1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:01,240 Speaker 1: Taking a Walk. 2 00:00:01,360 --> 00:00:03,960 Speaker 2: I've had shows that I thought were a disaster and 3 00:00:04,519 --> 00:00:07,480 Speaker 2: people loved it, or maybe I even heard a recording 4 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:09,640 Speaker 2: of it. It's like, oh my god, it's so interesting, 5 00:00:09,760 --> 00:00:12,960 Speaker 2: like that was unusual and beautiful something about it. 6 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:14,520 Speaker 3: But I felt terrible on stage. 7 00:00:14,520 --> 00:00:18,840 Speaker 2: I felt insecure or the opposite where and this happens 8 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:19,360 Speaker 2: a lot. 9 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:22,280 Speaker 3: Where in recording too, in the studio, where. 10 00:00:22,600 --> 00:00:26,040 Speaker 2: You get that feeling like I just nailed it, that 11 00:00:26,239 --> 00:00:29,040 Speaker 2: was perfect. I played the crap out of that song. 12 00:00:29,880 --> 00:00:31,760 Speaker 2: That's usually not the best take. 13 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:33,559 Speaker 4: I'm buzz night and welcome to the Take in a 14 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:37,040 Speaker 4: Walk podcast, the podcast where we delve into the stories 15 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:41,600 Speaker 4: behind the music with musicians of all type talking about 16 00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:47,680 Speaker 4: their influences, their creative processes, and their passions. Today, on 17 00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 4: this episode, we welcome Chris Wood from the Grammy nominated 18 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:56,800 Speaker 4: leaders of Americana roots music, the Wood Brothers. They're hitting 19 00:00:56,880 --> 00:01:00,400 Speaker 4: the road. They've released their eighth studio album, Hard is 20 00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:04,800 Speaker 4: the Hero, which is outstanding. Once again, here's Chris Wood. 21 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:06,200 Speaker 4: I'm taking a Walk. 22 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:10,319 Speaker 5: Thanks Chris for being on Taking a Walk. I want 23 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:13,680 Speaker 5: to ask you who instilled in you. 24 00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 4: The notion of pushing the envelope, which is so much 25 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:21,080 Speaker 4: a signature of you and the Wood brothers. 26 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:23,280 Speaker 3: Who instilled it. Should I be walking right now? 27 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:25,360 Speaker 2: By the way, I feel like I should be taking 28 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:28,680 Speaker 2: a walk literally, but maybe that's just a metaphor. 29 00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:30,400 Speaker 5: It could be both. 30 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:34,600 Speaker 4: So you can stay input, you can saunter, But as 31 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:37,280 Speaker 4: long as I've got you on a good quality space, 32 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:39,040 Speaker 4: I'll take it and grab. 33 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:41,680 Speaker 3: It, Okay, pushing the envelope. 34 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:48,120 Speaker 2: I guess when I started, well, the first thing I 35 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:50,520 Speaker 2: did early on when I was a kid is you know, 36 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:54,440 Speaker 2: I was really lucky to have some amazing mentors base 37 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:59,040 Speaker 2: professional base teachers in the Boulder, Denver area where I 38 00:01:59,080 --> 00:01:59,640 Speaker 2: was growing up. 39 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:02,720 Speaker 3: First guy studied with. 40 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:06,520 Speaker 2: Was kind of a young hockshot in the Boulder of 41 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:10,520 Speaker 2: Denver area, and he pushed me into all kinds of 42 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:13,600 Speaker 2: things like out of my you know, I was ninth grade, 43 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:17,000 Speaker 2: so I was into my brother and I were into 44 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:19,520 Speaker 2: sixties rock and roll and all kinds of things. But 45 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:26,079 Speaker 2: he definitely pushed me into more adventurous jazz music listening. 46 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 2: He I remember him giving me a cassette tape. One 47 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:31,360 Speaker 2: side was stan Getz, the other side of Stelonious Monk. 48 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:35,720 Speaker 2: At first, I gravitated towards the stan Getz, and the 49 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:37,600 Speaker 2: more I listened to both sides, the more and more 50 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:42,280 Speaker 2: I gravitated towards Stelonious Monk because it's just you know. 51 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:44,880 Speaker 2: It took me a minute, but once I once, once, 52 00:02:44,919 --> 00:02:46,679 Speaker 2: I got a taste for it, and I was like, oh, 53 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:51,240 Speaker 2: this is really cool. Stan Getz was nice, but Alonious Monk, 54 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 2: so I'd say he I I attribute maybe the beginnings 55 00:02:56,880 --> 00:03:01,080 Speaker 2: of that pushing the envelope to him. In high school, 56 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:04,520 Speaker 2: I was really lucky to have again a professional, local, 57 00:03:05,080 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 2: working bass player as the head of the jazz band 58 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:11,040 Speaker 2: that I was a part of. So I feel like, 59 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:13,080 Speaker 2: in my own tiny little bit way, I'm like a 60 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:18,080 Speaker 2: Malcolm Gladwell ten thousand Hours story, like where I lucked 61 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 2: out with some great mentors early on. Then I went 62 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:26,040 Speaker 2: to the New England Conservatory in Boston, and I studied 63 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:29,919 Speaker 2: with Dave Holland. But not only did I just study 64 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:34,080 Speaker 2: based with Dave Holland, but I studied music with Bob Moses, 65 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:39,440 Speaker 2: with Jerry Allen, great jazz pianist George Garzone, credible tenor 66 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 2: sax player John McNeil is a great trumpet player. All 67 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:49,720 Speaker 2: musicians known for pushing pe co envelope. So I remember 68 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:53,440 Speaker 2: having private lessons with Jerry Allen, you know, who just 69 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:58,640 Speaker 2: was a monstrous, incredible jazz pianist and so irreverent and 70 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 2: about the music, deeped in the tradition and yet pushing 71 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:06,240 Speaker 2: the envelope and really trying to do new things. At 72 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:12,200 Speaker 2: first we did I would say, more traditional lessons where 73 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 2: you know, she would have me do things like, oh, 74 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 2: go transcribe this Charles. 