Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend - Chris Robinson

Episode Date: May 27, 2024

Musician Chris Robinson feels confused about being Conan O’Brien’s friend.Chris sits down with Conan to discuss skyrocketing to fame in his early 20s with The Black Crowes, working artistically wi...th his brother Rich Robinson, turning the unreal real through music, and his newest album "Happiness Bastards." Plus, Conan receives some custom posters of his very own inspirational quotes. For Conan videos, tour dates and more visit TeamCoco.com.Got a question for Conan? Call our voicemail: (669) 587-2847.

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 Hi, my name is Chris Robinson. And I feel confused about being Conan O'Brien's friend. I don't see why you'd be confused. I think we have a natural affection. We do, but I get mixed messages from you. I'm a Sagittarian, I'm very sensitive, and you know what? I need more attention. You need more attention from me? Hey there, welcome to Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend,
Starting point is 00:00:46 joined as always by my chums, I suppose, contractual chums, sonum obsession. That's a good way to put it. We have contracts? Matt Gourley. And we're chums? Yours is written on a lettuce leaf. Aw. Listen, I was trying to do the introduction
Starting point is 00:01:01 and you kept badgering me about my face, which you say is- It looks extra red, like you got a little sunburned. I did, or I'm having some sort of stroke. Oh. It could be that. Okay. But I think it's because I got a lot of sun
Starting point is 00:01:15 and I'll tell you why I was in New York City for a couple of days on business. I'm a man that's got affairs to manage and I was walking around Manhattan a lot. You love to walk. I do like to walk. The tropical paradise of Manhattan. Well, at this time of year,
Starting point is 00:01:33 Okay, sure. This time of year, late spring, early summer. Yeah, and so. Nothing provides shade there. Well, okay, this is a fun thing that you're doing, you know? I'm Fred Astaire trying to dance and you keep throwing concrete cinder blocks at my feet. Anyway, yes.
Starting point is 00:01:49 I was there and it rained the entire time we were there. Oh! What is going on? And you know what, Adam doesn't look at all like he got any sun. Adam, to clarify, the first day that we were there, it was sunny and I was walking around a lot on that day. And it doesn't take me very long to get red.
Starting point is 00:02:09 Now that I buy. So I did, yes. So I did, I mean, so yeah, okay, Perry Mason. He did get you. I'm consulting the Almanac. He did. Case closed. I think I was there for four days,
Starting point is 00:02:22 but I got a lot of sun the first day walking around. And then the rest of the time it was raining. I did have a very unique, just a very New York experience. My agent was walking with me, Rick Rosen, we were walking hand in hand as agent and client do. You're skipping. Yeah, we're skipping. La la la la la.
Starting point is 00:02:39 He was taking 10% of my joy. And, but anyway, walking down the street and this was on a sunny day and this guy was probably in his 30s. And he had that New York look of, everyone there was honking their horns and uptight. They hunk a lot. They're big honkers. They hunk a lot
Starting point is 00:02:56 because the traffic was bad and people were uptight. Big honkers. Yeah, and I'm walking along with my agent and this guy is walking by and he looks kind of intense and he sees me and he says, I really fucking like your show. It's fucking good. But he said it and my agent said,
Starting point is 00:03:14 what's he so mad about? And he's a fan of the podcast, but he said it like, I'm gonna fucking kill you. But if you just look at the transcript, what he said was quite nice. He said, I really fucking like you. I like gonna fucking kill you. Yeah. But if you just look at the transcript, what he said was quite nice. He said, I really fucking like you. I like that fucking show. And then he kept walking and off to, I think, stab
Starting point is 00:03:32 someone in the eye. But I was wondering. Do you find people often like your material against their will? Yes, I think. Oh, that makes sense. That is one way to look at it is every, it was going against his better judgment,
Starting point is 00:03:45 and he was angry, but I also felt like that's probably how he proposed to his wife. Yeah. I'm gonna marry you, I'm gonna marry the shit outta you. I'm gonna put a fucking ring on your finger. We're gonna be together for 50 years and be happy, create eternal bond, be buried side by side, you fucker. But that's how, that kind of felt like who he was.
Starting point is 00:04:06 I get a little angrier in New York because you have to be on your A game. You're walking and then you're behind someone who's slow and you're like this fucking person who's slow and then you walk around them. Everybody's sunburned. Okay. What?
Starting point is 00:04:20 I'm telling you, this is what happens. If I'm someplace for four days and one day is sunny, I will come back looking like a tomato. I just will. And I should have put on some sunscreen. I usually am pretty good about it. You are. You are what?
Starting point is 00:04:38 You are good about putting on sunscreen. Yeah, but I didn't do it when I was in New York because I thought the same thing you guys were thinking. I'm not gonna put on sunscreen and walk around New York City and again, it didn't even seem that sunny out. I shouldn't live on planet Earth. I don't think I belong on Earth. All right.
Starting point is 00:04:54 So what happens now when you get a little burnt? Like do you have to like go see your dermatologist? No. Okay, all right. I don't know how it works with you. I don't think I'm with me. Yeah. I have to go into a hyperbaric chamber and I have to be attended to by Mormons for nine weeks.
Starting point is 00:05:10 What? They put creams and stuff on your face. Yeah, they cover me with creams. It's a Howard Hughes reference. He was attended by Mormons. You gotta know your references. Why the Mormons? Howard Hughes was very controlling
Starting point is 00:05:23 and he wanted white male Mormons to take care of him. I think he thought, you know, I mean, look, the man was kind of kooky. Pussy? Yes, a little kooky. I don't know how we, you sidetracked me, but I did what I thought was a clever reference and you could pick it up or not, but then.
Starting point is 00:05:40 I just asked. No, I know. And I'm telling you. I just asked. I didn't get the reference, so I just asked. Okay, and you know and I'm telling you. I just asked. I didn't get the reference, I just asked. Okay, and you know what? If you were working for Howard Hughes, he'd be right now clawing at you
Starting point is 00:05:49 with his 10 inch fingernails. To be fair, I kinda am working for Howard Hughes. Oh, please. Hey. I have more money than him. Wait, what happened? That's me, that's my large. What is that?
Starting point is 00:05:59 Oh no, a water fitter! Oh no! Ah! Oh my God! Ah! Ah! Oh my God! Oh my God! Let me explain. Oh no!
Starting point is 00:06:09 Dogs and cats live together. Let me explain to the listener what just happened. Why did your alarm go off? Because it was, cause I had to put money. That's a microphone. I had to put money in my meter. Okay. And people are probably gonna be like,
Starting point is 00:06:22 what, you have to pay to go to work? And you know what? You give us all free parking spaces, but it's too far. What is that? These are very sensitive electronics underneath this table. Oh, is it noise from outside? Now, Eduardo freaks out, because Eduardo built this studio.
Starting point is 00:06:36 And Eduardo, why don't you explain what could be happening to the electronic system? Wait, can we finish the story? Because you didn't explain what happened just now. We'll get there in a second. Will you let the coach run the team? Are you the coach? Yeah, I'm a very masculine coach.
Starting point is 00:06:52 This is Friday Night Lights. This will be brief. You are not coach Taylor. The water spilled over two microphone ports that we don't use that often. But essentially. I've got a port I don't use too often. But if we try to connect microphones to them,
Starting point is 00:07:05 the likelihood is they're not gonna work now. Oh, is that true? Yeah. Now, do we have to take the whole table apart? I'll probably have to take the table apart at a future date and replace those two. Wait, why did you build something that could, is it made of sugar?
