Photo by James Mooney
It’s a dream scenario for most musicians—to have producer Hal Willner organize your birthday party. Willner is the music mastermind behind all of Saturday Night Live’s music bookings since the ’70s, and has put together star-studded tributes to Tim Buckley, Mingus and the Marquis de Sade (most recently, he curated the Rogue’s Gallery pirate show and album).
And at Carnegie Hall on October 4 (that’s this Sunday, people), Laurie Anderson, Bono, Scarlett Johansson and more take the stage for a mighty musical knees-up, to celebrate Gavin Friday’s 50th birthday. Singer-songwriter Friday is a cult musical figure; childhood friends with Bono (the two grew up in Ireland together), Friday found recognition of his own in goth-punk outfit the Virgin Prunes. A painter and actor (he joins Cillian Murphy in Breakfast on Pluto), he’s also released four solo albums and scored for films including Get Rich or Die Tryin’. After the jump, Friday talks to TONY about how the event came together. Stay tuned for your chance to win tickets!
“It definitely will be a rare and wonderful occasion. No matter what happens it will be a night to remember.”
The Volume: How are you doing?
Gavin Friday: I am in excellent physical and emotional health. As far as I can tell.
Are you already in New York?
Yes, I arrived in this great city over the weekend and I’m loving it.
How much rehearsing is going on?
Myself and Hal have been”ping-ponging” intensely the last few weeks. Working on arrangements, the set, who does what, etc. We start actual band rehearsals tomorrow.
Is the show going to be tightly choreographed or free-form?
The show is tight but in a free-form way. Rehearsals will start to reveal the nature of the beast.
Can you give us any idea of who’s doing what?
That’s a difficult one, as the events Hal puts together are like “planned accidents,” they are truly spontaneous affairs—something which is rare these days.
Will there be weird and wonderful collaborations?
Why, of course—just check out the cast!
Are U2 performing together, or little sets from each?
The four members of U2 will be performing as part of the ensemble. It won’t be U2 as you know them.
And most importantly, what are you going to be doing?
Being Mr. Friday… Doing what I do best!
Will you be playing Virgin Prunes songs?
Yes, we will be tipping our hats to Virgin Prunes in a most unrespectable way.
Any chance of hearing your version of “The Siamese Cat Song” you performed for Hal Willner’s Disney show?
No, we’ll leave that one for “The Forest of No Return” whenever it shows its happy face again.
When did you get to know Hal Willner?
I first met Hal in 1988. He produced my first solo album, Each Man Kills the Thing He Loves, and since then he’s been my metal guru. A true touchstone and a great friend.
His track record as a curator is amazing…
Yes, Hal and his talents are beyond explanation—he is genius in the beautiful sense of the word.
Are all these artists friends of yours?
Some are my oldest and greatest friends.
Did you know all of them before this show came about, or did some profess themselves as fans and you took it from there?
I have bumped into most of them over the years.… All of them in their own unique way are touched by greatness.
It’s quite a gathering…
An extraordinary cast. It definitely will be a rare and wonderful occasion. No matter what happens it will be a night to remember. That’s an understatement. Even I don’t know what to expect.
We heard that you were interviewed years ago and said you’d like to play Carnegie Hall before you were 50—and Bono took you at your word, and came up with this idea?
That’s true. My good friend is making me work for my 50th birthday. What an honor.
Is this the first time you’ve taken part in a (RED) event?
It is, yes, although I’ve been a supporter of (RED) since Day One. The show is a charity event, and all profits go to the (RED) campaign.
Are you very, very excited?
I will be on the night. What a privilege to perform with such an amazing group of artists.
