EPISODE 005 | ENTRY #019 — BARON

The Artidex is a multimedia archive dedicated to documenting artists and creative individuals through signed Polaroid portraiture, long form conversations, and short films. At its center is a growing physical binder archive, where every featured artist becomes a numbered ENTRY preserved like a rare collectible card. Inspired by the idea of collecting artists like rare Pokémon cards, each entry exists to preserve not only an artist’s work, but the humanity behind it, creating a tangible record of creative lives as they unfold over time.

What began as a photography project has evolved into an expanding creative network built around discovery, collaboration, and cultural preservation. Today, that mission continues through The Artidex Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to supporting artists through grants, sponsorships, and other initiatives that help sustain creative work while preserving contemporary artistic culture for future generations.

For ENTRY 019, Artidex Director and musician Noah Boujikian sits down with singer, songwriter, and self proclaimed elder emo BARON to discuss the music, memories, and mindset that have shaped his creative life. Together, they reflect on growing up during the MySpace era, their shared love of Saosin, Circa Survive, and Anthony Green, and how the relationship between artists, audiences, and social media has evolved. BARON also discusses his approach to covering beloved songs, the making of his album “What If It All Works Out,” and the philosophy of optimism, acceptance, and self belief behind its title. From formative musical influences to the advice he would give his younger self, the conversation offers an intimate look at the artist behind the voice and what comes next for BARON.

Listen to BARON’s album “What If It All Works Out” on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about The Artidex and support The Artidex Foundation at:

www.theartidex.com

 #BARON #TheArtidexPodcast #ArtistInterview #WhatIfItAllWorksOut

Transcript

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SPEAKER_00 0:00

I'm Gina.

SPEAKER_03 0:01

And I'm Noah. And you're listening to the Artodex Podcast. Today I am here with singer, songwriter, and elder emo Baron. His album, What If It All Works Out, is out now on all platforms. Welcome to the Art of Dex Podcast. And uh we're excited to have you.

SPEAKER_01 0:21

Thanks for having me, man. I I like um singer, songwriter. I don't think anyone's ever called me that, so that's good. Well, I just I don't know. Like I've been doing it my whole life, but it's like it's something I guess that uh I've never really thought about. And then like, and then also having somebody else like because I know that is what I'm doing, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 0:40

Like I'm writing my songs and singing them, but it's it's funny like when you grow up with like MTV and like that's how like people get introduced and stuff, and then yeah, like that's that's an interesting place to start too, just like as far as identity and like that's something I think as artists we don't really necessarily consider, it's more something for other people, right?

SPEAKER_01 0:58

That's true. Yeah, dude. One thing that I've been really thinking about lately is as long as you're doing the thing that you like want whatever it is that you want to be, like say you want to write poetry, like if you write one poem, like you're a poet. Like you just as long as you embody that like you start calling yourself like I'm a poet, and then you start like carrying yourself that way, you are that thing, you know. Like, like so much of it is just like having those blocks of like, oh like yeah, like you're you're maybe like you don't think your songs that you write are that good, but you're still a songwriter. Yeah, you know what I mean? You're still writing songs, it doesn't matter how you feel about them. Um, because it's all just like how you carry it. Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 1:42

I mean, that's how it is with just being an artist, too, in general. So many people who are like, oh, well, I'm not a real artist because my paintings aren't in galleries, or yeah, and it's like if you've ever picked up a pencil and drawn something on a piece of paper, exactly you're an artist, you know.

SPEAKER_01 1:57

It's and that's such a simple like standard to hold yourself to with anything that you do because you can always you can start something new tomorrow and be like, I'm um like a base cliff jumper or whatever. Yeah, like and you can just call yourself that. Like, I don't know. I feel like it's something that our generation is like embracing better now, but like I remember growing up everything was so like, what's your title? And that's your thing. Yeah. It's all that you kind of do, like, you know, like office jobs are like I'm a CEO and and you're just that. Like, like what do you do for a living? And you're expected to give that answer of like the thing, yeah, one thing or whatever.

SPEAKER_03 2:33

But yeah, I feel like as an adult, that's kind of a weird place to be in too, especially like with me as someone who's like a creative, like kind of multidisciplinary, like does a lot of different things. When people ask you these questions, it's like, how do you how do you respond? Or you know, what do you really say?

SPEAKER_01 2:48

It's that was the thing. Somebody asked it to me recently. I was on I guess the place doesn't super matter, but it's kind of funny. I was on a bus from Tijuana coming back to America, and um a guy just starts talking to me because we were it was like a super hot day, and the line to walk back was three hours, but there's a bus you can take that just skips you to the front of the line for ten bucks, it's super worth it. But a guy beside me, everyone was like happy to be in the A-C bus, so everyone was like talking to each other, and he was like, What do you do for a living? And I was like, I don't like know what answer really to give him because like I'm I make music and I do music, and but I also like I produce all my own videos and I I produce videos for other people, and it was like, which one do I like I'm not gonna tell him all of these things, but it's like yeah, as people we're all so multidimensional, it's like we're not all just doing one thing, and it would be you would like do yourself a disservice to say like you just do one thing, but like where do you draw the line when someone asks? It's like I don't know, I do so many things. Yeah, absolutely. Maybe that's the answer. I just I do a lot of things, yeah. Just leave it there.

SPEAKER_03 3:55

No, that's very true, dude. Um, so I first heard your music through uh through Gina. Uh-huh. She sent me on uh Instagram DMs she share with me, it was your uh cover of seven years. Um one of my absolute favorite songs of all time, Sayo Shin, like one of my favorite bands, huge Anthony Green fan, huge Circus Survive fan. Um, so as soon as I saw that, I was like, man, like this dude's voice is incredible, you know what I mean? And and it's like Anthony Green's voice is like it's not that's not an easy thing to do or anything. So the fact that you were able to pull that off is like really, really cool to me. Thank you, man. But I want to kind of go backwards first um and just kind of start from the beginning. So, where did you grow up and and what was that like?

SPEAKER_01 4:38

Yeah, so I grew up in San Diego and then always lived in San Diego, and we had such an amazing scene um growing up for that kind of music specifically. Like, um, I grew up when Pierce the Veil was like playing local shows. Okay, perfect. Yeah, how old are you? Uh I'm 32. Okay. I'm 32. Okay, that makes sense.

SPEAKER_03 4:58

I'm 37.

SPEAKER_01 4:59

So yeah, so in that same era of like watching the bands that are like the biggest ones now, like we saw them when they were like, you know, playing the local and like starting to take off.

