We Need To Talk with Paul C. Brunson - “I’ve Never Spoken About This!” YUNGBLUD Breaks Silence On Bankruptcy, Dating & Toxic Masculinity

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Starting point is 00:00:51 Go to LinkedIn.com slash campaign, terms of conditions apply. I f*** everyone under the sun. People say, you're weird-baiting. This thing about it is, right, love human beings. Whatever it is, I'm down. if it's vibe. I really struggle with my body. I always have.

Starting point is 00:01:09 People would say, in the comments that I would read it and read it and read it. I was like, I am not well. I am drinking a lot. I was just going on mad binges and then eating nothing for four days. I didn't even know how bad it was until I stopped. We've got to talk about the music.

Starting point is 00:01:23 No one gave a fucking UK. But then someone in America, he goes, I want you to come to L.A. You basically left with 60. 60 quid, and it came back with a $1.00 record deal. What was the most painful moment? My family went bankrupt. I know they speak about that moment.

Starting point is 00:01:43 I really believe in kindness, and I really believe in love. I see it every day at the gigs. This is why I am so happy that my son counts you as someone who he admires. Can we talk about love? I have taken space from me the biggest love of my life. Never loved anything.

Starting point is 00:01:59 Like, I love her. That's why I got tattooed on my arm. So why not be with her? Before we get into it, just a heads up, we discuss some sensitive topics with Dom, including eating disorders, sexual assault, and domestic violence. So please take care while watching. Can we start? Yes. The adventure.

Starting point is 00:02:25 Yes. In Doncaster. We can. All right. Tell me about it because I've only stopped at the train stop. Yes. So when you think about describing Doncast, how would you describe it, especially growing up? Rainy.

Starting point is 00:02:40 pavement, community, pubs, warm, cold. Cold and warm. Cold outside, warm inside. You know, I really love where I'm from. I haven't always loved where I'm from. But I do now as a man, I think I love the north of England. It's literally a fundamental base of my whole. personality.

Starting point is 00:03:15 You know, I think that's why such good music and such good art comes out of the north because it's kind of, I always describe the north as like, there's so much beauty in the dirt. You know, I think Donnie is such a middle town.

Starting point is 00:03:33 It's a city now, but it was such a middle town in between York, Leeds and Sheffield. Yes. It's almost like a forgotten place. You know what I mean? In the middle of these big cities. my dad and my granddad had a guitar shop. There's literally a picture of me six hours old outside the hospital.

Starting point is 00:03:53 I'd just been taken from like been given birth to and put on my dad's counter. Wow. And all the lads in the shot put of Beatles, ukulele across my lap. So I think music was always kind of going to be the answer for me, you know? And my granddad was a musician and he played with a couple bands and he went to America and went on a couple tours. and he really kind of loved any association with music.

Starting point is 00:04:23 So they built a shop in the north where often a lot of bands would. If you're in the middle of the north, there's no prominent music shops. So you'd either get your strings or dope guitars or things from America in London. But when you're on your way up to Glasgow and you run out of stuff, there's nothing there.

Starting point is 00:04:42 So my grandfather got a shop In Donnie, I was there this weekend watching the football, actually. And my uncles took me, they're not really my uncles, but, you know what I'm saying? Like, your dad's best mates, took me to where it used to be

Starting point is 00:04:58 because I never remembered it because they got rid of it in Doncaster when I was like eight. Okay. I don't know, I felt like I felt like I was part of a gang in her way. Interesting. Was your grandfather almost like,

Starting point is 00:05:10 was it a patriarchal setup where your grandfather was really like the head of this family? It was, yeah, it was, it was, it was really. Like, when, when he, when he passed away, he said the main characters died, that's what my dad said, you know what I mean? And, um, it's cool,

Starting point is 00:05:24 because I've never really spoken about it from this perspective, like, it was such a lot of fun. You know what I mean? It was proper northern, cash in hand, business, get in a van, like, go pick up the guitars, go sell them. Some weeks were amazing. in some weeks the house is getting smashed up by everyone you know what i mean it's like they were it was

Starting point is 00:05:48 very northern it was very like a lot of emotions flying around a lot of arguments flying around but ultimately like a lot of kind of unity flying around i always remember kind of like trying to relinquish that turbulence when i went off to london to try and be my own interesting interesting person you know i mean i think can we can we sit in that moment yeah of the of the of the of that turbulence. Yeah. Because I think one thing that's interesting to a lot of people is this notion of,

Starting point is 00:06:21 you know what, my life was turbulent, but everyone else's wasn't. And every single person that sits there, dumb, everyone recalls the turbulence. Yeah. Of childhood.

Starting point is 00:06:33 It's crazy. You know, I think this is life. When you're a kid, you are so open and so susceptible. You know, and I think that's why we remember pain or beauty more than ever from childhood.

Starting point is 00:06:51 Interesting. So then on that note? Yes. What was the most painful moment in your childhood? We went bankrupt and a business went into liquidation. Okay. With my family, right? There was a lot of arguments.

Starting point is 00:07:12 There was a lot of kind of violence like from all angles, right? but we were together, no matter what. At that part, my mum took us away, and my dad had to figure it out, but everyone was fighting and screaming, and I remember feeling completely divided, kind of like, you know, when you're in the middle of a battlefield

Starting point is 00:07:38 and your army's scattered, I can hate them, and they can hate me, but we're together, and we were completely divided, and I remember, like, been really freaked out, but almost, like, confused for my dad and scared for me. my dad and I don't know I think like I'm not really I don't really I don't really speak about that moment how how does that moment of isolation when you were such a close-knit family

Starting point is 00:08:05 you were a team yeah right now you feel isolated how do you think that has shaped the man that you've become I really craved community I think the whole basis of who I am has strived around making people feel safe in a space to potentially make me feel safe. I really think the fundamental sense of my world building and my strive for community came from my grandfather and I've never said that. He was such a lover of culture and and chose life in every regard. Like, he's in the back of my head when I'm like, oh, should I do this?

Starting point is 00:09:02 Nauty or good? You know what I mean? He's like, he was like, he was just, he was a legend. And I think like, I loved belonging somewhere. Yes. And I did from like 2, 12, 13. You know what I mean?

Starting point is 00:09:20 Because I was like the prince of this little dynasty, you know what I mean? And in the guitar shops and a note. off of England and I was like, whoa, this is cool. Yes. And then I wanted to play him. I didn't want to sell him. I wanted to play him.

Starting point is 00:09:33 Yeah. And it was weird because I was almost like dissuaded from that. Because obviously I think my dad and my grandad knew how hard it was to make music of any kind. People were coming in to the shop, getting signed, buying guitars and coming back a year later and selling him. So they were always like, nah, don't go into music. It's too, yeah. It's too. You know what I'm saying?

Starting point is 00:09:55 You're just like, don't do that. Yeah. But I could see the love, though, of that family, that environment. Because I almost think back to, I grew up in New York, and I remember the family and seeing uncles and just, you know, it was like, I'm a part of, I'm a part of something. Completely. I'm a part of something. That means something. Oh, yeah. It was kind of, it was sick.

Starting point is 00:10:17 It was, it was rock and roll, you know. It was like, honestly, it's all I've ever really known is rock. because I was on a shop counter. Yeah. Smell as a vintage guitar and guitar strings and pickups and metal and soldering irons and wires and beer that's been on a carpet for two weeks is like my smell of home. You know what I mean? It's the thing, you know when you get a smell? Yes.

Starting point is 00:10:50 It's like damp beer carpet and metal from guitar strings is like what? That's what associates me with home. You should do a cologne. Yeah, I fully should. It's smell like shit, but I mean, I love it. I'm down, you know. I think it's so funny every time, like, kind of, we buy a vintage guitar or I smell guitars

Starting point is 00:11:14 because it kind of makes me feel like I'm 10 again. Yes. So what was school like for you during that time? Now, that is where things juxtaposed for me. me because at school, I was having loved or hated. I was like very like, he's out control. He's wild, he's dangerous. He's very opinionated.

Starting point is 00:11:38 To be honest, I was exactly the same as I am now. I loved people. I wanted to believe in people. I wanted to meet people. I wanted to do things. I like marveled at the world. I've always been a puppy. You know what I mean?

Starting point is 00:11:54 Sure. And I think in the north, people, but some people don't like that. It's quite a British thing. It's very funny when you first go to America ride. You've got a nice car in America. Everyone's like, wow, you've got a nice car. If you've got a nice car, he'll look here.

Starting point is 00:12:07 You know what I'm saying? Yeah. And I think that's a very British thing. And that's just our culture. And I think when you kind of, someone is fundamentally fizzing with energy, some people want to dim that. When people look at me, they already form an opinion. because I'm so full of energy.

Starting point is 00:12:30 People either think it's fake or that I am that I'm going to be completely out of control and they're not going to like me or I'm going to be a dick. I've always just been like, Marmite, you love it or you don't. In school, being 8, 12, 13, whatever,

Starting point is 00:12:52 how did people try to dim your life? I would be really experimental. I was like always, too loud or I would make an argument I was like I don't know if that's right I would always be like sir why are you doing that blah blah blah and I remember own clothes day came around

Starting point is 00:13:10 for a specific event and I was so excited I'd be Navar Ruddy on and I've been watching Kirk Cabain like in the shop so it eyeliner on I put my hair down Navarrauddy on skin tight jeans

Starting point is 00:13:23 and I paint my nails and I remember a teacher in front of the whole class was like boys don't wear nail varnish and I was like where the hell did that come from? And you're like, 11. And I always remember, like, been either too loud or too excited or too confident

Starting point is 00:13:47 or too quiet or too, always too something instead of just been like, the vibe, you know. But then I met a drama teacher who I fell in love with because I think when I was a young kid like that, and people try and dim you want to kick back and you start to rebel

Starting point is 00:14:13 and you start to get naughty because you have no outlet and you kind of try to look to someone and I start to kind of like go the wrong way I remember one teacher came Mr Vaget came into my life

Starting point is 00:14:24 and was just like you've got so much energy and you've got this fizzing you're this you come with this pan you're a pan right and you've got this you're bubbling

Starting point is 00:14:35 and you're simmering and your lids blowing off It's like if you learn to harness that, use it. Wow. And use it as a superpower. And when people don't like it, realize that the power is within yourself to give them a response or to give them pain

Starting point is 00:14:55 or to give them their point, any sense of validation, like, that's when you're going to win. That's brilliant. And I remember that. I remember being like, I remember that. hitting me in them forehead yeah and and going like oh and i found like drama as a subject or music or history was something that i could i really i could could delve into because of that subject i was like what do i like and where do i want to put this mad thing what i've got that i don't know why i've

Starting point is 00:15:34 got it where can i channel what can i channel this into did did you have an idea professionally at that point what direction you wanted to go where you were I always knew that I wanted to like be on stage in any capacity even if that was like a teacher or something or like you know I mean or like obviously like world rock star was top of the list or like movie star or some shit but like like I don't know like speaking or performing in any regard was was always kind of what made me happy what let you up yeah just kind of like let me switch it on i don't know you know i'm curious about though is that you it seems like that particular teacher changed your life yeah yeah right so you had teachers who supported you teachers who didn't yes how did your peers respond to you know

Starting point is 00:16:25 how did the other kids respond to you because i could imagine that you know you're describing what don't castor was like yeah you probably you probably don't look like no yeah the typical Completely. Right. You were special. Yeah. Right. You were extraordinary.

