion. You know, I tried to be like an old like your parents. He was trying to be overhead. Yeah, like a Nehru and stuff. So but that's what it was like, and I and I saved all these rejection letters from record companies aren't even around anymore. Like Bell records, right? Yeah, it was a standard printed up or a side. Hey, we appreciate you coming. But you know, we'll see you around and stuff like that. So that's what we used to do. And, and then when I did the groove Valentine, the third version that was out john Oates. And we were recording men. Our drummer had a Teac, which was big Teac record that to track right so we'd sit there record and we had our managers and so we have auditions. You know, we go off to New York to Epic Records and they'd set you up in the studio, do an audition. They don't do that anymore. So I'm at one time Millennium records who's just starting and that was Jimmy Turner, who produced the raspberries and Eric Carmen all big producer of time. They came down. I was living in Titusville, New Jersey. Okay, kind of near New Hope. Okay. Lambert Ville, so, I remember it was Donny Einar, Jimmy Weiner's brother and the other guy that ran the record company came down by train the Trenton, New Jersey, from New York. And we picked him up and like our van, you know, right bam, we had like a corner line and drove them to our like our farmhouse where we rehearse and here guys heads a record company sitting on like a creaky couch like the old like hippie commune. And we're playing and so finally, we got a bite from RCA Records after all this stuff so we somewhat had to deal with RCA Records and that's all thing when rocky came out, so it was almost very bad it was like the collision of my first album with Rick Rubin rocky coming out obviously
Pete Turner 15:37
we got knocked out box with that
Frank Stallone 15:39
sure. Because I'm because the rocky thing was just so big. And so it's just so big because not the Beatles new album couldn't compete with it. So
Pete Koch 15:48
Valentine gets a record deal at some point how many how how well did that go for you? What was that experience? How many records
Frank Stallone 15:55
it didn't sell hardly at all. What happened is my brother when they were doing rocky as as history was very low budget movie. So the only musicians he knew were made. I mean, okay, so the thing is other Bill Conti, who did you know the understory, so my brother was seen as he's walking that street with an acapella group and I used to sing that stuff I mean, before I got into the British Invasion guys would stand on the corner and do do off that's what they did. Yeah, the sink so you had to be all saying so sluggers you do something like you know, like used to do it so I got right so the whole thing I tell the story. And I forgot to buy goes yeah, right. Something I just kind of forgot about the next phone call. I get he's in town from California. The filming Rocky. He got that song I go Christ. I forgot. So of course I put it together real quick. So what's real quick, like, two hours? Oh, wow. For the song. Yeah, it was like a shaky back that take you back. So what happened was, we were going to play this bar that had all the hot chicks called White Horse bowling Academy. That does what that's kind of place we played they had like a stage. Yeah, you know, so you're playing in between strikes and spares. And we're getting 140 bucks a night. So that's five guys in the band. Including our manager got 20% so we took 20% off the top right of 140 sets. $28 Yeah. Okay, so now we're at like $122 or something with five guys. Yeah, so basically we're playing 168 minutes of music for like $19 or something like that. So I that slide, man I said I love the guys really want to play and I love to do the movie.So he goes, will give you 140 s of a Reagan 140 he goes each I go What is a month's worth? So we said okay, so we went downtown. And we stood on the street corner some take you back.
Pete Koch 17:57
Oh, so all the guys around the can with that group. I thought it was just
Frank Stallone 18:02
trying. Yeah, it's my band. They were down for that. So we go down there. And we're singing is cold outside really bad neighborhood. We're just singing around the trash can. And this all my brothers vision the trash can the whole thing like this. And I was like the bump from the dark neighborhood jukebox. Yeah, so that's all his stuff, and forgot about it. And then you know, I remember I came out I never been to California, when he was kind of filming, starting the fight scenes a rocky in memory. Again. He's still unknown, basically other in a few movies. So cut to a year later, I'm walking down the street in New York City, and that's when they had Pete, dead newsstands, big newsstands, all on every other corner where they had The Village Voice, the daily news magazines, their news, guys, newsstands. All of a sudden I'm walking by and I looked at a psycho. It's The Village Voice. And in front, there's a picture like the front page is the voice of my brother. That famous rocky pose that goes in the 50s we had Brando 60s Newman, Bubba Stallone, is he under Wait a sec. I had to buy this at you crazy. so sudden, the rocky fiend I'm starting remember it? It never got a bad review except one reviewer. Wish I could think of his name. But he was at the New York Times. Uh huh. And he gave it like a bad review. They made him do a retraction the paper said, Wait, you're the only one yeah, country has given this movie a bad review? Yeah. Yeah. So you got turned it around. Okay, so and the next thing you know, movies not made for 10 Academy Awards. So from obscurity, my album came out a little after that out of obscurity. Now we're asked to do the diner show Jim neighbor. Midnight Special Ba ba ba ba ba boom. Okay. Now you understand what green I mean. We're local like cool, you know, but when nationally not cool. Alright. So now we're doing like Mike Douglas and all these shows like this. And we play they go wow, you know, Bob Hope was on the show was like, oh, man, so and then the starts and I wasn't aware of because I'm naive. I never I had always been known as Frank Stallone musician. I was known as Rocky's brother, right? He was known as Frank's brother. Yeah, he was unknown. He was out of work actor, and we had all the checks and stuff. So it was it's Frank's brother man. Yeah. Not slides. Brother. Rocky's brother. Ah, yeah. So from that all of a sudden we're doing these talk shows and there were there were all nice. And that starts so What's it like being Rocky's brother? Yeah, man. So like, did you have bunk bed so it's so in other words, I'm talking about me or the music. It's like it's this is an easy entree into getting the dirt on the family. And then all sudden, I was cool back because I was very proud of my brother. I'm very proud of it. When there was surgery. The irritated sure us then we'd see people come see us live and go. I see math going walkies brother. And so within the band member, we were equal shares in the band. So now we play a place I pull up I go, Oh, you gotta be kidding me. Frank Stallone and Valentine and then Rocky's brother, I said that this is not going to work. So it really kind of separated the band a little bit and I didn't really want that. I didn't really want that to happen because we're all friends. And slowly but surely the album died really good and after the whole rocky thing past lost our record deal at RCA I was back playing like the beef and ale for like, seriously 30 bucks a night. Yeah, by myself on acoustic
Pete Koch 21:51
but take you back ended up on the rocky soundtrack, but it didn't end up on a Valentine record.
