PipemanRadio Interviews JVK at Louder Than Life 2023

Episode Transcript
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(00:04):
Hey, you love them too,sus Sure, I'm from four see why
you wake up America. It's timefor the Adventures, So pipe Man on
W four cy dot com west pomBeats his number one internet radio station.

(00:28):
Here's your host, the pipe Man, your grown bears for Youthful before buds.
You lay in the ground with stars, and this is the pipe Man

(00:51):
here on the Adventures pipe Man Wfour c Y Radio and I'm here with
j v K. Nice. Yeah, you're a louder than life. How
avile the hell does that feel?To be at Louder than Life? It
is surreal, beyond surreal, absolutelyinsane. It's actually our first huge festival
ever. So is our festival debut, and we can't wait for all the

(01:12):
other ones that are gonna come afterthis. It's truly like an incredible experience
just seeing everything and seeing all thebands on the stages. It's just like
getting ready for it five thirty tonight. It's gonna be amazing. See Now,
that's why I love about the DannyWimmer festivals because bands like you are
always featured at these festivals. Yes, you know, at a band earlier
it's their first gig ever. Iknow it's not incredible, Like that's wild,

(01:37):
you know, And what a whata difference between like playing a club
show or backyard show and then playinga festival and incredible. You're playing,
Oh my god, this place willbe freaking huge, packed, packed,
packed. So what did what wentacross your guy's mind when this opportunity came

(02:01):
about? Like how much did youfreak? It was one of those things
where it's like we got the calland it was like it was like,
you're playing loud of the life.Here's what you need to know. So
there wasn't like that moment of likepause of like oh my god. It
was like just taking all the information, staying as professional as possible, and
then you know, we all hungup and then gone a call with each

(02:22):
other and just started screaming and loseour just literally losing it. It was
so surreal. And there's been somuch build up to this moment. We've
had, like, you know,thirty rehearsals alone, just getting our set
perfect as perfect can be, youknow, rehearsing it, showing it to
other people, getting everyone's feedback.It's been a wild experience just getting ready

(02:43):
for it, getting prepared. Seethat that part I really love because I
don't think people realize on the otherend, the people attending what it takes
to play that's one set at festival. The kind of think, oh,
they're just playing a set, changeyour life. If you really put the
work in and you really know cantake an incredible setting, you really change
things for you. That's why wewere like, this will not be our

(03:04):
last festival. I can say thatright now. That's why I love about
festivals. Like I've found bands thatI went never known I loved, Like
one of my favorite bands the firsttime I ever saw once, I have
a festival. Bring me to Horizon, right right, slip Knot, same
thing right, that's like my Ihave a hoodie in there. I'll have
to show you after an interview.Cool ass slip Knot hoodie Like I saw

(03:30):
them at Third Stage Odds Fest nineteenninety nine and mud Vain. I've seen
a performance on YouTube. I watchedright time and like, holy shit.
And I have not missed a showsince because there's no show like a Slipknot
show. Being in the crowd exactlylike you don't stand back and go,

(03:53):
you know, And I'm sure that'swhat it's gonna be out there tonight for
you guys. Yeah, we're reallygood people moving. It's like even like
we were watching yesterday at the Roadhoundstage, at the stage that we're on
five thirty tonight, and we werewatching all the other bands and the crowd
interaction. It gave me so manymore ideas that I already had about just
getting people in and getting people involvedand moving their bodies. It's gonna be

(04:13):
sick. And then as you know, as performers, there's gonna become that
moment when you're on stage that justsomething happens that you do like that wasn't
even planned because you feed off adrenaline. You're in the moment. Yeah,
you're in the zone. You're feedingoff the audience. And that's why I
love about live music is it's itcan be a different experience every single time,

(04:36):
exactly exactly. So what tell usa story of what led up to
this phone call that got you hereto Louder than Life. So the funny
thing about it is that we're herethrough Brickley College of Music and there's a
program called Brickley Popular Music Institute.They choose seven to eight different artists for
festivals all over the country. Weplayed our first show a year and a

(04:59):
half ago and it was out ofthis dive bar in Boston and I look
at my phone and they were like, we're looking at you for a rock
festival or this are institute everything,And me personally, I went to the
band and I was like, oh, look at this, and they were
like, no, that's a hugedeal. And I didn't realize what the
magnitude of what it was. Andso we got We had a previous call
before and it was for a differentfestival at the time, and they were

(05:21):
like, you know, like let'schoose it. We're gonna choose another Bamba.
Please keep playing shows. Keep likeat the time we played like two
shows. We played thirty shows ina full summer, traveling all over the
place, just getting like grind andgetting our set down, getting more music
down, getting everything down. Wejust kept going and we just I just
didn't want to stop, you know. And then we met back up again.

