John Waite on Doing Things ‘The Hard Way’: “Nothing Was Easy”

John Waite’s new documentary, “John Waite: The Hard Way,” is an apt title, he tells 1071 The Boss host Michele Amabile.

“Nothing was easy,” he said.

The story -directed by written, and co-produced by Mike J. Nichols– reflects on Waite’s five-decades long career. Producer Scott Wright (aka “Shadow Steele”), a former NY & LA radio personality, conceived and launched the project. It features interviews with Diane Warren (who penned Bad English’s No. 1 hit, “When I See You Smile”), Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Neil Giraldo (who produced Waite’s solo record, “Ignition”) and many others, in addition to feature footage from Waite’s tour with Ringo Starr and his collaboration with country superstar Alison Krauss.   

“I wanted it to be real,” said Waite.

Waite has two shows coming up in New Jersey, including performing at Light of Day’s Winter Fest at the Count Basie Center for the Arts on January 14. The documentary will also screen during Light of Day weekend as well, the venue tells 1071 The Boss.

“It will be great to be in Jersey,” Waite tells Michele Amabile from 1071 The Boss. “We heard the Boss might get up. It’s a great cause. People are pulling together as they always do on the East Coast. They always arrive and they deliver.”

He additionally has a show at the Bergen Performing Arts Center on January 15, with plans to screen the documentary prior to the show, which will also include selections from his recent CD, “Anything.”

“The documentary is about the art of making music, and not the business of it,” he said.

Waite said watching the documentary, with all the archival footage of The Babys on the Dinah Shore Show, American Bandstand and early performances then following the journey through the ’80s with early success on MTV and two number one hits (“Missing You,” and “When I See You Smile,” with Bad English) through the ’90s and now, was like watching an “unbelievable story.”

“I wouldn’t believe it, and I lived it,” he said. “Man, what a life”

The film is available across all major streaming services including Apple TV, Amazon, Roku, and Google Chromecast, among others. DVD and BluRay Discs also available for purchase on Amazon.com. Watch the official trailer HERE