You know what Pride weekend means? Another epic street party at the Cuff Complex on Sunday, June 25th. Last year I chatted with disco diva, Martha Wash (“It’s Raining Men”) and this year the Cuff has a headliner with the group Berlin headed by a diva (Terri Nunn) that should heat up your summer nights. I had a great opportunity to chat with Terri Nunn by phone last week on June 15th.
MK Scott: Happy Pride. I was so excited to learn that you will be heading Seattle’s
annual Cuff Party on June 25th. What does Pride mean to you?
Terri Nunn: It means an awesome time, to be honest with you. (Chuckle) It’s one of my favorite shows. Yeah! They’re just fun. I mean it is the most fun you can have standing up. It’s outrageous, it’s wild, it’s creative, and it’s safe. All of those things are coexisting at the same time. And that’s
unusual in an environment that’s created by Pride shows. So whenever I get an offer for a Pride show, it’s instant. (Chuckle) I’d just say, yep! Where? When? I’m there! I just love it!
I performed at a lot of Prides because of that reason. My first one, god, it was probably 15 years ago in San Diego. And it blew my mind. It was so wonderful. And the people were so kind and fun and alive. And I had one of the best times I’ve ever had doing a show. So yeah, and I was like, okay, I
begged Los Angeles Pride to book us, and they wouldn’t book us, I don’t know why. And finally they did. And then they booked us a lot. So that was really wonderful. Because yeah, it’s my hometown, you know, it’s where I’m from.
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| Terri at SNO in 2012 |
Casino.
Terri: Thank you! Did you enjoy it?
MK : Yes, my friends and I, we were right there in the front row. My next question, I have been a big fan ever since I was 13. It was when my sister brought home a 45” record of Sex. I loved
it. And it had a great beat, and it was probably the dirtiest song I had ever heard in my life at that time.
Terri: Yeah? (Laugh) So what’s your question?
MK: So as a Closeted gay Kid really spoke to me from Bi to Bitch, and the song was glorious. I also noticed at the Snoqualmie performance you had a nice way with the ladies, you sang to the
ladies, so I thought that was quite amazing: You don't see that much.
Terri: Thank you. That’s not a question.
MK: Well, more a comment than a question. I had to get that out there. That’s how long I’ve
known of you. Oh, yes, of course, the biggest one of them all was Take My Breathe Away from
the Top Gun soundtrack. Interesting that Kelly McGillis ended up being a lesbian.
Terri: Yes. And there’s been questions about Tom Cruise for years.
MK: Well, still is. Still is. Yes.
Terri: Still is, yeah. So I’ve always wondered, wow, was that one of the biggest love songs to
one of the biggest love scenes in the history of movies between two gay people?
MK: That is correct. That’s amazing
Terri: That would be pretty amazing. Now, I’m not saying that he is, because he hasn’t come
out, and he hasn’t confirmed anything like that, but yeah, it’s been a question in a lot of peoples’
minds. So I had wondered that myself. I just met, actually, Kelly McGillis for the first time ever?
MK: Ever? Oh, my god!
Terri: Yeah, ever, in Rome, it was last month. And they have a show there that honors the ‘50s,
‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s and they invited me out there. And they had gotten Kelly to come on the
show. And I met her for the first time in all these years. And she was lovely. She cried, actually,
when I finished the song and said you’ve done so much for me! And she was there with her wife.
And they’ve been together five years.
MK: Wow. Amazing. And then also you heard about the proposed sequel? So I assume if they’ll
come calling you’ll probably accept? Yeah? If they asked you to do a soundtrack.
Terri: Yeah, I mean, it was an amazing experience getting to be part of that and work with
Giorgio (Moroder) on something else. You know, I happened to be at the right place at the right
time when that song and that movie came along, we had been working with George O on No
More Words. We hadn’t even had a hit yet. We were just an up-and-coming, you know, little
band, and we hired him for one song. We wanted him for an entire album, but he was way too
expensive at that point. So we got him for one song. And so while we were working on that he
got the job for Top Gun. And he tried out a number of way bigger singers than I was, I mean, I
even hadn't a hit yet. We had underground songs, with Sex and with Metro, but none of those
were Top Forty hits, so that, you know, we weren’t considered big time. And, anyway, he tried all
these singers, and the producers, Jerry Bruckheimer and John Simpson, they didn’t like anybody.
