Music In My Shoes
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Music In My Shoes
E38 The Real 'My Sharona' Interview
Have you ever wondered what it feels like to have a rock anthem written about you? Sit back and enjoy our chat with Sharona Alperin, the muse behind The Knack’s legendary hit "My Sharona." We kick things off by reminiscing about the movie "Reality Bites" and its unforgettable convenience store scene set to this timeless track. Sharona takes us on a journey back to her first encounter with Doug Feiger, the lead singer of The Knack, and the magical moment of hearing the song that would forever immortalize her name. She reflects on the song's explosive rise on the airwaves and its enduring impact on music students everywhere, from budding guitarists to aspiring drummers.
But the conversation doesn't stop there. Sharona opens up about the thrilling yet tumultuous world of rock star relationships, sharing personal stories about the emotional rollercoaster that accompanies fame. From her unique career in real estate to amusing encounters with people named after her, Sharona's stories are both touching and entertaining. We even take a moment to appreciate the iconic "Reality Bites" soundtrack, featuring hits from Lisa Loeb, U2, and Big Mountain. This episode is a treasure trove of captivating stories, musical memories, and heartfelt reflections that you won't want to miss.
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You can contact us at musicinmyshoes@gmail.com.
This is Sharona, from my Sharona, and you're listening to Music In my Shoes. He's got the feeling in his toe-toe.
Speaker 2:He's got the feeling and it's out there growing. Hey everybody, this is Jim Boge, and you're listening to Music In my Shoes. That was Vic Thrill kicking off episode 38. As always, I'm thrilled to be here with you. Let's learn something new or remember something old. In 1994, the movie Reality Bites was released. I really don't remember much about the film. Jimmy, you remember anything about it?
Speaker 3:No Literally.
Speaker 2:You know, I don't either, except for one scene. I remember one scene. In this scene there's Winona Ryder, ethan Hawke, janine Garofalo, some other famous guy I don't know what his name is. That's how much. I don't know a whole lot about the movie. I don't even know the character names. They go to a convenience store at a gas station and while they're there they're walking up to the cash register to pay for the stuff that they got. I think they got like some potato chips, maybe some drinks or something like that.
Speaker 3:As one does.
Speaker 2:As one does at a convenience store. You can hear a song faintly in the background and then the Janine Garofalo character says, can you turn this up please? And the guy behind the cash register, reluctantly, starts to turn it up and then Janine starts dancing, Winona joins in and finally the guy I can't remember his name starts dancing with them. Also, that song was my Sharona by the Knack. It's one of my favorite songs, All-time classic. Jimmy. What do you think?
Speaker 3:Oh, it's amazing. I love that song. I love playing it too. It's a great song.
Speaker 2:You know I play air guitar to it a lot. I have to be honest with you and I love doing it because you can do the two different parts the lead guitar and then the rhythm guitar. It's fantastic. How lucky are we Because calling us from Beverly Hills, California, is the person the song was written about, the highly successful real estate agent, Sharona Alperin. Sharona, welcome, and I appreciate you joining Jimmy and I on Music in my Shoes.
Speaker 1:Hi guys, hey Jim, hey Jimmy. How are you guys doing today?
Speaker 2:We're doing good, it's really good to have you here.
Speaker 3:Thank you.
Speaker 2:We appreciate it. You got it, my sharona. You know it's written by the knack, doug feiger and burton aver, one of the songs that everybody seems to know, no matter what kind of music people listen to. What was it like the first time you heard the song and realizing it was about you, so obviously to me. I'm thinking this is before it hits the radio. It's you know beforehand. What was that moment like for you?
Speaker 1:Well, it was absolutely before it hit the radio. It was after I met Doug. I was very, very young. I was introduced to Doug and soon after he told me that we would be together. You know we're going to be together. And I said don't be ridiculous. You know, I'm in love with my boyfriend, marty at the time, and we have a huge age difference. And I was just in love with my boyfriend and he said, no, one day we are going to be together. He told me this at the Moustache Cafe on Melrose and it took a year to pursue me because I was really in love with my boyfriend at the time. He invited me the first time I met him to listen to him and his band at SIR Studios and I brought my friends and eventually they brought their friends and there was a gigantic scene in LA for the Knack and I would go.
