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In this episode, we catch up with Boy Golden backstage at High Sierra Music Festival for a conversation that goes well beyond the music.
The Winnipeg singer-songwriter opens up about The Church of Better Daze, why songwriting has become a spiritual practice for him, and his belief that music and creative expression can be deeply healing.
We also get into the story behind the name Boy Golden, his early years playing hundreds of shows, his love of albums, the way he approaches songwriting, and why his ultimate mission isn't simply to make people listen — it's to make them want to create something themselves.
For Boy Golden, a life filled with as many “creative days” as possible is a life well lived.
Only in the Green Room — Where Artists Remain Human.
#BoyGolden #HighSierraMusicFestival #OnlyInTheGreenRoom #ChurchOfBetterDaze #SingerSongwriter #IndieMusic #Songwriting #MusicPodcast
#BoyGolden #HighSierraMusicFestival #OnlyInTheGreenRoom #ChurchOfBetterDaze #SingerSongwriter #IndieMusic #Songwriting #MusicPodcast
Creators and Guests
Host
What is Only In The Green Room?
Welcome to Only In The Green Room - Backstage conversations from popular music venues around the country curated by Mount Tam Media.
Buckle up and listen in, as host Dennis Strazulo and Mount Tam Media founder, Tami Larson, dig up conversations with artists - before and after shows - in the exclusive confines of the green room. Barriers are down with stories abound!
And we can get you on
the djembe over here.
I'm actually not legally
allowed to touch that.
Um- You know, I just started making
plans because I want to make another
record, and I thought I didn't have
enough songs, and then I've been
going through all my songs, and I
was like, "Oh, I have a ton of songs.
Never mind." Welcome to Only in the
Green Room, backstage conversations from
popular music venues around the country.
In this episode, Boy Golden opens up about
the healing power of music, his deeply
personal approach to songwriting, and
why he believes creativity is something
we all need more of in our lives.
We caught up with him at High Sierra
to talk music, meaning, and the story
behind The Church of Better Days.
All right, here we are backstage
at the High Sierra Music Festival.
Day one, first time at Grass Valley,
and our first interview at this festival
at the new location is Boy Golden.
Boy Golden, welcome to
Only in the Green Room.
Thank you.
Thanks for having me.
Man, we're really happy to have
you here, and this is, this
is so much fun, uh, having you
especially, coming from so far away.
Um, where do you hail from?
Uh, I'm from Winnipeg.
That's in Manitoba in Canada,
and so is the rest of my band.
Except for Dani Nash on the drum set.
She's from Toronto.
Dani is she?
Yeah.
Love that.
Yeah, we, we love the female drummers.
We got a few of those friends
i- in our neck of the woods.
All right.
Well, I introduced you as Boy Golden,
um, and that's certainly your, your name,
your stage name, your, your presence.
Uh, but I know you had a career
prior to being Boy Golden, uh,
with a band, and somehow decided to
come into this, uh, realm of, uh, a
new identity, if you, if you will.
What, what precipitated that?
I mean, my first, my first
bands were, like, high school
bands, and we did tour a lot.
We played, like, over 600 shows together
as a band, and I'm still really good
friends with both those guys, and that
was def- definitely very formative.
But high school bands, kinda like
most high school relationships,
are usually destined to break up.
So we, we, we stopped playing
together when I was about 21, and
then I worked as a side musician
for quite a while, playing keys.
Not quite a while.
It seemed like quite a while
'cause I was, like, 21, right?
A year is longer.
Uh, and then I started making
some music under my own name,
but it just didn't feel right.
And when I started making the music I do
now, uh, Boy Golden kinda came into being.
The name comes from my mom.
Her last name is Golden, and I'm her boy.
And thus, Boy Golden.
Yeah.
Your mom named you twice, right?
That's right.
Yeah.
Right?
For your professionally, too.
Mm-hmm.
Um, so you in- you introduced
yourself, um, obviously, on
the, as your, your name, Liam.
Yes?
Yeah.
I mean, are y- are you… You keep that
under wraps, or, uh- I used to, but- Yeah.
… uh, my management told me I didn't need
to, so I was like, "Okay, cool, cool."
That's a great name.
Yeah.
I like Liam.
There's nothing wrong with Liam.
Yeah.
Yeah, it's fine.
Nothing wrong with Liam.
Yeah.
And I'm glad I, uh, the answer
was the one you gave, 'cause
I just, like, blew the cover.
