Andy Frasco's World Saving Podcast - Our boy Taz is all grown up! Stories from Yale, the road with Jon Batiste, and more!

Episode Date: October 28, 2025

Taz Niederauer joins the podcast this week! We have a really great conversation that touches on his time at Yale, touring with Jon Batiste, becoming a songwriter, and more. Here are some of the highlights: New Haven Pizza Yale secret societies Growing up on the road and fitting in with his own generation Becoming a songwriter and finding your own sound Andy's love life - Taz's advice Going shirtless NBA basketball Andy's newest embarassing tour story 👉 Subscribe for new episodes every Tuesday 📲 Follow Andy on Instagram and TikTok: @andyfrasco and @worldsavingpodcast Call and leave us a message and we might respond to you on the show: [phone] The World Saving Podcast is part comedy podcast, part music podcast — with raw musician interviews, funny podcast clips, and highlights from Andy’s adventures on the road. Each week features musicians, comedians, athletes, or everyday legends. Watch this episode now on Volume.com & YouTube. If you like this podcast and want more, sign up for OnlyFrasco exclusively on Volume.com. They also have tons of live streams, concert recordings, and unique artist experiences. For all things Frasco, go to: AndyFrasco.com

Wow. And we're back. We're back again. Andy Frasca's World Saving Podcast. I'm Andy Frasco. This is Nick Gerlock. Hi, Nick. Hi, hello.

How are you? You doing good? You feeling good? I feel pretty good. I'm a little tired. I'm tired today. Yeah, me too. I need a rest.

Are you going to watch a movie? Tonight I might gain respite in my chambers. I don't know. We'll see. I might watch a movie. I might watch that new Ed Gein thing. Yeah, it looks good. I'm ready for one about the BTK Killer, though.

That's my favorite. What's that? He's that guy in Kansas that killed all those He killed a bunch of people randomly and would send notes to the cops Then they caught him like 30 years ago

He resurfaced Really? He got caught, you know how he got caught? He fucked up. He's a boomer So he didn't understand like internet stuff

Or like computer stuff Hey, your phone's playing Backstreet Boys Yeah, I did that on purpose Don't you want to listen to Backstreet Boys? God,

I can't listen to Back Street Boys My own fucking podcast anymore, man. Fucking producer's ass So anyway, he was sending things on a disc to them in the mail, and he didn't know that, like, it would tag, like, who he was and, like, where he was.

Yeah. And they caught him, and he was, like, a church elder. Wow. Yeah, I think he's either, he might still be in prison. He was, like, a normal dad with, like, kids, and then also was going around tying people up and killing entire families and stuff. What? Yes, BTK, look it up.

So how would he get rid of the bodies? He wouldn't. He would leave him in their house, and they couldn't catch him. This is, like, the 70s, so they didn't have all the... Yeah. All the stuff. Wow. And then the internet got them.

Not the internet exactly, but technology. Yeah. Wow. Isn't that crazy? That is crazy. He resurfaced. He, like, went away for 20 years and they thought they were never going to catch him, and he fucked up and resurfaced.

If you're going to kill someone, how would you kill him? I wouldn't kill anybody. Wink. You got that serial killer mentality. I know you have something in you. I need to blend into society better if I'm going to become a serial killer, though. I think it's too obvious. But me, if I had to do it

I can never kill someone I don't think I would use weapons I mean the more stuff you use The more likely you're... Am I trying to not get caught? Yeah No weapons No weapon, no gun for sure

Is you use your hands Probably just have to strangle people to death man It's going to go crazy You gotta be struck How'd you stare at me I don't know who yet I don't know how I'm going to do it to But someday I'm going to strangle someone

The light's going to leave their eyes I'm going to see it happen Why am I kind of like getting the chill But also turned on That's Cialis doesn't warn off yet See all this Light leave their eyes How funny

We got Taz on the show tonight Taz man How funny I asked him if he took a Viagra I was like what the hell does he need a Viagra He's fucking Oh my God I'm so old

The testosterone coursing through that man's veins Oh He's 22 He's 22 years old I was thinking about this So what year was he born? After 9-11 After 9-11?

22? No. Yeah. It happened in 2001 24 years ago. Wow. I think about like... Imagine being born post-9-11, man. I mean, you're going to hear Taz's story what he's been up to.

I know he's... A lot. He went to... He graduated from Yale. Yaleigh. And then not even in music, in economic.

What the hell is he going to do with a music degree? Yeah, he's a prodigy. He already, what are they going to show him? Yeah, he's young goat. I mean, he's... That's kind of way smarter than not going to school for music. You know the story of Taz. What do you mean?

You know, he was like a child prodigant. Yeah, yeah, I know about it. You know the Colonel Bruce story? Yeah, he was on stage. And he kind of passed the torch to him. Yeah. Then he's like, nah, man, I'm going to Yale. My econ degree, man.

That will help him in his career, just managing... Man, he's had so many amazing mentors. This is why Tad is a really good kid. He's not going to need a business manager. He's going to be able to do it himself. I know. He's so smart. Check down to P&Ls.

He's got a good head on his shoulders. Yeah. He has great parents. His dad was an amazing dad. And he managed him on the week, because he had his own job. And on the weekends... He had a Ford Yale somehow. Yeah.

And then on the weekends, he'd take Taz to the... the fucking gigs. Damn, his mom was cool, too. And then he, um, had Colonel Bruce, and he had, now he's John Baptiste.

That's crazy. So I think it's just Batiste, no pee. Oh, Batiste? Yeah. I fucked that up. I'm sorry. I think people do that,

the constant. Batiste. Yeah, Batiste. Remember he used to be... That guy is so cool. Now he's in, uh, John's band. Yeah, he used to be Colbert's guy.

