Andy Cahan's Bio
©1997 Andy Cahan

I joined Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan aka The Turtles in 1973. Since then I've recorded many albums, toured the world and did many TV shows with Flo & Eddie & The Turtles. In October of 1989, Flo & Eddie, who at the that time had their own radio show in New York on K-Rock 92.3FM in the afternoons after Howard Stern, were one of thirty radio stations doing a live broadcast from Universal City Studios for the Alice Cooper / Clarence Clemmons Octoberfest. Mark Volman asked me to drive a limo, pick up the many luminaries; Eric Burden, Bobby Hatfield, Kevin Meany, Dean Torrance, Wierd Al, Ray Manzarck, Rosanne Barr, Alice Cooper, Elvira, Mickie Dolenz, Richard Lewis, John Densmore and Harry Nilsson. I had my keyboard set up and performed either "Happy Together" or the "Hit" of each artist live on the air after they were interviewed in the little tent set up on the lot. When I drove out to Hidden Hills to pick up Harry Nilsson, I was real nervous. After all, this was the Beatles favorite American singer/songwriter......Nilsson! When I arrived at his home, I opened up the rear door of the Limo. Harry said,"no thanks, I'll sit up front with you." So there we were, driving down the 101 freeway to universal, jammed in traffic. What else to do but to light up a cig and talk about The Beatles! I was in heaven. Harry would tell me so many stories, I could hardly remember them all. But I do remember him telling me that Kieth Moon and Momma Cass both died in his Bed in his London Flat! So we did the broadcast, and did a "Dillards" song that Mark & Howard sang harmonies while Harry sang lead. He forgot the name of the song, and to this day I still don't know the name! But I do have tapes of the show. After that, I took Harry to his office, Hawkeye, which was a company that supplied scripts to film production companies. It was just a month later that Harry found out his trusted accountant for eight years, Cindy Simms ripped him off for over eight million dollars. I do believe, that was the beginning of the end for Harry. He was devastated. Not only did he lose his land in Australia and Bell Air, but he almost lost his home in Hidden Hills. He also owed the IRS two million in back taxes. He took her to court, and she ended up in jail for maybe a year or so.....that's all! In the meantime, I asked Harry if he was still doing music. He told me that he sold his piano and guitar and was busy raising his family of six kids and a wife! So I said, "hey! why don't we get together and record some stuff in my studio." He liked the idea very much. so much infact that he recorded twenty five songs. They are still on the shelf, waiting for his estate to figure out when or if they want to release them. The name of the album was "Papa's Got A Brown New Robe". The demos recorded at my studio are:

1 245 Lb. Man
Harry actually had one of my clients, Jessica Silverstein sing backup and double lead vocals on this wonderful song.

2 Bedsprings
This is the first song we worked on together, from his play Zapata.

3 Fruit Of The Loom
One of the many commercials we submitted to various ad agencies.

4 Give It All You Got
Another commercial

5 Hide & Go Seek
Another commercial

6 High Heel Sneakers
The origional version of "Rescue Boy".

7 Honky Tonk Heaven
Harry loved this song by Merle Harggard

8 I Know Why
This Glen Miller classic was a gift to his attorney.

9 It's So Easy To Live
The second song we recorded for Ringo's album.Unfortunately Ringo turned it down!

10 Lost And Found
A Mark Hudson composition.

11 Love Is The Answer
Another track from Zapata.

12 Me And My Arrow 93FM
One day Harry noticed Arrow radio 93FM in LA. He said, "lets make a 30 second add and send this as a gift to Arrow radio." I sampled the beginning phrase, " Me And My Arrow", then added the music and Harry's vocal, "93 FM".

13 Me Myself & I
Title song for the IRS video of the same name.It starred George Siegal and Joe Beth Willams. We also did all the filler music.

14 Mother In Law
What a great version of the classic! I programmed the music verbatim.

15 Motherlove
A song we never really finished. One of the last sessions before his heart attack.

16 Mrs. Crawford
Another commerical

17 One Year
Another commercial

18 Red Neck
Alternate version of "245 LB Man"

19 Rescue Boy
The very last song recorded, days before Harry had a heart attack. It was originally "High Heel Sneakers".

20 She's Tall
We were asked by Deborah Hill (film producer) to record this track for the TV film "Attack Of The Fifty Foot Woman" starring Darryl Hanna. 21 Shrink Rap
A hilarious nine minute "Rap" song Harry wanted to record as a spoof on rap music.

22 Strange Love
Another Mark Hudson composition.

23 Tainted Woman
Another unfinished early demo.

24 Ten Year
Another commercial.

25 This Could Be The Night
This famous Nilsson song was re-recorded with two new verses. Very Cool!

26 Tonight Song
Submitted to Jay Leno for the new Tonight Show theme.

27 What Does A Woman See In A Man
Jimmy Webb wrote this one for his last album Linda Ronstat was producing. Harry loved it so much that he kidnapped Jimmy from the session, and brought him to my studio to record it!

28 Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow
Harry invited Carol King to sing background vocals, but she never showed!

29 Yesterday/Georga
Harry always wanted to record these two songs as an overlapping medley. It came out great!

30 You Are Here
Never before was this song heard or recorded. Harry wrote this with John Lennon during the "Lost Weekend" period. This is definitly the best of the lot! My favorite!

Harry and I became real good friends. He would come over my house practically every day, and we would either record or go for a drive and visit Ringo, Timothy Leary or Joe Walsh. It was allot of fun, sorta like when I was a teenager with my friends, just driving around, listing to the radio, laughing, telling stories and getting high. I do remember one time we were over Ringo's, and I picked up one of his custom acustic guitars with stars inlaid in pearl on the neck, and started strumming..........Harry started singing, "I listen for your footsteps, coming up the drive"..........then Ringo joined in.....there I was, Playing' a Beatle song with a Beatle and Nilsson........I'm in heaven again! Needless to say, when Harry died, I was totally devastated, and still feel a large hole in my life. At Harry's Funeral, George Harrison, Jeff Lynn, Van Dyke Parks, Paul Williams, George Siegal and many other luminaries all came up to me and thanked me for being there for Harry for the last four years of his life. Even at the eulogy, Mark Hudson mentioned me several times as Harry's friend and home away from home.