Rock Returns With Gyasi

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_02 (00:00):
Awesome.
Jossie Hughes of Jossy, welcome.
Thank you for taking the time toswim in the bowl with me.
Yeah, happy to swim.
Happy to swim.
Excellent.
I'm hoping the temperature isjust right.
Temperature's good.
Temperature's good.
Yeah.
It's cold outside, but it's warmin here.
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
I'm I'm I'm on the East Coast,so we're just getting over that

(00:24):
major whatever Arctic wind orstorm, whatever.
Like just now.
It's it's really cold out today,but I think this weekend it's
starting to uh hopefully warmup.
Can't have spring come fastenough.

SPEAKER_03 (00:40):
Yeah.
Yeah, same.
It's been it's been cold here.
Probably not as cold as upthere.
I don't know.
Where where are you?
I'm in uh Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania.
Okay, yeah.
Where where are you at?
I'm in Nashville, NSC.
Nashville, okay.
Yes.
Awesome, awesome.
Music hub.
Oh yeah.
Oh yeah.
Awesome, awesome.
So can't throw a rock withouthitting a guitar player around

(01:01):
here.
Exactly, exactly.

SPEAKER_02 (01:03):
I'm a huge, huge fan of Jossi, the band, and and
yours as as we were talking inemail, being the the writer, the
the the genius behind you knowthe the overall band.
And mastermind, mad professor.
Right, right.
Mad scientists of you knowawesome music.

(01:26):
Thank you.
And absolutely, and obviously,there are like so many different
like musical influences that youknow I can hear and obviously
tell from seeing uh photos fromlive performances and you know
your your album covers.
And one of the things Idefinitely wanted to bring up

(01:49):
was I know with the new albumcoming out, hopefully, hopefully
we can get you to come down toPittsburgh PA and put on a you
know an unforgettable night oflive music.
You're one of the bands that arecurrently out right now that is
like really, you know, bringingback rock and roll, you know.

(02:11):
Like, like I'm really into alldifferent genres of rock and
music in general.
I really like shoe gaze and likeyou know, kind of like
Sabbithian metal, like doommetal stuff like that.
But I'm also always on thelookout for great, you know, new
alternative rock, and especiallystuff that brings back elements

(02:34):
of you know the the the classicrock.
I mean, I guess classic classicrock is technically 90s, grunge
could be considered classicrock.
I guess now, yeah.
This this point, but the the thethe the roots, you know, with
bands like obviously T-Rex,David Bowie, another little more

(02:56):
recent band that I hear like youknow, with those two names, and
I want to throw in Jet as aslike a huge kind of like I I I
kind of see like like Jossy kindof sounds like like t a mixture
of T-Rex, David Bowie, and onthe more modern side, Jet.
And I mean among other, youknow, numerous different

(03:19):
influences and bands and stuff.
But my first question for you iswhat got you interested in you
know music to start with?

SPEAKER_00 (03:30):
Well, I was an only child, and I had my parents had
an incredible record collection,and you know, just started
playing a lot of great musicwhen I was a baby, super, super
small.
And I think I reacted to itreally strongly, like really
early.
I mean, I remember my earliestmusical memory is I would set up

(03:51):
like pots and pans and boxes inthe kitchen and had like
chopsticks, I think.
And I remember playing alongwith the Beatles.
I mean, I was like three or fouryears old, and I had a drum set
and I would be playing alongwith the Beatles, and yeah, so I
was kind of initially likedrums, drums and rhythm were
just like initially like kind ofthe earliest thing I grabbed
onto.
And I got a guitar when I wassix.
And yeah, I mean the Beatles,the Beatles, I think, were you

(04:14):
know, like like a lot of people,probably not kids, my not my
generation so much, but youknow, I that was kind of the
first band, and then the stoneswere kind of the second one that
really captured my imagination.
And I think Bob Marley, and mydad listened to a lot of early
jazz, so like Cab Callaway wassomething I was really

(04:34):
interested in.
You know, a lot of yeah, justthe early jazz and then and then
the early blues as well, whichyou know, I kind of grew up and
was sort of just kind ofsaturated in as a little kid.
And then as I got a little olderand you know, got into rock and
roll, and then was kind oftracing it back to early blues,
I kind of you know got more intothe blues from a perspective of
of learning it and diving reallydeep into that music.

(04:57):
And just there's so it's just sorich how much you know early
blues music there is and how allthese different players had such
unique, they were so unique andhad such unique voices and ways
of playing and writing.
So yeah, I got I I forget, I'msorry, I'm rambling a little
bit.
What was the the question?

SPEAKER_03 (05:11):
Was just early as musical influences?
Yeah, what what got youinterested in music?
But yeah, that's mine.

SPEAKER_00 (05:19):
I mean, I guess, yeah, what got me into it, I
mean, I guess music itself.
I mean, I think I was just Ijust was gravitated toward it
immediately.
And I guess I mean I kind of hada knack, you know, my parents
weren't musicians, but I mean Istarted playing so young and
just immediately as soon as Igot a guitar, I was just like
trying to make up songs andtrying to find chords and just
explaining with it, exploringit.

(05:40):
Yeah, I think it I think and Iand it wasn't when I was little,
it wasn't just music, I wasinterested in everything kind of
in that way.
You know, anything that Ithought was interesting or
caught my attention, it was likeI want I want to know everything
I can about this and learn it,you know.
So I was dancing, I learned howto juggle, I was into I was
like, I was into you knowhistory and and and acting and

(06:01):
you know, kind of always kind ofmaking up these different
characters.
I was interested in fashion,kind of everything, anything
that caught my eye, I would justlike go, I would just become
obsessed with it.
But music was kind of thebiggest one of those that kind
of you know, I think it was likethe deepest well.
So that's kind of why I stayedin that more than anything else

(06:21):
that I was interested in,because it just it was there was
so much to just continuelearning and going in these
different directions, and it wasjust like, yeah, the whole world
that fascinated me.

SPEAKER_02 (06:31):
It still does.
That that's awesome, and it itreally makes total sense when
seeing, like, you know, I canonly say I've seen live pictures
and you know, some some recordedperformances, whether it's you
know been on Facebook or YouTubeor whatever, but it's it's
definitely very like that makesa lot of sense with the

(06:53):
showmanship of of your band andespecially the whole live
performance and everything.

SPEAKER_00 (07:00):
I I I mean yeah, that's that's my favorite part.

SPEAKER_02 (07:03):
Yes, yes.
And like like I said, it wouldbe like you are one of the bands
that like at a current bandstoday was like on top my list of
like US artists that like Ireally really want to see live.
Gotta get to Pittsburgh.
Yes, yes.
Like I if if you want, I got alist of uh venues.
Um there's there's a really goodvenue, it's a uh nice, nice

(07:30):
size.
I think it's about like 800capacity, it's called Mr.
Small's Theater, and theyactually have like several
different venues.
I think I've heard of thatplace.
It's a really good uh venue, andthey've had like a lot of
different bands play there, butfor your particular audience, I

(07:51):
would say that venue is probablyyour best bet in Pittsburgh.
The next one that is like thenext size up from that would be
stage AE.
That's more like like Mr.
Smalls and Stage A is like thein-between before you get to
like like stay like the nextkind of venue size after stage

(08:13):
AE is like getting to likestadium or right, like you know,
outside you know, concertgrounds, sure type type shows.
But Mr.
Smalls Mr.

SPEAKER_00 (08:24):
Smalls, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 (08:25):
Yeah, that that would be my best bet.
It's a great venue.
They have like two different,like it's like a multiple
multi-venue venue, and uh theyhave like the main kind of
concert area and a smaller areacalled the fun house, which is
for you know like a like more uhlike upcoming bands, with stuff

(08:46):
that's like they have maybe onealbum out or something.
But I I think I think for youyou could get the definitely the
main the main the main venue.
I mean I I I know if if I'm afan of of your music, and of
course with your following andeverything, I guaranteed that
that would be a a really goodshow.
Um but again I would you knowlove to see you live.

(09:12):
And uh I I mean uh is there anylike talk of I know the new
album's coming out uh February7th, and let me plug it for you.
Here comes the good part.

SPEAKER_00 (09:25):
Yep, February 7th.

SPEAKER_02 (09:27):
Excellent.
Any uh tour dates or you knowwho you're gonna be playing
with?

SPEAKER_00 (09:32):
You know, the tour I have meetings like all this week
about that.
Okay, so which is a little it'sa little I I don't there's no
touring happening like you knowimmediately.
It's probably you know moretowards May, June and onwards,
like later summer.
Okay.
Just because yeah, we we didn'tplan anything super early this

(09:52):
year, mostly just to focus onthis record, getting this record
out, and then I'm already in thestudio a bunch recording the
next one.
So that's kind of been more ofmy focus, has been like writing
like yeah, like right now, aftersoon as we get off this, I'm
working on new songs.
So the one thing I do know isthat we're going to Europe in
September and October.
So I have a meeting, meetingtomorrow about that.

