Andy Frasco's World Saving Podcast - EP 47: Karina Rykman (Marco Benevento Band) & Ryan Stasik (Umphrey's McGee)

Episode Date: May 28, 2019

The boys are back on the road again with a stop off in Charleston, South Carolina. Andy kicks off the show with co-host Ryan Stasik from Umphrey's McGee. They talk about Charleston, Doom Flamingo, and Umphrey's. This leads into the interview hour wherein Andy sits down with Karina Rykman, a multi-talented musician, business savant, and all around dope human being. They talk about NYC, her journey as a musician, and the people she's met throughout her music career. Episode 47 is live everywhere NOW. Follow us on Instagram @worldsavingpodcast For more information on Andy Frasco, tour dates, the band and the blog, go to: AndyFrasco.com The views discussed on this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the guests. Keep up with the inimitable Karina Rykman at www.karinarykman.com Check out Andy's new album, "Change Of Pace" on iTunes and Spotify Produced by Andy Frasco Joe Angelhow Chris Lorentz Audio mix by Chris Lorentz Featuring: Ahri Findling Shawn Eckels  Andee "Beats" Avila Some amateiur German porn stars

Hey Andy, it's Ari. This is so weird. I was watching porn on Pornhub and one of your songs from the new album was in one of the pornos. It's called Son Ass Fucks Aunt, Part 1 of 9. And you can hear the walk in the movie. So I guess go on BornHub and check it out. Son Ass Fucks Aunt, Part 1 of 9. All right, later. Hey, it's me again. You're in part two as well. So this thing's got like three million hits.

You better call your agent. Make sure you're getting some moolah. All right, later. After hours of research, we finally found the video. Hey, daddy, don't you forget. Tell everybody you're coming. Yeah! Yeah coming Yeah! Yeah!

Yeah! Yeah! Tell everybody you're coming Yeah! Yeah! Tell everybody you're coming Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! And we're fucking here. Andy Frasco's world-saving podcast. Still alive. Barely. We're in Charleston, South Carolina. And I got a special guest He lives here now Ryan Stasek from Umphreys McGee

Hey buddy Formerly from Pittsburgh Now I've migrated to the Lowcountry Tell me about this, why? This place is amazing How'd you find this place? Did you play here with your band or something? Actually, yeah

Funny statistic Umphreys McGee has played here How'd you find this place? There you go. Did you play here with your band or something? Actually, yeah. I mean, funny statistic. Umphreys McGee has played here two or possibly three times that it snowed, and it never snows here. So that's a crazy little stat. You brought Pittsburgh to fucking Charleston, bro. I did. I moved here six years ago when I was having a baby with my wife, and some of her family lived here. And we were in a high rise in Chicago and we were like, this is fucking

unacceptable. This cold. Yeah, you are from Chicago. I mean, I spent time there. You spent a lot of your adolescence. No, I'm from Pittsburgh. Not adolescence. What's after 20? Yes, I moved there in 2000. So whatever, my 20s.

So when you're getting rowdy, when you're getting to know who you are a little bit better. Yeah, there was some self-discovery in the city of Chicago. But it was a good time. It was good to be there. But we didn't have any family. And family was here. And being a traveling musician. What about your family in Pittsburgh?

My mom and dad were in Michigan. They retired and moved here. Oh. Yeah. So everyone's here. Yeah. My sister's in Chicago. My sister's the only immediate family

No shit And my wife's mom is here Her older sister with kids are here Her younger sister with kids are here My aunt and uncle with kids are here We have a group This is home now So tell me

What's so special about this place? I mean come on I know The weather was huge I'm a beach person Yeah I'm a I'll take floating tank tops and flip flops

all day. I just want to say how fucking beautiful the women here in Charleston. This is true. What's in the water? I was,

there's so many beautiful women at the show and they're all super nice. You know, like, like, it's because you were playing, man.

It's because you were playing. Nah, man. Your boys came to support Doom Flamingo. Do you like doing this project? Absolutely. Everyone's pumped about it. It's super fun. I gave came to support Doom Flamingo. Do you like doing this project? Absolutely. Everyone's pumped about it. It's super fun.

I gave it a shout out to the show and everyone was like, Doom! You thought you were getting booed? Yeah, dude. I'm like, what the fuck is going on?

They're showing the love. It's a big, cool following now in this town. Well, I mean, I'm the only one, I'm local now, but I'm the only one

who's not, you know, a main local player here in Charleston. Is it all like the heaviest cats in Charleston? There's so many here, but yeah, we have a good group that we put together. Is it all like the heaviest cats in Charleston? There's so many here, but yeah, we have a good group that we put together.

The music scene here is dope. Doom Flamingo. What is Doom Flamingo? It's an 80s synth wave, but there's a huge umbrella for synth wave. And the reason we have the Doom and the Flamingo is so we can bring the Doom wave and then the Flamingo wave. So you can have your Lamborghinis and cocaine popsicles and palm trees down the miami a1a or you can have you know the doom the dark wave the scary shit is that charleston in a nutshell uh no no it's maybe maybe a small part we also have a comic book coming out too our first uh comic came out where we have characters and domingo the doom

flamingo it's a 28-page or 24-page comic that's coming out this fall. Who made this? Our friend Jordan Noir from Canada. You guys are fucking marketing gurus. It's just fun. It's amazing now the accessibility you have with the click of your thumbs.

It's the worst thing and the greatest thing, a phone, right? It's the worst thing and the greatest thing. But we've been able to meet other artists and reach out, and then people have similar interests, and we made a fucking comic book do you think we all have characters the fun absolutely as being a band you we could all be characters yes whatever who doesn't want to be a superhero from the minute you're a kid right right like

what's like what was your biggest superhero like what who'd you look up to as a kid that made you Ryan now, you think? Oh, that's a good question. Well, I think one that instantly comes to mind is when I moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1988, I met this kid, Sean Rowe, who became my best friend. He gave me a Dungeons & Dragons book and Appetite for Destruction. And I popped in that tape. And Appetite for Destruction and Guns N' Roses changed my life from that course. Because it was the first time when I wasn't

being influenced by cousins and older brothers or, I don't have an older brother, but older family members and everybody or kids on the street being like, listen to this, listen to this. I started to discover stuff on my own and with my friends, my new friends. And Guns N' Roses, bam. That was dangerous. It was rock and roll. Bluesy. It was cool. Oh was rock and roll, bluesy.

It was cool. Oh, my God. Yeah, I would say that. And what about, like, the true, the whole image, the rock star imagery is definitely same thing as a superhero. Yeah. You know, like, we look at these rock stars. Why do you think we idolize rock stars so much? Ah, that's a good question, too.

I mean, something about the escape of seeing someone up there create this art and throw it at you super loud yeah and sometimes violently that that that uh that turned me on yeah that's why i like the heavier stuff so much i like to contact like getting in those mosh pits yeah getting hit that first hit never hurting anybody yeah i'm always in the there was always that fucking dude that ran around and was going to bury someone. You're like, come on, it's supposed to be a full content, friendly sport. What about your fans?

Do they start getting aggro and mosh pit and shit? I mean, it happens. What about in the younger years? Rarely, rarely. We're not that heavy of a band. I mean, we get heavy here and there, but it's definitely more in the hippie jam band scene. It's not like a Lamb of God concert

where they're separating the wall and they're like, go. That's what I felt too. But touring in Europe, it was like mosh pits and shit. Oh my God, dude. I was doing the happiest fucking song. But you love that. I love it, dude.

I love all that. Have you ever like gone like, like jumped in the crowd and like tried to like fucking just destroy someone? Anyone like talk shit? You ever try to fight anybody? No, we've never gone punk rock where I've had to point someone out and then do a flying kick to his face.

Thought about it. Have you? Thought about it. Do you look up to any of those kind of rock stars? I don't know about look up. I like all of that stuff. I'll tell you what. I did a Dookie set.

We were doing a Green Day tribute for Dookie. Yeah, for Mayquist. He's awesome. And to watch it what. I did a Dookie set. We were doing a Green Day tribute for Dookie. Yeah. Yeah, for Mayquist. He's awesome. And to watch it, I was watching a lot of YouTube. And I listened to early, early Green Day. But I never really got into it when I was touring or watching or going to shows. But I watched a few.

And Billy did that a bunch, man. He's a show at the Aragon. And some kid was being a little prick. And he fucking straight out dove out and started kicking his ass. I was like, that's fucking punk rock. That's pretty fucking punk rock. I love that shit, dude. I always look up to all those guys.

I always admire... What fascinates you about the metal scene and the punk scene? What was it? I like heavy, aggressive music. When I get in the car, my wife doesn't want to listen to heavy metal. I got some dice. Of course, I have some dice hanging.

I like to hit the shit out of them on the drums. I like to blast tool. I like Pantera, Prong. That stuff, I play it super loud. Obviously, not when my one-year-old's in the back or anything. What about your other kid? She likes rock and roll. She definitely likes rock and roll. Do you think she's becoming a musician? I don't know.

