Questlove Supreme Podcast | Dallas Austin (Part 1)

Watch the Questlove Supreme Podcast - https://bit.ly/QuestloveSupremeLive

In the first of a two-part interview taped live in Atlanta, producer and songwriter Dallas Austin speaks about his incredible life journey. He recalls growing up around music greats, earning his first credits in the 1980s, and eventually producing hit songs and albums for TLC and Boyz II Men. Dallas also recalls the challenges of producing films, including Drumline and ATL.

Check out more on Dallas Austin: https://dallasaustin.com/
Subscribe to The Roots' channel: http://bit.ly/RootsYouTube

Watch The Roots' Exclusive Series & Footage:
Roots Picnic 2020 - https://bit.ly/RootsPicnic2020YouTube
Questlove Quarantine - https://bit.ly/QuestloveQuarantineYT
The Roots Jam Presents Solo Sessions - https://bit.ly/RootsSoloSessions
Questlove Supreme Podcast - https://bit.ly/QuestloveSupremeLive
Streams of Thought Podcast - https://bit.ly/StreamsofThoughtPod
Behind The Keys w/ James Poyser - https://bit.ly/BehindTheKeys
Guitar Stories w/ Captain Kirk - https://bit.ly/GuitarStoriesYT
Reconstruction w/ Stro Elliot - https://bit.ly/ReconstructionStro
The Bridge - https://bit.ly/TheBridgeYT

0:00 - Questlove Supreme rollcall with Dallas Austin
2:00 - Questlove's Dallas Austin intro, and memories of The Roots' Illadelph Halflife and Fishbone
6:25 - Dallas Austin's first musical memory
10:30 - Dallas Austin on learning guitar and keyboard
11:30 - Dallas Austin recalls witnessing Parliament Funkadelic and the impact of those bands
18:00 - How Dallas Austin got to Atlanta
20:50 - Some history on Gene Griffin, a feared music executive of the 1980s who was tied to Teddy Riley
26:00 - Dallas Austin describes early success with Joyce Irby and Doug E. Fresh
27:10 - Dallas Austin recalls working with Boyz II Men and building a musical style that was influenced by Public Enemy and The Bomb Squad
30:00 - Dallas Austin speaks candidly about the mixes of TLC's "Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg," challenges of getting that breakthrough 1991 single to radio, and sample clearance issues
32:20 - Dallas Austin opens up about the sample challenge of TLC's "Creep," and how it relates to Slick Rick, Shinehead, and more
36:00 - Dallas Austin reveals he has some of George Clinton's Parliament Funkadelic master recordings in his possession
38:30 - Dallas Austin opens up about his approach to tracking, mixing, and how he treats demo recordings differently than most producers
41:00 - Dallas Austin reveals that Boyz II Men's Cooleyhighharmony is comprised of all rough mixes, and why
42:00 - Dallas Austin talks TLC's Crazysexycool, and how the hit single "Creep" defied the odds because Clive Davis believed in a sound
44:45 - Questlove and Dallas Austin talk about copycat songs, and how a singer Sharleen Spiteri and her band Texas tried to emulate TLC's "Creep." The conversation leads to a bigger discussion about how copycats are commonplace.
48:10 - Questlove Supreme asks Dallas Austin about boldly beginning Boyz II Men's Cooliehigharmony with a love ballad, "Please Don't Go."
49:00 - Dallas Austin speaks about the competition between him, Organized Noize, and Jermaine Dupri, and who the hit-makers learned was behind the rivalry
52:50 - Dallas Austin describes Atlanta's skate culture
56:00 - Dallas Austin reveals the challenges of getting Drumline made, as well as Atlanta. He also admits that he is largely responsible for why so many films and shows are made in Georgia today

Official site for The Roots: http://theroots.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheRoots
Twitter: https://twitter.com/theroots
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theroots
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theroots/
Jimmy Fallon: http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com

#TheRoots