August 14, 2025 • 45 mins
Exploring the Heartland of Music with Matthew Szlachetka | Just Keep Talking Podcast
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In this episode of the Just Keep Talking podcast, host Brother Love dives into the profound connection between storytelling and the human experience. Joined by guest Matthew Szlachetka, a Nashville-based producer, guitar player, music director, and singer-songwriter, they discuss the impact of mental health on creativity and what it means to be a heartfelt artist. They cover Szlachetka's career, including his acclaimed album 'Young Heart, Old Soul' and his notable initiative, the Greasy Chicken Review. Szlachetka shares his journey, reflecting on community, family, and the concept of belonging. The episode touches on the importance of authenticity in music, understanding one's roots, and Szlachetka's contributions to the Nashville music scene. They also discuss Szlachetka's recent single 'Un-American Dream,' which raises questions about the current state of the nation. Alongside the musical conversation, Szlachetka reveals his excitement about becoming a father and balancing his artistic endeavors with personal life. Tune in for an inspiring and heartfelt discussion filled with unique insights into the music industry and the importance of human connection.
#mentalhealthpodcast #yourstorymatters #musicianlife #matthewszlachetka #brotherlove #podcast #greasychickenreview #nashvillemusicscene #beseen #beheard #belong
00:00 Introduction to Just Keep Talking Podcast
01:59 Meet Matthew Szlachetka: Nashville's Music Scene
03:10 The Making of 'Young Heart, Old Soul'
06:20 Nashville's Community and Influence
17:50 Creating 'Un-American Dream'
22:15 The Role of Artists in Questioning Society
23:13 The Decision to Release the Song Now
24:34 Collaborating with Radney Foster
25:41 Recording the Song: A Unique Process
26:19 The Message and Impact of the Song
30:27 The Importance of Community and Music
36:34 Old Soul Record Club: A COVID Pivot
39:09 Personal Reflections and Future Hopes
43:50 Final Thoughts and Farewell
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Brother Love (00:00):
Telling our stories is the connective tissue of the
collective human experience.
The Just Keep Talking podcast delvesinto the lives and stories of artists.
What is the impact ofmental health on creativity?
What does it mean to bea creative individual?
Someone who feels deeply, experiencesjoy and pain, intensely and navigates
the challenges of life Through thecreative process, with each story shared,
(00:22):
we explore the authentic experience ofour basic need to be seen, to be heard,
and to belong.
We are really not so differentfrom one another, nor are we alone.
Together we can inspire, encourage, andenlighten each other to find the true joy
and fulfillment that is within ourselves.
When we Just Keep Talking, we createthe space for gratitude, self-acceptance
(00:46):
and grace in everyday life.
In a world filled with divisiveness,
fostering inclusivity and connection isa powerful way to make a positive impact.
The Just Keep Talking podcast with me,Brother Love, because Your Story Matters.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
He love his neighbors as love himself.
Give the off his back.
If you some help about getting,
I know what he'd sayif he were here today.
Free
(01:24):
all on the same damn side.
Prayed on Sunday, drink on Friday.
But we, our.
Larry (01:59):
Hello and welcome to the Just Keep Talking podcast with me,
Brother Love, Your Story Matters.
My guest this week is Matthew
Szlachetka, producer, guitarplayer, music director, singer
songwriter, right here in Nashville.
Hello, sir.
How you doing?
I'm doing great.
How are you?
I'm great.
Lemme tell you a little somethingabout you in case you didn't know.
Rolling Stone held Szlachetka as oneof the 10 new artists you need to know,
(02:23):
describing his music as a soundtrackfor both the highway and the Heartland.
A collection of Road Dogg, rootsrockers, and Americana ballads.
Inspired by the people andplaces he's left behind.
In the rear view mirror.
I'm speaking of your last record,Young Heart, Old Soul, produced
by Grammy winning producerScott Underwood from Train.
(02:45):
The album was recorded at at BlackbirdStudio A and Thunderwood Studios in
Nashville, and it was 2019 or 2020.
You put that album out, correct?
Matthew Szlachetka (02:53):
It was recorded.
Basically we went intail end of June, 2019.
Mm-hmm.
Through the first weekor 2nd of July, 2019.
'cause we thought wewere ahead of the game.
We were gonna have a triumphant 2020.
It was supposed to be released in 2020.
Larry (03:07):
A lot of things were supposed to happen in 2020.
Well, my point is that you're asinger, you're a songwriter, you're
an artist, and you have been reallysomebody who's a part of this Nashville.
Scene and circuit you produce and curateone of the coolest nights here in town
called the Greasy Chicken Review, whichis a show that happens at the East Side
Bowl the second Tuesday of every month.
(03:29):
Yeah.
Is a rotating cast of top sessionand touring musicians that play
nothing but deep cuts and B sidesfrom everyone's favorite rock and roll
soul and Americana bands and artists.
You've done a lot.
You do a lot.
There's my little Google commercial.
How are you, sir?
Matthew Szlachetka (03:45):
I'm great.
It's always good to be with you.
Larry (03:47):
You're one of those cats that are here in Nashville that everybody
knows and everybody has worked with.
Because I've heard your name a milliontimes over the years and we just
recently have met and just recentlyhave started playing music together.
Matt Szlachetka (04:01):
The funny thing is like about that sentiment you just
brought I feel the same way about,you know, you and Alex and everybody
else in Them Vibes, because I startedhearing about all you, beautiful souls.
Um, it was probably withinthe first two to three years I
think, of living in Nashville.
And it was just like, I love that vibe andanytime I see you guys play, just like,
(04:22):
yeah, this is, totally what I'm into.
And then, you know, you just fastforward to when we actually did meet.
Mm-hmm.
Which I think wasthrough Bobby officially.
I think
Larry (04:29):
Bobby Holland, producer extraordinaire.
He's done all of Them Vibes, records.
And he's worked with you guys?
He's worked with everybody.
Matt Szlachetka (04:35):
Yeah.
It is just, I, I feel like, it waskismet, you know, it was like we, I
feel like we had already known eachother we just fell into each other,
like putting on a glove, you know?
And I even, it's funny'cause I feel like I met.
Alex, I think last and justthe same thing with Alex.
Like when we both met, it wasjust like, yeah, you know, I was
like, yeah, we're the same people.
Larry (04:53):
Yeah.
And that's so true.
You were, you're so kind and you'reso warm and you're welcoming.
And you invited me to be onthe Greasy Chicken Review.
Actually, it, Jeremy, Boston
Matt Szlachetka (05:01):
Rag was the first song I think you sang with us.
Larry (05:04):
Actually no, it was Sway.
So Jeremy Asbrock guitar playerextraordinaire plays with Ace
Frehley, he plays with everybody.
he said, Hey man, can you come and singSway Tonight by the Rolling Stones?
And I said, yeah, we have done thatbecause he's part of the Rock and
Roll residency, which is, you know, astaple here in Nashville for all the
many, many, many years that everybodywould come out weekly and see some
(05:27):
of the greatest rock and roll ever.
I mean, my wife Sarah Tomek playedone night, Thee rock and roll
residency and was asked to doAerosmith, Lord of the Thighs.
And she said, hell yeah, I know that song.
And that's a deep cut thatpeople don't necessarily know.
And in the audience that night,at Dan McGinness, the old spot
was Marti Frederiksen producer,saw Sarah play the Aerosmith song.
(05:49):
Lord of the Thighs said, Hey,my name's Marti Frederiksen,
can I get your phone number?
And she's like, I knowexactly who this is.
He, wrote Jaded, he workedwith Aerosmith, he worked and
got Steven Tyler to Nashville.
Put his band together.
And then my wife, Sarah Tomek, thefamous Sarah Tomek, became Steven Tyler's
Matt Szlachetka (06:07):
Loving Mary.
Right.
Yeah.
Doesn't he?
Larry (06:08):
Became Steven Tyler's drummer.
We have such an amazing community here.
So yes, I was invited to play theGreasy Chicken Review with Jeremy
Asbrock was playing guitar that night.
And I sang Sway, which issomething that we've done before.
You're a staple here in Nashville.
What made you come toNashville besides the obvious
Matthew Szlachetka (06:24):
My 14 or 15-year-old self had the crazy dream
that I didn't care what I had to do.
I wanted to do music full time.
I wanted to be a guitar player.
I was a hundred percenttouring artists, solo artists.
When I moved to LA, I immediately gotinto a band called the North Star Session.
Chasing around the industrykind of thing, like putting out
records, trying to shop 'em.
We figured out as much as we could,just became like a hundred percent
(06:46):
DIY, sustainable band that ranits course, like bands usually do.
And I went solo, recorded my firstsolo record in 2012 and then released
it in 2013 because Congratulations.
Big deal.
Thank you.
On the DIY standpoint.
Larry (07:00):
Yeah, absolutely.
That's tough stuff to do, man.
Yeah, it's tough to do that all, allon your own, but you waded the waters.
You came to Nashville and you know,everybody, everybody knows you and you,
tour, you produce, you write, you doall the things and you're part of it
is that you have a great reputation andthat's a big deal in this small town.
Matthew Szlachetka (07:17):
Yeah.
Speaker (07:18):
Do you know you have a good reputation?
Matthew Szlachetka (07:19):
I just try to adhere to the Golden Rule, man
all the time and just be cool.
Be cool and be kind.
The Paul McCartney rule, man, themore you give, the more you get
Speaker (07:27):
ab.
Yeah, absolutely.
Well, you did put out a record in 2020.
We alluded to it earlier.
Yes.
Young heart, Old Soul.
What a great record of yours, and I gotto know you a lot by listening to a bunch
of the songs that were on this record.
Everything you do seems to bewith a lot of heart and soul.
Every song on this record of yours.
I was transported into a world thatI so happy to have been a part of.
(07:52):
It's nostalgic.
I feel like you were longingto find who you are, who you
were, where you come from.
Where do I belong?
Does this resonate with you at all?
Absolutely.
There's a song on there called Old Soul.
The lyrics.
Part of the lyrics are drift away.
At the end of the day,you're sure to disappear, but
you're not sure where to go.
(08:14):
Young heart, old soul,there's a place for you here.
There's a place for you here.
Old soul.
There's a place for you here.
Where is here?
Matthew Szlachetka (08:25):
Home.
It's like home and yeah, as ascliche as it's gonna sound, home
is where you make it, you know?
Absolutely.
For me, that moment came when, shortlyafter I moved to Nashville, moving here.
I did have a really great network mm-hmm.
From coming here two to threeyears prior, pretty frequently.
And so I, I didn't movehere just like cold.
(08:46):
Yeah.
And some people that were very influentialin getting me to move here were like,
obviously Scott Underwood, he hadmoved here when he had left the band.
So we just started writing togetherand doing session work together.
Kind of talked about maybe doing whatbecame my second record, but I ended
up working with the late Great DavidBianco on that before he passed.
Everything works out I think time-wise.
Tell us who David Bianco is.
(09:07):
David has worked on like all of ourfavorite albums and with our favorite
bands and ours, I mean, pretty much one ofthe main engineers on Wildflowers, right?
He actually is the guy that broughtJim Scott into the mix, right.
Wildflowers.
'cause Jim Scott was usually likehis assistant on a lot of things that
he did, but producer's, producer.
Yeah.
And he was really like one of thelast kind of like true record men.
(09:29):
Mm-hmm.
He moved out after he graduatedRutgers and he was a janitor at
the record plant and worked hisway up to being an engineer.
Like just so cool theAmerican dream, right.
Of you know, following your dreams ofbeing in the music industry and so, yeah.
I ended up doing that with him.
Started working with Scott.
Another really dear friendof mine named Jamie Kent.
(09:49):
He's been a soul brotherof mine for a long time.
Co-writer.
We used to tour together all the time.