75 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:17,000 Speaker 3: Mingus solo or something. 76 00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 2: But eventually the lessons turned into as did most of 77 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:24,360 Speaker 2: my lessons with all those people, we have an hour 78 00:04:24,440 --> 00:04:29,560 Speaker 2: for a lesson, improvise, go, and so it was just 79 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:32,800 Speaker 2: this constant pushing and encouragement. 80 00:04:33,200 --> 00:04:35,600 Speaker 3: To explore, you know, explore. 81 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:40,360 Speaker 2: The instrument, explore the music, explore all the possibilities, while 82 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:43,799 Speaker 2: at the same time, you know, learning the history of music, 83 00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:45,599 Speaker 2: so you kind of knew where it all came from. 84 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:51,080 Speaker 2: So again, lucky to have some great mentors. Once I 85 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:54,760 Speaker 2: started Medeski Martin Wood with John Medeski and Billy Martin, 86 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 2: those guys were on the same trajectory, if not even 87 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:05,120 Speaker 2: more so, like a very independent minded always about stretching 88 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:09,280 Speaker 2: the music. We never knew what we were going to do. 89 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:11,120 Speaker 2: We always knew what we were not going to do, 90 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:15,440 Speaker 2: so we sort of had no idea what we were doing, 91 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:19,040 Speaker 2: but we knew we could by process of elimination, find 92 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:25,000 Speaker 2: a pass forward musically. The way we approached our career, 93 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:28,120 Speaker 2: the way we toured, everything about it was a very 94 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 2: independent spirit and not wanting to be boxed in and 95 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:33,440 Speaker 2: wanting to be able to call all the shots. 96 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:36,880 Speaker 4: You know, So your music and you touched on it 97 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:40,599 Speaker 4: spans all these different genres. And when I think of 98 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 4: the Wood Brothers, I don't think of the Wood Brothers 99 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 4: in a category. I think of funk and jazz and 100 00:05:47,760 --> 00:05:49,280 Speaker 4: folk and just. 101 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:52,880 Speaker 5: Gospel and just this range of things. 102 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:56,360 Speaker 4: How did your time when you spent in the Boston area, 103 00:05:56,440 --> 00:05:59,400 Speaker 4: since I'm outside of Boston, how did that sort of 104 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:02,680 Speaker 4: influence you in terms of where the spirit of the 105 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:06,640 Speaker 4: music around Boston is so diverse as well? 106 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:07,440 Speaker 3: Well? I didn't. 107 00:06:07,480 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 2: Honestly, I didn't last long in Boston. I went to 108 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 2: the New England Conservatory of Music. I was full time 109 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:20,400 Speaker 2: for one semester, and by the second semester I really 110 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:26,440 Speaker 2: just started working playing gigs. By the summertime, I did 111 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:31,560 Speaker 2: this crazy tour where this Israeli Sachs player hired me 112 00:06:31,839 --> 00:06:35,960 Speaker 2: John Medeski and Bob Moses and another person to be 113 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:38,279 Speaker 2: his rhythm section for a tour of Israel. 114 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:40,839 Speaker 3: And you know, I was very young. 115 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:43,479 Speaker 2: I was like twenty years old or twenty one years old, 116 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:48,200 Speaker 2: and it was just when Saddam Usain had invaded Kuwait, 117 00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:51,359 Speaker 2: but the official Gulf War hadn't started yet, but you know, 118 00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:54,800 Speaker 2: it was a lot of crazy stuff going on. Tensions 119 00:06:54,839 --> 00:07:00,120 Speaker 2: are really high, and here we were touring Israel and 120 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:03,320 Speaker 2: waiting for scud missiles to come over into Tel Aviv 121 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:04,040 Speaker 2: at any moment. 122 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 3: So it was an amazing experience, you know. 123 00:07:10,280 --> 00:07:13,400 Speaker 2: And by then that was my summer and I got 124 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:18,520 Speaker 2: a sublet New York City where I uh just played gigs, 125 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:21,640 Speaker 2: you know, down in Rivington. And this is back in 126 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:27,720 Speaker 2: the early nineties, and man was it not gentrified. So 127 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:31,840 Speaker 2: I was sort of almost scared to go out the 128 00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:35,000 Speaker 2: street and basically practiced all the time and then played 129 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:37,760 Speaker 2: some gigs and then went back from my second year 130 00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:40,920 Speaker 2: of school in Boston, but I was literally just part time. 131 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:45,280 Speaker 2: I'm only taking private lessons at that point. That's when 132 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:47,760 Speaker 2: I really went in deep with all those mentors that 133 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:51,160 Speaker 2: I thought told you about, and so I was really 134 00:07:51,200 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 2: just playing shows, playing playing gigs and taking the lessons. 