Raw. Authentic. Soul.

Dive deep into the raw heart of modern blues with Eddie 9 Volt, an artist who's igniting the Americana scene with a sound that's both timeless and fiercely original.

On Americana Curious, Eddie takes us behind the scenes of his creative world, revealing the passion and dedication that fuel his music.

But what drives an artist to break a guitar in the pursuit of the perfect sound?

How do a band leader balance the relentless energy of touring with the quiet intensity of songwriting?

And what's the story behind a legendary recording console that has captured the magic of countless iconic artists?

Eddie also shares his insights on the power of musical influence and how he forges his own unique path in the worlds of Blues and Americana.

5 electrifying revelations from our conversation with Eddie 9 Volt:

From Metal to Blues: Discover the unexpected origins of Eddie's musical journey.

The Saratoga Story: Hear the wild tale behind his latest album, a story of creative struggle and unexpected inspiration.

Whiskey, Deer, and Songwriting: Get a glimpse into Eddie's unique creative process and the unusual setting that birthed a hit song.

-A Touring Tales: The experience the highs and lows of life on the road, from European festivals to intimate US gigs.

-A Music Console's Legacy: Uncover the history of Eddie's prized recording console, a piece of music history with connections to Amy Winehouse and other legends.

Check out Eddie 9V here: https://www.eddie9volt.com/

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Like a dog on a poach can just chill all night Everything he wonders what's wrong around wrong Some of these away that's open One of the fine sights to rage Running away in the night unspoken I'll be and the Saratoga.

Rain and the rain I don't care to be the biggest artist in the world.

I don't care as long as I can play in front of 200 people a night.

That's all I care about.

I told my manager as an agent, I said, I just want to make a little money.

I've seen the world.

I want to make good music and do the best I can and give the best effort I can.

And after that, let some other kid come up and do it.

I see myself in 15 years sitting on the porch probably smoking a cigar and playing another dog.

Americana music.

Music transforms the world.

And unfortunately, too many are unaware of its profound impact.

Americana musicians are the unsung heroes.

And here you'll join us in exploring these passionate artists and how they offer inspiration and hope for the future.

This show makes it happen in a fun and entertaining way.

You'll discover new music that you'll love.

Hard earned lessons from the road, a story behind favorite songs, a big dose of inspiration for you and your friends, and a good laugh along the way.

I'm Ben Fanink and my co host is Zach Schultz.

It's time to get Americana curious.

Hey there, everybody.

Welcome back to Americana curious.

Get ready to crank it up.

In fact, just turn the dial up right now because today we are joined by rising star and current star, really, who is setting the blues in Americana world ablaze.

Yes, it's Eddie 9 volt.

This isn't your grandpa's blues or your grandparents.

Americana.

Eddie has got that old school grid and fire, but he's also fused it with a fresh, modern sound that's all his own.

He's been tearing up stages from Atlanta to Europe and.

And his latest album, Saratoga, is making waves with its raw honesty and incredible songwriting.

We're.

We're going to dive deep into his musical journey, his creative process, and what it takes to be a blues man and in the 21st century.

Let's get Americana curious with Eddie Nevolt.

Hey, how you guys doing?

Thanks for having.

Honored to be here, brothers.

Oh, we appreciate it.

Growing up, you're.

You're playing guitar at the age of six.

You're a phenom, basically.

But when you're making your moves, people are pushing you.

Your real name is Brooks Mason.

To just name it an old Brooks Mason.

Blues Band.

And you said, I don't want to do that.

I want to step up this genre.

I want to bust through.

So how did we come upon the superhero that's Eddie 9volt?

I promise I'm not a superhero, man.

I was to make a story short, basically I had Tinsley Ellis who was a big mentor to me.

I look him up, he's a great blues blues artist.

And him and my record company, Roof Records wanted me to be called Brooks Mason Blues Band.

And I don't know, I just never wanted to be late.

My favorite artist is like Van Morrison, you know, Joni Mitchell, they do so many different genres.

And I never wanted to be pigeonholed as like a blues artist.

So that's why I kind of changed the name and we came up with Eddie 9 volt just because it's kind of catchy and it's easier to remember than the Joe Schmo Blues Band, you know.

Yeah.

So why, what is there any significance between Eddie.

