In his October 2005 interview to commemorate the 1984 release of NUM 2 "Shivers Up My Spine"
on the Numa Records label, publishing executive and music artist Justin Loeber candidly
answered twenty-five revealing questions about his musical inspiration and his rocky career as
the once and future Larry Loeber.
Lasted Updated 31 October 2008
LOOKING BACK
Who are some of your musical influences? Songwriting influences?
I am absolutely passionate about the music and the spirit of Stevie Wonder. In fact,
the idea of A Nite With a Lava Lite (music video), came when I was cleaning my
apartment, and noticed that the Lava Lite I had on was "dancing" to Wonder's "Golden
Lady." (I know, it sounds strange, but it really made my day, trust me! And I've never
smoked a cigarette or done drugs . . . ) I'm also a big fan of Chaka Kahn and Rufus (I
even named my Mini Dachshund puppy, Rufus, after the band), Wham!, Isley Brothers,
Brothers Johnson, James Brown, etc.
When did you write your first song?
The first song I wrote was called "Electric Vibrations" and was on the demo that I sent to all the agents in the
U.K. before my journey.
You played the part of a badger once. Anything else to confess?
I substituted for a friend who was a go-go dancer at a club called Danceteria in NYC. I didn't realize that I
was supposed to go down to a jock strap until I was on the stage and noticed that the other "dancer" had
taken off his clothes.
When did you perform at Carnegie Hall?
Carnegie Recital Hall, now known as the Weil Recital Hall. Either 1980 or '81 before coming to London. A
producer saw me in an Off-Off-Broadway show and produced my nightclub act. That show at Carnegie Recital
Hall was most likely the moment when I decided to make the move to England, because at that time NYC was
full of people who loved to suffer. I wasn't into being poor and had to bypass the crowd in order to achieve
my pop-stardom--albeit for twenty minutes or so! "Electric Vibrations" wasn't a great song, but it helped me
to wake up and get outta town.
When did you form Megapop as your own production company? How did you get started?
I was once very close to replacing one of the characters in a Broadway Show, called Runaways and I was
stressed-out, waiting by the phone, and literally barfing with anxiety. When I didn't get the part (because
the show closed), I vowed never to leave my career to someone else's control. I formed Megapop because I
wanted to control my career, since the bulk of feedback I was getting was that I wasn't quite fitting in with
the rest of the world. A word of advice: When someone says that you don't fit in, you can either celebrate
that fact or you could see a therapist. I got out the champagne and started plotting my strategy for England.
NUMA RECORDS
What was it like recording alongside Gary Numan at Rock City Studios?
For the record, I wasn't a Gary Numan fan until I met him. I think that that worked in
my favor because I wasn't nervous around him, which probably helped me getting my
deal with Numa. I'll also never forget recording" Sprit In the Sky" at Shepperton next
to Sting, who apparently was in the next studio! That was a blast and really made
my stay worthwhile!
Why do you think that "Shivers" was not included in Numa Records?
Year One? I didn't even know there was such a compilation! Was it good? Well, I guess that's "showbiz!" By
the time "Year One" rolled around, I was back at "square one" in America . . .
[ The complete background of Loeber's tenure with Numa Records,
including song samples and biography, is available in the NUM 2 feature,
"Shivers Up My Spine." ]
VINYLMANIA RECORDS
How did you come to sign with Vinylmania?
Hmmmm. I can't remember what I did yesterday, let alone in 19--whatever!
However, I recall sending them a tape and then Judy Russell, my "fan" at Vinylmania,
called me and hooked me up with the late, great Sergio Munzabai (M&M
Productions), who finished what Chris Staines started. (The single I'm talking about is
"Those Words"). Sergio almost got me signed to Motown records (even I thought that
was a stretch), but the team that was interested in working with me were all 86'd
(fired) shortly thereafter. Judy at Vinylmania was really into the music but sadly she
left the company shortly before the single was released. It was torturous watching the interest in my music
go from 100% to 10%, but I still kicked-ass when I performed. I wasn't as strange as I was in England but I still
made a concerted effort to stand out from the crowd.