My life has been in storage with this move, so I don't have access to my instruments, my piano. I just have a soft case with my bass. So she definitely wants to sing. That's where she's at right now. She doesn't have a perfect pitch or anything like that, but she loves it, and that's what's most important. How hard is it to take time to write tunes

when you're a fucking dad with young kids? Kids are in school now. So I have time. Just getting into a new place where I have my stuff, my equipment, and having some routine is the goal. But there's always time

on the road. People who say they don't have time are full of shit. You can always make time. So is that just laziness, you think? Procrastination, excuse making,

I don't know. Define it how you want. But I'm sure you can be taking a shit and you can write a song. Yeah. Right? True.

What about like writer's block? You ever get that? Absolutely. What was the longest spell? I think the worst thing is getting into especially when you're improvising riffs that you know you're going to fall back on. Autopilot? Autopilot.

Sometimes you're lost and think you have writer's block or jam block. You're like, man, and you want to keep it going. You want to keep it driving. So you have to do something you already know that's familiar. And then hopefully that's a stepping stone for something new and better. But if you're not expanding your vocabulary, like learning a language, if you're learning a language, if you're not expanding your vocabulary all the time, you're going to be stuck with broken language, broken English. If you're trying to learn English, you're going to learn a few sayings. You got to dig into the vocabulary. And I find that with bass, you have to do that all the time. All different genres,

all different types. And then what's great with Umphreys is I can experiment with different styles and see how my bandmates respond to it. We got a lawnmower going right there. I know, I love this. Charleston, babe. We're at this bar. By the way, talk about where we're at. Okay, we're at House of Brew. It's literally a house.

When the band dropped me off from the van, I was like, oh shit, he's just taking me to a church or something. And then it's like behind something or another. And there's like a... It's a draft bar with like... This is what I love about it. Everything's laid back. Like from like living in Chicago where everything

is bustled but how do you like teach your brain to say all right there's another side of life this calmness like that's why I came here yeah were you having because I've been talking a lot about mental health with like traveling so much and like getting everyone you know trying to get their minds right through living on the road, always being away from your kids and your fucking wife and your family. How do you get through that anxiousness of

saying, oh God, this tour life. Do you have to move to a town like this you feel like? Does that kind of slow your brain down? I think everybody's definitely wired differently and you have to figure out through trying different things what works for you. And the other people are just wired on how they want to be. What works for you?

I'll tell you what works for me. My wife and I are on the same page where we knew that the city life in the 20s had ended and it was time to do family and be surrounded by family. Was it a thing where you and your wife were partying together? Was she kind of like never really the party or you were the party or she was the party and you weren't the party? No, we're the same. Yeah?

We're the same person in all that way, yeah. And then we're able to check each other at the same time too. But when we came down here, you know, she's also, she understands my life and my job. And she's like, hey, it's time for you to fucking go on the road

so i can get some shit done around here and get in her routine and then when i go on the road with my uh you know my married bandmates that i'm married to with no sex yeah yeah we talked so we yeah we talked about this so you go out with them and then once that little tour's and you're like i'm ready to go yeah and you separate and you come back. And that works for me and Mary Welch. We're able to, my favorite journey line from that song Faithfully, you have the highway run on the road, the joy of rediscovering you. It's kind of like you come home, you have the joy of rediscovering your family a little bit.

You've been on a work vacation or anybody who travels. So for me, coming home to where it's usually going to be 80 and sunny and chill, that makes me happy and then I'm going to be with the people I love the most. Do you have any breakdowns

on the road? For sure. Like just like want to give up? No, I've never been a, I'm a pretty positive human being. Yeah. I've never hit the rock bottom

of wanting to give up. I've definitely come close to the fisticuffs and the more of like, you know, the hockey shirt off and be like, let's go, you the fisticuffs and the more of like, you know, the hockey shirt off and be like, let's go,

you get one shot. That shit, yeah. But you know, we've never, we've never been a bunch of fighters or, you know, our breaking points

and I think one of our strongest things about us is our communication. We might have discussed that too on Jam Cruise. Like you have to talk that shit out or you stop letting the petty shit really bother you.

As long as you keep that shit to a level and your relations stay clean, it's easier to rise to the top as a big tree and not grow out on separate branches. And, you know, communication's huge when you're basically polygamous. You're married to six dudes who are married

to someone else as well. Having each other's... What is the right balance for you, you think? Like a month on the road, a month off, two weeks off? No, I'm free. I'll leave on a Wednesday, play either Thursday to Saturday or Thursday to Sunday

or Friday to Sunday and come home Monday. We'll either do that for one or two weeks and then take a gap off. How long is the gap? It could be a week. It could be 10 days. You know, we really try and front load everything heavy January, February, March, April.

Cool. Hit our business numbers. Yeah. Slide into festival season. August is nuts. I'm home for four Tuesdays. I'm on the road the rest of the month. So August is like that.

Okay, once we hit the end of August, we'll be done. And then once we hit September all the way through, I'm going to stay at home, Dad. So September until you start the winter tour. Until December is pretty slow. Nice. Who tours in the winter? We do in January, February, March. But not November.

Yeah, the fall is really kind of... In the south... It's a hurricane, guys. It's coming in town. Hurricane Andy. Hurricane Frasco. In the south, man, everything is college football. It's like religion. When we get down here in the fall,

if we've hit our numbers, lining up for our 85 gigs a year, we really like to relax those last four before we hit New Year's and start it over. And that formula's kind of worked for us. Like, I can't do fucking 220 shows and be, I don't have that in me anymore. We got Karina Reichman on the show tonight. She's a badass.

She is. She's a badass. Bass player to bass player, is she a badass? She's a fucking badass. And let me say this. She came in with Marco down to the poorhouse, And I brought my daughters To come watch their soundcheck And my oldest, Punky She was singing and playing

At the same time Is her name really named Punky? That's her nickname Oh, that's so cool I mean, that's what she goes by You're a fucking punk rock Fucking dad It's Amelia

But we call her Punky I'm gonna call her Punky Yeah, call her Punky So Punky was looking And she grabbed my shirt After work She's like, you mean You mean I can sing and play bass too? I'm like, fuck yeah, you can.

So she was super inspired to see a girl playing bass and singing. And it was really cool for Marco and them to let us come in and crash their, you know. And Mickey, who is Mickey's, she just turned a year, but at the time was probably like 11 months. She's just sitting in her, with her big headphones on, just in awe, just staring and taking it in. Do your kids like your band? Yeah. Yeah, they do.

Do they come out and watch the big shows? They do. Brendan and I are actually doing a show here, a duet, just him and I on the beach in Isle of Palms, Bayless and Stasek, just bass and guitar. Dude. First time ever, yeah. How is that?

I don't know. We'll find out. But like, is that more pressure than having like your backbone bands as you two? I don't know what the pressure is. I think the point is have fun and the people that pay to come see you enjoy it and have fun too. I gotta have this mentality.

You're like the fucking Dolly Lama. I think it's this, man. It's not this simple, but a lot of times you can wake up and make a fucking choice of what you're pissed off about and what you're happy about and how you're going to react and change and what that reaction is really going to do. I'm going through a renovation on a house right now. My wife is the interior designer. And so we've got good cop and bad cop. And then she wants things to be perfect through the design. And I'm like, listen, we all have our health. We're going to be perfect through the design and I'm like listen

we all have our health we're gonna be living down in a beautiful place we're gonna be on the beach like one day at a time we're gonna be fine you know

and then she and that calms her down or she's like no fuck you tomorrow I'm gonna have a fucking nervous breakdown and commit myself alright guys

enjoy Karina Reichman thanks for being on the show, Ryan. Thanks for having me, dude. Let's finish this beer and have a conversation outside of podcast. 100%. All right.

Later, bud. All right. Next up on the interview hour, we got Karina Reichman, New York City's own from Marco Benevento's band. She's a bass player She's bad to the fucking bone

She's got this business mind When she was 18 She started, you know, basically promoting shows With our homie Jake At this thing called Rocksoft Cruise Where they bring like 300 or 400 people on a boat And you basically circle the Statue of Liberty and stuff, and you have a band play.

It's just super cool. She just knows the industry. She works for Relics. She has a podcast. And she's got it all going on. Yo, Chris, why don't you play some Marco Benevento? But her parents are professors at Columbia. She's read all the right books. She's just a super smart person, really humble. Thanks for being on the show. And I hope you

enjoyed this interview. I had a great time. She inspired me. I need to start working a little extra harder. You know what I mean. Enjoy the interview, and I'll catch you on the tail end. And we're fucking here. Yo. Karina. Hi. Yo. How you doing? I feel like I've been like weirdly creeping on your Insta story and Instagram forever.

All my friends tell me you're the dopest musician. And then I asked you to be on the show. Without any question, you said yes. Thank you so much. What's up, Karina? How you doing? I'm so happy to be here. And I totally stalk your shit too.

