Gaga Daily Interviews Rob Fusari (aka 8-Bit of Cary Nokey)

[ChicaSkas 21,022]

GagaDaily Interviews Rob Fusari
 
by Katharine Styles-Burroughs for www.gagadaily.com

Hello All!

Through an unplanned chain reaction of fateful events, I happened to connect with a New York-based publicist last month which led to a unique chance to interview Rob Fusari,  who co-wrote several songs on one of the most pivotal albums of our generation: The Fame.

Although there are differing opinions over the contributions of Rob Fusari in the entire Lady Gaga story, I chose to conduct this interview for GagaDaily in a way respectful to Gaga, to Mr. Fusari, to Little Monsters, and to everyone mentioned.

No aspect of this interview is intended to offend anyone; and in that same spirit, we don't want any parties mentioned in the interview to be bashed or flamebaited here, either.

I hope you will find this interview to be interesting, informative, educational, and positive.  As Gaga herself has so often said, we as a fanbase should #Stop The Drama, and #Start The Music.

After all, isn't the MUSIC why we all are here today?

Respectfully,
ChicaSkas
(KSB)
 
 
------------------------------------- CURRENT  BACKGROUND ---------------------------------------------

Rob Fusari is branching out on his own path as lead singer of his new electro-retro 80's dubstep band, "Cary Nokey". Recently, at the end of May, an article on GagaFrontRow.net led me to write up a thread here covering Cary Nokey's performances of never-before-heard Gaga tracks at the Stray Kat Gallery.
 
Writing that thread, eventually, spontaneously, led to this interview. Mr. Fusari, who now prefers to be called "8-Bit", has temporarily abandoned producing for other artists. Instead, he has been steadily working at his band over the past year and a half, and has released a new single, called "Be Who U R", which just debuted at #48 on the Billboard Dance charts. He has also been touring relentlessly across the East Coast, gaining a small but dedicated group of admirers and fans of his new works, and of course, inevitable fans of his past works. Fusari has worked with and produced Whitney Houston, Britney Spears, Destiny's Child, Will Smith, The Jonas Brothers, Gavin DeGraw, 3LW, and many others.

8-Bit opens up to me here about the early days with Gaga, his new band, the new single, and talks shop about his and her musical influences.  He also offers a startling appeal to all Gaga fans, discusses his favorite tracks on ARTPOP, offers advice to up-and-coming producers, and drops a new Fusari-Gaga song title for us all to curiously imagine.

Join me now, and let's embark on the first of a hopefully upcoming series of "Where Are They Now"  interviews for GagaDaily.
 
 
_____________________________________________________________________________
 

Good morning, 8-Bit!
Congrats on Number 48 on Billboard Dance.
 
Thanks! It's a start, it's a start.
 
I was listening to your new single, "Be Who U R" as I was finalizing the questions to be in this interview. What was the inspiration behind writing [it], what made you decide to make this one the lead single?
 
It's funny because, a lot of the previous songs I had written for Cary Nokey, they were, they had these layers of depth and some level of pain and anguish, and they were just very harsh, a little more on the serious side. Songs like 'Now or Never', 'Pave The Streets of Gold', they were a little heavier. I just felt the need, at that time when I wrote it, and recorded it, to do something just a little bit more positive, a little more layered, and inspirational, if you will, make it cool.
 
Kinda like more upbeat?
 
Yes, a little happier, for lack of a better description, and when I had recorded it, I wasn't used to doing a lot of records like that, I kinda put it to the side. I recorded it, and I listened back to it a couple times after I had finished it, and I was definitely digging it. But it was something I just wasn't used to, I kinda put it to the side for about a month or so. And it just came up again, I saw it on one of the hard drives, and I was like, "Oh, lemme listen to this again." So when I listened, it just struck me differently, because it started to take on this whole different autobiographical meaning to it. I hadn't even realized what I had done when I had done it. It was almost like it turned inside out for me. And I listened to it in a whole different light, and then I started sharing it with people. And people really were gravitating towards it, they were really responding to it. So it really was, this lyric and this idea that kind of spilled out, it had to come out somehow, it found its way through some of the darker tunes. It's become like, it's almost like -- my book. It's all of our stories, in some way, but it really tells the story of the transformation of myself, Rob, into 8-Bit. This whole Cary Nokey [story], finding myself through all the pain and heartache, all the joy and the whole journey of the last fifteen to twenty years, being a record producer.
 
What was it about DJ ValNtino that led you to make him a partner in the band, what was it that made him stand out to you?
 
Well, it was interesting because I had started the group with another member who was singing with me, and it was taking on more of this kind of 2014 Hall and Oates vibe, he had left early on, he had moved to Florida, so I had taken it solo for the most part. Its funny how patterns repeat, because when I had started working with Gaga, we had first ventured into this certain Beatle-esque, John Lennon direction, very songwriter, very piano. When the other member of Cary Nokey left, I went into my natural comfort zone. I went to this very John Lennon, Beatles, late Beatles vibe. And I started writing songs, recording these very Beatles-esque songs, doing shows with that run-through. I had known ValNtino for years, but I didn't know he was actually coming to all the shows. He was faithfully watching it as a spectator, as a fan. And then one night, I'd gotten together with him and he just started throwing out a list of shows, we were talking about the shows, and what he saw, what his take on it was, and stuff he liked. He had this very EDM, very dance world, you know, he's a DJ, he's brilliant in that world. So he started pulling me into that world, because I had started to move a little bit away from that. But he was so into it. It started to be a message between two worlds. We always said, it was like Beatles meets Dance. The EDM world. It's a collide of worlds -- I really think that's what Cary Nokey is. It's really: worlds collide. I think that's how it is with myself and DJ ValNTino. I'm all about bringing people into the fold that have this [kind of] spirit, and they are in the right place. And you can tell, just by meeting them once, 'Okay, this person is good. He's got a good heart.' And I'm all about people like that, and keeping the Cary Nokey family very much in that spirit.  So he's got that, and it just made sense.
 
