Gary James' Interview With
Kasim Sulton



You might recognize his name from Todd Rundgren's band, Utopia. But he's also worked with Meat Loaf, Blue Oyster Cult, Cheap Trick, Patty Smyth and Hall And Oats to name just a few. He even played bass in a Beatles tribute group called Yellow Matter Custard. We are talking about Mr. Kasim Sulton. Kasim has released a solo CD called "Kasim 2021". We spoke with Kasim about his many journeys in Rock, and Rock 'n' Roll.

Q - It seems like a rather strange and difficult time to be a recording artist. How are you going to promote this CD of yours? Will you be touring? Are the venues beginning to open up?

A - Well you know, it's tricky and it's gotten a lot more difficult, not just because of the current situation with the pandemic and the fact that basically everything was shut down concert wise for the last year and a half. The music industry has changed so drastically over the last ten to fifteen years. For me it's become much more about live performances and that's how most of my colleagues, my peers, that's how we're surviving these days, by playing live and selling some merchandise. There's not a lot of money in streaming and hardly anybody buys a CD anymore. So, it's a challenge, but that's what we do. To answer your question, this is what I'm doing. I'm doing interviews. I'm on Social Media, putting our videos, little teasers here and there. And that's all I can do right now.

Q - I interviewed a guy by the name of Stephen Wrench, who told me radio is leading the way these days for singers and bands, especially when it comes to getting good paying gigs.

A - Well, I actually have a radio show. (laughs) I have a terrestrial radio show that's on every Sunday night out of WDST Radio Woodstock. It's called It's My World And Welcome To It. 7PM Sunday nights. It's an hour radio show and I'm on in another two markets. I'm on in the Mountain in Roanoke, Virginia and K Rock station in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Q - So, you've got the promotion thing down then?

A - Yeah. I don't necessarily hawk my own records that often on my show, but it is a vehicle for me to get my music out there.

Q - What kind of records are you playing on this radio show of yours?

A - It's a mixed bag of stuff. I go everywhere from The Rolling Stones to The Beatles to brand new artists like the Love Brothers out of Chicago, Michael Franti out of Upstate New York, indie artists, and everything in between.

Q - The show is carried on the internet?

A - It is carried on the internet, yeah.

Q - There are probably a lot of guys who would be content to support a name act for their entire career, but not you. Was it always in your mind to have a solo career?

A - You know, that's a really, really good question. I don't get asked that very often, but yeah, you're absolutely correct. When I first started playing guitar, I guess I was maybe nine or ten years old, it wasn't until I was in my teens that I started taking it very seriously. I always thought that one day I would put out a record by myself, for myself, of myself. And yeah, that dream has come true. And that's what I do, along with playing in numerous other bands. I'm a solo artist and I'm very proud of my solo work.

Q - You've played in all types of bands, played different styles of music in all kinds of venues. You like to mix it up, don't you? To be in some band for a long time would probably bore you, wouldn't it?

A - It depends on what that band is. If it's a band that constantly churns out new material, kind of stretches the envelope a little bit and doesn't always stay in a comfort zone, then I would be happy playing in that band. But I think for the most part a lot of Heritage acts rely on their past catalog to continue to work and to continue to do concerts and satisfy their audience 'cause their audience wants to hear the hits. So, there's that. There's nothing wrong with that. That's very admirable to be still doing that after so many years.

Q - Heritage acts. That's a term I haven't heard before. I've heard "oldies" acts.

A - Yeah, that's a little brutal. (laughs) When I think "oldies" I think Sha Na Na and Doo Wop bands. I just cringe at the fact that I'm part of an oldies act.

Q - You've toured with Blue Oyster Cult, Hall And Oates, Cheap Trick and Meat Loaf. Were you a part of their band or were you an opening act for them?

A - Well, with Blue Oyster Cult and Meat Loaf and Cheap Trick and Hall And Oates I was in the band. I was the bass player in those bands. I toured extensively with Meat Loaf for almost seventeen years. I was his Musical Director for ten years. I've been working with Todd Rundgren for forty-five years now. I did about a six or seven year stint with Blue Oyster Cult. Great Band. Great bunch of guys. It's always a challenge to get up there and play a different kind of music than I might me used to. One of my favorite bands that I was ever in was Joan Jett And The Blackhearts. I was The Blackhearts for three and a half years in the '80s. I loved working with Joan. I went right from Joan Jett to Hall And Oates. So, it was kind of like opposite ends of the spectrum there.

