Andy Frasco's World Saving Podcast - Mike Gantzer on Joining Andy Frasco & the U.N., Family Life & All Those Rumors

Episode Date: September 22, 2026

This episode is brought to you by JamCut.IO (https://jamcut.io/). If you're a musician and you're tired of making clips all the time, check these guys out! Nick sits down with guitarist Mike Gantzer to talk about joining Andy Frasco & The U.N., the rumors connecting him to Umphrey's McGee, and the long-awaited return of Aqueous. Mike opens up about becoming a father, rediscovering the joy of playing music without carrying the business on his shoulders, and why being someone people actually enjoy touring with might matter as much as musicianship. They also get into the changing jam-band landscape, sobriety on the road, forgotten songs, brutal van drives, Mario Party grudges, and Mike's post-show ritual of cereal and Zelda. Plus: Is touring worse than your parents getting divorced? Why does every older Uber driver have a saxophone story? And what feels better—having a family or being absolutely hammered? A funny and thoughtful conversation with one of the most in-demand musicians in the jam scene.

Hey, everybody, it's Nick here. We have a very special interview today. I'm by myself, no Andy today. He will be back very soon. So I thought it would be fun for this week's episode. We find to have someone a little bit new to the Frasco family. Newer than me, for sure. So today we have guitarist, dad.

What I'm hearing is a big serial enthusiast, semi-professional skateboarder, Buffalo resident Mike Gansler All right All right Mike Before we get out of here You got anything to promote

I'm just kidding Start with the end of it You obviously do though You got a big show coming up With Aqueas Yeah that's true There's our first shows Back in a couple years

So do you think this is going to be Like the renaissance For the jambane industry We've been waiting for about five years now. I mean, I think it needs one. I don't know if this is going to be the thing that brings it, but, you know, I'm happy to be, you know, turning the lights on in the Akeways camp again, you know? What do you think's going on? Do you think it's like a combination of things that have a kind of hit these jam-band festivals and even like the show's harder? Or do you think it's like one main thing?

I think it's tough to gauge. A lot has changed culturally, I think, since COVID, you know, in terms of people's habits, you know, both financially and even in terms of there's a lot of people that don't go out as much. They, you know, maybe found that the time during COVID was more comfortable, you know, at home or they, there's a lot of people stop partying and drinking and stuff as much. And I think it's a lot of factors, but it's been interesting to kind of watch because it's been a pretty profound change since I was touring full time last before I joined up with Andy. So. Right. When was that, actually? When was the last time you, the achmus, was like touring was that like a 2018 so we toured pretty heavily through right up until

covid and we were on tour when covid hit okay um and then we you know sort of battled through the awkward years after that you know the i feel like especially 21 where you know shows would get announced and be back on and there'd be like a new variant and all that like yeah and they get rescheduled and then the rescheduled one would get bunked back and then there'd be another new variant and then RFK is in charge of the health department now. So I don't think we'll ever have another disease again. Yeah, right. Well, I just wish that was the case.

Diseases are over. Yeah, right. Thank God. And just in time for the jam band Renaissance. Yeah, I'm hoping for a jam band Renaissance. So, well, I guess like you just talked about, like, since you, so there's like a three-year gap before you joined Andy's band. How well did you know Frasco before you joined? the band full time or even before you were subbing i mean um you know i mean i've known andy often on

you know probably for at least 10 years at this point um mainly just through the way that a lot of us know each other in the touring circuit where you know you pass through the same festivals or the same cities or even do co-bills from time to time um and i had been on you know i'd been on your guys's podcast a few times here and there um i think it was before i was on i think so too yeah yeah but that, you know, it's one of those things where it's different, you know, to actually know somebody in terms of being in a band, a creative space on a tour bus. And so, you know, I, to a degree, I feel like I had a pretty good sense of Andy and a kind of a solid connection and friendship.

But, you know, it's obviously, since I joined the band, you really get to, like, know and connect with somebody. That kind of brings me to a question I was thinking about earlier. It's like, there's just like, I'm going to talk about Andy. a lot on this podcast because you're in his band as his podcast and he's not here. And I'm only nice to people behind their backs. So it's going to be all be pretty nice guys. If you're going to hear me, want to hear me come talk shit about Andy like I do. I only do that to his face. You guys should know that by now. I love to compliment people behind their backs. But what I'm getting at here is,

is there like anything before you join the band and we're around him every day or even the band at large, maybe not just Andy, that like you had a complete misconception of? Because they do have, you know, Andy's band has a certain, I don't want to say, like, you know, there's a brand that goes along with it and there's like a conception that people have. Is there anything that you would like to clear up for people, like, or that you were, that you misconceived? Well, yeah. I mean, I think that, you know, to a degree like Andy's band and like he said, like the reputation, there is a reputation that kind of precedes him to a degree. And I think a lot of that's based in sort of some of the stage antics and being an entertainer. And, like, partying and stuff like that. But I think Andy, at least from the way I see it or have come to understand him, is a gentler soul, I think, than maybe his stage presence or his, you know, I won't even call it a character because it's a side of him. You know, when I see him kind of flip the switch and go on stage, that is also 100% authentic. It's just a different version of him, right? Yeah, yeah, everybody has that. Yeah, right. Yeah, totally. And, and, but him offstage is,

is pretty mellow. You know what I mean? Like the hangs are super chill and like he's like a pretty easy like mellow hang. And I think people wouldn't necessarily assume that based on his stage presence and stuff like that. And, you know, also for me getting to know him, he's a really thoughtful human and, you know, and also a great writer. I think a lot of my focus coming into the band was to, you know, of course you figure out your place and you get a lay of the land and, you know, so kind of see what's working and maybe what. you know, even the band or get a sense of what they might want to improve on.