You guys fill a really interesting niche there, you are pulling from the past, at the same time you've got material from the future, like Dubstep chord progressions, all these different things, it's like the best of both worlds, a very interesting meld, just from exploring your catalog as I've done so far.
 
Right. There really are so many elements, so many mixes and styles. The Cary Nokey name, it is like a karaoke bar, it doesn't fall into one genre. You can sing whatever you want to sing. I write in so many different styles, it was like, why not? It makes sense. Obviously, Cary Nokey, the name, sounds androgynous. It's also 'carry no key', like, no doors, just walk freely. One blog, I forgot which blog it was, had said: "It's almost like Kurt Cobain was the DJ." Cary Nokey has this very rock vibe to it, too, sometimes it's aggressive, it's rock and roll. It's really also about mixing up different styles and genres.
 
I think that was IndieShuffle.com.
 
Yes! I think you are right. Yes.
 
When I was listening to 'Be Who U R', a kind of a natural question arose...I saw that you are encouraging the listener to be themselves, in a knowing way. I see you speaking as someone who's seen the truth to these words, and you are now living it yourself. My question is about when you were writing this song: Did the 'elephant in the room' of a similar song, ever rear it's head, that song being Gaga's 'Born This Way'? Or did 'Be Who U R' come completely clear of that influence? I do see the songs as a great compliment to one another. I was curious if there was any cross influence there.
 
You know what, there really wasn't. And it's funny, I think someone mentioned it later on. I didn't even think of it. There are so many inspirational songs that have a similar message. I really didn't think of it. It wasn't intentional at all. Again, 'Be Who U R' was something that I really hadn't planned on using, it was more for myself, my inner search, almost like a diary entry, a journal. I wasn't intending to do a single, I just wanted to do something a little happier, a little more positive. The other music that I was recording was definitely a little darker, and more layered, mysterious, if you will, for lack of a better description! It really didn't.  It's like, sure, I understand the message being a similar message. It's almost like we have to be reminded of it, like anything else. You know, let's say you live by the ocean, and you look out at the ocean every day. At some point, you are going to almost not see the ocean. And sometimes, somebody has to remind you, and say, "Look. You have to open your eyes again." And I think it's just that. I think it's a message we all have to be reminded of. So I don't think you could ever have too many of those songs. It all comes out to what the listener is ready for.
 
A good way of thinking of it. You could get desensitized, to the 'ocean' [so to speak].
 
Oh yes.

And you know what? I think about songs like, [written] in a similar fashion. And sometimes they will play, and then at that time in my life, I'm not there. It almost goes right by me. There might be a song that catches me at that right time, [that makes you go] "Wow, I never really listened to this music before." And it caught you just at the right time in your life. When you need something out of it. There's a line, or there's a way that the singer inflected the lyrics, or there's a cry, or there's something in there that just twists things around for you.

So I think it's more of that sentiment, as opposed to, "Oh, let me try to do a Born This Way," or something in that regard. It was never really a thought. And you know what, I'll take the comparison... If someone wants to say this is like a second Born This Way! (laughs) I'll take it!
 
Someday those two songs should be remixed. I think those would go well together.
 
(Laughs spontaneously) Ahhha! That's a GREAT idea! Oh my god, that's a great IDEA!
 
No, I'm serious... I love remixes, it would be the kinda thing I'd like to see whipped up in FL studio or something....
 
Wow, that's amazing! Oh my god. That's brilliant. That's a brilliant idea!
 
Thanks...! I'd like to translate the kind of vibe you and I have in this interview to the site when I post it. I don't want to see you or Gaga bashed in any way on there. I think people have a lot of misconceptions about you... Maybe an interview like this can help set things straight.
 
That's huge. I really appreciate that, because no one's really been interested in doing that thus far. Everyone gets caught up in the drama, the salacious, the negative. People make mistakes, and things go awry... all the time. But people can come together, that's why there are words like forgiveness and making up...like kissing and making up. Why not? That's what that's about.
 
It *is* important to make peace in life, in general.
 
That's all I want. Whether she loves me, or hates me, it doesn't matter. I'm still gonna love her. And let me say this: I'm no different from you [all], in that I love Lady Gaga, too. I love her music, I love her whole project. We aren't all that different.
 
We have to think about the bigger things, like integrity, and the music.
 
Totally. And how about just the great works we did together, her and I? Who could beat that? Let's celebrate that work. It changed a lot of lives.
 
You are right. We need to celebrate the positive. Paparazzi, for example, was huge. Huge in late '08, early '09...
 
Absolutely. And you know what? She gave a lot of hope to a lot of people. She changed a  lot of people's lives, just through her personality, through her music, through her character, through her words and wisdom. So it's all good... just let it be, and acknowledge it. Everything was just a great thing.
 
Is it okay to ask for the interview, if you guys are still in touch, if you are still friends?
 
We're not... We are not.... I don't really know why we aren't... but we aren't. I would never say anything to badmouth her. I only have positive things to say. And you know how it is, this business is just so crazy. There's just so much that happened, and it was all so quick, and.... look -- Did I make some mistakes? ABSOLUTELY. But I'm human. If I say to you, "I'm sorry, forgive me...?", and... I have so many people in my life that have messed up, so to speak. But if they come to me and say, "Rob, [i messed up], I'm sorry." I would be like, "You know what? Get in here. Give me a hug." We're human. And that's what friends are. You can mess up. You could f*cking screw up. And I'm gonna be like, "Okay, so maybe let's work on it, and in time just call me, just talk to me." It's communication. We're not in contact... but... who knows.
 
