Andy Frasco's World Saving Podcast - EP 119: Samantha Fish

Episode Date: March 30, 2021

THE BAND IS BACK... (for at least one show anyway) Andy & Co. celebrate a very special Passover with some new friends. And on the Interview Hour we welcome a good friend, a model songwriter, and a KILLER guitarist: Samantha Fish! She and Frasco reminisce on the good ol' days back in Kansas City. Nick Gerlach both loves and hates Los Angeles; just as he both loves and hates himself. Shawn sings a beautiful song. And Andy closes us out with some weekly encouragement. This is EP 119. Follow us on Instagram @worldsavingpodcast For more information on Andy Frasco, the band and/or the blog, go to: AndyFrasco.com Check out Andy's new album, "Keep On Keepin' On" on iTunes Spotify  Do yourself a favor! listen to samanthafish.com   Produced by Andy Frasco Joe Angelhow Chris Lorentz Audio mix by Chris Lorentz Featuring: Grandpa Frasco Shawn Eckels  Nick Gerlach Arno Bakker

Andy, it's your grandfather. I called to wish you a happy Passover and I watched the shit show this week. And it is so funny. It's like watching Sid Caesar's The Show of Shows. I laughed so much when you did the balloon thing. I didn't know helium did that to your voice. I thought it only made it higher. I didn't know you could go lower. Your mother told me about the food poisoning and that is really, really bad.

I'm so, I had that when I was in Korea and it is bad. So I hope you feel better and, uh, maybe come over and your grandmother will make you some matzo ball soup to make you feel better i didn't know how much you loved the mushrooms you were talking about that so much uh next time your grandmother will put them in the pot roast so i love you call me and maybe we'll do a face or FaceTime this week. Okay, bye-bye. Now, a message from the UN. I'm over living this COVID life Without touring there's nothing to do 250 milligrams should be just right

So I turn on the tube And eat a chocolate bar or two Give me some weed boy and pack some bowls Let's get high on some elbows and drift away Oh, jamming some beach boys and heady fish shows 350 milligram elbows and I'm tripping face all right and we're back andy frasco's world saving podcast i'm andy frasco how's everyone doing out there staying focused on our dreams not letting 2021 fuck you

you know we're almost out of this pandemic people March survive in advance not just the March madness but also with this pandemic I saw people in Florida going crazy on the yard

they had to get the riot police damn I'm telling you it's gonna be a crazy festival season when they open the floodgates up. Um, music is just going to, people are going to like shit themselves when music comes back. I have a feeling. Um, hope everyone's staying safe. Hope everyone is staying well. I'm staying in the pocket, you know, like a rapport says like Danny blue eyes, Dan Marino, stay in the pocket. Don't get that, that juicy COVID. And, um, we're going to get through this.

We're almost out of it. Year and a half. Isn't that crazy? It's going to be a year and a half when all this shit is done. Are we different people? Maybe probably I am. Um, that's who, um, I had a conversation tonight. We have Samantha Fish on the show. And Samantha has been my friend for 12, 10 years. And I haven't talked to her in a couple of years. And that was the first time talking to her. And, you know, you know, it's like, like any good friendship when you get back into it, it's just like, you know, fucking like nothing happened. And, uh, you know, we change as people and that's good. That's fine. You know, sometimes your dreams aren't what they were when you're elementary school. I mean, I remember when I was in elementary school,

wanted to be an agent, uh, like a sports agent, like Jerry McGuire. And then I became a music agent when I was in high school. And now I'm a musician and interviewer and stuff. And it's just amazing the path you take to finding what you truly want. You know, I don't think I could be a sports agent. I don't think I have, you know, the narcissism in me to ask for, you know, 200 million dollars when my client only scores 10 points and fucking three rebounds like some of these guys are getting overpaid but you know that's not me to judge either um but i just want to say whatever you're going through whatever dreams you have even if you are fighting for that same dream you had in 13

dreams you have, even if you are fighting for that same dream you had in 13, go get it. If you want to change, do a complete curve ball with your life, you know, getting a divorce, fucking quit your job, become an alcoholic. I mean, whatever you want to do, whatever your dreams are, go do it. You know, I wouldn't recommend quitting everything for alcohol, but, um, recommend quitting everything for alcohol, but fuck, it's your life. Do your thing, boo-boo. Get that shit. But I've had a great week. I went to Vegas with the band. Shout out to Vegas. Shout out to Shua. What a fucking host. Wow. First time the band played together in a while, and we are fucking kicking ass, dude. It's like nothing, like it didn't stop. That was the best part about it. You look at it and I'm like, damn, these guys are in my band.

Sick. And we just fucking wrote some new shit and just got back into the feeling, you know, because I've been away from music, you know. It feels like I took a year off. I mean, I did some shows, but I really dove into this interviewing and I really dove into trying to write some comedy and stuff. But the music never leaves you. It's like my dream.

It's my passion. This is what I love to do, entertaining, getting out there. So it was just so nice to play music with the band. And Gerlach sat in. Shout out to Gerlach for being in the band for a day. He's like, I don't know if I can handle you guys, but no, you can't handle us, Gerlach. Pretty insane.

We're a pretty insane group of people, but it was great to get the band out there. Andy, Chris, Lorenz, who edits the podcast, he came out. Sean, I see Sean a bit now. And it's just good to get out there with the boys and remember what we used to do before the great quarantine, granddaddy. I can't wait till I'm like 80.

And like, because I mean, it was, the quarantine wasn't that bad. You know what I'm saying? It was like, for me, I don't know. It was like the first time I was home for a year and I was like, I bought a house. I'm like always chilling. I'm like in the kitchen.

I set up my office in the kitchen because I always want to learn how to cook and I'm still didn't, year and a half, still haven't done shit with that dreams of being a Emeril Lagasse or whatever the fuck his name is. But I stared at my grill or whatever they put, what do they call it?

Oven inside my kitchen. I'm like, I'm like, one of these days I will do that. Until then, I'm going to get better at interviewing. But, you know, it was amazing when you forget who you were when all this thing happened. Do you remember who you were? For good or bad? You know, for good or bad?

And it felt good to get out there play with the boys and feel like this fucking thing is just we're almost we're almost rounding uh third on this uh fucking quarantine just do the right thing until everyone gets um you gets vaccinated if you're doing that. And you should if musicians have to. But we're almost back to normal and it makes me feel good. And I'm going to clap to that. We did it, guys. We fucking did it.

Wow. We fucking did it. What a year and a half. I remember in March last year when we first got into it, it was, well, I guess it's not a year and a half yet, but when we get back on tour, really in June, it'll be a year and a half. March was like survive in advance and we're back at it. Survive in advance. I won some money. I hung out with Barnstool Sports. They took me out to the bookie. They know I'm a virgin. And I started betting all underdogs because I love a good underdog story. And one

of my underdogs won, Oral Roberts. So that was fucking tight. And just, I love a good underdog. If you're an underdog out there, if you're someone who thinks in your head that out there, if you're someone who thinks in your head that people don't give you the time of day or don't give you that shot you fucking deserve because you know you're a bad motherfucker, you're a bad motherfucker, you know that. It's always good to be a good underdog because when you do make it, you can kind of put your shoulders up a little bit and take a deep breath and say, I fucking tried through all the tribulations and stuff. There was a lot of people counting me out too about being a musician. Oh, he's just an entertainer. You can't write a fucking song. Oh, he's just the guy who does the horror. Look at us now, writing songs, got a song in a movie with Judd Apatow in it. I mean,

I don't want to boost or anything, but, you know, sometimes you got to take a step back and let yourself know you're a bad motherfucker. You're strong. You're vigilant. You got this shit. We survived a fucking pandemic. God, do I have to play the music? Yo, guess what?

Hey, man. Or lady. You survived a pandemic. How many people in a hundred years could fucking say that? You, you're the one fucking survived. I'm done. Brian says I can't play that music anymore. I'm going to get sued by whoever wrote I the Tiger.

You survived it. Give yourself some credit. That's fucking huge. Maybe we got broke in it. Maybe we're on unemployment. Maybe we took our relationship curveballed or maybe our careers curveballed for just a little bit. But at the end of the day, think about it.

You survived a fucking pandemic. Killed a bunch of motherfuckers. Crazy. No disrespect to the people who died because it's fucked up. And it's heavy. But you survived. So give yourself a round of applause.

Make yourself a fucking sundae. Go hit that big old bong load. Go buy yourself a gram of weed. Smoke the whole fucking thing. Because you deserve it. We did it. Nice. All right, guys.

We have a great show. We have Samantha Fish. Shit show. We did it. Nice. All right, guys. We have a great show. We have Samantha Fish. Shit show last week was fucking sick. You know, the boys, all my homies were on that show. This week is even better. We got Rachel Price from Lake Street Dive. We got my homie Shira from Tiraquaz. She gives me love advice.

And, you know, my best friends, Green Sky Bluegrass. Big old Davey Bruza sent us a musical performance. They're putting out a new record. So I'm excited to hear. I've heard some demos and they're fucking good. Man, that band is a good band. Green Sky is a good fucking band. So that's going on.

