Behind the Music: Recording with Dan Hannon and Davin McCoy at Ivy Manor

In this episode of Curious Goldfish, host Jason English delves into the recording process of Davin McCoy's first album in a decade at the Ivy Manor Group in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The conversation begins with legendary producer Dan Hannon, known for his meticulous attention to detail and ability to elevate an artist's vision. Hannon discusses his career and personal challenges, including overcoming throat cancer, and how he collaborates with artists to realize their musical goals. The episode then shifts to a detailed account of the recording sessions, exploring the emotional and technical intricacies involved. Davin McCoy shares his experiences, from initial nervousness and finding comfort in the studio to the process of tracking and adding layers to the songs. The recording environment, camaraderie among the team, and the significance of Muscle Shoals' musical heritage are highlighted. The episode concludes with light-hearted anecdotes and an update on the project's progress, hinting at the excitement for the album's release.

01:07 Introducing Curious Goldfish: A Music Podcast

02:47 Spotlight on Dan Hannon: A Music Production Maestro

04:39 Dan Hannon's Personal Journey and Studio Dynamics

05:14 The Making of Davin McCoy's Album: An Insider's View

35:06 The Creative Process and Song Selection

35:41 Production Challenges and Surprising Outcomes

36:37 Anticipation for the Album's Completion

39:54 The Mystique of Muscle Shoals Explored

48:31 Final Thoughts and Looking Ahead

53:18 The Social Side of Recording: Ping Pong and Camaraderie

you know, my goal is to help the artist realize their vision.

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Not to make my record and not to

put Dan Annen's signature on it.

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And so, the best thing that could

happen is that, When recounting this

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experience, Davin thinks, man, that's the

record that I've always wanted to make.

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Davin McCoy: And then we just I think

day three was when it really started

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just kind of lift it off and we just

we figured out kind of the things we

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needed to do and adjust in order to get

me sort of comfortable and And for Dan,

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I think to figure out what I needed

from him in terms of The producer's

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job is to manipulate you, you know?

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So that takes a minute for a good

producer to figure out, like, what's

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the way in which to motivate you to do

what he wants you to do without telling

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you to do what he wants you to do.

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Jason English (Host): Welcome to

curious goldfish, a podcast community

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where music and curiosity come together

through interesting conversations

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with the music makers of our world.

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I'm your host, Jason English.

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You can find curious goldfish and all the

major podcast and social media platforms.

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And of course, we have all of

our content on our website.

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Curious goldfish.

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com.

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Dan Hannon is a name that resonates

with authenticity and excellence

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in the music production world.

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Known for his knack for creating polished,

yet emotionally resonant records.

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Hanen has carved out a significant

niche for himself over the years.

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Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, but

now living in Muscle Shoals, Alabama,

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he's a veteran in the industry with a

career that spans well over two decades.

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Hanen first made waves with his work

on Manchester Orchestra's critically

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acclaimed albums, particularly Mean

Everything to Nothing and Simple Math.

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These projects showcase his ability

to blend raw indie rock energy with

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refined, nuanced production techniques.

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His meticulous attention to detail

and collaborative approach have

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earned him a reputation as a

producer who truly understands

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how to elevate an artist's vision.

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Beyond Manchester Orchestra, Hannon has

worked with a diverse array of artists

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including Aaron Schust, The shadow boxers,

Paris Jackson, the daughter of Michael

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Jackson, and they rocket to the moon,

demonstrating his versatility across

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genres from rock to pop to worship music.

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Collectively, the artists he has produced

post over 1 billion streams and he has

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produced co produced co written and, or

performed on albums that have sold over 4.

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5 million copies.

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His current billboard chart success

includes two number one albums, three

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number one songs, 13 top 10 albums, 15

top 20 albums, three top 10 rock albums,

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and four top 10 alternative albums.

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His projects often achieve

a balance between mainstream

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appeal and artistic integrity,

making impactful, lasting music.

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His enduring success lies in his

passion for music and his unwavering

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commitment to producing records that

resonate on a deep and emotional level.

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Hannon has also endured some personal

challenges in the last few years.

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Throat cancer came on fast and strong a

few years ago, affecting his vocal chords

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and speech and requiring him to press a

button at the base of his neck to speak.

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Hannon is now part of the Ivy Manor Group

in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, boasting

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an all inclusive recording studio,

just a stone's throw away from the

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Tennessee River, and in the same zip

code, where artists like Aretha Franklin

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and the Rolling Stones laid down all

time great tracks, alongside Grammy

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winner Gary Nichols, industry anchor

Michael Shane Wright, award winning

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songwriter Clint Ingersoll, and more.

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And this

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is where I picked up the conversation with

Atlanta singer songwriter, Davin McCoy

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earlier this year, I sat down with

Davin in Atlanta, ahead of his long

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planned trip to Ivy manor to record

his first album in a decade, I had

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the incredible opportunity to see much

of the recording process take place.

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A first for me with Nichols Grammy

shimmering on the living room

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fireplace mantle, Davin and the

entire Ivy Manor team were tenacious

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and getting every note in harmony.

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Just right over and over and over again.

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What struck me most was how tedious the

process is me not being a musician in

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any form or fashion, just kind of assumed

an artist like Davin would come in.

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Take a couple of takes, and Hannon

and the fellows would tweak a

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little here and there, and then

just move on to the next one.

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How was I wrong in the best possible way?

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Like a mad scientist experimenting

with potions and chemicals, Hannon

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would work his magic sitting behind a

45 year old soundboard built for Bob

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Marley's son, and in front of a screen

that looks like Tetris on steroids.

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It was completely fascinating

and inspiring at the same time.

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It's incredible the amount of work that

goes into a three and a half minute

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song, but that's what happens when you

bring together a team of professionals

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and perfectionists with an artist

like Davin, who knows what he wants.

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in this part two of the series

in the studio with Davin McCoy,

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I talked with both Davin McCoy

and Dan Hannon about the process.

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I hope you find this peek behind the

curtains as interesting as I did at the

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end of the episode, I'm including a track

off Davin's new album that was originally

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recorded 18 months ago, part of a live

album from Eddie's attic in Atlanta

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available today on Spotify, but beyond

the music, you also get an update on ping

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pong from the courts outside of Ivy manor.

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It's a good thing Davin can make

incredible music as I was happy

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to put him in his place despite

his outrageous trash talking Hey

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Davin, just stick to your music.

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Okay.

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So again, here's Davin McCoy.

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But we first begin with

legendary producer, Dan Hannon

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from Muscle Shoals, Alabama.

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Let's dive in.

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Pleasure

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Dan Hannon: you.

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Jason English (Host): mine, Jason.

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An album recording, uh, so this, this

I'm a virgin no more after the last 36

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hours, but the, what you guys have put

together here at Ivy Manor, and the

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team and just witnessing everything

is, it's just been really eyeopening.

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And, uh, I appreciate

you putting up with me.

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Dan Hannon: the witness

and everything, it's just

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over

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the past 30 years.

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And this is quite literally

my favorite place to be.

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And it's, you know, I moved here

to be in this, in this studio.

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So you picked a great

place to get started, man.

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Jason English (Host): It's

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Dan Hannon: having you

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Jason English (Host): been

pleasure having you here.

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Well for that

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Dan Hannon: Oh, wow.

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Jason English (Host): It's

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Dan Hannon: Well thank you for that man.

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It's funny, it's

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literally just a product of me toiling

over it for years and spend so many hours.

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And you know, I had buddies, um, who were

kind of my mentors and the whole thing.

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And I would, there were in the early

days, many times where I was calling

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my friend, Rick, Beato, actually, who's

a, who's a big podcaster now, actually.

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Um, but I'd run into an issue and,

hey, man, what's the shortcut for this?

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Or why am I getting this error message?

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Jason English (Host): Right.

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Dan Hannon: uh, I don't know.

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And the only reason I ever learned it

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was to make music.

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So that was just the barrier to get in

and start recording my songs, you know, so

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the quicker I can learn it and just, you

know, get it out of the way, the better.

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So, but it's nice to be, you know, that

that skill set is acknowledged because

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I don't even think about it really.

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It's just a

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Jason English (Host): No, it's

crazy to watch you, uh, to watch

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you do everything, to be honest.

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So yeah, no, I appreciate,

I appreciate that.

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Um, so you've, uh, you've

survived throat cancer.

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Is that fair to say so far?

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How are you, like, how are you doing?

