Back To The Streets: Rudy Norman shares the story behind his cult AOR gem

The Baltimore-based artist shines light on the fascinating background behind a digger’s classic

Words by Rocco Universal

When the promo of the new remix package of Rudy Norman's ultra-infectious 'Back To The Streets' landed at Cosmic Tiger HQ, I was jolted by a much-needed sonically-charged serotonin boost. The original record had always eluded my grasp, but it's a song I've joyously sung along to on many occasion. The record has long been highly-prized by diggers, and – following an appearance on Bill Brewster's Late Night Tales compilation in 2015 – is also firmly on the radar of cosmically-minded Balearic heads. The new remixes from Flying Mojito Bros – released via Ubiquity Records – take the track into subtly different territory, adding a respectful sheen and bottom-end weight that give the music enough bump to measure up to today's club-ready audio crop. The renowned remix duo have done a tasteful job working their edit magic on the original version, in the process introducing Norman's infectious vocal performance to still new audiences. Without any doubt, though, the original still stands up proudly, and it's a great pleasure to know the song is garnering the recognition and reach that it deserves after so many years.

I was intrigued to learn more about the song's author and how the recording came to be. My research hadn't uncovered much in the way of biography, so I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to speak to the man himself to get the inside story. Initially, I had planned to present this as an interview (rather than a straight Q&A), but Rudy's character shone through so vividly in his answers, that I elected to present his words unedited. Read on to find out more about the circumstances around which the record was made, get a glimpse into Rudy's fascinating personal story, and find out why he never dug disco…

Rudy Norman in fine style back in the day

Hey Rudy, thanks for doing this. So, can you tell us a little about your background, where you grew up, and your earliest experiences with music?

“I was born in Germany, my parents met while dad was in the Army stationed there. My mother is German and my dad Philippine. In 1952 my father got deployed back in the U.S. in Baltimore, Maryland. I was about 5 when we came to The United States - on the ocean liner S.S. America. I never left the Baltimore area except for about a year when my father got deployed to France. It was there that I contracted polio around '56 – '57. That cut short the French connection and back to the U.S. we came.

My first recollection of any music was while we were in France someone had the records 'Rock Around The Clock' by Bill Haley and The Comets and another by Tennessee Ernie Ford called '16 Tons'. I graduated from Kenwood high school in '66, got in my first band the year before. Directly out of high school I went on to get jobs all related to the graphics industry. Got married in '68, became a father and had a son in '69.”

And what can you tell us about the circumstances surrounding you when you recorded 'Back To The Streets'? 

“You know, it was probably around 1978 – 79 and I was in this cover band called Daybreak – it was around this time disco was really starting to become the musical landscape AND it wasn't the music I wanted to be singing! What's that old song 'Blame It On The Bossa Nova'? In my case, it was blame it on "The Disco.” This IS the circumstance, so to speak, that caused me to quit the band and go do what I wanted to do which was make a record.... but do it professionally for sure! This was the impetus that got Back To The Streets rolling.

Unbeknownst to me and everyone else at the time 'Streets' was there just waiting and waiting to finally really shine a few decades later. Huh, go figure. I am still shakin' my head thinking "man how did those stars" get aligned to make this happen? I did get back into a few bands in the next year or so... 1981 – 82, doing some good cover stuff, and some not. I guess then it was called "Top 40". But, yeah, we covered The Police, John Mellencamp, The Fixx, The Cars, Stray Cats, and more. It was a fun time, the band even held our own New Year's Eve party a couple of times and hired a comedian to make it interesting. I was always based in the Baltimore area – and still am – and rarely gigged out of state.”

I understand that the track was recorded at Sheffield Studios and you laid it down pretty quickly, what can you tell us about the recording process? 

"The sessions went on for over a two-week span – but we were only in the studio four or five times for a few hours each trip. So, yeah, maybe it did happen pretty quickly. Although I had never been to or recorded in a studio like Sheffield, I knew the sessions had to go as quickly as possible but without rushing the project. So I did my homework – get pro's all the way around. I got a great studio to record in and got a great band who were not strangers in a recording studio – plus they had great back up vocals.

