Michael Been, lead singer and songwriter of The Call, died unexpectedly on August 19. In this special podcast, PBC remembers his power and passion, along with snippets from Been’s impressive repertoire. At summer’s end, we take a break from news and politics to honor Michael Been. If you haven’t heard of Been or The Call, don’t feel bad. They never got the exposure and recognition they deserved. As a DJ at KRQR in San Francisco, I was one of the first to play “When the Walls Came Down” and saw the band live in 1984. Been was intense and a little shy when I interviewed him, conveying his love of music and performing for a crowd. Some remember Been as the Apostle John in Scorcese’s Last Temptation of Christ, and as a sideman in Harry Dean Stanton’s band. He died of a heart attack while working as the audio tech for Black Rebel Motorcycle Band, which features his son, Robert Levon Been. If this is your first exposure to Michael Been and The Call, let me know what you think. For better fidelity, this audio file is larger than average.
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