We got the dance party April 3rd. It's an Easter slash Passover celebration. They're like, hey, Fraski, you want to do the Easter party? I'm like, is there even any Easter DJ music? And then I'm like, and it's Passover. My mom would be pissed if I just said I'm doing an Easter party. So it's an Easter Passover party, so come on out to that. It's on Twitch.

We've been, that shit's been blowing up. I think it's all 160,000 dancers who've been dancing with me. That's, it's, it's, it's insane how many people watch that thing. And now we're getting the gamers,

these like 13 year old kids getting in there. Fucking don't even know who Whitney Houston is. And I'm, I'm rocking that shit. I'm getting these gamers to dance and get off their chair and their headphones and just fucking burn a rug. So that's good. We have that tour coming up April 9th.

I think it's April 9th, April 7th. Birmingham, still not sold out. Come on, Birmingham. I know I don't come out there a lot. I know it's a Wednesday, but let's get it. Let's go get that shit. Come on. Come out and see the band. Be the first show. Everyone's going to be jacked up. My band's going to be jacked the fuck up to play that on that stage. That's going to be a first show in a long time.

And then we're playing in Conway. That show's not sold out either. It is close to Charleston, and we did fucking sell out two shows in 10 seconds seconds. So, um, come on Myrtle beach. I've never been there. Show me a good time. Show me a good time. And then we're playing with our boys on freeze. Oh, I can't wait for that. That's going to be fucking sick. I'm going to see Bayless and Stacey. I can't wait for that. That's sold out though. So if you didn't buy tickets for that, that's on the 10th, um, Springfield, Missouri almost sold out. Go grab your tickets. If you can Springfield and Fayetteville is almost sold out. Go grab your tickets if you can. Springfield and Fayetteville is almost sold out. And thank you. I know it's been a minute since I've been, I got worried when

I first got tickets like, Oh fuck, everyone's not showing up. And then y'all showed up. So thank you for that. It's going to be a good one. I'm pumped up. I'm jazzed up, but we got the shit show. And then we just announced a live stream I'm doing with my boys, Kitchen Dwellers and Mahali. We traveled around all these national parks and did these concerts to no one besides us. Like we rented this. I didn't rent it because I can't afford that. But our friend let us borrow his yacht in Lake Powell,

which was fucking sick. And we did a concert on top of the boat, like a houseboat. And then we went to the Zions and then we went to the Navajo reserves. And then we went to Moab and we, we, and we just set up these concerts right on these like natural, um, beautiful areas. And, uh, you should go check that out. That's on fans. Beautiful areas. And you should go check that out. That's on fans.

And basically we all do a bunch of music and we play together and we interviews. It's well done. Dave DeCiani killed it. And shout out to Davey. Let's go, Dave. Let's go, big dog. Way to go. Just killing it out there.

Dave, 11-11, they're just like set up an office in Mexico. Said, fuck it, it's quarantine. I'm going to quarantine in Mexico. So that's dope. And then thought about this traveling road show Dave and I did. And we said, let's fucking do it. So we got all the guys on there. So go check it out.

Mahali is an amazing songwriter if you don't know him. And Kitchen Dwellers are fucking good. And they're popping. And they're going to blow up. I have a feeling they're going to be the next bluegrass wonder. So go check that out as well. All right, guys, I'll leave you with this and we'll go listen to Samantha Fish. Stay optimistic. We're almost out of this shit. Depression hits when there's light on the other side of the tunnel. And I know it's weird I say that because like, no, it doesn't, but it really does.

It's like the last chance to be sad. So your brain's like kind of pushing and like, oh, you're supposed to be sad right now. It's the end of the world. And really, we're rounding third, baby. We're gonna get through this shit. We're gonna have a great summer together. We're gonna be off these fucking screens.

I can't wait to get off these screens. I've been, you know, I say that and I'm pitching like three different fucking shows on screens but you know it'll be good to have a break summer I'm taking time off from the shit show going on tour with the band going seeing the country again and you know I'm gonna keep the podcast going because I love doing that as well. But like I said, stay inspired. Stay focused on your dreams. Stay in the now, even when your brain is trying to fight with you. And spend that stimulus money on something good. Not I did see that was really fucked up.

It's like all these guys are just doing these $1,400 sales on bullshit items. I'm like, come on. Money's for surviving. Use that money for some food. Not some new Jordans, some Dior Jordans. I actually did think about that, actually. I haven't got the stimulus check yet, but fuck it. Mine comes in the mail.

I get a check. I don't know why. I did think about getting some Jordans, but I'm like, no. I was kind of broke last month. I'm like, Andy, save your fucking money. The tax man is coming, and you don't have that many expenses, so your tax bill is going to be crazy because I still have to run this band even though the band wasn't going on.

I had to pay all the expenses, and I was in survival mode, so I have a feeling I'm going to have a big tax bill this year. But like I said before, you ready to have a good week? Let's have a great week. Let's stay focused on ourselves and happiness and all that hippie shit I always talk about every week. And just so you

know, give yourself a round of applause. You made it through a pandemic. Let's fucking go one more time. Let's go. All right. Enjoy Samantha Fisk and I'll catch you on the tail end. You'll love this interview. It's like friends getting back into friendship. It was beautiful. All right. getting back into friendship. It was beautiful. All right. All right. Next up on the interview hour,

we have my homegirl, Samantha Fish. Fucking one of the best guitar players. Chris, play some Samantha Fish. Back before I was a homewrecker. She's one of the best guitar players on the planet. I mean, she is an incredible talent from Kansas City. Now she's becoming such an amazing songwriter, and she's growing into herself. I've known her for about 12 years, and she's actually the reason why I moved to Kansas

City in the first place. Yeah. She gave me some advice. I'm like, yeah, I'll go there. And then I moved there and she moved to New Orleans, but you know, that's life. It was nice to get deep again. Like we used to, after we used to call each other at like 3am after our shows or something and say, how'd your show go? Talk about what we could do to stay present and get better at our craft. So I think we're going to like this interview. All right, guys. Enjoy Samantha. Oh, baby, you decide I can kill or be kind Back before my kids branded you You were wild and free to roam. Back before I made a mess of many of you, you were happy to be alone.

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, I could kill or be kind Oh, make up your mind Oh, maybe you decide I could kill or be kind Oh, baby wants to make up your mind I can kill or be kind Ooh, baby, you decide I can kill or be kind By the way, I'm so happy for you. This show seems like it's doing so great, dude. I'm happy for you.

This is fucking awesome. Thanks, Sam. Thanks for being part of our show. You are our guest this week, Samantha. I am. Yeah, I am. Thank you for having me. I mean, I tell my audience this a lot, but you're the reason why I moved to Kansas City when I moved there. Oh, my God. Yeah, you were asking me, you're like, how's the Midwest? I'm like, it's pretty great. It's in the middle.

And right when I moved there, you got a house in New Orleans. You were going to bring this up. I knew you were going to bring this up. You know, I felt so terrible about like just the timing of how all that worked out. And I know. That's life, though. What do you think about timing? Mine's terrible.

Mine's pretty bad. But, you know, I don't know. I mean, timing. What do you think about timing? I don't know. I think like in general timing, it's like you want things in life when you don't you get things in life when you don't expect them. So when you want them, they don't come. But when you stop thinking, stop looking for it, they show up. Yeah, I think it's I think I think that's pretty accurate. Is that how you feel with your career? In some ways. But, you know, I think you and I are a lot alike. We're both really hard workers. And so when good things happen, it feels like a product of that hard work. Yeah.

and so when good things happen it feels like a product of that hard work yeah you know because we're constantly chasing it down um but there's ups and downs you know sometimes it works out some some things work better than others and other things don't um but i i feel like yeah i mean you just got to kind of focus on the art and the music and quit trying to make certain things happen at certain times because eventually they do i i think i think if you work hard enough they you know it's it's like statistics eventually something will happen for you i mean totally i mean you've been doing you've been grinding this music industry out since you're what 12 um no i think um i i probably got my official professional start around 19, 20 years old. But weren't you like playing in clubs in Kansas City super young? No, I don't know.

People come up and tell me all the time, I used to see you when you were down playing on the street corner at 12 years old. I'm like, that wasn't me. And I've argued with people. I've straight up been like, no, that wasn't me. I didn't start playing guitar until 15. And they were like, no, that was you. I remember that was you.

You were a little kid. I was like, all right, fine. So I don't know. There's like folklore. There's some other little kid down from Kansas City who used to apparently look like me. We're the same. I don't know. No, but I didn't know that.

So you started playing guitar at 15? Yep. Yeah, I played drums. I started drums at 13 and then I moved to the guitar at 15. Why? I don't know. Because my dad was playing and all of his friends played. And I think I secretly, I was so, so shy. So I started on the drums to be in the back of the band.

