2. Brett Axelson - Mountain Dews & Straw Hats

00:00:00 - 00:05:02

So welcome you guys to another episode of backstage pass radio. I think i met my next guests. I was talking to terry before he got here into the studio. And i'm horrible with dates. But we're thinking it was maybe six seven years ago. The band at the time was playing fitzgerald. And that's that's where. I met my guest over the years. We've become some good friends. We support each other at at our shows. He'll show up the mind. I show up to his. We also help each other along the way with some different bookings different places that we play. He's definitely an established presence in the local scene here with a very very faithful following. He's a vocalist a multi instrumentalist. Who has a brand new project in the works called axelsson and we're going to talk to him in the crystal vision studio right after this. This is back stage. Pass radio the podcast. That's designed for the music junkie with a thirst for musical knowledge. Hi this is adam. Gordon and i wanna thank you all for joining us today. Make sure you liked subscribe and turn alerts on for this and all upcoming podcasts. And now here's your host backstage. Pass radio randy hosie. Please welcome to the show. The lady's pet in the men's regret it's brett axelsson. My friend and local rock star brent. What's going on. I've never heard that you learn something new when you're hanging out with me but with you i. That was good. I like that. Yeah so the over the weather shitty outsource right now. So i'm glad you were able to Brave the weather and get over here. So thanks for thanks for showing up and let's go back in time. Let's go back to portland texas. Okay okay up until recently. I don't know. I don't really know that i knew portland. Texas was but it's own corpus. Christi bay right down in corpus area. And this is where you grew up right while i was born in houston at herman hospital but then we moved half of third grade. We moved to portland texas. We've never heard of it either. Obviously but i was only in third grade kid. But it's eight miles north of of corpus christi. Okay and you go over a couple of big bridges and you're right in a big heart of corpus christi. So that's we're just in this little town. It was about maybe twelve thousand. You know twelve thousand population or something like that. So we're real small and what what took the family. They're back in the day. Oilfield oil okay. That's that's usually why everybody transplant transplanted or your oil and gas. You're somewhere else. Who was who was brett. Axelsson the kid growing up what was bred into. Were you a sports guy where you always a music guy talked to me. Like intermediate you're sports That was my dad was a professional ball player in the minor leagues and he had an opportunity to be signed with the fifty three new york yankees illinois. Leave this not. He turned it down because he wanted to have a family. And so here. I am Forbidden and so but my dad was so wanted his kids. My brother and i have a sister also but he wanted my brother and i. My brother was two years older than i. He wanted to live through us through sports so he would make an try to be baseball. Pleasure be baseball players and my sister was the one who loved music. Even though she didn't play anything love music to listen and listen so she and the other thing is she would always make me. 'let my brother didn't really wanna listen. But i did. And i caught myself love and sit in with my sister in her room. Listen in these these forty-five record and our never forget the one that made me just go. This is it. I love it. It was a it was a beatles in the a side was help and the b. side was on down and when i heard on down. That's you were down because it was rock it was what is this and the other thing i like. The of help was the harmonies so between the harmonies. I heard that. Wow that was so cool and then it guitar part of the heavy stuff that was. That's what got me started. Yeah and then musically. I finally found a guitar. Four string it was sixty acoustic and only had four. Dogs were gone. And i just would play at twelve and try because it was my toss friends grant grandad's guitar and we'll we'll definitely jump into kind of what you know what you started playing in that type of thing but your sister loved the music you are the sports guy and and she kinda got turned onto music and that's when the love note kinda not even a question i mean it was so strong of. I didn't know how to get it.


00:05:02 - 00:10:03

I didn't know how i just knew. I wish i could do it. And then when. I saw them play in new york at madison. I mean at the stadium in sixty eight or nine when whatever. The beatles played the stadium on tv. That was like wow okay. So that music. I heard that's them and look what they're playing for right in front of i knew what do i. How can i ever thought now. I'm sure it was madness to like. I mean just the people there were just go. Were going nuts and the girls are going crazy but it wasn't about the girl thing at all it was the it was the music that i just thought but but anyway long story short. I didn't take into it. I did but didn't i would just piddle sure play in by paying playing baseball playing baseball and burn out my junior year. I just couldn't take it. Didn't wanna do it and quit and i just started focusing on music. That was that was that i just do you find that a lot i think when the when the parent tends to live vicariously through the kid like they wanted to be either a ball player or firefighter. They tend to push the kid in that direction and they they don't realize it but they pushed so hard that it just becomes repulsive to them after a while. And and you know like my son brandon. Who i'm playing shows with now. There was always guitars in the house. But i never said dude. You're taking guitar lessons. Your learning to play this thing. And you're going to be better than me and blah blah blah blah blah. It just happened organically just as they were there in one day probably around fifteen sixteen years old. He just started playing around with. And that's where it went. But i never forced him to sit down and play. I was a classical pianist right but but my parents never forced me into that. It was something that i wanted to do. Because i had that love like the sound the tone just right. It did something for me whether two words randy is needing want. You know my dad. He needed us to play ball for. But i want to play music. Yeah and the those two words are everything when you want something you know if you if i tell you i need to lose weight by golly. I've got to lose weight. I need to lose weight. Yeah that's a. that's a different. Yeah that's when you want it's in your heart in. And so that's i've always tried to tell people want something. It's hard to get my mom. My nickname was younger. My mom would tell me. I'm like a bulldozer. Yeah she said man brett. You are just carefree. You just bounce around everything when you make up your mind just then buddy stops you well and we all through and get it exactly and we talked about before we started. Aaron the show here. We talked about once like five. Six thousand. Eight thousand dollar microphones. We all want things what we do what we want and what we get or sometimes two different fans. So we've we've been in portland texas. This you know bret was the ball player kinda fell in love with music and then started my first band. Actually there oh yes. My first band started in portland and was called. The the free sounds hilarious but it was called the free agents. Okay okay the baseball reference from through my dad. Yeah i'm going to call it. The free agent so like that and then we mentally eventually obviously just turned into the agents and that ban went for about three years and we played all the all the circuit and corpus. And i just was bored at that point after three years. I wanted more. So i tried to tell the ban because that was when things were blowing up in la. I told him let's go. Was this like like early. Eighty about three hundred eighty four. And i said guy come on. It's we have. We have all the songs we. I was writing since i've been writing since i started. I just mainly started writing songs. So i had you know tons of songs to work with and they were so young i was like four years older than they were and they just didn't have that they were scared and i don't blame them and but i did. I went ahead and quit. The band went to l. a. Auditioned for a couple of bands. But didn't really. That's not my it wasn't my circuit wasn't my people wasn't my state that makes sense It's not nothing against l. a. Or i'm just saying it just didn't fit me right now because i grew up in a little tiny twelve thousand town right. It was kind of too much for me. came home. A why wants you. Go to austin a girl that i knew in sentence sentence just outside of portland yup real close and she's new guy that was going to university of texas and Said he's looking for a ban. A singer being abandoned austin. He was in a band fraternity. And so that's what happened. I ended up going up there. Got the gig take started in austin texas.


00:10:03 - 00:15:03

Okay yeah that's six six okay eighty-six so that that's a great segue into that and it's funny. You said something earlier about you talked about the b. side of a forty five right and i was gonna tell you then that some of the people that i'm going to have on the show that have agreed to do. Interviews will not have a clue what a forty five even is right. So so we're we're like. I know exactly what you're talking about record. Sri i have an actual axelsson forty five hundred with a and b side. Yeah i mean yeah it's missy song on the side and you don't know on the b side so you must be what ninety three ninety four matter of fact i needed for that. We'll take a break. No no just kidding. So great segue you. You're in austin. So did the music take you to austin is that is that why you went to also was there another underlying reason why you wound up there okay. Music period but my family. My aunt and my cousin lived there in two of my very good friends lived in austin. Okay so i knew i would have a place to stay to get started and then eventually get my own place eventually so it was between family and knowing that support system to to not be afraid gabby scared to go and just give it. Give it a shot so you didn't walk in there cold. I mean there was. You had the support system that was what do you remember about. The the music scene in allston around that time was banging was a was a nod or really. Oh my god. Sixth street was street church. And it didn't get any better than those times to me. I've never seen anything like it because the club's literally were across the street from each other so we would. This is true what we would do with us say we. I'm just going to call a couple of places. We played like maggie. May's so we would play. Maggie maize on the corner of trinity. Sixth street and right across the street was too loose on catty corner and so we would do our show on whatever. That's just say sunday then we would do sunday. And then monday. We would go over there and literally. Just grab our gear. Unlike the drums not even break down. Just really walk across the street with our drum kit in our hand put them in their set him up but our apps up and that's how it was that way from one end to the other of the a sixty so was this. So was this the richmond strip on steroids. Oh yes. I mean more than steroids. It literally everyone was there. I mean it was just everyone was there was just a make supply into major big supply and demand of all these Cover bands yeah the original bands. Even on that street. There was the black cat all blues original bands. Then there was steamboat. Obviously steamboat was gigantic tour. That's where stevie. Ray vaughan played all the time. Eric johnson played all the time we would go watch him. My sat right there in just when they were sound checking. I mean they were. They weren't even blown up yet. So i was in such a great. I had the best. It was the best time of my life. Because i got to sit there and watch. Tv ray right there and watch them. Turn into st right. yeah and it was an antonio. He played an tones. All the time. The fabulous t birds so had watched them all the time. Who's stevie ray's brother was in the jimmy right absolutely like chick. Corea your example. Yeah just ridiculous ban all the musicians and we gotta go. They invited us into the club to watch them do their soundcheck. So i got it. Was that kind of thing. Everybody was cool. Everybody nobody was like you know. We're better than you right now. It's like it's it's kind of it's like a mystique like if my son brandon was sitting here listening to this right now he'd say man you said in the same room with stevie ray-ban because he's become so influenced by stevie ray vaughan in his playing in these he's he's learning to play like stevie ray like who does and everybody wants to play like hendrix and stevie ray and and whatnot but just to say that you were there in those times kinda like for for me like saying man. I saw the beatles or whatever or led zeppelin like to see led zeppelin such a huge influence for me but for people that said man i saw suppling back in seventy eight blah blah. Blah's like wow. That's i couldn't imagine her in this band at woodstock even you know babies then for the most part. Yeah you know. I was twenty five. Twenty six. You know and But it was so nice man. Like i said i mean eric johnson was about as you know. He's one of the host of phenomenon antar great singer too but mainly obviously virtuoso on the guitar but he was about as nice as could be very humble.