Speaker 1:I was working at the store called Denise's Place. That's where we met and on my lunch break I would run to SIR Studios and a couple of my friends who were called the knack cats and sometimes we would go and hear them rehearse. And I just went one day at my own time and I was just alone there and I remember doug turning to burton in this rehearsal room and saying, should we play it? Should we play it for her? And Burton's saying okay, let's play it for her.
Speaker 1:And then cut to, like you know and this is after I probably brought them like a corned beef sandwich or something and you know what and then cut to, driving back to work Denise's place, the clothing boutique and thinking what just happened? Was there just this song that just had my name in it? And I remember that was my first reaction, driving back from hearing it and just thinking, wow, that was a big song with my name in it. And that's what I felt the first time I heard it. And then there were cut to the days where I would have to turn it off the radio because it just didn't stop playing and it would make me crazy. And it turned into music and you could hear it in an elevator or a dentist's office there wasn't an airplane that you wouldn't hear it on or any band playing in any hotel or wherever we were, like we heard. You know, I always heard it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and you still hear it today. I mean kids today listen to that song. If you say my Sharona, everybody knows that song. It's crazy, I just asked them.
Speaker 1:It is crazy. I mean we're talking about under 20-year-olds. 20-year-olds, like, how do you know it? I mean I honestly wonder how, now I know that drummers and guitar players, with those two uh and the bass, I mean you know, um, you know really learn the song because it has such a great uh guitar lick and not easy to you know. It's a good thing for students to learn. I know that drums are, you know, part of the phenomenon of the song and I know kids tell me you know. Well, when I took drums, when I learned you know guitar, that was one of the main things we have to learn. But I don't go one week without like freaking somebody out because they just met me.
Speaker 2:Well, it's amazing, you know. If you take a look at it, it was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for six weeks from August 25th to September 29th in 1979. For 1979, it was the number one song for the entire year. And this is the thing that just gets me. If you take all the songs that made the Billboard Hot 100 from 1958 to 2018, every song that hit Billboard Hot 100, it's the number 95 song out of that 60-year range. I think that's unbelievable for this song to come out by a band that had no songs out at the time and they end up with the number 95 song. That's how iconic this song is.
Speaker 3:Right. So, Sharona, when you heard it as one of the first people ever to hear it, did you have any idea that it was going to be such a big hit?
Speaker 1:No idea. And it wasn't the first song, or only song, written about me, the first Knack album all of them are fire and there's songs called she's so selfish, let me out frustrated. There's a lot of songs that you know were about him chasing me at the time and they're fucking amazing songs yeah, I really are so you know great, great songs.
Speaker 1:but it was a really good band. You know they recorded their first album for $18,000. They recorded it like they were doing it on stage in like one or two takes. Their second producer and that was with Michael Chapman, he was like the hugest producer you know. And then, you know, after that they had Jack Douglas do their third album right after Jack Douglas finished, with John Lennon and Yoko Ono starting over, and it was just an amazing time for me to obviously experience this as a very young person.
Speaker 3:Now you mentioned a bunch of songs that were about you. Now I do remember another hit of theirs called Good Girls. Don't, but I do.
Speaker 1:Is there any chance that that had anything to do with you? Well, it, it actually was written, uh, sort of before me, but it was certainly like you know about me, you know, but it was certainly, but it was written before me, okay. But yeah, there's like some serious songs, baby talks dirty, like. There's some really like you know, it was interesting because you're dating, um, like a rock and roller, you're at the greek, call you a boy, like you're at all these places, like he asks me to marry him at the greek, or like to say he's annoyed at me. Um, he could talk to me from the street. Did you know?
Speaker 1:It's like so wild to have a relationship. There was a time you know the first year I told you I would not leave marty and there were times that he banned me from like coming. He just couldn't see me. It hurt too much. And one time I didn't see them for a while and I remember like going in incognito, like in the way, way back um to hear them. Uh, wow, it was a really wild, it was a wild ride. I mean, he was, he like breathed me the first time he met me. I won't forget he like physically reacted to me and then pursued me like um, well, just the word my. I mean, I don't have to say anymore because, like my in the in the planet is there's really no more possessive or obsessive word than mine. True, especially when you're attaching, especially when you're attaching it to a human being correct.
