JOHN: I READ THAT YOU GOT
INTO -- ON A MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP.
>> I TO WANT TO BRAG.
JOHN: THEY SAW ENOUGH OF YOUR
TALENT.
AND HOW LONG DID YOU STAY THERE?
>> A LONG TIME. ABOUT THREE WEEKS.
ABOUT THREE WEEKS.
JOHN: THAT IS A LONG TIME.
[LAUGHTER]
ABOUT THREE WEEKS AND ARE SO I
CALLED AND I USED A LANDLINE AND
A SAID HEY I’VE GOT BAD NEWS YOU
KNOW AND I GET MY MOM ON THE
PHONE AND I SAY IT GOT BAD NEWS.
OH NO WOULD IS IT?
I THINK YOU WANT TO QUIT SCHOOL.
SHE SAID SOMETHING I DID NOT
EXPECT HER TO SAY.
SHE SAID COLLEGE IS JUST AN
EXPERIMENT.
FAR OUT.
NOT WHAT I WAS EXPECTING SO
AFTER A FEW WEEKS OF GOING TO
CLASS AND BREAKING 90 STARE SHE
SAID WHY NOT JUST HANG OUT AND
SPEND THE REST OF THE SEMESTER
AND HAVE A GOOD TIME BUT IT TOOK
THE SEMESTER OFF A LOT AS A
FIREMAN I GOT HOME AND WE DID A
BUNCH OF ALBUMS AND WE WOULD
REPLICATE THOSE ARTISTS TRYING
TO RE-CREATE WHAT THEY WERE
DOING TRYING TO SING LIKE THEM.
JOHN: I THINK WE ALL DID THAT.
>> THAT’S THE GREATEST EDUCATION
YOU CAN HAVE WHICH IS TRYING TO
MIMIC YOUR HEROES AND LONDON
MENTALLY WANT TO COPY THEIR
STYLES YOU CAN THEREFORE TAKE
BATTING.
YOUR OWN ART BUT I ALSO FELT THE
DRIVE TO BE SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE
WHEN I WAS 19 OR SO AROUND THAT
TIME I WENT FOR A DRIVE WITH MY
FATHER AND I SAID TO MY FATHER
IF YOU COULD CHANGE ANYTHING
ABOUT YOUR LIFE WHAT WOULD IT
BE?
WITHOUT HESITATION HE GOES WELL
I NEVER WOULD HAVE STOPPED
PLAYING MUSIC.
AND IT WAS JUST THAT MOMENT I
THOUGHT I DON’T WANT TO LEAVE
THAT OLD GUY IN THE CAR DRIVING
AROUND THINKING ABOUT WHAT HE
COULD HAVE DONE.
FINDING OUT THE PERSON YOU CARED
ABOUT ME THE MOST.
I TRY TO GO BACK TO MUSIC SCHOOL
WITHIN THE YEAR.
I GO THERE FOR ANOTHER SEMESTER
AND A HALF I GO TO BERKELEY
MUSIC.
JOHN: THE BIGGEST MUSIC SCHOOL
IN AMERICA.
>> IT’S A BIG ONE BUT TO ME
AFTER YOU KNOW THE SEMESTER --
JOHN: YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHAT YOU
ARE DOING.
>> SUPPOSEDLY.
[LAUGHTER]
SO I SAID TO MY PARENTS ONE DAY
COME AND VISIT IN NEW YORK.
WE HAVE THIS BIG, I’M GETTING
EMOTIONAL ABOUT HOW I’M WASTING
MY YOUTH AND THESE ARE MY
MARKETABLE YEARS.
THE MUSIC BUSINESS IN THE MUSIC
BUSINESS THE WINDOW OF
OPPORTUNITY IS ALWAYS CLOSING.
SO I SAID TO MY PARENTS I SAID
LISTEN I NEED TO QUIT SCHOOL YET
AGAIN BECAUSE RIGHT NOW I’M OUT
HERE DIME NEED TO BE IN THE MIX.
I NEED TO GO TO A TOWN WHERE
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SEE MY PLAN.
THEY NEED --
JOHN: YOU COULD ARGUE SENIOR
MIND YOURSELF STANDING IN FRONT
OF 20,000 PEOPLE.
>> JUNGE.
IT WAS VERY EMOTIONAL AND BY DAD
SAID HEY YOU ARE MY HERO.
IT STOPPED ME DEAD IN MY TRACKS.
DEAD IN MY TRACKS AND I’M ALL
EMOTIONAL AND YOU KNOW HE SAID,
I SAID WHAT DID YOU SAY?
YOU YOU SAY?
HE SAID YOU ARE MY HERO AND I
SAID WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT?
HE SAYS YOU HAVE THE GUTS TO
CHASE YOUR DREAM AT ALL COSTS.
I NEVER DID.
