1 00:00:15,436 --> 00:00:22,556 Speaker 1: Pushkin. In two thousand and six, Justin Vernon started his 2 00:00:22,596 --> 00:00:26,516 Speaker 1: solo project, Bonivae, after the end of a romantic relationship 3 00:00:26,916 --> 00:00:30,516 Speaker 1: and the breakup of his college band. He recorded that 4 00:00:30,556 --> 00:00:34,396 Speaker 1: first album for Emma Forever Ago alone over three months 5 00:00:34,436 --> 00:00:37,436 Speaker 1: and his dad's hunting cabin deep in the woods of 6 00:00:37,476 --> 00:00:41,396 Speaker 1: western Wisconsin. His setup consisted of a small recording rig 7 00:00:41,436 --> 00:00:44,396 Speaker 1: and a couple of guitars. For sustenance, he d a 8 00:00:44,436 --> 00:00:48,396 Speaker 1: stash of fresh venison and watched old DVDs of Northern Exposure. 9 00:00:48,916 --> 00:00:50,916 Speaker 1: That debut was released in two thousand and eight to 10 00:00:51,036 --> 00:00:55,196 Speaker 1: critical acclaim. The album attracted the attention of other boundary 11 00:00:55,196 --> 00:00:58,596 Speaker 1: pushing artists like Kanye West and James Blake, both of 12 00:00:58,636 --> 00:01:02,396 Speaker 1: whom went on to become collaborators of Justin Vernon's In 13 00:01:02,436 --> 00:01:06,716 Speaker 1: the years since his debut release, Justin's music has evolved dramatically. 14 00:01:07,276 --> 00:01:10,196 Speaker 1: For one, Bonivere is no longer just a solo project. 15 00:01:10,436 --> 00:01:13,316 Speaker 1: It's still centered around Justin, but it now includes a 16 00:01:13,396 --> 00:01:19,516 Speaker 1: bunch of other musicians and collaborators, including his engineer Chris Messina. Today, 17 00:01:19,556 --> 00:01:22,396 Speaker 1: we'll revisit a conversation Rick Rubin had with Justin Vernon 18 00:01:22,436 --> 00:01:26,196 Speaker 1: and Chris Messina In twenty nineteen, Justin talks about how 19 00:01:26,236 --> 00:01:29,036 Speaker 1: allowing himself to be bored without any guilt led him 20 00:01:29,036 --> 00:01:32,676 Speaker 1: to creating his now classic debut. He also talks about 21 00:01:32,716 --> 00:01:35,676 Speaker 1: how the harshness of the Wisconsin winters, along with the 22 00:01:35,756 --> 00:01:39,836 Speaker 1: absence of any big city thrills, first influenced his sound, 23 00:01:40,356 --> 00:01:44,076 Speaker 1: and Justin explains his unwavering love for his favorite song 24 00:01:44,156 --> 00:01:50,676 Speaker 1: of all time, Fugitive by the Indigo Girls. This is 25 00:01:50,756 --> 00:01:54,516 Speaker 1: broken record liner notes for the Digital Age. I'm justin Michon. 26 00:01:55,276 --> 00:01:58,556 Speaker 1: Here's Justin Vernon and his engineer Chris Messina in conversation 27 00:01:58,756 --> 00:02:01,596 Speaker 1: with Rick Rubin. They dive right into the kind of 28 00:02:01,636 --> 00:02:05,836 Speaker 1: talk being at Shangri La inspires about building a live 29 00:02:05,916 --> 00:02:09,036 Speaker 1: work studio space far from the rest of the world. 30 00:02:09,876 --> 00:02:12,436 Speaker 1: Tell me about your place. I've heard great things about it. Well, 31 00:02:12,556 --> 00:02:14,836 Speaker 1: I me and Chris have been working it for many years. 32 00:02:15,036 --> 00:02:17,876 Speaker 1: It's under construction right now because we kind of we 33 00:02:17,996 --> 00:02:20,636 Speaker 1: hit a point where we needed to to spread out 34 00:02:20,676 --> 00:02:22,396 Speaker 1: a little bit. Tell me the whole story of how 35 00:02:22,436 --> 00:02:24,676 Speaker 1: it How did it come to pass? The house I 36 00:02:24,716 --> 00:02:27,076 Speaker 1: grew up in, it's only three miles from there, and 37 00:02:27,236 --> 00:02:31,076 Speaker 1: it's uh, my brother found it and it's on tape. 38 00:02:31,116 --> 00:02:33,636 Speaker 1: Ten acres, you know, super cheap and old. It was 39 00:02:33,636 --> 00:02:36,236 Speaker 1: an old, like seventies ranch house and that had indoor 40 00:02:36,316 --> 00:02:40,716 Speaker 1: pool and they had a yeah awesome. Yeah, we end 41 00:02:40,836 --> 00:02:43,316 Speaker 1: up making that our makeshift live room for many years. 42 00:02:44,196 --> 00:02:45,916 Speaker 1: But it's not ten acres in the woods, and it's 43 00:02:45,916 --> 00:02:49,756 Speaker 1: like my shit, you know. Yeah, and so but we 44 00:02:49,836 --> 00:02:51,356 Speaker 1: sort of did it d I Y for a while, 45 00:02:51,396 --> 00:02:53,316 Speaker 1: and then I found Chris and took him off of 46 00:02:53,556 --> 00:02:58,196 Speaker 1: a production touring thing and got him out there to 47 00:02:59,196 --> 00:03:02,436 Speaker 1: just basically make it proper, you know. And so we've 48 00:03:02,476 --> 00:03:04,476 Speaker 1: been kind of out of the d I Y zone 49 00:03:04,476 --> 00:03:06,436 Speaker 1: and more and like a trying to make a proper 50 00:03:06,836 --> 00:03:09,636 Speaker 1: tracking space for about eight seven year years. Now you've 51 00:03:09,676 --> 00:03:11,956 Speaker 1: been out there, I guess, Chris, how would you say 52 00:03:11,996 --> 00:03:15,916 Speaker 1: it changed from its DIY incarnation to the current one. 53 00:03:16,196 --> 00:03:18,716 Speaker 1: I feel like more less stuff falls off the walls 54 00:03:18,756 --> 00:03:21,196 Speaker 1: now maybe or something. Yeah, I'm not the one putting 55 00:03:21,196 --> 00:03:23,516 Speaker 1: stuff on the walls that. Yeah. I feel like we 56 00:03:23,516 --> 00:03:25,676 Speaker 1: did like a lot of teear tottering kind of before 57 00:03:25,676 --> 00:03:27,276 Speaker 1: I got there, and then even still after I did 58 00:03:27,596 --> 00:03:30,516 Speaker 1: just baby steps when we really just needed to do 59 00:03:30,596 --> 00:03:34,516 Speaker 1: one kind of big move. Yeah, But I think it's 60 00:03:34,516 --> 00:03:38,236 Speaker 1: just been getting the recording spaces, you know, more attractive sounding, 61 00:03:38,236 --> 00:03:41,116 Speaker 1: and then also improving all of the wellness spaces and 62 00:03:41,196 --> 00:03:44,036 Speaker 1: just the vibe of the place, because that's you know, 63 00:03:44,316 --> 00:03:48,396 Speaker 1: made a pretty good record with just a pretty cruddy studio. Yeah, 64 00:03:48,476 --> 00:03:51,316 Speaker 1: and then it's because the vibe is there, you know, 65 00:03:51,556 --> 00:03:55,156 Speaker 1: which obviously you understand pretty well. Yeah. Absolutely, And when 66 00:03:55,196 --> 00:03:57,316 Speaker 1: I just lived there too, like I lived there for 67 00:03:57,356 --> 00:04:01,556 Speaker 1: many years until I live in the guesthouse up back, 68 00:04:01,636 --> 00:04:03,956 Speaker 1: which is cool, but I'm I'm gonna build a house 69 00:04:03,996 --> 00:04:07,076 Speaker 1: next door actually, but just being in the studio and 70 00:04:07,116 --> 00:04:10,356 Speaker 1: it not being set up for really being having like 71 00:04:10,396 --> 00:04:15,116 Speaker 1: a home the home base or a really I don't know, 72 00:04:15,156 --> 00:04:18,196 Speaker 1: any kind of wellness vibe. It was just recording making music, 73 00:04:18,276 --> 00:04:20,676 Speaker 1: you know. Yeah. Yeah, So we went through like the 74 00:04:20,756 --> 00:04:24,356 Speaker 1: different iterations too, of like not knowing if we wanted 75 00:04:24,396 --> 00:04:25,956 Speaker 1: to be a commercial space or if we were going 76 00:04:25,996 --> 00:04:28,236 Speaker 1: to be a private space or just justin or what 77 00:04:28,276 --> 00:04:29,836 Speaker 1: the deal was going to be. And yeah, so we 78 00:04:29,876 --> 00:04:32,756 Speaker 1: went through all those different versions. We had to do 79 00:04:32,796 --> 00:04:35,956 Speaker 1: that to learn what we didn't like basically. Yeah, and 80 00:04:35,996 --> 00:04:37,436 Speaker 1: it's really just better off to be kind of a 81 00:04:37,436 --> 00:04:40,436 Speaker 1: friends and family zone and us it's it's the best 82 00:04:40,516 --> 00:04:43,996 Speaker 1: version of it. Absolutely. Yeah, that's that's pretty much how 83 00:04:43,996 --> 00:04:46,876 Speaker 1: we do it too. It's yea. And originally I didn't. 84 00:04:46,876 --> 00:04:49,196 Speaker 1: I didn't think anybody else would work here but us. 85 00:04:49,276 --> 00:04:52,956 Speaker 1: But then I was away and friend asked, oh, you 86 00:04:52,956 --> 00:04:55,076 Speaker 1: think we could work here. It's like, oh, that'd be cool. 87 00:04:55,636 --> 00:04:59,276 Speaker 1: And so now I like the idea because I've worked 88 00:04:59,276 --> 00:05:02,156 Speaker 1: so much over the course of my life that it's 89 00:05:02,196 --> 00:05:04,996 Speaker 1: like a way to trick myself into not being a workaholic. 