Summary

Teal Collins and Josh Zee, the powerhouse duo behind The Mother Truckers, are here to take us on a ride through their musical journey that's as untamed as a wild rodeo. They open up about how their family backgrounds sparked their creative fire. Teal’s dad, a jazz DJ, handed her a Les Paul electric guitar, while Josh's father, a folk singer, laid the foundation for his evolution into hard rock. They talk about their shift from California to the buzzing music scene in Austin and how it influenced the sound of their band. Now, with their latest album, Van Tour, they’ve embraced the DIY approach, self-producing the record with a level of freedom that’s made the whole process feel like an adventure. Between the humor and heartfelt stories, they reflect on the highs and lows of touring, the close-knit community with fellow musicians, and the genuine connection they feel with their fans. This episode is a celebration of the grind, the groove, and the joy of making music on their own terms.

Show Notes

1. Musicians Teal Collins and Josh Zee of The Mother Truckers join Sloane on Country Fried Rock to share their musical journeys and creative inspirations.
2. Teal discusses her early musical influences, particularly her father, a jazz DJ, who gifted her a Les Paul electric guitar, an instrument she still uses on stage today.
3. Josh talks about his upbringing, focusing on how his father shaped his love for music in the 80s, especially during the era of iconic guitar solos in rock.
4. They reminisce about their early band experiences and the challenges of breaking into the music scene, blending humor with reflections on their artistic growth.
5. The conversation shifts to their move to Austin, Texas, where they found a supportive and thriving music community that played a significant role in their success.
6. The duo discusses their latest album, Van Tour, emphasizing the freedom of creating music without the constraints of traditional record labels.
7. They provide a sneak peek into their upcoming U.S. and European tours, building anticipation for what’s next on the horizon.

Chapters

1. 00:00 - Introduction to Country Fried Rock
2. 02:21 - The Origins of the Mother Truckers
3. 06:46 - Run for Freedom: The Journey of Independence
4. 08:45 - Exploring Musical Influences and Inspirations
5. 11:51 - The Collaborative Process of Songwriting
6. 16:01 - Reflections on Touring and Connection

Takeaways

1. Teal and Josh talk about how their roots shaped the sound and style of The Mother Truckers.
2. The band shares how important collaboration is in their songwriting, letting creativity flow without too many rules.
3. Moving to Austin was a game-changer for them, opening up more opportunities and introducing them to a supportive music scene.
4. Their new album Van Tour marks a moment of freedom from the industry's pressures, making music fun again.
5. They reflect on the joy of connecting with fans on tour, building a sense of community through their music.
6. Their easy-going conversations about past influences add a personal touch to their story, showing how music is both a passion and a journey for them.

Mentioned in this Episode

1. The Mother Truckers
2. Little Steven's Underground Garage
3. Sirius
4. Stonehoney
5. Elmore James
6. Muddy Waters
7. Johnny Cash
8. Willie Nelson
9. George Jones
10. Hank Williams
11. Merle Haggard
12. AC/DC
13. The Rolling Stones
14. The Beatles
15. Kenny Loggins
16. Olivia Newton-John
17. REO Speedwagon
18. Les Paul

Recommended If You Like

Country Fried Rock, Mother Truckers, Teal Collins, Josh Zee, Austin music scene, songwriting process, creative inspiration, guitar stories, van tour, independent music, music collaboration, live performances, roots music, album releases, touring Europe, Little Steven's Underground Garage, music influences, band interviews, Americana music, creative journey, musicians' stories

Transcript

Speaker A

00:00:00.800 - 00:00:09.040

Welcome to Country Fried Rock, where we talk with musicians to find out what inspires their creativity. Country Fried Rock music uncovered.

Speaker B

00:00:09.120 - 00:00:11.840

Hey, Teal. This is Sloan from Country Fried Rock.

Speaker C

00:00:12.000 - 00:00:13.440

Hi, Sloan. How are you?

Speaker B

00:00:13.600 - 00:00:15.200

I am doing well. How are you?

