Andy Frasco's World Saving Podcast - EP 124: Erin Rae

Episode Date: May 11, 2021

Not unlike Caine from the TV show Kung Fu, Andy Frasco is committed to walking the Earth. His quest: to find the perfect melody. And NOTHING will stop him... unless Nick Gerlach succeeds in making him feel shame. But for now! Frasco is in Nashville and speaking to his new friend and heavy-hitting singer/songwriter, Erin Rae! They talk about writing music in the Nashville scene. Joe has thoughts on Dogecoin. Gerlach reminds Frasco that in a world of influencers, he is but a local celebrity. it's EP 124, yall 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  Feel more at www.erinraemusic.com Produced by Andy Frasco Joe Angelhow Chris Lorentz Audio mix by Chris Lorentz Featuring: Todd Glass Nick Gerlach Joe Angelhow Arno Bakker

Holy shit. Red Rocks! Anyway, that's not Lemcall, and I don't want you to think that I have any ethereal motives, or whatever that word is. I miss the fuck out of you. Seriously. Nobody else loves you, Andy. Not like me. Not like me.

No, no, no, no, no. No, no, no, no, no No, no, no, no Boom, boom, bum, bum, bum, boom I'm bum, bum, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom Now listen, why don't you play this message on your pile of shit podcast Isn't that the name of it? The pile of shit show Something like that

Nobody else loves you, Andy Not like me Love, Todd pile of shit show. Something like that. Nobody else loves you, Andy. Not like me. Love Todd. My co-host here, Nick Gerlach. We're back. We're back. Denver, Colorado. It's been a month or so since you've been here. It's been a month. I know. This has been the longest stint since quarantine that I haven't seen you. I think that I've been paying attention. You haven't had a co-host since.

I had Chad Kakuza, but not... Yeah, but that's not the same. Chad's good. Yeah, but you know. I miss you, buddy. How you doing? I'm doing pretty good, I think. You're fucking busy.

Busy boy. We're back. It's crazy when you're so good at so many things, how busy you can get. Shut the fuck up, man. When society opens back up. Yep, playing tonight at Dazzle. So if you're hearing this, go back in time and go to that. How's Denver been?

You been writing music? It's fine. It's been getting warmer. Yeah, it's nice. I've been writing a ton of music. What are you writing? I'm finishing some solo stuff, and I'm making that album with Drew. You met him.

Yeah, Drew's great. We're doing a duo album. Yeah. Weird, lo-fi, jazzy. A couple of them will be good live, probably. I'll probably throw them in my solo set. You know, I'm kind of bitter a little bit, probably. I'll probably throw him in my solo set.

You know, I'm kind of bitter a little bit because Nick called that he was going to make the championship in our fantasy basketball league. I called it like two weeks before the playoffs. You called it early. I knew I was going to win the first round. I can't remember who I played, but I knew I was going to kick their ass. Second round, I played

Matt Jalbert of Talk. He had a great team, though, but he just didn't have it that week. He'd been keeping up with the news? I haven't. Yeah, a great team, though, but he just didn't have it that week. He been keeping up with the news? I haven't. Yeah, a little. You know, not really. I'm pretty mostly into fantasy basketball, right?

Yeah, right now. It's like, hmm, is the world going to... I don't have kids, so whatever. If the world ends, the world ends. Like, aren't you playing the festivals? Yeah, I'm about to go. Backwoods looks cool. Backwoods would be fun. I want to go to that.

You could go to that. Backwoods booked me. I'm not expensive. I'll go to Arkansas. I'll go to that. Backwoods booked me. I'm not expensive. I'll go to Arkansas. I'll go to Arkansas. Yeah, okay. I'm your agent. See if they'll do

our podcast. Hey, how's your cameo going? Good. I've got like four or five. Shut the fuck up. For real. For real. I lowered my price to 20 bucks

because I didn't realize how easy it is to do it. So if y'all haven't been catching up with the shit show, Nick. Like two of them were for Coons. Yeah. Shua did one. A couple guys I know from back home shit show. Nick. Like two of them were for Coons. Shua did one. A couple guys I know from back

home. These two brothers were talking shit to each other. Nick is giving bad news cameos to people. So if you want to give bad news to someone. I want to break up with someone. I want to do that really bad. Even if it's a joke. But I want to fucking or divorce. A real divorce.

If people are sending a text message cameo of Nick Gerlach for a divorce, something's wrong with America. Something's already wrong with America. I love that promotion. Like, meet famous people on cameo, and it's you, Nick. I know! My friend got that. Algo, baby.

It said celebs. It said thousands of celebs. Okay, actually, that brings me to something I was thinking about yesterday. can there be thousands of celebs yeah that's what i that's that we were talking about that but it's true like that's not a celeb then yeah it's just a person who wants to be a celeb so it's okay so this is this is good i'm glad you're talking about this what is the identity now of 2021 what is a celebrity now it's lame to be a it's not cool anymore yeah everybody who's not a celebrity okay so like tom hanks is a celebrity so we need a different word for for him and whoever people like a dinosaur lady gaga fucking

yeah people who can't go in public people who have people who are obsessed with them, you know? Yeah. That's different than a guy, a DJ, you know, that sells 600 tickets. That's not all, but they call them both celebrities now.

You could say it. I call myself a celebrity. Yeah. Yeah. You're like a local celebrity or something. A minor celebrity. Yeah,

but I'm talking about, but it's different. I'm talking about, no, because you're like different but i'm talking about no because you're like you do stuff you know what i mean you have a band and a thing but other people are just like on instagram and they're like trying to be a celebrity and that's like what the job is yeah that's i couldn't that's so stupid that's so how can you even want that you have something wrong with you you need to go to therapy you know like if you want to just be an influencer why the fuck would you want to do that with your life that sounds so not rewarding anyway 20 bucks you're a traveling salesman anyway while we say that 20 bucks i

didn't realize how easy it was to do it you just like do it all in a half i thought you would like make a video no no no it's all easy cameo You take a little too much off the top. Yeah, come on guys. You know who doesn't take a little too much on the top? Repsy. Repsy doesn't we haven't talked about Repsy with you in a little bit. They sponsor the podcast. They're still they're still here. I haven't looked at it yet. Repsy is cool. It's you basically are the partnership for bands. All my bands out there, I've been talking about this for the last month and a half, two months. Go sign up to Repsy. I mean, there's no...

It's free. There's no lose. You could put your band on there. The worst that can happen is, it's exactly how it is right now. Yes. Which might be terrible, but it's not going to be worse. Yeah, I mean, at least you have another hand helping you get gigs. And if you have an agent, they're probably getting swamped with all their fucking bands

who want to go on tour in the fall. So you're going to have another tour in the fall. You've been in South Carolina too long. Yeah. And I've been drinking so much coffee and I made love with a woman last night. Oh, you talk about that on the podcast, huh? I did last week accidentally. Why do you tell people your sex life? I don't know. Can we get, huh? I did last week accidentally. Why do you tell people your

sex life? I don't know. Can we get into this? Alright, tell me. Why? I think it's because it's so the opposite of me. I know, because I think I was ashamed of my sex life. It is pretty shameful. You know, I was like

just having one night stands and like what therapy taught me is you got to talk your demons out and um if i don't i don't think they meant with like 10 000 people i think they meant like like see you next thursday oh yeah yeah but it's like it's just cleansed i mean it's fine i kind of like it it's like i'm not i don't think it's bad it's just interesting like yeah i like when people i just not for not, I don't think it's bad. It's just interesting. Yeah. I like when people, it's not for me. I just don't want to do that. Yeah.

But I don't, I like when other people do it. It's more fun to talk about other people's sex life than your own. You know what I mean? Yeah. Do you have sex still? No. Never have. I'm not married.

I'm Catholic. But it's a good point. Someone else brought that up to me. Like you just, oh no. Oh yeah. I was in a fight with one of my friends and she was being fucking mean. That's all I need to know. And she was, she was slow bleeding me. Oh, she told me about this. You just in a fight with one of my friends and she was being fucking mean. That's all I need to know. She was slow bleeding me.

Oh, she told me about this. You just talk about your sex life because you're insecure. Well, yeah. You didn't. Hold on. Hold on. Yeah. Yeah. But like she was saying, like, you're just hyping it up. Like, you don't really do all that stuff. Oh, no. I believe 100% because a lot of it's

embarrassing. It's not all cool. It's not cool. Sometimes you tell me a story. I'm like, I believe 100% because a lot of it's embarrassing. It's not all cool. It's not cool. Sometimes you tell me a story. I'm like, I know it's it's sometimes I'm not just fucking awesome. Yeah, I mean, you know, but like I'm just express single guy. There's ups and downs just like a relationship. But why 100% stigma on that shit, though? Is there? Yeah, I don't know.