90 00:05:05,196 --> 00:05:07,516 Speaker 1: There you go, that's that. We're just talking about that 91 00:05:07,516 --> 00:05:10,156 Speaker 1: in the way out here. It's like, man, it's like 92 00:05:10,196 --> 00:05:12,316 Speaker 1: I love music so much and I could do it 93 00:05:12,356 --> 00:05:16,316 Speaker 1: every single day. Yeah, but it's not a comfortable feeling 94 00:05:16,356 --> 00:05:18,876 Speaker 1: when you're like, is this all I am? Yeah, then 95 00:05:18,916 --> 00:05:20,956 Speaker 1: you can get caught up in it. For it's easy 96 00:05:20,996 --> 00:05:23,596 Speaker 1: too when you love something so much. But and I 97 00:05:23,596 --> 00:05:25,556 Speaker 1: don't know if work with a capital W is really 98 00:05:25,636 --> 00:05:28,236 Speaker 1: the name of the thing that we do because we 99 00:05:28,276 --> 00:05:29,876 Speaker 1: love it so much, but it's at the end of 100 00:05:29,876 --> 00:05:33,836 Speaker 1: the day, it is what you're spending time doing, right, absolutely, absolutely, 101 00:05:33,876 --> 00:05:35,756 Speaker 1: and and for most of my life it was in 102 00:05:36,556 --> 00:05:39,836 Speaker 1: you know, dark rooms with no window, dark little dirty rooms, 103 00:05:40,236 --> 00:05:42,756 Speaker 1: so most of my life was just like in really 104 00:05:42,836 --> 00:05:46,316 Speaker 1: unpleasant places. Yeah, it doesn't encourage you to be a 105 00:05:46,356 --> 00:05:50,396 Speaker 1: healthy person all the time either. And I think so 106 00:05:50,516 --> 00:05:53,036 Speaker 1: much of the inspiration of the work we do comes 107 00:05:53,156 --> 00:05:56,996 Speaker 1: from not just doing the work. The fuel that drives 108 00:05:57,036 --> 00:06:02,236 Speaker 1: the process comes from life outside of the studio. Yes, exactly, 109 00:06:02,316 --> 00:06:05,076 Speaker 1: it's exactly. The fuel has been my metaphor lately. It's 110 00:06:05,116 --> 00:06:08,116 Speaker 1: like gas and the tank healthy engines. You know, everything's 111 00:06:08,156 --> 00:06:11,316 Speaker 1: running on music is beautiful enough to be inspired by 112 00:06:11,356 --> 00:06:14,356 Speaker 1: only music. But then that isn't it. That's not a 113 00:06:14,396 --> 00:06:18,236 Speaker 1: closed circuit, right, So you gotta go out and go 114 00:06:18,316 --> 00:06:21,596 Speaker 1: to Grandma's house or whatever it is. Do you call 115 00:06:21,676 --> 00:06:25,276 Speaker 1: it a band? Yeah, idea project band. I don't know 116 00:06:25,316 --> 00:06:27,916 Speaker 1: what it is. Was it a clear like, tell me 117 00:06:28,476 --> 00:06:31,236 Speaker 1: from the beginning? How did it start? That's actually an 118 00:06:31,236 --> 00:06:34,436 Speaker 1: easier way to answer it. It's like I was in 119 00:06:34,556 --> 00:06:37,156 Speaker 1: a band with some of my closest friends and people 120 00:06:37,156 --> 00:06:40,516 Speaker 1: that grew up learning how to play music around and 121 00:06:40,836 --> 00:06:43,636 Speaker 1: we sort of had that mid twenties sort of breakup 122 00:06:43,636 --> 00:06:46,916 Speaker 1: winner separate ways, and I was kind of considering not 123 00:06:47,236 --> 00:06:48,996 Speaker 1: trying to make a career in music and maybe go 124 00:06:49,036 --> 00:06:51,556 Speaker 1: back to school and all this stuff but in that 125 00:06:51,676 --> 00:06:54,716 Speaker 1: very moment is when I sort of started making the 126 00:06:54,796 --> 00:07:00,076 Speaker 1: first songs for what would become Bonevair, And I remember 127 00:07:00,276 --> 00:07:03,236 Speaker 1: not having a name until I finished finished the album, 128 00:07:03,276 --> 00:07:05,796 Speaker 1: and I was watching Northern Exposure, that show from the 129 00:07:05,796 --> 00:07:09,196 Speaker 1: early nineties, and there's this episode where the first snow 130 00:07:09,556 --> 00:07:11,956 Speaker 1: falls and this little Alaskan town and everyone goes out 131 00:07:11,996 --> 00:07:15,236 Speaker 1: and greets each other like bon Boniev and I thought, well, 132 00:07:15,316 --> 00:07:17,676 Speaker 1: that's a good thing, because that's kind of what that's 133 00:07:17,876 --> 00:07:20,676 Speaker 1: I've always been inspired by where I'm from in all 134 00:07:20,716 --> 00:07:23,996 Speaker 1: that it lacks, you know, everything that it lacks, it 135 00:07:24,036 --> 00:07:26,476 Speaker 1: doesn't have that the other big cities in the world have. 136 00:07:26,876 --> 00:07:30,156 Speaker 1: There's something I've always enjoyed about and keyed in about 137 00:07:30,236 --> 00:07:32,716 Speaker 1: what it's like to be from where I'm from, and 138 00:07:32,756 --> 00:07:36,596 Speaker 1: how tough the winter makes you, and and how really 139 00:07:36,756 --> 00:07:38,956 Speaker 1: nobody has the time and energy to prove anything to 140 00:07:38,996 --> 00:07:42,276 Speaker 1: anyone else or something which can be very beneficial and 141 00:07:42,636 --> 00:07:45,436 Speaker 1: have its drawbacks as well. But that's that's where it 142 00:07:45,436 --> 00:07:47,596 Speaker 1: came from. So I thought, this, this Bonavie thing, it's 143 00:07:47,596 --> 00:07:50,076 Speaker 1: almost feels like a community, a town. Even though it 144 00:07:50,116 --> 00:07:52,996 Speaker 1: started with just me. I had this idea that it's 145 00:07:53,036 --> 00:07:57,076 Speaker 1: like it's gonna be a town or a little town, 146 00:07:57,196 --> 00:08:00,836 Speaker 1: or a growing thing or a greeting or something. And 147 00:08:01,316 --> 00:08:02,476 Speaker 1: and of course, at the end of the day, it's 148 00:08:02,476 --> 00:08:04,636 Speaker 1: a band, it's an artist, it's a thing, and so 149 00:08:04,676 --> 00:08:06,356 Speaker 1: I try not to be too precious about it. But 150 00:08:06,356 --> 00:08:07,876 Speaker 1: that's how I still believe in it. And you know, 151 00:08:08,316 --> 00:08:10,596 Speaker 1: eleven twelve years later, now I guess it is. It 152 00:08:11,116 --> 00:08:15,076 Speaker 1: really has blossomed into a real breathing community with love 153 00:08:15,116 --> 00:08:19,156 Speaker 1: and support and all everything beautiful. Yeah, did you make 154 00:08:19,196 --> 00:08:21,836 Speaker 1: the first album by yourself? Yeah? Tell me tell me 155 00:08:21,876 --> 00:08:24,436 Speaker 1: the story. Yeah, so I was. I was living in 156 00:08:24,436 --> 00:08:26,916 Speaker 1: North Carolina, and I'd started some of these things, and 157 00:08:26,996 --> 00:08:29,596 Speaker 1: as the band kind of broke up, I sort of 158 00:08:29,716 --> 00:08:32,636 Speaker 1: kind of high tailed it back to Wisconsin. I really 159 00:08:32,716 --> 00:08:35,756 Speaker 1: lived in Wisconsin my whole life, minus that year and 160 00:08:36,036 --> 00:08:38,916 Speaker 1: whatever amount of time I've been on the road. But 161 00:08:38,996 --> 00:08:41,116 Speaker 1: at that point, I'd never been on the road really before, 162 00:08:41,156 --> 00:08:45,396 Speaker 1: I'd never really had any paying music work other than 163 00:08:45,596 --> 00:08:49,836 Speaker 1: weekend bar gigs and guitar teaching. So I brought my 164 00:08:49,876 --> 00:08:53,876 Speaker 1: little Digio one pro tools rig and my macgi for 165 00:08:54,396 --> 00:08:57,716 Speaker 1: up to my dad's hunting cabin kind of an hour 166 00:08:57,836 --> 00:09:01,116 Speaker 1: north of where we grew up. And he just kind 167 00:09:01,116 --> 00:09:02,276 Speaker 1: of let me go in there, and I was like, 168 00:09:02,476 --> 00:09:03,956 Speaker 1: I don't know what I'm doing. If I go back 169 00:09:03,956 --> 00:09:05,596 Speaker 1: to school to be a music teacher, i'd have to 170 00:09:05,596 --> 00:09:07,916 Speaker 1: wait to the fall, and this was right in the winter, 171 00:09:08,676 --> 00:09:11,236 Speaker 1: and so he just let me set up there, and 172 00:09:11,276 --> 00:09:12,756 Speaker 1: I just had my little setup in a couple of 173 00:09:12,756 --> 00:09:16,196 Speaker 1: guitars and and I'd done some engineering and some making 174 00:09:16,236 --> 00:09:18,916 Speaker 1: some records before, but I had kind of just lost 175 00:09:18,956 --> 00:09:20,236 Speaker 1: some of the gear and so it was a very 176 00:09:20,356 --> 00:09:24,316 Speaker 1: very meager setup, which ended up being a really great thing. 