I was a 19-year-old college sophomore when I interviewed Portland musician (and eventual Oregon Music Hall of Famer) Gary Ogan. I had heard Gary's newly released single, "Try a Little More," on Portland's KINK radio (an "underground" FM station), loved it, and decided I'd like to interview Gary and maybe see if I could get the interview published. I found Gary's number in the phone book, called him, asked whether he was up for a chat, and he said "Sure."
On my way to the interview, I had my car radio tuned to KINK and a song came on that took my breath away. When the song ended and the DJ said, "That was 'These Words and This Tune,' by Portland's own Gary Ogan," my jaw dropped to the floor. I couldn't believe I was about to interview the person who had written this little lyrical and musical masterpiece.
The interview itself was a lot of fun, in large part because Gary was a lot of fun. Even though he was a rising local star with an album and a single to his credit, both of which were receiving airplay, he didn't take himself too seriously.
Another reason it was fun: after we were done chatting, Gary asked me if I'd like a copy of his 45, and of course I said, "Yeah!" As it turned out, Gary didn't have any copies on hand, so he asked me if I'd like to accompany him to Rex Recording, the Portland studio where he had recorded the 45. Ummm...yeah again!
When we arrived at Rex, there was a guy sitting at a piano just inside the studio, plinking away at some tune. I had no idea who the guy was, but Gary did. "Rick," he said, "I'd like you to meet Tom Waits. He's here recording some pieces for a KINK show later on."
Full disclosure: I didn't know who Tom Waits was. But I found out soon enough, and when I did I couldn't believe how lucky I had been to meet him...on the heels of getting to interview my new idol, Gary Ogan.
Gary located a stack of his 45s and handed me not one, but a whole handful—some of which I would later give to friends, but one of which I kept for myself, and still have to this day.
Gary located a stack of his 45s and handed me not one, but a whole handful—some of which I would later give to friends, but one of which I kept for myself, and still have to this day.
Gary went on to record with Leon Russell and many others, and he has written and recorded several hundred more songs—one of which ("The Wonder Of") happens to be my wife's and my "song." We listen to it each year, eyes glistening, on our anniversary. Through the years, Gary and I have stayed in touch, and we even worked together on a one-sheet for his brilliant CD, Suite Woogie. Perhaps needless to say, he's still one of my all-time favorite singer/songwriters.
I never did find a magazine willing to publish my interview, so I'm publishing it here—in the sincere hope that it doesn't embarrass Gary as much as my clumsy writing embarrasses me!
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| Photo of me and Gary Ogan (during a break from his gig at at Mark's on the Channel, in Scappoose, Oregon, June 2019), by Jules Cooper |
GARY OGAN: "TRY A LITTLE MORE"
by Rick Cooper
You keep your head in a book, my friend
you've got nothing on the brain;
you keep your eye on a passing cloud
and expect for it to rain…*
It's different to think of Portland as more than pavement and "liquid sunshine.” It's strange to think of it as having its own head shops, movie studios, and massage parlors. You drive to San Francisco during spring vacation to see all that. And it's there…among the street bands, waterfront restaurants, and cable cars. But it's here, too…among, the trees, bridges, and rain. And Portland has something that San Francisco doesn't.
Portland has Gary Ogan.
But you've got to try…
oh, you can try a little more;
if you want to try…
oh, you can try a little more.
"I think there will always be a need for every kind of music," Gary says. "You just pick a cross-section of the public…there's always going to be the need."
Gary Ogan was twenty-one years of age when he recorded his first album. Since then, he has done numerous commercials, demos, and special tapes. Late in 1974 he released a 45 called "Try a Little More."
"It didn't do too hot in Portland," he says, "so we hired a guy to promote it on the West Coast. I pay absolutely no attention to what's going on except, you know, if it breaks…the main thing I'm interested in is getting a contract."
Whom does he expect to get a contract with? "Anybody. "
Encouragement
Gary was a musician from the start. He started picking up drums, he says, “when I was a baby."
"I just got nothing but encouragement from my folks, so as far back as I can remember, I was playing things."
His main instruments now are guitar and piano. He picked a little, as we talked, on the guitar he used to record "Try a Little More." The guitar is an old Epiphone acoustic, with nylon strings that have been on there "almost forever."