Speaker 2:So what made you finally decide to start dating doug? You mentioned you had a boyfriend, I think you said, for about a year or so. What made you decide that maybe doug was the person that you should be with?
Speaker 1:So I was with Marty for maybe two or three years and so I met Doug.
Speaker 1:You know, while after maybe a couple of years of Marty and then, um, you know, off and on a little here with Doug and he just like he was really pursuing me, it wasn't that easy to say no, but I was in love with Marty and Marty was amazing Cause listen, there's another guy thinking to his girlfriend. You know it's getting all over the city and now it's coming in the news and now it's like, you know, I'm on the single cover, that's me on the single cover and that's like this other guy's girlfriend. But you know, it was like it was getting tough for me too, because you know Doug was pursuing me so much and I mean I was like young when I met him and then you know, 18, 19, I finally he got. It was like Eddie Money came on stage, my favorite. I loved Eddie Money so much at the time. He sang the song called Don't Worry, that just killed me and did it for me, and then he sang Two Tickets to Paradise, and you know a lot of people sing with the knack at the troubadour got on stage with them and one night I was there and he always knew when I was coming, he being doug, and he got any money to come on stage and sing two tickets to paradise. And he basically, you know, after me denying going on the austral with the Knack. And this is when my show was number one.
Speaker 1:I'm still with Marty. I said no, but he's like, please come with me on the American tour. He's asking me any money singing Two Tickets to Paradise. He's basically taking plane tickets out of his back pocket. And I just came home and I was like Marty Marty, I am so sorry, but you know and then Marty just broke out his bracelet that he was wearing our twin bracelets. He ripped it off and literally Marty who we like lived and breathed each other, like didn't talk to me again. I just ran into him, honest to God, last year for the first time in like over 40 years, really, yeah, he never talked to me again.
Speaker 3:Did he land on his feet, though I feel for Marty.
Speaker 1:Oh, he's a rock star. He is a rock star. He was so hot. That's why it was hard to leave him. I always went for looks and he was a great guy and we had great chemistry and we were age appropriate and we had a great time. It was like two years older than me and we it was great. It was great. But you know, and it was great because listen, your boyfriend having all that happen while your girlfriend is like getting you know a band is basically your girlfriend's groupie. Okay, basically, a band is chasing your girlfriend and you're just having a normal life with your girlfriend's groupie. Basically, a band is chasing your girlfriend and you're just having a normal life with your girlfriend. Meanwhile, your girlfriend is everywhere.
Speaker 1:There was this huge bidding war with all these record labels for the Knack. Pretty soon there was a place called the Starwood and the Whiskey and the Roxy. They were just like Troubadour especially. I mean, there were lines around the block for this band called the Knack.
Speaker 1:And the second Knack album cover is one time this man took a picture of me at a Troubadour concert and he gave it to Doug. Here's a picture of Sharona. He said, oh my God, I love this picture, like I don't even know why. And then when you look cut to the second Knack album cover, is that random picture that someone took of me looking at him at the Tribune. He cuts out everybody next to me.
Speaker 1:If you have the single second Knack album up, it's called. But the Little Girls Understand, like the men it's called. But the little girls understand, like the men don't know. But the little girls understand. You know, dot dot dot. He loved Jim Morrison, he loved Prince. He knew every word from everybody, from Arthur Rambo to like everybody. Doug was an absolute genius. And you see my face. It's the same picture that guy just handed it. Everybody's blacked out around me. You can't see anyone else. The mic is like. He turns it on like into a phallic, you know, like it's glowing, like my mouth is like worshiping or like his, you know whatever phallic microphone stand. And he makes that the second album cover and it's a very good picture.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, so sharona you mentioned, but the little girls understand. I always think of the song backdoor man. I always think of the doors version of backdoor man. I know a lot of people have covered that, so doug was definitely a big fan of jim Beyond.
