Andy Frasco's World Saving Podcast - EP 51: Billy Strings

Episode Date: July 9, 2019

The show took a week off, but the band raged on. Andy kicks us off by recapping the last few weeks & introduces our guest on the interview hour: Billy Strings! Billy talks about addiction, inspiration, and music. Heavy, with a touch of silver about the lining. This is Episode 51. 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. Sprinkle some Billy Strings on your life, visit billystrings.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: Brian Schwartz Ahri Findling Shawn Eckels Arno Bakker 

Hey, it's Schwartz. It's July 3rd. Reminding you, you have three studio days coming up. I've heard, like, I've heard, not like, I've heard one song that's good. But we're paying, I don't know, $2,500 to track three or four songs. I see all these pictures of you on the beach, hanging out with dudes from Barstools, texting me about your bugs over at Howard Stern I don't really care about all that stuff as much as I do

right now if we don't have songs we have nothing so please get your shit together please stay away from the beach get a couple of days go to your room just focus and write I'm not I can't express to you enough,

without songs we have nothing. I mean, without songs you have shtick. That's it. So if you want to be shtick your whole life, your whole career, then go to the beach. Talk to you soon. Times have changed.

The band is strange. Here we are doing cocaine Brian, we're doing blow You could be right, you could be wrong The back's so big and the line's so long Brian, we're doing blow Your friend gave us a record deal In a big old fatted vase We told this to invest in stocks

But we did blow with our fares We played the show, we sold it out We met a guy and we bought an ounce Brian, we're using blows Schwartz, we're doing cocaine Let's start the show, baby Let's start the show, baby Alright, and we're live Kinda live

Andy Frasco's World Saving Podcast I'm Andy Frasco How we doing today, guys? How's our heads? It's summer, it's getting hot Sweaty Keeping that mind right is what it's all about How we doing?

Took a week off last week Fucking Christ We played in 4th of July, it's 4th of July week So we are playing all the little beach towns and shit We played in the land of trust funds Nantucket, Massachusetts, which was a blast. All the locals there are super cool.

The tourists there are kind of stiff, but it's hard to entertain for people who don't give a fuck about music. They're just there to just party and like get pussy and shit so it makes me a better entertainer because uh you know i i'm not i'm not taking i'm not saying no i'm gonna fucking go into the trenches and make sure these people are getting into it so it took we played three days in nantucket and it took by the third day i finally understood like all right just fucking skull fuck them right in the beginning. You know, I've been doing this thing with my set where I slowly try to skull fuck, you know, but when I was, like, doing it 10 years ago,

I was just like, let's fucking go! Let's smash this shit! So I tried that. I went to Old Frasco, and it worked. And all the barstool sports people were there and shit. Dave Portnoy and all those guys. I was rocking my Michael Rapaport shirt because that's what we do. We support our homies no matter what.

And yeah, it was fun. Some guy tipped me $100. This is what kind of crowd I was playing for out there. Someone tipped me $100 to play Night Move Seeger and then threw me an extra $200 to play fucking Jimmy Buffett. I was like, are you fucking serious? They think I'm a cover band. I'm like, what the fuck? Well, I take it for granted. I do put covers in my sets, but these guys didn't even know who we were. And it was like, all right, fuck it. So I took the money, played Night Moose for a second, and said, go fuck yourself.

That's all I'm doing. Night Moose. What happened that week? I got in a one night stand, which was kind of fun. It was my first time having a one-night stand in a while. Actually, it was fucking weird. It was like this rich girl. Let's just call her Becky. She came on to me quick. I'm like, something's up. She might have a boyfriend or a husband.

Maybe it's like girls night or something. But she came on to me. Came on to me. And I had a stomach bug this whole fucking four days. So I'm praying to the porcelain gods every time I have a chance. So I was not in the aphrodisiac sexual confidence that I portray on stage. I'm so bad at sex. It's scary how bad at sex I am.

And I always convince myself that I'm good at sex. And as I get older, I'm realizing I'm probably really fucking bad at it. But we were hooking up or whatever. Then shit got a little intense and um she started screaming whose pussy is this whose pussy is this like screaming like i never had a girl scream like like like just just i don't know like demeaning things and so i was you know i'm worried about the Me Too movement. This is what I'm thinking about when it's sex. Me Too movement.

What's Twitter going to think about me having one eye? So I was like, it's your pussy. It's your pussy. She's like, no! Whose pussy is this? I'm like, it's my pussy? I felt really bad. She's like, yes, it's your pussy.

I'm like, oh my God, I'm not enjoying this. So we, I, you know, bust a nut, whatever. And, um, she goes back to her yacht and I was like, whoa, I got used. It was awesome. I was like, you know, like I, one night stands freak me out because, you know, you don't know what the other person thinks of the one night stand they want. Maybe they're just doing it so they could get close to you or or whatnot but um but thanks becky um i appreciate it um you got me out of my comfort zone i i you know i watch porn where people are yelling at each other and shit i i felt like a porn star. That came really quickly.

Anywho, we got Billy Strings on the episode today. Billy is the man, dude. I met him a couple weeks ago. We played a show together in Bend, Oregon. Marcus King introduced me to him. And him and Marcus are homies. So they basically got me set up and we started talking and man what a fucking life man he's had a hard life like meth is real guys it's

real it it it's an epidemic that that is all over the country especially in middle America and there's not a lot to do. He was talking about his whole town was basically, not whole town, but most of his town was just like addicted to meth and it made him get into it. And we talked a lot about his addiction and how he got through it. And he's just a good guy. I feel like, first of all, he's one of the baddest fucking acoustic guitar players I've really ever seen. I was, you know, it's just been a crazy week. I mean, Jeff Austin passed and like crazy scene for the folk guys.

And seeing my boy Vince Herman just, oh man, that's what made me cry this week too was Vince Herman singing that. Anybody catch that on Instagram where Vince played this song right by a lake and he was holding back tears. I mean, I didn't realize how big of a person

Jeff Austin was in the community because everyone kind of like ditched him because like, I don't understand like right when whatever happened with the Yonder situation, no one was coming to his shows and like, I don't understand. Like, right when whatever happened with the Yonder situation, no one was coming to his shows. And, like, it felt like his, like, maybe it was him. But then right when he died, everyone came out of the woodwork

and made it show that shit was sweet. You know, like, I understand the the vince stuff and no that's his homie but like damn he must have been keeping all that shit deep inside that's one thing about drugs man i'm telling you you gotta it makes you inward it makes you paranoid to be vulnerable, man, I felt so bad. I mean, like, I don't know the real story. I don't even want to know. I just know it had to do with mental health. I'm staying in St. Louis right now.

I'm with Mayor Marv. He's getting married. We're talking about Jeff Austin. Do you know anything about Jeff Austin? Yeah, he's very influential. Oh, my gosh. All the musicians and people I come to know in this music scene really are affected by that.

That's what fucked me up the most, is seeing Vince crying. You know, that's my guy. And if this guy shows Jeff on that such a high pedestal, he must have been such a special person. So he just might have had just a dark time in his life. I don't know. It's crazy. Mental health is heavy.

It's hard to determine what's going through somebody's mind. I try to tell my children and my friends, when you're feeling low, when you're feeling good, think of that low time is the lowest you're going to feel. You can always go up. You might come back down, but the next step is not the right direction. So while you're good in your mind, remember these words coming from my mouth, maybe a ring a bell in your head, that there's always going to be somebody caring about you. Even when you think the odds are stacked against you, there's always somebody out there to care for you and take care of you.

It's a phone call away or it's go give them a hug and they'll give you a hug back and say, I need to talk. It's like the same thing. Like Marvin made our bunk beds in our van and stuff. And during that time, I was in a very dark period. You remember that. Like I couldn't talk to anyone. I was super anxiety ridden. I was overstressed. I didn't talk to anyone. I was super anxiety-ridden.

