This time that awesomeness is Ted Koplar. Who is that, you might ask? He is the President and CEO of World Event Productions (WEP) and is responsible for bringing Voltron to the American audience. After seeing a Japanese anime series, he saw the potential in adapting and distributing it for U.S. television. WEP licensed the series from Toei Animation and this ultimately resulted in the Voltron animated series premiering in 1984. I remember the series fondly and it remained a personal favorite for several years as after-school viewing. You'll find out more about the origination and history of Voltron as we get on to some selections from my interview with Ted Koplar...

Q: You founded WEP in 1980. What were your goals and intentions for the company when you started? Was part of your plan always to create children's programming?

Ted: WEP began as a means to provide compelling, original programming for KPLR-TV, St Louis, an independent television station that was run by my father, Harold Koplar. Our first show, and our namesake, was World Events '80. World Events covered various commemorative occasions worldwide, including the 40^th anniversary of the D-Day invasion and the Paris Air Show. The anchors were Bud Palmer, a former NBA Basketball star, and Frances Kolten a travel correspondent from NBC's Today show. The show also featured a young reporter named Bobby Costas, who has done quite well since then I'd have to say. Voltron was WEP's first breakaway hit, but the name World Events stuck. Denver the Last Dinosaur was another highly successful show, clearing 85 countries worldwide.

The original Voltron TV series aired in syndication beginning on September 10, 1984 with new episodes continuing through November of 1985. It continued in re-runs for many years following that. Voltron was created primarily by WEP from the Japanese cartoon Beast King GoLion which was dubbed into English and edited for the new target audience of American children. It was Ted Koplar who discovered this show and had the inspiration to adapt it for U.S. television. The show revolved around five brave space explorers who discover the secret of combining incredible robot lions into one advanced robotic warrior named Voltron who protects the universe. The series was an immediate success in the U.S. and even became the top-ranked syndicated children's program at one point. Here is the opening sequence for Voltron: Defender of the Universe...

Q: How did you first come across Beast King GoLion? What gave you the idea that this had potential to work on U.S. television?

Ted: Japan was producing an abundance of visually stunning animation. GoLion was immediately appealing to me with its rich, colorful aesthetics and a storyline that I could follow without understanding a word of the Japanese dialog. I didn't see any reason why the show couldn't work in the U.S. I like to think the show's breakaway success helped pave the way for Japan-originating shows to follow, including Transformers and Power Rangers.

Q: How did you secure licensing and U.S. distribution rights to the show? Was this a risky investment on your part or was the downside minimized in some way?

Ted: WEP first acquired an option for the rights to the full series. We then restructured a new pilot to conform to U.S. taste, which included a totally new music score produced in stereophonic sound (new to broadcasting at the time), new scripts, editing out scenes unacceptable to our target audience, and new theme titles. Creating Voltron required enormous resources for our small company, which went way beyond acquiring the U.S. license. We then cleared the show nation-wide from our small office in St. Louis. After we successfully cleared 65% of the U.S., we had an entire production staff working around the clock in Los Angeles, to essentially re-make an entire 52 episode series. We had never undertaken anything like this, and had no idea whether it would succeed.

Q: At what point was Peter Keefe hired to be producer? Please tell us about Mr. Keefe and what role he played in the success of Voltron.

Ted: Peter had worked on previous shows, including the World Events special where he was used as talent and his exuberant personality lent itself well to the creative and often taxing demands of production. Animation was a new medium for him, but I knew Peter would learn quickly and bring a unique perspective to the show. Peter always understood who the audience was in children and always made sure the show was working on that level.

Peter Keefe unfortunately passed away from throat cancer in May of last year (2010). Keefe was hired by Ted Koplar to take the reigns in creating the Voltron series. The series was credited by The New York Times in his obituary as having "helped prepare the way for other Japanese-style animation in the United States." He continued to work in animation and, over a 20-year span, Keefe created 600 half-hour episodes (including Voltron) that were enjoyed by millions of children worldwide.

Q: Who else were key contributors to making Voltron the success it became?

Ted: Voltron was a collaborative effort in every respect, and depended on the contributions of many eager and talented individuals to make the show what it was. Franklin Cofod was an outstanding producer, and John Teichmann was an integral part of the team. And who can forget the Voltron theme song? John Petersen and Dale Schacker helped to make that a huge success. Our cast of characters was also top notch, including the likes of Michael Bell, BJ Ward, Neil Ross, Lennie Weinrib and Peter Cullen-who many fans know as the voice of another famous robot, Optimus Prime.

Q: Please summarize some of the major changes made to GoLion to make it appropriate for American television.

Ted: We had a lot of opportunity to flesh out character development and integrate the classical mythology and we used that to our advantage. We had to tone down the violence; GoLion went a little overboard and obviously beheadings were not going to work for kids. All of the episodes had to be dubbed into English and we took some liberties here and there with the translation or to clarify a story point.

