Episode Transcript
Speaker 1 00:00:17 All right. What's up everybody? This is Sam with Rowdy Alternative, and today we have from the Austin Mead Band special guest, Aaron Hernandez drummer and Jordan Panya. Better known as Little Ricky. How you guys doing?
Speaker 2 00:00:32 Doing pretty good, man. Pretty hot down here.
Speaker 1 00:00:36 Right on, right on. I saw you guys played, um, green Hall. I guess that's how you pronounce it. I'm, I'm not a Texan, so I'm not real sure, but I saw it was sold out too, right?
Speaker 2 00:00:48 Yeah, man. Uh, it, it sold out the day before and we, most of us are from the area, you know, the green, new Braunfels area, so it was kind of a, a venue that we have been wanting to sell out for a while. I mean, we all grew up going to shows there, so, you know, good experience.
Speaker 1 00:01:09 Right on. Right on. So I guess, so what I want to do, or what I did want to do before this is do research on my guests and I couldn't find anything on you guys. So I guess we're gonna start out just asking some questions about like, I don't know, what got you in the music? What, what made you pick up the bass, the drumsticks? Uh, Aaron, you could go first since we're doing the mute thing. <laugh>.
Speaker 2 00:01:31 Yeah. Uh, actually I come from a family of musicians. Um, I mean, on both sides of my family, but predominantly on my mom's side, there's, you know, a buttload of drummers and, and most of my cousins were in marching band, even if they didn't play, you know, in, in bands outside of school. So it was kind of, uh, I was just grandfathered in, you know, but it was just something you did, you went on the weekends, you know, somebody was playing somewhere and we just tagged along. And as kids we hated it cuz it is like we were forced to do it and then it not, you know, I was one of the only ones of my generation to actually pick a, pick it up and wanna make a career out of it cuz I knew it was possible and I knew I would have the family support as well.
Speaker 1 00:02:22 All right. Right on. What about you Ricky?
Speaker 3 00:02:24 Okay. My mom was a, a piano teacher, so that was great. So when I was like six or seven, she was like, Hey, guess what you're doing for the rest of your life? And then long time, but then like around high school, middle school, when I started playing trumpet a lot more and being in the band, I was like, oh, this is great. And I thought I wanted to teach. So near the end of my high school career, I also started to pick up the base cause I like that. And I figured out, I was like, wait, you can do this for a living, like play bass and like do shows and not have to teach kids at music. Dude, I don't do that. So I just started doing that, you know, got around and uh, that's how I met all these deeds, was working here at the guitar store, like I told you actually.
Speaker 1 00:03:12 Yeah, I wanted to touch on, uh, meeting everyone. So Aaron, you were around, if I'm correct, uh, for Black Sheep, right? It wasn't, you weren't around for waves or anything? Yeah,
Speaker 2 00:03:23 Yeah, I was around for black sheep. Um, basically I met Austin, I bartended for about four or five years at Sam's Town Point in South Austin, Texas, and Austin and his band at the time, they filled in for another buddy of ours, uh, kale, kale, Richton and I, we were talking, we became cool. Nobody knew I even played drums. Uh, they filled in again a couple of weeks later we just kind of hit it off, you know, cool bartender to a Tuesday night, fill in, you know, nothing too crazy. And then I'd say a couple months after that, that same fella, kale, he hit us up. He hit me up like, yo, uh, Austin meets looking for a drummer. I threw your name in the hat on. I was like, me the guy that played the other day at the bar, he was like, yeah, dude, their schedule's starting to fill up and he's kind of going more rock now than he was. So I, I filled in for like two weeks and after that, uh, he called me a couple weeks after that and was like, yo, do you want the gig? Like, tell me right now, like right now, tell me right now if you want the gig. So I was like, oh yeah, yes, yes, I'll take it. Well, that's, that's pretty much it.
Speaker 1 00:04:40 Was that, so that was a pretty easy decision for you, just like drop everything, go with it. Oh,
Speaker 2 00:04:45 Yeah, and I knew where it was headed. I knew where it had came from. And I, and don't get me wrong, I was a big fan of waves, but like, now that we've moved on from there to more heavier stuff, not even heavy metal, you know, we're definitely not a metal band, but it's, I like the heavy stuff. I grew up playing, you know, hanno music and kumbias, but also funk music and like metal. So I, I have it all in there.
Speaker 1 00:05:10 Yeah, and we're definitely gonna talk about that in a little bit. But, uh, what about you, Ricky? How'd you, uh, meet Austin? You're the newest member of the band. Um, so how'd you meet up with him?