135 00:07:55,680 --> 00:08:00,800 Speaker 2: And by the end of that year, John Medeski and 136 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:05,200 Speaker 2: I decided to get a place together in East Village, Manhattan, 137 00:08:05,240 --> 00:08:10,000 Speaker 2: and that's when we started Medeskie Martin. I would I 138 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:12,880 Speaker 2: think that was the summer of nineteen ninety one. 139 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:17,240 Speaker 4: Well, it's obvious you and the band love live performance, 140 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:22,760 Speaker 4: and you've chronicled live performances, you know, quite frequently in 141 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:25,160 Speaker 4: the history of the Wood Brothers as well. 142 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:30,480 Speaker 5: Who and what are some of the live performances that. 143 00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:36,000 Speaker 4: Really had an influence on you as a fan just 144 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:37,559 Speaker 4: watching and enjoying it. 145 00:08:38,960 --> 00:08:43,520 Speaker 2: I mean, living in New York City in the early nineties, 146 00:08:43,679 --> 00:08:47,800 Speaker 2: early to mid mid nineties, I was able to see 147 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:52,840 Speaker 2: a lot of cool stuff, some things that I really 148 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:54,360 Speaker 2: remember that were special. 149 00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:59,559 Speaker 3: Coachoo it was the great bass player from Cuba. 150 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:03,840 Speaker 2: He's basically like the Duke Ellington of Cuba invented the mambo. 151 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 2: And his nephew or cousin is Cuchaito Lopez. It's the 152 00:09:09,040 --> 00:09:12,680 Speaker 2: Lopez families, all the great great family bass players from Cuba. 153 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:16,119 Speaker 2: But he would the Cutchaito was part of the Brunavista 154 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:20,760 Speaker 2: social Club and all the offshoots of that. Coachow was 155 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:23,880 Speaker 2: kind of like the founding father, and he came out. 156 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:27,679 Speaker 2: Andy Garcia produced a double album with Coow that came 157 00:09:27,679 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 2: out around that time, and I got to see him 158 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:33,480 Speaker 2: at Soob's like right up close. That was a huge 159 00:09:33,520 --> 00:09:38,560 Speaker 2: influence seeing that, I remember seeing. I was also a 160 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:44,920 Speaker 2: huge sly Stone fan, and also through that, Graham Central 161 00:09:44,920 --> 00:09:49,160 Speaker 2: Station so Graham Larry Graham with Graham Central Station bass 162 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:53,199 Speaker 2: player for sly Stone, did a residency at Tramps in 163 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:55,920 Speaker 2: New York back then too. I remember that being incredible, 164 00:09:57,320 --> 00:09:59,720 Speaker 2: not just for the band and how amazing he was, 165 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:02,679 Speaker 2: but but also for the audience. You know, he's the 166 00:10:02,800 --> 00:10:07,640 Speaker 2: kind of musician that attracts musicians, and I just remember 167 00:10:08,559 --> 00:10:13,760 Speaker 2: being surrounded by incredible singers and musicians, New York musicians 168 00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:16,080 Speaker 2: in the audience who were like singing along and I 169 00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:17,400 Speaker 2: felt like I was in like. 170 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:21,920 Speaker 3: A church service, you know. It's incredible. That was a 171 00:10:21,920 --> 00:10:22,360 Speaker 3: good one. 172 00:10:23,160 --> 00:10:27,520 Speaker 2: And then just really cool stuff like the Balinese National 173 00:10:27,640 --> 00:10:33,160 Speaker 2: Orchestra coming to Town Hall, or like seeing Pendereki himself 174 00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:40,160 Speaker 2: conducting the threnity for the Victims of Hiroshima with the 175 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:44,320 Speaker 2: New York Orchestra you know, at Lincoln Hall and all 176 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:49,480 Speaker 2: kinds of just incredible music, and not only that, you know, 177 00:10:49,679 --> 00:10:53,559 Speaker 2: amazing dance performances. It's just it's just New York's amazing 178 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:57,080 Speaker 2: for that. You know, you could just get quite a 179 00:10:57,120 --> 00:11:02,720 Speaker 2: cultural education just by going out and seeing what's coming 180 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:03,200 Speaker 2: through town. 181 00:11:04,679 --> 00:11:08,720 Speaker 4: Do you remember the moment that first cemented your love 182 00:11:08,800 --> 00:11:11,880 Speaker 4: and passion for music at Like how old you were 183 00:11:11,960 --> 00:11:13,840 Speaker 4: in the moment that that happened. 184 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:17,679 Speaker 2: I don't know if there was a singular moment, but 185 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:20,360 Speaker 2: there was definitely an influence from our father, you know, 186 00:11:20,480 --> 00:11:24,839 Speaker 2: who was by trade a molecular biologist, like he was 187 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:29,760 Speaker 2: sort of a respected scientist. But when he was at 188 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:33,880 Speaker 2: Harvard in the late fifties, he was also and as 189 00:11:33,920 --> 00:11:36,160 Speaker 2: a kid, you know, he was obsessed with folk music 190 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:42,360 Speaker 2: and was in that same generation as Bob Dylan, soaking 191 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:45,120 Speaker 2: up all the same music. So when he was a 192 00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:48,000 Speaker 2: kid living in Saint Louis, there was all these musicians 193 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:51,280 Speaker 2: coming up from the Ozarks and from Appalachia, and he 194 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:54,080 Speaker 2: was cutting class and learning all these songs. By the 195 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:56,800 Speaker 2: time he's in Harvard in the late fifties, he had 196 00:11:56,840 --> 00:11:58,880 Speaker 2: his own radio show, he had his own band, he 197 00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:02,920 Speaker 2: was doing duets with Joan Baez, and he knew like 198 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:05,840 Speaker 2: four hundred folk songs, like he just had that kind 199 00:12:05,880 --> 00:12:08,880 Speaker 2: of mind, you know, So he didn't he could have 200 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:12,800 Speaker 2: pursued it as his profession. But even though he didn't, 201 00:12:12,960 --> 00:12:15,480 Speaker 2: we grew up with him singing and playing guitar around 202 00:12:15,520 --> 00:12:17,560 Speaker 2: the house. And so I would say that is the 203 00:12:17,600 --> 00:12:21,280 Speaker 2: earlyest influence, seeing you know, up close, someone who can 204 00:12:21,320 --> 00:12:25,200 Speaker 2: really play the guitar and sing a song, and that 205 00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:29,040 Speaker 2: always stuck with me. I don't think I appreciated it 206 00:12:29,120 --> 00:12:32,080 Speaker 2: until he started The Wood Brothers, you know, because I 207 00:12:32,240 --> 00:12:35,600 Speaker 2: was off exploring a whole different musical universe in New 208 00:12:35,679 --> 00:12:38,480 Speaker 2: York City and with Letiski Martin and Wood. 209 00:12:38,480 --> 00:12:40,000 Speaker 3: And by the time. 210 00:12:39,840 --> 00:12:44,439 Speaker 2: The Wood Brothers started, you know, we were sort of 211 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:48,520 Speaker 2: in our mid to late thirties and reflecting back, it 212 00:12:48,559 --> 00:12:50,560 Speaker 2: was