(10:14):
So that's kind of that's kind ofI think where we've been
prioritizing a little bit, youknow.
Uh yeah.
Because we've just had a we'vehad more success, I would say,
in Europe than we have in thehave had in the States.
And there's just been a lot ofbuzz, and you know, we've been
selling out venues there, andthe tours have been just growing
kind of at this, you know,pretty fast rate.

(10:35):
We've done three tours there,and they like each one just like
leveled up.
Oh yeah.
Oh yeah.
So so that's kind of been alittle, we've shifted our focus
a little bit to more just like,you know, we really need to
focus on these markets and keepgrowing in Europe.
And you know, the US is justit's so big, it's huge.
Right.
And uh and it kind of tends, youknow, the the markets are a
little more isolated, it feelslike, you know.

(10:56):
Like yeah, it's like justbecause you've made it in New
York doesn't mean you've made itanywhere else.
You know, it's like you kind ofhave to like and so it's a it's
it's a lot.
So yeah, so I don't know.
I'm trying to figure out how howhow we want to do, you know,
tackle the U.S.
I mean, we've never even been onthe East Coast, literally.
We've never played, we've neverplayed Pittsburgh.
We've never played, I mean, theclub I'm trying to think the

(11:17):
furthest.
Yeah, I mean, we played inMaryland, that might be like the
furthest north on the East Coastthat we've even played.
So like Philadelphia, New YorkCity, Boston, DC.
I mean, there's tons of marketsthat we've never even played.
So, but you know, it's also, youknow, as you get further out and
are on the road for weeks, youstart, you know, then you get
more overhead.
You're staying at more hotels,you're on you're there on off

(11:39):
like Mondays and Tuesdays, youknow, so then you get like more
overhead, and so then it's alllike, you know, becomes you
know, you have to prioritizewhat's worth it, you know, what
makes sense.
So yeah, I don't I don't knowyet what our tour schedule is
going to be this year.
I feel like you know, the mainpriority is just making sure
it's markets that you knoweither you know it's it's a
well-paying gig, you know, itmakes sense financially,

(12:01):
undoubtedly, or it's a strategicmarket that is like, you know,
we need to build in this market,or festivals.
We'll probably do somefestivals.
So yeah, but Pittsburgh, Idefinitely would would love to
come there and I'll uh I'll putthat on my agent's radar for
sure.

SPEAKER_03 (12:17):
Awesome, awesome.

SPEAKER_02 (12:18):
And if if if you do make it to Mr.
Small's, I would love to meetyou in you know person.
Yeah, absolutely.
You know, that that would thatwould be like a a dream dream
scenario, you know.
Yeah, man.
Coverage and everything and allthat.
Totally.
Yeah, I will I will definitelylet you know.
Awesome, awesome.
And as far as you said withEurope, I I totally get that

(12:40):
because it, you know, most ofthe bands that I actually
interview are from Europe.
I they I mean they they'vealways kind of like been ahead
of the always.

SPEAKER_00 (12:52):
I mean, yeah, I mean, most of most of all my
favorite bands made it in Europefirst.
I mean, you know, look at lookat like Cage the Elephant.
Right, right.
Huge in Europe before theywould.
I mean, they were playing uhremember they were I was in in
yeah, way back on like theirfirst tour.
Uh I saw I caught a show oftheirs and it was in like a
cafe.
And there were like 40 peoplethere, and they were huge in

(13:13):
Europe, and they were playinglike literal cafes in the
States.
And say, I mean, White Stripeswere another band that you know
totally blew up.
Jimi Hendrix blew up in the Imean, it's been kind of in rock
and roll music, I think it'sbeen sort of a recurring theme
is that you know the good shit.
I I don't know, Americans just II think you know, they just
don't appreciate American musicthat much.

SPEAKER_02 (13:34):
And I think they kind of I I will agree with
that.
And really, like the only majorlike musical movement that you
could say like America was likeresponsible for really was like
the grunge movement.
And that that movement, I meanit was universal music, sure,

(13:55):
you know, but you know, there itall for the most part started in
Seattle, totally, and I meanrock and roll, you know.

SPEAKER_00 (14:02):
I mean Little Richard, you know, I mean rock
and roll is American music,right?

SPEAKER_02 (14:06):
You know, Chuck Berry, I mean, you know,
exactly, yeah, and and and likethe bands you mentioned, like
the Stones and the Beatles, andeven Led Zeppelin and The Who,
all the all those that Britishinvasion music, you know, they
they've all said in in you know,numerous interviews from when
they were in their heyday thatthey all grew up listening to

(14:28):
like Chuck Berry and Hall andWolfland, you know, American
music.
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
You know, I just I just think interms of like trends, you know,
and I guess like the post youknow British invasion, 60s, 70s,
you know, rock and roll, Europehas just been able to like

(14:49):
somehow, you know, evolve, youknow, rock rock and roll as a
genre in general.
And they're a little more like,I mean, there's a like you said,
there's a lot more markets forthat, like your type of music
and just you know, moreintricate types of music that
isn't like you know, mainstreamstuff that's like you know, pop

(15:12):
music or you know, somethinglike that.
I was like, I mean, I I wasgonna ask you actually, it's one
of my questions, uh, like whoare some of your you know
favorite like you know, yourEuropean bands?
Because I mean, just just in inin my head who I could see you
playing with that I I'm familiarwith out there are bands like uh

(15:32):
blues pills, the spiders, youknow, there there's there's so
many really like great bandsthat have like the the classic
rock uh you know sound and thatare like you know really
influenced by you know likeblues pills and in the spiders,
for instance, you can clearlyhear like Joplin and you know

(15:56):
Bowie and you know all theselike you know really
influential, like original eraclassic rock, 60s, 70s classic
rock stuff.
And even with like you know,your outfits on stage, you know,
I'm a big follower of Blues,Pillows, and Spiders, and you
know, they they have like thethe sequence jumpsuits, you

(16:19):
know, like you know, and stufflike it's like basically it's
like a similarities and like youknow the outfits and the stage
presence and the theappreciation for for all music
and especially trying to bringstuff back from you know the the
the days of you know like whenwhen my parents would have you

(16:40):
know been been like young and inhigh school and you know stuff
like that.
But like who who are some ofyour like favorite like European
bands and I guess just bandsthat you know you like you like
to currently listen to, stufflike that.

SPEAKER_00 (16:56):
That are that are current bands, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 (16:59):
And I guess specifically stuff from Europe
and some of the people stufflike that.

SPEAKER_00 (17:04):
You know, I I'm not super I don't I don't know a
whole lot really specificallyEuropean bands.
I mean, I'm trying to think.
There was this band actually, itwas this French band that are
really good called the DynamiteShakers.
And we we on our last tour, theairlines lost our luggage for
like the first three shows.
We had no luggage, none of mystage outfits.

(17:26):
We were all they were alsomissing it.
We were missing like my pedalboard, so it was it was kind of
a mess.
But this the first show of thetour, there was we were playing
in a in a city where this thislocal band were they're like a
rock band, and they theydonated, they gave us like a
bunch of their clothes, theirstage clothes for us to wear.
Wow.
Yeah, which was really nice ofthem, and they were really cool
clothes.
And they gave the the the bandactually wasn't there, but they

(17:48):
the venue owner gave us gave usa CD.
And uh, I was just listening toit recently, and they're yeah,
really great French rock androll band.
Like kind of, yeah, I don'tknow, very high energy, really
great guitar riffs.
Yeah, really cool.
Uh that's about it as far as Iknow of as far as French bands.
English band, I'm trying tothink of like a current English
band.
I mean, uh there's uh there'sthat band Idols, you know,

(18:10):
idols.

SPEAKER_02 (18:10):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 (18:11):
Yeah, I think they're interesting.
I mean, I'm not super, I'm notnecessarily someone who's
particularly fascinated withlike bands that necessarily
sound old or have olderinfluences.
I I'm mostly just interested inanything that I think is
interesting or you know,artistically valuable.
So yeah, I don't I don't know.

(18:32):
I with yeah, I mean, I thinkIdols is interesting.
I'm trying to think.
I mean, I was just listening toa song by an artist named Lola
Young the other day, who's kindof I think growing up out of
Britain, but she's seen it pop.
I think you know what I think II end up noticing more just
songwriting is kind of what Ipay attention to.
And I I mean I don't know, asfar as bands go, I haven't seen

(18:52):
a whole lot of reallyinteresting like rock stuff.
And maybe I just I mean I'veheard of Blues Pills, but I
don't know anything about them,and I don't think I've ever
heard of the spiders, so I'lldefinitely check those out.
Awesome, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 (19:02):
I mean as far as sorry, sorry, go ahead.
There's also the like do youknow the struts?
Oh yeah, yeah, kind of a glam.

