John Waite full interview with Namm

John Waite was born in Lancaster, England and began playing a Tommy Steel ukulele , which turned out to be a Disney one ! at the age of four. In school he studied art and always felt that his music incorporated art at some
level in addition to the music. In 1975 one of his first bands: after "England and Graf Spee" The Babys, recorded a video that went along with their song and this was many years before MTV existed. John focused on songwriting and had great success with a series of hit records including "Change” in 1982, "Missing You” in 1984 and "Every Step of the Way” 1985. In 2020 John attended the NAMM Show in Anaheim and hosted the Parnelli Awards.

[@eddiemiller8834]

He's pushing 70 years old Still Rocking 🎸 ! Mr. waite is No stranger To Hard Times.

[@ChrisJKing-se4dp]

This interview is a real gem John waite telling his life story no sugar coated Rock star fairy tale this a facinating recollection of the back ground of one of the greatest voices in the history of rock who with sheer determination and a passion for music broke the mould and produced some stunning music with the Babys Bad English And his solo carreer is still going from strength to strength Long may he run

[@roseweinstein4256]

I love you John you are the ultimate survivor I can’t thank you enough from the bottom of my heart ❤️ Missing You got me through my parents parents painful and difficult divorce When I was a little girl you’re my favorite British male rocker you’re my first MTV crush thanks so much for being you 😘💕😇😎

[@sharollambert9017]

This is gold, great vocalist

[@dollyroncone7778]

Will always love him. Such a wholesome person. Love his lyrics and music. John just touches your soul in so many ways.

[@ELI-qm6bx]

FOLLOWED JOHN'S ENTIRE CAREER. NOW MY 90 YEAR YOUNG DAD LOVES JOHN'S MUSIC

[@brooklynbabe7896]

Cool beans dude

[@americafirst6628]

John is so humble. Always love to hear his stories of how he soared....

[@maryclark5329]

John is lovely!

[@NCSavageDrummer2112]

He seems like such a nice and humble guy.

[@brooklynbabe7896]

Absolutely my dear friend and brother ❤️🙏🇮🇱🕊️🇭🇲🇭🇲🇮🇪🇨🇦🇯🇲🇦🇩🇬🇧🇸🇭🇺🇸😿🌹

[@roseakarosiehweinstein3216]

Absolutely without a question about that XO Rosie from New York City

[@alleykitty2131]

John always gives such heart-felt interviews. One of my favorite singers ever!!!❤️

[@avengernemesis7990]

Always loved this man and all the bands he fronted. Australia

[@BeautifulSpirit-kf5ld]

John has a great body of work . He can sing all genres. My personal favorite is NYC Girl, from The Hard Way.

[@aaroningersoll3988]

It's good for him to be around still , he has that distinctive voice that no one else has and his music is awesome great singer songwriter and knows how to putt things together.

[@myssteri1]

I love you, John Waite!

[@MrLRogers]

Great hearing the history. He’s stuck with it. Brilliant John.

[@varun.shenoy10]

My favorite song is "If Anybody Had A Heart" by John Waite 1986

[@dosanchoas]

he spends so much time giving interviews, & all of it WORTH HEARING!!

[@dosanchoas]

@Lisa Mac AGREED!

[@jeroentromp7097]

A true humble Genius, love um!!

[@2_Solo]

Class act, John Waite. “Tears” was awesome!! Excellent career... ongoing 👍🏼

[@donniehill5688]

One of our Greatest Vocalists in our History. Not to mention a great Bass Player. Love you John. Keep Rockin !!

[@johnunderwood3132]

Dude is amazing. Love The Baby’s. It’s cool how they got their name as well. Love it

[@pamelamain2721]

What a nice, genuine man! He should have had more success then he did... I feel like his music was overlooked to a degree, but he seems happy with how it all worked out and that's all that matters!

[@tjrox]

Worked a show for him a month ago. He was everything but nice.

[@HIGHLANDER555]

What a great guy; just wish there was more of his music.

[@Crystal-ty8qc]

I will always love you John!