I was overstressed. I didn't know where to go. And just like that, you kept calling me, Marv, and you took care of me, and you fucking made bunk beds in my van because you know I was sleep-deprived. These are the people out there for all of us if we just open up, right? You saw my state. I was in a bad shape. Yes, it was rough seeing my

friend like that because he brings so much joy, you know, and you tell him over and over. I think that's what happens with Jeff. Everybody tells him how great the show is, how great the show is, all that. But that satisfaction, he's, he, he does that. He loved doing that. You love doing that, but there's something else. Like you said, the mental part that we don't know that he was dealing with and he was trying to find more than the love. The love was there, you know, and you know, it's, yes. And it's hard to see musician friends, like you said, yours is Vince. I've seen dozens and dozens of musician friends that Jeff's work has affected in heart. He got them started in music or continue to drive or see that it's fun

and just go and do what the F you want to do, you know? And, yeah, I see it time and time. I've never seen anybody's news feed pull up so much in mind about Jeff. My friends, that's the kind of effect he has. And all these musicians, they do. And that's how I say it to all you guys, from the Van Bands to the Big Bus fans to Willie Nelson, your fans love you guys and they want to support you. They're out there, even when your band and your other people that are surrounding with you, making the tour go down. And even your women at home or your kids, when that is still too much to handle,

you've got friends all over the world, all over the United States, right in your backyard. They're willing to just reach out and say, hey, come chill with me for a little bit. Get your head on straight. And there's so many people out there. And that's what's heartbreaking to the fans that anybody would reach out and want to help them if they would just ask. Do you think artists are scared to ask, be that vulnerable with fans? Oh, I think so. I think everybody is. I think that's why, you know, mental health is an issue because people don't want to seem vulnerable. You know, they don't want to seem vulnerable

to somebody just to say, hey man, I can't handle this, you know, or this is heavy or, Hey, I don't want to do this today. You understand? And just, you know, do something to help take their mind off the pressure they have. And that's how I look at it. You know, get them out of that for a minute, for an hour, for a week, for a day, whatever you, you know, whatever they need to help, you know, you know help level back out. Yeah, I mean, it's important.

Everyone who's leveled back out, get right. It's like if you're feeling bad about something, if you have some anxious thoughts, like literally I was, you know, one of my buddies just woke up one day and got stage four cancer. And no one knew about it. And he's on his deathbed right now.

And it's, you know, he wrote this like goodbye on Facebook. It makes you think like it's our anytime it's going to be our turn to leave the party too. to leave the party too. So whatever fucking demons you have, whatever fucking angry thoughts or something you need to puzzle out in your head, ask for help. Like Billy Strings, he was talking about he has a therapy.

He's a therapist. Because he was going through some dark times with the meth, with being alone in Michigan and feeling like he was just an angry guy. For him to find music or find whatever it is to open him up. That's why we're doing this shit.

Right, Marv? Absolutely. Why do we live? Why do we live? I think you're talking about that therapy with Billy and counseling and that's one thing people are afraid of. You think you're going to get fixed when you go to a counselor or therapy. I've been and counseling and people, that's one thing people are afraid of. You think you're going to go get fixed when you go to a counselor or therapy. And I've been in counseling and stuff myself. And what I found is it helps you understand the path that got you there.

You can't fix it or take that away. You can never, that's part of your journey. That's part of your life. But the counselor or somebody to talk to, or a fan or a friend or somebody outside the box that just wants to listen basically. And then maybe give you an understanding how you got here. Look at the steps that took for you to get here for our paths across even just to be at this position. That's pretty amazing. And then when you just understand that aspect of it, people are going to, I don't know. It just, it just makes you understand that we're all equal. We're all human. We're, we all have a beginning and a journey. You have to travel to get to where you are and you're going to have some dark

times. You're going to have some super good times and just got to know how to, you know, reach out to people when you're feeling like you can't handle the heavy times. Even our heroes have demons. Look at Batman, dog. Batman was fucked up in that. His parents died, yo. But I have super anxiety right now because I'm about to record with Dave's school.

We're making our new fucking record next week. And I'm stressed out because I always want to be perfect and I want to, you know, Dave is such an inspiration to me. I want to walk in the studio like, yeah, I got these songs we're going to do and feel confident about it. Recording is the

biggest stress to me, even though no one buys fucking music anymore. I don't know why I'm so stressed out if I'm making a record, but every time, it's just so stressful. So it's like, you know, you just,

you dig in the dirt, you go deep, you figure out, like, I've been listening to Alan Watts a lot. You know Alan Watts, Marv? Alan Watts is a San Francisco philosopher. He's an existentialist for the most part.

And he talks about just living in the now. Not thinking about the studio that's going to happen next week or the bill that's paying. That's what I always preach at shows, live in the moment, live in now, because nothing else exists. So if you need to feel like you need to get better, get better now. If you need to fall in love, fall in love now.

Don't wait. Be the person you want to be right now, and it's all going to work out. Right, Marv? So we're here, St. Louis. We got Billy Strings on the show. I don't know anything about Billy Strings. Do you know anything about Billy Strings, Marv?

Yeah, I didn't know he's pretty awesome. No, I saw him a few years back, a little venue in St. Louis, and about 12 or 15 people were there, and they knew it was coming up and we got to see them just like we saw Marcus King you know a few years back we just see hear the writing on the wall and you go out and check these guys out and you buy their CDs so I have to counterdick you Andy on the on the making music I think all the musicians they have stories to tell

through their songs people want something something tangible still. Maybe the younger generation are being programmed to just say, oh, we just want a song on a soundbite or on SoundCloud. But really, people do want something tangible that they can have, a story that you guys put together through your records. Those are really a story of the time of your life at that time, or your band, or the group that's making the music. And some of that stuff's timeless, you know. And some of theirs are hidden gems in there. And some, the whole album is a work of art.

Billy String's album, you know, just he'd really stepped it up. This one is just like the rawness, like most bands like you guys, that attracts the attention. Then you just like follow these guys and see them mature and grow. Look at your mug, the Black Keys. I saw those guys back in the day, you know, 2002 at a little venue in St. Louis where there was 15 people. And now they're big as fuck. So you think, like, I should have anxiety.

I should be worried about writing this timeless thing that really makes me feel. So I shouldn't feel bad about having anxiety about writing the best song I should be worried about writing this timeless thing that really makes me feel. So I shouldn't feel bad about having anxiety about writing the best song I should. Absolutely not. I think the anxiety gives you a little bit of propellant, but that's part of the growth of it. But I don't think you need to stress on it to the point that I'm going to make the best album ever.

I think it's going to be fluid, and I think that's what you're going to get with Dave Schools. Those guys know when it comes out and it's fluid that that's what people want to hear and feel. You make the songs and write the lyrics, and he'll direct it and make the whole album be a work of art. All right, fuck it. So master your art, guys.

It's okay to feel good. It's okay to test your limits. I guess that's the thing. Look at Billy. Billy's okay to feel good. It's okay to test your limits. I guess that's the thing. Look at Billy. Billy's always talking about that. Billy's sober now, so he could be the best musician he could be. So let's listen to Billy String's interview, and I will catch you on the tail end,

and we'll talk a little bit more about all this shit. All right, Marv. By the way, Marv, thank you for being my friend. Thank you for being my brother. Thank you for always thinking about us really cause every time I need you you're fucking there for me peace brother love you

love you too buddy I'll see you after the episode alright next up on the interview hour we got Billy Strings bluegrass folk maestro the kid is young the kid has an old soul the kid is an unbelievable songwriter guitar player um just in all in all he he's he's in the moment and you know you have to be when you're shredding this hard on the fucking acoustic guitar or being in the moment with it.

They don't have a drummer. They don't have a fucking drummer. They're doing a four-piece band without a drummer. It's a great band. So, ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy. Actually, Chris, play some Billy Strings while I'm pimping him out a little more. But he's a Michigan guy. He fucking bailed out of high school.