SPEAKER_00 (19:08):
Yeah, yeah, and I I don't know.
I yeah, I think they they thatthey're it I mean, Luke is an
amazing singer, it's a greatsinger and a great frontman.
I think you know they havethey're kind of hit or miss for
me as far as the songwritinggoes, you know, like lyrically.
I don't know, there's neverreally been much there for me to
sink my teeth into with thatband, but and it's very pop, but

(19:31):
there is some glam influence andthey're a band, like they're a
great band.
I mean, I've seen them live andthey sound really amazing, and
they're British.
So yeah, I don't know.
I I yeah, there's not a wholelot of yeah, specifically
European bands that that I thatI know of right now, but I'm
sure they're out there.

SPEAKER_02 (19:48):
I I could give you a list.
Yeah, cool.
There there's there's one bandactually from France called
Birth of Joy, and I swear togod, they're like the doors
reincarnated.

SPEAKER_00 (20:00):
Nice.
Oh, that reminds me there was aband that opened for us from
France that was a duo, it wasjust drums and organ, and the
organ player was like a master.
Like he had a ham and b3 onstage and a lot of pedals, and
it was just a two-piece and notmuch singing, but man, the the
organ playing, like and thesound, you know, they had the

(20:22):
Leslie.
I mean, it was like it justsounded the most incredible live
organ sound I've ever heard.
Um and they were really cool,very kind of 70s style, but
really unique.
I can't what was their name?
Oh, Ice Eyes Shaker, likeE-Y-E-S Eyes Shaker.
They were really cool.
Anyway, that just for somereason that reminded me of them.
Yeah, they were awesome.
No, no.
They're probably the best bandthat opened for us on that last

(20:44):
tour.

SPEAKER_02 (20:44):
They were really awesome.
I will check them out.
I I have not heard of them.
I I know another good Frenchband.
There's like the I think theguitarist who I'm friends with
on Facebook is part of two twobands that are both from France.
Uh, one is called Deadly Vipers.
They're a little more like alittle more like maybe stoner

(21:06):
metal, stoner rock kind ofgenre.
And then the other band thathe's with is called uh the Santa
Maria Death Cult.
They're very good.
Blue Blues Pills is from Berlin,Germany.
That's where they're likeheadquartered out of.
And the spiders, I believethey're from Sweden.

(21:26):
And let me think there's anthere's a couple other bands
from that area that have like alike a very like you know,
classic rock sound.
I mean, I I also should saythat, you know, I mean, I I
noticed that like because therethere's like multiple different
like like rock movements kind ofhappening in in Europe and the

(21:47):
UK right now.
And you know, on the subjectlike we were talking earlier of
grunge, uh I've noticed this islike, I mean, there are some
bands in the US that are doingthis too that are basically have
like a debut album or maybe oneor two albums out so far, but
it's like a resurgence ofgrunge.
It's it's not what's the genre,like like post-grunge or

(22:10):
whatever, or you know, likebasically like nickelback and
right, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 (22:15):
I've definitely seen stuff, definitely seen a lot of
just 90s influence in general.

SPEAKER_02 (22:20):
Yeah, yeah.
There's an Irish band that I'mfriends with.
I've interviewed them, they arephenomenal.
It's like they're kind of like amixture of like the Melvins
mixed with like Allison Chainsand like Black Flag.
They even have a song, somethingwith like Henry Rowland's uh

(22:40):
name in it, it's a great track,but they're called Strangers
with Guns.
Um really awesome band.
There is another band that'sfrom originally from Glasgow,
who also friends with, and I'veinterviewed them that has like
that very like you know, 90salternative sound.
They're called Geography of theMoon.

(23:03):
And they just put out bandnames.
Yes, yes.
They just put out their, Ibelieve it's their second actual
album, this like towards the endof last year.
Great, great, you know, greatmusic.
They then and they have thepeople who this for Virginia
Bones and can't remember the herhusband's other bandmate's name,

(23:26):
Andrea, forget the last name,but they're like a musical duo,
and he just put out a new, Ithink it's either a single or EP
with what the solo stuff.
I can't remember the name of theband, but it's his solo project,
and they have like a very Ithink um what's the actor's
name?
Robert Carlisle.

(23:46):
He he tweeted something aboutlistening to them.
Oh, cool.
Um, because he's from, I believehe's from that area.
So they're they're a great band.
Cool.
And there's some other likeUS-based ones too.
I think uh Superbloom, I thinkis the name of one of the bands,
Narrowhead is another one that'spretty good.
They actually came to Mr.

(24:07):
Small's, I think, last year orthe year before, with like a
touring with another band, butI'm like, I I I love hearing
like the the resurgence of likeyou know not 90s influence.
Yeah, because it's like it'slike it's not just it's it's
like with your music.
It's like it's not just one, youknow, particular, you know, band

(24:30):
that that that you hear, youknow, in your music and in their
music, it's like you hear likeyou know, multiple, you know,
it's like a mishmash of like youknow, like everything and to
create something new.
And you know, I I think that foranyone who says and you know

(24:50):
continues to say that rock isdead and you know, you know,
it's rap or hip-hop or countryor pop, you know, whatever is
like, you know, the the hastaken over is like you know, the
the movement.
I say listen to Jossi, listen toall this other like really great

(25:11):
music that's coming out of notjust the UK and Europe, but I
noticed that in Australia andyeah, Australia's got some great
bands.
There's really good music.
One I want to plug because Ireally am trying to get them on
my show, and they arephenomenal, is called uh full
flower moon band.

SPEAKER_00 (25:30):
Never heard of them.

SPEAKER_02 (25:31):
It's a female vocalist all backed by guys, and
much like with Blues Pills andThe Spiders, it's it's female
vocalists all backed by guys.

SPEAKER_00 (25:41):
Yeah, I feel like I've been most of the best shit
I've been finding recently, it'sall female.
Yeah, it's like most of the mostinteresting creative stuff is
coming from women, I feel likethese days.
Most of the new bands I findwhere it's like, ooh, wow, it's
I mean, more way more often thanyeah.

(26:01):
I I I'm not really sure whyparticularly, but I just have
noticed that like man, women arejust I don't know.
There's a creative, it's justmore creatively like charged.
I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 (26:12):
Well, if in my opinion, it's it's about time
because um I agree with that.
You know, it's it's it's it'slike we've had, you know, I
mean, yes, there's been somevery famous, you know, female
rock bands, Joan Jet, Hart, ohyeah, you know, they were kind
of ways as the original, youknow, lineup, you know, and

(26:34):
there's been some phenomenalfemale musicians, even you know,
going back to the classic rockera that aren't just chick rock,
you know.
I want to make that very clearbecause there's a difference
between like chick rock and likeactual, you know, uh universal
like rock rock.

(26:55):
But I I I think it it's it'sit's about due, you know.
Absolutely, yeah.
You know, years, you know, over50 years of, you know, uh it's
been totally dominated.
Yeah, yeah, you know, and I I Ithink you know, hearing some of
the the music that's especiallycome out of Europe and some of

(27:17):
the stuff I've heard in the US.
Also, another shoe gaze band Iwant to plug that's pleased
they're originally from Texas,Austin, I think, blushing.
They're a great shoe gazand.
They just came throughPittsburgh uh last year with uh
another newest album, and it'stwo chicks and two guys who are

(27:39):
I think they're boyfriends orhusbands or something.
But it's like they're they'rethe ones, you know, doing the
singing and you know, likedriving the you know, the the
music in in the vocals in theband.
And the guys just you know playthe instruments as backup.
But you know, another example,and you know, uh an album that I

(28:02):
suggest listening to from BluesPills, they just put out their
their latest album towards theend of I think over either over
the summer of last year ortowards the end of the year last
year, and it's called Birthday.
And that album is not onlyphenomenal, I was following
everything that they wereposting up to its release, and

(28:24):
it was apparently like the theirfirst album that had like no
like producer influence or youknow, like like outside
tampering to say like you needto make it this this track sound
more like this, or you know,like stuff like that.
It was it was like each trackthey all worked on as a band,

(28:47):
and everything each track wasall original, you know, no like
all from them and nothing likeoutside influence that you know
could have said, you know, youknow, like I said, you know,
make it like this, or rightchange that, you know.
It was all their original, youknow, them as a band, you know,

(29:09):
making an album.
And it's really, reallyphenomenal, really, really well
done.