Early days in the road when we were kind of just going up and down, not really knowing what the hell we're doing, we kind of still do that, but we keep each other up going from late night drives in different cities.

We'd kind of talk in like different accents and mobster accents.

And so somebody called me Eddie and I called somebody else Tony.

And we were just trying to talk like the Sopranos just to keep ourselves awake and.

And then it just kind of clicked.

I was like Eddie 9volt and kind of, you know, because that's in guitar pedals and stuff.

So.

So yeah, just kind of stuck.

Well, listening to your, listening to your story and our research, you get started at such a young age.

And then you went into blues.

So it was like it was Beatles, then Van Morrison.

And then you went deep, deep down in blues.

What was the moment, if you can remember that, you're like, you know what, I'm going to go hardcore blues and stick with it.

I remember the moment exactly.

It was when I was really into a Beatles kick.

Now don't get me wrong, we grew up as a metal band.

I was playing death metal on drums and we only made $6 for the whole band.

And so we were like, we got to figure something.

And so we started listening to Beatles and CCR.

And as a kid, I'm so grateful to have YouTube growing up.

And I would just sit on the couch with the headphones and watch YouTube all night of just these legendary shows and stuff.

And I saw the Dirty Mac, which if you want to do some research.

Y'all might know him, but for your listeners, it was Keith Richards, John Lennon, Mitch Mitchell from the Hendrix Experience, and Eric Clapton.

Anyway, so I'm watching them play your blues, the Rolling Stone Circus, and I'm like, man, this is so great.

And then I look in this black and white thumbnail on the side, it says Howlin Wolf, Newport 66.

And, man, I clicked on that.

And that was the day that I was like, I have to learn what makes this music so great.

And I went on, you know, all the way down to the Delta blues singers like Charlie Patton and Robert Johnson, all the way back up.

A student of the.

Of the genre, basically, of the greats.

Yeah.

I read something about you that you pulled into your parking lot in high school playing, you know, Holland Wolf or these blues grades and the.

That's a true story, man.

Like, they had their.

I only had it for two weeks and then it broke down.

But I remember pulling into the.

I was playing Rock and Daddy, the London Blues sessions with the Howlin Wolf.

And all my friends had their jacked up trucks and they were playing like, you know, Jason Aldean and rap and stuff.

And here I was coming in sounding like I played with Smokestack Lightning.

It was just.

I wish I had a Trans Am.

It would have been a little bit cooler, but, you know, gotta do it.

So who are.

Who are.

What are some blues musicians?

I'm thinking of the old school because I know you're a deep student of it that you'd recommend people go check out.

The Legends.

I love acoustic blues, but that's not really my forte.

My favorite stuff is like Highland Wolf, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker.

And then you get into the guitar guys.

Freddie King, B.B.

king, Magic Sam Albert King, anybody.

I mean, it's so easy with YouTube.

And then you can get.

Or spot hit radio and.

And you can just find so much music that way.

Man.

When I was listening to your music, I cannot believe the range you have.

When in the world.

Because even the music that you're mentioning to me, you don't hear a lot of these guys go up that high.

When did you, like, when did you discover this?

Were you like 5 years old @ the family reunion or now when you.

Talk about musical range or like vocal range?

No, I'm thinking vocal range.

Oh.

Because you're like.

I heard something about you doing like tribute to.

Was it Al Green?

Yeah.

I mean, how young were you when you discovered you had this capability?

Well, I.

I really?

And this is what I tell everybody about singing, man.

It's something that I still don't think I'm really a great singer.

I listen to myself.

I'm fine with it, but I think every singer will say that.

But I don't know.

I just really.

It really came out of a survival thing because I knew that I could have played drums in a band, but I knew that as soon as I got the.

The attention.

I mean, I loved having the attention When I was young, about 13 years old, that's when I started playing out live and trying to entertain people.

And I really call myself an entertainer, not really a singer.

That's an old way of describing it, but I don't know, I just.

I love having, like, background girls like Leah and hang a lot on Saratoga, but sometimes, I mean, those people aren't available.

So that's when I got to tighten the belt and I got to sing really high pitch, you know?

Jealousy you tasted Wasted in your basement.

Hiding from your friends.

Cause you're too high with your halo.

You will find another lover.

I know.

Cause you're too high with your halo.

I love recording harmonies, and that goes back to the Beatles, man.

