The records that were hits at the same time as the British Invasion.

Tune in Saturday March 7th to Faction Talk, channel 103, at 4 PM East, 1 PM West.

If you miss the episode, you can hear it on demand on the SiriusXM app. Search: Lefsetz

I’m not writing this to toot my own horn. It’s just that not a day goes by without my inbox being filled with raves for the Joel Bernstein podcast. I’m going to print a bunch below, but I must say it’s a surprise. I mean Sammy Hagar blew up my inbox, but he’s a star and honest and likable. Yet I post so many podcasts to crickets. I guess this is a lesson that it’s all about feel. I connected with Joel, it’s like I knew him even though we’d never met. His stories were everything to me. And listeners could feel that, it’s palpable. You see we share common history, through these records. It can only be captured when listening to the music or speaking with a member of the tribe. And what is said may not mean much to many, but to us it’s everything. Joel had to go see Joni when she was unknown. And he became friends with her, and as a result a whole career ensued. But unlike so many successful people in the music business, he was not aggressive, he was not a natural business person, he was just like you and me, not exactly Zelig, but he was involved in one experience after another. He may not have as much money as the financiers, but in many ways his life is richer.

Anyway…

_____

Great interview bob. Joel was brilliant and has an amazing memory. . Once he had Joni, Neil and graham, he was a permanent family member and always will be. Also he was a pleasure to have around.

John Hartmann

_________________________________

This was one of your best! Great stuff from Joel and that story at the end was fire.

Tom Clark

_________________________________

I’m a Lefsetz Completist.  This was one of the very best episodes of the podcast ever; it was consistently surprising and revelatory and you didn’t frontload anything…so each insane development (guitar tech for PRINCE? WHAT?) unfolded in this kind of Zelig-like flow where it made it’s own kind of sense…as Joel says in the episode: none of these things were a result of him going and making it happen; they were a combination of kismet and his own talents and sixth sense for how to handle himself in some heavy rooms.  And I like how you left in you getting a biographical detail wrong; that felt authentic and worthwhile somehow.  I had never heard of Joel Bernstein before this episode, but it turns out I’ve encountered his work one way or another my whole life without realizing it. Fantastic episode.  His humility and openness made for the best kind of interview and kudos to you for calibrating your part perfectly and letting your own enthusiasm show through at the end.

Jason Cilo

_________________________________

Hi Bob, just wanted to say what an awesome interview with Joel !! I knew of him from his photography and archival work with CSN but had no idea he was an in demand guitar tech ! Would love to have heard more about his time with Prince  … his storytelling was riveting. And of course the last story, are u sh*tting me !!! The way he said his Dads name and introduction was killer … and your enthusiasm was infectious!

 

Cheers

Craig Eagleson

_________________________________

I’ve been listening to Your podcasts & reading Your newsletter for Years & Years.

First time I’ve written you, but just had to because I enjoyed the Joel podcast more than anything else, so far. Not sure why it had such an impact, but I really, really enjoyed it, & thought I should let You know.

Thanks for All You Do!

Mark Niederhauser

_________________________________

You are correct, his stories are amazing.

I learned plenty in your chat, and thought I knew a lot.

I consequently made some updates.

Joel Bernstein

Brad Auerbach

_________________________________

Loved Joel Bernstein—especially the riffing at the end.

Harold Bronson

_________________________________

Joel is  a friend and a fellow member of the Class of 1970 from Cheltenham High School, Jewish northern Philly suburb.  Glad to see you interviewing him.

Jeff Lorber

_________________________________

That was the best!

Len Cater

_________________________________

Wow!  Fantastic interview. Joel has great stories, and you really brought them out. Just need to hear a whole lot more about Neil Young’s ranch.

Bernstein was a major character in Jimmy McDonough’s  brilliant Neil bio “Shakey.” Really enjoyed hearing him in his own words.

Dave Arbiter
Margaritaville, FL

_________________________________

I remember ….

the first teacher Joel spoke of was  George Britton we were both in this class together learning the uke

Around 3rd grade years old.

the next guitar teacher was Tossi Aaron folk singer / protest labor song singer / album the real folkie who introduced him to Kenny Abramson who started the folklore dept at Penn that no longer exists.