He always knew he wanted to be a musician. He got a little trouble with some, you know, not a little trouble, but he got into the sauce a little bit, and he finally got out. He's clean. He's focused. He's playing the best music. He's, you know, he's in right now, and he's becoming one of the greats. So, ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy Billy Strings. cool my brain. I'm letting go of all my trouble.

I think I'll be right here to stay. Well, I wanna keep turning while my whole heart is burning. But you wanna take my pain? Billy fucking Strings. Is that your real name? Nope. What's your real name? William fucking Apostle. William Apostle.

What made you become Billy Strings? My Aunt Mondi. When I was little, she kind of gave me that nickname. And it stuck, you know. But I didn't really use it. My mom called me Boomer. And I had other people call me Billy and William and Will and all sorts of different shit. But Mondi called me little Billy Strings. And when I was living in Traverse City doing open mic nights

and stuff like that was around the same time she was laying on her deathbed. And in her honor, I wrote the name Billy Strings on the chalkboard, you know. And next thing you know, I got a gig at a brewery, and next thing you know, it just took off, and we're here. I got branded just like that. Yeah? Yeah. Do you regret that you got branded with that name?

It's funny. Like, today, my girlfriend showed me this picture of, like, a plaque in, like, a museum or something. And, you know, Billy Strings, born William Apostle, just spelled all fucked. Just like A-P-O-S-T-E-L-E. Like, it's just totally weird. Yeah, it's A-P-O-S-T-O-L. But everybody always used to mess that up.

I mean, growing up my whole life, it's always spelled wrong. So that would piss me off more. So I think for a little while I was like weirded out because I had to explain myself. You know, people always ask me that. Is that your real name? And then I have to explain myself. But it's like easier to remember and people don't misspell it. And it's just like it's actually easier.

And there's also like a little you know that line of like you know if i if i someone in the crowd yells boomer you know brings you back to childhood it's like okay who's that like they're from ionia or something like that you know they're from where i grew up and or something like that there's like a i don't know. Were you picked on as a kid? No. Not really. I mean, I wouldn't say that I was. I kind of have always gotten along with everybody, I think. So what made you go inner to become a musician?

What was the release? Man, I grew up in a tiny little town and saw a lot of substance abuse growing up. I saw a lot of people. Like what? What kind of drugs? Meth. A lot of meth? Yeah. What did it make people do?

Like when you were young, did you know it was meth yet or did you feel like, oh, these guys are fucking hyper? It was a weird age. I was like 12 and 13 when I started to like. It's yours? No, it's not mine. It was like, you know, I was like 12 and 13 probably when I started realizing that some of my friends

and people in my family and stuff, people that I loved... Friends are on meth? 12? Oh, well, I mean... Yeah, I've always been friends with older people too. Okay, yeah, you're old soul. So yeah, I mean, it's always been like that. Like when I was 13, I was hanging been friends with older people, too. Okay, yeah, you're old soul. So, yeah, man, it's always been like that. When I was 13, I was hanging out with people that were, you know. But it was crazy.

Like I said, it's a tiny town. There's nothing to do there. And so people... It's in Michigan, right? Yeah. I grew up in Muir, which is just outside of Ionia. Grew up poor, rich, middle class? Eh.

You know, I would say in my early childhood, we were okay. And we slowly kind of slipped into the more, you know. Why? What happened? Substance abuse, man. Oh, so meth slipped your family, your whole family. Talk about this. Yeah, I mean.

So what happened? Well, I mean, it got kind of deep. Like, you know, like I said, people that I loved were into it. Were they dying in front of you? No, I mean, they were tweaking. Yeah. It was just like, you know, like I i said in my early childhood we were all right it slowly sort of started to notice you know all of a sudden we're the electricity is getting shut

off more and more and then we moved into this other house and it was kind of less how old are you here uh you know the year's like 11 12 13 and And I was sort of in denial for a while, you know, about the people who I loved who were on that stuff until I started like finding it and realizing it. And then, you know, by the time I was 16, I was like, I tried it, you know, and I was just exposed to like that kind of stuff. And I've seen a lot of people ruin their lives. What did you think of it when you first tried it? I played my guitar for 48 hours straight. No eating, nothing? Just, yeah.

I mean, I hardly stopped to take a piss. It was like incredible. Was it incredible? It was the best feeling? I did meth by accident in Germany. I'm called Mr. Human Cocaine in the newspapers because of because by crowds you haven't seen me play it but i'm like crowd surfing and jumping in the fucking i'm crazy and um yeah so they tagged me then they i gave me some some strangers like mr human cocaine did it burn it burned like a motherfucker

but i had this euphoric feeling for six hours and then fucking just anxious and had to do things I think I tried to beat off for like eight fucking hours dude like

meth is crazy like that dude so but like that's my release cause I was addicted to sex so you're addicted to guitar so like whatever you had

you wanted to play guitar the whole time yeah I mean that's what happened. As soon as that shit hit my veins, you know, or my bloodstream, I smoked it. I never, you know, but anyways. You could inject it?

Oh, yeah. I knew people that fucked their arms up and stuff doing that. What the fuck? Their whole bicep will swell up and shit. That's, what? Yeah, bro. People are injecting meth? Oh, yeah.

Man. It's wild. But, that's what I'm saying. So, talk about it. Talk about this experience. You only did it once, right? Or you've done it a couple times? I did it more than once.

Yeah, so you got addicted to it. No. I would, I've always been able to keep in control of my shit. Yeah. I would, you know, no matter what it was, if it was, you know, crack or whatever, like, uh, I, I would find myself like, I would do it and then I wouldn't do anything for like six months and they're like, Oh, maybe we should have a weekend again. And, you know, and this is when I was like 16, you know, and like I like, oh, maybe we should have a weekend again. And, you

know, and this is when I was like 16, you know, and like I said, I was exposed to it. It's what everybody else was doing. And there's nothing else to fucking do in that tiny little town. There's no, there's nothing. I mean, I used to skateboard when I was a kid, that was sort of an outlet and I played guitar. But by the time I was a teenager man it was like there's nothing left to do there's no really good jobs there's no it feels like you're stuck so a lot of people you know resort to hard drugs whether it's you know speed and then of course the opioid you know heroin and shit like is ripping these small towns apart and so by the time I was 16 and 17 I had already lost friends to this shit, you know, smack.

16 and 17 people, you're losing people from heroin and fucking meth? Oh, yeah. I mean, people going to prison that I knew, friends of mine overdosing, committing suicide. And that's the dark kind of thing in my past that has been my drive. Just being exposed to that and seeing how bad it can get for people. If you let it get there, you know, if you don't work on yourself, your, you know, your mental health and your, you know, focus on yourself and, and, and try to do good. And, you know, you can, man, it could be a really dark place if you let it. And I was the darkest. on yourself and try to do good. Man, it could be a really dark place if you let it.

What was the darkest with you that you said, I have to stop this? Well, I mean, it's just like I said, being around people, toothless people with sores on their face and they're up for nine days and seeing people that I loved and knew go into prison for, you know, like one of my best friends went to prison for fucking six years for a shaker bottle, you know? He wasn't a bad person.

What's a shaker bottle? Well, that's like the, that's one of the methods you could use. They, they like, it's like a two liter bottle and you shake it and you kind of burp the bottle and you let the gas out. And then it's, that's just one part of the process. But he got caught with like, basically got caught with, you know, just minimal evidence.

