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Suzanne Lynch, welcome to my podcast. >> Thank you, Don. >> It's wonderful to have you here. God,
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you're looking great. You're 74 years old now. >> I am. Yes. It's um hard to admit it, but
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every year I turned 29, so I'm not worried. >> Why is Why is it hard to admit it?
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>> Uh it used to be. I for years I didn't admit how old I was actually. I'd say
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I'm, you know, 39 and holding >> and um put it or 39 in GST. But then I
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got to 70 and I thought, you know what, I'm doing okay. And now at 74, I'm out
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there leaping around on stage still having an absolute ball, I have to say. Um I've been singing with Shane and
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Shazam. Do you remember Shane from Come On? >> The singer Shane, you're too young.
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You're far too young. >> A lot of the viewers will know Shane from Come on. and he's 79 and he's still
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leaping around. So I figure well and the Lady Killers of course I still sing with
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them and uh they're all much younger than me. So >> yeah, Lady Killers, that's a band you've
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got with Jackie Clark and Tina Cross. >> That's it. >> Yeah. A 16 year music career. It's it's
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crazy. Like it's a it's a you know it's an it's an industry that's notorious for
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cheering people up and spitting them out. And uh you've had remarkable longevity.
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>> I know. And I think all I've ever done is answer the telephone. If you've read
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my book, you you'll know. I just answer the phone and someone says, "Can you do
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this?" And I go, "Yes, okay." And then I figure out how to do it. But that's just
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continued on. And I think with the Lady Killers, we're all so different than
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each other personalities and voice-wise that we just have hit it off so well and
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we sound amazing together. When we put our sound together, it becomes one whole fantastic sound. And so we still go on
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stage after 20 years we've been in the Lady I've been in the Lady Killers. And
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we still go on stage and look at each other and laugh at how good we sound sometimes.
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>> Yeah. >> A lot of rehearsal, a lot of coffee and rehearsal. That's what does it.
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>> And you got this brand new book out called uh Yesterday When I Was Young,
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which is sort of like a collection of your life's work. Um >> yeah. How do you feel when you look back
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on all of it? >> Amazed. Yeah. It was a really interesting process actually because I I
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started writing it for my grandchildren because um my daughter's mother-in-law
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said to me um she said you know little Lily who's 10 she's my grand one of my
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grandchildren keeps saying you know what why has nanny got all those sparkly dresses in her wardrobe and um why do
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people look at her and everyone seems to know her and she said well you don't
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know what your nanny does do you and she said no And so she said to me, "You
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should write it down. You should write down your history." And then I started
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talking to my children, Andrew and Amy, and and um neither of them really knew either. So when CO hit, I thought,
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"Right, sit down, just start writing cuz I had the time and the space to do it
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actually." And I guess it's weird because it puts you back at that time
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frame. Like I felt like I was 15 again. >> I felt like I was a child again. you
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sort of feel like you were when you were that age and then I just kept on going.
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>> Yeah. You mentioned your son um or you called him Andrew. Uh I've known him as
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Andy for maybe Andy >> 25 years. Uh he's in the band Zed. Um he's also been a big part of the band
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the Felers. Yes. >> Um and years ago, no one will remember this, but I remember this. He was he was
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the the the the hot young thing on the Just Juicead. He was I remember him getting so upset because
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that all the kids would be in the audience when he was first in Zed going just juice just juice and got he got
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quite upset about that >> because he's a serious musician and he didn't want to be the just juice
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>> boy. Yeah. And then he said oh and they're throwing their dirty clothes at
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us and we know and we said oh come on you know >> with with you as his mom like he never
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had a chance did he? It was always going to be a music career. >> It was. Yeah.
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>> Yeah. Well, you another another string in your bow. You're um you're a coach.
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Can you like I'm a I'm tonedeaf. I'm a terrible sing. Can you teach anyone to
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sing? Can anyone be taught or not? Really? Some people just >> It's helpful if you have a natural
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talent. Um there's one person I have taught to sing who could not sing in tune. And I found that fascinating as an
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exercise really. He was a well-known drummer's son. And I thought we should be able to sing. And he's obviously got
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rhythm. You know, he's out playing drums and in a band. and he wanted to be able
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to sing vocal harmony. And um I got him to sing a note and he he was at least a fifth of the way from it. He couldn't
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hear where it should be. >> So I got him to slide his voice up and down until he thought he heard it the
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same. And it took about three months and then he could sing in tune. And the thing I said to him was, um, "Do you
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remember being sung to by your mom when you were young? Did you ever know Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star?" And he
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sang it perfectly. And I thought, okay, so that part of his brain's just sort of
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gone to sleep. The music side >> needs to be rewoken. But a lot of people >> just can't hear and will never be able
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to sing in tune. >> Yeah, that's me. >> Can you sing la? >> Yeah, there you go.
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>> You're writing me off already. >> No, no. La nearly. >> Oh, you're being very generous. Um,
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yeah. I'm so excited to get into the the the whole um yeah Suzanne Lynch story
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and in sort of chronological order. Um but just before we do that um >> New Zealand Music Hall of Fame uh you
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you got admitted in is that what you say you got admitted? >> Yes, I think so.
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>> In in 2020 um same year as um Peter Per which was unfortunately one year after
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he died. >> That's right. Yeah. Yeah. And that was a real thrill actually. Really grateful to
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them for for remembering us. The chicks only lasted five years really. But um um
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people tell me we made a big impact in New Zealand, but I'm not >> We weren't aware of that really
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>> at the time. >> No. >> What do you mean you weren't aware of it
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at the time? >> Well, I was only 14 or 15 >> and I was just having fun, you know. We
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didn't realize the power of television, I guess, that gets you out there, you
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know, in your audience. >> Yes. So, let's talk about the chicks. So, um yeah, New Zealand Music Hall of
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Fame in 2020. Um, the chicks were yourself and your sister Judy. >> Mhm. >> Um, yeah. Like two of the most famous
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people in New Zealand in the 1960s. Would that be fair to say? >> Probably would.
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>> Yeah. So, you were I guess so. >> So, you were 14, 15 at the time. Yep.
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>> And your sister's two years older. >> Yeah. She was 16 and a half.
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>> Yeah. So, how how did it all come about? What what did Peter Poser, who I
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mentioned just before, have to do with this? Well, we lived in um Tiatu South at the
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at the time and we could hear some it was a holiday, school holidays playing with some friends and we heard a guitar
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being played down the road a little bit. So, we crept through the bushes and had
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a look and Judy who was older than me said, "Oh my gosh, that's Peter Poser."
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I was only about 13 then, I think. And um we crept up there. He saw us and he said, "Come up and I'll give you an
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autograph." And he said >> So, he was a real big deal at the time. He was a real big deal at the time.
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Yeah. He had a album out that was very popular. White Rabbit was his hit song and uh he was playing just playing
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acoustic guitar on these people's deck. So we walked up on the deck and our friends said to him, "These girls sing
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because we've always sung around the piano and you know at home. Um I was singing to records and things by then."
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And he said, "Oh, if you sing the song, I'll give you an autograph." So we did
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and we had a particularly bad choice for the first song. It was I don't want to
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spoil the party because it was by the Beatles >> and of course wasn't a particularly good
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one when we were I don't want to spoil the party when you know and it was like
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they were obviously having a party and then we did Tobacco Road complete with actions
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>> and um his manager was sitting there Ron Dalton >> who said um I'm looking for a new act
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because I'm about to launch Dina Lee in Australia so um I'd like to find a song for you
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girls 's, you know, give you a call. Can you give me your phone number? And he
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wrote it down on the back of his cigarette packet basically and rang a couple of weeks later
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with the hucklebuck. >> You do the hucklebuck. That's the song. Um, this all sounds like very crazy like
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I'm thinking from the lens of 2025. You >> from a parents perspective. Yeah. It
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sounds dodgy. >> It sounds really dodgy. Oh, no. >> Did it seem dodgy at the time or No,
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>> no, not at all. And what did what did uh so you guys became like real famous
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really quickly. What did what did fame in New Zealand look like then? Like were you were you household names? Yeah. You
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you had like fans or groupies that sort of >> once we were on Come on. Absolutely.
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Yeah. Became household names. >> Yes. What? Come On's a TV show. >> Yes. Come on's a TV show and I mean it
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was black and white telly. So if they had the telly on there we were going, you know, we were there doing our thing.
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Um so they couldn't really avoid us in a way. And Mr. Lee Grant was another big
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deal in those days and Sandy Edmonds. Um, so >> yeah, because there's only one TV
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channel, eh? >> There's only one TV channel. You either had it on or off. And as a lady said to
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me in the supermarket one day, you know, I feel like I've lost half half my lounge furniture when you girls aren't
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on the tally anymore. >> So, we were obviously, you know, probably on there all the time
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as far as they were concerned. >> So, I couldn't catch a bus. We couldn't
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really go flatting. We had no time to go flatting. We were out working all the time.
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>> You couldn't catch a bus because you were too famous. >> Yeah. Basically, you'd get people
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screaming and coming up and asking you for an autograph. Oh, it was crazy times. Yeah.
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>> Good. Crazy or >> Well, daunting. >> Daunting to me. >> You're a kid.
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>> I was just a kid. Yeah. And you know, we'd be in the backstage of a theater
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and they'd be coming in through the fans would be climbing in through the windows
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and and um banging on the doors and you know, you'd get back to your motel and
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they're all ah so yeah, it was heady times. >> It's it's well documented like a lot of
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a lot of child stars end up really messed up, really screwed up. But you you you you seem you're good. I'm really
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good because I was always younger than everybody else. The others were all 17, 18 and I was 15 and so I was like the
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observer I I'd say you know I was one of those observer type people and bit shy
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so I'd just sit back and look and and then I thought I never want to be like
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that you know looking at them. So, uh, didn't didn't really have any really bad
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stories to say because I was never involved in them, >> you know. We had chaperones everywhere
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we went, my mother or my father until I was 16 or 17 probably. >> Yeah. Were they Yeah. Were they How did
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they feel about it at the time? Were they worried about it? Were they concerned?
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>> No, they seem quite excited about it. >> I mean, I I don't think I would want my
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14 or 15year-old to be out on the road with a bunch of long-haired band boys. quite frankly these days but um I never
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saw any drugs as such. >> I was going to ask you about that. Yeah, because 19 I mean drugs drugs are rife
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now, but back then I suppose the worst it would have been would a bit of would be a bit of cannabis.