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When, when, when, when did

that all happen for you?

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Is it pretty recent or?

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Dan Hannon: Well, I was

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So eight years ago now.

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And uh, I just had a pretty big

milestone actually for, since I was

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diagnosed in 2016, I had never gone

two years without a recurrence.

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And if you're going to have a

recurrence, it's typically in the

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first two years that it comes back.

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Well, this past January,

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ever

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since 2016 that I've gone two years

without something else popping back up.

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So the very grateful for that.

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And, uh, you know, I don't, I don't,

uh, take anything for granted.

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You know, I, I'm, my outcome is

way better than a lot of people.

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So I'm super grateful for that.

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And, uh, It's a, it's a great reminder

to stay present and not, not, you know,

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I'm not counting days that I have.

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I'm just living this one.

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And, um, so yeah, I mean,

I've survived so far.

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Yeah, that's how I like to look at it.

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And yeah, I mean, just the

fact that I have a voice.

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Um, and

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so many people, I don't know if, did you

ever see the Val Kilmer documentary on

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Jason English (Host): So you

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Dan Hannon: So, you know,

he has the same thing.

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And if you watch that documentary,

you can't really understand him.

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He has the same sort of thing where

he has to push his button to talk.

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And, but as the quality of his voice

is so bad and you know, I watched

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that and just thought, wow, you know,

how lucky am I to be able to, most

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people can understand what I'm saying.

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And, and that sound.

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Very much like I did in the past,

according to my friends, so.

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Jason English (Host): Well, and how

lucky you are to be working with Just

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such a diverse, uh group of people

that all brings what I what i've

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noticed is they all bring something

different to the table You know

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Dan Hannon: it's

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funny because so many of us are so

capable at all of the things, so figuring

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out who's gonna handle what and, you

know, it's like, It's kind of, it's

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part of the fun around here because

you got Gary Nichols, who is the best

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singer I've ever heard in my life,

you know, and is a Grammy winner and

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can play any instrument and slay it.

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And he'll just, you know, pop

in, Hey, you need any vocals?

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You need any guitar?

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Uh, yeah, we're going to

find a reason to need that.

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And, uh, you know, Jared,

who is a fantastic mixer and

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producer in his own right.

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And, uh, I've been working

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He interned with me

straight out of high school.

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Jason English (Host): She's

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Dan Hannon: And now he's just a beast.

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Um, Clint Ingersoll, who is I don't

know if you got to speak much with

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him, but, um, multi platinum songwriter

and, uh, killer musician and one of

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my favorite people on the planet.

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And, uh, Michael Wright, who you sitting

in this room, you can see, I mean, we're

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all sort of, uh, work here because of

Michael and the amazing studio he built.

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there's so many people around here

that make it great, but, um, yeah, man,

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and it's, it's all really fresh too.

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It's like I moved here in July,

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Jason English (Host): Right.

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Dan Hannon: so there's still that

new, vibrant sort of fresh energy.

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Yeah,

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Jason English (Host): No, that's neat.

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Um, and for you, uh, you know, the,

the, the stats and stuff for, for your

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producing career is kind of insane.

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Uh, and I know the metrics have

probably changed through the years

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with the streaming and stuff, but

I mean, your, uh, your career is,

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is, it's, it's pretty ridiculous.

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Um,

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Dan Hannon: Well, Uh, Thank you.

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Jason English (Host): No, seriously.

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it's again an honor to be, to be here.

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And I know in talking to Dav in the,

the, in the months preceding, uh,

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his time here, you know, he was, he

was totally stoked to, to be here.

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And I just talked to him.

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I'm like, well, would you come back?

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And he's like a hundred percent,

you know, so that, you know, I think

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the, the experience has been great.

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Dan Hannon: I'm trying to

convince him to move here.

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That's what I'm trying.

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I'm trying to get everybody to

move here, man, because there's

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such a great energy and to have.

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I mean, obviously, Davin

came up and immediately was

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just one of the crew and, um,

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and

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I need him to be here so I

can overtake him in ping pong

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beat

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I can't stand being beat down so badly.

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Jason English (Host): stand being

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beaten so badly.

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this project with him.

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Um, that's my first question.

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And then, you know, I have a couple more

and I'll let you get back to the work.

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Dan Hannon: honestly, it was

an honor to even be asked.

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And, um, it, it was kind of an

odd coincidence because, uh,

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Robby's partner, uh, Davin's partner in

crime, Robby, um, who plays percussion.

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I've known Robby.

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I met him 25 years ago or

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Jason English (Host): wow.

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Dan Hannon: in Atlanta.

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He played in a band and I

was in a band back then.

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And, um, you know, and

we knew of each other.

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We're never super tight, but I ran into

him at Eddie's attic at a, uh, Uh, sort

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of a weird event that they had there.

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Jeff Buckley's old tour manager was doing

a book signing and doing an interview.

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And I'm a huge Buckley fan, as

is, as everyone is, but, uh, and

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bumped into Robbie and his wife.

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And, uh, that was the first time I

had seen him in at least a decade.

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And, uh, we ended up connecting over,

uh, Come to see Davin at Eddie's

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Attic live And I didn't realize that

that was gonna be the first time he

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played and recorded something in years

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Jason English (Host): Yeah

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Dan Hannon: And I had never met him.

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I'd heard about Davin You

know for years and years.

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I mean It was probably early 2000s,

and I might be missing that mark, but

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I definitely remember people coming

up to me Saying man this kid Davin

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this kid incredible singer and for

whatever reason, I mean, there's,

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there's a huge contingent of great, um,

producers and music people in Atlanta.

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Jason English (Host): Right.

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Dan Hannon: you know, we're also

spread out that it's not really unusual

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that I didn't meet him, but, um, I'm

so glad that we crossed paths now

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and that, you know, um, I'm really

getting to know him and his music.

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And I can't believe it's been 20 years,

you know, since without working together.

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Cause I feel like.

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That's something that I wish we could

have been doing for two decades, you

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Jason English (Host): the last few weeks

when he's, when he's been here, when

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you think about the three weeks, the

four weeks, whatever it is, uh, when

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it ends up a year from now, two years

from now, what, what will be the memory?

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You know, what will this be?

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Uh,

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what

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will be imprinted on your, on your

heart and your brain, you know, uh,

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about the time with, with Davin?

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Dan Hannon: Well that, that thought is

typically informed by the role I play in

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the project where, you know, my goal is

to help the artist realize their vision.

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Not to make my record and not to

put Dan Annen's signature on it.

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And so, the best thing that could

happen is that, When recounting this

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experience, Davin thinks, man, that's the

record that I've always wanted to make.

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And I don't want to ever

work with anybody else.

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I don't want to ever work in any other

environment because this is the spot

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and this is, you know, the time that

I was totally understood as an artist

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and, and, uh, got to really create the

vision that, you know, and it's, believe

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it or not, it's kind of a, There's so

many experiences where artists go into

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the studio and, you know, they work

with an acclaimed producer or in the

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fantastic studio or, you know, they,

uh, Spend a lot of money or whatever in

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the you know, and they just never end

up with that project that they imagine

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and And having been an artist before

I'm sort of sensitive to that I guess

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and and also having learned that I've

I've gotten to Early on in my career.

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I was trying to make my record

not the artist's record.

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So

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That's that's my hope is that the

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the Davin just thinks man, this is This

is the record I've always wanted to

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Jason English (Host): is the

record I've always wanted to make.

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Excuse me?

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You good?

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Dan Hannon: Each time we open the session

for Nothing Lasts Forever, every time

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that song starts and he starts singing,

it's like, you know, chill bumps.

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So I feel like that one's

a standout for sure.

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And I, you know, you never know.

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Jason English (Host): never know.

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Yeah

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Dan Hannon: um, you got

your gut instincts, Cosmos

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is turning out phenomenal.

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And I love the way that track is feeling.

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Um,

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this new song on working title.

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I don't even think he has a title

yet, but that's a special tune

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Jason English (Host): tune.

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It's tonight.

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Right.

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Yeah, it just came back from break.

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Yeah, that's, that's

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Dan Hannon: Yeah.

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It just came back from

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Jason English (Host): of

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Dan Hannon: Yeah.

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Then that's, that's been the

story of this project too.

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Or it's like you start out aiming

for a schedule and then we're going

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to start at 11 and probably Yeah.

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Quit at 11.

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And so you go that first

day and you work until one.