Starting point is 00:07:21 Why did you build something that was so fragile? Well, electronics and water, usually not a good combination. Unless you know what you're doing. Now, I'm just saying, Eduardo, I'm not challenging. Jesus Christ! There you go again. Did you even mention, Coach,
Starting point is 00:07:36 that you spilled water all over the table? I think you're the one to blame because your alarm went off. I went to get your phone to turn it off. My microphone knocked over a glass of water. All I know is I'm not to blame. I retract the formula. Electronics, water, and Conan.
Starting point is 00:07:51 Not a good combination. I have a question. But shouldn't we, if we're not using ports, shouldn't they be covered? Aren't there port covers that we could be using? Oh my god, you're not gonna blame Eduardo for this. No, Eduardo, don't you think that might be smart? Or can we put covers on the glasses?
Starting point is 00:08:06 No, that wouldn't work because people frequently sip from the glasses. But if a microphone port is not in use, it should be covered. Deflect, deflect. It should be covered, should it not? Now, tell me if you think I have a decent idea here, Adam. Be fair. Okay, you're so far away from a microphone.
Starting point is 00:08:20 Yeah, he said it was raining in New York. I think we should cover the microphone ports. Port covers is a brilliant idea. And Eduardo, I forgive you. Maybe I'm thinking it's a business idea. Eduardo, I forgive you for not thinking of it. Okay, wait. That only covers part of the problem.
Starting point is 00:08:34 I have a point. Because what if your water just spilled all the way to Sona's mic potentially and Gorley's original? I would get to the water long before that happens. I have a comment to make. When you heard my phone go off, did you try to reach for my phone
Starting point is 00:08:46 because you thought the phone was ringing and you wanted to answer it? No, I thought it was ringing with a soft G. Oh, gosh. But, um. I've never put up a rap sign more fervently than this. Maybe you need to grow up and not reach for my phone or you're gonna tip over your water.
Starting point is 00:09:02 Maybe it's behavioral. Okay, well I guess. I agree, I agree. Oh, of course, Eduardo's on your side because he was the one that failed to build the challenger properly. So what you're saying is, Sona, you're saying bad boundaries is what tipped over that water.
Starting point is 00:09:18 I'm saying if you were a little bit more mature in handling my phone going off, then this entire situation. During a podcast? I think that's an egregious mistake. Give me a parking spot. Give you a parking spot? Give me a parking spot.
Starting point is 00:09:32 You see how much space is back there. I know. Now, Jeff likes to come and park in kind of a funky way. Of course, Adam has to be here, right? But Jeff sends his car over even when he doesn't come in. He has someone drive his car over and wedge it into the parking space. Some of us have families.
Starting point is 00:09:51 Andy comes with a big van that runs on castor oil. And so there's no room back there. And you know, in your defense, I don't know why I'm defending you after just criticizing you, you do give me a free parking space. It's just like a block away. And I just don't want to, I don't want to walk there. Of course, we are from LA, you don't know why I'm defending you after criticizing you. You do give me a free parking space. It's just like a block away. And I just don't want to, I don't want to walk there.
Starting point is 00:10:07 Of course, we are from LA, you don't walk. You guys never formed legs. Oh, wow. All right, so anyway. You can't be out in the sun. I think what we learned here is the following, okay? There was enough sun for me to get burned in New York. So Adam, you lose.
Starting point is 00:10:20 The microphone ports should be covered. You should have thought of that, Eduardo. Sona, you have a free parking space that's only a block away. You could have gotten there, and you should turn off your alarm when you come in. That's true. Conan wins again. Hey, my guest today is a musician
Starting point is 00:10:34 and co-founder of The Black Crows, whose 10th studio album, Happiness Bastards, is out now. ["Happiness Bastards"] Chris Robinson, welcome. ["Happiness Bastards"] Chris Robinson, welcome. You are going to get so much attention from me. I adore you. You know that.
Starting point is 00:10:52 I am a massive fan of your work. We can get into all that, but boy, you talk about, oh, man, I've always wanted to meet Chris Robinson. And then from the first time I met you, when you would come on the late night show, you were so goddamn hilarious. And then I'm talking, I ran into you, and you were like, oh man, I've always wanted to meet Chris Robinson, and then from the first time I met you when you would come on the late night show, you were so goddamn hilarious. And then I'm talking, I ran into you recently, and let's just say we hung out for a little bit.
Starting point is 00:11:13 Let's just say. Let's just say. Let's just say. See what I mean about these mixed messages. Let's just say there was a hang. There was a hang with the Robinson brothers. And Robb bank? Maybe we did, and maybe we didn't.
Starting point is 00:11:24 And some tequila was involved, some high-end tequila. We had a really good time and you were making me laugh so hard and at one point you said something to me. I think you mentioned your wife and you said, I said, oh, your wife and you said, yes, yes, my third wife. And then you said, I'm not afraid to love Conan. And I started laughing so hard. And it Conan. And I started laughing so hard. And it's true.
Starting point is 00:11:46 I started laughing so hard. And you were that level of funny the whole time. Wow. I was just so delighted. Yeah, cause you're a very talented musician, front man for one of the great bands of all time. And I also think you are a comedian. I think you are a really funny fucking comedian.
Starting point is 00:12:03 My initial foray into the business we all know is show. Yeah, thank you. And when I was a teenager, I didn't, you know, I knew I wasn't probably going to be the manager at Barnes and Nobles or whatever. Because you didn't try. You need to really dedicate yourself. My dyslexic reality has made it very difficult for me
Starting point is 00:12:25 in the day job world. But, so I had an acting class and I was horrible. I was a horrible actor. But the guy who ran it had like a, you know, like a local cable show. It was like a sketch comedy show and I would be like, oh, I can do the rabbi who sells, you know, barbecue. Or whatever, you know what I mean?
Starting point is 00:12:44 Yeah, yeah, exactly. He thought I wasn't a good actor, but he thought I was funny. And he was like, oh, write some sketches. So, and then I started doing that. And then the very first thing I ever did was standup comedy at this club. I opened for like, what's the guy's name? A Washington older...
Starting point is 00:13:03 George Washington. Not that guy. No, he never did. There's other people than George Washington. I mean, he's a very big one. You went right to the oldest and the most famous Washington. Which is cool that we could just narrow it down so quickly. Well, clearly whoever this was made it big.
Starting point is 00:13:22 No, but he's big. He's a black comic. He wears it. He's older He wears a kangol backwards. Oh George Wallace. Yes, George Wallace you confused him with another famous statesman George Make America George Wallace again, they're doing it But yes, George Wallace I opened for him that's crazy it was horrible I didn't know any of this -♪ Darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn-a-darn- were an entire dimensional thing. But trust me, Chris, you chose wisely. Because every comedian, myself included, we dabble, I walk around, I play my guitar in front of the mirror still at my advanced age, I dream about getting to live that life.
Starting point is 00:14:17 And I don't even mean in a big way. I mean, if I was just touring and just barely getting by in an old van, I would do it. Should I do the same thing? I feel do it. I feel like I'm at the chuckle bucket in Oklahoma. I put on 50 pounds. It's like Jake Lamatta talking at the end of his career. And I dream too.