I mean, I guess maybe. Well, you just said, like, why do you talk about your sex life? Like, I think there's a stigma about it. But you're not talking about like an a predatory like this. No, you just said, like, why do you talk about your sex life? Like, I think there's a stigma about talking about your sex life. But you're not talking about, like, an impredatory, like, I banged this chick last night. No, no, no, no. I'm just saying, like. Some guys do that.

Oh, really? I think there's a lot of guys that are, like, looking at it like notching the bedpost, kind of keeping score kind of thing, you know? I think that's not as bad as it was 10 years ago. Really? Yeah, you don't think that's a thing? You don't know any douchebag guys?

Like, keeping score like that? I mean, in a way. Like they look at it like... I guess I see like in frat... It's more of a game than... When I was playing frat houses and stuff, they were like, we're going to fuck. Yeah. It's like, okay, weird, dude.

Yeah. It's like... That sounds terrible for her. That sounds... I played this frat house. I'm not going to name... You're supposed to have sex with each other. Yeah.

And they're like Yeah. And like, they're like, they gave like, all right, boys come in. And then all the fraternity huddled up and like, these girls are going

to come in here. We're going to make love to them. They're going to make love to us. And it's going to be fucking crazy. The band's going to start

when I tell you to start. Like, it was like, dick on my whole. And these guys are like, that guy's probably like a congressman now. No, but okay. So for whatever, you just start like, it was like dick. I'm like, holy. And these guys are like, that guy's probably like a congressman now. No, but okay.

So for whatever, you know, whoever was saying that, whoever's saying that, I totally believe 100% believe everything you're saying is not exaggerated. No, it's not.

And I'm not saying this. If it's exaggerated, they'd be way better stories. Yeah, 100%. These are just my, I talked about last night. I mean, I don't care that you got laid. That's fine.

It's better than not getting laid. Well, yeah. Well, the reason why I said that is because last week I was talking about I don't want to have sex with people I care about a lot. I want to have random sex. That is a thing with you.

Everyone you're intimate with is someone you haven't fucked. Yeah. It's really weird. It's like the Voltron thing I had to say about your girlfriend. Yeah, tell me about that. Have we not talked about it? No, we haven't talked about it. So weird it's like the voltron thing i had to say about your girlfriend tell me about that have we not talked about no we haven't talked about so if you're not old voltron's like this thing where like five different people came together to make one robot you know yeah and that's what you do you piece together a girlfriend

out of like six or seven of your friends one of them being the person you're talking about that was giving you shit it's like there's like the friend that like keeps him in line and drives him to the airport and stuff you know and then you have like the friend that like keeps him in line and drives him to the airport and stuff, you know. And then you have like the friend that you tell your personal problems and like have an emotional connection with. I know who that is now. She's newer. And then you know, I'm talking about, don't you? Yeah.

See, I nailed it. Wow. And then there's like Nick. And then you and then the sex part you like get from just whoever. Not in a bad way. Okay. It's all. No, it's like you in a bad way, okay? It's all... No, it's like...

You're honest with women, too. That's all that matters. As long as you're not saying... I'm going to marry you someday. No, I'm not saying that. I love you. You're the only one for me. Oh, gosh.

You're so different. No, I don't... You're so much different than them. I love you so. I think I'm falling for you. I think I'm falling for you. Keep going with your Voltron. I need to feel you. I'm falling for you I think I'm falling for you keep going with your Voltron I need to feel you

I need to feel you you know what I'm talking about the dudes that do that shit so lame and then you know food there's probably a food one I'm not around you that much

and then Stasek and then Stasek's my Voltron the ultimate like he's like the when's his wife's show coming out? On HGTV in the summertime. It's going to be good, I think.

Yeah. It's been great. Nick, wow. Just coming in with fucking gas all day. Why am I so good at this? All gas, no brakes. That's already a podcast. No gas, all brakes.

No gas, all brakes. What happened to that guy? He stopped talking. I don't know much about him, honestly. He's pretty good. Funny, right? I wrote a song inspired by that dude. What?

Which song? I just wrote it with Stay Sick and Canica Moore from Doom Flamingo. Yeah, she can sing. Oh, God. That Charleston crew. They're good musicians. You're right. I can't live in Charleston. Because? I want everything I said. It's too much. That Charleston crew. But I am a little... They're good musicians. You're right. I can't live in Charleston.

Because? Oh, everything I said. It's too much. It's weirdly more than Denver because of the ocean. The ocean makes people fucking insane. We don't drink as much as they do out there. No, because weed's legal here. Also, go on with that theory.

Well, we can smoke weed whenever we want. So why would we get drunk? You know what I mean? Also, it's like harder to drink in Denver. We're like 5,000 feet in the air. Yeah, it sucks here.

Have you ever been hungover here? It's the worst. It's the worst. Ever. Yeah, have you been drinking? No, I haven't really had a drink in a while.

Even when you're going, when you're playing? Sometimes, oh yeah, on gigs I'll have a drink or two. You're not getting fucked up. Nah, I might get a little buzzed.

No one can ever tell when I'm drunk though. I'm the exact same. Well, you're the same with if you're feeling happy or sad, you look the exact same. Yeah, my mom was pretty easy kid to raise. Yeah, she always talks about that. I never cried or like wine. I was always just like on the floor playing with stuff talking to myself. Well, I'm not sure if we're going to put this in the front of the podcast. Probably front. I'm too good to be at the end. So we got Aaron Ray on the show. I'm going to Nashville in a couple of days.

For what? I'm recording with six people. For what? For my record. Well, what's a new song? So I didn't tell you what I'm doing here. I'm writing two songs a week and recording them that week. Today, when we're done with this session,

I'm going to go to vocals at Rocky Mountain Recorders. For the one song we did? For the one song we did and another song I did. The song's pretty good. It's probably the best song so far of all your songs. I like it. Dude, the one I did in Charleston is pretty fucking sick, too. Yeah, I think ours is sort of going for a different thing than that.

Oh, I need gang vocals. What are you doing tonight? I have a gig. No, three to five. I have a sound check. Okay, okay, okay. I got Kim Dawson. She's dope.

She's like one of the best people in Denver. Yeah, I got her and I got Casey Russell. I got a couple of gang. One of the best people in Denver, period. Not just a singer. She's just a great... Because I was wondering, I was texting you last night,

I was like, are there any good singers in Denver? Yeah, I was like, Kim Dawson. Yeah, Kim. Do you know her husband? What? He's a great guy. That's the reason why I have Aaron Ray on the show

because I'm going to Nashville and it's going to be kind of a Nashville episode. It's my departure from Denver. I'm going to be there for 10 days. I'm writing with... Departure from Denver? You got back from Charleston two days ago. I'm leaving on...

What are you doing? Why do you have this house? What is going on here? Exist. I know, but why don't you exist? I always use is new to our friendship, but I'm always on the move. I like it. I'm a little jealous. I'm running little jealous. I like

it. Well, if I didn't live here, because it seems fun. Yeah, it's fun. Yeah, but if I was in India, I'd probably be more like that. But numbers chill. I mean, I'm busy. Stay busy here. Yeah, you do stay busy for i do a lot of you do i do a lot of different shit this is a perfect city yeah it's like a lot of different shit too i don't have to play the same fucking thing yeah and now you're a comedian we're talking about you maybe doing i mean we could we we could hash it out so i might be touring as your opener, right? I'm thinking like a variety game show thing, right?

Jam Band Ed McMahon. We're going to do a world-saving talent search. Jam Band Ed McMahon. You're the Jam Band Ed McMahon. Nick Gerlach, Jam Band Ed McMahon. But I think we're going to have an opener. The opening is going to be, we're going to look an opener. The opening is going to be, we're going to look for a local talent search.

Yeah. Right? So we're going to find jugglers, whatever you've, whatever you do. Gong show vibe. Yeah. Anything.

Anything that you learned in the quarantine. If you can do crazy math problems. If any of it, you know, not too gross. What? Just make sure it's not too gross. Yeah.

Probably some other games in there too no i mean i say this should go weirder the better so like we're gonna we'll announce this thing once we hash out the idea but we're gonna do the world saving local talent search so everyone i want you to play are you smarter than frasco against fans we could do that we could do let's just build a whole variety yes i'm opening night, for the opening set. Where's the tour starting out? What city? You can't say yet. I can't say that yet.