Speaker C

00:00:15.440 - 00:00:16.640

I'm great, thanks.

Speaker B

00:00:16.720 - 00:00:19.760

Thanks so much for both of y' all being with us here on Country Fried Rock.

Speaker C

00:00:19.840 - 00:00:20.960

Thanks for having us.

Speaker B

00:00:21.120 - 00:00:30.920

We've got Teal Collins and Josh Z. Chatting with us today. The Mother Truckers of Austin, Texas. Got major things happening these days. Yes, Teal, you are one bad mama jama.

Speaker C

00:00:31.800 - 00:00:34.360

Thank you. Thank you so much.

Speaker B

00:00:35.000 - 00:00:38.120

How on earth did you end up where you are now, musically?

Speaker C

00:00:38.600 - 00:00:56.680

I actually took up guitar when I was about 16. I first took up ukulele. My dad taught me the ukulele. And then I took up guitar when I was about 16.

My dad, who was a jazz disc jockey, was friends with Les Paul. Les Paul gave me my first electric guitar that I still play on stage every night with the Mother Truckers.

Speaker B

00:00:57.140 - 00:00:58.340

That's awesome.

Speaker C

00:00:58.740 - 00:01:23.590

One of my first bands, tradition, it was called, they had me sing a song, and I was kind of scared because I hadn't really. I always sang in my bedroom but never really sang out.

And I realized at that moment it was sure a lot easier than all these strings and frets and fingers. So I put down the guitar and started singing full time, you know, and then picked up the guitar again years later with this band. Been just great.

Speaker B

00:01:24.230 - 00:01:26.870

That is a great story. So what about you, Josh?

Speaker D

00:01:27.190 - 00:01:53.230

Well, my dad also was a musician. He could kind of play everything. He's a folk singer. He's taught me guitar. You know, I like hard rock stuff. I grew up in the 80s.

Guitar was everything. Even Olivia Newton John had a single out, but she had to have some blazing guitar solo or Kenny Logging. Everyone had to have a shredding guitar solo.

That was the time. So that's what I wanted to do and still am working on it to this day.

Speaker B

00:01:53.230 - 00:01:58.690

I guarantee this is the time anyone's ever referenced Olivia Newton John or Kenny Loggins on this show.

Speaker D

00:01:59.890 - 00:02:08.050

Yeah, well, I did it to illustrate a point of how prevalent and ubiquitous the shredding guitar solo was as a child. For me, sure.

Speaker C

00:02:08.050 - 00:02:11.290

Aria speedwagon, too. They had a shredder in the middle. Yeah.

Speaker D

00:02:11.290 - 00:02:18.290

Gary Rich Rath. He was pretty good. Yeah, There you go, Ari. SV Rock and Newton John and Kenny Loggins.

Speaker B

00:02:18.290 - 00:02:21.730

There you go. What led to the development of this.

Speaker A

00:02:21.730 - 00:02:23.010

Band with the Mother Truckers?

Speaker D

00:02:23.580 - 00:03:15.290

I was in a sort of hard rock, alternative, so to speak, band in the late 90s because the band was called Pro Team, and we had a couple of major label records out, and the whole thing kind of fell apart the way most record deals do. And I just wanted to do something really different than what I had been doing now.

I always had enjoyed the more rootsy, sort of country, bluesy stuff. I just started writing songs in that style, not orderly with a plan.

And once I had a sort of a couple batch of songs, started looking for band members, I knew I was never a good singer anyway, so I figured I need to find myself a good singer. So. Till and I had known each other for a long time. We grew up in the Bay Area together, so I already had my eye on her for a long time.

And it was just sort of natural. I just said, hey, do you know any. You know, any women who play the ukulele and sing that might want to.

Speaker B

00:03:15.290 - 00:03:16.650

Join my band by chance?

Speaker D

00:03:17.850 - 00:03:20.810

Yeah. And so that's kind of really how it worked with that.