Music fans could possibly say that there wouldn't be the same Gaga we know and love today without you, so I can't help but wish things go well for you both.
 
Still on the subject of Gaga... I was noticing, when I first wrote an article on the Stray Kat gig, it mentioned you would be performing some previously unreleased songs you'd worked with Stefani on. And of course, as you can imagine, that got people really excited and slavering to hear more about that. Which ones did you end up performing at the gig?
 
I performed "Let Love Down", I performed "Broken Drum Machine", and I did "Wonderful".
 
Wow. I don't think I've ever heard of 'Broken Drum Machine' before.
 
Yeah, I don't think anyone has. That was a special treat! (laughs)
 
I remember at one time, I want to say, like a year or two ago, there was a rumor going around, that you and Stefani had worked on somewhere between 30 to 35 tracks. That sounds like a really prolific time for you guys. What were they intended for?
 
We started off very much in this Beatles-esque, Led Zeppelin, 'rock and roll girl' direction, and we probably recorded a dozen or so songs in that vein. And then when we switched gears, those 12-15 songs kinda got pushed aside, because they just didn't fit the new direction. The new direction started with "Beautiful, Dirty, Rich". When we had first recorded that, it was almost like everything else didn't fit. It was almost like we started over when we hit "Beautiful, Dirty, Rich" and we started writing a whole new record, a whole new direction.  We knew at that point we had found something. Prior till, we weren't getting great feedback on the earlier stuff, obviously, women in rock is always an uphill battle. She wanted to fight it, and I was willing to fight it with her, but I figured, let's have a little fun, and change up for a couple of weeks to see what happens. And that's when we did "Dirty Rich". So basically, all the songs, 15 or so songs, got pushed aside, and we started -- you have to understand, we were working every day. And when I say every day, I mean Saturday and Sunday, too. So we were doing a song a day, sometimes. It was really a very prolific time. I don't remember seeing a time like that, now on Cary Nokey, yes, there's some of that. But I haven't seen it since. It was just unbelievable. She would come in, with an idea, and we would start playing around with the idea, we would finish writing the song, and then she would go home, and I would start working on the production, she would come back the next morning and do the vocal, and then we'd start another one.
 
Wow. And how was she getting there each day, was she driving from New York, was she walking, taking the subway, how was she getting to your place?
 
She took a bus that came very close to where the studio was in Parsippany, New Jersey at that time. It was the Lakeland bus. It literally dropped her off right at the corner light, so it was like a 5 minute walk, and some days I would pick her up there, I would drive her, it was kind of like a highway. If it was a late night session, I'd drive her back, sometimes I'd drive her back to the city. But mostly, [she'd come] on that Lakeland bus. It was like an hour ride from the city. But she religiously took it. She never complained about it. Like clockwork.
 
So she was driven, even then.
 
Oh god. (Laughs) That's an understatement! Absolutely. I loved it. I loved it!
 
 
I can imagine! I remember hearing a quote about her, talking about how music stars are in lanes on a highway, and 'Gaga's got her own damn lane.'
 
Yes. This was true. This is true!
 
Of those 30-odd tracks, was there any particular unreleased title that you felt was the very best of all or that stood out to you, as like, "Ah, this could have been really good!"?
 
Oh, that's a good question! Um.... (thinks) That's a really good question. Yeah, I would say ... I was huge fan of this song we'd written, it did leak out there somehow, I don't know how these songs leak out there! But it was the song called "Oh Well." I don't know if you'd ever heard that.
 
'Oh Well'? Yes, I have heard that one.
 
I think 'Oh Well' sounds like it was penned by, just a classic, it sounds like it came out of the hand and mind of John Lennon. Almost Sargent Pepper-era. When I hear things like that, they sound classic to me. Every time I listen to that song, I just am floored by her song writing.
 
It's a gorgeous song.
 
It really is. I don't think it ever got the right treatment. We basically demo'd it, a rough kind of idea, just to put it down, and then I don't think we ever went back to it, to really produce it and touch it up. The demo was literally just like in one day, a couple hours on it. We never really refined it or did anything to it, but I go back to it, and I'm like, "Whoa. This song is... whoa." And you really feel the heart, you really feel her heart in it. There's something, there's something painful, there's something hopeful, there's a lot of emotion in her lyric, in the way she's singing that song, for me.
 
For those of you who have not heard the song "Oh Well", have a listen to see what he's talking about:
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
I remember that song. Unfortunately, it was hackers who released that one.
 
Yep. It was.
 
Burim, or ILeaks, if I recall correctly.... So keep your harddrives, like, NOT connected to the internet, ok? (laughs)
 
Aw, yeah, tell me about it! (laughs) At that time, I gotta tell you, I was getting the WEIRDEST things happening to me. People breaking into my email, people emailing me as if they were my brother, it was just the weirdest time.
 
Sadly, it's like a by-product of the digital age, with her being so famous in it, the black market demand for that kind of material was insane at that time. In some ways, it still is now. So if you can unplug, and do everything old fashioned, you'll be a lot safer! (laughs)
 
Oh yeah. Oh yeah! I don't keep any of that illegal unreleased stuff near me. I don't even wanna see it...
 
I do remember Reel Cool. Thank you for that, if that was you.
 
Sure! That one was me. That was one of the first songs we did, too.
 
That one has such a great groove to it.
 
Aw, I love it.
 
Did you ever work on Musicland?

