By: Robert Cavuoto
Jim Peterik of the legendary ’80s band Survivor has just released a tell all book entitled, Through the Eye of the Tiger, where he shares his experience in and out of the band.
It is not your typical sex, drug, and recovery story that you expect from a rock star’s autobiography, but a story about persistence, compassion, and overcoming challenges.
Jim is most notably known as writing such classic Survivor hits as “Eye of the Tiger”, from the movie Rocky III, along with other like “I Can’t Hold Back” and “The Search is Over.”
He has also worked with many other artists around the world and touts 18 Top 10 hits, including “Hold on Loosely,” “Caught Up in You,” “Rocking Into the Night,” “Fantasy Girl,” for bands like .38 Special, Sammy Hagar, REO Speedwagon’s Kevin Cronin, the Doobie Brothers, Cheap Trick, Night Ranger, Dennis DeYoung, and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
******
Robert Cavuoto: Your autobiography was extremely entertaining. Why is now the right time for you to write this book?
Jim Peterik: This book is my life; I don’t think I could have had a proper perspective on it all 10 or 20 years ago.
When you look back on something it can seem clearer. I still feel that I had a perspective on everything, the good, the bad and the ugly. It’s not a coda, as there is plenty more to live.
Robert: Your story is not the typical sex, drugs, alcohol and recovery story?
Jim Peterik: I hesitated writing it at first, because I didn’t think I had enough drama in my life [Laughing].
I’m a veracious reader of rock star autobiographies, from Steven Tyler to Motley Crue, and they all have train wreck stories. It’s fascinating to read about the rise, the fall, and the redemption of these bands.
I didn’t think I really had all that in my life, but when I was writing I was crying because I realized there was a lot of pain. I just covered it up in the music or writing.
It wasn’t as easy as I thought, with the inner turmoil of band and my problems with guitarist, Frankie Sullivan. And, of course, trying to keep my marriage going in the ’80s while touring. So, I really enjoyed it, but it was difficult, as well.
I said a lot of stuff I maybe shouldn’t have, so it was hard to write sections of the book.
Robert: At the heart of most rock start autobiographies, there is always someone being taken advantage of whether from management or the record company. In your case it was from an internal band member, guitarist, Frankie Sullivan and you took the high road for the sake of the band.
Jim Peterik: That’s pretty much the case. I’m a peacemaker and peace keeper, I didn’t want stress and was pushed aside from the lead singer to the lead guitarist. Then suddenly I’m the wooden Indian on the keyboard.
Thank God I still was the writer, as that kept me sane all in the effort of peace. I didn’t know the term “passive aggressive” at the time but that really describes Frankie. He made more impact by walking out of the room or shooting daggers at you than with all the words in the world that he could say.
Robert: My condolences regarding your friend and Survivor singer, Jimi Jameson.
Jim Peterik: We had a memorial service for Jimi Jameson, a real tragedy on September 1st. I still feel like I was punched in the heart. He was one of my dearest friends. Two weeks before he died, we traded voice mails, He called to say, “Hi” and when I called him back for some reason I sang him the bridge to the “Search is Over” over the phone. I don’t know why, but that was the last time he heard my voice.
Robert: I can remember listening to that song in my younger days over and over to get me though a break-up with a girlfriend.
Jim Peterik: I love hearing those stories where people were affected in some way by a song I wrote or co- wrote. I always say that that the mail box money is really great and I’m not going to mail it back [Laughing], but those stories are what I live for.
“Eye of the Tiger” was also the story about me and the band, as well as Rocky. Those are the stories that resonate with me, about how it motivated people in some way.
Robert: Has any rock band ever done a cover version of “Eye of the Tiger?”
Jim Peterik: There’s been ton in the dance market, whether as a cover or sampling it. Some are pretty good, but I’m still waiting for the hot new rock band to do a cover of it and really reinvent it. We will just have to wait for that. It is a trademark sound, not just the song but from it the arrangement to Dave’s vocals and my guitar part – the whole thing in a nut shell.
Robert: I wanted to get your perspective as to why Caught in the Game with Dave Bickler singing went nowhere while Vital Signs with Jimi singing took off?
Jim Peterik: We had a pattern of a good album followed by an album that stiffed. After “Eye of the Tiger” the pressure was on, at the same time Dave was losing his chops due to vocal nodules and we were contracted to do an album.
There is some really good material on that album like “Santa Anna Winds”. It could be an epic song in the right hands.
We were really struggling when Dave said, “I have to get well.” That’s when we held auditions. We auditioned some really bad singers and some really good ones.
In my career the singer’s voice inspires me in a certain way. I think it is really the singer and the songs that made Vital Signs what it was. Dave had a different range and texture than Jimi, so the way I wrote for them was different. When Jimi came in I heard this clarity and tenor that led me to start writing the big melodies that I know Dave could deliver like “I Can’t Hold Back.”
Robert: It’s amazing that you can do that, it’s almost like you got into their minds, same goes when you wrote with for Sammy Hagar and 38 Special.
Jim Peterik: You do have to become a vampire in that way. You have to channel and be authentic of what would be coming from that person.
Robert: Looking back, do you think the chemistry between you and Frankie was it worth it all or should you have just separated from him earlier?
Jim Peterik: That’s the million dollar question! There is no question that Frankie was a big influence on the band. He was a damn good guitarist and came up with some good licks, but he wasn’t a good writer.
What he was good at was being an arbiter of knowing what was the right material for Survivor. If I threw out a lyric that was corny or off brand, he would be there. As much as I had problems with him, I knew there was value to having him in some way as a partnership.
Robert: How did you lose the rights to the name, Survivor. I didn’t get a sense in the book that you put up a fight for it?
Jim Peterik: I was united with Frankie as we tried to get a cease and desist, but couldn’t. At that point it was a free for all as some of the “Faithful Johns” came to stake claim. That’s what led to my demise, that I didn’t even feel like fighting for.
I said something to Frankie at the time that I later regret because he could use it against me, “I won’t fight for the name because it won’t be worth much without me!”
That’s a pretty egotistical statement and that’s why I didn’t fight harder. I felt the music will live on.
“Eye of the Tiger” is bigger than the name Survivor. It was one of those things where I threw up my hands, because I didn’t want to fight.