One thing that made the show unique was that it was the first animated series to be produced in stereophonic sound, which was important at the time because TV stations were converting to stereo, so Voltron gave them the opportunity to showcase this feature. It was thrilling to walk into electronics stores as they were all tuned into Voltron to showcase this exciting new technology.

Q: How and why was the name Voltron chosen?

Ted: We had a number of names tossing around back and forth from Voltar to Klystron which we saw as an inside joke amongst broadcasters as a Klystron was a piece of television engineering equipment. Eventually, the name Voltron just stuck and had a nice sound to it so our instincts must have been correct.

Q: How much were you personally involved in the process of converting GoLion into Voltron?

Ted: I'm not a watch-from-the-sidelines kind of person, and our company had a lot riding on the show. I practically lived on an airplane for those several months, shuffling back and forth between our headquarters in St. Louis, our production team in LA and our animation studios in Tokyo and Seoul. After putting the team in place, I had to ensure they were steering in the right direction of making a quality show for kids. And when it came to the merchandise of the show, I wanted to make sure I cleared anything that would be featuring the Voltron name to make sure it was the right fit.

Q: When did you feel like you might have an actual hit show on your hands? Could you have ever anticipated the reaction the show would receive? I read that at one point, Voltron was the top-ranked syndicated children's program. What did WEP do at that point to cultivate the success?

Ted: We actually aired the Vehicle Force Voltron episodes first in some markets, which were adapted from a different show entirely called Dairugger. Its performance was lackluster, and the entire project was in jeopardy. Immediately upon airing the Lion Force episodes, we knew we had a hit on our hands. Our sales team was inundated with phone calls from TV stations, toy companies, merchandising outlets, and so the madness began.

The ultimate gratification for me was a Voltron-sponsored trip to Disneyworld aboard an L-1011 we chartered from Eastern Airlines. In association with the Make-a-Wish Foundation, we took 120 children and their families on the trip of a lifetime and made getting there half the fun. All of the heroes from the Voltron Force were onboard to entertain the kids, culminating in a "birthday party" they threw for Princess Allura at 30,000 feet. I can remember the kids were having so much fun that the pilot entered a holding pattern over the Atlantic Ocean before finally landing in Orlando!

Q: Please describe what happened when you ran out of GoLion episodes to adapt. Did you attempt to adapt different Japanese anime shows or commission new episodes entirely?

Ted: The demand for more Lion Force episodes was incessant, but Toei had only made 52 and stations were running them to death. We ultimately produced 24 additional episodes from scratch to meet this demand. With only nine months from start to finish, the time in which we were able to deliver was pretty remarkable.

Q: How has the relationship with Toei Animation been over the years? What have they contributed to the success of the original Voltron series?

Ted: Toei's animation is the foundation of the show that would become Voltron - their cleverness and ingenuity captured kids' imaginations.

Q: What else can you share with us about the production of Voltron and its quick rise to popularity?

Ted: The original Voltron series was supposed to be comprised of three different Japanese animated series: Daltanius, Albegas, and Dairugger. We had requested to be shipped Daltanius, also a show about a giant robot, which featured a lion head for a chest. However, we did not have the show's title, and thus had to describe it. Not knowing a word of Japanese, and our counterparts knowing very little English, we asked for "the show with the lion." This triggered an instant recognition, and the show they sent was, of course, GoLion. After seeing the tapes in our St. Louis office, we scrapped Daltanius for what we knew would be a hit.

Q: What are your feelings about the original Voltron over 27 years later? Are you proud of the show that you helped create? You must be proud of the vision you demonstrated by bringing the concept to the U.S. market. How does it make you feel to know that you also made a lot of kids happy for many years?

Ted: I couldn't have ever predicted what a huge impact Voltron was going to have, but I couldn't be happier to have been a part of it. It's remarkable to see the term "Voltron" itself weaved into pop culture vernacular to mean "to come together." It still makes me smile to see the worldwide love for the show and especially its characters. When someone who grew up with Voltron finds out I was responsible for bringing the show to Western audiences it's a thrill to see their faces light up. What's most exciting is when I hear that today's children are discovering the show as well and we hope to continue that with our new series Voltron Force. And of course sites like yours help keep the legend going, so thank you.

In 1998, WEP produced 26 episodes of Voltron: The Third Dimension and coming in June of 2011 to Nicktoons in the U.S. will be another new 26 episode series called Voltron Force. This has and will help bring Voltron to entirely new generations, but you can also still watch the original series that started it all many ways including Hulu and a special YouTube channel which is very convenient.

Q: I read that a big screen adaptation of Voltron may be in the works for possible 2013 release. Can you confirm those reports? What else can you tell us about that project?

Ted: A live action feature film is indeed in the works, and we have been working closely with Richard Suckle and Jason Netter to bring about the big-screen adaptation. I am also grateful for the efforts of Chuck Roven in championing the project. We are hoping to make some pretty big announcements soon.

