Monte Moir, the original keyboardist for The Time and a renowned producer for artists like Janet Jackson and Alexander O'Neal, joins Joe Kelley on the "Musicians Reveal" podcast to share his insights and experiences from an illustrious career in the music industry. Monty reflects on the vibrant Minneapolis sound and the creative energy that shaped his work alongside Prince and the rest of The Time. He candidly discusses his decision to leave the road for production work, emphasizing the joy of creating music on his own terms. The conversation also delves into Monty's latest project, a heartfelt Christmas song, highlighting his continued passion for music and collaboration. Throughout the episode, Monty expresses gratitude for the opportunities he’s had and the friendships he’s built in the industry, painting a picture of a life dedicated to the art of music.

Monte Moir, renowned keyboardist of The Time and celebrated producer for notable artists like Janet Jackson and Alexander O'Neal, graces the Musicians Reveal podcast hosted by Joe Kelley. The conversation delves deep into Monte's musical journey, reminiscing about his formative years in the vibrant Minneapolis sound scene. With an infectious enthusiasm, Monte shares hilarious anecdotes about his time with Prince, highlighting the late icon's immense work ethic, visionary creativity, and the energy he brought to every project. Monty reflects on the camaraderie of the band, the challenges of life on tour, and the pivotal moments that shaped his career. The discussion also reveals Monte’s evolution as an artist, from performing on stage to focusing on songwriting and production, showcasing his versatility and passion for music. The episode culminates in a discussion about Monte's latest Christmas single,

Takeaways:

• Monte Moir shared his memories of Prince's incredible work ethic and visionary mindset.
• The Time's early dynamics and how Prince influenced their music creativity were discussed extensively.
• Monteemphasized the importance of having fun while performing, even when the pressure is high.
• He reflected on the joy of collaborating with artists like Janet Jackson and Alexander O'Neal.
• Monte highlighted that the Minneapolis sound will always be part of his musical identity.
• The podcast revealed how Monte has adapted his career post-Prince and his current projects.

Companies mentioned in this episode:

• Nicollet
• Creation Audio
• Flight Time
• Musicians Reveal
• Janet Jackson
• Alexander O'Neal
• Rihanna
• CBS
• Grammy

What are some of the things you miss most about Prince?

Ah, he was funny.

He was a.

He could be hilarious.

I just, and I miss being around, you know, his energy just, he had this can do attitude.

It was just like, here's what we're gonna do.

It would, it would start happening.

I mean he had just, just work ethic and a, a visionary and a confidence and you know, it's just, let's go.

And he.

It was just amazing.

And it was.

One of these days gonna make my mind up One of these days gonna slow them down Gotta get off this train I'm running Before the track runs out.

Before the track runs out.

My next guest here on Musicians Reveal, a longtime friend.

I've known him for a few decades.

He is a integral member of the Minneapolis sound.

One of the founding members of the Time.

He has produced hit records, gold and platinum records, worked with Janet Jackson, Also Cheryl Lynn Jr.

Driscombe, Gladys Knight, Kurt Jones and Alexander O'Neill.

Many, many more.

We'll talk about some, some of the other artists he's worked with.

And his music was also used in Rihanna's big hit.

He is a keyboardist extraordinaire, songwriting extraordinaire.

New Christmas song for my friend, Monty Moyer.

How you doing, Monty?

Good, how are you doing, Joe?

Thanks for having me on.

Yeah, great to talk to you.

I mean this could be double digit appearances on the show, but the first on video that we've done.

Yeah, yeah, thanks for having me.

Yeah.

So the last time we spoke was around the pandemic and you know, maybe during the pandemic a bit.

But how have you been keeping busy and music wise and otherwise?

I've been doing well.

You know, a couple years ago I left the band I with him anymore and.

But I've been real happy.

I've been writing and producing a lot and getting back to doing what I really love doing now.

Now when you, you've been an original member of the time, you left to do some production work with Flight Time and then you were back for, for several years.

What goes into the decision?

You're like, I want to go in another direction and stay off the road.

Number of things.

I, I just got tired of the road every weekend.

That was part of it.

Right.

Just the same sort, same thing.

I mean, I'm just eternally grateful for it and I still love the guys and we still speak and get along well.

Yeah, I just decided that I wanted, there was things I wanted to do musically and that it was just harder to do with, you know, Traveling more.

And I just.

I really.

There was a time in the 80s when I had a studio down at Creation Audio with Steve Weiss.

Ran the building down there, and I did a bunch of just production and it was.

I just loved it.

I mean, I just love to have in my own schedule and being able to just do my own thing, you know, and not have to work around other things.

So I'm real.

I'm happy with my decision and I'm.

I'm digging into some projects and I'm loving it and it's awesome.

Yeah, you still.

You still got a lot of music to put out, that's for sure.

I hope so.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So I was gonna.

That was one of the questions I was gonna ask you later on, but I'll ask it now.

Do you have a preference on as a performer or as a producer and songwriter?

Do you have one of.

One or the other?

Honestly, you know, I'm.

It's probably more songwriting producing.

I've just always gravitated towards that.

I.

Yeah, that would be.

That would be more my wheelhouse, as they might say.

Right.

Performing.

It was great, you know.

Yeah.

A lot of fun.

And I know you've come to a lot of the shows, you and G, and.

Oh, yeah, it's been, you know, it's just great.

Yeah, it's funny, we.

We moved out of Connecticut to upstate New York here.

And I was talking to Tori and I told him we moved up here.

He goes, oh, are you far from Albany?

I said, it's like 20 minutes south.

He goes, oh, we were there last weekend.

I had no idea.

I'm like, oh, geez, the chance I'm gonna see him around here, you know, maybe every couple years.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

What was the last gig that you played officially with the time?

I don't remember the gig exactly, but I remember it was around Thanksgiving, right before COVID hit.

