Andy Frasco's World Saving Podcast - EP 235: Kristian Matsson (The Tallest Man on Earth)

Episode Date: September 5, 2023

Just who is this Pizza Steve and why does he hold such sway on the band? Steve matters, but so does the immortal Black Sabbath. We commemorate a dear friend and phenomenal musician, James Casey. He matters to us. If you're hurting, know that we're hurting too. Cuz as Andy says, "you never know when you're gonna leave the party." And on the Interview Hour we got singer songwriter, Kristian Matsson aka The Tallest Man on Earth! Is he really all that tall? Or do we just look up to him for his excellent song writing and insight on the human condition? No way to know unless you listen to his music... and this interview ;) seriously though, his music is heart wrenchingly good. So do yourself a favor and check out thetallestmanonearth.com Watch this episode streaming now!! Psyched to partner up with our buddies at Volume.com! Check out their roster of upcoming live events and on-demand shows to enrich that sweet life of yours. Call, leave a message, and tell us how you really feel: [phone]  Check out our new album!, L'Optimist on all platforms Follow us on Instagram @worldsavingpodcast For more information on Andy Frasco, the band and/or the blog, go to: AndyFrasco.com Check out our good friends that help us unwind and sleep easy while on the road and at home: dialedingummies.com Produced by Andy Frasco, Joe Angelhow, & Chris Lorentz Audio mix by Chris Lorentz Featuring: Shawn Eckels Andee Beats Avila Arno Bakker

I am Pizza Steve! Pizza Stevie needs new glasses and maybe some driving classes Pizza Stevie is to blame He loves looking for cocaine Andy Frasco yells at Steve But he can't afford for him to leave Lindsey thinks he is the man

But we got him jerking in the van oh lord yeah that was shit right off the bat and we're back Andy Frasco's world saving podcast let's get this up worth I have important shit to do today. Yes, I can tell.

Hi, how you doing, everyone? I'm Andy Frasco. How's our hearts? How's our minds? Are we staying out of trouble? Fucking Denzel's in the studio. Let's fucking go. We love Denzel when he's in the studio.

This is such a chiller. My intern. We got our co-host, Trivia Master. Trivia Master. If anyone, You think the people You don't even know how fucking good this is guys It's a great show It's fucking the best thing I've ever done in my life

I love how you put a light on yourself now So people can see you There's a light under you Oh it's just probably my laptop screen But it looked cool It looked like a pro show And it was like, but it looked cool. It looked like a pro show. It did. It looked like a pro show and it was really fun. And people are when I love, I bet this is, I know how you are and you probably get so hard when you fucking say, all right,

everyone's talks. All right. Next question in the crowd. Just fucking. That's my favorite. So I love when people do my bidding. I know. God, I love when they, I love when they cheer when I tell them to, but I really love when they get quiet That's when you know you're powerful So we got Nick Gerlach co-host of the year We're just fucking killing it Beyonce does that on her show You know that?

She has to sing in an arena I don't know what song it is But she'll be like something something on mute And the whole fucking arena goes silent And if you talk her fans will like There's videos of it on TikTok If somebody makes a noise you'll get shit from another Beyonce fan.

Imagine being able to get 60,000 people to shut the fuck up. It's amazing. You know what else is a show? She should be president. Yeah, she should. Another show just like Beyonce was Mack Sabbath. I was obsessed with that fucking show. That was the best...

That was one of the most entertaining concerts I've seen. I went again. I went to the after party. And it's the same show. It's the same, kind of the same show. Which is fine. But they did a couple other songs. But yeah, the encore.

I mean, there's only so many Black Sabbath songs. Yeah, and only so much shtick you could do with that. With him coiling. So they worked the McDonald's stuff into bits, too. It like stuff into bits too so every song is about mcdonald's so every lyric is like i am frying bad that's so smart because then they can't get sued really either right it's like the weird thing but there's this video of them getting showing like uh i guess um what's ozzy osbourne's kid's name jack Jack? Yeah. Brings Ozzy into a room and Max Sabbath is in the room and they play Frying Pan or Iron Man.

Wait, this really happened? Yeah. Oh. Ozzy's face is like, oh my God, this is the coolest thing. And he was just freaking out. Do they play it well, the music? Yeah.

It's nails? It's sick. Do you know the guys at all in real life? No, but it's my old agent, Brad Raffin. Shout out to Brad. He's also my agent now. Oh, I forgot. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yeah, Brad books them. We're still getting it going, but yeah, yeah. Oh, my God. I got to get what he caught. Macintosh Sabbath, what? I got to get them to open. I think it'd be sick. Oh, my God. It'd be like a lot, actually. What? I gotta get them to open. I think it'd be sick. Oh my god. It'd be like a lot, actually. What?

That's a lot of entertainment. Yeah. And there's not nine guys in the band. Yeah. Yeah. But, I just got that. I'm just kidding. They're my friends. Oh, shit.

I bet no one's more annoyed by having nine people in the band than they are. Right. I mean, the old days when they had like the turquoise full moving 14 people. They were in a passenger, like a 15 person. They are a killing band. So it's going to be great. That's going to be good. And Craig Broadhead texted me.

He's like, I'm so excited to go on tour with you. I'm like, fuck yeah. I'm excited because it's going to be The NBA season and we can watch basketball together You guys can watch me win in fantasy every week You're probably going to win again I don't know I win every other year So I'm not expecting to win this year I got a new strategy this year

What draft better players? Don't just get Lakers because you love them You always reach on a Laker I always reach on a Laker I I always reach on a Laker. I am like the opposite of you. I avoid people on my favorite teams. Why? Because then it's like not attached. I know, but then it's like I can root for them.

I already root for them anyway. I can separate fantasy from real life. That's why it's called fantasy. Oh. I'm trying to make the playoffs. That's like my goal this year. I won two of the last three years. I'm up $1,700. I want to do a fantasy draft for musicians. Can we do one?

That'd be fun, but there's a huge pool. I love stuff like this. What kind of band are we making? It's up to you what type of band you want. We've got to build a jam band, obviously. This is a jam band podcast. We're part of the jam band universe. Who would be your first pick?

It's tough. It's like football. You've part of the Jam Band universe. Right. Who would be your first pick? Well, it's tough because it's like football. You got to think more like basketball, I guess, though, because it's similar. But what's the most important position? I don't know. It depends what you want. I think drums is usually the most important thing in a band. Really? You ever heard of a band with a shitty

drummer? Yeah, yeah. That's true. It's like, what the fuck are we even doing here? You know what I mean? So, you're going to have to go drummer first. So, what kind of band are we building? Um, I mean... Oh, we're going back and forth. It's a draft. So, how do you want it? You can have the first pick.

No, I gave you the first pick. I gave you the first pick. Okay, but we'll snake it then, so you get second and third. Okay. So, if we're going drummer, I'm going to go with... It has to be someone in a touring jam band, okay? Right. Isaac Thiel. Ooh, good call.

