TOMMY BOY… Rock Opera?! Dr. Grant has heard the light!
Published at: July 2, 2018, 3:36 p.m. CST by DrGrantAICN
“Gentlemen raise a glass to long nights I can’t recall,” is the opening line to one of the most interesting albums devoted to the film TOMMY BOY you will ever hear. To be fair, it’s the only cover to cover album I’m aware of that is devoted to the 1995 comedy classic.
Dr Grant here, reporting on a blast from the comedy past by way of a truly unique concept album. “Sandusky, OHIO”, by Dave Paulson (THE PRIVATES, NORM), is remarkable, not only is it earnest in guitar and piano driven pop songwriting approach but that it contains legitimately smile-inducing tunes that you’ll want to play more than once (I’m currently on listen 21). As stated on the website for the album ( http://SanduskyOH.co ), “It’s No Joke.” After listening to the record in its entirety, I agree. This is not a comedy record. No, “Sandusky, OHIO” is a character study set to music, chronicling the film from beginning to end (in twenty-five minutes) and it’s worth a listen. I got to interview the creator in chief, Mr. Dave Paulson himself, and here’s our brief discussion below.
Dr. Grant: So what does TOMMY BOY mean to you that it would be worthy of such an investment of time and resources?
Dave Paulson: TOMMY BOY has been one of my favorite movies since I saw it in the theater at age 12. My folks were pretty strict about what movies I could see - i.e. no PG-13 movies until you’re actually 13.
My mom dropped me and my friend off at the theater, and we were actually planning to see A GOOFY MOVIE but it was sold out. No cell phones back then, so our options were either to hang out in the lobby for 2 hours or see TOMMY BOY, which was (gasp) PG-13. I’m not sure I’ve ever laughed harder in my life than I did for those 90 minutes, probably also because I felt like I was getting away with something. So yeah, it means a lot to me - but I was also drawn to the idea of making an album out of something that didn’t seem worthy of such an investment, and then proving that it actually was. And I’d argue that TOMMY BOY actually has a ton of heart, which I think is partially why people continue to have so much fondness for it.
DG: I agree, the film does a great job of interweaving deep loss and having the weight of the world thrown on your shoulder with childish humor. I can imagine if anyone watching that has recently lost a loved one, it's going to resonate that much more and it has those moments which are handled with more care than say a deer wrecking Richard's convertible.
Did the idea first come to do this type of project about any film or was it specifically about TOMMY BOY from the start?
DP: I was definitely looking for a pre-existing story to write songs to — I had been in a lyrical rut for years and wanted a fresh approach. Honestly, TOMMY BOY was the thing that immediately sprang to mind, for whatever reason. Probably because of my personal connection to it, and the fact that making an album out of a comedy film made the whole “concept record” thing feel a lot less pretentious and a lot more fun. And I hope that it’s a really inviting concept for a listener. When you hear that it’s an album about TOMMY BOY, I don’t think you’re going to be very intimidated.
DG: What were some of your musical influences in making this record?
DP: Paul McCartney, Brian Wilson, and Jeff Lynne were key influences.
DG: What was the creative process like for breaking down the scenes that you wanted to turn into songs?
DP: A lot of it came from memory, as I’d easily watched the film a dozen times before even having this idea. I rewatched it a couple more times and found a copy of the script online, and then just went about breaking down story beats and character arcs. I quickly decided to keep the focus just on Tommy and Richard. The whole Bo Derek/Rob Lowe villain angle might add to the drama of the film, but you can pretty much leave them out, and it’s still a story about Tommy and Richard having to save the company, forge a friendship and find their place in the world.
The music itself had been previously written - I culled the 9 tracks from about 25 or so melodies that I’d sketched out over the years. “Sandusky,” “Golden Child” and “Here It Comes” have actually been around for about a decade or so. I just couldn’t find the right lyrics for them until this project.
DG: Do you identify with any of the characters more than others?
DP: Tommy, for sure — I think a lot of people who love the movie relate to him, too — as a decent guy who sometimes needs to stop coasting and put in a little effort. I’ve yet to get my tie stuck in an airplane toilet, however.
DG: Are you secretly just after that lucrative Sandusky, OH tourism board money?
DP: You got me. Actually, I’ve never been there, and I’d love to reach out to folks there and see what they think of the album. I also wonder what they think of TOMMY BOY, If there isn’t already a statue of Tommy in his dinghy in the town square, maybe we should create a Kickstarter.
DG: Are there follow up record potentials regarding films or is this a one-off idea that rides off into the sunset?
DP: I’m sure I’ll find something new to base a project around somewhere down the road — but probably not another movie. Something much stranger, I’m sure.
“Sandusky, OHIO” was released 6/22/2018 on Yewknee Records out of Nashville, TN. You can find it on Spotify, iTunes, Google Music, and others.
Do yourselves a favor, put a do not disturb sign on the door, and go peep this thing out.
