NITE, in full

0:40Hi friends, I am Tash and this is Unwritten Rules of the Road. Um I am so excited. I am joined today by um Kyle and Miles of Night. Um and uh it's just such a pleasure to have you guys. Thank you for taking the time. I know you guys are about to launch your tour. Um, but really appreciate you guys taking the time to chat with us today.

1:03It is our honor to be here. Thank you for inviting. Uh, Kyle is the other guy. I'm Miles, just for clarification. And we leave tomorrow. So, we're so stoked to just chat before we we blast off.

1:15Oh, yeah. I'm Kyle with the kiss shirt. The K. [laughter] That's how we can tell the difference.

1:21I love it. Yes. This is a good pneummonic. [laughter] Yeah. So, are you guys all prepped and ready to go or do you still have like last minute things that you have to do to put to the tour together?

1:34I think we're ready,

1:36but mostly. I'm actually in our rehearsal space right now. So, once we're done, I'm going to start we just came back from a fly date. So, we have stuff everywhere. So, I'm going to make sure I put it into our our tour cases out of our out of our flight cases into our tour cases. How do you remember like all your things if you're shifting gears from one tour to the other?

1:59Does it come naturally? I [laughter]

2:01I just want to make sure I got

2:03Yes. I'm not We're not I don't want to be for a date and we left some important cable at home.

2:10That's kind of like my goal after this is just to make sure we got every cable, every instrument, that kind of thing.

2:16Yeah. Well, where did um where did you guys fly from?

2:20Calgary. We just played a Terminus festival. Has Alice played Terminus?

2:25No, we haven't played Terminus. A lot of our friends have, but we we have yet to play Terminus. So,

2:29I can I can see that in your future. [laughter] I can I think that would be

2:35that's awesome. Yeah.

2:36Yeah, it was a great experience. I'd highly recommend it. So, I hope Alice gets to play.

2:41Thank you. Was this your first time playing Terminus or have you played

2:46It was our first time in our first time ever in Calgary where the festival is based. So, it's in Canada and uh yeah, I loved it. People there were from all over. There was people from LA and people from Vancouver and, you know, Montreal, everywhere. So, it's not just people in Calgary. So, it's I thought it was a wonderful festival, wonderful

3:06I've heard a lot of people describe it as almost like a reunion, like you end up running into like friends and other bands that you're friends with and like, oh, wow. It's it's such a convergence is what I've heard.

3:18Oh, it is. Yes. Actually, I mean, I feel like that about a lot of festivals uh in

3:22you know, scene of music, I feel that there's always someone, you know, or played shows with before and

3:27I Yeah, just I I think that was awesome. There was actually a lot of people there who've seen us before in random Canadian cities from years ago and I was like, "Wow, I can't believe you even remember

3:39That's really cool. So, you guys have played um Canada before then?

3:44Yes. Yeah, we played mainly on well, I guess the far coast. We we haven't played a lot in the center of Canada or at least Calgary is a little bit, you know, from the West Coast, but there it's not it's it's landlocked. So, we've played Toronto a couple times, Ottawa once, which some people are there from Ottawa, Montreal a couple times, and Vancouver, which those are the easier cities to get to, but Calgary is kind of hard, I'd imagine. Like, I was looking at the map the other day, like how would I route that? Like I guess you could play Spokane, Washington or something, but that would be a difficult routing to

4:16get to Calgary.

4:18Yeah. Yeah. I guess that really is like like you were saying a fly date makes more sense that way. So

4:24Oh, totally. Yeah. And I think that's kind of the whole idea is there's probably so many bands that just miss out on Calgary and there's people there who are hungry for this kind of music. So people turn

4:34was born.

4:35Yeah, that makes sense. It's

4:38She originally Oh, sorry.

4:40Oh, I'm sorry. Go ahead. No, no,

4:42there might be like a delay uh for me, but we're originally from Winnipeg and not a lot of people go to Winnipeg or not a lot of bands go to Winnipeg for

4:51Yeah, it's a very rare tour stop.

4:54Have you guys been back there um to play any shows?

4:58We've actually played one night show there like a long time ago like 2015 or 16 or something like that and that was it was a good show, but it's just it is hard. We've never played Fargo before, so I feel like that would be the closest city. And then after that, Minneapolis. So maybe we could do Minneapolis and then get to Winnipeg, but that's still like in several that's like several hours on the road to get there and a border crossing.

5:21Yeah. I mean, we've we've played Fargo in Minneapolis. Uh we've never played Winnipeg ourselves, but it's awesome. They have great great music scene in both regions. So highly recommend.

5:31Okay. Minneapolis, you know, we've been there, just yet to go to Fargo, so we need to play Fargo one day. I was going to ask you guys if you guys played

5:40Um, so Mankind is obsolete has played Canada, but Alice never has. So we that's on our bucket list. So yeah,

5:48we're your fortune cookies if I can see it in Alice's future.

5:52I appreciate that. [laughter] And you will play Fargo one day.

5:57Yeah. Thank you. Nice. Yeah, that would be cool.

6:00Yeah. No, it's interesting when you're when you're planning um your your routing um and especially if you have like a certain amount of time that you can be on the road and you have to be like, okay, like we were talking about Florida before the stream started. Um and it goes so deep south that you have to be very intentional about your like figuring out what places are possible, you know, when you when you go out. So,

6:24yes. Oh, absolutely. That could be a challenge, too.

6:28Yeah. Do you guys um do your own tour routing and booking or do you work with

6:34For the longest time, we did do our own booking. And actually, this is the first year ever we've worked with booking

6:41So, anything everything prior to this year was our own routing, booking, networking, all that stuff. And it's not easy as you know. And um I think we've had this conversation before asking you guys about, you know, how you guys handle things. And I mean, yeah, it's it's a whole different beast. And I think there's pros and cons to either side. And I think for us, especially with our limited availability, I think this year has been great because our agents are keeping us busy. So, uh,

7:09Yeah. I mean, booking your own shows, I mean, as you know, like you get to pick, but at the same time, um, it's hard. It's so hard.

7:17Yeah. Yeah. I mean, like you said, I could see it like both ways being like the pros and cons of like, you know, getting getting to create your own, you know, communities and networks. But I guess the great thing too because you guys have already done it is that you have a really solid idea probably of where you where you like to tour um like seeds that you've planted yourself and then um Yeah,

7:43totally. I I think for us especially, it's just the cities that we want to return to because we've had such great experiences there. And I think really what we've what we've noticed is just building community or just coming back to these communities to experience something that we've maybe built by opening for other bands over the years. And I think booking, at least for ourselves, booking ourselves, getting back to those cities was very difficult. And a lot of these times we'll be uh selected to be on a tour only for it to be cancelled or stuff like that. And then we're like, well, how are we going

8:15to get back? There's no promise of that. And um yeah, just I mean I think that that's probably why I think right now we're very grateful to to have a booking agent right now.

8:26Yeah. Yeah. Especially if you have a good relationship and you know the tours have been great. So yeah, that's Are you guys um I I I remember um like either reading or hearing somewhere that you had been on Cleopatra and then you were independent. Um are you still independent from a label at the moment?

8:49Yes, we are. We released two album. I'm sorry.

8:54I was probably going to say the same exact thing, but yeah, we released two albums through Cleopatra for the years 2015 through 2020. like just a two album cycle, but uh everything before and after has been self-released.

9:08Yeah. Yeah, that's awesome. Are you um producing the albums yourself or are you like working with other people?

9:16Yeah, actually well the two the two Cleopatra records we actually did have uh we did work with other people um to mix and master the records and uh that was actually great. I feel like independent like it's kind of like the whole booking agent thing. I feel like uh the landscape has changed so much. I I would think actually in favor for record labels right now or maybe not in favor for record labels. It's so easy to upload your own music and create your own music. So I feel like man uh working with record label was great. I think we learned a lot from it. If anything, I I

9:50think the marketing materials from a label is was very useful, but um not being on a label and having the full control to just upload it yourself and then just, you know, collect the little royalties that you got or especially with Band Camp, running your own Band Camp is great.

10:04Yeah, absolutely. And I I mean, it's there's so much that um I think we can do, you know, in this in this particular era as artists. It's like you you really have a lot of access um you know whether it's like your social media or your streaming or things like that like if especially if you have a very strong um vision you know which you guys have been working on for for like consistently for so long. Um yeah it's awesome. I think it's really interesting that you guys have gone from um like booking independently to now having an agent, but when it in regards to a label, it's

10:44like the opposite where you were on a label and now you're independent. I think that's really cool.

10:49Yeah. And I I mean I'm not the kind of person that will be an advocate for no label versus having lab. I think I think as every artist has their own objective and I think that basically you just kind of have to choose the right path that's going to get you down the line further because maybe some people just the thought of using Drokit they don't want to use Dro kid maybe they want access to a nicer distributor uh that kind of thing I I can totally see a label actually helping you with that but uh it just depends on obviously everything is give or take. So if you give

11:21your music to a label, then you give a percentage away. And if they if they do their job and the band does their job, it should be a it should be a working relationship. And that's what it comes down to is the relationship really.

11:34Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, it really is. And then I mean I think especially if you if you have an idea of like, okay, these are the steps I need to go to to put my music out there and to distribute it, then you know that's that's really a big part of it. So yeah,

11:50I can tell you what's hurting us right now is that we are shipping quite a bit of our merchandise to UK and Europe.

11:58But I feel terrible. It's so expensive for our fans over there. I was actually kind of curious if you guys like do you guys have any advice on that or like what do you guys do with your European

12:10So you know what I was doing right before this? I was making boxes.

12:15I'm still Yes. Um and yeah, I feel you. doing tonight before we head out? Just literally packaging everything, doing our last merch drop off.

12:23But I guess with your European sales, I guess, how do you guys just ship it yourselves or do you guys have a distributor there?

12:31Yeah. Um, we've been using like pirate ship um to do all of our shipping, which is great. Um, but I feel you. Like, um, the UK box that I just packaged costs $100 to ship.

12:43Okay. Sounds like there's no there's no way around it maybe for

12:48it's just a burden. I feel bad.

12:50Yeah, I mean, it's a great question because I'd be curious myself. Um I I'm not sure about y'all's um like all the things that you ship, but um we have like a pretty sizable amount of things um in our boxes. Um and so yeah, I'm like it'd be I'd be curious if it might be better if we found people maybe abroad like it might be be able to like help cut that cost because I I feel the same. Um, I feel really really bad about that as well. So,

13:18yes, we actually got an email last night. Uh, we have a supporter who wants to help us with this because she knows that I mean generally especially someone buys a record from us. We're mainly shipping vinyl records is like $60 and that's just Yeah, it's just astronomical and and no one's b the band isn't benefiting from this cost. I mean, yeah,

13:36the the the fan is the supporters not benefiting from that extra cost. It's just so costly. So, if anything, it's just such a detriment.