It's great. You're just being nice. Yo, check it out. I did some research on you. All my notes. I got notes here. I briefed. I listened to interviews.

Make sure I don't ask the same questions. If I do, I apologize. But you are a natural born hustler, girl. Uh-oh. Uh-oh. Man, you're pipping this industry up. So you, bass player. Correct.

DJ. Sure, yeah. Concert promoter. Yeah. And I heard you do interviews. DJ. Sure, yeah. Concert promoter. Yeah. And I heard you do interviews. Yeah, whatever you got. Let's do it. Holy fuck.

You're like the Oprah of the fucking jam scene, Karina. Oh, I like that. That's good. All right. I got so many questions. Where are you from? Manhattan. You grew up in the city.

I'm born and raised Upper West Side, Manhattan, straight up, yes. Family musical? Not at all. What were they doing? My parents are both Columbia professors. They're both straight up intellectual cats. My dad's a philosopher and travels the world giving lectures and writing books and super brainy. My mom's the head of the French department.

She was like, fuck yeah, my baby girl's going to be an artist. They're just like, yeah, I mean, they definitely don't think I should do what they do, and they love what I do. And also, we talked about it the other day, we're very close. They didn't have a choice, you know? You couldn't stop. Only child? Yeah.

So there you go. In a sense, though though you are kind of doing what your pops is doing you're doing a philosophy but not in a way of learning um and teaching philosophy you are giving out your own philosophy into the music scene right I completely agree with that and I think they do as well like you know I think they're they're hyper developed people you know so they can see that but with people who are just like a little like you know I think they're hyper developed people you know so they can see that but with people who are just like a little more you know black or white or just like kind of can't

see the whole picture of a human or life or something like they're like well that must be really strange your parents must hate what you do like that's just bizarre you know and I'm like no they love it they're super into it was there pressure to go to college? I did where'd you go? NYU.

Yeah, son. Yeah. You went to college? Okay, no, I heard about this. You picked your own major. I did. I did. Explain how that's possible.

Okay, so, yeah, my folks both teach at Columbia. So there was definitely like, you know, is she going to go to Columbia type vibe? Because I would have gotten a completely free ride. But Columbia paid for half of my tuition anywhere I was going to go because my parents had been there for like 40 years. Anyway, blah, blah, blah. I went to, you know, there's a school called Gallatin. It's the school of individualized study at NYU where basically it's for like self-motivated kids who like know

what they want and you basically go and you construct your own major. And I got in there and the summer between high school and college, I had already started working for Jake at Rocksoft, the concert promoter. So I knew like I, and I was playing in five bands that were all going nowhere or whatever. Like, you know, so I kind of like brought together the two sides of my life, the intangible, creative music playing and the music business. And I constructed this major called Invention and Distribution in Contemporary Music and crushed that shit. Yeah, graduated on time with honors, even though I was touring the whole time and working full time for Rocksoft. Hold on, you were touring. Yeah. Graduated on time with honors even though I was touring the whole time and working full time for Rocksoft. Hold on. You were touring? Yeah. You were

working? Yeah. And you built your own major? Yeah. You're a fucking alien. Yo. Yo. So were you smart? Super smart your whole life? Like you always had great grades? Uh I don't know how to answer that. Or like did you have good grades?

I always had good grades, but I attribute that more to my ability to talk my way into or out of any trouble or anything and like talk to people much older than me from a very young age. Yeah, than like me being super like brainy. What was the first business you ever started? I used to take like concert photos when I was very young. I got a beautiful camera for my birthday from my uncle. And I really just wanted to get into shows for free. But then I started

taking pictures and then very slowly. How old were you? 16, 15. And then slowly but surely, I started getting like paid for that. And then I started getting paid for like video work. And I made these commercials in high school for like new york sports clubs and shit i got involved with some weird what sports clubs new york sports club like the nysc you know what i'm saying and this dude yeah i don't know i just kind of met people and they were like oh you know would you come and do this for me for a thousand bucks i was was like, a thousand bucks? What are you even talking about? I've never even seen a thousand, like, you know, just young and stoked about it.

So that was, I guess, the first like, quote unquote. What were the, what's the first, okay. This is so crazy. Cause I have kind of the same story. I started, I worked at the record business when I was 14. I worked at Capitol and I worked at drive-thru. I was into pop punk. So like I was like Drive Thru Records and stuff.

But like I grew up in LA too. Do you think growing up in the city inspired you to be a better entrepreneur? Interesting question. Yes. Well, I just kind of can't imagine it any other way. And people like will say like, whoa, like what's that like?

You're just thrown into it. If you're born in Manhattan, and it's true, like you are. And, you know, if I wasn't into it, then that would maybe be a different thing. But I just feel like my pulse is aligned with the energy of this city in such a huge way. And I don't know, chicken or egg, but it definitely is a thing for me for sure. And when I go elsewhere and it's too chill, I can chill. Don't get me wrong. I could definitely chill. But then if it goes on for too long, I'm just like, yo, this is not my energy. And every time I come back to New York, I'm like, okay, time for business. Like, let's go. Like whatever it is, you know. What's that pulse to you?

It's just vibrant energy. Just, it doesn't quit. It's round pulse to you it's just vibrant energy just it doesn't quit it's around the clock you can get anything and go anywhere at any time of day or night food music like i don't know it's just a this non-stop thing about new york were your parents strict about a curfew with you no younger so you could do whatever you want? I mean yeah but I've also I was never I was completely straight like I didn't drink do any drug like nothing and now I hardly drink now but that's all like I don't do any weird drugs or anything like I'm just a total lunatic au naturel. So my parents were just like yeah she's good like she's got all these 40 year old friends that are looking after her or something, you know? I don't know. That's unbelievable.

And they would just leave, like, the back door unlocked. And I would just come in, like, very quietly and, you know, get ready for school at 8 in the morning and be good to go, you know? After promoting shows and taking photos for... Yeah, just go on. I was just obsessed with going to see any show I could see, you know? So I was just like out, you know, 10 nights of the Allman brothers out every night, like whatever it was on fish tour, you know, and also going to see like Slayer and Nine Inch Nails and, you know, Helmet and Mastodon. I was into really heavy music at a certain point too. So just the yin and the yang of the, you know, let's go see Medesky,

Martin and Wood. Oh, let's go see Mastodon. Like, you know, super weird. What philosophies of metal can you get out of that? What same philosophies of metal do you think are in the jam scene, like Fish and like Medesky? Because there's got to be some similar stuff for you to hand off. Totally. Well, you know, I like this sort of like,

for metal, if I listen to some like, you know, if I'm walking down the street listening to Slayer or Pantera or, you know, any of these bands, whatever, and I'm like just feeling empowered and untouchable, you know, like the world is like my oyster. I don't know, you know, you get this weird kind of power through it. And I think a lot of people find solace in that. But I also find that in a 27-minute tweezer.

Yeah. For some reason. I don't know. I'm weird. And people are like, what's up with that? You're not weird. It's the same. I think it's all relative.

I think it is all relative. It's all about energy. Like you said, the same thing in a city. Like same thing as why you love New York is like the va-voom of this always moving always like gotta get done gotta get something done right exactly and of course like i think you know metal kind of for the most part cuts to the cuts to the chase a little faster you know whereas with jam music it's more about the journey. But the journey is just as important as the result.

And, you know, oftentimes makes the quote unquote results even more impactful, I would say. Maybe that's why you like Marco so much was that it's that punk jam thing. I mean, yeah, absolutely. Does he have that same philosophy? He's very open musically as well, for sure. For sure, for sure. But he's less into like sometimes in the van, I'll put on something that's like a little too hard.

He'll be like, whoa. What's the most power you've ever seen in a show? Whoa. Heavy question. Shit. I mean, the end of Fare The was real powerful. Let's not, well, when they all kind of walked off and just said, you know, this is something here, you know, take this energy and use it and don't forget it. And we can take what this feels like and do good with it. You know, that's kind of one of the heavier moments I'd seen.

But also like, I don't know, I remember being like 14 or 15 and seeing Trent Reznor descend from the ceiling. Or no, sorry, it was Peter Murphy from Bauhaus descending from the ceiling, tied by his ankles and coming down during Reptile, my favorite Nine Inch Nails song. And the whole place was smoked out. It was an encore. I was just like, what the fuck? And I don't know.

That just, I mean. You still remember that moment. Yeah, in such a huge way. I don't know why I was so, like, just spellbound by the whole thing. And everybody else was, too. It was, like, both spectacle, the power of the lyrics, power of that song that's just like it sounds like mechanics dude I don't know so many moments though you know it's just crazy music's music's wild so you're 15 so you

started playing bass at 13 yeah who were what's your first musical memory i i got a guitar um put into my lap just by my friend in eighth grade and he was just like here this is how you play seven nation army and i was like oh yeah shit i can play seven nation army no way like i was just blown away that I could even do that, you know? And then very, very quickly after, just like the acoustic guitar that was lying around at recess, I would just like, I became completely transfixed, autistic about it, you know? Like I was just like, don't even talk to it.