I did. I did Musicland with her. She re-did something with it, with somebody else, re-did something with it. But that was her. That was her song, that was her song we did together.
 
Do you think there is any chance, someday, that these unreleased tracks can see the light of day?
 
I don't know... I mean, it's a good question.... (thinks) It's a shame that they possibly won't... I think that, it has to come from her. It has to come from her control, so to speak, her hand. And  if it ever did, I'd be fine, completely fine with it. But it would never come from me. I just wouldn't do that. I wouldn't disrespect the relationship that way. It's a shame, but what are you gonna do? It is what it is.
 
I'm sure you get hounded constantly for that kind of material. By having your answer here, saying that it's up to her, hopefully a lot of that will go away.
 
Yes. That's the truth, that's the bottom line. It's up to her. Maybe she's moving to a different direction now, and maybe she's a different artist [now], and I understand that too. That's what artists go through. They change direction, sometimes there are things you don't want [out there.] I might be a little squeamish if some of the older Cary Nokey stuff, got out at this juncture. You are refining yourself. And your art.
 
Yeah, that's true. You are evolving. I remember she said something like that once, in a magazine... Of course, as a fan, it was shocking to read. But it was something to the effect of, "I got tired of smelling my own sh*t." And I remember thinking, 'how could you say that about your own work?!'
 
You're right. Because it is true. I mean, I still think it's great work. But the artist themselves, they sometimes think differently.
 
I can imagine it's much more personal to her, and it means different things to her than it would to the fan, who has no touch-base to say, "Oh ok, this means that."
 
Totally.
 
Incidentally, I noticed that Cary Nokey's "Burn The House Down" is no longer on iTunes, is that because of a similar reason on your part?

Good segue! Good segue! (laughs) Here is a situation where, Cary Nokey started with myself and another singer, a guy by the name of Jameel Grant, another very talented songwriter, and shortly into the project, we were going to book a lot of shows, and he had to bow out,f or personal reasons. Well, that was him and myself on the vocal in that track. And I wrote that with him. And again, after he left, it shifted gears. It went to me, center stage, whereas before it was me, kind of, off, not to the back, but sidestage, stage left, doing some vocals, doing mostly keys, doing the DJ-ing part.

When he left, it didn't make sense for me to perform or really embrace 'Burn The House' any more. I wasn't going to do it live, I wasn't going to support it, so we figured, for right now, kinda let it be, like we had with some of those early Gaga tracks, we put it aside. We evolved. Cary Nokey evolved.

You don't wanna confuse people either. Like, "What is this? Why is this the direction now [away] from this direction?" You have to be pretty clear about your direction, as a new artist.

I tried to re-record it with just me on the vocals, it didn't have the same impact, so I just decided, let's pull it down, while we clarify what the direction is. That's why that was done. But I think we left the video up. The video might still be up on YouTube.
 
I think I did see the video. Some videos you had from the earlier days were either removed or deleted off of Vimeo, and I was all, "Aww, bummer!"
 
Right! And those were those videos, the ones with [Jameel], and interviews and stuff like that. That's why. I still talk to him, he's a great guy. We still stay in touch.
 
We have so much to be grateful to you for, as Gaga fans. As a fanbase, we do. And if the kids stop and think about it, they know that. You worked on Paparazzi, Beautiful Dirty Rich, Brown Eyes, Blueberry Kisses, the list goes on... Your work with Gaga is never going to be forgotten by the world.
 
Aww my gosh. That's huge for you to say that. Thank you so much. And I want to say that, I have a lot to be thankful for, as well. To have been able to work with her... she changed my life. Just like the fans... she changed my life in a number of ways. I have a lot to be grateful for. Being a part of it, and being able to be creative with her.
 
It seems like it was a magical time.
 
Oh yeah. It was.
 
Was there a particular track on The Fame you are most proud of?
 
Absolutely. Brown Eyes. Hands down for me. It's hard to get through that one, without tearing up. There's a lot of layers for me in that song. I can't listen to it too much! (laughs) Because I get teared up a little bit....
 
Awww...! (laughs) The next question would have to be who is that about, but I won't ask that if it's gonna make you cry...
 
(Laughs) Yeah......! Hahaha!
 
Not gonna ask that one.
 
Thank you for that.
 
Did you buy ARTPOP?
 
Of course I did!
 
She took a turn, I think, producing on her own with Venus. What did you think of that? Was there any particular song on ARTPOP that stood out to you?
 
I didn't know that she did. Did she produce that by herself, the Venus track?
 
I believe Venus was. I remember reading about it at the time.
 
Wow, that's amazing. For me, it was one of my favorites. Of course I love Applause, it feels like essential Gaga. I gotta say, I like the one with R. Kelly! I'm a sucker for an R & B groove, and I just love it. Dope was another one. And Gypsy was another favorite of mine. I was a fan of the album, I thought it was really good work. I would have recorded any of those songs! Like, "give me one of those songs, I'll record it!" (laughs)
 
Yeah, Volume 2, man! (I start laughing)
 
(cracks up)(laughs)I love it! I thought it was great to work with her. And I'm always astonished, she always comes up with something magical.
 
Yes, she does. I've often said, I feel like she's this generation's Michael Jackson.
 
Oh hell yeah. I know what you mean. When she walked in the room, when we first met, it was like meeting David Bowie. For the first time. Before Bowie was Bowie. That's what it felt like for me.
 
So she had that much charisma when she walked in the room?
 
Yeah. I'll tell you what she had -- it was more when she sat at the piano, was when it hit me over the head. When she came in, and I had met her, I was looking to do this Strokes kind of thing, I was looking for a chick, a girl, and she'd really fit that. And I was like, let's give it a shot. But then she sat down at the piano. I was like... "WHOA...... Whoa...waittaminute... stop the presses... " That's when it really hit me over the head.
 