SPEAKER_00 (29:15):
Uh that's always uh yeah, that's something I think
about a lot.
Is so yes, I mean, because I Idid my first EP and first album.
Like I made it right basicallyin my room with a tape machine,
produced it, you know, wrote thesongs, produced it, in some
cases played almost all theinstruments or all of them on

(29:36):
songs.
So, you know, and then I mixedit too.
So I literally did every part ofthe process, which you know,
there's like yeah, it'sdefinitely comes with that, you
know, a certain amount of whereyou get to do exactly what you
want to do, and it gives youcreative freedom and control,
but also it's a you know, it canbe excruciating to have to do

(29:57):
everything like that and nothave any outside.
perspective, you know?
Right, right.
And so for the for this record,here comes the good part.
It's the first time I everworked with a producer, with a
co-producer.
I, you know, I still, I mean,you know, producing is kind of
part of how I write.
So I I just have a producer'smindset.
You know, so I, you know, I kindof always producing whatever I'm

(30:20):
doing to an extent.
But I I worked with this amazingproducer, an engineer Bobby
Holland in Nashville.
So he did, you know, he did allthe engineering.
So you know he got great soundsand then you know was pretty
transparent as a producer, youknow, wasn't super you know
overbearing, but would help me,you know, if I was trying to get

(30:41):
an idea across he would helpkind of help me do that.
And he also mixed it.
And so yeah, so it's kind ofinteresting, you know, but there
were definitely, you know, thereare there is definitely like
this album sounds way differentthan it would have if it was
just me, you know, as a resultof that.
And so I'm kind of always, youknow, you're you're weighing the
pros and cons of of that.
And then with this new musicthat I'm writing now, I'm kind

(31:02):
of you know trying to decide,you know, do I want to you know
do it the same way I did thelast record or do I want to do
it more by myself or do I wantto do it with you know maybe
even a more intense producerwho's got way more you know
creative input.
Right.
It's like what's gonna and it'sI guess it's just always a
question of what's going toyield the best result.
That's kind of what I careabout.
It's like what's the mostcreatively interesting and

(31:23):
what's going to make somethingyou know you know what's gonna
be the most yield the bestmusic.
So yeah I think that can be youknow as if you're coming from
working with you know a reallyintense producer I think you
know that could be you know theway to get the best music out of
a group is to say like you knowwe're gonna do it all ourselves
and feel like we're reallycreatively invested.
Right.
Which probably obviously workedfor them.

(31:45):
You know and then sometimes ifyou're doing it all yourself
it's like man really need someanybody to bounce ideas off of
that has an outside perspectiveand that can really help an
artist.
So yeah I think I think yeahit's all about it's all about
you know getting the best musicand not getting creatively
stifled.
Right.

SPEAKER_02 (32:01):
Which right you know yeah and and you know to what
you just said uh with workingwith a producer I'm also not
trying to like you know bash youknow producers for you know if
you know anybody got the ideawho's listening you know
overstepping their boundaries orwhatever because you know for
example Metallica with whenMetallica in the 90s basically

(32:27):
changed their you know entiresound from you know the 80s
Metallica that was you knowpretty much all thrash metal to
the black album to load toreload and I think they said
they still work with theproducer you know to to this day
but they were very much againstworking with a producer and

(32:50):
having you know someone come inand basically tell them you know
you know change this or just doit a little bit you know a
little bit more like this or youknow make make the sound like
that and they they have sincesaid in in interviews that if it
wasn't for that producer reallylike you know challenging them

(33:11):
and saying you know get givinghis input you would not have the
black album you would not haveload you would not have reload
and like you know everythingthat's kind of come from like
you know 90s Metallica you knowon.
So you know it like like yousaid it's all about the artists

(33:31):
you know you know their creativeinput what they need stuff like
that.
And I also want to say that I Iactually went to school for
screenwriting here in inPittsburgh and you know in terms
of uh film you know related tomusic especially with writing
you know you need to like bounceideas off you know another human

(33:55):
mind and if you can find thatother human being with with that
mind that really like you knowmeshes you know with with yours
you know you can you know bringsome of you know the greatest
ideas and concepts and you knownew new films and even old films

(34:16):
if you look at you know how manywriters were involved or if it's
just two writers or you knoweven if it's just one writer
they all have to bounce ideasoff of other people to you know
get their their story you knowto be where you know it is for
you know to be greenlit in thein the film and everything you
know so collaboration is key.

(34:38):
Yes yes in the arts in generallike like you need you need to
collaborate with people and Imean even with my podcast like
you know I I I got I thinkyou're a PR to to follow me
alive what is it yeah a livesound nation right live natural
sound alive natural sound thankyou my mistake guys a lot alive

(35:01):
natural sound thank you yesthank you for following me I
look forward to working with youguys and all the different bands
that they uh represent becausethere's uh a lot of really good
music that that that PR uhrepresents that I'm a big
follower of as well so yeahthat's a it's a great label and
it it's it used to be it's alittle confusing because it used

(35:24):
to be called Bomp Records okay BO M P Bomp and they were they
started in I think the early70s.

SPEAKER_00 (35:30):
Oh wow and they they put out the first record that
Iggy Pop did after the Stoogescalled Kill City it was Iggy Pop
and John Williamson that theythey put that record out.
There were several other youknow great 70s artists you know
on that label.

SPEAKER_02 (35:44):
And then somehow I think in the 90s it turned into
a live natural sound or maybeeven later than that but but
yeah Patrick who runs the labelyeah he kind of revived that
revived the bump catalog and youknow they were they signed the
blackeys they were the firstlabel yeah I saw that I saw that
first record yeah so they yeahit's kind of a it's a it's kind

(36:04):
of a tastemaker label you knowlike smaller but with you know
everything they sign is usuallylike you know really cool and
they're kind of on they got youknow have really good taste yeah
it's it's a great label yeah I II follow all all the like the
the labels that like like I it'slike I I I find that a lot of

(36:27):
the bands that like I like tolisten to and especially like
when I'm on Spotify and I'm likewell I like this band let me see
who's related to you know thisthis band and then I find that
band and you know that's howI've I've you know dug dug into
a lot of music but once I kindof find like one band and then I

(36:48):
see similar bands I kind ofnotice like the next thing I do
is look up you know who thelabel is.
And I'm like if I can find thelabel one let me get in touch
with the label owners to get youknow people like you and all
these other bands that I've hadon my show and put also you know
great way to you know if there'sbands that I'm not aware of that

(37:11):
are on their label and I likeall these other bands obviously
it's like well let me you knowgo to their website see who all
the bands are on this label andlisten to them.
And you know it's a great way tonot only network but you know
discover new really greatinteresting you know great great

(37:31):
music and everything.
But uh yeah Alive Nashvillesound has some great bands
including yourself yourself.
But I have a couple I know we'vebeen talking for a while here
here here's a question for it Iwas wondering yeah who does the
cover art for your albums?

SPEAKER_03 (37:50):
Well it mostly starts with me again.

SPEAKER_00 (37:52):
Okay.
Yeah I kind of yeah I mean inall cases it was it was kind of
like I guess most of the timeI've decided that it it needs to
be with the way this project hascome together and the way I did
everything I I I always feellike it needs to be my face.
Like it needs I need to bebecause I I I often like album

(38:13):
covers where you don't see theband you know right where it's
just like art.
But I I don't know I kind offelt like I wanted to make
myself be a you know whatever itwas it was kind of use myself to
be the the artwork.
And so then it's just been okayso so let at least that narrows
it down to like okay it's aphotograph you know and then
yeah I mean my first CP was yeahI just found a photographer and

(38:36):
and went out into the woods anddid it that way.
I mean I guess okay it's kind oflike I have the impetus to do it
and then I kind of find peopleto sort of bounce ideas off and
say like hey would this be coolor maybe my wife helps me a lot
too she helped with with allthree um of course she actually
took my my first you know the myfirst album I put out in 2019 I
self-produced and self-releasedshe took that and so it's kind

(38:58):
of yeah just trying to capturethe energy of of the music
something that kind of feelslike it like it's you know sort
of points toward musicalidentity in some way even if
it's very subconscious.
So yeah that's kind of theimpetus and then like for this
record I got a I I wanted to dolike a studio style shoot.

