Ty Oliver, in full

0:49Hey, hey, hey. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat up Heat. Heat. Hi friends. Uh this is Unwritten Rules of the Road. I am Tash and we are joined today by the amazing Ty Oliver. Um I I it's funny because it's like I'm like we we were just chatting right before the stream started and sharing like all the mutual people that we know. Um, so I I was trying to think of how to introduce you, but I'm like the amazing Tai Oliver who plays all the instruments.

3:54How accurate that is, but thank you very much. Thank you very much. [laughter]

4:00Oh, I love the posters or the the the is it all the flyers and posters that you have in the background there? That's is that like past tours

4:09like Yeah. So, I'm I'm still a fanboy. I mean, I'm I I don't even I still, you know, nothing's changed. I'm still putting my posters up on the wall, but um yeah, so certain doors like if I could grab like if I saw like a you know the flyer in the um in the window or whatever, I' i'd grab I'd be like, "Hey, can I have that?" Like and so yeah, that's that's and and just bands I like.

4:31that's awesome. I do the same. I totally do the same. It's there's something really special and it never gets old when you like see your band name like on a you know up on a flyer and you're like, "Oh my gosh, that's me." And then also some um what's if the dates are on there and someone's like hey have you ever played you know this place and like I'm not can't totally remember them like I'll be like oh my god we did we played there it is you know like bam. So yeah it's yeah it's very cool. Very cool.

5:00It's it's such a cool way actually to like mark a history of of of a place that you've been like putting a little pin on a globe or something you know.

5:09100%. Yeah. And I and I wouldn't have gotten to do or go see like any of these most of these places if if I hadn't had these opportunities. So it's like especially special that way. I'm like I'm like I'm grabbing it, you know.

5:24So um Okay. Actually, okay. I was wondering what do you remember your very first live show? Like what instrument? What bands?

5:32Oh yeah. It was horrible. Oh, I I there's two two first because when I first started out I was playing drums. and uh it was a backyard like keg party on Halloween and like I was like I don't I think I was barely 21 but um horrible dropped the stick forgot half the song. It was just a bunch of drunk friends. But then I started like playing guitar and I got serious about that and that was like well into like the early 2000s and um MySpace was like the thing and um I had like I was just doing my own instrumental music. I was like trying to

6:10be like a wannabe Joe Satriani or Steve Vi like really hard and this is in like the early 2000s so it's so like out of style and just out of touch with what's going on and um especially where I grew up and like I still have long hair and I was like trying to be all glam rocked out and uh and uh so but my space was great because you could promote yourself like and and you get this response from it and it was it was crazy like and um I'd somehow weasled my way into getting you knowing these companies couple endorsements into into getting to come

6:40play this thing at N

6:42since like 2007,

6:45early 2007. And um

6:47so I've been playing for a long time, but like I just didn't have experience live. I was like the bedroom guy, you know, and um and so I finally I like had put I hadn't put hadn't played a gig live with this band that I hadn't gotten sponsored already. And we go down there and we play and um everything goes great. Sound check's fine. Like two songs in, we're killing it. I break a string and like so I'm not prepared for this at all and it's a three-piece band. So now there's just bass and drums and I'm like panicking. I'm like I grab my other guitar and it's

7:18a 20 22 fret and the other one was a 24. It's just total nightmare after that. And uh all these people like had come to see us play from like MySpace. It was a whole thing. And I like left there like with my hand like just hanging my head in shame like I'm done. I'm done. I'm a Oh no.

7:38Yeah, it was terrible. Like I was like, God, how am I going to like make up for that? And uh so my first couple experiences were rough, but then um I you know, I eventually played played out more and eventually had some good experiences. It build that confidence and like I you know, was able to get past it. But the first couple were [ __ ] I had some rough ones, man.

7:59I I mean that is awesome that you like Well, first of all, that you're honest about that. Thank you for sharing that.

8:07Have some love now, you know, like even up to date. But yeah, not not quite like those, but Yeah. Yeah.

8:13Yeah. Well, I also the fact that you just jumped back on the horse because honestly like some people will have like those kinds of experiences and they're like, "Okay, I'm done." Right.

8:23It was really close, but I just had this I don't know. I was so driven. I was like, "I got to like I got I know I can do it. I got to have at least one good one under my belt and then and then go from there." And yet yeah and so fortunately I I eventually had I had that good show after those dis but those first ones really like knocked my confidence like like way down to where I was like like you said like I'm like I don't know if I'm cut out for this like I'm maybe I'm just not you know and so

8:49but I yeah I was so die hard about it that I just yeah I kept going. So

8:55yeah, I mean it's you know obviously you have probably spent so much time on your craft like you know by yourself like practicing and getting ready for this and but nothing really does prepare you for the live show.

9:10Nope. Nope. And there's all these things that can go wrong have no idea about until it actually is happening in real time and all a sudden you're like oh [ __ ] you know. So that's funny,

9:22you know. So I totally respect, you know, uh the people that that were had already been doing it for that, you know, most of the my buddies that that I that I'd been jamming with like had been in bands and like I was just always so focused on trying to do this one thing that I was like like I don't want to be do a cover band. I want to do my thing. And so like I would I would forego being in any band because I just wanted to do my one thing. So I I had to learn the hard way. But yeah, um they got all all those

9:53experiences pass them. So I was like um coming in and learning from them, you know. Yeah. It's it's it's Yeah. Nothing prepares you for for what can go what anything can and will go wrong live and you you don't even know until it's happening, you know. Yeah.

10:09Yeah. It's so true cuz like you know as a band when you're rehearsing you know you can be as tight as you can be right in the rehearsal space but

10:21next thing you know the cable doesn't work uh you know your amp goes out uh you know who knows you know so yeah there's always some technical glitch that never happens in rehearsal but the day of the show boom it's happening yeah so um yeah I mean that's but that's all part of the all part of the fun right? Absolutely. Absolutely. Well, I feel I feel like too like um the more famili familiar you are, like the more you've played live, it starts becoming not that you'll run into the same problem, but like the your problem solving I think really starts to grow.

10:55You you get smarter about it. And honestly, that's something that um you know, I won't even that started that happened in Orgy um more recently. Like I had cuz their whole setup is so different from anything that I was like used to that I just like I learned enough to get through the first tour and there was it was only a couple hiccups on that one like that were pretty minor and I got through it, but mostly it was just killer. But some of those big festival ones I learned those festivals are like rough because it's so throw and go and like all of a sudden like I can't

11:29get a signal and everyone else the whole they're waiting on me. They're like let's go. I'm like what's going on? Why is your your guitar working? I'm like I don't [ __ ] know. Works yesterday you know like

11:39So yeah. So I had some rough rough ones with you know at some of those bigger shows like recently where you know it's technical stuff and the bass player was like yeah dude he's like you know one of the biggest things is is the problem solving on the spot is on the fly is like that's why you got to like you got to really know your your rig and like know your spot and I was like you know a little more used to just being kind of more punk rock about it and just like you know I know my amp my setup and this was like a whole new thing. So, but

12:06anyhow, yeah, so I had, you know, your it's your problem solving, like you said, is Yeah, very spot on.

12:13Yeah, absolutely. Um, with with your touring, has it taken you um

12:19Uh, technically, I mean, no, because I've never been overseas, unfortunately, which I I'm sucks. I had there was two Australian tours uh booked one with Iron Man and then CO happened so that got cancelled and then Origie was over there with Cold um when I was still I'm technically not I'm not in orgy anymore. I left a while ago which um it's all good still but um they had this this uh uh Australian tour book with Cold who we toured with and it was like all set. they were advertising it like it was happening and then like a couple months before it just got cancelled and I can't really pinpoint

12:58why but so it was like this close and then just didn't happen. So um but I've done uh Alaska.

13:07And I've been to Canada so that's as far as I've gotten was you know outside the stage of the band. Yeah.

13:14That's so cool. You played Alaska.

13:16Yeah man. That was like one of the first like um when I first joined Powerman, I did like my initial quick just run of like trial dates and uh and then a couple one maybe a one off or two and then and one of those one-offs was a fly out to Alaska and it was like [ __ ] that was one of the gigs where like everything went right and it was packed and like they they treated us like royalty and it was like I got to fly you know we flew there and they they put us up and it was like you know I I didn't

13:44experience anything like that. I was like, "This is this is [ __ ] awesome." Like, "Holy shit." You know? So,

13:50Very cool. Yeah.