Wow. So she had it... Let me ask you, how did you find out about her? I read somewhere that you had some talent scouts who attended the NYU performance of Captivated and Electric Kiss and it was there at that point that they referred her to you. Was that how it went down, or did it happen a different way?
 
No, it was a different way. What happened was, I was looking for this particular Strokes type of girl. Somebody who could fit this direction that I had already started writing and recording music for,  writing the songs, doing the tracks. I had a certain image in my head, in my mind of a particular [girl]. A just-rolled-out-of-bed, but somewhat model-esque girl. So basically I'd met a few girls [by then]. I had met a girl by the name of Wendy Starland, who came to me for that reason, she thought, or I thought, maybe that she could be that Strokes girl. So Wendy came to me, and she wasn't that girl. When I had met with Wendy, we had written a couple songs, but there really wasn't a creative marriage there. So, in my kind of way of saying, 'let's stay in touch', to Wendy, I said, "Look, I'm gonna be doing this project for the Strokes girl, when I find her, I'll give you a buzz, and maybe she could come in, and we'd take it from that. Right now I'm just kinda busy, so lets stay in touch. " So we stayed in touch, and she called me one night, because she had seen Gaga perform, while she was still Stefani. And she said, "You know that Strokes girl you were talking about? I just saw this girl you should check out." That was how I had got into contact with Stefani.
 
I saw her for the first time at my studio. What happened was, I talked to her that night, the same night, on the phone, and as I was talking to her, she told me what she had. She had a PureVolume page, so I was checking out the music a little bit, you know, seeing what she was doing. It kinda piqued my curiosity a little bit, just to meet her, and so I invited her to the studio the next week, for that Monday. And it was her birthday. And she came up to the studio in Jersey on her birthday, about 8 o'clock, and that was the first time I had seen her, in person.
 
 
Wow, what great memories you have.
 
Aw, they are good. They are really, really magnificent. Totally incredible stuff.
 
Just for yourself, not saying you should do this for the public, but just for your own personal family history, you should write down a diary or a journal or a little book for yourself. All those memories are priceless. Just imagining those crisp mornings and wonderful music...
 
You're right. Totally. I totally agree. Oh my god, totally. It's funny, I document everything now with cameras, I wish I was doing it back then! I wasn't doing it back then. That would have been amazing, to  [put] all that stuff on video. Now I videotape everything, I have someone who follows the process, the journey. I wish I had done that with her, that would have been incredible to have.
 

You know what that reminds me of? I don't know if you heard, but Beyonce has a team of videographers that film her nearly 24 hours a day, and she calls it her 'crazy archive'. She wants to have it, in case something momentus in her life happens, she's got it captured on film. And in some ways, it is crazy, but in our 24-7 society, it's actually a very interesting way of recording history.
 
 
Really? (Laughs)
Totally! I get it. It makes sense.
 
I know you were mentioning, with Cary Nokey, you weren't thinking of doing a physical album because it would make it too real, and take away the ethereal quality.
 
Well you know, it's funny how things change so rapidly in this business. You know, we had a meeting yesterday, and I may be actually be being veto'd in the realm of, you know, are we going to release that full length record. It looks like we actually may do it now.
 
Oh really?
 
Yeah! (laughs) I mean I got voted against on it! Hahaha!
 
Oh no... (I start laughing) So you aren't even the boss of your own meeting... !(laughs)
 
(Laughs) You know what, I am. I run a very open forum, to bring up things that matter, and sometimes, I can get caught up in the artistic part of it, so I gotta listen sometimes to the business mind. It's more than likely, now it's looking like, in the realm of September there's gonna be a full length.
 
I think I found a favorite of my own in your catalog. I think it's an unrecognized hit. "My Name Is Lisa" is an amazing song.
 
Oh my god! (laughs)
 
I love that song. Very catchy.
 
You just hit on one of my favorites. I think it's in my Top 3. I gotta tell you, for some reason, I don't know what it is, "My Name Is Lisa" is connecting with people. It's so funny, because you start to ask yourself, what the hell is this about. And I don't know if you found this on any of my previous interviews, but this song is about me as a young adult, sitting in my room, looking for that alter-ego, trying to find that imaginary friend, if you will. Through that time, as a young adult I would do this, in my room, I would imagine I was these women, these young girls, these runaways, sometimes, these rebels. I always had an infatuation with women in that way. Not so much in a s-xual way, but my inner woman, if you will. And "My Name Is Lisa" is really about that inner woman. And the alter-egos of these people that as a young adult -- I wanted to be.
 
 
You can listen to "My Name Is Lisa" here:
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Fascinating.
 
When we do it live, it's a favorite. I never imagined it. But people who don't even KNOW the song, as soon as I sing the first line, "My name is Lisa...." you feel the change. And you hear people just screaming. Because they get it. I think there's an immediate connection with that song. And then you are saying this now [that you love the song]. It just reinforces that whole thing. That's amazing, that you would say that.
 
 
I just really liked that one. I was trying to discover music by your band, on Indaba, on Google, ect... some of the lesser known gems in your catalog, to study up to do this interview and to see what Cary Nokey is really all about.
 
Were you always a performer growing up or as outgoing as you are now or were you more introverted?
 