Starting point is 00:14:39 Can I dream? You can dream. You can dream. You guys should switch. You take on the Black Crows and you take on this podcast. I know, but he's been very successful. My dream, he said his music dream goes to like... Mine would, I'm telling you, I would take down-
Starting point is 00:14:53 You're like Johnny Thunders in New Orleans the last day before it's all over. Was it a crime? We don't know. I would take down the Black Crows instantly. You would let me borrow the Black Crows for one day and it would be, nope, it's over. And you can never use that name again. I remember very clearly, and I've talked to you about this,
Starting point is 00:15:13 but your band was very important to me at a very important time. So around 1990 is when I'm, around the time I'm leaving SNL, I'm gonna go work on The Simpsons and I am driving around a lot alone, and I am listening to Shake Your Money Maker until the thing just, I think I had a, it was back when you would slide a CD
Starting point is 00:15:36 into the Ford Taurus you were driving around, and that's a true story. God forbid a cassette gets in there. Yeah, God forbid, yeah. I think my problem was I was shoving a cassette into the CD slide, but it sounded great still. I listened to that and I thought, this is so great. And then flash forward a little time
Starting point is 00:15:53 and I'm about to leave the Simpsons and I know that something big is gonna happen in my life. I can just sense it. I'm about to take on this late night show and the Southern Harmony and Musical Companion comes out. And for my money, as much as I know Shake Your Moneymaker was the atomic bomb blast, I think the Southern Harmony and Musical Companion is a perfect, perfect album.
Starting point is 00:16:17 Thank you. I mean, I think it's probably our, you know, it's our best one. It's absolutely fantastic. And I listened to it and I listened to it and I listened to it and I listened to it and I listened to it and I would listen to Remedy and then into Thorn in my Pride. And I would drive around at night like a serial killer
Starting point is 00:16:33 without the killing part, which kind of ruined it. But just the obsession and the focus and the... The staring. Letting the... Yeah, letting... Choosing and choosing my victims, but not doing anything. Yeah, in the van. Yeah, let the, let the, let the.
Starting point is 00:16:48 You have a van that's ready, but you just never use it. I have all these tools, but I don't use those either. Let the madness overtake you. You know what it is. But not completely sweep you away. Of course, everyone walked to the edge. You know what I was? I was the slacker serial killer.
Starting point is 00:17:03 I never quite could get my ass up and do the actual crime. Or you're like the serial killer with obsessive compulsive disorder who's like... -"Errr!" -"Errr!" You don't like slime. I can't touch entrails in wool. They're like, "'Errr! There must be a chat room for that. Err!"
Starting point is 00:17:23 But anyway, that was huge for me. And then over the years on the late night show, you guys would come on. And one of my favorite memories, and I have a still photo of it somewhere, you were touring with the great Jimmy Page, you and your brother, the Black Crows with Jimmy Page. We call him, you know, Jim.
Starting point is 00:17:44 I'm just kidding. I Crows with Jimmy Page. We call him, you know, Jim. I'm just kidding. I call him Mr. Page. You call him Sir Page. Sir Page. But you guys did something with him, which was mind blowing. And then you came over and you sat down and you had said just before the show,
Starting point is 00:18:03 you said, hey Conan, I want you to bring out the masturbating bear while I'm sitting there. That's the only reason I thought he would be here today. Yeah, that's the only reason you're here. Now it's like we have a lactating raccoon. No. Err. Err.
Starting point is 00:18:21 It's a male raccoon. He's like, here guys. It's still lactating. We're out of oat milk, but bring that raccoon in here. The raccoon's nipples are like hanging on the table like, leave me alone. Enough! What's wrong with you? Get some fucking oat milk.
Starting point is 00:18:41 Like everybody else in Los Angeles. So I said yes. So the great thing is that, of course, you and Rich, you know what's going on. You've watched the show before. You were chatting with Jimmy Page, the creator of Led Zeppelin, when all of a sudden we had the bear come out and start masturbating in front of Jimmy. And you and your brother are howling laughing. And Jimmy has this look of like, I've seen it all. Yes.
Starting point is 00:19:10 I'm sorry. And he didn't know what it was, but a bear came out in a diaper and started masturbating in front of him on national television. And he was just like, oh, this happened in 72. Yeah, yeah. In Seattle, my boy.
Starting point is 00:19:23 He's like, I live in Aleister Crowley's home. You know what I mean? This is nothing. You think a masturbating bear will faze me? That led Zeppelin-Jett was flown by a masturbating bear. And he's like, yeah, in his mind, he's like, that bear's not really masturbating. He just simply such in the bulge in his diaper
Starting point is 00:19:46 very quickly. Yes. My boy, let me show you how it's done. Let me bring out my whips. Yeah, it was so, there was a picture, I gotta find it, but I got it framed. I love it so much. And it's you and your brother and Jimmy between you
Starting point is 00:20:02 and the bear batting at the bulge in his diaper. The bear also like, because of like, you know, I was so excited. You know what I mean? Make America great again, bring that motherfucker back. You know what I mean? We did an episode once towards the end where we revealed the identity of the bear
Starting point is 00:20:19 and he was masturbating and then we removed it and it was Jim Carrey. And Jim Carrey was in the suit. And I was around too. I'm no Jim Carrey. That's right. And Jim Carrey was in the suit and- I was around too, I'm no Jim Carrey, but I was, could have jumped in there and given it a- You could have jumped in, you can still do it. Oh my God.
Starting point is 00:20:31 We still got that costume. We can hose it off. Yeah, oh God. But you know, you have said that all those years of touring, the drugs interested you not as much like the sex. Like you'd read about it, these other heavy metal groups that were into group sex, and you had this great quote where you went, please, group sex is unhygienic.
Starting point is 00:20:52 And I was like, he's right. Maybe that's why I've never done it. Let me tell you something. That's why. Maybe, I don't know why I'm the way I am, but it's like, I didn't do group sex and I don't do all you can eat sushi. You know what I mean? It's like, I am, maybe, I don't know why I'm the way I am, but it's like, I didn't do group sex and I don't do all you can eat sushi. You know what I mean?
Starting point is 00:21:07 It's like, I just, when you see all you can, I don't know if that's something that I want access to as much as I can till I vomit. Yeah, yeah. Or whatever, it's just weird. I mean, yeah, I don't know. I was always a one woman kind of person. I liked a relationship.
Starting point is 00:21:27 Doesn't mean I was very good at him until very recently and the jury is still out, but what if you meet a girl and she doesn't have any big star records? You know what I mean? Like, ugh, you know, or like, your shoes don't go with this outfit. Oh, what are you, we're not gonna hang, you know what I mean?
Starting point is 00:21:45 I have certain. Wow, your bar is so high. That's right. All I need to know, all they need to know as far as I'm concerned is that I was on television. You were a game show host? Good enough! Yeah, it does.
Starting point is 00:22:00 Were you on a movie or something? Yeah, whatever, let's go. I saw you on an episode of Canon. And to catch a predator. Yeah. Whatever, sure. And I did get caught. So what?
Starting point is 00:22:13 Ha ha ha ha. ["The Trap"] ["The Trap"] The trajectory that you guys went through, I think in the space of, I don't know if it's like a year maybe, you go from playing to, I think you've said, maybe 18 people in a room. Sometimes I wish it was 18. 18 people in a room, let's say. And a year later, after Shake Your Money Maker, you're playing to hundreds of thousands of people in a row, let's say, and a year later, after Shake Your Money Maker,
Starting point is 00:22:45 you're playing to hundreds of thousands of people in Moscow. All around the world. All around the world. And you're how old? 23, turning 24. Rich is just turning 20, 21. I've always said, again, I don't have a lot of experience with drugs,
Starting point is 00:23:01 but I defy anyone to find a more powerful drug than adulation from a big crowd. I think that goes right into your heart, like very powerful cocaine. You know, it's funny, Izzy Stradlin from Guns N' Roses invited Rich and I to his house in like early 1990. We were out here and we were like, I mean, that's Guns N' Roses.