You know why? Why? He's a two-tool player. He can also sing his ass off. That's a good pick, huh? It's a good pick. And it's not like... His salary's not going to be as high as some of these other guys. Right. I am going to go... Keep him under the salary cap. Keep him under the salary cap. Keep him under the salary cap.

Bullshit, he's in that fucking... He's in Dolan's band. Yeah, but they're not like, you know... They're making money. Yeah, I know, but you know what I'm saying. Talk makes money. They ain't like pretty lights or some shit, though. You know?

Dude, those guys are expensive. I go Kanika Moore, first pick. That's a good one. Because now I could... See, you care about vocals. I care about vocals. Not me. I'm building an instrumental band where Isaac sings sometimes if we do a cool cover. You get another pick, though.

You're snaking it. Then I would go... We're going to have six people total in the band. Six people total in the band. Then I would go... And then we get the draft manager. That's a kicker in defense. Okay, so I'd go second round. I'd go...

You know. I'd probably go Sean Eccles. Wow. Okay, so you... Are we going for like... Are we trying to sell tickets here too or are we just trying to make a good band? We're trying to... I mean, yeah. I'm just asking. Because I want to go for some bigger names.

It might cost a little more, but... Okay, that's a good... Okay, we're trying to sell tickets. Okay, so like if, you know, because I want to go for some bigger names. That might cost a little more, but. Yeah. Okay, that's a good. Oh, okay. You're going for like a rock explosion. Fucking wow. Yeah. I'm going to go for a choppy, funky masterpiece.

That's just. So I'm going to have to go bass next. I'm going to go Garrett from Motet. Ooh. Sneaky, huh? I like that. Then I get another pick. So you know what I'm going to do?

What? I'm going to pick a guitar player. I'm going to pick another guy that can do multiple things, and he can bring a lot to the table musically. He's also got a pretty good online presence. Stays promoting his shit, Craig Broadhead. Ooh. That's a good one.

That's sneaky. He plays the shit out of keys, too. I like that. Yeah. That's like your utility guy. Utility guy. Isaac's like my star, sort of. He's the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar sort of. And then I got...

Garrett's just... I don't know. He's just like the best bass player, pretty much. So you're going all Denver? Craig lives not in Denver. Oh, yeah. I guess Isaac... I keep forgetting Isaac. I you're going all Denver. Craig lives not in Denver. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. I guess Isaac. I keep forgetting Isaac. I never see him outside of Denver more than I see him in Denver actually, but yeah. So you

have Isaac, Craig Broadhead from Turquoise, Garrett Sayers from Motet. That's a good one. Now you got two picks. I got two picks. I have Kanika and Sean. Kanika, Sean. I think for my third pick I'm going to go Victor Wooten

That's a great pick He counts as a jam band For sure Shout out to Floyd I mean Victor Wooten We don't want Floyd in a jam band No clue what he's doing Oh you got another one I forgot

So you have singer bass guitar You're going late on drummer There's a lot of good drummers still out there doing. Oh, you got another one I forgot. So you have singer-bass guitar. Yeah. You're going late on drummer. Yeah. There's a lot of good drummers still out there. There's tons of good drummers. And then I need a utility guy. I like horns. Oh, yeah. See, that's what I was thinking.

I need keyboards, so I'm going to pick Nick Gerlach. Oh, you drafted me on your team. That's pretty good. God, I'm going to be busy. Because I'm not in my band. I think I'll just be the social media guy for my band. Okay, so

I have those three gentlemen. God, my band's going to be pissed. Your band's going to be really pissed. What? Andy Fresco and the UN? Yeah. They're not jam band guys. You already directed Sean. I did draft Sean.

You haven't directed a drummer yet. I know. Okay, so I have a guitar keys. Maybe I'll get like a straight up. Let me think here. This is tough. This is tough. This is tough. Do I want another guitar player?

Do I want just a dedicated keyboardist? You know who I'm going to go? Who? I'm going to go with a great keyboardist. I'm going to go with Ivan Neville. Ooh, I like that. They're jam banded. Dumpster Function is a jam band.

They play jam band. The rule is like, do you play at least five jam band festivals a summer? You know what I mean? Okay, so I get another one here. I'm going to go with another guitar player. Yeah. And another guy. I decided I'm going to focus more on vocals.

I'm going to get maybe the best singer slash guitar player combo in the scene. Nicholas Casarino. Ooh, I like that. Nick from N's Power. Look at my guitar section. Casarino and Broadhead. I would... Yeah, so we have two... I have two more picks and I'm done?

This is your last two picks. So you can get weird here. I have a full band. I'm going to maybe go horns or something. Yeah. I am going to... I know Sean and I know he'll hate having a second guitar player, so I'm not going to maybe go horns or something. Yeah. I am going to... I know Sean, and I know he'll hate having a second guitar player, so I'm not going to definitely do that.

So I think I am going to do Jen Hartswick. Wow, I was going to pick her. So now I just got power singers. I got a lot of singers. Yeah, you got me there. I was going to be my pick. Yeah, so I got Jen Hartzwick from Trey. So who's your other one?

Kanika Moore. My last pick has to be a drummer, and I am going to do Alvin Ford Jr. as my drummer. Oh, that's a great one. You got a good band there. I got a good band. So let's go over. I get one more pick, don't I? Yeah, and let's write this down.

I get one more. If people don't know who Alvin Ford Jr. is, he's in George Porter's band. He's in Pretty Lights? He's in Pretty Lights. He's in... He's towards the Trombone Shorty now, too. Yeah, he sings. He used to be in Dumps to Funk.

Yeah. He's just like one of the best... Oh, he also... If you watch Tiny Desk Concerts, he was on the Juvenile one, I think. He was the drummer on the Juvenile one. That was all Trombone Shorty's band So I get one more So

Do I go With maybe like a horn player You already drafted me I did draft you Dude I'm gonna go with Benny Bloom I like that You know

He's miscellaneous He's miscellaneous He can sing He can sing He's a great showman He's a great showman There's gonna be some Good wine backstage

I'm thinking a vibe It's a good vibe It's a good hang The man's got a hog Does he? I think I've seen the indent Of his jeans

He has a hog You're an indent looker I've noticed I do look at the indent Oops Is that like Predatorial to look at an indent? I don't know. I don't think so.

I think it's more creepy than predatorial. Yeah. I mean, I'm just curious to see who has hogs. This guy got out of bed 45 minutes ago, and he's like shifting around, getting comfortable on the couch. Okay, so let me write down your team. Benny Bloom, Isaac Thiel. Benny Bloom from lettuce.

Isaac Thiel from talk. Garrett Sayers. your team. Benny Bloom, Isaac Teal. Benny Bloom from Lettuce. Isaac Teal from Talk. Garrett Sayers. Garrett Sayers. Nick Casarino. That's a sneaky one because he could sing and he's a fucking shredder. He's like maybe the best singer. He's up there, you know.