I don't know. He quit. He quit? He quit doing the Colbert show a while, like maybe a year ago. We got famous. That record blew up Yeah he's kind of trying to do this man

Most of the band stayed though Louis Cato you know who that is He's kind of James Cato's cool He's the MD of that show now Oh really? He took his job Should we listen to Backstreet Boys again? I love We still have a chance to go to the sphere

If you want to go They're done at the sphere aren't they No they got one more month If they had Wicked now or some shit No Wizard of Oz That'd be a fun date night I want it that way Tell me why

Ain't nothing but I love that heartache Tell me why Yeah I think Wait on was Taz born After the Baxter boys Of course The Baxter boys are pre 9-11

Oh shit You think he knows about the Baxtery boys Yeah they're pretty big man What were you fucking doing at 22 He's 22 years old I was in college I was finishing college I was trying to just figure a life out for myself Yeah

I was pretty lost at 22 actually What were you doing at 22 years old, Jack? I had like no purpose and no direction when I was 22. 22 is working at a Sam Ash. My life kind of sucked. My life didn't get good until I was like 35. Really? I, uh, 22.

Oh, we was just the party years. Yeah, I was partying. I was working a shitty job. Yeah. Trying to get any music job by good. That was when we were doing 200 plus shows. I should have just moved to Denver, like, right? away. I'd probably be king by now.

During that time, it was still building. Yeah, you're right, you're right, you're right. Now, you're right. You're right, you're right. I just went on the road, then I went on the road a bunch when I was like in my mid-20s, and then I did cossey sweater, and then that failed. Delayed. You know what I wanted to do? Hey, at least it failed. At least I didn't. You know what I wanted to do live?

What? Is like, pretend like we're doing. a podcast, like a live podcast somewhere. And one at a time I bring a band member of Cosby Sweater. There's only three of us. I know, but like, and then you'd have to do your reunion show. A forced reunion show on the podcast.

You get 15%. It's like a 15%. Yeah, I remember all the songs, man. Taz, what a great kid. You're going to love this interview. Really good-looking guy. Yeah, we asked him why he's been taking off his shirt. He's like, because I'm young, man, I look good.

I would too if I looked like that with my shirt off. I mean, you take your shirt off all the time. I don't look good. You did it a lot over the weekend, actually. Why do I do that? I'm a 37-year-old man. It's not like I have like a body, you know? No, you're like the dad's childless friend of the kid's birthday party.

I had to won too many beers, hitting on the nanny. Hey, you guys party? Hey, I'm eight. Well, you will party. It's in your jeans. You gotta start now. You gotta start now. These are my jeans.

I've been wearing them for six days. Yeah. Do you wash your jeans? Kids don't drink anymore, party. Do you wash jeans? Hell yeah. You're not supposed to wash them every time you wear them, I don't think. That's why they're all faded.

Really? It takes away the integrity and charm of them. Oh, fuck. Do you wash them on cold? No, on warm. God damn it. Why do I have more life skills than you? I'm literally autistic.

I love doing laundry. It's my favorite thing to do. You do? You have a nice... It does feel good when it's all clean and you're... And you're holding a warm towel? No, wash that on cold, bro. You ever put your dick on a warm towel?

I'm sure. I have. I'm not like... It's a fetish or something. No, like, say like you take a towel out of the dryer. Like, get out of the shower. And, like, all of something... The dryer's, like, already done.

They're, like, just got done. Yeah. And you just, like, walk naked to the laundry room. And you pull the towel out out of the dryer. And put it right on. And put it right on. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, you're getting on the shower.

It's the best. It's like a sauna. That's beautiful. It's Christ-like. Christ-like. Anyway, enjoy Tass. I love the hard cut. Wow.

There he is. There he is. The young man we call Tazawan. Tazawan? I don't know, man. He might be the educator now. Taz, amazing guitar pair, prodigy, songwriter now. Economic genius.

Economic genius. And that's my, we've known Taz forever. And it's nice to see this man grow up into a young adult. Only thing he's not getting better at is fantasy basketball. Oh, yeah. Your teams are always track. What's going on? What's going on with that?

Look, Andy's not accepting my trade, so I don't know what to do. No, you send me trash traits. Yeah, you're the king of the head's true. You're the king of that's true. You're the king of that. And then you're like, then you gaslight the fucking trade. I actually haven't, I haven't sent a trade in years, but that's just still the reputation I have. Oh, my God.

That's the first impression. You gaslighted the trade, too. Like, oh, my God. Oh, you're really going to give me that? Yeah. You just gave me trash, Taz. I respect it, actually. I'm a hustle.

bro as a fantasy guy myself tas how we doing buddy I'm chilling man we out here at Clearwater Florida right now I'm on tour happy to be talking to you

you know before we talk about what's going on to your life right now and you're showing off all your abs on every Instagram video

my man is looking he's got that sex appeal he's got that planet fitness membership he's got that planet fitness membership hey I do have a planet fitness membership that's where I'm going right after the little really

Well, it's good when you're in the road. Because they're everywhere, right? Right. Yeah. Literally everywhere. And she, yeah. Before we talk about, I want to talk about the college years. There's a great story at Taz.

He went to Yale, but he didn't study music. He studied economics, which I think is so pure because he did it for the right reasons. And I believe it's because your mom wanted you to graduate with the economics career. Well, tell me a little bit of why you. chose Yale and why he chose economics. Yeah, well, I've always wanted to go to Yale ever since I was younger. Before I could play guitar

even. Really? I've always wanted, yeah. I've always wanted to study because, oh, I mean, like, it's just like you go to school and it's like Harvard, Yale, Princeton, like Cambridge, or sorry, Oxford,

like, it's just what they portray to you as like the top. Like, I'm competitive, so I wanted to do it. Oh, nice. And I always wanted to study business because of my dad who studied business, but they don't have a business program at Yale, so economics was the closest thing. And I actually love it. I grew to like it.

But then I started playing music when I was eight, and it became my, like, one and only love. Everything else was thrown out. My mom was like, if you want to play music, you've got to get straight A's. So I kind of always did. And then when the opportunity presented itself, to apply it for colleges my mom was like why don't you just throwing out of Yale just to see what happens I was like that's not going to work and then it did and I graduated and I owe it to her so how much is Yale a lot you can look it up did you get a little money though you get a little money

you get a scholarship it's it's need based and like I have income and my parents make enough money to where they felt like we didn't need it so I paid full price for it damn my fucking guy. Talk about economics. Talk about economics. So is the economy crashing right now? So yeah, tell what's the state of the economy as an economic major? The state of the economy is, man, I just play music again at all that. Great answer. Great answer. Great answer. President Niederauer. What about your brother? Did he go to Yale, too? Where did he go to school? My brother has a full ride to law school right now at Hofstra in New York. He's at Hofstra?