I mean, I.

I used to listen to those early records, man, and I would just.

I would play the song, the whole album four times to sing each person's harmony.

And that's how I learned harmony.

I'd sing George's harmony one time and then John's, and that.

That.

That's a great way to learn harmony.

Yeah, you can see that in Saratoga, especially the song that.

God gets me every time.

I just.

I don't know how you're going here and there and that way and this way.

Cry, cry like a river.

I freaking love that song so much, man.

So great.

I was trying to write this song.

Cry like a river.

Cry like a river I'm thinking of Love you all the way down.

I'm thinking of.

That's the other one I was gonna say.

That was.

Is one of my favorites on there.

So tell the story.

Yeah, sorry about that.

No, no, that's all right.

Both of them are on my short list here.

Well, I.

I wrote that song.

Cry Like a River was more like a Wilson Pickett, like, Nod all the way down was I.

I was writing it for my wife, and I was really, really trying to make the best possible thing, you know?

And I.

I was trying to.

I go in the mindset of trying to be like Van Morrison, but I'm not Van Morrison, but so I really.

I.

I Broke a guitar.

I broke my acoustic guitar on that.

And what happened was I.

I got frustrated, and while we were recording here, and I.

I just kind of, like, hit my guitar and I saw that I cracked it.

Now, it was not a nice guitar.

I would never do that to one of my nice ones.

It's a cheap little acoustic, you know, And.

And, yeah, I feel really bad about this, but I went outside and I just.

I took my.

If I'm ever going to smash a guitar, it might as well be this one.

And anyway, I came back in, I sang the take.

I was like, I'm fine with it.

But that song, man, I redid that vocal, man.

I redid that song.

Gosh, so many times, man.

And we ended up.

I mean, I sang it like Ray Lamentane.

Yeah.

I sang it like.

I did a version like Van Morrison then.

And then the original.

I finally just went back with the original live in the studio.

We did.

That was actually recorded at my buddy Damon Moon studio.

And I was just like, you know what?

Screw it.

Sometimes the best things are just right off the tape, you know?

But I went out and bought the same exact guitar I broke.

And I said, I'm not gonna get into that.

That phase again.

Yeah.

And then you apologize to the guitar gods.

Well, I offered it up, man.

I was just.

Like.

I said, I'm sorry, you know, but at least I'm not like Pete Townsend, who's destroyed.

Cry like river, baby.

Oh, I cry.

Like the river, baby.

Yes, I do.

Oh, I cry.

Oh, I cry.

Cause your love is all mine.

What's one of your favorite stories from the road?

Knowing how much you have toured under your previous bands and now is Eddie Neinwall.

I mean, there's just been so many, you know, stories ranging from playing Chicago and then ended up having a party with some friends, like, in the 72nd penthouse, you know, that was pretty crazy.

My buddy, I won't mention his name, but that was super cool.

Just really moments just like, what happened at the party?

I got Mountain and Joe Bonamasa's team paid for it.

Very thankful for that.

Just been all over the place, man.

And some of the greatest shows are like, the Ryman.

I've played the Ryman opened up for Warren Haynes and Telluride Blues Festival.

Yeah, I mean, we.

Honestly, we just played a hell of a show in Birmingham, Alabama.

I was thinking we were gonna play in front of, like, 80 people, but, man, like, 250 people came out.

And I've just been blessed, man.

You know, we've.

We've been, I've been going kind of stir crazy this past two months just because we've been off the road.

And that's really when it messes with the musicians mind because I'm used to just outperforming and.

But it's been good to come here and work on new music and stuff.

But yeah, you're moving.

I saw your Instagram post where you said after that show the other day that you were changed forever.

So that really was a memorable experience.

Man, they were, they were singing Little Black Flies.

There was, there were so many people young and old and I was just like, man, it was such a good vibe and I wish we could have spent the night there.

But we had to drive that night all the way back Birmingham to Atlanta is like two and a half hours.

But I got in bed, I think like 3:30 that morning.

But that was all right.

It was fun.

It's rock and roll, man.

I've been listening to a lot of your.

A lot of everything of the move, the music.

But it seems that the earlier albums are more guitar heavy sounding riffing, you know, just incredible playing.

But this one kind of more focuses on storytelling.

Maybe more of an Americana as a whole rather than just a blues kind of.

