Mannheim Steamroller 30/40 Live

[ THUNDER RUMBLES ] [ "JOY TO THE WORLD" PLAYS ] Chip: BACK IN ABOUT 1974, I DECIDED THAT I WANTED TO DO A RECORD THAT WAS DIFFERENT THAN MOST MUSIC THAT WAS PUT OUT.

I'M A CLASSICALLY-TRAINED MUSICIAN, BUT I LIKED ROCK 'N' ROLL ELEMENTS, AND SO I DECIDED I WOULD TRY TO MERGE THE TWO TOGETHER IN SOME SORT OF A FORM THAT WOULD HAVE A CLASSICAL FORM BUT A ROCK 'N' ROLL FEEL TO IT.

SO THAT'S WHEN THE FIRST "FRESH AIRE" ALBUM ACTUALLY CAME ABOUT.

SO I WAS USING INSTRUMENTS LIKE THE HARPSICHORD, PIANO, BUT I PUT IT ALONGSIDE SYNTHESIZERS, DRUMS, AND OTHER MODERN-DAY INSTRUMENTS.

THAT'S WHAT STARTED THE SOUND OF MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER.

[ "DECK THE HALLS" PLAYS ] [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] MY MOM ACTUALLY TOLD ME THAT BEFORE I COULD TALK THAT I COULD HUM THE MELODY TO "SILENT NIGHT" AS A BABY.

SO THERE MUST HAVE BEEN SOME MUSIC IN THERE THAT REALLY NEEDED TO GET OUT.

I TOOK PIANO FROM MY GRANDMOTHER AT 4, AND I WAS AROUND MUSIC ALL THE TIME, AND I STARTED FOOLING AROUND WITH WRITING MY OWN MUSIC AT A REALLY EARLY AGE -- MAYBE 10 OR 11.

I ALWAYS KNEW UNDERNEATH IT ALL, I THINK, THAT I WAS ALWAYS GONNA BE DESTINED TO BE IN MUSIC.

I DECIDED I WANTED TO DO A CHRISTMAS ALBUM BECAUSE I'VE LIKED CHRISTMAS MUSIC SO MUCH.

I WAS ADVISED BY MOST PEOPLE IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY NOT TO DO A CHRISTMAS RECORD, 'CAUSE THEY SAID, "WHEN YOU DO A CHRISTMAS RECORD, QUITE OFTEN IT'S THE SIGN OF THE END OF YOUR CAREER AND YOU CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE TO DO SO YOU JUST START DOING THESE CHRISTMAS CAROLS THAT EXIST."

WELL, THIS PAST YEAR HAS BEEN 30 YEARS OF DOING MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER CHRISTMAS MUSIC AND 40 YEARS OF "FRESH AIRE" MUSIC.

[ TEMPO DECREASES ] [ TEMPO INCREASES ] [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] YEAH, THIS IS WHERE IT ALL HAPPENS.

THIS IS A REALLY GREAT PLACE TO CREATE, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I TRY TO DO IS TO STAY AUTHENTIC TO WHAT AN INSTRUMENT CAN DO.

THE ACOUSTIC ONES -- EVEN THOUGH WE MIGHT BE USING VIRTUAL VERSIONS OF IT, WE HAVE A USUAL PALETTE OF THE SET OF STRINGS, THE SET OF PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS, WIND INSTRUMENTS.

WE HAVE A WHOLE PALETTE DOWN ONE SIDE THAT I USUALLY DRAW FROM.

SO THOSE COME UP FIRST, AND THEN WHEN I -- I'LL START GETTING AN IDEA IN MY HEAD, I MIGHT LAY DOWN A KEYBOARD FRAMEWORK FIRST.

AND THEN, AS IT PROGRESSES, I'LL SAY, "OH!

MAN, I HEAR A GREAT STRING PART WITH THAT.

CALL UP SOME STRINGS, DAVE."

SO, THEN I'LL PLAY IN A STRING PART AND SOME THINGS.

SO WE BUILD IT LITTLE BY LITTLE, TRACK AT A TIME.

I ALWAYS REFER TO IT AS KIND OF LIKE BUILDING A HOUSE -- YOU START WITH THE FOUNDATION AND THE FRAMEWORK AND ALL THAT TILL YOU FINALLY GET AROUND -- IN MY MIND, YOU KNOW, THE ROOF IS THE STRINGS, WHEN YOU PUT THE ICING ON THE CAKE.

[ "CHOCOLATE FUDGE" PLAYS ] [ PIANO PLAYS ] [ SYNTHESIZER PLAYS ] [ TEMPO INCREASES ] [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] BACK AT MICHIGAN, WHEN I STUDIED MUSIC, THERE WAS A TECHNIQUE CALLED THE STEAMROLLER, WHICH WAS ACTUALLY A CRESCENDO.

