October 22, 2024 • 45 mins
The Wldlfe is currently on their "A Place Where You Are" tour after dropping their new album, "Heaven Is A Place, 2024". They took some time to stop by our studio to chat a bit about the present makeup of the band, balancing social media with music, and meaning behind their new album. PLUS... the band experiences their first-ever California EARTHQUAKE mid-pocast!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, Welcome back to the podcast. You probably realize we
have not been posting weekly episodes, and that's cause we're
in construction. The truth is, we're working on something a
little bit different that can go along with something we
do in the air here at the station. YadA, YadA, YadA.
Right point is, in the meantime, I want to keep
posting some more artist interviews that will live here in
podcast form. So we're going to start with this one.
(00:21):
The Wildlife just an awesome group of guys. If you're
not a fan already, I think you're really going to
love them. They're just such a down to earth, like
solid group of dudes that I want you to get
to know. We spend like the first ten minutes of
the episode kind of talking about how they got together
as a band if you're not familiar with them, and
then we kind of talk about where they are now.
This new album they just dropped, it's called Heaven is
(00:41):
a Place. They're on tour right now, touring this fall
with that album, and they come through Los Angeles next month.
After this episode. You might want to grab some tickets.
It's going to be a great show. They're just incredible
live and Towards the end of this episode, they experience
their very first earthquake. Like mid episode, while we're recording,
(01:03):
we get an earthquake here in the iHeart Los Angeles building,
so just completely unexpected. It freaked them out a little bit,
but they handled it like Champson and hopefully they don't
get too scared to come back to California. But anyway,
here is my conversation with Jansen, Jack and Carson better
known as the Wildlife. Cue my temporary dumb little intro music.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
What's up?
Speaker 3 (01:31):
What's up going?
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Yeah, I'll clap brou Yeah, we'll get a little bit.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Of a clap. It is a small studio, but man
it is. It's so weird because I'm sure you guys
get this all the time, But me and my friends
have always said you guys are legitimately the most underrated
band that we know of. I agree, retweet like, is
that the common thing that you hear when you're seeing fans?
Speaker 4 (01:53):
I feel like, maybe not underrated as the best, like
the way that it gets said, But what I do
feel like we have a lot of fans that have
listened to us for a long time and are a
little bit like, why are you guys, not bigger.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Yeah, you think so blows my mind, dude.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
I think we definitely feel slept on, but we you know,
we use it as a chip on our shoulder in
some ways.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
But you know, it's nice to have like a cult following,
you know.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Yeah, And we always talk about how like we always
think back on some of our previous music, earlier music,
and we're like, dang, if we would have blown up
on this, that would suck. Like we're just all We're
just we we love just kind of moving forward. And
every time we make something new that feels more like
an accurate representation of like what we are, we're always like, okay, sweet, yeah,
(02:42):
like now now I'm ready for like everybody to hear it.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
Yeah. So you get more and more proud of your music.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Yeah, yeah, so one day we'll we'll reach peak proud
and then we can blow up.
Speaker 5 (02:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Yeah, but I think we're there.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Yeah, we're there.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Yeah, I think we're there.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
I think so too. I think the first time that
I saw you guys, I want to say it was
it must have been like twenty seventeen. Do you remember
doing like so far sound little concerts you're performing like
little basements and stuff.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
I didn't realize you'd seen us before.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
Yeah, i'd seen you guys. I actually saw you kind
of on accident because I went to go see the
band Camino. You were playing with them in one of
those but I went to the wrong night. But you
guys did two nights, so I only saw you guys
in another band and I left that night being like
the Wildlife is one of my new favorite bands. I
love that. Like seeing you guys turned me. It was
uh in Santa Monica. I think they like cleared out
(03:33):
some kind of apartment.
Speaker 4 (03:34):
That had that happen to be like er like yeah
there really, I know we played in Venice one time, but.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
That's what it was.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
It was a girl with bomb, yes, the other girl
that is awesome.
Speaker 4 (03:46):
Yeah, I've never I've never. I don't think i've ever
listened to music. I remember walking out me like that
girl sick.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Yeah. Those little shows are cool. You could like bring
your own wine and stuff. It's super intimate. And that
was the first time I saw you guys. And then
I think was that before four Waterfalls or no water
was already like right after.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
If it was twenty seventeen, it would have been right
after New Yeah.
Speaker 4 (04:07):
Yeah, it was that first tour that we did with
Camino where we played We played four real.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Shows and four so fars and then went home.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
There was like I know it.
Speaker 4 (04:17):
Yeah, we did like a full like all the way
to LA and back and played eight shows.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Yeah, it was fun. We had a good time.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
So I do want people to to get to know
who you guys are as a band. If they don't already,
I'm sure you might have a couple of new listeners
listening to this podcast here. So let's go back to
like a couple of the basics, a brief story. Where
are you guys from and how'd you guys form as
a band?
Speaker 4 (04:38):
Me and Jack met in college? We uh, Me and
Carson are brothers. That's I guess that's one.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
Oh yeah, I didn't know that our brothers. We grew
up in Chicago suburbs of Chicago.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
And it's Jansen, Jack and Carson yepes yep.
Speaker 4 (04:50):
And then I went to school in Indiana met Jack,
who's from a very small how many people are from
like thirty.
Speaker 5 (04:57):
Two hundred I think, yeah, with a real small.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
Town in Indiana. Yeah, it'll Attica, Indiana.
Speaker 4 (05:03):
And then uh yeah, me and Jack and a few
other people started the band in college, and then you
know we uh Carson joined the band I think twenty eighteen.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
Twenty seventeen.
Speaker 4 (05:12):
Yeah, somewhere in there rest is kind of history there.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Wait, how come the brother wasn't in the band at
first and then you bring me later because.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
He was fourteen child he was they started he started
the band his soft your sophomore year of college, I think, yeah,
And I so I would have been a sophomore in
high school. Oh wow, so I was. I couldn't drive yet,
I was. I was like fifteen, I think.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
But then the second that you could drive, you were
in the band.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
Hmm suspicious.
Speaker 5 (05:42):
Yeah, ever he was in the band really before he
was like actually in the band. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
I played my first show with you guys in twenty sixteen,
and it was fun. All my high school friends showed up,
just in a backyard.
Speaker 5 (05:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
But yeah, I played a couple of shows like filling in,
and then I started to do it more often. And
then fall of twenty seventeen there was just like a
little weekend run and they had me out and then
I distinctly remember I was doing an escape room. Yeah,
like and I so I had my phone put away
(06:19):
in a locker and I came out of the escape
room and pulled up my phone and it was kind
of blowing up. People just being like.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Oh my gosh, you're in the bed.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
And I was like what and I they announced that
I was in the band on Instagram and didn't even
tell me, didn't even tell me so, but I was
I had had for years. I had been like asking
him like, hey man, can I can I join your band?
Speaker 1 (06:43):
Yeah? Was there was there a part of that what
that was like I don't want to do everything with
my little brother, Like I.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Don't think so.
Speaker 4 (06:47):
I mean, I think I think it was the right time,
Like you know, like we're talking about like Carson played
quite a few shows with us before, like he was
an official member and a lot of it.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
I mean, I feel like how to do with just
space and a vehicle and like.
Speaker 4 (07:04):
What the songs called for and things like that. But yeah,
I think I think when it was time, I was
really excited about it and we were it felt right,
you know, like Carson's a prodigy, So it was kind
of like we have to put Carson in the man,
you know, like if we don't, then that's just a
bad business decision.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
So like, what was the first song that you guys
came out with where you were like, oh damn, like
this band, we're going someplace, like I really want I
think we could be something.
Speaker 5 (07:31):
I feel like, well, yeah, I feel like it happened
like again and again. Like I feel like every kind
of record cycle, at least for me, there would be
like the one song where.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
I'd be like, this is it. This is like the one.
Speaker 5 (07:44):
But I think now, looking back, for me retrospectively, I
think I could say, like I really think when we started,
like the Repaint my Mind record, maybe the record before that,
there was like some like inkling of like kind of
like how Carson said, you know, looking back, we're glad
we didn't blow up on old stuff. I think for
like a lot of bands historically, they're able to kind
(08:06):
of like figure out who they are, who they want
to be, and then kind of introduce it to the public. Yeah,
And I guess the good and the bad thing about
the age of music that we started in is it's
all available to people kind of off the bat, So we're
kind of figuring out who we want to be in
real time with fans which is great, But I think
that kind of switching into like that Repay my Mind
(08:29):
record was really the first time where it was I
remember talking to Jansen on the phone like before that
record came out and being like, obviously I want the
record to do well and I want people to like it.
But I remember being like, I don't really care if
people don't like this one, Like I'm very proud of
this and like if everybody's like, hey, we're really not
(08:50):
messing with it, it's like that's fine.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
I do so like that's okay with me.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
But I think that.
Speaker 5 (08:54):
Record was the first time where I was like, we're
really like onto something here.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
Did you always have the mentality that like, it'll happen
for you when you happen, or did you have those
expectations that would that it would have happened earlier?
Speaker 3 (09:05):
I mean, I think for me as like a boy
can dream now, like I joined that I joined the
band when I was seventeen. I was like, oh dude, first,
if I'm seventeen now like we're gonna be when I'm
twenty two, we're gonna be huge. Yeah, And now I'm
twenty four. But I think I think it's safe to
say for all of us now, like what like when
(09:29):
it happens, it happens when when you're ready, it's gonna happen.
And we're just trying to focus on, you know, everything
we can control, doing the best, doing the best we
can to make solid music and you know, play shows,
put on a great show, uh, interact with fans and
(09:50):
all that stuff, and everything will come when it comes.
You know.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
Do you think that delayed gratification makes you a better
band in some ways?
Speaker 3 (09:58):
Yeah? Absolutely absolutely because we and I'll let Janson elaborate
more on it if he wants to, but like we
we literally do everything ourselves, like because we've had to,
Like we I this record, like come, I produce the
whole thing in my room and like there that like
(10:20):
all of our content, we shoot ourselves, merch designs, like
everything up to this point has been like nine percent us,
like with the help of like we have a really
small team just our manager and our agent and we
we I don't think if I think if we would
have blown up a lot sooner, we wouldn't have understood,
(10:43):
you know, the importance of like taking accountability for every
single aspect of the band and the brand and all
that stuff. So I think I think that we are
definitely a lot more set up to you know, do
it right when we pop off. Yeah, that makes sense.
Speaker 4 (11:04):
We know what we want, We're prepared, you know, Like
I think that in general, like because we've had to
do a lot of the things up until this point
on our own. We've learned like how to do those
things well, and so like when it's time to hand
those off to other people, like, we know what we want,
we know what we can, you know, hand you go.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
What I'm saying, I think people gloss over, like when
people because I think sometimes you hear that, oh we
do everything ourselves, and people gloss over how much work
that is to learn that, like to learn how to
produce and to learn those programs and to learn mixing
and all that kind of stuff. How did you guys
learn all of that? Did you teach yourself through YouTube?
Is it through friends? Like what was that process?
Speaker 3 (11:46):
Like, I mean, well, for yes, music making aspect, like
you know, I have I we this is the first
time that I've produced like the entire thing by myself.