00:15:03 - 00:20:02

Meet him like i would go a music. Makers is one of the stores at the time or ray headings you know we go into ratings or go to music makers and there's just getting his you know maybe tweaked out and i'd be you know. Hey what's up. You know maybe go. Hey good see and go. I'm bret with. I play in a band. Called double goes yeah. I'll play maggie as all time. I mean so that's what i mean. It was like almost everyone knew everyone wasn't even though he was years of of over us right. He didn't not that way interesting. very nice. you know so. We talked a little bit earlier about. So you're you're n. Double take your in austin. And you burn your vocal chords. Tell the listeners. About what what does that even mean for somebody. That's a a non vocalist. Doesn't seem well. Here's the big one. i mean. look gigs or gigs. It's and when you're hungry and you want to make money and you want to get your name out there. I understand i. That's what i wanted but we were literally play in three hundred shows a year. Okay so when you're seeing and three hundred shows a year and you're doing three hours a night singing. It is a massive load on the vocal chords. I let's put it this way. I was also partaking in the. Maybe the wrong things while i was performing and and wasn't helping my vocal chords. I screamed a lot. The more i try the more i'd scream. You know so all those things. I did wrong. I burn my vocal chord. When i mean by burned it i just kind of i just Singed it a tip. The edge of the vocal cord got blistered that he calls it blistered and it basically turned into a polyp over the years and thank god. It wasn't cancer. They you know note so that was great. And then after that i i had vocal surgery in which was scary. Scary scary vocalist. Oh got scared. But i was fortunate to be had the great richard stazzone to do the surgery. Who happens to you know he. He resides in houston texas. I was lucky He's the same guy that does all the big. Everyone had done surgery on kinds of big people. But he did Steven tyler right Linda ronstadt poverty. Yeah i mean my goodness matter of fact his walls are full of just nothing but people that madonna flew him out to la to take a look at her cords and stuff. So this is how the guy. I was fortunate enough to be able to get the vocal surgery and thank god. It's been now eleven years and years. And i can still. I can still sing and no the host issues from that like no tiring of the vocals. I mean you were probably doing somewhere between two fifty three hundred shows at that time at. Yeah so that's a strain like i. I know that at at my peak. And i and i'm just a part time musician but even at one hundred and thirty shows a year was the the most i ever did. And that's that's a lot you know and and you don't think much about it but when you're you know you go down to places like jackie's brickhouse in. It's a four hour. Show that your urine to tennessee. Ten twenty probably forty songs that you're doing for a four hour show. Yeah because mona solo situations yes for audio out there wondering bread access and i'm i'm a singer songwriter. And i do a solo show right now but also like randy just said we've started axelsson but but i still even axelsson. I m the only singer singer sony. When i'm doing these shows like you're saying i'm seeing taxing one of our shows and so i have to be super smart Watch the set list. No warm-up home. gosh. If there's anybody listening i need you singers. Warm up forty forty five minutes I don't care what you do just Do you low homes. Ooh or original things. They all help. Deter intially warms your chords up or not. And when you go to seeing that first song it's not. It's raining you yup. And i and i get in the habit of i'll put on some music on my way to a show. I'll just kinda sing it under my breath to warm up the i don't really do any quote unquote vocal exercises. It's more just you know. I'll sing some of the song in a falsetto voice. Some in full voice. But i don't but i'm not trying to like match the the volume of what's coming out of the speakers. I like my music really loud in the yard. So to that's great post-surgery no issues of the vocals are stronger than ever. Who really yeah. I've seen some shows and and i i would concur that The boko sound great. Walk me through. What you think is the genre or dijon ras that shaped you as a young kid specifically like you and i know you kind of answered that one before like the beatles but was it rock and roll.


00:20:02 - 00:25:03

That was always at for you. Or did you drift in and out of different genres along the way it was rocked from the beginning straight up and i hate to sit there and admit it okay but i'm going to everybody. Okay so listen yes. I loved rock. Acdc judas priest scorpions maiden all the what he's to say. I loved all those death. What i jay empty man. But i gotta tell you. I did a lot of listening to bread. I let guitar man of those america. S fred. James taylor jim crow she. I mean all these guys at oh jerry reed guitar picker burger so these dudes made me a see. There was another whole world. Scher other than what i was thinking was just rock. We're going to be a rocks guy you know and it really made me go hang on. Maybe i should just listen to more things than so then all the sudden i know i remember the one that really turned me around then from the rock in the cars first album here. Okay yeah so when the cars first album came out all of us rock guys. Were all sitting there going. What the hell is that. I mean seriously dog crap. And i'm not kidding you within about probably a month every every one of us quietly whitten bought the sure. I'm sorry the eight track track we did so. We bought the eight track and nobody wanted to admit it. None of our friends in one of them just bought it. I bought it and we all had it. That's it yeah and well. Here's here's a trek trivia question or yes. Put you on the spot. How many channels were there on. An eight track. You remember. i don't probably to was four four four. I was like bit. it's funny. You mentioned the cars like everybody was like. Who are these guys you know until they see that rick o. Casick mary's paulina ports cove. And they're like oh he's a bad. I wanna be like that. We were going. Is he dating. Well they always said like what was the old saying in in rock and roll. You can look like mick jagger and still get the girls if you're musician look good. You just have to be a musician. So i guess there's some truth to that now. There is one new guy quick. I'll tell you about what i think. Sent you some stuff that callum. Oh yeah right yeah. Great kid twenty nine years older. So you all after love acoustic and Just i mean phenomenal guitar. Plan look up calum graham to. He's really yeah. Yeah i was gonna. I was gonna ask you about that too Like if there's if there's any any music out there that people should be listening to I have some of those two. Although i mean like all the new stuff i don't listen to. I haven't listened to anything past two thousand. You know what's funny is i. I was just talking to my buddy. I i was interviewing my buddy. Paul hartwell yesterday. I said you know i say this. Kinda tongue-in-cheek it's a joke but it's of true because a lot of people will come up to me and my shows and say hey. Do you play anything by blah blah blah and. I'm thinking well. What year did that come out. That must have been like. You know two thousand nine or something. I said you know what in nineteen eighty nine. I turn the radio off. And i just stopped listening to the radio. I'd and i got away from that. So as like. I was stuck. Yes in the this the whole sixty seventies eighties thing. I was never a grunge guy. I totally respected. I loved the pearl. Jam's i love the stone stone temple pilots. All of that soundgarden. All of this whole. I mean absolutely and and even today you know one of the alternative bands. I guess stained aaron lewis. I'm a big fan of air. Coasters right yeah over the country. But you know i just stopped listening to it and i feel like i. I probably didn't get to hear a lot of good music. I'm much like you. The james taylor. John denver's the jim crow cheese. The fogel berg's the lightfoot all of the ballot ears the day of the ballot. deers over with they. Don't write like that and more and it's going to be sorely missed but that's stuff that you and i. I still play all that stuff in my shows today right. I hope they come back. They do you know but it is what it is you know music. Here's the reason. If you're asking me why i don't listen to it as a songwriter. Let's face it. There are riffs that i will. Sometimes i a song and think that sounds like something else. And so our subconscious minds they They keep stuff in their church. Okay so the less. I listen to the radio. The less chance the more creative you are because you hear something. And you're like okay that just gets burned into your brain or what.