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You think, okay, well we'll still

try to start at 11 tomorrow, and

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it turns into 1130 and then the,

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Jason English (Host): Yeah.

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Dan Hannon: circadian rhythm

just gets all outta whack.

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Jason English (Host): No,

bless you and bless your wife

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and all the, all the family.

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So yeah, uh,

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Dan Hannon: they signed up for, I guess.

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Uh,

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Jason English (Host): but, uh,

well on that note, it's late.

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I'll, I'll let you get back to it, but

really appreciate, uh, your thoughts.

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great job.

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It's been fascinating to watch.

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I really appreciate you having me

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and good luck the rest of the way.

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Dan Hannon: that, man.

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I think it's an honor to be uh

participating on your podcast.

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I've I love it.

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Jason English (Host): thanks man.

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Yeah.

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Thanks, Dan.

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Take care, man.

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What's up, Davin?

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Davin McCoy: What's up, man?

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Jason English (Host): We're here in

Muscle Shoals, like we talked about.

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So, this is part 2 of our conversation.

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It's 11 o'clock at night on a Friday.

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Uh, are you hanging in there?

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Yeah.

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Davin McCoy: Yeah, I'm pretty good, man.

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Although, as soon as these

podcasts start, I freeze up.

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I feel like I've never

spoken to anyone before.

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Jason English (Host): Yeah,

I think you're right though.

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You always have something to say.

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Um, so when we talked in January,

you were, planning to come to Muscle

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Shoals for the, for the studio and

the recording of the album that you've

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been thinking about for, for a bit

that I know the timing of the start

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got delayed, but, uh, you've been

here most of March, is that right?

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And it's, it's basically

the last Friday of March.

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Was it what you expected?

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Davin McCoy: somewhat, but, uh, it's been

a harder process than I probably thought

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it would be, a little bit more taxing

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Jason English (Host): Taxing in what way?

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Just the

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Davin McCoy: Uh, just the kind

of the way we approach this one

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we were trying to avoid using

click tracks or any of that stuff.

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And there's never like a

band that just comes in.

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So everything is kind of centered around

me having to perform the song live,

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basically in the, in the live room.

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And, and I, you know, got to kind of

do it four or five times and try to

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get to that head space that I need

to be in with no crowd in front of

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me with no energy coming back at me.

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so it's kind of weird to

get that kind of, yeah.

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Emotional without, which is you in a room.

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It's like, you're trying to have to, you

kind of have to try to get back to the,

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where you were when you first wrote the

song, which is not always easy to do

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without a little help from your friends.

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Oh, we got trains.

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Jason English (Host): a

train in Muscle Shoals.

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It's good.

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Um, yeah, I mean, it's, it's hard work

and I, you know, you don't realize it, you

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know, you just, when you, when you're just

a listener of music, you don't realize

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the, uh, the process that, that you go

through and for you, you play, you know,

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you play guitar and, uh, and you sing and

you don't just sing, you sing, sing, sing.

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Right.

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So it's.

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Davin McCoy: If it goes right.

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Jason English (Host): Yeah, it's,

uh, there's a lot of work there.

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can you just walk us through, not,

you know, day by day or anything,

384

but like the first week, two weeks,

kind of what that looked like.

385

And then, and then I think you returned

to Atlanta briefly and then you came back.

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Uh, can you just kind walk us through

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Davin McCoy: I

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Jason English (Host): what the flow was?

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Davin McCoy: I got, so I came out

and um, We didn't do any, we didn't,

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we had to kind of do pre production.

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Uh, on the song.

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I mean, some of them

were really ready to go.

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I knew exactly what they were.

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I didn't, uh, wasn't really

interested in, um, a lot of input,

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but others needed pre production.

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And we, because we had to change the

schedule around, um, we got, some of

397

them we would have to do kind of pre

production in the studio, which feels

398

like it bogs it down, even though normally

you would have just already done it.

399

You would have spent the time on it.

400

So the first couple of days, I

was a little frustrated at that.

401

sort of the pace, not with the team, with

me and, you know, kind of just everything.

402

And then I sort of settled into like,

Oh, well, you know, we didn't have

403

time to suss some of this stuff out.

404

So why wouldn't it take, you know,

why wouldn't it be kind of sluggish

405

getting some of these, uh, started?

406

bit And also it takes a couple days to,

you're in front of people, especially

407

here with Dan Hannan and Gary Nichols

and, uh, Clint and everybody here

408

is, everybody here's, their pedigree

is really, really strong and they're

409

all ridiculously, uh, good musicians.

410

and I don't know, I've written, I've been

out here and hung with them and written

411

with some of them and all that, but, It

also kind of takes a, you know, a little

412

bit to kind of, to get comfortable,

to be vulnerable, to, you know, I felt

413

kind of tight the first couple days.

414

So that was sort of the, the

start was, was I was going, Oh

415

fuck, how, how is this gonna work?

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Jason English (Host): Well,

that's natural though, right?

417

Any new teams, you know,

coming together, you gotta, you

418

know, feel each other out and

419

Davin McCoy: Yeah, and you gotta just,

you know, It's, there's just definitely

420

a vulnerability that is required of you.

421

And when you're in front of people

that you're simultaneously empowering.

422

Having to be vulnerable in

front of and impressed by

423

Jason English (Host): Hmm.

424

Davin McCoy: them, it's, it's, uh,

it's a little harder to, cause you

425

just want to be good the whole time

and you're like, Oh my gosh, if I

426

fuck this take, if I fuck this, you

know, this part up, they're going to

427

think I suck, you know, or something.

428

and of course that's all in

your head, I got out here.

429

We, we figured out how we were going to

kind of go about this process doing it.

430

And, um, Not your traditional kind of

way how you normally record a record

431

these days And then we just I think

day three was when it really started

432

just kind of lift it off and we just

we figured out kind of the things we

433

needed to do and adjust in order to get

me sort of comfortable and And for Dan,

434

I think to figure out what I needed

from him in terms of The producer's

435

job is to manipulate you, you know?

436

So that takes a minute for a good

producer to figure out, like, what's

437

the way in which to motivate you to do

what he wants you to do without telling

438

you to do what he wants you to do.

439

Jason English (Host): So the first

week or two you were recording, I

440

guess, is the, is the industry term

tracking is that, am I picking that

441

Davin McCoy: Tracking, yeah, you're

442

Jason English (Host): All right.

443

I'm learning, I'm learning

tracking there's punching, right?

444

Punch

445

Davin McCoy: Punching,

yeah, punches, yeah.

446

Yeah, it's like when you go and make

an edit, basically, like a live edit.

447

Jason English (Host): it's, you

know, this whole thing has its own

448

nomenclature, which is really cool.

449

But no, so you're laid down tracks

the first week or two, right?

450

Yeah.

451

Davin McCoy: and the vocals on each song

which took surprisingly longer than you

452

would think to get, their performances

right because there's just not a lot of,

453

we don't have a lot of ability to comp

anything, we're not using a click, so I

454

kind of have to get it right and, um, and

that can be kind of stressful, you know.

455

Jason English (Host): Yeah.

456

And then you had other people

help with percussion and piano

457

and things like that, right?

458

So like Robbie and, and

then Dan's son, right?

459

Davin McCoy: Dan's

460

Jason English (Host): helped out

461

Davin McCoy: yeah, Eli Hannon, uh, he

helped with a lot of the production

462

and, uh, him and I got together on a

lot of the, uh, kind of some of the pads

463

we wanted in the keys parts and stuff

and, um, so I would sort of, you know,

464

clumsily play something that I had in

mind and then Eli would, would be able

465

to sort of turn it into an actual part

rather than sort of the unsophisticated

466

way in which I approach that stuff.

467

Jason English (Host): he's 19.

468

Davin McCoy: He's 19.

469

He's a freak of nature.

470

He's an alien.

471

He's a Martian.

472

He'll be, uh, he's probably the next,

like Jacob Collier, something like that.

473

Uh, he'll be in the world.

474

He'll be, he'll be known.

475

Jason English (Host): that's awesome

so so then you came back to Atlanta

476

after I guess, you know tracking And

then you came back this week, right

477

or have you been here a full week?

478

Davin McCoy: I came back.

479

Let's see.

480

I came, I came back on Sunday morning.

481

Jason English (Host): right, so

you've been here almost a week

482

Davin McCoy: yeah, I was home

for, I think like eight days or

483

Jason English (Host): Yeah so here

you're going back through each song and

484

Uh Yeah, we're doing a lot of the dubs,

485

Davin McCoy: Uh, yeah, pretty,

we're doing a lot of the dubs.