I am very honored that Mr. Koplar took some time to answer my questions so I could share them with you here. Special thanks to Tiffany Ilardi who helped coordinate the interview. To find out more and keep up with everything they are doing with the franchise, you can visit the official WEP website at www.wep.com and please also visit the new official Voltron website at www.voltron.com/. I want to take this opportunity to again thank Ted Koplar for his contributions to 80s pop culture especially by bringing us Voltron and, even more, for taking a moment to go back to the 80s with us here as well.

That wraps up another special issue of Kickin' it Old School. Thanks as always for reading and hope you are enjoying the interviews as much as I am. If you want a summary of all of my Back to the 80s Interviews posted thus far, please click on that link. If you are interested in reading any of my other 80s related issues, please click there for a summary of those. You can also always click on the Archives in the upper left hand column or use the Google Search Box at the top of the right hand column to find any other issues you may have missed. If you are a fan of Kickin' it, PLEASE CLICK ON THE FACEBOOK LOGO in the upper right hand column. This will take you to the Fan Page where I ask you to then click on the "Like" button. Even if you are not a Facebook member yet, please consider joining and registering as a fan at that page. You can also follow @OldSchool80s on Twitter by clicking on the FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER LOGO also in the upper right hand column. This will take you the page and you can just click on the box that says "Follow". I am sending daily 80s tweets, so sign up to get those. Let other 80s fans know about it as well! Peace and much love.

Check this out: The Beastie Boys have a new album set to release on May 3rd called Hot Sauce Committee Part 2. Yesterday (on April 22, 2011) the Beastie Boys emailed out a cryptic message "This Sat, 10:35 a.m. EST - Just listen, listen, listen to the beat box". Then today (a day later on April 23, 2011), they live streamed their album online via boombox inside Madison Square Garden. For fans who tuned in, they received a preview of the new album, but not from the Boys themselves. There was a boombox sitting at center court with two microphones in front playing some of the new tracks. Previously, the Beastie Boys released a video titled "Fight For Your Right - Revisited" which includes many cameos and funny scenes. Some of the cameos include Will Ferrell, Seth Rogan, Jack Black, John C. Reilly, Elijah Wood, Danny McBride, Susan Sarandon and Ted Danson. Here is the video (warning: contains vulgarity)...

Quote of the day: "If you cannot be a poet, be the poem." -David Carradine

This time that awesomeness is George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam. They are best known to 80s fans as the songwriting and musical duo Boy Meets Girl. Most will recognize their 1988 hit song "Waiting For A Star To Fall", but many do not know that they were previously also responsible for two of Whitney Houston's #1 hit singles which they wrote. The couple were married for many years, but have since divorced though they still work together making music. You will find a little about out how they got started, writing those hits for Whitney, their own hit single and more as we get on to some selections from my interview with George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam of Boy Meets Girl...

Q: How did you meet each other?

Shannon: George and I met at a major society wedding in Seattle for a member of the Boeing family, of Boeing airplanes, who was marrying in a beautiful cathedral with a choir loft and pipe organ. George and I were hired separately by the musical director to be a part of the singing group in the choir loft, where we got to look down on all the guests as they paraded into the church in their elaborate dresses, hats, and suits. Quite fun. We chatted briefly at the reception, and then met again a year later when I went to a club to hear a group George was in. I was asked if I might like to audition for the group, to which I said an enthusiastic "yes".

Q: At what point was Boy Meets Girl officially formed? How and why was that name chosen for the group?

Shannon: Boy Meets Girl was formed after George and I moved from Seattle to Los Angeles. At the time, we were writing and recording on our little four-track deck in the living room of a rental house, trying to think of a catchy band name under which to send out our songs to record companies. It's amazing how many ridiculous band names one can think up, and I'm not even sure Boy Meets Girl was so great, but then think of calling your band The Beatles...oh yeah, that'll work!! It's a funny process. After a while you just pick a name and stick with it, hoping the music renders it a non-issue. I guess that was our goal, to make excellent music and to be able to support ourselves with our creativity.

George: I seem to remember seeing Boy Meets Girl referenced in a book...it's always seemed like a good fit in terms of us and our music.

Q: In 1984, you sang backing vocals on Deniece Williams' #1 hit "Let's Hear It For The Boy" from Footloose. How did the opportunity to work with Williams come to you both? Please tell us about working with Deniece Williams and your feelings about that hit song.

George: Shannon and I wrote for Thom Bell's publishing company, Mighty Three Music. He was writing with Deniece and producing her album, and included me in the studio to record the songs; it was fabulous to see a big-league session like that. Deniece asked Shannon and I to tour with her a year later, and when we got back, she recorded "Let's Hear It For The Boy" with George Duke. It's one of my favorite backing vocal recordings that we've sung; plus we got to meet Tom Snow and Dean Pitchford, who wrote a great song! Deniece sings it so well, and even though she was well known before that song, it was a bubbly pop song that reached a world audience.