Casarino from Nth Power. You have a good team and power that all six Ivan Neville. You're better at typing than I thought you'd be

from dumps to funk. He literally knows where all the letter you are one fingering it though. Yeah,

I do. Yeah. One, two, three, four, five, but you're fast

at it. So you have one who did I pick besides? Was there another one? Any Casarino, Garrett Sayers, Ivan Neville. Oh, do I get two four, five, but you're fast at it. So you have one. Who did I pick besides? Was there another one? Um,

Casarino, Garrett Sayers, Ivan Neville. Oh, do I get two picks? Cause it's the switch around. You might need, or did I forget someone here?

I think you forgot Casarino. Who's your guitar player? Broadhead and Casarino. you had Craig Broadhead too. Yeah. He's on keys and guitar. Yeah. Okay.

That's right. I thought I drafted six. Perfect. From Turquoise. And that's a nice band. And I okay, that's right. I thought I drafted six. Perfect. From Turquoise. That's a nice band. And I'll be running the Instagram. Okay, so agent.

Oh, yeah, agent. And manager. Ooh. Oh, God, this is bad. Okay. Is it my pick? Yes. I'm going to go with my old manager of Cosby Sweater,

because I know what I'm getting. Dan Rosinski of 1111 Productions. Oh my God. He currently manages Corey Wong. He knows how to manage great musicians. We already have a great working relationship. And he's pretty good looking. I like that.

Yep. And he doesn't go to stuff, which I like. He's not trying to be Mr. Cool Guy. He already got a hot wife. You know what I mean? He's got a great life in Indiana. He basically lives right outside of Chicago in Indiana. He's not trying wife. You know what I mean? He's got a great life in Indiana. He basically lives right outside of Chicago in Indiana. He's not trying to... You know what I mean? So he's not trying to

be in the band and shit. You know what I mean? I'm drafting him. Okay, you go. I'm going Jon Bongiorno, my guy. Yeah. Well, that's an agent. I love him. I haven't drafted my agent yet. Oh, you did manager first? That's manager, Dan Rosinski. Okay. Alright, well, I'm going to do... Okay, so manager, DR. Just put DR. Okay. Yeah. All right. Well, I'm going to do... Okay. So manager? DR.

Just put DR. Okay. Okay. My manager? Yeah, because you drafted Agent John B. So your manager? I think it's going to be Andy Avila. What?

My drummer. My drummer. Is going to be the manager of your jam band? What? I like it. I like the zag. Explain. Because he's no bullshit if i taught him how to manage and he could learn he's a whip he's a smart guy he's a whip yeah he loves money it obsesses his brain yeah so if i could teach him how to make money in the industry

i feel like i would um I like this I like this A young Padawan And he's young And he could really If I really taught him A Padawan If you will He'd be on the calls

It's a Star Wars term He'd be on the calls A learner And he's like no bullshit If someone fucks with him He will set him straight So I think my My manager is Andy

Andrew Avila So I get to pick an agent? Yes Um Don't you dare What? Don't you to pick an agent? Yes. Don't you dare. What? Don't you dare pick my agent. You already picked John Bongiorno.

I know, but I drafted too quickly. No, you got two picks in a row. Oh, cool. Yeah, so you get Bongiorno and Andrew Avila. So my agent... Damn, that's a... Should I zag on my agent and pick a young... Oh, I know who my agent is. You need a young manager. Not too young, but a guy

that I... A guy with some connections that's building a nice business out here in the Midwest. He's a likable guy. He's business-oriented, but he used to be a musician. Well, he's still a musician, but he used to be a full-time musician. Rob Chafin. Wow. From the work a musician, but he used to be a full-time musician. Yeah. Rob Chafin. Wow.

From the work? Yeah, but he runs Secret Dreams. You know, that's a sneaky good... Dude, he... I like Rob as your manager. Because he runs that club. So there you go. You got a gig in Columbus. He owns a club in Columbus, Summit. He owns a festival. Yeah. I don't know if he owns it. Whatever. He's a buyer.

He put that whole sick lineup together. Yeah. I like that zag. Wait, are you mad that I didn't pick you as my manager. Whatever. He's a buyer. He put that whole sick lineup together. Yeah. I like that zag. Wait, are you mad that I didn't pick you as my manager, Bo? He's a tour manager. Ooh, he's like, fuck that. I know how you treat managers. Are you going to pick a tour? Should we pick tour managers too?

Yeah, let's do a tour manager too. Okay, so I get to pick my tour manager, Samia. I pick Samia. I pick Bo Balinski. He's the best guy in the business. That's fine. You got Samia. That's cool.

You need a little more estrogen. Yeah, and she's the shit. And I got Jen and Kanika. I got guy in the business. That's fine. You got Sammy. That's cool. You need a little more estrogen. Yeah, and she's the shit. And I got Jen and Kanika. I got estrogen in my building. Sammy is good. Sammy is the goat, one of them. Yeah, she could really handle. She could probably handle you guys.

She wouldn't want to. You couldn't afford her, but she could do it. I don't need it. I got my show pony. I got Bo Polinsky as my TM. I love it. This is a good team. All right, let's continue. I love this bit.

So my team, Frasco's Jam Band, Kanika Moore, Jen Hartswick, Sean Echols, Victor Woon, Alvin Ford Jr., and Nick Erlach. You should send that to him so he can put it on the screen. I will. We'll put it up. And then Nicholas's team is Benny Bloom, Isaac Thiel. I forgot I'm in your band.

You're double working. Garrett Sayers, because I still need the podcast to be moving. Yeah, you're right. in your band. You're double working. Garrett Sayers. Because I still need the podcast to be moving. Yeah, you're right. You're right. Ivan Neville. Oh, so I'm in my band too then. We're both in our bands. We're in our bands. Oh, so I got a horn section. Me and Benny. You got a horn section. You and Benny. Oh, fuck. And I got

Jen and... It doesn't matter. You only need one if you have Jen because she sings... She's a glorious, glorious singer. Okay. And one if you have Jen because she sings. She's a glorious singer. And a great person. I like this team. These are good. Okay, now I have to name them. Just kidding.

I'm going to name my band Goose 2, The Return of Goose. I'm going to name my band Goose. So when people Google Goose, they'll have to find my band too. I'm going to name my band Oos. I'm going to name my band. So when people Google Goose, they'll have to find my band too. I'm going to name my band the Pete Shapiro Band. Pete Shapiro's favorites.

The Goose fans are getting pissed that I'm top billing on this European festival over Goose. Well, you're bigger than them over there. Yeah, but they're being salty as shit. That's fun. It's usually the Goose fans are usually the ones being attacked. I know. It's kind of nice. Yeah. They're probably not very good at attacking's fun. It's usually the Goose fans are usually the ones being attacked. I know. It's kind of nice. Yeah.

They're probably not very good at attacking you. No, they're not good. They're kind of... They're good people. Yeah, the Goose fans are kind of nerdy. Yeah, but that's whatever. I like... I like...