When did he decide to pursue a career in music? "Way back when," he shrugs, "when I was a kid." What would be doing if it hadn't been for music? "I'd be another person."
Would he be a bum? "I still might be one," he laughs.
In the same room are a small upright piano, two more guitars, several music manuscripts, a sofa, and a tape deck. I asked Gary if he ever recorded his own material. He replied, "When I finish a song and I think I'm going to die the next day, then I record it."
How did he start in studio recording? "Bill Lamb, the guy I did the record with, was in a touring high school 'debonair’ group. Greg Branson fell in love with his voice and wanted to make him a star. So, you know, I'd try anything, so he had me come down and play with him.
"He hated my songs, but eventually we were doing commercials and we finally ended up at Elektra."
Experience
Elektra recorded Gary's album, Portland. Gary and Portland friend Bill Lamb together wrote and performed on the album. Bill is guitarist/singer/mandolinist/writer for their present band, Salt, which also includes bassist Kelly Stites.
oh, you can try a little more;
if you want to try…
oh, you can try a little more.
"I think there will always be a need for every kind of music," Gary says. "You just pick a cross-section of the public…there's always going to be the need."
Gary Ogan was twenty-one years of age when he recorded his first album. Since then, he has done numerous commercials, demos, and special tapes. Late in 1974 he released a 45 called "Try a Little More."
"It didn't do too hot in Portland," he says, "so we hired a guy to promote it on the West Coast. I pay absolutely no attention to what's going on except, you know, if it breaks…the main thing I'm interested in is getting a contract."
Whom does he expect to get a contract with? "Anybody. "
Encouragement
Gary was a musician from the start. He started picking up drums, he says, “when I was a baby."
"I just got nothing but encouragement from my folks, so as far back as I can remember, I was playing things."
His main instruments now are guitar and piano. He picked a little, as we talked, on the guitar he used to record "Try a Little More." The guitar is an old Epiphone acoustic, with nylon strings that have been on there "almost forever."
When did he decide to pursue a career in music? "Way back when," he shrugs, "when I was a kid." What would be doing if it hadn't been for music? "I'd be another person."
Would he be a bum? "I still might be one," he laughs.
In the same room are a small upright piano, two more guitars, several music manuscripts, a sofa, and a tape deck. I asked Gary if he ever recorded his own material. He replied, "When I finish a song and I think I'm going to die the next day, then I record it."
How did he start in studio recording? "Bill Lamb, the guy I did the record with, was in a touring high school 'debonair’ group. Greg Branson fell in love with his voice and wanted to make him a star. So, you know, I'd try anything, so he had me come down and play with him.
"He hated my songs, but eventually we were doing commercials and we finally ended up at Elektra."
Experience
Elektra recorded Gary's album, Portland. Gary and Portland friend Bill Lamb together wrote and performed on the album. Bill is guitarist/singer/mandolinist/writer for their present band, Salt, which also includes bassist Kelly Stites.
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| Gary and Salt bassist Kelly Stites (right) relax in Gary's practice room. (Photo: Kent Hathaway) |
Was it easy to get into recording? "Well, it was essentially a thing of luck with us, the first time; it's really hard for me now, you know, I've done several demo tapes and haven't been signed up yet…it is hard for me now,” he laughs.
What happened after the album? "I quit. I didn't like the contract. I don't mind being binded if I'm binded the way I want to be binded, but I didn't want to be binded to play music with Bill for the rest of my life. I love working with Bill, but I just wanted to do more things."
Portland got air play on FM radio; one song even made it on AM. That song was—it figures—"Portland Rain."
Gary says they tried to record the album in Portland, but it didn't work out. So they went to San Diego, spent a week there, did the whole album except for a couple of cuts, then went to Los Angeles and finished it in "three or four more studios."
Overdubbing? "Our producer was really into doing live tracks, you know, basic tracks, so we went through a few studio musicians. We didn't do a lot of overdubbing ; the basic tracks were pretty much live."
What does Gary think of the 200 albums per week being produced today? "Most of them are mediocre to bad."