SPEAKER_03 5:09

Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 5:10

Um, so yeah, we always had such a great like scene in San Diego for that music, and that just like naturally for me, I fell into like wanting to be a part of it also. Um and started playing in like like my first band was like uh uh it's funny because these um titles get kind of like like a lot of like there's like you know the TikTok emo thing, yeah. Like you're a MySpace emo or whatever. But I would like I think a lot of people would like call the the first band that I played was like a scene band. Like if you're just like scene core, like like Rise Records kind of stuff, and uh yeah, that was that was kind of where I got my start, and that whole era of music was like people singing really high. Like I always thought that that was like the funnest challenge was like to try like my speaking voice isn't like super low, but it's also not super high. So it was like in the beginning, um, which some people have gone and found, and I'm not hiding it, but my old band, I would I was singing really high, but there's like a fine line between doing it and not sounding like a chipmunk kind of like whiny. Um, so that was like people like Anthony Green, who I always thought did it so well because there's such a mixture of like it having like raw like um emotion in it, so you don't just get caught up in that it's a person singing high, but they're singing like uh what just feels good to them, you know, like it it's it's got like a raspiness to it, yeah. Yeah, and it's not purely like oh I just want to sing high. So that was what what kind of pulled me towards like that sound so much was like it's a challenge. Yeah, it's such a challenge to sing up there, and that's like all the covers that I do end up being in that kind of realm of things that challenge me of and Anthony Green especially because I just think that like his story is kind of like resonated a lot with me and and and stuff like that.

SPEAKER_03 7:00

So yeah, for sure, man. Yeah did you like as a kid, do you feel like you always knew that you were gonna pursue music? Were you always like kind of a creative kid?

SPEAKER_01 7:08

And dude, I think yeah, I think that I the first this is like a completely different topic, but the first um record that I heard that was like not quote unquote emo, but it it's uh album by Counting Crows. It's a 1993, August and everything after that record was put out like two days before like my birthday, and my dad had it. So that was like one of the first albums I ever heard growing up, and it's emo is yeah, yeah. That record's like sad, and like, but like also like figuring things out, but like really sad guitar riffs and like full songs that are just like piano, like sad ballads, and it was like I think from hearing stuff like that, like, and obviously the stuff that we grew up with on the radio was a lot more like alternative and kind of like sad, quote unquote, but but but basically just songs that made you feel something. I think that was like I knew that like because it made me feel something so deep, like if I could somehow like make something that made someone else feel like that, that would be crazy. So that would for sure from that.

SPEAKER_03 8:11

Yeah, absolutely. And did you start with like um with playing instruments? Like, was you know, did you pick up a guitar at some point?

SPEAKER_01 8:18

Dude, that's that's back to another point. Also, I didn't see myself as a guitarist, quote unquote, until I started doing Baron. That's now was like I've always played guitar since I was like 13, but I never played guitar in a band. Like I played bass and I sang in my first band, and I would always like play guitar on the side, but I was like, there's it was like a weird mental blockage of like I'm not a guitarist. Yeah, for whatever reason. We all have those feel like one, yeah. Yeah, like and we all have those like mental blocks for whatever reason. It was in whatever why that that happens in our lives, like you know, it could be any number of things, but I never like recorded on on songs, and then when I did Baron, it was like it is just me. I only have me to rely on. I know what sounds cool, I know what I want it to sound like, and I have enough experience on guitar, I am a guitarist. Yeah, like I am, like so. Yeah, that was uh I I've always played it, but that was weird, it's a weird identity thing where I never was like, I am a guitarist. Um, but now I see it as things where it's like if I wanted to play drums, like I don't know much about it, but I know I can apply those same principles and be like, I'm a drummer, yeah, yeah, definitely. Man, it's like it's so crazy once you get that down with one thing, you can like apply it to to everything, which is like uh it's really a cheat code because it's all of them just take different amounts of time. Um, and I think like to pivot away from that was the gym taught me it the most because the gym is the most like you don't get anything out of going for one day for two days for five days. You don't get shit. Yeah, tell me about it, Matt. That's it. You're still gonna look like shit five days in. You're gonna feel better, but you're not gonna look the way that you like have this vision in your head for like you know, years or whatever. Yeah, and that's like the ultimate, like if you just shut up and like do it kind of thing, like it will happen. Yeah, but you have to like believe that it will. Like that's the whole thing.

SPEAKER_03 10:07

Do you think that you had like a a vision for you know where you wanted to go with music, or do you think it kind of just naturally unfolded?

SPEAKER_01 10:15

Dude, yeah, for right now for Baron, it like it it there is no clear-cut vision, and it's like every day it's kind of scary for that reason. Because I don't have like a there is no path to kind of follow for it. Like, I feel like I'm kind of like doing a path that maybe like maybe there's other people out there that have done similar things. Um Jutes has been a big example for me where I somebody that like is like a solo artist but plays with a band, and and I know there's a lot of people like that, but that's like a a reference that comes to mind to me right away. Um, that like I just yeah, there there kind of isn't like a um clear path that I'm walking, and I'm just figuring it out every day. Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 10:57

I mean, I think I feel like that's kind of the fun part of it, right? Yeah, exactly. You know, there's so many I you know, and I've known so many people in music who you know they had like a a a goal or somewhere they wanted to reach or some level they wanted to get to, but for me it was always like I just want to like have fun and just create and just kind of take opportunities and and see where things lead to. And I think, you know, like I was just saying, it's like I think things kind of unfold naturally and you kind of you know start to figure out what the direction is by experimenting, by being on the direction, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:28

Like just by keep doing it, yeah. Cause I think a lot of times you can stunt yourself if you set a goal, because it's like of course it's good to have big ones like I want to play an arena someday, yeah. Like those are awesome and like great to like look to, but if that was your only one ever, what's gonna happen when you get there and you don't feel any different, kind of thing. Yeah, so your your daily drive and purpose I think has to be from something else of like I'm just feeling this and it feels right to do right now in this moment, and that's your only metric to get along with it. Yeah, definitely. Yeah, like if you're like, man, I just want to do this one thing and I'll be happy, it never works the way.

SPEAKER_03 12:06

Yeah, I mean, like when I was in like my late teens and early 20s, I like I think I had that that kind of vision where it's like, oh, I like I want to like be on stage in front of like a million people and like all this stuff, and then I think like you know, after years and years of doing it, if if you know, once yeah, I think eventually you just get to the point where you're like, I just want to like impact people that's it with my art, you know what I mean? It's like I just want to connect with people, mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_01 12:30

Yeah, dude, and and speaking of that, like last night I was at a show that and I get little moments like this every once in a while, and it's so awesome, like for impact um kind of moments where uh one of my favorite bands of all time from first to last was playing here in LA last night, which was awesome unlocking show. And um, I jumped off from the side of the stage and did a stage dive, and I landed like directly on top of you know, obviously five people. But the guy that picked me up like uh turned me around and he was like, Bro, I bought your CD. Like, I love you. That's amazing. It was all crazy in the crowd, and I was like, dude, thank you so much. I love you, and gave him a hug. And it was like that was like like you said, like, impact is the goal. Like, it's like that like affected him enough to be able to like see me, recognize me, and then like also just like have the courage to say that and be excited about it. Yeah, definitely. That's like a feeling that can't be replicated, can't be bought, can't be like um it's not like uh you're gonna get there and then plateau. Yeah, you can always keep chasing that, and that's like those are the kind of highs that I chase, or or like of course, like being on stage, like those those are like the ultimate, you can't get that from any other drug or anything like that in the world. Like, yeah, definitely, man. Like someone on an airplane being like, I I know that I know you, like I I see your videos, and you're like, that's crazy, we're just on a plane together. Yeah, exactly. Thank you for that. Like being I think that's like in an overarching picture, too, just being like recognized as a human, like human to human, just being like, I see you, I see what you're doing, and like we all just want that at the end of the day. Yeah, it's just so cool.