Frank Stallone 21:56
It was on the Valentine record. Oh, it It wasn't music version. We're we're playing guitars and stuff that was the single that we went on those TV shows hope to push it.
Pete Koch 22:08
Was it an instrumental
Frank Stallone 22:09
no it was it take you back into movies just acapella. right but we had a he's he died now. It was great guy Charlie collateral. So we did a rock version we're playing guitar,
Pete Koch 22:20
which sounds much different than what we see in the movie.
Frank Stallone 22:24
So so it didn't catch on. Didn't catch on and but the thing is, is like anything okay?
Pete Koch 22:28
But the wisdom was to sing it acapella in a scene that was just a scene that was part of the story that storytelling
Frank Stallone 22:37
is a weaving Yes. But so it's like anything else and and we were not akin to the ins and outs of show business. When the when the movie had its run. We had our run. And then my brother's next to movies did not do well at all which were fist and paradise alley, which I like both of them. So he had to recreate himself. So so that happened the group broke up. I was in New Jersey at that point. I was like, really terrible feeling the beat now I don't have a group. They've seen me on screen and Rocky and stuff. And now I'm playing seriously, like a place like this on the corner. Right Right here. Right?
Pete Turner 23:16
local band style, not even a band just me
Frank Stallone 23:19
by my acoustic right. I'm there. Wow. And I feel like a total asshole. The only thing that was compensation to some of the local girls bartenders, I was like a big star. So little compensation on that as far as like, musical. So I was sitting there and I was getting very depressed the I was on lithium and all kinds of stuff because I was like, I was dealing with like, anxiety is something that was really even worse now. Because my band actually was my outlet.
Pete Turner 23:46
Hey, I want to jump in because it is unique in that you were first contract all the time. Those things don't work out for bands, and they go on next. You know, that's totally normal path. You're on your trajectory. And then it's like boom, yeah, you got take it so like when we loosen the news, those guys he was like, we're on the rocket enjoy this. We got hit with the tomahawk missile,
Frank Stallone 24:06
someone else's rocket rocket. So then I go like this. I said, Man, so I was talking to sly goes, why don't you leave that shithole. Come to California? I said well, so I sold everything I got my Datsun to 40 z back then. That was a cool car. What wasn't new Believe me trust her. But so I went with my manager. My carb.
Pete Turner 24:27
Yeah, the three current setup.
Frank Stallone 24:28
Yeah, nice. Easy went there. My manager sitting next to me is much stuff Scott fitna to 40 Z and headed to California. And this is interesting. I know nothing about California. I have maybe I have no money. Nothing everything is everything disappeared. So it goes live once you stayed Susan Anton's place because that was his girlfriend. She was staying with him. I said, Okay, it was right. In Marina Del Rey, right on the water up to speed way. Okay, I'm there on iron sights ago. I was kind of cool. So I ended up like a guy with two cents to my name living on the beach again. So then they broke up so I was once you stay at the other house now I had no money at all. I don't even know what to do you so now I'm living in this house and Bellaire by myself? Oh, come on. I swear to God. I didn't know Bellerose like the richest neighbor in the world. So girls, is he? Where do you live? Dude, I go. I live in bel air and all of a sudden was like instant aphrodisiac. Yeah, I didn't know it was happened. I go wow. He's aren't getting pretty good. Or Yeah, I wasn't equating it the neighborhood. And that LA is, you know, moves that way. So I lived in a house for a while. And that is where I wrote the songs for staying alive. And that front room
Pete Koch 25:48
and how did that that opportunity? How exactly did that? I mean, the story
Frank Stallone 25:54
I was playing, I was playing local clubs like Tennessee gin and Cotton Club. Hop sings metal Long's all the local place at night a good band, you know? So I heard through the grapevine that my brother was directing the sequel to Saturday Night Fever, which sold 52 like, like 100 like most ridiculous like, Wait 56 million records. Saturday night fear, which is insane. So I go my brothers directors. Okay, good. So I tried to get on the Paramount lot. Of course it would let me on and then I finagle my way and it went until the office was just as big as this place. So it's like you know, Pete Oh, no, I mean, or anyone showbiz usually the pre production, everyone's running around, everyone has self importance. Okay, when I do this, and this is the big movie, man. Yeah, percent. So I walk in off my brother's only 37 you know, and he's got this thing and here I am. Totally, like a busted police like nobody, no career. Yeah. The shovel and everything is I come in the office and I say, hey, there's a chance we get some music in the movie. And he goes, absolutely not. I go okay. So BG, right? Yeah. Who am I? So so all of sudden, and I so he so he tried to pacify me go Yeah, just go write some stuff. We'll see what happens. I think it was just to get rid of me. But I took it seriously. And there was a little studio in Silverlake It was $22 an hour. Wow. And I had my band we started I started writing stuff when we started recording up in this studio. And every three three weeks when I would come back to Paramount with a cassette with the stuff recorded and I played my brother You know I animate you know, so after a while this kill came one and then when I would come into the office, all the people that were there would like God hear you like rolling their