It wasn't like a huge meth lab. It's just like, but I mean, it basically was because that's what that kind of method is. Why do you think the Midwest is addicted to meth? Because there's nothing else to do. There's no, like I i said there's no dreams you feel stuck you feel like you're you're always going to be in this little town you know i know people that have never left the town that i grew up in the tiny little town they stay there their entire lives you know and they're i mean not everybody i'm not talking trash about the place

but i mean there's a lot of people that are closed-minded. They haven't traveled. They haven't met people. You know, that's how stuff like racism and, you know, ignorance like that kind of exists, you know. Just because people haven't been exposed, you know, to other cultures and other people. And, you know, like, it's actually a really scary thing. But, yeah, man. it's it's it's actually a really scary thing but uh yeah man who is who was your muse growing up though with surrounded with all this darkness my dad yeah i mean he he's an amazing musician

great guitar player and singer and one of the best i've ever known and so when i was a little kid you know like five six seven years old i mean my whole life, he's always been my hero when it comes to that. What did he teach you? He taught me a lot about bluegrass, you know, Doc Watson's music. So my dad, who raised me, Terry Barber, was not my biological father. who raised me, Terry Barber, was not my biological father. And my other, my William Apostle, my dad, he died when I was a little kid. And so Terry Barber. How did he die?

It was. Meth? Well, no, it was complications and it was heroin. Yeah. But so I never knew him. And Terry Barber stepped in when I was still in diapers, and he raised me and my brother because he loved my mother. So he stepped right in, and he raised me and my brother, and he taught me about Doc Watson and taught me about music.

And that has led to me having doc watson and taught me about music and that has led to me having a good life and a career and you know isn't that your job as a parent to try to teach your kid how to get along in life and that's that's what he taught me man and it's like i never thought that back when i was in my kind of dark period or whatever you want to call it for lack of a better word just like you know and when I was 16 and shit and all that, it was like, I never thought that music would be a real thing. Like I never thought I could make a savior.

Yeah. Or like, I never thought I could make a living off it. You know, I, I mean, I thought it was like, that was totally out of the picture.

It was just, I played music in my living room with my dad and with my friends. And when I was in high school, I played in a metal band, and we would do everything to throw our own shows. We would pay to play, throw our own little shitty festival with 80 people there. Totally makes sense. You're a metalhead, dude. Yeah, yeah.

But he taught me about everything. He taught me how to be a good person, and have a big heart, and stuff like that, he wears his on his sleeve, but he taught me how to play guitar, man, and you know what, like, that's what I turned out, it turned out to be my passion, and everything I love in this life, I mean, I love music, and I feel like I was always meant to do this. And I'm just lucky that I have the opportunity to do this, you know, full time. And not only that, through that music, man, I've been able to meet some of my heroes. Like who? David Grisman, Del McCurry, Sam Bush, Bela Fleck. I mean, those kind of people.

And those are people that I grew up listening to on records and I love them dearly and you know I've held them in such high regard and me and my dad worshipped these guys growing up and you know I've been able to introduce my dad to him introduce him to them in real life the way that he introduced me to

them on their records you know like he introduced me to David Grisman when I was seven years old. How's that feeling? How was that feeling, introducing your pops to the people? What was that moment like? Tell them. Go play by play.

It's full circle, man. It's just like the biggest, so much pride. I bet. And I'm just like, you know, because literally, my dad, when I was seven years old, he sat me down and he showed me Doc and Dog. It was like, this is David Grisman. Like, you need to know this guy. And then, you know, years later, when I was touring, opening up for David Grisman.

How old were you? This, I would have 19 or 20. Fucking crazy. All right, keep going. And so then my dad came out to the show, and I was like, you know, took him backstage and was like, Dad, this is David Grisman. And we all, me and my dad and Del McCurry, we all sat there and sang some songs.

Oh, my God. And David Grisman, you know. We all sat there and played and sang, and it was just like, when after the show, you know, I hung with Dog and my dad and Del for a while. And then after the show, you know, we went back to the hotel and my dad was just like a giddy little kid on Christmas morning. Like never heard him laugh like this. It was just weird. But it was so cool to be able to introduce him to his heroes, you know.

Looking for that joint? Yeah, let's smoke it. This is, man,, you know? Fucking hell. Look at that joint right here. Yeah, let's smoke it. This is, man, that's so inspiring, dude. Isn't that dope how life does that? Yeah. You know, like, I was going to ask you, like, what was the first moment where you had this idea that you always had growing up, this little bubble that, like, oh, music is just for hobby and what was that

moment you're like oh shit this isn't a hobby i can make this my reality what it was is like was it a gig was it a someone like was it dell telling you you're gonna you're gonna do just fine like what was it no i mean i actually it was don julian a fella that i used to play with he's the one that kind of showed me the ropes as far as the business, you know, and what do you teach you how to get a gig? And, you know, like it was, uh,

I had a day job. I was working at a hotel, you know, and, uh, and he was like, man, you don't always have to work there.

Uh, you can, you know, watch like we'll get gigs. And, and eventually it was like, we had so many gigs and I was making just as, just as much off the gigs as I used to make off the hotel.

Were you playing solo or is it? It was a duo for a while. How much were you making? Man, I don't know. We used to do pretty good. We would do things like, you know, we would get our CDs and we would just set them at the front of the stage in a suitcase. And we would ask for donations, just whatever. And man, you wouldn't believe how many people would throw in a 20 and just take one CD and cost us two bucks or something.

So the cost of living was cheap, so this is the most money you've ever made? Or were you selling drugs before? Tell me this feeling of a feeling of like, I'm making money off something I actually want to do. Or like, what's that? What was it like? Growing up, man, I used to read books about people like Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin and Kurt Cobain and Jim Morrison. I used to read their biographies and stuff, man.

And I always loved cats like that. What did you like about them? They're larger than life, you know. They left a legacy. And I just thought that's so cool. Like, I always had this like dream of being like someone like that, you know, like, I want to do that. But in my teenage years, that faded away and obviously became a like, that's not a reality. So why not? Well, because I was a teenager and i just was discouraged man i lived in a tiny town and i you know like i said there's no dreams there yeah until i got out of that town and i

did some traveling and i did my first national tour and you know like that's when i was like holy shit i could i could really do something with this like what type of music we're playing at this point? Bluegrass. You've always played bluegrass. I grew up playing bluegrass from the time that I was a baby to the time I was around, when I was 10 or 11, that's when my dad got me an electric guitar for Christmas, and I got into Jimi Hendrix and Jimi Page and Black Sabbath

and shit like that, those kind of players. And classic rock shit. you know. It was really awesome. He got me a little red Strat and a Pignose amp. Little Squire Mini. So that's when I learned how to bend the strings and do that. I've always played, I used to always play rhythm when I was a kid

just, and my dad would pick. It wasn't until when I got the electric guitar, I almost stopped playing bluegrass. I got so heavy into blues and classic rock. And then I eventually had this incredible urge to play music with people that were my age. That were good? Well, just at all, man.

I've only played music with my dad and his old friends. So you just grew up understanding my dad and his old friends. So you've always grew, just grew up understanding how to talk to old people, older people than you. You're an old soul in that way. Like, did you feel more comfortable with old P older people than people your age? It was,

yeah. I mean, I've always felt comfortable around older folks because like they, cause I played bluegrass and old people like it. Yeah. And you know. Oh, fuck. It is halftime at the Andy Fresco interview hour.

Welcome back to review. I'm your host, Ari Finling. Today I'm reviewing July fucking 4th, our Independence Day from Nembritz. I want to give you some of the best things that you need for a good July 4th party. There's five things that every person should have at their July 4th barbecue. Number one, hot dogs. I'm talking American-made Hebrew nationals where you don't know a single thing on the ingredients list. You're not sure if there's meat, if there's bones in there, if they've ground up fucking rocks. You want just an undescribed amount of weird stuff in the ingredients. Number two, American

beer, something preferably light like a Miller Lite or a Bud Light or my personal favorite, a Michelob Ultra. It tastes like water, but it goes down like beer. Number three, you're going to need some fucking Mexican based appetizer. I'm talking chips and salsa, chips and guac, maybe a taquito. Okay. If there's one thing that goes with July 4th, our independence from England, it's a Mexican-based appetizer. Number four, you are going to need a pool. It doesn't have to be an in-ground pool.