Yeah, right.
Right?
Okay.
So all right, so here, um, at High
Sierra, this is, uh, you know, it's
not easy to, to get, get a band here
from anywhere, let alone, um, Canada.
Um, how did you end up here,
and what did you know about
the festival before you came?
I don't know, and not much.
Uh- … oh, I did, I did hear about
this, 'cause one of my best friends,
Kat Clyde, played here last year,
I guess, when it was up in Quincy,
and she said it was a great time.
And so when I got the offer, I was
like, "Hey, how was High Sierra?"
And she's like, "It was great." So I
took the offer, and, uh, we're also
just trying to tour a lot in, in
America, and, uh, it's been really fun.
No, that's great.
And so you're doing a little West
Coast, uh, action here, then, a p- as
part of this tour- Yeah … and beyond?
Uh-huh.
Yeah.
Yeah.
W- d- did Telluride
Bluegrass Fest two weeks ago.
We did, did one show in Milwaukee last
week, and then a show in Sisters, Oregon,
at a festival called Big Pon kangaroo, and
then we got Pickathon later this month.
So we keep ourselves busy.
That's good.
Yeah.
Okay.
Love it.
That's great.
Our producer, who is, uh, Juliana
Pistrel, and she's sitting to your
right, and, uh, we brought her into this
interview because she really likes you.
Nice.
And she, no, she likes your music.
Great.
Uh, and she's been following
it, so we're gonna pull her in.
And she also has her own, uh, show.
It's, uh, a radio show, I
guess you would call it.
Do we call it a radio show?
It's live.
Huh?
It's live.
It's live, okay.
So it's live, uh, unli- unlike
this, and it's called Down to Folk.
So we're gonna do some
cross-media pollinating here.
Love it.
And, uh- It's my green room debut- It's
your- … so thank you for that … yeah.
Um- Oh, you've been, you've been p-
Oh, you've, she knows- Oh, I guess
it's true … you've done this before.
She's poked.
And I wanna ask you a quick question,
because, uh, well, I'm gonna ask, like,
the, the obvious questions that people
are asking, you know, and the, the one
is about The Church of the Bitter Days.
Uh-huh.
Not only the, the, it's a record
as well- Yeah … uh, but just,
uh, isn't that also sort of a, a
philosophy of yours in s- in a sense?
Yeah, it is.
Yeah.
I mean, I I came to music, I think…
I came to songwriting looking for
something to make life feel easier to
l- to live in, you know, and make my
body feel easier to live in and my mind.
And, uh, for me, the practice of
songwriting i- is, is, is kind of a
spiritual practice for me in, in the
sense that I do it regularly, uh, not
just when I'm feel inspired or called to.
I just, like, sit down and I work
consistently, and I find that
it makes my life better, right?
And I just think music also is deeply
healing and has the potential to be deeply
powerful depending on how you do it.
So with this project, I always wanted it
to be a very, um, open place for, uh, the
people I play with to come in and make
music with me, and I try not to exercise
too much control over what they're doing.
I want them to be able to
express themselves on their
instruments or in their voices.
And so it's just sort of a way that I, I
try to run my, my life and my operation.
And, um, it also s- came from all
the people I play with are also
artists and musicians, and we just
didn't get to play together that much
because we were all working for other
artists, you know, a lot of the time.
So I wanted to bring together this
group of extremely talented musicians
and, uh, have them work with me and
give them that opportunity to, like,
feel really free to express themselves.
That's beautiful.
Yeah.
I know T- Talk to Mike.
Yeah, Tammy- Yeah.
I know Tammy's gonna love that, and so do
I. That's a great- Yeah … not answer.
It's just it is what it is, but, uh, we
experience that a lot, um, in the- Yeah.
And, I mean, just the whole music
being so unifying and healing
and… So it's beautiful that you
have that as a, you know- Yeah
sort of basis.
You, you know, I don't do it
for my health- Yeah … wealth
or, uh Yeah … you know.
Yeah.
Love it.
Music Heals.
Um, this is my… I, I have to say it
because I'm the, uh, board of directors
president of Music Heals International-
Hmm … which is a, uh, organization,
nonprofit founded by Sara Wasserman.
Uh, and she's also our executive
director, and we teach music programs
in, uh, Haiti, uh, India, and Venezuela.
Cool.
And, uh, it's… I, I see it happen
all the time- Firsthand … and
it, it, it's, it's amazing.
So- Yeah … anyway, Juliana, Juliana.
