Show Notes
Today on LaunchLeft, rock legend Michael Des Barres joins Donita Sparks for a wildly entertaining and deeply reflective conversation on creativity, resilience, and reinvention. From glam rock beginnings and acting alongside icons to fronting The Power Station at Live Aid, Michael shares unforgettable stories, moments of happenstance and hard-earned wisdom. Plus, the rising duo Night Mover is launched. Night Mover discusses their musical history, their genre-blending sound, nightlife roots, and evolving artistry. Catch a sneak peek at one of Night Mover’s songs.
What You’ll Learn This Episode:
✅How Michael Des Barres built a multi-decade career through reinvention and fearless creativity
✅Why self-belief and authenticity are essential for artistic longevity
✅The realities of rock stardom—from Live Aid to behind-the-scenes chaos
✅How Night Mover blends global disco, punk, and electronic influences into a modern sound
IN THIS EPISODE:
00:00 Introduction to Michael Des Barres
01:17 The importance of self-belief in artistry
06:51 Landing a role in To Sir, With Love
12:17 Moving to LA with $200 and a dream
15:28 The Power Station and near-miss opportunity
19:11 Performing at Live Aid
21:15 Writing the hit song “Obsession”
23:35 New music: “Kiss or Kill Me”
32:31 Life as a radio host on Underground Garage
41:31 Night Mover is launched
47:30 Current film project and DJ history
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
💎 Authenticity beats trends. Great artists don’t chase, they create.
💎 Reinvention is a skill that sustains long-term success.
💎 Rock and roll is as much about attitude and emotion as it is about sound.
💎 Collaboration and shared passion are driving forces behind new creative projects.
RESOURCE LINKS:
LaunchLeft Podcast Smart Link
MDB Links:
https://www.instagram.com/mdesbarres
https://www.facebook.com/mdesbarres
https://www.youtube.com/user/MichaelDesBarresBand
NIGHT MOVER LINK:
https://www.instagram.com/nightmovermusic/
BIOGRAPHIES:
Michael Des Barres is an actor, rock singer, songwriter, and radio host. His arrival in the entertainment world began as a Marquis attending boarding school in England, where he first started acting at age eight in commercials and school plays.
At nineteen, Michael played the androgynous rock star Rose in the nude musical The Dirtiest Show In Town. Andrew Lloyd Webber saw Michael’s performance and went backstage to tell him that he should form a real rock band. Michael quickly wrote his first song. That song lead to the formation of Silverhead, a raucous glam rock experiment.
After two albums and two world tours Silverhead disbanded and Michael moved to Los Angeles where he formed the band Detective. Detective was signed to Swan Song Records by Jimmy Page and recorded two albums.
In 1982 Michael formed the band Chequered Past featuring Steve Jones, Clem Burke, Nigel Harrison and Tony Sales. After they opened for Duran Duran in 1984, Michael was chosen to replace Robert Palmer as lead singer of The Power Station, fronting the band at the 1985 Live Aid concert.
As a songwriter Michael co-wrote “Obsession” with Holly Knight, which was famously covered by the L.A. based New Wave group Animotion and was a number one hit in twenty-seven countries.
Michael's love of acting had never subsided and in 1985 he was cast in the role of “Murdoc” in the ABC hit series MacGyver. Additional credits include Melrose Place, Seinfeld, WKRP in Cincinnati, Miami Vice, Alf, Roseanne, The Rockford Files, Northern Exposure, and many more.
In 2014 Michael was asked by Steven Van Zandt to bring his encyclopedic knowledge of rock and soul music to Little Steven’s Underground Garage, SiriusXM, Channel 21 where he can be found DJing every weekday from 5am-8am P/T, and 9pm-12am P/T.
Michael’s highly lauded documentary “Who Do You Want Me To Be?” began streaming July 10th, 2020 on Amazon Prime.
Currently MDB has a new single out on Rumbar Records entitled "Kiss or Kil
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