You know, it's like they're... They have to put up with a lot of attacks. That's true. So when they attack, they just don't know how to do it. They don't know how to do it yet. They're always on the defense. Yeah, because they blew up so fast. They never had to climb. They never had to crawl

through the mud. No, I'm just kidding. They were a band for a long time before they blew up. No, I'm talking the fans. I know. They're fans. The fans come up with the band, though, you know? Yeah, you're right. But, yeah, so, what, they're mad that you're more famous than them in one country? In Germany. Like, they... It's fine, guys. One guy

said, I guess they like Limp Bizkit covers, and I was about to text. Oh, yeah. By the way, yes. One guy said, I guess they like Limp Bizkit covers. I was about to text. Yeah. By the way, yes. Yeah, they do. It's Europe. You mean the band of a generation? The band that brings...

Rammstein sells out a fucking stadium. Yes, they like rock music. Yes, Jeremy likes... Fuck, exactly. Yeah. Have you seen their culture? It's like fucking nerd-ass fans. Yeah.

This episode, I forgot, are sponsored by Dialed In Gummies. Guys, grab yourself some Dialed In Gummies. They're strong. They're powerful. You could also take a half a dosage like me because I couldn't sleep last night. You said you couldn't sleep last night either?

Yeah, but I ran out. I've run out. I'm getting some more tomorrow. Oh, I got a bunch. I got a bunch. I'll need them for tonight. Oh, you couldn't sleep last night either? So get yourself some dialed-in gummies if you're in the Colorado area. Also, guys, buy tickets to our fall tour. We are... It's coming.

It's coming quick. Like, this weekend, we're in Des Moines. Where else are we? Des Moines. Oh, we're playing in Urbana, the Canopy Club. Oh, you are? On Friday, September 8th Then you go to Indy

With Dogs in a Pile Then I go to Indianapolis My ancestral home Your ancestral home All-in music festival With Trey Nastagio And Everybody

Everyone And Are you still going or no? No, I can't I'm playing a private event here now That's good You're making money Let's go

I'm doing a lot of private events, guys I love it September 10th, we are playing with Herbie Hancock in St. Louis and Thundercat. Oh, that thing looks awesome. It's going to be awesome. I love it. Intersection Festival. Good markets.

Philadelphia. You're going to make a lot of money. Yeah. We're going to make a lot of money. But the ticket sales are okay. Guys, I know you're waiting Last minute We're not going to cancel This is The canceling shows is over

It's a new era We didn't cancel When people were canceling Yeah we were We were in the streets During those COVID jungles I think we canceled One show on that thing

Didn't we Yeah And what was it It was something That was way out of the way It was way out of the way Wisconsin It was Wisconsin

It was something weird though Yeah Something bad happened With our van or something. And then, head to volume.com, guys. I have a feeling that we're going to be streaming some of these shows on volume.com as well, the band shows.

And also, we still are contractually obligated to do two more live streams with the podcast. So, if we do some last-minute podcast streamings, I know what else I want to do two more live streams with the podcast. If we do some last minute podcast streamings. I know what else I want to do. I want to do one in another town like Atlanta, New York, Buffalo.

Atlanta I think would crush. But I also want to do one more in the studio. Yeah, me too, but it's live. But it's live, kind of like interactive and we'll play videos and stuff. Like just three hours of just chilling and just like fucking around where it's like,

it doesn't have to be like, we could take mushrooms, hit some nitrous. Yeah. Like fucking awesome. Like the old days during the pandemic, but like a little more dialed in. Dialed in.

So head to volume.com and I love dialed in gummies. Yeah. If you're a content creator, um, volume is giving out grants, giving out money guys. If you want to get your content on there, go to volume.com slash content creator.

Right? Or slash creator. Yeah, creator. Just backslash creator. Volume.com slash creator. You'll figure it out. It's 2023. Just figure it out.

Come on, guys. You have a $3,000 MacBook. You can figure it out. Come on. Get it together, people. And if you are just a fan and just want to listen to live shows, they have a catalog, a huge fucking catalog. Go out there and check out volume.com.

All your favorite bands are slowly becoming one in the volume family. And we drafted them. And we drafted them. I like my team. I do, too. We're going to have a great week, guys. I feel good about my team. My team is fucking energy. My we drafted them. I like my team. I do too. We're going to have a great week, guys. I feel good about my team. My team is fucking energy.

My team is power. My team is like a precision unit of... You've got precision. We can do anything. I've got rock and roll. Yeah, you're a rock and roll band. My band's like... I forgot. I got you too, Gerlach. I got Jen and Nick. You have two horns. That's a fun horn section. Me and Jen like to get to goofing

around sometimes. I love it Oh poor Jen I like I know We shouldn't bring that up Rest in peace Rest in peace James Casey Yeah

We gotta bring it up Yeah I just didn't want to be too goofy Going into it No It's very sad We lost We lost a soldier In the music game

James Casey One of the best musicians I've ever played with in my life God it's horrible Great guy too Yeah Just fighting colon cancer And it finally got him Yeah But he fought through it James Casey One of the best musicians I've ever played with In my life God it's horrible Great guy too Yeah Just fighting colon cancer And it finally got him

Yeah But he fought through it He was doing You know We did the interview with him And he was Firstly addressed The chemo

Of how he's doing chemo Through all the shows And stuff And it's sad that We lost another brother In our scene But He fought

As hard as he could And he still It was incredible how long he played music yeah yeah and while he was fucking hurting too yeah while he was hurting he i'm like tearing up thinking about it that's fucked that's okay it's pretty normal while he was hurting he still was taking chemo um taking chemo and still trying to entertain people because music matters so rest in peace, James. And he made that solo album too last Christmas.

You'll never be forgotten, buddy. I feel really bad for all his family and his band. I feel really bad for Jen. I feel really bad for everyone in his band. So rest in peace, bud. Alright. Wow. Way to end an episode. It's important to talk about. Yeah. Death is crazy.

I just didn't want to be doing goofy stuff and then talk about that. Death is crazy. You're not alone. Everyone who's hurting, we're all hurting too. Stay optimistic, guys, and appreciate life. You never know when it's your turn to leave the party.

You never know when it's your turn to go into what do they call that? The iron cloud in the sky. I don't know. I don't know what when it's your turn to go into, what do they call that? The iron cloud in the sky. I don't know. I don't know what you're singing, actually. Yeah, true. I don't know what I'm singing either.

We have the tallest man on earth on the show tonight. Is he actually the tallest man on earth? No, he's European. He's shorter than we thought. Actually, the Dutch are the, that's the tallest nation. Did you know that? But his songs are amazing. Hey, Chris, play some Tallest Man on Earth.

This guy was awesome. He was like... Is he tall, though? How tall is he? I think he's average. I think he's like 5'9", 5'10". So like my height? Yeah.

What's his... What's the deal with the name, then? I don't know. I think it's funny. Oh, okay. I did this interview a while ago, but I remember him distinctly talking about like...

You know, he worked his way up in the scene. Hot? He's hot as fuck. I figured. He's hot as fuck and he has a little studio in the forest. Where does he live? He lives in Sweden. He doesn't even live there in America anymore.

Or never did. But he's big out here. He got Bon Iver. in America anymore. Or never did. He never did. Okay. But he's big out here. He got... Tallest man on earth. Yeah. I think Bon Iver. Iver.