You can be a real shitty and poor and have an above-ground pool. You could also have an inflatable kiddie pool if that's all that you can fit in your house. And number five, what I want you to do is have an orgasm. A lot of people don't know that you should have an orgasm on July 4th, but what would our forefathers want? If not more than having an orgasm, this could be via sex. This could be through masturbation. You could have a wet dream. I don't care. As long as you nut, the terrorists haven't won. And the last thing I want to say on July 4th review is under no circumstances, wherever you are, should you film a fireworks show.

You're never going to fucking watch it. It makes no sense. Who's going to sit there and watch a fucking fireworks display on your phone? It is a waste of time. If you see one of your friends filming a fireworks display, take the phone out of their hands

and smash it in the street. They don't fucking deserve to have it. All right, this has been another episode of Review with Ari Finling, July 4th edition. Sayonara, bitches. What about now? What about the new age? I think kids are listening to bluegrass again.

Yeah, that's what we're doing out here, man. We're spreading the good gospel, even though it's a little progressive and we might use a couple effect pedals here and there. You're's modern. Yeah, man. But it's still banjo, mandolin, bass, and guitar. What do you like about bluegrass? Everything.

I mean, there's nothing I... It's been a way of life for me ever since I was born. It's in my blood. It's in my heart. It's like, I can turn on a song song that you know i i used to hear my dad play on a record or something and it just gives me that sort of deja vu that brings you back to a place where you know when you were just like everything was right in the world you know and that to me that's my childhood before all the dark shit happened. Howdy. Hey.

That's awesome. Yeah, it's like, I can hear. Actually, I'll tell you a little story. Tell me. My mom, you know, she used to have this 1972 Chevelle Malibu. And when I was 15, I would drop out of school. I was drinking. I used to steal that Chevelle sometimes and go booze cruising out on the back roads. How old were you? 15. I didn't have a license, obviously. Me and a bottle

of vodka, man, and my mom's Chevelle. I'd hit Hayes Road. By yourself, just cruising? Yeah, dude. I'd try to get that thing going as fast as I could. One time I was doing that. This was, like I said, at a point where I dropped out of school. I thought I was going to get that thing going as fast as I could. And one time I was doing that, and this was, like I said, at a point where I dropped out of school. I thought I was going to be a failure. I was going to be a drug addict. I was going to be a loser. I was never going to make anything of myself.

That's what my teachers told me my whole life. Oh, fuck these people. Really? I mean, I was an asshole. Yeah, so what were you – that's what I'm trying to get at. What was your anger coming from? Dude. Just like you felt trapped in your city? No, it's what I'm trying to get at. Like, where, what was your anger coming from? Dude. Just, like, you felt trapped in your city?

No, it's just, like, I don't, I've never, I just want to, like, live my life. And even when I was a little kid, I always was going to do things my own way. And, like, you know, things like having a teacher, like, wag their face, like, finger in my face about, like, an algebra thing. When I got people who I love that are fucking addicted to meth and you know my friends are committing suicide and shit it's like this algebra problem seems a little bit fucking minuscule to like you know and it's like my teacher's like some

25 year old wrestling fucking coach who has never been through anything in his life and it's like dude don't wag your finger in my face like you have no idea what I'm going through like this I don't care about learning about Christopher Columbus like fuck that how about like some real life shit you know and where'd you learn that from your pops no i just always been it's always been in my heart man it's like i hated school i failed i gave up you know i i got behind in algebra and

it was just like from there, it just, you know. I liked English, and I liked history a little bit. Other than that, man, always hated math and stuff. And, like, honestly, I've had a handful of teachers when I was in, like, high school and middle school. A handful. I'm talking four or five teachers that I liked and that got along with me and that understood me and that understood what I was going through at that time, which was a lot. And, um, everybody else would just send me, you know, you're suspended, you're expelled, lunch detention,

get the fuck out of my class. You know, didn't even really feel like I got a chance to, you know, but then again, I was a jerk. I was an asshole. I'm not, you know, what kind of asshole, like a class clown, you know. Oh, just like being like a narcissist asshole or just like, just like pompous or what? Just like doing stupid shit, like kind of a class clown. What would you do that was stupid? Um, I would buck authority, you know, if they would tell me to do something, I would, you know, you're not in control of me. It was just that kind of thing.

And I still. You wanted freedom. Yeah. I wanted to be able to just be home and play my guitar. And like, you know, I felt like a lot of the stuff that I was learning in there was worthless. And then eventually I got expelled from the high school. And then I went to alternative ed. And dude, that's where the teachers cared.

alternative ed and dude that's where the teachers cared alternative so like so continuation school they actually care because they they're probably dealing with a lot of these kids they're just getting left behind yeah he's fucking that but i'm telling the public school system is fucked up it sucks dude it really is fucking sucks because like they don't like what are these kids gonna do they get stuck in these fucking cities yeah they end up becoming addicted to fucking drugs. And they feel like they can't escape their own heads. And the mental health comes from the fucking youth. Man, I'm saying. Yeah, it's crazy. What'd you do to get out of that?

Are you still angry, Billy? Eventually, I... So check this out, man. I dropped out. And I went back. And I dropped out again. And I wasn't even living at home anymore. I was kind of just sleeping on friends' couches and all this. And this was

10th, 11th grade and all that. And I was crashing on friends' couches and I stayed at my friend Hopper's basement. Then I lived with Brad Kenyon. And one summer I was staying with my friend Benji Haney, and I stayed there for about a week. And his mom was like, eventually, like, man, don't you got your own house to go to? And I was like, oh, you know, big lump in my throat. And I'm like, I'm sorry, Mrs. Haney. Like, I'll take off.

And I grabbed my backpack and my skateboard and I took off. And Benji was like, man, you don't know what he's going through. He kind of got pissed at his mom. And she had no idea either. So she called me and was like, man, you don't know what he's going through. He kind of got pissed at his mom and she had no idea either. So she called me and was like, dude, if you come live with us, you got a place to stay. I'm sorry I shooed you away. I had no idea. And then so I ended up staying with them.

But she was like, man, you can stay here for as long as you want, but you're going to go back to school. And then you're going to be in at 8 o'clock at night and just get your homework done and eat dinner with us like a family. And you're not going to be out running the streets and doing that shit. Was your friend like that? Was he like your kind of like... Oh, he was like me.

He was like you, so he was the radical. Yeah, I mean, we were both radical. But his mom didn't know, so she didn't know she was inviting somebody that was going to terrorize her son either. But she's, you know, and it was honestly like. Did they let you play guitar all day? Of course, yeah. But like I went back to school when I lived with them and they, you know,

Kathy Haney, they, Kathy and Mark, man, they set me back on the right path. They were like, man, you know, she was like, look, I get your frustration with the school and shit. I get it. But just try to go back and just do your work and just get it done. Just so you know. Oh, so you're you're having frustration with the continuation school? Yeah. I mean, like at the beginning before she said, hey, come on, let's give it another try. Or was this during the high school before you got expelled?

Well, I got expelled and then I went back to the alternative school. And that's you know, I ended up... She brought you back. She's like, listen, go to school. Yeah, just at least graduate. Graduate. Get the G.E.

or what are they called? G.E.D. or whatever. Well, yeah, I got a... Like, it's a diploma, you know? Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I never used it. I should have just stayed dropped out.

But I am glad that I did it. You know, she... And that gave me a sense of worth. She taught you life skills, though. It gave me a sense of worth and, like, I went back and this time I wasn't the class clown. Everybody who was, like, you know she and that gave me a sense of life skills though it gave me a sense of worth and like i i went back and this time i wasn't the class clown everybody who was like you know giving the teachers a hard time this time i was like man just shut the fuck up and do your work like this is

like we all don't want to be here let's just fucking get this over with that was my attitude instead of being the one that was the class clown and then i graduated and it was great and that sent me on this path of like okay i don't want to fucking be like all my friends who ended up on drugs. I want to do good. And then it was like I moved away from the town and I chose my friends more wisely. You know, like I didn't go back to the same like shitty crowd. I actually met up. That's where I met up with this scene.