I didn't realize Covid was coming.

I just.

I just knew I.

We had a break.

There was about a six week break and I don't think there was a gig till New Year's or something.

And I thought, well, this is probably a good time.

They can have some time to find somebody.

And.

And they did.

And so.

Yeah, I can't remember the thing exactly.

And you did the Prince tribute, right?

Yeah, that was Grammy.

Right, right.

It was a couple tributes.

We did the Grammy tribute.

We were on the Grammys, and then Bruno Mars came on right after us.

And then we did a.

That was at the Grammys.

And then there was another one where we did, like on cbs, the Grammy thing where Sheila Yee was the host and.

Right, right.

Bunch.

A whole bunch of people.

Yeah.

Dave Grohl and a whole bunch of.

Oh, yeah, right.

Yeah.

Susanna Hoffs and man, you name it, that was pretty fun.

Yeah, you've made your mark along with your friends.

That Minneapolis sound, they can't.

They can't take that away from them, from you and your buddies.

Just incredible.

Incred.

Oh, thanks.

Yeah, we've had a good run and it's been.

Just feeling blessed to have had all these opportunities, you know, Right now.

Let's go back a little bit for.

I know we've talked about it before, you know, radio, but for the viewers, your introduction to music and getting the passion for music.

How did that start?

And we'll get into some of the music that you were digging in those 60s and 70s.

How far are we going back when.

You first remember listening to the AM radio?

Yeah, you know, I just.

I.

Growing up, there was always music in the house in one way or another.

My dad played trumpet, trombone.

My mom sang in the choir and played a little piano and, you know, had some neighborhood buddies and we started a band about seventh grade, played all the.

Some of the pop stuff of the day, and I kind of was hooked.

I was playing guitar at that time.

That was when I.

What I started on really and played for a couple years.

And I eventually got into playing a little piano and keyboards and was in a couple bands in college.

And before then I got into Flight Time, which was the local version of what became the Time eventually.

Who was in that early version of Flight Time?

When I was there, it was Terry Lewis, Jellybean.

Jimmy Anderson played sax.

David island was in and out a little bit.

Sax player.

Who else was there?

Tony Johnson played guitar.

Solly Hughes played guitar.

People were coming in and out a little bit.

Cynthia Johnson was singing of Lip Sync when I first got in there.

She wasn't there long because Funky Town had just come out.

So she went to do that, but then Sue Ann Carwell came in for a while.

Right.

Great singer.

She has sung on everybody.

Well, Cynthia is a great singer, too.

They're all.

Swann has sung on probably every record you can imagine, from Celine Dion to Boy, I Don't know.

You name it, she's.

She's there, right?

Yeah.

And Alexander O'Neal was the last one before the band split up in Flight Time.

So we've had some great singers in that band.

Yeah.

So Prince Getting together with putting the different pieces of the puzzle together to form the time.

How did that process go as far as being selected for that?

And why did some other people get left out of the mix?

And you know, how.

Exactly how did that happen?

That was mostly Morris's decision.

You know, they were.

It's back to the old story where Morris had written Party up or a piece of Party up for Prince or Prince liked it and he wanted to use it and he said, I'll either give you some money or I'll help you start a van.

And so Morris obviously chose the band and.

Right.

He just started deciding who.

I suppose Prince had some input, too, but.

So it was me, Terry.

And initially it was me, Terry.

Alex Morris is going to play drums and Jimmy and.

And how did that go?

That's all right.

Morris got brought up front to be.

Oh, I.

I know I.

I should know this too many years, Joe.

I know, I know.

I've got.

I never had notes when I did interviews.

Just the last few years, I got some notes.

There you go.

Yeah, yeah.

No, but Alex was going to be the singer originally.

Alexander O'Neill.

Right.

And then that didn't work out.

And then Prince said, well, balance or Morris, you're going to be the front.

The front man.

And he did.

He's like, I'm not a front singer.

And he's.

Well, we'll figure it out, you know.

Right.

And they did.

And so then Bean became the drummer and Jesse had just.

Johnson had just moved up from Rock Island, Illinois, and he was playing in another band and Morris grabbed him and off we ran.

Yeah, it was probably a good decision for Morris.

I mean, Party up wasn't even a single.

Right.

It was just an album.

Yeah.

So, yeah.

Oh, go ahead.

Oh.

I said no.

Prince played it on Saturday Night Live one time.

Yeah, that's right.

Yeah.

The Charlene Tilton, I think, was hosting.

Yeah.

Is that right?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

In those early rehearsals with.

I know Prince was involved.

You know, he was the boss of the organization.

Was he heavily involved with every part.

He didn't like something.

He'd go up and tell you, I don't like that.

Do it this way or try it this way.

Everything.

Yeah, okay.

He was everything with everybody, top to bottom.

Wow.

You know, his baby at the end of the day, you know, and.

Yeah, we rehearsed five, six hours, six days a week probably.

And for months and months, you know, it's all we did.

We did that first tour was a 30 minute.

I think we played 30 minutes I don't know how many months we rehearsed that.

Thirty minutes it was, you know, but every.

Every week we'd add something else.

Somebody.

We'd add a couple of steps or another part or a.

You know, like Jimmy tells a story that.

And I think it applied to all of us in some way or another.

He was playing his story.

I get.

I guess I could tell my story, but it was his stories.

You know, you playing one part with your left hand and Prince is saying, what are you doing with your right hand?

Well, nothing, because there's not a part to play.

Well, let's figure one out.

Why aren't you dancing?

Why aren't you moving?

What's the harmony part?

You got, you know, next thing you know, you're doing, you're stepping and you're playing left hand, you know, different parts, singing different part, you know, and everybody had their own version of that.

All of us.

Right.

You know, so he pushed us beyond to do things beyond we thought we could do.

You know, he demanded a lot of us, but he.