Speaker B

00:03:21.550 - 00:03:24.430

So did the band start out in California and then move to Texas?

Speaker D

00:03:24.670 - 00:03:38.910

Yeah, we had the Mother Truckers out there until. And I moved here to Austin. And because we knew the music scene here in Austin was really strong, so. And we've been to Austin and I, we liked it.

About five years ago we moved here and it's been going real good ever since.

Speaker B

00:03:39.390 - 00:03:47.230

Talk a little bit about the early history of the Mother Truckers as a band, what y' all were working on, how you were getting your records out kind of leading up to now.

Speaker C

00:03:47.720 - 00:03:49.080

By hook and by crook.

Speaker A

00:03:50.920 - 00:03:51.480

True.

Speaker C

00:03:51.720 - 00:03:56.440

When we first started out in the Bay Area, of course nobody knows your name.

Speaker D

00:03:57.560 - 00:04:02.680

We had a lot of friends. We had a lot of friends, so it was easy for us to build up a following in the Bay Area.

Speaker C

00:04:02.840 - 00:04:13.640

Yeah, we did. But, I mean, as far as getting someone behind you, we kind of had to do a lot of writing and gathering songs together.

And we did an album out there, and that was great.

Speaker D

00:04:14.120 - 00:04:33.869

There's no industry out there right now in the Bay Area. Of course, in la there is. There's no managers. There's no.

I shouldn't say there's no managers or booking agents or labels, but there's just very few and they're very small. We had to go somewhere to get in and amongst an environment where there could be more opportunity for growth.

Speaker C

00:04:34.189 - 00:05:08.180

Yeah. And when we moved out here to Austin, we started doing residencies at this club and that club, playing once a week.

And when we did, it seemed like right away there were people, not many, but some people kind of keeping an eye on it. Taking pictures, saying, you know, you should talk to this person and that person.

It seemed like there was an interweaving of a network of people that wanted bands that they liked to do well. And we fell in with some great people and got a chance over there at the Continental Club to start doing a gig over there.

And, boy, it sure was great.

Speaker B

00:05:09.940 - 00:05:20.140

Y' all have had a lot of really nice support from other musicians that we know. Guy named Don Gallardo and a guy named Phil Hurley of Stonehoney. Both have just consistently had really nice things to say about y'.

Speaker D

00:05:20.140 - 00:05:20.220

All.

Speaker B

00:05:20.220 - 00:05:23.440

And there is no higher compliment than from one music to another.

Speaker C

00:05:23.840 - 00:05:24.720

That's the truth.

Speaker D

00:05:24.800 - 00:05:29.880

Absolutely. Those guys we've both known for a while now, and we both enjoy Stone Honey.

Speaker C

00:05:29.880 - 00:05:43.280

You know, we. We were so just blown away by them. And I think I embarrass myself at their shows because I'll.

I'll be standing right up front and singing the words, all the words to their song. So I just think they're great. Just enjoy them.

Speaker B

00:05:43.600 - 00:05:46.400

That's very nice. What leads you up to where y' all are now?

Speaker C

00:05:46.800 - 00:06:13.410

Well, we've made three albums in Austin. The fourth one we made in San Francisco before all that, but, you know, just touring. We had one record deal, which we got out of.

And so making this album was really a run for freedom. And it's been so great.

We've been getting some great support also from the press here in Austin, but also from Little Steven on his syndicated program, the Little Steven's Underground Garage on Sirius.

Speaker B

00:06:13.410 - 00:06:14.410

He's awesome.

Speaker C

00:06:14.650 - 00:06:21.290

He picked our song Summer of Love as one of the coolest songs in the world, which is such an honor because he.

Speaker D

00:06:21.820 - 00:06:22.740

Because he's Little Steven.

Speaker C

00:06:22.740 - 00:06:28.620

He's Little Steven. And he just. His program, so great. The music he spins on that program is just. It's great.

Speaker B

00:06:28.700 - 00:06:29.660

I totally agree.