Like I'm going to play this guitar, like super, super into it. And then got an electric guitar and we went like to guitar center to get this thing for my birthday and they tried to like sell us a gig bag and i was like oh yeah a gig bag and my mom was like gig bag what you're gonna take this thing out of the house like what the fuck like what and then two weeks later i gotta beat your fucking parents they're amazing and then i was like yeah i'm like'm like, yeah. You know? What if I, you know, I don't know. Yeah. And then two weeks later, I'm in a band called False Arrest.

Eighth grade, running around the city, like playing the trash bar and Don Hills and like all this shit. You were gigging at 13 in the city? For sure, yeah. So were you, like, how did you get in? Like, did they put big old X's on you? Huge X's forever. Forever. So you just, you'd play your, you'd get there right when you're about to play and then you get in? Did they put big old X's on you? Huge X's forever. So you'd get there right when you're about to play

and then you'd get off? Or were there all ages venues? There were a couple. I don't know. It was a lot of X's. But they were kind of cool as long as you had your X's. I don't know. My dearest friend Bobby at the time,

the one who put the guitar in my hand in the first place, he was in the band as well, and he would just, I don't know, talk about a hustler. Like, that guy would email promoters just lying about our draw. What, at 13? Oh, yeah. Just being, like, literally, and actually, yeah,

some people I still know to this day, they don't, like, know that I was involved in this, but whatever, he would just be like, oh, yeah, you know, 60 people, you know, on Tuesday at 10 p.m.? Oh, definitely. No problem. Yeah, of course. He would just be like, oh yeah, 60 people on Tuesday at 10pm. Oh, definitely. No problem. Yeah, of course. Just a gig. Wrong. Very wrong. It was like three of our parents and like

you know. I don't even know what was going on. I faked my age and I faked at 16 I called myself Drew Mitchell and I booked myself for six years. No shit. Under the name Drew Mitchell?

Under the name Drew Mitchell. Andrew Mitchell Frasco. So it was kind of like a slap in the face. But like I was doing the same thing. I was hustling. This is, oh my God. You just wanted to play, right? I just wanted to be, I didn't know how to play.

I just wanted to be part of the industry. Like I would book shows and like for bands like Terror and like pop punk bands like New Found Glory and that stuff too. But I didn't start playing music until I was 19. Wow. So what was your first love though? Was it photography or was it the bass with the guitar? No, it was definitely not photography.

I loved it. And at the time, I was totally into it, but it was definitely not that. I love photography and at the time I was totally into it but it was definitely not that. That was a means to being closer to the music if that makes sense.

It's just music. Are you obsessive compulsive? Uh, uh, a little, a little. I'm very clean. Yeah?

I'm definitely like I got the Windex out for sure. No, what about just like when you want to learn something I'm going to learn everything about it. Like that? Yeah. Yeah. I'm definitely like I got the Windex out for sure. No, what about just like when you want to learn something, I'm going to learn everything about it. Oh yeah, like that? Certainly. Oh yeah, the Windex and that, dude, for

sure, yeah. Yes. And when, and there's no stopping me if I like, especially when I was younger like that, I was just like yeah, okay, you know, this is going to happen. I don't think anything's changed. Look how good you came on the bass. I guess that's true. I guess that's kind of true but yeah no it was definitely I was I was gonna do whatever it was come hell or high water kind of you know. Were you like the shit in high school

were you like a nerdy like no one wanted to fuck with you or like are you were you the cool kid? I was a combination kind of people definitely fucked with me, but I didn't necessarily fuck with them. I went to like this very, like, it's an awesome school. It's a progressive, very liberal upper West side, private school. And you know, uh, their philosophy is awesome and it's great, but it, you know, there were definitely just like, you know kind of like i don't even know what to call them but just people who were like oh my god gossip girl yeah something like that you know people just like spending their bat mitzvah money on like gucci sneakers and shit

and just being all like yo yo yo uh are you jewish i'm yeah i'm half my mom's full-blown so i guess i'm full-blown same here did you have a bat mitzvah i didn't i didn't but let me tell you i talk about loving music this is like before i started playing guitar or whatever i used to rage balls at all these kids bar bat mitzvahs like for three years it was a bar bat mitzvah every weekend and i would just like in the middle of the dance circle like going like i danced my ass off at every bar bat mitzvah like you couldn't get me off the dance floor are you serious for real like for real actually my friend like my best friend just learned that about me and was just like are you serious i'm like yeah dude the party initiators they used to just throw me the cane like there there was like a fucking cane. And then I'd start dancing like Fred Astaire with the cane, dude.

It was on when it was on. For sure. People were like, damn. Let's go back to this fancy ass high school. Okay, so I'm at this fancy ass high school. And it's not that people didn't. What was the philosophy? Like what were they trying to teach you?

Well, this high school, there was no walls. So everybody, like literally, like just like classrooms separated by bookshelves, very inclusive. There were 42 kids in my class, like, you know, and that meant like, you know, 11 per classroom kind of, you know what I mean? And it was very inclusive, liberal, just like liberal ideologies and stuff like that.

It was a great place. Like it's an awesome, awesome spot, but it definitely had, you know, people who were definitely not as interested in what I mean. And also can't blame them. I was listening to like weird, like obscure nineties rock bands and heavy metal and jam bands that nobody gave a fuck about, you know, I'm born in 93. How are these people supposed to be into it? You can't blame anybody if they're listening to LMFAO and I'm listening to widespread panic or whatever. I don't know.

Or just shit that happened many, many years before we were even born. You can't fault anybody. So I was very much like one track like you know guitar to school every day i went to this like after school like you know school of rock type program but it wasn't school of rock that like every friday we're just like there learning set lists of tunes to rehearse and play with each other and just i think i got really good doing that just at like learning music.

Because it was like, oh, you're responsible for these 10 tunes by next Friday. And if you don't know them, like your whole like crew here is going to be like, yo, what the fuck? Why didn't you learn these tunes? So anyway, yeah, it's, I was much more like pushing people away that I didn't,

that I didn't fuck with. And people were like, yo, Karina's whack. Like nobody was like Karina's whack like nobody was like Karina's whack she just like it was more like wow she really just does her own thing you're so you're a loner ah I had my pals who did what I did you know I had like my rock friends my boy I had a boyfriend of uh for years that was like extremely into music amazing guitar player all throughout high school so So he and I were just like kind of doing our thing with our like music people that we knew from all different

schools throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn and whatnot. And in our own bands and doing our own thing as opposed to like, I don't know, doing the, oh my God, look at these Tory Burch flats you got me. It was so great oh my god and what happened on gossip girl no shut up oh my god you are the punk rock of the socialites it was weird and then yeah i don't know shit so like you were like truly the underbelly of this like social this manhattan like i wouldn't like, I don't know your financial thing with your family, but like you hung out with a bunch of people who were just like, like Japs.

Well, tons of Japs, Jap City. It was literally Jap City. Yeah, it was just like, oh man. And talk about, yeah, during the bar mitzvah season, it was like, oh boy, we're all getting in a bus and we're going to Sarah's house in the Hamptons for the afternoon and then they'll take us back to the Upper West Side.

Would those people piss you off? I mean, I was always just kind of like eye rolling a little bit, but also like, ah, you know. Going with the flow. Yeah, and at that age, like what, 12, 13, like, you know, just barely starting to play and get into, like, rock music. Like, you know, and I was totally down for the party. Like, I don't know.

It was just like, ah, cool, whatever, let's do this. It's fun. I like the music element of it. But I was definitely not like them. Like, that was very clear. And, no, I didn't have a bar bat mitzvah. Also, like, yeah, or bat, and no i didn't have a bar about mitzvah also like yeah or bought rather um yeah i don't know i was kind of along for the ride but wasn't deep into that

so who taught you this philosophy though like so to go with the flow and like even though you fucking hated these people or if you did i'll say you don't have to say um like who who's the one who told you hey you could be whoever the hell you want i don't know no i think you just learned that i mean my folks are kind of like that you know they're definitely on their own trip and my mom was born in belgium like she was born in brussels and her parents are holocaust survivors and like literally like like entrapped you know what i mean and they were on a train to their death from Poland. And they got stopped and liberated by the Americans. And then they were like, you're free

now. And that train just happened to stop in Belgium. And they were like, great, holy shit, we're free. Like, we can live life every day, like whatever. And then they just kind of settled in Belgium for no reason, had my mom and her brother. and they lived there until they were 14. You know, these Polish Jews who like made a life for themselves in Brussels. And then my mom kind of grew up with like this kind of like, I don't know, like just, wow, we're so fucking lucky to be alive and we celebrate life. Like we just were in this, you know what I mean? And then they moved to Toronto when she was 14 and she just kind of had this and all that my mom's like what the fuck like i came from like this like kind of cool like liberal like you know town in brussels that was all kind of like people just kind of stoked to be alive and doing their own thing i don't know that's too deep man i'm sorry i'm going so far back this is what it is this is exactly what i want to talk about so far but so then long story short like my mom tenacious as fuck like you know goes to school there and whatever but then she's just like toronto is not for me like it's very much like this

insular you know kind of jappy bubble that she was in too and she like was like i'm going to new york i'm going to new york i have nothing in new y, but I'm going to New York. She settled down here and literally has had the same job that she's had for I think it's close to 40 years. That's where she met your dad? She met my dad here. That's a complicated other story. Tell it.