00:25:04 - 00:30:00

Every courts been played every every every one of them. All the chord progressions have probably been money. They know look at the new country. Hello i mean every single song is probably written by the same groups of songwriters in nashville. Okay that's why everybody goes. They all sound the same. Yes there's only so many guys. There's only so many keys and music theory. I mean they have not invented new musical risers already. I don't one feminine out. Everybody please make note. That bread has a new key that we're gonna be playing in the flat but yeah so those were the the younger years in you. I guess you indirectly answered the question about you know you just shut it off because it just helps with your creativity but is there nothing. In the later years that have influenced you like anything recent. That's like grabbed. You like for me. And i'll give you an example. I was in iraq guy loved rock house a rock pig from day one and i went through. I was certainly down with the motown sound for a long time. I love motown. I love all the old earth wind and fire stuff and allows players love it. But now i've gone into this americana genre and i'm playing a lot of that in my shows. The jason is bull the drive by truckers a lot of the stuff that maybe a lot of people haven't heard of booting me. Yeah so that's kinda what it's along. The country lines bugged. And i was never really a country guy. Like i just strayed away from it. But as i became a solo artist that wasn't writing his own music. At the time. You have to be diverse. You can't just go in. And say i only do seventies rock. I only do you know. There's bans out there that do that can't and his band diamond jacker some of the best eighties band and the nineties and blah blah blah and. They're they're great but when you're a solo artist and you're sitting in a place as kind of background noise quote unquote yes. They want to hear different stuff. They don't wanna just hear. Jim croce all night and i even know what's really sad is even when you do and you already know this as well as i do. I don't care how far you stretch the genre. They're still somebody that's not going to be happy. You say you can't please them all and there's only so much you can pull off on an acoustic guitar. You can't hide behind an acoustic. Do pour some sugar on me with acoustic or do some prints or something like i mean who can pull that guy off anyway even even on electric guitar. It's probably sometimes went by myself. He surprised himself sometimes for sure. I'm sure so. He's one of my one of my goals early. Bob marley as without questionable. And we'll talk about some reggae step. So don't quit stealing my thunder but no prints. I believe in. It probably wasn't his death that i realized this but one of the most phenomenal recording artists of our time. Amazing probably has thousands of songs that he's written that that will never hear guitar virtuoso. I never realized the dude could play a guitar very like very like very very well. Yes he was. He was phenomenal. Yeah it's too. Apparently he was a super nice guy to can't beat it exactly so we'll fast forward a little bit. We've left austin. Let's talk about rat ranch a little day if my memory serves me correctly It's getting old. It's not what it used to be but eighty two is that right but forming of rat rant somewhere around eighty two ish night of ranch formed in eighty nine eighty nine nine okay and i joined in ninety seven. Okay yeah well. My dates are roll off. I'm so glad you're here because you're you're you're correcting me back in eighty nine first of all. How long was wraparound to us together. Twenty years somewhere around twenty years. I was with well. They were almost thirty years. I was with them. For twenty one of the third. The thirty that house in nineteen would have been thirty years in all that have been thirty years that they had been together right. They made it for. I mean i don't know how many years we were together but total the name has been there for almost thirty years in there for twenty one of the thirty. But you weren't an original member. What what did the do you remember or dino history wise like what. What did the original lineup look like. Who started it. The originally was kent. Newman david stimpson. Ritchie lee was there sound engineer. St boyd was their drummer. And malcolm was there. Malcolm was their bass player. Okay so those were those. Were the that i if i'm not mistaken. Those are the original five guys in going through some change. Obviously but yeah i. I think the first time.


00:30:00 - 00:35:10

I ever saw rat ranch in again. I'm not even gonna try with dates. I'm just. I'm absolutely horrible. Please do please educate me and set me straight. I think and i never knew him personally. Is it mark russell. Or was the first singer that i saw rat ranch. He was in the band. There was a lot of rush covers. I remember a lotta sticks. That was going on their own. Boston's is now. I have to assume that he was had that upper register. There that a lot of us. Like me specifically. I was not blessed with a nice voice. He just had like a high sings up there in. The lineup changed quite a bit over the years. was there a lot of attrition in the band or or not not so much mark. They went through some drummers. Steve boyd left. I'm not sure exactly when he left. But i believe john hill rest in peace because was passed away from kobe last week or two local guy was here in houston s. I didn't know laid with rich for about two three years. Yeah and he got cove and passed away last week. I believe but he was in the band for awhile and then he left a believe there was. I think is when rick came in. Ala's okay And he was the the so mart. Join him i think in ninety six k yeah ninety five or ninety six and then i joined him. In ninety seven then marked left in two thousand okay and it just became. David's different was four. Four piece. you that point. That's where it really stayed pretty much the same for a while. It was david stimpson on keyboards. Rick ballot is on the drums. Newman on lead guitar and me on the bass guitar actually played bass it was going to say. I remember you playing fifteen years. Yeah player they made me be one you know. Sounds like didn't get in where you fit in. It was a great act. Yeah right band. And i knew you know what it's a good opportunity so jumped on. That's awesome well. The they were certainly ranch was certainly a staple like tar. You put in the time for sure. Yeah i was gonna say. I thought about this earlier i was gonna say. Probably one of the most recognized bands back in the day. You know richmond strip was was rat ranch. But i'm gonna have stacy still on the show and i'm sure he's gonna beg to differ on wait a minute. Wasn't it as often as we truth. Yeah i mean we we we. We were on the road a lot. So we we had a lot of places that were so. We didn't already plays rich as much but we did. I mean double. Take matter of fact played richmond. Okay so that's how i. That's how i got kinda kinda going. You started as a bass player in then. Somehow you graduated. They let you play a six string guitar at some point in time. How long into ranch where you play with them before can't said you know what here's your here here. You go buddy here you can. Finally you wanna know why you sorry for you know to. Hey they have to own this whether they like it or not. So when scott holden came in the band and then we had a canal. Remember which one was first kenny marquez. Kenny marquez was i and he wouldn't play his guitar parts all the time so there were times where it's like what where's the rhythm and he's over there comb his hair or putting on a different hat or you. He would literally not play when he's supposed play. Scott holding county gotten to the same zone and one point where he wasn't playing parts and so when you know kit was like okay. Wait a second. What area of we hire a bass player in you. Play rhythm guitar us a dude. You know me guitar player. Originally so i would love to go back to guitar. And he goes within i. I got a couple of guys. So scott madigan. Once i heard got once they brought up scott's name i just went scott madigan. I mean i knew right off the bat. We need them because he he's been around for for a while his brother dave and get him. Yeah for yeah so it all just kind of just how music musicians just kind of find each other sir and we just found each other and boy tae once we well. I don't want to get ahead sure. Okay yeah i don't wanna do that. I'm not host. Not you know your role buddy. Know your role until i started asking you when you first started wearing might have will but no i'll let you finish off his. I'll just let you know why came to an end whenever that comes. Okay so just keep going. And we'll just no i mean i think that that's i think we're at that spot. Where probably in the last few years rat ranch called it quits. And so i guess. Speak to that. Because you know when when a man's been around you know we think a bands like rush that were together over forty years and of course was solidified that and of course the yeah exactly you know The death of the drummer.


00:35:11 - 00:40:00

So when one dies the whole thing dies and tell us if you want to say in your own words the demise are the ranch. I can't explain it. I i mean to the and matter of fact i wanna cleared up anyway so since this is on a podcast and everybody. There's a lot of fans out there that didn't know they don't know it was our personal decision. You know we. We tried to tell as many people and we even posted it on facebook. Why but a lot of people didn't see that so they don't know and and we get that question. so here's how it went down when i joined. Scott madigan joined the band. We had a meeting to hire. We sat and kit newman's apartment like we do and when we went through the whole thing. I told the guys all right well. Here's the thing. This is the last change i want to go through. It's hard it's tiresome. You're going through different. And we were going through quite a few at that time where we asked to learn all this stuff and then that didn't work out. Yeah so it's very very tough. So what happened. Was i told him i go. Look i don't care who quits or what happens. Whoever says i'd is not doing this anymore than than i'm dennis over for me. I don't wanna to do another change. And that's what i told so. We hire scott madigan ten years later. That's how cool that was. It was beautiful. Scott madigan was wonderful and it just started it just turned into a really good solid ranch again but what was really going on is what we didn't know is that we didn't realize that rick was getting. He was having some issues with his health. And we didn't we knew we didn't know to the to the extent we just knew at one point that his he would say my wrist or having. I'm having trouble with my wrist. And my back is obviously bad and now one of my knees and so he just knew he was having tough time chur so one night. We were in alvin texas. We've played it show it garage bar and grill the door rick pulls the door down to the back of the truck he pulls the door down and locks put a lock on locks at turns around and looks at us and says art guys. Here's the deal it's over for me. I'm done and he said. Do not try to talk me into this. I've already talked to cindy his better half He has said. Don't don't so it's over. I've made up my mind. I will give you all three months to find a replacement. And then that's it and that's what he said and so we were all kind of look at them and we and then all the sudden it hit me. Whoa that's it for me. This is it. Yeah i remember the the pack you made with yourself with myself. Had nothing to do okay. Here's some they don't want to clear up so a lot of people thought a lot of fans came up to me and said well. We heard that you ran quit or broke up because you wanted to do your own thing. This is not true at all. The truth is. I didn't even know what i was going to do. I knew what. I my wishlist. I knew what i wanted to do but it was crazy. And so i remember even ask me like brett you know. So what are you gonna do. You're gonna have a job. what are you gonna do. I don't know it i go. I do know that. I would love to play my songs and kiss breath. That's that's almost impossible. He said i mean that. Nobody wants to hear. Nobody's going to pay you to listen to that. And i even agreed with kids. I can't you're right. it's almost impractical. I mean it's it's not even probably gonna hap. But if i don't give it a shot it would drive me crazy and that's why i went out on a limb and thought i got to see my music can hold. Its all stick and stick. It does then great. if it doesn't. I can walk off and go well. It's time to get a real job. Sure and be real. Real citizen out the exact. That's really how. I believed. I was i knew i was not going to play an. I have nothing against cover music people. Listen to me. I made a living for thirty something years doing cover. Okay so i'm not saying i didn't love it. Sure i just burn out on it's called. It's called evolving like you. Sometimes we just have to evolve and do other things and that's all it was. I love the guys. Yeah i have no no qualms with can't or scott or rick or anybody i just knew was done and i knew it was me to ask onto that was it. That's really what there's an old saying all good things come to an end. It's just it's time you know everything everything whether it's life and death we're all gonna die right not to get all morbid but it's a fact of life is not nobody's exempt from it so you so in that randy. I remember okay. I'll tell you why. I remember my dad telling me i asked him dad. What are two regrets any regrets that you can think of before you know. Could he was dying of cancer. Okay and i had to ask them.