We're announcing in June, but, well, I'm sure you can tell me off there. It's fucking, it's all, I mean, it's 40 states.

I'm stoked you want to do the whole thing. I was worried that you're only going to, you're going to be rockstar. I mean, like, I'm only doing these dates and these dates. No,

I think I'm just going to block it off and do it. I mean, I've never doing these dates and these dates no I think I'm just gonna block it off and do it I mean I've never done this before why the fuck I can go play saxophone when I get back yeah and you can play with us maybe some other saxophone

player around here can have a gig for once yeah I'm just kidding it's just fucking stupid well people make fun of me all the time for it alright before we go

into Aaron Ray do you have any motivation not really thank you Nick alright guys enjoy Aaron Ray and have a great fucking week. Love you.

Alright. Next up on the interview hour, we have Aaron Ray. Nashville's own. Hey, Chris, play some Aaron while I'm talking her up a little bit. She's a badass. Schwartz manages her as well.

She has an incredible voice. Songwriting is fucking out of this world. And I can't wait. I'm going to be writing tunes with her, hopefully, when I'm in Nashville. So, Erin, let's write some hits.

Let's have some lunch. Let's keep becoming better friends because I love having you in my life. Ladies and gentlemen, enjoy Aaron Ray. say, oh, but they come out of us anyway. It's hard to put the past away and see things in a brand new frame.

I love playing old games. Old games. Old games Old games Ain't too long a drive We can make it with some time Before they shut it down used to close my eyes but now i'd rather watch the lights spinning all around still get caught in our old dream Say things we shouldn't mean to say All but they come out of us anyway

It's hard to put the past away See things in a brand new frame I love playing old games We could never pick a prize, let the fortune teller lie Go around

another time Flip a coin, bet on We'll be right back. In our old dream Say things we shouldn't mean to say Oh, but they come out of us anyway It's hard to put the past away See things in a brand new frame I love playing old games Old games Old games

Look who finally comes and hangs out with his friend, Andy Frasier. Aaron Ray, what's up? The long lost. I know. How you doing? What's up? I'm good.

It's so good to see you. It's so good to see you. Are you out of the cabin? Where are you? I moved. What happened? To my own spot. Well, you inspired me when you bought your house.

I didn't buy a house, but I moved into my own place at the beginning of this year. Let's fucking go. Moving up. Yo, tell me your story, Erin. It should be celebrated. Tell me your story. Where are you from? I am from Jackson, Tennessee.

I was born in Memphis from Jackson. We live there. And then I grew up in Nashville from like sixth grade on, 11 years old. What? Until now. What about music? Like why? Did you, were you like trained to be a musician?

Like at fucking like five years old? The Nashville Cap? Yeah. No. Well, in a way. My parents played music together when I was growing up. And my dad always played in rock bands. He's from Missouri.

I was just listening to your Nathaniel episode. Oh. And it's so great. But he was saying he's from Herman, Missouri. My dad's from Carothersville. So anyway, he always played in rock bands. And my parents sang together. And then I sang with him when I was real little. And then started pursuing it in high school.

Started singing in chorus and whatnot. And yeah, my dad got me my first guitar when I turned 18, when I graduated high school. When did you start writing songs? I had kind of like played around with that growing up. Um, and had always kind of fortunate, you know, I'd always been encouraged by my parents to pursue creative stuff and, uh, got positive feedback on my early efforts, but I didn't really start writing songs until I was 18. I went to college for a semester and then started kind of learning how to play guitar.

And then I dropped out of college and started going to open mics. Really? Hold on. So what made you decide to drop out of college? Well, there's this spot in Nashville. It was the only 24-hour cafe for the longest time. And my half-brother moved to town. We didn't grow up together. He moved to town. He's a little bit older than me. And he's into music. uh he was like i'm going to this this open mic do you want to go and i was like yes so we went over winter break he took me and then i kind

of just went back there every i was like this is magical you know like i felt like i had found kind of my people which it's a very eccentric mix of characters that hung out that hang out there and um but back in the day there was this really great open mic that was on thursday nights and uh it was you got one song this kid maurice ran it who's still a friend of mine today and you know just no no bullshit it was like everybody just, it was packed room and, and then we would stay and hang out until like 3am on the patio and just like jam and stuff. So I just started writing songs to be able to play them at open mic.

And then I think I was a little, you know, ignorance is bliss, like a little naive and was like, I'm going to I'm going to pursue music, you know, and I had the support of my parents. And we my mom, my mom's one of her good friends when I was growing up is a woman named Kathy who is a country musician and songwriter and singer and she she encouraged me it was like all these things like where you know it felt very like serendipitous to me so yeah were you cocky as a kid? Was I? Yeah. No. Well, I had a year of kind of feeling like. Not even a whole year where I felt I was like my sophomore year, I was like, OK, I'm going to be cool this year. And then my friends like snuffed that out pretty quick. They're like, what? What is this?

my friends like snuffed that out pretty quick. They're like, what, what is this? Okay. So what were you doing? You're, I don't know. I think I, I think the main thing I did was I dated a girl, I dated a guy that this girl liked and she was like, you're too confident. We don't like you. She told, they told me that. So I chilled out substantially for a few years, but I will say it was kind of like, I had this, like, I don't know. I was also, I like, I don't know. I had several phases in high school. And one was that I kind of, you know, I will say that social acceptance became very important to me throughout that period.

And I kind of like relied on that as like, I was like, I need that. What were you going through to make you feel like you needed to be accepted by everybody? Well, I think, I mean, I've talked about it in in my music and in other things but just i've there was like some questions i think it i think what it comes down to basic self-esteem you know yeah um but self-esteem you know were you not like like you're are you not, like, are you not comfortable with yourself? I've done a lot of work to get much more comfortable, and I feel like I am, like, very comfortable with myself now compared to up until now. Did you get picked on when you were a kid?

No, not really. You picked on him when you were a kid? No, not really. Like I had like fights with friends and stuff, but it wasn't like, I didn't feel like bullied or anything, but I just was an anxious kid. And so I, and a lot of that centered around like fear of being gay. of being gay because there was some shit that went down for family members who were gay. We're getting into it. We're getting straight on into it. Is that fine? Let's get into it.

Yeah, that's fine. It's all out there. So my aunt, my mom's sister in the 90s lost custody of her daughter, who was my same age. We were cousins. We were pretty close and kind of raised together. And she lost custody of her because she was gay in the state of Alabama in the nineties. And so I think, you know, before, um, before I even was able to find out, you know, who you are, who do I like? Who am I? Yeah. You know,

first came this fear of like, Oh, that was not even implanted by my like immediate family. Cause my parents were very, you know, progressive and just accepting and loving people. And, you know, as I was being reported that information, it was told to me that that was wrong, like the way that the court system was set up and all this stuff. But still, it's like this, a court system, you know, to see somebody be traumatized. Yeah. And to not even really, I didn't know what gay was. And that was like the heyday of calling stuff gay,

which I still think is hilarious. But, um, you know, so it was just like my little like seven or eight year old brain was just like, I don't want to be that, you know? Did you know you were gay then? No, I think like, uh, you know, 11 or so, like sixth grade, uh, I started to feel like, like maybe I had crushes on friends of mine and stuff. And, but I just, it freaked me out because I just didn't want to be different. I just wanted to be like,

just want to blend in kind of coast, you know, get, get a, have crushes on boys, like in the movies and like on, um, in the Mary Kate and Ashley movies,

you know, I was trying to, trying to live that life. So were you kissing boys? Not, uh, you know yeah i was trying to trying to live that life so were you kissing boys not uh no not i mean in like i guess freshman year of high school i was yeah like i had boyfriends and stuff and throughout but yeah my first kiss though I will tell you was um spin the bottle um the summer between fourth and fifth grade Chase Woods yeah he had six girl he

had six girlfriends well seven with E-Ray in the building what's up let's talk about it yeah I know but that must be so hard growing up in the South where it's hard to be yourself. And you get judged. Like if you came out to your mom or your dad or your family members, do you think they would treat you differently? No, it was kind of like I didn't, even to myself,

I didn't want to acknowledge it. So that was like where the root of this anxiety was, I feel like. Because my parents are cool. My family's cool. And I did talk to them finally when I was like 18. And I was like, I've been struggling. Like, I don't know. But I think this might be a possibility, you know, but that had been like through from

like sixth grade on me trying to be like, I don't want to be gay. Like, sorry, I was laughing loud, but like truly like, yeah, I just, I had like a lot of anxiety around that. And yeah, I was trying to just like seem just normal, a.k.a. straight, you know. So that was like a focus, which, yeah, kind of is like a weird. Those are such formative years, you you know and i feel like my goal became to kind of blend in and to kind and to like uh just get that validate not i didn't know this at the time you know what was happening but it was just like this like kind of you know character gets to develop of like okay what gets me approval me approval? Like what, what makes me feel okay?