Q - In 1982 you had a Top 40 hit in Canada with "Don't Break My Heart". What did you follow that up with? Or didn't you follow that up? Was that a single or part of an LP?

A - That was my first solo record. It was on E.M.I. Records. It came out in '82. I had a band. I was doing some touring. Unfortunately it was a little difficult because the record company had spent a lot of money. I spent a lot of money making the record. So, when it came to throwing promotion dollars behind it, they were just a little bit hesitant. The one song was a Top 40 hit in Canada, but unfortunately I didn't have the machine behind me to capitalize on it at the time. I wound up going back to Utopia. I was back in the band Utopia. I didn't do another solo record for fifteen years after that.

Q - You were also in this Beatles tribute group, Yellow Matter Custard. What did you get out of that besides a paycheck

A - Well, I never do it for the paycheck. I have bills. I have to keep the lights on in my home, but that's not why I do what I do. I do it because it's what I love to do. I get a great deal of satisfaction out of performing live in front of an audience and bringing some joy to people, or at least trying to. I got a phone call from Mike Portnoy. He was the original drummer in Dream Theatre. I think he was one of the founders of that band, and asked me if I was busy, did I have a couple of months free. He was working with Paul Gilbert, who was a guitar player that I know. Amazing guitar player and a keyboard player, and they do this Beatles, I don't want to say tribute band, every so often. Matt Bissonette was the bass player, but Matt was busy with another band and couldn't do it. So they called me and I jumped in. I had a great time doing it too, working with Mike and Paul was just a great experience.

Q - I've noticed you kind of look like Paul McCartney. And of course you sing like him at times.

A - I can't change the way I look. I can't change the way I sing. I can't change the way I stand or sound. So, I just do what comes naturally to me. If it reminds people of someone of that stature then that's wonderful. I don't have a problem with that. I'm a big Paul McCartney fan. It's okay to remind people of someone else, but I think at a certain point you certainly want to be able to have your own place in people's minds and not be associated with someone else.

Q - Very few people can do that, but people are always making comparisons.

A - Yeah. Well, isn't life all about comparisons? One day is different than the next, but you're always comparing it to something.

Q - I feel sorry for bands that are compared to The Beatles. They were a hard act to follow.

A - Yeah, that is a tough comparison. They were the consummate band. They really changed the face of music as well as culture in the time they were together. I think the real testament to them, to those four guys, is how they are still just as important today as they were fifty years ago, sixty years ago.

Q - Have you ever met any of The Beatles?

A - Yeah. I've met Paul a couple of times. Very, very nice guy. And I had the opportunity to work with Ringo a couple of times too. We did a Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Telethon in the '70s together. It was a big, huge band. Everybody was onstage from Bill Wyman to Kike Dee, myself, Todd Rundgren, Utopia. We had two drummers. Ringo was one of them. And then just about a couple of years ago I wound up standing in for someone who got a little ill on one of the Ringo Allstar tours. I got a call from Todd to come in and stand in for a little while, while Richard Page recuperated from some health issue. So, I've had the opportunity to work with Ringo and have a couple of chats with Paul McCartney. Really a dream come true.

Q - I would guess you can't bring up The Beatles to either Paul or Ringo.

A - Ringo has a rule when you're around him and if you happen to be working with him that you can't ask him a question about The Beatles and if you do he charges you $100.

Q - I've never heard that before.

A - Yeah. I guess the real question is, does he answer it and then charge you $100 or does he charge you $100 for merely asking the question. That I don't know.

Q - Should you ask for Ringo's autograph he won't give it.

A - Correct.

Q - Paul McCartney no longer signs or poses for pictures.

A - I did not know that.

Q - Paul and Ringo were upset that their autograph would show up on eBay a few hours later.

A - That's terrible when stuff like that happens. When I did work with Ringo and his Allstar tour I did get a shirt, a t-shirt, and he signed the t-shirt and gave it to me. He personalized it. So that t-shirt lives in my closet. It never sees the light of day and I'll keep it forever.

© Gary James. All rights reserved.

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