1 00:00:15,476 --> 00:00:21,956 Speaker 1: Pushkin, we have a pretty great episode from our back 2 00:00:21,956 --> 00:00:24,556 Speaker 1: catalog to play for you today. In late twenty twenty, 3 00:00:24,636 --> 00:00:28,196 Speaker 1: Wilco's frontman and songwriter released his compact How to Write 4 00:00:28,196 --> 00:00:31,716 Speaker 1: One Song Book, an immense guide for bringing out anyone's 5 00:00:31,756 --> 00:00:35,956 Speaker 1: inner latent creativity through songwriting. This is just the kind 6 00:00:35,996 --> 00:00:38,796 Speaker 1: of idea that my co host, Malcolm Gladwell loves, and 7 00:00:38,836 --> 00:00:41,156 Speaker 1: so the two had a nice little conversation about the 8 00:00:41,196 --> 00:00:44,156 Speaker 1: book and about what's made Tweety one of the consummate 9 00:00:44,236 --> 00:00:47,916 Speaker 1: songwriters of the twentieth century so far, So enjoy this 10 00:00:47,996 --> 00:00:54,676 Speaker 1: episode from twenty twenty. This is broken record, real musicians, 11 00:00:54,916 --> 00:01:00,596 Speaker 1: real conversations. 12 00:01:01,676 --> 00:01:05,276 Speaker 2: Can I start with this tantalizing little anecdote. You're telling 13 00:01:05,356 --> 00:01:08,716 Speaker 2: your book that when your dad got mad, he would 14 00:01:08,756 --> 00:01:11,316 Speaker 2: go into the basement and write poems. And all I 15 00:01:11,316 --> 00:01:14,356 Speaker 2: could think of is this is the Jeff Tweety origin story. 16 00:01:15,756 --> 00:01:20,516 Speaker 3: Pretty much? I think, so yeah, it was your father musical. 17 00:01:21,636 --> 00:01:26,756 Speaker 4: My father was a frustrated entertainer. He got my mom 18 00:01:26,796 --> 00:01:31,756 Speaker 4: pregnant in high school and they dropped out and he 19 00:01:31,836 --> 00:01:35,676 Speaker 4: got a job on the railroad, and I think his 20 00:01:35,716 --> 00:01:39,596 Speaker 4: whole life, I think that he wished that he had 21 00:01:39,636 --> 00:01:43,556 Speaker 4: had an opportunity to be on stage somehow. But he 22 00:01:43,676 --> 00:01:48,076 Speaker 4: was not particularly musical. But he was entertaining, that's for sure. 23 00:01:48,836 --> 00:01:52,036 Speaker 4: But he aspired to be musical. He always he liked 24 00:01:52,036 --> 00:01:55,316 Speaker 4: to sing. He drank a lot, and he got up 25 00:01:55,356 --> 00:02:00,156 Speaker 4: at every wedding and embarrassed us, terribly humiliated us in 26 00:02:00,276 --> 00:02:01,156 Speaker 4: lots of cases. 27 00:02:03,356 --> 00:02:04,956 Speaker 3: But were his poems? 28 00:02:05,116 --> 00:02:05,956 Speaker 2: Were they any good? 29 00:02:06,196 --> 00:02:06,436 Speaker 5: Yeah? 30 00:02:06,556 --> 00:02:09,996 Speaker 4: I know my dad was brilliant, you know, they weren't. 31 00:02:10,196 --> 00:02:13,036 Speaker 4: I don't think that they were good in like a 32 00:02:13,316 --> 00:02:18,396 Speaker 4: Robert Frost way or but they might have been good 33 00:02:18,556 --> 00:02:24,316 Speaker 4: in a Jimmy Stewart kind of or Ogden Nash maybe 34 00:02:24,396 --> 00:02:28,076 Speaker 4: at the high end of his aspirations. But you know, 35 00:02:29,116 --> 00:02:31,316 Speaker 4: he wouldn't have had any of those references other than 36 00:02:31,356 --> 00:02:34,156 Speaker 4: Jimmy Stewart. So but he did, you know, he made 37 00:02:34,876 --> 00:02:41,396 Speaker 4: un requited forays into indulging his musical side many times, 38 00:02:41,436 --> 00:02:44,436 Speaker 4: like he bought uh an organ from the mall that 39 00:02:45,116 --> 00:02:48,356 Speaker 4: the salesman claimed would teach him how to play, and 40 00:02:48,756 --> 00:02:51,116 Speaker 4: he would just sit there and watch the lights flash 41 00:02:51,236 --> 00:02:55,356 Speaker 4: as it would play itself, and drink a beer. It 42 00:02:55,396 --> 00:02:58,596 Speaker 4: was a I have a lot of memories of that. 43 00:02:59,956 --> 00:03:03,436 Speaker 2: But the poem he wrote the poems when you said 44 00:03:03,436 --> 00:03:07,196 Speaker 2: when he was angry. 45 00:03:05,676 --> 00:03:07,956 Speaker 3: That was my memory of them. 46 00:03:08,196 --> 00:03:13,956 Speaker 4: Yeah, and I sadly, you know, a couple of summers 47 00:03:13,996 --> 00:03:17,596 Speaker 4: ago when he passed away, we you know, we emptied 48 00:03:17,636 --> 00:03:20,036 Speaker 4: out the house, the house that I the only house 49 00:03:20,076 --> 00:03:22,476 Speaker 4: I'd ever lived in when you know, like my parents 50 00:03:22,476 --> 00:03:26,196 Speaker 4: bought when my mom was pregnant with me. And I 51 00:03:26,276 --> 00:03:30,356 Speaker 4: found a lot of his homework from when he taught 52 00:03:30,396 --> 00:03:37,036 Speaker 4: himself or basically learned computing, early on math homework and 53 00:03:37,076 --> 00:03:38,796 Speaker 4: stuff like that. But I didn't find any of the 54 00:03:38,796 --> 00:03:40,516 Speaker 4: notebooks that had any of the poems. 55 00:03:40,556 --> 00:03:44,756 Speaker 3: So I suspect that he just got it off his 56 00:03:44,876 --> 00:03:49,556 Speaker 3: chest and then threw them away, you know, Yeah. 57 00:03:48,596 --> 00:03:52,956 Speaker 2: I just I just love these kinds of generational parallels. 58 00:03:53,956 --> 00:03:57,236 Speaker 2: It's almost like, you know, if you were on the couch, 59 00:03:57,276 --> 00:04:00,876 Speaker 2: I would say, you're like tweety two point zero, you're 60 00:04:00,916 --> 00:04:07,036 Speaker 2: like the do over, the frustrated musicians who's writing these 61 00:04:07,556 --> 00:04:12,516 Speaker 2: essentially lyrics, and then you're you. You've come along and 62 00:04:12,556 --> 00:04:14,276 Speaker 2: you've turned it into an art. 63 00:04:15,436 --> 00:04:18,516 Speaker 4: Well, yeah, I mean, uh, there's there are tons of 64 00:04:18,556 --> 00:04:23,236 Speaker 4: parallels that I mean. I mean it's disturbing as you 65 00:04:23,236 --> 00:04:25,636 Speaker 4: get older, how much you start to look like your parents, 66 00:04:25,716 --> 00:04:28,716 Speaker 4: and I look like exactly like my dad. And you know, 67 00:04:28,836 --> 00:04:30,876 Speaker 4: I think he suffered from a lot of the same 68 00:04:31,036 --> 00:04:34,076 Speaker 4: mood disorders that I've dealt with in my life. But 69 00:04:34,716 --> 00:04:39,596 Speaker 4: he clumsily, but somehow, you know, as far as employment goes, 70 00:04:39,636 --> 00:04:42,756 Speaker 4: and far as far as like not having worsening consequences 71 00:04:42,956 --> 00:04:47,236 Speaker 4: which would be typical of alcoholism, he managed to medicate 72 00:04:47,356 --> 00:04:52,476 Speaker 4: himself clumsily for his entire life, you know, for anxiety. 73 00:04:52,516 --> 00:04:56,196 Speaker 4: I'm sure he had anxiety and depression and and yet 74 00:04:56,356 --> 00:04:59,996 Speaker 4: and he did, instinctively seem to have turned to some 75 00:05:00,116 --> 00:05:02,796 Speaker 4: of the same things that have provided some solace for 76 00:05:02,956 --> 00:05:07,236 Speaker 4: me that weren't unhealthy, you know, like getting things off 77 00:05:07,236 --> 00:05:10,476 Speaker 4: his chest. And you know, I was indulged a lot, 78 00:05:11,436 --> 00:05:14,076 Speaker 4: perhaps because I was a do over. 79 00:05:17,316 --> 00:05:20,236 Speaker 2: When did you write your first song? Do you remember. 80 00:05:21,676 --> 00:05:24,036 Speaker 4: The first song I remember writing? And I'm pretty sure 81 00:05:24,036 --> 00:05:26,196 Speaker 4: that there were songs before this, But the first song 82 00:05:26,236 --> 00:05:30,796 Speaker 4: I remember writing was a song called your Little World, 83 00:05:31,756 --> 00:05:36,236 Speaker 4: and it was about a girl and her not having 84 00:05:36,396 --> 00:05:38,636 Speaker 4: enough room in her world for me. 85 00:05:40,036 --> 00:05:42,556 Speaker 2: And how old are you when are you writing? 86 00:05:43,236 --> 00:05:45,436 Speaker 3: Maybe thirteen fourteen? 87 00:05:46,116 --> 00:05:47,876 Speaker 2: You don't remember it, do you? 88 00:05:47,036 --> 00:05:51,596 Speaker 4: Your little World's much too small? Oh, I ain't got 89 00:05:51,596 --> 00:05:53,756 Speaker 4: no room at all, So yeah, I was. I can 90 00:05:53,876 --> 00:05:54,996 Speaker 4: remember it, I could play it. 91 00:05:55,276 --> 00:05:57,116 Speaker 3: Actually. One of the weird things is is that. 92 00:05:58,716 --> 00:06:02,476 Speaker 4: This local musician who went by the name Joe Cammel 93 00:06:03,236 --> 00:06:07,676 Speaker 4: band Joe Cammel and the Caucasians, they actually recorded that 94 00:06:07,756 --> 00:06:11,156 Speaker 4: song and made a single out of it. 95 00:06:11,316 --> 00:06:12,356 Speaker 2: Oh really it is? 96 00:06:12,516 --> 00:06:13,276 Speaker 3: It exists? 97 00:06:13,476 --> 00:06:18,556 Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, because I was. I was this kid that 98 00:06:18,716 --> 00:06:21,116 Speaker 4: hung out with all, like at the record stores and 99 00:06:21,196 --> 00:06:24,676 Speaker 4: hung out at the you know, with around other musicians 100 00:06:25,516 --> 00:06:28,436 Speaker 4: when I could get near them, and I would always say, 101 00:06:28,556 --> 00:06:32,636 Speaker 4: I write songs. And this guy in this band, Joe Cambill, said, hey, 102 00:06:32,876 --> 00:06:34,876 Speaker 4: let me hear one of your songs. And I went 103 00:06:34,916 --> 00:06:36,676 Speaker 4: over to his house and I played him this song. 104 00:06:36,716 --> 00:06:38,516 Speaker 4: He said, oh, that's great, I'm going to record it. 105 00:06:38,516 --> 00:06:41,956 Speaker 4: We're gonna like go to record this song, and he did. 106 00:06:42,836 --> 00:06:46,476 Speaker 2: It's fantastic. What when do you think you wrote your 107 00:06:46,516 --> 00:06:47,436 Speaker 2: first good song? 108 00:06:48,716 --> 00:06:51,916 Speaker 4: Well, I honestly don't think that that one was terrible. 109 00:06:52,076 --> 00:06:56,036 Speaker 4: I think it's you know, it's it's not great, but 110 00:06:56,156 --> 00:06:58,836 Speaker 4: it was it was good enough for somebody else to want, 111 00:06:59,196 --> 00:07:02,316 Speaker 4: you know, see some potential in it. The first song 112 00:07:02,436 --> 00:07:05,516 Speaker 4: I liked that I wrote was probably screen Door on 113 00:07:05,636 --> 00:07:10,116 Speaker 4: the first Uncle Tupelo record. You know, that's the first 114 00:07:10,116 --> 00:07:13,756 Speaker 4: one where I felt like I had said something that 115 00:07:14,636 --> 00:07:19,116 Speaker 4: felt true to me and that I didn't necessarily have 116 00:07:19,796 --> 00:07:24,356 Speaker 4: anybody else's song to convey that idea. I always look 117 00:07:24,396 --> 00:07:26,316 Speaker 4: at it like I'm trying to make songs and a 118 00:07:26,516 --> 00:07:29,836 Speaker 4: new song for me to sing that someone hasn't already written, 119 00:07:30,516 --> 00:07:32,916 Speaker 4: So that one was the first one that felt like that. 120 00:07:33,476 --> 00:07:34,996 Speaker 2: How old are you when you write that song? 121 00:07:36,996 --> 00:07:40,396 Speaker 3: Sixteen sixteen seventeen? 