Speaker 1:We went to his grave, or supposed grave. Yeah, I mean he loved Paris anyways, doug. But yeah, everybody, prince, I mean every Beatle word. He knew everything. He had a photographic memory. He could literally remember everything. He was so lucky that way. He was super smart, mensa, like a really smart guy. That's pretty cool you know.
Speaker 2:So the album get the knack. It's always reminded me of the approach of the beatles, their first american record.
Speaker 2:And you know, jimmy, we've talked about before that, the american records and the british records in the beginning were different for the beatles. But if you look at meet the Beatles, I compare that to Get the Knack, like they're so similar to the titles and Meet the Beatles. Here they are. Get the Knack, get them kind of the newer version of Meet and so forth, but what's really cool, they're both on Capitol Records here in the US. And my Sharona was the fastest debut single since the beatles. I want to hold your hand. How ironic is that? Yeah, you know, I think that's just true and I bet they chose.
Speaker 1:I bet he chose him because I bet the beatles had a lot to do with why he probably went with capital as well. Um, because everyone was vying for them and um, and of course he loved the beatles, like of course he loved the beatles and he loved the stones. I mean, it's not like he was one or the other kind of guy he like considered all of you know the like true geniuses. Like he would sit and read. We'd have to like read. You know, in our in our high, in our buzzed days, you know we were buzzed a couple, we got buzzed a couple of times did doug like the kinks yes, the ramones, the kinks, all of them.
Speaker 1:He respected everybody. I mean mostly everybody. I don't think he. He wasn't like, he didn't make fun. He knew how hard it was. You know that was one of those. You know it took eight years to become an overnight success story. You know what I mean. Saw them in concert a couple of times recently and somehow they've managed to stay young all these years later.
Speaker 2:And Mick Jagger. He just moves out there like no other. I can tell you that it's incredible how he can still do it.
Speaker 1:Like no other. And the thing is it's because it's like it's in his blood. It's in his blood. It's so funny because it's only only rock and roll, but I like it, which is like an anthem, you know, like when you're, when we were ever that time that that was playing on the radio, it was like that's how I explained to my parents, like, look, I know you really are, you know, so studious and I want to finish you know university, but it's like I gotta go on tour with a rock and roll band. And it was like, I was like and I referred it's only rock, gotta go on tour with a rock and roll band. And it was like, I was like and I referred it's only rock and roll, but I like it to my parents. But they dug it. I mean, they understood, like imagine what's happening.
Speaker 2:When the song came out and I heard my Sharona. You didn't know what a Sharona I had no idea what a Sharona, because I never heard of a person's name. Sharona Didn't know anything, and I'm trying to figure out what's a Sharona.
Speaker 1:What is that I want you to know? When I was touring with the Knack, I would run into people dressed up and I would be like what are you dressed up as? And they'd be like Sharona. And in Japan you know that they absolutely thought that Sharona meant penis.
Speaker 2:Well, I believe it because I was trying to figure out what it meant, again, not realizing it.
Speaker 1:A lot of people thought it meant penis.
Speaker 2:I didn't know. I'm like what does that mean?
Speaker 1:My my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my. Like he's stroking himself Like if you ever watch the NAC, you'd faint. Like the lights go down. When he's singing my short he starts the my part slows the roll so down you start stroking the mic Like we know what and it was you know. People were screaming out of their fucking minds.
Speaker 3:So when he has that album cover with you in front of the mic stand, that adds another layer to that.
Speaker 1:Probably right.
Speaker 2:So, unfortunately, doug passed away back in February of 2010. And I know that you had remained friends with him. Friends with him, what was it like, you know, once the relationship between the two of you was over, but still being able to, to maintain that, that friendship with him. I mean, that had to be something that was pretty cool to be able to do.
Speaker 1:Well, first of all, there was no maintaining any friendship initially, because I was like I'm getting the fuck out of here, get me the hell out of here. I mean I was here. I mean I was like, honestly, it was like I was 21 or 22 when it was all over. Imagine I had already toured the world before he, like it was, the press ran up to me and it was like it's just time for me to be my sharon. I mean, this guy thought I was him and a woman. I was his soulmate, I was his, everything. I was like 21 years old, I understand. I was like, uh, so he was really obsessed and because, you know, and so it worked, it was rocking, it was outrageous, it was decadent, it was everything you could think of in those days, um, with a lot of money and um. And then it was just time for me to be my Shona.