(39:19):
I've never really done that so Igot a photographer and we just
kind of spent like a whole dayand I brought a bunch of
different clothes and I workedwith this great stylist named
Wolfie who's she's designed someclothes for me.
So she kind of was there just asanother she's really creative
and you know just was as anotherperson to bounce ideas off of.
So it's kind of like you knowstart with starting with this

(39:40):
impetus and then you know kindof bring people in that you
trust that can then kind of takeyour idea and like help you you
know get just kind of rightfinishing touch on it.
And then so we took a lot ofphotos and we'll try a lot of
you know just kind of triedthat's I think another way that
I work it's like I have an ideaor I have lots of ideas and I

(40:02):
don't know you know what's goingto work the best and so we just
like try stuff and it's like ohwell what if we do this oh ooh
maybe put this here and thenit's just you know and then kind
of later you kind of take a stepback and you're going through it
and it's like oh this thing thatwe just were fucking around on
you know ends up being thecoolest thing and the thing that
we thought was going to be ohit's gonna be this like you know

(40:23):
that's okay but you know thisthing that we were just goofing
around ends up being you knowwhat's what feels right.
And then of course and then it'salso like then I have options
and then I send them to a liveto the record label and then of
course they have their opinionsand so then you know but yeah it
all starts with just yeah asalways it starts with an idea

(40:43):
and then and then you know taketaking action to to explore it.
So and like the editing I kindof had a pretty I kind of you
know know what I like to anextent as far as like the look
of how a photo is processed youknow I knew I wanted the colors
and the saturation to be prettyintense.
So I actually did most of theediting on each myself so I just

(41:04):
got the raw photos because Scottthe photographer is amazing and
he's just he's a really greatphotographer but he doesn't
really do a lot of likeprocessing.
He's just like captures a reallyhe's a he knows he's got the
good eye to capture the rightmoment.
And then I did a lot of likekind of the the color treatment.
Awesome.
Awesome.
Yeah it's just it's a lot ofkind of yeah back and forth
bouncing ideas.
Collaboration again right rightright but you know collaboration

(41:28):
directed by I have a strong ideain mind.

SPEAKER_02 (41:32):
Right.
I I don't mean to soundpretentious but I just want to
say that you everything thatwe've talked about so far and
your musical the the you knowyou being almost like I want to
say like a like a musicalprodigy.
You know like I I don't want tosound yeah you know per

(41:53):
pretentious in saying that but II mean really like after talking
to you so just up till now andeverything and hearing like you
know going back to when you're alittle kid and you know how
we've talked how you're like youknow the the main writer and
like you you are you know Josyyou know and yeah and I just why

(42:15):
I that's why I called it Jossi.

SPEAKER_00 (42:17):
It's because I I was gonna I you know I was always
looking I had a notebooks fullof band names and I wanted a
band.
I mean that's that's what Iwanted to do was kind of be a
member of a band and it just itdidn't happen.
It just kept not happening andnot working.
And so there was just a pointwhere I was kind of like I'm
gonna take all you know I haveall these ideas and all these
things I want to do and I keepwaiting to just end up in the

(42:40):
band that makes all these ideasyou know work.
And it's it's not going tohappen.
So I was like fuck it I'll I'lldo everything myself if I have
to right right and then I when Iwas like thinking of a name it's
like I'm just gonna you knownobody knows what this word even
is because it's so unusual.
So it's like that could just bethe band name.
Just make it my first name whichnobody can ever pronounce or no
you know it's like I'll justlike make that the thing just

(43:02):
like instead of trying to likehide it it's like no it's just
that right and so yeah and onthat let me plug your second
album title pronounced jaw C.

SPEAKER_02 (43:15):
Yeah yeah also yeah just because you know I was
having to start every singleinterview the way ours started
which was right am I getting aname how exactly do you
pronounce I mean yeah right Imean I like I I I I knew I had
like the the first name right Iwanted to make sure sure and
then yeah I had this the lastname right that's also why I

(43:36):
didn't I didn't bother puttingthe last name like right right
in you know it's just like alsoif if you look back at some of
like the you know the really bigbands Santana right sure Janice
Joplin you know Frank ZappaPrince you know George Clinton
and the Parliament Funkadelicyou know you know Joan Jett and

(43:59):
the Heartbreaker you know youknow so you know like I I think
you know in the cases like likeyours and past bands and
everything when you know youreally are the one that is like
I mean but like in in your caseand in other bands cases that
literally is is doing everythingwith the exception of like you

(44:19):
know live performances andhaving needing a whole you know
band to kind of do everythingthat you can't do as a one you
know personal show.
But you know when when it islike you know you are you know
the the genius behind you knowjossy and and as the band and
everything you know I I think inthose cases it definitely

(44:42):
deserves to have like you knowyou your name as you know the
the the band's name I meanbecause it the the band is
defined by you you know rightand and you know when you hear
bands that have like you knowlike the the first name of the
singer either as the full titlein your case and like Santana or

(45:04):
whether it's like you know JanetJoplin and so and so or you know
you know Joan Jett and theheartbreakers or you know stuff
like that.
But still it's like you knowthey're they are you know the
the leaders of the group youknow and when you know you're
essentially the you know bigboss in charge and the one you

(45:27):
know doing everything with themusical writing and the lyrics
and you know all that you knowit's like I said it it it jossy
is defined by you you know andin the other those other bands
cases as well.
You know so I think you know inthose cases I think it's totally
appropriate to have like the thefirst name or the full name of

(45:49):
you know the leader of the groupbacked either by something else
or even Iggy pop and theStooges.
Right.
And then when he was solo Iggypop you know so you know and and
on that I wanted to say that I Ihear a lot of Iggy pop and in
and joss also so you know thethe whole you know performance

(46:11):
patron saint yes exactly exactlyyou know he's my man yeah yes
yes it's just I mean it's justyeah it's like it's a thing of
just this is the so powerfulright right thing of beauty like
that like the real I mean that'sreal punk to me.
Right right and I I've loved himas a musician and as an actor

(46:33):
and this is the only other likemusician two musicians that I
can say that like I I love theirmusic equally as much as their
films especially their filmsbecause like they all do like
cult stuff which one is Iggy poptwo is Debbie Harry right yeah
Debbie Harry um and Tom Waits.

SPEAKER_00 (46:55):
Oh man I was hoping you were gonna say Tom Waits.

SPEAKER_02 (46:57):
I'm a huge Tom Waits fan.
Yeah yeah Tom Waits as an actorand you know aside from
stounding music career has hasbeen in some of the coolest cult
films.
So good you know down by law yesyes mystery men yeah yeah he's
just he's hilarious in thatwhere he's where he's hitting on

(47:20):
the old ladies offering themcandy right too good you know
and and and even even you know Iwanted to bring this up because
Nosferatu is out right now and Irefuse to watch that movie
because I I saw the trailer andto me it's just a shot for shot
ripoff from uh Bram Stoker'sDracula where Tom Waits was

(47:44):
Renfield and it's the samemovie.

SPEAKER_00 (47:47):
You know it's it's it is I mean I saw it yeah it's
I think it's different I mean II like Bram Stoker's Dracula
better.
I mean I think there's there'sdefinitely a more of a romantic
romantic sensuality to that andit's just it's so well coppola I
mean I think that's my favoriteCoppola film.
It's just so well done like it'sjust almost and the costuming

(48:10):
the colors it's like man that'syou can't top that and this is I
think this is different enough.
It's not I mean it's the samestory.
It's the Dracula story.
So it's like it's they're bothbased on the same book so it's
like the plot is pretty you knowyeah obviously but I I wouldn't
say it's so much I think it's adifferent take on it because
it's much more I guess I guessit's like it's it's rather than

(48:34):
being romantic it's more likeforbidden desire.
So it's a little bit more oflike a lust like intensity
rather than like romance.
So it kind of takes a slightlydifferent angle on the
relationship of the heroine andthe to her terrorizing vampire
and the cinematography whoeverthis the cinematographer is you
know aside from you knowwhatever the the plot or the

(48:56):
acting or anything just thecinematography itself is pretty
pretty interesting.

SPEAKER_02 (49:00):
That that is the only thing I could really take
away from seeing is is I couldtell the cinematography was well
done but I've heard otherreviews of it and it's like
that's about the best part ofthe movie is the cinematography.

SPEAKER_00 (49:22):
Yeah go ahead go ahead well the you know and also
I mean it's you can't top theoriginal right I mean if you've
seen the 1920 to the originalNosferatu right it's just I mean
it's you know it'sgroundbreaking and brilliant.
Right you know it's it's likethere's really it's kind of
there's no real need for thisnew version to exist.
But I will say it's it's youknow it's pretty well done being

(49:44):
what it is.

SPEAKER_02 (49:45):
It's not it's like at least you know you can tell
the director obviously you knowwas really cared about it and
put a lot into it but does itneed to exist and not not really
but it's worth seeing it's worthseeing I will say that's that's
where I agree like do do wereally need it no you know you
know but it it's here basicallyyeah you know I I I mean like I

(50:09):
I know that people say it'sbased yeah because it is based
on the original Dracula and thewhole reason that it was called
Nosferatu is because copyrightyeah copyright issue exactly
yeah but with that being saidyou know how many different
interpretations of DraculaFrankenstein the Wolfman the

(50:32):
invisible man Dr.
Jekyll and Mr.
Hyde sure you know how how manyyou know I mean it's literally
you know it's public domainstuff.
So you know and it's literallyyou know film has been around
for a hundred plus years at thispoint and how many you know
starting with you know you knowlike you said the original sign

(50:54):
film and then the whole BellaLugosi right Dracula up to like
the cheesy stuff with like youknow you know the the the Marx
brothers in the Three Stoogeswith like the Wolfman and you
know Dracula up until like the80s you know when we really got
kind of like you knowinteresting again with like

(51:14):
taking concepts of like Draculaand even even the hammer film
you know with all with theChristopher Lee and the Frank uh
Langella Draculas you know youknow there there's been how many
it's been done it's been donebut it's also been like it's
also been like tastefully likereinterpreted too you know and I

(51:36):
I'm just like I I would I'm I'ma big horror fan and like I I
really in the 80s and the 90sand even the 70s you can throw
in there with some of theclassics you know really that
that's that's like I think thethe prime you know juicy like
really like you know inventivemind blowing stuff and whatever

(52:01):
you know Hollywood is into rightnow it's just like you know it's
it's kind of sad.