It's nothing he wouldn't demand of it himself.

Right.

And it paid off.

The guy was never seen anybody work like.

Like Prince did.

It was just amazing.

What's.

What are some of the things you miss most about Prince?

Ah, he was funny.

He was a.

He could be hilarious.

I just.

And I miss being around, you know, his energy.

Just.

He had this can do attitude.

It was just like, here's what we're gonna do.

And it would, it would start happening.

I mean, he had just, just work ethic and a visionary and a confidence and, you know, it's just, let's go.

And he.

It was just amazing.

And it was really inspiring just to see, wow, you can do these things.

Yeah, this is possible.

And he kind of laid the template for inspiration for the rest of the.

The musicians to.

To have success themselves, I guess.

Yeah.

You know, when he first started, we first started with him, he.

He said, I'm gonna.

He said, I had to bump my head a whole bunch of times to figure out what to do and what not to do.

And I think he was.

This was after the Dirty Mind record when we started, and he said, I'm gonna.

I'm gonna show you what to do and what not to do.

You know, you can get there a lot faster because I already know a lot of what not to do.

Right.

So he, you know, he really helped.

Helped a lot to get us where we were going a lot quicker.

I think of the tours that you did, full fledged Tours with Prince.

Do you have a favorite one?

Well, I think the second one was.

Was I just.

Because we were more.

I mean, the first one, everything was so new, you know, it was just.

Everything was new.

We were playing.

Right.

We started out in theaters.

We started, and then next thing you know, we're playing, you know, basketball arenas.

And it was just the excitement of it, but I think, you know, that the excitement of it was.

Was fun.

But then by the second tour that we got, everybody kind of got their groove a little more as far as what to expect and how we can all contribute to make the shows better.

Yeah, just that whole.

And then it was just.

It's fantastic.

We're playing five, six nights a week, probably, you know.

Yeah.

Next time we're somewhere else.

Next night, somewhere else.

Okay.

I'm gonna see how sharp your memory is.

I mean, you could.

Oh, that tour.

It was the first time I actually saw you.

You and the Time and Prince and Vanity 6, Hartford Civic center, that massive snowstorm.

Do you remember that?

I talked to Matt Fink.

He remembered that one, but vaguely.

Yeah, yeah, vaguely.

Yeah.

I don't know.

That was the one.

Yeah.

I.

I always joke.

I kidnapped my girlfriend at the time because her mom didn't want us to go, and I was insistent.

We're going because of the weather or because of the show?

Oh, yeah, the wet.

No, it was the weather.

I mean, it was really coming down.

There was like 36 inches of snow.

I mean, for you, Minnesota doesn't mean too much, but.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

For us, it was a big storm.

Yeah, vaguely.

Remember?

I don't know.

Yeah.

It was worth it.

Oh, yeah, yeah.

So.

And there wasn't double time pay.

Right.

Not really.

Yeah, it was.

It was pretty meager wages back then, but.

Right.

How.

How difficult is it?

You.

You don't basically see the front people.

Could you see through the curtain at all?

A little bit.

You couldn't see the crowd, as I remember, but I.

You could see Vanity 6.

You could see them moving because it was kind of a mesh curtain.

Okay.

And we were.

It was real dark backstage, so you couldn't see us really, at all.

I mean, you might see a silhouette or something, but.

Yeah.

So the.

I'm sure you remember this snowstorm.

The.

Jimmy and Terry were stuck for a couple inches of snow.

They were in Atlanta Right.

I think Atlanta.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

We had a couple days off and they were.

They, you know, they was kind of hushed us.

We're staying behind.

We're going to work on SOS for a couple days.

I think there was two days off or something.

Yeah.

And then it was like an inch of snow hits and they don't have Snow plowers, maybe 2 inches.

You know, they just don't have any means to.

To deal with snow in Atlanta and.

Because they don't get it much.

Yeah.

We were in San Antonio and it's like, where's Terry, Jimmy?

And there weren't cell phones back then.

No, there was no cell phones.

I don't know.

I suppose they got a hold of them somehow.

But.

Right.

At some point they knew where they were at and they were doing their best to get on a flight.

It just didn't happen.

There were just no flights out.

They just.

So we had to completely wing that show.

So.

Yeah, we have heard different versions of it, but who was.

Prince was playing keys or the bass?

Prince.

Prince was off to the side to like the zero hour, going, okay, they're not here because we, you know, it was hope that maybe they could show up an hour before the show or something and weren't there.

And so it's like, okay, for instance, here's what we're going to do.

I'm going to play bass.

And then he stood up to the side and on the right side, right.

Looking out.

And Lisa was playing keyboards off to the right.

And Drow stood where Terry was standing, playing percussion and doing what he does, you know.

Right.

And just kind of winging it, you know.

And Lisa was playing what she could remember.

She was doing great.

But, you know, she had been playing the Prince show, you know, and.

Yeah.

So she did what she could.

Prince was just doing what he does.

We made it.

And you know what's funny about that?

I always thought it was interesting because there was a review in the paper the next day, and you know how the reviews are.

The headline is.

It's all about the headline.

Then there might be a little paragraph about the opening act.

And so there was our little paragraph.

And it was like a pretty favorable review.

And I thought I wanted he even see this show.

Is he even here?

You know?

Yeah.

I'm like, how could you know?

We did the best we could, but it was.

It wasn't great, but there was.

There was.

I forget which band, but like a big rock.

A guy from a rock group told me one time there was a guy who wrote for the New York Times.

The.

He was the concert reviewer, music critic.

And he said one time he came to review their show and he sat in a chair with the newspaper open the whole show just reading the paper and the next day gave a review of the concert.

Ah, that was my thought.

I wonder if that one of those kind of deals.

Yeah, yeah, something like that.

But it's interesting because my uncle at the time lived in San Antonio and my parents were down there visiting and we just happened to play.