Yeah, he's in Hofstra. And people don't realize his brother is an amazing bass player. Yeah, he's amazing, yeah. Okay, so. A lot of questions. They got that Almond Brother band together. Were there a lot of rich white Republican women after you, Taz, at Yale? No, I mean, not at all.

Yale's pretty chill They're not Republicans Their dads are Oh yeah Yeah yeah I mean There's not many Republicans There either

But I'm also in a committed Relationship With a girl that I met at Yale Really? Ooh Yeah Taz Tell me about this love life

You got going on It's amazing I'm gonna keep most of it private But if you look harder If you can You can find it But yeah I met her my senior year

We've been going strong It's been amazing Taz Look at him Is she an economics major, too? No, she's actually in the nursing school. Oh, good. She'll always have a job.

What was the wealthiest thing you saw at Yale at a party, something? Did you see some, like, billionaire kids? You go to a billionaire kids party or something? Do you see any of that stuff out there? The wealthiest thing? Yeah. That's a great question. It's just like kids' last names that you'll recognize in class.

Like a DuPont or something? Like from the news? like like akin to that akin to like the news like multiple last names that you've heard forever are just like sitting at studio a class and they're like oh my god are they nice are they pieces of shit or like where they

they're usually really nice and like some of them had bodyguards but like what I mean you could tell that you could tell that if you said the wrong thing you could probably get shot so oh my god I just like you know you just chill everybody just has to be chill man

yeah yeah What about the pizza in New Haven? Is that real? Yeah, is that real? It's the greatest piece of the world. Whoa. I have to say. And you're from New York, too.

I'm from New York, and I'll tell you that New Haven pizza is the pizza capital of the world. Whoa. Damn, how are you going to tell your people that? How are you going to go back to New York saying this madness? Look, I try to be objective. Though New York, I mean, nothing really beats Prince Street pizza for me. Yeah. But it's, I mean, Prince Street is the best.

I don't know. That one street. New Haven is just, it's loaded back. Yeah, that New Haven pizza is, why are they called a pizza? Oh, no. It's like the style, I don't know. Yeah, it's really good. Marketing, probably.

So he's got a girlfriend. How long pizza. When you're going through your economics degree, were you ever having like some existential crisis of why am I doing this when I am a prodigy at the fucking guitar? No, not really. Um, that's a good question, though. Like, there was definitely, maybe there was a little part of me that was like, oh, like, I wish I was touring right now when I was there. But I was doing enough shows anyway, like on the weekends whenever I want to. We did a show actually while I was there.

But also, like, I have other, we're all interested in other things. Right. Yeah. Andy occasionally likes to get beat on the basketball court, as we know. Jesus Christ. So, you know, I just. Stupid ass. My interest isn't, you know, getting cooked on the core of mine is, you know, economics as well.

Yeah. So, yeah, we all, we all have our other interests and outlets to get away from this, you know, BS. Was it kind of nice to have, like, a little, like, a break, too, like, from all that touring? And then now you go back and you're, like, have completed this other thing. So you feel fulfilled in that, too. Not for sure. Yeah. Yeah, it's as crazy as I remember it.

I also was not ready to go on the road at 18. No. At all. Not at all. I needed to learn how to fit in society. And, like, through playing as a young kid, I'd spent more time with adults than I did kids. So I had to learn how to, like, fit into my own generation.

It was really weird for the first, you know, a few months. I didn't even think about it. You were around 45-year-old. Yeah, you're hanging out with 45-year-old men, blues guitar men, up and sober for 10 years. I'm literally, like, I have vivid memories of being 11, like, not on the playground, but in the back of, like, DBA watching a certain musician

roll up a blunt or something. That is so funny. Nothing scared him at those Yale parties. Yeah. Do you regret not having a childhood? No, I had a great child. Just like, no, like you're talking about like getting to know, readjusting with like people your age.

Yeah. That's a good question. I always was doing what I wanted to do. do like i've always wanted to play music yeah so i don't regret the sacrifices that i made maybe like not hang out with friends as much so to people right or doing as much kids stuff you know what i realized too is uh you're probably when you turned 18 you're probably burnt out i mean you're like gigging every weekend and you're like fucking not having like a you just be going to school and then on the weekend you'd be gigging going back to school and you didn't

really have time to like go fucking um learn how to uh learn how to make a jump shot or something you know yeah that's it's funny we'll see what happens when we hit the court next time no but you know you know what i'm saying taz do you feel like right like 18 where you're getting burnt out of the whole music scene like it was kind of nice to like have a refresher like nick said i was absolutely burnt out yeah what were you burnt out it was nice to Just like all the travel, having to do school at the same time. And it was nice to, you know, have a normal college experience, semi-normal because, you know, it's an Ivy League. It's not like your average college.

But it was nice to, like, just fit in. Yeah. It was great. That's awesome. Like be able to make mistakes out of the public eye. That was the main thing. Yeah. It's like, oh, thank God I didn't do this.

Like, you know, like freshman year stuff. oh my god like van wilder like the opposite of you basically yeah i yeah i didn't go to school and just became a degenerate tas went to school and became a real adult a yale economist a yale economist is that skull and bones thing real it is real what is that it's like a secret society at yale that like george bush was in and all these people yeah um in your senior year if you get tapped by one Um, you join a secret society and like, it's, it's based, it's kind of, most of them are just frats for seniors. Wait.

I actually was in one. What? Yeah. The scary one from the movie? No, no, no. I wasn't in, I was in a newly formed one. Oh, okay. That was formed that year.