Starting point is 00:16:41 Yeah. You know? But maybe not everyone looked at you. Like you were extraordinary. That's, it was such a bubble. You know, I think Doncaster is like, I mean, it's a lot better now. But like, when I grew up, it was like, you kind of go into town. And people were like, what?

Starting point is 00:16:59 Is he wearing or why is he like that? You know what I mean? I was like, it was pretty intense. They had like goth boots on and eyeliner at like. My mum said she took me down In the town one day And people are, how can you let your son dress like that? You know what I mean?

Starting point is 00:17:14 I was like very I was like expressing myself And a lot of people would be like I was just like I used to get like puff Weirdo All that shit in town You know what I mean? All those like crazy words

Starting point is 00:17:26 That was very Abnormal To like someone formulating a personality Yes You know And I think kind of looking back on it, it was rough being the subject of that. Or even kind of like, you've got the, you've got the, the, I call them like the evil.

Starting point is 00:17:56 You've got like someone's like throwing a bomb at you, right, when someone does that. But you've also got the passive things, like, and I would say this to anyone a little bit older who is kind of talking to a, you. young person formulating an identity. Passive digs, because you don't understand someone yet, hurt sometimes even more, because that is you showing your hand to me.

Starting point is 00:18:27 And as a young person, I'm kind of going to formulate an answer. This is such an important point, because what I would relate this to, I'll use my lived experience on this, is that I'll relate it to racism. Yeah. And how I'll relate it is that there's a,

Starting point is 00:18:41 debate around racism where is it better to have someone who's overtly racist. So to basically say you're excluded because you're black, for example, or is it better to have someone smile at you and just not serve you, right? That's passive. And I always say the overt is much better because the passive, what it does is it leaves you questioning yourself, second-guessing. Completely. It destroy, it's a soul-destrored.

Starting point is 00:19:11 Troyer. And to your point, I'm so glad that you brought this up, is that this is how many people are marginalized, passively. Completely. My best mate, Isaac, like my best mate in the world, like, North London Jewish boy, he talks that to me about, talks about this to me all the time. Exactly. Like, when someone's passively anti-Semitic to me, the rest of the table allows it to happen. Yes. If someone else around the table speaks out, the rest of the table, you know, the rest of the can be like, you're overreacting. This is the problem with the world. This is the problem with the new generation.

Starting point is 00:19:52 It's such a crazy argument to formulate in a crazy conversation to have that like, passive oppression is so much more damaging to someone's internal organs and kind of, like, internal structure. So then what I need to know is how at young, you're a young man, how do you not allow that to destroy your soul? The biggest thing I would say, all your power, all your energy, all your individuality is inside you. You choose to give someone that power. And this is something I learned later in life. So like, I would have loved someone to say this to me younger.

Starting point is 00:20:43 Someone targeting you will be for a facet of different reasons. if you allow them to take your beauty, your power, your identity away from you, that is the biggest trauma you can do to yourself. Like, I think it's the biggest thing I've learned because I get called from a pig to a dog every day. I've read the internet, like, that's what I would say to my younger self and that's what I would say to a young person.

Starting point is 00:21:19 It's not easy. It's so hard. It's not. But you're saying that as a 10-year-old, 11-year-old, that that's how you operated because at that age, I feel like, even myself, like I felt like I was strong in identity relative to other people my age,

Starting point is 00:21:36 but I still swayed. You know, if the crowd was saying, do this. Oh, I was a 10-year-old, yeah, I was like, the hardest thing about being a young man, and especially at the minute, if you don't adhere to the trend, you're a weirdo, you're a freak, you kind of, you're isolated.

Starting point is 00:21:52 it makes us kind of terrified to formulate any personality at all. I feel like what's so strange around kind of young men at the minute is the glamorization of the inability to fail. You can't fail, you can't fall off your bike. You can't, like, I don't know, like drop plates in the kitchen. You can't cry. You can't, like, it's like, don't fail, don't fail, don't fail. Succeed, succeed, succeed.

Starting point is 00:22:23 And I can genuinely say that like failure is the only way you will build up a personality in any sort of education within yourself in the world. Like don't be afraid to fail. I fail 10 times a day. And I succeed once a week. Everyone's snapshot of their life that they consume is perfect. And the road to that success and that happiness is clipped together and the journey of it is never told. Right. When you consume it, you know, I mean.

Starting point is 00:22:59 And then when you eventually do fail, then what happens is the humiliation is 10 times or 100 times. That's what I'm saying. You know, or, you know, and what is so incredibly sad is that whenever I see a violence happening with youth and it's really, it's a femicide, right, where you're seeing a young boy or young man taking the life of a young woman. you'll find out inevitably that typically it's some type of rejection that happened. Yeah. He was rejected. She denied him. She said, I'm no longer going to see you.

Starting point is 00:23:38 And he didn't know how to take the rejection. No. Because to your point. Because, yeah, you can't fail. Can't fail. I'm really glad we're talking about this at the minute because I think it's kind of taken me 27 years to fundamentally really kind of like own my masculinity. Like I'm in a period of my life of 27 where I'm like, And that's such a crazy thing to say in 2025.

Starting point is 00:24:00 Yes. Isn't it? It's such a ridiculed thing to say. I think we have such a duty at the minute to really talk about that. It makes me really scared for young men at the minute because they have nowhere to turn to. You know what I'm saying? There's such a big anti-men. Something happening on the internet and for a 12-year-old boy to see that.

Starting point is 00:24:22 It's like, ooh, who can I be? And then you end up finding out. in someone like Andrew Tate and then you turn towards that. If you take someone at my sister's generation, who was 18 now, she is, her and her friends are so dope because they see nothing,

Starting point is 00:24:37 they just see humans. And they like, they love and they're like, yeah, man, what you're talking about? Like, I was fully just like, you kind of like want to tread on eggshells and I kind of like, what are you talking about? We're like, we're vibing. They don't see, like, my sister's generation in school,

Starting point is 00:24:50 I see all the friends, they don't see, they don't see gender, they don't see sexuality, they don't see color, they don't see nothing. And they're just like, yeah, man. But on the generation under them, there's something darker happening. I think because of the internet and there's so many,

Starting point is 00:25:03 there's so much like marginalisation and segregation, et cetera, et cetera. We have to be careful with everyone because it feels like it's going the other way, especially with young males at the minute. Watching the thing on Garif Southgate, you know, his speech, the England manager. Yes. And it's so interesting because you can tell, as an, I don't know how all these, 45 year old man, he's terrified to talk about masculinity. And that is a very scary thing.

Starting point is 00:25:32 Even me, now I'm going, okay, how do I navigate this? Because I might, this might go online and I may get cancelled for this. Because as Youngwood, I am for whatever you are. I've been for if you're non-binary, if you're a trans, if you're a woman, if you're a man, if you, whatever you are. Right. Like that's younger. But when I kind of go to the subject of masculinity, I'm like, shit.

Starting point is 00:25:52 And it's interesting because like kind of when I talk about this to all my friends, it's almost like we all tread on eggshells. And I always get really concerned for my little cousin who's 12. And he's a legend. And he likes go-kart and he likes football and he likes blah, blah, blah. And I really get worried about like, okay, who is he looking at on the internet? Because if you take this kind of anti-man thing that's going on, which is justified, like take that out of my generation,

Starting point is 00:26:24 or my dad or my granddad or my great-granddad. dad find out this 12 year old boy been exposed to this kind of thing going like oh oh I can't be that when I'm formulating my ideas but I like this and then he's on the internet every day and then he finds again like the far right and this kind of position of power like it's really dangerous because what my point is people like me and people like you are afraid to go I'm masculine you can listen to me and you can and the biggest part like like part of masculinity is island in a boxing gym, right, with boxers. I walk in, I love it, I'm full of testosterone, I'm aggressive, I'm about to box,

Starting point is 00:27:06 I like boxing. Youngblood likes boxing. Yesterday I'm wearing a skirt on stage. So this morning I'm in a boxing gym, you know what I mean? And the biggest beautiful kind of thing I learned from that is, like, I love the masculinity and respect in my gym because I'm like, everyone goes around each other and says hello to each other. And that is the problem. You've got this on this side.

Starting point is 00:27:29 You've got this on this side. In every regard at the minute, like us liberals, if you want, are afraid to take the gloves off and the gloves need to come off. Even what's happening with like, like, everything regarding like trans people in America right now,

Starting point is 00:27:46 like the far right are taking the gloves off. Yeah. I mean, trans rights in the UK as well. Exactly. Everywhere. I'm just saying, but like stemming from that. over there as well, where I see, like, such a staple of womanhood, like, Hunter Schaefer, bring out a passport that says mail on it. I'm like, like, for my generation, such a staple of, like, a modern womanhood.