He moved here first.
He's from Western Massachusettsas well, and he actually had
a song that Loving Mary Cut.
Called Broke Not Broken.
Oh yeah.
That they cut that song.
Yes, Jamie wrote that.
Oh, that's so cool.
But yeah, so he moved here firstand was very influential, who were
like, Hey man, you should reallythink about moving to Nashville.
(10:10):
I moved here with, dear friends, and, youknow, I feel so fortunate for, for people
that I've worked with in the industry.
Speaker (10:17):
So you put this record together?
Yeah, I put this record out.
So what was the cat like?
What was it like for you?
What was, what was your life like?
'cause these songs are very introspective.
Yeah.
These songs remind me of.
It reminds me to remind myself mm-hmm.
To reach into my past.
Yeah.
To reach into my own story.
I feel like the photographs thatare on each of those singles, are
(10:37):
they, those are personal photographsfrom when you were growing up?
Yeah.
It's like you were searching for likea, like a meaning for life A little bit.
No, it was very introspective.
The fact that you made a fulllength record with a through line.
Like that, that is filledwith nostalgia, filled with
searching, filled with a longing.
You had a ton of material.
Were you at a point in your life that youwere just sort of slowed down a little
(11:00):
bit because you had moved here, youwere working, you were doing the whole
thing, and then it was time for you, Iguess, as an artist to put out a record.
So what was your mind frame?
Matthew Szlachetka (11:07):
I think community is really important to me.
Family is very important to me.
Mm-hmm.
Sense of place is very important to meand like so thankful for my time in la.
Not to say that.
I didn't have community there.
I did, but LA is just so big.
Yes.
It's harder to get together So I rememberspecifically coming back from tours
sometimes and like, ' cause a lot ofthe tours I did were solo acoustic tours
(11:31):
because that's what the budget permitted.
I remember feeling weird and likehad to like readjust how to like be
back in a social situation sometimes.
Like if I was out back in, in lalike seeing friends play or whatever.
You know, feeling like awkward in myskin a little bit and then moving here
to where I feel like the emphasis oncommunity is so much more important here.
(11:54):
Someone told me once, Nashville willtell you when it wants you to move here.
Yeah.
Being part of the community,you know what I mean?
And I feel like that's exactlywhat happened with me moving here.
And so specifically, I remember beingat the Legion, the American Legion
on on Honky Tonk Tuesday night.
Shortly after I moved.
It was like going into themost beautiful time warp ever.
It literally hasn't changedsince like the early fifties.
(12:15):
Like it's same decor, same everyth.
Mm-hmm.
Speaker (12:17):
The American Legion on Gallatin right near Yep.
Where I live in East Nashvilleand they were hosting Honky
Tonk Tuesdays for years and.
Matthew Szlachetka (12:24):
But the thing that had changed, which I was very much resonating
with, was this audience of people of alldifferent shades, ethnicities, religions,
shapes, sizes, older people, young people,all there for an amazing night of music.
Yeah.
And the phrase, there's aplace for you here just.
Came into my head.
Oh.
And then about maybe a week later, Itook it to my good buddy Mondo Saenz,
(12:45):
who I've written with, I know Mondo with.
Yeah.
And we wrote the song, we bangedit out in like an hour, maybe.
Yeah.
And we just, it is one of thosemoments where I just felt like
that song was a gift, you know?
And I'm so happy thatI wrote it with Mondo.
But it is that, you know it'slike, where are you from?
Where are you going?
Where are you now?
(13:06):
All those things that have made you.
Are so important and I, I think thatas we change, like we can never forget
that even if there are things thatmaybe you didn't like about where you
came from or didn't like who you usedto be, whatever, it's like that that's
all gonna be part of you and how dowe shift and navigate through that?
Larry (13:24):
Naturally we try to fit in in life and what I find is, and what I sort
of read a lot about is, and Brené Browntalks about this and she's my hero author.
The difference between fitting in, whichis me changing and being how you want me
to be or how I think you will like me.
Yeah.
That as opposed to belonging.
A very much a sense of I am here,I'm in my own skin and I feel
(13:48):
good
and I'm not doing it foranybody else, but for me.
And that's just good enough and perfect.
And I get a sense from you that youvery much belong in your own skin
and you're not a chaser like a lotof artists that were in this business
and we work with a lot of people
Yeah.
That are like, oh, what's the next thing?
My next song is like this, ohmy God, it's cool to be gay.
(14:09):
I'm gay now.
Right.
It's still.
Let's be serious.
Right?
I mean, I, I got plenty of friendsthat I could name right now Yeah.
That are now gay.
Right.
Because it's cool to be gay.
Right.
Okay.
Please.
But hey, whatever floatsyour boat, I could care less.
But what I do care about is, is thatwe all feel comfortable in our own.
Mm-hmm.
And that we feel comfortablearound our friends and family.
And Nashville is this beautifulcommunity, the community that we're in.
(14:32):
It's so special.
Every now and again, my wifeand I say, why do we live here?
Maybe we'll go back up to the Northeast orgo to Europe, or who the hell knows what?
We always do that, right?
I don't like where I am type of mentality,and I always go back to the same thing.
I'm like, where else could youwalk into a coffee shop, a pizza
place, a Kroger, a shoe store?
(14:53):
It doesn't matter.
You will run into somebodythat is part of your community.
Somebody yeah makes youfeel at home right away.
Doesn't matter where we go.
And that is a very special thingthat we have here in Nashville.
Absolutely.
You seem very confident and comfortablein your own skin and I'm just,
I wish I knew you when you wereworking on this last record because.
(15:13):
Were you alone a lot of that time?
I know you mentioned that therewas something about being alone and
touring a lot, but these songs, like
Did you learn a lot aboutyourself making that record?
Matthew Szlachetka (15:22):
Absolutely, and it was definitely a, it was a timeframe for me.
That was a major shift.
You know, I moved here,like I said, in March 17.
We recorded it in June of 2019.
So like from that timeframe, likeyear and a half, I was just writing.
And things that I had to let go of in LA,
to get me here and everything from myrelationships, goals, things that shifted
(15:43):
from priorities to new priorities.
Yeah.
It's all in those songs.
Especially that time too, likehitting the ground running, you know?
I still was touring nonstop.
Being observant to changing of climatesin the country, whether it's politically
just climate shift in general fromstates, different cities, all of it.
The heartbeat of this country,the heartbeat of people,
(16:03):
the heartbeat from myself.
Yeah.
I think everybody's always on somekind of a journey, whether they believe
it or not, and just really payingattention to where you have come from.
Mm-hmm.
Where are you going?
Where are you now?
Yeah.
And that's always beenreally important to me.
Right around that time too, iswhen I met my wife Sarah Aili.
Yep.
She's amazing.
Singer songwriter artist.
She's incredible.
(16:24):
And you two are, or I wouldn'tbe where I'm at without her.
Speaker (16:27):
And so you're
Matthew Szlachetka (16:27):
a power couple by the way.
I very much am appreciative of that.
So there's a lot of her in thisalbum, and honestly, through
the timeframe, right before
we started recording this,her and I actually broke up
for like a couple months.
And it was the best thing that couldhave happened for both of us really.
It brought us back together and weboth worked on a bunch of stuff and we
realized that we could not not be apart.
(16:49):
And after we got back together, itwas pretty much when we went into
the studio to record this album.
Larry (16:55):
Is she singing background vocals on, on that?
Yeah.
I hear a, woman's voice andit's so beautiful and I'm like,
that sounds like Sarah Aili.
Matthew Szlachetka (17:02):
Yeah.
She sings majority, well,definitely all the female vocals.
And then Mondo is singingharmonies on an Old Soul.
Right.
And then we had ex Jamie Kent.
Came in to sing some harmonies.
My other buddy, Brandon James, whoI wrote that song, bullet Through
the Wind, Tim Jones sang harmonieson that song like Love that guy.
Him and I wrote that.
So Tim was also like anotherimportant voice of influence
(17:23):
getting me to move to Nashville.
I met Tim literally within the firstmonth of moving to Los Angeles.
We met through The HotelCafe scene, my old band.
He booked us our first show at HotelCafe and like after being friends for.
13 years, we finally startedwriting together and that
was the first song we wrote.
That's great.
And
Speaker (17:38):
this record, young Heart, Old Soul, Rolling Stone, loved it.
I mean, the songs are fantastic.
There's one song, there may havebeen more, but there's one song
in particular that was not put onthe record that you just released.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
Yeah.
Speaker (17:50):
And it's called un-American Dream.
Yeah.
Written by you, Matthew Szlachetkaand Paul William Stevens.
Mm-hmm.
Right.
And you just put this song out.
Yeah.
You talk about the current state anddirection of the country and it's not,
well, it's in the Title un-American Dream.
Yeah.
What is un-American Dream about?
Matthew Szlachetka (18:09):
This is another one of those songs that I
just, I feel like it was a gift.
I met Paul.
In the two, three years prior to movinghere and we started writing together
when I was still living in Los Angeles.
Mm-hmm.
One of my favorite people towrite with, I love him so much.
And we wrote that song, Earthquake,which was on the last album.
Right.
And that was a Under theRadar political song.
(18:30):
Okay.
If you will.
And so un-American Dream cameabout during that whole writing.
process, We had a folder of like70 songs from that year and a half,
and then we whittled it down to 11.
And so this song came about 'causewe were, without getting too much
into a, a political conversation.
This was written duringthe, the first four years.
(18:52):
Oh, the Trump.
Yeah.
We were just commiserating, if youwill, over certain things and shifts
in the culture and the country andeverything, Paul grew up in St.
Louis.
He was the baby of the family.
His father was a veteran of WorldWar II, who was in the 10th Armor
Division under Patton's third army.
And so he made it throughpretty much every major European
(19:17):
engagement, survived the Battleof the Bulge, battle of Bastogne.
After the Battle of the Bulge hisunit was specifically responsible
for liberating Dachau, and sohe went through all of that.
Came home, didn't get shot.
Okay.
But he was never the same.
And Paul has told me that as bestof a father as he could be, he was.
Definitely like a strainedrelationship with Paul growing up.
(19:40):
But they really patched things upshortly before his dad's passing.
And Paul, he was bedside with hisdad in the hospital and his dad
was really agitated and it was justlike, he's like, dad, what can I do?
And his dad was like, I just don'tthink I'm gonna go to heaven.
And he's like, what areyou talking about dad?
He's like, you are anamazing father, husband.
You're a Catholic of Catholics.
(20:01):
You're there for your community.
You served your country.
Why?
He goes, because I never forgave him.
And he goes, what do youmean you didn't forgive 'em?
He goes, I never forgave the Germanpeople, because they knew and
they didn't do anything about it.
Wow.
And so Paul had the title unAmerican Dream that I was like,
ah man, I wanna write that.
And I still get.
Goosebumps when I talk about thatstory because I can't even imagine
(20:24):
somebody who goes through all thethings you do for your country, right?
Serve you, come back an Americanhero, and then you are just tormented
for the rest of your life 'causeof what you've seen and witnessed.
And from the way Paul talked about ittoo, it just tore his dad up of how
cruel humans could be to each other.
You fast forward to where we'reat as a country right now.
(20:45):
And it's so funny because Paul and Ireally view that song as a patriotic
song to question your government.
Yeah.
To speak up for human rights,to speak up for yourself.
That's exactly what that song is about.
And that's exactly what is beingswept under the rug, I think,
in this country right now.
And the things that we fought against,the things that the quote unquote
greatest generation fought for.
(21:05):
So that way we could all lived amore enriched entitled life now.
Those are getting sweptunder the rug right now.
And the concepts of decency beinggood to thy neighbor, all that stuff,
it's a foreign term these days.
Larry (21:19):
This very second.