Well, like dead poet society style. No, it's like former presidents. There's like one specific one that like former presidents have been in. I'm like, it's like a Luminati level almost. Or like that's what they say. That's what that's called Scombonbonbonne. That's what they say. it is like what are they like drinking child's blood shit no one knows you can't get in there unless

you're in it what'd you see in there what'd you see in there tass i never went in the skull and bones building but it has no windows on it so you can imagine what's going on in there damn what the fuck yeah they're college kids and no windows you can look it up it's real it's real yeah okay george bush was definitely in it yeah yeah so when did you start like deciding you want to be a songwriter versus just a guitar player? Yeah, I was probably around 16 and was contemplating what mark I wanted to leave on the world, and I realized that all my favorite artists were album artists and had songs that I could recognize.

So I started writing songs, and I would go out to L.A. and work with my producer, nephew, on all my breaks we've been working for years and years trying to find my sound oh my god and now we're finally putting this stuff out so it's been awesome what how many songs did you write until you feel like you feel like you found your sound like infinite really i mean i've literally i mean you know me like i know you're crazy we've been playing we've been playing in the same jam scene for so long like which already absorbed so many styles so i'm a fan of everything so like to find like one sound that was just me that i could market and be proud of was really hard yeah so how uh sorry no no worries keep going with that thought like what was your thought process of what you wanted to

sound like um i wanted to pay tribute to all the genres that i love but have a nucleus that represents like my generation and the music that we grew up listening to so that I could grow with you know my generation my audience holy shit do you find it because you're so gifted at guitar do you find it hard to write guitar parts because you don't really have a lot of limitations so like it's it hard for you to write something hooky for a song or does it still come easy uh it definitely started really difficult and that was the main like focal point of being in the studio

and like learning how to write parts and not just solo over everything that took literally years and I'm finally at a place where I feel like I could write a good hook. It's like you kind of have to forget all of the skills that you've learned and just write something that people could

write a guitar line that people could sing. Yeah. What about writing a vocal melody that people could hum? How long did that take you? Yeah. I mean, I'm definitely way more limited in my vocal range than I am

with like on the fretboard so that was easier because like I'm not over here doing you know Siza Kalani runs so I don't have that in my I don't have that in my bag like so that that was easier that makes sense like limitations build character basically Tad I need I know we're talking

about music but I need to go back to this skull and crossbows thing I was like what the hell we talk my music for I was like what do you think we'll go back to the music you're a fucking genius and I can't wait to dive into the actual discography your new record. But we have Illuminati you're talking about. We got Illuminati to talk about.

Taz, what do you think was going down in that building? Mostly what I've heard, I have no friends that are in that society, so I couldn't tell you. I heard it was mostly debating going on. Yeah, right. My society, along with the majority, would throw mixers and mix with other societies. and then like hang out like once or twice a week and do whatever we want it like it wasn't

super academic but that one I heard it's super academic I don't I really don't know anything about it because I don't have any friends there do you live in the building like a frat or do you no we most of us don't okay I don't think any of them do actually interesting so I don't think they live there I think they just convene and do whatever skull and bold and z stuff they want to do I don't know what it is. Skull and bones. This is crazy. Why is he called skull and bones?

A lot of questions. If you're trying to be a secret society that's not trying to look scary, I don't think skull and bones is the best name for it. With no windows. Right. Yeah. They should have called it like the happy house or something. That's scarier.

You're right. Taz, another question before we go back into the music. Do you think when you gone to college, because you saw so many people partying as a kid that it made, did you not really want to do that when you're in college? I was definitely used to it. Party didn't really appeal to me as much as all of my peers. Yeah.

But, you know, I still wanted to have the college experience and have fun. So I just hadn't. I already knew where, like, by tolerance point was, while other people were, like, getting ambulance out of Toad's place. Really? Oh, yeah. Yeah. They literally have cops and ambulances parked on nearby streets,

like towards the beginning of the year because they know all the freshmen are going to go to Toad's Place and overdo and, you know, get way too hammered and have to go to the hospital. Damn. Are you serious? You ever played Toad's Place? No.

It's pretty wild there. What about... I remember we used to sneak you beers when you're 18 years old. Who? I'm saying this to the FBI. But even then He'd only have one or two beers Yeah, he's a good kid

He's got a grades to get So when did you always feel like you're an old soul Like how Like when you came out of the When you first had first memories Did you always felt like you were older? I did But I feel like over time

I've gotten younger Like my taste have changed From only liking blues When I was really young and like jazz to now I'm listening to rap like in my leisure time. Yeah. Like, or maybe it's just

broad, like my horizons have brought into a little bit. Well, like you said, you had to take a step back and actually be a young man, you know? Like you were growing up so fast that some people forget to pump the brakes

and actually be a kid. And I think what I respect about you is you went to college, you got to that experience. Yeah. And you fucking didn't forget that you're still fucking 19, 20, 21, 22. You know what I'm saying? Yeah.

Yeah. And like, it did tremendous things for my mental health. I'm more confident now than I was then. And also, if I had popped off at like 16, I'd be playing a completely different type of music than I am now. Right. Like, would I have liked that? I don't know.

Yeah. You don't want to blow up in your 16. And they all turn out and suffer. They all turn like drug addicts and shit. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. by by 24 yeah um

it's kind of true though it's kind of true they say you are the age forever you are when you get famous yeah yeah what was the first song you wrote in college what was the first song you really love that you wrote in college um running after you again which is the last song

that I just put out what why do you love it so much I just feel like the hook is as infectious as I'd wanted to write. Like, I'd wanted to write a hook that was that catchy for that long, for so long. And it was hard for me at first, like, juggling, like, do I want to write a song that could be better for playing guitar and jamming on? Or, like, do I want to write a really good song? And, like, I feel like that point was where I finally realized that the most important thing is the song. So what's more important to you, the hook or the words?

Hmm. I think they're equally as important because I can't tell you how many good melodies are out there that the words are just, I feel like the words are holding them back. Yeah. Or vice versa. Yeah. What do you think? I agree. I think the hook is just important, but there's got to be some, if you want it to be a timeless

song, there's got to be some meat on the bones. It's like a meal to some of its ingredients. But it also can't be too fairy taley with the words. I think like the timeless songs like come together. Yeah, yeah. You don't want a girl boss too close to the sun. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But also there's some like, you know, like Zeppelin was good at that.

