Tune in Saturday August 29th to Faction Talk, channel 103, at 4 PM East, 1 PM West.

Phone #: 844-686-5863 

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

Do you hate Netflix?

Occasionally I’ll hear a negative word, always from a non-subscriber, but very rarely. People are not as passionate about Netflix as they are about Spotify, but USERS feel very positive about both platforms.

As for Hulu and HBO Max and Disney+ and Paramount+ and Peacock…

Not so much. Eh, at best.

I’ve gotten a few e-mails pointing me to fakokta studies about all at once vs week by week strategies, saying statistics say the latter is better.

They’re completely missing the point.

When it comes to streaming, it’s not how many people watch a show, BUT WHETHER THEY RENEW THE SERVICE!

It’s all about the subscription, baby.

Now when it comes to data… At best it’ll tell you where you’ve been, it’s not definitive on where you’re going. Even worse is polls. They come down to the questions asked and the weighting and right now polls are historically inaccurate and everyone is losing faith in them.

Now I could argue statistically about the benefits of dropping all at once vs. week by week, but that is really not the issue. But I’ll give you one example.

The best streaming television show of 2025 was “Adolescence,” on Netflix. There was a bit of hype at the beginning, reviews, as there is with all major Netflix projects, but after that…bupkes. At least until long after the debut, when the phenomenon was apparent if you were looking, then there was some analysis and focus on the performers.

Now at the very same time “Adolescence” played, the third season of “White Lotus” dropped, week by week. And when “White Lotus”‘s run was done, more people had seen “Adolescence,” despite weekly update stories about “White Lotus” in the press, all kinds of hype.

Hype. That’s what entertainment journalism is all about. It’s a game, you’ve got PR on one side and media outlets on the other and they feed each other. The article in advance, the review upon release, then features on the actors if the project gets traction. Assuming you’re studying all this, which most people are not, a lot of projects appear much bigger than they truly are.

This is a prevalent issue today. All this talk about Paramount having control of CNN…

Last week, 584,000 people watched CNN in primetime.

It was a little higher earlier in the month, 624,000 and 667,000, but the bottom line is the outlet almost never ever breaks a million viewers in primetime, in a country of 340 MILLION!

As for influence… If you watch any of the TV news outlets, they all share one thing in common, they lead with “‘The New York Times’ says,” or “‘The Washington Post’ says” or “‘The Wall Street Journal’ says”… These outlets, from Fox to MS Now to CNN do almost no reporting, they’re almost all analysis/opinion. Watch them if you want to, they all have small audiences, with Fox’s the largest, but most people ARE NOT WATCHING THEM!

So where do these people get their news?

Online. Most especially on TikTok. Which the same people worried about Paramount devouring CNN categorically hate and won’t go on. It’s not only opinion on TikTok… “Times” reporters speak to the camera, a lot of journalists have their own channels and they opine, as do the not so famous. This is where ideas and campaigns are cemented.

I won’t go too deep, but I must tell you that being an influencer is oftentimes more lucrative than being a musician, and an actor too. (And don’t complain that music doesn’t pay, these influencers have zillions of views, and that’s what advertisers want, that’s what pays…in addition, they have INFLUENCE! Makeup influencers get all the ink, but there are lot of solid people distributing solid information.)

The puck moves, and when it comes to TV news…it’s a dying world, everything has a lifespan.

But back to the plot.

The record labels were rolling in dough. They cared not a whit that they were selling CDs with one good track for more than ten bucks. Look at those numbers! And then Napster comes along and the public steals with impunity. Because there was pent-up anger, and as soon as there was an alternative…

My inbox is full of people frustrated that they have to wait another week for the final episode of “Furious.” Does it endear them to Hulu? Is anybody passionate about Hulu? I haven’t found them yet.

This is like a band. These duplicitous acts are so worried about their public image that they rant and rave about ticket fees. When the truth is almost all of the face value of the ticket goes to the act, and the promoter and other players can only make a profit as a result of ticket fees. Ticketmaster is paid to be take the heat, and it’s one of, if not the most hated companies in America.

But not Netflix, which started from zero and charges the most.

All you’ve got to know is the 2025 churn rate at Netflix was 2.1%.

The churn rate for its competitors?

HBO Max was 6-6.9%.

Disney was 5.5%.

Hulu was 5.3%.

Paramount+ was 5-6%.

Hulu was 4.3%.

Apple was 6.5-7%.

https://churnkey.co/blog/churn-rates-for-streaming-services

Isn’t it interesting that Netflix has the lowest churn rate?

WHY?

Not because it necessarily has the best product, but it is the most consumer-friendly. It’s got the best interface, even better than Apple’s. It does have a plethora of product too, but that’s part of the overall strategy. Give people SOMETHING to watch, what it is exactly is irrelevant. AND, if you like a show, it’s fully available for you to binge or watch at your leisure, which is what everybody expects in this on demand culture.