Speaker 1:And in the beginning it was like I just for sure we weren't friendly because I really, you know, like in a good healthy breakup, wanted the breaking up part, the distance part, and it was really hard for him. He married someone. Then he told him he got married to her because of me. It's just like it wasn't. I didn't care at the time, I just wanted not to be in a relationship with him anymore. I was done, I was finished and so and then we, you know, we became friends.
Speaker 1:We would meet maybe once or once a year, once or twice a year at Sunset Plaza and check in with each other. We both had health issues and we checked in with each other. We both had health issues and we checked in with each other, and I was with him on the. You know, I was definitely seeing him the weeks before he was passing. In fact, one of the days that I was with him a few days before his death, I was just like in a room with him and Ringo Starr can you believe that? Wow, that's interesting. Yeah, right that's really cool.
Speaker 1:It is kind of cool. I mean, I have a lot of stories like that in my life. Like ladome um, the hottest restaurant in town. I used to call a home and basically I just sat with deborah harry, with Blonde, michael Chapman was their manager and I would just sit with. I've had so many experiences that were similar.
Speaker 2:That's very cool. So you're a major real estate agent. Now how did that all come together for you?
Speaker 1:So that came together because of BNAC, because of Doug. So Doug would travel rarely without me. When he traveled he was making bank and he wanted to buy a house and he wanted me to see the houses, choose the ones I like and then he could see them. So here's this, like honestly child me getting you know the hottest realtors, the lame young, like the biggest realtors in the day, asher Dam, like they were all the biggest realtors showing me real estate. I was like in probably a black motorcycle jacket, sunglasses, day and night, you know like a rocker, like the girl on the cover of the Night Show and the Single, but always so nice, I know you think, wow, that must have really fucking got to your head to have a song written about you. But it was like no, you know, in my perspective didn't, because I'm so sensitive and it wasn't easy. For you know, everybody, all your friends, all of a sudden you know you have a group of friends and one of the girls like has a lot of attention. You're kind of always caring about everybody else not feeling left out, this that's I don't know. I never felt that way, but I'm sure the time Anyways, and I would be looking at real estate. And then I'd choose. And then it was time to show Doug houses. And Doug would always say to the realtor, do you mind if she shows it to me? I would like her to show me the house. And they'd go, no, no, whatever, Let the kid show you the house, but after the show it means Elania, like the realtors would be, like you have to be a realtor one day, like you fucking know how to show a house and I teach how to show a house, like I really do know how to show a house, so like that's one of my fortes for sure.
Speaker 1:It's so important to create a great flow to a property or, god forbid, you walk in or see a toilet from you know, a hallway or from a front door. There's just a way to show a house. You can lose someone if you don't in the flow. Even if they walk that way versus that way it gets choppy. You kind of get one impression out the door they're only really seeing it once. So they were like you, really, you know, become a real owner. And then, you know, after I broke up with doug and a couple, I got in. I was in animation for a little bit, but then I got into the real estate. It's really my only my first and only career, so it's pretty much all I've done and it seems like it's going really well it's been amazing.
Speaker 1:I've been very, very fortunate, but I've been very, very lucky and I do live and breathe real estate and love it is it primarily la area that you do?
Speaker 1:yeah, which is a big area, right, but yes, primarily I don't. I don't really leave like I don't do vegas or anything, but I have great referrals. But I live and breathe and care so much about my clients and soon buyers are going to have to sign a contract with their realtor as well and I do live for my clients. I mean, I do live for my. I cried for my clients. I've been doing this a long time.
Speaker 3:And that's a great thing.
Speaker 1:It's truly my first career, my only career. Well, that's good and that's a great thing. It's truly my first career.
Speaker 2:My only career. Well, that's good and that's a great thing. So, Jimmy, yes, Sharona is not coming to Atlanta to help you look for some new piece of land or a home.