Yeah, but they're also. Like, there's also, there's geniuses sometimes. Stevie Wonder, for example. Yeah, Stevie was really good at that. He has some pretty, like, thick lyrics, but also it's Stevie Wonder playing piano under. I don't know, it's like... Kendrick's really good at that. Yeah.

Yeah. I think it's, like, another thing that I had to learn, which is manifested through words, is being vulnerable in the studio. That was really hard for me. Yeah. Like, growing up in New York, it's like, keep your guard up and, like, don't trust anybody. Yeah. I was literally told by my parents, like, the,

only person you'll ever be able to trust your brother like so i'm going in the studio like garden my feelings and like it took me a while to be able to trust like my producer and trust that you know it's okay to be vulnerable yeah and stuff like that how long did it take you to be vulnerable with your girlfriend um pretty quickly because she's amazing but god he's in love i bet she's really cool absolutely but that's like a synonymous do you guys live together no not right now

I mean we've only been together for like eight eight months let's go he's on the road all the time too puppy love I know can we trade wives I want to trade lives with it I know Taz you

it seems like you're finding yourself are you happy with it I'm extremely happy. I'm the happiest I ever going right now. Wow. Because of this podcast. Thank you. I'm glad.

I'm glad you're on. You love your bands, don't you? You really love your bands. If you really want to love your bands and you really love your bands, I want to support them the real way, head to volume.com and subscribe. Volume.com. Yes.

This is the best live stream company in the business. Get your bands paid. You can subscribe for five bucks a month. The shows are super quality. They have great cameras, great audio, backstage footage, extra live streams. You want to get closer to the artist too? Where you get to meet us. Like, I'm doing Monday morning motivations where we could all have coffee together

and talk about how we're going to achieve and attack the week. So this is how you can support your favorite artists. Head over to volume.com and let's get personal. So tell me about your tour with John Baptiste. Yeah. The tour of us is right outside our window. It's my first time on a tour bus. Give us the dirt.

How'd you get the gig and how? Because I didn't even know you had that gig until. I didn't either. It just popped up. It just popped up. You don't brag in the group chat. Yeah, you don't brag enough in the hill. Jack brags more than you.

Yeah, Jack brags about you. Of course. I mean, Jack is like my aunt. Like, that's my, that's big bro. He is a good guy. I just saw him a couple, maybe a month ago. he's yeah he's he's he's good with the ladies he's got like two girlfriends yeah at the same time and they're both on like that i love that uh but let's talk let's talk about you have got zero

girlfriends i got zero girlfriends i'm like yep yep fish either have two or zero what's going on what's what's going on in your love life that's what i want to know that's what i uh uncle andy is realized that step dad and yeah step dad andy dad is realized that um you know, I'm just obsessed with work right now, man. I mean, but also I'm like, almost, I'm 37, so I got a, I got a, it's over, you know, it's just, we gave him a Viking funeral. I don't know, I don't know who to pick, Taz, that's, that's my problem. Hey, hey, uh, Gerlock, you ever go on a two-man with him?

Hell no. He never, I try to go on a date with him. He never even brings his girlfriend on. I don't bring my girlfriend around Andy Frasco, I know better. I understood Any advice for me, Taz About how to Give a woman your heart

You gotta take a chance man It's scary But nothing good ever comes easy And as soon as I realized that I met her so Holy shit Something better than nothing Taz you're just like

That's his lyric It's fucking amazing I follow him on TikTok so I know his songs. What? So what does that? So your new marketing campaign, you're shirtless a lot. Tell me about that.

Tell me about that. You know, COVID, I hit the gym. I haven't stopped, really. Yeah. That's really. And like, I'm a pretty flashy guy. And, like, as soon as I felt comfortable with wearing clothing that accentuated my body, I did.

And I, like, that's what I'm doing. It's like being at the beach. you just take a shirt off, you know. You take a real rock star. Yeah, so much cooler the both of us combined. What did John Baptiste teach you about music and songwriting? That's a great question. Because every single night we play, and we play mostly the same songs, and it's never stale.

And I've realized that you can't ever lose sight of the feeling and the moment and the message that you're trying to convey, is way more important than the lyrics or the music that you're repeating night to night. And that's why, like, every single show we play, I'm putting my blood, sweat, and tears into it. Because I'm watching him do the same thing. Yeah. He's a great leader. So, yeah, and it's akin to what Colonel Bruce used to tell me all the time. It's just like, the intention is the most important thing.

Hmm. Exactly. Do you think John is as much of a mentor as Colonel Bruce was? Yeah, less with words because, I mean, this is a big camp, so he's always distracted with, you know, some work that he has to do or some meeting he has to have. But in terms of like a musical mentor, absolutely 100%. How did you get the gig? I've known John for over a decade. I think I think the story goes that our moms met on a plane or something like that.

and through that I like my parents champion the message that you know I should sit in with him like when he was before the Colbert show or anything he was playing at the blue note back the day and it happened and I we just kept in contact and then once I got old enough to start playing gigs with him he started calling me and somehow I'm still here so what about that you were in the band for that Saturday Night Live movie and it had that work. It was like a live score that you recorded as they were film on the show. That was so fascinating how they did the band.

Can you go into that a little bit? That was crazy. So we were actually we recorded that whole thing over a week like all of our scenes and like the scores

that went with those scenes and it was between two Coachella weekends. Holy shit. That we also played. So it was the craziest week of my life and I was backstage like between scenes

getting my work done. You can even ask them. It was kind of hilarious. Hold on. You're doing homework. Because I was still in school. Yale, Coachella and movies. And Ivan Reitman movies. Taz. And the funniest part, the funniest part is when I got into Yale, my academic advisor was like, so you can't tour, you know that, right? And I was like, yeah, yeah, for sure. I'm not going to.