And I think I've wanted to help shift like some of the focus more on to Andy's writing and just relying on the tunes as you can write. Yeah, he can really write. And his catalog is actually pretty deep. He's got a lot of tunes. And I think, you know,

I've been pleasantly surprised to dive into the catalog and find a pretty deep variety of music. you know, even in terms of genre, experimentation, production styles, et cetera. But I've kind of just fallen in love with the tunes, which is great because you've got to love the tunes you're playing every night, you know. The guy can really turn a phrase. Yeah, for sure. And he can do it, to be frankly, like, you know, he even speaks about himself.

He's not like a trained world-class musician, but he can write words that fit music really well. Like, he does get, he can write a hook better than about anyone I know, including, like, some of the best musicians I've ever met my life. you know what I'm saying? Like actually some of the best musicians I've ever met my life can't write a hook at all. Yeah, I think that it's funny. I think when you're in your early 20s, you know, a lot of musicians just in general, like, they get really like, you know, obsessive about, you know, the sort of like, like Licks and, you know, in the minutiae, like being an ultra musician.

But I would say there's actually a lot more inherent, like, artistic value in being able to, like write something that connects with people and makes people feel seen or understood or emotional or you know whatever the thing is and I think that's been I feel like I'm I'm connecting with his music at the right time even for my own interests and sensibilities and stuff like that you know but I agree and I have to just say too I want to just push back the slightest on Andy as a musician I feel like I'm using his words here I'm just saying and I that's what I'm pushing back on because he's like freaking shit that's like his line but I've been kind of trying to push him a little bit

to just not in terms of pushing him to practice or something like that but pushing him to like use the voice and the melodic sensibilities he already has in some improv on stage because he can he's like his choices are really musical and I think I've been trying to get him to stop kind of like with the self-fulfilling prophecy of like I'm not a musician I'm a writer right right and I've actually been really impressed with his music I think I'm just trying to like reignite that side of him too that believes that, you know. Yeah, but part of that is just having confidence in yourself, but also like knowing your limitations is good too.

It's just kind of confusing. But like back to the live performance thing, I'm kind of interested like, you've been in the band for what six months or so basically, right? Essentially, yeah. I mean, I started filling in about a year ago now, you know, and then I, you know. But the everyday grind, like, has been like the last six months. So do you think it's made you like a better life performer or a different life performer? performer or do you think that you already kind of had that? Because you were pretty, like, you're pretty energetic with Aqueas too.

I wouldn't say you were like a just stand there, you know, trying to be Jimmy Harry and guitar player. Right. Yeah. I mean, uh, no, he can stand there if he wants. I think that any project or band you tour and if you're in the right mindset, you learn and grow from, you know, and I think being around that energy and with that level of kind of stage presence and commitment to entertaining, essentially.

is really infectious. And I think for me, it's sort of re-ignited something in me that is a bit more connected with some of my own roots in rock and punk rock. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I feel like there's a spirit of punk rock a little bit underneath Andy's show.

100%. For me to tap into that is really fun. I mean, his show, like, as a performer, is like a fucking workout to a degree. You know what I mean? They're very physical. Have you lost weight? Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, no, if anything, anyway, but that's because we go out. Serial. That's, yeah, so much cereal, and Andy's always trying to go out to nice restaurants. Andy likes to buy dinner, yes. He really, he loves to buy dinner. And we love that about him. I'm not, yeah, yeah. But yeah, man, I think, like, you know, I, it's really fun to dig a little deeper with this band and to, like, connect, you know, with the ethos of what they're doing and to really get inside of it and find my own.

like authentic expression of it. And I feel like Andy's been really cool about letting me define that a bit more for like what's comfortable for me because I think like some of the guys like to like really be like they want to be out in the crowd. They want to run around. I am like a little more, you know, I have, I feel like I have my stage presence that is just sort of whatever comes out naturally. And I like to like kind of do like do the rock and roll thing and run around a little bit.

Sure. But I also don't like, you know, I have my kind of discomforts or discomforts there. And I feel like he's been very open to me defining that. And so it's been, it's been really cool. But I would say, you know, I've learned a lot already in my time there in terms of contributing to the show in a way that makes sense for the aesthetic of music. Isn't it kind of nice being a side man after like being in charge of a band for 10 years? Like there's a certain like, oh, yeah, I'm definitely getting paid tonight. It's the greatest feeling in the way.

world. I mean, like, I, for me, it's new, you know? I mean, I spent in my career doing Aqueas that I, you know, I have the side projects and stuff that I've done here and there, but, um, it's been truly incredible, you know, and also it makes me a better performer, just in the sense of there's not the anxiety of the outcome inherently. I mean, obviously I want the band to be successful. Luckily, the band is successful, but yeah, yeah, yeah. It's my, my job and my roles are very clearly defined and then we're growing those roles together and but none of them have to do with anything business oriented none of them and which is great because those aren't my strong suits anyway and so it's been for me one of my more joyful experiences with music just for the sake of the fact that there isn't that way overhanging and also i love the dudes in the band

and that happens yeah they are sneaky a good group of guys you know they don't seem like they would be but then they are especially especially cooney right i'm just funny is is maybe one of the best people that's ever existed. No, that guy. He's a sleeper. He's a sleeper, cool guy. He's a big hit at the yacht club with the gay guys. They like him.

Really? Hey, he's a bear, man. He's a sexy bear. Yeah, right. He is. They're a sad he moved away. I hear about it every week at trivia. He made an impact on the community.

All right. I hope you're enjoying the interview, but a quick message from our buds. Hey, musicians, are you playing shows but have no clips to show for it? Our new sponsor Jam Cut is changing the content game for bands and artists all over. I'm telling you, we really need this, actually, because I edit all my videos when I'm on the bus, and it's a pain in the fucking ass. Just upload whatever video and audio you have, whether that's phone clips, camera footage, or board audio, and Jam Cut automatically sinks it all over together so you can start cutting clips from the best parts of your shows or Jamshash. Dude, I'm telling you, how many times I waste fucking just... editing my own video on Instagram Real.