Speaker 3 00:05:20 Like, I was like 20 or something like that. I'm 23 now and I was, I was still working at this guitar store, but I had different location, uh, right next door to where he used to teach lessons. So he'd come, he'd come in a lot, well in between lessons and just we'd bullshit and uh, look at guitars and all that. And one day he needed a bass player and he came to hire my, my manager and he, he has his own band, the Reed Brothers. So he was busy and he is like, but Jordan plays bass. And I was the stupid kid just in the corner like <laugh>, you know? And I learned the stuff, I met the dudes and I was like, yeah, this is, is fucking, this is where it's at. These, they're all great guys and easy to get along with all that stuff. So
Speaker 1 00:06:04 What was your, uh, first recording then? Was it Loser mentality with, with the band? Yeah,
Speaker 3 00:06:11 On that. On that, okay. On half of that record, it's about to come out September, I think. Right.
Speaker 1 00:06:19 Breaking news. But, um, uh, so about that transition into more of the Rock stuff, which is honestly like one of the most fascinating things to me going on right now in Texas and in that scene. Uh, cuz I think, at least from my point of view, when you guys first put out, like Dopamine Drop I think for me was when I was like, wait a minute, this is different. And um, and you continued to put that kind of stuff out. And to me that was like the first, you guys were probably like the first to really make that step. And now you guys, you see guys like Co Cody West, like they're starting to go more towards that rock alternative kind of, uh, path. Um, so how was that transition into that rock scene and like how easy was it to transition and what even made you want to go into that direction? I know Aaron, you said you joined right when they were going for that, so maybe you would know a little bit of the backstory with like that whole transition into the rock area.
Speaker 2 00:07:31 Yeah, I mean it, we had, they had, we had all kind of talked about it and like I said, Austin was already him. And, and the guitar, our guitar player, David Willie, they were already leaning towards that. And then you mentioned, you know, CO and Cody West and a couple of guys, well we all record at the same studio. So I think, I don't think there can be one band or one person that's directly responsible for it, but you know, I I know that that Taylor Kimball had a huge influence on the actual sound. Not so much the direction of, of the songwriting, if that makes sense, but like the actual sound, like what you hear mm-hmm. <affirmative> when you play the stuff on, on, you know, Spotify or whatever, like it's, it's, it definitely kinda all happened around the same time. I can't really take credit for that, you know, the sound, I mean, none.
Speaker 2 00:08:30 But at the same time, not, there's none of us that really can take credit for what's happening in, in the Texas music, red Dirt, whatever scene, you know, it's just something we were all kind of doing and maybe other bands had felt very similar cuz we all grew up listening to rock music. Anybody that was born in the early nineties on, you know, we all grew up as rock fans, you know, whether it was hair metal all the way to, you know, the bands of the early two thousands. So I think, I think it had a lot to do with Taylor Kimball and us being of course friends with CO and everybody. But it was, we all kind of built off each other and, and it was, it's e you know, good to say that nobody really like jocked anything from each other cuz we're all pretty creative in our own, in our own way. And Taylor's just a evil wizard on those, on that console. He's just a genius. So shout out tk.
Speaker 1 00:09:29 Yeah, that's a guy I'd really need to talk to is all like, he put out like everything, not literally everything, but he's had a hand in you guys, co Cody, west Reed Southall. Like, it just seems like a talented and interesting dude. So I, I really love to talk of him in the future. But, um, is there any difference, uh, Ricky, I could ask, I'll ask you this one. Uh, is there any difference, uh, that you see in the actual community when it comes to, like, you get the guys who, uh, like the Americana guys that Austin started out with, which I don't know if you see much of since you were newer, but like you still play the shows and you have these different crowds. Can you tell the difference, like, I'm at an Americana, I'm at a Texas country show, or I'm at a rock show. Like, based on the audience or the overall vibe of it, can you tell the difference there?
Speaker 3 00:10:25 Oh yeah. Like, especially in the beginning, cuz when I first joined the band, we were still playing a lot of the old stuff mixed with the new stuff. So like, it was obvious when we were around the Texas country crowd opening for like Wade Bone and stuff back then that we'd play the old stuff and they'd dig it and then we got to like dopamine or whatever played stuff like that. And they'd go, now, now what the hell is that? You know, like that kind of reaction. And you could still see it sometimes when we're in Texas, but, uh, it's getting, obviously we have a bigger, better fan base in Texas now than we did a couple years ago, so you can tell they're, they're more rockers.
Speaker 1 00:11:07 Oh yeah, for sure. Um, so I guess the fans are pretty, are they pretty accepting when it comes to like, these new releases? Um, like I'm sure by now, I mean you put up a whole album, so like by now they're probably used to it. But, uh, Aaron, uh, when they first put out Black Sheep, uh, did, was there, uh, any kind of like, I don't wanna say backlash, but was there any like, uh, raised eyebrows? Like this isn't what I was listening to before. From your point of view, did you see it as pretty accepting to what you were playing?
Speaker 2 00:11:41 Yeah, well for, for the most part I did see it accepted. I mean there of course there's stories of, you know, certain venues that's going to play and, and literally getting yelled at from the crowd, well we can't dance to this. So it, you know. Oh wow.