Starting point is 00:28:07 And I'm like, oh, my God, amazing. It's like, but, but it, like, with us all at the minute, like, people are afraid to talk out of fear of being cancelled. If you are in the, if you're, like, if you're liberal, if you're, like, center-leaning left or if you left, it's like, the gloves are. off on the right and we've got to talk about it and we've got to be unafraid to be challenged or be like make mistakes on cameras like this make mistakes on podcast like say your opinion because we need to kind of we need to

Starting point is 00:28:40 give something back as well you know what I mean we do you know it's so wild about what you said Dom you just articulated something that I haven't been able to but it's been in my mind oh so cool yeah it was brilliant and I'm trying to articulate it's some clear I'm just like trying to get there as well see Because you were like, I can see, you were like, I want, to that point of wanting to articulate it is that this is something that personally I deal with every day is I want to quote unquote say the right thing.

Starting point is 00:29:07 Yeah. Right, because you don't want to be canceled. You don't want to be alienated. But you do want to express yourself. Completely. You know, and it's so frustrating because I think that so many of us, what we're doing is we're doing a disservice to the younger boys.

Starting point is 00:29:22 That's what I'm saying. And that is it. And if we're not doing it because we're too scared, they're going to find someone who isn't scared who is preaching darkness and a step backward in the world. Yes. As a people, we do this all day and we pick up information and our opinions are based on what we consume.

Starting point is 00:29:46 If that's you reading books, if that's if you're having conversations in the pub, if you're watching things on Instagram, you have to like you we learn with sponges at the minute on on hyper speed yes so i just think anyone in a position of power of platform or of not of anything have to talk and you have to conversate but this is interesting because there are many artists and i'll say just people who have massive platforms but i'll say artists who say you know what it's not my role or it's not my responsibility it completely is. Some artists don't have, I don't want to get political, I don't want to get blah, blah, blah,

Starting point is 00:30:26 I don't want to get like, it's like, it's time more than ever to speak and it's time more than ever to want to learn publicly. I'm like, someone asked me a question. I'm like, I don't know what you're talking about. Teach me about it. I said something maybe a little bit wrong. Teach me about it. Either, that's the opposite to cancel culture. I think it's because everything's moving so quickly. I didn't mean to miss that. I misrepresented that. I might have said that a little bit wrong educate me on it do that blah blah blah on it instead of like shutting down and not saying anything at all right because that is how again someone who's not afraid to take the gloves off and throw a couple punches will make the world the darker place well said you know what i mean

Starting point is 00:31:05 this is what i wanted you here but i buzz it you know what i mean like speak up like and i think to be honest like i have been canceled for kind of uh shit that twitter has made up and then gone viral and I'm still here, you know what I mean? So it's fine. I think like the internet is such a wild west. But your opinion can also change and it can evolve and it can adapt and it can blah, blah, blah, because that's what happens with time. Right, right.

Starting point is 00:31:30 You know, this is why I am so happy that, you know, my son counts you as someone who he admires. Oh, vibing well. Yeah. That means a lot to me. You talk a lot about culture, politics, society, right? And you've infused that in your music clearly. But when you were a young man, who did you look up to? Who did you aspire to be like?

Starting point is 00:31:57 I loved Bowie. I loved Beckham. I loved people who were so themselves. I loved Eminem. I loved Lady Gaga. I love David Hay. I remember I was like literally just like boxer footballer alien space musician bowie alien space musician gar gar gar like crazy rapper m and m like i just loved anyone who was like fundamentally themselves and like i love caricatures okay i love to be if i could freddie mercury if i could draw you i love you do you what i mean like dr dr dr dr day i was like whoa like i really like she like were like like like i remember like i remember but i I remember finding like Cyprusil NWA,

Starting point is 00:32:50 because I grew up in a rock music, like family, but when you find a genre of music on your own, that's when you're like, Randah just doesn't gay. I'm like, no, it's the same. It's the same thing, we're from a different mindset. Right. And he's like, no, man, you got to pick the guitars up. And I'm like, no, man.

Starting point is 00:33:07 And then I'm like, show him the Beastie Boys. And it's like got guitars and hip-hop beats. And he's like, oh, I kind of get that. And then, like, I'm vibing. You know what I mean? So I was like, I think anyone, that was just like defiant or a caricature, I would just kind of gravitate. Gravitated.

Starting point is 00:33:26 You know, specifically because you're talking about Eminem, Dr. Dre, we've got to talk about the music career. Yes. Because this was the part that did blow my mind because when I listened to your music now, right, so I've gone through the catalog. He was like, man, this guy has got like rock. He's got hip-hop. Like, he has these elements.

Starting point is 00:33:44 So I could see. So from what I understand, you were not. signed here but by Interscope Records which Interscope I mean

Starting point is 00:33:54 I'm a hip hop head Yeah man So Interscope is Top of the Food chain This blew my mind And I can tell you this story It's so mad this story I love the clash

Starting point is 00:34:04 Okay Because to me Strummer was mixing dub music And punk music That's why I loved it And I was like Oh well then I can do

Starting point is 00:34:13 Hipop and I can do Punk music together And I could blend it like that in a new way. Okay. No one gave a fucking UK. No one even said we were bad.

Starting point is 00:34:26 Just no one cared. Like, you know what I mean? I got a manager, Thomas, he's still a manager now. It was epic. He found me like an open mic night. No one cared. No one wanted to sign us. No one wanted to write about us.

Starting point is 00:34:36 But we were getting a little bit of heat in the Netherlands. Okay. Weird, right? My manager's Danish. So he had some old mate in Holland who got me on the radio. and that allowed us to sell out like 100-seater venue in Amsterdam.

Starting point is 00:34:54 But then someone in America, a guy called Grant Owens, heard, was listening to this Dutch radio station because he's like this tastemaker in L.A. Because it was a song called King Charles, which was about Brexit. Do you remember that Netflix show The Get Down?

Starting point is 00:35:10 Yeah, yeah, yeah. The Bas Lerman thing about the birth of hip-hop. I was like, what, I was obsessed with that, And it was like this breakbeat. It was like, and I was like, whoa. And then they started voiceover and over it. So I kept rewinding this three second breakbeat.

Starting point is 00:35:28 I started doing this like weird rap flow about Brexit. And then I put a guitar over it. And it was like on Dutch radio. And this guy was like, this just sounds mental. Right. So this guy goes, I want you to come to L.A. And play this night called We Found New Music at the Bardo in Hollywood. Thomas was like right.

Starting point is 00:35:47 I'm going to pay for you to go to New York. Why don't you go and write in New York, a little treat, and then we'll go do a showcase in LA. So let's just like... Give it a trap. Let's just... I don't know. You know what I mean?

Starting point is 00:35:57 So go to New York, and I take me mate. It was an assistant to deck. He's Irish called Emmett Power. Right? And he can sell anything to anyone. All right. Right. Like, you want to get into a club?

Starting point is 00:36:08 Emmett will get you in. You want to get into a party? Emmett will get you in. So I'm like, in like, like, the Universal Building near Central Park. Me and Emmett formulate a plant, I'm like, right. you're going to pretend to be my drummer and you're going to ride the elevator all day and you're going to just talk shit about this new act called Youngblood.

Starting point is 00:36:26 Right, so he's in an elevator in New York, Universal Blum's like, yo, Jesus, you got to hear this new act, young blood, he's like blowing up outside the UK. Kids are going crazy in Europe. And then like these young A&R's going like, oh yeah, cool, man. Typical major label sale. Chat, chat, chat, chat, chat, chat, chat. The whole building's found out about it.

Starting point is 00:36:44 Then News has made its way to West Coast. Warner, Republic, Sony, X, Y, Zed are talking about it. We fly my band out. Thomas at the showcase goes, right, there's every major record label executive on the front row. Don't fuck it up. And I'm just like, go straight to the toilet, spew my guts out. Do you really?

Starting point is 00:37:05 Oh, yeah, we're literally like, me, my drummer and my guitar player are living in a two-bedroom flat and clap himself. There's got live wires on the wall. We stinker down. I'm like, this is the moment. And I was just shitting myself. Didn't know if I could all it together. I'm a guitar player, best friend in the world.

Starting point is 00:37:22 Scottish. Just goes, fuck him. Gigs on. I'm like, go out, go mental, nail the showcase. And then, yeah, we got signed to it and it's got reckless. Three days later. But it all came from us talking shit in an elevator. In New York.

Starting point is 00:37:38 In New York. That is an epic story. It's a wild story. Epic story. And it just goes. to show right the power of just like belief in self believe in self and and and friendship and community you know i mean never give up because you never know when the smallest situation can turn into a moment that defines you yes yes like never like that's the problem with the

Starting point is 00:38:09 world at the minute we never we're never present the love of your life could walk by the person you're going to start the most revolutionary business in the world could walk by your best friend for the next 50 years the godfather of your child the godmother of your child could walk and pass you by and you are completely unaware of it because you're just thinking about the future or you think about this yeah you also that that story too i think is a beautiful example of control everything that you can right you know your friend is talking in the elevator you know what i mean you're like Your talent, obviously, you control everything you can. But then other things...

Starting point is 00:38:48 Nah, you got to let it go. You got to let it go. Your boy from Scotland was just like, yeah. Yeah, and that's it, man. It's literally just like, some of it is written and some of it is not. And so... And you've got to write a little bit to get to the bit that has been written. Yes.

Starting point is 00:39:07 You know what I mean? If you've got a page, right, the bottom of it's written, you've got to fill in the first bit. Yes, yes. So from that, can you talk about the deal? Yeah, it was always going to be in a scope for me because it's fundamental values. Defiance, community. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:39:27 Trent Reznor. Eminem Dre. All of Death Row. Literally, all of that shit was just like, it was like rock and hip-hop collided. Yeah. And it was just like, this is just hot. home and they went, we just want to do what you want to do.

Starting point is 00:39:50 I don't necessarily think I have a hit song yet. To this day? Not really. I've never had a song in the top ten, ever. But is that, how do you qualify a hit though? For me, that's what I'm saying. For me, I've never had a song in the top ten. But I always wanted to lead with community and what does the music mean?