Juliana, you're on.
Come on, man.
Wow.
Yeah, this is a planned…
Uh, no, go for it.
I like how you express your art in
other mediums besides songwriting-
Hmm … specifically essays.
I know you have a Substack.
Mm-hmm.
Um, so I just, I wanna
talk to you about that.
I want to know how you're able to
express yourself differently through
that medium, and then I also wanna talk
about your most recent essay on suffer.
Oh, sure.
Yeah.
Okay.
Uh, well, my Subs- my Substack, I
actually kinda shut it down because I
was not, uh, working hard enough at it.
Uh, but I still write, uh, a lot anyways.
Like, I've always been a journaler,
and I've always loved writing
essays, even in high school.
So obviously I was a bit of a nerd.
But- … I, I like writing essays.
I like writing stories as well.
So it's all just s- sort of part of
the same artistic practice for me.
I don't really see them as super distinct.
Um, uh- Yeah, what do you wanna
know about the Suffer essay?
Okay.
Well, to anyone who hasn't read it,
just kind of as, as a recap, you
have this line in the song Suffer, "I
want a new fucking president." Right.
As a Canadian talking
about American politics.
Uh-huh.
What, what was the response both
before you put that song out and after?
Everybody loved it except
for- … the people trying to
market it, you know what I mean?
Yeah.
Uh, and I mean, I'm not worried about
being not from the country I'm necessarily
commenting on because first off, it's
like we all live in the world together,
and it definitely has an effect on me.
I have to go through visa processes.
I have to cross the border all the time.
I'm, I'm always coming down here to work.
So it does affect me, and
it affects many of us.
Also, like, um, economically,
it's a global thing, right?
So there's that, but also the line really
is more about just, like, everybody
always wants a new fucking president.
It doesn't matter if the guy
that you elected- That's true
is in office or not.
If, if, if the guy that you elected
got in, there's probably half
the country is pissed, right?
Yeah.
So I think it's always easiest to
direct our anger, uh, up, right?
It's… And, and we should direct
our anger up, but we should
also look to, like, what can
we affect locally, politically?
Like, and I'm serious about this.
Mm-hmm.
Get involved in your municipal
politics- Yeah … as local as you can.
Like, that's the stuff that's
actually gonna affect your life more.
Like, I saw it happening when I was
writing that song, it was almost
election year here, almost election
year in Canada, and we were going
through this inflationary period, right?
First in my life.
Uh, and I just saw a lot of suffering,
and then I saw a lot of, like, mostly
right-wing populists saying like,
"Oh, this, this is the fault of
the incumbent," or whatever, right?
And, uh, that's not really true.
It's like, it is, but it's also
the fault of the whole system.
Like, where, where are we, uh- Yeah
placing our-
F- where are we directing our energy?
That's what I'm, I'm trying to talk about.
Anyways, so but the essay also just
talked about, like, um, it wasn't an
easy time to push that song, especially
in America, because at, when, right
when we put it out, that's when, uh,
the Trump administration was cutting
funding to a bunch of public radio.
And, like, the people that I work
with on radio are great people, and
they support my music, and they were
just like, "I just don't think we can
make these stations, you know, go out
on a limb for you on, on this." And
that was a, that was a bummer, right?
Uh, and I just think, what I think
is important about talking about
that is just, like, that's the c-
those are the kinds of conversations
that, like, fascistic-type wannabe
governments force artists to have.
Like, can you actually be
free with what you're saying?
Yeah.
Or are you putting your
livelihood at risk, putting the
livelihoods of the people that
are working on my music at risk?
That, that's, that's what's interesting
to me about what happened there.
Not so much that, like, oh, yeah,
like, obviously this line is
gonna make this hard- Right, so-
hard to promote … so then
ultimately, though, you went forward.
It's the lead single.
It was, yeah.
We didn't promote it here, though.
It wasn't the lead single at-
Ah … at radio in America.
We, we did that in Canada.
It went to number one on the radio.
Did really well.
I guess so.
People, people loved it.
But, but down here, we, we,
that's not the song we pushed.
We pushed Cowboy Dream.
Everybody here in America, go
listen to that song, right?
Yeah.
Well, and you were told not,
and your marketing people did
not want you to market it here.
Is that right?
Am I correct?
Yeah.
They just didn't think-
Yeah … it was a good idea.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Okay.
Well, they're probably right what you
just said, fif- half the people are- Yeah
on one side or the other.
