Artist Friendly with Joel Madden - Ryan Cabrera

Episode Date: March 4, 2026

On this week's episode of Artist Friendly, Joel Madden is joined by Ryan Cabrera. After graduating from high school, Cabrera played acoustic guitar in Rubix Groove, opening for Cheap Trick and Third Eye Blind. A solo career came calling, though, leading to early 2000s pop stardom, mall tours, and a platinum album. That eventually segued into guest appearances on The Hills and meeting WWE superstar Alexa Bliss at a SmackDown premiere in LA, whom he married in 2022. Sitting down with Madden, the duo has a funny, vulnerable conversation about growing up in public, balancing family and touring, and what success means. ------- Listen to their Artist Friendly conversation on ⁠⁠Spotify.⁠ ------- Follow Artist Friendly! IG: @artist.friendly TikTok: @artist.friendly YouTube: youtube.com/@artist.friendly ------- Host: Joel Madden, @joelmadden Executive Producers: Joel Madden, Benji Madden, Jillian King Producers: Josh Madden, Joey Simmrin, Janice Leary Visual Producer/Editor: Ryan Schaefer Audio Producer/Composer: Nick Gray Music/Theme Composer: Nick Gray Cover Art/Design: Ryan Schaefer Additional Contributors: Anna Zanes, Neville Hardman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's it like resolving a conflict with a wrestler? Depends. You know, there's, I know when to shut up. Yeah. You know? Yeah. No, I mean, she's so, she's so sweet, you know, but. Yeah, I'm sure.

The only time, you know, things get aggressive is when we're sleeping. Okay. Because it's, she'll be in her sleep and I don't know if she's like, think she's in the ring or something. And I'll get like a whack to the face. Oh, wow. Have you always lived in L.A. here in 2001.

Okay, so you've been here? Yeah. But I was always, I started in Encino. Yeah. Then did Studio City, then did Sherman Oaks, and then back to Encino. And then when I met my wife, we got a place in Orlando. And then recently got a place in Santa Clarita like a year or two years ago. Okay.

So we go back in four. So it's still like new to me. So you still go to Florida. Yeah. So we do half the time there, half the time of year. Okay. Is there any reason why? A couple reasons.

Okay. Well, one being. You don't mind me asking. No, no, no, no. Well, so travel-wise now with a kid, you know, like when you're, when you're tour. So we do all like fly dates. Like we don't do the tour bus. Yeah, we don't do the like three or four, six months, you know, bus stuff anymore.

So we're all just like weekends. Respect. So we're back with the kids. Like a country singer. Yeah. Well, everybody on the tour has kids. Right. And we're not, you know, a quits.

Kind of same. To really do, yeah, like a bunch of buses with all the kids and all that kind of stuff. So for us, like, you know, if I have a show in Baltimore, or Ocean City on the weekend or Jersey on the weekend. Instead of flying from LA, we'll be at the Orlando House and my wife as well. She's a wrestler. I know she's a wrestler. So she's back and forth all the time too.

So going back in time from the East Coast is so much easier than flying there the day before and all that kind of stuff. So it makes sense that you can have both places. Yeah. So when I see the tour dates and like hers. You go, okay, where are we going to? Yeah, we'll be, okay, let's do Orlando this month. And then these are a little bit more like anything like left of Chicago.

Well, that was where she was. That's where we met. Oh, is that where she's from? She's from Ohio, but they moved there. So that's kind of the hub of WWE. Yeah, the performance centers there. So for anyone listening, Ryan is married to Alexa Bliss, who's a professional wrestler in the WWE. And I'm pretty impressed.

With her? She's a, yeah, she's a badass. She's an athlete. I mean, I see clips. It looks painful. It is. To go through that week out, week out, month in, month out. And then I see you guys.

So I'm an outsider looking in, right? And you guys look like you have this, like, this beautiful family. You have a daughter. Thank you. Yeah. She just turned two. Right. So you got a little young kid.

How long has been married? So, let's see, now we got married in 2021. What years in now? Four years? This is going to be fourth year. Okay. So, yeah. That's great.

Yeah. Crazy. I always wonder like, what's it like to be married to a wrestler? Well, I mean, you can answer that two. One, the travel part is tough. Yeah, yeah. It's a tough job. So it's two opposite, you know, world.

Touring. Yeah, so touring at the same time. Sometimes we get lucky and we'll actually be in the same area. And then so for their show, if they're on raw, it's on Mondays. So then I can pop off after Sunday, meet her for Mondays. but right now she's on Fridays, well, right now she's on both, but on Fridays,

typically can't go see her stuff. But we try to, like, go to each other's stuff and sometimes we get lucky. But so the travel part, you know, coordinating when you have a child is that part is tough. But, you know, as far as just going to,

it's just the shows are so entertaining. And she's such, like, it's such a different person when she's on and in the ring than what she is like at home. So to go see or do that. It's like, it's the stage. Yeah.

But it's so. Freaking, God, it's so fucking, like, physical. Oh, yeah. Like, and that's, and, you know, obviously, you know, people have their opinions of what, like, wrestling. That's the physicality and all that. You can't fake that. I actually think that we come from a generation of, how old are you?

I am 43. Okay, so I'm 46. I'm at the age where I have to think about it now. Right, yeah. So, so am I. Like, I'm 46. We come from a generation where it was up for debate, like, people were, like, arguing about wrestling.

it's no longer that. Like, wrestling is solidified itself as a sport and it's an entertainment. Right. That people want. And I think that, like, the really great wrestlers, like we've seen enough now to know what a career in wrestling can mean.

And to, it's huge. It's impossible. It's hard earned. It's athletic. It can take everything from you as well. But also you can go on and you can build a career from wrestling that's big, larger than life. And it's not just wrestling becomes one aspect of your career as an entertainer, which I think sets you up for like movies and stuff because those are also so physical.

Like what people don't understand about making films is it's such a physical job. Yes, from the stunts to learning how to fight to learning how to do this, to learning. And I think that wrestling really lends itself to film. making. And so I think the era we come from, it was more of a debate because it was still kind of, even though it wasn't like old, it wasn't new when we were coming up, it was still like the size of it was getting. It was like, it was the first time it was that big. Yeah. The fill arenas and all that and the 80s and the 90s. So I think now though, I think it's more widely kind of agreed that like wrestling is, it's an important piece of entertainment. That's a

sport. And, I mean, the most streamed sport in the world, you know, entertainment show in the world. And for me,

like, I'd, I'd been going for a while because I had a buddy, the Miz, who I'd been friends with a long time. Actually, one of my first friends in L.A.,

like back in the early, like when Saddle Ranch was like the spot to go to. And so I would, when he became a wrestler, like, I would go to his show. So I'd been around it.

Um, but now, like, being behind the scenes with my wife. Like, it's, it's insane what, what they do and what they put themselves through.

But, What's tough because she'll come home and have like, you know, bruises everywhere, like all over arms. So like if we go to like the pediatrician, if I go to the bathroom, they'll be like, are you okay. Is everything okay at home? Like, no, no, no. I'm like, my wife's a wrestler. Like, this is what, this is what happens.