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>> Wasn't even that. >> Yeah, >> I don't think they even discovered that
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till 69 or 70 or something. >> Lot lots of alcohol. >> Probably too many bourbon and cokes was
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all they had. Yeah. >> Yeah. And lots of dries. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Um, and you were still
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at school at the time, Henderson High. >> I was. >> Yeah. What was That's a See, it's a It's
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bizarre, isn't it? So, you're this household name. You're on TV, you can't
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catch the bus, but you're still going to going to school. Was What were your
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schoolmates like? Were they envious? >> I I found I went from having, me being
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the observer, right, up until that point, I found that I went from having three best friends to 103 best friends.
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And um I soon figured out that there were only three best friends. The others were all, you know, oh, can you
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sing something? And they used to bail Judy and I up um if you know in a corner somewhere and say, "Sing a song. Come
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on, sing a song." And of course, I had the embarrassment of going to school
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after we'd had our hair all piled up on top of our heads. Um walking in looking
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like somebody else. And um they were the days of Panama hats, gloves. You had to
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kneel down and check the length of your skirt, you know, all that sort of thing.
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So, I was frowned upon by the teachers as a lowly pop singer. >> What do they want you to be? Like a like
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a secretary or? >> Yeah, secretary, which I hated. You'd have had to chain me to the desk to be a
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secretary. I was quite good at it, but didn't want to know. >> Was the money good? Was it quite
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lucrative or did you >> uh I made enough to buy myself a Morris Miner? That's about it, really.
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>> Right. Morris is like a Yeah. popular car at the time. Like a brand new one or
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>> No, no, a secondhand one. >> How much did you pay for a car? >> I think it was these days about It was
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about $500 or something. Yeah. >> Right. >> Pretty cool. >> Sort of a light green.
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>> Fantastic. >> Yeah, it was I was pretty proud of it. >> Did Did you guys you and your sister
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Judy, did you realize at the time like the impact you were having on New Zealand pop culture?
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>> No. Judy may have. She's older than me. She She may have. I I was just the kid
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doing what I was told really is the way I look at it because >> when I look back I all I remember is I
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was just so excited about everything. We had such a great time on doing Come on and doing our shows because there was a
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lot of camaraderie between all the musicians then. Um everybody was young music was fresh and new and you couldn't
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wait for the next Beatles album to come out and then I discovered the fifth dimension with all their harmonies. this
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is amazing. So, it was a bit like that. It was a very exciting time is all I remember.
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>> Um, we never I never went out anywhere cuz when we went to a show, we were
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chaperoned there, rehearsed, did our show, got taken home. >> So, you know, we didn't um meet a lot of
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people except for the people in the business. >> Seems like you had a good support
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network around you. Um, I did. and and the um like I've seen a whole lot of clips on YouTube and I've seen the
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photos in your book and like by today's by today's standards like the outfits
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you were wearing and the the the dresses they they seem fairly um >> what was I thinking?
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>> Oh no no they they seem fairly I don't know they're not overly racy but like on
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reflection you know were you sort of sexualized or not really? >> No not really. and um
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>> too young. I think we were just cute, you know. >> Everyone everyone treated us like kids
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sisters really, >> I'd have to say. >> That's so good to hear. Um what were the
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biggest challenges of being young women in the New Zealand music industry in the
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60s? >> Um I guess I had a strange teenage years >> because I was working all the time.
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Every weekend we were out gigging and then we were learning all our things for Come On or whatever we were doing and
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then we'd be on a tour and you'd find that one you might have one day off and
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I'd sit at home and Judy would have friends and she'd go out and I'd be
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sitting there thinking I've got no one I know well enough to call that's not
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going to be out at a gig doing something to say hey you want to hang out you know
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want to want to come and do something. Um, so it was, yeah, it was just all work, no
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play really for me. >> But you loved it. >> I loved it. >> Wouldn't have had it any other way.
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>> And And you dropped out of school. >> Yes. >> Yeah. Well, what was the What was the
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straw that broke the camel's back? Was it like just you're too famous or you
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realized that you didn't need it because you were going to make more money doing
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this than >> It was the straw that broke the camel's back. There was a teacher there with a
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class that I didn't really like and she'd say any questions. I'd put my hand
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up and she'd ignore me completely because she looked down at me like I was this terrible person. And I was still
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me, you know, I was the teacher's pet before that. >> And I couldn't understand that why she
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treat me so differently. And I got really annoyed with the school really because there were all these kids
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pointing and carrying on at my hairdo and this that and the other. So um even though I'm quite shy I got up the
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courage to march into the headm's office and said I'm leaving and he just went
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but you know you're second in the class and I said I'm leaving and that was it.
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I got really busy after that and went to um my singing teacher. So, I learned singing instead.
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>> Um, on reflection, do you think that it was envy from the teacher? >> What do you reckon?
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>> I don't know what it was. I think it was the times. Just the just the times, you
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know, it was pop singers. I mean, my father used to say, "Oh, those Beatles
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with their long hair, you know, >> you look back now." Yeah. >> Nothing long about it.
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>> They wore suits. >> They wore suits. They looked amazing. And of course, the Stones were like,
00:17:47
"Oh, I passed him." >> Yeah. That's very It was a different time, eh?
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>> It was just a different time. So, just remember the Panama hats, the gloves,
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the you know, you walk into school, there's deathly silence and you don't
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speak in class, you sit down and you know, >> totally different than >> these days. You walk into a classroom.
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And I still can't believe it. All the kids are chatting away and >> you know, I sort of want to go, hey,
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when someone comes in the class, you will sit down and be quiet, >> but they don't these days.
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>> Yeah. >> Is it? >> So, it's brought up differently. >> Yeah. What do you reckon? Is is um
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society better now or better then? >> Ooh, in some ways I think it was simpler then
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and better then cuz it was simpler. I worry about my grandchildren with iPads and AI and everything else that they're
00:18:34
doing. Um you know I still still want my grandkids to learn their times table and they are.
00:18:42
So I'm a bit old school with that. >> Is that old school? Is it? It is old
00:18:46
school because most of them get a iPad out and go oh d right. So yeah. No I don't know.
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I think yeah times were simpler >> back then just simpler. >> What about um what about any any creeps
00:19:01
in the industry? Like did you did you encounter any like like undesirable people or anything dodgy or
00:19:09
inappropriate that you look back now? >> The odd the odd one. >> Yeah. But it seems like you had a good
00:19:13
support network like um >> Well, that's it. We had Yeah, we had our chaperones and we hit each other as
00:19:18
well. >> So, yeah, we were pretty much chaperoned especially while we were very young.
00:19:24
>> Yeah. Oh, there's one story in your book. Um you talk about um a photographer from it's a newspaper that
00:19:29
doesn't exist anymore, but it's called The Truth. >> Uh it was like a New Zealand tabloid and
00:19:33
um he tried to he took photos of you in your bikini and tried to get you to take
00:19:38
your top off. So, >> how old were you at the time? >> Just turned 15.
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And I said, "That's alarming. >> It's very alarming." >> And we actually sat there for a second
00:19:48
before I said no. >> And Judy was, you know, like thinking, "Oh, well, it's just for our personal
00:19:54
use." And we then we looked at each other and both went no because um that was not going to happen. And I just
00:20:00
stalked off. Typical me. Stoked off, got my little Morris Miner and said to Judy,
00:20:05
"Are you coming?" And we went home. So So >> So you were quite um quite assertive,
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>> do you think? Or quite one of those people that's quite placid really and but there is a
00:20:16
line that you don't cross you know >> I suppose there there is a line that
00:20:22
that becomes in the sand and um and I'm I'm a great believer I'm a an honest
00:20:29
person so if somebody's being dishonest or somebody's >> trying on something like that
00:20:35
>> it's a bit like when I marched into the headm's office for me and I go that's
00:20:39
not right you know you can't you shouldn't do that line in the sand. Otherwise, I'm as placid as a puppy dog,
00:20:45
honestly. But >> did you guys tell your parents or anyone about the the guy from the truth?
00:20:50
>> No. No. And he wasn't going to put the photo of us in our bikinis in the truth.
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He said they were just for our personal use. >> For whose personal use? >> For duties and mine.
00:21:00
>> Right. Right. Right. >> So, he was just being a good guy. >> Yeah. He was just being, you know, you
00:21:04
look so great you girls. Oh, just, you know, you're both so lovely. And of course, and even the bikinis, we had to
00:21:11
change into those because he'd asked us to bring them. And um we put them on
00:21:16
thinking, I don't like this very much. And Judy said, "Oh, I thought I would
00:21:20
just bikinis, you know, cuz she was she looked great. I looked ridiculous, quite
00:21:24
frankly." And um >> what do you mean? >> Well, I was like a yard of pump water,
00:21:29
you know, straight up and down at 15. Um but uh he said they'll never see the
00:21:35
light of day. And of course, the very next Saturday, there they were on the front page of the Jolly Truth, you know.
00:21:41
So, I'm so glad I didn't take my top off because I would never have lived that
00:21:46
down to this day. >> Wow. So, so you're 15 years old and you're on the the front cover of the
00:21:50
truth newspaper. In your bikini without permission. Without permission. Yeah. So, my parents were fairly horrified
00:21:56
about that. >> But they didn't even think about stuff like that in those days very much.
00:22:02
>> Yeah. Yes. We I mentioned before about like the outfits you wore on TV and you
00:22:05
know you said they're cute more than sexual but that's um that's definitely
00:22:08
like sexualizing a young girl, isn't it? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Um >> but we were so naive we didn't even
00:22:13
realize you know it was just the line in the sand came in when he said take your
00:22:18
tops off and I thought nope not doing that. Thank goodness. >> And and you your it was like a family
00:22:24
business. Your your parents would um like um type out a fan letter. >> Yes. I mean, I didn't have too much to
00:22:32
do with the fan mail and stuff. It was my mom and Judy cuz Judy always wanted to be like Haley Mills, you know,
00:22:38
dancing and singing and all that. And uh so she and um used to tell mom where we'd been and all those sorts of things.