Yeah Well, I don't know about half-
Well, I don't know … these days.
I know.
Well, you know what I mean.
You know what I mean.
I mean, definitely not High Sierra.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Not here.
But do you think that, um, the response
has been any different when you
perform it live in Canada versus here?
Honestly, generally speaking, we're
pre- I'm preaching to the choir.
You know, at, at, like, my shows or at
these festivals, I get a great response.
Yeah.
Of course.
You know?
Yeah.
So it's- Duh, right?
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
No, I, I… So, I, I'm not sure.
I'm not sure- Yeah … how
different it is.
Well, so you mentioned it already,
but you worked with Kat Clyde- Mm-hmm
um, who was, who played High Sierra last
year, and I think what's interesting
about both of you as artists is that you
bring a new type of person to High Sierra.
I think there's a lot of the jam
bands and bluegrass and all of that.
Yeah.
And you've been kind of doing
that, that circuit now of
festivals that have all of this.
So has that been eye-opening in any way?
It, it is.
Yeah, I've been thinking about that
a lot over the last couple weeks
'cause we did Telluride, as I said.
We did this big Bonnaroo
festival, and both of them were
very bluegrass heavy obviously.
They're bluegrass festivals.
And then we're getting
booked on them, and I was…
Like, I'm thrilled 'cause
I, A, I love bluegrass.
It has been very important in my life.
Folk music, super important in my life.
Country music, super important to me.
But that's not really what we do,
but we still get booked on them
anyways, and I think that's great
because, I mean, I think it's good
to have variety, and we just maybe
bring something a little different.
Kat and I are both very,
like, song-focused writers.
We're, we're always… We're
really songwriters first and,
um, bands second, I would say.
So- Yeah, it's been really interesting.
And people seem to like it.
People, a lot of people have
told me, like, "Oh, that was a
really nice refreshing set." Yeah.
And then after our set, they
get right back to jamming.
So- Yeah, right … nothing,
nothing wrong with that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
But great introduction to, to
that whole other group, the
whole cross-pollination thing.
We talk about that a lot.
Well, I know when I tell people about,
"Oh, I'm going to High Sierra," and
what's the lineup, it's always…
Last year it was, "Oh, I know Cat
Clyde," or, "I know Boy Golden."
Right.
So- Yeah … I think that's always
really exciting, and that it's an
introduction into everything else,
but vice versa to people who are,
who've been coming here for decades.
Yeah.
39 years.
Wow.
30… Is it 39th?
33, 34. 34. Is it 34 this year?
I thought it was thir- It's a lot.
It's a lot.
Yeah.
It's in the 30s.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Older than me.
We were talking before we, uh, put
the record button on about the,
the High Sierra bump, and there are
bands that come here that, I don't
know, I don't wanna say outliers.
I don't know if there are any real
outliers at this festival, but that are
a little bit different than the core.
Um, and somehow they get discovered,
or I don't know about discovered, but
people just say, "Hey, not only was that
a great s- uh, set for a break from what
I'm doing," but they stick with them.
Yeah, right.
Yeah.
Oh, that's great.
Yeah.
So, uh- Yeah, that's why we
do it Welcome to the bump.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So welcome to the bump.
Yeah.
I mean, we're not usually… Honestly,
we're not usually… We're usually
losing money playing all these
festivals, so that's why we do it really.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Oh.
No doubt.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
For sure.
And, and the festival could
probably tell you the same thing.
Yeah.
No, I'm- Put it on.
Yeah … I know.
That's just, this is how it is.
We do it for the, I do it for
the love of the game, baby.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Oh, man.
And don't we all love it.
Yeah.
Um, the, the, the, the songwriting,
um, so h- the essays, I mean, you
deriving, uh, some of the, uh,
the music from your songwriting,
the lyrics, uh, excuse me, from
the essays- No, no … specifically?
Not, not really.
It's completely separate.
Yeah.
Pretty separate.
Oh, okay.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I mean, so what, what
inspires you on songs?
Is it more of a speaking about
what's going on in general and sort
of how you're feeling, or is it a
specific thing, or is it a, is it
a l- um, you know, a, a melody?
You know, what, what,
where does that come from?
Uh, it's always, it's
always music first for me.
Yeah.
Mel- melody first and then
lyrics, and then… But lyrics
are kinda my favorite part.
But they don't come first.
I'm not like, uh, writing stuff down
on napkins like, "Oh, I got a genius
line." That never happens to me.
