1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:01,280 Speaker 1: Taking a Walk. 2 00:00:01,400 --> 00:00:06,000 Speaker 2: We could never really bemoan our whatever lack of help 3 00:00:06,080 --> 00:00:09,159 Speaker 2: we didn't get, just because people were showing up to 4 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:11,680 Speaker 2: shows and listening to the music, you know. So that 5 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 2: was all all we had dreamed of was happening. So 6 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:18,239 Speaker 2: it's not like we were ever like too begrudging. 7 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:21,920 Speaker 1: Welcome to another episode of the Taking a Walk Podcast 8 00:00:22,239 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 1: with your host Buzz Night. Buzz speaks with a wide 9 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:30,120 Speaker 1: range of musicians covering all genres and eras of music. Today, 10 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:33,159 Speaker 1: Buzz speaks with the true original who's based in the 11 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:37,880 Speaker 1: Boston area. Chadwick Stokes is an incredible musician and activist 12 00:00:38,159 --> 00:00:41,639 Speaker 1: known for his work currently with The Pintos, but he's 13 00:00:41,680 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 1: also known for his incredible run with the wildly successful 14 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 1: indie rock bands State Radio and Dispatch. He's here to 15 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:52,000 Speaker 1: talk about his calling All Crows Benefit and his new 16 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 1: rock opera nineteen seventy two. Chadwick Stokes joins Buzz Night 17 00:00:57,040 --> 00:00:59,600 Speaker 1: on the Taking a Walk Podcast right now. 18 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:04,399 Speaker 3: Chadwick, welcome to take on a Walk. It's so nice 19 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:06,360 Speaker 3: to be with you virtually. 20 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:08,200 Speaker 2: Thank you boys. It's good to be here. 21 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 3: So since it's called taking a Walk, Chad, I have 22 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:15,760 Speaker 3: to ask you, though, first, before we talk about April fourth, 23 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:21,760 Speaker 3: your seventeenth annual Calling All Crow's Benefit weekend. Since the 24 00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:25,400 Speaker 3: podcast is called taking a Walk, if you could take 25 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:31,759 Speaker 3: a walk with somebody living or dead, preferably music oriented, 26 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:34,920 Speaker 3: but doesn't have to be who would you be taking 27 00:01:34,959 --> 00:01:37,880 Speaker 3: a walk with and where would you take that walk? 28 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:45,080 Speaker 2: It's a tough one. A number of people come to mind, 29 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 2: but that would all be wonderful to talk with. My 30 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:54,480 Speaker 2: I guess if I had to choose, I would one 31 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:57,520 Speaker 2: that I think would be great would be walking with 32 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 2: Patti Smith in New York City or Paris, one of 33 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:06,320 Speaker 2: the one of the two. Yeah, hopefully she'd do most 34 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:06,880 Speaker 2: of the talking. 35 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 3: Well, she loves to talk, so I think she would. 36 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:14,080 Speaker 3: But you'd be asking her questions too, You'd be talking 37 00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 3: to her. She would leave some room for sure, But yeah, 38 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:20,040 Speaker 3: she would be a great one. My god, what a 39 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:22,600 Speaker 3: what a life? Well led you know? 40 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:27,480 Speaker 2: So, I don't know, so poetics, so musical, so kind 41 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 2: of anti establishment. 42 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:36,640 Speaker 3: The photographer Lynn Goldsmith recently put out a book focused 43 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:42,120 Speaker 3: on Patty from her work with Patty. Actually had Lynn 44 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:45,359 Speaker 3: Lynn on the podcast talking about it. But it's a 45 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:51,040 Speaker 3: beautiful it's a beautiful book. By Lynn Goldsmith. But so 46 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:55,360 Speaker 3: do you remember the earliest moment that you knew you 47 00:02:55,440 --> 00:03:00,600 Speaker 3: would be connected with a life that was in music. 