Exclusive... Marc Jordan speaks to the RSFC

Marc Jordan is currently working with Rod on the forthcoming new album scheduled for release next year... Recently he kindly answered questions posed by Dave Reddy for the RSFC

RSFC: How did your career in music start & when did you start writing for other artists?

I started playing professionally, I guess, when I was 19, although at that time I didn't write for other people. I was basically writing for myself, but after I moved to Los Angeles, I got a staff job with Warner Chappell Publishing. That was about 1980, and my songs started getting covered.

RSFC: You have worked with some of the biggest names in the business such as Diana Ross, Rod Stewart & Joe Cocker. Who else have you worked with?

Let's see, uh... Josh Groban, Bette Midler, Cher, Kenny Loggins, Chicago, Bonnie Raitt, Natalie Cole, Amanda Marshall, Kansas, The Tenors ... a lot of different artists.

RSFC: Some of your music has appeared in TV shows & in film. Have you done any acting?

Yes, I have. I was recently in a movie called 'Score: A Hockey Musical' with Olivia Newton-John that opened at the Toronto International Film Festival a few years ago. We shot that here in Canada. I also do voice-overs for commercials, such as Nissan, TD Bank, WestJet, iTrade, but you know, that work comes and goes all the time.

RSFC: Rod has covered 4 of your songs before... Rhythm Of My Heart (Vagabond Heart) This (A Spanner In The Works) Charlie Parker Loves Me & Soul On Soul (Human) how did working with Rod come about & were those songs written for Rod in particular?

None of them were written for Rod in particular, except the songs I'm doing now. The songs you mentioned were either recorded by me or were in the catalogue with my publisher. 　What happened with Rod is that Rob Dickins, the president of Warner Chappell in London, heard a couple of my songs and he gave them to Rod. That's how it began.

RSFC: We hear that you have been writing songs for the forthcoming Rod album, can you tell us how many you have written & about the concept, are the songs Rock/Pop in nature?

They're rock and pop. I'm working on the third song with Rod now, and whether they'll make the record or not, I'm not 100% sure. I do know they over-cut -- that is, they record more material than they may need -- so whenever they send me a track, they tell me what they want, then I go away and work.

RSFC: You recently re wrote Rhythm Of My Heart for the Commonwealth Games (which is genius), how did new lyrics come about as they so inspiring & relevant to the city of Glasgow

Well, they left the choruses intact, but they needed to make the verses relevant to the Games and relevant to Glasgow. 　So I actually Google mapped Glasgow, flew over it -- virtually -- and, um, sort of got a sense of the city, because I'd never been there. I even walked down a few of the streets, with the little avatar man, got some names and pieced it together. 　You know, although it is relevant to Glasgow, we are all human beings and are all much more alike than we are different.

RSFC: What is Rod like to work with in the studio?

I haven't actually worked with him in the studio yet, I've only seen him after concerts. He's a lovely, lovely man ... very open, very inclusive, and he seems to be truly loved by all the people who work for him -- his band, his singers, his crew. So he's very inspiring, and it's a real testament to the man.

RSFC: Away from music do you have any hobbies what does Marc like to do in his spare time?

I have a house in the country, on a lake, and like to be up there whenever I can. I ride horses, have loved horses all my life. 　And I paint ... I have a studio here behind my house and I paint up at the lake as well.

RSFC: What future plans do you have in mind are you still going to write new material for yourself as well as going out & doing live shows?

Yes, I write all the time -- probably more now than I ever have -- and I've recorded two CDs in Nashville in the last four years, one called On a Perfect Day and the other was Crucifix in Dreamland which featured people like Ron Sexmith, Alison Krauss and Tim Schmit. I'm working on another one now. I'm hoping to get over and play in Europe next year ... there's some talk about Norway in June, maybe some other shows in the Netherlands. We'll see -- I'd love to tour in the UK and Australia, too.

RSFC: Where can members of RSFC find out more about Marc Jordan & about your future work, do you have a website or use social media?

I'd love that, would love to hear from Rod's fans -- it's a joyful thing to hear what my songs have meant to people. Yeah, I'm on Facebook and Twitter, and my website is www.marcjordan.com

RSFC: We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for taking the time to speak with us & we wish you all the very best in the future.

Thank you very much. I'm thrilled to be working with Rod again. 　He's just a straight shooter and blessed with an incredibly soulful voice. 　He is one of the true giants, and he has had one of the most brilliant careers in the history of recorded music.Thanks, everyone -- many, many thanks.

Marc Jordan was interviewed for www.rodstewartfc.com by Dave Reddy on Monday September 1st.

Photos by Zoe Jordan.