And then I think I just secretly wanted to be a front person. And I just, I didn't know. I didn't know that at the time because I was super shy. Who were you listening to? I wanted to, I think I wanted to sing and I wanted to play and have the sing to accompany. I didn't start like diving into lead guitar probably till 18 or 19. So weird. I know. It's crazy.

So were you just writing songs or? Yeah, like kind of just learning chords and figuring out songs, you know, different songs I liked and just adding them to the songbook. But yeah, I started like wanting to get into lead guitar a little bit later. I don't know. It was like everybody I saw was like this, you know, like Freddie King and Stevie Ray Vaughan and Angus Young. There weren't a lot of female influences, maybe just in my periphery at the time. Now looking back, it's like there were a ton of them. I just, for whatever reason, it wasn't in my immediate consumption area.

I don't know. I think I started at 18 or 19, really getting heavy into trying to solo. Why the blues? I started with the blues because, first of all, Kansas City is such a, you know, it's got a long tradition of jazz and blues. So there's like a really great foundation for that. And a lot of like blues jams, you know, you know this well. There's a lot of you could go anywhere in Kansas City any night of the week, take your guitar and sit in. And I think I just like the improvisational, you know, form, you know, you could, you've got this kind of foundation and it's really all about soul and grit and this like kind of raw emotion. And I really, I don't know, I just, I felt like

it was a great medium for me as a guitar player to channel, like just to channel some emotion. And, you know, I kind of came more from that side of it. I wasn't I was never really like a technical player. You know, I kind of missed all the super great jazz school technical capabilities. So I don't know. I kind of focused on I'm self-taught. So I think that was part of it as well. So who was the first guy or woman or whoever to tell you that, hey, you might be able to fucking do this, Sam? Oh, gosh. Probably my the first time I ever got on stage was like this porch party in Kansas City. And this band was playing.

And I just loved the look of this guy's Gibson. It was like this thin little Chet Atkins model that looked like an acoustic guitar from the front. But then when you get up, it's actually like a thin little electric guitar. And he had this great voice. His name was Greg Camp. And during their set break, I went up there to check out his guitar. And just threw it on. He was like, play some songs for these people. And I don't think in a million years I ever would have gotten on a stage like if I had time to consider it, because I couldn't even get like a book report in sixth grade. I was so nervous.

You're shy. You're really shy. Oh, yes. Yeah. I mean, I'm better now, but like as a kid and like a teenager, like an adolescent. Oh, yeah. Did you get embarrassed a lot? Do I get embarrassed a lot? Like what? Why? Like, why do you think you had like a shy attribute? Um, I don't know. Just personality. I think I I don't know. I'm not I'm not sure. Did you get picked on as a kid?

Oh man, we're diving deep, huh? You know, I'm going for it, Sam. You're my, you're my home. You're on my show, girl. You know, I, I think I was so quiet, so I wouldn't get picked on. You know, I, I, I kept like, I just, like, if you talk to anybody I went to school with, they're like, yeah, you were like crazy quiet, just very I don't know, very shy person. But this guy, Grape Camp, throws me up on stage and I perform for people and I just got this like I mean, I remember it feeling terrible and and really scary. And but it was also like just so exhilarating. And he came up to me after and he goes, you've got the voice. You need to do this. Like you have something special in it.

Just like it was the first time I feel like I'd ever really heard that, you know, from, you know, a stranger. You know, you're encouraging people around you. But just to have that kind of unbiased feedback from somebody who, you know, that was up there killing it five minutes ago. And he just was really nice and encouraging. His name was Greg Camp. So Greg basically gave you the confidence that you felt like you didn't have as a kid. Yeah, I mean, it's a long road.

I don't think it's just one person, but I sort of found that confidence in myself over time. You get it a little bit at a time. Every time you go out on stage, you get a little bit of that feedback. I think that's why the audience has always been just so important. As much as it terrified me to be in front of people, having that kind of transfer of energy from me to them and back and forth. I mean, you understand it.

You do it every time you get up there. It's like it feeds you, you know? Totally. Like, how are you dealing with not having an audience to feed this during quarantine? Oh, I'm changing. I'm changing.

Becoming something. No, I mean, it's been really weird playing, like, when we started this whole thing, I was just doing live streams from my laptop. And it's really, I mean, you know, it's really weird to get done with a song and I'm like applauding myself. Like, woohoo, I'm so cool. Thanks, guys.

It's a little awkward. And then we moved on to doing these live streams like at Tipitina's where it's like a film crew. And, you know, it's cool, but it is a little strange. It's just a little one-sided, you know? Yeah. Are you hard on yourself? Am I hard on myself? Yeah.

Absolutely. Yeah. I mean, I'm very, I'm the most critical person of myself, I'd say. I think that's being an artist, though. You know, we're always, like, trying to grow and do better. And I don't know, anytime I think I'm doing awesome, something humbling comes across. It's like, okay, you know, let's refocus and get back to the work. Like what, what's, what was the most humbling thing that's happened to you? Oh God. Um, you know, put me on the spot. I, I'm trying to think of like a specific instance that was crazy humbling.

I'm sure there's like one really great example that I'm overlooking right now. But anytime you step on stage and you think like, okay, I'm just, I'm going to rock this shit and I'm the shit. And then something like, I don't know, my heel breaks off my shoe or my strings break or my guitar falls off. And I'm like, you know, like a clown all of a sudden on stage, you know, juggling chainsaws. What about moving to New Orleans? You know, like that must have been intimidating. Like, you know, it's like when you live in Kansas City, I'm not, no disrespect to Kansas City,

but like you're a big fish in a small pond. Then you go to New Orleans and you're with all these incredible, just super talented people in the scene. Like, was it intimidating when you first moved to New Orleans? Um, you know, I think it was on a personal level, beyond the music, it was the first time I'd ever moved someplace that wasn't my hometown, you know, that I really didn't have like the foundation of, you know, family and just some, somewhere to fall back on. And, you know, I think that's intimidating, but I mean, you, you've moved around quite a bit from, from your home base and, you know, you kind of,

it gives you this, you become stronger for it. I think you really really you really find this strength and you realize you know we're really not as far away as it feels I mean Kansas City is what 13 hours away I could be up there in an hour flight or I could drive if I need to go but I know that that was initially very intimidating as far as musically I mean there's just so much going on I I really came down here to find like the inspiration as a songwriter. And there's so many, there's a deep pool of musicians to put a band together from. And, um, you know,

I, I just feel like it's an, it's an art town, you know, there's so much culture and art and just things to appreciate that it only can make your, your well of art deeper and, and more interesting.

So, you know, that's, that's kind of why I came here, but yeah, I mean, hell yeah. It's intimidating to move so far. So, you know, that's kind of why I came here. But yeah, I mean, hell yeah, it's intimidating to move so far away and, you know, surrounded by these like giants of music. It's crazy. And you did it kind of by yourself. I mean, like no one really moved there with you from Kansas City. You know, I want to talk about why you felt New Orleans was the perfect place for you to be inspired through songwriting. Well, I was, you know, kind of bouncing back and forth between Nashville and New Orleans.

And I didn't know anybody in Nashville at the time. So I think I felt when I went there and I actually looked for places there first. And I felt just a little more like I think I'm going to be feeling isolated if I come here. In New Orleans, I did know I had some friends. My manager lived like an hour and a half away. So it was like, I felt a little more like I had some connections here. And there's a lot of actually Kansas City people down here. Some friends from like high school and just kind of these loose connections that I knew I had just a little bit more of a stronger foundation, you know, on a personal, on the personal side, I just felt like I came here when I was a teenager and it was

somewhere I always wanted to at some point be. And I felt like it was the soul move at the time. Like it was just something that, you know, my heart was calling for. And, you know, I love it here. I think I always, if I don't have like a primary residence here, I always would love to have, you know, something here just because it's a great place, you know, to come and, you know, just soak up inspiration, honestly. Yeah. Like what are you writing about since you've been there in New Orleans?

Like what are your thoughts right now? Everything. Yeah, what? Tell me. I don't know. I mean, it's all across the map. 2020 has been strange because obviously, I don't mean to point out the obvious,

but it's the first time I've ever been able to just sort of sit and write where I'm not on the road trying to write songs, like kind of between shows and hotel rooms. Like I've had nothing but time to sit and write here. You know, I think at the start of the pandemic, I was kind of really brooding and very depressing, like my writing. And then as we've kind of gone forward I just finished an album and I'm shocked at how like um how happy and uplifting and empowering the songs are I think maybe I was writing from this place of like where I'd rather be than where I felt you know I felt I think we all felt kind of helpless this year yeah and um and so these songs are kind of like empowering

and sexy and about taking control and it's kind of it's a fun record so I mean that's sort of where I've been at lately with my writing but um you know I and I'm not so sure that that's necessarily like a New Orleans influence sound wise because we've been so isolated um but I think just having that experience of picking up and going across the country it's just it does it. It does everything. And it challenges you inside internally to, you know, to grow. Were you ever burnt out? Of course, I think that's something I never want to admit to myself.