So my parents and my uncle and his wife were at that show, which was.

Oh, wow.

Of all shows.

Right.

Were they getting into the music?

Yeah, you know, my folks are always incredibly supportive of everything I've done.

It's been amazing.

They'd show up at the shows all.

When we played in town all the time.

And you know, they're the last one I remember.

They were.

Before my dad died, it was.

We played the Minnesota Zoo and they had their time hats on and people.

Oh, wow.

Yeah, they were in there well into their 80s and.

Right.

They just, just come out and hanging.

Yeah.

Open minds.

Yeah, yeah.

Oh, they, they just.

When they liked everybody in the group.

Right, right.

But they, you know, they get some looks from the crowd.

My dad would get to talking, you know.

Right.

Yeah.

My mom, we, we did some.

When I used to do the mobile dj, you know, for years, and we ended right before the pandemic.

We did some gigs together.

I basically was the engineer for her, her husband, they were polka gigs.

And my mom told me on the side, she goes, well, I think we respect each other's taste in music.

I mean, she loved Purple Rain, the song, singing that and everything.

But it's like, okay, you know, you respect what I like and I respect what you like and you know, that's cool.

Open minds.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Oh, they were just there to support their kids, you know.

Yeah, that's right.

Hey, let me ask you a keyboard question about you and Jimmy.

I don't know if I've ever asked you.

Did you guys have.

Each have a different specialty in your playing that you guys noticed right away or did you.

Who, who divvied up the different parts with the group?

Well, I'll say this jam is one of the best bass synth players around.

I mean, he's, he's up there with anybody, so it was a no brainer.

He was going to do that.

Okay.

You know, I mean, he's, he's just incredible.

And I, I tended to play more piano stuff more.

Okay.

I had a little bit of classical, a little bit of jazz training.

And so I was more of a piano type guy.

So I kind of did that role.

And then the, the rest of the stuff, we split up just.

Or we double up on things.

You know.

Jimmy tended to do string lines in the bass part, I tended to do.

There was piano or pads and horn hits and lines or whatever, you know.

And I can say some things.

We double, you know, we had our open hand and there was a bat, you know, horn hit.

We were both doing it.

Anything to make the sound.

And this is before they had midi, you know, which is keyboard key.

Guys know what this is.

But where you could take one keyboard and plug it into another keyboard and double up on sounds.

So you could play a bunch of sounds by just hitting the same.

You could hit one note.

It might be a whole bunch of sounds playing.

Or back when we were doing it, it was one keyboard, one sound.

Okay.

So it was harder to get a bigger sound.

So it was.

The more hands.

You could.

More hands on deck to get some notes, the better, you know.

So you generally with the time plate, was it three keyboards each, kid?

Yeah.

Okay.

Then we had two.

Yeah, I think so.

Maybe he had three.

In the beginning of.

Of Prince, you Jimmy Jam and.

And some of the keyboardists in later years that you work with who was really into the up.

The up to date technology.

Did anybody stand out?

Jimmy's not a huge tech guy.

I think Matt Faint's a pretty good tech guy.

Okay.

Prince was not a tech guy.

He just.

If it sounded right, that was it, you know, he wasn't going to go in and program a bunch of stuff sounds.

Right.

Yeah, man, I could program sounds.

Like back then you had the OB8s and you know, all the patrols were right in front of you, so you could just turn a knob and, you know, program sounds that way.

And it was.

We did okay with that.

I.

I'm not highly technical either necessarily.

Right.

And Morris, he loves breaking it down in the slow song.

When you, you know, give me something a little sexy.

Right.

He always.

Something from you.

Yeah.

Gigalo can do a little thing.

Yeah.

You did a lot of improvisation with that.

Yeah, I was kind of, you know, he had different versions of it where for a while a girl would come out and have dinner with him and.

Right.

Morphed over the years and there ever was a breakdown.

Yeah, I just play.

Play something.

Some mood music, I guess you might call it.

That's right.

Yeah.

Hey, speaking of Prince with his keyboards and you know, he, he would always, you Know, it looked like a piano, but it was actually a keyboard built into the.

The casing.

Right.

The back.

Like in the 80s, like.

Yeah.

And even in later years.

CP80, I think.

Okay.

And that was that.

He carried that around with him.

It was like a mini grand piano, but it was an electronic.

Okay.

Thing.

Like the stuff you hear and how come you don't call me anymore?

And.

Right, right.

That's.

That's that CP 80 grand, Yamaha grand.

But it's.

It's like an electric version, but it's got really sensitive keys and yeah, he'd haul that around.

That was an.

A ton of records.

Okay.

Yeah.

Was that.

Would he do use that just to have more options and less chance for things to sound off, like in tune?

Yeah, I think he just liked the sound of it too.

It was, you know, it was, you know, it wasn't a, you know, a grand piano.

I think maybe it was too clean and it was too hard to be run the nose around, at least back in the 80s.

But he may have done more of that.

I don't know what he did after that so much.

Right.

But yeah, I mean, that was all that was on all records.

You hear all kinds of records in the 80s, 90s even, I suppose, that sound.

Yeah.

So progressing towards the Purple Rain Days, which you, Terry, Jimmy, had said sayonara into your own production.

And how did you decide to do something like that?

Well, things had gotten a little more difficult towards the end of the second tour.

And just internally and the whole camp was just.

Things were not going real smooth.

Let's just say there was a lot of division and some of it was purposeful and it just wasn't getting to be fun anymore.

And I think we all thought we were going to have a little more involvement than we had at that time.

And Terry and Jimmy ended up getting fired over that.

The Atlanta gig they missed and I finished out the tour and I don't know if the tour was done in March or April and tour is over.

They got fired.

And I.

I just.

It just wasn't this much fun for me.

I think I went to one Purple Rain rehearsal and I just.