It's like, okay, attention, you know? Yeah. What else? Anyways. What else do you think gets you approval? Attention? What else? I think, well, just, I also kind of grew up with like a, you know, a, I would almost say like perfectionist, like, like internally wanting to be like healthy and a good kid and like all this stuff.

So I think, yeah, sharing a lot, sharing a lot emotionally what's going on with me. And then people being like, yeah, I think you're doing good. You know, so there's that. And then like attention. But are you lying to them? Were you feeling good? Or are you just like kind of like letting it yeah yeah so i guess yeah there's nothing like really malicious in the whole setup you know it's just like the i kind of you know i'm a goofy person i'm like silly and uh

and then i started singing. I was a cheerleader my senior year. Shut the fuck up. Really? Yeah. I'll send you a pic. You were a cheerleader? Hilltop Resume.

Oh, my God. Yeah. So that was senior year you were a cheerleader? Yeah. Did you want to be? Yeah, and I lost a bunch of weight. I had gained weight sophomore year, and i like lost a bunch of weight i was i had like gained weight sophomore year and i've lost a bunch of weight and so i just became kind of image focused and like you know wanted the boys to like me yeah and so like uh if and that was like a way to get validation it's like like, okay, if people have crushes on me, if they like me,

if they're flirting with me, that makes me feel like I'm okay. So when did you like... Temporarily. Yeah. I mean, yeah, for the second. I mean, it's dopamine. Yeah. You know?

Yeah. When did you finally break that spell or have you? Hey, great question. that spell or have you? Hey, great question. Um, I think I am kind of in the process of, I don't know if I'll ever like permanently break it. I think now I'm just understanding, like, like you're saying, just like some of that is just dopamine, just what happens when you interact with humans in the world. It's not like, I think this past year, especially right before the pandemic happened, I decided to get sober again. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. There she is.

There she is. And, you know, spend that time with myself. I've heard, like, people have said, I've heard other people say that, like, you know, the pandemic was like rehab because you can, like, zoom in to do

the, you know, whatever meetings and all that you can like zoom in to do the you know whatever meetings and all that kind of shit that you would do uh and and you finally are listening to what your thoughts are inside not just distracting yourself with fucking songs and fucking touring yeah yeah and i think i haven't been on social media that much like I'll kind of get on and then like to like post if I need to or I don't know I get getting caught in a loop of it sometimes but kind of been taking a break on that just because yeah it's like starting at 11 I was running running from uh i was just afraid to like know who i was and what i actually feel so that this past year has been like about kind of allowing all that anything to come up and like looking at it going to therapy i've heard you talk about therapy let's go let's go i keep doing this

goofy voice because i'm looking at you on the screen and being silly. No, you know it. We were silly when we talk. We used to talk and get silly. We silly. We silly. You're silly. No, but I mean, that's got to be hard, Irei. You've always suffered with this idea of trying to be loved.

with this idea of trying to be loved? Well, yeah. And I think not even consciously, I didn't even know that's what that was. Like I didn't know that was an issue of like self-acceptance or self-esteem. You know what I mean? It was like, I thought all that kind of language was cliche,

like self-worth and be like, you're worthy. And I'd be like, oh, what are you talking about? Like, oh, but now I'm like, no, that's like very valid and so necessary. Um, yeah, I just, I, I feel like I'm realizing, you know, after several go rounds of trying to make it somebody else's responsibility to make me feel good about who I am or whatever, like trying to find different things. It's like really an inside job, you know? And it's like, uh, yeah, gotta be at peace with myself peace with myself to go out into the world and make decisions that don't feel chaotic. Yeah.

Yeah. And like, I create a lot of chaos when I'm when I'm uncomfortable. I create chaos. Do you? I'm trying to trying to manage the outside world to change how I feel inside, if that makes sense. Yeah. It's like basically you build these hypotheses in your head and then you start believing them. And then that manifests into your outside world. Then you feel crazy. Yeah. I feel you. I'm like that too.

Yeah. Is it hard for you to when you get in these depression holes like is it hard for you to reach out um I feel pretty connected these days which is good I

like I'll definitely have like a down day or two you know here and there but even in that I'm like I've got got peeps that I let know what's going on with me you know and it's like uh and it passes you know which is the cool thing um yeah and I also, I think I can, I can have some awareness now of like, there's like some chemical shit going on or like I, or like, like I just got back from making a record.

And that was like, it's always, there's always like a come down, I don't know if you experienced it's always there's always like a come down a few experiences but there's always like a come down it's like after tour or after a big project like that you're like whoa because everything was kind of like about the ramp up you know and like and then you're like around people and it's so much fun and then you come back home and you're like okay cool it's like a dream yeah you're like cool that so that was I was the only one there that lives in this house with me yeah so did that happen you know but like uh it's like kind of like postpartum yeah yeah so like so when – that's one thing that's hard. Well, keep going.

Keep going with this conversation. Well, just – yeah. I guess I started getting on a ramble. But I – you know, now I kind of can know at least not to take those feelings and everything. So personally, it's hard to do that. But I – and even while it's happening I'm like okay I'm probably just gonna come down period of like you know I just was working for three weeks and it was awesome and now I'm back at the house and like I gotta like recalibrate and it's cool and I don't need to be like what does this mean you know I that happened to me after I finished the shit show um I worked so hard for like months and all of a sudden like I finally

had some free time then I got depressed like yeah it's like what why I've been wanting this free time forever and right but I think it's it's like is it the idea of is it hard for you to say goodbye to people yeah well it is in it and I kind of like especially in this case because it was like a certain group of people working on this record that there were several people I hadn't met before and um and then a few people I hadn't seen in over a year and like uh yeah and just kind of at a at the end of a project like that you're like oh this isn't going to be the same again like we i will see these people i know i will see them but like this dynamic that kind of like germinated in this

little tank of like us all working together in the same headspace for a couple weeks what is like that was that you know who are you with you guys is it a? No. No, I made my record with Jonathan Wilson out in Topanga Canyon. Shut the fuck up. Are you serious? Brian keeps everything from me now. What the fuck? Erin, that's fucking huge. Yeah, it was great.

Tell me about the experience. I grew up in Topanga and Ventura I knew you were from California I didn't know I'm from the valley You're in the hippie Valley boy So you were in

Oh my god I picture this now Fucking E-Ray in LA E-Ray goes west E-Ray goes west that's the name of the documentary after this record sells billions

oh my god so tell me about this Jonathan who else was there he brought his homies this guy Drew Erickson

was on keys and a guy named Jake Blanton was on bass and jonathan played drums and uh guitars and stuff and then i had a couple friends that were in the area come by and look at my friend meg look at you i know i was i was just fucking hollywood just hobnobbing had some friends in the area

Might as well play on my record as well Yeah I was like do you want to come down Do you want to come down to Topanga Canyon Come down to the canyon For a couple days Oh this makes me so happy No it was great It was like a dream

What did he teach you about songwriting What did he teach you about songwriting? What did he teach me? I think it was cool. The way it kind of worked was like I had 16. We did 16 songs. What the fuck? I know.

It was crazy. You wrote 16 songs in quarantine? No. Well, it's been several years now since we cut my last record. Damn. So I've had some time. But I ought to have more than that, honestly. Hold on. Did you have just 16 altogether that you collected through two years?

Or was it like you had 30 and you picked 16? There's probably like 20. And some were like, meh. 16 fucking songs. What are you writing about? What are you talking about? Gosh, I wish I could tell you. I have no clue. clue no i'm just kidding

um i you know the inner experience relational experience um there's a song about the environment about light pollution it's like yeah it's kind of a country song about light pollution. So, um, you know, how to get my environmental awareness. Do lyrics come hard on, you know,

do lyrics come hard to you or melodies come hard to you? What, what's harder for you? Uh, I feel like, I don't know. Melody kind of just like arises, if you will. Like it'll just like an idea, you know, will kind of come up.

And then usually it's usually like in tandem with like a line or two. And then like the first verse and chorus is usually the easy part and then after that i'm like well what now is that something well it's the same thing with your philosophy was not saying goodbye he loves you know yeah man i don't want to you don't want to finish things because you're having too good of a time with it. It's true. Yeah, it's that feeling of, yeah, I want to keep that good feeling.