13:51Oh, that's amazing. And I feel like, too, it's like um I don't know. It's like get not only getting to see a really cool place, but the whole experience of getting to fly into a, you know, to a show. And

14:04yeah, it's like it's and and it's it's like would I ever have gotten to when would I go to Alaska on my own dime? Like, you know, I mean, probably not likely. So, it was like Yeah. I was like trying to soak it, you know, any of that stuff that happened. Like I've I've been very like aware of like how fortunate and and tried to just soak it in as much as I can. So yeah.

14:23Yeah, that's amazing. I I it's one of the things I I really love about about touring. It's like the best of all worlds. Like you get to play music and you get to travel and see really cool

14:33Yeah, absolutely. and like go, you know, like I said, you you get to hit these destin cities and stuff that I didn't even know they're on the map, you know, like if I'm So, and yeah, so it's it's the travel part of it is awesome. I mean, sometimes it's it's uh it's a bit grueling, but um where it you're playing music and and and like you said, traveling and and it's Yeah, super cool.

14:55Yeah, absolutely. Uh wanted to take a second. Um I saw a Powerman 5000 fan in the chat. Uh Vic Vaughn from Pensacola. Thanks for joining us.

15:08that's awesome. Thanks everyone for joining us in the chat. It's always awesome to to see y'all. Um, if you have any questions for us, by the way, drop it in the chat and I will relay it over to Ty.

15:19Yeah, thank you to anyone watching and listening. Yeah, for sure. Thank you.

15:24Yeah. So, um, you know, I I know that you are, um, currently put you've put together a really amazing project called Reagan Romance.

15:35Um, yeah. Um, I I saw that y'all had just played in December at Bar Sinister.

15:43Yeah. So, that was there there's a you know, if you if you'll allow me to elaborate, like that that initially that's part of how I met Clint in person. Um, but I started that way back in like 2019 as just like a a studio project. I had some lame demos that like I just I I was really digging on some electronic music more and getting more into that. And I like I was I was playing with Powerman and getting my live kicks out, but I really wanted to I wasn't doing anything creative and like I finally like was like, you know what, I want to start something and just have

16:16like this creative outlet. And that's how that started. And um it was only intended to be a studio project at the time and I was just making music. I was just making in instrumental stuff. I wasn't mixing it. I was just making these like lame shitty demos. And then I met a buddy of mine, David Nazi, who's who's um got a killer YouTube channel and he's mixing and mastering like for, you know, all kinds of big names these days. He's way bigger than me now at this point. You know, he's way beyond helping me out, but he still does, which thank you. Um but um and he he helped me

16:49out with the original uh demos I did and I just I was going to put out an EP, but then I just start started doing singles and I was just hiring people to sing on it basically because I I didn't I I wasn't a singer ever. I just I was just an instrumental guy, guitar player guy. And um so that's how Clint came into the picture cuz I I initially put out this this run of like six singles and then I was like still writing and getting really creative and I was like man I really want to like just keep going with this and I I so I just started reaching

17:19out to people that I liked and thought would fit and Clint was one of them and he was like the nicest dude. I've never met him and he I email him randomly out of nowhere and send him his demo and he not only does he just he doesn't even he just replies with a finished song and is like here you go totally dig it and he like record the vocals didn't ask for any any money or anything and like and then he ended up doing a video and like uh for and and that's still you know out there and up there. Um, so he was super

17:47cool about it, but so trying to long story short, um, it started as this studio thing, but where I was never intending on singing, but then it got to a point where, um, I just I didn't want to have to chase people around anymore and I was like because I was always creating, I was always kind of waiting around for somebody else and it was never their priority kind of thing. And so out of necessity, I I not only started like trying to like mix my own stuff, but I started doing vocals and like I'd never done that. And then it just sort of evolved into what it is

18:17now, which is just me doing I'm like, you know, the face in front of it. And then uh the live thing also never intended to do it live. And so we did that show in December at Barcen. And that just came out of like again I I was I wasn't planning on it, but it's just um we got offered the gig and it was on the same day as my girlfriend's birthday. And uh it was also with like a former um band friend of mine um Jay Blanch from I used to play in his band Limnus. He knows Eric from the Bay Area from Everything Goes Cold and that whole

18:50gang. So it was like a very the way it came together and like you know was I was like they offered us the gig and we had plenty of time to do it to like prepare. So I was like I don't know how I'm going to pull it off and I'm like okay we'll do it. So um and then we ended up doing it. So that that was the first and that was the first gig we ever done with it live. So yeah, I know that was a long long answer, but there was a whole lot that went into that happening. So yeah.

19:16Yeah. No, that's you know, I think it's it's it's so cool because you've had such a journey to get to where you are and I I actually first wanted to ask you like how do you like being a vocalist

19:29I mean because well a so I'd only ever done karaoke, but then when I started recording I was very nervous. I was like really apprehensive. I'm like, there's no way I'm going to pull this off. And then I did a cover to first start it out, which was a GooGood Doll song. And uh I pulled it off enough to where like I showed it to people and they didn't seem to cringe. So I was like, "All right, I'm going to keep trying. I'm going to try an original one now." And like it just started flowing and like people didn't seem to have this e reaction. So I was like, "All right, I

19:59think I can do this." But I was only doing it in the studio, so I could just take my time and do a million takes and whatever. So the live thing that was brand new to me and like I was I was like they offer us the gig like a good six months in advance almost. So I had plenty of time to like sit and think about it and like I just started practicing my ass off. I mean I like I I just put the work in and I was like but that's it was it was all I was thinking about. I was like man if I don't pull

20:26this off this time I'm only going to get this one chance.

20:29I'm like if I don't if I don't pull this off like everyone's going to be like this guy sucks. like, you know, why

20:34you know, why is he trying to sing? He's a guitar player. What's he doing? I was like, I I got to do this. It's got to be just right, you know, like. So, um I I had it in my head. I practiced my ass off and um I got, you know, had support of of some good people with me live, my girlfriend on Keys and Vocals. And then a buddy of mine, um you probably know him. Uh Scum Love,

20:56he did

20:57he did Lights, which really helped. I got a banner. I like I like had the the whole thing in my head and and uh and another but former B uh buddy of mine on keys on the other side um K from uh Suicide Queen. So they helped out and it all it all came together and it was it was nerve-wracking but it it it I it went off like how I'd hoped. So I haven't done it since. But I I was like I'm still I'm still feeling that one out. You know what I mean? But it was it was it was fun. I really liked

21:27it. Yeah.

21:29I I love that. But I honestly I I really relate because I feel like sometimes we can get caught into sort of like a uh roles like where you're like, "Oh, I'm a guitar player. I'm not a singer." Um or or I'm not visual or whatever the case is, right? But like, you know, when you're actually like starting to expand, you're like, "Wait a second, I'm a different artist than I thought I was."

21:55yeah. Yeah. And I mean, this came this all happened so late in the game that like I I just did not see it coming. And it was like it was really exciting at first because I was like, "Oh my god, like I can like make I can go I can do all this stuff on my own. I don't have to rely on somebody else." At first, this is just singing in the studio with my own little laptop setup. And um but live it was different because I'm like, you know, I'm a guitar player. I've always just been the guy on the side and that's nerve-wracking enough, but like

22:23now I got to be the front guy. I got to be entertaining all the time. That was like what I was thinking. I was like, I got to like so I I can't I'm so worried about like, you know, what do I do between like when when there's no when I'm not singing like what do I, you know, how do people are going to be paying attention and I was like think all this weird, you know, [ __ ] going through my head. But I ended up just, you know, uh, practicing enough and getting and it ended up being a blast. It was it was it was really cool. Yeah.

22:50I I don't know if you've had this thought because I did um with the first time I just sang, but I was like, what do I do with my hands?

22:59Yes. Yeah. And that that's where I was like, okay, what works for me? Cuz I, you know, I just have to have a mic stand because I can like at least rock out with that. But if you know and I can do without it, too. But yeah, that I was it was just what do I do on all these I'm like when the intro starts like or there's just an instrumental break like what do I do and I was like do I I got to be entertaining like I got to be cool. Yeah, totally. The whole thing for

23:28Yeah. Well, um I I did not have the opportunity to be there, but from the clips I saw it was such an awesome show and I I really hope you play again so that I can I can get to experience it. We definitely want to. I just I'm not sure when and where. Um, Reagan Romance is such a like a It's a passion project. It's I do it because I love it. Like I I but it's it's frustrating because it's it takes so much to like get something to grow and like you know with social media and like you need like a team and like I see I see that with like artists

24:04that their numbers blow up and whatnot and um [clears throat] and and uh so I I tend to get frustrated and like not not maybe put as much effort into it. I tend to slack off on promoting it as of lately, but I definitely want to play again. Um, and there's new music coming, so Yeah,

24:25that's exciting.