Like, because, you know, their elbows are all beat up. They get banged up. Right now, yeah, it looks like there's an arm print on her arm. I'm like, I'll let people know. You're a wrestler. Does she have like a wind down routine when she comes home, like for the physical aspect of like, I'm assuming she comes home injured all the time. Yeah.

Getting an inside look at like what life is like out of the ring. When she gets home, she's like massage me. And she's beat up. Yeah. And does she have a routine? Can you crack my back? And I sit on her back and it's just. And does she have like a lot?

Does she have to do a lot of like physical therapy and and different kinds of sports therapy to like. Probably should, but they have to do it so often that it's just like it's just like calluses, you know, their bodies just have to get used to it. And then like what, like I got in the ring. We were filming something and I got in there. And I like, I just did one thing off the ropes. And I'm like, my back was straight bloody. Yeah. And then I took a what they call a bump, like is where you just fall on the ground. And like my neck, I couldn't move my neck for like three weeks from one thing. But my body's not used to that. So like her, she's been doing it for nine years. Yeah.

So, you know, what she puts her body through and then comes home and it's just like he massage her. I'm like, yeah, of course. But then she gets up on a flight the next day and back to it. That's such a crazy job. It is. It's wild. She's a big deal, man. She's cool of shit.

Yeah, she's got a big following. Yeah. That's cool. You should be, you must be very proud. I am. Yeah. Yeah. When I see her in there, I'm like, how did you just do that?

You're like, what just happened? Who, like she flips a switch. Yeah. And turns into somebody that I don't know. Yeah. because I haven't met, you know, the character. But would you say that there's an aspect of you that's the same way on stage? Or is it just you?

Oh, man, a little bit of both. I try to just be maybe myself times like 10. Okay. You know, like it's still me, but I know I'm putting on a show. You know, like, I'm not like when I'm on stage and I try to like talk. I talk a lot, you know, depending on if it's at something. because I want every show to be different and I try to like tell stories and and figure out ways to to throw some personality in there as opposed to just playing song and then playing song playing song

and sometimes sometimes it's great and people like oh my god he's so funny what I'm like you talk too much you know but it's still me I always say I talk too much do on this show I talk too much well that's what you're supposed to do yeah I always don't what about stage on stage I actually just trying to work that out while you were talking. Because I was thinking about it and I was like, do I like, or do you get into the same rhythm where you kind of like say, you know, you get like this works every night. So we kind of, this is what leads into this song. Well, I don't do that. Although I do talk in the same places.

Right. Because the spaces are there. I guess it's different when you have somebody else. You know, you have your brother. I have my brother. He jumps in sometimes. So it is just me. So I know.

That's why it's all on your shoulders, which is I've never had to do that. occasionally there's a show where one of us will carry it more than the other right which we're lucky to have um like we just recently did this disney christmas special and we had four days to prepare and i get really anxious and really almost borderline shut down in a situation like that like i really do like i really get like i don't know i don't know if you understand if you have if you can relate to that but like they're like you're four days and you're gonna learn this song and we're like picking a song and then we're and I'm like I don't really know I love Christmas songs but I can't hear myself singing any of them and we've only done a couple of them and they were okay like you know what I mean

so and then he picked a really hard song in my opinion and then he just started running with it and I didn't have a I felt like I didn't have a say but someone had to do it and that's kind of how he functions he's like someone's got to do it he's always going to be the guy he picks the ball up and he just starts running down the field and then three days two days, one day, and then we're on a plane to fucking Orlando. Yeah. And we're like, was it Epcot?

Disney World. Oh, okay. Yeah, yeah. So then I'm like, God, I fucking got to learn this song. I knew the song, but I barely knew it. Like, I liked the song. It's a classic. You knew it enough.

Yeah, but I also like have like neurological stuff. So like, I can't remember lyrics. Dude, I can't either. To save my life. I can't either. In songs I love, I can, if you're like, sing it on the spot, I will not hit any of the lyrics. That's why I don't do a lot of guests.

performances. That's why I've never done the National Anthem. Exactly, because I've not going to nail it. I've been asked a million times of like, I will mess up the words. They're like, we'll put a teleprompter. I'll still mess up the words. I have like this. I'll be looking at that and I'll get to the next slide. I'll still mess up the words. Yeah, so I'm on that like neurodivergent. I live in that world, right? Dislexic, all the things.

And then if you put me on the spot, I can't do it. And so even like a good example, we'll get back to the Christmas song. Because I know you're on the edge of your seat for that. Well, first of, I do love Christmas and I love Disney. I know you love Disney and Christmas. So I figured you'd like that. But like Luke Combs asked me to come sing with him at stagecoach. And I wanted to so bad.

So I said, of course I'm going to do it. Yeah. I fucking love Luke. We're friends. And I'm also just like his biggest fan, listen to his music. And then he asked me to sing a song that I know. I listen to it all the time. Yeah.

And then I get on stage and I fuck it up. I just can't. I did okay. Yeah. But it was not a great performance and it was not what I wanted it to be as a fan. And, you know, I wanted to be this great moment. It was a cool moment for sure because we're just these cool-ass guys on stage together. And it's great.

But it wasn't what I musically, I know I have better chops than that. Yeah. And I wanted to impress him and I didn't. That was like, he's gracious. He would say, he wouldn't say you didn't. impress me, but I know I didn't do his band is so good. You know, we always think that. Maybe. I think just as entertainers, we're always thinking like, oh, I didn't get, but then other people come up to you have to be like, dude, that was sick. Like, it's how I felt. Right. So how we feel kind

kind of just defines the experience. Yeah. And that's how I felt. And then I, and that's a good question, right? Maybe we can get into some therapy. Um, anyways, but let me finish the Christmas story. Yeah. We go to Orlando. He has it. He learned it. And he, and he, he carried the whole performance. I sang the chorus, which is the easiest part, and like one little piece of the first. What song is that? Are you a lot of saying? The fairy tale of New York by the Pogues. Okay. Amazing song. Likely shouldn't touch it, but it's the only song we wanted to do and fuck it. But it's a classic kind of like punk Christmas song, you know. It was great though. Like it ended up, he did a great job and I enjoyed it because I did get to sing my favorite part

of the song, which is the chorus. Yeah. Which I knew. It's the rest of the song I didn't really know that I never took the time. But my jumbled up brain just can't hold on to words sometimes. It just gets the get lost. Anyways, he carried that show. So I'm lucky because, like we were saying, you have to carry the whole show on stage. We get to kind of sometimes hand it off on days where we just don't got the stuff. We just go like, you got to carry this one.

And he does. And then sometimes I do. Right. So. Yeah, that was that was me. I did a last, was last year. maybe two years ago i did think called the boy band christmas and it was like a couple of cats from it was like uh some of the 98 degrees guys all for one eric strata and like they're like all

what christmas songs you want to do i'm like um i thought i was just doing you know a couple of my hits and one christmas song which i wrote a christmas song for it i was like i was good but they're like no no no we're gonna all do christmas song together i'm like uh one song or the whole time just one okay that's all i had to do so i like all right last christmas i can do that you know i I know that one. Oh, we did that one. Yeah. I'm like, that I can do.