486

So just adding, you know, atmosphere and,

um, or if it needs percussion or if it

487

needs, you know, guitars or whatever.

488

and some of them we came back and I

just said like, we got to redo this.

489

so there was some

backtracking involved too.

490

Uh, we, we've been a little

bit cavalier with, with, but

491

you, you want to get it right.

492

I mean, you got to live with it.

493

And, um, so this week has been.

494

Much more exhausting than the first two.

495

The first two, you're thinking,

man, we've got a lot of time.

496

First two and a half, you're

like, we've got a lot of time.

497

And then you get back here and

you go like, we are staring at

498

the, you know, at the end of this.

499

And, uh, there's a lot to do.

500

Jason English (Host): So in January,

you were excited for this for a lot of

501

reasons, but I think you were talking

about the, your past experience,

502

you know, with other, you know, with

other recording sessions and, um, and

503

the need and your desire to get back

to like what Dava McCoy sounds like

504

mostly, you know, live and sort of,

you know, you're in your soul and, and

505

how people would see you, performing.

506

Do you think you achieve that

with what you've heard so far?

507

Right

508

Davin McCoy: stuff around some of

the vocals in the guitar that than I

509

initially kind of imagined there would be.

510

Um, but you get in there and you

kinda have to, you, you sort of

511

have to ask the song like, what?

512

You know, what does it need

here and what does it want?

513

And, um, so we've been trying to find

a, I think we have managed to find,

514

kind of, we were able to walk that

razor's edge of, um, of serving the

515

song to the best of our ability and

not, forgetting that, that we, we want

516

everything in there to be necessary,

but we also don't want people to miss it

517

so much when it's not there, you know?

518

So I think we kind of found that spot.

519

Jason English (Host): Yeah, so I you

know, you know, I love you, you know

520

with just a guitar Wherever you're

singing But what I what i've enjoyed just

521

being here kind of witnessing things is

uh, the piano and the strings You And

522

all these kind of surrounding sounds.

523

Usually I'm not a huge fan of that,

but what I've heard so far, it's

524

like, it completely amplifies you.

525

Davin McCoy: I, I hope God, that fucking

526

Jason English (Host): The train,

527

Davin McCoy: That thing

528

Jason English (Host): the train, it's

like the longest train ride in Alabama

529

Davin McCoy: fucking mad at

somebody, uh, that the engineer, the

530

conductor of that train, his ex-wife

certain has to live in this town.

531

He, because he is blown the

horn the entire way through

532

Jason English (Host): it's

11 at night on a Friday.

533

Davin McCoy: you get, so you get into

doing it and, and you, you lose, you

534

naturally lose a little perspective.

535

If you don't, you know, then

you're probably, you know, you're

536

probably missing something else.

537

I hope that, you know, that, that what

we've got on it is, is in service of

538

sort of the, the lyric and the vocal.

539

Um, You know, what were you?

540

You got out here

541

Jason English (Host): well, no, like

I, well, so like I, you know, I came to

542

know you just playing around Atlanta.

543

With you and your guitar, right?

544

And, um, and that's what I love.

545

And then I would listen to

your older albums, you know, on

546

Spotify, and I'm like, it just,

it just doesn't sound like Davin.

547

This stuff that I'm

hearing sounds like you.

548

That's my, that's my point, right?

549

Like that, even with, with all

the things surrounding it, and

550

it's, it's not a lot, right?

551

It's, but it's, uh, yeah,

so I'm, I'm excited.

552

Davin McCoy: that's good.

553

That's good to hear that.

554

yeah, I think it doesn't have any kind

of like it doesn't have a lot of the

555

sparkly and shiny stuff that it's still,

I think, appropriately dark, you know,

556

everything that's kind of going on.

557

And, um, And so those little, you

know, what we've tried to look for with

558

most of the stuff we've added is those

little moments where we can either

559

kind of punctuate the darkness or the,

you know, the, the mood, if it's a

560

dark mood or if it's a, you know, or,

561

isolated or, but like

562

uh, kind of, you know, provide like

these subtle kind of breaths and lifts

563

and, you know, just little things that,

that make you feel like there's, you

564

know, You know, things aren't always

great, or you might be missing somebody,

565

or you might be lonely, or you might,

um, be searching for something, or

566

you might be feeling isolated, or

uncomfortable, or whatever it is.

567

Jason English (Host): in our first

conversation you were talking about, you

568

know, it's been a few years and you've

got, you know, a decent backlog of songs.

569

And I think the number that you were

kind of contemplating was potentially

570

not having 15 songs on the album,

but probably 15 songs to work with.

571

And you've settled on what?

572

10, 11.

573

I guess my point is it's

fewer than the 15, right?

574

So like, I guess, talk us through

what, why did some make it and

575

some not, you know, and it was

that kind of part of this process.

576

Davin McCoy: it's funny is that

so the ones that were definitely

577

going on, um, we kind of, of

course, approached those first.

578

All right, that's what I

kind of presented first.

579

And then I would, um, I would get

with Clint and with Dan and, um,

580

Clint Ingersoll, by the way, he's

a great songwriter from Nashville.

581

He's part of the team here, but he, uh, I

would get with them and, when they would

582

say, what are we going to track next?

583

What should we put on the board next?

584

Um, I would go, well, let me think

for a little bit and then I'd get a

585

guitar and I would kind of go through

a few things and then I would present

586

those few things kind of to them.

587

This one's finished.

588

This one is almost finished.

589

This one's finished.

590

And I just sort of play them

and it didn't take me very long.

591

They would go first, they

would go, Oh, that one.

592

Let's do that's great, blah,

blah, blah, play the other

593

one, play, play that, that one.

594

That's great.

595

And I go, okay, good.

596

That's what I thought.

597

And then it didn't take me very long

when I would do that to watch their face.

598

And I could, I'd be like,

Oh, you hate this one.

599

You hate, you despise this one.

600

No, we're just listening.

601

Um, so it became kind of easy

to, To kind of suss them out.

602

and the other ones just might not

have been, you know, there's one that

603

is, um, was kind of written about.

604

It just didn't, you know, there's

one that I think is, is a pretty good

605

song, and I, and I really do like it.

606

It means a lot to me.

607

I have not played it a whole ton

because it doesn't, um, it sort of

608

doesn't always fit into what I'm doing.

609

And, uh, so, you know.

610

That happens a decent amount.

611

Um, so, you know, that might

be one for another project.

612

Um, there's another one that, uh, it

felt like it was gonna, it felt like

613

we already had kind of the anchor.

614

Um, like we'd already found

the depth, like, of where the

615

anchor on this record would be.

616

Um, song wise, the kind of

the two that would be it.

617

And this one, sort of, it felt

like an anchor that didn't, like

618

it wanted to be an anchor, but

it wouldn't reach the bottom.

619

You know what I mean?

620

So it was just sort of It, it didn't

feel, it felt like it was, um,

621

Jason English (Host): And that didn't

make the, that's not gonna make the

622

Davin McCoy: It's not

gonna make the record.

623

Yeah.

624

That, that, so that one

of them was that way.

625

And, and these are still songs that

I'll probably, 'cause the ones that

626

I brought thinking they might make it

are, are songs that I really do love.

627

It just was when we were kind of wrapping

our head around the whole project.

628

I mean, even one of them, the river,

which I wrote a long time ago,

629

I didn't when we recorded that.

630

And I thought there's no way

that's going on the record.

631

And, um.

632

And it's, and it's, along with a couple

of others, it's one that I wrote,

633

just doesn't

634

it just doesn't really always go with the

theme, that's what we were thinking, but

635

were thinking.

636

the river though does, it just was written

in a different sort of time period for me

637

than, and um, And so, but then we started

production around it, and in fact I'll

638

give you a good quote from Dan Hannan.

639

Jason English (Host): Hannan.

640

Oh boy.

641

Davin McCoy: I said, you know, I don't

like the, I don't necessarily love the

642

dynamic range of the song, and I, I, you

know, maybe it's, maybe we can find a

643

way to kind of get the lifts that I want

644

Jason English (Host): want

645

Davin McCoy: out of it with, uh,

with maybe a harmony and with some,

646

um, Some, some pads and some other

instruments and, and uh, and he looked

647

at me deadpan and goes, you mean

you want me to fucking produce it?