"Let's Hear It For The Boy" was one of the most popular songs of 1984 holding the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks. It was part of the Footloose soundtrack which also held the top spot on the Billboard album chart for over a month.

Q: I don't think many people know that you are responsible for two of Whitney Houston's biggest hit songs. First, please tell us the story of "How Will I Know". What is the back story of how it was conceived and written? Please tell us about how a song originally written for Janet Jackson ended up being on the debut album for Whitney Houston instead. Did you feel you had something special after you had written it?

Shannon: We had signed with Almo Irving Publishing company in L.A. and were requested to write a song for submission to Janet Jackson, who was at the time writing and recording a new album. Unbeknownst to anyone, she was in the process of drastically changing her sound for what would become her groundbreaking Control album. We wrote and submitted "How Will I Know" and it was rejected as not being right for her project - and I agree it would have been woefully out of place with that material. The song was then sent to Clive Davis who was looking for songs for his brand new protege whose name nobody recognized. Clive loved the song, sent it on to Narada Michael Walden to produce; Narada made some changes to the music, we added more verse lyrics, and Whitney made the whole thing soar with her incredible voice. When a friend who worked with Narada called on the phone one day and played the song over the speakers we freaked out with joy! That voice, that powerful track, the hook...it all aligned with the stars in the heavens so that there was nothing to stop it.

George: Did you know that Randy Jackson of American Idol fame is playing bass? I think I have that right. Very cool, dawg.

"How Will I Know" was released in November of 1985 as the third single from Whitney Houston's self-titled debut album. It reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in February of 1986 and held that spot for two weeks. It ended up ranking #6 on the Billboard Year-End chart helping set Whitney on her way to stardom. Here is the video for "How Will I Know" by Whitney Houston...

Q: What were your feelings about the version that Whitney ultimately recorded and released?

Shannon: Happy, happy, happy! And did I say excited?? And grateful??

George: Yes, she was unlike anyone else, and she sang our song better than anyone else could. It was a good match, THANK YOU Clive, and Narada, and all who helped propel it to the top!

Q: How did things change for you each personally after this song's incredible success? Did this open more doors and opportunities for you?

George: I'd say so. But you know, Shannon and I always wanted to record our own songs, and writing for other people seemed like a sideline to making our own recordings. But the success of the Whitney song started to convince us.

Shannon: Hmmmm. We really started earning a living with our creativity, doors did open. We were already working on our first album for A&M Records, so it didn't hurt to have a hit song on the charts with Whitney. Also Clive asked for another song when it came time for Whitney to record a second album. Having Whitney record our songs was a great blessing that continues to this day.

Q: Then, on her second album, Whitney had another #1 hit with "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)". Again, what is the backstory of how this one was conceived and written? What inspired it? Was this song written specifically for Whitney this time? Again, did you feel you had something special after you had written it?

Shannon: When Clive called requesting a new song for Whitney's second album, we got straight to work in our little garage studio (upgraded from the aforementioned living room setup, but still in a rental house). "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" more or less wrote itself, coming very easily. Once again, inspiration was drawn from one of those dilemmas single people often experience, that twilight restlessness that washes in when you don't want to spend another evening alone and are longing for real love. As we were recording our demo to give to Clive, we felt the buzz of a song that works. That is no guarantee a song will meet with success, but at least we were quite pleased with it.

George: I met Mr. Davis at the L.A. airport before his flight back to New York, in the days when you could walk out to the gates. I handed him a cassette of our demo and told him if he didn't like it we'd like to record it ourselves. I thought I heard him say f--- you and get on his plane, and it was all friendly jousting anyhow! He did like it, wanted a few lyric changes, which we made. And once again, Narada got the call and did a fabulous job of interpreting the song for Whitney.

"I Wanna Dance With Somebody" was the first single released in May 1987 from her second album, Whitney. The song quickly reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 at the end of June and held that spot for two weeks and spent 18 weeks on the chart. It ranked at #4 for the Billboard Year-End chart that year and reached #1 in at least twelve different countries. They made a great combination. This was Houston's fourth #1 single and Merrill and Rubicam were responsible for two of them. Here is the video for "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)" by Whitney Houston...

Q: Again, what were your feelings this time about the version that Whitney ultimately recorded and released? Did you ever consider saving this song for yourself, recording and releasing as Boys Meets Girl?

Shannon: I love the playfulness of Whitney's version and the video was pretty cute too. If she had not chosen to record it, we would probably have included it on our Reel Life album, but that was not necessary as it turned out.

George: I think we considered it. I believe the original demo is on iTunes, the version of Shannon singing the demo- she did a great vocal, really rocked it! It's also on our website at www.boymeetsgirlmusic.com ...just sayin'!

Q: Then in 1988, Boy Meets Girl had a bonafide hit of their own with "Waiting For A Star To Fall." What inspired this song? How long did it take to write?