177 00:09:25,076 --> 00:09:27,476 Speaker 1: And so the over kind of a three month period, 178 00:09:27,516 --> 00:09:29,276 Speaker 1: just kind of being there by myself unless my dad 179 00:09:29,276 --> 00:09:30,916 Speaker 1: would stop by over the weekend to work on a 180 00:09:30,916 --> 00:09:34,916 Speaker 1: sawmill or something like. I was just there letting myself 181 00:09:34,996 --> 00:09:38,196 Speaker 1: be bored, allowing myself to have a day where nothing 182 00:09:38,276 --> 00:09:40,156 Speaker 1: happened for the first time of my life and not 183 00:09:40,276 --> 00:09:42,716 Speaker 1: have any guilt about it. It was just the first 184 00:09:42,716 --> 00:09:45,356 Speaker 1: time I really truly was on my own. Beautiful. Do 185 00:09:45,356 --> 00:09:49,436 Speaker 1: you think of it as an enjoyable time? Yes, I 186 00:09:49,476 --> 00:09:53,636 Speaker 1: mean there were there was boredom. There was like sort 187 00:09:53,636 --> 00:09:56,836 Speaker 1: of just sitting there, maybe an unhealthy amount of a 188 00:09:56,876 --> 00:09:59,196 Speaker 1: lone time or something like that. But I do. I 189 00:09:59,236 --> 00:10:02,676 Speaker 1: look back at it as a very very positive experience 190 00:10:03,276 --> 00:10:06,556 Speaker 1: to let go of a lot of things too. I 191 00:10:06,596 --> 00:10:08,876 Speaker 1: was making it for myself. I had kind of given 192 00:10:08,916 --> 00:10:12,156 Speaker 1: up the idea of chasing anymore. And of course once 193 00:10:12,156 --> 00:10:18,116 Speaker 1: you're once you're done with chasing, you're arriving. Yes, giving 194 00:10:18,236 --> 00:10:21,156 Speaker 1: up on that idea. What would your days be like 195 00:10:21,156 --> 00:10:23,996 Speaker 1: like if you're alone for three months? Yeah, I'd wake 196 00:10:24,116 --> 00:10:28,596 Speaker 1: up and probably crack three eggs and some venison, you know, 197 00:10:28,636 --> 00:10:31,676 Speaker 1: because we'd do some hunting up there. But there was 198 00:10:31,676 --> 00:10:33,436 Speaker 1: a little TV up there in a DVD player, so 199 00:10:33,476 --> 00:10:36,116 Speaker 1: I'd watch a lot of The Northern Exposure And strangely 200 00:10:36,116 --> 00:10:40,076 Speaker 1: it's my favorite like thing, novel, book, show, whatever, of 201 00:10:40,076 --> 00:10:42,396 Speaker 1: all time, because you know, so there might be a 202 00:10:42,436 --> 00:10:45,916 Speaker 1: day where I only watch DVDs and you know, smoke 203 00:10:45,956 --> 00:10:50,116 Speaker 1: a joint and drink six beers for no reason or something. 204 00:10:51,316 --> 00:10:53,356 Speaker 1: Then then a day I would just wake up, go 205 00:10:53,436 --> 00:10:56,476 Speaker 1: sit on the computer stool and just be there in it. 206 00:10:56,796 --> 00:10:59,956 Speaker 1: You know, we're reworking and mixing and doing that thing 207 00:10:59,956 --> 00:11:03,156 Speaker 1: on that album I'm seeing about growing up and the 208 00:11:03,196 --> 00:11:06,836 Speaker 1: amount of boredom involved, you know, get home from school 209 00:11:06,916 --> 00:11:09,996 Speaker 1: and ye, what are you're supposed to do. Yeah, it's 210 00:11:10,076 --> 00:11:12,956 Speaker 1: like what do you do? So I'm wondering if if 211 00:11:12,996 --> 00:11:17,916 Speaker 1: putting yourself in that state somehow taps into something that 212 00:11:17,996 --> 00:11:20,676 Speaker 1: a lot of people feel more often than they realize. 213 00:11:20,756 --> 00:11:24,116 Speaker 1: That's just a real I mean, you did an extreme 214 00:11:24,196 --> 00:11:29,156 Speaker 1: thing by regular standards in our society, but it took 215 00:11:29,196 --> 00:11:31,596 Speaker 1: you to a place that's probably not so different than 216 00:11:32,756 --> 00:11:36,436 Speaker 1: growing up in the United States, but without having anybody 217 00:11:36,436 --> 00:11:38,516 Speaker 1: like get outside or yeah, you do this or you 218 00:11:38,596 --> 00:11:41,116 Speaker 1: do that. Yeah, my parents gave it. My dad and 219 00:11:41,116 --> 00:11:45,836 Speaker 1: this case gave me a very supportive experience, or supported experience, 220 00:11:45,876 --> 00:11:47,996 Speaker 1: i should say. And it was it was that that 221 00:11:48,076 --> 00:11:51,436 Speaker 1: boredom was like, huh, you spent a lot of time 222 00:11:51,476 --> 00:11:55,356 Speaker 1: being busy and overworked, and I just I just recently 223 00:11:55,396 --> 00:11:58,036 Speaker 1: had quit a job at a kitchen that had really 224 00:11:58,156 --> 00:12:01,356 Speaker 1: created new anger and stress in my in my mind 225 00:12:01,396 --> 00:12:04,436 Speaker 1: and body. You know, never have I been that stressed 226 00:12:04,516 --> 00:12:07,636 Speaker 1: or angry or overworked. And and so I think it 227 00:12:07,756 --> 00:12:09,116 Speaker 1: was I just sort of looked at as like, well, 228 00:12:09,236 --> 00:12:12,356 Speaker 1: I don't know what I'm doing, and I there was 229 00:12:12,396 --> 00:12:13,956 Speaker 1: something going on with these songs where I was like, 230 00:12:13,996 --> 00:12:16,476 Speaker 1: this is a new thing for me. Just keep working. 231 00:12:17,036 --> 00:12:21,356 Speaker 1: And I think just it was a correct, correct recipe 232 00:12:21,756 --> 00:12:24,596 Speaker 1: to be in the right headspace to make the right 233 00:12:24,716 --> 00:12:27,196 Speaker 1: kind of music. Did you do you toured the first album? 234 00:12:27,316 --> 00:12:31,116 Speaker 1: Toured the first album pretty a lot, you know, that 235 00:12:31,196 --> 00:12:33,756 Speaker 1: kind of smashed me up a bit, but not completely 236 00:12:33,836 --> 00:12:36,316 Speaker 1: smashed me up. And so we were making the second record. 237 00:12:36,356 --> 00:12:39,156 Speaker 1: By then, I was using a lot of musicians. You know, 238 00:12:39,196 --> 00:12:40,876 Speaker 1: I grew up playing in the jazz bands and I 239 00:12:40,876 --> 00:12:43,276 Speaker 1: had a nine piece band in high school to all 240 00:12:43,396 --> 00:12:45,756 Speaker 1: my friends with horns and everything. So it's a natural 241 00:12:45,916 --> 00:12:49,716 Speaker 1: inclination to want to be around more people. But what 242 00:12:49,876 --> 00:12:53,596 Speaker 1: naturally happened is I started to share some of the 243 00:12:54,076 --> 00:12:57,636 Speaker 1: load of the songwriting and but also very holding on 244 00:12:57,756 --> 00:13:02,156 Speaker 1: really tight and and this isn't a negative thing, but 245 00:13:02,196 --> 00:13:05,756 Speaker 1: I think in many ways I've stepped farther and farther 246 00:13:05,916 --> 00:13:10,396 Speaker 1: and farther back from the chief position of making the records. 