648

And I was like, yeah, okay,

649

Jason English (Host): Yeah, there you

650

Davin McCoy: Yeah, yeah, fair enough.

651

Um,

652

the question?

653

Jason English (Host): No, like

the, you know, the, we're just

654

talking about the song choices and

whittling them down in the process.

655

So I hope to talk to you again

when everything is kind of wrapped

656

up and you've got the album and

the track listing and everything.

657

Cause I'd like to go through

them a little bit more detail.

658

So without giving away too much,

which song surprised you the most?

659

You mentioned the River, but is there

any other song that surprised you?

660

Without giving away too much?

661

I really

662

Davin McCoy: there's one

called nothing lasts forever.

663

That kind of came in.

664

Uh,

665

going to

666

I, I

667

Oh wow.

668

I really thought I was gonna

669

that.

670

This one, it

671

I really thought I was gonna play

that for them and they were gonna go.

672

What's next?

673

They were gonna go like, what?

674

Okay, not that one.

675

What else?

676

and I kind of qualified it that way, too.

677

I said, I don't, you know, This

one, I can hear it in my head.

678

I know that it can be good.

679

I don't have it quite where

it probably should be.

680

But I think if I can have a sounding

board, you know, for it and do

681

some pre production and bounce some

ideas off of you, I think that you

682

can probably help me get it from

my head to, um, you know, to tape.

683

And, uh That one surprised

all of us, actually.

684

Um, it was about to be dead in the water.

685

It was real close to

being dead in the water.

686

And then, I think Clint, he told one of

the interns, go get a baritone guitar.

687

And so when he brought the baritone

guitar back and he handed it to me and

688

we, Started kind of fucking around with

it that way and then we all looked at

689

each other and was like, oh shit this

is good and so that was kind of an odd

690

one because it sort of the baritone

guitar sort of like it was it was

691

30 seconds from We were gonna move

692

Jason English (Host): Oh my gosh.

693

Well, I mean, just, you

know, spoiler alert.

694

Well, yeah, I mean, they, I

think, you know, you had shared

695

that with me, as a preview.

696

And, uh, I just, you know, the back of

an Uber, I might've gotten emotional.

697

So, you know, it may have been because

I was exhausted from a work trip.

698

I don't know, but I think it was

the song and, uh, the moment.

699

So that, that, that, you know,

that, that's going to be a good one.

700

Davin McCoy: a video, but you

only sent me like 15 seconds.

701

Of the, kind of.

702

So I knew it was

703

Jason English (Host): yeah.

704

It was a video, but you only

sent me like, it was like 15

705

Davin McCoy: looking for.

706

Jason English (Host): the, uh,

Kind of the, after the big lift.

707

And so I knew it was like, okay, there's

something there that sounds really cool.

708

And then when I heard

the whole thing, it was

709

Davin McCoy: when I heard the whole

thing, it was just like Like a

710

really positive reaction to just

that 15 seconds of me just recording

711

the, you know, the, the monitors

playing it and, uh, with my phone.

712

And so I was like, yeah, this, the, so

the next day I woke up and I was like, I

713

was real excited to get back to that one.

714

And I think, I think that

one is, uh, really, really

715

kind of a standout one on the

716

Jason English (Host): Yeah, I think

everyone's going to love that.

717

Um, so you talked about the difficult

process, uh, but you know, we're, you're

718

sort of at the end, you know, you're

on the whatever the 10 yard line, it

719

feels like 15 yard line, maybe, um,

going in for the, for the touchdown.

720

Davin McCoy: Or field goal.

721

Your

722

Jason English (Host): Where you're

recording obviously Muscle Shoals, which

723

we talked about it in January, but Since

being here at Ivy Manor and just you

724

know, I know it's a difficult process

But the setup is incredible and the team

725

you have is incredible like has it has

that met or exceeded your expectations?

726

Davin McCoy: the team

you have is incredible.

727

Has that met or exceeded

your expectations?

728

That's helpful.

729

Jason English (Host):

to me, because they're

730

Davin McCoy: Yeah, they'll be like,

or they'll tell me like, Hey, there's

731

this opportunity and it's really

like exciting and blah, blah, blah.

732

And I'll go like, okay,

well, we'll see, you know,

733

Jason English (Host): and

734

Davin McCoy: And, uh, and cause

in this business, you just

735

kind of learn to be that way.

736

It's, it's, it's rough.

737

And if you tell, you know, if you

get really excited about every.

738

Jason English (Host): um,

739

Davin McCoy: Every kind of opportunity

that comes up you'll You know they most

740

you know in this business a lot of them

Just kind of they don't pan out and people

741

are you know over promise or they're

full shit or and it certainly if you go

742

Tell your friends you'll just end up look

they'll just roll their eyes every time

743

you tell them something exciting because

you know half the time Something goes, you

744

know, there's just so many moving parts

and it's there's so much luck involved

745

But I, when I was coming out here, I kind

of, for whatever reason, I knew that it

746

was going to be, I, I, I might not have, I

might've thought it would be, the process

747

would have been a little bit easier,

748

a little bit

749

um,

750

but I but I kind of knew, and it,

and it exceeded those expectations.

751

I mean, just the, the, I, I mentioned,

you know, how important the, the

752

camaraderie and the, you know, the,

the friendships and all that, that

753

shit is when you're recording a record.

754

Jason English (Host): Yeah.

755

Davin McCoy: And, um, Yeah, I mean, I, I

knew we were already buddies, me and most

756

of these guys, but I, and I knew we would

be friends when we left, but I didn't,

757

you know, I, I, I wasn't expecting us to

be family, you know, like just straight

758

up family and, and we, we've become that.

759

Um, in fact, when I, after the first

two and a half weeks out here, I, I went

760

home and it was great cause I got to,

um, You know if I if I didn't have kids

761

I would have been depressed when I got

home for sure But my kids obviously that

762

elevated me because I was just so excited

to get my hands around them every day.

763

But um But I but I would wake up and

go like I'm not gonna go have coffee

764

with Clint and Dan and you know what?

765

I mean?

766

It was it was uh, it was kind

of I mean, which I guess speaks

767

kind of volumes around who they

are and how great it is out here.

768

And the ping pong's been good.

769

I haven't really, I think I've crossed

the bridge here, I think I told you

770

the other day, three times since I,

I've left this, I've left Ivy Manor,

771

I mean, to go to the gas station.

772

And I think I've gone and, uh, I've

gone and eaten at a restaurant three

773

times the whole time I've been here.

774

I've been just, it's been,

uh, it's been long days,

775

Jason English (Host): so for, uh,

for those of us that just don't

776

muscle shoals because of Netflix and

stuff, but as the artist that's here.

777

Like, do you feel the, like, you

know, after spending, you know,

778

spending time here, especially at

the studio, is the mystique real, you

779

know, for you, or is it, is it more

just like legend and lore, you know,

780

Davin McCoy: you know, I

don't want to upset anybody.

781

Um, I, you know me, I'm not, I don't get

into the woo woo stuff at all, you know?

782

So, um, but do I think that

there's an energy here?

783

Absolutely.

784

I do.

785

Um, I think it's probably because,

you know, at some point all the

786

greats wanted to come here and

record and so many of them did.

787

And now to this day, people that

really, are in this shit for

788

the right reasons and stuff.

789

They come, they, they're drawn to here.

790

So, there is a, um, you know,

the, the ratio of, of musicians

791

in this town that are just

792

know, it's,

793

like the kind, in my opinion,

kind of the right kind of people.

794

adult,

795

That ratio is really, really, really,

really extraordinarily high here.

796

And, um,

797

um, You know, it's and I'm not you

know, I'm not gonna dog on Nashville,

798

but The ratio in Nashville is really

really really really extraordinarily

799

low so there's a difference with that

800

And and and if you if you come all the

way out here to do this like You're

801

you know, whatever is driving you

to do that is is It's fucking real.

802

I mean, you know, otherwise you don't,

this is in the middle of nowhere.

803

There's nothing here.

804

Jason English (Host): it's a weird,

strange, awesome place, you know,

805

Michael, the, uh, the, the guy that

owns the studio, he was telling

806

me that yes, there's fame studio.

807

That's the famous one

that are the original one.

808

That's the famous one.

809

There's like muscle show sound the nut

house, but he was saying that there's 10

810

studios within 10 minutes of this spot.

811

And he said, they're all booked.

812

Basically all the time.