Like up until up until now, I've been watching, like
just watching who we're collaborating with. And YouTube, a lot
(12:09):
of trial and error, a lot of like retrospective like critiquing,
I think, yeah, you know, listening back to older stuff
and figuring out like what I like, what I don't like,
and then going on YouTube asking people who are better
than me, stuff like that. Just just soaking up knowledge anywhere. Yeah,
(12:31):
and yeah, yeah, I mean music side.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
That's that's the music side.
Speaker 4 (12:36):
And I mean I think I do a lot of
the visual stuff.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
So when you guys do need to take a breath,
and like even if you're doing something together, like what's
your favorite thing to do outside of band stuff? How
do you clear your mind?
Speaker 4 (12:48):
I like to go kick a soccer ball around. Okay,
I played soccer in high school for a little bit.
Wasn't very good.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
Can you still run? Man?
Speaker 2 (12:55):
I mean I can. I don't know how well, how
how good it looks running? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (13:01):
Absolutely not not the running, not the running part. But
I do enjoy, you know, playing soccer and stuff like that. Yeah,
playing FIFA.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
Because like so many people around me have picked up
running and like are doing run club and they are
like praising it so much, saying, oh you enjoy this,
Like once you run a few miles, it starts getting
fun and I'm like, there's no.
Speaker 5 (13:18):
Way to I can chime in on this because earlier
this year, I got in my head that I was
going to run a half marathon. Yeah dude, So I
ended up hurting my knee a bit, so that kind
of went by the wayside. But everybody told me that
same thing, like, oh, once you like really start getting
up there, you kind of break through into this upper
And I was doing, like I got up to iking
nine miles and I'm like, I still am not breaking
through anything, But when does this get fun?
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (13:40):
I was like, this is just you get better, it
gets a little bit easier. But it's like, I don't know,
maybe I'm just not built for that.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
No me neither, man, which is weird, Like you look
in shape, you know, But it's more than that.
Speaker 5 (13:50):
For thank you so much, like follow.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
Me around saying that hype me up, Carson, what about you? Man?
What you think?
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Honestly, I'm just I'm just a big old nerd. Like
when we're not making music, that's like for us, I'm
just finding like a new talking or whatever. I'm just
making beats or playing. Yeah, I've been playing Zelda recently
just because you know, this year has been so it's
been making so much music that I'm starting to look
(14:18):
at my studio and be like, I do not want
to be here. But uh yeah, a lot of Zelda.
I I kind of just I started brewing kombucha and
that's been honestly, I've been I've been nailing it. Really,
I've been making some real good stuff.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
So what is the secret in brewing.
Speaker 3 (14:36):
Good following the directions on Google?
Speaker 5 (14:39):
Really?
Speaker 3 (14:40):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
I just I just is that like running where like
you really have to like ease yourself into.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
It or no, just did it?
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Yeah, it doesn't take a long time, though, you.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
Have to like once you get started. Now like if
like once you get past the first brew brewing stage,
you can kind of cycle it and then you'll just
always have some that's ready to drink. Oh yeah, but
I don't know, man, Yeah, I don't know. That beats
Zelda kombucha.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
There you have it.
Speaker 3 (15:11):
Woodworking carpentry, Okay, this is getting This is more than
just being a nerd.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
This is impressive.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
Actually, well I don't do all of those things. It's
very often, but I just I get very distracted, Like
I'll start one hobby and then something else will distract
me and then I'll get super intoo and it just
I never complete anything.
Speaker 1 (15:31):
That's my life. I'm like the jack of all trade
has been a master none. That's what I live by.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Acquire my friend you too, man?
Speaker 4 (15:38):
Oh yeah, there's lots of things I can do.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
Right, It's not very well.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
It's like hard to hold my interest for that long.
You know. Like once i feel like I've learned enough
about something to feel like I'm included, then I'm like
starting to get over it already.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (15:51):
Well I also then I can't decide if I actually
like it or not. Yeah, It's like I get really
into it, and then I'm like, I think I told.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
Myself that I really enjoyed this, but I'm not really short.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
Yeah, you know, we check in.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (16:02):
I feel like I get into stuff up into the
point where the next step is like the big money
sink Yes, where it's like, okay, if I'm gonna keep
going yep, like I gotta I gotta sink some money
into this. And then I'm like how much do I
really want to do this?
Speaker 1 (16:15):
Like you get to a point where like the people
who are better than you were actually doing it for living. Yeah,
and it's like I don't want to get to that
next step.
Speaker 5 (16:21):
Like I got into like I was like, maybe I'll
get into climbing. And I did that and I was
like really enjoying it, and I was like, Okay, do
I buy shoes. Shoes are kind of expensive. Gym, like
a good gym membership is pretty expensive. I have to
like buy like those training holds. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
Like if climbing wasn't so expensive, I'd be doing that day.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
I wanted to do that so bad because I love climbing,
but I've never been to a climbing gym and they're
all over the place yet to.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
Go great workout.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
That was one of my PE credits in high school
was climbing. I did like a summer like climbing class
and that was just like my PE credit.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
Yeah, it's great. Iven. So I do want to get
into the music a little bit. Let's tal about the
new album Heaven is a Place. What do you want
people to know about you by listening to this album?
What do you hope people feel from it?
Speaker 5 (17:07):
You know?
Speaker 4 (17:08):
I think I think in general, just like music wise,
I think the one thing that we try to hold
ourselves to is to not be like stuck in one
sonic lane. Like I feel like we've been very intentional
about I don't want to say switching up the sound
record to record or song to song, but just like
(17:31):
the way that we consume music is not like one
kind of music, and so like we don't want to
make music that way either. So I think people I
would like people to to love the fact that, you know,
there's a little bit of everything for everyone on it. Yeah,
and I think this is our most wholesome record. I
would say there's not a lot of sad, like not
(17:54):
too much sad stuff, and in our previous record was
definitely like very angsty and uh.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
What's the right word sad? Sad? You know, like you know,
like yeah, yeah, he just goes back and forth.
Speaker 4 (18:10):
So I feel like we just kind of landed in
a very like content place, like musically and sonically.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
And but it.
Speaker 4 (18:19):
Opens with a ballad, right, Yeah, that song is kind
of very introspective and not really sad, but.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
Not not in like a romantic way though, Like it's
it's not like a like a sad love song. It's
not a heartbreak song. It's more like what the heck
is going on? In the world song.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
Yeah, so what was the intention on making that the
very first track of the album, Like, if people are
checking out the album, that's probably the first thing they'll
hear unless they've read singles beforehand.
Speaker 4 (18:46):
Yeah, I think we went back and forth on it
a little bit, like even up to the last minute
with that, just because I feel like a lot of
the time on albums, people put like the introspective or
like the slower ones at the end, and I think
for us, like we wanted, you know, in some ways,
to make make like a statement at the beginning. I
(19:08):
think at heart, like we're songwriters. We're not like you know,
always we're better lyricists than we are like pop hook
kind of kind of artists and writers. So like, I
think it was important for us to kind of make
the statement at the beginning, and we wanted people to
hear that song and it not be just like a
throwaway track.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
At the end.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
So yeah, I think I wrote that song like two
three years ago now, and like, I think it's still
one of the best songs I've ever written. Really just yeah,
it's one of my favorites. Very different and like like
it doesn't really feel like a wildlife wildlife song, whatever
that means, you know, So it just felt it felt
(19:48):
right to put it put at the beginning and kind
of usher in like the rest of the record.
Speaker 1 (19:52):
And I feel like, because you're right, there's not a
lot of there's not many ballads on there, but you
do kind of sandwich the album with two very introspective
songs like that when you close with it's just like
that as well. Yeah, yeah, I really liked that theme
because that's when I'm dealing with like a lot right now.
Like I just turned thirty and I'm like, it's the
first time I've looked around. I'm like, what the hell
is happening? You know, Like I'm starting to see friends
get older, like parents, I'm noticing are getting older for
(20:15):
the first time, Like I've changed so much. There are
friends to the point that you make in your song
like do you grow up with that? You're so close
to that, like are strangers now?
Speaker 3 (20:22):
And it's that hit me hard.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
I was like, that is like the thing that I've
noticed in the last year more than probably any other theme.
Speaker 4 (20:29):
Yeah, well, I think also like getting older, especially with
the friend thing, like you kind of I feel like
when you're younger. You don't really like realize that the
older you get, like you don't really feel older, like
like mentally, like physically you get older, right, but like
in your head and emotionally in some ways, like you
(20:50):
don't feel any older. And so it it in a
lot of ways, like all the people that I don't
talk to anymore, or like Carson or Jack don't talk
to anymore, like feel like people that I talked to yesterday. Yeah,
in a lot of ways. But just yeah, now now
they just now they just follow follow me on Instagram
and watch my stories and that's it. That's it, you know,
(21:12):
and I and I do the same for them, right,
you know, Like it's just funny.
Speaker 1 (21:16):
It's weird to see. Yeah, those people like you grew
up with and then now they have these different lines
where if you saw them on the street, you'd be like, oh,
this is some older gentleman that a meeting for the
first time, but in your mind you remember them in
third grade or ninth grade or whatever it is. Yeah,
I saw this.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
That last song on the record talks a lot about that.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
Yeah, that vibe, dude, it hits hard. I saw this
one TikTok the other day was like this old guy, uh,
And he was saying he went to like the bathroom
at some restaurant and like every time he washes his
hands and he looks up, he kind of gets shocked
because like it's an old face looking back at him,
and he's like, I don't feel that on the inside. Yeah,
and that like destruct I almost cried in my bad.
I was like this is terrible, you know, like I'm
so scared of that feeling, just watching yourself get older
(21:55):
and not feeling it, you know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
Yeah, And I feel like in a lot of ways,
there's a lot of people that I feel like I
have touched on that, like in music in the last
few years, just like the vulnerability of growing up and
stuff like that. And I think it's an important thing
to talk about. And I think for us, like having
a song, especially like we grew up in the Midwest,
like we're not we're not like I don't know how
(22:21):
to explain it, Like we feel very normal, like and
I like even just being here, I know, like before
we before we hopped in here, like we've never really
done a lot of press. It's like walking into this
big building and we're like this is like we don't
belong here in a way, you know, like why are
we here? But like I don't know, it's yeah, life's funny.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
I think that's like you can hear that in the
song in the album in general, but like it does
feel authentic. And I think that's a cool thing about
meeting you guys too, Like you can't the elevator like
it was just you guys sitting in the lobby, you know. Like, yeah,
I think there's something about music that people crave well,
they do want to feel like people just get them,
you know what I mean. And sometimes when you're wrapped
up in all that glitz and glamour or whatever, like
trying to live some life that's not you, like, you
(23:06):
lose that and I think that comes across in music sometimes, yeah, you.
Speaker 4 (23:09):
Know, yeah, for sure, playing the part is like there's
like such like a fine line there. Yeah, you know,
like I feel like when we're on stage, we play
the part, but like off of.
Speaker 2 (23:20):
It, it's like I don't really you know, yeah.
Speaker 4 (23:23):
I don't really relate to that type of person that
I am on stage necessarily, the one that's jumping around
and screaming.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
I'm much quieter, like day to day.
Speaker 3 (23:33):
Just can magically dance when you get on stage and
then you get off and like what do I do
with my arms?