122 00:07:41,036 --> 00:07:45,276 Speaker 2: Yeah, so pretty. It's funny. I just I have heard 123 00:07:45,636 --> 00:07:49,756 Speaker 2: musicians of various kinds answer that question over the years, 124 00:07:49,796 --> 00:07:52,796 Speaker 2: and there's a whole set of them who like, you know, 125 00:07:52,996 --> 00:07:55,436 Speaker 2: ten years passed between the first songs they write and 126 00:07:55,436 --> 00:07:59,116 Speaker 2: the first one they like. Yeah, but you you have 127 00:07:59,676 --> 00:08:04,476 Speaker 2: a much less ambiblic relationship to your early songwriting. 128 00:08:05,516 --> 00:08:07,356 Speaker 4: One of the things I feel like I've had some 129 00:08:08,316 --> 00:08:13,796 Speaker 4: shame of out in my life is how shamelessly I 130 00:08:13,836 --> 00:08:19,036 Speaker 4: love stuff that I make. And I think over time, 131 00:08:19,076 --> 00:08:21,276 Speaker 4: I've really made peace with it because I think that 132 00:08:21,276 --> 00:08:23,516 Speaker 4: that's like kind of beautiful and it's kind of one 133 00:08:23,516 --> 00:08:26,716 Speaker 4: of the things that's allowed me to grow. I don't 134 00:08:26,996 --> 00:08:29,756 Speaker 4: I don't tend to keep liking things that I've made. 135 00:08:30,156 --> 00:08:33,116 Speaker 4: I tend to get pretty dissatisfied with them over time. 136 00:08:33,156 --> 00:08:37,196 Speaker 4: But when initially, even when I figure out how to 137 00:08:37,236 --> 00:08:39,836 Speaker 4: play something on the guitar that someone else has done, 138 00:08:39,956 --> 00:08:42,196 Speaker 4: I feel like I invented it. I have this, like, 139 00:08:42,356 --> 00:08:47,316 Speaker 4: really you know, sort of delusional relationship with the joy 140 00:08:47,356 --> 00:08:51,396 Speaker 4: that I take from making something, and I think that's 141 00:08:51,516 --> 00:08:56,516 Speaker 4: that that really comes naturally. So a lot of times, 142 00:08:56,756 --> 00:08:59,076 Speaker 4: my favorite song is always the one I'm working on. 143 00:09:00,476 --> 00:09:02,956 Speaker 4: Almost invariably I was like, Wow, this is a this 144 00:09:02,996 --> 00:09:07,036 Speaker 4: is really great, and it dissipates over time. 145 00:09:07,116 --> 00:09:09,356 Speaker 3: But I I've always felt like that. 146 00:09:09,716 --> 00:09:12,676 Speaker 2: Does that make you a bad judge of your own songwriting? 147 00:09:13,196 --> 00:09:15,996 Speaker 4: I think it does, And that's part of the reason 148 00:09:16,036 --> 00:09:18,156 Speaker 4: that I've had to learn a lot of different ways 149 00:09:18,196 --> 00:09:21,596 Speaker 4: to get out of the get my ego out of 150 00:09:21,596 --> 00:09:25,236 Speaker 4: the way, like allow things to just state for a 151 00:09:25,236 --> 00:09:28,156 Speaker 4: lot longer, or put them away and forget them, forget 152 00:09:28,196 --> 00:09:30,116 Speaker 4: about them so that I can come back to them 153 00:09:30,156 --> 00:09:33,076 Speaker 4: with a little bit more objectivity. But in general, I 154 00:09:33,076 --> 00:09:35,636 Speaker 4: think it's just kind of the spirit of it is 155 00:09:35,676 --> 00:09:38,716 Speaker 4: what comes across a lot of times, and that that, 156 00:09:39,556 --> 00:09:42,476 Speaker 4: in a lot of cases is enough because you know, 157 00:09:42,996 --> 00:09:46,596 Speaker 4: not every song has to be the greatest song that's 158 00:09:46,636 --> 00:09:47,756 Speaker 4: ever been written. 159 00:09:47,596 --> 00:09:50,596 Speaker 3: But it sure helps if you feel like it is 160 00:09:50,756 --> 00:09:52,436 Speaker 3: at the moment, in the moment. 161 00:09:52,596 --> 00:09:56,676 Speaker 2: You know, you describe in this lovely book You've just done, 162 00:09:57,116 --> 00:10:00,436 Speaker 2: how to write one song. Yeah, you describe a series 163 00:10:00,476 --> 00:10:06,516 Speaker 2: of exercises songwriting exercises, and also describe a kind of 164 00:10:06,836 --> 00:10:09,996 Speaker 2: what a songwriting day should look like. And I was 165 00:10:10,036 --> 00:10:12,756 Speaker 2: curious before we go into that, how long did you 166 00:10:12,956 --> 00:10:16,196 Speaker 2: I mean, if that's the pattern of songwriting you practice, now, 167 00:10:16,436 --> 00:10:18,596 Speaker 2: how long have you been doing it that way? Did 168 00:10:18,596 --> 00:10:21,916 Speaker 2: you always have this kind of very structured way about 169 00:10:22,036 --> 00:10:22,756 Speaker 2: writing music. 170 00:10:23,356 --> 00:10:26,076 Speaker 4: No, I think that I've as I've gotten older. I 171 00:10:26,076 --> 00:10:28,516 Speaker 4: think one of the things I've really had to learn 172 00:10:28,556 --> 00:10:32,836 Speaker 4: how to do is provide myself structure because I work 173 00:10:32,876 --> 00:10:35,156 Speaker 4: in a profession that doesn't have a lot of structure 174 00:10:35,236 --> 00:10:39,316 Speaker 4: outside of touring, which is extremely structured and routine. You know, 175 00:10:39,916 --> 00:10:44,756 Speaker 4: but being home has always been a little bit dangerous 176 00:10:44,796 --> 00:10:48,116 Speaker 4: for me in terms of my mental health. Though the 177 00:10:48,276 --> 00:10:52,036 Speaker 4: routine has been something I've had to learn and has 178 00:10:52,076 --> 00:10:55,916 Speaker 4: helped me quite a bit. That being said, I don't 179 00:10:55,956 --> 00:11:00,236 Speaker 4: remember a time where I haven't felt like a kind 180 00:11:00,236 --> 00:11:04,756 Speaker 4: of a nagging sense all day that I should be 181 00:11:05,356 --> 00:11:10,076 Speaker 4: making something, that I should be learning something, or I 182 00:11:10,076 --> 00:11:13,036 Speaker 4: should be reading something, or I should be listening to something, 183 00:11:13,676 --> 00:11:18,436 Speaker 4: and that tends to provide a lot of momentum to 184 00:11:18,556 --> 00:11:22,716 Speaker 4: my days. This ugly feeling that I'm avoiding almost all 185 00:11:22,756 --> 00:11:24,956 Speaker 4: the time is that I don't want to get to 186 00:11:24,996 --> 00:11:26,556 Speaker 4: the end of the day and feel like I didn't 187 00:11:26,636 --> 00:11:33,036 Speaker 4: learn anything, or didn't make something, or just didn't participate 188 00:11:33,316 --> 00:11:37,756 Speaker 4: in my life in the ways that I've found to 189 00:11:37,796 --> 00:11:40,236 Speaker 4: be the most enjoyable and helpful to me. 190 00:11:42,236 --> 00:11:46,916 Speaker 2: You described this ideal songwriting day in the book. When 191 00:11:47,036 --> 00:11:49,756 Speaker 2: was the last ideal songwriting day you had and what 192 00:11:49,796 --> 00:11:50,436 Speaker 2: did it look like? 193 00:11:51,236 --> 00:11:52,396 Speaker 3: It's been a while. 194 00:11:52,876 --> 00:11:56,076 Speaker 4: I think the ideal day, the last one I might 195 00:11:56,116 --> 00:11:59,316 Speaker 4: have had, would have been during the process of making 196 00:11:59,876 --> 00:12:04,116 Speaker 4: the album I just released, Love is the King, where 197 00:12:04,796 --> 00:12:06,796 Speaker 4: you know, around eight o'clock at night or something, I 198 00:12:06,796 --> 00:12:08,876 Speaker 4: would have started working on a song that I was 199 00:12:09,116 --> 00:12:13,636 Speaker 4: thinking about recording. The next day, I would have you know, 200 00:12:13,796 --> 00:12:17,076 Speaker 4: worked on it and played around with it, maybeate a 201 00:12:17,076 --> 00:12:20,636 Speaker 4: little demo of it on my phone until like maybe midnight, 202 00:12:21,436 --> 00:12:24,876 Speaker 4: gone to sleep, woke up. Probably would have finished the 203 00:12:24,956 --> 00:12:28,836 Speaker 4: lyrics early in the morning, because they tend to kind 204 00:12:28,836 --> 00:12:33,236 Speaker 4: of untangle themselves in my sleep a lot of times, 205 00:12:34,116 --> 00:12:37,556 Speaker 4: and I like to I like to write even before 206 00:12:37,596 --> 00:12:40,476 Speaker 4: I get out of bed, you know, where I feel 207 00:12:40,476 --> 00:12:44,916 Speaker 4: like I'm still sort of you know, the judgment side 208 00:12:44,916 --> 00:12:48,156 Speaker 4: of me is still sleeping or something, you know, And 209 00:12:48,236 --> 00:12:50,636 Speaker 4: I would have gotten up and come to the studio, 210 00:12:51,676 --> 00:12:54,836 Speaker 4: maybe worked on that song for a little while in 211 00:12:54,916 --> 00:12:58,676 Speaker 4: the studio, head lunch, maybe taken a nap, would have 212 00:12:58,676 --> 00:13:02,716 Speaker 4: gotten up from the nap, finished the song, maybe invited 213 00:13:03,756 --> 00:13:06,636 Speaker 4: my younger son over to sing a harmony vocal on it. 214 00:13:07,436 --> 00:13:10,996 Speaker 4: Common practice in that moment when I'm asking someone else 215 00:13:11,116 --> 00:13:13,556 Speaker 4: like Sammy to sing on something would be to really 216 00:13:14,076 --> 00:13:16,196 Speaker 4: focus on the lyrics and make sure they're where I 217 00:13:16,236 --> 00:13:16,876 Speaker 4: want them to be. 218 00:13:17,516 --> 00:13:19,396 Speaker 3: So I would have done some revisions on. 219 00:13:19,356 --> 00:13:22,396 Speaker 4: That, maybe until around five or six, and have a 220 00:13:22,476 --> 00:13:27,716 Speaker 4: rough mix to take home and have some dinner and 221 00:13:28,236 --> 00:13:31,596 Speaker 4: listen to records generally until I get excited about trying 222 00:13:31,596 --> 00:13:35,116 Speaker 4: to make something to beat something I just heard, some 223 00:13:35,276 --> 00:13:38,036 Speaker 4: sort of like trying to activate some competitive side of 224 00:13:38,076 --> 00:13:42,116 Speaker 4: my brain, and then start the whole process over with 225 00:13:42,756 --> 00:13:45,236 Speaker 4: maybe seeing if I could, you know, come up with 226 00:13:45,276 --> 00:13:47,076 Speaker 4: another song for the next day. 227 00:13:47,196 --> 00:13:49,716 Speaker 2: So in your ideal world, is it a song from 228 00:13:49,716 --> 00:13:52,836 Speaker 2: start to just finish in that one day, or is 229 00:13:52,836 --> 00:13:55,836 Speaker 2: is it that you have little bits and pieces already 230 00:13:55,876 --> 00:13:58,636 Speaker 2: there that you're going back and finding and playing with. 231 00:13:59,796 --> 00:14:02,156 Speaker 4: I can do a song start to finish in one day, 232 00:14:02,236 --> 00:14:10,796 Speaker 4: but typically there are little pieces of raw material that 233 00:14:10,956 --> 00:14:14,036 Speaker 4: have been accumulated. Yeah. I think one of the things 234 00:14:14,076 --> 00:14:16,436 Speaker 4: I might do at eight o'clock, say, the beginning. 