(05:42):
We were a lot tighter, hada lot of works and it was
like, well, how many showsdo you played so far? It went
from two to like forty, youknow, and just a short amount of
time and that experience, you know, we were playing shows to no one,
like going out to upstate New York, playing to no one quite literally,
and you know, playing to allthese like random places, people's houses,
sleeping on floors, sleeping in basements, you know, and it got

(06:02):
us here. I fully think thatexperience, just playing so many shows just
got us here. Yeah. Yeah. And then so I love what Berkeley
does, and like, what isthe vibe from your classmates so to speak
of, you know, because you'reall doing the same thing, they're kind

(06:25):
of and I feel it's probably likea supportive environment. Oh my god.
Yeah. I mean the second wegot like this festival and we could announce
it, I had people in myclasses saying, oh my god, Alex,
like you're in JVK right, youplay bass? Right? And I
was like, yeah, I do. And they're like, we know,
we know what you're doing. We'reso stoked for you. So it's like

(06:46):
I think people look at Berkeley andthink it's a really like intimidating, like
kind of like I don't know,competitive environment, but everyone is so so
supportive, like genuinely, like evenprofessors get like super excited. Like it's
honestly hearing that because it could easilybe a very competitive environment. And that
shows how great the program is thatyour friends or even not friends would be

(07:13):
so excited for you for getting theopportunity at maybe they want like most of
these people too are like complete strangersto me or like we have like one
like mutual friend and we've like saidhi to each other, and it's just
like, I don't know. It'sso supportive because you know, word gets
around really fast, like in areally small school, and people are so
sweet. I love it. Ihad like the same thing happened. I

(07:38):
will pull up to my class andpeople will be like, oh, I
saw you at this in this dY venue in JVK Oh cool, and
the professors are really supportive. I'mlike, hey, just so you know,
I won't be in class and they'relike, go go go do your
gig. I love that too,because there are out there, not at
Berkeley, but out there there areprofessors. I probably wish they were getting

(08:01):
the opportunities of their students that theirstudents are gaining, and there could be
some jealousy there or maybe not thesupport or make it maybe make it harder
to prove a point because it washard for them. You know, it's
like, oh, I had togo through all this, so you're gonna
have to go through it too.But it sounds more like the professors at
Berkeley are like, Hey, Ihad to go through all that stuff and

(08:22):
it made it really difficult. I'mgonna make it easier on you, so
you don't have to go through thatcrap. Yeah, there's definitely still some
tough love, but sometimes it's neededthat is true to get to the next
level, I guess, especially inthis industry because it's a pretty heartless industry
sometimes and we've definitely encountered that levelof just like jealousy and very you know,

(08:43):
toxic environment and it's like hard tolike, especially when you're seeing someone
that's on the same level as youget different opportunities, you know, like
it's obviously a normal reaction for itto be there, And like I catch
myself and it sometimes when I seeother people, but I almost like I
kind of use as an opportunity togain a connection to that. It's like,
Okay, I'm feeling jealous, whydon't I talk to them and see
what they did and see how Ican implement it in my career, and

(09:05):
like using that it kind of likealmost like taking that mindset and just changing
it for the better to get myselfto the better. I love that attitude
because I teach that in business too. It's like, if you want what
other people have, you gotta askyou guys, you talk to them and
gravitate them. You don't be jealousof them. There's like people in business
are like, oh, screw them, they're blah blah blah blah blah.

(09:28):
But I'd rather talk to those peoplethat are where I want to be exactly
because they're going to give me theroadmap I don't have, yeah, exactly,
and they're gonna show give you aninsight on what you could not be
seeing. You know. It's likewhen you're in love with your project and
your love with what you're doing,you're not going to see the flaws of
it. And that's only like hearingthat and taking that personally and kind of
you know, it only elevates youfurther. A great way to build a

(09:48):
community, right, Yeah, it'sall helping each other out, absolutely,
that's and this community should be likethat more than any other, absolutely,
you know, because together we alsoare helping people around the world with all
their mental illness and crap that's goingon around the world. Like we can

(10:09):
disappear out there in the crowd andforget all that crap, and that's a
big thing. That's a big messageof our music. I'm I'm the main
lyricist of the band, and Itend to write a lot just about you
know, like the hardships are justlike you know, being a woman,
and like also just like some oflike the abuse and some like the criticism
that you can endure just solely basedoff that, and also just like in

(10:30):
a more like general stance, justlike the chaos of the world and like
dealing with it and like trying totalk about the things that aren't always said
and just really putting light to it. It's just so I know, I
could personally know that like someone's listeningand being like, yes, like this
is how I feel, and thisis how I want to exercise. I
want to scream, I want todo this, I want to do that,
and I want to kick something,I want to you know whatever.
Not encouraging violence, but you know, but but yeah, no, it's

(10:52):
like those things are just so incrediblyimportant. What would you say is one
of the best complimented any of yourprofessors have ever given. I mean,
like I've had like some really awesomelike bass like professors over at Berkeley,
and I don't know, they justlike keeping encouraging me to, like you