Absolutely.
So how did the song come about?
Matthew Szlachetka (21:22):
We had a writing schedule on the books and in typical
scenario, when we write, you justkind of catch up for a little bit.
Then you start kicking aroundideas, titles, melodies, lyrics,
non-sequitur, all that stuff.
And he literally was like, I gotthis title un-American Dream.
I'm like, I'm intrigued.
Tell me about it.
And so then he told me that story.
Scott Underwood was like, I don't know ifwe should put this song on there because
(21:44):
like, we wanna be gaining fans right now.
We don't wanna be that divisive.
I didn't not agree with it timebecause I've got friends on both
sides of the equation and I love that.
And I've got opinions onboth sides of the equation.
And I think right now.
I think everything is so polarized andespecially because of, unfortunately,
social media and stuff like that Yeah.
Allows people to be terrible to eachother because they don't have to do it.
(22:08):
In person.
Yeah.
Larry (22:09):
But as an artist, isn't that our job?
Absolutely.
We write about Your Cheating Heart.
Yeah.
We write about, daddyabused me, right, right.
We write about rape, we write aboutincest, we write about the most horrible
things in the All of the 10 Commandments.
Yeah.
Right.
Every single one of 'em, it's like,Welp, here's another commandment.
(22:30):
Oh, I stole, sorry, whatever.
But if you're questioningyour country, right.
If you're asking a question andsaying, I don't agree with this.
I mean, look, Steven Colbert justgot fired, or Yeah, I'm sorry.
They canceled his show.
Right, because he's basicallyspeaking out against, right.
Something that is thegovernment has interest in,
Speaker 3 (22:50):
yeah.
Larry (22:50):
So if we can't, at least as artists, I mean, George
Carlin had a whole career on it.
Yeah.
In fact, all of thecomics worth their salt.
Hundred percent.
All of the musicians, all of theartists, and now we're in a place.
Where if you say something, justme, it might rub somebody wrong.
Right.
It might affect us an our career.
Right.
So at this point in time foryour release in 2020, yeah.
You thought, eh, maybeit's not a good idea.
(23:12):
Right.
Why is it a good idea to release it now?
Matthew Szlachetka (23:15):
Well, getting back to the thematic landscape within that
album, that was also like, it could haveworked on it, but just from the other
songs like it, it didn't gel as well, but.
And kind of getting back to the timingthing, like as much as I had wanted
to put it on the record back then.
Mm-hmm.
I'm so glad that we waited becauseI don't think that the message
(23:37):
would have resonated like it is now.
Yeah.
Given how much crazier things arenow than during the first four years.
There's a quote from the press releaseand it's a hundred percent true.
Like I feel like putting the songout now is less of a career move and
it's more of a responsibility, right?
Because I just can't sitwith that sentiment anymore.
(23:58):
And it literally had been eating awayat me, the fact that I had this song
and I felt so strongly about the songand I didn't want to just sit on it
through what's happening right now.
Yeah, because initially, given what wewere talking about of like my kind of
musical shift right now, I didn't wantto put out another single of my own.
(24:20):
I'm more interested in producingsomething for somebody and helping
elevate somebody else, you know?
Mm-hmm.
So I initially was kind of shoppingthe song around to producers that
I had relationships with, beinglike, Hey, we've got an artist
that might want this kind of song.
This song needs to be cut.
Sarah and I have a really great working inpersonal relationship with Radney Foster.
Her and Rodney had been working onthis amazing one-woman play called
(24:42):
Back in Birmingham past few years,and like they had just finished it.
We did an awesome table readingat Radney House, wonderful night.
And then previously we had justfinished all the, the soundtrack for it.
So like Radney and I had alsoco-produced Sarah's last album
together, had a couple cocktails.
So I was like, man, I'm justgonna ask him and, and I was
like, Hey Radney, I got this song.
If you're working with anyartist or if you really resonated
(25:04):
with it, I'd be honored.
And he's like, I want to hear this song.
I send it to him.
Couple weeks go by and I was like,oh man, I hope you listened to it.
And then he just, and he'slike, Hey, that song is amazing.
He's like, but you have to cut it.
And I was like, I don't, right?
I don't wanna put it.
He goes, no.
He goes, I know where you're at.
He's like, you need to cut it.
I will co-produce it with you.
You can use my studio.
My son Jack will engineer itand co-produce it with it.
(25:26):
I'm like, great.
That's amazing.
Thank you.
And so when someone like Radneygives you that advice, I'm like.
Yes.
And I'm so thankful that he offered allof that up because he's a dear friend too.
Like I've been so fortunate to have workedwith him for a handful of years now.
Yeah, and once again, I'mglad that we didn't record
this for the previous record.
I'm glad that we did it now in the waythat we did it, and it was super intimate.
(25:50):
I didn't want like a bigrock production on it.
I feel like it would've taken awayfrom the true essence of the song.
And so we did it at Radney home studio.
Had my buddy Douglas come inand play violin and viola on it.
Adam Schoenfeld came in and playedbaritone, and then David Ristrim
came in and played pedal steel.
We did three takes of the song live.
Yeah.
(26:10):
The first take was with a click it.
It was fine, but I was like,just roll one without a click.
And I didn't ask the take.
The second take was the one we keptfelt good, you know, felt right.
And I just want the messageto resonate with people.
And I think one of the biggest thingsthat I'm proud of about this song is
like, I have had people from both sidesof the equation reach out to me, just
really telling me how much it means tothem and how much they love the song.
(26:32):
And that that's, that'sa goal because I really.
Just want to be aconduit for this message.
Nobody's gonna agree on ahundred percent all the time.
Right.
But we can at least have a commonlove and decency for each other.
Have a cocktail or share a meal withsomebody that you really appreciate
and respect who they are, evenif you don't agree on everything.
Larry (26:49):
By the way, we used to, we used to call that dinner.
Matthew Szlachetka (26:51):
Yeah.
You
Larry (26:52):
know, we used to call that breakfast.
Yeah.
We used to call that just having coffee.
It's an incredible, because of allthe people that I disagree with, the
people that are in my family, thepeople that are not friendly with each
other anymore that are now divided.
Right?
All used to either live together,yeah, spend time together, be in
class together, work together.
Right now it's us versusthem, and it's unfortunate.
(27:13):
Rolling Stone said, "If you're lookingfor patriotic country songs for the
4th of July, they're easy to find.
But country songs of descent thatdare to question or call out the
nation's flaws require some digging."
So let's dig into your song.
Sure.
A little bit.
So the chorus is, it sounds verymuch like a typical country song.
I mean, I'm reading it and I'm like,you're a darn good country writer, sir.
(27:35):
" We were free then allon the same damn side.
Prayed on a Sunday,drank on a Friday night.
We were heroes, but wekept our pride inside.
We'd fight like family, butwe'd always make things right.
Grandpa didn't bleed for this world.
Gone crazy, un- American dream."
I mean, it sounds like a wonderfulstory, but then we dig a little deeper.
(27:58):
Okay.
"He loved his neighborsas he loved himself.
Give you the shirt off hisback if you needed some help.
Don't worry about getting paidback somewhere down the line."
We live in such atransactional world right now.
Speaker 3 (28:11):
Yeah.
And
Larry (28:11):
when I read that lyric, I thought, oh yeah, that's
the America that we all love.
And you know what?
I've been a scumbag too.
Okay.
I'll admit it.
Yeah.
'cause I'm not anythingbut a human being, right?
Yeah.
I have flaws, but there aremoments that we all have.
I don't care what side you're on, butyour friend or your neighbor or somebody
you don't even know just needs a littlehelp just a little bit, and you give it.
(28:36):
Right now, there's plenty of peoplethat pat themselves on the back
and want to go share with them.
You know what I did today?
I was wonderful.
I helped an old ladyget across the street.
Well, you are so wonderful.
Yeah.
And then there are people that just do itand forget all about it, because that's
just what it's about, about being human.
We're not alone in this.
I always say Nashville drives mecrazy 'cause people can't drive here.
(28:58):
Right?
Use your freaking turn signal, okay?
You're not the only ones in the world.
But I really mean that because wedon't have to be so transactional.
I just love this sentiment and thebridge, if you will, of this song.
"It was all apple pie and Chevrolet.
Even the lies were better back in the day.
And I can hear him laughingat this fool's parade."
(29:20):
Who's the him?
Matthew Szlachetka (29:21):
It'd be Paul's father, anybody's, you know, fatherly
or motherly or grandfather orgrandmother gave the ultimate sacrifice.
Yeah.
Whether it was serving overseas or,or serving here because rationing
doing things for your, your common.
Countrymen or or country person, obviouslyfor the greater cause, the greater good.
(29:42):
We're all in the same country.
We're on the same side.
Yes.
And it, it's so polarized now whereonce again, I mean it's like, people
that went over and fought in World WarII came back and didn't talk about it.
Right.
Like it was just something they did.
And granted, that's a generational thing.
It's true and it's things that allcountries and cultures have been
working on, but I really, reallythink that people had more of a
(30:06):
sense of duty and responsibilityfor somebody, not themselves.
Yes, I'm not trying to put myselfin Paul's father's shoes at all, but
once again, the idea of community,the idea of culture in place.
Who you are and how you fit into that.
That's the sentiment ofthat last album I put out.
Fast forward to Greasy Chicken Review.
(30:27):
That was a perfect example for me ofsomething that was very, implemental
of getting me to really take a largerlook at what I was doing from a touring
perspective and saying no to thatso I could stay home more, to build
more within the Nashville communityof what I really wanted to be doing.
The time that I put into aGreasy Chicken Review show from
(30:51):
what the monetary outcome is.
Right.
It's crazy.
And so in essence, like a freein town passion project Yeah.
Was something that was a, also amajor factor in having me question
whether I still wanted to do150 to 200 dates a year Right.
Of my own, be like.
I would rather be hereand do a show like that.
Yeah.
And have it resonate with the communityand have it be a focal point of the
(31:12):
community where everybody can come andplay music for the same reason that we all
started playing music with the love of it.
Speaker 3 (31:17):
Yeah.
Matthew Szlachetka (31:18):
And is it fun?
Yes, it is fun.
That's why we're all doing it.
Yeah.
And giving everybody a chance toshine that comes in and out of
that project is the thing thatis probably the most important
thing that makes me happy about it
Larry (31:30):
And what you're doing and who you are.
The Greasy Chicken Review,what you're putting out as your
art, as the un-American dream.
That is our apple pie.
Yeah, it is our Chevrolet.
Yeah.
It's being idealistic.
Yeah.
And being idealistic doesn't necessarilymean that we have to be correct or, or
we have to be righteous or anything, but.
(31:52):
Ideals are so beautiful to haveand they're, something we share.
We, yes, the apple pie and Chevrolet.
Those aren't necessarily what'son the table right now, but the
community of getting togetherand playing music and write these
songs, it's courageous Courage.
Courage is such a big deal.
"The willingness to tell our stories,feel the pain of others, and stay
genuinely connected in this disconnectedworld is not something we can do
(32:16):
halfheartedly to practice courage.
Compassion and connection isto look at life and the people
around us and say, I'm all in."
That's Brené Brown, my hero.
I love her to death.
What you're doing is courageous.
The little things that wedo every single day that are
just taking care of ourselves.
Yeah.
That are taking care ofother people around us.
(32:38):
That's courage.
You putting on a show once amonth, that doesn't make any money.
You have to pay everybody.
Hopefully it makes you, you know, at somepoint, but you are growing something.
We have Whiskey Jam in this town now.
Right.
And Whiskey Jam is something thatI remember the very first Whiskey
Jams and I played at those, right?
And now it is a national institutionbecause it is so American to have
(33:00):
an idea and to have the passionand love to do it, and then it
grows and then all of a sudden.