Speaker 1 (23:38):
Yeah, there's got to be something about that energy of
just being up there with the fans and stuff like that. Though.
Speaker 3 (23:43):
Yeah yeah man, yeah theater.
Speaker 5 (23:45):
Yeah, it's like I think people want they want the
performance and they want kind of all the aspects of it.
But at least in my experience, like the worst thing
is like meeting like people that you look up to
and it like feels like, oh, that's that, Like they're
not like a real person.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
I like, it's like the it's like.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
The act and and I have I have a.
Speaker 5 (24:08):
Bit of like sympathy for it for some people, I guess,
like you see, like it really like people just want
the stick, right, And that's probably a tough thing to
like live in. But I mean, like I always I
always like tell like I talk to my mom and
dad about it. I'm like, it's not like none of
this is real, Like the idea of tour and like
kind of the the mystique around it is like none
(24:30):
of it's real. Though, Like I come home and like
I remember I was I told my mom, I was
like I think people have like certain like maybe visualizations
about artists that they like, but like I go home
and like I'm the most regular, Like I'm very boring.
Speaker 1 (24:48):
I play video games and hang.
Speaker 5 (24:51):
Out with my dog and it's like nothing, so like
I don't want to be any more than that to
anybody else, Yeah, because then I just feel like I'm like.
Speaker 1 (25:01):
Yeah, yeah, do you think that, Like, do you guys
do like VIP tickets where there's meet and greets and
stuff like that.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
This time yeah, this time around, we're doing it. We're
doing VIP for the first time on this tour this fall.
In the past, I mean like in the last year
with some of the headline tour, and we've been doing
we've been you know, we've been sticking around for a
long time after shows and just like talking to anybody
(25:28):
who's waiting outside, and.
Speaker 4 (25:30):
We've done that for for the whole time, like we've
for the entire existence of our band.
Speaker 1 (25:35):
Is always that's.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
Just what we do. It's just getting a lot.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
It's more of a me.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
It's like a lot more people are kind of.
Speaker 4 (25:41):
It's a mental health decision more than anything. Yeah, Like
very it's very set. The specific time to do this.
Speaker 1 (25:47):
And I feel like that feels like it's probably the
challenging part when people do want to come up and
meet you guys and take the picture, but there are
so many people waiting, Like how do you balance being
authentic and having those real conversations, but like, also we
kind of have to move this along cause there are
so many people. Like that balance seems tough to me,
Like thees part, Yeah, well, you.
Speaker 5 (26:05):
Don't want to come off as like, yeah, hey, we
got to keep it moving right, but also like it's.
Speaker 2 (26:10):
Late, we do have to get going, like there are
other people.
Speaker 5 (26:13):
So it's it's it's just trying to balance that.
Speaker 4 (26:15):
I think historically, especially especially like when up until this
point that this tour that we're about to go on
is the first time we've ever like we're doing a
bandwagon for the first time, we have a driver, but
up until this point we're driving ourselves.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
We're like driving.
Speaker 4 (26:30):
Two hours to a hotel, sleeping for three hours, getting out,
driving four hours of the venue, doing it all. So
it's like it is nice that this time will have
like dedicated time to meet people and say hi, and obviously, like.
Speaker 2 (26:44):
You know, if we see somebody outside the venue, like
we're always going.
Speaker 4 (26:47):
To say hi, right, Like I feel like we have
a really good relationship with our fans in that way.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
Yeah, I think I think it's it's important to say,
like a lot of our fans, like they don't they
look at us the way that like we're describing, Like
we just have like the most normal conversations, like we
tease each other.
Speaker 1 (27:04):
We like your fans are funny.
Speaker 3 (27:07):
They're funny, like funny, Like I can't say for like everybody,
but like there are there are a lot of fans
that like, you know, I know their dog's names, and
I like some of them. I've met their dogs and
like they get Yeah, some some people have like I remember,
I can't remember what SAIDI it was, but somebody like
went home and then brought their dog back and waited
(27:28):
outside the venue. But yeah, like they it's it's pretty
easy to to talk to like a lot of our fans.
They they they don't they don't make it hard to
to have a conversation. And they're especially coming off stage,
like they don't they they for the most part, they're
(27:50):
they're really respectful with like energy.
Speaker 2 (27:52):
And they know the boundaries, expectations and stuff like that.
That's really nice.
Speaker 1 (27:56):
So, yeah, is there a song that you hear more
often than the rest that come up and said that
they connected with.
Speaker 4 (28:04):
I feel like this last tour, a lot of people
really love both. And that song is kind of about
just how two things can be true, you know, like, uh.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
The song the song I wrote about a.
Speaker 4 (28:21):
Situation that was very like, you know, I don't even
know how to describe it in a way.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
That's not super specific, but like like two very polar
opposite things can be true at the same time, Like
you can be a great person but still have done
really shitty things. And I think that that's kind of.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
It's a commentary on it.
Speaker 4 (28:40):
And and I think that a lot of people have
experienced like that in like relationships with I mean, I
feel like different all kinds of relationships, you know.
Speaker 1 (28:48):
Like we all have to some degree where like and.
Speaker 4 (28:50):
People kind of learn, you know, say and do different things.
And and I think that in a weird way, I
don't think. I don't think we really expected that, But
when I think about it, it's like, yeah, I bet
a lot of people have experienced something like that, where
somebody's saying one thing and doing another, you.
Speaker 1 (29:05):
Know, I wanted to. I wanted to bring up what
If You Change, because bring it up. This is like
probably my favorite song so far that has come out
this year. Like I've was just looking back at my
repeat radar on Spotify and this thing was like number
one on there, And I want to know if this
part was was intentional, because I remember I saw a
TikTok that you guys posted that said they don't really
(29:26):
make songs like break Even anymore from the script. Yeah,
that was my like first heartbreak song that I ever
like really connected with. Yeah, right, I feel like for
so many people it was like it was just such
a staple song and I remember like just going through
it and then I hear what If You Change, and
like it's obviously like I think it's the same chord progression.
Is that what it is?
Speaker 3 (29:46):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (29:47):
Yeah, so it very very similar. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (29:49):
Yeah, so it already kind of feels like that song,
but it feels like this later version of that song,
and for me, like break Even is it's learning for
the first time that like you can really get your
heart ripped by someone who told you they were going
to be there, and then what If You Change feels
like the fear in your future that like I've been
through that and I don't want to do that again,
And like using the same chord progression of break even
(30:11):
felt like the scars of your past being the reason
for the fears of you now in the future, you
know what I mean? And that to me like yeah,
it said me. I couldn't I be thinking about it
for like a week. I was like, these guys are genius.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
Is the wildlife I love?
Speaker 4 (30:26):
I think what Have You Changed is one of our
favorite songs, like collectively on the record. It's the first
one we recorded, and I think there's just like moments
where you're sitting down writing something.
Speaker 2 (30:36):
You're like, oh shit, this is good, this is good.
I'm I'm I'm writing a really good song right now.
Speaker 1 (30:42):
It like balances when we were writing it, I hope
so because it balances that nostalgia with this like newer
song and like these feelings that you've been through that
it just there's so much tied into it. I feel
like it had so much depth. Where did that I'd
even come from?
Speaker 4 (30:55):
I mean, I like I said, like the last record
was you know, about heartbreak and kind of the end
of something, and this record is about the beginning of something,
and I think, yeah, just the commentary of like, oh,
being fearful that that what happened before could happen again
and things like that. And I just think, especially with
(31:17):
the break Even thing, that's that's something that we really
talked about a lot on this record, was trying to
find ways to make songs that were really really good
and felt like bangers but not in like the loud way,
because I think that that's something that we've done for
a while and that I think we're good at, you know,
like we especially on the last record, just like a
(31:37):
lot of like in your face stuff that that we're
really proud of. But I think with this record, we
really wanted to find, you know, a good balance of like,
let's like break Even, Like that song is like huge and.
Speaker 3 (31:51):
It's like the perfect song, but it was classics that
like you kind of forget about, like break Even.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
Fix You, fix You Yeah out there, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (32:01):
Like the ones like that or and They're Timeless.
Speaker 1 (32:04):
Yeah, yeah, those are the ones that like, like I
was just at a wedding this last weekend, and you know,
they're playing actual bangers, you know what I mean. And
then how to Save a Life comes on it was
the loudest the entire the whole night. You're like, how
to Save a Life is secretly a banger because it's
just one of those classics that like everyone feels, yeah,
And I think you've done a good job of capturing
that feeling in this new album.
Speaker 4 (32:22):
Yeah, trying to find like that time, like that good
timeless like zone yeah and for everything.
Speaker 2 (32:28):
So what if you change feels that way? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (32:30):
What is each of your favorite records on or favorite
tracks on the new record?
Speaker 2 (32:35):
Start us off, Carson.
Speaker 3 (32:36):
Man, at this moment in time, At this moment in time,
I'm going to say, I'm going to say Real Estate.
That one like that one feels like as a producer,
like I don't listen to a whole bunch of like
indie all pop rock like what we do, Like, I
don't listen to a ton of that type of music
(32:56):
really much like anymore. And I like, I really love
like R and B, funk, hip hop like all that stuff,
and I love making tracks like that. So I think
that Real Estate feels like a really fun blend of
like our rock side with like a lot more of
like our funk influences and stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (33:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:20):
So there's there's a lot of that on this record.
I feel like just a lot a lot of like
funk influences R and B hip hop. Maybe not a
lot of like R and B hip hop, but like,
I don't know, it feels like a really fun blend
that haven't gotten to do a ton of. So I
think right now that one's my favorite.
Speaker 5 (33:39):
Mine feels so like day to day. I feel like
every time I like look through the record and like
listen to tracks, I have like a new favorite.
Speaker 2 (33:48):
I think lately heaven is a place.
Speaker 5 (33:53):
Honestly, lately, I've really liked that's.
Speaker 1 (33:55):
The one right now in this specific moment, i'd probably
say either that or either that or growing up song.
Speaker 5 (34:01):
I think has always been like one of my favorites.
It's just one of those things where like anytime i'm
like thinking, I'm like really thinking about other tracks, I'm like, oh,
but that one's really good too.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
I feel like that's the sign of a good album. Yeah,
you know what I mean. When you think of an album,
sometimes you're like, oh, yeah, those are the two. The
rest are kind of whatever I think you're going through,
and be like, oh, they're all good. Yeah, it's a
good sign.
Speaker 5 (34:22):
I think those two right now though, if I had
to like narrow it down, yea, for different reasons.
Speaker 3 (34:26):
But I love both of.
Speaker 2 (34:27):
Those right now.
Speaker 4 (34:28):
Yeah, I feel like my favorite and the one that
I think is the best are different. I think the
best song like in I know, music subjective, but in
like in a very objective way. I feel like wreck my.
Speaker 2 (34:41):
Life is just like it's that one.
Speaker 1 (34:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (34:43):
I think my favorite, though is I think my favorite
is growing up song maybe okay, yeah, or real Estate.
It's just got that bounce.
Speaker 1 (34:54):
Yeah, you know, I feel that.
Speaker 4 (34:56):
I don't know, I think that for me, like the
I don't want to say related, but like I feel
like I'm inspired a lot by More singer songwriter, like more.