235 00:14:16,196 --> 00:14:18,196 Speaker 3: Of the day I just described, would be to go. 236 00:14:18,116 --> 00:14:22,916 Speaker 4: Through my phone and find a musical idea that I'm 237 00:14:22,956 --> 00:14:26,116 Speaker 4: excited by that I don't know, just catches me enough 238 00:14:26,796 --> 00:14:31,916 Speaker 4: unaware to start dreaming about it and start like fantasizing 239 00:14:31,916 --> 00:14:34,076 Speaker 4: about where it could go or what it could sound like. 240 00:14:34,476 --> 00:14:35,916 Speaker 2: Do you have your phone with you right now? Can 241 00:14:35,956 --> 00:14:37,556 Speaker 2: you play as a musical idea off the phone? 242 00:14:38,076 --> 00:14:38,356 Speaker 3: Sure? 243 00:14:39,156 --> 00:14:39,716 Speaker 2: Let's see. 244 00:14:41,116 --> 00:14:42,996 Speaker 4: Well, this one sounds a little bit maybe a little 245 00:14:42,996 --> 00:15:11,796 Speaker 4: bit more finished than normal. It's the tunnel at the 246 00:15:11,876 --> 00:15:12,636 Speaker 4: end of the light. 247 00:15:14,476 --> 00:15:17,276 Speaker 2: So that is that? Has that little bit been turned 248 00:15:17,316 --> 00:15:19,436 Speaker 2: into a song yet or is it just waiting? 249 00:15:20,156 --> 00:15:20,756 Speaker 3: It's waiting. 250 00:15:21,236 --> 00:15:24,676 Speaker 4: I mean there's and then there's stuff that's maybe I 251 00:15:24,676 --> 00:15:38,196 Speaker 4: don't even know what this is, just some chords I 252 00:15:38,196 --> 00:15:44,436 Speaker 4: thought were pretty uh, but yeah, there's there. There are dozens, 253 00:15:44,676 --> 00:15:49,156 Speaker 4: or not dozens. There's probably literally hundreds of those things 254 00:15:49,156 --> 00:15:51,356 Speaker 4: in my phone. When they stack up a little bit, 255 00:15:51,396 --> 00:15:54,636 Speaker 4: I usually transfer some to the computer here at the loft, 256 00:15:54,756 --> 00:15:56,876 Speaker 4: so they're at least in a couple places. 257 00:15:57,276 --> 00:16:00,756 Speaker 1: Yeah, and now time for a coffee break with my 258 00:16:00,876 --> 00:16:04,476 Speaker 1: Broken Record co host, Malcolm Gladwell. This coffee break is 259 00:16:04,476 --> 00:16:06,556 Speaker 1: brought to you by the Starbucks Coffee Company. 260 00:16:07,316 --> 00:16:08,196 Speaker 2: With me today, I. 261 00:16:08,196 --> 00:16:12,356 Speaker 1: Have the esteemed co host of this show, Malcolm Gladwell, 262 00:16:12,396 --> 00:16:15,036 Speaker 1: who I don't think I'm telling tales out of school 263 00:16:15,076 --> 00:16:17,516 Speaker 1: here is quite a coffee drinker, right. 264 00:16:17,756 --> 00:16:22,756 Speaker 2: I enjoy coffee and a coffee shop aficionado. I'm it's 265 00:16:22,796 --> 00:16:25,716 Speaker 2: more than just its experience. It's not just a coffee. 266 00:16:25,756 --> 00:16:27,836 Speaker 2: I spend enormous amounts of time in coffee shops. 267 00:16:28,396 --> 00:16:31,196 Speaker 1: Would you say you would rather drink coffee in a 268 00:16:31,196 --> 00:16:32,876 Speaker 1: coffee shop or would you rather take it to go? 269 00:16:33,196 --> 00:16:38,356 Speaker 2: Always in? Always in? Yeah, you know, I'm not a 270 00:16:38,356 --> 00:16:40,436 Speaker 2: guy who like takes it in, like sits in my 271 00:16:40,516 --> 00:16:42,996 Speaker 2: car and drinks my coffee my car. Otherwise you're you're 272 00:16:43,076 --> 00:16:46,956 Speaker 2: ruining the fun, which is settle in a nice table 273 00:16:47,196 --> 00:16:52,156 Speaker 2: sun streaming in the window, eaves dropping on conversations, and 274 00:16:52,196 --> 00:16:57,956 Speaker 2: then you you enjoy your cup of coffee. Okay, I'm like, 275 00:16:58,236 --> 00:17:01,276 Speaker 2: this is a little moment in my day where I 276 00:17:01,276 --> 00:17:05,436 Speaker 2: can reflect and relax and sit back with a cup 277 00:17:05,476 --> 00:17:09,396 Speaker 2: of coffee. Wow, there's a moment in the afternoon. That's 278 00:17:09,436 --> 00:17:13,636 Speaker 2: my coffee moment. No, morning, Coffee's an experience. That's the thing. 279 00:17:14,156 --> 00:17:17,476 Speaker 2: I have my experience in the afternoon. In that little 280 00:17:17,516 --> 00:17:20,236 Speaker 2: moment in the middle of the afternoon, when everything's quiet, 281 00:17:20,276 --> 00:17:23,836 Speaker 2: you get feeling a little bit like calm, and you know, 282 00:17:24,596 --> 00:17:26,516 Speaker 2: and I go and I sit in the coffee shop 283 00:17:26,596 --> 00:17:31,556 Speaker 2: and enjoy myself. Remember the first time going to a Starbucks, Malcolm, 284 00:17:31,756 --> 00:17:32,116 Speaker 2: I do? 285 00:17:32,636 --> 00:17:32,876 Speaker 3: I do. 286 00:17:33,596 --> 00:17:36,516 Speaker 2: I had all these friends who they were, all these 287 00:17:36,636 --> 00:17:39,836 Speaker 2: grow friends, I mean from Stanford. They all lived in 288 00:17:39,836 --> 00:17:45,276 Speaker 2: in San Francisco, and everybody came east for a wedding. 289 00:17:45,996 --> 00:17:50,516 Speaker 2: It's in Long Island. And I remember on the morning 290 00:17:50,556 --> 00:17:54,036 Speaker 2: of the wedding, Chris, who was the chief hipster of 291 00:17:54,116 --> 00:17:57,236 Speaker 2: the California crowd, said, this is like, I don't know 292 00:17:57,236 --> 00:18:00,076 Speaker 2: when this was mid nineties. Maybe Chris says to the 293 00:18:00,636 --> 00:18:05,076 Speaker 2: assembled multitudes, I hear there's a Starbucks finally out here. 294 00:18:05,556 --> 00:18:08,116 Speaker 2: We piled into cars that we drove somewhere like it 295 00:18:08,156 --> 00:18:12,116 Speaker 2: was somewhere in and you know, central Long Island. Remember this, 296 00:18:12,156 --> 00:18:14,956 Speaker 2: It was quite the journey and we were like, whoa, 297 00:18:15,356 --> 00:18:18,836 Speaker 2: it's like this thing called Starbucks had finally arrived in 298 00:18:18,876 --> 00:18:21,796 Speaker 2: Long Island because I guess it starts I mean clearly 299 00:18:21,796 --> 00:18:25,436 Speaker 2: starts in Seattle, right. Yeah, it's very exciting, remember that. 300 00:18:25,556 --> 00:18:27,556 Speaker 2: I remember it was like it was like a destination. 301 00:18:27,876 --> 00:18:30,396 Speaker 2: It's like, that's what we're doing on the morning of 302 00:18:30,396 --> 00:18:33,596 Speaker 2: the wedding, getting a cappuccino. 303 00:18:34,916 --> 00:18:38,196 Speaker 1: It remains, it remains thirty thirty years on, remains a 304 00:18:38,236 --> 00:18:39,596 Speaker 1: destination for me. 305 00:18:39,996 --> 00:18:42,556 Speaker 2: Yes, yes, I'm sure that Starbucks is still there. 306 00:18:43,116 --> 00:18:48,556 Speaker 1: Absolutely leads me to want to ask sort of seasons aside, 307 00:18:48,716 --> 00:18:52,116 Speaker 1: are you a hot coffee guy or only hot colbrew? 308 00:18:52,316 --> 00:18:56,316 Speaker 2: Only hot? To me, the whole coffee on ice thing 309 00:18:56,436 --> 00:18:58,916 Speaker 2: is like, what are you doing? Wow, that's not We're 310 00:18:58,916 --> 00:19:01,436 Speaker 2: not here for that. On a on a ninety eight 311 00:19:01,516 --> 00:19:04,716 Speaker 2: degree humid day, I will go in and I'm having 312 00:19:04,836 --> 00:19:06,436 Speaker 2: and there's always a point of confusion because I'll go 313 00:19:06,436 --> 00:19:08,676 Speaker 2: into cofee, Im sall, I have a capuccino and there's 314 00:19:08,676 --> 00:19:12,516 Speaker 2: a pawn and they're expecting me to say iced, and 315 00:19:12,596 --> 00:19:15,996 Speaker 2: I say not iced. This is not I'm not doing it. 316 00:19:16,076 --> 00:19:18,996 Speaker 2: I'm not. I'm not. I'm not, like, you know, turning 317 00:19:19,036 --> 00:19:21,876 Speaker 2: my back on my coffee experience just because the weather's 318 00:19:22,276 --> 00:19:25,596 Speaker 2: on the warm side. No, No, the experience remains the same. 319 00:19:25,716 --> 00:19:28,796 Speaker 2: It doesn't matter where I am having my cappuccino and 320 00:19:28,836 --> 00:19:30,516 Speaker 2: it's not got ice in it, it's hot. 321 00:19:30,756 --> 00:19:33,556 Speaker 1: I gotta say, I'm running through my memories of going 322 00:19:33,556 --> 00:19:36,076 Speaker 1: to coffee with you, and I really can't place an 323 00:19:36,236 --> 00:19:37,556 Speaker 1: iced coffee in your hand at all. I think you're 324 00:19:37,556 --> 00:19:40,556 Speaker 1: telling the truth there that you really are not doing ices. 325 00:19:40,996 --> 00:19:43,356 Speaker 1: Before we end this coffee break, I gotta ask you, Malcolm. Yeah, 326 00:19:43,556 --> 00:19:47,476 Speaker 1: there's been a whole wave of oat milk drinkers of late. 327 00:19:47,756 --> 00:19:53,156 Speaker 2: Not doing it almond milk. I am aware and grateful 328 00:19:53,396 --> 00:19:56,676 Speaker 2: for the option, and I don't look down anyone who 329 00:19:56,716 --> 00:20:00,276 Speaker 2: wants to go to the oat milk route. I am 330 00:20:00,916 --> 00:20:06,476 Speaker 2: an unwavering traditionalist. I have a cappuccino that is hot 331 00:20:06,596 --> 00:20:08,996 Speaker 2: with whole milk. I don't, I don't. I never wave 332 00:20:09,236 --> 00:20:11,956 Speaker 2: from that. My thing is, you know, I'm very very 333 00:20:12,876 --> 00:20:14,676 Speaker 2: you know. My whole thing on now, I've only only 334 00:20:14,756 --> 00:20:17,516 Speaker 2: drunk five liquids. I was gonna be yeah right, it's 335 00:20:17,596 --> 00:20:23,156 Speaker 2: red wine, it's water, it's espresso based beverages, it's milk, 336 00:20:23,916 --> 00:20:26,716 Speaker 2: and it's tea. That's it. And does this stand still 337 00:20:26,756 --> 00:20:29,556 Speaker 2: to this day? Yeah? Never waver never waver. 