You know the feeling when you start to write a song and you're like, this is dope. Yeah. I'm awesome. And then it's like, well, that passed. I'm a piece of shit. Yeah. Back to earth Oh my god

Yeah Have you been writing a lot of songs? I know this is the Fuck This is the I've been writing a little bit You know I'm in this like Writer block

You know I tried to like I was burnt out Right before I got To pandemic mode With just music And just doing it every day. We talked a little bit about this privately. Privately.

Schwartz, yeah. That was private. It was private. Don't tell Schwartz. We shared the same manager. He's so stressed. He's like, oh my God, what the fuck are they going to talk about? I wrote a couple and i'm gonna write i got i'm writing the finishing the record in may

but you know i like to be on a project i like to like i'm gonna write this motherfucker in a month let's go you know like a ocd like that yeah that's cool did it drive you nuts kind of went what'd you say you kind of like, you work well under pressure. Yeah. Do you work good under pressure? I think so. A timeline, like an end date really helps for sure. Because otherwise I feel like time is just like this amorphous blob.

And there's like, like, especially now I is just like this amorphous blob and there's like, like, especially now I'm just like, well, you know, when do I have to have something done? Or like, when do I, when am I, when am I going to be expected to present this new body of work or whatever, you know? And like, but then also just, I don't know, I've been trying to kind of, I haven't done it since I got back from the trip, but set aside some time and like just like set a timer and try to just like

work on stuff to see if anything comes up. That's good. It's very hard to do that. Yeah. Especially when you finish a project, you know good it's very hard to do that yeah especially when you finish a project you know it's like yeah it's like getting your ass back in on the fucking horse after you did a marathon yeah i just want to eat some cookies and fucking watch netflix which i did i finished schitt's creek uh last night And I'm sad to see it go. I don't know if you watched that show.

I like it. It's trash. That Jew in me loves that Schitt's Creek. You know what I'm talking about. It is halftime at the Andy Fresco interview hour. This is Joe Angel Howe, and I'm back with world-saving Wall Street bets. So we're going to talk about crypto today. It's not really, obviously, Wall Street, but fuck them.

Let's talk about Dogecoin. If you invested $1,000 in Dogecoin in November of 2020, you'd almost be a millionaire right now pumping that shit. But I got a fucking story to tell you people. Money's not real. Fuck everybody. Fuck the Federal Reserve.

Fuck fiat currency. Eat a fucking bag of dicks before you invest because this is not financial advice. because this is not financial advice. Tell me, I want to go back into when you're 19. What's fascinating to me is it feels like you have a lot of insecurities growing up as a kid, and then you have the confidence to go to one of the dopest songwriter circle. Did you always feel like you're just confident in music?

Like you knew that was, you were good at this. Like, how'd you have confidence to do that? Well, I think it was kind of this thing of like, my parents both, you know, validated that, like whatever natural talent was there. And, and then my mom's friend that was a musician that is a musician. Like she also validated me. Like I started singing in chorus and there was one time,

so it was like in the midst of all that, like insecurity socially and stuff. And my friend Ariel that I grew up with she lived down the street she was like we were singing on the trampoline one day and she was like you know what you really can sing and I was like and she was doing like musicals in high school she was doing like Footloose or something at the time and I was like really she's like, you really can. And so like, it's those kinds of things that for some reason I didn't question, you know,

which maybe, I don't know where that's where I'm like, okay, cool. Like, well, I, uh, I do feel like there's like, you know, some sort of spiritual situation, not that I'm like meant to do this in any like pious way, but just that I feel very fortunate that I had like that outlet of like somewhere. One aspect of myself that I could be confident in and, you know, and so but it but even still, it was kind of like. I don't know, I got a lot of positive feedback for like my early efforts. And so when, even when I went to that open mic, I sang a song acapella and it was like towards the end of the night. And these two brothers, Joshua and Jonathan, that I grew up, I knew them from high school.

They were playing there and they were super talented and they were like, they were complimentary of what I did. And, you know, they might've just been flirting with me. But I was like, took it to heart, you know? I bet it was both. It was both. Hell yeah. Hell yeah. You know?

And so from there, I kind of like decided to start doing, I said, voice lessons and guitar lessons. And yeah, I definitely had like stars in my eyes about what it would be and or like how, you know, how fast things happen. And now I understand there is natural talent and then there's also it takes years to develop that. And it also takes that, I don't know, that dedication

and continuing to show up for yourself. Was that hard to do with your insecurities? Yes. Yeah. But, you know, I think it's been really, I've been very fortunate to have a lot of people really support me through the years.

And, you know, I took lessons from this and that's the thing too i don't know not to interrupt myself all the time but like i took lessons from this woman named phoebe binkley shout out to phoebe phoebes and um she was she was like in her 70s when I started taking lessons with her, but she had taught so many women. She taught Kathy Matea. She taught Reese Witherspoon when she did the Walk the Line movie. She taught Crystal Gale and had this like wall of photos and wrote songs for Marty Robbins. And so there was this like, you know, I had the lineage of like my dad always growing up playing music and then parents singing together. So that felt like very innate to me.

And then, you know, having Kathy be a family friend and then introduced, she introduced me to Phoebe. So it kind of, it just felt like it was like the universe. You know, I grew up in a very like new agey kind of household. And it was very much like, my dad always says like, follow your bliss, you know? So.

And you never believed the hippie stuff though. Say what? You never believed, you said earlier that you never really like believed in the hippie dippy shit. No, I did. I did. I don't know that I like, it it's only it's only been in recent like the past couple years that i kind of like have developed like my own spiritual elderly

or whatever my own spiritual kind of like an idea of what a higher power or whatever is but uh you know meditating and all that but but that energy and that like the idea that it's okay to like follow follow your intuition and follow like what you're passionate about and stuff like and you know my dad always did say like i can do whatever i put my mind to you know that kind of thing so I think that energy like really carries you forward in a lot of ways you know totally then why um were you scared to be yourself earlier in your life I know there's a little bit of a I think it's it's you know kind of it's it's you know kind of separate in a way like you know my my like inner self my like emotional self who I am attracted to who I'm will fall in love with like all that stuff felt is like very internal and then like the music stuff kind of can exist that's like almost not it's not a character but it it's like a separate part

or it's like your superpower it's a superpower yeah i think so because i'm very insecure about myself too but when i get on, I'm a different fucking beast. Yeah. I think it's like that idea that's our getaway from ourselves. Yeah, I think so. Yeah. I don't know how you feel about it. That's also one thing that I've been kind of bringing to the forefront and being like okay so this career path was born out of a time where i was very you know insecure in a deep way

and what a what a what a blessing that i had this you know what a gift that i had this other avenue yeah you know and it's kind of like, you know, how you can have like self-compassion for your younger selves or whatever, you know, shit that you did that like, maybe you don't feel great about, but, or maybe I don't feel great about, but I was like, oh, I was trying to like, just be okay in this world. You i was trying to like get get some needs met and get some um anyways uh but i forgot what i was saying uh yeah just that like what what is my true motive do i am i doing this because i want to be offering something? And can I repair this relationship with myself,

which I'm really so thankful to be able to have the space to do that and the resources to go to therapy and to also not have the bias against it. I didn't grow up thinking like therapy's stupid because that's what my mom did. She's a therapist. So, you know. So it's like rebellion in a way. Yeah.

Like I didn't think it was stupid though, you know, and I think that's something that blocks people is like, you know. I'm just saying I'm just saying it's like It's cool To be able to like Explore this shit No

I think it's beautiful And like Think about it Some people don't Explore themselves Until they're 80 Yeah And it's like

Or ever Or ever Yeah it's true God Look at you Air motherfucking ray I'm I'm proud

Andy Frasco Yo so okay Andrew Frasco I'll tell you what I'll tell you what Aaron Ray It is so good to see you It is so good I'm so glad to see you

And talk to you again Okay so you have these like two different personalities Your music is very Like really heavy And like It's like Sometimes I put, sometimes I put on your playlist. You're like, I can't listen to this shit. I love it.

I love folk. Like, that's my shit. And I listen. I'm like, damn, this chick was sad as fuck. Damn, she was feeling her feelings on this one. And then you go fucking hang out with like Bird Cloud and shit. I know. I'm wild.

So tell me about that. I mean, I think it's beautiful that you are fully expressive. You could go from one side to another. And you could have the confidence to have it in the middle. Tell me about Bird Cloud. You know I love Bird Cloud.