247 00:13:11,236 --> 00:13:15,036 Speaker 1: And It's funny, after after making this, these four records, 248 00:13:15,236 --> 00:13:18,316 Speaker 1: I'm feeling like maybe a return to just hanging out 249 00:13:18,396 --> 00:13:20,196 Speaker 1: on my own for a for a year or something, 250 00:13:20,236 --> 00:13:22,516 Speaker 1: to get back to that place, because you know, I 251 00:13:22,596 --> 00:13:25,276 Speaker 1: so often would grow up play guitar and write a song, 252 00:13:25,356 --> 00:13:28,636 Speaker 1: sit and write, write this song down it. It went 253 00:13:28,716 --> 00:13:32,036 Speaker 1: from sort of that with the first record to almost 254 00:13:32,076 --> 00:13:35,556 Speaker 1: none of that with where we're at now in the 255 00:13:35,636 --> 00:13:39,756 Speaker 1: last you know, this this process this ten years, and 256 00:13:39,836 --> 00:13:43,116 Speaker 1: so I saw a lot of a lot of the 257 00:13:43,156 --> 00:13:45,516 Speaker 1: death of the ego in a good way and then 258 00:13:45,596 --> 00:13:49,996 Speaker 1: also being lost because at times because I didn't have 259 00:13:50,036 --> 00:13:52,596 Speaker 1: that connection to like what I knew was right when 260 00:13:52,636 --> 00:13:54,236 Speaker 1: I was all by myself, what I knew, what I 261 00:13:54,276 --> 00:13:57,276 Speaker 1: didn't have to answer to or you know, like I 262 00:13:57,276 --> 00:14:00,556 Speaker 1: didn't have Chris like and that sucks or that's really great, 263 00:14:00,916 --> 00:14:04,676 Speaker 1: either one or problematic answers for me sometimes when you're 264 00:14:04,716 --> 00:14:08,836 Speaker 1: when you're drifting farther aback away from your your frontal ego. 265 00:14:10,156 --> 00:14:14,396 Speaker 1: And so, you know, I see that happening in the 266 00:14:14,476 --> 00:14:17,516 Speaker 1: last ten years, that arc of sort of stepping back, 267 00:14:17,796 --> 00:14:21,756 Speaker 1: getting the music bigger and experimenting more and more. But 268 00:14:21,836 --> 00:14:23,596 Speaker 1: I'm feeling like, you know, I can't predict what the 269 00:14:23,636 --> 00:14:25,036 Speaker 1: next year is going to be like, but I'm feeling 270 00:14:25,076 --> 00:14:27,236 Speaker 1: like a little bit of a return to that interesting 271 00:14:27,316 --> 00:14:29,836 Speaker 1: that that place that's coming up kind of is the 272 00:14:29,916 --> 00:14:33,276 Speaker 1: Hunting Lodge still there? It is than ever. I get 273 00:14:33,276 --> 00:14:34,996 Speaker 1: along with my dad so well, but I don't think 274 00:14:34,996 --> 00:14:38,396 Speaker 1: it's it would be the same situation. He's built a 275 00:14:38,436 --> 00:14:40,676 Speaker 1: big barn, he's got a sawmill, and he's got like 276 00:14:40,676 --> 00:14:42,876 Speaker 1: four hundred maple trees tapped up there, and so he's 277 00:14:42,876 --> 00:14:45,676 Speaker 1: always got people around and and plus we've sort of 278 00:14:45,876 --> 00:14:48,796 Speaker 1: we've sort of made April Base into into that zone. 279 00:14:48,836 --> 00:14:51,996 Speaker 1: Even though we're not quite I don't quite have my 280 00:14:52,076 --> 00:14:54,916 Speaker 1: own room yet. We're working on that. That's in the 281 00:14:54,956 --> 00:14:57,916 Speaker 1: next year. So we'll be right back after the break 282 00:14:57,996 --> 00:15:04,476 Speaker 1: with more from Justin Vernon, Christmassina, and Rick Rubin. We're 283 00:15:04,476 --> 00:15:07,276 Speaker 1: back with more of Rick Rubin's conversation with Justin Vernon 284 00:15:07,316 --> 00:15:11,076 Speaker 1: and Chrismasina, who showed detail on Bonivar's latest release from 285 00:15:11,116 --> 00:15:15,756 Speaker 1: twenty nineteen. I comma, there's a million things to ask 286 00:15:15,796 --> 00:15:19,316 Speaker 1: you about the past, but for a moment, how do 287 00:15:19,436 --> 00:15:22,836 Speaker 1: songs typically start? Would you say your do you jam? 288 00:15:23,716 --> 00:15:27,156 Speaker 1: There's some improvisation in you know, studio setting, like maybe 289 00:15:27,196 --> 00:15:31,196 Speaker 1: not like instruments and stuff, but maybe some drum machines 290 00:15:31,276 --> 00:15:36,916 Speaker 1: and just looking for odd recipes that could create something 291 00:15:36,996 --> 00:15:40,996 Speaker 1: very surprising. It's probably our favorite thing to do, doing 292 00:15:41,036 --> 00:15:43,996 Speaker 1: some just playing in general. I grew up writing a 293 00:15:44,036 --> 00:15:46,116 Speaker 1: lot of songs on guitar, and it sort of just 294 00:15:46,156 --> 00:15:48,596 Speaker 1: stopped happening that way. And I've been playing a lot 295 00:15:48,596 --> 00:15:51,156 Speaker 1: more guitar lately and songs are trickling out, but there's 296 00:15:51,156 --> 00:15:54,756 Speaker 1: still this thing. I think as I've developed more as 297 00:15:54,796 --> 00:15:58,036 Speaker 1: a singer than maybe I was before, or where I 298 00:15:58,156 --> 00:16:01,636 Speaker 1: really started to hone in on the voice part of it, 299 00:16:02,116 --> 00:16:05,916 Speaker 1: I think I became less. It became less important for 300 00:16:05,956 --> 00:16:09,436 Speaker 1: me to write the song and be this songwriter person, 301 00:16:09,436 --> 00:16:11,396 Speaker 1: and more like, how do we how do I get 302 00:16:11,436 --> 00:16:15,156 Speaker 1: my voice on something that sounds interesting to my voice, 303 00:16:15,236 --> 00:16:17,396 Speaker 1: if you will, And so a lot of we do 304 00:16:17,436 --> 00:16:21,276 Speaker 1: a lot of improvisation or budding two things together, like 305 00:16:21,316 --> 00:16:23,916 Speaker 1: have a saxophone go through a harmonizer while I'm playing 306 00:16:23,916 --> 00:16:26,836 Speaker 1: it and singing it, or just looking for things to 307 00:16:27,556 --> 00:16:32,236 Speaker 1: clash or to make something that sounded brand new so 308 00:16:32,276 --> 00:16:35,716 Speaker 1: that it would be exciting to sing on. That's been 309 00:16:36,396 --> 00:16:38,276 Speaker 1: the main process, you know. And every once in a while, 310 00:16:38,316 --> 00:16:41,236 Speaker 1: maybe just a guitar riff would would PLoP in and 311 00:16:41,716 --> 00:16:45,116 Speaker 1: create a song in and of itself. But I'd say 312 00:16:45,156 --> 00:16:46,996 Speaker 1: that's been our biggest way of doing it, is just 313 00:16:47,076 --> 00:16:51,236 Speaker 1: looking for moments that seemed magical. Yeah, and it sounds 314 00:16:51,236 --> 00:16:54,356 Speaker 1: like mainly musical moments, so you'd be working on track 315 00:16:54,396 --> 00:16:58,996 Speaker 1: ideas essentially with the idea, does it start with that 316 00:16:59,036 --> 00:17:01,716 Speaker 1: feeling of this is interesting or does it start with 317 00:17:01,996 --> 00:17:05,516 Speaker 1: this is interesting I have I can see what I 318 00:17:05,556 --> 00:17:09,796 Speaker 1: would do on top both every times different and sometimes 319 00:17:09,796 --> 00:17:11,676 Speaker 1: just something sounds good so you want to keep it around, 320 00:17:11,716 --> 00:17:13,316 Speaker 1: but you're like, well, this isn't really going to be 321 00:17:13,356 --> 00:17:16,156 Speaker 1: for this project, so we don't know what to do 322 00:17:16,196 --> 00:17:19,316 Speaker 1: with those ones exactly. Like the two generally for USCO 323 00:17:19,596 --> 00:17:22,836 Speaker 1: go hand in hand. It's like when we hear something 324 00:17:22,996 --> 00:17:25,756 Speaker 1: that we've somehow come up with that sounds really interesting, 325 00:17:25,876 --> 00:17:29,556 Speaker 1: justin immediately wants to sing on it, and that's like, okay, 326 00:17:29,756 --> 00:17:32,596 Speaker 1: we're we're into something here. That's kind of the biggest 327 00:17:33,116 --> 00:17:36,276 Speaker 1: giveaway that we're onto something. Yeah, I might like a 328 00:17:36,276 --> 00:17:38,076 Speaker 1: lot of things. And again, if I don't have anything 329 00:17:38,116 --> 00:17:40,356 Speaker 1: to sing on it, it's sort of like, well maybe 330 00:17:40,356 --> 00:17:42,436 Speaker 1: we should give this to someone else. Yeah, and like 331 00:17:42,636 --> 00:17:44,916 Speaker 1: and any like, whenever you try and get him to 332 