Songwriter Desmond Child brings platinum hits to The Kate
Insofar as rock and pop music are art forms that inspire ardently devoted fans, there are plenty of folks out there who might remember Desmond Child as a featured artist — in the late ’70s/early ’80s with the band Desmond Child & Rouge and as a solo act through 1985.
The music Child released in those years was sophisticated, ear-adhesive pop that earned a lot of critical praise — but sold poorly.
Throughout this period, shrewd producers, label honchos and other artists recognized in Child an almost effortless ability to pen songs that were simultaneously sugar-crusted with radio-nuzzling choruses as well as resonant lyrical narratives.
In short order, Child became one of the must-have song collaborators in the business. He’s sat down and helped an astonishing array of platinum talent become MORE platinum-y through his tune-craft. A microscopic representation of his co-writing credits would include “Dude Looks Like a Lady” and “Angel” for Aerosmith; “You Give Love a Bad Name” and “Livin’ on a Prayer” for Bon Jovi; “Livin’ La Vida Loca” and “Spanish Eyes” for Ricky Martin and “If You Were a Woman (And I was a Man)” and “Hide Your Tears” by Bonnie Tyler.
The list of artists Child has worked with is longer than an L.A. traffic jam and includes such seemingly incongruous acts as Carrie Underwood, Kiss, INXS, Kelly Clarkson, Dream Theater, Hall & Oates, Katy Perry, Scorpions, ZEDD, Ty Underwood, Weezer, O Town, Cindy Lauper, Lindsay Lohan, Joan Jett and Cher. And several more.
Though it’s been years since Child did any solo shows, he appears Tuesday in Old Saybrook at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center. He’ll have a full band with him and, between recitations of huge hits and deep cuts from his catalog, Child will discuss the tunes and tell anecdotes. The performance will be taped for future broadcast as part of the CPTV series “The Kate.”
Recently, Child spoke with The Day. Below are excerpts from that conversation, edited for space.
On what’s required, besides musical genius, to walk into a collaborative situation and instantly analyze the chemistry and egos of what’s been an incredibly diverse run of artists — many of whom are used