Tell me about that transition because there seems to me that there is one.

Well yeah, that's a good question, man.

You know, I've always looked at my career as Eddie 9volt.

I always, I always loved the careers of like I'm trying to use.

I keep going back to Van Morrison, but take an example like his early 65 records, like he did blues like he was in a band called Them and you know, I always kind of wanted people to look at you.

Now I'm not saying I'll ever make like a new new wave 79 record but.

But I've always like wanted to have my blues record and then have my soul record.

And now I have my.

I'm in my like Crosby, Stills, Nash and young like 71 era.

And I now I don't even know which way to go.

But I've always wanted people to like go back and I don't know, I want people to say, well I like his blue stuff better which that people do all the time.

People always want us to play like a slow blues.

But I'm like sometime my, my booking agent said no more slow blues, but I'll still do them.

Oh we, we like that on this show because we have talked to people from every genre, so we love the genre busting artists and we include you in that.

Well, thank you, man.

I just love all types of music, man.

Like, like, like the band.

I love so many.

I love so many bands that they, they, they spawn, you know, they.

They have all different types of genres, man.

And nowadays everybody, you know, they want consistency and they want.

They want a record to sound the same way the whole way through.

I think that's.

I agree, I agree.

Is there a.

There's a song, Saratoga, I believe, that was written in an Airbnb and there was a big buck involved.

We wrote that song on a day off and Saratoga, Wyoming, funny enough, everyone thinks it's New York, but it's Saratoga, Wyoming, and we had an Airbnb, and I was just sitting on the dam stoop and I was trying to play really quiet.

I still have the original recording of it.

I'll put.

I should put it up on YouTube one day, but.

And yeah, I was just playing and that little.

I was being real quiet because the neighbor looked really weird and he had like a wife beater and he was like.

I don't know if he was like, flirting with me or whatever.

It was a little weird, but I was just trying to be quiet, do my own thing, you know.

And some of the guys in the band might have Take some, Some.

Some psychedelics and they went off and they went to a.

They went to a hot springs and then they came back, they walked back.

It was crazy.

And I was done with the song, the main part of the song, and I cooked dinner for them.

And then there was like these big old.

What do you call them?

They're not white.

What are they called?

Maybe Black Tail or Sitka Deer, I think.

Okay.

Mule deer.

That's what they are.

And so, yeah, they were just right out front and I was just throwing them carrots from the dinner and.

Yeah, we finished that song at a sound check three days later and we ready to record it, man.

And.

Yeah, and you keep.

I mean, you've been pumping out a lot of.

A lot of tunes, so.

But also, I mean, touring a ton.

So how do you balance the songwriting with the.

The constant touring?

I mean, you were in Europe.

I mean, you've been all over.

Yeah, it's.

It's definitely a balance.

I.

Sometimes I can ride on the road.

Sometimes I.

It's really hard to ride on the road, but it was funny.

I can't get into it really too much, but, like, we just got done with this record with with, with Saratoga and literally I was ready to go home and, and just do the road and focus on road and have fun.

But I got a call from my managers and they said that we.

There's a.

Another possible record label, maybe with Van Arbrach.

I don't know that.

I don't know if I can say too much about it, but if you.

Want us to cut it, we can.

Basically they told me, they're like, yeah, Diane Auerbrock wants to, to meet you and an EZE sound is really interest signing you.

And so I was like, I was like, well, that's cool.

And then they were, they said, they said, well, you need like eight more new songs.

I'm like, oh my God.

So I'm like, I'm writing on the road.

But funny enough, since that was probably November, I've already written another 11 songs.

I mean probably only four will make it on the new record.

But you know, that's why you're Eddie 9 volt.

What's that?

That's why you're Eddie 9 volt.

You have the energy, man.

I just, like I said, life is short, man.

And that's why I said I, I'm very lucky to have this space right here.

It's not a world class studio, but I mean I've made little black flies in this room.

I mean it only goes another probably five feet back that way.

I mean Capricorn was recorded in this room.

Other than Yellow Alligator and like two others.

We did the whole rest of the record in here.

Everybody just piled up in here.

It gets real hot.

I like recording like that.

You know, I would one day I want to have like a little shed, have the old cigarette holders and everyone can smoke and all that stuff and it'd be really fun.

But.