48 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 2: Well, I never would have thought it was realistic, and 49 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:09,680 Speaker 2: I think I that that sentiment probably carried on pretty 50 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:15,280 Speaker 2: far as much as I would as a teenager writing songs, 51 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:18,359 Speaker 2: would have thought would would have liked it to happen. 52 00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:22,160 Speaker 2: I certainly didn't entertain it as a as a reality, 53 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:25,880 Speaker 2: So I think I think it was it was probably 54 00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:30,800 Speaker 2: you know, a year into playing with Dispatch, you know, 55 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:34,120 Speaker 2: when we were about nineteen or so, when and and 56 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:37,000 Speaker 2: people kept coming up to the keep coming to the 57 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:41,000 Speaker 2: shows with more and more of their friends, and you know, 58 00:03:41,040 --> 00:03:43,120 Speaker 2: we kind of looked at each other and said, well, 59 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:45,840 Speaker 2: you know, we could this is this could be our job. 60 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:50,320 Speaker 2: So I think I think I always wanted. You know, 61 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:52,360 Speaker 2: music was always in my house growing up, a lot 62 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 2: of singing, a lot. My dad plays piano, we all 63 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:58,480 Speaker 2: play horn instruments, so it I knew it was always 64 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:01,000 Speaker 2: gonna My uncle lived with us too, and he plays 65 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:04,120 Speaker 2: the flute in some low brass as well, so there 66 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 2: was always going to be music in my life. I 67 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:11,400 Speaker 2: just I just probably until those the early probably you know, 68 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:14,960 Speaker 2: just when I had dipped my a little further than 69 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:18,360 Speaker 2: my toe into the dispatch career, did I really think 70 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:22,560 Speaker 2: that I could do this? And you know, it would 71 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:25,640 Speaker 2: be kind of my life, you know, and beyond, not 72 00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:27,719 Speaker 2: not just something I do for fun, but it would 73 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:32,680 Speaker 2: be something that would be my job as well. So 74 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:35,000 Speaker 2: so it's probably a few a few months, if not 75 00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:38,920 Speaker 2: a year into the into the Dispatch, into the growth 76 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:39,880 Speaker 2: of that band. 77 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:45,680 Speaker 3: And who were the earliest influences first of all for 78 00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 3: you and musically, and then who were the early mentors 79 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:51,840 Speaker 3: for you? 80 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:58,440 Speaker 2: Musically? There was a lot of We listened to a 81 00:04:58,440 --> 00:05:01,080 Speaker 2: lot of classical music coming from my dad, but then 82 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:04,279 Speaker 2: we listened to a lot of the Beatles, you know, 83 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:07,360 Speaker 2: grow I was born in seventy six, so it was 84 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:11,159 Speaker 2: you know, that was they weren't a band anymore, but 85 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:14,560 Speaker 2: a lot of the Beatles, a lot of the musical 86 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:20,320 Speaker 2: hair played constantly in our house and so but really 87 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:22,520 Speaker 2: it was a lot of the It was a lot 88 00:05:22,560 --> 00:05:26,440 Speaker 2: of looking back at I loved to listen to the 89 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:28,880 Speaker 2: old the oldies station back in the day one oh 90 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:31,880 Speaker 2: three point three. That was my real I think I 91 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 2: was too young