I could be finding a girlfriend. I don't know. And guys, this isn't another AI Slop video app. This startup was made by three musicians out of Denver and they built it with love for the craft. You know, and we're supporting Denver. We're supporting Denver businesses, which is

important to me in this scene. So Jamcuts online editor lets you and your entire band put your own creative spin on it. It tracks each musicians for tight vertical crops, add smooth pans and zoomed plus transitions, separates your audio into stems and as sick effects that react to the music you're playing.

Jam cut turns one show into a week's content. This is huge. Actually, honestly, no bullshit. This is huge. Because sometimes we only get these like shitty one video, iPhone videos, and Jamka can actually cut it into something worth posting. So take it from me. It's fun as hell to use.

Your first month is free. Just tell them I sent you. Use the code Frasco and experience the fact. future of live show video editing. So get yourself out. Go to fucking Jam Cut. All right. Hey, boys, what about Jam Cut?

You love it. You fucking love it. Less work for Frasco means happy band. All right, bye, bye. How are the Aqueas fans, like, and, like, just Jamman fans in general, like, reacting you to, like, are you on the internet at all? Yeah, I mean, I have Insta, and, I mean, all people send me Reddit threads sometimes.

You know, I'm not, not read it, but I try to stay out of the band Reddit. Reddit's a cesspool of degenerates and just people. Half the people on there are fake if it makes you feel any better. They're not even real. So are you getting mostly good feedback about joining this band? Obviously, there's like the other rumors that were going around for a while, you know what I mean, about Humphreys or whatever, which is fun. Yeah, I mean, I will say this.

It feels nice to have a place in the scene and to feel valued and to feel like people want me to play and want to hear, you know, hear me contribute to the scene. I mean, honestly, man, it's been part. positive feedback for almost the entire part of it. I think that people can see that it's a good fit between Andy and I. I think it's a cool, like, kind of a cool collaboration of things.

And I think he's bringing things out of me that I wouldn't have found elsewhere and vice versa. And, man, yeah, I think people have mostly been stoked, you know? I think there's always going to be, I mean, it's the internet, you know, something would be really wrong if there weren't people like shit talking or. It's actually bad if everybody likes you. it's like a really bad sign you're about to fail miserably right uh and so you know i mean i've had bizarre comment and you know i think people always struggle with change no matter what in music and outside of music too and so i think i kind of was aware i mean i had gone through some member

changes in aqueous over the years with drummers and so like rob wasn't i didn't realize rob's not the original drummer yeah and rob's not in the band anymore either i know i noticed so he's he's not on the he's not on the gig right like it's the original guy before him so he's yeah so we've had a few when we were like a really local local band to buffalo um it was our buddy i went to high school with that i started the band with his name was brad darrell and we co-founded the band but we went through we we had a drummer that was uh with us for a few years and he was like our long time engineer too and he's the one that came back he had had he toured with us for a while but he ended up getting pretty severe tendonitis oh shit and like relearned his technique and stuff which is cool that's pretty

crazy for drums though yeah yeah Yeah, but he's, he's great. And I think, like, for us, it's a good fit on a few levels. One of the main ones is that we've been friends for 20 years, which is healthy prerequisite for a band like ours. So you hate Rob and it was a huge falling out. Great. Moving on.

Just kidding. So, yeah, so, like, okay, so we got the side projects. You're all the Umphrey's rumors. You're in Andy's band. It just kind of makes me, like, question, like, what's it like having people want you around? Is that, are you asking me actually? Yeah.

I couldn't tell if that was the bit. Kind of both. A little bit of both. Well, first of all, Nick, I always want me around. Thanks. But, I mean, you know, it's nice. I mean, that is a joke, but there is something to that. Like, you're in demand.

Yeah. Well, you know what? I think it's nice affirmation that the time that I've spent in this world, you know, was sort of seen or valued by people that I've respected for a long time. And that's a good, that's a good feeling. And really at this point, man, I'm just grateful to be at this age and this place I'm in in life with a family. Right.

You're 53, right? Yeah, I'll be 63 next month. Oh, shit. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. You look great, dude. Yeah, it's the cereal.

It's the cereal and a lack of growth. But no, I think it's, for me, it's good affirmation. that I was kind of doing the right things. And ideally like showing up as a person that is good to work with. And I think a lot of musicians don't always understand that a lot of the gig is just how you get along with people, how you communicate, what kind of team member you are. And so, you know, it's nice, in short, it's a good feeling.

And for me, it's mostly just at this point, I'm grateful to have an opportunity to continue to have her career in music as it becomes more difficult to do so. And lined up like perfectly as you having a kid. almost like to the week, didn't it? Didn't you like start the band like almost the same week? You have a son, right? I have a daughter.

I have a daughter. I have a five and a half month old daughter. And yeah, the timing of everything worked out pretty well because my, my lady was pregnant when I started filling in last year. And so, you know, by the time that, because, you know, Andy needed, they all needed some space to kind of navigate the changes within the band. And I kind of stayed, you know, give as much room on that as I could. And then also for me, you know, I needed, of course, some time to be home and be present.

And, you know, I mean, we're this is our first kid. We're new parents. And so it worked out great, you know, where I, you know, I did my last shows with Andy on for the New Year's run, which was the two nights in Brooklyn and then two nights with Humphreys in Chicago. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. That looks awesome. And then my first gig back is that was in Mexico. And you were there for that, which was, which was cool. No, I wasn't there.

Oh, wait, was I? Oh, yeah, the Umpreeze, Mexico. Yeah, that, um, yeah, that I'm free. I thought you meant Frasco's little, like, uh, down by, like, where Frasco has that hotel, that Mexico festival. No, no, yeah, I didn't do that one, but, uh, so, yeah, that was your, oh, that was your first thing back. That was a fun, uh, that was a good weekend, I thought. It was fun. It was a good weekend.