00:22:44
And mom would type it all up on her old typewriter. And um she did the fan started the fan club and they used to
00:22:53
answer all the mail. So, there were a lot of fans in our fan club, but I'd say
00:22:58
a few things, but I was never part of the putting out of the fan club thing. >> Yeah. How many fans, how many letters
00:23:06
were being sent out? How many how much mail were you getting? >> Uh, well, Judy gave me some to look at
00:23:12
and the stack was about this high. >> Unreal. >> Yeah, they were constantly coming in.
00:23:17
>> Yeah, it's fascinating. just a different time cuz I suppose now the equivalent
00:23:21
now is just sending sending someone you like a DM on Instagram or whatever. That's right. That's right.
00:23:25
>> Back then it was writing a physical letter. >> Writing a physical letter
00:23:27
>> or I suppose getting your your number out of the white pages. Did people ring
00:23:31
you at home and >> Yes. >> And mom would always say, "Oh, the girls
00:23:35
are sleeping. You'll have to ring back later." >> Yeah. >> And then why did you why did the chicks
00:23:40
break up after 5 years? Did your sister just have an after? >> Yeah. I think we'd both sort of been
00:23:45
Well, yeah. It was more Judy. I think we'd just been there, done that really.
00:23:49
And you could never win an award really. We were because they didn't give duos an
00:23:54
award. It was you were either a group, which was a band, or you were a solo artist. So Judy got a bit annoyed about
00:24:03
that. And Ray Columbus, I mean, she was older then. She was I was 20, she was nearly 23.
00:24:09
>> So, um, she wanted to travel and do things, which is fair enough. So we
00:24:15
thought and come on had finished you know all that era had sort of passed and it was 1970 so we were moving into a
00:24:22
different sort of era really. >> So um she went to Hong Kong to do a job over there which Ray Columbus got her
00:24:31
for a while and then she ended up moving to Australia and getting in a band called the rubber band in Australia and
00:24:37
they did a lot of gigs. She was just grown up really. M >> it was as simple as that. And and I was
00:24:44
still only 20 or 19 or something 19 in 1970. So cuz my birthday's at the end of the
00:24:52
year. So I went and uh got the offer of doing happen in so >> Oh, what's that? Another TV show.
00:24:58
>> Another TV show. Yeah. >> Same sort of thing has come on. >> Um more theatrical really.
00:25:03
>> Right. So what what's happening in like a weekly like a variety show?
00:25:07
>> It was a weekly variety show. Yeah. And you you were a core cast, so you were on
00:25:10
every week. >> On every week >> with people like Craig Scott, don't know
00:25:14
if you've heard of him. Ray Wolf. >> Um I think there was was Shane there. He
00:25:20
was a guest. I think you're just with different guests and things. >> And is this when you became just
00:25:25
Suzanne? >> Yes. >> Yeah. So before Beyonce before Madonna, uh you were the you were
00:25:33
the OG. You and Shar were the original OG. >> We were the originals. Yeah.
00:25:37
>> And Shane. Shane was an original as well >> because he was just called Shane. So Ray
00:25:41
Columbus came up with that. He said, "Oh, >> because Suzanne Donaldson is a long name
00:25:45
to say." >> Uh so he just shortened it to Suzanne. >> And um and that was wildly successful,
00:25:53
right? >> Yes. Was great >> as a solo artist. Yeah. In 1970, you were named New Zealand's Entertainer of
00:25:58
the Year. >> I was, which was a shock. Yeah. >> Yeah. I I wonder I don't know if you've
00:26:02
had this chat with your sister, but Yeah. How did she feel about that? Was she obviously she's proud of you, but um
00:26:08
I mean did she was she a little bit jealous? >> Um she's never shown that really.
00:26:15
>> Probably. I don't know to be honest. Um she was she's always been very
00:26:19
supportive. So >> um not really I don't think. I think she was having a great time overseas
00:26:25
>> doing her own thing. >> Doing her own thing. Yeah. >> Yeah. Was was that a big deal at the
00:26:28
time like when you were named New Zealand Entertainer of the Year in 1970? Is that like big news?
00:26:32
>> It's big news. Yes. Yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah, it was great. What it was
00:26:36
like being put in the Hall of Fame, I suppose, in 2020. So, >> yeah. Wow. What a career. And you' done
00:26:43
all this and you were still in just in your early 20s at this point. >> Yeah.
00:26:46
>> 20. >> I was just turned 20 at the end of that year. >> Mhm.
00:26:50
>> Yeah. And then um the very first ever festival in New Zealand, a festival
00:26:55
called Redwood 70. >> Yeah. >> You you were you were involved with that. Who was the head on that? It was
00:27:00
one of the BGs, right? I think it was um Robin Robin Gibb. >> Robin Gibb. Yeah. Yeah.
00:27:06
>> But there was um yeah, there was all sorts of talk like uh right up to the
00:27:09
last minute of them trying to get like John Lennon and >> Yeah. Just all sorts of people. But
00:27:13
>> some major headline acts where they >> started the festivals. I think it was
00:27:16
out in Henderson out that way. Mhm. >> What did a festival look like back then?
00:27:22
>> I mean, >> pretty much like they do today. Just just a big st I think then it was on the
00:27:26
back of a truck. stage was the back of a big truck and just lots of people on the
00:27:31
lawn, you know, out on the lawn. >> Like how many people were there? >> Uh,
00:27:38
not sure. Didn't count them. Probably thousand, maybe more. Yeah. Which was a
00:27:43
lot for those days. >> And is this where you met um King Charles? He was Prince Charles.
00:27:47
>> No, no, that was that was another concert that >> was the same year.
00:27:51
>> Yes, same year. Uh, and I was still in the chicks at that point. It was our
00:27:55
last live performance as the chicks and um Prince Charles and Princess Anne came
00:28:02
to the show. It was put on for them especially Max Cry was in charge and uh of course it was a beautiful day until
00:28:09
the show started and then it started to rain. So Judy and I were sliding around the stage in our high heels trying to
00:28:16
stay upright and uh singing all our songs and doing our actions which was extremely tricky.
00:28:22
And I kept looking up at the little cover they'd made for Anne and Charles and they were grinning away like they
00:28:29
thought it was hilarious, you know. Of course, we must have looked ridiculous. Um, and they came down and or Prince
00:28:35
Charles came down and met us at the end of the show which was lovely. >> Yeah. How Yeah. What are your memories
00:28:40
of that? >> We were quite in awe of him really. It's really Yeah. We were if you if you look
00:28:46
at the photo in the book, we're both looking down and looking very humble. This is Prince Charles from London and
00:28:52
um apparently Princess Anne said it was the best part of a whole trip. So probably because we looked so ridiculous
00:28:57
on stage, all of us. So there was Ray Columbus and Larry Morris, all the usual people, you
00:29:04
know, on stage. >> Yeah. Now, a big part of um your career in the the 1970s was um with Cat
00:29:12
Stevens, who at the I mean, Cat Stevens back then, would it be fair to say he's
00:29:17
probably like Justin Bieber now or Ed Sheeran now? Like he was he was he was the man, right?
00:29:21
>> He was >> like the biggest the probably the biggest male >> Yeah.
00:29:25
>> pop singer in the world. >> Yeah, he was. I suppose. Yeah. >> Yeah. How How was that? Incredible.
00:29:30
>> It was incredible. Um I didn't want to go at first. >> Why not? I was on a um tour with Neil
00:29:37
Sedaka and I was having a great time. Um and I had to leave that tour to go and start rehearsals with Cat Stevens
00:29:44
because my husband, new husband, who I'd only been married for a year was um
00:29:49
playing bass for him. >> So it was a nine-monthlong tour. So, you know, he offered me the chance, he
00:29:55
offered our whole vocal group the chance to go. But only I went with um another friend of mine, Anna Peacock, who was
00:30:03
another key Kiwi girl. She used to do all the uh write all the charts out for happen in
00:30:10
>> here. So once I got into the rehearsals and met him and became part of the band, it
00:30:19
was an amazing experience. Yeah. I'm so glad I went. >> Yeah. Yeah. And and you were with him
00:30:24
for years. >> Yes. Yeah. Till the end of 76. Really? >> Do do you have a favorite memory of Cat
00:30:30
Stevens as a person, not as the superstar? >> Lots. Yeah, >> I have lots of those. I think um there's
00:30:38
one I talk about in the book where he came and sang to me when I was sick. Um other ones where I don't know, we'd just
00:30:46
go for a drive and talk, you know, just chat. He was um I have the greatest love
00:30:52
and respect for Cat Stevens, I have to say, or Yousef Islam as he is now. >> And we still keep in touch occasionally.
00:30:58
>> Yeah. Well, he wrote the forward to your book. >> He did, which was really sweet of him. I
00:31:02
cried when I read it. >> Yeah, it's really poetic. >> I had no idea he felt that way.
00:31:07
>> Can I tell you? >> What do you mean? >> I didn't. I honestly didn't.
00:31:11
>> You've got part of that forward here. Uh, Suzanne was a bird of song from the
00:31:15
distant land of Kiwis and flew like a breath of fresh air, whistling through our lives. It's very poetic.
00:31:20
>> It's very poetic. Very lovely of him to write that. >> Um, yes. So, the biggest pop singer in
00:31:26
the world at that time. Um, yeah. What's the BTS on those tours? like what what's
00:31:31
it like behind the scenes? Was it private jets or anything or you first class flights or
00:31:36
>> No, he went first class. Um we were in cattle class. Um cuz there were about 30
00:31:42
of us traveling. Um so you know you you become in a rhythm of you know you get a
00:31:49
thing under your door be downstairs by 8:30 bags collected at 8 um on the bus to the airport off to the next town. So
00:31:58
it it just became a rhythm that we got into. But behind this behind the scenes, especially in the first tour,
00:32:06
uh he was fairly separate from us, I think. >> Uh we were but we always had breakfast
00:32:14
together and we always had dinners together, but he'd be in his room writing
00:32:19
something, you know, so he wasn't we weren't so social with him as we were in
00:32:23
the second tour. M >> uh but I I never saw anything that they were never drunk or anything like that.
00:32:30
It was the lots of people have said it's the straightest tour they've ever been
00:32:33
on. So >> So for me who'd come up being the observer and being so naive and
00:32:38
innocent, I fitted in really well. >> What did you learn about artistry from
00:32:44
being around him? Oh, I learned a a um I think I learned a lot of my artistry from Ray Columbus and
00:32:51
Kevin Moore and Come on and Hen and being with him. You had to be right. You know, he'd record it every night.