24:27Yeah. When can we Is it Do you have like a day in mind or are you still just kind of in the process of putting it

24:33So, there's two one two two songs totally done. They're mastered and they're ready to go. They're on deck. I just got to figure out like artwork and like release date and video stuff and then and then like I'm I'm going to start, you know, promoting as much as I can. You know what I mean? Do the Yeah. the whole cycle thing. Yeah.

24:49Yeah. Oh, that's exciting.

24:52I wish I had like, oh, I'm gonna get to do this podcast. I should totally have this all set. And I And I don't coming. I swear to God.

25:00Well, you'll just have to come back on.

25:05Yeah. No, it's it's yeah, timing is a is a funny little beastie and I think it's it is one of those things where especially with art and music um it takes its own time, you know.

25:15Yeah, of course. Of course. Yeah. Yeah.

25:18Yeah. Yeah. And I mean I think too it's like you were talking about um like the marketing and the promoting and things like that. And you know I know so many people wear so many hats so Yes.

25:30Yep. Um

25:31Yeah. And and I it just I've seen just from, you know, behind the scenes is like it's to to get something to really like get in people's faces and and and and grow an audience like it takes like it takes like like a team like PR and management and like like not al let alone have a good song that hooks people, you know, you got to have all this push behind it. So yeah, it's it a lot goes into it, you know, aside from just good song. Yeah. you know.

26:01Absolutely. Yeah.

26:03Well, um, uh, we're we're getting some questions. Um, uh, Vic, uh, was asking, "What band or bands or musicians inspired you from the beginning of your playing guitar to current time?"

26:17Okay. So, um, this is this is a I can nail it down to a few, but it's like it's I've I've gotten this cross-section of like it does not cover all of it because there's a ton. Um, but when I first started out, like I said, I was trying I was super into like Joe Satriani and Steve Vine and all these instrumental guys from the 80s and stuff. And uh that's where my head was at. I was a total metal head rocker guy starting out because it was like the you know when I first started playing music it was like early 90s and um so the 80s

26:48were still kind of bleeding over and um and so that was my initial influences but then over time like I put in like I have just like a top six five six cross-section it's like in excess uh Angels and Airwaves the 1975 um Jesus sounds Google Dolls and Poison that that's like kind of covers metal pop, you know, alternative and then but I but like I like a lot of Thrash and Death Metal and stuff when I was like younger. I mean it it electronic stuff, dark wave stuff. I mean that you know that just sort of that's just a a very generic cross cross-section. Yeah.

27:30I love that it spans like different realms, but then you've managed to like bring it all together, you know? trying to it's really hard because I'm the older I get is the harder it is to do that. [laughter]

27:43Um uh we have a question as well from Pete um who's saying when you gain an established group like these um uh when you join an established group like these is there still a Jason Newsteadlike hazing expected or have bands more accept the necessity of new members? Uh I would say that's that's probably a completely different experience because of the level that of popular that you know Metallica was at or what you know whatever. So I didn't experience that at all. Um and and they had only really had that one member change but no I didn't. Everyone was been very welcoming and like the Powerman guys especially

28:22because like that that was my initial um opportunity that that brought me to LA and and that's how I eventually met the Orview guys. Um, but everyone was nice and welcoming and and uh I didn't know any of these people and they were all super just helpful and uh and cool and um I I didn't experience any of that. So, no, not not not on my end, you know.

28:48Yeah. No, that's awesome. I mean, I think, you know, I was wondering like when you first played with um was it uh Powerman that that you joined first before org

28:59or you said org first or

29:01Powerman in 2015 until like I mean technically 2022, but

29:07nobody's playing a show from 2020 until around then.

29:10But a good long time. And then and then Orig was more recent. That was like uh 2024 until just this past like fall or whatever. Um yeah, so a good like a year and a half. But yeah, Powerman was a good long run. Yeah, for sure.

29:26Yeah. I'm still buds with like, you know, we're all still in contact and and and I still send stupid, you know, memes and stuff to the drummer and Powerman and the merch guy and, you know, it's

29:37It's all good.

29:38Yeah. No, it's awesome. Yeah. I feel like when you when you are in a band, it's like its own it's its own nuclear family. [laughter]

29:47Yeah. Yeah. And everyone in, you know, both camps, I mean, were very different but dynamics, but um uh everyone got along and did their thing and was very professional and uh and fun to to work with and and you know, I'm very fortunate, you know. Yeah. So,

30:06Yeah. It's as well. Well, I mean, after working with the groups, you know, I imagine like as you've been discovering your own voice, like literally and figuratively, um, you know, it's definitely a shift, right?

30:20Oh, yeah. Huge. Because like I said, it's that's where like I said, you know, even especially in those bigger established bands, you know, first joining him, I was I was it was nerve-wracking and like but once I Power Man especially because that was the first thing that came along that I was like, "Holy [ __ ] this is like a real actual pro band." And I'm like somehow I got this spot. I have no idea how. But um but uh that was nerve-wracking. But then I, you know, I got I gained some confidence and then like so doing jumping into orgy like was a bit less nerve-wracking because I

30:53already knew some of the guys in it and we we toured together. So and I had enough shows under my belt with Powerman like and touring that I was like once I learned the songs I'll be fine, you know. But um when I first joined Powerman Powerman it was like I think I was nervous for about six straight months until I got like really comfortable and then I was like okay I'm in. That's a long time to be nervous.

31:19Yeah, it was it was a lot. It was like Yeah, it was very green. Very green.

31:24You know, it's funny because like I I think about like um a corporate job versus like um you know, a musician and and the big difference is that you're also in front of many many people.

31:36yeah. Yeah. you know, it's uh I mean, a job interview can be a similar level of nerve-wracking, you know, just it just depends on on where your head's at and what you know, what you're looking for. But um man, I remember those first uh couple her I drove down to to like I I gotten asked to come down and audition for Power Man. That's a whole story in itself. But um I remember that first one man because I practiced my ass off and I was like uh the whole drive down I was listening to the live set and I'm like this part this part this party you know

32:13blah blah blah and just going just grinding it over my head and then like I get into this little rehearsal room and like you know suddenly there's spider the guy that's on you know the posters on the wall on MTV like right in front of me and and like his girlfriend and they're just sitting there watching and I was just like I don't know if I can handle this man and I I totally made mistakes. I totally blew it and I I thought they were going to not let me in, but um I did well enough obviously that it it worked out and you know I

32:40ended up being in it for you know five plus years but um very nerve-wracking. Very nerve-wracking. Yeah. Yeah.

32:49I I was curious actually like how did you manage to get over the the nervousness? Was it just over time that it naturally kind of

32:56just just just doing it and then like

32:59having enough shows um go well to where I was like I got this you know and then and then then you start to get that confident then you start to like get your your stage five down and like you know and I it's even it's the trip because I'll I'll go back and like look at some of the stuff from the beginning until later on and I'm like oh man that was like way more rocking out like a few years in you know. So yeah, it was a big difference. Um, and I'm sure it's the same thing with any, especially some of those bands that have been around for like 20 years

33:29or something. I'm sure they're, you know, it's like probably night and day from when they started to where they are now. But, um, oh, my point was on that last question was I think, you know, the job interview or the big crowds or whatever. It's like sometimes that smaller intimate setting can be more nerve-wracking to me than like the big festival thing because they're further away and it's so like kind of like surreal. They're not right up in your face like a little club. They're they're right there, you know, like you know what I mean? So that to me is like that gets me on edge more than like a big

34:03thing because a big thing they're like ah they're over there. I can just they're looking at this that and the other thing there's screens you know it's like so but um yeah some of the smaller tight little situations can be can be put put on pretty hard

34:17yeah I mean especially you can literally see like their faces and yes [laughter]

34:23if they want to you know you know what I

34:27yeah [clears throat] it's true or if you know people in the audience like if you like have friends and family

34:34And that was uh with that Barin show. That's why um that with Reagan, like I knew that people I knew were, you know, were going to be there. So that's, you know, and I was like, I only have this one time to like pull this off like, you know, without looking like an idiot. And actually, Bratan, the drummer, and his lady came, uh drummer from Powermen came and they came to the show and and and uh supported, which I thought was so cool. Um, so that really that really struck me, but it also made me nervous because I was like, "Holy [ __ ] they're right there and they're like I know

35:07they're going to go back talk to the guys about it." You like, "You should see what Ty's doing now." You know, but no. Yeah. So, yeah, I know what you

35:14Yeah. [laughter]

35:16Yeah. Well, that's awesome though that they also came to support and

35:20Yeah, I was really really stoked on that. Yeah, for sure.