00:40:00 - 00:45:03

I just said what are you have before you're gone. What are your two regrets. And he sat there and said i have two of them right off the top in the first one he said was that i didn't sign the contract to the new york yankees. Okay that right there on the other one. I don't even have to tell you what it is. But the bottom line was it drove him crazy not to know. Would he have really become a true shortstop for the new york pictures and it drove him nuts his whole life the date he died it bothered him and i don't want to have that in my life. I didn't want that with music. And that's why gave and you can't live with regrets. You know we do we. We do and probably again. I'm not gonna throw out dates. Because i'm horrible with them but my daughter's boyfriend was a baseball player. In high school. Had a full ride offered to play the one ball for sam houston state. Baseball player says vilder but also the pittsburgh pirates offered a my contract and You know i'm. I'm sure that there was this well am should i go to college and get my education. Should i go pro. And it's you know. I don't know what ultimately made their decision. But you know i think it was probably the right decision that he went from high school straight to bradenton florida play for the in the pioneer system. Right because you could have gone to school and blown out a shoulder blown out a knee and never got that opportunity in say damn head. I just done this. Oh sometimes you just gotta go for in and it's no different. It's a widget. it's his was baseball. Years was music true. You don't know if you don't try. I think as the old adage you out there and we'll get to more the axelsson conversation here good for you. I mean sometimes. We just have to make hard decisions. Sometimes people don't they don't get our decisions. They don't understand why we think the way we do but at the end of the day i've always said there's no rewind button on life you don't get to a point say fuck it. I'm going to rewind. do that over. Because you don't get to do that. You make the decision you lay in the bed that you make and you hope that they're in if they're the wrong ones so be it you try and even if you failed it at bread axel center axelsson who pattern. There's no failing even if you say even if it fails that's still doesn't mean it's failure. I did it so that's exactly how you're exactly wouldn't take on rag and grow right so but here's something else about the rat ranch thing you know all your ranch fans i want you to understand something i love you guys and i mean that wholeheartedly we had such a great great Following and in wonderful friends came out of that. And i understood why they were upset. I completely understand why they were upset with the music. We brought them to good times. That brought those three hours of of wonderful moments in in their in their life and and it was like we took that away from them. And i get it. I understand. that's got it was. Hey it was just as hard for us. That's what they're not understanding your people to yes and it wasn't an easy decision for us if you really love the guys ranch if you really loved what we brought you in support us now apartment all now. There's more we need you more than ever is now. We all need you. Not just me because i do original music us can't in scott have in stacy still they have some great bands together matter of fact I don't even know. If i'm supposed to say this air by the time it happens. But i'm not supposed to say. Oh no i don't know when this is going to air air by the twentieth of this month no okay rick. Valla dez is joining their band. Which won the Mr wonderful oh the eighties eighties. So now so he'll be a four or go in scots. Leaving the house counsel even so now stacy's gonna come back from out from the drums play bass. Rick will be playing the drums and ken. So that's what's so what letting you guys know is we're out there. Still even rix coming back. Even rix gonna come back and try to be there for y'all to entertain with mr wonderful and dinner. There's diamond jack. That's going to do their thing. They're shotgun road. Those three acts are great acts and they are part of rat. Rich there are children. These are children of rat ranch but axelsson and now the axelsson band come and support that we need you now. That's for sure. That's that's great. I agree with that one hundred percent. It's really at the end of the day. It's all about supporting each other. I think in music. There's always been egos like. I'm better than him. He's better than me. But at the end of the day you know what music is not a fucking competition or caused not a scorecard and it's not brett's better senior we're all different artists and it took each one of us to make rat ranch.


00:45:03 - 00:50:00

What route ranch was you know what i'm saying. Yes guy brought their specific thing that made that machine exactly exactly. Let's if you can give me the the concise answer. There was one question that i wanted to ask you about rat. Ranch was what was the tie to. Mtv oh we played. We went down to panama city beach florida and they were having. Mtv was doing their spring break. Oh yeah remember. Hardy okay and so. We are in the midst of insanity. It was just crazy. We play inside of spinnakers. I believe Yeah it was a inside stage at spinnakers. I believe it was or might have been like there was another one right next door club. La villa believe might still be there so anyway. Yeah that was. It was yeah. Yeah i'm sure there was a lot of people jammed up down there for sure. Yeah yeah interesting views. And that's weird things. We'll save that for later podcast. Yeah what's crazy yeah. So let's talk about stage gear. Talk to me a little bit about guitars like what. What's your go to guitar. What do you carry to your shows. Let's go with guitars for now. And then we'll see okay. Okay first of all. I was a les paul guy my whole life more. Just more. The the humbug okay. i'm a humbug. I was the rock guy so then all of a sudden i got i just got turned onto a went to go buy new guitar because my last paul was just too heavy. I couldn't hold onto your here. This brandon brandon d. My son brand has less ways. Seven thousand pounds. I think listen to your daddy. Listen to me. I i now am shorter by an inch and a half on my left side. Look like ebor okay. So when i walk around so i'm just telling you it's because of the damn less ball but but it was fortunate to go to guitar center. Ask these guys young guys. Where's the best star right now in this on that wall. I wanna know. And they all pointed to the third level. Which is the very top that you couldn't get to unless you ask and you couldn't touch it. And they said and they all three pointed at the same guitar. And i was like oh i go. That's a tally there. Dude you want to play it. I would okay so they they brought it down. They had already nicknamed it. It was called butter name because they all said it plays like butter on that just as it does to worry about but also the tone they said. The tone is so sure enough long story short. Yeah own telling. Now is my go-to for my rock. My electrified music. And then i have beautiful taylor. Eight sixteen see if sydney series stick. This just can't go wrong with the taylor taylor. Man is so those are the two the into the shoe rat. I have a. Us strat for backup. Those are three axes that i take to the show from pedal perspective. What do you use some kind of pod or the digital thousand you know. It's just a real standard simple detect pedal. I don't use it for a lot to be honest with you but it does have crybaby there. So i don't have to buy an individual crybaby and also have to plug in to the crybaby and put batteries liberty. So that's really almost the main reason i just. I don't even use crybaby rare but also use delay i you in a couple of patches simulated that i will There's a matchless guitar. I like to use for a semi crunch so so so there's certain sounds that i will dial into that shirt and use those but my main. My main sound is my orange thunder verb fifty under verb and. That's my from an from an app perspective. Yeah man i'll tell you what you talking about a tank that if anybody wants to just walk around banging into things and just plugging in every single night and it sound exactly the same toucher settings. That's the period. I've had that app now for like twelve years. I don't even know. I don't think i've even changed the tubes. But what's really and it still fires and it sounds everybody. Gogo sounds the same every single night. What room. I don't even change crazy but it's a great mentor. And then i just purchased the single one twelve orange amp cabinet. Okay so now. I have thirty watt speaker. Yeah so that's in the back of it so that's nice to like that. Is there a of choice. Are you married to a string. A knows it's kind of like the conversation. I'm a coors light drinker. Or i'm a marlboro light.


00:50:00 - 00:55:03

Smokers like it's it's your that your brand you stick to it you don't deviate. Are you one that just says you know what. Just give me some certain gay strings. I don't care. What are i do. The deity For my lecture and i-it's even used aero costa sometimes i on Is that right now. Can maybe is that. What I'd have to. I came with this acoustic wise. Sure i changed. Sometimes they have the. I'd just like to try different acoustic. Okay here's i've never been an acoustic player player dude. Yeah the way everybody wants to see some beautiful stuff walk into. Randy's broom of is okay. Guitars hanging on his wall. While i'm not gonna tell you where you live. Don't tell this man has some choice guitars okay. So because he's an acoustic guy. This randy's a phenomenal well like you said he plays piano. But he's really great tar puzder guy so so he's got kusak senator. Just blow your mind and then you play electric to when you want a little bit. Yeah mainly he's recused guy so yeah and you got all those taylor's he's taylor lover like me a new love. The taylor incredible by default. You know elixir is the string that that comes on the taylor's so that's a coded string and it's something that i've just grown to love and then i had a friend of mine who will who will also do a podcast with me soon He's the guitar for sister. Mary tarantula and he's like you gotta try these diario their uncoded strings. And i tried in carla's a not. I mean eighty thousand times. The player that i am and i think it all goes back to preference. I put them on there. And i just felt like my fingers would move up and down because they weren't slick like i was used to and again i think it all goes back to preference but a lot of people are playing the da's areas like like you said they've been around forever and they're good. I mean you know. They're accurate yup. Lot of great gear. There let's talk about the album. Slow groove man. what year what. Year to come out but two thousand seventeen eighteen seventeen and eighteen. Eighteen came out in eighteen. The song itself slow grew i wrote. This is a at date myself people. I wrote slow groove in nineteen eighty two. So that's l. I was a sophomore in high school. That's that's what that song was written in. What was funny is. Is that the reason. It became the tidal the album. It wasn't even supposed to be. I was looking for pictures to maybe make a cover and all the sudden. I see this picture of this old car on the wall. My mom's house and she tells me that it's literally made of of a real watch old in eighteen hundreds of some kind of or whatever and it's actually so. I took that picture and once i took that picture my mom. I think slow groove. That car looks like a slow groove type of it thought it really does so i put it out there and asked my fans what do you think of. And they all fell in love with the mosher and the and the cover and it was all things. I took a picture with my phone and it ended up making a really actually really nice cover. You know yeah. So that's how slavery this these are the kinds of stories that i absolutely love because i was the guy growing up. That would go to the record store by the record. Come home bust the shrink. Wrap off the record or the cd or whatever it was at the time or the vinyl. Nis and i wouldn't even put the music in. I read the liner notes. Of course it. I want to know who who who are the guys. Where did they record. What blah blah blah. gal the. We're older guys okay. Everybody listening or older guys okay. So here's the thing back. When we were growing up there were some bands that did not have the picture of them on the album. You didn't even know what they look like. What are hearing on the radio. But you don't even know what they look like so we would wait for the alvin to come out so we could buy it and if they didn't have the picture of them we had to go to the concert. Exactly what these dudes look like it. I was in love with her music. So that's how crazy it was back. Well exactly and before and before youtube came along and the midnight special you know songs like what was the band ace. That did how long his disgrace go. I don't even know what these guys look like. Are they even real people right until you. Tim wait those are the guys that and it was just so amazing like then it just. I absorbed all of that. Like this is like kiss. How long everybody. How long did you sit there and go. I don't know what they look like. Because you david allow you to be seen with their out there makeup on you.