to like get into the eighties, and 92 00:05:34,839 --> 00:05:38,760 Speaker 2: so I kind of leaned back into the sounds of 93 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:42,559 Speaker 2: the sixties and seventies and then kind of almost missed 94 00:05:42,640 --> 00:05:45,560 Speaker 2: the eighties, and then was a young teenager in the 95 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:52,000 Speaker 2: nineties wherein when Alice and Change's and Nirvana and it 96 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:54,919 Speaker 2: was kind of rock bands kind of hit me in 97 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:58,760 Speaker 2: a way that all the hair metal hadn't hit me 98 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:02,880 Speaker 2: till that point, so it was more like it was 99 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:10,039 Speaker 2: like CCR and Jethro Taal and Marvin Gay and then 100 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:13,039 Speaker 2: you know, Fast and then it was just a big 101 00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:17,080 Speaker 2: skip to nineteen ninety one and Rage against the Machine 102 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:19,800 Speaker 2: and Nirvana and Pearl Jam. 103 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:25,359 Speaker 3: I was thinking about the current times where it's a 104 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:30,440 Speaker 3: more frequent occurrence for bands to break out or musicians 105 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:34,000 Speaker 3: to break out kind of on their own through their 106 00:06:34,040 --> 00:06:39,719 Speaker 3: own channels and stuff, and then happen upon this great success. 107 00:06:40,279 --> 00:06:44,640 Speaker 3: Do you reflect though on your career and specifically on 108 00:06:44,880 --> 00:06:47,559 Speaker 3: you know, dispatch and state radio and go, my god, 109 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:51,240 Speaker 3: we this is what happened to us, and now it's 110 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:56,200 Speaker 3: more frequently happening to others in terms of finding audiences 111 00:06:56,240 --> 00:07:00,599 Speaker 3: in this incredibly unique and independ't weigh. 112 00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:05,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, we were just on the edge of that with Napster. 113 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:10,600 Speaker 2: We were coming from a very unequal playing field. If 114 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:12,880 Speaker 2: you weren't signed, it was very hard to do this 115 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:15,560 Speaker 2: or this and that, and yeah, so we were just 116 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:17,520 Speaker 2: on the edge of what you speak of kind of 117 00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:22,840 Speaker 2: this more egalitarian, outside of the box, come out of 118 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:25,840 Speaker 2: left field kind of thing that can happen today. 119 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:33,000 Speaker 3: And I'm a little part of this history. You're you're 120 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:37,040 Speaker 3: the story. But where I was working at that time 121 00:07:37,880 --> 00:07:43,640 Speaker 3: was in Boston for the Greater Media Radio stations, which 122 00:07:43,680 --> 00:07:48,920 Speaker 3: included ninety two nine WBOS and our mutual friend who 123 00:07:49,040 --> 00:07:53,200 Speaker 3: synced us up for this interview, Adam Klein. I remember 124 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:59,559 Speaker 3: dear Adam coming in and saying, Hey, this band wants 125 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 3: to do it a free concert at the Hatshell, you know, 126 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:10,560 Speaker 3: can we promote it on the station? And so we 127 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:13,600 Speaker 3: were like sure, but we didn't really know, you know, 128 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:16,840 Speaker 3: what was going to happen and how to embrace it 129 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:23,000 Speaker 3: or to embrace it or whatever. And then suddenly, holy moly, 130 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:26,600 Speaker 3: you know, I don't know what the crowd size was, 131 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:29,560 Speaker 3: but do you remember that that moment and that story 132 00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:31,679 Speaker 3: at the Hatshell show? 133 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 2: For sure? I mean, that's it's indelible for me. I 134 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:38,880 Speaker 2: think we woke up that morning and we heard that 135 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:41,520 Speaker 2: thirty thousand people had were already there and it was 136 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:43,079 Speaker 2: you know eight a m. 137 00:08:43,520 --> 00:08:46,680 Speaker 3: That was dispatch, right, that was that was dispatch. 