Jed Leiber Interview

by Geoff Byrd.

I met Jed Leiber in Aspen when I was asked to write some songs with John Oates. I didn’t even know there was going to be a third person there. Soon after the session, I understood why John likes to include Jed in the songwriting process. Leiber's an amazing piano player, Julliard trained, with a gift for melody and lyric. When he plays he's in control.

Today, after he's finished up a staff meeting at his newly renovated recording studio, NightBird, he sits down at a seven-foot-long Yamaha grand piano and melts into it. He looks like a mad scientist in the throes of a work out. His arms are muscled and his hair wild. I find Jed is self-deprecating and affable. It doesn't take long for me to figure out that I like this guy. He also has a great sense of humor and never seeks to be the center of attention, although he often finds himself in that circumstance. Jed has that boyish enthusiasm that's contagious. He's very young at heart, easily excitable and has a heart that's wide open. I love people like that. They're rare to find these days. They remind me that anything is possible and that true male camaradarie still exists. Around the industry his reputation is stellar and although he comes from songwriting royalty, that's not something he broadcasts.

Jed is the son of master lyricist Jerry Leiber. Jerry has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The star honors his songwriting contributions on such classics as "Stand By Me," "Love Potion #9," "On Broadway," "Yakety Yak," "I Who Have Nothing," "Stuck in the Middle With You," and some of the biggest hits in the Elvis Presley catalogue. My favorite, and one of the best sonic recordings in history, is a Leiber and Stoller song; a little ditty called “Jailhouse Rock.” All that and I didn't even find out about this father-son connection until I'd known Jed for a year. It's a rare quality these days, especially here in Hollywood.

Listen to "Dreaming" written by Jed Leiber and Jason Rowe (sung by Jason Rowe) and "This Song Is My Prayer" written by Jed Leiber and Gerry Goffin ("A Natural Woman," "Will You Love Me Tomorrow") (sung by Bridgette Bryant)


Right now, we’re heading down to Jed’s studio. It may be the coolest and hippest room in Los Angeles. NightBird studio sits in the basement of the classic Sunset Marquis Hotel, a plush rendevous for jet-setters since the early '60s. The studio has four isolated recording studios and two screening rooms. It's a place where I want to stay up all night and be creative. It has a Japanese Zen-like quality to it that's coupled with state-of-the art equipment. Even the entry doors have a cool Star Trek look. It’s like a multi-million dollar dream studio in the basement with a bat cave vibe. NightBird and the Sunset Marquis set up their joint venture to allow celebrities to show up very discreetly by entering the vast underground parking area in their limos and tour buses, then scoot up to their rooms in an elevator that bypasses the registration floor.

The studio is its own magical world. It's bigger than I expected. There have been scores of classic records made at the studio. But, I feel like there are legendary records yet to made. Mark my words, within the next few years you'll be reading articles about NightBird in all of the major music publications. I think I’ll be proven right.

Last night, I had a chance to record a one-minute song for a TV show. I feed off the vibes of rock 'n' roll legends that have stepped through the doors of the Sunset Marquis, above the recording studio. Just 10 minutes ago I saw the legendary Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top check in. I grabbed a beer at the bar and ordered a turkey burger from the late night menu and then went back down to finish my recording. I had this unshakable urge to start my new record, then and there, and really get experimental. You know, the kind of record that has real clarinet, oboe and a marching snare, one that touts its major influence as Brian Wilson's masterpiece, Pet Sounds. Yeah, I’m down with that. Vibes may not be altogether measurable, but I liked the feeling.

It was rumored that Seal sat in NightBird's client chair and listened to “Crazy” in 5.1 Surround and was blown away. Several other top pros have already described the studio as one of their favorite rooms in the world. I know how they feel. The vocals sound so buttery and full while laying them down. I loved the room the first time I used it.

Jed has already had many high profile artists rent out the room. It's custom made for recording with its quiet feeling of cool and abundant sense of privacy.