My heart wasn't in it anymore.

And I just thought this.

I don't know what I'm going to do, but I.

I just don't want to do this.

I get it.

It was the ballet lessons you guys had to do, right?

You said enough.

At least that's what I read.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I don't know.

It was a.

No, I think it was an Acting class.

Oh, okay.

But I mean, I was.

I was just.

That was.

It could have been anything, right?

Yeah, it could have been anything.

Yeah.

I just.

I just couldn't.

Couldn't see myself being there at that time.

Right.

And.

And the band disbanded anyways.

Even after being on the screen.

Yeah, yeah.

At that time.

Yeah.

To put a band together for the screen, basically.

Right.

So moving along to the great production and.

And we'll revisit some of the.

The Getting back with the time and all the things going on there.

You.

You work with Flight Time, Jimmy and Terry and tell us about their.

Their studios in Minneapolis before they moved out west.

What was that like?

Well, they.

We know when we first.

When I first started working with him, we were in LA doing stuff.

Oh, okay.

All right.

They had.

They had gone out and just stayed out there and they were trying to find some work and they got some work with a band called Reel to Reel.

Did a song called High Hopes.

I don't know if that's the first song they did.

I think Jimmy always says Sounds of Blackness or maybe that was the first big hit.

Optimistic.

Oh yeah, that was down the road later.

But okay, this is back in 80.

What was it?

83.

Right after the summer, after they got kicked out of the band and they flew me out to work on a couple things.

I'd written a song with Terry.

Terry when you're Far Away with Gladys Knight.

And they flew me out to record on that.

And I had just been writing songs at home on a four track.

I didn't know what I was doing this before they asked me to do that.

So anyway, we.

There's a number of projects down out there.

And then they ended up buying the place Nicollet in Minneapolis.

Okay.

But they moved back eventually.

But I guess before that, though, I'm skipping around here.

We worked at a place called Creation Audio.

Oh, right.

With Steve Wiese and did a ton of records out there.

When they had moved back here, they had done Change, did the first Alexander O'Neill record.

They did some SOS stuff there.

Just a bunch of stuff.

And then at some point they had.

Things are going well enough that.

Where they could buy their own building their own studio.

And then they moved to Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis and that's where the first JANET record was done.

And you know, that's.

That was the last project I had done with him and I think Cheryl.

But you know, they were doing a ton of stuff.

So.

Yeah, of course the big hit.

There were so many hits off that album.

Control One of them.

Right there are our guy on the screen, Monty Moyer producing, writing, Pleasure Principle.

How did that come into to fruition as far as writing that song?

And did you intend it for Janet?

Yeah, Terry said, He said, you know, looks like we might be doing Janet Jackson in the next few months or something.

You know, you have something.

And so I, yeah, I.

That was written with her in mind.

It was.

I think, I think the first thing I thought of was Michael and I thought.

I just thought something high energy, just something, you know, he just kind of get a glimpse of something.

And I started there and.

And I had enough, you know, time to do a couple tracks and then we just used the one.

But yeah, yeah, yeah, I wrote it and just did a demo and brought it in.

And Janet, I don't know, she just flown in or what, but we had.

I remember giving it to her, the song and we just.

Four track demo and I was singing the reference guide.

Or you know, it would have been.

Would have been the whole track, I guess, because I would have done that.

But I sang a reference over it.

She came in Saturday, you know, I think they gave it to her Friday.

She came in Saturday, sang it, just nailed it Sunday.

We did few ad libs and finished up a few things.

And I mean she, she incredible.

Just came right in, knocked it out, you know.

Yeah, those were special times.

And great video, you know.

Of course.

And have you ever thought about doing an album of all the great hits and songs that you've done for other artists, other versions in the vault that you have behind you?

I have not, but I suppose that's.

I don't, I don't know how that would look.

I mean, like me doing it maybe.

I don't know.

Or releasing the demo tracks.

Yeah, I don't think I have most of those because they're on.

Okay, four tracking, right.

You get on a four track and then a cassette somewhere.

What was it?

What was a four track like?

Because I worked in radio since 82 and I remember reel to reel and we were getting the razor blade and splitting things to piece together stuff.

What was a four track?

Because I'm not, not a musician.

What was that four track was.

If you had a cassette player, that would be considered a two track.

This was the left side and the right side, you know, on the speakers.

And the four track had actually had four different tracks.

So you could record a guitar on one track, a vocal on another track and drums on another track.

But then if you wanted to record more stuff, you'd have to balance those three tracks down to the last track.

So then.

Then you'd have three more tracks opened up again.

And you could keep doing that and doing that, but then the quality gets worse and worse.

But at least you could get some ideas down, you know.

Right.

Comes in handy.

Yeah.

But, you know, back to the 60s and some of that early Beatles stuff was recorded on eight track.

I think that was eight tracks.

I mean, we had four tracks, but, you know, a lot.

Some of that stuff, I think.

I think the Tax man, some of that stuff was eight.

Just eight tracks.

Okay.

Yeah, yeah.

I remember some of the Beetle records.

You can fade out one side and it was just be.

The music and the vocals were completely taken out.

I forget which songs, but.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Early stuff.

Forget the draw drums and everything in one track.

The vocal on the other side.

Yeah, yeah.

So.

So you've written and produced for so many greats.

Did you.

The people who have recorded your songs and you've got hit records, which we see on the back on the wall.

Some of them.

Did you search out these artists or were they looking for you, or was it through Jimmy and Terry?

A lot of the early ones with Jimmy and Terry, they just had a lot of projects.

And, you know, at that point, I mean, honestly, I wouldn't have been doing a Janet Jackson if I hadn't been working with those guys, because they were.

They had gotten to a level where they.

They were getting those kind of people to call them, you know, and.

Right.

So it was, you know, a lot of it was just projects that were on the table and ready to go.