SPEAKER_00 (52:07):
You know it's pretty rough it's pretty rough.

SPEAKER_02 (52:10):
Yeah you know I I just I want to see more like you
know instead of like uh comicbook and Ip you know I I want to
see like you know like like withmusic you know originality you
know um and when I sayoriginality obviously you know
talking about jossy and how manyother bands we've talked about

(52:33):
it's it's it's like you knowthey're all taking from past
stuff you know but the way theymake it original and the way you
make it original is by likefusing you know all this like
different you know influentialstuff in in your case music you
know and in the other case we'retalking about film and creating

(52:56):
something new based off of howmany other influences from
something in the past you knowand I think especially with film
right now we're we're at a pointwhere the studios basically care
more about making back a profitof 100% stuff like that.

SPEAKER_00 (53:16):
And it's even in the the mainstream music too you
know but like you know where youyourself as a musician and
creative mind and and geniuswhen it comes to you know jossy
and and your music you know andand how many other musicians and
all that you know I I thinkmusic has a little more freedom

(53:39):
and outlets to kind of like getspread spread to different
audiences versus where film isyou know more about but you need
to you know yeah film it's kindof it would be a a nightmare to
try and like have a greatoriginal idea and try to get a
film made that would just beyeah right I I can you know it

(54:00):
must I mean it must be extremelydifficult.
Yeah.
Did you I mean did you see thelighthouse?
I did yeah yeah I thought thatwas pretty interesting film
pretty different.
That's from this the same uhsame dire it's from that same
director yeah yeah and I thinkyou know I guess he just had I
guess enough commercial successthat they were able to give him
funding and you know the abilityto do things like that because

(54:22):
it's just yeah so rare to seeanybody do anything I mean my
interesting film my favoritefilm that he he has made to date
is the Northmen um I haven'tseen that one that that is
really good and Bjork has a rolein it.

SPEAKER_02 (54:39):
She plays kind of like a Viking witch or or
goddess or something but it'sit's that old you know tale of
you know the the the king'sbrother slays the king you know
and and the the son you knowescapes and the prince escapes
and you know seeks revenge oldtale you know but it's all about

(55:05):
how you you know reinvent it andplay it because you know look at
the James Bond movies you knowsame formula totally for like I
think we're going on like 60it's it's been like 60 years
right I think so close to it.
So it's definitely been 50 youknow uh so we're I think it's
it's I think it's 60 or more nowalmost at 60 I know that you

(55:29):
know some some formulas you justdon't need the change you know
because you know the classicsaying if it ain't broke don't
fix it.
Right.

SPEAKER_00 (55:39):
You know but yeah I think it's yeah it's definitely
easier as musician to sort ofyeah to carve out your own your
own way yeah but it's it's stillyou know music business also is
yeah definitely the easiest notthe easiest business either.

SPEAKER_02 (55:55):
Definitely I also wanted to mesh I know you you
have a background at at Berkeleyum my uh my sister went to
Berkeley uh for for music aswell but obviously Berkeley
being one of the biggest youknow music schools in the US al
alone what was your likeexperience in in college and how

(56:16):
did that like did thattransition in any any way to you
know forming Jossi as the band?

SPEAKER_00 (56:23):
I mean definitely I mean it was it was great for me
you know coming I mean I grew upin West Virginia like in a
holler you know in a small towngoing to like small town public
school which I hated because Iwas just I just did was a
complete alien.
I was a total alien in thatenvironment and you know was
made you know was they made sureI knew that too so it was felt

(56:47):
very not not the most you knowfun environment for me like at
least the school you know I hada small community of like
friends and stuff in my early bearly bands and all of that.
But you know getting it when Igraduated high school I was like
I'm getting the fuck out of hereimmediately.
So and so and but it you knowbut then at the same time it was
like total culture shock beingyou know now I'm in downtown

(57:10):
Boston from like being in thewoods of of West Virginia.
So but it was great for mebecause it was you know I I
think one of the biggest thingswas just you know being there
with lots of other students youknow people kids from all over
the country that were hungry andtalented and you know in all
these different ways all comingtogether to you know learn

(57:32):
music.
So yeah it was it was it was itwas good for me you know I
explored a lot I mean I played alot it was funny I never played
bluegrass in West Virginia everbut I ended up you know kind of
I guess I guess part of it waslike there wasn't you can't
really study rock and roll youknow it's like that's kind of a
goofy thing to try to acad getturn into academics.

(57:53):
Same with blues music you knowit's it's kind of hard to teach
that in an academic setting andanytime you do it just comes off
it's just kind of goofy you knowso I kind of gravitated towards
well you know what you know whatwill help what I want to do.
So you know songwriting I I knowthat it took a lot of
songwriting and learning youknow learning guitar and
learning you know even how towrite music, score music,

(58:16):
composition I mean even writingfor piano and orchestra and
things like that, you know,string arranging.
And then I ended up yeah but Iwas studying gypsy jazz so like
Django Reinhardt music was kindof what I was focusing on.
I was playing a lot of jazz andacoustic music so that kind of
overlapped with the bluegrassscene.
So there were just and and thatwas where there were just like
these incredible themusicianship was just like you

(58:37):
know just amazing.
And so yeah I ended up kind ofplaying a lot of bluegrass music
and acoustic music and gypsyjazz and and a lot of those
players are now you know winningGrammys right now in the
bluegrass community.
Like Molly Molly Tuttle, youknow a a lot of them a lot of
the kids that I was in schoolwith are just now at the top of
the bluegrass world.

(58:58):
And so yeah that was just agreat education and a great also
you know just a reallyexploratory time for me to you
know coming from this small townbeing so isolated to sort of
explore like who I was you knowand my identity and and you know
sexuality and and you knowplaying with gender and playing
with all of these ideas that Iwas interested in and and sort

(59:19):
of yeah figuring out where I fitin.
What was my you know am I gonnayou know because I went there
really as a guitar player but itwas like you know kind of yeah
just a great way for me tofigure out sort of what I did
best.
And you know I I realized prettyquickly early on that like
performing was was part of waswas where I kind of just stood
out as being like really naturaland I had talent you know

(59:42):
specific talent in performingand writing you know so it was
like I kind of you know workedon those more and I started my
first band you know like a akind of a more garage kind of
thing for my first songs andstarted playing in like small
like house shows in Boston.
So yeah it was very Very helpfulfor like generating sort of you

(01:00:03):
know, helping me figure outwhere I fit in and figure out
what I didn't did not want to doin music, you know what I mean?
Yeah, what I what I wasn't, youknow.
And also, yeah.
And also, you know, figuring outthat I had, you know, a unique
and I was also you know thinkinglike maybe I'll find a band
there.
And you know, I I had my I hadyou know the band that I had

(01:00:23):
there was a two-piece, so it wasjust me and a drummer, you know.
And so yeah, it was definitely avery, very, very strong
foundation.
And it gave me a lot of toolsand you know, I mean, Berkeley
that's really what it is, it'stools.
So it's all it's totally up toyou what you do with them
because you know, I I saw manystudents kind of go in there and

(01:00:44):
just kind of they they tend toturn out these kind of robley
robots, you know.
If you don't have if you don'tknow what you want to do or have
a way to direct what they'regiving you, it kind of just
turns out, you know, people thatjust kind of all play the same,
sound the same, and these kindof you know, good guitar
players, but without any realyou know, identity.
So yeah, it gave me a lot ofreally useful tools that I still

(01:01:06):
use all the time.
And and you know, theconnections that just the the
other talented people there wasreally inspiring.

SPEAKER_03 (01:01:12):
Awesome, awesome.
And how did like Jossi as theband form?

SPEAKER_00 (01:01:18):
So so as the band, so basically I I made I made my
first record, you know, at home,and I got I got an amazing
drummer in West Virginia namedAhmed Solomon who plays uh he
plays on this radio show that'sbeen going for a while called
Mountain Stage.
So he's like, you know, he's aseasoned, really amazing cat,
you know, really, really greatdrummer.