00:55:03 - 01:00:02

So when they finally went on us you finally get to see and then of course we all looked at it with. Put your makeup on actually. You're not pretty either. That's funny so slow. Grooves the record effort. Where can it be fowler. Can people find this this music spotify. You can definitely go to spotify and you can go down from spotify be you can buy it. You can buy it like an amazon music. Okay yeah there's that so all the there's a lot of music apps that you can definitely go. Also i'm going to try. This is crazy. But what i'm gonna try to do because you know let's face it all these music apps and i hate to say it but you don't make any money yeah okay. How many downloads. For even drake okay. Like you know it takes. You got to be a big name like that. And even his percentage from spotify. This is not that much animal show so my point is this. I'm gonna try to get my music. I'm gonna try to do all. I'm going to try to literally put all of my songs as many as i can. Whether it's one hundred or maybe the first forty got almost two hundred songs. I don't do. I don't wanna do that many rally bat. But maybe i'll grab forty and four albums of songs and i wanna put them all on one leak and i wanna put it on my facebook page which is bred axelsson k. k. w. w. w. dot com. And that way you can download it now. No i mean. I mean we're gonna make it like a very low like five bucks. Yeah for sure but that way you have the link of the songs that not only will be on that lake but all the lyrics will be evidently gloved. Because i have. I didn't realize how of course important they're important. And i when i go to my shows the they'll tell me oh i finally got to hear those words real good and i know i need to make that happen so i'm going to try to make that happen. Everybody i talked about this. But y'all come by myself now. I'm trying to do a billion things to try to get my career or by myself going a bitch. We'll keep an eye out for that. But i think the alerts are great. Because how many songs have you listened to in your life where you say. Wait a minute. What the hell did they just say in that song like it all kind of ran together. Or what did they mean you know there was an old story about with jimmy jimmy hendrix tune While kissed this guy. Yeah yeah you know. They thought it was a Homosexual reference forever and it sounds very interesting. Yeah so and so and that's really. I strive extremely hard on my words. I wanna you know i'm not gonna you know some people write very intellectual war. Try to where. Sometimes it's almost too much. Yeah right for the standard public out there. You know sometimes if you get too far into it then you're not connecting. Yes you have to connect line rush right. The lyrics are dislike. You have to sit in analyze. Like what the hell was. I don't even understand that word. Even exist in the dictionary. Believe rob zombie man. Sometimes i listen i look. I had covered a lot of assam. Where i'd be like. What is this mean. You it to be connected. I want all my songs to hopefully where you can go in there. Yes only done. There's an old A four letter acronym kiss. Keep it simple stupid and sometimes simple is just better. It doesn't have to be complex. It doesn't have to be. Acdc made a career on it absolutely one of the one of the greatest of the greatest hard rock bands of all time. So i assume. Correct me if i'm wrong. That the slow group effort was it recorded in the same room that i came over and recorded in with you that time and then it was mastered and produced somewhere else. There's four songs that rat ranch. Actually we recorded six at eighth note production studio with ernie wells and When we record with ernie we recorded six songs. one of them being scott's one of them being kent's and forum be in mind. So i took the four songs i wrote with with what the boys played on it and then and then i added another seven songs. I wrote at the studio you saw so when you came here so in my studio recorded the seven songs and then i then then i went to ernie wells and let him the little stuff that we can likes to fix things and make sure if there's anything flat which i'm sure it was all but but soon other words he he cleans things up. Yeah makes it were and then gets set up for streaming or radio play or that kind of stuff. I heard you didn't make mistakes. So i don't know what he will he would've added. I tell you talk about that another time.


01:00:02 - 01:05:06

I'm gonna queue up a song for some of the listeners that maybe they haven't heard the effort yet. The first thing i wanted to queue up is one of my favorites off the off the record. It's don't say goodbye. Okay and i'll give the listeners a little clip and then i'll ask you some questions or who is on. That's another shot to the mark. And see what i could see. Just keep dead no one to go to go home within the go just dot com back bad back. Don't go to say good back. I don't made is say back. Say what inspired that song or you can plead the fifth doesn't matter this is a tile all right mr hall. So here's the deal. I do not and have not really ever written songs about me personally. I've always written about things that have happened to me. Are friends or or two stories or whatever that i've seen and dealt with this song about myself because realized that i'm one of those kind of people that i just can't i. Just don't say goodbye to people i mean when i'm at a gig. I keep hugging everybody and meg next time. And you don't know when to continue to take goodbye until nikki. No the custodians in their sweeping up the floor. I'm hugging him. You know who don't see later saying so so the song if you really listen to the lyrics it's kinda sad in a way and then you hear the chorus happy does but it's more it's actually kind of. I'm not depressed guys. i'm not sad. I'd say i'd love to hang out say hanging out with everybody. Sure sure so. Well i think we talked. One time about there was a show. And maybe it was an austin where you didn't get a return gig there because you hung around too damn long and you held everybody up and i had to pay an extra. I mean what a what a reason to i mean. I've lost shows that show Hey your memories get. I remember certain things going. What is what. Where's he going with this right angled. How how long would you say. It takes to write a song on average. It varies because certain songs if they're some happened and they just do it's magical When it happens you don't whatever you do. You do not stop. If it's happening eunice let it happen. Sure to And so i have written literally and truly written songs in thirty minutes. I mean music lyrics though some of them come really really quick and sunday's hake at some morph over years of time. Like i've seen interviews with guys like neil young. He wrote old man and like ten minutes. And daryl hall from hall and oates said you know some of the some of the best songs rich girl and some of those songs were minutes. Like i mean they just they just come to the people and maybe that's just the creative juice that some people either have that or they don't and it's like being a lyricist. You're either a lyricist. Or you're a lyrical airhead and you can't put the words on paper to form the story. Well when it comes to this. That's where it gets tough so if you're asking me this is why some of my songs take a long time. If it's a pop song like the last one you just heard and oh by the way. I'm going to give you guys. He just played that clip of. Don't say goodbye. I was in rat ranch at the time and my voice was worn out. When i'd gone to that studio. I ended up having seen in half head voice in half full voice just to get that song out. My voice is now it's way different So that's from just singing a lot.


01:05:06 - 01:10:24

We were two hundred fifty shows. Okay so now let's get back. Songwriting songwriting so. When i write a song. I hear these things come to me. I don't know why it just they do. The music comes in my head. And i'm like what is that i like it. I go get the guitar. I find what key it is. I find the lick. I played so then. Next thing. I know i realized okay i got to put together a really nice progression gorbushin and okay so i arranged the song court all get it all and i i will literally play sometimes Like right now. I'm working on song right now. Called five miles away. And i am been working on the song for about three months now musically making sure i have the exactly like i like it. Then what happens. Is i have these melodies that come into my head. I don't even have lyrics for it. I just know it's called five miles away. You're just humming and things and you've had on sept. that's once. I go into my studio when i know the arrangements right. That's when my mom always will come down to cheer me like even play in that song for three months straight are My mom's not ready. And so finally. I told her okay. It's ready and when it's ready. When i know it's there that's when i go straight to the studio it's time i hit my click track. Get my click. Track tempo where i know where it fits right fills right with the melody. You can have two beats per measure too fast and it ruins the whole temp whole mood. Oh yeah so. It's bizarre right. You know So once i get the tempo correct. And i do that and then record it correct. Well then i go back. And i will sing the melodies that i have with no lyrics so it sounds really funny if you're hearing me because i'm literally going do son away at about about sound like james brown. What's crazy is once i do that. Then his work takes time once. I have those melodies and a lot of times. They're pretty you know there's some there's some tough melodies that i've come into my head that i i have to have. That is what it's got to be. That's when it's hard. Because i have now have to make five miles away. Now have to come up with the concept. What's the song has now. I write the story now. The lyrics have a match though. Title melody yeah exactly. That's when it's high card but once you get it and all the continents ren- with the cord progress cords and they you know because you can't let's face it. Try to sing the word garage. You know it doesn't really work. It's not a good good ring right so so you have to find all the right words and and once i did that. That's when i feel like there's a song i go okay you yeah do you do you force yourself to sit and write or do you just have to write when things hit you. The only time i do that is when i will turn on a drum machine. Okay and let it happen. Let whatever comes out of me on the guitar. Okay happen okay. So sometimes i'll go. I'll just in the mood of. I just want jail and i'll just go in. Hit the drum. She find a cool pattern and see what comes out of the guitar. All of a sudden. I come up with something like that. That's kind of a cool little. Sometimes that's worthy songs that originally rebound in in thirty minutes. Yeah right there. Come from that just as a glimmer a thaw in. Yeah it just all and so. Yeah but so writings incredible. It's fun it's challenging. That's why i think. I love it. Because i get bored. Easy randy i i mean. Let's face it. I just do i get bored. I'm surprised you said here over an hour with me so a lot of things below the table. I'm just saying it's a challenge. I can't conquer. I can't conquer muse. Keeps you coming back. always. I will never stop. Let's jump forward to this. Is a song. Play a quick clip and then we'll come back and talk about it but this one's called tears would fall of one of my favorite stand own space. I i love that.