35:23Yeah. Yeah. I imagine like with all the experience that you've had like when you were putting Reagan together like that um you had a really probably a really clear idea of how you wanted the show to

35:36Yeah. Uh and and I can credit that again to um bands like Nightclub um Imperative Reaction. Um I I haven't seen unfortunately System S live. I don't he seems like he's not very active with it live lately, but um there's a couple in in particular that that that system sin show, I'm sorry, imperative reaction show where he had the two keyboards and then singer in front. I just I remember just thinking that was it was just I was like if it has to be at least that cool. And then and nightclub is just the the the one guy and and her in front but they've got this big light show and like

36:16and just such a presence. I was like, if I ever do it has it has to be at least like that, you know, like at least close to that, you know? And I and I didn't want to go up and just do karaoke by myself. Like I was like, no way. Like I got to have other energy up there and like some productions. So yeah, I definitely had like a clear picture. I was like, got to have some lights, got to have a couple, you know, a couple bodies up there besides me. And um and I don't want it to be where like they crank my vocals way up over the music

36:44like I hear on some, you know, live performances. I was like just and the guy did it just right. It all worked out like just like at hook. So yeah, it went over it went it went well. Yeah, for

36:56I think that's awesome. Bar Sinister is such a great place. Like I feel like um it's a great community and Yeah, I really love how they support the artists

37:06Yeah. Yeah. And then like I've been going, you know, obviously been going there for years and and uh they they were super supportive. Um Lisa and just um let us, you know, whatever you guys need kind of thing and uh and uh yeah and and and lots of familiar faces. So yeah, it it was it was a lot of fun. It was great. Yeah, it was killer.

37:27I was curious actually about um the singles that you mentioned that are coming up. Is there anything that you can share in terms of any inspiration um when you were putting it together?

37:37Yeah, so one of them one of them's new brand new like but it started I started writing it um with my lady actually like last summer. Uh, but it she initially had this like melody and lyric in in her head that she like sang to me on the phone and I was at work and I was like I immediately started hearing like music for it and I was like, "Oh, I'm going to I'm going to come home and I started working on it and it then it turned into something, you know, it went from that into what it is now." Um, but she helped um inspire that and then the lyrics are

38:12about some parts of our relationship and then she did some backing vocals on it too. Um, and then the other one is actually a song I had I just had I it been done and sitting on my computer for like I don't know four or five years and she heard it and was like, "Dude, you got to put this why are you not putting this out?" Like and I was like, "I don't know. I just thought it wasn't that great." She's like, "No, no, no. You you got to this you got to make this you got to put this out." And then we ended up

38:37playing it live, too. Like it she was like pushed it that you know made me feel confident enough about it to where I was like, "Yeah, all right. Okay." So, I ended up going back. I found the original um session and I was like, "Thank God I got it still somewhere." And uh just kind of reapplied some newer mixing techniques to it. And then I handed off to my buddy uh David to get it uh like a proper master. So, so it's an older song, but it's given, you know, a new uh spin on it, I guess, a new a new mix and stuff. So, and it still sounds it

39:10still sounds like it feels like the stuff of this, you know, anything that I'm putting out now. So, yeah.

39:17Nice. I I feel like sometimes like songs need to have like a little bit of a a period, like a justation period before it's ready to be released into the world, you know?

39:26Yeah. And then and then other ones you're like right away you just know. You're like, "Okay, this is ready to go." Um, and others some of them you got to just like ham. It's like pulling teeth, man. you're like tweaking it tweak tweaking it like I don't know I don't know and then it finally comes to life. Um yeah, it's a it's an interesting process for sure.

39:44Yeah, absolutely. Well, um you know I know your your music is is very very synth heavy but when you write um do you write with guitar? I guess. No, now I used to before I started regular initially that's what I did and then and I did have some guitars early on in some of the early releases like the one with Clint Carney. Um and uh and then as time went on, I just kind of just started getting less and I just was just more and more interested in having it be this electronic thing. I just I wanted to it to be as un I didn't want it to be grounded to like

40:23real. I wanted it to be not grounded in reality in any way and like I felt like a guitar put it in this sort of it it made it too I don't know I wanted it all to just be electronic and just sort of this like otherworld place thing kind of thing. Yeah, if that makes sense.

40:39Yeah, absolutely.

40:40Make me feel that way. Like I feel like I can just kind of do anything and be creative with it where guitar I feel more grounded like I I'm in a box with it a little bit, you know? So

40:49Yeah. Yeah, that totally makes sense. like it is, you know, I think with acoustic instruments, it's like you were saying, it's it has like its certain grounding. Um,

41:00Yeah. And live especially too, like I've seen plenty of electronic bands. Some can pull it off and some others not so much. But I've seen some the ones that really impressed me didn't have live drums. I mean, again, I've seen I've seen a demo live drums in it and it was great. um maybe like Cyclone 9 or you know even reactions sometimes but I I really that was something that I was really I don't I was like I don't want live drum I want it to be just it you know as as produced sounding as it possibly can be and I and I that's just

41:33the vibe I was going for you know.

41:38Yeah. Yeah, I think it's it's it's awesome because um like you were saying like um especially when you put together a pro production and you're envisioning like a completely different world like you know you have like this vision for

41:52Yeah. Yeah. I just want Yeah. And I just you know was just after something I've always I've always really liked uh stuff I'm I'm a big 80s kid you know and so I like stuff that's really that has that overproduced thing to it. Like I mean I can take on some raw raw stuff too like um from I mean the 90s got really stripped down and the production got like totally different but I really really like stuff that's like just heavily produced and layered layered tracks and layered vocals and like so because that's just like you can just do you can just you're free to just do

42:25whatever and like worry about it live later. Like with the time when I started I was like I'm never going to do it live so I don't have to worry about it. But um [snorts] but yeah, that was my you know inspiration was like I just wanted to be this like sonic other place like that's not in you know somewhere you can just you can just pick it up. You you have to like go there.

42:45Yeah. Yeah. It it's funny. I think anytime I I find for myself when I use the word never life or the universe has a funny way of challenging that.

42:59Yeah. Totally. Never say never.

43:01It's true. [laughter] You're like, I would never be a singer. Oh, no. [laughter]

43:09And I said that and I was like, nah, never doing this live. Who cares?

43:14Here we are.

43:15Yeah, here we are.

43:17And I'm glad glad I did because I I it's something that I definitely was like, I don't know if I can pull this off like and and if I can pull off at least one time, then like then there could be another time or you know. So, yeah.

43:32What was your favorite part about the

43:35Oh, boy. Uh, it was kind of a blur because I was so like in my head about it, but um it was also my girlfriend's birthday, so we sang her happy birthday on stage. That was fun. Um, but just the whole thing, I mean, it just it just went off like I'd hoped it would in my head, at least as far as what we were doing, what we brought. I mean, the place wasn't packed or anything. I mean, we're not like a headliner, but I mean, we we played last because my friend requested it, but um it just went off like I I walked away

44:08feeling like, okay, I'm I'm I feel good about that. And so that the whole thing in general was just kind of like I was happy with it, you know? Yeah,

44:18that's awesome. Like I I mean from everything you've described, it just sounds like you put so much love into it and to be able to walk away and go like I put love into this and it's something I'm happy with.

44:30Absolut 100%. Yeah. I was just like, "Oh man, I you know, it's just as as long as it can go this well, you know, a certain level in my in my own head, this is just me. Um I'll walk away happy." And and it went that well. So I was like, "All right, I'm I'm not embarrassed. I'm I'm I'm proud of it." I walked away like being like, I'm proud of that, you know.

44:53Yeah. It's it's it's so interesting, too, because um you were sharing like your very first live experience where you were like, oh, you know, it was it was quite the learning experience, you

45:06worried about that, too. I'm like, oh, what new bo, you know, what new Pandora's box am I opening with like being a I don't even know. Like I I'm like, what what can go wrong as a singer? I'm like, uh, the mic can go out. Who knows? Like I didn't know him. I was very worried about that. I was like, "Shit, am I gonna have to have that same I started thinking about that leading up to it. I was like, oh man, am I gonna have the same thing all over again, but it's going to be and now now I'm the singer guy." Like, yeah. So, I

45:30definitely thought about that for sure. But it didn't, thank God. It's, you know, it what's amazing to me, like I said, I saw I saw some really awesome clips from your show. um is like I I think about like sometimes I wonder if people could hear our inner dialogue what they would think or you're like definitely would definitely be driving some people crazy because I'm just it's all I thought about until I mean just at work before I just my head is just constantly like thinking about it. I'm like what about this? What about that? what if it, you know, I'm I'm kind of a

46:08little like overthinker, but um uh so yeah, you don't it probably wouldn't be a fun ride if you were inside my head, but once we like once we got up there and we were doing it, it was like

46:20Yeah, it it was good. It wasn't like um uh I was freaking out up there or anything. I was like having fun and enjoying it. So, yeah.