JOHN: THAT’S GOT TO BE THE
GREATEST COMPLIMENT A DAD COULD
EVER GIVE HIS SON OR DAUGHTER,
EVER.
IT STICKS WITH THE RIGHT?
>> E AND MY DAD SAID MAKE ME A
RECORDING OF YOU SINGING.
MAKE ME A RECORDING AND I SAID
ALL RIGHT.
MAKE IT FOR ME.
I SAID THAT I WILL HAVE THAT FOR
YOU.
AND I DID AND HE WALKED AROUND
MANHATTAN WITH THAT CASSETTE AND
HE WALKED INTO ANYWHERE AND HE’D
SAY MY SON IS THE GREATEST
SINGER YOU HAVE EVER HEARD.
YOU NEED TO HIRE HIM.
JOHN: WOW EMITTED VENUES AND
STUFF LIKE THAT?
WERE AT?
YOU NEED MY BOY IN YOUR PLACE
SINGING BECAUSE HE’S THE BEST
THERE IS, LISTEN TO THIS.
HE WAS YOUR PROMOTER.
WHAT DID THAT MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE
AS THE SUN TO WATCH THAT?
YOU KNOW NOT MANY KIDS GET THAT
FROM THEIR PARENTS.
>> HE DID THAT BECAUSE HE DIDN’T
GET THAT TO THAT LEVEL AND NOT
TELL YOU WHAT WHEN I WAS 15
YEARS OLD WE WENT TO A BILLY
JOEL SHOW AND THAT WAS A
CHRISTMAS PRESENT.
NOBODY IS GETTING PRESENTS WE
ARE ALL GOING TO SEE A CONCERT
TO MY BROTHER MY SISTER AND I
AND OUR PARENTS GO-TO PLACE
CALLED THE KNICKERBOCKER ARENA
IN ALBANY, NEW YORK AND AT THE
TIME I HAD IT IN MY HEAD THAT I
WANTED TO BE AN EYE DOCTOR.
I WANT TO BE AND NOT THE MULLAH
JUSTIN I WANTED TO MAKE PEOPLE
SEE AND I WANTED TO MAKE THE
BLIND SEE AND DO SOMETHING
IMPORTANT.
BUT WHEN I WENT TO THAT CONCERT
AND I SAW THE JOY THAT IT
PROVIDED PEOPLE, IT DONNED ON ME
I SAID TO MYSELF WOW MUSIC IS
MEDICINE.
MUSIC IS MEDICINE.
LOOK WHAT IT DOES FOR THEM.
WE GOT INTO THE CAR IN THE SHOW
AND I SAID OUT LOUD IN THE CAR
AT THINK I KNOW WHAT I WANT TO
DO NOW AND MY FATHER SAYS WHAT
YOU WANT TO DO?
I WANT TO DO A BILLY JOEL SHOW.
THAT’S WHAT I WANT TO DO.
HE SAID IT LOOKS LIKE FUN
DOESN’T IT?
AND I SAID YEAH TAQUITOS THAT’S
WHAT YOU WILL DO.
JOHN: YOU DID THAT ON PURPOSE.
>> 25 YEARS LATER THE PHONE
RINGS, BILLY WANTS YOU TO DO A
SHOW.
I SAID THAT WE WHO?
HE SAID REALLY JOEL.
BILLY JOEL?
HE WANTS YOU TO OPEN FOR HIM.
BILLY JOEL WANTS ME TO OPEN FOR
HIM?
THAT WAS FULL CIRCLE MOMENT.
JOHN: HIS GUITAR PLAYER CAME UP
TO BE JOHNNY BURNS AND HE SAID
LET’S GO OUTSIDE AND HAVE A
SMOKE SO I FOLLOW HIM OUTSIDE
AND I WALKED BACK AND TOMMY GOES
HEY GAVIN IS HERE.
HEY MAN, THANKS FOR COMING.
I WAS LIKE THANKS FOR COMING?
THANKS FOR COMING?
YOU ARE MY IDOL.
I SAID YOU ARE MY IDOL, MAN.
I DON’T KNOW WHO ELSE YOU HAVE
PLAYING FOR THE SHOWS AND YOU
MAY HAVE SOMEONE ELSE IN MIND
THAT I’M GOING TO TELL YOU RIGHT
NOW IF YOU HAVE ANYONE ELSE IN
MIND I’M GOING TO TELL YOU TO
CANCEL IT RIGHT NOW.
JOHN: YOU HAVE TO WORK ON YOUR
CONFIDENCE HONESTLY.
YOU WON’T GET ANYWHERE GAVIN
IT’S JUST NOT GOING TO HAPPEN TO
YOU.
HE PROBABLY LOVED THAT ANSWER.
>> THEY BURST OUT LAUGHING.
I SAID I’LL DO ALL THE SHOWS. THAT’S HOW BIG THIS IS TO ME.