Starting point is 00:23:20 There's still Guns N' Roses, but then they were like Guns N' Roses, like, you know? And we were like, cool, and he was like, oh man, thanks for coming over, I just wanted to meet you guys, and you know, I don't know if you're prepared for what's gonna happen, and we were like, you're gonna pay for lunch?
Starting point is 00:23:35 I didn't know, we're prepared for that, I have eight dollars, you know? You just sold 800 million records. But no, we're not getting lunch. Never mind. But what fame and he goes, you just hang on. It's funny that was, you have no idea.
Starting point is 00:23:54 You think about those things. It's the same thing I was teasing before about reading a book or whatever. At the end of 1991, we're in Europe and David Bowie is in a band called Tin Machine with Reece Grebel, guitar player who's now in The Cure, fantastic guitar player, great guy. I haven't seen him in a little while, but we were all in Dublin together and it was funny, I looked back on this day, it was funny, you want to have breakfast with me and David,
Starting point is 00:24:23 David Bowie? And I was like, yeah, of course I do. He's paying, right? I'm just kidding. You're obsessed with that. I'm just thinking, at the time. That water's on us, by the way. Cheers, thanks.
Starting point is 00:24:34 But at the time, I was probably very nervous, but again, I had made one record. My life is changing, but I've made one record. It's fucking David Bowie. I mean, he's a rock ch made one record. It's fucking David Bowie. I mean, he's Rock's chameleon. Yeah. But he's David Bowie. He's already this iconic, he's already this archetype
Starting point is 00:24:53 of like a certain thing that we associate culturally with rock and roll. And what am I going to be like? Well, there was that time I was in the studio last week. You know what I mean? I hadn't traveled. I'd been around, I hadn't done anything. And he was very aloof.
Starting point is 00:25:08 And it wasn't that he was. But I realized, what did I have to offer that conversation? Even if I'm smart, whatever. It wasn't adding up. We go that night, the Edge has a birthday party at his mansion. And we're invited to that. So Bono was there, he was dressed as Shea Rivera,
Starting point is 00:25:28 which was... What? He was. What? He didn't have, you know... It was Shea Rivera night in Ireland, yeah. I mean, yeah, I mean, he had the, he was completely, so I thought he was.
Starting point is 00:25:41 Yeah. It wasn't Paul Pot, I tell you that. Yeah. But he was... Yeah. It wasn't Pol Pot, I tell you that. Yeah. But he was. That was Friday. Yeah, yeah, that was a private party. I didn't think it would be good to have a costume party but it has to be in private where everyone comes
Starting point is 00:25:55 as the worst person in the world. I'm like, there's two Jim Joneses here. Yeah. Guys. You're like, well, I thought you were. We got to call ahead. I thought you were coming as Herman Hess. I'm like, well, I thought you were... We got to call ahead. I thought you were coming as Herman Hess. I'm like, ah, the wrong size boots.
Starting point is 00:26:11 God damn it. But I'm not saying Shay is a bad person. I'm not at all. He's a revolutionary. Sure. But the point of the story is Bono's like, oh, you're in the black crows. I go, yeah, and he goes, oh, you poor bastard. You'll never sell that many records again. You know that. I was like, Jesus Bono, this is, I mean, I don't know what's going
Starting point is 00:26:29 to happen. Oh, I do. I'm Bono. Look at me. I'm in my fatigues. But he said that. And in a way, though, I get it. You know what I mean? Because other bands, bands that we love. Every story is different to get to where you end up. I always envied the, you have one record, it's pretty good that you could terrace up this thing and start to learn your way around an industry and a business that can be horrible. A horrible, some of the worst people in the world. Again, it's the same thing when you sign your first record contract and the lawyer goes,
Starting point is 00:27:10 this is the worst thing you'll ever see. I'll sign that. Oh. No, for the first one. Hold on a minute, so even if it is successful, my children will never, no, I'll sign that. You know what I mean? Like you do it because at the time,
Starting point is 00:27:28 there's nothing else. You just played in front of 18 people and someone's saying, we will make this record and we will put it out. But. Just sign this and you will sign it. Lorne Michaels said to me that one of the truest things, I know it's true now.
Starting point is 00:27:44 And he said, Conan, that's my chair. He said, that's my chair. It's my show. But he said, he's, you know, cause I was, many people would say like I was signing crazy, signing away a lot of things and, but I was brand new and- You don't have a lot of leverage. I had no leverage.
Starting point is 00:28:03 And so what he said to me was he said, look, and he had that kind of my boy, and he was absolutely right. He said, many of the smartest things I've heard about show business have been from Lauren Michaels. And he said, Conan, they take advantage of you for five years, then it's your turn. And I didn't know what he was talking about, but if you put in the time and you can hang in there,
Starting point is 00:28:21 then you get to say, if you want more of what I'm doing, I would like to set the terms now. And isn't it weird, before the Kardashians came on TV, five years seemed like a long time. Now it's like 83 seasons of that bullshit. You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, it is true how people always-
Starting point is 00:28:37 Just kidding, I don't know. I've never even seen five seconds of it. I just thought, I thought it would be funny. I don't know, but it's- And I don't know if it's funny or if you're just being nice. No, no, no. No, it is pretty funny. It is very funny.
Starting point is 00:28:51 It is, I'm always stunned now at, it used to be like an epic run if a TV show was on for six years. It was like, wow, you guys did six years and you're gonna go into syndication. And now I'm constantly seeing that a show that I swear to God sounds like it just went on the air like three years ago.
Starting point is 00:29:10 Yeah. Like, not even The Bachelor or The Bachelorette, but Bachelorette's on stilts, and they'll say, we're celebrating our 40th season. And you're like, what happened? Show came out in 1971? Can I tell you a funny story though about... Nope, no time.
Starting point is 00:29:28 See you guys later. Bye. Shut the door. The day we had made Shake Your Money Maker, it's in the can, it's finished, the artwork is done. They're gonna give us the release date. We had a show in a place called Rome, Georgia. There's a boarding school there called Darlington that my dad and Rich actually went to. And they had a little bar
Starting point is 00:29:49 up there and we'd play there occasionally. We'd drive the van up, it's like 90 miles. And we were called Mr. Crow's Garden and it just didn't fit. Our little jangly psychedelic 60s kind of name didn't fit what we were doing. And so, you know, George and everyone said, you needed a new name. We liked the Crows. That's why we keep the E in it because of the book, Mr. Crow is like a proper noun. So on the way up to this gig, we say in the van,
Starting point is 00:30:17 that's it, today we had like a couple of names. We're the Black Crows. From here, no matter what happens. We are all in on this. Yes, we make that decision. We go to the gig, we set up our gear, we do soundcheck. There's a band that's opening for us that's like a dad and a daughter and like a cousin. It's like some family band. I don't know if they were Christians.
Starting point is 00:30:40 I don't know what they were doing. And we're like, that's weird. So we go down the street to get something to eat. We come back, those guys finish their set. We're dressed like the, I mean, we look like, you know, we're doing a gig. It's a real fucking gig. We're the fucking Black Crows. We made an album. We walk out on stage, we fucking open with jealous again.