Speaker 1 (35:08):
That's an earthquake.
Speaker 4 (35:09):
That's crazy. I've never felt that in my life. You
guys are that is crazy?
Speaker 3 (35:16):
Do we need to like get out of here?
Speaker 1 (35:19):
I don't know yet. We'll see if that's it. We
should be all right, it's still going, Yeah, it definitely is.
If things start falling, we should get into this desk
right here.
Speaker 2 (35:28):
That's crazy.
Speaker 3 (35:30):
I hate that the floor right now, dude, dude, I
am tense right How often does that happen?
Speaker 1 (35:38):
Okay? So that's interesting you say that because not that often,
but in the last month we've had a couple it's
been so interesting. Oh that's crazy.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
I've never that. I was like, I've never felt smaller.
Speaker 1 (35:52):
So what's your natural disaster back where you guys are
at tornadoes?
Speaker 2 (35:57):
All the Midwest tornadoes and.
Speaker 3 (35:59):
Like that's scary uprisingly more in Tennessee than I ever
than I would have expected before moving there.
Speaker 2 (36:05):
I agree, But like.
Speaker 4 (36:06):
Nashville, like has one tornado go through it, Like one
through not too long ago.
Speaker 3 (36:11):
Yeah, like in twenty twenty, like there's a.
Speaker 2 (36:14):
Yeah, there's a big one in twenty twenty.
Speaker 3 (36:16):
Two that at the same time that just.
Speaker 4 (36:19):
And then I think the next year there was one
that was pretty big two but it didn't go through.
Speaker 3 (36:23):
It destroyed that first one destroyed like the Basement East
like Iconic Venue in Nashville. They had to rebuild it.
Speaker 1 (36:30):
See that seems much more terrifying to me.
Speaker 5 (36:32):
Yeah, I think it is, but it also is like
it's kind of in one place and it's traveling, so
like if it does hit you, it's it's horrible, but
like if you are safe for like thirty seconds, you're
like good.
Speaker 3 (36:46):
Like that is weird to me.
Speaker 5 (36:47):
Because I'm like, I don't know how long this lasts,
is gonna last?
Speaker 3 (36:50):
Yeah, the severity it is not very like apparent and
you can't prepare for it like you have before a
tornado hit. It's like, yo, the sky like it you
can tell right now?
Speaker 4 (37:04):
Yeah, tornadoes don't I don't know.
Speaker 3 (37:07):
Make sure everything's shut, get in the closet or the
bathroom or I.
Speaker 2 (37:11):
Think last year we were all like in bathrooms. It
was like it was like the most random tornado though, yeaheah.
Speaker 4 (37:16):
I was like colling Jack and Mike are you and
the because we weren't Me and Jack lived together at
the time.
Speaker 2 (37:21):
But yeah, that's just funny.
Speaker 1 (37:23):
Well, you'll get mixed reviews here because earthquake.
Speaker 2 (37:26):
I know that's insane on air live but.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
You know, but like some people will be like very
scared of them. But I feel like for me, like
we had some massive one when I was a baby, right,
so I don't really remember. So I've not really witnessed
a like true terrifying earthquake where buildings collapse and it's
like a natural disaster. I know they happened. I know
it's very possible, but I've not experienced that, So I
feel like earthquakes don't scare me as much as a
lot of other people, you know what I mean, Like
(37:50):
what we just experience. That's probably I almost never feel
them in general. Some people be like, oh did you
feel that? And it's a little bit of shaking, and
like sometimes if there's construction across the street, like I
don't know the difference, you know, yeah, don't is kind
of narly there?
Speaker 4 (38:01):
Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah, even for you like your
face you're like holding the like that's an earthquake.
Speaker 2 (38:09):
That's a scary part.
Speaker 1 (38:10):
Like you don't know if like sometimes that's how it
starts and then it gets worse, and like we don't
know if that's going to be an eight point zero
and things start falling, or if that's just all it's
gonna be, you know.
Speaker 3 (38:18):
Sitting right under this giant speaker.
Speaker 1 (38:21):
Yeah, yeah, both of you first.
Speaker 5 (38:23):
To go.
Speaker 2 (38:26):
Don't worry guy.
Speaker 3 (38:27):
Songs on the album.
Speaker 1 (38:28):
Yeah, I'm glad we made it litten. What else today? Okay,
another selfish ask here. I just want to ask you
about the re record of Waterfalls. Is it because you
just got better at mixing or something? Because I feel
like there's a beauty to the way you originally record it,
And I don't know. I listened to both and I
can't decide which one I like better.
Speaker 3 (38:47):
I think a lot of people share that. Yeah, same thing,
I think, I think, I don't know. I think that
the song is just so like specifically that one and
Somebody's Gonna Love You. For the two that we that
we did like that we re recorded, I think that those,
I mean, those are the literal two first Wildlife songs
(39:08):
ever made. Yeah, I think, and they you know, I
think that we just felt like those songs are so
good and still representative of like what we are now,
and we could.
Speaker 4 (39:24):
I feel like we could like the old versions didn't
represent who we are now, like the way that and
so like that was part of the reason why it
is like we wanted to give them a facelift a bit.
Speaker 5 (39:33):
Also like in the in the context of like the
live set, especially if Somebody's Gonna Love You, I think
it would be you know, if that's sandwich between you know,
maybe like Lonely and good it bad at us, those
songs feel a certain way, they have a certain energy,
they feel big, and then if you put that in
between it just it kind of felt when we played
it like kind of sucked the air out a little bit.
(39:54):
And and maybe you know, the fans would disagree, but for us,
it just kind of felt like this like very weird
change of pace. And so we're like we had kind
of toyed around with the idea of like what if
we just made this feel like we just recorded it
for the first time.
Speaker 1 (40:09):
It did feel more full for sure.
Speaker 4 (40:11):
Yeah, I get that we wanted to feel good about
playing them live because like they are like some like
two of our fans' favorite songs from us, and like
I think we found ourselves being like I don't want
to play this song, but like we felt like we
needed to, and so it was nice to I guess
just like why not.
Speaker 3 (40:27):
Not a lot of people do that, Like it's kind
of just fun, Like people can still listen to the
old one. It's not like we're doing anything like I'm
glad we liked the old placing. Yeah, like we're it.
We just kind of why not, Like why not do
it for fun?
Speaker 1 (40:45):
I briefly wanted to ask you guys too, because since
you've been doing music for so long, I feel like
you've really seen life without social media and now having
to do social media as a band as well. And
I'm sure since you guys do everything yourself, that's another
element that you have to worry about all the time. Yep,
what is that battle?
Speaker 4 (41:00):
And like it's a battle, it's been a battle. I mean,
I think I think it's all to really summarize it
and make it like a short story. Like one thing
that we've said from the beginning all the way. I mean,
maybe not right at the beginning, but one thing we've
learned over time and continues to be true is like,
(41:21):
in a lot of ways, the music industry is like
survival of the fittest in the way where it's like
you just got to be the last one standing, and
so you have to learn to adapt and and kind
of fit into, you know, the environment that you're in.
And so obviously it's it was hard for us in
(41:42):
the beginning to like kind of accept like, Okay, I
think we need to be doing these things that you know,
we don't necessarily want to be doing or didn't expect
to be doing right and just kind of learn like
how to how to make it fun, you know. And
I think that's like an ongoing process because like we
there's been times where we're like really into it and
(42:03):
they're like, oh, I hate my life.
Speaker 1 (42:05):
Yeah, you know, it's all got consistency, they say, you know, yeah.
Speaker 3 (42:07):
Yeah, so much of it is like you're just kind
of leaving stuff up to luck and it.
Speaker 1 (42:13):
Is its own lottery system.
Speaker 3 (42:14):
Yeah, it's hard.
Speaker 4 (42:15):
It's hard to find a balance of like what feels
true to you and like what's going to work in
air quotes, like there's such like a battle there. And
I think because we've been doing it so long, we've
gotten to the point where it's like we're going to
do what feels true to us and what feels good
for us, because if we don't, like it's gonna melt
(42:36):
my brain.
Speaker 1 (42:36):
Yeah, and so and I think it'll people will notice,
you know, yeah, yeah, I think you can see the authenticity,
Like it does look like you're having fun on social Yeah,
it does.
Speaker 2 (42:45):
Yeah. And I think I think that that's, you know,
the biggest part about it.
Speaker 1 (42:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (42:49):
I think a lot of people have a hard time
getting over the fact that they have to do it.
Speaker 2 (42:53):
Yeah, have to do it, that nobody has to, but
like should that you should or you know whatever.
Speaker 4 (42:59):
But like I think people can get in their own
way hyper fixating on what it like doing it at all,
and to hold it back.
Speaker 1 (43:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (43:09):
And I think the mentality of like like what like
what's like why the purpose of being like super active
on social media? Like, I think it's important to remind,
at least for me to remind myself like this isn't
you're not just shooting for like the viral blow up,
you know, like you're you're interacting with you're already existent.
Speaker 1 (43:33):
Fan base and building a community.
Speaker 3 (43:35):
Yeah. And I think that, you know, for us to
like earlier talk about like you know, we're just super
normal and want to have like normal, like regular healthy
interactions with our fan base and be viewed that way.
Like only way for people to get to know us
(43:55):
like that is to see us be normal and stupid
on social media and do dances and they have fun
with it. Yeah, Like yeah, so.
Speaker 4 (44:06):
Yeah, do the Apple dance. It's not that hard, it's fun.
Speaker 1 (44:09):
Yeah, it took me. It's like the one thing I
was having a problem with. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (44:12):
Everyone does. Yeah, and everyone does.
Speaker 1 (44:14):
Yeah. So tell me about the tour. What can I
what can we expect when you come through to us
here in Los Angeles.
Speaker 2 (44:21):
I mean it's definitely gonna be work. I mean we're excited.
We're gonna play the new the most of the new record,
I think.
Speaker 1 (44:26):
Nice.
Speaker 4 (44:26):
Okay, uh, I think there's only there's one that we're
not gonna play. We're probably not gonna play Aliens just
because you know, it's a.
Speaker 2 (44:36):
Five and a half minute a ballot.
Speaker 1 (44:37):
Will there be ballads on the tour though, Yeah, yeah,
for sure, for sure.
Speaker 4 (44:41):
We just have such a big discography now that it's
like it is hard to choose, and so we're gonna
play most of the album. We're definitely gonna add a
bit of an element of like a different setless night tonight.
Speaker 1 (44:53):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 4 (44:54):
Yeah, Like you know, there's just so many things we
want to play, you know, so and we put out
music so consistently that it feels like this last record,
we played all the songs, but we didn't really play
them for that long, and it's like we're already cutting them.
Speaker 2 (45:10):
It's like that feels crazy.
Speaker 1 (45:12):
So you didn't give it its life on stage?
Speaker 2 (45:13):
Yeah, exactly. So it'll be fun.
Speaker 4 (45:15):
We're doing two legs, one like Midwest East Coast and
then a West coast leg, and it'll be fun.
Speaker 1 (45:22):
Yeah, and I'm excited when you guys come by, La Man,
I got like a we got a squad going.
Speaker 2 (45:26):
Yeah, right, building squad rocks. Look.