00:17:44,916 --> 00:17:47,076 Speaker 1: sing on something, it's like not a good not a 333 00:17:47,116 --> 00:17:50,316 Speaker 1: good vibe it springs forth. Yeah, absolutely, when it's there, 334 00:17:50,356 --> 00:17:52,196 Speaker 1: it's there, and it's not it's really not I think 335 00:17:52,236 --> 00:17:54,556 Speaker 1: with the With the previous record, twenty two million, we 336 00:17:54,596 --> 00:17:57,316 Speaker 1: did a lot more jamming. Granted it was over like 337 00:17:57,356 --> 00:17:59,196 Speaker 1: a period of five years that we were writing that 338 00:17:59,236 --> 00:18:02,836 Speaker 1: record or something, but there were some pretty extensive, long 339 00:18:03,396 --> 00:18:05,956 Speaker 1: multi person jams that would happen that we got some 340 00:18:05,996 --> 00:18:07,796 Speaker 1: stuff out of. But that was kind of a way 341 00:18:07,796 --> 00:18:10,916 Speaker 1: where Justin I think was maybe struggling with with trying 342 00:18:10,916 --> 00:18:13,996 Speaker 1: to get his songwriting going again. That was a way 343 00:18:13,996 --> 00:18:15,596 Speaker 1: for us to do it. It was bringing a lot 344 00:18:15,596 --> 00:18:17,756 Speaker 1: of people, make as much noise as we can for 345 00:18:17,756 --> 00:18:20,276 Speaker 1: a long period of time and see what happens, and 346 00:18:20,476 --> 00:18:22,316 Speaker 1: if there's any moments that pop through you can that 347 00:18:22,396 --> 00:18:24,316 Speaker 1: you could then like, hey what about that. Let's go 348 00:18:24,396 --> 00:18:27,596 Speaker 1: focus right in that little moment that happened. Either use 349 00:18:27,636 --> 00:18:29,676 Speaker 1: it directly. Usually that's what we do. We use that 350 00:18:29,676 --> 00:18:32,636 Speaker 1: moment directly and shape around it and like you know. 351 00:18:32,836 --> 00:18:36,916 Speaker 1: But this this album was definitely a lot more there's 352 00:18:36,996 --> 00:18:39,596 Speaker 1: more playing. We entered with a lot more intention on 353 00:18:39,676 --> 00:18:43,156 Speaker 1: a number of levels with this this record, the newest 354 00:18:43,196 --> 00:18:45,316 Speaker 1: record or more of the touring band than ever before 355 00:18:45,356 --> 00:18:49,836 Speaker 1: too yep, which was a great, great addition. Yeah, But 356 00:18:49,916 --> 00:18:53,436 Speaker 1: I think sonically, I think we've kind of quietly made 357 00:18:53,476 --> 00:18:55,756 Speaker 1: an active choice to not mess with his voice as 358 00:18:55,836 --> 00:18:59,356 Speaker 1: much as we had previously. We knew I think that 359 00:18:59,356 --> 00:19:02,036 Speaker 1: we were going to focus on the lyric content more 360 00:19:02,076 --> 00:19:05,436 Speaker 1: than we ever have. Not that we weren't saying something 361 00:19:05,476 --> 00:19:07,756 Speaker 1: before or Justin wasn't saying something, is that we wanted 362 00:19:07,756 --> 00:19:09,076 Speaker 1: it to be heard, and we wanted it to be 363 00:19:09,636 --> 00:19:12,556 Speaker 1: maybe clearer than it ever had been. Yeah, And so 364 00:19:12,596 --> 00:19:14,676 Speaker 1: I think with those may have been the two most 365 00:19:14,716 --> 00:19:20,356 Speaker 1: like sort of unspoken decisions for this record. We were 366 00:19:20,356 --> 00:19:23,876 Speaker 1: all aligned on that and everything else just came so 367 00:19:23,956 --> 00:19:27,276 Speaker 1: much easier. Yeah, Yeah, it was so much more, I 368 00:19:27,316 --> 00:19:31,436 Speaker 1: don't know, just free and easy. It was great. It 369 00:19:31,516 --> 00:19:35,316 Speaker 1: sounds like that can be going forward. It sounds like 370 00:19:35,396 --> 00:19:37,796 Speaker 1: there's that could be our job. Yeah. I think it 371 00:19:37,836 --> 00:19:40,116 Speaker 1: was a huge realization with with this, with finishing this 372 00:19:40,196 --> 00:19:42,956 Speaker 1: record as not as quickly but so much faster than 373 00:19:42,996 --> 00:19:45,556 Speaker 1: the previous one. Yes, that we were just like, oh, 374 00:19:45,596 --> 00:19:47,116 Speaker 1: this is what it can be all the time. Brad, 375 00:19:47,156 --> 00:19:48,756 Speaker 1: Brad Cook and I talked about I mean all three 376 00:19:48,756 --> 00:19:50,436 Speaker 1: of us did, but yeah, Brad and I talked about 377 00:19:50,436 --> 00:19:52,676 Speaker 1: that a lot of just like this is what we 378 00:19:52,676 --> 00:19:55,276 Speaker 1: can make it. Every time there was a breakthrough. Yeah, 379 00:19:55,276 --> 00:19:57,316 Speaker 1: this is all we got to do every time it's great. 380 00:19:57,716 --> 00:19:59,676 Speaker 1: Did you record many more than the songs that are 381 00:19:59,716 --> 00:20:01,636 Speaker 1: on the album or the songs on the album? Pretty much? 382 00:20:01,676 --> 00:20:06,116 Speaker 1: It that's pretty much it is? It usually that way? Yeah, 383 00:20:06,156 --> 00:20:08,796 Speaker 1: I think we pretty pretty early on know whether something's 384 00:20:08,796 --> 00:20:10,996 Speaker 1: going to get chased down further or not. So we 385 00:20:11,036 --> 00:20:14,116 Speaker 1: still have like fragments that will probably revisit in a 386 00:20:14,236 --> 00:20:16,636 Speaker 1: year or something. But from the yeah, I'm not sure. 387 00:20:16,676 --> 00:20:18,756 Speaker 1: I'm not. I don't have this feeling like there's like 388 00:20:19,316 --> 00:20:22,556 Speaker 1: great songs waiting us. We sort of like worked on 389 00:20:22,636 --> 00:20:25,236 Speaker 1: what we worked on. What was the thought on the title? 390 00:20:25,316 --> 00:20:29,196 Speaker 1: By the way, man, it's a it's it's really a 391 00:20:29,236 --> 00:20:32,036 Speaker 1: lot about this whole self care and and caring about 392 00:20:32,196 --> 00:20:36,796 Speaker 1: your friend thing. It's to me, it's that's the thing 393 00:20:36,836 --> 00:20:39,116 Speaker 1: that Bob Marley introduced me to when I was the kid. 394 00:20:39,196 --> 00:20:42,956 Speaker 1: Is this I and I. It's I and I, it's we, 395 00:20:43,676 --> 00:20:46,436 Speaker 1: You are me, I am you. Uh, this is all 396 00:20:46,476 --> 00:20:49,476 Speaker 1: of us kind of thing together, this this sort of 397 00:20:49,636 --> 00:20:53,596 Speaker 1: responsibility to one another, maybe responsibilities and even strong enough 398 00:20:53,636 --> 00:20:55,996 Speaker 1: a word, it's like we are connected. It's not just 399 00:20:56,036 --> 00:20:58,556 Speaker 1: like we choose to be or not. When we heard ourselves, 400 00:20:58,596 --> 00:21:01,196 Speaker 1: I feel like it has a reaction to others, and 401 00:21:01,236 --> 00:21:04,076 Speaker 1: so that that was my whole thing is just like 402 00:21:04,356 --> 00:21:08,676 Speaker 1: Marley vibes Rastafarian vibes, like it's uh, we are a 403 00:21:08,756 --> 00:21:12,236 Speaker 1: response posible for one another. It is a line that 404 00:21:12,396 --> 00:21:15,676 Speaker 1: no branches of a tree are so foolish that they 405 00:21:15,676 --> 00:21:18,676 Speaker 1: would fight with another branch on the tree. Yeah, exactly 406 00:21:19,196 --> 00:21:29,316 Speaker 1: exactly what I thought. Did this was half full what 407 00:21:29,636 --> 00:21:39,476 Speaker 1: I thought that, this was half flow from the guys 408 00:21:44,236 --> 00:22:06,596 Speaker 1: where I thought that this was held. Yeah, we recorded, uh, 409 00:22:08,236 --> 00:22:12,956 Speaker 1: we recorded this lie with a little orchestra, I guess, 410 00:22:13,036 --> 00:22:16,516 Speaker 1: or we called it the worm Crew ensemble of bizarre 411 00:22:16,636 --> 00:22:22,036 Speaker 1: kind of connected harmonica to saxophones and two trombones and violin. 