Yeah, right. Here I am, like, barely getting my assignments in on time, working until like five in the morning. But you did get them in time. Yeah, I did. But, like, Like, I was out of school for probably, like, three weeks. So did they do that you're, like, you're, like, kind of a big deal? Your, your academic advisors. I, they help me out a lot, I will say. What did they do?

But they, I mean, kept me on the straight and narrow and scared me. Really? Like. Interesting. Yeah. 100%. But to answer Girlax question, like, we would film the scene all day, and then we would score the scene after, like, score another scene after. So we were in the studio for like

14, 15 hours a day. Because some of it's live, right? It was crazy. Some of it was live. Or did they just make it look like that? It was We were recording to tape for some of it, I know. Okay, okay. It was live. Have you seen this movie?

I think digitally altered. Yeah, hold on. Tass, hold on. You guys would you guys would film the thing or did you have an edit already before you made the score? You're live scoring it while you're filming it. while you're filming it?

No, no, no, no. We would film a scene. Yeah. And then they would have an edit for a different scene and we would play along to that. Oh, I get it. Oh.

But it's still tight, dude. He's in the movie a lot. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. But that's still tight that they're doing it while it's fresh. I like that movie a lot. That was a really good film. Yeah, yeah.

A lot of people wait to do the score until like the final edit. Yeah, that's kind of like why it works. Do you like that process? It was crazy. It was so. so much fun, so much fun. Kind of cool, because that's how they make Saturday Live, too.

So it's, like, fits the whole thing. And also just being a fly on the wall for fucking John's genius fucking brain. Like, okay, we got to get this. Give me a story of like, what if it's like the sixth scene? You got like nothing left in the tank and then magic pops out? You got a story like that? John's always elevating the room and like making jokes and doing stuff to keep us, keep our energy levels high

and keep them more out in the room high. So we were always just having fun. And I think he was he was literally just like pointing at people and being like play, play. And like taking whatever random bits he could and making art out of it. It was really sick.

You ever see him crash out? I'm kind of like, fuck this. I've never seen crash out. He seems really nice. Yeah. He seems so good. I've never seen him crash out. He's always looking off into space

with a smile on his face, man. I would be too if I heard all the stuff he heard. Taz, you realize... Andy, what was the last time you crashed out? Two hours ago. In sleep. During a dream. I crash out.

I don't crash. I internally crash out. But I'm also kind of passive-aggressive. Yeah, you could say that. Shut the fuck. I like being passive-aggressive about you being passive-aggressive. Well, also, yeah, and I work 24 hours a day, you know, Taz. That's what I do.

You know that. I feel you. I feel you. When's the last time you crashed out? I can't even remember, which is a great thing. I definitely had, like, probably the last time I crashed out was before whatever the last exam I took was before I graduated in May. That was probably the last time I crashed out. What exam was it?

Every single, it was my personal finance. final. Holy shit. And that class was that class was really hard, but I got an A in it, so play that play that soundboard. Give me the, let's fucking go.

That might not be more. Honestly, like, that'll be more valuable for your career than music theory class. Speaking of personal finance, are you doing good? Do you have money saved in the bank, or do you like spending your money?

I have money saved, invested. My dad's a really good investor, so he's helpful. your dad is a goat dude remember when he was managing you yeah I do that was a funny time is he still managing you he's he's helping out where help needs

like he's coming on the road with my bad and we're going on okay what did your dad but it sorry what were you saying what's the best advice your dad ever gave you best advice my dad gave you great question

and then the worst just do whatever I do whatever I want to do like right if he and if my parents had an insult to me that I could do literally whatever I wanted

as long as I put my mind to it and I'm not hurting anybody else then none of this would be possible right but like literally so you actually wanted to major in economics I did

yeah see that's that was the one thing I was questioning like did he do it for his mom or dad or did he do it for himself and I realized did it for yourself dude i did it mainly for myself and like i knew they were going to be happier if i did so yeah but they were also right yeah so it it definitely like broadened my mind like

nobody likes a dumb musician right no that's true yeah taz you know all all bullshiting aside i just want to know i'm really proud of you man and i think you're a good kid and uh i'm just It's so happy to see you flourish and happy to see you laugh and happy to see you test yourself and keep taking risks and stuff. And, like, as a proud bro, because, you know, we've all been talking forever since you're fucking 16 or 15. We've been in the same fucking fantasy basketball group forever. Yeah.

And to watch you. I'm never leaving either. No. I have two rings. Even if, yeah, by the way, Jaylon Brunson ain't going to do shit this year. I hope you know that, right? You know that, right? Yeah, I mean, LeBron ain't doing anything either.

You saw the decision. Yeah, but he's 40. Yeah, he's 40. Dude, get me some of that Hennessy for this interview. That's what we should have done. We should have partnered with LeBron. LeBron. But, like, for real, Tats, I'm really proud of you.

And, like, now you're turning it, you're turning the leaf into a real songwriter. I just can't wait to see what the path takes you. It's going to be awesome. I appreciate that, man. What about your brother? Is he jealous of you? no he's part of my team i need i need him sure he's the only person who's like not afraid to tell me like yo like you're shit what he's still your old brother trash bro you know no matter how

famous you get he'll always be your older brother yeah he's like yo like you might have played a Coachella but like i could still like back you down in the paint and like that's really all i need i still have a law degree i'm still your lawyer Your parents raised some nice boys. Yeah, but good boys. Good boys. Very tall boys, too. What do you love most about your mom?

My mom is a warrior. She slummed it out to get to where she is. She's an immigrant from St. Louisville. I grew up with nothing, literally nothing. Like, didn't even have plumbing in her house, no running. water nothing and uh had to come here on her own figure it out and then my dad and now they're doing great but it's all because of their perseverance and her perseverance right so that's part of the reason why like she's my biggest role model because it's like i know i can do whatever

i put my mind to because she already did it and like nothing i ever achieve will be bigger than what she has wow wow well you're one of her achievements though so you're yeah exactly you got to factor that in yeah you were one of her pride achievements look at you man no one loves me in the world more than she does you're her second favorite son likes what she told me she i'm no i'm her faith i'm by far her favorite it makes my brother really that's where the jealousy comes in your mom likes you more than them mother my mom my mom likes me more but my dad likes my brother more it's fueled a lot of arguments how far apart you guys in age you're pretty close right three years okay yeah because you're

Your dad had to manage your ass with your fucking 15, you know? Yeah, and he's the firstborn son, like, you know, I don't blame him. Yeah, he's a golden time. If every parent has a favorite, and if they're not, if they say no, then they're lying, which they should lie. Is your brother on this tour, too? He's not on the John Batiste store. So is it weird not playing with him? Yeah.