Shannon: George and I were sitting in the Greek Theater in Los Angeles enjoying the fact that we were at a Whitney Houston concert and she was singing our song "How Will I Know". I glanced up in the open-air venue and just as I did so, a star flew across the entire arc of sky above my head. I quickly reached into my purse, pulled out a small notebook and jotted down the line "waiting for a star to fall". As I recall, we wrote the song shortly thereafter. It was not a difficult song to write. Seems to be a theme here, and you might surmise that hit songs are easy to compose but that's not necessarily true. Once in a while a song comes through whole. More often than not though, in my experience anyway, a song requires careful crafting after the initial creative burst.

"Waiting For A Star To Fall" was released in November of 1988 and would be included on the Boy Meets Girl album titled Reel Life. The song was originally intended for Whitney Houston, but never recorded. Then it was actually recorded by Belinda Carlisle for her 1987 Heaven On Earth album, but did not make the final cut. So Boy Meets Girl recorded it and earned mainstream success of their own when the single reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. It would later be included on the soundtrack for the 1990 sequel Three Men and a Little Lady. Here is the video for "Waiting For A Star To Fall" by Boy Meets Girl...

Q: Please tell us about the road this song took before you decided to record and release it yourself. At what point did you decide that you would take your song and release it yourself? What role did producer Arif Mardin play in this process?

George: Well, after the Greek theater star-in-the-sky-at-a Whitney-concert night, we felt it was destined for Whitney. But as it goes, Babyface produced her next record, and he helped create a new sound for her, writing most of the songs himself, I believe. We were choosing songs for our next record for RCA, and our wonderful A&R guide Paul Atkinson liked "Waiting For A Star To Fall"; so did Arif Mardin, who wanted to produce it along with three others he liked.

Q: You really showed them that they made a mistake. After your previous successful songs, did you have a feeling this time that you had a hit song on your hands? Could you have ever anticipated that the song would've received the reaction it did?

Shannon: I'm sure it wasn't a mistake for Belinda and Whitney to pass on "Waiting For A Star To Fall". In Belinda's case, I don't think the song suited her vocal style. As for Whitney, she was interested in making a more R&B album at the time, so it would not have worked for her either. Luckily for us, George sang the holy **!!## out of it, making it a natural for us to record. When we first met with Arif Mardin to ask if he would be interested in producing our Reel Life album, the first song he heard was our "Waiting For A Star To Fall" demo. He loved it, smiled broadly as he announced it was a hit song, and we proceeded to record four songs with him. What a lovely, talented man he was! It surprises me that "Waiting For A Star To Fall" continues to thrive on the airwaves and internet in its original form and also as reuses, remakes, remixes, you name it. Never would I have guessed at the life it would take on, or that multiple generations would find resonance in the song.

Q: When you have a mega hit song like that, do you (or did you) ever get sick of playing it? What are your feelings about the song today over 20 years later?

Shannon: We didn't tour for years and years like many bands do, so we didn't experience "Waiting For A Star To Fall" fatigue. I love "Waiting For A Star to Fall". The first few bars of sparkle sounds lift my spirits, and the saxophone is perfect.

George: I'm proud, and when I sing it I usually drop the pitch about a minor third... honey, that was stratospheric, someone might get hurt!

Q: Your follow-up single "Bring Down the Moon" made the charts, but Boys Meets Girl was not able to capture the magic that "Waiting For a Star to Fall" had. Were you surprised or frustrated that you have not had another major hit song up to this point?

Shannon: Frustration lingered for a long time. Of course we hoped our success would continue, but sometimes the music landscape changes in a way that you can't adjust to because you don't really feel it in your bones. As we were working on our New Dream album, Hip Hop was taking over, but it wasn't a sound we were able to soulfully incorporate, so we fell out of the business. Life cruises on and you have to make new choices. This many years later, I'm involved in other things and I love my life.

Q: Please discuss the circumstances surrounding RCA in 1990 and why your third album was not released at that time.

George: Oh, it depends on where you stand; as it was happening, I saw it as a record company firing its president, and we and about 80 other RCA acts got thrown out with him. A few years later though, I saw it as the end of an era of music similar to what Shannon alluded to, as grunge and the backlash to 80s synth/electronic pop music gave way to live, raw performances. I'm really enjoying revisiting that record, New Dream - there are some gems!

Q: Some 80s pop superstars "run away" from the 80s and some embrace the success and fans from that decade. How do you personally deal with and keep the 80s alive and in perspective?

Shannon: Thankfully it isn't my job or my inclination to keep the 80s alive! I laugh because that strikes me as funny. Music cycles around though, as the 80s have a way of doing; so really, songs from that era swirl our way again on that magical force of renewal. Perspective? The very handy built-in lookback feature of life allows for a mellowed perspective on all events of the past. One thing I do know is that I would not wish to be stuck in a time machine regarding our songs. My gratitude over our good fortune is immense, but life is about the present, looking forward with anticipation and awe.