Starting point is 00:31:00 The only people in the club are the dad, the daughter, and the cousin. Hold on. And they're sitting there, and they're eating Subway sandwiches while we're playing. Four people. Oh my god. The opening band, and we're like, Jealous Again.
Starting point is 00:31:23 Blah, blah, blah. Blah, blah, blah! Blah, blah, blah! Ha, ha, ha, ha! Ha, ha, ha, ha! Oh, wow! I'm like, yes! You know what I mean?
Starting point is 00:31:32 Like, here we come. World beaters. Fantastic. You know, it's funny because the dynamic, your brother could not be less like you. It's so fantastic how different you guys are. And I've got to know him a little bit. And you've described yourself as a dyslexic extrovert
Starting point is 00:31:51 and Rich as an OCD introvert. And I thought when I read that description- I mean, I said that in a therapy session and it got out. Yeah. No, it was, I was the therapist. I was a bad idea. Yeah, yeah. I just came in for the meds That was a bad idea. Yeah, yeah. I just came in for the meds and now all of this.
Starting point is 00:32:08 But it's fascinating that it works so well. And then in other times you guys would have to say, that's it, can't do this anymore for a long period of time. Yeah, and for every band, every business, every partnership, everything has its ebb and flow and good and bad. I love the people that kept their shit private. We were just not gonna be that way.
Starting point is 00:32:33 To us, our connection with music and everything is an emotional connection. It's a feeling. We didn't learn music. Rich and I don't know any music, if you put it in front of us. I don't know what key I'm singing, you know what I mean? Like, it is something that we've developed.
Starting point is 00:32:49 And I mean, yes, of course, we know a little bit of music 35 years later, but it's really just by a visceral sort of connection to what it is. In the same way, that's how we write, you know? Rich will play me the little, it could be the littlest thing, could be, I don't know, a rhythmic thing, a seventh note. I don't know, it could be whatever it is dictates. That's where I come in.
Starting point is 00:33:14 This song is whatever the theme is going to be, comes from something that Rich, she talks to angels as a great example. We were still living at mom and dad's house, and he just played that little thing and he just started mucking around with Open E. That song is funny because it was very easy to write a scene or story. I knew someone that looked a certain way who I at the time had heard
Starting point is 00:33:44 was into heroin, right? Or, you know, hard drugs. But I don't know. They never had a child or lost a child. You know what I mean? Like I just fill in the blanks of the story I want to tell. But I'm not even beginning to tell that story without just whatever that little thing is Rich plays me. Because I've written many songs by myself, written songs with other people, and it's different, you know what I mean? That's what he and I do. So between our OCD and Dyslexia, we make one functioning songwriter, I think. We're one Billy Joel. So I'm picturing...
Starting point is 00:34:27 Billy Joel who doesn't shower. I'm picturing when little kids, when one gets on the other shoulder and they put on a big trench coat and try to go to the movie theater as an adult and the hand comes out of the crotch to pay for it. Instead they play piano. By the way, what's the Billy Joel song where he goes, what's the one where he breaks into
Starting point is 00:34:47 like a vampire voice? You know what I'm talking about? I don't know that one. It's so funny. Long Island Vampire? No, it's one of his big hits. Yeah, the Long Island Vampire. You're going to tonto big shot.
Starting point is 00:34:56 That's one. Big shot. And then you got to do what's a big shot. Yes. Didn't you? That's so fucking crazy. I'm like, what is he? That's so fucking crazy.
Starting point is 00:35:05 I was like, what is he? That's so crazy. I started to scan my brain and I just said, Billy Joel vampire. And I went to him and I went, you think the tour a big shot, didn't you? Count Chocula. Yeah, Count Chocula.
Starting point is 00:35:18 Well, you're not coming to my castle. That's fucking hilarious. Someone talk to the bass player cause I'm in the key of E flat. What? What? What? What?
Starting point is 00:35:29 What? After every concert his band mysteriously disappears. Will you get him on your, just to ask him what the fuck was that? I would ask him about the other song where he's like, you know, JFK blown away. The one where he's just listing things that happened in history. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's what I remember that him being on, Billy Joel was on Saturday Night Live
Starting point is 00:35:50 and he was performing that song, you know. We didn't start the fire. But then it's the whole list of like, you know. Harry Truman, Doris Day, Red China, Johnny Ray, South Pacific, Walter Winchell, Joe DiMaggio. Okay, well you're fired. You have a, now get out. Of course, by the way,
Starting point is 00:36:03 I have erectile dysfunction after that. Yeah. Really, you have a, now get out. By the way, I have erectile dysfunction after that. Yeah. Really, I have a huge boner. But anyway, I remembered, I remembered watching, being back near the Kraft food service table, where the double doors are and starting out live, where the food is, and I'm standing there and he's singing that song, listing things,
Starting point is 00:36:19 and Jim Downey's standing there and he turned to me and he went, he's just listing things! This is when it was like the number one song in the country. and he turned to me and he went, he's just listing things! ALL LAUGHING This is when it was like the number one song in the country. But Jim Downey knew. He's just listing things! Just reading the credits while they go down. It's like, oh, bring me my encyclopedia Britannica.
Starting point is 00:36:40 Which ones do you want? All of them, all of them. Get them all! This is a long song. A to Z. Sorry, I didn't know why he does the breaks Which ones do you want? All of them, all of them. Get them all. This is a long song. A to Z. Sorry, I didn't know why he does the breaks into the vampires sound.
Starting point is 00:36:50 Well, you know. It was the 70s. He was feeling it. You think you're a big shot, didn't ya? Uh-huh. You know what's fascinating to me is that people get all jumbled up about time later on and it doesn't matter,
Starting point is 00:37:05 but you have to understand that in 1990, nobody was dressing like you. There was a Seattle punk thing that was starting to happen. And then there was also metal, hair metal. And then you guys and you're, I think you've called it, it's Mick Jagger circa like 1970. Well, yeah, we really loved like the 72 stones. That was like the way Keith kind of looked.
Starting point is 00:37:33 The Stooges, but it's funny because I always remember, it was hard to find clothes like that. And everyone had looked like Guns N' Roses. And we went to England for the first time, and they had a place called Kensington Market. Fabulous, amazing place. Like crazy stalls and homemade wild clothes and all sorts of stuff.
Starting point is 00:37:57 Punk things, goth things, renders, whatever it could be. And I bought a pair of maroon kind of bell bottoms. And then we came back to the States and we were on tour with Aerosmith funny enough, our first tour bus. But we played a gig in Rochester, New York at there's a baseball stadium there. And it was Black Crowes, Warrant, Metallica, Aerosmith.
Starting point is 00:38:24 We're on first. And I remember this. And I come out of the thing, and I'm wearing my bell box, you know, the way we look. And people are like snickering at me. And I'm like, y'all motherfuckers laugh all you want. I look cool. You know? Like, I feel cool.
Starting point is 00:38:40 Yeah. And we went up and did the gig, and people, like a lot of Metallica fans are like, you know, carving pentagrams of bleeding in their hands. Fuck you! I hate you! Oh, I get that a lot. You know, they were like, we were the worst thing they've ever seen, but we were still kind of street, you know.
Starting point is 00:38:57 We're from Atlanta and I get up there and I'm like, rubbing my butt and looking at them, mm, mm, mm, mm, kissing them. I'm like, all right, bring it up here, big boy. You know and I'm like rubbing my butt and looking at them, like kissing them. I'm like, bring it up here big boy. You know what I'm saying? They're fucking throwing tennis shoes and golf balls and shit at us.