It's weird not, like, fighting with him shadowboxing in a Bucky's parking lot. Shadow Boxing. That's the weirdest part. Because, like, I literally went to Buckees the other day, and my last memory from Buckees was wrestling with him in Buckees and my dad being like, all right, like, break it up. Hey, knock it on. We can't be doing this right now. You went to Yale, quit wrestling in the Buckees. We paid $70,000 for you now at the fucking shadow box in a Buccy.

Yeah, a year. It was more than that, too. Yeah. How much is it? Just a lot. Just look it up. It's online. I'm going to look it up right now.

It's probably... I can't even... I don't even want the words to leave my mouth. He could have bought a house in Indiana. He could have easily bought a four-bedroom house in Indiana. Oh my God. Housing, food, and fees. $90,000 a year.

Damn. Oh, my God. You better clean your room every time you go back to your parents' house, Taz. I know. What's the similarities in studying, like, economics and music? like there's because there's a lot of theory in both so like did you feel like learning that economics sort of helped you in the music at all like just the thought process of it um yeah i mean it's it's a grind just like music is you've got to put in the work but economics helped me realize that

everything in the world could be perfect if humans were rational but we're not so it leads to like all this BS we got going on and as soon as I realize that it's like of course I'm going to do whatever I want to do like why

like humans are crazy like yeah I can't abide by the rules as long as I'm not hurting anybody I'm just going to do what I want to do hell yeah He's brilliant. He's a Republican, though. Oh, you're Republican, yeah.

Just kidding. No, no, no, no. We don't need that in the world. We don't need that slander. Economics turned him into a conservative, alt-right, 22-year-old on tour. Definitely not. I'm not that at all.

I'm kidding. I got a question. What's the parallels between being the band and being on a basketball team? You got to know your role. Not everyone's going to be the star. like in this in miss ben i'm not the star john's a star i have to support him and of course he's going to pass me the ball and like expect me to do my job when yeah when when when it's my turn to dunk i'll dunk it but that only happens maybe once or twice a show sometimes never yeah and like

you've got to be okay with that if that's the job that you signed up for if not you got to find another team hello everyone it's adie frasco your local drunk we're here to support gardenista Gardenista, our sponsors. So I've been substantiating this from Jameson because I like the idea that there's ginger, lime juice, and green herbs in this. So I kind of feel healthy drink in this.

I mean, they got all these different ones. Like, I was kind of nervous about this bourbon cocktail. But it's bourbon whiskey, green herbs, lime juice, ginger, and jalapagia. Got a little spice to it. But you put some ice in it, and it's actually a cocktail. And like, I'm not really good at proportions.

So it's already made for you. Look at this. It's cute, too. You could be on your table. you're like oh look at you're sophisticated do you want pop off on your on your kitchen table or do you want something that's pretty gardenista

vodka cocktail grab it tell them frasco sent you tell me a tour story a crazy tour story that you haven't told in a while I want to hear I need some more all right I'm out of here oh my god I can't even oh

this weekend I accidentally took a Viagra. Seales, actually. Seales. And I was bricked up all day. Why? Somebody handed it to him, though. Someone handed to me, and I thought it was an Advil, and they gave me a Sealas.

And they were fucking with me. And then I woke up, and every three hours, I would just be bricked up at, like, the Starbucks or, like, taking a piss, I get bricked up, or fucking going to a, looking at, like, Wendy's a hot chicken sandwich, and all of a sudden it started getting bricked up. dude it was fucked up he tried to give the Wendy's logo his phone number

I tried to give the Wendy's logo like hey Wendy looking kind of like a snack right now man I know Wendy's

is a meal but Wendy herself looking like a snack yeah it was fucked up Taz dude shit was crazy dude

it was crazy you got a owner for long I know they were like a hundred bill I thought it was like one of those

horse pill Tylenol pills no nope if you hand him something he'll eat it guys so just you know

no drug Andy it's not about oh my God Dude, oh my God Was it someone in the band fucking with you? No. It was like one of the old crewmen of Humphreys McGee.

His brother. Yeah, it's like they're fucking with me. Damn, that's really bad. Yep. It was kind of cool that I could get hard again, though. See all this blood go to my dick. But it was... I'm just kidding.

I can get hard. Yeah, but... Kind of. It's passive aggressive. But it was kind of weird. It was kind of weird to just get bricked up during the day with that just like,

walking around. I don't know how people have that Viag. You ever take it to Viagga? You probably don't need it. He's 22 years old and he works out every day. I'm 22, man. I got... Viagher takes him, motherfucker. He's never been asked that question before.

Andy even gets passive-aggressive boners when he's not on Seattle. Seattle's blog on my penis. I'm just gaslighted. you, Nick, and you don't end up reason why you know I'm gaslighting because I'm just bricked up. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Why didn't he be so nice to me today?

Taz, I'll let you go, buddy. We love you. Everyone grabbed Taz's new record. Yeah. You're really proud of it, right, buddy? I am. Yeah, go grab it. Hit some lateral presses. And, uh, yeah, love you guys. I love you, buddy. Drafts gotta be coming up.

The drafts coming up. I'll hop on again and, you know, I'll hop on again in a few years and we'll see, you know, see what goes on. Yeah, I'll be texting you. your ass. I'm going to start giving you some dumbass trades for all the years that you're giving yeah. LeBron for Brunson. Prediction. Last prediction. NBA championship. West East. Yeah. Who are they going to be next year? Tazwan. East. East. East. East. I don't even I don't even know if it's going to be the next. I'm not going to say anyone else other than the next. I have a feeling.