46:28Yeah, absolutely.

46:30Yeah. I was I you know I I was thinking again back to the um you know when I asked you about you know your your playing you you you were like oh the first show didn't go so great the first couple of shows didn't go so great and then fast forward to what you just accomplished. Um, and again just like getting over that inner voice like where you're like, "Oh my god, what am I

46:51And it's it's funny because it's like even still after uh you know getting these opportunities I've had and like again I it it's surreal because I was just a fan. I was just a fan. I had I I didn't you know and so yeah going from those early days pulling that off. Um, yeah, it's been it's been a journey and it's uh if you'd have asked me like back then if I I thought I could do, you know, any of these gigs or do you know pull this off, I would have said absolutely not. So, um, yeah, I'm very grateful. Very grateful. Yes.

47:28It's surreal. It's a trip. Yeah.

47:30Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. And I mean, honestly, such a testament to the fact that you're like you're like, "All right, I'm just jumping in. I'm doing Yeah, I mean I I had so I had enough time to prepare like if somebody just if it was like even a month if it was a month I'd probably be like I don't know but like we had so much time that I I got to practice practice practice practice practice and I had confidence from getting doing the power manogy thing. So I I I kind of you know I believed in it just enough to where I could kind of talk myself into it if

48:07that makes sense.

48:09Yeah. I can talk myself. I think I can do this. I think and and I got a lot of support from, you know, my girl and and um friends and like, you know, cuz a couple people would come and and um they rehearsed with us. Um and I was like, "Okay, is this am I kidding myself here? Like, be honest. Like, am I don't don't you know, don't be nice. I really need you to tell me if this we're we suck or or what." And you know, nobody they all were like, "No, totally. I I dig it. Cool. So, yeah, that helped.

48:42Yeah. Yeah. And I I mean, you know, I think as well, like, you know, the fact that you have such a great group of friends and, you know, supporters around you, too. Um, I think this music community is is really about that, like our friends, you know, and our

49:00Yeah, for sure. For sure. Yeah. And we're very I was felt very fortunate to get the opportunity to to have that first show be at Bar. It's like where you know what what better place to to do this kind of music you know other than that that that club and you know Yeah.

49:18So um you've you've mentioned you know a few different like dark waters so to speak where you jump in you're like okay here we go. Is there any in the upcoming year that you're looking at that you're like, "Oh boy." Or anything brewing in your head

49:34just honestly the thought of doing another ray gun show cuz now it's like that happened there was so much leadup to it and then doing it and it was like it's like now it's been a minute. So now I'm like oh man I'd have to kind of like recharge the battery all over again which is I know is sounds ridiculous. this one show. But um it's such a new thing for me that I'm it it takes like a lot of like takes a a lot of mental energy and and uh um but no, I mean as of this upcoming year, I'm just trying to get those couple songs out, play more

50:05shows. Um

50:07nothing like like booked as of as of right now. So I'm I'm kind of just in cruise control at the moment. Yeah,

50:14I think actually refilling the well is like a really huge part of the process, you know. Yeah, like recharging those

50:22for sure. Yeah. And that that battery was like drained after that one. So, I was, you know, um happy to just kind of like coast for a minute. So,

50:30but get back now. I'm like, "All right,

50:33I gota I'm getting, you know, the itch to go out and do do something again, you know?" So,

50:38yeah. I I think sometimes it's like um you know, I think we can get into sort of like a cycle of of producing things where we feel very pressured. We're like, "Okay, I did this thing. What's the next thing?" Instead of just taking a moment, right?

50:53Yeah. And I feel that way with Reagan Romance and have since the start, like I felt like I constantly had to put something out. And that's part of that whole social media thing is like there, you know, and this is just my my experience with it, but um other other artists in this in the genre that I see like breaking and stuff, it's like they always have content. They you know, and so I I that's just on me. I'm like, man, how do I I don't have the content all the time. Like I I can't keep up with that. Like I'm I'm just trying to

51:23like it's like it's it's intimidating and like yeah, it gets it gets to where like I constantly feel that pressure to have to like put a post out, put a clip out, do something. And I'm like I just I just after a while I kind of like I was trying to keep up with it and then I just didn't have I can't just keep I don't I don't want to post what I ate for breakfast. I'm just not I don't you know I want to put something out. It's like all right this is the song. it's, you know, I'm proud of it and like, you

51:48know, put the quality stuff out. I don't want to do the the day-to-day [ __ ] but that's just that's just me, you know. So,

51:54Yeah, definitely feel that the pressure for sure. 100%. Yeah. Well, I think it's really great that you actually have have a very clear idea of yourself where you're like, you know, I just want to share when I'm ready, you know, and that so when people engage with you, they know, you know, I'm going to get to witness a created piece of art whenever you're ready for it.

52:15I mean, I hope I hope that's how people are looking at it. It it's it's tough cuz you know it feels like if I when I'm I'm not putting stuff out I'm I'm I'm losing I'm falling off people's radar. So like that's how it feels to me. Like I'm I'm always just kind of like ah they probably forgot. So like who's going to who's going to care? You know what I mean? But um some I'm super hard on myself about it and I I I wish I had I could be cranking stuff out but like it's just not you know even when I had ideas and I was constantly writing when

52:49I first started singing it was like this whole new world opened up and suddenly I was like inspired all the time but like you know that kind of fa didn't phase out. It's just the well dried up a bit. So, you know, I don't have stuff to post all the time, but when I do, it's going to be Yeah. will absolutely be something that's important and that like uh you know, I worked my ass off on and like I believe in it. You know what I mean? So, yeah, for sure.

53:14I I like to think of um that the fact that everybody has a muse like and we all have like different relationships with our muse and inspiration comes in different ways. And I was curious um like like what what do you do like um in terms of finding inspiration? Like is there any particular things that kind of sparked that?

53:36Uh it's it's all either about you know without getting too specific it's either something to do with a relationship I've had uh depression or some sort of addiction issue. So, it's

53:50all of it's one of those three or all three of them and they're all based on something that's a personal experience. Yeah, that's where I draw

54:01Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I was I was I was curious about like, well, do you just listen to more music when you're trying to find inspiration or um

54:11Oh, um I mean yeah, that's just always happening because I'm I'm just a fan. So

54:18I'm always excited when like I find something that like I I can't stop listening to it. I might not write a song out of it or whatever, but I just still get excited when I find a piece of music that like gets me excited and I and I want to just hear it again and hit repeat and hit repeat. Like I'm I'm always looking for that for sure. Yeah. So I'm

54:36Yeah, I'm just going to always be a fan, you know? I love watching music videos. I love watching live performances. I love, you know, I'm I'm always a fan. forever a fan, you know.

54:47Oh, yeah. Me, too. For sure. Yeah,

54:52So, what's your what's your latest? Like, is there anything in particular that you've been like, "Yes."

54:57Yeah. Um, man, I I always draw a blank when No, I've kind of been I was listening to the new I know this God, this just not really not not as of late. There was a few that like a few years ago I found some random bands off like Instagram ads that came through when I was advertising and like so it started showing me like similar electronic bands and there's this band called Chief that's really good out of Long Beach. Um there's one called Thrillchaser that's really cool. Um Churches was a big one for me for a minute but they're they're not like new anymore really. But um but as of lately,

55:38no, I've just been kind of I usually just kind of I don't know, recycle through something I've liked at one point and then go back. You know what I mean? Who knows?

55:47A lot of hair metal, a lot of 80s stuff, a lot of you know um old favorites and and uh if like an older band like maybe puts out a new rock. I don't who it changes all the time. Who knows, you

56:01Yeah. I think this is the thing I love about YouTube, too, is that um you can like get to watch like live shows of artists that aren't even around anymore.

56:12YouTube is great. It's awesome. It's

56:14like this uh just you can, you know, search it and most likely it's going to be there and it's and it's uh it's like, you know, because it used to just be MTV and you'd have to wait and hope you'd see the video you liked and uh now it's you can just go find it and it's there it is and you can just play it. Yeah. Love that. Yeah.