338 00:20:29,916 --> 00:20:32,356 Speaker 1: All right, man, Well, thanks for the coffee break, Malcolm, 339 00:20:32,316 --> 00:20:34,916 Speaker 1: all right, justin all right. I know Malcolm said he 340 00:20:34,916 --> 00:20:36,956 Speaker 1: doesn't like ice drinks, but I happen to love him. 341 00:20:37,076 --> 00:20:38,876 Speaker 1: And so after we talked, I went down to my 342 00:20:38,916 --> 00:20:41,436 Speaker 1: local Starbucks here in Long Beach to try their ice 343 00:20:41,596 --> 00:20:46,076 Speaker 1: or Chotta oat milk shaken espresso. And this drink is incredible. 344 00:20:46,516 --> 00:20:49,036 Speaker 1: It's a blonde espresso combined with or chata syrup that 345 00:20:49,076 --> 00:20:52,636 Speaker 1: delivers a fusion of cinnamon, vanilla, and rice flavors, shaking 346 00:20:52,636 --> 00:20:55,876 Speaker 1: together with ice and topped with oat milk. I'm a 347 00:20:55,876 --> 00:20:57,836 Speaker 1: person who likes to explore the Starbucks menu. I'll go 348 00:20:57,916 --> 00:21:00,476 Speaker 1: up and down that thing whenever I'm at Starbucks. But 349 00:21:00,916 --> 00:21:02,236 Speaker 1: there are a lot of people and I can be 350 00:21:02,356 --> 00:21:04,796 Speaker 1: this way too that like the Staples. If you're one 351 00:21:04,836 --> 00:21:09,876 Speaker 1: of those people, this drink still retains that wonderful coffee flavor, 352 00:21:10,356 --> 00:21:13,076 Speaker 1: but on the back end chases it with this wonderful 353 00:21:13,676 --> 00:21:17,796 Speaker 1: milky cinnamony or Chota flavor as well, and it has something, 354 00:21:17,836 --> 00:21:20,876 Speaker 1: in my opinion for everyone. Your eyes for Shota oat 355 00:21:20,876 --> 00:21:23,796 Speaker 1: milkshake and espresso is ready at Starbucks. 356 00:21:24,436 --> 00:21:27,956 Speaker 2: So I'm investinated by this process. How long might some 357 00:21:28,116 --> 00:21:31,076 Speaker 2: a little bit linger on your phone or in your 358 00:21:31,196 --> 00:21:34,316 Speaker 2: archive before you use it? Is there stuff? And if 359 00:21:34,356 --> 00:21:36,396 Speaker 2: we went into the you said sometimes you download them 360 00:21:36,396 --> 00:21:39,196 Speaker 2: on at the loft. How far back would we have 361 00:21:39,236 --> 00:21:41,276 Speaker 2: stuff there from ten years ago you've never used? 362 00:21:41,636 --> 00:21:43,636 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean probably there are. 363 00:21:44,756 --> 00:21:48,276 Speaker 4: I used to do it on cassettes and basically I 364 00:21:48,356 --> 00:21:52,156 Speaker 4: used to just leave a cassette in a dictaphone old 365 00:21:52,196 --> 00:21:55,836 Speaker 4: style like what you would have Steno would have used, 366 00:21:55,916 --> 00:22:00,716 Speaker 4: or someone in an you know, secretary pool, and I 367 00:22:00,716 --> 00:22:03,996 Speaker 4: would just leave it on the coffee table and until 368 00:22:03,996 --> 00:22:06,116 Speaker 4: it filled up, and then I'd put another cassette in. 369 00:22:06,156 --> 00:22:10,476 Speaker 4: And there's there are dozens of those cassettes on the 370 00:22:10,756 --> 00:22:14,396 Speaker 4: Suki ray album that I made under the name Tweetye. 371 00:22:14,596 --> 00:22:18,756 Speaker 4: There's a song on there that I finished after fourteen years. 372 00:22:19,076 --> 00:22:22,356 Speaker 3: I think what song was it. It's called I'll Sing It. 373 00:22:23,036 --> 00:22:24,636 Speaker 2: Was there a little snippet of it that was the 374 00:22:24,676 --> 00:22:25,596 Speaker 2: original snippet. 375 00:22:25,756 --> 00:22:28,596 Speaker 4: It's actually in the track I actually just played over 376 00:22:28,716 --> 00:22:34,356 Speaker 4: the cassette version. Yeah, yeah, And then I think that 377 00:22:34,516 --> 00:22:37,036 Speaker 4: ended up on the Summer Teeth box set that we 378 00:22:37,156 --> 00:22:39,516 Speaker 4: just put out because it was written around the same 379 00:22:39,556 --> 00:22:40,676 Speaker 4: time as Summer Teeth. 380 00:22:41,116 --> 00:22:43,956 Speaker 2: Yeah, when you go back and find a little snippet 381 00:22:43,956 --> 00:22:46,676 Speaker 2: like that, do you remember when you created the snippet 382 00:22:46,796 --> 00:22:47,476 Speaker 2: or is that gone? 383 00:22:47,996 --> 00:22:50,996 Speaker 4: It depends. A lot of times I don't remember at all. 384 00:22:51,036 --> 00:22:54,916 Speaker 4: I have no recollection at all of a lot of 385 00:22:54,916 --> 00:22:56,876 Speaker 4: times I don't even remember the tuning, and I have 386 00:22:56,916 --> 00:22:59,476 Speaker 4: to like sit and figure out because I use a 387 00:22:59,516 --> 00:23:02,516 Speaker 4: lot of different tunings, and I really hate it when 388 00:23:02,556 --> 00:23:05,276 Speaker 4: I don't bother to tune the guitar to a standard 389 00:23:05,316 --> 00:23:08,116 Speaker 4: pitch because then it makes it even harder to figure 390 00:23:08,156 --> 00:23:10,316 Speaker 4: out what tuning I'm in and stuff like that. So 391 00:23:10,356 --> 00:23:14,676 Speaker 4: a lot of times it's it's it's completely gone wherever 392 00:23:14,796 --> 00:23:17,276 Speaker 4: it happened, which is kind of I love it when 393 00:23:17,316 --> 00:23:19,996 Speaker 4: that happens, even though it can be frustrating trying to 394 00:23:20,516 --> 00:23:21,116 Speaker 4: relearn it. 395 00:23:21,676 --> 00:23:23,196 Speaker 3: But then there are times. 396 00:23:22,876 --> 00:23:29,196 Speaker 4: Where I absolutely have a distinct memory of where I 397 00:23:29,276 --> 00:23:31,756 Speaker 4: was and what was happening. And a lot of times 398 00:23:31,796 --> 00:23:36,876 Speaker 4: that's because there are other ambient elements that it made 399 00:23:36,876 --> 00:23:40,716 Speaker 4: their way onto the recording. I like, say, backstage and 400 00:23:41,276 --> 00:23:44,276 Speaker 4: somebody in Wilco walks through and says something, and I 401 00:23:44,396 --> 00:23:49,596 Speaker 4: can viscerally feel that that room and I'll know even 402 00:23:49,636 --> 00:23:52,476 Speaker 4: what city it was. In a lot of cases, sometimes 403 00:23:52,476 --> 00:23:54,756 Speaker 4: when I'm doing it in hotel rooms in Europe and 404 00:23:54,756 --> 00:23:58,516 Speaker 4: you have the windows open. Whenever we're fortunate enough to 405 00:23:58,556 --> 00:24:01,916 Speaker 4: find a hotel that has windows that open, you hear 406 00:24:02,076 --> 00:24:05,716 Speaker 4: like people leading on at the cafes or something like that. 407 00:24:05,916 --> 00:24:09,316 Speaker 4: That's those are always really kind of special recordings. It 408 00:24:09,596 --> 00:24:12,396 Speaker 4: a lot of times mean a lot to me, even 409 00:24:12,476 --> 00:24:13,796 Speaker 4: without them being finished. 410 00:24:14,036 --> 00:24:18,596 Speaker 2: Yeah. We did an interview with Nora Jones while back 411 00:24:18,676 --> 00:24:22,076 Speaker 2: now and she was talking about how she did her 412 00:24:22,076 --> 00:24:27,116 Speaker 2: song Wintertime with You, and she was talking about this 413 00:24:27,116 --> 00:24:30,556 Speaker 2: this very process that she had some scraps, a little 414 00:24:30,556 --> 00:24:33,916 Speaker 2: bits and pieces, and you had bits and pieces and 415 00:24:34,196 --> 00:24:36,836 Speaker 2: you kind of put it together to create a really 416 00:24:36,876 --> 00:24:40,196 Speaker 2: beautiful song. Can you can you? Because of walk us 417 00:24:40,196 --> 00:24:44,156 Speaker 2: through that little case study of this time with a 418 00:24:44,196 --> 00:24:47,356 Speaker 2: twist with another person involved, but doing it, seems like 419 00:24:47,436 --> 00:24:50,276 Speaker 2: both of you were doing doing the work of creativity 420 00:24:50,276 --> 00:24:52,476 Speaker 2: in the same way. Is that true? 421 00:24:52,996 --> 00:24:53,316 Speaker 3: Yeah? 422 00:24:53,396 --> 00:24:56,076 Speaker 4: I think that well, first of all, Norah Jones doesn't 423 00:24:56,116 --> 00:24:58,636 Speaker 4: need me to help her write a song, for sure, 424 00:24:59,316 --> 00:25:02,676 Speaker 4: but we admire each other, so there's a there's already 425 00:25:02,716 --> 00:25:06,716 Speaker 4: a kind of a base level of camaraderie or something, 426 00:25:06,876 --> 00:25:11,996 Speaker 4: you know, but I haven't found many people that I've 427 00:25:12,036 --> 00:25:16,996 Speaker 4: worked with to have it just wildly different approaches to it. 428 00:25:17,636 --> 00:25:18,796 Speaker 3: Everybody seems to have. 429 00:25:19,076 --> 00:25:24,636 Speaker 4: Sort of the core process is sort of similar. You 430 00:25:24,756 --> 00:25:29,316 Speaker 4: basically start with something that is nothing, you know, that 431 00:25:29,476 --> 00:25:34,156 Speaker 4: feels but feels like it could be something, and then 432 00:25:34,436 --> 00:25:38,916 Speaker 4: you basically surrender this idea that you can't you can't 433 00:25:38,956 --> 00:25:41,076 Speaker 4: do that, you can't make something out of nothing, and 434 00:25:42,436 --> 00:25:45,836 Speaker 4: you do it. And it's really the most important part 435 00:25:46,116 --> 00:25:49,356 Speaker 4: is just letting go of the idea that it can't happen. 436 00:25:49,636 --> 00:25:52,716 Speaker 3: I think, and with someone else. 437 00:25:52,716 --> 00:25:56,916 Speaker 4: It requires a lot of waiting until you both have 438 00:25:57,556 --> 00:26:00,396 Speaker 4: you know, both people have to feel comfortable and supported 439 00:26:00,516 --> 00:26:03,396 Speaker 4: enough and trusting enough to kind of throw out ideas 440 00:26:03,916 --> 00:26:06,836 Speaker 4: until you know, a light bulb goes off in two 441 00:26:06,876 --> 00:26:09,636 Speaker 4: heads at once. It's a little bit more full proof 442 00:26:09,796 --> 00:26:13,716 Speaker 4: in a way because you have that consensus of universality 443 00:26:13,796 --> 00:26:16,156 Speaker 4: for two people as opposed to like just trying to 444 00:26:16,196 --> 00:26:19,156 Speaker 4: imagine that everybody will like something you like. 445 00:26:19,476 --> 00:26:21,876 Speaker 6: We'll be right back with more from Jeff Tweety. After 446 00:26:21,916 --> 00:26:28,836 Speaker 6: the break, We're back with more of Malcolm's conversation with 447 00:26:28,916 --> 00:26:29,596 Speaker 6: Jeff Tweety. 448 00:26:30,436 --> 00:26:34,196 Speaker 2: You've done an unusual amount of collaboration with other artists 449 00:26:34,556 --> 00:26:40,156 Speaker 2: you write for, maybe Staples. You did those beautiful Mermaid 450 00:26:40,196 --> 00:26:44,356 Speaker 2: Avenue albums with Billy Bragg that I are among my favorites. 