Speaker 2 00:11:59 Yeah. But also those people are the ones that never heard of us and like, we're just there cause they, we were playing like a country venue, so, and, and that's just, that's been several times and not just in Texas, you know, it's been several places around at least the South. Um, but besides those few little funny stories we have, um, for the most part, dude, it's been pretty, pretty accepted. You know, they, they're rock fans, they're live, they're rock fans and especially the kids in Texas and in the south. We all grew up listening to rock music. I mean, almost everyone grew up at least listening to, you know, one of, one of these band, you know, Zeppelin or Skinner or ac dc or even like Van Halen or Metallica, like the basic, the basic core rock stuff for kids around our kids. I say kids, I'm old man now, but, but when we were growing up, like those were the basics.
Speaker 2 00:13:00 The Jude, the meat and potatoes, and so we all kind of have that in common. And then the younger fans that are, you know, the under 25 crowd, there's a lot of, they, a lot of them have older siblings or older cousins or, or you know, parental figures that just put 'em on. They put 'em on the good stuff back in the day. So, and we're all from that same background. So yeah. Let's go back to the original question. Yeah. For it, it's been pretty well accepted. The music's been pretty well ate up by the crowd. Everybody knows the words. It's, it's a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 00:13:39 Okay. I mean like, if you think about it, uh, at least what I think Austen's music has never, besides like Chief of the Sinner, I guess, but how old's that? Like 2016 or something. But like even waves like that wasn't really country music, you know, like it was like, it had like more like a soulful, even blues kind of element to it, I think. Oh yeah. So y'all's never really set camp in like one genre. Y'all hopped around. Even your new stuff is to me different than Black sheep. Like it's more like, I don't even know if I should, should I say Pop Punkish?
Speaker 2 00:14:14 I've had a friend
Speaker 1 00:14:16 A little bit,
Speaker 2 00:14:17 I've had a friend of mine, uh, a friend of mine and Ricky refer to our genre as digital role. So I'm not sure how I feel about that, but it could, it could catch on <laugh>.
Speaker 1 00:14:32 What's that even mean? <laugh>?
Speaker 2 00:14:37 I have no idea man. I have no idea what it means, but for some reason it, I kinda like it, it kind of sticks, but nah, I, I wouldn't classify us as any, any one sound, any one genre cuz just when you think we're kind of a harder Texas red dirt rock band, you know, we'll put out a ball or then just when you think we've got a good mix, we'll go into something super hard with an, you know, some alternative time signature structuring stuff. So, you know, just when people think they've got us pinned as one band, you know, look out.
Speaker 1 00:15:15 Exactly. Okay. Ricky, I'll, I'll I'll ask you this one. Um, I need to know like, the process that you guys go through in make in these music videos. Cause I think they're the best in the game at the moment, <laugh>, because they, every one of them are hilarious. Uh, yeah. Like who do you guys all kind of go in on that, Ricky, if you have any input on that or is that like one decision? Like
Speaker 3 00:15:43 Us, I'll have the main idea and then we'll all fill it in with our little jokes that we just tell around the band all the time or references we do we wanna make to pop culture or whatever, you know. So that's usually how it goes.
Speaker 1 00:16:02 Cool. What about the, uh, what about the, uh, writing process? Is it like, um, I know Austin of course, and Willie are, I believe are the main songwriters. Do you guys ever pitch in on any of that or No,
Speaker 3 00:16:16 Like, uh, with this last record they brought us a lot of stuff and then we'd do our own, uh, bass and drum parts, you know, add to it, make it fun about what about on some of 'em and all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 1 00:16:31 Okay. What about like lyrically No,
Speaker 2 00:16:38 What was that?
Speaker 3 00:16:39 Hear that Willie right? What was that?
Speaker 1 00:16:43 I I was just a, I asked if, uh, was there any, um, like input from you guys, Aaron with like, the songwriting part, but I believe it's just Austin and Willie, right?
Speaker 2 00:16:55 Yeah, yeah. They, they do most of the, like, the ideas in the writing and then, like Ricky said, they, they bring it to us and we, they literally just bring us an acoustic duo song with a, and normally it's got like an already like an awesome signature lick or some kind of riff that's like super easy to build on because you know, Willie's an excellent guitar player and then Austen, that crazy brain of his, he is got all kind of weird stuff to stay in there. So, I mean, it's a good, it's good that they, they can do their thing and bring us, uh, a good foundation. And it's easy for me and Ricky to just do our thing. There's no, like, they have, and Austen, I don't know if anyone knows this, but Austen's actually a pretty good drummer. Like he started out on drums as a drummer so he can actually play. And it's not just like having a singer that knows one beat telling you how to play drums. It's like I, if he has something to say about what he thinks the drums should sound like, I listen to it because I can do it and then I'll just add my little, you know, my little salsa style on top. So, um, it's, it's easy. It's easy to do that.
Speaker 1 00:18:07 Okay. How, how do you two mesh when, when you joined Ricky? Like, cuz obviously you're the rhythm section and I think that's the backbone of the whole thing. So how easy was it for you two to mesh? How quick was it just to like click together and make music happen?