For me, it was interesting because, you know, having a kid is, it obviously a huge deal. I feel like I wouldn't even have the time to describe, like, or the words to describe, like, or the words to describe what a profound experience that was. It was amazing, but you do create, like, a bubble, essentially of that experience. and it was bizarre for me to like step outside of that and fly to Mexico and do shows because I hadn't you know I mean I play you know I played every day and stuff still to a degree but it's different than like being in it you know and so it was really interesting but really great experience and it was a cool way to kind of come back and get the wheel moving again yeah yeah especially as a side man you know it's like way easier so do you think as having a kid like changed your playing at all like in any way do you think about me? music differently or is it pretty much you just have more time to practice because you have to be home? You know, it's funny. I think this might sound corny, but I've always tried to like, you know, in moments where I have a bit more focus on stage or if I'm like, if there's a moment or an opportunity to like, with Andy a lot of times, he'll feature you.

Well, yeah. A little chance to kind of solo. When I first joined the band, Andy would kind of be like, go, go, go, like 100% all the time. And at this point, I think he's, you know, he feels confident enough with the band to kind of, you know, inject more like dynamics into it from time to time. And so a lot of times what I like to do is try to like connect with an emotion or a feeling when I play and try to like just be with that thought.

And there's been a lot of times where I've thought about my little family like while I play. And that's like kind of kind of a nice place to like express from. It's like a different kind of joy and a different kind of love. So I feel like there's that side of it, which is a nice place to kind of connect to, you know, emotionally. And then, of course, too, like, you know, this child grows so much, you know, and so I feel like when I'm home not on tour, you try to be, like, as present as you can.

But also, like, it's fun to already connect her with music. You know, I mean, kids are so, like, she's just this little sponge and I can play, like, you know, a steely dance song or a Joe song or Pink Floyd or something, and I just, like, watch her sort of perceive it. I try to turn their daughter to an unnoxious middle-aged dad. You're right out of the bill. Yeah, we're starting there and working backwards. Try to get my daughter the same music taste as a Uber driver to the airport.

Right. And I would have been the Uber driver. To Denver. I always hate getting the old white guy Uber drivers because I'll have my sax case on me. It's like a half hour ride and they always have some, they all used to play saxophone. I don't know what it is. Every guy over 60 in an Uber had a saxophone at some point in their life. I don't know why.

And they all have a million stories about it. Does that make you worry for your own future? Yeah. It's like the ghost of Christmas past. Exactly. No, I don't think they had it long enough. I think they all played for like three weeks. They all kind of played.

I'll probably be somewhere even worse. Maybe it's the longer you play the saxophone, the worst you end up. Do you know what I mean? So how long do you say you were in equius again, 10 years? I mean, I started the band in 10th grade. So I rolled, I guess it wasn't. And we finished or went on a, you know,

kind of a hiatus in 2023. So it's pretty good 15 some odd year run. I mean, you know, we really didn't tour. I would say we toured for about a decade, you know, once we were kind of out of college and stuff like that. Right.

Yeah, right. You know, the bulk of my adult life. How did you guys, how as a touring jam ban for like that many years, how did you guys manage to never move to Denver? That's a good question. I think we all had planted roots in western New York. so firmly from a young age that I think it was, you know,

we never really talked about leaving or moving. And I feel like, especially with the jam band scene, a lot of it was occurring on the East Coast. That's true. Buffalo is fairly centrally located in terms of markets. You can get kind of a lot of different directions within a few hours. The whole fish corridor is like, oh, yeah. Right.

And so, you know, but it was cool. I mean, Colorado, you know, that's kind of a scene of its own, essentially, I mean, it's like, you know, and it's amazing. I mean, we always enjoyed playing out there, but I didn't always enjoy like the 25-hour travel before we had money to fly there, you know? I know, man, the drive to Denver. It was like always worth it once you got here for the show, like from Indy. I mean, it's even farther from Buffalo. It's another five hours, but.

Yeah. Yeah, probably seven, actually. But, you know, it's a 16-hour drive from India. And it's just like, is this really worth it to go sell, you know, sell off the big room at Cervantes? And it's like, yeah, actually it is. You're right. Because you never remember, like, you know, I don't remember. like, you know, I haven't really toured heavily like that since basically Cosby sweater,

you know, maybe a little bit with menored in there, but you don't ever, it's weird how you don't remember the long drives. You like, don't really remember them like you remember the shows. Like, I don't remember the miserable parts. Well, I think it's probably, at least for me, because I was disassociating the whole time. That could be it. You know what I mean? Because I know for me, like, that was my least favorite part of touring, especially when it was like in a van or a whatever, like an uncomfortable situation. And I feel like there was a turning point for me

where I got a Nintendo Switch that helped me have so much of an awful experience on those drives. But yeah, I think ideally you'd just connect with the positive parts and remember those a bit easier. And all the drives blur into one, you know, it's all almost like nothingness. I can remember maybe four drives specifically. Actually, one of them was on a, one of them is on this.

I did like the whole 20, 21 tour, any opening. Yeah. And their sprinter was having issues. And they like couldn't go above like 40 miles an hour. ever going from like austin to like phoenix it was the hottest drive in my life but yeah but like that's how bad it has to be to even remember it is it is kind of weird it's probably a psychological term about this about blocking your trauma out yeah right it's probably in there we just have to do like EMDR style therapy to unlock the drives because we've blocked it but i still remember uh what's weird is i still

remember my parents telling me they're getting divorced so is is being in a touring band worse than your parents getting divorced well to pull the internet to find that. You're going to do next week for the answer. I mean, kind of though, right? Yeah, I mean, you know, there's pros and cons of both, I suppose. Yeah, you get two Christmases. Yeah, yeah.

And maybe it's a healthier dynamic if they're not, you know, not together, if they're not supposed to be together. Yeah, it's like you get two Christmases if your parents were divorced, and you get no Christmases if your dad's in a touring band. Right. And also, you know, you could argue that they're, I mean, we've all played shows that are, like, worse than your parents getting divorced. Oh, for sure.