Speaker 1 (45:30):
I appreciate you guys coming in. I know you're on
a busy schedule, so we'll get you out of here
the wildlife. Thanks again, boy, Thanks Sean.
Speaker 2 (45:35):
I appreciate you.
Hello, Welcome back to the podcast. You probably realize we
have not been posting weekly episodes, and that's cause we're
in construction. The truth is, we're working on something a
little bit different that can go along with something we
do in the air here at the station. YadA, YadA, YadA.
Right point is, in the meantime, I want to keep
posting some more artist interviews that will live here in
podcast form. So we're going to start with this one.
(00:21):
The Wildlife just an awesome group of guys. If you're
not a fan already, I think you're really going to
love them. They're just such a down to earth, like
solid group of dudes that I want you to get
to know. We spend like the first ten minutes of
the episode kind of talking about how they got together
as a band if you're not familiar with them, and
then we kind of talk about where they are now.
This new album they just dropped, it's called Heaven is
(00:41):
a Place. They're on tour right now, touring this fall
with that album, and they come through Los Angeles next month.
After this episode. You might want to grab some tickets.
It's going to be a great show. They're just incredible
live and Towards the end of this episode, they experience
their very first earthquake. Like mid episode, while we're recording,
(01:03):
we get an earthquake here in the iHeart Los Angeles building,
so just completely unexpected. It freaked them out a little bit,
but they handled it like Champson and hopefully they don't
get too scared to come back to California. But anyway,
here is my conversation with Jansen, Jack and Carson better
known as the Wildlife. Cue my temporary dumb little intro music.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
What's up?
Speaker 3 (01:31):
What's up going?
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Yeah, I'll clap brou Yeah, we'll get a little bit.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Of a clap. It is a small studio, but man
it is. It's so weird because I'm sure you guys
get this all the time, But me and my friends
have always said you guys are legitimately the most underrated
band that we know of. I agree, retweet like, is
that the common thing that you hear when you're seeing fans?
Speaker 4 (01:53):
I feel like, maybe not underrated as the best, like
the way that it gets said, But what I do
feel like we have a lot of fans that have
listened to us for a long time and are a
little bit like, why are you guys, not bigger.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Yeah, you think so blows my mind, dude.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
I think we definitely feel slept on, but we you know,
we use it as a chip on our shoulder in
some ways.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
But you know, it's nice to have like a cult following,
you know.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Yeah, And we always talk about how like we always
think back on some of our previous music, earlier music,
and we're like, dang, if we would have blown up
on this, that would suck. Like we're just all We're
just we we love just kind of moving forward. And
every time we make something new that feels more like
an accurate representation of like what we are, we're always like, okay, sweet, yeah,
(02:42):
like now now I'm ready for like everybody to hear it.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
Yeah. So you get more and more proud of your music.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Yeah, yeah, so one day we'll we'll reach peak proud
and then we can blow up.
Speaker 5 (02:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Yeah, but I think we're there.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Yeah, we're there.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Yeah, I think we're there.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
I think so too. I think the first time that
I saw you guys, I want to say it was
it must have been like twenty seventeen. Do you remember
doing like so far sound little concerts you're performing like
little basements and stuff.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
I didn't realize you'd seen us before.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
Yeah, i'd seen you guys. I actually saw you kind
of on accident because I went to go see the
band Camino. You were playing with them in one of
those but I went to the wrong night. But you
guys did two nights, so I only saw you guys
in another band and I left that night being like
the Wildlife is one of my new favorite bands. I
love that. Like seeing you guys turned me. It was
uh in Santa Monica. I think they like cleared out
(03:33):
some kind of apartment.
Speaker 4 (03:34):
That had that happen to be like er like yeah
there really, I know we played in Venice one time, but.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
That's what it was.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
It was a girl with bomb, yes, the other girl
that is awesome.
Speaker 4 (03:46):
Yeah, I've never I've never. I don't think i've ever
listened to music. I remember walking out me like that
girl sick.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Yeah. Those little shows are cool. You could like bring
your own wine and stuff. It's super intimate. And that
was the first time I saw you guys. And then
I think was that before four Waterfalls or no water
was already like right after.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
If it was twenty seventeen, it would have been right
after New Yeah.
Speaker 4 (04:07):
Yeah, it was that first tour that we did with
Camino where we played We played four real.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Shows and four so fars and then went home.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
There was like I know it.
Speaker 4 (04:17):
Yeah, we did like a full like all the way
to LA and back and played eight shows.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Yeah, it was fun. We had a good time.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
So I do want people to to get to know
who you guys are as a band. If they don't already,
I'm sure you might have a couple of new listeners
listening to this podcast here. So let's go back to
like a couple of the basics, a brief story. Where
are you guys from and how'd you guys form as
a band?
Speaker 4 (04:38):
Me and Jack met in college? We uh, Me and
Carson are brothers. That's I guess that's one.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
Oh yeah, I didn't know that our brothers. We grew
up in Chicago suburbs of Chicago.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
And it's Jansen, Jack and Carson yepes yep.
Speaker 4 (04:50):
And then I went to school in Indiana met Jack,
who's from a very small how many people are from
like thirty.
Speaker 5 (04:57):
Two hundred I think, yeah, with a real small.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
Town in Indiana. Yeah, it'll Attica, Indiana.
Speaker 4 (05:03):
And then uh yeah, me and Jack and a few
other people started the band in college, and then you
know we uh Carson joined the band I think twenty eighteen.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
Twenty seventeen.
Speaker 4 (05:12):
Yeah, somewhere in there rest is kind of history there.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Wait, how come the brother wasn't in the band at
first and then you bring me later because.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
He was fourteen child he was they started he started
the band his soft your sophomore year of college, I think, yeah,
And I so I would have been a sophomore in
high school. Oh wow, so I was. I couldn't drive yet,
I was. I was like fifteen, I think.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
But then the second that you could drive, you were
in the band.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
Hmm suspicious.
Speaker 5 (05:42):
Yeah, ever he was in the band really before he
was like actually in the band. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
I played my first show with you guys in twenty sixteen,
and it was fun. All my high school friends showed up,
just in a backyard.
Speaker 5 (05:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
But yeah, I played a couple of shows like filling in,
and then I started to do it more often. And
then fall of twenty seventeen there was just like a
little weekend run and they had me out and then
I distinctly remember I was doing an escape room. Yeah,
like and I so I had my phone put away
(06:19):
in a locker and I came out of the escape
room and pulled up my phone and it was kind
of blowing up. People just being like.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Oh my gosh, you're in the bed.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
And I was like what and I they announced that
I was in the band on Instagram and didn't even
tell me, didn't even tell me so, but I was
I had had for years. I had been like asking
him like, hey man, can I can I join your band?
Speaker 1 (06:43):
Yeah? Was there was there a part of that what
that was like I don't want to do everything with
my little brother, Like I.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Don't think so.
Speaker 4 (06:47):
I mean, I think I think it was the right time,
Like you know, like we're talking about like Carson played
quite a few shows with us before, like he was
an official member and a lot of it.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
I mean, I feel like how to do with just
space and a vehicle and like.
Speaker 4 (07:04):
What the songs called for and things like that. But yeah,
I think I think when it was time, I was
really excited about it and we were it felt right,
you know, like Carson's a prodigy, So it was kind
of like we have to put Carson in the man,
you know, like if we don't, then that's just a
bad business decision.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
So like, what was the first song that you guys
came out with where you were like, oh damn, like
this band, we're going someplace, like I really want I
think we could be something.
Speaker 5 (07:31):
I feel like, well, yeah, I feel like it happened
like again and again. Like I feel like every kind
of record cycle, at least for me, there would be
like the one song where.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
I'd be like, this is it. This is like the one.
Speaker 5 (07:44):
But I think now, looking back, for me retrospectively, I
think I could say, like I really think when we started,
like the Repaint my Mind record, maybe the record before that,
there was like some like inkling of like kind of
like how Carson said, you know, looking back, we're glad
we didn't blow up on old stuff. I think for
like a lot of bands historically, they're able to kind
(08:06):
of like figure out who they are, who they want
to be, and then kind of introduce it to the public. Yeah,
And I guess the good and the bad thing about
the age of music that we started in is it's
all available to people kind of off the bat, So we're
kind of figuring out who we want to be in
real time with fans which is great, But I think
that kind of switching into like that Repay my Mind
(08:29):
record was really the first time where it was I
remember talking to Jansen on the phone like before that
record came out and being like, obviously I want the
record to do well and I want people to like it.
But I remember being like, I don't really care if
people don't like this one, Like I'm very proud of
this and like if everybody's like, hey, we're really not
(08:50):
messing with it, it's like that's fine.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
I do so like that's okay with me.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
But I think that.
Speaker 5 (08:54):
Record was the first time where I was like, we're
really like onto something here.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
Did you always have the mentality that like, it'll happen
for you when you happen, or did you have those
expectations that would that it would have happened earlier?
Speaker 3 (09:05):
I mean, I think for me as like a boy
can dream now, like I joined that I joined the
band when I was seventeen. I was like, oh dude, first,
if I'm seventeen now like we're gonna be when I'm
twenty two, we're gonna be huge. Yeah, And now I'm
twenty four. But I think I think it's safe to
say for all of us now, like what like when
(09:29):
it happens, it happens when when you're ready, it's gonna happen.
And we're just trying to focus on, you know, everything
we can control, doing the best, doing the best we
can to make solid music and you know, play shows,
put on a great show, uh, interact with fans and
(09:50):
all that stuff, and everything will come when it comes.
You know.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
Do you think that delayed gratification makes you a better
band in some ways?
Speaker 3 (09:58):
Yeah? Absolutely absolutely because we and I'll let Janson elaborate
more on it if he wants to, but like we
we literally do everything ourselves, like because we've had to,
Like we I this record, like come, I produce the
whole thing in my room and like there that like
(10:20):
all of our content, we shoot ourselves, merch designs, like
everything up to this point has been like nine percent us,
like with the help of like we have a really
small team just our manager and our agent and we
we I don't think if I think if we would
have blown up a lot sooner, we wouldn't have understood,
(10:43):
you know, the importance of like taking accountability for every
single aspect of the band and the brand and all
that stuff. So I think I think that we are
definitely a lot more set up to you know, do
it right when we pop off. Yeah, that makes sense.
Speaker 4 (11:04):
We know what we want, We're prepared, you know, Like
I think that in general, like because we've had to
do a lot of the things up until this point
on our own. We've learned like how to do those
things well, and so like when it's time to hand
those off to other people, like, we know what we want,
we know what we can, you know, hand you go.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
What I'm saying, I think people gloss over, like when
people because I think sometimes you hear that, oh we
do everything ourselves, and people gloss over how much work
that is to learn that, like to learn how to
produce and to learn those programs and to learn mixing
and all that kind of stuff. How did you guys
learn all of that? Did you teach yourself through YouTube?
Is it through friends? Like what was that process?
Speaker 3 (11:46):
Like, I mean, well, for yes, music making aspect, like
you know, I have I we this is the first
time that I've produced like the entire thing by myself.