They didn’t like how any of them sounded. So Kelly was like, he’s like, well, I’m working with
this girl Terri Nunn from Berlin, you know, they’re up-and-coming. You want me to try here?
And they said, sure. (Laugh) So he did and they liked it. And the rest is history. So a very lucky,
wonderful experience for us. And just it keeps, it's the gift that keeps on giving, because it’s still
used in movies and television shows, and people, it’s like a calling card, you know, everywhere I
go people, the door’s open in a lot of places because of peoples’ connection with that music, that
song.
Yeah, we thought Kenny Loggins' song would be the big one. We thought, what was it? Danger
Zone. That was the first release. And we thought, oh, that’s going to be the number one. And
then they came out with Take My Breath Away, and as a single it didn’t do well in the beginning.
We thought, oh, it’s not going to do very well. And then all of the sudden it started to go and go
and go. And then it started to go internationally. And I mean it was, for us, you know, amazing,
because there were countries that couldn’t give a shit about Berlin before that, and because of that
song they invited us to come play. So that was all new for us. And it was all based on that
experience and that song, so yeah. Amazing.
MK: Yes. Well, actually there is this little theater group that we have in Seattle called the Brown
Derby Series. And they, a couple of months ago, they did a parody of Top Gun.
Terri: (Laugh) Yeah?
MK: A very – more, that you thought that Top Gun was very homoerotic, this was even more
homoerotic. Majorly.
Terri: Awesome!
MK: Yeah, and Tom Cruise’s character, and Val Kilmer’s character, they end up together in the
end.
Terri: Well, you kind of expect that, right?
MK: I know, it’s such a missed opportunity. (Chuckle)
Terri: (Laugh) I know, Val Kilmer, man. He’s a hottie.
MK: Yes. I had noticed in your bio that you had auditioned for the original Star Wars. And you
were up for the part for Princess Leia.
Terri: Oh, yeah. You Tube. Just put in Terri Nunn, Star Wars audition and you’ll see me sitting
with Harrison Ford in director's chairs doing the lines. Mm-hmm. (Chuckle)
MK: I read that Harrison didn’t like you for the part, so and of course.
Terri: No, he didn’t like me at all. I don’t know why that was. I hear different reasons over the
years, you know, maybe he was coming on to me and I wasn’t getting it? I don’t know. But
yeah, he was just not very nice to me and I didn’t get the part and I’m actually happy because
Berlin happened shortly after that, and this band, and the music is my biggest dream of all. So that
would’ve not happened if Star Wars had happened. I’d be an actor probably now, I don’t know,
but I’m really happy how the way things have turned out.
MK: Have you ever run into Harrison Ford since then?
Terri: No, I haven’t actually. I don’t see him anywhere. I ran into Mark Hamill. I ran into
George Lucas, but not Harrison Ford, no.
MK: Another question was were you, would you ever go back to doing acting?
Terri: I don’t have a pull for that. I’m still fascinated with music and what we could do with it.
Our next album is actually going to be with the original Berlin guy. So it will be the original,
yeah, Berlin III, John Crawford, David Diamond and I. You know, before I called you I was
thinking; why don’t I invite David Diamond to come do the show with me in Seattle? Because he
was so young at the time in the first couple of albums that he worked on with us. He was like 16,
17.
And he came out and was loud and proud about it. And it was, I mean, even as late as 1982 that
was a big deal. Not many people were doing it then. And even our record label, which was
headed by David Geffen, who came out later, he had not yet. And so when David Diamond is
loud and proud in interviews about his lifestyle and who he is, we got a little bit of a contention
from the record deal. It was like why are you talking about this? And I supported David. You
know, he was always just so honest about who he was. And I thought it was great. And so I
backed him up and the record label people did, you know, they quieted down and saw that it
wasn’t hurting us at all, and it wasn’t hurting them, or their record sales. And then, of course,
later David Geffen himself came out. So I just thought with all that history why don’t I invite
David Diamond to come? He’s been guesting with us onstage for a few shows. By the way it’s
my birthday when I do my show up there when I do the show. Actually the 26th, but I’m
celebrating the whole weekend.
