Jon Anderson: Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp

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By: Dr Matt Warnock

Being able to spend a week playing with and learning from rock legends such as Ace Frehley, Yes’ Jon Anderson and Meat Loaf, sounds like a dream come true for many aspiring rockers across the globe. If this sounds like music to your ears than check out the upcoming, November 2009, edition of the Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp in Los Angeles, CA.

Participants will not only be able to spend the week jamming in a group with their fellow musicians, they will get to learn directly from these, and other, legendary rock stars. To cap off the week long camp, participants will also be able to spend time recording in a professional recording studio, and get up on stage with their group at the world famous Whisky A-Go-Go, where countless rock legends played their first shows.

Yes vocalist, Jon Anderson, spoke with Guitar International about the upcoming Fantasy Camp, his return to normalcy after a health scare last year and his plans for pushing his career to new and ever exciting heights.

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Matt Warnock: How did you become involved with the Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp?

Jon Anderson: I was on tour sixteen years ago in Brazil with James Taylor, Alice Cooper and Milton Nascimento. The guy who was running it was David Fisher. Dave and I became friends and he told me about his idea for the Fantasy Camp. I had always wanted to do a Yes camp, but the guys in the band thought I was crazy, they still do, but that’s life. [Laughs]

So I did the first Fantasy Camp, and the third one, but last year I was too sick to participate so I’m looking forward to the camp coming up in November. I just love doing the camp. It’s great to work with people who are interested in music and who are trying to get better so they can get out and perform. The whole concept of the camp is to get people to perform. Coordinate the band. Tell them what to turn up, what to turn down, how to get a good mix in the vocals, that sort of thing. Trying to get better while having a good time, that’s what it’s all about.

Matt: What is it about music education, giving back to the fans and younger players, that draws you to events like the Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp?

Jon: A few years ago I bumped into Paul Green, who runs the School of Rock, and I’ve been working with them, taking groups of kids out on the road for a few weeks at a time, for a while now. I always learn a lot from the kids. They love Yes, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, The Band and other classic groups. To work with young people that enjoy this type of music is very inspiring and it’s great to see them work hard and become better. I want to continue to be a part of that in whatever way I can.

Matt: How do you approach teaching the groups you work with at the Fantasy Camp?

Jon: We work on doing vocal harmonies, on finding a good balance within the group. Usually we have to tell the bass player to turn the fucking bass down. [Laughs] Bass players are like that you know, they just have to play loud. We work with the drummers, trying not to overdo things, keeping the tempo.

I also try to get them to work on their stage presence. They’re up there to make music but they’re also supposed to be entertaining, so we work on that aspect of their stage show. I usually spend an hour with them, then send them off to work on their own for an hour or two before coming back to see how they’re doing and answer any questions they have. It’s a very interactive experience for everyone involved.

Matt: The groups also get a chance to record a few tracks in a pro recording studio and cap the week off with a show at the Whisky A-Go-Go. Do you ever get up on stage with them for the concert or do you sit back and let the group do its thing?

Jon: It all depends. If they need some help I might get up and sing with them, to help them along. But, if they’re doing their thing and it sounds good I’ll just sit back and let them go for it. Whatever is needed for that particular group and show.

Matt: What level of experience are you expecting from the participants in the upcoming camp?

Jon: Most of them are people that enjoy making music, but not necessarily for a living. They’re doctors, lawyers, and truck drivers, whatever. They just want to play music and have a good time. It’s a holiday for them, they get to be a rock and roller for a week and they get to meet a lot of cool people while they’re doing it. Some of their musical hero’s will be there, such as Meatloaf and Ace Frehley. They get to eat with them, talk to them, be involved with them musically. But it goes beyond getting an autograph, they get to learn from these great musicians, then they can walk away with a DVD or CD of their playing at the end of the week. It’s a very cool gig.

Matt: You mentioned earlier that you were recently having some health problems but you seem to be doing much better. I’m sure your fans would like to know how you’re doing in your recovery, are things going better in that respect?

Jon: I’m getting better but I still have to watch myself. Over the years I’ve started to realize that my mind wants to do a million things but my body just can’t keep up. So I don’t really do the big tours anymore, but what for, it’d be wrong. Physically I can do short tours, I do my solo gigs, my one man show, pay the rent, and keep going.

I’m more into creating music these days. I was singing all morning, I sing everyday. I’m just trying to build up this big library of ideas that will hopefully come out later next year in some new material. Last year I had to focus on getting better, not singing, but being creative with my painting. It was a real wake up call for me. I’m getting on with my life, getting back on tour a bit. This summer I was over in Europe with my wife and my guitar, just doing gigs. It doesn’t get any better than that.

Matt: Do you have plans to release a solo recording in the coming months or are you more focused on touring and getting the music to the people through live shows?