Bon Iver, I think is how they pronounce it. Yeah, he went on tour with each other. Bon Iver's kind of dope. I don't always love that style of music, but he's so good at it.

It's like, all right, you're just dope. Yeah. And he'll do weird shit like take eight trombone players on tour. Right. Yeah.

I love it. All right, guys. Enjoy Tallest Man on Earth. And Denzel's just been sleeping The whole goddamn time You're supposed to be a star, Denzel He's like, I am a star This is what stars do Sometimes the blues just

Pass and burn And why can't that Always be A tossing aside from your virtuous crown. Just enough dark to see

how you're the light over me. Hey, what's up, Christian? How you doing, buddy? Pretty good. I'm pretty good. How are you? I'm doing good. You know, just another morning. I didn't think this was going to happen, and I'm so stoked you agreed to this. So I want to kind of get down to the nitty gritty, if you don't mind. Why do you think that?

I don't know Sometimes folk When I interview folk singers And songwriters They're more sheltered to talk about Like, you know, the deeper Darker stuff in their life And I'm glad you agreed to this So, it's cool

Okay, well I have to talk to the other folkies To see what's going on Well tell me about your life In Sweden, man Okay. Well, I have to talk to the other folkies then to see what's going on. Well, tell me about your life in Sweden, man. Where'd you grow up? Tell me, give me kind of like the background of it and stuff and let's go from there. Well, I grew up 30 minutes from where I live today in a small town called Lexan, 15,000 people, sports, sports town, big hockey team. Um, that's in the highest like division.

So it's like, it's a very small, small town with a huge hockey arena. Right. So that's, that's where I'm from. Um, just,

uh, did all the sports, ended up, uh, did all the sports, but then I ended up in, you know, I got saved by skateboarding and, uh, did all the sports, but then I ended up in, you know, I got saved by skateboarding and,

uh, snowboarding because there are long winters here. So I was competing in snowboarding and skateboarding on that kind of led me into music of just like, it had always been music around in my house. I always loved music, but like from that, just like starting always loved music, but from that, just starting in punk bands and stuff like that.

So, I mean, fast forward, I became what looked like an adult, and I started to tour in my early 20s. And yeah, lived in Brooklyn for five years years and i just moved back i i i have i've had this house i bought this house in 2012 it's in the it's in the next county over where i'm from and this county is just like it used to be really poor like back in the days so there's like no tourists here there's like no there's no here. It's like a lot of nature. So started the, a bit into the pandemic. I just decided to, to, uh,

move back here and I'm in my studio. I have built one of the barns. I turned into the sick man. So why, why did you decide on skateboarding and snowboarding? What was your like major interest in the beginning? Was it're just bored and didn't you know it was just a lot of land out there was did you have some skateboarders that inspired you why why'd you pick skateboarding first well i think it just it you know what i don't know how i picked it or if it picked me but just like you know it's just uh i think it's spelled add or something that i was always yeah i you know i grew up in a house next to the you know there's a lot of nature

around the woods so i got you know and back in back in those those days i sound like a really old man but i just turned 40 but i you know you were just like allowed to go out and play. And like, as long as you're home in five hours or something, uh, I was playing a lot in the, in the woods, doing a lot of adventures and stuff like that. So,

and I did all the team sports like hockey and soccer and baseball, even, even we had baseball in Sweden. Uh, but there was something about, you know, never really found the, the outlet for the, you know never really found the outlet for the

you know the confused kid like being starting to feel like whoa like being human's heart anxiety and shit like that

then you could just like everything became an skateboarding then you could just like every everything became an adventure you know everything like and you could just like see you could you could look at the world creatively and just like lose yourself in that and it was around that time when i just started to just like figure like oh my god music is doing this to me as well i could just like you know this it actually happened while skateboarding and it was like i was devouring music like all kinds of music and i remember specifically like two songs you know like at the same time i didn't care what like genre or i went to the library because we could borrow cds like 10 at a time we just borrowed cds all the time before streaming and stuff like that

and I and there I found so much and there was two songs while skateboarding I was listening to where we had like a little boom box like Bob Dylan's Don't Think Twice is Alright and DJ Shadows Building Grain

Building Steam from a Grain of Salt I remember those two songs and they were like the same thing to me they're just like the ones like where you were I just like you know like raised your gaze like like life could be could be in turmoil and it was stuff they were hard in life but like you were out there just like skateboarding and hearing the song and just like looking up wow life is so cool when you get that yeah oh that bubbly feeling like that that and i guess that that it's that like bubbly feeling i've been chasing since like wow life is super cool and i got that from from skateboarding and

then later with you know music what what do you think you're escaping from, from your real life that made you feel like this was it? Did you have a good family relationship or were you an only child? Were you a loner? Was it hard for you to socialize? Why do you feel like being in this? Because it's a very isolated type of feeling, skateboarding.

You're doing your thing. You're kind of on your own mission same with music what what made you feel like um you had to escape from real well i don't i i really just i don't really don't see it as escaping because like no i'm not an only child. I have a sibling. But then it was, you know, early 90s in Sweden, the big financial crash here. My dad lost his job. It was just like, it was not super... Not tight. It was not.

It was not tight. No. It was a little tight and like everything it was just like a super weird time in sweden we had just it's kind of the start of what we had now they were like a racist party that came into the stars it's just like all that kind of shit starting to happen and it was not a not not fun times. And like, I never loved, you know,

school. I've, I kind of sailed through school with, with good grades just because I felt like I could kind of figure out the system anyway. But I just, I always have, I could,

I disliked it a lot. I didn't have a hard time finding friends. And from that, but I didn't feel like that was escaping skateboarding music. And I feel like it, it was escaping, skateboarding music. It was like how I found these glimpses of this like, wait a minute, I could, here I can be a positive force, even though when you're like, I can do

something positive with all this itching, this anxiety in me. I can put that positive with all this itching, this anxiety in me. I can put that to something that is not just becoming a fuck-up or being angry. That doesn't solve, help much. It was a way Instead of Escaping Then I have that And still do this to this day I have all this gear now

And all these guitars Because through them I could I can Try to make something positive Out of You know Then you grow up and like Oh my god, life wasn't hard at all try to make something positive out of you know I mean and then you

grow up and like oh my god life wasn't hard at all it gets hard it's all that being you know trying to be you know okay with things happening so so maybe it's not escaping it's living

yeah and living and I'm just like I'm grateful I found So maybe it's not escaping, it's living. Yeah. Living. And I'm just like, I'm grateful I found that. And with skateboarding, with music, it's also a great social. Like you end up with like-minded people that you can be creative with.

That's beautiful. Did you ever eat shit or hurt yourself? You're like, I'm done with this? Yeah, snowboarding. I was actually just like, I was competing a lot in snowboarding. I did, and I was in half pipe. And I did drift was in half pipe. I did

drift out in the pipe and it hurt my back really bad. I was fine. I was just really... It was just a wake-up call. Oh my God, this thing really, really hurt. It's like...