In terms of the morale or the feeling attached to it, you know? Yeah, dude. Lansing, Michigan on a Tuesday type shit. Max Uptown? Yeah, yeah. I remember you played with us with Aqueas. I did? What year it was in Denver at Larimer Lounge on a Monday.

I remember that. You know, I've been trying all day. I think that is when we met. I've been racking my mind all day trying to remember when I met you, like when we first kind of knew each other. I couldn't place it. I think it's around then. You played Larimer Lounge on a Monday.

It was actually a really good show. I had people come up to me about that sit in for at least a couple of years after. Well, I think we put it out on a release of some kind. I think it was on like a SoundCloud. There was on something. Yes. We had some cool kind of phrasing and back and forth stuff. You did like a, I think you did like a compilation of like your live.

Right. You know what I mean? Like the tour. You know what I mean? Right. And we hadn't done like a ton of stuff with horns. I think that was pretty memorable for the fans that we did have. You guys never had the...

You never had the turquoise horns? Yeah, we did a, they played on a single of ours in 20, what year was that, 2019, 2018, 2018, 2019. And it was really cool because I kind of just sent them a tune and just said like arrange it, however. And they did a really good, good job with that. They rule. But they're actually like, they're the horn section now or whatever, but it's like you're

not a jam band from like east of Pittsburgh unless they've played on at least one of your albums, right? I think that's true. You have to, it's like a right of passage. Right of passage. Yeah. So back to this reunion thing in December. Why now?

Like what made you guys do it now? Because it's been a while. People have been asking about it for a long time. Like I will say of like there's like a few handful of bands from like 10 years ago or whatever that have broken up that still get people asking for them to come back. I think the main ones are probably you and Dopapod. Right. Why now and why do you think that is? I think for us it was just...

unlining naturally on our end. And I think a lot of that honestly comes from all of us having families because we were spending time through that context. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, everybody else has kids? Yeah, yeah. So Dave, our other guitarist and Evan are bassists, both have the kids. Dave is the eldest.

And all of our kids are basically like two or three years apart, but young kids. Okay. But I think like we just, you know, over the years, you know, when you tour as much as we did or any touring band does, it's hard to, you know, you really are playing catch up on your personal life when you get home. So there's not a lot of time to spend outside of the tour as friends. And I always felt like grateful that we didn't like ate each other ever.

Like by the end, like I would have hung out with them. We just didn't have time. Yeah, yeah, I'm not hanging out on the road, which is a little different. But I think in this chapter of our lives, like we just were spending time with our families. And I think the conversations just kind of happened, happen naturally like hey we all like still live in the same area and we started what it kind of started with we would like jam together like we went together like so you guys have been playing yeah we've been

playing all year breaking news this is not gonna suck guys they've actually been practicing we've been practicing yeah and and and you know for us it was like you know we just get together on a whatever night and play a little bit and and see if we could remember our old tunes and half the time we could and half the time i couldn't and and but it was it was just losing and fun and there wasn't a point to it other than we were just enjoying it. And then we thought like, okay, like maybe we could do something again, you know, and not in the sense of trying to make it of, yeah, like we're not, there's, the context doesn't exist for us to be able to like do a full scale thing. And honestly, none of us really want to. Now's not the time. Yeah. And right. And I don't,

I think even if it was like, I think for us it's really about quality over quantity and and having the main reason that we're there is just for fun, you know, to do it because we actually want to and to be kind of outside of the inherent wheel of the music industry, especially obviously, like you said, now is one of the hardest times. And also, you know, I'm full time with Andy and like I am super stoked about that gig too. And I feel like it's a, I love the idea of a kind of sprinkling in Aqueus where we can and showing some love to the fan base we did have. And for us just, you know, They've been friends for 20 years, and it's like just fun to play together still, which is cool. That's cool.

Did you guys have like, were you like, we have to keep these jam sessions a secret or all our friends? You're going to freak out because you probably weren't planning on coming back, right, when you first started jamming. But like, maybe if people saw you're practicing, if you weren't posting it on Instagram and you were jamming and shit and your stories. Like, was that on purpose because you didn't want people to start like the rumors? No, I think it was because none of us wanted to have anything to do with it being something to promote. You know what I mean? Like we were literally just doing it because it was a Tuesday and we felt like jamming. You know, like it was, there was sort of a joy in that it was just for us.

You know, there wasn't like a point. It was just for us to have fun and that kind of felt good and it sort of just evolved from there. But, you know, I think once we did, you know, start to like hash out like doing shows and, you know, announcing things and stuff, we did kind of keep that pretty tight-knit just because, you know, you want to do it the right way and, you know, have a bit of. of a thoughtful approach to how you roll all that out. But for us, it's just cool. I mean, it's kind of a trip for me to see those dates on the books.

Like, you know, it's just been a minute. And at this point, there's almost a nostalgia to it, which is cool. You know, you forget that writing music and especially performing it later, it's like a little time capsule, you know? Yeah. It's weird to forget your own songs, man. Like I did a couple, a little bit of Cosco's better stuff. Like a year later.

And it was weird. And also this other band I was in, I've done some other stuff like that. And it's just weird, like, to forget that's something you wrote. Yeah, well, because it's like, you know it's somewhere in there. But I kind of have this, I think, like, your filing cabinet is only so large at a time. And I feel like you almost have to, like, purge some of it to make room for whatever the current thing is. Yeah, exactly. It's like your hard drive.

You know, exactly. Right. And so that's how it felt for me. Like, there were some things that I was surprised how much I remembered of it. Like, something weird, they're in the line. And then there were other ones were like, I don't. couldn't remember a single lyric of, you know, as good. Well, I didn't think about that.

You have to remember lyrics, too. I only have to remember music. Right. So it's a whole other level. But also, like, at the same time, like, just to talk about my own shift for a little bit, I am glad that we quit and never did a reunion. I think there's a power in that.