SO IT WAS INVENTED IN MANNHEIM, GERMANY, SO I THOUGHT, "THE MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER -- SOUNDS KIND OF LIKE A HEAVY-METAL BAND," BUT IT'S ACTUALLY, TRULY, A CLASSICAL TERM.

SO THAT'S WHERE THE NAME CAME FROM.

[ CHIMES DINGING ] [ HARPSICHORD PLAYS ] [ OBOE PLAYS ] [ RECORDER PLAYS ] [ CLARINET PLAYS ] [ CLARINET, RECORDER PLAYS ] [ OBOE SOLO ] [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] SEE, NOW, THE HORSE DOWN THERE THAT'S GRAY KIND OF, THAT'S GHOST.

HE'S THE ONE WHO PLAYS WITH THE WOLF.

[ WHISTLES ] GHOST!

SEE, HE'S THE ONLY ONE THAT LOOKED.

HE KNOWS HIS NAME.

ISN'T THAT CRAZY?

MAN, I FEEL TOTALLY LIKE A KID IN -- MAN, I'M IN A CANDY STORE OUT HERE ON THIS FARM.

AND ALL MY CRITTERS -- I LOVE MY CRITTERS.

THAT'S THE TOUGHEST PART ABOUT GOING ON VACATION FOR ME IS TO LEAVE THE CRITTERS.

AND WHEN I HAVE TO BE GONE -- LIKE, I WAS JUST AT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS FOR THREE WEEKS.

AND THAT'S REAL HARD FOR ME.

IN FACT, I HAVEN'T SEEN THEM YET.

SO IF WE GO OUT TO THE BARN, I'M GUESSING I'LL PROBABLY GET A PRETTY GOOD HOWL OUT OF THEM.

I THOUGHT THAT IT MIGHT BE UNIQUE AT SOME POINT TO HAVE SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT, SO THE BIG WHITE WOLF OUT THERE, NAMED SETI, WHEN HE WAS BORN -- I GOT HIM WHEN -- 8 WEEKS OLD.

HE WAS RAISED WITH MY OLDEST GERMAN SHEPHERD.

AND THEN I GOT RAMSES A COUPLE YEARS LATER.

HE'S JUST 2, AND SETI IS 4.

WE'VE WRITTEN A BOOK ABOUT HIM WITH ONE OF MY HORSES THAT YOU MAY HAVE SEEN OUT IN THE BARN NAMED GHOST.

SO, WE'VE GOT A BOOK COMING OUT NEXT SUMMER CALLED "THE WOLF AND THE WARLANDER," BASED ON MY PETS.

[ BELLS CHIMING ] [ SYNTHESIZER PLAYS ] [ OBOE PLAYS ] [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] Chip: THE ORPHEUM THEATER HERE IN OMAHA HOLDS AN INCREDIBLY SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART BECAUSE IT'S THE HOME OF MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER.

IT'S WHERE I DID MY FIRST CONCERT, AND I WAS TERRIFIED.

I MUST HAVE BEEN ABOUT 27 YEARS OLD, TRYING TO DO THIS CONCERT.

PUT UP THE MONEY -- FOUR WALL IT -- SELL THE TICKETS, DO THIS, DO THAT.

IT'S LIKE -- IT WAS TERRIFYING.

BUT IT'S THE HOME OF MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER, AND TO WALK OUT THERE AND LOOK OUT AT THE SEA OF FACES FROM THE HOMETOWN IS REALLY GREAT.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] [ HARPSICHORD PLAYS ] [ TEMPO INCREASES ] [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] [ PIANO PLAYING ] IT TOOK ME A LITTLE BIT TO BE ABLE TO SIT BACK AND JUST WATCH IT AS AN AUDIENCE PERSPECTIVE, BUT ACTUALLY, BY WATCHING IT AS AN AUDIENCE PERSPECTIVE KIND OF IDEA, IT GIVES ME A BETTER IDEA OF HOW IT'S COMMUNICATING TO THEM.

BOBBY'S MIKE?

UH-HUH.

IT'S LIKE CERTAIN NOTES GO IN AND OUT.

IT'S LIKE THE MIKE PLACEMENT OR SOMETHING'S FUNNY.

ON BOBBY?

YEAH.

IT HELPS ME, I THINK, DEFINE AND DESIGN OTHER THINGS.

LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS CHUNK OF "FRESH AIRE" THAT I HAVE PUT IN IT.

IT'S GETTING HUGE RESPONSES.

