Here's the transcript (in 2 parts) of the
questions from various "Living Room" members and RXH's
responses. In keeping with Richard's light-hearted replies
to some of the questions, we've added a few,
fictitious, distorted headlines the tabloids might concoct if
they were to excerpt from the interview. Thanks to our
contributing Living Room'ers, as well as Richard and Nancy,
for their time and efforts.<br><br><br>1. What can
you tell us about the new CD?<br>RXH: The album will
be called "Basic Glee". I recorded 24 drum tracks at
a 24-track studio for 24 hours here in New York.
The rest of the<br>performances (vocals, guitars,
bass, etc.) are being recorded in our living room
(Nancy's and mine) along with our sixteen cats dozing
off<br>except when I hit a real high note. Then we will pick 14
songs to be mixed back at the 24-hour track
studio.<br>STIMULANT-ADDICTED MUSICIAN DISTURBS ANIMALS' SLEEP TO RECORD NEW
CD<br><br>2. Is there any thematic thread to the new songs, as
there was for the songs appearing on
"Cornerstone"?<br>RXH: Not in the songs themselves, but more in the
production. I'm trying to keep it really basic. A couple of
guitars (OK, four or five), bass, drums and vocals.
There'll be no string sections, horn arrangements or any
fancy adornment, just yer basic rock combo.<br>HEYMAN
TO SESSION PLAYERS - "DROP DEAD!"<br><br>3. Have
there been any major influences on your work since
rock's heyday in the 60's, or is that a function of
those influences existing while you were coming of age
as a musician?<br>RXH: I've stopped listening to the
radio completely for the last several years. I haven't
bought a new album in years either, which
doesn't<br>exactly answer your question, but...hey, the 60's weren't
that great -- the Beatles were OK, but they were no
Boyz II Men or N'Sync.<br>ROCKER ADMITS TO OBSESSION
WITH "BOY GROUPS"; CALLS FAB FOUR "SO-SO"<br><br>4. Do
you at all measure your success in any "commercial"
terms; i.e., units sold, air play, etc.? If not, how do
you determine your level of<br>achievement - if you
are concerned with that at all?<br>RXH: The increment
of my i.e. units sold, airplay, etc. is so small
that can't be measured. There is no measuring device
that can calculate such infinitessimal amounts. My
level of achievement can only be gauged by how many
records I've put out. So far it's three. When I have
twelve, I'll feel pretty good.<br>"IT'S SO SMALL YOU
CAN'T SEE IT", ADMITS R.X. HEYMAN"<br><br>5. "Hey Man!"
was your major label release, and we fans consider it
to be a terrific album. But the experience of being
signed to Sire did not turn out as you might have hoped
it would (I imagine).<br>Did that experience sour
you on involvement with the majors, or are you still
hoping for the right kind of "big" break?<br>RXH: That
experience soured me on my involvement with the majors and I
am not still hoping for the right kind of "big
break". Of course, if somebody asks...<br>SOURED ON
MAJORS, HEYMAN TELLS LABELS TO "PUCK-ER OFF"<br><br>6.
Did you grow up thinking you wanted to BE your
musical idols, or that you could be BETTER than your
idols?<br>RXH: I didn?t grow up wanting to be my idols but I
thought it would be very cool if I could arrange for the
Beatles to attend one of my junior high school parties.
It didn't happen.<br>"BEATLES STIFFED MY PROM,"
SNIFFS MUSICIAN<br><br>7. Is there any sort of method to
your approach to songwriting? Do you hum, strum,
pluck, bang - in any particular order?<br>RXH: I can't
believe it! Have you been spying on me? That's exactly my
method and in that order, too. Actually, there is no
method. It just<br>happens. Sometimes a melody and some
words may pop into my head or I might hear a song in a
dream. More likely I'll be playing guitar or<br>piano
and stumble onto some chord progression that triggers
a melody. Short of thievery, whatever works is fine
with me.<br>PARANOID ROCKER ACCUSES FAN OF SPYING ON
HIM