But yeah, man, I'm excited.

I think you'd be great on tour with Black Keys.

So.

I know, man.

Dan's a super nice guy and I hope everything works out.

Me and him share a lot of the same ideas and we love the old blues stuff and I don't, I don't know what kind of music we make, but I'm.

Either way I'm very eager and I'm excited.

That's awes.

Baby girl.

I been thinking about things and lately do you feel the same Somehow we took a wrong turn and lit up on lonely street for a while so tell me show me what you need Meet me downtown at our favorite spot Spirits trying to tear us apart.

Ain't.

It fun how that life just moves so fast but love moves so slow.

Now, while you're in the studio there, could you tell us about the mixing board behind you?

Yes.

And what the importance of that is?

Well, I was telling you guys this is kind of a newest addition to the studio.

This is a Trident console that was previously owned by Daptone Records up in Brooklyn, New York.

And Gabe and all the guys, Gabe Roth, they moved out to California and so they put this on the Reverb shop online and I got a little too much whiskey one night and I convinced my brother and my dad to go in with me three ways.

Now this thing is not like $100,000.

It's not like a super expensive thing, but it was a huge purchase for us.

But records that were on this album, everything that Sharon Jones did, James Hunter and the Six, or what are they called?

James Hunter.

The coolest thing, I think if you type in a video, Amy Winehouse at Daptone Studios, she did basically rehab, Back to Black Valerie, all cut on this board.

So, so yeah, I got it and it sounds absolutely incredible.

You know, I, I, we had to take it to Nashville to get it fixed because we shipped it from Chicago and the dude basically dropped it out of the back of the truck.

Now I don't think that's what broke it, but it was just needed a lot of work.

I need a lot of work.

It's so important for you to have something like that that's been in so many memorable, like legendary recording sessions.

Yeah.

And that's, that's, that's kind of why I bought it because I know there's so many people that could have bought it and just put it in their little, their studio.

A lot of big studios, they buy old stuff and they just set it in the corner just because it looks cool.

I wanted something that I knew that was going to use, I was going to carry on the tradition of it.

Yeah.

And that's something that we love about you too, is because your music, it's got blues themes, but there's a new sound to it.

But a lot of, there's some songs on Saratoga that have this like old time feeling, like you were saying earlier.

So that's super cool.

Saratoga was an album, it, it took way too long to be honest.

And that's why it's so diverse in sounds.

You know, I mean, I make records in a month or less.

And Saratoga, we went out to Denver with some of the guys.

Pat Meese with Nathaniel Raitliff, he's the drummer who they're playing Madison Square Garden Coming up.

That's gonna be crazy.

But so we recorded with some of them out there and we.

It was a lot of going back and forth.

It was right after the pandemic, so it was kind of.

Kind of, you know, weird masks on stuff and.

But yeah, I'm real happy with it, but I think it could have been.

I know I'm contradicting myself about making something too consistent, but I don't know, it's just kind of all over the place.

But I think that's kind of what makes it cool.

Thinking about crowds.

You have toured a lot in Europe, I would say.

I mean, I spent a lot of time over there and in the US So you're an expert to ask this question to what is the biggest difference for an artist playing a gig in the US versus in Europe?

There's.

Well, over there.

Over in Europe, I feel like the festivals and.

And stuff are.

Are done a little bit better.

I just.

Nothing against the American festivals.

I.

I mean, like, over there like that, you can.

You can.

You can get a beer for like five bucks.

Over here, like a lot of these venues, a vodka and vodka Tonic is like $22.

And these festival, they're like 300.

But over there, it's like they.

It's.

They.

They want everybody.

They want the community to come together so that, like, festivals are super cheap to get into.

They have amazing.

Because, like, the cities are spot.

They have like grants and stuff to have really great artists over.

And they really treat you very nice.

But in America, it's just taken us a long time to get to this level now to the really good stuff.

But because there's great festivals out there.

Albino Skunk and.

And Greer, S.C.

telluride is a great festival.

We're doing Hogs for a cause in.

In New Orleans.

But I'd say the biggest difference, other than the fact that the language is so different, but over there, they kind of tend to watch the whole show and you don't know if they really like it or not.

But at the end, they stand up and they cheer, you know, so they're listeners.

They're listeners.

I love both.

I love both places, man.

I definitely do.