451 00:26:44,636 --> 00:26:47,756 Speaker 2: When you're writing with another person in mind, does it 452 00:26:47,876 --> 00:26:49,676 Speaker 2: change the way you write a song? 453 00:26:50,676 --> 00:26:52,556 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think it does. 454 00:26:53,596 --> 00:26:57,956 Speaker 4: I honestly think that that is the thing that I 455 00:26:58,036 --> 00:27:02,196 Speaker 4: am most comfortable doing. I think it's the thing I 456 00:27:02,316 --> 00:27:05,956 Speaker 4: truly aspire to do more than almost any other thing 457 00:27:06,476 --> 00:27:07,396 Speaker 4: that I get to do. 458 00:27:08,316 --> 00:27:10,076 Speaker 3: I always pick myself. 459 00:27:09,756 --> 00:27:12,036 Speaker 4: Being a person that would write songs for other people 460 00:27:12,076 --> 00:27:15,796 Speaker 4: to sing, and Uncle Tupelo. I wanted my songs to 461 00:27:15,876 --> 00:27:20,356 Speaker 4: be sung by Jay because he had this magnificent, like rich, 462 00:27:20,476 --> 00:27:26,876 Speaker 4: authoritative voice, and I had this squeaky, you know voice 463 00:27:26,876 --> 00:27:29,956 Speaker 4: that I didn't feel like was quite my own, even 464 00:27:30,036 --> 00:27:32,596 Speaker 4: at the time, I was struggling to find it. As 465 00:27:32,676 --> 00:27:35,996 Speaker 4: much as I felt great when I sang, I just 466 00:27:36,196 --> 00:27:39,516 Speaker 4: loved the idea of writing the song more than the 467 00:27:39,556 --> 00:27:42,756 Speaker 4: idea of singing it. And I still think that that's 468 00:27:42,916 --> 00:27:49,036 Speaker 4: where my most natural abilities lie, is in helping somebody 469 00:27:49,076 --> 00:27:52,516 Speaker 4: with another with their song, like working with Nora or 470 00:27:52,636 --> 00:27:56,876 Speaker 4: finding something for someone to sing like Mavis. I don't 471 00:27:56,916 --> 00:27:59,516 Speaker 4: look at it as like I'm putting words in her mouth. 472 00:27:59,596 --> 00:28:02,876 Speaker 4: I feel like I'm just kind of helping find something 473 00:28:03,276 --> 00:28:07,996 Speaker 4: that she feels comfortable singing that makes sense for her 474 00:28:08,036 --> 00:28:11,356 Speaker 4: to sing. Same thing with the Woody Guthrie lyrics. That 475 00:28:11,516 --> 00:28:14,356 Speaker 4: was even more along the lines of what I feel 476 00:28:14,756 --> 00:28:18,036 Speaker 4: I have the strongest sense about as being something that 477 00:28:18,116 --> 00:28:22,436 Speaker 4: comes naturally to me, because those lyrics were sacrosanct. You know, 478 00:28:22,516 --> 00:28:25,156 Speaker 4: they're like you know, you're not You're not gonna mess 479 00:28:25,196 --> 00:28:25,476 Speaker 4: with them. 480 00:28:25,516 --> 00:28:25,956 Speaker 3: They're there. 481 00:28:26,076 --> 00:28:27,996 Speaker 4: You don't even need to worry about whether or not 482 00:28:28,036 --> 00:28:31,556 Speaker 4: they're good enough. They're important for people that don't know. 483 00:28:31,596 --> 00:28:34,276 Speaker 4: There were all these lyrics that Woody Guthrie left behind 484 00:28:34,316 --> 00:28:37,636 Speaker 4: that the music was never documented or he never really 485 00:28:37,996 --> 00:28:41,116 Speaker 4: made any music for. There was all these archival lyrics 486 00:28:41,116 --> 00:28:43,676 Speaker 4: and writing that we took and made songs out of, 487 00:28:44,156 --> 00:28:46,116 Speaker 4: and with those I would just sit and read them 488 00:28:46,436 --> 00:28:49,396 Speaker 4: over and over and over again until the meter would 489 00:28:49,436 --> 00:28:51,996 Speaker 4: emerge and then next there would be a melody that 490 00:28:52,036 --> 00:28:54,196 Speaker 4: would emerge, and in a lot of cases with Woody 491 00:28:54,196 --> 00:28:56,596 Speaker 4: Guthrie lyrics, you read it and all of a sudden, 492 00:28:56,876 --> 00:29:00,476 Speaker 4: a Carter Family song emerges, because that's what he was 493 00:29:00,516 --> 00:29:05,796 Speaker 4: actually writing his lyrics to was someone else's song. I 494 00:29:05,836 --> 00:29:07,796 Speaker 4: did the same thing with a bunch of lyrics for 495 00:29:07,876 --> 00:29:11,196 Speaker 4: Bob Dylan that never came out because I was I 496 00:29:11,236 --> 00:29:13,756 Speaker 4: wasn't able to be a part of that process for 497 00:29:13,796 --> 00:29:15,996 Speaker 4: that record that they did a couple of years ago, 498 00:29:17,076 --> 00:29:19,436 Speaker 4: where they had a bunch of lyrics that Dylan had written. 499 00:29:19,956 --> 00:29:22,796 Speaker 4: It's like Elvis Costello is a part of it, and 500 00:29:22,876 --> 00:29:26,356 Speaker 4: some of the Mumfords and mumfort But anyway, t Bone 501 00:29:26,356 --> 00:29:28,276 Speaker 4: had asked me if I could do it, and I 502 00:29:28,916 --> 00:29:32,036 Speaker 4: got all these lyrics, and then my wife started treatment 503 00:29:32,076 --> 00:29:34,276 Speaker 4: for cancer, so I couldn't go to LA for the 504 00:29:34,316 --> 00:29:36,756 Speaker 4: amount of time that they wanted me to. But I 505 00:29:37,196 --> 00:29:39,276 Speaker 4: did the same thing with those lyrics. I wrote them, 506 00:29:39,316 --> 00:29:41,836 Speaker 4: I wrote and recorded a whole record in a weekend. 507 00:29:42,356 --> 00:29:46,196 Speaker 2: Like, did you find it sort of freeing to not 508 00:29:46,316 --> 00:29:47,836 Speaker 2: have to do it in your own with you with 509 00:29:47,876 --> 00:29:49,956 Speaker 2: your own voice in mind? Yeah? 510 00:29:50,036 --> 00:29:53,996 Speaker 4: I think that I just struggle with allowing myself to 511 00:29:55,116 --> 00:29:59,796 Speaker 4: comment on certain things that I don't feel like I 512 00:29:59,916 --> 00:30:04,516 Speaker 4: have the authoritative weight to weigh in on, for for 513 00:30:04,676 --> 00:30:07,156 Speaker 4: in terms of like mayvs Or something like that, or 514 00:30:07,156 --> 00:30:10,596 Speaker 4: the things that I feel like Mayvas has a voice 515 00:30:11,116 --> 00:30:17,076 Speaker 4: of righteousness of some you know, of some broader scope 516 00:30:17,276 --> 00:30:21,316 Speaker 4: in historical importance and place. 517 00:30:21,596 --> 00:30:21,796 Speaker 3: You know. 518 00:30:22,916 --> 00:30:26,956 Speaker 4: There's just a way to it that I feel very 519 00:30:26,996 --> 00:30:32,196 Speaker 4: privileged to have been able to write for. But a 520 00:30:32,196 --> 00:30:35,196 Speaker 4: lot of those things are are not going to make 521 00:30:35,476 --> 00:30:38,636 Speaker 4: as much sense coming out of my mouth. It just 522 00:30:38,676 --> 00:30:43,276 Speaker 4: doesn't feel right for a lot of you know, social reasons. 523 00:30:43,316 --> 00:30:46,956 Speaker 2: I think, what's the right word to describe your attitude 524 00:30:46,996 --> 00:30:49,916 Speaker 2: towards your own voice? Are you self conscious about it? 525 00:30:50,196 --> 00:30:50,356 Speaker 4: No? 526 00:30:50,436 --> 00:30:54,516 Speaker 2: I mean that about Tupelo and how you preferred if No. 527 00:30:54,636 --> 00:30:57,676 Speaker 4: I feel like I've gotten way better as a singer, 528 00:30:57,756 --> 00:31:00,476 Speaker 4: and I've worked really hard to get better over a 529 00:31:00,516 --> 00:31:03,596 Speaker 4: lot of time. And I actually I enjoy my voice, 530 00:31:04,276 --> 00:31:06,876 Speaker 4: my singing voice quite a bit. I actually do like 531 00:31:07,036 --> 00:31:10,356 Speaker 4: listening to myself singing now when I find things that 532 00:31:10,396 --> 00:31:12,716 Speaker 4: I want to sing a lot of cases, i feel 533 00:31:12,716 --> 00:31:14,596 Speaker 4: like I'm the only person that could sing it the 534 00:31:14,636 --> 00:31:18,396 Speaker 4: way I want to hear it. But that doesn't mean 535 00:31:18,396 --> 00:31:21,676 Speaker 4: that I'm oblivious to the fact that my voice isn't 536 00:31:21,956 --> 00:31:26,396 Speaker 4: technically great in the you know, by the normal criteria 537 00:31:26,436 --> 00:31:29,676 Speaker 4: of American idol or the voice or you know, whatever, 538 00:31:30,036 --> 00:31:31,236 Speaker 4: whatever you know. 539 00:31:31,316 --> 00:31:33,116 Speaker 3: But all my favorite singers are like that. 540 00:31:33,196 --> 00:31:37,796 Speaker 4: Almost all my favorite singers have non traditional voices that 541 00:31:38,036 --> 00:31:40,076 Speaker 4: have become communicative. 542 00:31:40,196 --> 00:31:40,396 Speaker 3: You know. 543 00:31:40,476 --> 00:31:44,636 Speaker 4: It's like it's like where they trade virtuosity or technique 544 00:31:44,716 --> 00:31:51,236 Speaker 4: or whatever for sincerity or sentiment and conviction. And I 545 00:31:51,276 --> 00:31:54,196 Speaker 4: feel like I found that in my voice over time, 546 00:31:54,276 --> 00:31:57,556 Speaker 4: and I'm very, very proud of the idea that I 547 00:31:57,916 --> 00:32:01,076 Speaker 4: still work at getting better and try and sing in tune, 548 00:32:01,356 --> 00:32:03,956 Speaker 4: you know. But I'm more I'm much more concerned with 549 00:32:04,676 --> 00:32:08,156 Speaker 4: making the words feel the way I want them to feel. 550 00:32:09,196 --> 00:32:12,716 Speaker 4: Speaking voice, on the other hand, is awful. I cannot. 