I most definitely needed a producer to orchestrate everything to maximize our session times – that would be Doug Arthur. He coordinated the schedule for rehearsals and recording so it all ran like clockwork. Not to say there weren't retakes on tracks, but we also laid down alternate tracks on the instruments and vocals so we could have options on the final mix. A real gem was how the slow bluesy intro came about. We mixed some of the tracks from the chorus down to one, the Fender Rhodes, background vocals and mine and stuck it in the front of the song – and there it was the intro creation. By the way, I think I forgot to mention that Doug, the producer, played all the keyboards.”

Apart from laying down the record, what else were you up to back then?

“At the time of the recording, I was working at an appliance store chain in the graphics department. That same year, in 1980, I left there and started a printing business and also got into another band. So that was pretty much it, trying to make that legal tender to survive with the business, singing with the band and still looking at opportunities to get my record heard. Also trying to be the best father I could to my son Clint.”

Now, what artists or musical scenes were influencing you at that time? 

“I guess first I would say Elton John only because I picked 'Harmony' to cover for the record although that song/album 'Yellow Brick Road' was from 1973 – a few years earlier – but I thought it was a tremendous album. Other influences were The Fixx, The Moody Blues, The Strawbs, U2, The Pretenders, Paul Kelly & The Messengers, INXS, Supertramp, The Clash, CSNY. Deep Purple, The Delfonics, and a few more for sure. It wasn't so much the "artists or music scene" at the time of the record – it was more that all were an accumulation of influences up to and beyond the time of putting that record together. They and newer scenes continue to influence me.”

Rudy Norman in fine style today

So, the record generated some level of heat when it dropped in 1980, did this change your life in any way or lead to more shows etc?

"I would say the only way it changed my life is that now I had something very significant and different to focus on and work on. Figuring out how to get this record noticed and keep it rolling. More shows?? I wasn't prepared for shows, it was a big enough undertaking just to get the record done. I was hoping that it could gain enough traction and then I could worry about supporting it with some shows. But that would've been another huge step: to now find a booking agent, manager and a band.”

Were you involved in any other musical projects subsequently and did you make any more records?

“I was involved with a recording project with Wavelength – a band I joined two or three years later. It was a smaller venture and I was mainly a backup singer. No vinyl was ever pressed and I'm not sure what the nucleus of the band did with recordings, maybe put out CDs. Much, much later in 2011 I wrote and put out a single called 'Lola', pressed some CD's and released it on iTunes. In 2015 I put out a five-song EP consisting of three originals: 'Calling', 'Lucy', and a remixed 'Lola' and two cover songs, which were 'Two Different Views' by The Fixx and 'Walking On a Wire' by Lowen & Navarro. Subsequent to that, in 2016 I did a re-press of 500 units of 'Harmony/Back To The Streets' on vinyl. (I) sold them to record outlets, distributors, to individual buyers on Discogs and eBay. In the same year, I released another original on iTunes called 'Elemental (closing doors)' and this was my last release. I am hoping to get the four-six original songs I am currently working out there maybe by end of this year or early 2022. Other than 'Streets', I did not press any vinyl.”

Something that helped put 'Back To The Streets' on a lot of new listener's radars was when it appeared on Bill Brewster's Late Night Tales compilation in 2014. How did that come about? 

I was contacted directly by Bill, he got my contact info from the engineer on the record: Bill Mueller. Not sure how he reached out to Mueller. Bill Brewster just asked me about licensing the track so he could include it on his 'Tales' 12" vinyl and CD release. What a nice surprise! Agreements were drawn up, signed and the rest is history.

The track was also licensed by a duo called Dagfest – Swedish EDM DJ's. Dagfest 'Back To The Streets' was a sampled release and does not contain any verses, it only uses the chorus section.”

How does it feel knowing that a record you recorded all that time ago continues to resonate with a global audience of diggers today?