Yeah. I mean, I don't think there's any right or wrong. It's just whatever is the appropriate thing for your situation, you know? Sometimes it's better to, like, leave it at the place that it was and preserve that legacy or that time, you know, that chapter of your life. Yeah, especially with electronic music. we were more of electronic music thing and like electronic music gets dated so fast compared to like rock music. That's, yeah, right.

Because do you think that's just based on like the technology that's used and like the sounds and the like trends of that? Well, yeah, especially in the last 10 years, like all the production stuff has really ramped up to where like home producers have gotten so much better in the last 10 years. So like the genres are just evolving faster and faster and faster and things are sounding better. Like if I go back and listen to like the first, I really like party day, but if I go back and listen like the first Cosby's sweater album, I'm like, this sounds like shit. Like, I could not play this in front of people. And even Dave, our producer, like, emailed me or, uh, texted me one time saying basically the same thing because he had been trying to

get back together for a while and do some stuff and I was just out on it. And he was like, actually, you know what? I went back and listened to this stuff. And it's like, yeah, it's really, we'd have to like do new shit. Especially the time when we were coming out, it was still pretty new, like the Ableton with a live band thing, you know? Sure. And it's just like, it's just so different, right?

It'd be like playing a VHS instead of a, streaming something. I'd be like, although, but not in a good way. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, right, right. Like, there's a good way for that. It's actually not the best comparison

because, like, that's kind of in right now, but. Right. I don't know, whatever, whatever comparison. It'd be like playing like a down, like something you downloaded off of Bear Share. Exactly. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And you saw it was like the most supreme quality at the time

because you waited three days for it. And it was mislabel as Snoop Dog or whatever, all the thing like that. It's just boring every time. Yeah. Cause I ruined the living room computer you know what i mean the internet used like the internet used to be a place man um it really did one thing that's really changed my life of how i control anxiety and how i control um going

through my day to day of partying and playing really hard every night and going into back to being a normal person during the day i've been doing this thing called contrast therapy where it's basically i go in a sauna for 45 minutes i do 15 minute intervals three times and then I'll do a cold plunge between two to three minutes every other time and through that I've seen my dopamine level dramatically grow I have been the happiest I've been for a long time and it's all because of other ship other ship is a New York and Toronto based company that gave me a safe space to find myself again with their amazing saunas or amazing plunges and amazing community. I started journaling again. They gave me the opportunity to journal

in the saunas. They gave me the opportunity to get deeper into my mind and get more comfort in the idea of being okay with myself. What I love about it, the community that other ship has brought me has really opened my mind that I don't need to go to the bars every night anymore. I could go and talk to people outside of a social community. that required alcohol or party. And I could go in there and feel healthy and talk to people and communicate. And that's one thing that othership

has brought to my life that has changed my life. So if you're in the New York area, you should definitely try out othership. They got a great app, great community, and Toronto too. I know a lot of people listen to this podcast in Toronto too. But I go every day and it has changed the way I perceived life.

It's changed the way I find happiness in the mundane parts of the day. So go check out othership. I guarantee you you will not regret it. All right, back to the interview. So the cereal thing. Did you hear me and Amy talk about that on the pod? He was kind of making fun to you because you're always eating cereal.

Do you really eat that much cereal? I don't know. I short answer, yes. I mean, I think... Well, let me have one more thing. He said you have multiple different kinds on you at all time. Totally. Yeah. So, well, you know, if we're going to be on tour for three weeks, for me, cereal is like a kind of like a late night ceremony thing. Like I like it after shows. I find it to be like a comfort experience. And so I try to like get a balance of things that are like, okay, something's like a little on like on the healthier side. And then there's just like party cereals, you know, like fun things that are fun like a Reese's like Recy's cereal or like, you know, honeycomb or something. like that.

You know what I just had a trivia question about cereal this week? Do you know what the cereal with the highest sugar content is? I'll let you guess, and if you don't get it right away, I'll give you a little hint. Is it lucky charms? Nope. There's one word. It's 50% sugar. So you got to think it's not going to have like a green thing too.

It's just going to be like sweet stuff. Let me know if you want a hint. Crunch berries? Nope. What is it? You can tell me. I'll give you a hint. The mascot is a frog.

Oh, the sugar. Your smacks? Yeah, honey smacks. Honey smacks. Those are good. I know. Well, yeah, because it's like half sugar. I guess that's tracks, right?

It's just all sugar. It's good. It's called dopamine rushing into your, rushing to your soul and your mind. Right. But I do, I definitely eat a lot of cereal, but I tend to eat it at night and I like it after a show, is like a post-show ceremony.

Like, I like to have showered. I play like a little Zelda. I play that a lot of Nintendo on the road. Are you playing the new Zelda, the new one that came out this year? No, so I'm playing, I'm replaying. playing tears of the kingdom, which came out a few years ago.

It was the second one on the first switch, right? Exactly. And it's like the open world format. But they like remast, like kind of like upgraded a few parts about it for Switch 2. So I've been playing that full time again when I'm when I'm able. And then on the on the bus we've been playing Mario Kart and Super Smash. I mean, those are just eternally great multiplayer all the same room party games. Totally. And Mario Party too. Um, and that's, is that the board game one where you play with mini games and shit, kinda?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That one's almost caused like band issues though. Like, there's, those games, you know. Really? Yeah, well, you can like, you get mad at each other a little bit because you can, like, really fuck each other depending on, like, the opportunity. Oh, yeah, it's not like Mario Kart where it's like the goal is to kind of fuck each other. It's like, oh, you can pick on one person too or like, yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, you could, it could be like one of the last rounds and you could, like, steal a star from someone that, like, you could just be purely out of spike.

Like you can try to, you know what I mean? Like I feel like sometimes there's unresolved issues that come through in Mario Party. But maybe a therapist needs to like have people play Mario Party in group therapy and see what comes out. I don't think anything good would come out. But I think when I, they would learn something though, you know. They would definitely learn something. But I think it's been nice like that to me like that's kind of a bonding thing for the band on the road. You know, I mean, I don't, you know, I don't really party too much.