813

Which is wild to think about

here in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.

814

Davin McCoy: And, and they don't

really compete with each other at all.

815

Jason English (Host): Yeah,

that's what he was saying,

816

Davin McCoy: all, it's, it's

817

Jason English (Host): Mostly friendly,

818

Davin McCoy: it's symbiotic,

819

Jason English (Host): they let

each, He was saying that they let

820

each other, you know, borrow gear

821

Davin McCoy: All the time.

822

Jason English (Host): if,

823

Davin McCoy: Um,

824

Jason English (Host): if someone needs

something, so that's, that's really cool.

825

Davin McCoy: you get kind of

run out if you don't come.

826

Jason English (Host): Yeah.

827

Davin McCoy: If you don't come

correct in that kind of sense, I

828

think they just run you out of here.

829

Um, and it is pretty neat.

830

It's fascinating because you just don't

831

Jason English (Host): it's like they're

832

Davin McCoy: again, it's like they're

all in the trenches here together.

833

It's like it's because

there's nothing the fuck else

834

Jason English (Host): so there's

nothing Well, I was talking to Gary

835

Nichols, you know, earlier and you

know, he's, he's born here, right?

836

He was born down the

837

Davin McCoy: which makes perfect sense.

838

Jason English (Host): No, it's great.

839

And he, uh, I was like, I asked

him about the mystique too.

840

Cause it, you know.

841

It's part of his bloodline.

842

And, uh, I'm like, listen, there's

other, there's rivers other in other

843

places of the country, you know, cause

a lot of people talk about the energy

844

of the river and, you know, uh, and I'm

like, there's other rivers elsewhere.

845

Like, what is it about, you know, Alabama?

846

And, um, you know, he, he's like, listen,

it's, it's, it's the dirt, it's the

847

river, it's the energy, it's the people.

848

Um, so, you know, there

is something, I think.

849

I

850

Davin McCoy: definitely something because

this wouldn't be here if there wasn't.

851

I mean, for sure, there's

got to be something, um,

852

Jason English (Host): you,

will you come back here?

853

Do you think if, uh, if you have

the opportunity to do another album,

854

Davin McCoy: uh, oh, in a

heartbeat, yeah, in a heartbeat.

855

And, um, Yeah, and it is interesting.

856

Gary can too.

857

He can, he can sell me.

858

He could, he could almost

make me believe in ghosts.

859

You know what I mean?

860

He's, he, it's, uh, you just, he talks and

you just, it's, it's coming from just such

861

a real place with, with Gary and, and, uh,

862

Jason English (Host): he, I did ask

him about the origin of muscle shoals.

863

Cause I thought he would be the authority.

864

Davin McCoy: say?

865

Well,

866

Jason English (Host): for with him, but

he he said it's a combination of the Map

867

of the river looking like a flexed arm a

868

Davin McCoy: Oh, that was the other one.

869

I forgot

870

Jason English (Host): Yeah that he

thinks it's from that But he actually

871

said listen the reality is he thinks

it's you know a lot of muscles And

872

they just misspelled it Cause he's,

he's like, it is Alabama after all.

873

Davin McCoy: Well, when I first learned

about the fact that nobody really

874

knows, there's no consensus on why

it's muscle sores, I was sitting with

875

seven or eight people that are all

from this area, Gary being one of them.

876

And all of them Disagree.

877

I mean, they were like there

were three camps and they

878

were all like, no, no, no, no.

879

And I was like, Hey, I'm sorry I asked.

880

I didn't, I didn't mean

to cause any friction.

881

Um,

882

Jason English (Host): to

do another album, then I

883

Davin McCoy: would definitely, um,

I mean, let me hear the finished

884

product first, you know, but

885

Jason English (Host): think it's, I

don't think it sounds pretty good.

886

Um,

887

Davin McCoy: I'm pretty

excited about it being done.

888

So this is a great thing

about Muscle Shoals.

889

Um, the, the Shoals Music Makers

890

Jason English (Host): Oh nice.

891

Davin McCoy: is a, uh,

892

it's a

893

it's a part of the, I guess the city

council or whatnot, and they, um, in

894

order to kind of stimulate, uh, and

drive the music economy here, they take

895

submissions and they'll give you grants.

896

And so this is a really cool thing.

897

So we were staring, you know,

at the deadline and I'm looking

898

at the board going, we haven't

crossed off enough things yet.

899

And, uh, and it's crunch time.

900

Uh, Michael, the, the, the guy, Michael

Wright, the guy you mentioned that owns,

901

uh, Ivy Manor, he had submitted, when we

first did some tapes, he had submitted

902

that to this, to the, Muscle Shoals Music

Makers and so I found out, I guess two

903

days, was it two days ago or yesterday?

904

that, uh, that they had accepted,

they, they'd offered me a grant.

905

So they're actually, our studio time

is set to be up this Sunday, but Muscle

906

Shoals Music Makers, they gave me a grant

to, to, to do another seven days here.

907

So I'll be coming back in

April, which is amazing.

908

To, uh, so we, we kind of got

a little bit of a break there.

909

Um, We still treated it as if we're

have to be finished Sunday because, um,

910

I need that deadline to get me there.

911

But, uh, but it's good because

we're going to get to listen to.

912

basically the finished record, but instead

of it being finished, we're going to be

913

able to listen to it for three, you know,

three weeks or something and then come

914

back and change whatever we want, which

is a rare, I mean, you just, unless you

915

have unlimited money, that's, that's,

916

Jason English (Host): to do that.

917

Davin McCoy: rarely happens.

918

So yeah, they, I think they offered

a grand of, you know, I think

919

like right around 8, 000 bucks.

920

Um, um, The only thing they ask for is for

me to tag them in, uh, social media stuff,

921

I'm grateful, very grateful to the, to

them that, that, I appreciate that guys.

922

Jason English (Host): know, that's great.

923

Uh, so you'll come back in April, I guess.

924

What's the timing do you think after

that to have everything kind of

925

mastered and finalized and the release,

you know, the release timing, but

926

what's your best guess at this point?

927

Davin McCoy: well, I'm, it'll be, I'm

guessing it'll, we'll have the masters,

928

probably within two or three days of that.

929

So, so end of April Masters will

have, then I'll, I'll be working on

930

the album art and, liner notes and

all that stuff, between now and then.

931

So hopefully that'll be kind of

ready to go if we're, we're going to

932

press vinyl, but that is the backup.

933

we're still kind of like, we're

still kind of figuring out a strategy

934

if we're going to waterfall it

or just release it as one unit.

935

But we're gonna, uh, we're gonna do like

a big marketing push for the Spotify

936

and for all that to get it Where we

want it to be and everything in place

937

You know, I'll probably want to do a

release show, um, around, like, maybe

938

a soft one, maybe Eddie's or something.

939

Um, I'm gonna guess July.

940

I'm gonna guess

941

Jason English (Host): That's good.

942

That'll be good.

943

Davin McCoy: So, if you're

a betting man, September.

944

Don't

945

Jason English (Host): Don't say that.

946

Davin McCoy: that.

947

Um, we, we're more focused on

getting everything in place.

948

to be able to start next year on

the road and, and, and, and pushing

949

it and promoting it and playing it.

950

Uh, that is my, that's

my number one focus.

951

So, and, and that seems like a long time.

952

But it's not.

953

I mean, six months is not a

lot of, you know, I mean that

954

we're going to have to be.

955

So, it's not going to delay.

956

It's definitely the

Atlanta release and stuff.

957

I mean, we'll have that shit going.

958

I talked the other day

with Robbie about it.

959

Um, I think that if we are gonna push

the digital release, or we're gonna

960

waterfall it, however we decide to go

about it, then, um, if we push that back,

961

I'll get, we'll do like a limited run of

CDs, cause we weren't planning on doing

962

CDs, cause who the fuck doesn't get CDs?

963

Jason English (Host): something

in their hand, though,

964

Davin McCoy: Yeah, so we'll do a

limited run of those and do a release

965

party in Atlanta with those, and just,

um, ask that nobody put them online,

966

you know, before the digital release.

967

Um, so that's, that's might be the plan.

968

We'll see.

969

Jason English (Host): Alright.

970

Well, we ended the uh, conversation

in January talking about,

971

Davin McCoy: you better tell me

about how you spanked me at ping

972

Jason English (Host): I'm just gonna

973

Davin McCoy: I saw you

look at that fucking table.