Speaker A

00:06:29.660 - 00:06:30.620

When I grow up, I'm going to.

Speaker B

00:06:30.620 - 00:06:31.340

Be just like him.

Speaker C

00:06:32.300 - 00:06:35.500

Me, too. We can get the bandanas now.

Speaker B

00:06:35.500 - 00:06:46.380

Exactly. I've got the hair. Other than that, he really is great. That is so cool that that has happened for you all.

So talk a little bit about the good things about this Run for Freedom on this new release.

Speaker C

00:06:47.700 - 00:06:49.300

You want to field this one, babe?

Speaker D

00:06:49.380 - 00:07:17.000

Well, just. It's the same story that every. Well, not every band, but many bands have, is having a manager and a label that don't have your best interest in mind.

Bottom line, that can be really frustrating and very difficult. So just the absence of that and just being able to do things on our terms the way we feel is best. Obviously, Is a liberating experience.

It puts the fun back into the music. Makes you feel less like you have a job, more like you're just doing.

Speaker B

00:07:17.000 - 00:07:20.720

What you love and you're getting ready to take this on the road with the van tour.

Speaker A

00:07:20.720 - 00:07:21.800

What's coming up with that?

Speaker C

00:07:22.360 - 00:07:36.760

Well, we're doing some dates on the west coast, in the south and in the southwest we're doing, you know, Albuquerque, New Mexico and Phoenix and we're doing a whole California potpourri of dates. And then we go head over to Europe.

Speaker B

00:07:37.240 - 00:07:37.960

Woo hoo.

Speaker C

00:07:38.280 - 00:07:40.200

I know that's gonna really be fun.

Speaker D

00:07:40.600 - 00:07:42.200

Germany and Denmark over there.

Speaker B

00:07:42.600 - 00:07:45.320

Are you doing like a VW Vestfalia van tour there?

Speaker D

00:07:45.710 - 00:07:51.310

I found that if you, if you hit the coast in the van going fast enough, you can make it across the Atlantic.

Speaker B

00:07:52.510 - 00:07:55.630

So do y' all have any kind of sponsors with that, with the van tour?

Speaker D

00:07:55.870 - 00:07:56.190

No.

Speaker C

00:07:56.190 - 00:07:58.150

Do you have anybody in mind for us?

Speaker A

00:07:58.150 - 00:07:58.430

No.

Speaker B

00:07:58.430 - 00:08:00.670

I was hoping you did. I was going to let you plug it.

Speaker C

00:08:00.830 - 00:08:05.150

Well, I know. Let me see. I'll. Can I plug my dream, My wish list?

Speaker B

00:08:05.150 - 00:08:06.270

Hey, yeah, let's do it.

Speaker C

00:08:06.430 - 00:08:08.390

Well, I can't give them free advertising.

Speaker A

00:08:08.390 - 00:08:08.830

True.

Speaker C

00:08:08.830 - 00:08:11.550

They've just got to come get on board and then we'll call you back.

Speaker B

00:08:11.550 - 00:08:27.620

Well, I'll tell you what, There is plenty of opportunity for any kind of movie, mobile living situation. Who is looking for one kick band to support on this van tour? I'll just put it out there. Listen, I have no shame.

Speaker C

00:08:27.940 - 00:08:44.660

We announced that tour. We started getting a lot of orders from Denmark, Germany, Australia and all kinds of places which I'm very grateful for.

And hopefully people will come out and see us. And this will be the first of many trips over there....

Welcome to Country Fried Rock, where we talk with musicians to find out what inspires their creativity.

Country Fried Rock music uncovered.

Hey, Teal.

This is Sloan from Country Fried Rock.

Hi, Sloan.

How are you?

I am doing well.

How are you?

I'm great, thanks.

Thanks so much for both of y' all being with us here on Country Fried Rock.

Thanks for having us.

We've got Teal Collins and Josh Z. Chatting with us today.

The Mother Truckers of Austin, Texas.

Got major things happening these days.