Speaker 3 00:18:23 Honestly, I hated him. Couldn't stand him. No, I'm just kidding. <laugh> it, it was, it was pretty instant actually. You know, we both have a lot in common. We grew up sim very similar and <laugh>, you know, we just, we're a bunch of goobers, so we got along real quick.
Speaker 1 00:18:43 What about you Aaron? Could you stand this guy
Speaker 2 00:18:47 <laugh>? Uh, man, why could, at first it was hard to read 'em because <laugh> like, I, I knew he knew the Reed brothers and Austin Mead spoke highly of them, but I was, I was like, okay, we'll get this kid in. I come from the generation where it's not just given to you. I mean, all my uncles and all my relatives and even players that I've looked up to and that I've gotten to play with in the early days, you know, since, since 2010, you know, they weren't easy on me. You know, I was, as Ricky was, I was a 19, 18, 19 year old kid on the road, you know, actually on the road not just playing around New Braunfels or, or Austin. I mean, we were, we were doing it as, as Ricky's situation was. We were already doing it when he came in. So at first I was, it was a little bit of tough love, but then instantly I realized that like Ricky was the coolest, coolest one in the band. So I was like, okay, well that sucks <laugh>. So yeah, well I had like no choice but that
Speaker 1 00:19:56 <laugh>. So I gotta ask you guys, explain to me from like the ground up what the Smoke and Chimney Brothers is like, I need to know like, what, what made you guys form whatever it is that is Ricky <laugh>. Go ahead.
Speaker 3 00:20:15 Go see. Nah, let Aaron tell the beginning of the beginning of this one.
Speaker 1 00:20:21 Okay. Aaron, you can,
Speaker 2 00:20:22 Okay. The, uh, the beginning, I'll, I'll, I'll start it. We were, uh, about, if you couldn't tell by the name of our rhythm section, we, um, are very active in the cannabis community. We are eventually gonna, you know, start, start getting stuff together. We're, we're trying to knock down the stereotype of just this dumb stoner rhythm section that doesn't do anything and it doesn't work hard or write music. We just live to smoke the next little joint and it's like, no man, that's not how we are. I mean, we do, we do indulge quite frequently and in massive amounts, but we, we also get our work done and we, we do everything ourselves. We have no crew. We, we, so we are the smoke and Chimney brothers came from us. Do having that mentality, like we always were doing our work, but we also were ready to, to get things fired up. And it just got to where we would do that. And then go have a little, a little union break as we call it. And then we'd go do some more work and then have another little break and then do some more work and then have a long break and then do another break. So it, uh, Willie our guitar player, he finally stands up and starts making comments. Ricky, you can take over from here.
Speaker 1 00:21:52 Yeah, go ahead Ricky.
Speaker 3 00:21:54 It was one of those times where Reid, where he got to the venue, literally hopped right out as the vehicle's still rolling and fired up kind of thing. And Willie just comes out and he is like, oh, they've got the smoking chimney brothers over here. And then Aaron and I are just like, dang,
Speaker 2 00:22:12 Hot's
Speaker 3 00:22:13 It. Oh, I like that <laugh>. So that's where the actual name came from. It's our non pot smoking, uh, guitar player. Willie?
Speaker 2 00:22:25 Yeah, the Selma one in the band.
Speaker 1 00:22:30 Yeah. <laugh>. So what made you guys do the whole Instagram page? I, I looked on it a lot and like, cuz they're hilarious pictures and I'm going and like I saw in the bio, are you guys like, like you don't have like sponsors do you, like, you had like, things tagged. I wish I, I could probably pull it up, but like, it looked like you like tagged some companies or something. Like, what's going on with that? Do you even know what I'm talking about?
Speaker 2 00:22:57 If you wanna, if you wanna be seen that way, you kind of gotta put your best foot forward, you know? So one of these companies that we use their products, you know, one day might see that and might see that we're actually, you know, cause we, we drink a lot of tequila. We, we like, we like our naps. We we love to indulge in, um, a lot of food of all kinds. And of course the obvious, uh, greenery.
Speaker 1 00:23:28 Yes, of course. And from firsthand experience, you guys go through a lot of greenery. Um,
Speaker 2 00:23:35 That's us.
Speaker 1 00:23:37 Yep. Um, so you're, is is that not smoking, like in particular, I just mean in general is there like some like tough, there has to be tough times sitting in that van and you're like, have, you're only like halfway through a tour or whatnot. Like how does the dynamic, like how do you guys keep yourselves like from not killing each other after a long trip on the road? You're all stinking, no showers, nothing. Uh, Ricky, if you wanna take this one, you're cracking up. So
Speaker 3 00:24:08 <laugh>, more greenery, more green the most any you think we do a lot already. If we're, when we're that dead in the middle of a tour, we, it's even more, it's even just, it's just whatever you gotta do to survive to the show. And then maybe you get to go to sleep after the show, but also maybe you gotta drive to the next state for 12 hours overnight. So
Speaker 5 00:24:34 Aaron knows a lot Aaron
Speaker 1 00:24:37 Lot about
Speaker 2 00:24:41 Oh, the driving goes
Speaker 5 00:24:46 You,
Speaker 1 00:24:46 Yeah. Like how you guys like not kill each other sitting in the same van all that time.