People show up.
You know why?
Because you created the space forus to be together in a community.
Yeah.
And that is a very beautifulthing, and I commend you.
Absolutely.
And now here you are, Matt Szlachetka.
You have a baby on the way withyour beautiful wife, Sarah Aili.
(33:22):
You're having a kid,you're about to be a dad.
Life is not all about yourself.
It's not all about you.
How are you feeling about all that?
Matthew Szlachetka (33:30):
Over the moon.
Yeah.
About the baby.
I'm just so excited because, and not totake anything away from like, how I was
brought up, how Sarah was brought up,like we're both super thankful for all
that and we wouldn't be where we are withdifferent circumstances, but I feel so
blessed with this child cominginto the, from our family and
our community, especially sincewe started breaking the news.
(33:52):
Everybody in town islike, we're having a baby.
Yeah.
So it's like, I don't want to beforceful with influence on a child at
all, but if this child does decide togo into music or anything within the
artistic realm, they are gonna haveso much of a massive leg up from.
Sarah and I growing up, and just fromthe standpoint of, once again, we
(34:14):
both had parents that were incrediblysupportive with whatever we did, but
aside from that growing up in a townthat it's just part of the equation.
You don't have to explain to anybodylike, well, I'm a musician, and you
don't have to have anybody question that.
Be like, well, how do youmake your living then?
Or like, what do you really do?
(34:35):
Where you and I grew up in the northeastwhere you went to high school, you went
to a College or University, and thenyou got some kind of corporate job.
Larry (34:42):
Yeah.
This quote unquote,
so real world,
Matthew Szlachetka (34:44):
I'm just super excited for all of those things and
maybe it's like, hey, if the kidwants to go into finance, great,
they'll be able to help us out.
But it's like just having thoseoptions in a more of a broad.
Diverse ability to dream, if you will,versus like, well, if I'm gonna do
this, I'm gonna have to get some kindof corporate job that has benefits,
that has a 401k that I can do this sothat way I have security and I do this.
(35:07):
it's
Larry (35:07):
very stressful.
Think about that.
If you were to have a kid and,and it stresses me out just
thinking about it, and you arenot even having the kid you are.
Thank you for that.
So I can live throughyou and see how you do.
Matthew Szlachetka (35:16):
Uncle, Brother Love.
Larry (35:17):
Absolutely.
But do you feel that there's hope?
Do you feel hope for this kid?
Matthew Szlachetka (35:21):
Absolutely.
Larry (35:22):
Tell me why.
You know, I could use some hope
Matthew Szlachetka (35:24):
Because I think we're gonna be great parents.
Just from both of ourbackgrounds and coming together.
I think we have reallygood perspective on things.
Yeah.
And you know, as outside of regulareducation from the institution
of education, I think that wewill have such a good grounding.
I guess if you're gonna get intothis German word, the Weltanschauung,
(35:45):
The Worldview of, of, you know,a perspective of growing up where
once again, question things.
Yes.
Ask questions, you know, be curious.
You know, don't just take onesentiment and think that's it.
Yeah.
Well, what's the other side of that?
Yeah.
You know, and what works for me.
Everything else with facts and numbersand actual history, that's important too.
Larry (36:05):
And I wanna bring back a quote that your co-writer, Paul, un
American Dream, recalls his father.
Saying, "There's only one truth.
Love thy neighbor and besorry when you are wrong."
You're open and available for anythingto occur and anything to happen, and
you're bringing this child into avery peaceful and wonderful place.
Yeah.
In addition to being a singer,a songwriter, a producer, you
(36:26):
put on this great evening ofmusic, The Greasy Chicken Review.
I don't know where
you find the time.
You have something called the Old Soul
Record Club.
What is that?
Matthew Szlachetka (36:34):
Old Soul Record Club essentially was my COVID pivot.
I was on the road in Texas inMarch of 2020 doing preliminary
acoustic promo shows.
The Young Heart Old Soul album.
Yeah, which was supposedto come out that year.
And when I threw the towel down andwent home and the first thing I did was
I dove into a weekly livestream showthat, I mean, super thankful for it.
(36:57):
Like that helped keep me afloat.
Speaker (36:58):
You were doing a livestream show?
Yeah.
Every playing music?
Yeah,
Matthew Szlachetka (37:01):
every, it was every Sunday, right?
That was like for two years almostuntil I was able to get back on
the road to promote that record.
I had flipped records a little bitprior to COVID, it was usually if I
was on tour and came into a batch ofrecords that was grossly underpriced.
Or same thing with likevintage stereo gear.
You know, I knew that I, I couldsell it when I got home and it
(37:21):
would essentially pay for what Ibought for my personal collection.
The first time that Sarah and I wereable to go visit my parents during
COVID, I came into a collection of aboutlike a thousand records, kept about
a third from my personal collection.
Quickly moved the remainder ofit and then I was like, okay, I
think I'm onto something here.
And so all the time that I wouldhave normally spent on the road
(37:42):
booking shows, I put into buildingup an inventory, building up a
clientele, and it essentiallystarted at our previous homes garage.
And so I would just through likeflip videos on Facebook and putting
ads on marketplace and all thisstuff, I just started building
up more and more clientele.
And then after I started moving,like from a DIY indie standpoint,
(38:03):
like a decent amount of records.
Actually, my buddy Jamie Kent, who wetalked about a little bit earlier, he's
always been a brilliant entrepreneur andaside from great songwriter and artist
and stuff, and he was just like, Hey,you ever think about starting like an
online subscription service record club?
And I was like, I.
No, but that's brilliant.
And so I kind of devised and thoughtof Old Soul Record Club where it's
(38:24):
essentially like Columbia Houseor CD or record clubs of the past.
I thought, mine, man.
Totally.
But the, the thing that'sdifferent about it is when you
go to old soul record club.com,
you figure out whatprice tier works for you.
You sign up and then you geta welcome email with a survey.
That survey lets me know what youwant, what you don't want, and if
you already have a list of yourcollection, you submit that to me.
(38:45):
And I become each member'spersonal curator every month.
And I send a mystery box ofstuff that I know they'll love.
And that is so cool.
And it's so aside from people thatcome to the shop in person to set up
a private appointment to shop, I'malways sending off like tons of boxes
of records every month to club members.
Wow.
Larry (39:00):
Yeah.
Old Soul Record Club.
Yeah.
I don't know where youfind the time, brother.
That's so cool.
So I have questions for you.
This is our speed round.
What fascinates
you?
Matthew Szlachetka (39:09):
Becoming a father is, is fascinating.
I think our family growing is fascinating.
I think outside of music andcareer things, I think growing
with your partner is amazing.
I think even just over the last year,I think Sarah and I have had like a
tremendous amount of growth together andit takes a lot of courage to do that.
And it takes definitelyputting pride and ego down.
(39:31):
What else fascinates me?
I think our, the communityhere fascinates me.
I think growing projectsand concepts fascinates me.
Finding a way to do what you lovein life is fascinating and do it on
your own terms is fascinating to me.
Larry (39:43):
Not an easy thing to do for anybody.
Matthew Szlachetka (39:45):
No, no, it's not.
And just having that conceptlike you're talking about,
of like authenticity, right?
From a production standpoint, cuttinga record, whether it's mine or somebody
else, like taking the essence ofwhoever you are, whatever band you're
in, whatever artist you're workingwith is or whatever, taking that
and making that super authentic towhere you're not chasing something.
Do we want to record and producesomething right now that in a year
(40:08):
is gonna be out of style, or dowe wanna record something and.
15 to 20 years from now, look backon that and be like, wow, this still
holds up with what's current right now.
Larry (40:17):
Something that's timeless,
Matthew Szlachetka (40:18):
And that's what I've always sought and been chasing.
Whether you love it or hate it,man, Huey Lewis Sports is a kick ass
album and it still sounds awesomenow as it did the day it came out.
Larry (40:29):
Huey Lewis, you know that whole record Huey Lewis and is one of the
most fantastic bands artist ever.
Yep, I never got to meet my father-in-law,Sarah's dad, but he said something to
the effect of like, "I'd suck his dick."
You know what?
Me Too, Joe-Bop.
Matthew Szlachetka (40:45):
I got to open for him a couple times and he was just, wow.
Just such a gracious, cool dude.
Really.
I mean, everybody in his band was great.
Yeah, that album is just full of bangers.
It's like the album.
Might as well be a greatest hits album.
Once again, you think about when an albumlike that came out, they could have used
every cliche synth sound in the world, butthey're like, no, we're gonna have some of
it maybe, but we're gonna make it organicsounding and we're gonna make it sound
(41:06):
like us and the song is gonna be there.
Larry (41:09):
What angers you?
Matthew Szlachetka (41:10):
What angers me right now, it's a perfect
example of why this song came out.
I think that human decencyhas jumped the shark.
That angers me.
That infuriates me.
I think the concept of not beingable to be decent to somebody,
even though they don't agree witheverything that you stand for.
I just don't stand for it.
I think that life and communitieshave always flourished when
(41:35):
there's more diversity and moredifferent types of ideas going on.
As long as people are respectingeach other, I think that
this country wouldn't be.
What it is if we didn'thave the diversity we have.
Yeah.
Getting back to putting this song out.
Every now and then I'll scroll down somecomments to see like, okay, I have the
trolls come out and stuff like that.
And for the most partit's been pretty tame.
There's been a few stupidcomments, but nothing outlandish.
(41:57):
The one comment that, and I didn'tcomment on it, I was just like,
I'm not opening up the worms.
This one woman commented, when Idid a screenshot of the Rolling
Stone article itself, so that wayif people couldn't access it on
the phone, they could read it.
You know?
I mean, you can go down my page andread whatever the phrase I said.
But in essence it was like, I thinkone of the things that has made
this country great is the diversitybecause it creates us who we are.
(42:21):
So this one woman's comment wasactually, I think it's the opposite.
I think diversity istearing this country apart.
And then she quoted somethingfrom the constitution of One
Nation Under God, Indivisible.
And I'm like, oh my God, wheredid your family come from?
Yeah.
When did they immigrate here?
And like, what culture did they come from?
Okay, so I'm sorry.
You're ruling all that out, you know?
Larry (42:43):
Yeah, yeah.
So yeah, it's, it's unfortunate.
If you had a magic wand.
And you can fix anything,make it the way you'd like it.
Let's say.
Matthew Szlachetka (42:51):
I think I would level the playing field in this country more.
I would bring it back tolike maybe where it was,
Larry (42:56):
You mean make
America
great again?
Is that what you say?
Oh really.
Go on Matthew.
Exactly.
Matthew Szlachetka (43:02):
No, I would level the playing field financially.
Financially for majorityof people in this country.
I wouldn't have as much division betweenfinancial situations here, crazy world.
Like I would bring things likemanufacturing and more mom and pop
businesses back to this countrywhere we could quote unquote, have
more of our Main Street again.
(43:23):
I'd eliminate Ticketmaster.
Yeah, I'd eliminate Live Nation becauseI think conglomerates like that have
been really ruining this industry.
Yeah, I'd get rid of Viacom.
Bring back more localizedregional radio stations.
Again,
Larry (43:35):
Look at that, matthew Szlachetka for President 2028.
I'm in.
Okay.
Biggest question of
all my friend.
Shoot.
Matthew, Toilet paper over or under?
Matthew Szlachetka (43:44):
You know both.
'cause sometimes it'sover, sometimes it's under.
Larry (43:47):
Okay.
You
are wrong.
It's over.
And that's that.
Okay.
Matthew Szlachetka, where can we find you?
Matthew Szlachetka (43:52):
Sure.
Website, Szlachetka music.com.
S-Z-L-A-C-H-E-T-K-A.
And then social media handles.
Slash Szlachetka music, right?
That's for Facebook and Instagram.