I love Germany.

I love Netherlands and France.

I love all that.

The 7th street entry one day you're playing February 12th.

Up here, there's $6 hams.

So I don't know if you're.

That's what I'll be drinking at the show that night.

That's a little pricey for hams, man.

You know, they're tall boys.

Yeah.

Oh, yeah.

We had an off day in Pennsylvania and I bought a 30 pack of hams because I couldn't believe it.

It was 11 bucks.

I was like, I love hands.

I'm a big hamstringer.

So, speaking of the beers there, or maybe not, do you, what are your pre show and post show rituals?

Well, I think now the bands we've been touring so much, so sometimes my goal is to kind of just keep the whiskey back a bit and not do too much of that because sometimes the road can just get so crazy and so you can find yourself really Easy Taking 2 or 3 Shots before your, your show and you got to really kind of cut back.

So I'm trying to cut back a bit, but my rituals, man, just make sure that everybody, before they go on stage is happy, they're in a good mindset.

And if they're not, then we need to figure it out and to get to that place.

But just have fun.

Because even if we're not getting paid a lot of money to do this, we're very lucky that this is our job, you know?

Yeah.

So when's the time?

You don't have to be specific about the city necessarily, but like you were going in, the band was down, you could just tell and the show was at risk and then you did something and then you went out and just annihilated the performance.

You know, we were in Europe, UK and the band was getting pretty bogged out just because it was the end of the year.

We were throwing like crazy.

And honestly, I felt like we've been in a van the whole year, man.

And I really felt like I'd go another place to go eat, the other two would go somewhere, my brother would go somewhere else.

And you need space on the road, man.

But yeah, every time we get on the stage, man, I try to make people laugh in the band.

That's my main thing is I'm trying to make you laugh because same thing in like a studio.

I think that's why I get so much great success in this studio, because people come in here and they're not like, there's no clock on the wall.

And they don't, they don't get really scared because it's a living room and so they can kind of let their guard down a bit.

And that's, that's the best way to get performance from a musician is make sure their guards down.

I love it.

Yeah.

So I read a quote that you said if you had advice for young musicians or just People in general listen to something new every day.

Kind of broaden your mind.

And you were telling us before that you kind of have a message that you implore on people pertaining to music.

So why don't you tell me what we were talking about?

Yeah, I mean, like I said, people just need to listen to as much music as they can.

If you don't like listening to music, read books, you know, just.

Just do something.

I was watching something to keep your mind fresh and everything.

And to that something, you know, to keep your mind fresh and to give it.

Give yourself always something.

Listen to new music.

Take a different route to and from work, you know, go do something different to keep your mind fresh.

And I really think that.

Listen to all this type of music because I'll get obsessed with.

I'll go from wanting to make a record that sounds like Solomon Burke and then all of a sudden I listen to some 70s dub and reggae and all of a sudden I'm.

I'm in here with the echoplex and I'm like the bas tuned down low.

And I, I love, like, I love, I.

I just, I love trying to make music sound.

Because I'll tell you my secret, man.

I mean, I listen to a song and then I will copy that song.

I will copy it as much as I can.

Sound wise, flow wise.

And by the time that I'm done with it, my stamp is on it.

It doesn't even sound like the original, you know, so that's what I tell new artists and everything.

Try to listen, Listen to an artist that you love.

Try to write a song like that.

Because when you write it, unless you blatantly copy it, that's one thing, but it's so great.

And I think it's.

I love the idea of you just not listening to music, but almost like taking the music is like clay and you're molding on the wheel and you're putting the Eddy stamp on it.

Yeah, that's how you grow as an artist and expose ourselves to us, to the music.

Well, that's what I try to do.

Some people, I've had people come in here and they say, well, don't you think you're, you know, blue?

You.

You can't really invent new blues, right?

And.

And that's why a lot of people say I sound old.

Because I feel music goes through these cycles, you know, and take that look.

Then you had Sharon Jones kind of went away for a minute.

Then you had Alabama Shakes.

Then you had Charles Bradley.

It always comes back.

It goes away for a minute.

And I feel like now there's a new soul and blues revival.

And I really feel like people are looking for, like, look at Sturgill Simpson.

He has so much success because he does what he wants to do, right?

And he doesn't follow a guideline.

And that's what I try to do.