138 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:49,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, And I think we had you know, we had 139 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:54,840 Speaker 2: two cops on security detail, and we had a few 140 00:08:54,920 --> 00:08:59,000 Speaker 2: interviews in the in the basement of the hatshell from 141 00:08:59,080 --> 00:09:03,640 Speaker 2: like Carlisle High School and just these like kids like 142 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:06,480 Speaker 2: no one from the no one was interested in us, 143 00:09:06,520 --> 00:09:08,760 Speaker 2: you know, from kind of the powers that be. It 144 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:12,160 Speaker 2: was all like no one cared except for kids, you know, 145 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:14,880 Speaker 2: and so and I think that's kind of cool now. 146 00:09:14,920 --> 00:09:17,880 Speaker 2: And then you know, and then so many people showed up, 147 00:09:18,120 --> 00:09:20,000 Speaker 2: you know, one hundred and ten thousand or whatever. So 148 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:24,160 Speaker 2: just a kind of crazy day really, you know, for 149 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:26,840 Speaker 2: my life, you know, one for the books. 150 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:29,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, and I would love to say that, you know, 151 00:09:29,679 --> 00:09:32,480 Speaker 3: the radio station could take some credit for the event, 152 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:35,480 Speaker 3: but we could take little or no credit for the 153 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:39,920 Speaker 3: event really, which was the astonishing fact. And we would 154 00:09:39,960 --> 00:09:44,040 Speaker 3: often talk after the fact, going, man, did we freaking 155 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:48,400 Speaker 3: blow it with that? Not figuring out how to embrace 156 00:09:48,480 --> 00:09:53,640 Speaker 3: this not only event, but this band and the direction 157 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:56,520 Speaker 3: that things were going. I think it was a real 158 00:09:57,160 --> 00:09:59,520 Speaker 3: miss for us, A big miss. 159 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:02,480 Speaker 2: That's nice to say. I mean we always were, you know, 160 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:06,959 Speaker 2: coming from we were so not in the mainstream that 161 00:10:07,760 --> 00:10:10,480 Speaker 2: and we were young, and so we we did, you know, 162 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:12,760 Speaker 2: we'd want to do ourselves. Why don't we ever get 163 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:16,400 Speaker 2: played on the radio? You know, and a bit naive 164 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:18,800 Speaker 2: maybe at the time, but we did. We did have 165 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:22,240 Speaker 2: those discussions and wish that someone had kind of taken 166 00:10:22,320 --> 00:10:25,440 Speaker 2: us on. But at the same time, you know, we 167 00:10:25,440 --> 00:10:30,040 Speaker 2: we could never really bemoan our whatever lack of help 168 00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:33,199 Speaker 2: we didn't get, just because people were showing up to 169 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:36,080 Speaker 2: shows and listening to the music, you know, so that 170 00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:40,400 Speaker 2: was all all we had dreamed of was happening. So 171 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:43,000 Speaker 2: it's not like we were ever like too begrudging. 172 00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:47,520 Speaker 3: Well, that makes me feel better. I was like, man, 173 00:10:47,880 --> 00:10:49,760 Speaker 3: I was gonna I was thinking, do I ask chat 174 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:51,640 Speaker 3: about this? And then I'm like, yeah, I have to. 175 00:10:51,679 --> 00:10:55,199 Speaker 3: It's part of his history, and and I was, you know, 176 00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:59,800 Speaker 3: at least remotely. Yeah, that's cool intersecting with it, you know. 177 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:04,079 Speaker 3: But I'll never forget the Adam coming in and asking 178 00:11:04,240 --> 00:11:09,559 Speaker 3: the question, so where did you get your first impact 179 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:15,040 Speaker 3: from somebody? And who was it that influenced you as 180 00:11:15,080 --> 00:11:19,480 Speaker 3: far as being a champion of social causes. 