Cherry Hill
East grad has worked with Cher, Poison Courier
Post Staff Cherry Hill Jim
McGorman doesn’t need a reality show to establish his rock star
credentials. McGorman, a 31-year
old Cherry Hill High School East alum
(class of ’92) returned as the “house-band” guitarist on the second
season of Rock Star, which premiers
Wednesday at 8 p.m. on CBS TV (CBS 3 locally) This time out, 15
Mick Jagger wannabes will compete for the
teste of rock’n’roll life (and lifestyle) by auditioning to become the
lead singer of Supernova, a new group
comprised by Tommy Lee of Motley Crue, Jason Newsted of Metallica and
Gilby Clarke of Guns’n’Roses. But such an
existence is old hat for McGorman, whose glittering resume has include
playing guitar and/or keyboards for the likes of Cher (with whom he
toured), ’80’s “hair band” Poison, The New radicals and alt-rock singer
song writer Michelle Branch. According to Paul
Mirkovich, musical director of Rock Star, McGorman’s versatility and
talent have made him a key cog in the
show’s production. “He does anything I
ask him to do exceptionally well,” says Mirkovich. “He’s an amazing
singer, he’s great guitar player, a great keyboard player.” “He’s someone I
rely upon heavily to help me do what I do running the band and working
the arrangements.” A singer-composer
in his own right, McGorman has had songs on soundtracks of such TV
series as One Tree Hill and Smallville. The first CD by McGorman’s own
band Jamestown, (tentatively titled The
World Is Falling Down) will be available online next week. Q: How did
you get into music? A: I have been
paying guitar since I was a kid. I started playing piano when I was 6
or 7. But when I was 12 or 13, I remember going to a couple of parties,
and there was a kid playing guitar and he got all the attention. So I
said, “I gotta learn to play guitar so I can show that kid up. But I never took
guitar lessons. I developed my own style. I approach it as I approach
piano, with sounds and voicings, and a little more tension. Q: What
influenced you as a musician? A: I went to
Berklee College of Music (in Boston) I majored in (audio) engineering
and producing. Being there exposed me to different types of music. The
place showed me that there is a whole different type of thing out there
than just Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen. Q: Earning
a living as a musician is one of the most difficult things in the
world. How did you get into it? A: I went right out
to Los Angels after graduation and started networking and playing gig
in bars. One day, two of my
high school buddies who were out there, Jamie Feldman and Tracy
Slobotkin, saw my name on an ad in the L.A. Weekly. They showed up at a
gig. Jamie worked for the company that managed (singer-songwriter)
Rebekah. He said, “I got you an audition.” He got me into the
door. I got the gig. I think the reason I got it was they were looking
for someone who played keyboards and guitar. Q: Probably
the most prestigious live gig that you have had was
touring as Cher’s keyboardist for 15 months starting in the fall of
2004 – and taking the male vocal in the duet “After All”. What was that
experience like? A: It was musically
challenging. Hers is a career of 40 years worth of stuff. You’re doing
“Dark Lady”, which is like lounge-piano
thing, then you are doing “Do You Believe in Love?” which is a
techno-keyboard thing. I replaced the guy
who had been her musical director for 15 years. The first gig was in
Mexico City. We did three sound check rehearsals and then played the
show. It was a very
difficult and nerve-wrecking playing with her, because I wasn’t used to
the strictness of the show – every note was exact. Plus, I hadn’t
really met her or talked to her. I hadn’t even sung with her until we
did that first show. But it was the cushiest touring gig I ever had. It
was all four star hotels and first-class air travel. Q: Can we
assume it was a little different being on the road with Poison? A: Poison took a
lot out of me. It was one of the hardest tours in my life. I don’t drink
alcohol and I never did drugs. Being around that scene was tough. I
share the tour bus with (lead guitarist) C.C. (DeVille) and (bassist)
Bobby (Dall). It wasn’t easy to be on that bus. And those guys
wouldn’t have hotels in the towns they played, They’d sleep on the bus
and shower at the venue. That’s how they would save money. They epitomize
rock’n’roll debauchery. There was strong element of party from,
basically, 6 p.m. to 2 o’clock in the morning. And it was always 1988,
from music to fashion to the people at the show. But it was awesome
to play the songs I listend to in high school and to be in the same
room with them and have their respect. Q: How did
a ‘road dog” like yourself wind up on Rock Star? A: I got a call
from a friend of mine who was working in casting of the show. He said,
“they are gonna need a guitar player.” I met with the
musical producer and they asked me to put a band together to audition. Paul Mirkovich, the
guy I replaced (in Cher’s band) was asked to put a band together as
well. They liked us both but instead of competing for the musical
director job, I said to Paul, “You be the MD and play the keys and I’ll
play guitar.” Q: What did
you think of the show’s concept when you first heard about it? A: I was intrigued
by it. And it’s (produced by Survivor’s chief) Mark Burnett. The guy’s
one of the biggest names in reality television. And it was CBS,
Besides, I always liked INXS and it was a chance for me to stay in town
and earn (regular paycheck) Q: You have
been away from Cherry Hill for a long time, except the occasional trips
back. Do you ever get homesick? A: I decided that
instead of missing home and not being able to experience the feeling of
South jersey and Philadelphia, I’d try to do things that remind me of
home. I found a good
Italian sub-sandwich shop that makes me feel like home.
And there’s another restaurant called Carney’s Studio with
boards out front. It smells like the boardwalk. It feels like home.
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