like, oh, this is like coming full circle mount 213 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:54,000 Speaker 2: being in a band where we're really writing songs and 214 00:12:54,120 --> 00:12:58,720 Speaker 2: exploring roots American music in that way. That's when we've 215 00:12:58,760 --> 00:13:01,080 Speaker 2: kind of felt the connection back our father in those 216 00:13:01,120 --> 00:13:02,080 Speaker 2: early days. 217 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:07,440 Speaker 4: Can you take us inside the process that went down 218 00:13:07,559 --> 00:13:10,360 Speaker 4: for Hard as the Hero, which is your latest and 219 00:13:10,400 --> 00:13:17,520 Speaker 4: it's just outstanding. The songwriting process the recording process. Give 220 00:13:17,600 --> 00:13:20,360 Speaker 4: us a little glimpse into how you guys work. 221 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:27,000 Speaker 2: Well, I mean the songs kind of come from different 222 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:30,400 Speaker 2: directions and grow organically. I mean it might be some 223 00:13:30,559 --> 00:13:33,080 Speaker 2: lyrics or some music that Oliver starts. It might be 224 00:13:33,160 --> 00:13:36,280 Speaker 2: lyrics and music that I start. It might be even 225 00:13:36,360 --> 00:13:39,040 Speaker 2: just a musical idea that JOHNO comes up with, whether 226 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:43,600 Speaker 2: it's on the keyboard or the drums. Sometimes the lyrics 227 00:13:43,840 --> 00:13:47,240 Speaker 2: are disembodied for a while, they live just on the 228 00:13:47,280 --> 00:13:50,320 Speaker 2: page without music, and then a piece of music comes along, 229 00:13:51,080 --> 00:13:53,800 Speaker 2: like the voice memo for example, maybe a sound check 230 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:58,760 Speaker 2: groove that we just spontaneously play together, and suddenly whoever 231 00:13:58,760 --> 00:14:01,280 Speaker 2: wrote the lyrics is like, oh, that this actually is 232 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:05,640 Speaker 2: the perfect kind of music for these lyrics. Some music 233 00:14:06,960 --> 00:14:10,839 Speaker 2: is good at generating lyrics, you know, like it might 234 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:13,640 Speaker 2: be a very generic piece of music that's for some 235 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:18,000 Speaker 2: reason it inspires you to write a story or create imagery. 236 00:14:19,040 --> 00:14:24,600 Speaker 2: But then once that's done, you might realize, like, well this, 237 00:14:25,680 --> 00:14:27,920 Speaker 2: if I keep this music, it's not going to be 238 00:14:28,040 --> 00:14:31,040 Speaker 2: very interesting. So let's now that I have the lyrics, 239 00:14:31,080 --> 00:14:34,840 Speaker 2: let's throw away the music find a different piece of music. 240 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:37,680 Speaker 2: Let's find a new home for these words, and some 241 00:14:37,760 --> 00:14:41,600 Speaker 2: really interesting things can happen that way, you know. So 242 00:14:42,320 --> 00:14:45,680 Speaker 2: you can take a very generic country waltz or blues 243 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:51,440 Speaker 2: form and it's kind of great for generating phrases of words, 244 00:14:51,520 --> 00:14:53,800 Speaker 2: you know. But in the end you're like, well, okay, 245 00:14:54,040 --> 00:14:57,760 Speaker 2: that was great, but musically, let's do something more interesting, 246 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:00,760 Speaker 2: let's do something different. So there's all is that, you know, 247 00:15:00,800 --> 00:15:04,840 Speaker 2: There's there's always that process of creating and throwing away, 248 00:15:04,960 --> 00:15:10,120 Speaker 2: creating and throwing away, and by the end of hundreds 249 00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:13,720 Speaker 2: of choices, you end up with something that's uniquely yours. 250 00:15:15,320 --> 00:15:18,160 Speaker 2: It's it's quite a variety of ways that the songs 251 00:15:18,200 --> 00:15:25,120 Speaker 2: get written. The recording process, and this one was interesting, 252 00:15:26,520 --> 00:15:29,880 Speaker 2: you know, only because we went fully to tape. 253 00:15:31,240 --> 00:15:33,560 Speaker 3: We didn't use a computer, so a. 254 00:15:33,480 --> 00:15:35,760 Speaker 2: Lot of people record a tape. But what we decided 255 00:15:35,840 --> 00:15:37,760 Speaker 2: that we weren't even going to turn on a screen 256 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:42,120 Speaker 2: for the recording process. What we didn't realize is how 257 00:15:42,280 --> 00:15:47,640 Speaker 2: profound that is. And I think most people you talk 258 00:15:47,760 --> 00:15:51,640 Speaker 2: to in this modern world don't go a single day 259 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:54,440 Speaker 2: without turning on a screen of some kind, and I 260 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:58,320 Speaker 2: think we've forgotten what it's like to live without them. 261 00:15:58,960 --> 00:16:03,800 Speaker 2: We get all our information, sure screens now, and with 262 00:16:03,920 --> 00:16:06,880 Speaker 2: all this information and data that comes through the screens, 263 00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:13,560 Speaker 2: we are able to agonize over all these choices that 264 00:16:13,600 --> 00:16:15,840 Speaker 2: we make in our lives, whether it's the weather or 265 00:16:15,880 --> 00:16:18,240 Speaker 2: the stock market, or the news, or the traffic or 266 00:16:18,880 --> 00:16:22,880 Speaker 2: all these things that before the screens existed, you just 267 00:16:22,920 --> 00:16:27,680 Speaker 2: pay attention to your present moment and your environment immediately 268 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:31,080 Speaker 2: around you and make split second decisions based off what 269 00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:35,760 Speaker 2: you see and hear and feel very obvious what I'm saying, 270 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:39,560 Speaker 2: But we take it so for granted now that all 271 00:16:39,600 --> 00:16:42,200 Speaker 2: this data is streaming through these screens, that kind of 272 00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 2: have to take a minute to really remember what that 273 00:16:44,400 --> 00:16:48,840 Speaker 2: was like. So making this record it felt like going 274 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:50,800 Speaker 2: back to that little bit we never try on a 275 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:54,520 Speaker 2: screen when you don't use a computer. I think we 276 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:57,680 Speaker 2: have to remind people that the way most records are 277 00:16:57,720 --> 00:17:02,040 Speaker 2: made these days with computers, anything you record you can 278 00:17:02,080 --> 00:17:06,320 Speaker 2: be manipulated in just endless amount of ways, right, so 279 00:17:06,960 --> 00:17:11,840 Speaker 2: it changes the whole mindset, Like whatever the performance, whatever 280 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:15,679 Speaker 2: happened in the performance, can be manipulated or fixed, you know, 281 00:17:15,760 --> 00:17:18,840 Speaker 2: as people say like, well that wasn't a perfect take, 282 00:17:18,960 --> 00:17:22,080 Speaker 2: but we can fix it with a computer. We'll change 283 00:17:22,240 --> 00:17:24,240 Speaker 2: you know, we'll mute this part, or edit this part, 284 00:17:24,359 --> 00:17:27,199 Speaker 2: or I'll re record this one little part, or when 285 00:17:27,240 --> 00:17:32,040 Speaker 2: you go onto tape, that option is not there, at 286 00:17:32,160 --> 00:17:35,919 Speaker 2: least not as simply, it's quite a risky task to 287 00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:38,679 Speaker 2: try to