Speaker 1:But, jimmy, I can refer you a great agent. So let me know if you're really interested and I'd be happy to help you.
Speaker 3:Look at that Well, speaking of referrals, how do people get in touch with you if they want to list their house or find some beautiful property in your area.
Speaker 1:Well, thank you so much for even asking.
Speaker 3:You can go to mysharonacom, or I'm at Sotheby's.
Speaker 2:International Realty. That's such a cool URL. I was about to say the same thing. That is probably the coolest out there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because you are my sharona and I like, literally, there was one girl who did my sharona realtorcom and it was like what? And I had to sue her and her brokerage and it was like I can't believe. Like you know, her name was happened to be shorna. Now you have to understand. After my son came out, like if I would meet someone, like if they were like 20, you know I could figure it out, and I go, you know no big deal, you know, like I just want you to know, like you're named after me, but it's like no big deal and they'd be like I'm totally named after you and, um, I mean, you know, so that happened.
Speaker 3:But I have a wife named share, who's named after share. So I totally get it. Oh, is that right, cher, who's named after.
Speaker 1:Cher, so I totally get it. Oh, is that right.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:She's named actually after Cher.
Speaker 3:Yeah, they spell it different, but yeah.
Speaker 1:That's fantastic. Yeah, so yeah, myishornercom, that is me. I earned it and that's why I was talking about another realtor who's trying to take it. But I really have put my blood, sweat and tears into my career and my children and my parents, so life is good.
Speaker 2:Well, we appreciate you coming on the show, sharona. It has been fantastic speaking with you. You know hearing from you what it was like when the song came out and then ending with mysharonacom. What could be better than that? We do appreciate you taking out the time to join us, so thank you so much, thanks.
Speaker 1:Jim and Jimmy have a great day.
Speaker 2:All right you too.
Speaker 1:Thank you, my pleasure.
Speaker 2:Jimmy, that was awesome. Having Sharona on the show Incredible. I mentioned earlier that my Sharona is in the film. Reality Bites opens up. The soundtrack CD and other songs included were, when you Come Back to Me, by World Party, carl Wallinger, who passed recently. You know, earlier in the year he was the film's musical director and he actually composed some of the instrumental parts during the movie.
Speaker 3:Oh, some of the score.
Speaker 2:Yes, the score, you are correct. Yeah, I like that the score. It sounds so professional.
Speaker 3:Correct yeah, correct yes.
Speaker 2:But also in that movie Stay I Missed you by Lisa Loeb and Nine Stories, number one on Billboard Hot 100 in August of 1994. 1994, year end, at number six, and she was Ethan Hawke's friend, I think she lived across from him in like an apartment or something in New York City, no recording contract, and she was the first person that had a song go to number one without actually having a recording contract. Really, yes, a couple of other songs. All I Want Is you by U2, locked Out by Crowded House, tempted by Squeeze, and Baby I Love your Way by Big Mountain, which is actually a reggae version of the Peter Frampton song. You remember the Peter Frampton song Baby I Love your Way.
Speaker 2:Peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 in May of 1994, and it ended up the year as the number 21 song. I wouldn't have thought it was that.
Speaker 3:Was that the one that they did a medley with Freebird? They did a medley. I don't have thought it was that. Was that the one that they did a medley with Freebird?
Speaker 2:They did a medley, I don't remember what it was with.
Speaker 3:I don't. I think it was. But you know it was just they called it Free Baby.
Speaker 2:I don't remember that at all.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 2:We'll have to find out. We'll find out, We'll see. Hey, while we find that out, I just want to let you know. That's it for episode 38 of Music in my Shoes. I'd like to thank Sharona Alperin of my Sharona fame and major real estate agent in the Los Angeles, California area. I'd also like to thank Jimmy Guthrie, show producer and owner of Arcade160 Studios located here in Atlanta, Georgia, and Vic Thrill for our podcast music. This is Jim Boge and Vic Thrill for our podcast music. This is Jim Boge, and I hope you learned something new or remembered something old. We'll meet again on our next episode. Until then, live life and keep the music playing. Thank you.