974

Jason English (Host): social media's

blowing up, everybody wants to know.

975

They're like DMing me, they're like,

hey, did you, did you guys actually play

976

ping pong when you're in Muscle Shoals?

977

And uh, I mean you got me the first game.

978

Uh, and you

979

Davin McCoy: Did I win the first one?

980

Jason English (Host):

me to, yeah, you won the

981

Davin McCoy: and then we

didn't play again, right?

982

Jason English (Host): do you want

to give the people an update or

983

Davin McCoy: I think, let's see, we

played that first one and I won and then,

984

uh, and then I, and then we ate lunch

and then, uh, started recording again.

985

Right?

986

Is that am I missing anything?

987

Jason English (Host): all this.

988

Yeah.

989

Davin McCoy: Yeah, you see, you

990

Jason English (Host): point.

991

It's so late in the, in the process.

992

Davin McCoy: delirious and delusional.

993

Uh, yeah.

994

Yeah, Jason.

995

You did exactly what I was

afraid you were going to do.

996

Jason English (Host): Yeah.

997

Davin McCoy: You spanked me and,

uh, And you found that forehand.

998

And then I was forced

to try to just play on

999

Jason English (Host): on

00:54:20,483 --> 00:54:22,253

Davin McCoy: the, the, on your left side.

00:54:22,253 --> 00:54:24,243

I was trying to just

play to your backside.

00:54:24,302 --> 00:54:25,486

to your backside.

00:54:25,486 --> 00:54:25,880

Backhand.

00:54:26,013 --> 00:54:26,583

Backside.

00:54:26,670 --> 00:54:27,064

Jason English (Host): matter.

00:54:27,064 --> 00:54:27,459

It

00:54:27,643 --> 00:54:28,083

Davin McCoy: backside.

00:54:28,113 --> 00:54:30,093

And, uh, then you found that.

00:54:30,222 --> 00:54:31,406

Jason English (Host): And we're about

00:54:31,493 --> 00:54:32,583

Davin McCoy: And we're

about to play though.

00:54:32,763 --> 00:54:33,803

We're about to play now.

00:54:34,103 --> 00:54:36,363

When this is, when we're

done with this, this podcast.

00:54:36,433 --> 00:54:37,403

Jason English (Host):

This is getting late.

00:54:37,403 --> 00:54:37,763

I don't know.

00:54:37,833 --> 00:54:38,223

I gotta go.

00:54:38,323 --> 00:54:39,133

Davin McCoy: we're gonna play.

00:54:39,653 --> 00:54:40,543

You're going to play me again.

00:54:41,013 --> 00:54:46,053

Uh, I think that, uh, yeah,

what I was afraid of was real.

00:54:46,153 --> 00:54:48,213

You, you came out here and

beat the shit out of me.

00:54:48,328 --> 00:54:50,228

Jason English (Host): It's just,

I have experience, that's all.

00:54:50,248 --> 00:54:51,958

I'm 12 years old or whatever.

00:54:51,958 --> 00:54:54,008

So, that's the, I think that's the trick.

00:54:54,033 --> 00:54:54,463

Davin McCoy: Yeah.

00:54:54,473 --> 00:54:58,523

Well, people think that because of

the videos that our social media

00:54:58,523 --> 00:55:02,403

guy has posted, they, it's always me

cursing when I'm playing people and

00:55:02,403 --> 00:55:06,713

they think that I lose and you're the

first person that's come out here.

00:55:06,713 --> 00:55:10,193

And I lost the first couple of days when

I got out here, excited to get back in it.

00:55:10,893 --> 00:55:14,493

I, the running score of

me and Dan Hannan is.

00:55:15,033 --> 00:55:16,633

I promise you I'm not exaggerating.

00:55:16,643 --> 00:55:19,683

It's like 35 games to 12 or something.

00:55:20,123 --> 00:55:24,993

Me and Gary Nichols, Gary Nichols

and I, it's, I don't, we've, we

00:55:24,993 --> 00:55:27,483

haven't been able to play that much

him and I, but I think it's like,

00:55:27,883 --> 00:55:30,013

it's nine or 10 to nothing games.

00:55:30,773 --> 00:55:31,693

Uh, so,

00:55:31,718 --> 00:55:33,608

Jason English (Host): so they're

going to be so excited that you're

00:55:33,618 --> 00:55:34,938

announcing this to the world.

00:55:34,973 --> 00:55:37,523

Davin McCoy: oh, I'm going to

have Blake put it on social media.

00:55:37,963 --> 00:55:39,983

I mean, for sure he was

supposed to be doing that.

00:55:39,983 --> 00:55:44,253

I told him like every day, you're going to

give an update on the score of the game.

00:55:44,713 --> 00:55:47,113

Cause every, cause the videos

he put up of me playing, it

00:55:47,113 --> 00:55:48,153

looks like I'm losing all the

00:55:48,208 --> 00:55:50,188

Jason English (Host): like

you're getting your, yeah.

00:55:50,533 --> 00:55:51,203

Davin McCoy: Um,

00:55:51,418 --> 00:55:52,038

Jason English (Host): Anyway, it's been

00:55:52,283 --> 00:55:52,993

Davin McCoy: we're about to play.

00:55:53,078 --> 00:55:54,648

Jason English (Host): It's

a, it's been fun, but, uh,

00:55:54,763 --> 00:55:55,493

Davin McCoy: Yeah, you're good.

00:55:55,503 --> 00:55:56,703

You're good at ping pong, by the way.

00:55:56,703 --> 00:55:58,393

So congratulations.

00:55:58,458 --> 00:55:59,058

Jason English (Host): Thanks to Evan.

00:55:59,188 --> 00:56:01,018

Um, all right, well,

thanks for having me here.

00:56:01,038 --> 00:56:03,198

It's been, it's been

awesome to, to witness.

00:56:03,688 --> 00:56:05,048

Uh, the album's going to be in.

00:56:05,628 --> 00:56:06,338

Incredible.

00:56:06,768 --> 00:56:08,068

And I'm really excited about it.

00:56:08,068 --> 00:56:08,988

So, yeah, thanks so

00:56:09,133 --> 00:56:11,013

Davin McCoy: I'm so glad you

came out and hung out, man.

00:56:11,193 --> 00:56:12,833

I'm really, really, really glad you did.

00:56:13,073 --> 00:56:13,993

Wait, what do you think?

00:56:14,003 --> 00:56:17,573

Let's get your thoughts, by

the way, because all your, your

00:56:17,853 --> 00:56:18,733

friends all listen to this.

00:56:18,733 --> 00:56:19,863

They want to know what Jason thinks.

00:56:20,093 --> 00:56:23,173

What's your, what's your thoughts

on kind of watching the process

00:56:23,173 --> 00:56:24,343

of how this shit unfolds?

00:56:25,278 --> 00:56:26,958

Jason English (Host): incredibly tedious.

00:56:27,568 --> 00:56:29,088

It is so tedious.

00:56:29,648 --> 00:56:31,028

I mean, and maybe it's just

00:56:31,271 --> 00:56:31,784

Davin McCoy: just

00:56:32,248 --> 00:56:34,978

Jason English (Host): how, you

know, The team has collectively

00:56:34,988 --> 00:56:36,538

chosen how to do it this time.

00:56:36,568 --> 00:56:39,828

I don't know if this is normal, but

one, it's, it's very impressive.

00:56:39,848 --> 00:56:41,208

Cause each of the guys,

00:56:41,530 --> 00:56:42,043

Davin McCoy: me

00:56:42,298 --> 00:56:44,558

Jason English (Host): some of these

guys are very soft spoken, you know,

00:56:44,558 --> 00:56:46,658

they'll say three words the whole day.

00:56:46,728 --> 00:56:47,028

Right.

00:56:47,028 --> 00:56:49,128

But when they say

something, it's meaningful.

00:56:49,698 --> 00:56:52,798

Um, but like my point on that

is like, everybody brings

00:56:52,798 --> 00:56:54,068

something different to the table.

00:56:54,438 --> 00:57:02,338

Um, Dan, I can't wait for his

masterclass on producing with a minor in.

00:57:02,773 --> 00:57:07,193

Using that software program that

uses I mean, he, he reminds me of

00:57:07,193 --> 00:57:10,203

my kids playing fortnight, you know,

it's just like I can't keep up.

00:57:10,323 --> 00:57:13,673

Uh, but like, yeah, I

mean, it's It's tedious.