SPEAKER_03 14:07

So yeah, a thousand percent, man. I bet it was cool going to that show and just like you know, it's always interesting seeing bands that like we grew up with and stuff and just their evolution, and then still see them like still touring today and doing stuff like what's that like for you, you know, from your perspective.

SPEAKER_01 14:22

Dude, that show especially is so cool because I talk about this all the time how there's a younger generation of kids coming back uh coming into this now that are like uh like we were when we discovered it, and they're so excited about it. Like last night the demographic was all of us kind of half half OG, all of us that all like grew up with it. Yep, and the other like literally 50-50, um 15 to 22 year old kids. So like that's really cool. That have just discovered it. Like literally 50-50, and that it was a sold-out like probably 1200 uh cap venue last night, and like it split right down the middle of like actual teenagers.

SPEAKER_03 15:00

That's cool. You can see like both generations in the same room, it's so cool.

SPEAKER_01 15:03

It's like, and I don't know, like I'm not like I haven't like studied like music over the years, but I don't know if anything like that has ever happened where like we enjoyed it so much as a generation, and then it took a little while, but for the next generation to discover it right after us, and then for us to kind of like collide and come together is like I don't like because usually people move on to like what how do we push this so much? You know, because they are like fuck what our our last generation liked. Like, you guys are weird. We don't I do get that sense from a lot of younger people that you know I mean they kind of like reject uh maybe it's like stuff from previous generations or I think that's always been the case throughout history, but now it's like a lot of and and obviously there's so many different like avenues because all of our algorithms are different, and like uh, but just to see like our scene kind of explode with a younger crowd is is so cool because it like it shouldn't make sense, kind of think. Yeah, absolutely. Because usually they'd want to push against what we think is cool because they're like, fuck you, unk. Like you guys are like old and don't know what's cool, but they think we're cool. No, that's so true. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_03 16:05

Yeah, so you know, growing up, uh, and I I wanted to talk to you a little bit about my space and stuff because I've seen you mention it on social media. Like, do you think growing up in that era kind of like really shaped the kind of artist that you became?

SPEAKER_01 16:18

Dude, for sure. Um, absolutely. Like, I think just in terms of like that being a creativity platform, like I I miss platforms that kind of like promoted being like a creative person. Yeah. Because it was like it was you know a little different on that website, but it was like if you got the coolest picture with the coolest angle of your like scene haircut, you're gonna do the best. Yeah, exactly. I like when creativity is rewarded through like a medium that we all share. Like Tumblr was a great example of that too, like where the coolest aesthetic like got uh you got the most attention for being the most creative. Yeah. Look at these beautiful green ass waters at this beach that you can't afford. That's so true, yeah. And it's like that's not it's awesome to strive for, but it's like it's almost just like showboatie, and it's not like that's what what ended up doing the best on on platforms like that for a while. And now I think it's coming back more to the art. But um, yeah, anything that kind of like that rewards like being creative is like the standard for whether or not you get attention. Yeah, that's the coolest. Yeah, MySpace was that. Yeah, definitely.

SPEAKER_03 17:32

And I mean, I feel like back then, you know, looking at someone's MySpace, um, it almost felt like you were looking into like a window into like their bedroom or something, and just you know what I mean? It's just like there was so much more personality to it. And I remember like in high school, I uh like uh people would pay me to like do uh like coding on their own. And I would like, yeah, I would like trick out their MySpaces and stuff. But you know, I felt like there was like such a personal element to it, and um, people took a lot of pride in like their what their profiles looked like and like having the music on it and all you know, all the little like extras. It was like kind of cool. And like you said, I think I feel like we've lost a lot of that.

SPEAKER_01 18:10

For sure. I think and I think it's just because like the platforms that we have today just don't promote it, kind of like it's not like it uh in my experience that's coming back because I I can say from first hand that like a lot of my videos I I made sure like when I started this, like I was never going to be like, you're not doing good unless you're doing these five things, you know. Yeah, like never, you know what I mean? Like, I always wanted the art to speak for itself, and like and when I got that proof that it can, where it was like, let me just set up like a beautiful shot and like have like cool good lighting and and like a song that means a lot to me, and let me express that on camera. Once I saw that do well, I was like, Oh, you you don't have to do the cringe stuff. Like, people want to call these new like platforms like cringe, but you don't have to do it, and it can still work.

SPEAKER_03 18:59

Yeah, I mean you choose how you want to engage with the platform, yeah. And I think you can approach it in a way that still feels true to you, and and it doesn't feel like you're you're selling out or you're you know being cringe or like just doing something just for the algorithm. Like you can do it in a way where you're like, no, this is still like authentic.

SPEAKER_01 19:17

Exactly. And I see that with people that ask me questions about it all the time about making stuff, and I can tell when they're feeling burnt out because they're not making things that feel good, and it's always because they're like um trying to follow like what they saw in another video where it's like do these five things if you want X amount of followers, and it's just like, dude, it's never gonna work. Like, if unless it just came directly from like right before you were about to fall asleep, you had some like crazy brain zap that was like, do this tomorrow, and then you act on it. Like, that's the only way that like uh because it re that's what resonates with people because they feel it. Um the hook can be like them just feeling your energy from from you being passionate about it. Yeah, that's that's what I've like learned the most about like this age of of socials and sharing your art is like that can be your hook. You don't have to be anything other than what you already are.

SPEAKER_03 20:15

Yeah, exactly. And I think now, especially with like um, you know, how much AI is growing and the pushback against that and all that. I think we need more authentic content and people just like absolutely you know what I mean, just like keeping it real.

SPEAKER_01 20:29

Just yeah, I know it it and that was what was so funny too, is like I would even see like the keeping it real trope being commodified for a while where it was like people selling you how to keep it real exactly, you just need to be yourself and like these are the five ways you keep it, you keep it yourself on your and it's like dude, like you're already it but everything like that happens these days, like because it can be like sold back to you, and it but as long as you're following that internal compass, like it's so huge of um uh for everything. It's just like you you have something inside of you that's like telling you which direction to go, and it's hard not to like hear the outside noise, but like if you're able to, it you will be rewarded for it. It might take a little bit of time, but maybe you're just early and people don't get it yet. Like they will as long because we're all humans and we all connect to each other on those levels, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 21:25

A thousand percent. Yeah. So when did so when did you kind of like start uploading covers to social media? And did you were you kind of just uh again, were you kind of just going with your gut on that? Or like were you uh, you know, was there like an intention behind it?