I'm not really on Twitter or X orwhatever the hell you call it these days.
I have a page, but I'm not active on it.
YouTube, I think is Szlachetka official.
Larry (44:12):
Right on.
And the Greasy Chicken Review thesecond Tuesday of every month at the
East Side Bowl, it is not to be missed.
It's a fantastic event.
I thank you so much for being on theJust Keep Talking podcast my friend.
Matthew Szlachetka (44:24):
It's a pleasure to be here with you.
Larry (44:25):
Absolutely.
Love you too.
Thank you so much for tuning in.
My name is Brother Love, andremember, Your story Matters.
We'll see you again next time.
Bye-bye.
Brother Love (44:34):
You can personally support this show simply by clicking
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(44:55):
Thank you so much for supporting theJust Keep Talking podcast with me,
Brother Love, because Your Story Matters.
Telling our stories is the connective tissue of the
collective human experience.
The Just Keep Talking podcast delvesinto the lives and stories of artists.
What is the impact ofmental health on creativity?
What does it mean to bea creative individual?
Someone who feels deeply, experiencesjoy and pain, intensely and navigates
the challenges of life Through thecreative process, with each story shared,
(00:22):
we explore the authentic experience ofour basic need to be seen, to be heard,
and to belong.
We are really not so differentfrom one another, nor are we alone.
Together we can inspire, encourage, andenlighten each other to find the true joy
and fulfillment that is within ourselves.
When we Just Keep Talking, we createthe space for gratitude, self-acceptance
(00:46):
and grace in everyday life.
In a world filled with divisiveness,
fostering inclusivity and connection isa powerful way to make a positive impact.
The Just Keep Talking podcast with me,Brother Love, because Your Story Matters.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
He love his neighbors as love himself.
Give the off his back.
If you some help about getting,
I know what he'd sayif he were here today.
Free
(01:24):
all on the same damn side.
Prayed on Sunday, drink on Friday.
But we, our.
Larry (01:59):
Hello and welcome to the Just Keep Talking podcast with me,
Brother Love, Your Story Matters.
My guest this week is Matthew
Szlachetka, producer, guitarplayer, music director, singer
songwriter, right here in Nashville.
Hello, sir.
How you doing?
I'm doing great.
How are you?
I'm great.
Lemme tell you a little somethingabout you in case you didn't know.
Rolling Stone held Szlachetka as oneof the 10 new artists you need to know,
(02:23):
describing his music as a soundtrackfor both the highway and the Heartland.
A collection of Road Dogg, rootsrockers, and Americana ballads.
Inspired by the people andplaces he's left behind.
In the rear view mirror.
I'm speaking of your last record,Young Heart, Old Soul, produced
by Grammy winning producerScott Underwood from Train.
(02:45):
The album was recorded at at BlackbirdStudio A and Thunderwood Studios in
Nashville, and it was 2019 or 2020.
You put that album out, correct?
Matthew Szlachetka (02:53):
It was recorded.
Basically we went intail end of June, 2019.
Mm-hmm.
Through the first weekor 2nd of July, 2019.
'cause we thought wewere ahead of the game.
We were gonna have a triumphant 2020.
It was supposed to be released in 2020.
Larry (03:07):
A lot of things were supposed to happen in 2020.
Well, my point is that you're asinger, you're a songwriter, you're
an artist, and you have been reallysomebody who's a part of this Nashville.
Scene and circuit you produce and curateone of the coolest nights here in town
called the Greasy Chicken Review, whichis a show that happens at the East Side
Bowl the second Tuesday of every month.
(03:29):
Yeah.
Is a rotating cast of top sessionand touring musicians that play
nothing but deep cuts and B sidesfrom everyone's favorite rock and roll
soul and Americana bands and artists.
You've done a lot.
You do a lot.
There's my little Google commercial.
How are you, sir?
Matthew Szlachetka (03:45):
I'm great.
It's always good to be with you.
Larry (03:47):
You're one of those cats that are here in Nashville that everybody
knows and everybody has worked with.
Because I've heard your name a milliontimes over the years and we just
recently have met and just recentlyhave started playing music together.
Matt Szlachetka (04:01):
The funny thing is like about that sentiment you just
brought I feel the same way about,you know, you and Alex and everybody
else in Them Vibes, because I startedhearing about all you, beautiful souls.
Um, it was probably withinthe first two to three years I
think, of living in Nashville.
And it was just like, I love that vibe andanytime I see you guys play, just like,
(04:22):
yeah, this is, totally what I'm into.
And then, you know, you just fastforward to when we actually did meet.
Mm-hmm.
Which I think wasthrough Bobby officially.
I think
Larry (04:29):
Bobby Holland, producer extraordinaire.
He's done all of Them Vibes, records.
And he's worked with you guys?
He's worked with everybody.
Matt Szlachetka (04:35):
Yeah.
It is just, I, I feel like, it waskismet, you know, it was like we, I
feel like we had already known eachother we just fell into each other,
like putting on a glove, you know?
And I even, it's funny'cause I feel like I met.
Alex, I think last and justthe same thing with Alex.
Like when we both met, it wasjust like, yeah, you know, I was
like, yeah, we're the same people.
Larry (04:53):
Yeah.
And that's so true.
You were, you're so kind and you'reso warm and you're welcoming.
And you invited me to be onthe Greasy Chicken Review.
Actually, it, Jeremy, Boston
Matt Szlachetka (05:01):
Rag was the first song I think you sang with us.
Larry (05:04):
Actually no, it was Sway.
So Jeremy Asbrock guitar playerextraordinaire plays with Ace
Frehley, he plays with everybody.
he said, Hey man, can you come and singSway Tonight by the Rolling Stones?
And I said, yeah, we have done thatbecause he's part of the Rock and
Roll residency, which is, you know, astaple here in Nashville for all the
many, many, many years that everybodywould come out weekly and see some
(05:27):
of the greatest rock and roll ever.
I mean, my wife Sarah Tomek playedone night, Thee rock and roll
residency and was asked to doAerosmith, Lord of the Thighs.
And she said, hell yeah, I know that song.
And that's a deep cut thatpeople don't necessarily know.
And in the audience that night,at Dan McGinness, the old spot
was Marti Frederiksen producer,saw Sarah play the Aerosmith song.
(05:49):
Lord of the Thighs said, Hey,my name's Marti Frederiksen,
can I get your phone number?
And she's like, I knowexactly who this is.
He, wrote Jaded, he workedwith Aerosmith, he worked and
got Steven Tyler to Nashville.
Put his band together.
And then my wife, Sarah Tomek, thefamous Sarah Tomek, became Steven Tyler's
Matt Szlachetka (06:07):
Loving Mary.
Right.
Yeah.
Doesn't he?
Larry (06:08):
Became Steven Tyler's drummer.
We have such an amazing community here.
So yes, I was invited to play theGreasy Chicken Review with Jeremy
Asbrock was playing guitar that night.
And I sang Sway, which issomething that we've done before.
You're a staple here in Nashville.
What made you come toNashville besides the obvious
Matthew Szlachetka (06:24):
My 14 or 15-year-old self had the crazy dream
that I didn't care what I had to do.
I wanted to do music full time.
I wanted to be a guitar player.
I was a hundred percenttouring artists, solo artists.
When I moved to LA, I immediately gotinto a band called the North Star Session.
Chasing around the industrykind of thing, like putting out
records, trying to shop 'em.
We figured out as much as we could,just became like a hundred percent
(06:46):
DIY, sustainable band that ranits course, like bands usually do.
And I went solo, recorded my firstsolo record in 2012 and then released
it in 2013 because Congratulations.
Big deal.
Thank you.
On the DIY standpoint.
Larry (07:00):
Yeah, absolutely.
That's tough stuff to do, man.
Yeah, it's tough to do that all, allon your own, but you waded the waters.
You came to Nashville and you know,everybody, everybody knows you and you,
tour, you produce, you write, you doall the things and you're part of it
is that you have a great reputation andthat's a big deal in this small town.
Matthew Szlachetka (07:17):
Yeah.
Speaker (07:18):
Do you know you have a good reputation?
Matthew Szlachetka (07:19):
I just try to adhere to the Golden Rule, man
all the time and just be cool.
Be cool and be kind.
The Paul McCartney rule, man, themore you give, the more you get
Speaker (07:27):
ab.
Yeah, absolutely.
Well, you did put out a record in 2020.
We alluded to it earlier.
Yes.
Young heart, Old Soul.
What a great record of yours, and I gotto know you a lot by listening to a bunch
of the songs that were on this record.
Everything you do seems to bewith a lot of heart and soul.
Every song on this record of yours.
I was transported into a world thatI so happy to have been a part of.
(07:52):
It's nostalgic.
I feel like you were longingto find who you are, who you
were, where you come from.
Where do I belong?
Does this resonate with you at all?
Absolutely.
There's a song on there called Old Soul.
The lyrics.
Part of the lyrics are drift away.
At the end of the day,you're sure to disappear, but
you're not sure where to go.
(08:14):
Young heart, old soul,there's a place for you here.
There's a place for you here.
Old soul.
There's a place for you here.
Where is here?
Matthew Szlachetka (08:25):
Home.
It's like home and yeah, as ascliche as it's gonna sound, home
is where you make it, you know?
Absolutely.
For me, that moment came when, shortlyafter I moved to Nashville, moving here.
I did have a really great network mm-hmm.
From coming here two to threeyears prior, pretty frequently.
And so I, I didn't movehere just like cold.
(08:46):
Yeah.
And some people that were very influentialin getting me to move here were like,
obviously Scott Underwood, he hadmoved here when he had left the band.
So we just started writing togetherand doing session work together.
Kind of talked about maybe doing whatbecame my second record, but I ended
up working with the late Great DavidBianco on that before he passed.
Everything works out I think time-wise.
Tell us who David Bianco is.
(09:07):
David has worked on like all of ourfavorite albums and with our favorite
bands and ours, I mean, pretty much one ofthe main engineers on Wildflowers, right?
He actually is the guy that broughtJim Scott into the mix, right.
Wildflowers.
'cause Jim Scott was usually likehis assistant on a lot of things that
he did, but producer's, producer.
Yeah.
And he was really like one of thelast kind of like true record men.
(09:29):
Mm-hmm.
He moved out after he graduatedRutgers and he was a janitor at
the record plant and worked hisway up to being an engineer.
Like just so cool theAmerican dream, right.
Of you know, following your dreams ofbeing in the music industry and so, yeah.
I ended up doing that with him.
Started working with Scott.
Another really dear friendof mine named Jamie Kent.
(09:49):
He's been a soul brotherof mine for a long time.
Co-writer.
We used to tour together all the time.
He moved here first.
He's from Western Massachusettsas well, and he actually had
a song that Loving Mary Cut.
Called Broke Not Broken.
Oh yeah.
That they cut that song.
Yes, Jamie wrote that.
Oh, that's so cool.
But yeah, so he moved here firstand was very influential, who were
like, Hey man, you should reallythink about moving to Nashville.
(10:10):
I moved here with, dear friends, and, youknow, I feel so fortunate for, for people
that I've worked with in the industry.
Speaker (10:17):
So you put this record together?
Yeah, I put this record out.
So what was the cat like?
What was it like for you?
What was, what was your life like?
'cause these songs are very introspective.
Yeah.
These songs remind me of.
It reminds me to remind myself mm-hmm.
To reach into my past.
Yeah.
To reach into my own story.
I feel like the photographs thatare on each of those singles, are
(10:37):
they, those are personal photographsfrom when you were growing up?
Yeah.
It's like you were searching for likea, like a meaning for life A little bit.
No, it was very introspective.
The fact that you made a fulllength record with a through line.
Like that, that is filledwith nostalgia, filled with
searching, filled with a longing.