redo a little part of a song, right 288 00:17:38,720 --> 00:17:41,840 Speaker 2: because you could destroy the entire take by erasing too 289 00:17:41,880 --> 00:17:44,040 Speaker 2: much of the song, you know. 290 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:46,880 Speaker 3: So the result is it. 291 00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:50,320 Speaker 2: Completely changes your decision process when you listen back. If 292 00:17:50,760 --> 00:17:53,480 Speaker 2: we go in and retrack a song, we go into 293 00:17:53,600 --> 00:17:57,200 Speaker 2: the control room to listen back to it. Instead of 294 00:17:57,520 --> 00:18:00,000 Speaker 2: having the mindset of like, well, this may not be perfect, 295 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:03,800 Speaker 2: but we can fix it, it changes to does this 296 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:05,920 Speaker 2: feel good or does it not feel good? 297 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:09,720 Speaker 3: And if it feels good enough that you can forgive 298 00:18:09,880 --> 00:18:14,679 Speaker 3: any imperfections, then you go with it. But if it 299 00:18:14,680 --> 00:18:15,720 Speaker 3: doesn't feel good. 300 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:20,000 Speaker 2: Enough, then you just perform it again. Is not the 301 00:18:20,080 --> 00:18:21,280 Speaker 2: option to six. 302 00:18:21,960 --> 00:18:25,800 Speaker 3: So you know, everyone closes their eyes, you play the tape. 303 00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:31,479 Speaker 2: And it's purely listening. When you have a screen and 304 00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:34,760 Speaker 2: you're listening back to a take, you see the waveforms 305 00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:38,360 Speaker 2: on the screen, so you're not purely listening. You're watching 306 00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:42,640 Speaker 2: the music, and you can see before a sound happens, 307 00:18:42,640 --> 00:18:44,680 Speaker 2: you can see it on the screen, so oh, here 308 00:18:44,720 --> 00:18:48,560 Speaker 2: comes the vocal, here comes the drum track, and it's 309 00:18:48,640 --> 00:18:51,560 Speaker 2: not that's not the way we experience music when we're 310 00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:57,040 Speaker 2: just a listener, appreciator, or a fan. So it's all 311 00:18:57,040 --> 00:19:00,200 Speaker 2: these things again, so obvious, but it really does. Has 312 00:19:00,280 --> 00:19:04,240 Speaker 2: changed the way you perceive and experience the music, and 313 00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:07,640 Speaker 2: therefore is the creator changes the way you make decisions 314 00:19:07,760 --> 00:19:11,919 Speaker 2: about you know, what is good and what is not 315 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:12,639 Speaker 2: good enough. 316 00:19:13,400 --> 00:19:14,280 Speaker 3: Does that makes sense? 317 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:19,359 Speaker 4: Yeah, it really does, because even before you went and 318 00:19:19,440 --> 00:19:26,560 Speaker 4: talked about imperfection, which is so missing in so much 319 00:19:26,680 --> 00:19:31,040 Speaker 4: music these days. Yes, you read my mind where I 320 00:19:31,119 --> 00:19:32,280 Speaker 4: was going to go next. 321 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:34,639 Speaker 2: Well, this is and this is an important point to 322 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:37,240 Speaker 2: put to This is our what I'd like to point 323 00:19:37,240 --> 00:19:39,439 Speaker 2: this out because it's so important and it's the reason, 324 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:43,840 Speaker 2: the explanation of what you just said of why so 325 00:19:43,960 --> 00:19:47,000 Speaker 2: much music today is missing the imperfections. Which are these 326 00:19:47,040 --> 00:19:51,679 Speaker 2: imperfections that a lot of our favorite recordings of the 327 00:19:51,720 --> 00:19:54,840 Speaker 2: golden age of recording, like the early seventies. Let's say, 328 00:19:55,480 --> 00:19:58,320 Speaker 2: there's imperfections that become your favorite part. 329 00:19:58,119 --> 00:19:58,639 Speaker 3: Of the song. 330 00:19:58,840 --> 00:20:02,840 Speaker 2: You know, it's the most human part. And through things 331 00:20:02,920 --> 00:20:06,760 Speaker 2: like pro tools and all the computer editing The way 332 00:20:07,480 --> 00:20:11,760 Speaker 2: people mix songs is they listen to it and they're like, oh, 333 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:13,919 Speaker 2: that could be a little better. I'm gonna adjust that 334 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:16,040 Speaker 2: level and I'm gonna tweak that little part, and then 335 00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:18,600 Speaker 2: they listen to it again. Oh, now I hear something else. 336 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:22,359 Speaker 2: I'm gonna just change that. And we describe it as 337 00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:25,480 Speaker 2: like a microscope. You're putting a microscope that's way too 338 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:29,480 Speaker 2: powerful over this piece of music and seeing all the 339 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:32,520 Speaker 2: little rough edges. And when you get in that mindset, 340 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:37,080 Speaker 2: your tendency is to fix all the rough edges because 341 00:20:37,240 --> 00:20:40,840 Speaker 2: you can. That's you know, it's kind of this amazing 342 00:20:40,840 --> 00:20:44,600 Speaker 2: technology you can do that. But the result is you 343 00:20:44,680 --> 00:20:49,359 Speaker 2: tend to eventually massage out of the music all of 344 00:20:49,400 --> 00:20:50,200 Speaker 2: the personality. 345 00:20:51,200 --> 00:20:53,000 Speaker 3: So it's not. 346 00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:55,920 Speaker 2: To say that the technology is useless or you shouldn't 347 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:58,560 Speaker 2: use it, but you have to be mindful of that, 348 00:20:59,200 --> 00:21:01,840 Speaker 2: and it's always good to remember that so that you 349 00:21:01,880 --> 00:21:05,959 Speaker 2: act quickly and you trust your gut instinct. But if 350 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:08,560 Speaker 2: you only if you just keep using the technology because 351 00:21:08,760 --> 00:21:12,640 Speaker 2: it's there and it's an option and you can. Yeah, 352 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:15,120 Speaker 2: the end result tends to feel. 353 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:19,440 Speaker 5: Really really well. 354 00:21:19,480 --> 00:21:22,639 Speaker 1: Put will be right back with more The Taking a 355 00:21:22,680 --> 00:21:30,879 Speaker 1: Walk Podcast Welcome back to the Taking a Walk podcast. 356 00:21:32,800 --> 00:21:36,600 Speaker 4: So hard as the hero, there is a theme that 357 00:21:36,680 --> 00:21:42,000 Speaker 4: I detect running through of sort of mindfulness and enjoying 358 00:21:42,080 --> 00:21:47,040 Speaker 4: and savoring moments. Uh Pilgrim is one that sort of 359 00:21:47,040 --> 00:21:51,560 Speaker 4: says we're all running around too fast to slow down, 360 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:54,800 Speaker 4: and and and and rolling on as a beautiful one 361 00:21:54,840 --> 00:21:59,280 Speaker 4: about you know, finding love. Is that the guiding light 362 00:22:00,720 --> 00:22:03,840 Speaker 4: between the beats, you know, Oliver pulls that sort of 363 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:11,480 Speaker 4: meditation technique and line those pockets. Also is really kind 364 00:22:11,480 --> 00:22:16,600 Speaker 4: of looking at mercy and material materialism. How did you 365 00:22:16,600 --> 00:22:21,800 Speaker 4: guys get to this wonderful place that embodies the spirit 366 00:22:22,080 --> 00:22:23,399 Speaker 4: of this album. 