On Valerie’s podcast, every guest talks about a moment in their life that inspired them to make a life in music. For me, it was all about the music. These nine songs, ranging from soul to Latin to early New Orleans soul, convinced me to switch from pathology to music. And they’ve kept me playing for fifty years.
Read moreFred Ingram And The Genius of Album Art
The 12x12 vinyl album cover is a thing of the past, but Fred Ingram's airbrushed artwork for NU SHOOZ's first two albums still stands out.
Read moreR.I.P. Tina Turner
We were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Tina Turner. As a band, we played a couple of shows with her in the early 1980s and witnessed her incredible stage presence and powerhouse voice firsthand. Despite her smaller stature offstage, she commanded the stage like no other. Here are a few memories of our time with her. Rest in peace, Tina.
Read moreCarlos And Should I Say Yes en Español
One of our favorite songs we recorded during our years at Atlantic was 'Should I Say Yes.'
We were so pleased with the result that we decided to record a version in Spanish. Here's the story of that record and the remarkable man who helped us with the translation, Carlos Camus. It's a little snapshot of the vibrant music scene in Portland, Oregon, in the 1980s.
Read moreNU SHOOZ TIME MACHINE: GOOD MORNING AMERICA
In the summer of 1986, Valerie and John were on top of the world with two singles in the Billboard Top 40. They even landed an interview on Good Morning America, but it didn't go quite as planned. However, what happened next was unexpected and involved a beloved children's author and a very tall man.
Read moreNU SHOOZ TIME MACHINE: The Tour That Killed The Band
It’s 1981, and the Shooz have “arrived” in Portland, OR, playing to packed houses for dance-crazed revelers. But will they survive their first-ever Northwest tour? Or end up playing to tumbleweeds in the mountains of Montana? Read on to find out more about The Tour That Killed The Band.
Read moreNU SHOOZ TIME MACHINE: Soul 45s
It’s the 60s in Southern California, and John’s just been introduced to Taco Bell and Soul Music. Read on to find out what connects his first ever Soul 45 to Nu Shooz on the telly in 1986.
Read moreCHOONS: FROM PORTLAND TO THE WORLD; The Story of Nu Shooz' "I Can't Wait."
Host Diego Martinez from CHOONS takes us back to the Mid-70s and the incredible series of events that led to “The Bassline Heard’ Round the World.” It’s one of our favorite interviews ever. Enjoy!
Read moreINTERVIEW: LIVED THROUGH THAT with Mike Hipple
John circa 1978
How can one moment change a life? In this interview, John tells how a pair of headphones and 16 bars of Hendrix changed his trajectory from pathologist to musician.
Read moreNU SHOOZ TIME MACHINE: Recording at Prince's Paisley Park
It’s Nu Shooz Time Machine Story #3! This one takes us to Paisley Park to record our second album, Told U So. Will John fit into Prince’s fur coat? Continue reading to find out more!
Read more