SPEAKER_01 21:39

Dude, so I have such a rule with like the covers, like I I like not like in any kind of like dickhead way, I just don't take like a request from anybody. Yeah. I'll never um like see a comment and be like and they'll like do this one, even if it has like a million dollars. Yeah, yeah. Like if I don't resonate with what that song is. I could give a fuck what yeah what you're suggesting. Cause like everything that I've ever covered, I can like wholeheartedly say that it has meant something deep to me. And like and and even to the that point, it's like I think that's why a lot of them even end up resonating with people is because they can feel something that like, oh, that song means something to him, and he's singing it from a place of like uh that like he feels it and and therefore the audience feels it. Um but if I were to compromise on that and like do what's trending, like oh, this new song from Bring Me the Horizon came out and everybody's covering it, and that would just go so against like and it wouldn't do well. Yeah, so it's it's just like as long as I've like followed that, that's that's how the covers started, and and truly the covers is what pushed because I had one song out under Baron, and um, and then the covers kind of started, but I didn't know how to like really produce my own music, yeah. Yeah, I had done that one with a friend, and uh it came out amazing, and I was like, I can't keep doing that because I don't know how, but I'm gonna learn. Um, but what I could do at the time was do the covers because all it took was me to have a mic and sing over the instrumental tracks of songs that I love, and that kind of got the ball rolling of like, oh, people can find me through the covers while I get better at producing my own stuff. And then now as time's gone along and this thing's been like a year in the works, I've met some of the like the best producers in the world. So it's like I have enough in me now to know that like I can demo out great shit and send it to a producer and be like, let's like expand on this. Yeah, I don't ever now I don't have to like spend the what do they say, like to master something like 800 hours, probably more than I don't know, a million hours to like master a craft. Now I have it down enough to where it's like you know, you start meeting other people that want to help the project and are like, I see what you're doing. Yeah, definitely. Uh yeah, so it's it's work with what you've got, like um what with what's in front of you. Yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_03 24:00

So like when you're doing a cover, do you uh do you ever feel pressure or do you feel um like you have to be careful or like intentional with how you approach it in regards to like respecting the original work? Like, is there kind of like uh you know?

SPEAKER_01 24:15

Dude, um the only thing I ever said like in one of my posts was like because I have been getting close to covering like every circus. Like, which I'm not mad at, by the way. Which I because I I just love so many of them. But I had gotten close to like, not not of course, not all of them, but like every like Anthony Green Seosin, and like I was like, please guys, like uh circus of Iberi reading this, don't get sick of this. I just love it. Like, don't get sick of me. Like, I just think this shit's sick. I'm not like doing this for any like weird ult ulterior motive. Like, um, but yeah, in terms of like creatively, I I like I like to change them up a little bit and like try to give them up in my own style. Like um, because that was one thing, like as I got better at producing, I could you know change chords around a little bit and kind of give my own spins and changing the key and stuff like that. Like the the seven years cover is in a different key, so I can sing it a little bit different, and it's obviously still has the bones that everybody recognizes, but it was cool I can hit like semi-different notes and while still like having that respect to the song. Um, so like yeah, like creatively, I think uh it is a it's kind of a dance for sure. Like keeping the the bones of the song, but then throwing your own spin on it. Um but that was what was so cool about it because in the beginning I would just cover over the uh original instrumental, right?

SPEAKER_03 25:33

And so there's kind of only so much you can do in terms of like making it different without it being like too left, yeah, and then being able to produce it, you can then you get a chance to kind of make it your own.

SPEAKER_01 25:44

From scratch, yeah. And those have been some of the funnest things. Like you earlier we you brought up my um What If It All Works Out album. Four of the songs of the ten are covers, so but they're covers with uh my own spin on them, like they're produced from Front.

SPEAKER_03 25:59

The the couple I wrote down a couple that were my favorites, but obviously the seven years one uh the I love the Be Quiet and Drive that that I think your interpretation of that was really, really cool.

SPEAKER_01 26:08

Yeah, that one feels different for sure.

SPEAKER_03 26:10

And then of course the uh make damn sure, just because that's I feel like that's just such an iconic record, you know. It's so sick, yeah. Yeah, it's so cool to like bring that stuff back um and put your own spin on it. So like what is your what is your setup look like currently?

SPEAKER_01 26:25

Dude, I have the the most I love when people ask me this question because they're always like um they always come to me with like thinking they need to get like really expensive gear. I have like um the cheapest gear you could ever get. Like and I love it because it's um it does the job and it's obviously like going forward, like that's in the books to um expand and have great stuff so I can like produce my own thing top to bottom and be really happy with it. But I have like to actually give specifics, there's the you know the red focus rights. Yeah, I have the same one, the same. Everybody's always seeing them. I have the first generation of that, there's four of them, and I have the first generation of it that you can get for like 50 bucks. It works amazing for everything I'm trying to do, and um, and a mic that everybody uses to sing live, which is the SM58 classic, yeah. And that's it. Yeah, literally it, and my laptop, and you know, obviously some some programs and and effects and stuff like that, but um the barrier to entry is like, and even below that, like before I had that, and I never posted any of these covers, but there's hit records out there with people band lab on their phone with the iPod um mic, you know, the headphones with the mic on it.

SPEAKER_03 27:36

It's so cool that people are able to do that, you know. There's no rules anymore. Yeah, I think the I you know I've had this conversation with people before about how like the barrier uh lowering, of course, it's much more oversaturated now, but of course there's so much more opportunities for people to make and share great music.

SPEAKER_01 27:54

Agreed. Yeah, because like not, yeah, sure, like everybody can do it, but uh to one point not no one can do it the way that you you're gonna do it, personally. Like literally nobody, as long as you stick to your what's true to you, like nobody's gonna be like, Oh, this kind of sounds like well, they might they I get comparisons sometimes, and that's cool too. Yeah, it's gonna happen no matter what. Yeah, which is uh it's flattering. Like when someone says, like, oh, this sounds like nothing no art, it's like I love nothing no art. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Thank you. Like, and like if he saw that, he wouldn't be like, fuck bear. Yeah, yeah, exactly. Like, that's my shit. Because like if you're an artist, you already know, like, you know, it it would be like so odd to go and like rip things off. Like, of course, we all have influences and they're they're gonna come out in different ways. But but yeah, like you said, like um the barrier to entry is small, but the amount of people willing to keep going and taking another step is um is super small. Yeah, like anybody can do it. You have the tools on your phone, but um not everybody's gonna keep pushing. Yeah, like there were so many moments in this where it was like, why? Like, you know, where it's stagnant and nothing's happening, and um but it it always comes back around as long as you know it's not if it's when. Like it it's always just when.

SPEAKER_03 29:09

Yeah, I love that. Do you feel like the album was something that you kind of intentionally set out to do, or do you think it just like took shape naturally?

SPEAKER_01 29:18

Yeah, that one that one super just happened, and it was also just like the I just wanted to name something. What if it all works out really bad? Really?

SPEAKER_03 29:25

So the so kind of the name came before the actual structure of the album.