Starting point is 00:40:10 What conversation does it start? How does it bring people together? But an Interscope got that. You know what I mean? I believe maybe if I would have been signed to Epic, if I didn't have three hits later, I would have been dropped. Not everything is about money. No.

Starting point is 00:40:24 But I think it's important, though, because how big was the deal? Because you said you basically left with 60 cents. 60 quid, and it came back with a $1.2 million record deal. We have to stop for a second, though. I remember 13 months of playing. East London The Old Blue Last Downstairs

Starting point is 00:40:52 The Lock Tavern in Camden Everyone was like Nah Every meeting I went for Rock music It's not really happening At the minute That's what everyone was saying

Starting point is 00:41:02 They're like It's a little bit like the Arctic monkeys It's a little bit like this Oh I don't know He's a bit energetic I don't think that's going to get on Radio 1 I remember people saying that to me And um

Starting point is 00:41:15 to then go to America and someone go like, we love this energy. We love this defiance. We love this because it's different. You know what it sounds like? It sounds like you and your drama teacher all over again. Yeah, it does.

Starting point is 00:41:32 That's what I'm saying. It's another bit in my life where Neil Jackson and John Janet go like, we love it. I think any artist right now, your individuality is your best tool you've got. In the past, it would try and make everyone cleaner to fit to TV, to fit to radio. That doesn't matter.

Starting point is 00:41:49 There's no rules. Now, as opposed to when I'm signing, the labels aren't got a clue what's working. Because there's no formula. Individuality is the thing that's celebrated. Even if your individuality is to be the most squeaky, clean, normal thing, or it's to walk around with a pan on your head. If you've got 10,000 people banging a pan on your head with you, it's a culture. Right, right.

Starting point is 00:42:12 You know what I mean? That's just it. So you have the deal. I have the deal. You come back. What's the mindset like? I remember what it was. I was like, send me on tour. I want to go everywhere because young people were my priority at the time.

Starting point is 00:42:29 I was writing songs about my mates or what we were talking about. It was the tail end of Brexit. I felt unheard. So I had this anger and I was like, I want to get on the road. I want to get on the right, like, club nights in Berlin and Poland. And I want to learn about young people in Slovakia and Poland and Australia. and Dallas, not just London. And it was like, how do I relate to a 19-year-old person in Detroit

Starting point is 00:42:56 or in Madrid? That's what was my priority from the beginning. And that's when I figured it out. Okay. I started talking to people on Instagram, on stories. And people started to, I remember, I got 100 views for my story. I got 100 views. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Starting point is 00:43:21 kept doing it turned into a thousand turning to 10,000, turning to my formula, I was like, I would meet people and I would showcase them and then I got my black heart tattoos and then they would get black heart tattoos and I would just post it. I was like, this is what I have a problem with the world. Do you agree? And they would inform your art, I would imagine. Categorically inform my art. Every story I would hear would inform my art and would inform my dialogue in interviews, in podcasts, in, because I was almost speaking on behalf of the things I'd learned from other people.

Starting point is 00:44:05 Yes. It's epic. Yes. And that was amazing. But then also at this point in my life, now I've got to written this new album, I almost had to go back to 19-year-old. I need to write for myself

Starting point is 00:44:19 because the past two albums were about, others. And when I was writing about others, I started to get a little bit more lost to am I now. You know, and I felt like Youngwood almost became a mouthpiece that needed to evolve. Okay. And is it true that, and I don't know if this was incorrect or correct in the research, is that when you were creating your festival, the initial idea was that would almost be the death of Youngblood, if you will. My second album came out and it went number one. Well, commercial success, right? and the album that is about to come out of just written

Starting point is 00:44:57 was my next artistic instinct I started writing that then 2021 this album I'm about to put out I was like nearly four years old but I was dissuaded from the album because we'd had commercial success

Starting point is 00:45:13 the album about to put out is wild nine minute songs complete explosion of colour one through line concept record and the label at the time I'm like oh no no no no no no Let's ride that commercial wave. And I'm like, well, that's not Youngblood.

Starting point is 00:45:31 Youngblood was always about being like true and wild. And that's why we got the number one in the first place. No, no, no, no, yeah, yeah, yeah. Let's keep on this wave. And I listened to others. And I wrote an album called Youngblood, which is so crazy. The most lost I've ever been is my self-titled album. My third album.

Starting point is 00:45:49 And I started to write it from a perspective of what would Youngblood say? as the character that you know as opposed to what would Youngblood say at this moment in his life. Okay, I follow you. And after the album came out, I was in a hotel room in New York.

Starting point is 00:46:06 New York always comes back and kind of realizing kind of these weird epiphanies. I was at top floor of the Ace Hotel in New York. It'd gone number one in seven countries and the reviews came in and some people said I'd compromise

Starting point is 00:46:18 and I was like, you're fucking right. There were great songs on it, but I'd almost written an album about what they'd, caricature of what you know young bud is would say okay and i called everyone and i was like i need a minute because it was album tour album tour covid album tour album tour album tour you know i mean it was like a whirlwind and i was like i need to have some space to figure out what it was because i think with me i've been such a polarizing figure people love me and people don't and i didn't really realize

Starting point is 00:46:54 until I stopped how much of an effect that has had on me because I would read everything because I did my own social media it was always me So you were on it? I was on it You were reading all the comments

Starting point is 00:47:06 I own social media I've always done Still due to this day Right I felt like I have too much A responsibility to a community that I've built I need to I need to And it became a bit of an addiction

Starting point is 00:47:17 And I was like I need to be on this But I would start to read things About myself I didn't even know was insecure about. Could you give us a few examples? I really struggle with my body. I always have.

Starting point is 00:47:33 I was always, I had a little, I was a little bit chubby. And people would say this shit in the comments. And that led me to kind of go down a real hatred of my own body. And then a questioning of inauthenticity, almost the same,

Starting point is 00:47:46 it dragged up all the shit from school. He's too much. They can't be real. His accent's fake. He's da-da-da-da. and that people would formulate these narratives on the internet and I would read it all and I would read it all and I became addicted to reading it all.

Starting point is 00:48:01 This self-destructive, weird shit that I would kind of go down and read it and read it and read it and read it and read it and read it and read it. And I needed to take a break from it. So I was like, I am not well. I am drinking a lot. I am eating myself. I am things I was doing after I was eating.

Starting point is 00:48:20 I'm like, I'm really like, oh shit. I'm not. Right right now. Yeah. I mean, just, and there's a line, you tell them to stop. But what were you doing after eating? You can imagine what I was doing after eating. You know what I mean?

Starting point is 00:48:35 I was fully just eating myself until I was sick, basically. And I was, I was like, I was, I was just going on mad binges and then eating nothing for four days. And then like, like, you know what I mean? Like eating myself until I was sick and drinking myself for, for days. And just trying to find distraction anyway. Okay. You know what I mean?

Starting point is 00:49:02 I was literally just being like, I can't face this shit. Let me go and indulge in any regard. You know what I mean? And I think I didn't even know how bad it was until I stopped. And I was just like, I would have these kind of intellectual people

Starting point is 00:49:26 ridicule what I was doing when all I was doing was creating from my gut. And it's really hard when kind of people try and intellectualize someone's soul. It's hard to intellectualize art because that's just someone's expression. Sure. You kind of try and put a meaning behind Picasso.

Starting point is 00:49:49 Maybe Picasso was just scratching his ass and painted that. You know what I mean? Right. Like we're trying to intellectualize it all. Right. But, you know what I mean? Maybe he was like, this means this and this means that, but maybe it didn't.

Starting point is 00:50:00 It was just an explosion of the soul. Sure. And I had to really go inside myself and find meaning. in and again not allow myself to give them that power right but when you think about these battles

Starting point is 00:50:19 we had Gabor Mata on who is really the godfather of trauma and it talks about how what trauma does to us is it reshapes how we then view the world and when we internalize the trauma it shows up in our body and negative behavior so when you think about this trauma that's happening to you. How does it impact you physically? Has it impact you mentally?

Starting point is 00:50:46 It was, it was, as a bastard, I was like, I won't talk to my mom. I want to talk to my girlfriend. I want to talk to my sisters. I was like blaming everything and everyone. You know, I think like you blame the world. I think when you internalize everything, that's why it's, again, such an important thing to talk about. If you don't talk, the poison festers and you start to blame everything around you. That's not the person we want to be. That's not the person we are. I think with it all, I had to fall in love with myself again.

Starting point is 00:51:23 So I had to kind of, I had to be alone. I've been saying like I don't want to be alone in my whole idea of my fundamentals. And I really had to be alone and be like, what do I want? What do I want? What do I need? And now that's where the festival came. And that's where the new album came from. I was pissed off with festivals anyway.

Starting point is 00:51:44 I thought they were taking the piss out of people. You know what I mean? When I'd like go to Coachella. Right. Because what? The ticket prices. Yeah. Ticket prices or just like fundamentals.

Starting point is 00:51:53 It became a thing of absolute privilege. Like 250 for a festival ticket. 1.25 to 150 for a gig ticket. Right. I was like, okay, I'm pissed off at that anyway. I want to get everyone together. So let's start a festival. Sick.

Starting point is 00:52:06 Right. And I see what Bloodfest did. was it really made me realize where this whole thing's are. It made me kind of go like, oh, this has become way bigger than the idea that I think this is. And this young blood is different to you. It's different to you. It's different to you.

Starting point is 00:52:28 It's different to you. It's different to you under this whole fundamental umbrella of individuality and love. But it means something different to every single one of the 35,000 people who are here right now. It made me fall in love with the name again. because it became hours, not this thing that is placed upon me. It became an idea in personified form. Right. And what I see with it is that in complete diversity,

Starting point is 00:53:03 in thought, in representation, in lived experience, but the one commonality, young blood. Exactly. Exactly. Yeah. And it was bringing it back to the Garif Southgate thing again. And he said that. He was like, as England manager, right, I'm bringing in players who are all born in England.

Starting point is 00:53:24 But they have different backgrounds. They have different religions. They have different cultures. Yes. What is our common goal as a team? Declan Rice and Saka is the same England team. Who are we? Together.

