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Alan Thompson Interview
Page 4 of 4
LP: I have to ask you this question. What is it like to attract the attention of all these teenagers? I see them there every night, with their mouths hanging open and their eyes fluttering at you?
Alan: Actually, I’m not going to lie. It’s the greatest feeling anyone can ever have. You put in all this hard work, come to Disneyland, perform, and hundreds of people come to watch you. I especially like to see people my age. I never thought my generation would be that interested in ragtime or even swing. When I came to Disneyland and watched the people dancing at Plaza Gardens and all the people that come to the piano, I realized it’s coming back and it’s going to be great.
I love the attention... it’s a great feeling. Especially when you’re frustrated. You’re trying to learn a song, you know, get your song to where it sounds right. You come to Disneyland and you see all these people supporting you. Including all the teenagers, like you said, coming to see me. So, it’s quite fun.
As far as teenagers are concerned, we had a little encounter when we performed in Sacramento. We flew up on SouthWest airlines for the grand opening of Stage Nine. We had a huge teenage fan group up there. Each day they would all come back and watch us play. When we left they wanted to follow us to the airport and asked what airline we were on. We told them United. So they all went to the United terminal and we snuck around to SouthWest and took off.
It was a lot of fun, a good experience, and my first actual gig in front of people. My first time wearing that nice suit while performing too.
LP: What did you learn from Sacramento?
Alan: What did I learn.... I don’t know how to respond to that. The first thing that entered my head, when I started playing in Sacramento, was it’s all worth it. All the frustration, all the work I put into it. Nothing has been a waste of time. Everything from my marching band years, learning counter-melody, learning all the techniques that Rod has taught me, to these duets. Nothing has been a waste of time. It’s worth it to have so many people come and watch you play. They come see your creation-that you arranged for piano. It’s hard to believe that so many people like it that much. I never expected to attract the audiences we get today.
LP: Have you ever heard anything quite like four hand piano
Alan: Well, I heard that Rod and Ray Templen played four hand piano. Like a long time ago.
LP: Yeah. I used to hear them here. Ray would do piano in the morning and then Rod would start his shift and the fifteen minutes their shifts overlapped they would improvise a duet... But it wasn’t really four hand piano.
Alan: They played a lot of songs. He has a tape at home that he played me one night. It sounded really good. But ours is different. Ours is rehearsed. They would do it just at the spur of the moment. There was no arrangement. But ours is arranged note for note, everything has to be just right. We’re happy with ours.
LP: I’m happy with yours too.
Alan: Yeah, thanks.
LP: This is the last question. You’re playing at Disneyland with Rod Miller who has been here for 30 years and you work at Knott’s [Berry Farm]?
Alan: Yes. I’ve been working at Knott’s for four years. You would think I should be playing the piano, but of all things, I drive a train. I drive the Calico Mine Train. It is my first job and I’ve been driving a train the whole time.
The funny thing about me and Rod playing together is he was playing in the park ten years before I was even born. It’s hard to believe that he’s was already playing professionally for at least ten years and I wasn’t even born.
Of course, I’ve had a lot to do, a lot of lessons to be learned. I had to learn how to learn to play the piano. I had to go through the motions. You know, the story of how we met is still unbelievable. I never thought it would happen.
LP: Congratulations. I think you’ve already reached great success, even if you don’t go any further.
Alan: Oh, we will go a lot further.
LP: Yes. I’m sure you will. Thanks for letting me interview you.
Alan: Thank you very much.
Related Links
- Four-Hand Piano official Site
- Rod Miller and Alan Thompson fansite
- Purchase Four-Hand Piano on Amazon.com
-- Interview by John Frost
-- Posted April 3, 2000
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