SPEAKER_01 29:30

I I just loved that. Was like my mantra from the beginning of this is just like having that mindset of like truly of like any like trying to have like a force field of armor of like any of those intrusive thoughts that like you're not good enough or you're you're never gonna make it, like always just flipping those on its head and like how about what if the best case fucking scenario? What if you do make it, you know? It really is that simple sometimes of just like because you gotta understand that that voice isn't you, like that's saying because you you would never like sabotage yourself, it's something else that's like trying to shoot those those intrusive thoughts in your head. That's like, why are you even doing this? Just stop. But but if you can like catch it, like see that thought and be like, How about what if the best case scenario and everything that I'm doing works out? Like, and I just really wanted to name something that because it sums up the whole thing for me perfectly. And then um people had been like commenting, like, yo, like put these all together on like an a covers album and I'll listen to it. And I thought that was a perfect way to like not like to get people to listen to my other songs, which I think is so cool. Like, even if people only like the covers for me, that's so fine. Yeah, exactly. Still you're still listening, so it's all good.

SPEAKER_03 30:41

Exactly. Um, and I I love the album title, and I'm curious too if you feel like that that kind of um, you know, that that concept you have behind it is something that uh has been central to like your life in general, like outside of music, and just like trying to um you know spin those situations whenever they do come up and and you know trying to kind of redirect um the negative thoughts or the intrusive thoughts into something more like positive and constructive.

SPEAKER_01 31:09

Dude, now yeah, yeah. Now, but like like a lot of us, um I think that it was it's it's crazy because it it kind of feels like almost like it was like a last resort to like I have to think this way. Yeah, yeah. Because I've already tried to think every other way uh of like going down different avenues of like trying to fill that void of like with drugs or or just uh any kind of um you know destructive behavior that all leads down to like you not thinking that way, like or or you're using those things as like a mechanism to not think about it, kind of. Um and I've already done that my whole life. I've already like up to this point in all of my other like ventures have that I've like I don't really believe in failures, but have like quote unquote like fell apart. Yeah, yeah, of course. Um they've only fell apart because I wasn't able to make those mental switches, like because the only differentiating factor is if you don't quit, like that's it. So yeah, I think it was really just born out of like trying to get my life together and figuring things out finally in a way of like um not doing those destructive patterns anymore, and then like viscerally being like when those thoughts come, I'm going to like fuck you, no, I'm gonna think of it and yeah, you have to like actively push back against it.

SPEAKER_03 32:28

It's active, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 32:28

It's not a passive thing because if you are passive about it, those things are power, it's strong, you know. They're they're strong emotions like hate and negativity, unfortunately. And that's like why, like, um, you know, pushing a positive uh positivity mindset is like kind of it's not as strong as hate, unfortunately. You know what I mean? So to to try to like push that to people, um, it's not going to spread as hard uh like wildfire like hate does. Yeah, but I'd rather be like that guy that is like championing championing for that because I know where I was where I was like a guy that was like a a down downer guy. Yeah. Like, yeah, but there's I I I hope to for it to be like a almost like a blueprint of like, yes, you can have fucked everything up multiple times and still come out the other side of it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 33:16

I mean, you sound like you have a lot of balance in your life and just in your thought process in general. Um, and you know, I just like with anybody else, that that doesn't come easily. Right.

SPEAKER_01 33:27

Um it comes from knowing the other side, yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_03 33:30

Yeah, exactly. Um, and it's it's always cool to have conversations with people who are like at that point in their life where you know you seem like a really grounded person. Thanks, dude. You seem like you know, you have your head on relatively straight and kind of understand like what you want out of what you're doing. Um, and I I think that probably allows you to like approach it and go for it in a different way and with a different energy.

SPEAKER_01 33:50

For sure. And I a big part of of that too is using all of those years of like suffering and bullshit as fuel for for the projects, like because you have unlimited material as an artist, like if all of us that have been through some shit, like there's your fuel, like forever, like you'll always have it. Like you always like uh joke like when an artist like makes it or whatever, and then they're like not they're like good, and then they make music that's not as good anymore. Yeah, exactly. But like I've got a lifetime of fucked up situations that I can write about, and it was to pivot a little bit, like my wife was like talking about like how a lot of my songs are so sad, and it's like I've had a lot of sad shit. Yeah, I gotta get the sad shit out. Like, I want uh you know, I've like of the happy songs will come and like the the um but that is kind of just like been an outlet to be able to like express in a way that like you sometimes you can't with words like or or just like you don't have anybody to talk to about it, but you can put it in a song or you can put it in a painting, like all of like those bad things that have ever happened. It's like yeah, put it on something. It's everything's like a transference of energy, you know. Like I love that, yeah. Yeah, nothing ever truly um energy doesn't die, so it it can either come and like sit in you forever, or you can you can take it and pass it on negatively to somebody else, or you can take it and pass it on positively, like uh whether by like creating something or trying to uplift others, whatever the case may be. But that's what I've truly learned through this is like um it's good to go through bullshit. Yeah, it makes you a better artist.

SPEAKER_03 35:25

It definitely makes you a better artist, it makes you a better person. And I think there's so much uh that happens with perspective, right? So maybe you um you approach uh writing about a certain thing that happened in your life when you're when you're in it, there's certain emotions that are coming out, but then you know, when you're when you're past it, there's a different emotion that you feel about it, and then maybe 10 years or 15 years later you have a different perspective on it. And constantly through your life, you can look back on those same situations and your perspective will constantly be changing on it.

SPEAKER_01 35:56

That's so true. Yeah, I I see that a lot when like um bands kind of get like bummed out playing their old stuff, kind of because like maybe it's like they don't want to revisit those things. Yeah, and I see a lot of people also come around um to not you know to like understanding that was a point in their life that like you know, it to to uh honor it, kind of, you know. Like maybe it is hard to revisit and stuff like that, but it it is a part of you, and like just knowing that what it did for other people is kind of maybe something that could keep you going with it.

SPEAKER_03 36:28

Yeah, definitely. Um I also I really wanted to talk about um I listened to the intro to the album uh several times. Nice because I feel like there was a lot of really insightful stuff that you mentioned in there. Um and in particular, uh there's one section where you talked about how the same scenario can happen to two different people and they can take away completely different things from it, and like one person can be like, Oh, like why is this happening to me? And then, you know, uh somebody else can can look at it as like a lesson and they can learn and grow from it. Um and when I was thinking about that, because that was something that like it stuck with me, um, and I felt like you know, a lot of people who are the latter, they started out as the former. You know, it's like and I think um it takes uh going through a lot of things to reach that point, and the kind of the difference is acceptance, right? Yeah, it's like once you're able to accept those situations, then I think that changes what you do with them. For sure.