412 00:22:26,476 --> 00:22:30,756 Speaker 1: Created some challenges sonically, but it was fun to play 413 00:22:30,796 --> 00:22:37,036 Speaker 1: an entire play an entire song with an ensemble live, 414 00:22:37,116 --> 00:22:40,436 Speaker 1: especially one with it was out of meter. Yeah. So, 415 00:22:40,596 --> 00:22:43,916 Speaker 1: I mean Rob, the arranger that I always love working with, 416 00:22:43,996 --> 00:22:48,516 Speaker 1: Rob moose He I'd been showing him this riff for years, 417 00:22:48,556 --> 00:22:50,436 Speaker 1: and I was always expecting that I would write another 418 00:22:50,476 --> 00:22:52,036 Speaker 1: portion of the song or something like that. But then 419 00:22:52,116 --> 00:22:53,436 Speaker 1: the end of the day, I was like, we just 420 00:22:53,476 --> 00:22:55,636 Speaker 1: got to try this idea because I always thought it'd 421 00:22:55,636 --> 00:22:58,916 Speaker 1: be so fun to improvise with like a small conducted 422 00:22:59,236 --> 00:23:04,236 Speaker 1: ensemble yea, And so he wrote really cool arrangements around 423 00:23:04,316 --> 00:23:08,956 Speaker 1: the guitar section, and then we sort of just dressed 424 00:23:08,956 --> 00:23:13,156 Speaker 1: it up a little bit. So there's obviously like overdubbs 425 00:23:13,156 --> 00:23:15,156 Speaker 1: and stuff, but yeah, the most of it's just a 426 00:23:15,196 --> 00:23:20,636 Speaker 1: guitar and the ensemble and the vocal. We did live 427 00:23:20,676 --> 00:23:24,316 Speaker 1: too that added vocals to it. But so it started 428 00:23:24,436 --> 00:23:27,756 Speaker 1: guitar and vocal, guitar, vocal and the ensemble all at once. 429 00:23:27,996 --> 00:23:30,316 Speaker 1: And then when when did the lyrics come? In the 430 00:23:30,356 --> 00:23:33,996 Speaker 1: process of writing, Like, I think I had this guitar 431 00:23:34,076 --> 00:23:37,116 Speaker 1: riff laying around for like years, and it was always 432 00:23:37,156 --> 00:23:39,396 Speaker 1: just I thought this was half a love. Thought that 433 00:23:39,396 --> 00:23:42,996 Speaker 1: this was half a love. Uh, followed to the raging. See, 434 00:23:43,156 --> 00:23:45,236 Speaker 1: that's all it ever was. And so Brad was just like, 435 00:23:45,276 --> 00:23:47,356 Speaker 1: why don't you just consider that's a that's a song 436 00:23:47,876 --> 00:23:50,076 Speaker 1: you can have. You can have a three two line song. 437 00:23:50,716 --> 00:23:54,356 Speaker 1: So accepted that, and it's like, oh I love this, Okay, great, 438 00:23:55,396 --> 00:23:58,356 Speaker 1: Uh yeah, that's kind of the story with that one. 439 00:23:58,396 --> 00:24:00,676 Speaker 1: It's just like, sometimes it's enough just to have a 440 00:24:00,716 --> 00:24:04,396 Speaker 1: small little idea absolutely, yeah, yeah, sometimes it's all it 441 00:24:04,476 --> 00:24:07,076 Speaker 1: wants to be. Yeah, if you try to force it, 442 00:24:07,156 --> 00:24:10,196 Speaker 1: you're what what are you doing? Cool? Pick another one? 443 00:24:10,316 --> 00:24:12,076 Speaker 1: Or do you want to see the list? Oh? Sure? 444 00:24:12,196 --> 00:24:16,036 Speaker 1: Let me think here? Uh sure, man like he's pretty good. 445 00:24:16,516 --> 00:24:19,716 Speaker 1: I like man like you. Let's try that one. M 446 00:24:29,476 --> 00:24:34,156 Speaker 1: I will see you now down the back of love Ridge. 447 00:24:34,476 --> 00:24:39,836 Speaker 1: There's just something that I got the soul you. There 448 00:24:40,036 --> 00:24:44,836 Speaker 1: is no man's right in the coming in case hit, 449 00:24:44,916 --> 00:24:51,836 Speaker 1: ain't nothing that you say, you with your arms. Track 450 00:24:52,196 --> 00:24:59,836 Speaker 1: and just give some time presently does include dudes and 451 00:25:00,076 --> 00:25:17,596 Speaker 1: just standing premissions mothers fairly repetition tell yourself for ta. 452 00:25:19,076 --> 00:25:21,876 Speaker 1: The big story with this one is that Bruce Hornsby. 453 00:25:22,116 --> 00:25:26,076 Speaker 1: It's Bruce Bruce's track like he just wrote he just had. 454 00:25:26,276 --> 00:25:28,316 Speaker 1: He came up. We were helping him with his record 455 00:25:28,636 --> 00:25:31,436 Speaker 1: and he just had this piano figure. He had it 456 00:25:31,476 --> 00:25:33,636 Speaker 1: on a burned CD. He brought over and was like, 457 00:25:33,956 --> 00:25:36,236 Speaker 1: what is that play? Yeah? I was like, first of all, 458 00:25:36,236 --> 00:25:40,036 Speaker 1: we have to buy a CD player now, But he 459 00:25:40,156 --> 00:25:42,756 Speaker 1: just played a bunch of this kind of music that 460 00:25:42,796 --> 00:25:44,076 Speaker 1: he'd been working on. I was like, what is that 461 00:25:44,116 --> 00:25:47,156 Speaker 1: track doing? Because it was one of those moments where 462 00:25:47,396 --> 00:25:50,356 Speaker 1: I was like I almost heard the entire melody, just 463 00:25:50,436 --> 00:25:52,156 Speaker 1: like I went in there and just like it was 464 00:25:52,236 --> 00:25:55,436 Speaker 1: just there. And had I not been a little more 465 00:25:55,436 --> 00:25:58,276 Speaker 1: open and like not so like I better be the 466 00:25:58,316 --> 00:26:01,076 Speaker 1: guy to write all these songs, I might not have 467 00:26:01,116 --> 00:26:02,876 Speaker 1: had that feeling. But it felt so good just to 468 00:26:02,956 --> 00:26:04,956 Speaker 1: jump on. And it's just a mood that I couldn't 469 00:26:04,996 --> 00:26:08,316 Speaker 1: have come up with. It feels so fun to to 470 00:26:08,316 --> 00:26:13,516 Speaker 1: sing on. I mean, Brad did so much bass playing 471 00:26:13,556 --> 00:26:16,316 Speaker 1: on the album. You know he's he's predominantly a bass player. 472 00:26:16,316 --> 00:26:22,676 Speaker 1: I'm kind of a cute bass player, acute, acute and cute. 473 00:26:23,996 --> 00:26:26,796 Speaker 1: But so we do a lot of playing bass in 474 00:26:26,836 --> 00:26:29,036 Speaker 1: the album where I would play it and then he'd 475 00:26:29,036 --> 00:26:30,836 Speaker 1: be like, I can do better, and then I can 476 00:26:30,876 --> 00:26:32,076 Speaker 1: be like, oh I liked what you did there, but 477 00:26:32,076 --> 00:26:35,436 Speaker 1: I'll kick your So we did a lot of that 478 00:26:35,516 --> 00:26:38,516 Speaker 1: on the on the album. I know I haven't heard 479 00:26:38,516 --> 00:26:40,796 Speaker 1: these I haven't heard the jam since we actually have 480 00:26:41,996 --> 00:26:45,796 Speaker 1: played all these shows. It's kind of interesting. Do they 481 00:26:45,796 --> 00:26:48,956 Speaker 1: transform live? They have transformed a lot live. You know 482 00:26:48,996 --> 00:26:53,516 Speaker 1: that our our band is awesome. I just love playing 483 00:26:53,956 --> 00:26:57,796 Speaker 1: with each other. They ultimately feel more alive, I mean 484 00:26:57,876 --> 00:27:00,956 Speaker 1: liter literally living, and I love I like records that 485 00:27:01,036 --> 00:27:04,476 Speaker 1: have scrapes, and you know they don't. I like records 486 00:27:04,516 --> 00:27:08,316 Speaker 1: that sound very high fi as well, But with our records, 487 00:27:08,316 --> 00:27:10,356 Speaker 1: I've sort of always tried to keep it a little 488 00:27:10,436 --> 00:27:15,756 Speaker 1: dusty or a little got some knicks and nicks in there. 489 00:27:15,996 --> 00:27:18,116 Speaker 1: How many people are in the band alive now it's six. 490 00:27:18,196 --> 00:27:21,036 Speaker 1: Now we've we've waxed and weighed on that we've had. 491 00:27:21,636 --> 00:27:23,876 Speaker 1: Last year we had like five trombone dudes from Richmond, 492 00:27:23,956 --> 00:27:28,996 Speaker 1: Virginia traveling with us at the dudes, what do we 493 00:27:29,036 --> 00:27:34,436 Speaker 1: call them? Bone trombone paradise. Trombone Paradise that's right now. 494 00:27:34,556 --> 00:27:37,236 Speaker 1: Now it's a lot of the same dudes that have 495 00:27:37,316 --> 00:27:38,956 Speaker 1: been in there a really long time. And then we 496 00:27:38,956 --> 00:27:41,876 Speaker 1: added this lady Jen Wasner who has this band Why Oak, 497 00:27:42,356 --> 00:27:46,596 Speaker 1: and she is a monster um having another high voice, 498 00:27:46,836 --> 00:27:50,836 Speaker 1: a higher voice, and she's also a crushing profit player 499 00:27:51,516 --> 00:27:53,636 Speaker 1: as guitar player and bass player as well. So shit, 500 00:27:53,956 --> 00:27:56,836 Speaker 1: it's been it's been really fun. And the songs they 501 00:27:56,876 --> 00:27:59,396 Speaker 1: just they just live and breathe. You're playing him rather 502 00:27:59,436 --> 00:28:01,836 Speaker 1: than like pressing play on him, you know what I mean. 503 00:28:01,916 --> 00:28:05,076 Speaker 1: I think we're staying truer to the record with the 504 00:28:05,076 --> 00:28:08,236 Speaker 1: most recent songs than we did with twenty two million. 