Jed's apartment is in the penthouse, deep in the heart of Hollywood. I've been told that most people start out in Hollywood when they arrive in L.A., but, end up in Los Feliz or Larchmont, west of the City of Angels. Leiber has more of a Peter Pan quality about him. His never grow old spirit, I surmise, must keep him anchored to the creative terra firma of Sunset Boulevard.

Geoff Byrd: Jed, I met you through John Oates a couple years ago in Aspen. I was really impressed with your talent on the keys. You also are a great collaborator as a songwriter. Since then, I’ve had a chance to see the momentum you have built in the L.A. music scene. It's been very impressive. I know your general modus operandi is the opposite of self-aggrandizing. In fact, it’s so far the other way. I'm surprised that there are a lot of people who don't know about some of your past accomplishments and current projects. I’d like to help change that if you don’t mind. So tell me, who have you worked with? What projects have you worked on over the past few years?

Jed Leiber: Trying to think of who you would consider “of note.“ [Laughs] I recently worked with a new artist named Jason Rowe. He’s Beatle-y and very talented. We wrote a song together called “Dreaming” for the new Hilfiger/Estee-Lauder scent. I haven’t smelled the perfume yet, so I hope they work well together! I think it will. I have a good feeling about it. There is an international campaign that has been put together for it.

I co-wrote a song with Cyndi Lauper, which is titled “Above the Clouds.” It's on her latest record, The Body Acoustic. I like the way that turned out and I love the way she sang it. She has a unique sensitivity that is great. Then, of course, there’s the stuff you and I did with John Oates, which I love by the way. Oates has that rare combination of being one of the nicest guys in the business, as well as being one of the most talented. He’s also hard to follow through the trees on a powder day! [Rumor is Oates is a very good skier.]

Geoff: I agree. Speaking of guitar players, I heard you have worked with Jeff Beck quite a bit. He’s one of my favorite guitar players of all time. My first introduction to Jeff was on Stevie Wonder’s record, Talking Book.

Jed: Yeah, I’m proud of a track that may never see the light of day. But, I hope it does. It’s something we wrote together called “Hurricane.” It’s one of those songs I’ll play for a music buddy who I think might “get it.” Case in point! [Jed plays the song.]

Geoff: Wow! I wasn’t expecting an instrumental track to have so much passion. It's not predictable at all and had a worldly flavor that was both melancholy and sweeping. It was very modern and it sounds like it has to be paired with a stunning visual like the sweeping Middle Eastern desert. I can see it as the critical moment of a George Clooney movie. Epic.

Jed: Thanks. I want to see it that way too. I think it is very cinematic. You know, we did a record together called Frankie’s House many years ago. Epic [record label] liked the cues we did as we were scoring something together. So, they released it as an album. That was great. But, it was frustrating because they didn’t give Jeff and me a chance to expound upon the musical themes we'd started.

Geoff: Wait a minute. That’s weird, because I seem to remember you winning a British version of an Academy Award along with two Grammy nominations here in America with that record. Is that the same album you’re talking about? So, you might not have been able to hand pick the flowers. But, I think people thought the bouquet smelled good enough, so to speak.

Jed: Well, thank you! That was a huge honor. Jeff wasn’t planning on going to London for the awards show because he liked what we did. But, he didn’t think it stood a chance of winning. But, I was like, "What are you crazy?", "I'm going!" So, Jeff said, "If you’re gonna’ go, I’m going." So, we arrived and we were pretty much the only rock 'n' rollers in a sea of penguins. Early in the show, here comes our event and, sure enough, they called our names! Jeff looked at me in disbelief as we won. It was already a huge honor to work with him and then it all culminated in that great moment.

Geoff: How do you rate him as a guitarist?

Jed: I consider him the best in the world and I know some pretty amazing guitar players that would agree with me on that. It’s unusual for someone to keep getting better over such a period of time. The arc of his career has never peaked, even now. He re-invents himself again and again. He is to guitar playing what Jackson Pollock was to abstract expressionism. He's one of a kind, always an innovator.

Geoff: That’s a good analogy. His sense of melody isn't limited to just blues riffs and pentatonic scale. It’s very angular and the notes are well chosen, even if they aren't always flashy. It really grows on you in a beautiful way.