Yes, Teal, you are one bad mama jama.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

How on earth did you end up where you are now, musically?

I actually took up guitar when I was about 16.

I first took up ukulele.

My dad taught me the ukulele.

And then I took up guitar when I was about 16.

My dad, who was a jazz disc jockey, was friends with Les Paul.

Les Paul gave me my first electric guitar that I still play on stage every night with the Mother Truckers.

That's awesome.

One of my first bands, tradition, it was called, they had me sing a song, and I was kind of scared because I hadn't really.

I always sang in my bedroom but never really sang out.

And I realized at that moment it was sure a lot easier than all these strings and frets and fingers.

So I put down the guitar and started singing full time, you know, and then picked up the guitar again years later with this band.

Been just great.

That is a great story.

So what about you, Josh?

Well, my dad also was a musician.

He could kind of play everything.

He's a folk singer.

He's taught me guitar.

You know, I like hard rock stuff.

I grew up in the 80s.

Guitar was everything.

Even Olivia Newton John had a single out, but she had to have some blazing guitar solo or Kenny Logging.

Everyone had to have a shredding guitar solo.

That was the time.

So that's what I wanted to do and still am working on it to this day.

I guarantee this is the time anyone's ever referenced Olivia Newton John or Kenny Loggins on this show.

Yeah, well, I did it to illustrate a point of how prevalent and ubiquitous the shredding guitar solo was as a child.

For me, sure.

Aria speedwagon, too.

They had a shredder in the middle.

Yeah.

Gary Rich Rath.

He was pretty good.

Yeah, There you go, Ari.

SV Rock and Newton John and Kenny Loggins.

There you go.

What led to the development of this.

Band with the Mother Truckers?

I was in a sort of hard rock, alternative, so to speak, band in the late 90s because the band was called Pro Team, and we had a couple of major label records out, and the whole thing kind of fell apart the way most record deals do.

And I just wanted to do something really different than what I had been doing now.

I always had enjoyed the more rootsy, sort of country, bluesy stuff.

I just started writing songs in that style, not orderly with a plan.

And once I had a sort of a couple batch of songs, started looking for band members, I knew I was never a good singer anyway, so I figured I need to find myself a good singer.

So.

Till and I had known each other for a long time.

We grew up in the Bay Area together, so I already had my eye on her for a long time.

And it was just sort of natural.

I just said, hey, do you know any.

You know, any women who play the ukulele and sing that might want to.

Join my band by chance?

Yeah.

And so that's kind of really how it worked with that.

So did the band start out in California and then move to Texas?

Yeah, we had the Mother Truckers out there until.

And I moved here to Austin.

And because we knew the music scene here in Austin was really strong, so.

And we've been to Austin and I, we liked it.

About five years ago we moved here and it's been going real good ever since.

Talk a little bit about the early history of the Mother Truckers as a band, what y' all were working on, how you were getting your records out kind of leading up to now.

By hook and by crook.

True.

When we first started out in the Bay Area, of course nobody knows your name.

We had a lot of friends.

We had a lot of friends, so it was easy for us to build up a following in the Bay Area.

Yeah, we did.

But, I mean, as far as getting someone behind you, we kind of had to do a lot of writing and gathering songs together.

And we did an album out there, and that was great.

There's no industry out there right now in the Bay Area.

Of course, in la there is.

There's no managers.

There's no.

I shouldn't say there's no managers or booking agents or labels, but there's just very few and they're very small.

We had to go somewhere to get in and amongst an environment where there could be more opportunity for growth.

Yeah.

And when we moved out here to Austin, we started doing residencies at this club and that club, playing once a week.

And when we did, it seemed like right away there were people, not many, but some people kind of keeping an eye on it.

Taking pictures, saying, you know, you should talk to this person and that person.

It seemed like there was an interweaving of a network of people that wanted bands that they liked to do well.

And we fell in with some great people and got a chance over there at the Continental Club to start doing a gig over there.

And, boy, it sure was great.