Those are my girls. How did that combination come up? to have it in the middle. Tell me about Bird Cloud. You know I love Bird Cloud. Those are my girls. Yes. Yes. How'd that combination come up? Well, I've known them, I guess I've known Mackenzie for longer, but I've just known them from living in Nashville. And actually, we just have tons of mutual friends.

we just have like tons of mutual friends and um yeah me and mckenzie met through my friend pete and um i think i was jordan our friend jordan lenning showed me jasmine's own her own music um like several years ago they had made a record together and I love her her solo project oh that's so good yeah she's so cool so yeah you know just from being in Nashville and being silly Pete is one of my good friends

and I think Mackenzie found out that I have a sense like that I'm goofy and have a sense of humor through like just being in that friend group. And so, yeah, I went to brunch with them one day. Brunch. Brunch. And yeah, they were like, we want to do, this is probably the only thing you can find on this hashtag, but, um, bird cloud eye for the decent human being. And, uh, they wanted to give me the makeover.

And so, yeah, it was right when my record was coming out and they were going to, she was like, McKenzie was like, this is where we take really lame, well, not lame musicians and, you know, make them party with us. And it was hilarious. And so, yeah, it was just really fun. That's like, you know, I feel like that I often recite lyrics frommas yeah with my friend matt down the street and uh i just think they're they're brilliant they both are individually and then the humor of bird cloud is brilliant it's not just like a party that's what i think too. It's satirical. It's very nuanced and it captures this very specific, well, different perspectives of the Southern experience. And it's just like they just nail it.

Yeah, they do. It's awesome. So I'm a fan through and through. And then I was honored when they asked me to be in third cloud and, uh, um, yeah. McKenzie put a leash,

a dog leash on me and made me eat out of a, eat a burrito out of a dog bowl. So, um, but I, I tell you what i have had more people like come to shows or reach out about stuff because of that than like probably any other singular thing so yeah they're like we saw you on on bird clouds instagram that was so funny. Oh, God. I love

I loved it. Look at you, just hanging out with all these Nashville songwriters. Is it intimidating? You hang out with a fucking circle of really good songwriters. How do you approach I got this song.

I mean, do you guys talk? do you guys like talk? Do you guys like write songs? I just think of Nashville. I'm like, close my eyes. You're like in your little wooden house and shit and you bring out your hobbies and you guys are just playing fucking writing songs

on like a wooden stump or something. Yeah. I'm just like, hey, maybe we're at the log in this field. Right next to D-Wise. Bring your acoustic and your cotton dress. Yeah, I'm just like, hey, maybe we're at the log in this field. Right next to D-Line. Bring your acoustic and your cotton dress. Where'd you get that sound from? Who'd you want to be when you grew up?

How'd you get this sound? I mean, it feels so old, but it feels so new and fresh. I really love your sound. Thank you. Thanks. Who'd you want to be when you grew up? I think I think I wanted to be my dad And my mom

Like a combo of the two of them They both have great voices And you know heard them singing all the time And Yeah there's like a real sense of Tradition And the songwriting that I grew up hearing my dad cover and his own writing and stuff

and yeah I mean and then of course, Nora Jones and like the it's like Nora Jones and the Oh Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack were like that was like my shit and the soundtrack

from the movie Holes. Oh, who was on that record? Who was on that? I like that. What a hot take that is. Yo, y'all seen Holes? You seen Holes, man? I'm talking about the

you gotta listen to the record. Holes movie soundtrack. You know Nancy Wilson? Nancy Wilson? Yeah. Yeah. Have you ever heard any of her do any of Cameron Crowe's movies?

No. Oh, my God. Like Elizabeth Town and shit. It's good. Oh, okay. Okay. Yes. The Elizabeth town soundtrack.

I don't know if you're, I'm obsessed with it. I didn't know. I don't know if you like saw this. What? In your, I've, I've talked about this before.

No, I haven't. I don't do, I just, I just looked up your Wikipedia. So if it's in your Wikipedia, we're just, we're just a quick glance at the wiki. Yeah.

We're vibing. You love that record too? Town soundtrack is like Tom Petty. It'll all work out. Yeah. My morning jacket, where to begin? Kinks. I think the Kinks are on there.

Kinks. Yeah. Oh yeah, dude. Dude, did we just become best friends? Honestly, but all the instrumental stuff that Nancy did on that

is just like so fucking powerful. Yes. Like, I didn't realize that she did that. Yeah. I knew,

like, I had like some instrumental stuff and I thought the song was called Nancy Wilson. So, now, you just let me That movie gets like I had like some instrumental stuff and I thought the song was called Nancy Wilson so now

that movie gets shitted on and it is a good movie it is a great movie also I feel like those shoes that he got cancelled for and the shoe company they're not that

different from like Kanye shoes or Kanye shoes and basketball shoes he was just before his time do you think you're before your time oh I don't know about that do you think you're before your time

I think I'm at I think I'd get if I ever get popular it'd be what I'd die I think about that get if I ever get popular it'd be what I'd die I think about that sometimes too we'll just work on this next record for my post-humus release so what would you no I mean

I'd think about it Dolly thinks about it what does Dolly say? well Dolly just is Dolly is always planning. She's always making business plans for the future for after she's gone. I'm not doing that

at this juncture. Well, kind of. You're writing records. They last forever. Yeah, that's true. You don't need to have a Dolly town. You don't need a whole town. E-Ray town. That's true. I would love a theme park yeah just Eray everywhere it would just be like

a lazy river like a CBD tank you just go in and are just like the most chill yeah a cloud ride with only three clouds just circles around the park it will be small A cloud ride with only three clouds. Just circles around the park.

It will be small. That's amazing. So, E-Ray, this has been amazing. I really enjoy talking to you and stuff. You too. Would you ever compose a movie? Yeah. Like score one? i would love that i was i also wanted to ask you i know we're

not to turn the tables that's okay but um how was when you're you did stand up yeah i i i bombed two i bombed for bomb i bombed the first show and then I killed it the second show. Because I was in Boston and I just wore Laker gear. I walked up rolling in Laker gear. I knew I wasn't going to get shit. So then I put on an outfit. You had a one-up on them. I did.

You knew. I knew. You were in control of that situation. I was. I was in my own destiny i know but i didn't know that was gonna they weren't gonna laugh at jokes so the second show the second that the night show i put on like a button down and hide all my laker gear and then i got some laughs and then i'm like fuck y'all and then bounce off the laker jersey i'm like frasco out. It was good though. That's amazing. You still into comedy? Yeah.

I just think it's very, I think often, like I don't think every once in a while I'll be like, maybe one day I could do that. But I just think it's such a ball, it's like the most ballsy profession.

You say that, and you have to go on tour by yourself with a motherfucking guitar. Vulnerable as fuck. That's true. I don't get how you do that and not get nervous. What was the biggest show? I do get nervous sometimes, especially the older I get. I'm like, I just feel like I know more now you know and I'm just like oh yeah this isn't just that's the thing the early years is like

that blind ignorance of just like oh like people are saying I'm awesome that's awesome and they must be telling the truth and I must be about to blow up. Like that's like 21, you know what I mean? I'm about to be, I'm about to be the swell season in the movie once. And yeah, somebody just going to see me and be like, come sing harmonies with me, girl. We're going to be famous, you know? And so there was a lot of like, that's what I mean by like stars in my eyes about how it all was going to work out. But then what I have now is just such a beautiful beginning still, but a lot of really great experiences under my belt. Yeah, and some big news.

Decided to learn more. Yeah. Yeah. Having heard big news about your songwriting business and big news about everything else. Like, yeah, it's pretty, yo, shout out. I'm going to shout out to you. Let's go.

My girls get bigger. My girls blowing up. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. I have two more questions. You got time?

You got time to talk? Yeah. I'm chilling. Tell me about Nashville. Is it like everyone, is it full of shit or is it real? I think it's real it just depends who you talk to probably there's opportunity to have multiple

experiences of Nashville, Tennessee is the industry hard for women songwriters? you know I Is the industry hard for women songwriters? You know, I don't think, I feel like I have been'm in feels like it's a little different. But maybe that's just naivety. I feel like my stuff is's okay to have a slower build and it's like valued even to have a slower build to a career and like um you know and uh I'm surrounded by so many great gals that also are on this path and that we're kind of like experiencing like the

career progression together at the same time and so beautiful yeah i mean there's like little things that happen uh here and there that like comments people make or like assumptions people have or whatever. But like, Does that bum you out? Do you like take that to heart? Not really. It's, it's like more like, I don't really feel like, I don't know. Yes. Of course. Like in the moment, if I'm like after a show, somebody says something and they're like, I don't know that there was one time, like, uh,

this guy was like pretty wasted. He was like an older, probably like around my dad's age. And he was like, honey, let me tell you, lose the suit. He's like with these guys and that voice, jeans and a white shirt, it would be beautiful. And I was just like, thank you,

sir. Like, I appreciate that. I appreciate, I appreciate you. Is it about, but then he just kept, he kept going on and on, you know what I mean?