You know, I met a bunch of kids up in Traverse City that were listening to yonder and string cheese incident and uh and bands like that and dude i had never you know bands existed no i was a fucking bluegrass country bumpkin and i had no idea that any get any band with a banjo had ever played at red rocks or i didn't even know red rocks existed like and then my friends uh one of my friends, Kelsey Pax, she like was playing Black Clouds and I was like, damn, this is like bluegrass, but like, it's fucking awesome. And they jam and like, who is this?

And it's like Billy Nershey. And I'm like, damn, this shit's tight. And then I realized like that they have a huge fan base. And that's when I started getting into the String Dusters and Green Sky and yonder. And I started really digging into that stuff. And at first, it was really foreign. Like, I didn't.

Did you like it at first? No. Yeah. I was like classic bluegrass. Like, you know, like I said, I didn't really understand. I mean, back then, I wouldn't have liked the Grateful Dead if you, you know, some. I would have been like, this sucks. Same here.

I don't know. I didn't know that The Dead existed until I was 25. Yeah, but if I heard it, if I heard a live cut, I'd be like, geez, this sounds like five people playing five different songs. Why don't these guys just play a fucking song? But I had this different mindset back then. I was more close-minded. And then somewhere along the line, something exploded somewhere and i'm just like the opposite now i just like

well what was that moment what was it a song was it a band like honestly i think green sky bluegrass had a lot to do with my they like i think it was that playing music with people that were my age thing again yeah it's like there was young people going to their crowds and they were hip and like this shit was a cool. You felt like it was a scene. Yeah. You're invited into a scene. Yeah. A real cool scene, man.

And so it was like, that's when I started realizing that, man, I love when Anders takes a 10 minute Dobro solo, you know, or whatever. It's just like that. That used to be the part that to me was like, God, you know, because in Bluegrass, the way I was raised and, you know, whatever it's just like that that used to be the part that to me was like god you know because in bluegrass the way i was raised and you know with those stuff i cut my teeth on you just take your little 30 seconds of a guitar break and then you go back to the verse or whatever you know you don't just jam i mean that's fascinating i didn't know that what about when you're all picking at a and like you know at the house and shit? You don't take a 20-minute fucking to work on your chops? It's always been like that.

It's always like that traditional, all right, take your time, get your 20 seconds, and then get back in with the band. Yeah, I mean, when you're playing a song, you'd sing a verse, sing a chorus, okay, then the fiddle takes it, then a verse, chorus, then it's a banjo solo. Instead of just opening it up at some point and let anybody kind of let's just jam with each other and see where it goes do you do that now yeah and that's some of my favorite stuff yeah billy yeah it's just like you know it's like uh having a musical conversation, you know, and exchanging musical ideas in real time.

Do you take psychedelics? Yes. I microdose mushrooms, so I like mushrooms. I like to play on mushrooms. Do you like playing on psychedelics? I don't know. Because you're talking about this control thing, like, oh, I couldn't do an interview an hour before.

about this control thing like oh I couldn't I couldn't do an interview an hour before like is your brain kinda forces you to like

be task oriented and you don't like going to the stairs over the years I've um I think every once in a while like a micro dosing

before a gig is okay but over the years I've kind of experienced you know I used to drink uh it's been about three years since I had a drink

but sober yeah fuck yeah Bill um but but back when I used to drink you know i used to drink uh it's been about three years since i had a drink but sober yeah fuck yeah bill um but but back when i used to drink you know i used to think oh man a couple drinks will make me loose and kind of get me going for the gig or if i'm really tired you do a bump or whatever and it's like it never works it never works out in my favor i always feel like i play a worse show if i just go up there sober, I get the juju that I need naturally from my brain. If I try to use a different substance to try to alter that, then it gets fucked up. And I feel like if I ever did, you know, cocaine

or something before a show, I feel terribly just so guilty. No, just disconnected. No emotion. Yeah. I can't put any heart and soul into it autopilot yeah i'm just going through the motions and just like it's just sucks it's the farthest thing that i want to be on yeah um you know same but every once in a while like a little microdose is fun you know it's it that can can get you into a cool a cool state of mind where you're focused, but you're also letting go, and some cool stuff can happen. One time I took a little too much, or maybe I thought it was a microdose.

On stage? Yeah, and this was at Suwannee, and we stopped our set a half hour early. What? Yeah, I thought somebody said 10 minutes, and we played one big ten-minute jam. It was like, all right, peace, motherfuckers. And then, like, you know, Allie's like, what the fuck are you doing? You got a half hour left.

Get out there. It was just like, oh, shit. And it was like, just kidding. I love that, dude. That's how in the moment you are. Yeah. You know? Or maybe you weren't.

Or maybe it was in your head. Yeah, I don't know, man, but that was hilarious. That's how in the moment you are. Yeah. You know? Or maybe you weren't. Or maybe it was in your head. Yeah, I don't know, man, but that was hilarious. It's like, just kidding. Do you believe in aliens? Yeah, I mean, I... Or spirits? Yes. What do you believe?

Well, I've had some pretty awesome experiences on DMT that changed my life. Tell me about it. There's two really incredible breakthroughs that, and when I mean changed my life, I mean changed my life, man. And I've only done it like probably four or five times, maybe four times, but two really incredible breakthroughs. You know, it's always the same kind of thing. What happened?

Well, the, the first time I was, my friend gave me this, this little bag and, and I had this sitting on my dresser for about. Smoke it, right? Yeah. And I had it sitting on my dresser for a good four months or something before I even tried it just cause I was like waiting for the right day, waiting for me to be in the right mood. I take it very seriously.

It's not very, you know, it's not something like, I mean, I've seen people like blast off at a concert and I'm just like, jeez. Have you seen that DMT vaporizer pen? Yeah, I haven't seen one. I wish I would come across one. It's too intense for me. But yeah, keep going with the DMT story. So my friend

gave me this DMT and I had it sitting on my dresser for about four months. And I finally, one day I'm like, okay, today's the day. Nobody was home. It was a beautiful sunny day. Nobody was going to be home. I was going to be all alone. It was great. So I put on some music and I put a little weed in my bowl and then I packed this a bunch of DMT in there and I took this big old hit and I blew it out and the music sort of lifted me up and um and I I saw this blue light kind of far in the distance and it was getting closer and closer and as it got closer I could tell that it was like a a being and then it was close enough I could tell that it was female. And she was swirling and dancing. And she was this incredible blue light.

And she was mumbling and murmuring this information, incredible information, in a language that had only been used for this particular occasion. And I understood everything that she was saying. And she was spinning. and I understood everything that she was saying and she was spinning and when she got closer, her skirt, I realized it was made entirely of eyeballs and then every time she turned, it would be like mouths and then noses and lips and ears and then hair

and then every time she would twirl, her skirt would be made of a different facial feature and then she got close enough to me and she kind of put me in her arms and asked me if it was okay. And I said, yes, it's okay. And that's when we skyrocketed out of the atmosphere, completely out of any, out of this universe, out of to the outer edges of a multiverse. And she's, it was almost as if we were standing on top of a mountain looking down and I was looking at a multiverse and she showed me how all these universes were working together and then we flashed down to our universe and she showed me all of the galaxies doing the same thing,

spinning and working together in a fluent, coherent motion counterclockwise. And then she flashed me to our galaxy and showed me our planets doing the same thing. And then we went to our planet and she showed me the currents and the storms and the wind and the oceans. And then she flashed me to a grain of sand and it was like a fractal, you know, like everything is all connected and we're all existing in this thing together and we're all a link in a chain. And what she was telling me is that we need to be the strongest link that we can be for everything involved. I mean, everything is connected. Every single, the wind blows on this

tree and this plant grows in the shadow of this tree because the nutrients come from this and everything is, you know, and it's an incredible lesson to learn that, you know, just because we walk upright and have opposable thumbs that we're not superior. And that's a very humbling thing to experience. And so that changed my life. It was amazing. She was beautiful and it was just an incredibly spiritual thing, you know? How did you treat relationships with your friends, your band, blah, blah, blah, after that moment where you felt like you're in this together? Were you changing your relationship with, like, your girlfriend, like, your family members? My relationship with nature and the world, including all the people and animals on it and plants and everything.