01:10:24 - 01:15:00

And i think i love more. What the song's about. And i think it took on more of a life for me when i saw the video of you and your daughter and whatnot. But let's let's talk about it. So your daughter bree Your best friend absolutely. I have a daughter. She's she's not a service girl. But i know the love for a dad and his daughter sauce in so that song was probably it resonated with me even though has been in the military right but still the father daughter thing but How did you get the news that She would she was joining the service and walked into my bedroom and woke me up and said dad i need to talk to. You need ask you something. And i said all right she said i need to take me down to the recruiter's office. I want to sign up for the army. And that's exactly how i found out and i was like well. We'll we'll we'll hang on literally. She woke me up. So i was like. Let me get some coffee. Let me sit down and wake up a little bit and and okay so we went outside the den and she said that's that's what i'm going to do. Our open asked her. Why why why do you wanna do this. She said dad entire to be in just walking around with no direction. Yeah i'm tired of being broke. And i'm just i just feel like our country could use the help. That was her last statement. Was i feel like our country. Could use the help. And i said that's go- and i packed her in my truck joe straight down and she signed up and she was on in three weeks. That that's so admirable. Have a kid. That says i'm yeah i'm just going to serve my country like i don't know that i ever had the balls to do that right. You know what i'm saying like you know never do in. You always wonder what goes through a kid's head either. The parent was a you know a a military person. And did she have that background in her a by the way. She's my stepdaughter daughter. But she's my daughter people okay. That's okay. I had some military influence somewhere real father side. He was in the military. her grandfather. grandmother was grandfather was like way so like big big boy. I was wondering if there was a military influence. Or sometimes. And i don't know her background but sometimes kids are go through a rough spot and they. They don't know they're trying to find themselves or they're in and out of trouble and i and i didn't know if you're in trouble at all but she definitely find yourself yeah to find herself every kid at that age resolute. I'm out of high school. I had this blanket of security blanket of going to school and getting on the bus every day. All the sudden. It's like out of the house and go get a job and it's like a job. Don't you gotta work forty hours a week. Now don't work just twelve anymore or they don't know multiple deterrent. it is the culture and again. She had those influences. Her are her uncles. Were police officers. Okay so she had that that kind of feeling well the mountains and so when she saw that and then she did in so i just remember flying because you don't get to see him once they're gone for three months of boot camp and the song came out because i'll tell you the quick story so she pulled a little fast one on dad and we went to go watch her graduate from boot camp. Okay it was the most powerful celebration i've ever been to in my life. I've been to some cool ass things in my life from great celebrations cool. Ask things right nothing like that. No no it was chill bumps the whole time tears. You cried. It was just cry from pride from pry. Yes yes unbelievable. So i sat there. I just remember that day right. And so then when i come home when she graduated from her training which they flew to okay. Her boot camp was in south carolina when they and training was done in Victoria i mean victoria virginia so when she does that i said well i'm gonna come. I'm gonna fly up there in. Come watch you graduate for that. And she's like dad. No no don't do it because it's only literally that there's no celebration it's hand you the paper. You're trained and i went. Oh and she likes. And i said well i don't care i'm coming to you know. Don't say my sergeant told you to save your money. Don't spend the seven hundred dollars to fly here. Don't do it. I was like fine. And i was very upset. I wanted to go see her. I hadn't seen in three months.


01:15:00 - 01:20:03

And and so that's fine. Whatever so then all bummed out in our member. My sister had been in a boot boot from surgery on her leg and had been out of the house mate weeks so a mom says. Let's take out your sister out. Get her out of the house. For god sakes and let we go to back steakhouse and this is the video that you're talking about this. I i saw it but tell your story. Yeah so you okay. I'm sitting there at the table. And i realized a couple of other people came to meet us was like her mother. And i'm thinking. Wow that's kinda which i still get along with their monitor. No we're not together. I still get along with mom very well. And so i'm sitting in. That's kind of weird. Last night's they came out to see. Melissa nixing i hear the waitress behind me say sir. What would you like to drink. And i didn't answer. I just kept you know looking at whatever can fall coz not happy and so she says again sir you know. Do you know what you want to drink a hurt again. I could tell strayer. I'm but i don't look and my mom brad. Are you going to answer her or not. You know i turn around to look. And it's i see this girl is. She's in army fatigues and she has her hat on and everything and looks just like my daughter my daughter because my daughter said she's literally flying straight del paso to fort bliss. There's no in what the army says. What the army does they do. So i thought well she no. It can't be her. she's in virginia. And i'm looking at her and i am confusing. Seen the video took hat off she goes. Are you going to hug me or what. It was my daughter. So i got me so good. Of course i bawled my eyes so then the weirdest thing so how this came about. I was playing those bells. Okay first of all all listeners. Do me a favor. Go subscribe to the my youtube channel on youtube. Okay and looked at video up. There's other videos of my songs out there but look up tears would fall. Because you'll see what randy and are talking about. Also that's not the video that we were just talking about but song video okay So what happened was i was playing these bells harm onyx to do to do to to. You know just was playing at the house. Because i was to my guitar and the net pattern came out some how my mom says. I love that sound so pretty and you ought to do something with that. Maybe it should long story short. One of them songs went into my room started playing it. All the sudden song started coming together. arrangement fell into place like that. I knew immediately what. I'm writing about. Because i started saying i started singing. Tears would fall. Don't know why it just what came out of my mouth okay. So i got to the chorus. I started to use good. Oh two years with all whatever and other tears were cool. What would that would be about immediately. Boot camp about boot camp because i bawled like a two year old to see my daughter walk across imagine a platoon of hundred soldiers and no. My daughter was in the middle of that platoon. And it just hit me like a ton of bricks and so so anyway so i wrote the song right there on the spot. All the lyrics wrote the song had it recorded in a day and a half so in one literally the whole song was recorded done in one day and a half and i posted it because here how i was going to get back at my daughter for getting me that day and you odor. I thought i'm going to get her back so on memorial day. She always wakes up and checks her facebook. And i'm going to have that video and it's going to be on facebook enjoy and it worked just like i thought that's also she gets up. She sees video. Here's the song. And here's the other thing is never wrote a song about my daughter all those years. I never wrote a song about my daughter. That's the first song. And now i got like forty eight. I probably came to ask but that was the first song man. Now i've written about three or four more about her. But but the bottom line is i put on facebook in within about three weeks or something like that. It had fifteen thousand views. And i had people calling from other states Call in getting hold of me through facebook thanking me thanking the military that song and so just it ended up being a then had another Some other radio people said can we. Are we allowed to play your song on our radio station. I said absolutely you know. I don't care about money or you're not going to get much anyway but i was like yes for the military not sure just for my daughter in the military. I don't want anything you're taking sure. And so it got played in different radio stations in different states. So it's just it's an amazing song in it like i said it resonates to me more because it is your daughter. It is the military. And and you're right. i've watched. I have no kids that have graduated from any kind of boot camp or any kind of military.