You had a ton of material.
Were you at a point in your life that youwere just sort of slowed down a little
(11:00):
bit because you had moved here, youwere working, you were doing the whole
thing, and then it was time for you, Iguess, as an artist to put out a record.
So what was your mind frame?
Matthew Szlachetka (11:07):
I think community is really important to me.
Family is very important to me.
Mm-hmm.
Sense of place is very important to meand like so thankful for my time in la.
Not to say that.
I didn't have community there.
I did, but LA is just so big.
Yes.
It's harder to get together So I rememberspecifically coming back from tours
sometimes and like, ' cause a lot ofthe tours I did were solo acoustic tours
(11:31):
because that's what the budget permitted.
I remember feeling weird and likehad to like readjust how to like be
back in a social situation sometimes.
Like if I was out back in, in lalike seeing friends play or whatever.
You know, feeling like awkward in myskin a little bit and then moving here
to where I feel like the emphasis oncommunity is so much more important here.
(11:54):
Someone told me once, Nashville willtell you when it wants you to move here.
Yeah.
Being part of the community,you know what I mean?
And I feel like that's exactlywhat happened with me moving here.
And so specifically, I remember beingat the Legion, the American Legion
on on Honky Tonk Tuesday night.
Shortly after I moved.
It was like going into themost beautiful time warp ever.
It literally hasn't changedsince like the early fifties.
(12:15):
Like it's same decor, same everyth.
Mm-hmm.
Speaker (12:17):
The American Legion on Gallatin right near Yep.
Where I live in East Nashvilleand they were hosting Honky
Tonk Tuesdays for years and.
Matthew Szlachetka (12:24):
But the thing that had changed, which I was very much resonating
with, was this audience of people of alldifferent shades, ethnicities, religions,
shapes, sizes, older people, young people,all there for an amazing night of music.
Yeah.
And the phrase, there's aplace for you here just.
Came into my head.
Oh.
And then about maybe a week later, Itook it to my good buddy Mondo Saenz,
(12:45):
who I've written with, I know Mondo with.
Yeah.
And we wrote the song, we bangedit out in like an hour, maybe.
Yeah.
And we just, it is one of thosemoments where I just felt like
that song was a gift, you know?
And I'm so happy thatI wrote it with Mondo.
But it is that, you know it'slike, where are you from?
Where are you going?
Where are you now?
(13:06):
All those things that have made you.
Are so important and I, I think thatas we change, like we can never forget
that even if there are things thatmaybe you didn't like about where you
came from or didn't like who you usedto be, whatever, it's like that that's
all gonna be part of you and how dowe shift and navigate through that?
Larry (13:24):
Naturally we try to fit in in life and what I find is, and what I sort
of read a lot about is, and Brené Browntalks about this and she's my hero author.
The difference between fitting in, whichis me changing and being how you want me
to be or how I think you will like me.
Yeah.
That as opposed to belonging.
A very much a sense of I am here,I'm in my own skin and I feel
(13:48):
good
and I'm not doing it foranybody else, but for me.
And that's just good enough and perfect.
And I get a sense from you that youvery much belong in your own skin
and you're not a chaser like a lotof artists that were in this business
and we work with a lot of people
Yeah.
That are like, oh, what's the next thing?
My next song is like this, ohmy God, it's cool to be gay.
(14:09):
I'm gay now.
Right.
It's still.
Let's be serious.
Right?
I mean, I, I got plenty of friendsthat I could name right now Yeah.
That are now gay.
Right.
Because it's cool to be gay.
Right.
Okay.
Please.
But hey, whatever floatsyour boat, I could care less.
But what I do care about is, is thatwe all feel comfortable in our own.
Mm-hmm.
And that we feel comfortablearound our friends and family.
And Nashville is this beautifulcommunity, the community that we're in.
(14:32):
It's so special.
Every now and again, my wifeand I say, why do we live here?
Maybe we'll go back up to the Northeast orgo to Europe, or who the hell knows what?
We always do that, right?
I don't like where I am type of mentality,and I always go back to the same thing.
I'm like, where else could youwalk into a coffee shop, a pizza
place, a Kroger, a shoe store?
(14:53):
It doesn't matter.
You will run into somebodythat is part of your community.
Somebody yeah makes youfeel at home right away.
Doesn't matter where we go.
And that is a very special thingthat we have here in Nashville.
Absolutely.
You seem very confident and comfortablein your own skin and I'm just,
I wish I knew you when you wereworking on this last record because.
(15:13):
Were you alone a lot of that time?
I know you mentioned that therewas something about being alone and
touring a lot, but these songs, like
Did you learn a lot aboutyourself making that record?
Matthew Szlachetka (15:22):
Absolutely, and it was definitely a, it was a timeframe for me.
That was a major shift.
You know, I moved here,like I said, in March 17.
We recorded it in June of 2019.
So like from that timeframe, likeyear and a half, I was just writing.
And things that I had to let go of in LA,
to get me here and everything from myrelationships, goals, things that shifted
(15:43):
from priorities to new priorities.
Yeah.
It's all in those songs.
Especially that time too, likehitting the ground running, you know?
I still was touring nonstop.
Being observant to changing of climatesin the country, whether it's politically
just climate shift in general fromstates, different cities, all of it.
The heartbeat of this country,the heartbeat of people,
(16:03):
the heartbeat from myself.
Yeah.
I think everybody's always on somekind of a journey, whether they believe
it or not, and just really payingattention to where you have come from.
Mm-hmm.
Where are you going?
Where are you now?
Yeah.
And that's always beenreally important to me.
Right around that time too, iswhen I met my wife Sarah Aili.
Yep.
She's amazing.
Singer songwriter artist.
She's incredible.
(16:24):
And you two are, or I wouldn'tbe where I'm at without her.
Speaker (16:27):
And so you're
Matthew Szlachetka (16:27):
a power couple by the way.
I very much am appreciative of that.
So there's a lot of her in thisalbum, and honestly, through
the timeframe, right before
we started recording this,her and I actually broke up
for like a couple months.
And it was the best thing that couldhave happened for both of us really.
It brought us back together and weboth worked on a bunch of stuff and we
realized that we could not not be apart.
(16:49):
And after we got back together, itwas pretty much when we went into
the studio to record this album.
Larry (16:55):
Is she singing background vocals on, on that?
Yeah.
I hear a, woman's voice andit's so beautiful and I'm like,
that sounds like Sarah Aili.
Matthew Szlachetka (17:02):
Yeah.
She sings majority, well,definitely all the female vocals.
And then Mondo is singingharmonies on an Old Soul.
Right.
And then we had ex Jamie Kent.
Came in to sing some harmonies.
My other buddy, Brandon James, whoI wrote that song, bullet Through
the Wind, Tim Jones sang harmonieson that song like Love that guy.
Him and I wrote that.
So Tim was also like anotherimportant voice of influence
(17:23):
getting me to move to Nashville.
I met Tim literally within the firstmonth of moving to Los Angeles.
We met through The HotelCafe scene, my old band.
He booked us our first show at HotelCafe and like after being friends for.
13 years, we finally startedwriting together and that
was the first song we wrote.
That's great.
And
Speaker (17:38):
this record, young Heart, Old Soul, Rolling Stone, loved it.
I mean, the songs are fantastic.
There's one song, there may havebeen more, but there's one song
in particular that was not put onthe record that you just released.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
Yeah.
Speaker (17:50):
And it's called un-American Dream.
Yeah.
Written by you, Matthew Szlachetkaand Paul William Stevens.
Mm-hmm.
Right.
And you just put this song out.
Yeah.
You talk about the current state anddirection of the country and it's not,
well, it's in the Title un-American Dream.
Yeah.
What is un-American Dream about?
Matthew Szlachetka (18:09):
This is another one of those songs that I
just, I feel like it was a gift.
I met Paul.
In the two, three years prior to movinghere and we started writing together
when I was still living in Los Angeles.
Mm-hmm.
One of my favorite people towrite with, I love him so much.
And we wrote that song, Earthquake,which was on the last album.
Right.
And that was a Under theRadar political song.
(18:30):
Okay.
If you will.
And so un-American Dream cameabout during that whole writing.
process, We had a folder of like70 songs from that year and a half,
and then we whittled it down to 11.
And so this song came about 'causewe were, without getting too much
into a, a political conversation.
This was written duringthe, the first four years.
(18:52):
Oh, the Trump.
Yeah.
We were just commiserating, if youwill, over certain things and shifts
in the culture and the country andeverything, Paul grew up in St.
Louis.
He was the baby of the family.
His father was a veteran of WorldWar II, who was in the 10th Armor
Division under Patton's third army.
And so he made it throughpretty much every major European
(19:17):
engagement, survived the Battleof the Bulge, battle of Bastogne.
After the Battle of the Bulge hisunit was specifically responsible
for liberating Dachau, and sohe went through all of that.
Came home, didn't get shot.
Okay.
But he was never the same.
And Paul has told me that as bestof a father as he could be, he was.
Definitely like a strainedrelationship with Paul growing up.
(19:40):
But they really patched things upshortly before his dad's passing.
And Paul, he was bedside with hisdad in the hospital and his dad
was really agitated and it was justlike, he's like, dad, what can I do?
And his dad was like, I just don'tthink I'm gonna go to heaven.
And he's like, what areyou talking about dad?
He's like, you are anamazing father, husband.
You're a Catholic of Catholics.
(20:01):
You're there for your community.
You served your country.
Why?
He goes, because I never forgave him.
And he goes, what do youmean you didn't forgive 'em?
He goes, I never forgave the Germanpeople, because they knew and
they didn't do anything about it.
Wow.
And so Paul had the title unAmerican Dream that I was like,
ah man, I wanna write that.
And I still get.
Goosebumps when I talk about thatstory because I can't even imagine
(20:24):
somebody who goes through all thethings you do for your country, right?
Serve you, come back an Americanhero, and then you are just tormented
for the rest of your life 'causeof what you've seen and witnessed.
And from the way Paul talked about ittoo, it just tore his dad up of how
cruel humans could be to each other.
You fast forward to where we'reat as a country right now.
(20:45):
And it's so funny because Paul and Ireally view that song as a patriotic
song to question your government.
Yeah.
To speak up for human rights,to speak up for yourself.
That's exactly what that song is about.
And that's exactly what is beingswept under the rug, I think,
in this country right now.
And the things that we fought against,the things that the quote unquote
greatest generation fought for.
(21:05):
So that way we could all lived amore enriched entitled life now.
Those are getting sweptunder the rug right now.
And the concepts of decency beinggood to thy neighbor, all that stuff,
it's a foreign term these days.
Larry (21:19):
This very second.
Absolutely.
So how did the song come about?
Matthew Szlachetka (21:22):
We had a writing schedule on the books and in typical
scenario, when we write, you justkind of catch up for a little bit.
Then you start kicking aroundideas, titles, melodies, lyrics,
non-sequitur, all that stuff.
And he literally was like, I gotthis title un-American Dream.
I'm like, I'm intrigued.
Tell me about it.
And so then he told me that story.
Scott Underwood was like, I don't know ifwe should put this song on there because
(21:44):
like, we wanna be gaining fans right now.
We don't wanna be that divisive.
I didn't not agree with it timebecause I've got friends on both
sides of the equation and I love that.
And I've got opinions onboth sides of the equation.
And I think right now.
I think everything is so polarized andespecially because of, unfortunately,
social media and stuff like that Yeah.
Allows people to be terrible to eachother because they don't have to do it.
(22:08):
In person.
Yeah.
Larry (22:09):
But as an artist, isn't that our job?
Absolutely.
We write about Your Cheating Heart.
Yeah.
We write about, daddyabused me, right, right.
We write about rape, we write aboutincest, we write about the most horrible
things in the All of the 10 Commandments.