But my connection to all of that was, it's almost like I never even saw it until then. How old were you? I was probably 21, maybe the first time. So that happened the first time? Yeah. What happened the second time then? Second time, okay, this was a couple years later. I mean, I didn't touch it after that.

I didn't feel the urge to have any psychedelics. So you felt good. I felt like I got all the information I needed, and I was like, I'm good. I mean, I walked out of my house like the guy on the male enhancement commercial that day. Just like, wow, look at these trees and this grass. And oh my God, it's so beautiful. We're just so lucky to have this breath and to be here at all. We take it so for granted.

And it was just amazing and humbling, like I said. How long did that last, that pure joy, until your brain starts trying to trick you to think other way? I remember exactly how I felt in that moment right now, and I'm feeling it. It's awesome. It's still here with me, that lesson. I didn't forget.

Sometimes I might get a little distracted from it, but when it comes down to it, man, I never forget that. Fucking awesome, Bill. Yeah, so the next time, like I said, it was quite a while after because it's such a roller coaster and it's really intense. You know, kaleidoscope visual and insane visuals. So it's kind of like I'm nervous to do it every time. And I actually haven't done it in a long time.

Like I have some DMT that I've been sitting on for like a while. I'm such a pussy. I do like a half a dose. I gotta go full on. Right. If I'm going to do it, go and, and,

and really do it. Right. Well, it just depends on, you know what you want. And I want to, I want to, you know,

that's exactly what everyone, I'm a big Rogan fan. And you know, DMT is a topic. He can't stop thinking about. I got lucky because when I did it for the first time, I was ignorant to it. I was like,

Oh, this is just like some trippy stuff that is going to get me high. And I took a big old hit and I, and I had no fear because I didn't know what was going to happen. So when it presented itself, how long did it last? I mean, it's like one of those things.

It's almost like a dream. Like times irrelevant. Yeah. It's like, you know, it last? I mean, it's like one of those things. It's almost like a dream. Time's irrelevant. Yeah, it's like, you know, it felt like a while, but it really was only like five or ten minutes. And then you just wake up, you come back to, and you're in your bed, and you're just going, wow. That's pretty much all you can say is wow. And I'll just tell you about the other,

my other breakthrough was like, it was very similar, the same message, you know. But what happened is I took a big hit and then I started seeing this again, something far in the distance and it was coming closer to me. And as it got closer, I could tell that it was a bronze, kind of a rectangular, almost like a gold brick. But it was like bronze and it had all of these ancient, ancient hieroglyphs on it,

symbols and, and letters that, that were used in, you know, in an ancient time or something or a different dimension. And, but I could, I was reading these hieroglyphs and I could understand what they were saying. And this, uh, this block continued to get closer and closer to me. And when it got right up to my vision, like I was staring it in the face, that's again, that's when I felt the rocket blast kind of like getting launched out of the atmosphere. And I blasted through what felt like a placenta almost like I broke through this like blue pink translucent jellyfish skin placenta kind of thing. And when I blasted through there, there was an eruption of applause. And it was like, it was like, uh, all the entire room was all orange with little green dots everywhere. And I took these dots to be eyeballs and there were

all these little beings and they came out of the floor and the walls they were beings but they were they made up the walls in the room that i was in they would just come out of the floor and go side to side and and i was basically like almost like a is it like a jewish wedding where they kind of yeah horror i do that as show every night well so i was dude i was like being paraded around in a chair and they were all just like, yes, he's here. You made it. You know, we've been waiting so long for you to, you know, and, and they were parading me and they would bring me forward and to the left and to the right and backwards. And they, and I was like sitting in this chair and there was just an enormous, I was the, I was the guest of honor. And they were like, we're so glad you're here.

So thankful you made it. Like they were partying, man. And it was like these orange alien things. And so after that initial applause settled, I was like led into this other, like, it was like I ducked down into a littler room and still all orange and with little green dots. But it was like walking into a teepee almost. And there were three of these tykes in there, these little orange alien guys, and they were sitting Indian style. And I was, I sat down right in front of them. And these three, I took them to be elders, chiefs of the tribe or, or what, you know, very important, you know, people. And they, they were giving me hand symbols. Some of them were pointing at me.

Some of them were giving me the circle, like the okay, you're okay. And some of them were giving me a closed-finger peace sign, like just two fingers upright. And I remember those hand symbols, but that was the way that they were communicating with me, and again, I understood this perfectly. And so what they were saying is some of them were pointing at me and saying, you, you have to take care of you, not in a selfish way, but like I was talking about working on yourself, focusing on your mental health, meditating, making sure you take care

of yourself, because if you take care of yourself, you're going to be better to the people that are all around you. And that's actually where it starts is taking care of yourself. And then you can take care of everybody else. If everybody would focus on themselves and, and get rid of their little shadows and their little egos and their little, their little, um, uh, you know, the devil on their shoulder, like, not that I don't like to indulge in that, but like it just goes back to being the strongest link in a chain and being there for everyone around you and everything around you. You know, the plants and the forests and our planet

and all the animals here that exist besides us, you know, and like to just take care of that and to nurture that. Yeah, it's unbelievable, Bill and to nurture that. Yeah. It's unbelievable, Bill. It really was. Wow. That stuff blew my mind, man. And I've never been the same since. I've been, I think, a much more gentle and kind, caring, compassionate person.

Wow. So DMT saved your life. I mean, I feel like I used to be. Spiritually. Yeah, yeah. I feel like I used to be, spiritually. Yeah. Yeah. I feel like I used to be more of a angry, angry. Don't really care about my life very much.

Don't really care about anything. Just like, you know, but now I am spiritual and now I am, you know, it's like a, I do have a, you know,

love for the sacred thing that is life, you know, just life. Okay. We'll leave with this, but what, this is but what this is amazing bill you you you're very fascinating guy you're gonna do so well with your career if you keep this mentality up and uh stay off the meth oh yeah fuck that shit um but okay maybe feel like a writing session yeah if you gotta like if you have a deadline you're procrastinated i gotta write an album overnight. Shit. Yeah, dude.

I thought they did it in the 70s. Little feet. Crazy, dude. Yeah, I know. All right. If you could tell pre-DMT Billy what after DMT Billy knows about life, what advice would you give him? At when you're Quinn High School, when you're being a fucking asshole, whatever you're doing,

being a class clown, whatever, what would you tell them? That, you know, it's really hard to explain, you know, that I guess there's just more to life, you know, that there is a bigger picture, there is a brighter side, there is a bright side to life. Are you happy now?

Yeah. You feel happy? Absolutely. I mean, everybody has their struggles. I struggle with anxiety sometimes, and it's just, I'm so busy, man. I'm on tour all the time, and I got a lot on my plate, man. So that's natural, I think. How do you cope with anxiety?

Several different ways. My favorite is talking to a therapist. I have a great therapist in Nashville and I see me. Give me this number. Uh, yeah, I will. I need a therapy. I need a therapist, man. You know, if you have grudges, you know, with people you love or if you have things that you've held on to your entire life, you would not believe how that is connected with things that are affecting you every day because you're still holding on to that stuff and pressure off your shoulders just by talking to people and opening up, you know, just honestly by talking about your feelings and not suppressing it and keeping it inside, you know? You think suppression is poison? I think that is, you know, I think it is kind of like taking a little sip of poison every time you, you do that. Yeah. Bill, thanks for being on the show, man.

Thank you for having me. I really loved our conversation. Yeah, man. thanks for being on the show, man. Thank you for having me. I really loved our conversation. Yeah, man. I'm always here for you, man. You should come sit in with us, man. I'd love to. Today. I'd love to.