13:46Yeah, absolutely. Honestly, I'm finding the shipping costs even domestically have been pretty

13:52pretty bad. Like, um, you know, we we did we did our Kickstarter last year and when we were estimating, um, shipping costs, it was literally half of what it is now. So, it's doubled in terms of how much it's costing to ship. Yeah. So, the only the one thing that I noticed that helps is that when it's just like a vinyl or a CD, I use media mail, but um but they will ding you. Yeah. If if you have anything else, like they they won't let that go through. So,

14:19yeah. Yeah.

14:23It just sucks. But yeah, I guess it just seems like everyone's going through the same thing unless you have some sort of distributor, which maybe we might look into if the right deal or right program works out. Seems like everyone is facing the same

14:37Yeah, for sure. No, I think that's definitely I I love that you brought that up because I'm literally like I've been living in shipping tape in boxes. So, I'm like yes, [laughter] I feel you on this one for sure. Yeah. Yeah. And it I mean especially like you were saying like it doesn't benefit the artist. It does I mean and the people that are supporting us have to spend that much more. So Yeah. I mean, it's a big honor that somebody will spend that to get something physical from you, but at the same time, I just feel so terrible because I want everyone to have a record. And

15:12records are I mean, obviously, especially being an independent band, there's no promise of there even being another batch, you know? Uh, so basically, I want everyone to have at least one copy. So,

15:24yeah, then having to pay twice the price to get it is just it's just crazy.

15:28It is for sure. um you know for for us like this is the the vinyl I've been shipping out is our first vinyl and I'm it's like so exciting like you know cuz as you know just to be able to produce a vinyl like it takes a lot of money to do that um so yeah like you were saying it's it's such an honor when you have people that support like wanting wanting that um and that makes it possible.

15:56I'm glad we're not the only ones. We talked to some other artists who were friends with and it is a struggle for each of them and some people have other things like uh one of our we're actually uh friends and we produced her album Tanya Cassette. Uh she she has like a label maker and she has ways to kind of like help with that but generally most people like us are just doing it themselves, boxing it themselves and shipping it themselves. So I mean it's Yeah, it's just a process.

16:23Yeah, it really is. It really is. I feel like I've learned a lot from the process where I'm like, "Oh, okay." Like, you know, and it's given me a whole different level of respect for like people that, you know, are in similar boats. I'm like, "Wow, this is what they went through to like make that package happen for me." So, yeah.

16:42Yes. Yes. And also certain places are more way more expensive than others. I think Australia was was very expensive and Brazil, but yet Europe is not as bad, but it's still pretty bad. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I was curious like when you guys are playing your shows abroad, um, are you like bringing your instruments with you or are you guys using instruments over there?

17:07We are bringing our instruments with us. We're we're bringing basically a condensed version of what we usually use. Uh, which is great. I mean, it works the same. We we only bring one guitar, one bass. There's no if I break my guitar string, there's a replacement there. Uh thankfully no guitar strings were broke during that tour, but uh and we bring we've condensed our synthesizers to these M Audio little uh key rigs and then we have a little Roland synth thing. It's basically the synth brain. And uh that's pretty much it. And then we don't we don't fly with merch though or at least for the last

17:40tour it was about 12 or 13 shows in Europe and we we uh shipped our merch over to Germany.

17:46Okay, gotcha. Lucky with that. We ordered it in Europe and then they shipped it. We

17:53Yeah. We kind of had like a little bit of a buddy deal and then he lived in Greece so he shipped it to Germany which was significantly cheaper than ordering it in Germany actually.

18:01Yes. We kind of shopped around.

18:03Well, we we we got hooked up with a tattoo lady in Berlin and she stored our t-shirts like big boxes like 400 t-shirts or something around that ballpark. And she has a little tiny B uh tattoo shop in Berlin. I was actually very honored that she kept those boxes for like a week.

18:21She also doesn't even know us. So glad

18:26that's some real love.

18:28Yes. We we still Miles and I have to talk like we need to find a way to It's kind of hard to pay people in uh like Europe like in terms of like you can't just simply Venmo them or something like that. So we have to find a way to gift

18:42We would love to like Yes. Honestly, I wish I remembered her tattoo shop so we can give her a shout out. like I don't

18:50I'm You'll probably remember as soon as the stream is over. That's how it usually works.

18:56Yeah. No, but that's awesome. I mean, it it really sounds like you guys have um like I don't know like you put a lot of love into what you do. You put a lot of love into your community and you know it's it's I think you you bring around you like um that same kind of love. So, it's awesome to see that you guys are getting that support. Thank you so much. I mean, honestly, uh, you've been watching us and we've been watching you guys and we've known each other for a long time. Uh, we love that. I think, uh, your passion has fueled our

19:26passion and I love to I love to meet with bands such as yourself because I see I see that happening and I don't see that across the board. So, I just Yeah, I generally am fueled by that. Iron sharp sharpens iron here for Yeah, love that. So, thank you for that pat on the back. I I appreciate just seeing seeing and recognizing the hard work on your end. Uh and also just caring like you're I I'm so thankful that you see that we care. I I feel like a lot of fans could do the cool person thing, but you guys are very open with your fans on social

19:58media and I really appreciate that.

20:00And before we did this interview,

20:02we strive to do that.

20:03Oh yes,

20:04I really see that. Yeah. be before we started the interview as we already told you I'm also grateful that you created you created this community like you're you are doing this podcast this is your vision you're doing and you're getting all the guests and you're talking and the focus really isn't on Atlas which I I find that to be very admirable I feel like the focus is the community aspect or at least that's what I'm seeing and I think that's so cool

20:29thank you I really appreciate that um yeah I just you know when we first started unwritten rules of the road. I was just thinking about how um inspiring I find our our community. Like I I've had the fortune to encounter like wonderful people like yourselves. Um and I just it's so inspiring. I I don't do parties too well, but I love one-on-one conversations, and this is my way of being able to hang out and just have these inspiring conversations with just and and getting to like um like deep dive into like your spark I think is like it's so exciting. So, yeah,

21:10it's a mutual love. [laughter] Yes. Yes.

21:15that is awesome. So, um, we were chatting before the stream about the fact that our, so for those of y'all, um, who are new to nights. Um, we first encountered them in 2016, um, as mankind is obsolete. Um, and we played a show together in Dallas. And I think one of the first things that struck me, um, I thought you guys were awesome, but it was, um, I think being a vocalist, this is what really hit me was your harmonies. It was just so It just felt like um so um unified. It was like it felt like all weaved together so beautifully. Um and like hearing your

21:55music now like I I hear like different evolutions, but it all feels like it comes from the same like heart and soul place. So I'm like, you know, it's different. It's different incarnations, but it still feels like it comes from that beautiful soul still. Um, I I was curious when you're writing, um, do the harmonies come at the same time?

22:14I I don't think so. I think Kyle is a big, uh, component. I think between the two of us, I think he writes the most

22:23But yeah, I think I think it's a big part of our sound. I don't know, Kyle, if you wanted to add to that.

22:28Well, I mean, I a lot of the bands I listen to, like specifically I listen to a lot of 70s music, like, you know, Kiss. I'm kidding. But uh I I absolutely [snorts] love uh ABBA as a kid and I have loved the cars and Miles and I have recognized that and of course Miles and I listen to a lot of new wave and like retro postpunk. A lot of the music that we listen to is retro throwback and there's just not a lot of harmonic uh vocals anymore. A lot of music popular underground is focused on one vocalist. Uh, so I we we just love it so much that

23:07we just incorporate it into our own music. And I I do a lot of what I call vocal choreography with our music, just to kind of add some vocal dynamics that isn't just stacking vocals, but more so adding more harmonic value, that kind of stuff. But yes, I do like it. It's one of my favorite things to do while writing music is to stack harmonies. I do that with with my own songs. And when Miles brings over a song, usually my first ideas to incorporate myself into his songw writing is harmonies.

23:40That's awesome. I I actually am I'm am similar in that way. Like I'll hear I'll hear like different harmonies myself and I think that's why it really stuck out um like when I first experienced your music. So very cool. Yeah.

23:55Thank you. That's cool that you uh even remember it from all the way back then cuz I don't think we've played a show since. I mean, that was the one show we've ever done together, right?

24:03Yeah. Besides the live streams, we did the pandemic together. Yes.

24:08That still counts.

24:10It does count. [laughter]

24:13Yeah. Yeah. But um but hearing in the recordings as well, you know, I feel like there's definitely that, you know, that um ethos which I really love. Yeah. I think it's really really cool that you guys um too like it's like you're you're such great songwriters um you know and I I I love the influences that you were talking about and I don't know it's just like you probably um I don't know it's like it's hard to tell where you're going to be a year from now you know but it's like it's very cool to see just the natural progression of the where the music has gone.

24:48Thank you. Yeah. I I kind of wanted to touch upon something that you said too because I feel like even though we've kind of ch like every album is like kind of a different sound conceptually but yet it's still somehow very much the same and I really can't put my finger on it. I do think to your point a lot of it is just kind of as vocals that's just never really changed and it's always kind of been in that kind of nostalgia

25:11modern ballpark kind of thing or the combination of the two where it's mainly synthetic. Um, yeah. I don't know. I think maybe that's why maybe there's same components just we're using those components in different ways.

25:22Yeah, it's really cool. It's like I guess this is kind of like a play of creativity where you're like, "Okay, like where where will we go next?" But you have like your tool belt, you know, that's that's been with you. So,

25:36Yeah. we kind of just do a concept board like we'll we'll be talking concepts and kind of like song like maybe borrowing from other records but ultimately it's the same stuff just maybe through different filters.

25:49That's really cool. Do you do you feel like there's anything that's currently brewing right now that's like you know part of the part of the vision that's coming up?

26:00Yeah, we got some songs. We actually uh we are each simultaneously working on two new songs uh right before we we leave just so that we we feel like we can turn a page for something else. But I think we have a bank of just about enough songs to complete an album. We just like to write so many songs we can cherry pick what our favorites are.

26:19Yeah. Yeah. I know you guys

26:24Oh, you do already?

