Don Was

Don Was is a legendary hit maker. He has produced some of the country's top albums and is a multi-Grammy award winner. Was is currently joining forces with Ford Motor Company to provide one lucky band the chance to launch their career with the opportunity to work with him. Was spoke with TheCelebrityCafe.com and discussed his search for the next big thing, the unconventional way he got his start, and what it's like to work with some of the biggest names in music.

Was may have started his career in the 1980's, but he is still making hits today. He recently worked on two new releases, The Rolling Stones re-release of Exile on Main Street and the Stone Temple Pilots' latest self-titled album. The Stones' album was originally released in 1972, but Was says the re-issue includes ten tracks that have never been heard before. STP's newest record was their first studio album in 9 years. They have gone through some hard times which included drug troubles and the band's separation. Was worked with the reformed band on their latest and said, "the legends are probably true" and that despite the flack he gets in the media, lead singer Scott Weiland is a good guy.

For many musicians, Was' success had made him the one people look up to and want to work with, but Was also knows what it's like to be a fan. He had admired the work of The Rolling Stones since he was young and is lucky enough to have collaborated with them numerous times. He says about his experiences working with Mick Jagger and the boys, "You have to block out that you're a fan and just work as a producer," but Was does acknowledge that it's great to throw back ideas and play alongside them.

The 57-year-old Grammy-award winning record producer has worked with big names like Bob Dylan, Elton John, Brian Wilson, George Harrison, and Bonnie Raitt to name a few. You know the popular karaoke song by the B52's, "Love Shack"? Yeah, he put his hand on that too. With all of his accolades, one would think he knows the recipe on how to make a hit. Was disagrees saying he has "no idea" what to do to make a song popular. He added, "Some that I thought were going to be hits, weren't."

Was is hoping Ford's Gimme The Gig competition will provide a good stepping stone for indie musicians and bands, unlike how he got his start in the biz. He said his band, Was (Not Was), had to "lie, cheat, and steal" to get their big break. According to Was (real name: Don Fagenson), his band mate, David Weiss, was a music critic for a paper and after talking to some industry people, told them that they should check out a "great new Detroit band." Weiss failed to mention that that Detroit band was his band, Was (Not Was). That was how the door was open for the "Walk the Dinosaur" singers.

Was is taking part in "Gimme the Gig," a 7-month competition in search of the best independent musicians and bands. The winner will be chosen from video submissions, online voting, and live performances that will take place between now and December 31. Top entries will perform at different Ford Fiesta lounge locations across the country. The five regional winners, along with two wildcards, will perform in Los Angeles in front of Was. The grand prize winner will receive two tracks produced by Don Was, and will have the production, studio fees, remixing, and engineering fees waved. To submit and application and upload videos of your original song, head to www.gimmethegig.com.

Was says he is taking part in the competition to help out the fledging car business. He feels a connection to the Ford Motor Company because they share the same home base, Detroit. Ford is using the competition to provide unsigned artists the opportunity to get heard and to help promote their latest vehicle, the Ford Fiesta.

Was says that the winners of the "Gimme the Gig" contest will have a certain "panache." He gave an example of seeing that 'it factor' when he first heard Garth Brooks' voice resonating in the studio. The best advice he gives up and coming artists is to "play gigs."

Despite playing bass in an 80's pop/new wave band, Was has made a name for himself as an award-winning record producer. In 1990, his career began to skyrocket after receiving his first Grammy for his work on Bonnie Raitt's Nick of Time which swept the Grammy's that year. Was hasn't stopped since. Just this past year, he took home the Grammy for producing Ziggy Marley's Family Time album.

When asked how he knows whether a collaboration will be good or bad, he joked, "You know it's bad if the band talks bad about previous producers."

He said that the same idea translates to life outside the studio.

"If you're on a date with a guy and he's talking bad about all his ex-girlfriends," that's the time to runaway.