- Hey, everybody.

Welcome to "Soundcheck."

We're here at NJPAC in Newark, New Jersey.

We are here for Melissa Etheridge and we're gonna be talking all about the tour, her career.

We're also gonna be talking to Joss Stone as well about working with Melissa, it's gonna be great.

Come on with me, let's go.

(upbeat rock music) (audience applauding) Welcome to NJPAC.

- Yeah.

- New Jersey Performing Arts Center here in Newark, in New Jersey.

- Mm-hmm.

- Have you ever played here?

- I believe I have years ago.

- Years ago?

- It's still the New Jersey crowd and I love it.

- [Jennifer] It's still a Jersey crowd, we rock hard.

- [Melissa] Yes, you really do.

- We do, and we have it in our blood from Springsteen to Jovi, we just, we were born with it.

- Amen.

There it is.

No, you do.

You hold rock and roll so well.

And man, from the first song on, the audience is there.

I have always loved since 1988, I've loved New Jersey and how it really does.

It takes rock and roll very seriously and it's very important and I appreciate that.

- We see from there, but what you're looking at and what you're seeing in the audience, you're feeling that energy, you're trying to get that vibe.

- Oh, yeah.

No, it's all about the vibe.

And most of the time, I can't see most of the audience, so it is all about feeling and what I can hear.

And I do a different set list every night, so it's not the same.

Even in the songs, I want freedom to do more so they know any moment, the band, too, it's like we could go one way or another and they'll go with me and it's all depending on the audience.

- [Jennifer] Okay, I love it.

Well, we're excited to hear a show.

- Fantastic.

- We'll talk in a little bit.

- Alright, thank you.

- Awesome, thank you.

- Okay.

♪ I had a dream ♪ (audience cheering) ♪ Late last night ♪ ♪ The water was running low ♪ ♪ And my fields were on fire ♪ ♪ Burning my sky ♪ ♪ My body was moving slow ♪ ♪ And when I awoke ♪ ♪ I tasted the sweat of desire on my mouth ♪ (audience cheering) ♪ And I realized my heart ♪ ♪ Had abducted my mind ♪ ♪ They were last seen headed South ♪ ♪ I can't sleep ♪ ♪ I'm so wired ♪ ♪ And I find myself screaming out ♪ ♪ Don't you need ♪ ♪ Don't you want ♪ ♪ Can't you taste it ♪ ♪ When you're alone ♪ ♪ Don't you cry ♪ ♪ Don't you feel ♪ ♪ Sometimes I wonder if you are real ♪ ♪ Don't you bleed ♪ ♪ Don't you need ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ There is no quenching the thirst ♪ ♪ There's no relief ♪ ♪ For the hungry at heart ♪ ♪ And as far as you're concerned ♪ ♪ I'm just a thief ♪ ♪ Oh, entertaining in the dark ♪ ♪ But it's you ♪ ♪ Who holds the cards ♪ ♪ Now that the joker is wild ♪ ♪ Don't you need ♪ ♪ Don't you want ♪ ♪ Can't you taste it ♪ ♪ When you're alone ♪ ♪ Don't you cry ♪ ♪ Don't you feel ♪ ♪ Sometimes I wonder if you are real ♪ ♪ Don't you bleed ♪ ♪ Ah, do you need ♪ ♪ Don't you wanna lay it down ♪ ♪ Feel your skin against the ground ♪ ♪ Don't you wanna ride the storm ♪ ♪ And sleep inside the calm ♪ ♪ Don't you wanna get that high ♪ ♪ Don't you wanna be satisfied ♪ ♪ If you don't want it from me ♪ ♪ Don't you need ♪ - How are you feeling on this tour?

- Oh, I feel so good.

I mean, there's nothing like exchanging music with people and I get to travel, I love it.

And I'm happy to be back out here.

Happy people still wanna buy tickets and come see me.

- Let's talk about the story behind some of the songs we're gonna hear tonight.

"Don't You Need."

- Yeah.

- Describe the dream.

- That is a dream of a young, fevered 20 nothing year old, you know, and- - We've all been there.

- Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's an older song of mine.

It's from my first album, and it's even old for the first album.

And I wrote it when I was about 23.

And it's just about longing.

It's just about desire and lust.

And it's more about my own fire.

I burn every night in my dreams and only morning can set me free.

It's a really beautiful piece of music to play guitar to.

And I brought it back for that and I really enjoy playing it live.

(upbeat rock music) (upbeat rock music) (upbeat rock music) (upbeat rock music) (upbeat rock music) (upbeat rock music) (upbeat rock music) (upbeat rock music) (upbeat rock music) (upbeat rock music) (upbeat rock music) (upbeat rock music) (upbeat rock music) I think of guitars as tools and I'm looking for a sound and like this guitar, this is Karma.

'cause it's the Karma Chameleon 'cause it looks yellow here, but then it looks blue and it gets really fun.

But this one is the one I play for the ballads.

It's a hollow body, so it sustains more and it's just a really lovely thing like that.

But if I'm gonna play, like maybe King, I'm gonna play, this is Justice Jackson.

- Justice Jackson.

- Yeah, that's what that is.

- [Jennifer] I love it.

- This, yeah, classic.

(upbeat rock music) (upbeat rock music) (audience cheering) (upbeat rock music) ♪ Don't you need ♪ ♪ Don't you want ♪ ♪ Don't you need ♪ (audience cheering) - Joss Stone, welcome to "Soundcheck."

- Oh, thanks for having me.

- We're here at NJPAC in Newark, and you are on tour with Melissa Etheridge.

Tell me what it's like being on tour with Melissa.

- It's amazing.

I can't believe this is happening.

- Yeah?

- For me, this is a big deal.

Like my mom went to Melissa's concert in 1987 when I was in her tummy.

- You're a real fan.

You've been a fan before you were even born.

- Before I was born, yes, yes.

- What is she like to work with as an artist?

- I first met her when I was 17.

I sang with her on the Grammys.

- Yes, iconic performance.

- She was so cool.

- Tell me about that moment.

- Yeah.

I was terrified, and she helped me with that.

She always has really kind words to say.

She said one sentence to me once that was just so simple and it stuck.

She said, "Honey, just go where it's warm."

And I was like, okay, I'm gonna take that on and apply it to every single thing that I do in my life.

- Just go where it's warm.

- And I have.

Yeah, just go where it's warm.

- I love that.

- If it doesn't feel good, just don't.

♪ You know you got it ♪ ♪ If it makes you feel ♪ ♪ Good ♪ - My experience with singing with her on the Grammys was, you know, that's like top three performances I ever did, and she was a big part of that, and she was so respectful that night and so kind for a young girl, she was like 17.

- 17, yeah.

You came out in the midst of your cancer journey, you were bald and you just brought down the house.

(Melissa laughs) And Joss was out there too and you're doing "Piece of My Heart," a tribute to Janis Joplin.

That moment resonated with so many people, not just the music, but the awareness that you brought.

- That was a big time in my life.

I was really coming face to face with why I got cancer, and this is how I feel about, you know, disease and disease and, you know, I was under a lot of stress and the way I wasn't taking care of myself.

And it really taught me to put myself first.

And coming back on the Grammy stage.

I hadn't even been in public for about four months.

It was a big kiss for me, and it was a big positive response to me taking care of myself, and I should really start to expect more in the world.