Uh, so I usually I come up with some
kind of interesting sort of- guitar
part or something like that, then I
make a melody, and then whatever lyrics
happen, I don't usually start with a set
idea of what I'm gonna write typically.
Honestly, I'm not really, like,
a concept writer like that.
Mostly pretty stream of consciousness, and
then I just write a lot, and then I edit.
Okay.
That's how I do it, but
everyone does it different.
No, I know.
That's why I'm asking.
Yeah.
And it starts from the music.
So then going back to the
essays, how often do you feel
the need to explain yourself?
You write a song, and- Great question.
But you wanna say more, so I think
that's kind of what I was getting
at with the, the different mediums.
Hmm.
I do not ever really feel
the need to explain myself.
I, I think the people around me who
are working super hard to put my music
out into the world like that I can
write essays well, and it can be really
helpful for them to put out the…
kind of expand on the world of, of
boy golden and, and who I am and, and
what I'm trying to do with my music.
And I, I think that's cool too, but
honestly, if it, if I was left to my own
devices, I probably wouldn't be doing…
I probably wouldn't be putting them out.
I sometimes just write them just for me.
Yeah.
You know?
So yeah, that's a great question.
I've never thought about that.
Yeah.
Follow-up.
Uh-huh.
You said, like, that's not
what you're trying to do.
If you could sum it up, what are
you trying to do- … as boy golden?
Great question.
I think what I'm trying to do is
ideally, the… if someone listens
to my record or comes away from a
show of mine and feels like, "Oh,
damn, I need to go write something.
I need to go make some music.
I need to go paint something or write
a book or write an essay or a poem,"
if they feel inspired to do that, I
feel like my mission is accomplished.
I really believe that, uh, expressing
yourself creatively is super powerful
and can help you move your life
along in, in ways that you won't
even know until you start doing it.
So I would say that is my main
mission, is to kinda spread
the gospel of kinda creativity.
I've got this tattoo on
me that I somewhat regret.
It says creative- We'll
get that on camera.
Show that to us.
I was gonna ask you
about it, so go for it.
Creative days, it says, and I feel
like if I can live my life and have
as many creative days as I possibly
can, I've lived a pretty good life.
So that, that's my gospel.
Coming from Canada.
Tammy and I interviewed Zachary
Richard, uh, in New Orleans a
couple years ago, and I'd asked
you again before if you knew him.
You, you did, you obviously know of him.
Yeah, I've seen him play.
You, you ha- You, you've seen him play.
Mm-hmm.
You have to, and we know his, uh,
guitar player, Chris Adkins, right?
Yeah.
When he's in New Orleans.
Um, but, um, you have to verify
this statement for us or not.
Okay.
And he said, uh, "Little do people
know," he did say this tongue in cheek.
He did.
And also- He said, but he, yes.
And all due, and all, um, you know,
joshing you a little bit, Zachary,
but, um, he said, you know, "People
don't know that, uh, at one time I
was the Michael Jackson of Canada."
Yeah, well, that's 100% true.
Ah.
All right.
Yeah.
Um, yeah, you were mentioning,
um, his, his, uh, his scene.
He's obviously very popular,
sort of that Cajun music.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And it's Cajun, but it's also
Acadian, like, so the- Acadian.
Yes … the Cajun roots in New
Orleans came from- Right … the
east coast of Canada, so.
Right, okay.
Yeah.
And you speak French as well?
Yep.
Yeah.
It's my second language.
Cool.
But I do speak it.
Second language, yeah.
Do you wanna speak a
little French for us now?
Oui, on peut parler français si tu veux.
There we go.
We'll have you introduce
the podcast that way.
Well, it, it's funny, when he
came, uh, sat down, and he, I
was asking him places he played.
One of them was what we would say
in San Francisco the Café Du Nord.
Right.
And you pronounced it cor- I
was like, "Oh, yeah, I played at
the Café Du Nord." And they're
like, "What?" I, I s- I knew it.
Yeah.
It's funny.
Tammy, Tammy, ask your most
favorite question, which is- Are
you talking about, like, when
you're playing the m- with the…
Do you, first of all, do you
play h- many instruments?
Several?
Yeah, I do.
Why don't you talk
about that a little bit?
How many instruments?
And, and are, do you, is there one that
you don't play that you wish you could?
Oh, definitely.
Drums.
I- Drums … I'm not a very good
drummer, but it's definitely
the most fun instrument, 100%.