AND "FRESH AIRE," YOU KNOW, THAT GOES BACK 40 YEARS.

AND BRINGING THOSE PIECES FORWARD IS TOUCHING A NERVE ON PEOPLE.

THEY EITHER REMEMBER IT, OR THEY'RE GETTING A REAL CHARGE.

I DON'T KNOW WHICH WAY IT IS, BUT I DO KNOW IT'S WORKING.

[ SYNTHESIZER, KEYBOARD PLAY ] [ RECORDER PLAYS ] [ SYNTHESIZER PLAYS ] [ KEYBOARD PLAYS ] [ SYNTHESIZER SOLO ] [ KEYBOARD PLAYS ] [ RECORDER PLAYS ] [ SYNTHESIZER PLAYS ] [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] AMBIENCE RECORDING IS GOING OUT AND CAPTURING NATURAL SOUNDS AND THEN TAKING THOSE SOUNDS AND BEING ABLE TO ADD MUSIC TO IT.

WE RECORD THEM SO THAT THEY HAVE A STEREO DIMENSION, OR A QUAD DIMENSION, THAT PUTS YOU IN THE PLACE.

THEN I WRITE A LITTLE BIT OF VERY LIGHT MUSIC.

IT'S NOT OVERWHELMING AT ALL.

A LITTLE BIT OF MUSIC COMES IN.

THEN IT GOES AWAY FOR ABOUT A MINUTE AND A HALF, TWO MINUTES, AND IT'LL LET YOU GO DRIFT BACK INTO THAT WOODS AGAIN AND HEAR THE SPRING BIRDS OR -- IT CONJURES UP MORNING SUNRISES, SUNSETS.

THAT'S WHAT'S TURNED OUT TO BE SUCH A GREAT PRODUCT FOR THE INTREPID CENTER AND WALTER REED IS THE SOLDIERS THAT COME BACK THAT ARE IMPAIRED AND HAVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS, THIS IS VERY CALMING.

THAT'S WHAT WE HEAR FROM THEM ALL THE TIME.

AND IT TAKES THEM TO DIFFERENT PLACES.

I MEAN, IT TAKES YOU ON A LITTLE MIND JOURNEY.

THE COMMENTS THAT I GET AND THE HEALING THAT I HEAR FROM PEOPLE, EITHER THEMSELVES OR, "MY MOTHER WAS PASSING AWAY AND HAD TO HAVE YOUR AMBIENCE PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND."

KNOWING THAT PEOPLE PASS TO THE NEXT DIMENSION HEARING THAT, JUST WOW.

[ PIANO PLAYS ] [ VIOLIN PLAYS ] [ HARPSICHORD PLAYS ] [ OBOE PLAYS ] [ PIANO SOLO ] [ BELL TOLLS ] [ BELL TOLLS ] [ BELL TOLLS ] [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] Man: HELLO, OMAHA.

[ ALL CHEERING ] ALL 10 OF YOU.

SO, RON COOLEY THAT'S PLAYING GUITAR GOES CLEAR BACK 30-SOME YEARS TO WHEN WE WERE THE C.W.

McCALL COUNTRY BAND.

AND WE DID MANNHEIM AND COUNTRY AT THE SAME TIME BACK THEN.

IT WAS CRAZY.

ONE TIME, WE WERE OUR OWN FRONT ACT.

WE WERE LIKE -- WE WERE PLAYING A GIG, AND THE PROMOTER SAID, "HEY, DO YOU GUYS KNOW A FRONT ACT THAT COULD POSSIBLY DO THIS?"

SO, WE WENT OUT AS MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER, PLAYED 20 MINUTES, AND CAME BACK, PUT ON BLUE-JEAN JACKETS, WENT BACK OUT, AND PLAYED AS A COUNTRY BAND.

SO THAT'S KIND OF FUNNY.

ANYWAY, SO, RON HAS BEEN AROUND FOREVER.

AND, I MEAN, IT'S NOT UNUSUAL, EITHER, IN THE CREW TO HAVE SECOND-GENERATION -- WE HAVE SEVERAL THAT ARE IN THE 30-YEAR-PLUS CATEGORY, AGE-- HAVE BEEN WITH THE WHOLE ORGANIZATION.

FOR SOME REASON, WE SEEM TO RETAIN THEM FOR A WHILE.

[ LAUGHS ] ANYWAY, IT'S REALLY COOL 'CAUSE EVERYBODY FEELS PRETTY MUCH LIKE A FAMILY.

IT'S KIND OF A COOL DEAL.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] [ SYNTHESIZER PLAYS ] [ XYLOPHONE PLAYS ] [ DRUM SOLO ] HARK!