Starting point is 00:53:41 Yes. And that is the question for the world right now. Now, that is the question for everyone in our beautiful colours in our beautiful, different, mad perspectives that might disagree with each other. We need to ask each other, who are we as a collective, as a human race? Because we're failing it at the minute. We are so divided and with no compromise or no will to compromise or no will to hear each other or actually see each other.

Starting point is 00:54:14 who are we we've all got a heartbeat we all take a piss right we are human beings and i think again the idea when i saw blood fest and everyone in different iterations i'm like this is so sick because to me it's rock music but to everyone else it's a world it's a world but it's it's it's rock music i think with the i don't want to say unique message because there's so many incredible rocks yeah with great messages but i think that it's you know i think you do a superb job in delivering your traumas. Yeah. You know,

Starting point is 00:54:46 and allowing people to connect with that because I have read, just like you, I've read the comments. Yeah. And there's a wide range of comments,

Starting point is 00:54:55 but the overwhelming amount of the comments on all of your videos, all your music is how people connect to your lived experience. Completely there. One song I have to talk about.

Starting point is 00:55:07 Yeah. You already know a song I'll probably talk about is hatred. Yeah. You know, that was, that one hit me.

Starting point is 00:55:16 Yeah, that was wild. And what I'd like to know is, one is, if you could talk a little bit about the song, but how do you have the strength and almost, I'll say, confidence. Because, you know, we're talking about this conversation of masculinity, what to say, what not to say.

Starting point is 00:55:34 I can imagine the moments before releasing that or even deciding to write that, you must have been second-guessing. I remember I made that something in New Orleans. Okay, one of my favorite places? Yeah, amazing. It was such a crazy experience to write hey. Because obviously the song is about me being molested in a doctor's surgery while my mom was in the room because I was behind a curtain.

Starting point is 00:56:00 Right? And I remember Paul, when we were writing, it was a little bit like this. And I never told anyone, I didn't even tell my mom. You know, I didn't even know. I didn't even know. what it was when it happened and just been like, what is this? I was like seven years old.

Starting point is 00:56:23 I didn't even know what it was. And we were talking about this thing about kind of masculinity. And does that make me less masculine to have gone through something like that? And by writing that song and by gutting myself, it was kind of probably one of the most courageous

Starting point is 00:56:44 things I've ever done. And I say absolutely not. I think it makes me more of a man. And I think weakness To show weakness and to show vulnerability and to ask for help is the most strong thing you can do. You know, I think like it could have gone two ways.

Starting point is 00:57:01 It could have gone, it could have defied my life. Biggest killer for under 50, but men under 50 is suicide in this country because we feel like we can't talk about it because there's such as a staple, don't be emotional, don't get weak, don't talk about that, bury it, bury it, especially in British culture as well. Burry that shit, mine, don't want to talk about that.

Starting point is 00:57:21 I'm like looking for that experience. I've kind of been able to paint with that. Be able to get that out. It was beating the internalised dark character sat next to me. I think that's got like 10 million streams or 30 million streams or something like. One of those 30 million people who's listened to that might have found the strength to go, that shit doesn't define me.

Starting point is 00:57:48 that shit doesn't make me less of something. That shit actually makes me up who I am. And that experience, I can find strength in that now because it made me who I am. Yeah, absolutely. You know, I so appreciate you talking about it. Yeah, I'm an open book. I put that to you.

Starting point is 00:58:09 I'm down. It's one of those where it firmly falls into this. Really, it feels like the theme of this conversation is masculinity. Yeah, it's weird. I think it's very weird you've caught me there at this point in my life. It's like at 27, you know, I think, like, I have been in such a journey and kind of, like, arrived here at this place. At this place, yeah.

Starting point is 00:58:37 At this kind of turning point, you know. And we know 27, I mean, we have to talk about the 27-year as well. You know, this is something that looms over so many, yeah, incredibly talented, musicians at 27 we lost Hendricks yeah lost Amy Winehouse yeah you mentioned Kirk obeying yeah 100% you know we lost all in that 27 were you aware of that entering your 27th year rigorically yeah and i think i think with it all that's like when you again such a staple of youth young but was yes remember it is young but whatever you either die which was kind of probably maybe on the cards

Starting point is 00:59:19 with the way I was drinking and eating and doing whatever and indulging it's definitely like a possibility you know if you ask me managers and me mates but it was wild you either become a pastiche of yourself

Starting point is 00:59:33 where you do the same thing forever and you become a staple of the 90s or the 2000s or the 2010s or whatever or you reinvent and you become reborn and you change. And I think that's what we're meant to do as humans.

Starting point is 00:59:53 You know what I mean? I think that's why when you fall in love with someone, you've got to fall in love with them 15 times in their life because they're going to change. Yeah. Well, you know, I've been in the love space forever. I've never heard that. That's a great point.

Starting point is 01:00:07 You know what I mean? Because the love of your life, it's got to be the love of your life 10 times because that person's going to change. You can't hold on to the, you know, can't hold on to the person that you met on the first day you met them when you're 80. You know, I mean, you can look back on it and be like, oh, my God, I remember when I fell in love with you.

Starting point is 01:00:25 But that person is going to probably be completely different. She's gone on 79 years of adventures together. Absolutely. That's the reason why, you know, with love, it's so important to have that connection of values. Yeah. Because your interests will change, but the values kind of leave you anchored. And that's cool.

Starting point is 01:00:43 And that's literally it. They're like everything I know about love, you know what I mean? Look, we have a lot of reality TV stars on We Need to Talk, and I'm always talking to them after the recording about what's happening in their lives. And you know what always comes up is that they all are building their own businesses. They are their own brands. And what amazes me most is between filming, interviews, events, and creating content, they actually have the time to run a business too.

Starting point is 01:01:12 But when I ask how they do it, almost everything. Everyone gives the same answer. They're using Shopify, which also happens to be a sponsor of this show. You probably know Shopify as the platform that helps you sell products around the world, managing things like shipping, inventory, and returns. But what I didn't know is how much more it can do.

Starting point is 01:01:35 Shopify's AI integration writes copy, enhances photos, and even creates campaigns. If you're starting your own business and need extra health, visit shopify.com.uk.uk slash need to talk to sign up for your one pound per month trial. I was talking with your show's sponsor, Tinder, and they wanted to know if you've ever been on a date that ended up in an unexpected way. Do you have anything like that? Oh, absolutely. Endless, endless stories. I mean, one in particular is that when Jill and I were dating, we went to a slam poetry competition, which I will say, I knew nothing about slam poetry.

Starting point is 01:02:10 And that's when I learned that you snap your fingers, right, when you applaud. I specifically went there because I wanted to impress Jill so that I can get a little, I'll say bonus afterwards, you know. But what I learned through one of the poets is that we are all artists. The poet specifically said, we are all artists. And it triggered something in me. It made me click to the point where I realized that I wanted to create. I wanted to figure out how to do that. So afterwards, we went out to eat, Jill and I, and we started talking about creating art together.

Starting point is 01:02:42 And I learned from that date that, you know, the date isn't just about the other person. It's not about your physical pleasure. It's not about their physical pleasure. It's about what you can learn about life, about yourself. It was an unexpected outcome from a date. So wherever a date may lead, it starts with a swipe. That's why you need to download Tinder. You said this place was steps from the water.

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Starting point is 01:03:58 Don't just dream about the trip. Book it with Price Line. Download the Priceline app or visitpriceline.com. Actual prices may vary, limited time offer. Can we talk about love? Yeah, we can talk about love. Yeah. Yeah, you've had some, I'll say, notable,

Starting point is 01:04:14 Yes. I have. Girlfriends. I have. Yep. But I'd love to talk about your identity. Yeah. You know?

Starting point is 01:04:22 How, at what point did you feel like you were firm in your identity and sexuality? I think really when I came to London, you know, I think like I came to London at 15. And I think I had loads of questions. You know, I had loads like, I went on loads of adventures. With me, I really felt about like, whatever it is, I'm into it. But I couldn't really, no one really got that up north. I was like, what? Or then I was almost forced to be like, well, what are you?

Starting point is 01:04:57 Right. What are you? I'm like, I'm a viber. You know what I mean? Like, whatever you are, like, if I like you, then I might fancy you or I might have sex for you. I might, like, if we vibe out together, then that's the way I see things.

Starting point is 01:05:11 that love human beings. I love human beings. I'm like, whatever it is, I'm down if it's a vibe. Right. And this year has been such a strange thing for me because it's the first time

Starting point is 01:05:26 that probably the biggest love of my life I've taken space from and I've asked for space. Last year, I was really having problems with myself and it was all a me problem. And I think, I, her name's Jesse Joe, basically. Probably know, Jessica Joe Stark.

Starting point is 01:05:55 She's probably the most incredible person I've ever met. And she's my best friend. And I feel so lucky to be in her orbit because I've got to talk this through with her. And she understood. And she needed a moment. We talk every Sunday. And, I mean, ultimately I think in my life, all roads lead to her because I love her.

Starting point is 01:06:24 I never loved anything. Like, I love her. I love her as, I don't know, I love her as everything. I love her as, as if I'd love, you know what I'm saying,

Starting point is 01:06:36 water, I need it, you know, and I think, I'd never experienced love like it because when you can be that honest with another human being,

Starting point is 01:06:45 even in times when we're not technically together. Right. I was like, she's just insane. So right here, where you sit, right here where I sit.

Starting point is 01:06:54 You're still in love with her? Yeah. So why not be with her? I think at this moment in time I needed to build up a fundamental basis of a personality I was a shell. I didn't know what I could love. But do you fear? Yes. That when you're ready to go back, she may no longer be available?

