Jono, Ben & Megan - The Podcast - BONUS: Marlon Williams On Working With Bradley Cooper!

Episode Date: September 6, 2022

It is release day for Kiwi singer Marlon Williams and he is in with the guys to share about his time working with Bradley Cooper!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello. It's great to meet you. Jeez, you... Can I say two things about you, Marlon? You may, yes. Yes, I thought you were going to say, you be careful. I also be careful.

I'll say be careful. First one, very fashionable. I've always admired your fashion, Marlon. Oh, thank you. And second one, you're a lot taller than I thought you would be. Oh, yeah. Do you get that a lot?

I do get that a lot, yeah. Would you be about 6'9"? No, I'm 6'3". That's a wildly... that's six inches off. I'm no good at guessing heights. It's not an NBA play. You do love your basketball though. I do.

Every morning I wake up and cry because I'm one day further away from getting in the NBA. I'm now 31. Oh yeah, like the gap is closing, your time is running out. But fortunately you've got your music to pull back on. Dare I say it. It was music you back up playing. The NBA was the first.

When did you discover, because your amazing voice, incredible voice, when did you really discover you're like, hey, actually I can sing and I've got a really unique voice? I think I was about eight or nine and I think I was sitting in maths class and the choir master came around and was like, would anyone rather be in the choir than do maths? And I was like, okay.

I don't know what the choir is, but I'm sure it's much better than this. The choir master sold it well too, would rather. Yeah, if you're going to give me An either or like that Yeah And so as soon as you Started singing You're like man

I love this Yeah I just found That I could It was something I could do And that like Some of the other kids Were having a bit of trouble It's like oh

I know what's going on I can hear what That sounds horrible Like you know Yeah So obviously you know You've had a bit of a You know a country vibe

To a lot of your music But this new album I understand is sort of a mix You've got sort of new people, you've been working with new people And some new sounds as well Yeah, I mean it didn't feel like any sort of drastic new direction while I was doing it Because I was the one doing it But yeah, it's a poppy little, fun little pop record That's cool

Because you've had such huge success, not only here but overseas as well Yeah, it's got some, it's a poppy little, fun little pop record. That's cool. Yeah. Because you've had such huge success, not only here, but overseas as well, in the States. You must play some shows and you would see probably famous people turning up to your concerts? Sometimes, yeah, yeah. You know, you go and tour the States and sometimes you have a little weird little Hollywood moment. There's an amazing story. I was watching an interview from Kate Roger talking to Bradley Cooper, obviously, you know, from A Star is Born, which the movie that you were in.

But this story, this is him talking about you, if we can just play a little bit of that, Jono. Oh, it was amazing. How did you come across him? I was driving up to PCH and on NPR they were playing this song and it sounded reminiscent of Roy Orbison a bit, but so unique. And then it said, that's Marlon Williams. He's playing at the Troubadour Tuesday night.

So I bought tickets, and I went to the Troubadour, and I saw him play, and he blew me away. And then I said, because I knew there was this part of the movie where I was going to write this super group thing at the Grammy. So I thought, it's a Roy Orbison tribute. That way I can get Marlon Williams to come and do a cover of A Pretty Woman. And that's how it all started. And he was kind enough to meet and we recorded it and by the way he's a very good actor I know he's acted a lot but we had a lot of fun in fact there was a much longer scene in there

and Marlon I'm sorry I tried to keep it as much as I could but we had a great scene between Jax and him on the stage that was he was wonderful. Sorry that's probably awkward for you to listen to but it's amazing for us to listen to. I mean, that's Bradley Cooper, you know, talking about you, not only your amazing singing talent, but also as an actor as well. Yeah, buzzy. Cut your scene, though. Cut your scene.

Now, what was the scene that he cut? I can't even remember. He said that, and I was like, when I saw the film, I was like, oh, yeah, that's exactly what happened. You couldn't remember doing the scene? I don't remember any other bit. He tuned up at a gig of yours. Yeah, so how's that?

Yeah, he just, like, I was playing in Hollywood Finished the set and it had been an incredible show Like one of the best shows of the tour And then came off stage and my tour manager was like I think it was Bradley Cooper And I was like, thank God I did not know that he was in here Yeah, I can imagine Yeah, so you've been to and from the States

For a long period of time now. We're just talking before turning on the mics. You've seen some parts of America. You've seen all the dark areas. I've seen all the, yeah, well, not all of it, but probably a good 45 of the 52. I imagine when you're starting out, you know, trying to make a name for yourself in the States,

you're playing some bleak gigs. Have you, no, what's been the bleakest gig you've had to play over there? We're talking about Cooper's there. That's a highlight. No, Brady Cooper's here in Hoskowitz. Yeah, that's great. Kansas City, Missouri. I turned up at this bar to play

and there was precisely zero people at the show. So we started playing and about two songs in, a hen's doo came in not ideal conditions just like that's the owner and they were like they were quite happy to pay the money and that was about it like they put the money in and as long as we can be here to make our noise you know so they did and they came in and they made a lot of noise and then they were just then they wanted photos with us are you sort of starting to play Girls Want to Have Fun and other sort of... Nah, I was playing the darkest murder ballads I could think of. I'm going to get this vibe down.

And then they took photos with us afterwards and tried to grope us. And then we sort of just got rid of them and that was the worst. That was Missouri? That was Kansas City, Missouri. Actually, before you go, we wanted to play a quick game with you we wanted to throw it out there if this is an actual country song that's been recorded or not then you've got to guess if it is an actual song oh my god okay okay we'll start with this one uh get your tongue out of my mouth because i'm kissing you goodbye is it an actual country song or not oh Oh, this is a good game. I'm going to go with...

I'm going to go with True. It's a country song. It gets your tongue out of your mouth. Yeah. Because I'm just going to go by it as an actual country song. Yeah, well done. Who's it by? Do you know Ray Stevens?

No. Ray Stevens. Okay. I'd been his one and only hit. Yeah. Okay, the next one. Flushed You From The Bathroom Of My Heart. Is this a country song or not?

That is not a country song. Actually, it is a Johnny Cash, but I feel like it's a comical country song because the audience is laughing along with it. Private disposal of your dreams. I really like that. Yeah, Flushed You From The Bathroom Of My Heart. And She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy,

it really turns her on. Is that a country song or not? I happen to know that that is a country song Yeah So there you go You did really well on that one There's amazing titles When you look into the country music

That's beautiful One of my favourites is Every night I sleep just like a baby I wake up every hour and cry There's one other one Drop kick me Jesus Through the goalposts of life There is also

A country song Yeah a country song Drop kick me Jesus Through the goalposts of life Drop kick me Jesus Yeah Oh Marlon Williams Thank you for coming in

Lovely hanging out with you And congratulations On all your success My boy The new album Is out now And you keep Doing good my man

Oh well thank you boys