181 00:11:20,320 --> 00:11:24,200 Speaker 2: I guess growing up with Hair, the soundtrack of Hair, 182 00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:29,040 Speaker 2: and then seeing the movie and seeing how songs were 183 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:33,320 Speaker 2: woven into a story with such power, such emotional power, 184 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:37,400 Speaker 2: but also with a social bent on it, with a 185 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:41,000 Speaker 2: political message that really had a huge effect on me. 186 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:44,600 Speaker 2: I thought, Oh, this thing. Music is so powerful on 187 00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:46,560 Speaker 2: its own. It can be emotionally so powerful, but it 188 00:11:46,600 --> 00:11:49,880 Speaker 2: can also be part of movements. And we had it 189 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:53,280 Speaker 2: in town in Sherburn where I grew up, there was 190 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:57,640 Speaker 2: a Piece Abbey which was a church dedicated to peace 191 00:11:57,760 --> 00:12:02,280 Speaker 2: and music and passivism. And the man the family and 192 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:06,400 Speaker 2: the man who ran it, Lewis Randa, was constantly getting arrested, 193 00:12:07,559 --> 00:12:10,480 Speaker 2: but had pictures of Martin Luther King and John Lennon 194 00:12:10,800 --> 00:12:15,000 Speaker 2: side by side and mother Teresa. So it's just this 195 00:12:15,160 --> 00:12:20,120 Speaker 2: shrine of activism that's kind of where where my heart 196 00:12:20,360 --> 00:12:23,640 Speaker 2: felt like the most alive. And so I think that 197 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:27,280 Speaker 2: that also. I think so my parents and then Lewis, 198 00:12:27,280 --> 00:12:31,160 Speaker 2: who is my parents generation, and we've teamed up over 199 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:33,880 Speaker 2: the years to do things. But having someone close by 200 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:37,360 Speaker 2: who gave a shit, who gave a shit about the world, 201 00:12:37,360 --> 00:12:39,160 Speaker 2: didn't give a shit about what people thought of him, 202 00:12:39,520 --> 00:12:41,960 Speaker 2: you know, and was out there to make a difference. 203 00:12:43,320 --> 00:12:45,679 Speaker 2: That was very inspiring. 204 00:12:47,240 --> 00:12:53,840 Speaker 3: So seventeenth annual Calling All Crows Benefit Weekend. It's Friday, 205 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:57,760 Speaker 3: April fourth at the Somerville Theater, the Great Somerville Theater. 206 00:12:58,160 --> 00:13:03,360 Speaker 3: Tickets available at Chadwicks folks dot com. And you're going 207 00:13:03,400 --> 00:13:09,160 Speaker 3: to be performing select songs from your forthcoming rock opera, 208 00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:14,640 Speaker 3: nineteen seventy Two's that's amazing? Can you talk about nineteen 209 00:13:14,720 --> 00:13:15,400 Speaker 3: seventy two? 210 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:20,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, Since I was a kid, I always wanted to 211 00:13:20,040 --> 00:13:23,240 Speaker 2: write a rock opera like Hair or Jesus Christ Superstar, 212 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:29,200 Speaker 2: and I talked about it. There's interviews, dispatch interviews, and 213 00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:32,320 Speaker 2: even when I was like twenty when it was brought up, 214 00:13:32,360 --> 00:13:34,800 Speaker 2: you know, I guess the guys in the band knew 215 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:37,440 Speaker 2: I had this in my sights. I just had been 216 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:40,600 Speaker 2: kind of kicking it down the line for years, and 217 00:13:40,840 --> 00:13:44,520 Speaker 2: finally in the last couple of years I had enough 218 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:49,120 Speaker 2: material and an idea and where it kind of came 219 00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:53,400 Speaker 2: together and to really kind of get down to it 220 00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:59,559 Speaker 2: and start trying to formulate a two hour ish concept, 221 00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:05,560 Speaker 2: you know, sung through story. So we did it actually 222 00:14:05,679 --> 00:14:08,160 Speaker 2: last year at Somerville Theater, but it's a very different 223 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:12,840 Speaker 2: musical or opera. Now. The songs are the same, but 224 00:14:12,880 --> 00:14:15,920 Speaker 2: it's been whittled down and it's been refined and the 225 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:19,480 Speaker 2: characters have kind of come to life. We've been performing 226 00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:21,680 Speaker 2: it for about a year and a half and I 227 00:14:21,800 --> 00:14:24,880 Speaker 2: usually do like a little narration between each song to 228 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:27,760 Speaker 2: let the crowd know what's happening. And now it's just 229 00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:30,800 