26:26Oh, yes. like we kind of have like uh you know sonic templates or inspiration you know like we'll send each other songs and and albums and all that kind of stuff just kind of base our our you know we're two separate writers two separate producers we don't want one guy producing and writing in a different world that the other guy is we kind of want to be in agreement of what we're writing and producing. So these these upcoming are like our bank of 10 songs are are basically all in agreement right now if that makes sense. Yeah,

27:00we've been we've been doing that basically just to make sure that we're on the same page.

27:07Yeah, definitely. I mean, I think I don't know about you guys, like for us sometimes it's like we'll have sort of the intention of of of a concept and then I find that sometimes it morphs like as we go along where I'm like, "Oh, okay. This is definitely a little bit of a different beastie than when we first started out.

27:26I think that would be like what would be the Alice sound basically. So you like you have a concept [laughter]

27:31and then basically when you complete it, it sounds a little bit different than what the concept may have been. But I feel like that's probably what makes you guys you guys.

27:39Yeah. Yeah. It's I don't know. I think it's really cool um like as well that you guys have been like working together like this from the very beginning. Um, yeah. Yeah. Did you guys have any projects that you did together before? Um, or was this like the the main focal point from like from the get-go?

28:01Yeah, we were in a band before, but it was exactly the same. It was me, Kyle, and we would oftent times have a drummer. It was very electronic. It started off that we would have two synthesizers. Uh, one one left hand would play bass and the right hand would play the melodies, and then one of us would play guitar. But then eventually we learned how to like program tracks and stuff like that. And it was essentially the same thing. Our vocals styles were the same. It was very 80s in inspired, you know. So I feel like in a way night really is kind of the same

28:30thing. And we've been doing this since, you know, we were 15 and playing shows in in Dallas where we live.

28:37So u we've been kind of here doing the scene thing for so many years.

28:42Yeah. I think it's really um like Dallas is always, you know, in my mind um because I grew up in Leach and it like if I wanted to go to a good show, I'd go to Dallas. Like it was like I kind of put it on a pedestal. I was like Dallas has such an amazing music scene. So that's awesome that you guys like you know were able to like I don't know test the waters out there and um I know like the Dallas had like the church and stuff, right?

29:09Yes. Yeah. And it still exists. We used to go to the church when it was in a different building, but we've we've yet to go since it moved like many years now. I think several years. But that's cool that you didn't even know about the

29:21Yeah. Lounge.

29:23Yeah. Yeah.

29:24And it was like 18 and up. So like that was our first club experience and we would go often.

29:31Yeah. It's it's cool that you had that experience because I feel like you know every every city and this is what I love about touring. It's like it has its own um community and it has its own like you know culture. There's different you know there's just and it's so many different styles of music. Um you know when we played in Montreal actually I noticed like it was a lot of very symphonic

29:52Um there was a lot of symphonic metal bands and and they were great and I was like gosh I can hear how people can definitely influence each other you know when you when you grow up and playing in different bands together. So yeah,

30:06a lot of great Texas bands.

30:08Did you say that you lived in Montreal?

30:11No, no, just played a show. Just played a show. Okay. And you just recognize that, oh my gosh, there's so many like maybe even researching there's just so much symphonic metal bands.

30:19A lot of symphonic metal bands. Yeah. And it's really

30:22That is true. With places with Dallas, we have a large like in terms of alternative music, most of the bands are active rock. uh if it's not country or funk or something like that. There's

30:34I think that that is interesting.

30:36Dallas is really big on like R&B as

30:40There's not a lot of uh traditional kind of alternative bands in this area that you can kind of play shows.

30:48Metal is probably a larger

30:50That is very true. And but I imagine being in LA there's probably just everything there.

30:55Oh yeah.

30:55Yeah. There's no shortage of any kind of genre. Not at all. Yeah, it's pretty much like everything everything you can imagine. Um which is great. Um because um there's classical music, so you know, if that's that's your focus, like you there's so many different avenues that you can explore that and just all the different subg genres that you can imagine. So yeah, it's it's a great place to to learn and grow and find other people to create with, too. So

31:24I bet you you can find a Viking funk band slap bass, but they have Viking inspired lyrics. I bet you that exists in LA.

31:31I bet you're right. [laughter] I would like to discover this.

31:38If not, someone's going to create it for sure. It's going to happen.

31:41I know. The seed is planted. [laughter]

31:44Sure we now that it's been spoken into the ether, you know.

31:48It's over. There's a Viking.

31:51Yeah. by punk bands.

31:53You made a few predictions so far, so

31:56it's all gonna happen.

31:58Yes. Yes.

32:00So, um, uh, your tour, uh, it looked like it's a really sizable tour that's coming up in both like the US and also abroad. Um, are you guys, um, taking little breaks in between?

32:15Yeah, this year specifically, just the way everything planned out was, uh, taking breaks between some runs. Kyle's a dad, so um it just helps to touch base a lot. And uh this month specifically, August, is going to be wild and probably the wildest touring schedule we've ever experienced. So please, uh keep us in your thoughts and prayers of rooting for us because we are playing an East Coast tour first. That's what's coming up. And then we are doing a one-off in Denver with Dead on a Sunday. And he has his hometown show once a year. And this will be our second year doing it. And then

32:47after that we go to the UK for the first time and Prague for the first time.

32:52That's so exciting. That's awesome.

32:56Yeah. Have you Have you guys been to

32:59Um no. So we we got asked to play in um Usbekistan, which is Central Asia. Um

33:08And also um Algeria, and this was through the US State Department. um they they we were like um running workshops and performing and stuff, but we've never performed in um Europe. So that's bucket list um dream goals for sure.

33:22It's going to happen. It's going to happen. [laughter]

33:26Yes. I love I love all these like positive predictions. [laughter]

33:30Yeah. What we say happens, right?

33:32Yes. Yes. Okay. So, speaking of

33:35one one bad one. We have to come up with one bad prediction before this.

33:38Oh no. Oh no. [laughter] Um, we'll put a pin on the bad one, but

33:45Yeah. Yeah.

33:47Okay. Um, speaking of positive predictions, um, are there any particular places that you guys haven't been that you would love to go to?

33:58Yes. Actually, ironically, I think I wish we could go to Manchester. Uh, and I'm actually ironically wearing a Manchester jersey. It has like Joy Division stuff on it just simply for the historical like a lot of our favorite bands have came ironically from Manchester. Uh I think honestly I I'm I'm very grateful to say that we've been to so many places now that we've always wanted to go to.

34:19Uh like we're we we've been to Germany which the Germany was a country that we've dreamed of playing but never thought we would ever make it. and

34:28we just we did like so many shows in Germany this year in April for the first time and it was such a magical experience that we're already going back. So, uh and we we wanted to do like all of Germany and we were just so grateful that we did that. So, that's a bucket list that actually did come true.

34:43I love that. I love

34:45The question was that we had we haven't been. Yeah. I just wanted to be positive like I think Manchester would be a city we'd like to play but I don't know Kyle if you have a different one than me. I mean, we have played uh in the city a long long time ago that I feel like we only played there once. That doesn't count, but I I I feel like St. Louis is a city that I think that Miles and I should play at least once. I mean, I don't know if you've ever been before.

35:11We love St. Louis. Yeah. It's like actually a regular stop for us. So,

35:16I feel like we need to converge. Yes.

35:19It's awesome. Like we did um we did a little acoustic run last year. Um, and it was amazing. Like people were dancing to our acoustic set and my little heart I was like, "You guys, like you're just dancing to our my little piano." It was so sweet. Um, but they have like the the sweetest, best community. I love them there. So, yes, highly recommend St. Louis for sure.

35:43Oh, yeah. What kind of piano did you

35:45Oh, yes.

35:47What kind of piano did you bring on on the uh acoustic run? Okay, so I found I I don't even know know remember like the name of it, but it was like this foldable MIDI controller. Um it was like an 88 key cuz I play a full keyboard. Um like semi-weighted thing that I can fold up and of course I will remember the name as soon as the stream is over. But at least I was just wondering if it was like, you know, one of those electric uh uh baby grands or something like that where it's still very heavy, but you could plug in have to worry

36:20about tuning it. But MIDI controller fold up. I mean, that sounds nice.

36:24Yeah, it's very light.

36:27It's the closest thing to being able to like um like play the way I like to play. Um you know, of course there's nothing like a real piano, but I it's like it's it's I feel like it's close, you know? It's like you get sort of the weighted feel and I didn't want it to be too much of a hassle in terms of like traveling with it. So yeah.

36:46Did you have like a sustain pedal at least or was it just

36:50Yeah. Not a good idea.

36:51Oh, not not playing with sustain pedals so hard. [laughter]

36:56On the laptop you have to set the release just perfectly right and then just bear through the the muddy moments.

37:02Yep. Yeah. Did you bring a spare Did you bring a spare uh

37:07pedal? Because those things the sustain pedals I feel like the electronic ones I feel like they just stop working

37:12They do. They do. And you have to know their tricks. You have to make sure the polarity is on right. And I love that we can nerd out about this together. [laughter] Yes. You understand?

37:22Right over here.

37:24Oh yeah.

37:25It's awesome. But yeah, but I'm always you I'm always playing with the switch back here and stuff like that. Yeah, that's my that's my favorite guitar pedal.

37:34that was the one that he had the line uh is it

37:36pro line. Yeah. Well, I'm sitting there's a keyboard there's a piano like you know MIDI keyboard right here right in front of me and that's why I have the pedal right here.

37:46That's cool. I actually used to um so early Alice I used to play with a W pedal sometimes with my keyboard which was really fun to do like putting it through the uh the guitar W pedal. So

37:58Yeah. But I always have to have a sustain. That's important.

38:01I I can't do piano without it. Or I mean I just not it's not it's I feel like it's not playing piano, I guess, at that point. [laughter] It's not expressive as or not as expressive without it.

38:12Yeah. It feels kind of like a wet tennis ball if you're hitting against a wall. You know what I mean? Where it's like

38:18Yeah. [laughter]

38:21Yeah. So, um do you guys um both play synth? Um when you're Okay. Yeah. Yeah.

38:30The only thing different that we do live would be that I play bass and he plays

38:36Mhm. Yeah.

38:37But everything else pretty much mirror mirror image kind of thing just because that's how our live it's not that intentional but it kind of became intentional over time that we do the same things on stage.