And to the point where I was just like, he was just drunk, you know? And so like, even it just was annoying and like, but it was fine. Do you ever like, but also,

yeah. Do you ever like turn the plugs? I shut the fuck up. Just like, just like after you hear this, I did after a certain time, I was just like, I was just like, I'm walking away I did after a certain time I was just like I was just like I'm walking away

I think I was like I heard what you said you know I just I don't I haven't I didn't do that yet I just want you

I just want you to go like taxi driver on all these motherfuckers one day just like mother fucker maybe 2022 let's get it

the E-Ray the metal record Smackdown Smackdown what did you say to me 2022. Let's get it. The E-Ray, the metal record. Smackdown. Smackdown. What did you say to me? Thanks for being on the show, E-Ray. Thanks for having me.

And it's always great to catch up with you. Great to see you. Yeah, you doing good? Are you happy right now? Yeah, I'm feeling happy. I'm feeling it's springtime here. I don't know. Are y'all still getting snow? Yeah, it's snowing today. Or was that? Yeah. Really? Yeah, it's springtime here i don't know are y'all still getting snow yeah it's snowing today or was that yeah really yeah it's been snow i'm not i'm not good you like snow i'm i'm

cali cali kid snow oh yeah i like it i like looking at it like drinking some coffee and seeing it snow but then if i gotta get in my car fuck that dude i ain't trying to yeah slip and slide in this bitch you know it gets like cold cold there here it's so temporary that it's it's just like a treat you know it's a treat but were you asking about nashville because you're gonna move to nashville you won't talk to me you won't hang out with me i'm i'm too hey hey no no i'm just i'm just curious because you know i've been talking to more of these national songwriters and stuff and uh you know it seems like it feels like it's like la but it's more creative the music that coming out of there is is the songwriting coming out of it as well

but the industry seems like it's like really hard yeah i bet i don't know like it depends I guess on what you're what you're wanting out of it you know what I mean what do you want out of it I feel like the hangs the hangs are good and there are great people but right now I'm just like

I'm just you know I'm gonna put this next record out and keep going tour when that just, you know, I'm going to put this next record out and... Keep going. ...tour when that opens up, you know, and yeah, and just keep building the blocks or whatever. But yeah, it just depends, I think.

You in love yet? With numero uno. Let's fucking go. That's what I'm talking about. Let's get it. That's the answer I'm looking for. Yeah. My girl's progressing. Let's fucking go. That's what I'm talking about. Let's get it. That's the answer I'm looking for. Yeah. My girl's progressing.

Let's get it. Yes. Well, I'm glad you- Loving myself. What about you? I get into these situations and they just don't work out. You're right. I don't know why.

I think I'm just too fucking in my head about everything. Bro, I understand. know why. I think I'm just too fucking in my head about everything. Bro, I understand. I know. That's what we talk about this stuff. All right, E-Ray, look at your life. It's amazing. You guys, you're out there in Nashville.

Look at your house. Look at your windows. I know. We're doing it, E-Ray. We're really doing it. Started from the bottom. Now we're here. Yes.

But you got out of the fucking cabin on the woods. Little prairie on the woods. Got your own pad now. Got to go into Panga Canyon to go hang out with Jonathan Wilson. I love your life right now, and I'm really proud of it. And I'm proud to be your friend. So I got one last question for you. I'm proud to be your friend. Shit.

Well, we're going to get a hang in. You did come to my show pre- your friend. I got one last question for you. I'm proud to be your friend. We're going to get a hang in. You did come to my show pre-COVID. What the fuck is that? Billy was there too. Billy Strings. E-Ray is like, we're taking mushrooms. You're like, yeah, let's do a podcast in the morning at 8. I was like,

I saw how you were getting down. I was like, we ain't going to be getting up at 8 o'clock. That is not going to happen. But it's good to see you. You know, ambition. Ambition will win the race. I appreciate your work ethic. I'll tell you what, you know, I'm inspired by all y'all.

So I got one last question and I'll let you go. What do you want to be remembered by, Erin Rae? Ooh. Oh, man. Well, I would love if my work encourages other people to be themselves and step into their own light and their own, you know, have an experience of self-acceptance. And that, you know, I don't know. That's not a very, I wasn't planning on saying my dying message.

Well, I think you're doing a good job and it starts with one, right? It starts with you if you're going to express that. So I'm glad you're- I feel like, yeah, I want other people to feel like they can kind of pursue that path too if they want. Well, thank you for being on earth the same time I'm on earth. And I hope you have a great day wherever you are. Go listen to your little vinyl player.. And I hope you have a great day. Wherever you are, go listen to your little vinyl player. Look at you.

You have a vinyl player and a fern and a little art of flowers. I framed this on purpose. You're an adult, dog. I was like, I just said this. I was like, I got to show my plant, my record player. Well, have a great day. He's got to know that I'm authentic. Oh, you a bad bitch.

We all know it. You knew it too. You knew it at 18. You a bad bitch. I been a bad bitch. I been a bad bitch. I been a great day. He's got to know that I'm authentic. Oh, you a bad bitch. We all know it. You knew it too. You knew it at 18. You a bad bitch. I been on. I been on. I been on. Well, have a great day, okay?

Oh, my gosh. Yes, you too. Have a good one, Aaron. Bye. There you have it. Aaron Ray. Awesome. Great woman.

Great songwriter. Great person. And a shout out for Nashville for making her a good woman. Yeah. let's go all right I'll catch you on the tail end we're talking about why people talk shit about other bands and kind of started because fan pages I noticed that people hate on you I'm on the internet a lot I like the internet I like just mostly because I like to watch people be crazy yeah and I've noticed that people talk shit about you less right now than they did maybe a year, two years ago.

Yeah. And I was talking about it, because they're realizing that you're genuine, right? Yeah. Okay, and then I was talking about Goose. Right now, there's like a whole thing with people hate Goose. And more people probably love Goose. And I want to clear up the,

I don't have a problem with Goose. This is merely observation. Me either. We love Goose. goose so these people that hate on goose are creating the thing that they want least which is for goose to be insanely popular because what do they do they fucking talk about goose all day on the internet yeah the people that like goose talk with each other about it the people that don't like goose are outwardly you know putting posts that get to more people so basically more people are hearing about goose now through people that hate it than people who like it probably right yeah okay so just because and then when they go listen they're not going to necessarily hate it just because someone said it's bad if anything if i know

anything about human nature they're going to try to like it because the first thing you want to do is disagree with someone on the internet yeah so it's just crazy how people don't people not liking bands sometimes makes them more popular than people that like the band right isn't that with celebrities too probably i mean i think it's with everything ever chick-fil-a chick-fil-a why are we so pretentious with what we like i don't know protects i don't know protection of our own thoughts you don't want to look dumb i don't know i don't know i'm not really like that so i get like that kind of lebron james i'm a little bit like lakers but it's kind of funny i'm like that way more sports than music yeah me too because i just see i see how random the music thing is it's just like anyone but like i never do you see anyone talking shit about billy strings

he's really popular yeah actually a little bit really yeah it's and you know it's weirdly mostly like bluegrass people why because bluegrass people are the worst about this they are so protective of it they are so traditional yeah if you do anything outside of like this like fucking column you're like they don't like there's you do anything outside of like this like fucking column you're like they don't like there's a certain subsect of the bluegrass community that won't fuck with you it's kind of why i don't like bluegrass yeah it sort of goes against everything i think music should be it's like you're supposed to fucking always right change evolve miles davis like that you know like i saw this even with the Black Keys. Everyone used to fucking suck

the Black Keys D, dude. And once they got popular, people were like, oh, fuck that band, fuck that band. Yeah, that's a thing too, right? But Goose isn't like... They're still on the rise. People should be supporting them. I agree.

They're not like rich guys. They're like fucking, you know... No, it's like, I'm just talking about why people hate things when it's popular. You know what I mean? Why do people hate things when it's popular. You know what I mean? Why do people hate things when they're popular? I don't know, actually. I don't get that at all.