People are satisfied with Netflix. As for the other services…they can take them or leave them.

Apple’s got its fanboys, which makes up for its lack of product, then again it’s a laggard when it comes to the number of subscribers.

As for Amazon… TV is baked into Prime, however… Amazon pissed users off by switching them all to an ad-based service, and charging $4.99 more per month to get rid of the commercials.

I watch much less Prime than I used to. Five bucks doesn’t mean that much, but it’s a choice, and I want to see if a show is worth it. And why even start, when the other services are ad-free.

People hate Amazon. They’re just waiting to take advantage, they love to see the company fail. They’d go to a competitor in a heartbeat.

But not Netflix.

So don’t look at the modern world through old metrics. It’d be like looking at the music business via sales as opposed to streams. And as a matter of fact, physical albums are unduly weighted in the charts, ultimately rendering them meaningless except to the labels who manipulate their way to the top. The real charts, the ones everybody truly pays attention to, are the Spotify ones. Because they are raw consumption. Either people are listening or they’re not.

It’s no longer about initial sales. It’s about how long an album stays alive, how long do people want to listen to it prodigiously.

Used to be a brand name act could drop an album and sell a million copies the first week and then the record could disappear. Yet the label had already made their money, despite consumers rejecting the music. That doesn’t happen anymore, because the initial drop is much less significant, it’s a matter of whether you can keep the project alive

But one thing you’ve got to know is Spotify has even a lower churn rate than Netflix. And 70% of those who leave the service come back within 45 days.

Now music is not identical to video, but…

All this negative press about Spotify… USERS LOVE IT!

How often do you experience passion about Spotify’s competitors?

Never about Amazon, Apple…

Spotify is not hobbled by legacy thinking. It started from scratch. Ditto Netflix. They’re both forward-looking and nimble. And their users LIKE THEM!

What a concept.

Felice has a right side problem.

And her mirror image twin Monica has a left side problem.

Or so they say. As for me… I don’t need to park that close to the curb. But Felice? She gets right up close and personal. And as a result, every car she’s had…the lower right front bumper is stripped of paint.

Now my car sits outside, and has a shi**y paint job to begin with. I’m all about what’s under the hood, how the car drives, as for how it looks? Eh, it can be imperfect. But behind the wheel, my car drives as well as it did the day I bought it, which is kind of astounding.

Anyway, Felice asked me about getting her bumper repaired. There was just a black stripe at the lower right hand corner of this white car, not even an inch, maybe five or six inches long, I wouldn’t do a thing, and that’s what I told her, that it wasn’t worth touching.

But this wasn’t satisfactory to her, she likes her automobile in tip-top shape.

But then…

We were at her brother’s house high in the hills above Malibu, it’s one of the few structures that survived, and the driveway is a bit wonky, and Felice decided to turn around…

This is an issue between us. If it’s tight, I’ll go back and forth a zillion times. Especially in a rental car, because I don’t know the dimensions that well and if you injure it…

And the garage in Vail is really tight. One day Andy was backing up and his car stopped with a jolt. And then he pulled forward and away.

I didn’t know what to say. He’d just hit the car behind, didn’t he want to check for damage?

So I brought it up quietly and Andy told me no, his car has a feature wherein it automatically stops if it’s going to hit something, that he didn’t run into the car behind us at all.

But I drive a twenty one year old car without this feature. As for a rental car, if it even comes with a manual, good luck figuring it out.

As for Felice’s car…

It will park itself. She got her car off lease. And the person who ordered it originally purchased all the options. My favorite is the bolsters in the seats, which cradle you when you go around corners. And there’s the heads-up display. And the parking ability. And massage…

But Felice turns most of this stuff off. I dig it, I like all the bells and whistles. But they’re not always so easy to figure out. As for the ability to park itself…now that Felice keeps bumping the bumper, she says she’s going to try it out.

Anyway, so she makes one less back and forth than I would when she’s maneuvering to exit her brother’s house and CRUNCH!!

That didn’t sound good. I would have stopped the car and taken a look, but that’s not Felice’s style.

So then when I looked at the bumper thereafter… Now it made sense to fix it. There was a small dent, not quite the size of a baseball, and a bunch of scratches. Who knows what she hit by the side of her brother’s driveway, I assume rocks.

And, as you probably know, all the bumpers today are plastic. As for fixing them… They just rip them off and replace them. Can you even fix a dent in a plastic bumper?

As for plastic bumpers…

Starting in 1974 the U.S. law said that bumpers had to sustain a 5 MPH direct hit, or a 3 MPH corner impact. As a result, these big bumpers were tacked on to automobiles and…it was great, you could hit stuff with impunity.

But the carmakers didn’t like the added cost and weight and the insurers said there was not a concomitant reduction in repair costs, so…they changed the law again, to 2.5 MPH. And we got these new plastic bumpers, which when removed you see are backed up by foam, the kind they use in packaging, and they get scratched and punctured and…

I’m sitting in my office and I get a text. Felice asks me what I think of this:

Home

They’ll come to your house and fix your bumper. Reviews on Yelp are stellar.