00:57:13,783 --> 00:57:19,093

Uh in a good way, you know, because

it's like And what's crazy is the, the,

00:57:19,163 --> 00:57:22,753

everyone's collective ears are so precise.

00:57:23,383 --> 00:57:28,003

You guys all pick up on the

smallest things and, uh, I

00:57:28,003 --> 00:57:29,043

mean, even tonight, right?

00:57:29,063 --> 00:57:33,273

You're doing these overdubs or

whatever, and you're in two rooms,

00:57:33,623 --> 00:57:36,883

two rooms away and you're like, wait,

you guys aren't going to use that.

00:57:36,883 --> 00:57:37,193

Are you?

00:57:37,223 --> 00:57:38,923

And it's the one thing we changed.

00:57:39,063 --> 00:57:42,873

Or I say we, I was, I was just

watching, but it was, they spent 10

00:57:42,873 --> 00:57:46,593

minutes fixing this one bit and you

picked up on the fact that it was

00:57:46,593 --> 00:57:47,943

different than what you had remembered.

00:57:48,448 --> 00:57:52,038

I'm like, and when you left, I was

like, how did he, how did he hear that?

00:57:52,098 --> 00:57:53,288

You know, it, but you heard

00:57:53,478 --> 00:57:54,568

Davin McCoy: It's, yeah, well, you,

00:57:54,708 --> 00:57:55,158

Jason English (Host): you know,

00:57:55,416 --> 00:57:55,784

Davin McCoy: crazy.

00:57:55,784 --> 00:57:56,152

My

00:57:56,198 --> 00:57:56,748

Jason English (Host): it's crazy.

00:57:56,748 --> 00:57:59,668

So anyway, so my point is very tedious.

00:57:59,758 --> 00:58:02,378

You know, when you listen to a

three and a half minute song,

00:58:03,218 --> 00:58:04,438

I don't know how many hours

00:58:04,583 --> 00:58:04,803

Davin McCoy: gonna

00:58:05,038 --> 00:58:07,738

Jason English (Host): man hours there

are and putting that together, but it's,

00:58:08,238 --> 00:58:10,028

it's way more than I would have thought.

00:58:10,134 --> 00:58:12,884

Davin McCoy: like you sit in there

while we comp and stuff and it's like,

00:58:12,924 --> 00:58:16,644

I can't, I can't, I have to leave, you

know, and I, I might have mentioned

00:58:16,644 --> 00:58:20,219

that on the last podcast, but I have to

leave cause I, it'll take, three times

00:58:20,219 --> 00:58:23,759

as long if I sit in there for some of it

because I'll nitpick every single thing.

00:58:24,159 --> 00:58:26,229

And that's not the point

of what we're doing here.

00:58:26,229 --> 00:58:29,259

It's like, it's not about, you're

not trying to polish anything.

00:58:29,259 --> 00:58:31,979

It's just, we're just trying to,

you know, to be raw and emotional.

00:58:32,249 --> 00:58:35,719

But yeah, you, you leave hating the

songs because you've heard them so

00:58:35,719 --> 00:58:38,459

many times or you've heard the same

line over and over again while we,

00:58:38,734 --> 00:58:39,244

Jason English (Host): Um,

00:58:39,299 --> 00:58:43,049

Davin McCoy: uh, adjust the, like a

drum, a drum hit, you know, or whatever.

00:58:43,104 --> 00:58:44,434

Jason English (Host): no, it's, uh, yeah.

00:58:44,434 --> 00:58:47,624

And then the instrumentation,

you know, the, the gear and the

00:58:47,624 --> 00:58:50,974

equipment that, I mean, I'm sure, uh,

00:58:51,103 --> 00:58:51,589

Davin McCoy: He made

00:58:52,314 --> 00:58:53,994

Jason English (Host): you

know, a lot of studios have it.

00:58:54,164 --> 00:58:57,704

And actually, Michael, I was talking to

Michael briefly, He made a great point.

00:58:57,704 --> 00:59:01,084

He's like, listen, all these studios

have the gear, they have the instruments.

00:59:02,044 --> 00:59:03,624

Uh, but it's really the people.

00:59:03,674 --> 00:59:04,994

And then sort of the.

00:59:05,844 --> 00:59:10,094

The secret sauce is the, the experience,

you know, so the fact that you can

00:59:10,094 --> 00:59:15,034

stay here on the site, uh, wake up,

grab coffee and, you know, start

00:59:15,034 --> 00:59:16,744

working or whatever, that's different.

00:59:17,114 --> 00:59:21,164

Um, and just the whole, the whole setting,

there's like an English garden here,

00:59:21,164 --> 00:59:23,154

the ping pong tables, the whole thing.

00:59:23,154 --> 00:59:27,354

So it's like, um, yeah, the experience

and the people kind of make it.

00:59:27,404 --> 00:59:29,514

And, uh, it's, it's just been fascinating.

00:59:29,514 --> 00:59:31,834

Cause this is the first time I've

ever sat in a recording studio.

00:59:32,194 --> 00:59:33,750

Davin McCoy: it's just

00:59:33,974 --> 00:59:34,564

Jason English (Host): it's wild.

00:59:34,564 --> 00:59:34,914

Yeah.

00:59:35,307 --> 00:59:43,089

Davin McCoy: It's like this is

the first time I've done it.

00:59:43,109 --> 00:59:43,849

Jason English (Host): it's, uh,

00:59:44,429 --> 00:59:46,549

Davin McCoy: It's incredible

because that is the thing you go.

00:59:46,579 --> 00:59:50,869

I finish and I can sit on the porch

and kind of stare into the darkness

00:59:50,869 --> 00:59:54,909

and decompress after the, you know, the

day and then just walk up the stairs,

00:59:55,058 --> 00:59:55,590

Jason English (Host): to bed,

00:59:55,839 --> 00:59:58,279

Davin McCoy: go to bed,

wake up, shower, come home.

00:59:58,279 --> 01:00:00,469

The interns have breakfast

for you and coffee.

01:00:00,469 --> 01:00:03,849

And it's like, it's just

a, it's, it's really great.

01:00:04,109 --> 01:00:06,939

Jason English (Host): And the soundboard,

you know, I don't know what model it

01:00:06,939 --> 01:00:12,189

is, but Michael was telling me it's, you

01:00:12,199 --> 01:00:14,589

said it was built for Bob Marley's son.

01:00:14,704 --> 01:00:14,884

Davin McCoy: Yeah.

01:00:14,944 --> 01:00:16,564

I think it was built

for Ziggy or somebody.

01:00:16,869 --> 01:00:17,619

Jason English (Host): So, um,

01:00:17,944 --> 01:00:19,324

Davin McCoy: And then,

and then Zach Brown.

01:00:19,329 --> 01:00:20,854

Zach Brown had it at his place.

01:00:20,854 --> 01:00:23,434

He bought it, I think from,

uh, the Marley Estate maybe.

01:00:23,434 --> 01:00:28,174

And uh, he had it in, uh, Nashville,

his place before he closed it down.

01:00:28,174 --> 01:00:30,214

And then Michael, I think

brought, bought it from him.

01:00:30,224 --> 01:00:30,634

Jason English (Host): Yeah.

01:00:30,714 --> 01:00:36,424

So it's just the, uh, yeah,

just the setting, the sound.

01:00:36,504 --> 01:00:38,064

I mean, it's, uh, it's all there.

01:00:38,064 --> 01:00:40,234

So, and it's, it's coming across for sure.

01:00:40,424 --> 01:00:42,664

Thanks to having good luck

with the rest of the process.

01:00:42,834 --> 01:00:45,234

Davin McCoy: you Jason

English and Curious Goldfish.

01:00:45,764 --> 01:00:46,554

Thanks for having me.

01:00:46,684 --> 01:00:47,034

Jason English (Host): All right.

01:00:47,114 --> 01:00:47,614

Good luck, man.

01:00:47,774 --> 01:00:48,414

Davin McCoy: Thanks for coming out.

01:04:02,380 --> 01:04:03,940

Jason English (Host): Thanks so

much for joining us for another

01:04:03,940 --> 01:04:05,730

episode of Curious Goldfish.

01:04:06,170 --> 01:04:09,450

Please follow and subscribe to

the podcast and on social media.

01:04:10,030 --> 01:04:12,650

Also tell your music loving

friends about us too.

01:04:13,400 --> 01:04:15,500

Until next time, stay curious.