It's honestly complicated. They've explained it to me so many times and I'm just like, holy shit, I don't quite understand. Long story short, my dad was speaking on something that was right in my mom's wheelhouse in terms of theorists and weird shit that I don't understand.

But whatever. My last name, I've never divulged this on a podcast or anything, Andy, but look, my last name, I've been spelling it R-Y-K-M-A-N since I was like 11, because I was, I've been spelling it R-Y-K-M-A-N since I was like 11. Because I was like, I can't deal with the actual spelling of my last name. It's so fucking annoying.

Nobody can pronounce it. But it's just Reichman. But it's spelled R-A-J-C-H-M-A-N. But it's just Reichman. John Reichman. And my mom's last name is Boyman, and they changed it to B-O-Y-M-A-N when they came over to America,

but back in fucking Poland or whatever, it was B-O-J-M-A-N. Holy shit. So the whole silent J transferring to the Y runs in the family a little bit. So my mom saw my dad's last name being like, R-A-J-C-H-M-A-N, blah, blah, blah. Huh. But everybody's calling him John Reichman.

Right. Silent J or like J is the Y sound, whatever, blah, blah, blah. And he's talking about all this deep philosophy shit that I'm into, sick, like whatever. And then they met and it was super on. And then look at me. Here I am. You're the only child right yeah okay do you think european values made you the person you are your mom's european like

ideas of how you know how americans think that we should live to work and not work to live yes and like do you think she's that that philosophy has helped you become the musician the photographer the concert promoter, the interviewer, whatever the fuck you want to do. Right. I mean, I think that those values definitely influence everything I do and everything I am, whether I think about it actively or not,

which I don't, unless, of course, I'm on your podcast. Sorry, sorry. I know this is about of course I'm on your podcast. Sorry. Sorry. I know this is about music, but I love it. Yeah. I hope I'm not, uh, going too deep into it, but yes, no, I mean, it's, it's just, it's simply different, you know, it's more. And then, yeah, my mom had to be tenacious as fuck to stay here, you know, to like let her job, like the contract was for four years. were like after four years like this position is up and like whatever and she's been there for 40 you know she just like fucking she's such a badass she's just like you still talk are you is that we're super close

well we were having dinner tonight actually i don't i see them less often than i should or could maybe just because i'm super busy and like on the road a lot or whatever. But if I'm home for a week like I am right now, like Wednesday night, we're going to have dinner for sure. So me and my mom and dad were definitely having dinner tonight. And they're stoked.

What was it like? This story is unbelievable. I hope you're intrigued. Oh, seriously. Sorry to go so deep into it. No, this is everyone. Who cares about the notes right now? You know, like we talk about the notes all the day. We think about the notes.

People want to know what's inside the notes. And that's why it's like, you play, so you just played with Trey or something? I sound checked with Fish. Yeah, well, that's still this dream of when you're 13 years old, listening to jam bands and thinking like, oh, these guys are my heroes.

Who was like the first musical hero that came up to you and said, hey, you're actually really fucking good. You could do this. Good question. There are a couple I'm lucky to say, right? But I mean, Dave Drywoods from Ween and ex-Marco's band, like the whole reason I play in Marco's band, he was the,

like, honestly, maybe the most integral of anybody because he saw me play when I was like 16 or something like that. And he was just like, you're awesome. I want you to be in my power trio, Crescent Moon. And I was like, yeah, dude, let's go. And then did a bunch of gigs with Dave and just became super pals with him. And he's kind of like, I call him my rock guru. He would come over and would just jam and nerd out on like crazy music and shit.

What's the most important thing he taught you about this industry ever like i have his sound bites going through my head constantly when i'm on like even just about just very simple bass stuff like you know i remember being young and like trying to slab and like do like weird like you know tricks and stuff like fancy stuff on the bass and he would just or like pedals and stuff which of course i'm the bass, and he would just, or, like, pedals and stuff, which, of course, I'm totally guilty of, and he'd just be like, ah, Karina, maybe let's just play some bass, huh? So, I love that, and then, like, sometimes, you know, because he's in JRAD, too, right, and learning this Grateful Dead catalog, and this and that, I remember him having, like,

a few tunes where it was just like metal block, you know, like it's just tough to learn that many tunes in that short amount of time. And I was having the kind of same thing with some of these Marco tunes when he passed that gig over to me. And he would just be like, ah, Karina, I had to do the same thing with playing in the band. You know, you just gotta, you just gotta make it your favorite song for like just a little bit, you know, just make it your favorite song. And I was like, all right, Dave, you know? So now when I ever, when I have to learn music, that's like just tripping me up and I'm like, ah, you know, this part's so hard or like, whatever. I'm just like, whatever. I'm like, ah, I just got to make it your favorite song. You know? I don't know. Different stuff like that. Dave was always just like, kind of

bringing you back to one being like okay back to basics of it like where did where did you start with this you know like make it your favorite song just play some bass like i don't know he's very wise man do you have time do you have times where you just overthink your instrument all the time yeah all the time and does that like looking into the past now do you think that's made you a better musician because of the overthinking or it made you a worse musician overthinking is never good I've found and I've tended to

like overthink when I don't even have the bass on me or around me and I start thinking about it and I start thinking like oh god like what if I forget this change and like oh god you gotta do something a little doper than what you

are gonna do in this little fill or like whatever and then I find like when I actually get the bass on me or near me I'm like no like you got this it's just music like you know don't overthink it just drink it man you know you just gotta just do it you know the knowledge ah anyway yeah i don't know i and of

course like you know i'm not don't overthink it just i don't know you just gotta do it man and then like when it's on you you're like oh yes what else have i been doing for fucking 15 years or like you know what i mean like you just gotta do it and it just comes out like the way it's supposed to who do you read I have not been reading much in the last as growing up

what philosophers taught you this philosophy all my dad's people like Foucault the French guys Foucault, Lacan, De leuze they're all they're sick what they teach you just the order of things man the order of things you got to read the order of things it's all just it's about all i mean it's too heady to even get into and so much of my dad's work and all that just doesn't even like it a lot of it i'm just like that's his shit not my shit and whatever but i took

philosophy classes and whatnot like what do you mean the order of things that's a book yeah but like your order of things my order of things is just like try not i think overthinking it is a huge problem that a lot of people myself included totally have and you're just gotta kind of like the the philosophy of dave dry it's bringing it back to one let's just play some bass let's just live in the moment let's not like you know and of course like

being from New York and everything there's so much noise and there's so much like I always say like you know whenever I go to the suburbs and shit like now I go up to Marcos and Woodstock a lot like you, you know, before leaving for a tour, like, friends' country houses or whatever, like, you get this feeling of just, like, oh, all right, it's just us, like, let's set some shit on fire, like, we gotta make

our own fun, like, we gotta, like, you know, if we don't make our own fun, it's not gonna spring out of nowhere, like, you know, whereas living here was always just, like, you step out of, like, your apartment building you're like whoa I'm like on fucking camera it feels like you know what I mean I'm just like the scrutiny and the people and like constant noise and constant shit everywhere and more things to attend than you could ever hope to you know like you just kind of gotta living in the moment I think is the vibe you know you just gotta kind of both take it in and tune it out at the same time tune out the shit

that doesn't appeal to you and tune in the shit that feeds your soul all that do you feel like the noise is therapeutic or gives you anxiety I like it but I know no other way.

You know what I mean? So for me, it's just like when it's not there, I'm like, oh, shit. Yeah, like what do you do when you're in fucking Woodstock? We light some shit on fire. Like literally, we just have like crazy fires and we drink more than I do here. Like I just like you get this feeling of just like,

ah, like we're fucking barbarians. Let's go, which is super fun and awesome. But here I'm just like more like, I don't know, like regimented or something or like, you know, on a grind that I can kind of relate to just in life, you know, walking down the street, like music blaring in my ears. I'm like, okay, all right. Look at all these people going to their various things. Like sick. Here they are. I like. I'm like, okay, all right, look at all these people going to their various things. Sick. Here they are. I'm inspired by the activity of it.

Growing up in the city, do you get anxious with silence now? A little bit. I mean, I'm good with that too for a limited period of time. I fuck with a beach vacation. I'm not going to lie to you. I fuck with pools. I like bodies of time. Like I, I fuck with a beach vacation. I'm not going to lie to you. I fuck with pools. I like bodies of water. I'm down for all of that. Like I'm totally down to unwind.