eyes like whatever, you know, I said okay, so I had to make this happen. Yeah, so what happened is make long story short, the Bee Gees quit the movie because for some reason, john didn't like their new music, john travolta. Yeah, that's john travolta like the music alone salted now and the BT said, Well, we don't really need this me though. I could show you there's any way that I want to do it anyway. But their manager Bob Stig would separate their manager and the producer of the movie so now there's a there's a crisis. You got the largest musical movie in history without the big stars major discord John's freaking out and and you know, and right next to us. And next days was Flashdance. And they were having worst problems. And we were Jesus so slight called Billy Joel. Not him. But the number. We'd like to saturate said if you ever goes Not really. I go, okay. Paul knows they go. Not really. And this is the second time because Hall notes are supposed to be in Rocky music. They turned it down. They turn staying alive. And when I did live from Daryl house, why did it Yeah, we talked about the guys, you know, I've turned down. So, so I go, Okay, well, good for me. So what happened? And then I get a call from my brother. And usually if I get a call for him. It's never like, a social cause something. No, it's either like, he's mad about something or you need something something. I got it. Yeah, what's going on? He goes, yeah. Remember those songs you wrote? I go. Of course I remember them. You rejected every one of them. No, I forgot all this. I forgot the 12 songs. I said. Yes. Like this change my life. I forgot. Right? Remember? He goes yeah, we got a problem. You know, would you know, john, john, I said John's upset. John's owns a jet. He's in a mansion, but he's upset. I'm in an $80 month apart, right? I'm upset. Why should he be upset? The movie doesn't happen. He's still rich, right? So it goes away. Anyway, it's a British cassette.
Jon Leon Guerrero 30:00
This episode of the breakdown show is brought to you by lions rock productions. That's us. We publish, evaluate and develop podcasts just like this one, consult others to build their own and create associated content and content marketing strategies.
Pete Turner 30:14
So if you're launching or expanding your social media presence, your business or your personal brand, or if you just want to take your media presence to the next level,
Jon Leon Guerrero 30:22
reach out to us on Twitter at Pete a Turner. Or at john LG 69. I had to break
Pete Turner 30:27
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Jon Leon Guerrero 30:28
There's 1000 ways to get ahold of us.
Pete Turner 30:30
Now enjoy the show.
Frank Stallone 30:32
Why should you be upset the movie doesn't happen he's still rich, right? So it goes well anyway, so Britt get a cassette and let's go we're gonna have lunch with john over in the house. He's staying at Bel Air. Right. At this point. I was not living in bel air I was living at Oakwood. Okay. So I go over there and so I goes whatever you do, don't tell him that you and this is my brother tip. I love him to death. This he goes, Hey, john, I found this music. I'm like so I just didn't say we're having lunch and we're talking like Barbara Reno. Yeah. And my brothers talking. And I'm going I'm kind of surreal. It's like Rocky and Barbara Reno talk. And they're like, oh, like it would do so much is moving back and forth with these two guys. So then starts playing my cassette. And then I start seeing john gone, like bopping and been played like five songs. Wow. Yeah. Right. And I'm like, kind of freaking out because I'm at the end of my road. I'm 32 years old despite nothing. So I've dedicated since I 15.I'll say I love this. I go. I almost have a stroke. So it goes Who is that? Because it's Frankie. So john looks at me like everyone does with this incredulous Lucky me. I said like I'm afraid or so. Yeah. And that next Monday, they start dropping my songs in the movie. And he ends up with nine songs in a movie. And I from obscurity got Grammy nomination Golden Globe nomination got totally screwed out of my Oscar nomination by song that never charted. Mine was number one. So that's how politics were the same five songs for the Golden Globes, same five songs sort of Grammys. What a feeling Flashdance maniac, my song. These are all number ones. Yeah. two songs. tender mercies on you know, there was a song and one from Yentl, two songs that bubbled under at 95. Right? So when the Oscars come out, I'm doing my first album cover shoot, and they go Hey, you got a call from your brother? I go fuck someone died. There was no way I couldn't believe I wouldn't get nominated for category. There's only five songs. They took my song, which is number one, and replaced it with another song from Yentl that was even more obscure than the one before you kidding me. So not that I will have won the Oscar but who have been nice to nominate so two brothers that both been Oscar nominees. So that was kind of a drag. Then I did my solo album, and it was a great record and they had a lot of hope for it. went to the toilet. But that's
Pete Koch 33:22
what business what the soundtrack for staying alive. You five, how many songs are you responsible for? Nine songs on the soundtrack?
Frank Stallone 33:33
Well, I'm very proud of that was a really great time because that was 18 years of being in the trenches and all of a sudden, finally not having to carry my own equipment finally going towards finally people treating you with respect going overseas, you know, France and everything first class. And, and and then, you know, you don't think it's going to end and then all of a sudden it ends.
Pete Koch 33:57
Nine songs is so remarkable. I mean, what what did you write any songs that didn't make the cut? I mean, was that was that?