Like up until up until now, I've been watching, like
just watching who we're collaborating with. And YouTube, a lot
(12:09):
of trial and error, a lot of like retrospective like critiquing,
I think, yeah, you know, listening back to older stuff
and figuring out like what I like, what I don't like,
and then going on YouTube asking people who are better
than me, stuff like that. Just just soaking up knowledge anywhere. Yeah,
(12:31):
and yeah, yeah, I mean music side.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
That's that's the music side.
Speaker 4 (12:36):
And I mean I think I do a lot of
the visual stuff.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
So when you guys do need to take a breath,
and like even if you're doing something together, like what's
your favorite thing to do outside of band stuff? How
do you clear your mind?
Speaker 4 (12:48):
I like to go kick a soccer ball around. Okay,
I played soccer in high school for a little bit.
Wasn't very good.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
Can you still run? Man?
Speaker 2 (12:55):
I mean I can. I don't know how well, how
how good it looks running? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (13:01):
Absolutely not not the running, not the running part. But
I do enjoy, you know, playing soccer and stuff like that. Yeah,
playing FIFA.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
Because like so many people around me have picked up
running and like are doing run club and they are
like praising it so much, saying, oh you enjoy this,
Like once you run a few miles, it starts getting
fun and I'm like, there's no.
Speaker 5 (13:18):
Way to I can chime in on this because earlier
this year, I got in my head that I was
going to run a half marathon. Yeah dude, So I
ended up hurting my knee a bit, so that kind
of went by the wayside. But everybody told me that
same thing, like, oh, once you like really start getting
up there, you kind of break through into this upper
And I was doing, like I got up to iking
nine miles and I'm like, I still am not breaking
through anything, But when does this get fun?
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (13:40):
I was like, this is just you get better, it
gets a little bit easier. But it's like, I don't know,
maybe I'm just not built for that.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
No me neither, man, which is weird, Like you look
in shape, you know, But it's more than that.
Speaker 5 (13:50):
For thank you so much, like follow.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
Me around saying that hype me up, Carson, what about you? Man?
What you think?
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Honestly, I'm just I'm just a big old nerd. Like
when we're not making music, that's like for us, I'm
just finding like a new talking or whatever. I'm just
making beats or playing. Yeah, I've been playing Zelda recently
just because you know, this year has been so it's
been making so much music that I'm starting to look
(14:18):
at my studio and be like, I do not want
to be here. But uh yeah, a lot of Zelda.
I I kind of just I started brewing kombucha and
that's been honestly, I've been I've been nailing it. Really,
I've been making some real good stuff.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
So what is the secret in brewing.
Speaker 3 (14:36):
Good following the directions on Google?
Speaker 5 (14:39):
Really?
Speaker 3 (14:40):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
I just I just is that like running where like
you really have to like ease yourself into.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
It or no, just did it?
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Yeah, it doesn't take a long time, though, you.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
Have to like once you get started. Now like if
like once you get past the first brew brewing stage,
you can kind of cycle it and then you'll just
always have some that's ready to drink. Oh yeah, but
I don't know, man, Yeah, I don't know. That beats
Zelda kombucha.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
There you have it.
Speaker 3 (15:11):
Woodworking carpentry, Okay, this is getting This is more than
just being a nerd.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
This is impressive.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
Actually, well I don't do all of those things. It's
very often, but I just I get very distracted, Like
I'll start one hobby and then something else will distract
me and then I'll get super intoo and it just
I never complete anything.
Speaker 1 (15:31):
That's my life. I'm like the jack of all trade
has been a master none. That's what I live by.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Acquire my friend you too, man?
Speaker 4 (15:38):
Oh yeah, there's lots of things I can do.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
Right, It's not very well.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
It's like hard to hold my interest for that long.
You know. Like once i feel like I've learned enough
about something to feel like I'm included, then I'm like
starting to get over it already.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (15:51):
Well I also then I can't decide if I actually
like it or not. Yeah, It's like I get really
into it, and then I'm like, I think I told.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
Myself that I really enjoyed this, but I'm not really short.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
Yeah, you know, we check in.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (16:02):
I feel like I get into stuff up into the
point where the next step is like the big money
sink Yes, where it's like, okay, if I'm gonna keep
going yep, like I gotta I gotta sink some money
into this. And then I'm like how much do I
really want to do this?
Speaker 1 (16:15):
Like you get to a point where like the people
who are better than you were actually doing it for living. Yeah,
and it's like I don't want to get to that
next step.
Speaker 5 (16:21):
Like I got into like I was like, maybe I'll
get into climbing. And I did that and I was
like really enjoying it, and I was like, Okay, do
I buy shoes. Shoes are kind of expensive. Gym, like
a good gym membership is pretty expensive. I have to
like buy like those training holds. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
Like if climbing wasn't so expensive, I'd be doing that day.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
I wanted to do that so bad because I love climbing,
but I've never been to a climbing gym and they're
all over the place yet to.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
Go great workout.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
That was one of my PE credits in high school
was climbing. I did like a summer like climbing class
and that was just like my PE credit.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
Yeah, it's great. Iven. So I do want to get
into the music a little bit. Let's tal about the
new album Heaven is a Place. What do you want
people to know about you by listening to this album?
What do you hope people feel from it?
Speaker 5 (17:07):
You know?
Speaker 4 (17:08):
I think I think in general, just like music wise,
I think the one thing that we try to hold
ourselves to is to not be like stuck in one
sonic lane. Like I feel like we've been very intentional
about I don't want to say switching up the sound
record to record or song to song, but just like
(17:31):
the way that we consume music is not like one
kind of music, and so like we don't want to
make music that way either. So I think people I
would like people to to love the fact that, you know,
there's a little bit of everything for everyone on it. Yeah,
and I think this is our most wholesome record. I
would say there's not a lot of sad, like not
(17:54):
too much sad stuff, and in our previous record was
definitely like very angsty and uh.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
What's the right word sad? Sad? You know, like you know,
like yeah, yeah, he just goes back and forth.
Speaker 4 (18:10):
So I feel like we just kind of landed in
a very like content place, like musically and sonically.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
And but it.
Speaker 4 (18:19):
Opens with a ballad, right, Yeah, that song is kind
of very introspective and not really sad, but.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
Not not in like a romantic way though, Like it's
it's not like a like a sad love song. It's
not a heartbreak song. It's more like what the heck
is going on? In the world song.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
Yeah, so what was the intention on making that the
very first track of the album, Like, if people are
checking out the album, that's probably the first thing they'll
hear unless they've read singles beforehand.
Speaker 4 (18:46):
Yeah, I think we went back and forth on it
a little bit, like even up to the last minute
with that, just because I feel like a lot of
the time on albums, people put like the introspective or
like the slower ones at the end, and I think
for us, like we wanted, you know, in some ways,
to make make like a statement at the beginning. I
(19:08):
think at heart, like we're songwriters. We're not like you know,
always we're better lyricists than we are like pop hook
kind of kind of artists and writers. So like, I
think it was important for us to kind of make
the statement at the beginning, and we wanted people to
hear that song and it not be just like a
throwaway track.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
At the end.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
So yeah, I think I wrote that song like two
three years ago now, and like, I think it's still
one of the best songs I've ever written. Really just yeah,
it's one of my favorites. Very different and like like
it doesn't really feel like a wildlife wildlife song, whatever
that means, you know, So it just felt it felt
(19:48):
right to put it put at the beginning and kind
of usher in like the rest of the record.
Speaker 1 (19:52):
And I feel like, because you're right, there's not a
lot of there's not many ballads on there, but you
do kind of sandwich the album with two very introspective
songs like that when you close with it's just like
that as well. Yeah, yeah, I really liked that theme
because that's when I'm dealing with like a lot right now.
Like I just turned thirty and I'm like, it's the
first time I've looked around. I'm like, what the hell
is happening? You know, Like I'm starting to see friends
get older, like parents, I'm noticing are getting older for
(20:15):
the first time, Like I've changed so much. There are
friends to the point that you make in your song
like do you grow up with that? You're so close
to that, like are strangers now?
Speaker 3 (20:22):
And it's that hit me hard.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
I was like, that is like the thing that I've
noticed in the last year more than probably any other theme.
Speaker 4 (20:29):
Yeah, well, I think also like getting older, especially with
the friend thing, like you kind of I feel like
when you're younger. You don't really like realize that the
older you get, like you don't really feel older, like
like mentally, like physically you get older, right, but like
in your head and emotionally in some ways, like you
(20:50):
don't feel any older. And so it it in a
lot of ways, like all the people that I don't
talk to anymore, or like Carson or Jack don't talk
to anymore, like feel like people that I talked to yesterday. Yeah,
in a lot of ways. But just yeah, now now
they just now they just follow follow me on Instagram
and watch my stories and that's it. That's it, you know,
(21:12):
and I and I do the same for them, right,
you know, Like it's just funny.
Speaker 1 (21:16):
It's weird to see. Yeah, those people like you grew
up with and then now they have these different lines
where if you saw them on the street, you'd be like, oh,
this is some older gentleman that a meeting for the
first time, but in your mind you remember them in
third grade or ninth grade or whatever it is. Yeah,
I saw this.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
That last song on the record talks a lot about that.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
Yeah, that vibe, dude, it hits hard. I saw this
one TikTok the other day was like this old guy, uh,
And he was saying he went to like the bathroom
at some restaurant and like every time he washes his
hands and he looks up, he kind of gets shocked
because like it's an old face looking back at him,
and he's like, I don't feel that on the inside. Yeah,
and that like destruct I almost cried in my bad.
I was like this is terrible, you know, like I'm
so scared of that feeling, just watching yourself get older
(21:55):
and not feeling it, you know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
Yeah, And I feel like in a lot of ways,
there's a lot of people that I feel like I
have touched on that, like in music in the last
few years, just like the vulnerability of growing up and
stuff like that. And I think it's an important thing
to talk about. And I think for us, like having
a song, especially like we grew up in the Midwest,
like we're not we're not like I don't know how
(22:21):
to explain it, Like we feel very normal, like and
I like even just being here, I know, like before
we before we hopped in here, like we've never really
done a lot of press. It's like walking into this
big building and we're like this is like we don't
belong here in a way, you know, like why are
we here? But like I don't know, it's yeah, life's funny.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
I think that's like you can hear that in the
song in the album in general, but like it does
feel authentic. And I think that's a cool thing about
meeting you guys too, Like you can't the elevator like
it was just you guys sitting in the lobby, you know. Like, yeah,
I think there's something about music that people crave well,
they do want to feel like people just get them,
you know what I mean. And sometimes when you're wrapped
up in all that glitz and glamour or whatever, like
trying to live some life that's not you, like, you
(23:06):
lose that and I think that comes across in music sometimes, yeah, you.
Speaker 4 (23:09):
Know, yeah, for sure, playing the part is like there's
like such like a fine line there. Yeah, you know,
like I feel like when we're on stage, we play
the part, but like off of.
Speaker 2 (23:20):
It, it's like I don't really you know, yeah.
Speaker 4 (23:23):
I don't really relate to that type of person that
I am on stage necessarily, the one that's jumping around
and screaming.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
I'm much quieter, like day to day.
Speaker 3 (23:33):
Just can magically dance when you get on stage and
then you get off and like what do I do
with my arms?
Speaker 1 (23:38):
Yeah, there's got to be something about that energy of
just being up there with the fans and stuff like that. Though.
Speaker 3 (23:43):
Yeah yeah man, yeah theater.