Not for me. I’m against independents and fly by night operators. I take my car to the dealer, because they see my model all day long, they can easily diagnose the problems, and they’re going to be there tomorrow and the day after that.

As far as body shops go…

Unlike on the east coast, in L.A. oftentimes the body shop is not owned by the dealer, but they all have their preferred shops. So, this is where I go.

And in truth, body repair is so far superior today compared to yesteryear. Usually, you’d never know the car was in an accident.

As for me… If I’m going to spend my money, I want it done right. Especially on something as expensive as a car. I’ll pay a little more, I don’t want a substandard job.

And that’s what I told Felice to do. Call the dealer, have them steer you to their body shop and get an estimate. Then compare that price to Bumper Buddies.

But Felice was more interested in convenience, after all, Bumper Buddies comes to your house! So she sent in a picture and they gave an estimate and I’m reading it and I say…but they don’t seem to know there’s a dent, it’s not clear in the pic and the estimate doesn’t mention it. So who knows if they can even fix the dent, never mind the cost.

But Felice proceeded. And on Wednesday Bumper Buddies arrived.

I was asleep. But Felice woke me up, she needed guidance.

So I go into the garage…

Yes, there’s a dent. No, they were not aware of it. So, it will cost more to repair it and…

How exactly do they expect to do this?

And the guy says he’s going to go behind, maybe remove the bumper…and now I’m getting all anxious, I mean putting it back together… But he says he may just be able to remove the inner panel.

Also, did we want the paint blended or not? If not, you may be able to see where the repair was made.

Felice wanted to know what she should do.

I said to fix the dent and to blend. I mean if you’re going to do something, do it right. Why do only a half-a**ed job?

So the guy nods and gets to work.

And then it’s two hours later and Felice announces the job is done.

This can’t be, this is impossible. I mean normally when I bring my car in for body repair it sits at least a week. How in the hell can this guy repair the car so fast, must be a shoddy job.

So I go out into the garage… And the job is absolutely perfect. I’m astounded. How in the hell did he do it??

As for the dent… He heated up the plastic.

I mean I’m marveling, this is too much.

Then again, what’s it going to look like tomorrow, two months from now, a year or two down the line.

So as the technician is walking to his van I ask him, how long is the warranty?

THREE YEARS!

Well, that’s pretty good. That guarantees perfection for three years anyway.

But then I’m wondering, why does my car sit in the body shop so long? I mean sometimes they’re waiting for parts, but if this guy could fix Felice’s bumper so fast…do they just pile up the cars to make sure they always have work to do, so the technicians are not idle?

Now this is an expensive car, albeit it not new. I never would have taken the risk.

But it appears I was wrong.

From: Peter Noone
Subject: Re: Tickets Not Streams
Date: August 21, 2026 at 4:47:30?PM PDT

As one of the oldest readers of your fascinating daily reveille
I should say all of today’s letter appealed to me in that it was almost a description of the old music business where the groups of teenagers like me and me ‘ermits did music for fun never realizing that the label were grinning behind their hand$.

After we grew up I personally have shared 100 million dollars of road
oldies but goodies, we old geezers still have legs!

Thank you for a great share
___________________________________

From: Marty Walsh
Subject: Re: Dolly Parton
Date: August 27, 2026 at 3:07:20?AM PDT

Dolly Parton. One of the “real” true artists. I had the good fortune to play on 9 to 5 and her follow up album Burlap and Satin. Dolly would hang with the band on the breaks. She was quite funny and genuine. The “genuine” really stood out. She seemed so unaffected by the fame. That’s what I remember about her. A true artist who was just real people. I’m so grateful to have been able to be in her presence. Rest in peace Dolly.

Martè
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From: Jon Tiven
Subject: RE: Re-Dolly Parton
Date: August 26, 2026 at 6:44:12?PM PDT

1975, I’m sitting in the lobby of RCA Records in New York City, waiting to play Alex Chilton’s SINGER NOT THE SONG album (which I produced) for an a&r man who would subsequently show no appreciation. In walks Dolly Parton, sans hair and makeup escorted by four RCA suits. Her eyes catch mine, and I said say a friendly hello, instantly the suits spring into action to whisk her through risking no interaction with this 20 year old nobody. The lady pauses and says “No, I want to stop and say hi to this nice young man.” Dolly took her time and showed me what counts, that the people who are really responsible for whatever greatness The Music Business has custody of have better manners than those in charge.

R.I.P. Dolly, you lived it like you showed it and made a big impression on everyone you met, even if that interaction only lasted for a moment. Thank you.
___________________________________

From: R. Emmett McAuliffe
Subject: RE: Dolly Parton
Date: August 27, 2026 at 8:20:50?AM PDT

Bob
One of the funniest radio station stunts I ever saw was KSHE-95 in St. Louis, which was the self-branded “Real Rock Station” and was *the* station for hard rock-loving dudes in the 70s and 80s, where Country music was anathema. The station had a listener contest for tickets to see Dolly Parton to a lucky winner and the ticket package included a pair of ear plugs and a set of binoculars!