Frank Stallone 34:03
Yeah, there were a few songs that did? Yeah, I mean, yeah. Because then they start thinking was ridiculous. I said, Well, the songs work. It's not ridiculous. Yeah.
Pete Koch 34:10
No, I mean, nine is such a it's such an astounding number. So the the meat the the film itself was very successful,
Frank Stallone 34:18
very successful, but they screwed us because in those days, they would take all your publishing. And that's Shawnee. Yeah. So they take 100% was that I mean, I find that weird that anyone take 100% of anything, but that's what they did in those days. So a lot of guys went to Ivy League schools on my publishing a lot of these guys. So I kept my writers but if we would have kept even half the publishing, they've been pretty good.
Pete Turner 34:42
Now number one is is massive. I mean, yeah,
Frank Stallone 34:45
yeah. So I mean, but the thing is, you know, most guys, map God, how come you didn't quit? Quit to what? Yeah, that's all you know how to do. I mean, you have to fight. Yep. They sit there and fight.
Pete Koch 34:56
But at that point, do you start to think about BK on the success of that film, do you think about? You weren't part of a band? That was Frank Stallone on his own?
Frank Stallone 35:06
Yeah, I did have a band. I did have a Yeah, the band that I recorded with it was kind of my band at that point, which we went out on the road with
Pete Koch 35:15
Frank Stallone, and it's okay,
Frank Stallone 35:17
yeah. And, and that was quite good. Then we did my solo album, which didn't do well, but they had a lot of hope in that record. Another is, it was the 45. On the flip side, were five songs that were spliced together as a medley because they thought they're going to be so many hits. I mean, I had that big billboard on Tower Records of the album cover and all that stuff like that. So I was thinking that was gonna be I thought that was gonna be really awesome. And but
Pete Koch 35:49
but but how about this other career? How about the god the mall? No, but how about how about the notion of focusing on writing soundtracks for films, okay,
Frank Stallone 36:02
that was the thing that didn't materialize. All of a sudden, everything fell apart. My manager ended up working for a big company, Disney, and I was just floundering on my own. I had my manager for 30 years, and just all of a sudden, everything. So I'd say, hey, let's try some soundtracks and stuff like that. And I just didn't have any point people to do anything. So that kind of went by the wayside. But during that time, start getting some movie work. I went to acting classes out here, so I start getting some movie work. And even though I could act a little bit, because I was always a ham, but I kind of learned on the job, I'm sure you learned on the job. Now, we didn't go to Juilliard. You know, we just kind of you know, you have a certain look, and then you just, you put two and two together, something happens, right?
Pete Koch 36:51
Yeah, no, I know, learning on the job was was important to me, it's not necessarily the best way to do it. But there's a whole lot of ways to wedge yourself and turn it down, right. And there's a lot of different ways to position yourself to get in front of a camera. And if somebody says, Hey, you know, many jona set tomorrow for this role, you just go and figure it out. And find a lot of the discipline you had in football kind of carried over into film, like I'm never I hate to be late, right? Did you find like, hear your lines be like, here's your playbook. Learn it. Well, I think that's a big I think that's a big part of it, you know, be prepared, you know, be in a better position so that you can be successful and I learned that as it as an athlete and did it astounded me when I got into this acting business what I learned that I'm responsible, we're not very responsible other
Frank Stallone 37:43
lines right then
Pete Koch 37:44
but then then the other part but once once you know once you've arrived and it's hit your mark, you know, and makeup, you got it, you just gotta deliver the best that you can. And I that's an ongoing process. And as you know, I've had the fortune to know bunny Sue Del Toro for a long time. And he will he always credits the fact that he was very fortunate to get the audition they got a scholarship to study with
Frank Stallone 38:08
Stella Adler. Oh, yeah, sure. At the very end of her life, she was he was great because she hated women and loved handsome young guys. So that was good for him. Yep. Like this girl deliver a line in class and she go Okay, just don't stand there. Blonde act but so good looking guy couldn't act alone. She goes that was wonderful. Great, great. Broadway you know, Stella Adler, Luther Adler, you know, so ladder. But yeah,
Pete Koch 38:35
but he had, but he had the goods, he had the goods and he was fortunate to to Pete he jumped straight. When he jumped into the in front of that camera, he had a great deal of preparation and knowledge about how to go about that. And and I'll tell you one thing that he brought, that is confidence. I said why we so confidence so early on because because I was instilled that if I if I were to listen to Stella's methods, and believe it and buy into it, I yeah, there's a confidence attached to that.
