One On One…Hirsh Gardner
ONE ON ONE…HIRSH GARDNER
with David Kasheta
During the years from 1979 to 1982, Hirsh Gardner played a crucial role in a band renowned for their self-defined “power melodic orchestrated song oriented rock.” New England released three exceptional albums—New England, Explorer Suite, and Walking Wild—and collaborated with esteemed producers like Mike Stone and Todd Rundgren, while extensively touring alongside acts such as AC/DC and Journey. They also had the honor of supporting KISS during their 1979 Dynasty tour, and their debut single, “Don’t Ever Wanna Lose Ya” made it into Billboard’s Top 40.
Born in Canada, Hirsh Gardner attended the Berklee College of Music. It was in Boston where he joined forces with John Fannon, Jimmy Waldo, and Gary Shea to form New England, and were joined by Ayer, Massachusetts native and Northeastern University grad Bill Aucoin who took over managerial duties. Aucoin also managed KISS and Paul Stanley assisted the band in recording and producing their self-titled debut album, working alongside producer Mike Stone (Queen, Asia).
A pivotal phone call from KISS's Gene Simmons led Hirsh and his New England bandmates, Shea and Waldo, to Los Angeles to collaborate with emerging singer-songwriter Vinnie Cusano. This collaboration birthed the band Warrior, but it was short-lived, as Cusano quickly joined KISS and adopted the name Vinnie Vincent.
With the experience gained from working with producers like Stone and Rundgren, Hirsh became a sought after producer in the Boston area, collaborating with a variety of artists, including Willie Nile, Mass, Shyboy, and Vice. Mr. Gardner has received the Producer of the Year award from the Boston Phoenix and has been nominated five times for a Boston Music Award. In 2002, he released his first solo album, Wasteland for Broken Hearts, which was enthusiastically received not only by fans of New England but also by the broader rock audience.
His upcoming album, Third Time’s A Charm, on Deko Entertainment, features two distinct halves: the first side includes all original tracks, while the second side presents brand new recordings of classic New England songs. In 2023, Hirsh Gardner was honored with induction into the New England Music Hall of Fame in Arlington, Massachusetts.
Thank you for being here today and for sharing insights about your band and the impending new album release. Listeners of The Boston Tackle Box and Rock Never Rusts are really into the energy and melody of the band. The self titled debut of New England was outstanding including Don’t Ever Wanna Lose Ya and Hello Hello Hello. What was it like touring the world with a Top 40 album?
It really was the best of times. Like most musicians back then we spent years honing our craft, endless days of rehearsals, weeks in the studio and months away from home gigging. This was all in pursuit of the ever elusive major record deal. Once we were there the real work just started. But…it was a labor of love.
Touring with the likes of KISS, AC-DC, Journey, Rush, Cheap Trick...was, for me, an incredible education. Watching Phil Rudd from AC-DC...OMG, the guy was amazing. Then the next week being on the same stage as Neil Peart?! That is how good you have to be. That’s the musical part of it. The fans were amazing and quite frankly, still are. You’re living and breathing their lives as they share them with you. And seeing their love for our music was amazing.
Can you share the story behind choosing your band's name and how it reflects the essence of your music?
All of our interests were in the English progressive rock bands of the 70’s. Yes, 10CC, ELO, Queen...so for us we presented a new English style of music interpreted by and from an American band from New England. For us it was pretty simple but of course the critics had some fun with it.
Congratulations on your well deserved induction into the Music Museum Of New England. You sowed the seeds initially in your storied career by foregoing live gigs and focusing on honing your sound at rehearsal. The depth of the early studio recordings highlights the vocal layering of your vocals with John Fannon. Amazing in retrospect but how the band decide to take that route?
You had four really talented people constantly feeding off each other. We were all musicians, producers, recording engineers...so the early four track recordings that we did were pretty sophisticated. John, Jimmy and I spent a lot of time arranging the three part harmonies and recorded a lot of layered vocal tracks. John and I had a great blend as is evident on songs like Hello, Hello, Hello and L5. I worked hard at listening and mimicking his phrasing.
On the first album working with Engineer Mike Stone (RIP) the vocal sound really took shape. Mike had just finished working with Queen. Needless to say when Mike had us layer our three part harmonies 4 to 6 times, we started to get our vocal sound together. I’m still using that vocal technique today...as is everyone else :-)
What was it like working with Paul Stanley?