And after I left them, it was.

I just usually get phone calls, somebody inquiring to want to work.

Denise Williams or the Juniors or people like that.

Right.

The Kurt Joneses, The Dejas.

Yeah, yeah.

Your buddy.

He's going out on tour with cece, I think.

Yeah.

I think they're going to France.

Yeah.

Or something.

Yeah.

You know, it's been so nice about some of these projects.

It's.

You know, I met Kurt and I felt like we've known.

Known each other our whole lives, and we've become lifelong, like, real close friends.

So it's.

It's been.

It's been an awesome ride.

And you're on their records.

Yeah, I mean.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I'm lucky, you know, lucky enough to be able to get to do this and somebody likes it sometimes and, you know, I'm still trying to do it, so.

So.

So you and Kurt first met and became friends.

How did that originate?

I was in 86, I believe.

And they.

They had acquired it to a management about me producing a couple songs.

And I said, sure.

And they came out to Minneapolis and we did a couple songs.

Maybe we did three was three songs.

And Kurt called the label and just said, I'd like to do a whole record with this guy.

And so we did almost the whole record.

A couple songs were you and I tonight.

I can't remember who produced that, but that became a big hit for them.

That was on that record.

But I think we did most of the rest ourselves.

You know, you have some other stuff that.

With.

With Kurt you guys haven't released yet.

There might be a few things from way back when.

Okay.

That I don't know if ever got totally developed or not.

But, you know, we.

We kick around the idea of doing something here.

Yeah.

He's still out in Texas, right?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

So we, you know, we're good buds.

Right.

So getting back to project currently that you just released.

Outstanding Christmas song.

It's Christmas round here.

Christmas time around here.

Yeah, yeah.

For it's Christmas time We're doing fine Thankful for this time of year in our own true way we celebrate Christmas.

Yeah.

What?

What?

Yeah.

When did you record that?

And kudos to you if you, you know, I love it.

G loves it and a lot of people love it.

What.

What got you into doing a Christmas song?

Well, thanks.

You know, I don't know.

I just.

I just.

As a.

As I go sometimes I just start writing stuff and you know, I thought that's.

I think I started it a couple years ago and I thought, well, go with this, you know.

Right.

And I.

And it just.

As I did it more, it just felt like kind of a tip of the hat to my childhood.

I grew up in the 60s and you know, as kid in the 60s and 70s, and it just kind of started to remind me of stuff I grew up with, you know, you know, those old school, the Dean Martins, the Gene Autrys, the Burl Lives, you know, I mean, all that.

That old traditional stuff.

So, you know, it's got.

And then that King Cole reference and Annette King Cole.

Right.

And that.

Him as well.

Yeah.

And so I just kind of ran with it and I said, okay.

Then I think I played it for my wife or something.

You know, you ought to put that out.

So I finally did and I thought, well, it's a.

It's a huge departure for me, but.

But then again, I.

There.

There's a lot of things.

I.

There's a lot of different genres.

I Like, and I grew up with.

And I.

I think at this point I'm just trying to write a decent song and I don't care what genre it is if it happens to float somewhere else, you know.

Right.

Yeah, you know, go ahead.

I could cut you off.

Oh, that's okay.

But my good buddy Billy Peterson played a bright bass on it.

And then if you don't know who he is, he's played with Steve Miller for 20 some years.

He played on Blood on the Tracks, Bob Dylan's record, the Mill, the, you know, the Minneapolis sessions.

Right.

Unbelievable.

Bebop, upright jazz.

I mean, we're great friends.

Right.

And Jane Anderson and Billy's granddaughter Olivia Russa sang some backgrounds as well.

I had a couple kids come in as well, and they.

So it was, it was a group effort.

It was a lot of fun.

Yeah, your vocals are great on there.

And who engineered that project?

Because I.

I mean, it sounds really, really good.

Bob Brockman mixed it, actually.

Okay.

An old buddy of mine from the 80s.

I.

I recorded it myself, you know, I mean, the, the actual recording.

But Bob Brockman is the guy who brought it to life, you might say.

He's.

He's mixed records.

Oh.

He's won, I think, three Grammys, nominated for an Academy Award.

Gotta look him up.

He's.

I think he's worked with Bob Dylan to a lot of hip hop artists.

I can't think of all the names, but if you looked him up, you'd find a endless list of names and just a fantastic guy.

He's out in New York.

Have you ever run into Bob Dylan in Minnesota?

Never.

Never.

Okay.

No, I don't think he's here.

I think he has a farm out near Buffalo, Minnesota, which is maybe an hour outside of the city.

Okay.

I hear he comes occasionally, but nobody knows when he comes or goes.

Right.

How about for our.

For our viewers and listeners?

Is it available for purchase?

Yeah, all the streaming services.

It's on itunes, Apple, all the normal spots you find things on.

Right.

Yeah.

There is nothing down below here to keep me from the fire it's all or nothing for want and desire.

So, the follow up to this side of paradise, any plans for the near future for.

For another?

Yeah, some stuff.

Yeah.

You know, I'm hoping next year.

I mean, I've just been picking away at a few things and I guess I have plenty of songs, but just trying to get songs that mean something to me or feel right together, you know?

Yeah.

But, yeah, I'm working on some stuff.

Started this.

It's Kind of a smooth jazz song, I guess.

Got a country song.

You're doing some blues.

Blues stuff too, right?

Yeah, yeah.

Me and a friend of mine, Dan Shenander, he, he's still working on it.

It's.

It's a blues movie called Harp.

Okay.

And it's about three old blues men who get displaced after a hurricane and they end up moving to Minnesota and they end up mentoring this kid, teaching him about life and the blues and how, you know, it's very musical, there's a lot of music in it.

We co wrote eight songs or so.

I think we're going to do another one and then, you know.

But it's, it's, it's.