56:33Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah. I know. We um we were talking about like the the you know um Julian Kay, I think. Actually, we were talking about Julian Kay and I was like I've never actually gotten to see Julian Kay. So, um they're going to be playing with aesthetic perfection um and Priest pretty soon. So, I'm I'm I'm going to that.

56:53Okay. I'm pro I I'm gonna attempt to go, but I uh Ryan was uh he was actually singing for the last Powerman tour I did in uh 2019. Um Ryan was singing for Adema. So that was really cool because I got to actually meet him and I like I bugged him. I was like he actually sang on one of the first singles I put out with with Ring of Romance like way back like 2020 And um I bugged him. I was like, "Dude, I'm a huge fan. I'm a total nerd." I'm like, "You're going to sing it. You're going to sing one of these songs." And

57:27he was nice as hell about it. But um but anyhow, but so yeah, so I've been a Julian K band. They're awesome. Um especially uh their first like few records are just super super like big in uh inspirations for me. Um and uh they're still going strong and they're like, "Yeah, they're they're great. Priest is great. Aesthetic perfection definitely huge influence for sure." Um, love love that band. Um, and Daniel Graves, you know, he again was one of those guys I hit up and just randomly sent me back a track and it's it's obviously got the most amount of plays on Spotify because he actually has an

58:03audience. But, um, that was I don't even know the guy. I've never he just did it and and and uh so yeah, thank you Daniel G again for that because uh I'm you know big influence for sure. That'll be a good show. Yeah,

58:17I'm excited. Yeah, I uh chatted with Daniel um several Sundays ago and um like when I was actually um listening to all of your music um I was like, "Oh, that's so cool. It's such a small world that you guys did a track together." And

58:34Which is so nice of him because he didn't I think I I used to usually not I tried not to ever like drop the the Powerman name, but I did in that one because I knew I might be able to get him because I didn't know him at all. I was like, "All right, if this if anything's going to hook this guy, it's going to be this." And uh and he did it. And uh and he asked for nothing and was just nice about it. And uh yeah, and to this day, it's it's still gets, you know, a lot of plays because his audience is he's got a big following. So

59:03yeah, super nice of him to do that, especially since he doesn't know me at all. Um, and then it's funny real quick. We played uh Origie played uh Dark Sportsfest last year and a set of profession played like right before us and I saw them soundchecking and I was too nervous and like weird to like say hello to D. I saw him like tweaking with his gear and I was like he probably doesn't even [ __ ] remember who I am. I didn't say anything to him. So anyways, see I'm still still a fanboy.

59:29Oh, [laughter] I understand. I really do. I I Yeah, sometimes when you meet people in person, it's totally different. So, yes.

59:40Yeah. And I was like, this is years ago. I'm like, he's got probably [ __ ] no idea who I am anymore. But anyhow, um yeah, thank you, Daniel Graves. And yeah, and Julian, check out Julian K for sure because they are like, uh, you know, I haven't been as up to date on their current stuff, but their first like few albums, first two, three special, especially um really, really, really good stuff. like some of my just awesome. Yeah.

1:00:07You know, um I really love that your catalog in Ray Gun just alone and um you know, I feel like it's you're you've brought in collaborators. Um and then you've you yourself have been like a voice. I think it's really cool that you have you've had this like dimension and this journey as you've gone and then settling into like you being the person that's actually doing all the singing.

1:00:33Yeah. Yeah. Uh it it it was a weird the way it worked out and and how it wound up where it is now. Uh definitely didn't see it coming at all uh at all. Um, but it's been really really cool and I'm very again very fortunate and it and it's been exciting because it it opened up this whole, like I said, this whole of something that I just did not see coming at all, even with mixing and stuff and like making videos and like um and like and singing again. All things I'd only just had like, man, I wish I could do that. I want to do that. and

1:01:07and and have been able to you know make it kind of happen on my you know with with minimal tools and and uh you know and and I'm I'm proud of it. I'm proud of the results. Yeah. So it's been very very cool. Very very exciting. Yeah.

1:01:24I think that's such an inspiration. like uh you know I was wondering if you might share any advice for a person just starting out like they're like okay I want to start a project you know

1:01:36uh I would just say especially when somebody's like I just started playing guitar what should I do I would just say man you just play and do what you love and do it because you love it and like you you will put in the time if you really if you really want to do it you'll put in the time but if you're just doing and you kind of like it or you you're not sure what I mean, you'll know because if you you want to do it bad enough, you'll do it and and you'll put in the time, but like put all the time and energy you possibly can

1:02:06into it, but only do it because you want to and you love it and and and yeah, that's the purest thing that's the only advice I could give. I mean, there's no real like there's so many different ways to to do music and make it or make it or whatever and like

1:02:21Yeah. And I'm the last person to give advice to anybody, but like um just do it because you love it, you know? Do what you love and and do it because you love it. Yeah, that's what I would say. And put in

1:02:31I love that.

1:02:32Put in the time, you know.

1:02:36I I I I really love that you say too that if you love it, you'll know it. Like you you will put you know. Yeah.

1:02:43No question. There's like you don't have to think about it. That's like when somebody's like, "Oh, I think I'm, you know, just I'm just in conversation through the well, throughout the years or whatever, somebody's like, "I think I'm going to try this." And it's like they're late. They're late in life and I'm kind of like, you know, they're still kind of searching, you know, and that and that's fine. There's nothing wrong with that. I'm not I'm not knocking by any means. I don't want to come across the wrong way, but like when you when you love something, Matt, you [ __ ] know it. Like music was like

1:03:08immediate. Like I'm this I want to do this. Like this is it.

1:03:12I was like in all in. Like I didn't care if I made money. Like I didn't I just wanted to do it because it was like magical. I was like this is Yeah. Can't live without it.

1:03:24Absolutely. I I I feel like um and especially like when you've devoted yourself for years to something like you know you of course you have to love it because otherwise what are you doing you know why are you doing it? [laughter] how people do day jobs because you know they got to make a living and I've done I've done that too and I'm still doing it but

1:03:47um but and I and and I I'd hit a point with music where you know I was getting I'm not I'm not a young cat at this point anymore. you know, I'm I'm But I'd hit a point where I've been trying and trying and trying and like I kind of like I was like I think it's just not going to happen and I kind of gave up like in a sense like I'm like I'm not going to be in the big band or like get to you know do do these big shows that I always daydreamed about and I kind of let go of it and um I

1:04:16genuinely had to let let go of it. I'm I'm not making this up. And

1:04:21like 6 months, maybe a year later, like that's when out of nowhere, the the Powermen thing happened. And and you know, 10 years later, here I'm in LA. This is this is wild, you know. So don't give up. Do it because you love it, you

1:04:36I love that. That's very inspiring cuz Yeah. I mean, I I I I feel like um Yeah. Gosh, when you were saying like I you know I let go and

1:04:49did it was it was a dark time. It was not fun. I mean I'm

1:04:52smiling now because this happened and it's not going to happen to everybody but like

1:04:56I got lucky and I got fortunate but like I I did I was like [ __ ] it's just not going to happen you know and uh

1:05:02yeah sorry to interrupt you but yeah.

1:05:04No no Yeah. I And I mean gosh, like you said, like it's like 10 years later. I'm like, you've not only played with Powerman, you played with Origy, and you've had your own project, so

1:05:19you know. Yeah.

1:05:20Yeah. I'm I'm still again I I it's surreal and I and I I look around and and sometimes now that I've been here a while, it's like I'm I'm I'm settled in. I'm used to it or whatever, but I still got to look, you know, just look around and go, "Wow, this I did not see this coming." You know, like, "Holy shit." You know, you know, you again ask me 10 years ago if if I was going to be where I was going to be, I would not have said here doing this and having had these experiences. So, I'm very very

1:05:53Gosh, [clears throat] I I I love that. And I I just love that, you know, you just really never know where where life will bring you. Um, you know, like you can end up on a plane to Alaska playing music [laughter]

1:06:09late in the game, too. You know, like a lot of my friends had bands that were, you know, that we all started jamming around the same time, but like they they started getting out and getting gigs and and you know, locally and where I grew up in Santa Cruz and um getting in bands that were winning like the Battle of the Bands and like I was still just in my bedroom, man. I wasn't doing I mean I was playing and I was practicing but I was watching from the sidelines and like I didn't have a band. I was like trying to do my own thing and and uh that was

1:06:33that's that was hard and so it's a trip how certain things can work out, you know, certain paths for certain people. You never know, you know.

1:06:42Yeah. Absolutely. oh um a Phoenix says just keep swimming.

1:06:52Yes. Absolutely.

1:06:53Thank you. Thank you.