367 00:22:24,880 --> 00:22:27,439 Speaker 2: It's something we talk about a lot, I mean, and 368 00:22:27,600 --> 00:22:32,320 Speaker 2: not just recently, but for years, you know, constantly fascinated. 369 00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:38,400 Speaker 2: And it stems from looking back at performing because after 370 00:22:38,560 --> 00:22:40,800 Speaker 2: shows we're always talking about what did that feel like 371 00:22:40,840 --> 00:22:41,120 Speaker 2: for you? 372 00:22:41,160 --> 00:22:43,480 Speaker 3: And what did she like for you? Was it good? 373 00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:45,400 Speaker 3: Was it bad? What does that even mean? 374 00:22:46,480 --> 00:22:50,000 Speaker 2: And I think what we've all learned any any musician 375 00:22:50,040 --> 00:22:52,760 Speaker 2: who's been doing this kind of thing long enough learns 376 00:22:52,800 --> 00:22:58,119 Speaker 2: eventually is that however they think it went, that it 377 00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:00,360 Speaker 2: doesn't mean it's good or bad. You know that you 378 00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:04,960 Speaker 2: can't trust the way your just personal experience was. I've 379 00:23:04,960 --> 00:23:08,639 Speaker 2: had shows that I thought were a disaster and people 380 00:23:08,680 --> 00:23:11,480 Speaker 2: loved it, or maybe I even heard a recording of it. 381 00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:14,080 Speaker 2: It's like, oh my god, so interesting, like that was 382 00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:17,800 Speaker 2: unusual and beautiful something about it. But I felt terrible 383 00:23:17,840 --> 00:23:22,359 Speaker 2: on stage. I felt insecure or the opposite where And 384 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:25,840 Speaker 2: this happens a lot in recording too, in the studio 385 00:23:25,920 --> 00:23:29,440 Speaker 2: where you get that feeling like I just nailed it, 386 00:23:30,040 --> 00:23:31,000 Speaker 2: that was perfect. 387 00:23:31,080 --> 00:23:34,880 Speaker 3: I played the crap out of that song. That's usually 388 00:23:34,960 --> 00:23:35,880 Speaker 3: not the best take. 389 00:23:36,600 --> 00:23:40,480 Speaker 2: You know, there's no because it lacks in general, those 390 00:23:40,600 --> 00:23:45,440 Speaker 2: kind of when you feel that way, it's your two 391 00:23:45,480 --> 00:23:50,440 Speaker 2: in control and it lacks vulnerability, and it lacks Humanity's 392 00:23:51,119 --> 00:23:54,160 Speaker 2: you've perfected something, You've turned it into a formula when 393 00:23:54,160 --> 00:23:57,760 Speaker 2: you feel that way, and you can repeat that formula, 394 00:23:57,920 --> 00:24:00,639 Speaker 2: But that formula is never as interesting as that vulnerable 395 00:24:00,680 --> 00:24:03,880 Speaker 2: first take when you actually didn't know what was happening. 396 00:24:05,320 --> 00:24:09,640 Speaker 2: So once you accept that you're not in control and 397 00:24:10,119 --> 00:24:13,240 Speaker 2: you're not even really I mean, there's a lot to 398 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:15,960 Speaker 2: be said about preparation, but ultimately, in the heat of 399 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:19,840 Speaker 2: the moment, in the final performance, no matter what, you're 400 00:24:19,880 --> 00:24:22,520 Speaker 2: really not in control to how it turns out, because 401 00:24:22,520 --> 00:24:25,600 Speaker 2: it's just too much happening. But the one thing you 402 00:24:25,640 --> 00:24:29,200 Speaker 2: can in control of is your presence of mind and 403 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:31,880 Speaker 2: just paying attention. That's the one thing you can do. 404 00:24:32,640 --> 00:24:35,560 Speaker 2: And it's the most important thing, of course, and that's 405 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:39,200 Speaker 2: you know, this gets talked about. People have been talking 406 00:24:39,240 --> 00:24:43,280 Speaker 2: about that for thousands of years. And it's a slippery slope, right, 407 00:24:43,400 --> 00:24:46,120 Speaker 2: And how do you do that? How do you get 408 00:24:46,160 --> 00:24:47,760 Speaker 2: out of your own way? How do you not be 409 00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:50,919 Speaker 2: self conscious? You know, all these sort of paradoxes and 410 00:24:50,920 --> 00:24:54,959 Speaker 2: conundrums that people struggle with. So there's a lyric that 411 00:24:55,119 --> 00:25:00,439 Speaker 2: repeats itself on the records and two different songs and 412 00:25:00,440 --> 00:25:05,440 Speaker 2: it's remember to remember. So the hardest thing about this, 413 00:25:05,760 --> 00:25:09,280 Speaker 2: like if I asked you, like, can you enjoy yourself 414 00:25:09,359 --> 00:25:12,399 Speaker 2: right now? Can you just like in people? You know, 415 00:25:12,440 --> 00:25:15,200 Speaker 2: it's like a guided meditation, right, Someone guiding a meditation 416 00:25:15,320 --> 00:25:17,879 Speaker 2: will get you to be mindful of your body and 417 00:25:18,040 --> 00:25:20,200 Speaker 2: like think of your feet and your shoulders and your 418 00:25:20,200 --> 00:25:22,600 Speaker 2: neck and can you relax and can you breathe and 419 00:25:23,240 --> 00:25:25,719 Speaker 2: can you smile and actually enjoy this moment even if 420 00:25:25,760 --> 00:25:27,480 Speaker 2: you have a few cranky parts in your body? 421 00:25:27,600 --> 00:25:30,600 Speaker 3: Right? Now, it's actually not that hard, right if you 422 00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:31,800 Speaker 3: allow yourself. 423 00:25:31,440 --> 00:25:34,720 Speaker 2: A moment to go there, no big deal, Like most 424 00:25:34,760 --> 00:25:38,440 Speaker 2: people can make themselves feel better and gain some presence 425 00:25:38,480 --> 00:25:43,399 Speaker 2: of mind. The hardest thing about it is like, suddenly 426 00:25:43,400 --> 00:25:45,160 Speaker 2: you're up on stage in front of a whole bunch 427 00:25:45,160 --> 00:25:49,440 Speaker 2: of people performing. Can you do it then? Or when 428 00:25:49,440 --> 00:25:52,160 Speaker 2: someone in the studio hits the record button and you're 429 00:25:52,160 --> 00:25:55,080 Speaker 2: trying to make your definitive version of a song for 430 00:25:55,160 --> 00:25:58,800 Speaker 2: a record, you know, and that pressure is on you, 431 00:25:58,840 --> 00:26:02,280 Speaker 2: can you get yourself into that space right then? And 432 00:26:02,320 --> 00:26:05,400 Speaker 2: so we found that the hardest thing about being mindful 433 00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:09,760 Speaker 2: of and being present is remembering to do it. And 434 00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:14,679 Speaker 2: so it becomes an interesting practice of like, sure, you 435 00:26:14,720 --> 00:26:16,520 Speaker 2: can do it when you're all alone and you're in 436 00:26:16,560 --> 00:26:18,359 Speaker 2: a peaceful place, but can you do it in a 437 00:26:18,440 --> 00:26:21,560 Speaker 2: chaotic place? Can you do it when you're in pain? 438 00:26:21,760 --> 00:26:23,760 Speaker 2: Can you do it when you're in the middle of 439 00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:28,200 Speaker 2: an argument with someone else? Like practicing presence of mind 440 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:33,000 Speaker 2: in difficult situations is where you really learn how to 441 00:26:33,040 --> 00:26:38,320 Speaker 2: do it. So as a performer and dealing with you know, 442 00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:41,440 Speaker 2: the nerves or the tension or other things that can 443 00:26:41,880 --> 00:26:45,359 Speaker 2: happen on stage in your mind, or the fact that 444 00:26:45,440 --> 00:26:48,600 Speaker 2: maybe your monitors are not working or something technically is 445 00:26:48,640 --> 00:26:56,360 Speaker 2: going around, Can you still relax, listen and enjoy what's happening. 