Starting point is 01:07:23 I think that's the available. I think that's the risk that I take. We talk every Sunday. and I look forward to every Sunday and I get coffee out of the tea we have coffee out of the tea cup it's our thing okay and

Starting point is 01:07:38 we communicate okay it's complicated but it's our story and I love her yeah you know what's interesting about everything I got you know what I mean yeah it's like I think that

Starting point is 01:07:51 we live in a society that likes to have a definition for everything categorically agree with you the thing about it is right we went to Cachella together right chel's not my favorite place in the world i'm a donnie boy if i got england you know i mean it's not really my vibe that she's a callie girl from malibu and she loves it and i was so

Starting point is 01:08:13 distracted by trying to go from place to place or meet person to person or network or do whatever that i wanted to do it on my own and i'm like why do i not want to do it with her and now i look back when i was like i should have just held her hand man because the memories of I remember from that weekend were getting ice cream walking through the site with her chilling out in the pool with her it's all her

Starting point is 01:08:39 everything's her but I've got to I want to get myself right I think that's it's so easy to be like it is easy to be like well you love her so be together I'm like

Starting point is 01:08:52 nah the timing was we've got to figure the timing out but I ain't letting it but as long as we're communicating through it As long as you're communicating. It's our, that's our thing. It is. That's our thing.

Starting point is 01:09:05 And that might be like, my mom and dad met at 15. Oh, wow. And now they're still together. And they've had the most like, again, turbulent, crazy domestically violent, probably 20s to 30s. But now they're 55 and I've never been like teenagers. Wow. They figured it out.

Starting point is 01:09:21 And I don't know what's going to happen. But I will love that girl until I die. Right. And if that ends up like, like, I would love it for one day to, have loads of kids with her and vibe out and do all the, like, whatever the fairy tale thing is. But if that doesn't happen, that doesn't happen. But that's why I got tattooed on my arm.

Starting point is 01:09:40 I was like, look at that. She's there. She's always there. And people are you not scared if you don't, if you don't get back together? I'm like, nah, man, she's on my skin. She's in the same way that she's inked into my heart. You have to love yourself in order to love another fun,

Starting point is 01:09:54 like, and I didn't. Yeah. Do you today? Do you love yourself today? I think I love myself, yeah, a lot more. I think I battle with a lot, but I've learned, again, I needed space to process it. And I think kind of what's, I think, to give her a little bit of credit with Jesse Joe Wright. I really think she needed a moment to kind of bask in her power a little bit.

Starting point is 01:10:16 I don't know, I can't speak for her, but I think, like, she's always been kind of like part of the Chrome Arts family or Youngbud's girlfriend or someone's friend when she is fucking awesome. Right. I see exactly what you're saying. You know what you're saying, I don't think is so unorthodox. If you think about the whole notion of you put the oxygen mask on yourself first, or you put it on the person next to you. Completely. So in a relationship, what that truly means is that, yes, you need to have a sense of self-worth, high enough self-esteem.

Starting point is 01:10:46 You need to be enacting self-love first. And kind of the fundamentals of been a rock star, get placed upon you. And can you be a single, can you be a rock star in a relationship? Right. And then if you're a rock star, you need to either, you need to, you're either not in a relationship or you need to be with another rock star. Yeah, it's like, it's like, it's like, it's like, again, these boundaries are placed upon you and you kind of like, how do I deal with this? Is that how you, so I know the, I'm assuming before, Jesse, Halsey. Yeah.

Starting point is 01:11:19 Right. Was that because she's, you know, renowned music artists? You are. Is that kind of how you two naturally gravitate? Yeah, she was cool. Yeah. When we met at a time, you know. And I would call to her. And it was, it was, that was almost two things colliding.

Starting point is 01:11:42 That's why I don't think we worked out. And it was epic. But we were two, we weren't complete in each other. And that was earlier in your career as well. Yeah, I was so young. So, 19. Yeah. No, I was, I was like 21, I think.

Starting point is 01:11:56 I can't remember how old I was. I was young. Do you believe in marriage? Yeah. You do? Yeah. Do you want to be married? Yeah.

Starting point is 01:12:05 I think so. I think like I'm a little bit of an old soul like that. Okay. So that was a shock to me? Yeah, really. I thought you were going to say, ah, marriage, I don't really. Nah, I'd love to get married.

Starting point is 01:12:17 Really? I think so. When the time is right, I think. Okay. It's weird. I'm a little bit of it. I'm a complete contradiction. I really am.

Starting point is 01:12:27 That's why people don't know how gauge me because on the one hand I'm like, yeah, and whatever. And on the other hand, I like, I am quite traditional in terms of marriage. I would love to do that. So I'm sure you want to have little ones as well on your time. Loads, I want loads of little fuckers. Honestly, right, stop.

Starting point is 01:12:42 Honestly, I'm going to be such a mad darn right, right? Stop picking on your sister. I've got to go on stage now, see you after. Or come on stage with me. Oh, yeah, get up on there. But not till songs three. I know you're gonna steal the limelight. Yep, yep.

Starting point is 01:12:56 All right, I love it. I want to get into some of the things that I saw in the comments. Yes. All right. I want to have you address. Yeah, I love that. Some of the controversies, negatives, right? One is around your upbringing.

Starting point is 01:13:09 Yes. I see this happen. Completely. All the time. I know you see it. Yeah, it's so crazy. So I think the notion is, is okay, where is he really from? Is he truly from the north?

Starting point is 01:13:24 Yep. Is he working class? or is he actually, you know, kind of this upper class? And the reason why I think class comes into place because when I got here to the UK, I had no idea how regimented. Yeah, it's such an old school concept. You know what I mean?

Starting point is 01:13:42 It's like, because our country's 2,000 years old. My dad gets really angry about this. Because my dad was like, I went to work. We had money, we didn't have money, and then we had it again, and then we didn't have it. And I'd never ridden that. First lyric I put out,

Starting point is 01:13:58 I'll admit I've never been broke, but I have been broken. The first line of Youngblood ever came out. And I really think the internet wanted to put a narrative on me because I've got an accent like this. You think my accent's about it? Me, mum, talk. Hello, love.

Starting point is 01:14:13 And, like, yeah, I mean, mum, and it's interesting. People want to put you in a box. Right. And I hadn't ever said anything other than the truth. That's it. Right. You know what I mean?

Starting point is 01:14:26 Right. That's my vibe and that's all I can, that's what I can say about it, you know? So what, what do you think the idea is behind trying to say that you were from a different, because I feel like the idea, and correct me if I'm wrong. Yeah. You've been hearing this your whole life, right? Is that you're, you're from an upper class than what you are. It's almost like you're misrepresenting class.

Starting point is 01:14:49 Yeah, I don't, yeah, I don't get that. I don't get where that is from because, again, like, what my dad's, as it goes, right, your granddad went to war, came back, got a gas station in Stainfuth that had an hardware store with his brother, with a house in the back, and then he had two sons, Richard and Philip, my granddad was in a band, Uncle Philip went to school and became a doctor moved out of London, and then my granddad started a music shop, and then we had a music shop and then you were born into a music shop. So it's just like, I don't know what class that makes me.

Starting point is 01:15:27 Right. But we had a successful music shop. My family's the real deal. I know more about rock and roll music than it. Because it was my education. And sometimes people would be like, oh, well, you had it handed to you because you were from a music shop. I'm like, I'm telling you, you're tripping.

Starting point is 01:15:43 I'm into it. And now I'm 27 years old. I'm like and kind of formulated my internal argument. Yes. I'm like, I can't. I don't know what to say to you. You're talking shy. Yeah, like, move on.

Starting point is 01:15:59 Yeah, move on. And it's, and it's kind of just like, oh, is that all you got? You were going to use that. Cool, man. Cool. All right, that's fair. Yeah, I mean. What about this is, all right, another, I think, misconception, but let's see is queer baiting.

Starting point is 01:16:13 Ah, I knew you were going to say this. All right. What, yeah. So with queer baiting, so everyone, you know, understands is this notion of, alluding to having same-sex relationships. Yes. But not having same-sex relationships, but the reason why people allude to it

Starting point is 01:16:29 is so that they can gain an audience, you know, a queer audience. 100%. What's your... My vibe is like, I don't know what people want to say about that. I've fucked everyone under the sun, and that's the vibe. And I love love.

Starting point is 01:16:48 And if it's a vibe, it's a vibe. and that's again it's interesting to be like this I think when you sign up for entertainment people like this is performative this is da-da-da

Starting point is 01:17:01 and people can formulate an idea on something that they don't even know in the same way we're talking about John Lennon or whatever it's like that song is about that it's like no I just woke up

Starting point is 01:17:12 and I had a shit today and I wrote a song but some days it's just like oh yeah no say what you want I don't know what I say to you I'm into, I'm into, if the person's a vibe, the person's a vibe. Right.

Starting point is 01:17:27 Rock and roll, man. Do you know what I mean? I know. I were wearing a skirt since I was six. You know what I mean? I was into that vibe. I was into like Brian Moco from placebo and that's why I wore, you know what I mean? And I was, but I get people jumped on a bandwagon sometimes to get access.

Starting point is 01:17:45 But me, it's a bit more pure than that. I'm just like, yeah, man, I'm into the vibe. But so now at 27 doesn't bother you? No, it's funny. I think it's like, I think it's like, it's funny. I'm just like, yeah, man, think what you want. Just go with it. But yeah, so I'm saying it's like, whatever, man.

Starting point is 01:18:03 Yeah, because you knew. I was like, you were like, I knew it. I knew it. I mean, I'm into the vibe. Are there any other misconceptions about you that you just find that are fun? You got the ones in the comments. You got those two of the, those two are the main things that went around the internet. that when you're 21 years old and Twitter's,

Starting point is 01:18:24 when you're the main character on Twitter for a day, and a narrative that isn't real becomes truth. Yes. What are you doing that situation? 27 years old now, I probably be like, right, you're all talking bollocks, and here's why. 21 years old, you shut down. Yeah.

Starting point is 01:18:39 Because you're like, oh, God, oh. And then you almost have, like, kind of, you just don't want to get, you don't want to open that can of worms because you feel like you're justifying yourself. One other that I just thought about, but this isn't a misconception, but it kind of, it's a good word. I like it. Last comment I saw was someone wrote under some kind of video was, I don't understand why people hate on this guy.

Starting point is 01:19:03 Right. So you think about that, I don't understand why people hate on this guy. A lot of folks in the comments, what I've noticed is that there's a sense of, I need to have a voice and opinion. Okay. but there also seems to be like this targeted I want to come after him yeah do you feel that yeah but I get it why though I'm louder on myself

Starting point is 01:19:30 I'm a little bit of an easy target I think because I think I'm quite opinionated and I like I think I've got an energy that people don't believe is real that's the thing like went out to the pub the other day and one of my best mates was with another artist and my best mate went oh, Dom's going to come through and a person, oh no, I don't know if I can handle that.