Starting point is 00:39:14 I'm like, who's bringing golf balls? Banging, banging. And so, but we do the, who brought a pocket full of fucking golf balls to this gig. Security! So we do the gig though, and we, you know, some people like it, I imagine, we're still here, but we didn't, we were like, this, you know, fuck y'all.
Starting point is 00:39:35 We're gonna do our fucking thing, and this, you can't stop us, that's part of this weird rock and roll thing. So we go backstage, we're like, whatever, we played 30 minutes or whatever. Warrant is going on next. And they come out of the trailer in these little matching outfits.
Starting point is 00:39:51 They look like the Osmond family. You know what I mean? Crazy horses. I remember that, yes. And they would do their little dance and they would have little matching, one's got blue shirt, one's got a white shirt, blue pants, white leg,
Starting point is 00:40:05 you know, little outfits. And these guys are wearing like these little, you know, at the time, I guess they had never saw the Osmond family, but. So the stadium, I don't know, there's 50,000 people in there and you just hear, Warren sucks, Warren sucks. And that whole place is ringing this out,
Starting point is 00:40:24 like it's loud. And they look at each other, and they put on their, they went back in their trailer, put on their sweatpants, and got on the bus, and they left. No. And I was like, I mean, I get it. They didn't even know we were the Black Crows enough to say we sucked.
Starting point is 00:40:40 We would have gone out anyway. We just would have, we were that kind of- In cert name here sucks. Yeah. Yeah. These people wanted Metallica. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And Aerosmith, which is totally cool. Of course it's, but I was like, you know,
Starting point is 00:40:57 I was like, who could, why did you should, if you really believe in what you're doing, you go, you weather the storm, get up there, give it to them, you don't know, you know what I mean? Like, you can't just what you're doing, you go, you weather the storm, get up there, give it to them, you don't know. You know what I mean? Like you can't just fold, I mean, I'm not picking on them. I'm sure they're rad dudes. I don't hang out with them
Starting point is 00:41:14 at the all you can eat sushi place. But they're, they're coming, they're here in 20 minutes. But I'm just, I'm, I'm, uh, no, you have to say, this is what we're doing. You can't ask, is this okay, what we're doing? You have the essence of not just rock and roll, but comedy is this is what we're doing. And if you, there's no going back
Starting point is 00:41:40 and you just have to say, this is what it is. And you, if you're asking permission, it's not gonna work. Ever. It would never, ever work. And I think, I don't know, I think there might be an argument that today, music, they're asking for your permission more. I mean, because there's definitely, you know, part of the appeal of rock and roll, part of the reality of art,
Starting point is 00:42:02 of being an outside person in the world, of not, it's not about conforming, it's just no, we're not doing that. You know what I mean? Like it's just not going to fit. I can't, I mean, if you think this is mental illness, wait till you see like trying to force something that doesn't work in that way.
Starting point is 00:42:22 And I think that, you know, that's, you know, part of what you wanna say, part of the way we wanted to sound, the way we wanted to look, was defiant towards other things that were going on. And I think, you know, in the corporate landscape of today, and just the way the culture works outside of, you know, what is the, to me, it's status really rules everything, you know? And just the way the culture works outside of, to me, its status really rules everything.
Starting point is 00:42:52 But to obtain a certain amount of status, you have to comply. And you know what I mean? So our whole philosophic slant was defiance. You're defiant in the face of the business that says, you're from Atlanta and you're not in LA, you know, in the face, you're defiant in the face of the business that says you're from Atlanta and you're not in LA and you're, you know, you're not wearing the right clothes. You're not playing the game, you're not, you know, I mean, we had, you know, lots of managers
Starting point is 00:43:16 listened to Shake Your Money Maker and said, that singer, he's horrible, you know, because this is at the age of, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, you know, everyone's very high voice and metal and rock things like that. And I didn't sing that way. And it was like, he, we can't, we don't know what this is.
Starting point is 00:43:33 Which is kind of funny today that we have a record out now that it's different because of course we have three decades plus of people knowing what it is, but that it has the reaction that it has had. You know what I mean? I've been blasting it in my car. I upgraded from a Ford Taurus to the new Ford Taurus just coming out.
Starting point is 00:43:55 I had Ford make me a new Taurus. Just that's the kind of cloud I have. Cool. It's made of gold. Gold. Happiness bastards. And I've been blasting this and it's great. It's made of gold. Gold, yeah. Happiness bastards, and I've been blasting this and it's great.
Starting point is 00:44:07 It's fantastic. Thank you, yeah. And you guys, We're very impressed. You guys haven't missed a beat. You really haven't. It doesn't feel like it at all. I think it's been, it's been 15 years since the last time you guys worked together. Yeah. Since we made it,
Starting point is 00:44:20 we were in the studio doing stuff, new, you know, original song, original things that we've... Did you do this with George? George... No, no. We did it with this guy, J. Joyce. J. Joyce, okay. He's a... He's... Oh, he has a little submarine, does he? Yeah, yeah.
Starting point is 00:44:40 Dive, dive! Two submarines. Oh, wow. Okay, nice. I mean, because also, I mean, the guitar sound is fantastic. I know- I mean, we really, you know, we went through the things that we've gone through and people always say, well, how did you do? You know, the cynic, the cynicism in the world is, oh, you're going to do this, it's
Starting point is 00:45:04 a money grab. It's funny because Rich is like, people who don't know about the music businesses, no matter where we are, we're still the Black Crows and we're worth tickets. People, we have an audience, we have a history, we've made good records, we have songs, people have in their life,
Starting point is 00:45:21 and we put on a good show. Every year we didn't do the Black Crow, someone calls up and goes, you know, they're out there, you guys get it together, we'll put you out there, here's what money's gonna be. I just think of a guy... You guys know Jed Clampett? And Ralph Stanley's back?
Starting point is 00:45:37 Yeah. It's just a guy in cowboy boots and a gold chain. You gotta get out there, there's a lot of money. Okay, would this be better? Like, hey, listen, you guys wanna get out there? I like that guy, yeah. I tell you what. Hey, yo, that guy's.
Starting point is 00:45:51 I'll worry about the agent, you worry about the union representative, we'll get to that in a minute. I don't even know what you're talking about. Just wanna play the show. But there was always an offer for us to do it. But I think the time we, I just had had enough of the time we, we, you know,
Starting point is 00:46:07 I just had had enough of the Black Crows. I'd had enough, and knowing full well that I'm a part of the problem, I'm not the solution, you know what I mean? I am a part of the problem. We all were at the time. But I did have, you know, for whatever reason, I blew the scene up.
Starting point is 00:46:23 But it was great for Rich and I, you know what I mean? Because what does every band say in the documentary? I was watching like the, you know, My Bloody Valentine or something, some shoegaze documentary. And they're like, if we had just taken six months off, it wouldn't have blown up. And you don't do it. You know, you just don't do it. I don't know what that is. Youth, ambition, you know, that thing Izzy Stradlin said, when it takes off, just hang on. We just didn't want the ride to stop maybe that first decade. It's interesting, because I heard your kids helped you and your brother patch things up somewhat. Is that true?