I was certainly introverted in every single way except when it came to music.  I had started performing at about nine years old. I was studying classical piano, and the teacher I was with entered me into these nationwide competitions, for classical piano. I started competing, and sure enough, I started taking third place, second place, and I was excelling in that world for a few years, doing these competitions. The pinnacle of it was after the fourth year, I took First place. First Place earned a recital at Carnegie Hall. So I was about 12 or so. To answer your question, I feel like I've been performing my whole life. I say that because, after the piano competitions had stopped, I was able to confer, to transfer what was in me, in the performance,  the energy, the need -- into other artists. The energy went through myself into another artist.

And that was very much in the Gaga [experience]. It was a development. I mean, everything I had to offer, as a performer, I wanted to give to her. Just everything. From the fashion end, to the song writing, to the production.  I got very much involved with her in the production. I wanted to give her ideas.  I wanted her to learn, and start to produce her own records.

[When it comes to] Performing... absolutely. Although later on in life, it got transferred from myself to other performers, if you know what i mean. Very introverted. Yes. My whole life. I was that child who didn't talk much. I kept way more inside. There was a lot going on inside. It was like I was somehow enhancing that. Even to this day, I really enjoy being alone. Because I feel like there's so much inside that I'm still exploring. And it gives me that time and I can lose myself in the ideas and the thoughts and what's going on in me. Sometimes that's a good thing, and sometimes that's not. Because you can get lost, and sometimes you do. When it comes to the music, even performing now, as soon as I step on that stage, it's like... (makes a fistpumping grunt) it's like something... like I don't even know. I can't even explain, it's like something comes over me and everything that's Rob, in that introverted way -- just vanishes. Into thin air.
 
 
You're using that alone time to build yourself. I don't really see that as a negative, I see that as --  you're growing.
 
I agree. And I always say to people -- don't be afraid of that. I'll go to the movies sometimes, alone. You've got to love yourself before you can love, or someone can love you. You've got to be best friends with yourself. And that's how i find myself -- in that alone time.
 
Good answer. The next question is a similar one: When things go wrong, and you are feeling bummed out, what do you find to be your rock, or your strength?
 
It's only one thing -- the music. There's nothing that can pull me out, when I'm down, and it's low, you feel like there's nothing... If I can just get myself to that energy level to get to the piano, and I'll sing, an Elton John song. Or I'll sing a Bee Gees song. It somehow starts to lift the weight and the clouds start to dissipate a little bit.  It's just something about that release -- it's just magical. It's something in my life that I feel has kept me alive. It's not an exaggeration, I'm not sure I would have made it through this life, without the music. It's really been that powerful for me. It's been there since the beginning, I know now it will be there forever. I'm so thankful for that. I wish that for everyone, you know, whatever it is that you find -- you find that thing that when everything else seems to fail, and dissipate -- they can't take that away. That's the thing I have they can't take away from me. The money can go, the friends can go, your youth can go... and it's gonna go! (Laughs) But that will always remain, and remain steady and still.
 
I have a slightly longer question for you now. You mentioned on your site that you believe, and I quote: 'The current musical landscape is suffering from a condition...' and that you 'can treat it', you are 'pro-experience'. As I see it, you are returning to the roots of live performance here, you are combating the dumbed down artificial stuff. Jack White, of The White Stripes, was just interviewed in Rolling Stone Magazine saying much the same thing: 'I was thinking about it, and I think I hit on the answer. People just can't clap anymore. They've got a f*cking texting thing in one hand, and a drink in the other.' He was talking about the audience gradually disconnecting from the experience of being at the show. And my question for you, Rob, is do you think you and Jack might be talking about a similar condition?
 
I think we are talking about the same condition.

Here's the problem I have: I'm not here to talk negative about anybody. First off I'll say this: I saw Jack White perform at Radio City a few months back. And I gotta tell you, as much as I think it's genius, I didn't feel a part of it.
 
 
Really?
 
I felt like I was watching an artist do his set. I don't think that's the age and the times that we are in. I don't think it's that. Some artists are getting it backwards. The whole thing that's gotta change is the "Look at me, check me out. Look what I just did." I think you have to still do that, but you have to do it in such a way that involves the listener and the audience. People wanna know, what's in it for them? And rightfully so. Why should they come to your show? Why should they come to your website? Why should they buy your music? What's in it for them? That's the day and age we're in. And you know what? There's nothing wrong with that. I'm not saying it's the easiest thing to do.

When I went to Jack White's show, as much as I was impressed with his musicianship and his stage presence and the whole vibe, I felt alienated. If that makes sense. I hate to take away anything from what he does. He's one of my idols, for sure. But you know what, at some point, yeah, I know there's five or ten thousand people there, but, I need to know you are looking at me. I need to see your eyes. I need to know you are there. I need to know that the intensity is there. At some point. Even if you don't look at me. [As an artist onstage] you can't go and shake everyone's hand. But there's something that the eyes say. I need to see your eyes.
 
You need to make that connection.
 
I need to feel that connection. I hate to say that, because I love him. And look -- he played several nights at Radio City that go-around, some nights were better than others. As a performer now, I understand! Some nights, you are more 'on it' than others. I do it all the time. But I'm constantly searching for that connection. I'm constantly searching for ways, to come down, off the stage, and say "Now, you and I are equals. Let's do this together." Let me look in your eyes. I can see what you are feeling. I can feel you. If I look in your eyes, and I stop for a second, and get off the stage and say, "You know, I'm not just here to perform. I'm here to make a difference. I'm here to maybe change your life tonight." And maybe I won't. But maybe, I can. And maybe if I changed one person's life that night, then you know -- my job is done.
 
That's a very unique way of looking at it.
 
He didn't change my life that night. Maybe he changed someone else's. But he didn't change mine. That isn't to say he didn't play well. But I felt I was just another someone out there, watching the show.
 
 
So you might say you have somewhat the opposite of that view, you might say, "Get involved, whether you bring a phone or not, whether you bring a drink or not, just feel the vibe, feel the music." Very interesting.
 