Frank Stallone 39:09
And that's really important. I mean, the I mean, it's amazing why I'm out here you know, kids that went to Harvard. Close their parents $300,000 and they go Yeah, I think I want to try acting. I go Why don't you try that $300,000 ago? Yeah, because the chances are you getting work or like kind of zero because there are people girls I know waiting tables that are graduated Yale School of Drama. It's not that easy. Yeah, you know and it's I think it's even harder now as as it as a music when I was coming up you know you sat you wrote songs now some guy sits that can't play an instrument behind the computer and Pro Tools and makes writes a hit record doing dance. Yeah, they know have no music theory at all. Okay, yeah, so we become a vivid dinosaur what but what was the What was your
Pete Koch 40:00
No What was your introduction or break into the on the acting side of things
Frank Stallone 40:06
other than the little Bitsy things I did, staying alive a few lines here and there. You know, my brother. I was like the singing actor I do a few things. So when staying alive came out. All of a sudden now your guy 33 years old half not bad luck in your Okay, you know, and you're a Stallone and the figuring this the town of opportunities. So I said whatever, because I didn't make that money much money playing. So I got offered my first starring role in a movie called paycheck ETA's, which is scary. I gave a shot in Canada paid me a lot of money at a limo driver everything. And it was surrounded by like the cast of 50 best looking women in Canada, so there was a lot of compensation. That movie was really bad script by sa live with it. Okay. So I did paint your kids chemical and then from there. These movies came up, you know, and then but in between you do a Barfly? Yeah. Didn't you do some great job by the way? Thank you. Then you do Hudson Hawk. Yeah, that few more bad movies. Then you do tombstone? Yeah, then you do some bad. But the thing is, I never had really an agent. I never had someone behind me that that's to step one. Okay, I need we got some heat on Barfly bump. Yeah, there's a funny story about that I have to Barfly, cool. I get a call from this agent. kind of wish I knew the name of the agency. I kind of blanked it out my mom. So they're courting me, you know, so this is great as on Friday. Frank, we're so happy to have you late to see that such a great job and Barfly I think was Barfly Barfly tombstone one of those. So, it was worth it. So anyway, kind of a big agency, but I mean, blowing someone's smoke. I mean, I coming out of my ears, right? We're going to do this, we're going to do that. And you heard this to anyone. So um, this is great. This is a Friday. So Monday. The first thing that comes across the desk is a movie my brother's doing. And there's a part for his brother, as is my brother's brother. Right? So, you know, like, we got this. We got this. It wasn't even like a maker break part. But it was a part in the movie. Okay. It was something about it. Death ship or something like that. So I've said they call this agent Mindy marriage, the casting director. I think her name was Sam. You go hey, you know this town. A bed is going guys. Yeah. Hey, listen, I see this new Sylvester Stallone script called Death trip or something. I whatever, death ship or something. They said, and there's a part there for his brother. And we just signed Frank stone slice brother and you know, Barfly? Oh yeah, yeah. And all of a sudden, there's silence on the other ends. So they're going so, you know, we'd like to go over the port and all of a sudden their silence and they're gone. And she goes, I don't see it.
Pete Turner 43:14
Yeah, I love it.
Frank Stallone 43:15
I never heard from the agency again. That was it. They figured we can't get you Frank. His slides, brother. Yeah. And I after the champagne never heard from him again. She said you don't see me as his brother. I am his brother. Yeah. Who do you see is his brother Steve Guttenberg?
Pete Turner 43:35
In a town where
Frank Stallone 43:36
you're, I bet so many agents I
Pete Turner 43:39
got, but I want to ask them. It's like in a town where you have to say yes to stuff. Like we had Allie Wilson. She writes songs like crazy valleys. Great. And so they just saddled her up and wrote her song, right. And but all the way around, you're like, I hate it, you know, but then she, you know, found peace with what she had to do. But you have to say yes to things so that sometimes we're like, why did I say yes to this? And as a guy that's hustling? What kind of things came your way real? Like, you know, I'm
Frank Stallone 44:03
trying to make a living. I'm trying to, you know, in and I tell people, I mean, a lot of people come here as an actress, as I said, You know what? I said, if you don't have a thick skin, you're done. Yeah. Because I go into auditions. I don't really I do my job. If I when I when I don't expect it's an automatic win. And that's where if you come in that way, and then you do get it all the better. Right? But if you come and you absolutely said, I own this, I'm going to get it and you don't get it. Don't be surprised, because basically casting agents have in their mind who they want anyway. Right? So they're just hanging in the wings. Find out they have a go ahead and you're done. I audition three times for Brian De Palma for Untouchables. I came in I was dressed had the suit with the two tone shoes. He goes I agree good. Frank did the role as Frank did those Al Capone, which I thought I was wrong for I don't look, I got a couple. So they go and they keep bringing me back. And all of a sudden I didn't hear from anybody. They got why the cast and arrows Okay, well, but that's what happens if they get who they want. You're done.
Pete Turner 45:11
Your thing is like if you're sitting in the room, and you're going in for you know, slides, brother, yeah, movie, there is Steve Guttenberg sitting there and all the other guys that are like you, and they're waiting to go and you're right, like the frame of mind. You may not be the right guy to be his brother, even though really you run. I think I go pull
Frank Stallone 45:30
that off.
Pete Turner 45:30
Yeah, you might have might have been able to do it anyway. But that is how it works, though. Right? Like whatever your truth is, when you show up. That may not be the truth it you have to be able to take it on the chin if you can't, you're not gonna make it. Yeah.
Pete Koch 45:43
throughout this whole. And I know, it's not like it's over. You're still in the acting business. But you've had a heck of a day job. And that is Frank Stallone as a standalone singer, songwriter performer, and I've had the great fortune to see you live three times. And it's a special show and you sell out every time the Yeah, it's just a matter of how many shows you want to do and that's between you and your your, your your manager, I suppose but
Frank Stallone 46:18
I don't have it
Pete Koch 46:20
here but your association with I think it's fair to say the vibrato I brought oh just been have been like a home base for us with the most beautiful jazz club in Los Angeles.