But then in the verses, I'm like, y'all got to cover these verses because I'm going to mess this up every single night. Did they? Yeah. Would you be put in a boy band category, though? No, but I think. I don't know. These, I'm not. I was never in a boy band.

I saw you as like a singer songwriter. Singer songwriter. But that's kind of what I brought to that tour. Right. You know, like they, it actually worked because I would come out and do acoustic guitar in some of the songs. I did electric guitar in some of the songs. And did you tour with any of those guys back in the day? No.

Okay. No, back in the day. But it's more like a 2000s kind of nostalgia thing. Yeah, like that was kind of putting together four different groups and then I kind of brought in the singer-songwriter. Right. You know, aspect to it, which it's working. It's all pop at the end of the day.

Yeah, it is all pop. But did any of them also like play guitar and sing and stuff? So Drew from 90 degrees at one point, he would come out with me and do like backup for on the way down. That's cool. Yeah, just to get involved just because we all wanted, you know, just to do. do something different. It was Christmas. That's cool. And it was fun. Mix it up. But the fan

base, you know, was still the same. It's the same fan base as, you know, boy bands as it was, singer-songwriters, as it is, you know, good Charlotte fans. You know, they're all, not all the same. But kind of. You know, like they all just love, it's all still good poppies. Dude, I did the Emo's not Dead Cruz

the first year. And people freaked out that I was on it. Because I, me personally, I was asked the same question. I was like, do I belong here? You know, I'm not an E-Mor's. I'm not a pop rock guy. I was more of a kind of pop singer-songwriter, but kind of came up in the TRL days. So I didn't think I fit.

But, you know, Matt Kutchall was like, dude, trust me. I love Matt. Dude, he's the best. I think we've been friends for a long time. I always saw you as like an emo kid who got put in a pop. Lyrically. Like box. Lyrically.

And then it got. But the sound was a little different. The sound was just a, well, you kind of. I mean, on the way down is a rock song, but, you know, lean pop as well. You're like a mix and a guitar away from being that song's like a one mix and one more guitar sound away from being like a dashboard. It's like it's like had Feldy produced it. It'd be it's like that answer. It's like a few degrees apart. Yeah. If we're really being honest about what the pop punk thing was in the 2000s, it was this pop thing that was like throw more guitars,

more guitars. And and like, yeah, bands and we dressed a certain. way and we look like all kind of look like. But if you took all that away and you just listened to the songs, you're like, produce it a little bit more this way and it's that. Produce it a little bit more. It was just what you called it. You know,

back in the early 2000s, it wasn't cool considered cool to be called, you know, pop. Whereas now nobody cares. It's like, yeah, we wrote pop song.

I mean, I agree. But just the perception back then. Because even like a man buying another, you know, singer songwriter CD back then, back then was different than it is now because dudes are like, dude, I like what I like. I don't give a shit. But back then,

you know, people would be like, I can't buy it. It was a completely different time. The perception was, was so different. So I, you know, to bring you back on. Did you deal with a lot of that? Oh yeah. That would have been hard. I mean, it was, it was, I wasn't expecting an all, you know, 13 to 18 year old female demographic myself. Obviously, managers and labels at the time were I didn't get that because I was young and you wouldn't naive I was just like dude I'm gonna play for like colleges college kids are gonna be into this that's gonna be my demographic and then it just ended up being you know the the younger girl demographic which you know the shows were great but then we end up when you're you know a real songwriter writing you know what you consider like real you know thoughtful songs and you're playing in balls at the time in the beginning it was it was a little weird you don't know what's going on I'm like okay I wasn't expecting to be, you know, my first tour, big tour was in a mall, was a mall tour. And you were like, but how old were you? I was 21. Okay, so you're 21, you're trying to make it some manager,

some agent, whoever. It's like, we got you this opportunity. Real opportunity. You're like, okay, great. Fuck yeah. I'll do that. Because at the time, that's how you doing anything. That's how we were. We played malls too. We, we were before we were signed. Oh, that's crazy. We're like fucking doing these little like playing at the king of Prussia mall. Yeah. Doing acoustic fucking songs. Right in front of the food court. Yeah.

And you would do it because you're just trying to get signed or you're trying to make it or you're trying to whatever. And at the time, it's still like selling records. And so you're selling your CDs there and you're doing your thing. And then you could say, I don't want to say lucky ones because I don't think it's luck. I think timing is interesting and work is interesting because if you work hard enough, you will find luck because you're going forward

and you're going down the road and you're saying yes. Yeah, you're attracting certain things that bring you to where it's going to be. But then it jumps off and then depending on XYZ

you get thrown on let's say a pop tour where you're opening for this girl singer or this boy band or whatever. Jessica Simpson. Right, okay. So you're opening for Jessica Simpson. Right.

So imagine if a different group of people were the people that were like, and you were thrown on in front of Eve 6 or you were thrown on in front of Newfound Glory or you were fun. So it's really a matter of because things were so separated and categorized and marketed as something.

Right. Like we got to market it like this. He's a good looking guy and he sings these love songs and we're going to put him on in front of her because she's got all girl fans and they're going to love him. Right?

And that's kind of like you can hear You can hear the guys. That was then. Yeah. Right. It's so interesting because now that old school marketing doesn't work because kids are too, they don't want to be marketed to. Right.

They're like, fuck you. I'm going to listen to what I want. And I'm going to make a playlist and it's going to be all this crazy shit and this the most pop thing you've ever heard. And at the same time, K-pop and a heavy scream heavy band. Right? And so I think like we live in a. a different time, but coming from our era, that was actually the way it was. Also, where are you from?

Born in Texas. Okay. So this kid from Texas who just wants to make it is not going to pass up the opportunity either to go and play it for someone and play as music for someone. So we found ourselves in similar situations where never am I ungrateful for the opportunities and the experiences I got to have. But as a 46-year-old man, when I look back and I see like some of the stuff that I'm like, all the adults around were just too excited and too thirsty. And that's all they knew. It's like, here's how it works. Hey, no, kid, get out there. Do this, do the same thing. And they'll try the same thing with like 10 other artists, the exact same plan. Even though you're all 10 completely different artists, they'll try the same thing and then be like, all right, well, that one works.

So then maybe this will work again. Then we only need one to work. Yeah, as long as one works. All the rest. Yep, then you're good. But as a grown man, married, raising a kid, you could look back at that kid and do a better job of shepherding that kid than any of those fucking guys. Right.