Before that... It was kind of around the same time when I just started, where music just started to take over more and more, so it was kind of a natural transition. Isn't it amazing? Oh, keep going. Yeah.

But I would say with eating shit, like, I... In my hometown, because there was no no one like no one really was just supporting skateboarding in my little small town like

now these days like there's a there's a there's skate parks everywhere it's amazing they build these skate parks, but it's concrete. We used to skate in wood. I go now.

I go on Skateboard and man, it hurts so much. There's always a tour coming up or something. I just become this little scared person. I shouldn't. I should not this little scared person. I'm just like, oh, I shouldn't.

I should not. It's like, oh, my God. Yeah. It's like this idea of fearlessness. Once you get hurt once, you're like, oh, I'm not fearless anymore. Maybe it's the same with touring. Do you remember your first time maybe in your punk band where you felt this idea of fearlessness just traveling around? Were you traveling around in

Sweden or were you traveling around in America? Give me some of that fearlessness in your punk band too. Well, that like the fearlessness there, which is like I found videos of it.

I think it's pretty cute not having any clothes on being out in the crowd being I'm glad I'm really glad I had that it just it did plant a seed

and also I mean there's a lot of you know tourists you just like you didn't eat and sleep on floors and a lot of, you know, uncomfortable things happened. But there was something so magical to me and to get to be on a stage and perform where I could feel like I could, I can be myself here. I can be myself here. The person that is not, who would be considered just like a mad person or crazy person if I would act like that, if I expressed myself as I do on stage in the grocery store.

But on stage, it was just full freedom. Just letting all the impulses to just like go so so i was i was hooked i was hooked for real and and and when that when those bands started to to fall apart because people were getting getting jobs and moving around i not on it just same and another thing that was not like a a clear transition or a cut i just like i it turned into a solo thing the tallest man on earth because there was like not a band anymore and i just put some songs up on myspace that i recorded on on one of these reel-to-reel recorders just put up on myspace and and then it, hey, can you do a show in Stockholm?

I said, sure. Then I had to write a bunch of songs. That was the start of The Tallest Man on Earth. I tumbled into that. I never really considered myself. Now I'm a folk singer. I'm solo now.

I was finger-picking really fast and yelling and running around and using the same energy I'd done in garage rock bands. Yeah, it kind of reminds me of Alexis on Fire turning into Dallas Green's project. He was in a metal band

and then City in Color too. I just think it's so fascinating. When you were touring, was Sweden supporting your punk project? Or was it just like no one was showing up to these shows and it was just like... We were very supportive around here.

We played this all the time where we could you know where our confidence could grow because we always had like sold out shows there people were wild but then we would tour around and playing like pretty shitty shows but then we were we would open up for more successful bands and that was that was the most fun ever just like because there was no expectations on you can just come in and we i. It was a little disrespectful to the band's playing. We just went for it. We were... But it was not really

going anywhere. Our songs were too weird to be played on the radio or whatever. But then when I started False Known Earth, it was not loved either.

I played some small shows here and around Sweden. And then the big, cool music magazine that does not exist anymore.

there's one part where I don't like to be petty, but this time it's just fine to be petty. Be petty, Kristen. My first pulling, Shallow Grave, they got it a 2 out of 10. The review was

a super mean review. It was my my first review ever it was so mean of this cool uh music journalist that it was just like this guy at a you know it sounds like a guy at a frat party imitating bob dylan and a lot of and i'm just like oh oh, crap. Okay. But then over in America, Pitchfork really liked it. And I went over and I befriended Justin Vernon. He invited me over to open up for Bon Iver

and those magical days after for Emma. I went over there and we had an amazing tour. And right after that in America, I could do my own headline shows because the support shows went really well. So I could do small, but headline shows in America. So then, because we're here in Sweden, we're not supposed to be, we have this in our psyche.

You're not supposed to stand out. You're not supposed to live in the Midwest in America where a lot of Scandinavians went. But then I was accepted back home. Isn't it crazy? I know, back home. Isn't it crazy? I know. I know. Because then Wild Hunt got a 10 out of 10

in the same magazine. They sound the same. Fuck you. I'm on to you. I'm not proud but I don't regret it that I never suggest to any interviews with that magazine. It's like, no, no. And like, do you get the cover?

No, I'm not going to do it. And then finally, they went under and it's like, I am still here. I'm going to clap to that, Christian. Let's go, buddy. Let's go. I like that. I'll fuck with that. I don't support that.

I could be bigger than that. Talk to me about those first couple shows as Tallest Man. It was... I think I was just excited and encouraged to see that it actually worked. Because I... I...

At the time, I was playing guitar really energetic and strumming really hard. And I figured that I could, you know, I could move around when I was not, when I was not singing. So I think that was kind of what was first people over here.

We were a little confused, like what was this guy doing? Then I think there's a thing that actually, that worked really well for me because I, that I was connecting to the crowd. I had that, like I was just, if I wouldn't have that guitar, you know, a chord and the microphone, I'd probably be out in the crowd again.

And just now, I'm just home from 32 shows of a tour, and now I have a band, and there's, there's a song where I don't play guitar and I was out in the crowd. I think it just, I just felt that it just worked. It just worked. I was,

I was a little surprised that I could kind of people like, Whoa, what's going on. And that encouraged me to just do it more. Yeah. That's, that's, it's beautiful yeah it's beautiful so what was your first break what was like your first big show you're like oh shit this is happening this is real I can actually do this

was it in the states or was it in Sweden or Europe do you remember it yeah no I did go over to the states my first time in the states I went to Nashville know. I did go over to the States. My first time in the States, I went to Nashville. And it didn't

work out. I went over and I played. On my first day in America, I got to meet Carrie Underwood. That's funny, dude. She was a very good kid from Sweden dude and it was they met really well but it didn't work out and I played some small shows

and I played a small show in New York at the living room and I flew home and I was just like that was cool it's probably not going to happen again because it was just so low-key. Then I was invited over to Australia. There was a label there that wanted to release my record.

I flew by myself to Australia and opened up for an artist down there. And I'm like, this is really cool. But at the same time, I was studying at the same time at the university. I became a teacher. Because I didn't think I was studying at the same time at the university to become a teacher. I didn't think I was going to make money playing music. It was also like the working class. You need to have a proper job. Right, right, right.

I was playing shows in Sweden and also a little starting in Europe going by train and playing some shows in like in the netherlands in belgium but then it was actually on the the bonavir tour in 2008 when i i had changed my it was i had i was almost done like with my studies to become a teacher I was almost done with my studies to become a teacher, but I switched it over so it was online.

They had for some students that couldn't be in school, you went on the computer and it's like what we're doing now, like a Zoom seminars and stuff. I did that, and I was on that tour and the shows were, like, it was such a good response. And to me, like, to play Town Hall in New York, it was wild. It was like a dream

but I would get up and I was traveling on the Bon Iver tour bus but I had to get up at like 4 in the morning because of the time difference. Oh god no way and i was just sitting on that bus and just like i was just like after doing a couple of those and it's like you know what christian i was talking to myself right you can probably this is this probably, it's going to work out. It's going to be fine.