00:33:01
>> So, you knew you were being recorded and you were just on your metal. When the
00:33:05
show started, everybody straightened up and you can see it if you watch the videos on YouTube of Cat Stevens 1976
00:33:14
live in the States >> and I'm the little one in the white outfit in the middle. That's um when I
00:33:20
had two American girls from New York singing with me for the second tour and you can see how the band are totally
00:33:28
concentrating because his music is fairly intricate. All our vocal backing parts were quite intricate. Um, but it
00:33:36
was a wonderful challenge is all I can say. I absolutely loved getting up there and getting it right
00:33:43
>> because everyone's doing it for him, you know. >> Yeah. He he sort of alludes to this in
00:33:47
the uh the forward for the book. He, you know, he says he had this um this vision
00:33:52
>> uh and and you helped um bring it to life. Was he a tough task task master?
00:33:56
>> Oh yeah. But I love that you know it had to be right. And and he's right. It has
00:34:01
to be right. when I sing with the Lady Killers, it has to be right, you know. So that's why I'm so happy there too
00:34:07
>> because I love that fact that people actually dot the eyes and cross the
00:34:12
tees. >> And he was very much like that. He had a say in everything about what we wore
00:34:17
about the stage set up, you know, getting the guys to wear hats and caps and stuff. I mean, it was just the thing
00:34:24
of the thing of the day, you know, and and um I mean, gosh, we had 18,000 people in the audience, so but that
00:34:33
didn't phase me at all. >> Interestingly, I was just in the moment what with what we were doing.
00:34:41
>> Yeah. Well, you performed um so many so many of those songs for so many years.
00:34:45
Do you have like a a top three or an all-time favorite K Steven song? Moon Shadows one because I got to sing that
00:34:51
right at the opening of the show with him and Alan Davies his guitarist and we just did it in three-part harmony which
00:34:58
was lovely. And then um another one Peace Train because I got to really sing out.
00:35:03
>> Yeah, >> Peace Train. Um there there's so many of them really.
00:35:08
King of Trees is another one that's just a beautiful song. Um I've always had a a
00:35:13
f you know a tree that I sit under just like he did. So that really resonates with me too. But all his music is so
00:35:21
special. >> Yeah. Was this was this well known in New Zealand at the time >> that this this Yeah. This Yeah. S you
00:35:30
know Suzanne >> obviously not >> Suzanne from the checks had gone on to
00:35:33
do this or was it not really sort of >> No. >> Yeah. How was that? Was that
00:35:38
frustrating? That feels almost like a bit bit sort of tall poppy perhaps. >> Yeah. No, I just Well, I didn't really
00:35:43
talk about it much. So when we came home, which was about 1980 cuz my son Andy was born in um Wimbledon,
00:35:53
um and times changed, you know, Yousef was now um a Muslim, not doing music at that point. We were still doing session
00:36:02
work, but it was harder taking a baby along to session work. >> And um Bruce got offered to buy into
00:36:09
Mandal Studios here, and he did extremely well back here, actually. He he produced um a lot of people. He did
00:36:15
Dave Dobins um Slice of Heaven >> um Peeking Man, Room That Echoes, Shaol Langs, you know, he did a lot of
00:36:23
>> Glad Glad I'm not a Kennedy. He did a lot of great stuff. Wow. >> So it was great for him to come back and
00:36:29
I was raising children at the time. So >> times changed. Punk music came in in
00:36:34
London and kind of ruined the session scene >> and all the session players started
00:36:38
doing things like theater and different things. So, I guess it was time to come back. But I have to say I came home
00:36:45
kicking and screaming. I didn't really want to go home. >> I was having a great time over there.
00:36:51
>> Yeah. What do you Because that was um that was a big deal at the time, I'd
00:36:54
imagine. Like you Cat Stevens, one of the world's biggest singers um you converting to to Muslim and changing his
00:36:59
name. Yeah. Like as someone that was um like you close to him and close to you close to that. Um yeah. What are your
00:37:06
recollections of that at the time? Was that shocking? It was it was hard for me. Yeah, it was hard. I had I had to
00:37:14
think that my friend had was no more. He was this kind of different person for a
00:37:19
while, but it's come around full circle and now we're back friends again. So,
00:37:24
>> yeah, he just became very Muslim at first. >> He was actually a Buddhist when I met
00:37:28
him. Um, so we had great vegetarian food backstage, you know, we had a chef travel with us on tour.
00:37:36
Um, yeah. I missed the Steve I knew, I suppose. But >> Steve, you called him Steve.
00:37:41
>> That's Well, that was his name. >> Oh, is it? >> I'm sorry. I didn't know what I
00:37:45
>> Sorry. Yeah, Steven. >> You ruined the illusion. >> Steven Demetrio Georgio is his name.
00:37:50
Yeah. Yousef. I thought it was Cat. >> Well, it was Cat. Yeah. But it's his
00:37:56
actual name was We all called him Steve. >> Yeah. And oh, and he so he came over and
00:38:00
um performed at a memorial concert in Christ Church after the um the mosque shooting. You did you guys reconnect
00:38:06
then? >> Uh not when he did the mosque. No, he Bruce played double bass for him there.
00:38:14
Yeah. But I did do his show in Christ Church that um in 2017 I think it was he came out here and did a Oakland in
00:38:24
Christ Church >> and um I did fly down to Christ Church and do his show down there. Just sang
00:38:30
one song. >> Yeah. What song was that? >> Oh Very Young which is >> Oh yeah, you're on that song. You're on
00:38:35
the recording. If you listen to the recording Oh, that's a great song. That's one of my favorites.
00:38:38
>> Yeah, it's lovely. Yeah, >> I love that one. That one and probably
00:38:40
Father and Son. You you you're not on Father and Son? >> No. Oh, well, I was on stage, but not
00:38:45
not not recording. >> Yeah. >> Or um God, these are great stories, by
00:38:49
the way, Suzanne. Are they good memories? >> Oh, yeah. I mean, gosh, that's why
00:38:53
>> what a rich life. >> That's why I thought I have to tell my grandchildren. And and and then someone
00:38:57
said, "Well, you should be sharing it because it's a bit of history, you
00:39:01
know." >> Yeah, it is. It is. And I feel like history history does get forgotten.
00:39:06
>> Well, New Zealanders can do anything is what I discovered. >> Yeah, absolutely. You know, we we leave
00:39:10
here thinking we're um live in this little country that's miles away from
00:39:15
anywhere, but actually there's a lot of very talented people in this country.
00:39:19
>> Oh, yeah. No, it is also worth worth highlighting. Um yeah, I mean the like
00:39:25
the world's like a glo global community now. You know, you got FaceTime. It was different back then.
00:39:30
>> World's a very small place now. >> Like phone calls back then were
00:39:33
expensive. Were you writing letters home to your parents or >> I was I was making tapes. little tapes.
00:39:39
Yeah. Because um that was the easiest way. Post a tape if we rang, which was every
00:39:45
now and then we'd ring. It was like £3 a minute or something to New Zealand.
00:39:49
Ludicous. Ludicrous. Yeah. >> So I made cassette tapes. We used to send each other cassettes to my parents
00:39:54
and I'd send one back. >> Yeah. So yeah, you guys must have been trouble for your
00:40:00
parents. So you know, you suddenly you become household names when you're 15.
00:40:04
And then you and you fly overseas and they don't know what the hell's going
00:40:08
on. >> No, they were quite confused by all that. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah. It's a completely different
00:40:14
time. So nice reflecting on this stuff. It's really cool. >> Oh, good.
00:40:18
>> Um, let's drop some other names. Um, because you've worked with a whole lot
00:40:21
of people. Chris Deur, the lady in red guy. >> Yeah. Yeah. I've done um a few songs on
00:40:26
his album because I did a lot of work. Paul Samuel Smith was Kat Stevens producer and um he became sort of part
00:40:34
of the family of you know the people I mixed with there and he got me on to all of those. Um there was another one Chris
00:40:42
Berg and um the other guy that did say it ain't so Joe. Who's that? >> Oh no.
00:40:48
>> No. Oh I've got it there. I'll have a look. I can't remember. Isn't that
00:40:52
terrible? I can't remember his name. I can remember all the songs but I can't
00:40:56
remember his name. Um, yeah. So, what was Chris Bear like? >> Great. He was he was just a guy in a
00:41:03
studio and he was really nice. Yeah. >> I mean, I was just doing once again
00:41:08
doing what they asked. >> Olivia Newton John, did you did you record with her in
00:41:13
>> Abby Road? Yeah. >> The iconic Abby. Unbelievable. >> What the hell?
00:41:18
>> That's crazy. >> She was great. Olivia. Yeah, she was great. >> Yeah. What did you do with her?
00:41:22
>> Um, if you love me, let me know. Well, if you don't, then let me go. Yeah, that
00:41:29
was the main song of her album. If you love me, let me go. >> What was she like? Was she lovely?
00:41:35
>> Lovely. She was just one of the girls. >> Thank you. If you said anything bad
00:41:38
about Olivia, I wouldn't I might have to fight you. >> I won't hear a bad word about her.
00:41:42
>> She was the original girl next door. She was so lovely. She came in and she just
00:41:47
Bones were there, the vocal group that I'm in. And um we just hit it off like a
00:41:51
house on fire. and she was going, "Oh, from your you're from New Zealand and
00:41:54
I'm from Australia." And it was great. >> So, what year was this? Was this like
00:41:58
pre grease or >> It was the end of 74, I think. >> Right. So, just pre grease.
00:42:03
>> Yeah. >> So, she was a big star at the time. >> Yep. She was. Yes. Yeah.
00:42:06
>> And um Abby Road. Were you just like I mean, you're from New Zealand like in
00:42:11
your teens, you're doing songs. >> I wish we had cell phones in those days
00:42:14
because we could have got a photo of us walking over the crossing because we all
00:42:18
walked over the crossing and pretended to be, you know, the Beatles. Um, but yeah, it's a I mean, it's just a really
00:42:24
nice recording studio. >> Yeah, everyone everyone that's iconic. >> Everyone that's been there has done that
00:42:30
that photo. What the big surprise I got when I first went to London was just how
00:42:33
busy that road is. It's actually really hard to get a good photo. >> It is. Yeah.