(11:15):
know, be way more confident andlike you know, actually express myself creatively
without freaking out too much about it, because when I started at Berkeley,
I was too scared to like reallyplay in front of like anybody I met
there. I was terrified, LikeI was like shaking, and I was
like, guys, like I'm gonnamess up so bad. I'm gonna f
up, Like this is gonna beterrible. And like my professor like at

(11:37):
the end of like one of thesemesters, wh was like Alex, like
you've grown so much, like obviouslyas a musician, but like I'm not
talking about that, Like you're justlike so much more confident now and that's
awesome and I like carry that withme a lot. I love it.
Now Now you're here at Louder thanLife. Yeah, the EPP we need
to talk about BP. So actuallyI'll make this announcement here for the first

(12:00):
time so exclusive content. So wejust released an EP called who is JVK?
We released it last Friday, andwe did it for Louder than Life,
and you know, we basically mymindset was like, as a new
band, there's gonna be people thatare looking at us, going who's JVK?
Who's JVK? And you know,it kind of like encapsulates the feelings
of like all of the hardships aregoing on in your world and how it

(12:22):
makes you feel. It almost feelslike those universes are centered around you.
About the end of the day,when you're putting yourself in a profession like
this, someone's gonna ask who youare because they just don't know, and
they're going to invite them to thatworld. So we just released who Is
JVK? Came out last Friday.It's been out for about a week now,
and next Friday we're announcing the deluxeedition of who Is JVK with one

(12:43):
new song which is very very exciting, and so it's all brand new,
never before seeing, never before heardbefore. Oh love it, love it,
and I love the name because Iwas thinking of all the press people
that that will ask you in yourcareers, how did you get your band
name? And you're gonna hate thatquestion, So you answered it with an

(13:03):
EP exactly exactly now later, liketen years from now, when they're asking
you that you could, let golisten to the EP exactly. Go listen.
You'll find out who we are thereis exactly and what's the craziest story
each one of you has had inthis musical. I mean, I got

(13:24):
lots of stories. I don't evenknow where to start. Cheez. I
mean, we played shows where it'sso crowded, it's like a barrel of
fish man. You know, everyone'sshoulder to shoulder, crowd Swayne this way,
crowd Swayne in that way. Youknow, stuff like that. I'm
sure someone's got a better story.Sounds like ladder than life. So there

(13:45):
was We play a show we wererecording at Blackbird Academy in Nashville and some
of our friends go to school thatwe were able to record some of the
who is JVK EP there. Weplayed a show in Murphy'sboro, Tennessee.
It was it was like it wasit was like this house in the middle
of nowhere, and I booked itand I was like, you know,
it's a punk house. Why not. It was like seventy eighty people in

(14:09):
this one living room and not asingle person was standing still if everyone was
just like the floor was caving in. Everyone's throwing bodies, going insane,
Like it was the coolest show Ihad ever ever played. Oh wait,
yeah, so the best part iswe're going to put our gear down and
lo and behold in the corner isa potato wine set up and a bitcoin

(14:31):
mining operation. Where else do yousee that out of the Murphysborough, Tennessee.
Wow? Yeah there, Yeah,we have a few. We've We've
encountered some cool, funny people too. Like there was one time we played
at this like dive bar in Bostonand there was this lady. She was
probably like in her forties, andshe's she's on the ground on her knees,

(14:52):
bowing up and down to us whilewe're performing. And I love you
guys. Just you know why Iam laughing because I see that crap all
time. That's pretty common for fortysomething. You're older there, gigs get
some feeling something. Yeah, see, so you can remember when when you're

(15:13):
forty something, I'm gonna be doingthe same thing there. So tell everybody
how they can connect you with youon socials on the web by your merch
our website Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, It's all under JVK the Band and
our EP. Who is JVK justcame out Now We're on all streaming services
you name it, Spotify, AlbumMusic, Deezer, Pandora, Amazon Music,

(15:37):
you name it. We're all onit and the best way to contact
us for merch and tell thinking aboutthat all our informations on our website,
JVK the Band dot com. Niceyour favorite TikTok of your your guys TikTok's
what's really what's your favorite? What'smy favorite? I don't know. Oh

(15:58):
yeah, yeah, I just likeI just like to just like spam it.
I kind of use it. It'slike I use like the social I
use like the Instagram, and thewebsite is like a more professional I kind
of use like the TikTok's like abehind the scenes like look at what's going
on. You know, that's inthe hotel of me writing a song,
Like you know you had to seeall that content there. Nice, that's
always stupid. It's never anything youknow, well, but that's what people

(16:22):
want to know exactly. Yeah,people want to stupid shit exactly. So
exactly everybody needs to go check youguys out because you're badass. Thank you
man, so excited you're here atLadder than Life and thanks for being on
the Adventures to Plan. Thank youso much. Thank you for listening to
the Adventures of fight Man. I'mw for CUI Radio

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