 
I was struck by your piano playing skills on 'Have It All'. I immediately thought it had this very Glen Ballard vibe to it. Can you tell me more about that song, because there's a lot of soul in that track.
 
Absolutely. 'Have It All' came at that point in my life where I was just looking in the wrong places for some sense of peace and happiness. I started exploring with d--gs a little bit, running in the wrong circles with the wrong people. Pushing away some of my friends. It's funny, because when you do a project as a producer and a songwriter, and it gets big and so successful, your friends and family sometimes get lost in it. And sometimes you want it to just be about just you. Not about the project just I did. I didn't want to be asked the questions at that time, whatever the hit song was or whatever the artist was I was working with. And sometimes, of course, you wanna talk about it. But you know, not all the time. You wanna be liked and loved and respected for you, as a person.  It was at a time where I was getting myself into the wrong direction. I looked up one day, and said "What the hell am I doing? What more could I ask for? " Someone's been watching over me this whole time. Because none of this makes sense! Of course I understand that I'm talented, and a decent person, I get it. I connect those dots. But, when I woke up this day, I almost couldn't connect the dots of how this all happened.  Here's this guy, from Jersey, coming into the heavy R&B and hip hop world at first, and having this unlikely number one song. The first song that I had published, which was 'No No No' (by Destiny's Child) went to number one! Everything seemed to line up, but too perfectly. I looked at it from afar on that day, and I said, "You know what, I gotta stop. It's all right here. Where am I going? What else could I want? It's already happened." Everything that I wanted, it already had happened. It's also a dangerous place too, sometimes you do have to start over. 'Already Have It All' came at the time where I was like, "I gotta stop. Wake up." It was my wake up call.
 
 
 
So that was your sledgehammer moment? I was reading in [the Huffington Post article] that you didn't need just a wake up call, you needed a sledgehammer. Was that the sledgehammer?
 
 
Yes. It was. It really was. Through that, I started to fight again. I'm fighting for the music. I'm fighting for me. I'm not gonna give up. You know, the Gaga project was SO big, SO massive that I honestly didn't know where to go, as a producer, and a little bit as a person! I was just flabbergasted. It was just MASSIVE, on so many different levels. And, I didn't know if I should try to get another artist to develop, and do it again, or try to do it again, or write songs... it was a very tense time. That was the sledgehammer. It's almost when you cracked the ice, it starts to ripple, to break, to travel, to branch off. I think that was the 'crack the ice' moment. Because as it branched off, it finally [led me] to Cary Nokey. It got to where I had to perform. Like, what am I doing? Why am I looking everywhere for an artist? It's right here. I already had it all!
 
I really like the fact you do homages and little cameos to other artists and tracks. [in your work] I noticed 'Separate Ways' by Journey, and The Gap Band --
 
I'm so happy you noticed. A lot of people missed it, it just went right over their heads! (laughs) That's great you noticed it, though!
 
That was one of the first things I noticed! (I start laughing) Wait a minute... that's Journey, and he's doing an homage to Journey... and he's doing a guitar solo to the Gap Band! Great job.
 
(Laughs) I love it!
 
What bands from the 70's and 80's still speak to you musically today?
 
I gotta tell you, Journey is one of them. I always reference stuff from certain artists. Journey was that escape album, when I was getting in my room as a kid, and just [playing it] over and over, and imagining myself on stage, performing and playing a jam with Journey... It moved me so much as a kid. I just wanted to be in my room. And sometimes my friends would go out, on a Friday or a Saturday night, calling 'Come out...!' I'd say, 'I don't  know....I'm just gonna stay in my room.' I was studying this. Studying these records from Journey. And the Bee-Gees. They were HUGE for me. These records would play over and over.  You are developing your craft through this. It becomes your school. People always [ask] me, 'What's the best thing I need to know to learn to produce?'  I say, 'Just listen.' Get into records. Whatever it is you love.  Listen with loving ears. Don't listen because you have to learn it.
 
Like Bread. I don't know if you remember Bread. Or Toto.
 
I do remember them.
 
There were all these groups that had older brothers, I had an older brother who was almost 10 years older than me. So he had all these records. I would overhear them occasionally and go wow what is that?  And then I had another brother who got into the whole 80's dance disco era. I had my mother, who was listening to Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Connie Francis. So this house, that I grew up in was almost like a musical school, without [me] even realizing I was going to school. Every room had something different going on musically. It all just seeped into my pores, through the years. It was inevitable it was going to come out at one juncture or another.
 
That helped shape what you are doing today. Amazing.
 
You have a really great stage presence, from the Bitter End, The Box...ect. Artistic androgyny comes to mind, seems to be a really natural fit for this kind of music, this dance music. What do you think about that? Because I see an artistically androgynous vibe coming from you.
 
It's funny. I always knew it was there, you know, in terms of the androgyny part, because it's so in touch with my feminine side. This strange transformation just came over me when the Cary Nokey thing started. It's almost like I knew it was right when I didn't have to think about any of this stuff, like I didn't have to think about my moniker, "8-Bit". I didn't have to think about what to wear. It was very strange. It was a very strange transformation, I gotta tell you! I mean, it was almost unexplainable even to me. Does that make sense?
 
Yeah. It does.
 
So, I almost can't explain it. It's so strange. It's almost like I watched half of myself from the outside in. So I just knew, when I saw some things... I would jot down diagrams, and different articles of clothing, and I would look for things. As soon as I saw certain things, they just [hit me] like "That's it." I didn't even have to think about it. So it's like, when the whole thing progressed, with Cary Nokey, and I took center stage, it was as if all of it was written already. Written in the stars.
 