"With this huge smile on my face as I type! I must say It is one hell of a sublime feeling and quite shocking to have a global audience that is young and older alike – gotta love them diggers! I received so many comments and notes from the diggers and saved them (somewhere). Many, many that went straight to the heart. Touching, warm and not only very thoughtful stuff, but also personal notes about themselves of what the track meant to them – basically telling me "how they felt" owning and listening to 'Streets'. I signed many of the records and thanked them for being a fan of the record and me. Yes, it is pretty wild that every so often there's another chance to license the track again and make a new connection. Whether it's the original song as is or a remix. Either way, I am in my glory.”

You know, it is really wonderful to hear how thrilled you are about it. Well deserved. So how did the new rework from Flying Mojito Bros come to fruition? 

“It was really quite a smooth and agreeable process from beginning to end. After contacting FMB's asking would they entertain the idea of "doing what they do" and "do some new magic with 'Streets', they answered with a resounding YES! They knew the track and loved it. This was a killer moment. Ya know, I think they appreciated that I didn't have a big list of "can you do this, how bout' this.” I let them roll with it. I proceeded to send the now digital 24 original tracks and waited for them to come up with a demo/mix. After maybe two months I got the first mix and was blown away – I only had one request to add and/or change, something minor. A little later I got the final mix and we were set to go almost. At first, I wasn't sure how it would be promoted by them or me. But, I believe soon after our initial conversations FMB's said they were hooked up with Ubiquity Records, and that the three of us – meaning Ubiquity, FMB and myself – could sign a deal to get this thing moving. This was done and I am super elated that there is VINYL on the way. Yep, really, really nice. We did have to iron out some incidentals because at the same time I did have an extension deal with The Numero Group. I did not want to mess up any ongoing relationship with NG because they had been/are such a solid pro company to work with.”

It seems you still keep your ears open to new sounds. What other musical artists are you interested in these days?

“There are many artists that have a song or two I like such as Spoon, Chris Stapleton, Candlebox, Drive By Truckers, Jake Bugg, Third Eye Blind. Band of Horses (a lot of great songs). I have to say Def Cab For Cuties' release 'Thank You For Today' from 2018 is just magnificent – every song. So is 'New Constellation' by Toad The Wet Sprocket from 2013 – cut after cut just keeps on giving, a wonderful album throughout! Regarding the Toad album, it is unbelievable that the band had to do a "Go Fund Me" or something like that to raise the loot to record and get the album done. Huh?? A few other faves: Bruce Cockburn, 311, The Shins, World Party, Paul Kelly (formerly & the messengers).”

Finally, how do you spend your time nowadays?

“Well, these days some of what I've been up to is related to Back To The Streets and doing this interview! I see I will keep being busy sending out links to the FMB release and links to these interviews. Promote wherever I can. A real kicker would be landing the track in a movie soundtrack. Let's go! Other things keeping me moving: I'm doing voice over auditions regularly, trying to snag a good one now and again. I did some voice work for a national chain – The Hobby Lobby Stores. I'm still somewhat involved with the printing and involved with some more organic things – like getting outside and working on my lawn and the property. Pretty organic, hey? It's a great way to let your mind just wander. Keeping up with family, grandkids, friends and so on. Renovating a small building I rent out – that's keeping me busy. Actually, my son's renovating it – he's great at that stuff and he's teaching his son the nuts and bolt of the carpentry, plumbing and all that goes into renos. I want to continue working on developing some new songs and possibly collaborating with another songwriter. Since my EP release in 2015, I have been going by "Rudy Brent Norman" on any new music. Just to switch it up.

Yeah, here's to all those artists and songs that I grew up with and continue to grow with. There were so many along this trip I probably failed to mention some important ones. On that note, literally, I wanted to make sure I reiterated, if I didn't somewhere in this interview, how important Elvis was to me. Especially Early "E" say 1956 – 60. I remember that long drought of his, then upon hearing 'Suspicious Minds' I felt he was back.

Hey, thanks Sharon for the interest and opportunity to share some things close to me. Cheers!”

Rudy

Thanks so much for your time Rudy. Wishing you the best with the remix package and sending you much love and respect from the east.

Rudy Norman ‘Back To The Streets’ (Flying Mojito Bros Refritos) is out now, you can buy it here