And people will come up and be like, don't burn out. You're working so hard. And I'm like, I would never. I'm a robot. like don't burn out you're working so hard you're and i'm like i would never yeah i'm a i'm a robot i will never burn out i mean i think we i think we all have that um i mean you work harder than anybody i know do you do you feel like you've ever burned out before oh fuck it all the time girl okay well i i feel i feel weird admitting it but but yeah, I don't know. But cause I, I, I want to go out and like, just be like unfucking stoppable. And yeah. When, when this thing hit last year, I think I kind of realized with myself, I'm like, I think I was tired. And I sort of initially like welcomed this like breather for a second and then got immediately tired of it. Cause I'm used to running all the time. But yeah, I mean, dude, I think it happens. I just

don't admit it to myself. Well, like, you know, backstory. I mean, the people who don't know the other side of Sam Fish, the amazing guitar player and songwriter is you put I mean, you are fucking driving the van when I'm when we were hanging out two years ago, you probably are on some tour bus now, but like you were driving the van. You were fucking doing merch inventory with the homies. I mean, like, and it was just you and a bunch of dudes and you're driving this fucking big old Sprinter and stuff. I mean, like, is it hard for you to like take the control out?

For sure. Of course. You know, and I'm happy to report that since we've seen each other, I do have somebody who drives now. Let's fucking go. Let's go. Let's go. That's my girl.

Moving up. Happy to report. No, just getting people involved. Well, I mean, I don don't know are you a control freak i think i might be yeah we totally are i i just i don't i don't like it when um i have to tell someone they made a mistake or something and so that's why i'm so hands-on because i don't want to have to like i don't want to be like coming down on anybody and you know the job you know 100 of what needs to be done because because you've got it all in the back of your mind you know there's more to just being on

stage and performing when you're running the show the shit show yourself you're up there thinking about like okay how did i bring enough cds are we parked in a no parking zone are we you know am i gonna need to get my oil changed you know it's a's a lot of... While you're shredding on stage. Yeah. Oh, I think I forgot to pay my taxes. Oh, Lord. Yeah, there's a lot of things to think about. But, you know, I think just bringing in people, I mean, of course, letting go of the reins a little bit

and just opening up your world to have a team. A team is so important. We can't do this all ourselves. That's how you burn out, is trying to do too much. And so I'm more, I'm more or less, I'm trying to focus on what my job actually is. And I, and then I can do it better. I can do it better. Well, maybe that's why you wrote such uplifting songs because you're taking, you're taking off the weights a little bit. I think so. I mean,

it's been nice. I, I mean, this has been the last few years out just expanding the team. I mean, it's been nice. I mean, this has been the last few years just expanding the team. I mean, when I got that big band a couple of years ago. That was huge. I couldn't believe it. It was so crazy. We're back to a trio right now due to COVID, just keeping our bubble small. You know, less people in the bubble, right? Less chances of bringing the bullshit back. So I am, you know, we're back to a trio right now, but I mean, I really like the big bands. I really dig it. What's the difference between big band and trio? It's like, it's less hiding. Like it's basically you could hear all your imperfections

and your perfections. I think with, okay, so with the trio, I get there. It's, I feel like, I mean, you can improvise with a big band, but it's just more people to communicate with. Yeah. But there's a little more room for like, really stripped dynamics with the trio because the less instrumentation, just, you know, improvisation, you can really just sort of go up there and make this very organic raw thing night to night and it can be different every night um and same with the big band but like i said just requires a little more communication on stage which i think sometimes i don't know i'm a terrible communicator i just kind of blink at people and they're like what what do you want what the hell do you want from me um but the big band you know you get this like lush arrangement like you can really make

You get this lush arrangement. You can really make these songs sound very versatile. You can just do so much with a bigger band. Was it more stressful having a bigger band? It's a lot of moving parts. I don't know if more stressful. It's just more personalities. You're spending a lot more money.

So it's like, to be honest, you're spending a lot, there's a lot more money being spent. So, you know, I, of course, when I'm thinking about like that, I'm like, okay, well, if this is what it costs, I got it. It needs to be this level of excellence. And, you know, you kind of have this like measuring stick in your head, like what it's got to be every night. I think I don't want to say it's more stressful because like in a trio, if something goes wrong with my amp or something, and the show shows were completely stopped, you know, we have to figure something out with a big band. You know, there's just more room for on stage for things to happen and problems to be had. Like everybody's protecting each other and making the show better. I don't know, man.

I mean, playing music in general, it's really, really fun, but there is a stressful side to it. What's the hardest? I just try not to focus on it. What's the hardest? Yeah. Well, let's focus on it for one second, then we'll get away from it. I've had like three cups of coffee today. I know, me too.

Let's tap into these anxieties. I'm capped up with anxiety today too. What's the hardest part about music? Oh, the hardest part. I don't, I mean, I don't know. I think it depends on what you're focused, like day to day, it kind of changes. For me, I think I want to start with the easy part. That's a much shorter answer. When things are right and they just flow, nothing else matters. It's like all the bullshit that you worry about.

If we can just get that show right and it just feels right and the audience is there and we're we're doing our thing nothing feels better in the world and nothing can take that away not not any amount of stress but you know if we're talking about the things that are hard about it um uh finding your limitations and trying to stretch beyond them technically. You know, there's, there's difficulty in, you know, when things don't quite gel right. But I mean, I've been really blessed to work with musicians where things do gel in the last, last few years, things have been going well, but the business is hard. I mean,

there are some things that are just out of your control. Like I can control that moment on stage, but there's certain things outside of it, like in the business world that you just can't force to happen. And, you know, that can be kind of difficult to, you know, wrestle with. The idea of, yeah, the idea of not having control on something that it's out of your hands, does that give you anxiety? Not when you put it that way,

because when you realize it's out of your control, I mean, what good does it do to stress about it? Yeah, true. It's like, you know what I think about? I listen to all your records. I'm a friend from afar. I know we haven't talked in a while, but like, I still support you too. And I still support you and I'm still feel like I'm your big bro or little bro. And, um, and for the sense of that, like,

I know where you started and how they tried to market you into this blues area. And I listened to your last couple of records. I'm like, this is just a songwriter does it freak you out like when you're trying to change your category you know like being out of the blues and being your own identity and maybe ignorant

motherfuckers can't even see through that you're a girl playing you know blues guitar riffs or something like, does that bum you out? You know, I don't know. I'm happy to have a place. I'm happy that I have fans that have seen through the change in sound and genre and it doesn't freak them out. But, you know, of course we've've like there's there's always this conversation of what is this? You know, we can't we want to define it because people want to package and define and put it into a box the second they get it because it's easier to make sense of.

And I've been really I've started kind of switching it up probably 2016, 2017, just saying, fuck it. Like, we're just going to I'm just going to like keep taking these turns and do what I want to do. And and I think that we're getting our fan base kind of used to that sort of abuse. Like they're like, OK, we're along for the ride, you know. But it is it can be difficult, difficult you know because I I feel like you know it's funny somebody asked me the other day they're like do you consider yourself a blues artist and it's like I am bluesy I think the way I play guitar and the way that I sing naturally because of the music that I really um was drawn to from, the beginning of my creative persona is it's bluesy, you know? So

that's always going to be a part of who I am, but I feel like I stretch it's stretching beyond that now and just, you know, finding a way to connect with that broader audience and that broader genre and, you know, pool, it can be difficult, but I mean, it's just what I'm doing. So it's up to the world to kind of categorize it and perceive it as what it is. You know, I don't know. Yeah, that's one thing that gives me anxiety is like we're letting other people categorize our art. Yeah, but can you can you I mean, whenever somebody asks me what it is, I'm like, I don't know. It's just me.

You know, it's hard to like it's hard to describe yourself. Do you find that with you? Like, yeah, it's hard for you to describe what you do. I think it's hard to. yourself. Do you find that with you? Like, is it hard for you to describe what you do? I think it's hard to, I think you nailed it on the head. I think it's hard to describe who we are because we're ever changing. You, you know, we're different people than we were when we first met 10 years ago. You know? Yeah.

It's like, I don't think we need to explain ourselves of who we are. We just have to be. Yeah. In a be. Yeah. Yeah. But then, you know, you, you get all these writers who want to like describe what the new album is and dun, dun, dun, you know, it's not like the last one. Yeah.

You got that? I got you. I got you. But it's, I don't know. We're in this weird place, especially with, you know, like blues and blues rock. The fans of the music, you know, you find a lot of these fans are like, they like classic rock. And so they kind of naturally flow over to this blues world. And so I think blues gets kind of, there's traditional blues and then there's this like contemporary thing that's evolving into other things.

And, you know, it depends on the fan that you ask, like what they think blues music is. Everybody's got their own definition of it. And I don't know. I mean, I just think for me, it's my job to make music that makes me happy and God fucking willing, it'll make somebody else happy and they'll buy the album, please. No, it's so true though.

