This is a partial transcript from "Your World with Neil Cavuto," August 16, 2004, that was edited for clarity.
NEIL CAVUTO, HOST: His extensive resume includes producer, composer, musician. He’s an Emmy, Grammy and Academy Award winner. And now, a partner and co-developer in a new line of home theater products by SLS International.
Joining me now is the world-renowned Quincy Jones, better known to many as "Q", and the CEO of SLS International, better known to his workers as John Gott.
Welcome to both of you. Why are you doing this?
QUINCY JONES, MUSICIAN & PRODUCER: Because it is something I’ve spent my entire life around and I just got new hearing aids since Stockholm because this is — decibel level is very rough. And the first thing that attracted me is they are dealing with ribbon technology which is about clarity and it is easier on the ears and the sounds — it is part of physics, really, and it is a very powerful and complex element. And I just saw some producers in Sweden and they all have got tinnitus and everything else because this...
CAVUTO: It’s loud is loud, though, isn’t it?
JONES: It can be loud but it is conceived with ribbon technology, and technically, he can explain to you why. And it is something that I really believe in and feel and we’re going to get into headphones and all of these kinds of things because we don’t realize the damage that happens...
CAVUTO: When do you that. John, let me ask you, how did you get him? He certainly didn’t need the money, he’s a gazillionaire many times over, so how did you hook up with him?
JOHN GOTT, SLS INTERNATIONAL CEO: Well, basically it was through a friend of a friend and they introduced us to Quincy, and then Quincy listened to the speakers. And once he listened to the speakers he said he wanted to be involved.
CAVUTO: Now you’ve gotten some other big names behind you, I think Donald Trump likes your stuff, I think the L.A. Coliseum, they are going to use it, a host of others?
GOTT: There are quite a few installations being designed right now. I mean, our speakers are at the Olympics right now.
CAVUTO: Are you going to go public?
GOTT: We are public, yes.
CAVUTO: You are now?
GOTT: Yes, we are public. Yes, we went public three years ago.
CAVUTO: OK, so how does hooking up with him advance your stock cause?
GOTT: Well, naturally, having, you know, the exposure of, you know, a star, and a person that is known as well as Quincy is to actually help us to actually help us promote the product.
CAVUTO: Did he get some stock?
GOTT: He has options.
CAVUTO: All right. So this was an option deal for you, not the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) of money, just you’re betting on this?
JONES: Well, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) it is — you know, I always have been lucky because I go with what I feel first, whether it is movies or thriller or whatever, if you go with your goosebumps, I’ve never been wrong so I’m going to stay with that, the things that move me and things I believe in.
CAVUTO: All right. Now I don’t mean to digress from this, but we were just showing the Michael Jackson stuff earlier. He’s in this courthouse scene in California. You obviously were behind making his career, you helped sell 50 million "Thriller" albums, what do you think of what has happened to him?
JONES: Well, you know, I don’t know. It is a very powerful psychology, and I talked with Oprah with this all the time about the power of what happens when you are going up and when you hit the top, the subconscious mind is really what drives all that going up and when there is no more motion, things can happen that goes the other way. The energy has to go somewhere. But I don’t know what it could be, a lot of unfortunate circumstances that I hope Michael you know comes out of this, you know, but the media is very, very influential today in what happens.
CAVUTO: Do you believe him when he said he did nothing wrong.
JONES: Pardon?
CAVUTO: Do you believe him when he says he did nothing wrong?
JONES: I don’t know, that would be like asking John Gott or you, you have to be there. I don’t think that is his character you know, but it is a person — that is the most private parts of a person and I wish him all the best, I really do. He’s part of my soul, in the ‘80s, he did three albums together and it was one of the most rewarding, emotionally and everything else.
CAVUTO: Certainly lucrative for you, but could I ask you this, you try and stay out — I know you give to a number of prominent Democrats, but you really try to stay out of politics in general. There are a number of big stars, musicians, Bruce Springsteen and the Dixie Chicks, Pearl Jam, who are grouping together as part of this media or concert tour, this summer and fall trying to get Bush out of office. Any thoughts on what they are trying to do.
JONES: Listen, I — everybody has their part and their role, I don’t stay out of politics at all, I did 400,000 miles in the Middle East last year. I was in Baghdad last Father’s Day. We went to Saudi Arabia. I have been traveling the world 50 years. I’m not even close to being out of it. And Chirac, Mandela, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) we just saw, and so forth. I’m at that age now where I’m trying to look at a bigger picture of what is happening. I was in Baghdad 50 years ago and Iran and Leppo (ph) and Damascus.
CAVUTO: But would you agree, Quincy, there is a little bit more hate on both the left and the right?
JONES: But what bothers me is, and I have been in 1956 on the goodwill tour (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in a song with Dizzy Gillespie, we were goodwill ambassadors, and so forth. And we were in Croatia a month ago, and we — asked for American songs and everybody in the restaurant walked out. And we have never been so disliked abroad and that bothers me and that’s what I’m involved in, I think that is my role, because I have a lot of knowledge, I have a lot of experience there. And, everywhere in the world I feel at home in every country in the world and can talk to the heads of state or whatever because they are human beings, you know?
You ask a king I just saw, and I said what do you do when things get rough. He says, I have a glass of Courvoisier and listen to Charlie Parker. I’m serious.
(LAUGHTER)
CAVUTO: Sounds like a good priority. That’s getting your priorities right.
JONES: That personal relationship is very important, and it is just as important on all sides, so everybody has a role, it’s like a rhythm section. And everybody has a role and I think my role is focusing on a world perspective...
CAVUTO: So do you have a horse in this political race?
JONES: What?
CAVUTO: Do you have any horse in this political race?
JONES: Listen, everybody knows what’s up.
(LAUGHTER)
CAVUTO: It’s John Kerry, right?
JONES: Yes, and I have been — I just left Iraq and I was in Baghdad and it is no joke, no joke.
CAVUTO: All right, so his political views, which are kind of well-known, don’t get in the way of what you are trying to do.
GOTT: No. We’re a speaker manufacture and we’re trying to bring a better product to the market.
JONES: I’m a back window dude, when the front door gets slammed, I believe God leaves the back window open.
CAVUTO: There you go. How are you feeling these days?
JONES: I feel fantastic. I just got OKed by the best doctors in the world and if I do it right I have 25 more years and I’m very grateful to God for that.
CAVUTO: It was 30 years ago you had those two aneurysms and look at you now, not bad.
JONES: I would be hard to get along with.
(LAUGHTER)
JONES: Especially when (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...
CAVUTO: Very good, well, Quincy Jones, a great pleasure seeing you, John Gott, best of luck on this venture, the two of you together.
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