MK: Oh, gosh! (Laugh)
Terri: (Laugh) So, yeah! So I’m thinking maybe I’ll invite David Diamond to come play with us.
I’ve got dancers come in. I’ve got girl dancers come up before, but for this one I got two hot
guys dancing with me. I think it’s going to be great.
MK: For this crowd you need the hot guys, okay?
Terri: You do? You need the hot guys?
MK: Oh, yes, yes. We’re talking for this particular crowd, they love the divas, but also they love
the hot guys.
Terri: Okay. Well, then that’s a good choice.
MK: For Pride season, under the current administration, how should we cope during this administration?
Terri: Well, I wish I could tell you. Honestly, oh, gosh, like I think the whole, pretty much, you know, the country that didn’t vote for him is still in shock. I don’t know how it happened. I just can’t say President Trump without laughing. And I, my personal feeling, I wish I could advise other people, but I don’t know how to do that, my personal feeling is that I want him to go away and do his job. I don’t ever want to hear him again. I’ve heard him enough. I’ve heard him speak enough for the rest of the four years he’s going to be in office. I don’t want to hear him anymore, it’s annoying,
it’s awful, it’s mean, it’s belittling, I don’t like this guy. I’m hoping that whoever, that 42% or whomever voted for him saw in him that there’s something that they saw that will actually do something good. (Chuckle) I don’t know, but it might be, you know? Somebody said to me, because
I came out on my Facebook page about Trump and I got hammered by, you know, the people who voted for him. One guy said to me this that did resonate with me. And he voted for Trump. He said; you know, it is true that some people who are not very socially adept are very good at their jobs. And I’m like, yeah, that is true, because he’s definitely not social adept.
MK: Well, then also he’s not very good at his job either.
Terri: Yeah, I think, MK, the one good thing that’s come out of this is people have joined together so much more than I’ve ever seen with the President in my lifetime because of the contention that he’s brought into this country with the stuff that he said that I think that, that people coming together is a good thing. And that is my only advice that I would think in doing that, you know, stick together, stand together, say what you feel, say what’s important to you, and we will get through this. And somehow, I have a great faith in the universe, somehow the world will be better because of this. I can’t see it now, but it’s coming, it’s going to happen. And maybe that is one of the ways it will happen, people coming together, and standing together, for what they believe in.
MK: I have one last question, my burning question, an important question, which I want to know what the answer to this. If you had recorded “Sex” today, what additional racy lyrics would you add to it? Because based on current music today, you know, anything’s possible. Anything goes, you know.
Terri: Yeah, sometimes, you know, when I’ve done the song I’ve thrown in other lyrics just that I felt like saying that night. You know? Just for fun, because that’s what I was feeling that night. So what
have I said? I’m a dog, you’re a dog. I’m an asshole. I’m tired. (Laugh) Oh, let’s see.Hmm. Gosh, I don’t know, I’d have to give that a little bit of thought just for other ones I would say. I’m a diva. Because I sure am sometimes.
MK: I’m a Divaaaaaaa.
Terri: (Laugh) Yeah, that’s it. Yeah, so there’s a few anyway. How about you? What would you put in there? What would you add?
MK: Let’s see here. Hmm. I’m a cat, I’m a cad, I’m a fab! Or sex is fab!
Terri: I’m so fab! Yeah.
MK: It was a pleasure and I hope you enjoy Seattle and we look forward to seeing you.
Terri: You bet.
Come and see Berlin Ft. Terri Nunn and stay to see Vicci Martinez (“The Voice”), Sabrina Johnston (Dance Diva), and Melanie Amaro (X-Factor). Emceed by Miss MeMe with DJ Disco Vinnie. Plenty of food featuring Jack’s BBQ and awesome drinks all day. This event is for 21 yrs and older and runs from 12 noon - 10 pm, after 10 pm continue the party dancing on The Cuff dance floor until 2 am. Cover Is $25.00. Wristbands go on at 8 am on Sunday June 25. Please get there early to avoid
the line. Expanded Security Screening – so PLEASE NO BACKPACKS.
Hear more of this interview on MK’s podcast; podomatic.com/podcasts/itsfab
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