Speaker 2 00:24:55 Uh, well we're, you know, we're, we're the bunk brigade, so we do a lot of bunking, but it's, it's also, you gotta learn to just let people have their space and we get along for the most part. But as any group of, of stinking dudes would be, once you're in your thousandth mile of the tour, you use those smells and sounds and sight and set and all kind of stuff that goes on. And you can be one of those that, you know, points out the obvious, you know, after we've been sweating all day and working and all of us go in and someone will point something obvious out like, Ooh, you guys stink. What's like, duh, you know, <laugh>, we've been, we've been working here. So, uh, but you just, you learn to the, all the little comments that, and this is not just our band.
Speaker 2 00:25:55 I mean, it's, that's just being on the road, whether you're in a, in a construction crew or, you know, the, it's, it's all the same. It's being on the road and you can let the little comments get to you, but at the end of the day, it's just a little comment and you can have those little comments tear down what you've built up for the last however many years. Or you can just literally just not speak of it. So, and we do both <laugh>, we, we do both. We somebody we'll catch someone on a bad day, but that's just life, man. There, there is no perfect camp. There is no perfect band. Um, everyone at least will want their own separate time, even if they don't get the arguments. So we are just really good at, at, at finding that separation. And, and, and everyone does have their own thing.
Speaker 2 00:26:46 You know, some people like golf, some people like coffee, some people like to smoke weed. Uh, other people like to take a nap, you know? So, and we do good about finding our separate time, especially now that the ball's rolling a little more. Yeah, yeah. Uhhuh <affirmative>. But esp you know, especially now that the ball's rolling a little more and we're getting a little more success, a little more ticket sales. It's a lot easier to find that separation, what you have to have. And, and no one should spend every second of every time together. You know, you, you do need that break. You do need to go get your own little sandwich sometimes, or, or go, you go to the, to the smoke shop by yourself, you know? Or just go on a 15 minute walk downtown somewhere. You know, that you find the little things that comes with experience.
Speaker 1 00:27:35 Okay. So like when you guys, uh, I try to figure it out, like, because you guys tour obviously a lot in Texas, so on those, like, when you go to those shows, I assume you get like, a few days off time, right? So, um, do you like Jet back home or like, do you just like stay with the van or like, what do you guys do basically in your free time while you're still like playing shows and stuff? Besides the greenery? Like any other, like, hobbies work, it looks like for, uh, Ricky, but Ricky you could take that one. Like what, what do you like to do? Like, like hobbies, like Austen likes to golf. I think I see him golfing a lot.
Speaker 3 00:28:21 I love to sleep on the road. <laugh> really, like, I honestly, I do spend a lot of time catching up because a, I exert a lot of energy on stage and b I'm always tired. I've just been like that forever. So, and we're not at the point yet where we can like comfortably have like a little guitar in there, you know, or I do that more often cause I like doing that. But a lot of it's napping because it's, it's draining out there on the road.
Speaker 1 00:28:53 Yeah. What about, what about you Aaron?
Speaker 2 00:28:58 Um, I do a lot of the, the night driving. Like if we drive at night, me or Willie, or we'll we'll do the night driving Austin. Austin is, uh, early riser, so it's easier for him. But, uh, outside of the road, um, I like to cook. Um, like I, I like to cook, whether it's in the kitchen or on the flat top or smoking something like I, that's kind of my hobby, you know, it is cooking and I'm in my, my family. We have a few businesses in, in Gonzalez, Texas, you know, or we have had in the past. So I've kind of just done a bunch of everything, you know, so I've, I've done, I've done carpentry, you know, I know how to do a little welding and I just, I, I I stayed busy. I'm mean now, now today I didn't do anything today, but, you know, usually I, I stay moving around.
Speaker 2 00:29:52 I, I, I like to play disc golf. I'm a, I what a, what's the word? I'm, I'm the best, sorry, disc golfer you'll ever see. So, um, I like doing that, uh, sand. Yeah, I mean, I like, I love to play. I like to walk. I'm, I'm also a member of the Austin Meads Pokemon Mens Squad. So we like, we like to do a lot of Pokemon Go and, um, that, that's, that's pretty much, pretty much it. Like cooking, cooking and disc golf. Yeah, probably my, my two main, you know, hobbies. If I, if I could say I had hobby.
Speaker 1 00:30:32 Right on. Um, I meant to ask you guys this earlier. Um, is there like, um, another band or artists that you see frequently while you're out plan or that you basically, if you just know 'em well, like, do you guys ever like, share, like creative like ideas I guess, or any kind of like advice or tips and like who would that be? Like, is there one that you would look to like, okay, this guy's doing it this way and seems to be working out. So maybe we could like kind of like, go ahead Rick, get along with them. Yeah, go ahead, Ricky.