Starting point is 00:46:52 Yeah, well, you know, they have to, you know, they get older and they're like, I have cousins? Yeah, you do. I don't know their names. How come we don't know them? I don't know them either. That becomes something else. The whole family, I mean, my wife, Camille as well,
Starting point is 00:47:16 I mean, eventually was like, what is it? Let's talk about it. What's with the anger? What's with the anger, what's with the resentment? And it just turned out to be a perfect time. And again, we're not that clever, it's just it felt right. And we could deal with each other. And subsequently, it's been fantastic.
Starting point is 00:47:40 And that us versus them sort of mentality is real. And I think it's important in terms of, like, it's just authentic to who we are. We've felt that way about art. We've felt that way about rock and roll. We feel that way about a lot of things, because we're passionate. And we believe that there's something else
Starting point is 00:48:00 that's not just status, that's not just success the way it looks like. There's something magic that's not just status, that's not just success the way it looks like. There's something magic in making music. There's something magic about listening to it, about being inspired by it, about going to see live music, or listen, you know what I mean?
Starting point is 00:48:18 Our house is just full of records. And when I'm not making music, I'm driving everyone crazy because we just listen to music. And it's probably because of my, the way my mind works. Music starts to make the unreal real. Yeah. It gives it a certain construct, your daily life.
Starting point is 00:48:38 You know what I mean? I don't know what it is. I mean, everyone's experienced this, but I can, I try to stay in shape as much as I can, especially as I get older and I will, I really don't wanna go for a run. I really don't wanna get on my bike. I just don't wanna do it.
Starting point is 00:48:55 But if I put the earbuds in and a good example is listen to Black Crows and Cranked into my ears, I can suddenly do things that I couldn't do before. listen to Black Crows and cranked into my ears, I can suddenly do things that I couldn't do before. And I don't know what that is. But I'm suddenly, and everyone's experienced this, this isn't a new thing, but I, and then I start to have ideas and I start to feel like I've got this,
Starting point is 00:49:20 I come up with all these ideas for fun, cool things I'd like to try and do. And as soon as my heart rate starts to slow down afterwards, I go, I'm not doing any of that. I'm a man with no dreams. The dream's over, because I stopped listening to the Black Crows. But I do have that, there is a magic there.
Starting point is 00:49:42 And I think you were talking earlier about status in show business. I do think one thing that has changed is there is an obsession, not just in music, but in, as an obsession across the board, comedy, music, film with the business side of it as a status thing. And I don't think artists used to talk about that, but now it's kind of seen as a status thing. And I don't think artists used to talk about that, but now it's kind of seen as a cool thing if you're seen as like a corporate brand.
Starting point is 00:50:11 And I don't think that used to be the case. No, I mean, as a matter of fact, a lot of our hero, you know what I mean? And I think the hero is not just like Joseph Campbell talking or whatever, but the hero as a part of like who we are and who we identify with is very important. And again, I understand I'm 57 years old. I'm not a person of this century.
Starting point is 00:50:33 I'm a mid-century product of the last century. But it's like, you know, whether it was Gregory Corso, William Burroughs, Keith Richards, Alex Chilton, Robert Altman, I had heroes, not like, that guy's great at video games. You know what I mean? I'm like, whoa, oh my God. You know, his mom lets him wear a diaper so he doesn't have to go to the bathroom. You know what I mean? Like, oh, he's a very committed champion. But I do, I do, I do, do you see what I'm sort of getting at,
Starting point is 00:51:05 which is a lot of times when I read- That's what I mean, but our heroes would be the people, in comedy it could be that too, anything. People who went against- It was never part of the story, sometimes it was, but it was not really part of the story, how much they made or how many ads they did. And now it has become the narrative for everyone.
Starting point is 00:51:22 And I think that's so much to navigate, just focus on what's the thing you're making, like try and make something that makes- I mean, when our first record was such a big thing, I mean, are you kidding? It's not going through my head like, you know, John Coltrane never sold 6 million records, you know what I mean, or whatever.
Starting point is 00:51:42 Or like that first thing of like, wait a minute, it did the opposite of me, of course, dyslexic, we do the opposite. It didn't, yes, my ego or whatever, as a singer, Sagittarian, young person, but it humbled me in the face or in the presence of the tradition that I'm working in. And you know what I mean?
Starting point is 00:52:04 I think also being the kind of band we were, because of our influences, I'm meeting my heroes. I'm not hanging out so much with my peers, which is I do that more now. But at that time, it was like, oh, Joe Cocker knows my name and wants to give me a hug. Or Ian Hunter from The Hoople, the first rock star came to one of our shows in New York.
Starting point is 00:52:27 The great Ronnie Lane was in his wheelchair when his partner brought him down. He wanted to meet us in not even a dressing room. In the ice, we were opening for this band in our first time in Austin in March of 1990. There's a knock on the door and the guy goes, ''There's some guy in a wheelchair out here named Ronnie Lane who wants to meet you guys. I'm like, all right, really? And the waiters are filling up the ice buckets while he's in there and we're putting our clothes on
Starting point is 00:52:54 after the show and he was just like, oh, I just wanna meet you guys. You've said so many nice things about my music and I will remember it forever. You know what I mean? And Rob Tyner from the MC5, first time we play in Livonia outside of Detroit. There he is in the dressing room.
Starting point is 00:53:11 I've always said the people that blow my mind, it happens less and less and less as I get older, but meeting the people that I saw on television, be funny, when I was eight years old, it's like seeing a Greek god in real life. I had a weekend with Don Rickles one time and it was like heaven, you know what I mean? Oh yeah, more.
Starting point is 00:53:34 Please say something bad about me now. I can take it, I can take it. Yeah, I was that way the day I met Don Knotts and I just couldn't believe I'm meeting Barney Fife. And I'm to this day- By the way, one of the funniest people of that character is one of the funniest people of all time. To this day, I can't accept that,
Starting point is 00:53:54 no, I saw him in Brookline, Massachusetts sitting on the floor and I'm sitting in a high chair watching him on, you know, I was in a high chair very late. This is like 10 years ago. He heard him say it. I had rickets. You don't hear rickets much anymore. Don rickets, not as funny.
Starting point is 00:54:14 Not as funny. Listen, I've kept you a while and I did it selfishly because I love your music and I also think you are one of the, just you're such an authentically funny person and really honest and I love talking to you. I really do. Thank you very much. Thanks for having me. I would, anytime you wanna lower yourself, we'll hang
Starting point is 00:54:37 and finish that tequila. Let's do it. But thank you so much for being here and I wanna tell people check out Happiness Bastards because I've been loving this. Thank you. It's fantastic. Yeah, we're very, it's good.
Starting point is 00:54:52 It's nice. You know, we're going on this tour and yeah, we're just thrilled. We're having a great. Are you going to give the group sex a try this time? Oh my God, I might throw my knee out. That's the first thing to go with me. Oh, my God, I might throw my knee out. ALL LAUGHING That's the first thing to go with me.
Starting point is 00:55:07 When I have group sex, it's the first thing that goes. The old trick knee. I'm like, listen, I don't know about reverse cowgirl, but how about reverse cuckhole? ALL LAUGHING And curtain. And curtain. Conan here. Got a little segment to do and I don't know anything about this segment because Matt Gourley
Starting point is 00:55:38 has some scheme up his sleeve. What's up? A long time ago, I don't know if you remember this, we actually did, I think you did a riff about inspirational posters that you might see in like a grade school class or something, but with some unexpected phrases on them. Well, a wonderful, wonderful listener named Timothy Sanders who has some of the nicest penmanship I've ever seen.