00:42:37
>> Um, what else? Oh, David, did you party at David Bowie's house? >> Yes, we got invited by um Tony and Mary.
00:42:45
So, we went went along and he he was he was great. He showed me his new kimono that he was about to wear on tour.
00:42:53
Um, and there was this little boy running around who was a real annoyance, you know, and it was 2:00 in the morning
00:43:00
and he was still running around and I said, "I want his blood bottled."
00:43:05
Um, it turned out to be Slash's little brother. >> Wow. >> Yeah. Cuz Slash's mom was David Bowy's
00:43:11
dresser and um, sorted all his clothes, you know, did all his outfits for stage.
00:43:17
>> But he was great, David. I mean, they're just people like you and I really.
00:43:21
>> Mhm. >> I always used to tell myself, well, you know, they they still get up and have
00:43:26
breakfast like I do. They're just people. >> It never phased me really. It's just
00:43:32
that's why I've never really talked about it much. You just feel like you're
00:43:34
name dropping. >> Well, this card is literally called names. >> I know. It's awful.
00:43:41
>> Oh, no. These are I mean, these are some iconic people we're talking about here.
00:43:44
>> Yeah. Um, so it's but you you you when you're with someone like David Bo, you
00:43:49
don't it doesn't feel like he's got like an aura about him or something special
00:43:53
or they just feel normal. Maybe it's in the environment you're with them.
00:43:56
>> Well, I was just at his home. >> Yeah, >> he was. I mean, I'm sure when he's
00:44:00
backstage and on stage, I went to see see him in New York and he was amazing. >> Um, it was a big space theme, you know,
00:44:08
he came out on a one of those big high what are they called? things that come out over the stage.
00:44:15
That was the first time anyone had seen that. >> And uh he was like a different person up
00:44:20
there or made up, you know, doing his thing. >> Yeah. I suppose if you're if you're at
00:44:24
his house and he's dressed up like Ziggy Stardust, it' be a different >> Well, that's right. Yeah. He was just
00:44:29
David. Yeah. >> Yeah. Um Luther Vandross. >> He was lovely. Yeah. He was he was huge.
00:44:35
Um he's saying >> huge as in a big star or huge in stature? and stature at that point
00:44:40
because he he was over doing um the rehearsals for the Diamond Dog tour for David
00:44:45
>> Bowie, >> he was one of the vocal backings >> and um Tony Vasconte who was recording a
00:44:52
song for me in his studio at home studio cuz I did a they were our best friends Tony and Mary um he he um asked him to
00:45:02
come along and sing BVs and he did and then we just all had dinner around the kitchen table and Yeah,
00:45:10
>> great singer, huge pipes. >> And um >> Yeah, legend >> and lovely. Saw him quite a bit actually
00:45:15
because he was always visiting Tony. Yeah. >> Um >> and became a soloist after that.
00:45:21
>> Bit closer to home. Uh Billy T. James. >> Oh yes. Yeah. I love Billy.
00:45:26
>> The late great Billy T. James. Yeah. What did What did you and Billy T. James
00:45:29
do together? >> Uh we were just doing a show down in Napier, I think it was. Mhm.
00:45:34
>> Did a few shows with him when I was back. >> That's all. had a few laughs with Billy. He was
00:45:41
great. >> Yeah. What? Like >> you'll have to read the book to find
00:45:43
out. >> Oh, no. I've read the book. I was I was hoping you might share the story about
00:45:48
the um the game he used to play. >> Oh, the game. >> Yeah. >> Ah, right. The game was um we were on a
00:45:55
flight coming home in a small plane and they lit the runway by holding torches. you know, it was we shouldn't have been
00:46:02
flying really when we took off. Um cuz it wasn't a lit runway. And um we got up there and and Billy
00:46:12
just said, "Oh, let's play a game. Let's put the word, >> can I say it?"
00:46:15
>> Yeah. >> [ __ ] At the end of a song, you know, all you need is [ __ ] kind of thing. That
00:46:22
kind of thing. And I was just sitting there giggling away cuz the boys were all coming up with all these things. And
00:46:27
there was a silence for a while. He looked at me and he said, "Suzanne, you
00:46:30
haven't said one." And I said, "Billy, I'm saving all my [ __ ] for you." And he collapsed and he
00:46:37
said, "Suzanne is the winner." So, it was just a silly game. We used to
00:46:41
play all sorts of games like that, word games and things. He he was he was just a great guy.
00:46:48
>> Yes. He was so funny, but also an incredible singer. E I remember um growing up I think he did a song for one
00:46:53
of the teleathons one year called When a Child is Born >> and sung it phenomenally well.
00:46:57
Incredible voice. He was he was a big talent. >> Yeah. >> Oh, and you um you you would have
00:47:01
reconnected with him again when you did the um the sailing away song for the America's Cup.
00:47:06
>> Yes. Yep. >> Yeah. He was involved in that. Yeah. What do you what are your rec
00:47:09
recollections of that? A lot of people um won't even remember the song, but there was um so there's like um
00:47:14
Band-Aid, Do They Know It's Christmas, USA Africa, We Are the World. And then
00:47:19
here in New Zealand, we did um there was like a a collection >> away. >> Yeah. A collection of people called All
00:47:24
of Us, which is basically, you know, the who's who of New Zealand. celebrity
00:47:28
culture at the time doing this song called Sailing Away. I watched it on YouTube yesterday. It's it's a terrible
00:47:33
soul game. >> It Well, it it was great in the day. >> Oh, it was massive. It was number one
00:47:40
for like a million weeks, right? >> That's right. It >> was number one for ages.
00:47:44
>> Amazing. >> Yeah. So So Billy T. James is in it. Tim Finn, Dave Dobin, yourself. Who else?
00:47:50
>> Oh gosh. Bunny Walters. Um >> Oh, Ray Wolf. >> Ray Wolf. Anybody that was anybody
00:47:56
really. >> Yeah. Um yeah, Billy T. Who else? Let me see. There were a lot of
00:48:02
>> satellite spies. >> Yeah, satellite spies. That little boxer guy. What was this guy? Precious
00:48:05
Mackenzie. >> Precious McKenzie. He was there. >> Little boxer guy. >> Um and yeah. So that was done on one day
00:48:15
or was it done over a a you know a few days or? >> Uh well the filming was done in one day
00:48:20
up at the museum. Um, but we Mari Grindley was in charge of the music and um I went into the studio for him and
00:48:29
recorded all the parts so that each person could learn their line and um did some harmonies and that sort
00:48:37
of thing. >> And then he got each person in one by one to sing. >> So we actually got all those people in
00:48:44
to sing their one line >> and um that's how it became all of us. So yeah. M um and then was it on the
00:48:52
back end of that that you got to go to San Diego to sing the national anthem after after New Zealand won the American
00:48:58
>> Don't talk about it. >> Oh, really? Why? >> Uh yes, it was. Yeah, it was it was
00:49:04
after that. Yeah, cuz I was friendly with my children all went to school with Ross Blackman's um family and Sir Peter
00:49:12
Blakes. So, um, we all became friends up there from school and he rang one morning at about 6:00 and said, "Susie,
00:49:20
can you get a band together by 1:00 on a plane to go to San Diego?" And I said,
00:49:27
"Yes, as I always do, and then try and figure out what to do about it." And I
00:49:31
did manage that. And we went and of course they asked me, we sang and we we did a went straight on stage at about
00:49:38
6:30 and didn't finish till 3:00 in the morning and hadn't even had a break.
00:49:43
because of the atmosphere there was just so electric. It was great. We got some of the guys up to sing and all that sort
00:49:48
of thing. And they asked me to um sing the national anthem the next day. And so as usual, I said, "Yeah, sure." And then
00:49:57
thought, "Do I know the do I know it well enough? Who can play it?" And I
00:50:02
asked the band, and none of them could play it. Not even Bruce could play it. And I thought, "Oh, no." So, um, I'll
00:50:09
have to sing at a capella. And so I looked at Pete Morgan and I said, "Pete, do you think you could come
00:50:16
up and just sing it next to me and you know, I'll I'll sing it and and we'll
00:50:20
have a a mildy person and a Kiwi person be quite cool, quite cool, two Kiwis on stage." So he he came up, but he got the
00:50:30
message wrong and told the whole band, "We're all singing with Susie." So the
00:50:35
whole band got up on stage and everybody sang the national anthem which was not good.
00:50:48
>> But um Oh, was it was this just for the team for like team New Zealand?
00:50:52
>> It was when they got their award, >> right? Right. >> The cameras were rolling.
00:50:56
>> Oh, okay. Oh, so it was televised. >> Oh, absolutely. >> Oh, you it still seems like you're
00:51:00
mortified about it now. >> I am. I always will be. Oh, is it on YouTube somewhere? Can we find
00:51:05
>> I have no idea. Don't you dare find it. No. >> Um, so who was in the team at the time?
00:51:09
Was this um the Sir Peter Blake era? >> Yes. >> Wow. >> How cool.
00:51:15
>> So, you got to hang out with him. >> Uh, oh, yeah. I knew Peter quite well.
00:51:18
>> Yeah. >> And his wife was a beautiful artist. Yeah. >> Lady Pipper.
00:51:21
>> Yeah. >> She did some lovely artwork. >> Wow. So many cool experiences.
00:51:27
>> Hey, over so many decades, >> I guess. So, yeah. And then um there's a
00:51:32
lot of stuff. Um I suppose this is just the life of a New Zealand musician. You know, you got to put food on the table.
00:51:37
Lots of advertising jingles over the years. >> I did lots of advertising. Yeah.
00:51:41
>> Um yeah, one that I one that I remember um Cats Prefer Chef. That's you.
00:51:47
>> Cats prefer Chef. Meow. >> That's iconic. What else there? So there
00:51:54
was um there's a Worth jingle that you did with Annie Crummer. I don't I don't
00:51:58
I don't know this one. No, I I can't remember it either. I just remember it
00:52:01
was for Woolworth's and there were three words in it. Something Woolworth's go
00:52:07
now or something. I I don't know. Um but I know it took us about 30 takes to get
00:52:12
the right one. Yeah. >> Uh but she I did the first first gig with Annie in a studio which was really
00:52:20
neat. >> You know, she was only 16 then I think. >> Oh, so this is before she was um in four
00:52:26
to date with Dancing. >> Yes. Yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Incredible.