I think because you're an artist and you had that experience. Yeah. Which is something that I like wear as a badge of honor now. If I look back at my whole career, I have nothing but love for what I got to do and the experiences I got to have in. Of course. For the guys I got to have. got to do it. I feel so lucky that we were in that. But I wish I had me back there because I'm

honest. Right. And I don't lie to people. And I don't care about money. I care enough about money to pay the bills and do what I have to do, but not enough that I would sell someone up the river or that I would do any long-term damage to someone. Right. You know what I mean? And I would have that discussion and let the, and now we actually do run a company where we behave like this, we discuss things, we explain all the implications of everything, short term, long term. We go around on all of it until we've all come to a decision that everyone feels really good about. And we don't always all have to agree, but there needs to be like this open, honest, transparent, informational relationship around, I think, the transactions of the music

business because they can feel dirty sometimes or they can feel and talking through stuff no matter how big or small or whatever with artists I think is like super important because I feel like artists are super smart and very creative and they'll make good decisions if all the information's on the table and they can look at it. Yeah. And then it needs to be where I think the money is just a byproduct of the thing and we measure it and we look at it and we take it seriously it's not that money's not important it is everyone's got to make a living but that can't be the leading factor in a decision it's got to be part of it's got to feel like it's the the upside maybe or whatever it is so I think like if I wish that I had someone back there telling me that this kind of information or giving

me a license to feel this way instead of just feeling like I was lucky you better keep working. Don't let it get away and do what everyone tells you to do or you're, you know, they're going to take the opportunities away or whatever it was. But not to say you had that experience, but I feel like you could probably relate to it because when you're in that bubble and you're just running as fast as you can forward, I think it can sometimes feel like you just hit a lottery and you're the lucky one.

They plucked up out of the group. And I don't think that's true. Yeah, well, for me, the way I, it was hard to make. it then. Yeah. Like, you didn't have any outlet other than performing. That's all you can do. You couldn't, you know, make a video and pop it up on the internet. Like, you had to get discovered. It was not up to you. It was like you can perform MTV, radio. There's no other place. So you couldn't just be creative, make your own video and put it out. There was no platform. And so you just had to like hope and pray that the gods, which is, you know, that was the time. It was crazy. It was fucking

It made you, you had to work your ass out. And it made you tough. Yeah. It did make you tough. Yeah. Those times. Of course. Playing in malls will give you a fucking fortitude.

Well, that's the thing is once you do all that, everything else seems, you know, doing doing didn't necessarily see yourself doing. Made everything to me easier because I can be put in a situation that normally would be uncomfortable for maybe somebody who hasn't done all those other things. Uh-huh. And be like, okay. I'm prepared for this because I've done this, this, this, this. I've done so many random things. It's hard to throw something, you know, now, at least for me, you know, be like, well, I, you know, I performed in the corner of a Mexican food restaurant.

I performed a mall. I performed a sorority. You know, all those things led, led me to be able to perform better now. You know, because I've done it all. Like season. Yeah, you like you've had every terrible experience. the good ones, even, you know, the experience at stagecoach, you're going to learn something from that that now next time you do it, you'd be like, okay, here's what I need to do to now

do that better. Yeah. You did it. And then you figure out how to get better at it. And we've had a lot of that in our careers to lead up to keep getting better and better and better and better. And just the ability to have that experience to make it look like you're fine so that when you know how to do that. So when people see the stagecoats thinking that was awesome, you're like, it was actually I did terrible. Yeah. And they would not hear you because you're at least a pro enough to perform and get the job done. Even if you don't think it was an A plus, maybe on your worst day, it's a B plus and it's still

at a high level, a B plus kind of feels like an A plus to everyone else. Yeah. Yeah. Well, you have to put on the, you can't show that you're like in your, you know, in your head, you could be thinking, oh, this is not my bad, not my bad. But while you're performer, your job is to put on, you know, entertain, put on the best show that, you know, to them you can do. And so there's times where I'm like, this isn't sounding very good in my head. But on my face, like you said, I'm showing the crowd that like, I'm showing that I'm crushing this because I have to.

But in my head, I'm like, oh, it's all going wrong. I didn't crush this. Yeah. But as, you know, as you're a performer, like, they thought it was great. That's all that, you know, for me, as long as they, they loved it. And, you know, they want to give them there's money. worth, do what you got to do. Mm-hmm.

And your daughter's two. You just turned two. How's fatherhood? It's been a lot, but that's the best thing that ever happened to me. Yeah. We were eventually going to, you know, we always, I've always wanted to have kids, but then, you know, once we got together, the timing was was tough with schedules and all that. And it just happened.

And thank God it did, because who knows what could happen, you know, getting older and all that stuff. But first year was, was tough. Yeah, first year is tough. It was tough. It was tough. It was tough. So many, so many reasons.

all the unknowns, you know, the things that you think you covered, you know, when you're talking to your wife, like how you're going to handle things, you know, you have the way that here's how I'm going to do it. I can't wait. You know, once I have a kid, I'm going to do it this way. I'm going to do this way. I'm not going to do that. I'm going to do this. And then it happens.

And you're like, oh, shit, that's, I'm not doing anything. I thought I was going to do everything. You have to figure out how to just figure it out. Yeah, there's no book that really gives you. You can read 100 of them and it's not going to, you're not going to stick to it or watch 100, you know, Instagram videos and be like, thought I was going to do that, but it ain't happened. The idea that there is like perfect parenting is such a lie. And you get fed it a lot.

Somebody gets like you're doing this wrong. You're doing this wrong. Here's how you raise the perfect toddler. I had to figure out how to be like, okay, stop and she's loved. You know, with my wife, I'm like, we're doing the best job we were given, you know, all of them, all we can. And that's all I can try to do. And that took a while for me mentally to get there because I was so sleep. deprived and I started becoming somebody I never thought, you know, I was getting snappy.

And I'm like, I've never been snappy. I've never been like on, you know, on edge. And I was on edge and I just had to remind me. You've never been an edgy, edgy guy? No. Really? No, not much. Like always happy and. Not just always happy, but like I don't really let too much get to me. Unless it's something really, you know, important. And if, and then once it does, like, you'll get me and, you know, I'll let you know. But for the most part, I can take a lot. You know, I have thick skin. Yeah. And so I don't try to let. that I don't get worried too much.

Yeah, not too stressed. I try not to be. You know, I try to just understand that, you know, only worry about the things that I can control. Yeah. Yeah. And if it's out of my control,

you know, what's I going to do? But parenting, you know, like, okay, I had to remind myself, like, you're doing the best job you can do, you know.

And we were. And once we figured out, we're on the same team and we are doing a great job and allow, you know, then, you know, it got easier for me. But I was, you know, I was honest in the first year because I, you know, my wife would be like,

oh, you know, everything's great. And, and I love that. But I'm like, it is not. This, this sucks. Like, you know, it was tough. Yeah, it's hard. And then my buddy came over and we realized because, you know, he had already had two kids and we're, and he's like, dude, the first year is just survival.

And like, you know, me and my wife, like, you know, we were, you know, doing things that we had no idea saying things to each other. We had no idea what we were saying, blah, blah, blah. I was like, you guys? I was like, really? I was like, I had no idea that you guys were even go through that. We didn't realize until we had the, you know, we could relate that we were both, you know, parents, but like, he never told me that how tough it was because it just looked like it was easy and that everything was perfect. Yeah. You know, on the outside. And then when we really got talking, I found out like, oh my God, a lot of things about him that I didn't know. And yeah, and what it was like. He's like, dude, first year is just survival.