… it was Tossi  who drove underage Joel to the 2nd fret concerts. A fantastic person and teacher!!!

Tossi was my friend, an accomplished Orff-Schulwerk teacher in the U.S. and passed a few years ago.

She was also one of the original founders of the Philadelphia Folk Festival, friends with Gene Shay, and Kenny.

All thanks to fantastic teachers!!! Beautiful people!!!

We were both very shy, and there together at Wingdings and hootenannys, all those years & friends in High School too.  Joel really can play !! Always could.

I remember there was a great story about an Owl that was on Joel’s bedroom desk….. he has to tell it.

Karen

_________________________________

Wow.  Your best work yet Bob!  Please do a Part 2.  Take care, brother.  Wow!

Steve Yanek

_________________________________

In addition to being at the right place at the right time, talented and knowing how to behave on the private plane, I can bet that Joel is ALSO a great hang.

And that’s not be underestimated in my few experiences with rockstars.

All the best,
Shawn Berkeley
Kyoto, Japan

_________________________________

_________________________________

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/joel-bernstein/id1316200737?i=1000751733399

https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/episodes/3d8eb756-c4ee-4c46-bceb-b6ec17f9151a/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-joel-bernstein

The legendary pollster talks about the war in Iran and more.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/john-zogby/id1316200737?i=1000753320394

https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/episodes/0544db6a-d7a1-44eb-9a42-dbb228618290/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-john-zogby

I don’t see how Live Nation wins this, how Ticketmaster is not separated from the concert promotion division.

Now there was no jury involved in the government’s approval of the merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster. It was only a matter of law. But if you’re sitting in the box and you’re hearing what the Barclays and Wild guys have to say…

The Live Nation attorneys look like nitpickers. It comes down to math, Barclays lost shows and the Wild was afraid of doing so. How exactly is Live Nation going to explain this away? Especially in light of the Rapino phone call.

And unlike twice before, don’t expect a consent decree. Been there, tried that, didn’t work. Human nature tells us that Live Nation is going to dangle the prospect of concerts or the lack thereof to whether a building has a Ticketmaster contract or not. This is classic leverage. As for the consent decree…yeah, right. Negotiation is always about leverage and the Live Nation employee couldn’t help herself in the e-mal to the Barclays guy, with the wink.

Now I’ve got to say that if this could have been settled on any reasonable terms, Live Nation would have done it. But obviously, the government wasn’t really going to negotiate, for it thought it would win, furthermore, it knew it had the benefit of public opinion on its side.

Of course there are going to be more witnesses, the trial is going to go on for weeks. But what exactly are they going to say? They’re going to go on about market share and competitors and there will be testimony as to what a great company Live Nation is and how Ticketmaster is a superior product, but this trial is about tying…tickets for concerts. And from the get-go, we see evidence of that.

Of course Live Nation doesn’t believe that. But all their arguments are dispassionate. Who cares if the Barclays guy did not have completely clean hands in his relationship with SeatGeek. The bottom line is he made a deal with SeatGeek and Barclays got fewer concerts. Forget the hogwash about their being a new UBS building on Long Island. Do you really think the jury is going to believe that argument?

And SeatGeek said it would make up for any loss of concert revenue for what is now called the Grand Casino building in Minnesota, offering retaliation insurance, but buildings are more than revenue, they are vibrant operations that glean benefits by hosting events, especially concerts.

So Live Nation couldn’t settle on reasonable terms. So its lawyers said to take it to trial. I hope those lawyers didn’t blow smoke, talking about the law as opposed to emotions and the jury. Live Nation rolled the dice.

And when they lose… Like I said, the government ain’t gonna offer no consent decree, it’s going to insist upon breakup.

Of course the trial will last weeks, and there will be additional testimony…but how are you going to undercut these examples, and more that come down the pike?

You never know until the jury makes a decision. But right now, after today’s testimony, I’d say Live Nation is f*cked.

Today’s testimony:

“New York Times”: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/04/arts/music/live-nation-trial-barclays-center.html

“The Verge”: https://apple.news/A8uOddvKqSzeq9G3H0gUoTQ