Success/Influences
Is it possible for a band to become famous overnight? "Mmmm…it depends on what kind of an act you're putting together, how extensive of a show. Obviously, if you're going to emerge and be a success, whatever you're doing has to be news."
Is it a matter of having a gimmick, or is there more interest in real talent? "Well, once again, there are people that fall for anything…kids that fall for the Alice Cooper gimmick; or people that are really into what the artist is saying. It just depends on the audience you're trying to reach.”
What kind of audience is Gary trying to reach? "Everybody."
His first success? "Staying alive this long," he laughs. "Probably Elektra…but it wasn't the high point. The high point was the single. Working on the single was totally exhilarating."
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| Gary: "It's a bill from Rex Recording." Kelly: "How much is it?" (Photo: Kent Hathaway) |
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| Gary: "Too much." Kelly: "So what's new?" (Photo: Kent Hathaway) |
Side two on the single is "These Words and This Tune."
Some of my dearest friends are those that I never see;
the ones I can tell are doing well and thinking of me…
"I split up with this band I bad been working with and I was hot to try something new. So I wrote the two songs especially for the single…we just worked ourselves to death and it was great."
I long to hear what you find, oh and save the smiles you leave behind;
I'll keep them and wear them like a crown inside my mind.
Major early influences? "The Beatles. They were early influences." Any major influences now? "No."
Anybody he really admires? "Yeah. I love Jackson Browne and Joni Mitchell. I think they definitely have everything wrapped up, as far as being able to put things across."
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| Gary holds an album by one of his favorites singer/ songwriters, Joni Mitchell. (Photo: Kent Hathaway) |
Tomorrow, Etcetera
Has Gary ever had the desire to be famous? "YEAH," he laughs, slapping his knees, "I want people screaming my name from their rooftops!"
Has Gary ever had the desire to be famous? "YEAH," he laughs, slapping his knees, "I want people screaming my name from their rooftops!"
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| "I want people screaming my name from their rooftops!" (Photo: Kent Hathaway) |
But seriously: "If you have something you want people to hear, it makes you sound a little more modest…rather than just having them know your name or getting off on the clothes you wear, or something."
Where will he go from here? "I just want a contract…move out…and record and go on the road and write.”
Enough material? "I have hordes of material.”
His former band? "We practiced for six months, played for three, and then split."
The synthesizer? "I don't program it, I just play it."
Tennis? "I'm nuts about it. Luckily, I'm in a band of tennis freaks."
Where will he go from here? "I just want a contract…move out…and record and go on the road and write.”
Enough material? "I have hordes of material.”
His former band? "We practiced for six months, played for three, and then split."
The synthesizer? "I don't program it, I just play it."
Tennis? "I'm nuts about it. Luckily, I'm in a band of tennis freaks."
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| Wondering if the weather is good enough for a game of... "Tennis? I'm nuts about it. Luckily, I'm in a band of tennis freaks." (Photo: Kent Hathaway) |
His favorite night spot to play? "Arbuckle Flat…because they listen."
Why is his band called "Salt"? "'cause I hate names," he laughs. "That doesn't make sense, does it? Well, we just started the band, and it's the most aggravating thing to come up with a name, you know…so I said, 'Salt'…nobody's gonna ask what it means, nobody’s gonna say anything about it…and sure enough I say, 'Salt' and they say, 'Fault?' 'No, Salt.' 'Fault?' 'SALT, as in Samuel.' So Bill tried to call us 'Salt as in Samuel.’
"Sure enough, people still ask us what it means…NOTHING!"
*All lyrics copyright 1974 Gary Ogan, Candlewax Music (BMI).
Why is his band called "Salt"? "'cause I hate names," he laughs. "That doesn't make sense, does it? Well, we just started the band, and it's the most aggravating thing to come up with a name, you know…so I said, 'Salt'…nobody's gonna ask what it means, nobody’s gonna say anything about it…and sure enough I say, 'Salt' and they say, 'Fault?' 'No, Salt.' 'Fault?' 'SALT, as in Samuel.' So Bill tried to call us 'Salt as in Samuel.’
"Sure enough, people still ask us what it means…NOTHING!"
*All lyrics copyright 1974 Gary Ogan, Candlewax Music (BMI).
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