I disagreed with KSHE’s aesthetic judgment, but I thought the stunt was so wonderfully unselfconscious. I still know a few boomers today who will go on rock cruises and go to any legacy rock concert in town, but will walk out if any country is played. Even after the majority of white boomers have migrated to Country. “This is simply who I am, take it or leave it”.
___________________________________

From: Larry LeBlanc
Subject: LeBlanc BTS and Grammy
Date: July 31, 2026 at 5:58:08?PM MDT

Years ago Celine Dion went through a similar experience in the mostly French speaking province of Quebec when Francophones were discouraged about recording in English. But Celine, already the province’s biggest francophone artist, had signed with a recorded her first English album “Unison” with CBS Cananda and It contained her international breakthrough 1990 hit “Where Does My Heart Beat Now.” For the annual province ADISQ awards that year it was announced there was to be new Felix Award category of a French artist performing in English under the heading Anglophone Artist of the Year. A narrow field at the time when few Quebec Francophones were brave enough to record in English. Celine and her husband took it as a slap and indicated she would not accept the award. She did win and she refused to take the stage but did attend the national Juno awards hosting the national most English event in 1983 in Toronto. A rather rebellious career move. Still she has continued to record both English and French albums. 
___________________________________

From: Chris Adelmann
Subject: Re: Yummy Yummy Yummy
Date: August 2, 2026 at 3:00:11?PM MDT

nice piece on charts from years ago, including Yummy, Yummy, Yummy-as you noted very very catchy!. Joey Levine was one of the co-writers (and lead singers) and in the 70s he moved  on to to be a huge NYC jingle writer, including NBC Proud as a Peacock and Budweisers This Buds for you. He sang on all the jingles and used the top NYC session guys including  Steve Gadd, Rick Marotta, Will Lee, Marcus Miller, Leon Pendarivs, Chris Palmaro (his Music director), David Spinoza, and many others.
___________________________________

From: Colleen Wainwright
Subject: Re: Yummy Yummy Yummy
Date: August 2, 2026 at 4:35:10?PM MDT

Back in the ’80s, Joey Levine was on heavy rotation with the music producers at the agency I worked for in NYC. We wrote a lot of ads with jingles or needing hook-y tracks, and some of my happiest times were spent in that crazy rabbit warren of studios they occupied at Crushing Music, or at other studios around town where we recorded. Insanely talented all-around musicians, the entire bunch of them—Joey knew how to spot a fellow magician, boy howdy.
___________________________________

From: Leanne Ungar
Subject: Re: Yummy Yummy Yummy
Date: August 3, 2026 at 9:56:32?AM MDT

Joey Levine was Archie in The Archies, and sang and wrote many jingles, notably “Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t”
___________________________________

From: Gary Helsinger
Subject: Re: Ritchie Blackmore Returns
Date: August 13, 2026 at 2:22:22?AM PDT

I was one of the (3) singers in the comedy rock band Green Jellÿ . I also signed myself/us. I’m here to tell you that our worldwide smash song, “The Three Little Pigs” IS “Smoke on the Water.” THAT is how we wrote it in the first place. We were messing around after rehearsal playing covers as we usually did, and while jamming “Smoke on the Water,” Bill started making up lyrics about cliché rockers who “move to Hollywood to become a star.” It’s funny that we got sued by everybody from Toys “R” Us to famously Jell-O for originally being named Green Jellö as well as Metallica, who sued us and won… But the one real infringement that didn’t happen, was stealing that riff of Smoke on the Water.  I think the statute of limitations is long past on that one, but if not, I quit in 1997 so it’s no skin off my nose…or the hair of my chinny, chin, chin!
___________________________________

From: Alan Stewart
Subject: Re: The Sunset Marquis Movie
Date: August 11, 2026 at 8:03:40?AM PDT

Caveat: I haven’t seen the movie yet.

I always stay at the Sunset Marquis when in LA. I had a band playing the Greek Theater in Berkely the night after the LA trip and Tres Cool was on the side of the stage watching. We starting chatting and I mentioned that I was at the Marquis the night before and he stepped back, took off his jacket and showed me this amazing tattoo of him throwing the TV off the balcony at the Sunset Marquis. Imagine the stories those guys have!
___________________________________

From: Hank Neuberger
Subject: In the Lobby at the Sunset Marquis
Date: August 10, 2026 at 6:14:02?PM MDT

June 2, 1978.
Darkness on the Edge of Town had been released that day.

Steve Goodman and I had been mixing his album in Chicago (High and Outside) when Steve decided he needed some overdubs from some LA friends.