First year. You're the same team. You're just survival. year of everything. And once I heard that, I was like, damn, you're right. All right. We can get through this. And then after that first year from that point on, oh my God, every day has just has been such, you know, such a blessing and we're having so much fun, you know, now. And it also helps that we're sleeping some more. Yeah. You know, that's big. Sleep is a real thing. It's big. And I was, I was the guy that's like, dude, I don't sleep very well. I never have, you know, my mind just always going. And so I thought, I was like, this is perfect for me. I was like, I'm going to have no problem doing. And I was, And then you realize you actually do sleep okay.

More than I never realized. I was like, damn. I was like, this can be easy. I already don't sleep. And then when it went down, I'm like, never mind. Yeah, it's also my experience. When I had my first kid, my daughter, who's now almost 18, it's a deep, deep, it gets so real. The biggest success I've had in my life has been being able to stay married, which is just hard.

Yeah. Like constant work and figuring things out. And then being able to be a present dad who like, my kids talk to me and we have a relationship and like we have this, which I also didn't have. But also I come from like dysfunctional people who didn't have the tools. I think they wanted them. But it was like a different time. It wasn't therapy wasn't really like a, it was kind of weird.

Like if you go to therapy, you have, you have major problems. Actually that now it's way more normal for people to go, yeah, yeah, I go to. therapy. I like it. You know what I mean? So I think that it hit though hard when I had my kids. And that was like when the real work began where I started working on myself and growing up. You know, and I think that, you brought something in this world. You owe it. You know, I feel for me, like I feel like I owe them to try to be the best version of yourself. You can be. Yeah. And you care so much, you know. And, you know, parents. I'm sure that come from, you know, those times, like they, they were trying, but maybe they

didn't have the right tools. Yeah. You know, and they couldn't just like go on TikTok and watch a video about some, you know, you know, like, oh yeah, I guess I have that too, you know, but, but there is good information out there that does help. I find like, I save videos that I find like helpful. I get 20 of them a day from my wife. Yeah. And just by when I get home, I get the test. Did you, did you watch? Did you watch? And I'm like, yes. She's like, to the end. I'm like, hold on. And then I got to get my photo. I'm like, okay, because I usually, I'll watch like, half of it. But, well, the funnier ones, but like the, you know, the meaningful ones. She sends me a lot of the daddy daughter ones. Yeah, yeah. And half the time, you know, there's some really

good information there, you know, to learn from. But then half the time, I think she's just trying to get me to cry. Yeah, yeah. She knows, like, I'm a soft, dude. I'm an emotional dude. Like, like I cried easily. Oh, yeah. I hear you cry easily at movies. Everything. Everything. Anything romantic, you know, love, you know, or it gets me. And so she'll send me a video. And I'm like, it's 8 in the morning. You couldn't wait. Did you get to get me crying this early?

Okay. So I watched the Instagram video the other day that said people who cry quickly are more intelligent. Really? Yeah. Because they have emotionally, they get there quicker because they have a more faster processing, emotional processing speed. I hope that's true. Yeah.

I don't know. I just, I can't help it. Yeah. I get it from my mom. Are you close with your parents? Yeah. Cool. Especially more now. Yeah.

That happens when you have parents. Yeah. Like, you know, there was the time when you're, when you're off and running, you know, that's all your priority is, is your music. Yeah. You got to break away too from the. And so you, yeah, you find yourself talking less and stuff. But then now that, you know, now that we, especially since we have a kid and, you know, they love being grandparents. So it's cool to watch, you know, the joy that it brings them.

Because I think in their heads, they probably thought I was never going to actually have kids. Because I waited until later to get married. Actually, though, that's on trend, though. Like, for me, it was when I'm ready. Yeah. When I know that, like, I'm actually ready to get married, you know, and be a good husband and, you know, not just focused on what I'm doing and having fun and career and all that kind of stuff. So that's, I was like, I'm in, I'm in a rush.

They didn't understand that. But I'm like, it'll come and I was ready to, if I didn't meet the love of my life and like, you know, my wife, I wasn't going to do it. How'd you guys be single for the rest of my life? I'd rather be single than force any relationship. Yeah, I agree with that. We met from a random rumor kind of. So a rumor started online that we were dating. Oh, wow. And we didn't know each other. That's pretty cool. So we eventually got down. It's a long story like kind of how it happened was the guy that was doing my social media at the time of like Twitter. And so I just was like, If it needs to be done, you know, for music or whatnot, you know, obviously, I was like,

so we had somebody young doing it. That's smart. And they, I was on a TV show with Ms. and I think because I was on a show with a wrestler, he was thinking, okay, it's good, you know, we should start liking all the wrestlers stuff since you're on a TV show with one of the wrestlers. And so he specifically started liking all of, you know, Alexa's tweets. Right. So meanwhile, she's at, you know, on her.

her tour doesn't know me. I don't know her. She shows, she's taking screenshots. She's like, yo, this Ryan Cabrera guy is liking like everything I tweet. Yeah. Meanwhile, he's obsessed. Yeah. And I had no idea because I don't even know how to get on Twitter. So that's going down. You don't even know your login. Had no idea. I don't. And so that was going down. Meanwhile, she literally has a screenshots still on her phone. She was showing all the other girls in the locker room like, yo, this guy, like, I think he's married to Ashley Simpson, but he keeps liking all my shit. She always, you know, she tells everyone the story. And so that was going down.

And eventually she wrote and she was like, ha ha, like, all right. So, well, the rumor started. And she's like, ah, I heard we're dating. And so that guy hit me and he's like, yo, Alexa Bliss just wrote you. I'm like, what? And so I looked her up. I was like, oh, shit. I was like, what's my Twitter info?

And so I logged on and wrote her back. And then we started chatting. And now it happened to be on an airplane to Orlando to perform at Epcot that day on the plane, chatted for five hours, you know, shared, you know, know, we had mutual friends, you know, Jared from bowling for soup. She, you know, they wrote a song about her and, you know, me and Jared had been friends. I used to open for them back in the day. And so, like, we had all these things in common, you know, we love Disney.

We love, you know, eating cereal at night, you know, like all these random things. And I was like, dude, this girl's badass. Like, what the hell? And so I was like, well, you know, hopefully we get to chat again sometime. I'm landing right now in Orlando. And she's like, oh, I live in Orlando. What are you doing tomorrow? And so she's like, I don't know.

I was like, well, before me, you know, four nights. to Epcot, you know, if you want to come to one of the shows. And so she came to one of the shows and we met. She wanted nothing to do with me. I kept, you know, being persistent. Oh, really? She was like, well, I think she thought, you know, like, why is this guy, you know, who lives in Los Angeles, you know, the singer, what, what does he want to hang out with me for? You know, and I'm like, dude, she was super sweet, you know, beautiful girl. And I was like, dude, this is what I've been looking for. You know, her personality, like what she was like, I was like, this is not easy to find.