446 00:26:57,520 --> 00:27:00,280 Speaker 2: I think so much of the best music happened when 447 00:27:00,280 --> 00:27:03,200 Speaker 2: we kind of don't even realize it, because really, all 448 00:27:03,200 --> 00:27:06,359 Speaker 2: you're doing in that moment is listening not to yourself 449 00:27:06,440 --> 00:27:10,360 Speaker 2: but to the other people in the band. And if 450 00:27:10,359 --> 00:27:12,720 Speaker 2: you're in a state of mind where you trust your 451 00:27:12,760 --> 00:27:16,920 Speaker 2: own instincts without thinking about it, you just react with 452 00:27:17,480 --> 00:27:22,680 Speaker 2: the perfect appropriate response. So there's a lot of trust involved. 453 00:27:25,240 --> 00:27:25,439 Speaker 3: You know. 454 00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:27,520 Speaker 5: We produce this other podcasts. 455 00:27:28,240 --> 00:27:32,840 Speaker 4: It's called Music Save Me, and it focuses on kind 456 00:27:32,840 --> 00:27:37,600 Speaker 4: of the healing power of music from musicians' viewpoint. 457 00:27:38,280 --> 00:27:41,680 Speaker 5: Do you believe music has healing powers? 458 00:27:42,880 --> 00:27:44,879 Speaker 3: Well, yeah, of course. 459 00:27:44,960 --> 00:27:48,480 Speaker 2: I mean the music is incredible, you know, like when 460 00:27:48,520 --> 00:27:50,960 Speaker 2: Bob Marley, Bob Marley said it all with you know, 461 00:27:51,040 --> 00:27:55,399 Speaker 2: once the music hits you feel all right, right, that's true. 462 00:27:55,760 --> 00:27:59,040 Speaker 2: It's amazing when you put on some music, it literally 463 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:02,760 Speaker 2: immediately changes your state of mind. So that's truly a 464 00:28:02,800 --> 00:28:08,119 Speaker 2: magical thing. But I think it's probably not much different 465 00:28:08,160 --> 00:28:11,560 Speaker 2: than paying attention to anything. You know, if you're in 466 00:28:10,680 --> 00:28:14,000 Speaker 2: a drab, blank room and all of a sudden someone 467 00:28:14,080 --> 00:28:16,760 Speaker 2: hangs an amazing piece of artwork or puts this incredible 468 00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:19,399 Speaker 2: bouquet of flowers in there, and you smell it and 469 00:28:19,440 --> 00:28:25,000 Speaker 2: you see the colors. Anything that is organic and there's 470 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:28,560 Speaker 2: something to focus on. I think also does things to 471 00:28:28,640 --> 00:28:31,879 Speaker 2: your mind that are probably similar. But I think the 472 00:28:32,040 --> 00:28:38,840 Speaker 2: practice of playing music is feeling just because you're working 473 00:28:38,920 --> 00:28:42,400 Speaker 2: on those very things of trying of being present while 474 00:28:42,440 --> 00:28:43,360 Speaker 2: you're doing something. 475 00:28:43,400 --> 00:28:44,720 Speaker 3: And I think. 476 00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:48,960 Speaker 2: Playing an instrument or singing comes with all kinds of baggage. 477 00:28:49,160 --> 00:28:53,280 Speaker 2: You know, you have this desire to be good at it. 478 00:28:53,960 --> 00:28:55,840 Speaker 2: Maybe not when you're a tiny little kid and you're 479 00:28:55,880 --> 00:28:58,280 Speaker 2: first banging on a piano and you've never you know, 480 00:28:58,320 --> 00:29:02,680 Speaker 2: it's just probably this euphoric outburst, but eventually, when you 481 00:29:03,040 --> 00:29:07,000 Speaker 2: get indoctrinated with all the hang ups of society, your 482 00:29:07,040 --> 00:29:09,120 Speaker 2: desire when you're play an instrument is that you're supposed 483 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:12,480 Speaker 2: to be good at it, and that is the one 484 00:29:12,520 --> 00:29:14,400 Speaker 2: thing that will get in the way of you making 485 00:29:14,400 --> 00:29:17,040 Speaker 2: good music. You're going to be so hung up on that. 486 00:29:17,160 --> 00:29:21,360 Speaker 2: So that's when then you have to start practicing. How 487 00:29:21,360 --> 00:29:25,320 Speaker 2: do I let go of that and simply pay attention 488 00:29:25,440 --> 00:29:28,360 Speaker 2: not to myself because I'm going to focus on the 489 00:29:28,400 --> 00:29:30,920 Speaker 2: minutia of whether I'm doing it right or wrong, but 490 00:29:31,040 --> 00:29:35,440 Speaker 2: instead focus on everything else but myself and learn how. 491 00:29:35,320 --> 00:29:38,560 Speaker 3: To trust that I will react appropriately. 492 00:29:38,840 --> 00:29:41,920 Speaker 2: And that's that's the essence of even just living in 493 00:29:41,960 --> 00:29:44,160 Speaker 2: the present moment, whether you're playing music or not right, 494 00:29:44,400 --> 00:29:48,240 Speaker 2: just paying attention and trusting that if you simply pay attention, 495 00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:52,080 Speaker 2: you'll know what to do. Your environment will tell you 496 00:29:52,120 --> 00:29:55,120 Speaker 2: what to do, but you have to trust yourself to 497 00:29:55,280 --> 00:30:00,240 Speaker 2: let go of the forethought and the hang ups. So 498 00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:02,840 Speaker 2: easier said than done, but it's it does. It really 499 00:30:02,840 --> 00:30:03,560 Speaker 2: takes practice. 500 00:30:05,120 --> 00:30:08,200 Speaker 5: How does being an organic farmer help you as a creator? 501 00:30:09,400 --> 00:30:13,800 Speaker 2: It it takes me away from my instrument. I mean, 502 00:30:13,840 --> 00:30:16,320 Speaker 2: I think you'll hear a lot of our artists talk again, 503 00:30:16,680 --> 00:30:19,840 Speaker 2: people like Rick Rubin or you know, all kinds of creators. 504 00:30:19,840 --> 00:30:22,880 Speaker 2: We'll talk about the power of simply taking a walk. 505 00:30:23,760 --> 00:30:25,400 Speaker 2: You know, if you're if you're working on a song 506 00:30:25,560 --> 00:30:28,000 Speaker 2: or working on something creative or writing a book or 507 00:30:28,040 --> 00:30:29,880 Speaker 2: whatever it may be, and you take a walk. There's 508 00:30:29,880 --> 00:30:33,360 Speaker 2: something about that. So farming is a lot of heavy 509 00:30:33,440 --> 00:30:39,400 Speaker 2: labor and repetitive and you know, uh, we do most 510 00:30:39,440 --> 00:30:40,840 Speaker 2: of our farming not with machines. 511 00:30:40,880 --> 00:30:41,000 Speaker 1: You know. 512 00:30:41,040 --> 00:30:44,600 Speaker 2: We're on a small farm and on an island in 513 00:30:44,600 --> 00:30:47,760 Speaker 2: British Columbia, and so, uh, it's just a lot of 514 00:30:48,480 --> 00:30:52,680 Speaker 2: sort of just labor, but in a beautiful place. There's birds, 515 00:30:52,680 --> 00:30:56,600 Speaker 2: there's lots of wildlife here is amazing. So it's a 516 00:30:56,640 --> 00:30:59,640 Speaker 2: peaceful place where you just do hard work for hours 517 00:30:59,640 --> 00:31:03,920 Speaker 2: on end, and that's a great time for a song 518 00:31:04,000 --> 00:31:07,200 Speaker 2: to kind of it's like a meditation. It's a time 519 00:31:07,240 --> 00:31:10,000 Speaker 2: to kind of let a song just keep looping in 520 00:31:10,040 --> 00:31:16,040 Speaker 2: a pleasant way away from your instrument, and I stumble 521 00:31:16,080 --> 00:31:19,600 Speaker 2: across a lot of good ideas I think doing that, 522 00:31:20,400 --> 00:31:23,920 Speaker 2: and it also gets your way from over practicing. 523 00:31:25,600 --> 00:31:25,840 Speaker 3: You know. 524 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:29,080 Speaker 2: I think a lot of my heroes for talking about 525 00:31:29,760 --> 00:31:35,400 Speaker 2: classic blues musicians, and there's all kinds of people that 526 00:31:35,400 --> 00:31:37,560 Speaker 2: that we love, you know, in the sort of Alan 527 00:31:37,640 --> 00:31:44,040 Speaker 2: lomackx folk tradition of recordings that weren't working hard all day, 528 00:31:44,120 --> 00:31:47,840 Speaker 2: they weren't sitting around practicing scales in a room. Like 529 00:31:47,960 --> 00:31:51,320 Speaker 2: their music came at the end of our day because 530 00:31:51,360 --> 00:31:53,960 Speaker 2: they needed it, you know, they needed. 