MOUNTAIN LIFE - Blue Mountains | Spring 2020

36 But after he’d healed significantly, he was open to speaking with the press. He wasn’t wide open—he was selective—and I was very fortunate that I was on the shortlist. So that was a thrill, because he not only agreed to chat with me on several occasions, he opened up in a way that was shocking to many, talking about his second chance at family, and about the people he would meet on the road, as he toured from town to town, not with the rest of the entourage, but on his own, by motorbike. ML: Did the two of you become friends? JW: It feels like the friendship with Neil extended beyond the interview; but it really didn’t. We didn’t hang out. I didn’t go to his house; we didn’t go out for dinner. But I remember being out one night for dinner in Toronto and I heard, “Hey Jeff!” and I looked over and there’s Neil, Alex [Lifeson] and Geddy [Lee] and longtime manager Ray Daniels. And they were all waving. It was funny. The people I was sitting with were like, “wow.” But that’s as intimate as it got. I do carry on a relationship with some artists, particularly with Canadians because of proximity. For example, Tom Wilson. When I see Tom it’s a hug and a “How are you?” and a bit of a brotherly love-fest. ML: What was it like interviewing Keith Richards? JW: Keith made me feel like I was the only person in the world, for 30 minutes. Same with Mick. Engaging. Open. Eye contact. Forthcoming. All the things you want in a conversation whether it’s with a rock star, your co-workers, your spouse, or your friends. The respect that says: I’m giving you my attention undivided. If Mick Jagger can do it, we can all do it. It’s not always easy because we have so much going on in our lives. It’s a beautiful thing when two people can have the intimacy of real conversation. ML: Are you a Tragically Hip fan? JW: I was a huge fan of the Hip, from the beginning too… Sometimes when a band gets so massive, I move on to bands that aren’t massive. I want to be more on the discovery. It was getting too big for me. They were still making interesting music right ‘til the end but I was moving onto other things, as we do musically, sometimes. But I can still listen to “Pigeon Camera” or “Nautical Disaster“, the album cuts, and be mesmerized by those songs—the ones that haven’t been beaten to death. ML: What about that? What about songs that get overplayed? JW: I never need to hear “Brown Eyed Girl” again. There are so many of those. It’s just too much. Records have 10 songs on them, not two or three. And anyone who bought those records knows all 10. TOP Jeff Woods with James Hetfield. MIDDLE AND BOTTOM Jeff Woods with Jimmy Page. SUPPLIED BY JEFF WOODS