38:48Yeah. No, it's awesome because I feel like um it's like especially with both like guitar, bass, synth, or you know, it's like it's like it gives you kind of access to do like a fuller sound, I think, you know. So, I love I love that you incorporate all of it, you know. Um

39:08yes, definitely scaled down so it's tourable. Like obviously, you know, every band is no short of some criticism and just we can't bring everything in the studio to a live show, you know, especially if we're coming from Dallas to like a venue like the Milestone like we were talking about earlier. It's a, you know, the stage is limited in space. Your van is limited in space. So, but we do what we can, right? And uh

39:31we're at a point now where we're no longer bringing guitar amps. That was something that we bring every show. uh now we're using ant modelers uh called head rush and that our synths are like compartmental too which we're now flying with those things and uh I think that's for as a touring musician especially if you're going to fly it needs to fit on an airplane.

39:53Yep. Yeah. Also, the the the synth parts that we choose to perform live are not something that needs 12 polifany, you know, uh that's something that would probably be the backing tracks. We would usually play something that's just one hand, maybe,

40:08you know, four polifany max, you know, that's all that we kind of need to to kind of get away with what we're playing

40:15Mainly like lead leads and chords like on a synth pad or something like that.

40:20Yeah. Now, are you guys um touring with your drummer as well or is it just um the two of you?

40:27Yes. Uh we're about to go on. So, what we're about to do is we're going to uh take our drummer with us. His name is Phil. I think when we played with you guys, we played as a duo. Like, this was like before we met our drummer. Uh but, uh he's been touring with us for a decade now. And uh his name is Phil and he is a veteran touring drummer. But when when we were in high school, we were listening to his band because they had like a hit song um on the radio and the song is called My Favorite Scar or Favorite Scar. It's called Favorite Scar

40:58and the band is called The Vanished. And we went to go see what's called the Edgefest here in Dallas. It's a radio festival, but they would have major acts like the ones who headlined that year was the Killers. was the last band. But before the Killers was Mor Romance, and before MOC, it was AFI. And before AFI, it was Muse. And well, essentially like all these top name bands were playing, but Phil's band played that show as well. So, I would have never have thought that that that dude with the Mohawk would essentially be in our band one day.

41:30I love that. I love the full circle and like just the fact like you were saying like you just never knew you would be at that spot. Um, that's amazing. It's

41:41talented talented guy.

41:43Yeah, it gosh it makes all the difference when you feel like um like the right synergy and lineup um you know like it just it's it makes all the difference in the world.

41:54Yeah. Actually, I don't know this about you guys. Maybe you can uh chime in on this, but we we have a variety of ways we perform. And obviously when we flown over to Europe, we played as a duo. It's exactly how we started and it was a bit of a condensed setup, but uh I'm curious if you guys since you guys have multiple members if you have variety of ways you tour or perform. Obviously you guys did an acoustic thing, but I was wondering if there's kind of a plan B thing if certain people can't be on the tour if you have any kind of plan B stuff.

42:25Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I just I feel like as artists, we're always exercising our creative muscles depending on the the paradigm like we're presented with. So, like, you know, you were saying like flight, you know, when you're flying, you have to really think about like how do I pair this down? Um, and you know, so, um, for us, like, um, our last show that we played here in LA, um, the keyboard player that we'd been working with, she wasn't available to do the show. So, Gordon, our bass player, and Scott, our guitar player, also play synth. Um they're they're actually similar to you guys in the sense that

42:58they both play um they play both at sometimes at the same time. Um and I felt like it really inspired them actually. So when she wasn't available, they were like, "Okay, like let's be strategic about what's going on like tracks and then what what can I what can I bring to the table myself?" Um Gordon does live looping, so um I think it informed like what live loops he chose to do. Um, so yeah, and then um Steve, our drummer, also plays both electronic and acoustic. So it's it's kind of interesting when you have like a gap in your sound that you're that you've been

43:35used to and then like going like, okay, how do I create from there? And I think the funny part is the audience a lot like at a lot of times wouldn't know like if they haven't seen you before, but you know, you know, how you're used to things sounding and feeling. So

43:51Yeah. For us, I feel like it's a pretty big difference. I mean, there's the pros and cons. Again, you know, I think uh being a duo allows us to uh basically fit on certain stages, certain sound system, certain venues, as you know, where you played that before. It's just it can't accommodate all the

44:07and or it can't accommodate every member of the band.

44:10Uh so, I feel like there's pros to being just at least for our point to be more electronic focused on our live sets. But having a drummer is, you know, I feel like, man, play just imagine playing an outdoor festival and it's just the two of you. I mean, you can do it, but I just think there's something if we can accommodate for it uh to have some live energy behind us or then sometimes with the drummer, it's like we'll play a tiny venue and it's like that's all you could hear is the drums because the venue can't accommodate, you know, for the whole band.

44:39For sure. Yeah. It's Yeah, it's interesting cuz um you know in talking to different artists that are like either solo or duo artists um like something that I think we've we've been noticing it's like it really comes down to the song. So like if you're um you just performing songs that people are really connecting to, it's like I feel like for them it's just like a matter of like oh just as long as you feel the song and you're getting to experience the song in some form. Um, it's funny cuz our drummer is a drummer, but one of his favorite bands is Depes Mode. And

45:12he's actually said, he's like, "Well, I actually like seeing Depes Mode without drums." And I was like, "That's so funny cuz you're a drummer." But his favorite way of watching Deposes Mode is without drums. But

45:22I wonder what his reasoning.

45:24Well, I feel like the fans are are divided about it. Like I see it always in the comment sections all the time.

45:30Yeah, for sure.

45:31What What was his reasoning to to like to see without a drummer? especially from for him being a drummer.

45:37Yeah. Yeah. I asked him about that and um I think it's just that he really likes the more like electronic approach with dep mode. Um and like you were saying like I think people are really divided about like how they like the experience of it. Um

45:53That that's interesting. I mean I I would I don't know where I land with because one of our favorite bands. I think I like both forms and we do ask a lot of people who watch our shows because they've seen us both like with a drummer or like or without a drummer and we're like what do you think because I don't know did you notice the difference or you know that kind of thing. So

46:11most people most people don't notice literally which is the crazy thing for me most people yeah some they just forget that we have a drummer or they forget that we do perform as a duo. So I think I find that to be the most

46:25we try. Yeah, we try to bring the same show regardless. You know, for us, I mean, I I think we just like the live drums, but it it does come to a head when we're at a venue and it's just like, oh, we can barely fit on the stage and the microphones are going to be picking up the symbols and all this other stuff. So, I think it depends on circumstance, but obviously we love having our people with us on tour and

46:48Yeah, absolutely. I totally feel you like where it's like there is something about literally feeling the vibrations of like live drums and it you literally feel it in your body and which is awesome like it feels very electrical. Um but yeah it's it is I mean you guys bring such a high energy show so I could see how people were like oh both ways is

47:11Yeah. You know

47:12because we're such an electronic band. Ironically, we have live drums on all of our records like from Sleepless and on. Uh live drums are in the recording and I think that we are still very electronic and dancy that maybe that's why people don't think of it because it works as a duo but uh but it also works as I guess the way we produce those drums is to be dable and feels like a drum machine but it's actually Phil drumming. So, uh, maybe, uh, when people see Phil still drama with Fest, they don't maybe just that's why they don't notice that we have different shows just because it's

47:46coming from the same place.

47:48Yeah, I could totally see that. Um, especially I think Depes Mode is similar in the sense that like um, like there's there's something very dable about it. Like so even if that like live drums are being used, you feel like this certain danciness about it. So yeah,

48:03I like what you said though. I think it's about the song and I think that's probably what it is. If if someone knows our music coming to the show or

48:12and they're hearing this song being performed, I think that's probably the best part about it, you know? I think it's that connection with the music.

48:19Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. It's like when you go and watch the artists that you're really like excited about and you have like your favorite songs or whatever and like when that song comes on, it's just like yes, I just want to hear this song. I'm so happy to hear the song. Yeah. So,

48:34oh my gosh. Yeah.

48:35What was the last concert you went to and you had that experience?

48:40So, um I actually got to interview Daniel Graves from Aesthetic Perfection and I got to go to his show afterwards. It was synchronous timing. It was awesome. Um and so yeah, there's actually several songs I was like really excited to get to see live. U and they had just toured in Europe themselves. Um, and so it was really interesting to see um like because I got to see them at the whiskey. I saw y'all are actually gonna be playing there in November as

49:08On this tour was the band Julian K on the Bill.

49:11Yeah. Yeah.

49:12Okay. Yeah, that's um that's so cool. Oh, that's going to be a great show.

49:18Awesome. Yeah, we look we highly look forward to it. We're we're joining forces for this tour. So, I think it's going to be a we're very excited about it. So, we've we've played with these guys before in the past. So, it's cool that we'll actually do a full leg of a tour together.

49:31Yeah, that'll be great. That's such a good pairing. I could definitely see that being a great show. Yeah.

49:36Well, how cool is that that you got to interview Daniel at the same time he's, you know, performing in your city? So, that's also really cool that you're excited about Aesthetic Perfections music as well. Is there any specific songs that that he played that you were hoping for?

49:51Um, yes. I'm gonna Okay, I'm going to look at a playlist real quick because I'm like my favorite

49:57Um, I actually had a couple songs that I just I couldn't stop listening to. Um, let's see. Um, Never Enough was one of them. Um, and he play he played Never Enough. Um, Big Bad Wolf he didn't play and Party Monster he didn't play. Um, but those are like three of my favorite aesthetic perfection songs. So, yeah. But Never Enough was so good. It's such a catchy song. I just went through like a phase where I'm like, "Oh no, I'm looping this song over and over and over. [laughter]

50:28Now I have something to look up, you know, I'll look up those songs for later." So that's awesome. And he also has a variety of ways he performs as well, which uh kind of going back to another point because I guess he has like an old school set and

50:39what he's doing now. Yeah, I think it's it's so cool to see like um like you know he has his like like you were saying the old school sets um and no drums electronics and then like you know like I guess some of the more recent approaches where he has like the full band. Um so yeah and I again going back to the song it's like it's it's just great songs and um great production. Um yeah.

51:06Yes. Yeah, I agree. Uh and he produces as well as everyone here. you know, he does his own uh produces his own music and I think he does it as at a high level which I admire.

51:17Yeah, absolutely. I think I don't know. I've noticed that like um like for people that um like produce their own music like there's a real joy um that people find in the studio. Um which I think you have to because it just it's hours and hours and hours, right, of just focus time. So,

51:36a lot of learning too. I don't know about you guys, but you know, we watched like a plethora of YouTube videos and and and really it's it is I think it's the hours of being hands-on with it to learn what am I doing? And we've also been lucky to actually have people who are professional producers to teach us and eventually those things led for us to produce other artists and do all this other stuff, cool things with music outside of night. Uh but it took many years to be able to do what what we're

52:04Yeah, that's awesome. Well, I mean, if you could share any of the like producers that you've watched or Yeah.