I'm good at unwinding too. Like don't get me twisted, but comes a certain time, maybe like a week and a half into that where I'm just like, can't do it anymore. I'm like, let's go back to New York. Like, and then you just want to like hug every like fucked up looking person you see on the street. You're like, I love you, man. Thank you for being here. And like every businessman, I'm like, you're look like a prick, but I'm sure you're great. Like, fuck yeah. I don't know. I get stoked when I come back and see the humanity here. Cause you can be on the subway with the poorest person and the richest person. And we all just ride the subway together. You know what I mean? Like there's something about it. Whereas if in the suburbs, I'm always like, uh, feeling a little isolated. Like, I don't know what the fuck's going on here. Do we need to go to town? And then you're

like in whatever town and you're like okay this is a charming town sure they got good shit going on here but like it's nothing like being on the subway or like being on sixth avenue yeah to me yeah i just fuck with that and that's not for everybody i love it too born into it do you i'm obsessed with it this is what keeps me coming back here is that i i get my best thoughts out when i'm when I'm with a bunch of people and I don't have to talk to them. I'm just walking with a bunch of people and just getting through the subway and stuff.

That's where I get my best work done. And some people hate that. And I totally understand that. And some people need solitude or just that feeling of suburban oasis where it's like, oh, this is my house and this is your house and this is just, you know, this is my space and whatnot. And I so understand that. But for people like us, I guess there's something about this like vibrating thing that goes on here where you're just like, whoa, everybody's on something. here where you're just like whoa everybody's on something meaning like everybody's doing so many different things here and i'm just like what the fuck do you fear anything or do you have

any insecurities sure everybody does i don't know i couldn't name them gotta think about that do i like what like what like what do you fear about the music industry? I mean, the music industry is a fucked up place. But I don't know. I think it's good to have low expectations. I always have low expectations. I can't even believe anything. You know what I mean?

That you're this far? Well, yeah. That, like, I get to play music and like get paid to do it that's ridiculous that's absurd i don't have like lofty everything is kind of a day at a time philosophy i'd say i'm i low expectations lead to fucking just unfathomable joy you know because you just say that or is it no i really do i don't have any high expectations for anything and if i did i think i would be wildly like oh why you know how come i haven't played hammerstein yet like oh you know what the fuck like why is this move so slowly like yo you

know what i mean like you get into weird trips about shit i want to open for i don't know like you get i don't i don't think like that at all i'm so like overjoyed to step on stage every night with marco like it's just unbelievable to me that i get to play and get paid for it i thought i was gonna be music industry bitch number fucking 7885 you know what i mean why because i was working with jay yeah i started let's talk about that a little bit you got time yeah i got plenty of time you got time fuck yeah dude i'm in this okay so let's talk about jake and i met jake um at the relics conference last year oh yeah and then we went to japan And he was in Japan when I was in Japan. He loves wrestling.

Loves wrestling. So, was it his idea to do these cruises? What is it? I'm doing it in August. Are you? Yeah. Shut the fuck up. Yeah, I'm doing August.

The day we play lock on Thursday and then I come to New York on the Saturday or something. That's the best news ever. I'm really ashamed that I didn't know that. That's really something. That's Bongiorno's doing. Is that right? Yeah, I'm Bonjorno.

Are you Bonjorno? No, I'm nothing. Me personally? Yeah. Or Marco? I'm nothing. You're nothing? I got no agent, no manager, no nothing.

What? Yeah, nothing. But Marco is High Road, Al Morano. Okay. So let's talk about this. So what happened was I was playing in a band called The Sound of Urchin. And I toured with that band from like when I was 18 to 21, I'd say. So that included like my final semester of high school.

I like was out of town on tour for my prom and all that shit, you know, which was perfect, very fitting. And one of the shows we did that summer was a Rocksoft concert cruise. And that's where I met Jake. And at the end, I knew of him as like a very colorful character in the New York City live music scene. And I had spotted him from across the room with like, you know, at a Van Halen show with his shirt off and glitter everywhere. And like his hair dyed 10 different colors and been like oh that's a guy who puts on the shows on boats but we didn't know each other anyway right after this concert cruise came always putting those shows on the boats since 2002 i'd say like basically yeah wetlands closed he booked

cb uh cbgb's and knitting factory for a bit, Tribeca Rock Club, yada, yada, yada. And then he was like, I'm going to start my own thing. And the flagship event was the Rocksoft concert cruise. So yeah, three hour long cruises. They go around the harbor. It's fucking awesome. And I was there and I met him and whatever. And we were hanging out after the show. I'm 18, about to go into NYU in like a month because this was August or whatever. And I just went to him. I was like, hey, you know, if you ever need an intern, you know, I really like your ethos and the vibe here. And like, I could really, you know, see this being a good fit.

I'm your girl, you know, let me know. And he was just like, I haven't had an intern in five years because they're all retarded. But you seem like you're not or you're just the right kind of retard. I'm like, yeah, that's right. That's right. And he's like, great. You start tomorrow. Be here at 11 a.m. And I was like, what? And he was like, yeah, come back to the boat tomorrow at 11 a.m. We have an office boat. I was like, oh, shit. He has an office boat. He did it. That was only that lasted about three months into my internship.

Explain this boat. 23rd Street and FDR Drive, you just go to 23rd Street all the way east, and then you'd walk down a dock, and then you'd hop onto a boat. Like a little boat? Yeah, but not like a dinghy. It was like a boat. It wasn't an office dinghy. But yeah, it was great and shared with Empire Cruises, which is like the boat company that we rent boats from and whatnot. And a beautiful gentleman named Mama Dew would be working on the boat. And Jake and this guy named Shane, Shane Goldman, who now works at Elsewhere, the club. And I started then and literally it's seven years later and like all kinds of like

basically I kept that internship going and got credit for it at NYU for four years and you could do that as long as you kept proving to them that your role was like changing and developing and you were doing new things and not just the same old thing and blah, blah, blah. So like after about a year, I started getting paid. They didn't know that, but whatever. And I would just be like, all right, Jake, like new, you know, I'm going to write up this whole new thing saying that this is what I'm doing this semester. And he's like, great, you are doing that. I'm like, great, perfect. You know? And it would just kind of work in these cycles where it was, I don't know. I just kept getting credit and I kept working there and I learned so much. What did you learn?

I learned fucking literally everything I know. I know how to structure a deal. I know what bands are worth. I know bands' value in various markets and stuff and how to talk to agents and managers and all that. You don't need a manager and agent. Right, I'm good. My fucking girl, dude.

Yeah, no, we're good. No, an agent would be nice. Hey, anybody? Yeah, no, there's a lot of agents who listen. Great, great, fantastic. So I guarantee you're going to be getting hit up. But I swear, you will be. But yeah, that was like just a thing that started and never ended.

And I'm so grateful, you know, every day, like whether I'm on the road never ended and i'm so grateful you know and every day like whether i'm on the road or not i'm sending emails i'm sending the email blast you still work for j 100 i have a salary like it's my job you know and people still ask me like you still do that and i'm like and you could do it from the road i could do it from wherever he's the most wonderful you know because he's traveling too he is traveling too and that's the most wonderful, you know... Because he's traveling, too. He is traveling, too. And that's the thing, like, you know, I feel like people are like... If I go to an office and see what a meeting is, it's like, okay, you could make this decision in 11 minutes,

but we're having an hour and a half meeting about it. Like, I feel like so much of office culture in that way is just wasting fucking time, dick swinging, patting ourselves on the back. Oh, great. Like, look at how great we are. Whereas like, if Jake wants something done and he calls me and he's like,

hey, you need to do X, Y, Z now. I am fucking on that shit. I am so on, like, I think we work super well together just because there's no bullshit. And if he's in Japan and I'm in Tuscaloosa on tour, like getting ready to play in four hours, but you need whatever built and this scent and this, you know, blah, blah, blah. I'm on it and he's on it.

And I don't think we fuck around. So from the knowledge you learned from all these people, from joining in a band, to being a fucking concert promoter, to being a photographer, to being now a podcast host, now you're ready to go solo. How's that feel? I mean... Are you nervous?

That is nerve-wracking in ways. Why? Just because, you know, I've been a sideman for so many years and so many... But you've also been a leader. I've been a leader. Like what you did for Rocksoft. Yeah, sure. But that's still under a leader. I've been a leader. Like what you did for Rocksoft. Yeah, sure. But that's still under Jake's umbrella.