All of it fell into place?
 
Yeah. I wish I had a better explanation. But it was like a gift. It was the strangest thing. Because I didn't even know I could perform, myself. I never knew. I never did it. Sure I played the piano for years. And I performed at Carnegie Hall... but that's not a piano. And I wasn't singing. And I wasn't actually trying to really do it [to get onstage]. This whole thing has taken on a life of it's own, and I'm surprised myself. I'll do a show, and I don't know where it comes from. It's like I'm watching the show, with everyone else. It comes around to being inspired. It's just this 'anything can happen' feeling. Anything can happen! I never thought in a million years that the reaction would be this massive, and this strong. I always wondered, if, you know, do I inspire people? Do I do enough? Am I giving back enough?
 
I think you do.
 
I think so. [That] answer, I was trying to find it. When you do a record, you don't see how you really touch the people. Sure, you get a check, but who cares.

As a performer, you get to see their faces, you get to touch their hands. You get to see their tears. It's a whole different world.
 
 
You are getting that immediate feedback of a human connection.
 
 
Right! And as far as the androgyny, that was always there. I just hid it. And I hid it because I had, you know, brothers. You know... I just wasn't comfortable. I wasn't being who I was.
 
 
Yeah... you were gonna get picked on, huh?
 
Right. So you try to be like everyone else. [be] a boy, and do what society is dictating. You know, when I let that go, I feel like life began.
 
The music in Cary Nokey is actually pretty good, pretty catchy. It's a slow and steady earworm into your mind, that kind of material. You know why the music is so good, in my opinion? It's because you've had almost 20 years in the industry. There's no way it's not gonna be good. Do you know what I mean?
 
(Laughs) Right! It's a lot of practice! Exactly right.
 
You really were kind of the Ghost In The Machine, you were really a vital hidden factor behind some of the songs we know and love, and without you, we wouldn't have some of the coolest songs in pop music. Think of the way you helped shape Beyonce, and Gaga.... (and I didn't even know you did 3LW, by the way!) (laughs)
 
Such a nice thing to say. Thank you.
 
Can't wait to see everything you are going to do next with Cary Nokey, and I want to thank you on behalf of GagaDaily for sharing your time with me, to do this interview.
 
 
I want to thank you, for your positive energy. Seriously, that's huge. It means a lot to me.
 
What would you like to be your message to Gaga fans? If you could speak directly to the fanbase, what would you tell them? 
 
Let's focus on the great things that came out of the relationship. And let bygones be bygones. People make mistakes. That's what life is. People get second chances... I mean, isn't that why we are here? Don't we all make mistakes, and don't we all get second chances? We all just want to focus on the positive stuff. I mean, God, I would love to do another Paparazzi someday. It's like, well... who knows. Will that happen... I don't know. Why don't we just let bygones be bygones. Let's kiss and make up...

And believe me -- do you think I would go through this the same way, do the same thing again? There's no way. There's no way. But you know, sometimes we don't get [that chance.] We can't go back, so we gotta go forward.
 
 
I can imagine there were a lot of other influences and people that led you to make those decisions.
 
 
Oh my god. I can't even begin to tell you.
 
I know there was a rule not to talk about any legal matters. So I'm not going to talk about those. But I can imagine a lot of different people were probably pushing you in a lot of different directions.
 
Everyone. Everyone around me. Everyone had an opinion for sure. And sometimes, you gotta go with your gut, though. And maybe that's what I didn't do enough of. You know?
 
So given the chance, you probably wouldn't have made some of those decisions?
 
 
Nope. I would not have. But I'm also more mature now, too. I'm more at peace. It's weird. Sometimes the stars align in the wrong way. All the things that happened... it was the wrong way. And i think it's just one of those times, the wrong things aligned. But fortunately, some great things still came out of it. It wasn't all bad.
 
And now we get to see you as you really are, as a performer. Now you don't have to worry about thinking of everyone else's art [as a producer] now you get to think about yourself.
 
Exactly. And through the new music, is a chance for me to tell my story. I can tell my story now.
 
 
***************************************************************************************************************************
 
 
You can hear Rob's new music as 8Bit, lead singer of the band Cary Nokey, here and here,
and by checking out his Twitter,
FaceBook , and SoundCloud.




No part of this article is to be copied without the consent of the author.
--© Katharine Styles-Burroughs 7-6-2014

 

[Unknown A 64]

OMG OMG OMG 

[Henry 2,374]

Sooooooooooo Long..................Let me get started and see if I could finish  

[LetsGetHigh 52,683]

Would have preferred if you released a segment each daily but I skimmed through and he seems like a nice guy!

[GGC 0]

Great interview, Chica!

[Jay.P 2,331]

Reading!

[Ziva 193]

Very nice and interesting interview! Thanks for sharing :)

I can't at 'Did you buy Art Pop?' :lmao:

[Benji 20,113]

How lovely! Thank you for this Chica!

 

I remember I exchanged a few direct messages with him when he was talking about leaking some old tracks before his old Twitter was suspended and he is very down to earth and sincere!

 

I hope Gaga and him can rebuild their friendship one day.

[Ray of Light 8,134]

Brown Eyes ....!

[Jjang 2,262]

*So this was it! going to read it later, looks very interesting.

[LetsGetHigh 52,683]

Chica sis Art Pop? Anyways I am reading this more and more and seems good as of now!

[The Professor 1,060]

[Gaga.For.Gaga 92]

Looks amazing going to read it all now!

[CHANTEL 2]

OMG

Such a good read!

Loved the interview

[ALX 170]

inb4 members are thirsty for "Broken Drum Machine" based solely off the title