52:13Yeah. Uh, and most of these people aren't really well known. One of the one of the producers maybe is kind of wellknown. His name is David Castell. He's based in Dallas, and he's actually produced pretty big rock bands. One of his biggest records was a from a band called uh, Blue October. And, uh, I want to say he did I I think it's their biggest album. I just I'm not remembering the name of the album. He he did their biggest album with a with I do not remember the name of the album too. Has a has a rock on it like a little

52:42Yes. It's it's it's they're a popular radio band. I don't know if you're familiar with them, but they're they're originally from Dallas. And uh he's taught us quite a bit. Like it was our first experience working with someone of his caliber at that time. And then uh the guy who mixed

52:58Oh yes, the Todies. That was another record or that's another band that he worked with. Um but yeah, honestly our first three records were mixed by different producers. Uh even our first record was uh mixed by a friend of ours named Austin Black and we we got to be hands like we got to be in the studio with him and I think that was our first studio experience. We got to learn a lot from him. So yeah, multiple producers um and some of these guys that we've worked with over the years have worked on commercial like uh music like making music for ads which Kyle I got into as

53:29well which was amazing. And uh so over the years we've worked with so many different producers and every single one of them had like different thought processes processes and how they approached music and uh some of them like were very methodical and slow and then some of them were like in crazy light speed fast of just producing something amazing and uh thanks to every single one of them we took away something amazing and then put it into our own music and and even though they were using different computer programs than It was just something that we could say, "Hey, I liked what they did there,

54:03and I I know exactly how they did that. They sat down and taught taught us how to do it." And I guess there's too many to think, but if if it wasn't for them, I think we learned more from working with people than just the YouTube videos

54:18Yeah. Yeah. I mean, that's amazing that you were able to have like mentors like that. That's really incredible. Yeah. Um

54:27Yeah. I mean if if for like are there any particular YouTube channels that would be a good place to start if people are starting out?

54:35Yeah, I would say so. Uh and I know this may not be what you might think firsthand. Um but Rick Bato during the co time during 2020 he was putting out videos called what makes the song great and basically it was mainly like 90s grunge stuff and it was super inspiring. If you watch those episodes, he actually has one about the cure with just like heaven. And uh one one of my favorite episodes he did was about the smashing pumpkins, the song 1979. And he is the producer in the music industry. So he's able to pull out these stems, like actual like isolated recordings of the

55:10vocals or synth parts in the background. And I think that um even though we've already had the experience of of the years prior of learning from producers, it was cool to hear him do that. I think anybody who's approaching producing should watch those episodes specifically. Now he's mostly focused on like interviewing, but if you watch if you watch those what makes the song great series. I feel like you're going to like learn a lot about how to build an an interesting track. And then there's a a British guy and I always forget his name. Kyle, I don't know. Do you remember him?

55:40Not to get Do you have your phone near you? I don't have my phone near me, but I kind of want to say going back to Rick Pott because he kind of exposed how much production and songwriting go in tandem

55:51because, you know, he'd be uh showcasing

55:54you know, stems and you kind of realize that that's a big part of what makes song what makes the song great is how something sounds, not necessarily just chords and melody. And uh so I I felt like that

56:06was kind of an eyeopening thing for me every time. on it kind of helped me recognize why I liked XYZ song that he

56:15on the more

56:15that sounds great.

56:16On the more technical side, produced like a pro was very helpful.

56:20Yes. Produced like Sean Hurley maybe. He's a a British guy and I think he lives in LA and he's produced a lot of cool bands too. But uh yeah, he he's he's actually shown you and his whole his whole thing is that you don't need to buy expensive plugins or all this expensive stuff. His whole thing is that he tries to in inspire you to use your own computer program the way it comes the way it comes stock. Like it all comes stock with a compressor. It all comes stock with EQ. Those things may not be as good as maybe an expensive plugin, but Kyle and I uh we haven't

56:52bought into plugins or anything like that. We we like to use pretty much our reason software. Um was it last year, Kyle? Uh universal audio. uh I guess I don't know how I don't know the term but they are a light sponsorship they have a sponsorship with UA

57:10so that was our first they gave us tons of gear I don't know if you can see this but you know they gave us

57:14that's awesome

57:15mics uh we have we're connected with the spark uh uh they have like this plugin kind of uh ethos that you can download so we're connected with Spark and then they also gave us a few guitar pedals

57:29yeah So, a lot of gear,

57:32but us starting out, we never had plugins. So, when Universal Audio stepped in, it was our first experience using plugins. So, if there's any young producer or someone who doesn't matter how young you are, but if you're just now starting to produce, you don't need those fancy gadgets to start. And honestly, you can make great sounding records without all that expensive stuff. All you needs maybe just a one microphone and an uh an audio interface and you you got it.

57:58Yeah. Yeah, that's awesome.

58:01I gotta showcase this, too.

58:03This is the audio interface they gave us, too. The vault.

58:06just something that UA gifted us. And obviously the Apollos are what everybody goes crazy for, but it was just so cool to upgrade, right? We we've been using your uh scarlets, you know, forever. Everyone makes everyone.

58:24But now it's cool to have something like a vault. It's better. But obviously when you go into a professional studio setting, people would be using an Apollo. But I I feel fancy using this

58:34But do but do you like it?

58:36Oh, I love it. Absolutely. Yes.

58:38Nice. Nice. So you can tell the difference then.

58:42I can. Especially workflow wise. I can definitely tell the difference

58:46if that I don't know. Uh you guys track yourselves too, right? You guys mix and record yourselves. Do you guys uh

58:55use something like uh a Hua uh Apollo or maybe you guys are using Scarlets? There's nothing wrong with getting scarlets. I just they get me'd a lot about in the production memes, but it's what what are your kind of favorite studio tools?

59:10So, this is a Scott question. Um my studio tool is piano and paper.

59:16Nice. Okay.

59:16Um Yes. Yes. But um but if if Scott wants to chime in about this um Scott,

59:23no pressure, Scott.

59:24Yes. Yes. Um Gordon and Steve also like G um Steve tracks his own drums, so he has his own studio where he, you know, tracks his drums and um same with Gordon. Um I am just very fortunate to have bandmates who know their way around the studio. Um

59:40yeah, I'm here with uh Yeah, I would love to chime in for one second. Yes.

59:46I freaking love I I do own a U80 Apollo.

59:49I've had it for like like six or seven years and the thing is such a beast. It It's sold up for that long and

59:57it's been the centerpiece of like all of our recording, you know, from the vocal tracking um you know, obviously guitar. Steve has his own like studio setup where like he's got like all the 500 series lunchbox like he has some serious like awesome analog gear, you know, that we're tracking through. that, you know, honestly like going through the Apollo, it's just the same. You know, there's no difference to me. So

1:00:19Oh, yes. Yeah. Everyone swears by the Apollo. I I don't think I've ever met someone who hated it.

1:00:24Yeah. No, it's so great.

1:00:27But yeah.

1:00:28So you guys you guys are using the Apollo. That's topnotch.

1:00:32Yeah. No, it's it's great. It's been great. It's was like it was really expensive and um but it's honestly it's it was such a great investment, you know. um spend some time just saving up for it, but you know, it's it's paid it paid for itself, you know, over and

1:00:48Oh, yeah. That's awesome. I believe it.

1:00:50Yeah, I bet. Yeah, that might be kind of what we're building up to as well. That's great.

1:00:55For sure.

1:00:59UA to believe in us.

1:01:01I love that you guys got Scott to come out of the cave. [laughter]

1:01:06Like, I'm happy to just pop her out or

1:01:08Yes. Um he's he's contributing to the chat, right? We have like a chat going on. U but I I guess people people in the chat I don't know if you can see his photograph that we can see, but uh does he not look like he's related to Kyle and I? Does he not look like someone who's in the band night? [laughter] We're a little curious. We we think he looks too much like us. There's something going on. Yeah, [laughter]

1:01:32I know. I think there's a little

1:01:35Yes. [laughter] I mean, he's he's he's way more handsome than Miles Nye, but he also looks a lot like Miles Nye. I mean, let's be honest.

1:01:44I love too that there's like um like a a guitar synth um relation going on here as well and a love for sound and production. So, yes, definitely Kindred Spirits.

1:01:58You guys have a lot of parallels with us, too, because uh you guys also covered a song from Tulle. We covered a song from Allison Chains. So, I feel like there's kind of that synth world covers guitar world kind of thing.

1:02:11Yes. I loved y'all's cover. That was so good. I love the synth approach. Yeah. Oh, thank you. Thank you.

1:02:19We made a a shout out for you guys on Instagram like years ago. I think that must have been when you guys released that a couple. We also released the house and change cover many years ago, too. But yeah, these memories are just now popping up.

1:02:31I love it. I like you were saying like I love that we've been like inhabiting like parallel worlds and you know it's so cool.

1:02:38That's awesome. Yeah, I agree. I see I see the parallels.

1:02:42Yeah, for sure. I I just I I mean it's one of the things that I've really loved about touring. It's like, you know, meeting people that you normally wouldn't meet. Like if we had just stayed um which there's nothing wrong with that. Like nothing wrong with just being in the studio and just creating, you know. Um touring isn't for everybody, but it's something that I find a lot of joy in is just getting to actually meet people where you're like, "Oh, you like that, too, and that's awesome." And we get to play music together. So, it's one of my favorite ways to make friends.

1:03:15Yes. Yeah. And we uh ironically, you know, I know we kind of been teasing Kiss, but you know, there's a few bands that like that, you know, they grew up on Kiss like as if they're like superheroes. I know it's kind of like they're above to a lot of jokes, but uh we grew up enjoying Kiss. Was our first concert ever, but there's a few bands that we played shows with. Uh most notably, uh the band we took on tour with us, his name is Panic Priest, uh from Chicago,

1:03:39also also on our live stream that we

1:03:42He was he was on that show, too. He was on that show. Um but yeah, we we we recently took him out to play some shows with us and he's a kids fan or at least, you know, a childhood kids fan. we have a lot of these conversations and um but yeah, I just kind of love the the little parallels that everyone has in this little small community.

1:04:01Yeah, absolutely. Um uh actually it's it's really cool and uh so uh one of one of our friends in the chat is Cranial Press. Um this is Zach from De Moine. Um said, "A few years back there was a Facebook post um put out by night that said something like Allison chains for vampires. I did a double take and I've been a fan ever since.

