Jon Landau Quotes

The '70s and '80s were just the period during which the best soul music was created and the best records were done.

Soul music as we've always known it hasn't changed. There are different players now with different attitudes, but there is nothing new being done musically.

Absolutely, I grew up listening to soul music. People like Stevie, Aretha, Ray Charles, Michael and Prince. My parents' record collection was all I had when I was a little kid. If it wasn't that, it was something else in their collection.

I played around with the idea of touring with a soul revue, with Smokey Robinson, Sam Moore, Darlene Love, people like that.

I listened to everything. To the early Motown groups - the Four Tops and the Temptations - to Johnny Mathis, Gloria Lynne - my sisters loved her. Sarah Vaughan. Everything.

Kelly Clarkson definitely reminds me of Motown. She's pop, but she's also very, very soulful.

I'm a huge Weezer fan, and 'Pinkerton' is just a crazy, crazy neurotic album.

There are a lot of people, like myself, who love R&B and will always love R&B.

I think Marvin Gaye is one of the greatest American music icons. His 'What's Going On' is as fresh today as when he did it.

As far as R&B, I listen to a lot of old school like the Temptations and Chris Brown.

I grew up listening to old soul.

I think the most-played record in our house was the 'Big Chill' Soundtrack - so Smokey Robinson, Aretha Franklin, the Temptations, Otis Redding. I think that's where I got my love for a good hook, a good soul hook - really smooth and warm and from the heart.

I like a lot of old-school R&B, soul, and classic rock.

You always draw from your roots. I'm influenced by everything I hear and see, and that includes music today, but obviously I go back to my early influences: Stevie Wonder, Parliament, Earth, Wind & Fire, Ohio Players, Average White Band. Those kind of artists are what I look to. When I hear that stuff on the radio, I turn it up!

Of all the soul divas, Gladys Knight was the one for me. Knight's always been about tone and heart, none of the big showboating or extraneous doodling. She nailed a melody and only played a little around the edges like Ma Staple.

The type of music that I love to sing would have to be more bluesy and jazzy and more soul-like 'cause I love to belt when it comes to singing, so I guess bigger songs are what I lean more towards.

Adele Adkins' retro-soul debut, '19', was striking less for her songs than for that voice: a voluptuous, slightly parched alto that swooped and fluttered like a Dusty Springfield student trying to upstage her teacher, or at least update the rules.

I drew a lot of inspiration from the Ginuwines, the Ushers, the Michael Jacksons, the James Browns, Sam Cooke.

Good rock music always tends to be around.

I can't see why we can't toss in a Junior Walker or Wilson Pickett number in every once in a while.

It seems like bands have stopped making timeless, great rock albums like they did back in the day.

I have a couple of all-time favorites: Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell.

I grew up loving Etta James and Aretha Franklin and Al Green and Otis Redding, and I just love old-school R&B. It's just music that moves you and grooves you, and it was very important, I think, for music.

I had the great opportunity to work with some of the greatest artists - the Beach Boys, the Temptations, the Four Tops. Otis Redding. Wilson Pickett. Stevie Wonder. So many great singers. And don't forget Clarence Carter!

The Telecaster doesn't really sound that good for the kind of rock and roll that a lot of people played.