00:52:31
>> And there there was another um advertising jingle which I I I couldn't
00:52:35
find online and I've never heard it, but for Greg's Instant Pudding. >> Oh gosh.
00:52:39
>> Isn't it? It's it's it's very cute and nostalgic to think that um you know,
00:52:43
like a Greg's Instant Pudding had its own TV ad. >> Yeah. >> Compared to, you know, where things are
00:52:47
at now. And that this was on TV for 14 years, >> was it? >> Yeah. >> Oh my gosh.
00:52:52
>> According to your book, >> 14 years. The Gregs Instant Pudding. Oh.
00:52:56
Oh, the Gregs Instant Pudding. I'm thinking of the coffee one. Okay. >> Oh, did you do it like a Greg's instant
00:53:01
coffee as well? >> Yeah, we did. We did. The coffee one was They came to our house and filmed that
00:53:06
one. Um, the Gregs pudding was um Yes. >> How did that go? >> Oh my gosh. Now you're really testing
00:53:13
me. Uh gosh. Gosh, I used to know it backwards. I've erased it from my mind.
00:53:19
>> What? >> Because there was three words in that, >> right? Um Yeah. What other ones? What
00:53:26
What other reads did you have? >> Do you know every time I walked out of the studio, I could never remember what
00:53:29
they were for. It was just >> just doing it the job. >> You were so focused when you were in the
00:53:33
studio and then you went there was one about tomato soup. I recall one about McDonald's. Um just just lots of them
00:53:43
and lots with um other singers as well. Jackie Fitzgerald, uh Erin Clark, people like that.
00:53:50
>> Did they pay well? >> They did in those days. Yeah, it was good. >> Yep.
00:53:56
Yeah, there's not enough jingles on TV these days, I reckon. >> No, the jingle business has um
00:54:01
>> Yeah. >> has dropped its ball, I'm afraid. >> Um so we're into the 2000s now. Uh
00:54:07
>> it's quite funny, eh? Like hearing you talk about like going from the 1960s to
00:54:11
the 1970s and then 1970s into 1980s. It seems like each of those decades was different and there was like a turning
00:54:18
point at the beginning of the of each decade. >> But it doesn't doesn't feel like that
00:54:22
happens anymore, eh? It feels like the, you know, the decades just sort of roll into
00:54:25
>> roll into each other. Yeah. >> Would you agree? >> I agree.
00:54:28
>> Yeah. >> So, into the 2000s, um, you were the vocal coach for three seasons of New
00:54:32
Zealand's Idol and New Zealand Idol and New Zealand's Got Talent. >> Yeah. What are your recollections of
00:54:37
that? >> Uh, well, there were a lot of, um, very young kids in there with lots of talent
00:54:44
>> and, uh, I spent a lot of time, you know, mopping up tears, I have to say.
00:54:50
Did did did seeing these kids get um instant fame sort of you know I don't know could you empathize or sort of you
00:54:58
relate to them >> you given your own journey? >> Yes absolutely. >> Yeah. No I I I enjoyed teaching them. It
00:55:05
was long hours hard work but um you know just teach I could because I'd done a
00:55:11
bit of everything. I could teach them how to be on camera um and I'd also done
00:55:16
lots of television so I knew about that. Um, I had three years of singing lessons, so I knew about technique,
00:55:23
vocal technique to try and help their singing improve and give them ideas of what song to sing, what not to sing and
00:55:30
um, yeah, and just be on stage basically. So, I had the experience. I was passing on experience is what I
00:55:38
thought. >> Yeah. Yeah. Your IP, >> why do you think none of these artists
00:55:42
have um, managed longevity? I think it's just the modern modern world really. They were on television.
00:55:50
It's all in your face and then guess what? The next one's up, you know. Um, some of them have. Michael Murphy is
00:55:57
still doing well in the corporate world. >> Yeah. Yeah, that's true. Still sing.
00:56:01
That's true. >> Um, >> that was a big season. E, I remember that. That was huge. Michael Murphy and
00:56:06
Ben L. >> And they got mobbed and screamed at when they went to malls and stuff like that.
00:56:11
So it was television was, you know, really building them up >> and Michael Murphy got a career out of
00:56:17
it and he came second. So yeah, you know, >> yeah. What would your advice be for
00:56:21
anyone hoping to pursue a career in music? >> Don't do it. >> It's really tough. I'm teaching a young
00:56:29
young man now who called Nathan Fry who's an amazing artist. He's writing
00:56:34
his own songs now. He's got he plays guitar. He's records his own harmonies.
00:56:39
He's got loop pedals and I've taught him since he was about 12 and he's 16 now
00:56:45
>> and um he's actually opening for the band that Andrew is playing for. So he's
00:56:51
he's out there gigging and I think the best way is to write your own material
00:56:56
these days. Get it on YouTube. um get your own YouTube channel and um but the biggest thing is keep your ego
00:57:05
in your back pocket >> because the people you meet on the way up are the same people you're going to
00:57:09
meet on the way down. And I think you know if you just concentrate on writing some music once people get a hold of it
00:57:18
you've you've got to have the you can get discovered but you've got to have
00:57:22
the talent to back it up with. >> Yeah. So do your homework basically. Do do you think um I mean with where the
00:57:30
internet's at now and you got social media, you know, you got Tik Tok, YouTube as you just mentioned, um
00:57:35
Spotify, all all these other >> all those things. >> Do you think do you think it's like
00:57:38
easier or harder to like carve a music career now? >> I think it's much harder.
00:57:44
>> Yeah. much harder because the world's become a very small place and you're putting your
00:57:49
music out against 500 other people that have just put their new song out, you know,
00:57:55
>> so it's it's quite hard. But, um, Nathan's got record producers chasing
00:58:00
him now and all that sort of thing and he's going to do well, >> but he's one of many, you know,
00:58:06
>> that have tried. Um, and you made the Queen's birthday um Queen's birthday honors list for
00:58:14
services to entertainment. What year was that? >> 2001, I think. >> Yeah. How was that?
00:58:19
>> Oh, that was great. I flew down to Wellington and >> how does that happen? Do you do you get
00:58:25
notified by Does someone call you? >> I think I got notified by mail in those
00:58:29
days. Yeah. >> But that was a real honor. I was really pleased about that. It was lovely to
00:58:34
get. >> Yeah. Yeah. What does it mean to you? Ah, well, I've got my medal.
00:58:40
>> I guess it was a um someone actually noticing that I'd had an achievement. You know, I' I'd
00:58:49
been throwing myself into helping people in the music business ever since I got back to New Zealand and um trying to
00:58:56
grow new talent and pass on what I'd learned really. >> So, it was an acknowledgement. An
00:59:02
acknowledgement. Yeah. That was really special. Do do you have like a a room or a space at home with you know your
00:59:09
>> I like to keep it real down home so I just teach on my lounge. >> Yeah.
00:59:13
>> And um >> No, I mean in like a like a like a trophy room or a >> a she shed or
00:59:18
>> a a shrine? >> No. Really? Why? >> Oh, no. That's No, >> that would be boasting.
00:59:27
>> But did you get like um a a twoy award for the you know for making the Hall of
00:59:32
Fame in 2020 at the New Zealand Musical? award. Yeah. >> Yeah. Where's that?
00:59:36
>> Um, it's on in my little office. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. You must have some stuff. Yeah.
00:59:42
And >> that no one sees. >> But when you go in there, it's your office. When you go in there and you see
00:59:48
these these things, what do you think? It's only been the last five years really that I've I think as I've got
00:59:56
older that I've sort of realized what I've done if you know what I mean and
01:00:00
I've actually got the awards out and cleaned them off and decided oh they better sit on my in my office on the
01:00:07
mantle which is where they sit >> people don't see them if they come to my
01:00:12
house. Yeah. >> Is is there an actual physical award for the New Zealand entertainer of the year?
01:00:18
>> Oh absolutely. It's it's beautiful. Yeah. It's a big >> big award.
01:00:22
>> Suzanne, put them in the lounge. >> No, >> put them in the put them in the foyer by
01:00:27
the front door. >> Yeah. Why do you think um it's only recently that you've sort of like
01:00:33
acknowledged them or or reflected on them? Is it just because you've got this
01:00:36
sort of like growth mindset and you're constantly working and constantly saying
01:00:39
yes, >> just constantly learning and yeah, moving moving along really. >> Is is now just the the right time or the
01:00:45
chapter in your life to reflect on what you've done? >> Maybe. So yeah, maybe now I've got a bit
01:00:50
older, but um >> but I'm still moving ahead, you know, so >> um they're in the office anyway.
01:00:56
>> Yeah. Oh, how good. Oh, um the Dixie Chick stuff. >> Oh, yeah, the Dixie Chicks.
01:01:02
>> Dixie Chicks, one of the biggest country bands in the world. Um they changed
01:01:06
their Why? I don't I don't know. I I completely missed this. What's the story
01:01:10
with Dixie? Is Dixie an offensive word now? >> Well, it was in the conotation. Yeah, it
01:01:15
was in the um the Me Too or something or or when the all the um Africans, you know, were were getting in trouble with
01:01:24
the police over there. It's sort of not a good word, Dixie. And um they didn't want to be associated with all of
01:01:34
that that was going on in America at the time. So, they wanted to get rid of the
01:01:38
word Dixie. And of course they did their homework and found out the only place where there was someone else called the
01:01:45
chicks was New Zealand. So um their New York lawyer got in touch and basically said could we could we um
01:01:54
have the name the chicks and um eventually we we agreed. Yeah. And that was fine. But they agreed to
01:02:00
share the name in the end because we'd had the chicks for years and years. >> Yeah. Like 50 years.
01:02:08
>> Yes. but it hadn't been registered. So he said, "Well, we're going to use it
01:02:12
anyway." And I said, "Well, we'd like to share it with you. We'd be fine." And
01:02:17
and the girls said, "Yes, let's share it." So we're still the chicks here and
01:02:23
they're the chicks, the rest of the world. >> Oh, so it was like a like a courtesy
01:02:27
email. >> It was like a Yeah. >> Yeah. What did that mean to you? >> Um,
01:02:32
well, we hadn't performed for a long long time, so it didn't worry me too
01:02:36
much. Judy was a bit upset about it, I think. >> Was she? >> Mhm. >> Why so?