HOW THE BELLS SWEET SILVER BELLS ALL SEEM TO SAY, "THROW CARES AWAY" M-M-M-MERRY CHRISTMAS M-M-M-MERRY CHRIST-MAS DING, DONG, DING, DONG [ BELL TOLLS ] [ BELL TOLLS ] [ BELL TOLLS ] [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] Chip: I'M ALSO CERTAIN THAT THIS IS GONNA BE A VERY SUCCESSFUL RECORD BECAUSE I HAVE HIRED A PROFESSIONAL GROUP OF RESEARCHERS FROM A FOCUS GROUP, AND HERE THEY ARE NOW.

I WOULD LIKE YOU TO MEET SOME OF THE RESEARCHERS.

THIS IS KELLY DAVIS, THE HEAD OF THE GROUP, AND EVAN DAVIS, HER ASSISTANT.

AND WE HOPE YOU ENJOY OUR RECORD.

BYE!

BYE-BYE.

THAT I KNOW IS OLDER THAN I AM AND IT'S STILL THRIVING THE WAY IT IS.

WE KEEP GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER EVERY YEAR, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NOT ONLY A PART OF MY FAMILY TRADITION, BEING IN MANNHEIM AND WITH MANNHEIM, BUT HAVING IT BE A PART OF OTHER PEOPLE'S FAMILIES AND THEIR TRADITIONS, AND IT'S REALLY, REALLY COOL TO SEE THAT.

YESTERDAY, WE HAD OUR FAMILY CHRISTMAS, AND THE BACKGROUND MUSIC WAS MANNHEIM.

ALWAYS IS.

EVERY CHRISTMAS, WE UNWRAP PRESENTS, WE PUT THE TREE UP, THERE'D ALWAYS BE A MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER SONG GOING ON IN THE BACKGROUND.

IT ALWAYS REMINDS ME OF, LIKE, PICKING OUT OUR CHRISTMAS TREE OR DECORATING IT WITH MY FAMILY.

JUST KIND OF -- I DON'T KNOW -- ALL THAT CHRISTMAS IS ABOUT.

I THINK THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT KEEP THE STEAMROLLER ROLLING.

YOU SEE MANY GENERATIONS COMING THAT ARE BRINGING THEIR KIDS.

LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE MOMS AND DADS OF TODAY, NOW 30 YEARS LATER, WERE THE KIDS OF YESTERDAY.

SO, THEIR PARENTS ARE THE GRANDPARENTS, THEY'RE THE PARENTS NOW, AND THEY'RE BRINGING THEIR KIDS.

SO IT'S BEING PASSED ON, GENERATION TO GENERATION.

O TANNENBAUM YOU STAND IN VERDANT BEAUTY O TANNENBAUM, O TANNENBAUM YOU STAND IN VERDANT BEAUTY YOUR BOUGHS ARE GREEN IN SUMMER'S GLOW AND DO NOT FADE IN WINTER'S SNOW O TANNENBAUM, O TANNENBAUM YOU STAND IN VERDANT BEAUTY [ MUSICAL INTRO TO "O TANNENBAUM" PLAYS ] O TANNENBAUM, O TANNENBAUM WITH ALL OUR HEARTS, WE LOVE THEE O TANNENBAUM, O TANNENBAUM THE HEAVENS SHINE ABOVE THEE [ CHOIR VOCALIZING ] O TANNENBAUM O TANNENBAUM, O TANNENBAUM WITH ALL OUR HEARTS, WE LOVE THEE O TANNENBAUM O TANNENBAUM O TANNENBAUM [ CHOIR VOCALIZES ] [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] Chip: YOU KNOW, WHEN I FIRST STARTED WITH THE "FRESH AIRE" ALBUM, I HOPED IT WOULD DO WELL ENOUGH THAT I COULD JUST HAVE THE RESOURCES TO MAKE ANOTHER ALBUM.

I HAD NO IDEA THAT WE'D HAVE THIS MANY ALBUMS, NOT ONLY IN THE "FRESH AIRE" CATEGORY BUT ALSO IN THE CHRISTMAS CATEGORY.

I MEAN, THE WHOLE THING JUST EXPLODED.

DOING THIS 30 YEARS LATER IS AN ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE JOURNEY.

I'M SO THRILLED, YOU KNOW?

AND WE NOT ONLY HAVE JUST ONE MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER, BUT WE HAVE TWO THAT ARE OUT TOURING SIMULTANEOUSLY.

I WOULD NEVER HAVE EXPECTED THIS.