Speaker 5 (23:45):
Yeah, it's like I think people want they want the
performance and they want kind of all the aspects of it.
But at least in my experience, like the worst thing
is like meeting like people that you look up to
and it like feels like, oh, that's that, Like they're
not like a real person.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
I like, it's like the it's like.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
The act and and I have I have a.
Speaker 5 (24:08):
Bit of like sympathy for it for some people, I guess,
like you see, like it really like people just want
the stick, right, And that's probably a tough thing to
like live in. But I mean, like I always I
always like tell like I talk to my mom and
dad about it. I'm like, it's not like none of
this is real, Like the idea of tour and like
kind of the the mystique around it is like none
(24:30):
of it's real. Though, Like I come home and like
I remember I was I told my mom, I was
like I think people have like certain like maybe visualizations
about artists that they like, but like I go home
and like I'm the most regular, Like I'm very boring.
Speaker 1 (24:48):
I play video games and hang.
Speaker 5 (24:51):
Out with my dog and it's like nothing, so like
I don't want to be any more than that to
anybody else, Yeah, because then I just feel like I'm like.
Speaker 1 (25:01):
Yeah, yeah, do you think that, Like, do you guys
do like VIP tickets where there's meet and greets and
stuff like that.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
This time yeah, this time around, we're doing it. We're
doing VIP for the first time on this tour this fall.
In the past, I mean like in the last year
with some of the headline tour, and we've been doing
we've been you know, we've been sticking around for a
long time after shows and just like talking to anybody
(25:28):
who's waiting outside, and.
Speaker 4 (25:30):
We've done that for for the whole time, like we've
for the entire existence of our band.
Speaker 1 (25:35):
Is always that's.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
Just what we do. It's just getting a lot.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
It's more of a me.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
It's like a lot more people are kind of.
Speaker 4 (25:41):
It's a mental health decision more than anything. Yeah, Like
very it's very set. The specific time to do this.
Speaker 1 (25:47):
And I feel like that feels like it's probably the
challenging part when people do want to come up and
meet you guys and take the picture, but there are
so many people waiting, Like how do you balance being
authentic and having those real conversations, but like, also we
kind of have to move this along cause there are
so many people. Like that balance seems tough to me,
Like thees part, Yeah, well, you.
Speaker 5 (26:05):
Don't want to come off as like, yeah, hey, we
got to keep it moving right, but also like it's.
Speaker 2 (26:10):
Late, we do have to get going, like there are
other people.
Speaker 5 (26:13):
So it's it's it's just trying to balance that.
Speaker 4 (26:15):
I think historically, especially especially like when up until this
point that this tour that we're about to go on
is the first time we've ever like we're doing a
bandwagon for the first time, we have a driver, but
up until this point we're driving ourselves.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
We're like driving.
Speaker 4 (26:30):
Two hours to a hotel, sleeping for three hours, getting out,
driving four hours of the venue, doing it all. So
it's like it is nice that this time will have
like dedicated time to meet people and say hi, and obviously, like.
Speaker 2 (26:44):
You know, if we see somebody outside the venue, like
we're always going.
Speaker 4 (26:47):
To say hi, right, Like I feel like we have
a really good relationship with our fans in that way.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
Yeah, I think I think it's it's important to say,
like a lot of our fans, like they don't they
look at us the way that like we're describing, Like
we just have like the most normal conversations, like we
tease each other.
Speaker 1 (27:04):
We like your fans are funny.
Speaker 3 (27:07):
They're funny, like funny, Like I can't say for like everybody,
but like there are there are a lot of fans
that like, you know, I know their dog's names, and
I like some of them. I've met their dogs and
like they get Yeah, some some people have like I remember,
I can't remember what SAIDI it was, but somebody like
went home and then brought their dog back and waited
(27:28):
outside the venue. But yeah, like they it's it's pretty
easy to to talk to like a lot of our fans.
They they they don't they don't make it hard to
to have a conversation. And they're especially coming off stage,
like they don't they they for the most part, they're
(27:50):
they're really respectful with like energy.
Speaker 2 (27:52):
And they know the boundaries, expectations and stuff like that.
That's really nice.
Speaker 1 (27:56):
So, yeah, is there a song that you hear more
often than the rest that come up and said that
they connected with.
Speaker 4 (28:04):
I feel like this last tour, a lot of people
really love both. And that song is kind of about
just how two things can be true, you know, like, uh.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
The song the song I wrote about a.
Speaker 4 (28:21):
Situation that was very like, you know, I don't even
know how to describe it in a way.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
That's not super specific, but like like two very polar
opposite things can be true at the same time, Like
you can be a great person but still have done
really shitty things. And I think that that's kind of.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
It's a commentary on it.
Speaker 4 (28:40):
And and I think that a lot of people have
experienced like that in like relationships with I mean, I
feel like different all kinds of relationships, you know.
Speaker 1 (28:48):
Like we all have to some degree where like and.
Speaker 4 (28:50):
People kind of learn, you know, say and do different things.
And and I think that in a weird way, I
don't think. I don't think we really expected that, But
when I think about it, it's like, yeah, I bet
a lot of people have experienced something like that, where
somebody's saying one thing and doing another, you.
Speaker 1 (29:05):
Know, I wanted to. I wanted to bring up what
If You Change, because bring it up. This is like
probably my favorite song so far that has come out
this year. Like I've was just looking back at my
repeat radar on Spotify and this thing was like number
one on there, And I want to know if this
part was was intentional, because I remember I saw a
TikTok that you guys posted that said they don't really
(29:26):
make songs like break Even anymore from the script. Yeah,
that was my like first heartbreak song that I ever
like really connected with. Yeah, right, I feel like for
so many people it was like it was just such
a staple song and I remember like just going through
it and then I hear what If You Change, and
like it's obviously like I think it's the same chord progression.
Is that what it is?
Speaker 3 (29:46):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (29:47):
Yeah, so it very very similar. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (29:49):
Yeah, so it already kind of feels like that song,
but it feels like this later version of that song,
and for me, like break Even is it's learning for
the first time that like you can really get your
heart ripped by someone who told you they were going
to be there, and then what If You Change feels
like the fear in your future that like I've been
through that and I don't want to do that again,
And like using the same chord progression of break even
(30:11):
felt like the scars of your past being the reason
for the fears of you now in the future, you
know what I mean? And that to me like yeah,
it said me. I couldn't I be thinking about it
for like a week. I was like, these guys are genius.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
Is the wildlife I love?
Speaker 4 (30:26):
I think what Have You Changed is one of our
favorite songs, like collectively on the record. It's the first
one we recorded, and I think there's just like moments
where you're sitting down writing something.
Speaker 2 (30:36):
You're like, oh shit, this is good, this is good.
I'm I'm I'm writing a really good song right now.
Speaker 1 (30:42):
It like balances when we were writing it, I hope
so because it balances that nostalgia with this like newer
song and like these feelings that you've been through that
it just there's so much tied into it. I feel
like it had so much depth. Where did that I'd
even come from?
Speaker 4 (30:55):
I mean, I like I said, like the last record
was you know, about heartbreak and kind of the end
of something, and this record is about the beginning of something,
and I think, yeah, just the commentary of like, oh,
being fearful that that what happened before could happen again
and things like that. And I just think, especially with
(31:17):
the break Even thing, that's that's something that we really
talked about a lot on this record, was trying to
find ways to make songs that were really really good
and felt like bangers but not in like the loud way,
because I think that that's something that we've done for
a while and that I think we're good at, you know,
like we especially on the last record, just like a
(31:37):
lot of like in your face stuff that that we're
really proud of. But I think with this record, we
really wanted to find, you know, a good balance of like,
let's like break Even, Like that song is like huge and.
Speaker 3 (31:51):
It's like the perfect song, but it was classics that
like you kind of forget about, like break Even.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
Fix You, fix You Yeah out there, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (32:01):
Like the ones like that or and They're Timeless.
Speaker 1 (32:04):
Yeah, yeah, those are the ones that like, like I
was just at a wedding this last weekend, and you know,
they're playing actual bangers, you know what I mean. And
then how to Save a Life comes on it was
the loudest the entire the whole night. You're like, how
to Save a Life is secretly a banger because it's
just one of those classics that like everyone feels, yeah,
And I think you've done a good job of capturing
that feeling in this new album.
Speaker 4 (32:22):
Yeah, trying to find like that time, like that good
timeless like zone yeah and for everything.
Speaker 2 (32:28):
So what if you change feels that way? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (32:30):
What is each of your favorite records on or favorite
tracks on the new record?
Speaker 2 (32:35):
Start us off, Carson.
Speaker 3 (32:36):
Man, at this moment in time, At this moment in time,
I'm going to say, I'm going to say Real Estate.
That one like that one feels like as a producer,
like I don't listen to a whole bunch of like
indie all pop rock like what we do, Like, I
don't listen to a ton of that type of music
(32:56):
really much like anymore. And I like, I really love
like R and B, funk, hip hop like all that stuff,
and I love making tracks like that. So I think
that Real Estate feels like a really fun blend of
like our rock side with like a lot more of
like our funk influences and stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (33:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:20):
So there's there's a lot of that on this record.
I feel like just a lot a lot of like
funk influences R and B hip hop. Maybe not a
lot of like R and B hip hop, but like,
I don't know, it feels like a really fun blend
that haven't gotten to do a ton of. So I
think right now that one's my favorite.
Speaker 5 (33:39):
Mine feels so like day to day. I feel like
every time I like look through the record and like
listen to tracks, I have like a new favorite.
Speaker 2 (33:48):
I think lately heaven is a place.
Speaker 5 (33:53):
Honestly, lately, I've really liked that's.
Speaker 1 (33:55):
The one right now in this specific moment, i'd probably
say either that or either that or growing up song.
Speaker 5 (34:01):
I think has always been like one of my favorites.
It's just one of those things where like anytime i'm
like thinking, I'm like really thinking about other tracks, I'm like, oh,
but that one's really good too.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
I feel like that's the sign of a good album. Yeah,
you know what I mean. When you think of an album,
sometimes you're like, oh, yeah, those are the two. The
rest are kind of whatever I think you're going through,
and be like, oh, they're all good. Yeah, it's a
good sign.
Speaker 5 (34:22):
I think those two right now though, if I had
to like narrow it down, yea, for different reasons.
Speaker 3 (34:26):
But I love both of.
Speaker 2 (34:27):
Those right now.
Speaker 4 (34:28):
Yeah, I feel like my favorite and the one that
I think is the best are different. I think the
best song like in I know, music subjective, but in
like in a very objective way. I feel like wreck my.
Speaker 2 (34:41):
Life is just like it's that one.
Speaker 1 (34:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (34:43):
I think my favorite, though is I think my favorite
is growing up song maybe okay, yeah, or real Estate.
It's just got that bounce.
Speaker 1 (34:54):
Yeah, you know, I feel that.
Speaker 4 (34:56):
I don't know, I think that for me, like the
I don't want to say related, but like I feel
like I'm inspired a lot by More singer songwriter, like more.
Speaker 1 (35:08):
That's an earthquake.
Speaker 4 (35:09):
That's crazy. I've never felt that in my life. You
guys are that is crazy?