I try to just make music sound real.

And I don't care to be the biggest artist in the world.

I don't care.

As long as I can play in front of 200 people a night.

That's all I care about.

Cause I'd rather have really, I'd rather have 200 people that are really into it than a thousand people that are on their phones trying to just TikTok.

You know, we almost got away with it.

We almost got TikTok out, but we couldn't.

So with that in mind, for these 200 people, what's the one thing that you would like them to start doing and what's one thing you would like them to stop doing?

Well, I do it just as much as anybody on social media, scrolling and everything.

I hate this 30 second mentality of like 30 seconds is long now.

I mean, now it's if you don't like something in two seconds, you're swiping, you know.

So I would try as much as I hate Spotify, because they don't really pay.

You go to Spotify, find a song you like and hit go to radio on it and you'll find so many new apps, acts and old acts that you've never heard of.

And that's a great way to learn new music and listen to new music.

But yeah, I would encourage people, I don't know, I've just encouraged people to have a good outlook on life and it all isn't just, you know, Sabrina Carpenter's in front of, I don't know, for some reason, espresso.

Well, what about this show?

So we're.

So Zach and I are both planning to attend your shows in the next couple weeks.

Yeah.

What can we do to be great, Eddie 9 volt audience members?

I don't care, man.

Like I said, as long as you come.

I'm happy about that, man.

Sorry, I went off on a tangent about the younger generation of superstars.

No, that's the reason that me and Ben are doing this podcast is because we feel there's so many great artists like yourself that nobody, not nobody knows about, but people need to know about.

Yeah, you're included.

Well, thank you, man.

Yeah, I mean, you know, you can expect some just real, real good fun.

It's a little loud.

I'd bring some earplugs.

David, our drummer, he plays really loud, which has made me get a bigger amp, which I play louder now, but it's nowhere loud as like, Freddie King.

Is your brother in the band?

Cause I read you guys co wrote a lot of Saratoga.

Yeah, he's an engineer.

So he's here and he books the Motel Sixes.

And Yeah, I mean, Lane's wonderful.

He's actually in the bat doing something.

I don't know what he's doing, but.

But yeah, he.

He's.

He makes.

It's kind of like he's this the B to my A.

How do you say that?

He's like.

He's just as much of the sound as I am.

He makes old man.

He's the one I know what mic to put on an amp or a drum.

He's the one that knows what.

How to mix it, you know.

That's awesome.

What's a misconception that people have about Eddie 9 volt?

I don't know.

I don't know.

What is.

What is the definition of misconception?

Well, something that people believe is true and perceive to be true, but you know what?

It ain't true.

Oh, man, Everything I do is pretty much as honest as it can be other than my name itself.

Mr.

Yeah, do you get like.

When we check into a hotel, are they like, Mr.

9volt, what room would you like?

Funny enough, man.

Our shore manager over in Overseas, Ozzy.

Great, great guy.

He.

He check it don't matter if it's a shell or, excuse me, a bad hotel.

He always checks us in his doctor because they treat you better when you walk up.

Doctor 9 volt.

Well, they don't say 9 volt.

They say awesome.

I think I would want to.

I think I want to know if that.

If your tour van could talk, what secret it might tell.

Is there something we're not telling secrets?

No.

I love Ozzy, man.

He's such a great guy.

But like, yeah, just going over there and saying, yeah, this doctor and professor and.

And it's so funny.

And like, people will check me and they're like, all right, Professor Mason, your room is ready.

It's hilarious, man.

I can see them coming in.

Is there a doctor in the house?

Well, yes, we have a doctor.

Doctor 9 volt.

Yeah, pull out WebMD 9 volt can grab that.

The AED off the wall.

That's right.

And Perform a.

A shocking blues rendition.

No, I mean, that's.

That's great.

I mean anything.

You guys can get to get a slightly upgraded room on the road.

Hey, man, I've.

I have plenty of stories of all the bad ones, but I don't know if it's.

It's fit for the.

The listeners ears, man.

We might.

That might have to be in private.

Oh, yeah.

Well, if there is there a favorite bad one that particular.

Like one night in the hotel, you're like, yeah, yeah, I questioned my occupation that one night.

Oh, yeah, honey.

Man, there was a hotel where a woman busted out of a.

A psych ward and tried to break into our van while we were in it.