George: Agreed... there is still nothing that thrills me more in my music life than to create a new song. Corny as that may sound, it has always been the drug of choice from the beginning.

Q: It is pretty unusual and also pretty impressive that you can continue to work together closely on your music even after deciding to get divorced in 2000. How has this changed your working relationship? If you don't mind me asking, what is the secret to maintaining your professional affiliation despite the change in your personal situation?

Shannon: Friendship and respect are and always have been at the heart of our relationship. We have leaned on that through difficult times. Still do, as needed. In fact, it's deeply gratifying to be able to act with maturity and generosity as you get older, a saving grace.

George: Ours is an enduring relationship. We remain friends, and being able to include Shannon and our writing in my life moving forward is wonderful, can't imagine it another way. We're lucky that our spouses are so understanding!

Shannon: Here, here!

Q: After nearly three decades in the business, from your perspective, how has the music industry changed over that time? How do you see the future?

Shannon: I'm channeling Bullwinkle... "eenie weenie chili beanie, the spirit is about to speak!!"...the future of the music industry is the million dollar question with the multi-billion dollar answer. Yet the future shows up every day in answer. Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars, and countless other hopefuls in the days beyond, taking chances, writing it, morphing it as they go. What has changed? I'm more inclined to say what hasn't changed. A good song is a good song. As far as production values, we humans are suckers for ear candy, the definition of which is constantly on the move to the new cutting edge sound. That's what keeps things exciting.

Q: Why was the decision made to start calling the group Boy Meets Girl Music (adding Music to the end) now?

Shannon: Google "Boy Meets Girl" and you'll know why we added Music to our name...heh heh!

George: Er, internet porn sites. You'll get no music, and a lot more- but not us! Well, unless they put our HEADS on the bodies...

Q: What else is Boy Meets Girl up to now? Musically and otherwise?

George: I live in Northern California- this month I'm writing with a local guy named Larry Kenneth Potts, a great storyteller. I co-wrote most of the songs with him on his record last year, Close To Home. Writing this week with Merrill (not a misprint), two guys from Portland, and I have a backlog of cool projects for the Spring/Summer 2011. Oh, and Shannon and I have new songs half recorded that we'd like to have for Summer as well. Thanks for asking!

I am so pleased that George and Shannon took some time to answer my questions so I could share them with you here. To find out more and keep up with everything they are doing, please visit the official website at www.boymeetsgirlmusic.com/ I want to take this opportunity to again thank George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam for their contributions to 80s pop culture whether by writing hit songs for Whitney Houston or by recording their own hit with "Waiting For A Star To Fall" and, even more, for taking a moment to go back to the 80s with us here as well.

That wraps up another special issue of Kickin' it Old School. Thanks as always for reading and hope you are enjoying the interviews as much as I am. If you want a summary of all of my Back to the 80s Interviews posted thus far, please click on that link. If you are interested in reading any of my other 80s related issues, please click there for a summary of those. You can also always click on the Archives in the upper left hand column or use the Google Search Box at the top of the right hand column to find any other issues you may have missed. If you are a fan of Kickin' it, PLEASE CLICK ON THE FACEBOOK LOGO in the upper right hand column. This will take you to the Fan Page where I ask you to then click on the "Like" button. Even if you are not a Facebook member yet, please consider joining and registering as a fan at that page. You can also follow @OldSchool80s on Twitter by clicking on the FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER LOGO also in the upper right hand column. This will take you the page and you can just click on the box that says "Follow". I am sending daily 80s tweets, so sign up to get those. Let other 80s fans know about it as well! Peace and much love.

Check this out: I am sure all you 80s fans are cheering for Ralph Macchio as he competes on this season of Dancing With the Stars. With that being said, I really liked this segment which aired on Jimmy Kimmel Live which showed the former Karate Kid getting critiqued by a special guest judge (Cobra Kai's Johnny Lawrence reprised by William Zabka)...

Quote of the day: "The miracle of music is that it lives and breathes powerful life... Music cares not about success or failure, it simply IS." -Shannon Rubicam

This time that awesomeness is Downtown Julie Brown. She is best remembered as a MTV Video Jockey (VJ) and host of Club MTV in the late 80s into the early 90s. She was born in England and would become a television personality there in the early 80s. "Her trademark exuberance and enthusiasm, not to mention her eye-catching wardrobe, were noticed by MTV executives" who wisely brought her to America. MTV had a new sexy star who was "hot and cool with saucy looks, a sassy attitude and a suggestive British accent" (as later described by TV Guide). You'll find out more about her time at MTV, what she did before coming to MTV and even a little bit about what she has done since as we get on to some selections from my interview with Downtown Julie Brown (Be sure to read the answers to yourself in your sexiest British accent)...

Q: What had you done previous to being hired at MTV? Were you a celebrity in England before coming here?