"What's the Reality" has a radically different feel from "Shivers" and "Spirit In the Sky" but was written just a
year later. ["What's the Reality" was not released until 1990, on the video compilation A Nite With a Lava
Lite. See below.] It sounds very Hall & Oates. Would you say that it's a departure from your musical style, or
a more apt example of it than "Shivers"?
I once saw Hall & Oates cross the New Kings Road in London! I wasn't interested in recreating the same song
over and over, because to me, that would have been boring. I looked at each song as if it was a separate
painting all to itself. Maybe that's what eventually did me in (not wanting to be pigeon-holed), but "Spirit In
the Sky" needed that sound because to me it was a celebration of going up to heaven. Hell, I'm not even
Christian or Catholic, and my favorite line in that thing is "You gotta have a friend in Jesus . . . " "What's
The Reality" was going to be part of my album on Numa records and was a song that I wrote after my co-
producer Eric Hine decided to quit the project right after recording "Shivers," I remember chatting with Hine
and Chris Staines one day and out of the blue, Hine wrote "I quit" on a piece of paper and walked out. Hence
the first line, "Get me out of this situation . . . " Talking about being cryptic or needing therapy! I either
put Hine in therapy or he realized he needed it after working with me! @#$&
What's said in the foreign language parts of "Those Words"? Do you have a transcript of those lyrics anywhere?
It's Ukrainian and it's the same lines that a doll repeated in the original version. [Note: The recorded
utterances of a talking doll are used as effects in the original recording of "Those Words."]
Anything you can share about working with M&M on "Those Words"?
Yes, working with Sergio Munzabai of Munzabai and Moreles was my entry into the real, legit, big-time of
dance music in the U.S. I was very lucky to have worked with Sergio Munzabai and I was very sad to hear
that he had died of A.I.D.S. I respected Sergio because he wanted to bring out the best in the track, rather
than focus on the sound of the moment. If I had completed my album, I'm sure I would have called it Those
Words--because in the end it's really the lyrics that keep us all interested in the music.
Did Chris Staines join you back in New York when you returned? Are you still friends with Chris? Still in
contact with him?
Unfortunately, we lost contact. I wish that I could find him and thank him for helping me make my dream
come true. That might sound a little stereotypical, but if it wasn't for Chris, I would not have met Gary
Numan and toured around the U.K. If I could reconnect with Chris, I bet I would reconnect with music
because he understood me and my talent.
[ Click HERE for audio samples, lyrics and label info about Loeber's Vinylmania single. ]
EMERGENCY RECORDS
Why did you leave Vinylmania?
I left Vinylmania because "Those Words" was a singles deal. They didn't promote it
properly and it sold about 4,000 copies, I believe. We parted ways--amicably.
How were you introduced to Emergency Records?
I met the owner of the label, Curtis Urbina, at a record store. You explained how
Freddy Bastone insinuated himself in the remix of your song. Freddie Bastone fucked
my song up! He was used to artists being in the background and I was a threat to
him. Freddie told me to be at the recording studio at 4 for the remix and when I walked in, the remix for
"Love Me Or Leave Me" was completed. He mixed the song as if I was an 80s Latin hip-hop (freestyle)
recording artist from the Bronx and if you listen to the track, he buried my voice behind that 808 kick drum.
By the time I heard the final product we were out of time and over budget.
Was this the case for Cyre's involvement, too?
Cyre was a friend of mine and her participation was my idea. I loved her music--whatever happened to her, I
wonder?
Were there plans to release an album containing "Love Me Or Leave Me"?
No, "Love Me Or Leave Me" was never going to be part of an album. The only sound I liked of me on that
track was the falsetto. Very strong and on pitch.
How did it do in the dance charts?
Let's put it this way, I was still working as a waiter as I performed that song in the clubs. It got a great review
in Billboard, but that doesn't pay the rent, trust me.
[ For audio samples, lyrics and label info about
Loeber's Emergency Records single, click HERE. ]
NITE WITH A LAVA LITE
How did you come to be involved in the making of A Nite With a Lava Lite?
I made A Nite With a Lava Lite because I had an album's worth or music that I wanted
to promote . . . along with other musicians' songs. Every Christmas in NYC, a local
station plays a video where there's a fire burning to the background sound of holiday
music. A Nite With a Lava Lite is a takeoff of that video, where a Lava Lite is gurgling
on a table top and a woman named Demitra comes around every so often and cleans,
moves, dances around it, not to mention adds more lights at the end for a big finale.