Y' all have had a lot of really nice support from other musicians that we know.

Guy named Don Gallardo and a guy named Phil Hurley of Stonehoney.

Both have just consistently had really nice things to say about y'.

All.

And there is no higher compliment than from one music to another.

That's the truth.

Absolutely.

Those guys we've both known for a while now, and we both enjoy Stone Honey.

You know, we.

We were so just blown away by them.

And I think I embarrass myself at their shows because I'll.

I'll be standing right up front and singing the words, all the words to their song.

So I just think they're great.

Just enjoy them.

That's very nice.

What leads you up to where y' all are now?

Well, we've made three albums in Austin.

The fourth one we made in San Francisco before all that, but, you know, just touring.

We had one record deal, which we got out of.

And so making this album was really a run for freedom.

And it's been so great.

We've been getting some great support also from the press here in Austin, but also from Little Steven on his syndicated program, the Little Steven's Underground Garage on Sirius.

He's awesome.

He picked our song Summer of Love as one of the coolest songs in the world, which is such an honor because he.

Because he's Little Steven.

He's Little Steven.

And he just.

His program, so great.

The music he spins on that program is just.

It's great.

I totally agree.

When I grow up, I'm going to.

Be just like him.

Me, too.

We can get the bandanas now.

Exactly.

I've got the hair.

Other than that, he really is great.

That is so cool that that has happened for you all.

So talk a little bit about the good things about this Run for Freedom on this new release.

You want to field this one, babe?

Well, just.

It's the same story that every.

Well, not every band, but many bands have, is having a manager and a label that don't have your best interest in mind.

Bottom line, that can be really frustrating and very difficult.

So just the absence of that and just being able to do things on our terms the way we feel is best.

Obviously, Is a liberating experience.

It puts the fun back into the music.

Makes you feel less like you have a job, more like you're just doing.

What you love and you're getting ready to take this on the road with the van tour.

What's coming up with that?

Well, we're doing some dates on the west coast, in the south and in the southwest we're doing, you know, Albuquerque, New Mexico and Phoenix and we're doing a whole California potpourri of dates.

And then we go head over to Europe.

Woo hoo.

I know that's gonna really be fun.

Germany and Denmark over there.

Are you doing like a VW Vestfalia van tour there?

I found that if you, if you hit the coast in the van going fast enough, you can make it across the Atlantic.

So do y' all have any kind of sponsors with that, with the van tour?

No.

Do you have anybody in mind for us?

No.

I was hoping you did.

I was going to let you plug it.

Well, I know.

Let me see.

I'll.

Can I plug my dream, My wish list?

Hey, yeah, let's do it.

Well, I can't give them free advertising.

True.

They've just got to come get on board and then we'll call you back.

Well, I'll tell you what, There is plenty of opportunity for any kind of movie, mobile living situation.

Who is looking for one kick band to support on this van tour?

I'll just put it out there.

Listen, I have no shame.

We announced that tour.

We started getting a lot of orders from Denmark, Germany, Australia and all kinds of places which I'm very grateful for.

And hopefully people will come out and see us.

And this will be the first of many trips over there.

I've always wanted to do this.

I would love to ask y' all about some of the songs on this current release.

Our album is called Van Tour.

You know, we are embarking on a van tour, but it's all tied in.

The name of our new CD is Van Tour.

The title track is the very last song.

And that's just.

We kind of wrote that for every traveling musician that we know and don't know.

I think they can all relate to it.

If civilians like it too, then that's great as well.

It's right out of the diary of a traveling musician.

Really.

That's the song that obviously stands out.

It's the title of the record.

The single that we're pushing right now is a song called Break Up Sex.

Just fun to say.

You can hear the influences of the small faces.

You Know, the Stones coming through on that one.

But it's got this kind of powerful R and B chorus with Teal really wailing away.

Takes it into a completely different realm.

To me, one of the standout tracks is the song Keep it simple, which is a sort of.

Sort of retro power ballad with rock, you know, influence that teals things.