On the way to O’Hare that day we heard “Adam Raised a Cain” for the first time on WXRT.
Steve loved it right away and on the flight asked me tons of questions about Bruce’s relationship with his father, which Bruce had talked about in his shows. 

We got to the Marquis at midnight and were checking in when the front door flung open.

There was Bruce.
Jeans, white tee with both sleeves rolled up high.
A beautiful brunette on one arm.
A supermarket bag in the other arm with a loaf of Wonder Bread and bottles of Coke sticking out.

Stevie walked right over.
“Bruce, I’m Steve Goodman, and I’ve been digging your song today “Adam Raised a Cain.”

Bruce looked right at him and said.
“Stevie Goodman.  Steve Goodman.  Steve Goodman. Your song “My Old Man.”   Now that’s a great f*ckin’ song.”

And he was gone.
___________________________________

From: Jeff Andrews
Subject: Re: Daddy Don’t Live In That New York City No More
Date: August 7, 2026 at 6:53:43?PM MDT

I have my unique, potentially bittersweet story to share. I grew up in a very small town in Ohio. Steely Dan, among a few others, were one of my main musical addictions. Loved everything they put out and Katy Lied is my favorite because every song is a pop gem. Anyway, I moved to NYC after college and was working on the Upper West Side. One day I was sitting on a bench eating my lunch and who walked by? Donald Fagen reading a newspaper while walking. Somewhat tall, lanky, bell bottom jeans and long sleeve T-shirt. I so wanted to open a conversation by saying Where did you get those shoes? (you serious fans will identify). Alas, I didnt and Ive regretted it ever since. To be 20 years old, newly in New York City, and to meet one of my musical heroes, wouldve been the best!!
___________________________________

From: Jay Landers
Subject: Re: Bob Cavallo interview
Date: July 30, 2026 at 5:27:21?PM MDT

Hope you’re well. 

Your recent interview with the legendary Bob Cavallo was terrific. I had the privilege of working for Bob during his Disney years, and your conversation with him reminded me what a delightful, insightful raconteur he was—and clearly still is.

Hearing Bob’s voice again brought back memories of his truly unique personality: equal parts confident, shrewd and humble to a fault. He embodies that increasingly rare, old-school blend of pure “show” and real “business.”

As head of Hollywood Records and Disney Records, Bob was unfailingly supportive of his staff. He gave A&R executives like me the freedom to flourish without hovering over every decision—a management style that inspired confidence, creativity, and fierce loyalty.

Your interview reminded me of story that still makes me smile.

When Bob first hired me in 1999 to run A&R for Walt Disney Records, the label had benefited for years from the extraordinary legacy of its catalog. But the classic soundtracks—from Snow White through The Lion King—had been reissued countless times and had basically run their course. We desperately needed fresh music that reflected Disney’s timeless values while feeling contemporary enough to connect with a new generation of kids.

But who was visiting the theme parks? Who was watching the films? Who was buying the music? In true corporate fashion, Disney had commissioned a marketing research team to validate what seemed rather obvious.  

The findings were sobering. Disney’s iconic characters—Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, and Pluto—simply weren’t connecting with younger audiences the way they once had. The challenge for each division was to find ways to make these beloved characters feel contemporary without compromising their status as treasured ambassadors of the Disney brand. Obviously, music could contribute to that mission.

Now here’s an example of the circuitous thinking that sometimes informs my A&R decisions.

At the time, Latin pop had recently become the world’s musical obsession. Ricky Martin, Gloria Estefan, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, and others dominated radio, television, and the charts.

As a kid, I’d always loved those classic “live” albums like The Beach Boys Party! and Johnny Rivers Live at the Whisky à Go Go. Of course, technically speaking they weren’t really “live in concert” at all—they were largely studio recordings sweetened with applause, laughter, and party chatter to create the illusion of one big celebration.

Those albums became my inspiration.

Why not create a festive “live” album starring Mickey and pals, performing family-friendly versions of Latin hits?  It would instantly place this zany group into the current zeitgeist. 

I hired the official Disney sanctioned voice-actors and we made an album called La Vida Mickey, featuring playful adaptations of songs like Ricky Martin’s “Livin’ La Vida Loca,” Richie Valens’ “La Bamba,” Miami Sound Machine’s “Conga,” and Lou Bega’s “Mambo No. 5.”

To produce it, I hired the gifted Marco Marinangeli, one of those rare behind-the-scenes players who could convincingly recreate virtually any musical style. His arrangements were authentic, energetic, and joyful. Mickey and friends sounded as if they were throwing the world’s biggest quinceañera. 

Confident we’d created something special, and with Bob’s endorsement, I leaned into Disney’s legendary culture of synergy. Advance copies went to virtually every division of the company—the domestic and international theme parks, the cruise line, Disney Imagineering, ABC TV, the Disney Channel, consumer products, ESPN, the Disney Stores, and the film studio.