Everything's kind of there.

But it's, it's tough with these indie movies because it's tough to get financing.

That's.

Yeah, the big thing.

He's.

He's made a movie before called Hiding Victoria, a feature and if you want to check it out, it's on Hulu.

But it's, you know, it's a.

I thought, you know, I thought making records were hard.

You know, it's not as hard.

Right.

Movies, it's just the amount of moving parts are just, it's just incredible.

Yeah, they.

Struggling actors, struggling directors and the number.

Of people you need to be involved and just the, the financing you need even just to make a lower budget movie is just.

But I, I'm hoping he, I'm hoping we get, he can get that going because it's, it's a great script and it's.

So we'll see.

You know, so I just, I'm got my hands in whatever feels good for me to do and.

But that feels good for me now.

So.

Lagoon Records still thriving with the new projects in production.

What do you got behind on the Wall?

You've got some records.

I.

What do you have here?

Yeah, that's a second time record, I guess.

Okay.

Yeah, Yeah.

I know when I have musicians on who's who have the gold records and the albums up there, they've accomplished some stuff.

Yeah, they're all over the room.

But hey.

Yeah, we had Chris Jasper on and usually he would come to the studio when I was at wvof, but now that I'm no longer there, we did it remote like this and yeah, he had this similar setup like you, I'm like, yeah, these are the guys who.

Who had some big hits.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, he's.

He's done incredibly well.

Yeah, right, right.

Yeah, there's a bunch around here.

I just, I figured I'd.

Yeah, there they are.

Yeah.

Now.

Now, since Jimmy Jam, when he left the group, you.

You stayed along and you had different keyboardists come in.

And over the years, bringing in a new keyboardist was.

Was it a big task for you to acclimate them to how things are done?

Did you.

Not too bad.

Really not mean they.

We'd get them tapes of the.

The show.

And pretty much everybody who's come through has known the band pretty well and probably was really familiar with the stuff and they really wanted to be there, and so they had a pretty good idea what was going on.

But, you know, everybody has their own style of kind of how they.

Or their own interpretation of it.

So it was more of here's.

Here's kind of how we did it, you know, Right.

Where it wasn't just so.

It had more of the Minneapolis sound vibe.

They're getting some of the better sounds, or at least the sounds we.

We use and just the way it was played a little more so.

But it's.

You know, it's a little tougher when it's.

You know, back in the day, it was we, you know, we lived and ate that stuff and it was.

Yeah.

Early 20s, and that's all we did.

We just.

That's all we did.

You know, so it was.

It's just.

It's hard to recapture those times, you know, because it's the intensity of what was going on back then was, you know, now it's got lives and families.

Right.

Yeah.

I knew.

I knew things were different when we went to see in one of the casinos in Connecticut.

And it was like hanging out with you guys backstage after the show.

And then Morris got up and said, okay, guys, I'll see you next weekend.

He flew out wherever he.

You know, we was flying out the same night.

Oh, yeah.

To get back home.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Right.

Yeah.

So it's just a different.

Different time, a different world, you know.

But you did a.

You did a bus tour, you know, as in later years.

I saw you at Tramps in New York.

You guys were doing a bus tour, right?

Yeah, we did that for a number of years.

Tramps was.

God, we love Tramps.

Yeah, that was great.

I don't know what happened there, but.

Yeah, that goes down.

But we love.

I love playing those places like that.

Right.

Awesome.

I.

I don't know if I've ever told you.

I saw Sheila E.

There she was.

Eric Leeds was in the band, and we happened to be up front and, you know, sheely show is up tempo and everybody's into it and everything.

But there were tables behind, people were sitting and they were shouting through the whole song, like, sit down, get down.

We didn't even have any seats.

We actually had to sit on the floor like kindergarten kids for the whole show.

Oh, man.

At Tramps.

Yeah, that was something.

You're in New York, you know.

Yeah, that's right.

They let you know what they want, right?

Yeah, exactly.

Kings was fun.

I love playing there.

Oh, yeah, you.

A few shows.

Yeah, yeah, We've seen you there.

And you guys usually would do two shows that night, right?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, that.

I always like playing there as well.

New York was fun in general.

Yeah, that was.

I mean, you see.

Oh, you guys have all celebs who are fans coming by who.

How about celebrities have come backstage and talked to you guys?

Who.

Who were you really pumped up about?

Like, wow.

We were hanging with this person.

You know, Magic Johnson used to come to the.

Some of the early shows when we started back up in la.

Okay.

And that was fun.

Just a nice, nice, nice dude, you know, just what you see is what you get with him, you know?

Right, right.

You know, legend like that.

Shaq's come to a couple shows a long time back.

Chris Rock's come to a couple shows.

I mean, there's probably a million guys I'm not thinking about, but that's off the top of my head.

Yeah.

Especially in New York or la.

Right, right.

Because that's where they're living, you know, so that you'd see a lot of people would come out.

Do you.

Would you.

Off the top of your head or.

Did Prince ever say that one of the time.

Songs he wish he kept for himself.

You know, he might have.

I don't know, but I.

I know he liked to play cool a lot in his set.

Yeah, yeah, that A lot.

Throughout.

Throughout the years.

He'd pull that out every now and then.

Right.

I guess that's.

That was a favorite of his.

Of his.

Yeah.

You could tell through his set list the songs that really like.

Let's Work.

He did it up to, like into the five years before he passed away.

Yeah, yeah.

Certain songs, you know, he really dug these songs.

Yeah, they're fun songs.

Yeah, he was a great writer.

2004, the Musicology Tour.

I didn't see the time open up, but how many dates did you do that with Prince?

I think we did 13, if I'm not 12 or 13.

And a typical Prince, you know, it's like I get a call Tuesday night, like 11 o'clock at night.

Some whoever called me, what are you doing Thursday?