Frank Stallone 46:31
And we don't really do jazz, but they've been I mean, we just started before anybody we started kind of playing a little more pop rock. And it works because I guess you know, to them, it's asked is in the seats. That's what keeps God alive. And it's a great venue and Eden Albert Herbes daughter runs it and does a great job. But but the new juul fell here is there's a film coming out on me. It's not really a document. It's more of a film but it's a doctrinal. It's called Stallone, which I named it in big letters and underneath Frank that is someone who out there is gonna try and steal it says there's like a really, yeah, I'm sure you came up with that. Yeah. So you live my life right? So this thing, everyone is in it. My brothers in it. Arnold's in it, Duff McKagan from Guns and Roses. JOHN Oates is in it. Richie Sambora from Bon Jovi said, Dan, I mean, Danny IL was in it. Joe Montana's into Frank Yap, was it Geraldo Rivera, just tons of people. So these two young texas filmmakers that did a movie on john Appleseed called king of the underdog, so a great movie. So they can be used to want to do a movie on Yeah, go, like, why you go cuz you have pretty interesting life. In other words, you've done a lot. And people don't know about I go, Well, what else is new? So we started about two years ago, so I figured, well, let me call on every favor. I can. And I did. And you know what, they all came through. Oh, wow. Everyone came through. And so they said, Okay, we're going to do a rough screening. I'm there. Oh, boy. It's like, you know, my pad rate or red line. Everything is you know, yeah, are wider. And I sat there and I'm not mean I'm it's not my ego. I was mesmerized by this movie. It's just because the stories, people I'd seen 50 years. Yeah, my first drummer, people like that for 60s and stuff. All these people get it. It was very emotional, very moving. My brother was incredible in it. And so I took it over slice house him like anything. And he actually really liked it. goes. So now they went back. And he's really good editor. So he's talking to Derek. He says, You know what? Try this, this cut the fat here. And so I saw the other one. It's really great. And we saw that the music now has the music in it, which is fantastic. So they're done with that. So we're shopping it now. So that should be an interesting thing. I said everyone's been telling me who they think I am. So now
Pete Turner 49:09
were you able to get a song into your own movie?
Frank Stallone 49:11
Oh, yeah. Yeah, I did. But the thing is, but no, it's funny. Everyone's had me pegged. Yeah. Oh, Frank is this. You don't know anything about me. Now? It's like, Pete. Like when people come to my show? I had to go, you know, I can't I didn't really know what you did. I just thought, you know, the, and then they're kind of, Wow, I didn't know you did. I said, but let me ask you something. Really? What did you think I did? Yeah. Do you think I came on stage in camouflage for the headband? Yeah, I mean, what do you think I did for this I do for a living.
Pete Koch 49:43
And your show is very special. I want to talk more about the documentary. But I just want to make one comment on this show is that people should know that you have a band. I've got a small, humble musical background myself. I was the president of my senior high school bands, played the trombone. And I played in the late sit in with us, man. I played at you. Mason Trumbull where I was in the stage band. We really I was, yeah, so I appreciate the horn section that you've got. You have a full band. Yeah, they're good guys. And they're good. They're very tight. And it's not a false moment up there. really enjoy those guys. So they put on a heck of a two hour show and you deliver everything from classic Sinatra stuff to the popular stuff. Of course, you introduce all all your own, has a
Frank Stallone 50:37
very eclectic thing, because I have albums in those genres. And it's just, I hate to say it because it sounds like it but there's like something for everybody.
Pete Koch 50:47
There is and we'll have to get this in. Like when you saying a Joni you cover Joni Mitchell
Frank Stallone 50:53
as my second release of mine
Pete Koch 50:55
a song? Yeah, it's good. It's
Unknown Speaker 50:59
beautiful. And then that was produced by Harry Nilsson. And it's not an easy song. No, not No. Sundays.
Pete Turner 51:05
Harrelson is your next door neighbor.
Frank Stallone 51:06
Harry was my next door neighbor. And I'm the only guy ever produced we became friends. We were both on RCA Records. So when I moved out here, my brother goes get some blues licks. I go, you gotta be kidding. idolized Harry. I thought he was just magnificent. And so he produced that record. And, you know, of course, he's not with us anymore. And he was a wonderful, wonderful talent. But it's, you know, like Pete says, it's it's it's an eclectic show.
Pete Koch 51:39
As always, if you ever get to LA
go to Frank Sloane calm make sure you get know if it works out at all. I highly recommend you go catch the show.
Frank Stallone 51:48
Yeah, I'm pretty open. I'm like the easiest person to find people go Why don't give out too much. I said, my Instagram is Frank dot Stallone. Yeah. Twitter at Frank Stallone. Yes. website Frank Stallone, calm. It's like the easiest thing because I can't remember anything. So yeah. All my license plates are my hit records with the initials in the data. So I don't forget anything. That's hilarious. You know, some people have a funny thing. Like when the internet first came out, and I had my email. But brother goes, Hey, I can't get that. I said he goes how'd you get it? So I got on early use my name stone. He goes, I kid I said, so now you're mad. But he was like all like bummed because I said was so what do you get like you just got into computers? Yeah, you didn't write a use computer three years ago. So now he's like, bummed that he gets his phone they
Pete Turner 52:45
a couple of gods. They've been on the show. Our Felton pilot and James early. They they did some of the music for your brothers rocky five movie. Oh, really? Were you involved in that alone? Maybe they got that gig because they were the ones that put together all of MC Hammer is like,
Frank Stallone 53:00
hit us. I know. They tried to do choosy. They did take you back and they're going yeah, we're sighs got no No, no, my song. Yeah, that you're like kind of ripping off. Right. And you're gonna pay? Yeah. Let's get straight. It's not your songs. My song.