And so I feel like that's like. Are you sober? You're sober, right, 100? Yeah, I mean, for me, I kind of define sobriety in my own way in the sense of, like, I'll still occasionally have, like, a beer. But it's not like, like, I don't, I would be fairly committed to the concept of, like, I'll never be, like, drunk or be drinking again. You know, if I have, like, a ceremonial beer every six months or with my lady here and there or on the anniversary of something. Right. Like, something like that's okay.

But even that, I don't do a ton of. They call cocaine on New Year's. whatever, you know, like, just, you know, ceremonies. Everybody has their own

definition of sobriety, you know what I mean. But for me, it's pretty much the only, I barely even drink in that way.

And then, yeah, I don't, I don't party. On occasion, I'll still do, like, a little bit of,

like, psilocybin, like mushroom trips, but I keep that pretty limited to, just to kind of keep, you know, for me, priority is just wellness

and mental health and, you know, substance can be dicey there for sure. And I think, you know, a lot of people have had that experience. I've had that experience. Most, I would say 97% sober, but I also want to, like, be forthright about how I define it for myself.

But that's fine. I mean, this is your life. You can do whatever you want with it. You can have 40 beers tomorrow and never drink again. You know what I mean? That's true. You could. I wouldn't do it if I were you, but.

No, I mean, neither. So do you think it's better, like, what's a better feeling having a wife? Are you married or no? We're engaged. Okay, okay. So I'll just call your wife for the question. I think of courage or something. Yeah, that's fine.

You can, the government doesn't define your relationship. We're not letting the state government in New York define how much you love. You're the mother of your child, are we? Amen. What's a better feeling? Because I don't have kids, so I've only experienced one of these. Being just absolutely hammered or having a wife and kids. Tough call, Nick.

Give me a sec. Let me just, no. Yeah. Hey, yeah, he's entered the chat. I think the funny part is, I mean, like, A lot of my experience with wanting to not drink was it just like got, it was almost like Groundhogs Day, you know, like you kind of end up having a pretty similar experience. And as I got older and stopped partying as much, I found that I had to actually learn how to find connection

outside of that context, because it's really easy to feel like you can, you know, people get hammered and like express their feelings and, you know, get really emotional and stuff like that. But then a lot Sometimes it just kind of just never gets talked about again or that's the only place it can happen. And so I feel like for me, a lot of, like, not really drinking or partying was just learning how to, like, exist and find joy outside of the context of that. You know what I mean? Because I feel like after a while, the party gets kind of old, at least for me it did. There's a house of mirrors aspect of being hungover. You know what I mean?

You're like, it's like a little weird. You just feel off all day. kind of it's like, oh, this again, you can only half for, I don't know, some people are better, I'm not great at being hung over, some people are better out than others, if you know what I mean. Well, yeah, that's true. And I found it harder as I aged anyway, you know, I think a lot of it was like, when COVID happened, it was my first time, like, not really having a context to drink consistently because I had been touring before that, you know, like back in a, you know, it's like, there's always just, you know, that's the right, that's there if you want it. But I just found that, like,

my life was improved by not really having that, like, drinking heavily as, like, part of my life, you know? Is it hard being on the road to, because, like, I mean, you know, as much as the frasco partying thing is overblown. They, like, they will get after it sometimes. Like, is that hard for you or is it not hard for you being sober around that? That's one of the most frequently asked questions I've gotten about it because I think I've been pretty vocal at points about my relationship with, like, not partying stuff

that. And so, luckily, my answer is it's not hard at all. And I'll say that for two reasons. I'm very lucky that my relationship with substance isn't really in the addiction realm. And I say that, I say that not in the way where I'm stronger or better than someone. I was just very lucky to not have that whole or that experience with it because both my parents are addicts. I know what that, I know what it looks like. It's a really tough thing. And I empathize with a lot of people that navigated through that lens. But you're lucky you dodge that gene. Truly, you know.

And I mean, I'm sure like I've had like, you know, my own versions of it maybe through different vices or different things over the years. But luckily when I wanted to stop, I was able to. And then I was able to at points like if I wanted to have a more casual relationship, it wasn't like one beer and I'm like off a wagon or something like that. So, so in one way, no, it's not, it's not triggering. It's not a challenge. And also, like, to their credit, they are so respectful of the fact that I don't that they, like, work very hard to make sure I'm still included, even if I'm not partying.

And I also on my end work to make sure I still show up, even if I, because I would say 95% of the nights I don't drink at all. Again, if I did, it might be like a single beer, but most times by that point, it's not even worth it. So, but I'll still go hang for a little bit, you know, and then if it passes a certain point where they're like really good. getting after it, you know, like then I usually just go and play Zelda and go to bed. And he's here. Also, then you get, you get the next morning and you're like, oh, yeah, that's what. And you see it, I'm all hung over and you're like, that's why. Right. And I think the thing is just that having the like perspective of what it feels like to feel good on tour is like, it's hard to go back. I wouldn't want to. Like, it doesn't look, you know, like, I remember that.

And it's not fun for me. I have no desire to feel that way, you know? And so, so no, it's actually been surprisingly lovely considering, yeah, like the kind of precedent the band has said or what they're known for. I think that what you kind of touched on there is that I think it is overblown in terms of like maybe how people think of the band and with in relationship to partying. And they part, you know, they party. But I mean, yeah, I mean, they're not. But it's like it's incredibly, you know, it's toned down a lot from when I first met them. And I think it's a pretty different culture now than it was 10 years ago for them. But. How much do you love it as a side man and just working for another guy?