SPEAKER_01 37:31

Yeah, I I couldn't agree more. Like I think um it's probably I don't know who comes into this world and is like superheroes that are already able to like see things like oh, this is a great lesson for you. Yeah, yeah. Like maybe if you had really great guidance, but most of us, let's be real, we don't, you know, we don't have good guidance like from the start of like uh you know, take this as a lesson, son. Like it'll be better for you. Or or when you're young, you hear that and you're like, fuck you, this yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_03 38:01

I mean, when I was younger, I would like something would happen to me. I'd be like so pissed at the world, and I'd be like, you know what I mean? I just felt like I didn't understand why these things were happening to me. And I'd be like, and I'd be like so mad at everyone and like mad at my life and all these things. And then it's like now, like in my 30s, I feel like when things do happen, I'm like able to accept it and I'm able to like look at it and say, okay, but what can I learn from this?

SPEAKER_01 38:23

You're right. And what can I do to avoid it in the in the future, like from happening again? Because that's truly like I think all that we are is like the cycles of that where it's like you either choose to break it or it'll happen again and try to teach you again. And it's like um until it's like like living your life like it's a it's Mario, you know. Like if you want to get to the next level, like then face that fucking Goomba. Yeah, no, that's so true, dude. That's perfect analogy. Like, yeah, smash that Goomba and move on to save Princess Peach. Yeah, you gotta slay some fucking dragons, like you know, but like it doesn't happen if you're like it's that person's fault that this happened to me, or or it's like it's because of the way I was raised, and I know that's easier to say, like, yeah, it is it's very easy for people to say, yeah, and and it because it I know that because it was for me, you know. Like there's so many things that you can like point to. It's like, well, my dad did this when I was younger, and and why can't I like and that's why I can't get past this. But it's like I'm responsible for how I feel right now, not what my dad or whoever did 20 years ago that I can't change now.

SPEAKER_03 39:27

Yeah, exactly. You can't change it, you can't control um, you know, those things, you can only uh control your life now and what you choose to do with it going forward. Um, and I think a lot of people have a hard time with that. It's um, you know, I think hopefully for people as you get older and you have more experiences, then that's kind of when things start to shift. Yeah, um, but it's not it's not easy, man. It's it's really not.

SPEAKER_01 39:50

I realize if somebody, if I heard my intro track when I was in a bad place, like this guy's a fucking idiot. Yeah, you'd be like, what is this dude talking about? If earlier me heard that, I would skip it. I would be like, I don't want to hear that shit. It's it's society's fault. Yeah, exactly. It's my upbringing's fault. Like, it's not my fault, it's everything else's fault. So yeah, like I I that's why I'm completely empathetic towards like whatever scenario in. But I am here to say that the other way is much better once you like start standing your ground and just like everything is at the end of the day, like your fault. Like if it's good or bad, like the good things that happen, congratulations, it's it's your like faults, not the right word, but but like you did that. But then if like a bad thing's ha happens too, it's like, okay, next time I won't do A, B, and C and the bad thing won't happen. Yeah, and then yeah, and you get those little dubs every once in a while. Like, like we were talking about Anthony Green, and like he he's left me comments and we've DM'd a couple times back and forth. And and you get stuff like that when when you start owning up to like because I would have never been there if I would just kept sulking and been like, I can't do music, man. My life is fucked up. But like, you know, you get you're gonna get those little dubs, and maybe in the beginning it'll be few and far between, but then you get like that comment or something from someone you look up to. You never know who's watching, you know what I mean? Like, I saw like Tyler the creator say that on an interview where he was like, he like signed um Rex Orange County and he was getting like 30 views on his YouTube videos, and it's just like dude, you never know like who's out there and like just resonates with what you're saying and is like the they see something in you because like they they've been through it themselves, yeah, you know.

SPEAKER_03 41:30

So yeah, absolutely. That's why it's important to like share the work and put it out there and allow people to engage with it. And I think a lot of people they get so caught up on on the numbers and you know, the the kind of like the race and the comparison and all that when it's like no, it's like you gotta just focus on creating it and putting it out there, and the right people will engage with it, and you never know. It's like something that you uh you know, something you uploaded six months ago, it might not hit until 10 years from now, so true, but it doesn't have the opportunity to if it's not out there, dude.

SPEAKER_01 42:01

Whatever stage that your creativity is in, just post it. Like that's always like that's such a good like point to make to to bring up because it it doesn't matter like where it's at and what you think about it, it's not about you anymore. Like once you've made it, like don't do yourself a disservice, don't don't do God or the universe or whatever you believe in a disservice by not putting it out. Yeah, because it was put into your head to make for a reason. So like even if it's like the most like just simple like drawing on paper of a stick figure, but you're proud of it, or something like that, like post it. Yeah, and just like I don't know, man. Like, you never know. Like, what if I see it and I'm like, I'll give you a thousand dollars exactly. Yeah, I mean, whoever's out there, you know Yeah, like I mean, yeah, meeting you guys and all this kind of stuff is literally just because I'm putting myself out there and like and trying to like spread the message that like none of this does happen unless you take that chance. And like, if it flops, it will, it'll flop, things will flop. Yeah, that I mean it's inevitable. Nobody sees my flops, though. You know what I mean? Everyone only congratulates me on the things that are fucking sick, and it's like the only person that can be hurt by the ones that quote unquote flop on the internet it's it's just you. Yeah, you're the only one that sees that because no one's like, bro, remember when you got 400 views on that thing and it's like Yeah, exactly. Then you know you're dealing with an A1 hater and you don't need to talk to you anymore. If anyone said that to me in real life, I would like straight up laugh because I'd be like, that's crazy. Yeah, man.

SPEAKER_03 43:33

It's funny because so many people they do feel that way.

SPEAKER_01 43:36

Like that will happen.

SPEAKER_03 43:37

It's like the worst nightmare. It's like, oh, if you don't if you don't get enough views or something, this idea that like other people are looking at you like, oh, he's he's washed, like he's trash, like no one fucks with him, you know, like and they're not looking. They're still no one cares.

SPEAKER_01 43:50

That's they're so caught up on like even if they don't make stuff, like they're so caught up on like making rent or something like that to be like checking. your um your numbers and how you're doing like everyone is like we're all kind of too we're the kind of the main characters of all our own story you know so it's like and that's why I think it's great like one thing that I try to do like on this journey is always like um shoot people alike when I see like because it's so simple to just give somebody like when I see them trying and really making something it's like that can a comment alike can go such a long way for like somebody that's just like scared to put something out and then they see that where they're like get one other person sometimes that's all it takes. So yeah man absolutely I it's funny because I was gonna ask you like if you had any advice that you would give like your younger self but I think you're kind of already like touching on all of that you know it's it is yeah this is all shit that I wish I could have told me but and because deep down like when I was younger I knew I was creative I knew I was great at a lot of things and I and I would even to the point of like having people tell me that I am and that's a very lucky state to place to be in because most people never hear stuff like that whether it was through like sports or um you know I'd been in bands before my first band uh did really well we used to like it was at the height of like the scene in like 2012 and we would sell out our our local venue once a month like up for 600 people. So it's like I already had those like frameworks but none of it matters if you didn't fix it in in here in your head. Yeah um it just like you can just sabotage forever no matter how many times people tell you that it's dope and like because and you know I think back like even if like I time traveled and was like yo I'm you just keep doing it and like I probably wouldn't have listened. Yeah I don't like you're gay I don't know I know what you mean dude that's it's so true.