505 00:28:08,236 --> 00:28:10,756 Speaker 1: I mean, those took on a whole new life lives 506 00:28:10,796 --> 00:28:13,716 Speaker 1: that are it's great, but I think with these, yeah, 507 00:28:13,716 --> 00:28:17,156 Speaker 1: they definitely live and breathe, but we're we're staying closer 508 00:28:17,156 --> 00:28:18,796 Speaker 1: to the record. It also makes sense that you said 509 00:28:18,836 --> 00:28:20,996 Speaker 1: there's more playing on the record too, so it's makes 510 00:28:20,996 --> 00:28:23,756 Speaker 1: sense too. Yeah, same people played it on the record 511 00:28:23,796 --> 00:28:27,996 Speaker 1: and now we're playing it live. It's makes sense. Yeah, absolutely, 512 00:28:29,356 --> 00:28:32,876 Speaker 1: not interpolating. Yeah, the picking and choosing with only having 513 00:28:33,076 --> 00:28:35,476 Speaker 1: six people is like, okay, well you we can't. We're 514 00:28:35,476 --> 00:28:37,636 Speaker 1: just physically can't play that part because we don't we 515 00:28:37,636 --> 00:28:40,396 Speaker 1: don't have any tracks or anything like that. Yea. So 516 00:28:40,956 --> 00:28:43,396 Speaker 1: making those choices is always like, Okay, what's the most 517 00:28:43,596 --> 00:28:46,676 Speaker 1: essential moment or can you play this one moment on guitar, 518 00:28:46,756 --> 00:28:48,596 Speaker 1: but then do the rest of it over here? You know, 519 00:28:48,796 --> 00:28:52,276 Speaker 1: making those choices has been really fun, I think this time. Yeah, 520 00:28:53,116 --> 00:28:55,956 Speaker 1: when we come back, Justin Vernon talks to Rick about 521 00:28:55,996 --> 00:29:01,036 Speaker 1: some of his favorite tracks of all time, and we're 522 00:29:01,076 --> 00:29:03,956 Speaker 1: back with the rest of Rick Rubin's conversation with Justin 523 00:29:04,116 --> 00:29:08,356 Speaker 1: Vernon and Chris Messina. What would you say in this 524 00:29:08,436 --> 00:29:12,876 Speaker 1: band or project what's your favorite part of it. It's 525 00:29:12,876 --> 00:29:15,996 Speaker 1: a great question. Lately, it's been if not all the 526 00:29:16,036 --> 00:29:18,036 Speaker 1: whole time. Is when we have a piece of music 527 00:29:18,076 --> 00:29:24,036 Speaker 1: that we can play, that that drifts, that is really alive, 528 00:29:24,636 --> 00:29:29,236 Speaker 1: that we don't have to follow follow the grid, or 529 00:29:29,596 --> 00:29:33,116 Speaker 1: or we don't use to click tracks or tracks really 530 00:29:33,756 --> 00:29:36,836 Speaker 1: but especially you know, there's a couple of songs that 531 00:29:36,876 --> 00:29:39,516 Speaker 1: we're playing live now from this record where it's like, wow, 532 00:29:39,556 --> 00:29:43,356 Speaker 1: we're really it's really a push and pull thing. There's 533 00:29:43,436 --> 00:29:46,716 Speaker 1: really a lot of group improvisation going on, group listening, 534 00:29:47,396 --> 00:29:51,796 Speaker 1: group reacting, And I really enjoy that because in one hand, 535 00:29:51,836 --> 00:29:54,636 Speaker 1: I've got this feeling like I love a song, I 536 00:29:54,716 --> 00:29:56,516 Speaker 1: love a good folks on that lets you know kind 537 00:29:56,516 --> 00:30:00,116 Speaker 1: of who he is right away. But I also love 538 00:30:00,516 --> 00:30:05,036 Speaker 1: Coltrane and I you know, music that that just makes 539 00:30:05,076 --> 00:30:09,876 Speaker 1: you feel strange. I like the combination of those two comforts. Yeah, 540 00:30:09,956 --> 00:30:13,516 Speaker 1: the feeling strange and the feeling comfortable. And what do 541 00:30:13,556 --> 00:30:16,516 Speaker 1: you listen to? Mostly? I mean I bounce around a lot. 542 00:30:16,596 --> 00:30:19,036 Speaker 1: I do listen everything. We grew up. I grew up 543 00:30:19,036 --> 00:30:22,316 Speaker 1: listening and studying jazz in school and stuff, and so 544 00:30:22,916 --> 00:30:24,556 Speaker 1: I was just exposed to a lot my parents and 545 00:30:24,676 --> 00:30:27,516 Speaker 1: musical folks, and so what would be the music like 546 00:30:27,556 --> 00:30:29,636 Speaker 1: growing up in the house, what would your parents play? 547 00:30:29,956 --> 00:30:33,076 Speaker 1: John Prine was probably number one, And a matter of fact, 548 00:30:33,116 --> 00:30:37,236 Speaker 1: he's probably like the He's the backbone of our spiritual 549 00:30:37,236 --> 00:30:40,676 Speaker 1: philosophy as a family. I guess I would say that 550 00:30:40,676 --> 00:30:42,676 Speaker 1: that that was the he was the main one. I 551 00:30:42,716 --> 00:30:46,196 Speaker 1: think you could distill all other listening visa v. John Prine, 552 00:30:46,956 --> 00:30:49,916 Speaker 1: And do you did you extend from John Prine into others, 553 00:30:49,996 --> 00:30:53,156 Speaker 1: like in the singer songwriter world, was that? Yeah? Dylan 554 00:30:53,196 --> 00:30:58,796 Speaker 1: came pretty pretty close after and still still very central, 555 00:30:59,076 --> 00:31:02,076 Speaker 1: you know, my understanding of the craft of like writing 556 00:31:02,076 --> 00:31:05,356 Speaker 1: a song on the guitar, you know, with that whole tradition. 557 00:31:05,716 --> 00:31:08,836 Speaker 1: So in both cases, would it be a lyric centric 558 00:31:09,236 --> 00:31:14,356 Speaker 1: raw started out that way? I think, I think once 559 00:31:14,076 --> 00:31:16,676 Speaker 1: when I saw how complete a song could be with 560 00:31:16,756 --> 00:31:20,516 Speaker 1: such little lyricism, when I when I with John Prine, 561 00:31:20,716 --> 00:31:24,876 Speaker 1: especially you know, compared to Dylan or something. But kind 562 00:31:24,916 --> 00:31:27,476 Speaker 1: of right after that, I always liked a good lyric 563 00:31:28,076 --> 00:31:30,196 Speaker 1: But as you know, that would have been when I 564 00:31:30,236 --> 00:31:32,196 Speaker 1: was like, you know, eleven twelve, when I actually get 565 00:31:32,236 --> 00:31:34,236 Speaker 1: my own discman and listen to John Prine, on my own. 566 00:31:34,276 --> 00:31:36,396 Speaker 1: You know. So, did you start writing songs as a kid? 567 00:31:36,716 --> 00:31:39,036 Speaker 1: I did, Yeah, UM write it like when I was 568 00:31:39,076 --> 00:31:41,636 Speaker 1: twelve or thirteen. I'd write little songs about like my 569 00:31:41,676 --> 00:31:45,236 Speaker 1: friends at camp or stuff like that. It's just something 570 00:31:45,236 --> 00:31:47,876 Speaker 1: that came pretty naturally to me. Would you call them 571 00:31:47,876 --> 00:31:50,676 Speaker 1: folk songs? Yeah, I don't know. I think I was 572 00:31:50,716 --> 00:31:52,956 Speaker 1: probably listening to like Pearl Jam and Nirvana, so I 573 00:31:52,996 --> 00:31:54,556 Speaker 1: was probably just like, oh, these are just songs, man. 574 00:31:55,116 --> 00:31:58,676 Speaker 1: I don't know what I was thinking. Actually, if you 575 00:31:58,716 --> 00:32:01,316 Speaker 1: would describe them now, what would you say they would 576 00:32:01,396 --> 00:32:03,596 Speaker 1: rooted in? Would they be like a Pearl Jam song 577 00:32:03,716 --> 00:32:06,876 Speaker 1: played on acoustic guitar? Yeah, I think they're probably they're 578 00:32:06,876 --> 00:32:10,436 Speaker 1: probably the early days, more prime, more just three chords 579 00:32:10,436 --> 00:32:13,276 Speaker 