You know what I mean? Like that's still Karina's side man. Like I'm not, you know, and I've been in tons of bands where like, I've been like the guitar player who like adds something tasty and like, sure, I have input, but like, you know,

these guys are the songwriters. You know what I mean? I'm not necessarily the person who sits down with the acoustic guitar and a pad of paper and is like, oh, yes, I made it. Yeah, this is it, dude, you know what I mean? So now, but you know, so. So what's your philosophy going into this thing now it's a whole

you know i have this awesome band with these two dudes adam november and chris corsico and they're so awesome and down for my shit and it's so great um and we're going on the road next week and super pumped to like take that around but i also have a dear friend named gabe gabe monroe who uh back we went to high school together and he was like the bass players, bass player, like, holy shit. Like this guy plays like Les Claypool and knows everything about fucking how to play and shit. But now he's just a wildly talented producer, like basically making beats for rappers and whatnot. Like that's his main hustle uh but he just has this amazing ability with the button pushing the ableton and the this and the that whatever so i've been going over to gabe's

studio and just being like dude i know this about myself now like i need somebody to just kind of hold me to my riffs and my ideas because i'll be the guy who like write something and be like ah it could be doper you know what I mean like it could be a little more whatever but then you know what happens with that Andy nothing ever gets done why why do you think that because if you just keep on like fixating over a riff or a part or a chord change or a word or whatever it is and you don't commit to it then how are you gonna to write anything? You've got to commit.

You've got to finish songs if you're going to make songs. So what's your philosophy on, like, what's your go-to? What do you start with as a songwriter now? Sure. Well, now I'm just like, you know, I have tons of ideas. I'm totally like, you know, and I feed from so many different sources of inspiration and shit, but I need somebody.

That's what I've learned. I need a Gabe or an Adam and Chris or a co-writer, whatever it is, somebody to hold me to this shit. Because you'll just go out. Because otherwise I'll just go out. Yeah, I'll be like, oh, that's cool, but not that cool.

Well, what the fuck? You're overthinking it. I'm overthinking it. Why are you doing that? I gotta stop, man. I'm telling you. that cool. Well, what the fuck? You're overthinking it. I'm overthinking it. Why are you doing that? I gotta stop, man. I'm telling you. I do. No, I really do.

And that's why I have people there to tell me that. You know what I mean? So if Gabe, like, if I'm playing something on guitar and I'd be like, okay, just like loop that beat, loop that beat, here we go. And then I'll play something and we'll wait. And then I'll keep, I'll change it. He'd be like, no, no, no, go back, go back,

do what you were just doing. And I'm like, yeah? He'll be like, fuck yeah. And I'll be like no no go back go back do what you were just doing i'm like yeah he'll be like fuck yeah and i'll be like oh shit all right your brain is just moving so fast total all the fucking time and if you want something like what does that mean like it could be cooler it could be doper like that riff could be more whatever like fuck me right like i don't know it's got to be what it is. Do you meditate? No. Maybe that'll help you slow your brain down. Maybe I should do that, yeah.

Or just like, not just like if like, I don't know. I'm too fucking high sprung too because I'm doing podcasts. I'm doing, you know, I'm doing all my deals with my, you know, with the shows and, you know, building budgets. And, you know, I do all the same thing you do. And I have to slow it down because at the end of the day, we're musicians. And if we can't get our point across,

why are we doing it? It just doesn't feel good, man. So maybe you have 20,000 points you need to get out. Something like that. Yeah, man. I think you're right. I think you're totally right. And it's important to me now to have that person, like that. Yeah, man. I think you're right. I think you're totally right. And it's important to me now

to have that person, whoever that may be, to be like, whoa, slow down. You know what I mean? You're in love? What? You in love yet?

I'm in love. Yeah? I'm super in love. How many years? One and a half or a little more than that. So does this, does that help you slow down life?

Definitely. Definitely. That's a beautiful, a beautiful thing. You does this, does that help you slow down life? Definitely, definitely. That's a beautiful, a beautiful thing. You've been writing about that? No, I keep that, well, in different ways, you know, in different, ah. What do you mean? You keep it what? Keep it close to your chest?

I mean, I write a lot of instrumental music as well. Let's start there, you know, so that leaves a lot up to interpretation and whatnot. But that does definitely make me slow down, which is good thing good that's a good thing you gotta slow down gotta slow down yeah totally did you just sell out um oh i just played it to that record store in new york rough trade do you sell it out very close it's great you know first show though yeah dog yeah people are pumped on it are people dog Yeah Totally People are pumped on it Are people pumped on this solo stuff?

People are pumped on it Just cause I don't I mean Which is amazing Cause I don't have any music Recorded and released Under my own name Zero

You know And you're working on that now Working on that right now That's the most important thing to me So what are you How far along are you? I've got a bunch of stuff Me and my band

Just went in the studio Like two weeks ago Before I left for tour and we got this one kind of single but of course it's an instrumental but you know I'm just like trying to get shit out slowly but surely you know and I gotta mix that and it won't happen this week

fuck it'll happen next week. No it won't I'm on the road How many dates do you do with Marco now? Like a year? I don't know but 200? Less but it's gonna pick up just cause he has this new record coming out in September and Like a year? A year, yeah. I don't know. 200? Less. But it's going to pick up just because he has this new record coming out in September. And then I look at the calendar.

It's like, oh shit, I'm gone all of October, all of November. You're 100% committed. To Marka? Yeah, that's where you're at right now. I mean, 100%. That's your number one. Yeah. And then Rocks Off.

And then the solo project? Well, I mean, the solo project, we're trying to give it the legs that it can get, but right now, I'm telling you, I have no agent,

no manager. You'll get one in the next month. I promise. But does Marco give you advice on songwriting? Yeah. What kind of advice?

Well, and watching Marco is the most amazing. Talk about another mentor, Jesus. Try not to talk about Marco for an hour. Yeah, well, you did great. No, Marco is the most, but that's the thing about Marco. He's the most effortlessly cool,

effortlessly talented, effortlessly gifted. Just, he is very blessed, I would say, by the cosmos, man. He's just like, and he's good at committing to parts. He'll be like, here it is. Oh, fuck yeah. Here we go. All right. Now let's write the bridge. I'll be like, whoa. All right. You're right there. Huh? Like, damn. And just watching him just very effortlessly, like, kind of come up with stuff and commit to stuff. That's the committing that is always like blows my mind, as you can tell, right? I'm always like, damn, like, you're really sticking with it, huh? And then he just, he just does all of that. And

then by watching him and writing with him and like being in his studio and whatnot, and I'll play him a little something I'm working on, he'll be like, damn, what the fuck is that? That's amazing. I'll be like, yo, thanks. Really? You think like, you know, kind of second guessing my solo stuff sometimes. That's a vulnerability.

You asked me about that before. I hate to break it to you, but you're effortless as well. Well, thanks. You just overthink, I think. I just don't know yet. So I'm still trying to, I'm yet. I can't wait to be your friend and understand

you more and more and stuff. But from what I'm getting from is whatever you put your mind to, you're in it. And that's a form of effortless. Sure. So when we stop overthinking that we're effortless, I think you will do the same exact thing as Marco.

I mean, I hope you, man. Thank you so much. It's fucking awesome. We'll see, you know? And it's definitely like the best person to have in your corner just being like there, you know? And like we talk about like me, him, and Johnny Kimmock like just going up to Marco's because we did that.

Johnny's the man, dude. He's the best, dude. He's the best. He just subbed on one gig in NOLA, not this last time, but a month ago. I saw a picture of John. I'm close with Dave Schools. That's one of my closest buddies.

So good. And Steve. John has been a new friend. I'm going to get him on the show as well. You got it. He's a good guy, good'm going to get him on the show as well. You got it. He's a good guy. Good story. Oh, he's the best, dude.

He's just, yeah. Talk about, yeah. He's got the ears of a legend. He's just unbelievably on it. And I like, I feel him as a drummer so much. Like every 16th note, I'm like, oh, I'm on. Yeah. Whereas like sometimes you play,

like as a bass player especially, sometimes you play with a drummer and you're like just one off. You know what I mean? Like, oh, like, okay. Like we vibe, but Johnny and I really vibe, I think. And we were up at Marco's rehearsing for this like one off that he filled in for.

And then at one point we just like, Marco was like, wait, wait, wait. You know, I'm just going to hit record right now. And we're just going to do some other shit. And then it was just like effortless. Fucking Pauk Sots over. I'm going to meet this fucking guy, dude. You know what I'm saying?

It was great. That's so Woodstock. Oh, it's super Woodstock. And he has the most amazing studio up there. And it's just like, it was just the three of us. And it was fucking, I don't know, 11 p.m. All the kids were asleep. Everybody was, is he married got kids yeah the whole thing married with two kids and beautiful beautiful place like a pond and peacocks and goats and chickens it's

like super farm country beautiful beautiful place um so what's a dream for you? I just, like I told you, I just can't even believe I get to perform. Like, I didn't think. But what's your path? Like, if you could, now it's over thick. This is your time. Now it's over thick. If you could have your ideal life like looking 10 years ahead, what would it be?

Wow. I mean, like I can never even look past like, you know, 24 hours from now, you know what I mean? Really? Genuinely?

Genuinely. Yeah. That's part of the vibe. You know what I mean? I'm always just so, You were fucking present. Super present and just super stoked

that like I get to do this. Like, because people get bummed out on the travel and the this and the that and whatnot and I totally get that. But for i'm like holy shit like so many years you've been traveling uh like in a rock band since i was 18 same so so seven years seven years now yeah all that but

with marco it's just like the most gratifying like he dials it in our green room. Like, he has a huge green room road case with our record player and tons of vinyl and Palo Santo and lights and shit. And he's just so committed to the vibe and wants everyone to have just the best time, you know, and he exudes that so much. And I don't know.