Speaker 2: all sung through, and it's done with some great friends 230 00:14:30,840 --> 00:14:34,160 Speaker 2: around here. My brother Willie is in it, and my 231 00:14:34,280 --> 00:14:37,600 Speaker 2: old some of my old classmates from elementary school are 232 00:14:37,680 --> 00:14:42,760 Speaker 2: in it. And some great artists in younger artists here 233 00:14:42,840 --> 00:14:46,880 Speaker 2: who I've been playing with here and there my friend 234 00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:51,880 Speaker 2: Tommy who plays in Jesus Jesus the Dinosaur, local Boston band. 235 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:56,400 Speaker 2: Tommy also plays in the Pintos. So it's a great 236 00:14:56,760 --> 00:15:00,400 Speaker 2: group of people and it's really fun to keep kind 237 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:04,120 Speaker 2: of whittling at it and honing this thing. We have, 238 00:15:04,280 --> 00:15:09,840 Speaker 2: this kind of this story that we're trying to tell. 239 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:14,680 Speaker 3: And calling all crows. This is the organization that you founded. 240 00:15:16,480 --> 00:15:19,560 Speaker 3: It was back in the mid two thousands, that you 241 00:15:20,080 --> 00:15:24,360 Speaker 3: founded in two thousand and seven eight, Is that right? Yeah, yep, 242 00:15:25,160 --> 00:15:30,040 Speaker 3: You and sybil Ye. And this was designed as a 243 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:36,320 Speaker 3: way to engage music fans, you know, with social movements, right, 244 00:15:36,360 --> 00:15:38,080 Speaker 3: that was your vision from the beginning. 245 00:15:38,880 --> 00:15:42,840 Speaker 2: Yes, music is such a beautiful gateway into different things, 246 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:45,640 Speaker 2: and it can be it's a moment where we all 247 00:15:45,680 --> 00:15:49,560 Speaker 2: gather and we're together. And that feeling that you have 248 00:15:49,640 --> 00:15:51,880 Speaker 2: when you're in a venue where you're with people and 249 00:15:51,920 --> 00:15:54,560 Speaker 2: you're listening to the same music or you connect with 250 00:15:54,600 --> 00:15:57,040 Speaker 2: the same music, you know, it's almost like anything can happen. 251 00:15:57,120 --> 00:16:00,560 Speaker 2: It's such a nice connection. And I think you know, 252 00:16:00,640 --> 00:16:05,120 Speaker 2: we saw with State Radio that was so topic driven 253 00:16:05,240 --> 00:16:09,720 Speaker 2: or message driven. We had this opportunity to really combine 254 00:16:09,840 --> 00:16:14,080 Speaker 2: service and activism with the music and I think that 255 00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:16,760 Speaker 2: so that had that's where things got kind of got 256 00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:18,320 Speaker 2: first started getting rolling. 257 00:16:19,200 --> 00:16:24,880 Speaker 3: And you've had others other musicians from this area or 258 00:16:25,440 --> 00:16:29,880 Speaker 3: outside of this area who have also joined on to 259 00:16:30,040 --> 00:16:33,640 Speaker 3: engage in What the organization is about is that right now? 260 00:16:33,680 --> 00:16:37,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, we have we basically run. We're here for any 261 00:16:37,960 --> 00:16:41,920 Speaker 2: band they can reach out to us and we can 262 00:16:42,560 --> 00:16:47,520 Speaker 2: help them with a campaign that they can kind of 263 00:16:47,520 --> 00:16:49,720 Speaker 2: take on the road with them, you know, could be 264 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:53,120 Speaker 2: whatever they're interested. One thing that's been the most broad 265 00:16:53,160 --> 00:16:56,320 Speaker 2: based for us in terms of other bands hiring. Calling 266 00:16:56,320 --> 00:16:58,880 Speaker 2: All Crows has been our here for the music campaign, 267 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:03,320 Speaker 2: which is which is a campaign to curb and to 268 00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:07,840 Speaker 2: help stop sexual assault and harassment in the music industry. 269 00:17:08,560 --> 00:17:10,920 Speaker 2: You know, mostly at shows, but it could could be anywhere. 270 00:17:11,480 --> 00:17:15,560 Speaker 2: That's been taken on by Boy Genius and Claro and 271 00:17:15,840 --> 00:17:18,960 Speaker 2: these awesome bands like you know, really kind of accepted 272 00:17:19,080 --> 00:17:22,199 Speaker 2: into their touring culture, which was which was you know, 273 00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:24,560 Speaker 2: all we could have hoped for was to kind of 274 00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:27,760 Speaker 2: help change the power dynamics of the touring culture because 275 00:17:27,760 --> 00:17:31,520 Speaker 2: it's there's so much misogyny and it's there's a lot 276 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:35,479 Speaker 2: of power dynamics so male dominated. Here for the music campaign, 277 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:38,040 Speaker 2: it's really taken on a life of its own, and 278 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:42,360 Speaker 2: other bands have especially taken to that campaign. 