Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is Cody Ellen's podcast This is Cody Cast. Ryan
heard is on the line here Ryan with Brandon song
every Other Memory. It really is about the path with
It sort of takes you to the person you love. So, Ryan,
I really like the song Tell Me about It. I
think this is the most accessible song that I've ever
I've ever done it. It feels like it feels too easy. Uh,
(00:24):
it's just we're not asking people to like kind of
buy into something that's a little like the like left
Footed for the genre. It's also the least autobiographical song
I've ever done. I feel like it's it's it's sort
of just leaning all the way on nostalgia. Um, and
I think I've picked a lot of pictures from my life,
from like my relationships, but it it really is like
(00:48):
the first time I've I don't know, I think I
obviously like have amused, and I've written a lot of
songs about Marin and a lot of put out a
lot of songs that are like very or like that's
exactly what happened. But I feel like this song is
sort of just leaning on a lot of pictures that
are are real. You know. It really is like you know,
(01:10):
turning the pages of like a picture book. The way
you um sing the song in the lyrics so and
Maren does sing um nacround vocals on it. So, um,
what have you enjoyed? And by by way, she's sag
on to a t as well, which I love that
she seems to pick all the ones that go on
the radio. Well, what what's fun about making music with her?
We met writing songs, so, I mean our relationship was
(01:32):
creative before it was ever romantic. And uh, I don't know,
I think every time, like it's not the most important
thing anymore obviously, but every time we do get to
write together or sing together, it's it's still amazing, and
it's something that like such a gift. Um. We were
sitting out on this porch the other night and we
had our kid and he was pretty He's a pretty
(01:54):
easy kid, it feels like, but he was kind of
he was kind of fussy, and we just I have
a guitar. We have a guitar kind of in every room.
But I just started playing you know, my church and
and he settled down. And it's kind of cool to
like just get to like sing with Marin and have
a kid there too. It's just it's just like our story.
(02:15):
It's music and it's you know, we have so much
other stuff going on that's our our actual life. But
I think it always will come back to that. You said, Uh,
he's he's a little fussy sometimes like all babies are,
but generally how is he doing? And like is he
a good sleeper? Is he not? Are you changing diapers?
Like how's the I'm a diaper man. I that's my job.
(02:37):
I we love it. It's been so cool to be
a family and to have three of us, like you know,
they say you forget like when it was just the
two of you. It's it's amazing. Can never have like
downtime though, like we even if like you get to
the afternoon or the evening and there's nothing to do,
(02:57):
there's always something to do. So uh, it's a lot work.
But we really do love it. And it's fun to
watch Maren be a mom. She's she's she lights up
and it's it's cool to just be you know, a
part of of of that. To have a family. It's
it's strange to say that, but we we really do
cherish this time. What do you remember about the day
(03:19):
that Hayes was born. It's such an intense and beautiful
thing to like, um, to go through that with somebody. Uh.
I think the hard part for us was that, like
because of the COVID stuff, there's nobody in the hospital,
so it felt kind of like a ghost town. Um.
(03:39):
Luckily I was able to be there. They still let
like Dad's come in, but um, it it was odd
to just not have anybody visit. And maybe in like hindsight,
like and that's a good thing. I don't know, you know,
I don't know, but we it's just such a different
experience than what most people have. My brother had a
(04:00):
baby like four months earlier. Then hey he's uh so
he's got a five month old, and it was amazing,
like how many I just remember going in there and
and meeting the kid and seeing my brother and his wife,
and it was just like, you know, such like a
it's like almost like a ritual, you know what I mean,
to like be in the hospital with somebody and to
(04:21):
not have that part of it was very odd. Um.
But we are you know, first foremost just lucky and
thankful that you know, everybody's healthy in our house and
and um, but you know, it's an intense thing we
we without going into like a whole lot of detail.
(04:42):
It's like to watch somebody like labor is amazing and
I can't, you know, I just when I saw when
Maren saw this kid for the first time, it was
like that was the moment where you're like, okay, that
that I wouldn't remember that when it comes to me.
She has Hayes inspired some songs or you said you
(05:03):
were at some point we'll write another song, but it
sounds like you've been quite busy. I think Marin's written
one tune when she was pregnant that was sort of
like tinted towards like motherhood. I haven't been writing just
because we've had this time blocked off, but I don't know.
I mean, I'm sure something will fall out at some
(05:25):
point that's towards him, luckily. I mean, the cool part
about having a kid is whether you're inspired or not
to write something about him, Like he's gonna grow up
in this world. You know, he's gonna grow up on
a tour bus whenever that's possible to do again. And
he's gonna you know, he's gonna see like you know,
(05:46):
Gold Records, and he's gonna ask about him, and we
already play him a ton of music, so like his
life is absolutely wild already, and uh, he's gonna grow
up all around this crazy country music world. Is gonna
obviously grow up in Nashville, and uh has some songs
written about him. And maybe some day he'll learn the car.