SPEAKER_03 45:44

I would have said something mean yeah I don't know um I want I want to kind of pivot to to something a little less serious I mean I know we we've we talked about some really really insightful and some profound stuff.

SPEAKER_01 45:55

Yeah um but I'm curious so like um I gotta ask you so if you were stranded on like a desert island what's like your three albums that you're you're taking with you dude I've actually been I'm excited that you asked this uh because I one of them is what I've already talked about today which is that the Counting Crows album August and everything after um that album like literally like I said before it came out two days after my my birthday like my actual birthday in 1993 and um that one was huge for me uh because it was such a staple of one of the first things that I grew up with and then this one maybe like a curveball but I know we all love it is um Third Eye Blinds uh self-titled The Red The Red album of course man that's like one of my favorites of all time is just pure rock and roll yeah no it's it's insanely good it's insanely good dude and it still holds up to this day like I still listen to it pretty with pretty regularly like I still throw that on. There's yeah then another reason why I'm excited that you asked this is those are the two only the only two albums that I have saved like you know you can save albums on your phone. Those are the two that I have like saved and then I recently started collecting CDs which has been so fun.

SPEAKER_03 47:07

Oh same dude you have too yeah yeah absolutely yeah I got a pretty big collection of CDs.

SPEAKER_01 47:11

Dude I I'll have to get you guys some because I still have some of my CDs physical I'll send a bunch to Gina for you guys to have I'd love that. Um because I originally did only a a 50 run online and I was like fucking in awe of how fast that those went I was like oh my gosh people are buying CDs. It was like two days and and 50 were sold out I was like cool this is so it's like people I think people want to engage with physical media again.

SPEAKER_03 47:37

Own something yeah it's it's things have changed so much it's like you don't own your music you don't own your video games you don't you don't own anything yeah you don't own your car it's like you know but being able to have something physical yeah you can hold it in your hands. I remember being a kid and like taking out the booklets reading the lyrics and all that and it's like I feel like we lost a lot of that and being able to get back to that and like collect something it's it's fun. You know what I mean and it's cool because you get to go back and like revisit all the stuff that you loved as a kid.

SPEAKER_01 48:04

And just even even more so like the art that's within it too there's a whole other medium that's lost where it's like the the booklets and the little like thank yous and all that kind of stuff like that's a little like lost art but but my third my last one it it's uh it has to just be because the first band I ever heard with like heavy guitars and break like breakdowns quote unquote it's Lincoln Park Hybrid Theory and Meteora like I heard them both at the same time it was so funny because that album I used to ride around like a guy used to give us rides when we were in like middle school and I he always played it and I didn't like this guy. I really didn't like him. So you know when like someone really likes something that you don't like and you don't like them and I was like God this is sick but I don't like this guy. Exactly you didn't want to give him like the the credit for yeah so it took me a little bit of time but he just was always playing I was like damn it this is sick. Yeah do you have any like particular favorite tracks from from either of those so the the big one for me I this is actually from the the album after that but given up where he does like the 17 second scream. Yes yeah uh that one is probably that was the first song I ever practiced to to learn to scream. Yeah so it it was like that the but the first two records all blend together for me on in terms of how much I like all of them. Yeah definitely but that given up song I have the most listens to on just simply because I wanted to nail that 17 second scream. Yeah and and so that is like if there was one track that I've listened to the most from them it's that for sure.

SPEAKER_03 49:36

Man Rest in peace Chester those are just such incredible albums. I you've I just just because I want to hear yours though too I want to hear all right um I mean I've thought about this a lot yeah my number one is definitely um Shade um I just got that on TV yeah probably love deluxe like I just I got the live one yeah there's just something like so special about her music to me it just like no one liked her um yeah it just it really like it's kind of like my happy place dude like you know no matter what's happening in my life like yeah I can just like throw that on and I feel like um there's so much music that is uh you know talking about love and relationships in a negative light and like the bad parts of it but I feel like so much of her music was about like what it feels like to be in love with someone in an amazing incredible relationship you know what I mean just like how powerful it is and that like really resonates with me and like where I'm at in my life now. So that's like definitely my number one number two definitely Mad Villain um MF Doom and Mad Lib that's like you know probably in high school that was like one of the most important albums to me just like um that made me want to like start rapping. Yeah Doom is very screwed it's New York through and through um and the third one the third one only gets you because the top two is easy but two is hard. I'd probably be between Deftone Saturday Night Wrist um oh dang yeah even though I I love White Pony but Saturday Night Wrist is just like I don't know there's something about the vibe of that album that I just awesome. It must have been like a core at your time of listening to it it truly was um that and uh it's either between that or maybe Juturna um yeah yeah because that's what I wanted to throw those in there too it's just another one just I always go back to it and I just feel like um you know there's just like the thing is I really enjoy lyrics that kind of have a little bit of like ambiguity to them or like some mystery to them. That's what the fuck these talking about and I feel like you know it's cool to like listen to that kind of stuff because it's so symbolic and there's just so many different ways that you can interpret what's being in said I just I I fucking love it's like it can never get old you could listen to it three years apart and be like take something completely different away from it kind of yeah yeah I think um and on that one I think uh like Great Golden Baby I think might be my favorite yeah it's probably probably my favorite one um but the whole album is is incredible I did get to see I've I haven't been to too many other shows I did get to go to one uh circus show in New York um that I had a friend who I met shout out to Mitch um we met and we bonded over both being big circus survive fans and he was like have you ever been to a show and I was like nah and he was like I'm taking you and he like bought me a ticket and brought me to the show and it was like awesome. And I think um I'm trying to remember who opened up for them but uh it was it was a really it was a really really cool show and I haven't gone to a lot of like rock shows. Oh most of the shows I've gone to in my life have been like rap shows. So it was it was really cool to see something like the energy of shows like that.

SPEAKER_01 52:42

Especially when you get a guy like Anthony fronting something like that. It's like it's it's magic.

SPEAKER_03 52:47

Yeah absolutely but it's funny it's like those would be probably my top three but like there's so many I would be it'd be so hard you know I mean it's like I don't know it's it would be a tough one because there's just so many albums that are so important to me. And I'm sure it's the same way for you where you just think about like um you know things that were like formative exactly for you. Aside from like music stuff what other uh like pieces of media do you feel like were you know whether it's like movies or you know something else that like really had a big impact on you?

SPEAKER_01 53:15

Dude so I love um like all of my my videos that I make is I'm I'm producing the videos and and all that too. So I love um film and and cinematography especially like I love like cinematography heavy movies like older Christopher Nolan stuff like just just compositions and and I think like a big reason why like having some of my early content uh where I'm doing my music did well is is visual hooks kind of thing. The first one that ever did well was like in in my garage like I had a a swinging bulb light above me um just to add like a I love like right now like in the state of uh social media I love like just a static shot but a lot of shit going on like in a in the background.

SPEAKER_03 54:01

Yeah yeah I know what you mean like camera like completely still locked in but then just like a lot of movement going on.