(01:01:39):
And so I like, you know, I kindof had these I had these
sketches of songs and sort ofthese rough ideas, but I, you
know, I didn't really I kind ofhad I had like all these
different ideas and kind of justI had him come to my house for
two days and we just playedliterally for two days straight
and recorded.
I mean it was I think we didlike 30 songs in those two days.
Wow, and then he came back foranother two days and we did like
another 20 or something.

(01:02:01):
It was just like because I hadbecause it was it was literally
like Berkeley, and then I hadyou know tried to start a band
with my best friends at home,and we had like written all this
music and started perperforming, and it just it
became just wasn't right, youknow.
It's like it yeah, it was likethis isn't gonna like these guys
aren't they're my hometownbuddies, but they're not like
trying to do this, you know.

SPEAKER_02 (01:02:21):
Right, right.

SPEAKER_00 (01:02:21):
And so it was kind of like I had sort of gone
through all of these things, andit finally was like, okay, I got
all these ideas, and I'm justgonna like fuck it, I'm just
gonna do it myself.
So that's why there was justlike this huge amount of music.
And so I kind of took all that,and that's what became, yeah, my
first, my first EP and album.
And you know, it was it was alot of music.
So I took a I can't move toNashville kind of right after

(01:02:43):
that, with all of this musickind of in hand.
And then yeah, I sort of, youknow, I had just kind of found
friends who were all in otherbands at the time.
So it was like, hey, you know, Ibooked a show, like, and that
was what I did.
I mean, it was literally it waslike make the music, book a
show, and then you'll get aband.
Like, that's the only way,especially in Nashville.
It's the only way you can't belike, hey, let's all get

(01:03:04):
together and like write music inthe hopes of like starting a
band one day.
It's like nobody's got time,like nobody's gonna take a leap
of faith and like put all theirenergy into like, you know,
maybe we'll get this togetherand like make an album.
And I mean, you know, it it'svery hard to do that if you
don't have some, like,especially if you have nothing.

(01:03:25):
I mean, like, you don't haveanything, so it's like nobody's
gonna devote their time to that.
Right, right.
But if you have an album thatyou recorded that they can
listen to, and it's like, here'sthe songs, and you have a show
booked, it's like, yeah, okay,yeah.
So, you know, I can I can peoplewill schedule a rehearsal for
that.
So, yeah, so I kind of you knowjust got a band together with
whoever whoever was availableand could do it, that were my

(01:03:47):
friends, and and did kind of myfirst few shows that way.
And then it was like, you know,the person who played drums on
the first the first two showswas then like out on tour with
his band or whatever.
So then it was like, Well, doyou know a drum or do you?
And so then it was kind of wordof mouth and just kind of you
know, for going, just keepbooking shows and keep finding
people until it was like, youknow, Cole that the bass player,
he was kind of the first guythat I had found in like 2018

(01:04:11):
who yeah, he was he was reallysolid, came in and then he's
been with he's like been playingwith me ever since.
So he's kind of like the OG,yeah, yeah, right.
Cole's like rock solid.
And then Sam on the drums, hecame in.
Yeah, exactly.
And then Sam came in in 2019 ondrums, uh, and yeah, just you
know, different.

(01:04:32):
I always wanted me, we do we'vedone quite a few shows as a
three-piece um where I play allthe guitar stuff, but I you
know, after doing that for theearly shows, it was like I kind
of really wanted to have alittle more freedom to explore
theatrical things and you knowjust to expand the sound.
So I got another guitar playerand Ricky, Ricky Dover, who
usually is kind of my number oneguitar player, although he's

(01:04:54):
very busy, so I don't always gethim, but him and I kind of
really kind of speak speak thesame language and kind of don't
have don't have to talk much orexplain anything.
It's like he just knows.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
But we but uh lots of greatguitar players.
I mean, Leilani Kilgore was ontour with me last year a lot.
She's totally badass.
Uh Liam Kelly is another guy whowas there for a while.

(01:05:17):
So yeah, it's kind of been, youknow, if you if you book the
shows and write the music, likethe the band will come.
And then, you know, when whenyou get you know a good group
together and you're on tour,it's like then you know, it's
really, you know, then thecollaborative aspect and the
personality of those playersreally starts to influence the
music and make it it alwaysmakes it better, you know.

(01:05:39):
Right, right.
It's like, you know, and itreally becomes, you know, in a
live setting, you know, it isme.
I am the puppeteer, you know,making this happen.
But when it comes to a live showand you come and see it, it's
it's a band, you know.
Yeah.
Everybody's personality and itjust creates so much more depth
and it's so much moreinteresting than it was like
just, you know, it's not allabout me.

(01:06:00):
It it is, it's you know,everybody has everybody's like
contributing.
That's you know, on you know, soit really, yeah, it feels like
because I mean that's kind ofwhat I write for.
It's like I write for a band,and that's the experience I
want, you know.
If I go to a show, it's like I'mkind of creating this world that
I would want to see as a right,you know.

SPEAKER_02 (01:06:22):
So that that that that the yes to answer is my
question beautifully, and thatactually leads me to my next
question or two questions inone.
Uh you mentioned briefly, and Ijust wanted to comment on it,
interest in possibly scoringlike a film or having your

(01:06:42):
music, what is it called, likesampled for film?

SPEAKER_00 (01:06:46):
Uh film like music.
Yes, licensing, yeah.
Yes, yes.
Yeah, I I mean totally.
I think if I mean that's one ofone of the best ways, uh one of
the few ways in this businessyou can still make money, you
know.
Right.
If you, you know, if you can getit, you can get that a good sync
like that.
It's it's uh, you know, I mean,obviously you would, you know,

(01:07:08):
you would hope that it's uh insomething that makes sense, you
know what I mean.
Right.
But yeah, I mean, I would Ithink mo any band is would be
interested and wants that, youknow.
Right.
It's just a matter, I think it'sit's it's a matter of you know,
well, having a good team thatthat's you know, at least
getting your music on that kindof radar and then and then just

(01:07:29):
getting lucky.
You know, we need this becauseyou know, there are it's like
who knows what show what needs,you know, we need this vibe
right here.
Right.
Right what and so if you know ifyou have that thing that fits
that vibe that goes right hereand they find it at the right
time, then it's like you know,it can be can be great.
So yeah, I mean, as far as youknow, scoring music for film
would be really interesting,that's that's kind of a whole

(01:07:51):
other thing.
But I think you know, you know,a well a well-placed song in the
right scene movie can be, youknow, can be awesome.

SPEAKER_02 (01:07:59):
Yeah, we'll be great.
Oh yeah, definitely.
I mean, uh one member member ofa band that is notorious for
having their music played inmovies, and even said uh in the
interview that we did, it'sbecause of that that they were
able to kind of be where they'reat now, which is the dandy
warholes.

SPEAKER_03 (01:08:18):
Oh yeah, oh yeah.

SPEAKER_02 (01:08:19):
I I I interviewed the guitarist Peter G.
Humstrom.

SPEAKER_00 (01:08:22):
Cool, really cool band.

SPEAKER_02 (01:08:24):
Very cool band.
Them and the Brian JohnsonMassacre are like two of my top
top they're awesome, twofavorite bands of all time.
Not the most functional bands,but awesome.
Right, right, right.
You know, and on the massacre,you know, their their song uh
straight up and down, you know,was was the opening for uh

(01:08:45):
Boardwalk Empire.
Man, but that's that's yeah,that's a nice check.

SPEAKER_00 (01:08:50):
That's a nice check.

SPEAKER_02 (01:08:51):
Right, right.
And the dandy war halls, I mean,I I know they were definitely
played in a in a part in Dumband Dumber.
They were definitely played inThere's Something About Mary,
and I remember hearing anothersong, Nietzsche, I believe, from
13 Tales of Urban Bohemia, on uhantitrust with Ryan.

(01:09:14):
No what's his name?
Philippi.
Philippine.
And that that movie, a lot oftheir music was played.
And another band that I'm a hugefan of, I've seen them live
once, and it was actually at Mr.
Small's great show, Black RebelMotorcycle Club.

SPEAKER_00 (01:09:30):
I've seen that band, they're a cool band.

SPEAKER_02 (01:09:32):
Yeah, they're an awesome band, and I've noticed
in some very like indie movies,I've heard like some some of
their tracks, and I believe theyjust scored like some some it
was an indie film with like abudget.
It wasn't like you know, yeah,like like indie indie, but they
just did like the whole scorefor the movie or something.
I forget which film it was, butI remember hearing something

(01:09:56):
about that.
But I mean, you know, like I Imean me with being in film, you
know, interested in film and abackground with going to school
for film, you know, film hasfilm and music have always
interested me equally.
And I've actually found bandsthrough, you know, hearing, like

(01:10:16):
you just said, you know, theperfect vibe song, you know, for
you know, a scene or a film oran opening.
Oh yeah, you know, like youknow, with Boardwalk Empire, you
know, another band in theBoardwalk Empire instance, the
uh the they're actually fromPittsburgh, is uh the the solo
artist is tobacco, the band isuh Black Moss Super Rainbow.