Starting point is 01:20:02 What do you mean? People just think I'm false, or I'm going to be a dick, or I'm a little bit too excited. But what people don't understand is the places that they see me in, radio, TV, and watch shows. Of course I'm excited. I'm on the radio.

Starting point is 01:20:20 I'm on the TV. What do you want me to do? All right. How's your day going? Yeah. You know what I mean? It's like, and then I went to the pub, met the person. And they admitted to me, pissed up a bit later.

Starting point is 01:20:33 It was like, oh my God, I completely got you wrong. And can I tell you what? I am a little bit of exhausted of people getting me wrong. Because I promise you, I am exactly. the same here as I am when I meet you every pub I go into is you're actually right

Starting point is 01:20:53 oh you're actually nice I'm like what does that even mean you know what I mean all my favorite thing is is the masculine thing oh yeah I thought you're a bit of a dick

Starting point is 01:21:05 I don't really like your music but you actually sound I'm like thank you don't know how respond to that but I appreciate you know what I mean

Starting point is 01:21:16 Like it's such a bizarre thing. Was it, was it all of these kind of misconceptions that led you to take your social media break? Yeah. Because the thing about it is, right, if you think about me, right, I walk into a pub. People that probably might not even know it's me, but when you're in that world. Yeah. And why is it, so help me understand this. Yeah.

Starting point is 01:21:38 Why is it that there's a fixation on the comments rather than the content? Because I see this with my 14-year-old son and his friends. is that they go to the comments before they go to the content. Because as human beings we follow, what does other people think about this? Can I like it? Instead of going, do I like it? Do you like that picture on the wall?

Starting point is 01:22:08 I love it. Hell yeah, so do I. I tell you if I didn't. What if there was 17 comments underneath going, that picture is shite, would that influence your decision? Would that influence your son's decision? Do you know what I mean? That is the way, that's why I think art

Starting point is 01:22:26 or that's why I think the world is pretty scary right now because we base our opinions off of everybody else's instead of going, do I like this tree? Do I like this sneaker? Do I like this music? My friends don't like this music. My friends don't like these sneakers. Shit, I better not do that.

Starting point is 01:22:51 You know what? Ultimately, that's self-esteem. Completely. Because when you have low self-esteem, you need the validation. 100%. And I think, like, again, like, if you, like, with this album, I had to be like, this is about me. Okay.

Starting point is 01:23:06 And this is about myself. It's about me creating something for myself. For yourself. So that break, you took, it sounds like you needed the break for many different reasons. Yeah. But did you take that time and just put it into the album? I went into the album. What happened was, I think when you write in L.A. or London with songwriters, whatever that means, everything's great.

Starting point is 01:23:35 Mediocrity slides because people want to cut. If you're a relatively successful artist. So what I had to do is I went up north to make the next album with my producer, Mattie, who did the first album with me. and my Scottish guitar player we spoke about earlier, Adam, who's my best mate, and a guy called Bob, who's known me since I was 15, right? Oh, wow. As humans, we teach ourselves to hide.

Starting point is 01:24:05 We hide. All the time, we hide. Because if you genuinely reveal yourself and you genuinely put yourself on a plate and someone else rejects it, turns the nose up at it, invalidates it. It's the biggest trauma

Starting point is 01:24:25 and the biggest internal question you get, you go like, oh my God, and you hide. We would rather not say something in our fear of being like uncool or judged or we'd just hide. And I was hiding.

Starting point is 01:24:40 I was hiding after this, in this point in my life, you know, when I went to make this album and what was amazing making this album with people who just want their truth from me, they kind of, unpicked me.

Starting point is 01:24:53 Yes. It allowed me to kind of show me eyes again. I always say that, like, allow people to steal your eyes. You know what I mean? I always say that kind of weird metaphor. Like, let them steal your eyes.

Starting point is 01:25:08 Let them see your eyes. You know what I mean? Because it might inspire. Let them, you know what I mean? Let them take your soul like the, you know, when you get like the little bit of light, I'm looking in yours right, you got a little bit of white light in your eyes.

Starting point is 01:25:19 Yes, yes. Like that's when you let people, like, let people, Let me nick a bit of that. I'll let you nick a bit of that because that's how we connect and how we communicate. Wow. So you would say this album will be your most raw.

Starting point is 01:25:30 So in the past I've gone like a song like Hated. This is what this song's about. This is what it means. This is what, etc. Whereas on this album, I wanted to kind of relinquish my ego and let my internal subconscious talk and write songs about change and time and mortality.

Starting point is 01:25:52 And life, and why am I here? And why did I feel this? But in such a way that it will mean something different to your life than it will to mine. Yes. And it's going to be a double album that comes out in two parts. Okay. And part one is almost like the light and the self-reclamation.

Starting point is 01:26:10 And part two is almost like it comes crashing down to earth and I comprehend my mortality. You know what's so profound about that is your first book, in essence. It's a journal. Yeah, it is. you know um and i was writing loves and hates yeah and the i ended with the last love was the moment yeah ma'am just love loving being in the moment that's that's that's that's the vibe in it and and that was such a such a strange uh thing for me to write because that book really came in in

Starting point is 01:26:46 a period after the album when the book the festival go into the the album. Wow. Okay. It was very much like, okay, I needed to write something that would allow me to ask questions to myself and help people to the life. It's like, all right, what are six things you love about yourself and six things you hate about yourself today?

Starting point is 01:27:08 I was like, so kind of like doing these weird exercises to kind of like start a journey of like, you aren't all right right now. And then I was like, maybe we should make this a book. And it was like, very like cool to kind of talk to people. about it because people were like six things you love. I'd be like chocolate, football, and then something profound, like, The moment. The moment, yeah.

Starting point is 01:27:34 So it can kind of, it doesn't always have to, Salvador Dali or Mahatma Gandhi level, profound shit. One day you might just be like, coffee in bed in Primroseill with her, holding my mum's hand, because now I'm 27 and I feel like I can again. And three, watching Donnie Rovers become first in the league. You know, I mean, it can kind of be like, or then it can literally just be like, my confidence.

Starting point is 01:28:01 Yes, yes. And I can see those are your true loves. Yeah. Yeah, and hates. Can we come back and spend a second on your grandfather? Yes. Your reflection, so did you mention that your grandfather passed? Yes, he did.

Starting point is 01:28:16 Okay. How long ago? My grandmother and my grandfather passed within five years of each other, and my granddad died to 18 months ago now. Okay. All right. I'm sorry to hear that. I didn't know that. I didn't know about this.

Starting point is 01:28:30 But it's interesting because I wanted to come back to ask about what they think of your career. So now I have to come and say that in that moment, when you think back to what they would think about the man that you've become, what is that? The last time I ever saw my grandmother and love. we just saw that Wembley arena and it was his birthday and my granddad was so important to me and my dad that he really

Starting point is 01:29:16 gave me again the fundamentals of community and rock music he gave me this adventure I grew up in adventure and grew up in this choose life mentality do it do it do it do not pass up on an opportunity for a moment or a memory.

Starting point is 01:29:37 That was my granddad. He was like, ride till the wheels fall off, you know what I mean? And he was a bit of a cynical old bastard, especially when it came to music, because he was the musician in the family, and then I started to want to do that. So he always kind of felt a sense of responsibility to tell me what was good or bad.

Starting point is 01:29:59 He'd ring me, not your best. Oh, that song's all right. or this and this 21st of February is his birthday and we're headlined Wembley Arena 21st of February 23 and I sang happy birthday to him and I couldn't really see him

Starting point is 01:30:16 I know I wasn't someone who would say he was proud of you just wasn't built in him and I think like my dad wanted that from him his whole life and I wanted that from him just because he was such a legend

Starting point is 01:30:30 um But I've seen videos of him just smiling like I'd never seen him smile before and it was cool to kind of like see that I remember we got on our bus and I was last on and just turned to me in this one I was the last time I saw him

Starting point is 01:30:51 and I think he said he was proud of me in that because again like when people again when we talk about the misconceptions in my upbringing it was like everything I was like did was been judged by musicians in a guitar shop

Starting point is 01:31:09 and a lot of them I didn't made it Grandad wanted to be a rock star but didn't have the words he didn't have the words he couldn't put his emotion into words and that was a fundamental battle that I think I'd face with people is like

Starting point is 01:31:28 I found the words this makes me have to ask your song zombie yes all right what is zombie about So, this is my favourite song in the album because it was the first song that came out off this

Starting point is 01:31:47 new project where I always wanted to strip everything back and be like, right, let me write about a fundamental experience and this song is about my grandmother and my grandfather. My grandmother was the most glamorous northern lady you've ever met. Red nails, leopard shoes, blonde air, rollers in. So, non. And she died of alcoholism. When the business went bankrupt, kind of, she just, she never kind of came back from that.

Starting point is 01:32:25 And she always used to have a drink, but she really started to drink a lot. And the song is about deterioration and watching her deteriorate. And what was harder than watching the deteriorate was her watching her self. come to the realization that she deteriorated so far that there was no way back. And the biggest thing I learned about writing this song was taking that fundamental emotion and rapping that inside a song that would again make it feel accessible to people in different scenarios. We all feel ugly.

Starting point is 01:33:23 We all feel like we do. don't want to ask for help. We all feel like we have to go at this life alone. But one experience can change that. By the time she asked for help, it was already too late. You know, and no one really knew that the main lyric of the song is if I was to talk about the words, they would hurt. So if you were to ask about the pain, I would lie.