Julie: I won the UK Disco Dancing Championship 1979 and went on to win the WORLD Disco dancing Championship later that year. Yup, I was a true boogier! It was a solo competition back then and the beat was fast. I won to "Haven't Stopped Dancing Yet" by Gonzalez... and yes, the disco videos are on YouTube (can't escape the past so enjoy everything you do!) That win led to becoming a regular dancer on Top Of The Pops, one of UK's longest running live shows. It was the best ever! Everyone who was in the music biz performed on that show from Duran Duran to Adam Ant to Tom Jones to Softcell. No one said "no" to Top of the Pops. I also worked on TV AM's morning show and the famous kids game show Crackerjack.

Q: How did you end up coming to America and getting the job with MTV?

Julie: Whilst hosting on the first ever cable channel in Europe, Sky TV, I was producing one hour music shows and chin-wagging with various Music Artists. Taka Boom (Chaka's sis) was my first interview. I was London-based but traveled often to Europe to cover live events. I was seen by MTV execs via video and invited to fly to America for an audition. Although I had never seen MTV, "No" was not in my vocabulary! I came, I saw, they sat me at the counter of one of the old VJ sets (studio was then on 57^th & 11^th), they rolled camera and asked me to talk. Talking as you may have guessed has never been a problem for me! I went back to the head office, the big wigs Tom Freston and Les Garland asked if I would like to stay...the rest is history. YES, MTV YES! I want my MTV!

Q: Were you hired specifically to host Club MTV? What memories do you have from your time hosting this popular show? Did you enjoy working on Club MTV?

Julie: No. I was hired to join the line up of VJs and work into the regular MTV rotation. Club MTV was born a little later down the road. Once I had gotten settled, our crew decided to take my shifts out of the studio and on to the streets. One thing led to another, we started to do segments at night clubs around New York City. The Tunnel was a funky downtown club that was always on our list. From that Club MTV was born. Truth be known, they actually gave the pilot to Kevin Seal but thank goodness the top brass came to their senses and the show was passed on to ME! It was my favorite show ever. Even to this day. Like American Bandstand represented a generation, Club MTV represented another.

Club MTV was a half hour show patterned after Soul Train and American Bandstand which featured teenagers dancing to popular dance song videos as well as musical guests performing their new singles. The show had more of a nightclub setting being filmed at The Palladium dance club in New York City. Hosted by Downtown Julie Brown, it premiered in September of 1985 and ran for over 1200 episodes until 1992 becoming one of the more popular shows on the network at that time. Here are some video highlights of Julie sporting her fashionable wardrobe on Club MTV...

Q: Where did "Wubba Wubba Wubba" come from? When and why did you first say it? Did you ever think it would become your catch phrase?

Julie: "Wubba Wubba Wubba" became my catch phase by accident. We would sometimes be shooting 10-15 Club MTV shows A DAY. Often it would be tough going, my Club MTV dancers were the most fantastic, hard working kids I have ever met. Always ready to go when the red light came on and never "bitched" but sometimes I did. So instead of swearing when things got a little hairy or going wrong, if I wanted to let the director know, I would simply look right into the camera, smile and say "Wubba Wubba Wubba". It worked! In the end, we had a very hot, sexy, fun, clean dance show and a funky catch phrase.

Q: Looking back now, it seems that MTV allowed a shift in the music industry making IMAGE nearly as important as the actual music. Do you agree with that and, if so, how do you feel about that.

Julie: Well, MTV was revolutionary at the time because not only could you see the artists in conceptual music videos, but they had to have a unique look or "image" as you mentioned, to be able to sell lots of CDs. I believe I was hired because I had a unique "image" and personality too, but then I introduced funky fashion and a British accent into the equation which sealed my fate.

Q: You were one of the first new VJs hired after the original group. Were you welcomed into the MTV family? How was your relationship with the other VJs and did you become close with any of them? Do you still stay in touch with any of them?

Julie: There seems to be a couple of stories to this question, depending on who you ask...so I'll tell mine. Yes, I was welcomed by the late J.J. Jackson, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter and Martha Quinn. Nina [Blackwood] was not there that day. I was hired to become the 6^th VJ. I was not then aware that Nina's and J.J.'s contracts were up and not renewed. So I am sure my arrival was bitter sweet. Bitter for Nina, but sweeeeeet for me! I was by no means the cause of their departure from MTV. It is just that it happened around my arrival. And yes, we all got along great. MTV was a family and we all hung out together even with the execs. I am still in contact with Martha, also my producers, writers and directors from back then and, thanks to Facebook, a whole lot of other MTV folks, too.

Here is a video clip of Downtown Julie Brown as a MTV VJ...

Q: I am sure there were many, but what were some of your favorite or most special moments while at MTV?

Julie: Everyday. Seriously. EVERY DAY. Come on, think about it. We had everyone from Robert Plant to The Red Hot Chili Peppers to Annie Lennox to The Monkees stopping by the studio on any given day! I remember I was in my car on the way to work and I saw David Lee Roth walking down the street and had him hop in to bring him to set! Fun or what? Hells yeah!