The response was overwhelmingly enthusiastic. Everyone wanted to incorporate this upbeat music into their own corner of the Disney universe.

Then things took an unexpected turn.

One afternoon I received an urgent message:

“Mr. Disney would like to see you as soon as possible.”

At first I was excited.

I’d never met Roy Disney, Jr., nor had I even seen him around the lot. The fact that he actually knew my name was rather astonishing. In my mind, he was almost a mythical figure—the company’s living connection to Walt Disney himself.

Naturally, I assumed he wanted to congratulate me. Surely the excitement about La Vida Mickey, and all the other successful projects I’d been working on, had filtered back to him via the highest levels of the company.

Instead, I walked into one of the more unusal meetings of my career.

Roy’s impressive office was filled with Disney history. On one table sat a magnificent scale model of his famous racing yacht, Pyewacket, surrounded by other priceless memorabilia, including a sterling-framed photo of the studio’s founder. But what struck me most was Roy himself. The resemblance to his Uncle Walt was uncanny—so much so that it was almost unsettling.

He warmly insisted I call him Roy and began by saying he’d heard many wonderful things about me from around the company. He told me I had a bright future at Disney.

I relaxed.

Then he slowly reached into a drawer and placed a copy of La Vida Mickey on the desk between us.
 
His expression turned serious as he evaluated the cover art, featuring Mickey standing behind a DJ turntable, sporting a glittering white glove worthy of Michael Jackson.

Roy began to explain — make that lecture — that Disney’s characters were sacred. They represented ideals. They were never to be diminished, trivialized, or associated with anything that might tarnish their image.
I nodded in agreement. 

Then he looked directly at me and said:

“I don’t want Mickey fraternizing with hoodlums who steal hubcaps and slash automobile tires.”

I had the distinct feeling he wasn’t describing anyone from his yacht club.

In an instant, my cheerful little Latin party album had become something else entirely.

My mind was racing.

Was I about to be fired?  Needless to say, I wanted to continue succeeding at the company. Frankly, I couldn’t afford not to!

Should I challenge what sounded to me like an unfair stereotype, or should I simply find an off-ramp before this conversation veered completely off the rails?

It was one of those surreal moments where time seems to slow down, and you’re frantically searching for exactly the right thing to say. How did my little project, created to celebrate music, culture, and fun land me in the middle of a conversation about racial profiling?

Somehow, I managed to unscramble my brain and calibrate my tone before saying, “Mr. Disney—I mean, Roy—the last time I visited Disneyland, I saw a lot of Latino families patiently standing in long lines, enjoying the rides, buying the merchandise…and paying a small fortune for overpriced, undercooked, cafeteria-style burritos and tacos.” Leaning in, I added, “Hardworking people who’d saved up enough money to bring their families to the park…and I didn’t see anyone flashing a switchblade.”

Then, throwing caution completely to the wind, I added, “And when you watch TV commercials these days—from McDonald’s to Coca-Cola…the brands that Disneyland works with—they all seem to feature Latin kids dancing through the aisles like junior Ricky Martin’s. So I think it would behoove Disney to embrace this incredible culture with its own vibrant Latin-styled music.”

As a PGA announcer might say, a hush fell over the crowd.

Roy tapped his fingernails on his desk like a speed typist. Finally, with a dead-eyed stare, he said, “Well…just be careful. We’re a family company.”
And that was it.

Had the storm passed? Or were there consequences waiting around the corner? Was Roy about to call Bob Cavallo and have me escorted off the lot? I managed to eke out some unconvincing utterance before making a hasty exit. Imagine Dorthy, the Scarecrow the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion departing their audience with the great and powerful Oz.

Simmering, I walked straight from Roy’s office to Bob’s, passing the Michael Eisner Building with its towering terra-cotta Seven Dwarfs statues supporting the roof.

Looking up at the building, I thought about how much I’d always loved Disney music. Before officially joining the company, my friend, the gifted Disney executive, Chris Montan, and I had worked together on several Oscar- and Grammy-winning Disney end-title songs, including “Beauty and the Beast” and Aladdin’s “A Whole New World.” But I’d never drunk the corporate Kool-Aid the way some other Disney “cast members” I’d met had, including one upper management exec who always wore his red shoes, a red belt and red watchband to work.  

As I made my way to the Hollywood Records office, I took stock of the situation. I’m usually a pretty unflappable guy…but seriously…who needed this sh*t?

Still running on adrenaline, I charged into Bob’s office. Thankfully, he had an open-door policy.

He looked up from his desk and asked, “What’s up?”  His tone did not suggest I was bothering him. Rather, he was open to hearing whatever I had to say.

I gave him a quick blow-by-blow account of the meeting. In the scheme of things, I knew we were only talking about another little Disney record, but to me it had become a matter of principle. Or was I overreacting to the misguided ramblings of a legendary—but now largely toothless-tiger from a bygone era?