Starting point is 01:33:53 That was the first line I came up with. and that was partly about losing her but also partly about me thinking what would she have said you know and I kind of left it on ice for a while and then my grandfather died and uh

Starting point is 01:34:19 I really needed to kind of revisit that for them you know and finish it and yeah that's what the song's about it's about this feeling of kind of feeling ugly and feeling helpless and not wanting to be a burden for somebody which is often made up in your own head never have been a burden for me

Starting point is 01:34:47 could never have been a burden for my mum my dad my sisters my auntie we wish you were still here we would have done anything you know but people um we get into these dark places where the six things we make up in our heads aren't often the case you know what I mean and if only we would talk about them

Starting point is 01:35:17 if only would communicate this is what I'm feeling maybe the people that love us would go yo what are you talking about or like no matter how far you stray from each other there's someone out there even if you're related or not

Starting point is 01:35:35 that will show you kindness and I think that's why I believe Like, people call me a bit of a tripper or a bit of a dreamer, you know. But I really believe in people. As much as the shit that I see fundamentally on the day-to-day, like, really believe in kindness and I really believe in love because I see it every day. I get to watch a show every night. You can forget that.

Starting point is 01:36:06 Yes. I get to watch 20,000 people. I get to watch lovers kiss. I get to watch people have an argument and resolve it. I get to watch a father and a daughter find common ground in this. Yes. I get to watch old people and young people connect on something. Otherwise, they would have been rivals.

Starting point is 01:36:32 You know what I'm saying? I get to watch beautiful things. And that's the fundamental, like, meaning of the song. And I can't wait for it's cool. come out i think it's i think it's probably one of the best pieces of younger music yet it really shows that you know your grandmother your grandfather right all these loved ones they live through the music yeah i can't wait for it to come out that song that song's been been amazing for like five years and i'm finally putting it out you're putting out look at that so weird our songs kind of rear their

Starting point is 01:37:07 head and find their time yes and now's the time yeah now is the time it's crazy yeah what would seven-year-old Dom say if he met 27-year-old Dom. You'd probably stick his tongue at him, like, who the fuck are you? Because that's definitely me as a kid. I went back, I looked at all these interviews, and sometimes, you know, going back certain years, I didn't see this level of brightness in your eye. Yeah, it was one instance I want to talk about that kind of really impacted my life and really kind of summed up the album

Starting point is 01:37:44 when I brought it into the real world. Because I've written it. Right. Right. I've written it in the studio. And when you take it to the world, that's when you really learn what it is. You have an idea of what it is.

Starting point is 01:37:54 When you give it to the world, the world kind of tells you back what it is. And I was at this event in Amsterdam. And a load of people have turned apart side. And, you know, it's like when cameras are there. And you're a bit like, whoa. But I got to have this huge. Human interaction with a girl and she was like, your music saved my life. You saved my life.

Starting point is 01:38:22 And I was like, no, I didn't save your life. You saved your own life. Maybe my music was a soundtrack to it. Or maybe it provided you hope. Or maybe it provided you a little bit of a spring in your sub-depth. But you made the fundamental change or turning point in your own life. to even say these words and that is what I wrote this album about and it's called idols because it's the first time in my life I realized that I was the one with the answer the whole time to peace and same way that you are your peace 27 years and you figure that out just now just now yeah you've got to turn to yourself you know it's very crazy it is as well and to your point is that we have to go through that storm. Yeah. In order to build up the resilience, in order to be self-reflective. Completely.

Starting point is 01:39:23 You know, so I'm completely with you. Dude. You know us a lot is Donna's like, we need to talk. We talked about it all. Yeah. You know? And I always have a last question that I ask. And then I have an ending thought, but I cannot wait to hear the answer to this question.

Starting point is 01:39:39 This is, everyone gets this question. Cool. If you think back to your 27 years. Yeah. You've had some incredible conversations. with incredible people. Which conversation stands out the most? And who is it with?

Starting point is 01:39:53 What did you learn in that conversation? 15 years old, I went down to the basement of the producer who is with me now called Marty Schwartz. And I never thought the love of my life would be a 54-year-old Israeli man. Kick me out of his studio in 15 minutes. And I remember this,

Starting point is 01:40:25 changed the trajectory of my life because I was in London and I was I was kind of like trying to make it right and I brought in these songs that I've been listening to other people blah blah blah he's like these are shit I never had someone like hit me like that I was like 15 years old and he looked at me and he was like who are you and I didn't know and I left that studio traumatised but I really remember that that conversation changed my life

Starting point is 01:41:05 because I went home but in the back of my mind I was like this guy's right and I remember Thomas my manager at the time kept ringing Matt and he'd been like you gotta get back in with him you gotta get back in with him and this started a thing called the month

Starting point is 01:41:20 and I call it the Youngblood month because I went home and I had a front room in Wandsworth and Tomas my manager was paying me rent sat in my front room

Starting point is 01:41:36 and I just wrote that down and I had a TV and a couch and I was like Who are you and I came up with I literally spider diagramed everything I was like

Starting point is 01:41:46 what am I mad about what do I wear what I want to what I want to look like what's where the pink socks came out I knew that I loved Sex Pistols pink and I went back and if you asked Matty today I came back with five

Starting point is 01:41:58 fire in my eyes and then that led to the get down the song I wrote in the get down the poem about Brexit who are you yeah no one never asked me that and that allowed you no one never asked me something that simple go on the journey stories everything's about stories yes stories are everything how you got your record yeah that's the story that I was saying like I was actually talking to a guy and really a guy who's just coming to my life who um um He's a guy called Oshan, who is a pub landlord. He's just opened an Irish pub called the Devonshire in town. And we have a deep love of music.

Starting point is 01:42:41 And he's got this crazy pub with a back room that's like, he allows crazy artists to come in, and you'll find, like, Ed Shearing or Capaldi or me or Nile Oran just back there playing. And like, you just like pints of Guinness, doing all the vibe. It's so funny you said that, because we were talking about that yesterday. just like we went for breakfast yesterday and we were just like what's it about in the day? Stories. It's all about stories. If you're a pub landlord owner, if you're a musician, if you're a doctor,

Starting point is 01:43:11 if you're a decorator, it's all about stories. You, when you sit down on your deathbed or when you sit down at Christmas, what's it about? Stories. When we sit together, stories, we tell stories. So make sure you're present enough when they're happening. Or you're going to have no. stories to tell. That's golden. It is, it really is. This day and age. Yes, that's golden.

Starting point is 01:43:39 Don, this has been incredible. Dude, honestly, thank you so much. I've loved it. Honestly, I felt like I, I felt like he gave me a, gave like old me a voice.

Starting point is 01:43:50 I pushed a lot of shit down, especially like misconceptions around me. You know? I felt like a, I just had to kind of let it go and let people think that shit and not kind of have an argument back and you gave me that today

Starting point is 01:44:05 I appreciate that No, it's been an honor Thank you too It has been an honor And I tell you what I cannot wait For the album Yeah dude, dude

Starting point is 01:44:13 Come and sue him And I say my son can't wait Dude honestly no cat blood fest If you're around 21st of June Bring your whole crew You know I've never done a festival With my boys Oh my God that could be lit

Starting point is 01:44:25 And to be honest You got well let's make it happen That'll be sick We'll bring them backstage in that Oh, my God. He's just going to go... Yeah, it's going to be epic, honestly. I think he'll freak. All right, done. Done and done and done.

Starting point is 01:44:38 Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You're a leisure. That was so sick. You are, man. Yeah, you are. You're doing it right. Once again, I love the conversation. The plan was not to go in and talk about masculinity. That was not on the cards, but I found we continually went back to that topic.

Starting point is 01:45:01 And you can see it was on his heart. And at 27, he's now just full. fully realizing and understanding what masculinity means to him. And I think that's powerful for him to be so forthcoming about that, you know. And he admitted to still being on this kind of journey of exploration, self-love, and dealing with insecurities. But you know what, who isn't? We are complete in our incompleteness, you know, and he represents that concept well.

Starting point is 01:45:34 And what I loved about this conversation is we began to remove labels of things. That's a label that we need to remove. What he has is a version of love. As he was saying it, my initial thought was, well, you need to be with her. And I'm going to now coach you into being with this woman that you love. I was like, I'm just going to let you talk, and then I'm going to start coaching you. Send me the check later. But then as he continued to talk, what I realized is that he truly is identifying what

Starting point is 01:46:04 his self-worth is, what his self-esteem is, he's regaining his self-confidence. And to his point, and he said this eloquently, is you need to have that intact or an assemblance of that before you can fully emotionally connect with someone. Because he used the example in a disagreement. He would just walk off or not fully understand. So he actually is doing it right. Do you think you can be friends with your... The quick answer is absolutely.

Starting point is 01:46:33 You could be friends with your ex. Many people are not because of how the relationship ended. It sounds like this was a mutual decision that they made. So it's, to me, it feels healthy. I'd love to see them get back together. I'd love to see it. The conversation around who are you? Yeah.

Starting point is 01:46:55 Yeah. You know, when Don was saying this, right? I was in my mind, I kept saying, I hope he doesn't ask me. I mean, that should be asked on a date, every date. Right. Who are you? Who are you?

Starting point is 01:47:13 I guess it depends on how you say it. Yeah, you say it. Who are you? Who are you? Are you ready? That's probably too much. Let me see. How about everyone?

Starting point is 01:47:31 Everyone. Everyone. Oh, my God. Sheffield. Chef. Scott, how do you say this? Is it Shepfield? Sheffield.

Starting point is 01:47:43 At least this isn't live, right? Well, no, but that's like to change, isn't it? So we are going to do, we need to talk live for the first time. The magic is in the conversation, so we'll have a very special guest. You know what's probably most cool about this is this will be the first time that the we need to talk community will come together in person. You know, I'm curious to see, what does everyone look like? What do they smell like? Sheffield, July 5th, at the Crucible Theater.

Starting point is 01:48:12 So to get tickets, very simple, it's crossedwires.com. It's very important to buy tickets quickly because they will go fast. We'll make sure that there's a link below. Enjoy more ways to save at Ralph's, like low prices in every aisle. And when you download the Ralph's app, you can clip and save more with digital coupons every week. Plus, you can earn fuel points to save up to $1 per gallon at the pump. At Ralph's, you can enjoy. enjoy more ways to save and more rewards every time you shop.

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We Need To Talk with Paul C. Brunson - “I’ve Never Spoken About This!” YUNGBLUD Breaks Silence On Bankruptcy, Dating & Toxic Masculinity

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