1:04:22Wow. Okay, that's true. Yeah. Uh and I I actually think that's kind of what our cover turned out to be. That's amazing. I'm so glad. Um you said Zack

1:04:32was that Thank you, Zach. I'm so glad you found our music.

1:04:36Yeah, Zach is awesome. We've been um working with him. Um, he came up with a, you know, those little I I've been making these little treasure boxes, these little wooden boxes and so he helped come up with that and he's been doing all of our shows in De Moines and you know, just incredible. Yeah,

1:04:53We missed De Mo. Oh, no. We're going to be in De Mo. We're going to be in de Maybe maybe Zach will come see us uh at the Neurolux.

1:05:00In October, I think.

1:05:05What? Or No, it's Iowa. We we we just played Iowa City. Oh, okay. I was getting confused with uh Boise. My bad. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. So, we were just in We were just in Iowa, but we weren't in De Moine. We were in Iowa City. Listen, I'm bummed.

1:05:22My brain tricks on [laughter] me.

1:05:24I understand. Yeah, it's it can get blurry. Um especially on tour.

1:05:29So, are have you guys played in De Moines before?

1:05:33No, we've not been to De Mo. That was our first time ever in Iowa just um like was it the last month or so? It was great and I I really enjoyed Iowa City. The people there were amazing. So if you haven't been there, I would suggest it. But I guess you've been to De Mo.

1:05:46Yeah, we we usually play De Moine, but we've never played Iowa City. So yeah.

1:05:52We love We should play De Mo. You should play Iowa City.

1:05:55Yes. Yeah. [laughter]

1:05:57I like that we're filling the bucket list of places to play. So yes. Yeah. Um, uh, Boise is awesome, too. Um, we've played Boise and Pocutello both. So, Um, oh, so sweet. Um, Tempo Slow says, "What's up? Had to tune in to say hi tonight. This is my first unwritten rules interaction. What's up?" Um, love both your guys' music. Thank you for being here. Yeah. Um, Phoenix is asking, um, what uh, Phoenix wants to know if you like pickles and hot sauce. Never tried it before.

1:06:33I've never had that. Yeah, I never had them. Maybe in a sandwich I probably had pickles and

1:06:37I could actually see that going well

1:06:40Yeah. So, you're fans of individuals.

1:06:43Yeah. We're We're also We love spicy stuff, so I think that would be down.

1:06:49Yeah, that sounds proper. Like a good sandwich with pickles and hot sauce.

1:06:54Oh, yeah.

1:06:55Oh, yeah.

1:06:56Buffalo chicken sandwich. Put some pickles on there. Is this So is this person's name Phoenix? They're not from Phoenix, right?

1:07:03No. No. Phoenix is Phoenix is in Louisiana. Yes.

1:07:07Okay. Okay. So Oh, so that makes it. So maybe this is a Louisiana thing.

1:07:12Could be. I mean, I've I've had my share I' I love pickles and hot sauce myself. So yes, I think we share the same like love for all things spicy and pickles.

1:07:24Nice. Nice. [laughter] Well, I'll try it

1:07:27Yes. highly recommend. I mean, do you guys um like on tour, do you like do your own cooking or do you end up like eating out mostly?

1:07:37Probably cheeseburger, French fries.

1:07:39Yeah, unfortunately. I mean, there's times we'd bring like bread and peanut butter, that kind of thing, but it gets it gets messy and it doesn't last. So,

1:07:50yeah, we end up eating eating out a lot. We're we're lame. We actually we we we like to find chipotles or cavas or uh if you're if you're familiar with cava, I don't know if they made it out every everywhere yet, but anywhere where there's rice and chicken, we tend to stop there.

1:08:06Yeah. Though we can get some vegetables.

1:08:11Yeah. Yeah. Everyone's different with like with their with their go-to touring fair.

1:08:17You guys cook?

1:08:19Yes. I do the cooking. Yeah, I have my little slow cooker and rice cooker that I bring with us. So

1:08:27And spices from the Shire. Yep. Because I like spicy.

1:08:32Oh yeah, we do bring a French press with us just so we can get our cracked

1:08:37We're very much We're very big on third wave single origin beans. Put that in a French press.

1:08:44Oh yeah.

1:08:46okay. This is how you save on a coffee bill. That's smart. we do save money. Well, because like Starbucks is like five bucks a cup.

1:08:54Oh, easily. Yeah.

1:08:55Forget that. You play You get one cup a day, you know? It adds up.

1:09:01This quality this is quality beans, though. It's quality beans.

1:09:05It's a little bit So, we're also getting we're getting better coffee than your normal Starbucks. Nothing wrong with I'll go. But yeah,

1:09:12our blender also uh

1:09:15uh there's always a power outage because we try to use blender. Not every place is able to to handle that.

1:09:20Yeah. the if you if you're boil because we have we have a pot like right a teapot if you're boiling water and you're grinding beans at the same time somehow it blows out green room power so we have to be very cautious

1:09:32I I I kind of have done that a few times I feel yes I'm glad I'm not the only one kind of embarrassing where you're like I'm sorry I blew out your power

1:09:47I wish the only Yeah,

1:09:49but it may have not have been my fault cuz there was just tons of things plugged in everywhere. Like we were pulling from a power source that wasn't inside the green room. And so there was just tons of things plugged into that one source. I couldn't see it at the time. So I I was boiling water and boom, as soon as I hit the grinder thing, like all the

1:10:09lights came down, but it turns out they had tons of stuff plugged into this one power uh power strip. It was just and then into the wall. It was crazy how much power plugged in there.

1:10:19The power was coming the power was coming from another building.

1:10:22Yes, it was coming from another building actually into into a room somehow. So, yeah, it was just

1:10:27it was crazy. But just crazy how the second I hit the button. It was like I it felt like I intentionally turned it off or I had a a detonator or something like that.

1:10:36Yeah, I've I've done that. [laughter] Yeah. Has that ever happened to you on stage? Like power outages?

1:10:44Yes. actually at the m milestone my side of the stage uh dropped power but uh it dropped power mid song came back on so like everyone just ignored it and we played through the set but it it was bizarre like uh the tra the backing track from my side but yeah we we uh like it skipped like a beat basically

1:11:06we just ignored it and kept playing through the show.

1:11:09Nice. Yeah,

1:11:10but that was scary. Has that happened to you guys? Especially we we I know we use stage MIDI lighting so we have to be very cautious. And I know that you guys also use stage lighting as well. So I'm wondering if that's ever happened to you guys where maybe you wish someone communicated to you uh certain power

1:11:28Oh yeah. Um it's happened actually several times. Um so we we were playing uh Wasteland Weekend and it's out in the desert. So understandably power is always like kind of iffy when you do like outdoor things. Um and so the power went out and um Gord Gordon actually brilliantly just grabbed a drum and it turned into like a drum circle. So everyone was like playing some kind of percussion like you know the audience was was was in it with us and then the power came back on thankfully. Um yeah, when and Gordon used to tour with the ukulele. So we would used to write like

1:12:04really silly like you know you spend hours in a van so we'd write the silliest songs with on the ukulele and so like if the power ever went out we'd always have these like silly ukulele songs like poop in a bag like ready to go. Um, [laughter] so it's it's kind of funny when you go from like, you know, your your darker music, your Cynthy music, and then here's the ukulele, guys, [laughter] for our commercial day.

1:12:28Do his own show.

1:12:30He has. And it's so good. [laughter]

1:12:34And that's that makes it even better that it's good. So people are captivated with whatever he's doing

1:12:39at all times.

1:12:41Yeah, he's awesome. But yeah, we've had we've had a few and it's like I think you just kind of get used to just sort of like you were saying, you just kind of like you felt the beat skip, but then you just you learn how to navigate that so that doesn't completely stop your

1:12:58Yeah. I saw it actually happened in Vegas, Miles. I was like I remember this other time where Yeah. in Vegas where

1:13:05Oh, yes. Yes. Yeah. That that actually just literally stopped the show though.

1:13:09That did show. Yeah.

1:13:11Yeah. And that was uh but only for like a few minutes, but it was definitely like the power situation there was pretty sketchy.

1:13:17Oh yeah.

1:13:19Yeah. I saw I saw a Buork show actually and both of her laptops died. So um we actually got to watch her do she was traveling with her orchestra. Um and it was amazing cuz she ended up doing these songs like acoustically which was such a treat. Like I love her electronic stuff but it was really cool to see that side. Um, so

1:13:40that's amazing.

1:13:43Yeah, it was definitely like

1:13:45Yeah, just bring something acoustic with you as a backup.

1:13:48Like just be prepared for something like that. That's crazy. But honestly, great. Yeah. It's It is kind of funny how little hiccups happen like that. But yeah, I was thinking I was like, we've had our share of power outages, so Yep.

1:14:04Dang. [laughter] Are you nice?

1:14:07Yeah. Um, oh yes, I think other people are sharing our our love of coffee.

1:14:14Coffee for me is very necessary on tour. Like I set the intention of trying to like not do coffee on a tour and it usually lasts for like a couple days.

1:14:24Yeah, it's kind of a necessary.

1:14:26It's a good It's a good pastime

1:14:28as well that

1:14:30you sit some you sit around for hours whether you be in the van or in a green room. That just kind of helps pass time.

1:14:36But I also know that caffeine affects people very differently.

1:14:39This is true.

1:14:41I wouldn't blame someone who is trying to get off of it.

1:14:45Yeah. Yeah. Well, what do you guys usually do in your downtime on tour?

1:14:50It is coffee. Actually, coffee is a big part of that. Uh for us, I think I think it's the ritual of making it. Like that's why we like to grind our own beans and use a electric kettle. But I actually think something about that is calming for us.

1:15:04And I don't know, it just kind of helps pass the time. I think you could wait all day for food, but then your food is literally just, you know, what you can get whatever restaurants around. So sometimes there's not much to look forward to. But I think for us, I think the coffee is just enough for us to just feel like some the time goes by, you know, and you have this hot drink that you can sip. Even though we're in the hot summer right now, but

1:15:27we'll still be drinking hot coffee.

1:15:29Yeah. Not a problem for me, that's for sure. Yeah,

1:15:34we actually don't really we don't really do too much venturing out. I I feel like um most days on the road for just about every band is a show day. And I always feel like especially especially when we're a full band, things like sound checks, setting up merchandise, just doing all this stuff. It literally eats up the entire day until doors hit. And then when doors hit, you know, Miles and I would try to save our voice. And that's what the that's that's what we're talking about coffee. That's where the coffee comes in.

1:16:00But other than that, there's not really much time to walk the streets and discover this little cool little knickknack store and buy gifts for home. You know, I feel like uh I wish we did have that time.