Yeah.
Right.
Every single one of 'em, it's like,Welp, here's another commandment.
(22:30):
Oh, I stole, sorry, whatever.
But if you're questioningyour country, right.
If you're asking a question andsaying, I don't agree with this.
I mean, look, Steven Colbert justgot fired, or Yeah, I'm sorry.
They canceled his show.
Right, because he's basicallyspeaking out against, right.
Something that is thegovernment has interest in,
Speaker 3 (22:50):
yeah.
Larry (22:50):
So if we can't, at least as artists, I mean, George
Carlin had a whole career on it.
Yeah.
In fact, all of thecomics worth their salt.
Hundred percent.
All of the musicians, all of theartists, and now we're in a place.
Where if you say something, justme, it might rub somebody wrong.
Right.
It might affect us an our career.
Right.
So at this point in time foryour release in 2020, yeah.
You thought, eh, maybeit's not a good idea.
(23:12):
Right.
Why is it a good idea to release it now?
Matthew Szlachetka (23:15):
Well, getting back to the thematic landscape within that
album, that was also like, it could haveworked on it, but just from the other
songs like it, it didn't gel as well, but.
And kind of getting back to the timingthing, like as much as I had wanted
to put it on the record back then.
Mm-hmm.
I'm so glad that we waited becauseI don't think that the message
(23:37):
would have resonated like it is now.
Yeah.
Given how much crazier things arenow than during the first four years.
There's a quote from the press releaseand it's a hundred percent true.
Like I feel like putting the songout now is less of a career move and
it's more of a responsibility, right?
Because I just can't sitwith that sentiment anymore.
(23:58):
And it literally had been eating awayat me, the fact that I had this song
and I felt so strongly about the songand I didn't want to just sit on it
through what's happening right now.
Yeah, because initially, given what wewere talking about of like my kind of
musical shift right now, I didn't wantto put out another single of my own.
(24:20):
I'm more interested in producingsomething for somebody and helping
elevate somebody else, you know?
Mm-hmm.
So I initially was kind of shoppingthe song around to producers that
I had relationships with, beinglike, Hey, we've got an artist
that might want this kind of song.
This song needs to be cut.
Sarah and I have a really great working inpersonal relationship with Radney Foster.
Her and Rodney had been working onthis amazing one-woman play called
(24:42):
Back in Birmingham past few years,and like they had just finished it.
We did an awesome table readingat Radney House, wonderful night.
And then previously we had justfinished all the, the soundtrack for it.
So like Radney and I had alsoco-produced Sarah's last album
together, had a couple cocktails.
So I was like, man, I'm justgonna ask him and, and I was
like, Hey Radney, I got this song.
If you're working with anyartist or if you really resonated
(25:04):
with it, I'd be honored.
And he's like, I want to hear this song.
I send it to him.
Couple weeks go by and I was like,oh man, I hope you listened to it.
And then he just, and he'slike, Hey, that song is amazing.
He's like, but you have to cut it.
And I was like, I don't, right?
I don't wanna put it.
He goes, no.
He goes, I know where you're at.
He's like, you need to cut it.
I will co-produce it with you.
You can use my studio.
My son Jack will engineer itand co-produce it with it.
(25:26):
I'm like, great.
That's amazing.
Thank you.
And so when someone like Radneygives you that advice, I'm like.
Yes.
And I'm so thankful that he offered allof that up because he's a dear friend too.
Like I've been so fortunate to have workedwith him for a handful of years now.
Yeah, and once again, I'mglad that we didn't record
this for the previous record.
I'm glad that we did it now in the waythat we did it, and it was super intimate.
(25:50):
I didn't want like a bigrock production on it.
I feel like it would've taken awayfrom the true essence of the song.
And so we did it at Radney home studio.
Had my buddy Douglas come inand play violin and viola on it.
Adam Schoenfeld came in and playedbaritone, and then David Ristrim
came in and played pedal steel.
We did three takes of the song live.
Yeah.
(26:10):
The first take was with a click it.
It was fine, but I was like,just roll one without a click.
And I didn't ask the take.
The second take was the one we keptfelt good, you know, felt right.
And I just want the messageto resonate with people.
And I think one of the biggest thingsthat I'm proud of about this song is
like, I have had people from both sidesof the equation reach out to me, just
really telling me how much it means tothem and how much they love the song.
(26:32):
And that that's, that'sa goal because I really.
Just want to be aconduit for this message.
Nobody's gonna agree on ahundred percent all the time.
Right.
But we can at least have a commonlove and decency for each other.
Have a cocktail or share a meal withsomebody that you really appreciate
and respect who they are, evenif you don't agree on everything.
Larry (26:49):
By the way, we used to, we used to call that dinner.
Matthew Szlachetka (26:51):
Yeah.
You
Larry (26:52):
know, we used to call that breakfast.
Yeah.
We used to call that just having coffee.
It's an incredible, because of allthe people that I disagree with, the
people that are in my family, thepeople that are not friendly with each
other anymore that are now divided.
Right?
All used to either live together,yeah, spend time together, be in
class together, work together.
Right now it's us versusthem, and it's unfortunate.
(27:13):
Rolling Stone said, "If you're lookingfor patriotic country songs for the
4th of July, they're easy to find.
But country songs of descent thatdare to question or call out the
nation's flaws require some digging."
So let's dig into your song.
Sure.
A little bit.
So the chorus is, it sounds verymuch like a typical country song.
I mean, I'm reading it and I'm like,you're a darn good country writer, sir.
(27:35):
" We were free then allon the same damn side.
Prayed on a Sunday,drank on a Friday night.
We were heroes, but wekept our pride inside.
We'd fight like family, butwe'd always make things right.
Grandpa didn't bleed for this world.
Gone crazy, un- American dream."
I mean, it sounds like a wonderfulstory, but then we dig a little deeper.
(27:58):
Okay.
"He loved his neighborsas he loved himself.
Give you the shirt off hisback if you needed some help.
Don't worry about getting paidback somewhere down the line."
We live in such atransactional world right now.
Speaker 3 (28:11):
Yeah.
And
Larry (28:11):
when I read that lyric, I thought, oh yeah, that's
the America that we all love.
And you know what?
I've been a scumbag too.
Okay.
I'll admit it.
Yeah.
'cause I'm not anythingbut a human being, right?
Yeah.
I have flaws, but there aremoments that we all have.
I don't care what side you're on, butyour friend or your neighbor or somebody
you don't even know just needs a littlehelp just a little bit, and you give it.
(28:36):
Right now, there's plenty of peoplethat pat themselves on the back
and want to go share with them.
You know what I did today?
I was wonderful.
I helped an old ladyget across the street.
Well, you are so wonderful.
Yeah.
And then there are people that just do itand forget all about it, because that's
just what it's about, about being human.
We're not alone in this.
I always say Nashville drives mecrazy 'cause people can't drive here.
(28:58):
Right?
Use your freaking turn signal, okay?
You're not the only ones in the world.
But I really mean that because wedon't have to be so transactional.
I just love this sentiment and thebridge, if you will, of this song.
"It was all apple pie and Chevrolet.
Even the lies were better back in the day.
And I can hear him laughingat this fool's parade."
(29:20):
Who's the him?
Matthew Szlachetka (29:21):
It'd be Paul's father, anybody's, you know, fatherly
or motherly or grandfather orgrandmother gave the ultimate sacrifice.
Yeah.
Whether it was serving overseas or,or serving here because rationing
doing things for your, your common.
Countrymen or or country person, obviouslyfor the greater cause, the greater good.
(29:42):
We're all in the same country.
We're on the same side.
Yes.
And it, it's so polarized now whereonce again, I mean it's like, people
that went over and fought in World WarII came back and didn't talk about it.
Right.
Like it was just something they did.
And granted, that's a generational thing.
It's true and it's things that allcountries and cultures have been
working on, but I really, reallythink that people had more of a
(30:06):
sense of duty and responsibilityfor somebody, not themselves.
Yes, I'm not trying to put myselfin Paul's father's shoes at all, but
once again, the idea of community,the idea of culture in place.
Who you are and how you fit into that.
That's the sentiment ofthat last album I put out.
Fast forward to Greasy Chicken Review.
(30:27):
That was a perfect example for me ofsomething that was very, implemental
of getting me to really take a largerlook at what I was doing from a touring
perspective and saying no to thatso I could stay home more, to build
more within the Nashville communityof what I really wanted to be doing.
The time that I put into aGreasy Chicken Review show from
(30:51):
what the monetary outcome is.
Right.
It's crazy.
And so in essence, like a freein town passion project Yeah.
Was something that was a, also amajor factor in having me question
whether I still wanted to do150 to 200 dates a year Right.
Of my own, be like.
I would rather be hereand do a show like that.
Yeah.
And have it resonate with the communityand have it be a focal point of the
(31:12):
community where everybody can come andplay music for the same reason that we all
started playing music with the love of it.
Speaker 3 (31:17):
Yeah.
Matthew Szlachetka (31:18):
And is it fun?
Yes, it is fun.
That's why we're all doing it.
Yeah.
And giving everybody a chance toshine that comes in and out of
that project is the thing thatis probably the most important
thing that makes me happy about it
Larry (31:30):
And what you're doing and who you are.
The Greasy Chicken Review,what you're putting out as your
art, as the un-American dream.
That is our apple pie.
Yeah, it is our Chevrolet.
Yeah.
It's being idealistic.
Yeah.
And being idealistic doesn't necessarilymean that we have to be correct or, or
we have to be righteous or anything, but.
(31:52):
Ideals are so beautiful to haveand they're, something we share.
We, yes, the apple pie and Chevrolet.
Those aren't necessarily what'son the table right now, but the
community of getting togetherand playing music and write these
songs, it's courageous Courage.
Courage is such a big deal.
"The willingness to tell our stories,feel the pain of others, and stay
genuinely connected in this disconnectedworld is not something we can do
(32:16):
halfheartedly to practice courage.
Compassion and connection isto look at life and the people
around us and say, I'm all in."
That's Brené Brown, my hero.
I love her to death.
What you're doing is courageous.
The little things that wedo every single day that are
just taking care of ourselves.
Yeah.
That are taking care ofother people around us.
(32:38):
That's courage.
You putting on a show once amonth, that doesn't make any money.
You have to pay everybody.
Hopefully it makes you, you know, at somepoint, but you are growing something.
We have Whiskey Jam in this town now.
Right.
And Whiskey Jam is something thatI remember the very first Whiskey
Jams and I played at those, right?
And now it is a national institutionbecause it is so American to have
(33:00):
an idea and to have the passionand love to do it, and then it
grows and then all of a sudden.
People show up.
You know why?
Because you created the space forus to be together in a community.
Yeah.
And that is a very beautifulthing, and I commend you.
Absolutely.
And now here you are, Matt Szlachetka.
You have a baby on the way withyour beautiful wife, Sarah Aili.
(33:22):
You're having a kid,you're about to be a dad.
Life is not all about yourself.
It's not all about you.
How are you feeling about all that?
Matthew Szlachetka (33:30):
Over the moon.
Yeah.
About the baby.
I'm just so excited because, and not totake anything away from like, how I was
brought up, how Sarah was brought up,like we're both super thankful for all
that and we wouldn't be where we are withdifferent circumstances, but I feel so
blessed with this child cominginto the, from our family and
our community, especially sincewe started breaking the news.
(33:52):
Everybody in town islike, we're having a baby.
Yeah.
So it's like, I don't want to beforceful with influence on a child at
all, but if this child does decide togo into music or anything within the
artistic realm, they are gonna haveso much of a massive leg up from.
Sarah and I growing up, and just fromthe standpoint of, once again, we
(34:14):
both had parents that were incrediblysupportive with whatever we did, but
aside from that growing up in a townthat it's just part of the equation.