01:02:41
>> Um, well, her association's always been as one of the chicks. >> Uh, but we're still the chicks, so it
01:02:47
worked out fine in the end. Yeah. >> Did um was there a chance to get get a
01:02:51
payday or anything? Get some money out of them or not? >> Well, I'm not moving house. No.
01:02:56
>> But they um Yes. So, okay. So, did you have anything to the band themselves or
01:03:00
No, it was just done through lawyers. It was all done through the girls did send
01:03:04
us a nice message but yeah I mean they're a big big group so it was all through managers and lawyers really.
01:03:11
>> Yeah. Yeah. Well yeah they they put a message up on social media to their
01:03:14
millions of followers. >> Yes they did. >> Saying our sincere and heartfelt thanks
01:03:18
goes out to the chicks of New Zealand for their gracious gesture and allowing us to share their name.
01:03:23
>> We are honored to coexist in the world with these exceptionally talented
01:03:27
sisters. Chicks rock. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Which was really nice of them. Yeah.
01:03:31
That make you feel good? >> Yeah, because I love the Dixie Chicks. They were great.
01:03:34
>> Well, they still are. And when they were in Oakuckland, um they did a concert in
01:03:38
Oakuckland not long ago and I couldn't go, but Judy and her daughter went and
01:03:42
they thanked us publicly and she stood up. Judy took stood up and took a bow and you know they took a photo with her
01:03:48
and all that sort of thing. So that was that was really nice. >> Seems quite gracious that they asked.
01:03:55
>> Absolut absolutely. Yeah, >> absolutely. Although we'd owned it for
01:04:00
50 years, so they kind of had to ask. >> Yeah. But devil's advocate. You weren't
01:04:06
you weren't using it. >> No, we weren't using it. >> Lose it.
01:04:09
>> No. Well, we just Viking Records, funnily enough, had just released our
01:04:12
chicks album in the States. >> So, actually came out in the USA and that's probably how they found Oh, who
01:04:19
someone called the chicks >> and who they'd hear us singing Kumala. I think what the heck is that? Probably
01:04:27
>> but it was there from 19 1966 68 or 67. Yeah. >> Yeah. Um Ray Columbus who would would
01:04:35
he's a friend. Would you say he's a mentor as well? >> Absolutely. Yeah.
01:04:38
>> Absolutely. A mentor. >> So he he he he got unwell. Um used to had a lot to do with him and then um
01:04:44
before he passed he asked you to sing at his funeral. >> He did. >> Yeah.
01:04:47
>> Yeah. >> Yeah. What I mean what's that like? That's so special, right?
01:04:51
>> That was very special. I I used to go and visit him when he when he wasn't too
01:04:55
well at towards the end there >> cuz he he passed away when >> I don't know when was it a few years ago
01:05:01
now. >> Um anyway, he he he wanted me to sing Wind Beneath my wings cuz one of his
01:05:08
best friends in America had co-written that song. >> And um and so I did. The first verse was
01:05:15
really hard to get through. But after that I sang like there was no tomorrow, you I just I just sang it for him.
01:05:22
>> And then we um as they as they took him out, we um we sang She's a Mod
01:05:29
with um Nathan King from Zed and Billy Karatiana, who was his bass player >> and who I've known for years. So, um
01:05:38
Max, um Max did the um Max Cry did the talking, you know, all the but not many people talked
01:05:49
um because Max said if we get one person up till we'll be here all day basically
01:05:54
cuz Ry was very very popular >> and he was the greatest manager um for the rumor. I mean, Judy married one of
01:06:01
the rumor and he managed them, he managed Shane, he managed us and he was the best manager in the world because he
01:06:08
wouldn't stop talking about you to people, you know. >> Yeah. He was such a champion of music.
01:06:13
>> I owe him an awful lot. Yeah. >> Yeah. That must be the like an incredibly humbling thing like to to
01:06:19
know that you've had that impact on someone that they want you to sing at their funeral. They ask you themselves
01:06:23
>> and which song to sing. Yeah. >> Yeah. What's um I mean it's it's um it's the downside of
01:06:30
getting older, isn't it? You see friends that um that pass away. What's what's
01:06:34
your relationship like with aging and mortality? >> Uh well, I don't I try not to think
01:06:39
about how old I am. >> I just am. And if I can get up in the morning, it's a good day.
01:06:45
>> Well, you don't look at or seem it. >> Oh, thanks. >> And you and you don't feel it?
01:06:49
>> No. >> No. I mean, I'm still out there singing Sweet Child of Mine and River Deep
01:06:56
Mountain High without too much trouble. >> Yeah. Aging disgracefully, as they say.
01:07:01
>> That's That's me. I'm aging disgracefully. Yeah. >> What about um um some of the biggest
01:07:06
adversities you've gone through in your life? Like no one gets to the the the
01:07:10
privilege of making it into their 70s without going through some sort of hardship. What's it been for you?
01:07:15
>> Hardship. >> You had a marriage breakup. >> I did. Yeah. >> Yeah. Was that rough?
01:07:21
Um, it's always rough. Yeah. Yeah. >> Mainly my health things, I suppose.
01:07:26
Those health things I had, like when I thought I could never sing again, that was terrible.
01:07:30
>> Um, >> yeah, mostly health things. That's the only things. I've just solded on and
01:07:36
kept going forward, you know. That's >> I think everybody has to get up with a
01:07:40
purpose. That's that's my motto. >> Yeah. >> Have a purpose.
01:07:44
>> Yeah. Yeah. Where does your resilience come from? My father, >> he was like that. He was I remember him
01:07:52
out um fishing. He used to go fishing with some older people. He he had a big truck he'd drive and they'd all be in
01:07:59
this big four-wheel drive and out they'd go to the beach and put out a line, not
01:08:05
the flash ones that go out these days, but you know, the old ones that you throw it out and you reel it in and all
01:08:11
that sort of thing. And and he was 89 when he was doing that. And uh he complained to me one day that there was
01:08:18
a lady there that only made the sandwiches, you know, doesn't help pull the fish in or anything. And I said,
01:08:24
"Well, how old is she, Pop? She's only 85." He said, "So, you know," he just
01:08:29
never thought about age either. He just >> just went went on with it. Got on with
01:08:34
life. >> Kept busy. >> Yeah. Yeah. You Yeah. Your mental health's been good over your life.
01:08:40
>> Yeah. >> Yeah. Do Yeah. What do you think it is like? Like like mental health and
01:08:45
awareness of mental health. >> I think my cup's always half full is what I decided.
01:08:49
>> Just your attitude. >> Just your Yeah. And I think you can choose to be happy basically.
01:08:54
>> Um I've just always been quite placid bubbling along. >> Just go with the flow.
01:09:02
>> Go with the flow. Yeah. >> If you had to start over, what would you
01:09:05
do differently? >> That's a tricky one. >> Probably nothing. Very little. Very
01:09:12
little. Very little. >> Yeah. >> I mean, I always wanted to be a vet,
01:09:16
obviously, but I'd never have put an animal down. You know, I'm a big softy
01:09:21
with animals. So, it's probably a good choice that my mother said, "No, you're
01:09:24
going to be a secretary." So, you know, that was And >> you showed her you became a pop star
01:09:29
>> and I became >> It seems like even though it was um very very unorthodox, it seems like your your
01:09:36
parents got quite a quite a rush out of it. >> They did. Yeah. Yeah. They they I think
01:09:39
they were more excited than us, you know. I was like, "Here I go again." You
01:09:43
know, learn another song. But >> I was so fell in love with music by the time I was 16 really.
01:09:50
>> And I remember the Supremes and, you know, all those groups that came out,
01:09:53
they were just so good >> in the in those days. And then when I heard the fifth
01:09:58
dimension, that was like, wow. >> Um, so music was exciting to me because it we were breaking new barriers all the
01:10:06
time in those days. What what excites you now musically in terms of like current or you know newish artists?
01:10:12
>> You keep up to date with things. >> I do try to. Yeah. I mean my pupils keep
01:10:16
me up to date. >> Um I find everybody nobody wants to learn to walk anymore. They just want to
01:10:22
run. >> They all want to be Katy Perry yesterday. And uh and I have to point out to them
01:10:28
that well this has been dropped in you know like the reason you can't breathe
01:10:33
there is they've just continued that on >> artificially kind of thing.
01:10:38
>> So music's changed an awful lot >> these days. Uh I still I still loved the
01:10:45
old Janie Mitchell songs personally. >> Yeah. >> And uh there's a few people that are
01:10:49
starting to go back that way. Just simple guitar and voice you know. M >> I'd love to do something like that with
01:10:55
the Lady Killers. We're sort of thinking about just doing a a lovely little concerts just with acoustic guitars and
01:11:02
singing beautiful harmony songs in the future next year. >> I love how active you still are.
01:11:10
>> Oh, thanks. >> Yeah. You know what I mean? And you're still still like looking ahead, still
01:11:14
making making plans. >> Making plans. Yeah. >> It's really cool.
01:11:17
>> It's really cool. I'm I'm 52 now, so I I've started >> Oh, you're young.
01:11:21
>> I've started looking I've started I started looking for like aging role
01:11:25
models. You see people in their in their 70s and 80s and see what they're doing
01:11:28
and you try and sort of work backwards. >> I think um >> too busy to get old.
01:11:32
>> No, I think I think I think you know what I think that's part of the key.
01:11:35
It's keeping busy. >> Yep. >> Need a reason to get out of bed in the
01:11:38
morning. Eh, >> that's it. Have a purpose. >> Mhm. >> When when people look back on Suzanne
01:11:43
Lynch in 50 years, what do you hope they'll say? Uh, well, gosh, she had a fun time.
01:11:55
>> Who knew? That just saying yes would open up all these doors, you know?
01:12:02
I think I don't know what they'd say really. >> I guess they'd say
01:12:11
she had a fun Yeah, she'd had a great time >> and a very interesting life.
01:12:17
Yeah, she crammed a lot in. >> She crammed a lot in and she was cramming it in till the end.
01:12:22
>> Well, hopefully they'll still say and she's still going. 124. Of
01:12:25
>> course they will. >> How do you How do you personally define happiness now?