Speaker 3 00:31:10 Not, not, not much, not much like that. Cuz when we're, when we're around our friends on the road, we're hanging out, you know, like we're haven't seen each other probably in a little while. So we're all excited to start talking and we talk about the music we like when we talk about music, you know, just straight up like all the stuff that we listen to, but not much for like, actual advice or writing with, for the band, you know what I mean?
Speaker 1 00:31:40 Is it like a, uh, I wouldn't think it's like hostile. Is it like, not hostile, but it's not like a dog eat dog kind of thing. Like, hey, we're like, it's not in any way like we're keeping our stuff to ourselves. Cause we don't want, like,
Speaker 2 00:31:59 It's not that much
Speaker 1 00:32:00 Competition. Maybe like if you competition. That's what I'm trying to say. Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:32:05 Not, not as much as you would, it's not as much competition as you would think. Now there is, you know, there are bands that whether you know, that people don't get along or whatever. I mean, I haven't had to run into that yet, but, you know, there's, it, it's not always a competition, but like Ricky said, when we're constantly on the grind and you know, the people who are in the, whoever in your band is the one that is writing the songs, the riffs and the lyrics, especially if it's in-house writing. Um, there, there's a lot of, a lot of want longing for like, other conversations when you see your buddies in bands and, you know, and we, I mean we, we, every once in a while we'll talk about this little thing or hey, we got this coming up next, or Hey, how about this little riff?
Speaker 2 00:32:57 But dude, it's mainly just a hang, especially if you're, if you're hanging out with the Chimney Brothers, we're gonna have a good time. So, and that's all, like, that's what we are about. And I think that's in the scene, you know, people know us as that. Like we're, we're just the guys that we're gonna have a good time and we're gonna, you're gonna have a memorable night with us even if we don't remember it. So that's, that's where, that's more, that's, that's more of how it goes. It's a, it's a good time. It's a brotherhood. And if once you can break through the little, you know, out outer shell of the Chimney Brothers yearn for life, whether you like it or not, we won't let you not be our friend no more. So that's, that's pretty much it.
Speaker 1 00:33:39 Right on <laugh>, uh, Ricky, I'll ask you this one then I'll ask Aaron after. Are there any, we talked about Green Hall earlier, are there any, um, venues that, I guess bucket list venues that you feel you need to hit like that you're always like, damn, I wish I could play that.
Speaker 3 00:33:59 I mean, it's all the obvious ones, you know, like Carnegie and all that stuff. And, uh, the Academy of of Music in New York would be cool cause a lot of my favorite bands have played there. Just, uh, a lot of places that the bands I love did live records from, I'd say would be a cool bucket list to actually go through and look at.
Speaker 1 00:34:27 Hold on. What about you, Aaron? Any bucket list
Speaker 2 00:34:33 For me? Probably I'd like to do like, I mean, like you said, there's some obvious ones like Red Rocks obviously. Um, and that's mainly I, I'm, I'm a late, I'm late to the Red Rocks game, but I see all of my friends now getting to play it. Uh, I didn't grow up like wanting to play there or, I mean, it's only been a handful of years since I've even honestly heard about it. And I know I'm uncultured for that, but whatever. Um, but it, it have to be, I grew up going to concerts and shows and events at the Alamo Dome in San Antonio where the San Antonio Spurs used to play back in the back in the Avery Johnson and David Robinson and Tim Duncan days. Um, I I think that's probably one of my bucket lists.
Speaker 1 00:35:25 Right on. We got you <laugh>. But, um, so, um,
Speaker 2 00:35:35 I just grew up shows there, so yeah.
Speaker 1 00:35:41 Okay. Cool. Cool. Um, so you guys recently added, uh, bo to the band. Um, what, how did he hook up with you guys? I talked to him about it, but I have a terrible memory and if you guys wanna tell me how that went, uh, how'd that go and how he, how'd he mesh? Like how Ricky meshed, like how, how, how'd that wind up? Ricky? You could go ahead if you wanna take go
Speaker 2 00:36:07 Honestly. Go ahead Rick. Go
Speaker 3 00:36:09 Rick. You got it. Aaron passing the torch.