So for me, I was persistent because I knew, you know, how hard it was to find somebody, you know, in the entertainment business, you know, does, you know, what I do. And, you know, it was super humble. You would never know, you know, she does what she does. And I'm like, okay, these are all. And we, you know, we loved all the same things. So, uh, we, we kept meeting up. I had kept having shows where she was on tour and I just kept happening and happening.

and it was, you know, honestly, you know, like a fate kind of situation. That's really sweet. It's very random that next week. I'm like, well, I'm going to be in Chicago doing Thanksgiving Day parade. She's like, oh, I'm going to be in Chicago doing raw. Oh, like, all right. And then that next week, I was like, I'm going to be in New York doing something. She's like, oh, we're at MSG.

Like, cool is I. Your fates were tied. Yeah. And that's, and, you know, I'd never been one to like, you know, be too into that kind of stuff until it started happening. And then I'm like, dude, and you won't even believe it's like literally the next week. I'm like, I'm going home to Texas to visit my family for Christmas. She's like, oh, I'm going to Texas to film the Bowling for Soup music video.

I'm like, all right. Well, you can't get rid of me now. And it worked out and then COVID happened. Yeah, she seems cool. She's super, super sweet. One of the nicest humans I've ever met. Nick has a story. Steve-o, I have a friend from kindergarten, Stephen Cornish.

He loves Alexa Bliss. He's told me about her for probably the last five years. So he probably hates me. No, no, I think you get a lot of those. Steve, he's a nice guy. All right, yeah. We're good, Steve. Do you get any hate from, like, super fans of hers?

The amount of death threats I've gotten since that. Really? Oh, especially in the beginning. And it went in a lot of, like, three years ago, we had to get a stocker put in jail. So it took over a year to get it happen. But he was, like, showing up at our house in the front lawn. So I was getting all these death threats on, on, in the, Instagram and like a lot of it got too detailed of like where we lived and all these things.

And he thought he was married to Alexa. Yeah, he's an unwell person. Something, something was going on. And he sent, you know, from what he said, like over $400,000. Who knows where. And he thinks that it was me like catfishing him or something. And I got all this money. And he was like, we're not actually married.

Hendricks actually isn't my kid or something. Whatever. It was crazy. But like all the death threats. it's real. And I was leaving the house one day and I'm going to golf with my dad for his birthday. And I saw a dude in camouflage in the bushes. No way. Crossing the house.

That's scary. It's a little weird. And there's duck hunters, you know, back behind her house. So I was like, hey, maybe he's a camouflage because he's a duck hunter, but why is he sitting in that bush? I don't know, a little weird to me. So I texted my wife or called her and she was home alone. I'm like, hey, just be on the lookout. Just keep the doors locked because there's somebody in the bushes out there.

I don't know. It seems a little off. and she zoomed in, or so it gets hurt of banging on the door. And she thought it was like her Uber-Ease, but I was like, you know, she luckily didn't answer it. And we eventually found video footage. It was, you know, him. And so I came straight to home, got in the house, and then called the police. He wouldn't leave.

In California? No, this is in Florida. That's freaky. He just sat down on the lawn across the way. And he's the guy that was, you know, sending all these death threats and stuff. But nobody takes it seriously until it's too late. And I was getting him out here too at the LA house. You know, he found the address and was saying, I'm coming to your house.

I had to put, I had the chief of police come to the house. And it was, you can't play around with that. No, because, dude, you never know they could be like, I don't play around with stalkers and threats. I don't play around with it. Too many bad things have happened to too many people and it's just too easy. But ended up, you know, they got them and they got it. It's just scary.

You know, once you have a kid. And then once you have a kid. Yeah. And you're like, she was a baby baby too. So she would have been holding the baby at the. door would have been face to face. But, you know, and he knows what people are going to do, but, yeah,

it gets, it gets scary with, like, that world, to be like, you, you know, you stole our girl, but wait, what? Yeah. Yeah, I know, yeah. We're married. It's kind of fucked up how very fucked up. Twisted, it can be, you know, the downside of the entertainment success, which is

what I say, like I always say fame is like this byproduct of creating things that people like and then you have to manage that as a stressor. It's not something that is celebrated by anyone who's ever had it. It's more like managed and the people who do it gracefully have always kind of, you look out across the world and you see how everyone handles their success, right? And I think we all, whether we admitted or not, we kind of internally watch and whether it's us judging or us taking notes or us wondering, I wonder how I would

handle that, right? Because we're all having different experiences and different levels of different kinds of fame because it's some people are famous for being a singer while others are actors and some are politicians and some are whatever, right? And Aaron handles it differently. And I think that the downside of it is that there isn't a lot of sympathy for the dangerous part of it, which is people who aren't well getting obsessed. And then we've seen it play out so many times, like whether it's John Lennon or all the way to now. Like there's too many times to count on it to call on to say, no,

you have to take it seriously because that's the world we live in. Yeah. And now with the connectivity we have because of social media, there's a lot of access to. You get to anybody, anyone. Yeah. And that's why it's dangerous to go into your DMs and stuff. Oh, yeah, I don't.

I just tell people, I wouldn't do that. I do not. because it's dangerous because people, there are sick people that can, you know, find you. It's not healthy to, like just to read, you know, whatever, all, you know, the onsite, because you have the good, but you have, you know, just the bad as well. And it's just, it's not, for me, it's just, it's not helpful. You know, it's not productive to go through it. So I don't know.

And it's different. But like, even with like, when people are like, you know, take pictures and stuff, you know, I used to care, like, do you look okay, blah, blah. And then, you know, past the years are like, I don't fucking care for this. What am I going to do? I'm 46 years old. Well, it's like, what's the point? The pictures are you're saying?

I don't fucking care. Yeah. But it's self-conscious because I used to as well. Like, I was really self-conscious. And I didn't like the way I looked. So when someone took a picture of me, I did not meet it with a smile. I met it with a frown because I didn't want my picture taking because I didn't like how I looked.

People probably perceive that the opposite. The opposite. He's a dick. And he's like, no, he's not a dick. He's just going through his own thing. Self-esteem is a thing. And then you work through it and you get to a place where you're like, you know what? I accept myself.

Yeah. However I look. I'm doing okay. I'm 46. I'm trying my best. I've got two kids. I'm not going to always be a physical specimen of a man. You're not always going to be this handsome gym.

Some days I got my days where I feel like I don't look good. And then I got days from like, okay, you can leave the house. You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah. But you learn to kind of like let it go because you're like, what am I going to do? outside of, you know, just being healthy because you want to be healthy and feel good and you want to look good, just, you know, because, but you can't help the way that. I can't control, you know, other than, you know, just trying to, you know, be healthy.

Sure, but like, I can't control my face. It is what it is. And yours is yours and there's how I was born. And you didn't do anything special to earn that. So all I can control is, you know, how I treat people. Yeah. You know. And for me, as long as I do that way.