(upbeat rock music) ♪ I know you're home ♪ ♪ You left your light on ♪ ♪ You know I'm here ♪ ♪ The night is thin ♪ ♪ Yes, I know you're alone ♪ ♪ I watched the car leave ♪ ♪ Your lover's gone ♪ ♪ Let me in ♪ ♪ Open your back door ♪ ♪ I just need to touch you once more ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ I wanna come over ♪ ♪ To hell with the consequence ♪ ♪ You told me you loved me ♪ ♪ That's all I believe ♪ ♪ I wanna come over ♪ ♪ It's a need I can't explain ♪ ♪ To see you again ♪ ♪ I wanna come over ♪ ♪ I know your friend ♪ ♪ Yeah, I know them ♪ ♪ You told her about me ♪ ♪ She filled you with fear ♪ ♪ Oh, some kind of sin ♪ ♪ But how can you turn ♪ ♪ Denying the fire ♪ ♪ Lover, I burn ♪ ♪ Let me in ♪ ♪ Open your back door ♪ ♪ I just need to touch you once more ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ I wanna come over ♪ ♪ To hell with the consequence ♪ ♪ Oh, you told me you loved me ♪ ♪ That's all I believe ♪ ♪ I wanna come over ♪ ♪ It's a need I can't explain ♪ ♪ To see you again ♪ ♪ I wanna come over ♪ - You mentioned it before, a burning and a fire.

And that's a thread through your songs.

- I see a lot of women in my audience who are like, yeah, who are living through the song and maybe expressing things that they would not have or wouldn't know how to.

And so, I take it very seriously to examine that part of my psyche and really just examine my emotional life of being a human being.

I think that's my job.

♪ I know you're confused ♪ ♪ I know you're shaken ♪ ♪ You think we'll be lost ♪ ♪ Once we begin ♪ ♪ I know you're weak ♪ ♪ I know that you want me ♪ ♪ Lover, don't speak ♪ ♪ Oh, let me in ♪ (audience cheering) (audience cheering) (audience cheering) Oh.

I swear, I swear, I swear I heard her say, I heard it.

I heard it loud and clear.

(audience cheering) She said ♪ Baby, why don't you come over ♪ ♪ Red wine supernova ♪ ♪ Falling into me ♪ That's what she said.

(audience cheering) She said ♪ Baby, why don't you come over ♪ ♪ Red wine supernova ♪ ♪ Falling into me ♪ (audience cheering) ♪ I wanna come over ♪ ♪ To hell with the consequence ♪ ♪ You told me you loved me ♪ - If you could summarize Melissa's impact on music and on you, what would you say?

- Oh, well, her impact on music, I think is probably, is probably huge, more so than I can understand.

For me, it's been massive because she's been part of the musical food that I've been eating since birth, literally.

Lyrically, it's fantastic.

Like the way that she tells a story is like, ah, you are fully in the story.

And that's because of her.

You know, she's a very special one, she's super special.

So I'm so glad that I get to sit here and talk about her on this, you know, like, this is really cool because she is very, very special.

Yeah.

I don't even know what to say.

I just feel very, I actually feel really shocked that you're even interviewing me and asking my opinion on this woman.

♪ I wanna come over ♪ (audience cheering) - Speaking of songwriting, are you on your phone, in a notebook, in the shower, five minutes a song punch you or is it you're taking your time?

- That's different, that's different.

Over the years, back in my twenties and thirties before I had children, I would just lay around, I would just write all day, I'd have a notebook.

Oh, whenever it struck me, I'd just write.

Then after I had children, I had to plan time for me to write.

It's kind of like life.

But I also give myself, if I go in and go to write, like it's not happening to let go.

I don't pressure it 'cause it has to come from a good place if you want a good product.

- "Come to My Window."

- "Come to My Window, the song that almost wasn't.

I almost didn't put that song in the album.

Artists, we have no idea what a hit song.

We really don't, we don't know what one is.

And I had written that song and it came from a place of being on the road and missing my girlfriend at the time.

And then the troubles that all that distance causes and sort of this unrest.

And I remember it, it was sort of a collection of little verses I had written here and there.

Like I had written, first thing I wrote was I don't care what they think, I don't care what they say.

What do they know about this love anyway?

And it was like a limerick, you know, it was like just a verse to me.

And then, I was up one night and just thinking how I...

It was a European, it was a international phone call, and I was just sitting on the phone and we weren't saying anything and I was like, "This is really expensive to just listen to you breathe."

And I thought, oh, you know, I would dial the numbers just to listen to your breath.

And I started putting them together.

And so it came from this sense of longing, of wanting to be together, come to my window, I'll be home soon.

After I recorded it, I didn't know if anyone would understand it or get it.