551 00:32:13,276 --> 00:32:15,596 Speaker 4: I will never listen to the book that I just 552 00:32:15,716 --> 00:32:23,996 Speaker 4: read or this interview. I might listen to you do 553 00:32:24,116 --> 00:32:25,676 Speaker 4: another interview with someone else. 554 00:32:27,596 --> 00:32:30,956 Speaker 2: So on this point in the book, you talk about stealing, 555 00:32:31,876 --> 00:32:35,196 Speaker 2: but you're being a little bit mischievous because you don't 556 00:32:35,236 --> 00:32:37,876 Speaker 2: really be in stealing, but you're talking about being open 557 00:32:37,996 --> 00:32:43,476 Speaker 2: to influence essentially. So give me an example of another 558 00:32:43,676 --> 00:32:47,836 Speaker 2: artist whose work you find lots of stuff to borrow 559 00:32:47,836 --> 00:32:50,316 Speaker 2: from and be inspired by. And I'm just curious, does 560 00:32:50,356 --> 00:32:53,236 Speaker 2: it come from everywhere? Are there predictable places where you 561 00:32:53,316 --> 00:32:55,956 Speaker 2: go to find ideas well? 562 00:32:56,036 --> 00:32:59,676 Speaker 4: The thing I'm describing in the book is just based 563 00:32:59,716 --> 00:33:05,676 Speaker 4: on this belief that you can't really copyright a group 564 00:33:05,716 --> 00:33:08,596 Speaker 4: of chords. What I'm describing in the book is basically 565 00:33:08,636 --> 00:33:11,636 Speaker 4: me saying, well, I'm gonna look for a song that 566 00:33:11,716 --> 00:33:13,476 Speaker 4: I think has a bunch of cool chords in it, 567 00:33:13,516 --> 00:33:15,596 Speaker 4: and I'm gonna learn how to play it, and then 568 00:33:15,636 --> 00:33:18,396 Speaker 4: I'm gonna take it and make it into something that 569 00:33:18,676 --> 00:33:21,436 Speaker 4: no one would hear that song in it anymore. But 570 00:33:21,476 --> 00:33:24,396 Speaker 4: it's basically like just when you're a little bit stuck, 571 00:33:24,636 --> 00:33:27,916 Speaker 4: just realizing that the world is full of these, you know, 572 00:33:28,036 --> 00:33:33,036 Speaker 4: sort of naturally occurring shapes that you can appropriate. You know, 573 00:33:33,196 --> 00:33:39,436 Speaker 4: I don't look at them as being particularly ownable by anybody, 574 00:33:39,476 --> 00:33:42,876 Speaker 4: and especially if I don't you know, sing the same 575 00:33:42,956 --> 00:33:45,356 Speaker 4: type of song or put the same type of melody 576 00:33:45,396 --> 00:33:48,276 Speaker 4: over it, or even have the same rhythm or you know, 577 00:33:48,516 --> 00:33:50,756 Speaker 4: there are many many ways to describe it. But it's 578 00:33:50,796 --> 00:33:53,396 Speaker 4: such a it's such a liberating thing to do to 579 00:33:53,436 --> 00:33:55,996 Speaker 4: just go, oh, I'll just take these chords and and 580 00:33:55,996 --> 00:33:58,316 Speaker 4: and start there because I haven't been able to come 581 00:33:58,396 --> 00:34:03,316 Speaker 4: up with anything all day. That being said, there are 582 00:34:03,356 --> 00:34:07,196 Speaker 4: just tons and tons of artists, new and old, every 583 00:34:07,316 --> 00:34:11,076 Speaker 4: day of my life that I encounter, and to me, 584 00:34:11,196 --> 00:34:14,676 Speaker 4: you have to work to not encounter art that inspires you, 585 00:34:15,316 --> 00:34:18,116 Speaker 4: I think, and I think that that does overwhelm people. 586 00:34:18,116 --> 00:34:20,676 Speaker 4: I think sometimes some people do get to a certain 587 00:34:20,676 --> 00:34:24,636 Speaker 4: point where they want to hide from influence or hide 588 00:34:24,676 --> 00:34:29,196 Speaker 4: from the feeling that they're being challenged by other artists. 589 00:34:29,236 --> 00:34:31,836 Speaker 4: But I look at it like most of the time 590 00:34:31,956 --> 00:34:35,716 Speaker 4: I get that way too. I can feel overwhelmed sometimes, 591 00:34:35,876 --> 00:34:40,196 Speaker 4: but more often than not, I feel really invigorated by 592 00:34:40,236 --> 00:34:43,636 Speaker 4: the fact that if I go looking, it won't take 593 00:34:43,676 --> 00:34:47,076 Speaker 4: me long at all to find something that shows me 594 00:34:47,156 --> 00:34:49,596 Speaker 4: where the bar is that I should be aiming for. 595 00:34:50,716 --> 00:34:53,116 Speaker 6: We'll be right back with more from Jeff Tweety after 596 00:34:53,156 --> 00:34:53,596 Speaker 6: the break. 597 00:34:57,876 --> 00:35:00,756 Speaker 2: What's an example of a song you listened to recently 598 00:35:01,276 --> 00:35:05,556 Speaker 2: that triggered all kinds of reactions and inspirations in you? 599 00:35:06,436 --> 00:35:06,916 Speaker 3: You know, Kate. 600 00:35:07,156 --> 00:35:09,836 Speaker 4: I think Kate Lebon writes a lot to music that 601 00:35:09,996 --> 00:35:12,236 Speaker 4: makes me feel that way. She's just the first person 602 00:35:12,276 --> 00:35:15,556 Speaker 4: that popped into my mind. She she's an artist that 603 00:35:15,716 --> 00:35:21,116 Speaker 4: has this undeniable kate leabondness about what she does, you know, 604 00:35:21,316 --> 00:35:24,596 Speaker 4: like we're and that's that's that's hard to find, you know. 605 00:35:24,636 --> 00:35:27,916 Speaker 3: I think there's she has a very specific. 606 00:35:28,036 --> 00:35:31,556 Speaker 4: Angle that she comes at what she does, and and 607 00:35:31,636 --> 00:35:35,636 Speaker 4: nobody else knows that precise angle. I think the song 608 00:35:36,716 --> 00:35:38,636 Speaker 4: Meet the Man I wanted to Meet the Man. I 609 00:35:38,636 --> 00:35:40,156 Speaker 4: think that's the name of it. So I think it's 610 00:35:40,196 --> 00:35:42,876 Speaker 4: the last song on her most recent record. It has 611 00:35:42,956 --> 00:35:46,756 Speaker 4: all of these twists and turns that are unpredictable, and 612 00:35:47,396 --> 00:35:48,436 Speaker 4: I don't know, when you. 613 00:35:48,396 --> 00:35:51,196 Speaker 2: Listen to that song, can you turn off the part 614 00:35:51,196 --> 00:35:54,316 Speaker 2: of your brain that wants to to kind of learn 615 00:35:54,356 --> 00:35:57,036 Speaker 2: from it, use it, employ it in some way and 616 00:35:57,156 --> 00:35:59,516 Speaker 2: just enjoy it or do you Is it is that 617 00:35:59,556 --> 00:36:00,636 Speaker 2: part of the brain always on? 618 00:36:01,076 --> 00:36:03,756 Speaker 3: Well, that is how I enjoy it. I think that. 619 00:36:03,796 --> 00:36:05,716 Speaker 3: I think that is part of how I enjoy it. 620 00:36:05,796 --> 00:36:08,396 Speaker 4: I I think I enjoy it first and foremost the 621 00:36:08,396 --> 00:36:10,796 Speaker 4: way I have enjoyed music since I was a little kid, 622 00:36:10,796 --> 00:36:14,596 Speaker 4: before I played any music or wrote any music. I 623 00:36:14,596 --> 00:36:20,476 Speaker 4: am just attracted to sound and excited by records. And 624 00:36:21,436 --> 00:36:24,676 Speaker 4: I don't think that that's any different, but I don't 625 00:36:24,676 --> 00:36:27,476 Speaker 4: feel burdened by the knowledge that I have now, and 626 00:36:27,556 --> 00:36:31,116 Speaker 4: I think it just adds this insight, like, oh wow, 627 00:36:31,196 --> 00:36:34,836 Speaker 4: I can kind of tell what reaverb is going on there. 628 00:36:34,876 --> 00:36:37,716 Speaker 4: But that being said, the things that I tend to 629 00:36:37,916 --> 00:36:40,556 Speaker 4: enjoy the most are the things. 630 00:36:40,276 --> 00:36:44,196 Speaker 3: That I have zero idea how they came to be. 631 00:36:45,076 --> 00:36:47,436 Speaker 4: Those are the things I listen to, you know, like 632 00:36:47,996 --> 00:36:52,436 Speaker 4: have more repeated listenings, tend to be like some hip 633 00:36:52,436 --> 00:36:56,596 Speaker 4: hop records and things that are outside of my skill set, 634 00:36:56,796 --> 00:37:00,236 Speaker 4: and you know, and then then there are times where 635 00:37:00,276 --> 00:37:02,356 Speaker 4: I crave comfort food, where I just want to hear 636 00:37:02,836 --> 00:37:05,956 Speaker 4: a simple country song played on an acoustic guitar, and 637 00:37:05,996 --> 00:37:08,476 Speaker 4: I have a very very firm grasp on how that 638 00:37:08,516 --> 00:37:12,116 Speaker 4: comes to be, but it doesn't diminish its importance in 639 00:37:12,156 --> 00:37:12,636 Speaker 4: my life. 640 00:37:12,676 --> 00:37:16,076 Speaker 2: You know, is there an artist, a contemporary of yours 641 00:37:16,076 --> 00:37:18,036 Speaker 2: whose career you'd have loved to have? 642 00:37:18,876 --> 00:37:19,116 Speaker 5: No? 643 00:37:19,236 --> 00:37:21,636 Speaker 3: I honestly, I've thought about that a lot. 644 00:37:21,796 --> 00:37:26,316 Speaker 4: I have moments where I have a professional jealousy. I 645 00:37:26,316 --> 00:37:29,916 Speaker 4: think it'd be impossible not to have these moments, especially 646 00:37:29,956 --> 00:37:33,076 Speaker 4: if you're somewhat competitive like I am. I think it's like, 647 00:37:33,156 --> 00:37:36,076 Speaker 4: why is everybody righting about this guy now, like you know, 648 00:37:36,156 --> 00:37:40,676 Speaker 4: like that, like I'm not ashamed to admit I have, 649 00:37:40,796 --> 00:37:42,716 Speaker 4: like you know, it's it's not the end of the 650 00:37:42,756 --> 00:37:45,796 Speaker 4: world to admit you have petty feelings, you know. But 651 00:37:46,276 --> 00:37:50,316 Speaker 4: but honestly, I don't think so, because when I take 652 00:37:50,356 --> 00:37:53,836 Speaker 4: a step back, the prevailing emotion is gratitude. I mean, 653 00:37:54,316 --> 00:37:57,116 Speaker 4: it wouldn't This is nothing like I would have been 654 00:37:57,556 --> 00:38:01,196 Speaker 4: ever been able to imagine for myself, you know, thirty 655 00:38:01,276 --> 00:38:05,516 Speaker 4: years in from my first time probably playing on a 656 00:38:05,596 --> 00:38:08,436 Speaker 4: stage or you know, getting in front of people. 657 00:38:09,196 --> 00:38:15,676 Speaker 6: Right back with more from Jeff Tweety, we're back with 658 00:38:15,716 --> 00:38:18,316 Speaker 6: the rest of Malcolm's conversation with Jeff Tweety. 659 00:38:18,836 --> 00:38:21,596 Speaker 2: It would be really fun if we put together a 660 00:38:21,636 --> 00:38:24,636 Speaker 2: bunch of the stuff we've been talking about in a song, 661 00:38:24,676 --> 00:38:27,836 Speaker 2: Like is there a song that you could break down, 662 00:38:27,956 --> 00:38:31,236 Speaker 2: play and break down for us? Will you talk about 663 00:38:31,756 --> 00:38:34,836 Speaker 2: all the little pieces that brought it together, how the 664 00:38:34,916 --> 00:38:39,396 Speaker 2: song was created, the little bits of influence if you 665 00:38:39,476 --> 00:38:41,956 Speaker 2: remember them. Is there one that's that fresh in your 666 00:38:41,996 --> 00:38:45,556 Speaker 2: memory that you could do that a little mini masterclass. 667 00:38:46,596 --> 00:38:53,476 Speaker 4: Let me think I have a guitar here, so that's 668 00:38:53,516 --> 00:38:55,476 Speaker 4: the g chord I always play when I pick up 669 00:38:55,516 --> 00:38:57,476 Speaker 4: a guitar. It's an inadvertence. 670 00:38:57,636 --> 00:39:00,636 Speaker 2: You're the invariant g, the tweety G. 671 00:39:02,316 --> 00:39:03,676 Speaker 3: It's pretty same. 672 00:39:04,036 --> 00:39:14,516 Speaker 4: It's my grounding. Well, there's a song on the new 673 00:39:14,796 --> 00:39:25,596 Speaker 4: record called Opaline where I was writing at this summer 674 00:39:26,036 --> 00:39:30,116 Speaker 4: or this spring, when there was so much going on 675 00:39:30,956 --> 00:39:35,796 Speaker 4: in the world, and our relationships with our police departments 676 00:39:35,836 --> 00:39:40,436 Speaker 4: were being investigated and talked about a lot. So I'm 677 00:39:40,476 --> 00:39:43,636 Speaker 4: not a person that's ever had that feeling. I've never 678 00:39:43,716 --> 00:39:47,876 Speaker 4: really been a fan of police because I've always felt 679 00:39:47,916 --> 00:39:52,196 Speaker 4: like police had a lot more to do with their mentality, 680 00:39:52,236 --> 00:39:53,476 Speaker 4: had a lot more to do with the people that 681 00:39:53,516 --> 00:39:57,596 Speaker 4: made fun of me and school and were more jockey 682 00:39:57,716 --> 00:40:01,276 Speaker 4: and it's just a general atmosphere around police that I've 683 00:40:01,716 --> 00:40:05,196 Speaker 4: not enjoyed. But I've not had this experience that a 684 00:40:05,236 --> 00:40:08,796 Speaker 4: lot of minorities have had with police in this country. 