SPEAKER_01 54:07

Yeah I think that that's so visually like I recently just finished a music video where I am in the back of a moving truck and I watched that one. Yeah oh my god yeah really cool it's so cool just because it's like the world behind me is doing all of the movement and I'm playing the song and singing and it's like it's I love stuff like that right now. So for sure like in in terms of like media that inspires me I I watch a lot of like just heavy cinematography kind of movies that are like I love like trying to get good composition and shots and like well well lit shots I think is so like I don't know that's it's such an art form in itself and that was when I took a break from music what I was doing for bands was doing their um I was on tour doing video oh that's really cool stuff like that for like live basically like yeah doing their kind of like live recap stuff and um until I realized that like I need to be on the fucking I loved it but I was like I need to be there.

SPEAKER_03 55:04

No definitely dude yeah that's really cool. I apart from like you know making music all the time and stuff and uh recording a lot of content like what what else are you doing like day to day?

SPEAKER_01 55:14

Dude I like the last couple months has literally just been that because I'm so like hammered down trying to do it but like the best thing that I've found I live in San Diego so is uh surfing like connecting with nature in some way to where like it's such a cheat code for like resetting your system and then also having like ideas flow in. Yeah definitely because it like I don't know it you finally get to like especially with something like surfing where you you don't get to have your phone with you and it's literally just you in the waves and and and all of like the research about like water and the ocean like resetting your your systems and stuff like that and there's no like quicker way for me if I'm feeling like stuck is just to do something like that. That's cool. Yeah and then me and my wife always just trying to find like a place to go to um have some quiet like mountains and stuff like that.

SPEAKER_03 56:05

Yeah of course no that's that's what I love. I'm like a big outdoors nature person. Um like do you guys live in hustle bustle in in on the east coast right now so so we so I grew up in upstate New York we moved two years ago uh me and my fiance moved to uh Greenville South Carolina um and that's like um it's in the what they call the upstate of South Carolina but it's in like the I guess what you call the northwest corner so it's maybe like an hour and a half from Asheville North Carolina. So we're like really close to the Blue Ridge Mountains um and that that whole area like um Appalachia and everything it's like really really cool being there. There's a lot of like good hiking and stuff but there's still enough of like I guess suburban and urban life that like we have access to to other stuff that we want to do. But um yeah it's it's cool to be able to drive like 20 30 minutes and there's like amazing waterfalls and like all this stuff. It's like because that's what I grew up around. You know the area I grew up in is like an hour and a half north of NYC and it's like uh just straight like you know the Hudson River and like mountains and everything. It's like so I've always like that's like where I need to be it's like I've lived in the city before um but I always end up going back to nature. It's like where I belong.

SPEAKER_01 57:17

I've I've always been in the city. So and like especially right now like me and my wife are like buckling down and we live on a place that's like like you know grateful for it that we were like able to save a lot of money. Yeah yeah but we are right on the busiest like road you could ever imagine uh the the loudest noises in like a a a neighborhood where unfortunately there's like a lot of like street roamers and stuff like that. So it's constantly screaming and yelling and a lot of just energy always so it's to be chaotic yeah yeah so like if and I feel for people in those kind of scenarios where they're like how are you supposed to disconnect from that and like make art you know what I mean like how are you supposed to like have a second for yourself to even think like you want to make a a riff on guitar or something like that. And I really feel for it because I've I've done that for the last like four years.

SPEAKER_03 58:07

So chillin's oh cool no we're we're just ripping through whenever because me and you are probably sweating bullets probably you too so yeah absolutely no I'm happy to I feel like we've covered so much ground and it's it's funny too because going when I go into like these interviews and stuff I kind of never know how it's gonna turn out or like where the conversation is going to go but I feel like uh it's it's always fun and and even just like talking to you I think things flow so naturally yeah and there's just uh there's so much to talk about especially like when I'm talking to another artist for sure we all go through the same thing. Yeah exactly you know it's like no matter what genre or like what instrument you play or you know there's so many shared experiences that I think we have um and like everything that you're saying like of course it resonates with me because like I've been there. Yeah you know what I mean it's like I've been it will with everybody watching too which is so awesome like yeah which is which is really what we want with the project you know what I mean and that's the important thing is like being able to highlight artists and just like show people a a a little more into the artists that they love or into artists that they don't know because I think sometimes it's the other way around where people engage with the artist's work first and then with the artist as a person. Yeah. But you know I feel like what with what we're doing we're giving people an opportunity to like see artists as people first and like see who you are like learn about you and then they can go check out your stuff and it means so much more to them. You know it's it's a cool way to approach it. But yeah it's it's been really cool talking to you. You know I think before we wrap up I I'm curious like what what's next for you?

SPEAKER_01 59:42

Do you have anything like coming up that you want to plug or dude so the the final what I've been feeling like is the final step for for this like because I've I love making content I love making videos but there's nothing like the live show. Yeah like the live show is my main focus right now. I currently have a good friend of mine building the tracks for the live show to like so we can all do it really nice and and have uh click tracks and play the songs good for everybody. Um but that's it that's literally like I'm I'm super buckled down. I have like three unreleased songs that are uh that will like complete like because obviously we've talked a lot a lot about like my my acoustic kind of stuff and and my covers are very like stripped down but the live show is is a rock show. Like it's it's you know it's like a it's it it's heavy at parts and it's uh it's fun it's a high energy um and so I have like a bunch of songs that are ready to come out for that and enough to build a set that's just going to like rock really hard. That's awesome. And so that's it and I have dude I've I've been so grateful to meet so many friends up here in LA that like are like are you ready to play shows yet like it's crazy when I think about it like if I was ready I could have played the from first to last show last night because of all these people that I've met it's like it's so cool um how how that comes together and yeah I for anybody watching that's that's what's next and I'm so excited to play shows everywhere because like I want people to be able to be in the room and feel like what I feel all the time. Yeah when you make something and you like as an artist you know like uh your compass is like if you have goosebumps when you're making something yeah exactly you know that will translate to other people because you got it while you were making it so like to get in a room you know with two three hundred people and and to feel to like transmit those emotions to them is like it's a high. Yeah it's it's crazy.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:35

No it it truly is man.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:37

That's it that's what's coming next for Baron um and I have a song coming out uh with Lil Lotus who sings for that's awesome um from first to last now and I have some other really good songs coming up and yeah just just keeping it rocking. That's exciting man yeah where can where can the people find you it's it's Barron.exe on everything uh Barron.exe underscore probably yeah on Instagram YouTube um and then yeah and the next thing I also is uh focusing on like uh like we were talking about with filmmaking stuff doing long form um music videos again yeah like our artistic music videos because I love short form and it's how people find me but uh stay stay tuned for the to YouTube I think for me because I'm I'm focusing on that hard so absolutely man that's awesome well thank you so much for coming on the podcast it's been really cool talking to you um everybody out there make sure you you check out Baron's album What if it all works out it's on all platforms and uh yeah thanks for hanging with Thanksgiving appreciate that I was so fun