Jed: I agree. Sometimes you see the paint stroke up close and it seems cool. But, then you step back and look at the whole canvas and whoa, genius! Jeff is like that.

Geoff: No doubt. Speaking of great guitar players, I hear you worked with Slash recently?

Jed: That was cool. We co-wrote the Guitar Hero 3 intro. I produced Slash and played the rhythm section instruments. If the sales of the video game are any marker, I’d say we did our job well. What was unexpected was having the opportunity to work to picture. They gave us the whole opening sequence and we created the song to it. It was really fun. It seems like TV, movies and video game placements are the way to go these days.

Geoff:I think it’s the new way that artists are launching their careers, in addition to American Idol and reality talent shows. There is a new model.

Jed: You know, I just love working with great writers and great musicians on great material. To me, that’s what it’s all about.

Geoff: So, if you don’t mind, I’ll ask you about another musician who you're working with from time to time; Julian Lennon. You really do get rock 'n' roll royalty down in your studio. How was that experience?

Jed: Well, we both have talented, well-known fathers in the same field that, for better or worse, we have had to live up to. We understand each other on sort of a life experience level. Julian is great! He has this way of finding that haunting Beatles' melody, that Lennon magic. It's there on tape, plain as day. You should hear the new thing we’re working on. It's spooky that way.

Geoff: Who was the first person to come down after the official opening of your studio, NightBird?

Jed: Seal. It was an honor having him down. He is such a nice guy and so unbelievably talented. I sat him down and played “Crazy” in 5.1 and he and his producer, Stuart Price [Madonna] loved the sound of the new room. That was a big compliment. He was sitting waiting for Stuart and I asked him, "So, what do you think of your new record?" And he said, "Jed, you tell me!" Then he proceeded to play the whole album, song by song, on acoustic guitar.

Geoff: Oh my God, did you record it? I’m being greedy; I would really like to share that moment with you.

Jed: Well, that's what it was; a great once in a lifetime moment. I will not forget it even though, unfortunately, we didn’t role tape. But it was just amazing. I told Seal that he has to do a record like that, just him and his guitar. I think he said he was already working on that idea. He's amazing in that format!

Geoff:You've re-opened the studio as NightBird. I like the name by the way. What do you see as the direction with this thing? What do you see happening down here?

Jed: I’ve been lucky enough to have some of the best talent down here. I like that, of course. But, more than that, I want to export our signature sound. I always build rooms based on what kind of environment or room I would like to hang out in for long hours. I want to like the vibe enough to lock myself down here and come up for air when a record is done.

As far as gear goes, the front end is vintage and the back end is top of the line digital with HD screens everywhere. You can score movies and write to picture. Clients can play video games or watch movies. There's an A and a B suite and both have top of the line mastering quality sound. The lighting is moody and the leather couches are great for writing sessions in between recording. This is a room that is very conducive to collaborations. Legendary acoustician, George Augspurger, designed the rooms. Then there's Swiss designer, Peter Maurer, who added some really modern elements. He gave some reason to my mad ideas. It’s very modern, but also very cozy. The team really made this room sound amazing.

Geoff: I heard you have an endorsement with Alvarez on the acoustic tip and Gibson on your electric guitars.

Jed: Yeah, Ted Kornbloom [President, Alvarez Guitars] is a great friend of the studio. This guy is one of the best in the business. I have to thank him for providing us with all kinds of gear, including a custom Ampeg bass amp and several acoustic guitars. I thought he’d give us one or two to play with, instead, he sent like 20 guitars down! We are also doing a deal with Gibson and they are sending over some great vintage electric guitars. I know we’re getting a '59 Les Paul, [Jed rubs his hands together greedily.] along with some others. It’s always fun to get good new gear!

Geoff: I know your dad is a Hollywood legend and your brother is a really talented guy in the music business. In fact, I had a chance to work with the Leiber brothers, as you know, so I know you work with your brother on occasion. Have you had a chance to work with your Dad writing a song or two?