It is halftime at the Andy Fresco interview hour. That is enough, L.A. sports fans. Can you stop winning? Can you leave something for the flyover states? The city has won the championship in NBA and MLB in the last year, and you could argue they have the best player in football too Oh, actually you can argue they have the best player in all three sports Americans care about Leave some wins for the rest of us

I get it, I'm from the Midwest It's cold and we're lonely and we're tired My favorite team has literally never been to a Super Bowl I spent a week in Malibu with Andy in December. Everyone there is at least a six. Oh, and they're all in shape, and none of them have anything to do, and they're in good mood because their sports team won again last night. Oh, they all dress great, too.

Well, except for Andy, who has the wardrobe of a side character in Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2. All I'm saying is I cannot wait to start hating the Lakers again, and that's why I'm going to stop rooting for the Lakers the second LeBron retires in 11 years. That's enough, LA sports fans. When do you feel like you wrote a song that you're content with and not just writing songs for your fans? Do you ever do that?

Like, write just,, Oh yeah. A hundred percent. I mean, I, like, especially this year, you know, we aren't getting this feedback anymore. I, I, I think this year I just started kind of saying, all right, like I'm going to write for me. I'm going to write what makes me happy. And you know, i but i feel like i've always kind of done that you know it's just who i am in the moment and you know some of its bluesier some of its more rock and roll some of its kind of country twin you know tinged and soul and r&b this next record's got a little poppiness to it oh my god it's a bad word but

no it's like i think it's i don't, it's a bad word. No. Fuck that. I don't think it's a bad word. I always say the Rolling Stones were a pop act when they came out. Are you afraid to go into the pop world? No. It's just a bigger pool. What are we talking about? A big fish in a small pond? Yeah. No, totally.

I'll be a very, very little one. Yeah. And does that freak you out? I think the idea of playing some you know of of making music that's not true to who i am freaks me out more yeah so i'd rather go into the great unknown with something that i feel really strongly about and very confident about because i'm going to be able to fight for it if I really believe in it. Is that is that how you the mentality you get every day when you get on stage to. Yeah. This competitiveness. Of course, I think I'm competitive. I don't know. Yeah, I think we all are. I think you need a little bit of that if you're going to be fucking

chastised every day on stage. You know, I don't know who I'm competing against. I think you need a little bit of that if you're going to be fucking chastised every day on stage. I don't know who I'm competing against. I think sometimes I'm competing against myself. Explain that. I don't really have any enemies in mind that I'm competing with, but it's just a matter of, I don't know, it's something you do to beat your chest and go out there and feel like I'm giving it my all right now. Who taught you that sort of competitive, confident nature? Probably my dad. Yeah, he's yeah, he's he's very.

How do I say this? I don't know. He can be like my dad's like he's super funny. Yeah. He can be an asshole. Yeah, like all dads. You know, Bill, you know my dad. I know your pops very well. He's like, I think I grew up wanting to be a lot like him because he's got this very fiery, I mean, he's a competitive person. He's a competitor. I think he kind of instilled that in us.

Me and my sister were sort of raised like kennel dogs. We were like, how do you go at it? I think he kind of instilled that in us. Me and my sister were sort of raised like kennel dogs. We were like, how do you go at it? I know, because it's so funny. And like kind of, you know, looking back, I feel like it'd be hard. Like both you, you and your sister both are in the music industry. Yeah. You know, and it's kind of like, it's like a cockfight in a sense where it's like two people trying to make it. Did you ever get in it with your sister because you got more successful than her or whatever, yada, yada?

Was there a competitive towards each other? I think that early on, I think we've had these competitive feelings towards each other and I don't even know where that comes from. That's just such a weird sisters. I mean, you guys aren't that older. You guys are like kind of close to age, right? 15 months apart.

Yeah, fuck. Yeah, yeah. That's hard. We came out the womb just boxing each other. Let's go. Yeah, we call it Irish irish twins um but we i mean amanda i i don't know i i'm trying we've we've had our our moments you know uh growing up and you know coming into our early part of our careers and um at this point now it's like

i'm very supportive of her and whatever she wants to do. And I feel that, you know, she feels that way towards me, too. It's just one of those things that we kind of just like don't really get involved in each other's situation. You know, I respect what she's doing and I think she respects what I'm doing. Like, you know, live and let live. And I'm happy for her when she succeeds. And, you know, I and let live. And I'm happy for her when she succeeds. And, you know, I'm there for her. Is intimacy hard for you?

Intimacy? Yeah. Not like lustful intimacy, but like connection. Like in relation to kind of coming up. Building relationships. Building relationships with your parents, your sister, or your manager, or if you have a boyfriend, I don't know anymore, you know, yada, yada. I don't know.

Maybe it kind of depends. I think you become a little bit, you know, with what we do, you probably become a little guarded when you meet people. you know, with, with what we do, it's, you probably become a little guarded when you meet people. And, um, you know, I'm sure you've had, I have horror stories of friendships gone awry and relationships gone awry and it makes you a little more guarded. Um, and it's the older we get, I think it's a little harder to let people in, but it's something I actively try and just, people in, but it's something I actively try and just, you know, it's, it's way, life is way better when you have, when you let people in. So I, it's something you, I have to actively be like, okay, you know, it's okay to trust a friend. It's okay to call people. It's okay to, you know, to allow

yourself to have support. Um, but no, I mean, I have some core relationships that I don't feel like I have a problem with that. But sometimes with new people, it's a little hard to drop the guard. I mean, I remember we used to call each other at 3 a.m. after gigs and just either one of us were venting or whatever it was. Either one of us were venting or whatever it was. And like, I really felt like you were one of my first girlfriends that was just past, you know, the physical attributes and just like truly having a connection with that. And from that, I want to say thank you because you taught me how to love myself

and you taught me how to love myself and you taught me how to, you know, be intimate with someone, not just thinking about sex or whatever. So thank you. I appreciate that. Oh man, thank you. I'm always, I think you're, I think you're very special and I think what you're doing is very hard. And I, and I, and I watch your chat rooms, your fan pages and stuff. And I kind of sometimes want to be bigger brother, you know, and like, what the fuck? No, this is not. Stay out of that shit. Don't even go in there. Oh my God. Sometimes Sam, I'm like, I'm about to kill a motherfucker. Like I've blocked, I've blocked both of my parents cause they would go in there and fight people. Yeah. So like, I mean, isn't that the hard, I mean, that, that's gotta be hard.

Like people thinking of you like in that sexually emotion with, through these old dudes, like some of these old dudes are just out of control on there. Like, how do you, how do you not get insecure about that? I, I don't look at it if I'm being completely... I mean, every once in a while, I'll pop on to the groups just because it's like, oh, you have some reported posts that you need to take down and it's some weird porn or something. I'm like, okay, I can block that person.

I've got a great admin and a social media person. I try not to look at it because it kind of, I don't think it's good for your mental health. Like, first of all, you know, I don't need to be getting a big head. And second of all, I don't need these kind of mental issues either. Do you ever go to therapy? I have tried those like, you know, because I'm on the road, like the phone stuff.

It's kind of strange, though. Yeah, it's a little weird. Well, what do you think? It's hard to talk to somebody. Huh? What do you think strange of that? Well, first, I haven't gone to like a real therapy therapy in a long time, like probably not since we were super like young preteen kind of age so I haven't like gone and sat down with anybody so it's probably weird then too but just

here's a stranger and I I have to unpack myself in 45 minutes and try to come to some kind of conclusion about it and you know sometimes you get matched up with a person who is like totally off in la-la land. And it's just kind of strange. I'm like, okay, so let me just explain to you what's going on with me in 45 minutes. Also, I have to tell you about 25 years of fucked up stuff. And I have 40 minutes to do it. So just please listen. But I mean, it can be helpful.

I think you just have to cultivate a long-term relationship. And sometimes it's just good to talk about things and maybe having that unbiased person who won't judge or, you know, have some kind of preconceived notion about you and your problem. It's nice. But, but also I find with therapy, like I'm just telling them my perspective. So they're always like, you go girl, you're the best actually. You know, all those people suck. I'm just telling them my perspective. So they're always like, you go, girl, you're the best. Actually, you know, all those people talk like, well, wait, I might be the jerk here. You know, I might. But you're only hearing my side of it. So this isn't really fair. And you're only telling them what you want to tell them.

Right. Right. I'm shaping your opinion of me. Yeah. You're basically making yourself the hero and the anti-hero. But, you know, and that's like, But you bring up a good point where therapy, you can't just, it's okay to keep finding different people. Like don't get stuck.

Just because you have one person telling you an objective doesn't mean it's the right objective or doesn't mean that fits with your personality. You know what I'm saying? Right, right. And if you don't feel heard or listened to, you know, it's okay. You know, not everybody clicks with everybody. And even though it's somebody's job to be a therapist, like there's very much a personality and a vibe that has to fit with yours. And

I think sometimes that's just, that's really hard to find. Yeah. It's like the same thing as love. So you're not going to just pick this, the one dude you meet on the street. Oh yeah. Love and friends. Like you're, you're very particular about your friends.