Paul was a pro. He got right down to business and moved us through the first album and did a fabulous job. Like I said earlier, it was such an education to be around guys like that. You’re now at that level so you’ve got to put out. I think that was an important role that Paul played for me.
You were in a short lived band, Warrior, with Vinnie Vincent (nee Cusano). I’ve read where a 3 CD compilation recorded in 1982 from the band was released on October 25th. What are your thoughts on presenting this material to a whole new legion of fans?
Presenting this material to fans shows the real depth of the band Warrior. Jimmy, Gary and I were fresh out of New England and at the top of our game. We invited Vinny to Boston to jam and put the band together in LA. It was short lived but seems the music resonated with a lot of folks.
Tell us about your new album, Third Time’s A Charm.
I’m always writing and recording so once I had ten or eleven songs done it just seemed time to release them. But let’s go back a bit. I had a chance virtual meeting with a gentleman named Chris Laney. At first I didn’t know who he was but came to find out that he was the guitar player for Pretty Maids, one of my favorite bands. So Chris and I started writing and producing some of the songs on the album. In my previous two solo albums I think I wrote some very diverse styles of music.
Third Time’s A Charm has that same style going on. Lover’s Lullaby, the opening track is about as metal as I get. One hundred and sixty beats per minute, some amazing guitar by Joe Feloni and J. Rushwell, the song kicks ass. Then there’s Angel In The Sky, which I co-wrote with Chris Laney, it could be a Top 40 hit single.
Side 2 of Third Time’s A Charm is devoted to rediscovering some of those tunes from the band’s debut album. Why did you decide to cover songs from the New England debut album?
A few years ago Jimmy Waldo and I were in LA for a New England gig so we decided to record keys and drums to the New England song Don’t Ever Wanna Lose Ya. Fast forward to me working on the new album, I came across the Lose Ya tracks on my computer. They sounded amazing. I added some guitar and bass and sang the lead vocal and backup. It was right then that I decided to put it on the new album.
L > R Steve Blaize (Lillian Axe), Jimmy Waldo, Hirsh Gardner (New England)
How did you determine which songs were selected?
After Lose Ya was done, BTW, Chris Laney laid in all the final guitars, Gary Shea played bass and of course Jimmy on keyboards. Once I realized how cool it would be to hear Lose Ya I thought it would be cool to try some others. Hello Hello was next and I had to do Nothing To Fear. I tried to stick to songs that I did sing lead on in the band.
Tear You Apart which is on Walking Wild turned out great with Chris on guitars again and Holding Out On Me is John, Jimmy, Gary and I so there you have the whole band. I must mention that Alan Sorensen from Pretty Maids played drums on that one...just amazing!!!
Excited for my first listen! Loved the energy of P.U.N.K. (Puny Undernourished Kid). Any chance of revisiting that in the future?
Yes, absolutely!!!
You’re working with Deko Entertainment to release this new album. How and why did you decide to work with them?
My good friend Giles Lavery in Germany took over the duties of finding me a label. When he came to me with Deko I checked out their roster and saw that they were really taking care of their artists. Once I spoke to them if felt it was a good fit.
How would you best describe your music?
Diverse...I won’t get stuck in a one dimensional vortex musically. So your gonna get ballads, rockers, covers, vocal and piano, a capella...whatever comes to me at that moment.
What are the plans for you for the next 6 months?
Promote this album. Whatever I can do, and these days you really have to take on that role, like it or not.
What was the first moment where you thought that people dug what you had to play and say?
I was about 8 years old and a cub scout. My dad was the Cub Scout Leader and taught a bunch of us how to play harmonica. I was chosen to play the solo at our banquet. I played Home Sweet Home and got a standing ovation. The next time was when we got an encore at Madison Square Garden opening for KISS...hahaha!
When did you first discover your voice?
They always needed an extra voice in whatever band I was in. But real discovery was firstly in New England when I had to sing lead, but secondly in doing the solo albums. I would go over and over and over the same parts until I thought they sounded pro.
First album, cassette, or CD purchased? Where? When?
Oh God, too long ago...Beatles Rubber Soul.
New or recent bands you’re most excited about?
Anything that has quality production.
Reach out to Hirsch Gardner here and catch the latest from Deko Entertainment!
Where can listeners grab your music?
Thank you for joining us and taking time out of your busy schedule. The listeners and fans of Hirsh Gardner and New England appreciate it!
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