Pete Turner 53:15
Yeah. And what a great song. By the way. You wrote it in like, whatever. 20 minutes, like
Frank Stallone 53:18
you said, but, but people try to come in, like sting when they did. When Tupac did every breath. You think he goes No, no, no. Yeah. No, it's not your songs. My song. It's like my song you pirated? into like, beats or whatever, though? I don't understand rap music or I mean, people like it. I don't. I have no idea what it was.
Pete Turner 53:39
Yeah. Why not? You're so comfortable in so many genres. Just
Frank Stallone 53:43
it just doesn't. I mean, some of the beats are cool. It just doesn't connect with me. It's just like, just rhyming and you know, it's just like, you know, just continuously and I don't know what it really means. When I listened to bridge over troubled waters my first Okay, got it. Joni Mitchell blue album. Got it. James Taylor sweet. I got certain thing. Bone right here it is. It just seems like a continuous dangling participle or whatever, you know, just conjunct of sin whether whatever it's called I was at
Pete Koch 54:18
that English by and that's but that explains to folks that what they can expect if they see when concert or we do play blues we play rock we
Frank Stallone 54:25
do whatever I mean we but it's not a variety show. These are all songs that are on my albums right Yeah,
Pete Turner 54:31
because Spotify and listen to your list that's nice. Everything's in there
Frank Stallone 54:35
Yeah, it's everything in there so when they go oh you capitalize so Dude, I got albums. I said I have quotes by Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett and Sammy con yeah do you was too late Frank's dead so say but I got home and again it was good you know and so I was fortunate to capture capture the tail end of these great arranger Sammy Nesta go Billy may and stuff like that so but I always liked it. I mean, I love Maria Alonzo I like it everything. But reggae and hip hop just never it just didn't never hit. And I'm not against it. I mean, you know, when I was listening to beetle, my parents ads, commie music you know, whatever.
Pete Turner 55:12
Yeah. Damn, hippies damn hippies when you are communicate at a
Frank Stallone 55:16
drum with that combo. I said, Well, yeah, but help. You know, they go like this goddamn combo. It's not a combo. five pieces, compost. Hey, guys. All right, it sounds good. You need them drums, drums that I go well, it would help to keep a beat. But this is like why do Italian festivals it's like you almost really want to recheck if you are Italian because they're impossible to deal with. And yeah, sounds pretty good. And they're always trying to like chisel you down. Yeah, they go like this. So I like to use come out and play. So I said well you know my band I get five pieces I bring goes and put the need the drums of course I need the drums you heard the album you love the album. What I'm gonna do without drums Yeah, so I'm doing with that to go yes go to cause something I said considering what you're paying. You know? Because I know what's happening they're juicing themselves because they have all the concessions for us the tank guys are taking all the skin as a whole so the talent festivals everyone I've agent I've had I said listen, give me a time festivals. Seriously. In a week they quit. Yeah, think I can't deal with these candidates. Because they're not professional Booker's. The guy that owns like a it does construction like Joey boombox or another guy, pizza parlor. He's the head of the Titan sons of Italy. Yes. Oh, he's doing Yeah. So what is that day to trombone? He
was sitting there, which you see he dead? Don't know you're doing
Pete Turner 56:50
this white cloth. This is what it costs.
Frank Stallone 56:52
It's like, man, I said, You know what? They nickel and dime you to death. And I say you say Oh, because I'm Italian. Rumi. That's so good one. Hey, listen, we're both Italian. Right? I said yeah, that's the main problem. I tried to do under the flag of you know, Italy. Yeah, yeah. But they're good people. But those festivals are nightmare man.
Pete Turner 57:15
Yeah, I love the good ones the charity was talking about like we want you to come in Frank and play. Oh, man, we get so many big donors they bring in so much money by the way you're gonna accomplish right you're like no absolutely not gonna accomplish my bands flying in. We're going to
Frank Stallone 57:30
first of all, we're doing a documentary like I say yeah, so we love that said I don't work for free. Yeah, why should I give you pertinent information that you can't get from anywhere else for your stupid documentary in France? There's one in Japan I said no cost you some jack jack. I said I don't do that stuff for free. Why should I give you information? No one could give you that up for nothing. Yeah. Oh, wait for the CPL I saw your ship the suit to our not suit PL was like 10 overdose Frank's but this is what happens, though. Everyone wants something for nothing. I sound words I said let me ask you. Do you work for free? there? Uh, well, I go Well, hello. Oh, this is another great one people and other fun. So I just got offered a movie and the money's really bad. I said, You know, I mean, this my quote to go you have but you know, we don't have it. Man. We're putting it on the screen. I said Really? will have a put some my bank account. You can also put it on the screen. That's the thing because the producers walk away the money. Yeah, yeah. But they're putting you on the screen, but they won't pay the actors like really bad money. So as I just morally can't do it.
Pete Koch 58:42
Yeah, I can't do it. But you know, Frank, this for me, this highlights how successful you've been in and you're just you're just putting it out there? how challenging Oh, the two businesses in the whole world that you picked music and acting? You couldn't
do it? Yeah, but you but in spite of all
Frank Stallone 59:00
the maybe if I came out now have been a different time theater. I guess I came out of the time when it was a little more humanistic. You know, we would go on tour to the radio stations with the boss jocks. And, you know, we'd sit there have drinks and stuff. Yeah, it was all business, you know. And so now it's very antiseptic. I mean, when you see Paul McCartney's music at Starbucks, scary. Yeah. I mean, when these that these huge music outlets, and you say, Well, how good is this group doing their Starbucks or Costco? Yeah, I remember we grew up with record mega record stores, you know? Yeah. Strawberries, all those big record out.