[@eightiesmusic1984]

He has a lyrical way of speaking and gives thoughtful answers. You can see he is thinking all the time and listens to questions properly. I was listening to Ignition and some of Rovers Return this evening; the emphasis he puts on certain words is unique and really adds another dimension to his music so often. He mentions Tommy Steele, one of the first pop stars in Britain and later star of musicals. I grew up in Southport about 50 miles away from Lancaster (it is a great place with an interesting history, not least of all the court house in the castle) and saw Tommy Steele in Singin' in the Rain in London in 1983. He was also a sculptor, who created the Eleanor Rigby statue in Stanley Street in Liverpool. A storied career. More recently, I saw John playing a hometown gig in Lancaster in around 2013 (I think). I have been listening to his music ever since Missing You, almost forty years ago, and he had been going for nearly a decade before I first heard of him. Truly, one of the greatest voices.

[@brooklynbabe7896]

Absolutely

[@frogpondproduction]

What a great interview and would love to hear more of John's journey as he is such a down to earth person with a huge talent!

[@lindaprice-cowsert3137]

Thank you John. You are definitely a gift to your fans, musically and your personal struggles in the business as well.

[@mikebottiaux5850]

John is the epitome of cool 😎

[@brooklynbabe7896]

Exactly my dear friend and brother ❤️🙏

[@jacquelinec.6785]

Always like to hear John Waites interviews/Stories • What a great Musician! • ▪️You make things happen▪️ I like that way of thinking •

[@1thepner]

Great, honest guy.

[@robertelam6436]

I've been one of his fans since the 70s .but now I'm a freakin Air Conditioner !!! Heard a hundred angels flyin past / what a gas , sitting there / the same little boy in a few more years/ took a sniff of this , a taste of that , what a drag , , , , nothin left ,. ,. ,. , ,

[@iancunningham5576]

I've been listening to John since the debut BABY'S album. A devout fan. So...a side point of interest. My parent's had the Marty Robbins album "Gunfighters..." If John doesn't know this cool fact yet about that album. It was recorded in ONE DAY!!! One session.

[@erikmeyle5989]

He's so cool

[@janetmoore5645]

😲 Wow John Waite have great talent in music 🎵 also his family too. You are still great artist after all these years 😂. Awesome 👍.

[@donniehill5688]

Love you John' Your voice and Vocals still bring me to tears. The last time I saw you was in Temecula California at The Balloon and Wine Fest. You once again Killed It.

[@bobbyyounger7632]

Great interview John ! I have been a huge fan ever since The Baby's first album and seen the band perform on Mid-night Special. I always wondered how the band chose the name The Baby's and now i know...how cool ! The band was my first rock concert experience...you guys rocked it ! Remember it just like it was yesterday. Love all your music efforts. Man it would be so great if The Baby's reunited for another album ! Keep rockin' it John Waite !

[@BeautifulSpirit-kf5ld]

I remember seeing them on Midnight Special. It was lip sync ; and the backup singers were fakes. but John made it work .

[@kellypavese7110]

Awesome reply. 👍💖

[@SuperAnimelover100]

Yea the original Baby's with Michael Corby in it . Michael was the real true leader of the band.

[@sl4983]

Yes I saw them in concert too! It was incredible!!

[@donaldcook3112]

. . . As a ' case in point ' ... ' Missing You ' was such a ' played - all - over - place hit ' in '84 , another ' new ' voice with a real 'cut above' quality about him and his music . I grew up and live further north (the next county above ' Lancaster ' his obvious home town and Lancashire - Cumbria.) I travelled that way many times and saw the sights Mr. Waite so evocativly recalls and describes . He is so honest in his ' take ' and perceptions both gleaned and gained in and of the ' Music Business ' , to the point of being an ( almost ) seemingly sole occupant of rarefied echelon of artist(s) whose first and perhaps only rule of entry is . . . ' Discard your EGO before entry ' How , almost impossibly rare is that !?!