Speaker 3 (35:16):
Do we need to like get out of here?
Speaker 1 (35:19):
I don't know yet. We'll see if that's it. We
should be all right, it's still going, Yeah, it definitely is.
If things start falling, we should get into this desk
right here.
Speaker 2 (35:28):
That's crazy.
Speaker 3 (35:30):
I hate that the floor right now, dude, dude, I
am tense right How often does that happen?
Speaker 1 (35:38):
Okay? So that's interesting you say that because not that often,
but in the last month we've had a couple it's
been so interesting. Oh that's crazy.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
I've never that. I was like, I've never felt smaller.
Speaker 1 (35:52):
So what's your natural disaster back where you guys are
at tornadoes?
Speaker 2 (35:57):
All the Midwest tornadoes and.
Speaker 3 (35:59):
Like that's scary uprisingly more in Tennessee than I ever
than I would have expected before moving there.
Speaker 2 (36:05):
I agree, But like.
Speaker 4 (36:06):
Nashville, like has one tornado go through it, Like one
through not too long ago.
Speaker 3 (36:11):
Yeah, like in twenty twenty, like there's a.
Speaker 2 (36:14):
Yeah, there's a big one in twenty twenty.
Speaker 3 (36:16):
Two that at the same time that just.
Speaker 4 (36:19):
And then I think the next year there was one
that was pretty big two but it didn't go through.
Speaker 3 (36:23):
It destroyed that first one destroyed like the Basement East
like Iconic Venue in Nashville. They had to rebuild it.
Speaker 1 (36:30):
See that seems much more terrifying to me.
Speaker 5 (36:32):
Yeah, I think it is, but it also is like
it's kind of in one place and it's traveling, so
like if it does hit you, it's it's horrible, but
like if you are safe for like thirty seconds, you're
like good.
Speaker 3 (36:46):
Like that is weird to me.
Speaker 5 (36:47):
Because I'm like, I don't know how long this lasts,
is gonna last?
Speaker 3 (36:50):
Yeah, the severity it is not very like apparent and
you can't prepare for it like you have before a
tornado hit. It's like, yo, the sky like it you
can tell right now?
Speaker 4 (37:04):
Yeah, tornadoes don't I don't know.
Speaker 3 (37:07):
Make sure everything's shut, get in the closet or the
bathroom or I.
Speaker 2 (37:11):
Think last year we were all like in bathrooms. It
was like it was like the most random tornado though, yeaheah.
Speaker 4 (37:16):
I was like colling Jack and Mike are you and
the because we weren't Me and Jack lived together at
the time.
Speaker 2 (37:21):
But yeah, that's just funny.
Speaker 1 (37:23):
Well, you'll get mixed reviews here because earthquake.
Speaker 2 (37:26):
I know that's insane on air live but.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
You know, but like some people will be like very
scared of them. But I feel like for me, like
we had some massive one when I was a baby, right,
so I don't really remember. So I've not really witnessed
a like true terrifying earthquake where buildings collapse and it's
like a natural disaster. I know they happened. I know
it's very possible, but I've not experienced that, So I
feel like earthquakes don't scare me as much as a
lot of other people, you know what I mean, Like
(37:50):
what we just experience. That's probably I almost never feel
them in general. Some people be like, oh did you
feel that? And it's a little bit of shaking, and
like sometimes if there's construction across the street, like I
don't know the difference, you know, yeah, don't is kind
of narly there?
Speaker 4 (38:01):
Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah, even for you like your
face you're like holding the like that's an earthquake.
Speaker 2 (38:09):
That's a scary part.
Speaker 1 (38:10):
Like you don't know if like sometimes that's how it
starts and then it gets worse, and like we don't
know if that's going to be an eight point zero
and things start falling, or if that's just all it's
gonna be, you know.
Speaker 3 (38:18):
Sitting right under this giant speaker.
Speaker 1 (38:21):
Yeah, yeah, both of you first.
Speaker 5 (38:23):
To go.
Speaker 2 (38:26):
Don't worry guy.
Speaker 3 (38:27):
Songs on the album.
Speaker 1 (38:28):
Yeah, I'm glad we made it litten. What else today? Okay,
another selfish ask here. I just want to ask you
about the re record of Waterfalls. Is it because you
just got better at mixing or something? Because I feel
like there's a beauty to the way you originally record it,
And I don't know. I listened to both and I
can't decide which one I like better.
Speaker 3 (38:47):
I think a lot of people share that. Yeah, same thing,
I think, I think, I don't know. I think that
the song is just so like specifically that one and
Somebody's Gonna Love You. For the two that we that
we did like that we re recorded, I think that those,
I mean, those are the literal two first Wildlife songs
(39:08):
ever made. Yeah, I think, and they you know, I
think that we just felt like those songs are so
good and still representative of like what we are now,
and we could.
Speaker 4 (39:24):
I feel like we could like the old versions didn't
represent who we are now, like the way that and
so like that was part of the reason why it
is like we wanted to give them a facelift a bit.
Speaker 5 (39:33):
Also like in the in the context of like the
live set, especially if Somebody's Gonna Love You, I think
it would be you know, if that's sandwich between you know,
maybe like Lonely and good it bad at us, those
songs feel a certain way, they have a certain energy,
they feel big, and then if you put that in
between it just it kind of felt when we played
it like kind of sucked the air out a little bit.
(39:54):
And and maybe you know, the fans would disagree, but for us,
it just kind of felt like this like very weird
change of pace. And so we're like we had kind
of toyed around with the idea of like what if
we just made this feel like we just recorded it
for the first time.
Speaker 1 (40:09):
It did feel more full for sure.
Speaker 4 (40:11):
Yeah, I get that we wanted to feel good about
playing them live because like they are like some like
two of our fans' favorite songs from us, and like
I think we found ourselves being like I don't want
to play this song, but like we felt like we
needed to, and so it was nice to I guess
just like why not.
Speaker 3 (40:27):
Not a lot of people do that, Like it's kind
of just fun, Like people can still listen to the
old one. It's not like we're doing anything like I'm
glad we liked the old placing. Yeah, like we're it.
We just kind of why not, Like why not do
it for fun?
Speaker 1 (40:45):
I briefly wanted to ask you guys too, because since
you've been doing music for so long, I feel like
you've really seen life without social media and now having
to do social media as a band as well. And
I'm sure since you guys do everything yourself, that's another
element that you have to worry about all the time. Yep,
what is that battle?
Speaker 4 (41:00):
And like it's a battle, it's been a battle. I mean,
I think I think it's all to really summarize it
and make it like a short story. Like one thing
that we've said from the beginning all the way. I mean,
maybe not right at the beginning, but one thing we've
learned over time and continues to be true is like,
(41:21):
in a lot of ways, the music industry is like
survival of the fittest in the way where it's like
you just got to be the last one standing, and
so you have to learn to adapt and and kind
of fit into, you know, the environment that you're in.
And so obviously it's it was hard for us in
(41:42):
the beginning to like kind of accept like, Okay, I
think we need to be doing these things that you know,
we don't necessarily want to be doing or didn't expect
to be doing right and just kind of learn like
how to how to make it fun, you know. And
I think that's like an ongoing process because like we
there's been times where we're like really into it and
(42:03):
they're like, oh, I hate my life.
Speaker 1 (42:05):
Yeah, you know, it's all got consistency, they say, you know, yeah.
Speaker 3 (42:07):
Yeah, so much of it is like you're just kind
of leaving stuff up to luck and it.
Speaker 1 (42:13):
Is its own lottery system.
Speaker 3 (42:14):
Yeah, it's hard.
Speaker 4 (42:15):
It's hard to find a balance of like what feels
true to you and like what's going to work in
air quotes, like there's such like a battle there. And
I think because we've been doing it so long, we've
gotten to the point where it's like we're going to
do what feels true to us and what feels good
for us, because if we don't, like it's gonna melt
(42:36):
my brain.
Speaker 1 (42:36):
Yeah, and so and I think it'll people will notice,
you know, yeah, yeah, I think you can see the authenticity,
Like it does look like you're having fun on social Yeah,
it does.
Speaker 2 (42:45):
Yeah. And I think I think that that's, you know,
the biggest part about it.
Speaker 1 (42:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (42:49):
I think a lot of people have a hard time
getting over the fact that they have to do it.
Speaker 2 (42:53):
Yeah, have to do it, that nobody has to, but
like should that you should or you know whatever.
Speaker 4 (42:59):
But like I think people can get in their own
way hyper fixating on what it like doing it at all,
and to hold it back.
Speaker 1 (43:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (43:09):
And I think the mentality of like like what like
what's like why the purpose of being like super active
on social media? Like, I think it's important to remind,
at least for me to remind myself like this isn't
you're not just shooting for like the viral blow up,
you know, like you're you're interacting with you're already existent.
Speaker 1 (43:33):
Fan base and building a community.
Speaker 3 (43:35):
Yeah. And I think that, you know, for us to
like earlier talk about like you know, we're just super
normal and want to have like normal, like regular healthy
interactions with our fan base and be viewed that way.
Like only way for people to get to know us
(43:55):
like that is to see us be normal and stupid
on social media and do dances and they have fun
with it. Yeah, Like yeah, so.
Speaker 4 (44:06):
Yeah, do the Apple dance. It's not that hard, it's fun.
Speaker 1 (44:09):
Yeah, it took me. It's like the one thing I
was having a problem with. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (44:12):
Everyone does. Yeah, and everyone does.
Speaker 1 (44:14):
Yeah. So tell me about the tour. What can I
what can we expect when you come through to us
here in Los Angeles.
Speaker 2 (44:21):
I mean it's definitely gonna be work. I mean we're excited.
We're gonna play the new the most of the new record,
I think.
Speaker 1 (44:26):
Nice.
Speaker 4 (44:26):
Okay, uh, I think there's only there's one that we're
not gonna play. We're probably not gonna play Aliens just
because you know, it's a.
Speaker 2 (44:36):
Five and a half minute a ballot.
Speaker 1 (44:37):
Will there be ballads on the tour though, Yeah, yeah,
for sure, for sure.
Speaker 4 (44:41):
We just have such a big discography now that it's
like it is hard to choose, and so we're gonna
play most of the album. We're definitely gonna add a
bit of an element of like a different setless night tonight.
Speaker 1 (44:53):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 4 (44:54):
Yeah, Like you know, there's just so many things we
want to play, you know, so and we put out
music so consistently that it feels like this last record,
we played all the songs, but we didn't really play
them for that long, and it's like we're already cutting them.
Speaker 2 (45:10):
It's like that feels crazy.
Speaker 1 (45:12):
So you didn't give it its life on stage?
Speaker 2 (45:13):
Yeah, exactly. So it'll be fun.
Speaker 4 (45:15):
We're doing two legs, one like Midwest East Coast and
then a West coast leg, and it'll be fun.
Speaker 1 (45:22):
Yeah, and I'm excited when you guys come by, La Man,
I got like a we got a squad going.
Speaker 2 (45:26):
Yeah, right, building squad rocks. Look.
Speaker 1 (45:30):
I appreciate you guys coming in. I know you're on
a busy schedule, so we'll get you out of here
the wildlife. Thanks again, boy, Thanks Sean.
Speaker 2 (45:35):
I appreciate you.
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