And to me, it's best singing she's ever done.

And it knocks my hat off my head.

So I think it's just great.

The press seems to be responding well to the song Summer of Love.

And so who else do y' all like to listen to now?

I like some of our friends, bands, Stonehoney, a great deal.

There's some great musicians here in Austin I enjoy watching.

But, you know, as far as what I put in my stereo at home, it's still kind of the older stuff.

The Rolling Stones, AC dc, you know, blues stuff, old country stuff.

Some of my favorite blues artists are Elmore James, Muddy Waters.

That's some of my first guitar influences, actually.

Lightning Hopkins, King, guys like that.

Yeah.

And I like the Grateful Dead.

I'm not ashamed to say it.

I like them.

I like Zeppelin, the Beatles, Dio.

We were metalheads when we were kids, too, you know, my dad's a folk singer, and he got me into that, like Hank Williams and George Jones.

And it's funny, I would have to say, on the broad sense of the word, I couldn't say I was a country fan, because most of it I do not like.

But give me the classics.

Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, George Jones, Hank Williams, Merle Haggard.

Merle Haggard, you know, feel like those guys are gods.

It's, like, transcendental to me.

That's real music.

Yeah.

The thing I realized, too, is if the same with any musical style in terms of, like, if you.

If someone asked me, do you like rock music?

I'd say some of it, you know, Most of it.

No.

Some of it, yeah.

More than life itself.

Yeah.

A lot of people think just if someone's older and playing blues, they must be good.

They're probably not.

They're probably terrible.

Thanks for hanging out with Country Fried Rock.

Talk to me a little bit about how you all develop the songs from just the concept to where it leads into a recording.

We usually.

Josh and I have more and more as time gone on got very, very collaborative.

So maybe I'll come up with a verse or like, just even a melody idea.

We'll get together and hash it out and kind of put each our two cents in.

Or Josh will have something 75% done.

We'll get together and I'll say, hey, that needs a bridge or something.

Basically, the rule is that there isn't any rules.

I have read some interviews with certain musicians that have a definite formula to songwriting or a method, I should say.

But, yeah, we are not.

Some songs, like Teal said, start with a melody, some start with a phrase.

You know, we'll be in a conversation and some phrase will pop out and, oh, that sounds like the name of a song.

And then, well, let's write it then.

And.

And then some.

Starts with a riff, with a musical idea.

And it all really, to me, from song to song, varies a lot.

Yeah.

As you've developed songs like that with this collaborative process, do you all float them in front of audiences and then kind of refine them as you go?

How does that work for y'?

All?

Not that much.

We usually like to have a completely, completely finished demo of a song.

We'll demo it up here before we even spring it on the band or the audience.

Well, but as far as what you're saying, that's absolutely true.

We often will write a new song and play it for the crowds.

And we can gauge after playing about three times if it's going to sink or swim.

And so sometimes we phase them out because we just don't feel the reaction.

And sometimes we'll be playing a song that we don't think too much of, but it'll get us such a strong reaction, it'll kind of come to the forefront.

That's a good way to get instant feedback and see.

Yeah, absolutely.

I guess, you know, sometimes I'll think, oh, man, this song is really awesome.

And we'll play it at a couple different shows, and I can just feel the energy in the room.

It's not actually that awesome at all.

Everyone's heads to the bar after that first smoke, you know.

Yeah.

What's your method when you get into the studio?

I think, like most bands, you make sure you get a solid drum take.

You know, we record guitar, bass, and drums at the same time.

You know, if we get a good bass and guitar take, too, that's great.

But like most bands, all you're really looking for is that good drum take, and you can go back and fix whatever mistakes are on the guitar and bass.

I lock myself in drift for a while and just layer a lot of guitars.

And Teal throws in her guitar bits and then we do the vocals last because it's the most inspiring to sing when you have all the music there.

When it's even all the decorative, fancy stuff, icing you throw on top.

It really, I think, helps elevate the vocal performance.

