A Rare Opportunity To Interview Myself

See, the thing is, I’ve got this big show coming up this Thursday, March 22, at The Temple (26000 Shaker Blvd., Beachwood) as part of the Maltz Museum’s concert series, and I asked the Cool Cleveland editors if they could have someone interview me about it – you know, to publicize it.

Of course, I know Cool Cleveland’s Thomas Mulready. Well, that is, I’ve met him. I mean, I think it was he; I can’t be sure. The fact is: No one’s ever really met Thomas Mulready. Some of us have seen a tiny bit of the top of his head from the back, over his big chair. In my case, it was when I visited Cool Cleveland’s World Headquarters, after Thomas moved it to the Chrysler Building in New York City. (And as I’m sure you know, all of Cool Cleveland’s actual manufacturing operations have been moved to China and Mexico, but that’s another story, probably for Roldo to do).

So, I never really did see Thomas’s face, but I heard his voice, so I feel privileged. And, by the way, this guy who runs around town wearing that hat and calling himself “Thomas Mulready” – I have to tell you, that’s an actor whose real name is Jeremy Finklestein. He’s actually the third guy to play Thomas Mulready, but he’s certainly the best-known. He’s done a great job in that role.

Anyway, calling New York and asking Mr. Mulready to get someone to interview me was a good way to gauge the publication’s interest in my show. Which I found out. That’s why I’m interviewing myself about my show, which is this Thursday, March 22.

First, a bit of my – that is, David Budin’s – background: Originally from Philadelphia, Budin first became known as a child TV star at the age of 11, in the TV series Nancy & Sluggo, in which he played Butch, the Tough Kid. At 13, he had a hit single on Capital Records, recording under the name “Butch, the Tough Kid,” with the novelty tune, “Hey, I’m Butch, the Tough Kid.” The label dropped him, though, when fans started beating him up everywhere he went.

At 15, he quit show business. But that didn’t work out. So when he was 18, he got together with some old music cohorts and formed a band called Crosby, Stills, Nash and Budin. He got kicked out after only a few months, though, because David Crosby objected to Budin’s heavy drug use. Budin went into rehab at a center that used the then-radical baseball-therapy approach. They just played baseball, all the time.

When Budin was 20, he was invited to spring training with the Detroit Tigers to try out as a second baseman. He played in the Tigers’ minor league system for two seasons, but he quit when he joined a cult that had no purpose whatsoever. Noting that many cults sold flowers on street corners and in airports, they decided that to distinguish themselves, they would only buy flowers, rather than sell them. The cult soon ran out of money and disbanded.

He then moved to Cleveland and has not been heard from until now.

Cool Cleveland: You know, I have a copy of your official bio here and it’s nothing like what’s written above.

David Budin: Oh, really? What’s different about it?

Every single thing.

Hmm. Interesting.

Which is the real story?

Well, I guess it’s the one that’s in the official bio.

Okay, then you’re really from Cleveland Heights?

Yes.

And you were never in a TV series?

No.

But you did leave high school and go to New York and you recorded and toured with rock bands, then signed as a solo acoustic artist with Sire Records, and occasionally did comedy in clubs and did comedy writing for comedians and radio personalities, then had a folk duo called David & Denise in New York and Columbus, then came back to Cleveland and played original rock music under the name Baxter Shadowfield, and did comedy with Willio & Phillio, then quit altogether?

I’m sorry – what did you say?

You did a lot of stuff in music and comedy, right?

Yep.

It says here that you played with lots of famous rock stars.

No, we never played. We did make music, though.

“Playing” is an expression that means “making music.”

I see. I’ve been away from the business for a while. Then, yes.

It says here that you jammed onstage with Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison in 1968.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. I wasn’t even alive yet in 1968. Oh, wait – yes I was. Who did you say I...?

Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison.

Oh, yeah. I think I remember that.

You stopped performing, writing, producing – everything – in 1980. Why?

I thought I had to. I was not a teenager anymore – I thought there were term limits.

So why are you doing all of that stuff again now?

Oh. Uh... you know, you kind of caught me off-guard with that question. Let me think about that.

Okay. I guess the answer is that I tried living in the real world for 20-some years and I didn’t like it. So now I’m growing my hair again, losing the weight I’ve put on, playing music, producing albums. I’m regressing in every way.

So you’re doing this show on Thursday, March 22. Can you tell us about that?

Yes.

Will you tell us about that?

Yes. I said I would.

Okay, let me put it this way: Tell us about your show?

Oh. Well it’s part of the Maltz Museum’s concert series. But it will be held next door at The Temple-Tifereth Israel – at 26000 Shaker Boulevard, just east of Richmond Road – which has a much larger performing space.

It’s called “Lollapa-Jews-a” and it will be me doing music and comedy – though I don’t like to call it “comedy” because that sets the bar way too high. Let’s just say that I’ll talk a lot in between songs, and people may find it amusing. If not, they’ll know there will be some more music soon, so they won’t have to panic.

Will the music be funny?

No. That is, not intentionally. Though some people may form a different opinion about it after they hear it. That’s the great thing about art.

Will you be performing the show alone?
Yes. Except for two other people, who will be doing a bunch of songs, too.

Can you tell us who they are?

Yes.

Will you tell us who they are?

Yes. I said I would.

Okay ... Tell us who they are.

Oh. Well, one is my brother Noah Budin. He’ll be doing a few songs from his new CD, Metaphor. The other one is Kathryn Wolfe Sebo. She’s the cantor at The Temple, but she’ll be doing pop music, not cantor-ing. We’ll all do songs individually and in different combinations of duets, plus some all together. Noah and I both play guitar – well, two guitars. Plus we have two wonderful musicians playing with us – keyboardist Ed Ridley, Jr., and sax, clarinet and flute player Norm Tischler.

Will people enjoy this concert?

I think the people who liked my TV show in 1960 will really enjoy this concert.

You weren’t on TV, remember?

Oh, yeah – hmm...

What will people get out this show?

It’s kind of a throwback to the old variety show format, but, of course, updated – though, actually, not much.

What kind of songs will you all be singing?

They’re really all over the place – songs from the ‘50s, ‘60s and today. Well, okay – not from today, but from a few months ago. Everything from old rock songs, to a mid-60s Phil Ochs song that I’m doing, to Noah’s songs, to a new Mark Knopfler song.

How can people get tickets?

They’ll have to buy them?

Yeah, I know. But how can they buy them?

They can call the Maltz Museum at 216-593-5075. Or they can get tickets at the door – but it’s probably better to reserve them in advance. But they shouldn’t let that stop them if they don’t get them in advance; there will be plenty at the door. Though it would be really nice if they called and reserved seats. But, you know, if they...

Thank you, and good luck.

Oh. Yeah, whatever.

From Cool Cleveland contributor David Budin popcycles@sbcglobal.net

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