1:06:55Yes. Um, uh, Dark Realm, uh, GM is saying, "It's hard to live by the thought because once you are signed to a label, it's all about the life that it holds and you tend to forget that it's all about the music."

1:07:09I I can't, that one I can't, that's a whole different thing because I'm I've always just been an independent artist. I'm not I haven't I haven't been tied to anything. So I can't, you know, if you were to speak to, you know, say Spider or Jay Gordon, you know, like those guys would could could speak, they were part of that big machine and like at that level of popularity where like it is it's a machine. It's like and there is a big level behind it and it's all that. So yeah, I I I haven't had that experience, but I'm, you know, they I'm sure it's a totally different world when

1:07:40you're when you get to that level. I'm sure of it, you know.

1:07:46Yeah. I I I I really like that you have like been forging your own path, you

1:07:53Uh yeah, I something like that. I just I'm just weighing it, you know.

1:07:58Yeah. Yeah. Well, I mean, you know, it's like you you talk to different artists like you know, you were mentioning people that have been on labels, people that are independent. Um and I think the universal thing is really this. It comes down to the music. It really it really does, you know.

1:08:17Yeah. I mean I mean Yeah. Yes. Uh that's a tough one for me to to to 100%. Yeah. If your music I mean there's there's a lot of crappy music out there that gets really popular. I mean, you know, I mean, that's just let's face it, that's just how it is. But I think good music, you know, stuff that it'll find an audience. I I that's what I like to think, you know,

1:08:45finds its audience and people find it, you know, if that makes sense. Yeah.

1:08:50Yeah. I mean you were you were mentioning um you know some of the inspiration for your music that you've written and it's it's deep topics you know that's personal and you know I think it's really like something that I love about music is that you really never know who you can connect with and who you can help you know by merit of being able to share your own you know expression in that. Yeah. And 100% like I I'm I'm just sort of trying to recreate what music the the bands that that inspired me. Like I you know I'm I'm looking at that and what you know I'd listen to those

1:09:27lyrics and I could relate to them and I'm like man I you know that inspires me to try to to express myself in that same way and like you know I'm not trying to help anybody out. I'm just trying to express myself in the most like sincere way that like maybe hopefully some somebody can relate to it. that makes sense to somebody else, you know. Um but most just

1:09:45just trying to put stuff out there that's that's pure and that that um you know comes from the heart, you know. Yeah, for sure.

1:09:55Yeah. Yeah. I think, you know, um, with, you know, with songs that feel like it carries that fire of like this is my honest to gosh way I'm feeling, um, I, you know, there's, those to me are some of the most powerful songs.

1:10:11Of course. Yeah, for sure. And, and

1:10:14it's kind of, um,

1:10:16sometimes I'm a little like, oh man, like I don't know, you know, you're like, should I be, you know, this personal certain things? And I um you know because you never know who's going to decipher what what way or whatever. So sometimes it's a little you know I get a little I'm not shy but just how it'll come across to somebody but um [ __ ] it man. I'm just I'm you know this is how I'm feeling. I'm putting it out there you know.

1:10:42Yeah. Absolutely. I I can understand that. Sometimes you're just like oh man I don't want to say that. Well I guess I have to say that because that's what the song is calling for. [laughter]

1:10:54Yeah. Yeah. Do you um like, you know, I know every song can be different. Um but do you sometimes feel like there's certain words that come to you first before the melodies? Like is there sometimes like certain words that are I'm still figuring that out. It's I've had where like it came I kind of just

1:11:19I usually will there's been a couple where I heard the melody and everything before I even I heard the whole thing like the chorus section in my head out of nowhere and I was like got to get that down. That's very rare. That only happened maybe a couple times. O otherwise I usually kind of I either start writing some stuff or I I start creating like an instrumental track and then as I'm going I'm I'm building lyrics around it and then I kind of just wind up on a chorus and then I got to create a chorus, you know, to to go along with what I've built up to that

1:11:55point. So yeah, it's it's all still just I don't have like a super g set game plan. It's just, you know, do do I'm winging it kind of thing.

1:12:05Unless it lands on my head and then I'm like, "Oh my god, got to got to get that down." You know what I mean? Kind of thing. Yeah.

1:12:13Which those [clears throat] can be gems. It's amazing when those happen when you're like, "Oh, it's a download. It's all coming out."

1:12:20Thank you.

1:12:21I wish that happened more. Like, "Can I have more of those, please?" You know?

1:12:24Yes. [laughter] Yeah. Yeah.

1:12:31Uh we're getting a um so uh Blur Productions photo is saying, "Ty, what up, homie?"

1:12:39Thanks for joining. Thanks for watching. Thanks for listening.

1:12:42Yes. Wonderful to see you.

1:12:45Yeah. No, I I I really I really love I love the whole process and I love hearing about other people's process because I just it's everyone is so different with the way you approach like writing. Yeah. Yeah. That's, you know, and again, that's that's why I'm always following or just interested to see like I'm I'm still a fan, so I'm following my favorite artists and and always trying to like kind of like, especially with social media now, you can you get to see so much content. You can just kind of like pick, you know, from behind the scenes sort of like pick someone's brain a little bit without asking them direct

1:13:18questions. You're kind of like, all right, I see how they did that there. You know, you can pick up little things here and there, you know. So that part of it is really cool, you know, for as a

1:13:28Yeah. Absolutely. I think it's really cool and like um especially when you play different instruments because I feel like it really does change the tambber of like, you know, how things come out and how things end up, you

1:13:42Yeah. Um for sure. Yeah. So I So and with guitar like it was it was totally different. uh like it just the two different worlds for me like playing playing guitar and and regular romance are there's like no correl I mean there was a little bit of bleed through with it with it in the beginning but now it's just it just feels like two totally different worlds and like

1:14:05I'm more excited to work on on putting together like a a ray gun track than than trying to write a a guitar riff as of lately you know like it's been that way for a while now but as long as I'm still creative then that's that's matters, you know. So, yeah.

1:14:21You mentioned um with Ray Gun like um kind of envisioning like an alternate world. I I was curious if you have any like um almost cinematic or like brewing visual ideas like with the tracks like if you were thinking of any music videos or anything of that sort. Um, not I mean some kind of the videos I've done already like I just I basically just once I did the first one, you know, with I just did they're all just done with my iPhone and like um know a partner and like the first time I did it I was I was kind of like really skeptical. Oh my god, I just it's going

1:15:04to look amateur hour and like this. And uh I had some spider from Powerman said, "Dude, just use your phone." He's like, "Trust me." And then another guy from the Powerman crew was like, "Get this app and it'll help it look more like, you know, like a" He's like, "Trust me, it'll make it look way better." I did. So that getting that first one under my belt, um I didn't have a like a vision. I just I just knew I how I I I want had to look professional. I was like, I don't want it to look like homemade, like you know. And there were certain things that I'd

1:15:35see in certain videos from, you know, indie bands. I'd just be like, "Nope, can't do that." You know? Um, so once I kind of did one, I was like, "Okay." Then I started looking on like Pier I found Pure Space. I'm sure you know Pier Space maybe.

1:15:51Studios you can rent like spaces and you know there's there's a bunch of sets that people have used for videos. And I just started picking them. I'm like, you know, I just started going through and being like, "Well, that looks cool. Let's let's just go shoot." I just rent it and and hope for the best. And so far it's worked out, but like um I don't necessarily have like a specific thing in mind. I mean, there's just certain um vibes I know I want. Um and color schemes and kind of just certain vibes and you know, I can't tell you exactly what all those are, but I

1:16:25can tell you if like I see something I don't like, I can definitely be like, "No, that won't work." You know what I mean? So that's yeah, I just kind of wing it and try to find the vibe I like and then go in and just shoot and hope for the best, you know, edit and Yeah.

1:16:41I I'd love to I'd love to get more production behind it. It's just But, you know, like I said, it's just me and and maybe one other person shooting, so it's like I got to kind of like do the best, you know, with what I got kind of thing.

1:16:54Yeah. Absolutely. Well, I you know, I think it just goes back to again like making use of the tools that you have in front of you, you know.

1:17:03Yeah. And like the two newer songs I got like um one I like to put out next. It's the new It's the newest one. It's a It's a recent song. I I'm I'm kind of struggling with like I'm like, "Okay, what can I do that's not just a a repeat of something I've done before, you know?" So, I'm kind of in that process at the moment. Um, and I'm I'm drawing up some blanks at the moment. But, uh, stay tuned because we'll we'll figure something out.

1:17:30Yeah. I'm excited to see what you come up with. Excited to hear the new songs,

1:17:35Thank you very much.