Like, how much do you love not ever having to drive? Well, to be honest, I didn't really drive for Aqueas either. So I get a little bit in the beginning and then they were always pretty cool about not like. Really? Yeah, I incidentally, I actually like to drive, but I don't like to drive big touring vehicles. I don't like to like, you know. And so that's been a huge relief. And also, you know, as we age, it's, you know, I don't have.

it in me to like tour in a van for six weeks you know what i mean like it's luckily andy's at a point where you know we're in a much more comfortable what you're gonna look at the band with the bigger bandwagon thing yeah it's like it's like kind of a step it's a step above a bandwagon and like maybe a step below a bus but it's pretty nice i mean it's probably me and there's good bunks and there's you know yeah it's like the driver you are dude okay so yeah we we had a driver that had come on fairly recently and we called him Mr. Pat. That's just what he went by. And Mr. Pat, like, was so good at his job.

He would come on the bus every morning and, like, give us a brief of, like, where we were going and what to expect. Like, he was almost tour managing, like, at, like, he almost had, like, an instinct for it. And then incidentally, there was an opportunity for him to fill in his tour manager recently. And he did such a good job, but now he's our full-time tour manager. Oh, he is?

Yeah. He moved over to T.M. So he's... Okay. I didn't realize that was the guy. Yeah. So shout out Mr. Pat. He looks like a mix of like Abraham, Lincoln, and Jesus.

You can't miss him. Holy shit. And he's like tall and skinny, but he's coolest dude and he's a great... Wait, wait. If he's... So he's what, like perfectly 5, 10 then? Because Abraham Lincoln was super tall and Jesus was like 4 foot 8, I think. So like...

Was Jesus that small? He must have been. He's like from... Black men. I mean... Yeah, yeah. Yeah. I don't know.

I'd have to measure him, but he's definitely a little taller than me and I'm like 5-10, so. Yeah. Yeah, that part of the world is not really known for producing, like, power forwards. That's true. But, yeah, so we got Mr. Pat. And the guy who's driving us now is super cool, too. But for me, I do think about that and try to express gratitude for them driving us safely because I got a family now. So getting around safely actually matters.

So you like the two guys that have driven you so far. I do. So you heard it here first. Mike Ganser does not like women drivers. Okay. No, I'm kidding. I'm kidding. I'm going to have it.

I think, okay, I think that's, you know, I think that's, I think we've covered about everything here. Let everybody know about your show in December with Aqueus. Obviously, we got the Andy shows. Yeah. He'll be posting those two, but let's, let's, let's, let's, I'm going to give you a chance to pitch your Aequis show. I want you to sell these bitches out. Sure. I mean, I think, you know, coming back after a few years, um, there's a lot of excitement around the shows.

And I think it'll be a special moment to kind of share with the fan. to like have that first time walking back out on stage. And it's in our hometown too. And there's a lot of history there for us, of course. And that venue rocks. The venue rules, yeah. It's, we have a lot of our own kind of band's history there. We used to do runs there every year as kind of part of the end of touring, you know, runs.

But, but yeah, man, I think it's going to be a special thing. And I feel like, honestly, all of us have kind of developed musically, too. I think as your age, ideally, you work towards, you know, maybe being a bit more intentional with what you play and maybe leaving a bit more space. And just based on what we've been doing in, you know, in our private rehearsals, I'm pretty stoked to share it with the world, you know, and with our fans. And just to get a chance to do that again and kind of scratch that itch. I think it would be really cool. So I'm excited for people to come out. And I would encourage anybody to attend, of course.

But just for the record, you're in 80's band. AQUIS is not coming back full time. Right. You have a job. You're not trying to be self-employed again. Right. Yeah, yeah. To clear up the rumors.

Those are all true. You might have the most rumors about you in the music scene right now, but they're all like good. Yeah, I agree. Which is the right. That's a better place to be, I guess, than the alternative. Yeah, there's other rumors about other guys, but they're not nearly as good as he's, I want his band to come back, or is he going to join this other awesome band? How long is he going to be in this great band? So that's pretty nice, right?

It's amazing, yeah. Very lucky on it. I swear, you know, honestly, I think about it. I'm grateful for it. So you guys are getting ready to hit the road like tomorrow, right? Yeah, yeah. So we fly to Nashville tomorrow and then we're out for two weeks. And then it actually works out great because we're playing a festival up in my neck of the woods, like right outside of Buffalo.

So I'm for a second. And then-Modown? Is Mowdown back? Modown is back, but that already happened and we weren't on it this year. Okay. We are playing at Gorderland Festival. Okay. Which is like 20 minutes outside of Buffalo, but it's pretty big.

They've gotten it. So I think they pull about 20,000 and they have like bigger, like they, like they have Jack White this year. And they have, okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. The Pixies and Vampire Weekend. Like, it's a little more indie adjacent. But that's what's cool about Andy's band is like, you got, he can kind of do the jam.

He can go play Secret Dreams, but he can go play a festival like that too. Totally. Like, yeah, we're doing the revivalist cruise in November. Yeah, yeah. I'm stoked about that. And I think for me, that's been kind of fun to like. I think we're doing the pot on that, actually. Oh, really?

Yeah. That's awesome. I might bring my family out now. I have to host a game show again, I think. You're good at that, though. I guess, yeah. All right, man, is there anything else? I guess I have to ask you this.

Andy always makes people answer this. What do you want to be remembered by? Keep the brand going. Hmm. When it's all set and done, what do you want to be remembered by? I think ideally, hopefully, by making people, by having people

maybe have feeling respected or heard in my presence. Like if they, I want people to maybe have felt safe or connected like, you know, where they, how do I, how do I, how do I live without you? I love that song.

I feel like I'm not doing a good job describing what I mean. I think, I think the short answer is just kindness. you know, and kindness and presence. I would have hoped people would have remembered that, like, if I was communicating with them that I listened and heard them and made them feel respected. Wow, that's really, you're just like a good guy, huh?

I don't know. How's that like? That's a relative concept, right? Oh, very relative if you ask me, hopefully. All right, Mike. Thanks a lot, man. Good to see you, buddy. Thanks for doing that. Yeah, dude. I'll sure I'll see you soon.

Yeah, yeah. Later. Yeah, yeah. Have a good one, bro.