All right. I'll get you up on there. You got a new record or anything? We didn't even talk music, but I'm glad we did it because I like these talks better. Me too. Thanks for not asking me all the same questions. Where'd you fucking at? Out of all the songs you play, which one's your favorite?

Tell me your favorite solo. What venue was it at? Thanks. Yeah, what, you got a new record coming out? You making some music? Marcus moved to Nashville, too. I'm glad. You two, that's a good hang.

You and him are going to learn. I know. Because I hang out with Marcus a lot now. Or not a lot, but I keep up with him. And that's what I feel. And after talking to you, I think you two could help each other a lot. You're the fucking young bucks. Skull fuck Nashville, guys.

Yeah, dude. I want you to skull fuck it. Let them know the youth is ready for this shit. Whenever they want to pass a torch, Billy fucking strings and Marcus King got it. All right. Cheers, Bill. Thank you so much, brother.

Andy, hi. It's your grandfather. It's Saturday at 10 o'clock in the morning. I was talking with your mom, and she told me you're working on a new album, and I'm so happy but i wanted to just make sure that the album is going to be um heartfelt songs again like the last one and not about the penis stuff like all the albums before that i just want you to remember when you were a kid, before all the rock and roll stuff,

and the sex, and the drugs, and you used to be such a romantic. You were like Billy Crystal when Harry met Sally, and I hope that the new album reflects all of the love in your heart, reflects all of the love in your heart and all of the truth and the honesty that you give towards people because you're such a good boy and your grandmother and I love you so much and we miss you and you're on the road so much. We don't get to see you enough and when we listen to your music, it feels like we're seeing you again, like you're a little boy sitting on my lap just watching Cheers. Okay, buddy.

I love you so much. And I can't wait to hear the new record and see you soon. FaceTime me once in a while. I'd love to see that new face of yours. Okay, love you. Bye-bye. All right.

There we have it. Billy Strings. Isn't that crazy? DMT. Wow. I've always wanted to try DMT. I'm fucking scared because of that exact moment. I'm going to have some fucking angel just show up in my life

and make me realize, oh yeah, everything I thought is wrong. But maybe I need that. But yeah, I mean, everyone talks about how important DMT is for growth. Or I'm reading this Michael Pollan book about how psychedelics are helping with mental health and stuff. And DMT is no different. I think Billy had a dark past and to see him awake and see him so passionate about being present and being a chain, you know, just another link in the chain that is continually growing to keep everyone

impact. You know, that's why we're here. That's why we're living. We're no, we got to stop being selfish. We got to stop worrying about things that aren't related to the bigger picture. And that's taking care of each other. That's why we play music to help us take care of each other.

So guys take care of each other. So guys, take care of each other. But that's it. Subscribe to the podcast. Great episode, fun show. We got a lot of big, lot of big guests. Next week, we got Maddie O'Neal. She's an EDM producer. I don't know if she likes calling it EDM.

DJs are getting pissed off for calling it dubstep. I don't know if she likes calling it EDM. DJs are getting pissed off for calling it dubstep. I don't know what to call it. But she's a killer producer, great songwriter. I can't wait for you to hear her. I got Mahali coming up from Twiddle. That was interesting. Wow. Wow.

I will just leave it there. He gave it to me, and that's really cool. And yeah, we got a great month of interviews coming up, but where am I playing? I am playing, this week I'm playing in Levitate Music Festival up near Boston. I'm taking a week and a half off to fucking try to buy a house.

I put two offers on houses. And Denver is such a crazy market that I've lost every offer. I am losing confidence I'm even going to get a fucking house out there. But stay persistent. Keep it going. Keep the right mind state. I'll get it. Then we're playing in Buffalo on July 25th at Ironworks.

All my people in Buffalo, you crazy motherfuckers. I saw y'all at the Rochester show. Y'all are wild as fuck. Then we're playing Peach Fest. Then we're going to Dewey Beach on the 27th of July. Asbury Park, New Jersey. Home of Bruce fucking Springsteen. I can't wait to dial in some inner Bruce.

I'm at Bruce fucking Springsteen. I can't wait to dial in some inner Bruce. We're going to Europe from July 29th through August 10th. I'm playing in Sardinia, Italy, the 16th through 17th. I guess that's still part of Europe. Then from Italy, I fly straight to Laken Music Fest. It's going to be fun. I'm excited. So many good bands. I got a lot of be fun. I'm excited. So many good bands.

I've got a lot of great interviews. I'm popping up big ass interviews I'm interviewing. I'm kind of nervous about. But these people, these publicists are trusting me with the artists. So thank you, publicists. Then we're going to New York City on August 24th. Rocks Off Cruise. The one Karina Reichman promotes.

Him and Jake. I want to get Jake on the show. Karina's boss for this Rocks Off is crazy as fuck, and he knows everybody, and he's got the craziest stories, and I think he's going to let me, not let me because he's already told me, but let the public world know what the fuck is Gucci.

Then after that, September. I don't know why I fuck is Gucci Then after that September I don't know why I'm going all the way to September But we're opening for Green Sky Bluegrass In Tucson, Phoenix And Los Angeles I'm playing the Fonda Theater, my hometown Fucking big theater, shout out to the Green Sky boys Thank you

I always want to play a big show in LA And I can't wait to fucking pump you guys up And I can't wait to open pump you guys up, and I can't wait to open for you guys, so thank you for that. And I'm going to Canada for the first time, Fredericton. We got to figure out the visas because my guitar player had a DUI

when he was 15 years ago, and my drummer had a DUI four years ago, so we're trying to figure out if they can even get in the fucking country. Canada's weird like that, but what can you do? But, um,

other than that, that's all I can announce. Um, until, uh, until some of these festivals, I play some of these festivals and I can announce some other festivals, but that's it guys.

Thanks for being part of the show. Thanks for being part of my life. Um, once again, I'm always here for you. I'm a phone call away. Not a phone call away because I'm changing my number because this is getting crazy. But I am Instagram away or a Facebook away.

And I've been trying to get less and less, but these fucking Lakers are stressing me out, dude. I've been on Twitter, refreshing Twitter, like seven hours a day for this Kawhi Leonard news. Oh, Kawhi better be a fucking Laker. Oh, God, I've been getting diarrhea about it. It's been horrible. But other than that, this is how much of addiction I have with the Lakers, guys. It's sick.

It's a sick joke, but wish me luck. I know a lot of Laker haters out there, but thanks for having my back. You know how much they mean to me. So love you guys. Be safe. Wear condoms. Comb your hair.

And let's all pray to the rock gods that Kawhi Leonard becomes a Laker. All right, guys. Love you. Bye. Well, thank you for listening to episode 51 of Annie Fresco's World Saving Podcast. All right, guys. Love you. Bye. phenomenon. For info on the show, please head to our Instagram at world-savingpodcast. For more info on the blog and tour dates, head to andyfresco.com. Are you new to the

show? Then please be kindly advised that our album Change of Pace is available on iTunes and Spotify and worth listening to. This week, we had a co-hostless show, so don't ask. This week's guest is Billy Strings, and boy, can you play them.

Find them online at billystrings.com. This week's special guests are Sean Eccles and Javila Ari Findlings, Brian Swartz, Dolph Cohen and Arno Buckman. Now, I did went out on a little camping trip around Holland this week. Shit loads of water. Well, that's what you get from living in the Delta. Some mosquitoes. Same, that's what you get from living in the Delta. Some mosquitoes. Same, same.

And beautiful weather. And that is quite unlike Holland. And so was the kingfisher we came across. A rare breed and so beautiful. Like a king should be, dressed up in blue. In the Middle Ages, blue reached Europe in the form of the rare lapis lazuli. Brought in by ship from other continents. It was the most expensive color to dress up in. So blue became the color of showing off power and assumed purity. Dressing kings and the Virgin Mary and the Kingfisher and boy, ha, has power and purity watered down. We drove a

blue Volkswagen, we wore blue jeans, we had unmarried sex on the blue sheet. But hey, we did drive the blues away. So stay away from that blues and we'll see you next week!