And I thought it was kind of plain.

And so I remember I was playing some songs for a good friend of mine who was in the business and I said, "You know, I don't think I'm gonna put that on the album."

And he went, "Wait.

What?

No, you're crazy.

You have to put that one on the album."

Thank God I put it on the album.

- Yes, indeed.

- Yeah.

That's the story behind that.

(upbeat rock music) (upbeat rock music) (upbeat rock music) (upbeat rock music) (upbeat rock music) (upbeat rock music) (upbeat rock music) (upbeat rock music) ♪ I would dial the numbers just to listen to your breath ♪ ♪ I would stand inside my hell and hold the hand of death ♪ ♪ You don't know how far I'd go to ease this precious ache ♪ ♪ You don't know how much I'd give or how much I can take ♪ ♪ Just to reach you ♪ ♪ Just to reach you ♪ ♪ Oh, to reach you, oh ♪ ♪ Come to my window ♪ ♪ Crawl inside, wait by the light of the moon ♪ ♪ Come to my window, I'll be home soon ♪ ♪ Keeping my eyes open, I cannot afford to sleep ♪ ♪ Giving away promises I know that I can't keep ♪ ♪ Nothing fills the blackness that has seeped into my chest ♪ ♪ I need you in my blood, I'm forsaking all the rest ♪ ♪ Just to reach you ♪ ♪ Just to reach you ♪ ♪ Oh, to reach you, oh ♪ ♪ Come to my window ♪ ♪ Crawl inside, wait by the light of the moon ♪ ♪ Come to my window, I'll be home soon ♪ ♪ I don't care what they think ♪ ♪ I don't care what they say ♪ ♪ What do they know about this love ♪ ♪ Anyway ♪ (audience cheering) - [Jennifer] Are you working on a new album?

- Yeah, yes.

- Can you tell us a little bit about it?

- Absolutely.

It's been almost six years since I've written a new album and lots happened to me.

About five years ago, I lost my oldest son to an opioid addiction.

I'm with the Etheridge Foundation 'cause I knew that there's a good possibility there's answers in the world of psychedelics.

So we provide grants, raise money to provide research for these plant medicines and how they can help with addition and with pain and opioid use disorder.

♪ And Newark, Jersey, sing with me, come on, let's go ♪ ♪ Let me hear you now ♪ ♪ Come to my window ♪ ♪ Crawl inside, wait by the light of the moon ♪ ♪ Come to my window, I'll be home soon ♪ ♪ I'll be home, I'll be home, I'm coming home ♪ ♪ Come to my window, hey ♪ ♪ Crawl inside, wait by the light of the moon ♪ ♪ Come to my window, I'll be home soon ♪ ♪ I'm coming home ♪ (upbeat rock music) (upbeat rock music) (upbeat rock music) (audience cheering) (audience cheering) - So Melissa, is there ever gonna be a time where you're like, I'm good, I'm done, no more touring.

Is there ever an off switch for you?

- No, no.

If you ever hear of me retiring, they've kidnapped me and taken me away, it's not right.

No, I don't think you can retire from music.

And I'm just gonna do it in whatever way I can.

And I aim to keep myself healthy enough to do it for a long, long time.

(upbeat rock music) ♪ Please, baby, can't you see ♪ ♪ My mind's a burnin' hell ♪ ♪ I got razors a-rippin' and tearin' and strippin' ♪ ♪ My heart apart as well ♪ ♪ Tonight you told me ♪ ♪ That you ache for somethin' new ♪ ♪ And some other woman is lookin' like somethin' ♪ ♪ That might be good for you ♪ ♪ Go on and hold her 'til the screamin' is gone ♪ ♪ Go on, believe her when she tells you nothing's wrong ♪ ♪ But I'm the only one who'll walk across a fire for you ♪ ♪ I'm the only one who'll drown in my desire for you ♪ ♪ It's only fear that makes you run ♪ ♪ The demons that you're hiding from ♪ ♪ When all your promises are gone ♪ ♪ I'm the only one ♪