Yeah. Oh man. I have so many questions. I haven't talked to you in so long. Come on. Do you have any stalkers? Do I have any stalkers? I have had stalkers? I have had stalkers.

I don't know. It's not that exciting. Like nothing really cool has happened. You know, I haven't been like kidnapped. Knock on wood. No, don't even put that in the fun. No, shoe devil, shoe devil. I don't know.

I mean, I've had some weird things happen, but nothing like you know nothing that makes like a really really cool story unless I crazy embellish it just you know your ordinary everyday average weirdos it's fine yeah what

about what's the difference between your European fan base and your American fan base or like what is the difference between American listeners versus European listeners for your type of music? Well, it's kind of, it's hard for me to really judge one because we go see them like once a year. Yeah.

And so, you know, once or twice a year. And so you feel like this really exciting fervor. Like every time I go over there, like I feel it. I don't know. You know, I feel like a little more, I guess, because we tour so much more in the States, I feel a little more connected with, you know, the hardcore fans over here. Like just because I see them more often. Yeah.

It's hard for me to say what the difference is. You know, it's like different region to region too. You know, the UK fans are really different from like the German fans and the French fans and everybody, everybody's different, but I don't know. There, I love going to Europe because there's just this enthusiasm and excitement, I think because we only get to do it like once, once a year, once every two years. And it's just, it feels so exciting. And I feel like the fans are excited too. You know, it's like, it's like a special thing. Yeah. God, Sam, you're like, you're like a woman now. It's crazy. I mean, you always been a woman, but like, even when we talk now, we were little kids when we met, we met at George's and Fayetteville. Do you remember that?

I know. I know. And I remember everyone was talking like Sam Fish is the next one. Now we see you in your career and you're kicking ass and it just, it fucking makes me proud. And, um, so what, what kind of advice would you tell young Sam Fish that you have now? Um, just be confident in yourself. People like, um, you know, you're what you have naturally is, is what draws people in, you know, you don't have to like, think about it so hard. Just like, I don't know. I think my initial, my initial, um, thoughts about what I should be doing were like right on the money. And it's like playing from the heart and like really given this heartfelt performance and all the, you know, there's show business around it. And I wish I would have had more of the confidence early on. So like,

you know, really go for, go for some things that I just, I don't know. I felt a little reserved about and just like really committing to putting on a show i think i felt like this obligation to be you know like homegirl like uh yeah you know and i wish i wish i would have committed a little bit more because it's so much fun you know it's so much it's so much fun and it's like it's it feels rock and roll and I think it just I've given myself the permission to to be a little freer yeah like letting loose like like the idea that we talked about before is being so hard on yourself yeah it's like do you feel like sometimes you have to wear a costume um imaginary not like an actual costume I was, I wear costumes every day. I love it.

Get a girl, get a queen. Let's get a queen. Yes. Hello. Um, no, I, uh, I don't know. I mean, I think so. I think you got to, when you go out, it's like, you have to be on, you know, and some days maybe you're not a hundred percent, but you, you know, even when you talk to people after the show, you're like, you're, you're doing a different version you know even when you talk to people after the show you're like you're you're doing a different version of yourself aren't you like it's it's not you know you're not going to show everybody like oh I had a shitty day and I don't know you know I'm tired it's like you try to like it's like you know a level of I don't know personality like you want to I want everybody to leave feeling good about things.

You know, so, I mean, I guess that that, sometimes maybe it feels a little like a costume. But, I mean, I feel like for the most part, I'm who I am. And I try to be as real with people as possible while also embracing something that's bigger than me, you know? What is? What's bigger? Just something larger than, you know, me, Samantha, the girl from Kansas. You know, like I'm trying to embrace something that, you know, like to elevate people, you know? Like the show, I don't even know what you would call it.

Just show this show business-y side of things, you know? Just embracing this bigger picture. Yeah, and like showing people that took chase their dreams and what you can do when you finally chase your dreams, you know? Yeah. Like, um, did you, what were your first memories? Like, did you always knew you're going to be like, maybe it wasn't guitar, but did you always knew you're going to be like a person for the people? No, I don't know. I mean, I think back about like when I was a kid and the things that I wanted. I think I think I always wanted I wanted to do this, but I didn't always believe in myself.

And that belief in myself has kind of fluctuated a lot, even over the years, like even recently. And, you know, when I remember being like 10, 11, 12 or whatever, you have these dreams of these kinds of things, but you don't know how to get there. And I think I started when I started actually seeing you know live shows for the first time and saying oh my god there's like a tangible there's a tangible path it's not just like you know one day you're sitting here in your house and now you're on the radio and you're you know there's like there's there's steps to take and there's something to build off of and I think that gave me confidence just seeing like the path laid out in front of me.

But I don't know. I mean, I don't really... My memory is just dog shit. I can't really remember when I was a kid if I wanted to be this public or out for the people. But like, okay, you brought a good point up. So the idea that even as you get successful, we still go through these low ends of our lives.

These like, I need a pick me up. Even if we just zoom out a little bit and see our lives, like, oh yeah, we're doing exactly what we were born to do. How do you get out of those slumps? Just keeping that bigger picture in mind. You said it right there, just zooming out and saying like, okay, this is my life. And really being grateful for the good things that you have in it, looking at the things that you've accomplished. I have to keep stock of that. I have to look at like, okay, these are the people in my life that I love and that love me. I have this, I have, you know, like at the accomplishments I've,

I've got, you know, the places I've gotten to go and the people around the world that seem to be affected by this thing that we're doing. It's like, I try to take, I try to take stock of that. And that makes me feel better. Like if I'm ever feeling down about something, I mean, just having that, that big picture in mind. and it gives you that inspiration to keep moving and keep growing. No, totally. That makes sense. Like what, what do you think triggers these, these downhill spirals? Just life. I mean, I think, I think we're all subject to just daily stresses and our mood and depression. I think getting maybe too stuck in the moment sometimes.

You want to live in the moment, but sometimes you get a little too in that moment and you forget to look at how great... Isn't it such a balance? I know I'm talking myself in circles here. No, no. I 100% agree. Live in the moment, but not too much, balance? Like I know I'm talking myself in circles here. No, no, no. I am 100% agree. Live in the moment, but not too much, I guess,

is what I'm trying to say. Is it hard for you to be present? Keep going with that comment. I'm going to ask you something after that. Oh, I was just saying, I'm just joking around. I was just going to say, when you're too in the moment, get out of that, get back to the big picture. And then when that's too much, get back in the moment.

Yeah. Hey, get out of the clouds. Hey, get in the clouds. God, this fucking industry is so fucked. It's such a mind fuck. Yeah, it is. It can be. I mean, I've had some pretty incredible experiences and also some like really, you know, just knowing some people will view you as like, they just look at you like the numbers and it's like, okay, here are the numbers. And that's a little deflating at times because, you know, we're looking at like, no, the art. And they're like, no, the numbers.

And that's a little weird. It's a little weird as an artist. Yeah. And that's what I think that's what fucks up a lot of artists is they get caught up with the idea that we have't know how to actually do that. I like organic growth. I mean, you see a lot of, I don't know if you saw that documentary, but it was about instant, instant famous. Yeah. Fake famous. Oh my God. I've been talking about that for months. Buying Instagram likes or buying, buying likes. likes because for me it's like the whole point of social media is to communicate with an audience if the audience

isn't real who am i communicating with what that what the fuck am i doing yeah like so i have no interest in in any of that um but i understand it's just weird. It's like this whole strange cyclical thing that it's hard to make sense of. No wonder why we're all so insecure as artists. I mean, like, think about being an artist without social media. Do you think you'd be more content with being an artist? it's weird because this year it's like, I feel like my entire career has been on the internet because we're not out actually doing these real shows. You know, I'm not in the person, I'm not in the flesh anymore. This is like, I'm on the internet. And God, that's weird. I feel like that's been such an important part of like my growth and my career

is, is touring and being real and in person. And that's what people connect with. But then they come back to social media and it keeps us all in touch. I feel like it's a great way to keep in touch. That's really kind of how I look at it. Um, but I don't know. I mean, I came, I can't really even imagine coming up in the age without social media. Cause I came up after that started being a thing. I don't know if I would have what I have if I didn't, if we weren't on YouTube because we had viral videos that blew up like two of them. Which ones? Somebody in Brazil shared a video of, I put a spell on you from a cell phone camera like eight years ago. And they did this like four years ago. And I was so upset because the video was like, eh.

You know, it was all right. You know how many videos I've paid for, like, that are so much better. Like, I put so much, we put all this money into branding. And then like some cell phone video from eight years ago where my shoes are missing from my, and I'm like, hey, you know what i'm doing my song it's not even my song it gets like millions millions of hits and all of a sudden like my social media blew up and and then that happened again two or three years later another cell phone video god damn it oh like another so and i'm i'm, I know I sound ungrateful.