Bob had managed many of my musical hero’s like Earth, Wind & Fire, Prince, and my childhood faves, the Lovin’ Spoonful. From the fantastic stories he’d shared with me, I knew they were all challenging clients. I also knew he’d seen and heard everything the business could throw at him, and had somehow managed to navigate every twist and turn. So, even though my blood was boiling, I valued his thoughts.

Bob had this quirky little habit of quietly inhaling and then pursing his lips before he spoke.

He looked at me, smiled slightly, and in the calmest voice possible said, “Oh, just forget about it kid…you’re doin’ great.”

Then, after a beat, he asked, “Did he really say they steal hubcaps…like Disneyland’s turning into West Side Story or something?  Unbelievable!”

“So what should I do?” I asked.

Without missing a beat, Bob said, “Just put the record out and see what happens. If it’s successful, nobody’s going to complain…and everyone’s going to take credit for it. And if it’s a bomb, nobody’s even going to remember it.”

It was one of the most pragmatic pieces of advice I’d ever received—and exactly why I remember Bob Cavallo today with such affection. Trusting his own instincts, sharpened over decades, he’d instantly evaluated every possible outcome…he knew how the game would play out…and then he dispensed this advice in his typically direct and avuncular manner. 

And here’s the P.S.

As Mickey Mouse sang to generations of young fans, “Hey there, hi there, ho there…you’re as welcome as can be!”

Thanks to Bob Cavallo, somewhere in my seldom-visited storage vault, sits a gold album plaque for La Vida Mickey.  

Bob was 100% right. With La Vida Mickey, and its successful sequel album, both topping the kids charts, no-one uttered a word about my having corrupted Disney’s sterling image!

Speaking as a graduate of Disney-U, in my opinion, the company should erect a statue of Bob right outside the entrance to the music division he so expertly guided.

With best regards, 

Jay Landers
___________________________________

From: John Hartmann
Subject: Re: Dark Star
Date: August 19, 2026 at 6:10:49?PM PDT

Hi Bob,

The CSN album didn’t just fall off the truck. It was the product of a half dozen phone calls and some record biz hardball.

Hartmann & Goodman had finally broken through with Poco’s fourteenth album, ‘Legend’. America had also joined our roster, and we turned around their faltering album ‘Holiday’ after Warner Bros. dropped the ball.

Then the phone rang. “Hartmann,” I said.

“This is The Croz,” David replied. In those days, there was an abiding hiss on long-distance lines.

“Is this the call?” I asked.

“It is,” David said.

“Should I get on a plane?”

“Meet me at the Holiday Inn in Albany, New York tomorrow afternoon,” he asserted.

“I’ll be there,” I promised.

I was standing under the Holiday Inn portico when a long black limousine arrived, and David and Graham jumped out. We exchanged the appropriate kisses, hugs and happy slaps before adjourning to David’s room.

“What are we doing here?” I asked.

“We are playing a gig in Hyannis Port tomorrow night,” Graham informed me.

“There’s no venue in Hyannis Port,” I ventured. “Where are you playing?”

“The Hockey Rink,” he whispered with a bit of a blush.

“Why?” I asked.

“We’re doing a benefit concert for Teddy Kennedy; he’s running for the Senate.”

“Let me get this straight,” I asserted. “You’re doing a benefit for one of the richest guys in the world, who is running for a race he couldn’t lose if he tried. Boy, do you need management!” “That’s why we called.”

We put on the show in the ice rink and were hosted by Mother Rose and Caroline. Teddy never made it.

We left for New York City after the gig, where Crosby & Nash sold out two nights at Wollman Rink in Central Park. Walter Yetnikoff, the Columbia Records chieftain, and his number two man, Bruce Lundvall, showed up both nights. It was obvious Yetnikoff hoped to sign David and Graham to Columbia. He already had Stephen Stills as a solo artist, so it didn’t take a genius to see what he was coveting.

After a couple of days of bickering over the deal, they joined Hartmann & Goodman as our third client. They were scheduled to leave for a two-week European tour, so I went along. It was a near disaster, but we made it through and landed back in L.A. exhausted but client-rich.

My first call was to Michael John Bowen, the ex-Green Beret manager of Stills. “Guess what we’ve got?” I asked.

“What?” he said.

“Crosby, Stills & Nash,” I boasted.

“You’ve got the guys?” he asked, somewhat incredulously.

“We do. Are you coming to town?”

“Tomorrow,” he promised.

The third call was to Ahmet Ertegun, the legendary head of Atlantic Records, CSN’s longtime label. I had read their recording contract, and it sucked. I told Ahmet we need to renegotiate the deal. He refused. “They still owe me six albums that I’ll never get,” he quipped. “Your deal is ten years old and has expired,” I said with maximum conviction. ” “What are you talking about?” “Personal service contracts in California cannot exceed seven years,” I said. “Bullsh*t! No new deal,” he said and hung up.