Pete Turner 59:40
That's fun. It's hard to be counterculture. When you are in the culture. Like when you are at Starbucks when you are at the Ralphs. I know it's hard to be like how on I'm edgy.
Frank Stallone 59:49
I mean, I don't know. With all these shows, like America's Got Talent. Yeah, American Idol. I guarantee right now. Joni Mitchell or Bob Dylan would never made her on American Idol. Never the to hip. And that's the problem. We're talking about American I said, Why did these groups when they when nothing happens? So I'll tell you why. They have no show. They're singing one song a week. They have a hairdresser. their voice coach got choreographer. They're not professional musicians. Right. That's why doctor he did okay, because he has a band. He was a band, right? Yeah, very good. We just can't Come on sing one song a week and all of a sudden you're going to go on tour. And you know, guy was on She goes, Frank, how do you do it a second doing 54 years, man, right? It's all learning from mistakes. You're talking about playing five nights a week under terrible conditions. With nothing like last night. Okay, here's a perfect example last night. I'm playing that and I pick up my acoustic guitar to play. It starts making all this noise like it's ready to blow up. Tomorrow. I need the acoustic guitar. So I put it down. So now I'm playing it on my electric guitar. The battery went out. Oh my god. So the side the sound guy grabbed a few minutes later they came back with it. But most people would just been in a panic would have melted down. I said well this first I ever did Gordon Lightfoot on a Stratocaster. So here we go. But
Pete Turner 1:01:12
we did it. I totally get that. I mean, as a combat guy, x, I'm going to say How you doing? And I'm like, you have to understand no one's shooting at me or thinking Am I gonna blow this guy up today? It's all a win for me. Good. You know?
Frank Stallone 1:01:24
Yeah, my friend or 810 pilots. I go What's the like? He goes, he goes who were shooting. Planes moving? Yeah, someone Jordan it's, it's you know, and I have I have vertigo. So I was advanced Air Force Base. I was at a celebrity quail hunting Enid, Oklahoma. So a few of the guys that you know, Lieutenant Colonel's Air Force guys, fighter pilots up to come on. Frank will tell you the flight simulator. Okay. I went in. It's like a T six. And it looks like a regular room was at Piece of cake. And also in the lights. Haha. I was having a nervous breakdown. Because it's real. You're working this okay. And I'm a little right brain left brain challenge. So working runners, the throttle and the stick. Yeah. I said john tub with this. I'm blogger and baby. So I went right into the mountain to go Okay, great pilot, right. So and then I realized then they put me in like a new jet. I mean, it's so real. it's ever been in flight simulator. I've been in
Pete Turner 1:02:23
the Humvee simulator, which is very similar. It's very real. You think you're there?
Frank Stallone 1:02:27
Yeah. And I said, Okay, now one thing I know I'm not a pilot. Ever vertigo of like all getting, I'm getting nauseous. So when you think about these fighter pilots that are in these jets, it goes Frank, you think it's comfortable? It's this wide, just straight up like this for 11 hours. fighter pilots. He goes, it's it's not like in a movie where a guy opens this canopy and as a cigarette share, baby. No, it's not like you know, Clark Gable and run side run deep with the camel hanging out your mouth. It's very technical. So my hat goes off those guys there. And he goes and Frank, you're in a simulator. We're out there people shooting at us. It's a different ball game when you have guys are good as you are better to come natural place. So that 810 which people out there the word hog. Yes. 30 millimeter shells. It's just like, like 1000 shells and like three seconds I bought. Yeah. So he shows me a picture. He goes watch this. So all the Americans have pinned down. You see these two mountains. In between the mountain comes this word hog. And he goes to people on the ground now, enemies are freaking out because they know it's over. It just it's messed there's nothing left. So those guys have a lot of guts. I'm not cut out for it. I'm cut out for certain things. That's not what a no, a flying ace would not be for me.
Pete Koch 1:03:47
Frank, you are a patriot. And we know that appreciate that about
Frank Stallone 1:03:50
you. I love this. Everything, whether good or bad that's afforded me at least afforded me the chance to win or fail. Yeah, which is okay, me. And Arnold always says, Man, if you cannot take failure, you can never win. If you're afraid of failure. He said you can't win, because you'll never take the shot. And on that note, I'll show you why this show biz P has to go for an audition. Yes, that's how it goes. And that's and that's what runs the clock in this town.
Pete Koch 1:04:23
And speaking of clock, we appreciate you putting yourself on
Unknown Speaker 1:04:27
the line and and you know, whatever little words or gems of wisdom I can put out there would be stay in school.
Pete Koch 1:04:37
How do people find you?
Frank Stallone 1:04:39
Well, they touch with my my Instagram is Frank dot Stallone. That's what two L's and my Twitter which I don't use anymore, because you know, I got a little trouble with that. So that's at Frank Stallone, which means nothing. I'm not gonna use that and my email. My website is Frank dot Stallone.
Pete Koch 1:04:57
And people can find updates on your concert. Your yes is there?
Frank Stallone 1:05:00
Yes, everything is beautiful.
Pete Turner 1:05:02
So would you blog a little bit more. I find what you write fascinating.
Frank Stallone 1:05:05
I think I will