279 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:46,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, I feel like people look at someone like you 280 00:17:46,560 --> 00:17:51,399 Speaker 3: and people you're around, and they say, my god, if 281 00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:55,840 Speaker 3: we could apply ourselves in our craft with an eye 282 00:17:55,880 --> 00:18:00,959 Speaker 3: on all boats rising when something good is happening first 283 00:18:01,560 --> 00:18:06,480 Speaker 3: and then think about the rest of the business side. Secondarily, 284 00:18:07,680 --> 00:18:11,680 Speaker 3: I think it seems like a natural thing, but most 285 00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:14,680 Speaker 3: people don't do it. Why don't you think people think 286 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:15,120 Speaker 3: that way? 287 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:21,200 Speaker 2: I mean, like other bands. Yeah, yeah, Well everyone approaches 288 00:18:21,359 --> 00:18:23,880 Speaker 2: art differently. You know. I really think that it's our 289 00:18:23,920 --> 00:18:30,080 Speaker 2: responsibility to with the platform, we have to really use 290 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:32,399 Speaker 2: it to the best of our ability. But you know, 291 00:18:32,640 --> 00:18:35,200 Speaker 2: there's are like, hey, I just make art for art's sake, 292 00:18:35,280 --> 00:18:38,240 Speaker 2: or you know, I like to sing about my love 293 00:18:38,280 --> 00:18:41,480 Speaker 2: life or you know whatever. So there's it's a little 294 00:18:41,480 --> 00:18:43,160 Speaker 2: hard to get. I think that's what calling ol Crows 295 00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:46,280 Speaker 2: is here for for other bands, because they might not 296 00:18:46,359 --> 00:18:49,800 Speaker 2: know where to start, and it's really easy to write 297 00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:51,600 Speaker 2: us or call us and be like I want to 298 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:54,240 Speaker 2: do this, or I've been thinking about this, you know, 299 00:18:54,280 --> 00:18:57,280 Speaker 2: and we can really plug them in, you know, across 300 00:18:57,320 --> 00:19:01,680 Speaker 2: the country or even globally to like different organizations where 301 00:19:01,680 --> 00:19:04,119 Speaker 2: they are, where they're touring, where they could have people 302 00:19:04,119 --> 00:19:08,119 Speaker 2: coming table. So if anyone, if other bands are interested in, 303 00:19:09,320 --> 00:19:12,480 Speaker 2: you know, having that arm to their business where it's like, 304 00:19:13,119 --> 00:19:15,680 Speaker 2: you know, they're taking a stand or or they want 305 00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:18,280 Speaker 2: a certain message to take a get out there. It 306 00:19:18,359 --> 00:19:22,879 Speaker 2: is it's a little intimidating because they're worried about this, 307 00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:25,320 Speaker 2: they're worried about the setlist, they're they're worried about getting 308 00:19:25,359 --> 00:19:28,920 Speaker 2: to the next next gig. You know, and for them 309 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:32,119 Speaker 2: to kind of reinvent the wheel. It's easier for artists 310 00:19:32,119 --> 00:19:34,359 Speaker 2: just to be like, oh, I won't deal with that. 311 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:36,480 Speaker 2: I'll just concentrate what I need to. So, but Calling 312 00:19:36,520 --> 00:19:39,920 Speaker 2: All Crows is here to kind of help that mentality. 313 00:19:40,560 --> 00:19:42,800 Speaker 3: You know, in addition to your great work. That I'm 314 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:48,320 Speaker 3: so impressed with. Another person who's got his mission and 315 00:19:48,440 --> 00:19:54,360 Speaker 3: that it's very focused on doing doing good is Adam Ezra, 316 00:19:54,480 --> 00:19:58,240 Speaker 3: who was on the podcast at one point, and yeah, 317 00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:02,960 Speaker 3: he's great. It's just it's wonderful seeing you know, leading 318 00:20:02,960 --> 00:20:06,080 Speaker 3: with the heart, you know, first and foremost. 319 00:20:06,119 --> 00:20:08,680 Speaker 2: You know. Yeah, yeah, he's done a lot of great 320 00:20:08,720 --> 00:20:12,240 Speaker 2: stuff and he's said great singer. That's cool. 321 00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:16,320 Speaker 3: Tell me what's going on with Chad, with Stokes and 322 00:20:16,359 --> 00:20:17,520 Speaker 3: the Pintos. 