Like this is, you're actually on this tour. Like I was like zooming out, like what am I doing? And then I just, I dropped, I didn't finish the studies because I, it's like, this is not, you have to sleep. These shows are really cool. It's going to, this is probably, it probably means something that like people, so that's when I understood, yeah. What advice was Justin giving you

on that first tour? You know, like, were you guys talking? Were you guys becoming friends? Like, I knew, it's like a first new world for you, you know? Like, what kind of advice that you,

you're like, ah, fuck it, I'm quitting school, I'm doing this. Like, you got the confidence from that tour. I was wondering what kind of advice he was giving you or what kind of advice you got from the tour that kind of gave you the confidence to say,

fuck everything. Justin was kind of fresh touring at that point as well, touring with a tour bus and all that. But what I, what I did see and I, that I had other experience that weren't the same before that I just like with with Justin and Sean and Mike and Matt who was in the band back then I was just like it very encouraged that because they're very nice people there's

people and very like, you know, I mean, there's ease that a cultural difference breeds because they're all like Midwestern people from Wisconsin. Yeah,

they're all sweet out there. And it's just like home away from home. Anyway, so I like, oh my God, you don't, you can,

you can be a't you can be a nice person and still like do this I know this sounds silly but like I have met some people it was like such a nervous vibe in like say in Stockholm at that time like with between artists and just like what

what are you guys doing what there's like no and they're they're more mellow about just like oh they're they're i just made this amazing album called frema no he didn't say that but just like do that and then just like be you know be that i i don't know how to express that in words, but just like, oh my God, you could still be like a... You were just people having a lot of fun. People had a lot of fun, and you guys played together for a reason

because you like each other. You like making this music together. So it was that. And then I'm unsure if the no I'm not gonna go into that I was just like what you were saying like the the you tore a lot and yeah like the book villains and all those and I'm reading you listen to Williams yeah biography I barter for it right now and just like there's and all those and I'm reading Lucinda Williams biography right now and just like

there's something when she's saying like just being on a tour bus, just being on the road, it just becomes this thing that it's just so comfortable, it's what we know it's what we do and I can

subscribe to that for sure. Like now, I love it. I love it so much. It's hard. It's hard, but I feel that I am kind of built for it. Right. You know, it really fits me. I have a lot of people who,

especially here in Sweden, they're like, oh, you're so lucky. You get to work with your hobby. You get to work with something you love. And that is true. And I'm so grateful that I get to work with something that I love. And I love playing music. And I love playing shows. And that is like, I can almost like, okay,

let's not consider that my job. That's just my hobby. But then not everyone's cut out to the tour. Like, like, like you do. Like, like we do.

It's, it's, it's madness to, to stay, to stay mentally sane and your, your, you have your body hold up for it. It's kind of insulting when they say it's a hobby

when it's really a 24-hour gig. You're like, you're in a van and you're doing it. It's like condescending. I know. That's what's great. Sometimes you have someone come on tour for a week. See what it's like. great. Sometimes you have someone, yeah, well, come on. Come on tour for a week, though. Yeah, see what it's like.

Oh my God. This is hard. But then, I have to say, I love it. It's what we do, right? Was it lonely traveling by yourself? It seemed like you were

a stand-up comedian. You had no crew. You're basically by yourself with the other person's family. It must have got a little lonely on some tours, right? Yeah. In the beginning,

it was definitely lonely. But it's also... Yeah. Again, maybe I can romanticize about it now, but it sucked being on a train in Europe and like running to not miss trains like that. And yes, it was fun. But then I had, I had the luxury of in America when I could do headline shows, I could afford a tour manager. me and a tour manager, I remember one seven-week tour just in a little car with two people.

That's when I learned how to speak English for real. Oh, just talk with the tour manager? Yeah. Just be so close with someone for so long and chasing cities. But there was another loneliness that was in my career

after the wild hunt and there's no leaving now. It was going like this and I was starting to play really big shows and I was starting to have a small crew like I had a front of house, a score manager.

Yeah, that was the, that was, that was the crew for a long time. And then I could finally have like a guitar tech because I used so many different, but that's only three people in a crew. And I remember playing,

I was playing the Sydney Opera House for the first time and just like, I did this show, like it's like cynical. I've done this thing and I was just in the green room. I've told this story before.

I've told stories many times. So I was just in the green room and we've done this amazing thing in my life. And I, in this beautiful green room, like've done this amazing thing in my life. In this beautiful green room, looking out over the Bay Bridge, I think it's called. There's this massive Steinway piano

in the green room. There's no one here. As a reaction to that, I made Dark Bird is Home, the album, and I toured with the band for two years right I just felt like I need to have some camaraderie

to to share this experience just like a crazy weird energy that is on stage it's so hard to explain to anyone else just like you can do that with a band i did that for two years and then

i started touring solo again because then i had such a big crew so that became my band and there was and i you know this this crew had you know my front of house i've known him since we were 10 years old and my guitar tech like i i've had different guitar techs but the guitar tech i have now i've known since high school and now we've done so many shows together. So they're with me. They know what's going on. And that became my camaraderie. And now I have the super luxury of having a band and that crew. Because since I made this new album, I needed a band again. Right.

Yeah. I feel like that lonely period I've been blessed that it was not that long Did you ever get into any addictions? Say that again? Are you lonely on tours? Fuck yeah No, I'm on tour with my band

But I'm lonely as shit I don't know, it's just this idea of It's this isolation syndrome Touring, what I don't know. It's just this idea of isolation syndrome. Touring, what people don't realize is it's a lot of goodbyes. That kind of makes me sad. We do a lot of...

We say goodbyes more than we say hello. That kind of bums me out thinking about that. Yeah, but we do come... I have friends who live in LA and I go there on tour and for

meetings and thanks to that, I get to that city. It's hard to get on a plane for 13 hours from here to just try to... But I get to go to... That's what... When I was to go to like that's what when I was living in living in Brooklyn that like

there's not musicians don't live in New York anymore like maybe now people should move back a little but like the thing about living there is just like there's a band coming in playing all the time so you get to see but I'm sorry I'm not trying to take that away from you there are a lot of goodbyes yeah

it's so true. In Nashville, too, it's like that. That's why I moved to Denver. It's like all the bands are coming here. It's part of that world. What do you like better, though? What do you like better? Big band?