Oh, geez.

Then there was another one where we were in Amarillo, Texas, where the band house was so gross.

It was so gross.

There was used condoms in the shower.

Yeah, I didn't see that until I'm.

See, I'm blind without these things.

And I finally noticed at the end.

It was terrible.

Terrible.

They didn't put you in his doctor in that hotel.

Apparently that's the Amarillo penthouse, man.

I mean there's.

There's so many stories, man, of just.

I mean, we.

We played in Tahoe.

We were open up for Galactic in their festival up in Tahoe.

And we drove and we were the only band that really made it other than Galactic.

They couldn't believe it that a Georgia band made it up 10,000ft in snow.

That was up to here.

And.

And I'll never forget, our windshield wipers broke.

So I was driving down the road as a blizzard trying to drive and then see, and I saw the snow plow as, you know, in Minneapolis.

I was coming up and.

And it.

I saw it coming, so I ducked.

And our corn player at the time was just on his phone and so it just went right into the window over my head and it hit him right in the face.

It was like two weeks later he quit the bench.

Man, I can't do this anymore.

He's probably regretting that they.

The drummer and the horn player.

I still love those guys.

Super nice.

Everything's cool.

They.

They quit and they flew from Phoenix to Atlanta.

And we drove from Phoenix to Atlanta.

And man, we were just smoking cigarettes and the whole thing.

Well, I can't say drinking in the back, but it was.

It was like the tension was gone.

And we were just like, oh, this is so nice.

And it was just like.

Like blaring Ozark Mountain daredevils just going down the road, man.

Tension was nice.

Wait, Ozark Mountain.

What?

Daredevils.

You know, if you want to get to heaven, you know that song.

Okay.

Okay.

Well, my friend Eddie, this has been a blast.

Yes, and an electrifying episode.

We.

And we kept him long again, Ben.

Well, that's what we do.

But so what?

So take this anywhere you want.

But imagine, Eddie, 9 volt, like 10, 20 years down the road.

What's your legacy look like?

Man, I like, I just want to make enough money to get out of this one bedroom.

I know this ain't where I live.

I live with my wife up in Kennesaw.

But I want to get out.

I.

I told my managers and agent, I said, just give me enough money to get a double wide.

I've lived in double wides before.

I love them, unless the tornado's coming.

But, man, you know, I just want to make a little money.

I've seen the world.

I want to make good music and do the best I can and give the best effort I can.

And, you know, after that, let some other kid come up and do it.

And if I can give them advice, that's what I want to do.

But I see myself in 15 years sitting on the porch, probably smoking a cigar and, I don't know, probably another dog or something.

I don't know.

I don't know.

I just, you know, creating some sort of art that's probably out of the genre, but it's gonna be awesome.

You know, I've even got a rap album, but I'm never putting that.

Wait, you have a rap album?

I have a rap album.

I do.

I have a.

A space blues odyssey that will never come out, but it's a concept album.

It's 10 track album.

I'll send it to you guys.

It's like Boston meets the Doors meets Paul Butterfield.

It's crazy.

Don't.

Never say never, Eddie.

Well, I would love.

Because, you know, it's one of those things I thought was stupid and was funny, but even the serious heaviest musicians, they hear it and they're like, this is amazing.

And.

And so one day, one day I might put it out with like a.

Like a cartoon video, like on YouTube, like just doing like a whole 40 minutes, you know, video.

But who has time to watch that, you know?

Are you.

I assume, I'm sure you know Shooter Jennings.

Yeah, I mean, he put on.

What's that?

I don't know him, but I know of him.

Oh.

I'm just saying, he put out that Black Ribbons album that was so far out of whatever he did.

I mean, it's great.

And now it's, you know, known as one of his better, his better conceived albums.

So you never say never.

I want to see the Space Odyssey.

I feel like it's going to be a cult classic.

It's not know what to think about it, but I think when I'm 40 years old, I think that people probably remember that one more than anything.

Y'all check out Eddie 9volt Music new album Sarah to on tour get Electrified.

Thanks for getting curious with us today.

Eddie, thanks for joining Zach and I.

For this episode of Americana Curious.

Subscribe where you listen to your podcast so you are notified when a new episode is released.

I'm Ben Fanning and it's been great sharing these artists and music with you.

Until next time, stay Americana Curious.