1:17:36Yeah. Yeah. They're coming. They're coming. They're It just uh give it a

1:17:41I got to, you know, hammer out some details, but they're they're they're coming. Yeah.

1:17:44Yeah. Yeah. I think, you know, it's it's, you know, going back to again like taking the time for your process. Like I think if you're gonna do something, it's like, well, what is the what is the saying? Do if you're going to do something, do it right. So, take the time, right? Take the time you need.

1:18:02Yeah. And again, it's that it's that like we were talking about earlier, like the pressure thing. I get that weird thing in my head where I'm like, ah, you haven't put anything out. You better hurry up. And I'm like, you know,

1:18:12you know what? It's like, yeah, I gotta kind of just stop letting that be so loud. Um, and just like you said, just kind of when the right thing comes along, I'll know and I'll and I'll it'll it'll it'll spark and it'll happen. So, um, yeah. But I also don't want it to take too long. Like it's I want to kind of get it going. So, yeah.

1:18:31It's such a bike, isn't it? Where you're like, okay, how much pressure do I put on myself? Right. [laughter]

1:18:40Especially because the songs are done. They're just they're just sitting on deck and I'm like I just have to get like artwork and video figured out and then I can start you know the get the release date figured out and and then I can hit go and then I can you know pedal full speed. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. Yeah.

1:18:58Yeah. Yeah. It's all it's all such a process too like you know it's like um Gosh I mean you were talking not because you were doing the mixing right? You were doing the mixing. So the um the there's a the first Yes. So the f the the full album I did between the lines I did all the the mixing and I I I put out some singles where I there's a couple on YouTube where I did I did the whole thing like the math. It was my first stab and it was like um and it's I did I did basically everything on it. But then

1:19:31when you go and listen to it on on Spotify or whatever, like the Between the Lines album, everything is mixed by me, but it's mastered by David Nazi who who's like Ace. And then the EP, last time EP is all same thing, mixed maybe and then mastered by him. And and um moving forward, the same thing with these two new singles. It's mixing it, but he's mastering it because like he's just I just got to have somebody else's professional better than me ear on it at least, you know? Yeah.

1:19:59Yeah. It really it really does help. And especially like um gosh, you can get really into the forest when you're in in the in the mixing process, I think.

1:20:08Oh boy. Yeah. Yeah. And I I just sort of again I dove into all those things like all kind of at once out of necessity because a it was like I I didn't have the money to to keep throwing at, you know, a mixing and mastering engineer that, you know, I mean, I I wanted to. I just But and the video thing, I kind of did it all at once and singing. So, I was kind of like I was tweaking it and like I I remember doing so many bounces of so many mixes and going to my car and then my stere you know the stereo and

1:20:39then like the t you know wherever I could hear it and like listening to it over and finding that always just be something wrong with it or the kick wouldn't be you know I mean yeah it's a process man it takes it takes a minute you know. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah.

1:20:53Yeah. And it does it really does help to have like an outside ear perspective. Have you noticed that like when you play music for other people, it changes like it you're like, "Oh, I didn't hear that." And they're in the room.

1:21:07Yeah, for sure. Yeah. And and that and that's that's part of the, you know, the magic of somebody else's ear on it. They're like, "Oh, man. You should have done this louder." And I was like, "I thought that was already like really loud." And like And they're like, "No." You know what I mean? So yeah. Yeah. You never you like you said you get you're so close to it you kind of lose perspective sometimes. Yeah. For sure.

1:21:28Yeah. I but it's it's really an inspiration to you know when you were talking about like oh you know I I learned how to do this thing and then I learned how to do this thing and um just being like okay what what do I have and how do I make it with what I have? You

1:21:44Yeah. And I just it was exciting though too because and this was like right in like 2020. Nobody was working. It was like everything was closed and like I so I had all the time on my hands, you know, to to do it and and uh but it was like a big thing. I was like and there was many a time where I started to do it that maybe that first video or first song and I was like I don't know man. This is this I don't think I'm going to pull this off. Like who am I kidding? and uh and I just topped it out and it

1:22:14and it it you know landed it just enough to where I was like okay I can live with that that's good I can let's try to top that kind of thing. So yeah, just kind of building on that initial momentum like yeah, it's fortunately worked out. I get, you know, if I'm unless I'm kidding myself, you know, but you're I'm happy with it still. Now I can look back on, you know, even the first video I did and I'm like, okay, all right, you know, I'm not cringing, you know.

1:22:49I I like that you have like a certain thermometer. You're like, I'm not cringing so it's okay. [laughter]

1:22:55Yeah. Now, so it was, you know, Yeah. Like I said, it was a shooting the video.

1:23:03Then editing. Editing that wasn't I've been such a fan of videos for so long. I know exactly. I know what I like. I know what kind of cuts I like. I know kind of, you know, I just knew that was that was like what not a problem. But I just knew what I liked. I like flashy fast kind of, you know. But um but uh yeah, taking all that on was there was many many many a moment where I was like this is this is not going to work and and I you know it's it's yeah I'm still doing it and and like I feel

1:23:34like it's I'm definitely gotten to a point especially with mixing where I I'm pretty I can get it pretty darn close pretty quick to where I used to have to like do it over and over and over and now I'm like I kind of know what to And for me, I probably could make somebody else's record. That's fine. I don't want to.

1:23:51But I can do my I'm I'm I'm good. Yeah.

1:23:57Yeah. Yeah. Which is huge. I mean, it's it's it's a lot to learn to like navigate the system. So,

1:24:03yeah, for sure. Absolutely. Absolutely. But having that your hands and being able to, you know, not be um waiting around for, you know, somebody else. And I hate to make that sound bad, but when you're like really in a creative zone and you're just that's all you think about all the time and that's all you want to do and you're just like chomping to bits to like come on man, I want to do this just waiting on you to do this thing so I can do the next thing. Like that's where I just started to be like I I want to be able just do it so I can I can do it on my

1:24:33own time and like at my own pace. And so yeah, again. Yeah. So I was I was just so hungry to like do it and I had the time. So yeah.

1:24:45Yeah. And here you are with a body of work. So that's

1:24:49which is, you know, whether it's good or bad, I mean that's up to whoever's listening, but uh I appreciate anyone out there giving it a listen and watching videos and stuff. Yeah. So

1:24:59So where are your um places that you prefer to for people to connect with you? Um, is it mainly through Instagram or um do you have like pre preferred

1:25:10I mean I and I used to use Twitter all the time. I just don't really anymore. I'm on there are accounts for me on there. There's a Reagan one I I haven't follow it. Nobody Nobody engages with it. It's [ __ ] But um yeah, Instagram, Facebook I'm the most active on. Um I don't have Tik Tok. I've really YouTube. I I do all the music videos are on YouTube. Um, I don't post a lot of like updates on there, but but any music video that I've done is gonna be on there and as well as the music, too. Um, Spotify, Apple Music, any of the music

1:25:43platforms, that's all the music is there. And um, and yeah, Instagram and Facebook are are where I'm active, you know, and my my personal accounts are probably more active than the music account, but um, it's me, Bron, both of them. So, you can look up Reagan or Ty Oliver and, you know, Yeah, it's me. Well, I um like we were mentioning earlier, like I love that um when you're following these, like you can actually really digest your work and really like, you know, get to like experience the work when you're ready for it to be shared. So, I like that you have like these completed things, you know, and

1:26:20completed ideas.

1:26:22Thank you. Yeah. Well, I Yeah, anyone that wants to give it their time and attention, like I I really really really appreciate it and uh means the world to me. So, um, and I noticed it. Yeah. I'm I'm It's It's me. I'm I'm the one running it. Yeah. So, so great. All the support and follow is appreciated. Yeah. Thank you.

1:26:43Well, friends in the chat, thank you all so much for for hanging out with us and for um for your questions and um and Ty, thank you so much for taking the time. And um yeah,

1:26:58of course, my my pleasure. Thank you for having me. I appreciate it very very much. Yeah.

1:27:02Yeah. It's been really inspiring to get to hear um not just about, you know, your your experiences with, you know, your other bands that you've played with, but Reagan and like just hearing about like how you've gotten here.

1:27:15I'm just, you know, it's awesome to have somebody be interested in it and ask. So, I appreciate it. Yeah. Thank you.

1:27:22Yeah. Well, dear friends in the chat, um, thank you all again and we will see you for the next episode. Um, but in the meantime, we hope you have a wonderful rest of your day and week. Um, and we'll see you next time.

1:27:36Thank you guys. Cheers. Thanks for listening. Thanks for watching.