All the anxiety of having 11 guys you have to feed? Or better when you only have like four guys? You know, I'm, uh, I can't, I mean,

it's just, I have the, I have the, the, the luxury now doing the thing that I, that I feel like doing. Let's go. So like right now,

I'm super grateful that I'm super grateful for the years prior to this for just like me and an amazing big crew but to get back to I used to I used to live a very like a conditional life

that made me lonely on tour just like like the I'm lucky that we're really close friends, but I had a I was married. I have a divorce behind me because it just like, I had this

you know, you travel all the time and then I would have like, but if I have I would be divided of wanting to be on tour or be home and knowing that like I where do I find joy in my life I need to have this like conditions like I have to have like a really great relationship and then I have to have a perfect home I need to know where home is right and all that like but when i was out on tour i just wanted to like be home i tattooed a horse here to just like that was my first tattoo now i have plenty but just

like that was just homesickness because but then i was home and it's just like oh my god no i i need to move i need to move around that's how i can take it's me too yeah i know and it just like it was it was it was such a hard life to live when you have to have it's like i need to be i have to figure out how to be happy on the road and happy at home and have that and have but then i think it was during the pandemic we couldn't play and just. It was a lot of waking up to be appreciative of the things. Every mindful, less bullshit.

I read something that it was like you were going through a hard time during the pandemic. Is that true? Yeah. My first time being depressed in my life because half my share of anxiety in my life and that dark brooding thing,

but I've never been because I'm kind of hyper. That's what, you know, I, I, I move around. I do a lot of things. I,

I, I get a lot of stuff done, not in a linear way, but like I, I keep, that's how I, that's how I deal with anxiety, stuff done, not in a linear way, but like, I, I keep, that's how I, that's how I deal with anxiety, you know,

the anxiety and just like, I get shit done. But then during the, I was here, I moved back here and I didn't really see people because people weren't hanging out and I couldn't, I couldn't make music. Everything I wrote was just super dark and depressing because everything I consumed

was just information of the ways I could die about my own mortality. Were you divorced at the time? Yeah. That was 10 years ago. We were great friends. Okay.

But then I wrote these songs But then I just like I couldn't I wrote these songs and they were just like they were terrible. They were just like I don't want to sing these songs. And that was the first time in my life because

I always like used music for that outlet of yeah therapy and just like you know, you have the crooked, bent thoughts that you can't fit into anything in life except in instruments. That's where they make sense. But I couldn't do that.

So I just like, I put the instruments away and I did spend a lot of time in my garden growing vegetables and just getting myself tired. Just like physical work. But I got depressed. For the first time in my life, I was sitting on my couch and just like, no, I just don't want to do anything. Because it was so... You got your hopes up you booked a tour

no I got cancelled no maybe later and I'm it doesn't work well with my brain of just like maybe later so I got really depressed but then

you know in late, there was a short little window in 2020, but then more so at the end of 2021, when we could play shows. And this was really eye-opening to me because I used to be scared of playing shows to just a few people,

just like really small shows. That's what i had done shows because it just felt so normal even though i even though i am i'm trying to engage with the audience as much as i can even though i'm up on a bigger stage like it was like oh my god i'm back here and like this is hard to play for just like but we could do shows for 50 people like there were 50 people capped and i hadn't done a show in so long and i just loved it i just went for it and like oh my god you've been taking this for granted just like never take this for granted never again you know yeah it's beautiful christian and i just love your story man it's like um you

know you you found what you're looking for in life, and you just kept going. And a lot of people give up before they even see what the path can even be. And that's why I'm a super fan of you, and I'm honored to have a conversation with you, bro. Thank you. You wanted to have it. I wanted to have it for about five or six years.

Oh, wow. Well, I'm calmer now, and I'm probably in more interesting conversations now. Were you ever addicted to coke or drugs or anything or alcohol? No. No, I mean, alcohol is the, it's the, the, the,

the big danger, but I've been, I've been, uh, been, uh, how do you say it? I managed to not get stuck in it.

It's, it's, I want to say it's the most like helpful thing. I don't want to promote it, but just like it, it creates anxiety too, but just like to, just for my type of brain.

Yeah. Great. It. Great. It's great. But then, you know, I can't, then it creates more anxiety. You're in that loop.

So just like, well, my, my body has told me that I, I, I, I don't really need it. But then with other drugs,

I never, I, I, I guess I've hung out with people on coke too much. It's not going to be. And I tried it a couple of times. And I can't deal with

the emptiness. That was the scariest thing ever. And then also like, I don't want to become that person. It's just like, and then like, I don't want to become that person. But it's just like, and then, no, drugs don't really do good things with my brain. Like, I can't. I don't, I'm not helped by weed at all.

It's just off my brain. Well, traveling is the drug you know yeah it's kind of like the same thing yeah yeah yeah

it is I mean we have to we get the dopamine from there it's a weird rush it's an amazing rush to be rush it's amazing rush it is to be honest it's like because it's such a crazy thing it's just like you have and you have to lean into it fully and that's what's so beautiful like there's a lot of people here you you can't fuck up

like don't and then you don't fuck up because you're just like you're leaning into it and i i played things on stage that I can never play here. You don't think. You're just in that flow and it's a beautiful thing but then you get a taste of it. Maybe that's why you're depressed because you're

afraid you're going to lose your dopamine like a junkie during the pandemic. Yeah, but what I think it is that I get the I'm not a very competitive person. I feel like I've just

got one in life anyway. But I don't want to compete against other people, but I have definitely that's what I've been doing. To show myself that I could be to do something bigger than just like being in like stuck in anxiety like it's like I've had these daydreams about when I was writing songs and being like let's fucking play this like in in like a in a big club in Stockholm.

And then it became like, what if I can play this? And it just ended up I played Royal Albert Hall. I daydreamed about that, watching some Bob Dylan documentary early. Like, I'm going to play this. And I would just like, as a kid, I would just imagine I was there. And then, you know, I'm a white dude I have privilege

And you put your dreams in fruition They happen This is great Christian Thanks for being on the show Hopefully we get to meet each other in person That would be awesome I think I'm going to play I think I'm going to play I think I'm going to play somewhere in Colorado

Soon like in the fall Cool We're doing some dates with Head in the Heart And I think you're on I think we're doing the same fest together Somewhere Let's find each other Yeah we'll find each other

Christian thanks for being on the show I got one last question and I'll let you go When it's all said and done, what do you want to be remembered by? What I want to be remembered by? Yeah, what do you want to be remembered? What does your legacy, do you believe in legacy?

I don't, not much. Not much. I am not afraid of dying. No, I am afraid of dying. Like the actual dying part. Because I spent time with people dying. But being gone,

I'm not scared of. But I do... Remember me as kind or being a nice person. I am being inspired by that. Just by... Being a nice person. I'm not saying that like being a nice person. Like I am being inspired by that. Just be a nice person. I'm not saying that I'm a nice person all the time, but that's what I want to try to be.

And that's what I want to be remembered for. Well, thank we're thankful you're out here, buddy. Thanks for being on the show. Thankful for you, Andy. Have a great day.

You too, buddy. Go make some great music. Don't beat yourself up too much. No, I'll come find you. You too, buddy. Go make some great music. Don't beat yourself up too much. I'll come find you. No. I'll come find you. I see you. Bye, bud.

Later. You tuned in to the World's Health Podcast with Andy Fresco. 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. Prescott's blogs and tour dates you'll find at andyprescott.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 booker, Mara Davis. We thank this week's guest, our co-host, and all the fringy frenzies that help make this show great.

Thank you all. And thank you for listening. Be your best. Be safe. And we will be back next week.