Speaker 1 00:36:16 All right, you good. Aaron
Speaker 2 00:36:20 Bo actually came in, he was friends of Austin for a long time. Um, he knew, I mean, I didn't meet Bo until recently, I guess a year, maybe a year ago. He was playing with Sam Riggs. And, and I guess Sam Riggs kind of went to do a different thing other than music. And we already were like, man, Bo's a badass hang, like, we joke, we all had a bunch in common. So, um, I think that it was an easy decision when Austin was like, man, I'm thinking about bringing Bo in. It was just an instant yes from all of us. And, uh, unfortunately, well, not unfortunately, but since then, uh, Bo has taken a, uh, leave of absence from music to, to start his, um, time as a fatherhood in fatherhood. And, you know, he is, he's gonna be a great dad. He is gonna smash it and it's all love, you know, it's, we love Bo and you know, we, he may be back with us one day. He might, he may find something else, but it's all nothing but love, you know, from the Chimney Brothers way. It's all, it's all love
Speaker 1 00:37:35 <laugh>. Um, um, right on. So, uh, in, from what I've seen from the first time I saw you guys, it was probably tw end of 2019 and this was at the Tumbleweed and I believe you're opening for Reed. So, and that, cuz that wasn't that long ago. And you guys now, like some of these shows you guys are playing like the venues, the crowds you're drawing, uh, it's a huge difference. Like, it, it felt like y'all just blew up. Um, what can you pinpoint exactly when that, like, you were like, oh my God, okay, something's happening. Uh, or was it like not a big difference for you guys? Like what'd you think about that? Uh, Ricky, if you wanna take that one, go ahead.
Speaker 3 00:38:25 I don't know, kind of feels like we're in still in the middle of it right now. Like the shows are still still getting, getting to where we kind of want 'em, you know what I mean? Like Green Hall was huge step selling that out, you know what I mean? So we're still in the middle of noticing like, hey, this is, this is kind of good. We're kind of doing something
Speaker 1 00:38:43 <laugh>. Yeah, that's gotta feel good. What about you Aaron? What do you think?
Speaker 2 00:38:51 No, that's a, that's a good way to put it. Um, we, I mean we've noticed little things obviously like ticket sales and, and the number of pictures we gotta take at the merch booth are getting a little bigger. But we kind of think it's a good thing that we don't really see the improvement in the way that our fans and people that have followed us for the last three years, um, have seen. And people try to tell us like, you know, dude, y'all are blowing up. And it's like, we don't, we don't really use that term. At least the Chimney brothers don't because we're still living in it, you know, we are, we are no one to, you know, toot our own horn to, to put ourselves on a higher pedestal than we are because I've always felt it be better to just be humbling and just take what comes with it versus you put yourself up here, but yeah, you're still broke, you know, that type of stuff.
Speaker 2 00:39:49 And so, and so we never wanna be, and you know, somebody, we're not and we never wanna put out that, that image, you know, that we're, we're big or we're blowing up. It's just like, that's just kind of not how the Chimney Brothers vocabulary works, you know, we're, we're, we're just riding it and we're taking it day by day, um, with the music and with the, with experiences and all the friendships along the way. We're, we're just living in it. We, I don't really, I can't really say, I mean obviously Happier Alone was a, a turning point for sure, but it, well it didn't just skyrocket up from there. It's been a long journey so, you know.
Speaker 1 00:40:38 Right. Um, so going back to these, uh, these rock shows you're playing, uh, you guys last summer, uh, toured with Seven Dust and um, that seemed huge, at least from a fan standpoint, like I thought that was pretty nuts. Um, are there, who is your, we'll start with, like, is there anyone that you, you would wish to tour with like that in that way? Again? Um, that's a broad brush, that's kind of a big question to ask, but it's like, realistically, I'll put it that way. Realistically, is there anyone who you could see like, hey, we could probably or maybe pull off touring with these guys, but I don't know, like Booking, I'm sure they'll probably help with that. I don't really know much about that end. But from you personally, is there a band you'd like to tour with realistically?
Speaker 2 00:41:33 Yeah, I think, uh, I mean we all would love to do the, we would love to do, um, the older, the older bands, you know, all the bands that are, you know, selling tickets to three generations worth of fans, whether that be the old Hard Rock heavy metal bands to even some of the, you know, jam groups. You know, I think that's one thing that everyone in the band, I could speak for everyone in the band because we all have our different musical tastes and where me and Ricky are pretty similar, we get lucky we're, we do have a lot of the same music tastes from the seventies funk to the fifties country to the seventies truck stop country, you know, to nineties rap, to gangsta music, to, you know, Kuya stuff. Like for the most part we get on the same page, but not everybody in the band and crew meshes musically with their preferred taste to listen to.
Speaker 2 00:42:38 And, you know, bands to see. I mean, not, not every band that, you know, Austin or Willie would love to go see. You know, we, the Chimney Brothers might not care for as much or then there'd be an old band that we are gungho about that they'd be like, you know, whatever. And that's just life. That's, that's not a bad thing. That's different tastes of music and that different taste of music is how you got, you know, the Black Sheep album and all this stuff that's coming up from everybody's different backgrounds. So I can't, I'd probably just have to say if I had to name one band right now that I'd like to go on tour with, it would probably be Dream Theater.
Speaker 1 00:43:21 Ooh, <laugh>. I didn't see that one coming. Um, so, uh, is there, I hear horror stories sometimes about people's experiences with festivals, playing festivals, um, and
Speaker 2 00:43:39 Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 00:43:40 Is that, is there truth to that?