323 00:20:17,840 --> 00:20:21,800 Speaker 2: Well there right now all the Pintos have been folded 324 00:20:21,880 --> 00:20:27,040 Speaker 2: up into nineteen seventy two the Rock, So okay, that's 325 00:20:27,320 --> 00:20:31,240 Speaker 2: kind of all hands on deck. So because the nineteen 326 00:20:31,280 --> 00:20:35,760 Speaker 2: seventy two is the Pintos in myself and five others, 327 00:20:35,920 --> 00:20:40,560 Speaker 2: so everyone's involved in that and those those you know, 328 00:20:40,680 --> 00:20:43,679 Speaker 2: great musicians, and it's fun to it's fun to have 329 00:20:43,720 --> 00:20:46,439 Speaker 2: this little adventure. You know, it's a little bit of 330 00:20:46,440 --> 00:20:51,440 Speaker 2: a little bit tangential adventure with the Pintos. It's it's 331 00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:56,640 Speaker 2: been quite a ride and they've been great. Basically, when 332 00:20:56,680 --> 00:21:00,480 Speaker 2: we play a show, a nineteen seventy two show, the 333 00:21:00,480 --> 00:21:02,600 Speaker 2: next day we'll meet up for four hours and we'll 334 00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:05,000 Speaker 2: make four hours of changes, and then we'll do the 335 00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:06,879 Speaker 2: show again, and the next day we'll meet up and 336 00:21:06,920 --> 00:21:09,440 Speaker 2: we'll do four hours of changes. So I got to 337 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:14,119 Speaker 2: hand it to them for really being open. Because it 338 00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:16,600 Speaker 2: has to tell a story, a clear story from starting 339 00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:19,080 Speaker 2: to finish, and because it's a different kind of animal. 340 00:21:19,720 --> 00:21:23,919 Speaker 2: There's been so many revisions, and they've been amazing about about, 341 00:21:24,040 --> 00:21:27,320 Speaker 2: you know, being open to it constantly changing. 342 00:21:28,359 --> 00:21:31,159 Speaker 3: I love it. Before we close, I also produce this 343 00:21:31,240 --> 00:21:35,879 Speaker 3: other podcast. It's called Music Saved Me. It's about the 344 00:21:35,920 --> 00:21:39,600 Speaker 3: healing power that you know, just that power of music 345 00:21:39,640 --> 00:21:43,560 Speaker 3: and what it means on so many levels. Do you 346 00:21:43,600 --> 00:21:47,600 Speaker 3: think music has therapeutic healing powers? 347 00:21:48,440 --> 00:21:55,320 Speaker 2: Most definitely. I think that's what it's for. It has 348 00:21:55,440 --> 00:22:02,040 Speaker 2: amazing potential to heal ourselves, to heal each other, to 349 00:22:02,080 --> 00:22:08,480 Speaker 2: be part of a revolution or movements. I strongly believe 350 00:22:08,640 --> 00:22:13,000 Speaker 2: that in the power it's really potent, and I think 351 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:14,920 Speaker 2: That's why I feel so lucky to be to play 352 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:18,200 Speaker 2: music and continue to play music with with my friends 353 00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:22,880 Speaker 2: and to and to have a musical about a young 354 00:22:22,920 --> 00:22:28,440 Speaker 2: woman riding freight trains to find someone who will give 355 00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:32,199 Speaker 2: her an illegal abortion. You know, can be heavy stuff, 356 00:22:32,280 --> 00:22:36,000 Speaker 2: but it's but the music kind of takes it all 357 00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:39,160 Speaker 2: like a wave, you know, and it's really become something 358 00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:42,280 Speaker 2: else than you know, if you're reading a book or something. 359 00:22:42,359 --> 00:22:44,840 Speaker 2: So it's it's really fun to be on that on 360 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:50,720 Speaker 2: that wave, even when or especially when the topics are 361 00:22:51,160 --> 00:22:53,679 Speaker 2: prescient and urgent. 362 00:22:55,240 --> 00:22:59,120 Speaker 3: Well, Chad, the seventeenth annual Call On All Crows Benefit 363 00:22:59,160 --> 00:23:03,040 Speaker 3: weekend is coming up. Good luck on it Friday, April fourth, 364 00:23:03,040 --> 00:23:07,720 Speaker 3: Somerville Theater. People can check out tickets at your website 365 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:13,600 Speaker 3: Chadwickstokes dot com and it'll be an amazing performance of 366 00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:17,720 Speaker 3: nineteen seventy two. You'll keep revising it, I'm sure, right 367 00:23:17,760 --> 00:23:21,959 Speaker 3: down to the very end. But that's what makes you 368 00:23:22,080 --> 00:23:26,000 Speaker 3: so great at what you do and calling All Crows 369 00:23:26,080 --> 00:23:30,639 Speaker 3: the great work there as well. Thanks for all you 370 00:23:30,760 --> 00:23:34,080 Speaker 3: do and continue to do, and thanks for being on 371 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:35,480 Speaker 3: taking a walk chat. 372 00:23:35,640 --> 00:23:39,439 Speaker 1: Thanks buys, nice to see you, Thanks for listening to 373 00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:42,840 Speaker 1: this episode of the Taking a Walk podcast. Share this 374 00:23:43,119 --> 00:23:46,040 Speaker 1: and other episodes with your friends and follow us so 375 00:23:46,080 --> 00:23:49,480 Speaker 1: you never miss an episode. Taking a Walk is available 376 00:23:49,600 --> 00:23:53,920 Speaker 1: on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get 377 00:23:53,960 --> 00:23:54,840 Speaker 1: your podcasts.