Jon: I just finished getting some demos ready. I’ve got about sixteen songs that I’m really excited about, that I’ve recorded. I’m not sure what I’ll do with it. I might just put it online through ITunes or Amazon, rather than a traditional release. The most important thing is to keep making music and getting it out to the fans any way I can.

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Links

Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp Website

Yes: Live at Montreux 2003 on Amazon

Yes: Live in Philadelphia, 1979 on Amazon

Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp Press Release and Further Info

Hollywood, CA (September 25, 2009) – With back-to-school season in full swing, Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp is giving music fans the opportunity to learn from some of the most influential artists in the industry. Multi-Platinum, GRAMMY® award winning rock icon Meat Loaf will headline the November 2009 sessions. One of the most distinctive vocalists in rock history, Meat Loaf has sold over 70 million albums in a career spanning four decades. Bat Out Of Hell – the first album in his legendary trilogy – has alone sold more than 40 million copies, stayed on the charts for over nine years and routinely sells upwards of 200,000 copies annually. Meat Loaf, who has been recording a new album with producer Rob Cavallo (Dave Matthews Band, Green Day), will spend time with the campers, sharing stories and tips from his remarkable career.

Jon Anderson, lead vocalist for Yes, and lead guitarist Ace Frehley, a founding member of KISS, are two of the very special guest stars slated to appear at the November sessions and many of the camp’s favorite counselors will be returning, including Rami Jaffee (Foo Fighters), Mark Hudson (producer/songwriter, Aerosmith), Elliot Easton (The Cars), Kenny Aronoff (John Fogerty), Danny Seraphine (Chicago), Bruce Kulick (KISS), Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne), Share Ross (Vixen) and Teddy Andreadis (Guns ‘n’ Roses). Ron Nevison, producer/engineer for The Who, The Rolling Stones and Lynyrd Skynyrd, will be a guest.

“Although I can’t mention him by name, I’m ecstatic to announce that we’ve secured a legendary guitarist from one of rock’s most renowned bands to come and jam with the campers this November – and perform live with them at the Whisky A Go Go on closing night,” says David Fishof, Producer, Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp.

Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp is offering several options designed to suit a wide range of budgets and schedules – from a three-day camp (November 12-15) and a five-day camp (November 17-22) to the special “Rock Legend” package, which will encompass both camps plus the Rock ‘n’ Roll Golf Experience. Fans can also sign up for the golf tournament only and campers may bring a spouse with the reasonably priced “Groupie Package.” Financing is available. See below for a recap of new packages that make Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy Camp more affordable than ever. The camp’s spring 2009 session with special guests Steven Tyler, Duff McKagan, Todd Rundgren and numerous other rock stars sold out, so campers are encouraged to sign up early.

“It was the rock ‘n’ roll family get-together, the elders of the tribe telling stories and dispensing wisdom, everyone working toward common goals. Truthfully, for this singer/songwriter, it was inspiring,” said an MSN Music editor/producer (who is also a musician) regarding the spring camp. You can check out the full feature at:

http://music.msn.com/fantasy-camp/story/feature/

Since 1997, Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy Camp has been giving individuals – regardless of their musical ability – a once-a-lifetime opportunity to live like a rock star and jam with their idols. From the opening night party at the Gibson Showroom in Beverly Hills, intensive rehearsals with rock star counselors and jams, master classes and Q&A’s with rock legends to recording an original song at the historic Capitol Studios with legendary engineer/producer Eddie Kramer (Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix) and rocking the Sunset Strip’s Whisky A Go Go in a sold-out, closing night performance – it’s a dream come true for any music fan. Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy Camp has been covered by the “Today” show, “Good Morning America,” USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, Travel & Leisure and was even featured in an episode of “The Simpsons.”

The first 2010 sessions are also on sale. Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp will return to Hollywood, CA over Presidents Day weekend (with a choice of February 10-15 or February 12-15) followed by a session at Abbey Road Studios in London, England May 25th – 31st. To register for any of the sessions or to learn more, visit http://www.rockcamp.com or call 1-888-762-BAND.

November 2009 Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp Packages
(Financing is available)

The Headliner Package – 5 days -November 17th-22nd
$7,999 plus the cost of hotel

The Rockstar Package – 3 days – November 12th-15th
$3,999 plus the cost of hotel

The Rock Legend – 8 days – November 12th-22nd
The 5-day and the 3-day camper packages plus the Rock ‘n’ Roll Golf Experience.
$12,498 plus the cost of hotel

The Roadie Package – 1 day Rock ‘n’ Roll Golf Best Ball Tournament, November 17th
Add on a day of golfing to the 3- or 5-day Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp experiences, or just join us for the day of golf!
$1,250

The Groupie Package
Our 3-day campers can purchase the “Groupie Package” for $599.
Our 5-day campers can purchase this package for $799.

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For more information on ROCK ‘N’ ROLL FANTASY CAMP888.762.2263 (BAND) or visit: http://www.rockcamp.com/

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