It probably is the most ridiculous thing every created but I'm happy to say that it
received 11 rave reviews, including Playboy Magazine's "Couch Potato Video of the
Month," next to Cher, who had the "Couch Tomato Video of the Month." I still have a few of them left in my
closet if someone still owns a VCR and wants to buy one.
How did you come to choose the musical artists represented on the tape?
I put an ad in The Village Voice, a downtown rag in N.Y.C.
How did you meet Lydia Semanyshyn? Is that you singing backing vocals on "Shine For Me"?
Lydia was one of my high school friends. Yes, I did sing the backing vocals on her track.
Have you done writing, producing or backing vocals for any other artist?
Frankly I only wanted to be a front-man, not a producer/writer. I know that many who work in the
background eventually get their big break but I wasn't willing to go that route, which in the long run probably
squelched some major opportunities for me.
How did you plan to market or promote Lava Lite?
I sold it via a 1-800 line and made a dorky commercial that was seen on cable networks such as MTV, at 2 or 3
in the morning. We sold a few but it was too expensive. (Should have been $9.99.)
Was "Don't Do This To Me" slated for a release as a single at any point?
"Don't Do This To Me" is a really great song, but was never recorded as a single. I recorded that song to sing
in a Rumanian Steak House in Soho, NYC, which I managed, and performed at.
[ For full Nite With A Lava Lite track listing, artists, track info,
and samples of Loeber's songs in the compilation, click
HERE. ]
DO YOUR NATURAL THING
When was "Do Your Natural Thing" made? Why was it not promoted and released?
By the time I wrote "Do Your Natural Thing," I was losing steam in the music business,
which in my experience was about being exploited. That is a great song and maybe
one day I'll pull it out and do something with it.
[ To hear an audio sample of "Do Your Natural Thing," click HERE. ]
THE CURRENT DANCE MUSIC SCENE
What is your opinion of the Dance Music scene? Are there any artists you respect or would recommend?
It's a mediocre market these days, don't you think? Every song sounds the same and every artist looks like
each other. For a country that prides itself on the "land of the free and home of the brave," we're a really
scared group of people that don't want to take risks anymore. I wish someone would stop the lip-synching
and start singing, already. Please!
LOOKING AHEAD
Do you still write and perform your own music? How do you write your music? Do you
collaborate with musicians and other artists?
I used to come into a session with the melody and lyrics in my head and would sing a
cappella to a pianist--or in the case of the U.K.--to Chris Staines. He would translate
my stuff into music. But, after four recording contracts (three records released), and
performing and touring in U.K. and U.S., I left the business because I never saw a
dime. On a positive note, it's because of music that I am now heading up one of the
publicity departments at Simon & Schuster in America. (I'm V.P, Director of Publicity
for Atria Books, an imprint of S&S.) Standing on stage at the Hammersmith Odeon
gave me the confidence to run a staff and promote our authors on TV, Radio and in
print. This season I'm working with Pamela Anderson, Michael Jordan, Kevin Liles (Executive Vice President
of Warner Music Group), and INXS, to name a few. But I don't like to mix my music past with my publishing
career.
[Editor's Note: In 2006, Justin Loeber parted with Simon & Schuster / Atria to form his own promotions
company, Mouth Public Relations, "specializing in consumer, lifestyle, entertainment, health, environment,
author publicity, hard news, media training, and special events/marketing." Link to the site to find out
more. ]
Any plans to return to the music profession in future, even if as a side project?
You never know. If someone would have told me that I would be in book publishing I would never have
believed it. One day I might open up my closet, blow the dust off of those ditties and sing the shit out of
them. I might even ditch Justin, my middle name, and call myself Slutsky Discova. Or I might just sing
falsetto, dress in drag and call myself Winda Sills. Trust me, I wouldn't put it past me to give it another go. :)
Any last words by which you would like to be remembered?
My God, this question sounds as if you've nailed the last peg in my pine box! Seriously though, I guess I would
like to be remembered as a musician who had talent and although a little quirky--ok a lot quirky--made
someone smile.