(06:07):
Maybe not, who knows, But we're really excited just to
you know, bring somebody else into this this world that
we that we created, that we love so much. I
love his name, by the way, Hayes heard. I think
it's so good already sounds like a superstar or thanks,
or at least like a starting quarterback for like a
college football team or something. We're hoping for a math major.
(06:29):
I'll ask one more question about him and then move on.
But it's just, um, that's obviously where you're at in
your life right now. It's kind of interesting. Um. I
don't mind at all when it comes to like music
and him pursuing something like that. I means that's something
you're open to. Or I don't know if he's gonna
love it or hate it, because he might just be like,
give me out of here. Uh, I don't know. I mean,
(06:50):
I it's hard to, I would never push him into it,
that's for sure. This is there's a lot of heartbreak,
you know. I mean everybody who does this and works
in this business knows it's not even if you have
a leg up, it's not simple or easy. It's there's
a lot of well, it's a it's a it's a
tough road. Um. I think if if I knew everything
(07:13):
that went into this, how steep that climb is, you
probably don't do it. You know. Everybody who's never started
this goes in blind. Um. So, uh, I think that
the thing that I say, you know, obviously being a
dad with a boy, you I just say, whatever he likes,
I'll i'll like, you know, and if if it's what
(07:36):
I like, that's great. If not, then I'll learn to
like what he what he wants, you know, I'll learn
to like his thing. And we just want to raise
a kid that is comfortable with who he is and
uh that he's always accepted here, and uh, you know,
the other stuff isn't that important to me. I mean,
he might want to play t ball, he might not,
you know, I don't. I don't even think about that
(07:59):
kind of thing, just because it's not the most important part,
I think is who he is and not necessarily what
he does. Well having a son myself, I mean it's everything,
and uh, you're right though, you do have to learn
the flexibility of letting them become what they are. Like
he's obviously growing up around country music, but he loves
hip hop, like that's his thing. So you have to
come up and like find their own path, um real quick,
(08:20):
before I let you go, I want to ask what
your first like memory of country music? So, uh, my dad,
I remember my I think my grandparents bought all of
their kids stereos like as adults. So like my dad
when he was like got they all got new stereos,
and so he looked up. He had his record player
(08:43):
and his CD player was six six change CD player
hooked up to this new stereo, and so I would
listen to he would play like all his forty five
but he had he just gave me all his beatles
forty five I played for our boy. But I remember
my dad loved the that Randy Travis record that was
(09:04):
massive in the night like nineties. Uh, so I remember
him playing and he loves this. My dad likes to
sing too, so he remember him just wearing out that
forever and ever Amen. Record like that to me is
like the first country song I ever I think I
ever heard. And uh but what a what a great song,
(09:24):
what a massive record and uh but yeah, that to
me is like I remember being in our living room
as a kid listening to that thing over and over
and over. It's a great it's a great song and
what a great first memory. Um do you have a
favorite Marine song? And is it Helen Back? I love
that song and I feel like that's about you too.
I don't know, you know that songs from the Hero record,
(09:46):
like that album cycle. It was like a song she
wrote like right on the on the line, um, like
is right when she started writing with Jesse Joe, Um
it you know, I love that. It's a very beautiful
song and it does mean a lot to me. It's
kind of cool. I always think to myself, but it's
a cooler to write the song or have the song
written about you. And most of the time it's cooler
(10:09):
to have the song written about you because there haven't
been any of that have been mean yet. But I
actually on this record, um, the song that I I
think it's just for me, Like the the letter I
think to me is that is a good Woman. If
you listen to that, I can't remember what track is.
I think it's the second last track maybe on Girl.
(10:33):
But that's like, that's like the letter I read what
I get lonely or something, So that to me is
like the special one. But they're all I mean obviously,
like I lived inside that record, just like you know,
she lives inside of mind. So the it's it's it's
hard to it's hard to pick one, but he definitely
is like after you listen to like eight thousand mixes
(10:53):
of the same song, there's there's definitely ones that still
stick with you. That that and good Woman? Is that
that one? You know? I had one time Jason Nisbel
this is just at a show. I watched that Jason
Isabel show and he said, sorry about covering me up.
He's like, and I feel like he said, what do
(11:15):
you say? Oh? He goes I get People ask me
every day if they if I could dedicate this song
to whoever they're with, their's their partnering and said, but
this song is only written for and it's always for
just one person, and alway about Amanda. And I was
like and That's how I kind of feel about like
the way that I feel good Good Woman is like
that one is just written just for me. I'm glad.
(11:36):
I hope hopefully other people love it too. But that's
the one. I go back to good stuff. We'll give
Marin our best and baby Hayes as well. Ryan heard.
I appreciate you being on the podcast with me. Oh,
you know what. I appreciate you asking me to do this.
Thanks for listening to Cody Ellen's podcast. This is Cody
Cast