[@gordonhawtin2181]

Just for the record. In late 1973, while working for the guitar shop Guitar Village 80 Shaftesbury Ave London W1, I became friends with singer/bass player John Waite who was playing in a band called England. In early 1974, John went to America (Cleveland) to play with a band called the Boys. On December 20 1974, I received a letter from John from America and At the time I was putting band together with Mike Corby which became the Baby’s. John came back from the USA In late December 1974 and I put his name forward as the new singer and bass player and he was now in the band. I left the band in early March 1975.

[@Ccdurko]

Loved this!!!!!

[@sl4983]

Ditto!!!!

[@ldrobarts]

Thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed this short but so loaded and fascinating interview with Waite. I slightly remembered him from the Baby’s from like 78, 79 from a friend who had an album of them, but it wasn’t until Missing You hit the airwaves that I think I ever looked as forward to a song being played as much as I did that song. Probably had a lot to do with being at the end of a divorce, but wow, what a voice, what a writer. This many yrs later, not even knowing, or realizing the man was English…wow, what a treat n awesome thing it is to see him him hear and now telling his incredible story. At 61 now myself, it all sounds so so familiar- the struggles of life. Life is not so much about lucky breaks as it is about drive and determination that makes all the difference at making your dreams come true.

[@LerockJohn]

This guy should have been cast in many, many movies....

[@pmacfto]

I love this channel for keeping us up to date with JW's gigs and TV appearances as well as these great interviews - thank you. John is one of my favourite singers (nobody does a ballad quite so well!) and seeing the live stuff you post is always great

[@brooklynbabe7896]

Absolutely adorable and perfect

[@alberttatlock8244]

I went to the same school. Hes got it spot on about Lancaster. One of the nicest city's in the world. I remember him having a fight with Kenny Gee over a girl. Laughingface

[@derbypreston5547]

John got in my s soul long ago when a gF turned me on to “ missing you”! Fast forward …… Today this day ….. he’s my most inspiring songwriter

[@TacoMyrick]

I'm really glad he survived success. Thanks for sharing

[@CliveAGoodwill]

I'm a Fan

[@roseakarosiehweinstein3216]

Me too hunny

[@GarysnewYT]

Great interview. He’s so smart and artistic. Interesting history.

[@kathyrusso2921]

Missing You is good, but the Babys Isn't it Time is soo much better.

[@ricpel9975]

Midnight Rendezvous is right there with Isn't It Time, in my opinion.

[@brooklynbabe7896]

Absolutely perfect

[@Fred.pSonic]

We need some new tunes John or please set aside your differences and perform with The Babys again, please.

[@sl4983]

Incredible interview!

[@julioramirez8582]

TELLS YOU THE TYPE OF PERSON HE IS SHARING HIS INTERMOST PERSONAL TRIALS, TRIBUTIONS, OVER HIS MUSIC CAREER

[@christophergarr2074]

I thought John wait was an American and the BABYS a New Jersey band since 1987.

[@ricpel9975]

LOL, I always thought he was American as well, but fronting a UK band. I never heard him talk or do an interview back then.

[@JWCFB]

When I first heard the Babys in the 70s I was like, who needs the Beatles? These guys are way better.

[@brooklynbabe7896]

Exactly my dear friend😿💔🇮🇱🕊️🇭🇲🇮🇪🇨🇦🇯🇲🇦🇩🇬🇧🇸🇭🇺🇸😇

[@sl4983]

7:57 What a brilliant comment and shows why he was successful! and 12:09

[@sl4983]

I don't know why but he reminds me of Dave Coverdale

[@unhooked25]

He has aged gracefully

[@roseakarosiehweinstein3216]

Absolutely he's aged gracefully like a fine wine 🍷

[@lorettasearcy1471]

How old is John Waite now?

[@johnwaiteisgreat]

69

[@roseakarosiehweinstein3216]

70 almost 71 this upcoming summer on July 4th

[@BinkyTheGoddessDivine]

He's aging well. Just need a more modern haircut, it's not the 80s anymore.

[@conan5885]

"...it's not the 80s anymore...." Yeah... Unfortunately.... 😥 I think he looks great. I wish i could grow my 80's mullet back... 😎 BTW, his hair style here is not really 80's..., it's more like 90's grunge era looking....

[@ricpel9975]

Bring back the Shag! LOL