I don't get it either. I mean, like, shouldn't you, like, be excited for someone to get popular if you love what they're doing? It's just jealousy, probably. You think so? Because I think it's easy to do that. Or to go back to protection, like, or selfishness. Like, I don't want anyone else to like this besides me.

That's the thing too. That's the thing with the nerds who do that. Hip hop nerds are kind of like that. Jam nerds too. Jam band kids.

Yeah, they're like that. They're like that. Some of them are. Like any bands that blew up, like does Fish get shitted on?

Yeah, but it's like kind of passe now. It's so easy. It's all the jokes have been done. Or Dave Matthews gets shitted on? Yeah, but it's kind of passé now. It's so easy. It's all the jokes have been done. Or Dave Matthews gets shitted on? Probably.

Yeah, but I think everybody's in accordance. I'll tell you, with the Dave Matthews, I think most of the jokes are about the crowd, like the frat boy vibe. But I think everybody agrees that Dave Matthews' band is killing. Yeah, they're sick. They're fucking so good. Yeah. Well, God, Nick, it're fucking so good. Yeah. Yeah.

Well, God, Nick, it's been a pleasure. Let me go back to the... I'm just kidding. Yeah, it does. No, well, you were asking... I don't think this is a new thing. You know what I mean? No, no. This happens at restaurants.

This happens music. This happens in sports. It was Twiddle before that, or Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. And then before that, everyone hated Twiddle. Whoever the new band is,'s starting to get a following, that's who everybody hates, half the people hate, and then they make it more popular because they're just saying the word Twiddle all day on the internet.

How do you not forget that word when you see it? You know what I mean? And the bands don't give a fuck. The band's like, yeah, keep... No, I think they get offended. I would love if people trashed me all day on the internet. I think people... I mean, I have my fair share of really close friends and a lot of these bands you mentioned and we all well they shouldn't people talk shit yeah but they shouldn't give a fuck it's some guy who i know but like when you it's like some guys never

made a song or like fucking got laid off and look at our job our job is to right create for other people yeah but that doesn't mean they have to like everything everyone doesn't have to like it that's actually a bad sign if everybody likes your shit it means you probably made something boring like it's kind of normal and like you know what i mean you want like some people to hate you and that means you're doing something yeah you're right but like uh i mean i you know i talked to my my boys and like you know if one say like one i don't think mahali gives a shit when people make fun of twiddle i think he used to maybe he's so chill though i don't know i mean a lot of people you know it's like just be nicer to the fucking bands who are working to try to give you entertainment yeah i mean that's the thing a

lot of them are just a lot of these people are kind of hobby musicians that have sort of an inflated thing, and they're a little jealous, probably. Oh, of the people actually doing it full time. Yeah, you know. So here, I want to give you a motivation. Alright, hobbyist musicians. Fuck you. Quit. Bitch. Shut up, Nick. Go get it.

Stop talking shit on the internet. Quit your job. Start a fucking jam band then. Start a band. Get yourself a percussionist. Get in a van. Sell your car. Buy a van. And go out there and fucking do it. Because at the end of the day, you're going to keep on

regretting to yourself that you didn't fucking do it. And you're going to talk all that shit about everyone else trying to do it. Go play a couple noon sets at a fucking Midwest festival. Where ten people show up. Do that for four years. Yeah. And then we'll hear your complaints. Yeah.

Also, maybe just quit. You know? Shut the fuck up, Nick. Learn how to code or something. This is a motivational podcast. Yeah, motivating them to do something better with their lives. Oh, quitting their bad job? No, quit trying to be a musician and learn how to code or something. You know? Shut the fuck up. Save some money for retirement. Oh, so I'm a dick for telling people

to retire comfortably? Well, there you have it. Thanks for coming out to the show. Be nicer on the internet to people. Talk shit about me, though. Talk shit about Nick so he can get really famous. Fuck yeah. Because I have 15% of his cameos.

I love negative. I need that money starting to come in because I actually looked at the cameo. I got feedback. I looked at the cameo, and I'm on your commission. You've made me $5.08, Nick. Let's go, baby. Thank you, buddy. Let's go.

Fuck yeah. Keep the money rolling for Nick Gerlach. That's $5.08 you wouldn't have had. I know. You're right. Thanks, guys. Aaron, that was the money rolling for Nick Gerlach. That's $5.08 you wouldn't have had. I know. You're right. Thanks, guys. Aaron, that was awesome. Quit. Nick. Quit.

Quit what? Quit trying to be a musician. There can only be 12 musicians starting in June. What? You're talking about hobby musicians? Yeah, I'm just kidding. Do whatever you want. Nick, it's always great to bring optimism.

I'm not the one being pessimistic. I'm pointing out there. See, I knew this would happen. You point out something, and then you're the guy that did it. I don't fucking care about Goose. They're actually pretty tight. I saw them at a couple festivals. They can sing.

They're good band. They're tight musicians. No, they're great. It's in the pocket. I'm talking about the people talking shit on internet. Be more considerate to people's feelings. Just think.

Do you talk shit on the internet? And like, as a joke, nothing serious. Nothing serious. I mean, we back and forth

a lot on the internet. Yeah, but I'm not like mad at anybody. No, no, no. You're resisting. No, no, no. You know what I mean?

All right, guys. Have a great day. Thank you, Nick. Maybe Jude Law. No, I'm just kidding. Why? I think Jude Law's hot. He's hot. That's like, that's part of the problem. He's a great day. Thank you, Nick. Maybe Jude Law. No, I'm just kidding. Why? I think Jude Law's hot. He's hot.

That's part of the problem. He's a good actor. I like Alfie. He's a good actor. The musician thing is what pisses me off about him. He's a musician? Yeah, he was at band 30 Seconds to Mars. They're fucking huge.

Not Jude Law. Or fucking... What's his name? Same type of dude. No, I like Jude Law. He's too handsome. What's that guy's name? God damn it. he played the joker

yeah he was really bad at it right um i didn't see that one hold on so people don't everybody home screaming yeah joker it's mark anderson it's mark joker god 30 seconds oh jared leto yeah i hate that guy jared leto if you're listening i don't like you that documentary is actually pretty good yeah he's a good actor but but why did you have to start a terrible band and now because you're a celebrity, you get... You know what I mean? At least not for the rest of us. You just don't like pop music.

I love some pop music. Like what? Post Malone's pretty tight. Yeah, yeah. I don't like that kind of pop music. I don't like rock. Like guys being in like cool... Like what happened to rock?

It used to have like some anger in it. What are they to be angry about? I don't like him. He's too rich to start a band. Thanks, Nick, for being on the show, buddy. Have a good one. I'll see you next week. I'm in Nashville. We'll get someone fun for the co-host

while Nick... Someone rented my house. People are finding out that they rent my house. Is your name on the thing? No, but they look at the Red Rocks statue and they just start creeping. I've seen people go through my shit. Why? You have cameras? No, but just like

I just see things moved. I would definitely... I mean, how do you not go through shit? Yeah, I go through shit in Airbnbs too. Just don't leave anything. If you're running out in Airbnb, just... I do. I leave. I trust people. I leave my jerseys. No, too. Just don't leave anything. If you're running out in an Airbnb, just advice. I do. I trust people. I leave my jerseys. No, yeah, but don't leave anything you don't want to leave. All right, guys.

Have a good day. You tuned in to the World Central Podcast with Andy Fresco, now in its fourth season. Thank you for listening to this episode produced by Andy Fresco, Joe Angelo, and Chris Lawrence. We need you to help us save the world and spread the word. Please subscribe, rate the show, give us those crazy stars, 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. And check our socials to see what's up next.

Might be a video dance party, a showcase concert, that crazy shit show, or whatever springs to Andy's wicked brain. And after a year of keeping clean and playing safe, the band is back on tour. We thank our brand new talent book on Mara Davis. 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 will be back next week. No animals were harmed in the making of this podcast. As far as we know, any similarity, instructional knowledge, facts, or fake is purely coincidental. Ladies and gentlemen, the world-saving talent search. Please welcome to the stage Suzy Q and the Casey and Jojo Band. I will never find another lover sweeter than you, sweeter than you. And I will never find another lover precious to you, you, precious to you.

Posted me to like my father, posted me to like my brother, posted me to like my mother, posted you mean it like my father, supposed to mean it like my mother, supposed to mean it like my brother. And you were the only one, my everything, I've honestly heard the songs all my life. I prayed for someone like you, and I thank God that I, that I finally found you. All my life, I paid for someone like you. And I hope that you accept me too You did great.