The East is something my team. It's going to be the East. I think it's you're right. I think it's Cleveland Cavs. I think it's going to be my team this year. Cavs are going to do it. I can see it being Cleveland. We got Lonzo, bro. This is the only year where, like, Boston soccer be a factor for a while. Yeah, so nice.

Or what's going to happen is, or what's going to happen is they're going to make it, Cleveland is going to make it to the Eastern Conference Final. They're going to lose. Yeah. And then LeBron comes next year to save the day. If he doesn't retire. He'll do a minimum. Can Shane not like, can we just not have Shay?

win again? Like, you don't like Shay, huh? You got his aura. You know a shy guy? You're a nice Shay guy. Nah, like, it's the foulbating. And, like, he's a great player. Like, I respect him. Don't foul him then. Jalen Brunson is the same

motherfucker. Actually, Brentson's worse, actually. Yeah, but like, he's on my team so I don't care. Okay, fair enough. That's a good argument, actually. That's actually I respect that. That's loyalty. My thing with the foulbating is also like,

don't foul. Dude, Jalen Brunston is short. than you like can we give us slack no i don't think any i don't think i don't think any star basketball player like that's like six three can win a championship i know it's like pretty proven that if your best player's a point guard you really don't win the NBA championship unless for the detroit pistons in the early 90s oh isaiah thomas or what if you're like a six seven point guard magic johnson jason jason tato no he's not a point guard he's like a soft bitch. Hey, Lucas, like, 6-8.

Little point guard, I mean, like a little point guard, I mean, like a little, a guy under 6-3 can't be your best player, basically. What do you think the Lakers are going to do? They're going to be ass? Seventh in the West, maybe. I mean, DeAndre Aiton's your center, bro. He's made a finals before. With two good point guards. Yep. With Chris Paul. So he's got two good point guards.

Oh, my God. By the way, have you seen Chris Paul lately? Oh, yeah. Looking wash. He's got the unc walk going, dude. Have you seen it, Taz? He's got the unc wall. Have you seen Paul George? It's the same. thing yeah oh paul's you always looking ass to getting old yeah he's like i'm not retiring this year i'm getting 40 million dollars to hang out right can you match it the broad doesn't look old you

looks actually looks i mean not compared to them though like yeah who do you think who do you think's next of the young stars who i know how i think it is um who i think is gonna take the next step yeah i don't know i i would have probably said i mean Nah, Halberton's already there. I guess, like... He's hurt, though. I would love to see Paolo do something, just not to my team. Yeah, he's a beast, dude.

I love Powell. Just not to my team. It's good to see a guy that big be aggressive for once, and he can rebound. He's kind of got a little LeBron in him, actually. I think Eamon Thompson. Ooh, great defender. He's like a two-way guy, like a Jalen Brown.

Yeah, he's a dog. He's a stud. Yeah. Or what about the other guy from Houston? Seiguan or Seguin? Oh, Alfred Sanguing or whatever. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He's good. Alfredsingoon. Yeah, yeah.

That motherfuckeringoon. Houston's going to be good. Houston's going to be fucking good. They got a real coach, too. All right, Tatsy. Yeah, but they just lost Van Vlito. I know. Who cares about him?

He's fucking the fuck. He's old, too. I don't know. They might be able to do it. M.B. is going to be good this year. Yeah, it will be. All right, we'll see you at the draft, buddy. Have fun.

My last question for you before you go back on your tour bus. By the way, do you like being on a tour bus? it's fun? It's fun. It's just like it's hard to sleep. Yeah. But you know what you need to get? You need to get a memory foam.

Get a thick memory foam. So you could so you could kind of like bounce with it instead of like hitting that hard mattress. Are you? How tall are you? I'm 6.2, 6.3. So are you too long for the bunk? Or is it?

I'm not too long. It's just like I have no wiggle room at all. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. have you brought your girlfriend on the on the tour bus no no nobody's brought any guests yeah ooh they have like that's a clean tour they're good boys yeah john batista's probably no one it's like yeah they probably keep a tight ship over there huh yeah yeah it is it is i would say so i saw some video it looked like a fucking gospel revival dude it was like it cut to you and it cut back to the

crowd and it cut back to you and everyone is just jumping it's like this gospel revival. It was like, it looked like such a party your show, dude. That's awesome. Dude, pull up, man. Pull up. I'm telling you. Where are you living out right now? I'm in Denver, but I'll be in New York. Where are you guys? How long, how much long is a tour? Like four weeks. All right. We were just at Red Rocks, bro. Damn it. I'll fly out. I'll fly out to see you. I'll come out for a night. All right. You have horns? Although, is he like a full band and everything? Do you have horns and all that? It's like a ten piece band. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, we have horns. We have Yeah, yeah.

Fucking sick. We'll go get them, Tassie. You're the man. I just want to, we love you, bud. You know, we're always thinking about you. Keep being a good person and keep following every dream you have. Yeah. You're on the right path.

And like, if you want to try something new like you did with Yale, fucking do it, brother. Yeah, go to Yale again. Go to Yale again. Get a Masters. Get a Masters. Fuck it. Absolutely, man. Hey, love you all.

Love you, bud. Have a great day, buddy. Have fun working out and being cool. Peace. Mm-hmm. Hey everybody, it's Nick. You just listened to another great episode, hopefully featuring me of the World Saving Podcast with Andy Frasco. Also produced by him. He wanted us to say his name twice. It's also produced by Joel Angelhow and Jack Gold, and it's edited by the very attractive Brian Rao. Please help us save the world by subscribing and rating this show on volume.com, YouTube, Apple, Spotify, or whatever drek of a streaming service you're using besides those.

Also, follow us on Instagram at World Saving Podcast so you don't miss any of our amazing reels that we spend hours editing. For tour dates, merch, and whatever crazy special event Andy thinks of next, check out Andy Frasco.com. There's a lot of penis t-shirts on there. Special thanks to this week's guests, our talent booker Mara Davis, and most importantly you, for spending an entire hour listening to us talk. Be your best, and we'll see you next week for another great episode.

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