No, no, no, no, no. I'm just joking, but I'm completely grateful. And like, but I don't know if I would have, like people came to the show because of that. People saw these videos and all of a sudden they're like, oh, she's coming to Cleveland. Let's buy our ticket. And like.

Did you see instant, like, like right after those videos popped? Like your ticket sales were like. Yeah. So, I mean, I can't talk about it. Yeah, badly. It's a double-edged sword, you know? It's a double-edged sword. I see the good in it, but I also see like the bad in it too, you know?

It's like kind of like when musicians get famous from that song that barely made the record. It's just like the extra song. And then all of a sudden that's the song you got to play for 25 fucking years. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, that's the one.

That one that you guys weren't even sure about. Now that's your song. You have to play it every night for the rest of your lives. That just happened to me recently. I just got a viral video and I put the music first for always. But the video that got me 20 million views is this video of me pretending to be in a scary movie where I'm the pubes, where my pubes pop up in and stuff.

I've seen this. Dude, it got 20 million views. I got like 20,000 ads and like it, but in like Thailand and in India. So like everyone thinks I'm just a comedian now. And like, no, I put all the music, I put all my effort into, I just put out this fucking video. Cause I didn't have anything to put out on a Tuesday. And I was like, that blows up. Well, God, man. I mean, it's tough because like, that's, I know people found this video of me from eight years ago and they come

to the show and they're yelling for this thing to happen that hasn't happened in like eight years. And I'm like, I don't know. You know, I mean, I it's so funny. We're kind of we're dealt these cards and it's like we're grateful for the opportunity because, you know, even even if not everybody went and looked up your music from that video, somebody did. You're right. Somebody did. A great number of them probably did. They're like, hey, I like this guy. I'm going to follow him. And oh God, he plays music. You got some benefit from that.

And that's great. Even though it might not be exactly what you want to be recognized for, there's something in that that's going to be helpful down the road. And it goes back to what we talked about in the beginning of the conversations. If everything was given to us right away, I don't think we'd have the road. And it goes back to what we talked about in the beginning of the conversations. If everything was given to us right away,

I don't think we'd have the drive. No, I think that's what makes it special too is the motivation and the drive. And I think that's what people feel off of what you're doing and what I'm doing. It's a whole journey. I think being driven is great for the art yeah i think that's that's it's great for it because you're right if we had every if we were like completely set up in

certain ways maybe this maybe the music would suffer a little bit maybe great music comes from a little bit of suffering fuck yeah look at these kid stars oh look at macaulay is that great though? Is that greatness? I mean, you know, he is pretty great. I'm not trying to down on anybody, but like kid stars, I mean, that's a little different. That isn't for us. That's not like music for us. That's for kids. I know, but like talking about fame,

like what if you got famous at 12 or 15? What if you like right when you started playing guitar, right when you first wrote that song, you got famous? Do you think you'd be a different person? Oh, probably. Yeah, I mean, I think I might not have. I mean, I don't know. That's a hard question to answer

because I would have been dealt a whole different series of issues that I would have had to overcome. True. The aging child star. Oh, that's a horrible, that's a horrible one. I mean,

that's, that's hard. Like those kids go through a lot. I mean, I'm sure I'd be different. I mean, I'd be, I'd be really different.

But, you know, I'm sure I'd, I'd have something that, that would have happened to me. And it's like, it's all character building. The older we get, shit happens to us and it builds character and it changes who you are. It makes you more compassionate, empathetic and, you know, focused on your goals.

I'm sure. I'm sure. I mean, I wouldn't be me, but I'd be somebody else and hopefully I'd still be a good person. I don't know. Is that the most important thing to you? Being a good person? Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. I think it's, it's, it's really important. I think that that's the mark you leave on the world. That's, you know, at least that's what I think about when I go to bed at night. I mean, I, you can, you think about the music and the business and this and that, but that. But if I did something where I didn't make myself proud or I fucked up with somebody, that's what I think about when I go to bed at night.

So I think it's important. Yeah. Do you second guess whatever you said? Do you remember shit? My friend called them. what does she call him it was like either the the shame shivers like after a night of drinking or something you wake up the next day and she's like oh i have the shame shivers today it's like what did i say oh god yeah um yeah i completely second guess you know how my words are perceived as they fall out of my face because they do that well because you're honest and you're fucking you're a real girl you're a real chick you're a real bad bitch

you a bad i'll clap to that i love your sound effects i really honestly like every time i've had conversations with you we've been completely honest and completely no shields, no guards, and I appreciate you doing that in a public... We normally don't make our conversations public like this, but it's true. I just want to say thank you

for just keeping the fucking fight alive and keeping your dreams alive. I mean, we could just quit. We could just give up on ourselves. But what's the point of that? Right? Well, it's like, I don't know. This is what I know how to do. And that's what you know how to do. And it makes you happy. And even through the hard times, it still makes you happy. So and even when it doesn't, like and you tell yourself, this is the worst shit ever.

I'm so over this. I don't want to do this anymore. It's still on some level makes you very happy. Why? What, music? No, just why do you think that? Why do you think that? Because we're following our dreams and we're following our path?

Yeah, I think so. I mean, I think if you're following this path for, this path for yourself, that's greater than you. When I say greater than you or greater than me, it's like, you know, it's greater than me because it's, it's an idea and a dream and we're trying to make this intangible thing, something real. And that's, that's bigger than me, you know? Um, so yeah, even when it sucks, it's like, I'm, I still love it. Cause it's, it's it because it's why I'm here, I think. You too. Yeah, I agree.

I mean, that's right. I love our real conversation zone. I do miss you. I'm glad we're getting to talk. Yeah, we got to get back to being friends again, Sam Fish. I always feel like we're friends. I just know you're busy. I know you're busy too.

I haven't been busy this year. I'll be honest with you. I've been busy, but in a weird way. Like what? Oh, just, I mean, being off. It's not like I'm running from town to town. Yeah, no. And you, I mean, now you're getting comfortable in New Orleans.

What are you, third year in? Fourth. I'll be coming up on four. You moved into that house four years ago. In 2017, yeah. Oh, my fucking Sam. Time is flying, man. I know.

How you feel about getting older and death? Um, not great. Same dude. Thing I don't like to think about. No, I mean, it's weird to look at a picture of yourself. And I remember not thinking like, you know, you don't think you look any different. And then you look at it now. You're like, oh, God, I am actually older. Like I have gotten older. It's weird because when you're young, you don't hear. I'm like, I'd be like, no, I'm not going to. That's not going to happen to me. Not really. really I mean I'm going to just always be me um I don't know it's it is weird the older we get and then you lose people you start losing people in your life and that's really um a scary thing um I think I think that it just kind of brings me back to that um thought of like my most important mission is to be like a good person and be supportive and spend

time with people because it's all really fleeting, you know? Yeah. And you realize how lack of time we actually have on this earth and we might as well do it with every ounce of optimism and every ounce of, you know, joy that we can. Yeah. Thanks for being on the show, Sam. Thanks for having me. What were you going to say before I interrupted you? Well, I was going to say that's what I've always really liked about you is that you go out there and you make people feel really, really good when you're on stage and you bring

them to the higher place that, you know, you come out in this like elevated place and you bring them to the higher place. You come out in this elevated place and you bring them up to that. And I think that's so cool what you do with your time. Well, I hate to break it to you, but you do the same thing. So thank you. I'm just appreciative. That's all. I'm appreciating it. Well, I'm going to text you after this stuff now. OK, we're going to be friends. Let's do it. And OK, I'm coming to I'm coming to New Orleans June 5th. You're probably getting gigs again. I have dates on my calendar. I know I'm going out for April.

I'm a little you know, it's like we don't know exactly what we're doing. Yeah, I mean, it's all coming. I get the calendar and I'm like, thumbs up. Looks great. You know, it looks what we're doing yet. I mean, it's all coming. I get the calendar and I'm like, thumbs up. Looks great. You know, it looks like we're doing stuff, but maybe I'm a little like I've got trust issues with this calendar right now. They locked me out of the Google calendar. They're like, you're not going to be able to look at this no more.

You get too much anxiety. Yeah, I don't trust it. I it was it was so I don't trust the calendar. So I see them send dates. I'm like, sure guys, thanks. They probably think I'm so ungrateful at ICM. Like, thanks guys. No, it's not there. It's nobody's fault though. You know, it's just the world we're living in right now. And I don't know, I'm excited to get back to whatever our normalcy was, but if you're in town June 5th and I'm in town June 5th, I'm going to see you. Yeah. I'm playing that Hogs for the Cause. Hogs for a Cause. I played that

one. Yeah. I bet you. Yeah. I mean, God, I'm proud to be your friend and I'm proud to be your brother and everything in this life. So thank you for being on the show, Sam. I got one last question to let you go back to your glamorous life in New Orleans. I do like the colors. The house looks good. I saw it right when it- I did this room myself. You did?

I did. Looks good. Don't get too close to the trim. It looks like shit. But yeah, I did this myself. Let's go. Let's go. I'll give you one more clap.