01:20:03 - 01:25:01

I don't come from a military family. But i have watched a lot of youtube. I'm youtube junkie. And i've watched a lot of graduations from the military academy or whatever and i'll sit there and get a not my throat like jesus christ like i don't even have a direct connection to this in any kind of way but it's the sense of pride and it's an amazing thing what everyone needs to understand guys whether they go fight overseas or not. They're giving up. What their whole life to be to give us. Freedom they fight or not fight okay and then you think about the ones that come back with postpartum and all that sure man. Y'all it's real what they see and what they've gone through his horrific and so we we have to support absolutely to hug a soldier hugged. First responder i My brother is has been in law enforcement for over twenty years. Now yes and you know. I i have to say that. I saw him graduate from the sheriff's office. Hers sheriff's all older brother had one brother. He's six years younger and that it wasn't a military graduation but it was a law enforcement graduation and it was still very. It was the sense of pride that he's going to go out. He's going to defend and protect the front line of all the wrongdoers all the pieces of shit that we have to deal with every day. And he's gonna be the one that puts his life on the line to protect guys like you and i. Yeah my brother's keeper. I mean that's that's what it's all about. So thanks to all the first responders and military jumping ahead axelsson. You went out on your own. Play a lot of shows by yourself. But recently you're bringing the songs to life through live musicianship and you've found a couple of guys talk to us about that. Tell me about how the band shaped up what why now or you going with. Live musicians versus your tracks lights. Talk to me about that. Well first of all y'all out their belief that things happen for a reason which i do. Then here's your here's a story. So austin texas. We're going back. This is why it's so crazy. How full circle life is. Sometimes i started my career in austin tech in portland texas. Yes but when it really kicked in. My professional career was in austin texas at that time in one thousand nine hundred ninety nine ahmet chuck fusion and his brother. Cj they didn't play in the same band but they were both musicians. Chuck played in a band called the pictures. It was the sixth street. Thing as you're telling you across the street. I mean we just stopped what it was so we got to where we all knew each other. We would watch their show during a break. They would come watch our show during a break. This went on and on and on and on so okay. Some people are asking brett wide. It takes a long. Why did take three years to put together a band to do your songs or any. You know for a fact if you've ever been be play cover music or if you've ever been in a ban when you're playing the song that you don't like you're not gonna put a lot in it. It's just the way it goes people. I mean i. It's chemistry his. So i knew yes sure i could go hire somebody. But if they don't like and believe in my songs. It's a mute point. So i realized i have to be patient and wait. Somebody's gonna see my shows and hear my songs in some musicians at. He believed in it. I believed in my songs enough. Not me. I believe in my songs that somebody would go. Do you have anybody. That's playing with you. And that's what happened with chuck and cj. So here's how it work. I stayed in friends with a girl that used to come out. Watch route rich in katy texas at most place and her. Name's angelique coleman and angela was so sweet. She always kept in touch with me after ranch broke up and just say how i saw that. You've been posting things. Looks like your solo stuff going pretty well and i was like yes doing good i go with you. Would you like any music. Yeah would i sent her like forty songs. Just here you know. I just dumped a. She probably was like. I didn't mean that many i just wanted one from you but but i dumped forty or songs right. Well she doesn't get back in touch. With any flack a week and also bummer. I guess you like it. Or why didn't know. And then she gets back touch when he goes. Hey brett love your songs but Do you know anybody. By the name of cj fusen out of the blue and the name meet louis c. j. fusen nazi ab at couldn't just. I just could not picture the face at the time because it was just weird and then she goes how about how about chuck fusen and our was like cj.


01:25:02 - 01:30:03

Of course. I know them she said. Cj my boyfriend he's been listening to your music with me and for a whole week. He wants your number because he wants to. He wants to play in with you. And so i call. He calls me we talk. I said he says. I love your songs. I wanna i wanna. I wanna play them and i said well i have another bass player in austin that used to be my bass player in double take. And he's lives. In austin named brent. Sam perry he goes yeah. I know i used to play in a band. With britain for four years will what he goes. Yeah he don't call brent yet he goes. Let me ask chuck. 'cause i think chuck when here's your songs he's gonna wanna do it so i got hold of jug. Listen to check this out. So i said so. Chuck misses a. He does he says dude. I'm in i wanna do it. Let's do it. And i still went up to meet him. I said guys do me a favor before i get there. We only need like twenty songs to do an hour and a half show. Because what we're are. Gold is was really to open up for samak's we just wanted to be able to open up for some shows coming in town or whatever us it just pick twenty tunes. They weren't together. They didn't talk about it a day. Just pick seventeen of the twenty songs for the same where the saying i knew right then bam they actually love seventeen. They both picked of twenty. They're going to give me everything they like them. And so in believed in the lesion songs and we had a meeting not a little little thing. We talked last week. When i went up to rehearse and i told the guys haven't said a word i mean it's been. It's been rehearsing her ass off. I haven't even said anything. Like oh good job because i'm just i'm not haven't been there and i noticed you remember. Simplify simple and so less is more. I know when we were first rehearsing it was kind of messy and busy like cj was played a lot of stuff and it was almost too much and chuck was over. Just kinda fell filling around and things. And i was a little disappointed. I wasn't sure but what what was going on was. They were searching for what they felt was best for themselves. And as the time went on it has departed. Yeah oh my god. All of a sudden. I started hearing the songs become the song they hit supposedly more. So yeah my tracks. Or what whatever i did i did but these guys are like season players bringing them to life like like night and day so all of a sudden it was like holy smoke. I need to tell them so. I said i stopped him after heading south one. My songs on that album. A slow groove album stopped his place. Something really cool. That i didn't play on the base at all. He played bass player. And so and i saw him. And i told them guys i wanted to let you know what you all are doing is. I'm so proud and so happy because y'all are making my songs co our songs become our songs and you're making it come alive like i urge him in my head. But i can't do that because i'm not the greatest space by a decent bass player and drummer drum machine. I can program drummer the drummer so cj. Add stuff that i you know. As long story short they ended up saying we'll brett. We like your songs. If we didn't like her songs we wouldn't be standing here. Sure made me feel real good. Be even that sounds kind of harsh weird way. They're saying we believe in your songs. We like them. We will waste our time exactly on that. The man has to believe in the music because they're not going to go out and fill that and you're not going to get that energy from the performer. If they're just up there doing the songs that are just eating mediocre to them like an. And then and i have that conversation. You know sometimes with terry we. We always agree to disagree. She's the non musician. I'm the musician right. And she's like you know you're going to this place tonight. You need to play the song that song those are more upbeat songs. And i said what you don't understand is the artist has deployed what they feel. Because that's what they're going to deliver best to the audience if the audience doesn't get it. It's like selling yourself out. It's like telling the artist. Oh don't paint that and blew. It should have been black notion because that's not how they saw sure right so you can't i know unless you set on the stool or been behind the mic in front of the band. You you have to give the energy bills. Otherwise you're who are you. Nobody will come watch your you gotta you gotta feel some people ask me. Why do you write the sets before the show. Why don't you write your sets and having already written on a piece. I go because when i walk into a place. You get a vibe. Or i can look in an audience and go that song. Do yep and destroying a set. I wasted all this time on realizing half of those songs ain't gonna work on.


01:30:03 - 01:35:04

That set is always easier for me to kind of go in early. Take a look at the you know. Feel the vibe right. the set. that's how i do is is their new stuff being recorded for for axelson. Are you working on stuff. That's aren't that you've already written that you're look to perfect for live shows. Live venue or you're writing with axelson. Hey don't be still in my thunder of sorry. Sorry because this is what's beautiful. That just happened this last week. I told the guys. I want to write a couple of songs that have already written but i wanna ride them with us. Three notes no click tracks just a three piece band. Yeah and i said. I got two songs that i think would work really well as you know so. I'm hoping yes. I'm hoping that well there's tons. I have tons of song so whenever we have the time. Yes we were going to definitely be starting to learn more songs so as chuck and cj in yourself so chuck is the drummer. Chuck is the bass player. Cj drummer drummer. And then you're playing leading them right with other funny. Would i had to go. And i forgot you know i forgot. I took all the leads out for a lot of the songs. So you could play as a rehearsal gonna be doubled forgot. I was supposed to play so far. Came up just played the rhythm and they were looking at me. I'm the lead guitar. It's like some of those guys in rat rancher. you're talking about where they just stopped playing their part right. What's he doing on his era. You so in another one. Funny is that Sometimes i i don't mean to but i ask because i you know we were playing so many songs learned so many songs that you get a little lost and so even now every now and then i would go. Hey now where do we start on this one part. Where in look at me go. You wrote the song. I don't know goes you should know exactly so weird. It's just weird it is you know what. How would you pigeonhole the music. That you've written like slow grew. What genre would you put it in. Is it just straight up. Rock n roll. Would you call it straight up. Rock and roll the album in general. Yeah just your style like the actual say all right. Let's just say axelsson use. Cj chuck what what are you what. What kind of band are you right. i call it. brock I think it's more like a little bit of country rock. it's way more rock than country. Okay but it's definitely got a country little flavor to it and at the same time. There's there's my oddness of songs that i love. You know like you know. I love reggae. And so we put a reggae song in there. Then there's You know she's in my head right. Yeah we're not doing that. So hopefully we're not we're doing enjoy your stay So which is on the cinnamon of fire album which is a whole nother story. That will that's going eventually. I'm going to put a linked to that and it will be available hopefully will suit. I was gonna say. I've been looking for that and i haven't seen it like on spotify only seeing. Yeah so okay. We'll we look forward to that. I've got four albums already dunker done. Well i look forward to hearing. I just have to chase john to figure out. How do i go through the hassle of making a cd. The cover the or do. I just go. You know what health dumping dope it you know and and maybe have the maybe have a cover like a picture of what it would cover be lie but not make the actual cd and that's what's been stalling me. So everybody's like we'll do your overthinking playing forty song tonight. Where are those songs like. That's like you know so. I have like. I said i have like four albums. And then i got other albums that i've done you with double take in three of 'em with route rancher and got a bunch of new ones are done but not recorded fully have like an total around ten ten albums that i should be releasing here. Hopefully a lot of material well-being printed prince axelsson. We've been doing a long time right. So were there any shows coming up that you can talk of right now for axelson. Cj and chuck absolutely. Tomorrow okay. i'm doing doing a show tomorrow night. the the twelfth of february in austin texas at a place called castro's from nine o'clock to whenever we feel like stopping he said chuck is supposed to be playing a show with his fiance. But it's outside and it's supposed to be called reasons. So i'm thinking the winner. I think they're gonna cancel that. I hope and that way. We can play as a three piece tomorrow if not i had my engineer do my tracks yesterday.