I was like, I don't know.

Well, Prince wants us to play, so you play.

You know, Flight will be there tomorrow and off we're running, you know, just.

Yeah, it was last minute.

I think it was Atlanta, you know, and those are fun because, you know, we.

We were always unannounced.

So the lights would go down and all of a sudden the lights would come up and there we are and people are like, huh.

But you know, everybody was.

I loved it.

It was fun.

And I remember that we've had.

It was a stage, the round stage, you know, and they would carve prints out from the underneath in the little like.

Like a road case.

Yeah, they stuff getting stuck him in there, you see him getting wheeled out.

You know, after a while people were catching on.

But you know, Jelly Bean didn't make his entrance like that, right?

No, sorry.

Jelly Bean, we love you.

Paid him a thousand dollars.

I don't think he would have made it.

Yeah, yeah.

I mean, jelly beans, like six foot six or something like that.

Yeah.

Oh, yeah, yeah.

So, you know, I know Morris seems to be like the Michael Jordan of.

Of entertainers saying, this is it.

This is my last tour.

This is it.

And do you as yourself with the time?

Is it always a member of the time?

You could see yourself one day maybe getting together for performances.

Going back, you mean?

Yeah.

One off or.

You know, I'd never say never.

You know, I feel like I've.

You know, I don't feel a big longing to do that or anything, but I.

I've just learned in life it's better to say never say never, you know, I mean, it could be something with the originals.

Could be that or it could be something else.

I don't know.

Yeah, I just.

I'm not.

I'm not opposed to anything really.

I guess if it, if it was the right opportunity, it felt like a good thing to do.

Yeah, you know.

Yeah, we, we.

I didn't bring up Condensate, which was a great record and the song.

You wrote one particular song in there as well, right?

Yeah.

I mean, Terry co wrote a song.

Yeah, right.

Was that a big disappointment that things started out well and then just kind of.

Yeah, you know, it, it, it.

Yeah, it was.

I mean, because it was.

I think everybody was hoping for more, but I think in honesty, some of the internal dynamics were rearing its head again.

And I think that was part of the problem.

And you know, it's got to be good inside and out, you know, for things to Work, I think then it just kind of faded away and that was it, you know.

Right.

Can they.

Can they use the name the time anymore or is it still off the table?

No, I think it's still.

I think it probably have to go through the estate, I would imagine.

Okay.

I mean, Morris can use Morris Day in the time that seems to be established, so at least live stuff.

Yeah, I think anything would have to go through the estate.

Have you been out to Paisley park often since Prince passed?

Have I.

No, I haven't, actually.

I don't.

I don't.

Gone a few times when we played there.

I mean, we played there.

He invited us out.

Oh.

A couple.

Few months before he died.

Oh, yeah, Tell us about that, you guys.

There was talk that he may do something in Europe with.

With the time, Right.

Yeah, you know, I was talking that he wanted maybe do another Time record, you know, with him at the helm, you know, basically.

That would have been really cool.

Right?

He was.

He also mentioned that he wanted us to go tour Europe and he was going to manage us, whatever that looked like.

Right.

You know, he said, you guys should headline Europe and let's get going and whatever, you know, and.

But we played out there and, you know, know, we had a guitar and an amp ready for him and he never.

He chose not to come up and play.

But, you know, it means his house, he can do whatever he wants, right?

Yeah, I mean, it was just the.

I guess it was him saying he might come up and play, so they set up an amp for, you know.

Right.

But I could see him out.

He seemed like he was having fun.

He was watching the show and you know, it's.

But that was the last time anybody really saw him.

Yeah, it's the last time and.

And still a huge void and I'm sure in your world and.

Oh, yeah.

Minnesota crowd.

Yeah.

He changed the.

You know, he changed the course of my life, really.

Career trajectory, you know, and it's.

Who knows, everybody in the times life.

He changed our trajectory and you know, who knows where we might have ended up if the time hadn't started.

Who knows?

Yeah, exactly.

Maybe still doing things, but just in a different way or.

Or not.

I don't know.

You just don't know.

But I think all of us are eternally grateful to, you know, him showing up.

Right.

And let's go.

You know.

Yeah.

Monumental achievements by.

By all of you as.

As a group.

But it.

But it's.

It is quiet in Minnesota like, you know, they always used to be when he would have a record out or he'd have all this.

They still have events out there sometimes, but you know, it's just not the same without him, you know?

Yeah.

Right.

You know, but it would always be the rumblings around town and he's getting ready to do something and show up at First Avenue or whatever he's going to do.

And you know, I think everybody misses that around here.

Yeah.

There was always that something to look forward to.

A tour, a record, a new band members and stuff.

Yeah.

But crazy announcement about something and.

Right.

He was just, he was just that guy who could create that kind of excitement.

So.

Hey, Monty, I gotta thank you, my brother, for stopping by.

Musicians reveal.

We're.

Yeah, it's always great talking with you and look forward to more stuff coming out.

Whoever you collaborate with or make another great song like the It's Christmas Time around here.

Available now on all streaming outlets.

Video on YouTube as well.

Thanks so much, Joe for having me on and always supporting independent music and any music that, that's, that's, it's really huge.

You've done a great service to the music community over the years and you should be proud of everything you've done too because you, you've brought a spotlight on a lot of folks and it's, it's many thanks.

Yeah, thanks.

I appreciate it.

So happy holidays to you, your wife and.

And your family.

And you as well.

To your family as well.

We'll talk to you soon, I'm sure.

Yeah.

Monty Moyer.

Montymoyor.net right?

Yes.

Yeah, go there.

Check him out.

World class musician and producer.

Huge part of the Minneapolis music scene.

Still is.

Thanks, Monty.

Thanks, Joe.

Here for It's Christmas time.

We're doing fine.

Thankful for this time of year in our own true way, we celebrate Christmas.