1: in the truth kind of situation. But then shortly, you know, 580 00:32:13,396 --> 00:32:16,676 Speaker 1: then eventually get into alternate tunings, and then you're listening 581 00:32:16,676 --> 00:32:20,076 Speaker 1: to Joni Mitchell and then it gets a little farther out. 582 00:32:20,196 --> 00:32:23,196 Speaker 1: Who would you say would be the singers that inspire 583 00:32:23,276 --> 00:32:27,516 Speaker 1: you or excite you? There's always three I think of 584 00:32:28,716 --> 00:32:36,076 Speaker 1: My first favorite was Amy Ray from Indigo Girls. She 585 00:32:36,316 --> 00:32:38,636 Speaker 1: had this there's this folk thing going on in that 586 00:32:39,236 --> 00:32:42,036 Speaker 1: their group and songwriting, but she was yelling a lot, 587 00:32:42,116 --> 00:32:45,756 Speaker 1: and like, there's this fever that was just so connected 588 00:32:45,796 --> 00:32:48,516 Speaker 1: to her spirit and what she was trying to communicate 589 00:32:48,556 --> 00:32:51,756 Speaker 1: in her songs. Was she still communicating in her songs 590 00:32:52,516 --> 00:32:57,236 Speaker 1: and that that sort of unbridled yelling and sort of 591 00:32:57,316 --> 00:32:59,556 Speaker 1: like this when you lose it? Yeah, can you think 592 00:32:59,596 --> 00:33:01,876 Speaker 1: of a good example, because i'd love to hear. My 593 00:33:01,956 --> 00:33:04,316 Speaker 1: favorite song of all time is called Fugitive. That's like 594 00:33:04,316 --> 00:33:06,396 Speaker 1: my number one song. That's the Indigo Girls. And maybe 595 00:33:06,516 --> 00:33:09,476 Speaker 1: maybe that's not her yelling, but she's definitely like pushing 596 00:33:09,556 --> 00:33:11,796 Speaker 1: her voice. It's my number my number one favorite song 597 00:33:11,836 --> 00:33:15,196 Speaker 1: of all time. They played that in Missoula, right, brought 598 00:33:15,276 --> 00:33:18,836 Speaker 1: it brought you? I mean I literally had to sit down. 599 00:33:17,836 --> 00:33:22,276 Speaker 1: It's just like I can't believe this just happened. Let's 600 00:33:22,276 --> 00:33:25,516 Speaker 1: listen to it. Yeah, this is my favorite song, my 601 00:33:25,556 --> 00:33:45,516 Speaker 1: favorite album. I think when I was twelve, like my 602 00:33:45,556 --> 00:33:47,756 Speaker 1: mom and sister got me into them, and I think 603 00:33:47,796 --> 00:33:51,836 Speaker 1: I was like, so, Mom, they're they're gay, you know, 604 00:33:51,956 --> 00:33:55,196 Speaker 1: like and then just realizing they have all these problems 605 00:33:55,276 --> 00:33:59,836 Speaker 1: because of that, and like Okay, for some reason, I 606 00:33:59,916 --> 00:34:02,836 Speaker 1: was just like, well, this is wrong that that that 607 00:34:02,916 --> 00:34:05,916 Speaker 1: they have issues, you know, like I don't understand. And 608 00:34:05,956 --> 00:34:10,036 Speaker 1: then that gave me more of my adoreded them more 609 00:34:10,036 --> 00:34:12,036 Speaker 1: and more and more. The more they had strength in 610 00:34:12,076 --> 00:34:15,876 Speaker 1: the face of their adversity and that, but they never 611 00:34:15,916 --> 00:34:19,676 Speaker 1: became bitter. They have feelings about it. I don't know, 612 00:34:19,716 --> 00:34:24,396 Speaker 1: they're just they're They're my favorite group ever. Uh and 613 00:34:24,516 --> 00:34:26,916 Speaker 1: Emily the Harmony, the other singer. She writes all the 614 00:34:27,076 --> 00:34:29,516 Speaker 1: other songs too. I mean, they're both just together. It's 615 00:34:30,476 --> 00:34:33,876 Speaker 1: it's like my favorite shit. But Donnie Hathaway and Bonnie 616 00:34:33,956 --> 00:34:36,196 Speaker 1: Raid are probably my other two, just like as far 617 00:34:36,236 --> 00:34:40,476 Speaker 1: as soul. Yeah, the thing that moved me most was 618 00:34:40,596 --> 00:34:44,316 Speaker 1: after the first sort of rocking part, it drops down 619 00:34:44,476 --> 00:34:50,996 Speaker 1: into a very into unexpected intimate moment just for a moment. Yeah, 620 00:34:51,476 --> 00:34:55,236 Speaker 1: but it got real. Yeah, you got really really got real. Yeah. 621 00:34:55,276 --> 00:34:58,556 Speaker 1: And it's good feeling. Yeah, that's the feeling, man, that's 622 00:34:58,556 --> 00:35:01,476 Speaker 1: the feeling. Like I mean, I tattooed those lyrics on 623 00:35:01,476 --> 00:35:03,316 Speaker 1: my chest for a reason. It's like, this is what 624 00:35:03,356 --> 00:35:05,276 Speaker 1: I want to be carrying around it. That's the feeling. 625 00:35:05,316 --> 00:35:07,996 Speaker 1: When she when we get to that verse, you're like 626 00:35:08,276 --> 00:35:11,076 Speaker 1: you're exposed from all this yelling and this guitar sol 627 00:35:11,156 --> 00:35:14,276 Speaker 1: and this orchestration, and then it all goes away. You're 628 00:35:14,276 --> 00:35:17,636 Speaker 1: just back to this place where it's like we need 629 00:35:17,676 --> 00:35:19,916 Speaker 1: to we need to learn how to respect what we 630 00:35:19,956 --> 00:35:22,716 Speaker 1: don't understand. We are fortunate ones. We are fortunate ones. 631 00:35:22,756 --> 00:35:26,316 Speaker 1: I swear. It's just like the best thing you can say. 632 00:35:26,436 --> 00:35:28,676 Speaker 1: It's like we don't know anything and we have to 633 00:35:28,716 --> 00:35:32,356 Speaker 1: try to learn and we have to understand that how 634 00:35:32,436 --> 00:35:35,316 Speaker 1: lucky we are. Beautiful. That's that's that's why it's my 635 00:35:35,356 --> 00:35:40,036 Speaker 1: favorite song. But yeah, it's it's a displaying intimacy and 636 00:35:41,396 --> 00:35:44,596 Speaker 1: vulnerability is a really important part of communicating as a 637 00:35:44,676 --> 00:35:47,156 Speaker 1: human being, and it is a musician or songwriter. It's 638 00:35:47,196 --> 00:35:49,036 Speaker 1: like you have to be able to be like, yes 639 00:35:49,116 --> 00:35:52,556 Speaker 1: I am I feel awful or yes I am scared. 640 00:35:53,596 --> 00:35:55,996 Speaker 1: You know. I think there's such valuable things in our 641 00:35:56,996 --> 00:36:06,436 Speaker 1: valuable assets to ourselves vulnerability. You know, it's beautiful. Thanks 642 00:36:06,436 --> 00:36:09,596 Speaker 1: to Justin Vernon and Christmasina for sharing their career vision 643 00:36:09,716 --> 00:36:13,556 Speaker 1: for Bonivair with Gray. Do you hear our favorite Bonivare songs? 644 00:36:13,676 --> 00:36:17,356 Speaker 1: Check out the playlist at Broken record podcast dot com. 645 00:36:17,516 --> 00:36:20,156 Speaker 1: Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel at YouTube 646 00:36:20,196 --> 00:36:23,596 Speaker 1: dot com slash broken record Podcast, where can find all 647 00:36:23,596 --> 00:36:26,396 Speaker 1: of our new episodes. You can follow us on Twitter 648 00:36:26,476 --> 00:36:29,276 Speaker 1: at broken Record. Broken Record is produced with help from 649 00:36:29,356 --> 00:36:33,836 Speaker 1: Lea Rose, Jason Gambrel, Entaladay, Eric Sandler, and Jennifer Sanchez, 650 00:36:33,996 --> 00:36:37,636 Speaker 1: with engineering help from Nick Chafee. Our executive producer is 651 00:36:37,716 --> 00:36:41,876 Speaker 1: Mel Lobell. Broken Record is a production of Pushkin Industries. 652 00:36:42,116 --> 00:36:44,436 Speaker 1: If you like this show and others from Pushkin, consider 653 00:36:44,476 --> 00:36:48,636 Speaker 1: subscribing to Pushkin Plus. Pushkin Plus is a podcast subscription 654 00:36:48,716 --> 00:36:52,076 Speaker 1: that offers bonus content an uninterrupted ad free listening for 655 00:36:52,156 --> 00:36:55,516 Speaker 1: four ninety nine minutes. Look for Pushkin Plus on Apple 656 00:36:55,556 --> 00:36:59,196 Speaker 1: Podcasts subscriptions, and if you like the show, please remember 657 00:36:59,236 --> 00:37:01,756 Speaker 1: to share, rate, and review us on your podcast app. 658 00:37:01,956 --> 00:37:04,676 Speaker 1: For our the music Spectady Beats on justin Richmond,