Okay.
Um- We can, we can get you
on the djembe over here.
Cool.
I'm actually not legally
allowed to touch that.
Um- I play, I started on the keys when I
was really young, and I always wanted to
play guitar, so I picked up guitar around
11, and I mostly, mostly write on guitar.
Sometimes I write on keys.
Uh, and I play a bit of banjo,
and I play a tenor guitar a lot,
and I'm an pretty okay bass player
Fantastic Yeah And then so- Well-
what inspired you initially to get to, to
write mus- I mean, just to get into music?
Was there, was there a particular artist?
Was there anything- Hmm, nah, friends.
Friends.
Just jamming with friends.
Okay, got it, friends And, and
wanting, wanting to be in a band-
Community … and wanting to play music.
I always loved music.
Mm. And growing up, I went to
this Winnipeg Folk Festival.
It's a gigantic folk festival in Canada.
Oh, my God.
Yeah.
Ah, it's so good.
Is it?
You really should come out.
You should actually… You
should pitch this to them.
It w- it would be fun.
That would… Y- you'll help us?
There we go.
Yeah.
I would.
Yeah.
No, let's go.
Green room goes to-
Yeah … Winnipeg Folk Festival.
Yes, I love it.
Yeah, that'd be awesome.
Um, so I, I went, went there since
I was a baby, so major props to my
folks for bringing me there when
I was a kid, and, uh, got early
exposure to a lot of great folk
music, a lot of so- great songwriters,
and I think that's what- Fantastic
that's what pushed me in that direction.
That's so much better than
some people say, "I just wanted
to get chicks," you know?
Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
Completely uninterested.
Yeah.
"I just wanted to get chicks."
And then, "I just wanted to get
chicks." I don't know who said that.
I- I don't know Who said that, Dennis?
I don't know.
I don't know.
I think you made that up.
I, I, I know- I just wanna make money.
Yeah, there we go.
Yeah, that's right.
It's all kind of the same, uh, non-
Just kidding … you know, whatever.
Yeah.
It's kind of the same funny, funny answer.
No, your question, I, your question
is- Are you talking about, like, w- um-
This is where we interview each other
when you're, when you're playing?
Well, uh- It started out because we have
a, a friend who has grateful guitars.
He ha- or is that, is that the question?
No, no.
The question- Oh, I'm sorry … the,
the question, I'm gonna ask it for you.
You ask it for me.
I'm gonna ask it for you, but it is one
that we al- we both like to ask, uh,
'cause we were talking about the different
kinds of music and how th- they fit
in or don't with yours- I'm so curious
and they kind of all do.
Ready?
What's on your playlist?
Oh, yeah.
Oh, what's on my playlist?
Great question.
Um, I'm gonna have to
pull up the playlist.
Oh, yeah.
Do that.
Oh, my gosh, and if you can share it
with us, if you- Sure … you know.
We would love that.
I'm a… I'm kind of more of an
album guy than a playlist guy.
Oh.
Nice.
Correct response.
I think you just… Didn't you
just go listen to a bunch of
alb- albums all the way through?
Was that you?
Yeah.
Yeah, right?
You said, "I'm just gonna go listen
to-" I personally think that we've lost
the art of listening to an album end
to
end, and that's w- also what I really
like- Totally … about your work, is
that- They're definitely meant to be
albums … you can listen to it in, in
full albums- Yeah, 100% … end to end.
Albums are God.
You know what's so great about that, is
that you guys in your 20s, I'm guessing.
Yeah.
Is that about right?
Well, actually, I'm 30.
Okay.
Well, barely.
Uh.
Psych.
All right.
You guys in the, in the 20s to 30s,
um, didn't have the experience that
Tammy and I with, with albums and to
s- Yeah … sit here- Oh, that's what
we were doing … and I totally agree
with you, and to hear you guys saying
that is like, "There is hope." It's
a beautiful moment- There is hope
here, people Yeah.
Well, it was always my dad would be
like- It- … "This is an album you
need to listen to," and then we'd
listen to it together- Ooh … and
then some- s- a certain part would
come on, he'd be like, "Shh." Yeah.
"You have to listen to this part." This-
Yeah … check out this transition-
Yeah … from this song to this song.
Like, shh.
It's so important.
This is a solo.
Little skits and stuff.
Yeah, it's- Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
And the, and the deep tracks too, right?
Exactly.
Yeah.
The deep tracks are the best.
Oh, for sure.