01:12:31
>> I'm just happy within myself. I mean, I have a great time with my grandchildren.
01:12:36
>> Um, both my children are very close to me. They're great. Love them to bits.
01:12:41
Um, Bruce, my husband, my ex-husband. We still give each other a hug when we see
01:12:47
each other and say hi, and it's all I'm just a happy person really. And I've got
01:12:51
the love of the girls that I sing with. Um, and I'm doing these jobs with Shane,
01:12:56
you know, and Shazam, which are just fun. I'm getting out there doing 60s music. And with the Lady Killers, of
01:13:02
course, it's much more complicated stuff. >> I um I had I've got a funny story to
01:13:07
tell you, actually. I fell over I was chasing my cat. the naughty cat. >> Not Cat Stevens.
01:13:13
>> No, not that cat. No, I was I was chasing Sir Buddy, my pussycat. And um I
01:13:20
tripped on our footpath. Gave myself a black eye and I got sent to hospital to have a head and brain scan. And that was
01:13:28
only a few months ago. And uh so I got the scan at the hospital and I'm sitting
01:13:33
there and the specialist came over and he said, "Suzanne, yes. I've got
01:13:38
something to tell you." I said, "What? What? You've got a beautiful brain." I
01:13:45
said, "Pardon?" He said, "Your brain for your age mostly." Oh, sorry. Mostly
01:13:54
they shrink from your skull. So he said, "You haven't broken your bone and your
01:14:00
brain is absolutely perfect." Because the shaw care thought I might have had a
01:14:04
brain bleed. and he said, "No, there's nothing wrong with you because your
01:14:08
brain hasn't parted from your >> uh skull." >> And he said, "That's from learning songs
01:14:14
and being active on both sides of your brain for years and years and years."
01:14:19
So, um, apparently I have a beautiful brain. >> How's that? >> You take these compliments when you can
01:14:25
get them. >> And I was so surprised. >> What's a perfect day for you these days?
01:14:31
Ah, sitting out on my deck and having having my morning coffee and looking at the sun, if there's any sun,
01:14:40
I go for a walk. Sometimes I pick my grandkids up from school. Um, I I teach people still and um I'm still learning
01:14:50
songs to go and do gigs. >> Yeah. I met up with the Lady Killers just the other day and we all had lunch
01:14:58
and had a good chat. We we just have this love and respect for each other that will just never die, I don't think.
01:15:05
>> Yeah. >> We just get on so well. And um that's very unusual for a three girl group
01:15:10
really. 20. >> Why? >> Well, usually groups, any kind of group doesn't last 20 years.
01:15:17
>> Oh, there's some friction or personality clash or >> We don't have that. you know, we're so
01:15:22
different, but we've got such respect for each other and what we each can do.
01:15:27
And our voices are all completely different, but when we sing together, it's like one voice.
01:15:32
>> And um >> as I say, we we just have a lot of fun on our gigs. >> Why do you think there is no friction
01:15:39
there? Do you think it's just because you're all at that stage of life where
01:15:43
you drop the ego and there's a respect for each other? >> I mean, just put your ego in your back
01:15:49
pocket, you know? People with egos don't last long, I don't think. >> There's a lot of people that have, you
01:15:56
know, you're up one minute, as I say to my peoples, you're up one minute and
01:16:00
it's all happening and then it's not happening. >> What are you going to do? You know,
01:16:04
>> and that can crush some people and that's when they get depressed or they
01:16:08
get lonely or whatever. >> But I've just kept I don't know, just doing that really all the way.
01:16:16
>> Yeah. I I I say to people, you want to be you want to be e you want to be
01:16:19
reliable, easy to work with, and do a good job. >> You've got to turn up on time, dressed
01:16:23
right, know your stuff. That's that's the bottom line. >> If you're a pain in the ass, that's when
01:16:27
the work dries up, no matter how talented you are. Right. >> That's right.
01:16:29
>> Yeah. What What about fears? What are you most afraid of? >> Uh what am I most afraid of? I don't like
01:16:39
swimming in deep water. That's about it really because I went under once when I was a little kid and
01:16:46
the man saved me and got me to shore. So, um, my daughter's always trying to
01:16:51
get me to hop in their swimming pool and I make every excuse under the sun and if
01:16:55
I do, I stay in the shallow end. So, that's about my only fear. Um, I don't know. I never think about
01:17:05
>> fear too much. >> Any any regrets? >> I suppose everybody fears a little bit.
01:17:10
Yeah. >> Dying. >> I figure that's a long way off, so I'm not going to worry about it.
01:17:18
>> Yeah. >> Yeah. I I don't know if I'm scared of dying. I think I'm just scared of of the
01:17:23
FOMO factor, you know, missing out on stuff. >> Yeah. >> When you're gone, you're gone.
01:17:29
>> You can't see if your ch when your grandchildren get married and things
01:17:31
like that. That's a >> Yeah. >> I remember my mother saying that to me.
01:17:35
He's like, you know, I won't I won't get to see what you do with so and so. and
01:17:39
and um that's got to be the hardest part for everybody really >> when you're close to your family.
01:17:44
>> Yeah. >> Yeah. I'm not scared of dying. I just don't want to really
01:17:48
>> I'm too busy. >> Too much. >> I'm too busy for it. I haven't got time
01:17:51
for it. Yeah. >> Um any regrets, professional or personal? >> No. I'd like to think that um I don't
01:18:01
really have regrets. No. >> In future goals, where do you see yourself at 80?
01:18:06
Oh, I see myself sitting on my deck having a coffee, going out for a walk, playing with my grandchildren, and um
01:18:14
probably going out and doing a gig. >> Just doing what you're doing now.
01:18:19
>> Doing what I'm doing now. Don't see why not. >> That to me says you're living you're
01:18:22
living your best life. >> I am. >> Yeah. You're living the life you want.
01:18:26
>> Yeah. >> That's so cool. It's a brilliant tape. >> It's taken me 74 years to find it and I
01:18:32
found it. >> What do you mean now? Firstly, you've been doing it all along. Yeah, but I've
01:18:36
always been so busy. >> Yeah. >> But now I've got a little bit of time to
01:18:41
>> just do what I want to do. If I want to meet some friends for a coffee, I've now
01:18:44
got time >> to go and meet friends for a coffee. Um I've got some great friends that I catch
01:18:50
up with and uh you know, life is life is good. >> Life is good. >> It was it was a whole lifetime ago um
01:19:00
from the 1960s and the chicks. But like do you do you miss that? um the intensity of that fame, that
01:19:07
recognition. I mean, now you now now you're a pensioner. You can ride the bus
01:19:11
for free. >> So, I've heard. >> No, you drive here today. Um Yeah. Do
01:19:17
you like do you miss do you miss that or not so much? >> Is the level of like fame you've got now
01:19:22
enough? >> Oh, it's it's enough. Believe me, it's enough. Yeah.
01:19:26
>> Yeah. You still get recognized? >> I'm happy. Uh yes, I do, surprisingly.
01:19:30
>> Yeah. Someone just came up to me in a when I was having coffee with the pills,
01:19:34
my mates that I meet every Friday. >> The pills? >> Yeah, because they all take pills except
01:19:38
for me. So, I called them the pills of the round table. >> I bet maybe it's some band I haven't
01:19:44
some indie band or something. >> I know. They just they've all been in
01:19:47
the music business and but they're all pensioners now, >> but they don't look like pensioners.
01:19:52
They're all up and happening, you know. >> Yeah. >> And um she came a lady came up and said,
01:19:57
"Oh, I remember you. Thank you so much for your music." And that's still
01:20:01
amazing to I'm always surprised to me that's that they still recognize me. But
01:20:05
but that's lovely, you know. It's nice. >> Well, it says you've had a huge impact
01:20:08
on people. Eh, >> must have. Yeah. >> I didn't realize it at the time.
01:20:15
>> Well, it's nice that you're taking time now to like do this book project and
01:20:18
pause and reflect on some of the stuff you've done. >> It's just a bit of time of reflection or
01:20:23
it was during co really. >> Yeah. >> And I think a lot of people probably had
01:20:27
that. you know, I had to stay at home. My um my little granddaughter, she was only five and Amy brought her to the
01:20:36
door and they stood over by the about, you know, three or four, five feet away from me and she'd left a little parcel
01:20:43
on my doorstep in co and I opened it up and she had her pocket money and a mirror and I said, "You bought me
01:20:54
your pocket money." And she said, "Oh, Nanny, you might need the money because
01:20:58
you know you can't work at the moment." And I said, "No, I can't." I said,
01:21:01
"What's the mirror for, Lily?" And she said, "Well, you might be lonely. You
01:21:05
can look at yourself." >> And I just that finished me off, honestly. And just in case you're
01:21:11
lonely, >> you can look in the mirror. And I thought, "The mind of a child. How
01:21:16
wonderful is that?" >> It's beautiful, isn't it? >> Isn't that beautiful?
01:21:20
Are there three words that you'd like to think family and friends would use to
01:21:24
describe you? Say, say your your adult children were here or your grandkids. >> What three words?
01:21:31
>> Uh, where are you going? >> Where are you going? No, that's four.
01:21:37
>> No, that's four. Okay. >> I'm I'm thinking more like um like
01:21:40
character traits or personality traits. >> I have no idea. >> What do you reckon? What would What
01:21:45
would you like? >> I'd like to think they think I'm a nice person.
01:21:50
Is it kind? >> Yeah, >> that can be >> I'm kind. I'm I have empathy.
01:21:55
>> Um I still go with the flow. >> And if they want me, I'm there.
01:22:02
>> Yep. >> I think that's a great place to end it. What a life. >> Thank you.
01:22:07
>> What a life. >> It's not over yet. >> No, no, no, no. Abs No, no. I mean, what
01:22:13
a life is in as in as in the [ __ ] you've got done so far. So far. Is it nice to
01:22:18
Is it nice to reflect? >> Yeah, it is now. >> Yeah. >> Cool. >> It is.
01:22:23
>> Well, this has been really nice. I've really enjoyed this today and I hope you
01:22:26
have, too. >> I have. I really have. >> Suzanne Lynch, you're a great New
01:22:29
Zealander. >> Thank you. >> And thanks for coming on the podcast.