1:16:15Yeah. Yeah, maybe if we ever were to hire a crew with us to sell merch or, you know, uh maybe stage tech or stage manage our set, you know, maybe we could just literally walk in and play the show that we'd have time to do those kind of things. Uh but yeah, we really don't. Maybe on a day off, we'll try to intentionally be in a sit down restaurant just to spend time somewhere that's not a green room or a van. Uh, but I think that's or most time those days off are laundry days

1:16:48or or drive days. Like we literally have to drive 18 hours to make it to the other side of the country kind of thing.

1:16:55So yeah, I feel like um

1:16:57it's it's really hard to do those kind of family special moments, but when they when they happen, it's always a good time. One of my favorite moments would be uh eating at Olive Garden with uh Dead on a Sunday and the funeral portrait. We went there kind of like as a joke because uh we're family, right? That's the Olive Garden thing.

1:17:18So, we all pack the place. Uh and that was that was just funny and fun. That was probably like something I would like to do more on tour is to maybe get grab dinner with all the bands on the road with us or something.

1:17:33How about you guys? Is there uh specific things that you guys like to do? Like I know sometimes bands will make sure they get a hotel with a gym in it or uh they'll bring their bicycle and they'll ride around.

1:17:46No, no, it's it's it's it's funny you you mentioned that because it's like Yeah. It's like you get to go to all these really cool cities, but it's rare that you actually get to like actually really get into it. I try to act like if we get to a place early enough, like I do like to at least try to make a little walk around the block, you know, as long as it's safe. Um, and if there's anybody, you know, if there's anybody there, um, Pete's actually in the chat and he's in Savannah and he introduced us to this awesome coffee shop. I love coffee myself. Um, and they had painting

1:18:19at the coffee shop which was so fun. Um, you know, so it's like, yeah, you get to have like little mini adventures when you can, but I feel you. But it's like so often I feel like you have to conserve your energy and your voice, you know, like you you do have to be pretty mindful of that, especially if you have a longer run. Um

1:18:37Well, you're a singer, too, so yeah, I feel like that's another thing, too, is protecting your voice all day.

1:18:42Yeah. Yeah. Especially like cuz we run our own merch ourselves. Um so I I try to ask for help before, you know, before we perform. I can do it after, but yeah. Like I've noticed that if I talk too much before a show I I crack. Like my voice just gets tired.

1:18:59So yeah,

1:19:00cuz that's when all the bands are playing, right? Your openers are performing so it's super loud and there's probably DJs, but after the show

1:19:07there is a DJ. Usually it's quieter music so you can talk over that a little

1:19:12Yeah, totally. Yeah, it's it's like a marathon. And you really have to like pace yourself where you know you're like okay like um you know cuz some I know like sometimes when we have like a really high energy show even though I have in ears you know and it helps you know with that like but you get really into it and you're like okay I really pushed my voice a little bit today um and so you have to back off and you know be gentle within the next day and yeah it's a whole marathon run.

1:19:42Yep. Totally. And we actually do we bring tea

1:19:45sometimes, too. We bring tea.

1:19:48Oh, yeah. For sure. Yeah. That's my go-to drink on stage is like I have a good tea with some honey.

1:19:53Wow. Like hot hot tea.

1:19:56Adds to the heat.

1:19:58It does. [laughter]

1:19:59Yeah. But hey, I mean I I mean it's good for your throat though, so

1:20:03you know, there's a Yeah, def definitely a I mean I honestly actually sounds like a good idea. I don't care how much I'm sweating. I I'll drink hot tea.

1:20:13Oh, yeah. Yeah. I love I love all my hot beverages. Like every single one. Like a good like tea or cider or coffee. Yeah, for sure.

1:20:24Yeah. More parallels. More parallels.

1:20:26Yes. Yes. Yeah. But I mean I I we have had like some amazing um like you know like moments where we're able to spend a little bit more time um you know in certain places that are really special to us like New Orleans is one of them. Um you know when we go on the East Coast um so Scott is from um New York, New Jersey. Um Gordon's from Pittsburgh and um Sarah who's singing backup with us um is also from New Jersey. So, it's like we try to spend a little bit of time when there's friends and family, you know? I It's such a cool way to get to see friends

1:21:01and family when you make like stops on the road and you're like, "Okay, we get to actually stay with some family, you know, in those cities."

1:21:08Oh, I can only imagine. You know, uh, a lot of our families either in Canada or Mexico. Um, and usually we don't get to play in any of those cities. However, we did have a cousin moved randomly from Canada to Missouri. And on the way, we weren't we weren't playing in Missouri. We were on the way to the east coast and we actually stopped at a Chipotle just to have dinner with him. So that was cool. But that's cool that you guys have people from other places to to see that. That's cool.

1:21:33Yeah. Yeah. It's it's it is very cool. And since everybody is from different places, it is it's it's awesome to like some start putting faces together where you're like, "Oh, wow. This is your brother." And to, you know, to get to know people and and their families like that. So yeah,

1:21:50man, that's awesome. Yeah. Oh, by the way, Zach says that if um he knows a guy in De Moine if you ever need help with shows there. So,

1:21:59okay. Yes,

1:22:01we could take that.

1:22:03We need to go sometime.

1:22:04Yes, you do. It's awesome. Absolutely.

1:22:07Thank you, Zach.

1:22:09Thanks, Zach. I see a jersey represent from Pete. Yes, a Jersey transplant because you're in Savannah now. So yes. Yeah, we have awesome contingent of our our East Coast people. So yeah.

1:22:26Yeah. So I guess your band So all your bandmates are based like they live in those different cities.

1:22:31Um no. Well, we all live in LA now except for Sarah. She's up in Oakland or up in the Berkeley area. But um Okay.

1:22:37Yeah. Everybody else is in LA. Just we're just from different places. Like I'm I'm the Texan. Um but here in LA now. So

1:22:44that's cool. Also cool that you're from LVC. That's cool. I love that you know love. [laughter]

1:22:50Not everybody does. So yeah,

1:22:52we've never played a show there before,

1:22:55oh there visiting.

1:22:58Oh, really?

1:22:59Yeah, we we have a interesting story. We kind of encountered a second cousin just because his last name I knew for a fact if you have that last name we are related and we found out that we share the same great-g grandandmother. So that was uh very interesting.

1:23:14That's how we became friends which is wild. So we became Yeah, we became good friends. Yeah. So I went went out to visit him.

1:23:20That's really cool. Wow. Of

1:23:22all places.

1:23:24Especially since most my family lives in Canada and actually even for him, most of his family lives in Canada and Mexico. Uh so it was kind of interesting

1:23:31how that worked out.

1:23:34That's really really cool. I love the small world. That's so cool.

1:23:37Yes. Yeah. Well, especially for us since a lot of our uh family does not live in the United States. So,

1:23:43if we ever played a show in Leuk, then we'd be like you guys when we get to go see some we're related to.

1:23:48I'd be stoked to make that, you know, but I definitely I can see the excitement because I would love to do stuff like that for sure.

1:23:55Yeah. Have y'all gotten to play in

1:23:59No. I maybe hope that is a goal for us next year and hope that we can work that out actually. Uh

1:24:04I would love to play. Have you guys been

1:24:06I've heard such great things. like we've had friends that have played there, but um yeah, we've never played ourselves. Really want to go.

1:24:13I would love to do that. So, I I I know uh a lot of uh Darkwave listeners are out there in Mexico, so it's like, yeah, bring me down there.

1:24:23Yes. Yes. Oh my gosh. I'm sure that um people from Mexico would love night. I could totally see it. Yes. Yes.

1:24:32Yeah. I've heard like great things about like Mexico City and um you know some of the border towns like we've played in Laredo and um

1:24:46Oh yeah, Macallen. Yeah, that's a great city to play shows. Yeah.

1:24:50we played there a couple time. I love that. Yeah, it's as close as we've been in Mexico.

1:24:54we played in uh down south in California. We played in Mexalei, I think. Or El Centro. We played in El

1:25:00Okay. Yeah. Yeah. a long time ago.

1:25:04Yeah, San Diego too is awesome. So

1:25:07Oh, yeah. Yeah, I love San Diego.

1:25:09Yeah, our drummer is from San Diego. So, um, you know, he's got his his family contingent there when we go down there. So, yeah.

1:25:17That's awesome. You guys are from

1:25:19We are. Yeah. Kind of all over the place. But that's cool that you guys are, you know, have family in both Canada and and Mexico. And um did any of your Canadian family get to see you guys when you played in Canada?

1:25:32No. Yeah, unfortunately. I mean, I guess we have some people that we know in Calgary. Actually, uh we did get to see one of our dad's old roommates.

1:25:41Uh he came by and just kind of showed us around the city a little bit. So, that was pretty random. Like, I guess you know what? Yeah, sure. We did get Yeah.

1:25:48Um and that was actually really cool. Well, I'm actually h happy that we've never met him before, but he just came by and drove us around and he took us to a Portuguese restaurant and uh so I felt like there's no Portuguese culture, like Portuguese from Portugal culture here in Dallas, so it was good to eat at a proper Portuguese restaurant.

1:26:10So, I I don't know if you guys have Portuguese You guys probably for sure do, but I don't know if you ever have experienced Portuguese food or

1:26:17No, I haven't. I would like to, but yeah, now I have another thing on my bucket list that I need to experience.

1:26:24Yeah. No, it was great. And I I guess in Canada there's just there's just so much more of that. So many people from Portugal immigrated to Canada. So, uh they just have it was called a club. It was honestly pretty odd. I never seen it before, but it's a Portuguese club. And I guess you can pay a membership to experience Portuguese culture or something like you didn't have to pay a membership to go there, but I guess that's how no one gets paid. Like none of the servers take a wage. Everyone's just volunteering and the food was amazing. So, I thought that was kind of

1:26:52That is really

1:26:53The way you described it, have you ever seen the show I think you should leave.

1:26:57I haven't seen

1:26:58Oh, it's a pretty popular show on Netflix, but the way Miles was describing it kind of reminds me of some of the skits that are on that show. It's It's very cringe humor and uh it's all skits, but

1:27:08I don't know. Check it out. I felt like what how Miles was describing the restaurant experience remind me of like a skit.

1:27:13Oh, no. Yeah. Yeah. If that's your humor, you might I mean, we we like that. There's a lot of skits in there that we constantly quote. So, honestly, if I explained it wrong, [laughter] that's crazy.

1:27:25I will definitely have to check it out. I have this running bucket list now. I like I like that I'm getting lots of little inspirations from you guys.