Jed:Yeah, my father and I wrote a song with Burt Bacharach for Aretha Franklin, my favorite female vocalist of all time. It ended up on her record. No one will believe I co-wrote the lyric because my father was on the song and, of course, with Burt as a collaborator, no one will believe I had anything to do with the music either! [Jed has an ease with himself, never coming off pretentious, no matter how many rock stars he has worked with. He inserts self-deprecating humor often and it is charming.] The song is on Aretha’s new record and is titled “Falling out of Love.” And,of course, my brother Oliver is really talented. He was Rod Stewart's guitar player for a few years. He's a great producer and songwriter. He did a lot of Paula Abdul’s early stuff, as a writer and producer.

Geoff: Sounds like there's a rich history there and I think it’s cool you collaborate within the family. It also sounds like the results have been good. I got to sing a demo of a new song the two of you wrote and really liked it.

Jed: Thank you! You were really good on that track, Geoff. I have to say you're a really talented songwriter and singer, a rare combination. I look forward to working with you on your new record.

Geoff: Bring it on Jed! I’m in.

Jed: Consider it brought.

Geoff: What other new projects are you working on?

Jed: I recently worked with a young artist, an American Idol girl, named Ryan Star. I wrote some songs with Billy Morrison [Camp Freddy, The Cult, Circus Diablo]. We did a rock thing that turned out really well for her. The album is called Curtain Call and it’s available exclusively at Wal-Mart. Billy and I also did a song with John Clayden called “Evergreen.” It will be in a new movie that Billy has a role in as an actor.

Geoff: There’s a lot of love in certain circles in L.A. and it’s nice to see. Man, this interview is like the mutual admiration society, mate! It's a breath of fresh air. So many people talk about the demise of the record industry. But, the fraternity of musicians is surprisingly small and can be quite polite too. That may come as a shock to most rock 'n' roll aficionados. Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of pitfalls out there. We've both experienced a few, but I think it’s great that you are forward thinking and contemporary in your musical taste, but old school in the way that great songs are timeless. Great musicians are what this whole thing is built on. It seems to be all about who you choose to hang out with and do business with. Do you think that's the key?

Jed: It is very important, extremely important. The music circles are much smaller than people think. It’s true. It’s like a family. My favorite part of what is going on in music today is that anyone has the chance to be heard via the Internet. It was controlled for so long by too few. I love the direct access that the Internet has facilitated. It’s not like I’m saying anything new here. But, I love the freedom. Finally, good music is getting heard with immediacy. This is a good thing, Byrdman. Generally speaking though, when anyone ever asks me about the music business, I say, " I love the music, I hate the business."

Geoff: I hear you. You're known for being a pretty good businessman. It's obvious that you're a pragmatist.

Jed: Touche'.

Geoff: Okay, so what are your immediate plans?

Jed: I’m going to Nashville to record John Oates’ new solo record. There are going to be some great musicians on that. I think you just wrote an article on that if I remember right. I co-wrote two songs on the record, including the title track, “Thousand Miles of Life.” And I’m just finishing a musical with the legendary Hall of Fame songwriter, Jeff Barry, who has too many hits to list, and original screenwriter Dale Launer [My Cousin Vinny, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Love Potion #9]. So things have been busy. But, in a good way.

Geoff: Jed, you have a lot on your platter and I know you pull late nights and long days. I wish you success on all of your projects and collaborations. It was a pleasure talking to you and thanks for your hospitality, mate!

Jed: Thank you. It was my pleasure, Byrdman. Cheers.

About Geoff Byrd
Geoff Byrd is a Los Angeles based singer, songwriter, producer and on the 2004 Grammy ballot for Best New Artist, Best Arrangement, Best Pop Song and Best Pop Male Vocalist. With 200 song placements on TV, including Todd World, Cheerleader Nation and Real World, Byrd's getting name recognition as a go to singer-songwriter. He and Jim Brickman co-wrote the #2 Adult Contemporary Radio hit “When It Snows” with Geoff singing lead. Geoff has shared stages with Hall and Oates, Seal, Jem, John Waite, Michael Penn, The Superficials, Jurassic 5, The Calling and a string of others.

Related Links
NightBird Studios at the Sunset Marquis
Geoff Byrd

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