Starting point is 00:56:00 Beautiful, looks like a Cyrillic typewriter. He has taken it upon himself to make some of these. Starting with these lovely turtles. You're the one that you knew you had to be. Oh, are these ones that we said on the air that I was making up bullshit? That's those are, those are great. Watch yourself get married.
Starting point is 00:56:20 With a glass of water. That's fantastic. Whatever you think you were, that is what it was. So stupid. That's a Volkswagen thing, I believe. Oh my God. Pumped your car in the 70s. A story of spontaneous podcast banter.
Starting point is 00:56:34 Tomorrow is yesterday's idea of what you ate. A Team Coco paperback. You can't judge yourself from within. Well, that's actually a good one. Yeah. And I love that cat just hanging in there. Is it good? Yeah. Does it make sense?
Starting point is 00:56:50 Sure it does. Okay. I don't know if it does. Sunshine is the regret you used to know during daylight. Are these ones we said? I'm not sure they were. Some of them are. Or are these AI? Maybe it's AI. Some of them are.
Starting point is 00:57:02 Yeah. I remember this. Who farted? William Thackeray, yes. Or these AI, maybe it's AI. Some of them are. Yeah. I remember this, you did this. Who farted? William Thackeray, yes. Back that shit up, of course, Jane Austen. That's my favorite one. I remember that one.
Starting point is 00:57:16 Now it's coming back to me. And for the listeners, if you wanna see these, you can go to our YouTube channel and check them out or go to at Team Coco on socials and take a look. Yeah, these are fun. Drop it like it's hot ho, of course Melville, during his drop it like it's hot phase. And finally.
Starting point is 00:57:33 I'd hit that Mary Todd Lincoln. And a picture of sexy Lincoln. Those are great. Yeah, aren't those amazing? I love that. He is sexy in that picture. Yeah, I'd hit that for sure. Look at that.
Starting point is 00:57:43 You'd hit that? No, I don't think he would, he's very depressed. I mean, look at his face. He's got great bone structure. Nice high cheek bones. Six four, just like your friend Conan. Don't compare yourselves. Was there some question about his sexuality
Starting point is 00:57:56 at some point too? Yeah, someone wrote a book, and I think it was a lot of it was based on the fact that Lincoln shared a bed when he was on the circuit, but then it was revealed that everyone had to share beds back then. So just cause he shared a bed when he was on the circuit, but then it was revealed that everyone had to share beds back then. So just cause he shared a bed, I mean, I regularly share a bed with a good friend of mine.
Starting point is 00:58:10 Who's that? Eric Greif. Oh. Anyway, that's our business. It's good friends. And when we're on the circuit together riding, sometimes he comes to an inn and you have to share. What circuit?
Starting point is 00:58:20 What is this? The Vaudeville circuit? What are you? I'm just making shit up. This is babble. Did you guys sleep in bunk beds when you were in college? We did freshman year. Who was on top?
Starting point is 00:58:28 I was on top. That's fun. Who was on the bottom? I like that top bunk too. Now I love the top bunk. It's like, wee, I'm way up high. This is as a freshman in college. I was like, yay, I'm up high, wee.
Starting point is 00:58:40 Yeah, I can't believe you guys didn't have bunk beds growing up in your house. My brothers and I slept three in a room for a while. Yeah, that's why I'm surprised. Before Justin was born, so it was Neil and Luke were in twin beds and I was in a cot at the foot of their bed for a bunch of years. Oh my God, it was the saddest thing I've ever heard.
Starting point is 00:58:55 And my cot was up against the wall and my mother used to put us, this is way back in the day, she'd put us in these little brown shoes with hard heels. Kids today all wear sneakers, but back then, mid 1960s or whatever, they give you these little brown shoes that you wore. My mother would make me take a nap every day
Starting point is 00:59:12 at three in the afternoon, and I didn't wanna take a nap. So I put my back on the bed, and with my shoes on, I would kick at the wall with my heels. I go, I don't wanna put my shoes on. Because I wouldn't take them off, because I'm not gonna kick the wall with my bare feet. So, and my mom would just let me kick it out and I swear to God,
Starting point is 00:59:30 the wall has since been replastered and repainted, but part of me wants to go back to that house in Brookline, Massachusetts, because my parents still live there and I wanna take off the paint and you will see little Conan feet that are crushed into the plaster. Because I was so enraged that I was being told
Starting point is 00:59:48 I had to take a nap at three. Now I would love it if someone told me to go take a nap at three. Wait, what, what, cots are small. Did your feet dangle off the edge? I was a little boy, Sona, when someone's a little boy they aren't who they are now wearing tiny clothes. I know, but you also.
Starting point is 01:00:05 You're thinking it's like a sketch. Here comes baby Conan. Hi everybody. I'm wearing a diaper and goo goo ga ga. Dump your head, six foot four Conan baby. No, I was a little boy and then I grew over the years. Yeah, then when you grew, cause you lived at home till you went to college.
Starting point is 01:00:23 So what did, where did you sleep? Did you still sleep on the cot? Well, eventually I got moved up to the attic. That's right. Oh, okay. They moved me to the years. Yeah, then when you grew, cause you lived at home till you went to college, so where did you sleep? Did you still sleep on the cot? Well, eventually I got moved up to the attic. Oh, okay. They moved me to the attic. They banished you. Well, it was a controversial move. Everyone else agreed it was the right place for me.
Starting point is 01:00:35 I see. I was at the end of a long haul in the attic. Who should we send to the attic? All I wanted was a desk up there and a bunch of rubber stamps cause I wanted to stamp papers. Oh my God. And I was obsessed with having a little office
Starting point is 01:00:47 and I was always like, I'm not going to go tend to my affairs. Bing, bing, bing, bing. And I had signed papers and I had some stamps that meant nothing like remit. Rubber stamps on the soles of your shoes. I know, I know. Stupid. What a weird kid.
Starting point is 01:01:02 What a weird man. I was Tuesday Adams long before Tuesday Adams. What, Tuesday? Anyway, I grew up in Wednesday. Oh, Wednesday. Oh, you know what? Tuesday! I'm sorry, you know.
Starting point is 01:01:12 Tuesday. I just got off of- Oh, you mean from the show The Anders Family? Yeah. Yeah. No, on leap year, she's Tuesday Adams. Oh my God. All right, I'll give you that.
Starting point is 01:01:24 All right. Whew, I got myself out of another scrape. All right, that's our time for now. Remember, I was a weird child. Conan O'Brien needs a friend. With Conan O'Brien, Sonam Avsesian, and Matt Gourley. Produced by me, Matt Gourley. Executive produced by Adam Sachs, Nick Leow,
Starting point is 01:01:43 and Jeff Ross at Team Coco, and Colin Anderson and Cody Fisher at Earwolf. Theme song by The White Stripes. Incidental music by Jimmy Vivino. Take it away, Jimmy. Our supervising producer is Aaron Blair. And our associate talent producer is Jennifer Samples.
Starting point is 01:02:00 Engineering and mixing by Eduardo Perez and Brendan Burns. Additional production support by Mars Melnik. Talent Booking by Paula Davis, Gina Battista, and Brit Kahn. You can rate and review this show on Apple Podcasts, and you might find your review read on a future episode. Got a question for Conan? Call the Team Coco hotline at 669-587-2847 and leave a message.
Starting point is 01:02:22 It too could be featured on a future episode. And if you haven't already, please subscribe to Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend wherever fine podcasts are downloaded.

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