I treat people, you know, well and with love, then I'm fucking crushing it. Yeah. I actually, that's why I stopped, you know, really, like, really, you know, letting it affect like, oh, I don't look good. You know, it's like, who cares? I took a picture with a person because they asked and I, you know, maybe made their day. That's all it fucking matters from that picture. Yeah, like, so I had a funny look on my face or my.

Yeah. People take a picture of you looking like with their eye closed and you'll be like, oh my God, what are people going to think of me? And then you started like, well, nothing's going to change. whatever. And then also when you have kids, it's great because it really does force you to not care because you're chasing some three-year-old around. And yeah, I didn't even fucking look at what I was wearing that day because I was busy taking care of my kid or doing whatever. So I think that's a healthy thing. It's a good thing. But it's a funny business like that. And then too,

when you have kids, you're like, in a wife, I'm like, do you guys like? Does my kid like, you know, is it making her happy? like, you know, so now I get, I have like that, like I'll write a song and I'll play it for Lex. And obviously, you're going to write what you're right. But I do care, you know, for that's like the opinions that I care about now. How do you guys, like, like, what's it like resolving a conflict with a wrestler? Depends. You know, there's, I know when to shut up. Yeah. You know? Yeah. Uh, no, I mean, she's so, she's so sweet, you know, but. Yeah, I'm sure. It's the only time, you know, things get aggressive. is when we're sleeping.

Okay. Because she'll be in her sleep and I don't know if she's like, think she's in the ring or something and I'll get like a whack to the face. Oh, wow. Yeah. And it got to the point to where like, I'll just be fuming in bed because I don't wake her up, but she'll pop me.

And I'm, I'm like mad because I'm like half asleep delirious, but I'm mad because she didn't apologize. Oh, you didn't say you're sorry. I'll wake up. I'll think you have anything you want to say to me. She's like, what? Like, you pop me in the face less.

And I square in the nose. She's like, I didn't know. I'm like, you didn't say you're sorry. It happens a lot. How would you say all your experience in, I would say, the last 20 years or more, 25 years? Does it start? What did I get signed in 2003? Yeah, so 22 years.

Okay. Let's call it that. Story for 25. Right. So in 27, you'll be eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame if you look at it that way. Okay. First record in 2002, 2002. 2005.

2004. 2004. 2004. Okay, so 25 years from the first record would be 29. But that's 20 some odd years of experience. Yep. What would you say of what you achieved, what you experienced as an artist and in your career,

lends itself to the complications and the challenges of marriage and parenting? Oh, that's a deep root of question. Because don't you feel like what you're up against when you're trying to make it in a career is complicated? Oh, my God. And there's nuances to all of it. And there's pressure and you want to get it right. And then you get into this marriage thing and you want to get it right.

Then you get into parenting and you want to get it right. I do feel like all the good, all the bad, everything that I went through in my career, the disappointments and the highs, the lows. The lows are what no one ever sees. But they did set me up to be a little more resilient. Yeah. In the marriage and parenting things. Yeah. That's what I was thinking.

I was thinking just being able to fail, you know, being able to have the lows, you know, and have those experience of those, you know, and understanding how you come out of that. So because you're either going to stay in that low and that's, you know, what's going to lead to divorce or whatever. But if you understand and you've been through it enough, you know, like what we, you know, grew up doing with this crazy music industry that you have no idea what it's like until you're in it. And what you thought it was going to be like.

And this is kind of full circle to what I was saying earlier. when we had the baby, what I thought it was going to be like versus what it was actually like was two completely different things. So you had to learn to adapt. You had to learn, you know, you had to figure it out. And that's the same with marriage and a baby, what you think it's going to be like, you know, versus what it's actually like two completely different things. But, you know, yeah, the failures are, it was the most important stuff along the way. Because then it led me to appreciate as well and be in the moment and be present. when I was, you know, getting the highs is successful.

So now, like, being married, like, not taking those little things that you have together for granted, you know, not just thinking like, okay, we wake up every day and today's just a day. You know, that's what kind of the music industry levity. Because during the time, you, especially when you're on the rise and things are going well, you never think it's going to end. And you're a little bit careless because you don't think it's impossible, whether it be with, you know, you are the money, whatever it is. because it's like it's never going to, like you're always going to be on the high.

Yeah. Only age teaches you that. Yeah. I'm going to say, I had the same experience. You get on that first wave and you're like, well, this is great. This is how it is. It's never going to end. And then you, then you're cold and you're like, oh, this is how it is? And then you work back up to some other moment. And then when you get that, how much more do you understand and you appreciate and realize that it's not, this isn't normal? This isn't every day. So that, I mean, that's one thing in like having a kid and having a marriage is like, you know, there's days where it's like, I was in, like, Marshall's the other day and the baby, and it was just me with a baby, and the baby had a crazy blowout and she's kicking and she was throwing her shit at me and like, all this stuff. And I was

like, I was about to have a breakdown. I'm like, what the hell is going on? It was, it was, you know, it was just dad here trying to. Dude, it's nuts. I've been there. But I had to remind myself, like, still, how lucky I am. You know, because I was, I was, I was bent, like what the I was like this sucks all of but then after like you know what what it's fine and every guy who has a kid who takes them out alone we've all been all of gone through it yeah but i think the thing that you know the industry and everything you know leading back to like the time of the most was just to appreciate the the little things that you think is normal like every day like waking up you know or like little things that you can do with your wife or baby you know that is a is a blessing

and actually appreciating it. And you do get, I think, more joy out of every moment, including when now in my career, I think when I have a moment or something's going well, I take it with a grain of salt. I enjoy it. But I don't put so much weight into it needing to be anything else. Right. And I can still go home and participate. And it's not about me.

It's not about what's, you know, if the. song is top five or this or that or the show was so big or whatever it is, I could still go home and just be dad however works going, good or bad. If it's cold and nothing's going on and it's really hard, I can still go home and be happy and leave it there. And if it's going well, I can still go home and be happy and leave it there. Yeah. You know, because it's kind of the same. You don't want to bring that energy home to your... No. They didn't. They didn't. They didn't. didn't do anything to get that version. You know, it's like, yeah.

That's good that you have that balance because that's... It took time. Yeah. That's hard. Well, this is cool as unconditional love is. Yeah. That's dope to be able to go back to a place where they don't give a shit. Yeah.

You know, if you have a whatever's going on. Yeah. It's cool. It's cool, man. I'm happy for you. Yeah, same. Thank you. Yeah.

Would you say that coming back to music from family life, you know, the back and forth, would you say that it is different than before? Like, would you say that you've noticed anything about yourself that's maybe more present with the family? What's weird is, you know, it's that double-edged sort of like, I love performing so much. Like, I don't think like that. You love it. I could never stop. Okay.

I do. But then when, you know, when I'm out, you know, doing shows, then I miss home. You miss home. And then when I get home, I'm like, I'm itching. I can't wait to get out of the road. And then I get it there. And then I'm like, oh, I can't wait to be home. So how many shows a year do you think you do?