1:27:33Thank you. Yeah, that show. Yeah, it may not be it may not be your thing. I I think it's one of those things where I hear from friends that it's either you love it or you just can't stand it. So if you give it a try and let us know what you think.

1:27:45I will.

1:27:45It's become really popular. So I I feel like uh

1:27:49because of it popularity,

1:27:50there's probably a little more of a divide if you like it or not.

1:27:54Gotcha. Just depends.

1:27:55It's very It's very awkward. Uh for sure, but it's all skits, so it's not like he's pranking people and making people feel uncomfortable. So it's not like he's abusing the system or something. [laughter]

1:28:06Okay, I will definitely check it out. I So I was telling you guys I have my last run of boxes that I need to ship out. So that will keep me company for my last little run.

1:28:16Yeah. Yeah. Let us let us know what you

1:28:18Yes. Yes. So do you guys both um take care of the merch fulfillment or is it just Okay.

1:28:24We we team up. So Kyle, he he writes all the addresses on the uh envelopes and boxes and we pack them together and I I'm the one who goes to the post office

1:28:35and does the thing. So, so we honestly we're actually lucky because a lot of bands it's just one person to do it, you know, [clears throat] but for us we split we split the duties cuz it's it's hard, you know, it's hard to do that.

1:28:47uh the people at the post office uh they they don't know that we're two people. I

1:28:51they just think we're just one person. Actually, no, actually that's not true because we did come in together one time and they were shocked that we were two different people.

1:28:58Yeah. Usually when our album drops, like you know, like album drop day,

1:29:02we go then we're gonna we're going to have to go to the post office together or it's just going to be one person with stack of packages. Yeah.

1:29:09Yeah. So yeah, maybe on Monday kind of night like tomorrow before we leave for tour, we're going to be at the post office probably together actually because we'll have to separate the

1:29:20Do the post office people um like they recognize you and they cheer you on? I mean, I don't I don't think they dread us because usually when we come, it's like we have a lot of packages.

1:29:31So, I think and I think maybe I don't think they dread us. I think they like us, but I just don't I just when they see us, they know that they have to be put to work. Like they have like, "Oh my gosh, this guy has like 12 packages or whatever." So, I think it might be kind of a little bit like not necessarily positive. They don't dislike us. They're super nice to us. They love us, but they're not like

1:29:51I mean, I shouldn't say they love us. They're not like, "Hey, how you doing? more boxes I see is more of like, you

1:29:57so I if anything they're I think they're very casual with us.

1:30:01Like I they'll have conversations with each other and they're completely like they're talking about their lives outside of

1:30:07working at a post office. So I think at this point they're just comfortable with us. They're just like, "Oh yeah, here's somebody I see every day." So I I did see a post office lady at Costco the other day and she didn't say hello to me. Maybe something there. [laughter]

1:30:23She was kind of like she was doing all kinds of stuff in Costco. So,

1:30:27yeah. She's like, "Oh, it's

1:30:30it's on them." [laughter]

1:30:33Yes. Is that how it is with you guys? Is it kind of a weird relationship or is it a very awesome Oh my gosh,

1:30:39it's pretty awesome cuz I think that like at least in the neighborhood like um they're very like artist friendly. So, they're it's like, "Oh, yay. You guys are doing well. This is great. Like, it's great to see that you guys are shipping things out. So, yeah. Yeah. I was going to say, actually, you know what's been a game changer for me is my label printer.

1:30:59I found this awesome label printer. Yes,

1:31:01that's what we need to do. Yep.

1:31:03So much time.

1:31:04Tanya, I told she told us to do this to to do this ages ago and I just forgot about it. So, we need to do that. That will make our lives better.

1:31:11She She just texted us before I even came on here reminding us about it. The label printer.

1:31:17Yes. Yes, it's like um the one I use is like a thermal printer, so you don't have to refill ink or anything. So, yes.

1:31:23Oh, man. Okay.

1:31:25Yeah, I think Jaden Jaden is the name of it. But yeah, highly recommends.

1:31:30Yeah. Yeah. It makes life infinitely better like and easier when you're like, "Oh my gosh." Like trying to at least take out the steps that take a lot of time. So, yeah.

1:31:42I then we're going to take it very seriously then. [laughter]

1:31:46Yes. We all have our homework. I have certain like series to listen to and now YouTube channels. I'm excited to check out some of the producer channels that you guys were talking about.

1:31:56Oh yeah, you totally do that. Uh I if anything, it's just more inspirational. Like it doesn't have to be so technical depending on which video you watch. And I I actually find the less technical the video, the more inspiring it is to watch and therefore I take more out of it. Um, and I just feel like, man, it just hearing those isolated stems, uh, just makes the world just open up. I'm like, "Oh my gosh, like I knew I heard that in the recording." And that kind of thing. I don't know. Then when you go write your own music, you just feel like being more intentional about every piece to

1:32:25your song.

1:32:27Definitely. Yeah. I always love hearing other people's process like either the songwriting or um, you know, there's different like podcasts I listen to, too. um you know that it's not just about music but just like talk about the creative process that I find inspiring. So yeah.

1:32:44Yeah. That's awesome. I look forward to the new Alice music. I hope you go down that journey and

1:32:50inspires you to write new stuff.

1:32:52Oh yeah, definitely already in process. Like I we have a bunch of stuff that's been brewing. So yeah, just closing off our So we did, you know, really big Kickstarter last year. So once that chapter is closed, um have a lot of new things on deck that I'm really inspired by and um oh I uh one of the artists that I saw recently too was Bad Omen's and I they I thought they were awesome.

1:33:16Yeah, really awesome. It was an amazing show and the music is awesome. So

1:33:21stage production right there.

1:33:24Yeah, it was so good.

1:33:25That's awesome. Yeah, like they've done collaborations with like health and Poppy and you know I just I love I love like um

1:33:34Yeah, it's like there's some really amazing like songwriting and singing and stuff. So yeah, but I've been inspired.

1:33:41I'm pretty sure I they bring stage production at least the videos I've been seeing seem to be pretty cohesive. So is it the same every set? Okay. I wasn't seeing that they're playing amazing venues, but they actually bring their stage production kind of thing. That's

1:33:54Yeah. Yeah, I think um the show I I went with um Steve and Scott. Um I think the singer of health came on stage, too, and they did like a collaborative song, which is really cool. Yeah,

1:34:05that's cool.

1:34:06Yeah. Yeah, it was really cool. So,

1:34:09Yeah. Well, I really appreciate that you guys like took the time. Um I know you you have probably massive amounts of things you need to do before hitting the road. Are you guys um is it going to be a big drive day tomorrow?

1:34:23Yep, that's pretty much it. So, I guess that's why we're not sweating too hard because I mean, tomorrow's just a drive. So, uh, packing the van and driving to Birmingham. So, Oh, it's um, uh, Vanessa Sheet says, "I cannot wait till you come back to North Carolina to tour."

1:34:41Nice. Yeah, we have We love being in North Carolina. I don't know if you saw us in Charlotte or maybe somewhere else. I guess what was it? Greenville. What's the other place? Um, we play in Charlotte. It must be uh Charlotte.

1:34:54Most that was Yeah, I'm getting confused with Carolina, but yeah, recently we played Charlotte.

1:34:58Well, our brains are are mush right now, but yeah, we because we were just at the Milestone, which we've mentioned before. So, yeah,

1:35:05uh we love playing Charlotte.

1:35:07Yeah, Milestone's awesome. Charlotte is awesome. We absolutely love playing there, too. So, yeah, some of our favorite shows, actually.

1:35:14Um Yeah. But that's awesome. I think that's really smart to do a a drive day first. Um cuz it does kind of like ease you into the flow of it. So

1:35:24yes. Yeah. And especially just breaking up that drive. I don't know was like an 11 hour drive or something like that for

1:35:31Yeah. I mean you really shouldn't do it in one day. So we'll I mean we will we'll make you shouldn't do it in a day and then play a show. But we'll we'll make that drive and then the next day play the show.

1:35:41Yeah. Yeah. We're pretty similar with our approach too cuz Yeah. I think for us our max is maybe eight hours maybe. Um, and even then it's like we feel it, you know, but

1:35:52Yes. Yeah. Yeah.

1:35:54Eight hours kind of gets a little

1:35:57Yeah. Good point.

1:35:59Do you guys share driving duties on the

1:36:02We try to. I mean, when it's just me and him, we do. Um, but if it's uh we we bring our drummer, he we use his van and I think he likes the support of his uh he likes the driving seats, the most comfortable seat in the van as long along with the side the passenger seat. So, he does most of the driving. But, I guess I can't complain because

1:36:20then I can just whatever just relax and uh he can do all the uh the traffic jams and the inner city parking and stuff like that. So, I think uh uh he does most of the driving, but we always offer like, "Hey, let us drive. Let us drive." But I think I think he just likes his cozy uh captain chair when we get the uh bench chairs.

1:36:42Yeah. Well, is Philly going to be there tomorrow for this Yep.

1:36:45this run? Okay. Yeah.

1:36:46He plans on being there for all the US stuff. So, uh we'll be taking at least that's the the goal. I'm pretty sure he's on for everything. So,

1:36:55we also bring our own sound guy. So, we have a we're starting to have a little bit of a team.

1:37:00Our sound guy is awesome.

1:37:01His name is also Miles.

1:37:03Yeah. But we call him Mitch. So, if anybody is watching this and is going to come see us live, say hi to Mitch. And he helps us like you were saying before helps us with the merge and you know before the show help us you know with our vocals and does sound for us which is incredible as you know not I don't know. Yeah he just having him around has changed the game for us and has helped our our lives just be much easier.

1:37:25Yeah it's awesome when you find somebody that really understands your sound and your setup and stuff. It really makes a huge difference. For sure. Yeah.

1:37:34Yeah. Well, you guys, um, uh, yeah,

1:37:38to everyone in the chat, thank you so much for hanging out, um, and for supporting our wonderful friends in Knights. Um, if they come through your city, go and check them out. They are an incredible show. They're incredible people. Um, is it we are the knight.com is the best preferred way to get a hold of you guys or

1:38:00And you're on all the socials as well.

1:38:02Yep. And it's the same thing as we are the night. It's spelled nit. So, thank you, Tash.

1:38:07Yes. Yes. Well, best of luck on your tour out there. Um, so excited and I'm excited you're coming to LA. It'll be awesome to see you guys live again.

1:38:17We are excited, too. And I look forward to seeing you in person again.

1:38:22Yes. Well, many loves to you all