Do you feel that you've been able to capture the sound you've wanted on the releases you've had so far?

I think on the last two albums, this most recent one, Vantour, and the one before that, let's All Go to Bed.

I feel like there's a lot of energy and power in those records that kind of eluded us on some of our previous recordings.

So, yeah, I feel like these last two have a sort of crackling, aggressive, fun energy to them.

Do you all have any kind of wish list for future sessions of mixers, producers, any other kind of recording, people you'd like to work with?

I always wanted to have a CD record of mine mixed by Andy Wallace.

Put that out there into the universe, see how that goes.

Well, I wouldn't mind Jimmy Page producing.

An album either, but with Country Fried rock, one of the things we do love to talk about is kind of the road trips and the.

The experience of your life on the road.

And y' all have clearly even written songs about it.

Colorado Springs.

Colorado Springs.

Best Mexican food ever.

There's the best Mexican food ever in a restaurant there called Arceos.

It's.

It's right next to probably a gas station and a Best Western or something.

Excellent.

And it's just this little place, but, boy, it's so good.

And when our friends Sherman were going through there a month back or so, we said, you guys gotta go there.

And they sent us pictures of their Mexican plates.

The whole thing about touring, you kind of can take a snapshot on any assorted highway in America and just kind of take a snapshot of driving down a bleak highway.

And that's kind of what a lot of touring is.

You're just driving and driving, driving and loading in the gear, loading out the gear.

You know, it's late.

You try.

You find the hotel.

You kind of.

It's hard to catch up on sleep, but at the same time, it can be really amazing.

You know, we go to places we've never been before, and there'll be a girl there that did her hair like I do my hair as a homage.

Or somebody will say, you know, I had a bad day, and you guys really lifted me up out of that, and I thank you.

And that's why we do it.

I mean, it's just so much.

It's fun to engage with people and have that feeling like, you know, let's all have A good time.

We're here to have some fun.

Well, I don't know how you could possibly attend one of your shows and not have fun.

Thank you.

I forget who I was chatting with.

Who said, you know, the thing about being on tour is you go everywhere and you don't see any of it.

Yeah, we bring things that are comforting to us on the road sometimes.

To keep that, this trip will be bringing travel guides to Denmark and Paris because we're going to be Germany, because we're going to be going over there.

And we'll be excited about that.

Looking forward to it.

But, you know, you bring some things in the old backpack that make you feel at home.

A candle, a picture of the dog, gravel, whatever it is.

You're listening to Country Fried Rock, and.

The opening track is called Alien Girl, and that's one that mostly Josh wrote.

I resisted it for a minute, but then once we got it worked up as a band and started playing it, it really had a life and a feeling to it.

And so now a lot of people on the Internet and stuff say, hey, Alien girl.

They call me Alien Girl.

And it's always a surprise to me, but I like it.

It's kind of a take over the planet.

This hot alien girl comes down and grabs her man and says, you can roll with me while I blow up this world and we'll come back and reinvent it again.

Other than world domination, what are y' all planning to do next?

That trip to Europe sounds pretty fun to me.

And then we're just gonna continue to tour, play music.

We'll be traveling around for at least a year on this one.

Yeah, I gotta jump back here.

In those early ukulele days, what on earth were you playing?

When I was little, focused on a variety of jazz standards.

I mean, I was playing Ain't She Sweet, Mississippi Mud, and all those kind of things that are really fun and probably a total of five chords in them.

But I taught all my little friends those words, too.

And we'd go.

We'd open the ukulele case downtown Mill Valley and play those songs, and people would throw a little money in there and we'd go, blow it on candy.

And, you know, a little Beatles, too, probably.

That's hilarious.

Country Fried Rock.

Find the full playlist from this episode on countryfriedrock.org check us out on itunes.

No music, just talk.

Our theme music is from the Full Tones.

Our Country Fried Rock stinger is from Steve Soto in the Twisted Hearts.

Country fried rock.

Ever he been helping us?

Some country fragment?