And so, yeah, that's amazing.
Okay.
Here's- You had good parents,
both of you … here's my albums.
Hillbilly Rock by Marty Stuart, 3D
Country, Geese, Headlights, Alex G,
It's a Beautiful Place, Water From
Your Eyes, These Days by my friend
Emily Heinz- Uh, Blood on the Tracks,
Bob Dylan; Root Down, Jimmy Smith;
and, um, this album that I really
love called Robert Tillison's album.
This guy only r- ever made one record,
uh, back in the '70s, and it's wicked.
So those are, those are the- If
you share that with us, we're gonna
make it a part of a- Sure … the,
the green room playlist.
Yeah.
Check it out.
That record, though.
Oh, I mean, this is wh- we've
been asking it- Yeah, yeah.
… Tammy came up, I think, this, I
just randomly asked somebody that,
uh, I think it was Lesh from the
California Honeydrops, I don't
know if you've ever seen them.
Uh, and he just, he g- taught us so
much, you know, with his playlist.
I w- Yeah … we listened to that
music on his playlist- Yeah … for
the next couple of weeks.
Cool.
Yeah.
I should- Yeah … I do
love a good playlist.
Yeah.
I'm just not good at making them.
Yeah.
My bandmate Fontine, if you come
see our show, she's a- Oh, yeah
a big part of the show.
Great singer, great artist
in her own right as well.
She is a master playlist maker.
She makes new ones all
the time, and I love it.
Um- That's great … it's cool.
Yeah.
And when I say playlist, I'm probably
meaning, you know, what kind of
l- you know, what, what songs or-
Yeah … but the fact that you say album.
Man.
I know.
It just makes my heart smile.
Uh, it's killer.
And yes, we are gonna go
see your set, by the way.
Sweet.
I mean it's- We'll see your set, and
we're gonna- Yeah … go to Canada.
Yeah.
Exactly.
Yeah, yeah.
We, we, we- Got our new plans
made … we've got lots to do.
Um, all right.
So is there anybody… uh, looking at
the lineup here, I'm not sure how much
you studied it, but- I have looked at it
uh, anybody here you would just
love to, like, uh, have sit
in with you or jam with you?
Oh, geez.
Because they do that here.
Y- how long are you here?
Uh, we're only here tomorrow
as well, and then we gotta go.
We've got another f- two festivals.
So you leave on Friday?
Yeah, we leave Fri- uh-
Well, we might, um, if you…
uh, answer the question, and
then, you know- No, so really
Saturday … we'll get Dave to put you.
But.
So we, you know, there's a lot of jam
sessions that go on here late night.
Mm. And, uh, we might be able
to just put that together.
I mean, I, uh, Steve Poltz is here.
I love Steve.
Oh.
Yeah.
He's so good.
Uh, I believe Robert
Randolph is playing- Yes
in one of the bands.
Yeah.
I'm a huge Robert Randolph fan.
He has Lebo, Lebo and friends
tonight here that may- Yeah.
That's gonna be sick.
I'm gonna go see that.
Those would be my two, uh, big- We can
hook you up with Steve … two big ones.
Have you met Steve?
I have met Steve before, yeah.
Okay.
Yeah.
Yeah, we had Steve on the show.
As you can imagine, it was great.
And he's coming back with Jay Blakesberg.
We have Jay's album com- Yes.
We should advance promote that.
Him and Jay Blakesberg- That's- … the
photographer, are doing a little,
uh- Cool … dog and pony thing.
We'll go give him a little
tap on the shoulder- Dog and
pony thing … and call that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So, uh, yeah, be ready.
Awesome.
Be, be ready.
Yeah.
Be ready.
We're gonna be in touch with you.
All right.
I think you probably have to get going.
I don't wanna- Mm. I
mean, we can sit here.
I know we're, I know we- … believe
me, we could rap all day.
We'll, we'll sit here and chat it up.
Uh, what else you… so you said
you have the festivals coming up.
Mm-hmm.
Um, what, uh… do you go back
into the studio anytime soon or?
You know, I just started making plans
because I want to make another record,
and I thought I didn't have enough songs,
and then I've been going through all
my songs, and I was like, "Oh, I have a
ton of songs. Never mind." So I, I think
I am probably almost ready to go make
another record probably in the f- winter.
I'm not quite sure what I'm gonna do yet.
When you go to make a record-
Mm-hmm … do you… You're just always
writing, and you have these songs.