WE'RE DOING, I BELIEVE, 100 CONCERTS JUST IN THIS SHORT SIX-WEEK WINDOW.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] HIYA.

HI, DAUGHTER.

HOW YOU DOING?

[ SMOOCHES ] GOOD.

Elyse: I'VE GROWN UP KIND OF WATCHING IT ALL HAPPEN.

AND WHEN I WAS LITTLE, I KIND OF WANTED TO BE, LIKE, A DANCER, BUT THEN IT CHANGED INTO SINGING, AND THEN LAST YEAR, MY DAD WAS JUST LIKE, "DO YOU WANT TO DO THIS WITH ME?"

'CAUSE I'M IN A BAND, AND SO HE WAS -- JUST SAW IT, AND SO THAT DID IT FROM THERE.

AND IT'S INSANE, BUT IT'S REALLY FUN.

MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER, WHO'S 15, ELYSE, IS JUST AN INCREDIBLE SINGER, AND SHE DOES THE PIECE "GREENSLEEVES" IN A VERY ECLECTIC ARRANGEMENT THAT I MADE FOR HER.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] [ DRUMMING ] [ MUSICAL INTRO TO "GREENSLEEVES" ] ALAS, MY LOVE, YOU DO ME WRONG TO CAST ME OFF DISCOURTEOUSLY FOR I HAVE LOVED YOU WELL AND LONG DELIGHTING IN YOUR COMPANY [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] YOUR VOWS YOU'VE BROKEN, LIKE MY HEART OH, WHY DID YOU SO ENRAPTURE ME?

NOW I REMAIN IN A WORLD APART BUT MY HEART REMAINS IN CAPTIVITY GREENSLEEVES WAS ALL MY JOY GREENSLEEVES WAS MY DELIGHT GREENSLEEVES WAS MY HEART OF GOLD AND WHO BUT MY LADY GREENSLEEVES?

[ INSTRUMENTAL INTERLUDE ] THOU COULDST DESIRE NO EARTHLY THING BUT STILL THOU HADST IT READILY THY MUSIC STILL TO PLAY AND SING AND YET THOU WOULDST NOT LOVE ME GREENSLEEVES WAS ALL MY JOY GREENSLEEVES WAS MY DELIGHT GREENSLEEVES WAS MY HEART OF GOLD AND WHO BUT MY LADY GREENSLEEVES?

[ INSTRUMENTAL INTERLUDE ] AH, GREENSLEEVES, NOW FAREWELL, ADIEU TO GOD I PRAY TO PROSPER YOU FOR I AM STILL THY LOVER TRUE COME ONCE AGAIN AND LOVE ME [ FINALE PLAYS ] [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] [ PIANO PLAYS ] Chip: WELL, IF YOU'LL WATCH WHEN I GO OUT ONSTAGE WITH MY TWO DAUGHTERS, TAKE A LOOK AT THIS SIDE OF MY BODY, BECAUSE MY HEART GETS SO BIG, BEING OUT THERE WITH MY TWO GIRLS.

AND THEN SINGING "SILENT NIGHT" TOGETHER AT THE VERY END OF THE SHOW -- OH.

I HAD NO IDEA THAT MY LIFE WOULD TURN OUT LIKE THIS, THAT I'D HAVE THREE INCREDIBLE KIDS.

I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW MANY OF MY EMPLOYEES HAVE WATCHED THEIR KIDS GROW UP.

THEY'RE IN COLLEGE NOW.

MY KIDS HAVE GROWN UP WITH THEIR KIDS.

YOU KNOW, IT'S A FAMILY KIND OF THING, AND IT GOES BEYOND A LOYALTY TOWARDS ANY KIND OF BUSINESS.

IT'S EVERYBODY'S LIKE A FAMILY.

WE'RE ALL FRIENDS.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] [ PIANO PLAYS ] OOH, OOH OOH, OOH OOOOOH OOH, OOH, OOH OOOOOH OOH-OOH-OOH OOH OOH OOH OOH OOH, OOH OOH OOH OOH OOH OOH OOH OOH, OOH OOH, OOH OOOOH, OOOH OOH OOH OOH, OOH OOH OOH OOOOOOH, OOOH OOH OOH, OOOOOH OOOOH OOH, OOH, OOH OOOH, OOH OOH [ PIANO PLAYS ] [ HARPSICHORD PLAYS ] [ VIOLIN PLAYS ] [ OBOE PLAYS ] [ FRENCH HORN PLAYS ] [ GONG CHIMES ] [ SYNTHESIZER PLAYS ] [ GONG CHIMES ] [ PIANO PLAYS ] [ XYLOPHONE PLAYS ] [ BELLS JINGLING ] [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]