(01:10:40):
Part of them, yeah, great, greatelectronic, like psychedelic
rock.
I've seen the full band once,and I've seen tobacco as like a
solo artist like four or fiveseparate times.
Really, you know, interestingstuff.
And tobacco, I believe, had atrack that was the opening for

(01:11:03):
Silicon Valley that was also anHBO and really interesting
music, and two two more bandsthat I I wanted to it's it's
been on the top of my head thatI wanted to mention to you
before we uh ended theinterview.
They're you they're UK artists,both very similar sounding, and

(01:11:25):
they they the the one artist hadher debut album come out last
year, and and they played a showtogether where like I I it was
one of those shows that like goddamn it, I I wish I was in the
UK to to see a show like this,especially with the artist.
But the first one, her name isthe band's name is Bobby Dazzle.

(01:11:47):
It's instead of a Y, it's I Ewith with Bobby.
And the other band is RosalieCunningham.
Both like the both artists,again, female vocalists with all
you know men backing them, butthey have a very like like just
how like you have that kind oflike you know, classic rock kind

(01:12:10):
of sounding, you know, fusedtogether.
They have both of them have likea very renaissance-y like prog
rock sound that you know soundslike it would have you know been
from like the 60s or 70s.
And both Rosalie Cunningham, Ithink it's her second or third

(01:12:30):
album that she released towardsthe end of last year, and like
like literally a few weeksbefore, like a month before
Rosalie released her album,Bobby Dazzle released her debut
album, and both of those albums,and just you know, Rosalie's
music in general, is really,really like it's it's intricate.

(01:12:53):
Like, there's a bunch, you know,there's like you know, you as
someone who writes music andknows how to like do that stuff,
uh, would probably reallyappreciate both of those bands
hearing like all the differentinstruments and the different
chords, you know, and lyrics andyou know, the the ups and downs

(01:13:14):
and you know, jam sections andstuff like that.
I I think with those two bandsin particular, because Rosalie
apparently like puts a lot oftime and effort and you know,
blood, sweat, and tears intoeach album that she does.
So it's like really, you know,like from a musical perspective,

(01:13:34):
it's like very, you know,there's a lot going on.
Cool, stuff like that.
But I wanted to get those twoout.

SPEAKER_00 (01:13:42):
Man, you you gave me uh quite a list of of new stuff
to check.
I wasn't expecting to have likehave all this research uh I can
do after this.
That's cool.
Yeah, a lot of stuff.

SPEAKER_02 (01:13:52):
You know, and and of course, you know, any way that I
can help out with you know youconnecting to any of those bands
with you know a UK Europe tour.
Um, you know, I I I I I like toyou know promote you know
musician stuff and as well asyou know film stuff and actors

(01:14:13):
and movies and all that, butmusic is like, you know, like I
said, you know, music and filmgo hand in hand for me.
And I'm like just as interestedin you know learning different
stuff about film, film facts,stuff like that.
Same thing with music.
And you know, I I think withmusic though versus film, like

(01:14:36):
film, you know, has uh likealmost like you know, a medium
platform where you know it'salmost like you have like, you
know, like they have the press,you know, package and everything
when the film is, you know,being released or you know, like
you know what I mean?
Like they they have like more ofa uh of like a package

(01:14:59):
essentially to like promote thefilm.
And I think music, well, youknow, bigger artists, mainstream
artists, you know, obviouslyhave that.
I think it's more important tohelp, you know, up-and-coming
artists or artists that are moreon like the underground that
essentially could be the nextyou know big thing if you know

(01:15:23):
they you know if like the youknow they they heard the the one
track, right, right, exactly,exactly.

SPEAKER_00 (01:15:30):
It's a chess game, right?

SPEAKER_02 (01:15:32):
Right, yeah.
You know, I I I love to you knowhelp help you know musicians and
you know filmmakers and stuffget their message out there
because yeah, you know, I I've Ilearned this from watching the
interview with Paul Stanley, andhe said something like, you
know, in terms of his wholemarketing stuff and stuff he's

(01:15:53):
put his name on, and being abusinessman and you know, sold
all this stuff, he saidsomething like, you know, I
can't remember the exact quote,but it was something along the
lines of like, I learned thatyou know, there's a lot of
people that like what I like,you know, and if I put my name
on it, you know, it sells, youknow, and a lot of people like

(01:16:15):
the same stuff that I like, andyou know, you know, the rest is
history, basically.

SPEAKER_00 (01:16:22):
Right.
Well, yeah, I really appreciatethat.
And and that is reallyimportant, you know, people like
you doing that is you know it'sessential for you, you know,
smaller artists, and and it's ayou know big piece of the
puzzle.
So exactly.

SPEAKER_02 (01:16:38):
And and absolutely, and I just there's there's so
much great music out there, notjust in rock, but yeah, you
know, all genres.
And you know, I I think it'slike you know, how I mean in the
in the subject of like thegrunge bands, you know, in the
80s, they were the ones beingall like the you know,

(01:16:59):
underground, you know, playersand playing at all these like
you like, you know, like yousaid with Cage the Elephant
cafes and my my dad was luckyenough to see the the original
red hot chili peppers as a barband.
Um so yeah, you know, and looklook at them now, they play
nothing but stadiums, you know.

(01:17:20):
Oh yeah, you know, but it's likeuh in and with the the 90s bands
that were all you know playingbars and small venues in the
80s, you know, it wasn't untillike you know that that one
change, you know, in sound andin music happened that all of a
sudden it was like a revolution,you know.

(01:17:40):
And I I still believe, you know,that can happen, you know.
Um it just just needs the theright push and the right you
know outlet to to to have thatthat that revolution
essentially, you know.
That's that's that's my my goalto kind of you know if I can be

(01:18:01):
the one to you know get themessage out there to be like
check out Shassy, check outGeography of the Moon, check out
you know all these other bands,you know, you know, like if Paul
Stanley is like, if I like it,you know, obviously other people
like it too, you know.
Uh but you know it's it's it'sone of my goals and passions and

(01:18:24):
things that I strive to kind oflike help promote.
So again, anything I can do toyou know help get it out there,
you know, all for it.
And I'd you know love to haveyou on the show again for
another interview, possibly whenthe next film is coming out, or
you know, if you the next thecurrent tour that's going on

(01:18:45):
ends up coming to Pittsburgh,yeah, uh that'll be pretty
sweet.

SPEAKER_00 (01:18:48):
I'll definitely definitely keep you in the loop
on that.

SPEAKER_02 (01:18:51):
Awesome, awesome.
Before we wrap up here, I didsend you a friend request on
Facebook a while ago.
Okay.
Um so I want to let you knowabout that.

SPEAKER_00 (01:19:01):
Um cool.
Yeah, I you know, I get it.
If I don't recognize so much ofthat, and I I only check through
like frame requests like once ina while, and when I do, I don't
if I don't like immediatelyrecognize the person that's
right.

SPEAKER_02 (01:19:14):
Yeah, I I I I totally, totally get it, and
that's why I was like, But thankyou for my we officially have
met, you know, via Zoom.
I want to let you know so I canyou know promote and stuff on
there too.
Um and uh I was wondering beforeget this edited and out, if it
would be possible to get like asample track to kind of put into

(01:19:37):
the insert into um the episodeto kind of get like a track um
for promotion and stuff.
That would be awesome.
And uh last question for you anyupcoming news?
I know we talked a little bitabout what's going on with
Tours, all the platforms that uhthe new albums coming out on,

(01:19:57):
stuff like that.

SPEAKER_00 (01:19:58):
Yeah, I mean, there's there's uh stuff I can't
talk about.
Right, right.
So yeah, there is some some coolupcoming news, but I can't say a
word.
But the main thing is yeah, thealbum, February 7th, you know,
it's a full album.
It's coming out, record and CDand I mean vinyl.

(01:20:19):
So yeah, that's kind of the mainthing.
If you know if you want you wantto check out what I do, then
that's a good place to start.
And then touring, hopefullywe'll have dates very soon.
Yeah, hopefully, at least, youknow, some dates in the Midwest
and the East Coast.
Awesome.
Open for so that's about all Ican all I can talk about at this
point.

SPEAKER_02 (01:20:39):
Gotcha, gotcha.
Awesome.
Well, Jossi, it has been apleasure having you on the show.
Thank you so much for taking thetime to swim in the bowl with
me.
Yeah, it was a pleasure.
Thank you, man.
You know, again, I hope thetemperature was just right.
Perfect.
Water is fine.
Awesome.
Thank you so much, and lookingforward to having on the show

(01:21:02):
again.
Anytime.

SPEAKER_00 (01:21:03):
Yeah, man.

SPEAKER_02 (01:21:04):
Awesome.
Awesome, appreciate it.
No problem.

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