I love touring with him. Oh, but to get back to your question. You are going to be a great podcast host. You know what I'm saying. So, right. So I can never look past like, you know, next week. But, you know, I just, I want to make music that makes the people dance and play it for them. And, you know, in clubs big or small. And just for people who are stoked.

I want to just make and play music that, you know, makes people so stoked. You know? The idea of playing for a seated audience, I don't want for one fucking second. You want all. Never. Like, when people ask me that, which they do, which is weird. I'm like, the idea of playing for a seated audience is hell to me. Hell.

Why? It's just not interesting to me. I love to be seated in a club. I'll totally go to a jazz club. I'm totally about that. I was sitting for Jeff Tweedy's solo acoustic. I'm totally down for it as an audience member. Totally in. As a performer, nothing could interest me less.

Just not into it. I want the energy of people dancing or at least up and rocking it to my music. Whatever it is. And Marco provides that in a big way, which is rad. And I'm hoping my music will too in whatever way, shape, or form it continues to develop. I hope to sing more.

I hope to get up and play. I could see handing the bass off to somebody and just frontmanning it for a bit. I could play some guitar. I could play some little fatty mood shit. I'm down for whatever. I just want to keep playing music and keep living in New York City, and it's getting harder and harder to do so, obviously because it's just getting more and more expensive and you know just crazy here but you know i think it'll be okay i think it'll be okay you're fine i'm super fine it's all

good um keep fighting i will man i just want to live here and make music man that's it you're on your fucking way and i am so fortunate to meet you at this point in your career dude congratulations you're very nice to meet you karina you're fucking awesome you're everything i expected thank you thank you and this is so and i can't wait to fucking subscribe to your podcast what's it called again tell the three from the seven the daily or no the weekly relics podcast are you interviewing people uh it's basically just a week the format is basically we take three of the top stories from the last week and we wax poetic on them and then yeah once a week actually you know what i'll call you up man

we're gonna have a weekly like little guest that just gives a little shout out anytime anytime you need uh from inside the inside the van you know beautiful beautiful i'm a holler inside the van be like andy where you at thanks for being on the show karina um i'm very i'm i'm fucking stoked for you it's gonna be awesome you've had so many amazing mentors that built your brain to who you are now. And you've built your own brain too. But like the people who've, you know, kind of not kind of forced knowledge onto you and kind of just like let you be the knowledge. I like that.

I think you're on your way. So congratulations. And I hope you just kick fucking ass and never play a fucking seated venue ever again. Never. Don't sit. Don't sit. Don't sit. Thank you so much. Cheers, Andy. Thanks. Now, a message bird to sing.

Baby, got a bird, honey, got a bird to sing. Without my Corina, sure don't mean, sure don't mean a natural thing. You made me love you Baby, before I called Only before I called your name Baby, before I called Only before I called your name Would I change your love for money? Baby, you're my one life Baby, you're my one life.

Baby, you're my one life thing. Have mercy. Have mercy. Baby, you're my one life. Baby, you're my one life soul. Honey, you're my heart luck. Baby, you're my one-locked soul Honey, you're my one-locked Baby, you're my one-locked soul Pop a rainbow round my shoulder

Shine like silver Honey, put a pop like gold I got a bird You won't whistle Baby, got a bird She won't whistle Baby got a bird Honey got a bird See Baby got a bird

Honey got a bird See Without My Corina Sure don't mean Sure don't mean Sure don't mean a natural thing And there we have it. Another star-fucking-studded week.

Thanks for being on the show, Ryan. Thanks for being on the show, Corina. Bass heaven right there. Two Bass players Who bring their talents Who are inspired by punk, fucking rock And metal, dude, respect Thanks for coming on the show

It's been a crazy week for me Oh man Some really weird shit happened to me This week, during shows too It was like It was a lot of cougars that showed up to the Man, some really weird shit happened to me this week. During shows, too. It was a lot of Cougars that showed up to this week at shows. No doubt, I dig my Cougar fan base. But two nights in a row.

One night, I was in Springfield. I think, yeah, it was Springfield. And I had this cougar woman. I was doing my thing, got on top of my piano and stuff. And then I jumped down from the piano. And this woman bit my dick. Like, straight up, like, it was, like, shit was sweet. Like, you know, no disrespect to biting dicks and shit. Well, yes, disrespect to biting dicks.

Don't bite people's dicks, even if you're in love with them. That's painful shit. It was like I was kind of like amazed by it because I was on stage and like just talking to the crowd a little bit. I thought she was just going into like just like, you know, kiss my leg or something Or like hug my leg And she went for it

And nibbled on my dick On stage I couldn't believe it I looked at her in the eye Are you fucking for real So ladies public service announcement Don't be biting my dick at shows For real

No joke Then we were in Iowa And this woman like I was walking on the stage and she like hugged me And then she all of a sudden Looked me in the eyes and just like Full on grabbed my Package and said

You want some of this tonight I'm like No thank you Y'all Respect my penis Respect my body No different I try to respect you know Respect the dick

Anyway that's it for the show I don't know why I brought it there But I was just so I was like so just like I woke up in the morning like, damn. These women are crazy now. They're getting crazy. I don't know what happened.

I'm the same person I was last year. They weren't biting my dick and shit. But anyway, shout out to my fans. Thanks for buying t-shirts and shit. Just trying not to bite my dick. I'm down with like the whole, you know, like playing and like touching my legs

and like massaging my feet, whatever. It's part of the show, but don't bite the dick. Anyway, thanks for being, thanks for coming and listening to the show.

Subscribe to the podcast. Rate the podcast. Let's make this a worldwide phenomenon. We gotta, I'm taking a week off because we just finished summer camp. Fucking awesome.

Shout out to all the sit-ins. Shout out to Ryan Stasek and big, big Jew unit for rocking with us. We had a lot of fun little sit-ins. Summer camp's always fun. It's fucking swampy. Wet. I mean, like Tornadoes everywhere

But It worked out But yeah we're taking a week off Sean is getting married In about Four days Shit's nuts We're going to Cabo

We're gonna celebrate our boy Putting the ring on His wife Toby We're gonna have fun We're gonna have Cabo We're gonna try not to get arrested. Last time we were in Cancun, we played a wedding.

We almost got arrested by the Gestapo or no, the Policia. Gestapo is the Nazis. And we bought some cocaine and fucking on the beach or something. I guess he's from some wrong gangsters.

Then we went into a club, started dancing. And I guess they followed us straight into the club. And we went into the bathroom, did some coke. Also, we heard some pounding on the door. Hey, gringos, what are you doing? Let me see. Let me see. And they like opened the door.

I'm like, oh, fuck. We're fucked. We're fucked. So they like kind of like took all our money. It was like, it was a shakedown. They got us for like 300 bucks. And then they didn't like spoke in Spanish. And then they gave us another bag of cocaine. Like now you could do cocaine in our club.

I'm like, damn, dude, this is some fucking mafia shit. But anyway, so I'm trying not to get arrested. But if I do, bail me out. Someone will make me a GoFundMe, get me out of Mexico. But we got Dolov coming. So I'm going to take a week off. I'm going to celebrate with the boys. It's our boys getting married. So we're going to take a week off and then we're back at it. Yes. Not on my computer, but we're going on tour forever. Summer festival season starts. Oh, that's what we're doing. We're going to Mountain Jam, baby.

Two nights in Mountain Jam. I'm fucking pumped. I'm really looking forward to it. All my East Coast homies, all my Wood homies It's gonna be a lot of fun But that's it guys That's all I got for you today Hope you had fun Hope you learned a lot about bass players

They're fun They're smart people Great guys to be in bands Cause they're low key But they're still wild as fuck But I'll leave you with this Take care of yourself Wear a condom, um, wash your hair.

I've been getting smelly. My fro is fucking smelly. It's, I gotta, I gotta really wash it. And, uh, just take care of your neighbor. You know, it's, it's what's going on with this whole abortion thing and how women are being treated right now. It's, it's fucked up. Just take care of each other. We're in this together. Man, women, dog, tree. We all got to think of this as

one. No one's bigger than the other because shit is going down. We need to have each other's back. Love you. Be safe. I will catch you in a week and a half We got Spafford on the show We got a special guest

My old co-host Drops into the show And that's all I'll say about that Love you guys, be safe And stay well Thank you for listening to episode 47 Of Andy Frasco's World Saving Podcast stay well. Thank you for listening to episode 47 of Andy Frasco's World Saving Podcast

produced by Joe Angelhow, Chris Lorenz, and Andy Frasco. A special guest for this week is Corina Reichman from Marco Benevento Band. Our special co-host is Ryan

Stasek from Omfries McGee. Subscribe, rate, and let's make this thing fucking huge. Thank you so much. We hope you have a great fucking day.

Yeah! Yeah! Oh yeah!