685 00:40:09,116 --> 00:40:11,716 Speaker 4: I'm aware of that, but I was trying to put 686 00:40:11,796 --> 00:40:16,676 Speaker 4: myself into that that headspace of living with that fear. 687 00:40:17,436 --> 00:40:20,036 Speaker 3: So those were those were the lyrics. 688 00:40:19,636 --> 00:40:21,596 Speaker 4: That I was playing around with. It's like I hear 689 00:40:21,636 --> 00:40:25,476 Speaker 4: the police outside my window. I can hear them talking 690 00:40:25,516 --> 00:40:34,356 Speaker 4: on the radios and uh, oh, you poorlice outside my window. 691 00:40:38,316 --> 00:40:39,716 Speaker 4: How can hear. 692 00:40:39,996 --> 00:40:44,036 Speaker 3: Them talk in all the radios. 693 00:40:47,676 --> 00:40:58,876 Speaker 4: I keep my head, order my pillow, pray that they 694 00:40:59,516 --> 00:41:08,516 Speaker 4: go on leave me alone. So that's like just one 695 00:41:08,556 --> 00:41:12,556 Speaker 4: little chunk of this song that was a melody that 696 00:41:12,636 --> 00:41:15,036 Speaker 4: I had without any words. 697 00:41:15,356 --> 00:41:16,676 Speaker 2: Did you write that chunk first? 698 00:41:17,076 --> 00:41:21,996 Speaker 4: Yea, I did, And then I had a piece that 699 00:41:22,196 --> 00:41:29,516 Speaker 4: was like, oh, you know, I didn't really have any lyrics, 700 00:41:29,516 --> 00:41:33,836 Speaker 4: so I was I We had a golden orb weave 701 00:41:33,956 --> 00:41:39,996 Speaker 4: spider weaver spider in our garden this spring that I 702 00:41:40,076 --> 00:41:43,756 Speaker 4: named Opaline for some reason, just because it just seemed 703 00:41:43,756 --> 00:41:46,396 Speaker 4: like a cool name. I had an aunt opal and 704 00:41:46,476 --> 00:41:48,956 Speaker 4: so I just started singing. 705 00:41:48,596 --> 00:42:01,356 Speaker 5: To her, Oh, oh, made believe that she still love me? 706 00:42:02,956 --> 00:42:10,996 Speaker 4: Oh believe. It's how to see reality. 707 00:42:12,756 --> 00:42:14,716 Speaker 3: I need got no love it all. 708 00:42:17,596 --> 00:42:22,556 Speaker 4: So that's just writing a country song that's just trying 709 00:42:22,556 --> 00:42:26,436 Speaker 4: to figure out a way to get to the line. 710 00:42:27,436 --> 00:42:29,436 Speaker 4: Reality is hard to see when you've got no love 711 00:42:29,476 --> 00:42:32,956 Speaker 4: at all. Because one of the things that has been 712 00:42:33,356 --> 00:42:34,356 Speaker 4: on my mind. 713 00:42:34,116 --> 00:42:37,636 Speaker 3: A lot these last few years. 714 00:42:37,316 --> 00:42:40,236 Speaker 4: Or you know, for a while now, is how do 715 00:42:40,316 --> 00:42:44,196 Speaker 4: you get to the point where reality doesn't matter? And 716 00:42:44,236 --> 00:42:47,956 Speaker 4: it obviously is very negotiable for a lot of people 717 00:42:48,196 --> 00:42:52,716 Speaker 4: in our information climate that we can shop for, a 718 00:42:52,796 --> 00:42:56,356 Speaker 4: reality that we trust and believe, and there isn't a 719 00:42:56,516 --> 00:43:01,036 Speaker 4: shared consensus a lot of times, which is really maddening 720 00:43:01,156 --> 00:43:05,236 Speaker 4: and strange to witness. We don't even have the same 721 00:43:05,276 --> 00:43:10,996 Speaker 4: agreed upon fictions anymore, you know, Like it's it's really troubling. 722 00:43:11,036 --> 00:43:13,796 Speaker 4: And my theory is that must be a lot easier 723 00:43:13,836 --> 00:43:18,876 Speaker 4: to do when people have been isolated from a lot 724 00:43:18,916 --> 00:43:24,556 Speaker 4: of their feelings of being cared for or having affection 725 00:43:25,116 --> 00:43:26,876 Speaker 4: and warmth in their life. 726 00:43:28,476 --> 00:43:30,996 Speaker 2: So you have in this song, you have that opening 727 00:43:31,556 --> 00:43:36,556 Speaker 2: image of the kid in bed head under the pillow 728 00:43:36,996 --> 00:43:40,396 Speaker 2: and hearing the cops outside and worrying, and then you 729 00:43:40,476 --> 00:43:46,356 Speaker 2: have opening yeah, and then you also have other interesting 730 00:43:46,596 --> 00:43:49,876 Speaker 2: element is it's very plainly a country song. But we're 731 00:43:49,876 --> 00:43:51,716 Speaker 2: not in country territory. 732 00:43:52,036 --> 00:43:53,036 Speaker 3: Are we. 733 00:43:53,036 --> 00:43:57,636 Speaker 4: Well, I mean, country territory is pretty pretty vast in 734 00:43:57,716 --> 00:44:02,916 Speaker 4: my opinions. To me, where country music fails is when 735 00:44:02,916 --> 00:44:06,716 Speaker 4: it tries to adhere to the tropes of country music 736 00:44:07,396 --> 00:44:11,036 Speaker 4: and becomes like civil war re enactment or something. It's 737 00:44:11,076 --> 00:44:14,596 Speaker 4: you know, it's not it's not about what's happening. And 738 00:44:15,756 --> 00:44:18,076 Speaker 4: this is this is a weird song for me to pick, 739 00:44:18,076 --> 00:44:20,476 Speaker 4: but I'm gonna stick with it now because we're in it. 740 00:44:20,516 --> 00:44:22,836 Speaker 4: But you know, this is this is like a This 741 00:44:22,916 --> 00:44:25,636 Speaker 4: is a little bit of a pistiche to where I 742 00:44:25,836 --> 00:44:28,076 Speaker 4: got all of these elements to make sense to me 743 00:44:28,476 --> 00:44:30,876 Speaker 4: and feel good to me. There's a story that runs 744 00:44:30,876 --> 00:44:35,676 Speaker 4: through it that feels apprehendible to me, you know. So 745 00:44:36,436 --> 00:44:38,596 Speaker 4: I had that, and that's probably what I put in 746 00:44:38,676 --> 00:44:42,396 Speaker 4: my phone first, aside from the initial chord progression that 747 00:44:42,436 --> 00:44:45,836 Speaker 4: I might have hummed over. That was like the first 748 00:44:46,476 --> 00:44:51,396 Speaker 4: document of this song. And then I was out driving 749 00:44:51,916 --> 00:44:55,556 Speaker 4: my car on a toll road right after that, and 750 00:44:56,476 --> 00:45:01,476 Speaker 4: there was a hearse on a toll road outside Chicago, 751 00:45:02,156 --> 00:45:06,356 Speaker 4: and this literally literally happened, and I went through a 752 00:45:06,396 --> 00:45:09,956 Speaker 4: toll next to a hearse And as I went through 753 00:45:09,956 --> 00:45:11,956 Speaker 4: the toll, I looked back and the hearse was stuck 754 00:45:11,956 --> 00:45:15,516 Speaker 4: at the toll like it didn't have any money or whatever. 755 00:45:15,596 --> 00:45:17,436 Speaker 4: But as I kept driving, I kept looking in the 756 00:45:17,436 --> 00:45:19,716 Speaker 4: rear view mirror and it was it just kept not 757 00:45:19,956 --> 00:45:23,476 Speaker 4: being let through the toll, and I just felt like 758 00:45:23,516 --> 00:45:25,436 Speaker 4: I'd been hit over the head with one of the 759 00:45:27,156 --> 00:45:30,556 Speaker 4: most striking metaphors I'd ever encountered in the real world, 760 00:45:32,996 --> 00:45:35,516 Speaker 4: you know, Like what is you know what is purgatory? 761 00:45:35,636 --> 00:45:38,036 Speaker 4: I don't know, Like I was just just one of 762 00:45:38,076 --> 00:45:39,756 Speaker 4: the craziest things. 763 00:45:40,356 --> 00:45:40,716 Speaker 3: And so. 764 00:45:43,236 --> 00:45:47,356 Speaker 4: I actually wrote this in the car into my phone 765 00:45:47,676 --> 00:45:53,316 Speaker 4: of just voice memo into my phone. There's nothing worse 766 00:45:53,956 --> 00:46:03,076 Speaker 4: then a hearse drive and slow out on the toll way. 767 00:46:03,796 --> 00:46:12,516 Speaker 4: Stop being at the tolls, No change, no easy pass, 768 00:46:13,076 --> 00:46:22,036 Speaker 4: what a way to go? There's nothing words then a 769 00:46:22,156 --> 00:46:24,116 Speaker 4: heart's driving slow? 770 00:46:28,476 --> 00:46:33,716 Speaker 5: Oh you know. 771 00:46:33,796 --> 00:46:35,716 Speaker 3: Then you get back into the forest. 772 00:46:35,596 --> 00:46:38,796 Speaker 2: Do why wait, don't question, But you had the heart 773 00:46:39,036 --> 00:46:42,076 Speaker 2: experience and you have these two little bits that you've 774 00:46:42,076 --> 00:46:45,036 Speaker 2: already done. Why do you think the hearst experience belongs 775 00:46:45,036 --> 00:46:47,236 Speaker 2: to this song or not any number of other things 776 00:46:47,676 --> 00:46:50,756 Speaker 2: that you have stashed away for future reference. How do 777 00:46:50,796 --> 00:46:51,876 Speaker 2: you know it belongs here? 778 00:46:52,996 --> 00:46:54,476 Speaker 3: It's just what was in my mind. 779 00:46:55,036 --> 00:46:59,236 Speaker 4: So I don't really think of things as accidents that 780 00:46:59,316 --> 00:47:03,716 Speaker 4: I need to really investigate. And it just it sang 781 00:47:04,516 --> 00:47:08,236 Speaker 4: well to these this melody before I could even make 782 00:47:08,276 --> 00:47:12,116 Speaker 4: a decision and about where it should go, you know. 783 00:47:12,116 --> 00:47:12,516 Speaker 3: What I mean. 784 00:47:13,076 --> 00:47:15,156 Speaker 4: It's like that song was already in my mind. I'd 785 00:47:15,156 --> 00:47:19,276 Speaker 4: been working on it. So those are the those are 786 00:47:19,276 --> 00:47:21,956 Speaker 4: the patterns that you walk around with when you have 787 00:47:22,036 --> 00:47:24,276 Speaker 4: a song in your head. And that's one of the 788 00:47:24,276 --> 00:47:27,316 Speaker 4: reasons I enjoy having a song on my head because 789 00:47:27,356 --> 00:47:32,676 Speaker 4: then everything that happens to me is d you know, 790 00:47:32,756 --> 00:47:35,916 Speaker 4: like everything fits in that melody. It makes it makes 791 00:47:35,956 --> 00:47:38,356 Speaker 4: some order out of the world. I suppose you know. 792 00:47:38,516 --> 00:47:42,676 Speaker 2: So those lyrics that you just sang for me, is 793 00:47:42,716 --> 00:47:44,796 Speaker 2: that exactly as you composed them in the car? Or 794 00:47:44,796 --> 00:47:45,996 Speaker 2: would you fiddle with them later? 