531 00:31:53,640 --> 00:31:56,800 Speaker 3: That release that it was this joyful expression. 532 00:31:58,080 --> 00:32:00,800 Speaker 2: I think all this work and being away from my 533 00:32:00,840 --> 00:32:04,440 Speaker 2: instrument then creates at hungards and there's never a chance 534 00:32:04,480 --> 00:32:06,960 Speaker 2: I'm ever going to be burnt out. I think there 535 00:32:07,000 --> 00:32:10,640 Speaker 2: can be a danger creatively to working on something too 536 00:32:10,800 --> 00:32:14,280 Speaker 2: much in a room by yourself, to practicing too much. 537 00:32:14,400 --> 00:32:17,200 Speaker 2: You can go down all kinds of rabbit holes and 538 00:32:17,280 --> 00:32:20,920 Speaker 2: maybe lose sight of what's vital about music. 539 00:32:22,560 --> 00:32:26,880 Speaker 6: Chrisen closing, what do you think the future uncharted territory 540 00:32:27,080 --> 00:32:29,720 Speaker 6: is for you and the Wood Brothers, Because you guys 541 00:32:29,720 --> 00:32:32,600 Speaker 6: are always looking forward. 542 00:32:33,680 --> 00:32:38,040 Speaker 2: I think once you fall in love, once you understand. 543 00:32:39,160 --> 00:32:41,560 Speaker 2: I mean, the beautiful thing about music is that nobody 544 00:32:41,760 --> 00:32:43,480 Speaker 2: has ever figured it out. 545 00:32:43,720 --> 00:32:45,480 Speaker 3: No one's ever gonna figure it out. 546 00:32:45,600 --> 00:32:49,760 Speaker 2: It's just the endless one of those endless games that 547 00:32:50,560 --> 00:32:54,960 Speaker 2: it's those infinite possibilities. If anything, you can start to 548 00:32:55,000 --> 00:33:00,200 Speaker 2: at least get familiar of the process and why the 549 00:33:00,240 --> 00:33:01,240 Speaker 2: process works. 550 00:33:02,280 --> 00:33:03,320 Speaker 3: You're not in control. 551 00:33:03,440 --> 00:33:06,720 Speaker 2: Like it comes back to that thing again when writing 552 00:33:06,840 --> 00:33:10,040 Speaker 2: and even when playing, if you want the music to 553 00:33:10,120 --> 00:33:16,200 Speaker 2: feel right, you're not in control. That keeps it infinitely 554 00:33:16,240 --> 00:33:19,880 Speaker 2: and just interesting. I think if you were in control, 555 00:33:20,160 --> 00:33:23,240 Speaker 2: and if music were a formula that you could figure out, 556 00:33:23,640 --> 00:33:27,600 Speaker 2: it would get boring really quickly because everyone could do it. 557 00:33:28,160 --> 00:33:31,920 Speaker 2: Anybody could do it. The process that I think now 558 00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:36,280 Speaker 2: we've gone through enough times to realize these things means 559 00:33:36,320 --> 00:33:40,240 Speaker 2: that it's never going to get boring. There's endless ideas, 560 00:33:40,400 --> 00:33:44,240 Speaker 2: there's endless new combinations of things to stumble upon. 561 00:33:46,240 --> 00:33:47,240 Speaker 3: We're in a situation. 562 00:33:48,000 --> 00:33:50,080 Speaker 2: I feel really lucky to be in a situation to 563 00:33:50,320 --> 00:33:53,560 Speaker 2: be working with in the same way that I had 564 00:33:53,560 --> 00:33:56,400 Speaker 2: this with Medeskie Martin Wood, but with Oliver my brother 565 00:33:56,440 --> 00:34:03,280 Speaker 2: and John Rix, two people that have different tastes and 566 00:34:03,360 --> 00:34:06,800 Speaker 2: yet I have huge amount of respect for all of 567 00:34:06,840 --> 00:34:11,400 Speaker 2: their insights and opinions. So if I bring in a 568 00:34:11,480 --> 00:34:16,120 Speaker 2: musical idea, whether it's lyrics or just the music, and 569 00:34:16,200 --> 00:34:20,520 Speaker 2: they here's a way to change it, I've a complete 570 00:34:20,600 --> 00:34:25,319 Speaker 2: trust that they're hearing something that's a good idea that 571 00:34:25,840 --> 00:34:28,200 Speaker 2: I just for some reason couldn't hear because I was 572 00:34:28,200 --> 00:34:33,040 Speaker 2: stuck in one perspective. So to be with co creators 573 00:34:33,080 --> 00:34:36,879 Speaker 2: like that is incredible. It saves you, again, a lot 574 00:34:36,920 --> 00:34:41,400 Speaker 2: of time from maybe getting lost down creative rabbit holes 575 00:34:41,440 --> 00:34:45,480 Speaker 2: that aren't going to end up in a very interesting place. 576 00:34:47,360 --> 00:34:52,839 Speaker 3: So incredibly grateful for that. Yeah, it's really fun. 577 00:34:52,840 --> 00:34:57,800 Speaker 2: I mean, I think there's this romanticized idea about being 578 00:34:57,880 --> 00:35:01,680 Speaker 2: a creator all by yourself and doing everything, and this 579 00:35:02,560 --> 00:35:06,080 Speaker 2: sort of internet culture has taken that to a whole 580 00:35:06,120 --> 00:35:08,000 Speaker 2: nother level. It used to be a lot of our 581 00:35:08,040 --> 00:35:11,920 Speaker 2: favorite recordings from back in the day. You had the composer, 582 00:35:12,680 --> 00:35:15,800 Speaker 2: you had a different person was the arranger, you had 583 00:35:16,000 --> 00:35:21,440 Speaker 2: the star singer, you had an orchestra. All those were 584 00:35:21,480 --> 00:35:24,879 Speaker 2: different people that then created this one recording that we love, 585 00:35:25,960 --> 00:35:29,560 Speaker 2: and then you had maybe a TV show that promoted 586 00:35:29,600 --> 00:35:32,400 Speaker 2: them and all that kind of thing. Now, think about 587 00:35:32,440 --> 00:35:33,320 Speaker 2: people growing. 588 00:35:33,120 --> 00:35:34,480 Speaker 3: Up in this age. 589 00:35:34,600 --> 00:35:39,480 Speaker 2: They have to be the writer, the arranger, the performer. 590 00:35:39,719 --> 00:35:44,240 Speaker 2: They have to video themselves doing it. It's not collaborative anymore. 591 00:35:44,280 --> 00:35:47,879 Speaker 2: You're expected to be this renaissance person who can do 592 00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:50,840 Speaker 2: everything at such a high level. And there are the 593 00:35:50,960 --> 00:35:54,600 Speaker 2: few freaky people who do it and they're amazing, you know, 594 00:35:55,520 --> 00:35:59,000 Speaker 2: and they become big on YouTube and Instagram and TikTok. 595 00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:03,400 Speaker 2: But I think for most creators it's a collaborative process, 596 00:36:03,440 --> 00:36:07,279 Speaker 2: and the beautiful things happen because we listen to each 597 00:36:07,320 --> 00:36:12,240 Speaker 2: other and follow the music instead of, you know, feeling 598 00:36:12,280 --> 00:36:14,640 Speaker 2: like we're in control of it and it must abide 599 00:36:14,680 --> 00:36:15,320 Speaker 2: to our will. 600 00:36:16,680 --> 00:36:20,279 Speaker 4: Amazing I'm so grateful for the time, I'm grateful for 601 00:36:20,400 --> 00:36:24,520 Speaker 4: the music. I'm really so happy to talk to you 602 00:36:24,840 --> 00:36:28,040 Speaker 4: and I wish you well on the road, and thanks 603 00:36:28,120 --> 00:36:30,120 Speaker 4: for being on Taking a Walk Chris. 604 00:36:30,360 --> 00:36:32,720 Speaker 3: Thanks buzz all right, my pleasure. 605 00:36:34,480 --> 00:36:37,000 Speaker 4: Thanks for listening to this episode of Taking a Walk 606 00:36:37,040 --> 00:36:40,560 Speaker 4: with Chris Wood from the Wood Brothers. Thanks for listening 607 00:36:40,560 --> 00:36:42,920 Speaker 4: to this episode of Taking a Walk with Chris Wood 608 00:36:43,239 --> 00:36:46,640 Speaker 4: from the Wood Brothers. Share taking a walk with your friends. 609 00:36:46,640 --> 00:36:49,600 Speaker 4: We'd really appreciate it. Also follow us so you never 610 00:36:49,640 --> 00:36:52,319 Speaker 4: miss an episode and leave us a review. That would 611 00:36:52,360 --> 00:36:55,440 Speaker 4: be really helpful for us as well. Find us at 612 00:36:55,440 --> 00:37:00,239 Speaker 4: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or the iHeartRadio app where you concern church. 613 00:37:00,719 --> 00:37:01,439 Speaker 4: Taking a Walk