Stephen had a quiver full of new tunes and with Graham and David’s songs we had enough for a first rate album. We booked sessions at Criterion Studios in Miami and engaged the Aplert Brothers to produce. We leaked it to Atlantic that CSN was in the studio and somebody called and requested purchase orders. “No Thanks, the guys are recording on their own dime,” we informed. This was a consummate cage rattling, for sure. The album was done very quickly considering the perfectionist rio’s meticulous nature. It was time to call Walter Yetnikoff.

“Do you want to hear the new Crosby, Stills & Nash album?” I dangled. “Of course! When?” he asked. “As soon as you can get down to Miami,” He commandeered the CBS jet and we flew down for a listening party. Walter was delighted. “What do I have to do to get it?” he asked. ” Give us a million dollar advance, and you have to indemnify us against Ahmet’s eventual lawsuit, the rest you can pound out with our lawyers.” I said. “I’ll get back to you,” he promised. I leaked it to Atlantic that Walter had heard the record. The next call was from Ahmet. 

The mad Turk was furious. He threatened a lawsuit. But I had an ace in the hole, and I blackmailed him into a renegotiation, not just for the new Album, but the new terms applied to the entire, CSN, CSNY and CN catalogs. Since Ahmet paid off, I won’t say what I had on him that he feared I would expose. After all, a deal is a deal. When the album came out, “Just A Song Before I Go” was a smash hit single and the LP went multi platinum. The ensuing reunion tour was a total sell out with nary an empty seat anywhere in the country. Walter had demurred but it was the catalyst we needed to bring  Atlantic to the line. That was the last call.

Best regards,

John Hartmann
___________________________________

From: Rob Whittaker
Subject: Re: Tickets Not Streams
Date: August 23, 2026 at 3:19:49?AM PDT

About live music, I play keys in Big Racket. We are a live party/cover band. In fact, people have said ‘They’re like a real band!’. 

Stu Robb is our excellent frontman who makes every show a very cool party. Graeme Hartlan on bass and YouTubes Jimi Wolf Solos on guitar. 

We sell a lot of beer. 
 
We play mostly at Drums’N’Flats in Toronto, an excellent venue for live rock’n’roll. I think the occupancy is about 150, but it feels like we get 200 in there because the place gets rammed. It’s always on fire by the second set.
 
Interestingly, Michael McCarty, our unflappable drummer (you may know him) is a music industry veteran. He gets some very cool cats to come out and play with us. Sometimes we get Neil Sanderson of Three Days Grace to play Johnny B. Goode. Paul Shaffer. Andy Kim. Alan Frew might sing some Tragically Hip covers. Paquin Entertainments – and the band Harlequin – Ralph James plays bass when we cover his ‘80s synth-rock hit Innocence. We had the boys from Sum 41 join us a couple of months ago.
 
They all say the same thing: it’s awesome to play a small room with off-the-hook energy, because that’s rock’n’roll.
 
The star power is crazy fun for us. We get to meet and play music with our heroes. But the best part is that these guys enjoy playing in a bar again. It’s not reminiscence; it’s real. Like the guy said, we’re ‘like a real band,’ even for people who are used to much taller stages and larger crowds. They all enjoy the rootsy, back-to-basics experience. And we can play, so it’s easy for them to feel safe. They know it’s not going to be a train wreck. 
 
The guests always have some nervous energy because they’re people too. It’s incredibly humanizing. And sometimes we don’t stick the ending, or we miss the break, but that moment when you’ve come through it and everyone had a great time – it’s like nothing else.
 
That’s when I look up and thank my mom for the piano lessons back in grade 6.
___________________________________

From: Willie Nile
Subject: Re: Willie Nile
Date: July 28, 2026 at 8:36:26?PM MDT

Hi Bob,

Thanks for asking. Yes, my father passed away 3 weeks ago. He was 108 1/2 years old, the 16th oldest man in the U.S.. Joe Biden called him in November to wish him a Happy 108th Birthday. 

He took no medication, which is crazy, and he wasn’t ill. His organs just began to shut down. He was such a good and humble man, the kind, one hopes, America, at it’s best, is made of. He lived at home and was still mentally sound and doing crossword puzzles, reading books and having a Happy Hour every day. One of my brothers has been living with him for the past 8 years and watching over him. His sense of humor was intact until the very end.

He was of Irish Catholic origin and went to mass every day for over 83 years. Who does that! 
And he used to wake every night for over 43 years and do a Holy Hour. He’d wake at random hours in the night to use the bathroom and then sit in a chair and pray for people for an hour. Who does that! It’s a blessing that he no longer has to deal with the sufferings of life here on earth and all of us in the family know how lucky we were to have him for as long as we did.

I’m doing ok. It’s a big loss for all of us but I know it’s best for him. He always said he was ready to go whenever the time for him came. He can now rest in peace and is hopefully dancing somewhere in paradise with Mom. 

Here’s to a good man who led by example and showed us how to live and how to leave with courage and grace. 

Willie