01:35:05 - 01:40:01

Sent him to me. That's got the base added back into the okay. So cj we'll play live chat rhythm tracks and bass tracks and background vocal tracks walk and i'll be playing. Live guitar live vocal. And then we the big show. Then the twenty sixth of february swamp shack and kema from six to ten by yourself a solo dodger and then The seventh of very next day is back into austin to play castro's again as a full band in march sixth back to kema and do jackie's brickhouse. I debut axelsson show which was really cool because the vip room sold out in one hour. Here's a funny story. I paid for the room. I bought the room taking a shot. Oh well you know a lot of money. But maybe i can sell it out. So i paid for the pay for the room and i start. I put ticket sales. This is what it is. You get there's a buffet. get a your own. Your own bathrooms up there your own bartenders up there so you so you have food and the also they give you some type of drink. I on member. But but i put up whatever i started here. Tell everybody you can purchase these through my facebook page and by paying either pay pal zely vinho cash. Whatever while i'm sitting there. I'm playing who stick and i'm working on songs here my phone because it tell you got money an okay and i keep playing after awhile. That kind of just went away out in my head. And i'm concentrated on my guitar. You know and. I'm just doing what they and was like ooh. That's a lot of things. I've been here so i went on room only holds fifty and i'd already sold seventy two kg on facebook hooky. Sorry that's it nobody. We're not so good for us netflix. Yeah so in one hour. It sold this room sold out so upstairs. Vip ru and what's really cool. Thirty about thirty of them are from my hometown of portland. Tech science coming up and to see oracle the hometown. Kreil for sure. Yeah well so so john barrington. Break you off a good deal for the vip room did he. Good se good. Because i was gonna say if he didn't go that night and sneak in just inspired asks. You probably already know how many people were. I know all the fire code right to what do but that out but yeah so that. Yeah that was. That's a cool thing. Love john john. I go way back. We lived together for awhile. He's like a brother to me. Good good dude him and his wife care for sure. Tell us where the listeners can find you on social so they can find your shows and whatnot. Yeah okay so you can go to retro music on instagram You can also go to facebook. You can catch me on. Go to my facebook page either but axelsson or you can go to the facebook page bertrand music and we are also going to have a new page Which will be the axelsson. Okay also access ban page. We haven't got it done yet but it's We're just by. That will be done hopefully before the show without question So that will get back going out goes. It's everything's a process. Yeah just takes time and update. But it's everything's going really good. You know i'm happy man that's awesome. I'm happy that's awesome for people to want to come to my shows and oh and let me say this out there. All you clubs. Thank you for supporting original music. Thank you for supporting a songwriter. Okay i took a shot in the dark. Y'all if it went for y'all to believe in what i'm doing a y'all y'all are believing in me and you bring me to your club and you and people are liking it and a lot of them have hired me back. Lots of and some. Don't i know right when i played there now. Wrong format and it's not. They don't like me. They just like your formats here get it so but in general i just letting all the clubs out there. No if you do wanna singer-songwriter show it's a show. It's kind of a storytelling joe. I tell the stories about my songs and it's a it's a different story. It's a different show. It's so but if you like. Get a hold of me which through my website or get a hold of me through my facebook pages and i would love to come and do any of any clubs out there. I don't care where it's at i. It doesn't matter all over texas. I don't care kudos to those bar. Owners restaurants that are trying to stay alive right now through all the covert and still bringing in the musicians.


01:40:01 - 01:45:00

I play it some of those places where it's like why. Why are you paying me to play here when you're struggling yourself. Don't even want to take money from. You didn't yeah kudos to those people real quick. I'm gonna hit you with some quickfire questions. I call him quick far questions where i'm looking for a simple one word answer or if you have to elaborate into a sentence that's fine. We'll do that. And i'll thank you for being on the show. So the first one is beatles or the stones beatles beatles van halen or hendrix. I'm sorry. I went backwards. Stones because of the The mass amount of songs okay. Mass amounts of of great sir at the beatles. I love because they reminded but when it comes down to actually it's the stone and you know what i never was a big stones fan but then i got into them over the years So i started going. Students actually can ri- and they all kinds of well. And i think i think for me. It was when i started playing out professionally again. And i started doing songs like angie and wild horses right yes. It's like while the songs are still powerful all these years. So i'm sorry i ended no. That's great no. That's great but i was like. Oh now i gotta go back good. Good point van halen or hendrix index. Summer or winter summer tv radio. Tv perfect vacation an island. I don't care island portland portland texas portland efficiently either acoustic or electric say. The questions would be easy. I just said they were quick. Questions is all stick. Okay interesting. I have thought that stay in or go out. Stay in rock or country. We're hawk early bird or night owl night out and I was asking paul. These far questions yesterday and i said phil freda plead the fifth on this one. Because you don't want to hurt people's feelings but favorite place to play. Wow honestly probably jackie's brickhouse. If i mean not to hurt anybody's out it's only because that can be a vibe. It can be does it. It's a lot of fans show up there and it allows me to actually be myself there. I like to build a beat myself and not feel uncomforter- uncomfortable. I feel like i tighten up and my shows I like to be more like bread. Axelsson because you know me very well. I'm a goofball at heart. Sure i take my music very very seriously. But i don't take myself seriously at all zero so i would say that i've enjoyed some good shows myself. I play both inside and outside. And you know i grew up for the most part on that side of town so all of my old friend. Not they're not technically but my old school my school shirt friends and schoolmates. That's where they go to see me like i. I was the only i guess. The only domestic moved to the side of the world they stayed on in para land and friendswood and all that i came to cyprus and so it's not right around the corner as you know so it's not you you don't wanna get out and have some beers and then have to drive an hour back home so we got james taylor john fogelberg. I have to say taylor for sure. Yeah i just was curious. Yeah he's just smooth. Oh yeah for sure. His favorite song to play live either axelson original stuff or or cover surrender from cheap trick. I love it at mama's alright daddy's alright all the guitar every seen them so many times and rick nielsen. Robin zander carlos. So they they never get old and stuff at just. It's a great song. It's fun to play. It's energetic down. Chord changes are all over the place. I love it. Love it too formal training or play by ear. Play by your. We've had that conversation before. Everything thomas out of seeing thomas how to play yup so all of so number one influential musician or band. Acdc because of bon scott angus yo sure but the secret of what really was malcolm. I loved what malheur the rhythm section like malcolm game played. The greatest guitar riffs ever. Yeah and they were so in.


01:45:00 - 01:49:14

They were there was nothing flashy about in the of their stuff. It was just straight drive in rock and roll. I can remember cookie. Yeah same cords thing power cord and they just put out get go back to. The conversation of simple is better. Sometimes i can remember being in woodville texas in a shack cabin in the middle of the woods with my good buddy paul. We already mouth boy. We would retreat there. We would play music just out in the country by ourselves and whatnot and the first time he pulled up a dvd in this cabin and it was acdc live at river plate. Geez free crisis. The people were out of control a see a sea of yes had been one hundred thousand one. The show was to watch cal in these people. Don't stop the whole bouncing. The whole time it's just like and there's people with angus tattooed on your meals like just worship mazing. Yeah just total worship great stuff over the year greatest song of all time. Wow who can name one. But i had to ask the question. Well okay not what i like but what i just feel likes it just creates greta. The greatest songs ever. It's gonna be somewhere with the eagles. And or don henley because don henley on his own had like heart of the matter in a new york minute Do those two songs their incredible but hotel california's is it's. It's a good one as hard. I mean everything about it. There listened to the whole thing. Go no wonder it's iconic sure every single thing about the song is gigantic in. Its own way the doling garza and the melodies harmonies everything. Yeah i just sit there and go. Don't get much better actually. How did they do that. You know what's hey all you people out there don felder. He's the man who did that. He sure he did all of it and brought them a cassette tape and said i've been working on this. What do y'all think that's how that came about so amazing. All so he's on. he does his own shows. Obviously have you ever seen any of us live. Oh he's he's fantastic. Yeah i was very blown away. Well i watched of his shows live. I was like whoa sammy. Hagar doing an interview with him on Sammy hagar's road trip. That was a that was a good one. I think he's in vegas or something has a residency in vegas but last one greatest podcast on the internet or any holes. What are you. I'll pay later. We'll brett thanks for driving across town to the studio here joining me. I look forward to seeing the new guys hear new music. We look for that to drop. Certainly keep us posted on that. As always i asked the listeners to like share and subscribe to the podcast if you can do a review. I think that that's what's going to help set backstage pass radio apart from other podcast out there so please take time to do a review of you'd be so kind also. You can find the show on facebook at backstage. Pass radio instagram at backstage. Pass radio the website is backstage pass. Radio dot com. And you guys Stay safe out there. Take care of one another again brett. Thanks for being here. And we'll see you guys say thanks for having me. Thanks so much for joining us. We hope you enjoyed today's episode of backstage pass. Radio make sure to follow randy on facebook and instagram at randy hosie music and on twitter at our palsy music. Also make sure to life. Subscribe and turn on alerts for upcoming podcasts. If you enjoyed the podcast make sure to share the link with a friend and tell them backstage pass. Radio is the best show on the web for everything music. We'll see you next time right here on backstage pass radio.