Let's go. Thank you. Thank you. Yes. One last question and I'll let you go. What do you want to be remembered by Samantha Fish? What do I want to be remembered by? This has been such a serious interview

and I'd love to like leave you with something funny. No, no, no. Only serious on the world's impact. I just, I want to affect people. You know, I want to affect them. I want, I want to, the first thing, what live music did for me is it, I could go and see a show and I'd be feeling like really sad about where I was at in life or, you know, something that was happening. And you go and you go to, you know, I'd go see music and it just would do something to my soul that would take me out of that and make me feel happy. And so,

I mean, really, I just, I want to make people happy with what I'm doing and I want to affect them in a good way. And I want to put out a really diverse body of work that speaks to my soul. And I want to be a good person and I want to be a good person and I want to be a good friend and I want to be a good family member. Well, I'm looking forward to seeing all that. When we have these conversations, when we're 75 years old and you're going to have to push me around because I abused my body way more than you did. I still can't believe though, you know, you're, you have good self-control. I can never live in a town like New Orleans.

I'd be blacked out drunk. Oh, I've had my moments. Yeah. I've had my moments. It sneaks up on you. Yeah. It does. It sneaks up on you.

I've, I've had to put up some new boundaries over, over the years, but I mean, I don't know. You're not there all the time. You still love it? Do I love what? Drinking? Yes. No. Do you still love New Orleans? Are you going to make a change? Are you going to stay here? I love New Orleans. I've thought about just for work, I might need to get a hub like in LA or something, which is something you could totally help me with.

Yeah, I'll talk to you about it. I got you. Yeah. My home town. I got you. Yeah. I thought about getting a place. Like I said, I would always like to keep a spot here just because I feel like there's a little, there's a piece of my soul here. I don't know.

You know, I might have to go back to Kansas city at some point, you know, to be closer to family. I, I've always kind of envisioned myself bouncing around. Same. Um,

which, yeah. Are you, are you, are you doing Denver for the long run? I go, I go through, you know, I'm, I'm crazy like you, we need to move. You know, if we don't move, we don't feel happy. So when did you move out of Kansas city? How long were you there? I was there for two years and, um, I just was really lonely. I mean, everything you told me about it was, you know, you told me great things and you also told me some real things and, you know, I didn't listen to you because, uh, I was just

excited about buying my first house. And, uh, I'm so sorry that I left like right when you came down. It was, I mean, that's life. I mean, that's not going to ruin, who knows, maybe we'll be neighbors in LA. So that'd be fun. You know, I know you were just moving around. You were touring so much. I thought that would be a great hub for you. Yeah, and it was. You're meant to bounce, dude. You're meant to bounce.

I always thought you were going to end up in Fayetteville too. That first place I met you. Oh, God. Thank God I didn't. Not for the reasons like just too small of a town, you know? Yeah. You know, we're city kitties, okay? Sam Fish, you and I. I'm a feral cat.

We are fucking feral cats over here. I got the Rocky music playing in the background. Thanks for being on the show. And thanks for just being my friend. It means a lot. I love you, Andy. Thank you for having me. No problem.

Any last things? Are you working on anything right now or what's going on? I have an album coming out this year. Let's go. I'm super excited about that. I got to actually go to LA for like a week and a half.

Who produced it? Martin Kierzenbaum. This guy named Martin Kierzenbaum. Wow. Big LA star. You have to Google him. He's done a lot of cool stuff. We actually met because we have this Kansas City connection.

His wife's from there. So it was kind of strange. I'm like, you're from Kansas City? I've never met you before. I thought I met everyone who lived in Kansas City. You're the mayor of that fucking town, dude. You come to town and the town stops

for a couple days. Not true. Not true at all. Not true. But I, you know, I'm excited about it. We got to do my first LA record. And it feels like LA, baby. That's what I'm saying. I think I need a place. Hollywood. Let's get it. Let's get

it Hollywood. I'm going to start calling you Hollywood Fish for now on. Come on. Hollywood fish. I like the ring of that. Sounds good. Well, good luck with everything. And like I said, don't be a stranger. I'm always here for you. I love you. Thank you. Love you. Have a great one, Sam. All right. You too. Bye. Bye. Sam fish. God, I haven't talked to her in so long. That was great. She's kicking ass out there in New Orleans I'm proud that she's going to LA and getting those dreams bigger and bigger that was a really fun conversation

alright I'll catch you after these words and there you have it wow wasn't that cool God she's so great when she puts her guard down when we talk anyone

when you have this persona that you gotta, you know, we were talking about in the interview, when you put your guard down, you actually get back into that friendship. God, it's fucking, feels good. So shout out to Sam. Sam, let's go, girl.

Keep that dream alive. And I swear to God, if any of those fucking creepy dudes on our messenger board do that shit again, I will fuck them up. I'm going to let you know that. I know you're being very nice, but I'm talking as a big bro here, Sam. I will fuck them up if they do that shit again. All right, but that's it, guys. I hope you had a great show. I hope you have a great week. I'm taking the week off. I'm actually going to take the week off. I keep on saying that every week,

I'm taking a week off. I'm going to take a week off. It's my dad's birthday and I got to get ready for the tour. The band's coming in town and I have to get ready for the tour. I am focused. I am dialed in on this music now. I'm focused in. I'm going to have a band practice. I never have band practice. How dedicated I am to my music listeners. We're having band practices. We wrote new songs, new set lists. It's going to be fresh. And I really can't wait for you to fucking see us in the summertime because I am fucking ready.

I am, you know, blowing steam out of my nose because I'm like a bull, like a tiger. So I hope you enjoy the shows. If you bought tickets, if you haven't, go grab some. Go see us live. If you haven't seen me live either, or maybe you just don't like my band, give me another shot.

Give it another shot. I think you'll like the new songs. I mean, I haven't even played Keep On Keepin' On live. That's like, I feel is one of my best records. So go out there, go buy some tickets. Or if you see me at a festival, go head to my time slot when I'm playing in the fest and let's be friends because podcast fam is my fam. But speaking of summer, summer's ahead of us. And that means summer is coming. The drink of

summer is going to be a hard spiked kombucha. Yes. After going through that stomach issues, that's all I'm drinking this summer. Check out Zesty Beverages. They're the best. They're supporting the podcast, supporting the music. Cool dude. He wants me to make my own kombucha, which is sick. But they do hard kombucha. It's vegan for all my vegan heads out there and low calorie. And it's just a good drink. I mean, I fuck with it a lot. I like the blueberry mojito. It's bomb as fuck.

It is delicious. And I think you'll like it too. And if you don't drink and you just want the kombucha for the probiotics and stuff, Zesty also has a non-alcoholic kombucha. And you can say, oh, there's alcohol in kombucha anyway. But not the alcohol that'll get you fucked up. The alcohol that you need in your stomach for the probiotics to work. So I think you'll like it. So head over to Zesty Beverages. If you see it in your grocery stores in Colorado and wherever else you can find it, go grab it. Go try it out. It's good. I like kombucha and it's kind of cool because I get fucked up and

I could also feel good in my stomach. I've been having some problems with my stomach ever since I got the fucking stomach bug in Mexico that I've been drinking kombucha more and I've been drinking this stuff. And it really is, I get a buzz and I don't feel like what Jameson does to me. I just feel just burning my body because I've drank so much of it. These hard kombuchas don't do that.

So go check it out, Zesty Beverages. Also available at Whole Foods in all Colorado areas. Head to zestybev.com. I'll leave you with this before Arno gives you something nice and sweet. Stay inspired. Stay up. Stay passionate. And during this week off, try to find something new to do.

Try to explore your heart and explore your soul a little bit and try to get out of that comfort zone or the zombie thing we did during quarantine, like fucking Netflix and porn and blacking out on your couch and stuff. Take a step back and explore different things that you like. See what you like. See what you don't like. So when we get into this summer,

we are going to take advantage of this, baby. We're going to take advantage of that summer. All right, guys. I love you. I'm taking a week off, and then we got a fucking banger. I've interviewed a bunch of people, and we're going to start putting them out.

But people want to be on the show now, and we've got some huge guests, so I can't wait for you to listen to them. All right, love you guys. And I will see you or talk to you when I talk to you. You tuned in to the World Saving Podcast with Andy Fresco, now in its fourth season. Thank you for listening to this episode.

Produced by Andy Fresco, Joe Angelone, Chris Lawrence. We need you to help us save the world and spread the word. Please subscribe, rate the show, iTunes, Spotify, wherever you're picking this shit up. Follow us on Instagram at world saving podcast for more info and updates. Fresco's blogs and tour dates you'll find at andyfresco.com. Check our socials to see what's up next.

Might be a video dance party, a showcase concert or whatever springs to Andy's wicked brain. Also, the shit show has returned. Find it! We thank this week's guest, our co-host and all the fringy frenzies that helped make this show great. Thank you all. And thank you for listening. Be your best, be safe and we'll be back next week.

No edibles were harmed in the making of this podcast. As far as we know, any similarity to actual knowledge, facts or fake is purely coincidental.