Speaker 3 00:43:44 It's always fucking hot, I'll tell you that much. Like festival season is, <laugh> festival season is right, we're in, in like July-ish and getting later into the summer, so the sun's always beaten down. It's always great. You have to worry about staying hydrated. It's awesome. Yeah, that'd be my biggest, uh, thing is the, just the heat man. It, it really gets to you, especially after it's been, uh, raining on you for 12 hours just beating you down.
Speaker 1 00:44:17 Right. What about you Aaron? What's your experience like?
Speaker 2 00:44:21 Yeah, I mean that's, that's it. I you, you also get, it's a learning experience for me though because that's really, uh, cuz I, you know, I also like to learn things about like sound. I mean, I'm no sound guy, but you know, I, we are giving an opportunity to basically get a free education in production, you know, to learn how everything works when kids usually have to go to school for that kind of thing. We already kind of have basic sound knowledge and basic gear knowledge. Well, festivals are where you learn that is where a band like us, um, I, I see, I could see how somebody micd up a drum kit and be like, oh dude, why have I never thought about that? Or I can see how somebody runs their bass amp, you know, differently than one of us would've run it. And then it's just mind blowing or wow, they hang those speakers a lot different than so and so. It's just like, there's so much new technology every year. It's like, I didn't know they had that and what the hell is that? You know, like always just in amazement.
Speaker 1 00:45:32 Yeah, I could definitely see that being pretty cool to see from a musician standpoint. Um, so boys, I'm gonna close out with, uh, just a question. Like what can you tell us anything about, uh, like the upcoming album, like anything at all? Because, because I, it like, these singles have been bangers, so is there any like, can you like, what's that?
Speaker 2 00:45:58 Nah, I was telling Ricky to start this and I'll finish it up.
Speaker 1 00:46:01 Oh yeah, go ahead Ricky. Can you tell us anything about
Speaker 3 00:46:03 'em? Yeah, make me start <laugh>. Um, well first of all, you know, there's a, we uh, there'll be a couple more music videos that come out before the album, so stay tuned for those. And, uh, yeah, we're, we're really, I'm really excited. I know I am to get it out and have people start listening to it. Cause it's quite a, quite a record tell you that the stuff that's gonna be released isn't even, even, you know, half of it. You know what I mean? Like, it's gonna be something. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> <affirmative>
Speaker 1 00:46:40 By you. Aaron, any words on it?
Speaker 2 00:46:42 It's, um, it's definitely not Texas country. I can tell you that. <laugh>. So it's, it's definitely something. I mean you, like Ricky said, the stuff that's gonna start coming out, which we already have varsity type out, but that isn't, that does that scratches the tiny little surface and then there's like eight different surfaces to scratch. So don't even try to think about it.
Speaker 1 00:47:14 <laugh>. All right boys. Um, go ahead. Uh, Ricky, go ahead and shoot some plugs out. Anything social media obviously follow Austin Mead on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, everything like that. Listen to him. Spotify, buy his shit cuz that's what helps the most is buying their merch, going to shows. Uh, Ricky, uh, any plugs for you you wanna throw out?
Speaker 3 00:47:36 You follow me on Instagram at Little dot Ricky underscore high. And uh, also shout out to RRCs guitars and gear. My, my job for giving me the internet to do the podcast. <laugh>
Speaker 2 00:47:49 <laugh>.
Speaker 3 00:47:50 Thank you.
Speaker 1 00:47:53 Yeah, no problem. Dude, what about you Aaron?
Speaker 2 00:47:57 Oh, well you can follow me on Instagram. Um, I'd like to give a shout out to also our sis guitars. What up? Um, you can follow The Smoke and Chimney Brothers at Smoking Chimney Bros. Official on Instagram one day we might have a Twitter, but I don't know. Yeah, there it is. There it is. Um, we might, we were thinking about getting a Twitter, but I I've never had a Twitter before. Twitter. Twitter, whatever. So I'm, I'm I'm old school. Like, I mean, I don't have Facebook, but also give a shout out to Sam's Timepoint because I would not have met Austin if it wasn't for Sam's Timepoint. So if you're ever in South Austin, go check him out.
Speaker 1 00:48:49 All right. I appreciate you boys. Silent. This is the first episode. Thank you guys. You, you were the first guys I could think of doing it with cuz you're hilarious. So I appreciate you guys hopping on.
Speaker 2 00:49:00 Yeah man, I appreciate you having us, Sam. Hope
Speaker 1 00:49:03 With
Speaker 2 00:49:03 Thing man. Good luck with all your whole new, your new podcast. I
Speaker 1 00:49:08 Appreciate
Speaker 2 00:49:08 It. Page. Yeah dude, hope it does well.
Speaker 1 00:49:13 Shit. Me too <laugh>. So you voice stick around once we sign off here while this thing uploads for a little bit. And, uh, yeah. So thanks everyone for listening. Uh, this is Rowdy Alternative. I'm Sam and we'll see you next week.