Um, it's hard. Say now, maybe like, maybe like 80. Damn. That's a lot of shows. Yeah. I mean, and also DJing as well. So between that and popping up and off, we're doing. You got to love it to do that many.

I still look forward to every show. That's awesome. I don't know. I just, I wouldn't do it. COVID was the weirdest thing for me ever. Because I don't know if there's something like I, like I need to be. a crowd or before. I don't know what it was. That was just a weird time for me. So like that, I was like, I still love it. That's awesome to hear that. But I also, I want to find other stuff.

I want to be creative in other ways too and like, you know, not always be away because that's tough. Right. But I just can't help it. I don't know. That's a good thing though. I think when you love what you do, I'm conflicted with it. Yeah. I don't hate it, but I'm so anxious. And then once I do it, I feel great. But it's the lead up to the show. It's painful. I kind of like that. I'm working on it.

For me, like, it's one of those things that just makes me feel something. Like, whatever that angst is, like even. Yeah, it's cool. It's like a focus you have, almost. Yeah, I don't know, it's something to get through. Like, can I get through the angst? Can I get through the nervousness? And then when you get out there and you do it, I'm like, oh, shit.

You know, because now I'm at a point where, like, I'll allow myself to like be proud of myself for certain things. Yeah. You know? That's interesting in it. Yeah. Like where before. How long did that take?

Oh, man. Maybe, like halfway through, maybe like 10 years. Yeah, that's interesting. I don't know. I never thought about that. I didn't really let myself feel proud of myself either for maybe ever. Even now, maybe. I never thought about that.

Yeah, something that. Do you go to therapy? So, Anna Mena. And, like my music, my cabello can change with me and has to be able to to continue my rhythm. For so, potion nine of Sebastian Professional

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No. Life's your therapist. Do you ever think about it? I have, Yeah. And I'm not like opposed to it. I just never really I would never really dove in. It just never really was like hey, okay, I found someone. Right. Like how do you even find one?

Yeah. Yeah. Like where would I go? And for me now, especially like how much we travel, like how little, you know, time there is like like okay, I still try to find time for things I love, but then also, you know, being full-time dad and then also being on the road. And then it's like, when do you find time to write songs, what I find time to work on a DJ set? You know, like all, Like, that's like kind of the balance right now. But just experience has kind of been therapy for me. You've been terrified by experience. And who knows if it's good or bad or right or wrong?

I don't know. But, you know, I'm in a good place right now, you know. Thanks for coming on, dude. Dude, I've been watching. So I've been stoked about it. Awesome, man. Thanks for coming. And I saw Ryan, my buddy Ryan was on here.

So I was like, oh, hell yeah. Did the jacket dipped up in honor of Ryan with his prodded jacket on. Oh, yeah. I saw where I was like, I was like, I'll do my T-Mew jacket just for Ryan. Ryan's nice. I like Ryan. Yeah, well, we have a lot of history together. So it's been cool to see the interesting, like, roller coaster of that because I was part.

He lived with me. We lived in two houses together. Oh, wow. Yeah. I really like them. We never knew, like, got to know each other. And now we have this like really nice budding friendship just because we came on the show. Okay.

And like, but I've always been a fan of his band. Like I was always like, I think, yeah, we were, we were just friends. and I didn't really know much about it. And then when he did his hiatus, he was out in Atlanta and I was playing a show. So he lived with me out here. We had a blast. It was wild times in Studio City.

And then, no, Sherman Hux, wherever. But then he kind of hadn't talked to him in years. I was like, the band broken up. And he was out in Georgia. And then I was playing a show in Atlanta. I was like, dude, I'm in the area. You want to come out? He came out and play with me.

I was like, what are you going out to? He's like, I'm chopping down trees. What the fuck are you doing? chopping down trees. He's like, dude, I got a paid bill, whatever. I was like, you need to get your ass back to LA. Like, you were way too talented to be chopping down trees. Like that just, I was insane.

And so I got him a job at Dre's at the W. Oh, wow. I got a job at Dre's, called some buddies. And then he moved back in with me and then started the band again and started playing shows. And then I went back and saw him and they're selling out thousands of thousands of these plays. I was like, I won't tell anybody that you were. chopping down trees. I really felt like that part of his story, which I didn't know, made me like him more because he was willing to go get a job. And it was real. That was when I had the most respect

for, you know, him, you know, as a bud, the fact that he was willing to do that. Because I was just like, dude, I'll get you, I'll get your job in it. I was like, who cares what you're doing? Make enough, you know, live at the house. You got to pay something. And get after it again. And yeah, you're not in the right. You're not where you need to, you're supposed to be. You know. know out there. Well, yeah, it does. But look at his story. His story is so inspiring, you know. Yeah, I just feel like it made me like him more. I just love, love the idea that this guy felt like he needed to go work with his uncle and his cousin chopping down trees. And like, like, it doesn't make sense to me. Right. But like, it made me like him more because he did something that he felt

he needed to do. And I think he was on some other journey. I don't think it was about just a job and money. I think he was on some like spirit walk, but, um, which, which I, which I think we do in life sometimes and we don't realize we're doing it. We, we think a failure is a failure and it's not. It's actually us going off into some quiet place to reimagine or learn something about ourselves. And then to hear that he came and live with you and he worked at Dre's makes me like him even more. Because where, where do you not want to fucking wait tables or serve people or, or be a host or do whatever? Hollywood. Yeah. Especially after you've been successful. Yeah. So that makes me like him more because I'm like,

a lot of something there. I'm like, and not just humility. It's like it's almost like he needed to get back in touch with some part of the, of some reality that he needed to touch again or something. I don't know. But whatever journey he went on to get. Learn a lesson, humble you out. Or yeah, or whatever it was, he did it and look at the result. He's now I think he's living his best life and continuing. Yeah. Now our kids get to grow up together too. Yeah.

He's out in Florida as well. Yeah. Our kids are the same age. We'll go to Disney together. It's crazy. It's all full circle. Look at this journey we've been on together. Yeah.

And he's got experience. Yeah. So it was not like you didn't know who Yellow Card was. They had multi-platinum records to go from that to working these jobs to come back and build again a huge touring career. Credibility in music, all that. It's just to me as like a story that I like. Yeah.

And so it makes me just like it more. It was the very first CD. I bought a Tower Records. I moved to Los Angeles. Well, I moved to Encino. And there was a Tower Records right there in that gallery. The first CD I ever bought there. It's the yellow card record.

That's sweet. Yeah. And now you guys are good friends. Yeah. Well, thanks for coming on the show. It's fucking awesome. It's awesome, man. It was an honor.

Good luck with the music. Thank you, brother. And congrats on the family. Thank you. You got a beautiful. It's a portrait. Yeah, I appreciate it. You guys are a cool couple.

Thank you. It's a cool, like, family. It's cool vibe. Yeah, it's fun. It's never a dull moment. Yeah, it's cool, man. I'm happy for you. Thank you very much. Cool. Let's do it again sometime. All right.

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