Q: Were there a few moments or interviews that you'd care to forget?

Julie: Nah. Non. Niente!

Q: What was the deal with the other Julie Brown? What a coincidence that two young ladies both with the same name would both be hired by the same network during the same time. What were your feelings about having two Julie Brown's on the network?

Julie: There's ANOTHER Julie Brown?????????

Q: Any strange, surreal or particularly odd stories/moments that you could share from your time at MTV?

Julie: MTV itself was surreal and odd. It was like MTV had created its own party and only cool, crazy, sexy, funny, weird and wild music people were invited. Guilty of most of the above!

Q: What memories do you have from being a part of the Club MTV Tour? That first year (1989) had an interesting mix of acts. I remember Paula Abdul, Milli Vanilli, Tone Loc, Information Society among others.

Julie: Ah, memories... may need a glass of bubbly for this question! Paula Abdul, Milli Vanilli, Tone Loc, Information Society, Was not Was and the Club MTV dancers. Talk about sleep deprived?! I don't know how long it lasted and I don't know where I went, I just know when we packed 20-60 thousand seat stadiums and the show started.... it was ON! A non-stop fun-filled music Extravaganza! Lights, music, dancing with great performers. Someone for everyone.

Q: How and why did your run at MTV finally come to an end?

Julie: I left MTV in the early 90s. I was no longer doing VJ shifts and, due to other outside ventures, I was only shooting Club MTV (that was my baby). New brass came on board and wanted to go in other directions. MTV had already moved into the new programming and I just did not have the wardrobe for it! So up, up and away... Downtown Julie Brown to L.A. And all I had to say to the new bosses was "Wubba Wubba Wubba"!

Q: Are you as disappointed with what MTV has become as many of us are? Or should we just appreciate that all the stars aligned for at least one special decade?

Julie: Wish I could answer that question, but the truth is I don't watch MTV. I think it was what it was and it is now what it is and that's what ya got! Wow, just read that back and got dizzy.

Q: Some of those connected to the 80s "run away" from the 80s and some embrace the success and fans from that decade. You are adored by so many that grew up with you on their TVs. How do you personally deal with and keep the 80s alive and in perspective? Do you ever get sick of the 80s or your connection to them?

Julie: No, no, NO! I LOVE the 80s, like the 90s and the 2000s are mix of them both! Today's music has beats from the past infused into the now. And on top of that, I am still in love with my wardrobe from back then and am proud to say that I still fit into it! So there! Plus, running away in the platform thigh highs that I wear would not get me very far.

Q: Any regrets (that you'd care to share) from your times at MTV or since?

Julie: No regrets from anywhere. I loved and love my life. All of it. Yup, sickening huh? But it's ALL true. The good, the bad and the ugly all looked GREAT to me!

Since leaving MTV, Brown has kept quite busy. She went on to work for ESPN and E!, hosted the "American Dance Traxx" radio show, even posed for Playboy (August, 1998), made many appearances on television and in movies and became a wife and mother.

Q: What else is Downtown Julie Brown up to these days? Both professionally and otherwise?

Julie: Well, I could tell you but then I'd have to torture you by making you watch endless re-runs of Club MTV! Let's all rally for a Club MTV comeback!!!

I am very happy that Julie took some time to answer my questions so I could share them with you here. She always looked sexy. She always sounded sexy. And she is one of the last links to the MTV that we all remember and love which means she will always hold a special place for me. I want to take this opportunity to again thank Downtown Julie Brown for her contributions to 80s pop culture especially through Club MTV and, even more, for taking a moment to go back to the 80s with us here as well. Wubba, Wubba, Wubba!

That's all for another special issue of Kickin' it Old School. Thanks as always for reading and hope you are enjoying the interviews as much as I am. If you want a summary of all of my Back to the 80s Interviews posted thus far, please click on that link. If you are interested in reading any of my other 80s related issues, please click there for a summary of those. You can also always click on the Archives in the upper left hand column or use the Google Search Box at the top of the right hand column to find any other issues you may have missed. If you are a fan of Kickin' it, PLEASE CLICK ON THE FACEBOOK LOGO in the upper right hand column. This will take you to the Fan Page where I ask you to then click on the "Like" button. Even if you are not a Facebook member yet, please consider joining and registering as a fan at that page. You can also follow @OldSchool80s on Twitter by clicking on the FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER LOGO also in the upper right hand column. This will take you the page and you can just click on the box that says "Follow". I am sending daily 80s tweets, so sign up to get those. Let other 80s fans know about it as well! Peace and much love.

Check this out: I saw this posted over at CollegeHumor.com and thought it was worth sharing. It is what the directions booklet might look like if a toy company like Mattel would make the HOVERBOARD (like the one in 1989's Back to the Future II) available for sale. Back in 1989, everybody assumed that kids would certainly be cruising around on these things by the year 2011.

Quote of the day: "To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting." -e.e. cummings