A Conversation with Jonathan Elias – HuffPost 6.17.11
Mike Ragogna: Jonathan, who are some of your early musical influences?
Jonathan Elias: I would have to say Debussy and Stravinsky and The Doors. As a kid, I was a bit of an oddball with a passion for classical music. The Doors really got me into rock music at 12, they were my first concert. So, I constantly rode the fence between the classical world and the rock world. Still do.
MR: What are some of your biggest jingles and what was your involvement?
JE: Well, the first thing I had done in college was the Alien teaser trailer. I went on to write the MTV logo in 1980 and have literally written thousands of commercials since then. Some of the pieces that are more famous include the Columbia Pictures logo, Nike Move and the Yahoo Yodel. I would have to say that some of my more favorite pieces have been the many Nike collaborations that I have done. What’s interesting about my work is that I have gotten to experiment on the commercial front a lot and I have actually used that in some of my record and film work. Nike Move became the inspiration for a record I did called American River which was nominated for a Grammy.
MR: What were some of your favorite scores to work on and do you have any
behind the scenes stories?
JE: Well, when I was 22, I met John Barry and he took me under his wing for many years. He introduced me to the concept of film scoring. He introduced me to Duran Duran on A View to a Kill where I worked with them on the title track. My first film, Children of the Corn, will always have a soft spot for me. Working with Robert Downey, Jr. on the song “Smile” for Chaplin was fun and we’ve had a strong friendship ever since.
MR: What is the creative process like for you? Is it spontaneous, do you
write every day, or do you schedule time to write? Is it all three?
JE: It’s all three. But every day I write something. I don’t really do much else very well, so I figure I better play in my sandbox as much as I can.
MR: You co-wrote “I Do What I Do” for the movie 9 1/2 Weeks that became an Atlantic single. Did you ever feel a calling for songwriting hit singles as opposed to having occasional crossover projects?
JE: Not really. I like writing songs and when I went on to work with Duran Duran and Yes and Grace Jones, I co-wrote with all of them. But, I truly like long-from and short-form classical crossover compositions, which is, I think, what I do best. I still occasionally write songs, but it really taps into that 16 year old heartbreak side of me.
MR: Nice. What was it like producing Duran Duran, Yes, and Grace Jones? Any stories?
JE: There are so many stories from each. Firstly, it extended my view of the world by bringing me to Europe for several years. Duran was particularly fun as they were a huge band in the day, and their circle included Keith Haring and Andy Warhol, so I found it to be an amazing opportunity. I still have fond memories of the work and I’m still friendly with all the guys, particularly John Taylor. My experience with Yes wasn’t a good one. The internal friction was a nightmare and made me decide I didn’t want to be a record producer when I grew up. I wasn’t a good babysitter, though I am still close friends with Jon Anderson, the singer, and he appears on my new record. I really respect his creativity. I found the rest of the band to be quite petty.
MR: What made you move on to solo projects, why did it take a backseat until 1990’sRequiem For The Americas: Songs From The Lost World, and who guested on that album?
JE: I like doing outside projects that are long form. I don’t do that many of them as they are a labor of love. Every few years, I seem to put it together between commercials, films and raising kids…its important for me as an artist to continue to evolve. Requiem was my first long-form project. Some of the performers on the album include Simon Le Bon, Jon Anderson of Yes and Michael Bolton.
MR: How did your concept of The Prayer Cycle in 1999 come about and can you describe it? Who worked with you on that release?
JE: I started writing Prayer Cycle right before I had my first child, Lilli. It was me looking at the world and wondering what would be for the future. There was a piece that I wrote for a Nike Michael Jordan commercial, which featured a solo boy. I got a call from Sony records in Germany about it. I sent my sketches and we made a deal with Sony America. Later, a friend gave the piece to Alanis Morrisette who flipped for it and next thing I knew, I was working with one of the worlds biggest pop stars at the time. I already had worked with Nusrat Fateh, Ali Khan, and Salif Keita, but Alanis really helped bring attention to the project in a much bigger way than I had anticipated.
MR: Your latest album, Prayer Cycle: Path To Zero, is a return to your Prayer Cycleconcept. It’s a benefit album, but who are the proceeds going
to?
JE: Global Zero. It’s a non nuclear proliferation organization which seemed appropriate. Records like this don’t make a lot of money, but its something and it seemed like the right thing to do. Among their board members are Jimmy Carter, Queen Noor, Gorbachov and Desmund Tutu, how could I say no to that.
MR: Which guest artists join you on this project?
JE: Sting, Robert Downey Jr, Sinead O’ Connor and an Irish singer whose nickname is “Howling B.”
MR: Do both Prayer Cycle projects fit together as a more complete statement?
JE: Yeah, prayer is what we turn to when we don’t know what else to say or how to say it. Especially when looking at heavy subject matter like survival.
MR: Will there be more Prayer Cycle releases?
JE: Im sure, but probably not for another 5-7 years. I’ve got other, brighter projects in the works. Prayer is a little heavy for me.
MR: What is your advice for new artists?
JE: Be passionate.