It sounds like you don't necessarily
have, you know, you're not
writing specifically for a record.
No, I'm not.
So how does that all come together?
I want to do that more.
Yeah.
I, one of my goals with this next
record is to make it a little
bit more cohesive sonically.
Like, the, all my records are
like, everyone's always like,
"Oh, they're so eclectic." And
I'm like, "Really?" But they are.
I actually like.
I know.
A lot of people like that, and I think
that's great, but I kinda wanna make
one that sounds a little more focused.
I'm not really sure how I'm
gonna do that, though, 'cause I
s- that's just not how I write.
So we'll see.
But yeah, y- I've- Is- Pretty,
pretty… I mean, go ahead.
So is, is that, like, telling
a f- your, the idea of telling
a story with a rec- an album?
Yeah.
Uh, album.
I'm good at writing story songs.
Yeah, but- But I've never tried
to write a story album, so.
Yeah.
All right.
But I'm not sure that's what
I, exactly what I wanna do.
I just kinda wanna make it
Really all go together somehow.
Yeah.
I don't know.
How many songs never see the light of day?
Dozens and dozens and dozens.
I wrote- For this last record, I
had over 80 songs in my demo pile.
Wow.
Wow.
So and 12 of them came out, right?
So.
Was there any so- like, when you
were the high school bands, I mean,
that's amazing you were touring as
much with the high school bands.
Like, were- Yeah, we did it
DIY, like just booking our own
shows- … playing literally wherever.
Wow, that's- Yeah.
Wow.
Was there some song that, you know,
there, in that timeframe that you went,
"This is the one that I gotta grab
with and, and go and do my own thing"?
I wasn't writing as much back then.
Oh, okay.
My two band mates were
both quite prolific.
Mm-hmm.
And I don't know if this is the
question you're asking, but there
are a couple songs from way back then
that I still think are really just
excellent songs- Mm-hmm … that never
really got- Mm … the right treatment
production-wise or whatever, and
were never, like, released properly.
And I've always felt like- Mm
it would be really nice to do that
someday, but they're not my songs.
And they're my friends' songs, so- Yeah
… I just hope maybe someday they do that.
Maybe they will.
Yeah.
But they kind of, th- those are the
ones that stuck with you and kind
of- Yeah … got you through there.
Yeah.
There's this one song my friend
Roman Clark wrote, and you can
go check out Roman Clark's music.
He's a phenomenal producer and songwriter.
Yes.
And, uh, he has one tune he wrote
back in the day called House
Lights, which we did put out.
But I don't really love the
recording, and that song just always
killed when we played it live.
Mm. And I still just think
about it to this day.
I'm like, "That is a great chorus.
It's a meaningful song.
I wish it, I wish it had, uh, been
a huge hit for him." His song.
Okay.
Yeah, we have a lot of stuff to, uh-
I know … go back and listen to.
I can't wait.
Yeah.
This is great.
I know.
This is great.
Yeah.
All right, so what are we gonna
expect today on the, on the stage?
'Cause we are going.
Sweet.
Um- We'll be on the rail.
Playing 60 minutes.
Um, I'm gonna cover, I think, all four of
my records, and also do at least one cover
song that Fontine will probably sing.
Depends how long our set gets
how many songs she sings.
Sometimes one, sometimes
two, sometimes three.
So yeah, we'll see.
Why don't we give a quick shout-out to the
band members- Yeah, shout out band members
'cause I think you, you, you
really, um- I know … yeah,
they're, they're my besties.
Yeah, they're your people.
Yeah.
Fontine, F-O-O- F-O-N-T-I-N-E.
She's got a great record out called
Good Buddy, which, uh, I produced along
with Austin, who also plays in my band.
Austin Parihongiac, Austy P.,
The Grandmaster P on the guitar.
All right.
Mm-hmm.
Wicked guitar player, phenomenal musician.
Uh, Corey Hickway's been playing bass with
me for 10 years now, which is amazing.
And Dani Nash on the drum set.
Also, she's got her own records that are
really great, and she's a great musician.
There it is.
Um- Love it.
Sweet.
Wonderful.
Liam, man, that was awesome.
Thanks.
That
was a wonderful first interview.
Yeah.
Hopefully it sets the stage-
Awesome … for the rest of
the- Yeah … yeah, beautiful.
And now I'm more excited than ever to
go see your set.
Who got my number wrong?
I let it ring too long.
I turned away-
Don't turn around, don't turn around