795 00:47:46,356 --> 00:47:49,196 Speaker 3: No, that's exactly as I composed them in the car. 796 00:47:49,476 --> 00:47:51,956 Speaker 2: And did you compose them in the car like like 797 00:47:52,156 --> 00:47:54,596 Speaker 2: off the cuff or did you were you playing within 798 00:47:54,676 --> 00:47:56,236 Speaker 2: your mind before you recording. 799 00:47:56,356 --> 00:47:57,836 Speaker 3: I played with it in my mind. 800 00:47:57,596 --> 00:48:00,396 Speaker 4: A little bit before I decided that I should document 801 00:48:00,436 --> 00:48:02,396 Speaker 4: it before I get home. 802 00:48:02,716 --> 00:48:05,676 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know. And again I'm sorry. Now I'm total 803 00:48:05,836 --> 00:48:07,996 Speaker 2: I can't get over theat this so much fun. Do 804 00:48:08,076 --> 00:48:11,396 Speaker 2: you pull over or do you keep driving and you're 805 00:48:11,436 --> 00:48:12,356 Speaker 2: singing into your phone? 806 00:48:13,116 --> 00:48:15,476 Speaker 4: Well, I mean, not to get too technical, but I 807 00:48:16,156 --> 00:48:18,316 Speaker 4: pressed a button on my phone that allowed me to 808 00:48:18,396 --> 00:48:21,556 Speaker 4: record it without having to take my eyes off the road. 809 00:48:22,396 --> 00:48:24,716 Speaker 2: No, I didn't mean I was suggesting you were an 810 00:48:24,756 --> 00:48:28,156 Speaker 2: unsafe driver, but I was suggesting, like, does it I 811 00:48:28,236 --> 00:48:30,996 Speaker 2: was imagined there was a scenario where you're so caught 812 00:48:31,076 --> 00:48:33,596 Speaker 2: up in this that you're like, I gotta focus and 813 00:48:33,636 --> 00:48:35,996 Speaker 2: you're like pull into the you know, the I Hop 814 00:48:36,116 --> 00:48:39,636 Speaker 2: parking lot, and but no, no, you're just you're just 815 00:48:39,716 --> 00:48:42,596 Speaker 2: driving merrily down the road, singing us into your phone. 816 00:48:43,076 --> 00:48:43,556 Speaker 3: Yeah. 817 00:48:43,796 --> 00:48:46,476 Speaker 2: I love also that you know, ninety nine percent of 818 00:48:46,556 --> 00:48:50,476 Speaker 2: humanity seize the hers. I doesn't see the hers or 819 00:48:50,476 --> 00:48:55,556 Speaker 2: sees the hears and doesn't immediately understand the the perfection 820 00:48:55,676 --> 00:49:00,796 Speaker 2: of that metaphor. Well, I feel like you're attuned you 821 00:49:00,796 --> 00:49:02,436 Speaker 2: you are attuned to these things. 822 00:49:02,836 --> 00:49:04,516 Speaker 3: Thank you. I think we all should be. 823 00:49:04,596 --> 00:49:06,796 Speaker 4: I mean, we're like we're walking around and that there's 824 00:49:06,916 --> 00:49:10,436 Speaker 4: no there's no failed experiment. And if you're paying attention 825 00:49:10,796 --> 00:49:14,596 Speaker 4: to the world, I think we get tired. I think 826 00:49:14,636 --> 00:49:16,956 Speaker 4: we get overwhelmed, like I was saying before, with like 827 00:49:17,276 --> 00:49:20,716 Speaker 4: inspiration or influence and things like that. And you know, 828 00:49:20,996 --> 00:49:23,836 Speaker 4: we're not always receptive and we're not always we don't 829 00:49:23,876 --> 00:49:24,356 Speaker 4: always have. 830 00:49:24,356 --> 00:49:25,516 Speaker 3: The energy or. 831 00:49:27,036 --> 00:49:29,516 Speaker 4: A lot of us have a lot of concerns all 832 00:49:29,556 --> 00:49:31,756 Speaker 4: the time about a lot of other things that would 833 00:49:31,996 --> 00:49:36,036 Speaker 4: require more mental energy than we have, and that tends 834 00:49:36,036 --> 00:49:39,036 Speaker 4: to crowd out a lot of you know, paying attention 835 00:49:39,156 --> 00:49:42,476 Speaker 4: to the strangeness of the world or the you know. 836 00:49:42,716 --> 00:49:46,036 Speaker 4: I don't feel like I'm doing anything super unique in 837 00:49:46,036 --> 00:49:48,796 Speaker 4: that regard. I just think that I am aware that 838 00:49:48,876 --> 00:49:52,196 Speaker 4: my brain wants to make sense of stuff, and I 839 00:49:52,316 --> 00:49:55,236 Speaker 4: give it an opportunity to make sense of stuff, you know, 840 00:49:56,276 --> 00:49:58,956 Speaker 4: or actively participate in the fact that it does that. 841 00:49:59,196 --> 00:50:00,836 Speaker 3: I think all of our brains do that. 842 00:50:01,276 --> 00:50:04,276 Speaker 4: All of our brains would much prefer to find some 843 00:50:04,556 --> 00:50:07,596 Speaker 4: reason for something to be the way it is, then 844 00:50:07,836 --> 00:50:13,196 Speaker 4: for to try and accept and understand ambiguity and randomness 845 00:50:13,276 --> 00:50:14,956 Speaker 4: and and things like that. 846 00:50:15,196 --> 00:50:17,036 Speaker 3: So we're we're. 847 00:50:16,836 --> 00:50:20,476 Speaker 4: Designed to do that, and then sometimes it hits you 848 00:50:20,516 --> 00:50:24,716 Speaker 4: over the head because it is just too perfect and beautiful, 849 00:50:24,756 --> 00:50:28,916 Speaker 4: like a hearse being stuck at a toll booth plassa. 850 00:50:29,796 --> 00:50:31,716 Speaker 2: Well, you're not done, We're not done. Keep going. 851 00:50:31,996 --> 00:50:35,996 Speaker 4: Well the thing, you know, So there's another verse and 852 00:50:36,116 --> 00:50:38,236 Speaker 4: verse verse of chorus versus a chorus. 853 00:50:39,196 --> 00:50:39,676 Speaker 3: And then. 854 00:50:41,916 --> 00:50:45,116 Speaker 4: By that time I think I had already recorded it, 855 00:50:45,676 --> 00:50:52,836 Speaker 4: and I had recorded the song without any lyrics. I 856 00:50:52,836 --> 00:50:55,876 Speaker 4: didn't sing it, I just was just and then I 857 00:50:55,996 --> 00:51:02,156 Speaker 4: envisioned this like long outro guitar solo. So I needed 858 00:51:02,196 --> 00:51:06,956 Speaker 4: another verse and I needed something that was going to 859 00:51:07,036 --> 00:51:11,276 Speaker 4: set up a long guitar solo into a chorus, And 860 00:51:11,756 --> 00:51:14,796 Speaker 4: that was actually the hardest part, because I wanted something 861 00:51:14,796 --> 00:51:19,316 Speaker 4: that sort of tied those two pieces together a little bit, 862 00:51:19,436 --> 00:51:22,396 Speaker 4: at least ambiently somehow. 863 00:51:23,076 --> 00:51:24,676 Speaker 3: So I came up. 864 00:51:25,276 --> 00:51:26,796 Speaker 4: I came up with a bunch of things that I 865 00:51:26,836 --> 00:51:31,196 Speaker 4: actually changed over time, and I can't remember all the 866 00:51:31,196 --> 00:51:33,076 Speaker 4: different changes because I only know. 867 00:51:33,156 --> 00:51:36,276 Speaker 3: I only remember what I ended up on. But it was. 868 00:51:38,396 --> 00:51:46,156 Speaker 4: Uh, I'd like to find out while she had to 869 00:51:46,196 --> 00:51:59,836 Speaker 4: go my heart once what a heart can't control. So 870 00:51:59,996 --> 00:52:05,036 Speaker 4: I hang in the air as the light gets cold, 871 00:52:08,916 --> 00:52:18,836 Speaker 4: and I heard in his shadows welcome home. And then 872 00:52:18,916 --> 00:52:21,996 Speaker 4: it goes into the solo there. But to me it 873 00:52:22,116 --> 00:52:25,836 Speaker 4: was kind of like I had become the guy that 874 00:52:25,956 --> 00:52:29,276 Speaker 4: was hiding from the cops that got killed, They got 875 00:52:29,316 --> 00:52:33,356 Speaker 4: murdered by cops, that ended up on the highway in 876 00:52:33,436 --> 00:52:37,236 Speaker 4: a hearse, not having the change even the money to 877 00:52:37,316 --> 00:52:41,796 Speaker 4: go through a toll, you know, comically dark even in 878 00:52:43,796 --> 00:52:50,636 Speaker 4: my demise, still completely just devoid of any luck whatsoever, 879 00:52:52,196 --> 00:52:54,196 Speaker 4: you know, which is a country trope in a way, 880 00:52:54,316 --> 00:52:58,916 Speaker 4: you know, just like the beautiful Loser, but still but 881 00:52:59,076 --> 00:53:02,756 Speaker 4: still singing. This is a theme on the record actually 882 00:53:02,916 --> 00:53:07,116 Speaker 4: is still singing from beyond the grave to this woman 883 00:53:07,236 --> 00:53:11,516 Speaker 4: who basically took a took everything away in his opinion 884 00:53:11,636 --> 00:53:16,356 Speaker 4: or his feeling, but knowing basically saying, I'm I'm still 885 00:53:16,396 --> 00:53:18,476 Speaker 4: going to be in that air that you breathe. 886 00:53:18,516 --> 00:53:19,436 Speaker 3: I'm still going to be. 887 00:53:19,916 --> 00:53:23,156 Speaker 4: I can't have what I want, but I can still 888 00:53:23,196 --> 00:53:26,676 Speaker 4: imagine that you are going to think about me from 889 00:53:26,716 --> 00:53:31,316 Speaker 4: time to time. And it's a it's a sad, pathetic 890 00:53:31,396 --> 00:53:33,996 Speaker 4: notion that a lot of a lot of weak men 891 00:53:34,236 --> 00:53:36,236 Speaker 4: have and I've had in my life. 892 00:53:36,356 --> 00:53:38,996 Speaker 3: And and is that you'll miss me. 893 00:53:38,956 --> 00:53:46,316 Speaker 4: When I'm gone, And and uh, I think it's more 894 00:53:46,356 --> 00:53:48,076 Speaker 4: often than not wishful thinking. 895 00:53:49,596 --> 00:53:51,836 Speaker 2: Yeah, you to finish the song for us. 896 00:53:52,356 --> 00:53:56,076 Speaker 3: Oh well, it's just one more chorus. 897 00:53:55,916 --> 00:54:04,956 Speaker 5: It's so beautiful, thank you, Oh believe. 898 00:54:06,236 --> 00:54:18,676 Speaker 4: May believe that she's de love me. Oh it's hard, 899 00:54:19,156 --> 00:54:21,116 Speaker 4: ser really. 900 00:54:22,196 --> 00:54:24,236 Speaker 3: When you got no love it all? 901 00:54:28,156 --> 00:54:33,156 Speaker 2: I love that. Thank you, well, thank you, Jeff. I 902 00:54:33,196 --> 00:54:36,076 Speaker 2: think that's a lovely way to wrap things up. 903 00:54:36,476 --> 00:54:38,316 Speaker 3: Well, I appreciate it. Thank you so much. 904 00:54:41,116 --> 00:54:43,756 Speaker 1: I hope you enjoyed that catalog episode of Broken Record. 905 00:54:43,956 --> 00:54:46,196 Speaker 1: Here's some of our favorite Jeff Tweety songs. Hit the 906 00:54:46,236 --> 00:54:49,196 Speaker 1: link to the playlist in the episode description and be 907 00:54:49,196 --> 00:54:51,396 Speaker 1: sure to check out our video episodes at YouTube dot 908 00:54:51,436 --> 00:54:54,556 Speaker 1: com slash broken Record Podcast, and be sure to follow 909 00:54:54,636 --> 00:54:57,756 Speaker 1: us on Instagram at the Broken Record Pod. You can 910 00:54:57,796 --> 00:55:01,116 Speaker 1: follow us on Twitter at broken Record. 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