You don't have to explain to anybodylike, well, I'm a musician, and you
don't have to have anybody question that.
Be like, well, how do youmake your living then?
Or like, what do you really do?
(34:35):
Where you and I grew up in the northeastwhere you went to high school, you went
to a College or University, and thenyou got some kind of corporate job.
Larry (34:42):
Yeah.
This quote unquote,
so real world,
Matthew Szlachetka (34:44):
I'm just super excited for all of those things and
maybe it's like, hey, if the kidwants to go into finance, great,
they'll be able to help us out.
But it's like just having thoseoptions in a more of a broad.
Diverse ability to dream, if you will,versus like, well, if I'm gonna do
this, I'm gonna have to get some kindof corporate job that has benefits,
that has a 401k that I can do this sothat way I have security and I do this.
(35:07):
it's
Larry (35:07):
very stressful.
Think about that.
If you were to have a kid and,and it stresses me out just
thinking about it, and you arenot even having the kid you are.
Thank you for that.
So I can live throughyou and see how you do.
Matthew Szlachetka (35:16):
Uncle, Brother Love.
Larry (35:17):
Absolutely.
But do you feel that there's hope?
Do you feel hope for this kid?
Matthew Szlachetka (35:21):
Absolutely.
Larry (35:22):
Tell me why.
You know, I could use some hope
Matthew Szlachetka (35:24):
Because I think we're gonna be great parents.
Just from both of ourbackgrounds and coming together.
I think we have reallygood perspective on things.
Yeah.
And you know, as outside of regulareducation from the institution
of education, I think that wewill have such a good grounding.
I guess if you're gonna get intothis German word, the Weltanschauung,
(35:45):
The Worldview of, of, you know,a perspective of growing up where
once again, question things.
Yes.
Ask questions, you know, be curious.
You know, don't just take onesentiment and think that's it.
Yeah.
Well, what's the other side of that?
Yeah.
You know, and what works for me.
Everything else with facts and numbersand actual history, that's important too.
Larry (36:05):
And I wanna bring back a quote that your co-writer, Paul, un
American Dream, recalls his father.
Saying, "There's only one truth.
Love thy neighbor and besorry when you are wrong."
You're open and available for anythingto occur and anything to happen, and
you're bringing this child into avery peaceful and wonderful place.
Yeah.
In addition to being a singer,a songwriter, a producer, you
(36:26):
put on this great evening ofmusic, The Greasy Chicken Review.
I don't know where
you find the time.
You have something called the Old Soul
Record Club.
What is that?
Matthew Szlachetka (36:34):
Old Soul Record Club essentially was my COVID pivot.
I was on the road in Texas inMarch of 2020 doing preliminary
acoustic promo shows.
The Young Heart Old Soul album.
Yeah, which was supposedto come out that year.
And when I threw the towel down andwent home and the first thing I did was
I dove into a weekly livestream showthat, I mean, super thankful for it.
(36:57):
Like that helped keep me afloat.
Speaker (36:58):
You were doing a livestream show?
Yeah.
Every playing music?
Yeah,
Matthew Szlachetka (37:01):
every, it was every Sunday, right?
That was like for two years almostuntil I was able to get back on
the road to promote that record.
I had flipped records a little bitprior to COVID, it was usually if I
was on tour and came into a batch ofrecords that was grossly underpriced.
Or same thing with likevintage stereo gear.
You know, I knew that I, I couldsell it when I got home and it
(37:21):
would essentially pay for what Ibought for my personal collection.
The first time that Sarah and I wereable to go visit my parents during
COVID, I came into a collection of aboutlike a thousand records, kept about
a third from my personal collection.
Quickly moved the remainder ofit and then I was like, okay, I
think I'm onto something here.
And so all the time that I wouldhave normally spent on the road
(37:42):
booking shows, I put into buildingup an inventory, building up a
clientele, and it essentiallystarted at our previous homes garage.
And so I would just through likeflip videos on Facebook and putting
ads on marketplace and all thisstuff, I just started building
up more and more clientele.
And then after I started moving,like from a DIY indie standpoint,
(38:03):
like a decent amount of records.
Actually, my buddy Jamie Kent, who wetalked about a little bit earlier, he's
always been a brilliant entrepreneur andaside from great songwriter and artist
and stuff, and he was just like, Hey,you ever think about starting like an
online subscription service record club?
And I was like, I.
No, but that's brilliant.
And so I kind of devised and thoughtof Old Soul Record Club where it's
(38:24):
essentially like Columbia Houseor CD or record clubs of the past.
I thought, mine, man.
Totally.
But the, the thing that'sdifferent about it is when you
go to old soul record club.com,
you figure out whatprice tier works for you.
You sign up and then you geta welcome email with a survey.
That survey lets me know what youwant, what you don't want, and if
you already have a list of yourcollection, you submit that to me.
(38:45):
And I become each member'spersonal curator every month.
And I send a mystery box ofstuff that I know they'll love.
And that is so cool.
And it's so aside from people thatcome to the shop in person to set up
a private appointment to shop, I'malways sending off like tons of boxes
of records every month to club members.
Wow.
Larry (39:00):
Yeah.
Old Soul Record Club.
Yeah.
I don't know where youfind the time, brother.
That's so cool.
So I have questions for you.
This is our speed round.
What fascinates
you?
Matthew Szlachetka (39:09):
Becoming a father is, is fascinating.
I think our family growing is fascinating.
I think outside of music andcareer things, I think growing
with your partner is amazing.
I think even just over the last year,I think Sarah and I have had like a
tremendous amount of growth together andit takes a lot of courage to do that.
And it takes definitelyputting pride and ego down.
(39:31):
What else fascinates me?
I think our, the communityhere fascinates me.
I think growing projectsand concepts fascinates me.
Finding a way to do what you lovein life is fascinating and do it on
your own terms is fascinating to me.
Larry (39:43):
Not an easy thing to do for anybody.
Matthew Szlachetka (39:45):
No, no, it's not.
And just having that conceptlike you're talking about,
of like authenticity, right?
From a production standpoint, cuttinga record, whether it's mine or somebody
else, like taking the essence ofwhoever you are, whatever band you're
in, whatever artist you're workingwith is or whatever, taking that
and making that super authentic towhere you're not chasing something.
Do we want to record and producesomething right now that in a year
(40:08):
is gonna be out of style, or dowe wanna record something and.
15 to 20 years from now, look backon that and be like, wow, this still
holds up with what's current right now.
Larry (40:17):
Something that's timeless,
Matthew Szlachetka (40:18):
And that's what I've always sought and been chasing.
Whether you love it or hate it,man, Huey Lewis Sports is a kick ass
album and it still sounds awesomenow as it did the day it came out.
Larry (40:29):
Huey Lewis, you know that whole record Huey Lewis and is one of the
most fantastic bands artist ever.
Yep, I never got to meet my father-in-law,Sarah's dad, but he said something to
the effect of like, "I'd suck his dick."
You know what?
Me Too, Joe-Bop.
Matthew Szlachetka (40:45):
I got to open for him a couple times and he was just, wow.
Just such a gracious, cool dude.
Really.
I mean, everybody in his band was great.
Yeah, that album is just full of bangers.
It's like the album.
Might as well be a greatest hits album.
Once again, you think about when an albumlike that came out, they could have used
every cliche synth sound in the world, butthey're like, no, we're gonna have some of
it maybe, but we're gonna make it organicsounding and we're gonna make it sound
(41:06):
like us and the song is gonna be there.
Larry (41:09):
What angers you?
Matthew Szlachetka (41:10):
What angers me right now, it's a perfect
example of why this song came out.
I think that human decencyhas jumped the shark.
That angers me.
That infuriates me.
I think the concept of not beingable to be decent to somebody,
even though they don't agree witheverything that you stand for.
I just don't stand for it.
I think that life and communitieshave always flourished when
(41:35):
there's more diversity and moredifferent types of ideas going on.
As long as people are respectingeach other, I think that
this country wouldn't be.
What it is if we didn'thave the diversity we have.
Yeah.
Getting back to putting this song out.
Every now and then I'll scroll down somecomments to see like, okay, I have the
trolls come out and stuff like that.
And for the most partit's been pretty tame.
There's been a few stupidcomments, but nothing outlandish.
(41:57):
The one comment that, and I didn'tcomment on it, I was just like,
I'm not opening up the worms.
This one woman commented, when Idid a screenshot of the Rolling
Stone article itself, so that wayif people couldn't access it on
the phone, they could read it.
You know?
I mean, you can go down my page andread whatever the phrase I said.
But in essence it was like, I thinkone of the things that has made
this country great is the diversitybecause it creates us who we are.
(42:21):
So this one woman's comment wasactually, I think it's the opposite.
I think diversity istearing this country apart.
And then she quoted somethingfrom the constitution of One
Nation Under God, Indivisible.
And I'm like, oh my God, wheredid your family come from?
Yeah.
When did they immigrate here?
And like, what culture did they come from?
Okay, so I'm sorry.
You're ruling all that out, you know?
Larry (42:43):
Yeah, yeah.
So yeah, it's, it's unfortunate.
If you had a magic wand.
And you can fix anything,make it the way you'd like it.
Let's say.
Matthew Szlachetka (42:51):
I think I would level the playing field in this country more.
I would bring it back tolike maybe where it was,
Larry (42:56):
You mean make
America
great again?
Is that what you say?
Oh really.
Go on Matthew.
Exactly.
Matthew Szlachetka (43:02):
No, I would level the playing field financially.
Financially for majorityof people in this country.
I wouldn't have as much division betweenfinancial situations here, crazy world.
Like I would bring things likemanufacturing and more mom and pop
businesses back to this countrywhere we could quote unquote, have
more of our Main Street again.
(43:23):
I'd eliminate Ticketmaster.
Yeah, I'd eliminate Live Nation becauseI think conglomerates like that have
been really ruining this industry.
Yeah, I'd get rid of Viacom.
Bring back more localizedregional radio stations.
Again,
Larry (43:35):
Look at that, matthew Szlachetka for President 2028.
I'm in.
Okay.
Biggest question of
all my friend.
Shoot.
Matthew, Toilet paper over or under?
Matthew Szlachetka (43:44):
You know both.
'cause sometimes it'sover, sometimes it's under.
Larry (43:47):
Okay.
You
are wrong.
It's over.
And that's that.
Okay.
Matthew Szlachetka, where can we find you?
Matthew Szlachetka (43:52):
Sure.
Website, Szlachetka music.com.
S-Z-L-A-C-H-E-T-K-A.
And then social media handles.
Slash Szlachetka music, right?
That's for Facebook and Instagram.
I'm not really on Twitter or X orwhatever the hell you call it these days.
I have a page, but I'm not active on it.
YouTube, I think is Szlachetka official.
Larry (44:12):
Right on.
And the Greasy Chicken Review thesecond Tuesday of every month at the
East Side Bowl, it is not to be missed.
It's a fantastic event.
I thank you so much for being on theJust Keep Talking podcast my friend.
Matthew Szlachetka (44:24):
It's a pleasure to be here with you.
Larry (44:25):
Absolutely.
Love you too.
Thank you so much for tuning in.
My name is Brother Love, andremember, Your story Matters.
We'll see you again next time.
Bye-bye.
Brother Love (44:34):
You can personally support this show simply by clicking
the tip link in the show notes.
The Just Keep Talking podcast is nowavailable on all podcast platforms.
Please like, share, and subscribe.
Visit our website@justkeeptalking.com,
our YouTube channel@justkeeptalkingpodcast and
Instagram @thejustkeeptalkingpodcast.
(44:55):
Thank you so much for supporting theJust Keep Talking podcast with me,
Brother Love, because Your Story Matters.
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